EW published a list of the “New Classics” – the top 100 movies from the last 25 years – and the editors’ selections were… well, really bad. Here’s their top 10:
1. Pulp Fiction (1994)
2. The Lord of the Rings trilogy (2001-03)
3. Titanic (1997)
4. Blue Velvet (1986)
5. Toy Story (1995)
6. Saving Private Ryan (1998)
7. Hannah and Her Sisters (1986)
8. The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
9. Die Hard (1988)
10. Moulin Rouge (2001)
Pulp Fiction is overrated, as is Moulin Rouge (and I like both). The Lord of the Rings trilogy are THREE SEPARATE films, you can’t fairly lump them together as one. And Titanic has aged about as well as the actual ship.
And The Shawshank Redemption and Jurassic Park is not even on the list… COME ON.
Anyway, for what it’s worth, here’s MY top 25 list…
1. The Shawshank Redemption (a near perfect film)
2. Die Hard (best action movie ever made)
3. GoodFellas (almost as good as The Godfather)
4. Toy Story (groundbreaking)
5. Finding Nemo (best Pixar movie so far)
6. Pulp Fiction (seminal, but overrated)
7. Fellowship of the Ring (best of the three films)
8. Blue Velvet (haunting, David Lynch’ best film)
9. The Matrix (great twists, visuals, and mythic)
10. Fargo (best true-crime movie ever)
11. Aliens (2nd best action movie ever)
12. Boogie Nights (“You got the touch!”)
13. Terminator 2 (3rd best action movie ever)
14. Back to the Future (a true modern classic)
15. Ghostbusters (best horror/comedy ever)
16. Spider-Man 2 (best super-hero movie ever)
17. The Incredibles (a virtual tie with 16)
18. Silence of the Lambs (best horror film since Hitchcock… and since)
19. Memento (best edited/constructed/plotted film)
20. Fight Club (best twist/message)
21. This is Spinal Tap (another classic comedy)
22. Grave of the Fireflies (most depressing movie ever)
23. Edward Scissorhands (magical)
24. L.A. Confidential (2nd best true-crime movie ever)
25. Saving Private Ryan (best movie about WWII, ever)
I’d put Jurassic Park, Spirited Away, The Usual Suspects, and Se7en somewhere in the 26 to 35s…