Entertainment Weekly ranks the Top 100 Movies of the Past 25 Years...

[oliegirl]

I didn't see a thread on this, my apologies if it's already been discussed...

1. Pulp Fiction (1994)
2. The Lord of the Rings trilogy (2001-03)
3. Titanic (1997)
4. Blue Velvet (1986)
5. Toy Story (1995)
6. Saving Private Ryan (1998)
7. Hannah and Her Sisters (1986)
8. The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
9. Die Hard (1988)
10. Moulin Rouge (2001)
11. This Is Spinal Tap (1984)
12. The Matrix (1999)
13. GoodFellas (1990)
14. Crumb (1995)
15. Edward Scissorhands (1990)
16. Boogie Nights (1997)
17. Jerry Maguire (1996)
18. Do the Right Thing (1989)
19. Casino Royale (2006)
20. The Lion King (1994)
21. Schindler's List (1993)
22. Rushmore (1998)
23. Memento (2001)
24. A Room With a View (1986)
25. Shrek (2001)
26. Hoop Dreams (1994)
27. Aliens (1986)
28. Wings of Desire (1988)
29. The Bourne Supremacy (2004)
30. When Harry Met Sally... (1989)
31. Brokeback Mountain (2005)
32. Fight Club (1999)
33. The Breakfast Club (1985)
34. Fargo (1996)
35. The Incredibles (2004)
36. Spider-Man 2 (2004)
37. Pretty Woman (1990)
38. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
39. The Sixth Sense (1999)
40. Speed (1994)
41. Dazed and Confused (1993)
42. Clueless (1995)
43. Gladiator (2000)
44. The Player (1992)
45. Rain Man (1988)
46. Children of Men (2006)
47. Men in Black (1997)
48. Scarface (1983)
49. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)
50. The Piano (1993)
51. There Will Be Blood (2007)
52. The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad (1988)
53. The Truman Show (1998)
54. Fatal Attraction (1987)
55. Risky Business (1983)
56. The Lives of Others (2006)
57. There’s Something About Mary (1998)
58. Ghostbusters (1984)
59. L.A. Confidential (1997)
60. Scream (1996)
61. Beverly Hills Cop (1984)
62. sex, lies and videotape (1989)
63. Big (1988)
64. No Country For Old Men (2007)
65. Dirty Dancing (1987)
66. Natural Born Killers (1994)
67. Donnie Brasco (1997)
68. Witness (1985)
69. All About My Mother (1999)
70. Broadcast News (1987)
71. Unforgiven (1992)
72. Thelma & Louise (1991)
73. Office Space (1999)
74. Drugstore Cowboy (1989)
75. Out of Africa (1985)
76. The Departed (2006)
77. Sid and Nancy (1986)
78. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
79. Waiting for Guffman (1996)
80. Michael Clayton (2007)
81. Moonstruck (1987)
82. Lost in Translation (2003)
83. Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn (1987)
84. Sideways (2004)
85. The 40 Year-Old Virgin (2005)
86. Y Tu Mamá También (2002)
87. Swingers (1996)
88. Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997)
89. Breaking the Waves (1996)
90. Napoleon Dynamite (2004)
91. Back to the Future (1985)
92. Menace II Society (1993)
93. Ed Wood (1994)
94. Full Metal Jacket (1987)
95. In the Mood for Love (2001)
96. Far From Heaven (2002)
97. Glory (1989)
98. The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999)
99. The Blair Witch Project (1999)
100. South Park: Bigger Longer & Uncut (1999)


Pulp Fiction at #1??? That really surprises me.

[larrymcg421]

The first thing that jumped out for me was Schindler's List way down at 21st. Also notable is the exclusion of Brokeback Mountain.

[Young Drachma]

Awful list riddled with omissions.

[oliegirl]

The first thing that jumped out for me was Schindler's List way down at 21st. Also notable is the exclusion of Brokeback Mountain.

#31

[larrymcg421]

Oh, I missed it. Thanks for that.

[Sun Tzu]

"Clueless"?

REALLY????

[oliegirl]

NP :)

I didn't really notice any glaring omissions, it was more the order of the movies they chose. Pulp Fiction at #1 still has me scratching my head. GoodFellas and Schindlers List not in the top 10? Casino Royale even making the list? I am not sure what these people were thinking...

[oliegirl]

"Clueless"?

REALLY????

It's too high at 42, but that is one of my all time favorite movies :)

[Sun Tzu]

I admit I've never seen Clueless...but I just can't picture any movie with Alicia Silverstone as the lead actress making a top anything list. Unless it's hottest women in Aerosmith music videos :)

[M GO BLUE!!!]

Examining that list shows me why I tend to like movies at least 30 years old.

Edit: Also, Reservoir Dogs isn't even listed???

[kcchief19]

That list is just ... random. I'm completely perplexed at the idea that Casino Royale is a better movie than Schindler's List. Just ... bizarre.

I think the most perplexing ommission is The Shawshank Redemption. Considering how many cult favorites that did poorly at the box office are on this list, how can you leave that movie off? It's No. 2 on IMDB's rankings all-time behind The Godfather.

And I know there are guys here who like it, but the macho man in me wants to kick in the nuts any guy who thinks Jerry Maguire is a great movie. That's is such a freakin' chick flick.

[Sun Tzu]

The Green Mile for crying out loud.

[JediKooter]

Pulp Fiction #1? Hardly a number one movie, but, a good movie for sure though, just not number 1.

[MJ4H]

Clueless rules. The fact that someone said it's on this list makes me actually think it might be worth my time to look at the rest (I stopped immediately after seeing Pulp Fiction at the top).

[path12]

I've got far less issues with Pulp Fiction as #1 than I do with Speed at #40. Speed? C'mon.

[Sun Tzu]

What do you do hotshot? What do you do!?!?

[Logan]

Did they change the name of The Usual Suspects?

[ISiddiqui]

It's kind of a mix of a list, but I'm really glad that "Eternal Sunshine" was up at 38, as I feel its a highly underrated flick. And "Children of Men" at 46 is also a treat. And "Truman Show" at 53, which has really aged well with time and turned into a visionary movie.

One thing I really find interesting, "There Will Be Blood": 51, "No Country for Old Men": 64. Guess we know EW's pick for the Best Picture for last year ;).

[kcchief19]

Did they change the name of The Usual Suspects?
I'm guessing they changed the name to Moulin Rouge. Missed Speed at No. 40. Wow ... just ... wow.

The whole thing still makes no sense. Blue Velvet -- is there anyone more overrated as a director than David Lynch?

[rowech]

I thumbed through the entire issue...they have movies, music, tv shows, etc. and quite frankly, they are the worst lists I've seen. Dozens of omissions. Braveheart isn't even on the movie list unless I missed it.

[kcchief19]

And "Truman Show" at 53, which has really aged well with time and turned into a visionary movie.

QTF, and to point out that fact should rank it higher.
One thing I really find interesting, "There Will Be Blood": 51, "No Country for Old Men": 64. Guess we know EW's pick for the Best Picture for last year ;).
This will surprise you then:
http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20173231,00.html

[oliegirl]

Did they change the name of The Usual Suspects?

I actually thought of that while we were at dinner tonight...we watched that today, hubby had never seen it, and I was again blown away by the movie and Spaceys performance. How that didn't make the Top 10 is just beyond me.

[judicial clerk]

Aparently Tom Hanks has finally been exposed as a crappy actor. No Forest Gump, no Philadelphia, no Green Mile, no Joe vs. the Volcano.

[ISiddiqui]

QTF, and to point out that fact should rank it higher.

Unfortunately I think people already think it may be rated too highly.

This will surprise you then:
http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20173231,00.html

:lol:

Then again, the people who did this list may not be the same as the people there (if they are, I'll bust a gut laughing).


Oh, FWIW, I know people (guys even!) who SWEAR by "Moulin Rouge" and call it the most underrated movie of all time (or close). I can't really weigh in because I haven't seen it yet.

[Malificent]

I love Moulin Rouge. It's a fantastic movie. But you have to like musicals for sure.

[spleen1015]

No Star Wars? Get the fuck outta here!

[path12]

No Star Wars? Get the fuck outta here!

Too early, if you're talking about the first two at least.

[Mustang]

How in the FUCK is Shawshank Redemption not on that list?

#73 AFI Top 100

Forrest Gump #76 AFI - Missing
Platoon #86 - Missing

No Finding Nemo either...


I wipe my ass with this list.

[ColtCrazy]

People make lists just to incite revolts...I swear they are always idiotic.

Moulin Rouge at 10? Mulon was better.

And I know Pulp Fiction has a huge following...but best movie in the last 25 years? Ahead of things like Schlinder's List (21??), or Silence of the Lambs?

And who the hell put Edward Scissorhands so high? Why yes, it's a classic.

Either this shows that lists are completely worthless, or the movies of the last 25 years have been crap. Find a 25 year period prior to this and make a list.

My head hurts now.

[Logan]

I'm a huge Pulp Fiction fan...but I put it behind Reservoir Dogs and True Romance when it comes to QT movies. Putting that aside, it doesn't deserve #1 status simply because Bruce Willis' girlfriend in the movie is the most annoying character in an otherwise great movie ever, outside of Gretchen Mol in Rounders.

[Schmidty]

I'm glad "Rushmore" is on the list, but not putting "O Brother, Where art Thou?" at all is a joke. It should be in the top 30 or so.

[JeeberD]

Oh, FWIW, I know people (guys even!) who SWEAR by "Moulin Rouge" and call it the most underrated movie of all time (or close). I can't really weigh in because I haven't seen it yet.

Izulde doesn't count... ;)

[KWhit]

No Shawshank?

WTF!?

[Axxon]

The first thing that jumped out for me was Schindler's List way down at 21st. Also notable is the exclusion of Brokeback Mountain.

I've never seen Schindler's List but it just arrived in my mailbox and I'll be watching it today.

I'd never seen Brokeback Mountain until I looked at #31.

That word exclusion, does not mean what you think it means. ;)

[Axxon]

I'm very glad they gave Crumb some love and even more glad no one here has ripped on their choosing it yet. I think it's a bit too high but that was a great though extremely depressing documentary.

Interesting list.

[Jas_lov]

The list is a joke. Shawshank and Platoon should be on there and I think the movies Seven, Heat, and the 1st Pirates of the Caribbean should be on the list. Classics like Glory, Unforgiven, Full Metal Jacket, and Back to the Future are stuck near the bottom. Dirty Dancing and Speed are above them! Of all the Bourne movies they pick the 2nd one which was good, but I liked the 1st and 3rd better.

[oliegirl]

The list is a joke. Shawshank and Platoon should be on there and I think the movies Seven, Heat, and the 1st Pirates of the Caribbean should be on the list. Classics like Glory, Unforgiven, Full Metal Jacket, and Back to the Future are stuck near the bottom. Dirty Dancing and Speed are above them! Of all the Bourne movies they pick the 2nd one which was good, but I liked the 1st and 3rd better.

Speaking of Back to the Future...I had a moment of OCD this week and alphabetized our extensive DVD collection. My son was looking at it last night and saw the BttF trilogy and said "what is Back to the Future?" My husband and I looked at each other and our jaws dropped. Neither of us could believe he hadn't seen it. Then we remembered he's 10 :) We are going to have Family Movie Night tonight and watch it, I'm worried he'll think it's silly b/c it's a tad dated - with the clothes and what was "cool" back in the 80's isn't today. I hope he gives it a chance though.

[Jas_lov]

It's not dated, it's a classic. Your son will love it if he has any taste for good cinema. I've got more ranting in me! Give me Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, The Usual Suspects, Hooisers! Clueless? It sucked! Hannah and her Sisters at #7? I've never heard of it! What a joke! Olliegirl's 10 year old son could put together a better list than this!

[oliegirl]

It's not dated, it's a classic. Your son will love it if he has any taste for good cinema. I've got more ranting in me! Give me Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, The Usual Suspects, Hooisers! Clueless? It sucked! Hannah and her Sisters at #7? I've never heard of it! What a joke! Olliegirl's 10 year old son could put together a better list than this!


LOL...later today, after he's done his chores, I'm going to have him do this...I'll let him write out a list and then I'll scan it and post it so you know it's authentic. I can almost guarantee the list will make your head explode...though hopefully he'll prove me wrong.

If I had to make a quick list of what he will put in his top 10, it would include

Nacho Libre, Independence Day, Godzilla (the Matthew Broderick version), Die Hard, PotC...that's about all I can think of off the top of my head. We'll see how accurate I am later :)

[John Galt]

I'm glad "Rushmore" is on the list, but not putting "O Brother, Where art Thou?" at all is a joke. It should be in the top 30 or so.

The "O Brother, Where art Thou?" review (http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,279177,00.html) was the straw that broke the camel's back for me in why I didn't renew my EW subscription. The allocated a small print column to the movie gave the movie an "F" (which they almost never do) and had this to say:
Set in 1930s Mississippi, O Brother, Where Art Thou?, the latest misanthropic flimflam from the Coen brothers, is like an extended Three Stooges episode featuring an even stupider version of the cast of Hee Haw. The Coens may be the only filmmakers in history perverse enough to make a movie that's essentially one long goony-obvious dumb-cracker routine and to give that movie the sunstruck luminosity of an Andrew Wyeth painting. The ravishing, wide-open look of O Brother, Where Art Thou? is an achievement; so is the magnificent country-blues song, ''I Am a Man of Constant Sorrow,'' that's pivotal to the plot. To Joel and Ethan Coen, however, even the occasional dab of beauty is all just part of the joke: The characters are wandering through a back-country paradise, and they're such thick-skulled hayseeds that they don't even know it.

As Everett, the leader of a trio of chain-gang escapees, George Clooney is leeched of his charisma, but then, with a few notable exceptions (Fargo, Blood Simple), turning actors into blustery automatons is what the Coen brothers do. In O Brother, a redneck kitsch burlesque, they pile on gags about hair pomade, Bible-thumpin' prophecy, even the Ku Klux Klan, yet there's such an anvil-heavy archness to the whole affair that the effect is stultifying. A riddle for cinema scholars: Why would filmmakers with this much talent work this hard to thumb their noses at everything they put on screen? F

EW movie reviews are horrible so I'm not at all surprised that their top 100 list is such garbage.

[Axxon]

It's not dated, it's a classic. Your son will love it if he has any taste for good cinema. I've got more ranting in me! Give me Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, The Usual Suspects, Hooisers! Clueless? It sucked! Hannah and her Sisters at #7? I've never heard of it! What a joke! Olliegirl's 10 year old son could put together a better list than this!

Ah, of course, you've never heard of it so it can't possibly be good.

FWIW, I agree that the missing movies you've mentioned belong on the list but when you admit you haven't heard of a movie which was nominated for 7 oscars including best picture and best director and won 3, well, your credibility on ths subject leaves a lot to be desired at that point.

The list isn't the best but it must include more than just the genres that you happen to enjoy and it's clear they tried to do that.

[Jas_lov]

No Resivoir Dogs! No Casino! What is wrong with these people? Maybe I should see Hannah and her Sisters before I judge, but how can it be #7? Those who have seen it, is it really worthy of #7?

[larrymcg421]

I'm surprised at all the Speed hate. I think it's a terrific action film anmd certainly one of the more memorable and notable ones of the last 25 years. I'd be mad if it was higher than Die Hard, but it isn't.

[M GO BLUE!!!]

No Purple Rain either.

This list isn't worthy of wiping my bottom.

[oliegirl]

No Resivoir Dogs! No Casino! What is wrong with these people? Maybe I should see Hannah and her Sisters before I judge, but how can it be #7? Those who have seen it, is it really worthy of #7?

I'm not a Woody Allen fan, but I love that movie...I'm not sure it's a #7 when you consider what was left off, but I'd say it's definitely Top 20, maybe Top 15.

[larrymcg421]

Don't have time to do a full top 100 list, but this is what my top 10 would look like...

1. Schindler's List
2. Back to the Future
3. Heavenly Creatures
4. Ran
5. Do the Right Thing
6. Saving Private Ryan
7. Brokeback Mountain
8. Say Anything
9. Boys Don't Cry
10. Magnolia

[larrymcg421]

I'm not a Woody Allen fan, but I love that movie...I'm not sure it's a #7 when you consider what was left off, but I'd say it's definitely Top 20, maybe Top 15.

Hannah and Her Sisters is a pretty good moivie, but if they were going to put a Woody Allen film on there, I think it should've been The Purple Rose of Cairo, which is his best film. Plus, it should get bonus points since he doesn't actually appear in it.

[Axxon]

I'm not a Woody Allen fan, but I love that movie...I'm not sure it's a #7 when you consider what was left off, but I'd say it's definitely Top 20, maybe Top 15.

That pretty much captures my thoughts on Woody and while I didn't love the movie I consider it one of his best and one that I see no problem putting on a list like this.

[Jas_lov]

But not ahead of Silence of the Lambs and Schindler's List.

[Axxon]

Hannah and Her Sisters is a pretty good moivie, but if they were going to put a Woody Allen film on there, I think it should've been The Purple Rose of Cairo, which is his best film. Plus, it should get bonus points since he doesn't actually appear in it.

Actually, though probably not his best film I think Radio Days is my favorite of his movies. That or Zelig.

[Axxon]

But not ahead of Silence of the Lambs and Schindler's List.

I've never been a fan of Silence of the Lambs since I read the book first and just didn't think the movie covered it well enough.

Now, Red Dragon, the new one, oh yeah, that was the best Harris adaptation and I think a way better movie which I'd put in my top 100 favorites easily but I don't know about 100 best movies.

As for Schindler's List. I'll let you know in a couple of hours.

[oliegirl]

Actually, though probably not his best film I think Radio Days is my favorite of his movies. That or Zelig.

Purple Rose of Cairo is my favorite, Hannah would be a pretty close second though.

[Axxon]

Purple Rose of Cairo is my favorite, Hannah would be a pretty close second though.

I'm a Jeff Daniels fan so I liked Purple Rose of Cairo a lot don't get me wrong but it just wasn't my favorite.

[John Galt]

Don't have time to do a full top 100 list, but this is what my top 10 would look like...

1. Schindler's List
2. Back to the Future
3. Heavenly Creatures
4. Ran
5. Do the Right Thing
6. Saving Private Ryan
7. Brokeback Mountain
8. Say Anything
9. Boys Don't Cry
10. Magnolia

Here is my tentative top 10, with a tie at 10 and the EW ranking in parenthesis (and to show how relative movie opinions can be, I have only one movie overlapping with larrymcg421):

1. American Beauty (NR - I really can't believe it is not rated)
2. Crash (NR - and both of these first 2 did win the Oscar for Best Picture)
3. Magnolia (NR)
4. Big Lebowski (NR)
5. Requiem for a Dream (NR)
6. Lonestar (NR)
7. Fight Club (32)
8. Memento (23)
9. Thin Red Line (NR)
10. Eternal Sunshine on a Spotless Mind (38)
10. Matrix Reloaded (NR -I know I like this movie much more than the average viewer, but I've always thought it was a fantastic movie)

Given that EW didn't even list my top 6 movies and only included 8 of my top 11, it's not surprising that I think their reviews are just awful.

[ISiddiqui]

I think its surprising that anyone rates "Crash" as the 2nd best movie of the past 25 years. ;)

[John Galt]

I think its surprising that anyone rates "Crash" as the 2nd best movie of the past 25 years. ;)

I was the one who started the Crash movie thread here right after I saw it. I had no idea it would be as successful as it became. I think that success brought a lot of backlash. Either way, I still think it is an amazing movie with two of the best shot scenes (the car rescue and the failed shooting) in movie history. I was baffled by a lot of people here saying that Crash just repeated a bunch of cliches about race. As far as I know, Crash is the only mainstream movie ever to treat racism as a subconscious construction. And the movie used that idea extremely well rather than just having paper-thin racist characters like every other major movie. So, yeah, I loved it.

[Axxon]

I think its surprising that anyone rates "Crash" as the 2nd best movie of the past 25 years. ;)

Yeah, I'm a pretty big Cronenburg fan but come on.

[John Galt]

Yeah, I'm a pretty big Cronenburg fan but come on.

Now, THAT movie was horrible. :p

[Axxon]

Now, THAT movie was horrible. :p

Now, I don't want to say horrible, but yeah.

[oliegirl]

OK - here is my son's Top 10 list...

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm219/oliegirl613/Anthonytop10002.jpg

As you can see, he likes action movies, and comedies. I'm hoping his taste improves with time.

[Logan]

Your son totally copped out on 7-9 :).

[Jas_lov]

There's nothing wrong with action movies and comedies. Your son does seem to have an eye for quality cinema. A very solid top 10 list.

[oliegirl]

Your son totally copped out on 7-9 :).

That was actually my recommendation...he had them all listed out separately and then was mad that there wasn't any room for "the rest" of his favorites...the only one from either of those series he left off was HP Chamber of Secrets. So I told him to just group them together and use them as one movie.

I'm shocked that Indiana Jones series didn't make the list, along with Spaceballs and Independence Day.

[Raiders Army]

Any list that combines three movies into one ranking is not valid. How lazy is that? They have Naked Gun on there, but they combined the Lord of the Rings. Rank 'em you lazy fuckers.

By the way, EW just sucks. Owen Gliberman (?) isn't too bad, but Lisa Schwarzbaum just blows. She has said that she doesn't watch horror movies because she doesn't like them. What kind of shit is that? If your job is to review movies, then review all the damn movies...I don't care if it's hardcore porn. That's like a food critic who says that he's a vegetarian. How the hell can you do your job?


All this being said, it's hard to rank comedies vs. dramas vs. action movies vs. horror movies. For example how do you say that The Exorcist was a better horror movie than Schindler's List was a drama than Something About Mary was a comedy? That's why these lists are bullshit.

Edit---just read that last post. Okay, I can understand combining movies when you're a kid. :)

[hoopsguy]

No Good Will Hunting, no Shawshank Redemption. That is two of my personal top three, so this list obviously isn't doing it for me.

There are a number of terrific movies on this list, but I can't believe that this list is remotely representative of the "best" moves of the past 30 years.

[Passacaglia]

Actually, though probably not his best film I think Radio Days is my favorite of his movies. That or Zelig.

Mine is Everyone Says I Love You.

[Passacaglia]

Oh, but Shadows and Fog, and Bullets Over Broadway are a close second and third -- provided we're only talking about the past 25 years, of course.

[oliegirl]

Any list that combines three movies into one ranking is not valid. How lazy is that? They have Naked Gun on there, but they combined the Lord of the Rings. Rank 'em you lazy fuckers.

By the way, EW just sucks. Owen Gliberman (?) isn't too bad, but Lisa Schwarzbaum just blows. She has said that she doesn't watch horror movies because she doesn't like them. What kind of shit is that? If your job is to review movies, then review all the damn movies...I don't care if it's hardcore porn. That's like a food critic who says that he's a vegetarian. How the hell can you do your job?


All this being said, it's hard to rank comedies vs. dramas vs. action movies vs. horror movies. For example how do you say that The Exorcist was a better horror movie than Schindler's List was a drama than Something About Mary was a comedy? That's why these lists are bullshit.

Edit---just read that last post. Okay, I can understand combining movies when you're a kid. :)

I'm really glad you edited that, I was pretty pissed for a second or two...

[Groundhog]

Any list of "Top whatever amount movies" that goes more than 10 deep without listing a single Kurosawa movie isn't worth looking at. This one manages to go 100 deep without doing it, which makes it, like, pretty bad.

[KWhit]

I kind of get the feeling that the editor of this list woke up in the middle of the night after the issue went to the printer and slapped his forehead, saying, "Shawshank! I knew we forgot something!"

[Axxon]

Any list of "Top whatever amount movies" that goes more than 10 deep without listing a single Kurosawa movie isn't worth looking at. This one manages to go 100 deep without doing it, which makes it, like, pretty bad.

Only Ran really qualifies from the last 25 years though. His later films were just meh, IMHO.

[Toddzilla]

Clerks?

[Grammaticus]

It was nice to see Swingers on the list.

I think Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure should have been on the list. Considering some of the other comedies they chose.