60/60 Thoughts: Part 2 (Favorites).

Alright guys and gals, it's time for Part 2 of the 3-Part look at the 60/60 Project. Last time we focused on some facts. Today, we'll be looking at some opinions. To start us off, let's take a look at my favorite characters from all 100 films.

TOP 10 CHARACTERS

10) Jewish Barber/Hynkel (Charlie Chaplin) - The Great Dictator

It was an interesting mix of characters. Hynkel was basically Hitler, and the barber looked exactly like him. In the end, the butler is confused with Hynkel and makes a fantastic (and rather meta) speech. The characters were funny, interesting, and just all-around fun.

9) Rhett Butler (Clark Gable) - Gone With The Wind

Similar to my feelings toward one Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy in Pride and Prejudice, I thought Rhett Butler always stole the show in Gone with the Wind. His were always my favorite scenes. And although I didn't dislike the rest of the film when he wasn't there, I did find myself enjoying it much more when he was.

8) Wong Fei-Hung (Jackie Chan) - Drunken Master

There's nothing overtly special about this character (besides the fact he becomes an awesome martial artist when he gets drunk). He was just a lot of fun. That's about all there is to it.

7) Dirk Diggler (Mark Wahlberg) - Boogie Nights

A fascinating rags to riches and then self-destructive character. Wahlberg gives a great performance here... as does his member.

6) Luke (Paul Newman) - Cool Hand Luke

He's a badass without being an action hero. He stands up to "the man" and attempts to do the impossible just because he can. His pride might get in the way here and there, but he was, overall, a fantastic character.

5) Georg Dreyman (Sebastian Koch) - The Lives of Others

I might not have adored the movie as a whole, but Georg Dreyman was a beautifully rendered character... brought to life magnificently by the late Sebastian Koch. The emotion he brings, the subtle movements, the slow change in character... it's just outstanding.

4) Alex (Malcolm McDowell) - A Clockwork Orange

One of the many controversies behind this film was that Kubrick adapted the original American release of the book, which did not include the final chapter... and totally changes the meaning of the novel and the character. Either version is fine, but McDowell's Alex is a fascinating look into the psychology of a sociopath.

3) Cosmo Brown (Donald O'Connor) - Singin' in the Rain

Hands down, the best part of that film. Cosmo was funny and full of quick wit. He pulled some great stunts and dances, too. Going into the film, I knew nothing about this character or actor, but he came out my favorite.

2) Kikuchiyo (Toshiro Mifune) - Seven Samurai

What is there to say about Kikuchiyo? He's a total enigma. He follows the others around curiously. He's a total wildcard. And his growth as a character is phenomenal. He might not be the main character of the film, but he's definitely the most memorable.

1) Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (Paul Newman and Robert Redford)

I know, it's a cheat. But you can't have one without the other. They had perfect chemistry in this film. They were charming, funny, and daring. I was told their chemistry was even better in The Sting, but although I loved that film more, I had to disagree with that sentiment. These two were, hands down, my favorite.

----------------------

For the next few lists, I want to look at different types of scenes. There won't be any explanations unless something doesn't embed. I'll just give you the video clips and let them speak for themselves. First up, let's take a gander at my favorite quiet moments.

TOP 5 QUIET MOMENTS

Honorable Mention: The Ending Scene - The Graduate



5) Good/Bad/Ugly - Confederate Soldier Scene

Embedding unavailable. Click here to see it.

4) Cuckoo's Nest - Face Focus

I couldn't find the video here... but there's a moment after, I believe, McMurphy sends Billy off to have sex with Candy. McMurphy goes and sits down, and there's a long shot of Nicholson's face. He goes through multiple emotions, and you just wonder what's going on in his head. It's very reminiscent of the Graduate ending.

3) Nosferatu - Shadow Scene



2) Rope - Clearing the Table

Another that won't embed. But if you don't know the story of the film... two guys kill a third and then invite guests over to a dinner party while the body is stuffed into a chest/trunk. To top it off, they decide to serve dinner off of the trunk. I have to link the whole movie, but the scene here starts at exactly 50 minutes and ends about 52:10. Click here.

1) Great Dictator - Globe Scene




---------------------

We've taken a look at the quiet moments, so how bout a little bit of the ol' ultraviolence?

TOP 5 VIOLENT SCENES

Honorable Mention: Death by Stereo - The Lost Boys

Embedding disabled. Click here.

5) Carlito's Way - Escalator Shoot-Out/Final Scene

Yet another failed embed. Click here. WARNING: Spoilers.

4) The Good The Bad The Weird - Town Battle

I couldn't find the entire scene, but here's a version that is severely edited down. It'll give you a general idea, though.



3) Drunken Master - Any Fight

Really, anything would do... so I just chose this.



2) Dead Alive - The Climax

Of course, I mean practically the last 15-20 minutes of the film. But if I had to choose one scene to show you... it would be this one. Warning: There's... um... blood. And stuff.

1) Saving Private Ryan - First 20 Minutes

Of course I can't share the entire opening with you. But here's a snippet:



--------------------------

And what about a little humor to lighten things up?

TOP 5 COMICAL SCENES

Honorable Mention: French Connection - On/Off Train

Only because I don't think it was meant to be funny. Click here.

5) The Lost Boys - Shirtless Sax Guy

Totally. Click here.

4) Annie Hall - Theater Scene



3) Kentucky Fried Movie - Court Scene

There were a number of great skits in this movie, but this one had to be my favorite. You know I love puns.



2) Singin' in the Rain - Make 'Em Laugh



1) Monty Python - Guards Scene



---------------------

Now that we've taken a look at stuff on screen, what about some stuff behind?

TOP 5 SOUNDTRACKS/SCORES

5) Boogie Nights

I mostly added this because I needed a fifth spot. But there are some excellent uses of music in this film, particularly near the end with... this scene.



4) 2001: A Space Odyssey

Despite my feelings to the movie as a whole, you can't deny it has one hell of a score. This score is famously used for a reason.

3) A Clockwork Orange

Of course, almost all of it is Beethoven (and/or classical music). There's also the famous "Singin' in the Rain" scene, too. But here's an example of how music was used rather well in the film. Click here.

2) The Untouchables

It was actually the soundtrack that made me love this film as much as I did. So there's that.



1) Dazed and Confused

I'm not even going to bother linking anything. Just look at these artists that appear on this soundtrack: Aerosmith, Deep Purple, Alice Cooper, War, Bob Dylan, Foghat, Black Sabbath, ZZ Top, KISS, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and MORE. It's epically awesome.

------------------------------

A few easy ones here... I wanted to just quickly take a look at the months as a whole.

What was my most memorable month? Hands down, it has to be June (WTF Month). I also dubbed this 'rape month' as practically every movie (sans one, I believe) involved rape. Out of all the things that happened this year on this list, there will be 2 things I'll remember. 2001: A Space Odyssey, and this month.

But if that's the most memorable, then what's my favorite? Another easy one, and probably to no surprise... October (Horror Month). I had a lot of fun this month and blasted through all the movies super fast. Not to mention, it gave us one of my best reviews that I've ever done.

Finally, the tough one. What was my least favorite month? This one took a lot of thought, but it actually came down to a pseudo-tie. August and September (Crime Months 1 and 2). While I did really enjoy some of these films, these two months together were long and painful (that's what she said?). It was almost 38 hours total of crime movies. Yikes.

---------------------

And now, to wrap things up... let's look at the Top 10 Favorites. Now, I have this split into specific orders. I kept up with 3 lists--The ORIGINAL List, wherein I just used the original 60 films; the EXTRAS List, wherein I just used the extra 40 added; and the COMBO List, where I mixed all 100 films together. First, here are my Top 10 Favorite ORIGINALS.

TOP 10 FAVORITES - ORIGINAL LIST

10) Rope
9) Rear Window
8) City of God
7) Saving Private Ryan
6) The Shining
5) Gone with the Wind
4) One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
3) North by Northwest
2) Annie Hall
1) Seven Samurai

TOP 10 FAVORITES - EXTRAS

10) Mother
9) Laura
8) The Birds
7) The Untouchables
6) Dead Alive
5) The Good, The Bad, The Weird
4) Life is Beautiful
3) Boogie Nights
2) Drunken Master
1) The Sting

And, finally, here are the Top 100 films, in order, from least favorite to favorite. I've also included which films fell under which ratings (Note: For the movies with odd ratings, like WTF or A Hot Mess, I mixed them into a rating spot I felt appropriate).

TOP 100 - COMBO

(Gone from Suck to Blow)

100) Salo, or the 120 Days of Sodom

(The Zed Word)

99) Eraserhead
98) Plan 9 From Outer Space
97) M

(Feed Me, Seymour)

96) 2001: A Space Odyssey
95) The Killing
94) Casino
93) I Spit On Your Grave
92) Cannibal Holocaust

(Stop Saying OK! OK.)

91) The French Connection
90) The Quick and the Dead
89) The Hot Rock
88) Visitor Q
87) Close Encounters of the Third Kind
86) Black Hawk Down
85) The Godfather Part III
84) A Streetcar Named Desire
83) Brazil
82) Catch-22
81) The Producers
80) Dr. Strangelove Or: How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love The Bomb
79) Irreversible
78) Stripes
77) Carlito's Way
76) Vertigo
75) Brokeback Mountain
74) Nosferatu
73) Rumble in the Bronx

(I Am McLovin)

72) Westworld
71) The Kentucky Fried Movie
70) The Apartment
69) The Maltese Falcon
68) Easy Rider
67) Scarface (1983)
66) Shark Attack 3
65) Harvey
64) Les Diabolique
63) Psycho
62) Freaks
61) Repulsion
60) Chinatown
59) The Crying Game
58) Network
57) Strangers on a Train
56) The Changeling
55) The Graduate
54) The Lost Boys
53) Murder on the Orient Express
52) Braveheart
51) The Seventh Seal
50) Haute Tension
49) Dazed and Confused
48) The Lives of Others
47) The Godfather Part II
46) Primal Fear
45) Swingers

(A Keanu 'Whoa')

44) Unforgiven
43) Platoon
42) The Counterfeiters
41) Bonnie and Clyde
40) Lady Vengeance
39) Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
38) Mother
37) The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
36) Schindler's List
35) Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)
34) Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels
33) Casablanca
32) Laura
31) Citizen Kane
30) Heat
29) Goodfellas
28) Troll 2
27) Lawrence of Arabia
26) The Goonies
25) The Birds
24) A Clockwork Orange
23) The Great Dictator
22) Monty Python and the Holy Grail

(Royale with Cheese)

21) The Pianist
20) Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
19) The Untouchables
18) Cool Hand Luke
17) Singin' in the Rain
16) Dead Alive
15) The Good, The Bad, The Weird
14) Life Is Beautiful
13) Rope
12) Rear Window
11) Saving Private Ryan
10) City of God
9) Boogie Nights
8) The Shining
7) Gone With The Wind
6) One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
5) North by Northwest
4) Annie Hall
3) Drunken Master
2) Seven Samurai
1) The Sting*

*Final Note: I put this list together as I went along the project. As blown away as I was by The Sting, I can't for the life of me remember almost any of it anymore. So I can't honestly say it would top the entire project list until I was able to see it again. However, the other five behind it definitely stay in that order. So take it as you will.