_The 100 Best Films of All Time (49-45)

49. Fargo

Director: Joel Coen
Cast: Frances McDormand, Steve Buscemi, William H. Macy
Genre: Thriller
Academy Awards: 2
Year: 1996
Imdb-Rating: 8.2
Critic's opinion (James Berardinelli):
FARGO takes the usual "caper gone wrong" storyline and applies a new twist. Based on a series of true events from 1987, the film examines what can happen when the police and criminals are equally dim- witted. The product of the Coen brothers' fertile (and twisted) minds, FARGO represents one of their least ambitious screenplays to date. Even so, the finished product still bears several of their unmistakable trademarks, including atypical humor and an unmistakable visual flair.

48. The Bridge on the River Kwai

Director: David Lean
Cast: Alec Guinness, William Holden, Jack Hawkins
Genre: Drama, War
Academy Awards: 7
Year: 1957
Imdb-Rating: 8.4
Critic's opinion (Dragan Antulov): THE BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI is almost perfect film, brilliantly written, acted and directed and one of the rare examples of "Oscar" winners that actually passed the test of time. Of course, there are some flaws, but they are minor. Some may argue that the life of Allied soldiers in Japanese POWs, although still very grim according to this film, was actually much harder in real life. Conflict between Saito and Nicholson was simply unimaginable under such brutal conditions; this film was often criticised by surviving POWs for portraying Japanese guards as kinder and gentler than they actually were. Also, the final showdown, although powerful, in the film seems a little bit melodramatic.

47. On the Waterfront

Director: Elia Kazan
Cast: Marlon Brando, Eva Marie Saint, Lee J. Cobb
Genre: Drama
Academy Awards: 8
Year: 1954
Imdb-Rating: 8.4
Critic's opinion (Brian Koller): "On The Waterfront" is a classic film that nearly measures up to its reputation. While the characters are too neatly divided into good and evil, and the drama is sometimes overdone, there's never a dull moment, and the cast and cinematography is excellent.

46. Blue Velvet

Director: David Lynch
Cast: Kyle MacLachlan, Isabella Rossellini, Dennis Hopper
Genre: Thriller
Academy Awards: 0
Year: 1986
Imdb-Rating: 7.7
Critic's opinion (Dragan Antulov): BLUE VELVET was a more than good or very good film, it was an excellent film. Unfortunately, single element kept it from the top and deprived it of the cinematic perfection. That was the score of Angelo Badalamenti, Lynch's semi-official composer. Although good per se, the sentimental Badalamenti's themes were silenced by more popular and catchy songs of Bobby Vinton and Roy Orbison. But, despite that almost unnoticeable flaw, BLUE VELVET still remains the movie that deserves to be adored and re-watched, same as masterpieces that actually reached the perfection.

45. The Maltese Falcon

Director: John Huston
Cast: Humphrey Bogart, Sidney Greenstreet, Peter Lorre
Genre: Film noir
Academy Awards: 0
Year: 1941
Imdb-Rating: 8.4
Critic's opinion (Dragan Antulov): THE MALTESE FALCON, with its great direction, truly stellar cast and interesting story and characters is a film that managed to transcend its time and it is still able to entertain the audience six decades after its making. To countless new generations of viewers this is film is more than an important piece of film history. It is a true masterpiece.