Dez's Favorite 50 Movies, #'s 45-41

Well, since the response to my first batch of films was overwhelming, I thought that I would hurry up and give you the next five. As #45 shows, I do include documentaries. In case you missed the first five on the list, see the post immediately below.

45. Inside 9/11 (2005)

A riveting 3-hour documentary detailing the defining event of our time. The first half covers the rise of Osama Bin Laden and al-Qaeda, while the second half is a moment by moment account of the day itself. Gripping personal accounts, fascinating factual detail and harrowing footage make for the definitive account of 9/11. I show parts of this to my U.S. History class at the end of the year, and it leaves an incredibly strong impression on them.

44. Once Upon a Time in the West (1968) (Italy), dir. Sergio Leone

Although I probably enjoy watching Leone’s Man with No Name trilogy more, #44 is Leone’s masterpiece. The incredible opening sequence is Leone style at its peak, almost 15 minutes of visuals without a word spoken. The plot deals with a vicious battle for a piece of land where a railroad is destined to cross (thereby making the land more valuable than gold), as well as a revenge tale. A stoic Charles Bronson (never better than here) takes the place of Clint Eastwood as Leone’s shady hero, and he matches wits and gunplay with a fantastic Jason Robards and Henry Fonda, in a ruthless turn as the sadistic Frank. The lovely Claudia Cardinale plays the woman who finds herself in the middle since she controls the rights to the coveted land in question. With all due respect to the fine performances, it is Fonda who steals the show. One of the most revered heroic leading men in movies boldly turns his reputation on its head and gives us one of the all time great cold-hearted villains. OUATITW serves as a metaphor for both the end of the wild and open West (and the type of men who populated it) and an end to the Western film as we know it. I was watching a documentary recently on this film, and a critic made the interesting comment that it was the first music video. Leone had the incomparable Ennio Morricone write the score before the film was shot, and Leone choreographed the action to the music, even insisting that his actors walk in rhythm to the music.


ABOVE: This may be my most favorite scene in any movie. Leone is at the top of his game, just watch the cinematography, choreography and style here. This is typical Leone, in that he uses waist shots sparingly (the most common shot of a person for most directors), and instead prefers either facial close-ups or long body shots, but not much in between.


ABOVE: Fonda on why he was cast and about that scene.

43. The Wizard of Oz (1939), dir. Victor Fleming

Ever heard of this one? 60 years on, it still retains all of its charm and wonder. I don’t think that I really need to explain anything here.

42. Point Break (1991), dir. Kathryn Bigelow

Perhaps I do need to explain this pick, though. I’m a sucker for a great action flick, and perhaps I am partial to great action flicks that came out when I was at my most impressionable age…but PB offers superior thrills and excitement. Definitely Patrick Swayze’s finest hour as the seductive surfer guru Bodhi, and even Keanu Reeves is tolerable (which he usually is not). Throw in Gary Busey and you’ve got 2 hours of dumb action-packed fun. It has held up over the years, and is now viewed as a minor cult classic in some circles. Replace surfing with street racing, and you can see how The Fast and The Furious shamelessly lifted PB’s plot, point by point. A superior action thriller.

41. The Breakfast Club (1985), dir. John Hughes

None more 80’s than this one. While the stereotypes perhaps haven’t aged so well and are so neatly drawn as to be caricatures (and Judd Nelson’s juvenile delinquent is about as dangerous as today’s average 3rd grader), the film still has a lot of heart and scenes and moments that are ingrained in the conscience of people of my generation. If I had to pick the ultimate John Hughes 80’s film, I’d have to go with TBC. Can you say enough about the comic genius of Paul Gleason as Principal Richard “Dick” Vernon? Every scene he’s in cracks me up. Working in education, I know some Dick Vernons.

“Don’t mess with the bull, young man, you’ll get the horns.”