I’m done, I did all 100 movies! Here are my thoughts on the final three:

90. Rashomon (1950)
94. The Elephant Man (1980) Much better than I thought it would be. Kind of hard to watch in parts, because of the ugliness of fear and hate. But a great movie overall. I recommend it.
95. The Great Dictator (1940) Another awesome Charlie Chaplin movie. The final scene has a great speech. And the speech, although made over seventy years ago, is incredibly relevant for today. Check it out (with music from Hans Zimmer added): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8HdOHrc3OQ 16 months ago

I’m ACTUALLY wanting to accomplish watching all these films, and relatively soon. Not looking forward to the Star Wars/Lord of the Rings sagas (too, too much sitting).

1. The Godfather (1972)
2. The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
3. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
4. The Godfather: Part II (1974)
5. Shichinin no samurai (1954)
6. Schindler’s List (1993)
7. Casablanca (1942)
8. Star Wars (1977)
9. Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
10. Pulp Fiction (1994): Fun Lovin’ Criminals’ “Scooby Snacks” makes a lot more sense now that I know it features a snippet from this movie and other Quentin Tarantino films.
11. Buono, il brutto, il cattivo, Il (1966)
12. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
13. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975)
14. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)
15. Rear Window (1954)
16. Citizen Kane (1941)
17. Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)
18. Cidade de Deus (2002)
19. The Usual Suspects (1995)
20. Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
21. 12 Angry Men (1957)
22. Memento (2000)
23. C’era una volta il West (1968)
24. North by Northwest (1959)
25. Psycho (1960)
26. Fabuleux destin d’Amélie Poulain, Le (2001)
27. Goodfellas (1990)
28. It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)
29. Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
30. The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
31. Sunset Blvd. (1950)
32. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
33. American Beauty (1999)
34. The Matrix (1999)
35. Fight Club (1999) – Already seen over summertime
36. Apocalypse Now (1979)
37. Vertigo (1958)
38. The Pianist (2002)
39. Paths of Glory (1957)
40. To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)
41. Sen to Chihiro no kamikakushi (2001)
42. Taxi Driver (1976)
43. The Third Man (1949)
44. Se7en (1995)
45. Hotel Rwanda (2004)
46. Boot, Das (1981)
47. Léon (1994)
48. M (1931)
49. Double Indemnity (1944)
50. Requiem for a Dream (2000)
51. Singin’ in the Rain (1952)
52. Chinatown (1974)
53. Crash (2004)
54. Rashômon (1950)
55. Some Like It Hot (1959)
56. Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)
57. L.A. Confidential (1997)
58. All About Eve (1950)
59. The Maltese Falcon (1941)
60. The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)
61. American History X (1998)
62. Modern Times (1936)
63. Untergang, Der (2004)
64. Raging Bull (1980)
65. Alien (1979)
66. Saving Private Ryan (1998)
67. Million Dollar Baby (2004)
68. Vita è bella, La (1997)
69. A Clockwork Orange (1971)
70. The Sting (1973)
71. Reservoir Dogs (1992)
72. The Incredibles (2004)- Already seen
73. Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003)
74. The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948)
75. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)
76. Amadeus (1984)
77. The Manchurian Candidate (1962)
78. City Lights (1931)
79. On the Waterfront (1954)
80. The Shining (1980)
81. The Apartment (1960) – Strange film. 31/10/2011
82. The Great Escape (1963)
83. Ran (1985)
84. The Wizard of Oz (1939) – Already seen
85. Aliens (1986)
86. Sjunde inseglet, Det (1957)
87. Touch of Evil (1958)
88. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
89. Metropolis (1927)
90. Sin City (2005)
91. Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004)
92. Braveheart (1995)
93. The Great Dictator (1940)
94. Donnie Darko (2001) – 08/06/2011
95. Nuovo cinema Paradiso (1989)
96. Jaws (1975)
97. Strangers on a Train (1951)
98. High Noon (1952)
99. Oldboy (2003)
100. Finding Nemo (2003) – Already seen18 months ago

I’ve now watched 97 of the top 100 movies! That means I have three remaining. There’s a problem, however. NetFlix doesn’t seem to have The Elephant Man or The Great Dictator. It says “Unknown” under the “Availability”. We’ll see…

Here is the updated list:

89. The Maltese Falcon (1941) Humphrey Bogart is pretty cool. I like watching his demeanor… the rest of the movie was just OK.
90. Rashomon (1950)
94. The Elephant Man (1980)
95. The Great Dictator (1940)
97. The Apartment (1960) Pretty sexual theme for a movie made in 1960. Or maybe that’s just my own ignorance, thinking everything was pure and honest at that time. I give it an 8.5.
99. Rebecca (1940) I just watched this last night. I was happy with it. The house was awesome. And there were some twists. But at the same time, they didn’t seem like twists. I guess after watching the top movies of all time, there’s not much new and shocking to see. Seems everything has been done. 19 months ago

I’ve watched 94 of the top 100 movies! Six left, and the next one is scheduled to arrive from Netflix tomorrow.

Here is the updated list:

64. L.A. Confidential (1997) Another pretty good crime / drama. I can’t tell if these pretty good crime / dramas are making the list more than other genres, or maybe it’s just that I’ve not seen a lot of them in my life. Comedies are probably more my forte. At any rate, I did like this one; worthy of a rainy night rental.
66. Das Boot (1981) Very good! It still surprises me how much emotion and nonverbal communication carries through despite the spoken language barrier. This one was in German. It’s the story of a U-Boat crew’s trials during World War II. I found myself rooting for the Germans… strange. But they did make the point in the movie to distinguish this crew from the Nazi party. Makes you think…
88. Once Upon a Time in America (1984) Stupid. Not really stupid, but just hard to watch. And it was long… might as well skip this one.
89. The Maltese Falcon (1941)
90. Rashomon (1950)
94. The Elephant Man (1980)
95. The Great Dictator (1940)
97. The Apartment (1960)
99. Rebecca (1940) 20 months ago

I’ve watched three more movies. I started the first 30 minutes of “Once Upon a Time in America”, but wasn’t really paying attention, so I’m not sure what it’s about yet. I’ll have to watch that one from the beginning again.

For some reason, there are two movies that aren’t appearing in my Netflix queue. Their availability says “unknown”. They are The Elephant Man, and The Great Dictator. Does anyone have any idea where I can get these (for cheap or free)?

Here is the updated list:

64. L.A. Confidential (1997)
66. Das Boot (1981)
79. Singin’ in the Rain (1952) One of the better movies I’ve seen that has so much music in it. The two main guys are pretty talented. And I think I’ve already seen that scene where the one guy is saying how you have to “make ‘em laugh”. Classic.
80. Some Like It Hot (1959) I think this is the first time I’ve seen Marilyn Monroe act in anything. She was pretty good. Strange – to see someone you hear about often doing what they did to make you hear about them. Ya da da mean?
82. Downfall (2004) This was a German movie (in German) about the final days / hours of Hitler in his Berlin bunker. It was very well done. It didn’t feel like watching a movie – it felt as if you were in the bunker with them. Crazy stuff. For the lighter side of the movie (not the subtitles), check out this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzYsiNZgZ7M
88. Once Upon a Time in America (1984)
89. The Maltese Falcon (1941)
90. Rashomon (1950)
94. The Elephant Man (1980)
95. The Great Dictator (1940)
97. The Apartment (1960)
99. Rebecca (1940) 20 months ago

Two more checked off. Twelve to go. Netflix doesn’t have any more of the list available from their streaming service, so it will take at least another 6-8 weeks to finish the list, as I’ll be waiting two-three days in between movies.

Here is the updated list:

64. L.A. Confidential (1997)
66. Das Boot (1981)
74. Raging Bull (1980) This was kind of a let down for me. I like just about every Robert DeNiro move I’ve seen. And I liked how tough he was in the movie. But there wasn’t much to root for… frustrating to watch him hold back through much of it.
78. Inglourious Basterds (2009) I almost feel guilty for liking this one so much. I could watch ten movies with Brad Pitt’s character in it. Consistently calm tough guys are awesome. Something to emulate, I think.
79. Singin’ in the Rain (1952)
80. Some Like It Hot (1959)
82. Downfall (2004)
88. Once Upon a Time in America (1984)
89. The Maltese Falcon (1941)
90. Rashomon (1950)
94. The Elephant Man (1980)
95. The Great Dictator (1940)
97. The Apartment (1960)
99. Rebecca (1940) 21 months ago

In an effort to remember more of the movies, and since I’m nearing completion, I thought I’d update my entries more often.

Here is the updated list:

64. L.A. Confidential (1997)
66. Das Boot (1981)
74. Raging Bull (1980)
77. Modern Times (1936) How great is Charlie Chaplain? This is the second or third movie I’ve seen of his, and I found out I’m a huge fan. He just seems like he understands people so well. I read some good quotes by him today. Among my favorites: “I don’t believe that the public knows what it wants; this is the conclusion that I have drawn from my career.”
78. Inglourious Basterds (2009)
79. Singin’ in the Rain (1952)
80. Some Like It Hot (1959)
82. Downfall (2004)
88. Once Upon a Time in America (1984)
89. The Maltese Falcon (1941)
90. Rashomon (1950)
94. The Elephant Man (1980)
95. The Great Dictator (1940)
97. The Apartment (1960)
99. Rebecca (1940)
100. The Sting (1973) Interesting crime drama. Good plot and it keeps you thinking all the while. 21 months ago

16 movies left to watch!

There have been a lot of foreign movies lately, and it’s hard to eat dinner while watching them, since I have to read the screen. Come on, more dubbing, less subtitles!

Here is the updated list:

54. Aliens (1986) Excellent sequel. I thought it would just be more of the same, but they did a great job adding to it without making it ridiculous. Seems like a hard task in most sequels, but they pulled it off here.
61. Chinatown (1974) Pretty good crime drama. The plot is constantly thickening… which makes it easy to keep interested.
62. Requiem for a Dream (2000) I didn’t like this one. The one neat thing about it was the parallel drawn between the son and mother’s addictions. Heroin & weight loss pills… different yet yielding almost identical results. That makes me want to watch the episode of Saved by the Bell when Jessie takes the energy pills…
63. Reservoir Dogs (1992) Everyone dies.
64. L.A. Confidential (1997)
65. The Third Man (1949) I think I need to do updates more often because I don’t really remember this movie, although I’m sure I saw it.
66. Das Boot (1981)
67. The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948) Really good! I mean, don’t look for the meaning of life here, but if you’re up for a good old-fashioned western / gold digging adventure, this is it. Just the right amount of greed & psychology mixed in.
68. City Lights (1931) This is the first Charlie Chaplain movie I’ve seen. His genius is obvious. It was silent, but the message was communicated effortlessly. It is a romantic comedy; and you can see where so many movies made in the 80 years since this one have mimicked it.
70. Pan’s Labyrinth (2006) Not bad, but really interesting that one of “the characters”: http://www.imdb.com/media/rm3135803392/tt0457430 is the exact same as the bad guy in the Saw movies.
71. The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) Another good one. I think I’m getting used to old movies. :-)
74. Raging Bull (1980)
75. Life Is Beautiful (1997) Just saw this last night, and I love it. The main character is a true character. Full of a genuine curiosity and love of life. The first half of the movie is his story in the early 40s; how he met his wife, and his relationship with his son. The second half is all of them being taken to a concentration camp, and how he created a game out of it for his son’s well-being. Genius… and admirable. I highly recommend you watch this one.
77. Modern Times (1936)
78. Inglourious Basterds (2009)
79. Singin’ in the Rain (1952)
80. Some Like It Hot (1959)
81. Amadeus (1984) Really long movie. Decent. Amadeus’ laugh is contagious.
82. Downfall (2004)
83. Full Metal Jacket (1987) This is one of those that everyone else has seen except me. Funny first half; very serious second half. Pretty good flick.
84. Cinema Paradiso (1988) There were a couple good moments; and Alfredo is a great character. Not too sure about the ending.
88. Once Upon a Time in America (1984)
89. The Maltese Falcon (1941)
90. Rashomon (1950)
91. All About Eve (1950) Not that great, but it certainly kept my interest for the duration.
92. Metropolis (1927) I love that this movie takes place “100 years in the future”, which turns out to be 2027. 16 years from now. It’s very interesting to see people’s predictions. They progress trends they must have been seeing in the 20s. That is, more mechanics and industry. The elevators were very slow. And a powerful message appeared at the end… gotta watch to see it. (or Google it)
94. The Elephant Man (1980)
95. The Great Dictator (1940)
97. The Apartment (1960)
99. Rebecca (1940)
100. The Sting (1973) 21 months ago

31 movies left to watch!

Here is the updated list:

38. Apocalypse Now (1979)This was one of the better ones I’ve seen. I think I like movies with crazies in them. I can relate… only a little.
45. Lawrence of Arabia (1962)Another good one. I liked Lawrence. I would like to be like him.
54. Aliens (1986)
55. To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)I saw this movie in high school, and I think I read some of the book in high school too. But I forgot how good it was. Atticus is awesome… we need more Atticuses in the world. Attici?
56. Spirited Away (2001)OK this one was strange. I had to check twice to make sure I wasn’t on psychadelic drugs. The second time, it turned out I was on drugs. OK, no I’m kidding, the movie stunk.
58. The Lives of Others (2006)Not much to say here. 8/10
59. Double Indemnity (1944)Yes, finally a movie about insurance fraud. I hate insurance. Boo.
61. Chinatown (1974)
62. Requiem for a Dream (2000)
63. Reservoir Dogs (1992)
64. L.A. Confidential (1997)
65. The Third Man (1949)
66. Das Boot (1981)
67. The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948)
68. City Lights (1931)
70. Pan’s Labyrinth (2006)
71. The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)
74. Raging Bull (1980)
75. Life Is Beautiful (1997)
77. Modern Times (1936)
78. Inglourious Basterds (2009)
79. Singin’ in the Rain (1952)
80. Some Like It Hot (1959)
81. Amadeus (1984)
82. Downfall (2004)
83. Full Metal Jacket (1987)
84. Cinema Paradiso (1988)
88. Once Upon a Time in America (1984)
89. The Maltese Falcon (1941)
90. Rashomon (1950)
91. All About Eve (1950)
92. Metropolis (1927)
94. The Elephant Man (1980)
95. The Great Dictator (1940)
97. The Apartment (1960)
99. Rebecca (1940)
100. The Sting (1973) 23 months ago

I just stole about 10/100 of imdb top movies from my Grandpa’s collection (i.e. Fight Club, The Pianist, Apocalypse Now, Casablanca, etc.)

Let the movie watching BEGIN! 23 months ago

1. The Godfather (1972)
2. The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
3. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
4. The Godfather: Part II (1974)
5. Shichinin no samurai (1954)
6. Schindler’s List (1993)
7. Casablanca (1942)
8. Star Wars (1977)
9. Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
10. Pulp Fiction (1994): Fun Lovin’ Criminals’ “Scooby Snacks” makes a lot more sense now that I know it features a snippet from this movie and other Quentin Tarantino films.
11. Buono, il brutto, il cattivo, Il (1966)
12. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
13. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975)
14. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)
15. Rear Window (1954)
16. Citizen Kane (1941)
17. Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)
18. Cidade de Deus (2002)
19. The Usual Suspects (1995)
20. Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
21. 12 Angry Men (1957)
22. Memento (2000)
23. C’era una volta il West (1968)
24. North by Northwest (1959)
25. Psycho (1960)
26. Fabuleux destin d’Amélie Poulain, Le (2001)
27. Goodfellas (1990)
28. It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)
29. Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
30. The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
31. Sunset Blvd. (1950)
32. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
33. American Beauty (1999)
34. The Matrix (1999)
35. Fight Club (1999)
36. Apocalypse Now (1979)
37. Vertigo (1958)
38. The Pianist (2002)
39. Paths of Glory (1957)
40. To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)
41. Sen to Chihiro no kamikakushi (2001)
42. Taxi Driver (1976)
43. The Third Man (1949)
44. Se7en (1995)
45. Hotel Rwanda (2004)
46. Boot, Das (1981)
47. Léon (1994)
48. M (1931)
49. Double Indemnity (1944)
50. Requiem for a Dream (2000)
51. Singin’ in the Rain (1952)
52. Chinatown (1974)
53. Crash (2004)
54. Rashômon (1950)
55. Some Like It Hot (1959)
56. Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)
57. L.A. Confidential (1997)
58. All About Eve (1950)
59. The Maltese Falcon (1941)
60. The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)
61. American History X (1998)
62. Modern Times (1936)
63. Untergang, Der (2004)
64. Raging Bull (1980)
65. Alien (1979)66. Saving Private Ryan (1998)
67. Million Dollar Baby (2004)
68. Vita è bella, La (1997)
69. A Clockwork Orange (1971)
70. The Sting (1973)
71. Reservoir Dogs (1992)
72. The Incredibles (2004)
73. Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003)
74. The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948)
75. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)
76. Amadeus (1984)
77. The Manchurian Candidate (1962)
78. City Lights (1931)
79. On the Waterfront (1954)
80. The Shining (1980)
81. The Apartment (1960) – Strange film. 31/10/2011
82. The Great Escape (1963)
83. Ran (1985)
84. The Wizard of Oz (1939)
85. Aliens (1986)
86. Sjunde inseglet, Det (1957)
87. Touch of Evil (1958)
88. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
89. Metropolis (1927)
90. Sin City (2005)
91. Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004)
92. Braveheart (1995)
93. The Great Dictator (1940)
94. Donnie Darko (2001) – 08/06/2011
95. Nuovo cinema Paradiso (1989)
96. Jaws (1975)
97. Strangers on a Train (1951)
98. High Noon (1952)
99. Oldboy (2003)
100. Finding Nemo (2003) 23 months ago