Column: Josh and his stupid movie lists

By Josh Eiserike

Published: June 19, 2008

Yesterday the American Film Institute released a new series of lists, "AFI's 10 Top 10." It's a pretty simple premise: Top 10 films across 10 genres: animation, romantic comedies, western, sports, mystery, fantasy, sci-fi, gangster, courtroom drama, epic.

It's also the most bone-headed series of lists ever produced by the AFI. It's virtually impossible to divide all the different kinds of stories produced both inside and outside Hollywood into 10 genres. Why "romantic comedy"? Why not "slacker comedy"? Or "T&A comedy"? And by what logic is "Back to the Future" on the science fiction list, "Caddyshack" on the sports list and "Field of Dreams" on the fantasy list?

Lists, while ultimately meaningless, are fun. Previous AFI lists have gotten it better, at least dividing up the categories along broader, sensible divisions. In "100 Laughs" any comedy is considered—from "Annie Hall" to "Animal House." Interestingly enough, some that made the romantic comedy list don't even clock in on the 100 laughs list ("Roman Holiday"). So according to the AFI, "Annie Hall" is a much better comedy than "City Lights," but not as good of a romantic comedy.

Also, since when is animation a genre? In other words, these 10 Top 10 lists makes no sense whatsoever.

So in that spirit, here's the Josh 10 Top 10, across 10 genres that matter to me. Unlike the AFI list I have no pretension—this is a stupid exercise, so here are my stupid lists.

SUPERHERO

10. "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" (1990)

9. "The Crow" (1994)

8. "X-Men" (2000)

7. "Unbreakable" (2000)

6. "Batman Begins" (2005)

5. "Iron Man" (2008)

4. "Spider-Man" (2002)

3. "The Incredibles" (2004)

2. "X2: X-Men United" (2003)

1. "Spider-Man 2" (2004)

ADVENTURE

10. "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl" (2003)

9. "Kill Bill Vol. 2" (2004)

8. "Ghostbusters" (1984)

7. "The Wizard of Oz" (1939)

6. "The Princess Bride" (1987)

5. "Star Wars" (1977)

4. "King Kong" (1933)

3. "Run Lola Run" (1998)

2. "Raiders of the Lost Ark" (1981)

1. "Back to the Future" (1985)

STONER COMEDY

10. "Mallrats" (1995)

9. "Outside Providence" (1999)

8. "Friday" (1995)

7. "Beerfest" (2006)

6. "Dazed and Confused" (1993)

5. "Knocked Up" (2007)

4. "Clerks" (1994)

3. "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" (1982)

2. "Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle" (2004)

1. "Animal House" (1978)1

HIGH SCHOOL

10. "Porky's" (1982)

9. "Back to the Future" (1985)

8. "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" (2005)

7. "Rushmore" (1998)

6. "Carrie" (1976)

5. "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" (1986)

4. "The Breakfast Club" (1985)

3. "Donnie Darko" (2001)

2. "Superbad" (2007)

1. "Election" (1999)

COMING OF AGE

10. "Billy Madison" (1995)

9. "The Dangerous Lives of Alter Boys" (2002)

8. "Star Wars" (1977)

7. "Son of Rambow" (2008)

6. "The Graduate" (1967)

5. "Diner" (1982)

4. "Ghost World" (2001)

3. "The Sandlot" (1993)

2. "Almost Famous" (2000)

1. "Stand By Me" (1986)

SPIELBERG

10. "Jurassic Park" (1993)

9. "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" (1989)

8. "Saving Private Ryan" (1998)

7. "Catch Me if You Can" (2002)

6. "Munich" (2005)

5. "Jaws" (1975)

4. "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" (1977)

3. "Raiders of the Lost Ark" (1981)

2. "Schindler's List" (1993)

1. "E.T.: The Extra Terrestrial" (1982)

MOVIES BASED ON OR AROUND VIDEO GAMES

(note: quality severely drops off after #6)

10. "Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within" (2001)

9. "Super Mario Bros." (1993)

8. "Resident Evil" (2002)

7. "Lara Croft: Tomb Raider" (2001)

6. "The Wizard" (1989)

5. "War Games" (1983)

4. "The Matrix" (1999)

3. "The 40-Year Old Virgin" (2005)

2. "Pirates of the Caribbean" (if you buy into the theory that these movies borrow liberally from the Monkey Island games) (2003, 2006, 2007)

1. "The King of Kong: A Fist Full of Quarters" (2007)

ROMANCE THAT A GUY CAN STOMACH

10. "One, Two, Three" (1961)

9. "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" (2008)

8. "There's Something About Mary" (1998)

7. "Chasing Amy" (1997)

6. "Back to the Future" (1985)

5. "Annie Hall" (1977)

4. "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" (2004)

3. "High Fidelity" (2000)

2. "The Princess Bride (1987)

1. "Grosse Pointe Blank" (1997)

BASED ON A TRUE STORY

10. "The Miracle Worker" (1962)

9. "Shattered Glass" (2003)

8. "October Sky" (1999)

7. "Stand and Deliver" (1988)

6. "Ray" (2004)

5. "Catch Me If You Can" (2002)

4. "Goodfellas" (1990)

3. "Chariots of Fire" (1981)

2. "Adaptation" (2002)

1. "Ed Wood" (1994)

FOREIGN

(Yup. Just like Blockbuster, I'm actually going to dump every movie made outside of America into one category, limited to only a few, namely the ones I've actually seen).

10. "Chicken Run" (England, 2000)

9. "Y tu mamá también" (Mexico, 2001)

8. "Monty Python's Life of Brian" (England, 1979)

7. "Mars Turkey" (Israel, 2001)

6. "Geroppa!" (Japan, 2003)

5. "Meatballs" (Canada, 1979)

4. "Europa, Europa" (Germany, 1990)

3. "Chariots of Fire" (England, 1981)

2. "Good Bye Lenin!" (Germany, 2003)

1. "Run Lola Run" (Germany, 1998)

Staff writer Josh Eiserike can be reached at 703-878-8072.

1 Yes, we can debate whether or not "Animal House" is a stoner comedy. Wikipedia says it's not, but "PCU" is. For my money, "Animal House" is a much better "PCU," so for our purposes, it is.