Alpha's Countdown of the TOP 100 BEST FILMS OF CAYOM 2.0 - The Countdown Begins!

[Hiccup23]

9 hours ago, Blankments said:

Sweet excited to read this, although if you include Kansas, I'm throwing out the whole list  

 

Your review of Kansas was definitely a CAYOM Top 10 moment. 

 

It made me read Kansas....it isn't a terrible film but it definitely over-exagerates a ton

[Alpha]

#80

 

The Summer Story
Written by: @Electric
Directed by: Christopher Nolan
Starring: Ben Foster, Tom Hanks, Mila Kunis, Patton Oswalt, Topher Grace
Release Date: September 27th, Year 3
Domestic Gross: $58 million
Oscar Nominations:  6 (including Best Picture)
Oscar Wins: 0

 

Electric did a really good job with this one. Christopher Nolan is an odd choice for director, but overall Electric is able to craft an effective plot in the writing, and Ben Foster gives a great lead performance.

 

 

#79

 

Fatal Rendezvous
Written by: @4815162342
Directed by: Shane Black
Starring: Robert Downey, Jr., Aaron Eckhart, John Slattery, Al Pacino
Release Date: October 11th, Year 3
Domestic Gross: $104.7 million
Oscar Nominations: 6
Oscar Wins: 2

 

Although I'm disappointed by the lack of Christmas in a Shane Black movie, Numbers pulls together a very well-written and well-acted Hollywood crime film. Downey, Eckhart and Pacino were all highlights from the film. Overall, I really enjoyed it.

 

 

#78

 

Red Rabbit
Written by: @4815162342
Directed by: Andrew Niccol
Starring: Chris Pine, Jessica Chastain, Karl Urban, Aksel Hennie, Paul Bettany
Release Date: November 15th, Year 3
Domestic Gross: $218.4 million
Oscar Nominations: 6
Oscar Wins: 1

 

The first of Numbers' Jack Ryan films, it's a thrilling spy movie with competent direction from Andrew Niccol and a good lead performance from Chris Pine. I'm wondering if Numbers was aware Pine would end up playing Jack Ryan in real life when this was written back in 2012. Nevertheless, the CAYOM version ends up feeling more like a Jack Ryan adaptation then Branagh's 2014 adaptation.

 

 

#77

 

The Glass Castle
Written by: @Spaghetti
Directed by: Tate Taylor
Starring: Chloe Grace Moretz, Paul Bettany, Robin Wright
Release Date: August 8th, Year 4
Domestic Gross: $135 million
Oscar Nominations: 7 (including Best Picture)
Oscar Wins: 3

 

An emotional rollercoaster ride from Spaghetti. Moretz and Bettany give the best performances from Year 4. The rest of the film doesn't really equal the sheer emotional power of their acting, considering the film feels a little all-over-the-place throughout.

 

 

#76

 

Star Wars: Age of the Republic
Written by: @4815162342
Directed by: Andrew Stanton
Starring: Armie Hammer, Eddie Redmayne, Iain Glen, Joan Allen, Joel Kinnaman
Release Date: May 17th, Year 9
Domestic Gross: $503.2 million
Oscar Nominations: 5
Oscar Wins: 1

 

A Star Wars film that takes place before the original trilogy?

 

I kid. Numbers does a great job working within the Expanded Universe. Stanton is a great choice for director, because he's able to craft outstanding visual effects alongside some great storytelling.

 

Edited September 10, 2016 by Alpha

[Alpha]

#75

 

The Morrow II
Written by: @Frankenberry
Directed by: Alfonso Cuarón
Starring: Christoph Waltz, Clive Owen, August Diehl, Max Minghella, Heike Makatsch
Release Date: December 20th, Year 3
Domestic Gross: $502.2 million
Oscar Nominations: 3
Oscar Wins: 1

I think story-wise it wasn't as captivating or as powerful as the first Morrow film (which you'll see some time in the next 70 spots), but I think telling a parallel story rather than continuing with characters whose arcs had been neatly crafted in the first installment is an interesting decision that pays off. The technical elements also prevail, being just as magnificently crafted as the first installment.

 

 

 

#74

 

Sylvarius
Written by: @4815162342
Starring: Emma Watson, Anton Yelchin, Alexis Denisof, Stephen Dillane, Michelle Pfeiffer
Release Date: March 21st, Year 4
Domestic Gross: $202.8 million
Oscar Nominations: 6
Oscar Wins: 1

A great animated film. It's loaded with beautiful animation and a pretty excellent story.

 

 

 

#73

 

The Story of Daniel Rigger
Written by: @ChD
Directed by: Guy Ritchie
Starring: Liam Neeson, Emma Watson
Release Date: January 29th, Year 6
Domestic Gross: $116.9 million
Oscar Nominations: 0
Oscar Wins: 0

Odd for a January film to be this good. It's a pretty subtle film for Guy Ritchie, who puts his manic sensibilities aside for a quieter experience. The Story of Daniel Rigger ends up being a very dynamic drama. Without much in the way of supporting characters besides Alice and Alexander, Liam Neeson doesn't share a lot of his screen time, and he's able to make the most of it by giving the performance his all. It's an impressive feat, and I think it's a shame he didn't end up getting nominated for the Oscar.

 

 

#72

 

Blank
Written by: @4815162342
Directed by: Martin McDonagh
Starring: Mark Strong, Tim Roth, Felicity Jones, Colin Firth
Release Date: April 14th, Year 7
Domestic Gross: $97.2 million
Oscar Nominations: 2
Oscar Wins: 0

Martin McDonagh keeps his slick style from a film like In Bruges intact with Blank, a fun action thriller featuring a great performance from the always-great Mark Strong, alongside great supporting bits from Tim Roth and Colin Firth. The film benefits from great writing that doesn't let a complicated plot take away from the film's simple charm. It's created with a lot of depth that ends up translating to an enjoyable experience.

 

 

 

#71

 

The Yellow Wallpaper
Written by: @Alpha
Directed by: James Wan
Starring: Rose Bryne, Adam Scott
Release Date: August 23rd, Year 9
Domestic Gross: $114.3 million
Oscar Nominations: 1
Oscar Wins: 0

I'll refrain from talking a lot about this movie since it's my own, but I think it's a pretty good psychological thriller with a great performance from Rose Bryne.

 

 

Edited September 10, 2016 by Alpha

[Alpha]

#70

 

Spring Awakening
Written by: @4815162342
Starring: Hunter Parrish, Alexandra Socha
Release Date: April 8th, Year 1
Domestic Gross: $58.7 million
Oscar Nominations: 1
Oscar Wins: 0

There’s a lot of musicals that don’t translate well to film, but Spring Awakening isn’t one of them. Numbers does a very competent job adapting it for the big screen. It also helps that I like the original musical itself.

1

 

#69

 

Reality Shift
Written by: @Blankments
Directed by: Ben Stiller
Starring: Robert Downey, Jr., Ben Stiller, Kristen Schaal, Ed Helms, Wallace Shawn
Release Date: July 28th, Year 7
Domestic Gross: $140.2 million
Oscar Nominations: 0
Oscar Wins: 0

Reality Shift replicates what made Tropic Thunder funny; balls-to-the-wall humor paired with funny comedic performances. Although Downey and Stiller probably should’ve flipped their roles, I laughed quite a bit while reading this. Well done, Blankments.

1

 

#68

 

Careful Laid Plans
Written by: @riczhang
Directed by: Joel and Ethan Coen
Starring: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Rooney Mara, James Badge Dale, Leonardo DiCaprio, John Goodman
Release Date: October 21st, Year 6
Domestic Gross: $134.8 million
Oscar Nominations: 15 (including Best Picture)
Oscar Wins: 7 (including Best Picture)

The first Best Picture winner on the list, Careful Laid Plans. Admittedly, it’s my least favorite film out of Riczhang’s Coen brothers film, only because the film is kinda slow, especially in the beginning, I think it benefits greatly from strong acting performances from Gordon-Levitt and Leo. It’s important to not forget as well that the Coen brothers are still god-tier directors.

 

 

#67

 

Resonance
Written by: @Alpha
Directed by: Darren Aronofsky
Starring: Liam Neeson, Gael García Bernal, Salma Hayek
Release Date: August 31st, Year 8
Domestic Gross: $151.5 million
Oscar Nominations: 12 (including Best Picture)
Oscar Wins: 2

I'll keep my words brief:

Killing off Society's sound designer was my revenge all along, Hiccup!



 I kid. Love ya, dude.

 

 

#66

 

Le Grand Écran
Written by: @Spaghetti
Directed by: Sylvain Chomet
Starring: Audrey Tautou, Francois Cluzet
Release Date: November 4th, Year 6
Domestic Gross: $39.2 million
Oscar Nominations: 5
Oscar Wins: 0

Yeah, this was great. Spaghetti crafts a pleasant romantic dramedy with some great animation. It’s pretty cool to see a French director’s take on Hollywood. I can’t say I’m a Sylvain Chomet fan since I haven’t seen his animated films, but I feel like his style definitely works here.

 

Edited September 11, 2016 by Alpha

[Alpha]

#65

 

The Cardinal in the Kremlin
Written by: @4815162342
Directed by: Phillip Noyce
Starring: Chris Pine, Jessica Chastain, Karl Urban, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau
Release Date: November 18th, Year 6
Domestic Gross: $178.1 million
Oscar Nominations: 8 (including Best Picture)
Oscar Wins: 2

 

#64

 

The Concert’s End
Written by: @riczhang
Directed by: Kenneth Branagh
Starring: Pretty much everybody in the film industry including Jason Statham
Release Date: November 9th, Year 8
Domestic Gross: $70 million
Oscar Nominations: 11
Oscar Wins: 4

 

#63

 

A Love to Die For
Written by: @Spaghetti
Directed by: Greg Mottola
Starring: Channing Tatum, Jennifer Lawrence, Steve Buscemi, Chris Pratt
Release Date: February 9th, Year 8
Domestic Gross: $137.1 million
Oscar Nominations: 0
Oscar Wins: 0

 

#62

 

Thane of the Flies
Written by: @riczhang
Directed by: Kenneth Branagh
Starring: Gary Oldman, Tilda Swinton, Alexander Ludwig, Ethan Jamieson
Release Date: November 27th, Year 3
Domestic Gross: $64.4 million
Oscar Nominations: 3
Oscar Wins: 0

 

#61

 

Chuck Norris and Liam Neeson vs. The Underworld
Written by: @Blankments
Directed by: Clark Gregg
Starring: Chuck Norris, Liam Neeson
Release Date: April 5th, Year 9
Domestic Gross: $169.5 million
Oscar Nominations: 4
Oscar Wins: 0

Edited September 11, 2016 by Alpha

[Blankments]

One of these days I feel like I should finally give Chuck and Liam an ending

[Alpha]

#60

 

Mysteries of the Beyond
Written by: @4815162342
Directed by: Jack Bender
Starring: Cillian Murphy, Kyle Chandler, Anthony Mackie, Freida Pinto
Release Date: May 20th, Year 6
Domestic Gross: $224.9 million
Oscar Nominations: 3
Oscar Wins: 2

 

 

 

#59

 

Psychonauts
Written by: @Spaghetti
Directed by: Chris Butler and Tim Schaffer
Starring: Richard Steven Horwitz, J.K. Simmons, Nikki Rapp, Tom Kenney
Release Date: September 24th, Year 5
Domestic Gross: $61.8 million
Oscar Nominations: 5
Oscar Wins: 1

 

 

 

#58

 

Dauntless
Written by: @rukaio101
Directed by: Nicholas Meyer
Starring: Clive Owen, Imogen Poots, Catherine Zeta-Jones
Release Date: May 31st, Year 9
Domestic Gross: $197.8 million
Oscar Nominations: 11
Oscar Wins: 1

 

 

 

#57

 

Chuck Norris and Liam Neeson vs. Giant Spiders
Written by: @Blankments
Directed by: Clark Gregg, Adam Green and Quentin Tarantino
Starring: Chuck Norris, Liam Neeson
Release Date: August 26th, Year 6
Domestic Gross: $131.9 million
Oscar Nominations: 4
Oscar Wins: 1

 

 

 

#56

 

Flowers for Algernon
Written by: @Alpha
Directed by: Tim Burton
Starring: Jared Leto, Isla Fisher, Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter
Release Date: November 21st, Year 8
Domestic Gross: $127.7 million
Oscar Nominations: 7 (including Best Picture)
Oscar Wins: 3

 

 

Edited September 12, 2016 by Alpha

[Ezen Baklattan]

Thanks for all the mentions, Alpha! I'm personally very proud of Psychonauts. 

[Blankments]

praying for one more Chuck and Liam mention #BestFranchiseEver

[Alpha]

#55

 

Empty Hearth
Written by: @riczhang
Directed by: Joel and Ethan Coen
Starring: Daniel Day-Lewis, Marion Cotillard, Tommy Lee Jones, James Badge Dale
Release Date: October 22nd, Year 5
Domestic Gross: $77.1 million
Oscar Nominations: 6
Oscar Wins: 4

 

#54

 

Spark 2: Ignition
Written by: @Spaghetti
Directed by: Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko
Starring: Paul Dano, Bryce Dallas Howard, Benedict Cumberbatch, Mark Strong, Brie Larson
Release Date: June 2nd, Year 7
Domestic Gross: $277.9 million
Oscar Nominations: 7
Oscar Wins: 1

 

#53

 

Shiverin’ Gulch
Written by: @Blankments
Directed by: Alex Hirsch
Starring: Linda Cardellini, Idris Elba, Kristen Schaal, Alex Hirsch
Release Date: August 6th, Year 5
Domestic Gross: $114.6 million
Oscar Nominations: 5
Oscar Wins: 3

 

#52

 

Amulet
Written by: @Alpha
Directed by: Bryan Singer
Starring: Joey King, Daniel Craig, Jessica Chastain, Preston Bailey, Jake Abel
Release Date: July 28th, Year 7
Domestic Gross: $233.2 million
Oscar Nominations: 4
Oscar Wins: 1

 

#51

 

The Seafarer
Written by: @RySenkari
Starring: Lea Salonga, Ashley Parker Angel, John DiMaggio, Stephen Merchant, Mitchell Musso
Release Date: December 14th, Year 2
Domestic Gross: $225.2 million
Oscar Nominations: 5
Oscar Wins: 2

Edited September 12, 2016 by Alpha

[Alpha]

And with that, the first half of the list is done. Check back later when we start again at #50!

[Hiccup23]

Pretty sure none of my films will make an appearance....maybe Society? 

[Ezen Baklattan]

Huh, seems you liked Spark 2 a lot more as time progressed. (IIRC you barely had it in your top 25)

 

Certainly happy about it, just wondered if anything changed.

[Ezen Baklattan]

By the way, I will likely make such a list in the not too distant future. Will have a loooooot of reading to do.

[Alpha]

38 minutes ago, Spaghetti said:

Huh, seems you liked Spark 2 a lot more as time progressed. (IIRC you barely had it in your top 25)

 

Certainly happy about it, just wondered if anything changed.

 

I re-read through a lot of stuff and some of my opinions changed on plenty of films.

 

Basically, don't expect the rest of the list to correspond with my previous Top 25 lists. There's plenty of surprises ahead.

[Blankments]

1 hour ago, Alpha said:

 

I re-read through a lot of stuff and some of my opinions changed on plenty of films.

 

Basically, don't expect the rest of the list to correspond with my previous Top 25 lists. There's plenty of surprises ahead.

Expedecade gets #1 on your surprise "Worst of" list you drop at the top 25

[Alpha]

I don't know how to introduce this in a cool way, so HERE WE GOOooo

 

THE REMAINING 50 FILMS ON THE LIST

 

Along the way of the second half of the countdown, they'll be two special, smaller Top 10 for things CAYOM-related.

 

The Top 10 Craziest Box Office Runs in CAYOM

The Top 10 Worst Films of CAYOM

 

Now, let's start with number 50, a fairly violent film for a pretty festive occasion...

 

#50

 

Santa Claus: Ultimate Badass
Because Billy Bob Thornton was certainly qualified for the job of Santa the last time around.
 

Written by: @Spaghetti
Directed by: Scott Sanders
Starring: Billy Bob Thornton, Mila Kunis, Samuel L. Jackson, Max Greenfield
Release Date: November 19th, Year 5
Domestic Gross: $64.6 million
Oscar Nominations: 0
Oscar Wins: 0

This movie is crazy in all the right ways. Santa Claus: Ultimate Badass is certainly not thought-provoking or technically brilliant, but it's sure as hell entertaining. I can see why Spaghetti would cast Billy Bob Thornton as Santa Claus after his performance in Bad Santa, and I think he does a lot better of a job here considering he has a lot more to do than just be a lazy, drunken bum. Max Greenfield hams it up as the villain, making the film all the more ridiculous and hilarious. Overall, I think Santa Claus: Ultimate Badass does right what the Chuck Norris and Liam Neeson movies did right as well; take a pretty ridiculous B-movie concept and make it ridiculously funny without the humor becoming overbearing or pandering. Santa Claus hunting for monsters? Check, please.

 

 

 

Edited September 13, 2016 by Alpha

[Alpha]

#49

 

The Three-Month Funeral
Strangely, Hollywood made the same film two years later.
Written by: @Blankments
Directed by: David O. Russell
Starring: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Meryl Streep, Bill Murray, Jennifer Lawrence, Anthony Mackie
Release Date: December 8th, Year 7
Domestic Gross: $93.7 million
Oscar Nominations: 6
Oscar Wins: 0

The Three-Month Funeral is an excellent dramedy about the struggles of a dysfunctional family. The pure family drama is done very, very well, and it’s backed up by great performances from an A-list cast that includes JGL, Goddess Meryl, Bill Murray, JLaw and future Falcon Anthony Mackie. The body in the freezer, an oddity that could be taken at face as a gag, sort of represents the pure melancholy that surrounds the film and it’s characters. It’s a very well done film. While the premise sounds like more of an absurd, dry comedy, The Three-Month Funeral succeeds by playing it straight. I think that while Blankments certainly could’ve gone that route and succeeded, the film would’ve lost the emotional power it carries. It’s a very human story, and I think that’s what Blankments was truly going for.

1

Edited September 13, 2016 by Alpha

[Alpha]

Alright, let's get back on track.

 

#48

 

The House of Atreus
Ain't no historical epic like a Numbers epic.
Written by: @4815162342
Directed by: Ang Lee
Starring: Michael Fassbender, Richard Armitage, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Natalie Dormer, Guy Pearce
Release Date: December 13th, Year 9
Domestic Gross: $204.6 million
Oscar Nominations: 15 (including Best Picture)
Oscar Wins: 4

Let me say upfront that The House of Atreus isn't as good as Alesia and The Rise and Fall of Julius Caesar (yep, they're both appearing later on this list). However, it's still an incredibly written, visually stunning historical epic. Common among Numbers' epics, it's filled with great performances from it's cast, especially Guy Pearce. Secondly, it's engrossing. This genre can certainly drag sometimes with all the plot details and characters, but The House of Atreus never falls victim to a slower pace. Ang Lee is an inspired choice for director, and he's able to create a visually intense and beautiful film. All in all, The House of Atreus replicates what made the Rise of Rome films great; great writing, great performances and great technicals. Two thumbs up.

Edited September 13, 2016 by Alpha

[Alpha]

#47

 

Seeing Her
The unofficial sequel to To the Moon.
Written by: @Spaghetti
Directed by: Noam Baumbach
Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Zooey Deschanel, Mindy Kaling, Jake Johnson
Release Date: July 21st, Year 7
Domestic Gross: $65 million
Oscar Nominations: 0
Oscar Wins: 0

Seeing Her is one of the most human movies of Year 7. It’s an emotional blend of romance, drama and science fiction, and one that truly resonates beyond the story itself. It’s actually sad that this didn’t even get a single Oscar nomination. Jesse Eisenberg gives one of the best performances from that year, and I really believe had their been a bigger push he would have attained a Best Actor nomination. But enough about Oscars, this film is great. While it’s full of raw emotion, it’s never manipulative. Seeing Her does what a lot of real-life romantic dramas don’t; make the audience feel something other than manufactured tears.

Edited September 13, 2016 by Alpha