4. Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)

For a long time this was my favorite film. It was actually my favorite until I saw the final three films on my list. I think the reason why I like it so much is because the theme throughout the film is that of wonder. And it's one of the few alien films where the aliens don't actually try to kill us. I like an alien invasion film as much as the next person, but this film is better than any of those.

I don't have to mention John Williams again, do I?

3. L.A. Story (1991)

The most underrated comedy ever made. I think the reason why that is though is because the film isn't a typical comedy. I hate to use the word again, but it's mystical. It's about a lost man who finds himself seeking advice from a traffic board while falling in love from someone outside of Los Angeles. The film is about fate, and whether or not you are a believer in it, the film works. It's Steve Martin's best film (Either writing or acting).

2. Beverly Hills Cop (1984)

The best action comedy ever made. It's kind of a shame though that this is where Eddie Murphy peaked. It's his best film and his funniest. It's his film from beginning to end. What's even more impressive is that this was his third major film and the first where he was the lone star.

Now, I don't have to mention how much Harold Faltermeyer kicks ass, do I?

I'll have the number one film up in a few minutes. If you haven't seen this coming from miles away, then you probably shouldn't be let near a computer. Either that, or you have never read one of my posts, which I wouldn't be too surprised by. I think I have the quietest 6,000+ posts on this site.

Very solid list so far; most of the comedies I haven't seen but almost everything else is very deserving (and in my top 100 also). And #1 is a dead giveaway.

God I should hope so.

The only thing I have going is why I like it so much.

1. Superman: The Movie (1978)

In 1978 the advertising slogan for this movie was, "You will believe a man can fly". That was filmmaker Richard Donner's intent, and he suceeded ten times over. But not only did he convince an audience that a man could fly, but he told that story with a lot of heart, which is something most superhero films lack.

I have loved this movie ever since I was a little kid and I continue to love this movie today. Everything about Superman just seems to be perfect.

Christopher Reeve and Margot Kidder make the perfect Clark Kent/Superman and Lois Lane. Gene Hackman makes the perfect Lex Luthor because of his sly and dark sense of humor. Richard Donner was the perfect director for this movie because at the time it was made, he was crazy and young enough to take on this task of making a man fly. And then there is John Williams. Out of all of the scores he was written, this is by far his best. It's just absolutely beautiful, and it is by far the best I have heard in any movie. Finally, there are the special effects. Now even though this movie was made in 1978 and the effects may seem cheesy to some of us, to me the effects remain the most realistic special effects in a superhero movie to date. The filmmakers were not lazy. Even though you can tell that Christopher Reeve was in front of a green screen, you can at least see himself making the movements. That alone makes it more realistic.

This movie has a certain type of joy in it, which all of the other superhero movies since have lacked in. All the other movies since have been too dark, which I admit did work for some of them (Batman Begins and Hulk). But since this movie isn't too dark, has a great score a great cast, a great director and great special effects, it remains the best superhero movie to date. That joy I have come to realized is hope. Superman to me represents hope. Hope for the greater good. Hope for the future. Hope in how we want to be treated. And, hope as a universal concept. Whenever I watch it, it brings out the little kid in me again, who dreamed of being able to fly, and not too many other movies can do that me. It is my favorite movie, and it will probably always be.

went from great list to a horrible list with ur #1.

not a fan of superman. i did like the rest of the list though

Good list Jmart; actually, it could be the closest to mine. Superman was my favourite movie as a child, and, though it doesn't hold up as well for me, I still do enjoy it. I'd put it in my top 100 just for nostalgia's sake.

Here's my complete list just incase anyone missed anything. I'll also provide the yearly breakdown.

100. Shaun of the Dead (2004)
99. Newsies (1992)
98. American Pie (1999)
97. Meet the Parents (2000)
96. Mrs. Doubtfire (1993)
95. Major League (1989)
94. Toy Story (1995)
93. Grosse Point Blank (1997)
92. There's Something About Mary (1998)
91. Tommy Boy (1995)
90. Rocky Balboa (2006)
89. Sin City (2005)
88. Spider-Man 2 (2004)
87. High Fidelity (2000)
86. Kingpin (1996)
85. Robocop: X-Rated Cut (1987)
84. Escape From New York (1981)
83. Analyze This (1999)
82. Slap Shot (1977)
81. Stranger than Fiction (2006)
80. The Naked Gun (1988)
79. Rocky II (1979)
78. Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)
77. The 40-Year Old Virgin (2005)
76. Keeping the Faith (2000)
75. What About Bob? (1991)
74. Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986)
73. Tomorrow Never Dies (1997)
72. Caddyshack (1980)
71. National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989)
70. Back to the Future Part II & III (1989/1990)
69. Batman Begins (2005)
68. From Russia with Love (1963)
67. The Sting (1973)
66. Good Will Hunting (1997)
65. Bull Durham (1988)
64. 25th Hour (2002)
63. Superman Returns (2006)
62. The Fugitive (1993)
61. Se7en (1995)
60. Casino Royale (2006)
59. Sideways (2004) *I corrected the year in that post*
58. Saving Private Ryan (1998)
57. Scarface (1983)
56. Blazing Saddles (1974)
55. True Lies (1994)
54. Speed (1994)
53. Apollo 13 (1995)
52. Carlito's Way (1993)
51. The French Connection (1971)
50. National Lampoon's Vacation (1983)
49. Lethal Weapon 2 (1989)
48. Live and Let Die (1973)
47. The Rock (1996)
46. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)
45. Little Miss Sunshine (2006)
44. The Departed (2006)
43. Schindler's List (1993)
42. Young Frankenstein (1974)
41. Dirty Harry (1971)
40. Dawn of the Dead (1978)
39. Forrest Gump (1994)
38. The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
37. Stand By Me (1986)
36. National Lampoon's Animal House (1978)
35. Die Hard (1988)
34. Ghostbusters (1984)
33. Born on the Fourth of July (1989)
32. Hoosiers (1986)
31. Return of the Jedi (1983)
30. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)
29. Goodfellas (1990)
28. Halloween (1978)
27. The Godfather (1972)
26. Jurassic Park (1993)
25. Lethal Weapon (1987)
24. Airplane (1980)
23. JFK (1991)
22. Fargo (1996)
21. Kill Bill (2003/2004)
20. Dumb and Dumber (1994)
19. Field of Dreams (1989)
18. Jaws (1975)
17. The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
16. Rocky (1976)
15. Heat (1995)
14. Jackie Brown (1997)
13. The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
12. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
11. The Truman Show (1998)
10. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966)
9. Back to the Future (1985)
8. The Natural (1984)
7. Star Wars (1977)
6. Groundhog Day (1993)
5. Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
4. Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
3. L.A. Story (1991)
2. Beverly Hills Cop (1984)
1. Superman: The Movie (1978)


'60s: 2
'70s: 18
'80s: 28 (29 with Back to the Future Part II & III)
'90s: 32 (33 with Back to the Future Part II & III)
'00s: 19

Most frequent years:

1989 (6)
2006 (6 - 0 higher than 43)
2004 (5 - With KB),
1994 (5)
1978 (4)
1997 (4)
1977 (3)
1984 (3)

Jmart, if you have a chance, try to watch Once Upon a Time in the West. Same director, same genre, different actors (Charles Bronson, Henry Fonda, Jason Robards). I like Good, Bad & Ugly a lot (see my top 100), but I think West is even better.

wow our tastes are so alike!!! you even had the natural n beverly hills cop high! yes!

100. Shaun of the Dead (2004)
99. Newsies (1992)
98. American Pie (1999)
97. Meet the Parents (2000)
96. Mrs. Doubtfire (1993)
95. Major League (1989)
94. Toy Story (1995)
93. Grosse Point Blank (1997)
92. There's Something About Mary (1998)
91. Tommy Boy (1995)
90. Rocky Balboa (2006)
89. Sin City (2005)
88. Spider-Man 2 (2004)
87. High Fidelity (2000)
86. Kingpin (1996)
85. Robocop: X-Rated Cut (1987)
84. Escape From New York (1981)
83. Analyze This (1999)
82. Slap Shot (1977)
81. Stranger than Fiction (2006)
80. The Naked Gun (1988)
79. Rocky II (1979)
78. Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)
77. The 40-Year Old Virgin (2005)
76. Keeping the Faith (2000)
75. What About Bob? (1991)
74. Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986)
73. Tomorrow Never Dies (1997)
72. Caddyshack (1980)
71. National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989)
70. Back to the Future Part II & III (1989/1990)
69. Batman Begins (2005)
68. From Russia with Love (1963)
67. The Sting (1973)
66. Good Will Hunting (1997)
65. Bull Durham (1988)
64. 25th Hour (2002)
63. Superman Returns (2006)
62. The Fugitive (1993)
61. Se7en (1995)
60. Casino Royale (2006)
59. Sideways (2004) *I corrected the year in that post*
58. Saving Private Ryan (1998)
57. Scarface (1983)
56. Blazing Saddles (1974)
55. True Lies (1994)
54. Speed (1994)
53. Apollo 13 (1995)
52. Carlito's Way (1993)
51. The French Connection (1971)
50. National Lampoon's Vacation (1983)
49. Lethal Weapon 2 (1989)
48. Live and Let Die (1973)
47. The Rock (1996)
46. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)
45. Little Miss Sunshine (2006)
44. The Departed (2006)
43. Schindler's List (1993)
42. Young Frankenstein (1974)
41. Dirty Harry (1971)
40. Dawn of the Dead (1978)
39. Forrest Gump (1994)
38. The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
37. Stand By Me (1986)
36. National Lampoon's Animal House (1978)
35. Die Hard (1988)
34. Ghostbusters (1984)
33. Born on the Fourth of July (1989)
32. Hoosiers (1986)
31. Return of the Jedi (1983)
30. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)
29. Goodfellas (1990)
28. Halloween (1978)
27. The Godfather (1972)
26. Jurassic Park (1993)
25. Lethal Weapon (1987)
24. Airplane (1980)
23. JFK (1991)
22. Fargo (1996)
21. Kill Bill (2003/2004)
20. Dumb and Dumber (1994)
19. Field of Dreams (1989)
18. Jaws (1975)
17. The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
16. Rocky (1976)
15. Heat (1995)
14. Jackie Brown (1997)
13. The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
12. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
11. The Truman Show (1998)
10. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966)
9. Back to the Future (1985)
8. The Natural (1984)
7. Star Wars (1977)
6. Groundhog Day (1993)
5. Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
4. Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
3. L.A. Story (1991)
2. Beverly Hills Cop (1984)
1. Superman: The Movie (1978)

Would all make my top 100.

Sad thing is, I've owned that movie for about a year now and have never got a chance to watch it. I'll try and sit down to watch it sometime soon. Hopefully it won't be a minor disappointment (And when I say minor, I mean tenie-winie) like The Great Escape was. I also have to catch Once Upon a Time in America another movie of his that I own, but just haven't squared away three and a half hours to watch it. I have the same problem with the first and third Lord of the Rings films.

And thanks everyone for the comments on the list.

Very good list, many of yours are almost in the same spots of mine, and I'm going soon.

Though Superman isn't on my list, I do think it is easily the most beautifully made Superhero film ever made with Batman Returns.

Superman The Movie is the only one that has ever really felt like an event epic if you will to me.

Very good list though.

So, who's next?

I think it is me, and I do have a lot of time now

I just dont know how to put posters on

No, it's Joseba's turn. He's back.

josebas list coming soon; keep checking back.-Ed.

Top 10/100/whatever lists are a joke. How can anyone possibly determine this movie is 7 ranks better than that other one...

Easy. It's the same method that makes us like Nazgul2 7 spots better than Nazgul9.

Who's that Nazgul2 fellow? I'm gonna kill him!

That's just coincidence.

Noone thinks about that.