IMDb Watch-Along: Modern Times | Spirited Away

Movies I watched for the first time: Modern Times

*I’ve skipped a couple of numbers to not re-examine any movies that I’ve called out in the past – the list did a lot of shifting in the time that I was focused on Awards Season, March Madness, and the NBA Playoffs*

45. Modern Times (1936)

• IMDb plot summary: The Tramp struggles to live in modern industrial society with the help of a young homeless woman.

• Some quick thoughts: With a tip of my bowler to City Lights and The Gold Rush, I think this is the Silent Tramp Chaplin film; that it was his final one, and not completely silent at that adds to its staying power. A blend of heartfelt, thematically rich slapstick and Fritz Lang’s Metropolis sees Chaplin take sharp aim at the late 30’s economic conditions and a movie business being overtaken by the talkies. The only words the Tramp says are a faux French gibberish story that is only halfway coherent because of what he does with his hands, and the only time we hear dialogue or sound effects are when they come from machines. There was and is no one else like Chaplin, and if you want to know why, watch this movie.

• Does it belong? Absolutely, and top 50 is fitting.

• IMDb User Rating: 8.5/10

• Rymer’s Rating: 9.5/10

43. Whiplash (2014)

• IMDb plot summary: A promising young drummer enrolls at a cut-throat music conservatory where his dreams of greatness are mentored by an instructor who will stop at nothing to realize a student's potential.

• Some quick thoughts: This was my introduction to the works of Damien Chazelle, who has the potential to go down as an all-time great; this film is a deep and dark story of obsession and chasing perfection told with white-knuckle intensity. J.K. Simmons gives what’s certainly one of the best supporting performances since Heath Ledger’s Joker to counter Milles Teller’s own strong performance, but the real story of this film is in how technically precise its telling is.

• Does it belong? Top 250? Sure. Top 50? Certainly not.

• IMDb User Rating: 8.5/10

• Rymer’s Rating: 9/10

40. The Departed (2006)

• IMDb plot summary: An undercover cop and a mole in the police attempt to identify each other while infiltrating an Irish gang in South Boston.

• Some quick thoughts: This isn’t Scorsese’s best, it’s probably not in his top 5, but it’s the one that finally earned him an Oscar and is among his most well-liked by general audiences. One of the most stacked casts in recent memory combines with a script that is a hair’s length from pure incomprehensibility and a Scorsese-Schoonmaker combo that is oozing with style. There’s a little to be explored here around duality of identity and the fragility of the male ego in the character of Colin Sullivan, but this is first and foremost a twisty and suspenseful crime picture that will remain entertaining for years to come.

• Does it belong? No, but you can replace it with Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, The Last Waltz, or The Irishman.

• IMDb User Rating: 8.5/10

• Rymer’s Rating: 8.5/10 feels right

39. The Usual Suspects (1995)

• IMDb plot summary: A sole survivor tells of the twisty events leading up to a horrific gun battle on a boat, which began when five criminals met at a seemingly random police lineup.

• Some quick thoughts: See my above comments regarding The Departed – sometimes a film is a pure genre exercise with a bit of intelligence behind it, a killer cast, and delivered with perfect execution. I love Christopher McQuarrie’s screenplay, and this film is full of fun performances, flanked by one great breakout one from Kevin Spacey. Even when you know the twist this film hinges on, it’s still a great watch, though not as much so as something like The Sting.

• Does it belong? The greatest trick IMDb users pulled was getting it on this list.

• IMDb User Rating: 8.5/10

• Rymer’s Rating: 8.2/10

38. Gladiator (2000)

• IMDb plot summary: A former Roman General sets out to exact vengeance against the corrupt emperor who murdered his family and sent him into slavery.

• Some quick thoughts: This is a really, really, good movie whose impact is still being felt today in our culture through The Lord of the Rings, HBO’s Rome and Game of Thrones, and plenty of less successful imitators like Troy. Russell Crowe is undeniable in his iconic role, and Ridley Scott brings a bygone era to dramatic life and creates some stunning action sequences in and out of the arena. Joaquin Phoenix is pitch perfect as the sneering, jealous Maximus, but this film completely unravels as it searches for meaning and leans too hard into its Spartacus influences in its third act.

• Does it belong? No, but it’s a perfect example of a massively entertaining, big-budget blockbuster for adults that is vanishing from our culture.

• IMDb User Rating: 8.5/10

• Rymer’s Rating: 7.8/10

37. American History X (1998)

• IMDb plot summary: A former neo-Nazi skinhead tries to prevent his younger brother from going down the same wrong path that he did.

• Some quick thoughts: I’ll cut right to it: I think this film is overblown, not well-acted (except for Norton, who’s fantastic), and a dour, heavy, slog. I appreciate what it’s about, but I don’t find it a very effective, nuanced, or interesting look at the hate that drives someone to become a neo-Nazi. It’s muddle presentation of its themes are as muddled as its style – I can see clearly what they were going for, and don’t think that they came close to achieving it.

• Does it belong? No – replace it with Do the Right Thing immediately.

• IMDb User Rating: 8.5/10

• Rymer’s Rating: 6.5/10

36. The Lion King (1994)

• IMDb plot summary: Lion prince Simba and his father are targeted by his bitter uncle, who wants to ascend the throne himself.

• Some quick thoughts: The greatest animated film I’ve ever seen is further down this list, but Lion King is in the top 5 and it certainly isn’t 5. Any other time someone tries to pitch “Hamlet for kids in the Sahara with lions” it fails; in the hands of this writing, directing, and animating team with a musical boost by Hans Zimmer and Elton John and a stacked voice cast it soars. It also necessitates its two-dimensional animated medium because it leans into expressionistic imagery to heighten the operatic drama in a very powerful way.

• Does it belong? Every list this film touches is its kingdom

• IMDb User Rating: 8.5/10

• Rymer’s Rating: 9.3/10

35. Parasite (2019)

• IMDb plot summary: Greed and class discrimination threaten the newly formed symbiotic relationship between the wealthy Park family and the destitute Kim clan.

• Some quick thoughts: An all-time Oscars miracle underdog earned every award it brought home amongst a very stacked field of 2019 contenders. Bong Joon-ho has been creating entertainment colored by social class for over two decades, but this film is his most explicit on the topic and his most masterful. Throughout the film, he toggles the genre between a heist comedy, a thriller, an action film, and a slasher film and deftly navigating the tonal gymnastics that come with that. The film is also conceived in its narrative and production to enhance the rich themes; watching what could be a great novel unfold onscreen is rarely this exciting.

• Does it belong? Yes – this and The Irishman were the last two all-time great films we’ve gotten.

• IMDb User Rating: 8.5/10

• Rymer’s Rating: 9.7/10 – and it may be a pure 10 with time.

34. Leon: The Professional (1994)

• IMDb plot summary: 12-year-old Mathilda is reluctantly taken in by Léon, a professional assassin, after her family is murdered. An unusual relationship forms as she becomes his protégée and learns the assassin's trade.

• Some quick thoughts: This film is known for its style, Natalie Portman’s breakout performance, and Gary Oldman’s over-the-top performance. All those things are here, and they’re great; director Luc Besson stages the action with a fun vision. The uncomfortable tension that arises between the young Mathilda and the middle-aged Leon is handled well but seems at tonal odds with the rest of the story, making the times between the action scenes rather uncomfortable to watch.

• Does it belong? It’s got great action, but no.

• IMDb User Rating: 8.5/10

• Rymer’s Rating: 7.5/10

33. The Pianist (2002)

• IMDb plot summary: A Polish Jewish musician struggles to survive the destruction of the Warsaw ghetto of World War II.

• Some quick thoughts: This film is very well-mounted and anchored by a thoroughly gripping performance from Adrien Brody and is as bleak and relentless as its description suggests. It’s a very worthy companion piece for its difficult material, but also kind of hard to recommend for anyone’s next movie night. All that said, it’s kind of hard to find anything to quibble with, despite any reasonable hesitation around praising Polanski.

• Does it belong? I think yes, but not this high. Let’s swap it with Chinatown.

• IMDb User Rating: 8.5/10

• Rymer’s Rating: 8.8/10

32. Psycho (1960)

• IMDb plot summary: A Phoenix secretary embezzles $40,000 from her employer's client, goes on the run, and checks into a remote motel run by a young man under the domination of his mother.

• Some quick thoughts: Hitchcock, man. He made entertaining movies with the level of craft that someone would bring to high-art film, creating a string of masterpieces in genres he invented. While horror had existed before, and murder mysteries existed before, when combined with Hitchcock’s skills the result is an invention and perfection of the slasher. Plot twist after plot twist unfolds in visual storytelling that thrills and chills over 60 years later. As a guy who doesn’t often venture into scary movie territory, there’s a ton to love here.

• Does it belong? Yes, but I don’t think it belongs higher than Vertigo.

• IMDb User Rating: 8.5/10

• Rymer’s Rating: 9.2/10

31. Spirited Away (2001)

• IMDb plot summary: During her family's move to the suburbs, a sullen 10-year-old girl wanders into a world ruled by gods, witches, and spirits, and where humans are changed into beasts.

• Some quick thoughts: This is what I was talking about with The Lion King – this is the best animated film that I’ve ever seen. The screen is overflowing with visual invention that stokes the imaginations of children and leaves adults awestruck. Its story runs a little thin at times and feels subject to the same lyrical whimsy as its story which is both a strength and weakness. Something I do love: the sheer number of magical creatures, places and concepts that just aren’t explained but contain multitudes of symbolic meaning upon further examination.

• Does it belong? Certainly, right here.

• IMDb User Rating: 8.5/10

• Rymer’s Rating: 9.3/10