My Favorite Films (Part 8)

Please refer to http://goo.gl/Oe7tO5, which explains the criteria for this series and don't forget to check out Kyle's blog for his lists, too!

36. Rear Window

Year: 1954
Director: Alfred Hitchcock

Rear Window is a nearly perfect film. James Stewart and Grace Kelly are flawless and have excellent chemistry together. Thelma Ritter adds a nice bit of comedic relief and Raymond Burr makes for a great villain, in the small role he has. Alfred Hitchcock made several films that rank among my Top 100 - in addition to this, there's North by Northwest and Psycho - but I think Rear Window is markedly better than both of those. His direction has never been better as he creates a sense of tension, suspense, and dread just from looking out an apartment window. Even with such a limited scope, Rear Window manages to be more exciting than most action movies and the credit should go not only to Hitch, but to his screenwriter, John Michael Hayes. The wonderful score from Franz Waxman compliments everything nicely. Like the best of films, Rear Window is enjoyable no matter if you're seeing it for the first or fiftieth time.

37. Road to Perdition

Year: 2002
Director: Sam Mendes

Road to Perdition is one of the most beautiful films I've ever seen. If for no other reason, this film is worth watching for the cinematography alone. Thankfully, there are plenty of other great aspects. One that always springs to mind after the cinematography is the marvelous score, from Thomas Newman. All the main performances - from Tom Hanks, Paul Newman, Jude Law, and Tyler Hoechlin - and supporting performances - including Stanley Tucci, Daniel Craig, Ciaran Hinds, Dylan Baker, and the underused Jennifer Jason Leigh - are all very good. Newman is probably the highlight and has some magnificent scenes in one of his final onscreen roles. The plot, characters, and dialogue are all well written and create an interesting, engaging film. Road to Perdition is essentially a character drama, but it has moments of action, comedy, and a resonating emotional core. Sam Mendes isn't a director I love, but he really knocks it out of the park here. 

38. The Royal Tenenbaums

Year: 2001
Director: Wes Anderson

I recently wrote about The Royal Tenenbaums in my Favorite Comedy Films list, so I won't repeat myself here.

39. Saving Private Ryan 

Year: 1998
Director: Stephen Spielberg

There are only a handful of films that I love as much as Saving Private Ryan. It has everything that I look for in a film: fantastic writing (especially the characters and plot), wonderful acting (Tom Hanks, once again, shines, but the whole cast is great), a moving score, excellent direction, editing, and cinematography, plus it's an undeniably emotional film. It makes me cry, laugh, and sit on the edge of my seat with tension and suspense. Saving Private Ryan is Stephen Spielberg's most accomplished and detailed film, which is really saying something considering the number of truly remarkable films the man has created. I know a lot of people praise Saving Private Ryan for the opening battle - the landing at Normandy beach - but I think that's just the first of many fantastic moments (both big and small) that make this such a wonderful film.

40. Se7en

Year: 1995
Director: David Fincher

Se7en is a grisly, dark, and depressing film, but one that I have no problem watching again and again. Maybe that says something about me, but I'd rather concentrate on how great this film is. From a technical standpoint, it's flawless. David Fincher is one of my Favorite Directors and this is his best film, just edging out Zodiac and The Social Network for me. Fincher (and everyone else working behind the scenes) does everything just perfectly. I love the moody score (especially during the opening credits, which rank among my Favorite Opening Credit Scenes), the dark cinematography, and the editing. Andrew Walker wrote an amazing script, filled with shocking moments and twists and turns in the plot. Morgan Freeman and Kevin Spacey are terrific in their polar opposite roles. Brad Pitt is good, for the most part, but his work at the end really dampens what would have been an otherwise perfect scene. He overacts and looks even sillier while performing his histrionics next to Freeman and Spacey. Anyone who has seen the film knows what I mean. Other than that scene, Pitt is very serviceable, but I've always felt that with a better actor in that role, Se7en could have been a Top 10 film, instead of "just" a Top 50 one.

Well, there's part eight of this ten part series. I hope to have inspired at least one person to check out a film or two and I hope to read some comments down below. Do you like any of these films? Hate any of them? Let me know, please!

Coming up next Friday: My Favorite Supporting Actress Performances.