One of the most frequent questions I am always asked being the host of the greatest movie podcast ever (opinions may vary) is “What’s your favorite movie?” That answer has been the same since I was 11 years old. But it also isn’t as easy to explain why I love some movies more than others.

As an art form, movies are by their nature interpretative. Some people will point to a film’s box office total as a barometer for a film’s quality, this might not be true again because although it might be popular to the masses it might not appeal to you. I am looking at you Avatar, which is not one of my favorite films, not by a longshot.  

Also, if the film wins an Academy Award for Best Picture, that hardly means it’s one of my favorite films, looking at you The English Patient, in fact I hardly agree with the Academy. Having said that, I am sure that some people love Avatar and The English Patient. And that’s what makes movies so great.

I, also am not a professional critic. I love film. I try and find merit in all film. As a host of a podcast that attempts to give every movie a chance, I believe that is the best way to approach movies, let the lights go out and try and enjoy yourself. You might find a “diamond in the rough.”

When thinking of my favorite movies to share with you, my loyal listeners, I thought 100 wasn’t going to be enough. So, I am proud to present my 150 Favorite Films, right now. These will change, I know they will.

See you at the movies!

***Spoilers Ahead!!!***

102. Night of the Living Dead (1990) Directed by Tom Savini

The Movie: Johnnie (Bill Moseley) and his sister Barbara (Patricia Tallman) are on their way to their mother’s grave. They picker like siblings. At the cemetery, Johnnie teases Barbara about someone coming to get her. “They’re coming to get you Barbara!” Barbara pleads with her brother to stop, he doesn’t. The teasing continues as Johnnie notices a man stumbling towards them. Johnnie tells Barbara that the man is after Barbara. Barbara is horrified and tells Johnnie the man will her him teasing.

As the man approaches Barbara, he seems confused and injured. The man has a far away look in his eyes, and says, “I’m sorry.” Johnnie now concerned asks if the man is ok. Out of nowhere Barbara is attacked by a hideous looking man. Johnnie attempts to save Barbara and pulls the man off of her. Johnnie, however trips and hits his head on a gravestone, killing him. The man now sets his sights on Barbara and chases her to her car. Barbara gets inside and the man pursues her. Barbara gets away and runs to a farm house.

Inside the farm house all is quiet. Bacon is cooking on the stove and burnt. Barbara is attacked by another man. She is able to kill him and she runs outside. Pulling up in a pick up truck is a man named Ben (Tony Todd). Ben fights off more people who try attack them. Barbara is in shock. Ben explains to Barbara that he escaped a diner that was under attack by a horde of people. Ben explains to Barbara that he saw the people in the horde take may shots from a gun, and get right back up. Ben shares with Barbara that the only way to stop the dead is to incapacitate the brain.

Night falls in the farm, and more dead are slowly moving towards the farm house. Ben and Barbara learn that there are more survivors in the basement of the home. Harry Cooper (Tom Towles), his wife Helen (McKee Anderson) their sick daughter Sarah (Heather Mazur), Tom (William Butler) and his girlfriend Judy Rose (Katie Finneran). Ben and Harry are odds right away. Ben says that he could’ve used his help and Harry states that he didn’t know if Ben was one of the dead or not. Ben and Harry are more at odds as Harry believes that the safest place in the house is the basement and Ben says that they should stay upstairs, board up the windows and fight the dead where they can run away if they need to.

Barbara explains to Ben that the dead are “so slow” and says they have guns they could walk right past them. Ben isn’t sold on Barbara’s idea and they continue to board up the house. Ben learns that Sarah is sick is because she was bitten by one of the dead. Little do the survivors know, but the noise of them boarding up the house is attracting a lot of the dead. Tom tells Ben that there is a gas pump on the farm and they could drive Ben’s truck there and fill up the gas and escape. Tom tells Ben that it is Uncle’s home and that he might have the keys around the house. They find a set of keys on Tom’s Uncle’s corpse and they make their way to the gas pump. Ben is thrown from the truck and is tied up fighting the dead. Judy Rose and Tom arrive at the gas pump and are shocked to learn that the keys do not unlock the gas pump. With the dead closing in, Tom panics and shoots the pumps lock causing a massive explosion, killing him and Judy Rose.

Ben makes his way back to the house and is locked out. Harry has attacked and taken Barbara’s gun. In the basement, Sarah rises and is now one of the dead. She attacks and kills her mom. Ben is able to get inside and he starts to fight Harry. Sarah shambles her way upstairs and Ben pleads with Harry to kill her. He refuses. Ben kills Sarah, which leads to a gun fight between the two men as the dead start to pour into the house. Ben and Harry shoot each other and are badly wounded. Harry escapes upstairs and finds a string to the attic door and retreats there. Ben tells Barbara to leave which she does reluctantly. Ben makes his way to the basement and kills Helen as she is now one of the living dead. As Ben sits down by the workbench in the basement he notices a key that is labeled “gas pump”.

Barbara learns that she was correct in her assessment of the dead. They move very slow and if walks fast enough they cannot catch her. Barbara finds a group of locals that are hunting the dead and looking for survivors. Barbara is shocked to learn that the locals are hanging the dead from trees and using them as target practice and wrestling them drunk in an animal pen.

Barbara returns to the farm house. The rescuers are sawing the basement door. When it opens, Ben appears at the top of the stairs, dead. He is killed. Barbara is startled by Harry who has survived the night. Harry is happy and surprised that Barbara came back. Barbara shoots Harry in the head killing him and tells the rescue team, “another one for the fire.”

Why I Love Night of the Living Dead (1990): As crazy as it might seem, I love this remake of my most favorite horror movie ever. The first half of the film is nearly identical to the original, with slight variations to scenes. Where the film becomes its own is the second half. The biggest change is in the character Barbara. In the original film she is catatonic from the attack at the cemetery and is no help to Ben or the other survivors. Here, she is able and willing to fight for her life. Patricia Tallman gives a brilliant performance as a woman pushed to the edge and fights back.

George Romero wanted to remake Night of the Living Dead partially due to the fact that he did not really profit from it’s original release due to a copyright snafu which immediately put the film into the public domain. George Romero convinced Tom Savini to direct the film after he was hired just for the special effects. Savini shows he is more than capable of delivering scares, action and tension.

Tony Todd as Ben is my favorite part of the film. He is smart and tough but flawed like all of us. His recanting of his escape from the diner is something of legend. His delivery is so cool, so focused and so intense, it is one of my favorite scenes in horror period.

Night of the Living Dead 1990 is wonderfully paced never giving you a chance to catch your breath, and just like the original we learn that the dead are scary but people might be the scariest creatures on Earth.