the EMPIRE strikes late

Last month, anyone and everyone with a love of cinema was talking about Empire Magazine's list of "The 500 Greatest Movies Of All Time". Once the issue made it's way to the US (Empire is a British mag) it sold rather rapidly and thus it was rather difficult for one such as myself to get ahold of a copy. Fortunately today I was able to track one down (with "A Clockwork Orange" on the cover no less). I shall now regale you with my thoughts on the list.

Aside from the fact that it's a little geek-centric, and the inclusion of some head scratchers ("Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace" and "Lords of Dogtown" to name a few) it's a pretty decent and diverse list. Check out the top 10:

10. Fight Club
9. Pulp Fiction
8. Singin' In The Rain
7. Apocalypse Now
6. GoodFellas
5. Jaws
4. The Shawshank Redemption
3. Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
2. Raiders Of The Lost Ark
1. The Godfather

Another cool feature is that peppered throughout the issue are handwritten ballots submitted by cool filmmakers like Roger Deakins and John Sayles as well as less cool filmmakers like Uwe Boll. Ever wonder what Quentin Tarantino's top 11 (apparently 10 is for lesser men) favorite films are? Wonder no more:

1. The Good, The Bad and the Ugly
2. Rio Bravo
3. Blow Out
4. Taxi Driver
5. His Girl Friday
6. 5 Fingers of Death/King Boxer
7. Pandora's Box
8. Carrie
9. Unfaithfully Yours
10. 5 Graves to Cairo
11. Jaws

Somehow I did not receive a ballot in the mail from Empire. This is odd seeing as I am such a powerful figure in the film industry. Perhaps there was some sort of trouble with the international mail service. Oh well. I shant let this deprive you from my Top 11 list (screw you Tarantino I can count that high too):

1. Pulp Fiction
2. Ed Wood
3. Dr. Strangelove
4. Taxi Driver
5. L.A. Confidential
6. Annie Hall
7. The Godfather Part II
8. Chasing Amy
9. Buffalo '66
10. Boogie Nights
11. Y Tu Mama Tambien

Hopefully Empire'll get that whole mail thing worked out before it's time to compile another list. Until then...

See you at the movies.