10. RUMBLE FISH

It’s only been within the last couple years that I finally saw RUMBLE FISH, but it quickly left a permanent mark on my psyche.  I really think it is one of the most beautifully surreal movies I’ve ever seen.  And the score, by The Police’s Stewart Copeland, is one of the most unique and recognizable I’ve heard.  The main reason I’m so entranced by this movie is due to Mickey Rourke, though.  His performance in RUMBLE FISH is right up there with Brando’s best, and it really kind of defies description.

9. SAY ANYTHING

Yes, my original love for this movie stems from my lonely late teenage years when I pined for a lady friend and I was convinced Lloyd Dobler and I were the same.  However, even after growing up (to a certain degree), my appreciation for SAY ANYTHING continues to grow, primarily, I think, due to the brilliant dialogue and terrifically entertaining supporting characters.

8. BACK TO THE FUTURE

Say what you want about the script and direction and special effects (all fantastic, of course), but I think Michael J. Fox is really what makes BTTF.  I don’t think we’ll ever see another actor like him.

7. THE FUGITIVE

I’m an unabashed fan of the (good) action movies of the 90s, and THE FUGITIVE is the best “straight-forward” example of what made them so great:  A star at the top of his game. An equally compelling opposing force. And inventive and never-before-seen action set pieces.

6. 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY

This was probably the first “serious” movie I became obsessed with, and even before I made an attempt to understand it (several attempts since have proven unsuccessful), I was spellbound.

5. SEVEN

To my knowledge movies had never looked like this before SEVEN.  How remarkable is it that Fincher pretty much created a genre based on the aesthetics alone?  It’s prettiest ugly movie I’ve seen, but it is the performances that keep me coming back. And in high school I may have memorized John Doe’s backseat monologue in its entirety (see #9, above).

4. TERMINATOR 2

I’m afraid – not sure mind you, but afraid –  this isn’t as good as we remember it.  But it’s amazing how quickly I can push that fear aside. Maybe it’s because T2 is the coolest fucking movie ever.

3. ALIEN

Man, this movie is so…technically proficient?  For whatever reason, that’s the first thing that comes to mind.  Sure, it’s scary, but have you studied the little details? The sets? I don’t know how far computers are from creating this kind of atmosphere, but I fear we’re nowhere close. And nobody (save Danny Boyle) puts this kind of effort into sci-fi/horror these days.

2. STAR WARS

Empire shmimpire.

1A. DIE HARD

Best action movie ever?  It doesn’t matter, really. I’m sure my affection for DIE HARD is the result of a perfect storm of the impressionable age I first saw it (first R-rating I saw in the theater), combined with my parents’ love for it, combined with Bruce f’ing Willis, but the only thing that matters is it’s possible to love a movie.

1B. THE SHINING

As this list blatantly indicates, there’s a lot I haven’t seen. Regardless, THE SHINING is not only my favorite movie, but it’s the best movie I’ve ever seen.  There — I’m scientifically qualifying it, and there is nothing you can do.  There are plenty of “great” movies, or “minor” masterpieces, but I consider this to be THE masterpiece in every sense of the word.

20. LAST OF THE MOHICANS

And now I will have Jones’ and Edelman’s amazing score stuck in my head for the remainder of the day.  The music does it’s best to keep up with the badass images on the screen and the raw emotion of the characters, but it’s no easy feat.  This is what kicked off my love affair with Michael Mann, and I think it remains the best he’s done.

19. FAST TIMES AT RIDGEMONT HIGH

I wish I went to high school with these guys.  The only proof that Sean Penn has the ability to laugh.

18. DARK KNIGHT

Yes, I am one of those — an unabashed DARK KNIGHT fan boy.  It might be more of a crime epic than a superhero movie, but that’s one of the reasons I love it.

17. THE PROFESSIONAL/LEON

LEON reminds me of one of my earliest experiences with the internet as a tool for the movie fan.  In the mid-90s I had just discovered imdb.com and was drawn to the their list of top 250 movies.  I was shocked to find this largely unknown (in my neighborhood) movie, which I had taken pride in introducing to my friends on VHS, was ranked on this list (albeit not nearly as high as it’s current #34 ranking).

16. DEATH PROOF

I’ve heard a friend categorize DP as “comfort food,” and I completely agree.  I’ve seen it 10+ times (although it is my go-to drunk blu-ray, so I cannot scientifically account for all viewings), and I still enjoy it just as much as the first time.  I am not one of those who easily tires of Tarantino’s dialogue, and DP contains some of my favorite.  It’s also a nice love letter to my favorite city, Austin.

Bragging: I have that painting, by Justin Reed, hanging in my living room.

15. JURASSIC PARK

It’s fairly remarkable that the special effects in JURASSIC PARK are still unsurpassed by today’s CGI.

14. EMPIRE STRIKES BACK

The Battle of Hoth may be my favorite scene of all time.

13. PREDATOR

The manliest movie ever made.  Also, does there exist more memorable movie sounds than the predator’s heat vision and that damn clicking?

12. PULP FICTION

This first time I saw anything approaching “art house” in the theater was PF.  I was too young to fully appreciate it at the time, but I remember telling myself, during lulls in the action, that “this is what this kind of movie is like.”

11. ALIENS

The first R-rated movie I saw.  Until recently I almost invariably preferred ALIENS to ALIEN, but over the last year it has become more clear to me what an accomplishment the first was.  Not that ALIENS isn’t one of the best action/sci-fi movies of all time, because it is.

30 . TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE (1974)

I cannot imagine how terrifying this must have been in 1974.  It’s amazing how little on-screen gore it actually contains, which is a testament to the quality of filmmaking, considering it’s reputation.

29. THE THIRD MAN

Such a remarkable looking film.  Considering the technical demands of sewer scene alone, I find it hard to believe Welles didn’t have some input in its direction (but this is the only Carol Reed movie I’ve seen, so what do I know?).

28. SWINGERS

When this came out my junior year of high school there was nothing I wanted more than to hang out with these guys.  With age they’ve become a little less cool (except for Trent, of course), but SWINGERS is still one of the funniest movies I’ve seen.

27. MASTER AND COMMANDER

A true adventure movie.  The relationships between the characters are so well developed, and the battle scenes are so intense, that you can’t help but feel you are on the boat with these guys.  I am a huge fan of Russell Crowe, and this (relatively) understated role as Captain Jack Aubrey may be my favorite of his.

26. DOUBLE INDEMNITY

Putting aside the more obvious awesome noir aspects, the dialogue is so damned clever and witty it’ll make your brain hurt.

25. ROBOCOP

Such a weird combination of sci-fi, terror, action, and comedy seems like it would be damn near impossible to pull off.  Of course this receipe has become Paul Verhoeven’s speciality, but ROBOCOP remains his best.

24. DOWNFALL

Bruno Ganz, Bruno Ganz, Bruno Ganz.  That is really all that needs to be said.  Everything other acting performance in the history of the world belongs in SHE’S ALL THAT compared to Bruno Ganz in DOWNFALL.

23. A CLOCKWORK ORANGE

I have nothing new to add here, so I’ll just say this:  As a young teenager I would routinely confuse Ridley Scott and Stanley Kubrick.  So, when I first saw A CLOCKWORK ORANGE, I was pretty sure it was directed by the same guy who made ALIEN.  As you can imagine, this totally confounded me, but when I finally determined CLOCKWORK was actually made by the director of THE SHINING, I was able to move on with my life.

22. THE THING

A plot that is perfect in its simplicity is executed by John Carpenter at the top of the game.  What else do you need?

21. THE WIZARD OF OZ

When the world as we know it is no longer, this will be the last movie standing.

THE LIMEY

GROUNDHOG DAY

THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT

CAN’T BUY ME LOVE

TRAFFIC

40. SHAUN OF THE DEAD

Fun as hell and more entertaining than most of the movies it references (heresy!).  Just note perfect in every way.

39. MY FAIR LADY

I grew up listening to this soundtrack on vinyl, which I’m sure has played a large part in my continued affection for MFL.  Also, the set design and cinematography are the highest form of eye candy.  It’s just a delightful f’ing movie.

38. FERRIS BUELLER’S DAY OFF

John Hughes having fun again.  Nobody does it better, but this is probably just as much an example of perfect casting.  Proof that “plot” really doesn’t matter much at all.

37. F FOR FAKE

I saw this only recently, and it made me positively giddy.  The editing in FFF made more of an impression on me than in any other movie I’ve seen.  And listening to Orson Welles narrate this story, complete with his expert sleight-of-hand, is maybe the coolest movie-watching experience I’ve had.

36. MIAMI VICE

Michael Mann makes movies for ME.  That is the only way I can comprehend how aligned he is with my tastes.  MV obviously isn’t a “great” movie by any definition, but it is a perfectly constructed (self-satire?) cop action movie.

35. GHOSTBUSTERS

I cannot begin to count how many times I’ve seen GHOSTBUSTERS.  As a kid my family had a bootleg copy the guy at our local video store (Video Hut)  made for us (not a very good business practice), and I wore that sucker out until the tape snapped.  I am entirely unable to be subjective about this movie.

34. BIG

Tom Hanks completely and utterly destroys this role with the effort of tying a shoe.  BIG cemented his status as maybe the most likable person ever born.

33. WALL STREET

As a youngster I had the impression that WALL STREET was a serious movie that could only be enjoyed by mature educated people.  I couldn’t have been more wrong, as WS is probably Oliver Stone’s most accessible movie, and is just as enjoyable as exploitative escapism as it is a morality tale.

32. GREAT EXPECTATIONS

Immediately after watching this I sought out all available information on director Alfonso Cuarón.  Movies that look like this, with this kind of emotional force, don’t get made by accident, and I had to seek out anything else he had done immediately.  So as an 18-year-old-action-movie-buff I bought THE LITTLE PRINCESS.  TLP is also great, but it is with GE that Cuarón’s incredible (and soon thereafter to be widely recognized) talent was first exposed on a wide scale.

31. DAZED AND CONFUSED

I realize I’ve probably used the words “fun” and “enjoyable” 68 times already in this list, but they again hit the nail on the head (x1000) when it comes to D&C.  When a movie can make you nostalgic for a time before you were even born, it is a special feat.  It’s also not easy to make it worthwhile to hang out with a bunch of losers like these guys for an entire day, but by the ending I’m ready to go to an Aerosmith concert.

50. THE FRENCH CONNECTION

Technically, this probably should be in my top 10, considering how it’s influenced so many gritty action films since its release.  Unfortunately, it’s effectiveness has been slightly diminished by its own awesomeness, as THE FRENCH CONNECTION has served as the basis for every police/action movie in the last 40 years to attempt to improve upon.

49. HEAT

Perfect example:  Does HEAT exist in a world where THE FRENCH CONNECTION doesn’t?  No f’ing way.  Regardless, if you give me the choice between the two I’ll pick HEAT 90% of the time.  Does that make me a bad person?  Probably.

48. YOU CAN COUNT ON ME

I love these actors.  Anybody who watched this and didn’t realize Mark Ruffalo was going to be a pretty big deal is an idiot (I think he should still be bigger).  It’s amazing that a movie with characters and actions this ordinary can be so enthralling.

47. CITIZEN KANE

I promise I’m not including this just because everybody has to include it in their ranking of favorite/best movies.  The story is good, of course, but I’m mostly fascinated with the technical aspects (I know, I’m not alone).  Just look at the shot above — the framing of that shot with young Kane centered in the window in the background, for some inexplicable reason, is a perfect example of why I love movies.

46. RUSHMORE

To me, this is Wes Anderson’s best movie by far.  I think that’s because it’s grounded in actual human emotions, unlike everything he’s done since (except, ironically, FANTASTIC MR. FOX), yet it’s still completely silly and stylized.

45. 12 MONKEYS

This was released when I was 15 years old.  Until that point in my life I was a movie fan, but I had never been too conscious of writers/directors and the art and craft of filmmaking.  1995, with the arrival of 12 MONKEYS, SEVEN, and THE USUAL SUSPECTS changed all of that for me.  I suddently realized movies don’t have to be straightforward.  They don’t have to be completely transparent.  They can actually be meant to inspire THOUGHT!  12 MONKEYS is also a damn bit entertaining, and for my money both Pitt and Willis give the performances of their careers.

44. KARATE KID

There is no quantifiable way to explain why this movie is as good as it is.  It just is.  Amazing.

43. BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA

The fact John Carpenter made classics as divergent as HALLOWEEN and BTILC is pretty astonishing.  Despite its outlandishness, BTILC seems almost effortless in entertaining.

42. THE USUAL SUSPECTS

Another 1995 release that changed my life.  This one is perhaps a little more silly than the other two, but there is no arguing it isn’t an expertly crafted bunch of foolishness.

41. BLADE RUNNER

The creation of the BLADE RUNNER world is mind-boggling.  The fact the story didn’t get pushed aside in favor of the special effects and set design is a miracle.

60. INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS

The most recent release on my list is here because it is, quite simply, one of the most deliriously entertaining movies I’ve seen.  Delirious I say.

59. RONIN

This would make the list based on the car chases alone, but it’s also a great caper movie with one of Deniro’s last nonparodic performances.

58. JFK

Oliver Stone masterfully weaves together his own impossibly dense script.  The courtroom scenes are atrocious though and they cost it a few spots on my list.

57. YOJIMBO

Nobody told me Kurosawa movies were this funny.  Although I think YOJIMBO made me a fan of Toshiro Mifune first and the “Emperor” second.

56. FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS

Yes, I am aware it’s ridiculous to rank a Peter Berg movie ahead of a Kurosawa film.

55. IN THE BEDROOM

Sissy Spacek’s and Tom Wilkinson’s raw performances here are the most convincing displays of grief on film I can remember.

54. THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER

The script is a tad on the ridiculous side and Sean Connery makes no attempt to hide his accent.  And yet it’s absolutely enthralling; a fact that can be directly attributed to John McTiernan firing on all cylinders (his output from 1987-1990 is legendary).

53. THE THIN RED LINE

Cliché alert:  Achingly beautiful.  That’s all I got.

52. GROSSE POINTE BLANK

I’m never not in the mood to watch GPB.  Like most men my age, I’ve got a severe man-crush on Cusack, and the soundtrack kicks ass.

51. THE MATRIX

At the time this came out – after my third viewing in the theater – I easily could’ve called THE MATRIX my favorite movie of all time.  I’ve obviously come to my senses a bit since, but I can’t discount the level of mind-blownedness it levied upon me then, and its imminent rewatchability today.

70. SERPICO

The obvious predecessor (along with THE FRENCH CONNECTION)  to movies like NARC, SERPICO is the second best in what might be my favorite genre.  Also, RUSHMORE was made even more enjoyable after finally catching up to this a couple years ago.

69. MULHOLLAND DRIVE

I’ve never surrendered to a seemingly nonsensical movie quicker than I did with MD.  Although I still haven’t figured out what half of it means, there is just something so damn appealing about it that it puts me in a nearly hypnotized state.

68. INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE

This is probably mostly a product of my age, but LAST CRUSADE is the Indy movie I grew up with; and no matter how hard I’ve tried, I cannot consider it inferior to RAIDERS.

67. KISS KISS BANG BANG

This is the movie that reminded everybody how great Downey, Jr. is, but I have a feeling Shane Black could make most people look, and sound, great.

66. STREETS OF FIRE

The sole reason I’m holding on to my HD DVD player.  I think so highly of STREETS OF FIRE I’ve actually convinced myself I like Michael Paré as an actor.  It’s really about the music though, and Willem Defoe, and Diane Lane.

65. SPEED

Kind of a perfect storm.  Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves are expertly cast (as themselves?), and Jan de Bont is asked to do nothing but crash some shit and blow it up.  I probably would have it even higher if it didn’t have the tension-deflating subway scene tacked on.  (And now the score will be stuck in my head all day).

64. GREMLINS 2

The first GREMLINS is great.  GREMLINS 2 is so great as you are watching it you can say to yourself, “wouldn’t it be awesome if they did ‘X’ next?”, and then “X” happens.  I can’t believe this movie even got made.

63. DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS

Steve Martin kills me in this.  People who know me well have said any attempt I’ve ever made at physical comedy was directly ripped off of “Ruprecht.”  OKLAHOMA!

62. IDIOCRACY

This could be the most important film of the 21st Century.  Hardly a day goes by that I don’t think about how the future portrayed here is becoming more of a reality.  As we continue down that path, IDIOCRACY will gradually become more sad than funny, but I’m going to enjoy it while I can.

61. AMERICAN PSYCHO

One of the only “dark” comedies I actually find funny.  I’m not sure it’s anything more than an exploitation flick (I find myself rooting for Bateman more than against the consumerism of the ’80s), but man does it hold up on repeat viewings.

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.