Top 20 Movies You Have To See Before You Die

[Sir GuitarCozmo]

Do you watch any non-prehistoric films?

I try to avoid them if at all possible.

IMHOTEP WILL RISE

[hefdaddy42]

No particular order after the top 3:

Raiders of the Lost Ark
The Godfather
Casablanca
The Maltese Falcon
Unforgiven
Star Wars
The Lord of the Rings Trilogy
Jaws
Pulp Fiction
Ghostbusters
Goodfellas
Taxi Driver
Citizen Kane
The Bridge on the River Kwai
The Dirty Dozen
The Dark Knight
Saving Private Ryan
Schindler's List
Monty Python & the Holy Grail
Caddyshack
Godfather II

It's actually 21, but I don't care.

/thread

I forgot Chinatown.

[TimmyHiggy]

I'm surprised how few mentions 2001: A space odyssey has got so far. I saw it for the first time the other night and was completely obsessed with reading interpretations of it for about 30 straight hours after it finished!!

[MetalManiac666]

Do you watch any non-prehistoric films?

I try to avoid them if at all possible.

IMHOTEP WILL RISE

I like your new avatar, GC.

[Sir GuitarCozmo]

[GuineaPig]

I'm surprised how few mentions 2001: A space odyssey has got so far. I saw it for the first time the other night and was completely obsessed with reading interpretations of it for about 30 straight hours after it finished!!

2001 might be my favourite movie.  A definite classic.

[hefdaddy42]

I'm surprised how few mentions 2001: A space odyssey has got so far. I saw it for the first time the other night and was completely obsessed with reading interpretations of it for about 30 straight hours after it finished!!

2001 might be my favourite movie.  A definite classic.

I love it, but for me it isn't a Top 20-caliber film.

BTW, am I the only 2001 fan who liked 2010?

[TimmyHiggy]

I'm surprised how few mentions 2001: A space odyssey has got so far. I saw it for the first time the other night and was completely obsessed with reading interpretations of it for about 30 straight hours after it finished!!

2001 might be my favourite movie.  A definite classic.

I love it, but for me it isn't a Top 20-caliber film.

BTW, am I the only 2001 fan who liked 2010?

I'll get back to you in about a week with the answer

[hefdaddy42]

 

[mizzl]

Pink Floyd's The Wall

Thank you 

[Sigz]

I'm surprised how few mentions 2001: A space odyssey has got so far. I saw it for the first time the other night and was completely obsessed with reading interpretations of it for about 30 straight hours after it finished!!

2001 might be my favourite movie.  A definite classic.

I love it, but for me it isn't a Top 20-caliber film.

BTW, am I the only 2001 fan who liked 2010?

It's alright, but not nearly as good as the original, and the changes they made from the book severly hurt it IMO.

[hefdaddy42]

I'm surprised how few mentions 2001: A space odyssey has got so far. I saw it for the first time the other night and was completely obsessed with reading interpretations of it for about 30 straight hours after it finished!!

2001 might be my favourite movie.  A definite classic.

I love it, but for me it isn't a Top 20-caliber film.

BTW, am I the only 2001 fan who liked 2010?

It's alright, but not nearly as good as the original, and the changes they made from the book severly hurt it IMO.

Yes, but Roy Scheider.

[AwakeFromOctavarium]

District 9

I want to watch Moon too. Is it included in anyone's top 20?

[Adami]

District 9? Eh. Why would anyone have to see that?

[Global Laziness]

District 9? Eh. Why would anyone have to see that?

It's a solid movie. I don't know that it's a must-see, but it is pretty fantastic.

[Adami]

It's a fine movie, but there are tons of fine movies people don't need to see.

[Global Laziness]

It's a fine movie, but there are tons of fine movies people don't need to see.

Agreed.

[TimmyHiggy]

I'm surprised how few mentions 2001: A space odyssey has got so far. I saw it for the first time the other night and was completely obsessed with reading interpretations of it for about 30 straight hours after it finished!!

2001 might be my favourite movie.  A definite classic.

I love it, but for me it isn't a Top 20-caliber film.

BTW, am I the only 2001 fan who liked 2010?

I'll get back to you in about a week with the answer

Just watched 2010. Thought it was a good film and enjoyed it a lot, although it wasn't as clever or original as 2001.

[hefdaddy42]

 

[MetalManiac666]

It's a fine movie, but there are tons of fine movies people don't need to see.

Agreed.

Yep, I have never gotten the love for that movie.

[robwebster]

Do you watch any non-prehistoric films?

I try to avoid them if at all possible.

IMHOTEP WILL RISE

Hahahahaha. I might adapt that into a catchphrase.

[lateralus88]

everything Stanley Kubrick has ever done.

You sir, have quite the good taste in film.

Here is a rough idea of what my list would look like, with some explanations on why I believe people must see these films:

City of God - A landmark in all aspects of modern film making. Absolutely stunning in almost every aspect, if you ask me. Possibly the most well made film I have ever seen.

A Clockwork Orange - A revolutionary film for it's time. Appreciation for the concepts and quetions it brings up about humans and society is still very relevant in our world today.

Where the Wild Things Are - The key word I will always use for this film is "beauty". If you can stop being a little whiny pissant about the fact that it's based on a 15+ page book (whether or not you liked the book or not, it's irrelevant), you should be able to at least appreciate this film a little bit for it's artistic value. Maybe I'm being a little too pretentious about this one, but there are so many aspects of this film that gets overlooked by those who refuse to appreciate what this film does.

American Beauty - Excellent story telling and character developement. Should be reason enough to watch this wonderfully crafted film.

Pulp Fiction - It's a Tarantino class. If you like ANYTHING this man has done, Pulp Fiction should be without a doubt a must see.

Monty Python & The Holy Grail - A classic. Enough said.

Monty Python & The Meaning of Life - More Monty Python genius, with great amounts of comedy with sprinkles of serious content and questions to ask oneself.

Monty Python & The Life of Brian - Excellent parody of religion. Once again, Monty Python translates into = must see.

The Prestige - Excellent examples of acting and story telling. Brilliant all the way through.

I'll add more soon.

[Arcaeus]

The Prestige

[GuineaPig]

I don't think people understand this topic.  It isn't post your favourite movies, or movies you like.

It's movies you have to see before you die.  And The Prestige is a long way from that, regardless of what people think of it.

[lateralus88]

Implying some people don't believe that everyone should see The Prestige before they die.

[GuineaPig]

I'll do mine, divided roughly by genre:

Drama/Other

The Godfather
The Godfather Part II
Casablanca
Citizen Kane
Raging Bull
Psycho
Gone With the Wind
Schindler's List
On The Waterfront
Pulp Fiction
Lawrence of Arabia
Wizard of Oz
Apocalypse Now

Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Adventure

2001: A Space Odyssey
Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark
Blade Runner
Star Wars

Comedy

Dr. Strangelove
Monty Python: Life of Brian
This Is Spinal Tap

[InTheNameOfGod]

I would actually put Avatar in the Top 20 movies i'd like to see before I die.

We can argue the weakness of the script, but Avatar is an amazing spectacle and is absolutely gorgeous to look at. With an interesting story that is easy to follow. (which is often a good thing, IMO)

Critics read too much into films. They don't need to be highly complex or try and be something they're not. Movies first and foremost should provide some form of entertainment. And even as a bit of a movie buff myself, I thought it was highly enjoyable. Infact, it reminded me of why I love movies in the first place.

[Sigz]

Ignoring the script, and such, the thing with Avatar is that it's only such a spectacle because the technology is so new. Ten or twenty years from now, I'm sure there will be movies made with that exact same technology that will will actually be well executed, and Avatar will only stand as the first movie to really use that technology. That's not, however, a valid reason to include it, or else this would have to be on everyone's list: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PaJ1r0udvQ

[lateralus88]

Movies first and foremost should provide some form of entertainment.

It's a shame the story/characters/plot/etc. wasn't interesting enough for me to feel entertained. I was honestly bored the entire 2 and a half hours I sat in the movie theater.


But hey, maybe that's just me. Avatar blew.



*activates flame retardant cloak*

[GuineaPig]

See, the whole argument that "It was technically awesome, therefore the plot doesn't need to exist" is never levied against movies that are actually good, like Blade Runner, Star Wars, or 2001: A Space Odyssey.

[InTheNameOfGod]

See, the whole argument that "It was technically awesome, therefore the plot doesn't need to exist" is never levied against movies that are actually good, like Blade Runner, Star Wars, or 2001: A Space Odyssey.

But I like the fact that it doesn't take itself too seriously.

I agree, the technology is what makes this film, but it still has that vision behind it. Cameron has provided an interesting concept in a market where the film industry is at an all-time low, IMO.

There is literally nothing out there, atleast from a hollywood perspective, that i'd want to pay good money to see. Avatar was a no-brainer and definitely worth 3 hours of my time.

Granted, I haven't seen every film ever made, but the last few 'great' films i've watched in the past 5 years include:


Moon - 2009
There Will Be Blood - 2007
The Lives of Others - 2006
The Prestige - 2006
Apocalypto - 2006

Not even one film in 2008 I can genuinely say is a great film i've watched. The Dark Knight doesn't qualify as a great film either. It has some of the most forced dialogue i've seen in a film, not to mention the poorly executed transition of Harvey Dent (which should have been carried out in the next film)

I have no desire to watch any other super hero movie other than Batman. So when a film like Avatar comes out, it's a must-watch.

[lateralus88]

See, the whole argument that "It was technically awesome, therefore the plot doesn't need to exist" is never levied against movies that are actually good, like Blade Runner, Star Wars, or 2001: A Space Odyssey.

2001's story was actually rather engaging.

The Dark Knight doesn't qualify as a great film either. It has some of the most forced dialogue i've seen in a film, not to mention the poorly executed transition of Harvey Dent (which should have been carried out in the next film)

Christopher Nolan would like to have a word with you.

[GuineaPig]

See, the whole argument that "It was technically awesome, therefore the plot doesn't need to exist" is never levied against movies that are actually good, like Blade Runner, Star Wars, or 2001: A Space Odyssey.

2001's story was actually rather engaging.

That was what I was saying.  No one, at any point, needs to justify a good movie with "Well, the special effects were awesome."

[AcidLameLTE]

Guess who I am:

The popularity of The Dark Knight was a conspiracy.

[lateralus88]

Guess who I am:

The popularity of The Dark Knight was a conspiracy.

So, Netflix is a scam, huh?