16. Meet Me in St. Louis (1944)
126 Points | 9 Votes | Highest Ranking: 1 (1 Time)
Directed by Vincente Minnelli | Starring Judy Garland, Margaret O'Brien, Mary Astor
In the year leading up to the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair, the four Smith daughters learn lessons of life and love, even as they prepare for a reluctant move to New York.
Quote:
"Framed as a sepia-tinted postcard come to life, Minnelli’s panoramic city symphony examines the meanings of nostalgia and memory while offering a sweetly ironic depiction of Middle American conservatism where sex is taboo, dinner is at six, money is evil and father knows best. A heavenly slice of brassy Hollywood romanticism that’ll still have you swooning all the way to the trolley stop." - David Jenkins
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15. Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007)
139 Points | 12 Votes | Highest Ranking: 3 (3 Times)
Directed by Tim Burton | Starring Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Alan Rickman
The infamous story of Benjamin Barker, AKA Sweeney Todd, who sets up a barber shop down in London which is the basis for a sinister partnership with his fellow tenant, Mrs. Lovett. Based on the hit Broadway musical.
Quote:
"And yet there is an exhilaration in the very fiber of the film, because its life force is so strong. Its heroes, or anti-heroes, have been wounded to the quick, its villains are vile and heartless, and they all play on a stage that rules out decency and mercy. The acting is so good that it enlists us in the sordid story, which even contains a great deal of humor -- macabre, to be sure. As a feast for the eyes and the imagination, "Sweeney Todd" is ... well, I was going to say, even more satisfying than a hot meat pie made out of your dad." - Roger Ebert
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