AFI (the American Film Institute) did their annual countdown list last night on the 100 most inspirational films of all time.

Here's the list:

1 IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE 1946
2 TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD 1962
3 SCHINDLER'S LIST 1993
4 ROCKY 1976
5 MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON 1939
6 E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL 1982
7 THE GRAPES OF WRATH 1940
8 BREAKING AWAY 1979
9 MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET 1947
10 SAVING PRIVATE RYAN 1998
11 THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES 1946
12 APOLLO 13 1995
13 HOOSIERS 1986
14 THE BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI 1957
15 THE MIRACLE WORKER 1962
16 NORMA RAE 1979
17 ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST 1975
18 THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK 1959
19 THE RIGHT STUFF 1983
20 PHILADELPHIA 1993
21 IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT 1967
22 THE PRIDE OF THE YANKEES 1942
23 THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION 1994
24 NATIONAL VELVET 1944
25 SULLIVAN'S TRAVELS 1941
26 THE WIZARD OF OZ 1939
27 HIGH NOON 1952
28 FIELD OF DREAMS 1989
29 GANDHI 1982
30 LAWRENCE OF ARABIA 1962
31 GLORY 1989
32 CASABLANCA 1942
33 CITY LIGHTS 1931
34 ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN 1976
35 GUESS WHO'S COMING TO DINNER 1967
36 ON THE WATERFRONT 1954
37 FORREST GUMP 1994
38 PINOCCHIO 1940
39 STAR WARS 1977
40 MRS. MINIVER 1942
41 THE SOUND OF MUSIC 1965
42 12 ANGRY MEN 1957
43 GONE WITH THE WIND 1939
44 SPARTACUS 1960
45 ON GOLDEN POND 1981
46 LILIES OF THE FIELD 1963
47 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY 1968
48 THE AFRICAN QUEEN 1951
49 MEET JOHN DOE 1941
50 SEABISCUIT 2003
51 THE COLOR PURPLE 1985
52 DEAD POET'S SOCIETY 1989
53 SHANE 1953
54 RUDY 1993
55 THE DEFIANT ONES 1958
56 BEN-HUR 1959
57 SERGEANT YORK 1941
58 CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND 1977
59 DANCES WITH WOLVES 1990
60 THE KILLING FIELDS 1984
61 SOUNDER 1972
62 BRAVEHEART 1995
63 RAIN MAN 1988
64 THE BLACK STALLION 1979
65 A RAISIN IN THE SUN 1961
66 SILKWOOD 1983
67 THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL 1951
68 AN OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN 1982
69 THE SPIRIT OF ST. LOUIS 1957
70 COAL MINER'S DAUGHTER 1980
71 COOL HAND LUKE 1967
72 DARK VICTORY 1939
73 ERIN BROCKOVICH 2000
74 GUNGA DIN 1939
75 THE VERDICT 1982
76 BIRDMAN OF ALCATRAZ 1962
77 DRIVING MISS DAISY 1989
78 THELMA & LOUISE 1991
79 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS 1956
80 BABE 1995
81 BOYS TOWN 1938
82 FIDDLER ON THE ROOF 1971
83 MR. DEEDS GOES TO TOWN 1936
84 SERPICO 1973
85 WHAT'S LOVE GOT TO DO WITH IT 1993
86 STAND AND DELIVER 1988
87 WORKING GIRL 1988
88 YANKEE DOODLE DANDY 1942
89 HAROLD AND MAUDE 1972
90 HOTEL RWANDA 2004
91 THE PAPER CHASE 1973
92 FAME 1980
93 A BEAUTIFUL MIND 2001
94 CAPTAINS COURAGEOUS 1937
95 PLACES IN THE HEART 1984
96 SEARCHING FOR BOBBY FISCHER 1993
97 MADAME CURIE 1943
98 THE KARATE KID 1984
99 RAY 2004
100 CHARIOTS OF FIRE 1981

Do you agree with these choices?

I've heard of about 5 of these movies.

I have these on DVD and think they are wonderful films . . .

THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION 1994
THE DEFIANT ONES 1958
12 ANGRY MEN 1957
CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND 1977

I think these are also great films . . .

ROCKY 1976
E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL 1982
PINOCCHIO 1940
STAR WARS 1977
THE WIZARD OF OZ 1939
SHANE 1953
BEN-HUR 1959
BABE 1995
FAME 1980
A BEAUTIFUL MIND 2001

And these I would like to see . . .

IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE 1946
MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON 1939
THE GRAPES OF WRATH 1940
ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST 1975

Some weird entries . . .

WHAT'S LOVE GOT TO DO WITH IT 1992
AN OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN 1982
BRAVEHEART 1995

At least these three were rubbish.

I've heard of about 5 of these movies.


Really? I've probably heard of 95 out of the 100 of those movies.. Probably have seen about 40-50 of those listed.

1 IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE 1946
23 THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION 1994
26 THE WIZARD OF OZ 1939
37 FORREST GUMP 1994
41 THE SOUND OF MUSIC 1965

I agree with these.  #41 is my all-time favorite movie!  :)

I agree with these.  #41 is my all-time favorite movie!  :)


41. would be mine too but Mary Poppins is my Julie Andrews fix.  ;D

41. would be mine too but Mary Poppins is my Julie Andrews fix.  ;D


That's another excellent film!  8)

That's another excellent film!  8)


Apart from Dick Van Dyke's godawful London accent, it's a great film.  :)

Apart from Dick Van Dyke's godawful London accent, it's a great film.  :)


LOL!  ;D

I LOVE Mary Poppins, and I love The Sound of Music - I just can't decide between the two. I'm so torn...

I LOVE Mary Poppins, and I love The Sound of Music - I just can't decide between the two. I'm so torn...


You have very good taste, Krissy!  8)

1 IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE 1946                       hard to argue with
7 THE GRAPES OF WRATH 1940                       I'm from Oklahoma I can't help but like it
17 ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST 1975 this one is great and I plan to buy the version with the most extras -- but insprational?
21 IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT 1967               very good, can imagine buying it -- but again, inspirational?
23 THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION 1994           great; I want to trade my basic DVD for the one with extras
24 NATIONAL VELVET 1944                             own it for when kids visit; able to watch it with them
26 THE WIZARD OF OZ 1939                            own it and love it; the special features are great too esp. alternate takes of songs
30 LAWRENCE OF ARABIA 1962                        so inspring I only need to see it about every 10 years
32 CASABLANCA 1942                                      great; I own the Bogart collection et al and this one makes me cry every time
37 FORREST GUMP 1994                                 hate to admit how much I like it but doubt I'll ever own it
43 GONE WITH THE WIND 1939                       own the 3 disc set; not sure I would call it inspirational
48 THE AFRICAN QUEEN 1951                          hokey but great and yes, inspirational
51 THE COLOR PURPLE 1985                            need to see it but just bought the book
88 YANKEE DOODLE DANDY 1942                    corny but inspiring
89 HAROLD AND MAUDE 1972                         one of my all time favorites but not on my inspiring list really; great comedy

Most of the rest I haven't seen or didn't like.  I would add to the list:
7 Faces of Dr. Lao (old fasioned effects and slow paced but really inspiring toward the end)
Aliens (so long as we can pretend the third movie was just a bad dream)
Armeggedon (bad scifi but stirring stuff)
Cabin in the Sky
Don Juan DeMarco
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (not achieving the goals of marriage and/or money but Marilyn's speech to her future father-in-law)
K-PAX
The Last Samurai
Independence Day (also bad scifi but again, stirring stuff)
Legend
The Lord of the Rings trilogy
Pleasantville
To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar
We're No Angels -- the Bogart version

Lists like this make less sense to me than the original "100 Best American Films" and "100 Best American Comedies."  I can quickly make a list of Most Moving movies but inspiration implies I want to get up and do something when it's over and most of the great ones make me more reflective.  That's why Armegeddon and Independence Day are on this list.  They do make me want to cheer, even if I am embarrassed to be so obviously manipulated.

You have very good taste, Krissy!  8)


Thanks!  :) So, do you!

Thanks!  :) So, do you!


Thank you!  ;)

Do I have good taste too while we're at it?  ;D

AFI (the American Film Institute) did their annual countdown list last night on the 100 most inspirational films of all time.

Here's the list:

1 IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE 1946
2 TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD 1962
3 SCHINDLER'S LIST 1993
4 ROCKY 1976
5 MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON 1939
6 E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL 1982
7 THE GRAPES OF WRATH 1940
8 BREAKING AWAY 1979
9 MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET 1947
10 SAVING PRIVATE RYAN 1998
11 THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES 1946
12 APOLLO 13 1995
13 HOOSIERS 1986
14 THE BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI 1957
15 THE MIRACLE WORKER 1962
16 NORMA RAE 1979
17 ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST 1975
18 THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK 1959
19 THE RIGHT STUFF 1983
20 PHILADELPHIA 1993
21 IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT 1967
22 THE PRIDE OF THE YANKEES 1942
23 THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION 1994
24 NATIONAL VELVET 1944
25 SULLIVAN'S TRAVELS 1941
26 THE WIZARD OF OZ 1939
27 HIGH NOON 1952
28 FIELD OF DREAMS 1989
29 GANDHI 1982
30 LAWRENCE OF ARABIA 1962
31 GLORY 1989
32 CASABLANCA 1942
33 CITY LIGHTS 1931
34 ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN 1976
35 GUESS WHO'S COMING TO DINNER 1967
36 ON THE WATERFRONT 1954
37 FORREST GUMP 1994
38 PINOCCHIO 1940
39 STAR WARS 1977
40 MRS. MINIVER 1942
41 THE SOUND OF MUSIC 1965
42 12 ANGRY MEN 1957
43 GONE WITH THE WIND 1939
44 SPARTACUS 1960
45 ON GOLDEN POND 1981
46 LILIES OF THE FIELD 1963
47 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY 1968
48 THE AFRICAN QUEEN 1951
49 MEET JOHN DOE 1941
50 SEABISCUIT 2003
51 THE COLOR PURPLE 1985
52 DEAD POET'S SOCIETY 1989
53 SHANE 1953
54 RUDY 1993
55 THE DEFIANT ONES 1958
56 BEN-HUR 1959
57 SERGEANT YORK 1941
58 CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND 1977
59 DANCES WITH WOLVES 1990
60 THE KILLING FIELDS 1984
61 SOUNDER 1972
62 BRAVEHEART 1995
63 RAIN MAN 1988
64 THE BLACK STALLION 1979
65 A RAISIN IN THE SUN 1961
66 SILKWOOD 1983
67 THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL 1951
68 AN OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN 1982
69 THE SPIRIT OF ST. LOUIS 1957
70 COAL MINER'S DAUGHTER 1980
71 COOL HAND LUKE 1967
72 DARK VICTORY 1939
73 ERIN BROCKOVICH 2000
74 GUNGA DIN 1939
75 THE VERDICT 1982
76 BIRDMAN OF ALCATRAZ 1962
77 DRIVING MISS DAISY 1989
78 THELMA & LOUISE 1991
79 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS 1956
80 BABE 1995
81 BOYS TOWN 1938
82 FIDDLER ON THE ROOF 1971
83 MR. DEEDS GOES TO TOWN 1936
84 SERPICO 1973
85 WHAT'S LOVE GOT TO DO WITH IT 1993
86 STAND AND DELIVER 1988
87 WORKING GIRL 1988
88 YANKEE DOODLE DANDY 1942
89 HAROLD AND MAUDE 1972
90 HOTEL RWANDA 2004
91 THE PAPER CHASE 1973
92 FAME 1980
93 A BEAUTIFUL MIND 2001
94 CAPTAINS COURAGEOUS 1937
95 PLACES IN THE HEART 1984
96 SEARCHING FOR BOBBY FISCHER 1993
97 MADAME CURIE 1943
98 THE KARATE KID 1984
99 RAY 2004
100 CHARIOTS OF FIRE 1981

Do you agree with these choices?




Italics equal films I've seen, bold equals films I own.

That's an interesting way of doing it. Maybe I ought to try it...

As the way Sister Morphine did it, The ones I've seen are in Italics - the ones in Bold, I've seen and own, as well.

1 IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE 1946
2 TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD 1962
3 SCHINDLER'S LIST 1993
4 ROCKY 1976
5 MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON 1939
6 E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL 1982
7 THE GRAPES OF WRATH 1940
8 BREAKING AWAY 1979
9 MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET 1947
10 SAVING PRIVATE RYAN 1998
11 THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES 1946
12 APOLLO 13 1995
13 HOOSIERS 1986
14 THE BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI 1957
15 THE MIRACLE WORKER 1962
16 NORMA RAE 1979
17 ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST 1975
18 THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK 1959
19 THE RIGHT STUFF 1983
20 PHILADELPHIA 1993
21 IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT 1967
22 THE PRIDE OF THE YANKEES 1942
23 THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION 1994
24 NATIONAL VELVET 1944
25 SULLIVAN'S TRAVELS 1941
26 THE WIZARD OF OZ 1939
27 HIGH NOON 1952
28 FIELD OF DREAMS 1989
29 GANDHI 1982
30 LAWRENCE OF ARABIA 1962
31 GLORY 1989
32 CASABLANCA 1942
33 CITY LIGHTS 1931
34 ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN 1976
35 GUESS WHO'S COMING TO DINNER 1967
36 ON THE WATERFRONT 1954
37 FORREST GUMP 1994
38 PINOCCHIO 1940
39 STAR WARS 1977
40 MRS. MINIVER 1942
41 THE SOUND OF MUSIC 1965
42 12 ANGRY MEN 1957
43 GONE WITH THE WIND 1939
44 SPARTACUS 1960
45 ON GOLDEN POND 1981
46 LILIES OF THE FIELD 1963
47 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY 1968
48 THE AFRICAN QUEEN 1951
49 MEET JOHN DOE 1941
50 SEABISCUIT 2003
51 THE COLOR PURPLE 1985
52 DEAD POET'S SOCIETY 1989
53 SHANE 1953
54 RUDY 1993
55 THE DEFIANT ONES 1958
56 BEN-HUR 1959
57 SERGEANT YORK 1941
58 CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND 1977
59 DANCES WITH WOLVES 1990
60 THE KILLING FIELDS 1984
61 SOUNDER 1972
62 BRAVEHEART 1995
63 RAIN MAN 1988
64 THE BLACK STALLION 1979
65 A RAISIN IN THE SUN 1961
66 SILKWOOD 1983
67 THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL 1951
68 AN OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN 1982
69 THE SPIRIT OF ST. LOUIS 1957
70 COAL MINER'S DAUGHTER 1980
71 COOL HAND LUKE 1967
72 DARK VICTORY 1939
73 ERIN BROCKOVICH 2000
74 GUNGA DIN 1939
75 THE VERDICT 1982
76 BIRDMAN OF ALCATRAZ 1962
77 DRIVING MISS DAISY 1989
78 THELMA & LOUISE 1991
79 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS 1956
80 BABE 1995
81 BOYS TOWN 1938
82 FIDDLER ON THE ROOF 1971
83 MR. DEEDS GOES TO TOWN 1936
84 SERPICO 1973
85 WHAT'S LOVE GOT TO DO WITH IT 1993
86 STAND AND DELIVER 1988
87 WORKING GIRL 1988
88 YANKEE DOODLE DANDY 1942
89 HAROLD AND MAUDE 1972
90 HOTEL RWANDA 2004
91 THE PAPER CHASE 1973
92 FAME 1980
93 A BEAUTIFUL MIND 2001
94 CAPTAINS COURAGEOUS 1937
95 PLACES IN THE HEART 1984
96 SEARCHING FOR BOBBY FISCHER 1993
97 MADAME CURIE 1943
98 THE KARATE KID 1984
99 RAY 2004
100 CHARIOTS OF FIRE 1981

my wife, Lady Di was watching this same show last night, and called me in bedroom to get all excited with her about the #1 movie  IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE 1946  and then was ready to smack me upside my head when i confessed I'd never seen it in it's entirety.  :-[

my wife, Lady Di was watching this same show last night, and called me in bedroom to get all excited with her about the #1 movie  IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE 1946  and then was ready to smack me upside my head when i confessed I'd never seen it in it's entirety.  :-[


I haven't seen it either but I should eventually.

I haven't seen it either but I should eventually.
you wanna come over and watch it Bobby?  Just hop on a plane mate, and come to California & bring some of them other Englanders with you too. party at my house

you wanna come over and watch it Bobby?  Just hop on a plane mate, and come to California & bring some of them other Englanders with you too. party at my house


Nice one! I'll bring the beers!  8)

Nice one! I'll bring the beers!  8)
If you bring enough we'll watch all 100 films.

If you bring enough we'll watch all 100 films.


We'll both be pissed by the 46th film!  ;D

It might make watching 'An officer and a gentleman' and 'What's love got to do with it' more bearable to watch anyway.  ;)

I need to get a life, of all these movies the only ones I haven't seen are
"Hotel Rwanda" and "Chariots of Fire."

I need to get a life, of all these movies the only ones I haven't seen are
"Hotel Rwanda" and "Chariots of Fire."


That's a life to me. and I'm impressed because I love movies. You can borrow Chariots of Fire anytime Loki13. It's a good (slow) film, very inspirational.

I'm having a hard time with One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest being inspirational. ;D