BOT Top 100 Movies of All Time: The Empire Strikes Back... Again... For the Third Time...

[The Panda]

Number 20

Goodfellas (1990)

72 Points (24 Votes, Avg Score 31.583)

 

"For as long as I can remember I always wanted to be a gangster. To me that was better than being president of the United States. To be a gangster was to own the world."

 

Number 1 Placements: 1 Placement

Top 5 Placements: 1 Placement

Top 10 Placements: 3 Placements

Changes in Rankings Over Time: 2014 (21, +1), 2013 (7, -13), 2012 (20, --)

Tomatometer: 96%

Box Office: 46.84m (95.09m Adjusted)

Most Notable Awards Recognition: Won 1 Oscar

IMDb Synopsis: Henry Hill might be a small time gangster, who may have taken part in a robbery with Jimmy Conway and Tommy De Vito, two other gangsters who might have set their sights a bit higher. His two partners could kill off everyone else involved in the robbery, and slowly start to think about climbing up through the hierarchy of the Mob. Henry, however, might be badly affected by his partners' success, but will he consider stooping low enough to bring about the downfall of Jimmy and Tommy?

Critic Opinion: "In terms of directing, Scorsese is in top form, with an energetic camera that darts, strolls and struts around rooms. In editing, he clips dialogue tightly and packs the soundtrack with pop music that unifies the movie`s time span of nearly 30 years.  Beyond that, what is so excellent about Scorsese is that his visual strategy underscores his moral sensibility. When Henry`s wife Karen agrees to hide his gun, Scorsese photographs it from above as if it were a sacrament (as he did with the guns in ``Taxi Driver``) and then cuts to a religious marriage ritual that emphasizes the importance of what Karen has done.  All of the performances are first-rate; Pesci stands out, though, with his seemingly unscripted manner. ``GoodFellas`` is easily one of the year`s best films." - Gene Siskel

User Opinion: "My favourite Scorsese film right after Taxidriver. A masterpiece plain and simple." - acab

Personal Comment: Kicking off the top 20 is another Scorsese film and one of the most beloved gangster films in cinematic history, Goodfellas.  Goodfellas adds yet another movie from the 1990s onto our countdown, as it is the 20th movie from that decade.  Goodfellas has become a modern staple in film culture and the development of narration.  I'll take the time to talk about how much I love Scorsese's narration techniques, and how I love when other directors follow suit.  I am one who absolutely hates narrators in stories who are only there to give exposition because the director is to lazy to figure out how to show me that information, I find straight exposition to be very lazy and something that's often done poorly.  So when I hear Scorsese talk about how whenever a character narrates it should be more about learning more about the character and less about gaining more exposition, it's quite a relief to hear from my part.

 

 

[Daxtreme]

I like Goodfellas more than The Godfather (#6 vs #7 on my list)

 

Burn me 

[The Panda]

Number 19

Back to the Future (1985)

72 Points (28 Votes, Avg Score 39.214)

 

"If my calculations are correct, when this baby hits 88 miles per hour... you're gonna see some serious shit."

 

Top 5 Placements: 1 Placement

Top 10 Placements: 3 Placements

Changes in Rankings Over Time: 2014 (16, -3), 2013 (13, -6), 2012 (19, --)

Tomatometer: 96%

Box Office: 210.61m (506.65m Adjusted)

Most Notable Awards Recognition: Won 1 Oscar

IMDb Synopsis: Marty McFly, a typical American teenager of the Eighties, is accidentally sent back to 1955 in a plutonium-powered DeLorean "time machine" invented by a slightly mad scientist. During his often hysterical, always amazing trip back in time, Marty must make certain his teenage parents-to-be meet and fall in love - so he can get back to the future.

Critic Opinion: "Still astounding is how Back To The Future is able to make almost effortless tonal shifts. Doc's gunning down in the opening scenes soon blends into rosy, Capra-esque sentiment and '50s nostalgia. The awkwardness of Lorraine's incestuous courtship of Marty is expertly played for laughs, so too is sad-sack George's transformation from the weedy nerd to the hero who flattens school bully Biff Tannen with a crunching left hook. The latter sequence kicks off Zemeckis's brilliant final act, cross-cutting and zipping between George winning Lorraine's heart and Marty shredding guitar Pete Townshend-style with Marvin Berry and The Starlighters. The final moments, from the lightning bolt on the clock tower to Doc's declaration that "we don't need roads", display all that's great about BTTF - its seamless blend of action, comedy and human drama.

 

There were, of course, two sequels. Part II had futuristic gizmos, an ingenious structure that led to a revisitation of its predecessor and a jaw-dropping cliffhanger ending, while Part III paid homage to the Western and triumphantly capped the series with Doc getting the girl. Both were fantastically entertaining, but couldn't quite match the brilliance of the first. That doesn't really matter, though, because the legacy of Back To The Future hasn't been tarnished. It was, is and always will be a true Hollywood classic." - Simon Reynolds

User Opinion: "Funny.
Well-acted.
Dramatic.
Romantic.
Re-watchable.
Original.
Crowd-pleasing.
Fun.
A Classic if there ever was one.
Back to the Future - the best movie ever made." - Andy Stitzer

Personal Comment: Back to the Future comes onto the list as one of Robert Zemeckis' biggest hits.  Back to the Future is also the 12th movie from the 1980s to make the countdown, can the decade make up some more ground going forward?  There are many things to love in Back to the Future.  While the movie may now feel culturally aged, its become more of a time capsule of the culture of the time.  While the pop culture references may not ring as hilariously as they did back in the 80s, Back to the Future is still a brilliantly entertaining film that has not in any way been forgotten.

 

 

 

[WrathOfHan]

Both made my list

[Empire]

BttF was in my top 5!

[DAR]

37 minutes ago, The Panda said:

Number 20

Goodfellas (1990)

72 Points (24 Votes, Avg Score 31.583)

 

"For as long as I can remember I always wanted to be a gangster. To me that was better than being president of the United States. To be a gangster was to own the world."

 

Number 1 Placements: 1 Placement

Top 5 Placements: 1 Placement

Top 10 Placements: 3 Placements

Changes in Rankings Over Time: 2014 (21, +1), 2013 (7, -13), 2012 (20, --)

Tomatometer: 96%

Box Office: 46.84m (95.09m Adjusted)

Most Notable Awards Recognition: Won 1 Oscar

IMDb Synopsis: Henry Hill might be a small time gangster, who may have taken part in a robbery with Jimmy Conway and Tommy De Vito, two other gangsters who might have set their sights a bit higher. His two partners could kill off everyone else involved in the robbery, and slowly start to think about climbing up through the hierarchy of the Mob. Henry, however, might be badly affected by his partners' success, but will he consider stooping low enough to bring about the downfall of Jimmy and Tommy?

Critic Opinion: "In terms of directing, Scorsese is in top form, with an energetic camera that darts, strolls and struts around rooms. In editing, he clips dialogue tightly and packs the soundtrack with pop music that unifies the movie`s time span of nearly 30 years.  Beyond that, what is so excellent about Scorsese is that his visual strategy underscores his moral sensibility. When Henry`s wife Karen agrees to hide his gun, Scorsese photographs it from above as if it were a sacrament (as he did with the guns in ``Taxi Driver``) and then cuts to a religious marriage ritual that emphasizes the importance of what Karen has done.  All of the performances are first-rate; Pesci stands out, though, with his seemingly unscripted manner. ``GoodFellas`` is easily one of the year`s best films." - Gene Siskel

User Opinion: "My favourite Scorsese film right after Taxidriver. A masterpiece plain and simple." - acab

Personal Comment: Kicking off the top 20 is another Scorsese film and one of the most beloved gangster films in cinematic history, Goodfellas.  Goodfellas adds yet another movie from the 1990s onto our countdown, as it is the 20th movie from that decade.  Goodfellas has become a modern staple in film culture and the development of narration.  I'll take the time to talk about how much I love Scorsese's narration techniques, and how I love when other directors follow suit.  I am one who absolutely hates narrators in stories who are only there to give exposition because the director is to lazy to figure out how to show me that information, I find straight exposition to be very lazy and something that's often done poorly.  So when I hear Scorsese talk about how whenever a character narrates it should be more about learning more about the character and less about gaining more exposition, it's quite a relief to hear from my part.

 

 

Now we're talking

[The Panda]

Number 18

The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

75 Points (22 Votes, Avg Score 32.77)

 

"Get busy living, or get busy dying."

 

Top 5 Placements: 3 Placements

Top 10 Placements: 5 Placements

Changes in Rankings Over Time: 2014 (14, -4), 2013 (22, +4), 2012 (24, +6)

Tomatometer: 91%

Box Office: 28.34m (57.14m Adjusted)

Most Notable Awards Recognition: Nominated for 7 Oscars, Ranked #1 Movie of All-Time on IMDb

IMDb Synopsis: Chronicles the experiences of a formerly successful banker as a prisoner in the gloomy jailhouse of Shawshank after being found guilty of a crime he did not commit. The film portrays the man's unique way of dealing with his new, torturous life; along the way he befriends a number of fellow prisoners, most notably a wise long-term inmate named Red.

Critic Opinion: "Based on a short story by Stephen King, The Shawshank Redemption has certainly earned its reputation as one of the most effective prison movies in cinematic history - as the film, written and directed by Frank Darabont, contains virtually all of the tropes and devices that the genre has come to be associated with. The ensuing inclusion of such familiar elements as the Evil Warden and the Sadistic Guard are undeniably put to brilliant use by Darabont, with the end result a piece of work that - aside from a midsection that's almost egregiously episodic - manages to hold the viewer transfixed virtually from start to finish. Tim Robbins stars as Andy Dufresne, a mild-mannered banker who eventually develops a deep bond with fellow inmate Ellis Boyd "Red" Redding (Morgan Freeman) during a double-lifetime sentence within the walls of Shawshank Prison. While it's virtually impossible to overstate the effectiveness of the two lead performances, Darabont does a superb job of transforming even the most minor of supporting characters into vividly-drawn, thoroughly compelling figures - something that is, of course, due in no small part to the expectedly accomplished efforts of such familiar faces as Bob Gunton, Clancy Brown, and William Sadler. Yet as fully realized as Shawshank's landscape inevitably winds up becoming, there's little doubt that the film's most indelible element remains the touching friendship between Robbins and Freeman's respective characters. The chemistry between the two actors - coupled with career-best performances from the pair - ensures that The Shawshank Redemption ultimately packs an emotional wallop that one hardly would have expected from such an endeavor, and it's consequently not difficult to see why the movie's esteem has grown considerably in the years since its theatrical release." - Dave Nusair

User Opinion: "Monumentally powerful and inspiring film that will likely never be topped in those areas.I still find it utterly shocking that Forrest Goddamn Gump won BP over this." - Ozymandias

Personal Comment: Based on a short story by Stephen King, the Shawshank Redemption rolls on in at number 18.  This is also the 21st movie to come out of the 1990s decade, further putting the decade ahead of the rest.  The Shawshank Redemption was a special experience to me, as the first time I saw it, I had one of the biggest emotional reactions I have ever had before watching a movie.  When the end credits started rolling, all I could so was sob, not really in sadness, but I was breaking down and crying in front of my TV with a feeling of joy and relief.  The movie does such an excellent job of slowly building the tension and claustrophobic ness of the prison, yet also building the characters and humanity at the same time, that when the ending finally comes you feel the same relief you'd expect Andy to feel at the end of the movie.  The Shawshank Redemption is one of the most inspiring stories ever put to screen.

 

 

 

[The Panda]

Number 17

Jaws (1975)

76 Points (19 Votes, Avg Score 26.105)

 

"You're gonna need a bigger boat."

 

Number 1 Placements: 1 Placement

Top 5 Placements: 5 Placements

Top 10 Placements: 6 Placements

Changes in Rankings Over Time: 2014 (18, +1), 2013 (11, -6), 2012 (36, +19)

Tomatometer: 97%

Box Office: 260m (1.099b Adjusted)

Most Notable Awards Recognition: Won 3 Oscars

IMDb Synopsis: It's a hot summer on Amity Island, a small community whose main business is its beaches. When new Sheriff Martin Brody discovers the remains of a shark attack victim, his first inclination is to close the beaches to swimmers. This doesn't sit well with Mayor Larry Vaughn and several of the local businessmen. Brody backs down to his regret as that weekend a young boy is killed by the predator. The dead boy's mother puts out a bounty on the shark and Amity is soon swamped with amateur hunters and fisherman hoping to cash in on the reward. A local fisherman with much experience hunting sharks, Quint, offers to hunt down the creature for a hefty fee. Soon Quint, Brody and Matt Hooper from the Oceanographic Institute are at sea hunting the Great White shark. As Brody succinctly surmises after their first encounter with the creature, they're going to need a bigger boat.

Critic Opinion: "As the salty, cynical Quint, Robert Shaw easily dominates all of his scenes — flippant and profane but all pro when it comes to the business of hunting sharks. Roy Scheider is no less effective in a less colorful role; and Richard Dreyfuss, now bearded and scholarly in rimless glasses, demonstrates again how far he has come since American Graffiti. Nor should John Williams' totally supportive score be overlooked.  All in all, Jaws should make Universal nothing but money — and maybe pick up a few Oscars next year as well, particularly in the special-effects department. What it may do to the value of beach properties in the meantime, however, is another story." - Arthur Knight

User Opinion: "This has always been thought of as the beginning of the summer blockbuster era and that's always made me wonder just what the hell has gone wrong in the last 40 years since this masterpiece was released.The one word that I associate with Jaws in character. It is in fact a showcase of character across the board. It does a masterful job of developing the story. Both the human characters and the shark are the ultimate reasons this film is so special, and once again it's all about character. The film is simply unrivaled in so many aspects and is a one of a kind in so many different ways.The shark itself is developed in such a brilliant way. The first half hour seems to build up the ruthlessness of the creature. It serves to make you fear not only the shark but the water itself. You never see the shark at this stage so your imagination takes control here. The subsequent hour serves as a damn good crescendo of building tension building and suspense before the inevitable showdown. This is done by actually developing the shark and its mystique. It in fact leads to the shark transcending from being a simple animal and becoming a villain with a personality. What a special film this is.Scheider, Shaw, and Dreyfuss serve as the cornerstones of the film here. I felt Shaw was the edge, Dreyfuss was the reason, and Scheider was the rock and heart of the film. What a beautiful combination the mix ultimately was. The character interaction here was just as interesting as the chase of the shark. My favorite scene in this film is when all three break out into song in the boat. Just three guys shooting the shit while chasing a 25-foot great white on the open sea. Fuck yes. Enough said." - mattmasv45

Personal Comment: Spielberg makes his way onto the lists for yet another time, this time with the mother of all blockbusters, Jaws.  Jaws is the 8th movie from the 1970s to make our countdown.  Jaws is a monumental movie in so many different ways.  The first way, it was Spielberg's breakthrough as the king of blockbusters, and it made his career into the historic one it is today.  In another way, we wouldn't have a summer movie season or tentpole movies if it weren't for Jaws, it is the most important film when it comes to Box Office, so no doubt it would be ranked so high on a Box Office Website.  This movie is a perfect horror film that set the template for so many things that would come after it.

 

 

 

Edited May 29, 2016 by The Panda

[baumer]

Well, JAWS should be much higher of course, but for a site with members as young as this one, I'll take position 17.  And what a foursome you just named off.  Goodfellas, BTTF, Shawshank and Jaws.....all made my list in the top 25 I believe.  

 

Goodfellas is the finest mob movie ever made.

BTTF has perhaps the greatest script ever written.

Get busy livin or get busy dying......that's god-damned right

You're going to need a bigger boat.  The GOAT!!

[Dementeleus]

I was expecting a bigger rant from baumer.

[WrathOfHan]

Didn't watch Shawshank in time but it would have made my list

[Goffe]

Well I guess I'm happy with BTTF dropping positions from previous lists.

[baumer]

For a film that came out 40 years ago to still be recognized and loved and admired as much JAWS is, is truly remarkable...so no rant needed.

[Empire]

Jaws is such a fantastic film! Was in my top 10!

[DAR]

Goodfellas is my number 1 movie.  

Shawshank I can't remember if I had it top ten or just outside.

BTTF was top 30.

Jaws is my top 5.

[The Panda]

Number 16

The Matrix (1999)

77 Points (21 Votes, Avg Score 41.42857)

 

"To deny our own impulses is to deny the very thing that makes us human."

 

Number 1 Placements: 1 Placement

Top 5 Placements: 4 Placements

Top 10 Placements: 8 Placements

Changes in Rankings Over Time: 2014 (17, +1), 2013 (9, -7), 2012 (10, -6)

Tomatometer: 87%

Box Office: 171.48m (289.63m Adjusted)

Most Notable Awards Recognition: Won 4 Oscars

IMDb Synopsis: Thomas A. Anderson is a man living two lives. By day he is an average computer programmer and by night a hacker known as Neo. Neo has always questioned his reality, but the truth is far beyond his imagination. Neo finds himself targeted by the police when he is contacted by Morpheus, a legendary computer hacker branded a terrorist by the government. Morpheus awakens Neo to the real world, a ravaged wasteland where most of humanity have been captured by a race of machines that live off of the humans' body heat and electrochemical energy and who imprison their minds within an artificial reality known as the Matrix. As a rebel against the machines, Neo must return to the Matrix and confront the agents: super-powerful computer programs devoted to snuffing out Neo and the entire human rebellion.

Critic Opinion: "The image of a superficial existence, where ignorant people thrive by blocking out a troublesome reality, is potent for a Western society drowning in wealth while the rest of the world suffers.

The performances, too, wow. Admittedly Reeves is gifted the perfect role - he has to look good while hitting things - but Moss is charismatic, clever and sexy, while Fishburne is monumental.

Nestling next to "The Terminator" and "Metropolis", this is one the finest sci-fi flicks ever made.

What is "The Matrix"? It's genius. And yes, we admit, you do have to see it for yourself." - Nev Pierce

User Opinion: "I have said about Transformers that I hate every part of it, for me, the Matrix is the anti-Transformers, I loved everything about it.
 
One of the best of all time," - Tower

Personal Comment: The Wachowski's finally make it onto the list with the only good movie they've ever made (yes, you heard me, the only one).  These one hit wonder siblings however did manage to hit a streak in pop culture with the Matrix, it's too bad they followed it up with two pretentious pieces of shit.  Anyways, enough about the two directors I have no love for at all, and lets move onto the one good thing artistic wise that's ever come out of these two people, The Matrix.  The Matrix is the 22nd movie from the 1990s to make the countdown.  There are so many things that ended up going right with the Matrix.  Whether it be the innovative plot, the gripping visual sequences, the jaw-dropping action sequences, there is next to nothing wrong you can in one of the mother of all nerd films.  The Matrix has left its mark on the films that followed it, and few films can live up to its craziness.

 

 

 

[The Panda]

Number 15

Casablanca (1942)

78 Points (18 Votes, Avg Score 29.06)

 

"Louie, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship."

 

Number 1 Placements: 2 Placements

Top 5 Placements: 5 Placements

Top 10 Placements: 6 Placements

Changes in Rankings Over Time: 2014 (22, +7), 2013 (14, -1), 2012 (33, +18)

Tomatometer: 97%

Box Office: N/A

Most Notable Awards Recognition: Won 3 Oscars, including Best Pic

IMDb Synopsis: In World War II Casablanca, Rick Blaine, exiled American and former freedom fighter, runs the most popular nightspot in town. The cynical lone wolf Blaine comes into the possession of two valuable letters of transit. When Nazi Major Strasser arrives in Casablanca, the sycophantic police Captain Renault does what he can to please him, including detaining a Czechoslovak underground leader Victor Laszlo. Much to Rick's surprise, Lazslo arrives with Ilsa, Rick's one time love. Rick is very bitter towards Ilsa, who ran out on him in Paris, but when he learns she had good reason to, they plan to run off together again using the letters of transit. Well, that was their original plan....

Critic Opinion: "Like Citizen Kane and Gone with the Wind, this 1942 classic has been dissected to within an inch of its life. The reason Casablanca endures is that it's a timeless love story wrapped inside a gripping wartime thriller, written with such wit and meaning that it's still quoted (and misquoted) decades later. Humphrey Bogart gives a career-best performance as Rick, the cynical, expat nightclub owner, whose seemingly apolitical stance is rocked by the appearance of Resistance leader Victor Laszlo (Paul Henreid) and Ilsa Lund (the luminous Ingrid Bergman). Ilsa is Rick's old flame - cue misty-eyed flashbacks of their time together in Paris and requests for Dooley Wilson to play As Time Goes By. Memorable support comes from Peter Lorre, Conrad Veidt and Claude Rains, and Max Steiner's score is superb, but the final credit must go to director Michael Curtiz, who pieces it all together with verve, symbolism and torrid emotion. It may never carry the same impact as it did for post-Pearl Harbor Americans, but it still transfixes, from the first rounding up of the "usual suspects"." - Andrew Collins

User Opinion: "People often say "no movie is perfect". I have to assume those people have never seen Casablanca." - yads

Personal Comment: The first movie to make the top 15 of our list is none other than the classic, Casablanca.  Casablanca is only the 3rd movie from the 1940s to make the countdown, which in a way signifies something special.  It shows even a group of Box Office Junkies who evidently hate any movie that pre-dates the year they were born are able to recognize that there is so much brilliance to this movie.  Casablanca is often regarded by film critics as the best film of all-time, right next to the Citizen Kane (which was on our list previously).  The movie is about as perfect as a movie could be.  The screenwriting isn't only quotable and memorable, but it is some of the best writing ever put to the screen.  The film is impeccably shot and cut, and there are no complaints I could see one having about this movie.

 

 

 

[Tower]

My number 1 film showed up (The Matrix), and I even got a quote that I can't remember writing, but still very much agree with.

[Dementeleus]

MATRIX at 16 feels awfully high to me, but I still love the movie. 

[Tower]

The updated list until number 15:

position	film	year
100p	The Big Lebowski	1998
99	No Country For Old Men	2007
98	Magnolia	1999
97	Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows 2	2011
96	Captain America: Winters Soldier	2014
95	Ghostbusters	1984
94	Do The Right Thing	1989
93	Her	2013
92	Captain America: Civil War	2016
91	Raging Bull	1980
90	Chinatown	1974
89	The Shining	1980
88	The Wolf of Wall Street	2013
87	North By Northwest	1959
86	Spider-Man 2	2004
85	Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban	2004
84	Aladdin	1992
83	Saving Private Ryan	1998
82	One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest	1975
81	The Terminator	1984
80	Whiplash	2014
79	Aliens	1986
78	Psycho	1960
77	Heat	1995
76	Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade	1989
75	Memento	2000
74	Once Upon a Time in the West	1968
73	Boyhood	2014
72	Dr. Strangelove	1964
71	Guardians of the Galaxy	2014
70	It's a Wonderful Life	1946
69	Rocky	1975
68	Avengers	2012
67	Up	2009
66	There Will Be Blood	2007
65	Blade Runner	1982
64	Monty Python and the Holy Grail	1975
63	Singin' in the Rain	1952
62	Spirited Away	2001
61	Vertigo	1958
60	Batman Begins	2005
59	Die Hard	1988
58	The Silence Of The Lambs	1991
57	Inglorious Basterds	2009
56	The Usual Suspects	1995
55	Return Of The Jedi	1983
54	The Social Network	2010
53	Gravity	2013
52	Ratatouille	2007
51	The Wizard of Oz	1939
50	Citizen Kane	1941
49	The Truman Show	1998
48	Se7en	1995
47	Beauty and the Beast	1991
46	Fargo	1996
45	Alien	1979
44	The Force Awakens	2015
43	Seven Samurai	1954
42	Toy Story 2	1999
41	Rear Window	1954
40	Inside Out	2015
39	Fight Club	1999
38	Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind	2004
37	Toy Story	1995
36	The Lion King	1994
35	Jurassic Park	1993
34	E.T The Extra Terrestrial	1982
33	Groundhog Day	1993
32	The Incredibles	2004
31	Wall-E	2008
30	Toy Story 3	2010
29	Apocalypse Now	1979
28	Titanic	1997
27	Taxi Driver	1976
26	Finding Nemo	2003
25	Terminator 2: Judgement Day	1991
24	Mad Max: Fury Road	2015
23	The Good the Bad and the Ugly	1966
22	Inception	2010
21	Lawrence of Arabia	1962
20	Goodfellas	1990
19	Back To The Future	1985
18	The Shawshank Redemption	1994
17	Jaws	1975
16	The Matrix	1999
15	Casablanca	1942

Edited May 29, 2016 by Tower