Top Notch
After endless hours of movie marathons, this is my select list of top notch films in a mix of genres.
P.s. You won't find any of the commercial movies you're used to seeing on most lists (i.e. Godfather,Raging Bull,Taxi Driver etc.)
P.s. You won't find any of the commercial movies you're used to seeing on most lists (i.e. Godfather,Raging Bull,Taxi Driver etc.)
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22 titles
- DirectorRobin HardyStarsEdward WoodwardChristopher LeeDiane CilentoA puritan police sergeant arrives in a Scottish island village in search of a missing girl, who the pagan locals claim never existed.A policeman's investigation of a disappearance on an island inhabited by people with awkward behaviour. The build up is slow,creeping up on you at a steady pace...until the final scene - probably the best ending ever.
- DirectorMichael MannStarsDaniel Day-LewisMadeleine StoweRussell MeansThree trappers protect the daughters of a British Colonel in the midst of the French and Indian War.A wonderful mix of war and romance, unforgettable scenery and a soundtrack to die for!
- DirectorSpike JonzeStarsNicolas CageMeryl StreepChris CooperA lovelorn screenwriter becomes desperate as he tries and fails to adapt 'The Orchid Thief' by Susan Orlean for the screen.Life is so simple yet so complicated in this perfectly acted film (Chris Cooper received an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor). Very philosophical and very original, truly one of a kind.
- DirectorRoman PolanskiStarsRoman PolanskiIsabelle AdjaniMelvyn DouglasA bureaucrat rents a Paris apartment where he finds himself drawn into a rabbit hole of dangerous paranoia.A person's gradual descent into madness, in a place where not everything is what it seems. Roman Polanski is the master of the surreal (without it ever getting boring or too artsy-fartsy)...and this is the perfect example!
- DirectorRoman PolanskiStarsMia FarrowJohn CassavetesRuth GordonA young couple trying for a baby moves into an aging, ornate apartment building on Central Park West, where they find themselves surrounded by peculiar neighbors.Polanski's best movie ever...and this time with a touch of satanism. Horror movies don't get any better than this, mostly in the psychological aspect rather than the visual one which makes it EVEN better.
- DirectorMilos FormanStarsJack NicholsonLouise FletcherMichael BerrymanIn the Fall of 1963, a Korean War veteran and criminal pleads insanity and is admitted to a mental institution, where he rallies up the scared patients against the tyrannical nurse.No comment.
- DirectorAlan ParkerStarsBrad DavisIrene MiracleBo HopkinsBilly Hayes, an American college student, is caught smuggling drugs out of Turkey and thrown into prison.Incredible prison movie based on a true story making it all the more fascinating.
- DirectorMartin McDonaghStarsColin FarrellBrendan GleesonCiarán HindsAfter a job gone wrong, hitman Ray and his partner await orders from their ruthless boss in Bruges, Belgium, the last place in the world Ray wants to be.A superb dark comedy with masterful performances from Farrell and Gleeson, resulting in one of the best films of 2008. Extremely funny yet somehow emotional at the same time..
- DirectorJim SheridanStarsPaddy ConsidineSamantha MortonDjimon HounsouA family of Irish immigrants adjust to life on the mean streets of Hell's Kitchen while also grieving the death of a child.A genuinely touching movie about an immigrant family and the hardship it faces while adjusting to contemporary New York. Depressing but also encouraging at times, this is one of those films you haven't seen or heard of, but definitely belongs in the 'must see' list.
- DirectorJoe BerlingerBruce SinofskyStarsTony BrooksDiana DavisTerry WoodA horrific triple child murder leads to an indictment and trial of three nonconformist boys based on questionable evidence.A documentary that will blow your mind! Real courtroom drama, real-life police investigation, interviews with family and friends of the victims and of the accused and last but foremost, highly questionable evidence...(if you like this one also check out 'Murder on a Sunday Morning' as well as 'Thin Blue Line').
- DirectorKurt KuenneStarsKurt KuenneAndrew BagbyDavid BagbyA filmmaker decides to memorialize a murdered friend when his friend's ex-girlfriend announces she is expecting his son.A muddled start quickly unravels into an astonishing tribute to a passing friend and a justice system which yet again comes to question.
- DirectorShaun MonsonStarsJoaquin PhoenixUsing hidden cameras and never-before-seen footage, Earthlings chronicles the day-to-day practices of the largest industries in the world, all of which rely entirely on animals for profit.A documentary about animals and how they are used and abused for our entertainment, scientific research, food and clothing. Educational and life altering - for most.
- DirectorAmy BergStarsOliver O'GradyThomas DoyleAdamDocumentary about Father Oliver O'Grady, a Catholic priest who was relocated to various parishes around the United States during the 1970s in an attempt by the Catholic Church to cover up his rape of dozens of children.With the hypocricy of religion and of the people representing it, this documentary will shock you and aggravate you like never before.
- DirectorRichard KellyStarsJake GyllenhaalJena MaloneMary McDonnellAfter narrowly escaping a bizarre accident, a troubled teenager is plagued by visions of a man in a large rabbit suit who manipulates him to commit a series of crimes.An intelligent and imaginative drama with a very mind-challenging subject. Truly brilliant filmmaking.
- DirectorJenniphr GoodmanStarsDonal LogueAyelet KaznelsonJohn HinesUnderachieving, overweight kindergarten teacher Dex finds a woman who forces him to reexamine his Zen-like system of seduction.A very smart and interesting character study offering many insights about sexual relationships. This movie will impress you through it's simplicity as well as it's lovable characters.
- DirectorMasaki KobayashiStarsTatsuya NakadaiAkira IshihamaShima IwashitaWhen a ronin requesting seppuku at a feudal lord's palace is told of the brutal suicide of another ronin who previously visited, he reveals how their pasts are intertwined - and in doing so challenges the clan's integrity.A thrilling tale about revenge and the samurai warrior's honour code. Add a great plot to the ingredients and you have a marvelous result.
- DirectorMel BrooksStarsGene WilderMadeline KahnMarty FeldmanAn American grandson of the infamous scientist, struggling to prove that his grandfather was not as insane as people believe, is invited to Transylvania, where he discovers the process that reanimates a dead body.By far Mel Brooks' best (and funniest) movie featuring - who else?- Gene Wilder with a peak performance.
- DirectorMichel GondryStarsJim CarreyKate WinsletTom WilkinsonWhen their relationship turns sour, a couple undergoes a medical procedure to have each other erased from their memories forever.Charming,imaginative and twisty!
- DirectorAndré De TothStarsVincent PriceFrank LovejoyPhyllis KirkAn associate burns down a wax museum with the owner inside, but he survives only to become vengeful and murderous.Vincent Price, by far the best horror icon (yes, even better than Christopher Lee) offering a classic 50's chiller better than anything made nowadays. His best movie (No.2 is Theatre of Blood).
- DirectorVictor FlemingKing VidorStarsJudy GarlandFrank MorganRay BolgerYoung Dorothy Gale and her dog Toto are swept away by a tornado from their Kansas farm to the magical Land of Oz, and embark on a quest with three new friends to see the Wizard, who can return her to her home and fulfill the others' wishes.As good today as it was 72 years ago when it was released, a truly epic movie in all aspects, for both young and old.
- DirectorBrian De PalmaStarsAl PacinoMichelle PfeifferSteven BauerIn 1980 Miami, a determined Cuban immigrant takes over a drug cartel and succumbs to greed.Commercial I know, but I couldn't help adding it to the list! In the words of Oscar Wilde - 'I can resist everything but temptation'
- DirectorSergio LeoneStarsClint EastwoodEli WallachLee Van CleefA bounty hunting scam joins two men in an uneasy alliance against a third in a race to find a fortune in gold buried in a remote cemetery.The undisputed Western of all Westerns...