Raging Bull by Martin Scorsese

In Martin Scorsese's Raging Bull (1980) Robert De Niro plays Jake LaMatta in what is one of the 10 best performances of all time. In the picture De Niro does an impression of Marlon Brando's famous speech in On the Waterfront (1954). Raging Bull follows the story of Jake LaMatta, Middle Weight Champion back in the 1950's who has become famous for never being knocked down, this is Martin Scorsese's masterpiece and it is a film that must be appriciated even if its not loved. What Scorsese does inside the ring is remarkable as he shifts the size of the ring, the sounds, the fog, the lighting depending on what LaMatta is seeing or feeling, and only once in the picture do we see a fight from outside of the ring. Scorsese's Bull is the greatest film of the 80's, its the greatest feat from one of the true masters of cinema, its the greatest sports film ever made and Robert De Niro's finest moment as an actor.

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly by Sergio Leone

Sergio Leone's The Good, The Bad and The Ugly is one of those films that is technically a "genre" film but seems to transcend genre to create something iconic for generations. Clint Eastwood stars in the final installment of the "No Name Trilogy" that made Eastwood and Leone both icons of the Spaghetti Western. The film relies on visual stimulation much more than verbal, in fact, there is not a word spoken for the first 15 minutes of the film - not quite the 25 minutes of Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey that same year, but impressive none-the-less. This may not be the best Western, or the best Leone film, or Eastwood's best...but there is something about it that goes out in front of time, space, good and bad and proves that the second or third best in several categories eventually allows you to catch up in total score. And, for better or for worse Sergio Leone's picture is truly a tale of the good, the bad and the ugly. AND it innovated the, now Western cliche, Mexican Standoff.

A Hard Day's Night by Richard Lester

A Hard Day's Night stars that Beatles, but more importantly it stars the energy that they supplied to the world of Rock 'n' Roll for a decade. The picture was made in 1964, the year that The Beatle's made their first shift with the masterpiece Rubber Soul. After this year we would wittness the greatness of their music rise as the innocence of the band and the nation declined rapidly. In his book The Great Movies Roger Ebert states: The innocence of the Beatles and ``A Hard Day's Night'' was of course not to last. Ahead was the crushing pressure of being the most popular musical group of all time, and the dalliance with the mystic east, and the breakup, and the druggy fallout from the '60s, and the death of John Lennon. The Beatles would go through a long summer, a disillusioned fall, a tragic winter. But, oh, what a lovely springtime. And it's all in a movie.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Milos Foreman

In 1975, Sweedish filmmaker Milos Foreman made an American masterpiece called One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. The film stars Jack Nichalson in one of his greatest and most memoriable roles, as R.P. McMurphy, a Christ figure with an attitude. The film won the Academy Award for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress and Best Screenplay one of only three (It Happened one Night and Silence of te Lambs) to win all five of the "top" Oscars. Cuckoo's Nest is bitingly funny and heartwrenching. Milos Foreman was able to use this as a launch pad for other classics such as Oscar-winnging Amadeus, The People vs Larry Flynt and Man on the Moon (among others). One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is a film near the top of every great movies list ever made and is truly one of gems of America's cinematic awakening of the 1970's where we spend a lot of time on here on this list.

The Golden Compass

In the tradition of the great fantasy epics of the past (Lord of the Rings, Chronicles of Narnia) Philip Pullman wrote his own work in retaliation to Lewis' Chronicles called His Dark Materials. The first novel in Pullman's trilogy was recentally adapted into a film by Chris Weitz called The Golden Compass. The film has been subject to much criticism from the church as the trilogy was intended to be an alegory for atheism and being targeted toward kids. In the end, the film is very fun to watch and rather challenging to think about the allegory. The film may be scary if watched by children (as recomended by the PG-13 rating) but it is enjoyable for older kids and for adults. Be sure to watch out for this film in the technical awards nominations come Oscar time.

*** 1/2

20 Favorite Films

Short write up on each film coming soon. Also coming soon: Top 10 of 2007!

20. Milos Foreman's One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)
19. Richard Lester's A Hard Days Night (1964)
18. Sergio Leone's The Good, The Bad and The Ugly (1968)
17. Martin Scorsese's Raging Bull (1980)
16. Steven Spielberg's Schindler's List (1993)
15. Martin Scorsese's Goodfellas (1990)
14. Kryzsztof Kieslowski's Three Colors Trilogy (1993/1994)
13. Clint Eastwood's Unforgiven (1992)
12. Robert Altman's Nashville (1975)
11. The Coen Brother's Fargo (1996)
10. Martin Scorsese's Taxi Driver (1976)
9. Orson Welles' Citizen Kane (1941)
8. Clint Eastwood's Mystic River (2003)
7. Stanley Kubrick's Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)
6. Michael Curtiz' Casablanca (1942)
5. Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather pt. II (1974)
4. Guillermo del Toro's Pan's Labyrinth (2006)
3. Steven Spielberg's Saving Private Ryan (1998)
2. Frank Darabont's Shawshank Redemption (1994)
1. Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather (1972)

'Tis the Season

Scripture 210 Top 10 Holiday movies (in no order for any)

Josh White
1. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
2. Frosty the Snowman
3. How the Grinch Stole Christmas (cartoon)
4. How the Grinch Stole Christmas (live action)
5. Christmas Vacation
6. 8 Crazy Nights
7. It's a Wonderful Life
8. Elf
9. The Muppet's Christmas Carol
10. Christmas Story

Chris DeVries
1. Charlie Brown Christmas Special
2. Charlie Brown and the Great Pumpkin
3. Nightmare Before Christmas
4. Christmas Story
5. Christmas Vacation
6. Its Thanksgiving Charlie Brown
7. Groundhogs Day
8. Jingle All the Way
9. How the Grinch Stole Christmas (cartoon)
10. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

Travis Matteson
1. It's a Wonderful Life
2. Charlie Brown Christmas Special
3. White Christmas
4. Holiday Inn
5. How the Grinch Stole Christmas (cartoon)
6. The Muppet's Christmas Carol
7. A Garfeild Christmas (TV Special)
8. Christmas Vacation
9. Mickey's Christmas Carol
10. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

Aaron White
1. It's a Wonderful Life
2. Christmas Story
3. Planes, Trains and Automobiles
4. The Muppet's Christmas Carol
5. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
6. Christmas Vacation
7. Polar Express
8. Charlie Brown Christmas Special
9. Love Actually
10. How the Grinch Stole Christmas (cartoon)