I could talk about movies all day. Day in and day out, movies remain an all-encompassing art form. They can just be for good plain fun or they can be monuments to artistic expression. So, to save you the trouble, I have complied a list of my top 11 movies of all time. Naturally, I am completely right.
11. "Beginners" (2010)
Love is delicate. Push too hard and you can drive someone away, don’t push enough and you’ll never have them to begin with. Love, as with life itself, can be tricky. "Beginners" explores love as it pertains to the lives of the people it follows. Delightful and quotable to a fault, "Beginners" is sure of its direction. Switching between periods of before and after Oliver’s father’s death as he recounts his love with a mysterious actress named Anna, "Beginners" is honest, emotional and shows complex lives with stunning grace. You’ll cry your eyes out, all the while wishing you had a father like Hal and a lover like Anna and a dog like Oliver’s.
10. "The Raid 2" (2014)
An Indonesian crime thriller known for gory violence and extensive fight scenes? Yes. Absolutely, yes. A slow crime thriller crawl, "The Raid 2" has a thin plot and some less than stellar lines. But, the film has one saving grace: fighting. A turn-off to some who stray away from bloody violence, "The Raid" has no problems with it. Rewarding the bloodthirsty and adrenaline junkies, it rides on its action. And it rides all the way into being the best action film I’ve ever seen. The kitchen fight alone will give you goosebumps.
9. "The Hunt" (2012)
If you don’t who Mads Mikkelsen is, then you’ll want to after you watch this film. Following Lucas (Mikkelsen) after he is falsely accused of molesting a child, "The Hunt" maturely and stoically handles its subject matter. Mikkelsen provides a near perfect portrayal of man who can’t help but watch his life fall around him. Dealing with perception vs. facts, the film may be hard to swallow for those who don’t like to think an accused criminal may be guilty. The subtitles, as it is in Danish, may also turn most average viewers away, but I maintain that this film will crawl into your heart and make you feel emotions you didn’t know you could feel.
8. "Full Metal Jacket" (1987)
Stanley Kubrick’s take of the Vietnam War is one filled with military based humor, vulgar language, and a deep (yet clear) message about war. Boasting one of the most quoted lines ever given from a toilet and delivering a diverse cast of unique soldiers, "Full Metal Jacket" is a must see. Every shot, a painting. Every line, quotable. The delivery, satire. Its thoughts on war, more truthful than you may like to admit. It is technically about the duality of man, but any other meaning you find works just as well. The film talked its way into my heart and Rafterman can provide the photographic proof.
7. "Lawrence of Arabia" (1962)
A three hour and 48 minute epic about the life of T.E. Lawrence, "Lawrence of Arabia" is a staple. This is the epic that all other epics wish they could be. Despite being nearly four hours, the film never feels slow. It draws you in and makes you eagerly watch every long minute. A once in a lifetime film about a once in a lifetime man, Lawrence of Arabia is not for the undedicated viewer. But every minute of the film, every shot of the sands and every shot of Peter O’Toole is one you cannot miss.
6. "Birdman" (2014)
"Birdman" is… complex. A kind of film that one may have to watch several times to fully understand, "Birdman" demands your full attention. You can pick your own answer as to what the film is really about and the wonderful thing about the movie is that you’re never wrong. It’s quirky, irreverent and boasts a script that most other movies would kill for. But the amazing thing about "Birdman" is the directing. The entire movie is created to look like one, continuous shot. One two hour long shot. I have no idea how they did it, but it creates wonderful immersion. Besides, there’s a Macbeth soliloquy in there. You can’t not enjoy "Birdman."
5. "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" (1969)
This movie made Robert Redford a star and gave Paul Newman a fantastic spot to showcase his talent and his sea blue eyes. The story of the real-life outlaws, "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" survives solely on the script and the relationship between Newman and Redford. Not only does it survive, it flourishes. It bringing an ending to end all endings and an opening scene that stays fixed on Redfords’ Sundance. It’s slow and may lose the attention of those wishing to see some (any) action, but those people just ain’t wearing bifocals.
4. "Memento" (2000)
One of Christopher Nolan’s earlier works, "Memento" is confusing. Very confusing. It can be frustrating to be forced to watch a movie over and over to understand it. Going backwards, and out of order at that, "Memento" requires a mind ready to think really hard. Adapted from a story Nolan’s younger brother wrote, "Memento" is masterfully done. A puzzle to piece together and one that you keep coming back to do, it remains an example of a film done as well as it could be done. Ignoring the remake, which I’m certain will botch the whole thing, "Memento" is a masterpiece of the crime thriller genre.
3. "Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back" (1980)
THE "Star Wars" movie. Han in carbonite, Luke facing Darth Vader and Luke finding out that Darth Vader is his father to boot. The best movie in the original space opera trilogy, "The Empire Strikes Back" strikes you with wonder. The film perfectly expands on "A New Hope" and left everyone, even today, shouting that they are other people’s fathers. It also managed to be huge for auxiliary characters like Han, Leia and the Force in general. You may be turned away by the power of all the nerdy, but you’ll love it anyway.
2. "Cool Hand Luke" (1967)
Luke is a man that refuses to conform, even when sent to serve jail time on a southern chain gang. You can watch this movie once and get the whole picture or you could watch it ten times and still feel sorry for Luke and Dragline. It spawned a food challenge for those with iron bellies (that you will never complete) and it leaves you with a sense of wonder about who Luke really is. "Cool Hand Luke" is calm, straightforward and beautifully written. It knows exactly what it was meant to be and does it better than anybody else. It’ll just give you something to do and you’ll empathize with every second.
1. "Aliens" (1986)
Ellen Ripley is a superhero. She is a perfect character in a perfect movie. I could quote the whole thing to you right now. The best sequel to ever be put to film and attention to detail that you may not see again drive this right to the front of the line. It’s small and every inch of LV-426 is full of action-packed survival horror. Giving us a look at the scariest adversary every seen in a movie, the Xenomorph (and the Facehuggers to boot), "Aliens" is a complete movie. The icing on the cake is that Ellen Ripley is the perfect female lead. She is the action hero that all other male action heroes want to be. The odds feel hopeless for Ripley and the marines every time I see it, even though I know she shoots that alien right out of the airlock. Go see this movie.
