AFI's 100 Top Movie List

Last night the FP Gal and I caught the latest AFI movie list. They kicked this whole movie list thing off back in '98 with the top 100 list. They've done a new series each year (last year was movie quotes) but they went back and did the top 100 again. Full list here.

While AFI officials have not decided if they will continue the annual lists in coming years, Firstenberg said the institute will do a new list of all-time best American films every 10 years as a guide to changing tastes in future decades.

I like this idea and hope they do continue it. It'll be very interesting to see what new films make the cut and what gets discarded as time goes on. For instance, some of the cuts this time were 'Amadeus' and 'Close Encounters' (which I both liked) and 'Dances with Wolves' which I hope time forgets.
Breakdown by decade? Of course!
10's 1
20's 3
30's 13
40's 11
50's 16
60's 16
70's 20
80's 8
90's 11
00's 1

Guess the 70's really were a good decade for movies! A few years tied for most movies with four (1939, 1969, 1976 and 1982). Other notes:

• The most interesting are the ones that made this list but weren't nominees for Best Picture. Most recent were 'Toy Story', 'Do the Right Thing', 'Bladerunner' and 'Sophie's Choice'. Guess they'd like to do those votes over.
• Similarly interesting, are the ones that were nominated but came in second to a movie that didn't make the list. 'Fellowship of the Rings', 'Sixth Sense', 'Saving Private Ryan' and 'Goodfellas' all from the 90's.
• 'Citizen Kane' probably needs to have it's number retired at some point so other movies have a shot at the top. Maybe they could retire the top five of each list to mix things up. Kind of a movie hall of fame thing. (Speaking of which, why don't we have one of those instead of the Rock and Roll thingee in Cleveland?)
• The highest recent movie was 'Fellowship of the Rings' at #50. That's much too high. It simply wasn't the third best movie in the last 25 years. It was only the second best of it's own trilogy for pete sake!
• AFI listed 'Bridge on the River Kwai' as being from 1941 when it's really from 1957. Wonder why they didn't catch that before their broadcast. There weren't alot of WWII movies involving prisoners of the Japanese made in 1941 after all.
  
• As always, the show made me want to see some movies that weren't on my radar at all. Thats it's prime purpose and they do it well. I know the last list inspired several people to track down previously unknown movies and I hope this does as well.