69. Tootsie

What it's about
An actor can't find work so he dresses up as a woman to get a job on a soap opera.

What I thought
I thought Dorothy was funny.

What Mum thought
Mum had seen this one before. "It'd been a long time since I've seen this one. I love Hoffman in it, and Jessica Lange is brilliant. It's a very intelligent comedy and some great observations on relationships. It hasn't dated particularly well, and the sexist undertones are going to annoy some people, but I do have a soft spot for this film."
 
What Dad thought

First time for Dad. "Oh, Tootsie, you bastard. You started it all. A throw away comment by Tina Fey in 30 Rock and ten months later we are on number 70, having watched approximately 8400 minutes of film.
Some have been absolutely breath taking, whereas other have just sucked the life from me. I've seen films I would never have gone out my way to see and I've revisited favourites from my past.


I guess I'll always have a soft spot for Tootsie. Hoffman makes a great woman. The film is funny, lively and well constructed. I enjoyed it."

68. Unforgiven

What it's about
An old cowboy agrees to take one last job as a gunslinger.

What I thought
I like cowboys.

What Mum thought
Mum had seen this one before. "As we've said before, the main problem with this list is there are so many good films that sometimes so much quality becomes a little dull. I love Clint Eastwood as a director, but yeah, yeah, yeah... Retired, been talked in to one last job... It's great, but I can't see why it's on the list. The cinematography isn't great. The plot is cliched, to put it mildly. Acting... meh! Dialogue... meh, a bit awkward in places. This is a decent enough film, but it hasn't had a huge influence on the film industry. It won Oscars over A Scent of a Woman and A Few Good Men. Both of which I would rank higher than this even if those two wouldn't make my top 100."
 
What Dad thought

First time for Dad. "I really enjoyed this film. I though it was a really good example of the anti-hero and loved Eastwood's performance. The story of the cop/soldier/assassin coming out of retirement for one last job has been done many times, but this is a very good example."

67. Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

What it's about
Two very bitter people try to make two other people bitter too.

What I thought
Not a lot for me here. I liked the music, but the rest was a bit boring for me.

What Mum thought
First time for Mum. "Wow, just wow! I've been a little disappointed with most of the ones I hadn't seen before, this one was just brilliant, an absolute masterpiece! As close to perfect as you can get, wonderful performances, beautifully dark and complex characters, a great storyline and plot twist, even if the twist and ending were inevitable. Cinematography was great, the dialogue superbly written, a subtle, yet beautiful score... Need I go on? If you haven't seen this one before, go and treat yourself."
 
What Dad thought

First time for Dad. "Another film to come out of nowhere and blow me away. The film was a play before being translated to film and this really comes across in the clever dialogue and writing. The performances were first rate, Taylor had me choking back tears. During this blog I've given my opinion on films but I've not said whether you should take the trouble to see a film...

You should see this film!"

66. Raiders of the Lost Ark

What it's about
A very cool man with a whip goes looking for treasure some baddies want too. Nazis again!

What I thought
I loved it. Lots of action and funny melty faces. 

What Mum thought
Mum had seen this before. A few times. "These film scared me so much as a kid. Not only the tense moments where you worry for Indy's life (I mean as a kid here) but the horrific image of the faces melting haunted me for weeks after seeing it for the first time. Now my kids just sit there unaffected by the whole thing, okay it's dated and plasticine effects hold no fear, but I was close to disowning them for being so indifferent over this."
 
What Dad thought

Dad's seen this many, many times before. "This film sets the bar for the action-adventure and I've loved it since I was a child. The soundtrack is awesome, the bolder scene immense and it introduce a line over a map representing travel. I love everything about this film because it is awesome. 
The direction, the performance, the dialogue, all combine to make it one of my favourite films of all time."

65. The African Queen

It's not a box, it's a boat.

What it's about
A woman talks a guy with a boat to attack another big boat.

What I thought
I really liked the choo-choo boat! It was like a train and a boat.

What Mum thought
Mum had seen this one before. "Love this film! Despite not exactly being a Bogart fan, his on-screen relationship with Hepburn is amazing, despite the lack of chemistry there. A touching love story without being at all sentimental. Brilliant cinematography and direction too."
 
What Dad thought

First time for Dad. "Loved this movie. This was the first time I'd seen it and I really enjoyed it. The relationship between Charlie and Rose is brilliantly portrayed."

64. Network

"I'M AS MAD AS HELL, AND I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE THIS ANYMORE!"

What it's about
... A TV Network?

What I thought
I thought it was funny when the man started ranting and shouting.

What Mum thought
First time for Mum. "It's a satire and one that hasn't dated, it's still relevant. I must admit I'm struggling a little to review it. It should be brilliant. It just didn't hold my attention too well. The production seems somewhat disorganised, the pacing too slow and, although the acting is just fine, the characters themselves seem wooden."
 
What Dad thought

First time for Dad. "So disappointed. Thought it was going to be cool. Some of these movies don't belong on the list."

63. Cabaret

Yes, Dexter has lost about a year in this pic.

What it's about
A signer/dancer goes out with two men while some bad guys (Mum says they're called Natsis) rise to power.

What I thought
I really liked this one, there were lots of songs to bob along to.

What Mum thought
Mum had seen this one before. "Loved this one. It's not a cheesy, I feel a song coming on, kind of musical. The songs are constricted to the stage of the Kit Kat club for most of it, adding the the seedy atmosphere of the club. It's quite a harsh story which has me shedding a tear each time I watch it."
 
What Dad thought

First time for Dad. "There were lots of Nazis, but it was no Sound of Music."

62. American Graffiti

What it's about
They spent a night driving around before they went off to college

What I thought
I liked the yellow car but I got bored.

What Mum thought
Mum thinks she's seen this one before. "Pretty forgettable coming-of-age drama (allegedly some comedy in there too) thing. I can't think of anything positive to say about it, just seemed pointless to me." 

What Dad thought

First time for Dad. "It sucked."

61. Sullivan's Travels

What it's about
This rich film director decides to go off and live as a hobo for a bit.

What I thought
I thought the nice man was funny, but I was sad when bad stuff happened to him.

What Mum thought
First time for Mum. "Perfect. Preston Sturges not only manages to make a socially significant statement, but keeps you fully entertained with lots of laughs and tears along the way." 
What Dad thought

First time for Dad. "I really enjoyed this film.I love the idea of being able to leave everything behind to go off in search of something greater."

60. Nashville

This post has been a long time in creating. Mainly because the DVD in the picture is region 1 and we can't get it to play. We can't find a region 2 version anywhere, we can't find it online to stream, nor is it on Netflix.

So we have no opinion either way on this film.

We will update this entry once we find it, until then our AFI challenge seems an impossible one.

59. Duck Soup

What it's about
The president of Freedonia declares war over the love of a woman.

What I thought
I thought Firefly was very funny.

What Mum thought
Mum had seen this one before. "Loved this one. It's just one whole lot of surrealism courtesy of the Marx brothers. From physical comedy, the insults, the one-liners... they had so much influence on future cinema/comedy." 
What Dad thought

First time for Dad. "This film was hilarious. I loved the slapstick and comic elements. There are many comedies today that aren't anywhere near as funny or as clever as this movie. Genius."

58. The Gold Rush

What it's about
A man goes looking for gold.

What I thought
I liked the music and the Tramp was funny.

What Mum thought
Mum had seen this one before. "Iconic scenes, particularly the 'dancing rolls', and I can see why this film makes the list. A blend of comedy, romance and drama and, of course, Chaplin in his most famous role. From a personal point of view, I've never been a big Chaplin fan despite his influence, although I did enjoy City Lights. Gold Rush was okay."

What Dad thought

First time for Dad. "Sorry to say I just couldn't stomach another silent movie. Didn't appreciate it."

57. Rocky

What it's about
A boxer gets to fight a champion.

What I thought
I loved the music... Risin' up, back on the street... Did my time, took my chances...

What Mum thought
Mum had seen this one before. "Despite it being a 'boy's film', I love it. Romance, drama, not bad acting and a good storyline. What more can I say? It's Rocky."

What Dad thought
Dad has seen this one before. "Rocky is such a cool film. It's all the better when you consider Sly actually wrote the piece. He plays Rocky very well, the ending fight is superb. A boy's film, but one I still enjoy."

56. Jaws

What it's about
A hunt for a killer shark.

What I thought
I liked the music and the fish was pretty.

What Mum thought
Mum had seen this one before. "There's nothing to really criticise here, yet I can't say it's a film I love or even like all that much. Best thing about it had to be my youngest daughter's reaction, who found the leg being bitten off then floating in the water hilarious. She now asks to watch it whenever she's asked what DVD we should put on."

What Dad thought

Dad had seen this one before. "I've seen this film man times before. I enjoy it, I love the scenes with the characters on the boat as they search for the shark. It's one of my favourite examples of character development and doesn't seem as if it's forced in just to give them some background. I do feel it is over-rated."

55. North by Northwest

What it's about
A man gets mistaken for a government agent.

What I thought
I loved the planes.

What Mum thought
Mum had seen this one before. "How can I explain why this is my favourite Hitchcock? It's probably Grant's character, Roger 'O' Thornhill. What's the O stand for? Nothing. The script is witty, the dialogue and situations purposefully exaggerated by Hitchcock. It's a James Bond film directed by Hitchcock - particularly if you take into account that Fleming was thinking of Grant's on screen persona as he created Bond and that Grant was the first choice to play Bond."

What Dad thought
First time for Dad. "Really enjoyed this movie. I find that Hitchcock can be very hit and miss. I didn't enjoy Vertigo but did enjoy Rear Window, The Birds and North by Northwest. Hitchcock is a matster of suspense of course, and this lends itself very well to a spy film. The mistaken identity plot device has rarely been done better. As much as I hate to say it, great acting, great direction and a great script combine to make a great film."

Dexter is 1 today!

The past year has gone very quickly, I can't believe we've not added more blog posts to here since September! It's been so busy here with work and such. Adding a post today because my gorgeous little boy is 1 today. 

Happy birthday, Dexter!

54. M*A*S*H

What it's about 

People who work in an army hospital.

What I thought
I really liked the song and Hawkeye was funny.

What Mum thought
Mum had seen this one before. "I struggled with this one. Although I have seen it before, I guess most of my memories of MASH were from the TV series instead of the film. The film wasn't as polished as I remembered, the editing needed work, the scenes seemed to jump from one another. The sound and script too, again wasn't as polished as I recalled. Having said that, it does include some brilliant characters bought to life by some amazing actors. The script is well written. Gritty, grim, offensive, but overall a charming look at the insanity of war."

What Dad thought
First time for Dad. "I vaguely remembered MASH from the TV series but didn't really know what to expect. I did enjoy this film, some scenes were masterful. I loved the scene in which they treat the baby against orders, and how they escape punishment."

53. The Deer Hunter

What it's about
It's about how some men cope with life after fighting in a war.

What I thought
I liked the music, but I thought it was a bit boring.

What Mum thought
Mum had seen this one before. "It is long, but I don't think it would have worked nearly so well if it had been cut. The film is very much character driven and while some scenes may not progress the plot at all, they do provide a deeper insight into the characters themselves. Brilliant performances from all the cast."

What Dad thought
First time for Dad. "I was wary going into this film. I thought I wouldn't enjoy it. The general consensus on the net was that it was looonnng.

I really enjoyed it. This film was split nicely into thirds, I loved the scenes where the boys showed their playfulness. The scenes in Vietnam were excellently done and the ending was great.

Happy to have watched but I will wait a while until watching again."

52. Taxi Driver

What it's about
It's about a man who drives a taxi.

What I thought
I liked the man's hair when he cut it.

What Mum thought
Mum had seen this one before. "I remember really liking this film. I blame Peter for this, but it seemed to drag this time. It's always tricky watching a film with someone you know isn't enjoying it. Great acting, as usual, from De Niro, and Foster is brilliant despite her young age. De Niro's character is an awkward one as he is not used to 'normal' life after life in the Marines, so much so he thinks a first date should involve taking Cybill Shepherd to a porn film. One of Scorsese's finest films. I've never made my mind up which interpretation of the ending to believe."

What Dad thought
First time for Dad. "I was quite looking forward to this film and I'd heard a lot of good things about it. Unfortunately, while the performances were great, I did not like the direction. I felt the pace of the film was slow and, for example, the scene where the camera pans to an empty corridor as Travis is talking to Betsy on the phone, prevented me from being able to connect with the film."

51. West Side Story

What it's about
Romeo and Juliet with music, set in 50s New York.

What I thought
Loved the music

What Mum thought
Mum had seen this one before. "Gotta love a musical. Especially one as dynamic as this one. Some good acting in there, just watch it and let the music and dancing lead you through this tragic story. First time my daughters had seen it and it took some comforting to calm my youngest girl down at the end of it."

What Dad thought
First time for Dad. "To be fair, I like this version of Romeo and Juliet. Songs were good, the choreography were all right. I didn't love it, I liked it. It was okay. No nuns or Nazis in it though."