I bit off more than I can chew.
I TRIED to narrow this list to 10 and absolutely could not. I had to settle with 25, lol. The biggest issue here is that most of these are representative of their particular genre (or subgenre). and cannot possibly be compared one to another. How do you compare "Blade Runner" with "Up"? Or even within the same genre, how do you compare "Lord of the Rings" (high fantasy) with "The Princess Bride" (humor fantasy)? You can't. So a quick list in no particular order of movies that I think are "must sees" with short comments (see if your favorite made the list):
Tombstone - Best. Western. Ever. Period. Also, the most quotable thanks to Val Kilmer's Doc Holliday and Power's Boothe's Curly Bill.
Goodfellas - The mob movie to end all mob movies. Screw "The Godfather", this is a true story. And a ruthless one at that. Marty's masterwork.
Almost Famous - The movie that brought Kate Hudson to the world. Funny, touching, brilliantly directed, amazingly acted, and the soundtrack is phenomenal.
Inglorious Bastards - Like "Jackie Brown" and "Kill Bill" before it, Tarantino is only getting better. I like "Django" as well, but the ending fell flat compared to this one. Perfect movie from start to finish.
Inception - So far, this is Nolan's best work to me. There's another on this list that many would say top that list, but I think that's only elevated because of one performance. This is even on performances, but what really stands out are the special effects that were done as practical as possible.
The Dark Knight - Might as well get this one out of the way now. Greatest superhero movie ever. Nothing else even comes close. The entire trilogy is amazing, but is really elevated by the late Heath Ledger. No one will be able to touch The Joker in live action for at least 10 years, if not 20.
Donnie Darko - Twisted and a WTF from beginning to end. Watch the Director's Cut and it will help you make sense of this messed-up tale.
Gladiator - Still holds up as one of my favorites today even though some of the CGI is a bit dated now. Great story, superb cast (Joaquin Phoenix should have gotten the Oscar), and just a beautiful movie. You go through every range of emotion through this movie.
Burn After Reading - I love the Coen Brothers, so this was a tough choice. "Fargo", "True Grit", "No Country For Old Men", and "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" were all up there. Had to go with the one that makes me laugh hardest. If you haven't seen it, see it now.
Dial "M" for Murder - How can you have a list like this and not include Hitchcock? There are certainly loads of his movies to choose from, but this an "Suspicion" are my favorites. Dial "M" just edges the other out for being all in one apartment. Mastery.
A Christmas Story - Perfectly encapsulates being a kid at Christmastime better than any other movie. My absolute must Christmas movie.
Rocky Horror Picture Show - Yes, it's a musical...about a transvestite...who's making himself "a man"...but...whatever. It is funny, irreverent, and Tim Curry is electrifying.
Pacific Rim - Guillermo del Toro is one of my favorite directors and if you had asked me over a year ago what would have made this list, it would have been "Pan's Labyrinth". "Pan's" is a little dark and "Pacifc" just is the quintessential big monster movie. Just so much fun and such a detailed world.
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy - It is a testament to this movie that it knocked any Bond movie out of my list for a spy thriller. Every time I watch it, something new emerges.
Bram Stoker's Dracula - Definitive Dracula/vamipire movie. Too bad Keanu Reeves is in it.
His Girl Friday - More rapid-fire comments per minute than any movie in history, look it up.
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang - Funny as hell. Gave Robert Downy, Jr. his start back and was the gateway for him getting "Iron Man". Watch it and you will see why.
Princess Bride - One of the most quotable movies ever.
Brotherhood of the Wolf - Part horror, part mystery, part "historical" drama. Kind of an Americanized foreign film, but amazing. Lots of other foreign films I love (like "Amelie"), but I keep going back to this one.
Exorcist - Scariest movie ever made. Hands down. Deal with it.
Empire Records - I've said it once, I've said it 100 times: it isn't a well made movie, but I love it! No plot, per se, just one quotable line right after another. Essential 90's movie.
Lord of the Rings Trilogy - Best of high fantasy except maybe for "Game of Thrones". Tolkein shaped our perception of fantasy and this is the movie adaptation of why.
Alien - Claustrophobia, scares, plot twists; it has it all. Started a whole new genre and has been relevant for over 30 years now.
Blade Runner - See above, lol. Notice this is the 3rd Ridley Scott film. Not a coincidence.
Up - I conclude with an animated feature. I change animated movies that I love like I change my underwear ("Roger Rabbit", "Aladdin", "Sword in the Stone", "Emperor's New Groove")...at least I did before "Up". Pixar at its best showing how dogs really must think. I still laugh hysterically for a good 15 minutes of it from the introduction of Dug to the 3 chasing him. Love it.
No comments:
Post a Comment