The MoFos Top 100 of the 90s Countdown - Redux

Controversial Léon, which was just called The Professional when it hit US theaters in an edited version of the picture. I enjoyed the movie - both versions I've seen- despite the subject matter, there was a lot of heart in it, and it was one I included among my 25.

It might have been more controversial had Portman's parents not demanded cuts, that were included in her contract. They're even the reason Mathilda quits smoking. There were plans to film a sequel, called Mathilda, once Portman was older, but it never came to be.

Dances With Wolves is one of only four(?) Westerns to win the Oscar for Best Picture, the first since Cimarron in 1931. (there is some debate as to whether "No Country for Old Men" (2007) should be included. Joel has said it's not a western, Ethan, waffled, "it is, and it isn't")

It was the fourth highest-grossing film of 1990 and is the highest-grossing film for Orion Pictures. The film was nominated for 12 awards at the 63rd Academy Awards and won 7, it also won the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Drama.

A sequel was written, a director was even assigned, but it never came into being. Costner has said he'll never film a sequel.

Dances was previously unranked, while Léon came in at #23

absolutely zero interest in watching either of these.

I thought Leon: The Professional was cool when I was a teenager. I've never had any interest in revisiting it (as opposed to various John Woo HK films of the early 90s). My memory of it is fond enough though that I can't begrudge anyone who still loves it. It is what it is and it did it well.


Dances with Wolves - never seen. These days, I don't know if could describe my lack of interest in watching.

Dances with Wolves was #72 on the original MoFo Top 100 and #7 on the MoFo Top 100 Westerns. Léon: The Professional was #91 on the initial MoFo Top 100 and #23 on that first MoFo Top 100 of the 1990s.

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"Film is a disease. When it infects your bloodstream it takes over as the number one hormone. It bosses the enzymes, directs the pineal gland, plays Iago to your psyche. As with heroin, the antidote to Film is more Film." - Frank Capra

Look, I know that with the white savior themes and certain aspects of its portrayal of indigenous people Dances With Wolves would not be made today. I also don’t care about that. I have seen this movie many times throughout my life and have been captivated by it every time. With its incredible score, gorgeous cinematography, and moving story, it stands as one of the most beautiful movies I have ever seen. It is, to my memory, the only film I have ever described as a masterpiece. I’m a little disappointed that it didn’t rank higher than this, but I am beyond relieved that our current pool of voters has rectified the film’s omission from the original MoFo 90’s Countdown by including it here. I had it fifth on my ballot last time, but this time I put it at #2.



I had intended to watch Léon: The Professional before the deadline but didn’t manage to. I have watched (the U.S. cut) since then. Certain aspects made me pretty uneasy but I enjoyed it a lot. I don’t think it would have gotten my vote if I had seen it sooner but I have no objections to its inclusion on the countdown.

Seen: 54/66
My Balllot:
2. Dances With Wolves (#36)
7. A Perfect World (#61)
9. Point Break (#79)
10. Edward Scissorhands (#64)
12. True Romance (#94)
17. The Fifth Element (#56)
24. Interview With the Vampire (#92)
25. Untamed Heart (One Pointer)

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Okay, two more back-to-back list entries!

Saw Dances With Wolves in one of the last big palace cinemas in Fort Worth, Texas and the memory is great. The giant screen, the cavernous theater, and the pitch darkness drew you in right before the film started and then it seemed like you were almost in the movie. I thought Costner did a great job, and all the Native American actors were super, Graham Greene being the one to have a big career after this film, but I really thought Rodney A. Grant was just as good, although I can't recall seeing him in much after this. I was totally smitten by Mary McDonnell here and loved her for a long time afterwards. An epic that, for me, deserved all the accolades it received.

Leon: The Professional is one of my all-time favorite films. I never got all the fuss about the movie being controversial because of Mathilda's crush on Leon. I thought it was presented realistically because Mathilda's family were trash who treated her rotten and Leon was the hero who saved her, so why wouldn't she crush on him? The fact that he was uncomfortable with it (spitting out his milk when she proclaimed her love) made it better than if he'd liked her crush. The fact that the movie didn't linger on it and dealt with her wanting to be trained for revenge, which leads to the dowhill spiral of events in the movie's latter part, was great. This was my first exposure to Jean Reno and I've liked him ever since. He was a killer but also almost childlike in some respects. Gary Oldman gives one of his greatest performances as the drugged-out maniac of a detective, Stansfield. Danny Aiello was fine as always as Tony, Leon's "bank." The action, scattered throughout the movie, was excellent. I kept hoping for a sequel featuring Mathilda as a grown assassin, but alas. This movie was my #1 of the 90s. EDIT: Forgot to say how great Natalie Portman was in her first film.

My list:
#1 Leon: The Professional #35
#5 Braveheart list proper #40
#6 Dances With Wolves #36
#12 Dazed and Confused list proper #37
#18 The Fifth Element list proper #56
#20 Galaxy Quest list proper #38
#25 Apollo 13 list proper #68

Dances With Wolves is a very well made western, but not a favourite so I didn't consider it for my ballot. Leon The professional is an interesting and entertaining film with a fantastic performance by young Natalie Portman. I like it a lot, but didn't have room on my ballot for it.

Seen: 66/66

Two movies I do not understand the lasting appeal of.


Dances has some good moments in it, but I mostly find it equal parts silly and dull.


And Leon? Oof. Maybe the whole movie just creeped me out, but I think even if I put that stuff aside, I just thought it was pretty bad. But I feel that way about most Besson movies. He has a particular kind of campiness that I always find vaguely off putting.

36. Dances With Wolves (1990) - Another one that I have to admit to being really good, but not a personal favourite. I rate Dances With Wolves 4/5 and noted on letterboxd back in '22 : "Pleasing to the eyes and ears, and for it's acknowledgement of how destructive colonialism was to Native Americans. My initial worry was that the film might just be aggrandizement for it's character and then by association it's director/actor Costner - but the film has it's eyes squarely on the story and beauty of the frontier in the days before it disappeared. Happy that modern Westerns began to acknowledge the tragedy of what happened to Native Americans instead of demonizing them. Great cinematography from Dean Semler, and score from John Barry." I'm not at all averse to seeing it again some day.

35. Leon : The Professional (1994) - It's been a good while since I last saw this. Liked it quite a bit the first and subsequent times, but simply haven't got around to seeing it again in recent times - and it feels like I'd need to do that to know exactly how I stand with it today. I don't think it would make my ballot, but I like it and still have fond memories. Reminds me a little (only a little, mind you) of John Cassavetes film Gloria - a favourite of mine.

Seen : 65/66

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Up to 32 for 66 seen.

Leon: The Professional was a solid film but not on my list.

Dances with Wolves, I've never seen.

LIST:

21. JFK
25. Hurricane Streets

Everyone always brings up Pacino getting his apology Oscar for a Scent of a Woman...but Dances with Wolves man. This felt like a huge apology for Field of Dreams losing to Driving Miss Daisy the year before.


Goodfellas, Martin Scorcese
Home Alone, Chris Colombus
Pretty Woman, Gary Marshall

Awankenings, Penny Marshall

Edward Scissorhands, Tim Burton
Millers Crossing, Joel and Ethan Coen
Misery, Rob Reiner


Hindsight is 20/20, but man did the Award miss the classics that year

Thought Dances with Wolves was excellent but only saw it 1 time.

Saw Leon 3 times or so and I've never understood the love.