This is not a list of the top 10 greatest movies of all time. This is not a list of films that are so “great” you have to attend lectures and festivals so that someone can explain just how “great” they are. If a film needs an explanation, can it really be that great?
This is a list of films for everyone – the artsy folks, the blue collars, the white collars, the hipsters, the baby boomers, the semi-retired, the housewives, the kids (in some cases), and even old farts like me. Invite me over. I’ll show you just how old I am.
I arrived at this list using three criteria.
- I wanted films from as many genre as possible. I know I didn’t cover everything, but I didn’t want three action/adventure films or three war-related films. I didn’t want zero comedies, nor did I want too many. I’m sure I don’t have all genre represented, but I’ve gone over this list so many times that I no longer care.
- I wanted the kind of films that I sometimes find while scanning channels, and find a film halfway through, but I’ll watch the rest of it from wherever I walk in on it.
- My educated opinion. There are plenty of people who know more about movies than I do, but that number is far, far smaller than the number of people who I can outdistance when it comes to film study, knowledge, and education. Chances are I got you way beat – but not all of you, that’s for sure. I started studying movies when I was about 8, when my father started ignoring both my mother and me. We’d sit and watch movies, and I’d learn a few things about the actors and directors. I don’t regret a moment of it, except that time we watched Same Time, Next Year. That was awkward.
I was going to have an item #4, which was that no film could have been adapted from a book because I didn’t want any of the filmmakers to have a head start. However, that would have excluded more than half of the list, including my single favorite, so I trashed item 4.
I chose one film from 25 genre. I’m sure there are more than I have used, but I only used the ones that I either care about or thought of. Feel free to point out others that did not come to mind. The 25 genre are broken into five categories, so I’ll tackle five films in each post because I know it can get annoying to read too much about one thing at one time. I know you have other things to do, and reading blog posts is not chief among them, even if it’s mine.
These aren’t the movies – just the genre. I know, right?
A. For the Adrenaline
Way better song than movie.
1. Action/adventure
When the action takes place in out of the ordinary locations and, with a great stretch of imagination, could actually happen, unlike science fiction
2. Western
Really? Horses, guns, Native Americans
3. Fantasy
Action/adventure but in a fantastical, unreal world with magical things
4. Science fiction
sort of like action/adventure but with futuristic gadgets, alien creatures, mixed with a basis of science
5. War
with uniforms and countries and really big guns, likely planes too
B. For the Dark
considered by many to be the worst film ever
6. Suspense – creature
unlike the psychological suspense, with people being chased by something
7. Horror-paranormal
scary crap involving ghost, demons, etc.
8. Horror-bloody
also known as “slasher”
9. Psychological/suspense
the ones that mess with your head and mislead you into thinking shit that you later realize was wrong
10. Erotic thriller
still messing with your head, but with nudity and at least a suggestion of sex
III. For the Individuals
11. Hero
Keanu Reeves as “Hamlet”
when an individual either gains a super power or uses great ability to accomplish something
12. Drama
just the human element of drama, but not the drama queen kind
13. Sports drama
with or without balls
14. Death drama
when a movie pulls us into someone life, and the only way to end the story is with their death
15. Crime
Mobs, gangs, cops, I see dead people. There goes another one.
D. For the Laughs
love the show “jackass”
16. Romantic comedy
politically correct for “chick flick”
17. Goofball comedy
when stupid people do stupid things and we love it
18. Intellectual comedy
when you really have to listen to the dialogue
19. Intellectually goofball comedy
a combination of goofball moments with witty dialogue mixed in
20. Satirical comedy
when it makes fun of something that we already know about
5. For the Families
everybody love mickey
21. Animation
cartoons, stop motion, CGI, paper dolls
22. Holiday
Politically correct way of saying “Christmas”
23. Musical
when people suddenly break out in song and dance without necessarily being gay
24. Disney
Because there are enough that they deserve their own category
25. Concert
when a band performs live on stage with cameras rolling
what’s in the box?
6. Guilty Pleasures
This is for the movies I’ve loved that juuuust don’t seem to fit into the regular categories, and with good reason. They’re not right. They’re a little – off. They got issues. And they rock.
The Wild Card
Something that I just couldn’t place above but wanted to mention
At this point, you might have noticed that I’ve got about 800 words and haven’t even mentioned one movie yet. Sucks, I know, to read that much and now learn you have to wait until the next post just to see the first group. I’ll hope you’re interested enough to come back for the actual movies. Feel free to leave your nominations in the comments. They won’t sway my opinions, but it could start a nice conversation. Or a fight.
Coming soon: For the Adrenaline…
brainsnorts inc. 
Look forward to reading your choices, and what a thorough, organized approach you have. Ron
thanks. what started out as a friggin’ list of 12 movies turned into 6,000 words. so i had to cut it up. yeesh!
Great lists, except this Baroness missed the one for romantics… just had to say..
I will work on that
Well that is really kind of you. Thanks.
I love film noir too by the way. Anything between 1930 & 1960 usually is a win win for me, albeit there are some independant ruins out there.
For the most part the flicks are great and somethings never change… Human nature.
Thanks again.. enjoying your blog very much ~
I am kind, but *what* kind is not always certain.
Well I can say that you are *kind* of funny to start..
However from there only time is likely to tell what *kind* you are.
Should be interesting.
I am always enchanted with self reveals. 😉
and i like to reveal self-enchantments
Revealing self-enchantments? This is intriguing. I am trying to get over the hurdle of self-enchantments and you are ready to reveal…
i am truly am “enchanted”: with the idea but that is just it.. it is only an idea….. having no muse to be inspired by…. and no clue….. making it up as I go along.
..
I think the last movie I saw that I really just fell in as much love with as I did hate was Blue Valentine.
I’m excited to hear what you suggest.
I have heard of “blue velvet” but not “Blue Valentine”
You should watch it and let me know what you think.
Yes dear.
I’m not a big movie person but I’m looking forward to reading your choices particularly those that fall under the psychological, crime and intellectual comedy genres.
My favourite movie of all time is A Few Good Men – it’s a good story and the dialogue sparkles.
Maybe I should add a category for courtroom drama. Dammit.
Can I just jump in here and second that? All in favor…
Court room drama fiction, or not so much..,…either an addiction.
Love that it is so much like an intellectual sport.volleying back and forth.
Dude, this is an awesome endevor. I can hardly wait to see what you’ll come up with next. Thanks for the teaser. T
yup. been accused of being a tease many times.
Lotsa categories! Logically you should have a movie for each of the categories. That would really keep you busy. The top ten game is a magnet – for tall of us top ten suckers. Top ten movies, top ten ballplayers, top ten books – of all time of course.
Waiting to see your list.
i tried ten. it became twelve. then thirteen. then sixteen. then twenty five. then – yeesh.
Did you have a category for the epics, the David Lean Lawrence of Arabia ones?
To me, an epic is just a really long movie of another category.
It’s your list with your rationale … which is good enough for me. 🙂
i appreciate the feeling. it’s really just a list of strong opinions, always open to disagreement.
Which is fine … after all, you are trying to create dialogue!
Creating dialogue is a secondary luxury. But there is no way I will created as well as you have.
Thanks for the props … but I’m small potatoes … but Supreme Ruler of Not Freshly Pressed Nation!
FYI: I have just launched fireworks. (See the comments on the current post)
Small potatoes? Not in my book. When I get home on computer I will check out the trouble you have caused.
LOL … now that is funny!
I’m excited!
OOOhhhhh movies. Love. I am not a fan of watching ANY sports, but will watch and adore nearly any sports movie. Rememer the Titans – hello Disney + Sport. Also, comedy action is another favourite category. The Rundown, Nothing to Lose. And pretty much any Will Ferrell and/or Jon Heder movie to fulfill the “stupid funny” category. Don’t get me started on Disney Animated movies. I have nearly every one pre-Pocahontas. Thrilled to see your lists. I wonder where the John Hughes-ish 80s/90s classic movies like Bueller and Footloose fit in.
pre-pocahontas? why just pre?
More magic and talking animals and dishes and princess-y princesses then. More Walt-like (because I’m totally an expert on that). Princess and the Frog is getting back to the basic Disney perfection though.
i think Hercules was under appreciated. and Lilo n Stitch. i adored both of them, but they rarely get mentioned. the music is important to me. they’ve got solid music.
I’ve come to appreciate them more over time. I may collect more later, but gotta get the first 30 or so complete before I keep going! And now with Pixar too…. I’ll never catch up! ha.
Pingback: Fahoo fores dahoo dores | Kimberly's Cave
Pingback: The Great Movie Post: For the Adrenaline | The Cinematic Katzenjammer
Pingback: The Great Movie Post: For the Dark | The Cinematic Katzenjammer
That does suck, tease!
yes, i tease, but i eventually deliver. they’re all there.
What—no documentaries?
there’s one eventually, i think in part 6.