At the Movies…
The Good Movies, the Bad Movies and the Ugly Movies
Here’s a list of over 300 movies viewed over the years, with numeric ratings and summaries. These are, for the large part, films that were on someone’s “recommended” list. This makes for a nice reference that can be expanded over time. A good resource if you want to see something but don’t know if it’s a waste of time. (It might be a good idea if this format were utilized by other reviewers.) Note that the James Bond franchise is reviewed in its own blog.
The ratings give a somewhat objective assessment of each movie. “Score” is from 0-10, the other values are from 0-2. A final score out of 22 is calculated based on Score, Watc. (Watchable), ReW. (Re-watchable), Qual. (Quality), Pion. (Pioneering), Memo. (Memorable) and Comp. (Compelling).
The Columns
- Title and year: listed in alphabetical order, except series. Series are marked with a solid• or hollow◦ bullet and listed in chronological order. Note that not all movies in a particular series are necessarily rated in this table.
- Score: is an assessment based on superficial impressions, tempered by looking at what other reviewers and the public are saying.
- Genres: So many of these: Action, adventure, animated, bawdy, biography, black comedy, caper, classic, comedy, crime, disturbing, drama, epic, erotic, exploitation, family/children’s, fantasy, farce, fetish, fiction, fight, gore, grindhouse (exploitation/schlock), historical, horror, martial arts, medieval, melodrama, moody, mystery, mystical, neo-noir, noir, pornographic, prehistoric, prison, propaganda, quirky, religious, revenge, romance, satire, sci-fi/fantasy, shock/gross-out, slapstick, slasher, speculative, sports, surrealist, suspense, technical, thriller, titillation, tragedy, twist, violence, war, Western. Animation is generally fantasy unless otherwise noted. Exploitation/grindhouse, are pretty much the same, usually combine gore/violence, titillation, farce, fight, black comedy, horror, mystical, quirky, schlock and satire.
- Watchable: if you can at least sit through it and be entertained
- Re-watchable: does it stand up to repeated viewings? Perfect example here is The Sixth Sense. Watchable, but once you know the twist, there’s little point in watching again.
- Quality: timelessness/classic. Includes acting, direction, sound, music and “look and feel.”
- Pioneering: innovative: does the film introduce something new, or something old in a new way, or have new technical achievements?
- Memorable: just that — if it can be remembered without reviewing clips and summaries. In these ratings, we’re speaking of “memorable” only in a good way. For example, there’s a scene in Lone Wolf McQuade of Chuck “Lone Wolf” Norris stomping the gas pedal to free his pickup from hopeless entombment, an impossible feat, but unforgettable for its stupidity.
- Compelling: if, for example, it makes you stay up late to watch to the end
- Notes: optional comments
(Hover your cursor over any title for a listing of the column headers.)
Out of a sense of magnanimity, and in the spirit of the director who says he stands up and applauds at the end of every movie he sees, because he knows how hard it is to actually create a movie, it looks like everyone gets at least two points.
So, without further ado, let’s look at the data, then discuss the results afterwards:
| At the Movies… Summary Reviews | |||||||||
| Title and Year | Score | Genres | Watc. | ReW. | Qual. | Pion. | Memo. | Comp. | Notes |
| 13 Assassins (2010) | 3 | Adventure, Shock, Martial Arts | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 16 Blocks (2006) | 7 | Crime, Thriller | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) | 9 | Sci-fi | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | you know, there’s sweet bugger-all happening, but it’s still interesting |
| 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954) | 7 | Sci-fi, Adventure | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| A Bug’s Life (1998) | 7 | Animation, Adventure | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| A Place in the Sun (1951) | 7 | Romance, Melodrama, Crime | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| A Taxi Driver (2017) | 8 | Drama, Suspense, History | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | |
| Aces ‘N’ Eights (2008) | 2 | Western | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | made for TV |
| Adventures of Robin Hood, The (1938) | 9 | Adventure, Medieval | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | timeless classic |
| Adventurers, The (1970) | 3 | Adventure | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Alien (1979) • | 10 | Horror, Sci-fi | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | |
| Aliens (1986) • | 9 | Action, Horror, Sci-fi | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | |
| All-Star Superman (2011) | 8 | Animation, Fantasy | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | |
| American Beauty (1999) | 9 | Black Comedy, Drama | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | as one critic described it, suburban satire |
| Ant-Man (2015) ◦ | 7 | Action, Sci-fi, Comedy | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | |
| Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018) ◦ | 7 | Action, Sci-fi, Comedy | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | |
| Antz (1998) | 7 | Animation, Comedy, Adventure | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| As Good as It Gets (1997) | 7 | Drama, Comedy, Romance | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| Assassin X (2016) | 4 | Action, Twist, Martial Arts | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | low-budget, a.k.a. The Chemist a.k.a. The Target |
| Au Pair Girls (1972) | 5 | Bawdy | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015) • | 6 | Action, Adventure, Sci-fi | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| Avengers: Infinity War (2018) • | 8 | Action, Adventure, Sci-fi | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | |
| Avengers: Endgame (2019) • | 7 | Action, Adventure, Sci-fi | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | too pat a story |
| Baby Driver (2017) | 5 | Action, Crime | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | overrated, annoying, borrows from Guardians of Galaxy & Transporter |
| Bananas (1971) | 3 | Political satire | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | self-indulgent, not Allen’s best, “a few pretty funny parts” |
| Barton Fink (1991) | 9 | Drama, Surreal, Crime | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | has Hollywood ever been this self-aware? |
| Batman Begins (2005) • | 7 | Action, Adventure, Fantasy | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | overrated – at some point, retelling Batman’s origin has to get tedious |
| Dark Knight, The (2008) • | 8 | Action, Adventure, Fantasy | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| Dark Knight Rises, The (2012) • | 6 | Action, Adventure, Fantasy | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 1 (2012) ◦ | 9 | Animation, Action | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | groundbreaking story; adaptation of Frank Miller’s 1986 comic |
| Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 2 (2013) ◦ | 9 | Animation, Action | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | sets higher standard for animation |
| Batman: The Killing Joke (2016) | 3 | Animation, Titillation, Shock | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | pointless failure |
| Batman: Under the Red Hood (2010) | 5 | Animation, Action, Revenge | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| Batoru rowaiaru (2000) | 5 | Thriller, Melodrama, Black comedy | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | “Battle Royale,” Japanese |
| Battlefield Earth (2000) | 5 | Sci-fi, Farce | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | not quite as bad as they say |
| Baytown Outlaws, The (2012) | 6 | Action, Comedy, Grindhouse | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | violent but fairly entertaining; not as bad as reviewers say |
| Being There (1979) | 9 | Fantasy, Comedy, Satire | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | excellent |
| Ben-Hur (1959) | 8 | Epic, Religious, Drama | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | |
| Best Years of Our Lives, The (1946) | 7 | Melodrama, War propaganda | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| Big Bad Mama (1974) • | 6 | Titillation, Action, Crime, Farce | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| Big Bad Mama II (1987) • | 6 | Titillation, Action, Crime, Revenge | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| Big Lebowski, The (1998) | 7 | Farce, Comedy, Crime | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | original, absurdist stoner movie |
| Big Short, The (2015) | 7 | Biographical | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | whitewash of the criminal malfeasance that led to 2008 economic meltdown |
| Billy Elliot (2000) | 7 | Drama | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| Billy Jack (1971) | 4 | Action, Drama | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | preachy slog |
| Black Adam (2022) | 6 | Action, Fantasy | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| Black Dynamite (2009) | 5 | Farce, Martial Arts, Action | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Blade Runner (1982) | 10 | Sci-fi | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | amazing achievement, best seen on the big screen |
| Blade Runner 2049 (2017) | 8 | Sci-fi | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | interesting in its exploration of sentiment, romance, affection |
| Bourne Legacy, The (2012) | 9 | Action, Adventure, Mystery, Thriller | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | underrated, perhaps it hits too close to home for some |
| Breakdown (1997) | 7 | Thriller | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | borrows from Duel, poor ending, but has Kurt Russel, who always elevates a movie |
| Bring Me the Head of the Machine Gun Woman (2012) | 5 | Action, Farce, Exploitation | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | Chilean |
| Bronco Billy (1980) | 8 | Western, Satire | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | “entertaining and unusual” |
| Bucktown (1975) | 4 | Action, Farce | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Bullet to Beijing (1995) | 5 | Spy, Adventure | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | made for TV |
| BUtterfield 8 (1960) | 5 | Melodrama, Schlock | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | silly, strictly a vehicle to ogle Liz |
| Cabin in the Woods, The (2011) | 8 | Thriller, Twist, Sci-fi | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | original |
| Call (2020) | 7 | Thriller | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | South Korean |
| Capricorn One (1978) | 8 | Drama, Thriller | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | underrated conspiracy film created panic among the sycophantic lying “critics” |
| Cell 211 (2009) | 6 | Prison, Action, Suspense | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| Charley Varrick (1973) | 8 | Adventure, Caper, Twist | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | |
| Child’s Play (1988) ◦ | 8 | Thriller | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | good series, worth watching in full despite the Child’s Play 3 dud |
| Child’s Play 2 (1990) ◦ | 6 | Horror | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| Child’s Play 3 (1991) ◦ | 4 | Horror | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | disappointing: very poor movie, but at least it has Chucky |
| Bride of Chucky (1998) ◦ | 8 | Horror, Comedy | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | |
| Seed of Chucky (2004) ◦ | 7 | Horror, Comedy | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | underrated |
| Curse of Chucky (2013) ◦ | 7 | Horror | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| Cult of Chucky (2017) ◦ | 5 | Horror | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Child’s Play (2019) | 7 | Horror | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | unnecessary remake |
| Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968) | 7 | Adventure,Family, Fantasy | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | classic that’s too long for children – and adults |
| Circle, The (2017) | 4 | Sci-fi, Drama, Thriller | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | disappointing |
| Citizen Kane (1941) | 3 | Drama, Propaganda | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | overrated nonsense |
| Cleopatra Jones (1973) | 3 | Action, Farce, Fetish | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| Coffy (1973) | 6 | Action, Crime, Revenge, Titillation | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | |
| Commuter, The (2018) | 6 | Action, Thriller, Crime | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| Crank (2006) • | 8 | Action, Farce | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | Cranky is gleeful hardcore lunacy at its best |
| Crank: High Voltage (2009) • | 8 | Action, Farce | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | “nothing succeeds like excess” “played to the heights of idiocy” |
| Crash (1996) | 6 | Drama, Fetish | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | clinical, Matt Brunson appropriately called it "exploitation chic" |
| Crash (2005) | 6 | Drama, Crime | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | wasn’t as bad as I though it’d be, but very forgettable |
| Crime Story (1993) | 7 | Action, Crime | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| Dances with Wolves (1990) | 9 | Western | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Darby O’Gill and the Little People (1959) | 8 | Adventure, Romance, Fantasy | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | some clever tricks and twists, particularly in final act, surprise and delight |
| Dead Man (1995) | 7 | Surrealist, Western | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | definitely different |
| Dead Man’s Shoes (2004) | 4 | Drama, Revenge | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | unlikable characters, seems low budget, amateurish |
| Despicable Me (2010) | 7 | Animation, Family, Comedy | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | yes, a little bit trite |
| Dirty Harry (1971) ◦ | 8 | Action, Thriller, Police | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | “Every dirty job that comes along.” |
| Magnum Force (1973) ◦ | 6 | Action, Thriller, Police | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | very typically seventies movie |
| The Enforcer (1976) ◦ | 7 | Action, Thriller, Police | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| Sudden Impact (1983) ◦ | 7 | Action, Thriller, Police | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | “Go ahead. Make my day.” |
| The Dead Pool (1988) ◦ | 5 | Action, Thriller, Police | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | somewhat modernized Harry, lacking that special something |
| District B13 (2004) • | 7 | Action, Martial Arts | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| District 13: Ultimatum (2009) • | 6 | Action, Martial Arts | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| Doctor Strangelove (1964) | 9 | Satire, Suspense, Propaganda | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | suddenly relevant again? |
| Doctor Zhivago (1965) | 5 | Romance, Melodrama, War, Epic | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | dull, unlikable lead, unimaginative and lacks curiosity |
| Don’t Breathe (2016) | 7 | Suspense, Thriller, Crime, Shock | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | and don’t swallow |
| Down by Law (1986) | 6 | Prison, Drama, Comedy | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | peculiar, quirky arthouse film, often descends to dullness |
| Drive (1997) | 7 | Action, Martial Arts, Sci-fi, Comedy | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| Drive (2011) | 7 | Action | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | remake or ripoff of The Driver |
| Driver, The (1978) | 7 | Crime, Drama | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| Duck Soup (1933) | 4 | Comedy, Slapstick | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | What a piece of crap! Mirror routine only good part. Laughing at us, not with us. |
| Dumbo (1941) | 7 | Animation, Family | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | typical Disney fare, somewhat maudlin and overrated |
| Easy Rider (1969) | 7 | Drama, Crime | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | plotless stoner road movie, of its era, not so compelling these days |
| Edge of Tomorrow (2014) | 9 | Action, Sci-fi | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | epic and fresh Science Fiction |
| Eraserhead (1977) | 8 | Shock, Disturbing, Surrealism, Horror | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | a challenging picture |
| Event Horizon (1997) | 5 | Sci-fi, Mystery, Thriller | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | stylish but pointless bore |
| Every Which Way But Loose (1978) | 8 | Slapstick, Action, Fight | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | underrated, not meant to be Shakespeare |
| Evil Dead (2013) | 5 | Horror | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| Evil Dead, The (1981) ◦ | 7 | Horror, Farce | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | cult classic |
| Evil Dead 2 (1987) ◦ | 7 | Horror, Farce | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| Army of Darkness (1992) ◦ | 7 | Adventure, Fantasy, Action, Comedy | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | offbeat |
| Exorcist, The (1973) | 8 | Shock, Horror | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | |
| F9 (2021) | 2 | Action, Farce | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | an embarrassment, easily among the worst movies of all time |
| Fantasia (1940) | 5 | Animation, Fantasy, Propaganda | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | watchable only for some segments |
| Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw (2019) | 7 | Action, Adventure, Comedy | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | cartoonish; goes overboard on the quips and rivalry |
| Faster (2010) | 6 | Action | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! (1965) | 7 | Comedy, Exploitation, Farce | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| Fiddler on the Roof (1971) | 6 | Musical | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Fist of Legend (1994) | 7 | Action, Martial Arts | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| Fitzwilly (1967) | 4 | Caper, Comedy | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Forbidden Planet (1956) | 9 | Sci-fi | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | wonderful, classic Sci-fi adaptation of Shakespeare’s The Tempest |
| Ford v Ferrari (2019) | 9 | Biographical | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| Founder, The (2016) | 7 | Biographical | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| Foxy Brown (1974) | 7 | Action, Exploitation, Farce, Fetish | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| From Paris With Love (2010) | 7 | Action, Crime, Thriller | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | |
| Gambit (1966) | 8 | Twist, Caper | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Gambit (2012) | 5 | Twist, Caper, Comedy | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | remake; even after reading a plot summary I barely remember it |
| Gaslight (1944) | 6 | Suspense, Drama | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | dated, but a saucy Angela Lansbury perks things up a bit |
| Gattaca (1997) | 8 | Sci-fi, Drama, Thriller, Romance | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | remarkable and memorable movie that goes somewhat unappreciated |
| Get Out (2017) | 9 | Horror, Satire, Twist | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | |
| Get the Gringo (2012) | 8 | Action, Crime, Prison | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | |
| Getaway, The (1972) | 7 | Action, Adventure, Crime, Romance | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| Getaway, The (1994) | 8 | Action, Adventure, Crime, Romance | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | underrated remake of the 1972 McQueen/MacGraw film, far surpassing the original |
| Girl on the Third Floor (2019) | 7 | Horror, Suspense | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | especially good if you’re a Phil Brooks (“CM Punk”) fan, weak ending |
| Girl Vs. Monster (2012) | 3 | Family, Adventure, Fantasy | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Gladiator (2000) | 7 | Action, Adventure | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | good but doesn’t quite deliver epic status |
| Godfather, The (1972) • | 10 | Crime, Drama, Epic | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | classic crime picture |
| Godfather, Part II, The (1974) • | 10 | Crime, Drama, Epic | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | |
| Gods Must Be Crazy, The (1980) | 7 | Slapstick, Family, Comedy | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | pleasant surprise |
| Gone Girl (2014) | 8 | Drama, Crime, Mystery, Thriller | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| Gone with the Wind (1939) | 10 | Epic, Melodrama, Historical | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | one of the all-time greats |
| Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, The (1967) | 9 | Western, War, Adventure, Epic | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | can get slow at times, but a classic |
| Great Escape, The (1963) | 8 | Adventure, Suspense, Drama, War | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Great Train Robbery, The (1978) | 7 | Drama, Caper, Historical | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | slow-paced but never boring |
| Guardians of the Galaxy (2015) • | 8 | Action, Adventure, Sci-fi | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017) • | 7 | Action, Adventure, Sci-fi | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| Harold and Maude (1971) | 7 | Black Comedy, Disturbing, Fetish | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| Harry Brown (2009) | 7 | Thriller, Crime, Revenge | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| Hell Night (1981) | 6 | Horror, Suspense | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| High-Rise (2015) | 4 | Sci-fi, Drama | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | disappointingly failed concept |
| His Girl Friday (1940) | 2 | Propaganda | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | cheap, absurd and wildly overrated |
| Hobo with a Shotgun (2011) | 6 | Grindhouse, Farce | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | low-budget, teased as a fake trailer in Grindhouse movie |
| Hot Fuzz (2007) | 7 | Comedy, Action, Farce, Police | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| Hot Spot, The (1990) | 8 | Thriller, Crime, Romance | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | |
| House of Dark Shadows (1970) | 5 | Suspense, Drama, Horror | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Hud (1963) | 10 | Western, Drama, Epic | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | classic |
| Imitation of Life (1959) | 6 | Melodrama | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| In the Mood for Love (2000) | 6 | Drama, Romance | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Chinese film not to my taste but popular with those who like the genre |
| In the Name of the Father (1993) | 7 | Biography, Drama | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| Inception (2010) | 9 | Action, Sci-fi, Thriller | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | fantastic movie, stunning and original |
| Injustice (2021) | 2 | Animation, Action | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | dopey, trite, misguided and poorly executed |
| Iron Girl: Ultimate Weapon (2015) | 5 | Action, Martial Arts, Titillation | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| It’s a Wonderful Life (1946) | 5 | Drama, Family, Fantasy | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | overrated – too simplistic and unrealistic – seems derivative of A Christmas Carol |
| JFK (1991) | 9 | History, Drama | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | doesn’t solve anything, but amazingly evocative |
| Jacob’s Ladder (1990) | 5 | Disturbing, Mystery, Thriller, Horror | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| Jaws (1975) | 10 | Suspense, Horror, Adventure | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | modern classic |
| John Carter (2012) | 8 | Adventure, Fantasy, Action | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | underrated; historically important & influential concept invented by E. R. Burroughs in 1912 |
| Joker (2019) | 6 | Crime, Drama, Fantasy | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | thought I was watching some other old DeNiro movies |
| Justice Society: World War II (2021) | 6 | Animation, Action, War, Propaganda | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| Kentucky Fried Movie, The (1977) | 5 | Comedy, Farce, Titillation | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | gratuitous nudity helps this dated skit comedy |
| L.A. Story (1991) | 8 | Fantasy, Comedy, Romance | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | ingenious, highly original |
| Lamborghini: The Man Behind the Legend (2022) | 5 | Biography, Drama | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | lacks depth |
| Last Action Hero (1993) | 7 | Action, Fantasy, Comedy, Satire | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | underrated but could use a few tweaks |
| Last Tango in Paris (1972) | 7 | Titillation, Drama, Moody, Romance | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | controversial, obviously not for everyone |
| Legend of Drunken Master, The (1994) | 8 | Martial Arts, Comedy | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| Lone Wolf McQuade (1983) | 6 | Martial Arts, Farce, Western | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | ridiculous, but amusing |
| Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The (2001) ◦ | 10 | Fantasy, Adventure, Epic | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | modern classic |
| Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, The (2002) ◦ | 10 | Fantasy, Adventure, Epic | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | |
| Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, The (2003) ◦ | 10 | Fantasy, Adventure, Epic | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | |
| MacGruber (2010) | 3 | Action, Comedy, Farce | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | No. Predictable, misguided, falls flat. |
| Machete (2010) • | 7 | Grindhouse, Farce, Titillation | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | just a fun bloodbath |
| Machete Kills (2013) • | 7 | Grindhouse, Farce, Titillation | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | Waiting for, Machete Kills Again… In Space. What’s the ^*@#$ hold-up? |
| Man from Nowhere, The (2010) | 7 | Action, Crime | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| Man on the Moon (1999) | 9 | Biographical | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | award-worthy performance by Jim Carey |
| Man Who Would Be King, The (1975) | 9 | Adventure | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Many Saints of Newark, The (2021) | 7 | Crime, Drama | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | a bit pointless, some bad execution, but not that bad, but I’m a sucker for period pieces |
| Marksman, The (2021) | 6 | Action, Adventure | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | road trip movie reminiscent of No Country for Old Men, but a little bit tired |
| Marnie (1964) | 6 | Melodrama, Psychological thriller | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | good performances, but needs something extra, and a bigger budget |
| Mary Poppins (1964) | 7 | Classic, Family, Musical, Fantasy | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | needs a bit of editing |
| Matrix, The (1999) • | 10 | Adventure, Sci-fi, Martial Arts | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | modern escapist classic |
| Matrix Reloaded, The (2003) • | 9 | Adventure, Sci-fi, Martial Arts | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | |
| Matrix Revolutions, The (2003) • | 7 | Adventure, Sci-fi, Martial Arts | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | wearing out its welcome at this point |
| Mean Girls (2004) | 8 | Teen Comedy | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | pleasant surprise |
| Meet John Doe (1941) | 4 | Comedy, Drama, Romance | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | unbelievable, cloying, mawkish schmaltz from Frank Capra |
| Melvin and Howard (1980) | 8 | Comedy, Drama | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| Memento (2000) | 8 | Mystery, Thriller | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | |
| Metropolis (1927) | 10 | Sci-fi | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | iconic, epic work of art |
| Minority Report (2002) | 5 | Action, Sci-fi, Mystery | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | somewhat boring and aimless |
| Mission: Impossible (1996) ◦ | 5 | Action, Adventure | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | The real Jim Phelps was no sell-out. |
| Mission: Impossible – Fallout (2018) ◦ | 8 | Action, Adventure | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | improbable but not half bad |
| Modern Times (1936) | 10 | Comedy, Slapstick, Satire | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | classic Chaplin comedy masterpiece |
| Mortal Engines (2018) | 7 | Sci-fi, Adventure | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | started off so well, but story fizzled |
| Mr. Smith Goes To Washington (1939) | 5 | Drama, Propaganda | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | vastly overrated, unrealistic… oh, right, it’s Frank Capra again |
| My Left Foot (1989) | 9 | Biography | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | monumental, award-winning performance by Daniel Day-Lewis |
| Nashville (1975) | 5 | Musical, Drama | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | vastly overrated |
| Natural, The (1984) | 7 | Sports, Drama | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| Network (1976) | 8 | Drama, Satire | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | timeless message but somewhat dated presentation |
| No Holds Barred (1989) | 2 | Sports, Action | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| No Way Out (1987) | 6 | Thriller | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | remake of The Big Clock (1948) |
| Nobody (2021) | 8 | Action, Suspense | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | fun, but derivative of John Wick and Mr. & Mrs. Smith |
| North by Northwest (1959) | 9 | Adventure, Mystery, Suspense | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | probably Hitchcock’s best |
| North Sea Hijack (1980) | 6 | Adventure | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | Roger Moore picture, also titled ffolkes |
| Now, Voyager (1942) | 8 | Romance, Melodrama | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | |
| Nude Nuns with Big Guns (2010) | 4 | Action, Exploitation, Farce, Fetish | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| Once Upon a Time in America (1984) | 5 | Crime, Drama | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| Once Upon a Time in Shanghai (2014) | 7 | Action, Martial Arts | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood (2019) | 8 | Drama, Fantasy | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | |
| Paper Moon (1973) | 8 | Comedy, Caper | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | award-winning performance by Tatum O’Neal |
| Papillon (1973) | 8 | Biographical, Adventure | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | |
| Paprika (1991) | 6 | Erotic, Drama | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| Parasite (2019) | 10 | Comedy, Disturbing, Twist | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | |
| Parents (1989) | 8 | Suspense, Comedy, Satire | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | real movie-making: evocative, good acting, transports you |
| Pelican Brief, The (1993) | 5 | Mystery, Thriller | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| Planet of the Apes (1968) | 9 | Adventure, Sci-fi | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | Way better than expected. “Ah, damn you! God damn you all to hell!” |
| Point Blank (1967) | 8 | Action, Crime | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | somewhat dreamy or surreal which slows it down but great ‘60s feel |
| Project X (1968) | 4 | Sci-fi | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Project X (2012) | 2 | Teen Comedy | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Psycho (1960) | 9 | Suspense, Drama, Thriller | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | Hitchcock didn’t really have a great ending that this deserved |
| Pulp Fiction (1994) | 9 | Drama, Thriller, Crime, Shock | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | |
| Pumping Iron (1977) | 7 | Biographical, Bodybuilding | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) | 9 | Action, Adventure | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | |
| Ratatouille (2007) | 9 | Animation, Family, Comedy | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Rear Window (1954) | 7 | Mystery, Suspense | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | decent, but overrated, could be a TV movie of the week |
| Recoil (2011) | 6 | Violence, Action, Revenge | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| Red Dawn (1984) | 6 | Adventure | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| Redemption (2013) | 7 | Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | a.k.a.: Hummingbird |
| Reefer Madness (1936) | 2 | Propaganda | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | so bad it’s good, then back to bad again |
| Rocky Horror Picture Show, The (1975) | 7 | Fantasy, Comedy, Musical, Farce | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | quirky old stoner pic, notable for Tim Curry’s great performance and singing |
| Route Irish (2010) | 5 | Action, Drama, War | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Savage Streets (1984) | 7 | Action, Revenge, Farce | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | enjoyably trashy Linda Blair movie |
| Scarecrow (1973) | 7 | Drama | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 70s buddy picture |
| Scorched Earth (2018) | 4 | Sci-fi, Action | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | insipid |
| Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010) | 6 | Teen Comedy, Action, Fantasy | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| Searchers, The (1956) | 6 | Western, Drama, Epic | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | unusually boring for such a beautifully filmed picture |
| Seconds (1966) | 8 | Sci-fi, Thriller | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | intriguing, could be more compelling |
| Seven Samurai (1954) | 7 | Martial Arts, Drama, Epic | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | somewhat too long |
| Shakes the Clown (1991) | 3 | Comedy, Crime | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Shazam! (2019) | 7 | Action, Fantasy, Comedy | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | predictable but mostly fun |
| Sheba, Baby (1975) | 5 | Action | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | Pam Grier movie that disappoints after her other films |
| Shining, The (1980) | 7 | Horror | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| Shocker (1989) | 3 | Horror, Satire | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | lame |
| Sicario (2015) | 4 | Police, Thriller, Propaganda | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | overrated – leads nowhere – false glorification of law enforcement |
| Silence of the Lambs, The (1991) | 7 | Crime, Thriller, Quirky | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Silent Running (1972) | 8 | Sci-fi | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | excellent, melancholy, perhaps a bit much propaganda, but required for the story |
| Sin City (2005) | 9 | Neo-Noir | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | intensity – not for everyone – stunning adaptation of the Miller comic |
| Singin’ in the Rain (1952) | 4 | Musical | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | vastly overrated, only watchable for the fantastic dance numbers |
| Sixth Sense, The (1999) | 8 | Suspense, Drama, Twist | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | |
| Smash Palace (1981) | 7 | Drama | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | |
| Smokey and the Bandit (1977) | 5 | Action, Comedy, Farce | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| Something Wild (1986) | 9 | Comedy, Drama, Twist, Caper | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | almost magical ride, perhaps Liotta’s best role |
| Song of the South (1946) | 6 | Fantasy, Musical, Family | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| Sorcerer (1977) | 8 | Adventure, Drama, Suspense | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | |
| Sound of Music, The (1965) | 6 | Classic, Family, Musical, War | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Southern Comfort (1981) | 7 | Action, Thriller | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| Spartacus (1960) | 8 | Adventure, Drama, Historical, Epic | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Spider-Man: Far from Home (2019) ◦ | 7 | Sci-fi, Action, Adventure | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | overrated disappointment |
| Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021) ◦ | 7 | Sci-fi, Action, Adventure | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | overrated disappointment |
| Stick (1985) | 3 | Crime, Drama | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Straight Outta Compton (2015) | 7 | Biography, Drama, Musical | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | unfortunately whitewashed and sanitized but still watchable |
| Stranger, The (1991) | 6 | Drama | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | Indian movie that doesn’t seem to understand its own message |
| Stranger, The (1995) | 5 | Action | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| Striking Distance (1993) | 6 | Action, Crime, Mystery | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| Suicide Squad, The (2021) | 6 | Action, Fantasy | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | copying the Marvel formula |
| Sunset Blvd. (1950) | 9 | Drama, Suspense, Crime | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | old classic and a pleasant surprise |
| Superbad (2007) | 6 | Teen Comedy | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Superman (1978) • | 10 | Action, Adventure, Fantasy | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | |
| Superman II (1980) • | 9 | Action, Adventure, Fantasy | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | |
| Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut (2006) • | 10 | Action, Adventure, Fantasy | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | |
| Superman III (1983) • | 5 | Action, Adventure, Fantasy | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | lost the plot |
| Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987) • | 2 | Action, Adventure, Fantasy | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | hopeless |
| Surrogates (2009) | 7 | Sci-fi, Thriller | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| Swiss Family Robinson (1960) | 8 | Adventure, Family | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | hard to fault this one |
| Taken (2008) ◦ | 9 | Action, Suspense | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | Neeson shines. Sure, it’s simple & fanciful, but sometimes that makes the finest result. |
| Taken 2 (2012) ◦ | 8 | Action, Suspense, Farce | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | Still fun. You have to understand they’re playing it for laughs now |
| Taken 3 (2014) ◦ | 7 | Action, Suspense, Farce | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | see above; would still like to see #4, where they take Granny |
| Taxi Driver (1976) | 8 | Drama, Violence | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Team America: World Police (2004) | 8 | Comedy, Satire, Puppets | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Tears of the Sun (2003) | 3 | Action, War, Melodrama | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ridiculous |
| Teen Titans Go! To the Movies (2018) • | 8 | Animation, Action | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | TTG! is one of the freshest, most intelligent cartoons today |
| Teen Titans Go! Vs. Teen Titans (2019) • | 7 | Animation, Action | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| Terminator, The (1984) ◦ | 10 | Action, Sci-fi, Suspense | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | |
| Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) ◦ | 10 | Action, Sci-fi | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | |
| Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003) ◦ | 7 | Action, Sci-fi | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | bit of a downer though |
| Terminator Salvation (2009) ◦ | 2 | Action, Sci-fi | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | pointless |
| Terminator Genisys (2015) ◦ | 2 | Action, Sci-fi | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | pointless |
| Terminator: Dark Fate (2019) ◦ | 2 | Action, Sci-fi | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | one of the biggest flops of all time |
| They Live (1988) | 9 | Action, Sci-fi | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | |
| Thing, The (1982) | 9 | Action, Horror, Sci-fi | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | |
| Third Man, The (1949) | 5 | Drama | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | overrated, billed as a thriller but hardly so; Harry’s speech to Holly somewhat interesting |
| Third Person (2013) | 5 | Drama, Romance | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| This Island Earth (1955) | 4 | Sci-fi | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | you can skip this one without much fear |
| Thor (2011) • | 6 | Action, Fantasy | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| Thor: The Dark World (2013) • | 7 | Action, Adventure, Fantasy | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| Thor: Ragnarok (2017) • | 9 | Action, Adventure, Sci-fi | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | terrific – this is the way to do Science Fiction |
| Tokyo Story (1953) | 7 | Drama | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | slow, melancholy little drama film |
| Total Recall (1990) | 10 | Sci-fi, Action | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | classic that never lets up or lets you down |
| Total Recall (2012) | 2 | Sci-fi, Action | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Why, oh why? Pointless drivel & time waster |
| Toy Story (1995) | 10 | Family, Fantasy, Adventure | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | |
| True Romance (1993) | 8 | Crime, Romance, Action | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | |
| UHF (1989) | 2 | Comedy, Satire | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | lousy movie – we do get Michael Richards before an extreme makeover |
| Ultimate Avengers (2006) | 5 | Animation, Action | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| Unforgiven (1992) | 10 | revisionist Western | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | |
| Upgrade (2018) | 8 | Sci-fi, Action, Crime | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | pleasant surprise |
| Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets (2017) | 5 | Sci-fi | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | pretty but pretty confusing |
| Vertigo (1958) | 8 | Mystery, Thriller, Romance | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | overrated, hard to care about story or characters |
| Village of the Damned (1995) | 4 | Horror | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Way of the Gun, The (2000) | 7 | Crime, Drama | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| Werewolf by Night (2022) | 8 | Action, Fantasy | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | short (1 hr.) but clever, fun monster movie |
| Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966) | 5 | Melodrama, Twist | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | overwrought |
| Widows (2018) | 5 | Crime, Caper | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| Wild Bunch, The (1969) | 6 | Western | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | vastly overrated |
| Winter Kills (1979) | 8 | Comedy, Satire, Twist, Mystery | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | clever, but was confusing to audiences |
| Wizard of Oz, The (1939) | 10 | Fantasy, Musical | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | outstanding classic |
| Wrongfully Accused (1998) | 2 | Farce | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | lousy movie |
The Results
You could calculate the total score, but why trouble yourself when that’s already done for you? Here are the most interesting results, based on the numbers.
The Tiers
Movies from 80-100% are top tier. The list has a lot of other very good ones, that didn’t quite make 80%. Pretty much anything with a plain Score of 6 or above is watchable (plus a “Watchable” score of at least 1).
Note: watch your genres. If you don’t like particular genres, you may not like even highly-rated movies of that type. Crank, Eraserhead and Sin City, for example, are going to alienate whole swaths, but are good movies.
And so… the top movies on the list (80-100%) are:
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
Adventures of Robin Hood, The (1938)
Alien (1979)
Aliens (1986)
American Beauty (1999)
Barton Fink (1991)
Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 1 (2012)
Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 2 (2013)
Being There (1979)
Blade Runner (1982)
Bourne Legacy, The (2012)
Bride of Chucky (1998)
Cabin in the Woods, The (2011)
Crank (2006)
Crank: High Voltage (2009)
Dances with Wolves (1990)
Dirty Harry (1971)
Doctor Strangelove (1964)
Edge of Tomorrow (2014)
Eraserhead (1977)
Exorcist, The (1973)
Forbidden Planet (1956)
Gattaca (1997)
Get Out (2017)
Godfather, The (1972)
Godfather, Part II, The (1974)
Gone with the Wind (1939)
Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, The (1967)
Guardians of the Galaxy (2015)
Hud (1963)
Inception (2010)
Jaws (1975)
JFK (1991)
L.A. Story (1991)
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The (2001)
Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, The (2002)
Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, The (2003)
Man Who Would Be King, The (1975)
Matrix, The (1999)
Matrix Reloaded, The (2003)
Metropolis (1927)
Modern Times (1936)
My Left Foot (1989)
North by Northwest (1959)
Once Upon a Time… In Hollywood (2019)
Parasite (2019)
Planet of the Apes (1968)
Psycho (1960)
Pulp Fiction (1994)
Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
Silent Running (1972)
Sin City (2005)
Something Wild (1986)
Sorcerer (1977)
Sunset Blvd. (1950)
Superman (1978)
Superman II (1980)
Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut (2006)
Swiss Family Robinson (1960)
Taken (2008)
Terminator, The (1984)
Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
They Live (1988)
Thing, The (1982)
Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
Total Recall (1990)
Toy Story (1995)
Unforgiven (1992)
Werewolf by Night (2022)
Wizard of Oz, The (1939)
The bottom tier entries, 30% and below, are as follows:
13 Assassins (2010)
Aces ‘N’ Eights (2008)
Adventurers, The (1970)
Assassin X (2016)
Baby Driver (2017)
Bananas (1971)
Batman: The Killing Joke (2016)
Billy Jack (1971)
Bucktown (1975)
Child’s Play 3 (1991)
Circle, The (2017)
Citizen Kane (1941)
Cleopatra Jones (1973)
Dead Man’s Shoes (2004)
Duck Soup (1933)
F9 (2021)
Fitzwilly (1967)
Girl vs. Monster (2012)
His Girl Friday (1940)
House of Dark Shadows (1970)
Injustice (2021)
MacGruber (2010)
Meet John Doe (1941)
No Holds Barred (1989)
Project X (1968)
Project X (2012)
Reefer Madness (1936)
Route Irish (2010)
Scorched Earth (2018)
Shakes the Clown (1991)
Shocker (1989)
Sicario (2015)
Stick (1985)
Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987)
Tears of the Sun (2003)
Terminator Genisys (2015)
Terminator Salvation (2009)
Terminator: Dark Fate (2019)
Third Person (2013)
This Island Earth (1955)
Total Recall (2012)
UHF (1989)
Village of the Damned (1995)
Wrongfully Accused (1998)
Notable failures include Citizen Kane and His Girl Friday. Those two flops are ridiculously, relentlessly praised by critics, but there’s a story behind that. There’s a post devoted to Citizen Kane, see below for more on His Girl Friday.
A Few Notes
Meet John Doe
More of Frank Capra’s unbelievable, cloying, mawkish schmaltz. Once again, Hays era restrictions were at least partly to blame in ruining this picture. If they had any guts, the only way to redeem this film was for Cooper’s character to suicide.
Crapra, I don’t for a minute buy the crap you’re peddling.
Now, if the story is actually an insidious reversal, actually mocking and satirizing the mercurial, frenzied, selfish, pandering “little guy,” it purports to champion, then it’s a near-masterpiece. If he’s satirizing the fickle, hypocritical general public, the picture suddenly makes sense. Imagine, “every day like Christmas.” That’s infantile, and a tall order when every day is already occupied by April Fools.
An online comment sums it up wonderfully.
An excellent premise, but the message ultimately falls short. Instead of making a poignant commentary on corruption or faith in the goodness of people or the ability of people to improve their own conditions through conscious action, it ends up falling into no-man’s land, as neither comedy or tragedy, falling into the message that no man should try to make a difference, the masses are just sheep and incapable of seeing through smear, and that individual action is ultimately meaningless. John ultimately decides to avoid suicide, but does not propagate his message beyond just a handful of devoted followers. He abandons his purpose in the name of his desire for Ann’s love — her affection based solely on sympathy and illusion — and in compliance with the will of his destroyers. While the movie pretends to have a happy ending, every character is ultimately “evil”. I can think of no alternate ending that could have been a greater surrender, a greater message of uselessness and despair.
Eternals (2021)
Not rated because I couldn’t bear to sit all the way through this crap, though I’ve always loved superheroes and comics. Can there be anything more annoying than a passel of B-actors skittering around flailing their arms in a show of their “godly super powers,” and faking gravitas?
Not to mention my dismay and profound disgust at Time being appropriated. What a shallow misuse of that tune.
Exploiting the emotion engendered by good songs is a cheap and easy scam for lazy writers. They certainly didn’t earn the right to use it here. And what of Waters and Gilmore et al? Are the boys hurting for cash?
His Girl Friday
Praise for this and Citizen Kane remind me of South Park, when Butters wrote The Poop That Took a Pee, and all the praise it garnered, except praise for The Poop is much, much more justified. Without going into too much detail, this movie is insidious, low-budget, ugly and crappy.
(Updated Jan. 26, 2023)
