Yes, I know there is some big and important Catholic news but I’ll talk about the encyclical after I’ve read it and the John XXIII/JPII sainthood thing i mentioned it on like Tuesday so it was something that we should have expected.
Entertainment Weekly just did another list of the 100 best movies/music/books/shows of the past 100 years, since the one thing we really needed was another list of movies to see and books to read. If you want to see the complete lists go pick up an issue or wait till it makes it to the internet.
The Top Ten of each will follow with my remarks on all of them
Movies
10.Gone with the Wind (1939)- is the great Civil War epic that everyone sees at least one in their lifetime. With 1939 in film it is hard to go wrong as so many great films came out this year.
9. Nashville (1875)- I have never seen this but I guess it is about Country music and takes place in Nashville. This is already on my list of movies to see.
8. The Gold Rush (1925)- A classic Chaplin film but I really liked Modern Times and The Circus a whole lot more, but this is a well deserved place for a silent film. A genre of film that continues to influence movie makers today.
7. Mean Streets (1973)- I have not seen this one either but of all of Martin Scorsese movies in the world this one is the best, not Goodfellas or Raging Bull or Taxi Driver? Supposedly it has influenced the films and television of a generation.
6. It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)- This really isn’t the best of all times it is only popular nowadays because when Cable TV was invented it was not under copy protection and it was aired for cheap. It’s the one Christmas movie that everyone sees at least once in their lifetime. It is all in all a solid movie but there are other Frank Capra movies that are leagues better like It Happened One Night.
5. Psycho (1960)- A nice spot for a Hitchcock classic that everyone knows and references
4. Bonnie and Clyde (1967)- Really?! this is the third best movie ever? in all the movie lists I ever seen this is the highest for this movie sure it’s had an impact on movies since but I don’t think it deserves to be ranked so high.
and the top three are the standard top three in most best movie lists
3. Casablanca (1942) 2. The Godfather (1972) 1. Citizen Kane (1941)
It would have been nice if The Searchers (1956), the classic John Wayne Western was in the top 10 as it is one of the most influential movies that has ever been released. The Searchers is one movie that everyone should go and see.
Television
10. Your Show of Shows (1950-54- Supposedly one of best show ever with the likes of Mel Brooks, Neil Simon, and Carl Reiner as writers I bet that I would have loved the show.
9. Mad Men (2007-now) The show about ad-men in the 1960s and everyone loves the 60s. It is absurdly historically accurate and has legions of fans and unfortunately the next season will be its last.
8. Buffy the Vampire Slayer(1997-03) The show that introduced us to the wonderful Joss Whedon and brought strong female characters as leads of television shows.
7. The Andy Griffith Show (1960-8) Andy Griffith brought little Ron Howard into all our living rooms and hearts. The story of a widowed sherrif in Mayberry, NC trying to raise his young boy.
6. All in the Family (1971-9) Carol O’Connor as the loveable bigot Archie Bunker It is such an influential show as it talked openly about real problems like racism, homosexuality, women’s liberation, abortion, breast cancer and other. Often considers the most influential television program for injecting real life into sitcoms.
5. The Sopranos (1999=07) The first of the HBO shows in the top 10 this is considered by many to be the best show ever and the Writer’s guild says it’s the best written show ever. I have not seen the whole series yet but it is the story of Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini) trying to balance running a crime family and his own family.
4. Mary Tyler Moore Show (1970-77) Still a great show after 40 some years the first to feature a single working woman as the central character. It was miles away from anything seen on television at the time as Mary wasn’t looking for a man but wanted to be a success at work.
3. Seinfeld (1989-98) The show about nothing that lasted almost a decade and was watched and quoted by everyone. A worthy placement on the list.
2. The Simpsons (1989-now) The longest running American sitcom and animated program. Turned cartoons into something fun for the whole family to watch and has significantly influenced the English language and is another oft quoted show.
1. The Wire (2002-08) I have never seen this but it is something that I really want to see The show is about life in a city and how we all live together and how institutions have a drastic effect on all of us.
Music
I agree with most of these but Kayne West at 8 in a list covering the past 100 years?
10. Nirvana- Nevermind
9. Beach Boys- Pet Sounds
8. Kayne West- My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
7. Aretha Franklin- Lady Soul
6. Bob Dylan- Blood on the Tracks
5. The Clash- London Calling
4 Michael Jackson- Thriller
3. Rolling Stones- Exile on Main Street
2. Prince- Purple Rain
1. Beatles- Revolver
Books
No big complaints here with most of the top 10 but I though this list was of the past 100 years not 200 so three of the top five should not even be on the list as they are from more than 100 years ago. I did like that series of book were consolidated into one listing.
10. Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White
9. Beloved by Toni Morrison
8. Rabbit Quartet by John Updike
7. Harry Potter Series by JK Rowling
6. My Antonia by Willa Cather
5. 100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
4. Great Expectations by Charles Dickens (1861)
3. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (1813)
2. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
1. Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy (1878)
Deep in the well 