Best-Best Picture Winners — Page 2

Well, a list of the Best Anything that includes MY FAIR LADY and UNFORGIVEN and THE DEPARTED is not going to be my cup of tea. At least they include the GODFATHERs and LAWRENCE and ALL ABOUT EVE.

AMERICAN IN PARIS? Oh, no.

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"THE DEPARTED? SERIOUSLY?!!! I would actually put it as one of the worst."

I did on MY list, Ray. They should have used MY list.

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I did read your list, Besty and I've decided they should fire whoever put that awful list together and hire you
I love your list, 'cept I'd put KRAMER V. KRAMER higher up. I think it's such a great movie and hearing Dustin Hoffman and Meryl Streep talk about all the improv and stuff they added to their roles themselves is pretty fascinating.

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ray----it's tough because these are all fairly great (or at least good) films... I know that's arguable with some of you... but in many cases, even on my list, the difference between rankings is minuscule.

Still I put some thought into it a year (or whenever it was) ago, and this is what I came up with.

At least I've seen them all!

...and own them all, too.

EDIT: There was a small period of time where the "little family drama" seemed to rule the awards over big sweeping spectacles or more obvious "wow" films.

In my mind, back then as well as now, I consider "Kramer Vs. Kramer," "Ordinary People" and "Terms of Endearment" to be a Crown Trilogy of that trend.

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Updated On: 1/11/08 at 03:08 PM

You're right, Cruel, and the problem is that SO many actresses and characters tried to BE Annie Hall after that film came out. They dressed liked her, acted like her, etc. It was always a pale imitation, and often really annoying.

As a result, many people who now see "Annie Hall" for the first time AFTER seeing the crappy imitations say, "Oh, God, here comes another one of those quirky heroines that wears hats and/or men's ties, and tries to be unintentionally charming."

That's a shame!

But for the longest time, I couldn't get through "Casablanca." I had seen SO many imitations of it, from The Carol Burnett Show, to SNL to commercials to you name it! And every time I tried to watch the original, all I could see were the spoofs and cliches.

Then, finally... I was in the right mood one night and cleared my head. I watched "Casablanca" all the way through, and I saw what the fuss was about. Now, every time I watch the film, it seems to get better and better. New moments to discover, new exchanges between characters to revel in, etc. Wonderful stuff. Film-making at its best, really.

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I'm with best12 (what's up with that?!?!) on that list...I'd take issue with LOST WEEKEND, RAIN MAN, TERMS, FAIR LADY, DEPARTED and AMERICAN/PARIS...they put these films over ALL QUIET, FRENCH CONNECTION, REBECCA and AMADEUS? Hell, GRAND HOTEL is better than AMERICAN/PARIS!

besty's list is better, by far...I've never loved Casablanca as much as most, so first place makes me cringe.

Advice for those who have not seen the Godfather trilogy? Make a day of it and watch them all together...I had never seen them and rented them all...had such a great time watching them. Masterpieces.

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Ray- That party scene in the beginning is very long, and a little tedious at first, but it is necessary to show the differences in Walken's and DeNiro's characters before and after the war.

I'm telling you though, once you get to where they get captured by the enemy, and are forced to play Russian Roulette, it is riveting.

give it another chance when you are in the right mood. I don't think you'll regret it if you can past the party.

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