The Top 100 Project

The foreign botanist with healing powers is the star of our 103rd T100P ‘cast. This movie manipulates its audience in very eye-watering ways, complete with John Williams’ soaring music. Raiders was last week, so this is back-to-back Spielbergs…and it’s a kids movie. That can’t be good for Bev, right? Hit that play button to find out, but get some Sparkplug.Coffee too!

Our 102nd T100P podcast is one of the most enjoyable movies anybody has ever made. Steven Spielberg, George Lucas and their star Harrison Ford redefined what action-adventure pictures could be. But wait! This director is not Bev’s buddy. She liked Jaws, CE3K not so much. Did she jibe with Steve’s 4th AFI movie? Buy some Sparkplug.Coffee, then find out!

We enter the ’80s on the T101P with the ferocious Scorsese/De Niro abusive boxer movie that’s considered one of the modern greats. We branch off into all sorts of different areas with this episode, including the oft-rough & bloody tribulations of the film’s makers. To get through this lengthy podcast, get you some Sparkplug.Coffee and then dive right in!

Our *ahem* wordiest podcast yet is #100 (!) on the T100P. This epic, messy freak-out war flick is the Jackson Pollock of movies. Coppola, Brando, Duvall and Sheen are all making their last AFI picture. Is it a great one...or the greatest one? (you can only say "great" or "greatest") For all its flaws, this remains a monster of a movie. Just don't watch Redux. Also, since this is the last film from the '70s, we gab about the decade. Hit Sparkplug.Coffee first, then get us going!

We sic T100P podcast #99 on you one week before America's Memorial Day. That's appropriate, even if there's much debate whether or not this movie is patriotic. It certainly covers all kinds of PTSD and the unending pain of war. In ego-driven director Michael Cimino's hands, Robert De Niro and the entire cast is sensational. Powerful stuff. Order up some Sparkplug Coffee and get into a memorable episode.

Or: alien invasion of the nice kind. Then again, are these aliens as benevolent as people think? We have theories. Spielberg's 2nd AFI movie makes for our 98th T100P podcast. Was this a worthy choice for the Institute to include on their list? Theories on that too! Check out ye ol' Sparkplug.Coffee, then tune us in for words about CE3K.

T100P podcast #97 is the little-seen, esoteric, under-appreciated Star Wars. Ha! Okay okay, who needs to be sold on this one? Love it or loathe it, you know all about it. So click the buttons to get some Sparkplug.Coffee and allow us to dissect the Wars.

Woody Allen's only AFI picture, great as it is, isn't even appreciated by its maker. We certainly dig it though. Rom-coms don't get much better. Podcast #96 covers all the Woody ground, including his controversial personal life. Score yourself some Sparkplug.Coffee and hear all about it.

Kevin Smith's breakout flick is the foul-mouthed subject of our 10th Not 100 Project podcast. Trevor Little chose Clerks after he won our "Pick Your Podcast" contest. Not surprisingly, Smith's name is mentioned far more often than his actors. Dude's an unlikely multi-media superstar. We also chat a little about one of Trevor's other faves, Super Troopers. Our longtime sponsor remains Sparkplug.Coffee.

The 95th edition of the T100P features the ultimate underdog story before the series turned into amusing self-parody. Sly Stallone's signature role made him a huge star, something he wouldn't have achieved if he didn't write his own script with such authenticity. He was a DIY kind of guy. Order some Sparkplug.Coffee and punch that play button!

One of Ryan's favourite sayings: "There's nothing the media likes talking about more than the media." It's fitting that we got mad as hell in this future-seeing satire that rips television and corporate money-licking to shreds. Podcast #94 covers the brilliance of the Chayefsky screenplay, Lumet's direction and the actors (especially Dunaway & Holden). Hit that link to Sparkplug to get your coffee and then engage our ferocity!

Journalists as righteous heroes? Fantasy film? Nope. T100P podcast #93 is based on the all-too-real story of Woodward & Bernstein's dogged pursuit of the truth in the Watergate break-in. Redford & Hoffman are very fine as the reporters and Jason Robards is fantastic as their editor. This is an unusual thriller with a complicated plot, but it remains a strong work. Enhance your caffeine supply by going to Sparkplug.Coffee, then dig in!

First, the winner of our “Pick Your Podcast” contest is announced right at the top of the 92nd episode of the T100P! Then we get into our longest discussion yet about Marty Scorsese’s first of many masterpieces. Robert De Niro & the whole cast stink of authenticity, as does 1970s NYC. We tackle mental illness, frustrated sexuality and of course loneliness. To better enjoy all that dark stuff, get yourself an order of Sparkplug Coffee!

All therapy and no freedom makes Mac something something. Jack Nicholson roars through the asylum in T100P podcast numero 91, messing with protocol, rule-following and sexual politics. There are many layers in this inspirational onion of a movie and we went down all sorts of crazy avenues. To find out more, pound that button, but also click to order some Sparkplug Coffee to get your grounds for a cup o' joe!

The thrills, the chase, the blood, the teeth! Our 90th T100P podcast covers the rare thriller/horror/action flick on the list, which just happens to be Ryan’s favourite movie. Bev digs it too, even though Spielberg is behind the bullhorn. Listen, but first order enough Sparkplug Coffee to fill “a bigger boat”.

Robert Altman's outstanding musical dramedy is the 89th T100P podcast. Keith Carradine and Lily Tomlin are among the 2 dozen actors with prominent roles...and a lot of them sing their own songs! Altman's masterpiece has so much heart and subtext, Ryan nearly couldn't take it (shades of Shane). Do not miss this movie! And to help you soldier through its lengthy running time, order up some grounds from our longtime sponsor, Sparkplug Coffee.

The crime sage continues in our 88th edition of the T100P. Al Pacino and John Cazale are outstanding, although the rest of the cast kills it too. Francis Coppola's second-most worshipped film also features De Niro aping Brando as young Vito. Is this the equal of Part I...or even better? Our long chat about a long movie requires your rapt attention!

T100P podcast #87 covers one of the most flawless movies you'll ever see. Highlights: Polanski's direction, Towne's screenplay, Goldsmith's music, and Nicholson, Dunaway & Huston headlining a superb cast. The plot is convoluted and the life-imitating-art aspects are eerie, but the film itself remains practically perfect. Hear us and don't forget your caffeine enhancement, Jake, by ordering some Sparkplug Coffee.

George Lucas's 1st AFIer is a lot more grounded than his most famous one, but it was a monster success all its own. The young cast (many first-timers) is uniformly excellent and the soundtrack is just lovely. Rev up your little deuce coupe for T100P podcast #86 while percolating that java juice from Sparkplug Coffee!

We tip our hat to the stupidest observance on the calendar with our 9th Not 100 Project podcast. The AFI hasn’t paid this beloved flick its due, but we’re part of a vast group that loves it. It’s a unique comedy with a big heart and Bill Murray & Harold Ramis have rarely been better. Download...but rent to start. And order some Sparkplug Coffee!