Top 20 Films/Movies Thread - Up now: toro (Page 25)

[BlackInk]

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



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)



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

[GuineaPig]

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?

[BlackInk]

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).

[senecadawg2]

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?

 

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

[masterthes]

List keeps getting better, especially Gladiator, one of the best historic epics of the last 20 years

[Elite]

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

[BlackInk]

List keeps getting better

I have a feeling that will change after the next update... Don't hate me when it happens ^^

[BlackInk]

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)



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)



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

[Scorpion]

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.

[Accelerando]

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.

[Pols Voice]

The Two Towers

[BlackInk]

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.

[PuffyPat]

Matrix Revolutions, eh, The Two Towers

[Progmetty]

Can I just list my top 20 movies or does everybody have to do this whole "why I like this movie" essays?

[senecadawg2]

I don't really like either. The difference is, with LOTR the whole franchise bores me to tears.

 

[Elite]

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.

[Scorpion]

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

[BlobVanDam]

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.

[masterthes]

Really can't go wrong with LOTR

[Elite]

Really can't go wrong with LOTR

You can choose the 'worst' one out of the three..

[senecadawg2]

Really can't go wrong with LOTR

You can choose the 'worst' one out of the three..

Amen brutha

[BlackInk]

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)



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)

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

[Pols Voice]

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.

[SomeoneLikeHim]

Well TROTK is my favorite but I view them as one movie anyway so 

[senecadawg2]

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.

[BlackInk]

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)



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)



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

[Elite]

Dark Knight

[senecadawg2]

Dark Knight

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...

[King Postwhore]

Dark Knight

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.

[toro]

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.

[The King in Crimson]

Dark Knight

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.

[masterthes]

Interesting pick with Passion. Couldn't care less about that movie, but the other three picks are gold. And it's called theology

[PuffyPat]

The Dark Knight is definitely a great movie, but I could easily put 20 others above it.

[BlackInk]

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)



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)



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

[Accelerando]

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