Rotten Tomatoes asked if you knew movies and the response was overwhelming. Film fans from across Australia and New Zealand filled our in-boxes with top ten lists. While it must be said that some were better written than others, all were passionate and displayed a level of film fandom that we love to see here at RT. Sadly, some wonderful entries had to be put aside because their authors ignored the fifty-word limit per review and word-count is everything. Still, all of the entries made a great read and we found some wonderful new films and re-discovered some forgotten treasures as we plowed through the piles of entries.
Thank you so much for your enthusiastic response and please keep your eyes open for similar competitions in the future. They are coming!
Our seven finalists were:
Matthew Scott, Dunedin, New Zealand
Gary Mullens, Castlemaine, Victoria, Australia
Joshua Gayosso-Robinson, Aukland, New Zealand
Sunny Nagpal, NSW, Australia
Chris Gander, NSW, Australia
Kunal Mirchandani, NSW, Australia
Sarah Tennant, Hamilton, New Zealand
I am pleased to announce our winner is Shayne Adam from Victoria, Australia and here is our winning top ten.
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Casablanca (1942)
Tomatometer: 98%
The classic status of Curtiz’s opus could be attributed to the formidable ensemble, faultless script or any other technical aspect that goes into making a film. On recalling my first viewing, it was Rick Blaine’s wit and sarcasm that dragged this film into the modern age. Brilliant.
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12 Angry Men (1957)
Tomatometer: 100%
Henry Fonda’s headstrong every-man performance sparkles in this gripping ensemble piece about a jury’s deliberations on a seemingly open-and-shut murder case. Complex topics such as racism and prejudice are brought to the fore, culminating in an engrossing scene with Ed Begley Snr.
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Fargo (1996)
Tomatometer: 93%
The Coen brothers knack for making both pedestrian and macabre scenes comedic, works exceptionally well in this tale of a kidnapping gone wrong. The masterful casting and screenplay excel this thriller past the slew of second-rate crime flicks and into the quintessential-viewing realm.
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Glengarry Glen Ross (1992)
Tomatometer: 98%
A composite of America’s greatest actors bring David Mamet’s adapted play to life. This portrayal of a group of real estate salesman and their last chance efforts to retain their jobs is an acting student’s dream. A gleaming highlight is Alec Baldwin’s brass-balls scene, especially written for him by Mamet.
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The Godfather (1972)
Tomatometer: 100%
Like Michael’s duty to his family, there’s an overwhelming sense of the whole being bigger than the sum of this movie’s parts. This meticulously constructed gangster masterpiece shows the world what can happen when all magical movie elements align. There will never be another piece of art created like this.
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The Maltese Falcon (1941)
Tomatometer: 100%
It took three attempts, a legendary director and a handful of movie legends to dish out movie justice to Dashiell Hammett’s novel. But third time was well and truly a charm as Bogart’s Spade suavely accepts the challenge to hunt down the mysterious bird. Intriguing mystery at its very best.
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Rear Window (1954)
Tomatometer: 100%
Rear Window may stand as Alfred Hitchcock’s most straightforward collaboration with James Stewart, who plays a wheelchair bound photographer who passes the time watching his mischievous (or perhaps murderous?) neighbours from his window, but it’s certainly the most rewarding. Technically gripping stuff from the master of suspense.
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Goodfellas (1990)
Tomatometer: 96%
Similar to Coppola’s Godfather films, Scorsese focuses on a family of gangsters using his own stylistic approach. Told from one character’s point of view, this cross-generational epic effortlessly displays how anyone, given the right surrounding and personality, can be drawn to a career of crime.
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Seven Samurai (1954)
Tomatometer: 100%
Kurosawa’s groundbreaking, against-the-odds tale of a group of masterless samurai who bind together to save a tormented village still stands as a template for countless modern day releases. Brimming with action, comedy and heartbreaking drama, Seven Samurai is a fully-fledged classic.
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The Shining (1980)
Tomatometer: 86%
Stanley Kubrick’s loose adaptation of Stephen King’s novel about a writer-turned-caretaker and his family, employed to overlook(!) a haunted hotel in the off-season is an artistic, visually haunting splendour. Uncharacteristically, intentional gaps in story actually add to the memorable nature of certain key scenes that forever linger with the viewer.
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