Top 100 Movies: Part 2

My Top 100 Movies list continues with ten more entries ranging from old classics to recent thrillers. 

At Number 90: Alien

"In space no one can hear you scream." Although I do not believe it to be as "scary" as some say, I did find it suspenseful with a unique atmosphere. On the other hand, my prior knowledge of knowing who lives and who dies lowered the overall suspense, which, admittedly, lessened my enjoyment. Despite this, Alien is most certainly a must-watch if only to watch the even more awesome sequel, Aliens.

Alien (1979) Review

At Number 89: The Bridge on the River Kwai

Based on the novel of similar name, The Bridge on the River Kwai deals with the psychological, opposed to physical, damage caused by the horrible things that the Japanese put the POWs through in World War II. Despite the heavy subject matter, the film is still entertaining and a good watch for fans of classic movies. Also, Alec Guinness’ Oscar winning performance is positively fantastic.

At Number 88: Sword of the Stranger

Sword of the Stranger takes a familiar story and manages to add enough heart and style to make the story fresh and utterly entertaining. Sword of the Stranger is the story of a lone Ronin (Samurai without a master) that is hired by a young boy to help him escape from his pursuers. The film has two big things going for it, likable characters and freaking awesome fight scenes. In fact, Sword of the Stranger’s action scenes are among my favorite from any animation, which is saying a lot.

At Number 87: Shaun of the Dead

Edgar Wright's first entry in the popular Cornetto trilogy, Shaun of the Dead is as good as zombie movies get. While many will likely not find the witty and dry British satirical humor funny, I found it positively hilarious! Amidst the humor, the movie has surprisingly fun and memorable characters, and the ending is absolutely perfect.

At Number 86: The Bourne Ultimatum

While the Bourne Identity revolutionized modern action films with its mostly effective use of shaky-cam, which has never been used well since, and introduced audiences to a new type of action hero, The Bourne Ultimatum perfected the formula. It gave us the answers we wanted and found the perfect balance between suspense and visceral action.

The Bourne Ultimatum Review.

At Number 85: The Great Escape

Based on the WWII POW Paul Brickhill’s account of the mass escape from the German prison camp Stalag Luft III, The Great Escape is one of the best WWII films ever made. While it does take a more lighthearted approach to the story, there are still moments of realism along with the exciting action and charismatic cast. 

The Great Escape Review.

At Number 84: Evangelion 2.0: You Can (Not) Advance

Evangelion is the thinking man's Pacific Rim. Despite a disappointing ending, Evangelion 2.0: You Can (Not) Advance retells the Evangelion story with unexpected twists and turns. While the characters and some of the events of the series are the same, the movie's version alters the original plot just enough to make it fresh and new, but still distinctly Evangelion. The best part of the film, however, is the new direction that the characters are taken and the stunning animation.

At Number 83: Lawrence of Arabia

Over three hours in length and featuring some of, if not, the best cinematography from the era, Lawrence of Arabia is the definition of a film epic. As the name implies, the film is about T. E. Lawrence, played brilliantly by Peter O'Toole, during World War I. The film captures the personal struggles of Lawrence, and his fall into madness.

Lawrence of Arabia Review. 

At Number 82: Whisper of the Heart

Yoshifumi Kondō's one and only Studio Ghibli film before his unfortunate passing, Whisper of the Heart is different than most other works from the studio. Instead of taking the audience on an adventure through some fantastical land, Whisper of the Heart is a much more personal story about a girl named Shizuku Tsukishima and how she finds her true calling in life as a writer. It is slice-of-life anime at its finest, and the movie remains one of my favorite works from Studio Ghibli to date.

At Number 81: Charade

Considered by many to be the "Best Hitchcock film, Hitchcock did not make", Charade is a suspenseful and often funny adventure. Despite the age different, Grant and Hepburn have great chemistry. On a fun side note, in 1978, when making the copyright for the film, Universal Pictures forgot to include the proper copyright information, so the movie is actually in the Public Domain. That basically means that no one owns the right to the film, and therefore you can watch it free and legally at a variety of places online.
Charade Review.

Please let me know in the comments if any of these are your favorite movies, and what you think of my list thus far. Also, please check back tomorrow for my review of Shaun of the Dead and the next day for Whisper of the Heart Review.

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