A goal that I thought would be easy to complete since100 wasn't that big a number and I liked watching movies..yet it took me almost 3 years to complete.
It wasn't finding the time that was as hard as finding the movies. Some of the movies were international, some were very old, even a few silent movies so it was quite a task.
In the end, I used pretty much all resources available- buying some dvds (one from UK which obviously once procured would not play on a US dvd player), renting from amazon, renting from the NYPL (sometimes even paying a $12 late fee for returning it a week+ late), using the criterion collection which finally came to our TV channel.
Overall, it's been a fun #covidgoal to have and I enjoyed watching most of the movies. Some movies were just mesmerizing, others were trailblazers in their days but not new by the time I got around to watching them.
I have nevertheless given a one liner review of the movies. More for my journaling self but maybe you will benefit from it too..Let's watch ;-)
The link to the list of 100 movies I watched is here. But there are many other such lists. If you are interested, pick any such list of 10, 20, 50, 100 and go for it. It's a great viewing and learning experience.
My "must watch":
1.The Godfather (1972): I loved the. trilogy and would consider it essential watching for anyone who likes the concept of movies.
2.The Godfather, Part II (1974): Just haunting, could and should watch annually once.
3.Star Wars (1977): "May the Force be with you." I joined a club as shall you once you watch any of the Star Wars movies
4. Singin' In The Rain (1952): Introduced me to the art of tap dancing.
5.The Gold Rush (1925): I am embarrassed to say I hadn't watched many Charlie Chaplin movies before. What a treat.
6.E.T. - The Extra-Terrestrial (1982): I loved it, especially "What's Happening!" and the music.
7.All About Eve (1950): I couldn't stop praising this movie. Such a great story arch and acting.
8.Sunset Boulevard (1950): Wonderful movie, left me feeling sad for the whole industry
9. Jules and Jim (Jules et Jim) (1962) (Fr.): So french, so beautiful and très bizarre.
10.Sherlock Jr. (1924): Even now, it's creative streak runs wild and true.
11.The Maltese Falcon (1941): My favorite Humphrey Bogart from this list.
12.Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956): One of the best and scariest science fiction movie in MHO
13. Henry V (1944) (Br.): I love how this movie starts on a stage and then takes us into the battlefield. Great acting too.
14.Tootsie (1982): I just LOVED this movie of a man learning more about what women have to face just by having to dress up as one.
15.The Manchurian Candidate (1962): All versions of this movie are great, this being the first version is ultra-special.
16.Airplane! (1980): I didn't expect it to be so funny. It's hilarious.
17.To Be or Not to Be (1942): Another very very very funny movie. Really enjoyed watching it.
18. Do the Right Thing (1989): It's about racism but also so much more and such a simpler time. One of my favorite Spike Lee movies.
19.The Silence of the Lambs (1991): Judie Foster, Anthony Hopkins- both cinema legends making the movie a legend too. What a treat to see them together despite the gruesome topic and scenes.
20. Swept Away... (1975) (It.): The movie was beautifully made and did a 180 in the characters portrayed. It left me thinking about the movie many many days after watching it.
21. Celine & Julie Go Boating (1974) (Fr.): It took me forever to find this movie but it was worth the trouble. Such a strange story and so much camaraderie.
22. Tokyo Story (Tokyo Monogatari) (1953) (Jp.): I love Japanese movie and this is one of the best.
Classics but not my favorites:
1.Citizen Kane (1941): I came out of the theatre underwhelmed but I was pretty young then.
2.Casablanca (1942): I guess I heard about it way too much before I saw it, by then it was too. built up in my head.
3.Chinatown (1974): Incredible story and great acting.
4.Raging Bull (1980): Violent but good.
5. La Dolce Vita (The Sweet Life) (1960) (It.): It's good but not my kind.
6.Gone With The Wind (1939): I should probably watch this again.
7.Some Like It Hot (1959): Remember it being very funny.
8.Psycho (1960): Still scares me.
9. Seven Samurai (Shichinin no Samurai) (1954) (Jp.): I watched it but never appreciated the finer details of the movie
10.The Searchers (1956): This was a good western movie and I am glad to have seen it.
11.Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned To Stop Worrying... (1964): It was unique and funny and political satire
12.On The Waterfront (1954): Very American, very 1950s
13.Lawrence of Arabia (1962): The first movie I watched in an attempt to complete this list
14.Vertigo (1958): A good Alfred Hitchcock movie. Don't remember much
15. Bicycle Thieves (Ladri di Biciclette) (1948) (It.): I remember liking it a lot for the desperation they show.
16.Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs (1937): The "Frozen" of our times.
17.Bringing Up Baby (1938): Interesting movie with a leopard and all.
18.Intolerance (1916): Quite unique in that it was a silent movie and spanned 3 stories/eras
19.2001: A Space Odyssey (1968): Science: both promising and scary.
20.The Grapes of Wrath (1940): Very well made and true to the book.
21.Pulp Fiction (1994): Not my kind of movie, all I remember is violence, violence and more violence.
22.Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939): Fun movie. My introduction to the concept of filibustering.
23.The Wizard of Oz (1939): I would have put it in the must watch except I am sure everyone has watched it.
24.Nashville (1975): I remember quite liking it by the end, especially the way all the stories come together.
25.Swing Time (1936): More tap dancing.
26.Schindler's List (1993): My first of many movies on the horror that was World War II
27.Taxi Driver (1976): I can't believe he recovered from his wounds. Or did he not?
28.Aliens (1986): One of the classic science fiction movies.
29.Duck Soup (1933): Turned out to be quite quite funny.
30.North By Northwest (1959): I remember enjoying the scenery (Mt. Rushmore) as much as the movie.
31. The Seventh Seal (Det Sjunde Inseglet) (1957) (Swd.): Very philosophical. Worth it.
32.The Bridge On The River Kwai (1957): I am still haunted by the torture scene of keeping them in melting heat and then freezing cold.
33.King Kong (1933): First of its kind, King of the jungle in the concrete jungle.
34.Bonnie And Clyde (1967): Quite different characters. Ending is just tragic.
35.Sweet Smell of Success (1957): I liked it. The acting, the story, the sinister dealings.
36.Double Indemnity (1944): It was ok but definitely engrossing. Have seen similar movies of as the book mentions, "Classic Venus-flytrap noir".
37. Children of Paradise (Les Enfants du Paradis) (1945) (Fr.): It was different and had a social and personal story in it.
38.Jaws (1975): "Dun dun dun dun dun"...trying to recreate the well known theme music. I am glad I watched it but wouldn't rush to watch again.
39.Touch Of Evil (1958): It had two great actors (Charlton Heston, Orson Welles) in it and was well made.
40.The Graduate (1967): I love Dustin Hoffman but this is not my favorite of his movies. Look at the Must Watch list for that.
41.It's A Wonderful Life (1946): Everyone should watch this every time they feel low on self-esteem.
42.The Wild Bunch (1969): Good western movie. Showed some really strong scenes like the wine spilling from various barrels.
43.Annie Hall (1977): I like Woody Allen movies, at one point I had a goal of seeing them all. This is a good one.
44.The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938): I liked this movie. It was fun and in color and quite funny too.
45.Mean Streets (1973): Good movie but not my kind. Still well-made and well-acted.
46.The Third Man (1949): Again, good movie, just not my kind.
47.Notorious (1946): I didn't think it was that special as far as Cary Grant movies go. Ingrid is of course beautiful.
48.The Bride of Frankenstein (1935): It's a classic so worth watching.
49. The Conformist (1970) (It./Fr./WGer.): Definitely strange but memorable. The final scene in the woods comes as a shock even if you know it's coming.
50. Beauty and the Beast (1991): It's good. It's enchanting. It's the start of the successful Disney princesses.
51. M (1931) (Ger.): It's a good movie. Reminds us to always always know there are two sides to a story.
52. Great Expectations (1946) (Br.): I didn't think much of the hero but it's a perfect Charles Dickens in video.
53. Battleship Potemkin (Bronenosets Potyomkin) (1925) (USSR): Good movie about crazy times.
54.White Heat (1949): He sure loved his mother.
55.It's a Gift (1934): I liked the ending. All's well that ends well. Maybe, life is a gift.
56. Nosferatu (1922) (Ger.): Another classic that one just needs to watch, at least once.
57. Diabolique (Les Diaboliques) (1955) (Fr.): It was a who-dunnit till the end. Quite good.
58.The Best Years of Our Lives (1946): I liked this movie, very American.
59.Blow-Up (1966) (Br.): Not my favorite, quite artistic.
60.To Kill a Mockingbird (1962): It's a classic through and through.
61.Rebel Without a Cause (1955): Knowing the real life story of the main actor (James Dean) makes it even more sad.
62. L'Age d'Or (1930) (Fr.): It was a strange movie with a strange theme.
63. The Producers (1968): Funny for sure. Loved it
64. Wings of Desire (Der Himmel uber Berlin) (1988) (WGer./Fr.):
65. Pickup on South Street (1953): Turned out much more sinister than I thought it would be.
66.Mildred Pierce (1945): Interesting and sad. Parenting is hard.
67.Sunrise (1927): A silent movie that had a sad but common story.
68.The Road Warrior (1982) (aka Mad Max 2 (1981, Austr.)): Not my kind of movie, but I liked it. Mel Gibson was quite a hunk.
69. The Shop Around the Corner (1940): Cute movie. Loved it. Funny too.
70. The Last of the Mohicans (1992): Wasn't a pleasant watch but was good.
71. The Piano (1993) (Austr.): Same goes for this one. Not pleasant but good.
Don't remember much of their story:
1.The Philadelphia Story (1940): I know I have seen it but can't remember anything much.
2. 8 1/2 (Otto e Mezzo) (1963) (It.): Very artistic is all I remember.
3.Blue Velvet (1986): I don't think I enjoyed this one too much.
4. The Rules of the Game (La Regle du Jeu) (1939) (Fr.): It was ok.
5.The Lady Eve (1941): I definitely didn't think much of this movie.
6. Breathless (A Bout de Souffle) (1960) (Fr.): Eh! I don't remember how it ends.
7. Funny Face (1957): I think I enjoyed it, of course I did. It had Audrey Hepburn in it.
Use this list as you may, pick and choose and watch them all or maybe start with the group of first 22. Happy watching!
