Top 100 of all time - #21-25

As we inch closer to the best film ever made, we will see some very familiar titles, and even 5 from the past few years. What do these recent films have in common? You might not appreciate them as much as I do.

Now, on with the final quartile.

#25 - Annie Hall, 1977.

I'm not normally a Woody Allen fan, but I can acknowledge that he has carved a niche as a film maker, and Annie Hall is his greatest achievement. He is an annoying character on screen, not unlike Larry David or George Costanza, but he creates good dialogue, and this film with Diane Keaton as his muse of the day, is a fantastic romantic comedy. Interestingly, Diane's nickname at the time was Annie, and her real last name is Hall, so go figure. The film won Best Picture, Director, Original Screenplay, and Actress. My challenge to you: Even if you don't like Woody Allen films, give Annie Hall a try.

#24 - Schindler's List, 1993.

Undoubtedly the most visceral look at the Nazi concentration camps during WWII that we've ever seen on film, Spielberg kicked his directorial resume into high gear on this one, ultimately winning him 2 of his 3 Oscars (Picture, Director). The other of course was Director for Saving Private Ryan. Schindler's List is a well-crafted and beautiful portrayal of one of the most tragic and incomprehensible events in human history.

#23 - Inception, 2010.

Okay, it may seem a little strange to you that Inception is at #23, ahead of so many other great films. Let's be honest; The King's Speech won Best Picture, but Inception was the best film of 2010. Additionally, it was something so clever and creative, that you really have to go back to the Matrix to find a better sci-fi story. Great acting and effects, Chris Nolan is my favorite action director right now (sorry Michael Bay), and makes me giddy thinking about the work he has yet to create in the future. He always entertains. That is the point. If you saw this film and wondered what the hell was going on in the opening scene, watch it again. Brilliant. A must see at least twice.

#22 - Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, 1969.

Redford and Newman are the original Hollywood bromance. Their on-screen chemistry is incredible, and it's hard to tell who is the star and who is the sidekick as they rob trains and shoot em up coolly and calmly. You may say blasphemy, but I think this is a prime film for a remake. It could be done justice with the right stars and director.

#21 - To Kill a Mockingbird, 1962.

Gregory Peck as Atticus Finch has been declared the greatest film protagonist of all time by multiple sources, and I would agree with an asterisk. There may be two others, at numbers 4 and 5 on my list who could legitimately vie for that title. I read this book and watch the film every year with my 8th graders, and it is a powerful and resonant story of justice and injustice, the loss of innocence, and standing firm in one's morals and values, no matter what the consequences. Great conversation starters.