#121 The General (1926)

This movie is one I tried to watch with +Nancy Blackman, but I fell asleep. I then tried to watch it again, and I had to stop it to fall asleep. I guess I know what to do to fall asleep. This was the second non-Charlie Chaplin silent film. I now know I just don't like Charlie Chaplin. #243 Nosferatu (1922) at least had a decent story. This movie is more like Chaplin films in the sense that it relies on physical comedy. At least this film was different from Chaplin by not having the same character become rich again. This movie at least had somewhat of a story. I can't say that it was my favorite because I really don't like silent films.
This film takes place during the Civil War. I thought it was kind of odd that the South was the "hero." I guess they had to because it was loosely based on the Great Locomotive Chase. Considering this wasn't too far after D. W. Griffin's The Birth of a Nation and Plessy v Ferguson, I do question what the country's opinion of the South. By the way, isn't The Birth of a Nation supposed to be one of the most groundbreaking films of all time? Why isn't it on the list? I chalk it up to people not liking movies they didn't grow up with and its overtly racist story.

"If you lose this war, don't blame me." -Jonnie

Have you seen this movie? What movie should I watch next?
Follow +Andrew Gaudet's blog as we both watch our way to the top 250.
Back to the current list

#135 The Gold Rush (1925)

My dislike for Chaplin is well documented, (#43 Modern Times (1936), #39 City Lights (1931), #66 The Great Dictator (1940) and #124 The Kid (1921)) so I won't waste any more time with that. I will just confirm that this movie is just like the rest. Same characters, same story, same ending, different location. It's terrible. Poor guy gets rich and gets the woman. Why did people keep paying for this?

The only fun history is maybe that this takes place during a gold rush. Well, by this time, the gold rush was over by a couple decades. 

In case you haven't noticed, I am going to try, as much as possible, to go chronologically through the rest of the movies. I think it is important to being able to appreciate them. Now I can easily tell who came up with what first, and what really is original. The only exception to me going out of order will be if +Leslie Roskovich wants to watch something.

"I thought you was a chicken." -Big Jim McKay

Have you seen this movie? What movie should I watch next?
Follow +Andrew Gaudet's blog as we both watch our way to the top 250.
Back to the current list

#243 Nosferatu (1922)

This is the first non-English film. I think I have had American, English, and Australian. There could be others gallivanting about but I can't be so sure. Anyways, I didn't even know this was a German film till I looked it up. I guess that is the beauty of silent films, easy to adapt for other languages, and the audience is none the wiser.
I think this is my first non-Charlie Chaplin silent film. So this is my first chance to determine if I hate all silent films, or just ones that masquerade with Hitler mustaches. I must say, I didn't mind this. The movie was a horror film, and considering this must've been one of the first, it was suspenseful. The music, at times, was riveting. It was creepy. Still, it was very slow. It is hard to keep my attention with a long silent film. But the production value was very high, and I can see why this is so famous.
From a historical context, it is fun to see what the Germans were doing in between starting world wars. They were pretty poor when this came out, but just on the cusp of historically poor. So I don't know how they could afford to go to the movies. Also, I find it funny that the Germans ripped this entirely from the English (the story of Dracula. They only changed the names but in the version I watched, the names weren't even changed) without paying anyone. What makes this funny is that Dracula, at least to some, is supposed to be an anti-Semitic symbol. The German's big criticism of Jews is that they were not creative and could only steal from others. Pot calling the kettle black?
Also, this movie taught me the Carpathian Mountains is a place. And Finn seemed to enjoy the movie.

"Is this your wife? What a lovely throat." -Count Orlok (Dracula)

Have you seen this movie? What movie should I watch next?
Follow +Andrew Gaudet's blog as we both watch our way to the top 250.
Back to the current list

#124 The Kid (1921)

I thought I was done with Charlie Chaplin movies. Three is enough (#43 Modern Times (1936), #39 City Lights (1931), and #66 The Great Dictator (1940)). As you may know, I am no fan of Chaplin. It is all too slapstick for me. I just looked it up, and I have at least one more Charlie Chaplin movie: #135 The Gold Rush (1925). There may be more, but as of now, that is all I can find. This film is just like the others. I mean, it is even Chaplin playing the same character, again: The Tramp. How many times does one character deserve to be on the top 250? Luckily this one was only an hour long. Also, the "subtitles", or whatever they are called, are on for too long. Maybe people used to read very slowly?
If you have seen one Chaplin movie, you have seen them all. It is about a poor man who gets himself into some trouble and ends up with money through his antics. I get it. He is supposed to show the people's struggle. When so many of old plays and stories only dealt with the nobles and kings. the new age of movies offered a chance to be more egalitarian, and Chaplin seized this moment; it made him famous.
I reluctantly chuckled a couple times during the movie. So there is that. I will also say that Charlie Chaplin does have a twisted sense of humor. I mean, not compared to today's stuff, but in a lot of ways, I was very surprised.
So how about some fun history stuff? One of the "lines" in the movie Charlie Chaplin says, "Put a quarter in the gas machine." Then the kid put a quarter in a contraption so he could turn on the stove. Is that really how things used to work? You had to put a quarter in a box to turn on the gas for the stove? That's insane. The things I learn from movies. The other history thing also involves gas. Pipes apparently used run through a house with an exposed flame coming out of it to light the house. I saw it on #45 Citizen Kane (1941) as well, but that was a flash back. I wasn't sure how long ago this was really used. I am sure +Leslie Roskovich would've hated living during that era. I don't mean there is a fixture covering the flame. I mean it is a plain ol' exposed flame coming right out of a pipe.
After some more research, I think I watched an abbreviated version. The original might have been 18 minutes longer. That's not enough for me to care.

"The mother—whose sin was motherhood." -"Narrator"

Have you seen this movie? What movie should I watch next?

Follow +Andrew Gaudet's blog as we both watch our way to the top 250.

Back to the current list.

#45 Citizen Kane (1941)

The first thing I want to point out about this film is that it had such an emotional appeal with the cinematography. There were these quick scenes (which must have been expensive). There was flashes, screams (from a bird), and a general ominous feel to this movie. It is hard to explain, but this movie certainly stands head and shoulders above its peers of the time. The movie is all about trying to find out what Kane's last words, "Rosebud," means. It is also nonlinear, which was apparently an innovation.
The next thing I want to mention is the historical context. In 1941, America was just getting out of the shadows of the Robber Barons. The movie actually goes over a lot of that time period. Without going into too much, the movie was basically about the pursuit of power and if it is all really worth it. There is a point in the movie where Kane tries to use his power to push his opinion on the people. Apparently Kane was based on Hearst, a newspaper magnate. Ironically, when this movie came out, Hearst tried to use his power to kill the movie. This of course confirms that he is the kind of guy.
It is funny that I went from a movie that threatens to call people communist to ruin a political career (Manchurian Candidate), and then I went to this movie where people are threaten as anarchist. I guess today's equivalent might be a terrorist?
Overall, this was an excellent movie. It was done very well. It makes you think; it has a point. I remember watching Family Guy (don't watch if you don't want spoilers) but I couldn't remember the joke, so luckily the movie wasn't ruined. If you haven't seen it, watch it. AFI claims this is the greatest movie of all time.
And the last thing I wanted to say is that the movie starts off in Florida (not Miami, but somewhere on the Gulf coast) at a place called Xanadu. I thought Jesse Roskovich might like that or at least +Leslie Roskovich.

"Rosebud..." -Charles Foster Kane

Have you seen this movie? What movie should I watch next?

Follow +Andrew Gaudet's blog as we both watch our way to the top 250.

Back to the current list.

Halfway Done

Top 57 (including the original 68 67 makes me at 125, which means I am halfway 124 through)

1. #22 Se7en (1995)-makes me think and is probably the most suspenseful so far
2. #63 The Green Mile (1999)-sad
3. #102 Witness for the Prosecution (1957)-story carries it; best trial movie so far and unfortunately from England
4. #65 A Clockwork Orange (1971)-I generally dislike dystopias that are made awhile ago, and when I was done watching this, I didn't really like it; but something about this movie makes me think
5. #34 Memento (2000)-a movie I would be happy to watch again
6. #55 American Beauty (1999)-this is Spacey at his best
7. #70 To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)-excellent movie
8. #23 Silence of the Lambs (1991)-a prime example of how to write a solid story

9. #114 Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)-so far, it is my favorite from the legendary year of 1939; not by much but it holds on
10. #148 The Wizard of Oz (1939)-impressive, colorful, and fun
11. #179 12 Monkeys (1995)-I think this movie suffers because I haven’t seen it twice
12. #201 Anatomy of a Murder (1959)-murder movies can get confusingly similar but this is one of the best
13. #81 Full Metal Jacket (1987)-I feel like I can understand the sacrifice of Vietnam a little better
14. #40 Alien (1979)-they should’ve stopped here
15. #78 Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)-very original; thought provoking
16. #131 The Big Lebowski (1998)-not like the others
17. #238 Harvey (1950)-original and is in a category all by itself
18. #6 12 Angry Men (1957)-it’s good but #6? I don’t think so
19. #138 It Happened One Night (1934)-a fun story but still a typical love story
20. #48 The Pianist (2002)-a great story that shouldn’t have taken this long to tell
21. #47 The Shining (1980)-a psychological thriller
22. #194 The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012)-sorry, I am partial to anything Lord of the Rings
23. #96 The Sting (1973)-this is how Paul Newman should be hustling
24. #165 Dial M for Murder (1954)-not my most or least favorite Hitchcock but it is still good
25. #158 The Grapes of Wrath (1940)-slow but I feel the best display of the Great Depression
26. #202 Manchurian Candidate (1962)-great story but cheesy at times
27. #117 On the Waterfront (1954)-good story but I do feel something is missing
28. #218 Monsters, Inc. (2001)-good, funny story
29. #164 Life of Brian (1979)-pale in comparison to Holy Grail but still good
30. #160 Notorious (1946)-good but the cheesy love stories have got to stop
31. #115 Up (2009)-more emotional than Monsters, Inc. but overall, I think Monster, Inc., was better
32. #26 The Usual Suspects (1995)-good but too easy to figure out
33. #123 Blade Runner (1982)-I think I am a decade or two too late to appreciate this
34. #82 LA Confidential (1997)-I feel like this doesn’t have “staying” power; I need to watch it again
35. #146 Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)-beyond the witty banter, the story is shallow
36. #57 Double Indemnity (1944)-suspenseful and fun
37. #191 A Beautiful Mind (2001)-it’s good but can’t necessarily hang with the best
38. #13 One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975)-It’s good but I don’t know what all the fuss is about
39. #181 Mary and Max (2009)-fun story
40. #226 A Streetcar Named Desire (1951)-shocking but good story
41. #200 Rocky (1976)-just not impressed but everyone loves an underdog
42. #42 North by Northwest (1959)-this is supposed to be Hitchcock’s magnum opus but it feels like a predecessor to the more recent worthless Hollywood blockbuster
43. #44 Django Unchained (2012)-love stories of revenge but overly violent and weak on the story
44. #197 Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966)-convoluted but good; feels like A Streetcar Named Desire
45. #38 Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb-I’m a couple decades late to the party; not enough Cold War around for me to get into this one
46. #110 For a Few Dollars More (1965)-I think this suffers from me not liking Westerns or movies devoid of a story
47. #221 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011)-it’s good but it can’t be compared to the best of time
48. #66 The Great Dictator (1940)-the only Charlie Chaplin movie worth watching
49. #196 The Hustler (1961)-not a great movie
50. #214 Roman Holiday (1953)-gets a serious knock for being a repeat of It Happened One Night
51. #222 IP Man (2008)-too over-the-top for my tastes
52. #88 Some Like It Hot (1959)-not funny and it’s supposed to be a comedy
53. #32 Sunset Blvd. (1950)-Hollywood showing that they are capable of egotistical drivel

54. #58 Aliens (1986)-James Cameron should be happy Charlie Chaplin was a thing
55. #94 2001: A Space Odyssey-Hal 9000 saves this from being below Chaplin
56. #39 City Lights (1931)-I think I laughed once so it is better than Modern Times
57. #43 Modern Times (1936)-I am not a friend of Charlie Chaplin

#202 The Manchurian Candidate (1962)

I have heard of this movie, but I never got around to watching it. The basic idea is that the Chinese/Soviets brainwash a bunch of American troops from Korea. I thought the story was pretty good, but I also thought the devices they used to move the story along were kind of cheesy (I don't want to explain them to avoid any spoilers). The movie was shocking, and I enjoy a movie that can surprise me. Something +Nancy Blackman might like is that one of the characters mentions that Columbus is a great football town. I am not sure how I feel about Frank Sinatra acting, but I don't really know his face, so I guess it didn't annoy me.
Throughout the movie, Abe Lincoln is everywhere and (pictures, statues, and a person dressed up as him) of course this movie is about assassination.
This movie happened one year before JFK's assassination ('63) and, in general, before the other high profile assassinations like MLK ('68), Malcolm X ('65), and Robert Kennedy ('68). I wonder if this movie had any affect on people believing there is a conspiracy behind JFK's assassination? This movie seems to inspire other movies (besides the remake, of course), but Conspiracy Theory definitely comes to mind. Conspiracy Theory even uses Catcher in the Rye, which was found on Jack Ruby. Anyways, I say all of this to point out that the most controversial assassination in American history happened one year after a movie about mind control, conspiracy and assassination. Weird.
This is a good movie to check out. It is probably one I need to rewatch to fully understand it.

"Why don't you pass the time by playing a little solitaire?" -Yen Lo

Have you seen this movie? What movie should I watch next?

Follow +Andrew Gaudet's blog as we both watch our way to the top 250.

Back to the current list.

#148 The Wizard of Oz (1939)

Finally! I have seen The Wizard of Oz. +Leslie Roskovich offered to watch a movie with me, and she picked out this one. I was going to save it to be one of the lasts ones, but I think with our upcoming trip to Kansas, it is appropriate. This is one of three movies on the top 250 from the legendary year, 1939. I already watched Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. I still need to watch Gone With the Wind.
After watching this movie, I wonder why it wasn't more of a trendsetter. The movie used a lot of moving shots, it was in color, and in general, felt a lot like a present-day blockbuster. It seems decades passed until the effect of The Wizard of Oz took over. The movie was not a commercial success when it came out. Still, why did it take about 30 more years till color fully took off? Did they think it was a passing fad? Also, the movie's special effects were very impressive.
This is also the second straight movie (along with Harvey) where I heard about suing someone into ruin. Maybe America has been litigious a little longer than people think.
This is also the second movie that made me appreciate Spaceballs a little more. Now I can appreciate meeting Yogurt for the first time, Another one, which I am pretty sure about, is from It Happened One Night. The father tells his daughter as she is about to be wed that the guy that helped her only took the money he needed, not the reward. The lines were almost identical. I guess I was right.
I really enjoyed this movie, and it is truly timeless. I really don't know how to pick a quote for this movie. I feel like every line is so famous and has been said a thousand times. I guess I will go with something that is kind of funny and I don't think I heard it before today.

Dorothy: "How do you talk if you don't have a brain?"

Scarecrow: "Well, some people without brains do an awful lot of talking don't they?"

Have you seen this movie? What movie should I watch next?

Follow +Andrew Gaudet's blog as we both watch our way to the top 250.

Back to the current list

#238 Harvey (1950)

I had no idea about this movie. I have never even heard of the title. I just was in the mood to watch an older movie, and I randomly found this one. I was pleased to find Jimmy Stewart is in it. I apparently have a lot more films to watch with him in it, so I will wait to write something when I have a movie with less to talk about. This movie was really good. Just when I was starting to get annoyed at old films for being bland repeats of themselves, I find this gem. The acting is (decently) normal. And to be completely honest, it made me think. A lot of old movies just tell a story; they don't make you think. This movie seemed to explore many complex areas. I am not sure I know what their point was, but I don't mind.
I felt this movie was a critique on society. It seemed to critique people who have all the answers, and seemed to imply just living a simple life should be enough for anyone. Being a nice, friendly person is what should matter. Furthermore, there seemed to be a message about the mentally ill: just let them be. I guess what you would consider the antagonist (there isn't really one), keeps mentioning the "nuthouse." I am not sure if this is an attempt to point out that this is insensitive, or maybe this is just how people talked. Maybe I am reading too much into this movie, but it was quite good. There was also a plethora of great quotes from this movie. I ended up going with the one that made me laugh. Watch this movie!

"I was walking down along the street and I heard this voice saying, 'Good evening, Mr. Dowd.' Well, I turned around and here was this big six-foot rabbit leaning up against a lamp-post. Well, I thought nothing of that because when you've lived in a town as long as I've lived in this one, you get used to the fact that everybody knows your name." -Elwood P. Dowd

Have you seen this movie? What movie should I watch next?
Follow +Andrew Gaudet's blog as we both watch our way to the top 250.
Back to the current list

#214 Roman Holiday (1953)

People claim that today's movies have no originality. I think the same thing should be said about a lot of movies from 50s-60s. All the characters are vaguely familiar from every other movie with the same devices employed. There is a quick-talking man that is usually about 10 years older than a helpless female (the discrepancy is usually 8-15 years). It's like I am watching the same movie over and over again. This one was particularly obvious considering I just got done watching It Happened One Night. Roman Holiday was almost an entirely a repeat. It is a story about a rich woman who never gets to do anything she wants. In It Happened One Night, it was the heiress to a fortune from Wall Street. In Roman Holiday, it is about a princess of an unnamed country. Both complain about being watched all the time and never getting to experience the "real life." That is until they run away and meet a "regular" guy who shows them how "regular" people live. This "regular" guy just happens to be a reporter who wants to use this opportunity as a way to get rich off writing the story (yes, it is literally the same concept and I just coincidentally happened to watch them one after another). During the process of trying to get the scoop, they both happen to fall in love with each other. I am glad I was able to watch It Happened One Night first because it came out first, so I could see it how everyone else saw it. I guess I just want a little more originality. I did enjoy the ending of this movie.
I didn't even know Audrey Hepburn was in this movie. I should've recognized her since there is a huge picture of her in my living room, but it slipped by me. In fact, Gregory Peck from To Kill a Mockingbird was also in this. These seem like two people +Leslie Roskovich would love to see in a movie. I could just have her watch It Happened One Night and tell her to replace Gable with Peck and Colbert with Hepburn and it would save time.
Now for some interesting history bits. They mention a lot about something called a European Federation and if it would be a good idea. I found this to be interesting because this movie predates the European Union (1993). This movie also came out about a decade after WWII so finding long lasting peace was paramount. I guess I never knew that people were considering something like the European Union back in the 50s. This also predates a lot of the more ridiculous Cold War stuff. So the Cold War might have put the plans on ice for a couple of decades.
Also, in these older movies there seems to be an obsession about what to wear to bed. Weird. I'd watch either Roman Holiday or It Happened One Night, not both.

"The Mouth of Truth. The legend is that if you're given to lying, you put you're 

hand in there it'll be bitten off." -Joe Bradley

Have you seen this movie? What movie should I watch next?

Follow +Andrew Gaudet's blog as we both watch our way to the top 250.

Back to the current list.

#138 It Happened One Night (1934)

I really liked this movie. This movie had a great story. I was entertained the entire way through, and I laughed a little bit. It was typical in that there was some overacting from the female and quick wit from the male, but it was still enjoyable. Maybe I just like 30s movies and hate 60s movies. I will have to rank all the movies again, and then I can compare how the decades fair.
Everyone was wearing suits. I still need to know when that stopped. I thought it was interesting that in this movie Clark Gable was singing "Who is afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?" This of course was a constant theme of the movie I just watched, Who is Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Weird coincidence. One of the reasons why I like watching old movies is because they are living in time periods I can only read about. For instance, this takes place during the Great Depression, and it is interesting to see how they live. They never mention it explicitly, but you can tell money was a huge deal. If a movie was made now that took place during the Great Depression, they would mention it and make a big deal out of it. I feel like this movie gave me a real window into 1934. I thought it was interesting that a room for the night in Jacksonville was $2, and later Clark Gable said that "all the best cottages have showers on the outside." Also, a real live person stopped the traffic for incoming trains.
This was also the second straight movie to mention Miami. Although I know Miami didn't reach significant population till after the 50s and it was devastated after the 20s hurricane, it is interesting to see Miami mentioned so much (Notorious, The Hustler, Some Like It Hot are the first to come to mind). This makes me wonder why a city that was still so small garnered so much national attention. Was it exclusively because of the weather and because it is a playground for the rich?
Whatever, I'd recommend watching it.

"You let it hang there too long, it'll get soft and fall off. It's all a matter of timing. Aw, I oughta write a book about it." -Peter Warne

Have you seen this movie? What movie should I watch next?

Follow +Andrew Gaudet's blog as we both watch our way to the top 250.

Back to the current list.

#196 The Hustler (1961)

I like Paul Newman's cereal, and I enjoyed Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, but this movie wasn't all that great. The story was just so simple, predictable, and plain dull. Basically, this guy wants to hustle some money away from this other guy. When he finally does, it is perhaps the most anti-climatic ending. It's convoluted drivel. I always thought the story was supposed to carry old movies. Maybe people just liked it because Jackie Gleason was (barely) in it. The characters were shallow and undeveloped. This is especially true because the woman is the typical woman for old movies. She is weak, cries, and entire existence revolves around the man. Also, I am going to start counting how often a man hits a woman in a movie. It's a lot. Anyways, I just didn't enjoy it. I have no idea why this is ranked so high. There was one shocking scene. Perhaps that is what made this movie famous. I don't know.

"You know, someday, Sarah, you're gonna settle down... you're gonna marry a college professor and you're gonna write a great book. Maybe about me. Huh? Fast Eddie Felson... hustler." -Fast Eddie

Have you seen this movie? What movie should I watch next?

Follow +Andrew Gaudet's blog as we both watch our way to the top 250.

Back to the current list.

#197 Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966)

I was excited about watching this movie because it is based off of a play just like A Streetcar Named Desire and Witness for the Prosecution. The latter is one of my favorite movies, and the former was good but not the best. To be honest, I get tired of the old fashion acting style. It is so over-the-top. Not all of the movies are this way, just some of them. Sunset Blvd. comes to mind. Anyways, it is hard to follow a story when everyone keeps shouting everything. 

The story was dark. Part of me was shocked how dark it was, but then again I think I was just surprised considering it was in black and white and a dark story, but it was made in 1966. A Clockwork Orange was made in 1971 and was one, if not the most, shocking movie I have ever seen. So when you consider the year, I guess the story isn't that shocking. The story was strange. The dialogue was decently witty (as you would expect from a play). It felt like someone wanted to remake A Streetcar Named Desire but update it a little. I probably wouldn't watch this again; though it was fun to watch Elizabeth Taylor because I always hear that name.
What's with everyone wearing suits? Even at 3AM?

"I'm loud and I'm vulgar, and I wear the pants in the house because somebody's got to, but I am not a monster. I'm not." -Martha

Have you seen this movie? What movie should I watch next?
Follow +Andrew Gaudet's blog as we both watch our way to the top 250.
Back to the current list

#78 Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind (2004)

This is one of those movies that I have heard of, but I know nothing about. Certainly, it was nothing like what I expected, but then again, I wasn't sure what to expect.  I was certainly surprised to watch Jim Carrey in a serious role. I don't want to give anything away, but needless to say, I have never seen anything like this movie. If I had to compare the movie to something, and I hate to do this, it would be Momento. The only problem I have is the special effects seem dated, but I think that is to be expected from a movie over a decade old. Still, the movie doesn't heavily rely on effects, and the story is what carries the movie. I would recommend watching it.

Clementine: "This is it, Joel. It's going to be gone soon." 

Joel: "I know." 

Clementine: "What do we do?" 

Joel: "Enjoy it."

Have you seen this movie? What movie should I watch next?
Follow +Andrew Gaudet's blog as we both watch our way to the top 250.
Back to the current list