The Lightning Learned Their Lessons Well

 

By Mark Pukalo

Most of the players grew together for many years. They suffered together. They learned together through the pain. Oh, how they learned. 

Now, they can celebrate together.

The Tampa Bay Lightning are the Stanley Cup champions. We could have said that in 2011, 2015, 2016, 2018 and 2019. They came up short, sometimes in the most gut-wrenching ways. But somehow in this year of gloom, doom and anger, it seemed right that the Bolts would give the bay area something to feel good about.

It is amazing how perfectly the obstacles were laid out in front of them this summer after more than four months away from the ice due to the coronavirus pandemic. This special group used all the lessons it endured through the failures and found a way to break down the wall.

The 2018-19 Lightning tied the NHL record for wins in a regular season (62) before being swept in the first round by the Columbus Blue Jackets and John Tortorella - the coach that brought Tampa Bay its other Cup in 2004. It seemed fitting that the Bolts would face the Jackets and Torts in the first round this time around and push them aside in five games.

If Tampa Bay was going to win a Cup, you knew it was going to have to go through the Boston Bruins at some point. The Bolts did that - just like in 2018 - after losing the first game of the series.

Next up was the New York Islanders, a scrappy defensive team with enough offensive talent to drive you nuts, but this was a coaches’ challenge. Barry Trotz bested Lightning coach Jon Cooper and led the Washington Capitals to the Cup in 2018, and he stood at the door of the finals again. This time, Cooper’s team pushed through the small crack Trotz left.

Of course, the final hurdle would be Dallas. Rick Bowness was Cooper’s associate coach during much of this team’s run from 2013-18 and was let go by then-GM Steve Yzerman when the Jedi felt the defense the veteran ran was just not good enough. Just over two years later, the Bolts blanked Bowness’ team 2-0 to finish their journey to the championship.

There were so many highlights along the way. Brayden Point’s winning goal in the first game of the playoffs during the fifth overtime and Hall of Fame broadcaster Rick Peckham’s last call being Point’s series clincher in the extra session. Victor Hedman’s series against the Bruins when he had four goals, two assists, a plus-7 and ended it all with a double-overtime winner. Nikita Kucherov’s winning goal in the final seconds of Game 2 in the Eastern finals off a heat-seeking pass by Ryan McDonagh that induced the king of all fist pumps from Cooper on the bench. Anthony Cirelli’s delayed reaction to the series clincher against the Islanders. Injured captain Steven Stamkos scoring a signature goal in his only 2:47 of the playoffs in Game 3 of the finals. Andrei Vasilevskiy making an amazing kick save on his back in Game 6 of the finals after the whistle, even though it would not have counted. Nothing was getting by him this night. Mikhail Sergachev’s celebrations. The series of blocks made in the final seconds of the Cup-clinching game, players sprawling all over the ice to get Vasy the shutout.

And don’t give me the crap that winning this title was easier. In my opinion, it was harder. There were no home games, they were away from family for months, they played back-to-back days several times. This was a grind.

“I am in awe of what our guys accomplished,” Bolts GM Julien Brisebois told reporters. “I am in awe of how deep they had to dig, physically and mentally, to bring the Cup back to Tampa.”

There were so many more great moments. Every player did their part. They all had a role and did their jobs well.

Hedman - The Conn Smythe winner was a beast throughout the playoffs, scoring 10 goals to put his name with Hall of Famers Ray Bourque and Paul Coffey in the record books among scoring defensemen.

Stamkos - The injury did not stop him from being a leader throughout and scoring an inspiring goal.

Kucherov - Led the way in the playoffs with 34 points, but most of all showed the discipline and toughness needed of a star in the biggest games.

Point - Led the playoffs in goals with 14 and three of them were game winners. No team could contain him. What a third-round pick.

Ondrej Palat - Was a perfect compliment to Kucherov and Point on the top line, scoring 11 goals and playing his Selke-worthy defense.

Cirelli - Got off to a slow start in the playoffs, but was better and better as the road got tougher.

Alex Killorn - Was a monster on the wall at times and his penalty killing with Cirelli, primarily, was elite.

Tyler Johnson - Perhaps the weak link through the playoffs with just two goals after the preliminary games, but to his credit he was probably at his best in the finals.

Barclay Goodrow - Blood and guts through the whole postseason, winning faceoffs, killing penalties, winning board battles, making big hits and annoying opponents.

Blake Coleman - Zero goals in his first 16 games with the club, but five in the last 18 and some fantastic minutes on both sides of the ice.

Yanni Gourde - Followed a so-so regular season with a standout 22 playoff games, scoring seven goals with seven assists and a plus-12 at center. Some of his shifts were epic.

Pat Maroon - The big rig is “back-to-back.” Made some key plays along the road and his experience was very valuable.

Cedric Paquette - Avoided bad penalties for the most part, hit everything that moved and basically did his job. His setup of Coleman’s insurance goal in Game 6 of the finals was brilliant.

Carter Verhaeghe - Had some good shifts and did not look out of place when he was in there.

Mitchell Stephens - Gave the Lightning what they needed when he played. Had six shots in the five-overtime game.

Alexander Volkov - A calm, solid, mistake-free 9:34 in the Cup-clinching game.

Mathieu Joseph - Did not play, but it was good for him to be there and take in the experience. The hair was awesome, too. 

McDonagh - Not many points, but he was a force all over the ice and made very few mistakes while playing big minutes against the most talented forwards.

Sergachev - Sometimes he makes you pull your hair out, but man does he make a lot of great plays. 

Kevin Shattenkirk - His experience and calm was very important on the back end while his production (three goals, 13 points, plus-8) was outstanding. Class guy off the ice, too.

Eric Cernak - Was minus-4 the first seven games of the playoffs and plus-6 the last 15 - plus-4 in the final three. Did his job.

Zach Bogosian - Proved to be a great acquisition, playing some solid minutes throughout - including Game 6 of the finals.

Jan Rutta - Surprise insertion into the lineup during the finals and he played well the first two of four games - both wins.

Luke Schenn - Made his presence felt on defense in 11 playoff games and finished with a plus-3 overall.

Braydon Coburn - When he was called upon, the veteran played three very good games.

Vasilevskiy - Gave up two or fewer goals in 16 of 25 games in the bubble and more than three only three times with a 1.90 goals-against average overall. He was 7-0 after a loss.

Curtis McElhinney - Did not play, but helped the Lightning get there.

Then, there is Cooper. I have been critical of him over the last 6-7 years for many of the moves he has made, not made and how he seemed to play favorites. He gets full credit this postseason. He had his team ready to play every night and never lost two in a row. Coop pushed all the right buttons. Whether it was him or his assistants, whoever came up with playing Gourde between Coleman and Goodrow might have had the best idea of the postseason. I wondered why he went with Schenn and seven defensemen at one point. Cooper ended up being right. I didn’t agree with Rutta going in. He played fine. When Rutta seemed to be fading, Cooper went back to Bogosian. It was the right move. I did not understand Volkov in the clinching game. The Russian played just fine.

I am so happy I was wrong about Cooper. He can win 16 NHL playoff games in a season. Now we know for sure.

I did not have a problem with Brisebois spending two first-round picks to bring in Coleman and Goodrow. They were perfect players to add, giving the Bolts more grit. The only worry I had was including young forward Nolan Foote in the Coleman deal, which I thought was excessive. But, man, well worth it now. I did not agree with the signing of Bogosian, mainly because he had rarely been healthy. I was wrong. Bogo was an important piece. JB did a wonderful job.

Hey, I’m not always wrong. But I sure love being wrong when it means we can celebrate a Stanley Cup.

I came to live in Tampa in November of 2008. Stamkos was just getting his feet wet in the NHL. While I was driving through South Carolina with a full car, I heard Barry Melrose was fired. 

Thankfully, I was brought into the Lightning family as a writer for the website and the team welcomed the top three picks of the 2009 draft to meet the media. John Tavares was a very serious, driven mature guy for sure. Hedman just seemed at home with everything that was going on, the type of personality you’d want to build around - calm and likable. Duchene had some personality, but seemed less mature and driven as the other two. I remember being thrilled that Hedman was the pick at No. 2 for the Bolts.

Stamkos and Hedman. Two big cornerstones added in two years. It hasn’t always been smooth sailing with injuries and some tough years, but the character of these two men shined through for the last decade. It was fitting and wonderful to see Stamkos hand the Cup to Hedman on a magical September 28 night. Two good people, two of my favorites in 35 years as a sportswriter, are now two Stanley Cup champions. 

The stars were stars in this Cup run. That was needed. But the team as a whole stood tall.

As Hall of Fame coach Fred Shero said and many in the Lightning organization repeated in 2004: “Win today and we walk together forever.” 

This team endured a lot over the last six years, but yes, now this special group can walk together forever.

What’s Next

The job was made a little easier when you win a Cup, but Brisebois has a lot of work to do this month to get the Lightning under the salary cap whenever the 2021 season begins.

With Sergachev, Cirelli and Cernak due new contracts and big raises, some difficult decisions and conversations are on the horizon. 

If the top three get what is expected, the Lightning will need to shave somewhere between $6-10 million off the cap. Joseph, Verhaeghe, Volkov and Stephens are also restricted free agents. Shattenkirk, Bogosian, Rutta, Schenn and Maroon are all unrestricted FAs.

Can you trade or buy out Johnson? Do you deal glue-guy Killorn, whose no-trade is now modified? Is there a chance you move Cirelli (not that you want to at all) and bring back a huge package? Paquette could also be dealt and it will be hard to bring back Maroon and Shattenkirk.

The Lightning have some kids knocking on the door like Boris Katchouk, Taylor Raddysh, Ross Colton and Alex Barre Boulet. Verhaeghe, Stephens, Volkov and Joseph can also contribute more.

It will be interesting to see what happens. But whether it was Yzerman or now Brisebois, the Lightning always get it done in the GM office. Director of Scouting Al Murray, who deserves a ton of credit for his work over the years in the draft including Kucherov (second round), Cirelli and Point (third), Palat (seventh), will keep adding character and talent to the organization. That's a given.

 Two in a row. Why not?

One More Mountain to Climb for the Lightning

 

By Mark Pukalo

After three grueling series that included six overtime games, there is a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel for the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Four more wins and the Bolts can celebrate a second Stanley Cup title in their history, but they face another difficult obstacle in a Dallas Stars team that is finally realizing its potential.

The Lightning has reached this point by scoring clutch goals, limiting turnovers, playing solid defense at key times, getting big performances from their three healthy superstar skaters and fantastic goaltending to beat the Blue Jackets, Bruins and Islanders.

They will require more of the same to finish the job and may need another superstar to make an appearance and give a boost to their inconsistent power play.

Perhaps the most important issue for Tampa Bay as they embark on the journey in the finals Saturday is health. Brayden Point is playing at less than 100 percent, Nikita Kucherov is banged up and captain Steven Stamkos has yet to play in the postseason, but he has been skating. Heck, probably everyone in the lineup is playing hurt.

The Bolts have to fight through it as they did in the first three rounds and make plays, keep their structure defensively and allow Andrei Vasilevskiy to work his magic between the pipes.

Dallas, like the Lightning, loves to get their defensemen involved in the offense and that will be a key. In my opinion, Tampa Bay’s defenseman Victor Hedman is the frontrunner for the Conn Smythe Trophy with nine goals and a league-best plus-19, but if the Stars win you could make a case for 21-year-old D man Miro Heiskanen (22 points, 21 games) to take the trophy. One of the keys to the series will be how each defense deals with the aggressive rearguards.

Dallas, coached by former Tampa Bay assistant Rick Bowness, will need No. 2 goaltender Anton Khudobin (.920 save percentage playoffs) to continue his standout postseason. Vasilevskiy (.930 SP postseason) knocked out one fellow Russian netminder in Semyon Varlamov last series against the Islanders and now faces another countryman on a roll. If the Lightning get to Khudobin, will former Bolt Ben Bishop be healthy enough to spell him?

The Stars have plenty dangerous offensive performers in captain Jamie Benn, Tyler Seguin, Alexander Radulov, Denis Gurianov and playoff ace Joe Pavelski. Once again, it is important the Lightning get some secondary offense from guys like Blake Coleman, Yanni Gourde, Ondrej Palat, Alex Killorn and Anthony Cirelli. 

The games between these two teams the last few years have been offensive shows, but that will likely change in the heat of the Stanley Cup finals. It will come down to limiting quality chances and that again falls on the Lightning defense corps.

The Bolts held the Islanders to two or fewer goals in five of six games, along with the final three contests against the offensively-gifted Bruins. Hedman and Ryan McDonagh can’t do it all. The other four or five defensemen must continue to step up.

Eric Cernak had his best series against the Islanders. Zach Bogosian has made very few mistakes. Kevin Shattenkirk whiffed on that shot in overtime versus the Isles to lose Game 5, but has been very good overall. Mikhail Sergachev drives you nuts at times, but he also makes plays. Luke Schenn has been surprisingly solid as No. 7, except for his struggles in Game 3 versus the Islanders.

The question that may have to be answered is what happens if Stamkos is ready to play? Go back to 12/6, sit Tyler Johnson, or something else? Jon Cooper has pressed the right buttons most of the playoffs so far. But his toughest job may be over the next week with the injuries he has in the locker room. Can he finally shut his critics up?

The Cup is now sitting right in front of the Lightning. It is time to reach out and grab it and wash away all the pain of the previous five years.

Four more solid efforts in their defensive zone, intelligent play in the neutral zone, and some timely goals can bring the Cup back to the beach before the end of the month.

Lightning Defense Must Shine Again

 

      By Mark Pukalo

      Eight tough wins down, eight more to go.

      The Tampa Bay Lightning have navigated two major hurdles, sending pesky Columbus home in the first round and winning four in a row to eject the big bad Boston Bruins from the Toronto bubble.

      Still, the road to the promised land is far from paved for the Bolts. Two years ago in this position they seemed like they were ready to add a second Stanley Cup and lost their momentum after beating the Bruins - getting outplayed throughout by Washington to end their dream.

      The challenge now is to stay focused and ramp up their level of play to take on a team that has probably performed better than anyone else in the postseason. The New York Islanders were outstanding in the Toronto bubble and will travel to Edmonton to meet the Lightning in the Eastern Conference finals. Standing at the door again is future Hall of Fame coach Barry Trotz, whose Capitals shut out Tampa Bay for almost the final eight periods of the series two years ago.

      Bolts coach Jon Cooper washed away the stench of last year’s first-round loss against John Tortorella and Columbus in the opening round, beat the Bruins for the second time in three seasons and now he’ll try to continue to silence his critics. It’s Cooper vs. Trotz II.

     Listen, the players ultimately decide the game. How they execute is the difference 90 percent of the time or more. But Cooper has another big chance to get the Bolts over the top. Is it his time? Or will Trotz have more answers like he seemed to have in 2018.

     Cooper has pushed the right buttons so far. He won't have injured captain Steven Stamkos again, but the Lightning are still talented enough to get the job done like they did against the Bruins.

      The Islanders can clog up the ice with their system defensively much like Columbus, but they are more mobile and have a few more dangerous offensive players than the Blue Jackets. New York’s top line of Jordan Eberle, Anders Lee and the irrepressible Mathew Barzal will pose just as much of a challenge as the Bruins’ top unit. Cooper must decide whether to use Anthony Cirelli’s line or Yanni Gourde’s threesome against them. Both must play well and Tampa Bay will need better from Tyler Johnson and Alex Killorn with Cirelli.

     Each team has received secondary scoring and that may be key to the series. Brayden Point and a healthy Nikita Kucherov have led the way for the Bolts, but everyone has to contribute without Stamkos available. 

      I think Tampa Bay can get at New York’s defense and goaltending just like it did against Boston, when the Lightning generated 169 shots in five games. The Bolts should have an advantage in goal, even though Semyon Varlamov and Thomas Greiss have stood up so far. The key will be how well the Lightning defense continues to play. Victor Hedman has been a monster and Tampa Bay's best player while fellow defensemen Kevin Shattenkirk and Zach Bogosian have stepped up big time. That group of six or seven rearguards cannot let down. They must disrupt the Islanders, not allowing Barzal and others to cruise around the zone looking to create openings. 

     The Bolts were outstanding defensively against Boston two years ago, then let the Capitals dominate the puck and wear them down before winning Game 7 at Amalie Arena. 

      To me, that’s the key to this series. Florida, Washington and Philadelphia could not handle the Islanders offense in the long run. The Lightning must limit the bad turnovers leading to transition and get the puck out of their zone cleanly. Simple as that.

      Yes, Andrei Vasilevskiy could win the series by himself. But the Bolts must give him a chance to shine.

      Tampa Bay needed to do several things to beat Boston and the Lightning checked off all the boxes. Here’s a look at what we talked about before that series.

     * Keep the Bruins power play off the ice as much as possible, but the Lightning must be very good on the penalty kill when needed. Mostly check. Boston had five power-play goals and the Bolts generated four. That’s pretty good. The Bruins did have 17 opportunities in five contests, which was a bit too much.

     * Limit blind passes, hope passes, drop passes moving forward with the puck. Mostly check. There probably was a bit too much of this during certain stretches, but they recovered well and Vasilevskiy was outstanding.

     * Keep the Brad Marchand-Patrice Bergeron-David Pastrnak line contained. Check. The perfection line had its points, but they did not dominate and the Bolts top line was just as productive.

     * Get goals from secondary offensive threats. Check. Palat scored five times, Blake Coleman made big plays and Cirelli was better as the series went on.

     * Pat Maroon, Cedric Paquette and the feisty third line of Coleman-Gourde-Barclay Goodrow must get under the skin of the Bruins without taking extra penalties, and keep their over-rated defense working hard to get the puck out. Check. They did annoy the heck out of the Boston defense, giving the Bolts extra time with the frozen biscuit.

     * Vasilevskiy must shut the door on the Bruins at key times and show once again he is the best goalie on the planet. The Bolts should have an advantage in net against Jaroslav Halak and it must be noticed. Major check. The Big Cat dominated, stopping 147 of 157, and many of the 10 he gave up were unstoppable.

     * Improved power play. Check. Getting three in Game 3 was a dagger after Kucherov moved to the left circle. Great adjustment there by the coaching staff. They also had more pressure with the man advantage as the series went on.

     * The Lightning just can’t give the Bruins goals. Nothing can come easy. They must earn them. Mostly check. Those lazy plays by Tyler Johnson and Mikhail Sergachev could have cost them games, but for the most part the Bolts avoided the huge mistake - especially in the two overtime wins.

Lightning Needs Their Best to Move On

By Mark Pukalo

Two things became clear after the Tampa Bay Lightning eliminated the Columbus Blue Jackets in the first round of this unique postseason.

The Lightning may just be a team that is built for and better prepared for playoff hockey than the group that produced a historic regular season in 2018-19.

Secondly, the Bolts will have to play much better than they did against Columbus if they want to make it to the third round.

Yes, Tampa Bay disposed of John Tortorella’s pesky Jackets in five games but all four of the wins were knee-knocking one-goal triumphs - two in overtime. The positive from that is how sharp the Lightning were when they needed it the most. 

They were focused and steady with their structure in the marathon Game 1 before breaking through. The Bolts were awful after taking a 2-0 lead in Game 5 and lucky to tie it at the end of regulation, but they dominated from the start in overtime and seized the win.

Tampa Bay will have to be sharper for longer periods as they prepare to face the Big Bad Boston Bruins for the first game of a best-of-seven series. There can be few mental breakdowns. One thing that the much-hated Bears have always done best is capitalize on mistakes and get the most out of their opportunities.

The Bolts will need more secondary production as they move on and injured captain Steven Stamkos does not seem ready to go, so the power play must start to produce without a key weapon. The irrepressible Brayden Point has 10 points in bubble and Nikita Kucherov nine, but the next highest scorers have just four in eight games. 

It’s as simple as this, the Lightning must execute much of the game plan they used against Boston in the second round of the 2017-18 playoffs. They dominated 5-on-5, limited mistakes, received solid goaltending and made key plays at key times. I’ve never seen a Tampa Bay team play better in its own zone in the final four games of that series. Ryan McDonagh has never been better in a Bolts sweater.

Here’s what needs to happen - outside of referee Eric Furlatt not being assigned to the series - to beat the Bears.

* Keep the Bruins power play off the ice as much as possible, but the Lightning must be very good on the penalty kill when needed.

* Limit blind passes, hope passes, drop passes moving forward with the puck. When Boston turns you over in the middle of the ice it often ends up with an old-man rush and a goal. I can’t remember Brad Marchand not scoring on a breakaway or 2-on-1 chance. Can you?

* Keep the Marchand-Patrice Bergeron-David Pastrnak line contained. Easier said than done, but Tampa Bay has had plenty of success against the Bruins the past few years (11 wins last 13 meetings overall).

* Get goals from secondary offensive threats. Anthony Cirelli was not very good against Columbus and, although he played well all over the ice, Ondrej Palat is without a goal in eight games. Tampa Bay can get more from Alex Killorn and Tyler Johnson as well.

* Pat Maroon, Cedric Paquette and the feisty third line of Blake Coleman-Yanni Gourde-Barclay Goodrow must get under the skin of the Bruins without taking extra penalties, and keep their over-rated defense working hard to get the puck out.

* Andrei Vasilevskiy must shut the door on the Bruins at key times and show once again he is the best goalie on the planet. The Bolts should have an advantage in net against Jaroslav Halak and it must be noticed.

* Improved power play. The Lightning might not get many, but it would help if they rebounded from a sluggish 0-for-10 performance with the extra man against Columbus.

It’s not brain surgery. The Lightning just can’t give the Bruins goals. Nothing can come easy. They must earn them. You can be dominating the Bears with a 1-0 or 2-1 lead and a few unforced errors later you are trailing by a pair of goals.

Honestly, even with Stamkos out, if you take the top line of each team away I think the Lightning has a better roster. But that doesn’t really matter. You always have to outplay the Bruins to send them home.

This might end up being the toughest test for Tampa Bay on the way to a potential Stanley Cup. The Bolts must play like it, coach like it and do all the little things to get the job done.

Lightning Look to Turn the Tables

By Mark Pukalo

Here we go, again.

The Tampa Bay Lightning probably would not have faced Columbus in the playoffs if this was a normal year. But 2020 has been one strange trip. Midway through August, the Bolts will get a chance to erase some of the pain from a four-game embarrassment at the hands of the Blue Jackets last spring.

The word “sweep” won’t be mentioned again as the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs begin in an empty Scotiabank Arena Tuesday afternoon. Because these are different teams that will face off on the ice in Toronto. 

Artemi Panarin, Sergei Bobrovsky and Matt Duchene all signed big-money contracts to leave Columbus and were forced to exit the bubble before last weekend. The Lightning have added some depth up front that makes them more formidable physically and a pair of veteran right-hand shot defensemen who will be very important this week.

That being said, the teams both have the same strengths. The Blue Jackets play stifling defense and frustrate teams while Tampa Bay owns one of the most lethal offenses in the league. But it will not likely be as simple as that. Who dictates the play is only one small piece. This series will be won between the margins. Who wins the battles, who remains composed, who fights through the adversity much quicker will be critical.

We can’t forget about health. It was hard to make the excuse for the Lightning last year, but they were missing two of their top three defensemen to injury and another key veteran was playing at far less than 100 percent. Now, the injury status of Tampa Bay superstars Steven Stamkos and Victor Hedman is in doubt.

The Bolts can win without them, though. But they must play a smart, physical and focused brand of hockey that we have seen out of them for several years. This group must perform like it did against Boston in the second round of the 2018 playoffs - structured, unwavering and with killer instinct. No temper tantrums, no defeatist looks on the bench and only confidence.

One of the major problems against Columbus last year was puck possession. After the first period of Game 1, the Bolts were loose with the frozen disk and let the Blue Jackets control the neutral zone. Tampa Bay has to be on top of it for 60 minutes.

The Lightning’s top line of Nikita Kucherov, Brayden Point and Ondrej Palat will see an awful off of defense pair of Zach Werenski and Seth Jones while center Boone Jenner will probably be asked by coach John Tortorella what brand of chewing gum the Bolts’ top trio use. Kucherov and Point each need to have a productive series to allow the other three lines to do their work and chip in. 

If Stamkos is able to play, you would think he would slide in with Anthony Cirelli and Alex Killorn - a line that was very good for a stretch in mid season. You could move Tyler Johnson to the third line and push Barclay Goodrow or Yanni Gourde to the fourth. The Goodrow-Gourde-Blake Coleman line has been good, though, and TJ may have to settle for a fourth line/power play role. However, it would be nice if Coleman could find the net. He is scoreless in 12 games with the team.

While the offense has to be there, it all comes down to how the Bolts defend. Andrei Vasilevskiy was not the reason Tampa Bay lost to Columbus last season, but he was outplayed and must be way better this time around. If Hedman can’t go, they will need big and solid minutes from Ryan McDonough, Eric Cernak and Mikhail Sergachev. But two righties that were not around last April - Kevin Shattenkirk and Zach Bogosian - would be the keys to how well they can hide an absence by No. 77. Veteran Braydon Coburn should be ready to replace Hedman if needed.

The Blue Jackets thrive on causing turnovers and punishing you. It’s always important to limit miscues and keep the puck away in the postseason. But for the Lightning, it’s absolutely crucial this time around. Columbus won’t stop coming. There can be few lapses. The Blue Jackets don’t normally score a ton of goals. But they collected 19 in four games in the first round last year as the Bolts turned the puck over constantly.

Tampa Bay must also put unrelenting pressure on first-year playoff goalie Joonas Korpisalo and see if he cracks.The Fin played well against Toronto. Make him prove he can do it again.

Tortorella is at the top of his game, just getting this Columbus team to this spot after an inordinate amount of injuries during the regular season. He made all the right moves to lead Tampa Bay to the Stanley Cup in 2004 and did the same last April to beat his old team.

Lightning coach Jon Cooper can go a long way to quieting his critics if he can navigate a talented team through this round - especially if Hedman and Stamkos can’t go. Cooper has won a lot of games with this core group. The moves he makes and the tone he takes could be critical in a long series. This is his chance to shine.

Whoever suits up Tuesday, the Lightning have the tools to win the series. There’s no doubt in my mind. But a healthy and battle-tested Columbus squad will force them to keep pushing. Tampa Bay must confidently dig in and move them out of the bubble.

Get ready for a war.

 

The Very Best of Curb Your Enthusiasm

By Mark Pukalo

Trouble doesn't find Larry David. He seems to seek it out, and that has led to 10 fun-filled seasons on HBO's "Curb Your Enthusiasm."

David created the greatest conventional sitcom in history with "Seinfeld," and he has gone farther with Curb. There are wacky situations, odd characters and cringe-worthy hilarious scenes while Larry is not afraid to tackle issues such as divorce, racial relations, sex, religion and politics in a comedic way.

It is basically Seinfeld without any rules on what can be said. It may not be for everyone, but it should be. You know why? We need to be able to laugh at ourselves, at the extremes of important issues and at things that annoy us. The heck with the language. Deal with it. I know I have always hated people that can't park their cars between the lines. Now, after watching Curb, I can call them Pig Parkers and chuckle over it.

Plus, you get great advice from Larry's free-loading house guest Leon, who often brings the ruckus: "You can't pause toast, Larry. It loses it's Essence."

The pandemic gave me a chance to watch all 100 episodes in the series so far and put together a rating of the top 20, plus honorable mentions. It's not easy to place them, especially after the top few, because they are all "Prett-Ay, Prett-Ay, Prett-Ay Good."


Top 20

1. Season 8, Episode 9: Mister Softee - The music of the Softie truck brings back bad memories for Larry and causes brutal error to end a softball game, while Bill Buckner saves the day.

2. Season 8, Episode 3: Palestinian Chicken - Larry is torn between some really good chicken, a beautiful new Palestinian girlfriend and his Jewish Heritage.

3. Season 1, Episode 3: Porno Gil - Bob Odenkirk plays Gil, a former porn star who invites Larry and Cheryl to their off-the-beaten-track house for a party that turns into a disaster.

4. Season 2, Episode 9: The Baptism - Larry loses plane tickets to Monterrey, which sends him and Cheryl on a roundabout route to an adult baptism. Larry, of course, causes problems upon arrival.

5. Season 4, Episode 6: The Car Pool Lane - Larry rents a prostitute so he can use the Car Pool Lane to beat the traffic on the way to the Dodgers game, buys pot and gets Funkhouser arrested.

6. Season 8, Episode 7: The Bi-Sexual - Larry uses performance-enhancing drugs to help win a battle with Rosie O'Donnell over a pretty girl. "Where's my ticket?" Larry says on the steps of the Hall of Fame after the blue pill is revealed. Jane retorts: "You're not getting in."

7. Season 5, Episode 2: The Bowtie - Larry loses the support of the lesbian community and regains it while dealing with his racist dog.

8. Season 5, Episode 10: The End - Kidney transplant complications lead to death for Larry, who has an interesting brief stay in Heaven before being returned to life.

9. Season 6, Episode 7: The Tivo Guy - The Tivo repairman distracts Larry from Cheryl's frantic call on a shaky airplane and leads to a separation.

10. Season 10, Episode 1: Happy New Year - A MAGA hat proves a perfect people repellent for Larry, who is accused of sexual assault for wanting some pigs in a blanket, and Jeff is mistaken for Harvey Weinstein.


11. Season 1, Episode 9: Affirmative Action - An untended bad racial joke causes all kinds of problems for Larry. It's cringey at times, but funny.

12. Season 10, Episode 10: The Spite Store - The finale brings all the stories of the season together as his former secretary finds her memory, spite stores crop up everywhere and Mocha Joe wins.

13. Season 7, Episode 10: Seinfeld - The Seinfeld reunion is finally done and a lack of respect for wood foils Larry's chance to get back with Cheryl.

14. Season 3, Episode 8: Krazee-Eyez Killa - Larry befriends and then betrays Wanda Sykes' cheating rap-music star boyfriend.

15. Season 8, Episode 1: The Divorce - Lawyers and girl scout cookies cause problems for Larry as his divorce to Cheryl goes through and he loses out on Dodgers club tickets.

16. Season 2, Episode 7: The Doll - Larry makes the daughter of a TV executive cry after cutting her doll's hair and a broken bathroom latch causes major issues.

17. Season 5, Episode 8: The Ski Lift - Larry hopes to convince the leader of the kidney consortium to move Richard Lewis up on the list for a new organ, but it ends in disaster.

18. Season 8, Episode 5: Vow of Silence - Larry loses his head over some pig parkers, the "chat & cut" is introduced and Oscar does not get his last meal. R.I.P.

19. Season 2, Episode 3: Trick or Treat - Larry's nasty exchange with two teenagers trick or treating without costumes is the centerpiece.

20. Season 10, Episode 8: Elizabeth, Margaret and Phillip - Jon Hamm is hilarious while he mirrors Larry for a future project ... playing Mr. David.


Honorable Mention: Mary, Joseph and Larry (Larry wrecks Christmas), The Bat Mitzvah (Larry has an itch), Beloved Aunt (A typo ruins an obit written by Larry), The Nanny from Hell (Pound cake saves Susie from Cheri Oteri), The Black Swan (Larry commits murder on the golf course), Vehicular Fellatio (car hijinks), The Seder (Larry gets his newspaper stolen), Denise Handicap (Larry finds some advantages dating the disabled), The Shrimp Incident (Larry gets screwed out of some shrimp), The Bare Midriff (Larry is saved on the roof by flabby skin), Interior Decorator (Larry is tackled by a Decorator), Never Wait for Seconds (Fatwa! Off), Shaq (Larry accidentally trips Mr. O'Neal), Thor (Professional wrestler slashes Larry's tires).

My Favorite TV Shows of All Time

By Mark Pukalo


I'm not quite sure what was actually the first television show I watched multiple times, more than 50 years ago.

The late 1960s brought us Hogan's Heroes, Bewitched, Here's Lucy, Hawaii Five-O, I Dream of Jeannie, Star Trek and many other classics. But I bet my love for the tube started with Marcia, Jan, Greg, Bobby and the others. I can remember that stacked Friday night lineup with the Brady Bunch followed by the Partridge Family, Room 222, The Odd Couple and Love American Style.

I've missed so many great shows over the years. It's impossible to catch them all and some just don't work for me. But here's a list of the all-time favorites that I have enjoyed. The top two may surprise you, but one is so unique, sometimes inappropriate and funny it deserves the top spot while the second is perhaps the best written, unfortunately short-lived, and most compelling in my lifetime.

First, here's some well-liked shows I have not seen much or not at all: The Americans, Boardwalk Empire, The Chappelle Show, Deadwood, Dexter, Empire, Friday Night Lights, House, Killing Eve, Lost, NYPD Blue, Oz, Sex in the City, The Simpsons, South Park, Twin Peaks.

Special Award: Saturday Night Live - Depending on the period, it could be top 10 if included.

Underappreciated/Guilty Pleasures: UFO, Moonlighting, Felicity, American Bandstand, Jericho. The Hudson Brothers.

Honorable Mention: All in the Family, Big Little Lies, The Carol Burnett Show, CSI Miami, Family Guy, Family Ties, FBI, Friends, Get Smart, Grey's Anatomy, Happy Days, Hill Street Blues, I Love Lucy, Laugh In, Law & Order, Law & Order Criminal Intent, Lost in Space, Mad Men, Orange is the New Black, Ozark, Rescue Me, Scrubs, Star Trek, Taxi, Welcome Back, Kotter.

TOP 25 (with favorite character)

25. Schitt's Creek (Alexis, Annie Murphy); 24. The Mary Tyler Moore Show (Ted Baxter, Ted Knight); 23. One Tree Hill (Peyton Sawyer, Hilarie Burton); 22. Criminal Minds (Derek Morgan, Shemar Moore); 21. (The first three seasons of) Arrested Development (Gob Bluth, Will Arnett); 20. MASH (Corporal Klinger, Jamie Farr); 19. ER (Doug Ross, George Clooney); 18. The Bob Newhart Show (Robert Hartley, Bob Newhart); 17. Cheers (Norm, George Wendt).

16. Blue Bloods - This cop show has grown on me over the years and it is a fair depiction of life in the uniform despite the slight right-wing lean. The characters are rich and diverse while the stories have heart. Best Character: Jamie Reagan, Will Estes.

15. The Brady Bunch - It only lasted five seasons, but many of the best moments live on 50 years later. "Sure, Jan." No, it's true. Best Character: Marcia, Marcia, Marcia, Maureen McCormick.

14. Law & Order Special Victims Unit - Sam Waterson was great in the first Law & Order shows, but the SVU cast and storylines have been stronger. Best Character: Olivia Benson, Mariska Hargitay

13. Madam Secretary - Tea Leoni made this show tick as she grew into a formidable figure and made for a President we could all support - fearless, smart and fair. Best Character: Stevie, Wallis Currie-Wood.

12. Entourage - I recently rewatched all eight seasons and loved every minute. Vince, Johnny Drama, E, Turtle and Ari were fantastic characters and no show in history had more beautiful women. I still love you Sloan! Best Character: Johnny Drama, Kevin Dillon.

11. The Wire - It took me awhile to get around to this inner-city Baltimore police drama and I was blown away by its authenticity. The acting was brilliant through all five seasons. Best Character: Omar Little, Michael K. Williams.

10. Breaking Bad - The AMC classic provides an amazing performance by Bryan Cranston as Walter White, who evolves from a chemistry teacher with cancer to an international drug dealer. The final episode is one of the best in TV history. Best Character: Walter White, Bryan Cranston.

9. The Office - The final two seasons aside, it ranks among the best four comedies of all time in my book. Dwight, Michael and the others were brilliant characters at Dunder Mifflin Paper Company in Scranton, Pa. Best Character: Jim Halpert, John Krasinski.

10. Breaking Bad - The AMC classic provides an amazing performance by Bryan Cranston as Walter White, who evolves from a chemistry teacher with cancer to an international drug dealer. The final episode is one of the best in TV history. Best Character: Walter White, Bryan Cranston.

8. Modern Family - A remarkably-written sitcom about a diverse family, which takes many hilarious turns along the way. Ty Burrell as Phil Dunphy took his place among the best comedic TV stars with his performance over 11 seasons. Best Character: Cam, Eric Stonestreet.

7. The Sopranos - David Chase makes you understand and even like a unique crime family over six thrill-filled seasons. Tony (the late James Gandolfini) runs the show, but Carmela (Edie Falco) takes no backseat as his wife. Best Character: Silvio Dante, Steven Van Zandt

6. Ted Lasso

5. Game of Thrones - Free HBO on my newest TV plan finally gave me a chance to watch this epic series about kings, queens, dragons and heroes. Never thought I would like it this much, but what an amazing eight years. Best Character: Arya Stark, Maisie Williams.

4. The West Wing - Creator Aaron Sorkin's first of two in the top four (also No. 2) is an incredible journey of seven seasons in the White House with tremendous performances and interesting, topical storylines. Best Character: Josh, Bradley Whitford.

3. Seinfeld - The show "about nothing" lasted nine seasons and rarely had an off half hour. It was one part goofy humor and one part intelligent comedy with Jerry Seinfeld and the cast causing problems wherever they went. Best Character: George Costanza, Jason Alexander.

2. The Newsroom - It only lasted three seasons and 25 episodes, but the cheeky writing and real-life drama make you want to watch shows over and over. The characters are more deep and compelling than in any show in history, in my opinion. Best Character: Will McAvoy, Jeff Daniels.

1. Curb Your Enthusiasm - Trouble does not find Larry David through the first 10 hilarious seasons of Curb, his character finds it in every episode. The show tackles subjects that sometimes make you cringe, but also make you laugh uncontrollably. Best Character: Leon Black, J.B. Smoove.

The Top 200 Films of my Movie Life

By Mark Pukalo


While stuck at home alone for more than three months during these surreal times, there was plenty of time to sit down and watch a lot of movies - for the first, second, fifth or 100th time.

The entire collection was viewed - all 253 of them, including VHS tapes - as our country was dealing with a dangerous virus, more criminal police brutality against African Americans (also peaceful protesters) and an incompetent, racist President.

Sorry. We have a right to be angry these days.

Julie Kavner put my current feelings into words as she gazed out at the searchlights looking for German planes during the late 1930s in Woody Allen's "Radio Days."

"What a world," Kavner says. "It could be so wonderful if it wasn't for certain people."

Still, this wicked Pandemic has had a few positives. Little money has been spent on gas, a few pounds were lost and it gave me a chance to update the list of my favorite all-time movies from the original top 150 that was put together in 2017.

Not sure I can ever get it perfect but, after moving films around for the last few weeks, here is the updated list of my top 200 - dating back to 1968 when I was 5-years-old and "Planet of the Apes" along with "2001" came out.

The rating is based on being able to watch a film frequently, its historic significance and how it has stood the test of time in my opinion.

I don't expect total agreement. No one can. But here it goes.

Honorable Mention: A Beautiful Mind, All the Right Moves, Apocalypse Now, A Star is Born, Belfast, Beyond the Lights, The Big Lebowski, Blinded by the Light, Bridget Jones' Diary, David Byrne's American Utopia, Deadpool, Divergent, Do the Right Thing, Draft Day, Dreamer, Edward Scissorhands, Election, Everybody Wants Some!, Fahrenheit 11/9, Fried Green Tomatoes, Frost/Nixon,  The Irishman, I Tonya, Jaws, The Last Days of Disco, Mo Better Blues, Mulholland Drive, Never Rarely Sometimes Always, Nomadland, No Way Out, OJ: Made in America, One Night in Miami, The Player, The Razor's Edge, Room, Saturday Night Fever, Scarface, Secretariat, The Secret of My Success, Silent Running, The Silence of the Lambs, Sound of Metal, Star Trek, Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, Terms of Endearment, The Two Popes, The Usual Suspects, Vice, The Way Back, We Bought a Zoo, Yesterday.

Have never seen all the way through for some reason: Alien, Annie Hall, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, My Cousin Vinny, Dirty Dancing, Fight Club, the Harry Potter Trilogy, The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, The Princess Bride, Roadhouse, Rosemary's Baby, Sin City, Taxi Driver.


205. American Beauty - This odd, exhilarating and sometimes depressing film about dysfunctional families won Best Picture in 1999. Kevin Spacey plays the frustrated Lester Burnham, who finds happiness by rejecting his average life and burned-out wife (Annette Bening) while crushing on his daughter’s friend (Mena Suvari).

204. JFK - Director Oliver Stone tells the story of Jim Garrison (Kevin Costner), the only attorney that brought a criminal case around the death of President John F. Kennedy. It is long and takes liberties, but the film makes you think.

203. Parenthood -

202. Logan Lucky -

201. Ruby Sparks -

TOP 200

200. American History X  - Derek Vinyard (Edward Norton) is a smart kid who evolves into a skinhead after living with a racist father and enduring a tragic incident. Vinyard must reform his life in prison - not without some rough moments - during this powerful, sad and honest film.

199. Game 6 - The 2006 independent film stars Michael Keaton as playwright Nicky Rogan, who is stressing over his play opening in New York while his beloved Red Sox sit one win away from a World Series title across town in 1986. Robert Downey Jr. portrays an evil critic.

198. The Spectacular Now - Sutter Keely (Miles Teller), a popular high school kid living in the now with an attractive girlfriend and a partying lifestyle, is forced to reassess his life with the help of an average girl named Aimee Finecky (Shailene Woodley).

195. Iron Man - The first of a trilogy always seems to be the best and this follows the pattern with Robert Downey Jr. leading the way in his metal suit. Two words to say real fast: Pepper Potts.

194. Midnight Express - American student Billy Hayes is arrested for smuggling drugs in Turkey and endures a long run in the worst of prisons before escaping. His attempt to get through the airport in the early stages of the movie is one of the most spine-tingling scenes of all time.

193. The Wedding Singer - Perhaps Adam Sandler's finest comedic performance as Robbie Hart - a likable wedding performer who falls for a girl planning to marry a rich, self-centered buffoon. Billy Idol makes a terrific cameo near the end.

192. The Post - Tom Hanks and Meryl Streep star in the 2017 drama about the Washington Post's fight to publish the Pentagon papers. It is incredibly well acted as expected and a strong study of what newspapers once were.

191. Wind River - Jeremy Renner should have been nominated for Best Actor in this 2017 movie as he plays a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service agent who finds an 18-year-old girl dead in the frozen tundra of an Indian Reservation in Wyoming. The mystery of her death takes several turns into a violent, but compelling and emotional ending.


190. Ghostbusters - Scientists Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis get slimed while vacuuming up ghouls and ghosts in the 1984 classic comedy. The sequels never could reach the level of the original.

189. The Martian - Mark Watney (Matt Damon) is stranded on Mars and makes the best of it as his crew races back to save him. Yep, the ending probably couldn’t happen, but it’s still entertaining. David Bowie’s “Starman” is well used.

188. The Way, Way Back - A coming of age film based on Cape Cod during the summer as shy Duncan (Liam James) finds comfort while working at a water park with wacky Owen (Sam Rockwell). Top-notch cast, great setting, cheeky film.

186. Anchorman - Will Ferrell kills it as the virtuoso news anchor in (stay classy) San Diego, whose life is forever altered by the arrival of Veronica Corningstone (Christina Applegate) in this epic comedy. The sequel was nowhere near as humorous and somewhat inappropriate in my opinion.

185. Mumford - Under-rated Lawrence Kasdan film. Loren Dean plays a man faking it as a psychiatrist in a small town to hide from the law, but he proves to be pretty good at it while falling in love with a patient (Hope Davis).

184. Logan's Run - A futuristic society does not allow you get any older than 30 in this 1976 film. Beautiful Jenny Agutter and Michael York find a way to escape through the tunnels all the way to what they hope to be "Sanctuary."

x183. Million Dollar Baby - Boxing films always seem to be compelling in some way and this is one of the best as Hilary Swank plays a young Irish woman named Maggie Fitzgerald, who builds herself from nothing into a champion. Morgan Freeman and director Clint Eastwood play heady old boxing veterans in the 2004 film that won Best Picture. The ending is both heartwarming and heartbreaking.

182. Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens - Flawed in some ways, but still a thrilling long-awaited renewal of the great series. Han Solo faces his son and Rey (Daisy Ridley) joins the cast. It’s always great to see Chewy again, too!

181. Love Actually - Several intertwining stories that all have a heart. Hugh Grant, Emma Thompson, Laura Linney, Colin Firth, Adam Rickman, Bill Nighy and Liam Neeson add spice to cast while Keira Knightley's smile in one all-time great scene caps it for me.


x180. Charlie Wilson’s War - Tom Hanks plays Texas Congressman Charlie Wilson, who takes a break from jumping into Jacuzzis with playboy models to help the Afghans kick Russia out of their country. An All-Star cast with Julia Roberts, Amy Adams and the great Phillip Seymour Hoffman make it a fun, informative journey.

179. Contact - The 1997 film is based on a book by Carl Sagan about trying to make contact with extraterrestrials. Jodie Foster is the lead and Matthew McConaughey adds a religious edge to the unique story.

178. Bohemian Rhapsody - The story of the historic rock group Queen and its amazing front man Freddie Mercury is hated by some critics, but it won Best Picture at the Golden Globes. I call it a beautiful mess. While it is far from perfect and some of the time line changes can annoy you, I was incredibly entertained for more than two hours.

177. School of Rock - Substitute Jack Black pushes aside the textbooks to teach his class rock and roll, and they warm to the task. It is funny, smart and has a great ending at a battle of the bands contest.

176. The Wrestler - Mickey Rourke plays a past-his-prime wrestler named Randy "The Ram" Robinson, who is dealing with health and family issues as his standout career comes to an end. Rourke should have won Best Actor at the 2008 Academy Awards for his believable performance - over Sean Penn, who took the Oscar for "Milk." Marisa Tomei shines as a stripper.

175. Primary Colors - John Travolta and Emma Thompson play Bill and Hillary in this humorous, interesting film that captures the dilemma for a campaign with a very flawed, but also at times brilliant candidate.

174. Dodgeball - Vince Vaughn battles Ben Stiller on the court and Christine Taylor wins. "If you can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a ball." That's the motto of Hall of Fame Dodgeballer Patches O' Houlihan in his hilarious comedy.

173. Smokey and the Bandit - Burt Reynolds and Sally Field star in this fun chase movie that I first saw on my eighth grade class trip to the Statue of Liberty and Radio City Music Hall. Afterward, we witnessed the Rockettes!

172. Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle - Stoners Harold (John Cho) and Kumar (Kal Penn) get a hankering for some tasty sliders late at night and enjoy quite a wild journey in the 2004 film. They encounter pretty British girls with stomach problems, a cheetah, the police, some bullies, an odd couple and drugged-out Doogie Howser (Neil Patrick Harris) before reaching their destination.

171. All the President’s Men - Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman play Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, who uncover the Watergate scandal. The newsroom scenes and the drama of historic events were well portrayed.


170. Jersey Girl - Love this Kevin Smith film even though he apparently wasn't happy with the final product. Ben Affleck takes care of a their child after J-Lo dies and Liv Tyler's character ignites the movie, which has a heartwarming ending.

169. Saving Private Ryan - I am not a huge fan of war movies, which pushes this down the list a bit, but the first half hour of this film depicting the Invasion of Normandy at Omaha Beach was very powerful. Tom Hanks goes in search of Private James Francis Ryan (Matt Damon), whose three brothers had already become casualties of war. Steven Spielberg won Best Director in 1998 for the film, which lost out to “Shakespeare in Love” for Best Picture. 

168. The Infiltrator - One of the best films of 2016 stars Bryan Cranston as Robert Mazur, who goes deep undercover to try and take down Pablo Escobar’s drug network. The ending is well-planned and dramatic.

167. Beneath the Planet of the Apes – Beneath was a strong follow up to the original classic as James Franciscus, Charlton Heston and the beautiful Nova (Linda Harrison) encounter an underground race of men worshiping an atomic bomb. There is plenty of symbolism in this one and a strong plot that provides a powerful ending.

166. Grosse Pointe Blank - John Cusack plays a high-priced hit man who returns to his high school reunion and connects with his old flame (Minnie Driver) in the unique 1997 movie. It's a mix of humor and crazy action.

166. Shiva Baby -

165. Go - A series of wacky, sometimes raunchy, intertwining stories revolve around grocery clerk Ronna (Sarah Polley) needing to find a way to make some money to pay her rent. Pre-Cruise Katie Holmes produces her best performance while Jay Mohr and Scott Wolf show up as squabbling gay lovers. Tim Olyphant also shines as a heady drug dealer.

164. American Pie - Humorous high school comedy that has produced several much-used phrases such as MILF. Jim (Jason Biggs) courts frisky Nadia (Shannon Elizabeth) and Steve Stifler (Seann William Scott) is one heck of a character.

163. An Officer and a Gentleman - The 1982 romantic drama was somehow not even nominated for Best Picture, which was later won by "Ghandi" over "ET." Richard Gere or "Mayo-naise" falls for a local girl (Debra Winger) at boot camp and is worked into shape by drill sergeant Louis Gossett Jr., who won Best Supporting Actor. The ending is triumphant and emotional.

162. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest - Jack Nicholson produces one of his all-time great performances as a new patient at a mental institution after serving time in prison. Randle must deal with Nurse Ratched (Louise Fletcher).

146. Vanilla Sky - Tom Cruise suffers brutal injuries to his face in an accident and Sofia (Penelope Cruz) nurses him back to life. Or does she? There are plenty of twists and turns in this Cameron Crowe thriller, which can be interpreted in many ways.

161. Beyond the Lighted Stage - The best documentary of a rock band ever made, in my opinion, on the fantastic Canadian trio Rush. It tracks their progress from modest beginnings through many different styles in their Hall of Fame career.


160. For the Love of the Game - Kevin Costner plays a talented veteran pitcher who has one great game left in him. Vin Scully adds his golden commentary on Billy Chapel's last appearance on the mound while his lifetime love prepares to leave the country at the airport.

159. Brian’s Song - Make sure you have some tissues available for this TV movie about the unique friendship between Chicago Bears running backs Gale Sayers (Billy Dee Williams) and cancer-stricken Brian Piccolo (James Caan). The 1971 film won an Emmy for Best Dramatic Program and was one of the first I ever watched. Billy Dee’s speech at the end is one of the most emotional scenes I can remember.

158. One Good Cop - Under-rated 1991 film stars Michael Keaton as Artie Lewis, a talented detective who loses his partner. Lewis and wife (Rene Russo) take care of his fallen partner's three young daughters while dealing with a nasty criminal named Beniamino Rios. Benjamin Bratt shows up as a new partner and the ending is heartwarming and unique.

157. The Departed - Martin Scorsese won his only Best Director honor at the Academy Awards with this 2006 crime drama that is apparently a Boston-style remake of the 2002 Hong Kong film "Internal Affairs." Leonardo DiCaprio goes deep undercover to try to find evidence on mob boss Frank Costello (Jack Nicholson) and Matt Damon plays the slimiest of police moles.

156. Dead Poets Society - The 1989 film is based in an elite Vermont boarding school where an English teacher named John Keating (Robin Williams) inspires a group of students. Keating's unorthodox methods lead to his demise at the conservative school, but his legacy lived on. Captain my Captain!!

155. Gladiator - The film won Best Picture and Russell Crowe took Best Actor at the Academy Awards in 2000 for his role as Maximus, a man who rises up to avenge the murder of his loved ones during the Roman Empire. The movie had its detractors (Roger Ebert) and is far from perfect, but it boasts many powerful scenes. “Are you not entertained?”

154. Better off Dead - Sure, it is somewhat formulaic and Siskel & Ebert hated it, but this zany 1985 romantic comedy still makes me laugh. John Cusack plays Lane Meyer, a man "who knows how to ski" but develops a death wish after his girlfriend Beth dumps him. French exchange student Monique (Diane Franklin) tries to save Lane, but can't help when the paperboy stalks him. Two Dollars!

153. Field of Dreams - The mystical 1989 film might be higher on many lists of the top sports movies of all time, but it is still a classic in my mind. “If you build it, he will come.” Kevin Costner creates a pristine baseball field near a cornfield in Iowa after hearing voices and a miracle occurs. You want to have a catch?

152. Goodfellas - Martin Scorsese's brilliant 1990 mob drama stars Ray Liotta, along with Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci, and was based on the book by Nicholas Pileggi named "Wiseguy." Pesci won Best Supporting Actor at the Academy Awards and will always be remembered for one incredible scene.

151. Midnight Run - Robert DeNiro, as bounty hunter Jack Walsh, is assigned to find and bring in accountant Jonathan Mardukas (Charles Grodin) after the embezzler skips bond in this fun romp from 1988.


150. Crazy Rich Asians - The romantic comedy based on a best-selling novel is fun and emotional from the first minute to the last. Constance Wu is dazzling as she takes on her fiance's snooty rich mother when the couple travels to Singapore for a friend's wedding. The best love story of 2018.

149. United 93 - The minute-by-minute account of the hijacked flight, which crashed in Shanksville, Pa. on 9/11, and what it was like for the passengers - many of them who become heroic. There are no stars. It’s understated, sad and gripping.

148. While You Were Sleeping - Sandra Bullock in probably her best and most underappreciated role as subway token collector Lucy, who finds love in a roundabout way. Lucy is one of the most likable female characters of all time.

147. The Lookout - Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays a young man dealing with the aftermath of a horrific accident that he caused and a head injury that allows people to take advantage of him. “I wake up. I get dressed. I take my meds.”

145. When Harry Met Sally - The first time I saw Bethel High graduate and one-time UConn student Meg Ryan was on the soap opera “As the World Turns,” and you could tell she was going to be a star. Ryan burst on the scene with her performance in this 1989 romantic comedy written by Nora Ephron and directed by Rob Reiner. She was in charge with Billy Crystal in every scene, including the famous one in the diner (look it up on youtube).

144. Zero Dark Thirty - Pulsating drama about the killing of Osama Bin Laden, with Jessica Chastain’s powerful performance as Maya (a composite character) - the driving force behind the plan. Don’t care about some of the arguments about the facts. It was a good watch.

143. Juno - Ellen Page was deservedly nominated for Best Actress for her performances as a witty, pregnant 16-year-old girl dealing with things "way beyond her maturity level" in the 2007 film. Reportedly, both pro-life and pro-choice groups mostly approved of the film that examined the impossible decisions Juno was faced with.

142. Shut Up and Sing - Terrific 2006 documentary about how a portion of the American society over-reacted to a simple anti-war statement by Natalie Maines of the Dixie Chicks at a 2003 concert in London. The controversy led to death threats, a backlash from country radio stations and corporations, and spawned a powerful album with songs about the trio's ordeal called "Taking the Long Way."

141. Spaceballs - Mel Brooks’ goofy, but creative and smart, parody of the Star Wars movies from 1987 is a laugh a minute. Dark Helmet’s ship moves at “Ludicrous Speed.” May the Schwartz be with you! Dick Van Patten and Joan Rivers join an all-star crew.


140. Any Given Sunday - Oliver Stone’s loud, bold look at the glory and the vices of professional football works despite some over-the-top scenes. Al Pacino plays an aging coach under fire with a beat-up veteran quarterback (Dennis Quaid) and a new-wave signal caller (Jamie Foxx) with talent finding his way on and off the field.

139. Grindhouse - The movies were sold separately on video, but I saw Robert Rodriguez's humorous zombie story "Planet Terror" and Quentin Tarantino's intense "Death Proof" consecutively in the theater like the old days as Grindhouse. Gorgeous Rose McGowan shines in both, especially in PT with her machine-gun leg - "Two against the world baby." Kirk Russell plays a creepy stunt man who dishes it and takes it big time in DP.

138. Searching for Sugar Man - A fascinating documentary about Sixto Rodriguez, a sort of Latin Bob Dylan from the streets of Detroit who did not make it in America but became a superstar in Apartheid-infested South Africa without knowing it. Two fans from Cape Town attempt to unlock the mystery of Rodriguez and tell an incredible story that is sad and ultimately uplifting. It won the Oscar for Best Documentary of 2012.

x137. Little Miss Sunshine - A family that is going through many issues loads into a failing vehicle for the drive from New Mexico to Redondo Beach, California to allow Olive (Abigail Breslin) to participate in a beauty pageant for pre-teens. Their journey encounters many problems, but brings them closer together. Rick James' most famous song is brought to life by Breslin.

136. The American President - Aaron Sorkin wrote the romantic comedy and Rob Reiner directed as a widowed president (Michael Douglas) - up for re-election - courts a beautiful lobbyist (Annette Bening). Bening plays Sydney Ellen Wade with grace and power while the film mixes plenty of humor with a little politics. You wonder what would happen if we had a single president.

135. Splash - The 1984 romantic comedy stars a young Tom Hanks, who falls for a beautiful mermaid (Daryl Hannah) off Cape Cod. Don’t we all, in our dreams? His brother (John Candy) has the best lines in the movie, and works with Eugene Levy to free the loving couple from the aquarium. “If something works for me, I stick with it.” Words to live by.

134. Live and Let Die - My second favorite Bond film (1973) was the first for the late Roger Moore, who took over for Sean Connery and saves the mystical and beautiful Solitaire (Jane Seymour). Bond uncovers a heroin trafficking ring through Harlem and a Caribbean Island, fighting off some strange characters. It was all topped off by Paul McCartney's brilliant song.

133. Begin Again - A brilliant songwriter (Keira Knightley), about to head back to England after a breakup, and a down-on-his-luck record producer (Mark Ruffalo) meet by chance and make wonderful music together in New York. It is imperfect at times and the music is simple, but there are so many great heartfelt scenes.

132. Da 5 Bloods - Spike Lee's latest joint came out on Netflix in 2020 and it had to be added to the list immediately. Four African-American Vietnam vets return to the place where their friend died in battle and a box of gold bars were buried some 40 or 50 years earlier.

131. Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back - The second movie in the series is a favorite for many. It comes in a close third for me. There is plenty going on for sure with the introduction of the great Yoda and Lando Calrissian, while Luke meets dad. It sets the table well for the next one.


130. The Shawshank Redemption - The 1994 film follows the story of Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins), a man wrongly-accused of a double murder who finds a way to cope with prison life and wins in the end. The movie was not a huge hit out of the gate, but became more popular as time went on. It might be higher on many lists, but I understand the power of the film and Morgan Freeman's performance is amazing. "Hope is a good thing."

129. Truth - Cate Blanchett plays Mary Mapes with vigor and Robert Redford portrays Dan Rather in a film about the controversy surrounding the 60 Minutes report on George W. Bush’s military service, which gets tangled in a web of corporate scum and partisan politics. Blanchett’s pulsating speech, defending journalism, at the end is one of my favorite scenes of all time. FEA!!

128. Top Gun - The iconic 1986 film was one of Tom Cruise’s first big roles as he plays Maverick, a reckless but talented Naval aviator. Cruise’s battles with Ice Man (Val Kilmer) and the forbidden courtship with teacher (Kelly McGillis) are classic. The music pushes the intensity of the movie, especially Kenny Loggins’ “Danger Zone.”

127. Life is Beautiful - Roberto Benigni won Best Actor in 1997 and directed this Italian comedy-drama. Benigni plays a Jewish man who uses his imagination and humor to save his son from death at a German concentration camp. It was the first film that I enjoyed thoroughly despite dealing with subtitles, and the ending is both sad and triumphant.

127. Don't Look Up -

126. After Hours - Martin Scorsese's odd, but riveting, 1985 film follows Paul Hackett (Griffin Dunne) when he decides to go out to a diner after a very ordinary day at work sitting at the computer. Hackett meets a pretty, but very crazy, woman named Marcy (Rosanna Arquette) and sets sail on a strange journey through the New York City night. Surrender Dorothy!

125. Black Panther - Marvel provides another unique and compelling super hero with Chadwick Boseman taking over as king of Wakanda - only to be challenged by his evil cousin. The story and the characters are rich.

124. Up in the Air - George Clooney plays a man who lives his life on the road, working for businesses who don't have the guts to fire workers themselves. His regimented routine changes when he meets two different women (Anna Kendrick and Vera Farmiga). I enjoyed this movie and it also makes you think about what's most important in life.

123. The Town - Director Ben Affleck co-wrote and stars in the 2010 crime drama based on Chuck Hogan's book "The Prince of Thieves." A group of long-time friends from Charlestown, Mass. rob banks in the area and Affleck falls for one of the managers (Rebecca Hall), who may be able to identify them. Jon Hamm and Jeremy Renner are also terrific in their roles.

x122. Groundhog Day - Pittsburgh weatherman Phil Connors (Bill Murray) lives the same day over and over and over again until he gets it right with Rita Hanson (Andie McDowell). The great Harold Ramis directed this comedy classic with a masterful performance from the groundhog. What if there were no tomorrows?

121. Saved! - Mary (Jena Malone), who attends a devout christian high school, gets pregnant after trying to "cure" her boyfriend of his gayness. Mandy Moore, Patrick Fugit and Macauley Calkin join a solid cast in this satirical comedy with a strong message.


120. Breaking Away - The 1979 film, based in Bloomington, Ind., follows a group of young townies who enter "The Little 500" bicycle race against the snooty college teams. Dennis Quaid is one of the kids and Dennis Christopher is the talented lead cyclist for the "Cutters" in this likable, humorous slice of life. The movie was nominated for Best Picture and won a Golden Globe.

119. Mystery Alaska - It is a far-fetched story with some corny scenes, but there's just enough old time hockey and solid performances to make the 1999 film quite enjoyable. Russell Crowe is the veteran leader who captains an amateur team from remote Mystery that takes on the New York Rangers in an exhibition game that the NHLPA would never approve. Burt Reynolds channels John Tortorella.

118. Serendipity - Apparently it means "a fortunate accident." Talk about fortunate, how about having a choice between Bridget Moynihan and Kate Beckinsale? You...can't... lose. John Cusack has that tough decision in this likable romantic comedy. Jeremy Piven also plays a key role as Cusack's friend in the film that ends on the ice in New York City.

117. The Hate U Give - Black Lives (do) Matter. This film does not scream that, but the sentiment is clear and it shows the temptations and the impossible decisions minority youths in the inner city have to make. I truly believe this movie should be watched and discussed in schools. Let's talk about how we treat each other and how the police can deal with minorities and situations better.

116. The Hurricane - I was captivated by William Nack's amazing 1992 story on Rubin "Hurricane" Carter in Sports Illustrated and was anxious to see the movie in 1999. While some of the facts were fudged, as usual in the films such as this, it did not disappoint with Denzel Washington producing one of his best performances as a boxer who was wrongly-convicted of a triple murder. "Hate put me in this place. Love's gonna bust me out."

115. Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery - Mike Myers killed it in the first and - by a mile - the best of the series in 1997 as the goofy English spy and the sinister Dr. Evil. Austin's flirting with Vanessa (Elizabeth Hurley) and Alotta FFagina (Fabiano Udenio), along with his meeting with the Fembots are comedy history. And Danger.... is Austin's middle name.

114. Argo - The intense film is based on the escape of six US diplomats from Tehran during the Iran hostage crisis from 1979-81 and it won Best Picture at the 2012 Academy Awards. Ben Affleck plays CIA operative Tony Mendez, who helps get the people out with the help of the Canadian Embassy. While the final scene was not how it actually happened, it is spine-tingling. If you don't like the drama added, Argo Fuck yourself.

113. Boogie Nights - Paul Thomas Anderson's 1997 film explores the porn industry of the 1970s through the eyes of young star Dirk Diggler (Mark Wahlberg). Burt Reynolds provides the best performance of his career as a film maker who finds Dirk while Heather Graham, Don Cheadle, Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Julianne Moore add to an amazing cast. The scene at the druggie's house with the young Asian setting off firecrackers is one the weirdest, intense scenes of all time.

112. BlacKkKlansman - Director Spike Lee's powerful film based on the true story of a black cop, who infiltrates the KKK over the phone in Colorado. John David Washington is brilliant as the real Ron Stallworth and Flip (Adam Driver) shines as the fake Stallworth with the white supremacist fools.

111. Guardians of the Galaxy - The 2014 film from Marvel Studios is an action/comedy romp with a motley crew of superheroes, led by Peter Quill (Chris Pratt). Bradley Cooper provides the voice for the cheeky raccoon-like character Rocket, whose buddy "Groot" steals the film. It's just a load of fun and the sequel is almost as good.


110. The Tillman Story - The amazing, but disturbing, 2010 documentary follows the tragic death of Pat Tillman and the controversial aftermath. The former Arizona Cardinals defensive back, who gave up his NFL career to join the army, was found to be killed by friendly fire in Afghanistan - a fact that was originally covered up before his family helps to reveal it.

109. Lord of War - The under-rated 2005 film stars Nicolas Cage as Yuri Orlov, an illegal arms dealer from Brighton Beach who becomes a major player in the world. Orlov makes deals with horrible dictators, along with his drugged-out and conflicted brother (Jared Leto), while fooling his dream woman (Bridget Moynihan) into marrying him. An agent (Ethan Hawke) is constantly on his tail.

108. Jurassic Park - Developing a remote island with cloned dinosaurs from the DNA of very old frozen mosquitoes - what could go wrong? The 1993 Steven Spielberg film was the best of the series by far and won for sound and the amazing visual effects at the Academy Awards. Sam Neill, Laura Dern and Jeff Goldblum lead a solid cast, who try to avoid those pesky raptors.

107. We Are Marshall - The emotional 2006 film depicts the aftermath of the tragic plane crash that killed 75 people in 1970, including 37 players from the Marshall football team. Matthew McConaughey plays charismatic coach Jack Lengyel, who starts from scratch to help lift the Thundering Herd from the ashes.

106. Bend it Like Beckham - While the soccer action isn't particularly well shot, this film is about culture, tradition, tolerance, family and friendship. An 18-year-old Sikh named Jess (Parminder Nagra) secretly joins a girls soccer team in England against her parents wishes, befriends Jules (Keira Knightley) and falls for her coach. If nothing else, you get to hear Keira say "Sohnta Clahhhra."

105. Chasing Amy - Kevin Smith's off-beat film stars Ben Affleck as a comic book artist who falls in love with his lesbian friend (Joey Lauren Adams) and both go through soul-searching issues. Basically, it's just about how difficult love and relationships are. Some critics thought it was too stereotypical and narrow, but in my mind it was thought-provoking, unique - sometimes crude - and hilarious.

104. Fever Pitch - The Farrelly Brothers' 2005 film is loosely based on Nick Hornby's book "Fever Pitch, A Fan's Life" about his time rooting for Arsenal in the English Premiership. The Farrellys adapted it to the life of "one of God's most pathetic creatures" - Boston Red Sox fans - with Jimmy Farrell in the lead role. The movie concludes with end the Curse of the Bambino. "Remember when Roger Moret went catatonic?"

103. Into the Wild - Sean Penn's gripping 2007 film follows the journey of Chris McCandless, who leaves his family and a normal life to travel across the country without a car on his way to the Alaskan wilderness. Emile Hirsch is outstanding as McCandless and Hal Holbrook earned a Best Supporting Actor nomination as one of the people he meets along the way. You go through many different emotions through this film and there's some great Eddie Vedder music as background.

102. Elizabethtown - Cameron Crowe's most under-rated film stars Orlando Bloom as a young man, embarrassed by a huge failure in business, who must deal with death in many different ways. His journey leads him to the realization of what life is all about. Kirsten Dunst has never been cuter as friendly stewardess Claire Colburn. Some think her character was not real, that she was supposed to be an angel that saves Bloom. So many great scenes.

101. War Games - The 1983 film stars Matthew Broderick as an innocent young hacker, who easily works his way into a government computer and plays a dangerous game. Every guy in my age group's crush Ally Sheedy plays Broderick's girlfriend as he rushes to save the world from "thermal nuclear war." Words to live by from computer Joshua - "A strange game. The only winning move is not to play."

101. Birdman - Former super hero star Riggan Thompson (Michael Keaton) tries to find legitimacy on the Broadway stage in this fast-moving, unique "black comedy" directed expertly by Alejandro Inarritu. It won Best Picture in 2014 and Keaton should have won Best Actor after his masterful effort, but Emma Stone and Edward Norton also make the movie go with their performances.


100. Meet the Parents - Gaylord Focker (Ben Stiller) makes a comedy of errors in an attempt to impress his scary future father in law, played by Robert De Niro. Losing the beloved Jinxy and a fated pool volleyball spike don't help Focker join the "circle of trust." Naomi Watts was originally slated to play Pam, but Teri Polo proved perfect for the role - and in Playboy afterward.

99. Short Term 12 - A terrific cast that includes Brie Larson, Rami Malek, Kaitlyn Dever (she hasn't seemed to age since then) and John Gallagher Jr. weave an interesting story about a residential treatment center for young people.

98. Independence Day - The science fiction film won an Academy Award for best visual effects in 1996, but it was ultimately just a fun ride with a great cast. Will Smith and Jeff Goldblum blow up and punch the nasty-looking creatures while Bill Pullman makes impossible decisions as President before a rousing final speech. The sequel was not good, but the original was one of the most entertaining of its genre.

97. National Lampoon's Vacation - The 1983 road trip romp was the first of the series and by far the best with Chevy Chase and Beverly D'Angelo loading up the Family Truckster and heading to Wally World. When it came out, it was unique and one of the best comedies ever, but many have passed it along the way. Chase's encounter with Christie Brinkley is sure memorable though.

96. 50/50 - Joseph Gordon-Levitt, one of my favorite actors, plays a young man who is forced to deal with a rare form of cancer. Anna Kendrick is adorable as a young hospital therapist finding her way and Seth Rogan's humor does not screw up the movie, which was nominated for a Golden Globe. It is an emotional journey and the story is very intelligently told.

95. Fletch - Chevy Chase reportedly said this was his favorite movie role as a crack investigative reporter for the LA Times working on a drug trafficking story before getting embroiled in a devious plot. Irwin Fletcher's witty remarks make the movie, especially in his romance with a millionaire criminal's wife (Dana Wheeler-Nicholson) at the club. Just charge your next bill to the Underhills' tab.

94. Birdman - Former super hero star Riggan Thompson (Michael Keaton) tries to find legitimacy on the Broadway stage in this fast-moving, unique "black comedy" directed expertly by Alejandro Inarritu. It won Best Picture in 2014 and Keaton should have won Best Actor after his masterful effort, but Emma Stone and Edward Norton also make the movie go with their performances.

93. Say Anything - Cameron Crowe's directorial debut is this romantic comedy that revolves around an average high school student named Lloyd Dobler (John Cusack), who boldly asks out the pretty valedictorian Diane Court (Ione Skye). The complicated relationship has its ups and downs until Dobler puts a boom box above his head to play Peter Gabriel's "In Your Eyes."

92. Mallrats - Love, smart and goofy comedy, bad language, Claire Forlani, a hidden sailboat and a Hartford Whalers victory. What more would you want in a movie? Jason Lee is at his crude best as he tries to repair a relationship with Shannen Doherty at the mall with a lot of things going on in Kevin Smith's film. Silent Bob's quote to remember: "Adventure, excitement, a Jedi craves not these things."

91. The Bourne Identity - The first and best of the spy drama series with Matt Damon playing brainwashed soldier Jason Bourne, who must be eliminated after his black ops mission fails. Damon befriends a beautiful German woman (Franka Potente) and he uses his special talents to evade the bad guys. Bourne apologizing to the Neski girl is amazing scene.

90. Wedding Crashers - Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn have fun crashing weddings and finally meet their matches at the ceremony for a congressman's daughter. Rachel McAdams and Isla Fisher draw the two goofs out of their fantasy world and make them better people, but there is plenty of comedy to be had along the way. Will Ferrell makes perhaps his best cameo performance as Chazz, who crashes funerals to meet women.

89. Across the Universe - A young Irishman named Jude (Jim Sturgess) travels to America to find his US serviceman father and meets a diverse group of people, including the love of his life (Evan Rachel Wood). Julie Taymor's unique musical drama is told through Beatles songs and with a backdrop of the Vietnam War in the 1960s. While it veers off course a few times, it produces one of the best endings in movie history.

88. Remember the Titans - The 2000 film produced by Jerry Bruckheimer is based on the story of Herman Boone (Denzel Washington), who takes over as football coach at a recently-integrated high school in Alexandria, Va. Hayden Panettiere, Kate Bosworth and Ryan Gosling show up in supporting roles in this emotional story.

87. Jackie Brown - Director Quentin Tarantino's third film is a crime caper about "colorful low-life characters" as Roger Ebert put it. Samuel L. Jackson uses flight attendant Jackie Brown (Pam Grier) to smuggle his money in from Mexico. Jackie outsmarts everyone by teaming with smitten veteran bail bondsman Max Cherry (Robert Forster), who was deservedly nominated for Best Supporting Actor. A just-out-of jail Robert DeNiro and a ditsy Bridget Fonda add humor.

86. The Man With the Golden Gun - Bond films get rated vastly different by the critics, but this is my favorite as Roger Moore hunts down Francisco Scaramanga and battles him on a small secluded island in Chinese waters. You're not going to find many better Bond girls than Maud Adams and Swede beauty Britt Ekland, who plays the aptly-named agent Mary Goodnight. It is 007 fun from start to finish.

85. Sleepless in Seattle - OK, a little sentimental here, but director Nora Ephron co-wrote this appealing little romantic comedy starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan. Sam (Hanks) is a widower whose son Jonah (Ross Mallinger) calls a radio show to see if he can get help finding his dad a new wife and picks Annie (Ryan). The ending on the top of the Empire State Building still makes my eyes water. I can admit it.

84. Philadelphia - It's rare when a movie has the ability to adjust your philosophy on issues - even slightly - and late director Jonathan Demme's film about a man dying of Aids is one. Tom Hanks took Best Actor for his portrayal of Andrew Beckett, a gay man who is fired after his disease is discovered, and Denzel Washington provides one of his best performances as his lawyer. The movie is filled with powerful scenes and beautiful music.

83. Avengers: End Game - Yeah, it's Marvel and it's about cartoonish superheroes, but this three-hour action film had more heart than most of the similar movies put together. It begins with our heroes splintered and beaten, and ends with an uprising to remember. The last scene is both heartbreaking and heartwarming.

82. Platoon - Oliver Stone's Vietnam War drama won Best Picture at the Academy Awards in 1986 and provided some incredible images along with strong performances. The story follows Charlie Sheen through his first tour of duty and the horrors he encounters while trying to stay sane. The scene where dead bodies are pushed into a hole by bulldozers is one of the most numbing few minutes in movie history.

81. Hoop Dreams - The amazing 1994 documentary follows the journeys of William Gates and Arthur Agee - two African American youths recruited to play at a private, catholic school near Chicago to play basketball. It was originally supposed to be just a 30-minute short on PBS and it grew into a classic. Hard to beat as the best sports documentary of all time.

80. Once - Director John Carney's first of three brilliant films (also Begin Again and Sing Street) is about a Czech immigrant and an Irish street singer who meet by chance and make beautiful music together. Non-actors Glen Hansard and the gorgeous Marketa Irglova add authenticity to the story with outstanding performances. "Falling Slowly" won Best Original Song at the 80th Academy Awards.

79. Ex Machina - A creepy rich recluse (Oscar Isaac), who owns a search company, recruits a programmer (Domhnall Gleeson) to his secluded mountain home to give the Turing test to his new creation - a beautiful AI. Alicia Vikander should have won the Best Supporting Actress for her portrayal of the amazing Ava instead of  for "The Danish Girl." It is a fascinating, unique, science fiction film with one heck of a stunning ending.

78. The Replacements - It might not be a masterpiece of cinema, but who hasn't watched this fun football farce about 100 times on late-night TV? Keanu Reeves' best two roles, in my opinion, are as washed up college quarterbacks who make good and he shines as Shane Falco, the leader of the motley crew. Pretty Brook Langton rocks as Falco's love interest and Gene Hackman as his heady coach.

77. Apollo 13 - Tom Hanks plays astronaut Jim Lovell in the true story of a 1970 mission to the moon that had to be aborted, and the daring route home. One of director Ron Howard's strongest efforts was masterfully detailed and filled with tension, especially on re-entry, and earned a Best Picture nomination in 1995. "Houston, we have a problem."

76. Bulworth - Warren Beatty plays a burned-out California Senator (Jay Bulworth) who has planned to stage his own murder, but he changes his mind after meeting a young Halle Berry and discovering his talent for rap music. Bulworth finds his soul when he realizes honesty is the best policy. Wouldn't it be nice if politicians could all do that?

75. The Descendants - George Clooney produces his best career performance as a man dealing with an emotional roller coaster in Alexander Payne's film. Clooney's wife, who he finds out was cheating on him, is on her death bed after a boating accident while he must make a decision about whether to sell his large family's beautiful stretch of ocean land on Hawaii and deal with two young daughters. Shailene Woodley is outstanding as Clooney's oldest daughter.

74. The Hunger Games - The first of four in the trilogy of adapted novels from Suzanne Collins is based in a post-apocalyptic society of the haves and have nots. Jennifer Lawrence shines as the heroic Katniss, who volunteers in the last-person-standing brutal contest in place of her younger sister. While the sequels are solid, the debut of the series was shocking, powerful and heartwarming.

73. Malcolm X - The first of two Spike Lee films in the top 100 is a three-hour, 22-minute epic. Denzel Washington is extraordinary as the controversial Nation of Islam leader, evolving from small-time hustler to a powerful figure before his death in 1965 at the hands of some of the very people he led. The final scene in which he moves toward the site of his murder to Sam Cooke's brilliant song "A Change is Gonna Come" is breathtaking.

72. Sing Street - Director John Carney provides another enjoyable movie with music as the theme. A young Irish lad (Ferdia Walsh-Peelo) puts a band together starting from scratch to impress a complicated, beautiful girl (Lucy Boynton). Mark McKenna is brilliant in a supporting role. It is fun, smart and heartwarming.

71. Bowling for Columbine - While director Michael Moore can be polarizing and push the envelope at times, his portrayal of our country's baffling gun culture in his 2002 film was right on target. The Academy Award-winning documentary is chilling, sad - and occasionally humorous - as he tries to find answers to why many Americans live in constant fear for no reason. The Columbine footage is heartbreaking and shock rocker Marilyn Manson is one of the most sane people interviewed.

70. Fast Times at Ridgemont High - Cameron Crowe wrote this 1982 classic California high school comedy which touched on many different issues while making us laugh. Sean Penn was Spicoli while Jennifer Jason Leigh, Judge Reinhold and, yes, the great Phoebe Cates, were outstanding. Jackson Browne, Joe Walsh, Don Henley and others contribute to a strong soundtrack as well.

69. The Sum of All Fears - The 2002 spy drama is based on a book from Tom Clancy by the same name. The story concerns a Neo-Nazi group attempting to start Nuclear War between the US and Russia while Jack Ryan (Ben Affleck) works to uncover the truth. Apparently the reviews for this film were not great overall, but I thought it was powerful and quite believable.

68. The Commitments - A young music fanatic Jimmy Rabbitte (Robert Arkins) puts together a soul band with some diverse characters to play on the north side of Dublin. Imelda Quirke (Angeline Bell) and Natalie Murphy (Maria Doyle) grace the screen as part of the Commit-ettes and Joey "The Lips" Fagan (Johnny Murphy) gives the group cred. Joey says when the band breaks up abruptly, "Sure, we could have been famous and made albums and stuff. But that would have been predictable. This way, it's poetic."

67. Silver Linings Playbook - Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper star as two people going through different types of mental issues before forming a unique relationship. Robert DeNiro shows up as Cooper's gambling father, who is very superstitious about his beloved Philadelphia Eagles. Director David O. Russell (The Fighter, American Hustle, Joy) allows J-Law and Cooper to produce their career-best performances.

66. 2001, A Space Odyssey - Director Stanley Kubrick's science fiction drama, based on a story by Arthur C. Clarke, is a psychological journey through the universe and the origins of humanity. The depiction of space travel in the 1970 film is way ahead of its time. You are forced to interpret the mysterious things that occur, including the mental breakdown of the unforgettable computer named Hal.

65. Best in Show - Eugene Levy and Christopher Guest co-wrote this hilarious mockumentary of a national dog show with some crazy characters. The late Fred Willard makes the film go with his goofy commentary on the show and Levy shows off his two left feet, literally. Parker Posey also shines as the neurotic owner of a beautiful competitor in the show.

64. The Breakfast Club - John Hughes directed this memorable high school movie from 1985 about a group of five teenagers who spend Saturday detention together and form unlikely friendships. Ally Sheedy, Molly Ringwald, Anthony Michael Hall, Judd Nelson and Emilio Estevez were apparently nicknamed the "Brat Pack," at the time. None became superstars, but two show up in movies higher than this on the list.

63. Armageddon - No, you probably couldn't land a spacecraft on an asteroid, drill a hole, load a nuclear weapon in there and split it perfectly in two. But, heck, who cares? It's a movie and it is fun from start to finish as Bruce Willis leads a motley crew to try and save the world. The ending is quite emotional and Liv Tyler's pouting face gets me every time. "Permission to shake the hand of the daughter of the bravest man I've ever met." Tears.

62. The Social Network - David Fincher directed this film written by Aaron Sorkin based loosely on the making of facebook, with Jesse Eisenberg starring Mark Zuckerberg. Andrew Garfield and Justin Timberlake add outstanding performances while Dakota Johnson and Rooney Mara steal their scenes. The film is more about entertainment than accuracy, but most are and it is fun to watch.

61. Point Break - The 1991 film, directed by Kathryn Bigelow (The Hurt Locker, Zero Dark Thirty), has gotten more popular with age and fans can recite the best lines. "He's not coming back." Keanu Reeves stars as FBI agent Johnny Utah, a former college quarterback, who infiltrates a group of surfers/adrenaline junkies led by Patrick Swayze that rob banks. Utah jumps out of a plane without a parachute, but gets the girl (Lori Petty) and his man.

60. Major League - A bunch of rejects and has-beens lead the Cleveland Indians to the pennant in this lovable 1989 sports comedy. Charlie Sheen brings the Wild Thing to life and Tom Berenger plays the cliched heady catcher who leads the team. There were sequels that didn't match the humor and spirit of the original when the great Bob Uecker coined the phrase "jusssst a bit outside."

59. Airplane! - The wacky comedy parody still draws the same amount of laughs as it did when it first hit the big screen in 1980. Julie Hagerty and Robert Hays play the lead roles, but the automatic pilot steals the show. Kareem Abdul Jabbar puts forth his finest movie performance while Leslie Nielsen is hilarious with every line or facial expression as the doctor, and don't call him Shirley.

58. Radio Days - "Sleeper" made me laugh while "Annie Hall" and "Hannah and Her Sisters" were memorable, but my favorite Woody Allen movie is this old-style classic. The 1987 film has a great cast and remembers the days when radio was king. Mia Farrow is strong as Sally White and Larry David even makes a cameo as a communist.

57. Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi - My second favorite in the Star Wars saga as it brings to a close the legacy of Darth Vader. Vader ends his life by departing the dark side to help his son Luke live on to lead the Jedi. The action scenes on Endor with the rebels and Ewoks fighting the Emperial forces are some of the best in the series.

56. Ferris Bueller's Day Off - Bueller? Bueller? Bueller? Crafty Ferris (Matthew Broderick) skips school and sets off on a strange, fun journey through Chicago with his girlfriend (Mia Sara) and best buddy (Alan Ruck) in another great John Hughes film. "Life moves fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it."

55. The Godfather Part II - No doubt the greatest sequel - and prequel - in movie history, isn't it? You can make a case that it may be better than the original, but it is hard to match the intrigue and power of director Francis Ford Coppola's first epic film. This story moves from Italy to New York to Nevada to Cuba and all points in between, but ends on the Lake with poor Fredo.

54. The Hangover - The first and, by far, the best installment of the series follows a group of friends who take their bachelor party to Vegas where chaos reigns. A tiger, Mike Tyson, a stripper with a baby, a stolen police car, a satchel, a stun gun and a chicken (still haven't figured that one out) are all part of the fun. The "wolf pack" retraces their steps to try and find the lost groom.

53. Moneyball - The 2011 film is based on a book by the same name from Michael Lewis about the 2002 Oakland Athletics, who won 20 in a row, and their general manager Billy Beane. Brad Pitt provides one of his best performances as Beane, who tries a new style of scouting through statistics (sabermetrics) to help put together a competitive team with a limited budget while battling his manager and old-school scouts.

52. Some Kind of Wonderful - The 1987 film was written by John Hughes and directed by Howard Deutch, who later married the star (Lea Thompson) and the duo produced a good little actress named Zoey Deutch (Everybody Wants Some, Buffaloed). It's the story of an average student named Keith (Eric Stolz) as he dares to ask out the popular and newly-available Amanda Jones (Thompson). The rest is a smart, fun journey through high school life.

51. Back to the Future - In the first of the memorable series, Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) is transported back to 1955 where he must make his parents fall in love again after the time continuum is messed up. Marty has to fight off the advances of his mom, the bully Biff and he introduces the kids to some classic Chuck Berry music ahead of its time. Eric Stolz was supposed to be Marty, but the switch was made during filming.

50. Dances With Wolves - Kevin Costner starred and directed the beautiful and emotional 1990 film about a disconnected Union Army lieutenant who befriends an Indian tribe while alone on the American frontier. The movie won seven Academy awards, including Best Picture, and re-invigorated the Western genre. It is still a lesson in how people with different cultures can live together in peace, if effort is made. And what about the Tatanka?!

49. Sixteen Candles - John Hughes wrote and directed this 1984 high school comedy that is most movie lovers' favorite of its genre. Molly Ringwald provides the best performance of her career as average high school sophomore Samantha Baker dealing with parents forgetting her 16th birthday and a major crush on heart-throb senior Jaaaaaaaake Ryan - played by Michael Schoeffling, who apparently beat out Viggo Mortensen. Anthony Michael Hall shines as the king of the geeks.

48. Promising Young Woman - Cassie (Carey Mulligan) carries out mental vengeance on manipulative men and others to avenge her best friend, who was sexually assaulted at a party when they were both in medical school. The best film of 2020 is gripping, humorous and smart.

47.  JoJo Rabbit - A cheeky comedy-drama which both loudly and in subtle ways shows the lunacy of hate and fascism. Taika Waititi writes, directs and stars in the film while amazing 12-year-old Roman Griffin Davis plays the Hitler Youth "JoJo" Betzler, who must deal with finding out his mother (Scarlett Johansson) is a member of the resistance and is hiding a young Jewish woman (Thomasin McKenzie) in the wall at the end of World War II.

46. Clerks - It's crude, somewhat inappropriate, but Kevin Smith's film based on life along the Jersey shore is one of the most humorous of all time. The movie revolves around Dante (Brian O'Halloran), who "wasn't even supposed to be working today!" and his day running the Quick Stop as he juggles girlfriends. Jay and Silent Bob show up and Randal (Jeff Anderson) probably has the best lines while 37 becomes the operative number.

45. Jerry Maguire - Cameron Crowe's 1996 romantic comedy stars Tom Cruise as a sports agent trying to do the right thing in a profession that has gone off the rails. Renee Zellweger is brilliant as the accountant that follows him out the door of his agency and makes him a better man. Cuba Gooding Jr. won Best Supporting Actor basically for one of the most iconic scenes of all time when he asks Cruise to "Show me the money!"

44. The Big Short - Some people quibble with the facts or say they are exaggerated (NOT ME), but director Adam McKay (Anchorman) does a strong job turning Michael Lewis' book about the horror of the 2007-2008 financial crisis into an entertaining film. Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, Brad Pitt and Christian Bale hit home runs with their performances while telling the story of fund managers and a banker who predicted the collapse of a still fraudulent system.

43. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood - A movie about movies. That doesn't sound that great, but director Quentin Tarantino uses all his talent to create compelling characters who weave a story about a period of time in the Hotel California. Leonardo DiCaprio is actor Rick Dalton on the downside of his career, Brad Pitt is his driver and former stunt man Cliff Booth and Margot Robbie plays likable Sharon Tate - a real-life actress who was murdered by the Manson cult.

42. Notting Hill - The romantic comedy was written by Richard Curtis - his second of two brilliant screen plays in the 1990s. The film stars Hugh Grant as a small-time shop owner who enters into an on-again, off-again relationship after a chance meeting with a superstar actress played by Julia Roberts. It's smart, humorous, thought-provoking and heartwarming. The ending is one of the best ever for this genre.

42. CODA - 

41. Rocky - Sylvester Stallone wrote and starred in the epic drama that led off the series, introducing one of the most iconic characters in movie history - Rocky Balboa, the small-time boxer from Philadelphia who takes on world champ Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers). The movie won Best Picture in 1976 while Stallone and Talia Shire, who played his lovable geeky girlfriend Adrian, were both nominated along with Burgess Meredith and Burt Young. The final fight scene is as emotional as it gets.

40. Beautiful Girls - Willie Conway (Timothy Hutton) is going through a period of life issues when he decides to leave NYC to go home to the small Massachusetts town where he grew up. He meets an adorable 12-year-old Natalie Portman and Uma Thurman - two angels who both solve his problems in a way. It is a sweet, authentic and humorous story about relationships and small-town friendships that last forever.

39. Magnolia - Paul Thomas Anderson's three-hour epic film pieces together several intertwining stories, primarily about the relationships between parents and children, with great Aimee Mann music as background. Tom Cruise provides his most powerful and controversial performance as a male supremacist with a dying father that he has not seen in many years and John C. Reilly is the conscience of the film as a cop who falls for a pretty drug addict (Melora Waters). This is a movie that is in the category where people love or hate it. Ebert and I loved it. Siskel didn't.

38. Forrest Gump - Tom Hanks won Best Actor for his wonderful depiction of a slow, but sweet and big-hearted man who lives an amazing life after humble beginnings. The 1994 film is a history lesson following Gump through the Vietnam War, his athletic triumphs in football and ping pong, a successful shrimping business and Watergate before finding his grammar school sweetheart Jenny (Robin Wright) again.

37. The Big Sick - Kumail Nanjiani hits a home run with his sly humor "you're the Pakistani Sammy Sosa," playing himself in the true-to-life story and Zoe Kazan was the perfect casting as Emily "I don't date time nerds," but the big surprise was Ray Romano's perfect deadpan performance. Everything seems to come together perfectly for this film, which you can watch over and over and still smile throughout.

36. 25th Hour - Director Spike Lee's best film stars Ed Norton as Monty Brogan, a broken man headed to prison after getting caught selling drugs for the Russian mafia. The story follows Monty as he spends the final day with his girlfriend, wonderfully named Natural Rivera (Rosario Dawson), along with long-time buddies. Monty calls out everyone in NYC to the mirror in a powerful, controversial scene (go see it on you tube), but the final finger is pointed at his greed.

35. 10 Things I Hate About You - The 1999 romantic high school comedy was reportedly written as a modern day version of Shakespeare's "The Taming of the Shrew." The late, great Heath Ledger attempts to tame Julia Stiles and a young Joseph Gordon Levitt courts Stiles' cute, quirky sister Bianca. Larry Miller (the girls' father) has the best lines in the film. When Bianca whines, "It's just a party daddy." Miller retorts, "and Hell is just a sauna."

34. Seabiscuit - The magical story about a banged up little horse who is turns into a great champion and provides Americans with something to feel good about during the Great Depression. Jeff Bridges is outstanding as the horse's owner and Chris Cooper as the unorthodox trainer. Jockey Red Pollard (Tobey Maguire) says to end the film, "You know, everyone thinks that we found this broken down horse and fixed him, but we didn't. He fixed us. Everyone of us. And I guess in a way, we kinda fixed each other, too."

33. ET - Director Steven Spielberg's charming 1982 film is about a goofy-looking, abandoned extra-terrestrial who befriends a young boy named Elliott (Henry Thomas). We were introduced to a tiny Drew Barrymore as Elliott's little sister in the epic movie that makes you laugh, cry and want to "phone home." It won four technical awards, but was beaten out for Best Picture by "Ghandi."

32. Miracle - Kurt Russell steals the 2004 film with his strong portrayal of Herb Brooks, who coached a group of college kids to the gold medal in men's hockey at the 1980 Olympics against all odds. While it is difficult to re-create the action of the greatest upset in sports history, the story about how the team came together and Brooks' mad genius is told expertly. I love watching this movie again. ... and again. ... and again. ... and again ... and again.

31. Nebraska - I'm still disappointed that Bruce Dern didn't win Best Actor (Matthew McConaughey did) for his work in this delightful, humorous slice of life that was directed by Alexander Payne. Dern plays a fading veteran who thinks he has won a million dollar sweepstakes and his son (Will Forte) decides to take him on a journey to Lincoln, Neb. despite knowing it is just a scam. The trip takes Woody through his old town before coming to a touching conclusion.


30. The Big Chill - Director Lawrence Kasdan's 1983 comedy-drama brings together a group of college friends from the University of Michigan after one of the group suddenly commits suicide. Great music of the 60s and 70s is the backdrop for the film that features an amazing cast, led by Glenn Close and Kevin Kline. Kevin Costner was cast as the late Alex, but he was never shown in the movie.

29. Office Space - Mike Judge (Beavis and Butt-Head) directed one good movie to add to his career resume and it is on the list of the best comedies of all time. Peter Gibbons (Ron Livingston) is a bored computer programmer stuck in a cubicle whose life changes when he is hypnotized into total relaxation, leading to a promotion, humor and chaos. Waitress Jennifer Anniston, who doesn't wear enough "flair," is Gibbons' dream girl and a printer gets justly tortured.

28. Raiders of the Lost Ark - The 1981 epic adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg stars Harrison Ford as archaeologist Indiana Jones, one of the most iconic characters in cinematic history. Jones goes in search of the Ark of the Covenant, which held the Ten Commandments, and must fight Hitler and his army for it. The power of the Ark is unleashed in an amazing final scene.

27. 500 Days of Summer - Director Marc Webb tells the story of boy meets girl - and both end up driving each other nuts - in a nonlinear fashion that works brilliantly. Summer (Zooey Deschanel) is the your basic appealing, but impossible-to-read young woman, while Tom (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) cannot fight through his expectations and her conflicting signals despite the early proclamation that she "doesn't want anything serious." It all adds up to a fun, thought-provoking and unique film.

26. Wall Street - Director and co-writer Oliver Stone's 1987 drama takes a look at greed in the stock market through the eyes of a young broker Bud Fox (Charlie Sheen) and corporate raider Gordon Gekko (Michael Douglas). Douglas won Best Actor as one of the great villains in movie history and Sheen provided his best-ever performance. "Man looks in the abyss, there's nothing staring back at him. At that moment, man finds his character. And that is what keeps him out of the abyss."

25. Lion - My pick for the best film of 2016 is a heartwarming true story that follows the journey of Saroo Brierley, who is trapped on a train that takes him hundreds of miles from his home in India when he is just 5-years-old. The amazing Sunny Pawar plays the young Saroo in the first hour of the film and Dev Patel takes over as the 25-year-old Saroo in the second half as he desperately tries to find his home. It is a movie about the power of family and I have never balled more during a final scene.

24. Good Will Hunting - Robin Williams won Best Supporting Actor for his role as a therapist working with a damaged young man from South Boston, who is a mathematical genius working as a janitor at a prestigious school. Williams is brilliant in the 1997 film while battling an old colleague for control of the treatment for Will Hunting (Matt Damon). How do you like them apples?

23. Titanic - James Cameron's epic disaster drama/love story won Best Picture in 1997 with Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet providing memorable performances. It is a story about the haves and have nots who had the honor to board the great ship and the terror of the aftermath when an iceberg gets in the way. The scene where the row boat comes back too late to find most of the people frozen and dead is one of the most bone-chilling of all time.

22. The Right Stuff - The epic 1983 film, adapted from the best-selling book by Tom Wolfe, follows America's first test pilots whose courageous efforts led to the first manned spaceflights. The late Sam Shepard plays the most heroic of them all - Chuck Yeager - as he breaks the sound barrier, but never gets to become one of the first astronauts. The three-hour, 12-minute movie is powerful, entertaining and provides an interesting history lesson.

21. Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope - The first in the epic series introduces Luke, Leia, Darth, Chewy, Han and the whole gang as the Rebellion takes on the Empire. The story begins at the end of spinoff  "Rogue One," as the Rebels have stolen the plans to destroy the Death Star. The characters are iconic and writer/director George Lucas reportedly mixed elements of myth and religion from Beowulf and King Arthur with Flash Gordon among other classics.


20. Planet of the Apes - The original and best of the epic science fiction series stars Charlton Heston as an astronaut who crash lands on a strange planet where intelligent apes rule over humans. The 1968 film holds up today and the apocalyptic story line comes to a close with Lady Liberty on the beach in one of the greatest scenes of all time. Chimp scientists Cornelius (Roddy McDowell) and Zira (Kim Hunter) give the movie heart.

19. Slap Shot - The 1977 comedy about a wacky minor-league hockey team, with the great Paul Newman as its player-coach, still makes you laugh uncontrollably. The Charlestown Chiefs become a winner and draw big crowds when they change their style to violence - led by the lovable Hanson Brothers. The characters are rich, somewhat believable, and Dickie Dunn just "tried to capture the spirit of the thing."

18. Die Hard - One of the best action movies of all time stars Bruce Willis as the charismatic New York cop John McClane, who springs into action when visiting his wife at a Christmas party in Los Angeles. The late, great Alan Rickman plays one of the best villains of all time - Hans Gruber - the leader of the bad guys. Not usually a fan of shoot 'em up movies, but this one has appeal. Is it a Christmas movie or not?

17. A Few Good Men - Probably the movie I have watched the most in my life on television as it is constantly on late at night and never gets old. Rob Reiner directed Aaron Sorkin's screenplay about the coverup after a marine dies when he is disciplined within the unit. Jack Nicholson produced one of his best performances as the evil Colonel Jessup while Tom Cruise and Demi Moore make it fun.

16. Caddyshack - Golf was never the same after the 1980 comedy directed by the great Harold Ramis and written by Brian Doyle Murray, Ramis and Douglas Kenney. The epic battle between Rodney Dangerfield and Ted Knight is an all-timer while Chevy Chase produces his best performance in a movie. It is one of the top movies ever for producing lines that are used daily. "I don't think the real heavy stuff's going to come down for quite a while."

15. Bull Durham - A comedy about minor league baseball turns into a unique love story. Kevin Costner could not have played Crash Davis, a minor-league veteran, any better as he grooms the hard-throwing bonus baby Nuke LaLoosh (Tim Robbins) and falls for the local gal (Susan Sarandon). The opening monologue is one of the best in film history.

14. Four Weddings and a Funeral - You might think this a little high, but the 1994 movie has always been special to me. It is four parts smart comedy with one part drama and is basically about love, family and friendship in jolly old England. Andie McDowell's acting is a bit awkward at times, but perhaps that is what her character was supposed to be - an American puzzle for Hugh Grant. The film was nominated for Best Picture and Richard Curtis' screenplay was also up for an Oscar.

13. Lost in Translation - Sofia Coppola may have ruined The Godfather 3 as an actress, but she wrote and directed a masterpiece with this 2003 film. A washed up, lonely famous actor (Bill Murray) has a chance meeting with a confused, curious and beautiful young woman (Scarlett Johansson) in Tokyo and they develop a unique friendship far from home. It is subtle, simple, funny, bittersweet and smart.

12. Spotlight - An impeccably directed (Tom McCarthy) and acted drama about the Boston Globe's investigation of child abuse by Catholic priests, which was covered up for decades in the area. It brings back memories of the reasons why I got into the journalism business, what it was like in the newsroom and what the profession can mean to a community. Michael Keaton, Mark Ruffalo, Liev Schreiber, John Slattery and Rachel McAdams produce perfect performances in the Best Picture of 2015.

11. Garden State - Zach Braff wrote and directed this 2004 quirky cult classic about a heavily-medicated young actor who returns to his hometown after his paraplegic mother dies. Andrew Largeman (Braff) re-unites with his old townie friends and meets a cheeky young epileptic woman named Sam (Natalie Portman), who he falls in love with. It is smart, hilarious at times, wacky and heartwarming all in one fun film.


10. Inglourious Basterds - Director Quentin Tarantino tells the fantasy story of the triumphant attempts to assassinate Hitler by a group of Jewish American soldiers with wishful "alternative facts" and intense, intriguing dialogue. Brad Pitt plays the witty and deadly Lt. Aldo Raine while Christoph Waltz won Best Supporting Actor for his depiction of the devilish German Colonel Landa. Melanie Laurent is also great as Shosanna/Emmanuelle, especially when she puts on her war paint to a David Bowie song.

9. The Godfather - The original and best in the series from 1972 stars Marlon Brando as Vito Corleone, the leader of a fictional crime family that is in the midst of a war during the 1940s and 50s. The epic film, which won Best Picture, follows the health demise of Vito, the murder of his son Sonny and the emergence of his youngest son Michael - who was supposed to be a senator. It is what all mafia movies are judged by.

8. High Fidelity - Had never seen a preview for this film before choosing it between the morning skate and a hockey game in New Jersey one day, then went to see it about four or five more times. John Cusack stars as a music store owner who can never settle down, but is driven to irrational behavior when his latest girlfriend (Iben Hjerjle) leaves him. It is based on a book by Nick Hornby, with the setting changed from London to Chicago where Lisa Bonet and Jack Black show up among others in the smart, hilarious movie.

7. Animal House - The 1978 classic comedy was directed by John Landis and turned into a tour de force for the late John Belushi, who had the majority of the best lines in the film. Every time I watch the movie, it brings back memories of college and fraternity fun at UConn. The best scenes and lines will live forever. "My advice to you is to start drinking heavily."

6. Pulp Fiction - Quentin Tarantino's pulsating black comedy burst on the scene in 1994 as it portrayed the criminal underground in Los Angeles with many intriguing, unique characters. John Travolta made a triumphant comeback as Vincent Vega, who is asked by the big boss (Ving Rhames) to take out his wife (Uma Thurman) in one of the best and weirdest scenes in movie history. Samuel L. Jackson, Bruce Willis, Eric Stolz and Harvey Keitel also hit home runs in the crude, but fun, impeccably-written film.

5. Hoosiers - The 1986 film, inspired by tiny Milan High's run to the Indiana state basketball title in 1954, is an old-school, mystical movie that is well detailed and full of heart from start to finish. Gene Hackman plays a brilliant basketball coach with a dark, hidden past who gets one more chance in small-town Hickory and falls for the guarded local gal (Barbara Hershey). The best sports movie of all time ends with Jimmy Chitwood going one-on-one at the top of the key.

4. Stripes - The best pure comedy of all-time stars Bill Murray and Harold Ramis as two bumbling men who decide to join the army to introduce discipline to their lives. John Winger and Russell Ziskey add leadership to a group of sad-sack soldiers that includes the late John Candy, who has joined the military to lose a little weight and become a "lean, mean fighting machine." Some have said the second half of the movie ruins it, but Hansel, Gretel, calm down. It's still a classic, Uncle Hulka.

3. Swingers - Just minutes before watching this movie, the flimsy lid on my cup came off and soda flowed down the theater floor as my friends laughed at me. Then my night got much better as I watched this thoroughly enjoyable comedy-drama about young unemployed actors living life in Hollywood. Jon Favreau wrote and starred in the 1996 film as Mikey, who is "money," while Vince Vaughn broke through as the duo went to "Vegas baby!!" It is smart, hilarious and I could watch it every night.

2. Braveheart - Mel Gibson directed and starred in the epic film based on William Wallace, a Scot who led the rebellion for freedom from the wicked King of England. The powerful story is about love, revenge, betrayal, loyalty, courage and the will to fight against tyranny. There is emotion in every scene and moments when you cheer or cry. There has never been a better war drama than the Best Picture of 1995.

1. Almost Famous - Cameron Crowe directed and won best original screenplay for what he termed was his "love letter to music" in 2000. The film was semi-autobiographical as William Miller (Patrick Fugit) is based on Crowe, who was a teenage reporter for Rolling Stone - covering the Eagles, Led Zeppelin and the Allman Brothers among others on the road. Kate Hudson brings the story together with her portrayal of "bandaid" Penny Lane while Jason Lee, Billy Crudup, Frances McDormand and the late Philip Seymour Hoffman shine. It pulls at the heart strings and makes you laugh throughout with wonderful dialogue and music.