#75. In The Heat Of The Night

Year: 1967

Director: Norman Jewison

Reflections: An incredibly relevant film in 1967 and today, In The Heat Of The Night features Sidney Poitier and Rod Steiger in the heart of Sparta, Mississippi as they attempt to solve a homicide in the midst of tense racial conflict. I was highly impressed with Poitier and Steiger as the accoladed story brings out the heat in their internal battle between pride and justice. Hitting screens at the close of the American Civil Rights Movement, Jewison's film delivers a powerful message of common values overreaching racial barriers, as well as the futility of intolerance. Well done, boys.

#77. All The President's Men

Year: 1976

Director: Alan J. Pakula

Reflections: They say "All The President's Men" is the film that launched a thousand J-School students, and deservingly so. Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman quickly form a dynamic journalistic duo as they try to uncover the true story of the Watergate scandal. The writing in this film is just wonderful, winning the Academy Award for Best Writing, and the unique cinematography and art direction make "All The President's Men" a real treat for any cinema enthusiast.

#78. Modern Times

Year: 1936

Director: Charlie Chaplin

Reflections: Hello Charlie Chaplin! Before this flick, I never realized what an advocate Chaplin was for social change. Modern Times paints a haunting picture of American industrial capitalistic culture by telling the story of a factory worker (Charlie Chaplin) as he works himself crazy in the great human machine. After facing jail time and giving audiences from good laughs, the factory worker (known as The Tramp) meets a lovely young homeless woman. Together they embrace the idea of a simple life and walk off into the sunset. Absolutely awesome.

#79. The Wild Bunch

Year: 1969

Director: Sam Peckinpah

Reflections: The Wild Bunch tells the tale of a band of wild western outlaws swept over by change. As technology and the times advance, Williams Holden and his gang of vandals want to pull one final job before they fade into the sunset. What begins as a well planned heist turns into a series of gory shootouts as the outlaws come to realize the old ways are dead. Audiences grow to pity with the bad guys in this tale as they represent the human condition through their resilience and inability to cope with change.

#80. The Apartment

Year: 1960

Director: Billy Wilder

Reflections: Have I mentioned 1960 was a GREAT year for American film? The Apartment is a romantic dramedy starring Jack Lemon and Shirley MacLaine in a story that is nothing short of fanciful. C.C. Baxter (Lemon) is an up-and-coming businessman, mostly because he lends his apartment out to office superiors who want a discrete spot to host their love affairs. Baxter begins as a spineless little man, but through a series of mishaps undergoes a transformation into a strong character who stands up for himself. Audiences loved this black and white flick then, and I still do now. After all, there's a reason Spartacus didn't win Best Picture that year.

#81. Spartacus

Year: 1960

Director: Stanley Kubrick

Reflections: Let's start this one off by saying 1960 was a good year for American film. Kubrick's Spartacus took home four Oscars, but easily could have wracked up more in just about any other year. Kirk Douglas, a true man's man, gives an outstanding performance as Spartacus, a headstrong slave who ascends to lead a revolt on the Roman Empire. Quite a different approach to the time from epic "Ben-Hur", Spartacus is an inspiring story about a man's true character in the face of dire odds. Hats off to you, Kubrick. We'll be seeing you again soon.

#82. Sunrise

Year: 1927

Director: F.W. Murnau

Reflections: In comes Sunrise at #82 as the first silent film on the countdown. Murnau's work was definitely interesting, and it was deemed quite creative at the time, claiming the Academy Award for Best Picture, Unique and Artistic Production. The story follows a farmer who becomes enchanted by a big-city woman and is driven to the point of attempting to murder his wife. Perhaps the film's message is best summed up in an opening title card:

"For wherever the sun rises and sets, in the city's turmoil or under the open sky on the farm, life is much the same,; sometimes bitter, sometimes sweet."