Top 100 Movies of All Time, Part 2 out of 10: Movies #90 - #81

Greetings, reader!

Last Thursday, I started my long-planned countdown of my personal Top 100 movies of all time, by sharing my picks from #100 to #91. Today, the countdown continues, from #90 to #81. Without further ado, let's go!

90. Spartacus (1960)

"I'm Spartacus!"

"I'm Spartacus!"

"I'm Spartacus!"

Like many cinema enthusiasts, I love the more experimental side of Stanley Kubrick's filmography. Many such Kubrick fans are adamantly against this film, more or less forced by the studio to be 'mainstream' and not as unconventional as most Kubrick pictures. However, I absolutely love Spartacus - Kubrick was such a great overall filmmaker, that he was able to turn a mainstream script into a mainstream masterpiece just as easily as he turned strange scripts into strange masterpieces. The end result in this case was - and my apologies to runners-up Ben-Hur (1959) and Gladiator (2000) - the greatest sword-and-sandal film of all time.

The massive production value, the epic music by Alex North and the over-3-hour runtime make Spartacus into one behemoth of a film. The acting performances from maestros like Kirk Douglas, Laurence Olivier and Tony Curtis are impeccable. The final act is nothing short of iconic, and emotionally powerful to the maximum. All in all, Spartacus is a hellishly ambitious and more or less flawless work of cinematic art.

89. Inland Empire (2006)

"What is going on? What the bloody hell's going on?"

If Spartacus is an example of an experimental filmmaker making a mainstream film, then Inland Empire is what happens when an experimental filmmaker goes off the deep end and makes something completely bizarre and indecipherable - yet ultimately quite glorious. The filmmaker in question is, naturally, David Lynch, and this movie (sadly his most recent and possibly final feature length film) feels no boundaries, recognizes no norms, and bows to no one. It's Lynch at his most creative and cryptic, and it is a thing to behold.

Headlined by a powerful performance by Lynch's mainstay leading actress Laura Dern, Inland Empire follows an actress on a film set as things start to get meta (but not in the usual way). Lines between reality and fiction are blurred, as narratives on different canonical levels mix and match with one another in a fascinating way. One can debate endlessly about what it all means, from the role that different languages play all the way to the rabbit sequences, but one thing is for sure - my eyes were glued to the screen from beginning to end when watching this surrealistic madness unfold.

88. Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

"Be ready for me. I'm going after that truck"

"How?"

"I don't know. I'm making this up as I go"

For every movie genre, there seems to be one film in particular that always comes first to mind as the ultimate representation and full form of that genre. Die Hard (1988) is the action film, Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975) is the comedy film, The Good, The Bad and The Ugly is the western film and so on. And for the category of adventure films, there is no piece of cinema that screams pure adventure as loudly and gloriously as the first Indiana Jones flick, Raiders of the Lost Ark.

Every aspect in the movie, from John Williams's exciting score and the exotic locations all the way to the creative action set-pieces and Harrison Ford's iconic look and cynical charm, makes for an atmosphere like no other. The legendary opening sequence gets the ball rolling (literally) on a plot that leads the story's heroes on a memorable search of an ancient artifact, with no dull moments whatsoever as every twist and turn keeps the viewer fascinated. While the franchise has produced some awesome sequels, there is no beating the original.

87. The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (2014)

"Farewell, Master Burglar. Go back to your books, and your armchair...plant your trees, watch them grow. If more people valued home above gold...this world would be a merrier place"

And now, for the (so far) most controversial pick of my Top 100. I'm aware that most movie buffs wouldn't have the final film of the Hobbit trilogy anywhere near their top 100 or even top 1000 - the trilogy in itself was seen as vastly inferior to the previously made Lord of the Rings trilogy, and the third instalment was especially considered by many to be a flop. And I see their reasoning. The Battle of the Five Armies could've been better, and is one of the only movies in my top 100 that I admit to be deeply flawed. But it still makes it into my top 100, because my love for Tolkien's works and Peter Jackson's masterful cinematic adaptation of Middle Earth runs so deep that even a flawed entry into such a franchise is something incredibly dear to me.

While all three Lord of the Rings films can be found much, much higher on this list, I'm of the opinion that the Hobbit films are excellent cinema even though they don't quite reach the same astronomical heights. At its best, The Battle of the Five Armies has multiple moments that sent shivers down my spine or moved me to tears.

When people criticize aspects like comic relief character Alfrid having too much screentime or unnecessary Lord of the Rings easter eggs being shoehorned into the plot (very valid criticisms, mind you), they shouldn't overlook the moments of absolute Middle-Earth greatness throughout the movie - Richard Armitage doing a pitch perfect job portraying Thorin's gripping character arch, the original set of dwarves gloriously charging into battle at a desperate moment, the somber yet amusing dialogue between Bilbo (Martin Freeman) and Gandalf (Ian McKellen) after the battle, and the final scene that serves as the best possible ending for the epic six-film saga. Those are the moments that make me love this film despite its occasional shortcomings, and that love is certainly worth a spot in my top 100.

86. Once Upon a Time...In Hollywood (2019)

"What are you reading?"

"It's a biography of Walt Disney. It's fascinating - he's a genius, you know. I mean once in every fifty or hundred years kind of genius"

"What are you, twelve?"

"I'm eight. What are you reading?"

After 56 years and nine feature films of being Quentin Tarantino, the masterful filmmaker finally went full Tarantino - instead of making a film in his style to fit a certain genre or a certain script, he made a film where every single element is as Tarantino as it can possibly be. If there's a cinema buff who hasn't seen this film yet for some reason, I guarantee that you could show any 20-second clip of this movie to them and they'd know for sure which director is behind the product. All of Tarantino's beloved trademarks are in full form - the snappy dialogue, the gratuitous violence, the strangely light and comedic approach to serious subjects, and especially the director's unbridled love for old-school Hollywood.

With the runtime, soundtrack nostalgia and entertainment value all turned to the max, Once Upon a Time...In Hollywood really has it all. You'll sit in awe of Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt's impeccable chemistry, as well as their individual acting chops - if Edward Norton in Birdman (2014) taught us that it's hard for an actor to play the role of a very talented actor, and James Franco in The Disaster Artist (2017) taught us that it's extremely hard for an actor to believably play a terrible actor, then Leo in this movie certainly proves how challenging and praise-worthy it is for an actor to nail the nuanced role of an actor who is very talented, but a bit past his prime, and struggling to get his lines just right.

Also, the final act is damn glorious.

85. Heat (1995)

"You know, we are sitting here, you and I, like a couple of regular fellas. You do what you do, and I do what I gotta do. And now that we've been face to face, if I'm there and I gotta put you away, I won't like it. But I tell you, if it's between you and some poor bastard whose wife you're gonna turn into a widow, brother, you are going down"

How to make a cops-and-robbers movie better than all the other cops-and-robbers movies, you ask? It's simple, really. You just have to cast Al Pacino as the main cop and Robert De Niro as the main robber. Sure, you can throw in well-directed shootout sequences and whatnot as an extra spice, but really, the two main actors will take it from there.

Seriously, while there are many things to respect in Heat, the main selling point and the main reason for it being in my top 100 is the fact that it finally brought together the pair of actors that are the greatest of all time in the type of acting they produce. Pacino and De Niro both bring their larger-than-life gravitas into the end product, and nowhere is this as evident as it is in the iconic diner sequence. In a film full of chase sequences, heists and shootouts, the most tense and exciting scene manages to be one where two characters sit and talk in a diner. The sheer acting talent and dramatic presence of these two cinema giants, in the narrative context of the yet-to-be-officially-caught criminal meeting with the police officer on his case, makes for one hell of a conversation. The rest of the film is absolute dynamite as well.

84. The Dark Knight (2008)

"You either die a hero, or live long enough to see yourself become the villain"

Just like last week, there's a Christopher Nolan flick in today's selection of 10, as well as a superhero flick. This time, they're the same movie - a movie that won an Academy Award, scored a 9.0 on IMDB, and generally became known in cinema history as the point where comic book movies could be counted as great cinema just as well as other genres. Mind you, The Dark Knight isn't a typical superhero film, as much as a great crime thriller where the characters just happen to wear masks and capes.

There's a lot to love in The Dark Knight - the pitch-perfect atmosphere of grittiness in Christopher Nolan's take on Gotham City, the epic high-stakes atmosphere in Hans Zimmer's score, and the final scene which is dramatic and unforgettable in a manner that only Nolan can nail. The element that is most often praised when discussing the film's greatness is quite rightfully Heath Ledger's spine-chilling performance as the Joker, which won him a posthumous Academy Award. Ledger's tragic take on the clown prince of crime is definitely one of the most well-written, well-acted and frightening villains in Hollywood history.

83. Citizen Kane (1941)

"I don't think there's one word that can describe a man's life"

Ah, Citizen Kane - truly the Citizen Kane of movies, wouldn't you say?

This Orson Welles classic, much like the joke I just cracked for the fourth or fifth time in the history of my blog, is a masterpiece that will never get old. While some people may find the film boring (looking at you, Mom and Dad, who both gave up and went to sleep when your mature and sophisticated teenage son wanted to watch this 40's classic with you), there's at least no denying the fact that the film's cinematography and directing style have affected Hollywood and cinema in general in a major fashion, possibly more than any other individual movie. The film's camerawork and overall look was a huge gamechanger for the film industry, and the world of movies is better off for it.

In addition to the film's vast impact on movie history, Citizen Kane is quite the fascinating story. In addition to writing the script and directing the damn thing, Orson Welles also starred as Charles Foster Kane, a media tycoon representing the aspirations and pitfalls of the American dream (while also very much being a jab at real-life tycoon William Randolph Hearst). The narrative structure reels you in, as the very first scene follows Kane uttering the word "Rosebud" before passing away, after which the rest of the film follows a team of reporters trying figure out the meaning of Kane's final words while flashbacks shed light on the man's journey. The powerful ending scene will stick with you, which is why Citizen Kane is very much worth watching till the end, even if you find old and black-and-white movies to be tiring (again, I'm very bitter towards my parents about this one thing).

82. Malcolm X (1992)

"Being born here does not make you an American. I am not an American, you are not an American. You are one of the 22 million Black people who are the victims of America"

The world of biopics is filled with glorious tales of real-life heroes, as well as gripping films about famous people who did horrible things. Telling the story of a real-life anti-hero, someone whose life was embroiled in both greatness and controversy, both noble values and questionable morals, must be its own challenge. The best filmmaker for such a job might very well be Spike Lee, with his knack for layered societal criticism and portraying moral shades of gray.

The story of controversial civil rights leader Malcolm X is told in an unapologetic fashion, as the film paints him not as a hero nor as a monster, but rather 'tells it like it is' and shows all sides to the fascinating, complicated historical figure. Truly bringing the story to life is one of the greatest leading performances I have ever seen, as Denzel Washington takes on the ambitious role and absolutely nails it. Not only does 1992 Denzel look like the real-life Malcolm so much that the film is able to switch between real-life footage and material shot for the film in the middle of a scene without the viewer noticing, but he also brings the title character's unique way of speaking, polarizing mindset and incredible passion to life with pure class and skill.

The film is filled with dialogue that will make you think - even if you don't agree with Malcolm X's rather extremist views at all, chances are that this movie, with its depiction of the pain that he and his family had to endure under racist institutions, will help you understand where he was coming from and why he insisted on the country needing such radical change.

81. Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986)

"Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it"

I can legitimately say from the bottom of my heart that I believe this goofy 80's comedy to be one of the most important films I've seen. Mind you, it's not important in a "This film exposes horrible things about society that need changing" way, or even in a "This film impacted cinema and art in a major way" way, but rather in a more personal fashion. Ferris Bueller's Day Off has an extremely important lesson for individuals to learn from, especially in today's hectic and stressful culture. I know that the film had an immense impact on me: I happened to watch it for the first time at the best possible moment, as studying stress and various deadlines had me riled up and feeling beaten. This wonderful movie served as a stark reminder of some of my core values that I had momentarily forgotten due to the nasty ability of stress and hurry to wind one up - studies aren't everything, grades shouldn't be taken too seriously at the expense of one's well-being, and there's simply a lot more to life than working one's ass off all day long.

The same message comes across in various TED talks, self-help books and analytical articles, and while I greatly admire that, I have to say that it feels much more fun to soak the message in by watching a hilarious (yet oddly profound) movie. As funny and entertaining as the film is with all its shenanigans, it also becomes incredibly touching when you stop to think about its themes - Ferris Bueller (Matthew Broderick) isn't helping his friend Cameron (Alan Ruck) play hooky just to break the rules and stick it to the authorities; he's doing it because he cares deeply about his friend and realizes that this is exactly what the stressed-out, anxious over-achiever needs. Ferris Bueller's Day Off ends up being as beautiful and moving as it is ridiculous and silly.

Thank you for reading! Tune in next Thursday as my countdown continues from #80 to #71 - next week's post features cinema from Lynch to Zemeckis, from black-and-white to animation, and from coming-of-age tales to riveting crime thrillers.

Top 100 Movies of All Time, Part 1 out of 10: Movies #100 - #91

Greetings, reader!

Well, I did it. After years of spending too much time sitting on the couch watching movies, followed by spending an even more shocking amount of time analyzing and ranking said movies in various contexts, I'm finally finished with the Big One. Well, finished for now; this list will never truly be finished, as there will always be great movies that I haven't yet seen, not to mention the future favorites that are yet to be made. But, based on all that I've seen at this point in my life, I have listed my 100 favorite movies of all time, and will be sharing this ranking from #100 to #1, ten movies at a time, across ten weeks.

Disclaimer: I admit that modern/new cinema, as well as American cinema, is deeply over-represented on this list. It is not because I prefer these types movies to others - I'm a huge fan of old classics as well as foreign films - but, for various reasons, I've simply seen so many more films from these categories than outside them. For every pre-1960's film I've seen, there are ten more from the 70's and 80's, and for every one of those, a bunch more from the 2000's and 2010's. Therefore, when making a list of my favorites, so many of the films I've seen are both a) modern and b) Hollywood-made, that these groups make it onto my list way more than others. Oh well.

Without further ado, let's dive into my favorite films of all time!

100. The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

"I do wish we could chat longer, but...I'm having an old friend for dinner"

Kicking off my Top 100 and setting the tone for what's to come, this stone-cold thriller from the early 90's is one for the ages. The movie follows FBI cadet Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster), as she tracks down a vicious serial killer and tries to pin down his motives and plans with the help of another, incarcerated serial killer - Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins). The conversations between the two are spine-chilling, as the film's psychology is even more intriguing than the classic crime thriller elements.

The Silence of the Lambs is one of the only three movies to win the Big Five Oscars (Best Picture, Best Screenplay, Best Directing, Best Leading Actor and Best Leading Actress), in the impressive company of It Happened One Night (1934) and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975). These Oscars were truly deserved, especially Anthony Hopkins' award for Best Actor in a Leading Role, which he won despite the fact that he only appears on screen for sixteen minutes. The short time he spends on screen is truly the essence of the film, with his captivating presence filling the atmosphere.

99. Insomnia (2002)

"A good cop can't sleep because he's missing a piece of the puzzle. A bad cop can't sleep because his conscience won't let him"

Spoiler alert of things to come: no other director has as many films in my Top 100 as Christopher Nolan, and this record amount includes the underrated gem Insomnia. Often overlooked when discussing Nolan's films, this movie is much more conventional and less convoluted than the filmmaker's typical works, but it makes for a breathtaking crime thriller.

With Oscar winner Al Pacino playing the main detective in one of his greatest performances, Oscar winner Robin Williams playing an untypical but brilliant villain role, and Oscar winner Hilary Swank perfecting the main trio, the acting is pure gold. The dynamic between Pacino's and Williams's characters is exciting, there are remarkable action set pieces, and the final act is thrilling as hell - not the mind-blowing set of plot twists you might expect from a Nolan flick, but an intense ending sequence that also has quite a profound life lesson to it.

98. Captain America: Civil War (2016)

"He's my friend"

"So was I"

Old-school cinema elitists, beware: there are going to be quite a few superhero movies on my list. No offense to the viewpoints of Scorsese and company, but I find the notion of comic book movies being inherently lesser cinema than serious dramas etc. to be a tad idiotic - cinema is a wonderful spectrum, with each genre having great movies and terrible movies and everything in between. Throughout the 2000's, superhero movies have started taking themselves more seriously and there is some fantastic cinema within in the genre. One of the best examples is undoubtedly Marvel's Captain America: Civil War.

By this movie's release, there had been two Avengers films, three Iron Man films and two Captain America films, so the heroes were familiar enough that it is truly gripping to see them turning against each other. The adversarial setting is built extremely well, as both Captain America (Chris Evans) and Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) have understandable viewpoints and well-written motivations for their rift. The film's villain, Baron Zemo (Daniel Brühl) is one of Marvel's best, as his own motivations are quite heartbreaking and his carefully crafted plan to turn the Avengers against each other is genius. While the film is quite serious and emotional by Marvel's standards, it still has time to produce a lot of fun: the airport fight sequence, with twelve major Avengers fighting each other, is hands-down the most entertaining sequence in the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe.

97. Get Out (2017)

"Believe me, the irony of being a blind art dealer isn't lost on me"

I can only imagine the skepticism that took place in the pitch meeting for Jordan Peele's debut film Get Out. A horror movie, with strong social commentary on race relations in America, and a comedy twist, sounds like something that couldn't possibly work well. Any half-cynical movie buff would expect at least one of these elements to fall flat: either the horror element wouldn't be all that scary at the expense of the social commentary and comedy aspects, or then the social commentary would feel forced and generic, or at the very least the comedy element would get in the way and feel out of place.

Well, Peele proved us all wrong, as this film nails all three aspects with a majestic balance. The horror is truly creepy and frightening, the societal criticism comes across between the lines and in nuanced shades of gray instead of shoving messages down the viewer's throat, and the comedy bits are legitimately funny and a great backdrop to the more serious aspects of the film. As weird as this combination is, it makes for a fantastic modern horror flick that thoroughly deserved its Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay (quite a feat for a political horror comedy!).

96. The Terminal (2004)

"You have two stamp. One red, one green"

"So?"

"So, I have chance to go New York, 50-50"

"Yes, that's a beautiful way to look at it. But America doesn't work that way"

Not Spielberg's greatest film, but undoubtedly his most underrated one. This rarely discussed gem is a heartfelt comedy with an intriguing premise, a killer lead performance by the ever-talented Tom Hanks, and just a wonderfully chill atmosphere that makes for perfect Friday night viewing. Feel-good films like this are often overlooked by movie critics, but are often just as good as (and arguably even more important than) the more serious and gripping films you might expect to see on a "Top 100 movies of all time" list.

In The Terminal, Hanks plays the role of Viktor Navorski, an Eastern European tourist who faces an unlikely predicament: during a flight to the United States, there is a military coup in his homeland as his government is overthrown. When he arrives at JFK airport, he finds out that he isn't permitted to enter the country as he is stateless, but he's equally unable to return home - therefore, he takes up residence at the airport as his situation is dealt with. The atmosphere of the film is wonderfully cozy, as the airport slowly becomes an unlikely home to Navorski as he finds routine, friends, and love from his new surroundings. All in all, an entertaining comedy made all the better by Spielberg's steady directing and Hanks's state-of-the-art acting.

95. Lost in Translation (2003)

"Let's never come here again because it would never be as much fun"

Sofia Coppola's masterful drama about human connection strikes a unique tone with its style: the film's Tokyo setting feels vibrant and buzzing, yet the film's story and directorial choices make it into one of the most subtle and low key -feeling movies I've seen. Lost in Translation is a piece of art that isn't exactly entertaining in the word's conventional meaning, but is one of those well-crafted slow-paced movies that suck you into its world when watched in the right frame of mind. Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson are brilliant in the lead roles as two people in unhappy marriages who come across one another and begin to bond. The film isn't a typical romance, yet it does tell a surprisingly sweet story of these two lost souls finding meaning and a sense of belonging through their interactions.

Even the film's dialogue is unconventional, as many of Murray and Johansson's conversations consist of individual philosophical sentences and phrases uttered by both in isolated turns, which makes for a strange but compelling form of conversation. It might not sound normal to the viewer, yet the two characters clearly understand each other, forming a deep and meaningful connection throughout the film. Rightfully winning an Oscar for Best Screenwriting, Lost in Translation is a quiet and mellow film quite unlike any other, thanks to Coppola's unique vision and the powerful leading performances.

94. Metropolis (1927)

"What if one day those in the depths rise up against you?"

One of the oldest movies I've laid my eyes on, Fritz Lang's Metropolis was insanely ahead of its time. It is one of cinematic history's great tragedies that Germany used to be the country for great, popular and respected movies, before Hitler and the Nazis happened and the following cultural regression allowed Hollywood to surpass German cinema, leaving behind a delicate 'golden age'. The most remarkable relic of this era simply has to be this classic from 1927 - based on its themes, storytelling, and ambition, it could've come out in 2021. Some films age poorly, others so well that you can't believe they were made so long ago.

In the two-and-a-half hour runtime, we follow the workers and masterminds in a deeply divided dystopian society. The production design is so impressive that the futuristic world feels immensely more real and large-scale that you'd expect from a 1920's movie. The notion that I used to have of old movies being more thematically simple than modern cinema is completely destroyed, as Metropolis dives into religious symbolism, a critical look at traditional hero narratives, and sharp political commentary in a revolutionary fashion. It's ironic that one of the film's main characters is a prophet, because this has got to be the most prophetic movie I've ever seen, in terms of what cinema would grow to be in the following decades.

93. Bombshell (2019)

"People don't stop watching when there's a conflict. They stop watching when there isn't one"

When asked about how realistically Bombshell depicted the culture of sexism and harassment within the Fox News organization, several women who have worked for Fox answered that the movie is otherwise extremely realistic but it might be a bit too soft on former CEO Roger Ailes, who was apparently even much worse in reality. If you've seen the movie, hearing that might make you feel like throwing up, because believe me - Bombshell does not paint a pretty picture of that monster of a man, whose story was bound to be told as a cautionary tale that is not fun to follow but immensely important for people to understand.

And therein lies the greatest strength of this Oscar-winning biopic: just how societally important of a film it is. Sexual harassment is an issue that a whole lot of people still don't take seriously, which is why a whole lot of people might benefit from watching this film that details a gripping true story of a toxic workplace culture that ruined careers, traumatized lives and let some despicable people off the hook. The movie also does a great job giving its story cultural context in a Spike Lee -esque fashion, not to mention the incredibly powerful acting performances from Charlize Theron, Nicole Kidman and Margot Robbie (if you're going to produce a critically acclaimed drama about Fox News reporters, there is no trio of actresses more suitable for the lead roles). A gripping, must-watch future classic.

92. Psycho (1960)

"She just goes a little mad sometimes. We all go a little mad sometimes"

I laugh out loud every time I remember the incredible fact that Alfred Hitchcock originally wanted the soundtrack of this legendary horror film to have a film-noir type smooth jazz vibe to it. Composer Bernard Herrmann respectfully suggested a different sort of score that might work better in his vision, and the world of cinema is better off for it. While there is a lot to love in this horror classic of the highest order, Herrmann's ear-piercing, spine-chilling score is often the first element to come to mind.

Apart from that, Psycho succeeds just as well as an overall cinematic production as it does as a truly creepy horror flick. The unconventional and thoroughly unexpected plot, the performances by original scream queen Janet Leigh and the delightfully uncomfortable Anthony Perkins, and obviously the meticulous directing by Mr. Hitchcock make for a viewing experience that sticks with you long after the credits have rolled. The iconic shower scene is iconic for good reason, as it is possibly cinema's best example of how one can build an effective and intense horror sequence with the help of camerawork and editing, with no need for graphic violence whatsoever.

91. Saving Private Ryan (1998)

"He better be worth it. He better go home and cure a disease, or invent a longer-lasting light bulb"

For the purpose of this gripping World War II film, Steven Spielberg decided to specifically cast a young and unknown actor with an all-American look for the title role of private Ryan, and so he did. Unfortunately, a year before the end product was released, Good Will Hunting (1997) came out and won a few Oscars, making this Matt Damon fellow significantly less unknown. Oh well.

There is hardly any period in history that has made for as many great movies as World War II, and among the top tier of WWII epics is Saving Private Ryan. Spielberg masterfully captures the brutal intensity of the Normandy landing, the frustration among soldiers and the heartbreak within their families, as well as the sacrifice and bravery of the young men thrust into war (the last-mentioned one is captured without unnecessarily romanticizing or glorifying war, which makes it even more impressive).

Spielberg's work is lifted to greatness with help from John Williams' heart-wrenching score, not to mention the realistic and powerful performances by an eclectic ensemble of actors. The cast ranges from masters of the trade like Tom Hanks and Matt Damon being as amazing as you'd expect, through the likes of Vin Diesel and Giovanni Ribisi being about a thousand times better than you'd expect, all the way to big names like Ted Danson and Bryan Cranston disappearing into their roles so thoroughly that you've forgotten they were in this film. All in all, Saving Private Ryan is a modern classic that has certainly earned its acclaim.

Thank you for reading! Tune in next week for the second instalment of this countdown, as I explore movies ranging from the ninetieth-best-film of all time all the way to the eighty-first-best-film of all time! Next week's selection of ten ranges from Kubrick to Lynch, from 1941 to 2019, and from feel-good comedy to fantasy epic. Stay tuned!

Ranking the Fast & Furious Franchise

Hello, dear reader!

I finally got a chance to see F9, the newest addition to the franchise that holds a world record for ridiculous over-the-top stunts, mentions of 'family' in dialogue, and sequel titles so frustratingly inconsistent* that it's almost beautiful. I have a strange relationship with the franchise: many cinema buffs don't think much of these films, and I'm the least car-enthusiast person you'll ever meet, yet I am still strangely drawn to these movies. There's something about the main cast's chemistry, the overall tongue-in-cheek atmosphere and the growth the franchise has demonstrated over the years that really gets to me. Without further ado, here's my ranking of all the films in the franchise, including the newest release playing in theaters now!

*As the titles of the Fast & Furious films are a massive pet peeve of mine, I will start each entry's description by sharing my thoughts on why each particular film title doesn't fit in at all with the other titles.

10. Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw (2019)

My two cents on the title: this was the ninth Fast & Furious film to be released, yet the one after this is titled "F9", because this one is a spinoff and thus not considered to be part of the main franchise. Even though Tokyo Drift, also very much a spinoff, is considered to be the the third film instead of an in-between not-numbered entry like this one. And the Fast & Furious Presents: -prefix is strange, as it wasn't used in the previous spinoff. So, this title (like all titles in this gloriously messy franchise) doesn't make sense.

As for the movie, well, it doesn't make sense either. That in itself isn't a bad thing; Fast & Furious rarely makes sense but is awesome nonetheless. Hobbs & Shaw's main problem is that it feels like it's trying to be something completely different than Fast & Furious. I appreciated how the franchise took a turn from b-class action into high-budget blockbusters around movies 4-6, but by Hobbs & Shaw, the journey into the blockbuster realm has gone so far that the end product feels more like a Marvel movie than anything from a franchise that used to be about street racing.

Seriously, the movie's antagonist is literally a supervillain, with powers so sci-fi and superhuman that it feels wrong for the franchise. Fast & Furious was never realistic nor should it be, but at least it was somewhat supposed to take place in our world (albeit with different laws of physics). As much as I enjoy superhero movies, I didn't exactly need to see one from this franchise. Also, the film loses points for not having almost any of the franchise's best characters in it - and while Hobbs (Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson) and Shaw (Jason Statham) are quite entertaining badasses, their chemistry isn't quite enough to carry a buddy-cop (or buddy-crime? It's all very unclear) movie.

9. 2 Fast 2 Furious (2003)

My two cents on the title: not going to lie, 2 Fast 2 Furious is a clever and funny title. It doesn't fit in with the rest of the movie titles, but it doesn't have to; it's a good pun.

Back when the franchise didn't try half as hard as they do today, they released this sequel. While it has its strengths, it's painfully clear how little thought was put into 2 Fast 2 Furious when compared to many of the later instalments. Much of the plot is boring, the directing by John Singleton is sloppy, and 'the family' isn't present as Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez and others sat this one out.

However, there are elements that make the film worth watching. The franchise's hero whose story would later end in real-life tragedy, Brian O'Conner (Paul Walker), is at it again. We also meet Roman Pearce (Tyrese Gibson) and Tej (Ludacris) for the first time, and those two would end up becoming integral parts of the Furious family. Also, amidst the mostly uninteresting plot, there are a few moments of early Fast & Furious greatness: the street racing opening sequence is a classic, and the yacht stunt in the climactic sequence is something that may seem tame compared to the stunts pulled off in later Fast movies, but was quite breathtaking for the time being.

8. The Fate of the Furious (2017)

My two cents on the title: again with a pun (the 'ate' part of the word "Fate" was replaced by the number 8 in many posters, as this is the eighth film). Not the greatest pun. Also doesn't fit in with any of the other titles aesthetically.

The Fate of the Furious is very much the Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019) of this franchise; as in the film was released after what would've been a natural ending point for the series, thus generating negative attitudes as to why such a film is being made, but the film ended up being solid enough that most fans agree that there's no harm in doing more of these films, even if the franchise is slightly past its peak. While the franchise's 8th entry is less substantial and less cinematically impressive then the few that came before it, it's just as much of a high-budget blockbuster that will keep you entertained.

The absence of Paul Walker does hurt, as there is no replacing the man, but the franchise has plenty of characters to keep the family alive even without the original main guy. While parts of the film start to veer on the "so far out in the realm of mainstream blockbusters that it doesn't really feel like Fast & Furious" factor that would go out of proportion in Hobbs & Shaw, there are still enough car racing moments and Vin Diesel monologues about family that it feels close enough to home. Also, the final act ends with one of the craziest and most over-the-top stunts in a franchise very much built on crazy and over-the-top stunts.

7. F9 (2021)

My two cents on the title: once again, it's a name that is seemingly carefully handpicked to make sure that it doesn't fit in with any of the other movies. Instead of Fast & Furious 9, Fast 9, Furious 9 or any number of titles that would've had at least some thematic cohesiveness with one of the films, they went with just the letter 'F' this time around. What's even more absurd is that the film is tagged as F9: The Fast Saga in some promotional materials, which just - I mean - what??

Anyhow, I thoroughly enjoyed this newest addition to the franchise. Mind you, it is filled to the brim with cliché dialogue, plot-hole-riddled writing, and an unmatched disregard for gravity and physics. But that's what the franchise had come to be at this point, and what the fans expected. The main difference between this one and the previous few instalments is that F9 doesn't really even try to be serious, which gives it more space to goof off (in Fate of the Furious, the constant back-and-forth between 'serious drama' and cool car stuff was a bit awkward at times).

As sloppy as F9 is in terms of writing and any sort of believability, it's a fantastically entertaining flick full of solid action directed by Justin Lin, who returned to the franchise after a long break. I especially enjoyed F9's final act - I won't spoil it to people who haven't seen the film yet, but the absolutely mad writers went with something that I've been hoping for since Furious 7 but didn't think they would actually pull off. Hats off for giving fans what they want, at the expense of making the film critically respectable to the least!

6. Fast & Furious 6 (2013)

My two cents on the title: after the fifth movie was called Fast Five, they could've started making sense by calling the sixth one Furious 6. But no. They called it Fast & Furious 6. This is the only film in the franchise, where the title is simply the name of the franchise and then the number of the film. What a weird time to start naming the movies normally for just one film.

Most fans of the franchise would undoubtedly place the sixth instalment much higher: I'd guess that most have it in their top three, or at least top five. After all, it does originate from the 'peak' of the franchise: the main family is intact and in full swing, and the previous films had paved the way for the franchise taking itself more seriously while it hadn't yet veered into Marvel territory as it would in the later films. Why do I only have Fast & Furious 6 at sixth place, then? My best answer is that the film suffers from 'too much of a good thing' syndrome.

As will be lengthily described later in this post, Fast Five is a fantastic film. I reckon that after its release, the producers and writers figured something like "People loved Fast Five, so we should do a follow-up film that has all of the same stuff but 100x more". This ends up being a double-edged sword: the film does have many of Fast Five's strengths going on for it (the main cast of characters in their best form, awesome stunts and great-looking blockbuster shenanigans), but the movie feels incredibly bloated while trying to be so much at once. All of its quips, action sequences, vehicles, plot twists and action movie clichés hitting you at breakneck speed make for a bit of sensory overload.

5. The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (2006)

My two cents on the title: back when the franchise was The Fast and the Furious instead of Fast & Furious, they released this spin-off. It doesn't fit in with the other spin-off, as this one doesn't have the "Presents:" in the title. It's almost as if they didn't plan these things through.

Anyways, it might surprise you to see the generally overlooked Tokyo Drift ranked this high. My enjoyment of the film is difficult to explain; as can be deduced from its honorable mention in my post about the Top 10 Guilty Pleasure Movies, it's not exactly the film's cinematic quality that makes into somewhat of a cult favorite. I recognize that it is sloppy in parts, a tad boring at others, and most of the franchise's best characters are woefully missing. But the film's vibrant setting and unique main character, as well as the focus on drift racing in particular, make it stand out as a Fast & Furious movie with a vibe of its own. It stands out from the crowd, and brings a new twist to the franchise.

While the writing and dialogue may be woeful even by the subpar standards of this franchise's early days, the directing is surprisingly good: many forget that this was the first Furious instalment to be directed by Justin Lin, who would go on to direct many of the most beloved entries in the series. Lin's style is immediately high on entertainment value, adding to the strange likability that this spin-off has despite its flaws.

4. Fast & Furious (2009)

My two cents on the title: Naturally, the FOURTH movie in the franchise is just called Fast & Furious. No numbers or anything indicating that this is a sequel. Simply the title of the first film, but with the &-symbol replacing the 'And the'. Infuriating.

Fast & Furious is a similar to film to Mission: Impossible III (2006). Both films were entries to a franchise that, until that point, had been largely unplanned and made one sequel at a time with each film having a largely different main cast. And to both franchises, there's this one film where the producers clearly decided that from that point on, they are going to plan multiple sequels ahead of themselves, adding a lot of thematic cohesiveness to the franchise. This film feels like a TV pilot: from this point on, there's a familiar core group of characters and a signature atmosphere that will appear in numerous future instalments to come. In other words, they started taking Fast & Furious seriously.

This transition from not-very-thought-out street racing flicks to well-planned high-budget blockbusters is not without its growing pains: parts of Fast & Furious feel like they're trying too hard to be serious, while other parts feel like they're not being serious enough. That being said, a vast majority of the movie is a delight; the first act where we finally see the franchise's two best characters reuniting, the exciting tunnel chase sequence towards the end, and especially the film's ending. The dramatic vibes of the ending (I won't spoil it here) are the first time that I felt legitimately emotionally invested in the franchise's story, and the very final seconds add a cool-as-hell cliffhanger twist to the otherwise somber ending.

3. The Fast and the Furious (2001)

My two cents on the title: I mean, it's the first one, so there was nothing to ruin. This title is OK. Of course, if it were to fit in with the later movie titles, it should've been called 'Furious & Fast ONEs' or 'F1 Racing' or some other ridiculous shit.

It might seem strange that I spend so much time writing about how great it is that Fast & Furious turned into a blockbuster franchise that got better with time, yet I still have the very first film in my top three. The reason? In its own category, The Fast and the Furious is quite golden. It doesn't try half as hard as the films from 2009's Fast & Furious onward, but it doesn't have to - in fact, that's the beauty of this movie. It recognizes that it's nothing more than an entertaining car flick, nor does it need to be. It never tries to be anything more. This keeps the atmosphere tight, light and fun from beginning to end.

Vin Diesel and Paul Walker are great in their roles from the start, and their chemistry in the lead roles is brilliant. While I'm not a car guy to the least, I do appreciate the entertainment value in the street racing sequences and the main characters' attachment to the world of cars - I sincerely believe that any topic, no matter how uninteresting one may find it in real life, can make for an awesome movie if the movie is made well and the story is told from a sincere human viewpoint.

Also, the stunt in the film's final sequence is badass and iconic.

2. Furious 7 (2015)

My two cents on the title: so, after the fifth one was called Fast Five, and the sixth one was stupidly called Fast & Furious 6 instead of Furious 6, they decided to call the seventh one Furious 7. This makes the titles of movies 5 and 7 thematically consistent, with the sixth one being annoyingly in between.

If you would've told pre-2015 Veikko that the seventh entry in a franchise about cars would move him to tears, he wouldn't have believed you for a second. But that is very much what happened. Furious 7 was colored by the tragic death of Paul Walker during the film's production, and the filmmakers scrambled to finish the movie in the best possible way with the horrible situation they were in. And what a job they did.

First of all, a majority of Furious 7 is classic prime Fast & Furious. The stunts are more over-the-top than ever before, with all laws of physics gloriously tossed out of the window. Having watched the franchise to this point, one can't help but enjoy the sheer absurdity of Dominic Toretto driving through a skyscraper's window in Dubai only to land on a different skyscraper, not to mention the sequence of cars parachuting onto a mountain or the clifftop sequence that is too deliberate for me to describe here but you should really see it for yourself.

But, there's no escaping the fact that the film's greatest asset is the beautiful way it pays tribute to the star they lost. Everyone involved did a perfect job with the final scene, where the movie gets real as Paul Walker's character is emotionally sent off to the backdrop of the tear-jerking Wiz Khalifa ft. Charlie Puth song See You Again and a powerful monologue from Vin Diesel. Not a dry eye in the audience.

1. Fast Five (2011)

My two cents on the title: a cool idea that the rest of the movies didn't really follow up on. An outlier of sorts.

Fast Five is many things. It's the unequivocal peak of the franchise, coming after the fourth film started taking things more seriously but before the sixth film started to blow things out of proportion. It's the perfect mixture of the early franchise's light and entertaining street racing aesthetic and the later franchise's Hollywood blockbuster extravaganza. It's a high point for the main cast of characters, with the addition of The Rock being the final piece to the puzzle of a perfect F&F ensemble. It's also one hell of a heist movie.

Fast Five is essentially Ocean's Eleven (2001) on wheels. It's got everything: the epic team-assembling montage, the badass heist-planning sequence, the intense moment of the heist actually going down, and the mind-blowing reveal. By the time Don Omar's Danza Kuduro starts to rock the soundtrack as things start to wrap up, the viewer is left with the strong feeling that they've just witnessed something far better than the fifth entry of a car-action franchise has any right to be.

Thank you for reading! Tune in for next week's blog, as I begin a major project long in the making: the Top 100 Movies of All Time. I've finally finished my list of my 100 favorite movies, and I will be sharing this list on ten consecutive weeks, each detailing ten movies further and further up in the ranking. This stars with next week's post on the movies from #100 to #91. Stay tuned!

Wednesday Special: Top 10 EURO2020 Moments

Greetings, reader!

Well, the football European Championship came to an end last week - and what a tournament it was. I have closely followed every World Cup and European Championship since 2008, and this most recent tournament is right on par with the 2010 World Cup as the most eventful and dramatic one I've witnessed. What's even more amazing is that (with a few exceptions) the tournament was eventful and dramatic in a largely positive manner - while there was sorrow especially outside the actual playtime, from disgraceful racial abuse by fans and troublesome COVID-19 numbers to Christian Eriksen's career possibly coming to an end after a horrifying cardiac arrest, most everything that happened in the actual game of football was a delight. There seemed to be less unnecessary diving, less unfair refereeing decisions, and less unsportsmanlike wasting of playtime than in many previous tournaments, not to mention the sheer glory of multiple underdog stories throughout the tournament. Who would've predicted that Ukraine, Czech Republic and Switzerland would make it to the quarter-finals, while France, Portugal and Germany would not?

Without further ado, here are my favorite moments from the 2021 European Championship tournament.

10. The first of Patrick Schick's many goals

Patrick Schick was an unlikely hero in the tournament, scoring five goals in five games and being instrumental in getting his country of Czech Republic all the way to the quarter-finals. The Bayer Leverkusen striker's goals were often quite striking (pardon the pun), especially his first of the tournament. Scored in Czech's opening match against Scotland, Schick saw an opportunity arise when the Scottish goalkeeper was poorly positioned, and fired the ball from near the halfway line. This long-range beauty found its way into Scotland's net, making for one of the tournament's most unique and memorable goals.

9. Giorgio Chiellini being a great sport

While I was wholeheartedly rooting for England and the final was heartbreaking to watch, I do have a lot of respect for Italy and was able to feel happy for their players - especially team captain Giorgio Chiellini, who once again proved to be one of the largest personalities in football. While he did slip up with one foul that earned him a strong yellow card (veering on red) in the final as he misplaced England's Bukayo Saka, Chiellini was an absolute class act throughout the tournament for all but that one moment.

Whether he was singing Italy's national anthem with unbridled passion before each game or laughing off the pre-penalty-shoot-out nervousness against Spain in the semifinal, Chiellini provided many lovable moments in the Euros. As much as I wanted England to win, a part of me just has to be happy for Chiellini and his similar-looking, equally iconic partner-in-crime Leonardo Bonucci.

8. Alvaro Morata proves the haters wrong

Spaniard Alvaro Morata's tournament didn't come to a great start, as the Juventus striker missed many goalscoring opportunities deemed 'easy' by fans who I'm sure could pull them off on the European stage themselves. After this, certain football fans gave the world a solid reminder of just why people hate football fans, as Morata was abused online and disowned by supporters, with him and his family members even receiving death threats (sometimes I wonder just what has to go wrong in a person's life for them to turn a beautiful sport into a reason to bring more fear and hatred into the world).

Anyhow, it was great to see Morata proving his haters wrong in the nail-biting round-of-16 match between Spain and Croatia. The game had gone on extra time, with both teams in a seemingly inescapable 3-3 deadlock, until Morata put Spain ahead by scoring a goal that was not only massively important, but one of the most beautiful goals of the tournament. A graceful first touch from Dani Olmo's cross, followed by a powerful strike into the upper corner of Croatia's net. This was a thoroughly deserved moment for Morata, having been dragged through the dirt by fans the way he was.

7. Belgium overcomes the reigning European champion

The result of this knockout game made me extremely happy for two reasons - Belgium beating Portugal, and Portugal losing to Belgium. Don't get me wrong - I don't often take joy in anyone's loss as that's not a healthy attitude to live by, but in this particular instance, much like watching a movie villain get defeated, I couldn't help myself. I still wasn't over Portugal's bullshit victory in the 2016 EUROs, where the team played with horrible sportsmanship and a strategy based on scoring 1 goal, followed by the rest of the game built on pathetic time wasting by any means necessary and not playing a single f**king second of actual football.

So, yes, I felt relief when Portugal were knocked out - and by Belgium, out of all teams! Belgium has always been one of my favorite international teams (only behind England and my two home countries), and while they didn't make it as far as I would've hoped in the tournament, they still advanced to the quarter-finals quite gloriously by knocking out the champions of the previous European Championship. Good for them, man.

6. The Switzerland - France penalty shoot-out

I love a good penalty shoot-out. For a game that has gone even for 120 minutes, it is only fair to be decided in such a fashion, which also happens to make for absolutely delicious edge-of-your-seat viewing - sort of like watching a good action film that ends with an intense, well, shootout.

This particular showdown was fantastic for a number of reasons (albeit also quite heartbreaking - I feel for Kylian Mbappe, and hope that this doesn't mess with his head in the future). Almost all of the kicks went in and some of them were real beauties, the teams were evenly matched in terms of penalty kick quality, Switzerland's goalkeeper Yann Sommer became a national hero, and of course, the underdog won. I'm a big fan of France's team and players, but as they got to win the 2018 World Cup, it was inspiring to see a total underdog managing to overcome the world champions.

5. Leon Goretzka's powerful celebration

Some things are bigger than football.

The world of football (or sports in general) hasn't exactly had a history of being in the forefront when it comes to LGBTQ+ rights, and taking a stand for equality. This is why it's always quite powerful when visible figures in football do take a stand, as it always involves receiving plenty of flack from conservative fans.

Not long before Germany's group stage match against Hungary played in Munich, the Hungarian government had passed quite severe anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, angering a lot of people (myself very much included). Munich authorities had requested that the Allianz Arena would be lit up in rainbow colors for the game, with it being Pride Month and all, but UEFA had denied the request. When Leon Goretzka scored his important 2-2 equalizer for Germany, he celebrated poignantly by doing a heart gesture with his hands, sending a message of love winning to the audience. This was, of course, seen as a very controversial move. Not to judge anyone's opinions, but you have to ask yourself whether you're on the right side of history if you're offended by a player signaling "love over hate".

4. The Huuhkajat make Finland proud

Before any of you glass-half-empty Finns roll your eyes and remark on how we didn't even get past the group stage - just don't. There was so much to enjoy and be proud of in Finland's European Championship debut, that watching them was easily one of the tournament's major highlights for me. First of all, let's not forget that our country has never made it to the EUROs or the World Cup before, so just the fact alone that we were there is a huge victory and something Finns had spent decades and decades praying for. Making it to the knockout stages would've almost been too much to ask for, and I'm quite optimistic that there will be time for such aspirations in future tournaments - I see EURO2020 as the beginning of a new era for Finnish football.

Furthermore, while the Huuhkajat barely missed out on qualification from the group stage onwards, they still exceeded expectations in terms of playing well. We beat Denmark (granted, it was under the strangest of circumstances, but that doesn't discredit Joel Pohjanpalo's fantastic goal, not to mention Lukas Hradecky's penalty save). We played a very even match against an impressive Russia side, with a tie instead a loss being a fracture away as Pohjanpalo was about two millimetres offside when scoring what would've been his 2nd goal of the tournament. We even gave the world class Belgian team a run for their money, holding them off for a long time before they eventually got two goals in. With the team's MVP Lukas Hradecky being (in the opinions of many football fans and analysts around the world) the best goalkeeper of the entire group stage, and everyone else also doing their best to produce quality football, the Huuhkajat got to come home with their heads held high and rightfully so.

3. Denmark make it far

Already before the tournament began and certain dramatic events hadn't transpired, I felt that the Danish team was destined for greatness. They were seventh on my list of likeliest teams to win the tournament, as I claimed that they are the clearest and most likely dark horses. In addition to betting that they would make it far, I was very much hoping for it - we Scandinavians like to stand in solidarity and root for one another especially if our own country is out of the tournament, and Denmark's squad includes many players that I've greatly enjoyed watching on a club level - Leicester City's longtime goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel, Chelsea FC's centre-back Andreas Christensen, and, of course, a Tottenham legend / Serie A champion / midfield maestro by the name of Christian Eriksen.

God, what a tragedy. After losing the man considered to be their best and most important individual player for the rest of the tournament, I had to admit that things didn't look good for Denmark. When they lost both of their first two games, things really didn't look good. The world of football was on their side after what they had been through, but their situation was dire.

Then, they beat Russia with a major goal difference and became the first team in EURO history to make it out of the group stage with just three points. Then, they beat Wales 4-0 in a knockout match that had been speculated to be an even battle between two equally talented sides. And then, they beat fellow underdogs Czech Republic to make it all the way to the semi-finals - an amazing feat for any team, let alone an underdog side who were playing without their biggest star.

2. Football damn near comes home

This item is a bittersweet one to rank, as there are many negative aspects to it - not only the fact that the cursed England team lost out once again despite coming so close, but more importantly because because a whole bunch of fucking assholes reacted to the loss by racially abusing the English stars who missed their penalties - players like Marcus Rashford who has an M.B.E. for his heroic charity work helping starving children, Jadon Sancho who was a huge fan favorite until he missed the penalty and thus became the racially motivated scapegoat, and Bukayo Saka who had the guts to take the decisive penalty shot with the whole world watching at the age of nineteen years. Seeing this abuse take place made me sick to my stomach - thankfully everyone from England's coach and players to the royal family and Boris Johnson (you know you've fucked up when you're the racist in comparison to Boris) have taken strong stands on this, as well as every real football fan who cares about the sport and isn't a racist piece of shit.

With that off my chest, I just want to commend the Three Lions for playing incredible football and making it so far against all odds. The team played well together and had each others' backs, providing incredible moments from their 4-0 triumph over Ukraine and their semi-final comeback against Denmark to the moment that made me scream with delight - goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, who isn't considered to be a master of the penalty-saving arts, keeping the game going by saving a penalty by Italy's Jorginho, who is most likely among the top 3 penalty takers in the world right now. While England didn't quite win the tournament, and it is painful to think about how close they came, there is a lot of pride to take in the team's achievements. Just think what we'll be capable of in the coming years, with the Mount-Foden-Rice-Saka generation having more experience under their belts.

Also, if I didn't make myself clear enough, I just really want to wish a massive "Fuck you" to every single person who participated in racially abusing England's stars.

1. Denmark's medical staff saves Christian Eriksen's life

Calling this the best moment of the tournament feels paradoxical, as it was easily the most shocking and horrifying moment I have ever witnessed when watching the game. Calling this the best moment feels a bit wrong, considering that Eriksen might tragically never play again. But none of that erases the fact that a human life was saved in this moment, and nothing in football can ever top that.

When Eriksen collapsed and suffered what we later learned to be a cardiac arrest, a series of intense and quite incredible events transpired. Team captain Simon Kjaer rushed over to his teammate and gave him the correct initial CPR. As the medical team rushed onto the field, the pressure must have felt insurmountable as the whole world was watching and nothing of this sort had transpired on such a grand stage before, yet they did their job with the utmost professionalism and efficiency. The Danish players, who must have been in quite the traumatic state of mind themselves, bravely formed a human wall around Eriksen, as a means of shielding the shocking scenery from the cameras. The fans at the stadium showed solidarity, all in agreement that what was going on was bigger than football - I choked up when I noticed the fans chanting Eriksen's name, especially when I later found out that it was the Finnish fans shouting "CHRISTIAN" and the Danish fans replying with "ERIKSEN".

I'm hoping for Eriksen to have the best possible recovery, and if he ends up never playing professionally again, we can all look back on just what a legacy he's leaving behind. His career has been massive, from accolades like winning Danish Footballer Of The Year a record five times, playing an instrumental role in taking Tottenham to the Champions League final for the first time in the club's history, and winning the Italian Championship with Inter Milan, all the way to unforgettable individual moments like scoring a goal for Tottenham in the first ten seconds of a match or scoring the winning free-kick goal in the 97th minute of last season's intense Milan derby. Whether or not he plays again, the most important thing is that he's alive, and this is thanks to the impeccable emergency response of Denmark's medical staff and Simon Kjaer.

Thank you for reading! Tune in tomorrow for this week's official post: my ranking of the Fast & Furious movies, including the newly released F9 (2021).

Godzilla Vs. Kong: Top 10 Movies That Feature Godzilla and/or King Kong

Hello, reader!

I finally saw the much-anticipated Godzilla vs. Kong (2021), and I figured I could review the film in the context of a top ten list: the greatest films to feature one or both of these iconic movie monsters. This list of mine has movies from old-school Hollywood, Japan's golden age of monster movies in the 50's and 60's, as well as the new high-budget MonsterVerse that this new release belonged to. I have a huge soft spot for these kinds of monster films, so I'm quite excited about today's list. Without further ado, let's dive right in!

10. Mothra Vs. Godzilla (1964)

"We too want a world where we can trust one another"

Before franchise crossovers had massive blockbuster hype around them like they do today, old-school Japanese cinema was ahead of the curve with films like this one. After the massive success of Godzilla (1954) and Mothra (1961), the sensible thing to do was to give audiences what they wanted and put the two popular monsters into the same film.

Seeing these two iconic creatures fighting one another for the first time truly feels like tapping into the veins of the history of this particular cinematic genre. As can be expected from the greatest-of-all-time monster movie director Ishiro Honda, the movie looks magnificent despite its budget and year of release, due to brilliant use of practical effects, trick shots and meticulous set design. While the film has plenty of entertaining monster action, it also delivers on the deeper messages (this time about human greed and corruption) that the original set of Kaiju films always provided.

9. King Kong Vs. Godzilla (1962)

"And strangely enough, we wish him luck on his long, long journey home"

Yep, 2021 isn't the first time that the two most iconic movie monsters went head to head - it has happened once before, in this delightfully obscure and often-forgotten 1962 cult classic. In a rare instance of old Hollywood teaming up with Japanese cinema, this multi-cultural release was produced mainly in Japan but with the help of Americans who brought their King Kong character into the Kaiju universe. Of course, the ever-stubborn Hollywood producers weren't happy with the end result, and ended up releasing a heavily edited and Americanized version of the film in the U.S. - say what you will about that cut, but Ishiro Honda's original is pretty awesome.

While the visual imagery may not be quite as awe-inspiring as one would hope for and the themes don't run as deep as they do in most old-school Kaiju films, the movie gains points for the simple fact that it brings two such legendary creatures together and their fight is quite the spectacle. I also appreciate the melding of the American and Japanese monster movie cultures, as the early Kong scenes and early Godzilla scenes feel like they're from two different movies, yet they end up blending together in a neat manner.

8. Kong: Skull Island (2017)

"Hey, what happened with the war? Did we win?"

"Which one?"

"Uh-huh. That makes sense"

The second movie of the MonsterVerse, and the first to introduce Hollywood's newest version of everyone's favorite Big Ape. In order to make the then-upcoming Godzilla Vs. Kong believable, the producers had the genius idea of, well, simply making this version of Kong absolutely enormous. Bigger than ever before, Kong looks terrifying and magnificent as the high-budget visual effects really do him justice.

While the plot of this King Kong reboot isn't exactly revolutionary and the characters are quite one-dimensional, it gains a lot of points for simply being a decent King Kong film - who cares if the human characters are a bit boring, when the giant ape that the film is all about is so epic? The visual effects and directorial choices throughout the film make for some unforgettable moments, such as Kong's first full appearance as he casually takes down a few planes on Skull Island, as well as the haunting scene where Mason (Brie Larson) encounters Kong at night from a clifftop. Top notch visual imagery and a cool way to bring Kong back into the cinematic world.

7. Godzilla (2014)

"The arrogance of men is thinking nature is in our control and not the other way around. Let them fight"

Speaking of reboots of classic monsters, this is the film that started the MonsterVerse. Many monster movie buffs rolled their eyes as America decided to do another take on the Japanese monster after 1998's Godzilla failed miserably - but this time around, they did a much better job. It may not be quite on the same level as the best original Japanese Godzilla films, but it's a surprisingly awesome reboot.

What I really like about this film (and the MonsterVerse in general) is that it combines the three elements that generally make monster movies great. There's the epic lore surrounding the monsters, which I've always found fascinating - I don't really care if the monster is just some scary alien who has come to destroy everyone, but if there's some intriguing lore about the creature being an ancient God-like being with mysterious origins, I'm all in. Then there's the depth and morality of the genre - while Hollywood monster flicks have traditionally been quite shallow, old Japanese monster movies often had some profound lessons to them, with the monster stories often being parables for environmentalism or pacifism (the original creation of Godzilla had to do with the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki), and 2014's Godzilla finally understood the importance of monster movies having something to say. And finally, the one thing where modern Hollywood monster movies beat their older counterparts - with the help of modern visual effects, the monsters in films such as 2014's Godzilla look so real and frightening that it really is a thing to behold. Gone is the campiness of old-school monster movies, and in comes a Godzilla that will shock and awe the audience.

6. Ghidorah, The Three-Headed Monster (1964)

"You may not be aware of this...but there are other dimensions besides those we know. And there's a whole other world therein"

Think of this Ishiro Honda classic as the The Avengers (2012) of Kaiju films. When earth is threatened by Ghidorah, certainly one of the most terrifying and badass movie monsters ever created, humanity's hope lies in the other Kaiju creatures teaming up and defending earth. After some compelling build-up, this happens: Godzilla, Mothra and Rodan band together and fight Ghidorah. Having seen all the films that lead up to this one, it's a fascinating payoff to see so many iconic Kaiju in the same sequence.

In addition to being an entertaining team-up monster mash extravaganza of a film, Ghidorah the Three-Headed Monster also has a lot to say (as is tradition with Honda's films). Whether it's the symbolism of old enemies putting aside their differences to fight for the greater good, or the gripping and well-deserved antagonizing of humanity's tendency to treat nature recklessly, this movie is a great example of monster movies being about a lot more than just a bunch of cool-looking creatures fighting one another.

5. Godzilla vs. Kong (2021)

"The myths are real. There was a war. And they're the last ones standing"

And so we arrive at the new release that inspired me to make this post! After all of the hype leading up to this climactic film of the MonsterVerse, I am happy to say that Godzilla vs. Kong didn't disappoint. Both monsters have had their own solo films building up towards their clash in this one, making the viewer invested in the narrative. Both monsters have a larger-than-life presence to them, due to the film's brilliant use of lore as well as the continuingly astonishing visual effects of this cinematic universe. The fight between the monsters that everyone was expecting is intense and strangely glorious, but the film turns out to be about more than just that.

After the 'hollow earth' theory was introduced in previous MonsterVerse movies as a vague concept, this film really dives deep into it (pun intended). What we see in this strange reality that the titanic creatures originate from is fantastic, and it really plays into the more beautiful side about Kaiju films (they often are about the greatness of nature just as much as they're about cool monster destruction sequences). Hats off to the film's writers, set designers and visual effects team for pulling off an unexpected, creative and touching side to the film with its Hollow Earth adventure.

4. King Kong (1933)

"Oh no, it wasn't the airplanes. It was beauty killed the beast"

Where would the monster movie genre be without this iconic trailblazer? The original King Kong was the world's introduction to the frightening sense of wonder (or wonderful sense of fright?) that would go on to color monster movies throughout the ages. As a film crew makes its way to the mysterious and uncharted Skull Island for a project, the sense of adventure is high as there seems to be something awfully strange about the island. Things get more and more mysterious, until in one hell of an iconic sequence, we're introduced to the giant ape that would go on to become one of cinema's most iconic creatures.

While the overall look of Kong in 1930's Hollywood isn't quite on par with the current majesty of movie monsters (or even the ingeniously built designs of 50's and 60's Japanese monster cinema), it is extremely impressive for the time being. I can only imagine what a thing to behold it was for people who saw this in the cinema, as nothing of the like had ever been done before in the world of movies. While this stone-cold classic is slightly weighed down in my book due to parts of it being overtly sexist (I know, it's a product of its time, but still), everything other than the poorly-aged portrayal of women in this film is spot on. From the exotic set design and the intriguing lore behind Kong to the chaotic final sequence and the legendary final lines of dialogue, it's no wonder that this film built the blueprint for monster movies to come.

3. King Kong (2005)

"He was right. There is still some mystery left in this world, and we can all have a piece of it for the price of an admission ticket"

Yes, I know that some movie buffs see it as sacrilegious to prefer the 2005 King Kong remake to the 1933 original. Remakes are almost never on the level of the original. But hear me out: most remakes aren't directed by Peter Jackson, starring Naomi Watts, and winners of three thoroughly deserved Academy Awards for their impressive visual effects, sound mixing and sound editing.

Made with a gargantuan budget and running at over three hours long, this hellishly ambitious remake hits all the marks. The story is essentially the same as in the original film, but with more epicness to it (and less sexism - Fay Wray's Ann Darrow may have been a damsel in distress, but Naomi Watts' take on the character is a total badass). The sense of adventure that I love in these kinds of movies feels very real, as the vibrant world of Skull Island comes to life thanks to Jackson's impeccable directing and the spectacular visual imagery. Kong's first appearance is a dramatic scene with an almost larger-than-life feel to it, and the rest of the film remains just as exciting with its multiple memorable moments and dramatic stakes.

2. Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019)

"Sometimes, the only way to heal our wounds is to make peace with the demons who created them"

I don't know if my blog is big enough to attract readers who are fans of classic Japanese Kaiju cinema, but if there are any such people out there, I'm guessing that putting this Hollywood blockbuster ahead of its forebears like Ghidorah the Three-Headed Monster and Godzilla Vs. Mothra is even more sacrilegious than preferring the King Kong remake to the original. I understand this viewpoint, as I'm a huge fan of the original Kaiju films myself and have massive respect for them. But I can't help but like this film even a tad more, if only because I see it as the climax to what those classics started. As great as the visual effects of 60's Japanese cinema were for the time being, they still couldn't quite live up to the epicness of the majestic fictional creatures that the writers had come up with. The films never looked quite as good as they deserved to. In 2019, everything was set for the original Japanese Kaiju lore to make a comeback but with the state-of-the-art high-budget visual effects needed to give the Kaiju the outlook they deserve.

And that is what makes King of the Monsters so amazing. The best element of the film isn't the well-written human storyline, or the entertaining fight sequences, or even the important lessons about humanity needing to stop messing with nature. My favorite part of the film is the respect given to the characters of Godzilla, Mothra, Rodan and Ghidorah: instead of Americanizing them to suit modern audiences, their stories and origins and traits are exactly as they were portrayed in their original Japanese appearances, but with the visual effects up to date and on point, so that they could reach their full potential. Moments like the scene where Mothra emerges from the waterfall in full form, not to mention the one where Godzilla rises from the ocean and roars, are spectacular and powerful as the pitch-perfect visual effects really do the characters justice and one can't help but sit back in awe. I'm guessing that if Ishiro Honda were alive, he'd feel immense pride when seeing that his legacy was continued in such a fashion.

1. Godzilla (1954)

"I can't believe that Gojira was the last of his species. If nuclear testing continues, then someday, somewhere in the world, another Gojira may appear"

At least my #1 pick isn't controversial. As defensive I've been about how good some of the modern Godzilla/Kong movies are, there's no escaping the fact that my favorite one is (and probably will always be) the original Godzilla. It basically has all the strengths of the original King Kong: doing something totally groundbreaking and different that would go on to create an entire franchise, introducing a monster with a fascinating mythical backstory, frightening the audience with a hellishly intense final act (Godzilla's rampage on Tokyo is even greater than Kong's rampage on New York) and being much deeper than you'd expect a monster movie to be. But this film has none of its counterpart's flaws. Nothing in the film has aged particularly poorly, and don't even get me started on how good the visual imagery is.

For nineteen-fucking-fifty-four, the special effects are about a million times better than they have any right to be. Ishiro Honda's genius ways of using practical effects as well as lights, shadows, camera angles and all the other tricks in the book lead to this film having a monster that looks legitimately terrifying every time he shows up. When thinking about old Japanese monster films, the first image to come to mind might often be the often-parodied scenery of later and more low-effort sequels, where cruddy-looking monsters fight each other in broad daylight in a campy fashion. But this film is different gravy. The fire-breathing lizard monster, emerging from the ocean due to radiation from nuclear testing, very much being a gripping metaphor for the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, is something out of your worst nightmares. This film is not only a masterpiece in the realm of monster films, but one of the best Japanese movies, one of the best 50's movies and one of the best horror movies that I've ever seen.

Thank you for reading! Tune in next Thursday for my ranking of the Fast & Furious movies, including the newly released F9 (2021). I may be back before that for a short special post on Monday, relating to the Football European Championship tournament.

Top 5 Traditional (And Top 5 Unconventional) Westerns

Greetings, reader!

Yesterday was the 45th anniversary of the Clint Eastwood classic The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976) being released. To celebrate, I'll take a look at a classic, often-overlooked-in-my-blog genre, much to the delight of my dad and uncle: westerns. I'm not going for the obvious route of "Top 10 westerns of all time", because the more traditional side of the genre is difficult to compare to the many twists and turns that modern filmmakers have put on the genre. Therefore, I'm counting down two simultaneous top fives: the top 5 traditional westerns of all time, and the top 5 unconventional ones.

As was the case with my ranking of traditional/unconventional Shakespeare movies, these lines are drawn somewhat arbitrarily; many "revisionist westerns" are in the 'traditional' category, provided that they still fit into most of the genre's conventions. I've reserved the 'unconventional' category for films that the average viewer might not think about as a western first and foremost, while still having that as one of its genres (this may happen through various genre combinations or the film may belong to a new wave of more 'extreme' revisionism). Jeez, you can just see my university studies leaving a mark on how I write this blog - that was a real load of academic gibberish right there. Anyhow, here's my list!

#5 in Unconventional: Three Amigos! (1986)

"You dirt-eating piece of slime! You scum-sucking pig! You son of a motherless goat!"

Three Amigos! is a hilarious take on various tropes of the western genre. Between Lorne Michaels' writing and the main trio of Steve Martin, Chevy Chase and Martin Short, the film is clearly a by-product of the early Saturday Night Live (1975-) era, and such films often make for a great laugh. The three comedians take on the roles of Lucky Day, Dusty Bottoms and Ned Nederlander - three western movie stars who are confused for actual gun-slinging heroes by the inhabitants of a Mexican village. This leads to all sorts of hijinks, with the clichés and conventions of the western genre making for a nice backdrop to the SNL-tier laughs.

#5 in Traditional: The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976)

"You a bounty hunter?"

"A man's got to do something for a living these days"

"Dyin' ain't much of a living, boy"

The film of the hour, that just turned 45 years old yesterday, makes it into my top five. While there certainly are revisionist elements to this film, as it takes a much darker and grittier tone compared to the Spaghetti westerns that Clint Eastwood did in the 60's, I'm still counting it in the "Traditional" category. Why? Well, the directorial style, soundtrack, setting and overall plot all hit the core of what the western genre is all about. While the film was game-changing and a "different kind of western" for its time, the lens of cinematic history still sees it as a classic old-school western more than an unconventional take on the genre.

Eastwood does a brilliant job directing the various action sequences, but his acting performance in the lead role is even more impressive. He plays the cold, vengeful shell of a man who has lost his family and is out for payback. It is a gripping role, and he carries it with the proper gravitas.

#4 in Unconventional: Django Unchained (2012)

"You had my curiosity, now you have my attention"

If The Outlaw Josey Wales is a revisionist western that is 20% revisionist and 80% western, then Quentin Tarantino's Django Unchained is 80% revisionist and 20% western. Tarantino strikes a remarkable balance with this film, as it manages to convey his love for old-school westerns with all of its nostalgic, tribute-like touches - but at the same time, there are no limits to how much the filmmaker allows himself to play with the conventions of the genre and do something completely unique and different. Cool moments of cowboy heroism, but with a twist, ensue.

Like any Tarantino movie, Django is unapologetically violent, marvelously entertaining, and weirdly funny in a tongue-in-cheek way while dealing with extremely serious issues. While definitely not being a true story, Django was praised for how accurately it portrayed something that Hollywood and the western genre had downplayed for decades: the sheer barbarity of the slavery-era South. This makes parts of the film very hard to watch, but all the more important. Tarantino makes his own values clear by employing the similar sort of historical revisionism that he used in Inglorious Basterds (2009) and Once Upon a Time...In Hollywood (2019) - a take on what perhaps should have gone down, in regards to karma and the true villains in our history.

#4 in Traditional: Jeremiah Johnson (1972)

"You're the same dumb pilgrim that I been hearin' for twenty days, and smellin' for three!"

This Robert Redford classic definitely fits more into the "Traditional" category, although it represents a less mainstream wing of the western spectrum: as my dad defensively stated after my mom asked what cowboy movie we were watching, "It's a mountain man movie, not a cowboy movie!".

Jeremiah Johnson is indeed a film about a mountain man, living his life in the midst of the majestic wilderness of the Rocky Mountains. The film's biggest strength is its slow pace, coupled with beautiful landscape shots: while Redford does a great job in the lead role, the film isn't about the man as much as it is about the outdoor world surrounding him. The film is an ode to nature and wilderness, and proof that the western genre can be a lot more than the gunslinger duels and bar room brawls we most often associate it with.

#3 in Unconventional: Back to the Future Part III (1990)

"It means your future hasn't been written yet. No one's has. Your future is whatever you make it. So make it a good one, both of you"

Science fiction and westerns are an odd match made in heaven. On paper, there is no way such a genre combination would work, but time and time again, movies and TV have proved us wrong: Firefly (2002-2003), Westworld (2016-), individual episodes of Star Trek (1966-1969) and Doctor Who (1963-Present), and of course, this movie. The third instalment of the beloved Back to the Future trilogy sees Marty (Michael J. Fox) and Doc (Christopher Lloyd) taking the Delorean all the way back to the Wild West in 1885.

The film has a blast playing with every western cliché imaginable, in the context of this time-traveling franchise, and the results are pure gold. There are bar fights, duel challenges, steam locomotives and all the other tricks in the book, all while the main heroes try to find a way to restore the timeline and return to their original time. All in all, it's a fun and heartfelt homage to classic westerns, as well as a fitting end to one of cinema's most entertaining and consistent trilogies.

#3 in Traditional: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly (1966)

"If you work for a living, why do you kill yourself working?"

Spaghetti westerns don't get much more spaghetti than this. Often considered to be the gold standard of the western genre, this 3-hour classic has it all: Sergio Leone's stylized directing, an exciting hidden-treasure-narrative, a historically intriguing civil war setting, the most iconic 'Mexican standoff' scene of them all, and of course, Clint Eastwood. Where would this genre be without the man whose name is literally an anagram of 'Old West Action'?

For me, the very best part of The Good, The Bad and The Ugly has to be the score, composed by the late great Ernio Morricone. The sheer dramatic gravitas of the track "Ecstasy of Gold" is something out of this world, and it creates an atmosphere that countless movie music composers have tried to channel ever since.

#2 in Unconventional: The Revenant (2015)

"I ain't afraid to die anymore. I'd done it already"

The Revenant, also known as "Leonardo DiCaprio's greatest performance" and "The movie that finally won Leo his long-overdue Oscar", is similar in many ways to films like Jeremiah Johnson, but I'm still putting in the 'unconventional' category. This is due to a mixture of many elements: the snowy mountain setting as opposed to the traditional Wild West, the focus on harsh survivalist narratives as opposed to traditional hero/antihero storytelling, and the fact that the movie came out in 2015 (some fans of the genre claim that "True westerns" aren't made anymore, as the genre is so tied to a certain era of Hollywood).

Genre arguments aside, one thing we can all agree on is that The Revenant is one hell of a film. Alejandro Gonzales Iñárritu's meticulous directing works as well with the intense action sequences as it does with the slowly drifting shots of scenery, and the true story behind the film is riveting enough to keep the viewer invested. But, yes, the best part of the film is undoubtedly Leo DiCaprio's Oscar-winning performance, as the madman took the concept of method acting to the level of actually eating a raw slab of bison's liver and sleeping in an animal carcass, so he could experience what the real Hugh Glass experienced as authentically as possible.

#2 in Traditional: Unforgiven (1992)

"It's a hell of a thing, killin' a man. Take away all he's got, and all he's ever gonna have"

For a film that barely checks all the boxes of fitting more into the 'Traditional' category, Unforgiven sure broke a lot of new ground and is far from your run-of-the-mill western. The setting (the small town of Big Whiskey, Wyoming in the 1880's) is classic enough, and at first glance, so are the character archetypes - you've got your sheriff (Gene Hackman), your young hot-shot gunslinger (Jaimz Woolvett), your old and retired legendary gunslinger grudgingly returning for one last job (literally Clint Eastwood), and his old partner-in-crime (Morgan Freeman).

But when the film dives deeper into the characters, you start to see how writer David Webb Peoples and director Clint Eastwood (I mean, seriously, 83% of this entire genre consists of this one guy) wanted to break the norms and do a darker, more complex western. Eastwood's character William Munny is far from the typical cowboy hero, with his dark and tragic backstory and his anti-hero morals. Meanwhile, Gene Hackman's character is a bold take on the typically heroic sheriff role, as he violently abuses his power and ends up being the film's main villain - back in the day of Unforgiven's release, many saw this as a parallel to the then-recent police killing of Rodney King, and the message certainly resonates in today's climate.

All in all, Unforgiven walks the line of deconstructing the clichés of the western genre while still managing to be a true western in its heart. The four Oscars it won, including Best Picture, were quite well-deserved. While I don't quite subscribe to the idea that many movie buffs have of the western genre being tied to a certain period of time in Hollywood, I do admit that if this is the "Last real western" that many deem it to be, then it certainly makes for a fitting end.

#1 in Unconventional: The Hateful Eight (2015)

"Gentlemen, I know Americans aren't apt to let a little thing like unconditional surrender get in the way of a good war"

Yep - I'm one of those select few who prefer The Hateful Eight to Django Unchained in the category of Tarantino westerns. Like Django, this underrated film showcases Tarantino's love for old-school westerns with its overture+intermission structure and Ennio Morricone soundtrack, while also adding all sorts of modern and creative elements to make it feel like a true Tarantino flick. As a revisionist western, it's on par with Django, but as an overall cinema, I enjoy it even more than its counterpart.

The Hateful Eight is a wonderful whodunit -mystery, ripe with the sort of outrageous and immensely entertaining dialogue that colors all of Quentin's filmography. When you have Hollywood's dialogue mastermind behind the script and in the director's chair, a cast including the likes of Samuel L. Jackson, Kurt Russell and Michael Madsen, and the basic premise of eight people being stuck in a snowed-in cabin for three hours, the end result can't be anything else than pure gold. And that's exactly what this movie is. Speaking of gold, let's look at my #1 pick for the best traditional western...

#1 in Traditional: The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948)

"Badges? We ain't got no badges. We don't need no badges. I don't have to show you any stinking badges!"

Apparently, actor Walter Huston once said to his son John: "Son, if you ever become a writer, try to write a good part for your old man sometime". Well, John Huston would go on to win two Oscars (Best Writing and Best Directing) for this film, while the part he wrote for his old man earned Walter Huston an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor. Not a bad father-and-son activity.

While it is significantly older than the 'golden age' of Hollywood westerns, The Treasure of the Sierra Madre embodies everything great about the genre. There's a sense of adventure, a cool period-piece atmosphere, and a band of unlikely companions going on a mission and encountering all sorts of trouble. Humphrey Bogart himself plays the lead role and delivers as always, while Tim Hold and the aforementioned Walter Huston provide fantastic performances as his gold-searching companions. There are entertaining action sequences, iconic moments of dialogue and deep looks at greed and human morality throughout this timeless, adventurous classic. Whatever happened to the real treasure of the Sierra Madre, this film definitely remains a treasure of American cinema.

Thank you for reading! Tune in next week as I share my thoughts on the new release Godzilla Vs. Kong (2021), as well as other related monster movies, with a list of the Top 10 Movies that Feature Godzilla and/or King Kong.