Monday Morning Movie Meme

The Impenetrable One has put up a list of his Top 102 Five Star Films. You don't seriously think I'm going to pass up this nifty gifty when I'm still recovering my marbles from the weekend, do you? Cul-chah, man. It's all cul-chah.

Of course, this list is completely subjective, based on LDH's tastes. What's interesting in these cases is to compare and contrast. You know the drill - Those in bold I've seen. Those in italics I'd see again or would like to see. Gratuitous commentary inserted where ever I feel like it:

2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) - I frankly don't see what the big deal is.
The Adventures of Buckaroo Bonzai Across the 8th Dimension (1984) - One of my all time favorites, but it's been years since I saw it last.
Airplane! (1980) - I saw this on Comedy Central recently and for the first time began to sense that it was really starting to age. But I still love Robert Stack and Lloyd Bridges trying to out-macho each other.
All That Jazz (1979)
Amadeus (1984) - As biography, this film is a load of crap. But it is still entertaining and, to be fair, does hit on some of what you might call the themes of Mozart's life and art. Favorite scene: Where Mozart sits down at the keyboard in front of the Emperor and begins to riff on a pathetic little tune painstakingly composed by Salieri, eventually turning it into "Non piu andrai" from Le Nozzi di Figaro.
Animal House (1978) - Of course.
Annie Hall (1977) - I've seen this many, many times. And frankly, it's gotten old. I think I'd have to wait a long while before seeing it again.
As Good As It Gets (1997)
Awakenings (1990)
Back to the Future (1985) - I always think of this as one of the hallmark movies of the '80's.
Barbarella (1968)
Basic Instinct (1992)
Batman (1989)
Benny & Joon (1993)
The Big Chill (1983)
Blazing Saddles (1974) - Yeah, it has its funny moments. But the movie as a whole isn't anywhere near as good as Young Frankenstein.
The Blues Brothers (1980) - "Boys, you got to learn not to talk to nuns like that."
Body Heat (1981)
The Computer Who Wore Tennis Shoes (1970)
Creepshow (1982)
Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989)
The Crow (1994)
Die Hard (1988) - This is one of those "If FX is running it I have to watch it" guy flicks. I prefer the one with Samuel L. Jackson in it.
The Dirty Dozen (1967)
Doctor Doolittle (1967)
Dogma (1999)
The Doors (1991)
Ed Wood (1994)
Fargo (1996)
Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982) - Yes, I've never seen this. While I'd like to, I'm probably too old for it now.
Fatal Attraction (1987)
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998)
Field of Dreams (1989)
A Fish Called Wanda (1988) - Don't call me stupid.
The Fisher King (1991)
A Fistful of Dollars (1964) - I actually prefer For A Few Dollars More. And, of course, The Good, The Bad and The Ugly is the best of the set.
Forrest Gump (1994) - Me and the Idiot Savant, we don't get along together very well.
Ghost (1990) - Ghack.
Ghostbusters (1984) - One of Bill Murray's best.
Gods and Monsters (1998)
The Great Escape (1963)
Groundhog Day (1993)
Heaven Can Wait (1978)
Help! (1965) - I saw this many years ago and don't remember much. But it is the Beatles.
Highlander (1986)
The House of Yes (1997)
The January Man (1989)
A Life Less Ordinary (1997)
Little Man Tate (1991)
Mad Dog Time (1996)
Man on the Moon (1999)
Manhattan (1979)
M*A*S*H (1970) - The only weak point in this flick is the cardboard character of Major Frank Burns. But it is a mark of Hollywood - and particularly people like Robert Altman - that they simply do not understand conservatism and therefore almost always rely on shallow caricature to cover their ignorance.
The Mask (1994)- The story of my life as a blogger.
The Matrix (1999) - Aside from the dorm room bull-session metaphysics, a very good movie.
Miracle on 34th Street (1947) - I don't believe I've ever seen this all the way through.
Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1974) - Feche la vache!
Night Shift (1982)
The Nutty Professor (1963)
The People vs. Larry Flynt (1996)
The Philadelphia Story (1940) - The Trinity of Golden Age Hollywood.
Police Academy (1984) - Okay, you have too, so don't get all smug on me.
Poltergeist (1982) - As a rule, I hate horror movies. But I like this and The Shining.
The Princess Bride (1987)
Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
Rain Man (1988) - See Forest Gump above.
Raising Arizona (1987) - I read recently that on one of the takes of Leonard Smalls pulling up to Gale and Evelle's escape tunnel on his Harley, Tex Cobb damn near put the bike into the hole.
The Rapture (1991)
Repo Man (1984) - For when you feel the need to rebel.
Rio Bravo (1959)
The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)
The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)
Scream (1996)
Sex, Lies, and Videotape (1989)
Shine (1996) - One of those trendy movies that people think it's hip to see even if they don't really give a damn about the underlying art. I got very tired of people suddenly going around talking about the "Rach 3". And as a matter of fact, I heard a performance by David Helfgott on the radio once - it was horrid. Which makes me think this whole business was some kind of exploitation job.
The Shootist (1976) - Outstanding evidence that Wayne really could act.
Sliver (1993)
Somewhere in Time (1980)
South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut (1999) - A good friend once practically gave me conniptions when, after I complained that I needed some caffeine, she said, "Zees way to the coffee machine, beetches."
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982) - Best. Star. Trek. Of. All. Time. Period.
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986) - Probably the second best of the series. It's funny to go back and see all those mid-80's pieties about whales, "nuclear wessels" and capitalism.
Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope (1977)
Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi (1983) - I haven't seen the rereleased bastardized version of this one yet. If Lucas were to wipe out the Ewoks, I'd probably forgive him his other tinkering.
Starship Troopers (1997) - There is much to be said for the works of Michael Ironside.
The Sting (1973)
Striptease (1996)
Superman III (1983)
That Thing You Do! (1996) UPDATED: Forgot that I saw this.
Thirty-Two Short Films About Glenn Gould (1993) - Dunno why, but I missed this.
Tombstone (1993)
Top Secret! (1984)
Total Recall (1990)
Twelve Monkeys (1995)
Up in Smoke (1978)
The Usual Suspects (1995)
Walkabout (1971)
Westworld (1973)
Who Framed Roger Rabbit? (1988) - You know, this film is just too damn frenetic for me.
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971) - I came for the Oompah-Loompahs. I stayed for Gene Wilder's snide, subversive asides. And I use the nasty spoiled children as object lessons for my own kids.
The Wizard of Oz (1939)
The World According to Garp (1982)
Yellow Submarine (1968) - See entry for A Hard Day's Night.