100 Greatest Dramas

Considered to be the greatest film of all time. "Rosebud." The most geniusly clever film I have ever seen. It doesn't answer 'the question', what is the meaning of life, but it responds to the American Dream with harsh honesty in this tragic story, which in a way answers the big question. Acclaimed for its innovative narrative structure, deep focus cinematography, soundtrack, literate screenplay, and nuanced portrayal of the central character. Citizen Kane is truly the best. Winner of my Greatest Drama Films. Winner of my Greatest Film Entrances.

Gone With The Wind stands as the most enduring symbol of the Golden Age of Hollywood. Arguably the most loved film of all time and one of the greatest; Gone With The Wind is clearly one of filmdom's greatest cinematic achievements. Winner of ten Academy Awards including Best Picture, it broke the records and created one that would stand for many decades. It has sold more tickets than any other film in history and adjusting for inflation, the film is the highest grossing of all time. Scanning the South's tragic history during the Civil War and the Reconstruction period, told from the view of Scarlet O'Hara, Gone With The Wind is primarily a star-studded Civil War epic drama. However it is so much more than that, it is one of only two films that truly represent America, the other being The Godfather. Set during the time when the nation was forged it has become etched in the American cultural psyche. Gone With The Wind is about war, history, social class, politics, race, work, fashion, the land, language, religion, romance, relationships, death, gender roles, regional distinctions all seen through the lens of the American experience heightened by the "Immortal tale of the old South". Scarlet O'Hara, the indomitable, selfish, fiery Southern belle, played by Vivien Liegh in her greatest performance steals the show and creates a character that encapsulates a great leading lady performance. What makes her character as great as it is, is her twisted romance with Rhett Butler, Clarke Gable, culminating in the greatest line in movie history 'Frankly My Dear I don't give a damn'. It also includes other great lines such as "After all, tomorrow is another day!" and "As God is my witness, I'll never be hungry again." Pure classic, pure great, pure cinema. Winner of my Best Film from the 1930's.

My favorite film of all time, the Perfect Film. To me it represents everything a film should, i.e. the perfect film. The most quoted, and loved of films. A great love story, great action, mystery, suspence, sadness, comdey all in equal greatness. The greatest romantic drama of wartime sacrifice. The great Classic, with the classic song, "As Time Goes By" perfect cast, Bogart, Bergman, Rains, the Academy Award for Best Picture and more famous quotes than any other. "I think this is the begining of a beautiful friendship"and ".Here's looking at you, kid." and "Play it, Sam. Play 'As Time Goes By." and "Round up the usual suspects." and "We'll always have Paris." and "Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, she walks into mine." Winner of my Best Film from the 1940's. Winner of my Top Romantic Films.

The favorite film of my youth. Titanic broke my heart and keeps a piece still. 11 Academy Awards, Highest Grossing film ever. 'My Heart Will Go On' haunting soundtrack. Winner of my Greatest Disaster Films. Winner of mr Greatest Epics. Winner of my Best Film from the 1990's. Winner of my Greatest Romantic Period Film.

Crushing Classic, the Great Gritty drama of union corruption memorable, mainly, for Brando's best performance. The end scene on the docks is unforgettable. A must see Classic. Won Best Picture. "You don't understand! I coulda had class. I coulda been a contender. I could've been somebody, instead of a bum, which is what I am."

Spielberg's ultimate masterpiece, A profoundly shocking, disturbing film, like the nightmare that was the Holocaust.

The greatest hero ever Atticus Finch in the greatest courtroom drama ever. Lives up to Harper Lee's novel, which I was inspired to read after watching the film. We all need a lesson in compassion and the evils of prejudice from time to time, and it is here to give it. Robert Duvall is really scary as recluse Boo Radley. Winner of my Classic Courtroom Films.

The real world of theater. I have never seen a film with such brilliant dialogue as All About Eve. A classic story with unbelieveable revelations of backstage betrayal. "Fasten your seatbelts. It's going to be a bumpy night." The ultimate in Sophisticated performances, especially by Davis and the great critic Sanders. Forget all the snappy dialogue in other films, this film has the monopoly.

The Citizen Kane Of Hollywood. Sunset Boulevard is a classic that takes on the hollywood dream. The at times disturbing, gothic and ultimately tragic noir with character of the century the deluded silent star Swanson who actually lived a version of the character in real life as did the butler. Also real life people, The Waxworks, such as Buster Keaton, Anna Q. Nilsson and H. B. Warner, who, like De Mille, play themselves. Swanson is ready for her close-up in this impacting slice of Hollywood life depicting a reclusive, former silent screen actress. The film won three Academy Awards, including Best Screenplay but did not win best picture because the academy didn't like the subject matter i.e. hollywood. "All right, Mr. DeMille, I'm ready for my close-up." and "I am big! It's the pictures that got small."

The gripping, penetrating, and engrossing examination of a group of twelve jurors in a 'seemingly' open-and-shut murder trial case.

A more Patrotic film you will not find. One of Capra's best ever. A gripping, exhilarating drama. Attacks the corrupt powerful political machine of Washington politics full on. The end secene is riveting, stirring and triumphant.

"Steeeeellllllllllaaaaa! Hey, Stella!" and "I have always depended on the kindness of strangers."

The film that represents what a great adaptation is. Jack Nicholson soars. Nurse Ratched is one of the greatest villans in Cinema.

A simply incredible film. Elizabeth Taylor gives the performance of her life an one of the greatest dramatic performances ever comitted to celluloid. A classic drama.

Shawshank Redemption is a Masterpiece. What struck me more than anything after watching the film, was how inspirational and philosophical it was, a modern Christian parable with true Christian principles, hope, salvation and redemption. In my belife the greatest films all acomplish the same thing, go transcend the escapism, the entertainment and the artificiality that most films are prone to and become a form of teaching, philosophy or guide to our everyday lives. The audience can take something with them out of the theatre into their personal lives and use it to battle the troubles and situations they faced. Shawshank Redemption is one such film. It's suberb acting, easy going 'let me tell you a story' mood and it's inspirational story cement it as a film without measure, as if taken from old Hollywood and mixed with modern events. One of the greatest films I have ever seen. "Get busy living or get busy dying that's goddamn right."

The best performance of James Dean's short legendary carrer. Rebel is by far the best 1950's film dealing with teenage rebellion. It seemed to define a generation of 1950s teenagers who felt lonely and isolated from their parents and sought solace with friends. It desperately wants to say something and doesn't know what it is. If anyone did know, it would lose its fascination. Winner of my Top Gay/Lesbian Themed Films.

Best Film from the 1980's.

"You talking to me?"

One of the saddest, moving, masterpiece films I have ever seen. Once watched it will be locked in your memory forever holding the key, awaiting your return. Winner of my Top foreign language film.

Daphne Du Maurier's 1938 novel Rebecca is ranked amongst the great novels written in the 20th century. It is only fitting that the film version be of similar rank and recognition. Rebecca is one of the greatest gothic mystery dramas ever brought to screen. it is the first Hitchock masterpeice. With the legendary cast of Fontaine, Olivier, George Sanders and Judith Anderson playing one of the greatest villians ever to creep on to the screen, Mrs Danvers. But all this comes second to unforgettable, infamous twist ending the truly makes Rebecca a timeless gothic classic without equal. Winner of my Grestest Film Plot Twists.

All time great war time film. Geer Garson is stunning.

"Wherever there's a fight so hungry people can eat, I'll be there."

Breif Encounter is a beautiful film. One of the great love stories of the everyday which as the title suggest can happen in a brief moment and last a lifetime. This film involves one of the most heart-brakingly sad and yet stringly up-lifting endings ever. A classic in every sense.

One of the greatest films ever, the quintessential film noir thriller

Not only Meryl Streep's greatest role, but quite possibly the greatest female lead role ever performed. An absolutely devastating film.

Best Film of 2005. Possibly the greatest love story ever told. One of the few truly heart-braking films I have ever seen.

The definitive cinematic rendition of Hamlet. However, Kenneth Branagh's film version of the complete Hamlet does bring out the faults of the Olivier Hamlet by including everything that Olivier had omitted. But still despite all this, the performances, the photography, the art direction and the musical score of the Olivier Hamlet are perfect. I still consider Olivier's performance to be the best performance of Hamlet I have ever seen. Winner of my Top Shakespeare Films.

"Oh, Jerry, don't let's ask for the moon. We have the stars.". Great Classic The strenght of the film lies both in the great love story and in the troubled childhood relationship with her mother and similar child.

One of my new all-time favourite films. Has one of the best, most romantic tearful, endings ever. The best of the phenomeon that was Charlie Chaplin.

La Strada, which is the Italian word for The Road. Fedrico Fellini's best film. La Strada won the Academy Award for Best foreign film, even though it is far better than most English films. I shall never forget Masina's face, the most remarkable of faces, she performs a moving protryal, and Quinn is egqually unforgettable both actors make the film crackle with their chemistry. La Stada is one of the most beautiful films and one of the most tragic films ever.

Best film of 2004, a masterpiece.

The greatest Suspense thriller. With Sinatra who should have stuck to singing, and the perfect Angela Lansby. Programmed by the red under the bed Communists with the clever Queen of Hearts device. Notable for its political satire, visual inventiveness, and Lansbury's best performance as a scheming mother. The final scene is so suspenseful I could scarsely keep still.

Dealing with racism and, in my opinion, the culture of fear in which we all live. A truly tragic, provocative and thought-provoking look at society. One of the best films of 2005.

Crushingly powerful film. Acted to perfection by cast.

RICKY FITTS (Wes Bentley): "Sometimes there's so much beauty in the world I feel like I can't take it, like my heart's going to cave in."

East of Eden is the first film my favourite actor James Dean ever stared in. His performance this film is in many ways his best, his most soulful, most vulnerable and most complex, but not his most iconic, which would have to be Rebel Without A Cause. Riveting, moody and brooding Dean personifies the loveless, sad young man that yearns for the love of his cold father. Every time you want to pull away you are pulled back. Utimately the film deals with the struggle of good and evil and the psychology of childhood development, which shows that a boy needs to connect with his father in order to develop properly. Indeed this film offers the most moving protrayal of this kind of circumstances and results. One of the reasons why Dean was so brilliant was that he was play himself, his own relationship with his father. This film reached out and spoked to me in a way that few films can. Yet wether or not you personally connect with this film, the film it self is enough to move you and have an impact. A classic and a truly heart braking film.

I had heard that this film was a romantic comedy, but as I watched the comedy almost shrank to irrelevance as the deep saddness rose. Jack Lemmon is perfect as always and Shirley MacLaine is so sweet and innocent that you cannot help but wonder at her current demeanor. If anything this film is a truly heart aching romance that takes you on a journey of laughs, pity, sorrow and love. Amazingly winner of Academy Awards for Best Picture, Director, and Original Screenplay. Billy Wilder has to be one of the all time great directors and king of famous last lines: "Shut up and deal".

"Let's go home Debbie", the greatest western of all time. The inspriation for countless of classics from Lawrence Of Arabia to Star Wars. The "Duke" John Waynes, best performance as the eternal outisder, verging on villian. A complex western masterpeice.

"I'm walking here! I'm walking here!"

"Born to be wild" great defining song. The definitive counter-cultural road movie. With the motorcycle-riding duo (Hopper and Fonda) across America to find the true hippie loving America. Nicholson steals the show as a drugo lawyer, leading to stardom in the 1970s. It could almost be an national anthem for the 1960s' with cultural dialogue on freedom, individualism, patriotism and hippieism.

One of the best films from the 70's. The Existential dilema, what is my vocation in life, a film about the social divide in America, the lives of the middle Americans and the lives of the intellectuals. With and unbelieveably powerful portryal from Nicholson, this film becomes a great through it's characters and it's heartbraking intensity. Nicholson is one of the most unforgettable characters in American movies. For nothing else this film is worth seeing for the pleasure of watching Jack Nicholson unable to gat an order of toast.

One of the greatest westerns I have ever seen.

Captain Blight's terrible cruelty on the Bounty affirms his position as one of the greatest villians. However it is not the final result of the voyage that interests, but rather how an honorable officer of the British fleet could have turned on his Captain. The story focuses on the journeys to and from the island because it is more important than the actual arrival at Haiti . More than anything a fascinating study of ship psychology based on a true story.

1930's Classic. Stellar cast Greata Garbo, "I want to be alone", Stellar Cast: John Barrymore, Joan Crwaford "Mommie Dearest" One of the greatest early Hollywood films with inter woven stories that great a grand narrative.

"He that troubleth his own house shall inherit the wind:
and the fool shall be servant to the wise of heart." (Bible quote) What a controversially stunning film.

Julia Robert's career best role as Erin Brockovich one of hollywood's greatest heros. Nominated for Best Picture.

Brilliantly acted and confronting

Great Spiritual Film.

A simple, kind man changes history. With flashbacks through some of the highlights of modern American history. It is such a fascinating story as he becomes central to the major events of the late 20th century. I thought it was very clever how, through the use of seamless digital visual imagery, Forrest appears to interact in scenes with famous historical people. "Mama always said life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get."

One of the cleverest romantic comedies of all. "I need him like the axe needs the turkey." Flawless

Bring me my bow of burning gold! Bring me my Arrows of Desire! Bring me my spear! O clouds, unfold! Bring me my Chariot of Fire! A Historic Epic of monumental proportions. Music is unforgettable. Winner of my Top Sports Films.

The Lives Of Others is stunning! A film not to be missed, one of the best of 2006.

Excellent concept poor portrayl. To test your family's socially liberal resolve bring home a racial different boy/girlfriend for dinner and see what happens. Despite it's faults it is moving, especially for a scene in which the parents reflect on the power of love. I can't believe Hepburn won another Academy Award for Best Actress for her role.

"You can't handle the truth!", the quote that defines this film.

Best Film of 2006 and one of the best films of the 2000's decade.

One of the best films of 2001. A chilling disection of hollywood, reminiscent of Sunset Bolevard and All About Eve.

"Houston, we have a problem."

From Pasternak's sweeping epic novel, set in the World War I and the Bolshevik Revolution It's strenght lies in it's portraal of the realities of life in Russia after the 1917 Communist Revolution. The most memorable thing of all is the romantic score.

Rocky is a rare combination of a great sport film, a great inspirational film and a great guy film. But more than anything it's inspirational story and central character Rocky are the key to it sucess as a great film. There are plenty of guy sports films but rarely any inspirational ones. Rocky inspires glory in the underdog, the average joe and makes you stand up and cheer. This would not be possible however if it wasn't for the great hero Rocky. Rocky played by Stallone in his best performance, is not only likeable but a true hero for our times. Winner of Best Picture, on the AFI Top 100 and Rocky ranked as the 7th greatest hero, Rocky is a winner. "Yo, Adrian!"

One of the best films of 2008 and the best superhero film ever. Heath Ledger is certain to win the Academy Award for best supporting actor for his truly mad performance as the joker. Yet there is Method to his Madness, this crazed character does make sense in his own twisted thinking. The film more than the original poses some extreemly difficult ethical questions concerning right and wrong, hero and villian, questions that are not nescessarily answered. Once again Nolan has redfined the comic book genre and has continued the most original and masterly film series out today. See this film!

My Favourite Film of 2007. Watching this film is akin to a spiritual experience. Changed my life.

Best reviewed film of 2007, a masterpiece.

A Grand Portrait of the Soulful Little Sparrow. La Vie en Rose is a grand historical drama and one of the best biographical films I have ever seen. From the cradle to the grave, through the blissful 'rose coloured' highs to the sorrowful heart-wrenching lows, of a great singer, artist and woman, Marion Cotillard gives us Edith Piaf a life and love, a passionate, wild drama for the ages. Marion Cotillard gives a performance of a lifetime, one that I would count amongst the best of the decade, her triumph at the Oscars I am almost certain of. Best Actress of 2007 is Marion Cotillard. Her lipsinking of Edith Piaf's edyfing songs is perfect, such songs as the beautiful title song, La Vie en Rose (Life in Pink) a song about seeing life through rose coloured glasses, but the most soulful of all her songs, said to be her signature song Non, je ne regrette rien (No Regets) which the film ends with sums up everything about her life that words can say. An extreemly powerful moving experience not to be missed.