5FFF: AFI's 100 Years...100 Movies

Modern Times
This may be Chaplin’s best.

The comedy is top-notch (the introduction, prison scenes, roller skating, and finale song are all top-tier Chaplin bits), but for me, Charlie Chaplin is always funny, creative, and pioneering. But where Modern Times surpasses its predecessors is in its sincerity, as we see a side to Chaplin that I’m not sure had been captured before this. 

In his final film as the Tramp, Chaplin shares the spotlight with Paulette Goddard, the spunky “gamin” who easily secures herself as Chaplin’s greatest heroine. The relationship between the Tramp and the Gamin is sweet, romantic, and somehow plausible? All they want is to be in love, work a steady job, and make enough money to afford fresh food and a small house. And even though they never get all those things, they never give up, and the film ends with them smiling wide and holding hands as they walk along an empty highway, towards an uncertain future. Modern Times is the perfect cap to Chaplin’s decades-long portrayal of the Tramp, and quite possibly the highlight of his career.

The Maltese Falcon
“So, this orb has a real shiny blue suitcase, Ark of the Covenant, Maltese Falcon sort of vibe. What is it?”— Star Lord

Literally all I knew about this movie going into it was the MacGuffin (as referenced in the quote above by Chris Pratt in Guardians of the Galaxy), so naturally I was expecting some kind of old-timey adventure, maybe even something a little Indiana Jones-y… but this is straight-up noir, baby!

Though it’s certainly not the most complex film, there is value in doing a simple thing well. The plot is winding, the acting is cheesy, and the cinematography is deceptively smart. I think my favorite characters are actually the criminals— Peter Lorre (of M fame), Elisha Cook Jr. (who I recognized from Kubrick’s The Killing) and Sydney Greenstreet as the “Fat Man,” in his film debut. Of course Bogart carries the thing, but there are few mysteries with this many quality supporting characters (several of whom are queer-coded, I might add). The more I think about The Maltese Falcon, the more there is to unpack there, so I'd definitely recommend giving this one a watch (or multiple watches) if you haven't!

It Happened One Night
This movie premiered just FOUR MONTHS before the Hays Code was implemented, but pre-code is pre-code and this movie (which more or less invented the rom-com in 1934) is sultry as f**k.

Despite that fact that nobody wanted to make this movie and everybody thought it was going to be a flop, It Happened One Night is just a straight-up romp! Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert (who hated each other in real life) have fantastic chemistry, and the fact that this is a road movie, or more specifically, a bus movie makes it all the more exciting. I mean, what’s not to love? A sassy newspaper reporter and a runaway socialite navigating the weird world of hitchhiking, uncomfortable sleeping arrangements, and public showers? Count me in, sir!

Bonnie and Clyde
I get why this is an American classic— it’s super well-made, Dunaway and Beatty are charming, and the whole thing just screeeeams “America!” to me— but ultimately this didn’t really live up to my expectations. I guess I did appreciate how it didn’t play into the myth that Bonnie and Clyde were these mastermind criminals, but I still felt underwhelmed by the parts of the movie that were supposed to be “action-packed.” I think Bonnie and Clyde works best when it’s just the characters interacting with each other. In those moments, the movie is actually quite funny, and sweet. That’s why my favorite sequence is the hilarious carjacking and subsequent road trip with Gene Wilder (in his film debut no less). I’d definitely recommend this to any film buff or western/crime movie fan, but would I put it on the AFI Top 100? Or even 200? No.

Citizen Kane
This is the 200th film I have logged in my 5 Film Film Festival, and I’m so happy I can finally say that I HAVE SEEN CITIZEN KANE.

My biggest takeaway after watching this is that Citizen Kane is easily one of the most impressive films I’ve ever seen— and I’m not even saying I loved it that much! But between the awe-inspiring cinematography, unique story structure, and top-notch acting, it’s hard to overstate just how immaculately put together this movie is. It’s no secret that Citizen Kane is an incredible milestone in the history of cinema, but I still think it needs to be said that this was only released in 1941. This was released the same year as The Maltese Falcon and somehow it feels like this film is two decades ahead in terms of vision and execution. 
If I had one big critique of the film, it may just be that there is a lot going on. Is it too much? I’m not sure yet. There are so many ideas and little details in every single shot, it’s going to take a few more rewatches before I come to a decision. 

But either way, there’s no denying the sheer scope of this film. I’m looking forward to seeing more Orson Welles in the future, but even if this is his only great film, he’s a legend in my book.

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What is 5 Film Film Festival (5FFF)?
In short, 5 Film Film Festival is an ongoing personal project to help me watch more classic films. For each mini “festival,” I will choose a random theme (be it a genre, actor, director, etc.) and curate five movies that fit that theme to watch for the first time. When I started this journey, I posted my brief, unpolished thoughts on Letterboxd. I like this more informal, less pretentious mode of watching older movies, so as I begin documenting the project here on the site, don’t expect a lot of in-depth analysis— every “review” will read more like a “first reaction.”

If you’re like me, and you have more than a few blind spots in your cinematic knowledge, then consider joining me on this lifelong endeavor. Watch along, recommend themes, and organize some mini festivals of your own!