It's a very, very good movie that deserves to be seen and discussed more than it is.

I would argue that all—or at least most—of these movies are excellent in most ways, and should be seen by those with a real interest in the form. We're getting into the best of the best now.

Best Picture Rankings: Part Seven

My wife just downloaded the book (and Silence of the Lambs) to her Kindle, and finished it in under a week. I'm really looking forward to getting into the book.

I think you're probably right about Argo. (When I was looking over these rankings after I finished them, that was one I looked at and thought, wow, really?) And I don't really have a strong cinematic reason for rating Platoon where it is; I just remember I liked it when I saw it. If I were to watch it again, there's a…

If I were reading this list, there are a handful of choices here I would raise an eyebrow over. I hasten to point out that we're in the really good stuff now, and from #37 on, I could understand any arguments for shuffling the order. I think this is the part of the list where we start to transition from "really…

Best Picture Rankings: Part Six

Noooooooooooooooooooooooo…if I've lost pulp, I've lost the board. Sad face.

I appreciated 12 Years… more than I enjoyed it, and probably the reverse with In The Heat of the Night. In The Heat… was a surprise—I didn't expect to enjoy it as much as I did, but it was much better than I gave it credit for sight unseen. I mentioned when I watched it that the movie kind of fades from memory…

It's a very interesting/well done film, there are just a bunch of moments where the movie seems rushed, or overly simplistic, or something similar. It's been too long since I've seen it to remember the exact details, but there seem to be a lot of moments where things happen because it's time for them to happen or…

*withers*

I expect no less. Between LOTR, 12 Years, those two, Cavalcade (if anyone's seen it), and Rain Man, I'm expecting some glances/raised hackles/irritated danders, etc.

Looking back, this is probably the stretch where I had the most trouble differentiating—pretty much anything between probably #54 and #38 or so could be moved around, and it wouldn't make a huge difference.

Best Picture Rankings: Part Five

Hmm…LOTR?

Annie Hall too low and King's Speech too high?

I don't have a ton of commentary on this group—I'm guessing there might be some defending of positions coming soon, though, so let me reiterate here that this ranking exercise is primarily a matter of taste.

Best Picture Rankings: Part Four

That's a relief. There may be in the next grouping, but I'm pretty sure the 30s and 40s will raise some danders, if not hackles.

It is! It's so strange. Maurice Chevalier carries off the movie so well.