All-Time Favorite Films
In case the fact that I had an IMDB account wasn't enough to suggest this, I love movies. I've never been able to successfully compose a complete ranking of all my favorite movies in order and, for that reason, this list is in no particular order - except the first 7 or so and, obviously, #1; those are the ones I'd probably save in a fire, but I love them all.
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- DirectorWes CravenStarsNeve CampbellCourteney CoxDavid ArquetteA year after the murder of her mother, a teenage girl is terrorized by a masked killer who targets her and her friends by using scary movies as part of a deadly game.I'm a die-hard Scream fan. I would die for all 4 of these movies, okay? I love them and I hold them near and dear to me on an extremely personal (if possibly unhealthy) level. I watched Scream for the first time on May 15, 2005 - yes I remember the date I first watched it - and I've been in love with all 4 of these films (yes, even Scream 3) since then. They just make me feel great about life and give me that warm and fuzzy feeling you can only get from a really great film. To me, Scream is perfect on many levels. It's a movie about movies. It's a horror movie with a sense of humor - and the best example of such. Superb acting, and superb writing, and powerful characters - seriously, there's not one dull, under-written character. Scream is just perfect all around and anyone who thinks differently, well, you're entitled to your (wrong) opinion.
- DirectorWes CravenStarsNeve CampbellCourteney CoxDavid ArquetteTwo years after the first series of murders, as Sidney acclimates to college life, someone donning the Ghostface costume begins a new string of killings.Perfect sequel. I think people forget how perfect it is actually. I remember watching it for the first time (not long after that beautiful May 15th date) and remember wondering if it'd come close to the greatness of the original and, thankfully, it did. In fact, it utterly astounded me how the film was such a perfect sequel. Before, any sequel I had seen was either obviously inferior or simply slightly better than the first. In other words, it was the first time a sequel actually managed to meet the extreme level of love I had for the first film. I just love that Scream 2 takes Scream's trademark satirical humor (both to itself and the horror genre) and takes it to a whole new level - it's amazing how Scream 2 just unabashedly satirizes the first film and doesn't care if it takes of the chance of detracting from the greatness of the first one, which it only improves if anything.
- DirectorWes CravenStarsDavid ArquetteNeve CampbellCourteney CoxWhile Sidney and her friends visit the Hollywood set of Stab 3, the third film based on the Woodsboro murders, another Ghostface killer rises to terrorize them.Fine, I admit, Scream 3 is the weakest in the series but I still consider it to be great - really, most people just never gave it a chance since it was the only one in the series to not be written by Kevin Williamson. Sure, it shows in many scenes (I think it's a tad too slapstick), but I think Scream 3 did a great job of incorporating the darkness of the movie industry with Scream's trademark satirical humor. Plus, Parker Posey's character Jennifer Jolie makes a lot of this movie great as well ("You're obsessed with HER! And you're obsessed with HER DAUGHTER!"). Not to mention, some of the best scenes in the series do come from Scream 3 and, for it to be written by somebody other than the original creator, some scenes are pretty impressive. Even at worst, Scream is still far above-average.
- DirectorWes CravenStarsNeve CampbellCourteney CoxDavid ArquetteTen years have passed, and Sidney Prescott, who has put herself back together thanks in part to her writing, is visited by the Ghostface Killer.Worth the wait. I mean, when it was first announced, I was really skeptical and didn't really support it but, once the original team was back, I certainly wasn't going to say, "No," to another Scream film - and what a great sequel it was. This film is just a great satire about this current generation and meaningless fame - not to mention meaningless remakes. F_ck Dimension for cutting out so many scenes too. "Now shut the f_ck up and watch the movie!"
I saw this four times in theaters and each time I just had to pinch myself that I was viewing a fourth Scream film. - DirectorTodd SolondzStarsJane AdamsJon LovitzPhilip Seymour HoffmanThe lives of several individuals intertwine as they go about their lives in their own unique ways, engaging in acts which society as a whole might find disturbing in a desperate search for human connection.A Masterpiece through and through. I love dark humor and, to me, it doesn't get any darker than Happiness. It is an utter and complete masterpiece. Only Todd Solondz could make you laugh (in discomfort) at rape scenes, pedophilia, close-up shots of freshly ejaculated sperm, and a poet wishing she had been raped as a child ("then I would KNOW authenticity!"). You laugh in shock and discomfort, and you feel kind of bad for it - but it's worth it. I love the characters in this film and how, yeah, they have their negative qualities but maybe, also, they're good people. It's called "Happiness" but no one is actually really happy and whatever perversion they possess to which they believe makes them happy, really only makes it worse. Just a perfect comedy and perfect drama.
- DirectorWim WendersStarsHarry Dean StantonNastassja KinskiDean StockwellTravis Henderson, an aimless drifter who has been missing for four years, wanders out of the desert and must reconnect with society, himself, his life, and his family.I love movies about estranged people and relationships; furthermore, I love scenes where a character attests for this. This movie left me with that warm-and-fuzzy feeling, and also a few tears. So beautiful. I mean, really, just a sheer perfect film. The ending scenes, to me, are the definition of power-house acting.
- DirectorLars von TrierStarsNicole KidmanPaul BettanyLauren BacallA woman on the run from the mob is reluctantly accepted in a small Colorado community in exchange for labor, but when a search visits the town she finds out that their support has a price.Lars von Trier's magnum opus in my opinion. Such a powerful (if haunting) film. It plays like that of a classic literary piece. When I first watched it I was offput by the running time but, by about 5 minutes into it, I couldn't take my eyes off the screen and watched it straight through.
- DirectorAlfred HitchcockStarsAnthony PerkinsJanet LeighVera MilesA Phoenix secretary embezzles $40,000 from her employer's client, goes on the run and checks into a remote motel run by a young man under the domination of his mother.Scarred me as a child, man, but still a great film. Not many films could just completely switch storylines and characters halfway through the film but, then again, not many films are Psycho. Yeah, I saw the shower scene when I was about 5 or 6 and, for a good portion of my childhood, I either avoided the shower or would keep the door/curtain ajar. Not that it makes a difference because if somebody is going to murder you in the shower, it's probably going to happen but, I don't know, guess I didn't want to be caught off guard. Also, I'm more or less the Norman Bates of my friend group - minus the cross-dressing.
- DirectorPeter BogdanovichStarsRyan O'NealTatum O'NealMadeline KahnDuring the Great Depression, a con man finds himself saddled with a young girl who may or may not be his daughter, and the two forge an unlikely partnership.Again, strained relationships/ unlikely friendships just tickle my fancy. Tatum O'Neal is amazing in this film, and so many films with a kid that's wiser beyond their years just comes across as being forced - except this movie.
- DirectorFrancis Ford CoppolaStarsMarlon BrandoAl PacinoJames CaanThe aging patriarch of an organized crime dynasty transfers control of his clandestine empire to his reluctant son.*Insert random popular 'Godfather' quote here* Every time it's on TV (which is, like, all the time) I end up watching it. I mean, does one really need to defend their love for The Godfather?
- DirectorFrancis Ford CoppolaStarsAl PacinoRobert De NiroRobert DuvallThe early life and career of Vito Corleone in 1920s New York City is portrayed, while his son, Michael, expands and tightens his grip on the family crime syndicate.Supposedly some 200 something minutes, but it certainly doesn't feel like it. I like the first one more, but this, obviously, is a great sequel. I liked "The Godfather: Part III" actually but it wasn't as great as the first 2.
- DirectorVincent GalloStarsVincent GalloChristina RicciBen GazzaraAfter being released from prison, Billy is set to visit his parents with his wife, whom he does not actually have. This provokes Billy to act out, as he kidnaps a girl and forces her to act as his wife for the visit.The best "romantic comedy" ever made. Funny in its own way, endearingly sweet, and beautifully shot. I guess my inner hipster digs the whole washed-out look of the film and, say what you will about Vincent Gallo, but this film is amazing.
- DirectorRichard LinklaterStarsEthan HawkeJulie DelpyAndrea EckertA young man and woman meet on a train in Europe, and wind up spending one evening together in Vienna. Unfortunately, both know that this will probably be their only night together.Best.
- DirectorRichard LinklaterStarsEthan HawkeJulie DelpyVernon DobtcheffNine years after Jesse and Celine first met, they encounter each other again on the French leg of Jesse's book tour.Trilogy
- DirectorRichard LinklaterStarsEthan HawkeJulie DelpySeamus Davey-FitzpatrickWe meet Jesse and Celine nine years on in Greece. Almost two decades have passed since their first meeting on that train bound for Vienna.Ever
- DirectorRichard LinklaterStarsJason LondonWiley WigginsMatthew McConaugheyThe adventures of high school and junior high students on the last day of school in May 1976.Not a dull moment or character in this ensemble piece
- DirectorElia KazanStarsMarlon BrandoKarl MaldenLee J. CobbAn ex-prize fighter turned New Jersey longshoreman struggles to stand up to his corrupt union bosses, including his older brother, as he starts to connect with the grieving sister of one of the syndicate's victims.Marlon Brando and Eva Marie Saint's relationship in this film is one of the greatest romances ever put to screen. End of story. The scene where Terry and Edie have a beer always breaks my heart in how Terry kind of offends Edie and she then has this childlike innocence to her and Terry is so touched/affected by it.
- DirectorMike LeighStarsTimothy SpallBrenda BlethynPhyllis LoganFollowing the death of her adoptive parents, a successful young black optometrist establishes contact with her biological mother -- a lonely white factory worker living in poverty in East London.I love heavy dramas with a sense of humor to them - and nothing says heavy drama with a sense of humor like that of "Secrets and Lies" Utter masterpiece. I hate how some people are like, "There's no way she could be completely black and have a completely white mother." That's not the point. If anything, it's that glaring contrast that supports the metaphor for secrets and lies as a concept.
- DirectorNicolas Winding RefnStarsRyan GoslingCarey MulliganBryan CranstonA mysterious Hollywood action film stuntman gets in trouble with gangsters when he tries to help his neighbor's husband rob a pawn shop while serving as his getaway driver.I'll never forget watching this in theatres... The previews suggested mindless action, car-chase fused movie; however, thankfully, the film was something much, much more. I guess, think "On the Waterfront" only with car chases and techno 80s sounding music? I love movies that leave you with that warm and fuzzy feeling and this one certainly did.
- DirectorSidney LumetStarsHenry FondaLee J. CobbMartin BalsamThe jury in a New York City murder trial is frustrated by a single member whose skeptical caution forces them to more carefully consider the evidence before jumping to a hasty verdict.I love movies that are primarily dialogue driven and this one is especially amazing in how you feel like you're amongst the men in the room watching everything unfold.
- DirectorHayao MiyazakiStarsHitoshi TakagiNoriko HidakaChika SakamotoWhen two girls move to the country to be near their ailing mother, they have adventures with the wondrous forest spirits who live nearby.First Miyazaki film I watched, and the one I'm in love with the most. I love how it's a film about good things, like, there's no "villain" or opposing force. Just a very sweet and endearing film - leaves me in tears every time
- DirectorIngmar BergmanStarsHarriet AnderssonLiv UllmannKari SylwanWhen a woman dying of cancer in early twentieth-century Sweden is visited by her two sisters, long-repressed feelings between the siblings rise to the surface.Every shot of this film is beautiful - and I love how emotionally draining this film is (as well as many other Bergman films). This one is my favorite, though, because I love heavy dramas and the affects of the dramatic situation on the characters. The ending is one of my favorite endings to any film.
- DirectorKrzysztof KieslowskiStarsJuliette BinocheZbigniew ZamachowskiJulie DelpyA woman struggles to find a way to live her life after the death of her husband and child.Another heavy drama - nothing heavier than a film about a woman who loses her husband and child in a car crash... Possibly the most beautiful film ever made - I mean, if you're going to call your trilogy the "Three Colors" trilogy, you make it count. And Kieslowski did.
- DirectorKrzysztof KieslowskiStarsIrène JacobJean-Louis TrintignantFrédérique FederA model discovers a retired judge is keen on invading people's privacy.Possibly the greatest swan song from any filmmaker - to me, this film just completely summarizes what Kieslowski was about. The visual imagery, yes, but the fact that we, as people, are not as disconnected and estranged as we all think we are.
- DirectorJean-Pierre JeunetStarsAudrey TautouMathieu KassovitzRufusDespite being caught in her imaginative world, Amelie, a young waitress, decides to help people find happiness. Her quest to spread joy leads her on a journey where she finds true love.Some people hate this movie, but they can go die in a fire. Such an endearing, feel good, beautiful movie. "At least you'll never be a vegetable - even artichokes have hearts."
- DirectorFrançois TruffautStarsJean-Pierre LéaudAlbert RémyClaire MaurierA young boy, left without attention, delves into a life of petty crime.I was blown away by this film - what a great and timeless depiction of adolescence. Every one knew a kid like Antoine Doinel and, in a way, everyone kind of wanted to be a kid like Antoine Doinel.
- DirectorMike WhiteStarsMolly ShannonJohn C. ReillyPeter SarsgaardA secretary's life changes in unexpected ways after her dog dies.Mike White is a really underrated screenwriter, his short-lived HBO series Enlightened is the greatest TV show of all time. He is the voice of God I think. This film is hilariously bleak, but more so tragic. I really love how this film is about the different ideas of love and fulfillment.
- DirectorMartin ScorseseStarsAsa ButterfieldChloë Grace MoretzChristopher LeeIn 1931 Paris, an orphan living in the walls of a train station gets wrapped up in a mystery involving his late father and an automaton.I saw this the same day I saw the 2011 Best Picture Winner "The Artist" - I liked Hugo significantly better. At first I was like "What? THIS children's movie is nominated for best picture? Scorsese or not, it can't be that good?" Well...it was... I love movies for movie lovers.
- DirectorMichael Patrick JannStarsKirsten DunstDenise RichardsEllen BarkinA small-town beauty pageant turns deadly as it becomes clear that someone will go to any lengths to win.When I was watching this movie for the first time, all I could think to myself was "Where has this movie been all my life?" I love dark comedies, but I love that this one has a silliness and absurdity to it - and in a mockumentary format. This film is underrated but, thankfully, in recent years it's caught on and become something of a cult film. Every scene of this movie is completely quotable and hilarious in its own way. Jesus loves winners.
- DirectorSam MendesStarsKevin SpaceyAnnette BeningThora BirchA sexually frustrated suburban father has a mid-life crisis after becoming infatuated with his daughter's best friend.I don't know who died and decided that American Beauty was overrated but they need their ass kicked. Anytime I get asked to recommend a "good" movie, I always recommend this film - there's just something in it for everything, I think. Humor, drama, suspense, and everything in between. "I. Will. Sell. This. House. Today."
- DirectorJean-Pierre MelvilleStarsJean-Paul BelmondoEmmanuelle RivaIrène TuncSet during occupied France, a faithless woman finds herself falling in love with a young priest.I love movies about unlikely friendships and forbidden romances - this movie has both. A priest and an atheist woman? What could be more unlikely or forbidden than that? I love, also, how this movie handles religion very well - so many other films with subject matter like this become too sacrilegious, I think, but this one is the perfect balance. The ending scene is so haunting.
- DirectorGabriel AxelStarsStéphane AudranBodil KjerBirgitte FederspielDuring the late 19th century, a strict religious community in a Danish village takes in a French refugee from the Franco-Prussian War as a servant to the late pastor's daughters.Makes you want to eat a bunch of food. I cry at every movie I watch and I remember I cried at this, but I don't remember it being sad? I now have on my bucket list to eat all the items included in Babette's Feast.
- DirectorRobert RodriguezEli RothQuentin TarantinoStarsKurt RussellRose McGowanDanny TrejoQuentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez's homage to exploitation double features in the '60s and '70s with two back-to-back cult films that include previews of coming attractions between them.I love Death Proof significantly more than I do Planet Terror but, altogether, the experience is a fun movie "ya' redneck lunatic bastard!"
Also, it's about time Death Proof start getting some respect. It annoys the hell out of me when I see people, not only rank it the lowest of Tarantino's films, but one website was doing a rank of Tarantino's films and they didn't even f_cking acknowledge Death Proof! Cold. - DirectorPaul Thomas AndersonStarsTom CruiseJason RobardsJulianne MooreAn epic mosaic of interrelated characters in search of love, forgiveness and meaning in the San Fernando Valley.Paul Thomas Anderson's masterpiece. Boogie Nights, to me, is overrated - I like it up until the last act when it starts to become like a drug heist movie. Punch-Drunk Love is amazing. And There Will Be Blood is one of the most boring films ever made. This, however, is a most ambitious and extraordinary film. Not many ensemble pieces can make you care or find enjoyment out of watching each and every character in their own storyline but Magnolia is the exception to that. Not a dull moment in this film.
- DirectorStanley KubrickStarsJack NicholsonShelley DuvallDanny LloydA family heads to an isolated hotel for the winter where a sinister presence influences the father into violence, while his psychic son sees horrific forebodings from both past and future.Creepy movie - but I watch it every time it's on TV. I don't know if it's my favorite Kubrick, per say (my inner male creature, I guess, may favor Full Metal Jacket the best), but The Shining is the star student of the Kubrick collection.
- DirectorAlfred HitchcockStarsJames StewartGrace KellyWendell CoreyA wheelchair-bound photographer spies on his neighbors from his Greenwich Village courtyard apartment window and, despite the skepticism of his fashion-model girlfriend, becomes convinced one of them has committed murder.Often intimated, but never near as superb as the original. Thelma Ritter in this film is my spirit animal.
- DirectorCraig BrewerStarsTerrence HowardLudacrisAnthony AndersonWith help from his friends, a Memphis pimp in a mid-life crisis attempts to become a successful hip-hop emcee.Powerful film, with even more powerful performances. Terrence Howard is amazing in this film. Great music too and wonderfully written monologues.
- DirectorTodd SolondzStarsHeather MatarazzoChristina BrucatoVictoria DavisAn awkward seventh-grader struggles to cope with inattentive parents, snobbish class-mates, a smart older brother, an attractive younger sister and her own insecurities in suburban New Jersey.Never has a film been so brutally honest and hilarious bleak when it comes to representing adolescence and the hell that is junior high school. Like The 400 Blows, I think everybody went to school with a Dawn Wiener and, in many ways, I think everybody was a Dawn Wiener. Drop dead, lesbo!
- DirectorTodd SolondzStarsJennifer Jason LeighEllen BarkinStephen Adly GuirgisAviva is thirteen, awkward and sensitive. Her mother Joyce is warm and loving, as is her father, Steve, a regular guy who does have a fierce temper from time to time. The film revolves around her family, friends and neighbors.Todd Solondz is an excellent filmmaker, and Palindromes is possibly his most ambitious film and possibly most haunting film as well. Such a great portrayal of the deceiving natures of people, which is what I love about Solondz's films. Yes, these are mostly terrible people but maybe they know they are and maybe, even still, they do have redeeming qualities. I love the scenes where the children with birth defects sing songs about Jesus, and when Mama Sunshine tells of how a girl ran away from them and how "she didn't even have any legs!" Of all his films, this is probably the one I feel most guilty for laughing at/with.
- DirectorJohn McTiernanStarsBruce WillisAlan RickmanBonnie BedeliaA New York City police officer tries to save his estranged wife and several others taken hostage by terrorists during a Christmas party at the Nakatomi Plaza in Los Angeles.Am I douche if I refer to this movie as "awesome?" May be, but, come on - you, me, Dupree, and everyone knows this movie is awesome. I've never seen any of the sequels and don't have a desire to. Well, I lied, I saw "A Good Day to Die Hard" in theatres a year or two ago with my dad. No thanks.
- DirectorLuc BessonStarsJean RenoGary OldmanNatalie Portman12-year-old Mathilda is reluctantly taken in by Léon, a professional assassin, after her family is murdered. An unusual relationship forms as she becomes his protégée and learns the assassin's trade.Such a sweet movie, just as much as it is badass. More unlikely friendships and forbidden romances (though that's subjective with this movie I suppose).
- DirectorAndrew StantonStarsBen BurttElissa KnightJeff GarlinIn the distant future, a small waste-collecting robot inadvertently embarks on a space journey that will ultimately decide the fate of mankind.The best Disney-Pixar film hands down. Cried at this. I think, while on the subject of Pixar movies, this really is the last great one they've made. Up was overrated and, aside from the 5 minute montage (which, let's be honest, is mostly why people like the movie), the rest of the film kind of sucked and pandered to immature humor I didn't care for. I hated the kid. Wall-E is amazing though.
- DirectorMichael RitchieStarsWalter MatthauTatum O'NealVic MorrowAn aging, down-on-his-luck ex-minor leaguer coaches a team of misfits in an ultra-competitive California little league.I remember watching this as a kid and wondering why I couldn't be cool like the kids in this movie. I don't care about sports movies that much but this one is the best. So hilarious, wonderfully acted, and written. If I ever have produce offspring, I will make them watch this movie. There's just something so appealing about hearing kids swear and having an alcoholic coach them. I love Richard Linklater but I hated the remake. Not for the sole reason it was remade to begin with, but the acting was terrible, I dislike Billy Bob Thornton for the most part, and I thought the humor was way too forced. Yeah, the wheelchair gimmick sounds funny on paper, but not so much on screen. Too desperate for laughs. This one, however, is a timeless classic.
- DirectorQuentin TarantinoStarsJohn TravoltaUma ThurmanSamuel L. JacksonThe lives of two mob hitmen, a boxer, a gangster and his wife, and a pair of diner bandits intertwine in four tales of violence and redemption.Who doesn't love this movie? Does one really need to justify their love for Pulp Fiction? The TV edited cut is hilarious ("Oh man I shot Marvin in the face").
- StarsArtur BarcisOlgierd LukaszewiczOlaf LubaszenkoTen television drama films, each one based on one of the Ten Commandments.Like the same method behind his Three Colors trilogy, if you're gonna make a 10-hour film series based on the Ten Commandments, you better make it count. No surprise that Decalogue VI is my favorite (a.k.a A Short Film About Love)
- DirectorTim BurtonStarsAlec BaldwinGeena DavisMichael KeatonThe spirits of a deceased couple are harassed by an unbearable family that has moved into their home, and hire a malicious spirit to drive them out.Tim Burton's masterpiece. One of the funniest and most original films ever made. Michael Keaton's performance as Beetlejuice is just balls-to-the-Wall hilarious. "I'll eat anything you want me to eat, and I'll swallow anything you want me to swallow! Come on down I'll chew on a dog! Ahwoooooo!" Not to mention Catherine O'Hara and how the characters just loathe her.
- DirectorRobert RodriguezStarsJordana BrewsterClea DuVallLaura HarrisWhen Casey Connor, Herrington High School's newspaper photographer, witnesses the murder of a nurse and sees her alive again, he decides to investigate the bizarre happenings.Just insanely fun entertainment. Kevin Williamson is a great screenwriter and this film is like a prestigious example of teen horror done correctly. Intriguing characters, witty dialogue, and suspense. Yeah it's "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" meets "The Breakfast Club" but you say that like it's a bad thing? I remember the first time I watched this film and the part where Casey (Elijah Wood) tells Stokely (Clea Duvall) his theory of aliens getting at us through fiction and she's like, "So, aliens have been setting us up throughout the years? Creating this happy little make-believe existence with their 'E.T' and 'Men in Black' movies just so nobody would believe it if it really happened?" I remember leaning back in my chair and saying, "Damn. This is a cool f_cking movie!"
- DirectorDavid LynchStarsNaomi WattsLaura HarringJustin TherouxAfter a car wreck on Mulholland Drive renders a woman amnesiac, she and a Hollywood-hopeful search for clues and answers across Los Angeles in a twisting venture beyond dreams and reality.The first time I saw this film, I didn't like it. I'm not a fan of David Lynch. Blue Velvet's overrated and, like it, Twin Peaks was fine up until they started to introduce Lynch's trademark oddball supernatural element. Then I re-watched Mulholland Drive (having been continuously haunted by it) and decided that, rather than being paranormal or supernatural, maybe the film was more psychological? Now? It's one of my all time favorite films. I still don't really fully like David Lynch, but this is the one creation of his that I love unconditionally.
- DirectorRon ClementsJohn MuskerStarsScott WeingerRobin WilliamsLinda LarkinA kind-hearted street urchin and a power-hungry Grand Vizier vie for a magic lamp that has the power to make their deepest wishes come true.My favorite Disney animated film (excluding the Disney-Pixar film Wall-E). The Lion King isn't the best Disney animated film and I don't know why people are so in love with it. Aladdin is better.
- DirectorMichael HanekeStarsSusanne LotharUlrich MüheArno FrischTwo violent young men take a mother, father, and son hostage in their vacation cabin and force them to play sadistic "games" with one another for their own amusement.Wow. You will feel like utter death after watching this film, but I love that feeling. I love feeling like crap after I watch a film. Funny Games is probably the most feel-bad movie ever, but I love that it's psychologically disturbing, rather than disturbing with use of graphic violence.
- DirectorQuentin TarantinoStarsBrad PittDiane KrugerEli RothIn Nazi-occupied France during World War II, a plan to assassinate Nazi leaders by a group of Jewish U.S. soldiers coincides with a theatre owner's vengeful plans for the same.One of the best movie-going experiences I've ever had was watching this film back in theatres in 2009. It was just kind of cool because, where I'm from, we don't get movies with heavy use of subtitles so it was kind of a treat seeing a heavily subtitled film in theatres. This might just be my favorite Tarantino. I don't know man. It might be. I could watch it over and over again.
- DirectorWes CravenStarsHeather LangenkampJohnny DeppRobert EnglundTeenager Nancy Thompson must uncover the dark truth concealed by her parents after she and her friends become targets of the spirit of a serial killer with a bladed glove in their dreams, in which if they die, it kills them in real life.Certain films you just hold near and dear to you and this film is one of them. This was the first so-called "adult" film that I watched on my own. I was around maybe 9 or 10 and I watched it and was (scared silly, mind you) but just completely adrenalized by watching it. It prompted me to seek out other films, perhaps outside the comfort level of Disney and whatnot. Plus, who doesn't love American's Most Beloved Child Murderer Freddy Krueger?
- DirectorJan de BontStarsKeanu ReevesDennis HopperSandra BullockA young police officer must prevent a bomb exploding aboard a city bus by keeping its speed above 50 mph.If a movie about a bus that can't go under 50 MPH or else it will explode isn't pure entertainment, than I don't know what is.
- DirectorRob ReinerStarsJames CaanKathy BatesRichard FarnsworthAfter a famous author is rescued from a car crash by a fan of his novels, he comes to realize that the care he is receiving is only the beginning of a nightmare of captivity and abuse.I want to be like Kathy Bates in this movie when I get older
- DirectorStanley KubrickStarsMatthew ModineR. Lee ErmeyVincent D'OnofrioA pragmatic U.S. Marine observes the dehumanizing effects the Vietnam War has on his fellow recruits from their brutal boot camp training to the bloody street fighting in Hue.Not a big fan of war movies, but this is the exception to that. I love movies that feel like 2 different movies crammed into one. I love how this film is half-training, half-combat movie for the most part, and the darkness and ugliness that looms in both of them.
- DirectorTerrence MalickStarsBrad PittSean PennJessica ChastainThe story of a family in Waco, Texas in 1956. The eldest son witnesses the loss of innocence and struggles with his parents' conflicting teachings.It may be kind of pretentious of me to hold this film in such high regard, but so be it. This film is masterpiece. I love movies about feelings and, to me, this movie is one about feelings and the memory of childhood. In many ways, I felt like I was watching my own childhood in certain scenes and the way this films taps into and captures these sentiments is rather brilliant.
- DirectorTom TykwerStarsFranka PotenteMoritz BleibtreuHerbert KnaupAfter a botched money delivery, Lola has 20 minutes to come up with 100,000 Deutschmarks.I think this film is like a prime representation of generation X and I often hate, like, fast-paced, almost in-your-face type movies (I can't stand Romeo + Juliet a lot for this reason), but this one does it best.
- DirectorNorman TokarStarsJodie FosterDavid NivenHelen HayesWelcome to Candleshoe, a stately English manor where a swashbuckling pirate hid a fortune in Spanish doubloons centuries ago. And that's what young orphan Casey and a sly con man are determined to find.One of my favorite films from my childhood - this is kind of forgotten Disney movie that has Jodie Foster, Helen Hayes, and David Niven. It's awesome and I love it so much, probably more than I did as a child.
- DirectorJonathan DaytonValerie FarisStarsSteve CarellToni ColletteGreg KinnearA family determined to get their young daughter into the finals of a beauty pageant take a cross-country trip in their VW bus.Feel good movie. One of those movies you finish and you think "I'm glad that movie is now in my life." Now it's utterly impossible to hear "Superfreak" and NOT think about this movie - but that's fine, I wouldn't have it any other way.
- DirectorLucky McKeeStarsAngela BettisJeremy SistoAnna FarisA socially awkward veterinary assistant with a lazy eye and obsession with perfection descends into depravity after developing a crush on a boy with perfect hands.I love horror films that take their time getting into the story, and May is probably the best example of that. If anything, it's more a psychological thriller than a straight up horror film. Angela Bettis gives one of the greatest performances in the history of horror, and the characters are some of the most intriguing ever written. "We should hang out sometime. We can eat some melons or something."
- DirectorBronwen HughesStarsMichelle TrachtenbergRosie O'DonnellGregory SmithHarriet M. Welsch is a spy. But when her friends find her secret notebook, the tables are turned on her. Can she win them back and still keep on going with the spy business?This was also a childhood favorite of mine. To this day, I hold it in an even higher regard. I think it's a prime example of movie made for children that adults can appreciate as well. Also, I love how this film is really honest in its representation of children and, not to sound too Afterschool Special here, but there's a lot people can take away from this film - lotta good role models to. "Good friends are one of life's blessings, don't give em' up without a fight." Is probably the greatest advice I've ever gotten from a film - aside from every line in Scream
- DirectorTim BurtonStarsJohnny DeppMartin LandauSarah Jessica ParkerAmbitious but troubled movie director Edward D. Wood Jr. tries his best to fulfill his dreams despite his lack of talent.Perhaps my personal favorite Tim Burton film. It's just kind of annoying how Burton typecasted himself and now seemingly tries to appeal to the Hot Topic wannabe but never gonnabe emo crowd (i.e. Nightmare Before Christmas, Alice in Wonderland)- any of that type person I encounter I'll ask if they've seen Ed Wood, and they've never even heard of it.
- DirectorBob ClarkStarsPeter BillingsleyMelinda DillonDarren McGavinIn the 1940s, a young boy named Ralphie Parker attempts to convince his parents, teacher, and Santa Claus that a Red Ryder Range 200 Shot BB gun really is the perfect Christmas gift.Best Christmas Movie. I only watch it once a year but, each time, I laugh hysterically and find something new to laugh about every time
- DirectorQuentin TarantinoStarsUma ThurmanDavid CarradineDaryl HannahAfter awakening from a four-year coma, a former assassin wreaks vengeance on the team of assassins who betrayed her.Tarantino is brilliant, and anybody who tells you otherwise is lying. Is there any film he can't make?
- DirectorQuentin TarantinoStarsUma ThurmanDavid CarradineMichael MadsenThe Bride continues her quest of vengeance against her former boss and lover Bill, the reclusive bouncer Budd, and the treacherous, one-eyed Elle.Some days I probably prefer Vol. 2 over Vol. 1 but, even so, I just consider it all one film anyway.
- DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsHaley Joel OsmentJude LawFrances O'ConnorA highly advanced robotic boy longs to become "real" so that he can regain the love of his human mother.Supposedly this is a "love it" or "loathe it" movie according to the internet. I don't really buy into that - let's be honest, most people who "loathe it" are just Kubrick posers. I was left a blubbering wreck with this film, but it was a good kind of blubbering wreck. I don't really care what Kubrick would have done differently that Spielberg did, but who cares?
- DirectorRob ReinerStarsWil WheatonRiver PhoenixCorey FeldmanA writer recounts a childhood journey with his friends to find the body of a missing boy.Powerful film. One that everybody (male or female) should watch in their life. The ending is so perfect in how it talks about the power of childhood and how you do grow apart but you still have the memories.
- DirectorJohn WatersStarsJohnny DeppRicki LakeAmy LocaneIn 1950s Baltimore, a bad boy with a heart of gold wins the love of a good girl, whose boyfriend sets out for revenge.Probably my favorite type of musical. I kind of like John Waters, but Cry-Baby is probably his masterpiece, in being the best film that incorporates his weird, kinda trashy, humor (intentional bad taste), while still being user friendly and kind of caring about a cohesive narrative. Serial Mom is pretty good, as is Cecil B. Demented (and Pink Flamingos is in a league of its own), but Cry-Baby is easily the best in terms of watching it on multiple occasions. I love the dialogue in this movie too - so many funny lines: "Girls, who wear tight slacks...hysterectomy pants I call them!" "Your honor, could we take Wanda "the f_ck" home?"
- DirectorSpike JonzeStarsJohn CusackCameron DiazCatherine KeenerA puppeteer discovers a portal that leads literally into the head of movie star John Malkovich.A lot of people are so truly madly deeply in love with Charlie Kauffman's work Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, and Spike Jonze seems to be one of those filmmakers who, when they make a new movie, it completely overshadows the previous one. Being John Malkovich, both of their first endeavors, is still their greatest piece. Catherine Kenner in this movie is one of the funniest, most brilliantly written and acted performances ever. She's (essentially) who we all wish we could be like.
- DirectorDavid FincherStarsMorgan FreemanBrad PittKevin SpaceyTwo detectives, a rookie and a veteran, hunt a serial killer who uses the seven deadly sins as his motives.I want to be like Kevin Spacey in this movie when I get older (having an apartment full of notebooks with entries about my loathing for humanity...not the whole murdering thing)
- DirectorRobert RodriguezStarsHarvey KeitelGeorge ClooneyJuliette LewisTwo criminals and their hostages unknowingly seek temporary refuge in a truck stop populated by vampires, with chaotic results.I love that this movie is 2 movies crammed into one - part crime caper, part vampire flick. I love it.
- DirectorAnthony AbramsAdam Larson BroderStarsChristina RicciHank HarrisBrenda BlethynA sorority girl finds her life falling apart after she develops romantic feelings for a mentally-challenged man.I love this movie because it intentionally tries to piss you off and make you laugh at the same time. It's just absolutely fearless in looking stupid and/or obliterating everything that the film could stand for. A one-of-a-kind film.
- DirectorKerry ConranStarsGwyneth PaltrowJude LawAngelina JolieAfter New York City receives a series of attacks from giant flying robots, a reporter teams up with a pilot in search of their origin, as well as the reason for the disappearances of famous scientists around the world.What an underrated movie. Saw it in theatres back in the day and was just completely mesmerized and was taken to a different world.
- DirectorQuentin TarantinoStarsHarvey KeitelTim RothMichael MadsenWhen a simple jewelry heist goes horribly wrong, the surviving criminals begin to suspect that one of them is a police informant.I would probably be a mix between Mr. Orange and Mr. Pink. We can't all be Mr. Blonde. To my 7th grade hormonal, pubertal, testosterone infused male self, this movie was like a godsend.
- StarsLiv UllmannErland JosephsonBibi AnderssonTen years within the marriage of Marianne and Johan.Watched it (the mini-series version) in one sitting - what a whirlwind of emotions. One minute happy, next heartbroken, then optimistic, than crushed - but I love most how it perfectly ends just sweet and sour enough. Saraband, the semi-sequel, was okay.
- DirectorStanley KubrickStarsTom CruiseNicole KidmanTodd FieldA Manhattan doctor embarks on a bizarre, night-long odyssey after his wife's admission of unfulfilled longing.Really eerie movie, but a great swan song to a great director.
- DirectorHal AshbyStarsRuth GordonBud CortVivian PicklesYoung, rich, and obsessed with death, Harold finds himself changed forever when he meets lively septuagenarian Maude at a funeral.A great movie is a great movie, end of story. Harold and Maude is a great movie.
- DirectorNicole HolofcenerStarsCatherine KeenerBrenda BlethynTroy RuptashSelf-esteem and insecurity are at the heart of this comedy about the relationship between a mother and her three confused daughters.Nicole Holofcener is a great filmmaker. She writes such complex but vulnerable characters that I just love. The scene where Emily Mortimer's character stands naked for a man to name off everything wrong with her is one of the most fearless scenes ever put to film.
- DirectorRonald NeameStarsGene HackmanErnest BorgnineShelley WintersA group of passengers must embark on a harrowing struggle for survival after a rogue wave capsizes their cruise ship at sea.This was my favorite movie circa 3rd grade. Such a cool premise and, really, a film that holds up really well. The remake sucked. It looked nice, yes, but style doesn't necessarily overtrump substance. This film? I loved and cared (and can remember the names) of every character - the remake? Not so much.
- DirectorMatthew BrightStarsReese WitherspoonKiefer SutherlandBokeem WoodbineA twisted take on "Little Red Riding Hood", with a teenage juvenile delinquent on the run from a social worker travelling to her grandmother's house and being hounded by a charming, but sadistic, serial killer and pedophile.Reece Witherspoon's best performance and, really, movie. More people should know about this but, then again, those who do really hold it in a high regard. This film is a perfect example of a modern day somewhat exploitation film done right. Powerful performances that don't condescend to the material, and written to where it takes itself seriously but also has a sense of humor to the situation (i.e. "Look who got beat with the ugly stick!")
Also, the sequel wasn't as great but, in a way, was entertaining as well. - DirectorMichael LehmannStarsWinona RyderChristian SlaterShannen DohertyAt Westerburg High where cliques rule, jocks dominate and all the popular girls are named Heather, it's going to take a Veronica and mysterious new kid to give teen angst a body count.The coolest teen comedy ever made. I guess Heathers is like the anti-John Hughes teen movie and (no disrespect to Hughes) but thank god for it. Did you have a brain tumor for breakfast? Won't find that in Sixteen Candles
- DirectorGregg ArakiStarsBrady CorbetJoseph Gordon-LevittElisabeth ShueTwo pre-adolescent boys both experienced a strange event and later it affects their lives in different ways. One becomes a reckless, sexually adventurous prostitute, while the other retreats into a reclusive fantasy of alien abduction.Possibly the most heartbreaking film ever made (other than A.I.). I love dark dramas, especially centering around childhood trauma - and nothing says childhood trauma like being molested by your baseball coach. The acting in the end scene is so powerful - one of the few movies I can stand Joseph Gordon Levitt in (I just think he's in love with himself)
- DirectorQuentin TarantinoStarsPam GrierSamuel L. JacksonRobert ForsterA flight attendant with a criminal past gets nabbed by the ATF for smuggling. Under pressure to become an informant against the illegal arms dealer she works for, she must find a way to secure her future without getting killed.In recent years this film has been appreciated a lot more, thankfully. After Pulp Fiction, anything that Tarantino did wouldn't live up to it, and that's okay. Jackie Brown doesn't want to be Pulp Fiction, it wants to be Jackie Brown and we love Jackie Brown for being Jackie Brown.
- DirectorSteven SoderberghStarsJames SpaderAndie MacDowellPeter GallagherA sexually repressed woman's husband is having an affair with her sister. The arrival of a visitor with a rather unusual fetish changes everything.I love the simplicity of this film - just very straightforward and I think this film does a really great (but subtle) job about exemplifying sexuality both as a dangerous but powerful and intense force that motivates many aspects about every day human life and approaches to certain situations.
- DirectorMel StuartStarsGene WilderJack AlbertsonPeter OstrumA poor but hopeful boy seeks one of the five coveted golden tickets that will send him on a tour of Willy Wonka's mysterious chocolate factory.If you never saw this movie as a kid, than you didn't have a childhood. Timeless through and through. Probably the perfect movie for children and adults to enjoy with them - childhood nostalgia never dies. Parents, teach your children well and give them this movie to watch and don't expose them to the Tim Burton remake.
- DirectorTim BurtonStarsJohnny DeppWinona RyderDianne WiestThe solitary life of an artificial man - who was incompletely constructed and has scissors for hands - is upended when he is taken in by a suburban family.Back when Tim Burton was amazing and one-of-a-kind. It's a shame because he's typecasted himself to appeal to wannabe-goth emo people and, for that reason, I feel kinda bad for favoring some of his films that perhaps fall into that category - but whatever. Like I said, a great movie is a great movie. This is one of those movies though where, after a certain point, I have to usually turn it off because I can just feel the storm of sadness coming my way.
- DirectorDavid SladeStarsPatrick WilsonElliot PageSandra OhHayley's a smart, charming teenage girl. Jeff's a handsome, smooth fashion photographer. An Internet chat, a coffee shop meet-up, an impromptu fashion shoot back at Jeff's place. Jeff thinks it's his lucky night. He's in for a surprise.Again, I love movies that are primarily dialogue driven. Ellen Page and Patrick Wilson give the greatest performances of their careers in this movie. Stellar writing and very uncomfortable to watch, but I love movies like that.
- DirectorM. Night ShyamalanStarsBruce WillisHaley Joel OsmentToni ColletteMalcolm Crowe, a child psychologist, starts treating a young boy, Cole, who encounters dead people and convinces him to help them. In turn, Cole helps Malcolm reconcile with his estranged wife.Talk about a one-hit wonder from a promising director. I mean, Unbreakable was good and Wide Awake, though cheesy, wasn't bad either, but The Sixth Sense (though a victim to pop culture) is still a great movie. Nobody can forget the first time they saw it. And it's really endearing too, but also kind of creepy. Makes me so mad when people know the twist without having actually seen the film. I know it's been around for a while but come on.
- DirectorRobert StevensonStarsDean JonesMichele LeeDavid TomlinsonDown-on-his-luck race car driver Jim Douglas teams up with a little VW Bug that has a mind of it's own, not realizing Herbie's worth until a sneaky rival plots to steal him.The first movie I ever fell in love with. When I was a really little kid (like maybe 3-5), this was my favorite movie. Actually, I always preferred the older live action Disney movies over that of the animated ones. I liked animated films but live actions did it more for me because they felt more realistic obviously; furthermore, as a kid, this was the first exposure to the magic of movies - that, in the movies, anything could happen. Cars could come alive, the characters felt like real people, and you could completely escape to another world and be somebody else.
- DirectorJohn Patrick ShanleyStarsMeryl StreepPhilip Seymour HoffmanAmy AdamsA Catholic school principal questions a priest's ambiguous relationship with a troubled young student.Again, I love movies that are primarily dialogue based and, seeing how this is adapted from a stage play of the same name, this really appealed to me - and child molestation is just kind of fascinating. I guess I'm a twisted person, but I love movies with grim subject matter. The performances in this film are just stunning.
- DirectorJohn CarpenterStarsDonald PleasenceJamie Lee CurtisTony MoranFifteen years after murdering his sister on Halloween night 1963, Michael Myers escapes from a mental hospital and returns to the small town of Haddonfield, Illinois to kill again.Michael Myers used to be my favorite fictitious serial killer. As I get older I'm able to appreciate Halloween more really as a standalone film and, while I admittedly enjoy most of the sequels, I realize that they really are unnecessary and, if anything, kind of detract from the brilliance of the original; however, I still find it really creepy how the majority of the film is building up suspense to the slashing. Stalking is a creepy subject.
- DirectorMark WatersStarsLindsay LohanJonathan BennettRachel McAdamsCady Heron is a hit with The Plastics, the A-list girl clique at her new school, until she makes the mistake of falling for Aaron Samuels, the ex-boyfriend of alpha Plastic Regina George.Alright, so, this film defines my generation and that's great, I don't think anybody would have it any other way. I mean, there's a reason that literally every scene of this movie is meme or gif or whatever on the internet. It's enjoyable. A good movie is a good movie and Mean Girls is a damn good one.
- DirectorJohn HughesStarsMatthew BroderickAlan RuckMia SaraA popular high school student, admired by his peers, decides to take a day off from school and goes to extreme lengths to pull it off, to the chagrin of his Dean, who'll do anything to stop him.Some people are Breakfast Club people, I'm with the Ferris Bueller people. This is a movie that everybody should indoctrinate in their offspring early on in life. I'm probably more of a Cameron though because, on my days off, I'd much rather just lie in bed and sleep.
- DirectorJonathan LynnStarsEileen BrennanTim CurryMadeline KahnSix guests are anonymously invited to a strange mansion for dinner, but after their host is killed, they must cooperate with the staff to identify the murderer as the bodies pile up.I don't really know why this film sometimes is called a "bad" movie or something like that? It's a "cult" film but, uh, don't ever call it a bad movie because it's kind of not... This film is hilarious and really entertaining and most films that are derived from some other form of media or whatever usually suck (i.e. Video game movie adaptations, and so on), but Clue is a prime example of one done well.
- DirectorWes CravenStarsBrandon Quintin AdamsEverett McGillWendy RobieTwo adults and a juvenile break into a house occupied by a brother and sister and their stolen children. There, they must fight for their lives.This is one of my personal favorite Wes Craven films. I love that it's really suspenseful but that it has a sense of humor. The characters are really engaging for this kind of material - Plus I find movies about child abuse to be kind of fascinating and, also, I love horrors/thrillers about people being trapped in a central location.
- DirectorRobert AltmanStarsShelley DuvallSissy SpacekJanice RuleTwo roommates/physical therapists, one a vain woman and the other an awkward teenager, share an increasingly bizarre relationship.A really captivating and cerebral film. I remember just watching it and being in this trance. I love the cinematography in this film and Altman's direction and writing is just superb.
- DirectorFrank MillerQuentin TarantinoRobert RodriguezStarsMickey RourkeClive OwenBruce WillisAn exploration of the dark and miserable Basin City and three of its residents, all of whom are caught up in violent corruption.I usually don't give a damn about comic book or graphic novel movie adaptations and, frankly, that's just one whole fandom that annoys me; however, Sin City is the one exception to that. Beautifully shot on top of having intriguing stories.
- DirectorPatty JenkinsStarsCharlize TheronChristina RicciBruce DernBased on the life of Aileen Wuornos, a Daytona Beach prostitute who became a serial killer.Heartbreaking film, but also really entertaining. I feel kind of bad for laughing at certain scenes, but it mostly just has to do with how Theron and Ricci just fearlessly throw themselves into the material (F_CK YOU LESLIE!).
- DirectorTom TykwerLana WachowskiLilly WachowskiStarsTom HanksHalle BerryHugh GrantAn exploration of how the actions of individual lives impact one another in the past, present and future, as one soul is shaped from a killer into a hero, and an act of kindness ripples across centuries to inspire a revolution.Make no mistake, I had my Wikipedia handy when watching this film. Like, I dreaded watching this film because of the long running time and I had heard many mixed things about it and, during the film's first 5 minutes, I was already overwhelmed as hell and thought about turning it off; however, seeing as how one of my best friends bought it for me and seeing as how it had sat on a shelf nearly half a year after they bought it for me, I figured I needed to at least watch at it so I could fake having watched it worst case scenario.
With a film like this (and Mulholland Drive) you can't try and follow the story, you just let the story follow you - and I know that sounds like a pretentious wannabe-philosophical thing to say and maybe it is, but once I stopped trying to follow the story and just tried to enjoy the film I ended up loving it. - DirectorCharles ChaplinStarsCharles ChaplinVirginia CherrillFlorence LeeWith the aid of a wealthy erratic tippler, a dewy-eyed tramp who has fallen in love with a sightless flower girl accumulates money to be able to help her medically.Ending makes me cry every damn time. Really funny movie too. I wasn't sure if I'd find Chaplin's humor funny, but I did. It was really almost endearing how "clean" and simple the comedy was. Plus the romantic chemistry between Chaplin and the blind girl was really sweet.