_The 100 Best Films of All Time (24-21)
Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Cast: Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint, James Mason
Genre: Thriller
Academy Awards: 0
Year: 1959
Imdb-Rating: 8.6
Critic's opinion (Brian Koller): "North By Northwest" is one of Alfred Hitchcock's most famous and heavily praised films. It is a very good film, full of suspense and action, but it is not among his best films. The romance between Cary Grant and Eva Marie Saint is unintentionally amusing, and several of the action scenes lack credibility.
23. Star Wars: Episode V- The Empire Strikes Back
Director: Irvin Kershner
Cast: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Alec Guinness
Genre: Sci-Fi
Academy Awards: 2
Year: 1980
Imdb-Rating: 8.7
Critic's opinion (Brian Koller): Probably the best of the "Star Wars" series, "The Empire Strikes Back" was the sequel to the immensely successful "Star Wars" film from 1977. The follow-up retains the strengths of the original: great sets, costumes, cinematography and special effects. The story is even tighter and with more action than "Star Wars", and there is plenty of quality comic relief. Upon its release, "The Empire Strikes Back" became the second highest grossing film of all time, with only "Star Wars" ahead of it.
22. Apocalypse Now
Director: Francis Ford Coppola
Cast: Martin Sheen, Marlon Brando, Robert Duvall
Genre: War
Academy Awards: 2
Year: 1979
Imdb-Rating: 8.5
Critic's opinion (Harvey S. Karten): Then as now, this film cannot really be compared with more traditional war films like 'The Longest Day," "The Bridge on the River Kwai," or "Saving Private Ryan." "Apocalypse Now" is at once more mystical, more reflective, more suited to a war that has been blamed for tearing America apart. Contrasts aside, it ranks as one of the most moving of its genre.
Director: Akira Kurosawa
Cast: Takashi Shimura, Toshirô Mifune, Yoshio Inaba
Genre: Drama
Academy Awards: 0
Year: 1954
Imdb-Rating: 8.9
Critic's opinion (Serdar Yegulalp): THE SEVEN SAMURAI is, more than anything else, a totally enthralling and entertaining movie -- fun *and* profound. It is three hours and ten minutes long, never lags, and feels too short by half. It creates a world -- or more accurately, takes us to another world -- populates it convincingly, gives us motives and needs that are totally uncontrived and direct, and then lets it loose on us. Many have argued that this is Kurosawa's best film; I would also add that it's his most entertaining and direct, even more so than THE HIDDEN FORTRESS. It is, quite simply, perfect.
Getting close now! aaahhhhh!
Yeah, the top 20, the 'crème de la crème', are very near.
And Shawshank was donwn the 30s. Hell.
It's been a great series thus far though 1922, very much looking forawrd to the next few days!
Thx. Actually I was quite surprised seeing The Shawshank Redemption so popular (# 35). A great film though.
Glad you agree. You're surprised it was that high? Wow, heh -- still at least it's #2 on IMDB.
Why do I have a horrible feeling at least one LOTR movie is going to feature very, very high..
Don't worry about that.
Ooh, must ahve skimmed past that, or not realised that you'd listed all three there... I have to say:
YAY! Somebody hasn't overrated them for a change! :-)