Here's a "Top Twenty" list (films)

[RGA]

I don't have Exel loaded and can't get to my movie database - yes it's big.

So off the top of my head best 20 - well to me:

1)Schindler's List The most moving experience film has brought to me - saw it seven times upon theatrical release and gets better each time. Moved me to major in Nazi German history and it manages to remain extraordinarily well balanced - especially where and when Spielberg adds his own views of the title character.

2)A Clockwork Orange(ultra-violence baby - who is scarier the droogs or changing society - a masterful work from maybe the greatest of directors).

3)Pulp Fiction (the ultimate story of redemption put to film).

4)2001: A Space Oddysey(took me 3 times to really like it but boy did I)

5) Blue, Blanc, Rouge(Three colours trilogy) Really it is only Red that deserves this spot but the entire trilogy brings it up a notch each representing a colour of the french flag.

6) Goodfellas (Above the Godfarther's Yes. Goodfellas is the taught lean harder core view of the mob from the grunt perspective - The Godfather is more ambitious but less successful and bordering on a mob soap opera).

7) Raiders of the Lost Ark (For what it is nothing is better. Raiders is maybe the most fun I've had watching films from a larger than life central character but not without weakness. Historically inventive with the Beloque character and hey killing Nazi's is always a good time at the movies).

8) Grand Illusion - what can be said - inspired so many terrific works and is still a highly emotionally charged experience taking the audience to a different kind of war.

9) Leaving Las Vegas - the ultimate romance film.

10) The Shawshank Redemption - a film that became great the more I watched it. It kind of sneaked up on me. Too bad it was released in the best film year of the 1990's

11) E.T. the Extra Terrestrial - Spielberg is often said to be child-like - and maybe that's what is needed to make the ultimate children's movie. This a re-telling of the Christ story and has heavy homages to Casablanca though actually feels more authentic than Casablanca which is why E.T. is here and Casablanca is not.

12) JFK - Say what you will about the arguing of factual events - the film itself is a masterful technical acievement and rivets for 3 plus hours.

13) The Seven Samurai - What the Lord of the Rings only dreamt of being - poignant, intelligent and relevant.

14) Jaws - best damn fish movie ever made - changed the world of summer blockbuster - Jaws still reamins the best - oddly because it had more to it than what is typical of Hollywood.

15) American Beauty - no really - like the tag line said - look closer.

16) Young Frankenstein - a close call with the Producers but Mel Brooks' work here may be the best tribute film and strangely close to the Shelley Novel in heart.

17) Dr. Strangelove - what can you say but "there's no fighting in here. This is the war room!"

18) Dawn of the Dead (1978) - George Romero the most intelligent horror director crafted this low budget shlock gore fest with performances relegated to porno quality. Despite that the film is the ultimate discussion on apocolyptic consumerism and cntemporary values made. (The new one was fun but the original was never really a horror film - at least not the way 12 year old boys think it is).

19) Cabaret - (just see it and yes it's better than the Godfather and should have won the academy award)

20) Exorcist - How can an agnostic support this film? Simple nothing is more scary than alittle kid who spits pea soup and can twirl her head - seriously this is maybe the scariest film ever made and had, and still does, such a gutteral impact on the genre that it almost forces itself onto my list.


There - I know this isn't exact but not bad for a top of the head:

Others in my top 100(no order):
Monster's Ball
In the Bedroom
The English Patient
Saving Private Ryan (see it a few times - not as smaltzy as it appears)
Crumb
The Third Man
Quiz Show
Aliens
Grand Canyon
Shakespeare in Love
Death of a Salesman(Hoffman/Malkovich version)
The Apartment
Taxi Driver
The Producers
The War Zone
Felicia's Journey
Margaret's Museum
The Empire Striles Back
Amadeus
Manhatten
The Conversation(Coppola's best film by a mile)
Lawrence of Arabia
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
Planes, Trains, and Automobiles
Network
Secrets and Lies
Forrest Gump
Breaking the Waves
Strange Days
Platoon
Sling Blade
Kill Bill:Vol1&2 - as a complete film
The Terminator (One of the best Romance films ever made) Yes really I'm serious.
Trainspotting
Requiem for a Dream

[woodman]

In no particular order -

Being There
Rain Man
The Party
On Golden Pond
The Jerk
Blazing Saddles
Second Hand Lions
The Producers
A Shot in the Dark
Anger Management
The Pink Panther
Midnight Cowboy
Revenge of the Pink Panther
Donnie Brasco
Scent of a Woman
Guess Who's Coming to Dinner
The Pink Panther Strikes Again
The Fugitive
Forrest Gump
The Insider
Return of the Pink Panther
Hero

OK - so there's 22 instead of 20. Luckily I was able to stop at 22 ... I could go on with probably 20 more, and there still wouldn't be room for some of the films that most others have listed - like Goodfellas, The Godfather trilogy, Saving Private Ryan, Casino, Citizen Kane, Kill Bill, Pulp Fiction, etc. Different strokes and all that jazz ya know. You can probably tell from my list that I'm a huge fan of Peter Sellers since I've listed 7 of his films in my top 20 (22).