This is a joke, right? The latest AFI travesty, which I will replicate but not link to because the encouraging has got to stop--now--is called "100 Years... 100 Cheers" and allegedly details the 100 most "inspirational" films.
1 IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE 1946 2 TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD 1962 3 SCHINDLER'S LIST 1993 4 ROCKY 1976 5 MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON 1939 6 E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL 1982 7 THE GRAPES OF WRATH 1940 8 BREAKING AWAY 1979 9 MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET 1947 10 SAVING PRIVATE RYAN 1998 11 THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES 1946 12 APOLLO 13 1995 13 HOOSIERS 1986 14 THE BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI 1957 15 THE MIRACLE WORKER 1962 16 NORMA RAE 1979 17 ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST 1975 18 THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK 1959 19 THE RIGHT STUFF 1983 20 PHILADELPHIA 1993 21 IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT 1967 22 THE PRIDE OF THE YANKEES 1942 23 THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION 1994 24 NATIONAL VELVET 1944 25 SULLIVAN'S TRAVELS 1941 26 THE WIZARD OF OZ 1939 27 HIGH NOON 1952 28 FIELD OF DREAMS 1989 29 GANDHI 1982 30 LAWRENCE OF ARABIA 1962 31 GLORY 1989 32 CASABLANCA 1942 33 CITY LIGHTS 1931 34 ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN 1976 35 GUESS WHO'S COMING TO DINNER 1967 36 ON THE WATERFRONT 1954 37 FORREST GUMP 1994 38 PINOCCHIO 1940 39 STAR WARS 1977 40 MRS. MINIVER 1942 41 THE SOUND OF MUSIC 1965 42 12 ANGRY MEN 1957 43 GONE WITH THE WIND 1939 44 SPARTACUS 1960 45 ON GOLDEN POND 1981 46 LILIES OF THE FIELD 1963 47 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY 1968 48 THE AFRICAN QUEEN 1951 49 MEET JOHN DOE 1941 50 SEABISCUIT 2003 51 THE COLOR PURPLE 1985 52 DEAD POET'S SOCIETY 1989 53 SHANE 1953 54 RUDY 1993 55 THE DEFIANT ONES 1958 56 BEN-HUR 1959 57 SERGEANT YORK 1941 58 CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND 1977 59 DANCES WITH WOLVES 1990 60 THE KILLING FIELDS 1984 61 SOUNDER 1972 62 BRAVEHEART 1995 63 RAIN MAN 1988 64 THE BLACK STALLION 1979 65 A RAISIN IN THE SUN 1961 66 SILKWOOD 1983 67 THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL 1951 68 AN OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN 1982 69 THE SPIRIT OF ST. LOUIS 1957 70 COAL MINER'S DAUGHTER 1980 71 COOL HAND LUKE 1967 72 DARK VICTORY 1939 73 ERIN BROCKOVICH 2000 74 GUNGA DIN 1939 75 THE VERDICT 1982 76 BIRDMAN OF ALCATRAZ 1962 77 DRIVING MISS DAISY 1989 78 THELMA & LOUISE 1991 79 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS 1956 80 BABE 1995 81 BOYS TOWN 1938 82 FIDDLER ON THE ROOF 1971 83 MR. DEEDS GOES TO TOWN 1936 84 SERPICO 1973 85 WHAT'S LOVE GOT TO DO WITH IT 1993 86 STAND AND DELIVER 1988 87 WORKING GIRL 1988 88 YANKEE DOODLE DANDY 1942 89 HAROLD AND MAUDE 1972 90 HOTEL RWANDA 2004 91 THE PAPER CHASE 1973 92 FAME 1980 93 A BEAUTIFUL MIND 2001 94 CAPTAINS COURAGEOUS 1937 95 PLACES IN THE HEART 1984 96 SEARCHING FOR BOBBY FISCHER 1993 97 MADAME CURIE 1943 98 THE KARATE KID 1984 99 RAY 2004 100 CHARIOTS OF FIRE 1981
Keee-riiist. Inspirational, my ass. I do not think that word means what you think it means.
We could start with No. 1 and then tot up how many other films in the list are about how life drives you to suicide. Or else there's poverty, racism, war, aging, mental and physical illness, financial failure, domestic violence, corporate greed, injustice, colonialism, and genocide--yeah, good times.
Don't get me wrong, some good flicks amid the crap. That's called probability and statistics, people.
If you need me, I'll be over here, whistling.*
*The cinetrix always substitutes "jolly rotten" with "Johnny Rotten," which she finds works just as well, if not better.