Beaver's Top 100 Favorite Movies
A list of the most influential movies in my life, a wide variety of visceral entertainment!
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- DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsRoy ScheiderRobert ShawRichard DreyfussWhen a killer shark unleashes chaos on a beach community off Cape Cod, it's up to a local sheriff, a marine biologist, and an old seafarer to hunt the beast down.I could make an arguement for 10 other films to be above this one, but it would only be an excuse. This is the best motion picture ever made. On-location trouble, trouble with the shark, an all-around disaster of production, Steven Spielberg created a masterpiece.
- DirectorGeorge LucasStarsMark HamillHarrison FordCarrie FisherLuke Skywalker joins forces with a Jedi Knight, a cocky pilot, a Wookiee and two droids to save the galaxy from the Empire's world-destroying battle station, while also attempting to rescue Princess Leia from the mysterious Darth Vader.The most influential motion picture in motion picture history! (and don't forget the merchandising!) The only movie with confusing names that i actually cared enough to learn. (notice there are no middle earths or hogwarts in this list!)
- DirectorTerry GilliamStarsJeff BridgesRobin WilliamsAdam BryantA former radio DJ, suicidally despondent because of a terrible mistake he made, finds redemption in helping a deranged homeless man who was an unwitting victim of that mistake.The most under-appreciated masterpiece in film-making history. Terry Gilliam's tale of redemption is as brilliantly acted as it is written and directed.
- DirectorDavid LynchStarsSheryl LeeRay WiseMädchen AmickLaura Palmer's harrowing final days are chronicled one year after the murder of Teresa Banks, a resident of Twin Peaks' neighboring town.Probably the most personal of choices both influentially and critically. Absorbing, addictive, twisted and beautiful- Laura Palmer's story is cinematic garmonbozia!
- DirectorJim AbrahamsDavid ZuckerJerry ZuckerStarsRobert HaysJulie HagertyLeslie NielsenAfter the crew becomes sick with food poisoning, a neurotic ex-fighter pilot must safely land a commercial airplane full of passengers.Changed comedy as we percieve it, every great comedy after 1980 owes Airplane a debt of gratitude!
- DirectorRobert ZemeckisStarsMichael J. FoxChristopher LloydLea ThompsonMarty McFly, a 17-year-old high school student, is accidentally sent 30 years into the past in a time-traveling DeLorean invented by his close friend, the maverick scientist Doc Brown.This movie had perfect timing! Michael J. Fox makes this movie great and the set pieces, elaborate storyline and supporting cast make this one of the all-time greatest movie-going experiences of my life!
- DirectorStanley KubrickStarsJack NicholsonShelley DuvallDanny LloydA family heads to an isolated hotel for the winter where a sinister presence influences the father into violence, while his psychic son sees horrific forebodings from both past and future.Haunting and disturbing, Stanley Kubrick's vision of Stephen King's ghost story deserves to be mentioned as one of the greatest horror films of all time. Jack Nicholson's performance is legendary.
- DirectorMel BrooksStarsGene WilderMadeline KahnMarty FeldmanAn American grandson of the infamous scientist, struggling to prove that his grandfather was not as insane as people believe, is invited to Transylvania, where he discovers the process that reanimates a dead body.Mel Brooks masterpiece! (and Gene Wilder, for that matter!) This movie is quoted more times in my household than The Word! Surpasses "Blazing Saddles" in my mind although I know I may be alone in this assumption.
- DirectorDavid LynchStarsAnthony HopkinsJohn HurtAnne BancroftA Victorian surgeon rescues a heavily disfigured man who is mistreated while scraping a living as a side-show freak. Behind his monstrous façade, there is revealed a person of kindness, intelligence and sophistication.One of those rare movies that deserves an oscar nod for every category. From direction to cinematography, acting to writing, this is truly David Lynch's masterpiece!
- DirectorMilos FormanStarsJack NicholsonLouise FletcherMichael BerrymanIn the Fall of 1963, a Korean War veteran and criminal pleads insanity and is admitted to a mental institution, where he rallies up the scared patients against the tyrannical nurse.Sweeping the oscars in 1975, one has to wonder if "Jaws" wasn't ripped off in one or more categories. Still, as I look at each category individually, I have "Cuckoo's Nest" winning 7 of 10. A superior adaptation when it comes to transferring a novel to film.
- DirectorMickey RoseMichael RitchieStarsKristen RiterMatthew GoldsbyJerry BelsonA serial killer with his signature heavy breathing proceeds to systematically kill the students and teachers of Lamab high school.Undoubtedly the highest-rated movie on my list based purely on personal beliefs- i will never be able to express how important this film is to me! The screenplay is funny in spite of itself, the entire movie is in spite of itself- hilarious on so many levels, this movie makes me believe i could make a movie myself one day... something, like this movie, to be proud of!
- DirectorIrvin KershnerStarsMark HamillHarrison FordCarrie FisherAfter the Rebel Alliance are overpowered by the Empire, Luke Skywalker begins his Jedi training with Yoda, while his friends are pursued across the galaxy by Darth Vader and bounty hunter Boba Fett.Sequels don't get any better than this. Dark and unsettled, a telling cliffhanger in the most fantastic world ever to hit the screen! The highest-ranking sequel in my list but an unforgivingly low ranking overall, if I do say so myself.
- DirectorWilliam FriedkinStarsEllen BurstynMax von SydowLinda BlairWhen a young girl is possessed by a mysterious entity, her mother seeks the help of two Catholic priests to save her life.The scariest movie of all time! At least with "Jaws", I can avoid the water! How am I gonna avoid being possessed? I try not to think about it, but it scares me to this day. This movie puts the fear of God in me! Only "The Shining" comes close to rivaling this movie as 'the greatest horror move of all time'!
- DirectorDavid LynchStarsNicolas CageLaura DernWillem DafoeYoung lovers Sailor and Lula run from the variety of weirdos that Lula's mom has hired to kill Sailor.A rip-roaring, surreal story of lovers on the run in David Lynch's tale of rebellion and the "Wizard of Oz". I love everything about this movie. I don't even know why I rank it so low. Maybe it's because I have so many other Lynch films in my top 20. Forget that! This movie should be in my top 10, any friend or relative would tell you so! What is wrong with me? Sorry Sail!
- DirectorFrank DarabontStarsTim RobbinsMorgan FreemanBob GuntonOver the course of several years, two convicts form a friendship, seeking consolation and, eventually, redemption through basic compassion.Frank Darabont is the most underrated director in film today. His character-driven adaptation of the Stephen King short story is both superior to the novel and superior in filmmaking period.
- 19641h 35mPG8.4 (519K)97MetascoreDirectorStanley KubrickStarsPeter SellersGeorge C. ScottSterling HaydenAn unhinged American general orders a bombing attack on the Soviet Union, triggering a path to nuclear holocaust that a war room full of politicians and generals frantically tries to stop.My favorite war film, a stellar comedy with wisdom that withstands the passing of time. The funniest movie ever made... before 1964. This movie deserves to be mentioned as one of the greatest films ever made, regardless of who's picking or why.
- DirectorJohn G. AvildsenStarsSylvester StalloneTalia ShireBurt YoungA small-time Philadelphia boxer gets a supremely rare chance to fight the world heavyweight champion in a bout in which he strives to go the distance for his self-respect.The ultimate sports movie! Stand up and cheer for the underdog, Rocky Balboa! Yo Adrian! What else can I say? Deserves every award in 1976 with arguably the greatest soundtrack ever!
- DirectorHarold RamisStarsChevy ChaseRodney DangerfieldBill MurrayAn exclusive golf course has to deal with a flatulent new member and a destructive dancing gopher.Without question, the greatest sports comedy in movie history with 2 equally unsurpassed comedic performances by supporting actors Rodney Dangerfield and Bill Murray... Legendary!
- DirectorRob ReinerStarsBilly CrystalMeg RyanCarrie FisherHarry and Sally have known each other for years, and are very good friends, but they fear sex would ruin the friendship.The greatest romantic comedy in film history! Billy Crystal makes me believe I could get a Meg Ryan if I just continue to be witty and truthful and yeah right, it hasn't worked yet, but that's what makes this movie so enduring. I find I'm so much like Harry that it's scary. Nora Ephron knows me so well!
- DirectorJames CameronStarsLeonardo DiCaprioKate WinsletBilly ZaneA seventeen-year-old aristocrat falls in love with a kind but poor artist aboard the luxurious, ill-fated R.M.S. Titanic.The greatest love story in movie history. A spectacular technical achievement, set decoration, amazing attention to detail, also the greatest true story ever told on film. Leo is now a mega-star and James Cameron has "Spielberg Status"!
- DirectorMichael LehmannStarsWinona RyderChristian SlaterShannen DohertyAt Westerburg High where cliques rule, jocks dominate and all the popular girls are named Heather, it's going to take a Veronica and mysterious new kid to give teen angst a body count.A brilliant screenplay highlights this dark comedy about teenage angst and suicide. When I say brilliant, I mean brilliant, as in one of the best and funniest screenplays ever. I am jaded in my opinion.
- DirectorTobe HooperStarsJoBeth WilliamsHeather O'RourkeCraig T. NelsonA family's home is haunted by a host of demonic ghosts.Steven Speilberg's ghost story as told through Tobe Hooper. A suspensful and scary movie. Made me a believer to the point that I question all things otherworldly. The greatest paranormal movie ever made!
- DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsSam NeillLaura DernJeff GoldblumA pragmatic paleontologist touring an almost complete theme park on an island in Central America is tasked with protecting a couple of kids after a power failure causes the park's cloned dinosaurs to run loose.This wasn't even the best Spielberg film of 1993 according to critics, but I wholeheartedly disagree. This movie is the definition of 'movie-going experience'. Spielberg makes a family film accessable to all movie-goers, and make no bones about it, this is a great family film.
- DirectorJoel CoenEthan CoenStarsGeorge ClooneyJohn TurturroTim Blake NelsonIn the deep south during the 1930s, three escaped convicts search for hidden treasure while a relentless lawman pursues them.You'd have to be dumber than a bag of hammers not to like this movie! As brilliant as Joel and Ethan Coen's movies are, "O Brother" stands above the rest due to its technical achievements as well as its outstanding soundtrack.
- DirectorRidley ScottStarsSigourney WeaverTom SkerrittJohn HurtThe crew of a commercial spacecraft encounters a deadly lifeform after investigating a mysterious transmission of unknown origin.The best horror film in outer space is also the scariest science fiction thriller/horror flick ever- "Alien"! Ridley Scott's claustrophobic direction, Dan O'Bannon's original screenplay and superb acting highlight this scary monster movie that raised the bar and re-defined the genre!
- DirectorJames CameronStarsSigourney WeaverMichael BiehnCarrie HennDecades after surviving the Nostromo incident, Ellen Ripley is sent out to re-establish contact with a terraforming colony but finds herself battling the Alien Queen and her offspring.The greatest science fiction horror saga gets the Cameron treatment complete with military firefights and hordes of aliens! "Aliens" boasts the greatest female performance in sci-fi history aka Sigourney Weaver as Ripley. Outranks the original by scale only- this film is epic.
- DirectorColin HigginsStarsGoldie HawnChevy ChaseBurgess MeredithA San Francisco librarian picks up a hitchhiker whose car has broken down, which leads to her being stalked and hunted by shady individuals. A cop she briefly met during a function eventually comes to her rescue.An epic action comedy that paved the way for snl allum Chevy Chase to big-screen stardom! Goldie Hawn is delightful, Burgess Meredith and Dudley Moore are oscar-worthy. Supurbly paced and thoroughly enjoyable! Action-comedies would be the vessel for snl allums to succeed on the big screen for years to come! (see "Blues Brothers", "48 Hours", "Stripes", "Ghostbusters" & "Beverly Hills Cop")
- DirectorSam RaimiStarsBruce CampbellSarah BerryDan HicksAsh Williams, the lone survivor of an earlier onslaught of flesh-possessing spirits, holes up in a cabin with a group of strangers while the demons continue their attack.Irreverant blend of splatter-gore and gut-busting humor, Sam Raimi's remake of "The Evil Dead" gets a jolt of vicious humor and a Demi-God in the greatest Antagonist to ever grace the silver screen... Bruce Campbell as "Ash"! Hail to the King, Baby!
- DirectorRichard DonnerStarsChristopher ReeveMargot KidderGene HackmanAn alien orphan is sent from his dying planet to Earth, where he grows up to become his adoptive home's first and greatest superhero.An epic film! Super, really! Great storyline to entertain the parents while us kids get our rocks off seeing a comic book hero on the big screen! The 1st great comic book movie and still one of the best! Christopher Reeve is immortalized in steel!
- DirectorAlan J. PakulaStarsDustin HoffmanRobert RedfordJack Warden"The Washington Post" reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein uncover the details of the Watergate scandal that leads to President Richard Nixon's resignation.An engrossing film! Hypnotizing and impossible to resist for a conspiracy-theorist like myself! Surprisingly pulse-pounding for such a slow-developing storyline- truly the work of great filmmaking! A true story that needed to be told.
- DirectorAlfred HitchcockStarsAnthony PerkinsJanet LeighVera MilesA Phoenix secretary embezzles $40,000 from her employer's client, goes on the run and checks into a remote motel run by a young man under the domination of his mother.Alfred Hitchcock is the master of suspense, but only one of his films actually make my list. Killing off the lead actress halfway through a movie is the act of a madman, but Hitchcock's character study of Norman Bates has no rival, and Anthony Perkins gives a killer performance.
- DirectorRobert ZemeckisStarsTom HanksRobin WrightGary SiniseThe history of the United States from the 1950s to the '70s unfolds from the perspective of an Alabama man with an IQ of 75, who yearns to be reunited with his childhood sweetheart.Deserved a nod in every aspect of filmmaking there is. Epic and unforgetable, a glimpse at American history and culture that transends what we've been told to believe about a war and a time unlike any other, seen through the eyes of the innocent. I think we all feel a little more grown-up after seeing this movie.
- DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsHarrison FordKaren AllenPaul FreemanIn 1936, archaeologist and adventurer Indiana Jones is hired by the U.S. government to find the Ark of the Covenant before the Nazis can obtain its awesome powers.Time to start churning out more Spielberg films! Harrison Ford was already destined for movie stardom before Indiana Jones made him the greatest action hero to ever hit the screen! A storyline so confusing to a 10 year old that only Spielberg, Lucas and Ford magic could overcome! The definition of action-adventure ie the greatest action-adventure film in movie history!
- DirectorOliver StoneStarsKevin CostnerGary OldmanJack LemmonNew Orleans District Attorney Jim Garrison discovers there's more to the Kennedy assassination than the official story.The greatest year in film includes Oliver Stone's monumetal, conspiracy-driven "JFK". Everyone that's ever acted is in this movie. Based on a true story, even though they're only speculating during the black-and-white scenes, this is the most important story ever put on film. Yeah, more important than "Ten Commandments"!
- DirectorBilly Bob ThorntonStarsBilly Bob ThorntonDwight YoakamJ.T. WalshKarl Childers, a simple man hospitalized since his childhood murder of his mother and her lover, is released to start a new life in a small town.The greatest independent film ever made! Billy Bob Thornton's tour de force performance, direction and screenwriting! Daniel Lanois' haunting score works wonders in setting a moment in time. Viva La Independent Spirit!
- DirectorRon UnderwoodStarsKevin BaconFred WardFinn CarterNatives of a small isolated town defend themselves against strange underground creatures which are killing them one by one.Perfect blend of action/sci-fi/comedy in homage to B-movie horror films, Tremors stands apart because of its infectious screenplay, expertly crafted and smart, and its unwilling loveable heroes played by Kevin Bacon and Fred Ward. An unexpected buddy-movie and a lot of fun to see in theatres!
- DirectorJim AbrahamsStarsCharlie SheenLloyd BridgesValeria Golino"Rambo" parody in which Topper Harley leads a rescue team into Iraq to save Iraqi war prisoners and all of their previous rescue teams.A superior sequel, hilarious spoof! Action-packed and incredibly witty! Only "Airplane" delivers more tongue-in-cheeck puns and oft-quoted one-liners! OK maybe "The Naked Gun", but this is the best Zucker film not starring Leslie Neilsen!
- DirectorIvan ReitmanStarsBill MurrayDan AykroydSigourney WeaverThree parapsychologists forced out of their university funding set up shop as a unique ghost removal service in New York City, attracting frightened yet skeptical customers.This is what a movie experience is all about! Intricate story-telling, plenty of jokes and special effects, star-quality performance by Bill Murray and a heck of a catchy title track! I am, after all, a victim of the times! Super Fun for the whole family!
- DirectorDan O'BannonStarsClu GulagerJames KarenDon CalfaWhen two bumbling employees at a medical supply warehouse accidentally release a deadly gas into the air, the vapors cause the dead to rise again as zombies.A splatterific living dead comedy with plenty of gore and spleen-splitting laughs! Terrific screenplay (brains!) and special effects (more brains!) with a punk-rock soundtrack that peels away at your face!
- DirectorTim BurtonStarsMichael KeatonJack NicholsonKim BasingerThe Dark Knight of Gotham City begins his war on crime with his first major enemy being Jack Napier, a criminal who becomes the clownishly homicidal Joker.Michael Keaton will always be the best Batman and Tim Burton's masterpiece-casting of Jack Nicholson as the Joker proved to be blockbuster, summer gold! Very effective filmmaking- Gothic even!
- DirectorJonathan DemmeStarsJodie FosterAnthony HopkinsScott GlennA young F.B.I. cadet must receive the help of an incarcerated and manipulative cannibal killer to help catch another serial killer, a madman who skins his victims.Swept the Oscars in the "year of the film", as far as i'm concerned, it was unwarranted... but this is a very effective thriller, a pre-requisite C.S.I. meets Dexter. Anthony Hopkins only pales to Anthony Perkins in killer screen presence.
- DirectorSydney PollackStarsDustin HoffmanJessica LangeTeri GarrMichael Dorsey, an unsuccessful actor, disguises himself as a woman in order to get a role on a trashy hospital soap.Dustin Hoffman gives the best comedic performance in a lead role ever in this film that is absolutely nothing without him. Only Dudley Moore in "Arthur" comes close. A performance so perfectly nuanced that it propels a top 200 movie into the top 50!
- DirectorRichard DonnerStarsBill MurrayKaren AllenJohn ForsytheA selfish, cynical television executive is haunted by three spirits bearing lessons on Christmas Eve.My favorite Christmas film! Richard Donner's re-telling of Scrooge with Bill Murray in his all-time greatest performance, a majestic score by Danny Elfman and loads of Yule tide cheer! This film is just as important to Christmas as "A Christmas Story"- I said it!
- DirectorJohn McTiernanStarsBruce WillisAlan RickmanBonnie BedeliaA New York City police officer tries to save his estranged wife and several others taken hostage by terrorists during a Christmas party at the Nakatomi Plaza in Los Angeles.The greatest television actor turned screen icon, Bruce Willis, kick-started his career in John McTiernan's explosive action/thriller "Die Hard", with great dialouge and the impossibly evil Hans Gruber, played by oscar-worthy Alan Rickman. Fast-paced, poster-child for '80's action! Bruce Willis is so good at what he does, he never gets nominated because people forget that he's acting!
- DirectorJames CameronStarsArnold SchwarzeneggerLinda HamiltonEdward FurlongA cyborg, identical to the one who failed to kill Sarah Connor, must now protect her ten year old son John from an even more advanced and powerful cyborg.James Cameron is a master-craftsman! A visionary! An apocalyptic masterpiece! A super blockbuster film and a technical godsend!
- DirectorKevin SmithStarsJason MewesKevin SmithAmy NobleThe comic "Bluntman and Chronic" is based on real-life stoners Jay and Silent Bob, so when they get no profit from a big-screen adaptation, they set out to wreck the movie.Kevin Smith's subversive films get rolled into one with "Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back"! The boys get their own movie and it's a beautiful thing! Good stuff here! These guys need to do a movie every year or so!
- DirectorDavid LynchStarsIsabella RosselliniKyle MacLachlanDennis HopperThe discovery of a severed human ear found in a field leads a young man on an investigation related to a beautiful, mysterious nightclub singer and a group of psychopathic criminals who have kidnapped her child.David Lynch's 1986 Academy Award Nominated film about what lies beneath in a quiet little town stars Kyle MacLachlan, Isabella Rossellini, Laura Dern and Dennis Hopper as "Frank Booth", the greatest performance in a supporting role in movie history! (according to ME!) This movie paved the way for "Twin Peaks"!
- DirectorStanley KubrickStarsMalcolm McDowellPatrick MageeMichael BatesIn the future, a sadistic gang leader is imprisoned and volunteers for a conduct-aversion experiment, but it doesn't go as planned.All of Stanley Kubrick's movie deserve to be in the Top 50, but we're talking about 'favorites', and you gotta admit this film is like pulling teeth. It could've been nominated for every category in the '71 awards but that isn't enough to make me wanna put it in every year or so... maybe every 10.
- DirectorColin HigginsStarsJane FondaLily TomlinDolly PartonThree female employees of a sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical bigot find a way to turn the tables on him.This movie belongs in every comedy top 100! Lily Tomlin is a comedic goddess, Dolly Parton rocks in her first outing and Dabney Coleman is Oscar-worthy as the no-good, egotistical, lying, hypocritical bigot.
- DirectorSean S. CunninghamStarsBetsy PalmerAdrienne KingJeannine TaylorA group of teenage camp counselors attempt to re-open an abandoned summer camp with a tragic past, but they are stalked by a mysterious, relentless killer.A great little film that exceeded everyone's expectations by taking "Halloween" to the woodshed and splattering Savini effects all over the screen! The twist-ending and door left open for a sequel adds to the charm of this "Halloween" rip-off which kick-started (and ruled) the slasher genre, a world where financial success took precedence over cooth! "Kill her, mommy... kill her!"
- DirectorJohn CarpenterStarsDonald PleasenceJamie Lee CurtisTony MoranFifteen years after murdering his sister on Halloween night 1963, Michael Myers escapes from a mental hospital and returns to the small town of Haddonfield, Illinois to kill again.The most successful independent film of all-time! (F@ck Blair Witch!) John Carpenter fathered the slasher genre with a film that has little-to-no blood in it! Holiday names were now fair game in the horror movie industry! Nothing is sacred!
- DirectorCarl ReinerStarsSteve MartinBernadette PetersCatlin AdamsA simpleminded, sheltered country boy suddenly decides to leave his family home to experience life in the big city, where his naivete is both his best friend and his worst enemy."I was born a poor black child." The over-the-top performance by Steve Martin is legendary and rivals Dudley Moore in "Arthur" and Dustin Hoffman in "Tootsie" for greatest comedic performance in a lead EVER imho (least I forget Gene Wilder in "Young Frankensien")
- DirectorJohn HughesStarsEmilio EstevezJudd NelsonMolly RingwaldFive high school students meet in Saturday detention and discover how they have a great deal more in common than they thought.John Hughes paints the perfect portrait of high school angst and melodramatic righteousness which is the teenage years. Set in the mid-80's, the script, however, transcends time. Considered Hughes' masterpiece, it's hard to compare this film to "Ferris..." or "Planes, Trains & Automobiles" or "Weird Science" for that matter- they're all signature films in my mind.
- DirectorClint EastwoodStarsHilary SwankClint EastwoodMorgan FreemanFrankie, an ill-tempered old coach, reluctantly agrees to train aspiring boxer Maggie. Impressed with her determination and talent, he helps her become the best and the two soon form a close bond.My favorite "Clint Eastwood" directed movie, the Oscars were well-deserved. It deserved more. Eastwood belongs in the upper teir of directors like Speilberg, Scorcese and Kubrick- end of discussion!
- DirectorDavid ZuckerStarsLeslie NielsenPriscilla PresleyO.J. SimpsonIncompetent police Detective Frank Drebin must foil an attempt to assassinate Queen Elizabeth II.Leslie Neilsen is a comic god! This type of humor will always be funny to me.
- DirectorIvan ReitmanStarsBill MurrayJohn CandyHarold RamisTwo friends who are dissatisfied with their jobs decide to join the army for a bit of fun.Being a huge Bill Murray fan helps with this Ivan Reitman film. The cast carry the film (no thanks to Debra Winger) and Harold Ramis writes Bill Murray perfectly. Sprawling epic? As comedies go, it covered a lot of ground on the back of Bill Murray. An oscar-worthy lead performance imho!
- DirectorSam MendesStarsKevin SpaceyAnnette BeningThora BirchA sexually frustrated suburban father has a mid-life crisis after becoming infatuated with his daughter's best friend.The last great movie of the 20th century. Brilliant character study with oscar-worthy turns by Kevin Spacey, Annette Benning and Chris Cooper. Sam Mendes' directorial debut is a beautifully dark comedy-drama!
- DirectorVictor FlemingKing VidorStarsJudy GarlandFrank MorganRay BolgerYoung Dorothy Gale and her dog Toto are swept away by a tornado from their Kansas farm to the magical Land of Oz, and embark on a quest with three new friends to see the Wizard, who can return her to her home and fulfill the others' wishes.This entry transends popularity- everyone loves this movie! Quite possibly the greatest movie ever made, but we won't go there.
- DirectorRichard KellyStarsDwayne JohnsonSarah Michelle GellarSeann William ScottDuring a three-day heat wave just before a huge 4th of July celebration, an action star stricken with amnesia meets up with a porn star who is developing her own reality TV project, and a policeman who holds the key to a vast conspiracy.A grand achievement in filmmaking. Epic on every scale. So far ahead of it's time, you can't even see how good it is. You may never fully understand how important this film is until it is too late. Only then will this prophetic tale rise above all other doomsday films as the greatest doomsday movie of all time!
- DirectorDavid LynchStarsKyle MacLachlanVirginia MadsenFrancesca AnnisA Duke's son leads desert warriors against the galactic emperor and his father's evil nemesis to free their desert world from the emperor's rule.A most under-rated film! An A-list cast but a critical disaster that bombed at the box office. David Lynch was in line to direct 2 more "Dune" projects, but it's commercial failure opened the door for David to do "Blue Velvet" and "Twin Peaks" instead. I, for one, am glad it failed in that respect. Still, "Dune" was misunderstood and still is to this day. "The Spice Must Flow!"
- DirectorRidley ScottStarsHarrison FordRutger HauerSean YoungA blade runner must pursue and terminate four replicants who stole a ship in space and have returned to Earth to find their creator.A movie way ahead of its time, Ridley Scott's vision is so palpable yet still disregarded by ungrateful yuppie larva! LOL Rutger Hauer is classic and the music is super-cheese great!
- DirectorPaul VerhoevenStarsPeter WellerNancy AllenDan O'HerlihyIn a dystopic and crime-ridden Detroit, a terminally wounded cop returns to the force as a powerful cyborg haunted by submerged memories.Paul Verhoeven could've left well enough alone and just been satisfied with the plethera of sci-fi/visual effects in "RoboCop", but he went well over the top with gratuitous blood and splatter-gore... and for that, I am forever a fan!
- DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsRichard DreyfussFrançois TruffautTeri GarrRoy Neary, an Indiana electric lineman, finds his quiet and ordinary daily life turned upside down after a close encounter with a UFO, spurring him to an obsessed cross-country quest for answers as a momentous event approaches.A real snoozer if you're looking for action/adventure but a compelling and engrossing film nonetheless. Speilberg needs to re-visit this genre without Haley Joel Osment or Tom Cruise.
- DirectorRichard KellyStarsJake GyllenhaalJena MaloneMary McDonnellAfter narrowly escaping a bizarre accident, a troubled teenager is plagued by visions of a man in a large rabbit suit who manipulates him to commit a series of crimes.Creepy, viseral, great soundtrack. This movie was my favorite movie for a minute! I'm not particularly a Jake Gyllenhaal fan but he doesn't get in the way here. Neither does Jena Malone. Richard Kelly deserves recognition here for direction.
- DirectorWes CravenStarsHeather LangenkampJohnny DeppRobert EnglundTeenager Nancy Thompson must uncover the dark truth concealed by her parents after she and her friends become targets of the spirit of a serial killer with a bladed glove in their dreams, in which if they die, it kills them in real life.Wes Craven's classic monster for the modern era. Everybody's heard of Freddy Krueger and most of you were scared of him! OK maybe I was too... just a little. Killer character that got stuck in the 80's but was definitely worth 4 or 5 movies. (they only delivered on 3 really)
- DirectorStuart GordonStarsJeffrey CombsBruce AbbottBarbara CramptonAfter an odd new medical student arrives on campus, a dedicated local and his girlfriend become involved in bizarre experiments centering around the re-animation of dead tissue.This is one crazy movie! Brilliant lead by Jeffery Combs who carries the movie through the slow parts and lots of boobies to keep us interested til the slapstick horrific end! Stuart Gordon continues to direct interesting and disturbing films but his version of H.P. Lovecraft's "Dr. Herbert West" is iconic!
- DirectorQuentin TarantinoStarsJohn TravoltaUma ThurmanSamuel L. JacksonThe lives of two mob hitmen, a boxer, a gangster and his wife, and a pair of diner bandits intertwine in four tales of violence and redemption.Quentin Tarantino's masterpiece with oscar-winning turns in every category! Ranks among the greatest films ever made but this is a list of my favorites. Maria de Medeiros is nauseating and the character slows this film down tremendously. Great cameos by Eric Stoltz & Patricia Arquette as drug dealers and Christopher Walken as an ex-vet.
- DirectorJoel CoenEthan CoenStarsWilliam H. MacyFrances McDormandSteve BuscemiMinnesota car salesman Jerry Lundegaard's inept crime falls apart due to his and his henchmen's bungling and the persistent police work of the quite pregnant Marge Gunderson.A dark comedy that is somewhat over the top and hard to watch. The Coen Brothers paint a picture oscar-worthy, but difficult to call a "favorite". Too many award-winning aspects to deny, however.
- DirectorJohn McTiernanStarsArnold SchwarzeneggerCarl WeathersKevin Peter HallA team of commandos on a mission in a Central American jungle find themselves hunted by an extraterrestrial warrior.My favorite Schwarzenegger flick! Action/Adventure meets Sci/Fi without the complex plotline like "Total Recall". I'm a HUGE Paul Verhoeven fan btw! "Kill Me, I'm Here!"/"Do It-NOW!!!"is said around the household weekly.
- DirectorLawrence KasdanStarsTom BerengerGlenn CloseJeff GoldblumA group of seven former college friends gather for a weekend reunion at a South Carolina vacation home after the funeral of another of their college friends.What "The Breakfast Club" is to high school & "St. Elmo's Fire" is to young adulthood, "The Big Chill" is to thirty-something's. I only wish for a reunion that's NOT for a funeral. I imagine we'll be doing the same things- laughing, crying, dancing, being young again, getting drunk and coming clean...
- DirectorMartin ScorseseStarsRobert De NiroNick NolteJessica LangeA convicted rapist, released from prison after serving a fourteen-year sentence, stalks the family of the lawyer who originally defended him.I had to have Martin Scorsese represented in my Top 100! "Good Fellas" came close but, in the end, Nick Nolte beat out Ray Liotta and Jessica Lange 100% beats out Lorraine Bracco. Joe Pesci's supporting role in "Good Fellas" screams to have the mob flick representing here, but Julliette Lewis' supporting role along with De Niro's masterpiece lead give "Cape Fear" the nod. The thriller/horror genre finally get another "Silence of the Lambs"!
- DirectorCameron CroweStarsTom CruiseCuba Gooding Jr.Renée ZellwegerWhen a sports agent has a moral epiphany and is fired for expressing it, he decides to put his new philosophy to the test as an independent agent with the only athlete who stays with him and his former colleague.One of the best films of '96. Tom Cruise plays an unlikeable character (once again) and one has to wonder if any other actor could've given the role more depth and heart. Rene Zelweiger, Bonnie Hunt and Cuba Gooding, Jr. along with the direction and script keep the movie going to where I care at the end. Cameron Crowe embodies the material he chooses to work with.
- DirectorMel BrooksStarsMel BrooksJohn CandyRick MoranisA star-pilot for hire and his trusty sidekick must come to the rescue of a princess and save Planet Druidia from the clutches of the evil Spaceballs.When George Lucas told Mel Brooks he could not benefit from merchandising, he never said Brooks couldn't incorporate merchandising into the script! Screwball comedy that loses itself in the poorly-cast Bill Pullman & Daphine Zugnia. Mel Brooks, Rick Moranis and John Candy all deserve supporting nods.
- DirectorPaul VerhoevenStarsCasper Van DienDenise RichardsDina MeyerHumans, in a fascist militaristic future, wage war with giant alien bugs.Paul Verhoeven's cult classic about bug infestation and military intelligence! The cast is so horrendous that it works amist the over-achieving special effects and over-the-top gore! (Thank you, Paul!)
- DirectorJohn CarpenterStarsKurt RussellLee Van CleefErnest BorgnineIn 1997, when the U.S. president crashes into Manhattan, now a giant maximum security prison, a convicted bank robber is sent in to rescue him.A great film! John Carpenter's vision and Kurt Russell's machoism make this one of the best flicks of '81! Carpenter has done a lot of very watchable films throughout his carrer (forgetting all about "Ghosts of Mars"... yuck!) Snake Plissken is an iconic anti-hero hero.
- DirectorDavid ZuckerStarsTrey ParkerMatt StoneDian BacharTwo childhood friends are pro athletes of a national sport called BASEketball, a hybrid of baseball and basketball, and must deal with a greedy businessman scheming against their team.A Zucker film starring "South Park" creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone? I'm there! Dian Bachar is comic gold! This movie is highly under-rated and should be reconsidered!
- DirectorTim BurtonStarsPaul ReubensElizabeth DailyMark HoltonWhen eccentric man-child Pee-wee Herman gets his beloved bike stolen in broad daylight, he sets out across the U.S. on the adventure of his life.Tim Burton's classic and his first of many successful collaborations with composer Danny Elfman. Paul Rubens is Oscar-worthy. Seriously, watch his performance- exquisite timing!
- DirectorGary NelsonStarsMaximilian SchellAnthony PerkinsRobert ForsterA research vessel finds a missing ship, commanded by a mysterious scientist, on the edge of a black hole.Again, I'm a sucker for my times. For an 8 year old, this movie had enough "adult" dialogue to forget it was a Walt Disney flick. Kinda dark at times for a Disney flick, as well. Robert Forster, Ernest Borgnine, Anthony Perkins, Roddy McDowall (V.I.N.C.E.N.T.) and Maximilian Schell turn out fine performances with a cameo from Slim Pickens as B.O.B.!
- DirectorLouis LeterrierStarsJet LiBob HoskinsMorgan FreemanA man enslaved by the mob since childhood and raised into behaving like a human attack dog escapes his captors and attempts to start a new life.Pleasantly surprised at the amount of heart in this film with Oscar-worthy turns by Morgan Freeman, Bob Hoskins, Kerry Condon and Jet Li- YES JET LI! His sensitive performance shocked me- never thought i would say "Oscar-worthy" and "Jet Li" in the same sentence!
- DirectorJoel CoenEthan CoenStarsJeff BridgesJohn GoodmanJulianne MooreJeff "The Dude" Lebowski, mistaken for a millionaire of the same name, seeks restitution for his ruined rug and enlists his bowling buddies to help get it.A lot of Coen Brothers movies rolled into one! They are an elite writer/director genre really! Technically sound and well-acted.
- DirectorTrey ParkerStarsTrey ParkerMatt StoneElle RussPopular Broadway actor Gary Johnston is recruited by the elite counter-terrorism organization Team America: World Police. As the world begins to crumble around him, he must battle with terrorists, celebrities and falling in love.This freakin' movie is hilarious! I have no problem laughing at the size of this country's head and how serious we take ourselves! All the gay jokes are directed at YOU! LMAOTIPM!
- DirectorLeonard NimoyStarsWilliam ShatnerLeonard NimoyDeForest KelleyTo save Earth from an alien probe, Admiral James T. Kirk and his fugitive crew go back in time to San Francisco in 1986 to retrieve the only beings who can communicate with it: humpback whales.I like the "fish out of water" twist, and Spock is finally back after directing (and mostly missing!) Star Trek 3. It was pretty funny and shatner-esque in a light-hearted way. They become super-heroes of sorts saving the world in my 1986 universe! My favorite of the franchise, barely surpassing "Wrath of Khan".
- DirectorJohn HughesStarsMatthew BroderickAlan RuckMia SaraA popular high school student, admired by his peers, decides to take a day off from school and goes to extreme lengths to pull it off, to the chagrin of his Dean, who'll do anything to stop him.This is classic John Hughes forever lost in the '80s. I was 15 and just taking off myself! Fun stuff but not my favorite of the Hughes films. Still good enough to make my top 100!
- DirectorJudd ApatowStarsSteve CarellCatherine KeenerPaul RuddGoaded by his buddies, a nerdy guy who's never "done the deed" only finds the pressure mounting when he meets a single mother.One of the best comedies of the 21st century! Steve Carell delivers as a very believable virgin and Judd Apatow is the new David Zucker!
- DirectorJohn LandisStarsDavid NaughtonJenny AgutterJoe BelcherTwo American college students on a walking tour of Britain are attacked by a werewolf that none of the locals will admit exists.Playfully devles into the gruesome world of mutilation and transformation. My favorite John Landis film hands down! Wish it was gorier! We needed one more night though.
- StarsRichard ThomasTim ReidAnnette O'TooleIn 1960, seven pre-teen outcasts fight an evil demon who poses as a child-killing clown. Thirty years later, they reunite to stop the demon once and for all when it returns to their hometown.I would love to see an updated, big-screen adaptation of the Stephen King classic one day, but I am very content with the 20-year old TV movie. The ensemble cast is a mixed bag.
- DirectorBrian De PalmaStarsSissy SpacekPiper LaurieAmy IrvingCarrie White, a shy, friendless teenage girl who is sheltered by her domineering, religious mother, unleashes her telekinetic powers after being humiliated by her classmates at her senior prom.Brian De Palma's adaptation of Stephen King's first novel opened the door for everything else King has written and still stands as a top 10 in that category! Great performances by Sissey Spacek and Piper Laurie!
- DirectorTrey ParkerStarsTrey ParkerMatt StoneMary Kay BergmanWhen Stan Marsh and his friends go see an R-rated movie, they start cursing and their parents think that Canada is to blame.The most irreverent 4th graders in cartoon history get their own feature-length film- Trey Parker & Matt Stone don't dissappoint!
- DirectorBob BalabanStarsRandy QuaidMary Beth HurtSandy DennisA young boy living in 1950s suburbia suspects that his parents are cannibalistic murderers.Very enjoyable direction by Bob Balaban along with Angelo Badalamenti's moody soundtrack make this campy-feeling tale of cannibalism a classic!
- DirectorClint EastwoodStarsClint EastwoodBee VangChristopher CarleyAfter a Hmong teenager tries to steal his prized 1972 Gran Torino, a disgruntled, prejudiced Korean War veteran seeks to redeem both the boy and himself.My vote for Best Movie 2008 and Best Screenplay 2008. Clint knows how to make a movie. The script jumps off the screen.
- DirectorRoland EmmerichStarsWill SmithBill PullmanJeff GoldblumThe aliens are coming and their goal is to invade and destroy Earth. Fighting superior technology, mankind's best weapon is the will to survive.Roland Emmerich's masterpiece! *beep* "Armaggedon") About as close to Michael Bay as I'd like to get. I really like "Stargate" & "Godzilla" but "ID4" rocks out with it's u-know-what out!
- DirectorTony KayeStarsEdward NortonEdward FurlongBeverly D'AngeloLiving a life marked by violence, neo-Nazi Derek finally goes to prison after killing two black youths. Upon his release, Derek vows to change; he hopes to prevent his brother, Danny, who idolizes Derek, from following in his footsteps.Powerhouse performance by Edward Norton is what drives this expose of race-hate and redemption. Not the type of material I normally prefer but Norton's performance is incredible.
- DirectorJoss WhedonStarsRobert Downey Jr.Chris EvansScarlett JohanssonEarth's mightiest heroes must come together and learn to fight as a team if they are going to stop the mischievous Loki and his alien army from enslaving humanity.After decades of D.C. ruling the theatre, technology has finally caught up with the mind of Stan Lee, and Marvel now dominates the Big Screen! This collaboration of Super-Heroes needs many more sequels!
- DirectorKevin SmithStarsSeth RogenElizabeth BanksCraig RobinsonLifelong platonic friends Zack and Miri look to solve their respective cash-flow problems by making an adult film together. As the cameras roll, however, the duo begin to sense that they may have more feelings for each other than they previously thought.One of my favorite Kevin Smith movies! Boobies and poop jokes!
- DirectorRobert ZemeckisStarsJodie FosterMatthew McConaugheyTom SkerrittDr. Ellie Arroway, after years of searching, finds conclusive radio proof of extraterrestrial intelligence, sending plans for a mysterious machine.Not the "alien contact" movie i was looking for but i didn't read the book. I love Robert Zemeckis movies and this one, although it's pace is drawn-out and borderline boring, is somehow fantastical and captivating to me- Must be the book!
- DirectorWolfgang PetersenStarsDustin HoffmanRene RussoMorgan FreemanArmy doctors struggle to find a cure for a deadly virus spreading throughout a California town that was brought to America by an African monkey.I like this movie more than I should. Rene Russo is the only actor not perfectly cast. Enjoyed the scenes with Dustin Hoffman & Cuba Gooding, Jr. Hard not to like watching Morgan Freeman, Donald Sutherland and Kevin Spacey as well.
- DirectorTobe HooperStarsDennis HopperCaroline WilliamsJim SiedowA radio host is victimized by the cannibal family as a former Texas marshal hunts them.Tom Savini's make-up effects throttle this pic into my Top 100! This is also a representation of all the classic horror flicks that won't be mentioned but deserve to be listed! Tobe Hooper exhausted his talent here.
- DirectorAdrian LyneStarsTim RobbinsElizabeth PeñaDanny AielloMourning his dead child, a haunted Vietnam War veteran attempts to uncover his past while suffering from a severe case of dissociation. To do so, he must decipher reality and life from his own dreams, delusions, and perceptions of death.Adrian Lyne's dark, psychological journey into one man's mind as we try to differentiate between reality and death. Only "Donnie Darko" (2001) and "Stay" (2005) have come close to this kind of acid trip!
- DirectorShane BlackStarsRobert Downey Jr.Val KilmerMichelle MonaghanAfter being mistaken for an actor, a New York thief is sent to Hollywood to train under a private eye for a potential movie role, but the duo are thrown together with a struggling actress into a murder mystery.Robert Downey, Jr. is borderline annoyingly quippy but he's freakin' RDJ and the enjoyable screenplay by Shane Black (Lethal Weapon) needed quick banter (Val Kilmer was good). The movie is fun & gets increasingly wackier and fast-paced toward its conclusion thanks to Black's direction & understanding of an "action/comedy" blockbuster! (this movie deserved face-time in the summer of '05)
- DirectorMarc ForsterStarsEwan McGregorNaomi WattsRyan GoslingA psychiatrist attempts to prevent one of his patients from committing suicide while trying to maintain his own grip on reality.Slipped through the cracks into obscurity, a slow-burn that could leave you feeling like you drank a bottle of NyQuil. If you manage to stay awake, you'll find decent performances by the cast and an ending that you may-or-may-not have seen coming. Marc Foster (Finding Neverland) is an underrated director.