“I was long overdue for another revamp of the Top 100 list. Since I recycle posts for this list (you really think I’m gonna watch all 100 again?…well I guess I wouldn’t put it past me), I figured I should at least give a quick blurb on each this time about why it’s there. It also gives me a chance to clarify where an entry is inclusive of an entire franchise or just meant for a specific film. I’m alshto indicating where it lands compared to the previous year, or if it’s completely new to the list, or back on after missing an iteration or two.
I won’t go into my extremely tedious process of how I put the list together, but I do want to at least point out that I don’t know where they line up with previous years until the list is set and I’m actively comparing. And of course, five minutes earlier or later and we may have had a completely different placement. Except for my #1. That ain’t ever changing.
Shall we?
100-The Babadook New!
I’m sure I’ve made this comment before, but spot 100 tends to be kinda special. Once I’ve finished the list, if I find there’s one movie that dropped off that I just gotta squeeze in, it’ll usually sneak into this spot. I really wanted to include this movie because I keep coming back to it as an example of what makes a really good horror movie. And the sound the Babadook make still freaks me out to think of it.
99-The Faculty -20
I know it’s bad. I keep it around for nostalgia purposes. For the lines I still quote, and the incredible cast it assembled. I wouldn’t subject the uninitiated to it, but do feel a twinge of happiness whenever someone recognizes the source of my saying “”I don’t believe a person should run unless they’re being chased””.
98-Cabin Fever -33
Can I even justify this other than declaring my love of Eli Roth yet again? It’s simple and solid and subtly brilliant in some ways.
97-Revolutionary Road -45
I still feel a wave of emotion whenever I think about this movie. It’s not as flashy or nostalgic as some of my other choices, but it’s stayed with me. Say what you want about Titanic, but I think this is the better pairing of Leo and Kate.
96-Inception -46
It’s hard to find such a unique film, and I love how the concepts are stuck in our minds to this day. I still hear it referenced regularly, and I forget how groundbreaking the visuals are. I really need to watch it again soon.
95-Funny Games -2
This keeps hanging on because we know I love my movies messed up, and they don’t get any more demented than Funny Games. I may have become slightly desensitized over time, but I can guarantee you that this movie will still shake me up. Even as other disturbing fare has emerged, none are as ruthless and unapologetic as this is.
94-Scream -23
Still my favorite slasher movie. What can I say, I’m a child of the 90’s, and the classic 80’s killers don’t do it for me. Give me some meta commentary on the genre any day!
93-Birdman New!
Unofficial rule, if you’re my favorite movie of a given year, you’re likely to end up on the next revision of this list. The initial excitement I felt towards this movie may have faded in the past two years, but I can’t forget the brilliant and skillful filmmaking behind it. And the way that it’s just on the cusp of making perfect sense. Love that.
92-Repo: The Genetic Opera New!
It was inevitable. This movie has gone from being too weird for me to a slowly building obsession. Forget Rocky Horror, this is the movie that I want to be watching Saturdays at midnight with a shadow cast. Bonus points for Anthony Head singing!
91-Lars and the Real Girl -15
I can’t let Lars go. This small and simple movie has more heart that the majority of what you’ll find in the theater. It’ll likely always be my favorite Ryan Gosling role, and we can’t forget about the massive creativity points it earns.
90-Final Destination 9
I know the franchise gets really stupid. But the first one really freaked me out, and the later ones were really creative. And I still can’t get over the twist at the end of the last one. One of my favorite ever Shyamalan-esque turns.
89-Masterminds Return
I can’t believe I let this drop off the list last time! I mean yes, it’s a really dumb movie, and everything it does, Die Hard does better. However, on a nostalgia level, you don’t get bigger than this for me. I bet I can still recite every line of dialog…
88-V For Vendetta Return
This may have been surpassed by better action films, but it hasn’t been beaten by a better rebellion. V has lived on and is still the man I’d want to have lead me to revolution.
87-Dumb & Dumber New!
I love how a movie called Dumb and Dumber is actually really smart. So much of the humor is pure genius, and I still love it after all these years. Who’d have known when this was first released that it’d become such a major part of the pop culture landscape.
86-Stay -19
It’s like I hope that by keeping this movie on the list, more people will discover it. Yeah, it’s sort of a Donnie Darko rip-off without the rabbit, but I still find the psychological twists and turns of this movie absolutely fascinating. And I could look at emotionally tortured Ryan Gosling all day.
85-The Lobster New!
My 2016 fave makes its way onto the list! I still hold that this is one of the most unique films I’ve ever seen. I love the quirky and bizarre tone, and the way that it raises so many questions about their world and ours with such a simple concept.
84-Selena New!
Nostalgia wins again. This is quite possibly the only movie that can ever make me miss south Texas. I love how people that didn't grow up in that culture and didn't know who Selena was until she was embodied by JLo still discover and appreciate this film in all its 90s glory. There's a reason music biopics are so popular, and I'd argue that this is among the best.
83-Sin City -53
Remember a decade ago when this film was absolutely revolutionary? It's faded from memory (and the sequel did nothing to bolster it), yet it's still worth praising for the visual miracle that it was. We've seen every sort of comic make its way to the screen since, but none have looked as bloody good as Sin City.
82-John Wick: Chapter 2 New!
Last minute squeeze in after I'd supposedly finalized the list. I realized that I did end up seeing this twice in the theater, and thus it was eligible, and it was also visually superior to the film that I knocked out of this slot. This is the level of action movie my daddy raised me to love, and what every other dude who kicks butt should aspire to be. I'm mostly counting this for Chapter 2, but a lil love for 1 factors in as well.
81-Tucker & Dale Vs Evil New!
This is as “”me”” as a movie gets: laughs and blood. Specifically, weird but clever meta humor mixed with gruesome horror. I am all about this.
80-Hostel Part II -10
What I’ve loved about this one is that it transcends torture porn, because you see both sides of the (I guess) knife. We go one step further than we did with the original, and it adds a lot more internal conflict within a couple key characters. And if we are gonna talk torture porn, nobody (except maybe Jigsaw) does it better than my boy Eli Roth.
79-American History X -22
The sad thing is that I don’t know if there’ll ever be a time when this movie isn’t utterly important, and it’s now more relevant than ever. There are scenes that still haunt me
78-Mulholland Dr New!
It was only a matter of time until this movie made the list. It’s started to make more sense to me lately, and the initial wonder I’ve felt towards it has turned into full on giddy excitement. I still love picking it apart and trying to be at peace with the strangeness of it all. I think this is the gold standard for the weird and confusing yet twistedly enjoyable film that other films rarely manage to hit.
77-Mission Impossible 7
4 > 1 > 2 > 5 > 3. I love how each has a vastly different vibe from the others (particularly those three I listed first). Each movie pushes the envelope even further, coming up with an even more bonkers set of action sequences mixed with that classic espionage thrill. The franchise may be on its last legs, or it may just pull out another surprise like Ghost Protocol. Time will tell.
76-The Sixth Sense New!
I’m really surprised this wasn’t here before. I could have sworn it made a past iteration, but apparently, it hadn’t. I love that Shyamalan’s getting his groove back, but nothing is ever going to top his masterpiece. Even when you know the twist, it’s still a haunting and engaging movie that’s held up for almost twenty years now.
75-Detroit Rock City -16
Rock and roll plus youthful energy plus a cleverly quotable script. I only wish I was a bigger KISS fan so that I could fully appreciate this movie.
74-Hedwig and the Angry Inch New!
True, my obsession may be more with the stage show than the film, but if I can’t see Michael C Hall (my fave of the 3 Hedwigs I saw on b’way) on stage regularly, I’ll take the original John Cameron Mitchell on film.
73-The Wedding Singer -11
For me, this is Adam Sandler at his best. Not the crude childish characters he insists on playing well past their prime, but his sweet and sincere Robbie Hart. Add in the warm fuzzies from having choreographed the stage musical at MIT, and I’m always gonna think fondly of this one.
72-The Dark Knight -36
This used to be a staple at the top of the list, but I think superhero fatigue has pushed it down, at least until I watch it again sometime. Today we’re inundated in supes, but time was when that was more of a niche genre. We’ve got this movie to thank for doing it better than any others before or possibly since.
71-Catch Me If You Can 3
I think this is one of those movies that is just perfect. It’s a fun and interesting stranger than fiction story. The cast is unbelievable. The production value and music and direction. All of it is spot on
70-Star Wars Saga New!
I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to get this franchise on my list. I freaking love Star Wars. I think part of it tho is that they’re not really movies I feel compelled to watch over and over, as much of the rest of this list is. It’s more that I have such love for the characters, and it’s been a shared passion between friends for years. Of course, the resurgence of the films helped give a boost here.
69-Inglorious Basterds -18
I kinda cheated a little bit here. I was holding Pulp Fiction on the list out of habit, when I realized that I actually like Basterds better. So, I just swapped ’em out. Basterds is the rare film that I actually enjoy more and more every time I see it. It’s kind of diminishing returns at this point, but still, I keep finding more magic hidden deeper below the surface on every subsequent watch.
68-Saved! -34
Oh man, remember when this movie was everything for me? I’m a bit more removed from the period in my life that this most resonates with, but there’s some dialog here that is unbeatable. And it’s a sweet story with a fantastic cast that I’m never gonna be able to let go of.
67-Lucky Number Slevin -12
I think the theme we keep running into is that there’s a lot of movies here that I keep forgetting how awesome they are. At one point, this was in my top ten before fading down the list. Every so often, I’ll watch it and remember how sharp and snappy the dialog and the story are with some big names at their best, and then it gets lost in the noise again.
66-Kung Fu Panda 31
This is one of my ultimate happy movies, and I still remember watching it with my roomie to try and hold myself together on one of the worst days of my life. Even then, Po and his friends made me smile, and I suspect they always will (even if they don’t do so as effectively in the sequels)
65-Magic Mike XXL New!
Oh, hello there. I feel like I shouldn’t even need to explain why this is a favorite. It’s the ultimate good time party vibe with some really hot guys rocking even hotter dance moves. What more could a gal ask for?
64-The Shawshank Redemption Return
I feel like this one flops and on off the list the most. No one would argue against it being an incredible movie, with a truly moving storyline and compelling characters. I guess maybe sometimes I take it for granted and other times I appreciate it. Right now, I’m feeling appreciative.
63-Ghostbusters New!
The original Ghostbusters always lurked just outside the list. Take the new one into account, and we’ve finally got enough to propel it to a decent spot. The first is absolutely classic, something I often quote and think fondly on. Still I can’t stress enough how extremely important the new one is for women in comedy and in technology. It does a service to its predecessor while doing its own original thing, arguably giving us characters even more memorable than before.
62-The Matrix -22
Forget that the sequels existed, and this is one of the greatest sci-fi movies of all time. It revolutionized not only the genre, but the entire industry with breathtaking action sequences and a plot that was just crazy enough that you maybe believe it for a minute. I'd be remiss if I didn't honor this movie with a spot. Lord knows it totally changed the game for me.
61-That Thing You Do 29
When I was little, I saw this as a fun movie about a band (at one point, they had me thinking it was true) that falls as hard as they rise. As I got older, when I learned the term “”one hit wonder””, the movie made a whole new level of sense. It’s fun and smart and produced better music than most fictitious bands manage to.
60-The Lion King Return
What? We know I'm a Disney kid, ergo, we knew there'd be much Disney on this list. I think this was the first movie I ever saw twice in the theater. It's also a movie I watched on repeat for about a year straight. Put it on right now and you'll find me bouncing along and singing every word. That's how I roll.
59-Black Swan 7
This might be my favorite Halloween costume ever, and it’s one of the ones I put the least thought into. I love how the movie combines my passion for psychological thrillers with my lifelong passion for dance. It’s another one of those that just seems like it was made only for me, and I’m proud of that association.
58-Jurassic Park New!
I had to beg so hard for my parents to let me see this, and they only acquiesced because I had a longstanding dinosaur obsession. I still love dinos, and they’re certainly at their best here. It’s amazing how well this film has held up, and I attribute that to Spielberg’s genius at the helm.
57-Juno -11
I still say this is one of the most clever screenplays ever written. I stayed pretty faithful to Diablo Cody after, but she never quite topped herself here. And based on this performance, I still want Ellen Paige to play me in a hypothetical movie version of my life.
56-D2: The Mighty Ducks 0
Again, I didn’t know where movies previously ranked. Interesting that this is the only one outside the top 10 that stayed put. My love of this made me a sucker for an underdog sports movie, but none of them have ever matched up to my ducks. One and Three are okay, but Two is where it’s at.
55-Romeo + Juliet -2
Has a more beautiful movie ever been made? The stunning visuals of this are unlike anything else. The imagery heightens the emotion of a story that I prolly wouldn't have cared much about. Plus, Leo is pure perfection.
54-It follows New!
I keep on highlighting this as a genius horror film, that subverts the genre it celebrates. It's such a clever twist on a classic horror trope, and it's really freaking scary. The idea that the demon could come back at any moment if you haven't tracked its movement still freaks me out.
53-Equilibrium 7
Ask me about my all-time favorite action sequences, and I'll still start with the opening sequence in the dark and the one where Christian Bale saves a puppy. Sure, it's a blatant and kinda hokey rip-off off Fahrenheit 451, but it's also unlike any other action movie. Its style is up there with John Wick, it just makes a greater attempt at substance.
52-Tenacious D in the Pick of Destiny 16
One of my favorite movie musical soundtracks ever. Put on Kickapoo or Beelzeboss and I know every word for every part. Sure, maybe my love for this movie shows off a vast immaturity. I don't care. I think it's hilarious.
51-Fanboys -9
Funny that a movie about Star Wars fans has done better on this list than actual Star Wars. It’s an underappreciated gem that should be required watching for all fans of the Wars. Trekkers need not apply.
Actually, that’s enough for now. Let’s split this into two posts”