I am so happy to host Table 9 Mutant from Cinema Parrot Disco today. Though she proclaims to be a procrastinator of note, she sent through an epic top ten. Table 9 Mutant runs a really neat little blog that you really should check out if you have not done so already, featuring the occasional book review, plenty of movies and top ten lists and a general amount of good fun. She also recently finished a seriously intense John Hughes blogathon. Head on over there, but check out her top ten list first!
Should you be interested in submitting a Top Ten list, draw up a list of either your top ten personal favourite movies or a top ten list by a specific genre/theme and send it along to me at sporadiczoe@hotmail.com. Hope to see a few more lists!
10. Catch Me If You Can
Fascinating story and excellent performances. I’d always known Leonardo DiCaprio was an underrated actor but, being the same age as him, it took until I saw this one for me to finally see him as a proper grown-up actor.
9. Close Encounters Of The Third Kind
This one doesn’t seem to get the credit it deserves. The mashed potato mountain, the entire ending and, of course, those musical notes: Classic.
8. Always
My controversial choice, maybe. I don’t care. I LOVED this movie when it came out and watched it over and over. So romantic and full of quirky, loveable characters – why don’t more people like this one?
7. Schindler’s List
Truly a masterpiece but very hard to place in a list like this. It’s not, as I like to call it, a “multiple watcher” for me. Too tough to watch more than once, I can’t “love” it in the same way I do the rest on this list.
6. Jurassic Park
This was mind-blowing when it came out. And it still looks a hell of a lot better than some of the CGI nightmares they’re giving us these days. This movie is pure fun.
5. Indiana Jones and The Temple Of Doom
I love all the Indiana Jones movies and if this was my list with my usual rules (I like to cheat), I’d put the first three films together as one entry. But I better play fair on Zoë’s site! So here you have Temple Of Doom, that crazy and violent one with hearts being RIPPED out of chests and chilled monkey brains!
4. Jaws
Starts out a little slow (trust me – re-watch it) but when the three of them get on that boat to go find the shark, this becomes a true classic. And, come on – that MUSIC! John Williams is a genius. Which is why Spielberg uses him all the time, including for all of the films in this top ten I believe. Spielberg is a genius too but those John Williams scores are just as much to thank for his films becoming the classics that they are (I won’t go into this too much – we’d be here all day!).
3. Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade
Fun fun fun! And I loved Harrison Ford & Sean Connery together in this. I’ve watched this film so many times!
2. Raiders Of The Lost Ark
The film that introduced us to one of the all-time best movie characters – Indiana Jones. Harrison Ford was so awesome (and sexy) as Indiana and we’ve not had “adventure” films like these since. Why can’t they make movies like this anymore??
1. E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial
Number one and two are so close and, to be honest, I changed them around a few times. I don’t know what to say about this one… Who hasn’t seen E.T.? Who doesn’t know the image of that flying bicycle with the moon behind it? Who doesn’t like this?!?! It’s the first film I ever saw in the theater more than once. (Oops – showing my age!) E.T., like Indiana Jones, is such a great character and just thinking about this movie never fails to make me smile. 🙂
Wow, my top 3 are outside your top 5!
LikeLike
Which are your top three?
LikeLike
Yeah! What Zoe said! What are your top three??? : )
LikeLike
Catch Me If You Can, Schindler’s List, and Jurassic Park!
LikeLike
I don’t think many would put Catch Me If You Can in their top five! But I love it. : ) Think that one is underrated. And Leo is fantastic as always.
LikeLike
😀 He is!
LikeLike
Very good!
LikeLike
Finally! Some love for Temple of Doom 🙂
My fav would be Raiders of the Lost Ark and this list is missing Saving Private Ryan!
LikeLike
Love Indiana Jones! If this list was on my blog, I’d cheat & count the trilogy as one film then Indiana Jones would be my number one. ; )
Saving Private Ryan… I’ll be honest – I saw it but don’t remember it much. Just really don’t like war movies.
LikeLike
LOL I love all the Indiana Jones films (except the 4th one – I pretend that didn’t happen!)
Saving Private Ryan is very good. Its a great companion piece to HBO’s Band of Brothers.
LikeLike
You don’t need to pretend. We don’t acknowledge it!
LikeLike
HAHAHAHA
LikeLike
‘a general amount of fun’ – high praise indeed for the mutant!
LikeLike
Lol. Are you being a smart ass again??? ; )
LikeLike
I was just quoting Zoe’s intro!
LikeLike
She typed it nicely. I could tell you were typing it in a smart ass way. ; )
LikeLike
😛
LikeLike
Ah, love the list! Thank you so very much for participating! LOVE to see so much Indiana Jones on the list 😛 Even a DiCaprio there! But… I do miss Saving Private Ryan!
LikeLike
Knew you’d appreciate the Leo inclusion. ; ) Thanks again for having me! I just really don’t like war films… : (
LikeLike
🙂 I always love a Leo inclusion somewhere. I am terrible.
Ahhhhh, totally understand, though I must say that is a real favourite of mine!
LikeLike
I would drop ‘Always’ and stick in Minority Report or Duel
LikeLike
Does nobody love Saving Private Ryan?! o.O I keep coming back to this 😛
LikeLike
Lol. Apparently I’m not alone in leaving out Saving Private Ryan?? ; )
LikeLike
Pffffffffffffff!
LikeLike
They were definite honorable mentions. Especially Duel. : )
LikeLike
Yes, I agree–Minority Report is awesome. So Is A.I. 🙂
LikeLike
Jurassic Park will always be my favourite. It is just such a terrific movie. (Perhaps followed closely by Jaws).
LikeLike
… is this sent from your new technology or stolen quick access?
LikeLike
This could be new technology. The Oracle of Film returns this week!
LikeLike
YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSS! Some of the best news I have gotten this week for sure!
On a side note: congratulations!
LikeLike
Thank you. Also, your website is the first place to break the news story haha.
LikeLike
I should give it a very special post to announce it hahaha! 😉
LikeLike
Agree Jurassic Park is amazing! I was maybe just a little too old to FULLY appreciate it when it came out. : )
LikeLike
I think you’re spot on when you say Close Encounters doesn’t get the credit it deserves but perhaps you’re playing into that a bit by having it way down at 9! In my Top 10 Spielberg I had it right at the top – it is the perfect Spielberg movie, it perfectly encapsulates the man and his creative vision.
That said, as a big fan of Spielberg, it’s great to see so much love for his movies. Always is an interesting inclusion as that’s one that usually gets lumped in with 1941 as one of the director’s few creative lapses. Indeed, your inclusion of Temple of Doom is another interesting choice – a film that works in fits and starts for me. Not a personal favorite but I still love the character and the underground train escape is the greatest action sequence of the entire franchise!
I’d recommend The Sugarland Express, Empire of the Sun and Duel to see. The real surprise is Saving Private Ryan not making the list… I also think the first half of The Terminal is the funniest work Spielberg has done, shame about the second half.
For what it’s worth, here’s my top 10 Steven Spielberg films: http://www.top10films.co.uk/archives/2895
Enjoyed reading that! 🙂
LikeLike
Thanks! Well, I have seen Saving Private Ryan and Duel. Duel is the one that nearly made the list of those two… ; ) Oh – and I wasn’t crazy about Empire of the Sun. I’ll check your list out too when I’m home tonight! Do think Close Encounters is an excellent film but I don’t love it QUITE as much as the ones I have higher… : )
LikeLike
I really rate Temple of Doom too. I’d probably have Jaws, and Indiana Jones 1 and 2 in the top 3. I’ve not seen Always. Duel is awesome though.
LikeLike
The first three Indiana Jones films should count as one – then it would be in first place. ; ) I love Duel! It was so close. But I really love Catch Me If You Can. : )
LikeLike
It was very entertaining. So funny seeing Amy Adams in that.
LikeLike
I know – she was great in it. Love Amy Adams. : )
LikeLike
nice list, I was in the middle of compiling my own top 5 as well. Personally I think Minority Report is heavily underrated and I absolutely love his first film Duel, for its raw simplicity.
LikeLike
Thanks! : ) They were on my honorable mentions list. I didn’t think Zoe would allow honorable mentions… Lol ; )
LikeLike
Whaaaaaaaaa?! Now this became my fault?! LOL!
LikeLike
It was great seeing Jurassic Park on the big screen last year for its 20th anniversary – nice pick of ET at #1!
LikeLike
Yeah – I bet that was cool. Of course, I saw it that way in the first place! Lol ; ) Thanks – E.T. is a worthy classic. : )
LikeLike
Close Encounters! However, I do understand the gooey loveliness of ‘Always’. But as far as making great films, there’s many more I would put before it. 😉
LikeLike
Lol – I can’t help it – I’ve always loved Always. I’m not sure why!!! ; ) I know Close Encounters actually deserves to be higher and is actually a better “film” than a lot of the others. Glad to see so many here rate that one highly. : )
LikeLike
Dearest JB,
Great guest post today, You rule!
Love,
Chop!
_______
Dearest Table Nine Mutant,
WHAT THE FUCK??? SAVING PRIVATE RYAN is one of the best movies ever made. It was so realistic my Gramps wouldn’t even go see it (he served overseas) Also – why isn’t MUNICH on here?? Not everything is lollipops and kittens!
FROWN!!!!!
All of my love,
Eric
LikeLike
Dear Chop,
It makes me happy seeing some love for Saving Private Ryan! ❤
Love,
JB
LikeLike
Dearest JB,
Saving Private Ryan is one of my favorite movies!! Our mutual friend is out of her tits. Wait, maybe you can’t use that saying for a lady?? If not, I do apologize.
Love,
Chop
LikeLike
Dear Chop,
YAY! I am so glad to hear this! It was amazing, and I love going back to watch it, always just brilliant! I am not sure, we shall have to see if any offense is taken! 😛
Love,
JB
LikeLike
Fondest JB,
YEP!!! We should do a Double Take on it!!
Love Forever,
Chop
LikeLike
Dearest True Detective Lovers,
I saw Saving Private Ryan but the fact that I can’t even remember it means it probably doesn’t deserve a place in my personal top ten. ; ) I mean – who WAS Private Ryan? Was he even saved?! Lol. Plus… War movies. Yuck.
As for Munich – I’ve not seen it. I can’t see EVERY movie in the world, you know!!! : p I’ll watch it someday.
As for kittens & lollipops, I don’t remember any in Schindler’s List, which did make my list. So…. NYAH!
Love,
True Detective Hater T9M : ) *hugs*
LikeLike
Btw – I don’t like kittens either.
LikeLike
My Dearest True Detective Hater,
It’s become apparent that you might, indeed, be out of your tits.
Warmest Love,
THE IPC
LikeLike
Dear hater,
Did you drink your hater-ade today? It’s ok we still love you.
Sincerely,
Rust Coehle
LikeLike
Lol – the final episode is showing in the UK tonight. Suppose I’ll watch it as it seems stupid to stop now. ; )
LikeLike
You must at this point lol
LikeLike
Hater-ade… yes, yes this sounds right…
LikeLike
Dear True Detective Hater,
I don’t even know how to respond to this. Really. You must truly be off of your rocker.
Love,
Me
LikeLike
Great choices although I kind of really don’t get ET.
LikeLike
Thanks and… Lol! I’d actually have guessed you’d not be an E.T. fan. ; ) Helps that I’m very old and it’s one of the first things I remember seeing in the cinema. So I’m pretty fond of it. : )
LikeLike
I think Close Encounters is underrated for sure. At the time it came out, everyone thought aliens would one day come down from to earth and want to communicate with us as one intelligent species to another, all because of the movie. Then Alien came out a few years later and wiped away the notion of friendly communication and with it, the impact of Close Encounters.
LikeLike
Agree it’s very underrated and was amazing for its time. True… I admit I’m a huge Alien fan and I suppose Close Encounters kind of does get forgotten because of it. Both are true classics. : )
LikeLike
Nice idea for a list, lady! And excellent choices! I have to say though, I’d probably put Jurassic Park as my number one. Love. It. 😀
LikeLike
Thanks! : ) I can definitely see Jurassic Park being the favorite of those your sort of age since you grew up with it. It’s the same thing with me & E.T. But they’re all amazing films – It’s hard to top Spielberg! : )
LikeLike
TRUTH!
LikeLike
TRUTH!
LikeLike
Nice list T9M agree with Cara what a great idea! I have to say I would pick Schindlers list as my fave and Jurassic park I was obsessed backs in the day!!! Hook was good too did you like that one? I can’t argue with your choices though I would have had a hard time picking now that I think about it.
LikeLike
Thanks! : ) Yeah – it wasn’t easy leaving some off the list. And I kept changing my mind on the order (especially 1 & 2). Schindler’s List is probably actually the “best” but… Yeah, a hard watch. I better now watch some of the Spielberg films I’ve not seen! : )
LikeLike
Top list! And nice to see ET up there, it’s one of my favourite films from my childhood. I think Jurassic Park is probably one of my favourites, but I’m not sure I’ve even heard of Always!
LikeLike
Thanks! : ) Glad to see some love for E.T. – thought I’d have more people disagreeing with that. Lol – Always is NOT a popular choice. But I love it. I always found it very sweet & romantic. This is from a girl who doesn’t really go for that sort of thing…. : )
LikeLike
Wow, you surprise me with the SPR omission. I think it’s too hard to cl;assify Spielberg’s 10 best since he has more than that. Munich, SPR and Schindler’s list are my favorite “adult orientated” Spielberg films, but since I also am the same age as you and Leo, I have soft spots ion my heart for some of his earlier stuff that we all grew up with, ET and Indiana Jones trilogy specifically. I only started to appreciate Jaws recently and never “got” close encounters as a kid. perhaps I should give it another try. Jurassic Park was amazing in the theater, (saw it twice two days in a row), but it (unlike many Spielberg flicks) loses something on the small screen.
I recall Always being a fun love story, but didn’t appreciate it so much when I re-watched it last year.
Nicely done my dear Mutant!
BTW, I don’t hate True Detective, but I found it to be deliberately slow and made me think I was reading a book instead of watching a TV show/miniseries. There were some great scenes, but overall, I felt it was lacking.
LikeLike
Thanks! : ) Lol – I’m in soooo much trouble for leaving Saving Private Ryan out. I don’t even remember it. Maybe I need to watch it again? I’ve always wanted to see Munich but never got around to it. I actually loved Jaws from quite a young age (why did my parents let me watch that?! Lol).
Yay! Someone who doesn’t worship True Detective!!!! I finally finished it tonight. Felt like I sat through 8 hours of shit to get ten good minutes at the very end. Glad I didn’t waste time by actually watching them thoroughly – I was mostly doing other things with it on in the background. ; )
LikeLike
Like you cannot comprehend my lack of love for Ferris… I can finally identify with your feelings on the matter.
Meh. This is another thing I cannot truly accept, but love you anyhow 😉
LikeLike
Great list, Mutant. As I call it one of the best three movies ever made, I’d have to say Schindler’s List is easily his best, but I quibble with none of the flicks you’ve included here. (I’ve not seen 8 or 9, though.)
LikeLike
Thanks. : ) Wow – you’ve not seen Close Encounters??? Hmm… Not sure how you’d feel on that but do think you’d like Catch Me If You Can. : )
LikeLike
Actually, I have seen Catch Me If You Can (and did like it). It’s Always I haven’t seen.
LikeLike
What a filmmaker. Great list buddy.
LikeLike
Thanks! : ) Lol – I love being called buddy. And, also, dude. : )
LikeLike
Freaking fantastic list.
But what if, theoretically, I said I thought E.T. was overrated?
. . . . . . 🙂
LikeLike
I’d bitch slap you. Lol! Kidding. Kind of. ; ) I can see not loving that one if you didn’t grow up with it like I did. So I’ll forgive you. Because I like ya! : )
LikeLike
hahahah oh it was only theoretical.
I absolutely adore E.T. and I’d probably join you in the bitch-slappig of whoever that was who didn’t like the film. 😀 😀
LikeLike
Lol! Oh thank god… You’re lucky, dude! You’ve moved back up my list again now. If I had a list. ; )
LikeLike
All are good, it is hard to pick a one…..
LikeLike
Thanks. : ) Agree – Spielberg has so many amazing films that it’s very hard to choose just ten!
LikeLike
Can’t argue with any of your picks here! I probably would put Schindler’s List a bit higher tho. For sure you won’t see the overly sentimental War Horse on my list however. Great stuff!
LikeLike
Thanks! : ) Yeah… I’ve actually not seen War Horse because I didn’t like the sound of it much anyway. Take it it’s not a contender for a top ten, then! ; )
LikeLike
Nice work! Fantastic list. Stevie has so many great films, no? My favorites are Jaws, Raiders, CEot3K and JP. Great post 🙂
LikeLike
Thanks! : ) He has sooooo many great films. Looks like we like the same ones. I’m surprised how many people have said how much they love Close Encounters! Good to know that’s not as underrated as I thought. : )
LikeLike