The Movie Forums Top 100 of All-Time Refresh: Countdown

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And that's right, you caught my humble brag: I have a wife.
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I didn't vote for Casablanca. Despite what my avatar might have you think, I've only seen it once. But I did like it when I saw it. Another that's long overdue for a rewatch, which is a recurring theme for me on this list and especially the top 10.



I've been a fan of Casablanca for a long time, but it wasn't until the last time I watched it that I completely fell in love with it.

3. Casablanca
6. American Beauty
8. Taxi Driver
9. A Clockwork Orange
11. The Seven Samourai
13. Chinatown
18. City of God
19. The Apartment
21. Die Hard



It took me until the pool was down to five to lock into the order, which is pretty pathetic, but I'm sticking with...
OK, let's see if I can at least predict the order of the remaining five...

5. Pulp Fiction
4. Casablanca
3. GoodFellas
2. 2001: A Space Odyssey
1. The Godfather
My top ten guess was close-ish, the biggest flaw was I had Jaws way high. Otherwise...not too far off.

I'll take my shot at predicting the Top Ten.

1. The Godfather
2. Jaws
3. 2001: A Space Odyssey
4. GoodFellas
5. Casablanca
6. Pulp Fiction
7. Raiders of the Lost Ark
8. Blade Runner
9. Citizen Kane
10. Apocalypse Now



Women will be your undoing, Pépé

Blade Runner With so many versions I've given up on trying to pick a favorite and simply go with whatever one I happen to get a hold of. Simply because it is a sight to behold and witness, regardless.


Jaws I would delve into this film but @mark f did it FAR BETTER.


Pulp Fiction Following up on Reservoir Dogs and his writing credits on True Romance, this ex- video store employee and movie fanatic unleashes this monster of vignettes; chock full of sh#t going sideways in very unexpected ways, clever banter and a solid list of actors to keep you glued from the opening Title Card to the Closing Scene. All of which done completely out of order of sequence and instead of causing confusion, it creates a better paced film.
Pulp Fiction delivers with an intensity that we savor and cheer for. Even decades later, it continues to deliver. Regardless of the countless clones that have appeared since.


Casablanca This #4 is my #4. There are an absolute array of favorite scenes and quotes; dialogue, characters (from the main all the way down to extras), the music, the cinematic and technical aspects and so forth. This movie ALWAYS puts a smile on my face and I relish sitting through it every single time.
From the short screen time of Peter Lorre and Greenstreet to Claude Rains' Capt. Renault who's suave, cavalier corruption is an absolute joy to behold. To the love triangle of Bogart, Bergman and Henreid, which is done very well. To the dangerous Conrad Veidt's Maj. Strasser, whom I think was not used to his full potential, but still. There are also minor characters such as Carl played by S Z Sakall who is just f@ckin delightful, to the Pickpocket who warns his victims to beware of the citizens of Casablanca and the rampant thievery.
There is SO MUCH going on during this movie and, while in so many other movies would cause a chaotic mess, there is an incredible and beautiful blend as you maneuver through all the minor stories that are woven within the greater, lead storylines.
There is laughter, there is intrigue, there is betrayal and double-dealings and all done with a great nonchalance that I find utterly delightful.




Movies Watched 80 out of 97 (82.47%)
1.
2. Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid (1969) #81
3.
4. Casablanca (1942) #4
5.
6.
7. Amadeus (1984) #50
8. Lafabuleux Destin d'Amelie Poulan aka Amélie (2001) #???
9.
10. The Big Lebowski (1998) #18
11.
12.
13. The Wizard of Oz (1939) #36
14.
15.
16. The Third Man (1949) #48
17.
18.
19.
20. Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) #8
21.
22.
23. Metropolis (1927) #73
24.
25. Cyrano de Bergerac (1950) One Pointer


Rectification List
Day of the Jackal (1973) One Pointer
To Kill A Mockingbird (#85) *rewatch*
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So many waxing so eloquent about Casablanca that I can't even begin to draw close to their words. Suffice to say it's a brilliant, classic movie that is pure cinema. It was my late Mom's favorite movie that she was lucky enough to see in the cinema when it was first released. I have it saved on my DVR right now, ready to re-watch. Yet, I didn't include it on my list. I had another Bogie film on my list at #15, which is The Maltese Falcon, my favorite Bogart film. If it weren't for that film, I might have included Casablanca. I'll most likely be watching it again tonight.

19. The Searchers #97
1. To Kill a Mockingbird #85
25. Die Hard #63
14. Rear Window #40
8. It's a Wonderful Life #38
2. Aliens #37
13. The Wizard of Oz #36
9. Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back #30
3. Lawrence of Arabia #15
11. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring #11 (same as the list proper)
23, Apocalypse Now #9
10. Raiders of the Lost Ark #8
21. Jaws #6
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Woah, your number 2??? I'll be watching for your no. 1.
Your long wait has come to an end. Casablanca is my number one!

Casablanca has it all. A timeless romantic drama about an American cafe owner (Humphrey Bogart) who is forced to decide between helping a woman (Ingrid Bergman) escape with her husband so they can stand up to the Germans and his love for her. Although he tries to keep his nose away from the brewing war, several events play a hand in his decision.

Sure, you have the classic dialogue and situations that play out so well. The scene where she tells Sam (Paul Dooley) to play the song. The scene at the bar where German soldiers face off with bar patrons in a sing off. The tender back and forth at the empty cafe. The climax at the airport.

But the reason it's number one is that I felt like I was watching cinematic magic the entire time. The subtle things like people nodding, the line Rick fires at Strauss when he orders the club to be shut down and the final line...they may not play a big part, but you can notice the difference between a great film such as this and a good film.

It just feels and sits different.



My Summary:

Seen: 88/97
My list: 16/25

My List  


As we keep trucking towards the Top 3, I wanted to highlight another one of my choices that won't make it, but this is one that I initially thought would get in, even if it was on the back-end, but well... it's 2016's Moonlight.


Here is my review from Letterboxd, which I'm a bit proud of...

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"At some point, you gotta decide for yourself who you're going to be. Can't let nobody make that decision for you."
"A film about homosexuality" or "a coming-of-age story". Both labels might be valid to define and describe what Barry Jenkins second film is. But it would be a disservice and a sacrifice of the richness of this film, because Moonlight is so much more. And that's precisely the idea that lies at the core of the film; like the film, the characters that live in it (and by default, we) are more than just labels. Our richness as human beings goes beyond the niches that society and circumstances might try to fit us in, and that's something that we have to figure out, sometimes painfully, as we grow up. Who am I? Who are we? "Who is you, man?"

Moonlight follows the live of Chiron, a poor, black kid growing up in Miami, through three different stages in his life: childhood, adolescence, and young adulthood. As he grows up, bullied and rejected, he explores his identity, through his race, his sexuality, and his relationship with others, most notably his mother (Naomie Harris). Through all those stages, Chiron is assigned different labels and names, whether it's his given name, a nickname, or an insult. The names he goes by are an attempt by him or those around him to define who he is. The above quote comes from Juan (Mahershala Ali), a drug dealer who ends up becoming a father figure to Chiron, as he remembers how an old woman wanted to label him when he was a kid: "In moonlight, black boys look blue... you're blue". But he wasn't having any of that, and he tries to instill that same sense of independent thinking and self-discovery on Chiron.

Chiron is black, poor, and confused. He's angry, depressed, and scared. He was in jail, became a drug dealer. But to try to box his characters into any of those slots, means sacrificing what his character, and what we as humans, are and can bring to this world. Prejudices and discrimination allow us to dismiss others simply based on single traits, while closing the door on what those lives really are. Black, white, brown, straight, gay, rich, poor, tall, short, big, little. Moonlight shows us that we are more than just the color of our skin, a sexual orientation, or a particular social status.

In the same way, to try to box Moonlight into a particular slot is to neuter its potential and ambition. A film simple in its complexity, and complex in its simplicity; just like Chiron, or you or me. A.O. Scott described the film as "a poem written in light, music and vivid human faces". That's how beautiful it is, but it's up to you to see it and experience it. Can't let nobody make that decision for you.

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EDIT: Forgot to add that Moonlight is one of 3 films on my list that I've only seen once. Bringing it up since we talked about it earlier in the thread, but these three are cases where the films really, really left an impression in me. I will probably bring up the other two tonight.
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Ahh so The Departed missed it after all, Casablanca is a Damn good film which I really need to rewatch
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Casablanca is another great movie that was a difficult cut, but I just couldn't find room for it on my list. I knew that it would make the countdown anyway, and I'm glad to see it made it so high. (It probably would have been #1 on my mother's list.)
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28 days...6 hours...42 minutes...12 seconds
Casablanca was not on my list, I think I fell asleep during it.

I have seen Barb Wire though.
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Suspect's Reviews



Casablanca I tried watching this about three or four times and never made it more than 15 - 20 minutes in before shutting it down. Not a fan of the romantic crap unless it's something like Dead Alive or Re-Animator. Then I had a Saturday afternoon with nothing going on and I said I'm plowing through this so I can say I've seen it but I will not like it. Then the weirdest thing happened... I loved it! What I remember most, besides Ingrid, was the dialogue was fascinating. Not exactly sure what is was about the dialogue I loved, I just found it snappy, perfectly delivered and no sap at all. Think it was my first Bogart film as well and he's really the straw that stirs the drink as far as I'm concerned. He gives another one of my fav performances.
. Did not make my top 25 but it's not far out.



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I had Casablanca as my number 5. It's the definition of a near perfect movie and was such a treat to watch the first time when I first joined this site. Seen it many times since then and it hasn't lost its luster at all.