#90 - #81
#90 - The Terminator (1984) - 37.5 points from three voters
A tense, brutal science fiction action that still holds up surprisingly well over thirty years after its release, Arnold Schwarzenegger's chilling portrayl of the time traveling robot would inspire multiple sequels - one of which (no guesses) appears higher up in this count down.
=#88 - Harold & Maude (1971) - 38 points from two voters
One I've neither seen nor heard of (the only one in the top 100, actually), Harold & Maude is described as a dark comedy about an unlikely love affair between a young man and a 79 year old woman. Ranked by AFI as one of the top 100 comedies and top 100 romance, it seems like it might be one I should be ashamed to have missed.
=#88 - The Devil Wears Prada (2006) - 38 points from two voters
Particularly hailed for the performances of Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway, this comedy-drama adaptation of the book of the same name is surprisingly accessible for a movie about fashion magazines and woman stuff.
#87 - Mad Max 2 (1981) 38.5 points from three voters
If Mad Max put George Miller and his dystopian vision on the map, it was the sequel that exposed the world to his twisted vision of a dry, post apocalyptic wasteland full of desperate people doing desperate things. Released as The Road Warrior in the US, the film quickly became a cult hit.
A commercial and critical success, Mad Max 2 is one of the most stylistic, inspired pieces of Australian cinema to ever grace the screen.
#86 - Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) - 42 points from two voters
The first (but not the only) Marvel film to make this year's count-down, Marvel took a huge gamble on releasing a film whose casting call included a talking racoon, a giant sentient tree, and a guy named Star Lord. The film proved to be a commercial and critical success, lauded for both its heart and its humour. The film proved to many that Marvel could do no wrong when it came to putting movies out there, although managed to prove a better film than many of their other more established properties had managed.
A sequel, tentatively scheduled for 2017, is in the works and Marvel have not ruled out the Guardians appearing in the Infinity Saga of the Avengers' series.
#85 - Memento (2000) - 42 points from three voters
The first major work of Christopher Nolan (whose other films include two higher placed films), Memento signalled the start of a beautiful working relationship between the well respected director and his talented brother. With powerful acting from Guy Pearce and an inventive, backwards storytelling style - it was a thriller that immediately stood out.
Some have criticised it for not being a particularly exciting movie when you remove the backwards element, but it garners enough votes to squeeze into the top ninety.
#84 - Cool Runnings (1993) - 42 points from four voters
Disney's 1993 retelling (and liberal re-imagining) of the exploits of Jamaica's 1988 Winter Olympic bobsled team proved to be a hit with both critics and audiences.
Despite being a sports movie about lovable underdogs, it manages to transcend the tropes of the genre due to a charming cast and an inspiring message.
#83 - A Fish Called Wanda (1988) - 42.5 points from three voters
An unofficial reunion of a large portion of the beloved Monty Python family, along with American ring-ins Kevin Kline (who won an Academy Award for his performance) and Carrie Fisher, this beloved heist comedy remains a genuinely funny film with plenty of quotable moments. It spawned a spiritual sequel (Fierce Creatures) which failed to garner any votes.
#82 - The Blind Side (2009) - 43 points from three voters
A football movie with a difference, The semi-autobiographical Blind Side focused more on the charitable efforts of Sandra Bullock's character and the struggles of Michael Oher than on the game itself. Well regarded, sentimental flick.
=#79 - Pirates of the Caribbean (2003) - 44 votes from 2 voters
You worried that Hollywood was completely out of ideas when they announced they were doing a big screen adaptation of an amusement park ride, but Gore Verbinski and Johnny Depp worked minor miracles in making this one of the most charming, enjoyable adventure flicks of the last twenty years. While its sequels failed to scale the heights the first managed, Depp's performance remains arguably the most iconic of his career.
