Update #35: Watch all the movies on the "AFI top 100 movies of all time" list.

So far, I've watched 33, the latest of which was "The General" (1927). This is a silent film, the second I've watched so far from this list. It was amusing.

Starring Buster Keaton, its the story of a dedicated railroad engineer who loves two things in life: his train (The General) and a girl (Mary?). When Mary's father and brother set off to join the Confederate army, she expects that he will too, and vows not to speak to him until he's wearing a uniform. Unbeknownst to him, he's considered too valuable to the railroad to be placed in the Army. He tries repeatedly to join, yet is consistently turned away without explanation. Through a series of slapstick adventures, he unwittingly becomes the hero of the day. He prevents the impending battle by rescuing the stolen "General" with Mary on board, thwarting the advancing Northern Army, and capturing the leader of the opposition, all while still a civilian.

It was a cute, funny story, and helped me to appreciate the "acting" that went into silent films, when emotions, conversations, and plot all were conveyed through action, and only the most necessary dialogue was written for the audience.