My favorite movies ever ( so far) are:
10. Empire Strikes Back - For the movie itself, what can I say about it that hasn't already been said?
Instead, I'll just relay my opinion on the experience of this film.
This was back when movies would stay in theatres, not for weeks at a time, but for months.
I think that, on the majority, audiences today have been so desensitized from so-so blockbusters being released every other week-end, that they will never get to experience the feeling a big movie-event like Star Wars. The year of Empire was one of my fave summers ever as a kid. It was really cool knowing that I could hop on the city bus at any point during the season & go watch TESB. And every time that I did, the other audience members were just as excited to be seeing this film at the end of the summer as they were at the beginning. Every year that one of the 3 original films was released, you could not only feel the power of the "Force" within the air, but also, you could feel it in the air all season long.
9. Ghandi - The British Empire, humbled via one man & the power of peaceful resistance.
Nuff said.
8. House Of Flying Daggers - Growing up, it always frustrated me whenever the majority of big budget action flicks or martial arts movies of the time often seemed to sacrifice on story to make room for the big bangs & the action effects. It was generally said, that in these types of movies, you couldn't really have both. And I was one those kids who always asked "Why not?"
And then came the House Of Flying Daggers. And with it's beatufil story of love & intrigue, combined with lavish costumes, great performances & unique individually themed action sequences, it seemed to asked the very same question.
7. Raiders Of The Lost Ark - When I was kid, me & my buddy snuck into this film, not because we wanted to see it, but b'cuz it was the nearest theatre door we could get into. We didn't know anything about the movie & when we snuck in, it was about halfway through. When it was done & the lights came on, me & friend looked at each other with expressions of disbelief on our faces.
We couldn't believe how good it was.
We decided to stay in our seats, to see if the ushers would kick us out or not after they cleaned the aisle-ways. They didn't, & we got to watch the whole thing this time.
And yep.
It was exactly as good as we our first viewing.
One of my favorite theatre experiences ever as a kid.
6. Good Will Hunting - It amazes me that after winning an Oscar for this script, Matt Damon & Ben Affleck haven't written anything since.
5. Goodfellas - You just can't beat this gangster movie for charismatic energy. Scorcese pays close attention to the minute details that the mafia engage in for the sake of maintaining the lifestyle that they have become accustomed to. And then director shows how that type of self-contained lifestyle can only eventually crumble as the outside world continually changes & evolves.
4. Aliens - This movie has everything that I look forward to in a sci-fi adventure. Suspenseful action, solid story, distinct characters (with great chemistry) , great visuals, kick-ass aliens, a turning plot-twist ( we all thought for sure, that Bishop couldn't be trusted), & of course, a catch-phrase that made the entire theatre roar (" Get away from her, you bitch!").
Mannnn....
I wish I had acid for blood.
3. Close Encounters Of The 3rd. Kind - For me, the most realistic handling of a story of aliens ( inspiring films like Contact & Signs which tried admirably to emulate), that it made it almost believable for me that extra-terrestrials do exist. Also, it was done with such a sense of awe-inspiring hope & elegant beauty, that it almost made me wish that they did indeed exist( & maybe aliens do, but that's an entirely different website, altogether).
Mannnn....
I wish a UFO would come down & fly me away into the limitless potential of space.
(Sans anal-probes, of course.)
2. Superman - Yep. The fact that this #2 of my favorite movies ever is evidence that I am a
huge comicbook nerd. And since admitting that usually doesn't garner much respect, I only expect the best when a project interprets my favorite medium up on the big screen. We comicbook fans don't need any more ammunition to makes us seem any more goofy. We can do that all by ourselves.
ALL by ourselves.
And no matter what anyone says,
this is the original gangsta of superheroes. So it is only fitting that the last son of Krypton's big-budget movie debut should turn out to be the one that all other comic-book based superhero movies must be measured by. And while I know that this movie does have it's dated flaws, it was, just like the character whom it portrayed, the one that started on how epic the idea of a superhero could truly be.
1. The Godfather I could go on & on with why I agree with so many people of why this is such a great movie, but instead, I'll do a top ten within a top ten.
Top 10 reasons why I like the Godfather:
10. The late great John Cazale.
9. Marlon Brando is back with a performance uniquely his own.
8. James Caan. IMO, his best performance ever & the best character in the movie.
7. All the "oranges=death/violent act" scenes.
6. Apollonia!!!
5. Vito Corleone's "...And that I do not forgive" speech during the meeting of the criminal masterminds.
4. Lines like "Sleeping with the fishes" or " Time to take out the mattresses", phrases that have since become part of popular culture.
3. Sonny's death scene.
2. The theme song.
1. Francis Ford Coppola's masterful use of foreshadowing.
Example:When Luca Brasi ( the guy who ends up sleeping with the fishes) goes to make a deal with the rival crime-family, he walks thru a glass door that leads to the bar where he will meet his end. As the door closes, the scene is shot looking at Luca from behind, setting up the shot to so that you will notice fish designs that have been engraved into the glass & give the impression that they are surrounding Luca's body.
Awesome. Simply awesome.
