best film:  There Will Be Blood. There’s nothing terribly close so this film is absolutely huge for DDL’s resume. As of now it’s his lone masterpiece (I’m excited to revisit Phantom Thread after twice in

best film:  Seven Samurai reigns supreme but Rashomon has shot up my list over the last decade. The sheer ambition and size of The Seven Samurai edges out the narrative genius of Rashomon but they’re

best film:  City Lights is solidly in my top-100 of all-time and Modern Times has pushed past The Gold Rush and is now in my “honorable mention” section. Chaplin was no visual master behind the

best film: Bringing Up Baby is my top-rated screwball comedy and top-rated Howard Hawks film (three total in the top 100 of all-time). It ekes out as Grant’s best film ahead of North by Northwest

best film:  8 ½ has crawled past La Dolce Vita on my all-time list over the years. They’re both absolutely marvelous but the more imaginative/surrealistic set-piece brilliance of  8 ½  has won me over.  Still-

best film:  The Searchers is the best film of all-time. I will be the first one to admit that I can’t prove this—there are 5-10 other films that I think you could make the case

best film: Once Upon a Time in the West. Fonda was in three masterpieces but only one made the top 100 of all-time (#52). Most critics think it’s Leone’s masterpiece (I still have The Good,

best film:  Cool Hand Luke. Newman has only actually been in two masterpieces, this and Butch Cassidy. It’s a weakness if you’re looking at his resume and comparing him with the other all-time greats. However,

best film:  The Wild Bunch. William Holden was in four masterpieces but none better than the 1969 Peckinpah fatalistic western. Holden leads the crew of rugged desperados (excellent work from Warren Oates, Ben Johnson and

best film:  Aguirre, the Wrath of God is the 31st best film of all-time and it is Herzog’s masterpiece. Kinski has actually been in some sneaky-good films outside of his famous collaborations with Herzog (Doctor

best film:  The Graduate remains Hoffman’s sole top 100 all-time film and it’s fitting because it’s also his best performance. I love Bonnie and Clyde and there are other important American films to mark the

best film:  The Royal Tenenbaums. This category is putting me to the test with my allegiance (as always, based on merit) to Wes Anderson and his crowning masterpiece, The Royal Tenenbaums. I don’t want to