100 Best Canadian Films – Paul Williams

A passionate cinephile and a general behind-the-scenes guy of the Toronto film scene, Paul Williams has a way to appreciate the best in Canadian cinema while holding it up to the same standards as the best of contemporary cinema and film history. I’m super pleased to be sharing his list! 
100 Best Canadian Films are personal surveys of some of the most important works of the nation’s film history. Other contributors include Greg Klymkiw, Pat Mullen, Jason Anderson, Daniel Kremer, Yves Lever, Piers Handling, Marcel Jean, Mike Hoolboom and myself. – D.D. 

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Special thanks to Gerald Pratley's feature film guide  Century of Canadian Cinema for the refresher... – P.W.

Paul Williams’ 100 Best Canadian Films

100. Dead Man (Jim Jarmusch, 1995)*

99. The Cockroach that Ate Cincinnati (Michael McNamara, 1996)

98. Bestiaire (Denis Cote, 2012)

97. Corral (Colin Low, 1954)

96. Paul Tomkowitz: Street Railway Switchman (Roman Kroiter, 1953)

95. The Days Before Christmas (Stanley Jackson, Wolf Koenig, Terence McCartney-Filgate, 1958)

94. In the Labyrinth (Roman Kroiter, Colin Low, Hugh O'Connor, 1979)

93. Bearwalker (Shirley Cheechoo, 2001)

92. Gross Misconduct (Atom Egoyan, 1994)

91. Adoration (Atom Egoyan, 2009)

90. Felicia's Journey (Atom Egoyan, 1999)

89. Family Viewing (Atom Egoyan, 1987)

88. Gambling, Gods and LSD (Peter Mettler, 2001)

87. Frozen River (Courtney Hunt, 2008)*

86. La Region Centrale (Michael Snow, 1971)

85. Trigger (Bruce McDonald, 2010)

84. Quebec-U.S.A ou l'invasion Pacifique (Claude Jutra, Michel Brault, 1962)

83. Entre la Mer et L'eau Douce (Michel Brault, 1965)

82. Masala (Srinivas Krishna, 1991)

81. Rude (Clement Virgo, 1995)

80. Frank's Cock (Mike Hoolboom, 1993)

79. Archangel (Guy Maddin, 1990)

78. Big Bear (Gil Cardinal, 1998)**

77. Comic Book Confidential (Ron Mann, 1988)

76. Waydowntown (Gary Burns, 2000)

75. Bring Me the Head of Tim Horton (Guy Maddin, Evan Johnson, 2015)

74. Shivers (David Cronenberg, 1974)

73. Pontypool (Bruce McDonald, 2011)

72. Opening Speech (Norman McLaren, 1960)

71. Nobody Waved Goodbye (Don Owen, 1964)

70. A Tout Prendre (Claude Jutra, 1963)

69. Crash (David Cronenberg, 1996)

68. Curling (Denis Cote, 2010)

67. Rocks at Whiskey Trench (Alanis Obomsawin, 2000)

66. Dracula: Pages from a Virgin's Dairy (Guy Maddin, 2002)

65. My American Cousin (Sandy Wilson, 1985)

64. Wedding in White (William Fruet, 1972)

63. The Mask (Julian Roffman, 1961)

62. Paperback Hero (Peter Pearson, 1973)

61. The Hard Part Begins (Paul Lynch, 1974)

60. Deathdream (Bob Clark, 1972)

59. Death Weekend (William Fruet, 1976)

58. Exotica (Atom Egoyan, 1994)

57. Crime Wave (John Paizs, 1985)

56. Gina (Denys Arcand, 1975)

55. Cotton Mill, Treadmill (Denys Arcand, 1970)

54. Ginger Snaps (John Fawcett, 2000)

53. Ginger Snaps 2: Unleashed (Brett Sullivan, 2004)

52. Cosmopolis (David Cronenberg, 2012)

51. The Suburbanators (Gary Burns, 1995)

50. Warrendale (Allan King, 1967)

49. Dance Me Outside (Bruce McDonald, 1994)

48. Decline of the American Empire (Denys Arcand, 1986)

47. Between Friends (Donald Shebib, 1973)

46. Lonely Boy (Wolf Koenig, Roman Kroiter, 1963)

45. Winds of Fogo (Colin Low, 1970)

44. Mon Oncle Antoine (Claude Jutra, 1971)

43. A Winter Tan (Jackie Burroughs, 1988)

42. Leolo (Jean-Claude Lauzon, 1992)

41. 49th Parallel (Michael Powell, 1941)

40. Ararat (Atom Egoyan, 2002)

39. Kitchen Party (Gary Burns, 1997)

38. Kissed (Lynne Stopkewich, 1996)

37. Hard Core Logo (Bruce McDonald, 1996)

36. Bye Bye Blues (Anne Wheeler, 1989)

35. The Heart of the World (Guy Maddin, 2000)

34. Spider (David Cronenberg, 2002)

33. Picture of Light (Peter Mettler, 1994)

32. Project Grizzly (Peter Lynch, 1996)

31. Les Ordres (Michel Brault, 1970)

30. Les Raquetteurs (Pierre Perrault, 1958)

29. Getting Started (Richard Condie, 1979)

28. L'Acadie, l'Acadie (Pierre Perrault, 1971)

27. Careful (Guy Maddin, 1992)

26. Calendar (Atom Egoyan, 1993)

25. The Top of His Head (Peter Mettler, 1989)

24. The Fly (David Cronenberg, 1986)

23. eXistenZ (David Cronenberg, 1999)

22. A History of Violence (David Cronenberg, 2005)

21. Maps to the Stars (David Cronenberg, 2014)

20. Videodrome (David Cronenberg, 1982)

19. Last Night (Don McKellar, 1999)

18. Thirty-Two Shorts Films About Glenn Gould (Francois Girard, 1993)

17. My Winnipeg (Guy Maddin, 2007)

16. Naked Lunch (David Cronenberg, 1991)

15. Wavelength (Michael Snow, 1967)

14. Cowards Bend the Knee or The Blue Hands (Guy Maddin, 2002)

13. The Big Snit (Richard Condie, 1985)

12. Neighbours (Norman McLaren, 1952)

11. Pas de Deus (Norman McLaren, 1968)

10. Universe (Roman Kroiter, Colin Low, 1960)

9. Brand Upon the Brain (Guy Maddin, 2006)

8. Pour la Suite du Monde (Pierre Perrault and Michel Brault, 1963)

7. Eastern Promises (David Cronenberg, 2007)

6. Kanehsatake: 270 Years of Resistance (Alanis Obomsawin, 1993)

5. Dead Ringers (David Cronenberg, 1988)

4. La Lutte (Michel Brault, Claude Jutra et al, 1961)

3. Before Tomorrow (Marie-Helene Cousineau and Madeline Ivalu, 2008)

2. Twitch City (Bruce McDonald, Don McKellar, 1998-9) **

1. Atanarjuat the Fast Runner (Zacharias Kunuk, 2001)

* Not technically Canadian, but relax...

** Not technically a movie; relax!