Movie Man
When film critic Will Pfeifer isn’t watching movies, he’s reading about movies, talking about movies, thinking about movies or dreaming about movies. Now he shares that unhealthy obsession with you. From Hollywood hits to Japanese obscurities, from Oscar night to the summer season, he’s got movies on the brain — and on this blog.

EW names the ‘new classics’

June 23rd, 2008 at 03:20pm Will Pfeifer

In the latest issue of ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY (the 1,000th), the magazine lists what it calls “the new classics” of movies, books, music, etc. This being a movie blog, we’ll focus on the cinematic list here. So, without further ado, the top 10 films of the last 25 years, according to EW. (The rest of the list, along with the other categories, can be found here.)

pulp_fiction-bible.jpg

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)

I was surprised SCHINDLER’S LIST didn’t make the top spot (or even the top 20), but PULP FICTION is, frankly, a better pick.  For one thing, I think it has held up better than Spielberg’s Oscar winner, which looks like a movie from an earlier era (and that’s one of its strengths). PULP FICTION heralded a new era in movies, when the independent studios (whatever that means) grew to have real influence and movies about pop culture-obsessed killers dominated the screen. I saw it way back in 1994 on opening night, and I last watched it a couple of years ago on DVD — and it still holds up. The next time you watch it, focus on Samuel Jackson. It’s really his story, and it’s a great one.

I’m not going to comment on the whole list — I do have a day job — but I will say that it’s nice to see BLUE VELVET so high on the list. It’s a pretty amazing movie, and one that looks better (and stranger) every year. If you only know Dennis Hopper from those baby boomer retirement commercials, you really need to see him as Frank Booth. Hooo boy!

Also: TITANIC? Really?

And, in case you were wondering, I would’ve put GOODFELLAS in the top spot. BOOGIE NIGHTS, THE MATRIX, JFK, RUSHMORE, ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND, TOY STORY 2, MEMENTO, FIGHT CLUB, THE INCREDIBLES, CONFESSIONS OF A DANGEROUS MIND and BRAZIL also would’ve ranked high on my list.

And you?

Entry Filed under: Lists, Classic movies

18 Comments Add your own

  • 1. Javan  |  June 23rd, 2008 at 3:37 pm

    I agree with you on Goodfellas, Schindler\’s List and Boogie Nights. I would knock out Lord of the Rings, Titanic and Hannah. That is why you are so great, Dirk Diggler.

  • 2. LD  |  June 23rd, 2008 at 4:53 pm

    I’d find space for Children of Men, Pan’s Labyrinth, The Royal Tenenbaums…

  • 3. Brian M  |  June 23rd, 2008 at 5:18 pm

    1. Much like AFI’s laughable lists, I’m not going to waste my time commenting on the whole thing. I will say I am thrilled to see DIE HARD and MOULIN ROUGE get the love they deserve, though for me FIGHT CLUB would also be in the top 10 - actually a contender for #1.

    2. Others that should rank higher: GHOSTBUSTERS, BACK TO THE FUTURE, WHEN HARRY MET SALLY (yeah, Will, I said it), THE FISHER KING, OFFICE SPACE, OUT OF SIGHT, MATRIX, and many more…

    3. TITANIC? Yes. Like it or not (and I do), it is a modern classic

    4. GOODFELLAS, on the other hand, would probably not be in my top 500. That’s just my personal opinion, of course. - I’ll be the first to admit the genre’s not my kinda thing. I find the Godfather moviesw highly overrated, and I HATE Scarface. If others like it, more power to ‘em.

  • 4. Robert Satan  |  June 24th, 2008 at 9:59 am

    Brian M….you like Titanic, but not Goodfellas? Interesting. You might be the only man I have ever heard say that.

  • 5. Gareth Sleger  |  June 24th, 2008 at 2:34 pm

    Wow, not one mention of The Shawshank Redemption…should be a top five on any list.

  • 6. Shelley Hendricks  |  June 25th, 2008 at 7:24 pm

    I’m just relieved that the movie I hate more than any other movie didn’t make the list: FOREST GUMP!

  • 7. Brian M  |  June 26th, 2008 at 3:59 pm

    FORREST GUMP - (2 R’s) - makes mine, just not top ten. somewhere in the twenties, I think.

    …and hate more than ANY other movie?!?? You must not have seen stuff like BORAT, EPIC MOVIE, NAPOLEON DYNAMITE, etc.

  • 8. Jen Sensible  |  June 30th, 2008 at 1:00 pm

    Does Will look like McLovin to anyone else on this blog?

    I too think Shawshank belonged, and will put in another pitch for the finely animated Finding Nemo.

  • 9. Karl Vocal  |  June 30th, 2008 at 3:50 pm

    MCLOVING!!!!! Loving it.

  • 10. Brian M  |  June 30th, 2008 at 5:50 pm

    If this list came out a week ater, I’d have said WALL*E. Truly astounding. A thing of beauty. It’s like Charlie Chaplin, Pixar-style.

  • 11. Silver Man  |  June 30th, 2008 at 10:41 pm

    McLovin,
    Can’t believe there are people praising WallE. I have not seen it but am hearing its another piece of thinly disguised environmental activism. What say you?

  • 12. Jen Sensible  |  July 1st, 2008 at 1:13 pm

    Silver, not many people on this blog agree with Brian M about anything.

  • 13. Brian M  |  July 1st, 2008 at 2:35 pm

    WHAT??!!??

    When did I become such a hated contributor around here? I thought my posts were fair and contributed to the conversation. I wish you’d spoken up sooner. If that’s the case, and that’s how I’m viewed, say the word and I won’t come here ever again. There are plenty of other places to discuss movies online. I just thought it would be nice to discuss them with people in my own area.

    To Silver (and Jen): As for Wall*E, how can anyone say no one agrees with me? It has near 100% positive reviews. I went in with low expectations too, and it turned out to be a WONDERFUL movie. If anything, there is the slightest inkling of an environmental theme there, but it is FAR from “Activism” or propoganda. (and what would be the problem if it was? are you anti-environment?)

  • 14. Silver Man  |  July 1st, 2008 at 4:04 pm

    Brian - I cvan’t speak for other people on this blog, but the whole idea of a blog is to spark a discussion. So I would say, relax.

    As for “what’s the problem if it were environmental propaganda?” first, remember, I admitted up before that I hadn’t seen the movie yet. So I will trust your description of it.

    But the problem is, this is a children’s movie. By Disney. You go to children’s movies to have fun, to laugh with your kids, to have a light hearted time. You don’t go to get a political dissertation on the evils of industry. It’s a gigantic misrepresentation, you know? And, it’s somewhat Orwellian - sneakily trying to indoctrinate children. If I want to environmentalist information, I certainly don’t want to get it from Disney.

    Now. About my separated at birth question. Doncha think Will looks a little like McLovin?

  • 15. Brian M  |  July 1st, 2008 at 6:42 pm

    McLovin’ - I could see that, I guess. lol

    And though I said “what IF…”, I can say again that Wall*E does NOT fit in the category as you describe it. No politics, no misrepresentation. The fact that the Earth is covered in trash and unlivable is nothing but a plot point, not a message or indoctrination. There’s no damnation of resource use or killing the environment or anything. If there IS any kind of political message to the film, it’s just “we’re all getting lazy and we’ll end up fat and stuck in hover-chairs.”

    …now HAPPY FEET - …THAT was a heavy-handed environmental flick, and a crappy movie too.

    So yeah, see the movie for yourself, forget what anyone has told you (myself or the people you’ve heard bash it included), and decide what you think. If you dont bring politics with you into the movie, you won’t think of it as such. If you go in LOOKING for politics or controversy, you’ll manage to project it and imagine it everywhere, just as you could into ANY movie.

  • 16. Will Pfeifer  |  July 2nd, 2008 at 8:14 am

    I saw WALL-E yesterday (well, most of it anyway — my daughter had to leave before the end) and thought it was excellent — definitely one of Pixar’s best. It’s very different from their other movies (which might explain why my girl wanted to go) in that it’s largely silent and doesn’t have the fast-paced humor of the other films. It’s really is like a Chaplin or Keaton movie, with sight gags that play off the characters and walk the line between funny and sad.

    And Brian’s right — there aren’t any politics, just the observation that if we keep consuming and disposing, we’re going to use up the Earth and fill it with garbage. It’s not about the evils of industry, it’s just about human nature — we can be lazy and ignorant of the effects of our actions. How anyone can argue that when the theater they’re sitting in sells drinks that literally are bigger than the capacity of the human stomach is beyond me.

    And by the way, let’s lay off the personal comments here regarding other posters. We all come here to discuss movies, and if you disagree with what someone says, talk about the topic, not the person. And Silver Man (one of many posters here whose name is strangely reminiscent of former Register Star employees), if you haven’t seen the movie, you should give it a chance.

  • 17. Jen Sensible  |  July 2nd, 2008 at 4:28 pm

    I apologize for my rude behavior. I was really just joking. Brian M and McLovin, please forgive me.

  • 18. Silver Man  |  July 3rd, 2008 at 8:17 am

    McLovin,
    I didn’t mean i wouldn’t give it a chance, my man. I was just saying that I was starting to hear some stuff that didn’t sound good. I just know I was really turned off by Happy Feet and would be disappointed if studios started using kids movies as a conduit for propaganda. I am glad Wall*E doesn’t necessarily fall in that category.

    As for your inquiry about the name, Not sure what other posters you are referencing, but as for me….I’m an avid film photographer with his own home dark room. Hence the “Silver Man.” Sorry to confound your paranoia - is this something for Art Bell?

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