Here's something I've thought about doing for awhile. I fancy myself a bit of a movie buff, so, I find it necessary to figure this out. But, most people would admit, it's not easy to pick your favorite movies and even harder to order them but like I said, I thought about it for awhile. Of course, your favorite movies can always change, but at the very least I can say that my top 5 are definite and probably won't change much ever. They're movies that age well, and I can watch again and again. So, anyway, here's the list. Of course I recommend all of them. Be sure to catch these films before you die.
20. The Aristocats
My personal favorite of the Disney animated movies, the Aristocats is a simple story of a family of pampered cats meeting the lively and dangerous real world. After a disgruntled butler, after learning that the cats have been destined to inherit a fortune, he drives them far away and leaves them for dead; they're just trying to get home. Along the way, they meet a pair of bumbling dogs, some pompous geese and some jazzy tomcats, with the lead being the smooth talking Thomas O' Mally, voiced by Phil Harris. Every song is so memorable and the jazz theme is not unwelcome. It's the kind of thing you can dance to. I love how colorful each character is. The tomcats are always throwing a party and going insane. Equally lovable are the aristocrats Duchess, Berlioz and Toulouse. You root for these characters the entire time and seeing the butler get what's coming to him in the end is a satisfying conclusion.
19. Princess Mononoke
Studio Ghibli's captivating fantasy, Princess Mononoke is a film I only saw in recent years, but it's already solidified it's place on this list. At 2 hours and 20 minutes it's one of their longest films, but it's worth every minute. In the opening scene, we get a dark narration followed by a fight with a demon-boar. Damn, this movie wastes no time. Our protagonist, Ashitaka is infected by the demon and must seek healing from the Forest Spirit or it will kill him.
That alone, is enough of a premise for a movie, but if that's not enough, Ashitaka also has to stop the conflict going on between humans of Iron town and the forest spirits which are highly intelligent animals. In the midst of this, is San and though she's never referred to as Princess Mononoke, she's what the title is referencing. She is a human living among the Wolf Tribe, the leader of which you may recognize as Gillian Anderson, better known as Scully from the X-Files. But I digress, after stopping an attempt to kill lady Eboshi, Iron Town's leader, San and Ahitaka begin to form a bond, but not in a way that feels Disney, but rather a way that feels Ghibli if you take my meaning. Speaking of Ghibli style, you may be surprised to find that this movie is not a family movie such as most Ghibli movies. To my knowledge, it is the only Ghibli film with a PG-13 rating. Many people would snub this movie because it's "weird," which is a terrible way to live if you ask me. Definitely worth the watch, Princess Monoke is timeless and it's unforgettable.
18. Alien
Alien is what you get when you take an old b-movie and give it a big budget. It's a fantastically done sci-fi horror movie, set in the claustrophobic and dark Nostromo space ship. Sigourney Weaver plays the badass Ripley the character who established women in the sic-fi horror genre as more than just scream machines. Rather than run and yell when confronted with danger, Ripley get's right up in it's face. What so great is how intricate the alien is. It bleeds a potent acid, has a second mouth and just looks exactly like that thing from your nightmares. The famous alien reproduction is one of the highlights of the film, with the chest-burtsing sequence acting as the shock moment. As the numbers of crew mates dwindle, the suspense increases and the alien always attacks the moment you're not expecting it. One of my favorite sic-fi flicks.
Damn, is that thing scary.
17. Jaws
All you need is to hear that score by John Williams and you know what you're dealing with. A killer shark. Like Alien, Jaws is essentially a big budget b-horror movie, resurrected for a more contemporary time. The first half of the movie is buildup while the second half is out on the boat hunting the shark. Roy Schieder, Robert Shaw and Richard Dreyfus are all perfect in the roles. My favorite scene is when Roy is in the shark cage that's slowly being ripped apart trying to fight the shark with a fucking knife. It's such a terrifying and badass situation to be in that we as an audience can't sit still. The ending is so perfect, that after the climax of the film I stood up and cheered. If by some strange chance you haven't yet seen this movie, get on it.
How could I not use this pic?
16. T2
Out of all of the movies that warn of advancing technology this is indisputably the best. I like every Terminator movie, but it's no contest when I have to name my favorite it's T2. I first saw this movie at a young age and it scared the shit out of me initially. I had never seen anything so violent before, it was sort of scarring, but I liked the movie anyway.
Watching it nowadays, I don't bat an eye, but that doesn't make it any less fun to watch. The special effects were unparalleled for the time, and I still think they're very impressive, it doesn't look cheap to me like most older movies with CG do. This movie is a prime example of CG used right, not overused, and implemented when needed. Every character ends up going through personal change, and you actually feel attached to Arnold in the role of the T800 as he learns what it is to be human.
15. The Kingdom
Hands down, my favorite war movie. The Kingdom may disappoint some viewers because it lacks an enormous amount of action, but that's not what the movie is about. It's about the message. Set in the present day conflict in the unstable Saudi Arabia, Jamie Foxx, Chris Cooper, Jennifer Garner and Jason Bateman are sent in to investigate after a terrorist attack on a family softball game. What they find there is a complex government and a hatred that runs deep. Along the way, they meet the lovable Colonel Faris Al Ghazi played by Ashraf Barhom, who is my favorite character. In end of this suspenseful film we are left with the message about hate. The movie leaves off with the same feud as before. Hate runs deep.
14. A Bug's Life
I didn't want to take up this entire list with Pixar movies, so to pick just one, I'd have to be A Bug's Life. This was one of my favorite movies from my childhood. It's an underdog story about the klutzy Flik, who is punished to go find "warrior bugs," a mission he is never expected to return from, after screwing the entire colony majorly and managing to get on a group of gangster grasshoppers, led by Hopper played by Kevin Spacey's, bad side. Flik travels to the bug city which is my favorite scene. I just love how much is going on all the time, and all the countless little details are just Pixar's signature. To everyone's surprise he returns to the colony with a comical group of insects without telling them they're going to be fighting to the death with grass hoppers and without Flik knowing they're actually circus performers rather than the hardened fighters he was expecting. In the end they have to accept their roles and Flik has to rise up and become a confident leader. It's a great movie no matter how you look at it. I loved it as a child and I love it now.
13. The Goonies
Anyone raised in the 80's remembers The Goonies. It's a film about a group of innocent but adventurous kids who set out to find a lost pirate treasure. It's hard not to love this movie just by watching it. Not only is it funny, but it sports lovable characters and is as charming as it is exciting. Obviously not a movie to be taken totally seriously. You really can get to love every character, because every one of them represents someone you know. Just watching all them interact is entertaining in itself and feels surprisingly natural which is rare for a movie with child actors. Whoever you are, you've gotta love The Goonies.
12. V for Vendetta
Here's one we can probably all agree on. It may surprise you to find out that this movie only has a handful of action sequences. It's really about rebellion against a corrupt system and while that may sound like something a liberal arts grad told you about, it makes sense when you see the state of the world in the movie. Set in the near future, Great Britain is under a communistic dictatorship when the mysterious masked V, voiced by Hugo Weaving, appears who vows to take it all down.
He set's out to give the government to the people again by fighting it all on his own. It follows the character Evee played by Natalie Portman. When the movie came out we were all expecting a comicky superhero film probably fighting some mutated villain, but what we got was a deep and involved story about a fight against an oppressive society. A great movie that has one of the best action sequences I've ever seen to climax it.
11. Law Abiding Citizen
Law Abiding Citizen, like V for Vendetta, is not about the action or the CG and in fact has very few action scenes at all. It's a movie about a broken man trying to send a message. Gerard Butler gives a phenomenal performance as Clyde and is dead serious throughout the film.
The movie opens with a disturbing scene where Clyde loses both his wife and his young daughter to burglars. One of the men is sentenced to death but the other man named Darby is able to walk free after spending just a short time in prison. Clyde feels that this is unjust and several years later seeks out the man and tortures him to death in a way that would make Jigsaw scream. What first starts out as what we assume to be a revenge scheme turns into a war against what Clyde believes is an unjust justice system. Jamie Foxx is great as Nick Rice who is the protagonist of the film. He was the lawyer for Clyde during the Darby trial and Clyde blames him partially for the outcome. Clyde begins killing off everyone involved in the trial but not in the classic slasher style. Clyde is able to orchestrate the deaths of people whiteout even being in the same room and it drives everyone crazy just trying to figure out how he's doing it. Until Nick goes to see the character Bray who tells him that Clyde is the master of covert killing. It's a really powerful film about corruption and revenge. We start to lose sight of who we are cheering for. You sympathize with Clyde but can only watch as he becomes the very thing he's trying to destroy. A very dramatic and extremely suspenseful movie.
10. Predator
Predator is what would happen if we were hunted the way we hunt animals, and while that may sound like some hippy preaching, it doesn't come off that way at all. We follow Arnold Schwarzenegger and his platoon into the jungle where they end up in guerrilla warfare, little do they know they're being watched. Each character get's picked off one by one until, classically, it ends up as one man verses the Predator in an action sequence that is beyond exciting. Gory as it may be, the movie is a must see for action sic-fi fans. Suspenseful throughout, predator is an awesome movie. Not to mention, that thing was a badass.
Seriously, how badass can one thing be?
9. The Big Lebowski
Easily the most quotable movie ever, The Big Lebowski is the quintessential stoner comedy and seems to be praised for being a great man movie.
I'm not sure if I agree with that. I think The Big Lebowski is a movie to be enjoyed by anyone just because it's so damn funny. Jeff Bridges plays the laid back Lebowski or as he is famously referred to as, "The Dude." He's accompanied by the neurotic Walter played by the one and only John Goodman who is hilarious throughout the film. He's always flipping shit, referencing his service in Vietnam and in one scene goes so far as to pull a gun on someone over a dispute in a friendly game of bowling. These two are the perfect actors for the roles along with a few cameos including John Turturro as Jesus Quintana who's constantly hip thrusting the air and tee-bagging the bowling ball in a scene that serves almost no purpose at all. The movie is about Lebowski trying to solve a murder mystery but getting in way over his head. It's so funny because The Dude doesn't even know what he's doing half the time, he just sort of goes with whatever is happening.
I don't know what it is but every single time I watch this movie I end up laughing my ass off, despite having seen it countless times.
8. The Rear Window
This is Hitchcock at his absolute best. Easily the best suspense movie I've ever seen. James Stewart is back with Hitchcock again, as the wheelchair bound photographer, Jeff. He's so board sitting in his chair all day, that he takes to spying on his neighbors and ends up beginning to suspect one of them of murder. What we as an audience see is limited to what he sees, so it's up to us to believe it or not. The movie is brilliantly shot and you can really see all kinds of action going on in different windows all at once. It's cinematography, on a level I've never seen rivaled. The mystery gets thicker and thicker until the final climax, which is exciting and pleasing.
7. Back to the Future
There's no way you can't love Back to the future. This is a movie that has everything for anyone. With a perfectly written script that's always giving you hilarious a memorable dialogue but always advancing the plot, and a mind blowingly convoluted story, Back to the Future is a joy ride from beginning to end. The filmmakers could have left the movie off with Marty simply trying to get back to the present but that's not enough. Along with that, Marty has to fix the past he screwed up, and save his friend Doc, who for me steals the show along with Biff. Doc Brown is my favorite character. Christopher Loyd gives a comical performance as the Doc, always over analyzing everything and always with quick and explosive dialogue. Whenever he's on screen you can't take your eyes off of him, because he's constantly screaming his head off. Back to the Future is a classic movie. It's a great plot that comes to a satisfying full circle ending.
6. Raiders of the Lost Arc
When I was little, my dad showed me the first scene of this movie, the cave sequence, recorded on an old VHS tape. I was young so it terrified the shit out of me, but I loved it just the same. It wasn't until several years later that I found out there was more to the movie than just that one scene, and from then on it's been my favorite adventure movie.
Indiana Jones is, of course, a mashup of references to old westerns repackaged, but it feels so new. Harrison Ford gives a fantastic performance through the entire movie, always full of energy. Indy is such a lovable character, that you really want to see him survive until the end. It's the search for the Arc of the Covenant, the sought after key to power. The ending is among the most surprising I've ever seen, I mean, going into this movie, there is no way anyone would have guessed that it was coming. Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Arc, is a classic film and the ultimate adventure. I love it.
5. Harry Potter (Series)
Throughout my life, I've been into Harry Potter. Saying that is not unique, today it's a world wide phenomenon and you can't live on this planet without knowing what it is. I read every book as they came out and have been following the series faithfully through every movie. I had to include every film in this one entry, because the series should be enjoyed as a whole, you can't just like one Harry Potter movie. If you've seen the movies, then you can't not love the characters. For me and so many others, I feel like I've spent so much time with these characters through every film over the years that I feel like I know them as friends. Of course, my favorite actor is Alan Rickman as Snape.
He gives an awesome performance throughout all eight films, always being the guy you love to hate until the very last movie when you find out he's been good all along. Harry Potter is this generation's Star Wars and for me, and millions of others, seeing the finale was as emotional as it was epic. Harry Potter is a series I will cherish always.
4. Jurassic Park
Back when I was a kid, I watched this movie almost every day. To me back then, it was my favorite thing (dinosaurs) on the big screen. The special effects were jaw dropping for the time; dinosaurs were more real than ever in this movie. Roaring, running and hunting, they were and are a real spectacle to watch. Now, I can comprehend the plot written by the best science fiction author since H.G. Wells, Michael Crichton. After watching this movie, I had to read every Crichton book ever. The plot is so simple but it's done so believably. What starts out as an amazing example of genetic engineering turns into horror when Newman sets the dinosaurs free. It's a great story of the dangers of trying to play God but besides that, it's just a fun movie all around.
3. Aliens
Almost a decade later, James Cameron picks up where Ridley Scott left off with Aliens. This movie deserves it's own spot because it's so radically different from the first Alien movie. It's the ultimate in Sci-Fi horror movie, depicting a terrifyingly dark and enclosed environment and an all out war against the Aliens. Sigourney Weaver reprises her role as Ripley, the badass woman who you don't wan't to mess with. After surviving the hell of the first movie, she is found years later and all she wants to do is stop the evil Wayne Tech from bringing the Aliens to Earth where they'll kill everyone. She's the only one who has ever encountered the aliens and knows what they're capable of. I love how it totally goes against the alien movie norm and features a movie where we go to the aliens and we have the superior technology.
Like these fuckers right here.
But what I really love about the movie is every time you think it's about to end, you turn around and it's back on with another action sequence. It's truly a non- stop, pulse pounding thrill ride that is mandatory for any Science Fiction buff. The best Alien contact movie ever made.
2. Star Wars
When I was a kid, my dad showed me a clip of the Obi-Wan vs. Darth Vader fight and I freaked out. I watched it over and over again, until I finally had a copy of the movie myself. It was on a VHS tape, and I watched it just about every day until the damn thing broke. I include the first three Star Wars Films in this list, but if I had to pick one, hands down, A New Hope.
What George Lucas did to make this movie possible is incredible. The amount of stress and new special effects that were invented by him and overall what it did for cinema is very impressive. It turned it in a more positive direction during a time when most movies were gritty and violent. Star Wars is an undisputed classic which has to be loved by everyone. As much as I love it, I've never read any of the novels nor have I watched the Clone Wars T.V. show. To me, Star Wars is Star Wars, just the movies as it should be. This is a movie I can enjoy time and time again, and a movie I'll never get tired of.
1. Spirited Away
The movie starts and we see the bratty "scaredy-cat" girl Chihiro in the car with her parents on their way to see their new house. They end up getting a little lost and end up out in the woods in front of an old building. They make their way through the tunnel entrance and find themselves in an abandoned town, but strangely find a hot buffet sitting ilde in a street side restaurant. Her parents begin to engorge themselves on the food and are turned into pigs. Suddenly, and with no explanation, the spirits come out.
Over the course of the film, the spirit worlds inhabitants become increasingly attached to Chihiro as we do as an audience. She goes from being barely tolerated to a being a hero, she undergoes change from a scared, whiny child to a decent and brave girl. And Chihiro isn't the only one who changes. Just about every character, no matter how bad they seem at first comes around in the end. There's so much going on in this film, watching it is like stepping into a dream. In classic Ghibli style, much of the magic and spells are never really explained but that's just part of the charm. We don't need to know why it's important that Chihiro doesn't look back as she crosses the field to go back home, or why she needs to hold her breath as she crosses the bridge or why black slugs are bad luck, but instead, the lack of exposition makes the movie feel like there's so much more behind it. We just have to accept this world that's totally foreign and mysterious to us.
This movie can be enjoyed for it's individual moments, such as the boiler room scene or the stink spirit scene, but my personal favorite scene is the train ride. The rest of the movie looks like an explosive acid trip and there's all kinds of stuff going on, but the train scene is a different kind of magic. In the beginning of the film, Chihiro rides in the car nervous and shaky, but the Chihiro riding the train is confident, bravely leading the timid No-Face. It's the turning point in her development and besides that, it's a beautifully surreal scene and it's a great contrast to the rest of the movie.
But besides all of that, Spirited Away is just a gorgeous film. Everything is so vibrantly animated, just looking at it makes me happy. It's a movie that could be watched on mute and could still be a wonderful experience. What you take away from Spirited Away differs from person to person. To me, it's that there's good inside everyone, anyone can change and there's always magic if you look in the right places.
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