AFIs Top 100 - Finally

As some of you know, AFI (The American Film Institute) came out with their '100 Years...100 Movies' list in 1998. This is a list of the Top 100 films in the first 100 years of AFIs existence. When the list was first published Lisa and I had the list on our respective fridges and Blockbuster had a handy pocket list where you could mark off those you had seen. We were very keen and thought what a great way to watch some great movies. You might not think 100 movies is alot (considering how many movies most of us watch), but this list was so hard to complete.

Well, I am so happy to say, that I have finally watched all 100 movies (it only took 8 years). The final movie for me was Charlie Chaplin's 'Modern Times' (he had three movies on the list). It was good, but I probably didn't enjoy it as much as I could have since at that point I just wanted to be done with the list.

I've been asked to give my opinions on the list and now that I am finished I feel that I can now give a comprehensive answer.

Let's start off with the movies that I didn't feel should be on this list:

• Annie Hall - I hate Woody Allen, I don't find him funny and I don't understand why everyone loves this film.
• West Side Story - I love Nathalie Wood (I was almost named Nathalie because my mom liked her so much, yes, I would have been Nathalie Woodall), but I don't think it quite ranks up there with some of these other films.
• Duck Soup - I really don't get the Marx Brothers. Parts were pretty funny, but I didn't really like the movie.
• Unforgiven - this is the only Clint Eastwood movie on the list. I find that odd. I would have thought one of his other movies would have made the list. Of course, I've never been a big Clint fan (I did really like 'Play Misty for Me', though). I guess I can't say whether or not his other movies were great. But, I suspect they put this on the list because he didn't have any others.
• Fargo - now, I love a good wood-chipper scene, but I suspect that the only reason this film made the list is because it came out the year that they were voting on the list.
• The Searchers - John Wayne already had a movie on the list (Stagecoach) and I thought it was a very good movie. But, I hated this movie. He is so racist and the movie is so long. Don't bother, watching this one.

Now, the following are movies that I understand should be on the list, but I really didn't like them:

• Ben-Hur - Great film making in this one. The chariot race is pretty amazing, but you know me, I'm not a big fan of religion. I didn't realize that this was a movie about Jesus, but it is, in a very weird way.
• 2001: A Space Odyssey - I can just imagine my brother yelling at his computer when he sees this. Now, I love the scene with Hal, but other than that, I'm really not a big fan of this film. I think there were some amazing parts to this film and I agree that it should be on the list, but not my cup of tea. But, I could listen to Hal again and again.
• The Jazz Singer - I think I expected something more from this film. I didn't dislike it, but I did expect there to be more spoken word. I really didn't realize that it was a silent film with the songs actually synched. Apparently, the entire movie wasn't in sound because the producers didn't think the audience wanted a talking picture. I did find out many interesting film facts while watching these movies.
• Bringing up Baby - Katherine Hepburn already had multiple movies on this list. This just wasn't as good as the others.
• Birth of a Nation - I just don't know where to start with this film. Is it the white woman dressed in black face acting all crazy for the camera (to show that black women are all crazy); or the fact that the movie is about how awesome the KKK is (and how everyone - well, the white race - will be saved by the KKK); or how Griffith didn't want to employ any black people, so most of the black characters are actual white actors in blackface; there are just so many things wrong with this movie. I had put off watching this movie for so long (I thought it would be the last movie in the list that I watched), but I do understand why it is here. The stuff that Griffith did on the screen is amazing. Watch this just to see how crazy he makes the black people seem. You just won't believe it.

Here is a list of the movies that I was really surprised by and I highly recommend them:

• The Wild Bunch - I think this was the movie I was most surprised by. I absolutely loved it. It's a western and is so beautifully shot. It took my breath away.
• Shane - Maybe I secretly love westerns. But, whenever I see that final scene I just start bawling.
• Singin' In the Rain - I had to go out and buy it right after I saw it. I love Gene Kelly.
• All About Eve - probably my favourite on the list. Just an amazing movie.
• High Noon - once again another western. Maybe I just didn't expect the westerns to be any good.

Now, the list of my favourites. Well, actually I can't really pin it down. With the obvious exceptions above, I really enjoyed the movies on this list. I highly recommend checking the list out: http://www.afi.com/tvevents/100years/movies.aspx

• Star Wars
• The Godfather
• Gone With The Wind
• One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
• From Here to Eternity
• American Graffiti

These are just some of my favourites. It was a great list and the other lists that they have (top villains / heros; screen legends; etc) are really interesting as well. A great way to find movies that you may otherwise have not picked up.

Happy viewing!