– The Dark Knight
The second of the Batman trilogy is included in this list because, well it’s an excellent film. While watching the Amazing Spiderman, my brother and I noticed several problems with the film, such as Spiderman using a cell phone in the sewers, no cell service a DUH, and Croc mixing two chemicals that were sitting right next to one another in a high school classroom and creating an explosion, WHAT?, I couldn’t help but note that Christopher Nolan has set the bar high for super hero movies. They need to be executed and created with a certain degree of intelligence, we will no longer stand for Batman armor with nipple points Joel Schumacher! Not only was this film nearly flawless, but it had one of the best and most well-known villains of all time, Joker.
Ledger’s performance earned him a posthumous Oscar and showed the world just how bat shit crazy the Joker really is. Such memorable scenes as this one and this one have been burned into my brain and will remain there as long as I live. I am hopefully seeing The Dark Knight Rises sometime next week and I hope it will live up to this one but to compare the two would do both of them injustice. This movie, stand alone, one of the best movies I have ever seen. If you haven’t seen this movie, then either you’re dead or you’re blind or just dumb. SO WATCH IT!
– In the Heat of the Night
A 1967 movie starring Sydney Poiter and Rod Steiger set in Mississippi about a murder investigation where the first suspect is, WOULD YOU BELIEVE IT? The African-American. This particular African-American however is one of Philadelphia’s finest detective and after becoming suspect numero uno, becomes an investigator to uncover this murder mystery.
The inclusion of this movie occurred because it was a movie starring an African-American man in 1967. It was a movie that openly discussed racism and showed just how idiotic generalizations and assumptions can be while fighting it as well. The story line is superb and that acting is quite phenomenal. It also contains a great line which has been placed at number 16 on the American Film institute 100 Movie Quotes. Watch the scene and watch the movie. It is a great film!
– The Departed
A cat and mouse movie where Leonardo DiCaprio and Matt Damon are working against each other to figure out who’s the mole in the Boston police force and who’s the rat in Jack Nicholson’s mob. Directed by Martin Scorsese and earning him his first Best Picture and Best Director and forever sealing his fate, as one of the best directors of his time.
“The Departed” is included in this list because of the phenomenal performances by Leonardo, Wahlberg, Nicholson, and Baldwin. One of the best soundtracks and sound mixing I have ever heard, the cuts in the music are amazing and on point and truly jar the viewer to keep them constantly watching. The twist at the end is incredible and totally caught off guard.
– True Romance
A movie starring Christian Slater, where has he been AMIRIGHT?, Patricia Arquette as a crazy nympho, yes that is the chick from Medium, Dennis Hopper, Christopher Walken with a great fucking cameo, Samuel Jackson, Gary Oldman, as a crazed wigger drug dealer, and all of this is directed by Tony Scott with a script by Quentin Tarantino. It is a movie featuring love, sex, cocaine, a stoned Brad Pitt, guns, a foot being stabbed with a corkscrew, and an eye being shot off. The sound track to this is off the charts, SARCASM, it sounds like Hans Zimmer was smoking way too much weed and decided Jamaican music would sound the best for this movie.
I love this movie, because like the hipsters we all love to hate, no one has heard of this movie. It is an underground classic. I have never heard or another movie with a team up quite like this and if I’m lucky I might just hear of one in the future. The corkscrew scene is amazing, sorry for the poor quality, and it even has Val Kilmer playing Elvis. It is a great movie with some amazing lines, thank you Quentin, and some real fucking strange characters. You have to watch this movie before going to see the Dark Knight Rises just to see how good of an actor Gary Oldman really is, you just have to. Watch it, you won’t regret it.
– Billy Madison
This is old school Adam Sandler. This is what made Happy Madison productions. Adam Sandler plays a character who, lo and behold, gets involved in some quirky situations and ends up falling for a women who is way out of his league. This plot may seem overused and unoriginal but this is where it began PEOPLE. You gotta see it when it was GREAT! Adam Sandler, Billy Madison, is told he needs to go back to school in order to graduate and eventually inherit his father’s company fighting against Bradley Whitford, Eric Gordon, who is a creepy man and laughs like a weasel and he is also on the West Wing. Random? Hell yeah! Hilarious? YOU BET YOUR BOOTY IT’S FUNNY.
This movie has some great scenes that are so very much quotable from the penguin scene, so damn sorry for the quality, to his crazy seducing maid, to a great cameo by Chris Farley, and this amazing scene that everybody who has watched this movie never ever forgets. This movie is damn funny and I would warrant it as having a huge influence on Family Guy, Anchorman, 40 Year Old Virgin, The League and Archer. The musical scene within it is well worth and Veronia Vaughn is sooooo hot. WANT TO TOUCH THE HINEY. AWHOOOOOOO. So watch it if you want to see the good Adam Sandler. The young Adam Sandler. The funny as shit rando Adam Sandler. Watch it, you’ll laugh your butt off.
– Funny Farm
A couple decides to leaves the busy city that never sleeps and buy a home in Redbud Vermont so that Chevy Chase, Andy Farmer, can have some peace and quiet while he works on his new novel. His loving wife Elizabeth Farmer played by Madolyn Smith accompanies him because she too feels the need to get some peace and quiet. Redbud is anything but that, much to their dismay!
Corny summary and unoriginal plot aside, I love this movie. Not the biggest Chevy Chase fan especially after seeing a ton of Family Vacations but this was a movie that caught me off guard. It is funny because it’s random, which our generation loves. There’s a golden retriever which they simply name Yellow Dog who is let off the leash at one point and makes random appearances throughout the film chasing after God knows what. The mail man played by Kevin Conway is equal parts bitter, psychotic, random, and hilarious. This movie is placed amongst such other films because it’s Chevy Chase truly being hilarious and was a movie I simply stumbled upon. So if you want to see Chevy Chase doing something other then tormenting Joel McHale or driving around in circles in a European rotary, then you should watch this movie. If these scenes can’t convince you, then I don’t know what can
– Oldboy
A Koren film, don’t bother if you can’t stand subtitles, starring Choi Min-Sik, Kang Hye-Jeong, Yoo Ji-tae, and directed by Park Chan-Wook. This film is the highest rated Korean film on IMDB and is number 92 on IMDB’s Top 250. It is a suspense movie in which the protagonist is kidnapped for 15 years and then is suddenly released and told he has 5 days to find out who kidnapped him and why.
The shots in this movie are interesting, intense, and novel. There is one hell of a trippy bug scene and one amazing fight scene as well. The style of the fight scene is like nothing I have seen before and it just adds to the greatness of this movie. The ending of this movie is what makes it worth seeing however. The twist that occurs puts “Sixth Sense” to shame and amazed and disgusted me. Choi Min-sik appears in another film in this list and is a phenomenal actor. When he uncovers the truth, he’s reaction is perfect and seems genuine. Watch this movie before it gets made into an American remake, potentially destroying it, and if you like intrigue and suspense. Believe me, you will not be able to guess what the twist is until the very end, and it is jaw dropping.
– Heat
Michael Mann directs this robbery gone bad movie starring Val Kilmer, Al Pacino, Ashley Judd, Henry Rollins, Robert DeNiro, Jon Voight, Tom Sizemore, pre alcohol abuse, Jeremy Piven, Danny Trejo, and a very young suicidal Natalie Portman. Robert DeNiro, leader of pack, go toe-to-toe with Al Pacino, lead investigator for the LAPD’s Robbery-Homicide division. Several story arcs occur throughout this movie making it, sometimes, difficult to follow what is occurring, however it is a must see.
When this many actors and actresses appear in one film it’s either going to be great or it’s going to be ridiculous, cough cough Expendables cough cough. This movie is the former. Robert Deniro and Al Pacino are superb in it, especially in this scene. These two heavyweights display their abilities and show just why they are so damn well-known. The robbery gone wrong scene is my favorite and the GTA 4 robbery mission is most definitely based off of it. This movie keeps you tuned in with a ton of action sequences and very little slow wordy parts. Watch this if you like guns, DeNiro, Pacino, and Michael Mann films. It’s a great action movie with a lot of thought put into it.
– Casino
Another great Scorscese film starring DeNiro, who he totally was man crushing on before he found Leo, who opens a Casino in Las Vegas along with Joe Pesci, another great mob actor, and encounters some difficult from his wife, Sharon Stone, and the Las Vegas licensing committee. This movie shows the Las Vegas of the past before it became family friendly and full of fat white people. This movie shows the dark seedier Las Vegas and it is well worth seeing.
Pesci and Pacino are great in this movie and I would even say better in this then they are in Goodfellas. This movie, again, shows why DeNiro is DeNiro, from the way he freaks out about blueberry muffins to the way he deals with card sharks. He is a great actor and although his character is a scumbag, I still felt for him in the end. Joe Pesci is also great in this movie and is involved in this unforgettable scene. He plays the typical mobster and I absolutely love it. Scorscese is a great director and by God I love nearly all of his movies, but Casino is one of the best ones that he directed. Watch this movie if you love DeNiro, Pesci, Sharon Stone blowing people, and explosions. Also, if you like mob movies because this one is THE mob movie.
– Legend
A 1985 fantasy movie starring a young Tom Cruise, Mia Sara, and Tim Curry and directed by none other than Ridley Scott. Tom Cruise plays Jack who needs to rescue Mia Sara from the evil horned clutches of Tim Curry, the Lord of Darkness, who looks like the fucking devil. Jack works with elves, fairies, a unicorn, to save Mia Sara from her fate of becoming the Lord of Darkness’s wife.
“Legend” is included in this list because it needs to be and you should see it. It is one of the first movies I can remember watching and I will never forget how Tim Curry made me feel. The make-up for this movie, pre CG mind you, is superb as are the sets. If you love Ridley Scott, you gotta see this movie. It is dark, scary, and all sorts of fucked up. Tom Cruise is perfect for this role because it requires more doing then speaking and let’s face it, Tom Cruise is definitely way better action star then dramatic star. If you are ever looking for a good old school fantastical movie, look no further. Ridley Scott knows fantasy, and man what a fucking job he does with it. See this movie if you like dark fantasy, just watch that Tim Curry clip, Ridley Scott, and damn good makeup and set design, LOOK AT THOSE GOD DAMN HORNS. You will not regret it.
– I Saw the Devil
Another Korean movie directed by Jee-Woon Kim, staring once again, Min-sik Choi, Byung-hun Lee, and Yoon-Seo Jim. Min-sik plays a serial killer who takes the life of a victim a little to close to home for agent Kim Soo-hyeon, played by Byung hun Lee, his wife. Kim sets out to fight out who perpetrated this crime by any means necessary.
This movie sound unoriginal but believe me, it is not. The acting in it is superb and Min-sik plays a crazed killer to a t. This guy needs to be recognized for his role in Korean works because he is simply phenomenal. This movie has some great martial arts, some great use of props, and some fucked up torture scenes. If you can watch these scenes, then you can handle the movie. This movie is like old school Tarantino. It is gory, but has such a great story and asks and answers the question of how far you will go. This is the question that every good guy asks themselves in any movie similar to this and usually they let the law handle it. Right as they’re about to shoot the guy, the good cop throws cuffs on them instead. “I Saw the Devil” depicts just how painful the death of a love one can affect someone and just how far they will go to enact their vengeance. The cop in this movie does what he believes is right and it is gruesome but deserving. Watch this movie if you can handle gore and love some sick fight scenes.
– Raising Arizona
The one and only Coen brothers movie on here starring a young, Nicolas Cage, John Goodman William Forsythe, Frances McDormand, the Coen brothers just love her!, and Holly Hunter. In this 1987 classic H.I., Nic Cage, takes it upon himself to finally get the woman of his dreams a baby. However, the only problem is Edwina, Holly Hunter, is barren. Wah Wah wahhh. Despite this, H.I. decides he’s going to kidnap a baby from a very well off family who, he reasons, have enough children. All sort of shenanigans ensue, in typical Coen brother’s fashion, and H.I. tries to prove himself to Edwina.
This movie is great not only because it is a classic but because not many people know about it either. Call me hipster, but some of the better movies are not the ones that have been seen by everyone. Also, Nic Cage is in it, and he’s great. The interactions between himself and Holly Hunter are hilarious and well scripted. The biker in this movie, who comes to get back the baby, is one psychopathic character and he is introduced in this great scene. This movie is genuine Coen brothers and it includes its share of typical Coen brothers comedy but also some darker twisted scenes as well. Watch this movie if you sweaaaarr you love the Coen brothers but you haven’t seen it yet. Also, watch if you think Nic Cage was great in the National Treasure movies. Because, he sucked, buuuutt he was good in this.
– The Strangers
A phenomenally fucked up horror movie starring Scott Speedman and Liv Tyler, and Dennis from Always Sunny!, who stay in their friend’s house while attending a wedding, only to find out that they are about to be messed with. Like really messed with. While coming to terms with their relationship, I mean really Scott Speedman and Liv Tyler can’t just look at each other and be happy, they battle three weirdos who don masks and molest the house in which Scott and Liv are staying.
This movie is great for one reason and one reason alone, these two victims are physcially and mentally tortured for no damn reason. When Liv Tyler screams at the end of the movie, asking, “Why are you doing this?” the daughter of this posse, says, “Because”. That’s it. They don’t rant about society or recite quotes from the bible, they simply screw with these people, because they want to. And screw with them they do. There are some great scenes where the masked figures just simply watch their victims, while the victim has no idea but the audience sure does. I apologize for the poor quality but scenes like the one just shown occur throughout the movie. The soundtrack is well put together and the director had a lot of fun repeating some songs while adding in some very creepy songs as well. Watch this movie if you love scary movies and you love creepy baseball headed individuals.
– Fifth Element
The 1997 sci-fi classic directed by Luc Besson starring Bruce Willis, a semi nude Milla Jovovich, a once again crazed Gary Oldman, an even crazier Chris Tucker, and Lee Evans. In this film Milla comes to earth as Leeloo only to be scooped up and protected by the once solider now tax driver Bruce Willis. Leeloo’s return to earth was predicted of sorts and in her lies the key to saving mankind as we know it.
This movie was shown all the time on HBO when I was younger. I’ve seen this movie at least 20 times and I remember it took me at least 3 times to understand what it was that was occurring. Much like a sci-fi “Pulp Fiction” this story has many story lines that intersect and intertwine with one another. There is a great scene where three separate people try to board this air spaceship cruise line and all of them pose as Korben Dallas, Bruce Willis’s character, for several different reasons. Chris Tucker is great in this as well. He is just annoying enough and given enough screen time, in scenes like this, which allows for the audience to actually find his presence humorous and not infuriating. He also has some great hair. Not only are the story lines interesting but the special effects, for this time period, are great and well used. This isn’t “Starship Troopers” which relied heavily on special effects and now, when viewed, just looks low-budget; this movie has some great characters and Bruce Willis as an action star. Watch this movie if you want to see Chris Tucker actually being funny and Gary Oldman being his strange self once again.
– Mystic River
Dennis Lehane is my favorite author and I have read nearly all of his books. This movie starring Sean Penn, Kevin Bacon, Tim Robbins, Laurence Fishburne, and directed by one of my favorite actors/directors ever Clint Eastwood. Bacon and Fishburne play two detectives uncovering the death of Penn’s daughter. Penn is determined to find out who the killer is first, conducting his own investigation which has some tragic effects. Robbins becomes involved due to some coincidental events which leads to a tragic ending to all characters involved.
This movie gave Sean Penn the Oscar for Best Actor and Tim Robbins for Best Supporting for the 2004 Oscars. Their performance in this movie is great and I know Tim Robbins is often seen as a weird individual but by God he embraces that for this role, molds it, and spews it to the audience. While I was watching this, it truly felt like Tim Robbins had experienced the trauma from the character’s youth. He embraced and manipulated it. Sean Penn. Phenominal and this scene here just takes the cake. I never really paid any mind to Sean Penn before this movie. Any movie that he is in now, is something that I pay attention to. Besides these two prominent actors, this movie is beautifully directed. Eastwood knew what he was doing by showing how these three characters were connected and how their lives and careers were determined from one major incident that occurred within their childhood. If you love drama and brilliant acting, see this movie. It will keep you tuned in, till the very end.
– The French Connection
A 1971 hit starring Gene Hackmen, Roy, We Are Going To Need A Bigger Boat, Scheirder, Tony Lo Bianco, Fernando Rey and directed by William Friedkin depicts the true story of Popeye Doyle and Buddy Russo as they stumble a conspiracy involving the largest supplier of pure heroin to North America. Doyle and Russo use some great sleuthing and toe the line between criminal and cop in order to uncover who is running the show.
This movie took home Best Picture, Best Actor, Gene Hackmen, Beest Director, Best Film Editing, and Best Adapted Screenplay for the 1972 Oscars. It is a beautiful dark cop movie depicting just how far Doyle and Russo had to go to uncover who was the leader of this heroine trade. Hackmen is excellent in this film and truly embodies the terrible cop. He will punch suspects and even threaten to shoot a few in order to get what he wants. The Oscars that this movie garnered should interest you in seeing this movie. If you’re still on the fence about it, this scene just takes the cake. The best part about this scene is that the woman in the end with the baby carriage wasn’t even planned. She just walked on the set. Watch this film if you love Gene Hackmen and want to see him in his prime and if you love gritty cop movies.
– Silence of the Lambs
A horror film directed by Jonathan Demme starring Jodie Foster, Anthony Hopkins, as a crazy psychopathic cannibal , Anthony Heald, Scott Glenn, and Ted Levine as a nutty skin wearing murderer. Jodie Foster plays Clarice who is determined to track down a serial killer and determined to save the life of another victim. However, she must use the resources and intelligence of Lecter to help her understand the criminal and subsequently catch him.
This movie holds a special place in my heart because I always wanted to be like Hannibal, Clarice. She interested me in the world of forensic psychology and some of what she does in the movie, is very similar to what an F.B.I. profiler actually does. Despite even this, this movie is phenomenal. It is the only horror movie to ever win Best Picture and also won Best Actress, Best Actor, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay for the 1992 Oscars. Jodie Foster’s performance is great in this film but absolutely surpassed by Hopkins. This movie sealed his fate as being one of the best actors out there and showed just what he is capable of. This scene, although creepy, shows just how good of an actor he can be. This movie made the saying “quid pro quo” so damn disturbing and so damn memorable that anytime anyone says it, I think of Lecter and his creepy smile and receding hairline. Watch this movie if you love thrillers, can handle some gore, and have only heard of but never actually seen the famous Hannibal Lecter in his prime.
– American History X
An excellent film directed by Tony Kaye starring Edward Norton, Edward Furlong, Ethan Suplee, Elliot Gould, Avery Brooks, and Stacy Keach about the effect a brother’s return home from prison has. Norton plays Dereky Vinyard who is the older brother to Furlong’s Danny Vinyard and a former Nazi to boot. While serving time for a murder he committed, Derek comes to terms with his anger and his passionate white elitism. He comes to understand how the choices he has made effected all of those around him
Edward Norton was nominated for Best Actor for his portrayl of Derek in this movie. He shows so spectacularly how his beliefs were created, molded, solidified, only to change once more. His interactions with Danny are endearing and understanding, especially when he returns home from prison. One of his best performances in this film , is at the emotional apogee of the film. This scene is violent and gruesome but extremely powerful. Kaye did some great work in this scene by focusing on the sound of the individual’s teeth as they touch the curb. It is cringe worthy but shows just how much Derek loved his father and what his father represented. Norton’s interactions with Avery Brooks is so well crafted and show just how far he has come while serving time in prison. The last scene in this movie, although tragic, show how much effect a choice can have. Watch this movie if you love Norton and if you can appreciate one hell of a good story arch.
– Monty Python: Meaning of Life
A 1983 comedy directed by Terry Jones and consisting of all the regulars from the Monty Python crew, Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, who yes is that crazy director who directed “12 Monkeys”, Michael Palin, Eric Idle, and Terry Jones. Much like many of the other Monty Python movies, this one has a very ridiculous storyline consisting of fat people eating until they blow up and an unusual visit from death.
This movie is great. Why do you ask? Because, much like “Billy Madison” it is random and ridiculous. I remember watching this movie and literally having to stitch up my sides because I had laughed so hard. Bad joke? I THINK NOT! Like many Monty Python skits, this movie has scenes in which ridiculous events occur and then the scene moves onto something else. They do not waste their time trying to make connections or keep a joke running, they simply have funny things occur and you just laugh your butt off at them. This scene is a perfect example of their extremely unusual sense of humor. Why this Monty Python movie you ask? Well because “The Holy Grail” and “Life of Bryan” have been seen by nearly everyone but not many people have seen this and as a result cannot truly appreciate Monty Python. If it wasn’t for this group of people and their great sense of humor, then I believe such shows like “Family Guy”, “Parks and Rec” and “Community” wouldn’t have been created. Watch this movie if you love humor, random cut scene, and Monty Python.
– Bullitt
The 1986 classic starring the person who will be forever known as the man of the seventies Steve McQueen, a very attractive Jaqueline Bisset, Robert Vaughn, Don Gordon, Norman Fell, and one young S.O.B. Robert “Boss” Duvall depicts McQueen as a San Francisco cop who sets out to find the murderer of his witness. This movie includes some top-notch car chases and Steve McQueen basically not giving a f*&^ in order to get shit done.
This movie won the 1969 Oscar for Best Film Editing and was nominated for Best Sound. The reason it took home the Oscar is for this scene right here. It is a great scene and has been regarded as one of the best car chase scenes in the history of cinematography. This movie was recommended to me by a friend and after watching it once, I was hooked. I love cop movies but this one defined the genre. If you want to make a great cop movie, just watch Bullitt and add your own special twist to it. Then WAM BAM THANK YA MAMM, you got an amazing movie. Not only that but Steve McQueen is great in this. He defined the role of hard cop, Tony Meloni should thank him for that, and made being a cop look sexy and hella cool. McQueen was THE SanFran cop before Dirty Dirty Harry and he was the cop of the 70s. Women wanted him, men wanted to be him. Watch this movie if you want to see the original cop movie formula when it was created. Also, watch it if you want to be awesome and like car chases.
Readers, I hope my opinions and list have at least interested you in watching one of these movies. If you do watch one of them, let me know what you think and if you have already seen one of them, do the same! This was one hell of a laborious task to undertake, so I hope you appreciate it.
Movies & Such 