AFI Lists Top 100 Films

Geekyfanboy · June 21, 2007, 10:12:42 AM

Every decade the American Film Institute (AFI) releases its list of Top 100 films. Last night they came out with their newest list that covers the last 100 years of filmmaking. Of all the lists movies can make, the AFI Top 100 is the most prestigious because this organization is the national institute providing leadership in screen education and the recognition and celebration of excellence in the art of film, television and digital media. They are also on the vanguard of rescuing and preserving old films from decay and restoring them for future generations to enjoy.

Since it will be another 10 years before the next release the big question is â€" how well did films in the scifi/fantasy-fable/horror genre do over the past decade? The answer is â€" Not bad at all. Of the top 100 films that made the list 17 are genre related, and one classic fantasy tale made it into the Top 10. Holding on to number one for the second time (making it 20 years on the top) is the gold standard in filmmaking, Orson Wellsâ€™ â€œCitizen Kane.â€

Here is this decadeâ€™s list of genre films that made it into the AFI 100 Greatest Films:

99 â€" Toy Story
97 â€" Blade Runner
89 â€" The Sixth Sense
76 â€" Forrest Gump
74 â€" The Silence of the Lambs
70 â€" A Clockwork Orange
66 â€" Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark
56 â€" Jaws
50 â€" The Lord of the Rings - The Fellowship of the Ring
41 â€" King Kong (the original film)
39 â€" Dr. Strangelove or How I Learned To Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb
24 â€" E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial
20 â€" Itâ€™s A Wonderful Life
15 â€" 2001: A Space Odyssey
14 â€" Psycho
13 â€" Star Wars (IV A New Hope)
10 â€" The Wizard of Oz

Geekyfanboy · June 21, 2007, 10:14:28 AM

I never really agree with these list, but I'm glad to see quite a few sci fi and fantasy movies made the list.

Rico · June 21, 2007, 04:19:52 PM

Hmmm, no Matrix movie? And why is #66 called Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark? They should get the title right. I also really think the first Superman movie should be on that list.

Dan M · June 21, 2007, 06:11:41 PM

I agree that Superman: The Movie should be on that list.

However, I don't get worked up over these lists anymore, like I used to. I swear they make stupid selections just to get people talking about them.

Rico, though I'll never think of it that way, the movie has been renamed "Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark" for recent VHS and DVD releases.

jedijeff · June 21, 2007, 06:35:45 PM

I agree with Dan, I dont get much out of these lists, as they are more for discussion then anything.

It is interesting to Note that they List the First Lord of the Rings on the List, but it was the Third one that won the Academy Award. Makes me wonder how much credence is given to Academy awards. They hand out Awards to supposed best movies, but over the years, those Movies do not make much of an impact as others that do not win awards. Looking through the list, I notice other Academy Award winning movies that did not make it.

I think for Indy, LOTR and Star Wars, they should be recognized more for the trilogy of Movies, then just the one.

I agree with Rico, Mo Matrix movie, or even no Pirates of the Carribean or Spiderman, as both were big movies.

Dan M · June 21, 2007, 06:55:04 PM

I could get behind the first Matrix movie being added to such a list, but Spidey or Pirates, though fun movies, would have to pass a lot of other great movies (like the aforementioned first Superman movie) to get onto my list.

I like that the list still includes two of my absolute favorites, Rocky and Duck Soup.

How does The General (1927) jump onto the list at #18, when it wasn't on their list 10 years ago. How did it become a better movie than 82 other movies merely through the passage of time? Especially when it has been around for nearly a century. That makes no sense.

I see how it's peculiar that Fellowship made the list while Return of the King was the one that got the Oscar. But I look on those awards for the final film as being for all of them.

Rico · June 21, 2007, 07:20:10 PM

As far as the "Raiders" name. That is simply for the box set packaging. Put the DVD in and watch the movie. It is called: "Raiders of the Lost Ark" still.

Dan M · June 21, 2007, 07:54:22 PM

Agreed, Rico. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raiders_of_the_lost_ark#DVD_release

Like I said it'll always be just Raiders of the Lost Ark to me, but the other way isn't completely wrong, since that's how Lucas and Spielberg are referring to the movie.

Still, I'm glad that they didn't change the on-screen title.