Sunday, August 12, 2007

Update on a challenge or: How I learned to stop worring about making my blog titles long

Ok I admit the title of this one was a cheap joke but come on, "Dr. Strangelove" has like one of the most awesome full titles of all time. I just couldn't resist.

So, back in May I smashed my ego into bits by taking a little IMDB top 100 challenge. The object was simple, take the IMDB top 100 movies list from May 2004 and throw a bold font on the ones you have seen.

I clocked in at 46, pathetic. I couldn't even break the halfway mark. But a few months have past and I have knocked off a few more (ok only 9 plus one that I had seen previously but missed it when marking.) notches off of the old IMDB belt. Grand total now, 56 which puts me above the halfway mark.

So here is the updated list.

Godfather, The (1972)
Shawshank Redemption, The (1994)
Godfather: Part II, The (1974)
Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, The (2003)
Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, The (2002)

Schindler's List (1993)
Shichinin no samurai (1954)
Casablanca (1942)
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The (2001)
Star Wars (1977)
Citizen Kane (1941)
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)
Dr. Strangelove (1964)
Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
Rear Window (1954)
Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
Pulp Fiction (1994)
Usual Suspects, The (1995)
Memento (2000)
North by Northwest (1959)
12 Angry Men (1957)

Buono, il brutto, il cattivo, Il (1966)
Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
Psycho (1960)
Fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain, Le (2001)
Silence of the Lambs, The (1991)
It's a Wonderful Life (1946)
Goodfellas (1990)
American Beauty (1999)

Sunset Blvd. (1950)
Vertigo (1958)
Matrix, The (1999)

Cidade de Deus (2002)
To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)
C'era una volta il West (1968)
Apocalypse Now (1979)
Pianist, The (2002)
Third Man, The (1949)
Paths of Glory (1957)
Taxi Driver (1976)
Fight Club (1999)

Sen to Chihiro no kamikakushi (2001)
Some Like It Hot (1959)
Double Indemnity (1944)
Boot, Das (1981)
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
Singin' in the Rain (1952)

Chinatown (1974)
L.A. Confidential (1997)
Maltese Falcon, The (1941)
Requiem for a Dream (2000)
All About Eve (1950)
M (1931)
Bridge on the River Kwai, The (1957)
Se7en (1995)
Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)
Saving Private Ryan (1998)

Rashômon (1950)
Raging Bull (1980)
Wizard of Oz, The (1939)
Alien (1979)
American History X (1998)

Sting, The (1973)
Léon (1994)
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)
Manchurian Candidate, The (1962)
Vita è bella, La (1997)
Touch of Evil (1958)
Treasure of the Sierra Madre, The (1948)
Finding Nemo (2003)
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
Reservoir Dogs (1992)

Great Escape, The (1963)
Modern Times (1936)
Clockwork Orange, A (1971)
Amadeus (1984)
On the Waterfront (1954)
Ran (1985)
Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003)
Annie Hall (1977)
Wo hu cang long (2000)
Jaws (1975)
Apartment, The (1960)
Braveheart (1995)
High Noon (1952)
Aliens (1986)
Fargo (1996)

Strangers on a Train (1951)
Shining, The (1980)
Metropolis (1927)
Blade Runner (1982)
Sixth Sense, The (1999)

City Lights (1931)
Donnie Darko (2001)
Duck Soup (1933)

Great Dictator, The (1940)
General, The (1927)
Sjunde inseglet, Det (1957)
Princess Bride, The (1987)
Dogville (2003)

For clarity here is the list of the newly viewed.

Shawshank Redemption, The (1994)
Citizen Kane (1941)
Dr. Strangelove (1964)
Rear Window (1954)
North by Northwest (1959)
To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)
Raging Bull (1980)
Clockwork Orange, A (1971)
Jaws (1975)


That may not seem like a lot, but with these flicks you are definitely talking about quality over quantity.

“Das Boot” was going to be on the updated list, is it on my desk right now. Unfortunately the local Blockbuster store was kind enough to rent me an unplayable DVD (not the first time this has happened) so I had to kill that plan. On the upside “The Shawshank Redemption” played just fine and completely exceeded my already high expectations. I expect I'll be spending more time in Shawshank, perhaps sooner than later.

Quick Thoughts

Jaws: Made me realize that Spielberg really did come right out of the gate running at full speed.

A Clockwork Orange, Dr. Strangelove, and 2001: Taught me that Kubrick movies really should be viewed multiple times to appreciate them. “Clockwork” Also gave me a completely renewed respect for Malcolm McDowell.


Rear Window: There is no way that Shia LaBeouf can trump James Stewart, I'll withhold final judgment until after I see “Disturbia.” But I'm not holding my breath for it to surpass the Hitchcock classic.

North by Northwest: Really fun movie. After all it is “A 3000 MILE CHASE . . . That blazes a trail of TERROR to a gripping, spine-chilling climax ! “ Sorry, I just love that tagline. Also...Is it me or did Hitchcock have a really good eye for the ladies?

Raging Bull: Brutal! Really good as well, but I mean damn......brutal.

To Kill a Mockingbird: I think I've made my opinion fairly clear and I still stand by what I said!

Citizen Kane: I really wish that I could go back and erase what little I knew about this movie going into it so I could have experienced the surprise at the end without knowing it was coming.

The Shawshank Redemption: It's funny, I've seen bits and pieces of “Shawshank” here and there for years but I never put the puzzle together. Once I sat down and watched it from beginning to end it really blew me away. By the way, how great was James Whitmore's performance?

Le Fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain (AKE “Amélie ”): The one that got away. I saw this way way back when I was going to ITT, a friend recommended it to me after we had a conversation about “Run Lola Run.”

One more thing, just for the record. Pulling an all niter featuring “North by Northwest” followed by “Rear Window” is pretty awesome, if you can pull it off.

6 comments:

The McGuffin said...

Man. you're all over that list like Oprah on a canned ham. Pretty soon you'll have 'em all viewed and reviewed. Nice to see an abundance of Hitch and Kubrick on the new updated list. Kubrick's work really does need multiple viewings...over multiple years. All of his films were panned by the critics upon release...ten years go by and they are all considered classics. The great Pauline Kael even ripped "2001" when it came out in '68. I haven't seen too many lately. Been on an Avett Brothers kick lately and music has overtaken movies for the moment. They'll be in Ann Arbor at The Ark 8/21...just like in Animal House...I say road trip. My best bud over at The Concrete Donkey won't stop bugging me about renting "Zodiac"...his words..."You will LOVE this movie." He knows me pretty well after 23 years, so "Zodiac" is next for me. Looking at your list...what's next on the docket?

FatalPierce said...

I'm also ticking a few movies off of the AFI top 100 list (luckily some of them overlap) and I've been spending some quality time with some horror classics as well ("Last House on the Left", "Friday the 13th 1 and 2", "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" etch...) so I've gone through a few. I even snuck "The Host" and "Black Snake Moan" in there...Ok "Black Snake" got a couple of viewings and a soundtrack purchase.

Next on my docket, I'm thinking maybe "On the Waterfront" tonight. I'll heading over to my buddies place to check out Zodiac this week (I'd watch it sooner, but if I don't wait until I get there his wife will kill me!). Then as soon as I'm back from that I should have gotten "Some Like it Hot" in the mail so I can watch that. I've been waiting for that one for a while.

I'm really bummed about "Das Boot" being unplayable, so I may put a rush on that rental as well.

Oh and I almost forgot, the big 20hth anniversary edition of "Monster Squad" just got released on DVD...might have to check that one out just on principal.

FatalPierce said...

Another quick update to what is up next...thanks to Kim I am now headed to add "Marnie" to the top of my list... I haven't seen "The Birds" for years either, maybe I should put that up there as well.

Now you see why I've only gone through a few on the list, there are just so many not on the list that I want to get through as well!

Anonymous said...

Oh Dear!! If I'm not careful here you are going to win this challenge and frankly that's not allowed. Nope..no sir. Not allowed! =P Hmm....guess I should spend Labor Day weekend watching nothing but movies. I suppose it wouldn't be too odd to return on the following Tuesday glass eyed. Would it?? LOL

Congrats on getting up to the halfway mark..but sadly sir you shall not win! =P

Ash

FatalPierce said...

We'll see. I've already polished off a couple of more since posting this list, and I translated a few of the titles and realized there were another couple that I have seen already.

Shazaam!

Anonymous said...

Curses!!! Foiled again!!!! *snaps fingers* Hmmm...I will just have to play dirty somehow.....in order to win. Hmmm..what to do..what to do??? *taps her fingers*

Ash