EW New Movie Classics

Whaddayamean we didn’t make the list?!?!

The latest Entertainment Weekly came to my doorstep yesterday and Lo & Behold! It was chock full of Top 100 List greatness! In this issue, they are attempting to name “The New Classics”. Everything from movies to music to books! Oh how much fun will this be??? I’ll start with the movies and work from there…

What makes a movie a classic? Is it the number of times you can watch it? Is it the number of lines that you can quote from it? Is it the number of sequels it goes on to spawn? What IS a classic? I guess the only tried and true response is it’s something that stands up through time. EW has attempted to come up with a comprehensive list of 100 movies from the past 25 years that the editors feel will be classics. I will, of course, be giving my opinion on their Top 25 and what I think will be the true Top 25 New Classic Films…

25. Shrek (maybe. But I’m thinking the Pixar films have a better shot…)
24. A Room With A View (This movie might be in the Top 100…but not the Top 25)
23. Momento (Considering I haven’t thought about it since I saw it 7 years ago…this movie definately does not belong…)
22. Rushmore (I didn’t like it…but a gazillion others did! Belongs.)
21. Schindler’s List (Belongs)
20. The Lion King (Belongs)
19. Casino Royale (Great action movie. Doesn’t belong here)
18. Do The Right Thing (Absolutely belongs here. Should be higher!)
17. Jerry Maguire (Seriously? No.)
16. Boogie Nights (Good movie. Belongs in the Top 50)
15. Edward Scissorhands (Oooookay…maybe?)
14. Crumb (Didn’t see it…so I can’t say)
13. GoodFellas (Belongs.)
12. The Matrix (Belongs.)
11. This Is Spinal Tap (Belongs.)
10. Moulin Rouge (Nope.)
9. Die Hard (Belongs.)
8. The Silence Of The Lambs (Yes.)
7. Hannah & Her Sisters (Haven’t seen it. Don’t want to see it. Don’t know if it belongs or not. Don’t care.)
6. Saving Private Ryan (Belongs.)
5. Toy Story
4. Blue Velvet
3. Titanic
2. The Lord Of The Rings (All 3 films)
1. Pulp Fiction

Okay…so if the Top 5 don’t belong, then EW shouldn’t be in business! So the others are all subjective, obviously. So here’s MY Top 25 Classics that you’ll be watching 50 years from now…

25. The Lion King
24. Brokeback Mountain (I don’t know what the fuss is all about. But it will always be remembered as the movie that broke the mold!)
23. Dirty Dancing (I didn’t like it. Millions of women did!)
22. Swingers (It’s a mix of old and new. A buddy comedy for the ages!)
21. The Sixth Sense (I see a twist ending unlike anything in this generation…)
20. When Harry Met Sally (The best date movie of the last 25 years)
19. Rain Man (On Dustin Hoffman’s performance alone!)
18. Pretty Woman (Julia Roberts’ smile is what Hollywood is all about)
17. Titanic (Blockbuster chick flick. Biggest downside? Way too long…)
16. Toy Story
15. The Matrix (A new generation of action films was spawned from it)
14. Schindler’s List
13. GoodFellas
12. This Is Spinal Tap (more 1-liners than any other movie since “Blazing Saddles”!)
11. Fight Club (The guy movie to end ALL guy movies)
10. Rushmore (I know at least 10 people who loved this film. This generation’s “The Graduate”)
9. Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (How could this been left off their Top 100??? The best of all the 80’s high school movies except for…)
8. The Breakfast Club (Yeah, I know. But seriously…tell me YOU don’t know every freakin’ line…)
7. Die Hard
6. Blue Velvet (David Lynch’s creepfest made even the simple things grimy)
5. Saving Private Ryan (For the open alone!)
4. Do The Right Thing (Spike Lee’s greatest achievement)
3. The Silence of the Lambs (Greatest horror film of our generation)
2. The Lord of the Rings (Yep. They’re that good.)
1. Pulp Fiction (They definately got this one right)

So there ya go. I’m thinking they missed the boat on Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, but other than that…not a bad list! Go check out the rest here…

Sidenote: I went to the EW response page and there were a ton of omissions that could be added to the EW list (and probably to mine as well. Princess Bride and Shawshank Redemption are the 2 that I feel could definately make it into the Top 25). That being said, I think EW was probably just trying to appeal to everyone and made a comprehensive list that pretty much covered every genre. Were a few missing? Absolutely. But thre are only 100 spots! So…something has to go. But I still think that Ferris and now Princess Bride and Shawshank should definately be listed. Who doesn’t think that those 3 are definately classics? If you are interested in MY favorite movies of all-time, check out my list here!