watch the IMDB.com Top 100 movies

Last time I made an entry on this goal, I had 3 left to watch in the Top 100. Now there are 4 to go:

Rebecca, The Lives of Others, The Bourne Ultimatum, and Ratatouille.

The Lives of Others comes out on DVD on August 21st. I put it at the top of my Netflix queue, and can see it whenever they send it to me. (Yay!) Rebecca’s coming on my local cable system this weekend, so I can finally catch that one. (Double yay!)

IF Ratatouille and/or Bourne Ultimatum are still on the list when they hit DVD, I’ll see them then. Since new movies often jump up into the Top 100 and then slide out again, there’s a pretty good chance one or both films will leave the Top 100 by then.

I’m in limbo on this goal. I have 3 movies left to watch: The Lives of Others, Rebecca, and Grindhouse.

Grindhouse shouldn’t be a problem (I could have seen it already if desired), but . . .

The Lives of Others has yet to be released on DVD, and it’s not playing at any theaters, and it is also not running on TV, so I have no opportunity to see it.

Although it has been released on DVD more than once, Rebecca continues to elude me. I can’t locate a rental copy. I’m not willing to pay $50 or more to buy it and I won’t buy or watch a bootleg (I’m against that). I’m keeping my eye on TCM and other classic movie channels in hopes it will come on TV. Or maybe it will come out on DVD yet again and I can finally rent it.

Pan’s Labyrinth is “in the mail” from Netflix, and after seeing that movie, I would’ve been able to mark this goal done. I’ve still yet to see Rebecca and The Lives of Others because I can’t get ahold of those movies—since it could be who knows how long until either become available on DVD or come on TV, I don’t want to hold up the goal waiting for what could be years.

But now? I’ve got 2 new movies to watch: Grindhouse and Hot Fuzz have leaped into the Top 100. (I haven’t seen it, but . . . seriously. Is “Hott Fuzz” the 93rd best movie ever made?) The Top 100 and moreso the Top 250 on IMDB have been changing a lot in just a few weeks, with movies jumping into the list like 300 and Shaun of the Dead. All the movies moving up are what I’d call “fanboy movies.” Don’t get me wrong, I like my share of fanboy movies. But! I was looking to watch good, solid movies—not movies that are artificially ranked highly because some guy with no life spent days cheatingly giving it 10s.

The list has never been fair nor accurate, but now it is becoming a complete joke.

I’m progressing on this goal well with a lot of help from Netflix. I’ve now seen #s 1 through 67, except #47, “Pan’s Labyrinth,” which I’ll watch when it comes out on DVD next month.

So far, I’ve been unable to locate a copy of #73, “Rebecca,” because it is not available to rent from Netflix or even to buy from Amazon. I’m keeping an eye on TV listings in hopes of catching it on AMC or TCM or other such channel and if it doesn’t come on TV soon, I’ll check my local Blockbusters.

I’m also waiting for “The Lives of Others” (#91) to come out on DVD (no release date set yet, so who knows how long that wait will be).