What are your top five films? And if you want, explain why.

1) Lawrence of Arabia

The film which I think defined the word "epic." Everything about this film is epic, including the story behind the making of it (although the same can be said about Citizen Kane). The film introduces Peter O'Toole in his best performance (and greatest Oscar snub). You truly feel for every character in the film, for each has their rise and fall.

2) The Third Man

The epitome (for me) of film-noir. Starring Joseph Cotten and Orson Welles this film is another film which I consider to define a genre. Filled with cynical characters, wrapped in a mystery and a thriller setting makes this film fit in with the masterpieces that would become known as "classics."

3) The Insider

I'm actually not sure why I like this film, taken at face-value its just another drama. Everything about it works so well; directing, acting, scoring, cinematography, and editing. Perhaps its the fact that Michael Mann made a great film off a story that no other director could make into a thriller (cigarette companies).

4) JFK

Possibly the best edited film of all time. Oliver Stone crafts a great conspiracy/suspense/thriller that kept me enthralled up until the last of the credits rolled past the screen. An all-star cast and Oscar worthy acting from all parts, this film joins ranks among classics of yore.

5) Casablanca

When I saw this film, I honestly thought it was going to be longer. This film changed my perspective that to be epic a film had to be long; whereas, Casablanaca is about an hour and 40 minutes long. It is a film that is epic in terms of story and performance. A film that was made epic by the most down-to-earth story as well. It didn't focus on the war, the war was the subplot. The real story was people. In addition, the La Marseillaise scene remains one of the most moving scenes on film.

I don't do top lists, but here's three movies I respect as high quality movies.

The Shawshank Redemption.

The Godfather Trilogy

American History X

These are my five favorites, not the five I think are best.

LOTR
Godfather
Ocean's 11
Almost Famous
JFK

Apollo 13
Taeguki
Pirates of the Carribean
the first Matrix

toss up between the Taiji Master (early jet li) and Ong-bak

Films I like because of their entertainment value, not because of how well or not well they were made and/or their artistic depth.

1) JFK. Oliver Stone. What Timewolf said. In the courtroom scene Costner is REALLY almost crying. That is impressive.

"Dennison wrote: Authority forgets a dying king. This was never more true than for John F. Kennedy who's murder was probably one of the most terrible moments in the history of our country. You the people of the jury system sitting in judgement on Clay Shaw represent the hope of humanity against government power. And discharging your duty and bringing the first conviction in this house of cards against Clay Shaw ask not what your country can do for you but what you can do for your country. Do not forget your dying king. Show the world that this is still a government of the people for the people and by the people. Nothing as long as you live will ever be more important."

2) Pulp Fiction. Quentin Tarantino. Some consider Reservoir Dogs to be Tarantino's best film. I disagree. It's too dark. Pulp has everything which makes Dogs great, but it's also got humor. And not just dark humor like Dogs. This movie is the epitome of what movies are supposed to be. Great story. Cool characters. They do stuff which entertains us, because in the end, it's all about entertainment.

"You're the weak, and I am the tyranny of evil men. But I'm trying. I'm trying real hard to be the shepard."

3) Fight Club. David Fincher. I know this is cliche, but it's really a great movie. It shows that movies can be stylish and strangely lit and not suck badly. It's got great editing and wonderful cinematography. Good use of CG as well, and a nice message under it all.

"Tomorrow his breakfast will taste better than any meal you or I have ever eaten."

4) Heat. Michael Mann. The best heist movie ever made. De Niro and Pacino on screen at the same time. Great shoot-out scene. Awesome music. Tons and tons of good actors all over the place. There's too much to talk about in this movie.

"I don't know how to do anything else."
"Me niether."
"I don't much want to either."
"Me niether."

5) Unforgiven. Clint Eastwood. Eastwood starred in westerns his whole life, then he made one. The character development is amazing in this movie. Through the whole movie we get to hear all of these stories about William Munney being such a badass. He rode around drunk out of his mind killing anything that moved, but these days he's calmed down. It's only after he finds out they killed Ned he starts immediately drinking again, and then does what he feels needs to be done.

"Who's the fella own's this ****hole?"

That's a good choice, I can watch that movie over and over and never get tired of it.

First off, I desperately want to see Lawrence of Arabia. From what I saw of it (about the first 50 minutes) it was incredible, but my parent's told me I had to go to bed unfortunately. No appreciation for epics.

However, of the movies I have seen (which is a good fair number for a 16 year-old, but not many before 1960) I would pick:

1) Raiders of the Lost Ark -

Need I say more? This movie, imo, is the perfect cross between action, adventure, drama, and fantasy, with elements of history, romance, and religion thrown in for good measure. Exciting, original, and well-ahead of its day, this movie is the closest I've seen to cinematic perfection (from an all-rounded perspective, i.e. there may be better drama movies, war movies, etc. but this is the best at combining as many of those elements as possible). Harrison Ford is also at his best. Do not miss this.

Despite all my comments, I am still unsure of whether Chariots of Fire was more suited for an Oscar than this back in 1981. *shrug* There's just something about that movie.

Sadly my mind has gone blank, and I should be doing homework, so I shall stop here. :/

2001
Star Wars: Empire Strikes Back
2010
Anchorman
Shaun of the Dead

In that order.

See, now I was really disappointed with Heat. For my taste it was too long, the heists were average, and the infamous cafe scene was cliched and lacking in tension. It could have been so much better.

The cafe scene wasn't supposed to be tense. It was to humanize both characters and show how similar they are and how even though they enjoyed each other's company, they would hold true to their convictions when the time comes.

Yeah it's not one of those things where De Niro's got a gun in his jacket pocket and Pacino's got one in a paper bag under the table. I don't think it's meant to create tension either. It's meant to show how similar these two guys are. They're opposites when it comes to professions, but they're very alike when it comes to personality. It's really rather awesome.

Boy tough to choose 5... I'm gonna cheat a bit though, and list the Godfather trilogy as one. :p (someone else did it earlier).. Anyway, here's my list in no specific order.

1. Orange County - Colin Hanks, Jack Black, etc... MTV Films. Funniest movie I've seen ever. Only one other comes close and it's the next on my list. I'm not typically a fan of MTV's movies, but this one rocks. A perfect satire of californian life.

2. About A Boy - Hugh Grant, Toni Collete, Rachel Weiss (who's a babe), and some other little kid whose name escapes me atm. This movie is the funniest movie Hugh Grant's ever done. If you haven't seen it check it out.

Now we step out of the comedies and into the more serious films.

3. The Godfather Trilogy - First one I think is the best... The second one just doesn't quite do it for me, and the third one's a little bit freaky. But as a series it's gold.

4. The Road to Perdition - Tom Hanks. This movie rocks. "Don't hate me Mike, I'm just the messenger." "Yeah? Then give a message to your boss for me." GOLD.

5. It's kind of hard to choose between several here, but I'm going to go with the The Matrix. In spite of the fact that the two sequels were medocre, the first Matrix rocked. Certainly didn't have the best acting or anything, but the pace of the film is such that that's unimportant (unlike Reloaded and Revolutions, which is part of the reason they sucked. They just dragged). Plus this movie revolutionized sci-fi, and since people have tried to copy the style and have failed.

Honorable mention:

*Star Wars Trilogy (duh)
*Lord of the Rings Trilogy (to be able to captivate an audience for 9 hours (or however long) is not an easy task, but this trilogy pulls it off)
*Spiderman (1 and 2, and probably any others that come out.)
*Glen Gary, Glenross (great film, but probably only if you're a salesman)
*The Boiler Room (if only it didn't have Vin Diesel)
*The Sixth Sense (imagery in that movie rocks, and the "scary" scenes are done insanely well, plus the whole twist at the end... and speaking of M. Night...)
*Unbreakable (a bit slow paced, but excellent. scene where Mel is lifting weights is super cool)

1.) Dawn of the Dead (1978)
It was a long movie, but it was well worth it. There's more to it than just an action/horror flick. It was a social commentary. Truly a masterpiece of a film. It is evident that this is one of the best horror films around, especially since it didn't have any a-list actors to power it.

2.) The Thing
This is a great suspense and horror movie. Great creature effects and cast. The plot is superb! Carpenter is a mastermind of horror. Keeps the audience guessing what will happen next.

3.) Halloween
Yet another Carpenter masterpiece. Michael Myers has stood the test of time, and so has this movie. It is a cornerstone of the horror genre. Although it spawned several different sequels, the original will be well recognized for decades to come.

4.) The Blob (1988)
This is an extremely under-rated movie. For the time period, the creature effects are stunning. Note: All effects made in this film were before the time of CGI/Computer effects. In my opinion, it is much better than the original (which is considered a classic). It isn't an ordinary remake in the sense that the plot and characters have been changed in a beneficial manner. Watch this with an open mind, because there's a reason why it's being remade again (other than the recent remake frenzy brought on by hollywood).

5.) Monster Squad
This is a wonderful film for people of all ages. It involves several monsters that are modelled from the original Universal monsters. The creature effects in this movie are fantastic, as well. It's a great kid flick (like The Goonies), and has several memorable characters. A recommended watch.

So far I'm glad Star Wars hasn't been mentioned much. Shows me that you all have a pretty wide pallette when it comes to movies.


Faith restored +1.

Heh.. I was going to say ESB.

1. Das Boot - Everything about this movie is, to me, perfect. This is hands down my favorite movie ever made. I have yet to see another film adaptation that is more true to the novel upon which it is based, and reading the novel only increases your appreciation for the movie because you then notice all the little details from the novel that are subtly included in the film.

2. Band of Brothers - While not technically a movie, this is still on my top 5 list. It's just that good. The book on the otherhand, I thought was pretty mediocre-it does make parts of the movie easier to follow, but I think the movie did a much better job of conveying the emotions and inner thoughts of the characters involved.

3. Stalag 17 - WW2 Prison Breakout Comedy. The energy projected by the actors in this movie is what really makes this movie enjoyable to watch for me. The"When Johnny Comes Marching Home" scene is one of my favorite all time cinematic moments.

4. Bladerunner - Gotta include at least one sci-fi movie on the list, and this one beats all the rest.

5. Amelie - As with Stalag 17, its the energy that makes this movie great. You just can't help but feel good after watching it.

The Lord of the Rings
Star Wars
The Beach
Gladiator
Ravenous

In no order at all...

The Lord of the Rings
Sin City
Pirates of the Carribean
The Village
Big Fish

1) "Adaptation" - As a writer, i loved this movie so very much. Not sure if its good to anyone who doesn't write, but to me it was great. And stealing from Bill:

"And God help you if you use voiceover!!"

2) "Shaun of the Dead" - One of the funniest movies i've seen in a long time, and has what many comedies don't: an actually good storyline. Despite the jokes this is an intruiging drama. Just a plain awesome movie.

"It was something i'd never think i'd have to say as a news reporter. 'sever the head or destroy the brain'. I jsut never though i'd have to say that"

3) "Fight Club" - Just a great movie. Despite the problems with the psychology (he would need some stragne combo of Schizophrenia and DID to have that happen), the issues and social views are quite intruiging to me.

"And now a question of ethics. As i pass, do i present you with the *** or the crotch?"

4) "Troy" - I am semi-obsessed with Greek mythology to begin with, and so i had to see this. Even with the fact that there were no gods, i loved every minute of this. Since i read the book i know where the gods should have been, and the way that they used this was really great, imo. I.E. Aphrodite was supposed to save paris in his fight. Instead Hector does, but because he loves his brother. Aphrodite = godess of love, if you didn't know.

"The boatman's waiting for us, men. I say we make him wait a little longer!"

5) This was a hard choice, but i'd have to say its "Sin City". I have never read the novels, actually never heard of them before the movie, so i didn't think it 'could have gone further', etc. I thought the acting was superb, the effects were awesome, and the stories/characters were great.

"She didn't quite decapitate him. She made him into a sort of giant pez dispenser."

1. spaceballs:p
2. monty python and the holy grail
3. ace ventura #1
4. band of brothers
5. scary movie 2

Only movies filmed 2000+?

I don't see a problem with that. A lot of good films have been made since 2000. I'm not a fan of many of the classics. I never really enjoyed The Godfather or Casablanca as much as I was 'supposed to'. (Although I am a fan of Chaplins silent films and later films.)

1. Stars Wars: Return of the Jedi
2. Star Wars: Empire Strikes Back
3. Star Wars: A New Hope
4: James Bond: The Living Daylights
5: James Bond: A View to a Kill

And no, I don't only watch Star Wars and James Bond movies . . . . I will explain myself later. These movies I can watch again and again and never lose interest or fascination in them, though.

Honorable mentions:
- The Indiana Jones Trilogy (w/ exception of Temple of Doom, which sucked big time)
- James Bond: License to Kill, Goldfinger, Goldeneye.
- The Rambo Trilogy
- Dumb and Dumber
- Rush Hour
- Die Hard
- The Lord of the Rings trilogy
- Mrs. Doubtfire
- Jurassic Park
- Forrest Gump
- The Bourne Identity
- Home Alone 1, 2 (the 3rd sucked, and I heard a 4th was made! It probably sucked too.)

More later, if I can remember!

Lord of the Rings
Pulp Fiction
Kill Bill 1 + 2
Holy Grail
Ocean's 11 (no matter how many times I watch it, I never get tired)

Band of Brothers
Lotr
In the Heat of the Night
The Longest Day
First Matrix

Fight Club
Sin City
Shaun of the Dead
The Matrix
Team America

god, that was hard. first one was easy, the rest.. i hate these threads. ****ing hate them.

Well no one was holding a gun to your head. :em321:

har har.

Don't sass me boy, or you're next in the trebuchet.

oh i thought it was a joke... gun to your head... tyler... flashback... uhm.

and besides, it's my friggin trebuchet. ill launch you!

To tell the truth I'm not a huge movie person. Off the top of my head I must say I liked:

The Incredibles
Sin City
LOTR

The Shawshank Redemption
Donnie Darko
Reservoir Dogs
Unforgiven
Tears of the Sun

Fight Club
Monty Python and The Holy Grail
Star Wars: Return of the Jedi
First Matrix
Five is either POTC or something I won't think of until later.

Maybe in that order.

The Matrix
The Empire Strikes Back
Fight Club
Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels
Goldfinger

A movie doesnt have to be a perfect flawless masterpiece for me to love it, it's just gotta be a highly entertaining to watch repeatedly.

I love that film. Its probably the only film I've ever seen to make me yell, "Noooo!" At the end.

1. A New Hope
2. Return of the Jedi
3. Empire Strikes Back
4. Revenge of the Sith
5. ???

Can't argue with your movie choice... it was pretty good... But did you have to pick *that* quote? what about

"Get up price of Troy. I'll not allow a stone to steal my glory."

That's the best line in that movie, imo.



Also... I can't believe so many of you liked Fight Club.. That had to be like the stupidest movie I've ever seen.

In Soviet Russia, Trebuchet launches you.

you dont fully appreciate the movie untill you read the book.

and yeah well, uh, sarn! your eyebrows are the stupidest eyebrows ive ever seen!

In order to fully appreciate a movie, you shouldn't have to read a book.

They don't put on the dvd case "requires additional reading for comprehension."