A LIST IN THE CROWD

Well, here we are. The final ten entries on ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY's list of 100 greatest films. These ten films may be the oddest listings yet as there are only three of the ten films worthy of inclusion on the list. The others? I don't know, I smell mendacity or something like it.

91. DO THE RIGHT THING (1989). Spike Lee's breakthrough film is very good but not good enough to be on this list.

92. THE PIANO (1993). Get out of here.

93. A FACE IN THE CROWD (1957). I must confess that I'm absolutely astonished to see this film here. I think it's utterly magnificent. Andy Griffith gives the performance of his life as a television and radio star corrupted by power and influence in Elia Kazan's scathing and oh-so-prescient look behind-the-scenes of mid-century media.

94. BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN (2005). You are kidding aren't you? Aren't you?

95. RUSHMORE (1998). I've hated every Wes Anderson film I've seen and after THE ROYAL TENNENBAUMS (which was wretched), I decided to stop hitting myself in the head with this cinematic hammer.

96. SULLIVAN'S TRAVELS (1941). Come on, some one, any one, fess up. I can't be the only person who thinks that Preston Sturges is grossly overrated. Any one? Bueller?

97. DINER (1982). Another shocker. I didn't expect to see this film on this list. I adore DINER!

98. ALL ABOUT MY MOTHER (1999). I'd prefer all about the exit door.

99. THERE WILL BE BLOOD (2007). There will be high blood pressure and it belongs to me because of entries like this on this furshlugginer list.

100. SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS (1957). A brilliant film. Burt Lancaster and Tony Curtis are marvelous in this acidic tale of what it takes to get to the top and stay there.

There you have it. All 100 films. I have no proof of this but I strongly suspect that the EW staffers who complied this list are all of a certain age. That is, under forty. That would explain the inclusion of so many 21st and late 20th century films. It might also explain why there are so many foreign films on the list. I'd wager that the young men and women who compiled this list felt some sense of duty as hipster cineastes to include films that I don't believe anyone really and truly likes.

If you've been following my posts on this subject (thanks!) you'll note that there are many films missing in action from this list. I listed some in my last post. Where are those films? How could the EW list makers overlook those films and such other works as THE THIRD MAN, THE GRAPES OF WRATH, KISS ME DEADLY, UNFORGIVEN, BLACK NARCISSUS, PEEPING TOM and  A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH?  I could go on and on and that's just what I plan to do.

Coming soon, the ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY list of 100 greatest films as edited by me. Stay tuned.