Top 100 movies of all time: 41 - 38

NR. 41:

LORD OF THE RINGS: FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING (2001)

Directed by: Peter Jackson
Starring: Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen and Orlando Bloom



In a small village in the Shire a young Hobbit named Frodo has been entrusted with an ancient Ring. Now he must embark on an Epic quest to the Cracks of Doom in order to destroy it.

WHY IT MADE MY TOP 100

Lord of the rings was a cinematic marvel. Not only was it the first time three movies of such scale and grandeur were to be shot during one long shooting schedule, but it was the first time anything like it had been ever made at all. From the opening prologue to the final battle, Lord of the rings: fellowship of the ring was infused with pure magic and a sense of wonder the cinema audience had gone so long without. Truly a film that has gone unmatched since its release.



NR. 40:

A CLOCKWORK ORANGE (1971)

Directed by: Stanley Kubrick
Starring: Malcolm McDowell, Patrick Magee and Michael Bates



In future Britain, charismatic delinquent Alex DeLarge is jailed and volunteers for an experimental aversion therapy developed by the government in an effort to solve society's crime problem... but not all goes to plan.

WHY IT MADE MY TOP 100

For the longest time I could not watch A clockwork orange only because almost every film class I'd take would show the film or analyze it to death. Only recently have I been able to distance myself from all of that and almost re-discover the film. But all of that only speaks to the film itself. It can be analyzed over and over and result in almost just as many conclusions and theories (if any). And after all of that, after some time away, I am able to come back and enjoy it as much now as I did when seeing it for the first time. The movie is, simply put, that good.



NR. 39:

CATCH ME IF YOU CAN (2002)

Directed by: Steven Spielberg
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hanks and Christopher Walken



A true story about Frank Abagnale Jr. who, before his 19th birthday, successfully conned millions of dollars worth of checks as a Pan Am pilot, doctor, and legal prosecutor.

WHY IT MADE MY TOP 100

Had this list been made in 2002, Catch me if you can would probably had made my top 10. At the time I knew very little about the movie and when I saw it, it blew me away. This is Spielberg in top form and a brilliant performance from DiCaprio, Hanks, and Walken. The film is a wild ride through the united states and because DiCaprio is so believable as a conman with a heart of gold (and really just a kid) you root for him, dreading the day when he gets caught. The music also needs a special mention here as it is some of John Williams best work of the 2000's (except for maybe his score in the next film on the list) and it makes the film shine even brighter.



NR. 38:

MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA (2005)

Directed by: Rob Marshall
Starring: Ziyi Zhang, Ken Watanabe and Michelle Yeoh



Nitta Sayuri reveals how she transcended her fishing-village roots and became one of Japan's most celebrated geisha.

WHY IT MADE MY TOP 100

Memoirs of a Geisha is a wonderful and well made film that transports you back in time to a new culture. It has some beautiful cinematography that can take your breath away set to a story that depicts an almost hopeless and desperate existence. It is a film that depicts Japanese culture through an American eye, which can be wise to keep in mind when watching the film. However, this does not get in the way of a great film with a strong and touching story. John Williams, again, compliments the film with his score which is one of his most distinguished scores and is unlike anything he has done before or since.