Number 06: Lawrence of Arabia (Best Picture Ranking)

Almost at the beginning of Lawrence of Arabia, one character tells T.E. Lawrence, the title character of the story, that only Bedouins and Gods can enjoy the desert – at the end of the movie, T.E. Lawrence will feel like both.

Lawrence of Arabia is the second Oscar-winner in David Lean’s filmography and it even tops his already brilliant The Bridge on the River Kwai. It’s a masterful story of a man who becomes involved in World War I in Arabia and later becomes obsessed with his own doings and surroundings. Just as you would expect from a movie by David Lean, Lawrence of Arabia is such a visual masterpiece that it puts almost all other epics to shame. It’s almost impossible to understand how he can find so many breathtakingly beautiful shots of the desert – but he can. Supported by one of the most majestic scores in motion picture history, the camera in Lawrence of Arabia catches so many little miracles that even two viewings don’t seem enough to find them all.

In the title role, Peter O’Toole gives one of the most mesmerizing performance ever caught on the screen. He is flamboyant, he is down-to-earth, he is arrogant, he is humble, he carries this massive epic on his shoulders and does so without any flaw. All the male supporting players (are there even any women in this movie?) does wonderful work, too, from Omar Sharif to Anthony Quinn to Alec Guiness and Arthur Kennedy and everyone else.

And also like most other David Lean movies, Lawrence of Arabia takes its time (actually, a lot of time) to develop itself and tell the main story – but it’s told so magnificently that it could have even taken a few more hours and I wouldn’t have minded. From T.E. Lawrence’s first arrival in the desert to the trip to Aqaba during which Lawrence returns to find a lost man only to have fate turn its back on him some time later in a truly chilling scene and right up to the final moments of the story, David Lean shows his talent as a storyteller of highest quality.

The attack on Aqaba itself it shot absolutely thrillingly and the following scenes of Lawrence trying to reach the Suez Canal and later losing control over himself, becoming more and more obsessed which his own image hold the viewers’ attention the whole time.

At some point Lawrence asks 'Do you think I'm just anybody?`- the same way Lawrence of Arabia could ask 'Do you think I'm just any movie?' and the answer would be a big 'No, you're truly one of a kind!'

Number 07: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (Best Picture Ranking)

I have to be honest and say: I don’t care about fantasy movies. Never have. Nor do I care about fantasy books. I tried to read The Lord of the Rings three times already but somehow I can never bring myself to go on because I just don’t care…but somehow Peter Jackson completely won me over with his movie version of Tolkien’s trilogy about Hobbits, Orks and the One Ring. It seems almost impossible to separate the three movies from another and maybe the high ranking for the final installment is a testament to the whole series but I honestly only tried to think of The Return of the King and not the two predecessors while I determined the position in this ranking. And since I personally think that the third of the three movies is also the best, this position seems justly earned.

I think that, of all the Best Picture winners, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King contains my single most favorite scene.

‘Arise! Arise, Riders of Theoden! Spears shall be shaken, shields shall be splintered! A sword day... a red day... and the sun rises! Ride now!... Ride now!... Ride! Ride to ruin and the world's ending! Death! Death! Death!’

This is a scene that, no matter how many times I watch it, constantly takes my breath away. It’s a pitch-perfect combination of plot, cinematography, editing and score. Maybe it’s because I am always overwhelmed by scenes in which new fighters join a battle to help the loosing side but I simply consider this one of the greatest moments in movie history.

But besides this scene, The Return of the King has much more to offer. It has brought a new meaning to the word ‘spectacle’ and the fact that Peter Jackson was able to bring this gigantic tale to the screen without any visible compromise is surely a stunning achievement. I think The Return of the King is my favorite of the three because it a) brings everything to a finale and b) benefits the most from the old good vs. evil theme with the battle of Minas Tirith, the character of Gollum and the story of Frodo and Sam who finally arrive in Mordor. Somehow, everything that you have waited for during the first two parts finally happens and The Return of the King does not disappoint. And it thankfully is also never just a pure fantasy story but instead uses its own themes to present a timeless tale and fills it with very believable and three-dimensional characters.

It’s no surprise that The Return of the King did not receive a single acting nomination since it’s a clear ensemble with no real standout but everyone still does excellent work nonetheless. Viggo Mortenson brings the right amount of energy to this part, Ian McKellen is again a graceful Gandalf, Elijah Wood and Sean Astin are excellent (even though a bit annoying sometimes) as Frodo and Sam, Miranda Otto almost steals the show while Andy Serkis is outstanding as Gollum.

The Return of the King manages to overwhelm the viewer again and again and, despite the length, never becomes boring at any moment. Sure, the ending may be too much for some but for me, it works just fine – I have spent so much time with these characters that I do not feel the need for a quick departure.

I have a feeling that it will become more and more popular to criticize the Lord of the Rings-series as the years go on but personally, I will forever cherish Peter Jackson creation which is one of the few times that a movie like this truly blew me away.

Number 08: Schindler's Liste (Best Picture Ranking)

This is maybe the most difficult movie to judge in this ranking because it is impossible to separate the theme of Schindler’s List from the quality of the movie itself – is Schindler’s List really a great film or does it only seem like a great film because it deals with greatest crime in the history of mankind? Because, yes, there are some flaws in this movie – Schindler’s List sometimes features that undeniable ‘Spielberg-touch’ that tries to manipulate the audience as much as possible despite the fact that a movie like this certainly would not have needed any manipulation. It also tends to oversimplify certain aspects (like the scene of Amon Göth deciding to forgive the people in the camp until he simply decides to forgive himself so he can keep killing). And I can’t deny that one critic was right when he wrote that only Spielberg could do a Holocaust-movie with a happy ending – because by focusing on a specific group of people (the Schindler Jews) he creates a connection between them and the audience and to see these people saved at the end somehow does evoke a feeling of relief. But in the end, I don’t think that these flaws matter because Schindler’s List is a movie that isn’t made more powerful by its subject but instead achieves the almost impossible – telling a tale that seems impossible to tell. Even the most gruesome images in Schindler’s List still don’t seem able to really grab the horror and the terror of the Holocaust but even if it may focus on the constant escape of the Schindler Jews, it still evokes, like almost no other movies about this subject, a feeling of hopelessness, of constant danger, of the ever-present feeling of danger that dominates the life of all the people that the Nazis found unworthy to live during the darkest time in the history of mankind.

Schindler’s List uses the means of cinema and combines them with an almost documentary-like presentation of the crimes of the Nazis. The character of Schindler, his determination to save as many people as possible, follows the rules of the cinema and the audience which expects a plot to follow. The character of Amon Göth and the terror of the camps intervenes with this plot to make the unimaginable happen in front of our eyes.

In Schindler’s List, Steven Spielberg creates some of the most horrifying images in movie history – horrifying because we know that they tell the truth and even more horrifying because we know that they don’t even show half of the crimes. But what Spielberg also achieved is to make Schindler’s List entertaining – I know this may sound horrible but I think he achieved the impossible to create a movie you actually want to see and that actually involves you. A never-ending sequence of murders may have turned a lot of viewers off just as a thin and undeveloped plot might have but Spielberg did manage to make a movie that captivates you just as much as it shocks you.

From the detailed art direction to the brilliant black-and-white cinematography right to John William’s unforgettable score, Schindler’s List reaches perfection on every level. And also the cast was more than up to the task. In the central role, Liam Neeson thankfully never tried to turn Schindler into a saint but instead showed that many flaws that shaped his character. Ralph Fiennes is too good for words as one of the most terrifying characters in movie history and the whole supporting cast worked wonderful, too.

From the liquidation of the Ghetto in Krakow to the separation of the children from their parents and to the scenes in the shower in Auschwitz, Schindler’s List is a movie that deservedly became the cultural phenomenon it is today.

Number 09: Casablanca (Best Picture Ranking)

What is it about Casablanca that makes it such perfection? Humphrey Bogart? Sure he’s great but I would never call it the performance of his lifetime. Ingrid Bergman? I doubt that she has ever been more luminous but again – she has given much more complex and challenging performances in her career. Claude Rains? A perfect supporting performer with a wonderful part but he alone would never be enough to give Casablanca the number 9 in my ranking. The direction? Perfectly competent but nothing earth-shattering. The screenplay? Full of memorable dialogue and one-liners but also with many flaws (I know that they are in Morocco but somehow I can never believe that Laszlo would be able to parade right in front of the Germans the whole time or that he could just turn out the light in his bedroom and immediately the guys who followed him would go away because they think he went to bed). Yes, the ingredients of Casablanca aren’t really that outstanding – but put everything together and watch how it becomes one of the greatest movies of all time.

Humphrey Bogart gives maybe not the greatest but still definitely the most iconic performance of his career as Rick – his portrayal is a wonderful combination of his usual ‘tough-guy’ image and a lovely sensitivity and his chemistry with Ingrid Bergman is certainly outstanding. Ingrid Bergman herself is so beautiful to look at in Casablanca that 2 hours of her standing around and staring at either Humphrey Bogart or Paul Henreid would have been enough but thankfully she, too, fills her part with a lot of energy and dedication. Her worried Ilsa who is caught between two men is, just like in the case of Humphrey Bogart, not the best performance of her career but it is certainly very high up. Paul Henreid is unfortunately very pale compared to these two stars but I don’t want to complain about him as much as a lot of others do – he’s maybe not very sensitive or convincing as a love interest for Ingrid Bergman but he is very good in showing his character’s determination to fight the Germans. Claude Rains, probably the greatest supporting actor to never win an Oscar, almost steals the show as Captain Renault.

The love story in Casablanca works very well even though everything about this movie shows that this was simply ‘another Humphrey-Bogart-movie’ – nothing about Casablanca indicates that anyone was expecting it to become a financial or critical success and maybe this is the reason why it works so well. It combines the atmosphere of ‘old Hollywood’ with a timeless story of love and courage flawlessly. Besides the main plot there are also several supporting characters who also help to add to the overall impact of the story. And the ‘battle scene’ between ‘La Marseillaise’ and ‚Die Wacht am Rhein’ (which is not the national anthem of Germany, just in case you’re wondering) is probably one of the greatest scenes ever in a Best Picture winner – the look on Ingrid Bergman’s face as she watches Paul Heinreid, the sadness and happiness of the other characters, the feeling of resistance in the face of terror comes together perfectly.

I am sure that many of you would have liked to seen this movie a little higher but number 9 is nothing to complain about!

Number 10: American Beauty (Best Picture Ranking)

American Beauty is certainly another love-/hate-movie in this line-up – for everyone who finds it powerful and overwhelming, there will be another one who finds it shallow and pretentious.  Personally, I can understand both sides – it is manipulative and often rather shallow in its attempts to comment on our society. And usually I strongly dislike these kind of movies – so it would have to take a very powerful and absorbing film to actually convince me of its cause. And for me, American Beauty is this movie. It’s very easy to dismiss it entirely – the flying plastic bag, the Lolita-plot, the obsessed wife, the troubled teenagers etc, even by me. But somehow this movie is able to touch me on such a deep emotional level that I can’t help but not only accept all its flaws but actually cherish them and be overwhelmed by them just as much as I am overwhelmed by its flawless parts. Maybe American Beauty is a placebo – it makes you feel as if it answers all the questions in the world right to the meaning of life when it actually doesn’t do anything. But it has this strange power to make you (or at least, me) feel like it puts things into a completely new perspective that seems to make much more sense.

All this probably sounds like American Beauty is a bad movie but I just want to explain that I am well aware that it’s easy to criticize it – but at the same it completely and totally wins me over. I still remember that this was the first time I watched a movie in the cinema and became aware of the power of movies. I saw it three times in the next few days and then all the time on TV. I usually don’t allow movies to control me like this – but American Beauty achieved it.

So, what it is that fascinates me so? I can start with the performances by Kevin Spacey and Annette Bening who are both absolutely glorious. I can go on to the supporting cast that is also first-class. Then I would have to mention the unforgettable score which is among my favorite ever. Then I need to go on to the wonderful cinematography and the direction. And the overwhelming editing. And then, of course, to the screenplay. Even though American Beauty is perfection from every angle, the screenplay is the key that holds it all together. Somehow the story of a depressed, basically lonely man breaking out of his life and starting anew with all the consequences for everyone around him just works for me – mainly because everything about American Beauty is presented so unconventional despite being set in a surrounding that couldn’t be more conventional.

There was a time when this was my favorite movie ever – now I would call it ‘one of my favorite movies ever’. I tried to be as objective as possible in this ranking and I also would never have given American Beauty this position if I didn’t feel entirely sure that it deserved this place from all points-of-view, not just my own – but in the end, nothing is as subjective as judging movies or performances and many will disagree with position. But for me, American Beauty was and still is one of the most intriguing movie-watching experience of my life.

And then there were 10...

So, the movies from position 83 to 11 have been ranked. Once again, they were:

83. Cavalcade

82. Cimarron

81. Rain Man

80. Going my Way

79. The Broadway Melody

78. The Greatest Show on Earth

77. Terms of Endearment

76. Forrest Gump

75. Grand Hotel

74. Gladiator

73. Rocky

72. A Beautiful Mind

71. Chariots of Fire

70. Crash

69. Braveheart

68. Patton

67. The Sound of Music

66. Around the World in 80 Days

65. Kramer vs. Kramer

64. Marty

63. Mrs. Miniver

62. Gentleman's Agreement

61. The Sting

60. Driving Miss Daisy

59. The Great Ziegfeld

58. Tom Jones

57. An American in Paris

56. A Man for all Seasons

55. The Lost Weekend

54. The French Connection

53. Ben-Hur

52. The Life of Emile Zola

51. Gigi

50. Out of Africa

49. You Can't Take it With You

48. Slumdog Millionaire

47. Wings

46. In the Heat of the Night

45. Dances with Wolves

44. The Departed

43. Mutiny on the Bounty

42. The King's Speech

41. Titanic

40. How Green was my Valley

39. Oliver!

38. Ordinary People

37. Platoon

36. Hamlet

35. All the King's Men

34. My Fair Lady

33. No Country for Old Men

32. Million Dollar Baby

31. From Here to Eternity

30. The Deer Hunter

29. The Best Years of our Lives

28. Chicago

27. The Last Emperor

26. All about Eve

25. Gandhi

24. On the Waterfront

23. The Hurt Locker

22. It happened one Night

21. West Side Story

20. The Silence of the Lambs

19. One flew over the Cuckoo's Nest

18. Shakespeare in Love

17. The Apartment

16. Unforgiven

15. The Bridge on the River Kwai

14. Midnight Cowboy

13. Annie Hall

12. Rebecca

11. Amadeus

Here are those still waiting to be ranked:

All Quiet on the Western Front (1930)

Gone with the Wind (1939)

Casablanca (1943)

Lawrence of Arabia (1962)

The Godfather (1972)

The Godfather: Part II (1974)

Schindler's List (1993)

The English Patient (1996)

American Beauty (1999)

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)

Well, I know that probably many are not quite happy with these movies in my Top 10 but always remember - to each his own!

Number 11: Amadeus (Best Picture Ranking)

As they say in Moulin Rouge: Jealousy can drive you mad. But Amadeus does not tell of a jealousy of love – but of talent. And it does so in the most inspiring and captivating way.

Amadeus doesn’t primarily focus on the famous genius Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart but instead on the character of Antonio Salieri, the court composer of the Austrian Emperor. He is a very religious man and finds the fulfillment of his life in his creation of music. At first, he isn’t jealous of Mozart’s talent but rather very eager to meet this young man – only to find that Mozart doesn’t follow his profession in the same way Salieri does. In Amadeus, Mozart is a vulgar, giggling, fun-loving and almost impossible character who sees life as a big party. This is the point at which Amadeus develops its fascinating concept – it shows how much Salieri is tortured not by Mozart’s talent but rather by the fact that he, Salieri, is so much more dedicated, so much more religious, so much more passionate about his work – so why is Mozart, this impossible young man, so much more talented?

Amadeus uses a spectacular plot and scenery to tell a very simple and well-known story – the anger in us when he see how others get ahead in life so much easier while we have to struggle and fight and never achieve half as much as they do.

In my review for Midnight Cowboy, I wrote that Jon Voight and Dustin Hoffman are among the best male on-screen duos ever – well, the two leading men from Amadeus are right up there with them. Tom Hulce is mostly considered to be overshadowed by F. Murray Abraham but if I have to choose I would probably give the edge to Mozart – Hulce’s portrayal is absolutely first-class and he is able to switch from a vulgar and annoying Mozart to a deeply troubled soul in just a second. But even if I may give the win to Hulce – F. Murray Abraham is still one of the most deserving Oscar winners nonetheless for his passionate performance as the ‘patron saint of mediocrity’.

Amadeus, obviously, makes wonderful use of Mozart’s music and feels like a love declaration to classical music just as much as it does like a character study. And also not surprisingly it is also absolutely beautiful to look at and presents wonderful costumes and set designs.

Amadeus is a story about almost primal instincts set in the surrounding of music and royal court – a triumph for the ears, the eyes and, most of all, the mind.

Number 12: Rebecca (Best Picture Ranking)

Next to movies like Vertigo, Rear Window or Psycho, Rebecca often seems to be a little forgotten when it comes to Hitchcock-movies but this gothic love story from 1940 holds the distinction of being the only Best Picture winner ever directed by the master of suspense – an honor certainly deserved and Rebecca does not need to hide itself behind the more famous classics by Hitchcock since it is easily among the best he as has ever done.

Rebecca is based on the wonderful novel by Daphne du Maurier and tells the story of a young, shy and nameless woman who marries the wealthy Maxim de Winter and moves into his mansion Manderley. There, she constantly feels the presence of Maxim’s first wife, the beautiful Rebecca who drowned in the sea – a feeling increased by the character of Mrs. Denvers, the creepy housekeeper of Manderley who was lovingly devoted to Rebecca and does her best to keep her memory alive.

Just like most movies by Hitchcock, Rebecca is a masterpiece of quiet suspense – there are no frightening scenes or shocking images but there is still a constant feeling of danger and tension that fills every moment of the story. The image of Mrs. Denvers gliding along the corridors, the constant mention of the name ‘Rebecca’, Maxim’s mysterious character or a wrong dress at the wrong time create an unforgettable aura and turn Rebecca into a true masterpiece.

In a role that could have easily become an annoying collection of nervous tics, Joan Fontaine gives the performance of her career as the insecure and shy second Mrs. de Winter who almost collapses under the pressure of her new life and the memory of her predecessor – mentally and physically. Laurence Olivier is perfect as Maxim de Winter, a man who has learnt to keep every emotion to himself. And Judith Anderson gives one of the great supporting performances as Mrs. Denvers – a part she underplays with so much effect that she becomes an unforgettably eerie creation.

The cinematography and the art direction also help a lot to create the overall atmosphere of the movie. And the screenplay does it best to keep loyal to the novel and make the intentions of the second Mrs. de Winter understandable.

After Maxim’s revelation the whole story unfortunately drops the ghost-like atmosphere to turn into a crime story – but Hitchcock wouldn’t be Hitchcock if he hadn’t been able to tell this part of Rebecca with just as much suspense and tension as everything before.

From the first images of Manderly to the last scene with Judith Anderson – Rebecca is a highly entertaining suspense story and a fascinating character study which brings together some of the best work the talented cast and crew has ever done.

Number 13: Annie Hall (Best Picture Ranking)

I did not care very much for Annie Hall the first few times I saw it – especially Woody Allen’s annoying Alvy Singer always made me want to throw something at my TV. I think that, just like it was the case with The Apartment, I needed more time to fully appreciate this little romantic comedy.

It’s such a joyous, crazy and neurotic look at love and happiness, filled with what seems to be a ‘sitcom-style’ but is somehow so much more. Woody Allen’s direction sometimes seems to me like the direction of an overeager student who tries to put as many new and original things into his films as possible, but it helps that he both wrote and starred in the movie and so perfectly knew what would work and what wouldn’t. Annie Hall is all we would expect from Woody Allen and even more.

Woody Allen’s Alvy Singer still isn’t exactly my kind of favourite movie character but somehow I am beginning to understand him more and more. Sure, only Woody Allen would cast himself in a role that has women falling for him all the time (seriously…) but I can forgive him because he turned Alvy into such a neurotic mess at the same time. His constant way of talking down to people (the guys in front of the cinema, the guy standing in line) always rubs me a little bit the wrong way but I think Woody Allen makes us see Alvy like Annie begins to see him after a while. We know he isn’t perfect and even though they are absolutely adorable together we also must agree in the end that she is better off without him.

In the title role, Diane Keaton is easily the most praiseworthy aspect of a movie full of them. Her Annie is one of the most original creations in movie history – she’s charming, funny, a little dizzy and crazy but also very realistic and constantly growing as a human being. Certainly the best performance in a Woody-Allen-movie ever.

Annie Hall is not a hymn to love but instead presents it as something difficult, something that needs work and can’t be explained. It’s not romantic but rather a combination of intelligent observations and funny situation-comedy.

Overall, a movie that grows – it doesn’t really show all its magic and wisdom at a first sight but rather develops itself with time. A true winner!

Number 14: Midnight Cowboy (Best Picture Ranking)

Midnight Cowboy holds the distinction of being the only X-rated movie to win the Oscar for Best Picture – even if that rating has been changed since then. Midnight Cowboy is probably also among the most unusual movies that ever won in this category and it can easily be described as a movie where nothing should work – but miraculously, somehow it does.

It tells the story of Joe Buck, a naïve man from Texas who wants to go to New York to become a hustler for rich society ladies. However, things don’t work out as planned and he soon finds himself living at the end of society together with the crippled ‘Ratso’, a con man whom he has met soon after his arrival in New York.

Midnight Cowboy is a movie that can easily annoy a lot of viewers with its style and story – this would probably qualify it as love/hate-movie but, as you can see from the position in my ranking, I am on the love-side as the whole presentation of the story constantly amazes me. From the editing which non-stop goes back and forth between reality and dream and past and present to the very often over-the-top direction which works so fantastically well in the context of the film to the beautiful use the song ‘Everybody’s Talkin’, Midnight Cowboy is a true masterpiece from start to finish. It’s a story of poverty and hopelessness, of friendship, maybe even love, and of hope for a better life. As a movie, Midnight Cowboy puts the viewer in a constant state of changing emotions – it can be funny, it can be incredibly sad, it can be shocking (some aspects may seem dated today but for me, Midnight Cowboy is still extremely powerful in so many moments), it can be entertaining.

And all these outstanding technical values surround what is easily one of the best male duos in cinema history. Jon Voight is absolutely first-class as the naïve wanna-be hustler who is tormented by his memories of the past and unable to lead the life he dreamed for himself. Dustin Hoffman matches him at every step and his portrayal of ‘Ratso’ may be the highpoint of his career. Brenda Vaccaro plays her small role as one of Joe’s clients with a welcome quietness while Sylvia Miles scored an Oscar-nomination for her extremely brief part as Joe’s first sexual encounter in New York – a role she plays with an unforgettable mix of comedy, satire and over-the-top hysterics.

From the first opening moments to the absolutely heartbreaking finale, Midnight Cowboy is an absolutely original and absorbing tale.