The "Best" Movies: Recap, part 4

A while back I decided to watch the "best" movies. I put together a big list from several other lists:

• American Film Institute (AFI) 100 years, 100 movies (1998)
• AFI's 100 years, 100 movies, 10th Anniversary Listing. (2007)
• AFI's "10 Top 10" (Animation, Romantic comedy, Westerns, Sports, Mystery, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Gangster, Courtroom Dramas, Epics)
• Academy Award® Best Pictures winners.

Earlier this month, I finally finished the list. Now, I'm offering my thoughts on each of the movies. I've done 30 so far. Here's the next 10:

• Blue Velvet
  #8 Mystery
  Weird. Not as weird as, say, "Liquid Sky," but still weird. I don't remember much about it. Except, Dennis Hopper sucking on inhalant and yelling "Don't look at me! Don't you f***ing look at me!" That, alone, almost makes it worthwhile. Other than that, a forgettable movie.
• Bonnie and Clyde
  #27 Top 100 (1998)
  #42 Top 100 (2007)
  #5 Gangster movie
  Wasn't allowed to see it when it came out. It was rated "M" -- which was what PG was called before it was GP before it was PG. Saw it later. Pretty good film.
• Braveheart
  Best Picture (1995)
  Another movie based on real people that took some liberties with history. I liked the movie, despite some of the unpleasant scenes of torture.
• Breaking Away
  #8 Sports movie
  Yes, it's a sports movie ... about riding a bicycle. And, surprisingly, I enjoyed it.
• Bringing Up Baby
  #88 Top 100 (2007)
  #97 Top 100 (1998)
  Cary Grant and Katherine Hepburn. Great film. Funny film. Oh, and Baby is a leopard. But not every leopard is Baby. When it comes on TCM, watch it.
• Bull Durham
  #5 Sports movie
  It has its moments. The best part is the baseball. But, maybe that's because I like baseball.
• Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
  #50 Top 100 (1998)
  #73 Top 100 (2007)
  #7 Western
  Didn't see it when it came out. But I heard that blasted B. J. Thomas song over and over and over on the radio. Finally saw the movie a few years later. I enjoyed it.
• Cabaret
  #63 Top 100 (2007)
  I sort of didn't care for this film. Oh, some parts were good. And Joel Grey was wonderful as the Master of Ceremonies. And the music was great. Just, something. I don't know. If it was on the TV, I might not change the channel, but I wouldn't go out of my way to watch it.
• Caddyshack
  #7 Sports movie
  Yes, it pretends to be a golf movie. Of course, it's not. It's a comedy. And a funny, funny movie.
• Casablanca
  #2 Top 100 (1998)
  #3 Top 100 (2997)
  Best Picture (1943)
  The best movie ever made, hands down. It is a classic. And has some of the best lines ever uttered on film. I saw it for the first time ... in Kuwait. Fell in love with it. Quick story: They scheduled it to be shown at Camp Doha, and the little theatre was packed. At the last minute, they announced they were going to play some other, more recent movie in its place. The crowd split into two loud camps: Casablanca or that other film. They consulted, then decided to show Casablanca. At the end, even those who wanted to see the other film said they enjoyed it. If you haven't seen it, shame on you.

Now, that's 40 movies done. More to come.