Cinema Science

Awards Daily just posted a list of the Top Ten Best Pictures since 1980 and it inspired me to make the same list with my own picks. While their list deals with the impact the selected films had on the Academy mine is just a list of preference. These are my favorite films from the group of winners.

10. Rain Man - There were better movies to place right here (Amadeus, Silence of the Lambs, Platoon) but this is one of those movies that I can't help but watch when it is on television. Dustin Hoffman won the Oscar for best actor but go back and watch it, Tom Cruise has the much harder role.

9. Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King - I can never decided if this is my favorite of the trilogy, if I had to pick right now I would go with The Fellowship of the Ring. Taken as a whole, the trilogy would be much higher on the list.

8. American Beauty - From the first year in my life that I really started following movies, 1999. The best year for films before last years group of masterpieces. Its not my favorite film from that year but it was one of those select films that really felt like brand new group of talent was taking over Hollywood.

7. Forrest Gump - I don't think this would have been on the list if I hadn't re-watched it recently. I had forgot how funny it was and by the time the film is coming to an end I was so wrapped up in it that I was convinced the Academy was right in picking this over Pulp Fiction or The Shawshank Redemption in 1994. Now if I re-watch those films soon I might change my mind but just listen to this and tell me it isn't funny. This film gets a bad rap from everyone endlessly quoting it and some of the quotes entering the lexicon of our speech. Watched now with you hardly even notice any of those moments.

6. Million Dollar Baby - I can still remember seeing this in the theater and there wasn't one word uttered in the final 30 minutes of the film.

5. Dances With Wolves - Another film that gets a bad rap because it beat Goodfellas for best picture and Kevin Costner beat Martin Scoresese for best director. While Goodfellas is the better film this one is also really, really good.

4. No Country for Old Men - I've said this numerous times before but this is a perfect film.

3. Unforgiven - The second western on my list and the second film directed by Clint Eastwood. This is what announced Eastwood as a top tier filmmaker.

2. The Departed - My favorite film of two years ago.

1. Schindler's List - Was there really any other choice? This is one of the greatest films of all time. Way too important and way too amazing not to put as the top of this list.