Movies to See in a Lifetime (9 of 40)

I came across a list of 100 movies to see in a lifetime and thought to myself, “Yep, gonna do that.” Then the world offered up a pandemic in order for me to make a dent in the list. #winning 

2020 was nothing if not isolating, so I enlisted an actor friend to watch with me. It was fun to have his behind-the-scenes commentary and our virtual movie nights became one of my favorite parts of quarantine. 

I took some creative license with the original list. Several of the movies were ones I had already seen and would not require a rewatch. (Let’s just say 15-year-old Caitlin watched Titanic like it was her job.)

I also found watching one film inspired me to want to see what else a specific actor or director has done. Hitchcock, for example, was sorely underrepresented. Also, how can you watch The Godfather Part One without following it up with Two and Three? 

Below are some of the more notable films along with my one or two sentence take away. I hope it inspires you to expand your own flick index. 

Rear Window: I LOVED this movie. Top three of all time. The intrigue, the esthetic, the voyeurism...I’m all in. 

Rebel Without a Cause: By today’s standards James Dean’s performance may not be ranked among the greatest, but given that it was 1955, wow! Also, for all the alleged “wholesomeness” of the 1950’s, these kids were killing puppies and bringing knives to school, so there’s that. 

Psycho: Is it weird that I {heart} Anthony Perkins/Norman Bates? Like a lot. Like, a lot a lot. 

Paper Moon: Another top contender. Ryan and Tatum O’Neal were pure magic. 

Taxi Driver: I was so unsettled by DeNiro’s portrayal that I initially thought the movie was just a cliché of 1970’s misogyny and machismo. It wasn’t until my actor friend explained that the parts that were off-putting were actually intentional choices that I grasped the brilliance behind it. Side note: an Oscar for Jodie Foster’s performance? Ehhh, not convinced. 

Some Like it Hot: Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon were both timeless and ahead of their time in terms of comedy and content. Also, first time seeing Marilyn Monroe in a movie. Supposedly she was a complete disaster behind the scenes, but she pulled it off on screen. 

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind: Brilliance. Comedians who can also act in serious films have to be some of the most talented humans on earth. 

Godfather Part One: An excellent way to spend three hours of your life. Also, Diane Keaton is in this?! I never knew! 

Godfather Part Two: Note to self: rewatch while sober because I definitely didn’t get the appeal. A solid meh. 

Citizen Kane: Rosebud. Still had to google it to figure out the meaning. 

Pan’s Labyrinth: Beautiful cinematography and story! Beware a brutal scene involving a bottle. Hint: watch with subtitles. 

My Own Private Idaho: River Phoenix and Keanu Reeves in queer-themed cinema...what more could you want? The movie itself was odd but I liked that it had to have been ground-breaking in the 90’s. 

Lost in Translation: I realize that at the time it was filmed, Scarlett Johansson was 18 to Bill Murray’s 52, but I don’t even care. Their chemistry was everything. 

One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest: Ugh, the ending! Poor Randle. 

Now, watching all 100 titles before my 40th birthday is just plain unrealistic. Frankly, I barely have time to do anything with consistent regularity. I have, however, been able to make a good dent in the list and most importantly, I have vastly improved my film repertoire.