(You guys will probably get tired of this subject, but it interests me.)
One of the criticisms leveled at the AFI for their most recent list was the lack of newer movies. Something along the lines of 'Well, I guess there weren't any great movies made in the last ten years!'. Since the last list came out in '98, only three movies have been made that were honored here (Saving Private Ryan, The Sixth Sense and Fellowship of the Ring). There's a simple reason for not honoring more movies. One simple sign of greatness is how well a movie stands the test of time. A five year old movie hasn't had that chance yet.
Well, I got a look at the list of 400 nominees (freely available at the AFI website, free reg req). Here are the recent nominees that were available for voting. Along with commentary of course.
American Beauty - Great movie, but too early to tell if it's all time.
The Aviator - Didn't see it.
A Beautiful Mind - Didn't see it.
Being John Malkovich - Innovative and groundbreaking, but the story isn't timeless.
Brokeback Mountain - Socially groundbreaking, but not all time great.
Chicago - Ick. And I wanted to like it. Doesn't hold a candle to musicals of the 50's and 60's.
Crash - Very well told, but not sure if it's all time great.
Erin Brockovich - Ok movie, but not all time great.
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind - Loved this movie. Might make the list next time.
Fight Club - A great one, it wouldn't hurt the list to have it on there.
Finding Nemo - A very sweet movie. Don't know how time will remember it.
Gladiator - A great epic (and I love epics) but not all time great.
Good Night and Good Luck - Didn't see it, but I doubt it's all time great.
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban - The weakest of the Harry Potter movies.
Hotel Rwanda - The Killing Fields of the 00's.
The Hours - Didn't see it.
The Insider - Overrated.
The Lord of the Rings movies - (Nominated separately.) Still think 'Two Towers' was the best of the three. I'd vote for them as a trilogy but maybe not as stand alones.
Lost in Translation - Loved this movie. Don't know if it has lasting power, though.
The Matrix - Groundbreaking effects and an interesting story. All time? Nah.
Memento - Possibly the strangest structure in movie history. Very cool and I don't know if that's enough.
Million Dollar Baby - Very well told and a great movie. Ask me in 15 years.
Moulin Rouge - The best modern musical. One of my personal favorites.
Mystic River - A very fine thriller but nothing special.
Pirates of the Caribbean - Compares to 'Raiders of the Lost Ark'. Might be the best action movie of the last 15 years.
Ray - Didn't see it.
Requiem for a Dream - Didn't see it, but the soundtrack is cooly bizzare.
Rushmore - Loved it. A modern 'The Graduate' but better.
Saving Private Ryan - An all time great and deserving of the list.
Shakespeare in Love - A great comedy and one of my favorites.
Shrek - Another great animated film but one of a golden age of them. Not sure that it stands out.
Sideways - Overrated. Very overrated.
The Sixth Sense - A great movie, an all time great thriller and better than 'Vertigo'.
Spiderman 2 - Probably the best superhero movie of all time, but I don't know that that means much.
There's Something About Mary - Hated this, but I know lots of people loved it.
Three Kings - Eh.
Traffic - Very well done, but when was the last time you got the itch to watch it again? Me either.
Not very many good movies to choose from. I'd swap out 'Fight Club' for 'Fellowship'. Plenty of others that I'd need more time to think about. After seeing this list, I don't feel like the voters shortchanged the last nine years at all.
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