(Continued; see 91-100, 81-90)
Inspired by the fine folks @bobfreelander and @BTSjunkie (and others), I’ve put together my Top 100. This list will exhibit my extreme bias towards recent films, which is a problem I would love to remedy. Therefore, if you have an (older) “classic” in mind that possibly influenced or is somehow related to my choices, please leave a comment with your recommendation. Thank you!
80. SIGNS
M. Night has been much-maligned for pretty much everything he’s done since SIGNS, but this remains the most effective earthbound alien-horror film I’ve seen.
79. KILL BILL VOL. 1
KILL BILL certainly isn’t going to be the last QT movie on this list. I think I prefer Vol. 1 because I was never a big David Carradine fan. And I love everything with O-Ren Ishii.
78. SUNSHINE
Serious science fiction movies are incredibly rare these days, but if we get something on par with SUNSHINE every five years I’ll be satisfied. I tend to agree with the common gripe that the last 20 minutes are a bit of a misstep, but the rest of it is flat-out amazing.
77. NARC
Dear Lord NARC is gritty. Jason Patric and Ray Liotta are practically swimming in grime here, and I love it.
76. SPARTAN
Exposition. I hate it. SPARTAN. Doesn’t have it. I’m a sucker for realistic action movies, and although I don’t really know what reality is in these situations, I’m confident SPARTAN is as accurate as any “special ops” movie I’ve seen.
75. EDDIE MURPHY RAW
I’ve never laughed harder. Although it’s lost the ability to make me cry over the years, this is still one of the funniest things committed to film.
74. THE CONTENDER
If I was a Republican I probably wouldn’t like this as much. But I’m not. Joan Allen is fiercely defiant for all the right reasons, and Jeff Bridges plays the coolest president ever.
73. THE BOURNE SUPREMACY
I’m an unabashed fan of the BOURNE movies and this is clearly the best in the series. One of the slickest action movies ever made.
72. GLADIATOR
Is Ridley Scott an artist or a technician? I don’t care, he can direct like a mother f’er.
71. THE INCREDIBLES
The only animated film on my list. Yeah, I’m a sucker for great action movies, even when they are cartoons.
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“Exposition. I hate it. SPARTAN. Doesn’t have it.” HA! So true.
And dude, Ultimatum’s the best.
Ultimatum is good until all the stuff in NYC. Way too silly.
I agree with the Kill Bill Vol. 1 choice,
good stuff.
Spartan has one of my favorite lines in any film. It’s towards the end where Val Kilmer tells the girl that even if all the lies that are being said about him were true it makes no difference because she’s going with him anyway. Don’t think I’ve ever heard another line convey just how in control someone is at a given moment.
So far direct suggestions are difficult. Swiss Family Robinson has a good family dynamic comparable to Signs and The Incredibles, and the climax against the invading pirates is completely Home Alone-esque.
You should also check out both the original and Philip Kaufman versions of Invasion of the Body Snatchers if you haven’t already, as those are the two best earthbound alien-horror films I’ve seen. As well as The Blob. Steve Mcqueen in the original The Blob is still probably my favorite everyman hero.
If you run through the Sam Peckinpah filmography you’re bound to find some of the earliest influence on modern-day action, grit, and character amorality. I know you’ve already seen The French Connection (which I’m sure will end up on this list eventually).
As soon as you said “Spartan” and “favorite lines” I knew which one you were talking about. Mamet is so damn clever.
Great suggestions! SWISS FAMILY ROBINSON was a favorite of mine as a kid, but I haven’t seen it in years. It would be fun to check it out again. Ditto for the original BLOB and BODY SNATCHERS.
I finally saw Kaufman’s BODY SNATCHERS last year and it is just outside this list. For some reason I consider it more of a thriller than horror though.
THE BLOB (88) was another childhood favorite, but I actually did visit it again a few months ago. It’s fun as hell.
I’ve been meaning to run through the Peckingpah filmography for half my damn life. I believe the only one I’ve seen is PAT GARRETT & BILLY THE KID, which is a hoot. I’ll definitely rectify this by the end of the year.
Thanks again, you enlightened bastard.
The intensity I felt watching Signs in the theater was only matched by the fantastic opening sequence of 28 WEEKS LATER. Although with SIGNS, the intensity was drawn out through the entire 2nd half of the movie, vs the 3 minutes in 28WL
Yeah, it’s scary as all hell. I think one of the reasons I liked it so much is because it was so straightforward as far as the aliens were concerned. No, they aren’t misunderstood, they wanna kill us.
And that scene with the alien stuck in the closet at M. Night’s house…gosh darn that’s great moviemaking.
I have a recommendation based on your loving the tension of SIGNS. Have you seen THE CHANGELING (1980) with George C. Scott? That film plucked every single one of my nerves when I first saw it and it loses little impact on repeat viewings.
I sure have not. Moved to the top of the Queue and will watch this weekend!
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