Love and scandal are the best sweeteners of tea. —Henry Fielding

22 July 2004

Favorite Movies

Having a favorite movie of all time is a stubborn business.  There are so many great films throughout history... we've been making films now for over a hundred years.  The Academy of Motion Pictures has been in existence for over three quarters of a century, even.  There are so many movies.  Picking a top ten of all times is a tough thing.  Picking the favorite movie ever is something that we all are supposed to do: a movie we can rattle off that is our favorite film of all time.  But to do this we must be stubborn.  We must pick a movie and then stick with it.  For a long time, generally.  It is kind of arbitrary, really.  Today, this subject came up again in a conversation... and I didn't bring it up.  I promise.  So I thought I would post my favorite movie of all time and then the ten runners-up.  Just for kicks.  Feel free to insult my choices or post your own lists.  I also welcome suggestions and notes about glaring ommissions.  I will say, though, that I tend to stay away from movies released in the last five years.  I don't think I have enough perspective on those films yet.  The Hours is probably the best example of this.  You won't find it on the list, but it's a film for which I have much affection.  Anyway:



1. Network by Sidney Lumet


The rest of the list in chronological order:


The Lion in Winter by Anthony Harvey


Chinatown by Roman Polanski


Interiors by Woody Allen


The Grifters by Stephen Frears


Three Colors: Blue by Krzysztof Kieslowski


The English Patient by Anthony Minghella


The Thin Red Line by Terrence Malick


Croupier by Mike Hodges


Magnolia by P. T. Anderson


Hedwig and the Angry Inch by John Cameron Mitchell


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