124-100

Getting towards the long awaited end. After today, all that will be left is the Top 100. Enjoy!

124. Sling Blade (1996) D: Billy Bob Thornton

Billy Bob portrays a retarded redneck. Not much of a stretch. Just kidding. I had never heard of him before this movie, and he entered my consciousness with a bang. A spectacular performance. Even here, as a dim-witted yokel, he just exudes charisma.

Performance to Savor: Billy Bob Thornton
Memorable Moment: None

123. 12 Angry Men (1957) D: Sidney Lumet

I'm not even sure if it was originally released as a play or a movie, but either contexts work. I know that I saw it as a play, and was fascinated. Hollywood should look to this film when struggling with the over-abundance of visceral stimulation on screen. All you need is good acting and writing. The character's in this movie don't even have names. The story is a compelling one, with thinly veiled condemnations of racism, classism, and group-think.

Performance to Savor: Lee J. Cobb
Memorable Moment: None

122. Adaptation (2002) D: Spike Jonze

I had pretty much given up hope for Nic Cage. I was convinced he had resigned himself to making terrible action movies and mindless romantic comedies. Then out comes Adaptation, where he reminds us of the excellent actor he could be. As close to an indescribable story/genre as there is, but a good one.

Performance to Savor: Chris Cooper
Memorable Moment: Door is open

121. Mystic River (2003) D: Clint Eastwood

I was flat-out determined not to like this movie. Its release coincided with The Return of the King, and I didn't want there to be any challengers for my affection at this time. I wanted to soley devote my cinematic energy into the One Ring. Even after seeing Mystic, I resisted its appeal. Denied its strength. Once ROTK had been out for awhile, and won all of its awards, I revisted Mystic, and much to my (non) suprise, it has an undeniable magnetism. All of Clint's tough-guy stuff is thrown in, with excellent performances particularly from Sean Penn and Tim Robbins.

Performance to Savor: Tim Robbins
Memorable Moment: None

120. The Fugitive (1993) D: Andrew Davis

Harrison Ford plays a hero...but a scared, frightened, and weakened one. A nice twist on the cock-sure rogues he had personified. He says maybe 20 words in the entire movie, but we are able to read him like a book. An example of subtlty the likes of which is rare in many action movies.

Performance to Savor: Harrison Fork
Memorable Moment: Jumping off dam

119. American History X (1998) D: Tony Kaye

I can't really think of anything to say because I keep thinking of that guy and the curb.

Performance to Savor: Edward Norton
Memorable Moment: Curb

118. Men in Black (1997) D: Barry Sonnenfeld

A sense of fun permeates the film, propagated by Agents Smith and Jones. A worth summer blockbuster in a field of mindless drivel.

Performance to Savor: Tommy Lee Jones
Memorable Moment: None

117. Kinsey (2004) D: Bill Condon

If you haven't seen this movie yet: DO SO! Condon paints a fairly loving portrait of Dr. Kinsey, whose research in to the sexual habits of Americans revolunized they way we talk about sex. Fortunately, there are elements of weakness, though they mostly weave among Kinsey's assosciates and family. John Lithgow reminds us he used to be a good actor before he was an alien.

Performance to Savor : Peter Sarsgaard
Memorable Moment: Meeting with the sexaholic

116. Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (2004) D: Kerry Conran

I understand why audiences didn't flock to this...though I don't agree with it. The public isn't quite ready to accept a live action movie filmed entirely against blue-screen. In fact, I'd wager that if that wasn't known about this flick, it would've made more money. Silly, I know, but we've all agreed that the American public is quite silly.

Performance to Savor: Jude Law
Memorable Moment: Robots in NYC

115. Collateral (2004) D: Michael Mann

I didn't have much of a desire to see this, as I felt the premise didn't lead itself to a quality feature-length motion picture. Boy, was I wrong. Mann uses digital photography brilliantly, and he makes LA glow. Tom Cruise overacts a bit, but he's solid as the hit man. But, this is the Jamie Foxx show. His understated confidence throughout the flick makes all the difference in the world.

Performance to Savor: Jamie Foxx
Memorable Moment: None

114. Beauty and the Beast (1991) D: Gary Trousdale

I think this was the first time animators used computers to enhance their project...though there really was no need. Truly a classic.

Performance to Savor: Robby Benson
Memorable Moment: Beast saves Belle in the snow

113. L.A. Confidential (1997) D: Curtis Hanson

A great modern noir, augmented by nice performances by all involved. The cast really gets into the time period and setting, which adds to the versimilitude. Russell Crowe sets out on his path to stardom

Performance to Savor: Russell Crowe
Memorable Moment: None

112. Big Fish (2003) D: Tim Burton

In the end, Tim Burton's best movie wasn't the one that was the darkest, the creepiest, the atmospheriest, the spookiest, the weirdest, the star-studdiest, the adapted comic bookiest...it was just simply, the best.

Performance to Savor: Albert Finney
Memorable Moment: The Giant's cave

111. True Lies (1994) D: James Cameron

When Jamie Lee Curties drops the machine gun down the stairs, and it proceeds to accurately shoot every bad guy in the area, this is James Cameron winking at the audience and telling us to lighten up a little bit. The movie is proposterous and rediculous, and completely entertaining. I loved the middle chapter where Arnold uses his espionage talents to follow his wife.

Performance to Savor: None
Memorable Moment: Gun falling down stairs

110. Happiness (1998) D: Todd Solondz

How clever is Todd Solondz? He makes us sympathize with a child molester. You figure it out.

Performance to Savor: Dylan Baker
Memorable Moment: Masturbation on balcony

109. Run Lola Run (1998) D: Tom Tykwer

About as high a concept as a high concept film gets. Woman needs $100,000 and has 20 minutes to do so. Tykwer directs with reckless abandon, but I can't see any other way to tell this story.

Performance to Savor: Franka Potente
Memorable Moment: None

108. Whale Rider (2003) D: Niki Caro

Absorbing tale of a young maori girl, born to a loving but always-travelling father and an "old ways" grandfather. Excellent look at the role of modern womanism/feminism in the face of traditional tribal values.

Performance to Savor: Keisha Castle-Hughes
Memorable Moment: Beached whale

107. Do the Right Thing (1989) D: Spike Lee

Lee's best movie, easily...though I'm not exactly an expert. I got nothin' else.

Performance to Savor: Spike Lee
Memorable Moment: None

106. The Birds (1963) D: Alfred Hitchcock

Terrifying because the birds lack motivation. There is no reason for them to be behaving the way they are. We have no way to fight them, and the best we can do is just run. Excellent ending which doesn't resolve the necessary ambiguities.

Performance to Savor: Tippi Hedren
Memorable Moment: Driving through the stilled birds

105. The Swiss Family Robinson (1960) D: Ken Annakin

Every child's dream. Stranded on a mysterious jungle island. Build enormous elaborate tree houses. Fight pirates. Ride Ostriches on the beach. Befriend tigers. Except, oh yeah, the parent's are here too. Shit.

Performance to Savor: Janet Munro
Memorable Moment: Pirate attack

104. Trainspotting (1996) D: Danny Boyle

The movie which launched two careers...though Ewan's star is a bit brighter right now than Boyle's. Doesn't matter, hilarious movie, with easily the most disgusting toilet in the world.

Performance to Savor: Ewan McGregor
Memorable Moment: Dirty sheets

103. Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975) D: Terry Gilliam

Classic Python. The swallows. Your favorite color. The rabbit. Sir Robin. The coconuts. The trojon horse.

Performance to Savor: None
Memorable Moment: The Knight who refuses to lose

102. Cast Away (2000) D: Robert Zemeckis

I had a hard time putting this movie so high. But, every time a kept trying to drop it, something didn't sit well with me. Sure the beginning and end are standard and boring. But think about what these filmmakers did: No lighting, no music, no sound effects, no extras, no supporting characters...nothing. For more than an hour its just us and Hanks. Remarkable.

Performance to Savor: Tom Hanks
Memorable Moment: Wilson floats away

101. The Rock (1996) D: Michael Bay

Whoa. I dunno about this. Fuck it.

Performance to Savor: Ed Harris
Memorable Moment: None

100. City of Lost Children (1995) D: Jean-Pierre Jeunet

Take it away Matty.

Performance to Savor: Judith Vittet
Memorable Moment: None