Menu
What's new
By:
Filters

Your Top 10 Movies.

Setting all the ones we have to aside...Casablanca, Gone with the Wind, Citizen Kane, first 3 Star Wars, etc.

The best movie ever is a tough one.

Beginning to end, the biggest jolt, in order, on the first viewing I ever got was:

Pulp Fiction
Saving Private Ryan
Schindler's List
Raiders of the Lost Ark
American Beauty
Casino
Braveheart/The Patriot
WallE
Fargo
Blazing Saddles
The Commitments/Blues Brothers

Honorable mention:
Liar Liar
GI Jane
Close Encounters
Back to the Future
X
All of Me
 
Definitely share the love of The Blues Brothers. :cool:

I just found this thread. I'm a long-time movie nut, so I already have a list. It's an old one, and I think I'd change it a fair amount now, but I'll just put it up as is.

1. Local Hero (1983)
2. Dersu Uzala (1975)
3. The Night of the Hunter (1955)
4. Mon Oncle (1958)
5. The Seventh Seal (1957)
6. Hedgehog in the Fog (1975)
7. Rashomon (1950)
8. Touch of Evil (1958)
9. Bicycle Thieves (1948)
10. Monsieur Hulot's Holiday (1953)

11. Citizen Kane (1941)
12. Brazil (1985)
13. Umberto D. (1952)
14. The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928)
15. Ordet (1955)
16. Ikiru (1952)
17. Ugetsu (1953)
18. The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948)
19. Pather Panchali (1955)
20. L'Atalante (1934)

21. Nights of Cabiria (1957)
22. Men with Guns (1997)
23. Wild Strawberries (1957)
24. Casablanca (1942)
25. Ivan's Childhood (1962)
26. Monty Python's Life of Brian (1979)
27. Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)
28. This is Spinal Tap (1984)
29. Dr. Strangelove (1964)
30. Days and Nights in the Forest (1970)

Guess I'll stop there, as that's probably already more than anyone wants to see. :p
 
MestnyiGeroi said:
I just found this thread. I'm a long-time movie nut, so I already have a list. It's an old one, and I think I'd change it a fair amount now, but I'll just put it up as is.
Click to expand...
Interesting to see that almost all your favourite movies were made over a 40-year period that ended almost 40 years ago. Did the introduction of computers ruin film making for you, or did you write this list in the late eighties?
 
Pokemaniac said:
Interesting to see that almost all your favourite movies were made over a 40-year period that ended almost 40 years ago. Did the introduction of computers ruin film making for you, or did you write this list in the late eighties?
Click to expand...
Lol. No, it’s not *that* old a list — it’s just a few years old.

And no, I don’t have some special cut-off date when I think all movies became rubbish. I love movies from every period, from the silent era to the present. I’ve just seen a lot of movies from that entire span, and it just happens that a lot of my favorites are mid-century. I didn’t pick these movies in a calculated way for effect. They’re just genuinely the movies I enjoyed the most, and these are the years those top movies happened to fall.
 
*bump*

Got a new entry see.
I raved about this film in the 'Now Showing' thread, as did virtually everyone else who saw it, but after viewing again at home (3 times actually - once on my own, once with Mrs Howie and once more with Sam Mendes' director commentary), I've decided that 1917 is absolutely top 10 material. It's an astonishing piece of filmmaking.
Contrary to what many suspected, the impact of this film is not lessened by the small screen (although a big tv and some decent surround sound definitely helps).
It's not perfect, It does have some minor flaws, mainly to do with the somewhat 'convenient' narrative, but as a technical exercise it's just about as good as it gets.
The performances are great, the first act piles on the tension and feeling of impending doom like no other movie, the sound design is off the charts and my god... that camerawork.
Brilliant, brilliant film.

For reference, here is my original post:
Howie said:
After the humiliating debacle that was the 'Rank The Star Wars Movies' thread, I could be opening myself up to a whole load of fresh abuse here, but what the hell. I'm a big boy, I can take it.

Now there are 2 ways of going about this; you can be all high-brow about it if you want to, and start reeling off the usual list of pretentious, Sight & Sound 'Top 10 movies of all time' candidates, OR you can be honest about it and talk about the films you actually enjoy. For example, I think Schindler's List is one of the greatest and most important movies ever made, a true cinematic masterpiece, but is it one of my favourites? Do I enjoy it? Would I settle down on a Saturday night with a 6-pack and a pizza to watch Schindler's List? HELLLL no. In those circumstances I'd sooner watch Dunston Checks In.
So keep your Godfathers, your Raging Bull's, your Clockwork Oranges and your Shawshank f***ing Redemptions to yourself, let's hear about the stuff you really like!

*I realise that some of you aren't actually sad enough to have a 'Top 10 Favourite Movies' list but knowing you lot, if you're half as anal about films as you are about rollercoasters you'll have a f***ing spreadsheet! If you haven't, then just 'some films that I really like' will suffice. I'm one of those by the way - mine aren't in any strict order, just 10 films that I love. Here goes, then:

Die Hard
I knew it! From the moment I walked out of that cinema back in 1989 I knew I'd seen something special. People scoffed at the time; 'Don't be daft Howie, it's only a cheesy action film', they said, and yet here we are almost 30 years later and Die Hard still comes out on top in almost every 'Best Action Film' or 'Best Thriller Film' list there is. Breakthrough performances from Bruce Willis and Alan Rickman (RIP), Joel Silver's flair for destruction coupled with John McTiernan's attention to detail make this the ultimate thrill ride. Quite simply the most exciting 2 hours I've ever spent in a darkened room. It also gets a special nod for being the first 18 rated movie I saw at the pictures. Not bad for a spotty 15 year old wearing his dad's blazer and sporting a weeks worth of bumfluff. Still got the ticket stub. I keep it in the sleeve of my region 1, Special Edition Die Hard Trilogy Boxset.
This also gives me another excuse to show off this photograph, which I'm quite proud of. :)
#geek
26527179695_f1b8a920ed_k.jpg


Back To The Future
Be honest, who doesn't love Back to the Future? Literally the perfect summer blockbuster. Doc and Marty make one of the most endearing on-screen pairings ever. Biff is hilarious. Crispin Glover as George quietly steals the show in every scene he's in. The story is brilliant, the effects are fab, it's witty, inventive, exciting, has the best non-John Williams theme tune in existence and still looks as fresh as the day it was released. What's not to love?

Aliens
You gotta have a James Cameron movie in your top 10, right? It's written in geek law. But then so it should be - he's one of the greatest showmen there is. Avatar, The Abyss, Terminators 1 & 2 - all fab. Even True Lies is better than most people give it credit for. But for me, Aliens was his finest hour. It starts out suspensefully enough, but as the danger and tension escalates, Cameron just keeps on tightening the screw.
Choose the theatrical version for a more streamlined, efficient thrill ride, or go for the Special Edition if you want a bit more character depth and emotional wallop, but either way this remains an outright classic.

RoboCop
The original, of course, not that bastardised remake. I love Paul Verhoeven movies, he's one of my favourite directors. Starship Troopers is incredible, plus Basic Instinct, Hollow Man and Total Recall (the original, of course, not that bastardised remake) are all great - but Robo is the pick of the bunch. As a teen I loved it for the cool robots, the gun-porn and the uber-violence, but as I've gotten older I've come to appreciate the many other layers that this film has. Political satire, social commentary, (very) dark comedy, human drama, even some spiritual/religious parallels can be found if you look closely enough (it's no accident that the 'resurrected' Murphy appears to walk on water in the final showdown).
But best of all, it's got a toxic, melting man being splattered all over a car windscreen! :D
I'd buy that for a dollar!

The Blues Brothers
I love John Landis movies, he's one of my favourite directors. Who doesn't love Trading Places, Coming to America, American Werewolf in London, Spies Like Us etc..? And let's not forget Michael Jackson's Thriller - THE greatest pop video of all time.
But yeah, The Blues Brothers is the one for me. I watched it again recently following the death of Aretha (RIP) - still as bonkers as ever! I only recently found out there are 2 versions of the Blues Brothers - the 'theatrical' version which gets shown on tv nowadays (and I had on VHS for years) and an 'extended version' which is on the DVD and BluRay editions. Oddly, the 'best' version would be somewhere halfway between the two. The extended musical numbers are great, as are the extended car chase elements, but several of the additional scenes are unfunny and simply not required. We don't need to see the Bluesmobile being supercharged by an electricity sub-station, for example, we'd always just assumed it was a magic car.
Anyway, I'm rambling - it's still a great film.

Superman
I love Richard Donner movies, he's one of my favourite directors. I love The Goonies, I love The Omen, I love Scrooged and I love all 4 Lethal Weapon films - but Superman is the best. I realise this one might raise some eyebrows, but this goes right back to my childhood, see. It was probably my first 'favourite' film growing up, and I still enjoy giving it a watch now.
There's one truly awful bit - the 'Can you read my mind?'' sequence where Supes' takes Lois flying - I either fast-forward or leave the room when that bit comes on cos it literally makes me want to heave, but the rest of the film, despite some very dated effects, is still pure movie magic. Plus that theme tune...

Jaws
Geek law again - you gotta have a Spielberg in there. You just gotta. But which one? Raiders? Maybe. ET? Nah, too schmaltzy. Jurassic? Hmm possibly. Technically it should be Schindler I suppose, but I can't vote for something that doesn't have one single laugh in the entire movie.
Nah, it has to be Jaws, surely? It's just... perfect. The 'event movie', defined. Even now, over 40 years later, the Jaws effect is as powerful as ever, the thought is always there every time you 'go into the water'. Just those first 2 notes of the theme music is enough to make the blood run cold. (thank you again, Mr Williams).
And that goggle-eyed head that pops out of the hole in the boat? I know it's coming, but it still gets me. Every. Single. Time.
F**k the fake-looking shark, this is a masterpiece. No other word.

You've probably noticed that there's a definite 70's and 80's vibe going on here, but it's not all outdated old tosh y'know. From the 90's we have...

True Romance
I love Tony Scott movies (RIP), he's one of my favourite directors. Well, some of his early work was pants (Beverly Hills Cop 2, Days of Thunder, and I absolutely hate Top Gun) but I love The Last Boy Scout (sorry @witchfinder ), Man on Fire, Crimson Tide etc...
True Romance, though, is the highlight. What a film! Quentin Tarantino's script ably honed into a slick, stylish, violent and extremely funny caper, with a cast to die for. Christian Slater, Patricia Arquette, Brad Pitt, Val Kilmer, Christopher Walken, Dennis Hopper, Gary Oldman, Samuel L Jackson - the list just goes on. Brilliant, brilliant film. Makes me cry every time. Also, it features a great sequence filmed on Viper at Magic mountain! :)

Skyfall
Now, I'm not really a massive Bond-y. I've seen them all, obvs, and most of them are varying degrees of watchable. Casino Royale was new and original but a bit dull. Quantum of Solace was a chaotic mess, but Skyfall just nails it. If it wasn't a Bond film it would still be a first-class spy thriller in its own right. It's just a beautifully put-together film that oozes class and confidence. Great villain, spectacular locations, gorgeous photography and some thrilling action to boot. If it wasn't for that naff, miniature looking subway crash it would be just about perfect.

How many is that? 9 right? Ok one more.

Avengers Assemble
Or just The Avengers, if you live in 'Murica. Yes I know, this is a bit of a cheap one. Judging by the 'Rank The MCU' thread, this one won't be a popular choice. I get it, I totally get it - it's just a silly, money grabbing, comic-book movie but the thing is... it's just so damn entertaining. Literally every scene leaves me with a grin a mile wide. See, I'm one of those people that still thinks Buffy the Vampire Slayer is the greatest tv show ever made, and my inner Joss Whedon fan gets immense joy from seeing this huge, mega-budget action spectacle sprinkled with endless little Joss Whedon-isms.
Yes, it's just a load of CGI smashy smashy but it's the most enjoyable dose of CGI smashy smashy there is, and Hulk smashing Loki is still by far the funniest moment of the entire MCU.

So that's my lot, 10 movies that Howie really digs. A few others that were considered include Predator, American Werewolf, Fight Club, Pixar's Cars, Goodfellas, Gravity, American Beauty, The Revenant, LOTR: The Two Towers and, of course, that much loved classic Return of the Jedi.

Let the abuse commence....
<braces one's self>
Click to expand...

So Avengers (Assemble) gets the boot, and 1917 goes in. Interestingly, that makes Sam Mendes the only director with 2 movies in the Howie Hall of Fame (with another, American Beauty, in the 'runner up' section). Go, Sam!
 
Howie said:
The performances are great, the first act piles on the tension and feeling of impending doom like no other movie, the sound design is off the charts and my god... that camerawork.
Click to expand...
I've only just seen this video, which (from 08:40 onwards) has some nifty breakdowns of said excellent camera work:

Masterpiece.
 
1. Superman (1978) My mum was 6 months pregnant with me when she saw this in the cinema in The Netherlands. The movie and the stellar music have always been innately amazing to me, so maybe that's part of the explanation. Only recently watched the entire 188 minute extended TV cut on Blu Ray. A bit slower but I thought, as a huge fan, it was perfect and never boring. Christopher Reeve, Gene Hackman and Marlon Brando were perfect in this movie. Verisimilitude to the extreme. Easily Richard Donner's best movie. A stunning accomplishment (and much of it was filmed in the UK btw!) A huge inspiration for The Dark Knight trilogy I think. Superman 2 (the original and Donner cut especially) & Superman 3 are a great watch too. Superman 4 is just bizarrely bad. What a shame that was with Gene Hackman back.
2. Star Wars (1977) The best one with the best atmosphere I reckon. The original Star Tours ride felt like you were there, amazing. Star Tours 2 in comparison sucks.
3. Back To The Future (1985) Genius movie with all the right elements. The one movie I watched the most as a kid and we constantly had the rental at home by my demand. Was luckily a bit older with the release of parts 2 & 3 and could see these in the cinema. Superb trilogy with perfect cast and music.
4. Titanic (1997) Stunning retelling of the tragedy with a Romeo & Juliet story thrown in to make you care. James Cameron did a sterling job bringing the ship to life and relating it to modern day relic hunters. Rest in peace Bill Paxton & James Horner. There are a couple of deleted scenes such as Rose getting Jack from 3rd class, the captain ordering the lifeboats to return and numerous others that really ought to make it into a 4 hour director's cut. Maybe some day.
5. The Dark Knight (2008) The best of the trilogy but I love all 3 movies. For me the best Batman incarnation. The Joker is scary and very smart. Michael Caine as Alfred is stellar. Morgan Freeman adds techie coolness. They made everything look very realistic. Surprisingly, I dislike pretty much all other Christopher Nolan movies!
6. Terminator 2: Judgement Day (1991) Arnie's best and a superb sequel. The terminators in 1 & 2 were always incredibly frightening and intimidating for their time and with the music the chases / hunts always felt almost sickly. You can't look away but you want to hide as well.
7. Jurassic Park (1993) Probably my favourite Spielberg movie, although his entire catalogue up to Schindler's List (with the exception of 1941) is pretty much perfection to me. The T Rex scene in JP was incredibly convincing and still works so well. Very difficult to tell what is real and what is CGI. Most movies since still don't look THAT good to me. Incredible atmosphere which is what probably sold it so well.
8. Avengers: Infinity War (2018) Easily the best Marvel movie for me. In fact I don't like any of the others anywhere near enough (maybe Guardians of the Galaxy 1 comes close to be fair). Thanos was an incredible villain. So much fun, spectacle and just a great dramatic story, loved the whole Gamora-Thanos relationship stuff, really great. The conclusion Endgame I thought was pretty terrible but I don't tend to like most Marvel movies in general it seems.
9. Star Trek: First Contact (1996) The best Star Trek movie for me. Most of the others have been entertaining but never quite brilliant. This one had it all I thought. Superb effects. Excellent characters. The stakes seemed raised compared to previous movies. A fight for survival of the entire human race. Also the best Star Trek soundtrack. Brilliantly done. Ironic that the first movie without Kirk finally saw Star Trek get really good. To me William Shatner was missed though.
10. Planes, Trains & Automobiles (1987) For me the best comedy but it has such heartfelt moments. John Hughes was a terrific story teller and without him Hollywood cinema would be much poorer.


Notable mentions:
Pixar movies such as Toy Story 3, Up!, Ratatouille, Wall-E, Brave, Inside Out
Other John Hughes movies: Breakfast Club, Home Alone, Ferris Bueller's Day Off.
Quentin Tarantino movies: The Hateful Eight, Once upon a time in Hollywood, Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill 1 & 2, Inglorious Bastards & Django Unchained
Schindler's List (1993) - Another classic. Perfectly executed. But a bit too grim to rewatch too often. It's no worse than any of the ones in my top 10, but rather rewatch any of those.
Little Shop of Horrors (1986) - One of my favourite musical movies. There are many others.
Joker (2019) - One of the best movies of that year.
Lampoon's Vacation (1983) - I will get to Magic Mountain to ride the revolution one day damn it! Chevy Chase's best. The Christmas one is great too though.
Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga (2020). I thought this was brilliant and for me as a Eurovision fan it made up for no show this year and more so, easily Will Ferrel's best. Funny, heartfelt and great music.
The Greatest Showman (2017) - Stunning entertainment and a celebration of human diversity. Hugh Jackman gets a great movie musical after all after a very disappointing rendition of Les Miserables I thought (love the stage show). Absolutely superb songs.
The Intouchables (2011) - Brilliant, funny and moving. Best French film I've seen (and I've seen a lot through film studies).
Casino (1995) - I prefer this over Goodfellas. A bit repetitive in places but a masterclass in the rise and fall of gangsters
The Wolf of Wall Street (2013) - Like Casino but way funnier. Leonardo DiCaprio is superb.
Avatar (2009) - Easily the best 3D movie.
Slumdog Millionaire (2008) - Danny Boyle's best. Superb soundtrack.
Alien (1979) & Aliens (1986) - Great two parter. Don't care for the other movies.
The Matrix (1999) - Excellent entertainment. The sequels were daft.
Cloud Atlas (2012) - Superb imagery, ideas, actors playing different characters across different times and music pushing things forward, though ironically the long trailer might be a better watch than the actual film somehow.
Fast & Furious 7 (2015) - Totally ridiculous but tonnes of fun. Paul Walker running on that bus falling off a cliff in slow mo was great.
Die Hard (1988) - Superb. The sequels were never nearly as good but the 2nd and 3rd are not bad.
Black Book / Zwartboek (2008) - One of Paul Verhoeven's best. Great authentic story telling in Dutch, English and German.
Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) - Finally a really good rendition of what was always a great idea.
Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation (2015) - Spectacular, very sexy how it is done with the plane intro straight into cool opening credits and for me this is now more of an interesting series to follow than James Bond which is getting a bit dull (though I did like Spectre and Skyfall mostly). The song choices though are terrible and the new one doesn't sound better. It needs to be sexy, fun and dramatic. Not depressing, surely?! Bring back the type of James Bond songs such as Nobody does it better, For Your eyes Only, Licence to Kill and GoldenEye.

Probably loads more movies I can't think of right now. Bit of a film buff....
 
Last edited:
In no particular order...

Labyrinth- This wins as my all time favourite, I think. Jim Henson was pure creative genius and everything feels so authentic despite being a fantasy world, likely due to the lack of CGI. You can really tell how much heart and hard work went into this film, and it's something I can watch on repeat without tiring of it. The songs are also magical!

Wizard of Oz- Classic! And no I don't just love it because it's old. I watched it religiously as a child and just find it an enjoyable film with a nice message and cute characters.

The Green Mile- I adore this film despite making me cry like a little baby, which most films do now come to think of it. I think the character development in this movie is unreal, and the acting is great as well. It's a little on the long side, but it doesn't feel dragged out like a lot of three hour movies do.

Schindler's List- Absolutely gut-wrenching, and the juxtaposition of heartless humans alongside a person with a heart of gold makes for a cinematic masterpiece. It's another long film that doesn't feel unnecessarily dragged out.

Dead Man Walking- I guess I like death row movies, and though this isn't quite as good as Green Mile, it's very underrated.

Neverending Story- An amazing fantasy film that I grew up watching and still enjoy to this day! Not as good as Labyrinth, bu definitely a classic in my books.

Sweeney Todd- What is not to love about a horror musical?! It's dark, it features Johnny Depp, and it has some good tunes.

Titanic- OKAY, I am ****ing basic for saying this but this movie TUGS on my heart strings and I am absolutely not a fan of romance films apart from the odd few (this, When Harry Met Sally, and embarassingly, the Notebook). Obviously the Titanic was a tragedy, but the idea of falling in love so fast and then losing a lifetime of what that love could be hurts me to the core! I certainly believe in that once in a lifetime love and watching it play out on screen and then having one of them DIE just makes me a blubbering mess. Fun fact I use to also pretend to be Jack and re-enact the death scene basically on the daily as a child.

Rainman- Another movie I don't see on too many people's lists, but I think it's a masterpiece. It doesn't really portray autism in the best light I guess (a bit stereotypical) but I thought the movie as a whole was well done with good acting.

Forrest Gump- Okay, how could you NOT love it. This movie is an absolute roller coaster ride of emotions, from happy to funny to sad to heartbreaking and back to happy. I adore it and there's no questions as to why it appears on so many people's top movie lists!

Home Alone 1 & 2- If I want a cheesy, classic film that makes me laugh and feel good every time I watch it, I turn to these. My grandpa also loved them so it makes me think of him, which is bonus points as well.

Honourable mentions...

The Truman Show
Requiem for a Dream (actually, this would probably be in my top 10 come to think of it)
Bohemian Rhapsody
Flight
Les Miserables
When Harry Met Sally
The Illusionist
Paranormal Activity
Sinister
 
Not in a specific order even though the first two movies stand out a bit more for me.

Fight Club

I don't really know what to say about this movie, it's just awsome from the start to the end and the plot twist is the best one ever made in my opinion.

Pulp Fiction

I'm a big Tarantino fan and this movie has everything I love about his movies.

Matrix / Terminator 2

The two best sci-fi / action movies.

Parasite

I was speechless. it was dramatic, funny, scarry, sad, violent and I'm sure I felt at least 10 more emotions. It has every thing you could wish in a movie and I'm a big fan of the directing style from director Bong Joon-ho.

Inglorious Basterds

Another awsome Tarantino movie.
 
2020 has been a pretty bad year on all accounts. However, despite (or more likely because of) there being no more movie theaters, this has easily been my best year for watching films. I decided to try and make a list of my favorite 25, italicizing the ones I saw for the first time this year. Also not including more than one entry for each director, otherwise there would be more Lynch and Kar-Wai films. Gonna keep this to one word per film
  1. Moonlight (2016) - Touch.
  2. In the Mood for Love (2000) - Time.
  3. Beau Travail (1999) - Repression.
  4. Dekalog (1989) - Humanity.
  5. Brighter Summer Day (1991) - Identity.
  6. Blue Velvet (1986) - Domesticity.
  7. The Big Lebowski (1998) - Dude.
  8. The Godfather Part II (1974) - Powerlessness.
  9. Taxi Driver (1976) - Isolation.
  10. Sunset Boulevard (1950) - Perception.
  11. Star Wars (1977) - Fantasy.
  12. Wizard of Oz (1939) - Places.
  13. Back to the Future (1985) - Generations.
  14. The Night of the Hunter (1955) - Shame.
  15. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) - Hope.
  16. Stalker (1979) - Faith.
  17. Brokeback Mountain (2005) - Love.
  18. Dog Day Afternoon (1975) - Ownership.
  19. Rashomon (1950) - Memory.
  20. Spirited Away (2001) - Childhood.
  21. The Royal Tenenbaums (2001) - Family.
  22. Come and See (1985) - War.
  23. Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990) - Chaos.
  24. Pan's Labyrinth (2006) - Stories.
  25. Ed Wood (1994) - Filmmaking.
 
I was going to say "I can't believe I've never posted in here" - then realised how difficult it is :)

About 10 or 15 years ago, I started a quest to go through the top 500 films on IMDB. I'd seen about half anyway, but used LoveFilm (remember them? :) ) to get me caught up. I think I've seen all of what was the top 100 at the time, all but about the 10 of the top 250 and was missing maybe 50 from the top 500. Obviously more films have come out since then.

It means that I've seen pretty much every film anyone ever goes on about. I was surprised by a love of films I thought I'd never like, such as Casablanca, All About Eve, 12 Angry Men and Amelie. The thing I loved about doing it the way I did was that I never knew what I was getting. One week may be 2 black and white classics, the next week a horror and an Anime. I couldn't cherry-pick, so had to watch stuff.

I think this is exactly what Howie wants to avoid about this Top Ten. It's not about those films at all - so ignore the above. Here is my top ten of films "I will never NOT watch if they're on". I think that's the best way of dividing a good film from an entertaining one (though a well-made film can still be entertaining :)

The order is malleable, but I think number 1 is number 1 :)

1. Jurassic Park - The original. I saw it 3 or 4 times at the cinema and if I ever come across it while channel hopping, I'll sit and watch it from wherever it is to the end. For me, it's just the perfect piece of pure entertainment. It's just so well-rounded in every department.

2. Aliens. I adore Alien (possibly my favourite film of all time), but Aliens is the perfect mix of action and horror. Like Jurassic Park, it's just got everything it needs. Well directed, great production, paced brilliantly. The dialogue is so superbly cheesy and yet convincing at the same time. It just balances everything so well.

3. Die Hard. I'm with Howie 100% on this. It's just the perfect action movie. The tension, the humour, the characters. It's just such a well baked film and eminently watchable.

4. The Nightmare Before Christmas. I saw this on a dodgy copy at the Students Union a year before it was released in the UK (it got a delayed release in the UK for some reason). It's been a mild obsession ever since. I think it's a shame that it's become "cult" so much after the fact. I loved it like a dirty secret for years before it suddenly caught on. I love stop motion animation, so it's right up my street. Then the homage to all the monster B-movies I've always loved and Danny Elfman's best work - it's just brilliant. It hasn't aged particularly well, but it was such groundbreaking animation and design at the time. Almost Tim Burton's best work...

5. Ed Wood - Tim Burton's best work. I love Burton's films. They're always so stunning to watch for the first time on the big screen. They have such a great aesthetic and impact. Then you watch them a second time, and they feel like, I dunno, like a pop-up book? They kind of lose a dimension. Then you watch them a third time and they become flat like a kid's picture book. Leave them for a few years and rewatch them and they almost have that first hit again, but you can still feel the shallowness.

Ed Wood bucks that completely. It always feels like a real film, every time. I guess that it helps that I've been a "fan" of Ed Wood since I was a teen. I love/hate his awful films. So, this tale showing his story (from a certain point of view) just clicks with me. Martin Landau is stunning as Lugosi as well, which really helps :)

6. Blues Brothers. I'm not sure what I love the most about this film? Is it the soundtrack? Belushi? Aykroyd? Cab Calloway? The car chase? The choreography? The wit? I think that each just builds on the other. I think it's so watchable because at the very least, it's just like an extended music video of some great tunes.

7. The Shining. I was thinking about 2001, because I do love that film, but I think that Kubrick's Shining is more watchable. Nicholson is stunning and the film is always haunting and tense. The chase shots of Danny on the scooter will live with me to the day I die. It's the colour and noise as he goes around the corridors, and you know it's not going to end well. Possibly one of my favourite sequences on film ever.

8. The Evil Dead 2. I remember the first time I saw this, it scared me. Yet at the same time it was hilarious. It's a great mix of frights, horror and humour and I love it. What's not to love about Bruce Campbell in this as well? He plays the pratfall man, the maniac and the romantic. He gets some of the best lines, and it sets his character up perfectly for the superb Evil Dead series that was on TV. I still reckon it's Sam Raimi's best work - though I did like Spiderman.

9. Iron Man. I needed a MCU film in here, and I think Iron Man deserves the slot. Batman Begins made me stop and go "superhero films can now be a genre everyone will enjoy". Iron Man made me stop and go "this is the future of films". I think other MCU films have done things better, but I don't think that any of them got the scale so right. It's the issue with the filmic "arms race". Every subsequent film has to be bigger and more threatening than the last - The Avengers films are the worst for this. Bits of New York are destroyed, now an entire city lifted off the ground, NO wipe out half of life!!! Bigger and bigger and bigger, and it becomes so impersonal. Iron Man's finale has him fighting one enemy and his focus is on saving individuals. The people in the car he stops - you know they are a family and have lives like the rest of us. It's personal, and it's what (for me) being a hero really is. The original Superman two films knew this and Iron Man (for me) perfected it. It's a story of redemption and growth and it was so well-made, it allowed everything else to follow in the MCU (for good or for bad).

10. American Werewolf in London. Another favourite mix of horror, humour and music (so many versions of Blue Moon :D ). Outstanding visual effects (for the time, that still hold up(ish)), suspense, horror. Just a superb package that terrified me as an 11 year old and that I grew to love over the years. There are three films I always buy on every medium I have a player for. This is one of them.

So many close runs though. Blade Runner (another film I always buy - a little pretentious for this list, but I can watch it forever), Goodfellas, Robocop/Starship Troopers (both from the same stable, both superb), Star Wars (as much as I think TESB is the better film, the original is better entertainment), Rocky and probably dozens of others in this topic already. OMG - Robin Hood Prince of Thieves - I love that film, it's so awful, but Alan Rickman steals it :)

I'll end it on that bollocks :)
 
The following definately aren't the best movies, but they are my favourites.

How To Train Your Dragon

Packed with puns, relatable characters, epic soundtrack and one of the most moving animated scenes of all time (the long precarious dialogue-free scene where Hiccup first places his hand on Toothless) Such a great film.

South Park: Bigger, Longer, Uncut

Simply the funniest movie ever made.

High Fidelity

Arseholes being arseholes and obsessing about music. Featuring Jack Black - my personal hero.

Moulin Rouge

You know that one film you watched all the time as a teenager? This was mine. The opulent visuals, the killer soundtrack, the romance and heartbreaking tragedy. This film has it all.

Song of the Sea

The most beautiful animated film of all time. See also: VERY SAD.

This is Spinal Tap

The bits everyone quotes from this film aren't actually the best bits. But yeah, it's completely my level of humour. I could recite the script word for word.

The Lost Boys

This film somehow makes me nostalgic for a time I wasn't even alive in. Easily my favourite cinematic representation of vampires...not a sparkle or a frilly shirt in sight!


Metallica: Some Kind of Monster

Something about watching a band so detatched and so deluded struggle to write one measly record is so compelling and unintentionally hilarious. Every quote in this film is gold. Especially when Lars dad hears the album and says "delete that."

Hotel Transylvania

How and why is this silly little film so lovely and romantic?!

Mean Girls

I am never not in the mood to watch this film.
 
I realised last night my list has a glaring omission - Sean of the Dead. I love Spaced and Sean of the Dead mixes the best of Spaced with my favourite zombie flick. It's hilarious, poignant and exceptionally quotable, always worth watching - I need a top 11 now :D

@Serena - I agree with your list but:

1. I really agree with The Lost Boys. It's one film I have forever regretted not going to the cinema to see. However, the time period (being a similar age to the Corey's at the time) was never like that - so there's nothing to get nostalgic over :D Well, not in small town, small-minded Northern England anyway. It may have been different in the South :)

Anyway, it's a film that DOES capture some kind of magical essence, as I think a lot of regarded classics from the 80's do (Labyrinth, Goonies, anything - by John Hughes, etc.). It does it from an alternative, darker perspective though. It's still a bit 80's lip gloss, but you see something of the real period underneath. It's not all shiny and Ferris Bueller, but it's also not "on every corner are piles of empty cardboard boxes, steam, grime and homeless people" (that's the last ten years ;) ).

It's an odd film that I don't think gets the recognition it deserves.

Anyway, have you ever seen "Near Dark". It's essentially the more serious, darker old sibling of The Lost Boys. It's not as "entertaining", but it's one of the best, true, contemporary (look, it was contemporary to me back then :D ) Vampire films made.

2. I really disagree with the love for High Fidelity :D

It's simply because I hate the Cusacks. I don't know why, I just find them really annoying. Ironically, I don't find Jack Black in the slightest annoying (which most people do) and I think he's a highlight of the film :)

I struggled to get anything from the film because I struggled to get past JC. I don't think it helped that his entire personality is kind of alien to me. I'm a stony-hearted pragmatist and the idea of obsessing over lists and self-pity is something I just don't understand.

If it hadn't been John Cusack, I may have been able to understand his mindset and empathise, but it was too much of an ask to overcome both hurdles :D
 
I've been thinking about this for days and come to the conclusion that it's impossible to make a 'true' list myself - I wish there were some sort of tech that would pull the true list from my brain but alas, we're not there yet. I do like the approach of 'I would never turn this off if it were on at any given moment' so I've used that in curating my list. I'm a big film weirdo and love a lot of really heavy, intense films that can be a struggle to get through. I enjoy psychoanalytical body horror movies like that of Cronenberg, weird arthouse stuff like Lars von Trier and Gaspar Noe and bleak, depressing social realism like that of Andrea Arnolds and Ken Loach. But I don't think any of those films could be called my favourite simply because to say I 'enjoy' films like those is that same energy to me as those who say they had a 'great time' visiting Auschwitz. It's the wrong terminology, but that doesn't mean they're not excellent films, they're just not my favourites to enjoy?

Anyway, enough blathering on from me, here's the list (in no particular order, not even number 1).

1. Mean Girls
Excellent writing, hilarious, infinitely quotable.

2. Jurassic Park
Some of the best special effects that still hold up to this day and the film I feel best epitomises the magic of the movies. The whole film is awesome in every sense.

3. Lord of the Rings
Yes I've grouped the trilogy here as one thing because it is one thing and I won't be argued with. Simply excellent storytelling, fantastic characters, amazing fantasy world-building, brilliant SFX that still hold up, epic battle scenes and just iconic all round.

4. Titanic
Titanic is just a fantastic, old-school movie epic. Everything about it feels BIG, it's not shy to just shamelessly be what it is. It's corny but doesn't feel wrong for it and had probably the most perfect pacing in any movie ever. We all went in knowing how it would end but still held our breath hoping the ship would steer clear of the inevitable iceberg.

5. American Psycho
Obsessed with it as a teenager and never really grew out of it. Tons of iconic scenes and an excellent performance by Christian Bale as Bateman. Plus hot naked guy with a chainsaw, c'mon.

6. Halloween
The horror movie that really got me into exploring older horror movies, still one of the scariest killers in a movie and a deeply unsettling soundtrack that makes the hairs stand on end to this day. Just a great movie that shows how much you can do on a small budget and one that properly launched my favourite horror sub genre, the slasher.

7. Shrek 2
Yh, Shrek 2. I will not hear a bad word said, this movie is a masterpiece I tell you, with one of the greatest finale scenes not just in animation but in cinematic history. Easily the best sequel ever created and yes I've seen Aliens. The epitome of how to use a jukebox soundtrack to its fullest effect and how to elevate an already overwhelmingly successful and popular round one.

8. The Iron Giant
I just...really love Brad Bird and his ability to make me feel nostalgic for an era I never existed in in a country I'm not a citizen of. I adore that 50s sci-fi aesthetic that carries through the Iron Giant, I love Brad Bird's character designs and the way he writes believable characters, it's so refreshing for a 'kids' movie from the 90s.

9. The Shining
Like furie, there had to be some Kubrick on here and for me it was between The Shining and A Clockwork Orange, Shining pips it simply because it's got a slightly less hateful streak than Orange so I'm more comfortable in it. The Shining is just a feast of cinematography that I am always happy to drink up. Also inspired my favourite Simpsons episode (segment anyway).

10. Krampus
I've decided my list should have a 'movie of the month' type entry that can change with the seasons/my mood because I'm a fickle beast and tend to change my mind about this things. This festive month of December I've gone with Krampus, simply because it's ****ing EXCELLENT - it has a really enjoyable nasty streak through it that feels one step further than Gremlins but has just as much fun. It's a Christmas must-watch for me and I never tire of seeing the family attacked with a nail gun by evil gingerbread men. It's timeless.

There's probably LOADS I've forgotten even exist, which is I guess the problem with these type of lists but I'm pretty happy with this for now.
 
Pretty lowbrow list but these are the films I've had the most enjoyment from:

1. Cabin in the Woods - My favourite film, it's got everything. Great pacing, lovely plot twists and gory kills. The amount of foreshadowing and build ups/pay offs is insane, it takes a lot of watches to absorb everything.

2. Hot Fuzz - Similar to Cabin in that its loaded with foreshadowing and gags that are set up in the first half with the punchline in the second. Again it's a film with such tight pacing, there's not a line of dialogue wasted, the whole thing feels jam packed.

3. Evil Dead (2013) - It's a stupid film but I had so much fun the first time I watched it. The first 20 minutes of setup is fairly mundane but after that it's an hour of non stop carnage leading to someone being sliced with a chainsaw head to crotch while the sky rains blood. Absolutely insane gore effects throughout and impressively almost all of it is prosthetics.

4. Superbad - I generally prefer British films and TV as the dialogue flows in a more natural way but Superbad somehow captures that essence. It's hard to explain but there's something about the way the three main characters talk to each other that feels really sweet and natural. It's a silly crude comedy but for some reason it really stuck with me.

5. Midsommar - That cliff scene, absolutely incredible. I've never seen a horror film like this where things have struck me with shock rather than just give me a quick startle. The audio is amazing too especially how seamlessly the trip sequences fade in and out. It's a really mesmerising and absorbing film.
 
nadroJ said:
5. American Psycho
Obsessed with it as a teenager and never really grew out of it. Tons of iconic scenes and an excellent performance by Christian Bale as Bateman. Plus hot naked guy with a chainsaw, c'mon.
Click to expand...

I think it's a superb film - good call.

Have you ever read the novel? I did a few months ago, and it's the only book that's ever really caused me issues in terms of horror (and I've read a lot of horror).

It's a novel that's kind of worth experiencing, but I honestly can't actually recommend it. The tone is so light (deeper than the film, but it's easy to put Bale's performance into it) and such a great commentary. It makes the horror even worse. It's literally completely abhorrent. Even knowing it's satire, it's the most disgusting, horrendous thing I've ever read - possibly because it doesn't all stand up as the satire you may think it does.

Anyway, superb film - everyone should watch it.

Oh, and I adore The Iron Giant too. It was a tremendous cinema experience and is still fantastic to watch on the small screen today. Ageless.
 
furie said:
I think it's a superb film - good call.

Have you ever read the novel? I did a few months ago, and it's the only book that's ever really caused me issues in terms of horror (and I've read a lot of horror).
Click to expand...

Yes! I've read it a few times actually, especially during my 'edgy teen years' to make some kind of point because it's sooooo gruesome but yh, I do kind of love it?

Not sure if you've heard of it but there's a YouTube channel called Wisecrack I think you'd enjoy - lots of film related stuff but they've recently launched a new segment called Book vs. Film (you can guess what it entails) and the most recent ep is American Psycho.
 
Could never do a top 10 movies. Too many to do in 1 go.
Top 3 is fine though.

Baby Driver - I must've watched this movie close to 100 times. The sound track, colours, characters, cinematography, storyline.... I might watch it again tonight actually.

Hacksaw Ridge - Compelling story that is truly an amazing feat of cinema. Right up there with saving private ryan but there's just something about this movies arc I enjoy a bit more.

The Big Lebowski - The Fact a god damn rug can make such a good storyline never ceases to amaze me. The look of confusion on my mates faces every time I show it to them new is priceless, and when I get to re-watch it with them and they understand a bit more whats going on its like I've welcomed them to my secret club

Honourable mention to Guardians of the Galaxy (1 & 2) - Class comedy, expensive sets and sfx, good storylines and of course an A-List line up both actor wise and score wise. Just a big old cocktail of everything I need to enjoy a superhero movie.
 
Last edited:
Gosh, lots to talk about here. Let's start with @furie who, finally, submitted his list. Good selection... mostly. Can't argue with the top 3, and I do approve of the John Landis movies. Have you ever seen The Stupids? Best bad film ever - genuinely cracks me up! That was one of the films I only managed to watch thanks to LoveFilm (RIP) as nowhere local stocked it.
Re: The Blues Brothers. Were you aware of the 2 different versions, theatrical cut & extended edition? I literally only found out while watching it on dvd for the first time and couldn't figure out where all these extra scenes had come from.
Re: Nightmare Before Christmas - never seen it until... yesterday, when I decided to give it a try. Gave up after 10mins, I knew that I just wasn't gonna like it. Soz. ?‍♂️

@AndrewRollercoaster - dude, I loved what you said about Superman. Total classic and a worthy number 1. ?

@nadroJ - For some reason I expected your list to be... weirder! ?
Titanic though? ?
However, you've totally sold me on Krampus. Something about gingerbread men with nailguns? I need to see what that's about!

@Benenen - Cabin in the Woods. Yes yes yes! Also a worthy number 1, bravo Sir!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top