Caught up in the movies!

Getting caught up in the movies might not be as easy as you might think. Especially if you are behind as far as we are! The goal: watch all 100 of AFI's 100 top films of all time. It sounds like the making of a great plan...watch 100 movies in a year. Why not? Should be easy for people who love watching movies, right?

Only 20 movies watched...out of 100. It was well past a year, and there was no hope in sight of getting back on track before the end of 2012 with all the holiday events, shopping and family gatherings with no time for movie watching. And, just when all hope was about to be lost, my wonderful husband Brian decided he would help make it a priority...so we watched...we laughed...we cried...sometimes we were even confused...and we did it. We got caught up, or at least have put a decent dent in the list.

So, in a week, give or take a day or two, we watched 11 movies! Here's the list, and my brief thoughts  on each one, the good and the bad!

Raging Bull, 1980 #4 on AFI Top 100 List
This is pretty high on the list, and you can see why because of the great acting from Robert De Niro! Raw is the word that best describes his character and how he attacks life...because it is an attack on life and all those who happen to fall into his path. It's a tough subject, and hard film to watch. I was shocked to see that it was number four on the list as I had never even heard of this film!

Lawrence of Arabia, 1962 #7 on AFI Top 100 List
Absolutely brilliant! Both Brian and I loved this film, and neither of us had ever seen the film. It was tough too...dry, hot and other-world-like with its bigger than life desert scenes. Wow! And, it is interesting that by watching so many films in such a short period of time, you really begin to see a pattern in filmmaking...the journey of man or woman...and many of these characters end up just a bit crazier than they started out. However, Peter O'Toole's character T.E. Lawrence was a kind of good crazy, who found himself an unplanned leader.

The Searchers, 1956 #12 on AFI Top 100 List
We just love John Wayne...who doesn't love him! Again, we had never heard of this movie, and it was great. The bigger-than-life scenery was gorgeous, and it too was a journey...where the Wayne's character was searching for his niece for years. You could actually feel how tired he was. And, you could begin to see just how his past and this journey was wearing him down, to the point, you thought he just might be so blinded by hatred that he had lost his mind.

2001: A Space Odyssey, 1968 #15 on AFI Top 100 List
I could have sworn that I had seen this movie! And, I may have in high school, but I certainly did not remember the primordial man scene in the beginning or the star-child scene in the end. And, as the name implies, it is the odyssey of man...another journey! And, the only crazy person in this movie is actually the computer, Hal! Not sure it was my favorite, but I'm glad to have watched it...because of its importance in film.

The General, 1927 #18 on AFI Top 100 List
Hilarious! This was my favorite movie of the 11we watched. A black and white silent film staring  Buster Keaton...who I don't think I've ever watched on film before...and a big locomotive named, "The General," set in Civil War times. I actually laughed out loud as the train began rolling away and Keaton looked up not knowing where it had gone! You should definitely watch this one!!

Chinatown, 1974 #21 on AFI Top 100 List
This was Brian's favorite of those we watched in the week. Like most of the other movies we watched, we had not seen this movie. It had a good story, interesting twists and a great acting by Jack Nicholson and Faye Dunaway. I think Brian like the cars from the 1930's era as well. It's a good story, and although I thought it might have a lot to do with Chinatown, it really doesn't.

Dr. Strangelove, 1964 #39 on AFI Top 100 List Strange is a good word to use to describe this movie, which was a Stanley Kubrick black comedy featuring Peter Sellers and several other very crazy characters. Actually, Sellers' characters were on the less crazy side of all! It Happened One Night, 1934 #46 on AFI Top 100 List This is a fun and funny light-hearted film featuring all-time heart-throb Clark Gable along with Claudette Colbert. Let me just say that it's nice to see the good guy win sometimes! Watch this! A Streetcar Named Desire, 1951 #47 on AFI Top 100 List Surprisingly, neither Brian nor I had ever seen this movie. And, although I really thought I would like it, it left a bad taste in my mouth. I guess I had always thought that main macho man Marlon Brando was the bad guy. Although he wasn't a good guy, he wasn't bad either, and Vivian Leigh did an excellent job playing a woman driven crazy by time and circumstance...and even a litle bit remimded me of a great aunt of mine. It should be watched, more than once to be appreciated. Just be sure you're not looking for a light-hearted romance! American Graffitti, 1973 #62 on AFI Top 100 List Great music. Beautiful cars. Kids being kids, and not wanting to grow up. That's it. I very much like Richard Dryfuss in this movie, and am very glad to see him get on the plane at the end! Raiders of the Lost Ark,1981 #66 on AFI Top 100 List It amazes me that I can still watch this movie like it's the first time I've seen it! Harrison Ford is one of my all-time favorites, and this movie is as well. Although I didn't get to see this one until after the second one, as I had to wait until we got a VCR to be able to watch it!! The story is another journey, and one that set many kids since that time until now on a path to travel the world, learn about archeology and carry a whip!! Love it! Watch it! And, then watch the other three.