We did it.
Back around this time three years ago in the waning weeks of 2018, Josh and I decided to take on the project of watching all 100 films in the AFI’s Top 100 and to record a podcast while we watched. Today, we accomplished that task. It took us three years, but we did it.
I can honestly say that this project has changed me. The practice of breaking these films down story-structure-wise has forever altered the way that I look at stories. It’s given me the practice I needed to feel comfortable enough to do client work as a developmental editor. It’s weathered me through some of the darkest times I’ve endured as a writer, and pulled me through to the other side where I have a new book coming out in just a few days. It’s changed…almost everything.
So, here’s to 100 films. More that that, really, since we did a few side-trips here and there. 109 films, all told. Almost exactly three years due to COVID. I’ve now seen every single movie on that list. Every single one.
It still hasn’t quite sunk in.
We watched Citizen Kane tonight, and it was so, soooo satisfying to see it blow Josh’s mind that Orson Welles did that stuff as a writer, director, producer and lead actor all the way back in 1941, and it still plays so well today. It’s kind of an impossible task to pick “the best movie ever made,” but Kane does a good job of filling those shoes. It deserves to be there. At the end of the day, for all the ups and the downs of the “list,” it didn’t fuck up the top spot. Kane is a worthy choice.
Good work week. I tried to rest as much as possible. Want to tackle next week. Get on this next book.
Night night.