The New AFI List

Okay, I couldn't help it, I had to take a look at the new list.

There are ten that I haven't seen (well, one of them was on the original list, but I can't remember watching it again for that list. I know I've seen West Side Story, but I've decided I need to see it again).

I was quite happy to see the following additions to the list:

• Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring (amazing!)
• Shawshank Redemption
• In the Heat of the Night (I was surprised it wasn't on the original list)
• All the President's Men
• 12 Angry Men (the original of course)
• Toy Story
• Blade Runner (which should make my brother happy, if he cared about these things :)

Okay, what also makes me happy: 'Birth of a Nation' has come off of the list! What doesn't make me happy: 'The Searchers' is still on the list and it ranked higher this time. Did people not watch it, or is America still that racist?

I am not happy that the following movies are no longer on the list:

• Dr. Zhivago
• From Here to Eternity
• The Third Man
• Rebel Without a Cause
• Close Encounters of the Third Kind (because it is one of my dad's favourite movies)
• The Manchurian Candidate (the original is amazing)
• Frankenstein
• Patton (it was just such a beautifully shot film)
• Guess Whos' Coming to Dinner (I personally think this was too important a film to be left off)

So, I guess I'm off to watch more movies and let you know if they deserved to be on the list. If I remember correctly there were only a couple I didn't think should be on the list the last time.