EW names best 100 movies in last 25 years, we name the top 10 snubs
Posted Monday, June 23, 2008 at 2:59 PM Central
by John Couture
It used to be that everyone loves a clown, but I think the Web 2.0 version of this is everyone loves a list. Specifically, everyone loves a top 10 list and with last Thursday's movie t-shirt list, we're no exception.
Entertainment Weekly recently took on the daunting task of compiling a list of what they call "The New Classics: The 100 best films from 1983 to 2008." Take that AFI!
At first I simply dismissed it as yet another attempt to compile a list of the same old movies to get a little bit of traffic, but after actually sitting down with the list I became a convert. Anyone with the cajones to put Blue Velvet in the top 10 commands my respect.
Without further ado, here's the list (along with my occasional commentary):
- South Park: Bigger, Longer, & Uncut
- The Blair Witch Project
- The Talented Mr. Ripley
- Glory
- Far From Heaven
- In the Mood for Love
- Full Metal Jacket
- Ed Wood
- Menace II Society
- Back To The Future
- Napoleon Dynamite
- Breaking The Waves
- Austin Powers: International Man Of Mystery
- Swingers
- Y Tu Mama Tambien
- The 40 Year-Old Virgin
- Sideways
- Evil Dead 2
- Lost In Translation
- Moonstruck
- Michael Clayton
- Waiting For Guffman
- Terminator 2: Judgment Day
- Sid And Nancy
- The Departed
- Out Of Africa
- Drugstore Cowboy
- Office Space
- Thelma & Louise
- Unforgiven
- Broadcast News
- All About My Mother
- Witness
- Donnie Brasco
- Natural Born Killers
- Dirty Dancing
- No Country for Old Men
- Big
- Sex, Lies, And Videotape
- Beverly Hills Cop
- Scream
- L.A. Confidential
- Ghostbusters
- There's Something About Mary
- The Lives of Others
- Risky Business
- Fatal Attraction
- The Truman Show
- The Naked Gun
- There Will Be Blood
- The Piano
- Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
- Scarface
- Men In Black
- Children of Men
- Rain Man
- The Player
- Gladiator
- Clueless
- Dazed And Confused
- Speed
- The Sixth Sense
- Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
- Pretty Woman
- Spider-Man 2
- The Incredibles
- Fargo
- The Breakfast Club
- Fight Club
- Brokeback Mountain
- When Harry Met Sally...
- The Bourne Supremacy
- Wings of Desire
- Aliens
- Hoop Dreams
- Shrek
- A Room With A View
- Memento
- Rushmore
- Schindler's List
- The Lion King
- Casino Royale
- Do The Right Thing
- Jerry Maguire
- Boogie Nights
- Edward Scissorhands
- Crumb
- Goodfellas
- The Matrix
- This Is Spinal Tap
- Moulin Rouge
- Die Hard
- The Silence Of The Lambs
- Hannah And Her Sisters
- Saving Private Ryan
- Toy Story
- Blue Velvet
- Titanic
- The Lord Of The Rings: The Motion Picture Trilogy
- Pulp Fiction
A great way to start the list and to send the message that this isn't going to be the same old movies.
A very weak inclusion in my opinion, especially given the notable snubs below.
Now we're talking. Of course, without Platoon (you know the Best Picture winning movie) on the list, you would think that this would be much higher up.
There's absolutely no way this makes it on the list before Boyz N The Hood. No way.
If you dismiss Juno out of hand because of concerns over its staying power, then this movie should also end up on the chopping room floor.
Robbed of a deserved top 50 spot.
Explain to me again how a Cher movie makes the list when Kevin Spacey got snubbed many times over.
I liked it and all, but I don't think it fits in with this list.
Comedy always gets the shaft on lists like this. You applaud them on one hand for including this one, but chide them on the other for such a low ranking.
Is this the Patrick Swayze sympathy vote? Hell, I'd rather see Ghost or Road House make the list.
Way too high for a movie that is less than a year old.
Are you kidding me? Is this because Airplane! wasn't eligible?
See above in regards to newer movies.
I guess Roberto Benigni really did fall off the face of the planet.
How this isn't top 25 or top 10, I'll never know.
Yes! Thank you! This is a newer movie that deserves its high placement.
Uhh, no. Thanks for playing. Is this movie even still watch-able? I'm surprised Scooby Doo didn't make the list.
You choose one documentary and this is the one you go with? Roger & Me is a better choice. Super Size Me is another. I'm not knocking its inclusion, just wondering why it got the nod over other worthy pics.
Top 25? I don't think so.
Fine, you want to acknowledge the Blonde Bond, but this is far too gracious.
Gotta love the love given to the love industry.
Oh look, how cute, and you put is at 11. Oh wait, we did the same thing over here. I guess we can't be hypocritical, now can we?
Not even close to top 10 status.
Wait, wasn't Toy Story 2 the better movie?
This inclusion and ranking almost makes this list forgivable. Almost.
Fine, I get it. You have to.
Ditto.
No gripes here. Of course, with the notable snubs missing (see below), it almost invalidates this risky and inspired top choice.
That's quite a list and at first glance I was quite impressed with the inclusion and slotting of such movies like Blue Velvet and Memento, but what's a list without some sort of controversy? The more I looked and broke down the list, the more evident some snubs became.
And in true list fashion, I've compiled my list of the Top 10 Entertainment Weekly Snubs.
- The Big Lebowski
For someone that doesn't particularly imbibe the White Russians that the Dude concocts, I can still show a little appreciation for the rabid fanbase that holds annual bowl-a-thons and get-togethers.
- Return Of The Jedi
Sure, it's not as good as its predecessors in the series which are ineligible due to the timeframe cutoff, but are you telling me that Jedi isn't on par with Dirty Dancing (65) or Moonstruck (81)?
- Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade
Many of the same arguments for exclusion could apply here as above, but the difference here is that The Last Crusade might be the best of the Indiana Jones movies. It's surely more worthy of inclusion over say The Naked Gun (52).
- Finding Nemo
In our eyes Nemo is much better than The Incredibles (35), but it's not even listed. I guess we should be thankful that they didn't put Cars on the list.
- Donnie Darko
I will only forgive EW for this oversight if they will come out and admit that this snub was more a reaction to Southland Tales than a fair and balanced evaluation of Donnie Darko. Of course, it could also be a gut reaction to the alleged sequel S. Darko announced for next year, but come on Richard Kelly isn't even involved with that one.
- / Clerks/Chasing Amy
As most of you know, I would unabashedly put multiple Kevin Smith movies in my Top 10, but come on, how can you omit him altogether? Even if you don't include his genre breaking Clerks on the list, the omission of Chasing Amy is unforgivable.
- Forrest Gump
I know it's easy to get into Tom Hanks mode and completely overdose on him in your list, but I really don't get the argument for including Big (63) and not Gump. Yeah, I had to double check the list too.
- The Professional
Forget for a moment my infatuation with all things Natalie Portman and take this movie for what it is, an amazing work of art. Sadly, it often gets overlooked as it came out in the same year as the #1 movie on EW's list.
- // Seven/American Beauty/The Usual Suspects
I guess Kevin Spacey no longer rules. That's unfortunate because any one of these movies are worthy enough for top billing our most snubbed list. Taken together, their omission is unconscionable.
- The Shawshank Redemption
I really don't know what to say about this snub. I mean it's arguably one of the best movies put out in the last 50 years, let alone the last 25. For me, not having this movie on the list, let alone not within the top 10, is unforgivable.
So, what do you think of EW's list and/or our snubs? Are there movies left off both lists that you feel should be included? Let us know.