Top 100 Movies of All Time, Part 6 out of 10: Movies #50 - #41

Greetings, reader!

We have now entered the top half of my Top 100 countdown, as I begin to explore the fifty greatest films ever made. This is getting exciting!

50. It's a Wonderful Life (1946)

"Strange, isn't it? Each man's life touches so many other lives. When he isn't around he leaves an awful hole, doesn't he?"

I mean, it's a wonderful film. It's fantasy and reality blending beautifully to form a universally beloved yuletide classic that has stood the test of time. It's James Stewart being breathtaking in the iconic lead role as down-on-his-luck everyday hero George Bailey. It's one of the most sure-fire movies to lift one's spirits and give one hope when feeling down.

In case some of my readers missed this classic in the cinema and have been meaning to watch it for the last 75 years without getting around to it, I can't really spoil anything, and there's only so much one can say about this film without spoiling it. What I can say is that the film is a powerful testament to the fact that despite everything wrong in the world, at the end of the day it truly is, in fact, a wonderful life.

49. Fight Club (1999)

"The things you own end up owning you"

The sheer chaotic energy of David Fincher's Fight Club is something that couldn't be re-achieved if one tried. The combination of casual violence, all-over-the-place dialogue, anti-materialistic rants, empty Starbucks cups and Brad Pitt and Edward Norton providing killer performances in an effortless-seeming fashion is just so damn unique that no other film belongs to the same category.

When talking about Fight Club (a.k.a. breaking the first and second rules), people always bring up the twist ending. But here's the thing - that's not even one of the film's best elements in my opinion. Sure, it's a memorable and well-built twist that one may or may not see coming beforehand, but the greatness of the film goes so much beyond that plot twist that I find it a bit too overhyped in comparison to the film's other strengths. When I think about Fight Club's ending, I don't think about the big reveal close to the end, but rather the very final scene that happens after it. The main character (Ed Norton) and Marla (Helena Bonham Carter) standing hand in hand while [SPOILERS REDACTED] in front of them, as the Pixies song Where is My Mind creates the perfect soundscape, is one of the most atmospheric and haunting moments ever seen on the silver screen. It is a whole vibe of its own, as I can't think of any specific emotion to describe the sensation yet it is an immensely powerful sequence to experience.

48. Eraserhead (1977)

"In heaven, everything is fine"

David Lynch's debut film is on par with Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) and Kaufman's Synecdoche, New York (2008) as one of the strangest films I've ever seen. Furthermore, it is on par with Spielberg's Schindler's List (1993) and McQueen's 12 Years a Slave (2013) as one of the top films in the "Once was enough, thanks" category for movies I don't feel like re-watching no matter how great they were. It is also, in my honest opinion, the forty-eighth-greatest movie of all time.

Watching Eraserhead is a physical experience. Like much of David Lynch's art, the imagery is often disturbing and unsettling, but it is also so meticulously crafted and incredibly unique that it ends up being unforgettable in a fascinating way. What other filmmaker could possibly come up with visual scenery like the the Lady In The Radiator (Laurel Near) singing her strange heaven song in front of a curtain, the baby making its uncomfortable first appearance, or the signature look of protagonist Henry Spencer (Jack Nance) with his strange haircut and anxious facial expressions? Eraserhead is one of a kind, and a profound representation of cinema as an art form if I ever saw one.

47. 12 Angry Men (1957)

"Bright? He's a common ignorant slob. He don't even speak good English"

"He DOESN'T speak good English"

This Sidney Lumet classic is a minimalist masterpiece of the highest order. No gargantuan budget, no ambitious set design, nothing particularly grand in terms of production value whatsoever. The entire film is basically a "bottle episode", as we follow twelve jurors trying to reach a verdict on a possible death sentence. That is all that the film needs, as the impeccable dialogue, exquisite acting and thought-provoking themes are certainly enough to keep the viewer enthralled. The conversations throughout the film are fascinating and tense, as a human life hangs in the balance while the titular angry men debate everything from laws and witness accounts to ethics and moral dilemmas as they try to figure out whether or not their man is guilty.

Masters of the trade from Lee J. Cobb to Martin Balsam provide dynamite performances, but the MVP is certainly Henry Fonda in his iconic role as Juror #8. For much of the film's duration, his character is the only one who believes the defendant to be innocent, and he uses every trick in the book to try and persuade his fellow jurors to think again before they hand the man a death sentence. Fonda's performance is humorous, touching and riveting all at the same time. Fans of legal dramas, spirited debates or just minimalist movies, 12 Angry Men should definitely be on your shortlist.

46. Titanic (1997)

"Just the other night I was sleeping under a bridge and now here I am on the grandest ship in the world having champagne with you fine people. I figure life's a gift and I don't intend on wasting it"

It has always bugged me how people seem to discuss Titanic as a love story and a love story only, with a lot of people calling the film boring or overrated because they're not into romantic films or "chick flicks". I've heard this argument tons of times, and it annoys me because it glosses over the fact that romance or no romance, Titanic is a cinematic masterpiece and an exceptionally well-made film - after all, you don't win eleven Academy Awards by just being a nice love story.

Of course, for people like me who enjoy a good romantic film, Titanic is all the better as the love story between Jack (Leo DiCaprio) and Rose (Kate Winslet) is filled with sweet dialogue, great chemistry and powerful moments. But Titanic goes way beyond just telling a good love story, as James Cameron's sublime directing and the film's thoroughly unmatched set design make for a grandiose account of a grim historical event. The first half of the film feels so elegant and glorious, only for the sheer panic and chaos of the film's tail end to feel insanely gripping as things start to go wrong. You might think of Titanic as another mere romantic film, but trust me - and this pun is very much intended - that's just the tip of the iceberg.

45. Die Hard (1988)

"Welcome to the party, pal"

Ah, the greatest Christmas movie of all time. Jokes aside, this late 80's classic that does indeed take place on Christmas is one of those select films that embody the point of perfection for a certain genre - the genre in question this time is, obviously, action. Die Hard is quite literally the perfect action film from start to finish. No unnecessary filler material, no dull moments, just an intense-as-hell plot in an exciting setting full of twists, turns, catchphrases and badass moments.

The film follows quintessential action hero John McClane (Bruce Willis), as he goes up against one of cinema's greatest villains, Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman) in a riveting setting - a Christmas party at Nakatomi Plaza becomes ground zero for a massive hostage situation, with McClane being the one person in the building that the terrorists haven't caught. With the police forces outside the building not being able to help and the media only making matters worse, it's up to McClane to take the terrorists out one by one. This leads to a multitude of close calls, suspenseful sequences and adrenaline rushes, culminating in a final 15 minutes that is one of humanity's greatest achievements.

44. Star Trek (2009)

"Whoa...how do you know my name?"

"I have been, and always shall be, your friend"

Today, in the category of "films in Veikko's Top 100 that normal people like but definitely wouldn't have anywhere near an all-time Top 100", we have J.J. Abrams's reboot of the Star Trek franchise from 2009. To understand my deep-running love for this film, one has to understand my deep-running love for the entire franchise (reading the linked post might help), which is right up there with Tolkien's fantasy world as the setting for my very favorite stories in the realm of fiction. And for such a franchise, bringing it back to life and re-introducing it to a new generation in the best possible way is something that deserves multitudes of respect.

First of all, the casting. Whoever did the casting for this reboot deserves a medal. All of the main characters of the original Star Trek crew are cast with perfection, as their new actors strike a perfect balance between channeling their original counterparts but bringing enough of an original twist to the character so that it doesn't feel like copying. Chris Pine as Kirk, Zachary Quinto as Spock, Anton Yelchin as Chekov, it's all just right. Furthermore, Abrams's directing style combines the addictive entertainment value of modern sci-fi blockbusters with the exploratory nature and core values of classic Star Trek, while the story throws some seriously well-written time travel and powerful moments into the mix. Add to that one of my favorite ending scenes in cinema, and you have a film that isn't just a great crowd-pleaser for Trek fans, but a powerful testament to just how amazing the fictional world created by Gene Roddenberry really is, and how it just keeps giving and giving.

43. The Lion King (1994)

"You have forgotten who you are and so have forgotten me. Look inside yourself, Simba. You are more than what you have become. You must take your place in the Circle of Life"

"How can I go back? I'm not who I used to be"

"Remember who you are. You are my son and the one true king. Remember who you are"

With its soundtrack full of Elton John bangers, its vibrant and colorful scenery, and its delightful signature humor, The Lion King certainly checks all the boxes of a successful animated Disney musical with the potential to be a childhood favorite. However, the film goes far and beyond its expectations to provide a story of much more epic proportions than one would ever expect from a children's movie. There is something so untouchable and larger-than-life about The Lion King, that watching the film has always left me in awe, no matter what age I am.

Scenes like Mufasa's (James Earl Jones) head forming in the clouds to send Simba (Matthew Broderick) a message, or Rafiki (Robert Guillaume) discovering that Simba is alive and coloring the drawing of him on the Tree of Life, send shivers down my spine every time. Due to the movie's Shakespearean power dynamics that come naturally with the Hamlet-inspired plot, as well as the overall memorability of the characters and the major events, The Lion King is a large-scope, high-stakes classic in addition to being just a damn good kids' movie. A true childhood favorite, that continues to hold up to this day.

42. Memento (2000)

"OK, so what am I doing? Oh, I'm chasing this guy. No...he's chasing me"

All in all, Memento is indeed quite the unconventional and creative masterclass in storytelling, as my strange way of writing this review has hopefully demonstrated to some degree. The supporting performances by Carrie-Anne Moss and Joe Pantoliano are amazing, and the film's ending is just the mind-blowing game-changer one could expect from Christopher Nolan. Leonard's journey is one of vengeance, as he uses notes and tattoos to slowly and surely track down the man who killed his wife. Through this insanely creative way of storytelling, Nolan tells the story of Leonard (Guy Pearce), a man with short-term memory loss.

It's all very confusing, but once you've watched the film enough times to get a grasp of the big picture, it's incredibly satisfying. But, as a delightful extra twist, there are black-and-white sequences in between that take place outside the rest of the narrative. The main narrative progresses backwards, as many of the scenes end right where the previous scene began. When you watch Memento for the first time, it is incredibly difficult to stay in the loop through Christopher Nolan's creative way of telling the story. Thus the gimmick of putting my sentences in reverse order. To give you some idea on just how confusing Memento is to watch, I'll try to make my description of it feel like watching the film.

41. The Godfather: Part II (1974)

"I know it was you, Fredo. You broke my heart. You broke my heart!"

Ah, The Godfather: Part II - truly the Godfather of all movie sequels, wouldn't you say?

This stone-cold classic from the mid-70's proves just how great a sequel can be, as more or less everything is on par with the original film. Not only that; many aspects even improve in the second film, as the story expands its reach while remaining very true to its original feel. Al Pacino continues to provide the greatest movie acting performance of all time in his role as Michael Corleone, whose character arch continues to be riveting and dramatic. The continuation of this storyline expands the plot of the Corleone crime syndicate into Cuba, which makes for some fascinating historical context, all while the intriguing family drama of the first film picks up right where it left off as Robert Duvall, Diane Keaton and Talia Shire all reprise their dynamite performances.

Parallel to this story, The Godfather: Part II also uses its 3-hour-22-minute runtime to tell the backstory of Vito Corleone, the original mafia don who was portrayed by Marlon Brando in the first film. Playing the young version of cinema's possibly most iconic and untouchable character is quite the near-impossible feat, but luckily they found just the right man for the job: if anyone can fill such shoes, it's Robert De Niro. One of the six Academy Awards that this sequel won was De Niro's award for Best Supporting Actor, which he deserved by providing a performance that channels just the right amount of Brando to be believable while also bringing a completely new side to the young version of the character. The parallels between following the young Vito's journey from refugee to crime boss, and Michael's ongoing journey of expanding his father's enterprise while struggling to keep his friends close and enemies closer, are just as Shakespearean in their dynamics and memorable in their dramatic dialogue and unforgettable moments as anything from the first Godfather. This is how you do a sequel.

Thank you for reading! Tune in next week for the next instalment of the countdown, as I explore movies #40 - #31; these include my all-time favorite horror film, the funniest movie of all time, the only action movie better than Die Hard, and one of the only two documentaries to make the list.

P.S. I recently saw DC's new film The Suicide Squad, and I thoroughly recommend checking it out at your local cinema. For a comic book film, it was remarkably Tarantino-esque, boldly written and clearly true to director James Gunn's unique vision instead of the usual scaled-down studio interference we often get from DC. Much, much, much better than the original Suicide Squad (2016).

Top 100 Movies of All Time, Part 5 out of 10: Movies #60 - #51

Greetings, reader!

Once again, it is time for me to resume my countdown of the hundred greatest movies ever made. Today's journey takes us from my sixtieth-favorite film of all time all the way to my fifty-first-favorite one. Let's go!

60. Jurassic Park (1993)

"God creates dinosaurs. God destroys dinosaurs. God creates man. Man destroys God. Man creates dinosaurs"

I can't recall any other movie that ended up being as different from my initial expectations as this groundbreaking Steven Spielberg film. I had seen parts of the famous T-Rex scene and maybe confused some horror/thriller films for this one before I ever saw it, so what I expected was a nerve-wracking dinosaur thriller full of close calls and jump scares. Mind you, Jurassic Park does have its share of those elements in its more tense sequences - but walking into it, I had no idea that I was about see one of the most beautiful movies ever made.

But that's exactly what Jurassic Park is. When it's not keeping viewers on the edge of their seats with intense velociraptor sequences or delving into vaguely profound Jeff Goldblum dialogue, the movie bathes in its amazing scenery, untouchable John Williams score, and some seriously spectacular visual effects. If you asked me what movie has the best visual effects of all time, I couldn't give you an answer right away, but if you asked me what movie has the all-time best visual effects in relation to when it was made, there is no other right answer in my mind than Jurassic Park. The dinosaurs look so real and majestic that the visuals honestly look like the film could've been released today, which is quite the feat for a film from 1993. Suspenseful and thrilling at parts, and beautiful and moving at others, this wonderful film is one for the ages.

59. Braveheart (1993)

"Aye, fight and you may die. Run, and you'll live - at least a while. And dying in your beds, many years from now, would you be willing for once chance, just one chance, to come back here and tell our enemies that they may take our lives, but they will never take - OUR FREEDOM!"

How good is William Wallace's (Mel Gibson) battle speech, a part of which is quoted above, you ask? Well, I'm a full-blown pacifist to the degree that I chose not to go through Finland's traditional and more-or-less mandatory military service, but I'm pretty sure that if I was one of the characters in this historical epic, that speech would've inspired me to take up arms and run straight into battle. Braveheart is in some ways a hard film to love, as the star and director has disgraced himself time and time again, not to mention the strange position that this film has gotten as a political tool for modern Scottish nationalism. But if you separate the art from the artist (a skill that one simply must acquire in modern times if one wants to enjoy art, as an incredibly upsetting amount of people have turned out to be huge assholes), and take the film as a historical account of what happened back in medieval times and maybe shouldn't be used as a metaphor for today's politics, there's no denying the fact that this Best Picture winner is a breathtaking piece of cinema.

From the well-crafted battle sequences and impeccable set design to James Horner's heart-piercing score and the fact that Wallace's aforementioned battle speech is one of my top 10 favorite movie scenes of all time, Braveheart is nothing short of a cinematic masterpiece.

58. Halloween (1978)

"I met him, 15 years ago. I was told there was nothing left; no reason, no conscience, no understanding in even the most rudimentary sense of life or death, of good or evil, right or wrong"

In last week's post, I marveled at how great of movie a slasher flick can be when discussing A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984). But here's the thing - Halloween is somehow even better. The perfect movie can exist in any genre when made well enough, and Halloween is a prime example of that. The script by John Carpenter and Debra Hill is flawless in its building tension and creepy themes. The directing by John Carpenter, as he makes one of the scariest films of all time without any unnecessary blood and gore but by simply being so good at camera angles and editing cuts etc. that the mere appearance of villain Michael Myers (Tony Moran) standing in the bushes will creep the living hell out of you, is a work of genius.

And the film's score, composed by John Carpenter (I'm sensing a pattern here), is built on a spine-chilling main theme that will forever be my favorite horror movie soundtrack and one of the greatest-ever pieces of music written for a movie. Couple this with a chilly Halloween setting full of pumpkins and shadows, as well as a killer performance by Jamie Lee Curtis as the ultimate 'final girl' Laurie Strode, and you have a pure and untouchable horror masterpiece on your hands.

57. The Trial of the Chicago 7 (2020)

"Do you know why you're on trial here?"

"We carried certain ideas across state lines. Not machine guns or drugs or little girls. Ideas. When we crossed from New York to New Jersey to Pennsylvania to Ohio to Illinois, we had certain ideas. And for that, we were gassed, beaten, arrested and put on trial"

My #1 favorite movie of last year was always going to have some societal relevance to it, as it deals with some age-old questions in America that people are still fiercely debating about. But it was a stroke of strange fortune that The Trial of the Chicago 7 became as incredibly topical as it ended up being - Aaron Sorkin wrote the Oscar-nominated script before the summer of 2020, when George Floyd's murder and the subsequent Black Lives Matter protests happened. And so, in the fall of 2020, this film based on a true story from the late 60's that deals with issues of protests, police violence, and the question of where the blame lies when protests turn violent, felt poignant to a powerful degree.

And what an overall powerful film it is. Eddie Redmayne provides an inspiring lead performance as social activist Tom Hayden, while Sacha Baron Cohen expertly combines humor and heart with his performance as hippie leader Abbie Hoffman. As one might expect from a Sorkin film, the dialogue is smart and and tight, the flow between scenes is entertaining and addictive, and the overall story has a lot to say about the world today while also taking a deep look into our history. The final scene, that had me in tears, is truly the icing on the cake.

56. Mulholland Drive (2001)

"Silencio"

If any film can and should be called a "puzzle box", it is this one. What begins as a relatively standard (by David Lynch standards, anyways) thriller about a woman who wakes up with amnesia after a car accident, ends up taking several unforeseen turns throughout an exciting, unconventional narrative. Headlined by a mesmerizing Naomi Watts performance, Mulholland Drive is one of the greatest mystery films ever made as the sense of mystery is so well-crafted by a ton of small but important details in the dialogue, cinematography and other places where Lynch likes to hide his clues.

While I don't consider any of Lynch's works to be exactly pretentious, I do admit that he has been known to occasionally delve into randomness for the sake of randomness, at least as an extra spice. It's interesting how in this particular film he doesn't do one bit of that: everything in Mulholland Drive seems to have a sharp focus and clear reason, even if the exact nature of said reason is left open for interpretation. Just strange enough to satisfy art house fans who found The Straight Story (1999) boring, and not quite so strange that it shuts off mainstream viewers like Lost Highway (1997) did, this movie is often considered Lynch's magnum opus and it truly lives up to its reputation.

55. Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens (2015)

"I used to wonder about that myself. Thought it was a bunch of mumbo jumbo. A magical power holding together good and evil, the dark side and the light. Crazy thing is...it's true. The Force, the Jedi. All of it"

And then, for the controversial section of today's post - trust me, this film isn't nearly as feather-ruffling of a choice as the next one, but at least places #53 - #51 are very conventional choices and might calm my cinema enthusiast readers down.

When reading a movie buff's list of the 100 greatest movies ever made, one might expect to see the original Star Wars trilogy there, but not any other films from the franchise. However, the entire franchise is so dear to me, that a film from outside the pure and holy original trilogy also managed to make it into my Top 100 (a few others were also very close to making it - my Top 150 would probably have a total of six Star Wars films in it). The Force Awakens is the beginning to the new trilogy that revived the franchise, and what an absolutely epic beginning it was. I remember seeing in the cinema, absolutely enthralled as John Williams' iconic score starts to play and the opening text starts to roll, as I had spent my childhood in love with this franchise while never believing that I'd get to see an all-new Star Wars film in the movie theater.

I'll admit that when they first announced a new trilogy being made, I was skeptical - did we really need more Star Wars? But then I saw the first teaser trailer - one of my all-time favorite movie trailers - and all of my cynicism faded. It was clear from that point on that Episode VII was going to be exciting, epic, loyal to the original trilogy's style and values, and most importantly, not just a cash grab. That turned out to be extremely true when I saw the film, as it had me emotionally hooked and on the edge of my seat for the entire runtime. The Force Awakens manages to pay tribute to the original cast (Harrison Ford knocks it out of the park as an old, lone-wolf Han Solo) while also paving the way for a new generation of heroes with exciting characters like heroine Rey (Daisy Ridley), unlikely hero Finn (John Boyega), and fleshed-out villain Kylo Ren (Adam Driver). The film exceeded my sky-high expectations, culminating in a final scene that is one of the greatest moments in the entire Star Wars franchise.

54. Black Mirror: Bandersnatch (2018)

"The whole thing's a metaphor: he thinks he's got free will, but really he's trapped in a maze, in a system. All he can do is consume, he's pursued by demons that are probably just in his own head and even if he does manage to escape by slipping out of one side of the maze, what happens? He comes right back in the other side. People think it's a happy game. It's not a happy game, it's a fucking nightmare world and the worst thing is, it's real and we live in it. It's all code. If you listen closely, you can hear the numbers. There's a cosmic flowchart that dictates where you can and where you can't go"

I know that many fans of the Black Mirror (2011-Present) series didn't like this film, and even the ones who did might not have it anywhere near an all-time top 100. But for whatever reason, I really, really like this film, and even consider it to be a modern masterpiece. It's unfortunate that it rubbed a lot of people the wrong way, which I can't figure out for the life of me. Sure, these types of 'gimmick movies' are bound to get criticized, but in my view, Bandersnatch is the perfect gimmick movie: the gimmick in question is very creative and groundbreaking (for those not familiar, this is a Choose Your Own Adventure movie, where the plot progresses based on decisions that the Netflix viewer makes, wonderfully blurring the line between cinema and video games), but the film doesn't just stick to its gimmick but goes way beyond it to produce a fantastic piece of narrative art.

There are layers to this film. First off, I just find the fact of a Choose Your Own Adventure movie to be extremely cool, as it simply hadn't been done before. Secondly, one has to appreciate just how much work went into the film: there are so many different paths and different endings, with even the same scenes having tons of different versions to them based on what choices the viewer has made so that the details add up, that writing and shooting the film must've been one heck of a chore to get through but the end result is definitely worth it. Finally, there's the layer of writer Charlie Brooker using the concept of choosing your own narrative to get meta in the darkest and most amazing fashion, as the whole thing escalates into a mind-boggling and deep-as-hell look at free will. The action of choosing the story's progression becomes so intertwined with the dialogue about questioning free will and not having control in life, that this movie will seriously mess with your brain (but, as my avid readers will know, I love such movies when in the right state of mind). All in all, a vastly over-hated piece of experimental art.

53. Schindler's List (1993)

"Whoever saves one life, saves the world entire"

The movie everyone should watch once, and no one should have to watch twice. Out of all the films in my Top 100, this the most likely one for me to never re-watch, because it does indeed live up to its reputation as a seriously depressing movie. Mind you, there is a strong sense of hope and the actual story of Oskar Schindler (played here by Liam Neeson) and his deeds is profoundly uplifting in many ways, but that doesn't change the fact that the 3-hour-15-minute film takes place in World War II Poland, and paints a grim and realistic picture of the atrocities that took place there.

The horrors of the holocaust are brought to life in a grim fashion - a movie about such things isn't obviously fun to watch, but as this is something that really happened in our world less than 100 years ago (not to mention the fact that there are people who deny it ever happened), it is absolutely vital that films like this exist, to remind us what humanity is capable of at its worst when not kept in check. Inside this bleak portrayal of a brutal era, we follow the beautiful true story of a man who found goodness in his heart and fought to do what was right in a time of persecution and discrimination.

Neeson's lead performance is supported by great roles from Ralph Fiennes and Ben Kingsley, and Steven Spielberg's directing coupled with Janusz Kaminski's cinematography makes for a heart-stopping atmosphere. The use of color is especially striking, as the film is black-and-white but not entirely: I don't think I'll ever gets the image of the girl in the red coat making her way through the crowd out of my head. 'Gripping' doesn't begin to describe it.

52. The Elephant Man (1980)

"I am not an animal! I am a human being! I am a man!"

There's one extremely strange thing about this David Lynch movie: it's not a very strange movie. And, for Lynch, that's pretty much the most experimental and unexpected thing you can do. The filmmaker's mainstream effort was rewarded with eight Academy Award nominations, proving that Lynch is capable of making great films even if he replaces his trademark red curtains, psychedelic narratives and worlds-within-worlds aesthetic with simple and straightforward storytelling.

And a great film it certainly is. John Hurt provides a gripping performance as John Merrick, a disfigured man seen as a freak by some and a medical marvel by others, while Anthony Hopkins is equally sublime as Frederick Treves, the surgeon who cares for Merrick and uncovers the tender soul behind the disfigurement. The Elephant Man is a well-directed and immensely moving film, headlined by two state-of-the-art leading performances.

51. Paths of Glory (1957)

"Gentlemen of the court, there are times that I'm ashamed to be a member of the human race and this is one such occasion"

While not quite on the same level as Schindler's List in terms of being a total bummer (no film is), I'd reckon that Paths of Glory still makes the all-time Top 10 in the category of depressing films. While almost all of the greatest war movies are "anti-war" to some degree, as glorifying war doesn't play well with audiences, there is no other film I've seen that is as strongly anti-war as this early Stanley Kubrick masterpiece.

The story exposes the brutality and senselessness of war, and the hypocrisy of leaders solving their problems by sending their young men to die and kill each other, so thoroughly, that the film is bound to leave the viewer wondering just what the hell is wrong with humanity - a question worth asking. The dialogue in the final scene is so inhumane and infuriating in such a casual fashion, that watching Paths of Glory might very well make you temporarily lose your faith in humanity - I recommend watching Dead Poets Society or It's a Wonderful Life right after it in order to boost one's hope.

Thank you for reading! Tune in next week as I begin the second half of my countdown, with the movies from #50 to #41 - this selection of ten includes one of the only three films to win 11 Oscars, a Christmas classic, the debut film of a world class director, and more than one film from IMDB's top ten highest-rated movies of all time.

Top 100 Movies of All Time, Part 4 out of 10: Movies #70 - #61

Greetings, reader!

My ranking of my 100 all-time favorite films continues today, as I go from #70 to #61 in this fourth instalment of my ten-part countdown. I hope you like today's selection!

70. In Bruges (2008)

"But then, like a flash, it came to me. And I realized, fuck man, maybe that's what hell is: the entire rest of eternity spent in fuckin' Bruges"

There's comedy. There's dark comedy. There's extremely dark comedy. And then there's In Bruges. Seriously, this Martin McDonagh masterclass is so melancholic, so upsetting and so downright depressing that you'd constantly forget that you're watching a comedy film if it weren't for the fact that the movie also happens to be fucking hilarious. And before you get started on questioning my use of profanity, I'm doing it out of respect for this glorious film, as I believe that foul language is the only damn way to properly discuss this film, which happens to be filled to the brim with terrible fucking language.

The film's delicate balance between gloomy and hysterical, sad and laugh-worthy, artistic scenery and just fucking around, truly comes alive in the contrast between main characters Ken (Brendan Gleeson) and Ray (Colin fucking Farrell). The two hitmen have been sent to Bruges, Belgium, to await further instructions, and they take to the town differently - Ken finds it quaint and beautiful, while Ray fucking hates the living hell out of it. The crown jewel in this unique and fucking amazing film is its riveting and emotionally powerful (yet still, somehow, extremely funny at the same time) final act. A strong fucking recommendation for this fucking film.

69. The Breakfast Club (1985)

"You see us as a brain, an athlete, a basket case, a princess and a criminal. Correct? That's the way we saw each other at 7:00 this morning. We were brainwashed"

I'm trying to picture the concept of 1980's Hollywood if John Hughes hadn't existed, but all I'm coming up with is a blank void - it's like trying to picture 80's rock music if hair didn't exist. Mr. Hughes was a seriously influential filmmaker for the decade's trademark brand of delightful feel-good cinema, and none of his other works stand quite as tall as The Breakfast Club. Like last week's entry Clerks, this coming-of-age classic proves that you don't always need a whole lot to make a great film. If your cast chemistry, dialogue writing and life lessons are on point, all you need is to stick five characters into detention for 1 hour and 37 minutes and you'll have one of the most universally beloved films of all time on your hands.

That's pretty much all there is to The Breakfast Club, and the end result is a thing of perfection. Five fleshed-out versions of high schooler stereotypes spend their detention together, loathing each other at first but slowly realizing that there is a human being under every click and cliché. Parts of the film are surprisingly gripping, as the characters open up about their less-than-flattering backgrounds and the pain that people in their peer group endure, but a majority of it is a bunch of good fun with a whole lot of heart put into the mix. Watching this as a grown-up is a cozy experience worthy of smiles and fist pumps; watching it as a teenager was a somewhat profound sensation (if there's one film that every youth should watch, it's probably this one).

68. Dunkirk (2017)

"Well done, lads. Well done"

"All we did is survive"

"That's enough"

Now that we've gotten today's fluffy comedies out of the way, let's dive straight into the deep end of World War II. Not just any WWII epic, mind you, but the one that possibly captures the brutal intensity of war better than any other film about the Second World War that I've seen (and I've seen my share). Obviously, I don't have the slightest idea of what being in war is like, but no other film has made me picture it as intensely and intimately as Dunkirk - not to mention the fact that multiple WWII veterans have complimented the film for apparently having an extremely real-feeling atmosphere, which certainly adds to its credibility.

Christopher Nolan is one of my favorite filmmakers, and this is his only feature film where his directing is even more impressive than his writing. Mind you, the script is excellent, as it details the true story of the Dunkirk evacuation in a no-nonsense way with Nolan's trademark non-linear storytelling spicing up the narrative, but the directing is what truly makes Dunkirk into one of the all-time greats (Hans Zimmer's nerve-wracking score doesn't hurt either). The best example is the scene that Quentin Tarantino himself has called "maybe the greatest shot in war movie history" - the sequence of bombs being dropped on the beach as the soldiers lie in fright. The viewers can feel the sheer terror and helplessness that the characters are experiencing through the magnificent sound editing, action choreography, visual effects and cinematography. Not your light Friday night movie for sure, but a gripping and extremely worthwhile viewing experience in the right state of mind.

67. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012)

"Saruman believes that it is only great power that can hold evil in check. But that is not what I have found. I've found it is the small things, everyday deeds of ordinary folk that keeps the darkness at bay. Simple acts of kindness and love. Why Bilbo Baggins? Perhaps it is because I am afraid, and he gives me courage"

Once again, it's time to hit full defense mode as I try my best to reason one of my more controversial movie opinions - the greatness of the oft-criticized Hobbit trilogy. I come back to the same argument I used two weeks ago when discussing The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (2014) - the fact that these movies are less good than the Lord of the Rings trilogy doesn't inherently make them bad or even average. The Lord of the Rings films are some of the very best top notch cinema ever made, so an entry into the same franchise can be clearly a step or two worse while still being absolutely amazing. It is unfair that many cinema enthusiasts base their opinions on the Hobbit films solely based on how they compare to Lord of the Rings, because that is a gold standard that's quite impossible to reach. If we judge the Hobbit films as movies of their own, there is a whole lot to love and appreciate.

First of all, many of the elements that made the LOTR trilogy so great are also evident here: Howard Shore's epic score, Sir Ian McKellen's perfect take on the character of Gandalf, and the generally awe-inspiring scenery and magical feel of Peter Jackson's Middle-Earth. The film's light and adventurous atmosphere feels just right, because the Hobbit book was much lighter and more child-friendly than the darker and more large-scope Lord of the Rings. Furthermore, the cinematic adaptation nails many of the book's most memorable parts (the troll encounter, the fascinating arrival at Rivendell, and Bilbo's (Martin Freeman) intense interaction with Gollum (Andy Serkis) come to mind). The casting of Richard Armitage as dwarf leader Thorin is genius, as he thoroughly understands the character in all his complexity and feels exactly like his literary counterpart. All in all, a wonderfully adventurous adaptation of one of my favorite books from my childhood, the hatred for which will always confuse me.

66. Whiplash (2014)

"Not quite my tempo"

This winner of three Academy Awards relates to me in many ways: I'm a drummer, so main character Andrew (Miles Teller) is easy to relate to; I'm a fan of jazz music, so the astonishingly great Justin Hurwitz soundtrack has me in awe; and most importantly, I'm studying to become a music teacher, and my goal for my future career is essentially to be the exact opposite of Mr. Fletcher (J.K. Simmons), the conservatory band instructor in this movie. Simmons rightfully won an Oscar for his nightmarishly intense performance as this monster of a man, who handily answers the question "What if the idea of pushing people past their limit in the name of results is taken too far - like way too far?".

While parts of the film are bound to be exciting for a fan of drumming and music, I can say that Whiplash is not a fun film to watch no matter how into jazz you are. Watching the main character slowly break under pressure, as the band instructor's insane demands leave him practicing until his fingers bleed, is quite nauseating, as these kinds of gripping Oscar films often strive to be. As hard as Whiplash is to watch, I can't help but love the movie for just how masterful it is. The intense atmosphere, the way the viewer gets hooked and emotionally invested in the story, and the all-too-real acting by Simmons and Teller all make this film into an unforgettable and breathtaking viewing experience. I recommend Whiplash to everyone, as long as they're in a steady enough state of mind so that the film's mounting sense of pressure doesn't make their head explode.

65. A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)

"One, two, Freddy's coming for you,

Three, four, better lock your door,

Five, six, grab you crucifix,

Seven, eight, gonna stay up late,

Nine, ten, never sleep again"

Truly, even clearly, one of the greatest horror films ever made. What really gets me about this iconic slasher is just how complete of a horror film it is: if you're any kind of horror fan at all, no matter what your subgenre preferences, this is the movie for you as it has a good chunk of everything.

If you like your horror films properly spooky, this is one of the scariest flicks ever made with its creepy atmosphere and ingeniously well-timed jump scares. If you're sick of typical slashers and want quality cinema from your horror films, Wes Craven's impeccable directing and the exceptional cast (Johnny Depp and Heather Langenkamp knock it out of the park) have you covered. And if you're into strange, experimental and groundbreaking films, Nightmare is definitely the horror flick for you with its crazy and wild aesthetic and bizarre dream-worlds created by the brilliant mind of Wes Craven. A horror masterpiece if I ever saw one.

64. Back to the Future (1985)

"Roads? Where we're going, we don't need roads"

There are boring movies. There are movies that are good, but not especially entertaining. Then there are entertaining movies, very entertaining movies, and some extremely entertaining movies.

And then, there's Back to the Future.

This fast-paced, adrenaline-filled, only-could've-been-made-in-the-80's work of pure, unadulterated fun is just a brilliant film to watch in pretty much any state of mind. Robert Zemeckis manages to create an atmosphere so delightful and blissful, that this sci-fi adventure (and its sequels) can be watched just over and over and over again without ever getting tired.

While there's a lot to love in this film amidst the zany Alan Silvestri score and the absolutely thrilling plot, my favorite element has to be that main stars Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd have possibly the greatest on-screen chemistry of all time - I say 'possibly', because Samuel L. Jackson and John Travolta in Pulp Fiction (1994) are their only real rivals and I still haven't decided which pairing I prefer. What I can say is that Back to the Future is possibly the world's hardest movie to hate, because its whole vibe is in the very essence of 'fun' as a concept. I dare you to watch this film and not have a huge grin on your face for a majority of the runtime.

63. Scent of a Woman (1992)

"I always knew what the right path was. Without exception, I knew. But I never took it. You know why? It was too damn hard. Now here's Charlie. He's come to the crossroads. He has chosen a path. It's the right path. It's a path made of principle that leads to character. Let him continue on his journey"

From the film's beautiful title, the basic plot premise of a young boy helping a blind man, and the movie's opening minutes with the whimsical Thomas Newman soundtrack and blissful autumn scenery, you'll except Scent of a Woman to be a traditional, run-of-the-mill inspirational feel-good movie. Then, Lt. Col. Frank Slade (Al Pacino) drops in, giving the film a major shift in tone with his brutal language and raw outlook on life. Mind you, when all is said and done, Scent of a Woman is indeed an inspiring film that leaves a smile on one's face, but the road to that point is filled with more dire obstacles than one might expect. Simply put, the main character can be such a pain in the ass that his character arch occasionally feels like chore to get through - making it all the more satisfying when progress finally starts to happen.

Until then, we're left to enjoy uncomfortable but well-crafted and entertaining sequences of Charlie Simms (Chris O'Donnell) trying his best to get along with this very, very difficult old man. The plot ranges from moments of hilarious humor to heart-stopping scenes of raw emotion, and everything in between, as the actors soak in their wonderful chemistry while their characters each learn a life lesson or two on the way. Also, to no one's surprise, Pacino is absolute dynamite as always in this role that finally won him an Oscar after being nominated but not winning for seven consecutive times. Whoo-ah, what a film.

62. Philadelphia (1993)

"In this courtroom, Mr. Miller, justice is blind to matters of race, creed, color, religion and sexual orientation"

"With all due respect, your honor, we don't live in this courtroom, do we?"

Jonathan Demme's Philadelphia is many things. The #1 best performance of Tom Hanks's career, for starters, and a riveting courtroom drama as well. Most importantly, though, Philadelphia is a gripping tale of discrimination and standing up for what's right, and thus a historically significant film concerning LGBTQ+ rights and representation. This sort of representation was especially important in the early 90's, with AIDS spreading fast and (often extremely homophobic) misinformation about AIDS spreading even faster. Attitudes towards the gay community had come a long way forwards in the previous decades, only for this illness and happily escalated lies about how it spreads making for a convenient new excuse to shun LGBT people and shut them out of society. By 1993, the scientific facts about how AIDS does and doesn't spread had been around for quite a while, but people didn't want to hear it. And this makes works of art like Philadelphia extremely important.

Not only does the movie shine light on much-needed facts while telling an overall powerful story, but it does it in style as well. Bruce Springsteen's song Streets of Philadelphia, written for this movie and subsequently winning the Academy Award for Best Original Song, creates a sentimental and gripping atmosphere right from the start. Jonathan Demme's solid directing keeps the atmosphere tight, and alongside Hanks's Oscar-winning performance as HIV victim Andrew Beckett, Denzel Washington provides another great performance as Joe Miller, the lawyer who takes the case of Andrew's wrongful firing from his law firm. Miller's personal character arch is a great representation of society's shifting attitudes, as he slowly learns his way out of his own homophobic attitudes, showing viewers that this can be done.

And when you think about Philadelphia as a movie that aimed to change the attitudes of a largely homophobic society, one has to applaud the sheer genius of casting Tom Hanks out of all people in the lead role: for many Americans at the time, seeing such a universally beloved actor taking up the role of a gay man might've been just the nudge they needed to start realizing that we're all human beings and we need more tolerance in our society. Also, kudos to Hanks for bravely taking a role that was deemed very controversial and lost him a lot of fans (well, more accurately, those fans lost Tom Hanks, as the decision to boycott the beloved actor for playing the role of a gay man is 100% their loss. Have fun not watching Forrest Gump, idiots).

61. Tenet (2020)

"I'll see you in the beginning, friend"

As beloved as Christopher Nolan's earlier science fiction works Inception (2010) and Interstellar (2014) are, they have gotten their share of criticism by the nerdier fans of the genre who weren't happy with Nolan's use of exposition - to make complex ideas accessible for mainstream audiences, the dialogue in these films explains everything so thoroughly that it feels to some like the filmmaker is holding the audience's hand and leaving nothing for the viewer's own brain to figure out. I don't mind such things at all, but I do get where this argument is coming from, and therefore I appreciate that Nolan apparently listened to his core fans and gave them what they wanted to a borderline aggressive degree: Tenet doesn't spend one second over-explaining anything, as all of the film's complexities just sort of happen and the viewers have to work everything out for themselves. If any film deserves to be called a thinking person's movie, it's this one.

If you have the brain energy to follow such a puzzle box, it makes for an amazing cinematic experience. My favorite thing about Tenet is the sheer creativity in the premise: the concept of time travel has been done to death in literature and movies, yet Christopher Nolan, being a mad genius, came up with an entire new way of writing time travel. The way time travel works in Tenet (I won't even begin to describe it here) is fresh and exciting, and the plot is so well-written and hard to decipher that the film definitely needs and deserves to be watched multiple times. Clever writing, ultimate creativity and a thrilling atmosphere ensue.

Thank you for reading! Tune in next week for movies #60 - #51, which include the most normal movie from the least normal director, a possibly surprising member of the Star Wars franchise, a Best Picture winner from the 90's, and a film that I never want to see again.

P.S. Against all odds, an unlikely event that I have been dreading took place last week: during this ten-week period of counting down my 100 favorite movies, I saw a film that would've made it into my Top 100 but it's too late now. Therefore, I will give a special shout-out to this masterpiece (which I had oddly enough seen before, but only the second viewing made me fully appreciate what a Top-100-worthy masterpiece it is). The film in question is Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004), written by the brilliant mind of Charlie Kaufman and directed by Michel Gondry. The film is, at its heart, one of the most beautiful and touching love stories from the world of movies, told through the lens of an incredibly creative premise. If I had re-watched the film earlier (or if my original viewing hadn't been at 4:00 A.M. during my teenage years), it definitely would've made it into my official Top 100 - probably somewhere around places #50 - #70 or so.

Top 100 Movies of All Time, Part 3 out of 10: Movies #80 - #71

Greetings, reader!

My ranking of my all-time favorite movies continues today, as we go from the 80th-best film all the way to the 71st-best one. One week closer to the eventual Top 10!

80. Being John Malkovich (1999)

"Meet you in Malkovich in one hour"

Definitely one of the most bizarre films I've laid my eyes on, this experimental flick is something that only Charlie Kaufman could write. The premise is relatively straightforward: boy meets girl, boy gets job, job includes a hidden portal that takes one into a form of reality where you see the world through world-famous actor John Malkovich's eyes for fifteen minutes, portal becomes a hit, boy shows portal to girl, girl becomes obsessed as being Malkovich awakens her transgender identity, et cetera. You all know the story.

Jokes aside, Being John Malkovich isn't just memorable because it has the possibly most unique and creative premise in cinema history, but also because it manages to insert multiple fascinating themes into this story and produces an all-around great film out of it. John Cusack provides the best performance of his career as the protagonist, an anxious and philosophical puppeteer whose life is changed after he discovers the portal into Malkovich's head. Kaufman's script succeeds in balancing his brand of humor (I find it absolutely hilarious how a majority of the characters react to the portal's existence in such a casual, mundane fashion) and more serious stuff (the tail end of the film delves into Kaufman's typical tirade through ponderings on free will, nihilism, the limits of mortality and what have you). There's no other movie like this one.

79. Clerks (1994)

"...In a row?"

If you've seen Clerks, you'll likely remember the context for the line quoted above, and laugh out loud thinking about it. I didn't include the full dialogue leading up to it here, but trust me, it's one of the funniest lines of all time. While Kevin Smith's debut film earns a spot in my top 100 for that indescribably hilarious conversation alone, the rest of the film is also comedy gold. The budget is low, the premise begins and ends with "A workday in the life of two convenience store clerks", and that's all the simple but solid film needs. The atmosphere is wonderfully chill (despite the occasional dives into extremely dark humor), and the chemistry between main dudes Dante (Brian O'Halloran) and and Randal (Jeff Anderson) is tight.

No other film in my top 100 is quite this compact and uncomplicated, but there's definitely something to be said for minimalistic comedy films that keep you entertained with amusing dialogue and a laid-back energy. The conversations between the main characters, as they argue about movies, screw with the customers and occasionally take breaks to play hockey on the roof, are absolute gold. All in all, one of my all-time favorite comedies and perfect Friday night viewing.

78. Star Trek: First Contact (1996)

"The acquisition of wealth is no longer the driving force in our lives. We work to better ourselves and the rest of humanity"

As a cinematic blockbuster sequel to the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987-1994), Star Trek: First Contact is already very decent, with brilliant directing by Jonathan Frakes and an exciting plot about the U.S.S. Enterprise following the Borg Collective back in time in order to thwart a history-altering plan of theirs. What makes this Trek flick amazing and unforgettable, however, are the ideals behind it. Star Trek is one of my very favorite fictional franchises, and a lot of this is due to its values and ideas, as the franchise takes place in a well-though-out utopian future where humanity has managed to overcome war, hatred and corruption. Star Trek shows us where humanity could be headed if we all managed to be the best versions of ourselves, and didn't let violence and greed dictate our society. And while the Star Trek movies have generally been more shallow and less focused on these ideals than the television shows, First Contact is a huge exception.

This film is all about humanity's potential, and watching it gives one hope even in today's often hopeless-seeming state of the world. In First Contact, we go back in time from the franchise's setting to a point still in our real-life future, as we're given a backstory on how Star Trek's futuristic society of peace and harmony came to be. Through this powerful story, we get a glimpse of a possible path forward, and I just hope that our real future as a planet and a species has as much resemblance to Gene Roddenberry's vision as possible. A larger-than-life viewing experience.

77. The Fugitive (1993)

"I didn't kill my wife!"

"I don't care!"

Andrew Davis's The Fugitive is one of those impressive films of which you can say that there are tons of movies just like this one, but none that are quite as good. This 90's classic is simply the best of its kind, with the category being intense and exciting cat-and-mouse chase thrillers. My own relationship with the film is quite special, as I remember seeing short bits and pieces of it at a very young age on an airplane, and I kept thinking that it looks like the coolest action thriller ever made (every time I glanced at the screen, there was something totally awesome happening), but afterwards I wasn't able to find out what film it was. This bugged me for years, until eventually I saw The Fugitive, and about half an hour into the flick, realized that this was the movie I had been looking for all those years.

And boy, it was worth the wait. With Harrison Ford playing an innocent man falsely accused of killing his wife, and Tommy Lee Jones playing the U.S. Marshal who is after him, this film has no dull moments in its entertaining and suspenseful plot. While Ford's character Richard Kimble evades the authorities, he simultaneously tries to figure out the mystery of who really was behind his wife's murder, and this setting leads to a whole lot of close calls, chase sequences, clever escape moments and all sorts of thrilling set pieces. If I was asked to name the perfect crime/action thriller, 9 times out of 10 this would be the first film to come to mind.

76. Boyhood (2014)

"So what's the point?"

"Of what?"

"I don't know, any of this. Everything"

"Everything? What's the point? I mean, I sure as shit don't know. Neither does anybody else, okay? We're all just winging it, you know. The good news is you're feeling stuff. And you've got to hold on to that"

The genre of coming-of-age movies has often fallen into repeating certain tropes and clichés, so a filmmaker has to get creative when wanting to produce an entry into this genre that stands out from the crowd. This is exactly what Richard Linklater did, through a stroke of absolute genius - Boyhood was filmed across twelve years, so that the audience gets to see the main character grow in a slow and realistic manner. In the beginning of the film, Mason (Ellar Coltrane) is six years old, and by the end, he's arriving at college.

While there's a lot to appreciate in this tender and moving film, the concept and the way it is executed is definitely Boyhood's biggest asset. It's so wonderful to follow the characters aging little by little, and one has to respect the commitment of the film's cast and crew as they gave such a long period of their lives into this project. Mason's growth is as intriguing and well-written as it is visually impressive, and Coltrane does a great job carrying the role. Patricia Arquette and Ethan Hawke provide absolutely sublime performances as his parents, who also undergo quite the character archs throughout the long-spanning story. I always appreciate a good "gimmick movie", but my respect goes to a whole new level when the film doesn't just stick to its gimmick but also manages to be quality cinema in general, gimmick or no gimmick.

75. Forrest Gump (1994)

"Run, Forrest, run!"

Tom Hanks stars in this modern classic as Forrest Gump, a mentally challenged man with a heart of gold and a hand in multiple historical moments. From Vietnam and the civil rights movement all the way to Watergate, this lovable protagonist makes his way through life while having a front row seat to key moments in modern American history, very much making this into the We Didn't Start The Fire of movies.

Forrest Gump is quite the no-brainer for a "Top 100 movies of all time" list, as it is such a classic and rightfully so. Eric Roth's heartwarming script based on Winston Groom's novel, Robert Zemeckis's quality directing, Hanks's amazing lead performance and the visual effects department's brilliant job editing the fictional protagonist into real-life footage of historical events all won very well-deserved Academy Awards, which is extremely impressive when considering what a competitive year 1994 was at the Oscars (Pulp Fiction and The Shawshank Redemption came out during the same year, which many consider to be the greatest individual year in cinema history).

74. Lost Highway (1997)

"You were in the house, calling my name, but I couldn't find you. Then there you were, lying in bed...but it wasn't you. It looked like you, but it wasn't"

If a typical filmmaker wanted to make a film about dreaming or capture the essence of a dream into a film of theirs, they would likely employ means such as impressive visuals, fantasy elements like flying and superpowers, and other elements found in dream-related films such as Inception (2010) and Nightmare on Elm Street (1984). But my man David Lynch is no ordinary filmmaker. For Lost Highway, he decided to capture the very feeling of dreaming by making such a film that watching it literally feels like dreaming - namely, everything is confusing as hell. The locations, character names and identities, and plot threads keep shifting and changing with no explanations, very much like they do during one's sleep. When I first saw the film, I didn't know that Lynch's grand idea was to make the end product feel like a dream, but after I read about this in my post-viewing confusion (fellow Lynch fans will know this exact feeling), everything suddenly made sense.

Beyond the film's fantastically confusing atmosphere and delightfully illogical plot, Lost Highway has a whole lot going on for it as a film in general. Angelo Badalamenti's psychedelic instrumental score and the heavy use of Rammstein in the soundtrack make for a unique soundscape, and Lynch's directing skills are as evident as ever. Bill Pullman provides a dynamite lead performance, lifted to further greatness by Patricia Arquette's supporting roles as two different characters who are possibly different versions of the same character, not to mention Robert Blake's incredibly creepy performance as the Mystery Man (that's literally the name of the character in the film's credits, and what a fitting name it is). Watching this film will mess with your head, and I thoroughly recommend it to everyone who enjoys the occasional mind-boggle.

73. Avengers: Infinity War (2018)

"Did you do it?"

"Yes"

"What did it cost?"

"Everything"

Once again, my love for comic book movies is on full display, this time with this Marvel blockbuster of gargantuan scale. The eighteenth feature film to come out of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Infinity War is the very epitome of how well-built groundwork and build-up can lead to fantastic payoffs and climaxes. Seeing the main characters of so many different films coming together in a natural-feeling and entertaining fashion is pretty amazing, especially as directors Anthony and Joe Russo manage to balance out everyone's screen time and character arch to a point of perfection. The previous Avengers movie had been criticized for feeling like a thousand different characters just appear with no particular focus on anyone, and here it has been fixed: every Avenger has their own character development and own moments in the spotlight, which is quite a feat for a film with so many major characters.

The greatest achievement of Infinity War, however, is how it managed to be two very different things at once, thus giving every Marvel fan what they wanted. The task ahead of this climactic film seemed impossible: what many comic book fans wanted was for the film to serve as an ultimate team-up, with all Avengers uniting gloriously to fight together against a big villain - meanwhile, many cinema enthusiasts were bored with the 'Marvel formula' and specifically wanted the film to do things differently, instead of being yet another occasion of the heroes teaming up and defeating the bad guy in a CGI-filled fight sequence.

Somehow, Marvel pulled off an end product that satisfied both groups: the film does give the nerd crowd what they wanted, as the film features all Avengers coming together to fight Thanos (Josh Brolin) in an ultimate manner, yet the movie buffs who wanted something bold and unconventional were equally thrilled, as the film's final act takes an insane turn that people didn't see coming. Infinity War was enough of a conventional superhero hit to feel like a proper Avengers blockbuster, but it was also way more than that with its bold storytelling that will definitely go down in cinema history as quite the game-changer.

72. Casablanca (1942)

"Louie, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship"

I think it says a lot about the dialogue in Casablanca that I spent way too many minutes deciding which iconic line I would choose to represent the film. The dialogue in this classic of the highest order is filled to the brim with quotes so iconic that watching the film for the first time is full of "Hey, I've heard this one!" sensations. Apart from its golden dialogue, Casablanca has a whole lot going on for it - a well-written love story, timeless performances by Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman, and some great tunes (both in Max Steiner's instrumental soundtrack and the songs performed by Dooley Wilson's pianist character Sam).

The overarching World War II setting, as well as the more specific milieu of the vibrant temporary safe haven of Casablanca, Morocco, not to mention the exact location of Rick's Café Américain, all make for a unique and colorful (despite the black-and-white cinematography, heh) atmosphere. Casablanca dabbles successfully in an impressive amount of genres: it makes for a gripping look at the war without being a war film, it features delightful moments of light humor despite not being a comedy, and the mounting tension of the final act will have you at the edge of your seat even though it's not a thriller. There's a little bit of everything in this legendary film, which might be why people still watch and enjoy it after 79 years.

71. Finding Nemo (2003)

"Just keep swimming"

I will always have a huge spot in my heart for this beloved childhood favorite. The film's colorful animation, exciting setting and adventurous Thomas Newman soundtrack make for an atmosphere of pure curiosity and fascination. As we follow Marlin (Albert Brooks) and Dory (Ellen DeGeneres) in their search for Marlin's son Nemo (Alexander Gould), they meet multiple intriguing characters and make their way through exciting obstacles and visually magnificent milieus.

The overall magical feel of this movie and the way it captures the sheer epicness of the world under the sea, not to mention my childhood nostalgia and subsequent emotional attachment to the film, make Finding Nemo into a big favorite of mine in the category of animation, family movies and cinema in general. If you have small children, make sure they see this film - hopefully they will be as much in awe as I once was.

Thank you for reading! Tune in next Thursday, as I continue my ranking from #70 to #61. The next batch of ten features directing from Peter Jackson to Christopher Nolan, stars from Al Pacino to Tom Hanks, as well as genres from World War II epic to slasher horror.

P.S. after I publicly shamed my parents in last week's blog for never finishing Citizen Kane (1941), I must now give them credit as they sat down together with me last Friday to finally watch the film. One of them even enjoyed it. I can now be proud of my parents and admit that they are cultured people, despite their occasional shortcomings. Maybe my next challenge will be making them watch Schindler's List (1993).

Sunday Special: A Completely Arbitrary Ranking of All Olympic Sports

Happy Olympic season, everyone!

The 2020 Summer Olympics, naturally held in 2021, are in full swing. Now, before anyone reads this list and gets pissed off, I want to emphasize the point that I do not claim to know what I'm talking about to any degree. I have many passions in life but the Olympics are not one of them - I have a lot of respect for them and I enjoy watching many of the events recreationally when they're on TV, but I do not claim to be anything remotely near to an expert or even a guy who knows what he's talking about. I just wanted to make this ranking for fun, with the only real parameter being "If two events are on at the same time, which channel am I going to change to".

50. Shooting

Quite dull to watch and doesn't really feel like a sport per se. Also, my feelings about the gun culture in my dear second home country run so deep that it's hard for me to appreciate gun-shooting of any kind without being reminded that these things exist for the purpose of humans killing other humans.

49. Freestyle Wrestling

Another sport that just feels a bit too violent for a softie pacifist like myself to enjoy. I've never found wrestling remotely fun to watch.

48. Greco-Roman Wrestling

Shockingly, I'm not an expert on the differences between wrestling subgenres. But the "Greco-Roman" title sounds classy as hell.

47. Weightlifting

Another event that I find very dull to watch.

46. Boxing

Sure, I love the Rocky movies just as much as the next guy, but I reckon that real-life boxing is less Rocky and more Million Dollar Baby.

45. Golf

I have some sort of grudging respect for the whiff of classiness that this sport brings with it, but that doesn't change the fact that it's quite a snooze-fest to watch on television. Even the commentators sound bored.

44. Baseball

Probably quite a cool sport, but more or less ruined for me due to a history of being absolutely terrible at it in physical education class.

43. Softball

While I'm not quite caught up on the differences between baseball and softball, I'm pretty sure that I never got picked last for a softball team in school so there's less baggage there.

42. Field Hockey

I've never been the biggest hockey fan to begin with (I know that my love for football over hockey is extremely illogical and even masochistic for a man whose two nationalities are greatly successful hockey countries but woefully average soccer countries). And I can't imagine that the sport is any more interesting when you strip the 'ice' element from the concept.

41. BMX Racing

If we have a bunch of bicycle racing events, and an event for BMX freestyle, I don't really see why we additionally need an event for BMX racing. Maybe some of my cyclist readers can explain why this sport isn't totally unnecessary in an Olympic context.

40. Dressage

With no offense to horse enthusiasts, I find this sport very boring - it's ranked this high simply because the idea of how uninteresting I find it to be is always enough to put a smile on my face.

39. Sailing

Definitely a cool sport in its own category, but not at all my cup of tea for some reason. Sailing might be quite grandiose to follow live (not to mention participating in it), but falls a bit flat when viewed on a TV screen.

38. Eventing

Cards on the table, I don't have the slightest idea on what eventing is. But it's listed as an equestrian sport, and I'm just assuming that it's more interesting than the one where the horses walk slowly but less interesting than the one where they run and jump.

37. Diving

I do enjoy watching diving in the Olympics more than I do watching it in the Premier League, but my enthusiasm for the sport still isn't particularly high.

36. Surfing

Like, whoa, I wasn't even aware that this was an Olympic sport! That's pretty rad, dude.

35. Modern Pentathlon

Sounds quite epic as a concept, but my mother (who actually knows her shit concerning the Olympics and will likely pass out after witnessing my sheer lack of knowledge if she reads this post) opened my eyes on the many problems relating to the sport, so now I'm not the biggest fan.

34. Handball

I'm much more familiar with handball as the name of a foul in football than as a sport of its own. From the very little that I've seen, it seems like a neat team sport but doesn't especially grab my attention.

33. Judo

Martial arts are cool enough to watch, but I don't know enough about them to have particularly strong feelings or rank them very highly.

32. Taekwondo

The picture that I have in my head of taekwondo is less wrestling-y than that of Judo, so I'm ranking it a tad higher (I can't stress enough how far out of my comfort zone I am when discussing Olympic sports).

31. Karate

Why do I rank karate higher than its martial arts counterparts, you ask? Well, call me when there's a cinematic classic called Judo Kid or Taekwondo Kid.

30. Rugby Sevens

I've never been a fan of rugby (apart from the hilarious Friends episode with Red Ross), but it's awesome that Fiji won the men's competition this year. I feel emotionally invested in the small island nations of Polynesia, due to their traditional folk music being absolutely amazing.

29. Jumping (Equestrian)

It's pretty cool to watch the horses jumping. I swear, next week's post will be about movies again so I'll have some actual thoughts and professional terminology at my disposal.

28. BMX Freestyle

Doesn't exactly scream "Olympic sport", but I'm not enough of a traditionalist to really care about that when the tricks look awesome.

27. Skateboarding

Pretty much the same reasoning as with the previous entry, with the added reasoning that I loved playing the Tony Hawk's Underground games in my childhood and that my Mom will absolutely have a fit when she sees skateboarding ranked this high.

26. Football

Why is my favorite sport (read: the objectively best sport) ranked this low? Simply put, I don't care for football as an Olympic sport, because neither does the football community. The Olympics are literally going on as we speak, and all football fans are talking about it is how the Euros were really interesting and who will win next season's Champions League. With the World Cup and Euros to care about, the Olympics just aren't a very intriguing international competition for the world of football. I would rank it even lower, but I do enjoy watching it from an aesthetic point of view so much that I have to rank it above the likes of golf, and I know enough about football that I have to rank it above whatever eventing is.

25. Water Polo

I don't really know what's going on in this sport, but the players seem to be having a good time! Good for them, man.

24. Rhythmic Gymnastics

I'm very out of my depth when following gymnastics, but one simply has to appreciate the effort and skill of the participants.

23. Trampoline Gymnastics

Who doesn't love jumping on trampolines?

22. Artistic Gymnastics

These people definitely know what they're doing and the end result looks really neat.

21. 3x3 Basketball

I don't think I've watched one second of this sport, but I'm assuming that it's the lite-version of the sport listed next.

20. Basketball

My caring for this sport went up about 500% after watching the documentary series The Last Dance. Still not my favorite sport in the world, but an all-around entertaining one to follow.

19. Track Cycling

These sorts of racing events are always quite riveting to follow as they unfold.

18. Road Cycling

Like the one listed above, but the urban environment is a cool extra twist.

17. Artistic Swimming

Ranked this highly due to humor value and humor value only. The Olympics wouldn't be the Olympics without my family making several jabs about artistic swimming being a thing, and I wouldn't have it any other way. There will always be a place in my heart for this silly event.

16. Rowing

Like I said with the cycle-racing events, stuff like this is always a riot as the finish line approaches.

15. Table Tennis

A delightfully fast-paced event that always brings Forrest Gump to mind.

14. Tennis

Like the previous entry, but not taking place on a table. Jokes aside, tennis is a nice sport to follow although the terminology and point system will forever drive me nuts. Why do the points add up in the way they do and what the hell does love have to do with it? I swear, the rules of Quidditch make much more sense.

13. Sport Climbing

Not the most traditional Olympic sport, but definitely more intriguing to watch than a majority of the bunch.

12. Fencing

You know a sport is exiting when the Pirates of the Caribbean theme starts to play in your head when you're watching it.

11. Mountain Biking

An extremely cool sport with great scenery as a backdrop, but I have to give slight minus points for the extreme stress that watching this event causes (many Olympic sports are dangerous, but this one feels especially "What if someone makes a mistake and dies?" to me).

10. Canoeing (Sprint)

Canoeing has a place in my heart due to it being such an important sport to my mother, who I think is mentioned in this post more times than any real sports term or reasonable argument.

9. Marathon Swimming

Another racing-type event that is exciting to follow, this time in an aquatic setting.

8. Swimming

Why do I prefer swimming to marathon swimming? Well, Finland nabbed a bronze medal in this one this week!

7. Canoeing (Slalom)

Looks hellishly fun, kind of like the competitive sports version of water park rides.

6. Volleyball

An easy-to-follow and exciting team sport that I've always found rather cool to watch!

5. Beach Volleyball

Like the previous entry, but the beach setting is much more fun.

4. Archery

Definitely the most Middle-Earth out of all the Olympic sports, so you know a Tolkien fan such as myself will rank it highly.

3. Triathlon

Three interesting sports combined into one super-sport, all while having a legendary status in sports history? Sign me up.

2. Badminton

A sport that has a big place in my heart, mainly due to the fact that it's one of the select few sports that I'm legitimately good at. I may enjoy playing badminton more than watching it, but it's also an exquisite event for us bench athletes to indulge in.

1. Athletics

This mega-sport combines so many cool events, from javelin and pole vault all the way to the 100m sprint and the motherf**king marathon, that it thoroughly deserves the #1 spot. A mainstream pick for sure, but a popular favorite for good reasons.

Thank you for reading! Next week's post will be a continuation of my Top 100 Movies of All Time -countdown, as I go from #80 to #71.