Of Each Particular Thing Ask: What Is It In Itself? What Is Its Nature? What Does He Do, This Man You Seek?

While surfing my usual pop culture sites, I came across Entertainment Weekly's list of the Top 25 movies of the past 25 years. Being that my brain is fried from a day spent on an algebra exam...I am going to hijack their list and toss in my two cents.

#25 Shrek (2001): I have to say that I was a little blown away when I first saw this movie. It was a completely different approach to "fairytale" movies and it was funny. Everything about the first movie worked. Honestly, I don't see any room for improvement. Sadly...it seemed to spawn a whole bunch of crap cartoons so I guess if Shrek has a flaw...that would be it.

#24 A Room With a View (1986): Never seen it. But it is hailed as "Deeply romantic, it is the apotheosis of its genre: the exquisitely made chick flick." and that seems right up my alley.

#23 Memento (2001): Not a bad movie but I think that it is slightly overrated. Other than being told in reverse, I don't see anything particularly revolutionary about the flick. It did make me realize that Carrie Anne Moss is a horrible actress...made worse by the fact that Guy Pierce is such a great one.

#22 Rushmore (1998): It is hard to say what about the movie takes it from average dark comedy to cult classic but this movie will forever be in that category. While it is not one of my favorite films, it always makes me laugh.

#21 Schindler's List (1993): I will never understand why my normally cautious father felt the need to take me to see this movie at the age of 11. I left the theater crying, shaking, and unable to sleep for a few days. Don't get me wrong, it is amazing movie and I am certain that my reaction is the what the producers were going for...I just don't think that it should have been from an 11 year old who up until that point had no real idea the levels of cruelty that mankind was capable of.

#20 The Lion King (1994): No here is a great movie. I loved it before I even saw the damn thing and for one reason...Jonathan Taylor Thomas. Silly as it is considering that it was only his voice, but there it is. This was the first movie that made me start to question the greatness that was Disney. This was the movie that made me realize that no star of a Disney movie makes it to the ending credits with both parents in tow. OK so technically Disney didn't write the stories so it is not technically their fault but come on...they change so many details of classic fairy tales, couldn't they let Mufasa live?

#19 Casino Royale (2006): Raising the bullshit flag on this one. I cannot think of one good thing about this movie. It was a waste of two hours and more importantly...a waste of $15.00.

#18 Do The Right Thing (1989): I guess by the time I finally saw this movie...it had fallen to its own hype. I didn't see what the big deal was and can think of half a dozen similar flicks of the same genre that I would prefer to watch.

#17 Jerry Maguire (1996): Call me crazy but this is still one of my favorite movies EVER. It is another example of what kind happen when everything works. Tom Cruise was charismatic and sexy and vulnerable to the point that I was in love with Jerry halfway through the movie. Renee Zellweger made Dorothy endearing and yet strong. But the best part of the movie had to be Cuba Gooding, JR. It was by far his greatest role. Throw in football and cameos by a few pros and you have an amazing film. Don't hate it for sparking so many overused catchphrases...love it for being a love story that is also about believing in a long shot and seeing dreams come true.

#16 Boogie Nights (1997): Mature though we thought that we were...my friends and I were not mature enough to sit at Adam's house one Friday night and watch this film together. There must have been 15 teenagers in the room watching this movie...and of course Big Red...otherwise known as Adam's dad. By the end you had a bunch of girls who were confused, titillated, and terrified of what they had just seen, a bunch of teenage boys who left Adam's house feeling less than adequate thanks to the history making prosthetic penis, and a father who couldn't believe that he agree to let us watch it and prayed we wouldn't tell our parents where we had scene it.

#15 Edward Scissorhands (1990): I have to admit that the first time that I saw this movie, I didn't see its brilliance. Now that I have seen it like a 100 times, it really gets better every time I watch it. While everything that Johnny Depp does is wonderful...the same can be said about Tim Burton. Put them together and you get cinematic greatness. Don't believe me...Google their joint works as they speak for themselves. Not a bad movie on the list. That being said...I still cry every time I see this movie...as Edwards wins and breaks my heart with his big naive eyes. How could you not want to give him a big hug?

#14 Crumb (1995): Never seen it. In spite of its position on this list...can't say that I ever will.

#13 Goodfellas (1990): Talk about an amazingly violent movie. I have only seen it twice because it is a bit too much for me. It is two hours of Millie laughing at uncomfortable moments because I don't know what else to do. Ray Liotta is phenomenal in the movie....probably his finest work.

#12 The Matrix (1999): How hot was Keanu Reeves in this movie? Holy shit it is worth watching it just for him alone. Moving on...The Matrix was wonderful however it was ruined by the shitty sequels that followed. The thing that got me about this movie was that in spite of the fact that Neo was incredibly sexy, I couldn't not separate him from his role in Bill and Teds Excellent Adventure and thus kept expecting him to say "Whoa Duuuude!"

#11 This Is Spinal Tap (1984): Here is another movie that I just don't get.

#10 Moulin Rouge (2001): I seriously love this movie. Once again...another fine example of the greatness that happens whenever everything works. (For more info, read my previous post )It made me laugh, made me cry, and still does every time I see it. I really, really, really, love this movie. Really.

#9 Die Hard (1988): Bruce Willis was such a bad ass back in the day. This movie is great if solely for the reason that it produced one of the greatest line in bad ass history...and shame on you if you don't know what it was.

#8 Silence of the Lambs (1991): I am very disappointed that this movie is only #8. It still gives me the chills. All you have to do is just mention its title and people start talking about the amazingness of the movie.

#7 Hannah and Her Sisters (1986): Never seen it...doubt that I will.

#6 Saving Private Ryan (1998): I learned a very important lesson when I first watched this movie...do not trust the fine folks at Blockbuster to do their fucking jobs and rewind the film. I popped the movie into the VCR and it started with Tom Hanks overlooking a bloody beach. I looked at my viewing partner and we were like "Wow...what a great way to snag the audience." No bullshit, no previews...just carnage.

#5 Toy Story (1995): OK so it was super cute and entertaining and all that...but it was slightly traumatizing. After watching this movie I actually started to feel guilty for every toy that I had tossed away without a second thought.

#4 Blue Velvet (1986) Never seen it but might make the effort to see it being that I usually enjoy all Dennis Hopper films.

#3 Titanic (1997) It is hard to watch this now because once you have seen a movie a zillion times, it can lose a bit of its awe. That being said...I still love it and I bet that you do too.

#2 The Lord of The Rings Trilogy (2001-2003): How in the hell can this not be #1? I am not going to dwell on this nor am I going to waste a lot of time explaining why it is great...since damn near everyone has seen the movies at least once. I will simply saw that it is one of...if not the greatest stories of all-times, turned into the greatest trilogy of all times...and how could anyone possibly disagree with that?

#1 Pulp Fiction (1994): Truly great for its time (or so I am told...it was a few years after that before I actually saw it) but doesn't withstand the test of time. Whenever I try to watch it now, it no longer seems cool. After it lost its initial shock effect...it was pretty much done.

We'll end by saying that I am super pissed off about today's Yankee game. In spite of this...I still love them so. It is because of my love for them that I find myself unable to make a decision regarding the final game. A friend can get me a ticket to the final game a Yankee Stadium. The ticket will cost me more than my monthly car payment and that is a tough pill to swallow. Yet, it is going to be a historic moment and I cannot help but get giddy at the thought of going. So I am asking you...my loyal readers...to help me make up my mind. Let me know what you think, either by comment or email.