20. Bowling for Columbine (2002)
Moore excels at placing himself in the action and orchestrating events while filming them (a rarity for documentary film-makers who do most of their manipulating covertly while editing). Bowling is the best of the bunch. While I don’t always agree with his tactics, Moore makes some very valid points here: America is a violent county, guns do need to be controlled better, and Charleton Heston makes for a lousy spokesperson for any organization. Despite the nature and heavy tone of the main issues, Moore manages to spice his film with humor (loved that animated history of the U.S.) and sets a fine example of responsible citizenship. If more people in the world had more passion to fix the ills of the world like Moore, the world would be a much better place.
Why not rate this one higher? Did I mention I don’t always agree with his tactics? While I don’t think that disagreeing with his tactics makes, in itself, for poor film-making, the whole scene of accusing Kmart for selling the bullets that were eventually used at Columbine was wholly unfair.
19. North by Northwest (1959)
Okay, I know there’s a lot of Hitchcock on this list, but let me explain. For one thing, I’ve seen three times more Hitchcock-directed movies than those directed by anyone else. The reason why I have seen so many is because I enjoy his work. Not all of his stuff is that great, though, and I could name off several very mediocre films he directed (The Trouble with Harry, Lifeboat, Vertigo, Marnie, Family Plot) and even some I absolutely despise (Under Capricorn, for example). Still, there are plenty of good ones. Like North by Northwest…
Ah, yes, the epitome of all things Hitchcock. This film brings in everything Hitchcock perfected over the prior 30 years of his career. This action-packed, suspense laden flick is chock-full of memorable scenes. A crop duster may not be the most practical way to kill a man, but it’s a great visual representation of the great Hitchcockian examination of “nowhere to run, nowhere to hide”. The climb down, around and back up to Mount Rushmore is also memorable. Did I mention the innuendo – possibly the best comedic ending of a film ever?
Why not rate this higher? I just can not get over how old Cary Grant is for this role. And, there’s a few minor logistical holes to get the story going in the beginning; I wish the writer’s would have polished it up a little bit.
And now for five movies in a row that start with the letter ‘S’:
18. Strangers on a Train (1951)
Suspense! Suspense! Suspense! Hitchcock creates another gem in this 1951 classic. The hero seems partially to blame for all his woes, so you are continually debating whether to side with him or not. A murder scene filmed like none you’ve ever seen before (through the reflection of the victim’s eyeglasses) & a climax that’s equally unique (on a merry-go-round), make for one of the best dramas ever.
Why not rate this one higher? I used to rank this as one of my ten favorite films of all time, but subsequent viewings increasingly weaken the ending for me. The carousel sequence is great, but otherwise the final few minutes stretches believability a little bit.