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Since fellow DTF'er BlackInk suggested this here (https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=35198.0) in the respective subforum, but never replied, I'm just going to go ahead and start it; the top 20 films/movies thread. Although I'm not exactly a fan of the cluttering of Top X threads for random artists, doing this with films is slightly different in my opinion. I have had my list ready for quite some time and would like to share it and have others share their lists as well, so we can all (maybe) find out new films. I realise there's a movie thread, in which I seldom (if ever) post, but this is just a different approach. I'll be starting my top 20 list somewhat later today, after I get some initial write-ups done and if there appears to be interest. If you want in as well, just let me know and I will add you to the waiting list.
If anything like this isn't allowed, just take it down, but the question has been opened in the Suggestions forum without many replies, so I figured it would be okay just to start ahead.
Done or currently doing:
- Elite (Page 1)
- Scorpion (Page 4)
- BlackInk (Page 6)
- Destiny of Chaos (Page 9)
- kári (Page 11)
- snapple (Page 13)
- senecadawg2 (Page 15)
- Accelerando (Page 17)
- masterthes (Page 20)
- jingle.boy (Page 23; UNFINISHED, will finish at a later time)
- toro (Page 25)
UP NEXT:
- theliloutkast
- GuineaPig
- ariich
- tapsmiled
- Mister Gold
- aprilethereal
- Outcrier
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Following, and put me up. :tup
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You got it.
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I'm pretty sure this thread existed before, I even remember seeing Jackie's and Lat's top movies. But still, great idea to bring it back, I've been watching lots of movies lately and would like other people's recommendations so I'll be following
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I want to do one but I'm not sure if I'll have enough time in January. I'll do one later. :)
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Awesome, thank you Elite for taking care of this.
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I'd like to do this too. I might only do a Top 10 though, if that's okay.
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I own well over 500 movies but am completely terrible at making top anything lists for......anything. I can usually give you a top 3 or so, but then the rest are hard to prioritize.
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Join flickchart.com It makes you chose between two movies and eventually, you'll get a ranking list of your favorite movies
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I own well over 500 movies but am completely terrible at making top anything lists for......anything. I can usually give you a top 3 or so, but then the rest are hard to prioritize.
How is 3 easier than 20? :)
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I own well over 500 movies but am completely terrible at making top anything lists for......anything. I can usually give you a top 3 or so, but then the rest are hard to prioritize.
How is 3 easier than 20? :)
Well I can tell which I like the very best. But Do I like number 9 more than number 10? I dunno.
You know?
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I was just updating my list earlier today. Please add me.
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Put this guy down
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Got you both. I will start mine tomorrow!
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I own well over 500 movies but am completely terrible at making top anything lists for......anything. I can usually give you a top 3 or so, but then the rest are hard to prioritize.
How is 3 easier than 20? :)
Well I can tell which I like the very best. But Do I like number 9 more than number 10? I dunno.
You know?
I know. :) But it would be way easier for me to say my 20 favourite movies than my top 3. :)
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Either way it's hard :(
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That is true.
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Elite is gonna have all 3 Transformers movies in his Top 3.
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Elite is gonna have all 3 Transformers movies in his Top 3.
Yeah, you wait for it! :biggrin:
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Doing this I realised I suck at doing write-ups for films. Hope you don't mind, there will only be twenty and yes, you may be spoiled.
So, to start of this list I will first say that I haven't seen as many films as some people here, mainly because of my age, but also because I don't watch films as often as I used to. Furthermore, I'm not a fan of action films, (romantic) comedies or dramas, so my list won't really contain any of those. My list may be very boring, because it contains many well known films, but probably not in the order you'd expect them. I'm a huge fan of psychological thrillers and films with good character development or films that are all out weird. Also, I'm not a film elitist, so I haven't seen *that* many films, but I think I've seen enough in order to judge them. I rarely watch films more than once, because that doesn't really interest me, unless I really like it. So; this list is based on the impression it gave me; if a films gives me something to think about or stays in my head for a long time, that's usually a good thing. Enough rambling; to give you a taste, here's a couple of honourable mentions that didn't make my list:
- Trainspotting (1996)
- Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998)
- 2001: A Space Oddyssey (1968)
- Goodfellas (1990)
- Jurassic Park (1993, had to give this a mention, it goes all the way back to my dinosaur-loving childhood)
- The Men Who Stare at Goats (2009, similarly, this is the funniest and most random film I have ever seen and therefore it deserves a mention)
And then the actual list, starting out with 2 at a time:
20. What's Eating Gilbert Grape (1993)
Directed by: Lasse Hallström
Featuring: Johnny Depp & Leonardo DiCaprio
Also known as the film in which DiCaprio plays a little idiot (yes, I'm serious). This film struck me because of the human-ness of it, as it tells a story that could very well be real. Young adult Gilbert (played by Johnny Depp) has to take care of his morbidly obese mother who's so fat she can't even exit the house and of his little brother Arnie (played by DiCaprio) who's mentally disabled, while he also lives with sisters who seemingly don't care about anything and finds the love of his life in a girl who's temporarily stuck in the town, after having had a relationship with a married woman who's husband died somewhere halfway. Doesn't sound very interesting, does it? It did for me, because I could, for some reason, identify myself very well with the main character, because of the way the story is told. He goes through so much shit and suffers it and soaks it up, but somewhere down the road, it obviously goes wrong. Being the person that he is, a caring, loving young man, he lets the guilt take the better of him after punishing and hitting his younger brother for something relatively insignificant. The film actually ends on a high note for me, because at the end, the mother dies, but can't leave the house: because of her weight it would take a crane to take her down, so the siblings decide to burn the house, symbolically destroying the place the made Gilbert's a life a living hell. Or something like that; describing films apparently isn't really for me, but if you want a more thorough story, here (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/What%27s_Eating_Gilbert_Grape)'s the wikipedia article. The films is a lot better than I just described, at least in my opinion.
19. Melancholia (2011)
Directed by: Lars von Trier
Featuring: Kirsten Dunst
Far and away the most recent film on my entire list and probably also the least known one. The film is a weird one, consisting of two parts, around equal in length, but very different in content. The film tells the story of two sisters, Justine and Claire. Claire lives in a huge family estate with her rich husband John. The first part of the film (titled 'Justine') shows the wedding party of Justine and newly wed husband Michael in this family estate, to which they arrive late. During the course of the evening, various things happen to frustate Justine and by the end of the night, her newly wed leaves her. Of notice is the joyfulness and speed of the montage here, very different from the second part. The second part (titled 'Claire' is very bleak and very slow, it almost drags along, as Justine is depressed by the events and now stays with Claire and John, but here we also learn why she was the way she was in the first part; a rogue planet is moving towards Earth, set on a fly-by, narrowly missing Earth. John, an amateur astronomer is looking forward to this event, despite there being different theories on what the planet will do. Again, this sounds stupid in text, but the film is way more awesome when watched in real. Especially interesting is that the character roles from Justine and Claire switch, as the story progresses. Justine because the stronger woman, while Claire loses all the will to live. It takes some time to sit through this, especially the second part, which kind-of drags along, but this is a film very different from any other end-of-the-world films and it's told from a much more personal perspective.
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more tomorrow.
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Goodfellas as an honourable mention is heresy. :angry: (sorry, JMO - you know I lofes ya Rich :heart )
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Too bad Good Fellas didn't make the big list! I haven't seen Gilbert Grape but I hear great things about it!
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What's Eating Johnny Depp is a great movie.
But better than Goodfellas? 2001?
I dunno...........
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Melancholia! :hefdaddy :heart I love that movie.
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Melancholia! :hefdaddy :heart I love that movie.
Melancholia was probably one of the most beautiful films I've ever seen in my life. I just don't know why people thought it was ultra depressing. I think futility and so forth were much more accurate terms than depressing.
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Oh yeah, Melancholia is beautiful for sure, but I think the depressing part you are talking about was exactly the fact that it was so real, something that people tend to ignore, but Melancholia puts you in a situation where you have to think about "what would I do if I knew that the end of the world is imminent and any effort to stop it is, ultimately, futile?" I can understand why that depresses or scares the hell out of people, even though I was - I won't say unaffected, but less effective than most other people I watched it with.
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Oh yeah, Melancholia is beautiful for sure, but I think the depressing part you are talking about was exactly the fact that it was so real, something that people tend to ignore, but Melancholia puts you in a situation where you have to think about "what would I do if I knew that the end of the world is imminent and any effort to stop it is, ultimately, futile?" I can understand why that depresses or scares the hell out of people, even though I was - I won't say unaffected, but less effective than most other people I watched it with.
I dunno. See as far as Von Trier goes, Dancer in the Dark is a depressing movie. It just destroys your heart. Melancholia didn't really do that, it just kind of make you feel like life was pointless, and....melancholic. I think the name itself sums up the movie better than the reviews of "cried so much, so depressing" etc. I was actually disappointed the first time I watched it cause I was expecting it to make me depressed (and Lars hasn't failed on making me feel what he wants me to feel before). So when I discover the movie is more about hopelessness than depression etc, it took me another viewing to view the movie without the perception that it's a depressing movie.
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I agree about the hopelessness part, but for many people, that can be the cause for depression, so I would say that it's still closely linked - for some people, at least.
I haven't seen Dancer in the Dark, I'll keep that in mind if I'm in the need of some soul-destroying depressive stuff. Though Von Trier has yet to disappoint me as well, so I'm kinda looking forward to it.
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I agree about the hopelessness part, but for many people, that can be the cause for depression, so I would say that it's still closely linked - for some people, at least.
I haven't seen Dancer in the Dark, I'll keep that in mind if I'm in the need of some soul-destroying depressive stuff. Though Von Trier has yet to disappoint me as well, so I'm kinda looking forward to it.
See I guess that's the difference, it's about hopelessness and depression, but it didn't make me feel depressed. It made me feel like everything is pointless, which is quite different though similar I guess.
Requiem for a Dream, Million Dollar Baby, and Dancer in the Dark are depressing. They're not about depression, but they make YOU feel depressed. A movie about depression doesn't necessarily make a depressing movie.
But now it sounds like I'm bashing the movie, which I'm not. As I said it's one of the most beautiful films I've ever seen and really thought Kirsten Dunst deserved the Oscar. I guess I just let the hype get to me.
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Oh, I totally get your point. I was just arguing why it could make people feel depressed as well. I wouldn't really call it depressing, either. Though it is extremely beautiful and touching.
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Oh, I totally get your point. I was just arguing why it could make people feel depressed as well. I wouldn't really call it depressing, either. Though it is extremely beautiful and touching.
Indeed.
-bro hug-
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-bro hug back-
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Melancholia would probably be in my bottom 20. I hated that thing. It was so intensly depressing and nothing else, it literally sickened me for days.
Oh yes, and I think it'd be best to put me a bit lower on the waiting list, I realized yesterday I need more time on this since I'm not home for a while.
EDIT: ^ Also for the reason that the process of suggestion>reality went a whole lot faster than I thought it would ^^
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Awesome idea! Add me
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Add me to this! Im so in
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Oh, I totally get your point. I was just arguing why it could make people feel depressed as well. I wouldn't really call it depressing, either. Though it is extremely beautiful and touching.
I agree with both Adami and Scorp here. What I think von Trier is trying to do is to show the helplessness/hopelessness and futility of a natural disaster, rather than trying to be all-out depressing and he does this in a beautiful way. This is no end of the world film with insane special effects and the whole earth being destroyed, it's been told from a much more personal view and that makes it a very special film to me.
Melancholia would probably be in my bottom 20. I hated that thing. It was so intensly depressing and nothing else, it literally sickened me for days.
What didn't you like about it? Was it the idea of the world ending and there's not a single thing you can do about it? Was it the slow-paced second half of the film and the long build-up towards the end? Like I said, I didn't think it was too depressing, despite the sunject matter, but like I also said in my initial post; if a film manages to give you a very intense feeling, like you described, I think it's a good film. (of course this doesn't always apply, but on my list there will be a couple of instances of films that captivated or frightened me for days, in a similar manner)
I understand you don't want to feel sickened, but if a film, a series of moving images and sound, manages to do that, then I suppose it got something across pretty well.
Oh yes, and I think it'd be best to put me a bit lower on the waiting list, I realized yesterday I need more time on this since I'm not home for a while.
Awesome idea! Add me
Add me to this! Im so in
Done.
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What didn't you like about it?
I really liked the concept of the movie and I think it could have been really cool with people facing doom and planets crushing and awesome stuff like that. And whenever they actually talked or showed the planet I enjoyed it. But all the characters you were suposed to relate to and eventually did all felt so depressed and dull it inevitably transfered onto me. And usually that would be okay in a movie but there was never any emotional "release". They brought me to a point of intense depression but then held me there, which stuck with me and had me feeling weird in my stomach for days. I understand that was probably von Trier's idea with the movie, but I just think it was a bad idea to begin with.
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Add me too please
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Damnit! I forgot to make a big deal out of my 1000th post, I wanted cake...
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What didn't you like about it?
I really liked the concept of the movie and I think it could have been really cool with people facing doom and planets crushing and awesome stuff like that.
That would completely defeat the purpose of the personal approach of the film. The whole film build up to the actual crashing of the planets and I think it works brilliantly.
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Next batch. I was away yesterday, so that's why there weren't any then. Two more for today:
18. The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
Directed by: Jonathan Demme
Featuring: Anthony Hopkins & Jodie Foster
Ah, yes, the classic and one of my favourite detective films. This film shows us the first time the brilliant Anthony Hopkins plays former psychiatrist and incarcerated cannibal and serial killer Hannibal Lecter in one of the main roles. Contrary to what you may believe at first, he is not the main antagonist of the film, which is a serial killer naming himself 'Buffalo Bill', who skins his killed female victims's corpses. Clarice Starling (played by Jodie Foster) is an FBI trainee who is tasked with interviewing Lecter to gain insight on finding Buffalo Bill, Through a series of mutual information sharing (as Lecter wants to know stuff about Starling's past) she is finally able to find out where Buffalo Bill is hiding, but not without cost. Lecter is trasferred from his isolated cell, during which he manages to escape and disappear. I don't think I really have to tell much more about this films, as I guess most people have already seen it. If you haven't, I recommend you watch it, because this is an amazing psychological thriller. To me, what makes this film is not what actually happens, but the way in which the characters relate to each other and the way they are played. As mentioned, Hopkins is absolutely brilliant here (one of my all-time favourite actors) and although the sequels (and prequel) in which he reprises the role of Lecter are good, they never live up to this astounding piece of cinema.
17. Se7en / Seven (1995)
Directed by: David Fincher
Featuring: Brad Pitt, Morgan Freeman, Gwyneth Paltrow & Kevin Spacey
Another psychological thriller based on the hunting down of a serial killer. This time two detectives (played by Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman, who contrary to what you way believe actually work really well together here) are tracking and investigate a series of murders based on the seven deadly sins. Morgan Freeman plays the soon-to-be retiring detective William Somerset and Brad Pitt plays recently transferred detective David Mills. Gwyneth Paltrow plays Mills's pregnant wife Tracy (although Mills doesn't know she's pregnant yet). The detectives soon track down a man named Jon Doe (Kevin Spacey). After the first five murders, signifying 'Gluttony', 'Greed', 'Sloth', 'Lust' and 'Pride' (all done in a manner conspiring to the sin and, yes, they are some sick murders), Jon Doe gives himself up for arrest. What happens in the latter part of the film I will not spoil, because to me that's what the whole film comes down to. Just like The Silence of Lambs, I think most people will have seen this film anyway, but what makes this film slightly better for me is the way in which the detectives interact with each other, the originality of the plot, the murders themselves (people have sick minds, including those that made this film) and the end of the film, which is nothing short of brilliantly executed. Though this film may be slightly sickening to some, I think this is another case of a very good psychological thriller with some great film-noir elements interspersed. Check it out if you want, you won't waste your time.
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Se7en :metal
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Se7en :metal
YES
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Two classics I HAVEN'T SEEN YET. I must see them. Everyone says they're both great and now this, so I will try watching them both soon.
That would completely defeat the purpose of the personal approach of the film.
They could have kept the personal approach, but could have just executed it better.
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Crap. Apparently the pictures won't show, anyone else have thus problem? I'll fix it tomorrow..
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I really like the two new additions to your list :tup
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Sign me up... hopefully I'll have it ready by the time my turn comes around
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I also love how the title of this thread is derogatory, stating that there is a difference between a film and a movie. I don't know if it was intentional, but I noticed it because I am a snob when it comes to it haha
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I also love how the title of this thread is derogatory, stating that there is a difference between a film and a movie. I don't know if it was intentional, but I noticed it because I am a snob when it comes to it haha
A documentary is a film but not a movie. I doubt anyone will include a documentary, but there are differences like that.
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Se7en is such a great movie. Been a long time since I've seen it. Gotta watch it again sometime soon.
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I've been trying to get the movie posters to load, but all the websites that have them on them forbid you to hotlink them (they simply won't show up), so I'm just going to go without them for the rest of the list to not violate any copyright.
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I already have my top 20 chosen. I can't wait to do mine. Also, love it Elite!
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Yay, next two!
16. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
Directed by: Peter Jackson
Featuring: A huge list of well-known actors
I said that Melancholia was 'far and away' the most recent film on my list and this is 'far and away' the second most recent. Apparently that means 8 years. So, yeah, we're in for old stuff throughout the rest of the list. (Yay!) Anyway, this doesn't really need introduction, does it? I'm not even going to bother explain what's going on in this film, as I am fairly sure everybody will have seen it. So, what is it? This is the epic finale of Peter Jackson's 'The Lord of the Rings' films, based on the books by J.R.R. Tolkien. I said 'based', because they're not direct adaptations to the screen, but they don't touch the original story to make it substantially different. So, the ending. Yes, it drags on and on and on and on and that's the main reason this film got much slack upon its release. However, I feel like all the hundred endings actually work to tell the story in a beautiful way. So why is this film here? In my opinion, this is the best film in the Lord of the Rings franchise. Many will disagree, but the reason is pretty simple for me. I was 11 when I saw this film in the cinema after having watched the previous two titles at home. I didn't know what they were, but my stepfather introduced me to the films and I loved the first two ones, so naturally I had to go see the third where it was intended; in the cinema. And I was completely blown away by the amazing way this film comes to life on the big screen. That day was the single best cinema experience I had ever had. No 3D movie topped it, this, for me was (and still is) the pinnacle of what I've seen on the large screen. The film itself is great, it's amazing, but the way it's shown to you is nothing short of amazing.
15. The Good, The Bad & The Ugly (1966)
Directed by: Sergio Leone
Featuring: Clint Eastwood, Lee van Cleef & Eli Wallach
This is another absolute classic, yet not even the oldest film on my list. If you have never heard of this, shame on you. If you have never seen it, slightly less shame on you, but make sure you do. The Good, The Bad & The Ugly tells is the third installment in the 'Dollars Trilogy', comprised of the films 'A Fistful of Dollars' (1964), 'For a Few Dollars More' (1965) and this one, in which Clint Eastwood plays the cowboy without a name. The other films are good, but in this one Sergio Leone upped his game and made an excellent Western film. That's right, this is a spaghetti western film, in which the lives of three individuals converge, hence the title, though that one is quite misleading, as 'The Bad' is the antagonist, but 'The Good' isn't necessarily 'good' and the role of 'The Ugly' is very ambiguous throughout the entire film. I'm not going to bother explaining the whole story in this film, since that would be far too complicated to do in not so much text (the film is 3 hours long), but the plot involves the search for a treasure of 200.000 dollars. Through various events, all three eventually end up at the place where the cash is supposed to be and then the final half hour kicks in. Again, like with many films on this list, this is not about the story in itself, but about the way it is told. So, do yourself a favour if you haven't seen this and you have some 3 hours to spare, if you (think you) like Western movies or have never tried them, this is a great place to start, as I think this is one of the best.
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More tomorrow, the next update will have 3 films instead of two :)
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TGTBATU should be top 10.
Also, add me to the list bro.
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RotK is obviously awesome, good choice. Haven't seen the other one.
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The Lord of the Riga ought to be higher ;)
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TGTBATU should be top 10.
Also, add me to the list bro.
I can say why you would say that and I guess it really is top 10 material (especially if imdb is to be believed), but there's quite a few awesome films coming in yet. Besides, #15 isn't bad at all and I love the film regardless. And added you.
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Next three:
14. A Clockwork Orange (1971)
Directed by: Stanley Kubrick
Featuring: A bunch of relatively unknown actors
Stanley Kubrick is one of my favourite film directors ever, so not only can you expect more of his work further on in my list, also this film here is one of the reasons why. Dubbed one of the most violent films is the history of cinema, A Clockwork Orange is indeed a rather sick creation, especially when you take the time it was released in into account. The film follows a bored youth gang in a very neo-noir-ish (although that term didn't exist back then) decaying city. The rely on the intoxication drug 'milk plus' to go out on a night of 'ultra violence', the scenes of which I won't comment further on. After some time and some violent and sexually implicit violent scenes, everything goes wrong and the leader of our gang (Alex, the main protagonist) is sentenced to 14 years in prison, in which he undergoes a treatment that makes him hate violence and as a side effect, makes him hate the music of his favourite composer, 'Ludwig van' (Beethoven). Because of the program, the music of Beethoven become synonymous with violence for him, causing him to detest it. He is then released from the institute and through a series of events he end up at the house where he once raped and murdered a woman and the widower (Mr. Alexander) doesn't recognise him as the attacker, but has read about his treatment in the paper and wants to use him as a political weapon to combat totalitarianism; if 'the government' can alter minds, this can used against 'the poeple'. However, when he hears Alex singing the same song he was singing while he raped his wife, the memories of the attack return, and Mr. Alexander drugs him and locks him upstairs, tormenting him by playing Beethoven's Fifth extremely loud. Alex can't bear this and throws himself out of the window, knocking him unconscious. Alex then wakes up in a hospital, finding he is not allergic to violence or Beethoven anymore, because the doctors have messed with his head again. That's the storyline in a nutshell, but it doesn't really do it justice. What makes this film great and a classic is partly the use of extreme violence, which at the time was unheard of, but also the futuristic approach of the story. Furthermore, Alex is a very believable character with whom Kubrick wants you to identify yourself with and even though the story is very fictive, he succeeds very much. This is not your standard film and it's great because of that.
13. The Usual Suspects (1995)
Directed by: Bryan Singer
Featuring: Kevin Spacey
This is another oddball in my list and I will not comment on the story at all, because that's what makes this film great; through a very good buildup and a massive revelation at the end, this film is one hell of a ride. The film opens with a scene from the end of the movie, where a man named 'Keyser' shoots an injured man named 'Keaton' on board of a ship, before setting it ablaze. Two people survive, a man named Roger 'verbal' Kint, who's taken to the police station for investigation and a Hungarian criminal, who's so badly injured he needs to be hospitalised, claiming 'Keyser Söze (a Turkish criminal mastermind with a mythical reputation) killed everybody'. The whole film then takes place inside the police station where Verbal Kint (Kevin Spacey) is interrogated as he tells all the events that lead up to the shooting depicted in the first scene of the movie. Through flashbacks, the viewer is shown what Verbal Kint is telling to his interrogators. Why is this film here? Frankly, because it's fucking amazing. It's a crime movie, obviously, but the way the story is told is very new and refreshing and adds another dimension to the overall film. The story itself (which I won't comment on, because it has to be experienced rather than spoilt) is very well thought off, yet still leaves you hanging at the edge of your seat after the film is over. It's that good and people who have seen this will surely acknowledge this. This film can't be explained, it demands to be viewed for the full effect. Do yourself a favour if you haven't seen it yet.
12. The Godfather (1972)
Directed by: Francis Ford Coppolla
Featuring: Marlon Brando & Al Pacino, amongst many lesser known actors.
Here's another classic I don't think I really need to comment on. This film ranks #2 in IMDB's list op Top 250 movies and while this is not something that can be used to assert the greatness of this film, it certainly doesn't hold anything against it either. The film depicts the fall of Vito Corleone (Marlon Brando) the head ('Don', Don Corleone)of a New York based Italian crime-family and the ascent of his reluctant youngest son, Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) through the ranks of the family and the relations and rivalries between the Corleone family and four other maffia families in New York. Throughout the film, we are first shown that Vito Corleone is a man of great influence and strength, although more and more, the film hints at his vulnerability and weakness. On the other hand, Michael doesn't want anything to do with the family business at the beginning, but he rises to power and treads in his fathers footsteps as the new main man. His role as the main protagonist is the most important one in the film and it's the character development of both these two mentioned characters and a huge number of side characters that makes this film great. And then we're not even talking about what the film looks like; the images themselves are gorgeous and really add to the overall representation of the film. Obviously, there's nothing wrong with this film ranking so highly on IMDB's list, it deserves to be there and this is a masterpiece of cinema.
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well, that post was full of win
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Love both movies. On Silence of the Lambs, could not believe that the creepy sewing guy was the police detective in Monk(IMDB is so addictive). 'Puts the lotion in the basket'
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well, that post was full of win
Damn right. Usual Suspects is absolutely brilliant. Spacey is beyond brilliant. A++ film.
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just saw the usual suspects for the first time last week, it was excellent! love spacey :)
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well, that post was full of win
Damn right. Usual Suspects is absolutely brilliant. Spacey is beyond brilliant. A++ film.
Thanks Hath! And yes, Spacey makes the film, brilliant actor!
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The Usual Suspects is really great. Not a big Godfather fan though. And I haven't seen A Clockwork Orange.
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Finally, three top 20 worthy movies. :D
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well, that post was full of win
Indeed - A Clockwork Orange is strange, but a classic nonetheless. I also don't have ANYTHING bad to say about The Usual Suspects and The Godfather. Excellent movies!
I also recommend that if you dig the movie, you should really read Mario Puzo's The Godfather--VERY good read.
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Two more, a pretty random combination of two very different films:
11. Full Metal Jacket (1987)
Directed by: Stanley Kubrick
Featuring: Matthew Modine & Adam Baldwin
This is a sign of things to come, to all of you. I'm a huge fan of Vietnam movies and this is one of my favourites, but not nearly my most favourite. I guess what I like about movies about the 'Nam is not the war or the violence itself, but the way the stories are told and the way them main characters usually go crazy and turn into inhumane monsters. That's not expecially a nice thing per se, but to me it shows the overall hepllessness of people in the army, specifically in ahopeless war that Vietnam was. There's also a certain amount of revolt in every single Vietnam film, from the film-maker, to display the disagreement with the war and this one is no different. This film specifically revolves around 2 specific events; the training of an army squadron in Vietnam and the ambush of a Vietcong sniper. That's basically it. The first half of the film is dedicated to the training and the insane amount of pressure placed on the young soldiers, which ends in casualty because of one of them having gone crazy. The second part of the film talk about what happened with the surviving squadron and how they are struggling to find their way in Vietnam. The highest point in the film is reached at the end, when our protagonists are faced by a hidden sniper, who shoots them one by one. The ending is nothing short of amazing, the Mickey Mouse march geives me goosebumps every single time. Astonishing. Although this film may not seem all too interesting because of this write-up, it is to me a high point in cinema, yet a lower point even in films about Vietnam (yes, there WILL be more), albeit still a very good one and a great start to this self-invented genre.
AND INTO THE TOP TEN:
10. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)
Directed by: Miloš Forman
Featuring: Jack Nicholson
This is my favourite Jack Nicholson performance. (I'm sorry, but no Shining, no Departed, etc.) And let's just say the man is absolutely and stunningly brilliant. There's literally no flaw in his performance as the criminal Randle 'Mac' McMurphy, who's recently been transferred to a mental hospital for evalutaion, after statutory rape of a 15-year old. Many people will say that the book is far better than the film and I can imagine it is, but as I've never read it, I can also say that whatever the book is trying to get across, I believe this film manages to do that as well, although it may be in a different form. Without spoiling whatever happens in the film (though again, I don't think there's many people that HAVEN'T seen this one), in short McMurphy is more and more actually going crazy, because of being in a mental hospital with lunatics. He quickly assumes leadership of the group of loonies and turns the place upside down, ignoring the strict and tight care of nurse Ratched (arguably the main antagonist). McMurphy's actions to make a mess of the hospital get more and more extreme and through a long series of events, he bonds more and more with the other lunatics, kind of befriends them actually and manages to set thing to his hands. If that makes any sense, which it probably will when you've seen the film. What makes this film great is JACK NICHOLSON. This man is a fucking hero, his acting is absolutely sublime and his character and the way he portrays him is nothing short of amazing. This is not an overly exciting movie if you like action, but as a psychological thriller, this one is one of the best.
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I haven't been commenting a lot since the first update, but I like your list a lot. A Clockwork Orange and The Godfather are indeed masterpieces, though not among my personal favourites. The same could be said for Full Metal Jacket - I like it a lot, but I wouldn't place it just outside of my Top 10.
I'm enjoying your write-ups though, keep 'em coming!
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Yes, I realise Full Metal Jacket may be a controversial pick, especially with so many awesome movies placed below it on my list. However, for myself, that rank is perfectly justifiable :)
I'm enjoying your write-ups though, keep 'em coming!
And thanks!
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FMJ is a classic. The first half of that movie is hilarious. Well, up until the guy snaps.
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Two more stellar movies :hefdaddy
My Dad's bestie was a forward observer for the Marines during two tours in 'nam and he said that the boot camp part of the movie was the most spot on depiction of it he'd ever seen.
And OFOTCN is just... so classic. "It's.... MEDICATION TIME... " :xbones
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Wow, I always thought the boot/training camp was sort-of surreal, yet somehow accurate. In any case, it adds to the film, but I can also imagine it being very realistic! Anyway, as said, it won't be the last 'nam film on my list.
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Full Metal Jacket is great. I don't think I have ever seen someone look so insanely evil as the guy who goes crazy does at the end of his storyline.
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Full Metal Jacket is great. I don't think I have ever seen someone look so insanely evil as the guy who goes crazy does at the end of his storyline.
Try Jack Nicholson in The Shining.
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My excuses for yesterday, I came home late from a band practice and didn't want to do the write-ups then, because I was tired. But here we go with yet two more!
9. The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
Directed by: Frank Darabont
Featuring: Tim Robbins & Morgan Freeman
"Fear can hold you prisoner, hope can set you free." How can any list be complete without this one? The film tells a remarkable story of an equally remarkable friendship between innocent banker Andy Defresne (Tim Robbins), convicted of murdering his wife and her lover, sentenced to two life sentences in prison and Ellis 'Red' Redding (Morgan Freeman), a smuggler, who are both serving time in prison. Throughout the years, the two bond and Dufresne works his way up through the prison society, becoming the caretaker of the prison library on the way and helping to improve the prison's terrible state by exploiting financial loopholes in the system, overseen by the warden, who kind-of exploits Dufresne presence in prison. Here as well, I won't mention the story all too much, because this is just one of those movies you need to have watched and it ranks stupidly high in every single film/movie list and while it is very good, on my own list I can not place it higher than this, because for me, it lacks one of two things; brilliant or interesting character development (which IS there, just not as much as in other films, I believe) and something captivating about it, which this film didn't have for me. That said, it's still brilliant for the originality of the plot, which you'll have to watch, I'm not spoiling it and for the way the story progresses. Awesome film, but for me, not all that worthy of all the accolades it gets. But who am I? This list is my own and I'm not a film critic, so maybe I'm wrong.
8. Platoon (1986)
Directed by: Oliver Stone
Featuring: Charlie Sheen, Willem Dafoe & Tom Berenger
Blasphemy, how can I put anything above imdb's #1 film of all time, expecially yet another Vietnam film? Simply put, because I think Platoon is better, and here's why. Platoon is the first Vietnam film I ever saw and I remember watching this for the first time, being struck by the amazing depiction of a crazy time in USA's recent history. To give a short idea of why this film is good, here's a short review I shamelessly stole from elsewhere: "Though many might argue with the claim, Oliver Stone’s ode to his time in Vietnam was the first film that actually combined the tenets of a traditional war film with the counterculture perspective that had quickly become the post-‘60s norm. While it’s good vs. evil narrative base is a bit too broad to keep things wholly classic, the individual performances and personal point of view from the ex-Vet writer/director maintain the movie’s Hell on Earth ideals." Especially the last sentence is why this film is good. Charlie Sheen plays an amazing performance as young soldier Chris Taylor, who becomes an inhuman monster, completely devastated by what happens in the war he's fighting. I'm not going to bother commenting much on the storyline, because, while it is what makes this film stand out, to me the most important aspect of this whole film is Chris Taylor's character development of this film. The insanity of the war is caught on tape here brilliantly, from the actual war itself, to the war inside the heads of all the soldier there, waiting to die, not knowing whatever the hell is going to happen to them and slowly going crazy. This film grabbed me by the guts and took hold of my head and inspired me to watch many other Vietnam films. There are few which I rank higher and this was a great starting point for me. Amazing film, that's all that needs to be said.
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Shawshank Redemption is WAAAY overrated IMO.
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Shawshank Redemption is WAAAY overrated IMO.
Yes it is, it was kind of the point I wanted to make. It's still good though, but the 8 films I put above it are all in another league for me.
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Shawshank Redemption is WAAAY overrated IMO.
Probably, but it's still a great movie.
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Shawshank Redemption is WAAAY overrated IMO.
So is Platoon. Albeit neither are bad movies (*cough cough The Usual Suspects cough*)
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The Shawshank Redemption is one of the classics I actuallt like a lot and actually deserves the "classic" stamp.
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Shawshank could very well be overrated, but it's still an awesome movie. So is Platoon.
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Wow! I've been very busy the last week, that's why I didn't do any updates, as I kind-of neglected it for a while. I'm actually typing the write-ups on the spot, so that's probably why it's taking me rather long. Anyway, here's the next two!
7. Pulp Fiction (1994)
Directed by: Quentin Tarantino
Featuring: John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson & Uma Thurman
Here's another one I don't think needs any introduction. Personally, I believe this is Quentin Tarantino's biggest accomplishment out of the all the good stuff he has made and hence, it is the only film directed by him on my list. What he does here is very refreshing in the way that the story (if there is any, you could say it's a series of very weird sketches if you want, yet if you can demonstrate that well enough, I might actually believe it) isn't told in a chronological way, but rather in a very weird, almost 'circling' kind of way. There is one overarching plot, but it's not until around the end of the film that this starts to make any sense, but this film definitely isn't about the story (hence the title!), but about the way the story is told. At least, that's what matters to me. So, what do we have? We start off with two bandits who try to rob a diner. We are then transporting to an unknown place, unknown time where Vincent (John Travolta) and Jules (Samuel L. Jackson) are on their way to an unknown location in a car and the chatter seemingly useless dialogue before storming into a hotel room and killing some people in one of my favourite movie scenes of all time. The story changes to Vincent and his gangster boss's wife, Mia Wallace (Uma Thurmann) whom he takes out for dinner. After dinner, she overodses while Vincent is in the bathroom and he has to rush her to a friend's place to give her an adrenaline shot to the heart. And that's not even half the film. See, it doesn't make any sense at all, especially since most of the dialogue is completely and utter bullshit, insofar as many people I've watched this film with disliked it for the lack of anything going on. Then why is it good? To me, it's good because it's different. The film keeps you watching as you want to know whatever is going to happen, IF anything is going to happen at all. The nearly absent story still manages to be compelling to me and while this is not a film I could watch every week (or even every year for that matter), it remains good everytime, for reasons I cannot explain properly. Just watch it.
6. Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
Directed by: Irvin Kishner
Featuring: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford & Carrie Fisher
The film with the biggest spoiler in the history of cinema. That's this one, yet somehow, I had no idea when I first watched it. I must have been around 11-12 and this film in particular fuelled my love for Star Wars in the years to come. In terms of cinema, this film is by no means 'better' than any of my previous mentioned films, but for this one, it's the emotion and nostalgia that counts for me and it is for that reason that this is my favourite Star Wars film and one of my favourite science fiction films of all time. Of all the films on my list (and probably of all the films in the whole world) this is the one I've seen the most, rivalled only by the other 5 Star Wars films. I know this one by heart, exactly when what's going to happen and even who says what in some places. It's kind of ridiculous, maybe, but I love it. To me, there's nothing bad about this film. Though this one doesn't have some crazy-ass huge battle to wrap it up (unless you count the lightsaber duel at the end as such, or the amazing opening battle (THOSE AT-ATs AND SNOWSPEEDERS!)), this one has the most interesting story, the best character dialogue and interaction and one of the biggest 'Whoa!'-moments in any film I have ever seen. The cinematography is gorgeous, the world George Lucas created seems very real, and no scene in the entire movies feels rushed or insignificant. The music is absolutely brilliant, ans anyone who has ever seen Star Wars or heard its music will almost certainly assert to that. The only tragic thing about this film is the acting by Hamill and Fisher, who despite having two of the three lead roles, never seemed to take off after this film, whereas Ford has played in numerous others. Darth Vader serves once again as the archetypal villain, but we are introduced, briefly, to an ever higher power, the mysterious Emperor. Star Wars almost feels like a fairy tale and, frankly, it is one, but in a completely different setting and this is the best chapter of this fairy tale. If you've never seen Star Wars, even if you're not a fan of science fiction, I recommend you watch it and be overwhelmed by it. I guess it helps if you're young or naive, as the films create a world to indulge in and one that really touched my heart.
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Tomorrow I shall enter the top 5, with two more astounding, yet very different films :)
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Both great movies. My only gripe about Pulp Fiction is that it's not really about anything, random stuff is just happening. But that is also one of the things that makes it cool and special.
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I don't mind it when there's no real plot. :)
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Both great movies. My only gripe about Pulp Fiction is that it's not really about anything, random stuff is just happening. But that is also one of the things that makes it cool and special.
Did you actually read my write-up? Because that's basically what I said as well.
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Pulp Fiction is a masterpiece. One of my favorite scene's in cinema ever... Christopher Walken and the watch.
"He died of ... dysentery" :rollin
Empire... epic film is epic. One of the first movies I ever remember seeing in the theater's.
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Both great movies. My only gripe about Pulp Fiction is that it's not really about anything, random stuff is just happening. But that is also one of the things that makes it cool and special.
Did you actually read my write-up? Because that's basically what I said as well.
Sorry, rushed through all of DTF today, only skimmed the Pulp Fiction one and read your Empire write-up more thoroughly... Heh... I read it now though and yeah it seems like we more or less agree on everything.
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I'm really liking Elite's list, and I agree 110% on what he said about Empire Strikes Back
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Empire Strikes Back is good. Pulp Fiction really overrated though, IMO. I like movies with a really strong, intriguing plot, and as you mentioned this doesn't really have one.
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How does Pulp Fiction not have a plot? Also, the dialogue is the best part.
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How does Pulp Fiction not have a plot? Also, the dialogue is the best part.
Yeah, the dialogue makes the movie. Plotwise, it's a total mess of random stuff. I think that if this movie was released today and chronologically, few would like it. Except for the dialogue.
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Oh, boy, we enter the top 5! This list is almost done. Here's two very different films, with one similarity. Enjoy.
5. 12 Angry Men (1957)
Directed by: Sidney Lumet
Featuring: Henry Fonda (and 11 other actors)
Another film that has had near unamious acclaim by anyone I know who has watched this. This is kind-of an oddball in my entire list, because this one is hands-down the oldest film on my list and it's a very special one because of one very simpel reason: the entire film, save for a short prelude and ending, takes places in the same room. That's right; the same room, no flashbacks, no interruptions, just like that, through the whole film. In the same room you say? Well, how can it be any good if poeple don't go anywhere or nothing interesting happens? Simply put; they don't need to, as enough happens in the room and that's where the strength of this film lies. 12 men are asked to be the jury for a case that seems clear cut from the start; a young Puerto Rican boy is on trial for allegedly killing his father and if he is quilty, that will mean a death sentence for the boy. As you may have guessed, the whole film takes place in the room where the 12 men meat up and discuss their opinions on what happened. Sounds boring? It most certainly is not. This film has some of the best character interactions I've ever seen on screen and is filmed and brought to the big screen beautifully. Henry Fonda plays the mains protagonist here in the heated discussion and he does the job wonderfully. Oh, it;s in black and white though, but I'm sure you won't mind, the film itself is too good to go unnoticed.
4. Once Upon a Time in the West (1968)
Directed by: Sergio Leone
Feauting: Henry Fonda, Claudia Cardinale, Charles Bronson & Jason Robards
Here's the *other* Western movies on my list and like 12 Angry Men (completely unrelated), this one has Henry Fonda playing one of the lead roles as well! (coincidence? well, yes actually). From he films opening sequence, which is gorgeous by the way, the viewer is thrown into the story which unfolds more and more as you watch it. Yes, I know every film does that, basically, but here it is compelling, because this film is driven by its story, accompanied by some of the best cinematography ever. Forget 3D, high definition and all that shit, this here is the best looking film in the world, even after all those years. So if the story is so important, it should be interesting, which it most certainly is. We have a mysterious man playing the harmonica (dubbed 'Harmonica' for lack of any other given name). We have railroad tycoon Morton and his hired gun annex assassin Franka and we have a bandit gang led by 'Cheyenne'. Furthermore, there happens to be this piecae of land, which is very important, because the railway has to cross this, as it's the only place with a water source. As it happens, this land has an owner; even after Frank killed him and his three sons, he forgot about the newly wed bride, who is now the owner of her husband's property. This setting makes for a very special story, especially in the way our protagonist (if you can call him that) 'Harmonica' and Frank interact with each other. It's another Western movie, but not one that focuses on the 'cowboys' and what not. Yeah, everybody has a gun, but this isn't Clint Eastwood or any other turned-into-a-cowboy-forever-actor. It's just a genuine, albeit fake, story of fictional characters in a setting that works really well. Oh, and did I mention yet I think this is the best looking film in the world? The music helps as well. Thank Ennio Morricone and Sergio Leone, for this masterpiece.
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As there's only 3 more to go, here's the full list so far:
HM's:
- Trainspotting (1996)
- Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998)
- 2001: A Space Oddyssey (1968)
- Goodfellas (1990)
- Jurassic Park (1993)
- The Men Who Stare at Goats (2009)
20. What's Eating Gilbert Grape (1993)
19. Melancholia (2011)
18. The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
17. Se7en (1995)
16. The Lord of the Rings III: The Return of the King (2003)
15. The Good, The Bad and The Ugly (1966)
14. A Clockwork Orange (1971)
13. The Usual Suspects (1995)
12. The Godfather (1972)
11. Full Metal Jacket (1987)
10. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)
9. The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
8. Platoon (1986)
7. Pulp Fiction (1994)
6. Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
5. 12 Angry Men (1957)
4. Once Upon a Time in the West (1968)
3. ??
2. ??
1. ??
Anyone who can guess any of the top 3 gets a cookie.
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12 Angry Men is indeed awesome
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12 Angry Men! :hefdaddy :tup
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Impressed you'd go THAT old school. I'll always remember the line Woody had from Cheers, that he was performing in a stage production of 12 Angry Men.... "But there's only 6 of us, so we have to be twice as angry."
:lol :lol
Prediction... not a 'nam era war film, but I'll go with Saving Private Ryan. Not sure how you can't rank Apocalypse Now as the greatest 'nam era war film though, so I'll say that's still to come. And to complete the war trifecta, Tropic Thunder. :jets:
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Haven't seen any of those yet actually.
Maybe one of the Nolan movies will make the top 3? And by that I mean the 3 that usually makes people's lists: The Dark Knight, Inception and Memento. Most likely in your case, looking at the rest of your list, I'd say probably Memento.
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I'll go for an Arnonofsky or a Kubric. :)
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I don't see Reservoir Dogs yet...
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The Godfather part II or perhaps Raiders of the Lost Ark?
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I don't see Reservoir Dogs yet...
..and it won't show up. I said in my write-up for Pulp Fiction that that is my favourite Tarantino..
Thanks for the comments :) some of you are perhaps right. Number 3 will show up a bit later tonight.
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2 more and the last honourable mention (which is a special one).
3. Alien (1979)
Directed by: Ridley Scott
Featuring: Sigourney Weaver (among others)
Did anyone expect this one? Nor did I and when I initially started making my list, I forgot about this one, but I had to include it anyway. And wow, did it end up high on my list or not? WHat we have here, is in my opinion the best science fiction film ever made (of course, only counting the ones I have actually seen) and - not only that - this is also the scariest film I have ever watched in full. I must have been around 10-12 when I first saw this and it's the impact that it had on me back then that makes it score so ridiculously high on my list. I was scared shitless and literally couldn't fall asleep for about two weeks straight. I've always had problems falling asleep anyway, but this film augmented that to insane degrees of insomnia. And it wasn't because I was scared of an alien popping up from under my bed or anything, but the way the story in the film was told. This way seem very silly nowadays and I probably wouldn't really find it scary if I ever saw it again now (last time must have been some years ago, can't really remember), but the way it scared me then was more than enough to warrant it being on this list. This film is about a shapeship that discovers a tracking signal on a nearby planet and the passengers are awakened as they set to discover what the source was from. They come to an alien vessel, in which numerous egg-like things are planted and out of one of them a creature jumps that attaches to the face of one of the passengers. He's taken on board, where they succesfully take the thing off, but when everything seems alright, an alien bursts out of his stomach, killing him instantly before it escaped. So now the ship is in space again, with an unknown creature on board that grows rapidly and stalks the passengers, killing them off one by one. That's the gist of it and it's brilliant. There's some backstories going on as well and our hero is Sigourney Weaver, playing warrant officer Ripley, which in itself is a stand-out for the male-dominated genre of science fiction for a woman to portray the main character. Without spoiling much more, I will just say that this is a unique work in science fiction and that it's just awesome all the way through, scaring you to death occasionally, not particularly by sudden random scares, but by the atmosphere's it creates. This film spawned 3 sequels and a film that linked the Predators from the science fiction film Predator (which is pretty awesome as well, I must say), but none of those sequels manage to live up to this one, at least for me. In space, no-one can hear you scream.
Honourable Mention: The Shining (1980)
Directed by: Stanley Kubrick
Featuring: Jack Nicholson
I had to give this one a mention for the same reason Alien is on the list; this film holds my itle as scariest film ever. The only reason it's not on the list is because I have never watched it in full. I stopped watching about half-way (I was about 12 again, I think), because I couldn't take it anymore. That fucking kid on his tricycle, those twin, the blood coming out of the elevator, it was too much for me and I was once again scared to death and couldn't sleep for days, because of what I saw. By now, I believe I've seen most of it through random clips (and I still don't like watching it), but I have yet to view the thing in full.
2. The Deer Hunter (1978)
Directed by: Michael Cimino
Featuring: Robert DeNiro, Christopher Walken & Meryl Streep
Not another Vietnam film! Well, yes, this is yet another Vietnam film and one of my all-time favourites. With this one, as well as with the number one, which is coming tomorrow, I'm not going to comment muc on the plot, since this has to be viewed in order to be experienced. Spoil yourself all you want by reading the (very lengthy) description on wikipedia, but I'm not doing it. This film takes place in Vietnam for a good part of it, but it actually starts out in a small town in Pennsylvania, where 4 friend prepare for marriage and military service. What ensues is the most heartbreaking story I have ever seen to film, my number 1 doesn't top it and nothing does and that's what makes this film good. The way it's filmed, the way the characters are, their traits and personalities and how they deal with the shit that's thrown to them is portrayed beautifully and pretty much impossible to describe without starting to talk nonsense, instead of just experiencing it yourself. There's a couple of recurring theme throughout the film (of which the most notable is Russian Roulette, which was highly controversial, apart from the fact that making films about Vietnam in the first place was a controversial act in itself). Robert DeNiro is our protagonist, playing Michael, the reluctant 'leader' of his group of friends and the way his character develops from beginning to end is nothing short of brilliantly executed. The Vietnam scenes are horrifying to watch, basically, but they still manage to maintain a level of reletive 'neutral-ness' if you prepare yourself not to be overwhelmed by them, although that's probably very difficult. Then why the title? Yeah, the title doesn't really show this to be a film about Vietnam, but the gist is that they all hunted deer before going into military service. Actually, the deer hunting plays a pretty big role in the overall plot, as the act of hunting is very important for the character development. I suppose I've rambled on long enough without really saying anything, so I recommend you watch this one as well if you haven't yet. It's a pretty overwhelming film all in all and one that left me sick in my stomach and heartbroken at the same time. This is some of the best the Vietnam genre has to offer.
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NUMBER 1 will arrive shortly. :)
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The Deer Hunter is great!
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Yes, it is!
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Alien is awesome and I pretty much agree with everything you said. It's not as high on my list mostly because of the out-dated movie making tech. I know it's kind of douchy to diss a classic because of dated effects and stuff like that, but when something looks fake it takes me out of the movie a bit. Still great though.
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It certainly didn't look fake to me! And the majority of my list would be 'outdated' then :P
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Maybe, but it's harder to make a tall black murder alien in space look real than most other stuff in movies one your list (that I have seen). So it's understandable, it being released in 1979 and all.
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Shawshank Redemption is WAAAY overrated IMO.
So is Platoon. Albeit neither are bad movies (*cough cough The Usual Suspects cough*)
Shawshank (and Pulp Fiction) may be a tad overrated, but are still great. Hardly anyone overrates Platoon anymore (akin to accusing Randy Rhoads as currently being overrated). Heartily agree with The Unusual Suspects. Another really overrated movie is Forrest Gump.
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Another really overrated movie is Forrest Gump.
Nope. :hat
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I'm too tired and busy to wrap up my list tonight, as I still have to do the write-up for it, but it will be here tomorrow night (my time) and it will be awesome :)
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So, here we are finally, at my number one. Thanks everybody who has been following this, I hope you enjoyed my write-ups as much as I did writing them and reliving the films in my head as I went. This one is very special to me and I hope my write-up will shed some light on the why.
Not sure how you can't rank Apocalypse Now as the greatest 'nam era war film though, so I'll say that's still to come.
You're right, I can't. In fact:
1. Apocalypse Now (1979)
Directed by: Francis Ford Coppola
Featuring: Marlon Brando, Martin Sheen & Robert Duvall
"The horror... the horror.." And as I heard those words when the screen turned to black, I realised I had just seen the best film that has ever been made. There is no contest, out of everything I have seen, no film comes close to the magnitude of absolute brilliance that this film is. After Platoon, this is the real film that started my love for Vietnam films. I must have been 15 the first time I watched it and I didn't even watch all of it. I jumped in about halfway at the amazing Wagner-sequence. For those who haven't seen it; this film takes the bombastic qualities of Richard Wagner's 'Ride of the Valkyries' to a whole new level and has been cited often as being some of the best parts of the film. But let's be frank, this film has no best part, in the same way that it doesn't have a weak part AT ALL. At almost 2.5 hours, the length is very daunting and the 'Redux' version is even longer, clocking in at over 200 minutes, but even that one doesn't have you lose interest in the slightest. To me, what makes this movie stand out (apart from really everything) is the way it is filmed, the way the story is told, the atmosphere it creates and the way it left me after I had seen it in full for the first time. Scenes that explicitly do this very well are the opening scene, the Wagner sequence, the Do-Lung bridge scene and the final 10-15 minutes.
So, before commenting more on what is good about this film, let me first explain what the hell this is from people who have never seen it. Apocalypse now is (yet another) Vietnam film, but one that is VERY different (yet again) from the other three that have been on my list. The gist of it is simple; US Army Captain Ben Willard (Martin Sheen) gets orders to follow the river Nung into the neutral Cambodia to kill the rogue US Army Special Forces Colonel Walter E. Kurtz (Marlon Brando), who is leading his own army of Montagnard (French for 'mountain folk', the indigenous people of Vietnam) troops and has supposedly gone crazy. Willard starts following the river on a boat with a group of other soldiers and his trip to Cambodia is what's depicted in the film. Along the way, Willard and his crew encounter various different things, which all have one thing in common; people are completely going crazy and they are getting more and more crazy the further the head down the river, with its pinnacle at the scenes involving the Do-Lung bridge, which is in my opinion one of the strongest movie scenes I have ever seen regarding the utter helplessness of the young people waging a war against their enemies, but far more notably, against themselves. This film doesn't show a war against the Vietcong as much, but more so the inner battle against darkness inside the US army and this scene in particular represents a turning point for our main character, who up until then had been fairly ignorant or neutral about whatever he saw, but as we get closer to the end (and the end is where it really happens), Willard, like every other person encountered earlier, turns into a monster.
And this brings me to the following; I personally believe this film isn't showing us a war, it's merely using this as a backdrop to show the viewer the loss of humanity in the face of war. The more he enters the jungle and the further down the river he goes, the people he encounters lose their morals and judgement and I think this film portrays this principle very, very well and it is what makes the ending so strikingly amazing, yet utterly unbelievable. The ending can not be watched without having seen the rest of the film, in order to fully understand the impact it will have on you as you watch it, after having seen all this terrible, psychologically gruesome stuff before. To judge a film based on its ending and its ending alone isn't what I'm trying to do here and while I will say it's brilliant and my favourite ending to any film ever, it's once again the road that leads up to there that makes it as great as it is. I honestly can not imagine ever seeing a film again in my life that will strike me in such a way as this film has done to me. It's, again, not one I watch often and it's one you should take the time for to immerse yourself in it, but this film gave me not only a new outlook on film as a whole, it also managed to jump right to the spot of undoubted favourite film ever. Not a shot or scene is wasted here and everything has a purpose. Numerous people have analysed this film and its scenes and everything is in there for a reason and there's nothing I would change about the entire thing. More so than with any other film on this list, I implore you to watch this very soon, if you haven't yet.
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Thanks, once more, for reading!
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Have you ever read Heart of Darkness? I enjoyed the book, or most of it, and have thought about watching Apocalypse Now because of it. Might do that now because of your write up. Well done for all of them.
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I haven't yet, but I intend to do so one day! I hear good things about it.
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I really enjoyed reading your list! While I personally have had issues enjoying war movies in the past, it has been interesting to read your take on a couple of them.
Thanks for taking the time to share!
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Really good writeups Rich. Clearly you've got a lot of passion for most of these movies. When it gets to mine, doubt I'm gonna have as much to say. "I like cuz it funny" is about the extent of what I'm coming up with.
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Man, another probably great movie I haven't even seen. But it being your number one, I will try to take the time and watch it this week.
Thanks for the list, a lot of really great ones!
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So much Vietnam!
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Great movie and a worthy finish of your list, though I wouldn't rate it as highly.
Anyway, I'll start sometime this afternoon, I've got quite some stuff to do.
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I hate Heart of Darkness, love Apocalypse Now though
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I've been meaning to see this movie, but haven't yet. I'll be sure to remedy that.
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Great movie and a worthy finish of your list, though I wouldn't rate it as highly.
Anyway, I'll start sometime this afternoon, I've got quite some stuff to do.
I'd suggest starting a new thread... as we do for the Top 50 album series. That way, you can modify the title, and this doesn't get super cluttered/long.
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Thanks for all the replies! I'm glad people enjoyed reading all this :)
I really enjoyed reading your list! While I personally have had issues enjoying war movies in the past, it has been interesting to read your take on a couple of them.
I can imagine they can be quite gruesome in one way or another. A good way for me is to detach yourself from the horrible stuff that goes in in wars and just focus on what the film is trying you to tell, however much it may be horrifying in one way or another, kind of like a 'reflection' on the ridiculous stuff mankind pulls itself into.
Really good writeups Rich. Clearly you've got a lot of passion for most of these movies. When it gets to mine, doubt I'm gonna have as much to say. "I like cuz it funny" is about the extent of what I'm coming up with.
Thanks! Yes, I do try to write a bit more than 'I just like it because I think it's good'; that doesn't work with me, I need explanations as to why I like it, so that's what I tried to do with all those :)
So much Vietnam!
I know! :eek
Anyway, I'll start sometime this afternoon, I've got quite some stuff to do.
Yes, take your time :)
I hate Heart of Darkness, love Apocalypse Now though
From what I have gathered, they are both very different. A;though the themes are supposedly (?) similar, the setting is obviously very different, but please correct me if I'm wrong, for I have yet to read it.
I've been meaning to see this movie, but haven't yet. I'll be sure to remedy that.
YES
I'd suggest starting a new thread... as we do for the Top 50 album series. That way, you can modify the title, and this doesn't get super cluttered/long.
So, you're suggesting we use this thread as a 'tracker'-thread from now on instead of everyone posting their lists in here? I suppose that could work; we may even start 2 threads at the same time. Do we need a mod's permission to do this?
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So, you're suggesting we use this thread as a 'tracker'-thread from now on instead of everyone posting their lists in here? I suppose that could work; we may even start 2 threads at the same time. Do we need a mod's permission to do this?
Don't think we need a mod's permission... only if you want this stickied - but there's already quite a few stickied up there. If you're gonna stick around, and willing to maintain this as a 'tracker' thread, that'd be cool.
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I'd wait for a mod's permission, because that would be rather cluttery, after all. I'd have no problem with simply using this thread, though.
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NO problem at all with your Top 3, and with your honourable mention. Both Alien and The Shining scared the shit out of me the first time I saw them, too - I remember seeing Alien in the theater when it first came out (I was 9), and even though it really doesn't follow the book very closely I think Kubrick's version of The Shining clearly surpasses the miniseries that was done for it several years later (plus, Shelley Duvall was perfect as Wendy - Rebecca DeMornay as Wendy was a GROSS miscasting).
The Deer Hunter is a VERY depressing movie, but very good at the same time. You just cannot argue with DeNiro as Michael, and it was the first time I saw Christopher Walken in anything. Just tragic. Of course, you could say the same things (or some of them) about Apocalypse Now. I think I prefer the Redux version, as Coppola was forced to cut a lot out of the version that was originally released in theaters. Phenomenal movies, both of them.
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So yeah. My list, here it is. I'll just continue in this thread, if needed, it can be split, I think.
A word of warning beforehand: I haven't seen many films that many people consider "absolute classics", so expect the number of those to be fairly small.
20. Déjŕ-Vu
Directed by: Tony Scott
Starring: Denzel Washington
There are many, many time travel movies out there and there are few that actually bring something new to the table and manage to treat this topic in a way that it doesn't feel stupid, but rather well-thought out and enjoyable. Déjŕ-Vu manages to do exactly that by using multiple timelines that are frightingly complex - you are guaranteed to not understand it the first time, yet it still is a very enjoyable movie all the same and doesn't leave you unsatisfied or with the feeling that it was too contrived, but rather with the desire to see it again. It's not really anything groundbreaking or anything, simply a time-travel movie done well, with some acting that serves its purpose.
19. Apocalypse Now
Directed by: Francis Ford Coppola
Featuring: Marlon Brando, Martin Sheen & Robert Duvall
I first saw this movie in History class, when our teacher was too lazy to actually prepare something, so he put on this movie, because he had a history class the same and day and wanted to watch it with them. It certainly looked cool (well, the eighty-something minutes that we watched), but it didn't inspire me to check out the whole thing for some reason.
Fast-forward another year and we are discussing musical scores in Music class and we are, lo and behold, using Apocalypse Now's famous scene with the Ride of the Valkyries, which sent chills down my spine from the first moment. The same day, I got the movie from a friend and watched it over night. I fell asleep during the first class the next day, but it was worth it.
This movie is awesome throughout. It has some of the most impressive shots of Vietnam that I know and the acting, especially the portrayal of how people become inhuman through the cruelty of war is superb. A great, great movie and it pains me to rank this so low, but there are other movies that I enjoy a whole lot more, I'm afraid, even though they aren't really that significant.
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Anything with Denzel Washington is awesome.
Rich... you'll have to continually edit the thread title if we're just gonna have one big thread.
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The trailer for Deja-Vu always played before movies on DVD some years ago and I have always found the trailer to be very intriguing, though I have never gotten around to watch it.
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19. Apocalypse Now
>:( :biggrin:
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18. The Game
Directed by: David Fincher
Starring: Michael Douglas, Sean Penn, Armin Mueller-Stahl
I would have probably never seen this movie if my dad hadn't insisted that I would like it. It hadn't really sounded all that interesting when I had read about it but I didn't really have anything else to do that evening, so I joined my dad in watching it, and I'm happy that I did. This is one of the more interesting thrillers that I have seen and it has a rather unique plotline as well.
The gist is this: Nicolas van Orten, rich and successful business is visited by his brother on his birthday, who gives him a gift voucher for a 'game' at a company named Consumer Recreation Service. He is initially opposed to the idea, but he eventually goes there and has to undertake lengthy tests - only for CSR telling him that he is unfit for the game. But a surprise awaits him when he gets home...
What I really like about this movie is how unpredictable it remains throughout (well, that's the feeling that I had when I first saw it, anyway), and you are constantly wondering what will happen to Nicolas next and where exactly danger is lurking, just waiting to strike. There are some rather logically flawed parts at the end, but that doesn't really make the movie any less enjoyable. I would recommend this to anyone who likes a good suspense movie that's a little different than the usual mold.
17. Inglourious Basterds
Directed by: Quentin Tarantino
Starring: Brad Pitt, Christoph Waltz, Michael Fassbender
There are few movies that manage to really do such a complicated topic as the Third Reich justice and manage to take it into an alternate history that is both well-constructed and believable. This film, however, does so perfectly. The interweaving stories of Shoshanna, a Jewish girl planning to assassinate the Nazi leadership, the Basterds that are trying to do the same from a totally different angle and amidst all that, Friedrich Zoller and Hans Landa, two Nazis following their own, vastly different agendas that, despite their cruel deeds don't come across as complete assholes, but rather as human, just like those hunting them are.
The characters are all very well-cast, with each of them filling out their role perfectly - be it Brad Pitt as the Apache leader of the Basterds, the Austrian Christoph Waltz as the devious Col. Hand Landa or Til Schweiger as Hugo Stieglitz, a former Nazi turned traitor (which is his only role that I can stand, by the way), every actor fits into their role perfectly. It is also pretty cool that the movie uses three different languages throughout, giving it a very real feel (and I understand all of them, so that's an added bonus). It's kind of long, but the time watching it really does fly. This is a historically-inspired movie done right.
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Can't go wrong with Tarantino :tup
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Both awesome, it's funny that your backstory of how you first came to see The Game is pretty much exactly the same as mine. Dads huh?
And agree with the comment above: You can't really go wrong with Tarantino.
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Two more updates! (Not that anyone seems to care :'()
16. Fight Club
Directed by: David Fincher
Starring: Brad Pitt, Edward Norton, Helena Bonham-Carter
A word beforehand: this movie contains one of the best plot twists that I have ever witnessed. It makes sense when you know it, but you would have never, ever thought of it on your own. At first, the plot seems fairly insignificant, but only as the movie progresses do you realise both the magnitude of the whole thing and just how expertly the movie had you fooled.
To not spoil it for those that haven't seen the movie, I won't say anything more about it here, at least not plot-wise. I can, however, still add the the cast is phenomenal - both Brad Pitt and Edward Norton do a great job of bringing the main characters to life and Helena Bonham-Carter proves once again that she is a very gifted actress. The depictions of brutality are a point of criticism for some, but it works in the context of the movie very well, just as the electronic soundtrack does, even though I'm not a fan of such music normally.
Everyone who hasn't seen this one should hurry up and do so. I did so, again, yesterday, but nothing can compare with watching it for the first time, and I envy everyone who still has that experience before them.
15. The Fifth Element
Directed by: Luc Besson
Starring: Bruce Wills, Gary Oldman, Milla Jovovich
This is one of the first science-fiction movies that I ever saw, and to this day it remains one of my favourites. It has many of the classic elements of a science-fiction movie (aliens, evil powers, the one hero who is somehow stronger than all the enemy soldiers combined), but there are enough unique elements thrown into the mix so that this movie doesn't become clichéd and boring - above all, humour.
Many of the characters in this movie (though none more than Chris Tucker as Ruby Rhod, an intergalactic talk-show host) make you laugh at the weirdest moments without making the whole thing feel forced or anything. Gary Oldman shines as the villain Zorg, an industrialist hired by Evil itself, and while Bruce Willis seems to be playing the role of the aged army veteran that is still surprisingly good at what he once did in pretty much every movie, there is no denying that he does it well. Milla Jovovich is great as well - she really manages to play a being that, despite looking human, actually is very far from it, very convincingly.
This movie isn't really all that sophisticated or intelligent, but I have always enjoyed it for what it is - a not-too-serious science fiction movie, and while I probably have a soft spot for it being my first sci-fi movie, that doesn't mean that it is anything less than a very good movie.
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Fight Club is awesome. The first time I saw it my mind was blown. The second time it all made sense. Great film.
Haven't seen the other one
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Anything with Denzel Washington is awesome.
Your post reminded me of this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHmjiiqCHSs
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I don't think Fight Club is a good movie. The movie loses itself to its own sense of cool.
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Can you explain that a little more in depth, please?
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It's supposed to be a satire, but ends up not being satirical because of the way it portrays Tyler Durden. The whole idea of the movie is that one should reject nihlism and grow the fuck up, but the film spends the majority of its runtime idealizing the lifestyle its trying to critique. And that's how Tyler Durden became an iconic "cool" character, even though he wasn't meant to be.
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I see what you mean, but that never really bothered me when watching the movie. Then again, I'm not the guy that really thinks a lot about movies, I just sit back and watch them and have a good time, so that might have something to do with that.
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I think the first half of the film definitely does that, idolize Tyler Durden, but that's important. It lulls the audience into believing in Tyler and his message but the second half does not... it pulls the rug out from under the audience (even before the twist). I think the movie does that rather well, but YMMV I guess.
I will not say that Fight Club is perfect (there are one or two instances where the film stretches credibility) but I still love it and Fincher is a great director.
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Love Fight Club, it was the first movie I saw that had one of those big twists in it. So yeah, that's a great pick.
Not a huge Fifth Element fan though. Like you said the movie is funny and humerous in unexpected ways and that's really cool, but overall it's a mediocre movie for me.
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Multipass
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14. The Bourne Identity
Directed by: Doug Liman
Starring: Matt Damon, Franka Potente
This is another movie that's plain fun, not really anything deep or intellectual. This marks as one of the first action films I saw, and while this nostalgia probably plays into my placement, it's still a respectable movie on its own. The story isn't really anything to write home about, but the acting is pretty good, especially on the part of Matt Damon, who manages to capture the determination and yet helplessness of Jason Bourne pretty well. Just an all-around enjoyable movie, and Jason Bourne is a badass.
13. The Matrix
Directed by: Larry and Andy Wachowski
Starring: Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, Hugo Weaving
I don't think I need to say much about this movie. This is probably my favourite sci-fi movie (though that term should only be applied loosely here) and it combines it all: a great plot, some great acting from all characters and some great philosophical ideas lying beneath the whole thing that both allow you to simply enjoy the action-fest that it is or to really think about it, whatever you want. Everyone should have probably seen this one, so I'll just say that it's a damn shame that the trilogy which started so strong could never even begin to match up to this movie.
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I love the Matrix!
Not too big on the Bourne series though.
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Matrix is a great one. What did you think about the sequels?
Bourne movies are fine, though nothing amazing. Haven't seen Ultimatum yet and they that's the best one.
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What did you think about the sequels?
It'd be wrong to say that they weren't worth watching, because they did finish the story, but they are lightyears away from the brilliance of the first part. Revolutions is the worst, Reloaded has a few redeeming qualities, like the château fight, which is pretty entertaining, even though rather long.
Bourne movies are fine, though nothing amazing. Haven't seen Ultimatum yet and they that's the best one.
You should definitely watch all of the original trilogy, they are all quite good, but I find the first to be just a little better than the second and third one.
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Two fine choices, though I wouldn't rate Bourne that high, Matrix I think I have in my top 25. I have to check
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Two awesome flicks there Scrop. Bourne is absolutely a badass.
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12. Melancholia
Directed by: Lars von Trier
Starring: Kirsten Dunst, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Alexander Skarsgĺrd
It is difficult to put this movie into words. Lars von Trier has always been known for his powerful images that he uses in movies to evoke emotions, and of those movies that I have seen, it rarely works as well as it does here. Melancholia tells the story of three people in the face of the impeding end of the world, and while that sounds cliché, von Trier manages to make a gloomy and emotional story out of it. There's nothing of explosions and people running amok like it is in many other end-of-the-world film, no - this movie is more subdued. There just a melancholic, somber mood that permeates this whole thing and doesn't let you go until a long while later. This isn't a movie that I can just watch if I want to enjoy it, but it does what it sets out to do perfectly and is an amazing movie in its own right.
11. Antichrist
Directed by: Lars von Trier
Starring: Willem Dafoe, Charlotte Gainsbourg
Oh look, another von Trier! This movie is an anomaly of a kind in my list, because it has elements that I never really enjoy, such as explicit brutality, but von Trier manages to pack this into a plot that is even more disturbing than the most brutal scenes of the movie ever could be.
The movie begins with what I imagine must be every parent's nightmare: two parents have sex, leaving their child unattended, who dies as a result. Because of this, the woman falls into depression and the man, a psychologist, takes here to their cabin in the woods where they spent their last summer with their son, in order to bridge the gap between him and his wife again.
What follows then is some of the weirdest and most disturbing stuff I have ever seen, both in terms of brutality and in terms of the psychological factor. And despite me not enjoying horror movies in the least, this is one that left an impression on me like few others did. I wouldn't say I enjoyed it, because it's not a movie that's meant to be enjoyed, but it left me deeply impressed in a way that no other movie has matched.
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That makes two that were in my list as well :tup
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Nice choice with the Bourne trilogy! Excellent pick!
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Not familiar with either of those two movies.
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Like I said when Elite did his list, I hate Melancholia. I gave it a 2.7/10, which would be the category "painful".
I haven't seen Antichrist, but from what you say, it sounds like some disturbing stuff.
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Melancholia's been on my Netflix instant queue for a while now. I haven't seen the other, but it sounds interesting.
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I had Antichrist on my DVR for months and eventually erased it. I do intend to watch it one day.
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Haven't seen either of these, but I have heard pretty good stuff
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Great list Elite! Lots of great movies listed.
15. The Good, The Bad and The Ugly (1966)
Great movie. Love the scene where The Ecstacy Of Gold (Metallica's opening theme music) is playing where the guy is running around the graves.
14. A Clockwork Orange
This would be #2 on my list! Incredible performance by Malcolm McDowell.
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10. Back to the Future
Directed by: Robert Zemeckis
Starring: Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd
One of the most well-known and high-regarded time travel movies, this movie has long since become iconic, and for damn good reason. The story is as well-executed as it is funny and absurd at the same time. Both Marty and Doc are some great characters that often have me chuckling at their antics, and they are cast and played perfectly. I'm sure everyone has probably seen this one, so I'll keep it short, to close with: if you have any interest whatsoever in the concept of time-travel, this movie is a must-watch. No excuses.
09. The Intouchables
Directed by: Olivier Nakache, Éric Toledano
Starring: François Cluzet, Omar Sy
When my parents convinced me to go to the cinema with them one day, I had no idea that I was going to see one of the best films I have ever seen and that would leave an impression on me in a way that few films have ever managed.
This movie tells the heartwarming story of Philippe, a rich businessman in Paris, who has to spend his days in a wheelchair and can't move his body an inch below his neck. He is in need of a new live-in carer. Driss, a black, unambitious man without a job appears at the interview in order to get a signature, so that he can keep on getting money, with no intention of getting the job and being extra rude to Philippe in the process. However, a day later he gets a call that he is employed, because he was the only that didn't pity Philippe, but treated him normally. Somewhat reluctantly, Driss takes the job and starts working for Philippe.
What follows is the story of how Philippe and Driss become closer - Philippe educates Driss, who in turn helps Philippe break out of his daily routine that his other caregivers have instilled on him and actually having fun the first time in years, and even meeting a woman who might be the right one for Philippe. Throughout, this movie is full of humour, but never feels respectless towards incapitated people, but rather invigorating and refreshing. I can't really say this any better, but this is a movie that doesn't leave you unaffected, and I would recommend it to everyone, without exception.
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09. The Intouchables
I think you should swap out a vowel, and start over. :lol
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Never heard that one, but oh hell yea to Back to the Future!
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Some strange picks there Scorpion. :)
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Some strange picks there Scorpion. :)
I agree. That's why I love these types of threads/lists. Always some weird ones.
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09. The Intouchables
I think you should swap out a vowel, and start over. :lol
Eh, come again?
Some strange picks there Scorpion. :)
I'll take that as a compliment. :lol
Yeah, I know, but my taste in movies is anything but regular, I've found that a lot of the crowd-pleasers do nothing to me and many movies I like are generally looked down upon.
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I think he meant The Untouchables
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09. The Intouchables
I think you should swap out a vowel, and start over. :lol
Eh, come again?
The Untouchables. That's a classic.
"Isn't that just like a wop... brings a knife to a gun fight".
:pwnt:
Edit :ninja: 'd
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Oh, ok. Like I said, there's a fair share of movies considered to be classics that I haven't seen, so I didn't recognise the title. Carry on.
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I have seen Back to the Future and it's a good movie, not exactly as high as you put it though.
Have not seen the other one.
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I'm embarrassed to admit that I've never seen Back To The Future.
Keep em coming!
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:o that needs to be rectified post haste
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Interesting to see such a recent movie as the Intouchables on the list. I'm loving you're more unique picks! :tup
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08. Watchmen
Directed by: Zack Snyder
Starring: Malin Ĺkerman, Billy Crudup, Matthew Goode
Yes, many of Zack Snyder's movies suck (case in point: 300, Sucker Punch), but he absolutely struck gold on this one. Based on one of the best and most innovative comics that I know, this movie manages to pack 12 books of story into a two-and-a-half hour movie that manages to still do all the relevant parts of the comic justice, which is pretty incredible on its own.
The cast is great as well - there are no actors on board that I had heard of before watching this movie, but they quickly won me over with their awesome acting. Especially Nite Owl and Rorschach are portrayed in a way that perfectly captures the essence of the comics. I still prefer the comics, as a few small details and sub-plots get lost, but that's inevitable and should not be somethign that the movie is criticised for at all. Anyone who is a fan of superhero movies should check this one out, it's definitely my favourite of the genre.
Also, Malin Ĺkerman = seriously hot.
07. Hot Fuzz
Directed by: Edgar Wright
Starring: Simon Pegg, Nick Frost
This is one of the earliest movies that I remember actively seeing (I only got into movies rather late, at around 12 or 13, I think), and from my first viewing on, I knew that this movie is all kinds of awesome. What begins as a somewhat morbid detective story around a few deaths in an idyllic town that nobody except the new cop Nicolas Angel seems to think twice about ends up as a completely over-the-top battle that is so hilarious that you can't help but laugh at it. Coupled with a unique sense of humour, this is probably my favourite action comedy ever. Awesome throughout and highly recommended to anyone who likes some detective work, humour and shit being blown up.
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Watchmen! I love that movie. I admit it's got some horrible flaws, but I love it anyway.
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Yeah as a fan of the book I was very pleased with the Watchmen movie.
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two great movies! loved watchmen, though i wasn't familiar with the graphic novel when i saw it. i prefer shaun of the dead to hot fuzz, but hot fuzz is great as well
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Haven't seen any of those! People have been telling me to watch Watchmen so I guess I sould get to it.
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To comment on the Bourne Identity; those movies has some of the best action editing I have ever seen, especially in Ultimatum. The multi camera and angle shots are just uncanny.
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Love Watchmen!
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Hot Fuzz is amazing.
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06. Black Swan
Directed by: Darren Aronofsky
Starring: Natalie Portman, Vincent Cassel, Mila Kunis
This movie is probably the best psychothriller I know. The seamless blending of reality and hallucination often leave you wondering what exactly happened, and while that would come across cheap in other movie, Aronofsky makes it work seamlessly. Natalie Portman manages to capture the personality of Nina perfectly, especially in the fluctuations between White and Black Swan. The ending is great as well, with a certain ambiguity to it, and I love how Nina's injury fits so perfectly into the script that nobody notices at first. This movie is probably not for everyone, but if you enjoy a good psychothriller, then you should watch this movie right now.
05. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
Directed by: David Fincher
Starring: Daniel Craig, Rooney Mara
Yes, I'm talking about the American version, not the Swedish version of this movie. While both are good, there are a few factors that edge this movie ahead of its Swedish counterpart. For one thing, I very much enjoy Mara's portrayal of Salander and it always felt more in-character than what Noomi Rapace did in the Swedish version. Also, the soundtrack to this movie is completely amazing - Trent Reznor :heart.
For everyone who doesn't know this movie, here's a quick rundown: Mikael Blomkvist (Craig) is tasked with investigating the disappearance of the niece of the businessman Henrik Vanger. With Lisbeth Salander's (Mara) help, he finds out about a series of connected murders in Sweden over twenty years.
Written like that, it does sound a little lame, like a run-of-the-mill detective movie, but the background story of the whole thing gives this movie its identity. If you like thriller movies in any shape or form and aren't completely averse to somewhat graphic scenes, give this one a shot for sure.
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Black Swan is truly amazing, no doubt. Indeed one of the best psychothrillers out there.
I actually like the swedish version of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo more. Which is weird because I am swedish myself and usually pretty mutch loathe swedish movies for having that boring feeling that swedish movies often has. But there's just something about the swedish version I like better. It's better put together and the plotpoints flow in to each other more seemlessly.
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04. Inception
Directed by: Christopher Nolan
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ellen Page, Marion Cotillard
This movie is one of the few that completely blew me away on the first viewing, and yet continues to become only better with every subsequent viewing. It has a hell of an intriguing plot and its execution is nothing short of awesome. I'm not really a big fan of DiCabrio, but he shines here, displaying a character depth that is stunning. And that ending... :heart
I'm sure that most people know this movie, but if you don't, you should definitely watch this. It impressively shows why Christopher Nolan is considered by many to be one of the best directors of our day.
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Inception is so good
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04. Inception
Directed by: Christopher Nolan
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ellen Page, Marion Cotillard
This movie is one of the few that completely blew me away on the first viewing, and yet continues to become only better with every subsequent viewing. It has a hell of an intriguing plot and its execution is nothing short of awesome. I'm not really a big fan of DiCabrio, but he shines here, displaying a character depth that is stunning. And that ending... :heart
I'm sure that most people know this movie, but if you don't, you should definitely watch this. It impressively shows why Christopher Nolan is considered by many to be one of the best directors of our day.
Seeing your avatar combined with your praise of Nolan gives me a great idea of where this list is heading . . .
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I will neither confirm nor deny anything. :)
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Ah, Inception. A worthy movie of the number 4 spot.
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I've seen Inception twice. Both times, I pretty much fell asleep right away til the end of the movie. Is that part of the movie's premise?
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Not too fond on Inception. It's pretty good, but not nearly as good as it's made out to be.
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Update before I go to bed! I don't expect too much discussion on this one. The top three with pics!
03. A Fish Called Wanda
Directed by: Charles Crichton
Starring: John Cleese, Jamie Lee Curtis, Kevin Kline
(https://cf.drafthouse.com/_uploads/galleries/26510/fish-called-wanda-poster.jpg)
I doubt anyone would have expected a comedy to be ranked this high, but this is so well-done and hilarious that I can't help but love it. This movie tells the story of a jewel heist, affairs, murdered dogs and pet fish, and it manages to merge all these seemingly random elements into a story that is both cohesive and funny to the extreme. John Cleese (of Monty Python) as the frustrated lawyer Archie and Jamie Lee Curtis as the con-artist Wanda and his lover are the stars here, but the other actors are brilliant throughout as well, such as Kevin Kline as the semi-intellectual Otto, who pretends to be Wanda's brother, or Michael Palin as the stuttering gangster and animal lover Ken.
I could just go rambling on and on about this, but I doubt I could capture what makes this movie so special, so my advice is to simply watch it if you like well-executed comedy in any shape or form.
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My favorite movie of all time is a comedy, so I have no problem with a comedy this high on the list.
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I think I've seen this a long time ago. I can not remember it well enough to evaluate it though..
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02. The Dark Knight
Directed by: Christopher Nolan
Starring: Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Gary Oldman, Morgan Freeman
(https://www.fuenf-filmfreunde.de/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/the_dark_knight_poster.jpg)
Coming in at #2 and surprising approximately no-one, we have Christopher Nolan's masterpiece, the second piece of his throughout-spectacular Batman trilogy. Everything I love about good action movies is represented here - fights that make you hold your breath, special effects that are so damn well executed, a badass caped crusader and a bone-chilling villain. All the movies in the trilogy are great, but the way that Heath Ledger portrays the Joker's insanity in this movie elevates it past the others. Aaron Eckhart play Two-Face great as well, but it's almost a shame that he's in this movie as well, because he pales against Ledger in almost every aspect. Alone the brilliant acting of those two makes this film worth watching.
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Awesome movie. Like you said, Heath Leadger's Joker elevates this movie from great to McGreatnessville.
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I would like to throw my name in for doing a top 20.
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I would like to throw my name in for doing a top 20.
:tup
And yeah, The Dark Knight is pretty awesome. If I had done a top 25 it might just have appeared in it.
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I didn't like the Dark Knight as much as other people seem to. I definitely really enjoyed it, but I can think of at least 20 film that I would put higher.
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Alright, here's my number one. I would like to thank everyone who's followed and commented at this point. :tup
01. Sin City
Directed by: Frank Miller, Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino
Starring: Mickey Rourke, Bruce Willis, Elijah Wood, Clive Owen, Jessica Alba
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/9e/Sincitypostercast.jpg)
Based on Frank Miller's comic of the same name, this movie is rather interesting in that it tells the stories of five different people that all live in the same city - Basin City, and whose stories overlap at some points. Each story is dark and grim throughout, and the visuals capture that perfectly - the whole movie is in black and white, except for certain colours which come across as far more intense due to the contrast - red blood or golden hair, for instance. Each story deals with corruption and violence, and while the whole movie is pretty graphic, it never comes across as shock value, but simply as an intense ride from start to finish.
Quite frankly, I can't really say why I love this movie so much, but it remains the only movie that I know that I can watch as often as I want, sometimes multiple times a day (I did that once) while never getting bored of it. The way that each of the characters narrates their own story pulls you irressistably into the world of Basin City, a world that no normal person wants to live in and that is frightening and fascinating at every turn.
I fully appreciate that this movie will probably have many people scratching their heads, especially at the high placement, but I myself have never seen a movie that had a chance of surpassing this one, so if deserves this spot for me.
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I love Sin City! :)
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Nice list Scorpion. I like Sin City as well. Nowhere near number 1, but still enjoy it a lot
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Great film, would make the 25. I've PM'd the next people so they can start :)
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Never understood the love for that movie honestly.
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To my great shame I have not seen this... Just as I haven't seen quite a few of all the other movies on proples lists.
Thank you for your list, very interesting!
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And you may start tomorrow :)
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Hi everyone and welcome to Black Ink's Top 20 movies of all time! At first I planned on doing this list visually, uploading my write-ups, or "talk-ups" I guess, to YouTube and posting links here. But I changed my mind and I'm doing it here, but I am still thinking about doing that for the top 3 or 5 or something.
I am also pretty young, meaning two things:
1 - I haven't seen as many movies as a lot of other people has (in total 400-500 in my life probably)
2 - Well I guess you'll have to notice that later
There are also a lot of classics I have so far missed out on that may have made my list had I seen them.
But let's get going with some honorable mentions:
24 - Minority Report (2002) - Great sci-fi that didn't quite make my list
23 - The Game (1997) - Incredible thriller that realy makes your head spin
22 - Sunshine (2007) - Another great sci-fi that truly demonstrates the power of the sun
21 - The Prestige (2006) - One of Nolan's best, a movie that still often crosses my mind
I WILL SPOILER THE SHIT OUT OF A MOVIE IF I FEEL I CAN DO A BETTER WRITE-UP BY DOING SO
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20 - King Kong (2005)
(https://eu.movieposter.com/posters/archive/main/143/MPW-71521)
Peter Jackson proving himself as a great fantasy director outside the Lord of the Rings universe. I am a huge fan of fantasy movies and a huge fan of long movies since those tend to be the best ones, so this movie just fits in great on my list. Everyone is perfectly cast, Adrian Brody is awesome. Jack Black is really great too, I'm not used to seeing him in serious roles like this but he does it really well and I hope he gets to do more of that in the future.
A classic story combined with new awesome visual effects not only there to make it look fancy but to actually enhance the story. And all that combined with that sweet Peter Jackson-cinematography.
One final thing I have to mention here also is Naomi Watts as Ann Darrow: That girl is just the cutest thing I have ever seen in a movie. It's like every time her face comes on screen my heart just breaks into pieces. I don't know if she always looks this good in movies but in King Kong she the definition of beauty.
8.9/10 - Great
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19 - War of the Worlds (2005)
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/8/83/War_of_the_Worlds_2005_poster.jpg/220px-War_of_the_Worlds_2005_poster.jpg)
Another 2005 movie. I have always liked Tom Cruise as an actor, say what you will about his life outside the screen but the dude's a good actor. Also I really like this take on an alien invasion story. That along with that seriously gritty and real imegary this movie has makes for a real enjoyable watch. I also like Dakota Fanning who probably is (or were) one the best child actors out there.
While this movie isn't particularly scary there are some seriously intense moments. Anyone who have seen this movie will probably understand that I'm thining about the basement scenes with the alien camera and then the aliens sneaking around while the main characters tries to hide from it. The first time watching that is some intense shit. Tim Robbins character's finale is also really haunting with Dakota Fanning singing that lullaby with her eyes closed with you hear the silent struggle between Cruise and Robbins in the background.
I have seen some complaints about the ending being rather random and abrupt, and while I understand those complaints I do not share the opinion of that dragging the movie down at all. I think it's a great ending and it gives the movie some class to have the aliens not surviving our atmosphere rather than having a giant battle between men and aliens as the climax.
Also; Morgan Freeman narrating. Boom, win.
8.9/10 - Great
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Hope you will enjoy my list, next update tomorrow!
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I couldn't even make it all the way through King Kong. The LOTR directing style just didn't work for King Kong imo. Everything was so artificial, for example the horrible looking stampede that looked so fake that it just took me entirely out of the movie, and the big sweeping landscape pans in every single scene.
And knowing the original, the new one felt like it was just one-upping the original for the sake of padding it out.
"So you've got a dinosaur lying down? Well we'll have a whole stampede of them crushing people!"
"Fighting a T-rex? Oh yeah, well our King Kong fights TWO T-rexes! In mid air while falling off a cliff!"
I thought Jack Black did a pretty good job though, and it was refreshing to see him play a character that wasn't just Jack Black. He should do more of it.
Oh, and Faye Wray >>>>>>> Naomi Watts. No contest there.
Never seen War of the Worlds.
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I do understand that over-the-top feeling you're describing, my favorite parts of the movie is the New York scenes and some of the boat scenes that focuses on the cast. though I have no problem with those scenes you were talking about and maybe that is because I've never seen any of the other King Kong movies so this is the original to me and then everything just feels like how it's supposed to be.
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I really enjoyed King Kong. War of the Worlds? Not so much.
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I WILL SPOILER THE SHIT OUT OF A MOVIE IF I FEEL I CAN DO A BETTER WRITE-UP BY DOING SO
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18 - Black Swan (2010)
(https://style.catalogs.com/black%20swan%20poster%20small.JPG)
Yes, I love this movie. And no, it's not because of the Mila Kunis-Natalie Portman naked and getting it on stuff.
I first saw this movie to prepare for the Academy Awards in early 2011 and I did not have very high hopes. All I knew was that it was about ballet dancers in New York or whatever. Not the typical guy's favorite genre. But then this movie got going and it just started getting freakier and freakier. Stuff started to happen and I was like "dude, I did not expect this shit...". I don't know if I have a favorite scene in the movie, but I certainly enjoyed the climax of the whole thing. I also loved that scene when Nina looks into her mother's painting room and the eyes on one of the painting movies briefly, that was scary. Not scary in the "oh my god get me out of here I want to scream" scary, just the "what the hell is going on here" scary.
9.0/10 - Amazing
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17 - Memento
(https://golfshoesproductions.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/memento.jpg?w=640)
Another Nolan movie, what can I say? The guy knows how to make'em.
I really agree with what that poster says. "A new classic among thrillers", "a masterpiece". This movie has a really interesting concept and was one of those holy shit movies for me when I first started getting interested in filmmaking. Guy Pierce is perfect as Leonard Shelby, he plays the character perfectly which must be hard, to play a character who really doesn't even know who he is. But Pierce does it really well and I can really say that I buy him as a character.
One of the best moments of the movie is when it suddenly cuts to Leonard running and he starts to figure out why he's running while doing it. Then he sees that Dodd guy and thinks "oh I'm chasing this guy", but Dodd pulls a gun on him and Leonard realizes "no... he's chasing me...". That's an awesome and funny scene that are one of the many like it in this brilliant movie.
9.0/10 - Amazing
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Memento is so minblowingly unbelievably good. Awesome movie!
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Memento is probably my favorite movie, so great pick!
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With the exception of War of the Worlds, I approve of this list so far
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Is there a line-up for this thread? 'Cause I'd like to do a list.
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I put the wrong ratings on the movies of the previous update. The numbers were right but the word was wrong. Fixed now though.
I WILL SPOILER THE SHIT OUT OF A MOVIE IF I FEEL I CAN DO A BETTER WRITE-UP BY DOING SO
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16 - Se7en
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/6/68/Seven_%28movie%29_poster.jpg/220px-Seven_%28movie%29_poster.jpg)
Saw this just a few days ago for the first time actually. I guess I should thank Richard (Elite here on DTF) for that, because hadn't he listed it in his top 20 I probably wouldn't have seen this for many years. And obviously I felt like it was a good enough experience to put it on my list.
I even had the story a bit spoiled for myself before seeing it through friends and "How It Should Have Ended" videos on YouTube and still I was really amazed with what I saw. Morgan Freeman is great as he usually is in pretty much everything. I have also been a Brad Pitt fan and he plays this role really well. I was really impressed with Pitt's acting when John Doe have just told him that he killed his wife and he's trying not to shoot him all while he's crying and going "oh god!". That was intense and was some really solid and believable acting and a believable script. I would have probably shot him too in that situation.
Also, Kevin Spacey was awesome as psychopath John Doe, completely convincing me that he's fucking disturbed to the bones. John Doe is probably my favorite character in the movie. There's just something about the super genius homicidal suicidal maniacs that makes me interested.
Also, Pitt's wife getting killed had me actually upset, that was brutal and Gwyneth Paltrow was really good and cute.
9.1/10 - Amazing
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15 - Gladiator (2000)
(https://plaza.ufl.edu/joec/images/review_gladiator_poster_small.gif)
Like I said before, I'm a huge fantasy fan. This movie is a great one and does all things right but one, but I'll get to that later. Russell Crowe is perfect as Mazimus and Joaquin Phoenix plays a very convincing creepy douchebag with Commodus.
Also the thing that pulls me out of the movie is the soundtrack at times. Don't get me wrong, the soundtrack is one of my favorites but there are these passages Hans Zimmer puts in that are exactly the same as the Pirates of the Caribbean score. I do realize that the first Pirates movie wasn't released until three years after this one so it's not really Gladiator's fault but rather the Pirates movies. But I just can't help but think Jack Sparrow when those melodies come on.
I don't really have much more to say about his movies other than that it's awesome.
9.1/10 - Amazing
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15 - Gladiator (2000)
Like I said before, I'm a huge fantasy fan. This movie is a great one and does all things right but one, but I'll get to that later. Russell Crowe is perfect as Mazimus and Joaquin Phoenix plays a very convincing creepy douchebag with Commodus.
Uhhh... you do realize the Roman Empire existed, right?
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Uhhh... you do realize the Roman Empire existed, right?
Yes of course, I just wasn't really comfortable classifying it as "history". So the closest thing I could think of was fantasy, since it's a pretty "fantasy"ish movie. I actually thought about that for a while when I wrote it x).
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15 - Gladiator (2000)
Like I said before, I'm a huge fantasy fan. This movie is a great one and does all things right but one, but I'll get to that later. Russell Crowe is perfect as Mazimus and Joaquin Phoenix plays a very convincing creepy douchebag with Commodus.
Uhhh... you do realize the Roman Empire existed, right?
:lol
Gladiator is a great choice! My favorite Russel Crowe film, and I tend to enjoy all his movies quite a bit. As for the soundtrack, having never seen past the first Pirates movie I can't relate, but personally love what Hans Zimmer did in Gladiator. Top 5 soundtrack for me!
I haven't seen Se7en yet, but it's on my list
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List keeps getting better, especially Gladiator, one of the best historic epics of the last 20 years
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Is there a line-up for this thread? 'Cause I'd like to do a list.
It's in the OP! I added you to the list :)
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List keeps getting better
I have a feeling that will change after the next update... Don't hate me when it happens ^^
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Do not hate me for my pick for #14. And don't hate me for having it in the same post as #13...
I WILL SPOILER THE SHIT OUT OF A MOVIE IF I FEEL I CAN DO A BETTER WRITE-UP BY DOING SO
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14 - Matrix Revolutions (2003)
(https://i2.listal.com/image/384682/600full-the-matrix-revolutions-poster.jpg)
I love this movie and I am one of the few people who cannot really see why people hate it so much. How I see it, there will be two kinds of people who will read this and that it:
1 - Oh my god how in hell can he ever put this movie anywhere not near the bottom of every list ever.
2 - I liked Revolutions but 14 on a top 20 movies ever list? That's pushing it...
I always like a good finale to a story and as great as the first Matrix is this one just finishes of the entire thing in a grand and epic enough way for me to absolutely love it. It has all been built up to the events here, the final battle for Zion and survival of mankind between humans and machines is begun and Smith grows in power to the point of endangering not only the Matrix but the world outside. The war in Zion is great, the battle of Neo and Smith is epic and I just feel satisfied with how it all ended. The moment where... I don't remember his name, and he's only listed as "Kid" on IMDb, maybe that is his name... runs into the temple when he realizes Neo had won and screams "The war is over! The war is over!". You can really tell the people of Zion kinda hesitates in responding to that at first and I get that, a hundred (or six hundred) year long war suddenly ending? That's not something you just accepts. But then Link goes all "wooooo!!!" and everyone joins in, that's an epic moment.
Oh and if you don't like the movie, the soundtrack is awesome. Listen to the song "Spirit of the Universe" on the soundtrack and go to 1:18, that is some epic shit for a while.
9.1/10 - Amazing
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13 - The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)
(https://eu.movieposter.com/posters/archive/main/7/MPW-3576)
Peter Jacksons second installment of his Lord of the Rings trilogy and it's absolutely fantastic. I think you probably suspected at least one of these since I have mentioned two or three times that I'm a fan of fantasy and here it is. This movie has the return of Gandalf from his death in Fellowship, the introduction of Theoden and the kingdom of Rohan and the actual start of Sauron's war on the free people. Yeah he was all evil and shit in Fellowship but then he was just preparing for his final war. Now he uses his "puppet" Saruman to breed an army of 10 thousand Uruk-Hai to crush Rohan. But in comes Aragorn son of Arathorn, Gimli son of Glóin and Legolas from the woodland relms to save the day.
This movie, along with the other two, defined fantasy for the modern world. Yeah, I bet there were some good fantasy before but it has never been the same after these movies.
One moment I really like is when Grima is talking to Saruman about how impossible it is to take Helm's Deep by force and is all like "it would take thousands to storm the castle" or something. Saruman just says "tens of thousands" and Grima "but my lord there is no such force". Then they just step out on the balcony and boom, a force of tens of thousands. A sight that, along with Saruman's "to WAAAAR" speech, has one tear of being overwhelmed run down Grimas cheek. That is a cool detail, it might not be the best scene or most epic moment but yeah, a cool enough detail that I rather talk about that than the other moments.
9.2/10 - Amazing
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I don't really like either. The difference is, with LOTR the whole franchise bores me to tears. But oh well, opinions and such. You're right about the soundtrack to Revolutions, though, that's pretty kick-ass.
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I bought the extended edition box set of the Lord of the Rings on blu-ray a few days ago. Amazing picture quality, but nothing beats watching those films on the big screen, especially for the New Zealand landscape alone. That opening sequence of the Two Towers where it pans on snow capped mountains that look like a piles of vanilla brownies sundaes blew me away when I first saw it almost 10 years ago.
Wow. I can't believe those started coming out in 2001. They've stuck with me all this time, even with Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight Trilogy in the later part of the decade.
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:heart The Two Towers :heart
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but nothing beats watching those films on the big screen, especially for the New Zealand landscape alone.
I'm really jealous of that. When Fellowship came out in theaters I was 7 years old, so I had no interest to watch it and I woudn't even be allowed in. I would have loved to see these on the big screen.
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Matrix Revolutions, eh, The Two Towers :tup
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Can I just list my top 20 movies or does everybody have to do this whole "why I like this movie" essays?
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I don't really like either. The difference is, with LOTR the whole franchise bores me to tears.
:'(
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Can I just list my top 20 movies or does everybody have to do this whole "why I like this movie" essays?
That's what it's turned out to be. But I'd say, just throw your list around. I think you'll have a little more discussion when you say the why, instead of just a list, but if you want to, go ahead.
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I don't really like either. The difference is, with LOTR the whole franchise bores me to tears.
:'(
I'M SORRY I WAS DROPPED ON THE HEAD AS A CHILD
I HOPE WE CAN STILL BE FRIENDS
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Matrix REVOLUTIONS? The first movie I wouldn't question. The second movie I could still understand, because it has a lot of badass action in it. But I really had trouble sitting through the third one. How they managed to make a giant robot fight boring, I'll never quite figure out. And I love robots!
But each to their own. You knew it going to be a controversial pick! At least you can't go wrong with a LOTR movie.
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Really can't go wrong with LOTR
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Really can't go wrong with LOTR
You can choose the 'worst' one out of the three..
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Really can't go wrong with LOTR
You can choose the 'worst' one out of the three..
Amen brutha
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I WILL SPOILER THE SHIT OUT OF A MOVIE IF I FEEL I CAN DO A BETTER WRITE-UP BY DOING SO
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12 - The Curious Case of Benjamin Buttons (2008)
(https://moviestoreclickplayph.blob.core.windows.net/movie-poster/124/CuriousCaseOfBenjaminButton-Portrait_over.jpg)
Modern classic, I'm surprised it isn't higher thought of in the movie community. This movie is like Forrest Gump meets... A guy who ages backwards. There isn't really anything much like I can think of now, I'm sure there's something out there but I haven't seen it. Brad Pitt does some seriously awesome acting here. He does freakishly old really well and he of course is awesome as his a bit more young self. I see now that it was nominated for best picture by the Academy, which I find very fitting and it really deserved it even though it didn't win.
Old baby is gross though...
9.2/10 - Amazing
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11 - The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
(https://eu.movieposter.com/posters/archive/main/17/MPW-8714)
Really can't go wrong with LOTR
You can choose the 'worst' one out of the three..
Maybe not the worst but The Two Towers does not hold the title for the best Lord of the Rings movies. I got the feeling that's the way it came across, in which case good. That's what I intended.
There isn't much to say about this movie really that I didn't mention in my write-up for The Two Towers. It pretty much defined fantasy, it's awesome and stuff like that. This stands a bit stronger than the second one, I can't really put my finger on why but I guess this just feels more grounded. I like that the second one scales things up a bit obviously, it's in the number 13 on my top 20 movies ever list. But this one has the Shire, the life of the Hobbits before all the shit went down.
I like th council of Elrond scene too. One moment that is really epic from the extended edition is when Boromir tries to grab the ring and Gandalf just stands up and starts speaking the language of Mordor. The sky goes dark and everything sort of shakes and crumbles. Not only do you realize that the speech of Mordor is bad but also that Gandalf's got some serious power. I don't think the skies would have gone dark if Gimli said that, no that was the evil of the black speech channeled through the power of Gandalf and that is awesome.
9.3/10 - Amazing
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FOTR is my favorite movie of all time (not a spoiler since I'm not making a Top 20). The closest to perfection I've ever seen. I get totally immersed in the world it creates.
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Well TROTK is my favorite but I view them as one movie anyway so :tup
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Two great movies there! I agree with Pols Voice about TFOTR being the best. While TROTK is more epic, the way this sets the scene in Middle Earth is awe-inspiring. PJ really could not have done a better job IMO.
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Okay, getting into the top 10. Excitement, enjoyment.
I WILL SPOILER THE SHIT OUT OF A MOVIE IF I FEEL I CAN DO A BETTER WRITE-UP BY DOING SO
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10 - The Passion of the Christ (2004)
(https://www.movieposterdb.com/posters/11_05/2004/335345/l_335345_06dd3d0e.jpg)
Yes, this one. I like biblical history, or whatever anyone believes it to be. Bilblical mythology? Fine, still interesting.
A very accurate portrail of what happened (according to the Bible, that's how I'll write this) those final hours of Jesus' life. They can't fit every detail of course but they did a very good job of adapting the story into a movie. Brutal? Sure, but those actually were some brutal events and it really pains you to see someone that hurt, religious figure or not. And I love that the movie is in Aramaic / Latin / Hebrew!
Some things they changed of course, like how Satan came and taunted him in the beginning when in the Bible it was an angel who came and encouraged him. But I understand how an angel showing up in that manner might contradict the tone the whole movie goes for. And Jesus hanging on a cross instead of just one pole. But if they had done just a pole I guess christians all over the world would be pissed so I understand that. If the filmmakers even knew that, which I'm guess either they didn't or they just ignored it for personal reasons too.
A very good movie, I would not call it entertaining, because you don't enjoy most of the things on screen, but it's a very interesting and well thought out and executed movie.
9.4/10 - Amazing
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9 - The Dark Knight (2008)
(https://www.forafewmoviesmore.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/poster-tdk-int7.jpg)
The reason I chose that poster is because it demonstrates what the movie is pretty well. It is technically about Batman, sure, but the entire movie is pretty much the Joker show. That's what bumps the movie up from a maybe 8.something to this. Heath Ledger is absolutely fantastic in this role and I am pissed at him for dying.
But let's try not to focus not only the Joker here. I really like how the movie is constructed, how it's made out of so many different chapters. I usually devide them like this:
- Events leading up to Hong Kong
- Events leading up to Waynes party for Harvey Dent
- Events leading up to parade for police commisioner
- Events leading up to car chase sequence
- Events leading up to Rachel being blown away
- Events leading up to hospital being blown away
- Events leading up to the ferries
- Events to the end
You see? So many more plot points than there usually is in a normal action movie. That, along with the guy I mentioned before, helps to make this movie great. All those plotpoints are exactly as long as they need to be, I don't feel like anything is rushed. It is a very mainstream movie to on this list but I'd like to believe that is because it's actually a great movie.
9.4/10 - Amazing
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Dark Knight :tup
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Dark Knight :tup
Is extremely overrated. Definitely my favorite comic adaption in the movie world, by far, but I'm still shocked by how loved it has been. I can't imagine myself seeing it more than twice...
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Dark Knight :tup
Is extremely overrated. Definitely my favorite comic adaption in the movie world, by far, but I'm still shocked by how loved it has been. I can't imagine myself seeing it more than twice...
I'm the opposite. The acting in the movie is brilliant. I can watch it over and over.
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I never got into TLOTR and the Batman movies, also I didn't like The Passion Of The Christ. So this list is definitely not for me.
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Dark Knight :tup
Is extremely overrated. Definitely my favorite comic adaption in the movie world, by far, but I'm still shocked by how loved it has been. I can't imagine myself seeing it more than twice...
I'm the opposite. The acting in the movie is brilliant. I can watch it over and over.
Agreed.
I think the movie has some genuine problems but it's still intensely watchable.
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Interesting pick with Passion. Couldn't care less about that movie, but the other three picks are gold. And it's called theology
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The Dark Knight is definitely a great movie, but I could easily put 20 others above it.
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I WILL SPOILER THE SHIT OUT OF A MOVIE IF I FEEL I CAN DO A BETTER WRITE-UP BY DOING SO
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8 - Blood Diamond (2006)
(https://www.traileraddict.com/content/warner-bros-pictures/blooddiamond.jpg)
I like DiCaprio, I love the story and I love how it was executed. Really powerful movie. I couldn't really tell if it was a great or amazing movie until near the end. The scene were DiCaprio lies shot in the sand and watches the plane leave along with his last chance of leaving Africa. He then calls Jennifer Connely's character on the phone and what follows is a solid conclusion to two foreshadowing conversations. He sees his blood mix with the red-ish sand and remembers that the stories say the sand is red because the blood that has been spilt over it. And then you remember the bartender (at least that's what I think of) that said that DiCaprio would never leave Africa and says to Connely when she asks where he is: "I'm right where I'm supposed to be". And then hangs up.
That may be a bit messy write-up but I really feel that's the moment I wanted to describe. It is, to me, the strongest moment of the movie, it almost has me tear up just thinking about it and that helps boost this movie up to #8.
9.5/10 - Amazing
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7 - The Last Samurai (2003)
(https://www.empiremovies.com/images/posters/the-last-samurai-movie-poster.jpg)
One of those movie I can watch over and over. I like the japanese culture shown in this movie too (in the samurai village). Everything is so calm and beautiful and everyone is all about honor and respect and I think that is cool as hell. I am, like I said in my War of the Worlds write-up, a fan of Tom Cruise so that helps. I also think Ken Watanabi is fantastic in this role. His best scene is probably when he has to leave his son Nobutada to die so he and the others can escape. Without any words, he gives a great image that beneath all the bad-assery and cold distant personalities lies a lot of love for family. And even though his honor doesn't allow him to fully show it, he really looks heartbroken, that's some great acting.
It also holds the spot for the movie with the best score for me. Hans Zimmer's best work. Themes that are absolutely heartbreaking.
9.6/10 - Amazing
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I really loved Blood Diamond. I don't remember much of The Last Samurai, but I do remember enjoying it. I'll have to revisit that flick
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The Last Samurai is really good. Blood Diamond was alright as well, but not near my favorites.
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Never seen Blood Diamond. Last Samurai is a solid film, nowhere near my personal favorites though
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I actually just rewatched The Last Samurai the other day. I think it's a great movie, but I can see where many wouldn't like it. I don't think I'd ever rate it above LOTR.
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Some strange picks. :D
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Holy shit. Just noticed from that Blood Diamond poster that Blood Diamond and The Last Samurai are directed by the same guy. I haven't noticed that before...
I WILL SPOILER THE SHIT OUT OF A MOVIE IF I FEEL I CAN DO A BETTER WRITE-UP BY DOING SO
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6 - The Usual Suspects (1995)
(https://www.moviegoods.com/Assets/product_images/1020/148531.1020.A.jpg)
Who is Keyser Söze? This movie is one of the very few I know of to have a double-twist ending. One pretty cool twist, and one fucking awesome one.
When I watched this for the first time I thought throughout the movie "yeah this is very well written, acted and planned crime thriller". Then they introduced the legend of crime Keyser Söze and thought "that is awesome, that is the type of character that makes for a cool movie". Then it is revealed that Dean Keaton was actually Keyser Söze and I think "yes, a twist at the end, that made this movie even better".
And by that time I didn't think the movie would throw me any more surprises. But then Kevin Spacey's character leaves the police house and the cop who was interrogating him sits down with a cup of coffee and he starts to notice that everything Spacey said during the questioning was just things he read on the back of the wall and made up stories about. That's when I was thinking "holy shit this movie just became devine..."
9.6/10 - Amazing
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5 - Fight Club (1999)
(https://www.joesdaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/fight-club-alternative-poster06.jpeg)
I expect most at least most people are familiar with this one. The first twist-(near)ending movie I ever watched.
I like Brad Pitt, the dude's talanted actor and he portrays Tyler Durden perfectly. Edward Norton is really good to as the main character... without a name. From the very beginning of the movie there's just this dark feeling over everything. A dark funny feeling. Things are happening that are actually sad but through the narrating, editing and dialogue they just warp those sad things into very dark funny moments. That is some great film making.
This movie just makes you believe that these people are maniacs. This whole organisation that Tyler Durden builds is just.. They're all crazy but at the same time so incredibly well organized and coordinated.
And that twist.. DAT twist. Shivers down my spine.
9.7/10 - Amazing
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Fight Club is completely awesome. Don't know the other one.
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Fight Club is completely awesome. Don't know the other one.
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:-X
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You folks who haven't seen The Usual Suspects should rectify that ASAP. Outstanding movie.
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Fight Club is fantastic. And I should probably give Usual Suspects another chance, as I was a little bit out of it when I first watched it and I think I missed a lot.
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Good choice with Fight Club. The Narrator is one of my favorite characters of all time.
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Mmmhm. You can sign me up for one, my exams are over now so I have some time to think about what I would pick. :)
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The Usual Suspects is freaking awesome. And for everyone that hasn't seen it, DO NOT READ BLACKINK'S DESCRIPTION!
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The Usual Suspects is a really poor movie. It's a film that has no deeper thought to it than "this twist is like, mind-blowing!" even though the process of it destroys all coherence and makes the narrative itself pointless.
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Usual Suspects is an excellent film, although I wouldn't place it as high as a lot of people would (higher than GP though! :P )
Rich, can you add me to the waiting list? I'd love to do one of these.
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The Usual Suspects is a really poor movie. It's a film that has no deeper thought to it than "this twist is like, mind-blowing!" even though the process of it destroys all coherence and makes the narrative itself pointless.
I'm really, really not trying to be inflammatory or baiting here, but what movies do you exactly like? I've not looked at all your posts, but most posts of yours I remember here or in the movie thread are basically saying that you don't enjoy a movie that many people like. Again, not bashing or anything, because different opinions are cool and keep the discussion going, but it does leave me wondering.
EDIT: Scratch that, I just saw that you'll be doing a list in this thread as well. I'll just wait. :)
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Rich, can you add me to the waiting list? I'd love to do one of these.
You got it, Rich.
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Sorry for lack of update yesterday, got busy. Next one will be tonight! Or later today, considering the only downside of an international forum.
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I WILL SPOILER THE SHIT OUT OF A MOVIE IF I FEEL I CAN DO A BETTER WRITE-UP BY DOING SO
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4 - The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
(https://eu.movieposter.com/posters/archive/main/150/MPW-75365)
This one is also a movie I can, despite it's length and it being rather slow, watch over and over and over. Andy Dufresne and Red are awesome together and they form one of the movie-worlds best friendships in Shawshank prison.
The reason I picked that poster is because that moment right there is awesome. Dufresne, who have just crawled through a 500 yard long pipe full of shit ("and came out clean on the other side"), dives into the stream, takes of his shirt and looks into the skies in this epic moment.
I really feel for Red near the end when he explains how he misses his friend, even I miss him. That's how well this movie builds that friendship. I could be talking about jail rapes or the warden or douchebag guards but the best thing about the movie is the relationship between the two "main" characters. Awesome job movie.
9.8/10 - Amazing
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Awesome movie! Great choice
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hell yea!
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It's a shame it came out the same year as the vastly overrated Forrest Gump, overshadowing this gem.
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It's a shame it came out the same year as the vastly overrated Forrest Gump, overshadowing this gem.
I'd say that Shawshank is generally considered the better movie. Given it's position on the IMDb top 250. I know that doesn't represent everyone ever but it is voted on by hundreds of thousands.
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:hefdaddy
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I WILL SPOILER THE SHIT OUT OF A MOVIE IF I FEEL I CAN DO A BETTER WRITE-UP BY DOING SO
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3 - Inception
(https://filmgordon.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/inception-poster1-large1.jpg)
Top 3, this is where the real heavy shit starts. Top 10? Yeah pretty awesome. Top 5? Yeah that's cool. But there's something about the big 3. That deserves a banner instead of a poster.
Okay so this is the best from Nolan so far. Sorry if I'm spoiling it for anyone who for some reason tought The Dark Knight Rises would be number 1 or 2, it's not. This is Nolan's masterpiece.
The Nolan hype has gone a little to far lately and all the "in Nolan we trust" comments are getting old. But I like to believe that the hype is at least justified, the guy's a brilliant filmmaker. And here he has written a story and created this awesome movie that not only is wonderfully confusing just the way I like it but damn entertaining too. I love a movie that will stick with you for years after you watch it, I still think about the ending from time to time. And Joseph Gordon-Levitt is awesome. I mean the other characters are cool too but Arthur is just the coolest.
I have heard people who are like "dude they should make a sequel to Inception". Fuck that, the story is over and it ended perfectly. Do not ruin everything with a forced sequel. Fortunately, Nolan seems to have some standards that are quite rare in the movie business these days.
Great characters, great dialogue, great visuals, great plot, great music, great ending. Good job movie.
9.8/10 - Amazing
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I never got the craze for this movie. While certainly a good, fun action flick, I never understood why everyone was so mind-blown by the concept. So it's a dream within a dream... big deal.
Still, very entertaining movie which I enjoyed immensely. Good choice and good write up!
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:tup Awesome movie! though not as awesome as Shawshank
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I never got the craze for this movie. While certainly a good, fun action flick, I never understood why everyone was so mind-blown by the concept. So it's a dream within a dream... big deal.
I'm with senecadawg on this one.
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The thing I loved about Inception is that it can't be simply explained (properly) with a tagline. It is a movie that almost defies explanation with an ending that inspires debate. And the performances were top notch. Great selection.
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I don't think the ending was supposed to be debated. I think it's a very good ending, but not because of the "debate" that followed - 99% of which missed the point.
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I don't think the ending was supposed to be debated.
Actually I think that was very much the point. There is no other reason to leave an ending that open and not expect people to debate what actually happened.
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I don't think the ending was supposed to be debated.
Actually I think that was very much the point. There is no other reason to leave an ending that open and not expect people to debate what actually happened.
Uhhh, there absolutely is a point. What does it say about the character? How does it inform the audience's view of him? Does it resolve any emotional arcs?
There hasn't been an ending that so many people missed the point of since The Sopranos. Though I sort of think that reinforces how good an ending it actually is.
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I don't think the ending was supposed to be debated.
Actually I think that was very much the point. There is no other reason to leave an ending that open and not expect people to debate what actually happened.
Uhhh, there absolutely is a point. What does it say about the character? How does it inform the audience's view of him? Does it resolve any emotional arcs?
There hasn't been an ending that so many people missed the point of since The Sopranos. Though I sort of think that reinforces how good an ending it actually is.
Okay fine, those are of course good reasons for an ending like that but what I'm trying to say is that Nolan must have realized that the ending would cause some discussions. And I personally think that saying that the ending wasn't supposed to be debated at all is not true.
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I don't think the ending was supposed to be debated.
Actually I think that was very much the point. There is no other reason to leave an ending that open and not expect people to debate what actually happened.
Uhhh, there absolutely is a point. What does it say about the character? How does it inform the audience's view of him? Does it resolve any emotional arcs?
There hasn't been an ending that so many people missed the point of since The Sopranos. Though I sort of think that reinforces how good an ending it actually is.
Okay fine, those are of course good reasons for an ending like that but what I'm trying to say is that Nolan must have realized that the ending would cause some discussions. And I personally think that saying that the ending wasn't supposed to be debated at all is not true.
The main theme of the ending is that Cobb doesn't care whether or not he's dreaming. It makes no difference to him whether the top falls. The idea is that it doesn't matter.
Anyone arguing and trying to prove definitively one way or the other is missing the point. The ending isn't a twist. It's not a mystery to be solved. The ambiguity is total and simultaneously irrelevant.
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Yes, and all of that is a great ending for the character. But we're not all Dom Cobb. The movie makes the audience curious about what actually happened. That's my point. And even though it's good closure or whatever to the character, whether or not Dom accepts that reality or dream doesnt't necessarily make everyone who sees the movie go "oh, Dom accepts this I guess I automatically do too".
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Haha, how convenient, CinemaSins just posted an "Everything Wrong With Inception" video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKI432lCZaU (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKI432lCZaU)
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Those kinds of videos are a pet peeve of mine. They're pure snark, attempting to be as anal and overly critical as possible.
They'd probably write a terrible screenplay.
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They'd probably write a terrible screenplay.
What? They're not trying to write a screenplay. "I didn't say they were", then that sentense made no sense.
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The fact that it doesn't matter to him is another one of the points that many people I've talked to about Inception have brought up AS PART OF THE DEBATE. It's just another thing that the ending could mean, further adding to the point that it is ambiguous and was supposed to spark discussions.
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The fact that it doesn't matter to him is another one of the points that many people I've talked to about Inception have brought up AS PART OF THE DEBATE. It's just another thing that the ending could mean, further adding to the point that it is ambiguous and was supposed to spark discussions.
That's the entire point of the ending. It's not supposed to be some open-ended question about whether or not certain events depicted were "real", it's the conclusion to Cobb's character arc.
EDIT: Quoth Nolan;
“There can’t be anything in the film that tells you one way or another because then the ambiguity at the end of the film would just be a mistake … It would represent a failure of the film to communicate something. But it’s not a mistake. I put that cut there at the end, imposing an ambiguity from outside the film. That always felt the right ending to me — it always felt like the appropriate ‘kick’ to me… The real point of the scene — and this is what I tell people — is that Cobb isn’t looking at the top. He’s looking at his kids. He’s left it behind. That’s the emotional significance of the thing.”
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My bad then. It's still ambiguous, though.
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For once in relation to films/TV, I completely agree with GP. It's that exact story arc of Nolan's character that forms the basis of the entire film. Having a lengthy debate about the end somewhat misses the point, as does writing the film off as a "fun action flick" (sometimes having great effects and cool ideas can do surprising harm to a film that has genuine substance underneath). It's a very emotional character story at heart.
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Noted. Can not participate in fun Inception ending discussion without automatically completely missing the point of the movie?
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Sorry there was no update yesterday. Things got busy.
I am also very surprised that Inception spawned so much discussion (and ironically a discussion about discussion). I thought it'd be movies like Passion of the Christ or maybe Matrix Revolutions that would cause the most debate.
I WILL SPOILER THE SHIT OUT OF A MOVIE IF I FEEL I CAN DO A BETTER WRITE-UP BY DOING SO
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2 - Forrest Gump (1994)
(https://www.wallpaper4me.com/images/wallpapers/forrest_gump_w1.jpeg)
It's a shame it came out the same year as the vastly overrated Forrest Gump, overshadowing this gem.
Maybe it is, but to me it will always be one of the greatest movies in history. One of the reasons I bonded so much with this movie is because Forrest Gump is clearly autistic, or he has at least asperger's. And while it is barely noticable, I've got a little bit of asperger's too.
I could just connect with the character on screen because I was just like that for a while, and still is sometimes. That is what this is to me, a movie I can connect with, an emotional movie I can connect with. An emotional movie with great characters with heartbreaking and more tear inducing moments than I care to count. That I can connect with.
I have my playlist on shuffle and right now while writing this a song from Forrest Gump came on. And there are really tears in my eyes. This movie is more than a movie to me. It makes me feel like I understand myself.. That's the best way I can describe it.
9.9/10 - Amazing
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Love Forrest Gump so much. Good choice!
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While I prefer Shawshank, I really can't fault you with this choice. It really is a great movie. Incredibly epic, yet still charmingly simple.
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Oh and also, does anyone have any guesses about the #1? I'd be fun to see what you guys would think I would put at the top.
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Weekend At Bernie's 2.
Or 2001: A Space Odyssey.
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Jurassic Park.
No, I have no idea.
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The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari? I'm assuming you're as big of a fan of German Expressionism as I am, because who isn't a fan of German Expressionism?
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Howard the Duck?
Seriously though, it's probably Return of the King
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I'm assuming you're as big of a fan of German Expressionism as I am, because who isn't a fan of German Expressionism?
Indeed, obviousy.
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I WILL SPOILER THE SHIT OUT OF THIS LAST MOVIE IF I FEEL I CAN DO A BETTER WRITE-UP BY DOING SO!
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Or 2001: A Space Odyssey.
Wonderfully confusing, but no.
Jurassic Park.
Also really good, but no.
1 - The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
(https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LFKFycAMBMg/UM7yEIWGGNI/AAAAAAAAASE/hbhcYXq8w6M/s1600/rotk.jpg)
Seriously though, it's probably Return of the King
Yep.
Sort of been very subtly hinting at this since the beginning. Saying I love fantasy movies and saying how I think the Lord of the Rings movies revolutionized fantasy movies. Also speaking of the other two as if they were the best one but carefully not excluding the possibility of this one showing up later.
I'm sure many say this movie is overrated, but I honestly believe it's awesome. It's beautifully epic, it's perfectly acted, awesome cinatography, camera work, visuals, MUSIC!! and pretty much everything else you want to be good in a movie.
Usually, the more moments that has me tear up a movie has, the better I think it is. There are a few classic moments in here that are awesome but doesn't do that for me, and then there's the other ones that just does that to me like a master.
"I can't carry it for you... But I can carry you! Come on!" - Tears
"My friends, you bow to no one." - More tears
Frodo and Gandalf saying goodbye at the Grey Havens... - Tears of destruction
"Well, I'm back." and Sam's door closing - No please don't let it end tears
I have heard from many that they think the ending is to long but I freaking love that. Taking the time you want to properly end the story? Yeah, bring me more of that in movies. If you can make it as emotional and awesome as this I'm in, I'll watch that.
The absolute top of my list changes from time to time but as of right now, this is the masterpiece:
10/10 - Masterpiece
What you must realize here is that I formed my rating system based on the movies I have seen, the best automatically getting a 10. I'm not saying it's the perfect movie at everything ever, just the best I've seen.
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Thank you all for following and commenting on my list. I hope you all enjoyed it, I have certainly enjoyed writing it.
It didn't really plan out the way I thought since I originally planned on doing visual write(talk)-ups on YouTube for the top 5 or 3. But I am still happy with the list and I hope you are too!
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Great movie. I don't think it would be in my top 5, but it is pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty good.
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Cool list to follow, with some interesting picks that I might check out, like The Usual Suspects.
Not really keen on the LOTR trilogy.
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a fitting to a nice list, thanks for sharing!
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This will not be over quickly.
You will not enjoy this.
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Good ending and certainly the best LOTR movie.
DoC, you're up!
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This will not be over quickly.
You will not enjoy this.
:corn
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This will not be over quickly.
You will not enjoy this.
:lol Looking forward to it already!
Cool list BlackInk.
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Convenient I just finished watching the blu-ray extended edition of Return of the King when you posted it as your number one film :tup
Personally, The Fellowship of the Ring will be my favorite out of the three (ooooh i has foreshadowed), but TT and ROTK are just amazing pieces of art too.
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Well TROTK is my favorite but I view them as one movie anyway so :tup
:hefdaddy :hefdaddy :hefdaddy This might actually be my number one as well. So beautiful, so epic, so sad :hefdaddy
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Interesting LOTR tidbit: the first LOTR movie that I had heard of was The Two Towers, because it was lying around in my cousin's place when I was visiting. He told me that it was the second part of a saga, and that the first one was called "The One Tower" and the third one "The Three Towers", then added that they weren't particular creative.
I believed it for about half a year. :lol
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Hello internet forum.
My list may contain spoilers and shoddy write-ups.
300’s not on this list. Well, it’s #25, but ain’t nobody got time for that.
On a serious note. This list might offend some people. Please don’t be offended. I don’t go out and watch films just because the Academy faps all over them every February. I watch and enjoy movies that are awesome (in my opinion of course). You’re going to see some films based on Comic Book characters. You’re going to see some stupid comedies. But if I was to be stranded on an island with electricity, a television, bluray/dvd/vcr/whatever, these would be the 20 films that I’d want to have on hand. My tastes in both movies and music have been bashed in the past on these very forums, so feel free to criticize my list if it makes you feel like a movie elitist or whatever.
Without further ado, the beginning of my list. Good luck.
(https://latimesherocomplex.files.wordpress.com/2011/09/xmen-first-class-dvd-cover.jpg)
20. X-Men First Class, 2011
Finally! The X-Men movie that I have been waiting for. X-Men Origins: Wolverine was a step in the right direction. But it really went off the rails about halfway through, and Deadpool was horrible. Knowing the they were looking to do a Magneto Origins film kept me excited. What results is this film. Seeing Magneto and Professor X as younger men was an absolute treat. Understanding why Magneto became the mutant that he is has never been more exciting. The cast was stellar, including Mr. Kevin Bacon’s great performance as Sebastian Shaw. I might be in the minority, but I was glad that Wolverine wasn’t (really) in the film. I think that he’s overrated and tired as a character. Of course this film strayed from the Comics, and the Cuban Missile tie in rubbed some people the wrong way, but I love it. I think that Professor X’s losing his ability to walk could have been done a little better. But otherwise, this is the best X-Men film that I have ever seen. In a crowded Superhero Summer, I was presently surprised that despite loving Thor and Captain America, that this film was better than both.
(https://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51Yx3IR7zXL._SL500_AA300_.jpg)
19. Kick-Ass, 2010
Me and the Misses went to the movie theater in 2010 not knowing what movie we’d actually see. We were leaning towards Clash of the Titans, but opted instead to see Kick-Ass based on the buzz that it was generating. Boy, were we pleasantly surprised. Kick-Ass is an amazing film. It was inspiring, hilarious and thrilling. The cast was great. Nicholas Cage did a fantastic job in his role. I think that this film captured teenage struggles and coming of age was better than any Spider-Man film, which is what this film reminded me of, except that Kick-Ass didn’t have any superpowers whatsoever. In fact, no one did. That was made abundantly clear about 30 seconds into the film, but even more so when Kick-Ass’s first foray in ass kicking saw him get stabbed and hit by a car.
Then there’s Hit-Girl. Wow, what a character that little bitch is!
Here’s hoping that the sequel is half as good, because they truly knocked this one out of the park.
(https://www.joblo.com/posters/images/full/little-nicky-poster2.jpg)
18. Little Nicky, 2000
The first comedy to make the list is Adam Sandler’s 2000 effort. This movie still makes me laugh from beginning to end. Like most of Sandler’s films, this cast is huge, with hilarious performances across the board. This is one of those films that my friends and family love quoting, and there’s so many great ones to choose from. One of the funniest comedies that I’ve ever seen, and a movie that never seems to get old.
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Well, First Class is the best X-Men movie, for sure. And Kick-Ass is awesome!
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I haven't seen X-Men or Little Nicky, but Kick-Ass...
... kicks ass.
:lhk:
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More like Ass kicked!
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Little Nicky is certainly an unusual choice, but the other two are very enjoyable films!
And I'm glad to see you sticking up for having a more unusual list. As much as I've liked loads of the films posted so far, there are a lot of films coming up in lots of lists already, so it'll be interesting to see one a little different. :)
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Little Nicky's pretty fun, haven't seen it in awhile but it's fun as far as silly comedies go.
"Cover Winkler in bees- you can do it!"
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Little Nicky certainly is an unusual choice, but I love it. Not so sure about the other 2...
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Little Nicky is certainly an unusual choice, but the other two are very enjoyable films!
And I'm glad to see you sticking up for having a more unusual list. As much as I've liked loads of the films posted so far, there are a lot of films coming up in lots of lists already, so it'll be interesting to see one a little different. :)
Appreciate that. There will be some movies on my list that have been/will be on other lists.
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I don't know how far down the line I am, but I'd like to participate as well.
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The only one of those I've seen is Little Nicky, and I liked it. I'd say it's Adam Sanders best movie post- the obvious 2.
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Great movies. Love them all. Kevin Bacon was awesome in First Class, Rhys Ifans was hillarious in Little Nicky, and Kick Cage was, well, Nick Cage in Kick Ass. Great picks. :tup
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Nice start!
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I haven't seen little Nicky in years. I'm surprised it cracked the top 20 for someone, but when I look at my own list, I'm not all the surprised. Nice to see some variation.
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(https://i2.listal.com/image/4173111/936full-batman-begins-poster.jpg)
17. Batman Begins , 2005
This was the Batman film that I was waiting for! I loved Batman (1989) and Batman Returns, but could not stand Batman Forever or Batman and Robin. This movie was my first Nolan film. Of course, I had no idea who he was back then. I never read the comics or graphic novels, so I didn’t know much about the League of Shadows, or Ra’s al Ghul. So I was a tad underwhelmed when I thought that Scarecrow was to be the main villain. Boy was I mistaken. The League of Shadows’ righteous crusade was villainy that I could get down with. Seeing Batman…. Begin in this fashion was awesome. That soundtrack, that cast. The dark, gritty, realistic storytelling, this is storytelling at its very best.
(https://collider.com/wp-content/uploads/the-dark-knight-rises-teaser-poster1.jpg)
16. The Dark Knight Rises, 2012
Just a cut above Batman Begins is the final movie of the Dark Knight Trilogy. I was very optimistic about Nolan’s choices for villains. I had expected them to force the Riddler down our throats. I knew of what Bane accomplished in the comics, so I was excited to see if they would touch on that storyline in this film. I felt that this was a fantastic way to end the trilogy that Nolan created. I appreciated that they didn’t try some cooky Joker Cashgrab. But Ledger has passed, and they did the right thing by going in a different direction. I feel that this would have been a very different movie had Ledger still been with us, but the way that this movie comes full circle with the events of Batman Begins really strengthens the trilogy as a whole.
I might not be able to update the list for a couple of days. But hey, it’s already 25% done.
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Personally I prefer batman begins by a little bit, over tdkr. Both very good movies though!
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Batman Begins is good, but didn't score more than 7.7/10 for me.
Rises was better. And both are top 100.
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Two awesome choices. Nolan's Batman trilogy is truly a masterpiece throughout, no weak links. :tup
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Two awesome choices. Nolan's Batman trilogy is truly a masterpiece throughout, no weak links. :tup
Agreed, the trilogy is extremely well made and I like how they went back to the League of Shadows plot halfway through The Dark Knight Rises. It bookends the series in a great way.
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Get ready for a controversial opinion-
I don't like the Nolan Batman movies.
The first one was alright, but I found it to be pretty average. And I hated TDK so much that I haven't watched a single superhero movie since. Which includes TDKR, which I don't intend to watch, so I can't comment on that one.
The superhero genre is definitely not for me. :lol
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So far, I am not hating this list
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I see a lot of the Nolan Batman movies coming up on lists (not just here). I wonder if in 5-10 years that they will still make the cut.
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I see a lot of the Nolan Batman movies coming up on lists (not just here). I wonder if in 5-10 years that they will still make the cut.
Well, I think at least The Dark Knight will. It is 5 years old already and showing no sign of dropping in popularity. Begins and Rises might sink a bit though.
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(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/64/Movie_poster_Anchorman_The_Legend_of_Ron_Burgundy.jpg)
15. Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, 2004
I remember not enjoying this movie when I first watched it. But I’ve probably watched it 5 to 6 more times, and each time I liked it more and more. I am a big Will Farrell fan, and he knocks the role of Ron Burgundy out of the park. The cast was great, with hilarious performances from Steve Carell, Paul Rudd, Christina Applegate, David Koechner and plenty of others, including those with smaller parts like Vince Vaughn, Ben Stiller & Jack Black. This movie is completely ridiculous, but it is a movie with dozens of memorable quotes and moments, and is one of my favorite comedies.
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/e7/Talladega_nights.jpg)
14. Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, 2006
Right after Anchorman is a movie that I like just as much. When I first saw the preview for Will Farrell playing a NASCAR driver, I knew that I had to watch it on opening night. And this movie did not disappoint. The dinner table conversations. The interactions between Ricky Bobby and his father, those devil grandkids thowing Chip’s War Medals off a bridge and being jacked up on Mountain Dew. If you’re not first, you’re last, or in this case, 14th.
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/c1/The_Matrix_Poster.jpg)
13. The Matrix, 1999
What could I possibly say about this film that hasn’t already been said. This is one of the “best” films on my list, and when I first saw it, The Matrix blew me away. The concept, the plight of humanity and the seemingly unstoppable Agents gave the 16 year old me a feeling of dread when watching it. This movie has aged well and is still one of those movies that you can pop in anytime and be completely drawn into it.
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Anchorman is a great comedy, hoping that the sequel will be any good.
The Matrix is awesome!
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My two favorite Will Ferrel movies and the first Matrix?! Totally loving it
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Anchorman is amazing.
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The Matrix deserves all the praise in the world!
Anything to do with Will Ferrell, on the other hand, makes me physically ill. Different strokes for different folks, I suppose...
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I'm not a Will Ferrell fan, but I thought both of those movies were alright, especially Anchorman, which was better than I expected. And the first Matrix film is a classic.
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(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/8/8b/Superbad_Poster.png)
12. Superbad, 2007
I saw a preview for Superbad, and I thought to myself, if they are showing this stuff on the preview, imagine the stuff that they can’t show. I saw this film in theaters and it did not disappoint. A classic coming of age film with a hilarious cast and many crazy situations. Rogen and Heder as cops was great casting and they were great. McLovin, and how he interacted with Hill’s character was priceless. Anyone who had a best friend in high school could relate with Seth and Evan’s friendship. Fun movie to quote, and it has aged well.
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/b/bd/Click_film.jpg)
11. Click. 2006
Simply put, this is Adam Sandler’s masterpiece. This movie has it all. A great cast, hilarious moments, great drama, and it is one of the few movies that can invoke a man tear from me (the scene where Michael keeps rewinding where his Dad tells him that he loves him. I’ve never understood why this film doesn’t receive universal praise, but I absolutely love it.
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/d2/Prestige_poster.jpg)
10. The Prestige, 2006
I just got around to seeing this film a couple of years ago, and boy, am I sorry that I hadn’t watched it sooner. This is fantastic storytelling. The one-upmanship between the two magicians became more and more intense. Both Jackman and Bale were great in their roles. Great twist at the end that I didn’t see coming. This is a fun movie to watch with someone who hasn’t seen it before. I’ll never look at the disappearing bird trick the same, that’s for sure.
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"Adam Sandler" and "masterpiece" don't belong in the same sentence, unless that sentence also includes the words "Punch Drunk Love."
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I've always viewed Punch Drunk Love as a movie that Sandler happened to be in, versus a true Sandler film.
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The Prestige is awesome and Click is a surprisingly enjoyable Adam Sandler movie..
Haven't seen Superbad.
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I agree that Click was a very well-done movie. Sandler, when he is in less-annoying mode like Grown Ups or 50 First Dates, can be great, but he turns idiot with an annoying voice in other movies, and I generally try not to watch those........I'm looking at you Little Nicky.
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yeah, I like Click as well. Another great three pick
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I really enjoyed Click too. Very well done movie, and while I usually like Sandler movies, this one just has a substance his other movies don't.
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(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/8/8d/Gladiator_ver1.jpg)
9. Gladiator, 2000
Coming in at number nine is the story of the general who became a slave, the slave who became a gladiator, and the gladiator who defied an Emperor. Gladiator has a pretty straightforward plot, but sometimes, things can be much more devastating when you see them coming a mile away. There are some fantastic sets showcased in this film, showing the vast holdings of the Roman Empire. I’ll never forget the first time that I saw the streets of Rome as shown in this film. Along with an incredible soundtrack, this film satisfies on all levels.
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/d9/StepbrothersMP08.jpg)
8. Step Brothers, 2008
Will Farrell makes his third and final appearance on the list. If you were ever looking for a raunchy quote filled comedy, this is it. The cast is hilarious, with the parents often stealing the scenes from Farrell and Reilly. This wasn’t my favorite Farrell movie at first, but it has grown on me over time. One of my favorite movies to watch around Christmas time, and it’s not even a “Holiday film”.
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/97/Matrix_reloaded_ver14.jpg)
7. The Matrix Reloaded, 2003
When I first learned that the Wachowski brothers were going to make a Matrix trilogy, I thought that it would be a mistake, considering how perfect the first film was. Much to my surprise, The Matrix Reloaded was better than its predecessor in just about every way imaginable. It was more thought provoking and complex, the action scenes were better. The highway chase is still the best I’ve ever seen in any film, and the conversation between Neo and the Architect is one of my favorite scenes in any movie ever. My only regret is not seeing this one in theaters, because it was incredible!
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your list is crazy....
....
....and i love it (minus matrix reloaded, i thought that one was total ass)
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Matrix Reloaded was my least favorite of the three, and Will Ferrell isn't for me, but Gladiator is phenomenal :tup
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Step Brothers is awesome.
"Hey, I never asked you. Do you like guacamole?" CRASH!
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Gladiator is really great! And so is Matrix Reloaded, fun to see the sequels getting some love from someone other than me.
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Eh, 2 out of 3 ain't bad, but Step Brothers is my least fav of the three Farrell movies (not that I don't like it)
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About half of this list is made up of films I NEVER thought I'd see on a 'best ever' list. :lol
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(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/9d/Lord_of_the_Rings_-_The_Return_of_the_King.jpg)
6. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, 2003
The third and final film of The Lord of the Rings trilogy is a satisfying and amazing way to cap this epic saga. As someone who had never read the books, I did not know how the story ended. Needless to say, I was not disappointed in the least. Gollum is one of my favorite characters, so the way that he was made integral to the climax of the film. I definitely enjoyed the battles, but one thing that I loved was how Denethor was portrayed, and how delusional he truly was. Outstanding movie, but not my favorite of the trilogy.
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/a/ad/Lord_of_the_Rings_-_The_Two_Towers.jpg)
5. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, 2002
This is my favorite of the Lord of the Rings movies. And for me, it’s all about the battle at Helm’s Deep. To me, this is the best part of the trilogy. The dread expressed by the impending battle. The tactics and the Uruk-hai breaking through the wall. Gandalf making the save at sunrise. This movie also gets high marks for how Gollum interacted with Frodo and Samwise. All in all, I love these movies just about equally, but the battle at Helm’s Deep puts this movie slightly ahead of the third film.
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This thread is LoTR heavy. Not a bad thing, though.
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Not bad at all
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Can't argue with those choices, amazing movies all of them.
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(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/1c/WatchmenPosterFinal.jpg)
4. Watchmen, 2009
I remember seeing the preview for Watchmen for the first time. I had (somehow) never heard of the graphic novel, so when I saw Nite Owl II and Silk Spectre II, I thought that it was Batman & Wonder Woman, and I was like, oh Snap, is this a Justice League film. Then I saw Veidt in a purple suit and I was like wow, is he supposed to be the Joker? Then I saw Dr. Manhattan and was like WTF is that? By the end of the amazing trailer, I was like wow, I need to see this shit. So I saw the film and I hated it. I watched it a second time and liked it. And after watching it a third time, I absolutely loved it. I don’t know why it took me so long to “get it”. I guess it wasn’t what I expected. But now I can really appreciate what makes this so much better than many other films in the genre. Also, I instantly loved Rorschach. I related with his uncompromising approach to justice. Thought the ending was perfect, and since I never read the graphic novel, I didn’t care that they changed it. I felt the ending in the film made much more sense. But all in all, I treasure this film.
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Watchmen is amazing. Probably my favourite superhero movie, if you don't count Batman.
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Watchmen is amazing. Probably my favourite superhero movie, if you don't count Batman.
...so it's not your favourite superhero movie.
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Watchmen was my favorite movie of 2009
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Still haven't seen this! I really need to though, that is one thing that has been made very clear.
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Watchmen is amazing. Probably my favourite superhero movie, if you don't count Batman.
...so it's not your favourite superhero movie.
Yeah, technically you're right, but Batman isn't really a typical superhero movie, 'cause, you know, no superpowers and stuff.
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yeah... Batman=/=superhero. He's just a vigilante
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Watchmen is amazing. Probably my favourite superhero movie, if you don't count Batman.
What do you mean 'probably'; you did your list in this thread too. So, if you don't count Batman, it IS your favourite superhero movie.
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Geez, everyone's analysing my posts today...
Yes, it is my favourite superhero movie, Batman aside.
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The only good things about Watchmen were the casting and the opening credits. Everything else was really bad. The execution was terrible, a lot of the music didn't fit, and it didn't even look that good. Zack Snyder is not that great of director, and after seeing that, I'm really nervous about Man of Steel.
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Geez, everyone's analysing my posts today...
Yes, it is my favourite superhero movie, Batman aside.
:biggrin:
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(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/cc/Bad_Santa_film.jpg)
3. Bad Santa, 2003
Coming in at number three is my favorite comedy of all time. Bad Santa is the funniest movie that I’ve ever seen. Billy Bob Thornton turns in a great performance, as does Tony Cox, and the late Bernie Mac, John Ritter, and that kid. This is a Christmas staple for me and my family. Outrageous situations and vulgar writing at its absolute best. If you can get through this film without laughing, then you’re off your fucking meds!
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Never seen it. And I am 84% sure that if I did it wouldn't be in my top 100.
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Love Bad Santa. Such a great and funny movie.
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(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/93/Star_Wars_Episode_III_Revenge_of_the_Sith_poster.jpg)
2. Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, 2005
I know that my list hasn’t reflected it up until this point, but I absolutely love the Star Wars franchise. A few more of the films would have made it onto the list had this been a top 30, but coming in at number two is what I consider to be George Lucas’ masterpiece. Revenge of the Sith was a fantastic movie from start to stop. There was no slow parts that plagued Episode II, and it was the opposite of Episode IV, which was an absolute bore other than Han Solo’s banter. To me, the Tragedy of Anakin Skywalker was a much better story than Luke Skywalker redeeming his father. Watching Anakin’s transformation into Darth Vader was something that fans of the franchise have been waiting to see for years. And to see it unfold was an absolute pleasure. Obi Wan absolutely shined in this movie and his duel with Anakin was the best duel in the films by far. Obviously some of the things were rushed, so on that accord I wish that this movie was a bit longer. But all in all, this was Star Wars at its very best.
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This has to be the most elaborate troll I have ever seen. I understand it's opinion, but...have you not seen Empire?
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This has to be the most elaborate troll I have ever seen. I understand it's opinion, but...have you not seen Empire?
I get that a lot..... and I do love Empire. Easily the best of the original trilogy, and is in the 20s on my list.
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I think Revenge was the best of the PT. I guess, if I ranked the movies Lucas directed, I'd rank it IV>III>I>II. But #2 baffles me. It's less offensive than having the Matrix Reloaded in your top 20 ;D
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The entire original trilogy is better and Empire is the best of the Star Wars franchise. Needless to say though, I love Star Wars and I do think this is the best of the new trilogy. Still, #2 is taking it way too far. But, hey, it's your list :biggrin:
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Did you just give away your no. 1?
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Did you just give away your no. 1?
Did I?
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(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/8/8a/Dark_Knight.jpg)
1. The Dark Knight, 2008
Coming in at number one is a movie that lived up to the hype. I saw this movie in theaters four times. Heath Ledger’s performance as the Joker was the best performance that I’ve ever seen. Couple that, with the Harvey Dent story arc, and you’ve got a recipe for success. This movie is flawless, and I will never forget how I felt when I first saw this thing unfold. The movie has aged well, and will stand the test of time.
Thank you for bearing with me for the past week or so. We now return to you normal lists.
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Oh, I read that one comment one. I thought you said Empire was in your top 20, so I assumed Empire was no. 1. Anyway, really good pick for the top slot
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Good list with some unexpected choices, though there is no way that ROTS is in any way superior to the OT. But, it's your list, so good job.
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Great list. There was only one movie that I really did not like at all.
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Great list. There was only one movie that I really did not like at all.
I don't like #2 or #1 at all. :lol
I didn't even like ROTS compared to the rest of the PT. To me it just felt like it was going through the motions to force (lol no pun intended) the PT to connect to the OT. The whole last half hour was loose threads. Believe it or not, Ep 2 is the only one I enjoyed, even though for all the wrong reasons. :lol
And controversially, I hated TDK. I wouldn't have even made it to the end of the movie if not for how highly regarded it was by everyone else.
But :tup for Bad Santa. I like that it doesn't get too warm and fuzzy and Christmasy. Billy Bob plays scumbags so well, and it works perfectly in this movie.
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Dark Knight is a very worthy finish. :tup
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2. Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, 2005
I know that my list hasn’t reflected it up until this point, but I absolutely love the Star Wars franchise. A few more of the films would have made it onto the list had this been a top 30, but coming in at number two is what I consider to be George Lucas’ masterpiece. Revenge of the Sith was a fantastic movie from start to stop. There was no slow parts that plagued Episode II, and it was the opposite of Episode IV, which was an absolute bore other than Han Solo’s banter. To me, the Tragedy of Anakin Skywalker was a much better story than Luke Skywalker redeeming his father. Watching Anakin’s transformation into Darth Vader was something that fans of the franchise have been waiting to see for years. And to see it unfold was an absolute pleasure. Obi Wan absolutely shined in this movie and his duel with Anakin was the best duel in the films by far. Obviously some of the things were rushed, so on that accord I wish that this movie was a bit longer. But all in all, this was Star Wars at its very best.
10/10 troll attempt. Bravo.
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I actually like seeing Revenge of the Sith this high. I think it's the best Star Wars movie too, closely followed by Empire.
And of course The Dark Knight is amazing.
Cool list, somewhat different but hey, that's the point of these things, to get some different opinions in here.
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Cool list! I'll start mine later today.
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Alright, ready for the first post now!
Before we start off there are a few things I want to say. I've followed most of the previous lists and it seems that I have quite a different taste in movies as most of you do. Generally I don't much like big, mainstream movies like the batman movies, star wars, james bond, ... you name it. There are of course exceptions, like say Lord of The Rings or Inception which I like a lot. But since most of you have already seen these movies and they have been included in pretty much all the previous lists I decided to do my list a little different. It will not be a list of the 20 movies I like the best per se, but rather a list of 20 movies I think you should all see (but which you probably haven't)... In that vein I have decided to stay away from movies which I love but which you probably all have seen. But just for the sake of it, I'll list some of my favourite movies which will not be included in this list: (in order of which I think of first)
Pulp Fiction, LOTR trilogy, Inception, Requiem For A Dream, Trainspotting, A Clockwork Orange, Forrest Gump, Donnie Darko, Amélie Poulain, The Usual Suspects, The Shawshank Redemption, and many more.
Anyway, I think you all get the point. In my list there will be some obvious picks, some controversial picks, some movies you probably have never heard of, and perhaps even some movies you do not want to see under any circumstances. However I really hope that I can get some of you to at least watch some of the movies I will list, since I love every single one of them in their own way.
Let's begin!
20. The Fall
(https://cinemaknifefight.files.wordpress.com/2010/06/the_fall_movie_poster.jpg)
The Fall is set in a hospital some time ago. There's a very curious little girl who broke her arm and somehow she gets a conversation going with one of the other patients. This man starts to tell her an epic tale set a long time ago. But what happens in the story is not really the point of the movie. As the film progresses the line between the story and the actual events slowly blurs to the point where you can almost not tell what is happening anymore.
This film is just beautiful to look at, the decors, the cinematography, everything is very beautiful. And very, very strange as well.
One of the strangest scenes of the movie: (kind of NSFW I think...)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQxwCDjGlMg
I have to say though, a common critique on this movie is that while very beautiful it is also a little boring. I guess I can see that but after a while I was not really paying attention to the actual events any more, but just enjoying the scenes and the esthetics (not all of the movie is as strange as the scene I posted).
I guess I have to give a rating now? I'll give it a 7.5/10. For me it is not a classic or a movie I think everyone should see, but it is definitely a movie I could see some of you enjoy thoroughly, which is why I decided to include it in the list. Also, I have no idea how well-known this movie is. If all of you have already seen it then great! :)
19. Dangerous Liaisons
(https://www.belbios.nl/media/posters/dangerous-liaisons_org.jpg)
Apologies in advance, but this is kind of my guilty pleasure of a movie. About 90% of that comes from the fact that I think Michelle Pfeiffer is stunningly beautiful in this movie. The other 10% are because the acting in the movie is excellent, especially by John Malkovich. To those of you who do not know the story, it is kind of complicated. It's set in France somewhere in the 18th century of something. All of the characters are very wealthy. Valmont played by John Malkovich engages in a bet with the Marquise the Merteuil to get the very "conservative" Madame de Tourvel to beray her husband with Valmont. The story gets many more developments and plot changes etc.
I couldn't find my favourite scene in youtube but it is somewhere in the beginning when Valmont and the Marquise are talking about Madame de Tourvel.
Anyway, I do not expect many to watch this movie but I just could not leave it out of this list. I truly think it is a very enjoyable movie, and I think you should see it, if only for Michelle Pfeiffer and John Malkovich. My rating would be 7.5/10.
More soon!
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The Fall actually seems really interesting, I have a lot of things I want to watch right now but when a right time to watch it comes I will certainly do that.
Dangerous Liaisons honestly sounded less intriguing.
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I know. To be honest I could only think of 18 movies at first which I definitely wanted to include. Then I saw The Fall while browsing through my movie hard drive and decided to incude it. But I still had one more to pick then, so I went with Dangerous Liaisons. :)
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... Soooo time for some more movies. :)
18. Lost Highway
(https://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m6mcoyFHXN1qzx2cro1_500.jpg)
Most of you have probably already seen a David Lynch movie and perhaps even this one. But it's not among his well-known movies (I think) like Mullholland Drive or Blue Velvet. But I love this one just as much. The IMDB description is: "After a bizarre encounter at a party, a jazz saxophonist is framed for the murder of his wife and sent to prison, where he inexplicably morphs into a young mechanic and begins leading a new life." and that's pretty much all I can tell you plot-wise as well. Any way there are lots of strange and weird scenes and very intense moments as in any David Lynch movie. But the most memorable scene for me is this one:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5I7lXV9b88
The rest of the movie is completely different though. In any case, if you've never watched a David Lynch movie I would recommend this one because I think it's one of his lesser fucked up ones. I give it an 8/10.
17. Route 66: Episodes of the Road
(https://movies.maxupdates.tv/wp-contents/uploads/2010/01/Interstate-60.jpg)
I have no idea why this movie is not more known than it is. I don't think I've met anyone in real life who's heard of it. Nonetheless it is an ingenious movie with lots of amazing scenes which are very clever and insanely hilarious. It tells the story of a man who is fed up with his life and goes on a road trip looking for a woman he's seen on a billboard. Well this is not exactly what happens but it's the best way I can explain without having to explain to you the first 20 minutes or something of the movie. On the road he meets a lot of interesting people and characters. This is basically what happens in the whole movie.
One of the scenes I remember (couldn't find my favourite one): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHwI37hkWfM
Anyway I've heard this movie being called "the best movie you haven't seen" and I have to agree, it's crazy so few people know about this movie because it is really good. I'll give it an 8/10.
More tomorrow or something. :)
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Lost Highway sounds really weird, even for apparently being one of Lynch's lesser fucked up ones.
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I found Blue Velvet, Mullholland Drive and especially Eraserhead (of course) to be way more fucked up!
Will update tomorrow! :)
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Double update!
16. Primer
(https://sergiocatarino.net/imagens/TrailereSinopsedoFilmePrimer_D7DA/primer_poster_thumb.jpg)
I'm positive many of you have already seen this.. But most people have not. Which is why I decided to include it. The movie starts with 4 guys who are trying to "invent" new stuff in their garage and patent it. But now they've created something truly unique, and fight over it. I love this movie because the first time you watch it, you are left with a serious WTF feeling starting about half an hour or so in and it lasts until after the movie. But when you watch it again, you realize that some stuff that happens which made you go WTF the first time now make sense, kind of. But there's still other things, and now other events also make no sense. So you watch it again. I've watched it three times I think and I remember from the last time I almost had everything figured out.
Anyway, this movie is pretty cool to watch, and if you're the kind of person to try to figure everything out to the detail, this movie is a great puzzle. 8/10.
The following movies are kind of alike, but I love them all three and I think everyone should see them. They all involve Lars Von Trier.
15. Dogville
(https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-18WGu1EKeBg/Tc7uObppODI/AAAAAAAAAng/qSd5vFNp3lg/s1600/dogville3.jpg)
This a truly unique movie, in case you haven't seen it. You've probably heard of it from at least someone. If you haven't already seen it, please do it now. The movie is set in some small town somewhere. But there is no decor or scenery at all. It's all one big theatre stage. The walls of the houses are just white lines on the ground. This seems very strange at first but after a while you don't notice it as much anymore, you're just drawn in by the story. Some fugitive woman comes to the village and while she is not accepted at first, she slowly becomes a part of the community.
What makes Dogville so amazing for me is that, for me, Lars Von Trier showed me that you don't need fancy settings, nice decors, etc to get really drawn in into a story. But he takes it even further. Even when a LOT of effort is made to make everything look unrealistic, you still get drawn in. For example, like I said the walls are white lines on the ground. So when the characters enter a room, they make the movement of opening and closing the door by the handle, but there is no door at all. It looks very strange and even ridiculous, but all that doesn't take your attention away from the important part of the movie: the story and it's developments.
Another thing that made me fall in love with it is the ending. I won't spoil anything but it is really powerful.
Anyway, just watch it, 9/10.
14. Festen
(https://static.cinebel.be/img/movie/poster/full/2749_nl_festen_1335972768618.jpg)
This movie is directed by Thomas Vintenberg, who together with Lars Von Trier created the Dogme 95 "movement". Dogme 95 stands for a lot of things among which are: movie must be filmed with a hand-held camera, no post-production is allowed, .... Festen is the first of these movies.
Festen tells the story of a family celebration. The occasion is the birthday of the grandfather of the family, so he invites everyone into his hotel somewhere. At first everything seems to be going fine (although you can see that some of the characters' lives are pretty fucked up, you can see this in scenes where they are not at the party but rather in their rooms fighting and arguing while getting ready for dinner). Anyway, one of the children of the grandfather has recently (I think) committed suicide. She had a twin brother, and then another older younger brother and a sister. Her sister finds her farewell letter in the room where she used to live. This brings up feelings and memories in the twin brother of the woman that committed suicide. So when he is to give a speech during the party he admits that his father sexually abused him and her twin sister, and that that is why she committed suicide. But the family being Danish, the father ensures everything is OK and sends his son away, and the party continues, kind of.
Anyway there are a lot of developments and a complete mindfuck of feelings at the end of the movie. This movie is not for everyone but the people I thought
would like it really loved and I'm positive some of you will as well. I give it an 8.5/10.
13. Dancer In The Dark
(https://img863.imageshack.us/img863/6074/bjork.jpg)
My favourite Lars Von Trier movie by quite a margin. It's not a dogme film so it is not filmed hand-held, but is very intimately filmed with a lot of close ups etc. The story is about a blind woman Selma (played by Björk), who moves to America to hopefully make enough money for an eye-operation for her son, so he doesn't get the same disease her mother has. I don't really remember much of the plot that leads op to the end of the movie. This is because it is probably at least four years ago that I've seen this movie and I've been resistant to ever seeing it again. This movie will fuck you up. It's so depressing that I felt bad for a couple of days after seeing it.
Anyway, this is a really powerful movie and I suggest you see it, if only to check whether or not you are completely desensitized or not. 9.5/10. (I subtracted half a point because it made me not want to live anymore.)
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I've had Primer recommended to me often, but I haven't gotten around to watching it yet. I haven't heard of the rest though. :)
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Primer is a really interesting movie that's well worth the watch, even if it sort of falls apart towards the end. It's a great display of creativity and ingenuity, even if the filmmaking itself isn't Hollywood-standard.
As for Lars von Trier, I'm really not a fan. Or Dogme 95 in general, which I view as largely pretentious wankery.
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Out of all the film you have named so far, I've only seen Festen, which was a pretty cool movie.
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As usual, interesting movies, with Primer sounding the most interesting. And it's always refreshing to see some swedish in an international forum.
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I've actually seen Primer, strange movie. found it tough to follow on first watch. maybe ill watch it again and actually understand it :lol
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I just finally watched Primer. Not bad. A lot of elements I loved, and some things that let it down, but overall I liked it. :tup
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Dogme 95 in general, which I view as largely pretentious wankery.
I kind of agree but the first two, Festen and The Idiots are vert very enjoyable. The rest...
I just finally watched Primer. Not bad. A lot of elements I loved, and some things that let it down, but overall I liked it. :tup
Cool! Glad you liked it! I just had to see it again a few days after I saw it for the first time because I kept trying to figure everything out but I couldn't.
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Anyone see Oz yet?
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Dancer in the Dark made me want to kill myself.
It was a beautiful movie.
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Dancer in the Dark made me want to kill myself.
It was a beautiful movie.
That movie left me depressed for days. I couldn't take the image of her hanging out of my mind.
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Wow, never expected to see Dangerous Liaisons ( :heart :heart :heart ) AND Lost Highway on the same list. Well done, man. :tup
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Update time!!
12. True Romance
(https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-w-c8Del7t1k/T_bTFrwjU5I/AAAAAAAAIQ0/E1TG9KnFxO0/s1600/True+Romance+(1993)+2.jpg)
Many of you may already know this movie, but I'm sure some of you don't. Even some who have seen some other Tarantino movies like Reservoir Dogs or Pulp Fiction. At least I don't know a lot of people who have seen this movie. Which is a shame because it's a great movie. The title is kind of misleading, this is a Tarantino movie like all the others. It starts off in some US city, I think Detroit. Some guy there meets a hooker and has sex with her. They fall in love, so the guy will try to take her away from her pimp. For some reason (watch the movie I'll not spoil too much) he also ends up with a lot of coke to sell. But he is being followed by the guys who used to own the coke. That's kind of the story.
There are a lot of amazing scenes in this movie. One I particularly remember is this one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzPCcwChewM
I could list some more scenes but you better just watch the movie, it's pretty entertaining like most of Tarantino's movies. 8/10.
11. Irréversible
(https://2.bp.blogspot.com/_1XPCmzNwxow/TP_j1304ErI/AAAAAAAAAD0/bEOJjADLcFE/s1600/irreversible.jpg)
Sooo... This movie kind of falls into the "you probably wish not to see this" category. There are a couple of things that are unnerving pretty much unwatchable about this movie.
First of all, it's reverse-chronological. I know what you're thinking: "Like Memento!! Like Memento!!". But it's totally different here. In Memento you are confused, you don't know what is what or when. In Irréversible you know it's reverse-chronological and that's the way it is. There's no big twist at the end here. The reason it's reverse-chronological is to bring into focus the "point" of this movie (if you can call it that): le temps détruit tout (time destroys everything). You will see what this is about when/if you watch the movie.
Secondly, the first twenty or so minutes are filmed in a very strange way. The camera is constantly moving and turning around. So you don't see all that clear what is happening. Added to that is an extremely unnerving "soundtrack". If you have a good sound system you will certainly notice that there are a lot of ver low tones, some even too low to hear (but we pick them up any way) and they give you a slight feeling of nausea.
And lastly there is the dreaded scene you may have heard about. Somewhere in the middle of the film there is a seven-minute long scene you will never, ever forget in your life. It is very shocking and barely watchable. But as the film continues (and thus the story moves back in time) you gradually, kind of, forget what happened and see that everything is good. At the end things are even beautiful. In the beginning, everything was perfect. And in the end, everything has turned to shit.
The reason I recommend you this movie is because while extremely shocking it still had a certain cinematographic value, and like most shocking events they make you think about the world and force you to confront with certain stuff that you'd rather not confronted.
Please note that if you are going to watch this movie make sure you are ready. There are extremely violent scenes (including sexual violence)... It will not be an easy watch, but I think it's worth it. 8/10.
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I'd imagine you'd need to change the poster seeing how it's very NSFW.
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Why? She's not naked, it's a white dress. I'll look for another one.
Changed it anyway :)
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Haven't seen any of these. But I like Tarantino and Irréversible sounds weirdly awesome.
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Yeah, Irreversible is one of those movies that you can appreciate but never want to watch again.
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Oh, thought I saw nipples there. Sorry lol
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Oh, thought I saw nipples there. Sorry lol
They were, and I was ok with it because it was Monica Bellucci, but then you remember that that image is taken from THAT scene and... yeah.
Not planning on watching that one again.
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Dude those weren't nipples. That's just the way the dress is.
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Anyway, some more movies!
10. K-PAX
(https://imagehost.vendio.com/a/35073200/aview/K-PAX_FRONT.jpg)
Another amazing movie of which I've never met anyone who has seen it. Kevin Spacey portrays Prot, someone who says he is an alien from another solar system. He ends up in a mental hospital soon after arriving on earth, and the movie is kind of about the psychiatrist treating Prot discovering who or what he really is. The movie has a lot of great quotes and ingenious scenes. And while you're watching it you never really know what to believe... Is he an alien or isn't he? Some scenes lean this way, other scenes the other way. You'll have to watch the movie to see for yourself.
Not much more to say about this movie, except maybe this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5bvNVx1NqM (yes it's a real banana!). 8/10.
9. Barry Lyndon
(https://socialpsychol.files.wordpress.com/2011/07/barry-lyndon-poster.jpg?w=683)
Sooo.. I'm sure most of us have seen a Kubrick movie or two but strangely I haven't met a lot of people who have seen this masterpiece of a movie. Some people may find it dull I have no idea how they could say that. This movie has me caught from start to end. I've seen it a few times already and I've only come to like it more. The story is that of a Barry Lyndon, who growing up from a regular family in the 18th or so century tries and succeeds to make his way to the top of society. Only to fall back down again.
Upon writing this I really want to see this movie again because I'm having a hard time telling you some of the awesome things that happen in this movie, I can barely recall them. One scene I will never forget though is this one: https://youtu.be/KkJZOxqB-qk (horrible quality of course). The reason that it is so memorable is it was lit completely and solely by candle light. This of course raised some technical difficulties and a f/0.7 lens was used. Both of these elements, along with the actual content make it a very, very beautiful scene. (there are some other scenes lit solely by candle light)
Barry Lyndon is probably my favourite Kubrick movie, and I recommend it to anyone interested in movies. I have no idea how many people have already seen this movie, but I'm sure some of you haven't yet. Please watch it now, I will do so too in the near future :). 9.5/10
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Finally a person that loves K-Pax as well! It just barely missed my Top 20, but it's such an amazing movie. I especially love the ending.
The Kubrick one... I'll watch that. It sounds very interesting.
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I can barely remember anything about K-Pax. Just something in an observatory and something about Chinese food. Made zero impact.
Barry Lyndon is fantastic, though.
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OMG best thread ever. Please let me do this. oh please.... :blush
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OMG I can't believe KARI and I have such similar taste in movies. WOW. :metal
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K-Pax is great! Awesome movie.
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On we go! Sorry for the late update, I'll try to make the next one faster.
8. Fargo
(https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-g6STFxDH-lY/TsvidI3II3I/AAAAAAAAMi0/hrwqGIOV1-w/s1600/Fargo%2Bposter.jpg)
A lot of you have probably already seen this, but I just couldn't leave it out. Fargo is perhaps my favorite movie by the Coen brothers.
To those who do not know this movie, Fargo tells the story of a triple murder what looks like an ordinary triple or something homicide in the town of Fargo, Minnesota (I think). It turns out to be a complicated scheme, you'll have to watch the movie if you want to know more about it, I don't like spoiling plot points.
What I think makes this movie great is the dark humour of it all. For example: one of the main characters is a pregnant police woman. She goes out every day, having a bad time finding out what happened while her husband, who is unemployed, whines about his post stamp designs not being good enough or something.
Anyway, there is a lot more to this movie than you might think. If you love The Big Lebowski but haven't checked out any of the other movies by the Coen brothers you will definitely love this one as well. 9/10
7. Lost in Translation
(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-K7pkdAgCMJ8/USFAcIPRkNI/AAAAAAAAANg/gkwEurwXGKw/s1600/LIT.jpg)
Another movie a lot probably have seen. But on the off chance you haven't, definitely check this one out. I'm going to say this movie is not for everyone... But if it turns out to be for you you will love it. I think it's my favourite movie, I'm not sure. There's not really a story here, it's just about two people in a hotel in Tokyo who are bored and meet each other and do fun stuff together in Tokyo. What makes this movie amazing is the intimate way it's filmed, and the beauty of Tokyo. And the soundtrack, the soundtrack is absolutely amazing.
Anyway, the main critique on this that it's "too artsy". I can see that point, but I disagree. I love everything about it that for some people makes it seem too artsy. I highly suggest you give it a chance and see where you end up. On the wow this movie is beautiful or on the meh side. At the very least you'll get to watch Scarlett Johansson for 101 minutes. 9.5/10.
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Two amazing picks. The Coen brothers are definitely geniuses (sp?), but Fargo might be my favourite of theirs as well. Lost in Translation is amazing as well, though I don't normally gravitate towards the more "artsy" stuff, as you put it. Don't know what it is, but something about that movie is just amazingly captivating.
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Barry Lyndon fell somewhere on the lower half of my ranking of Kubrick movies. I didn't hate it when I saw it, but I didn't much like it. Fairly slow, very long and seemed kind-of 'by the numbers' period piece. It was a very well-made film but I just didn't find it that interesting. It certainly doesn't help that I don't find that period of time to be very interesting.
Also, I believe Fargo is set in Fargo, South Dakota.
Check that, it's North Dakota. Shows how middle of nowhere it really is. I wonder how many people have seen that movie and still have no idea where Fargo actually is. :lol
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Two I haven't seen, if there's one thing this thread makes me realize it's that I've got a lot to do.
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Check that, it's North Dakota. Shows how middle of nowhere it really is. I wonder how many people have seen that movie and still have no idea where Fargo actually is. :lol
I think kari was thinking of Brainerd, Minnesota, when he typed that up. Regardless... awesome movie.
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Never seen Lost in Translation, but I want to almost solely because of the soundtrack containing MBV, other Kevin Shields stuff, and The Jesus and Mary Chain.
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Check that, it's North Dakota. Shows how middle of nowhere it really is. I wonder how many people have seen that movie and still have no idea where Fargo actually is. :lol
I think kari was thinking of Brainerd, Minnesota, when he typed that up.
Oh yeah, you're probably right. :)
Regardless... awesome movie.
Yep.
You know, I've never actually seen the whole movie straight through, I've seen chunks of it many times at many different times enough that I've pretty much seen the whole thing. Just not at once. Kinda weird, but it's on cable all the time and it's kinda hard not to see some random part of Fargo during the weekends.
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Put me on the list, yo.
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Update!
6. Mr. Nobody
(https://blog-imgs-19-origin.fc2.com/s/l/a/slapdash55/mr_nobody_2009.jpg)
The film is partly set in the year 2092. Nemo Nobody is the last mortal person on earth and on his deathbed he is telling some journalist or something about his life. But he doesn't tell it in a linear way. Time is a little mixed up, as is what actually happened. As a young boy he had to make the impossible, life altering decision of choosing between his mother or his father. So instead of telling which choice he made and what happened after, he tells both.
So in Nemo's story he ends up with three storylines and he continually jumps from one to the other.
Mr. Nobody is more a piece of art than a movie. It is about how small choices can affect your life and the lack of control you have on that. I'm afraid I'm really bad at explaining this movie, the trailer does a better job: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oU_aIfityBQ
8/10
5. The Fountain
(https://www.enthunder.com/screenshot/7ecb/7ecbbef6/The%20Fountain%20-2006/The-Fountain-cover.jpg)
While reading this text and previous little text I wrote you might think that The Fountain and Mr. Nobody are alike but they're not really. The Fountain has three story lines. One is in the current time. Another one is set in the distant future. And the third one is a fictive story set in the New Age, about a conquistador's quest in the new world.
The current storyline is that of two people, Tom, who works to cure cancer by doing experiments on chimpansees, and Izzy, who is dying of cancer. Izzy is very drawn to Mayan culture so she decides to write a book about a conquistador's quest for the tree of life, which is supposedly somewhere in the new world. This is the fictive storyline. Back to the current storyline, there is a sudden breakthrough in the lab because of a certain tree bark sample, it almost magically cured one of the chimps. This gives rise to the third storyline, where Tom is sitting in some kind of bubble out in space. He is travelling to Shibalba (which is the Orion nebula), the place where the dead go according to the Mayans.
There are a lot of delicate parallels between the storylines, which perhaps may only be appreciated on multiple watches. I've seen The Fountain at least five times and it's only gotten better for me. I love it a lot. We've all seen an Aronofsky film (Requiem for a dream, The Wrestler, Black Swan, ... ) but not many have seen The Fountain. It's really something else. Almost very frame of the movie is really beautiful, kind of like an artwork on itself. And the soundtrack is also amazing. If you like this movie it will stick on you for a long time. I don't know what the chances of someone liking this movie are. I've seen it with my girlfriend and she loved it too.
9.5/10.
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Mr. Nobody seems like it touches on quantum mechanics. In the "cat in the box" experiment, the cat is either alive or dead when you look in the box, but if you don't open the box (like Nemo didn't make a decision between father and mother), the cat is simultaneously alive and dead, existing in different "worlds" or "universes".
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Two movies that both sounds very interesting! I was most intrigued by Mr. Nobody until I read "Aronofsky", now both are pretty much equaly as interesting.
Mr. Nobody seems like it touches on quantum mechanics. In the "cat in the box" experiment, the cat is either alive or dead when you look in the box, but if you don't open the box (like Nemo didn't make a decision between father and mother), the cat is simultaneously alive and dead, existing in different "worlds" or "universes".
Just have to leave this here a little of topic, but this is hilarious:
(https://imgace.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/wanted-dead-and-alive-shrodingers-cat.jpg)
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Mr. Nobody seems like it touches on quantum mechanics. In the "cat in the box" experiment, the cat is either alive or dead when you look in the box, but if you don't open the box (like Nemo didn't make a decision between father and mother), the cat is simultaneously alive and dead, existing in different "worlds" or "universes".
I guess so, yes. :)
(https://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/schrodinger.jpg)
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4. Heima
(https://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk158/sigurmie/heima.jpg)
I'm not sure how predictable this was but surely some people must have seen this one coming. Heima is the film about Sigur Rós touring Iceland in 2006. After their 2005 world tour they did a series of free concerts all over Iceland. The beautiful scenery combined with Sigur Rós' music makes this movie truly an enchanting experience.
I don't know whether you have to like Sigur Rós or not to like this movie. Some people I've recommended this movie too who didn't like Sigur Rós either still didn't like them but found the movie enjoyable, or fell in love with them.
Not much more to say about this movie. My favourite performances are the two at the end, but this one is certainly one of the most memorable: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LiJzw_m7Xas
It's set in the fish tank of a now abandoned fish factory. Lots of echo!
Everyone I've recommended this movie to so far has liked it, but maybe that was because I thought that they would like it. I'm not sure about you guys. If you like Sigur Rós you will definitely love this movie, and if you don't know who they are, this movie is a great way to discover them. 9/10 I would have given a 10 but that would not have been fair. :)
3. Mysterious Skin
(https://images.zap2it.com/images/movie-88247/mysterious-skin-11.jpg)
Barely anyone I know has seen this movie and I don't know why, it is amazing. The movie is about two boys on a baseball team, Neil and Brian. Neil knowns from a young age already that he is gay, and he is in love with the baseball coach. When they are older, Brian still lives with his mother believing he was abducted by aliens when he was little. Neil is something of a male prostitute in New York.
Neil finds a picture of his baseball team or something and decides to visit Brian, and "together the two of them uncover the terrible truth of the scars they share" it says on IMDB.
You can probably guess what happened but that's not important. I really liked this movie because of the way you are drawn in into the boys' stort, everything unfolds in a very calm and natural way. There are a few very intense scenes but nothing too inappropriate I thought... Though some will certainly disagree. (also it has a great soundtrack!) 8.5/10
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Haven't seen any of those and have no idea who Sigur Rós are. But I am a fan of JGL so after the enormous bunch of movie I have to watch I will check out Mysterious Skin.
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Mysterious Skin is such a good film.
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Like I said in the introduction thread, movies are my other passion, here's the proof. ;D
Favorite directors: David Fincher, William Friedkin, John Carpenter, James Cameron and Kathryn Bigelow.
Favorites films from each one:
- Fincher: "Se7en", "Fight Club" and "The social network".
- Cameron: "Terminator 1 & 2", "Titanic", "Abyss" and "Aliens".
- Friedkin: "The Exorcist", "Bug", "Sorcerer" and "To live and die in L.A.".
- Carpenter: "The thing", "Prince of darkness", "Vampires" and "Escape from New York".
- Bigelow: "Near Dark", "Zero Dark Thirty", "Strange Days" and "Blue Steel".
Favorite director MORE THAN ANY OTHER: the great and only Michael Mann.
Personal Mann top ten: 1) "The Insider"; 2) "Public Enemies"; 3) "Miami Vice Director's Cut"; 4) "Manhunter"; 5) "Collateral"; 6) "Heat"; 7) "Last of the Mohicans"; 8) "Thief"; 9) "Ali"; 10) "The Keep".
Other fifteen cult films: "Black Snake Moan" (Christina I love you :heart); "No country for old men"; "Gran Torino"; "Die hard"; "Inception"; "The usual suspects"; "The 25th hour"; "Blue Valentine"; "Mad Max"; "Drive"; "Alien"; "Leaving Las Vegas"; "Man on fire"; "The Haunting (1964)" and "Smokin' Aces".
Favorite films seen in 2013 so far: "The place beyond the pines", "Zero Dark Thirty", "Flight", "7 psychopaths" and "Shadow dancer".
Top 3 favorite movies of all time: 1) The Insider (Mann); 2) "Se7en" (Fincher); 3) "The Exorcist" (Friedkin - THE 1973 VERSION ONLY!!)
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I think I should start following this thread. Also, I'm very glad and surprise to find that somebody other than me loved The Fountain. I should also check the Sigur Ros movie out, looks promising :tup
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God I hate "The fountain" and all Aronofsky's movies!! :loser:
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God I hate "The fountain" and all Aronofsky's movies!! :loser:
Wat. The Fountain is one of the best films I've watched.
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This. Looks like we have similar tastes in movies. :tup
I was displeased to find it rotten on rottentomatoes. :\
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Other fifteen cult films: "Black Snake Moan" (Christina I love you :heart); "No country for old men"; "Gran Torino"; "Die hard"; "Inception"; "The usual suspects"; "The 25th hour"; "Blue Valentine"; "Mad Max"; "Drive"; "Alien"; "Leaving Las Vegas"; "Man on fire"; "The Haunting (1964)" and "Smokin' Aces".
These are all really great movies, but I wouldn't call them all "cult films." Especially No Country for Old Men (which won four Academy Awards) and Inception.
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...Die Hard is a cult movie?
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God I hate "The fountain" and all Aronofsky's movies!! :loser:
The fact that Collateral is not your favorite Mann movie, you love Bigelow's movies and that you "hate" Aronofsky movies tells me we are not gonna get along.
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2. Happiness
(https://img835.imageshack.us/img835/4125/407720o.jpg)
Again I have no idea why so few people have seen this movie. It is absolutely amazing! It’s humor is very dark and it’s storylines are very remembrable. It’s the story of a couple of people, who at first don’t seem to have naything to do with each other but the story lines kind of intertwine as the movie goes on. Kind of like Magnolia but not that much intertwining. There’s really not much I can say about this movie, except that there are quite a few fucked-up scenes but they are soo hilarious. Such as this one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3IiDBEOOcE
It should speak for itself. If you love black humour etc you will love this movie. 9/10.
1. El laberinto del fauno (Pan's Labyrinth)
(https://normsonline.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/pans-labyrinth-poster.jpg)
This movie tells the story of Ofelia, a little girl who has to move to a military base in the woods in Spain somewhere. She has to move there because her stephfather is a military commander or something and her mother is pregnant and he wants his new wife close to him.
What happens is there is a labyrinth close by, where Ofelia finds a Faun, who believes that Ofelia is the daughter of some king of the underworld. But to determine whether she really is it, she must complete three tasks.
I put this movie at the top because it is probably the one that got my into non-mainstream films. The combination of several storylines, along with an amazing twist at the end makes this movie very enjoyable. There are some unforgetable scenes. The only thing ‘off’ about this movie is that it is in Spanish. I’m certain if it weren’t this movie wouldn’t be as obscure as it now (even though it’s not that obscure...)
Anyway, I love this movie and I really think whoever you are that you will love it too. 9/10.
Sooo.... I guess that was it :) Sorry for the incoherence of these last two but I am on a skiing trip and there’s not too much time to do everything. :)
I hope you enjoyed reading this list and watch some movies! Let me know what you thought :)
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Thanks for the list kári! Pan's Labyrinth is a movie have frequently heard that I must watch and as always I will get to it but I have a lot of other stuff to watch too. And this list keeps adding interesting movies so that's awesome!
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Nice list!
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Hells yeah Pan's Labyrinth!
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Wooo Pan's Labyrinth!
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Pan's Labyrinth is off-the-charts amazing. If I had actually thought of that movie it would have been quite high on my list. :lol Oh well, thanks for reminding me. :)
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Tried watching earlier today... couldn't find it with subtitles, so I guess I'll have to buy it..... heh :angel:
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Cool list.
I added many to my Netflix queue. :)
2. Happiness
(https://img835.imageshack.us/img835/4125/407720o.jpg)
Was I the only one who, immediately upon seeing the blonde, sweaty guy with glasses on the poster, went "Yep, gotta be Phillip Seymour-Hoffman?"
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Tried watching earlier today... couldn't find it with subtitles, so I guess I'll have to buy it..... heh :angel:
You do know that the way it's usually done is the subtitles are an external file? You download the subtitles separatly (like from subscene.com, or other subtitle sites).
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Tried watching earlier today... couldn't find it with subtitles, so I guess I'll have to buy it..... heh :angel:
You do know that the way it's usually done is the subtitles are an external file? You download the subtitles separatly (like from subscene.com, or other subtitle sites).
Yeah but I tried streaming, but I actually think Pan's Labyrinth is a movie I'd rather own now that I think about it.
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A friend of mine once told me Pan's Labyrinth is his favourite movie of all time. I've never seen it though.
snapple, you're up! (a PM has been sent)
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Awesome!
Mine is going to be a HUGE change in gears from kari's list. Let's get started! Also, if you haven't seen the movies, don't read the text below! Could be spoilers in dem dere text! The commentary for each movie will probably get longer as it gets to my favorites. I've got more to say about those :)
20.) The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)
(https://i.imgur.com/E831Qda.jpg)
Maybe this movie makes this list because I've been watching it every Christmas Eve since it came out. Maybe I love this movie because it is a fun retelling of a classic. Either way, if you guys want some family fun laughs, some great songs (and I'm not really one for musicals) and if you like Muppets movies, this is a great one for you.
19.) I Love You, Man (2009)
(https://i.imgur.com/VAc0jGp.jpg)
To be honest, I have a hard time sitting here and explaining why I love this movie so much. It is the only "true comedy" that makes my Top 20. Everything about this movie is just ridiculous and hilarious (all IMO, of course). It is a great bromance movie. Paul Rudd comes off as genuinely awkward and Jason Segel as down to earth and it just clicks on every level. It isn't filled with toilet humor and it actually includes real jokes. That's something that's hard to come by these days.
18.) The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
(https://i.imgur.com/AkpqEps.jpg)
This movie is great. I think it is the best of Nolan's Batman trilogy. I guess I should say I'm not really a Nolan fan, but I really respect what he does as a director. He's a "big picture" guy, which is why there are "plotholes" in this movie. Which, I find ridiculous that I even have to call them that. But, you know, how Batman gets back into Gotham when it is locked down, why he made the flaming bat, etc. In fact, people who bitch about how Bruce got into Gotham kind of pisses me off. I ask, wasn't it pretty fucking clear that getting out the prison was his biggest obstacle? Do you really NEED that scene where he shows up at an airport, gets close to Gotham and he sneaks in? What does that add to the movie? Don't even get me started on the nuke thing. If that's the part that bugged you, you need to realize it's a comic book movie. There are so many other things in this movie that you've suspended your disbelief for, why stop at the nuke? Anyway, the character arc of Bruce Wayne in this movie is perfect. I love how he started off as miserable as he was, and he turned into the hero Gotham needed. The emergence from the prison was probably the most powerful part in any of the three movies. Anyway, TL;DR, TDKR>TDK>BB
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I think I saw Muppet Christmas Carol once a long time ago. Classic story.
And Dark Knight Rises is really great, only missed my top 20 by a little.
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I Love You, Man is HILARIOUS. Paul Rudd and Jason Segal are great, and Rashida Jones is, well, Rashida Jones ;)
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God I hate "The fountain" and all Aronofsky's movies!! :loser:
The fact that Collateral is not your favorite Mann movie, you love Bigelow's movies and that you "hate" Aronofsky movies tells me we are not gonna get along.
:biggrin:
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17.) Princess Mononoke (1997)
(https://i.imgur.com/IPBbFqp.jpg)
This movie is freakin' awesome. I know it's an anime, but it's a really solid movie. There are great themes in Princess Mononoke, such as preserving nature. It has multi-dimensional characters and, well, it's just really good. I don't want to explain this one too much, but it is a really good watch if you haven't seen it. It holds a 94% on Rotten Tomatoes, which I think is pretty deserving. It's length can be felt at times, but other than that, it's beautiful and well done. The actors for the English version are really good.
16.) Die Hard (1988)
(https://i.imgur.com/P56O6Ve.jpg)
This is THE action movie. I love this movie for like, everything that's in it. Thieves stealing under the guise of a terrorist group, Bruce Willis kicking ass, fucking in offices and Run DMC. It's got everything. This is literally an action movie that is stripped down to it's core. I love these kinds of movies. There is no twist, no fancy shmancy shit. It's just Bruce Willis trying to save his wife and his own skin. An absolute MUST watch if you're an action movie fan.
just two for today, not feeling like typing that much for some reason!
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Two great movies, though very different. I haven't watched Princess Mononoke in ages, but I remember being pleasantly surprised by the depth that it possessed.
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More of a thriller than anything. There's definitely action, but there's more to it than just a brainless fighting and explosions Michael Bay movie. That being said, GREAT FUCKING MOVIE.
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Haven't seen any of them. Die Hard is a movie I'm definetely planning on checking out sooner or later. Princess Mononoke.. I don't know, I'm not a fan of anime at all actually..
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Haven't seen any of them. Die Hard is a movie I'm definetely planning on checking out sooner or later. Princess Mononoke.. I don't know, I'm not a fan of anime at all actually..
It is 100% worth it, even if you don't like anime. The story transcends the animation. It's more or less an animated movie, not an anime.
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Haven't seen any of them. Die Hard is a movie I'm definetely planning on checking out sooner or later. Princess Mononoke.. I don't know, I'm not a fan of anime at all actually..
It is 100% worth it, even if you don't like anime. The story transcends the animation.
If you say so.. I guess I should put in on the list then.
It's more or less an animated movie, not an anime.
There's actually no difference, it's just called "anime" when it's japanese. I think..
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I mean, treat it like something like the Incredibles or Toy Story. That kind of animation.
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Heck yeah Mononoke is on my list too :metal
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I'll have probably 5 up tomorrow. I got caught up in some stuff and I've been super busy.
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15.) Dr. No (1962)
(https://ia.media-imdb.com/images/M/MV5BOTU3NzExMTQ4N15BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwMjkzNzQzNA@@._V1_SX214_.jpg)
The first James Bond movie. This movie is frricking awesome. I watch it at least a couple times a year. From the super hot Ursula Andress (that beach scene!) to the super exciting action all throughout, this movie is just plain excellent. Whenever people ask me how to get into the Bond franchise, I always start them off with Dr. No. It is my favorite of all the Bond films.
14.) Apocalypto (2006)
(https://i.imgur.com/A09x3RX.jpg)
Now, I know this movie doesn't get a lot of love. Maybe because it's a Mel Gibson movie. Well, if you haven't (or have) seen this movie, just put aside your notion that "Mel Gibson is a crazy anti-semite". Yes, he is. But he's also a wonderfully talented director. This movie is almost a high quality B-movie with some of the things in it. The pacing is tremendous, the story is basic, the action is awesome. It's so easy to root for the Jaguar Paw (main character) because his motivation is damn near the most basic of all. He just wants to get back home to save his family. The action is so basic, too. It's reminiscent of Predator, in some ways (when it's down to just Arnold vs. the Predator). If you want a pretty gory, well written story to watch, this is it. I know it's just a movie and it's all pretty fake, but there are some parts that even spook me out. Only movie that has ever done that to me. Now, speaking off awesome as balls action movies...
13.) Predator (1987)
(https://i.imgur.com/XN35D2x.jpg)
If it bleeds we can kill it! GET TO THE CHOPPAH! etc. (more here https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093773/trivia?tab=qt&ref_=tt_trv_qu). This movie is just fucking awesome. Carl Weathers, Jesse "The Body" Ventura, Arnold and the rest of the cast are just perfectly cast for this movie. There isn't too much to say about Predator, other than it's fucking awesome. Yeah, it's not the pinnacle of filmmaking, but it's a fucking entertaining movie. And that's all I really want from a movie.
3 for now, will post 2-3 more tonight. Thanks for waiting!
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Predator :tup
First film on your list so far that I have actually seen :P
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Dr. No is pretty good, though it isn't my favourite Bond. Predator is quite good as well.
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Haven't seen any of the old Bond movies. I've Predator though, classic. "I ain't got time to bleed".
Apocalypto is awesome. I don't give a shit about Gibson's personal life as long as he gives us movies like Apocalypto.
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From Russia, With Love is definitely my favorite Bond film, but Dr. No is up there. Haven't seen Apocolypto yet, and of course Predator is a classic. Get to tha choppa! GET TO THA CHOPPA!
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It actually never occured to me how many quotable lines Predator has.
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Predator is indescribably awesome. Saw it in the theater. McTiernan really knows how to direct this type of movie.
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Any updates?
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Any updates?
Real life has been popping up lately! I will update tomorrow first thing in the morning!
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Nice list so far dude, I agree with you on The Dark Knight Rises being better than the others for similar reasons. Really enjoyed I Love You Man as well, it's one of the best comedies I've seen in a while.
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Mine is going to be a HUGE change in gears from kari's list.
*gniffles*
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12.) Evil Dead II (1987)
(https://i.imgur.com/uNv21R3.jpg)
The only "horror" movie that makes my list. This movie is great. It's got great horror elements with a ton of comedy. And the comedy parts actually add to the creepiness of what's happened to Ash. This movie is a serious "must-watch" if you haven't already. Even though it's very campy, it's really entertaining. It goes to show how well a movie can be done without a huge budget. Not much to say about this if you haven't seen it. SO GO WATCH IT! I love practical effects, also, which this movie does really well.
11.) Reservoir Dogs (1992)
(https://i.imgur.com/4zgF4XR.jpg)
Tarantino's directoral (is that right?) debut. This movie is just fucking awesome. I love the story, the gritty/realistic dialogue, everything. Apparently they didn't have enough money for reshoots, which makes some of the scenes awkward (like the scene between Mr. White and Mr. Pink), but it adds to the realism of the situation and it really immerses me into what's going on. This movie is simply stunning. Another must watch in my book.
10.) Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope (1977)
(https://i.imgur.com/55SMopl.jpg)
This movie may have been the most influential film of my childhood. While it is only my second favorite Star Wars film, it is an absolute masterpiece. How much can really be said about A New Hope? Well, not enough. Even though I was born 13 years after it's release it's impact and legacy on the toy aisle in any store, Halloween costumes, pop culture references and so on were as though it was just released the day before. This film is the most influential movie ever made. I know that's my opinion, but I can't think of a single film that has impacted the world more than A New Hope did.
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Resevoir Dogs is an absolute gem.
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Three of my favorites. Nice.
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Personally, Reservoir Dogs is nowhere near my list, but still good choices
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Haven't seen any of the Evil Dead movies, not a big fan of horror. I intend to watch Resevoir Dogs some day though since I am a fan of Tarantino.
A New Hope is not the worst but the second worst of the Star Wars movies. Excruciatingly slow and dull. It makes for an entertaining watch only because I know it's a classic, but when I take that away and just look at it for what it is beneath all of it's legacy, I don't like it.
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Haven't seen any of the Evil Dead movies, not a big fan of horror. I intend to watch Resevoir Dogs some day though since I am a fan of Tarantino.
A New Hope is not the worst but the second worst of the Star Wars movies. Excruciatingly slow and dull. It makes for an entertaining watch only because I know it's a classic, but when I take that away and just look at it for what it is beneath all of it's legacy, I don't like it.
(https://i.imgur.com/5uoxHST.gif)
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A New Hope is not the worst but the second worst of the Star Wars movies. Excruciatingly slow and dull. It makes for an entertaining watch only because I know it's a classic, but when I take that away and just look at it for what it is beneath all of it's legacy, I don't like it.
(https://www.topofcool.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/vader-fail.jpg)
or
(https://img78.imageshack.us/img78/8103/motivatora073770e7ea610.jpg)
(yes, I know it's the wrong movie)
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Fine fine hate on me for not liking A New Hope, at least I like the other two of the original trilogy ;)
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9.) The Lord of the Rings (2001, 2002, 2003)
(https://i.imgur.com/g7vZjD8.jpg)
That's right. All three of them as one. I do that because, technically, The Lord of the Rings is ONE book, in three volumes. So, ONE movie, in three volumes. These are just fucking fun. I like the books more, but I can get over the minor changes in the movies from the book. This is fantasy in the HIGHEST of it's meanings. I think I may be enjoying Game of Thrones more, but Tolkein was the OG fantasy writer. These movies are phenomenal. The settings, the battles, the practical effects, the wardrobe, the costumes, the bad guys AHHH just everything about these are fantastic. I watch the extended versions and they NEVER feel their length, to me. If you like a story where the good guys win, this is it.
8.) Saving Private Ryan (1998)
(https://i.imgur.com/U8JeGqF.jpg)
Arguably the best war movie ever made. Saving Private Ryan opens with one of the most gruesome, action packed 20 minutes of a film I have ever seen. The story of this movie is memorable, and fuck. I just love this movie. I haven't watched it in a while, but I remember all of the characters and what happens to all of them. They all are interesting and you CARE ABOUT THEM. Spielberg was on his A game when he made this one. He could have retried then and the world would have just been fine. I love this movie.
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No arguing those. I don't think I've ever seen SPR start to finish. I'm not much on war movies, and the parts I have seen are far to accurate and horrific for me to put my mind in that place - knowing this was/is reality for hundreds of thousands of people over the centuries.
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The Lord of the Rings movies, totally awesome. And I understand that you're counting them as one, I thought of doing that too for a while but changed my mind.
Saving Private Ryan is also a really really good movie.
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The Lord of the Rings movies, totally awesome. And I understand that you're counting them as one, I thought of doing that too for a while but changed my mind.
Saving Private Ryan is also a really really good movie.
Glad you don't have total shit tastes :D
It's really hard for me to write why I like these movies in description without just spelling out what happens. At that point, I'd rather just say "just watch it".
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It's really hard for me to write why I like these movies in description without just spelling out what happens. At that point, I'd rather just say "just watch it".
I had the same problem! Just try to explain why the movie is good without using the plot points.
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That's why I used spoilers. It may reduce the number of readers but I got what I wanted to say through.
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That's why I used spoilers. It may reduce the number of readers but I got what I wanted to say through.
Oh, I'm not worried about spoilers, I just feel like it's a waste of time saying why I like the movie if I'm just saying what happens in it.
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Not the biggest fan of LotR, to be honest. Saving Private Ryan is very good though... I remember reading a Cracked article on how much effort all the actors put into that movie (they were forced to undergo military training themselves, except for Matt Damon, so make the feelings of animosity between him and the rest of the guys more real in the final scene) and I watched it again afterwards, which was pretty interesting.
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Alright, I feel bad for taking up so much time, so I am just going to phone in the next 3.
7.) Seven Samurai (1954)
(https://i.imgur.com/B29tFNJ.jpg)
This is just an awesome movie. It's a bit long, and if you haven't seen it, you'll think you have. Mostly because it's been copied (Magnificent Seven). But this movie is fucking awesome. Some of the effects look pretty cheap, but hopefully it doesn't take you out of the movie.
6.) Inglourious Basterds (2009)
(https://i.imgur.com/UrKK1zW.jpg)
Another Tarantino. The movie is worth the price of admission alone based on the opening scene. Watch this just for Christoph Waltz and you will leave a happy viewer. Pitt ain't too bad, either.
5.) The Usual Suspects (1995)
(https://i.imgur.com/vCscHaO.jpg)
I believe it's been mentioned in here before. This one has a special place in my heart because it was the first type of move that it is that I have seen. I love it. I understand some people think it's overrated, but I think those people are overrated.
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The only one of those I've seen is The Seven Samurai (yet I've never seen the Magnificent Seven), which I thought was great. It is a long movie, but I didn't find it to drag at all. Nice choice.
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Seven Samurai, nice. A classic story copied quite often. One of the better old classics I've seen.
Inglorious Basterds is really great, Tarantino is king.
Usual Suspects is awesome, best one of these three.
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The Usual Suspects is fucking amazing. Good pick, 'twas on mine too :tup
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5.) Gone With The Wind (1939)
(https://i.imgur.com/vTy4Tqs.jpg)
One of the finest movies I have ever seen. A true classic.
4.) Pulp Fiction (1994)
(https://i.imgur.com/2LVBOip.jpg)
Tarantino at his finest. Not much needs to be said about this movie. Other than, ENGLISH MOTHERFUCKER, DO YOU SPEAK IT?
3.) The Godfather: Part 2 (1974)
(https://i.imgur.com/SBeKmFf.jpg)
Another classic film. DeNiro and Pacino are fucking awesome in this movie.
Alright tomorrow, I will FINISH my list. I apologize again for taking so long. I won't phone the last two in :)
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Loving your list brah
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I haven't seen Gone With the Wind but I don't think I will like it.
Pulp Fiction is a great choice though.
And I find all Godfather films just as boring as the next one. Classic? Yeah, but it's really boring.
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Bump. Who is next btw?
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Bump. Who is next btw?
It's in the OP :)
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Damn, I threw my name into the hat on this long ago, and I'm not even listed there.
Balls....I thought I asked to be included, but can't find that post.
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Damn, I threw my name into the hat on this long ago, and I'm not even listed there.
Balls....I thought I asked to be included, but can't find that post.
it was on page 10
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5.) Gone With The Wind (1939)
One of the finest movies I have ever seen. A true classic.
Totally agreed. However, the book goes into MUCH more detail. I highly recommend reading it at least once.
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Damn, I threw my name into the hat on this long ago, and I'm not even listed there.
Balls....I thought I asked to be included, but can't find that post.
it was on page 10
I'm like an idiot lately. Now I need Seeing-eye Posters to help guide me. Getting old sucks.
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2. empire strikes back
1. The godfather
I'm taking a break from forums. Was fun to do this.
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I won't phone the last two in :)
2. empire strikes back
1. The godfather
I'm taking a break from forums. Was fun to do this.
He lied. Two good choices none-the-less.
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Damn, I threw my name into the hat on this long ago, and I'm not even listed there.
Balls....I thought I asked to be included, but can't find that post.
it was on page 10
I'm like an idiot lately. Now I need Seeing-eye Posters to help guide me. Getting old sucks.
Crap, sorry. It gets pretty easy to miss those posts.. I put you on the list now, but you're last in line though. ariich's application was on page 7 or 8, so you're behind him.
Also, seneca, you're up!
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The Last in Line!! \m/. DIO FTW!!!
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Hello ladies and gentlemen. Sorry for the delay, I've been pretty swamped the last couple days, and will likely be pretty swamped as I get started on final exams for school this next week. Anywho, these are my 20 favorite movies! After setting the top 10-15, I had difficulty filling in the last spots. I'm not expecting too much surprise from any of my picks, because as far as I can tell these are the 20 best films ever created ;)
It goes without saying (yet I'm saying it anyways) that if you haven't seen the film and don't want any spoilers you should not read what I have to say about it.
20. The Godfather (1972)
(https://bugaga.ru/uploads/posts/2012-11/thumbs/1352296227_10movies-better-than-shawshank-redemption-9.jpg)
Starting it off, we have a true classic in every sense of the of the word. Classic actors, classic quotes, a classic story in a classic setting, and undoubtedly one of the most influential films ever. Perhaps one of it's greatest strengths is in time management. Clocking in at just under 3 hours, The Godfather carries the depth of a film almost twice as long while never feeling tiresome or bloated. The transformation of Michael Corleone over the course of this movie, and obviously into the sequel, is one of my personal favorite character arcs of all time. The fact that it received 3 nominations for best supporting actor is a testament to the overall acting ability of the entire cast, and the resultant strength of the characters. The real gem here though, in terms of acting, is clear. The Godfather, Don Vito Corleone, could not have been portrayed by a more capable actor than Marlon Brando. Coupled with great writing and a spectacular setting and this no longer feels like simple entertainment. It is an experience, and the aftermath of its glory have been felt again and again ever since, from other classic mafia stories such as Goodfellas to the land of television in The Sopranos, as well as everything in between.
19. Manhattan (1979)
(https://blog.diarioinformacion.com/tras-la-peli-los-creditos/files/2009/10/manhattan.jpg)
Next up is my favorite romantic comedy of all time. Being the manly man that I am (yehright), romantic comedies don't often do much of anything for me. Still, this one's in a league of its own. If I had to recommend a single film to a stranger, to give them a basic idea of what Woody Allen is about, this would be priority number one. I really enjoy Woody Allen as an actor, even though he is admittedly one-dimensional in that regard, almost always playing the exact same neurotic character. Nonetheless, it's a character that I love, and one that he portrays with great expertise. However, much better than his acting is his skill as a writer. The subtle comedy permeating this, and many of his other films, always feels natural and, in turn, much more rewarding. To stop myself from slobbering over the genius of Woody Allen too much, it might be a good idea to let you in on what this film is about. Shot in black in white, the film follows the complex relationships between 42 year old twice divorced Isaac Davis (Allen) and his 17 year old girlfriend, as well as his friend Yale and his mistress Mary (Yale's mistress, that is). The intrigue is in the interconnected relationships between these characters and the developing feeling that each and everyone of them, and in turn the audience as well, may be just as neurotic as the struggling Isaac Davis. The dialogue has fantastic depth, as Allen lays the foundation for existential themes and the nature of love and fidelity. As I hinted at before, the humor alone is well worth the cost of admission, and everything else only amplifies the effectiveness of this movie. Manhattan balances a lighthearted tone with thought provoking themes in little more than 90 minutes. Contrasted with The Godfather, presented like a masterpiece portrait, this is more like a charming snapshot that everyone ought to enjoy at least once.
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Haven't seen Manhattan and unfortunately I'm not a fan at all of the Godfather. It's not like I can't understand why it's so highly regarded because I respect it as a classic, but I found the movie/s itself rather boring..
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Bump!
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The Godfather is simply cinematic brilliance.
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Sorry guys, this week has been tough because of exams. Expect another update this afternoon!
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18. Contact (1997)
(https://static1.trouw.nl/static/photo/2011/2/16/5/cmp_m_546005.jpg)
Here we go, with the first Scifi film on my list! I expect that this will be one of the less popular choices, as I doubt many of y'all have seen it. Anyways, I've seen the movie 3 times, all within the last 5 years or so, and miraculously manage to enjoy more with each additional viewing. As the title suggests, this is a movie about contact, namely Jodie Foster's crusade for extraterrestrial contact. Without giving much away, as I'd suggest you just watch the movie yourself and see why I enjoy it so much, the film follows Dr. Ellie (a nickname I believe) portrayed by Jodie foster all the way to the film's climax and her journey to Vega. What I really enjoy about this movie is the realism that moves beyond most typical science fiction movies. Add to that the underlying, implied mystical journey represented through 'Contact' and the film always leaves me with something to think about.
17. Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
(https://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-kul1MqSXZ8/SH_Q871iIhI/AAAAAAAABO4/y9BDSTGrYK8/s400/star-wars-episode-5-the-empire-strikes-back-1-1024.jpg)
Here we have a true classic, and one which deserves all the praise it receives. I really don't need to explain this pick to you guys. Incredible story, awesome characters, fantastic world building, and epic sequences. My only issue with the original series (we won't get into the 3 modern flicks) is what I consider to be some of the cheesiest dialogue of all time. Still, its part of the experience and, at the end of the day, only adds the the unique power of this movie.
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Contact is truly great. Feels like something Arthur C. Clarke would write. Don't know if I would want to watch it more than once though since one of the best things with the movie was not knowing what the hell would happen.
Empire Strikes Back is obviously awesome too, no arguing that pick.
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16. Good Will Hunting (1997)
(https://www.dbcovers.com/imagenes/backdrops/thumbs/el_indomable_will_hunting_1997//el_indomable_will_hunting_1997_1.jpg)
This one's a more recent discovery, for me. After hearing the hype for years, I finally got around to watching it a couple months ago, with a second viewing yesterday :D I suspect most of you have seen this one, and if you haven't, you really ought to join the party. First and foremost, the writing, from college-aged Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, is superb. It's the story of the troubled Will Hunting, grown out of the less attractive side of Boston, who also happens to be an off-the-charts genius. The more interesting bit of this movie, in my opinion, is his psychological development over the course of the movie; guided along by Robin Williams. For those of you who think Robin Williams is best as a comedic actor, I direct you here for evidence on the contrary. His acting job here is stellar, and works well off of the rebellious genius portrayed by Matt Damon. In short, this is a thoroughly immersive feel good movie.
15. The Dark Knight (2008)
(https://ext.pimg.tw/allen201242002/1342792845-3847607918_n.jpg)
If I'm being honest, I have to admit that I've been calling this movie one of the 'most overrated' ever since I saw it. With that out of the way, it is a very good movie, and definitely worth seeing at least once. Batman Begins was good, and TDKR was also enjoyable, but this is by far the best of the trilogy. I'm a Christopher Nolan supporter, and this movie is one of the largest reasons why. It is, unquestionably, my favorite comic book hero movie adaptation to date. And that's because it doesn't feel like a superhero movie. It manages to be both fresh and unique, while also maintaining a strongly realistic feel. Of course, it would be doing a disservice if I didn't also mention the Joker, who manages to turn what would be a good movie into a great movie. Perhaps the greatest antagonist ever.
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"Greatest antagonist ever" ... Great description.
Good Will Hunting ... I remember my 85 year old grandmother watching the first 20 minutes or so, then leaving because of all the profanity. :lol. Absolutely fantastic movie.
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Fantastic list so far
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Haven't seen the first one. But The Dark Knight is awesome. Haven't seen it in a while so I just diceded to see it now.
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Haven't seen the first one.
Seriously, do it. It's on Netflix if you have it
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16. Good Will Hunting (1997)
Ugh. I mean, it's a good movie but the mathematics part... Like this one scene where Will is talking to the math professor and the professor is like "Hmmmmm.... I see you used Maclaurin series here" and Will is like "I don't know what it's called, I just use them!!"... It made me cringe sooo hard.
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I'm probably not going to get to post any updates for the next couple days, so I'll do the next four now.
14. Memento (2000)
(https://musicalsareoverrated.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/memento-image.jpg?w=487)
I love a good psychological thriller and Memento is, without a doubt, one of the best I've seen. For those of you haven't seen it, what makes the film so enjoyable (especially on the second viewing) is the way the plot is presented. In a nutshell, there are two different sequences; one told in chronological order and the other in reverse, each headed towards the same final spot. Obviously not traditional, the non-linear presentation works exceptionally well for this particular movie, as it tells the story of a man with severe memory issues. As I said in the last update, I am a big Christopher Nolan fan, and this is my favorite of his movies. It has everything a great movie should, while still distancing itself from other good movies through it's unique format. Last but not least, Guy Pearce does a phenomenal job in this movie. I'm not a huge fan of his roles in other movies I've seen, but this one is absolutely captivating. For all the Inception fan boys out there: THIS is Christopher Nolan's best psychological thriller, not to mention overall film.
13. A Beautiful Mind (2001)
(https://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Arts/Arts_/Pictures/2012/12/19/1355935545255/Russell-Crowe-in-A-Beauti-009.jpg)
Up next we have another more recent movie. This one being the supposed best picture of 2001, according to the Academy (I'm not so sure I agree, but we'll get to that later ;)) The film is a biographical drama based on brainiac John Nash, following his time in Princeton, MIT, and the CIA. While not quite as thrilling as Memento, they do share a dark psychological element. I don't want to ruin the plot too much, so I'll leave it at that. And while it may not get the blood flowing as much as the aforementioned movie, it does get both the brain working and the emotional heartstrings vibrating (not sure that's a thing, I'll go for it anyhow). As for the acting... impeccable. Russell Crow is, quite possibly, my favorite actor. Of course Jennifer Connelly is a great actor as well, winning best supporting actress for her role here, as well as sporting one of the most attractive bodies in the world. A beautiful rack, a beautiful idea, a beautifully executed film. A Beautiful Mind.
12. Babel (2006)
(https://img256.imageshack.us/img256/4839/babelm.jpg)
Moving a little bit closer to the present, here we have Babel. This one tells 4 stories, each taking part in different parts of the world with different characters. There's the rural Moroccan herding family, the travelling American couple, their kids back home being cared for by the Mexican nanny, and the young deaf Japanese girl. The stories are all connected on some level, some moreso than others (the Japanese girl is only barely connected). Anyhow, to get the movie kicked off. Young Moroccan boys shoot American woman with gun traced back to Japanese girl's dad, while children travel a little ways south of the border for the nanny's son's wedding. If that sounds cluttered and not worth your time, you're in the same place that I was before I decided to give it a try. However, I was thankful that I did, because this movie is nearly perfect in all regards. Incredibly emotional storytelling that leaves you wanting more, brought to life by great actors (the two stars Pitt and Blanchett are both great, but the real surprise is the Mexican nanny Adriana Barraza), utilizing stellar cinematography, all surrounded by one of the best soundtracks you'll ever hear (won the Academy award I believe). I LOVE LOVE LOVE interrelated stories told in parallel, and if you do to, this is the one.
11. Death at a Funeral (2007)
(https://trailers.apple.com/moviesxml/s/independent/posters/deathatafuneral_l200707121618.jpg)
THIS IS NOT THE SHITTY AMERICAN REMAKE FROM 2010. IF YOU HAPPEN TO HAVE SEEN THAT ONE, I'M SORRY. IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN EITHER, MAKE SURE IT'S THIS. Moving on... While a lot of the movies on my list have some comedic tendencies, this is by far the funniest. In fact, this is the funniest movie I've ever seen. I should precursor this by saying I'm a big fan of most British comedy, so long as it's not called Monty Python. Johnny English, Mr. Bean, Coupling (TV series), etc. all induce big laughter hardons for me. But none come close to Death at a Funeral. The humor is entirely situational, as chaos unfolds on the day of the funeral. Given the tight frame within which this movie sits, timing is crucial. Thankfully, the timing and unfolding of the plot could not be better, and the somewhat frenetic pacing encourages the viewer to run along laughing all the time. I'm not going to tell you a thing about the situations that always have me rolling around looking for oxygen as I crack ribs laughing too hard, because that would not suffice. With all that being said, I realize that comedy is entirely subjective, and maybe this just isn't your kind of humor. Still, it most certainly does fit my mold: witty, fun, well developed, not entirely unbelievable, and light.
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Death at a Funeral has become a thread in the fabric of my family's relationship. I guarantee that if a visitor in my home ever says, "I can't remember his name." every one of my family with in ear shot would say, " Try Philip." The only other comedies that come close to having the same universal appeal are Office Space and Napoleon Dynamite.
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Quite some stuff in here I haven't seen yet. Contact sounds interesting.
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Memento is really good. Even though it's only almost my favorite Nolan movie there is no way I'm surprised that it is yours.
A Beautiful Mind and Babel are two movies I have wanted to see for a long time now.
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Babel sounds interesting. Senecedawg, you should check out The Fall, Mr. Nobody and The Fountain if you haven't seen them.. :)
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Babel sounds interesting. Senecedawg, you should check out The Fall, Mr. Nobody and The Fountain if you haven't seen them.. :)
I haven't seen the Fall or Mr. Nobody, but I have seen the Fountain. It's a good movie
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Well definitely check out the other two since you LOVE LOVE LOVE interrelated stories told in parallel. :)
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Memento is amazing.
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Memento is amazing.
it does!!!!!
Into the top 10!
10. Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi (1983)
(https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-me49zlZ9f3Q/UYQrT7eaRaI/AAAAAAAABJo/YcSj37LOUBs/s1600/ROTJ2.jpg)
So episode V came in at 17, and this here, the conclusion and my personal favorite of the saga, lands at 10. Now I realize most people tend to think that Empire Strikes Back is the best of the series, but most people also tend to be wrong. Maybe it's the fact that I like a happy ending, or perhaps its just a nice feeling of closure. Better yet, maybe it's finally getting to see Luke reach his potential, watch Vader redeem himself (if only just a little), and watch ewoks take down giant mechanical chickens. Whatever it is, this is about as perfect a conclusion as I could imagine for my favorite sci-fi film series ever. Most of what I have to say was already say when I said my bit for episode V, but to reiterate: fantastically large complex universe, full of interesting and well developed characters, telling an age-old story everyone can relate to on at least some level. Fantastic on every level!
9. The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
(https://i500.listal.com/image/1181056/500full.jpg)
Some good movies came out in 1994. Forrest Gump, Lion King, Pulp Fiction, and best of all... The Shawshank Redemption. Adapted from a Steven King novel (something I actually didn't learn until today), Shawshank is the story of the banker Andy Dufresne convicted to a life in prison for the murder of his wife. The movie covers the next couple decades, until Andy's escape from prison on the heels of a lot of work with a small rock hammer. The movie is beautifully shot, the actors are excellent, the writing is even more excellent, and the story is both believable and surprising. When Tim Robbins has finally made his escape, and he stands there in the rain, you can't help but feel moved. An all around great cinematic experience, and all around a better movie than the often listed Forrest Gump. This movie is godly.
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Jedi is great because of the sense of desperation at the end, just before Chewie and the Ewoks turn the tide.
It also has one of the most subtle (and I'm certain, intentional) story elements told via clothing. Luke wore black during the entire end of the movie, when there was a doubt about him turning to the Dark Side. But when he doesn't and Vader is redeemed, the collar is open on Luke's shirt, and it is white underneath. If intentional, it is brilliant.
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It absolutely is intentional, I believe.
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It also has one of the most subtle (and I'm certain, intentional) story elements told via clothing. Luke wore black during the entire end of the movie, when there was a doubt about him turning to the Dark Side. But when he doesn't and Vader is redeemed, the collar is open on Luke's shirt, and it is white underneath. If intentional, it is brilliant.
Really? I never saw that, that's pretty awesome!
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2 great movies there, Jedi was always my favorite and indeed was my favorite movie EVER for awhile there in the 80s. King has written a ton of great stories and "Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption" is just another one. In fact I believe I prefer his short story/novella collections over most of his novels. The Bachman Books and Different Seasons are my 2 favorites.
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I like almost everything about Return of the Jedi, except I'm on team-dislike-Ewoks.
Shawshank Redemption on the other hand is pretty much as near perfection as it gets.
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It also has one of the most subtle (and I'm certain, intentional) story elements told via clothing. Luke wore black during the entire end of the movie, when there was a doubt about him turning to the Dark Side. But when he doesn't and Vader is redeemed, the collar is open on Luke's shirt, and it is white underneath. If intentional, it is brilliant.
Really? I never saw that, that's pretty awesome!
If you are old enough to remember the original trailers, the main theme was "Is Luke going to turn". Every time they showed him, he was wearing black. When I first caught the white "lapel", I thought it was the coolest thing. I finally knew that he wasn't going to turn.
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8. The Matrix (1999)
(https://rettdad.files.wordpress.com/2012/05/matrix-box1.jpg)
I'm sure nearly everyone here has seen this one, and assume most enjoyed it at least a bit. For me, it's without a doubt the best single science fiction movie ever made. The visual effects are cool, even if a little dated now, only 14 years later. The action sequences are a blast and the music fits perfectly with the whole cyberpunk shtick. The acting isn't anything special, but this is one of the few times when when that honestly doesn't bother me in the slightest. The characters are still interesting, the dystopia setting still inviting, and the plot still intriguing. Most importantly, the theme of the movie is right up my alley. The movie is a fantastic allegory drawing ideas from many age old mystic philosophies. It's a movie about waking up, be it from the ever-dominating technology controlling our lives (says me, sitting in my computer), society's confining thought patterns, and most importantly the mad world inside an absorbed mind. The movie shouts, wake up and smell the coffee! practice awareness! take the red pill!
7. Cloud Atlas (2012)
(https://img541.imageshack.us/img541/9044/cloudatlaslacritiquegal.jpg)
Numbers 8 and 7, both Wachowski movies. This one is, obviously, much more recent and therefore difficult to judge against The Matrix. With that being said, as of now this is definitely my favorite of the two. In fact, the only thing keeping this one at 7 and not a couple spots higher is my apprehension at placing such a recent movie so high on the list, without first seeing how it ages and what its lasting impact will ultimately be on me. I could easily see it making it's way into my top 5, or even three, movies of all time, but this feels like a safe spot for it now.
With that out of the way, I want to let you in on why I have such an uncontrollable love for this movie. Based on the novel by David Mitchell, which I ended up reading after my second viewing of the movie, this is easily one of the most ambitious efforts I've ever had the pleasure of experiencing in the world of cinema. Consequently, Cloud Atlas could have, very easily, failed. And apparently many critics believe that the movie did fail, which I will probably never understand. Sure, it's not an entirely perfect movie. But the way I see it, the movie which strives to be something as grand as this one and stumbles once or twice deserves a world more of recognition than the movie that does not dare and suffers from not a single hiccup. This movie pushes the envelope, and it deserves to be rewarded for that.
Cloud Atlas is six stories, in six locations, with six sets of characters, six conflicts, all occurring in six different points in time. It is mystery, science fiction, comedy, and historical, all at the same time. There are connections between the plots of the six stories, and plenty of fun nuggets to pick up along the ride. The movement between story lines is seamless, even if some are less exciting than others. Even more interesting than the plot connections though, in my opinion, are the thematic connections. Through its unique format, Cloud Atlas forces its audience to confront the truth that some ideas are universal and subject to no one single time. Humanity's struggle for freedom, our battles against both internal and external demons, our search for the truth, and our passion for life. This movie is, at its core, one of the most genuine I've ever seen. It is a work of immense love, and the product really shows it.
The acting is very peculiar and worth mentioning. The 7 primary actors all play a number of different roles, one for each story. Tom Hanks and Halle Berry each pull their weight, considering the complexities of having to act through so many different characters in a single production. Jim Broadbent also does an incredible job in his main role as Tim Cavendish (in the hysterical present-day story of an aging writer attempting to escape from the elderly home to which he's been committed). Some of the make up jobs are, admittedly, not quite right, but that only adds to the experience and reminds us of the interconnectedness of it all. Last but not least, the score for this movie is astounding. Sure the famed 'Cloud Atlas Sextet' is rather simple, but it is nonetheless a chilling melody and central to my favorite soundtrack of recent memory.
Sorry if I went on a bit too long for this one, I know it's much more than I've had to say about any of the other films on my list thus far. I saw it 3 times in theaters and just bought it on bluray yesterday.
What wouldn't I give now for a never-changing map of the ever-constant ineffable? To possess, as it were, an atlas of clouds
I believe there is another world waiting for us. A better world. And I'll be waiting for you there.
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Cloud Atlas, interesting. I really want to see that, just waiting for the blu-ray or DVD so I can buy it.
Matrix is great.
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Really liking your list, senecadawg2!
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Really liking your list, senecadawg2!
Thanks for showing interest!
And
Cloud Atlas, interesting. I really want to see that, just waiting for the blu-ray or DVD so I can buy it.
Matrix is great.
Yes on all counts.
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Cloud Atlas, interesting. I really want to see that, just waiting for the blu-ray or DVD so I can buy it.
Matrix is great.
ditto.
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6. Gladiator (2000)
(https://mumabulous.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/gladiator-movies-15324569-1280-800.jpg)
This one here is the greatest historical drama that I'm aware of. The movie's directed by Ridley Scott, and stars Russell Crowe and Joaquin Phoenix. It won 5 academy awards, including best picture and best actor, neither of which I can or will dispute. As the title suggests, it is the story of a gladiator. More than just arena entertainment, Maximus is a one-time powerful general in the Roman military, before his betrayal and near death at the hands of heir to the throne Commodus. One of the most despicable film villains I can think of, Commodus, sums it up nicely here:
The general who became a slave. The slave who became a gladiator. The gladiator who defied an emperor
The acting is awesome, definitely Russel Crowe's finest job to date (as I mentioned earlier for A Beautiful Mind, Crowe is possibly my favorite actor of all time). Joaquin Phoenix was nominated for best supporting actor for this one as well, for his excellent portrayal of such a disdainful personality as Commodus. The score is one of my favorites of all time, the plot is intense, well paced, and not predictable. Certain scenes never fail to tug on these heartstrings, and others never fail to raise my blood pressure. The action is both thrilling and not over the top. This movie is, in a word, epic. It's not a word I use often, as I think it's often overused to the point where it doesn't carry any weight. But for this particular movie, and only a handful of others, the description could not be more appropriate.
ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED?
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"What we do echoes in eternity" could be one of my favorite movie lines of all time. And Circus Maximus adapted it so brilliantly with Glory of the Empire. Epic movie.
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It's got many great quotes, but I think I'm with you on that one being the best. Along with:
Maximus: I knew a man once who said, "Death smiles at us all. All a man can do is smile back."
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19.) I Love You, Man (2009)
(https://i.imgur.com/VAc0jGp.jpg)
To be honest, I have a hard time sitting here and explaining why I love this movie so much. It is the only "true comedy" that makes my Top 20. Everything about this movie is just ridiculous and hilarious (all IMO, of course). It is a great bromance movie. Paul Rudd comes off as genuinely awkward and Jason Segel as down to earth and it just clicks on every level. It isn't filled with toilet humor and it actually includes real jokes. That's something that's hard to come by these days.
Ancient, I know. But great choice. I love it lots too. :tup
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I haven't seen it, but really enjoy both Paul Rudd and Jason Segel so I should check it out.
And also, while we're doing this, I just recently watched The low budget scifi Primer because of someone's mentioning it here a while back. If memory serves me right, it was in Scorp's list. If you ever get around to reading this, I don't know how I feel about the movie. I'd be lying if I didn't say I was beyond confused, and couldn't tell for sure whether I liked or disliked it.
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Gladiator, excellent choice. As I said in the movie thread I tried re-watching it the other day but my blu-ray player isn't updated. Strength and honor.
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OMG GLADIATOR :hefdaddy :metal
That movie is SO incredibly bad ass. :heart
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Suprised to see Cloud Atlast ranked so high, but nothing wrong there
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19.) I Love You, Man (2009)
(https://i.imgur.com/VAc0jGp.jpg)
To be honest, I have a hard time sitting here and explaining why I love this movie so much. It is the only "true comedy" that makes my Top 20. Everything about this movie is just ridiculous and hilarious (all IMO, of course). It is a great bromance movie. Paul Rudd comes off as genuinely awkward and Jason Segel as down to earth and it just clicks on every level. It isn't filled with toilet humor and it actually includes real jokes. That's something that's hard to come by these days.
Ancient, I know. But great choice. I love it lots too. :tup
Wait, did you just say that a 4 year old movie is ancient?
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No, that is not what he meant.
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Enter the top 5!
5. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)
(https://img2-3.timeinc.net/ew/dynamic/imgs/040924/131222__gollum_l.jpg)
The Lord of the Rings books were some of the first that I read as a child, and I have treasured them ever since. It is, quite simply, the greatest story ever told. The amount of depth in Tolkien's universe is astounding, and the overwhelming amount of detail that makes up not only these stories, but an entire history, is nothing short of genius. In 2002 I was a young one, only in the second grade. The day this movie came out I skipped school to go see the first viewing possible (midnight was out of the question, so I had to settle :P). By the time this had come out, I'd seen the Fellowship several times and was eagerly awaiting it's release. Given my adoration of the books, I was most excited to see how they would pull off the ending in the movie. For those of you who don't know, the Two Towers book ends with the affair in Shelob's lair, a scene that was pushed back into the third installment of the film series. Another qualm I had with the film was the way Faramir initially meant to take the ring back to Gondor before later changing his mind (as opposed to just letting them go as it was told in the book). While at the time I was livid, I have since accepted the reasoning behind Peter Jackson's tinkering and fully appreciate the fact that he had the balls to take on such a project in the first place.
I could go on all day about this incredible movie. Helm's Deep: Incredible battle sequence brought to life in a thrilling manner. The introduction of Gollum could not have been better. Andy Serkis delivers a haunting performance that I'm unlikely to ever forget. As is the case with all three movies, the make-up, cinematography, other technical details, and score are all flawless. The ents are well developed, even if that particular story arc doesn't excite me as much as the broken fellowship or Frodo and Sam. Rohan could have very easily been messed up, but thankfully that's not the case here. This one also takes a slightly darker turn from where The Fellowship of the Ring left off, focusing on the incredible destruction as the metallic fist of industrialization and war begin to cover the once green world. Overall, sitting in the middle of Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Two Towers is almost as good as it gets.
4. El Laberinto Del Fauno, Pan's Labyrinth (2006)
(https://hapstancedepart.files.wordpress.com/2011/02/pan.jpg?w=614)
The first time I sat down to watch this one I didn't quite no what to expect, given nothing but positive reviews to go on. Over the course of the next two hours, I experienced genuine fear, pain, sadness, and beauty as Guillermo del Toro sucked me into this work art. I was shocked at what I had seen, and didn't quite know where to go next with my life. So I took a piss, returned to the couch, and did it again. I watched it the next day as well, and for the fourth time last night. The fact that I could watch it 3 times in one day is both a testament to its power, as well as my strength (I don't mean to toot my own horn but let's face it, this here'e one of the most emotionally draining movies out there).
Set in 1944 Spain this is the story of a young girl Ofelia, caught between the harsh reality of her time and the the fantasy world into which she must escape. The story sets up as our protagonist, stepdaughter to the brutal Captain Vidal, travels with her mother to the location of his stationing before the birth of Ofelia's soon-to-be brother. Without going into too much detail from that point on, we can deduce a couple of things. For starters, Vidal is one of the most contemptible movie characters ever, and that's both due to del Toro's characterization of him as well as the great acting job of Sergi López. Next, our director has some dark stuff rattling around inside his dome, and he's not afraid to let us in. Finally, his presentation of that dark fantasy is stellar from top to bottom. The make-up and costume design creates images that you cannot only see, but also feel. The visual effects are on point, and the creature designs are able to both terrify and disgust in a disturbing harmony. All of this works to produce a unique movie experience which, ultimately, feels like something else entirely. It has an uncanny dream-like quality to it, reminding its audience of the sometimes opaque nature of reality and, in turn, prompting questions as to the reality of Ofelia's haunting fantasy. It's an experience that has aptly been described time and time again as a dark fairy tale for adults. It also forces the viewer to pay attention to detail, and appropriately leaves some things open to interpretation all the way through it's twisted conclusion. If you haven't yet seen this movie, it's time you do.
Mother Carmen: Ofelia! Magic does not exist. Not for you, me or anyone else
:'(
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I love your list
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Two Towers is awesome. Tried to watch Pan's Labyrinth a while back but couldn't find it with subtitles so I decided to buy it instead.
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Pan's Labyrinth is amazing. Such an awesome film :heart
I don't like LOTR.
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Pan's Labyrinth is amazing. Such an awesome film :heart
I don't like LOTR.
Were you the one with Primer on your list?
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Nope. I think DOC was?
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Nope. I think DOC was?
Oh okay, I didn't want to go searching through the old lists again (lazy me). I was just going to say, what a bizarre movie
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Pan's Labyrinth is AMAZING.
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Both are amazing.
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Sorry I wasn't able to post another update yesterday, I had a fever of 104 and couldn't find the strength to make it to the computer. Anyways, I'm feeling a bit better and would like to share the next 2 films on my list.
3. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
(https://www.infobarrel.com/media/image/135350_max.jpg)
If you just barely skimmed what I had to say about The Two Towers, you already know that this fantasy trilogy is my favorite story of all time. You also know how much I adore the books, Peter Jackson's vision to tackle such a story, and the product. While only separated by one spot on my list, I enjoy TROTK considerably more than The Two Towers. I talked about how Gladiator was such an epic movie, and it is, but The Lord of the Rings takes the cake in that regard, and I cannot imagine a more well-executed ending to the films.
Nominated for 11 Academy Awards, and winning all of them, the Return of the King deserves the universal acclaim it has received. The cinematography is outstanding, with the New Zealand landscape capturing the beauty of Middle Earth like no other place in the world. The score sends chills down my spine even now, after seeing it about 20 times. The acting is great, the pacing is excellent (not a minute too long, despite its 200 minute run time), the special effects are spot on, the makeup and costume designs are believeable, and the script is true to Tolkein's novels. This here is a work of passion for Peter Jackson, and you cannot help feeling that he gave everything he possibly could to bring it to life. I'm not going to touch the plot, as I'm sure you have all seen it. Suffice it to say that this is storytelling at its best.
Hold your ground, hold your ground! Sons of Gondor, of Rohan, my brothers! I see in your eyes the same fear that would take the heart of me. A day may come when the courage of men fails, when we forsake our friends and break all bonds of fellowship, but it is not this day. An hour of woes and shattered shields, when the age of men comes crashing down! But it is not this day! This day we fight! By all that you hold dear on this good Earth, I bid you stand, Men of the West!
2. The Fountain (2006)
(https://www.hellbovine.com/images/the-fountain.jpg)
Babel sounds interesting. Senecedawg, you should check out The Fall, Mr. Nobody and The Fountain if you haven't seen them.. :)
I haven't seen the Fall or Mr. Nobody, but I have seen the Fountain. It's a good movie
Kari, I obviously didn't let on just how good of a movie I think this is so as to not spoil its placement later on the list. I do intend to watch the other two movies you suggested there because like I said, I LOVE LOVE LOVE interconnected stories told in parallel.
I'm no Aronofsky fan boy and, in fact, I cannot claim to even enjoy most of his popular movies (Black Swan, Requiem for a Dream, and Pi didn't do anything for me). The only other one of his films that I could even pretend to like would be The Wrestler, but even that is, ultimately, pedestrian. With that being said, imagine my surprise when I sat down to watch this, Aronofsky's most critiqued film to date, for the first time and it absolutely blew me away.
Some movies have an incredible beauty to them, be it a result of the filming locations (LOTR, I'm looking at you), the visual effects, the way the story is told, or the beauty inherent in the film's theme. The Fountain is one such film, oozing beauty like no other. Surprisingly a relatively low budget film, using no CGI whatsoever, the visuals are sublime. The filming techniques are also quite unique, and they do an excellent job of highlighting the overarching themes of life and death. While the movie tells the three separate stories, from the 16th Century Spanish Conquistador to the 21st century cancer researcher to the 26th century astronaut, there are many connecting qualities. I'm not going to get into my interpretation of just how connected all the stories are, because that's for you to decide after seeing it for yourself. The beauty in watching The Fountain for the first, second, or third time is that you can discover something new with each additional viewing (for example, I just discovered a couple visual motifs in the filming techniques that I wasn't able to catch in my first two viewings).
In each of the three stories, Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weisz play the lead roles. Rachel Weisz does a good job, while Hugh Jackman puts on the performances of a lifetime. I make performance plural because, while there are similarities in the characters, The Fountain demands that Jackman portrays each with some level of uniqueness. Coupled with the overwhelming visual beauty of this movie is perhaps the greatest soundtrack ever made. At the end of the day, it's a film about acceptance, life and death, the grieving inherent in the latter, pain, and most of all: love. It unquestionably leaves its mark, emotionally, and deserves credit for that alone. Given that he is able to wrap all of this into such a beautiful work of art, Aronofsky's The Fountain clearly deserves this spot as the 2nd greatest movie ever created.
Listen, listen. He said that if they dug his father's body up, it would be gone. They planted a seed over his grave. The seed became a tree. Moses said his father became a part of that tree. He grew into the wood, into the bloom. And when a sparrow ate the tree's fruit, his father flew with the birds. He said... death was his father's road to awe. That's what he called it. The road to awe
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20. The Godfather
19. Manhattan
18. Contact
17. Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
16. Good Will Hunting
15. The Dark Knight
14. Memento
13. A Beautiful Mind
12. Babel
11. Death at a Funeral
10. Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi
9. Shawshank Redemption
8. The Matrix
7. Cloud Atlas
6. Gladiator
5. Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
4. Pan's Labyrinth
3. Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2. The Fountain
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Return of the King is my number 1, masterpiece.
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#1 better be The Godfather Part II.
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#1 better be The Godfather Part II.
Sorry...
Honorable mention numbers 1 and 2: Godfather Part II and Fight Club.
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Fellowship
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Star Wars
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You've Got Mail
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Planet of Storms
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Really approve of the last few updates :tup
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Super Troopers
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A couple more honorable mentions, from Al Pacino and Ingmar Bergman...
Scarface (1983)
Serpico (1973)
The Seventh Seal (1958)
The Virgin Spring (1960)
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Good pick for second place! :)
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Thanks to all of you for showing any interest, it was nice to share my favorite movies. Modern rock music (whatever that ridiculously general term entails) and film are my two favorite forms of artistic expression and entertainment, and it's great to be able to share both the former, and now, the latter with y'all.
As much fun as this has been for me, there's no need to prolong the inevitable. It is the best movie I have ever seen, and should not come as a surprise given the recent direction my list has taken.
1. The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
(https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/s720x720/560065_128141624031241_1321857855_n.jpg)
In fifth place we had The Two Towers, my least favorite of the trilogy. In third The Return of the King made its appearance. Now, finally, we have first and the best of the lot TFOTR. While The Return of the King may have won more awards, all of which it deserved, this one here will always hold the crown in my heart. By the time the conclusion came around in 2003, I knew what I was going to get. As I expected, it was an excellent film in all regards, and a perfect conclusion for the trilogy. The greater sentimental value of The Fellowship for me is, in large part, due to the fact that in 2001 I wasn't quite sure what to expect. Being in love with the story already, through the novels, I was terrified that the movies would ruin the intensity of that story, the characters, and most of all: Middle Earth. So when I did watch it and found that it hadn't ruined anything, only reinforced my own vision, I was sent into a state of bliss that has not, and perhaps will not, ever be topped.
In late 2001, when it was released, I was about to turn 7. Looking back, it does seem slightly odd that my mom took me to the theater to see it at that young of an age. I've rewatched it about 3 or 4 times a year, on average, for the past 10 years. With much more viewings in the first two years after its release, I'd say I've probably seen it close to 50 times now. I could go on and on about why I love the movie, besides the sentimentality of it, but given that I've already covered that stuff pretty well with its two successors I feel that to reiterate would just be beating a dead horse. It was great then, its great now, and it continues to show signs of aging well, into the future.
So do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us. There are other forces at work in this world Frodo, besides the will of evil.
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I don't like LOTR.
Though the first one was the one that was kinda sorta okay, unlike the later ones.
Other than that, I agreed with pretty much every entry on the list, though. Thanks for sharing!
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Yeah, it's too bad that you don't like them. But I can see where you are coming from. If I hadn't happened to read the books, I likely never would have enjoyed them the way I do. It's mainly an emotional attachment for me.
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Oh, I read the books as well, but to me it just felt like... I dunno, everything that's wrong with fantasy rolled in one (and yes, that's a slight exaggeration, but really not a lot). Maybe I should give the movies another go...
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Great ending to a terrific list and commentary!
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Great ending to a terrific list and commentary!
Thanks! I look forward to seeing yours next
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My love for Lord of the Rings knows no limits. One of my favorite movie lists so far
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Bump
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Awesome choice. Only the second best of the Lord of the Rings trilogy for me but still an amazing movie.
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Hey Acc we're waiting.
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Where's Elite? We need to get this thread title changed
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Shit... I'm coming up soon. Got 'em ranked, just need to re-watch some of 'em to have a worthy writeup.
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Sorry for the hold up guys. I tried writing a piece late night the other night but I fell asleep. I'm spending time with fam and delicious bbq tonight for Memorial Day, and i'll try and get something up tonight! If not, expect tomorrow
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Where's Elite? We need to get this thread title changed
Done! And thanks for your list. Although I didn't really comment I did follow it! :)
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Ok here we go!
20. V For Vendetta (2005) directed by James McTeigue
(https://www.philipcoppens.com/vendetta_07.jpg)
I love political thrillers such as Absolute Power and Z, so it comes to no surprise that the adaptation of Alan Moore's V For Vendetta graphic novel found a place in my list. This movie just had hit all the right notes for me; stylistically dark, provocative, and a good speculative action film. I never read the graphic novel before I saw the movie, so I wasn't biased to the fact that Moore's Cold War overtone was updated to the war on terror. But here's what really impressed me the most about the film, and specifically, to an actor that was able to carry the movie under a mask carved with a grin; Hugo Weaving really was phenomenal. V's introductory speech was eloquent, that a man with a voice like him could have made it sound so poetic. The movie is more literary than it is action, but the action sequences are very well executed. The movie always has ideas going on that is inviting and interesting to the plot. I just remember watching this film in the theater for the first time, and me and my high school sweetheart just had out mouths dropped. Incredible, thought provoking film.
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Haven't seen it, but I am a fan of Hugo Weaving and stylistically dark, provocative and good speculative action films so I'm interested.
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I'll double down on what BlackInk said. I also have a thing for Natalie Portman. And when I say that I have a thing, I really mean she has a thing for me :zydar:
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V for Vendetta is so good. Everybody does such a great job
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19. Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl (2003) directed by Gore Verbinski
(https://cdn.mos.totalfilm.com/images/p/pirates-of-the-caribbean-the-curse-of-the-black-pearl-645-75.jpg)
The only incredible installment of this very popular franchise. I have never seen a movie more times in the theater than I have with Curse of the Black Pearl. It was summer 2003, and 2 Fast 2 Furious, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Freddy Vs Jason, and The Lizzie McQuire Movie were in the theaters. Disney at this point were in a serious slump with their films, but hey, I'm a life long Disney fan and there was a movie coming out with one of my favorite Disney theme park attractions (Mind you, this was years before I first visited Disneyland and experienced their superior Pirates ride, in which the one at my home in Walt Disney World was only the scratch of it).
I walked into the theater with no expectations, and walked out wanting more. More swashbuckling adventures on the high seas. More cutthroat pirates. More Jack Sparrow. Sorry. CAPTAIN Jack Sparrow, the character that earned Johnny Depp his very first Oscar nomination. Johnny Depp took a character that was written to be sly, and made him "weird". That weirdness wasn't excruciating or annoying; in fact, it is one of the joys of watching him as this character as he obsesses over his name and hat, slurs his words, and runs with his hands flapping the air.
Now this is one of the great adventure movies of the past 15 years. It reminds me of a vintage MGM musical or Errol Flynn film. It is a movie more choreographed than directed. And that score originally penned by Klaus Badelt (NOT HANS ZIMMER) is exciting and a perfect fit for the film. The movie is entertaining, smart, well-written, and is sewn by the performances of Johnny Depp and Geoffery Rush.
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Fantastic movie. And it did put Disney back on the map as a credible studio. I don't think anyone had high expectations for this one, and it knocked everyone's socks off. Deep was always a great actor, but this put him on an entirely different level.
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Fantastic movie. And it did put Disney back on the map as a credible studio. I don't think anyone had high expectations for this one, and it knocked everyone's socks off. Deep was always a great actor, but this put him on an entirely different level.
Freudian slip? :zydar:
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CotBP is great. It's nothing amazing in my book, but definitely towards the upper end of the movies that I know. Johnny Depp is amazing here.
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Unexpected movie to see here. While it is good, no doubt, it's actually only the third best in the franshise for me. I will probably always like Dead Man's Chest the most, At World's End was way to sloppy and messy to be the movie it should have been but it's still good.
But On Stranger Tides is such a piece of shit it's nearly unwatchable.
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Fantastic movie. And it did put Disney back on the map as a credible studio. I don't think anyone had high expectations for this one, and it knocked everyone's socks off. Deep was always a great actor, but this put him on an entirely different level.
Freudian slip? :zydar:
iPad auto-correct. :facepalm:
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18. Inglorious Basterds (2009) directed by Quentin Tarantino
(https://lawrencelai.ca/uploads/5/0/9/5/5095817/8134807_orig.jpg)
As a director, Quentin Tarantino owes much of his success to his skill as a writer. He focuses on developing his characters throughout the film having the narrative revolve around them rather them live in the narrative. With Inglorious Basterds, the film contains things that one would expect from a Tarantino film; Clever dialogue, rich characters, excessive attention to detail, and a non linear narrative structure to provide his audience with more information about characters. Also, another thing aspect that people may not even think about: his supporting characters are typically more memorable than his leading characters. Christoph Waltz played Col. Bans Landa for Inglrious Basterds and won the Oscar, and for Django Unchained a few years later. I also thoroughly enjoyed the performances from Brad Pitt, Michael Fassbender, and Melanie Laurent. I loved Tarantino's revisionist history touches, especially on how the war ended (Will not spoil for those who have not seen the film). And, just like every other Tarantino movie, the music is great. He really knows how to select his music choices.
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Great movie. I love it to pieces, definitely one of Tarantino's best.
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I skipped out on this one, Tarantino's not really my cup of tea. I think that's now 1 for 3 on viewings and 0 for 1 on liking. It's amazing how diverse movie tastes can be, everything is so subjective. Nevertheless, I'm still super excited to see what you've got the rest of the way
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Inglorious Basterds is awesome. Since last year I have been a big fan of Tarantino and I respect the guy a lot as a writer and director.
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Love Basterds!
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I concur. The opening scene was simply amazing...among the most tense scenes ever. Oh, and when Brad Pitt says "Buon Giorno", I damn-near pissed myself.
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Sorry folks, been super busy. Ill post more tonight!
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The opening scene from IB is the greatest thin Tarantino has ever done.
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Inglourious Basterds is a Verhoeven movie, essentially. And that's a big compliment.
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I just love when Waltz switches to English. His performance in that movie was terrifying. I also love the scene in the bar. QT really knows how to slow burn the tension. You just know all hell is gonna break loose, and when it does, forget about it.
Another brilliant example of this is the scene at the wedding chapel in Kill Bill Part II.
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17. Inception (2011) directed by Christopher Nolan
(https://www.sftv.com.au/content/Blog/Pictures/Inception2.jpg)
A film about implanting dreams that is just as effective about implanting ideas into the audiences minds. Oh, that Christopher Nolan and his brilliant, multi-layered stories that make people think! In fact, he wanted us to realize that ideas can effectively be 'planted' in our minds in numerous mediums, such as filmmaking. After all, the filmgoing experience itself, with images flashing before one's eyes in a darkened room, is akin to a dream. What a great, original concept for a film. It is so dense with angles and layers and details of meaning that I don’t think there is a line of dialogue in the film that does not somehow serve the exposition.
I don't know if anything I say can do this film justice. I could go on about the films ideas and themes, and the plot, but it would not accurately portray the experience of this film. This movie was gorgeously shot too. Wally Phister is just an extension of Nolan's vision, capturing each thrilling moment and the build up to each scene. Leonardo Di Caprio, Joseph Gordon Levitt, Tom Hardy, Emma Page, and company makes an excellent assemble cast for this film. The soundtrack by Hans Zimmer is impeccable. "Time" is one of finest scores of the past 15 years, I think. Christopher Nolan has a stand out directing resume; Inception is one of his stand outs.
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Great movie. I had it MUCH higher on my list, it's just amazing.
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Love Inception, my number 3.
"Time" is one of finest scores of the past 15 years, I think.
"Time" is indeed awesome, best song of the score and one of Hans Zimmer's best ever.
It is so dense with angles and layers and details of meaning that I don’t think there is a line of dialogue in the film that does not somehow serve the exposition.
It's a bit funny how much this differs from your last post. As one of the most interesting things about Tarantino's dialogue is how the characters can just go off on completely unrelated topics and still be the best damn dialogue ever for that movie. Don't remember if they did that in Inglorious Basterd's though, but it's one of my favorite things about his movies.
But the dialogue in Inception is so polished and perfect that it fits the nature of the movie perfectly.
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Inception! Great movie, there's no denying it. Even if it can't touch the brilliance that is TDK and Memento.
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I love Inception, though it's probably my third favorite Nolan-movie after Memento and The Prestige.
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Inception! Great movie, there's no denying it. Even if it can't touch the brilliance that is TDK and Memento.
:-X
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Keep in mind that there's a big gap between 'great' and incredible. There are a lot of great movies, in my mind. Even being great, the movie likely wouldn't touch my top 50.
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Mind if I sign up to participate in this? :biggrin:
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Mind if I sign up to participate in this? :biggrin:
Not at all. You're added to the list in the OP!
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16. Shaun of the Dead (2004) directed by Edgar Wright
(https://www.joblo.com/newsimages1/dead_00-001.jpg)
This movie introduced me to comedic team that is Edgar Wright, Simon Pegg, and Nick Frost. I grew up watching classic British comedy sitcoms such as Are You Being Served? and Bless This House which were shown on A&E on Sunday nights. Of course, I really enjoyed Monty Python, and then started watching more modern stuff like The Office and The IT Crowd. British humor is familiar because of these influences. Much of the humor in Shaun of the Dead reflects daily British life, but generic enough to translate to US audiences. That being said, it was full of glee on my first viewing. It has everything i wanted in comedy parodies, especially on horror parodies: hilariously funny, gruesome, touching, and never resorts to being cheap. Edgar Wright and co. have a love and affection for this genre, and it shows. The film has George Romero trademark too. A bunch of survivors escaping a horde of zombies, looking for a place to hide and survive. The manage to poke fun at the absurdity and planting stereotypes while brilliantly telling an emotional and gory story. Speaking of absurdity: attacking zombies with 80's vinyls and having a battle to a Queen song.
15. Full Metal Jacket (1987) directed by Stanley Kubrick
(https://www.dvdtalk.com/dvdsavant/images/3952a.jpg)
Stanley Kubrick was one of my biggest influences as a student of film. His steady, controlled shots have produced some of the beautiful images to ever grace the big screen, including masterpieces such as A Clockwork Orange and 2001: A Space Odyssey. My favorite of his is non other than Full Metal Jacket. FMJ has one of the most entertaining opening 45 minutes or so of any film. Sgt. Hartman’s screamings and beatings can still glue me in after my 50th viewing. Also, Sgt. Hartman sets up the question to explored throughout the film: What is Kubrick trying to achieve here? Hartman answers it when he says "If you ladies leave my island, if you survive recruit training, you will be a weapon, you will be a minister of death, praying for war.” I've always thought that this movie is an exploration of the problematic nature of identity. Joker's turning point in this film was the Sock beating of Leonard. He goes from having some humanity to a machine. If Joker was the product of that machine, than Leonard was the failure, or rather, Hartman's failure. This theme is apparent throughout the film, to the final moment where the Marines are singing the Mickey Mouse Club theme song. Brilliant, great movie.
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There are certain movies that I purposely avoid simply because I can't turn them off. FMJ is one of those movie. R Lee Ermy was brilliant, and the sniper scene is so incredibly tense that its almost hard to watch....especially considering the "soundtrack" that plays during the scene. That scraping metal sound of the music is unnerving. Fantastic movie.
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Never seen Shaun of the Dead, but I've always liked Simon Pegg. Full Metal Jacket is a decent movie I suppose, but not my cup of tea.
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we had just watched The Office (UK) not long before I saw SOTD, so it was great to see the looks "Tim" and "Dawn" gave each other when the two groups met and passed by each other.
FMJ is simply greatness.
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Haven't seen Shaun of the Dead either, but I have seen Full Metal Jacket, and that's a great one.
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14. Casablanca (1942) directed by Michael Curtiz
(https://blog.nola.com/entertainment_impact_tvfilm/2009/06/large_Casablanca2.JPG)
Casablanca has been dubbed the greatest romance movie of all time. Well hell, it's simply one of the greatest movies of all time, and it should be every aspiring screenwriters must read list. It is a very thought-through, tightly outlined script that doesn't take up valuable screenwriting real estate. This movie moves in right pace, stepping in the right place. It's filled with rich characterization and isn't afraid to take risks. For example, every character in the bar scene has an angle. It's old but effective movie making trick that today's Hollywood seemed to have forgotten. It's especially important when placing a bunch of characters together. That's one of the great many things about Casablanca; every character has an agenda. That’s where you get conflict, which is where you find drama, which is how you entertain audiences.
Humphrey Bogart is the man. He has such great on-screen persona as Rick Blaine; smart, tough minded, jaded at times, and cynical. What's great about his performance is that his exterior wears his interior; scruffy American opportunist in Morocco who wears a faint idealism and a broken heart on his sleeve. His wounded heart comes from Ingrid Bergman, who is stupid beautiful. Her character arrives in Casablanca with a resistance leader, and her past history with Rick begins with a song from a piano man. Cynicism and self-interest contend with idealism and self-sacrifice as Rick and Ilsa’s past weighs against the world’s future. That's how you write a love triangle.
God this movie is so good. The thrill and the suspense is in the romance. You can't say that about many of these kind of movies, now can you?
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Wow, Casblanca, unexpected. Haven't seen it, only know of it.
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Fact: Casablanca has the most famous lines of any movie ever. Like 8 of them. Awesome movie, and I love Bogart.
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Fact: Casablanca Airplane has the most famous lines of any movie ever. Like 8 of them. Awesome movie, and I love Bogart.
Fix'd.
But in all seriousness, this is an all-time classic. #3 all-time according to AFI. Hard to argue with that.
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13. Saving Private Ryan (1998) directed by Steven Spielberg
(https://www.examiner.com/images/blog/EXID15166/images/saving-private-ryan.jpg)
Boy, that Steven Spielberg. He knows how to make a movie. He's so good at it, he probably shot the most perfect cinematic experience of all time in the opening sequence of Saving Private Ryan. Dubbed as the most realistic war scene of all time, it introduces us to a very recognizable character and situation but provides us with new interpretations of it. Lots of blood and gritty scenes, such as soldiers drowning under water because they can't take their equipment off, realistically re-inacts sound with a clever camera bob effect going above and below water, cutting in and out the sounds of machine gun fire and explosions. It really sculpts the rest of the film, which falls into a storyline about men given a mission and them seeing it through.
We are given time to bond with these men, which some of these scenes are hard to watch (ala hand to hand combat scene with German soldier and Private Mellish), because we become emotionally invested with them beforehand, as well in combat. Tom Hanks, mr. reliable, gives one of his top performances of his career in this film, as he is a normal man leading a group of men in an extreme situation. Much of his performance, though, are reactions to battle, reactions to his men, or what he sees, is very authentic. The casting of this film is excellent. You are not made to believe they are WW II, tough guy soldiers (Paul Giamatti, anyone??), but you are made to believe these are normal men who are scared but have the guts to carry out a dangerous assignment.
The beautiful and horrific imagery of war is not only credited to Spielberg, but to cinematographer Janusz Kaminski, who became Spielbergs go-to guy for all of his movies after Schindler's List. His camera work added an authenticity that's rarely been captured in the genre and brings another dimension to some of the finest and most realistic battle scenes ever committed to the screen.
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While this is undoubtably a great movie, I wouldn't put it this high. I agree that the opening scene is one of the best renditions of war I've ever seen, but the rest doesn't match it. There are bits and pieces of pure gold here and there but after the opening it looses some of the strength established by it.
But like I said, still a great movie.
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Even though war movies aren't really my thing, this was a brilliant delivery on the reality of life in WWII. Like you said... just ordinary guys trying to fight for their country. Watched it once... don't think I'd go back to it though. Far to graphic for my liking. Borders on being a horror at times.
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Sorry for the delay of my next movie. Production schedule has been havoc, so i had a really busy week. But i found little time before I go t bed to add this piece.
12. Angels With Dirty Faces (1938) directed by Michael Curtiz
(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_DDON8EZFLE/TxcVsRUapzI/AAAAAAAAHvc/axUmBr5Np-0/s1600/zz.jpg)
James Cagney is one of the great talents of all time. Not only did he rule the gangster genre, but he was an accomplished song and dance man, such as his Oscar winning role in Yankee Doodle Dandee. However, Cagney is known for his villainous roles in various gangster movies, such at The Public Enemy, White Heat, and my favorite of his, Angels With Dirty Faces.
His portrayal as Rocky Sullivan is of the ages. A character that is quick, his demeanor sharp, full of confidence, speech like a razor blade, and vital as a bullet. What's compelling about this film too is that the Dead End Kids parallels his attitudes. Tough-talking young hoods much given to slapping one another’s faces and terrorizing their lower East Side Manhattan neighborhood. The movie is a portrait of when underprivileged kids who do not have a good influence on them. Of course, they have Pat O'Briens Fr. Jerry, who is also amazing in this film to watch. The Dead End Kids tolerate the Fr. and his efforts to divert them from the dangers of life on the street. However, it’s in Fr. Jerry’s childhood friend, infamous gangster Rocky Sullivan, that the Kids find a mentor. Rocky slaps their faces too, but he also teaches them not to terrorize their own neighborhood; not when it’s safer to terrorize other neighborhoods, where it’s easier to disappear afterwards.
The priest has enormous affection for his old friend, who as a boy once took the full rap for a petty theft both boys were involved i. Fr. Jerry is well aware that he owes the whole course of his life, in a sense, to Rocky; but he is also coldly clear-eyed about what his friend has become, and he emphatically does not want the young toughs of his streets following in Rocky’s footsteps. There is something very human and poignant about the way Rocky wants to compartmentalize his life; to be friends with Fr. Jerry and even support his ministry to society on the one hand, while on the other hand tearing down society with his dishonest dealings.
The whole "crime doesn't pay" trope has never felt more quaint than it does today, but the way Angels With Dirty Faces balances hard-bitten gangster drama with warmly stage-managed religiosity gives us an entertaining period piece, one which shows that after more than sixty years you still can't go wrong with a James Cagney movie.
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Never even heard of this one.
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It's phenomenal! I love the classic gangster films, especially anything that has Cagney in it
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11. Children of Men (2006) directed by Alfonso Cuaron
(https://www.wwuh.org/program/culturedogs/Reviews/Images/children7.jpg)
This movie came out my freshman year of college, and my very first year as a student of film. I was learning about the different elements and studying different films to supplement those elements. My professor kept talking about a film that he was completely floored with, and it coincided with our study of cinematography. Later the following semester, he showed this film in his film festival he hosts every year, and broaden my senses of what a film can achieve. This film was no other than Children of Men.
It's hard not to discuss this film without talking about it's great achievement in cinematography. It honestly is one of the best shot movies I have ever seen in my life. The entire film was shot with very long takes where the camera doesn't cut but moves from set up to set up often lining up three or four set ups in one take. There's a particular shot in the film that is right up in my all time favorites. It was during the car chase sequence in the second act. The shot slowly drifts in as you watch the characters play a game when suddenly the car is ambushed, and as the camera whip pans to the front windshield to show the danger that lies ahead. It is in this camera move that we are suddenly pushed into the action we are no longer spectators we are in the car and we are in danger. Conventional filmmaking tells us to shoot the action between the ambushing mob and the hero car from the outside showing everything, but putting the camera inside the car without ever cutting away creates the feeling that we are in the car, and are in the middle of anxiety that the characters themselves must be feeling.
Instead of lavish sets and greatly disconnected images of the future it had a gritty, down to earth and even realistic vision of what one day might become. Basically what starts out as a dystopian Sci-fi movie becomes a road-action-thriller. Clive Owen is fantastic in the role as Theo, who has to escort the first pregnant woman in eighteen years to safety while being chased by a group that wants to use the pregnancy to advance their own cause. This movie is a revelation from start to finish. Children of Men is a cinematic milestone with great special effects and a fine soundtrack accompany this heartfelt, moving and thought-provoking film. Easily one of the best films in recent memory.
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This is a great choice, particularly if you are a fan if the technical aspects of film. The cinematography and long-takes really make it stand-out. I must admit that I felt it drag a bit, but the tension during the action sequences was fantastic.
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Cool movie. Was inspired to watch it (and several others) based on the album Victims of the Modern Age. The song "It's Alive, She's Alive, We're Alive" is based on that movie. That car chase scene is pretty damned impressive.
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I have seen that movie some years ago and didn't know what to expect. Thought it was strange, not bad at all but strange. The scenery, the story, everything. After reading your write up I like to see it again.
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Good choice. And I agree completely, the cinematography is outstanding in this movie. I'm not completely crazy about this one, but it's still very good.
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Here we go! My top ten favorite movies.
20. V For Vendetta
19. Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl
18. Inglorious Basterds
17. Inception
16. Shaun of the Dead
15. Full Metal Jacket
14. Casablanca
13. Saving Private Ryan
12. Angels With Dirty Faces
11. Children of Men
10. Terminator 2: Judgement Day (1991) directed by James Cameron
(https://s3.amazonaws.com/auteurs_production/images/film/terminator-2-judgment-day/w448/terminator-2-judgment-day.jpg?1340924101)
This is one of the greatest action films of all time as well as one of the best sequels ever. This surpasses the amazing and ground breaking original, 1984's The Terminator, in every department. The story, the action, the innovative CG, and the heart put into the film is undeniable. This story is a special one: humans, are we our own worst enemy? Arnold's line "It's in your nature to destroy yourselves" is something that always sends chills down my spine because it's true.
In the original, a cyborg machine called a terminator was sent back in time to kill Sarah Connor, played by Linda Hamilton, to change the course of time and make sure that the future leader, John Connor, would never be born. This time around, a Terminator that is sent back and programmed to protect a pre-teen John Connor from the T-1000 Terminator. One could say the T-1000 is responsible for opening the floodgates, and making the CG industry what it is today. Not only did the digital Terminator appear on screen, but it morphed, it regenerated body parts, and it even turned into a mercury-like liquid metal that seeped through little cracks and assured the film's protagonists that they weren't safe anywhere.The film really is revolutionary in those regards, paving the way for movies like Jurassic Park.
I loved the relationship between the T-800 cyborg and John Connor, and how a Terminator took perfectly in place of a father and you see the pain in Edd eyes of never wanting to let go of the terminator. Like Sarah Connor said " The terminator wouldn't stop, it would never leave him. It would never hurt him or shout at him or get drunk and hit him or say it was too busy to spend time with him. And it would die to protect him."
James Cameron is one of cinemas greatest imaginations, and Terminator 2 Judgement Day is nearly a perfect 10, and it should be consider James Cameron's magnum opus. Not Titanic. Not Avatar.
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I've been meaning to watch Children of Men for a while now.
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I love T2, and that's a great writeup. One of my favourite movies of all time.
This is the first movie on your list that I've actually seen. I might have seen the Pirates one (assuming that's the first one). :blob:
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Nice, though this movie is a bit overhyped for me, but still nice.
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Excellent movie. I remember being SO stoked for this on opening night with a bunch of buddies. It had been 7 years since the original (unheard of back then to wait so long for a sequel), so the hype and anticipation was unreal - and it did not disappoint. The CG was :omg:. One correction to make though, I believe "The Abyss" was the first movie to use this type of CG, but you're right... it was absolutely ground-breaking and innovative.
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At the time T2 was so far advanced and the story line was fantastic. To see the that Terminator working for the good side was very shocking. Loved it. So far a real list Accelerando.
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T2 is still the go-to movie when testing one's home theater. It holds up as well today as it did when it came out. IMO, it hasn't aged a bit. Easily one if my all-time favorites.
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9. Alien (1979) directed by Ridley Scott
(https://thestorydepartment.com/tsd/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/1979_alien_give_us_a_kiss1.jpg)
Ridley Scott’s Alien is an outstanding horror film, which in my opinion, is one of the top films of that genre. It’s a film where the viewers are sucked into it’s realism, and it’s dark, unique environment in which it’s undertow make it feel like I am watching a sci-fi horror/noir hybrid flick. The antagonist of the film is a parasitic extraterrestrial life form, and unlike some other science fiction films, it is a species that does not come from an intelligent civilization. The alien represents life itself as intrinsically without meaning as sheer replication. The alien seems like the monstrous, bloodthirsty antagonist, but its eusociality life cycle makes it more of an imposing threat. It’s the aliens motive to inflict pain on the humans on the Nostromo because the human pose as a threat to its species. This is a much different scenario than most horror films, where the monsters or killers are driven by a grudge to kill, specifically for revenge, or love.
One of the more interesting ideas about this film is that sexual issues of rape, impregnation, and birth are what make the Xenomorph so horrible. The purity of the creature is its rapaciousness; it is only driven to reproduce, representing human sexual difference that drives the plot. The alien represents masculinity in a way that it penetrates violently in a sexual manner. With the Xenomorphs long, domed head, is highly phallic and the way in which it kills it’s prey is overtly sexual by violently thrusting either its second mouth or long sharp tail into the victim’s body. During the scene where Lambert is killed, we see the alien standing before her, looking more like an oppressive man than an alien before the tail goes up between her legs and kills her.
On technical notes on the film, Ridley Scott adds to the eeriness and claustrophobia by using camera movement, lights and shadows in an effective way. The entire atmosphere gets under your skin, which is one of the most effective qualities about this film. The ship, for example; there's something sterile about it. On one hand, the living quarters are brightly lit, but then the rest of the ship seems like one giant basement. Add the Jerry Goldsmith soundtrack and sound FX and the movie makes my stomach churn every time.
This is a such a great film. I know many people prefer Aliens because it's more exciting. Both are terrific films that have different goals. I prefer Alien much more. I just think character development is important to a film, and there were many characters in Aliens that were as interesting as a cardboard cutout.
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Great writeup man. Bang on. Best horror/suspense film ever.
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Hell yes dude, Children of Men is my favorite movie, and I have been sad for not seeing it in any lists :metal
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Alien is a hell of a movie. And H.R. Giger surely has a sick mind ;D
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Gotta love Alien. I just wish the filmmaking tech was a bit better in this movie. Not talking about CGI or anything like that, I just wish the alien looked less like a suit someone's wearing, because it's very obvious sometimes and it takes me out of the movie a little. But all in all Alien is fantastic.
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Alien :tup
Was in my top 3, but any top 10 placement will do for me. Fantastic film!
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Great writeup man. Bang on. Best horror/suspense film ever.
+1
Scared the SHIT out of me the first time I saw it . . .
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Even the original poster for Alien was scary. Great film with one of the most iconic horror scenes ever.
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Hope everyone had a great 4th of July weekend, or if you weren't celebrating the American holiday, then whatever you were doing the past 3-4 days.
But just to get a few out of the way, and try to build up masterthes patience who's been waiting for me to finish up my damn list, i'm not going to write a very long, detailed write-up, but I think my next two speaks for themselves.
8. Pulp Fiction (1994) directed by Quentin Tarantino
(https://hdwallpapersize.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/PulpFiction.jpg)
Pulp Fiction is probably one of the hardest films to describe for me, because it is just so incredibly original. To re-iterate what I said in my Inglorious Basterds write up, Tarantino's success comes from his writing, but his biggest strength as a writer is his characters. Pulp Fiction includes some of the most colorful characters that i've seen on the screen. The story is stylishly weaves three stories together. Some non-linear films gets trapped in in structured beats (sorry Solaris), but Tarantino finds a way to bring us on an emotional journey. From "The Miracle", we see all these major turns, and even though we see Vincent Vega dead in the middle of the film, we are left with an emotionally fulfilling, traditional style ending as Jules and Vincent leave the diner. The structure that Tarantino gives us makes Pulp Fiction a good story, magnificently told. Ultimately there will never be another Pulp Fiction. It has solidified its place in cinematic history.
7. The Godfather (1972) directed by Francis Ford Coppola
(https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ip-SIVBkwfM/TaaJHL6VPmI/AAAAAAAAMVU/3LGPMETvc5M/s320/the-godfather-mafia-movie.png)
I'm a firm believer that there are no definite answers in art, like math. There no rules or formulas to follow. However, there are films like The Bicycle Thieves, 8 1/2, Hoop Dreams, and Casablanca that if any flaw is pointed out, it does not undo the genius masterwork of that film. The Godfather, in all respect, is on top of that list. Francis Ford Coppola’s beautiful camera captures a kind of spirit that has never sense been realized on film, and which makes the seedier deeper lives of the individuals portrayed on screen even more troubling. It presents a conglomeration of the kind of amazing performances that you just can’t look away from, especially by Marlon Brando and Al Pacino. The characters they portray serve as pre-cursors to the concept of “anti-hero.” These characters do terrible things, but are still presented as real human beings who we even find share many attributes with ourselves. It is a work of sublime beauty, startling violence and technical mastery, all rolled into one transcendent viewing experience. It is, to me, the greatest film ever made.
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Take your time, I don't mind. :biggrin:
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If the Godfather is the greatest film ever made, then why is it at number 7, now I'm curious what's to come.
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Pulp Fiction is awesome. The Godfather is pretty boring, all three of them.
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Pulp Fiction is awesome. The Godfather is pretty boring, all three of them.
I agree. Not nearly enough explosions.
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Not sure if sarcasm, serious.. or both.
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If the Godfather is the greatest film ever made, then why is it at number 7, now I'm curious what's to come.
This is my list of my favorite films, not what I think are the greatest. If that was the case, my list would be dramatically different.
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6. Jaws (1975) directed by Steven Spielberg
(https://www.adventuresinpoortaste.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/jaws12.jpg)
This is the original summer blockbuster. It had set the standard by being cemented in the number one spot in the box office for 15 consecutive weeks. Filming this flick was not a day out at sea. The mechanical shark kept breaking, filming in Martha's Vineyard was a nightmare, and the shooting schedule kept extending, making the film double in budget. And yet, Spielberg, at age 28, was able to create a thrilling summer movie for the ages; a triumphant success. It is terrifying without being grotesque, and spectacular without being unbelievable. The cinematography is superb in its ruthless attempt to bring the audience to the depths of a powerful ocean, and to the eyes of the dark, wretched creature the inhabits it. The Shark is never really shown till near the end of the film. When ever the Shark is approaching its victims, we get the Sharks point of view, instead of seeing the Shark. These POV shots combined with John Williams very effective score, make the scenes when the Shark is about to devour his victims much more effective.
I believe Roy Scheider, Richard Dryfuss, and Robert Shaw, in their respective roles, elevated the film to greatness. Roy Scheider's Brody is a quintessential everyman, an average guy beset by fear and guilt who finds himself in extraordinary circumstances and rises to the occasion. Dreyfuss' Hooper is brash and brave enough not to come off as nerdy or self-righteous, and his friendship with Brody becomes the backbone of the movie. Robert Shaw's Quint is simply one of the greatest movie characters of all time. He is funny and frightening all at once, and the famous soliloquy in which he recalls the tragic sinking of the USS Indianapolis is one of the most chilling and unforgettable performances ever committed to film.
There will never be another "Jaws" simply because the film so profoundly changed the way movies are made and marketed.
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Long time no see! I just recently watched Children of Men. As you mentioned in your writeup, the way it was shot was phenomenal.
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Never saw Jaws, it seems a bit slow and boring as most movies from the 70s are.
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Never saw Jaws, it seems a bit slow and boring as most movies from the 70s are.
Only one explosion. So I give it a 1/10.
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The fail is large in these last two posts. As someone who saw it in it's release glory, this was a monumental film. The impact it had on beach-tourism areas was unreal. People were literally afraid to go into the water.
Like Alien, it's an iconic movie.
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The fail is large in these last two posts. As someone who saw it in it's release glory, this was a monumental film. The impact it had on beach-tourism areas was unreal. People were literally afraid to go into the water.
Like Alien, it's an iconic movie.
ALLLLL this!!!
The movie is great on too many levels. Settle down, don't wait for 'splosions, get into the suspense of it all. And enjoy one the most compelling soliloquies in an action film (Quint's USS Indianapolis story). Fantastic movie...and Spielberg only 28 yrs old??? Amazing!
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I find Jaws one of the most entertaining movies I ever seen! I can't see how it's boring when Robert Shaw is performing, especially. But hey, to each his own ;)
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The fail is large in these last two posts. As someone who saw it in it's release glory, this was a monumental film. The impact it had on beach-tourism areas was unreal. People were literally afraid to go into the water.
Like Alien, it's an iconic movie.
Agreed... Jaws is a classic. :tup
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Jaws is just absolutely awesome, I'm kind of sorry for those who don't see the entertainment in this movie.
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Maybe I will love it if I saw it, but I have just never felt the urge to actually watch it. Still don't.
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JAWS is phenomenal. The scene with Quint talking about the Indianapolis is one of the greatest scenes ever....and it was mostly ad-libbed if I read correctly. There was actually talk some time ago of a movie based on that story, but it has never happened. The movie is a bit slow in parts, but I just love it.
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My next entry may or may not surprise you
5. The Lion King (1994) directed by Rob Minkoff and Roger Allers
(https://www.freepresshouston.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/The-Lion-King-thumb-560xauto-26079.gif)
This is the majestic epic in all of the famed catalogue of Walt Disney Animation. With it is one of the most heart-wrenching stories ever drawn, and is a staple for American animation. It has high heights of melodrama, a revival of Walt Disney's formula for comedy, and a sheaf of great music and tunes from Sir Elton John and Hans Zimmer.
Anyone who has not seen The Lion King might assume it's another talking animal movie, which are a dime a dozen these days. Or because it's an animated film, it's automatically a film for kids, which drives me nuts. Surely, it's a family friendly film that the kids are going to enjoy. However, adults can resonate with the universal themes of guilt, betrayal, death, and acceptance, which creates an emotional journey. The themes in this movie are definitely dark, but handled with such finesse that on the whole, it's a movie for everyone-Everyone will find something to take away from it, something of a rarity with animated films these days that are not Pixar.
Part of what makes this movie so great is the voice actors. It's funny because the film contains very recognizable voices; Mufasa was Darth Vader, young Simba was Randy from Home Improvement, grown up Simba was Ferris Bueller, Zazu was Mr. Bean, and Shenzi was Sister Mary Clarence. Such an amazing cast, but they were casted into their roles perfectly. The stand out to me, besides the presence of James Earl Jones, is Jeremy Irons as Scar. Be brought insinuating sarcasm and eloquence to this dastardly villain, who to me is among the greatest Disney villain. The character's depth had so much stake, such as murder. Not just killing but PLANNING on it so it's a murder on his own brother and his nephew, and Scar is shown enjoying every moment, especially in the song "Be Prepared", which was brilliantly sung by Disney legend Jim Cummings when Iron's voice gave out during production.
The Lion King boasts some of the best hand-drawn animation to emerge from Disney. Colors are vibrant and nature-inspired, with oranges, greens and blues everywhere. Character designs are classy and human-like, while still maintaining the fun anthropomorphic flair expected by Disney. There are just too many standout sequences in the movie, such as the opus that is the opening sequence, from when the hairs on the back of our neck stands from "NAAAAANTS INGONYAMAAAA" to when the animals are bowing at Rafiki holding up baby Simba. One of the greatest opening sequences of all time.
I can go on and on and on about this movie because it was my favorite movie as a 7 year old boy, and it is still among my favorites. I can go back to the soundtrack and listen to it all the way. Elton John's songs are mostly why people go for the soundtrack, but to me, Hans Zimmers score, like "This Land", elevates the emotional weight of the movie. This is such a great triumph of a movie, and one of the greatest in all of animation.
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This does surprise me, in the best way possible :heart
Lion King rocks
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Lion King is greatness
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Lion King is probably my favorite animated film And so much more pleasing than Pixar style animation. 2D all day for me!
The story, the voices -superb. The music is breathtaking.
If you can ever see the Broadway production, "Be Prepared" to have your minds BLOWN! It's just too much beauty. :hefdaddy
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I usually prefer live action movies, but when it comes to animation The Lion King is the top of the line. Great one.
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I love The Lion King, but there is another Disney animated film that I personally rank above it. :biggrin: Also, while the film he appeared wasn't necessarily the best Disney film ever, I have to say John Hurt as the Horned King in The Black Cauldron was Disney's greatest villain. Perhaps he wasn't as deep a character as Scar, but the HK was definitely the most frightening and haunting of Disney's wide roster of villains. LOVE Scar though. :tup "Be Prepared" is absolutely terrific.
Funny enough, I've never really cried whenever I watched Mufasa's death scene, even as a kid. That being said, I almost always get tears in my eyes in both the scene where Simba talks to Mufasa's Spirit with Rafiki and at the very end when Simba ascends to the throne of Pride Rock. Both of those scenes most likely rank as the two most powerful scenes in any animated Disney film to date, not counting Pixar.
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The Lion King is absolutely fantastic, splendid choice!
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I usually prefer live action movies, but when it comes to animation The Lion King is the top of the line. Great one.
Toy Story would like a word with you.
;D
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The Black Cauldron is one of the few animated Disney movies I still have not seen (Rescuers Down Under is the other one)
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I have to say John Hurt as the Horned King in The Black Cauldron was Disney's greatest villain. Perhaps he wasn't as deep a character as Scar, but the HK was definitely the most frightening and haunting of Disney's wide roster of villains.
Coolest fucking Disney villain ever, hands down. I'm not really a fan of the rest of the movie but the Horned King is really awesome.
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I have to say John Hurt as the Horned King in The Black Cauldron was Disney's greatest villain. Perhaps he wasn't as deep a character as Scar, but the HK was definitely the most frightening and haunting of Disney's wide roster of villains.
Coolest fucking Disney villain ever, hands down. I'm not really a fan of the rest of the movie but the Horned King is really awesome.
Yeah as a fan of the original Prydain Chronicle novels that the film was loosely based on, I don't care that much for the rest of the film either. It's not necessarily 'bad', but it's not all that great either. Having said that, the Horned King definitely steals the show in that film.
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Bump
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Can someone else just start? I actually enjoy reading these interesting lists, but this specific list has been going on for 2 months now. There has to be some rule about taking so long.
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Yeah, this is getting ridiculous, it would be fine by me for masterthes to just go ahead and start.
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Perhaps, like the Top 50 albums threads, each user should have their own thread, and this becomes a tracker thread? We could run two of these at a time to keep them moving along, and to keep updates fairly regular.
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I suppose that could work too. Maybe I'll have to check with the mods, because that would mean more cluttering in the GD forum. Would you be ready to go now if this can be pulled through? Because I actually think it would be a good idea, we'll just leave this thread here as is and Accelerando can finish his list in this thread while the next two already get their own threads.
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Oh shit! Guess I shoulda checked when I was up :lol. I have my list, but wanted to watch through them to get a decent writeup together... as it's been years since I watched some of them. I've only done that for 5 of them so far. So, no, I'm not ready. Guess I have a compelling reason to get off my ass and watch some of them now.
Give me a couple of weeks. So, if this is what we're going to do, and Toro is ready to go, he can have at it. If not, it'll be at least a week for me.
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I'm sorry everyone. I got a new job, and currently moving from Orlando to Los Angeles. My personal life is just a little more important than my forum life at the moment. Moving and getting situated is just going to take up a lot of my time, and i like writing detailed commentary, which I sit down and write something meaningful. You're all right, it isn't fair for the people up next, but trust me when i say I wasn't stalling on purpose or anything. I have lots of exciting things going on in my life. So i'll just complete it right now with no commentary.
4. Raiders of the Lost Ark
3. The Empire Strikes Back
2. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
1. The Dark Knight
ok, next up.
Again, I'm sorry. I do feel bad.
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Glad to see Empire Strikes back and FOTR so high. Dark Knight is good too, so I can't complain much about that.
Despite the delay, I enjoyed following your list, thanks for sharing! I hope all goes well with your move and new job!
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So do I go ahead and do mine?
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I won't argue with any of those. Thanks for the list!
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So do I go ahead and do mine?
According to the list masterthes is up next. Since Accelerando has finished now (good finish by the way!) he can go in this same thread. I'm not really bothered creating separate threads, as long as this one moves at a reasonable pace. I PM'd masterthes that he can start his list.
Thanks for your explanation Acc, it's completely understandable :)
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No need to feel so bad dude. Maybe on your road trip of flight to LA, you could put at least a sentence or two as to why those are your top 4? Which, are 4 awesome movies... although, I don't know how you chose some of those in the context of the trilogy that they are part of. I think you got them all "right" though, as the best in the trilogy.
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All right, before I start, few things: I'm going to do things slightly different. I'm doing a Top 25, because some of the 25-20 were influential in me becoming the movie fan I am today. Also, because I was born in '79, expect a lot of 80's movies. I'll also try to make the updates within a 12 hour period so we can get things moving. We'll be starting things shortly, so please make sure your tray tables are at the upright position and be sure to buckle up, because this is sure to be a bumpy ride :tup
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All right, before I start, few things: I'm going to do things slightly different. I'm doing a Top 25, because some of the 25-20 were influential in me becoming the movie fan I am today. Also, because I was born in '79, expect a lot of 80's movies. I'll also try to make the updates within a 12 hour period so we can get things moving. We'll be starting things shortly, so please make sure your tray tables are at the upright position and be sure to buckle up, because this is sure to be a bumpy ride :tup
Updates every 12 hours is too fast (imo) - unless it's just one movie you're posting. Give people time to digest. Plus, not everyone logs in everyday, so if they go a few days, and then have 5 writeups to read, they might skip it (depending on how detailed you get).
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(https://thumbnails106.imagebam.com/26748/f87a2c267470627.jpg) (https://www.imagebam.com/image/f87a2c267470627)
25. E.T. The Extra Terrestrial - As stated previously, I was born in 1979 and therefore I had the pleasure of seeing this in the theaters. Now I had seen my fair share of movies up to this point, but this was one of the first films that I can remember thinking to myself that movies were something magical (there's another film out there that had an even bigger impact on me, but we'll talk about that later). Even though I haven't watched this film in years, I can still recall virtually everything from memory. Who can ever forget that image of Elliot being lifted off his bike by E.T. as they go sailing past the moon. That image really seeps through your brain at 3 years old.
Because of the impact E.T. had on me, it should probably be no suprise Steven Speilberg became my favorite director growing up. Nearly everything he came out with in the following years, I tried to make a point to see. With that being said, E.T. is the only Speilberg film you will see on this list. Raiders and Jurassic Park would be on here most likely if this was a top 40
(https://thumbnails102.imagebam.com/26748/6482ef267470631.jpg) (https://www.imagebam.com/image/6482ef267470631)
24. Kill Bill - Because this is my list, I'm not going to differentiate between Parts 1 and 2, and just consider Kill Bill as one long movie. My first exposure to Tarantino came many years before when I rented an older movie of his that I wanted to check out because I heard it got all this hype and I wanted to see what it was all about. Well, I got so turned off by all the violence and profanity I vowed never to watch another Tarantino movie ever again. I was a little bit more a conservative movie watcher before I hit my 20's. Don't get me wrong, in my teen years I saw my share of R rated movies like Braveheart which is extremely violent, and I didn't mind that one too much. I guess I didn't care for the way it was portrayed I guess. Anyway, back to the film at hand
So, I see the trailer to the first part of Kill Bill and I'm absolutely fascinated by it, and well, I absolutely loved it: the dialouge, the action, Uma. Uma definitely ranks up there as one of my all time favorite celebrity crushes, especially growing up. Like I said before, I'm treating this as one full movie, but if I was going to separate them, you know Part 2 would be the one being chosen here. Part 2 is just miles away far more superior. It was such a shame Carradine didn't get any recognition, because he owned the movie hands down
Yeah, these writeups are going to suck, I know. I'll try to give more thought to the rest of them. For me, it's kind of difficult to explain why I like something. I just do. We'll see how the rest go. So, I'll be back tomorrow with 23 and 22
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Haven't seen E.T. in soo many years, I can barely remember it. Maybe it's time to revisit.
Also, haven't seen part 2 of Kill Bill yet, but I really like part 1.
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Kill Bill will be appearing on my list too. Great choice!
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Dude, spoilers much? ;)
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Oops, jumping the gun
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(https://thumbnails107.imagebam.com/26776/c30adf267752709.jpg) (https://www.imagebam.com/image/c30adf267752709)
23. The Exorcist - No matter how many scary movies I have seen, The Exorcist is still my favorite scary movie of all time. It is so well done and everything a good scary movie should be. It has a slow burn quality to it and such an unsetttling vibe to it that when the shit starts hitting the fan, it creeps us out even more. Thankfully, this movie was made in the 70's where directors knew that in order to produce a good horror film, you have to get inside the viewer's mind rather than simply provide "jump scares". I highly recommend the book as well
(https://thumbnails104.imagebam.com/26776/9703fb267752703.jpg) (https://www.imagebam.com/image/9703fb267752703)
22. The Departed - Growing up, I tended to avoid Scorcese like the plague, as the idea of people shooting each other, snorting cocaine, and dropping every four letter word known to existence never exactly seemed the way to pass 2 hours. My Scorcese cherry eventually got popped when The Aviator came out. It ended up becoming one of my favorite movies that year, so i decided after seeing it to give some of Scorcese's movies a try, but I really didn'y start to become a fan of his until The Departed came out. I'll admit, I initially only wanted to check it out becauase of Jack. He's always been one of my favorites. Everything about this movie clicks. The acting is solid from all the leads and the story is gripping and engaging. I was thrilled when it won best picture.
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The Departed is a brilliant movie. So many hooks and twists. Love it.
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The Departed is a brilliant movie. So many hooks and twists. Love it.
Agreed. One of my favorite movies of all time.
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It sounds terrific; i just moved it up in my queue. checking to see if Amazon Prime has it...
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It sounds terrific; i just moved it up in my queue. checking to see if Amazon Prime has it...
You will NOT be disappointed.
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Amazon Prime -- $1.99 rental. I think it will be worth it...tomorrow night! :D
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*puts on hipster glasses*
I thought Infernal Affairs was better.
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żpor qué no las dos? :hat
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*puts on hipster glasses*
I thought Infernal Affairs was better.
I have that in my DVD collection but still haven't gotten around to watching it.
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The Departed is fucking amazing, though for movies with 'twists' I prefer The Usual Suspects.
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The Departed is fucking amazing, though for movies with 'twists' I prefer The Usual Suspects.
I absolutely adore both movies. As twists go, The Usual Suspects is untouchable. But as a movie, The Departed is just higher quality and has MUCH stronger re-watching capacity (after watching Usual Suspects a second time with your friends, of course).
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The Departed is fucking amazing, though for movies with 'twists' I prefer The Usual Suspects.
I absolutely adore both movies. As twists go, The Usual Suspects is untouchable. But as a movie, The Departed is just higher quality and has MUCH stronger re-watching capacity (after watching Usual Suspects a second time with your friends, of course).
Ah, yes -- The Usual Suspects.
BLEW my mind first time I saw it...I actually applauded at the end. And I was watching it on DVD!!! I've enjoyed watching it since because I like to see if I would have picked up the twist earlier in the film, y'know -- what clues am I missing, etc. Kevin Spacey is ALWAYS great and Benicio Del Toro just cracked me up.
Now I REALLY need to see The Departed. I'm watching it tonight, I think. :)
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The Departed is fucking amazing, though for movies with 'twists' I prefer The Usual Suspects.
I absolutely adore both movies. As twists go, The Usual Suspects is untouchable. But as a movie, The Departed is just higher quality and has MUCH stronger re-watching capacity (after watching Usual Suspects a second time with your friends, of course).
Ah, yes -- The Usual Suspects.
BLEW my mind first time I saw it...I actually applauded at the end. And I was watching it on DVD!!! I've enjoyed watching it since because I like to see if I would have picked up the twist earlier in the film, y'know -- what clues am I missing, etc. Kevin Spacey is ALWAYS great and Benicio Del Toro just cracked me up.
Now I REALLY need to see The Departed. I'm watching it tonight, I think. :)
You definitely should!
But as some in the past have pointed out ( I believe seneca and GuineaPig are two of them), The Usual Suspects RELIES on its twist 100%, therefore, it's movie structure has somewhat of a crutch. I still love it and I wish I could wipe my memory if only to experience it for the first time again.
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True.
I guess the later enjoyment for me comes from the actors' performances, regardless if I know how it's gonna turn out. They're all really good. One of the few places I can stand to see Stephen Baldwin. :P
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True, but I never really watch movies more than once anyway (unless they're really damn good or if they have some brilliant replay value) and The Usual Suspects made me go 'Whoaaa!' in such a way that I believed its placement on my list (first one in this thread) was justified.
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True, but I never really watch movies more than once anyway (unless they're really damn good or if they have some brilliant replay value) and The Usual Suspects made me go 'Whoaaa!' in such a way that I believed its placement on my list (first one in this thread) was justified.
Definitely justified!
Interesting viewing habits, though. I have movies I love where I cannot count how many times I've watched them. They're good any time. In fact, I only buy DVDs of films that I know I'll watch over and again.
I own The Usual Suspects.. ;)
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True, but I never really watch movies more than once anyway (unless they're really damn good or if they have some brilliant replay value) and The Usual Suspects made me go 'Whoaaa!' in such a way that I believed its placement on my list (first one in this thread) was justified.
For sure! I think it would crack mine as well.
"And like that, poof, he's gone".
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*puts hipster glasses on*
Wait, this isn't one of those opinions.
*takes hipster glasses off*
The Usual Suspects is terrible.
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*puts hipster glasses on*
Wait, this isn't one of those opinions.
*takes hipster glasses off*
The Usual Suspects is terrible.
I knew it was you that hated it ;)
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silly rabbit... :\
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The Usual Suspects ranks very high on my list. Flawless movie.
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So, no thoughts on The Exorcist?
And while I'm here, today's selections are going to be my introductions to two goliath sci-fi franchises
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So, no thoughts on The Exorcist?
And while I'm here, today's selections are going to be my introductions to two goliath sci-fi franchises
Oh, The Exorcist is ok too I guess ;)
And inb4 Godzilla and Independence Day
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I don't plan on watching The Exorcist actually, because I don't really like scary movies and I get a bit uncomfortable with demons and shit when it's treated like that.
The Departed however is awesome.
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So, no thoughts on The Exorcist?
And while I'm here, today's selections are going to be my introductions to two goliath sci-fi franchises
Oh, The Exorcist is ok too I guess ;)
And inb4 Godzilla and Independence Day
inb4 Star Wars and Batman.
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I don't plan on watching The Exorcist actually, because I don't really like scary movies and I get a bit uncomfortable with demons and shit when it's treated like that.
The Departed however is awesome.
^^^This.
Although, I DID read the book when I was 11 or 12... :omg: I honestly don't know how I got it past my mother (I bought it at a second-hand shop). It was horrible (as in horrifying)...I regret reading it to this day. There are *still* bad images in my head from it. :P
NOOOOO desire to see the film. EVAH. :tdwn
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(https://thumbnails102.imagebam.com/26790/7d3428267893332.jpg) (https://www.imagebam.com/image/7d3428267893332)
21. Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home - Seems kind of funny that my first exposure to the Star Trek universe ended up being the least science fiction movie in the series. Those early years of seeing movies in the theater I can't recall why I wanted to see something, but I usally have a very good memory of what I did see, and like E.T., this movie and the one that's to follow remain some of my most pleasurable cinematic memories as a young child. While I had no idea about what happened before the movie took place, I still laughed a lot at the scenes with Spock and Kirk, loved the beauty of the humpback whales, and I thought the Bird of Prey ship was all kinds of cool. I vaguely recalled the scenes involving the Probe did freak me out a bit. After Star Trek IV, I couldn't wait until the next movies came out (I don't think I checked out the precedding titles until I was much older), and then of course, there was The Next Generation, which definitely became one of my favorite TV shows of the 90's
(https://thumbnails101.imagebam.com/26790/0c1bcd267893320.jpg) (https://www.imagebam.com/image/0c1bcd267893320)
20. Return of the Jedi - I am not too sure if I saw the first two on video or not before this came out, but I will always remember seeing this in the theaters, and liking everything about it (Yes, even the Ewoks. Hell, I had an Ewok plush toy as a kid). More so than with Star Trek though, I became almost obsessed with Star Wars after seeing Jedi. I wanted to get as many of those action figures that they had. I even had an audio cassette of Jedi.
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I finally watched Infernal Affair, and though the performances were good, I still prefer The Departed......by a lot.
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I saw these two franchises coming. But if the Voyage Home is on here, The Wrath of Khan better be, too!
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Both great films! TVH is one of my favourite Trek movies, even despite being the least scifi-ish in the series as you pointed out.
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Haven't seen any of the old Trek movies and I'm not really sure if I want to.
Return of the Jedi is very good, only the third best Star Wars movie though.
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19. The Matrix - Ready for a confession? I never saw this movie in theaters. Looking at the trailers, while I thought everything about it was beautiful, it just seemed too odd for my tastes. Boy, did I kick myself later. Sure enough, after I rented it, I thought it was a very special, brilliant type of movie and a perfect way to close out the 20th century. And while I'm here, I'm going to make a very controversial opinion. Most of the time, I tolerate Keanu Reeves in 90% of his movies. Granted, he's no Olivier, but he's not exactly Kristen Stewart either. The only real time I thought he truly sucked (pun intended) was in Coppola's version of Dracula. I only bring this up because I personally think he's work in the Matrix movies are probably his best work
18. Pulp Fiction - After my turn around opinion of Quentin Tarantino after having seen Kill Bill, I decided to revisit Pulp Fiction and see if my opinion changed. Naturally, it did. I really loved his use of dialouge and applauded his creativity in making a non-linear storyline. I thought Travolta and Jackson were awesome in this movie, and Uma was so cool as Mia. It still makes me unpleasant when she ODs, and I am still not that fond of Bruce Willis' storyline (except for Christopher Walken's monolouge, which is simply pure gold), but everything else is so good. I am really glad I gave Tarantino another shot.
Coming up tomorrow: one of my favorite Best Picture Oscars from the 2000's, and more Star Trek
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2 solid picks there. Liking your list a lot so far.
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Two awesome movies.
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Yup... nothing wrong with those being on anyone's Top 20.
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I watched Kill Bill again over the weekend, and if I had such a thing, I think it'd be in my top 5. At this point I might rank it higher than Pulp Fiction. Something that really grabs me by the shorthairs every time I watch it is how awesome the soundtrack is. Just a spectacular bit of film-making all the way around, though.
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17. Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country - The original cast has always been my favorite incarnation of the Star Trek series, and this was a fitting send off to the crew (Not counting Generations). This movie had everything: cool sci-fi action sequences, a mystery, Shakespeare. It was also a timely reflection of what was going on in the world at the time with the ending of the Cold War and the dissolving of the USSR. For a while, it was my favorite Star Trek movie, but I would soon discover an even better movie in the series
16. Gladiator - I have always had a thing for historical epics, and Gladiator was no exception. Pretty much everything about this film is flawless. The acting is top notch from every corner. After having seen him in The Informant, Russel Crowe was on my list of actors to keep an eye on. He definitely deserved the Oscar for Gladiator (but I think he should have gotten it more for A Beautiful Mind), and Joaquin Phoenix got screwed. He was just brilliant and sadistic (a friend of mine said the real life Commodus was even worse). I will pretty much always watch this when it's on TV, although I did recently get it on DVD so thankfully I can watch it whenever I want (just as an interesting aside, I do own on DVD all the movies on my list)
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Gladiator is amazing, was on my top 20 too :tup
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Gladiator is phenomenal. Star Trek VI... one of the better movies in the franchise's history. Kirk and Bones on the prison planet was awesome.
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15. Spaceballs - The film that started it all in my appreciation for Mel Brooks. I love just about every single movie he has produced (with the exception of Dracula. The jury is still out on Twelve Chairs). I think it takes a clever mind to spoof something, much less one of the greatest sci-fi movies of all time. While Spaceballs is not my favorite Brooks movie (that's coming later), Spaceballs probably makes me laugh the most out of all of his movies (I certainly like to quote Spaceballs more). Watching this movie always makes me miss John Candy. If he had taken better care of himself, who knows what great stuff he could have given us (yeah, I realize his star was on the downside even before his death, but you never know). I also wish Rick Moranis would make a comeback. Somebody needs to cast him in something. Oh, and speaking about THAT certain movie...
14. Star Wars: A New Hope - I assure you, this was just a funny coincidence that these too got jumbled together on Flickchart, so I just ran with it. I really don't know what to say about this movie that hasn't already been said. It was the start of something beautiful. A revolution in the movie industry. The birth of a billion geeks/nerds. Darth Vader will always be in my top 3 of favorite screen villains. Such a badass. More from the original trilogy later
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I will predict the favorite Brooks film will be Young Frankenstein. ;D That's my first exposure to Brooks ( when I was nine). So funny to me! :lol Very quotable.
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Haven't seen Spaceballs, and I feel that Episode IV is a bit slow and dull. It's classic for sure and has some cool moments but for me it's second least good Star Wars movie.
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13. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan - KHAAAAN!!! Once you guys saw I was putting Star Trek movies on here, I'm sure most of you would guess that number 2 would top them all. When you look at this film, it is such an improvement from the very first movie it's not even funny. The story is so much more compelling, sort of like Moby Dick in Space, with Ricardo Montalban as the obsessed Ahab. While I thought Cumberbatch did an okay version of Khan, there is no way anybody is going to top Montalban. And then there's the ending. Probably one of the biggest gut punch moments in modern cinema. I can't imagine what people's reactions were like when this originally ran in theaters. I don't think Spock's death was as shocking as "Luke, I am your father", but it's pretty close. One of my favorite sequels of all time for sure
Being born in the 80's, I felt fortunate that Disney was rereleasing all the classic animated films in theaters so that I could see them on the big screen. Like I stated earlier in the movie thread, with the exception of The Black Cauldron and The Rescuers Down Under, I have seen all of the classic 2D Disney movies. When the renaissance occured starting with Oliver & Company (yeah, I'm saying it started there and not with Little Mermaid), I thought they were some of the best movies I had seen up to that point, and so when thinking up this top 20, I would have been remiss if I hadn't included something from that era
12./11. Beauty and the Beast/The Lion King - But I couldn't decide on just one. Both these movies were the zenith of the modern 2D era in Disney in my view. When it came to the music, I prefer Beauty and the Beast over The Lion King. For me, the real musical highlight in The Lion King for me is the opening. I got goosebumps the first few times they showed "The Circle of Life" as the trailer. It literally took my breath away, and while the rest of the numbers are entertaining, I don't think they match the enjoyability that "Gaston", "Be Our Guest" or "Beauty and the Beast" have (For the record, I prefer "Beauty and the Beast" to "Can You Feel The Love Tonight"). Being the bookworm that I am I have more affection for Belle than I do Simba, but when it comes to the art and the story, The Lion King aces it for me
And so, we come to the top 10. Any predictions?
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KHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN! Of course The Wrath of Khan had to top them all. :tup It's been nice to see some Trek movies make this list!
I don't believe I've seen any of the classic Disney movies since I saw them as a kid. Shame on me.
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And so, we come to the top 10. Any predictions?
Gotta think you've got some LOTR in there. Terminator perhaps. You clearly are a sci-fi kinda guy.
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It sounds terrific; i just moved it up in my queue. checking to see if Amazon Prime has it...
You will NOT be disappointed.
OMG, I was definitely not disappointed! what the heck!!??!!? :hefdaddy
Quality caper, kids. :tup :tup
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The Lion King is great.
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Here's me hoping for someone to fill the Vietnam gap that's been there ever since I did my list :corn
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10. The Dark Knight - So far, definitely my favorite superhero movie (although Superman is still my favorite superhero. Batman right at number 2). I started becoming a fan of the Bat thanks to Tim Burton in 1989, and then I would pretty much catch the animated series on a daily basis. Then Schumaker had to go and ruin evrything and make Batman almost as corny as the 60's TV series. When it was announced that Christopher Nolan was to going to reboot the movie series, I was a bit skeptical, like I'm sure some of you were. Then Batman Begins came out and blew everything that came out before about Batman out of the water, and it was such a breath of fresh air. When it was announced The Dark Knight would have The Joker would be the main villain, I was very excited. The Joker ranks as my favorite comic book villain, and Heath Ledger did such a great job. I wasn't sure if anybody would top Nicholson's performance, but Heath certainly did just that. It was so sad when he passed away. I will always wonder what would have become of him had he stuck around
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Absolutely agree that it's the best superhero movie. It's so dark and thought provoking and pretty much a perfect movie all around. Ledger's performance is nothing short of spectacular, and he really makes the joker one of the most interesting movie villains of all time.
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*puts on flame shield*
I found Batman Begins to be quite boring, and hated TDK. I haven't watched TDKR or any other comic book / super hero movie since. It's clearly just not the genre for me. :lol
But to end on a more positive note, I'll agree that Heath Ledger did a great job with the character of the Joker.
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You can lower the flame shield Blob. This is a no judgment zone :lol
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The Dark Knight would probably make my top 5...
...of the most overrated movies ever. Which is a shame because it's actually good.
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Would love to be added here. I'm a movies addicted, pretty badly tbh :biggrin
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Awesome. My favorite super super hero movie too.
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9. The Prestige - I love magic. Ever since I was little, I was interested in anything dealing with it. I remember always watching David Copperfield specials on TV, seeing the local magicians who came into town and trying to figure out how they did their tricks. I was never any good at actually doing magic tricks, but I've always been a fan. I think it comes from this love of the extraordinary that I've always had, that you can appear to bend the laws of physics and make something spectacular occur. The Prestige is definitely my favorite "reality-based" movie dealing with magic. Christian Bale and Hugh Jackman have definitely been two of my favorite actors within the last 15 years. Everything about it is so masterly done, and I think Nolan is definitely the master of delivering well done plot twists (M. Night should try to take some lessons from him)
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Prestige is awesome. It only just missed out on my top 20.
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I think The Prestige is my fav Nolan's movie. Have seen it recently for the fourth time maybe and it still blows my mind.
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I think The Prestige is my fav Nolan's movie. Have seen it recently for the fourth time maybe and it still blows my mind.
Have you seen Memento? That's Nolan at his best right there.
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8. Young Frankenstein - As guessed correctly, Young Frankenstein is indeed my favorite Mel Brooks film. Brooks had such an awesome tandem of actors to work with in the 70's. It's a shame he kept away from them in the 80's. As much as I love Spaceballs, could you imagine what it'd have been if like Harvey Korman or Gene Wilder played Skroob (I thought I heard in the commentary though that Brooks and Wilder had a bit of a falling out) or Madeline Khan did the voice for Dot?
You have to give Brooks credit for always casting great ensembles, and Young Frankenstein tops them all in my view, from Brook veterans like Wilder and Khan, to the beautiful Teri Garr (I would have loved to have a roll in the hay with her back then), to the hysterical Marty Feldman and Cloris Leachman. This movie was Brooks at the zenith of his powers, and as bad as Dracula was, I really wish he would try to give us one last film
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8. Young Frankenstein - As guessed correctly, Young Frankenstein is indeed my favorite Mel Brooks film. Brooks had such an awesome tandem of actors to work with in the 70's. It's a shame he kept away from them in the 80's. As much as I love Spaceballs, could you imagine what it'd have been if like Harvey Korman or Gene Wilder played Skroob (I thought I heard in the commentary though that Brooks and Wilder had a bit of a falling out) or Madeline Khan did the voice for Dot?
You have to give Brooks credit for always casting great ensembles, and Young Frankenstein tops them all in my view, from Brook veterans like Wilder and Khan, to the beautiful Teri Garr (I would have loved to have a roll in the hay with her back then), to the hysterical Marty Feldman and Cloris Leachman. This movie was Brooks at the zenith of his powers, and as bad as Dracula was, I really wish he would try to give us one last film
Man, I can't even COUNT how many times I've watched this film!!! It is supreme in every way -- so quotable, so funny, magnificent cast. It is nothing short of brilliant. And I LOVE the theme music/overture. :) :tup :tup :tup :tup :tup Five thumbs up!
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Never seen it. Or even heard of it.
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Never seen it. Or even heard of it.
I am sorry for you. It is brilliant!
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/b/b5/Young_Frankenstein_movie_poster.jpg/220px-Young_Frankenstein_movie_poster.jpg)
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Rectify this immediately. Update will be late tonight because it's trivia night, but I'll give you a hint: 90's Best Picture winner
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Braveheart
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7. Forrest Gump - Favorite movie to come out of the 90's? Yep. I was always a big history buff, plus it had Tom Hanks starring in it, plus it was directed by Robert Zemeckis (why is that important, I wonder?) so I was definitely intrigued by this project. Out of all the films in this list, this one I identify with a lot. A little personal information, growing up I had a physical condition identical to what Forrest had, although it wasn't as major, but the doctors who treated me also misdiagnosed me with a learning disability, so for many years I was placed in the special ed program, so I definitely identify with Forrest's character. I also have a Jenny of my own in my life
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That is very sweet, masterthes. :heart
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I think a lot of people have a Jenny. :)
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Yes, Forrest Gump is amazing. And identifying with Forrest is probably why I love it too.
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I think The Prestige is my fav Nolan's movie. Have seen it recently for the fourth time maybe and it still blows my mind.
Have you seen Memento? That's Nolan at his best right there.
Yes I have. You're probably right, the fact The Prestige isn't written by Nolan himself usually gets Memento into another perspective to me. Loved them all by the way.
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I think a lot of people have a Jenny. :)
Not nearly enough. Not me, ever. :(
Unless you take quite literally from the story, where it's rather an unrequited love til one fine time and space...then ...gone for good. :'( That's me all over.
Anyway. Great movie, Gump is! :tup
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So we go from the very serious, to the very silly
6. Monty Python and the Holy Grail - If you want to talk about quotable comedies, this has to be right up there. Holy Grail is full of classic scenes , from the Knights Who Say Ni to the French taunting to the Black Knight. Looking back, I don't recall when it was I first saw it, but it was practically love at first sight, which is odd, because i usually like my comedies very straight forward, and while Holy Grail is definitely not their most bizarre movie (The Meaning of Life anybody?), it certainly has it's out there moments. Take for instance, the ending. I hated the ending the first few times I saw it. I was like, what the hell just happened? But after a while, I figured it was just Monty Python being Monty Python (although sometimes I wonder if they just didn't know hoe to end it properly). Years later, the surviving Pythons would turn Holy Grail into a musical which is almost just as awesome as the movie is
Alright, so top 5 starting up tomorrow. I expect you'll see a few suprises
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I've always sorted my "real" friends from random associates depending on if the like/get Holy Grail. People seem to either love it or hate it.
I have loved it since age 12 and know it by heart. The "intermission theme" is the ringtone on my phone! :metal
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Epic movie is epic. That is all that needs to be said
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I fucking love The Holy Grail :metal
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Holy Grail is awesome. Never fails to make me laugh.
Although... What is the airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow?
:eek
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Oh yes, the holy grail! Fantastic! :D
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Holy Grail is awesome. Never fails to make me laugh.
Although... What is the airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow?
:eek
European or African? :justjen
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What is your favorite color?
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Blue! I mean....AAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!
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I watched it again this morning, it's delicious. Perfect thing to watch when you're dead tired early in the morning!
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5. Back To The Future - The start of one of the best trilogies ever (I don't care what you might say, I love Part III). This is just an all around fun movie. Michael J. Fox was one of my favorite actors in the 80's, and Christopher Lloyd is so lovably whacky as Doc Brown (the only difference between his character here and in Taxi was really just a higher IQ). Lea Thompson is so pretty as Lorraine, and Crispin Glover is well...Crispin Glover. Everything about this movie is simply perfect for me, and that score! Always gives me the chills when I hear that main theme. The only musical score that gives me even more goosebumps is...well, let's save that for tomorrow, shall we?
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Back to the Future is amazing, all three parts.
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Not to mention a very underrated performance, especially in the sequels, by Thomas Wilson, who played Biff.
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Back to the Future is amazing, all three parts.
This! I love the score too. With every single note, you know exactly what movie it's from. Alan Silvestri did an amazing job of creating a distinctive tone and style for the music, and it's as iconic as the movies are.
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the modern day (1985) scenes in Doc's place are awesome. The Rube Goldberg breakfast maker and dog feeder were great as well as the scene where Marty blows out the giant speaker.
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4. The Empire Strikes Back - Start that beautiful orchestra and get that story slide going. The Empire Strikes Back is probably the greatest sequel ever (yes, even better than the second Godfather). Let's just list all the things that make this film great: John Williams' score, the battle at Hoth, Yoda, Leia and Han falling in love, Vader being more of a badass then he was the first time, Lando, Boba Fett, possibly the best lightsaber duel in the history of EVER, and the confession of all confessions. I wish I was older and at the movie theater when it first came out so I could see the audience reactions. Who could have seen that coming?
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4. The Empire Strikes Back - Start that beautiful orchestra and get that story slide going. The Empire Strikes Back is probably the greatest sequel ever (yes, even better than the second Godfather). Let's just list all the things that make this film great: John Williams' score, the battle at Hoth, Yoda, Leia and Han falling in love, Vader being more of a badass then he was the first time, Lando, Boba Fett, possibly the best lightsaber duel in the history of EVER, and the confession of all confessions. I wish I was older and at the movie theater when it first came out so I could see the audience reactions. Who could have seen that coming?
It was a collective, "WHATTTT???!!!???" :omg: :omg: :o :o in my theatre! :D And the talk of my freshman homeroom (and every other room) after that weekend.
Fan-stinkin'-tastic!!! :hefdaddy It's my favorite of all the Star Wars films.
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TESB is brilliant. My fav Star Wars film as well. I agree on everything you wrote about it!
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Two really cool movies, Empire is the better one here for me too.
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3. The Princess Bride - Don't know how many people will be suprised by tonight's pick. When compiling this list, I always had the clearest intention of including it. I just slightly suprised myself that it was this high up there. Here's a shocker for you though, I never saw this movie until my sophmore year in high school after we had read the book in English class (The book is incredible by the way. My favorite required reading in school). I think it just passed me by in the 80's simply by accident, but when I finally saw it, it was love at first sight. It's clearly a more pleasant experience than the book (as perfect as the movie is, I would be interested if they would remake it as a more faithful adaptation to the book). The casting is simply perfect. I always have loved Cary Elwes dry sense of humor. Robin Wright makes a stunning debut as Buttercup. Mandy Patinkin is awesome as Inigo. When he finally delivers those iconic lines to Count Rugen at the end of the movie, you want to stand up and cheer. Of course there's Andre the Giant as the lovable Fizzik. Christopher Guest is absolutely malicious as Rugen and Chris Sarandon does a great job as the overly confident Humperdink, and Wallace Shawn, Billy Crystal, and Carol Kane make the most of their cameos.
The highlight for the film for me will always be the duel between Wesley and Inigo. Arguably the greatest swordfight in cinema history
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Another one I haven't seen unfortunately.
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Fantastic movie. Haven't seen it in probably 25 years since it was first out as a rental. Can't remember if I saw it in the theaters or not. Patinkin is absolutely brilliant.
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2. The Lord of the Rings - Yep, it's my list and I'm considering it as one long 10 hour spectacle of awesome (with the extended versions combined, it's probably more like 12). I absolutely adore these movies and I think the first two should've won Best Picture as well (I'll allow A Beautiful Mind I guess winning over Fellowship, but to tell me Chicago was better than Two Towers?!). I consider Lord of the Rings to be one of my favorite books of all time, and actually I only started reading it when I heard it was being made into a movie, and reading it I seriously thought there was no way it could be done. It was too ambitious, but I guess if you allow yourself a whole 10 years devoted to something, then I guess anything is possible. I really don't know what to add to this because almost everybody has had these films on their lists, except to say I can't wait for the second part of The Hobbit, and Ian McKellen got screwed for best Supporting Actor (Gandalf is definitely top 5 in my favorite literary character list)
So what on Earth is at number one? Where can it go from here? I'll tell you in 24 hours
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Holy crap you're moving fast. Gotta really start watching my list now.
Great movies. They would come close to the top of my list too.
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Hey guys, i'm back and spent a few weeks trying to get settled and situated in beautiful southern California!
masterthes, nice list! And I love that you have Young Frankenstein in your selections Absolutely one of the greatest comedies. I think I'll have A Shot In The Dark and Ghostbusters right up there with that film. I like Monty Python and the Holy Grail a lot, but I actually am quite more fond of Life of Brian as far as those Monty Python movies go.
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Just checking in, having been following too closely. LOTR as one combined pick, gotta be number 1!
Also,
The Dark Knight would probably make my top 5...
...of the most overrated movies ever. Which is a shame because it's actually good.
speaks the truth.
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I get the "Lord of the Rings is one long movie" thing, I know several people who thinks that as well. If I saw it like that it would be my number one without doubt. Awesome movies all three.
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Lord of the Rings is definitely not one movie. That's cheating!
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Lord of the Rings is definitely not one movie. That's cheating!
His list; his rules. Doesn't bother me.
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A brief recap before the unveiling:
25. E.T. The Extra Terrestrial
24. Kill Bill
23. The Exorcist
22. The Departed
21. Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home
20. Star Wars Episode VI: Return Of The Jedi
19. The Matrix
18. Pulp Fiction
17. Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country
16. Gladiator
15. Spaceballs
14. Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope
13. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
12. The Lion King
11. Beauty and the Beast
10. The Dark Knight
9. The Prestige
8. Young Frankenstein
7. Forrest Gump
6. Monty Python and The Holy Grail
5. Back To The Future
4. Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
3. The Princess Bride
2. The Lord of the Rings
and the number one movie on masterthes list is none other than....
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1. The Wizard of Oz - I imagine when Victor Fleming shuffled off this mortal coil he must have felt like one of the luckiest person on Earth. He ended up being the director of two of the most revered classics in cinema history, both in the same year! One of course being Gone With The Wind, the amazing epic movie about the South during the Civil War which wound up winning Best Picture that year, and, if you consider inflated ticket prices, is still considered tyhe highest grossing film of all time. Then you have The Wizard of Oz, the family classic about a girl from Kansas who has an unfortunate encounter with a tornado and gets sent to the land over the rainbow.
I told you at the beginning when I considered my long love affair with motion pictures there were two that stand out in my mind that made me become a genuine fan. One was E.T., and then The Wizard of Oz really cemented it for me (I'm pretty sure The Wizard of Oz came after E.T.) I think Oz had more of an impact on me growing up because it has more a sense of wonder than E.T. has, plus it's a more happier story. Also, after having seen the movie, I would get many books dealing with The Wizard of Oz: the actual book (I have a lovely hardcover edition of The Annotated Wizard of Oz), I have a book on the making of the movie, the spin off Wicked is one of my favorite books of all time (and I adore the musical). "Over the Rainbow" is still my favorite original song from a movie. Of course, it didn't become my favorite movie overnight, The Wicked Witch absolutely terrified me as a child (oddly enough though, I was fine with the monkeys)
So, there you have it. Constructing this list was very tough considering I've probably seen close to 1500 movies so far in my lifetime, so thank you for following and hoped you enjoyed the journey, but just like Dorothy it's time to click my heels and bring this journey home, because after all, there is no place like it
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Absolutely nothing wrong with that topping anyone's list. It's probably the first film I ever remember seeing. Classic beyond classic.
Give me a couple of days, and I'll start my list, starting with the honorable mentions.
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I love The Princess Bride too.
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Absolutely nothing wrong with that topping anyone's list.
Not at all. Nice choice. :tup
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Interesting choice, I know the story but have never seen it though. Does the muppet version count?
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To save this from dropping to page two, I'm gonna start up with some honorable mentions. I got six of them to mention.... 3 now; 3 on the weekend, then I'll fire up the real list by the end of the weekend or early next week.
I have the list compiled and ranked, but want to re-watch a couple of them to have an insightful and meaningful writeup. I've re-watched most of 10-20, and hope to find time to re-watch the top 10 within the next month or so. My goal is to be done this by the end of September... that's one writeup every couple of days or so. Hopefully that pace will suffice for everyone.
Fletch – infinitely quotable. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen the movie front to back, but man I will watch this anytime it’s on the tube. Gonna fire this one up with jingle.son sometime soon. I think he's at the right age.
Monty Python and the Meaning of Life. Just a whole collection of brilliant skits. If Fletch is infinitely quotable, this is doubly so. The number of times I watched this in high school, baked out of my f’n mind... probably why I don’t remember all of the movie. :lol
A Few Good Men. Quite the ensemble cast. While the final courtroom scene may be one of the most well known scenes in film history, the laying of the foundation to get to that was done superbly. This was the first time I’d seen Pollack in a dramatic role, and wow, he was awesome. Fan for life.
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Only seen the Meaning of Life out of those. It's great, but certainly not the best of the Monty Python movies.
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Only seen the Meaning of Life out of those. It's great, but certainly not the best of the Monty Python movies.
You're right, it isn't.
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I'd like to be added to the list :tup
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Few more honorable mentions:
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. Every high school kid from my generation wanted to be Ferris. The dude oozed cool. Plus, Sloane. ‘nuff said.
Diggstown. Watched this movie over and over in first year university. Seemed like it was always on in the common room. Great rapport between James Woods and Louis Gossett Jr. Never try to hustle a Hustler; Actually, never con a con-man, especially one who's better than you are.
Planes, Trains and Automobiles. Another infinitely quotable movie. The chemistry between Candy and Martin is uncanny. Pillows, discarded car rental agreements, and going the wrong way (“how does he know which way we’re going?”). Brilliant comedy.
Car rental counter (https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=nWRxPDhd3d0) Definitely NSFW
Full list to start tomorrow.
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What a great pick for an honorable mention in Diggstown. Man do I love the drama and comedy in that movie.
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Not seen a single one of those.
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First, couple of guidelines to set the stage for the list about to come. I haven’t watched too many “classic” movies (ie, pre 1970s). I know of them, I tip my hat to the importance of them, I just haven’t watched them. I mean to, but there’s just not a lot of disposable time on my hands. A lot of my movie watching was done in the 90s. Between finishing High School, attending Uni, being single and childless for a few years (I was married in ’99; kids born in ‘00), I had a lot of disposable time to watch movies. Unsurprising, the list is dominated by movies from that decade. Also, I decided that I would NOT include any movies that are multi-part sequels/trilogies – I mean, how do you chose just one from the LOTR or Die Hard movies?). I’ll do that list (I’ve got 20 of them) later down the line when everyone else has had their turn.
And with that... here we go.
#20 - The Last Boyscout (1991)
(https://www.dbcovers.com/imagenes/posters_thumbs/el_ultimo_boyscout_1991/el_ultimo_boyscout_1991_5.jpg)
Bruce Willis had just come off the second Die Hard movie, so he’d really established himself as a leading action star. Daymon Wayans though? WTF?? Homey the Clown, why were you playing co-lead in an action movie? But suck-me-sideways, it worked. Wayans as Jimmy Dix, an “elite” quarterback kicked out of the NFL for drug use and then caught up in a corruption scandal, with Willis as Joe Hallenback, a down-and-out ex-Secret Service agent that always does the right thing. The chemistry between the two of them was really good. Wayans gave the performance of a lifetime – expertly combining a nice amount of comic relief in the role. Who knew he could be a damn fine actor in this capacity. He convincingly plays this wannabe tough guy. 22 years later, the movie has a bit of age on it, but it would still hold up today.
Oh, add in Halle Barry (nothing more than a cameo really) as a stripper in a thong and tittie tassels. Probably a body double though. Meh, who cares.
Memorable scene/quote: Jimmy Dix - "Feels like I've been rode hard and put away wet".
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Memorable scene/quote: Jimmy Dix - "Feels like I've been rode hard and put away wet".
You could have put almost any line from this movie here. Great pick :tup
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Oh yeah...
I spilled my warm cup of piss
The sky is blue, water is wet, women have secrets.
Where you goin?
To the bathroom, okay. You wanna come? The doc said I shouldn't lift anything heavy.
Sooooo many. These two were gold together.
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Haven't seen this one either. Feels like your list are going to be a lot of new titles for me, nice.
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#19 – Tommy Boy (1995)
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/f/f8/Tommy_Boy.jpg)
The first of many movies to come from 1995 (what a great year for movies), this is the first of two movies where SNL cast-mates Spade and Farley made the leap to the big-screen. The chemistry between these two was off-the-charts. Premise of the movie is that a down-on-his-luck kid that can’t get a break; Dad dies, and evil stepmom (Bo Derek) and boyfriend (Rob Lowe) try to swindle Dad’s company from him if Tommy doesn’t sell enough of the new products to save the company. So, Spade and Farley go on a sales road trip.
Spade and Farley are absolute gold together. The catch phrases that came from this movie are endless. Spade’s facial reactions are priceless, usually playing the deadpan card. You had to know that Farley ad-libbed his way through about ˝ of his lines, and likely had his co-stars struggling to keep a straight face. Sadly, Farley was taken from us FAR too soon.
Memorable scene - desktop demo (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2XvxDaIwCw)
Memorable quote - "But why do they put a guarantee on the box?"
Tommy: "Because they know all they sold ya was a guaranteed piece of shit"
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The scene in the diner, after Spade smacks him in the face, cracks me up. I love his "sale" and how he tears up the bread.
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Once again, haven't even heard of this one.
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The scene in the diner, after Spade smacks him in the face, cracks me up. I love his "sale" and how he tears up the bread.
I ALMOST put that as the 'memorable scene', even had the YT link copied. In the end, the one I did link preceded and was the source of the diner scene.
So many good scenes.
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Does this suit make me look fat?
No, your face does.
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I haven't seen a single movie thus far on the list, including the honorable mentions.
I feel inadequate
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I haven't seen a single movie thus far on the list, including the honorable mentions.
I feel inadequate
So you should! :jets:
If you haven't seen any of these, I can pretty much guarantee it wont be for a few more selections before we get to something you have seen. I did try to throw in a few relatively unheralded and unconventional choices - because it would get kinda boring to see the same movies over-and-over-and-over-and-over again on these lists. Stay tuned though, there are plenty of recognizable flicks to come.
Although, I am kinda surprised... Planes/Trains is easily a Tier 1 comedy of all time. Same on A Few Good Men (but a drama obviously). And go watch The Meaning of Life. Required Monty Python material right there.
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I haven't seen any of these either. Actually, I think I once saw The Meaning Of life, because I mistakenly thought it was supposed to be a comedy movie.
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I haven't seen any of these either. Actually, I think I once saw The Meaning Of life, because I mistakenly thought it was supposed to be a comedy movie.
Oh come on now. All the angels in heaven are topless but with fake plastic boobs and every day is Christmas at a Las Vegas style variety show! What could be funnier than that?
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I haven't seen any of these either. Actually, I think I once saw The Meaning Of life, because I mistakenly thought it was supposed to be a comedy movie.
Oh come on now. All the angels in heaven are topless but with fake plastic boobs and every day is Christmas at a Las Vegas style variety show! What could be funnier than that?
By British humour standards, probably only men cross dressing as women. :neverusethis:
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Manty Python are geniuses and I don't think anyone will ever be funny in that way as good as they were ever again.
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Tommy Boy is great. Too bad Chris Farley didn't take better care of himself. Now we have to deal with Kevin James
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I haven't seen a single movie thus far on the list, including the honorable mentions.
I feel inadequate
So you should! :jets:
If you haven't seen any of these, I can pretty much guarantee it wont be for a few more selections before we get to something you have seen. I did try to throw in a few relatively unheralded and unconventional choices - because it would get kinda boring to see the same movies over-and-over-and-over-and-over again on these lists. Stay tuned though, there are plenty of recognizable flicks to come.
Although, I am kinda surprised... Planes/Trains is easily a Tier 1 comedy of all time. Same on A Few Good Men (but a drama obviously). And go watch The Meaning of Life. Required Monty Python material right there.
A Few Good Men is amazing, though it missed a great opportunity. It should've ended with Cruise repeating the "...so this is what the inside of a courtroom looks like." Such an incredible cast in that one.
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#18 – 2 Days in the Valley (1996)
(https://ia.media-imdb.com/images/M/MV5BMTI1ODM4NzQ1NV5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwNDQyMDU1MQ@@._V1_SY317_CR5,0,214,317_.jpg)
This movie reminds me (to some extent) of Pulp Fiction – it’s a collection of stories, that all come together in the end. Great cast – James Spader, Eric Stoltz, Danny Aiello, Teri Hatcher, Charlize Theron (mmmm we get her nekid in this one!), and Jeff Daniels.
Spader plays an intellectual psychopath, pulling the strings on many of the other characters in a murder-for-hire plot. Aiello is a rundown, past-his-prime thug/hitman; Daniels as an angry seasoned cop, with Stoltz as his up-and-coming young whipper-snapper with way too much enthusiasm. The net of it though is that this movie is Spader’s. He owns the screen. Coming off the heels of Crash (which I have yet to see, but have heard he’s brilliant in that too), it really established him as a top-notch actor. Sure, maybe he doesn’t have the star/drawing power of most A-list’rs, but he’s absolutely brilliant. I’m not gonna give away all of the sub-plots, but this is a fun one to watch... lots of comedic moments woven into this crime-thriller.
Memorable scene/quote – “I may be an asshole, but I've worked hard to become one.”
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Once again, haven't heard of it.
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Chad, though I've seen every movie so far, most would not make my top 20 but I like them.
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Once again, haven't heard of it.
Well, I appreciate you following none-the-less.
King... I hear ya. A few of the next ones will be a little 'out there' as well, but then into some more predictable titles one might expect to see in a Top 20 list.
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Once again, haven't heard of it.
Well, I appreciate you following none-the-less.
Of course, always interesting to get introduced to some new stuff.
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#17 – Searching for Bobby Fisher (1993)
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/a/ae/Searching_for_bobby_fischer.jpg)
This is based on the true story 7 year old chess prodigy, Josh Waitzkin. The movie chronicles a father (Joe Mantegna) that pushes his son to be the best he can; becomes a 'Chess Father' obsessing for his son to be all that he can be as "the best" finally realizing that he's pushed him too far, and hasn’t allowed him to just be a 7 year old kid – which Mom (Joan Allen) desperately wants him to be. Ben Kingsley plays the professional chess teacher, while Lawrence Fishbourne plays Vinnie, a street chess player that Josh almost idolizes. Both have opposite views as to how to best propel Josh to greatness – Kingsley trying to make him tough; Fishbourne trying to help him have fun. The movie features constant interludes with Max Pomerac (who plays Josh) providing a narrative about the real Bobby Fisher’s life and legacy. It’s a feel good story, and Josh goes through the ups and downs of being a true prodigy, hating the “sport” and what it's turning him into, until he finally embraces himself and all that he can be as a chess champion.
I absolutely love the cast – Kingsley is brilliant in everything he does. More to come with him later. Much later
Memorable scene/quote - You've lost, you just don't know it yet.
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Excellent pic Chad. A very good movie.
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Agreed. Really liked this movie when it came out
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Guess what? Haven't heard of it..
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Yay! The first one I've seen. A good movie, too :tup :tup
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I love that movie. And it is so awesome when he says that quote.
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I'd like to be added to the list too!
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I'd like to be added to the list too!
:tup
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#16 – Team America:World Polce (2004)
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/5/53/Team_america_poster_300px.jpg/215px-Team_america_poster_300px.jpg)
Ahh.... the source of my avatar. This is easily the raunchiest movie I’ve ever seen. I remember my boss telling me about it back when it first came out on video, and it being in the old Thunderbirds style – bad puppeteering (you can still see the strings). But the puppets are simply a means to an end – shock value comedy to the extreme. The story is so ludicrous, the voice-acting is elementary school quality, and to say the dialogue is profane would be the understatement of the century. South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone take their craft to the big screen – and it’s kinda amazing I liked this movie so much, as I really can’t stand South Park (Blame Canada!). There are so many moments that had me in tears I was laughing so hard, but at the end of it, still said to myself “What the fuck did I just watch!?!?!”
Memorable Quotes (no way I can list just one)
“I'll drill two holes through your dick so that when you pee it shoots out in all different directions”
“Let me explain to you the kind of man Gary is. He's a man who knows that when you put another man's cock in your mouth, you make a pact. A bond that cannot be broken. He's a man so dedicated that he will get down on his knees and put that cock right in his mouth.”
“Jesus this is a nice limo” “Yes it is, now suck my cock”
And this just basically sums up the entire movie.
“We're dicks! We're reckless, arrogant, stupid dicks. And the Film Actors Guild are pussies. And Kim Jong Il is an asshole. Pussies don't like dicks, because pussies get fucked by dicks. But dicks also fuck assholes: assholes that just want to shit on everything. Pussies may think they can deal with assholes their way. But the only thing that can fuck an asshole is a dick, with some balls. The problem with dicks is: they fuck too much or fuck when it isn't appropriate - and it takes a pussy to show them that. But sometimes, pussies can be so full of shit that they become assholes themselves... because pussies are an inch and half away from ass holes. I don't know much about this crazy, crazy world, but I do know this: If you don't let us fuck this asshole, we're going to have our dicks and pussies all covered in shit!”
Oh, and America: Fuck Yeah! (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGQaH3-LK54)
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Now this one I've seen. Awesome movie, one of the absolute best comedies I have ever seen.
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I've still yet to have seen a single movie on this list. :lol
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I've still yet to have seen a single movie on this list. :lol
:sadpanda:
It's probably going to be at least a few more entries before we do get to something in your memory banks.
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Sorry for the lack of updates... crazy week at work. Will drop two here, and try to hammer out a few more so I'm not doing this on the fly.
#15 – Rudy (1993)
(https://timothysykes.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/rudy-ruettiger.jpg)
There are 2 movies where it is perfectly acceptable for a man to cry. The true story of Daniel Ruettiger is one of them. Long before he was Samwise Gamgee, Sean Astin was “Rudy” - a kid who grew up as the son of a steel-mill foreman (Ned Beatty) in a blue-collar town; who always dreamed to play football for Notre Dame. And after the death of his childhood friend, he was determined... no committed to make it happen. Entered college in his 20s, and as is said later in the film by Charles S. Dutton “Your five foot nothin', a hundred and nothin' and hardly have a spec of athletic ability”. And he wasn’t the brightest kid either. But, he got people to believe in him the way he believed in himself. And that’s the real story here... belief in yourself, and if you put forth the effort – day in and day out – others will do for you as well. This is a story of overcoming monumental odds, doing the seemingly impossible, and achieving exactly what you’re aiming for.
Spoilers:
The tears start building when every single player gives up their jersey for Rudy, then he leads them out on the field, and the closing scenes, when the whole stadium is chanting his name, and he gets the sack and is carried off the field.... you can’t help but be on top of the world yourself – for Rudy.
Memorable quote – “Are you ready for this?” “I’ve been ready my whole life”
Memorable scene - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27D4k3dCXPg
#14 – Dead Poet’s Society (1989)
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/49/Dead_poets_society.jpg/220px-Dead_poets_society.jpg)
I saw this movie in the theatres back in ’89, and cried in the theatre. At first I was like “why the fuck is Mork in a dramatic role?” But man, this established Robin Williams as more than a comedic genius. He’s an acting genius. I’m sure everyone here knows this movie, as it’s the source of a lot of the inspiration for A Change of Seasons – “Carpe Diem” comes from this movie, along with the sample at 8:10.
The movie is about a group of boys attending prep school in 1959, and the professors are all dryer than a popcorn fart. However, one professor – Michael Keating (Robin Williams) – stood above all others. Through poetry, Keating ushered these 17 year old boys into manhood, teaching them REAL life lessons valid in any era. He inspired passion, desire, drive, free thinking ... when the boys had never been given the right by the school or their parents to have any of those. Yet unfortunately, the school and their parents were unprepared to follow them for the ride, and ultimately, there are tragic consequences when they try to snap the boys back to their ‘place’ in life. The over-bearing and crotchety school administration refuses to allow the boys to blossom, forcing them into a mould of what they believe is best. The final scene will always bring a tear to my eye, demonstrating that one man can have a monumental impact on one’s life.
Every teenager here at DTF needs to see this movie if they haven’t already.
Memorable quote – “For the first time in my life, I know what I want to do; and for the first time, I’M GONNA DO IT!!”
Memorable scene - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8co7G1Ud3os (skip to 2:20 for the truly memorable part).
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Okay, now we're back to the movies I haven't seen again.
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Okay, now we're back to the movies I haven't seen again.
You're shitting me! You've never seen Dead Poets Society? I thought every DT fan has!
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I've seen DPS, although not because of DT. Great movie :tup
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Okay, now we're back to the movies I haven't seen again.
You're shitting me! You've never seen Dead Poets Society? I thought every DT fan has!
Haha no, didn't even know it had some connection to DT?
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Okay, now we're back to the movies I haven't seen again.
You're shitting me! You've never seen Dead Poets Society? I thought every DT fan has!
Haha no, didn't even know it had some connection to DT?
:youfail: Read my commentary on Dead Poets Society. Then go watch the movie.
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DPS is amazing, nice addition!
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The last 3 movies are a must to own.
Also MATT DAMON..........
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#15 – Rudy (1993)
#14 – Dead Poet’s Society (1989)
they're no Best of the Best or anything, but they're not bad. :lol
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Read my commentary on Dead Poets Society. Then go watch the movie.
Ah, sorry, when it's a movie I haven't seen I only dare to skim the write-up because I don't want anything to be spoiled when I see the movie later on. But I saw now that you write "spoilers" if there are any.
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The only movie I've seen so far is Last Boys Scout, and it's killer.
I've never seen Dead Poets Society, and I don't plan on changing that anytime soon.
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Well, Jesus... thank god I saved this from going to page 3. Sorry for the delay folks, more on that below. For now:
#13 – Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)
(https://blogs.cornellcollege.edu/cla36481213/files/2013/04/monty-python-and-the-holy-grail-movie-poster-1975-1020465239.jpg)
My only entry from the 70s... but it is an absolute timeless classic. In true Monty Python form, it’s really a collection of loosely connected skits that feature King Arthur and his quest (along with the Knights of the Round Table) for the Holy Grail. I’m really not sure how to describe this one. The themes of the skits just come so far from left field sometimes, the first response is usually “what the hell??”, followed by utter laughter. Monty Python is like a good wine... it’s best enjoyed on the second sip, or in this case, viewing. It only gets better each and every time you watch it. The ending however, is just way too bizarre, kinda leaves the moving on a deflating note, rather than a glorious conclusion. BlackInk, if you say you haven’t seen this, you are a horrible, terrible person. I have two sound bites on my computer from this movie (“Message for you sir” for email, and “Go away or I shall taunt you a second time” for shutting down).
Bring out your dead, European and African swallows, flesh wounds, “NI!”, Brave Sir Robin running away, shrubbery, and a ferocious rabbit. What more could you ask for in a movie?
Memorable Quote (only one!?!? Go to the IMDB page, and the ‘quotes’ page is pretty much the entire script!): “I’m not dead yet”.
Memorable Scene: there’s sooooo many, but this is my favorite - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSo0duY7-9s
As for the holdup, work has turned out to be busy as shit the last month, and thus I haven't gotten a chance to 're-watch' many of the remaining movies. I'm going to be traveling 3 of the next four weeks which means two things... I'm not going to be able to be on DTF much, and I'll be able to re-watch most/all of them on my flights. I don't want to be a holdup on this, so if Toro wants to step in, I'll finish my list when he's done (assuming he doesn't fire them off in a couple of weeks). I'll PM him. Otherwise, I'm gonna be lucky to get one or two updates a week.
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Never could get into Monty Python. Wasn't my kind of humor at all.
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I can't tell you how many times I've played this movie.
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Never could get into Monty Python. Wasn't my kind of humor at all.
Likewise. I haven't seen the Holy Grail (which makes 8/8 so far that I haven't seen, I do believe!), but the other Monty Python stuff I've seen wasn't funny at all. I didn't find the linked scene at all funny either. :dunno:
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Never could get into Monty Python. Wasn't my kind of humor at all.
Yeah same here.
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Must be an Aussie thing.
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The TV show was very hit and miss as were the films but they did have enough classic moments to make up for it & The Holy Grail is pretty much perfect.
Better than life Of Brian & The Meaning of Life for definite.
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So I'm gonna star my top 20 with jinlge.boy's blessing.
I'm not gonna do much write ups because I'm kind of busy too, so this is gonna be short but here we go:
20.- Billy Elliot(2000)
I love the soundtrack, the Billy/Dad releationship always gets me, and that ending is perfect.
19.- Chasing Amy(1997)
I still believe Kevin Smith wrote this movie in a big meta way. He doesn't fool me, he had his own Amy and then he lost her so he did a movie.
It's funny, it's sad and it's my favorite Kevin Smith movie.
18.- Children Of Men(2006)
DAT STAIRCASE SCENE.
17.- Mononoke Hime(1997)
Beautiful movie. The animation is incredible. The action scenes are breathtaking and this fucking thing is the creepiest thing I have ever seen:
(https://canime.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/princess-mononoke-deer02.jpg)
16.- Full Metal Jacket(1987)
For being such a dark movie, it sure as hell it's quotable as fuck.
The bootcamp scene alone is a perfect 10/10, the second half is not quite as good, but, it's still worth it.
Also this is the only Kubrick movie you'll see in my list.
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Only seen Children of Men and Full Metal Jacket, both are totally worthy of a top 20 spot.
BlackInk, if you say you haven’t seen this, you are a horrible, terrible person.
Haha, lucky for me that I have seen this movie then! It is absolutely amazing and one of my favorite comedies of all time. I think Life of Brian is a little better. But they're both great.
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Must be an Aussie thing.
(https://www.my-coloring.net/Images/Large/Famous-characters-Troll-face-Troll-face-poker-177134.png)
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Children of Men is a great movie. Michael Caine cracks me up in this movie with his "Strawberry Cough". But on the serious side it's really quite gripping too, especially the end.
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The Holy Grail is fucking brilliant!
And Full Metal Jacket is a favourite of mine too :D
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Next batch guys:
15.- In Bruges (2008)
(https://ia.media-imdb.com/images/M/MV5BMTY4OTYxODg4MV5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwMDcyNzM2MQ@@._V1._SX338_SY500_.jpg)
This is one of the most quotable movies ever, it amazing how a movie can be so funny and dark at the same time.
I just love this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PN6xemdjik
14.- A Bronx Tale (1993)
(https://parlantdecinema.files.wordpress.com/2011/08/bronx_tale_ver1.jpg)
"The saddest thing in life is wasted talent."
God I love this movie, even if it is a little bit too much like a Scorsese movie.
I love the father/son releationship, this movie hits me everytime I see it.
13.- Little Miss Sunshine (2006)
(https://laquevuela.files.wordpress.com/2010/05/little-miss-sunshine.jpg)
It's sweet, funny, sad, depressing, uplifting and a lot more. A movie that can be all those things is a great movie in my book.
12.- Collateral (2004)
(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Zn9xxsMYa4Y/Tk1X-Yyoz3I/AAAAAAAAEs8/pPhHrTVyAWY/s400/collateral_ver3.jpg)
This movie has the best Tom Cruise performance.
The soundtrack and editing are top tier, and the writing is even better, even if the ending is kind of obvious in hindsight.
Also, the bad guy won.
11.- Casino
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/d8/Casino_poster.jpg)
It's better than Goodfellas.
COME AT ME BROS!
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Only seen Little Miss Sunshine. It was really depressing, but I actually liked it, perhaps not this much, but it was good.
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Jesus christ this thread is death.
I'm gonna necro bumb it.
10.- Ratatouille (2004)
Pixar has an incredible track record, but this one is my favorite.
I love cooking even tho I have no interest on becoming a chef and people always ask me why I like this movie so much because I'm not studying gastronomy, but I think this movie speaks about the love for art or creating things.
And the soundtrack is perfect.
9.- Before Sunrise/Sunset/Midnight
I know having 3 movies bundleup together is cheating but IDGAF.
The story of Celine and Jesse is great, each movie has a different atmosphere, and the writing is great.
Before Sunrise is one of the most romantic things you will ever see and Before Midnight is as real as it gets.
One of the best trilogies ever.
8.- Almos Famous (2000)
The first time you fell in love with a shitty band made into a movie.
I can't really explain why I like this movie so much, but I just like it. A lot.
7.- Cinema Paradiso
Another movie about loving stuff.
This movie is a love letter to cinema, everything about it it's about the love for your craft.
Ennio Morricone's score is so beautiful it makes me want to cry.
And avoid watching the director's cut at all cost, because it takes everything away from the ending montage.
6.- City of God
Ze Pequeńo is the most evil character to ever be put into a movie. Nuff said.
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Ratatouille is a good pixar movie, but number 10? That's--- impressive?
My dad keeps saying I should watch City of God with him, and I want to, and I will, it just feels like it's going to be depressing and I'm not in that mood right now. But I'm sure I'll like it when I finally watch it.
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My dad keeps saying I should watch City of God with him, and I want to, and I will, it just feels like it's going to be depressing and I'm not in that mood right now. But I'm sure I'll like it when I finally watch it.
City of God is not exactly depressing. It's just hard to watch because some gruesome stuff happens.
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Oh God yes, that guy is one evil mofo
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City of God is excellent. It's even more awesome for including Tower of Power's "So Very Hard To Go" in the soundtrack.
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The only one of those I've seen is Cinema Paradiso, but I'd actually definitely go with the Director's Cut, at the very least see it after seeing the international cut.
It just adds an extra layer to the story that gives the story a bit more purpose to me. I saw it directly after the international cut, and it took nothing away from the ending imo, but added to it.
But it does have great music. I can still recall the main theme off the top of my head, and I've only seen the movie a couple of times, and this was probably over 5 years ago.
Also, it's the source of the middle Italian sample from DT - Take The Time, which is why I initially got it. Turns out it wasn't a half bad movie. Bonus! :blob:
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Just bumping this in case anyone still wants to follow it.
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I do.
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I do.
As am I. I should also be ready to finish off mine in the next few weeks.
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Is toro ever going to finish his? Otherwise next person up may go as far as I'm concerned.
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Shit sorry guys let me just get this over with:
5.- The Big Lebowski (1998)
The funniest most quotable movie I have ever seen.
4.- 7 samurais (1954)
Amazin movie.
3.- The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1996)
DAT GRAVEYARD STAND-OFF
2.- Lost In Translation (2003)
Everything.
1.- True Grit (1969/2010)
I love both versions for different reasons. The 1969 on is pure nostalgia for me, but I loved the remake too, which I believe is a better movie.
Sorry for the delay.
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4.- 7 samurais (1954)
Amazin movie.
1.- True Grit (1969/2010)
I love both versions for different reasons. The 1969 on is pure nostalgia for me, but I loved the remake too, which I believe is a better movie.
Only two I've seen, can't say I really like either. Seven Samurai is definetely a classic and I respect it for that, but it is horribly out-dated.
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Re: top 5. Love Lebowski. Tried watching 7 Samurais but just couldn't get into it. May try again sometime. Want to see GBU. LiT is just okay, might break top 100 for me. Loved the True Grit remake, never seen original
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but it is horribly out-dated.
That's funny, because one of the main reasons the movie is so high on my list is because I think it stood the tests of time. Yeah, the technical aspect of it is outdated, but the general subject and story is still amazing.
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The remake of True Grit was outstanding :tup
The Big Lebowski is godly
Lost In Translation is pretty good
Haven't seen the other two.
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The only one of those I've seen is Seven Samurai. I don't think it's any more outdated than any other movie from its era. It holds up better than a lot of other movies I've seen from the time.
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Yeah when I say out-dated I mean technically. The story is still a classic, but the slow and dull 50s-style of it almost forced me too sleep.
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Bump or is this thread officially dead?
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I've been meaning to finish mine - I've got the list, just wanted to re-watch them so I had something meaningful and intelligent to say about them! Think I've got 7 or 8 to re-watch still. Maybe I'll get around to it over the holidays. Whoever is next on the list (theliloutkast) is free to go as far as I'm concerned. If not, I'll try to get mine re-started and finished.
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My Top 10:
10. The Godfather: Part II (1974)
Brilliant sequel.
9. Memento (2000)
Exciting movie, interesting concepts.
8. Red Beard (1965)
One of Kurosawa most emotional movies.
7. There Will Be Blood (2007)
Milkshake.
6. Seven Samurai (1954)
Cinematography.
5. Barry Lyndon (1975)
My expectations before seeing it: "Gonna be good but it will not rival Space Odyssey..."
After seeing it: Kubrick, your motherf*cker! This guy can do a movie about anything and it will be a masterpiece :rollin
4. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
Better effects than today's movies :P
3, 2 and 1 : The Human Condition (1959/61, yeah, three 3-hour movies)
Best thing i ever watched, nothing comes close (also, one of my favorite performances ever by Tatsuya Nakadai).
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I've always heard good things about Barry Lyndon but never had the desire to watch it for some reason.
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Barry Lyndon is amazing! Definitely watch it :) just do it
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The funny thing is that i watched Barry Lyndon just after Space Odyssey and was not expecting something so fantastic :D
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I can look into restarting this after Christmas is over. To be honest, I kind of forgot about this thread when people stopped posting in it.
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Bump.
haha... beat ya.
I'd love to finish my list of sometime in the near future.
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I think I have figured out my top 20 *David Lee Roth voice* for shore! I can go whenever, unless Chad wants to finish first. :neverusethis:
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I think I have figured out my top 20 *David Lee Roth voice* for shore! I can go whenever, unless Chad wants to finish first. :neverusethis:
I'm sure you'll be faster, you go ahead and start. I've got another list to finish first.
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My personal top 10:
1. Pulp Fiction
2. Taxi Driver
3. No Country for Old Men
4. Paris, Texas
5. 2001
6. The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
7. Jurassic Park
8. Halloween (1978)
9. Alien
10. Terminator
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A near 6-year bump?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4V0TYIO6yv4
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Okay I finally figured out my top 20. I had to really focus on what I personally love as opposed to what is critically acclaimed, and there are a few of those on here, and not really many deep cuts, but they're the 20 films I most enjoy. Really I just thought about the films I've watched the most, or can still watch from start to finish and enjoy, so those are the two most important factors in determining my list. I'll have #20 posted tonight.
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Giggity
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Okay I'm super late, contrary to what I said in my last post here, but I finally got it. And here we go. I scoured through many lists of "top [x hundred] movies of [insert decade here]" just to be sure, but these are honestly my top 20 favorite films ever so far in my life. Note that I'm not a huge movie buff, and I mostly like comedies, so if anybody's still reading these lists, I'm sure I'll probably ruffle some feathers with what's in here and what's absent, but whatever. Let's go!
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20.
Requiem For A Dream
(https://i.imgur.com/B2Ep0aA.jpg)
Released on October 27th, 2000
Directed by Darren Aronofsky
Starring Ellen Burstyn, Jared Leto, Jennifer Connelly, and Marlon Wayans
I'm going to spoil some things that happen in this film. It's a film about drug use, but this film holds so much in it that simply knowing what happens isn't enough to ruin the film. Requiem for a Dream is a film to be experienced, and isn't for the weak of heart.
Based on the 1978 novel "Requiem For A Dream" by Hubert Selby Jr., Requiem For A Dream is a film about four individuals, all addicted to drugs, and their ever-growing desparation from drug use. It is dark, it is bleak, it is tragic. It is not a film to watch on a rainy day - or is it actually the perfect film to watch during a storm?
The film starts off as bright as it will ever get. Harry Goldfarb, played by Jared Leto, is a heroin addict, and he sells it, along with his friend Tyrone (Marlon Wayans) and girlfriend Marion (Jennifer Connelly), because they aspire for greater things in life. One of them is that Harry and Marion want to open a clothing store, because Marion is an aspiring clothing designer, and Tyrone wants to get out of a bad neighborhood and make something of himself. Harry's mother, Sara, lives at home watching TV all day. Yes, this is the happiest the film gets.
Over the course of this movie, each character descends into a drug-fueled abyss. Sara gets a call that she has been invited to appear on her favorite game show, and a shady doctor prescribes her amphetamines to suppress her appetite, because she is obsessed with fitting into an old dress so she looks good on camera, and the amphetamines make her lose her grip on reality. Harry begins to get sick and his arm gangrenous from shooting up heroin. Marion starts to whore herself out for more money and drugs, and all of this takes its toll on her relationship with Harry. Tyrone is arrested and has to suffer through withdrawal symptoms, racism, and abuse. Much of the film is a slow burn and we get to see montages of these characters doing their thing, doing drugs and suffering the symptoms drug addicts tend to have. One of the most heartbreaking things to me is watching Sara slowly get more and more delusional and out of touch with the real world, sitting all alone in the dark in her apartment with just her TV, and not understanding what is going on with her son.
The film ends with heartbreaking imagery of all the characters in fetal positions, and a peek into Sara's delusional mind, believing that she's won the game show, and her son comes to congratulate her and hug her. Sara is the only one with *some* kind of happiness in her ending. Harry gets his arm amputated. Marion puts herself through humiliating prostitution and lays around the ruins of her ambitions. Tyrone is sick and abused and left alone to rot in a prison cell.
Requiem for a Dream has amazing editing and some wonderful cinematography, as well as a believable script, excellent casting and performances from the lead actors, and cemented Darren Aronofsky as one of my favorite directors, with a couple more of his films just barely missing the cut for this list, namely Black Swan which also shares a couple similarities with this film, namely the drug use and the lead characters' inability to moderate their behavior and keep their dangerous habits in check. It's an extremely dark film and could even be triggering for anybody who is or was an addict. It's also extremely powerful. Not many films leave a lasting impression on me after seeing them, but Requiem for a Dream has stuck on my brain ever since I saw it 15 years ago. Big favorite of mine, even if I don't watch it too often because it's such a heavy film to digest.
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Man, that does sound pretty facing heavy. Never seen it, but I do love me some Jennifer Connelly.
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Man, that does sound pretty facing heavy. Never seen it, but I do love me some Jennifer Connelly.
Yeah, I kinda hate Paul Bethany, just a little.
Never heard of this film. Doesn't sound like my cup of heroin.
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It's not for everybody that's for sure, but I fell in love with Aronofsky's work after one viewing. Highly recommended if you want something heavy.
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19.
Kill Bill, Vol. 1
(https://i.imgur.com/9fcPNg8.jpg)
Released October 10, 2003
Directed by Quentin Tarantino
Starring Uma Thurman, Lucy Liu, Vivica A. Fox, Michael Madsen, Daryl Hannah, David Carradine,
Sonny Chiba, Julie Dreyfus, Chiaki Kuriyama, Gordon Liu, and Michael Parks
(https://i.imgur.com/hG5GxAV.jpg)
Kill Bill is an homage to multiple genres of films: martial arts, spaghetti Westerns, Japanese action movies, and even anime. Kill Bill is a two-part story about The Bride (Uma Thurman) chasing down and seeking revenge on a group of assassins who tried to kill her and her unborn child at her wedding. Part 1 begins at the start of her journey and takes her all the way to Japan where she battles the yakuza in the heart of Tokyo, but not before she stops to see a legendary swordmaker named Hattori Hanzo, who makes and gives her the finest sword he has ever made, which is her primary weapon in this tale of revenge.
(https://i.imgur.com/Usd8ReL.jpg)
Kill Bill Vol. 1 isn't necessarily a complex film - there's not a big message it's trying to send, and it's not trying to be deeper than what it is: a fun, obnoxious revenge film with a whole lot of ass-kicking. There are some sick characters in here that serve some very memorable moments: Lucy Liu decapitating one of her own henchmen, Gogo, a 17-year old girl, proving to be an expert with the Meteor Hammer (spiked ball on a long chain she whips around), The Bride slamming a man's head between a door and wall repeatedly. It is brutal, hard to watch at times, yet I can't look away.
(https://i.imgur.com/LUYACwd.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/4MrWohh.jpg)
The film is split into chapters that get their own title cards, another thing that gives the film its character. The Bride also narrates much of the film, particularly when we get backstories on the people she's hunting down. I really enjoy that, because the dialogue has this uniquely Tarantino flavor to it that you don't get anywhere else. It's witty and dry and almost poetic in a way that's hard to describe without hearing it.
(https://i.imgur.com/V60qrqv.jpg)
To this day the Crazy 88 battle sequence toward the end is one of the nuttiest action scenes I've ever seen in a western film. The floor is painted red by the end of it and I'm almost exhausted just watching it, but there are some awesome fights in this one, particularly with Gogo, one of Lucy Liu's character's top fighters. Also, the anime sequences are awesome. Top notch, high quality animation, with blood sprays that make the ones in the real life portions of the film look tame by comparison. I really can't recommend Kill Bill enough to someone who's looking for a quirky over-the-top action film with some amazing editing and a killer soundtrack.
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I can get behind your love of Kill Bill vol. 1. Good choice.
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Kill Bill Vol. 1 isn't necessarily a complex film - there's not a big message it's trying to send, and it's not trying to be deeper than what it is: a fun, obnoxious revenge film with a whole lot of ass-kicking.
Bolded the keyword that describes this film :D
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Shockingly, I've never seen the Kill Bill movies.
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What's your stance on action movies/Tarantino, Chad? I'm NOT a Tarantino fan by and large, and I don't often watch action movies (they largely bore me to tears) but the Kill Bills are good old fun and a thrill to watch even the third or fourth time. Check 'em out!
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What's your stance on action movies/Tarantino, Chad? I'm NOT a Tarantino fan by and large, and I don't often watch action movies (they largely bore me to tears) but the Kill Bills are good old fun and a thrill to watch even the third or fourth time. Check 'em out!
Well, if/when I get to the rest of my list, you'll see the two flagship QT movies right up there, along with another he wrote. So, I'm a big QT fan. Which is what makes this so shocking.
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What's your stance on action movies/Tarantino, Chad? I'm NOT a Tarantino fan by and large, and I don't often watch action movies (they largely bore me to tears) but the Kill Bills are good old fun and a thrill to watch even the third or fourth time. Check 'em out!
Well, if/when I get to the rest of my list, you'll see the two flagship QT movies right up there, along with another he wrote. So, I'm a big QT fan. Which is what makes this so shocking.
Wow yeah, that is shocking then. PF is on your list? I can't fucking stand that one. :rollin
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PF is on your list? I can't fucking stand that one. :rollin
(https://25.media.tumblr.com/cef298c88fbf987f20635732565cf37e/tumblr_mru6u1IEGJ1s7ff4ko1_250.gif)
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18.
The Road
(https://i.imgur.com/6zFvV9u.jpg)
Released November 25th, 2009 (in North America)
Directed by John Hillcoat
Starring Viggo Mortensen, Kodi-SmitMcPhee, Robert Duvall, Charlize Theron, and Guy Pearce
The Road remains to this day the only film I've watched on impulse at the theater, and I'm so glad I did. I showed up too early for another film I was anticipating, so I chose this because it had Viggo Mortensen. I left the theater sad and cold. I watch movies alone, and this film really makes you feel alone in the world with Viggo's character and the kid.
The Road is based on a book of the same name by Cormac McCarthy. The Road takes place in a post-apocalyptic United States. The event is never explained or talked about. Nobody really has a name in this film. Viggo's character is 'the dad' or 'the man', the child is called 'the boy' and The Man's late wife, who has a few minutes of screentime, is just called 'The Woman.' There are very few characters in this film outside of The Man and The Boy. The entire film follows them traveling down the east coast in an effort to reach Florida, specifically a harbor, from which they might be able to get further south to a warmer, hopefully more livable climate.
(https://i.imgur.com/MDbFvui.jpg)(https://i.imgur.com/OBfSWcz.jpg)
That's it, that's the film. It's the tale of a father struggling to protect his little boy in a world that is beyond dying - it is gray, dead, a husk of its former self. You hear ominous booms and rumbles in the distance that are never explained, and the skies are always miserably dark. So many people have died, and food so scarce, that people have even turned to cannibalism. The Man and The Boy have no protection except for a handgun with two bullets left in the chamber, reserved for themselves if it comes to that.
Thematically it's all about survival and inner strength and squeezing tight to what you can hold on to in your life. Every encounter with another human is a very tense affair. Who do you trust, and how much can you trust them, in a world where there's only the slightest sliver of hope for anybody, and no guarantee of food of any kind? Do you show kindness and mercy? Do you kill on sight? Do you fall asleep with a stranger? Viggo Mortensen does some brilliant acting without speaking in a lot of scenes. He really looks like a haggard, tired, broken man with no patience for anybody else except his son, and his son acts as a good foil for that type of character, and the conflict is visible on Viggo's face for much of the film.
(https://i.imgur.com/hlTXxzd.jpg)
My favorite thing about The Road is The Man teaching his kid how to survive and be strong. The best scenes are the ones where the kid disagrees with his dad, or vice versa, when they butt heads - learning from each other in the process. The dad hates that the kid has to grow up in hell on Earth; the kid hates that the dad doesn't show any warmth or kindness to other people. The kid's naive nature clashes with the dad's protective nature and other times they're two peas in a pod. They're all they have for each other. And when they come across a below-ground shelter full of food and a house that hasn't been destroyed yet, you really feel like they've finally hit a well earned victory, even if it won't last forever.
(https://i.imgur.com/cdA6Wcf.jpg)(https://i.imgur.com/UPU7gzk.jpg)
The magic of this film is in the little moments, like when they find a vending machine and the kid gets his first taste of Coca Cola. Or when the boy helps comfort his father as he develops a cold out on the road one night. It's such a sad, hopeless film, yet in those moments I feel hope for them and their love for each other is palpable. The Road is all about the journey, not the destination, and the last act is so god damn heartbreaking to me that it's hard to watch. I don't know if this is a tougher watch than Requiem for a Dream, but it feels a lot more personal. Super powerful movie that's stuck with me from the first viewing.
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I watched this one when I was watching all the movies from Victims of the Modern Age. Telly liked it - for being as bleak and dreary as it was. Nice write up :tup
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I watched this one when I was watching all the movies from Victims of the Modern Age. Telly liked it - for being as bleak and dreary as it was. Nice write up :tup
Cool!! :metal
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I really need to watch this, I heard a lot of good things and Arjen Lucassen made a song of it. But then I've read the book and that is so bleak and depressing as hell. So while I want to watch it, I also kind of dread watching the movie if it is in the same tone, because it will probably put me in a dark mood.
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I really need to watch this, I heard a lot of good things and Arjen Lucassen made a song of it. But then I've read the book and that is so bleak and depressing as hell. So while I want to watch it, I also kind of dread watching the movie if it is in the same tone, because it will probably put me in a dark mood.
It definitely won't cheer you up, that's for sure. If you recall the scene with the house and the basement, that is one of the most disturbing scenes I've seen on film. And it's masterfully shot in my opinion. Give it a watch sometime, since you've read the book - I'd love to know your opinions on the adaptation.
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Yeah, that scene was brutal. Especially because it was only hinted at what was happening and you had to make the connections yourself. Sick stuff.
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17.
The Shining
(https://i.imgur.com/6xHv5yV.jpg)
Directed by Stanley Kubrick
Starring Jack Nicholson, Shelly Duvall, Scatman Crothers, and Danny Lloyd
I just love this movie to death. There are very very few horror movies I enjoy, and they all tend to be psychological, like The Shining. This is a movie I'll stop to watch no matter what when it's on TV. It's so damn good. The slow pace does not bother me at all, because it actually makes it better. It's The Shining. Nuff said. Don't need to explain a thing about this movie. If you haven't seen it, watch it, duh. Everything about it rules.
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I'm officially bored (much easier to write at length about music than films). Here's the rest of the list :rollin
1. The Shawshank Redemption
2. Goodfellas
3. Tommy Boy
4. Uncle Buck
5. The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King
6. Pineapple Express
7. Step Brothers
8. This Is The End
9. Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back
10. Toy Story
11. Finding Nemo
12. Forrest Gump
13. A Clockwork Orange
14. Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me
15. Kill Bill, Vol. 2
16. One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest
17. The Shining
18. The Road
19. Kill Bill, Vol. 1
20. Requiem For A Dream
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(https://media0.giphy.com/media/ToMjGpjpXMFPshSYGLm/source.gif)
Pretty good list none-the-less.
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9. Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back
This is one of my favorite movies from the "completely-stupid-and-pointless" category. So stupid, yet so hilarious. :metal ;D :biggrin: :metal
And there are some other good movies in your list.
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9. Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back
This is one of my favorite movies from the "completely-stupid-and-pointless" category. So stupid, yet so hilarious. :metal ;D :biggrin: :metal
And there are some other good movies in your list.
Give him the map Scott. GIVE HIM THE MAP, SCOTT!!! :lol