Notes on the Sight & Sound Top 100 Films of All Time List
Film Twitter Christmas Came Early
Sight and Sound's top films of all time lists are like Haley's Comet, they only come around so often. For the Sight and Sound lists, we're talking once a decade. The last time they made these lists were in 2012 with Alfred Hitchcock's Vertigo topping the critic’s list while Yasujirō Ozu's Tokyo Story took the top spot on the director’s list. We've had a lot of great films come out since 2012, and several key films from the last three decades have aged like fine wine. Yesterday the 2022 list was released and the film world has been buzzing ever since. The lists are linked here. I just wanted to provide some brief commentary on the picks:
I have never seen the film that was voted the number one spot on the critic’s list. It's called Jeanne Dielman 23, quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles, a 1975 Belgian experimental film about the daily events in the life of a middle age housewife. It tied for 4th on the director's list with Tokyo Story, so now I have to subscribe to the Criterion Channel to watch it.
I was really happy to see three terrific black films make the list. Get Out (95), Moonlight (60) and Do The Right Thing (24) certainly are getting the respect that they deserve.
How my personal top 10 was ranked in the critics poll. 10. There Will Be Blood (not ranked) 9. Citizen Kane (3rd) 8. Spirited Away (75th) 7. Casablanca (63rd) 6. Apocalypse Now (19th) 5. The Rules of the Game (13th) 4. Raging Bull (not ranked)3. Moonlight (t-60th) 2. La Dolce Vita (t-60th) 1. 2001 A Space Odyssey (6th)
The greatest injustice is Raging Bull not making the top 100 on the critic's list. It's 4th on my personal list and 22nd on the director's list. I love Taxi Driver like it's one of my children but I do believe that Raging Bull is the stronger of the two films. The critics chose to go with Taxi Driver, putting it at 29th.
I LOVE Wong Kar-Wai's In The Mood for Love ranking 5th. It's a film I hold close to my heart.
I equally LOVE David Lynch's Mulholland Drive ranking 8th. While I've only seen it once and I didn't understand it, it's my girlfriend's favorite movie and I know how important it has been to her. I'm way overdue for a repeat viewing.
Man With a Movie Camera is absolutely genius. I watched it last night for the first time and it made me want to be a Russian in 1929. I certainly see how influential this was over film as an art form.
Where the hell is No Country For Old Men?
Four films from the 2010s made the list: Get Out (2017), Parasite (2019), Moonlight (2016), and Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019). The first three are great. Never seen Portrait, but it's been on my Hulu watchlist for like two years. I've heard it's terrific.
Alexander Payne's Sideways, a film that I have seen more than any other film, didn't make the list. I'm not entirely surprised, but crazier things have happened before.
Werner Herzog was shut out of the list, which is a shame. Aguirre, The Wrath of God should be in the top 20.
Sofia Coppola was also shut out. Lost in Translation is one of the best independent films ever.
City of God is a massive snub from both lists.
I really appreciate how the directors voted 2001: A Space Odyssey at number one. They are right. It’s the greatest film of all time. Though if you get enough drinks in me and I’m in a weird mood, I’ll say Raging Bull is the greatest film of all time. If I’m depressed, I’ll say La Dolce Vita. But the correct answer is 2001. It’s the greatest film ever.
Singin’ in the Rain ranked 10th on the critic's poll. It's a beloved film, sure, but I think it's time to move on. We can bump it from the top 10, guys.
Barry Lyndon ranked 12th on the director's poll at 45th on the critic's list. I love it! While it's a critically acclaimed film, it's not spoken about as much in 2022, which I attribute to the film's length and the deterioration of people's attention spans. It's great seeing a film like this receive its flowers.
No Latin American films, yikes.
The Godfather is not better than Apocalypse Now, cmon guys. I was so into Apocalypse now that I purchased a Seiko watch that looks nearly identical to the one Martin Sheen wears in the film.
I cannot wait for the 2032 list when Uncut Gems makes the cut, lmao.
Peace and Love