I didn't realize until halfway through this list of the "105 Best Movies of All Time" that the author, Semicolon, was a lady. This would explain why some of the films that are on the list are on the list, and why some of the films that are not on the list are not on the list. I can appreciate her taste. Yet I cannot agree with her on many choices--most notably Pirates of the Caribbean. I didn't like this movie. I can watch some films for the sole purpose of entertainment, but most movies need to have much more. This movie had nothing. Behind the fluff was cardboard. I personally found it excruciatingly shallow, and simplistic. I recently watched the movie Hero. This wasn't a great movie. It did seek to be more than simply a martial arts flick. It did have some fantastic fight seqences with amazing choreography and cinematography. I enjoyed this movie, even with the subtitles.
Let me now remind you of some "guy movies" that are certainly great films. Ever hear of The Godfather? This isn't entirely a guy's movie--my wife liked this film. I personally liked The Godfather, Part II more. The scene where Fredo is killed is one of the most ironically beautiful scenes ever. While speaking of mobster films, let me mention Goodfellas. This is a harsh, violent, melodic film. It is hard to watch, with all the language and blood, yet it is difficult to stop watching it. It is so compelling. The characters draw you completely into the story. Another great Scorsese film is Raging Bull. This might be my favorite. Never has there been a more brutally beautiful film than this. It is dark and tragic. It is a masterpiece. Another dark and tragic masterpiece is Unforgiven. This is a complicated film. Few modern directors utilize shadows as effectively as Eastwood. Gene Hackman gives one of the strongest supporting roles in recent years. None of these films will find a place on many "Chick Flick" lists, but they are great films.
If we go back a few years, we find a film named Citizen Kane. How any film lover can leave this off their list is beyond me. This is the greatest film ever made. I love every scene of this film. I love the deep focus techniques. I love the screenplay, the dialogue, the characters, the sets, the cinematography. I love this film. Although I nearly prefer another Orson Welles' film, Touch of Evil. This is a powerful character study. I am not fond of Charlton Heston. He is somewhat misplaced, though effective, in this film. By far the greatest opening shot to any movie.
Surely we cannot avoid one of the greatest epic films of all time, Lawrence of Arabia. Semicolon mentioned Bridge on the River Kwai, which is a great film. I think that Lawrence is better. I could almost watch this movie without any sound. The scenery is breathtaking.
Let me introduce a few foreign films. We begin with Seven Samuri. It is long, and subtitled. Yet it remains a great action film. Another great film by Akira Kurosawa is Ran, made in the early 80s. This is a gorgeous film. This is one of the most tragic movies I have ever scene. The final scene is a tremendous.
I will leave the list at that for right now.
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