[mcgsxr]

Mark,
Agreed, in fact I watch a ton of escapist movies.  But escapist isn't 'all' I want to watch.  When I want to watch something a little more challenging, the list is a great resource because otherwise I'm just picking stuff at random.

I hear you Tyson.  I have seen 23 of the other 100.  My roommate in university was a film major, so we watched a lot of Felini and other "higher art" movies over the years.  I have him to thank for my interest in films at all.

There are a few on that list I would like to see - 7 Samurai as an example.

[wushuliu]

I have seen almost fifty of the 100! Lots left. Never seen any renoir and not much Italian cinema.

[S Clark]

Threads like this inform us about great art about which we might not have been aware.  As with our jazz, classical, rock, etc. circles the expertise given freely here at AC is one of its most valuable assets. 

[Tyson]

I have seen almost fifty of the 100! Lots left. Never seen any renoir and not much Italian cinema.

Everyone talks about Renoir's humanism, and I get that, but for me the cool thing about him was how he saw every part of the human condition - the good and bad, the noble and the ridiculous, the rich and the poor.  His movies are really great little tapestries of humanity.  And he starred in his own movies.  He's the overweight guy in Rules of the Game.

[Rob Babcock]

Wow!  Like three films out of 50 that are newer than thirty years old?   Sounds like the same crew of fudds that picks the Oscars.

[LesterSleepsIn]

There are a few on that list I would like to see - 7 Samurai as an example.

You've never seen Seven Samurai??!! Whaatt?? My friend you have a treat in store for you. Easily at the top of my list. Magnificent Seven was the later American version but can't hold a candle to the Kurosawa.

Have fun!

Lester

[Tyson]

You've never seen Seven Samurai??!! Whaatt?? My friend you have a treat in store for you. Easily at the top of my list. Magnificent Seven was the later American version but can't hold a candle to the Kurosawa.
Have fun!
Lester

After Seven Samurai, check out Yojimbo, another Kurosawa samurai move, which also was copied and made into a Western, Fistful of Dollars w/Clint Eastwood. 

[WGH]

The Seven Samurai still holds up after all these years, I recently re-watched it along with the 1960 American version to prepare for the 2016 version.

When I find a director I like then I explore their previous films: 2001's The Devil's Backbone directed by Guillermo del Toro is, in some ways, better than anything he has directed since.

2013's Snowpiercer directed by South Korean Bong Joon-ho led me to his other films: The Host (comedy horror), Mother,  Memories of Murder, and Haemoo directed by Sung Bo Shim.

I have seen all 49 films on the AFI list and only 14 on the BFI.

Wayne
 

[thunderbrick]

Wow!  Like three films out of 50 that are newer than thirty years old?   Sounds like the same crew of fudds that picks the Oscars.

Sounds like rock music.  Most of the best stuff showed up in the early years......

[Rob Babcock]

Sounds like rock music.  Most of the best stuff showed up in the early years......

I'm not sure if you're being facetious to expressing a sincere opinion.  If it's the latter I respectfully couldn't disagree more.  There are lots of great classic films and albums out there from years past but some of the very finest stuff ever made is being created right now, today, in both fields of endeavor.

[Tyson]

Personally, I like the fact that the list is focused more on great movies from the past.  I already know about (and watch) great movies from the last 20 years.  The BFI and AFI lists are useful when I think "hey, I'd like to watch a Chaplin movie....which one should I see first?  Oh, looks like City Lights is a good one to start with". 

[rif]

As others have said, you may not agree but its a great way to find new movies.

My question (same for music), does "great" mean using a modern society (2017) as the background or against the background when it was made.

TV/music example: elvis presely shows were banned from tv stations because of the way he moved his hips.  That level of sexuality was serious in the 1950s, but laughable in 2017.

[thunderbrick]

Personally, I like the fact that the list is focused more on great movies from the past.  I already know about (and watch) great movies from the last 20 years.  The BFI and AFI lists are useful when I think "hey, I'd like to watch a Chaplin movie....which one should I see first?  Oh, looks like City Lights is a good one to start with".

Not what you would associate with Charlie Chaplin, but perhaps his greatest film was "The Great Dictator".  Pure genius on the eve of WWII....   

[thunderbrick]

I'm not sure if you're being facetious to expressing a sincere opinion. 

A little bit of both.   

[Folsom]

Wow!  Like three films out of 50 that are newer than thirty years old?   Sounds like the same crew of fudds that picks the Oscars.

Sounds like we agree, partially. I'm sorry but even though many of those movies are good, let's get real, better than everything else?

I'm not sure I'd put any of The Godfathers on it.

These wouldn't make my list; Mulholland Dr., Apocalypse Now, Metropolis, Schindler's List, Blue Velvet, Platoon, and to name some. I'm sure many I haven't seen would make my "uh, nope" list.

And on the top100, Aguirre the wrath of god????????? SERIOUSLY? It's significant in film, but not a good movie.

When I find a director I like then I explore their previous films: 2001's The Devil's Backbone directed by Guillermo del Toro is, in some ways, better than anything he has directed since.

2013's Snowpiercer directed by South Korean Bong Joon-ho led me to his other films:

The Devil's Backbone was great, but everything else he does? eh? I guess Edge of Tomorrow was ok.

But Snowpiercer ranks in the top 10 worst films for me. I'm still amazed I finished it.

Movies I'd put on my top 50/100 for certain:

Interstellar
Batman The Dark Knight
Burnt by The Sun (Russian)
Trains, Plains, and Automobiles
My Neighbor Totoro
Moon
Run Silent, Run Deep
Tampopo (edited)
The Adventures of Baron Munchausen
The Queen of Trees
Under the Skin

Movie's I like/A film nerd should like: (a few might make it to top 100, not sure)

Another Earth
Bad Boy Bubby
Barton Fink
Brotherhood of the Wolf
Crazy Stupid Love
Der Samurai
Dogville; Antichrist; Nymphomaniac
Easy A
Flashpoint ('07 Donnie Yen)
Drive
Enemy
Fantastic Planet
From Russian with Love; On Her Majesty's Secret Service
The Good, The Bad, The Weird
Pom Poko
Gummo; Ken Park
I'm a Cyborg but That's Ok
NightCrawler
JCVD
Predestination
Primer
Once Upon A Time in The West
The American Astronaut
The King's Speech
The Skin I Live In
The 13th Warrior
The Holy Mountain
The Other Guys
There Will Be Blood
The Troll Hunter
Thirst (Korean)
Yokai Daiseno


Who knows how many I've missed... And I left a good number out that wouldn't be new to anyone. Lately I haven't been as up to date on movies for the past couple of years. But also I really don't like a lot of stuff that's been coming out.

[LesterSleepsIn]

I'm not sure if you're being facetious to expressing a sincere opinion.  If it's the latter I respectfully couldn't disagree more.  There are lots of great classic films and albums out there from years past but some of the very finest stuff ever made is being created right now, today, in both fields of endeavor.

Rob, wouldn't mind seeing your Top 10 list of the best of today's film and music.

Which reminds me, as for previous years, was there a Best of 2016 music list posted by AC members this year?

Cheers,
Lester

[JoshK]

I must admit that I haven't seen many of these "classics".  But unlike classic novels of the last century, often times the older movies are a bit too plodding as they haven't seemingly refined the storytelling up to modern standards of audience's attention span.  I've watched Casablanca and Lawrence of Arabia, but I don't think I'd ever want to watch them again, despite being "good".

There are still a number of films on my list that I haven't watched all the way through as I fell asleep or got too bored.  Most of these I own:
Apocalypse Now  (I've read Heart of Darkness from which it borrows heavily)
2001 Space Odyssey  (fell asleep twice watching)
The Shining (watched it probably 3 times and always only get halfway through)

[Tyson]

Folsom,
Nice list man!  Cleary you have good taste   At least based on the ones that I've seen.  There's quite a few I haven't, so more cool stuff to check out.  Thanks!

Josh,
I agree, older movies are shot at a different rhythm.  I find that if I go in and watch them with a more laid back and consciously patient mindset, it helps a lot.  Actually, that reminds me of a very cool little 4 minute piece on neorealism vs Hollywood.  A lot of it comes down to rhythm, which is determined by where/when the cuts happen:

https://vimeo.com/68514760

[rpf]

Deleted for duplication.

[rpf]

I've seen about half of the BFI top 50 list and a higher percentage of the top 100, but there are some films on it that are puzzling. And where is "La Strada"???

I think the American top 50 list is more consistent and I've seen all but one or two on that. But although great I think "Citizen Kane" is overrated. "2001" even more so.