Image = My Top 100 Favorites

Over the years I've thought a lot about my favorite films but never made a list. This summer, Entertainment Weekly published their 100 Greatest Movies and their list was missing so many important films (in my not so humble opinion) that I was inspired to produce my own Top 100 List.  What frustrated me most about EW’s list is that they gave no explanation for the creation of it. Genre? Who voted? Why does 79 rank 1 higher than 80? Etc, etc… So, here’s the method to my madness for film. 

My list is based upon the impact films have always made on me. The Top 10 are to me THE BEST because I have watched them over & over and they never lose their effect, 10-20 were seminal to my film education and after that the list is in no real order. I did group indies and films that are similar (in tone or greatness) just for the sake of organization. Creating this list was no small feat and I am not even confident that it’s complete. It was very challenging to choose 100 - I've seen thousands of movies.  

My criteria for a great film:

• Excellent writing, affecting drama/hysterical comedy and extraordinary acting.
• Clever & innovative filmmaking or approach to telling the story.
• I want to see it again & again and it gets better upon repeated viewings.  Funnier, more sad, or more brilliant.  {NOTE: There are movies that are a one hit wonder of viewing, like Beverly Hills Cop. The first time, I laughed my ass off but the second time just wasn’t the same}.
• I forget I’m watching a movie. 

Some Like it Hot gets more & more hilarious and I have yet to see anything more unique, well-written & artfully executed, so it reigns supreme for me above all other films. The Color Purple is my favorite drama because in addition to brilliant performances and gorgeous cinematography, it is heart wrenching and I cry at the same parts every time. {NOTE: There are movies that are great but too emotional to ever see again like The Accused, Million Dollar Baby & Slumdog Millionaire so they are not on my list}.  

DISCLAIMER: I admit to an affinity for comedy, drama and yes, “chick flicks” and I do not watch much sci-fi or certain acclaimed filmmakers’ work – namely Kubrick, early Scorsese, Lynch, Tarantino, Rodriguez, etc. because I’m a wimp and can’t handle graphic violence. Being raised on Broadway, I feel there are countless great movie musicals, so I was rigorous about including only a few which blow me away. I’ve seen countless great films that are not on this list because despite their excellence, they didn’t stay with me (The King’s Speech, Slingblade). There are also many films with a great performance by the lead (Milk, The Queen, La Vie en Rose) that are not listed because that one performance was not enough to warrant my Top 100. Many indies made the cut because they are distinctive or groundbreaking, and again because of the experience I had seeing them for the first time in a theater.  

I hope this offers insight into my image, my theoretical orientation and why I write this blog.

My Top 100 All Time Favorite Films:

1. Some Like it Hot 
2. The Color Purple
3. The Philadelphia Story
4. What’s Up Doc?
5. Annie Hall
6. The Breakfast Club
7. The Big Chill
8. When Harry Met Sally
9. Arthur
10. Moonstruck
11. Star Wars
12. Grease
13. On the Town
14. Broadcast News
15. The Goodbye Girl
16. Terms of Endearment
17. Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
18. Au Revoir Les Enfants
19. Cinema Paradiso
20. This is Spinal Tap
21. On Golden Pond
22. Stealing Home
23. Tootsie
24. Midnight Run
25. Hannah & Her Sisters
26. Manhattan
27. It Happened One Night
28. Lady & the Tramp
29. The Purple Rose of Cairo
30. Shakespeare in Love
31. Forrest Gump
32. Diner
33. St. Elmo’s Fire
34. Dead Poets Society
35. Good Will Hunting
36. The Fisher King
37. Sideways
38. Sex Lies & Videotape
39. Swingers
40. Clerks
41. The Brothers McMullen
42. Do the Right Thing
43. Drugstore Cowboy
44. My Big Fat Greek Wedding
45. Dirty Dancing
46. The Shawshank Redemption
47. Amadeus
48. Shine
49. Thelma & Louise
50. Steel Magnolias 
51. Parenthood
52. Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
53. Fearless (1993)
54. Scent of a Woman
55. Birdy
56. La Vita e Bella
57. Crash
58. Brokeback Mountain
59. Ma Vie en Rose
60. Chocolat
61. The Commitments
62. Muriel’s Wedding
63. Priscilla, Queen of the Desert
64. Sliding Doors
65. Home for the Holidays
66. The Apartment
67. Platoon
68. Amelie
69. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
70. High Fidelity
71. Love Actually
72. Auntie Mame
73. The Aviator
74. American Beauty
75. The Hurricane
76. The Station Agent
77. Little Children
78. A Home at the End of the World
79. Chasing Amy
80. Dogma
81. Reality Bites
82. Lars & the Real Girl
83. Victor Victoria
84. Yentl
85. The Birdcage
86. Airplane!
87. Strangers on a Train
88. Happythankyoumoreplease
89. Mumford
90. Something’s Gotta Give
91. Juno
92. L’Auberge Espagnole
93. Run Lola Run
94. Beginners
95. Jeff, Who Lives at Home
96. Lost in Translation
97. (500) Days of Summer
98. The Social Network
99. The Artist 
100. Argo