The Panda

Number 226 A Monster Calls (2016) "I wish I had a thousand a years, a thousand years I could give to you." Most Valuable Player: Felicity Jone's performance as mum Box Office: 3.7m Tomatometer: 87% Notable Awards: Won a variety of Critics Circle Awards Synopsis: "A boy seeks the help of a tree monster to cope with his single mother's terminal illness." Critic Opinion: "When St. Augustine asked why humans find more pleasure in truths told figuratively than in those told literally, he speculated that "what is sought with more effort is received with more pleasure." The animated yew tree that visits Conor O' Malley to tell and receive stories has a different answer. Perhaps we need help letting go of "comforting lies" and accepting "painful truths." J. A. Bayona's exquisitely drawn portrait of a boy struggling to come to terms with his mother's terminal illness does have its share of painful honesty. But it also reminds us that truths spoken in and about love can sustain us through the darkest nights of the soul." - Morefield, Christianity Today User Opinion: "Amazing and beautiful." - Water Bottle Reasoning: I may only be including this one because it was so painfully ignored by just about everybody (including myself, as by the time I saw it, it was to late to include on my Best of 2016 list). In a few years I could see this movie climbing up the list, I could also see it leaving the list, but I felt compelled to put it on here, so I stuffed it in the 200 range. I wouldn't take too much stock in where I ranked this one, as I just kind of threw it in here because I wanted to talk about it. There aren't many movies anymore that give me to cry in theaters, this one did. It's emotionally moving and stirring, and sadly a movie without an audience. It reminded me of when I read "Bridge to Terabithia" when I was a kid, only the subject matter is even more compelling in this one. It's a really well made film and you should see it. Decade Count: 1930s: 3, 1940s: 2, 1960s: 1, 1970s: 3, 1980s: 1, 1990s: 2, 2000s: 8, 2010s: 5

Number 227 The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014) "Keep your hands off my lobby boy!" Most Valuable Player: Yeoman for the Cinematography Box Office: 59.3m (62.4m Adjusted) Tomatometer: 92% Notable Awards: Won 4 Oscars and was nominated for Best Picture Synopsis: "The adventures of Gustave H, a legendary concierge at a famous hotel from the fictional Republic of Zubrowka between the first and second World Wars, and Zero Moustafa, the lobby boy who becomes his most trusted friend." Critic Opinion: "Fiennes is fantastic. It might be that he's so funny because we're used to seeing him in serious fare, such as "Schindler's List" or "The English Patient." More likely, it's because he's a brilliant actor whose timing and sensibilities mesh surprisingly well with Anderson's. It's not a pairing you would imagine to be so successful, but it really works. So does the movie. Anderson's films are too precious for some, but for those of us willing to lose ourselves in them, they're a delight. "The Grand Budapest Hotel" is no different, except that he has added a hint of gravitas to the mix, improving the recipe." - Goodykoontz, Arizona Republic User Opinion: "Wes Anderson has just delivered one of his most unique and wonderful films to date. There's certainly elements of a fun crime caper sewn in here, as well as a lament of times past and the ways in which war and violence can ruin society, but it's always never less than satisfying. Ralph Fiennes is simply fantastic as Gustave, and the kid who plays Zero is also pretty good, too. I feel like the ending could have been drawn out a bit more, especially in its themes of reflection, but as it stands, it's something truly special." - Spaghetti Reasoning: Another more recent addition to my list, The Grand Budapest Hotel stands as Wes Anderson's best work out of a pretty impressive filmography. Fiennes is sensational in the lead role, and it's a technical joy to watch the entire way through. The film is quirky, hysterical and it's hard to take your eyes off of the screen with how much is going on in every shot. The score is energetic and fun. The technical work, such as the production design is impressive and everything really works together as one unit. This is a movie that simply just works. Decade Count: 1930s: 3, 1940s: 2, 1960s: 1, 1970s: 3, 1980s: 1, 1990s: 2, 2000s: 8, 2010s: 4

It's funny, horror seemed dead in 2015, and after 2016 and this year it's more alive than ever. Shows that if you actually make good horror movies, there's still interest in them.

Number 228 (500) Days of Summer (2009) "Just because she likes the same bizzaro crap you do doesn't mean she's your soul mate." Most Valuable Player: Joseph Gordon Levitt's performance Box Office: 32.4m (37.5m Adjusted) Tomatometer: 86% Notable Awards: Nominated for 2 Golden Globes Synopsis: "An offbeat romantic comedy about a woman who doesn't believe true love exists, and the young man who falls for her." Critic Opinion: "However, innovation is where 500 Days of Summer really makes its mark. It zigs right when you think it's going to zag, and it often finds comedy in real-life situations. Though naturalistic comedies are the new pink, the film does an exceptional job at mining the humor in real-life situations. This isn't a mall cop on a Segway type of comedy if you get my drift. There are real situations with legitimate conflict that present actual intrigue and laughs. It's strange, after seeing so many try and fail, to realize that the romantic comedy never died. It was just being rented by people who didn't know what to do with it. The other place 500 Days shines is the message: The film has interesting things to say about both memory and the expectations game. We all tend to remember the good times ... to the exclusion of the truth. We all tend to build moments that then let us down. This film speaks to these inherent human weaknesses; but it does so in a manner that's not heavy-handed." - Legel, MTV User Opinion: "It's great because it's much more faceted than you realize. The film first seems like Summer is a bitch, but on additional rewatches and reflection, you realize they're both at fault through a funny but very heartfelt and serious romantic movie. It just kinda feels like a super-stylized life story, one where you can really empathize with both character even IF the film is told from Tom's perspective. I hope Webb gets back to making these types of movies." - Blankments Reasoning: This off-beat little rom-com is really overlooked, and it deserves more attention than it really got. Joseph Gordon Levitt delivers a great comedic and honest performance, and Webb does a great job structuring the film to tell a straightforward story with touches of realism and relate-ability. If romantic comedies strived to be more like this film, perhaps they wouldn't have died off as a genre. The movie is full of charm, heart, creativity, and a well-utilized soundtrack, there's really not much (if anything) wrong with it as a movie. Decade Count: 1930s: 3, 1940s: 2, 1960s: 1, 1970s: 3, 1980s: 1, 1990s: 2, 2000s: 8, 2010s: 3

Number 229 The Bride of Frankenstein (1935) "To a new world of gods and monsters!" Most Valuable Player: The Technical Work Box Office: N/A Tomatometer: 100% Notable Awards: Nominated for 1 Oscar Synopsis: "Mary Shelley reveals the main characters of her novel survived: Dr. Frankenstein, goaded by an even madder scientist, builds his monster a mate." Critic Opinion: "In the previous Frankenstein film’s finale the monster was burned in a huge fire. Here it’s started off with the same fire scene, except that in a few moments he is revealed to have bored through the earth to a subterranean stream, which saved him from death. From there on, of course, it’s a romp [from a story by William Hurlnut and John Balderston, ‘suggested’ by Mary Shelley’s novel]." - Variety Team, 1934 User Opinion: Lol none apparently. Reasoning: The Bride of Frankenstein is a movie that ages incredibly well given that it came out 82 years ago. The movie is timelessly funny, and the campiness of the film only adds to its appeal. The film is technically impressive, given the age of the movie, and it still looks better than some movies that come out today. The movie is also touching and a direct improvement over the Frankenstein film that preceded it. Definitely an oldie for people to check out. Decade Count: 1930s: 3, 1940s: 2, 1960s: 1, 1970s: 3, 1980s: 1, 1990s: 2, 2000s: 7, 2010s: 3

Number 230 Miracle on 34th Street (1947) "Uh, since the United States Government declares this man to be Santa Claus, this court will not dispute it. Case dismissed." Most Valuable Player: Sentimentality and the Joy of Christmas Box Office: N/A Tomatometer: 96% Notable Awards: Won 3 Oscars, and was nominated for Best Picture Synopsis: "When a nice old man who claims to be Santa Claus is institutionalized as insane, a young lawyer decides to defend him by arguing in court that he is the real thing." Critic Opinion: "Well, a miracle happened on 50th St. and Seventh Ave., yesterday. The Roxy has struck pay-dirt again, following the shut-down of the Benny bonanza. On the screen is “Miracle on 34th Street,” one of the sweetest pictures ever turned out by Hollywood. I don’t mean to say that the film is sweetly sticky, for it isn’t. It is light, it is charming, it is delightfully funny and completely captivating. It is all that, and something more. It has an undefinable spiritual quality that raises the spirits of the beholder into a happy, hopeful mood." - Cameron, New York Daily News (1947) User Opinion: "This is actually a really sweet little movie. It has one of the best Santa Clauses portrayed in film." - Jack Nevada Reasoning: Miracle on 34th Street is a Christmas classic, and although it is pretty sappy, it's just the right kind of sappy that makes it a great viewing during the Holiday season. There are a lot of Christmas movies out there, and a lot that aren't all that great, and Miracle on 34th Street stands among the best of them. The story is clever and sweet, and it's just all around a great film. I'm not to sure what to say about it because you should already know all of this, at least hopefully you do. If you haven't seen this movie, please do pop it in around Christmas time, it's a real treat. Decade Count: 1930s: 2, 1940s: 2, 1960s: 1, 1970s: 3, 1980s: 1, 1990s: 2, 2000s: 7, 2010s: 3

Number 231 Terminator 2: Judgement Day (1991) "Hasta la vista, baby." Most Valuable Player: James Cameron for the Direction Box Office: 204.8m (420.9m Adjusted) Tomatometer: 93% Notable Awards: Won 4 Oscars Synopsis: "A cyborg, identical to the one who failed to kill Sarah Connor, must now protect her teenage son, John Connor, from a more advanced cyborg." Critic Opinion: "Our Flick of the Week is ``Terminator 2: Judgment Day,`` and thanks to some truly spectacular and at times mystifying special effects-as well as some surprisingly solid acting-this is one terrific action picture, more enjoyable than the original. Once again, Arnold Schwarzenegger plays a manlike machine sent back from the future, this time to protect a little boy who if allowed to grow up can help save the world from complete destruction. The only problem is that there is another, more technologically advanced machine, also sent from the future, with designs on killing the kid and Schwarzenegger too. Writer-director James Cameron has cast his film extremely well, with Robert Patrick, as the evil Terminator, more sullen and less macho than you might expect. His skin covers a mass of liquid metal that can change shape at will and is seemingly impervious to attack-bullet holes close up, and if you break him apart he comes together like mercury from a broken thermometer. Also impressive are Linda Hamilton as the tough mother and Edward Furlong as a credible kid. He has a fresh father-son relationship with Schwarzenegger, because sometimes the kid plays the father, teaching the machine that there is more to life on Earth than just killing." - Siskel, Chicago Tribune Reasoning: There'll probably be a few eye raises at why this is "this low" on my list, although to be fair I personally think it's still in great company with other films around this ranking. Anyways, Cameron really raised the visual stakes with this one, creating a sequel that's often seen as an improvement of the original (although I'd personally disagree). The action is exhilarating, the film is a blast from the beginning to the end, and had they chosen to end the franchise here, it would have gone out in a blazing glory. This is how you make an action sequel. Decade Count: 1930s: 2, 1940s: 1, 1960s: 1, 1970s: 3, 1980s: 1, 1990s: 2, 2000s: 7, 2010s: 3

There's a cost to doing so. They have to pay for spots and spend resources making them for a demo that isn't going to be key to the movie's success, or its merchandising success down the road. It's the same reason they don't try use romance aspects in comic book films and turn those into spots and ads to target the female demo (Deadpool aside). Maybe it'd boost BO, but not to an extent where they see it as worthwhile to invest the spending into.

Hints for some reveals to come (over the next few days or so) 231: Some people would probably think it's a crime that this movie is this low on my list 229: An oldie about making the perfect mate 227: A BOFFY Monster 226 + 219: Both of these movies are thematically similar. 226 was likely inspired by 219. 216: I only included it so a certain member on these boards wouldn't hold me hostage for snubbing it.

Number 232 Moonlight (2016) "No. You're not a ----. You can be gay, but you don't have to let nobody call you a ----." My Grade: A Most Valuable Player: The Ensemble of the Actors Box Office: 21.5m Tomatometer: 98% Notable Awards: Nominated for 8 Oscars, including Best Picture Synopsis: "A timeless story of human self-discovery and connection, Moonlight chronicles the life of a young black man from childhood to adulthood as he struggles to find his place in the world while growing up in a rough neighborhood of Miami." Critic Opinion: "One of the best movies of the year is an unlikely and profound coming-of-age story. In three unforgettable chapters, a lost boy named Chiron grapples with his masculinity under the pink Miami skies. As a child, Chiron gets a confidence boost thanks to a drug dealer (future Oscar nominee Mahershala Ali) who acts as a father figure — only for it to all unravel in his adolescence when he develops feelings for his best friend. The indie drama, coproduced by Brad Pitt, touches on themes of race, sexuality and isolation in ways that are rarely depicted in cinema. And its quietest moments are the most powerful." - Reinstein, US Weekly Reasoning: Maybe a little soon for this one to be on the list, but I felt compelled to include it, especially because of how much the film has stuck with me since I watched it. The movie is subtle, haunting, the performances real, and it's hard to pinpoint the movie as any one thing. It doesn't cast judgement on its characters, nor does it truly ever redeem them, it simply shows you a life, how it plays out, and leaves you to wonder how much of it was shaped by the culture and stigmas surrounding the lead. It's a phenomenal movie. Decade Count: 1930s: 2, 1940s: 1, 1960s: 1, 1970s: 3, 1980s: 1, 1990s: 1, 2000s: 7, 2010s: 3

Number 233 American Graffiti (1973) "Your car is uglier than I am!" My Grade: A Most Valuable Player: George Lucas for Writing and Directing Box Office: 115m (568.4m Adjusted AKA an Event) Tomatometer: 95% Notable Awards: Nominated for 5 Oscars, including Best Picture Synopsis: "A couple of high school grads spend one final night cruising the strip with their buddies before they go off to college." Critic Opinion: "But it isn’t the age of the characters that matters; it’s the time they inhabited. Whole cultures and societies have passed since 1962. “American Graffiti” is not only a great movie but a brilliant work of historical fiction; no sociological treatise could duplicate the movie’s success in remembering exactly how it was to be alive at that cultural instant. On the surface, Lucas has made a film that seems almost artless; his teenagers cruise Main Street and stop at Mel’s Drive-In and listen to Wolfman Jack on the radio and neck and lay rubber and almost convince themselves their moment will last forever. But the film’s buried structure shows an innocence in the process of being lost, and as its symbol Lucas provides the elusive blonde in the white Thunderbird -- the vision of beauty always glimpsed at the next intersection, the end of the next street." - Roger Ebert Reasoning: George Lucas may be laughed at nowadays for his work on the Star Wars prequels, but American Graffiti is an example of the fact that, at one point, Lucas really knew what he was doing. Or he was just incredibly lucky, or maybe a little bit of both. Lucas took a hands off approach when it came to this movie, and it really shows with how much the characters naturally blossom in each scene, as if they are just living through life. The movie is carefree, has a rocking soundtrack and is a song for the bliss of youth. Decade Count: 1930s: 2, 1940s: 1, 1960s: 1, 1970s: 3, 1980s: 1, 1990s: 1, 2000s: 7, 2010s: 2

I'll do three more tonight, just because I'm really feeling it today. Number 234 Cabaret (1972) "Doesn't my body drive you wild with desire?" My Grade: A Most Valuable Player: David Bretherton for the editing. Box Office: 42.8m Tomatometer: 97% Notable Awards: Won 8 Oscars Synopsis: "A female girlie club entertainer in Weimar Republic era Berlin romances two men while the Nazi Party rises to power around them." Critic Opinion: "The film version of the 1966 John Kander-Fred Ebb Broadway musical] Cabaret is most unusual: it is literate, bawdy, sophisticated, sensual, cynical, heart-warming, and disturbingly thought-provoking. Liza Minnelli heads a strong cast. Bob Fosse’s generally excellent direction recreates the milieu of Germany some 40 years ago. The choice of Minnelli for the part of Sally Bowles was indeed daring. Good-hearted, quasi-sophisticated amorality and hedonism are not precisely Minnelli’s professional bag, and within many scenes she seems to carom from golly-gee-whiz-down-home rusticity to something closer to the mark." - Variety Staff, 1971 Reasoning: Cabaret, like many of the most successful musicals, is a jolt of energy with powerful anthems placed throughout it. Cabaret has quite a bit of glitz and technical explosions on the screen, that it's easy to see why the Oscars nearly went all in on it. However, what really helps set Cabaret apart is the driving social commentary about the rise of Nazis and anti-Semitism. It's difficult to watch this movie and not be entertained, yet also moved at the same time. Decade Count: 1930s: 2, 1940s: 1, 1960s: 1, 1970s: 2, 1980s: 1, 1990s: 1, 2000s: 7, 2010s: 2

Number 235 Silver Linings Playbook (2012) "This is what I learned at the hospital. You have to do everything you can, you have to work your hardest, and if you do, if you stay positive, you have a shot at a silver lining." My Grade: A Most Valuable Player: The ensemble of the cast Box Office: 132.1m (143.3m Adjusted) Tomatometer: 92% Notable Awards: Won the Oscar for Best Actress in a Leading Role Synopsis: "After a stint in a mental institution, former teacher Pat Solitano moves back in with his parents and tries to reconcile with his ex-wife. Things get more challenging when Pat meets Tiffany, a mysterious girl with problems of her own." Critic Opinion: "All the silvery buzz here is deserved, folks. This meaningful film keeps the laughs, giddy anxiousness and warm butterflies from the trailer and sustains it all through two full hours of a love story. Cheers to director David O. Russell, who also wrote the screenplay based on Matthew Quick’s novel. This movie is funny — and sad. But it’s more up than down, which is saying something given the subject matter." - Baca, Denver Post Reasoning: One of the highlights from 2012, Silver Linings Playbook proved quality rom-com wasn't dead, or I guess at least still had the potential to result in a great movie. The movie offers an optimistic message, mixed with realism and commentary on mental disorders. This stands as one of the only films David O. Russell has made that isn't criminally overrated, with the exception of maybe Three Kings. This also boasts Jennifer Lawrence's best performance to date. It leaves you laughing, inspired and moved. Decade Count: 1930s: 2, 1940s: 1, 1960s: 1, 1970s: 1, 1980s: 1, 1990s: 1, 2000s: 7, 2010s: 2

Number 236 Red River (1948) "There's three times in a man's life when he has a right to yell at the moon: when he marries, when his children come, and... and when he finishes a job he had to be crazy to start." My Grade: A Most Valuable Player: Tiomkin for his score Box Office: N/A Tomatometer: 100% Notable Awards: Nominated for 2 Oscars Synopsis: "Dunson leads a cattle drive, the culmination of over 14 years of work, to its destination in Missouri. But his tyrannical behavior along the way causes a mutiny, led by his adopted son." Critic Opinion: "The theme of “Red River” is from classical tragedy: the need of the son to slay the father, literally or symbolically, in order to clear the way for his own ascendancy. And the father's desire to gain immortality through a child (the one moment with a woman that does work is when Dunson asks Tess to bear a son for him). The majesty of the cattle drive, and all of its expert details about “taking the point” and keeping the cowhands fed and happy, is atmosphere surrounding these themes. Underlying everything else is an attitude that must have been invisible to the filmmakers at the time: the unstated assumption that it is the white man's right to take what he wants. Dunson shoots a Mexican who comes to tell him “Don Diego” owns the land. Told the land had been granted to Diego by the king of Spain, Dunson says, “You mean he took it away from whoever was here before--Indians, maybe. Well, I'm takin' it away from him.” In throwaway dialogue, we learn of seven more men Dunson has killed for his ranch, and there's a grimly humorous motif as he shoots people and then “reads over 'em” from the Bible." Reasoning: A great Western Epic about a son leading a mutiny to kill his father, all set in the Great Plains of Texas and riveting score that sucks you into the land. John Wayne delivers one of his best, of many, performances in the film. Now the movie does have some key flaws, including the ending and a love interest who really doesn't cut it that well, but that is all made up for in the tension and family rivalry that takes place throughout the movie. This is a movie that tends to be forgotten in history, and it definitely doesn't deserve to be. Decade Count: 1930s: 2, 1940s: 1, 1960s: 1, 1970s: 1, 1980s: 1, 1990s: 1, 2000s: 7, 2010s: 1

Lol, I'm excited for your reaction later on on the list. One of your favorites is way up there.

Number 237 Y Tu Mama Tambien (2001) "Truth is cool but unattainable... the truth is totally amazing, but you can't ever reach it." My Grade: A Most Valuable Player: Alfonso and Carlos Cuaron for the Screenplay Box Office: 13.8m (20.6m Adjusted) Tomatometer: 92% Notable Awards: Nominated for Best Original Screenplay Oscar Synopsis: "In Mexico, two teenage boys and an attractive older woman embark on a road trip and learn a thing or two about life, friendship, sex, and each other." Critic Opinion: "To call "Y Tu Mama Tambien" sexually explicit doesn't do it justice. The Mexican movie is sexually obsessed, just like its teenage protagonists. Two boys hit the road with a hot older woman in a portrait of adolescence that's frank, funny and true. Director Alfonso Cuaron and his cast capture that magic moment in young men's lives when they're no longer boys but not yet afraid to show genuine excitement about the possibilities before them. Along the way, the film touches on the profound class differences within Mexico." - Meyer, San Francisco Chronicle Reasoning: A coming of age story full of sex and profanity, while also managing to find a message about friendship between two teens. It's rich in its commentary, and the subtext that goes on in each of the scenes. Alfonso Cuaron has consistently delivered some of my favorite movies, and Y Tu Mama Tambien is no exception. The road trip movie genre is a vast one, and Y Tu Mama Tambien stands among the best of them. Decade Count: 1930s: 2, 1960s: 1, 1970s: 1, 1980s: 1, 1990s: 1, 2000s: 7, 2010s: 1

Number 238 Scott Pilgrim vs. The World (2010) "I'm in lesbians with you." My Grade: A+ Most Valuable Player: Edgar Wright for the Screenplay and Direction Box Office: 31.5m (34.3m Adjusted) Tomatometer: 81% Notable Awards: Nominated for an Eddie Synopsis: "Scott Pilgrim must defeat his new girlfriend's seven evil exes in order to win her heart." Critic Opinion: "Full of fresh, sharp touches and nonchalantly brash performances (from Kieran Culkin, Jason Schwartzman and Anna Kendrick, among others), "Scott Pilgrim vs. the World" consistently hits the sweet spot even if you're ready for Scott to take it up to the next level some way before the climax. A bit more face time with Ramona wouldn't go amiss either. But those are minor gripes. I promise you, it's way more fun than the grown ups are having in the screen next door." - Charity, CNN Reasoning: Edgar Wright has some films that are better than this in technical ways, but that doesn't stop Scott Pilgrim from being a non-stop riot of laughter, hilarity and entertainment. There's not much substance to a movie about a nerd in a bad garage band superfighting his crush's seven evil exes in an attempt to be able to date her, but that doesn't stop it from being endlessly entertaining. It's also crazy to think this movie came out 7 years ago, I remember going to see this in theaters with my dad when I was still in school (well not College school). One of the best movies from a GOAT year.

Number 239 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2003) "Spiders... the spiders... they want me to tap-dance. And I don't want to tap-dance!" My Grade: A+ Most Valuable Player: Alfonso Cuaron's direction Box Office: 249.5m (347.6m Adjusted) Tomatometer: 91% Notable Awards: Nominated for 2 Oscars Synopsis: "It's Harry's third year at Hogwarts; not only does he have a new "Defense Against the Dark Arts" teacher, but there is also trouble brewing. Convicted murderer Sirius Black has escaped the Wizards' Prison and is coming after Harry." Critic Opinion: "Most important, Cuarón creates an entirely new topography for the Hogwarts grounds. The first two films took place almost exclusively indoors, with only the occasional visit to the Quidditch field, Hagrid's cabin, or the Forbidden Forest--none of which existed in any clear geographic relation to the school itself. Cuarón instead perches Hogwarts on a steep hillside overlooking a crystal lake and invites his characters to come out for some fresh air. (The magnificent scenery belongs to Glencoe and Loch Levin, in the Scottish Highlands.) In front of this enchanting backdrop Cuarón even finds time to offer moments that are not strictly necessary for the fulfillment of the storyline. These scenes--among them two talks between Harry and Lupin, one on the footbridge and the other in woods overlooking the lake--offer much-needed respites from Rowling's furious plotting. Cuarón's unhurriedness, his willingness to pause to enjoy a mountain view or a conversation between two characters, opens the film up and gives it room to breathe. These days, after all, any director with an adequate technical budget can give us digitized trolls and basilisks, flying cars and animated chessmen. It takes a cinematic wizard to remind us that there is greater magic out in the real word than can be made in any studio." Reasoning: This is my entry for representing the Potter franchise on my list, so I obviously decided to make that entry the best one. While I do greatly enjoy the entire series, the mythos created by Rowling, and the books, there's always been something lacking from the Potter movies, well all of them except for Azkaban. John Williams' score feels more complete, inventive and whimsical. The characters feel more complete, and the universe feels more alive in this film than any of the others. The Prisoner of Azkaban is the pinnacle of the Harry Potter franchise. Decade Count: 1930s: 2, 1960s: 1, 1970s: 1, 1980s: 1, 1990s: 1, 2000s: 6

Number 240 O Brother, Where Art Thou? "Damn! We're in a tight spot!" My Grade: A Most Valuable Player: Joel and Ethan Coen (also Homer) for the Screenplay Box Office: 45.5m (69.6m Adjusted) Tomatometer: 77% Notable Awards: Nominated for 2 Oscars Synopsis: "In the deep south during the 1930s, three escaped convicts search for hidden treasure while a relentless lawman pursues them." Critic Opinion: "The title alludes to Preston Sturges and evokes the engagingly anarchic, almost throwaway tone and setting of the Coens' shaggy Deep South Depression-era semi-musical road-comedy. The story, however, as announced with gleeful idiocy (but honesty!) in the opening credits, is loosely 'Based on Homer's Odyssey'. Clooney is perfectly cast as Everett Ulysses McGill, a somewhat vainglorious Mississippi charmer who breaks from a chain gang, dragging two none-too-bright buddies (Turturro and Nelson) in his wake, purportedly to retrieve his booty, but actually to try to tempt his less than faithful Penelope (Hunter) away from her new suitor. En route, there are adventures with latter-day lotus eaters, sirens, a Bible-bashing Polyphemus (Goodman), a Robert Johnson-like bluesman, a public enemy, corrupt politicians and the Klan, accompanied by a wealth of terrific blues, bluegrass and gospel music. Great dialogue, superb 'Scope camerawork from Roger Deakins, and a genuinely wondrous deus ex machina are among the delights." - Andrew, Time Out Reasoning: A southern, folkish, Depression-Era comedic take on Homer's epic "The Odyssey", what's not to love? There's some great banter throughout the movie, and the film never takes itself too seriously, despite being a miniaturish epic. The soundtrack is one for the ages, and the Coen Brothers prove that they're capable directors able to consistently deliver great times at the cinema. Also, not to forget Deakins, who really brings the whole film together with how he shoots the film. O Brother, Where Art Thou? is a real delight of a movie. Decade Count: 1930s: 2, 1960s: 1, 1970s: 1, 1980s: 1, 1990s: 1, 2000s: 5

That was just the grade I gave the movie when I saw it, it usually works better when the list isn't my all-time favorites (as I've been using this general format for my lists). I guess you could say that I don't have any flaws with my A+ movies, but that doesn't necessarily mean I ended up liking it more than an A or A- movie. I'd agree, it is fairly pointless for this list though because I believe 99% or so of the films I gave either an A or A+.

Number 241 District 9 (2009) "Get your fokkin' tentacle out of my face!" My Grade: A Most Valuable Player: Neill Blomkamp for his direction and screenplay Box Office: 115.6m (134m Adjusted) Tomatometer: 90% Notable Awards: Nominated for 4 Oscars, including Best Picture Synopsis: "An extraterrestrial race forced to live in slum-like conditions on Earth suddenly finds a kindred spirit in a government agent who is exposed to their biotechnology." Critic Opinion: "“District 9” cost thirty million dollars, or roughly a fifth of the marketing budget for “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.” The double blessing of this thrift is, first, the lived-in scruffiness of the background, with prawns rooting through hillocks of trash or chomping on tins of cat food (their snack of choice), and, second, the low-rent, high-energy presence of the actors—not stars, for whom we would be programmed to root, but ordinary sorts whose fortunes we cannot predict, and for whom our sympathies continually shift and sway. Who would have thought that Wikus could go from bureaucrat to tramp and then to “the most valuable human artifact on earth,” all in a single day? Or that he would wind up knocking politely at a prawn’s door? Or, best of all, that the prawn himself would be known as Christopher Johnson, the idea being that regular names will make the aliens feel at home? (So much more welcoming than 9 or 7.) You don’t feel bamboozled, fooled, or patronized by “District 9,” as you did by most of the summer blockbusters. You feel winded, and shaken, and shamed." - Lane, The New Yorker Reasoning: There were a number of great sci-fi movies to come out of 2009, and District 9 stands out as one of (if not the) best of them. For good reason, Blomkamp became the next hot up and coming director, it's a shame he hasn't been able to follow through on a scale with what he delivered in District 9. The movie plays your emotions, and it delivers a powerful sci-fi allegory. This is an example on how to make a solid, contemporary sci-fi flick. Decade Count: 1930s: 2, 1960s: 1, 1970s: 1, 1980s: 1, 1990s: 1, 2000s: 4

Number 242 Modern Times (1936) "Buck up - never say die. We'll get along." My Grade: A Most Valuable Player: Charlie Chaplin for Directing, Writing and Starring Box Office: 163,577 Dom Tomatometer: 100% Notable Awards: #38 on IMDb's Top 250 Synopsis: "The Tramp struggles to live in modern industrial society with the help of a young homeless woman." Critic Opinion: "I don't have much patience with colleagues who dismiss Charlie Chaplin by saying that Buster Keaton was better (whatever that means). To the best of my knowledge, with the arguable exception of Dickens, no one else in the history of art has shown us in greater detail what it means to be poor, and certainly no one else in the history of movies has played to a more diverse audience or evolved more ambitiously from one feature to the next. The opening sequence in Chaplin's second Depression masterpiece (1936), of the Tramp on the assembly line, is possibly his greatest slapstick encounter with the 20th century, and as Belgian filmmakers Luc and Jean-Pierre Dardenne have brilliantly observed, the famous shot of his being run through machinery equates him with a strip of film. Still, there's more hope here than in Chaplin's preceding City Lights, perhaps because this time the Tramp has Paulette Goddard, another plucky urchin, to keep him company." - Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader Reasoning: I know there are many on these forums who believe the history of film began with "Star Wars" and don't dare look back any farther, but they should really give some of these older films a try, some are actually pretty darn good. Modern Times manages to continue to be funny today in its silent slapstick comedy that works as a social satire on factories back in the Gilded Age/Industrial era. Chaplin is a genius from his time who you should really give a try. Decade Count: 1930s: 2, 1960s: 1, 1970s: 1, 1980s: 1, 1990s: 1, 2000s: 3

Number 243 Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) "Magic mirror on the wall, who is the fairest one of all?" My Grade: A+ Most Valuable Player: Walt Disney for getting it made Box Office: 66.6m (670.1m) Tomatometer: 98% Notable Awards: Won an honorary Oscar, given to Walt Disney Synopsis: "Snow White, pursued by a jealous queen, hides with the Dwarfs; the queen soon learns of this and prepares to feed her a poison apple." Critic Opinion: "Disney gives credit to his directors, animators, musicians in a way that is heartening to see and a list as long as our arm; but while it is true that his pictures are built on the conference method, good ideas being kicked around until they suggest others, there is the fact that he apparently has known how to pick his men, train them and give them free rein to contribute their individual best. A film is a collective enterprise anyway and should be made that way; but in general there are too few men of talent at the top who have the leadership and patience, the exaltation of job over ego, to do it. Walt Disney is a pioneer in more things than his conception of and tireless experiment with the animated cartoon as a reflection of life. Now that the best picture of 1937 has been adjudicated, awarded, etc., the best and most important picture for 1938 is called Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs." - Ferguson, The New Republic (January 26, 1938) Reasoning: This is a movie that is truly a testament to Walt Disney for existing. While on paper, it's not the most exciting of the studio's long history of movies, it certainly is one of (if not the) most important and quintessential of the films. Without it, the entire Disney empire likely wouldn't exist today. Now, that's not the only reason I am including it on my list, it also stands the test of time as heartwarming fairy-tale that works for the whole family. Decade Count: 1930s: 1, 1960s: 1, 1970s: 1, 1980s: 1, 1990s: 1, 2000s: 3

Number 244 Wall Street (1987) "Now you're not naive enough to think we're living in a democracy, are you buddy? It's the free market. And you're a part of it." My Grade: A- Most Valuable Player: Michael Douglass as Gordon Gekko Box Office: 43.8m (94.2m Adjusted) Tomatometer: 78% Notable Awards: Won Oscar for Best Actor in a Leading Role Synopsis: "A young and impatient stockbroker is willing to do anything to get to the top, including trading on illegal inside information taken through a ruthless and greedy corporate raider who takes the youth under his wing." Critic Opinion: "What's intriguing about "Wall Street" - what may cause the most discussion in the weeks to come - is that the movie's real target isn't Wall Street criminals who break the law. Stone's target is the value system that places profits and wealth and the Deal above any other consideration. His film is an attack on an atmosphere of financial competitiveness so ferocious that ethics are simply irrelevant, and the laws are sort of like the referee in pro wrestling - part of the show." - Roger Ebert Reasoning: This film has gotten a fair bit of criticism and polarity, but I'd have to respectfully disagree. Wall Street is a timely movie, that still manages to resonate with the state of our country today, just like it did in 1987 through the 90s. While Oliver Stone may have lost his way recently, Wall Street is an example of Stone in his prime, being politically poignant. Wall Street features powerful performances, especially from Michael Douglass, and power in its screenplay. Decade Count: 1960s: 1, 1970s: 1, 1980s: 1, 1990s: 1, 2000s: 3

Number 245 Groundhog Day (1993) "Well, what if there is no tomorrow? There wasn't one today." My Grade: A Most Valuable Player: The Screenplay written by Danny Rubin and Harold Ramis Box Office: 70.9m (148.2m Adjusted) Tomatometer: 96% Notable Awards: Won 1 BAFTA for Best Screenplay Synopsis: "A weatherman finds himself inexplicably living the same day over and over again." Critic Opinion: "Together, they've come up with something unique a gentle comedy that treats a person's life as a science experiment but becomes increasingly touching as it goes along. Its motto could be: Once again, with feeling. A movie that continually replays a single day could quickly become tedious but, strangely enough, Groundhog Day never does." - Boyar, Orlando Sentinel Reasoning: Groundhog Day stands as one of Bill Murray's best, if not his best, and it is filled with a sincere, dry hilarity from the beginning until the end. The film is utterly creative in its writing, and the performances are blend of real and dry, which allows it to achieve a higher level than it would have had it tilted in either/or direction. It's an intelligent film that leaves you rewatching it like Murray relives his days in the movie. Decade Count: 1960s: 1, 1970s: 1, 1990s: 1, 2000s: 3