Tags
Behold, the third iteration of my much-obsessed-over list of 365 favorite films. I already mentioned in my previous blogiversary post which films have been added and which have been dropped since last time, but the new additions are listed in bold below, fit in among their more established brethren.
As you can see from the list, not a lot has changed since last year in the top 200 or so, with only six new films making it into the top 100, the placement of Finding Dory owing to its sequel status. However, the bottom half of the list has had quite the makeover, with multiple titles being shuffled, lowered, or dropped altogether. Know also that I’ve combined sequels with their franchises, with some exceptions. Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace, for instance, are linked together as stories and are thus grouped separately from other James Bond movies, while I enjoyed Skyfall so much more than its siblings that it has a higher place to itself. I also felt Captain America: Civil War was more on par with The Avengers than Age of Ultron was, so the former replaced the latter. Other combinations of films may seem like cheating on my part (I admit it), but their similarities seemed to warrant it in my mind, such as pairing the mental-disordered brotherhood of Dominick and Eugene with Rain Man (both from 1988), putting Paper Towns with the other John Green adaptation The Fault in Our Stars, and placing Mad Max: Fury Road alongside Waterworld since they really are pretty similar actioners. A special mention also for the wonderful documentary Life, Animated, which probably would have made The List if I wasn’t excluding documentaries altogether.
Without further ado then, here is the latest update of THE LIST, all films I count among my very favorites. Let me know what you think, and here’s hoping I’ll have even more great movies to add next year, even though it will mean painfully removing something else. That’ll be rough. A very happy 2017 to all!
- The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (2001, 2002, 2003)
- Mr. Holland’s Opus (1995)
- Forrest Gump (1994)
- It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)
- The Sound of Music (1965)
- Star Wars Trilogy (1977, 1980, 1983)
- Finding Nemo (2003) and Finding Dory (2016)
- Titanic (1997)
- Toy Story Trilogy (1995, 1999, 2010)
- Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)
- The Princess Bride (1987)
- Beauty and the Beast (1991)
- Groundhog Day (1993)
- The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
- The Prince of Egypt (1998)
- You’ve Got Mail (1998)
- The Wizard of Oz (1939)
- Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
- War Horse (2011)
- The Incredibles (2004)
- Cast Away (2000)
- Heart and Souls (1993)
- Pirates of the Caribbean (2003, 2006, 2007)
- Tarzan (1999)
- Les Miserables (2012)
- The Avengers (2012) and Captain America: Civil War (2016)
- Ben-Hur (1959)
- Star Trek (2009)
- The Chronicles of Narnia (2005, 2008, 2010)
- The Family Man (2000)
- The Mummy (1999) and The Mummy Returns (2001)
- Driving Miss Daisy (1989)
- Oliver! (1968)
- Whisper of the Heart (1995)
- Spider-Man Trilogy (2002, 2004, 2007)
- The Five People You Meet in Heaven (2004)
- Elizabethtown (2005)
- Doctor Zhivago (1965)
- Chariots of Fire (1981)
- The Blind Side (2009)
- Babe (1995)
- The Blues Brothers (1980)
- Jurassic Park (1993)
- 84 Charing Cross Road (1987)
- National Treasure (2004)
- Ratatouille (2007)
- The Fugitive (1993)
- True Grit (1969, 2010)
- Evita (1996)
- The Lion King (1994)
- Inception (2010)
- When Harry Met Sally… (1989)
- Lilies of the Field (1963)
- Life of Pi (2012)
- Mary Poppins (1964)
- Star Trek: First Contact (1996)
- Glory (1989)
- Singin’ in the Rain (1952)
- The Sixth Sense (1999)
- Back to the Future Trilogy (1985, 1989, 1990)
- Aliens (1986)
- Life Is Beautiful (1997)
- Sherlock Holmes (2009) and Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (2011)
- The Phantom of the Opera (2004)
- Awakenings (1990)
- Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971)
- Paulie (1998)
- Home Alone (1990)
- The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996)
- Big (1988)
- Jumanji (1995)
- Somewhere in Time (1980)
- Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982)
- A Christmas Story (1983)
- Speed (1994)
- Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986)
- 1776 (1972)
- High School Musical Trilogy (2006, 2007, 2008)
- Wit (2001)
- Miracle on 34th Street (1947)
- Gone with the Wind (1939)
- Aladdin (1992)
- Saints and Soldiers (2003)
- Fantasia (1940)
- Shadowlands (1993)
- Hook (1991)
- Young Frankenstein (1974)
- The Truman Show (1998)
- The Ten Commandments (1956)
- Star Wars Prequel Trilogy (1999, 2002, 2005)
- Serenity (2005)
- October Sky (1999)
- Saving Mr. Banks (2013)
- Holes (2003)
- Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
- The Martian (2015)
- Taking Chance (2009)
- The Pursuit of Happyness (2006)
- Star Trek into Darkness (2013) and Star Trek Beyond (2016)
- Signs (2002)
- Star Trek: Generations (1994)
- Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991)
- The Santa Clause (1994)
- Starman (1984)
- My Fair Lady (1964)
- The Passion of the Christ (2004)
- On Golden Pond (1981)
- Brother Bear (2003)
- WALL-E (2008)
- The Green Mile (1999)
- Air Force One (1997)
- Captain America: The First Avenger (2011) and Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2013)
- Shrek 2 (2004)
- Big Hero 6 (2014)
- Iron Man Trilogy (2008, 2010, 2013)
- To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)
- The Matrix (1999)
- Ghostbusters II (1989)
- The Right Stuff (1983)
- Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
- The Mask of Zorro (1998)
- The Color Purple (1985)
- E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
- Jesus Christ Superstar (1973)
- Shrek (2001)
- Inside Out (2015)
- The King’s Speech (2010)
- X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014)
- The Hunger Games series (2012, 2013, 2014, 2015)
- Yentl (1983)
- Men in Black Trilogy (1997, 2002, 2012)
- Skyfall (2012)
- The Music Man (1962)
- Ghostbusters (1984)
- Regarding Henry (1991)
- Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015)
- Alien (1979)
- National Treasure: Book of Secrets (2007)
- The Polar Express (2004)
- Sleepless in Seattle (1993)
- Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992)
- Julie and Julia (2009)
- Airplane! (1980)
- Extraordinary Measures (2010)
- Secondhand Lions (2003)
- A Christmas Carol
- Grave of the Fireflies (1988)
- Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986)
- Mrs. Doubtfire (1993)
- United 93 (2006)
- The Little Mermaid (1989)
- Die Hard trilogy (1988, 1990, 1995)
- Castle in the Sky (1986)
- Out of Africa (1985)
- Kramer vs. Kramer (1979)
- Source Code (2011)
- Overboard (1987)
- Coal Miner’s DaughterCoal Miner’s Daughter (1980)
- The Nativity Story (2006)
- Cinderella (1950)
- A League of Their Own (1992)
- The Homecoming: A Christmas Story (1971)
- Tangled (2010)
- Zootopia (2016)
- The Untouchables (1987)
- As Good As It Gets (1997)
- Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron (2002)
- Ella Enchanted (2004)
- Splash (1984)
- Monsters, Inc. (2001) and Monsters University (2013)
- Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984)
- The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman (1974)
- Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968)
- Enchanted (2007)
- Up (2009)
- Children Who Chase Lost Voices (2011)
- What’s Up, Doc? (1972)
- The Dark Knight Trilogy (2005, 2008, 2012)
- Ant-Man (2015)
- Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (2011)
- Cars (2006)
- Wreck-It Ralph (2012)
- Doc Hollywood (1991)
- Foul Play (1978)
- Pocahontas (1995)
- Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure (1989)
- Rudy (1993)
- Mulan (1998)
- How to Train Your Dragon (2010)
- Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
- Labyrinth of Lies (2014)
- Treasure Planet (2002)
- Wolf Children (2012)
- Les Miserables (1998)
- The Hobbit Trilogy (2012, 2013, 2014)
- The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)
- Spaceballs (1987)
- King of Thorn (2010)
- The Way (2010)
- The Prestige (2006)
- Frozen (2013)
- Woman in Gold (2015)
- Twister (1996)
- Funny Girl (1968)
- Rocky (1976) and Rocky III (1982)
- Hello, Dolly! (1969)
- Joyeux Noël (2005)
- Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)
- To Sir, with Love (1967)
- Adventures in Babysitting (1987)
- Hoosiers (1986)
- Gravity (2013)
- The Great Escape (1963)
- The Naked Gun (1988)
- Jumpin’ Jack Flash (1986)
- Soul Man (1986)
- Philadelphia (1993)
- Raising Arizona (1987)
- Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)
- Ghost (1990)
- Misery (1990)
- Captain Phillips (2013)
- School of Rock (2003)
- Something the Lord Made (2004)
- Vantage Point (2008)
- Peter Pan (1953)
- The Terminal (2004)
- Superman (1978)
- Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)
- Jane Eyre (1970)
- Casablanca (1942)
- Phineas and Ferb the Movie: Across the 2nd Dimension (2011)
- The Poseidon Adventure (1972)
- The Girl Who Leapt through Time (2006)
- Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) and Waterworld (1995)
- Casino Royale (2006) and Quantum of Solace (2008)
- Annie (1999)
- The Elephant Man (1980)
- Anastasia (1997)
- X-Men (2000) and X2: X-Men United (2003)
- Surrogates (2009)
- Lethal Weapon 2 (1989)
- Your Name (2016)
- My Girl (1991)
- The Ultimate Gift (2006)
- The Way Back (2010)
- Memphis Belle (1990)
- Dances with Wolves (1990)
- The Judge (2014)
- The Terminator (1984)
- The Ghost and Mrs. Muir (1947)
- Rain Man (1988) and Dominick and Eugene (1988)
- Have a Little Faith (2011)
- Journey to the Center of the Earth (2008)
- Pinocchio (1940)
- City Slickers (1991)
- Swiss Family Robinson (1960)
- Steel Magnolias (1989)
- Fiddler on the Roof (1971)
- Remember the Titans (2000)
- Scrooged (1988)
- Forget Paris (1995)
- Eddie the Eagle (2016)
- The Hundred-Foot Journey (2014)
- Cloud Atlas (2012)
- The Castle of Cagliostro (1979)
- Doctor Strange (2016)
- Akeelah and the Bee (2006)
- The Legend of Zorro (2005)
- Superman II (1980)
- The Brave Little Toaster (1987)
- Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008)
- Murphy’s Romance (1985)
- Shenandoah (1965)
- The Count of Monte Cristo (2002)
- Bridge of Spies (2015)
- Hidden (2015)
- A View to a Kill (1985) along with most other Bond films I’ve seen, including Spectre (2015)
- The River Wild (1994)
- A Beautiful Mind (2001)
- Finding Forrester (2000)
- Wuthering Heights (1970)
- Unbreakable (2000)
- The Spiderwick Chronicles (2008)
- Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991)
- Sister Act (1992)
- Kubo and the Two Strings (2016)
- Music and Lyrics (2007)
- The Iron Lady (2011)
- The Abyss (1989)
- The Breakfast Club (1985)
- Sheffey (1977)
- Lady and the Tramp (1955)
- Everest (2015)
- Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (2009)
- X-Men: First Class (2011) and X-Men: Apocalypse (2016)
- Places in the Heart (1984)
- Citizen Kane (1941)
- Cowboy Bebop: The Movie (2003)
- Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey (1993)
- Spy Kids (2001) and Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams (2002)
- Minority Report (2002)
- Coma (1978)
- The Peanuts Movie (2015)
- Almost Famous (2000) and Sing Street (2016)
- Trading Places (1983)
- The Age of Adaline (2015)
- Quiz Show (1994)
- Seven Samurai (1954)
- The Great Mouse Detective (1986)
- Galaxy Quest (1999)
- Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas (2003)
- Sophie Scholl – The Final Days (2005)
- The Fault in Our Stars (2014) and Paper Towns (2015)
- The Others (2001)
- Joseph: King of Dreams (2000)
- Baby Boom (1987)
- Amazing Grace (2006)
- The Wind Rises (2013)
- Cloak and Dagger (1984)
- Chicken Run (2000)
- Sneakers (1992)
- Cannery Row (1982)
- Ordinary People (1980)
- Hercules (1997)
- Batman: Under the Red Hood (2010)
- Room (2015)
- Puella Magi Madoka Magica: Beginnings and Eternal (2012)
- Time after Time (1979)
- Footloose (1984)
- Being There (1979)
- Silverado (1985)
- The Boy in the Striped Pajamas (2008)
- Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001)
- Tomorrowland (2015)
- The Maze Runner (2014) and The Scorch Trials (2015)
- The Rocketeer (1991)
- Bambi (1942)
- The Emperor’s New Groove (2000)
- Dave (1993)
- Patema Inverted (2013)
- Innerspace (1987)
- War of the Worlds (2005)
- The Walk (2015)
- A Bug’s Life (1998)
- Harrison Bergeron (1995)
- Time of Eve (2010)
- Counterpoint (1967)
- The Conjuring (2013)
- Roman Holiday (1953)
- Song of the Sea (2014)
- The Social Network (2010)
- Kung Fu Panda Trilogy (2008, 2011, 2016)
- The Quick and the Dead (1987)
- The Impossible (2012)
- The Greatest Game Ever Played (2005)
- Meet the Robinsons (2007)
- The Time Traveler’s Wife (2009)
- WarGames (1983)
- The Iron Giant (1999)
- Of Mice and Men (1992)
- 12 Angry Men (1957)
- Gettysburg (1993)
- I Am Legend (2007) and World War Z (2013)
- Psycho (1960)
Rhyme and Reason 
Just been looking at your top 365. Great list and a labor of love to compile. Nice to see appreciation for A View to a Kill (1985) as I hardly see that on any favorites lists except mine 🙂 Too many to comment on, but will say you have me curious to watch a few of those I missed: Family Man, Chariots of Fire, Babe, Glory, Somewhere in Time , Star Trek 2, Star Trek: First Contact, Miracle on 34th Street, City Slickers, Steel Magnolias, War Games. And a bunch of the animated films: Fantasia, WALL-E, etc.
Thanks for taking a look, since it doesn’t seem that many people actually read such a long list. I’m not sure if I saw it before any others, but A View to a Kill has always been one of my favorites and Roger Moore is best Bond. 😉 Every movie you mentioned is a classic so I highly recommend them all!