The AFI 100 Years... list for 2006 is... (1 Viewer)

[John Kilduff]

"100 Years, 100 Cheers: America's Most Inspiring Movies".

I was hoping they would do a list of stylish movies, genre movies or a 50/50 "Guy movie/Chick flick" list, but this will do.

The main page is here (You might need to have a good graphics card for it, since some of the pictures look a little strange.)

The list of nominated films (with explanations for why they were chosen) can be found here.

Sincerely,

John Kilduff...

Thoughts, guys?

 

[Michael Elliott]

I'll bet $10 #1 will be IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE.

 

[george kaplan]

That's a very diverse list of films, and frankly, I'm not sure I understand the criterion very well. For example, I love 2001, but I'm not sure why it's on this list. I sure as hell don't understand why Do the Right Thing is on the list, one of the most uninspiring films ever made.

And while I have problems of various sorts with a number of the films on this list, to see the following all nominated for the same AFI list is rather surreal:

Schindler's List
Rollerball
Revenge of the Nerds
Rambo
The Passion of the Christ
Mary Poppins
Jesus Christ Superstar
Gone with the Wind
Dirty Dancing
The Dirty Dozen

 

[Adam_S]

Now that is a truly odd and remarkable list of films. So many of my favorites are on it that have never come near an AFI list before, Stand By Me, Pollyanna, Shawshank Redemption. This is going to be one fascinating list, despite It's a Wonderful Life being the foregone conclusion as the number one pick.

I'd say right behind it are Wizard of Oz, E.T., Rocky, and Schindler's List

This is a list that's about the pleasure of watching, which is pretty unique. It sounds groaner to say the 100 'inspirational' but its actually quite a nice 10th anniversary to the original list.

 

[John Kilduff]

I decided to bump this thread back up because the special "100 Years...100 Movie Cheers" is airing on Wednesday.

The press release with the commentator list can be found at http://www.afi.com/Docs/about/press/2006/100Cheers.pdf.

Sincerely,

John Kilduff...

I think you can make some predictions of what will be on the list by looking at the cast of commentators.

 

[Mark Kalzer]

Some of the academics, well, all the ones I have heard from around Carleton university hate these lists with a passion. Firstly they wonder why no other art form is ranked so often, and secondly, they find these AFI lists to be little more than Hollywood constantly glorifying itself, again reminding us how great they think they are.

I think there may be some truth to their complaints with this list. Honestly, how is this any different from the 100 movies list, or the 100 thrills? The title 'most inspiring' seems really vague based on the candidates. The cited goal is to pull films that have the great sacrifice for the greater good, but I'm at a loss for how 2001 A Space Odyssey, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, (Well, that kind of works, but I personally think Ferris is too self centered, and this his behaviour towards Cameron is really inconsiderate.) The Breakfast Club, etc.

What I need is a greater definition of what they mean by 'inspiring'. How is this different from any other top 100 film list?

 

[John Kilduff]

The special airs tomorrow night and I've been doing some thinking.

I've recorded pretty much every 100 Years... special with the exception of "100 Stars", but that's because I thought the list was a one-time thing.

Anyway, it seems to me that these specials are like VH1's "I Love..." programs, only with bigger names, less sarcasm and a wider variety of topics. I think this one will be interesting as well. I'd say that there's a possibility of at least 8 movies each from the 70s, 80s and 90s will be on the list.

Sincerely,

John Kilduff...

Just a little over 24 hours to go.

 

[streeter]

It looks like they've got some better interviewees than last year.
Based on that list, you already know a lot of the films that will be included. For example, Ralph Macchio is on the list, so Karate Kid is one of the Top 100.

 

[Adam_S]

"sweep the leg" michael. :0

I'm 98 percent sure the top two are It's a Wonderful Life and To Kill a Mockingbird, I'm mainly curious which one will be number one.

Academics hate these lists, not sure why. Perhaps its because they create a canon that doesn't include boring intellectual tripe with no point other than to cause academics to write long papers.

that was a pretty faceticious remark, don't take it seriously.

These lists, like the montages at last years' oscars, are about celebrating the joy and passion of moviewatching while showing honor and respect to the important movies of the past. It's list like these that help people to remember great movies, rather than having them fall off the chart of public recognition. Not everyone is an HTF member with an extensive back catalogue of old films, and I've spoken with owners of video rental chains who initially thought the lists were silly but now really enjoy them because they've caused so many people to seek out the older films featured on the lists. Even if its just people renting Casablanca again to see it for the first time in twenty years, well that's still a great accomplishment.

 

[streeter]

I couldn't agree more, Adam. As silly as these lists have become (I actually liked the first few), and as much as they tend to veer more and more to modern films lately, they do get more people interested in classic films.

 

[ScottR]

I think It's A Wonderful Life will be #1 and The Wizard of Oz will be #2.

 

[Adam_S]

I'm guessing:
it's a wonderful life
To Kill a Mockingbird
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
E.T.
Wizard of Oz
Schindler's list
Apollo 13
Field of Dreams
Forrest Gump
Shawshank Redemption
Casablanca
Rocky

as really strong contenders for the top ten. too hard to order those, but I think It's a wonderful life and To kill a mockingbird are 1 and 2 respectively.

 

[ScottR]

I hate how The Wizard of Oz is always simplified as a children's fantasy. The film is so inspirational on a deeper level. The fact that we all have brains, a heart, and courage and that those things will help us find our way home. The #26 ranking is ridiculous...the film should have easily been in the top ten, and swaped places with Breaking Away.

 

[David (C)]

The Color Purple has finally made one of these damn AFI lists! In came in on #51.

 

[Kristian]

I had honestly never heard of Breaking Away until I saw it on the list.

I think with a title like "100 Cheers", the list could've used more fun movies and less depressing ones. Schindler's List is too downbeat to be #3, though it certainly is inspirational. And Hotel Rwanda's inclusion is even more bizarre.

BTW, I didn't like that they showed Superman: The Movie and The Adventures of Robin Hood during the intro, but didn't include them on the list.

 

[Jose Martinez]

Cinderella Man and Akeelah and the Bee should be on that list but they may be too recent to have made it

 

[Jose Martinez]

I'm surprised Cinderella Man wasn't even nominated. Maybe it's too recent. Same can be said for Akeelah and the Bee.

 

[Bob Turnbull]

Don't you dare! Hey, feel free to lobby for Wizard Of Oz to move up, but not at the expense of Breaking Away. It was my biggest smile of the evening seeing that in the Top Ten.

 

[MattPeriolat]

Well, I'm eating a bit of crow here. I was DEAD certain To Kill A Mockingbird was #1. Don't get me wrong, I love It's A Wonderful Life, Mockingbird just seems so... deeply profound.

Still, I'm content to be wrong. In fact, almost proud. In all the years the AFI has been doing these lists, I have always guessed #1 with about 95% accuracy. Only missed #1 Hero and #1 Funniest until tonight.

Feels good to be wrong.

 

[Adam_S]

I'm thrilled Searching for Bobby Fischer made the list, a bit disapointed Pollyanna, Mary Poppins and Stand By Me didn't make it.

Glad to see Shawshank Redemption finally earn a spot, of course, it and Braveheart were criminally low.