Since You Seemed to Like That ....

"That" being this thread, lets now discuss this Stanley Fish "Think Again" Post: The 10 Greatest American Movies. His picks (with only Nos. 1 and 2 in order):

1. "The Best Years of Our Lives"
2. "Sunset Boulevard"
3. "Double Indemnity"
4. "Shane"
5. "Red River"
6. "Raging Bull"
7. "Vertigo
8. "Groundhog Day"
9. "Meet Me in St. Louis"
10. "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn"

I was discussing the post with commenter Exposito, who took some issue with the inclusion of "Groundhog Day". In any case, I was trying to figure out what, if any, common theme existed here and best I could come up with was that they all spoke to some aspect of the American character, but I think that's probably too broad, and thus too easy. Who knows? Maybe Fish didn't mean for there to be a common theme. In any case, I agree with him re "Raging Bull" ( the most spot-on portrait of poisonous jealousy I've ever seen (yeah, more than "Othello")), "The Best Years of Our Lives" (which I only saw for the first time recently), and "Sunset Boulevard" (fame is always a great American theme). I'm a "North by Northwest" gal myself when it comes to Hitchcock and I'm ashamed to say that I've never seen "Shane" (despite it being one of my dad's faves), but you know, I really like "Groundhog Day".

Anyway, have at it in comments. Your "10 Bests". Because if we talk any more about DiFi, and Blago, Burris, Reid, and former senator Norm Coleman we're going to lose our minds before inauguration day.