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Wednesday, September 10, 2014

Top 100 Movies: Part 5

After a long hiatus, my Top 100 Movies list continues, and since my last post, there have been some sizable changes, so look for the fully updated list after everything is posted.


At Number 71: Clue

Clue is a fun movie, a really fun movie. It is clever, entertaining, quotable, and often hilarious, and unlike most mystery movies, it is rewatchable since it is more of a comedy than anything else. In addition, Clue is a "Cult Classic" of sorts because some people might not get it or the humor, but those that do, can really enjoy it, especially if you watch it with friends or family, or have played the board game (my favorite board game in fact).

At Number 70: Hot Fuzz
Another film from the genius mind of Edgar Wright, Hot Fuzz is a brilliant, and often hilarious, satire on buddy cop and action films in general. Somehow, the movie manages to tell an intriguing mystery plot that can be taken seriously, while, at the same time, making fun of the genre and its clichés.
Note: Yes, I realize that Hott Fuzz appeared earlier on the list, and since my review, I have decided that I ranked way too low.


At Number 69: The Wolverine
Despite the lackluster final act, The Wolverine is a vastly underappreciated character piece by James Mangold and Hugh Jackman that delves deep into the identity and motivation of the character. Being based on the iconic Japan set Silver Samurai comic-arc, the film adapted the best elements and themes of the original story while simultaneously rectifying the problems with the previous X-Men films. In addition, the film did not whitewash the cast and kept the heavy Japanese influences, which was a nice touch. 

Blade Runner is a unique blend of noir, sci-fi, and a classic hardboiled detective story. While Ridley Scott's take on 2015 does not appear to be very realistic compared to the current times, it was a unique and original take on what the future might look like, which many science fiction works have since copied. Despite the debate about the three different cuts of Blade Runner, I enjoyed both the Final and Original cut, although the Final Cut works slightly better.
At Number 67: Jaws
*John Williams music* Who can argue that Jaws shouldn't make this list? It is a film everyone should see at least once and a true classic. Steven Spielberg demonstrates once again his filmmaking mastery in Jaws. If you are an aspiring filmmaker you can learn a lot from Jaws, which is one of best directed films of all-time.

At Number 66: Psycho
Even with a slow first half, Psycho is one of the most shocking and suspenseful movies ever made. Possibly Hitchcock's most influential film, it basically invented the "Horror/Slasher" genre. Psycho is genuinely creepy at times, from the iconic shower scene to the shocking twist at the end; Psycho is one of Hitchcock’s many masterpieces of suspense.

At Number 65: Paprika
Before Inception perfected mind-bending dream movies, Paprika was the best out there with many original concepts that can be seen in Inception. Unfortunately, Paprika was Satoshi Kon's last film before his passing, but he sure went out with a bang. While Paprika can be utterly confusing at times, it is the type of film that you can just roll with the craziness, and it actually manages to mostly make sense in the end. Also, Madhouse's animation is simply spectacular in HD!

At Number 64: The Usual Suspects
One of Bryan Singer's first films continues to be one of his best, and it proves to be every bit as classic as the hype claims it is. From the mystery to the plot twists, The Usual Suspects is a riveting mystery that is aided by Kevin Spacey's Oscar winning performance. To not spoil anything for the readers that have not seen the film, let me just say that you should go watch it if you are old enough!

At Number 63: Vertigo
Often considered one of Alfred Hitchcock's best films, Vertigo has the best pure mystery element in any of his films, and that is saying a lot. James Stewart's performance was reliably fantastic in yet another amazing role. Vertigo is one of the first mind benders that truly tests your intelligence with so many plot twists and turns that will almost leave you in a daze. As with most mysteries however, it is not a movie that can be rewatched often.


At Number 62: Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon completely took me by surprise. I never expected it to have such amazingly choreographed action scenes and an epic and involving story. I have always been a fan of the art of fight choreography and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is two hours of visually stunning and expertly executed fight choreography, yet it never forgets about the plot. Back when I first watched the movie, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon was one of my first introductions to Asian cinema, and it was certainly a great place to start.

At Number 61: The Terminator
*Cue Terminator music* James Cameron's directorial debut may just be the best debut ever with the original Terminator. While Terminator may be overshadowed by its superior sequel, the original one still holds excellently as a suspenseful action thriller. Despite some ludicrous time traveling logic, the plot is original and expertly paced. Schwarzenegger was perfect for emotionless robotic antagonist, The Terminator, which is still his most famous role to date.

Please comment with what you thought of the list and please check back tomorrow for my review of Paprika.

If you want to contact us or have any questions please send an e-mail to johnstarslayer@gmail.com.

14 comments:

  1. I haven't watched any of these films yet, but I need to since they look good! :)

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  2. I'm so happy 'Clue' made the list! Its so funny and odd, Tim Curry is fantastic in it. Just all around a fun movie, one of my favorite comedies!

    And as a horror fan I'm pleased 'Psycho' made the list too! Saw it when I was real young and probably would put it as the scariest movie I have ever seen. (I was so young, it was shocking) I know the shower scene is the most famous scene but 'Detective Meets Mother' and 'The Mother Reveal' I think were terrifying as hell! and my favorite scenes.

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    1. Agreed, Tim Curry is fantastic, and so funny!

      If I had watched the movie as a kid, I would have terrified me as well. There are so many shocking scenes!

      -James

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  3. I watched 'Clue' last year! It's hilarious! Anyway, I haven't seen a good portion of these-with the exception of The Wolverine and Jaws-but they all sound good! I've seen the last half of Jaws, so I can't really comment on it. The Wolverine was alright, but I like the regular X-Men movies with everyone better.
    Excellent list, James, can't wait to see what's next!
    -Tegan

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    1. Glad you also enjoyed Clue! But I agree, most of the regular X-Men movies are better, except for X-Men 3.
      Thanks Tegan!

      -James

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  4. As someone who has watched 'Vertigo' many, many times, I think you ranked it too low. Minor point.

    I've seen all three cuts of 'Blade Runner' and think all work well. The original is one of the few that uses voice-over well, which is rare indeed.

    Finally, this is the first time I've seen 'Clue' in any Top 100 List, but it's a good choice. It's three endings remind me of "The Empty Hearse' and it's various resolutions to Holmes' death. 'Clue' is like Hot Fuzz: a great comedy that had me laughing because it knew what it was and didn't take itself seriously.

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    1. As much I liked Vertigo, there are a couple of other Hitchcock classics that I prefer, which you will see later on the list.

      The Director's Cut is the only that I have not seen, but I agree, the voice-over is actually good. Some people say that it is horrible for some reason.

      Interesting comparison between "The Empty Hearse" and Clue, but you have a good point. And yes, Clue is a lot like Hot Fuzz in that respect.

      -James

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  5. I'm not surprised that you enjoyed Paprika. But to be honest, I didn't enjoy it that much. For some reason, I just cant connect with it, and I think the plot is all over the place for me to really enjoy. As you know, the story and its structure is one of the major aspects I look into, both in anime and books.

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    1. The dream like surreal structure can definitely be off putting. Satoshi Kon is the type of director that seems to not follow the structure of most movies, and you either love or don't, so I can understand that.

      -James

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  6. Ugh, my first comment got lost. *fake cries but is already over it and ready to comment again. :P*

    CLUE. MY MOST FAVORITE MOVIE EVER I'M SO GLAD YOU LIKED IT AND IT MADE YOUR TOP 100 AJSKLDFAJSKDLFJASLDF

    HOT FUZZ. MY SEVENTH MOST FAVORITE MOVIE EVER ASDFJKALSDFJKLASDJF

    *dies from over-excitement*

    Gosh I feel like I'm being a freaking diva on your blog i need to pull my act together. ;)

    Still haven't seen Wolverine and I haven't seen Crouching Tiger either. And I need to get back The Usual Suspects.

    I've seen Bladerunner now; It was okay and the ending was my favorite part. :) Harrison Ford is always great. :D Jaws was also good; I was nervous about the ocean after watching that movie, haha! Psycho was great for it's age, the ending creeped me out so bad with that stare! Paprika was great! While the animation style isn't my favorite, it was very fitting for the story, I think. Veritgo was also okay but I think I liked Psycho and Rear Window more. :) AND THE TERMINATOR I'M SORRY BUT I ALSO LOVE THAT MOVIE A LOT AJSKLDJFA! :)

    Really glad to have this series back, can't wait for the next installment!

    ~Jamie

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    1. Arg. X( That sucks.

      Thank you for recommending Clue and Hot Fuzz!

      ROFL, you are kind of right about that, but it isn't a bad thing at all. ;)

      Both of those are really good movies that you should give a watch.

      Yep, Rear Window was better than Vertigo, at least to me. :)

      -James

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  7. Clue makes me laugh a lot, I don't love The Wolverine but it's lovely anyway, I went through a big Blade Runner phase for a while but haven't watched it lately, Jaws was a lot better than I was expecting, Psycho still scares me even though I've seen it three times, The Usual Suspects had great acting and twists but I was put off by the brutality, I like Vertigo okay but not lots, I found Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon to be slow and ultimately disappointing, and The Terminator is great fun :-)

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    1. Thanks for commenting on each movie that you have seen! :) Clue was such a funny movie. I did not expect to laugh nearly as much.

      -James

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One rule: No strong profanity. If you want to link to one of your posts, please do; I am always interested in other reviews and such.

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