Post by doc on Feb 21, 2019 16:02:45 GMT
They hand out thew Oscars on Sunday night. I know most of you don't care but I'm a huge movie fan. I've actually seen all but 4 of the Best Pictures (1929 Broadway Melody, 1935 Mutiny on the Bounty, 1936 The Great Ziegfeld and 2003 Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King - after watching the first 2 LOTR movies I just couldn't take it anymore!) Anyway here are my picks as the 10 worst and 10 best, Best Pictures of all time...
Worst
1952, The Greatest Show on Earth - Somehow beat High Noon, easily the worst, Best Picture I've ever seen - practically unwatchable...but I did. The best movie from 1952, Singin' In the Rain, didn't even get nominated.
1956, Around the World in 80 Days - Had over 40 cameos from big names of the era which must have helped this movie claim the Oscar.
It beat Giant, The Ten Commandments and The King and I but the best picture of that year; The Searchers, wasn't nominated.
2005, Crash - Also featured an all star cast. This was an upset win as many thought Brokeback Mountain would take the top prize. Frankly, I didn't like either movie but I'm not sure there was a truly great movie that year.
1932, Grand Hotel - Again, an all star cast which probably won this film the award, Joan Crawford, John Barrymore, Greta Garbo and many others made appearances in this snooze fest - it was the first movie to proclaim an all star cast.
1931, Cimarron - Part of the reason I disliked this one so much is that I watched it during a chemo treatment. Between Cimarron and the Benadryl I had no problem sleeping through most of the treatment.
1987, The Last Emperor - Beat Moonstruck, Hope and Glory, Broadcast News and Fatal Attraction. Would have preferred any of those over the actual 'winner'.
1985, Out of Africa - I couldn't have been more bored at a movie but the soundtrack was nice. Beat The Color Purple and Witness.
1929, The Broadway Melody - It was only the second year of the Oscars so I can give them a pass on this one.
1936, The Great Ziegfeld - This is one I've never seen. I'm just guessing a 3 hour film about broadway producer Flo Ziegfeld has to be a difficult watch. I did see Mr. Deeds Goes to Town which was actually very good.
2016, Moonlight - In 2015 the Oscars were called 'too white', the next year they named Moonlight best picture. Told the story of a young gay, black man during several stages of his life. I didn't get it - some put Moonlight on their 10 best Best Picture list, I went the opposite direction.
And here are my top 10...
10. Bridge on the River Kwai - Prisoners of war, led by Alec Guinness, build a bridge for the Japanese enemy in WW2.
9. Silence of the Lambs - Captured the top five Oscars in 1991 including Best Actor for Anthony Hopkins.
8. On the Waterfront - Marlon Brando stands up to the corrupt union and gets the girl in the process.
7. All About Eve - Won in 1950 - has withstood the test of time.
6. One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest - also captured the top 5 Oscars in 1975.
5. Lawrence of Arabia - visually, beautiful movie. I admire the effort it took to make this film.
4. Schindler's List - gut wrenching and difficult to comprehend that something like the Holocaust happened less than 80 years ago.
3. Gone With The Wind - The first true epic, movie.
2. Casablanca - from the second it starts it just gets better and better and better.
1. The Godfather 1 & 2 - The story of the Corleone family - I had to combine them to get them both on the list - and in the top spot.
I'll add that I saw Terms of Endearment on my first date with my wife. I always say it's my favorite movie for sentimental reasons. When I became the cancer patient it took on a different feel but I may not have married my wife had it not been for this movie so it will always hold a special place in my heart. Won Best Picture in 1983.
Worst
1952, The Greatest Show on Earth - Somehow beat High Noon, easily the worst, Best Picture I've ever seen - practically unwatchable...but I did. The best movie from 1952, Singin' In the Rain, didn't even get nominated.
1956, Around the World in 80 Days - Had over 40 cameos from big names of the era which must have helped this movie claim the Oscar.
It beat Giant, The Ten Commandments and The King and I but the best picture of that year; The Searchers, wasn't nominated.
2005, Crash - Also featured an all star cast. This was an upset win as many thought Brokeback Mountain would take the top prize. Frankly, I didn't like either movie but I'm not sure there was a truly great movie that year.
1932, Grand Hotel - Again, an all star cast which probably won this film the award, Joan Crawford, John Barrymore, Greta Garbo and many others made appearances in this snooze fest - it was the first movie to proclaim an all star cast.
1931, Cimarron - Part of the reason I disliked this one so much is that I watched it during a chemo treatment. Between Cimarron and the Benadryl I had no problem sleeping through most of the treatment.
1987, The Last Emperor - Beat Moonstruck, Hope and Glory, Broadcast News and Fatal Attraction. Would have preferred any of those over the actual 'winner'.
1985, Out of Africa - I couldn't have been more bored at a movie but the soundtrack was nice. Beat The Color Purple and Witness.
1929, The Broadway Melody - It was only the second year of the Oscars so I can give them a pass on this one.
1936, The Great Ziegfeld - This is one I've never seen. I'm just guessing a 3 hour film about broadway producer Flo Ziegfeld has to be a difficult watch. I did see Mr. Deeds Goes to Town which was actually very good.
2016, Moonlight - In 2015 the Oscars were called 'too white', the next year they named Moonlight best picture. Told the story of a young gay, black man during several stages of his life. I didn't get it - some put Moonlight on their 10 best Best Picture list, I went the opposite direction.
And here are my top 10...
10. Bridge on the River Kwai - Prisoners of war, led by Alec Guinness, build a bridge for the Japanese enemy in WW2.
9. Silence of the Lambs - Captured the top five Oscars in 1991 including Best Actor for Anthony Hopkins.
8. On the Waterfront - Marlon Brando stands up to the corrupt union and gets the girl in the process.
7. All About Eve - Won in 1950 - has withstood the test of time.
6. One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest - also captured the top 5 Oscars in 1975.
5. Lawrence of Arabia - visually, beautiful movie. I admire the effort it took to make this film.
4. Schindler's List - gut wrenching and difficult to comprehend that something like the Holocaust happened less than 80 years ago.
3. Gone With The Wind - The first true epic, movie.
2. Casablanca - from the second it starts it just gets better and better and better.
1. The Godfather 1 & 2 - The story of the Corleone family - I had to combine them to get them both on the list - and in the top spot.
I'll add that I saw Terms of Endearment on my first date with my wife. I always say it's my favorite movie for sentimental reasons. When I became the cancer patient it took on a different feel but I may not have married my wife had it not been for this movie so it will always hold a special place in my heart. Won Best Picture in 1983.
