Top 100 Films: 90-81

90. Naked Lunch (1991, dir. David Cronenberg)
Based on the famously cryptic William Boroughs novel, Naked Lunch is an utterly original and fascinating film that somehow manages to be both grotesque and captivatingly sensual.
89. On the Waterfront (1954, dir. Elia Kazan)
Made after his controversial testimony to the HUAC committee, Kazan's film seemingly extolls the value of informing while characterizing unions as thuggish, cold-blood crime crime syndicates. This perception of the film is not necessarily wrong, only irrelevant. If one only sees this movie as a solipsistic attempt at self-exculpation, than certainly it does not seem as impressive, but when I look more deeply at this movie I see an astonishingly well-acted and humanistic morality tale.
88. The Player (1992, dir. Robert Altman)
Robert Altman's singularly uncontrolled style lends itself perfectly to this darkly satirical take on Hollywood. It's combination of scathing wit and extistential angst make it a truly rare and precious comedy.
87. Letters from Iwo Jima (2006, dir. Clint Eastwood)
Eastwood's indelible vision underlies the evocative power of this rendering of the Battle of Iwo Jima from the Japanese perspective.
86. There Will Be Blood (2007, dir. Paul Thomas Anderson)
Anchored by Paul Thomas Anderson's spellbinding direction and a haunting performance by Daniel Day Lewis, this was the best of film of 2007.
85. Ed Wood (1994, dir. Tim Burton)
A brilliantly funny and moving look at one of American cinema's most eccentric-and bad-artists.
84. The Color of Money (1986, dir. Martin Scorcese)
This Scorcese-directed sequel to The Hustler is a dynamic visual masterpiece containing one of Paul Newman's most affecting performances.
83. Quiz Show (1994, dir. Robert Redford)
A superbly crafted docudrama, which illuminates the ethical complexity of a media-pervaded American society better than nearly any film.
82. Shattered Glass (2003, dir. Billy Ray)
Hayden Christiansen gives a surprisingly vulnerable and enigmatic performance as disgraced journalist Stephen Glass, who fabricated dozens of stories during his time at the New Republic. Although Christiansen performs admirably, the real standout in this film is Peter Sarsgaard, who is outstanding as Glass' embattled editor.
81. A Few Good Men (1992, dir. Rob Reiner)
With memorable performances from the entire cast and tautly adept direction by Reiner, this is the most purely entertaining courtroom drama ever produced.