Welcome back to another week and another addition to our top 100 of the last 25 years list.  (Check out last weeks list here.)  It’s odd that some years just have greatness concentrated into them, like 1997, at the bottom.

Be sure to leave your comments about how bad we’re screwing this up at the bottom. (recaps written by Swank-mo-tron and Dr. Cyborg.)

1990:

28. Goodfellas (IMDb) -“Go home and get your fuckin’ shine box!” ‘Nuff said. (Trailer)

29. Millers Crossing (IMDb) – Joel and Ethan Coen have created the third “Swiss Watch” screenplay on the Big Shiny Robot! list. This film is so wonderfully written and with a cast in perfect form (Gabriel Byrne, Albert Finney, John Turturro, among others) that it’s hard to believe. This film is also an exercise in opposites: Funny and Noir, Sentimental and Cold, Loyalty and Betrayal. And the whole time, the Coens are one step ahead of the rest of us. (Trailer)

1991:

30. JFK (IMDb) – Oliver Stone crafted a masterpiece of American cinema that casts further suspicion on one of the most questioned events in the history of the United States. A striking note about this film is that it keeps you on the edge of your seat, even though all you’re really doing is listening to people sit around a table (literally) and talk about what happened. And the film is so thrilling that you can easily watch it (it clocks in over 3 hours) and then spend that much time and more discussing it afterwards, it’s that full of revelation. And this movie is so good that it earns Kevin Costner a pass on Waterworld and the Postman. (Trailer)

1992:

31. Reservoir Dogs (IMDb) – An unsuccessful independent filmmaker once asked Quentin Tarantino at a comic-con appearance, “How do I make an independent film as successful as Reservoir Dogs?” Quintin Tarantino replied, “You need to make a movie that kicks ass, you need to drop nitroglycerin on the audience’s lap, you need to blow them away. Reservoir Dogs did that, it kicks ass. So what I am saying is, if your movie isn’t popular it’s because it doesn’t kick enough ass!” Well said Mr. Tarantino. (Trailer)

32. Glengarry Glen Ross (IMDb) – If you were to tell us to watch a movie about a bunch of guys trying to sell real estate, we would probably tell you to take a flying fuck at a rolling donut. But this movie not only makes Dr. Cyborg regret ever telling that to his robot mother, but it also tells him that he was completely wrong. This is a terrific screen play by David Mamet, with lots of good characters, played by dynamite actors (including Jack Lemmon, Al Pacino, Alec Baldwin and Kevin Spacey.) (Trailer)

1993:

33. Jurassic Park (IMDb) – Although this movie is ridiculed amongst us robots for it’s blatant disregard of what the “Jurassic Period” even is, (Tyrannosaurus didn’t even live until the late Cretaceous, Duh!!!) we still love it all the same. A healthy mix of suspense and horror, This movie is fun for the whole family. And you have got to appreciate the fact that they made this movie look amazing, without going all out CG, although when they did use it, it was still breathtaking. (Remember the moment they first see the Brachiosaur?) It’s ridiculous that this movie actually made a dinosaur cool I.E. school children talking about Velociraptors, etc. (True Story: this movie is where most of us robots picked up the skills to hack a Linux machine.) (Trailer)

34. Schindlers List (IMDb) – It’s downright unbelieveable to think that one man could get two films on this list in the same year and deserve both slots equally, but Steven Spielberg figured out how to do it and we can’t think of a more mismatched pair of movies for a director to crank out in the same year. If theres one thing that makes a robot want to cry and kill all humans, it’s watching a barbaric group of humans kill other humans. All kidding aside, this movie is heartbreaking and deserves every accolade it received. It should also be required viewing for everyone. Period. (Trailer)

35. True Romance (IMDb) – We didn’t think Tony Scott would make it on the list, but here we are, and with a movie that actually belongs on the list, maybe not for the direction but for the witty screenplay, and memorable supporting roles. Were not just talking about Gary Oldman the pimp either, although that mother fucker surely demonstrated how well he can transform, but also Christopher Walken, Dennis Hopper, and Brad Pitt. If we were going to do this list in order, this one might be at the bottom, but a really fun movie none the less. (Trailer)

1994:

36. Leon (aka The Professional) (IMDb) – This film is Luc Beeson’s masterpiece. A perfect blend of drama and action, every film involving gun-play and a showdown owes everything to this film. It’s rare to see an action film of this caliber that has an emotional climax equal to or exceeding the action one, but this film has a heart to it that is unparalleled in this genre. (Trailer)

37. Pulp Fiction (IMDb) – Not only one of the best movies in the last 25 years, one of the best movies ever made. Not just entertaining, but also brilliant. To prove it’s brilliance I have designed a fool proof way to demonstrate it’s brilliance. How I intend to do this? By asking a question. Could a movie that wasn’t brilliant bring John Trovolta back? I didn’t think so. This movie changed the way that people watch movies, and is one of the most influential movies ever made. Mixing raw witticism, great character, brutal reality, and genius story telling. This movie has it all. (Trailer)

38. Ed Wood (IMDb) – A film about the worst filmmaker to ever live is somehow inspirational. A feat in and of itself, but then being utterly brilliant and funny wasn’t enough either, they had to get some of the best actors giving the best performances of their lives as well. It’s about a transvestite that was born to be something that he just couldn’t understand, and not only could he not understand it, but his every instinct, mathematically wrong. If Johnny Depp was going to be nominated for an Academy Award, I wish it were for this and not Pirates of the Caribbean. (Trailer)

39. Quiz Show (IMDb) – This understated Robert Redford film is considered one of the best films of all time by a few of the Robot’s on the staff and deserves many more accolades than it’s received. Quiz Show tells the true story of the rigging of television quiz shows in the fifties and the witch hunt that ensued. Many people will point to John Turturro and Ralph Fiennes as the outstanding performance in the film, but all the credit belongs to Rob Morrow, who needs to act in more movies. This film should also get some type of Best Cameo award for Redford’s use of Martin Scorsese as a sleazy Geritol executive. (Trailer)

40. Shawshank Redemption (IMDb) – Although this film, to some degree, is vastly overrated (#1 of all time according to IMDb users, seriously?), it is a great film and deserving of it’s place on lists like this. Frank Darabont took a Stephen King short story and turned it into a fantastic film that each and everyone of you has seen. (Trailer)

1995:

41. Se7en (IMDb) – David Fincher’s breakout film (though in some circles Alien 3 is considered his first masterpiece, Se7en redefined the genre of serial killer investigation films in a way that is mimicked (though nowhere near as capably) to this day. The performances all stand out, but Kevin Spacey’s most of all in the sort of role that Orson Welles made famous with The Third Man. (Trailer)

42. Twelve Monkeys (IMDb) – (This was a good year for Brad Pitt) This movie is truly brilliant science fiction. Telling the story of a dying future that sends a psychotic convict into the past to hopefully save them, this movie is extremely well constructed creating most of it’s own mythos. It was indeed a perfect fit for director Terry Gilliam who really gets across his own unique vision and isn’t afraid to tell an epic story without pandering to the lowest common denominator. (Trailer)

43. Dead Man (IMDb) – Another Jim Jarmusch film, that follows William Blake (Johnny Depp) to a boomtown in the old west where he thinks he has a job. Things quickly take a turn for the worst when he ends up sleeping with a woman and she ends up being shot while in bed with him. He is then pursued by assassins as he makes a getaway through some pretty weird shit. Definitely one of the best Jarmusch films, and definitely the best Iggy Pop cameo that we can think of. Extremely well made and told at an extremely odd pace all we can say about it is that we love this movie. (Trailer)

1996:

44. Hard Eight (aka Sydney) (IMDb) – PT Anderson is a filmmaker that we all hold dear to our hearts and his first film is something out of a dream. Phillip Baker Hall and John C. Reilly make scenes that seem as though they shouldn’t work sizzle and then Anderson throws Samuel L. Jackson and Gwyenth Paltrow into the pot and you’ve got something truly special. If you haven’t seen this film, you owe it to yourself to see it as quickly as possible. (Trailer)

44. Mother Night (IMDb) – Perhaps the most faithful adaptation of Kurt Vonnegut’s work ever put to film, Mother Night is a smart spy thriller that keeps you alternating between laughing and tense at the edge of your seat. Nick Nolte, Alan Arkin and Sheryl Lee prop up a cast that make this film perfect in every way. If you watch only one trailer from this entire list of movies, however, make it this one. It’s perhaps the best trailer ever cut in the history of cinema. (Trailer)

46. Fargo (IMDb) – There is no question that the Coen brothers know how to make a good movie, this isn’t there first masterpiece, and it certainly isn’t their last, but even still this movie stands out in the crowd. Funny as any comedy that comes into my recollection, but also shocking and serious. This is based on a true story and won two well deserved Academy Awards. (Trailer)

1997:

47. L.A. Confidential (IMDb) – Easily one of the best modern noirs ever made, Curtis Hanson and Brian Helgeland adapted an unfilmable novel into a cohesive screenplay that keeps you on the edge of your seat for it’s entire running time. Solid all the way through, this is, quite possibly, Hanson’s greatest achievement as a director. The tone of the film and the feel of the locations and time are echoed in casting choices, the music and the look of the actual film, turing this into one of the few actual tour de force sort of films in cinema history. (Trailer)

48. Live Flesh (IMDb) – Pedro Almodovar delivers what many claim to be a masterpiece in this small and subtle relationship drama. With Javier Bardem and Penelope Cruz toplining this film, it’s an almost fairy-tale look at infidelity and human nature. (Trailer)

49. As Good As It Gets (IMDb) – It’s hard to get a robot to watch any movie about human interaction, unless that interaction is killing. This is one of those delightful exceptions. Telling the story of Melvin Udall, an obsessive compulsive writer, whom is forced to change for the good of the human race. It is witty, funny, and somehow romantic. (Trailer)

50. Wag the Dog (IMDb) – Written by David Mamet and Directed by Barry Levinson, this film was shot in just a few weeks while Levinson was waiting for special effects to be completed on his failure, Sphere. With an all-star cast led by Robert DeNiro and Dustin Hoffman, this is one of the funniest and most relevant comedies every to grace the genre of biting social commentary. (Trailer)

51. Life is Beautiful (IMDb) – This film is gloomy and hard to watch but equally funny, and romantic. Of course us robots don’t cry, but our optical receptors were certainly a little soggy when we watched this movie. Guido (Benigni) turns out to be quite a good director (when he isn’t trying to play Pinocchio.) We certainly think this movie has a spot on the top 100, although we’re not sure how much re-watchability it has, just because it’s so damn sad. (Trailer)

52. The Sweet Hereafter (IMDb) – Atom Egoyan’s film follows Ian Holm as an ambulance chasing lawyer going door to door soliciting his services to parents of children who died in a horrible bus crash, this film is the personification of understated beauty. It also captures a wonderful ambiguity in the filmmaking that forces you to put your logic circuits to good use. (Trailer)

So, join us next week for Part 3.  And if you missed it last week, here’s Part 1.