The topic of best lists came to my attention a couple of weeks ago.

Movie critics are disappearing by the dozens in newspapers and on radio and TV. They have been replaced by thousands of internet critics.

Too many of them is you ask me. To quote the old cliche, too many cooks spoil the broth.

If pushed most critics — internet or otherwise — can give you a top movie of all-time list. I’ve been a critic more than 20 years — and have been with the Tri-City Herald for almost 20 — and the No. 1 question I have been asked over the years is to draw up a list my favorite movies.

To date, I have refused to do that. Too many movies to choose from. I have enough trouble coming up with a Top 10 at the end of each year.

That brings me full circle to the point, and back to the comment about too many cooks. The popular website Zagat ranks restaurants. Now, the site is ranking movies. It has decided to pick the best films of all time.

They may be great at reviewing restaurants, but the menu of best pictures of all-time isn’t palatable. Here are their top-20 picks:

1. The Godfather (1972)
2. The Godfather Part II (1974)
3. Casablanca (1942)
4. Schindler’s List (1993)
5. Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
6. To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)
7. Star Wars (1977)
8. The Wizard of Oz (1939)
9. Lady Eve (1941)
10. Singin’ in the Rain (1952)
11. Rear Window (1954)
12. It Happened One Night (1934)
13. Citizen Kane (1941)
14. Shawshank Redemption (1994)
15. All About Eve (1950)
16. The Pianist (2002)
17. African Queen (1951)
18. Third Man (1949)
19. Finding Nemo (2003)
20. Dr. Strangelove (1964)

The Godfather's No.1 and No. 2? Are they kidding? Both are great movies, but they are not good picks for one and two at all.

Quite a few on the Zagat list would make mine if I did one: The Wizard of Oz, Star Wars, Casablanca and Citizen Kane. And I’d consider The Godfather and Schindler’s List. None of the rest.

Lady Eve at No. 9?

By the way, the restaurant rater also picked the best actors, actresses and directors of all-time. I’m listing them here, but comments on them will have to wait for another day.

Actors
1. Cary Grant
2. Johnny Depp
3. George Clooney

Actresses
1. Meryl Streep
2. Sandra Bullock
3. Katharine Hepburn

Directors
1. Steven Spielberg
2. Martin Scorsese
3. Alfred Hitchcock

Let’s dialogue. What do you think of Zagat’s list?

What are your top five favorite films of all-time?