AFI

This weekend I tackled two movies from the American Film Institutes (AFI) top 100 list.  Not wanting to brave the cold to go out Saturday night, I opted to watch Platoon at home and then Sunday went to the theater to see the classic presentation of An American in Paris. These movies, by subject alone, are at two different ends of the spectrum and separated by 35 years of film technology. 

While I thought Platoon lasted too long (for my liking) I got the gist of the movie, the loss of innocence, right away. It was definitely a thought provoking film and well done over all. I appreciated Charlie Sheen's character narrating the film through letters to his Grandma, which hammered home the sentiment of the story line. 

In contrast to this war movie, An American In Paris was a lively dance musical, love story. I believe this is the first time I've seen Gene Kelly in any movie and came to appreciate his talent (and looks) immediately. While I enjoyed the light heartedness of the movie, along with the colorful scenery and costumes, I didn't like the 17 minute dance sequence at the end nor the fact the story closed without resolution to his character's art career. 

Despite the differences in these two movies and my opinions of them, I still appreciate this mission that I am on, to watch all 100 of the AFI's top rated American films. This goal has shown me many movies that I would not have sought out on my own, but have enjoyed. These movies have also helped provide many date-nights with the husband, shown me where some of our cultural quotes and references have come from and given me conversation topics with my father in law numerous times! Who would have thought it?

PS) In case you're wondering, I have 42 more movies to go!

Classics

My "AFI" page, within this blog, is a listing and dedication of my own to watch the then published (2011?) American Film Institute's top 100 films. Over the years I've casually worked on this goal and continue to mark movies off one by one. Thankfully, Turner Classic Movies in conjunction with Fathom Events release a monthly "classic" to be shown in select theaters for two days only. Yes! I get to see (some of) the classics as they were meant to be seen, on the big screen! I'm excited to see that this month's release is the yet to be seen (by me) movie, "An American in Paris"! 

What's your favorite classic?


1.CITIZEN KANE (1941)

2.CASABLANCA (1942)

3.GODFATHER, THE (1972)

4.GONE WITH THE WIND (1939)

5.LAWRENCE OF ARABIA (1962)

6.WIZARD OF OZ, THE (1939)

7.GRADUATE, THE (1967)

8.ON THE WATERFRONT (1954)

9.SCHINDLER'S LIST (1993)

10.SINGIN' IN THE RAIN (1952)

11.IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE (1946)

12.SUNSET BOULEVARD (1950)

13.BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI, THE (1957)

14.SOME LIKE IT HOT (1959)

15.STAR WARS (1977)

16.ALL ABOUT EVE (1950)

17.AFRICAN QUEEN, THE (1951)

18.PSYCHO (1960)

19.CHINATOWN (1974)

20.ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST (1975)

21.GRAPES OF WRATH, THE (1940)

22.2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY (1968)

23.MALTESE FALCON, THE (1941)

24.RAGING BULL (1980)

25.E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL (1982)

26.DR. STRANGELOVE (1964)

27.BONNIE & CLYDE (1967)

28.APOCALYPSE NOW (1979)

29.MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON (1939)

30.TREASURE OF THE SIERRA MADRE (1948)

31.ANNIE HALL (1977)

32.GODFATHER PART II, THE (1974)

33.HIGH NOON (1952)

34.TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD (1962)

35.IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT (1934)

36.MIDNIGHT COWBOY (1969)

37.BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES, THE (1946)

38.DOUBLE INDEMNITY (1944)

39.DOCTOR ZHIVAGO (1965)

40.NORTH BY NORTHWEST (1959)

41.WEST SIDE STORY (1961)

42.REAR WINDOW (1954)

43.KING KONG (1933)

44.BIRTH OF A NATION, THE (1915)

45.STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE, A (1951)

46.CLOCKWORK ORANGE, A (1971)

47.TAXI DRIVER (1976)

48.JAWS (1975)

49.SNOW WHITE & THE SEVEN DWARFS (1937)

50.BUTCH CASSIDY & THE SUNDANCE KID (1969)

51.PHILADELPHIA STORY, THE(1940)

52.FROM HERE TO ETERNITY (1953)

53.AMADEUS (1984)

54.ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT (1930)

55.SOUND OF MUSIC, THE (1965)

56.M*A*S*H(1970)

57.THIRD MAN, THE (1949)

58.FANTASIA (1940)

59.REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE (1955)

60.RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK (1981)

61.VERTIGO (1958)

62.TOOTSIE (1982)

63.STAGECOACH (1939)

64.CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND (1977)

65.SILENCE OF THE LAMBS, THE (1991)

66.NETWORK (1976)

67.MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE, THE (1962)

68.AMERICAN IN PARIS, AN (1951)

69.SHANE (1953)

70.FRENCH CONNECTION, THE (1971)

71.FORREST GUMP (1994)

72.BEN-HUR (1959)

73.WUTHERING HEIGHTS (1939)

74.GOLD RUSH, THE (1925)

75.DANCES WITH WOLVES (1990)

76.CITY LIGHTS (1931)

77.AMERICAN GRAFFITI (1973)

78.ROCKY (1976)

79.DEER HUNTER, THE (1978)

80.WILD BUNCH, THE (1969)

81.MODERN TIMES (1936)

82.GIANT (1956)

83.PLATOON (1986)

84.FARGO (1996)

85.DUCK SOUP (1933)

86.MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY (1935)

87.FRANKENSTEIN (1931)

88.EASY RIDER (1969)

89.PATTON (1970)

90.JAZZ SINGER, THE (1927)

91.MY FAIR LADY (1964)

92.PLACE IN THE SUN, A(1951)

93.APARTMENT, THE (1960)

94.GOODFELLAS (1990)

95.PULP FICTION (1994)

96.SEARCHERS, THE (1956)

97.BRINGING UP BABY (1938)

98.UNFORGIVEN (1992)

99.GUESS WHO'S COMING TO DINNER (1967)

100. YANKEE DOODLE DANDY (1942)