Way back when, let’s say 1998, AFI (American Film Institute) put out a list of the best 100 movies of the last 100 years. Jason and I worked our way through the list and ranked them to our own liking. The original list is here. Here’s how our top rankings came out…(notice how mine trended toward the romantic, well, except for that really bloody one)
AFI Stacy Jason
1.Citizen Kane It’s a Wonderful Life It’s a Wonderful Life
2.Casablanca Platoon Forest Gump
3.The Godfather Gone with the Wind Platoon
4.Gone with the Wind The Philadelphia Story Casablanca
5.Lawrence of Arabia The Sound of Music The Best Years of Our Lives
It’s thanks to working our way through the list (even rewatching ones we’d seen) that I discovered some old gems that I wouldn’t have discovered before, like Yankee Doodle Dandy that I posted about a few weeks ago. So, if you are looking to broaden your horizons or want to do something fun with your mate or friend I recommend trying it. We had a lot of fun discussing the movie and then arguing over where each of us ranked it on our list, there were quite a few that we did not see eye to eye on (King Kong I’m looking at you).
They put out a new best 100 movies list in 2008 and added 23 new films. We’ve seen 11 of them already, so we decided to start working our way through a new list and we chose AFI’s 100 Cheers (America’s Most Inspiring Movies). We’ll only watch them if one of us has not seen it so I don’t know how many that will be yet. Here’s the link to their movies lists if you want to take the plunge.
Stacy's Books 
My wife, Joni, and I LOVE movies. We’ve been going since we started dating in 1966 (I think our 2nd date was The Sound of Music). And we see about 60 a year. Despite that, I don’t know how I would make the time to do rankings. I rate each one as I go but have never done a comprehensive list. I think it’s very cool that you guys do that.
Well, we just ranked the 100 as we watched them so it wasn’t too time consuming. It’s amazing that I was able to keep the list for this long. It took us about 7 or 8 years to watch them all.
I repeat – very cool.
Choosing favorites is so hard! I have no idea what I would rank number 1.
When I looked back over the list I was surprised. I do not remember liking Gone with the Wind all that much, but I must have 🙂 Some of it is when you watch it and some of it is what you remember about it and that last one changes over time. So, I guess my list will forever be evolving.
Only a chick would put Sound of Music in the top 5.
Well, yeah!
That sounds like a brilliant way to do couple’s night!! 🙂
I’ve seen nearly all of the 100 main movies. I didn’t look at the genre lists yet, but I would imagine I’ve seen many of those as well. I’ve introduced my wife to many of the 100 as well, though she has a long way to go yet. Since we only watch 1 or 2 movies together each week and try to keep up with current films as well it’s difficult. My top 100 would probably read a lot different with some films not listed and definitely in a different order.
Lee
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I need to do this. I have yet to see Platoon. And Casablanca just has always left me with a bad taste…Citizen Kane? I still laugh about that one. I just don’t get it.
I love using lists like this to try to improve my film knowledge. I’m currently attempting to catch up with as many Best Picture Oscar winners as possible. I’m really good until about the mid-80s then I’ve hardly seen any. Maybe I’ll try one of the AFI lists next.
I’ll have to check it out and see how many I’ve seen already. And I’m curious about the 11 new additions.
I remember once printing out that list (when the internet wasn’t a big thing yet ;)) with the goal to watch them all. Have to check how far I get and maybe try picking it up again 🙂
after a few months focusing on 90s movies and still does, finally i make this list. there are still 90s movies that i have to watch so i will add some 90s movies that i will watch and add to the list if it deserve to be in it and rid some so the list will still filled with 100 movies. in order of preferance.