My Top 100 Films - Introduction

Well the list is done (I think).  I’ve already said “god damn it” and crossed off plenty of films, bumped some off, switched a couple, and of course forgot plenty of movies.  In fact I can almost guarantee some large profanity will slip out when I realize I left off a very, very obvious movie after this goes viral.  So let me set up a bit of backstory and a few things you should all know before digging into what has easily been my most anticipated blog ever.  So what better way then make a list before the list?

1.  They’re all winners
This is my version of the “sportsmanship” trophy that gets handed out to everyone who plays sports for the park district even the kids who couldn’t hit that were put in the outfield.  Point is I’ve seen a lot of movies (in case you don’t believe me, it’s true) so to me I love #100 on my list nearly as much as #1.  So you might wonder “why bother numbering if they’re all equal?”  The answer to that is because those are the rules, and I’m into masochism.  Back in 2008 I believe Roger Ebert said “To hell with this top ten crap” and made an un-numbered top twenty of the year’s best movies.  Needless to say everyone who ever read his column didn’t take this change well.  Critics make top tens at the end of the year, and a top 100 is the standard.  I’m not going to make a “These are all my favorites” list just yet, so tough choices have to be made and numbering is important otherwise we’re playing little league without keeping score.

Rocky Smash

2.  This list will not please anyone
Ok here’s the thing, this is my list right?  This is not objective in any way, this is entirely the result of my whims and fancies, designed, numbered, and put together by me.  I’ve said to hell with many a great pretentious art film in favor of some personal favorites but here’s the thing; I’m not satisfied with it.  In fact no one will be more disappointed with this list than me because I’m well more aware of what I had to cut off and which films are too damn low than anyone.  Which brings me to my next point. . .

3.  It’s about what ON the list
This is a glass half full argument.  I know what isn’t on the list, and trust me there is SOOOOOO much I wish I could have included.  Whether it’s a director, a film movement, a country, or in some cases even an entire continents cinema, I recognize that there’s a lot not on here.  So what, you know how many spaces I had to work with?  Yeah that’s right 100, and that’s it, so for every film I deemed good enough to make the cut, 50 more were left out.  So I’m not going to incriminate myself by telling you who or what was left off, you’ll just have to see when I’m done.  So if you’re going to bitch about my selections, bitch about what is on the list, not about what wasn’t there. 

Well that's just your opinion, man

4.  It’s a TOP 100 for a reason
The reason is well this isn’t a list of the greatest films of all time.  Greatest implies some semblance of objectivity.  You can make a list of the greatest baseball players based on hits, batting average, home runs, stolen bases etc. but film doesn’t have this luxury.  We can’t just point to greatness by how many awards a movie won, or how many other people think it’s great.  This is my list so that works.  Favorite was another word I was debating using, but well there are plenty of favorites that didn’t make the cut and plenty of somber European art films that I think are fantastic but maybe aren’t “favorites” in the same way Rocky IV or The Big Lebowski are.  So it’s my Top 100.  Top can mean whatever you want, it’s subjective, and it’s personal, at the end of the day it all means the same shit, so how about we get to it?