# The best film, for you



## Narkalui (Aug 1, 2018)

So, what is your best film? And I must make this distinction: I am not asking for your FAVOURITE film, but the film that you think is the best. For example, my favourite film is probably The Rock, I could watch it every week for a year and not grow tired of it; but do I think it's the BEST film? Of course I don't, that's silly!

For me, the best film is Heat (Michael Mann 1995)


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## Anthoney (Aug 1, 2018)

I would have had terrible time trying to pick a favorite but you asked for the best.  That's a little easier for me.

*Schindler's List*.  At least for the last 25 years.  Before that it would have been *Godfather* 1 or 2.


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## reiver33 (Aug 1, 2018)

The Usual Suspects (in colour), Casablanca (black-and-white)


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## picklematrix (Aug 1, 2018)

Shawshank redemption is one candidate i think.


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## Rodders (Aug 2, 2018)

Good call with the Shawshank Redemption.

I still rate The Empire Strikes Back highly and would put it in as a contender for best film. 

12 Angry Men was a very good film, considering that it all took place in one location, it was a great drama. Laurel and Hardy's The Piano. Probably more of a sketch than a film, but very well done.


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## Lumens (Aug 2, 2018)

The Shawshank Redemption is definitely a contender, and if we can choose a separate b/w film, Dr. Strangelove. I just rewatched Heat, and it is still up there. If we are talking scifi, Alien or Bladerunner, or perhaps The Matrix. Animation would have to be Spirited Away... It's hard to choose just one, even on any given day.


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## HanaBi (Aug 2, 2018)

For black & white, it will always be "The Seven Samurai"
For colour it would have to be "The Godfather II"

Neither are my favourite films, but in terms of completeness they're the best for me


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## Rodders (Aug 2, 2018)

2001: A Space Odyssey is probably as arty I would get.


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## Foxbat (Aug 2, 2018)

For me, it's Cinema Paradiso. I think it's the perfect 'coming of age' movie that captures  a boy growing up in post-war Italy and his love of cinema. It's filled with great characters but is also very funny. It has a fine soundtrack provided by Enio Morricone and, to top it all off, I think it has one of the most wonderful and moving endings ever put on celluloid.

I also consider this my favourite movie.


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## Vertigo (Aug 2, 2018)

Toss up for me between three very different films:

Cerebral: Twelve Angry Men
Action/Artistic (Awesome cinematography): Seven Samurai
Comedy: Harvey (close call with Some Like it Hot)

Ah just noticed they're all black and white; wonder what that says about me! (or about modern film making)


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## Phyrebrat (Aug 3, 2018)

All About Eve. 

pH


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## svalbard (Aug 3, 2018)

Foxbat said:


> For me, it's Cinema Paradiso. I think it's the perfect 'coming of age' movie that captures  a boy growing up in post-war Italy and his love of cinema. It's filled with great characters but is also very funny. It has a fine soundtrack provided by Enio Morricone and, to top it all off, I think it has one of the most wonderful and moving endings ever put on celluloid.
> 
> I also consider this my favourite movie.



A wonderful movie. The montage scene is one of the great ones in cinema for me.


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## Victoria Silverwolf (Aug 3, 2018)

Rodders said:


> 2001: A Space Odyssey is probably as arty I would get.




Also my "best" film.  Saw it when it first came out, seen it maybe twenty-five times since.


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## Harpo (Aug 3, 2018)

Singin' In The Rain.


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## Vertigo (Aug 3, 2018)

No one's mentioned It's a Wonderful Life?


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## Harpo (Aug 3, 2018)

Vertigo said:


> No one's mentioned It's a Wonderful Life?


It would be my 2nd choice


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## Narkalui (Aug 3, 2018)

Vertigo said:


> No one's mentioned It's a Wonderful Life?


My goodness, what a masterpiece!


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## AlexH (Aug 3, 2018)

Spirited Away (colour)
High Noon (b&w)



reiver33 said:


> The Usual Suspects (in colour), Casablanca (black-and-white)


There's not much wrong with those two. On another day, I may have picked them myself.


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## Mouse (Aug 5, 2018)

Probably *When Marnie Was There*. Not my favourite film (Funny Bones), not even my favourite Studio Ghibli film (that'd prob be Spirited Away or Ponyo) but it made me wish I'd written it. A simple story, told well and beautifully animated.


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## Al Jackson (Aug 6, 2018)

Been paying attention to movies since the 1950's, so as a long time perspective , there was one movie that really impressed me , a film by  Satyajit Ray called  *Pather Panchali* , 1955, a film about a family in rural India. It was Ray's first film and it is a gem never really seen anything quite like it again.


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## hitmouse (Aug 10, 2018)

Al Jackson said:


> Been paying attention to movies since the 1950's, so as a long time perspective , there was one movie that really impressed me , a film by  Satyajit Ray called  *Pather Panchali* , 1955, a film about a family in rural India. It was Ray's first film and it is a gem never really seen anything quite like it again.


Great film. 
Have you seen Ray's The Chess Players ?


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## hitmouse (Aug 10, 2018)

Hard to choose one, but I would pick from:
The Third Man
Tampopo
North by Northwest

Sure I will think of another problem in a minute.


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## Parson (Aug 10, 2018)

For me it would "*Charlie" *I had never even heard of Flowers for Algernon before that, but the story still echoes in my head. And, I don't believe it was ultimately a sad ending. If you were Charlie would you not have chosen what he was given even if it was only for a few months?


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## Al Jackson (Aug 10, 2018)

hitmouse said:


> Great film.
> Have you seen Ray's The Chess Players ?



Satyajit Ray was never nominated for an Academy Award ( I know he got an honorary one) , then the Academy has a tin ear for great films.* 
I saw the *Apu Trilogy* of course , three of the most important films in cinema. I have only seen about a third of his films, the* Chess Players *is a great film, as  are *Diva , The Big City, Charulata and Days and Nights in the Forrest.* 
it is curious that in the British Film Institutes prestigious decadal poll of the best 100 films (the most important film poll in the world) Ray is recognized but has nothing in the top ten.(Then in the critics poll neither does Akira Kurosawa tho that's different on the directors poll).

The 50 Greatest Films of All Time | Sight & Sound

*The Oscars can be really off and blind at times, the BFI pool has John Ford's *The Searchers *in it's top ten, in 1956 The Searchers got zero nominations for anything!


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## BAYLOR (Aug 10, 2018)

*The Treasure of the Sierra Madre  *


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## Vince W (Aug 11, 2018)

*Doctor Zhivago.* A wonderful film that scratches my Russian lit itch. Although *The Commitments* could overtake it depending on the day.


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## clovis-man (Aug 12, 2018)

Al Jackson said:


> *The Oscars can be really off and blind at times, the BFI pool has John Ford's *The Searchers *in it's top ten, in 1956 The Searchers got zero nominations for anything!



Got lots of media fanfare at the time, but no critical recognition. Now it's considered one of the all time best. At a film seminar about ten of twelve years ago, it was featured in discussions of symbolism. There are plenty of historical references these days about the real life origins of the story, specifically the kidnapped girl, Cyanthia Parker and her son, Quanah Parker, the last great war chief of the Comanche.


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## Al Jackson (Aug 12, 2018)

clovis-man said:


> Got lots of media fanfare at the time, but no critical recognition. Now it's considered one of the all time best. At a film seminar about ten of twelve years ago, it was featured in discussions of symbolism. There are plenty of historical references these days about the real life origins of the story, specifically the kidnapped girl, Cyanthia Parker and her son, Quanah Parker, the last great war chief of the Comanche.



Someone is making of film of the book *Empire of the Summer Moon * (the recent book about Quanah Parker). "Making' is sometimes a term for_ production he_ll.
You could not make up a better comic book character than Quanah Parker. Half Anglo half Comanche, is one the most imposing characters to ever live. Talk about an almost fantasy life !  This could make one of the best Western films ever if done right.


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## Al Jackson (Aug 12, 2018)

Vince W said:


> *Doctor Zhivago.* A wonderful film that scratches my Russian lit itch. Although *The Commitments* could overtake it depending on the day.



*Doctor Zhivago* is good , tho *Lawrence of Arabia *is better film by Lean. I was just thinking about that film this year when I saw *Avengers: Infinity War* and* Black Panther ,  *I thought these comic book movies are good! But *GEEZ! I want an adult action movie with more underneath!*  Another*  Lawrence of Arabia *or *Spartacus *, or something like those. (Did have* Dunkirk *last year which I thought was great.)


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## Vince W (Aug 13, 2018)

Haven't seen Infinity War, but Black Panther was mediocre fare at best. The whole 'superhero' genre has paled for me.


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## clovis-man (Aug 13, 2018)

Al Jackson said:


> Someone is making of film of the book *Empire of the Summer Moon * (the recent book about Quanah Parker). "Making' is sometimes a term for_ production he_ll..


I have the book. Haven't read it yet. Another book to read: *The Searchers: The Making of an American Legend *by Glenn Frankel chronicles the filming of the movie and the history and folklore that informs it. Well worth the time. If for no other reason than to get a glimpse of the odd relationship between John Ford and John Wayne. If you think Wayne would come out on top of any confrontations, you'd be wrong. Also some good history regarding Quanah Parker who ended up near Fort Sill in Cache Oklahoma.


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## BAYLOR (Aug 13, 2018)

*Things to Come* 
*Gunga Din*


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## Al Jackson (Aug 13, 2018)

clovis-man said:


> I have the book. Haven't read it yet. Another book to read: *The Searchers: The Making of an American Legend *by Glenn Frankel chronicles the filming of the movie and the history and folklore that informs it. Well worth the time. If for no other reason than to get a glimpse of the odd relationship between John Ford and John Wayne. If you think Wayne would come out on top of any confrontations, you'd be wrong. Also some good history regarding Quanah Parker who ended up near Fort Sill in Cache Oklahoma.



The two movies _GENERALS _ met once on the set of one of John Ford's movies  Akira Kurosawa was a great fan of Ford .


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## Al Jackson (Aug 13, 2018)

*This!* , this is one of the greatest films ever made. Do I have to tell you what it is?


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## BAYLOR (Aug 13, 2018)

Al Jackson said:


> *This!* , this is one of the greatest films ever made. Do I have to tell you what it is?
> 
> View attachment 46323



Akira  Kurosawa's  *Seven Samurai*.  Ive seen it, spectacular film. .     The basic story has been used  by films like. * The Magnificent  Seven*  and * Battle Beyond the Stars.*


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## BAYLOR (Aug 13, 2018)

*All About Eve* 1950.     Bette Davis, Celeste Holmes , George Sanders ,  Marlyn Monroe.  This is a facinating  film to watch.  I love the dialogue .


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## Al Jackson (Aug 13, 2018)

BAYLOR said:


> Akira  Kurosawa's  *Seven Samurai*.  Ive seen it, spectacular film. .     The basic story has been used  by films like. * The Magnificent  Seven*  and * Battle Beyond the Stars.*



As good as* The Magnificent Seven* was Kurosawa has everybody finessed.


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## clovis-man (Aug 13, 2018)

Al Jackson said:


> *This!* , this is one of the greatest films ever made. Do I have to tell you what it is?
> 
> View attachment 46323


In addition to Toshiro Mifune, the cast also included prolific actor Takashi Shimura (who morphed into Yul Brynner) a frequent cast member of the Godzilla franchise.


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## BAYLOR (Aug 13, 2018)

Al Jackson said:


> As good as* The Magnificent Seven* was Kurosawa has everybody finessed.



In the mid 1970's  Kurosawa  had fallen on hard times  George Lucas and Francis Ford Coppola helped him out by backing his film *Kagemusha.   *This our him back on top.


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## WarriorMouse (Aug 13, 2018)

*A Christmas Carol* (1951) Alistair Sims version.
The only film I've watched every year for 30+ years


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## BAYLOR (Aug 13, 2018)

WarriorMouse said:


> *A Christmas Carol* (1951) Alistair Sims version.
> The only film I've watched every year for 30+ years



Its the best version of all.


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## Al Jackson (Aug 13, 2018)

BAYLOR said:


> Its the best version of all.



I have never seen any of the  Christmas Carol films make before 1951 , but indeed that black and white film is the best I know of.
The TV movie versions with George C Scott (1984) and Patrick Stewart(1999) are very good.


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## Al Jackson (Aug 13, 2018)

BAYLOR said:


> *All About Eve* 1950.     Bette Davis, Celeste Holmes , George Sanders ,  Marlyn Monroe.  This is a facinating  film to watch.  I love the dialogue .



There are a lot of really great films from the 1950s , but *Touch of Evil* (1958) (Orson Welles) really sticks with me. (The restored version in recent years is even better.) 
There is a case of Hollywood's tin ear . Touch of Evil was nominated (like *The Searchers*) for zero academy awards in any category.


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## Narkalui (Aug 13, 2018)

I like the Christmas Carol with Michael Caine


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## Al Jackson (Aug 13, 2018)

BAYLOR said:


> *Things to Come
> Gunga Din*



Well the middle section of *Things to Come* is one of the best dystopias I have ever seen.
The first third is ok, the last third of the film has great production vales but is ponderous and does not work.

*Gunga Din* is goofy fun.


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## clovis-man (Aug 14, 2018)

Al Jackson said:


> Well the middle section of *Things to Come* is one of the best dystopias I have ever seen.
> The first third is ok, the last third of the film has great production vales but is ponderous and does not work.



I would normally agree with you. But I recently got a blu-ray copy of the remastered film and found it to be fascinating from start to finish, Something I wouldn't have been able to say during the first ten or so times I've seen the movie. Something to be said for a good clean copy.


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## Rodders (Aug 14, 2018)

I'd add Sunshine to this. I loved it, but my GF thought that it was really dull.


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## AlexH (Aug 16, 2018)

Al Jackson said:


> There are a lot of really great films from the 1950s , but *Touch of Evil* (1958) (Orson Welles) really sticks with me. (The restored version in recent years is even better.)
> There is a case of Hollywood's tin ear . Touch of Evil was nominated (like *The Searchers*) for zero academy awards in any category.


Touch of Evil has an absolutely brilliant opening scene. Everything about it seems spot-on. I can't remember many opening scenes, but I remember that one.


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## Narkalui (Aug 16, 2018)

All one shot, no edits. Amazing!


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## Rodders (Aug 17, 2018)

I'd add Danny Boyle's Sunshine to my list of "Best Movies" for me. 

My friends and GF all found it really boring, but I loved it. It looks phenomenal and had a wonderful soundtrack. I watched it twice, back to back.


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## HanaBi (Aug 17, 2018)

Two other great films that will always be in my "best collection":-

*King Kong* (1933) - truly terrifying from start to finish, and benefits greatly from a black & white production (which I realise was all that was available back then), but I don't think colour would have been quite so dramatic and eerie.

*The War of the Worlds* (1953) - The sight of those alien war craft hovering through the clouds of planet Earth and torching everything in sight, still lingers decades after first watching it as a child. A little hokey by today's standards of course, but back then the concept of "close encounters" with alien kind was novel to say the least, and the design of those war machines was outstanding in concept!


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## Al Jackson (Aug 17, 2018)

HanaBi said:


> Two other great films that will always be in my "best collection":-
> 
> *King Kong* (1933) - truly terrifying from start to finish, and benefits greatly from a black & white production (which I realise was all that was available back then), but I don't think colour would have been quite so dramatic and eerie.
> 
> *The War of the Worlds* (1953) - The sight of those alien war craft hovering through the clouds of planet Earth and torching everything in sight, still lingers decades after first watching it as a child. A little hokey by today's standards of course, but back then the concept of "close encounters" with alien kind was novel to say the least, and the design of those war machines was outstanding in concept!



*King Kong *(1933) scared the pee didiledy me when I was 12 years old. That film has more pace than the 1953 War of the Worlds.  Unlike the Peter Jackson Kong was nasty , Kong was jungle visceral and that was scary. It's too bad that the 1977 Kong was such a clumsy mess.

*War of the Worlds* (1953) was also edgy , I mean up close and personal 3 guys and a priest trying to be friendly are made crispy critters. In the Spielberg version a similar , but different, sequence has people vaporized in a Disney way! (There is a more frighting Martian marauders scene later but it cuts off before anything edgy happens.)

I swear that big disaster movies in the last 10 years have killed off billions in a family friendly way! There is nothing scary in that! Victims die like blips on a pac man screen.


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## aThenian (Aug 17, 2018)

Endlessly quotable and I've watched it over and over again - Monty Python's  Life of Brian has to be a contender.

(Seven Samurai is pretty damned good though.)


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## Narkalui (Aug 17, 2018)

I also love The Seven Samurai. And The Big Labowski must also have a mention here


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## Onyx (Aug 17, 2018)

I apparently have a mild thing for weirdo romantic comedies: Tampopo, Cashback, Gross Pointe Blank, Orlando and Barcelona.

More serious films: Michael Clayton, I Am Love, 12 (2007)

I'm leaving off all the SF or action movies.


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## hitmouse (Aug 18, 2018)

Onyx said:


> I apparently have a mild thing for weirdo romantic comedies: Tampopo, Cashback, Gross Pointe Blank, Orlando and Barcelona.
> 
> More serious films: Michael Clayton, I Am Love, 12 (2007)
> 
> I'm leaving off all the SF or action movies.


I think Tampopo has almost everything one could wish for in a film. It is a romantic comedy but it is also much more than that.


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## Vince W (Aug 18, 2018)

hitmouse said:


> I think Tampopo has almost everything one could wish for in a film. It is a romantic comedy but it is also much more than that.


Tampopo is brilliant! I love Tampopo, but I can't watch it without having ramen. Miso ramen mmmmmmm.


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## Onyx (Aug 18, 2018)

hitmouse said:


> I think Tampopo has almost everything one could wish for in a film. It is a romantic comedy but it is also much more than that.


Agreed. But I would say the same of all five of those films I listed under that heading.


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## Vince W (Aug 19, 2018)

Onyx said:


> I apparently have a mild thing for weirdo romantic comedies: Tampopo.


Because of this mention I made this this morning.


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## Onyx (Aug 19, 2018)

Vince W said:


> Because of this mention I made this this morning.


I eventually figured out this omelet making method from watching this scene!


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## Vince W (Aug 19, 2018)

Onyx said:


> I eventually figured out this omelet making method from watching this scene!


It works best with day old (or older) rice.


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## Boaz (Sep 5, 2018)

As I age, I find that I gain exposure to more films... and I find that the themes I perceive in each film changes with age.... and what I desire to see in a film changes with age.  What I enjoy viewing, what I critically esteem has changed over the years....

I can cite certain scenes and characters as phenomenal... but the entire movie?

The best movies have undeniably powerful and personal themes... revolving around the meaning of life.

I am not a professional critic, nor have seen enough films to judge any the best... but here are some of my favorite films that I feel are very strong (from start to finish) in their story, theme, characters, and presentation.  

1. _Glory_, 1988. If you have not seen it, see it immediately... if not sooner.  If you have seen it, see it again.

2. _The General_, 1926.  I thought Keaton would have to over act (think of Danny Kaye, Kurt Russell and Jim Carey in an over acting contest) to make this movie.... but I was wrong.  He is so subtle, so understated, that I found myself glued to his every single breath.  Pure brilliance. Brilliance.  Citizen Kane? I fell asleep.  _The General_ is riveting.

Hmmmmm.... both of my top two movies are set in the American Civil War.

_Warlock_, 1959.  I know it sounds like fantasy, but it's a western.  Richard Widmark and Henry Fonda get top billing, but Anthony Quinn steals the show.  What is the price for peace? What is the price for justice? They may not be the same. 

_Mary Poppins_, 1964. Julie Andrews.  What?  You need more than Julie Andrews?  The Sherman brothers at their best. And even though it seems a movie for children, it is a call to arms for parents.

_The Jungle Book_, 1967.  Disney animation. Catchy music. Finding a home.

_One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest_, 1975.  Looking for the easy way out may just put you into the path evil. Have you seen Louise Fletcher as Frank's mother in _Shameless_?  Nurse Ratched is the most terrifying villain I've ever seen.

_Rocky_, 1976. It's not the end result, it's the journey that matters.  Sure, you can label every character as fitting the most common caricature or trope... but I feel that they are all so genuine and so well done that I readily identify them instead of mocking them.

_Big Trouble in Little China_, 1986. Humor. Fantasy. Mysticism. Cross-cultural misunderstandings. American heroics. Rapid fire dialogue.  The "Asian sidekick is really the hero" idea was way ahead of it's time.

_A Fish Called Wanda_, 1988. Cleese, Palin, Curtis, and Kline skewer Anglo-American relations.  Each relationship is hilarious... Cleese/Curtis, Curtis/Kline, Palin/Kline, and eventually Cleese/Palin are all memorable.  And then Maria Aitken steals every scene with some bizarre lines.

_The Joy Luck Club_, 1993.  Why are families the way they are?  Intensely personal for me... my mother was a Chinese refugee... I understand if no one else puts this in their Top 500 list.  There is no way for me to separate best from favorite with this movie.

_As Good as it Gets_, 1997.  On the surface, it's a light hearted look at life's difficulties.  Underneath, it is an insightful look at compulsion and depression.

_The Wrestler_, 2008.  Is there any sin for which you cannot be forgiven?  Can you forgive yourself?

_Warrior_, 2011. Do you have a younger sibling?  Close in age, size, and strength?  Did you compete for your parents' affections?  Nolte, Hardy, and Edgerton deliver emotional kicks and punches from the opening scene.

_Les Miserables_, 2012.  Jackman is adequate and Crowe is anemic.  This movie was only about 50% of what it could have been.  But because the source material is so so sooooo rich in theme (God, What is the nature of Man?, What is the purpose of Man?, Sin, Forgiveness, Redemption, Romance, Justice, Crime, Revolution, etc.) it was one of the best movies I've ever viewed.

Off the top of my head, these are the best movies I've seen... obviously, my best tend to be favorites...  I could list movies that I think are more artistic, but less meaningful to me (_American Beauty_)... that push more boundaries, but are less powerful (_The Departed_)... that are extremely powerful, but less polished (_Courageous_)... that are stylish, but historically inaccurate (_Braveheart, Cinderella Man_)... or are lots of fun, but inane (_Animal House, Stripes_).


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