Five Favorite Films with A.O. Scott

GODFATHER shows up in roughly 1/2 of everyone's top 5.

Not saying if that's a good thing or a bad thing.

I actually liked Godfather 2 better.

Sep 17 - 05:13 PM

Travis Earl

This comment is win. I prefer number 2. "My father's name was antonio andolini"

thank god ben lyons is gone

Sep 17 - 05:36 PM

Ryan Fujitani

To be fair, he sort of "cheated" and listed both Godfather part 1 and 2 as a single entry. His explanation also helps put that into context, as well.

Sep 17 - 05:19 PM

joe schmoe

So this is what A.O. Scott, one of the most famed critics in all of the land, regards as his top 5 films? I geuss its a pretty solid list, just a little predictable(La Dolce Vita and 81/2 are pretty much interchangeable, Godfather is also a shoe in)

Sep 17 - 05:42 PM

Tiago Paulo

i like the godfather, but i know for a fact that it is a very overrated movie. someone important said it was the best movie ever and suddenly... and how could this be anything but overrated? "i think this is the best movie ever made and i don't understand everything about it. no one understands everything about the plot". this is a real quote.

Sep 17 - 05:47 PM

Chad W

I can't wait for Armond White's top 5. Comeon' RT, you know you wanna!

And that'll be the day that I leave the site for good.. lol

Sep 17 - 05:59 PM

Tom Elce

*yawn*

White's top ten contribution to Sight and Sound 2002 is on the BFI website. His top five as it was then is:

1. A.I. Artificial Intelligence
2. L'avventura
3. Intolerance
4. Jules et Jim
5. Lawrence of Arabia

Sep 18 - 01:53 AM

Ryan Fujitani

I actually think that would be fascinating. A glimpse into the mind of Armond White. I just don't know if we could handle it; the internet might explode.

Sep 17 - 06:12 PM

Arthur Grego

Oh, the horror of seeing Little Man on a Top 5 list.

"The scene when the midget hits the guy in the balls for the eighth time is even funnier than the seventh, AND the sixth! Just an American classic! District who? Blech, I hated that! It had originality and dealt with real-world issues! Who wants to see that racist drivel?"

A.O. Scott's list is pretty typical. I always feel good when i can recognize one well-known movie throughout that cluster of films that know they are smarter than me.

Sep 17 - 07:22 PM

Emmett Grady

Good list A.O. but nothing groundbreaking. But then again these are great movies(I haven't seen McCabe).

Sep 17 - 07:31 PM

Jared King

I think A.O. Scott is a great critic of the pen...of the camera? Meh. He's to mousy. Give me Richard Roeper and Michael Phillips, they're better for the camera.

Sep 17 - 08:40 PM

Arend Anton

I basically ignore The Godfather (I or II) being on these lists and now accept it as an inevitability. Otherwise, good list. Liberty Valance and McCabe & Mrs. Miller are two fantastic takes on the Western, and Sullivan's Travels is also excellent.

And yeah, I miss Ebert and Roeper.

Sep 17 - 10:52 PM

Linda green

Sep 17 - 11:12 PM

Tom Elce

And I also prefer The Godfather: Part II.

Sep 18 - 01:55 AM

christopher cantos

the godfather part 2, for me, has the most haunting ending scene in cinema. that last shot of Pacino summarizes the whole story of Michael. to me, Godfather part 3 never happened.

ps. it would be interesting if somebody puts part 3 on their list

Sep 18 - 03:01 AM

christopher cantos

also, i agree with what someguy here said about Scott. hes so stiff on front of the camera. Philipps and Roeper had good chemistry. but i doubt we will see that again.

Sep 18 - 03:03 AM

Bharat Nayak

Actually the BFI list is arranged in alphabetic order..White's top ten,
A.I. Artificial Intelligence
L'avventura
Intolerance
Jules et Jim
Lawrence of Arabia
Lola
The Magnificent Ambersons
Masculin f�minin
Nashville
The Passion of Joan of Arc

Quite surprised by this.

Sep 18 - 04:29 AM

Tom Elce

My mistake. Thanks for amending.

Sep 18 - 07:44 AM

Joel Feliciano

TO RT-RYAN: please, please interview Armond White i have popcorn ready and everything to see the comments, that will be the most fun reading comments ever!

Sep 18 - 06:09 AM

moviestalk Radio

I think that McCabe and Ms. Miller is like 7th or 8th on the list of great Robert Altman movies much less top 5 of all time. And The Man Who shot Liberty Valance is a good movie, which again John wayne and Jimmy Stewart have at least 3 or 4 movies each better than TMWSLV.

Sep 18 - 07:16 AM

Rollan Schott

Armond White's top ten can actually be found here.

http://www.bfi.org.uk/sightandsound/topten/poll/voter.php?forename=Armond&surname=White

To be honest, outside of his bizarre #1 pick, there really isn't any other movie on there that isn't deserving.

I like A.O. Scott a lot. he's one of my favorite critics and I'm excited to have him ATM. Him and Michael Phillips certainly draws comparisons to Ebert and Roeper I think. One of them a serious authoritarian figure and the other a well respected commentator/critic with a more notably witty television personality. Should be a great time. Long live At the Movies!

Sep 18 - 09:26 AM

Gordon Terry

Finally a "sane" top ten list.

The Godfather and The Godfather Part II are the best movies. Godfather PART II IS better: dual-linear storytelling.

EWhen "they" re-released THE GODFATHER 12 years ago I didn't see it because I CAN'T sit-down to watch THE GODFATHER without THE GODFATHER PART II.

Personally I favor, THE GODFATHER EPIC with GODFATHER I and II cut-together with a bunch of added scenes for continuitiy.

there were more scenes Bruno Kirby as Young Peter Clemenza in "pop's" olive-oil business.

BRUNO KIRBY
Rest In Peace

and JT WALSH (both fellas were in GOOD MORNING VIETNAM together)
Rest in Peace as well

Sep 18 - 11:07 AM