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My favorite movies in order that have either changed me on a deeply personal level or have thoroughly impressed me.
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- DirectorStanley KubrickStarsJack NicholsonShelley DuvallDanny LloydA family heads to an isolated hotel for the winter where a sinister presence influences the father into violence, while his psychic son sees horrific forebodings from both past and future.PERFECT MOVIE. Everything I want in a movie, the cinematography, the 'Kubrick detail', the sets, not knowing what is real or just in the mind, the music, the psychological horror of it all, the haunting and often isolated or claustrophobic atmosphere, and its symbolism and hidden meaning found all through the film. I think the only thing I hate is the 'Shining' It reminds me that what I am watching is in fact just a movie and not real. Perfect psychological movie tainted by 'magic'? It just feels like it disrupts this otherwise very grounded experience. Jack Nicholson's and Shelley Duvall's performance is second to none. Nicholson's performance is the best in cinema history.. ever. No debate. A lasting influence on film and popular culture. Timeless Classic.
- DirectorTerry GilliamStarsJohnny DeppBenicio Del ToroTobey MaguireAn oddball journalist and his psychopathic lawyer travel to Las Vegas for a series of psychedelic escapades.My personal favorite movie because of its large effect on my life as well as Johnny Depp, its unique adaptive cinematography, and of course Hunter S. Thompson and all of what he has to say and what he stands for. The most interesting man alive. A reporter, an artist, a troublemaker, a madman, an idol.. to me.
This film rests in a special place in my mind, the memories of watching it with my dad and him introducing me to Hunter, he had the same excitement talking about him as I do know, he knew I would like him and this movie as much as he did. After this, we would discuss his very unique chaotic fast-passed personality and way of expressing his thoughts through his own gonzo writing style, what he did in Aspen or Hells Angels, Freak Power, his experience with hippie culture and its death, and his other many stories, articles, and messages. It became a little way for me and my dad to bond over something we both deeply cared about, we now on occasion keep up such as watching a documentary called 'Freak Power: The Ballot or the Bomb' and this makes me happy. : ) - DirectorQuentin TarantinoStarsHarvey KeitelTim RothMichael MadsenWhen a simple jewelry heist goes horribly wrong, the surviving criminals begin to suspect that one of them is a police informant.I'm kind of a Q.T. and Kubrick dickrider. I love all of their films and Reservoir Dogs is no exception AT ALL. Tim Roth, Harvey Keitel, Michael Madsen, and Steve Buscemi all execute their roles masterfully. The story, the characters, and the cinematography all make this movie encapsulates exactly what, in my mind, film is really meant for. A thriller with such real interactions, emotions, and scenarios. One of the most fascinating aspects of the film is the subtle yet profound father-son dynamic that develops between Tim Roth's character and Harvey Keitel's. Their nuanced performances reveal a bond that adds an extra layer of depth to the overall narrative. The most human film in a way or at least in my opinion? Also, Tim Roth is a cutie patootie
- DirectorStanley KubrickStarsMalcolm McDowellPatrick MageeMichael BatesIn Stanley Kubrick's controversial filming of the Anthony Burgess dystopian novel, sadistic gang leader Alex DeLarge is imprisoned and volunteers for a conduct-aversion experiment, but it doesn't go as planned.The world-building, the social commentary, and the Ultraviolence. The artistic choices made by Kubrick such as the contrasting classical music, its striking surreal cinematography, or its Stark and brutalist urban architecture make this one of the most unique storytelling experiences that feels like it was tailored for my personal taste. The underlying social and political commentary on the ineffectiveness of their current system, a system that seems to be more focused on appearance rather than fixing the root of the problem. Everything In 'A Clockwork Orange' is a juxtaposition. Society appears sophisticated with its architecture, fashion, and language (Nadsat) but is paired with the barbaric and often uncivilized nature of its characters, revealing its underlying moral decay and societal deterioration. Scenes of people in their houses living their orderly lives being disrupted by Alex and his droogs. The free will of induvial and complete state control is a central theme apparent in juxtaposed scenes of Alex before and after the Ludovico technique. Alex himself being a juxtaposition, the Antihero but also an avid fan of elegant classical music (Beethoven), or this repulsion and disgust you feel for Alex and his acts of depravity, but also the empathy you gain for him and the way Kubrick can make you get into Alex's head, It feels like you are being pulled apart with Alex, which is something Kubrick does excellently, at the end you feel confused and lost of what you are supposed to feel about Alex, its just a mix of emotions that highlight the complexity of the human condition (I remember discussing the ending with my dad the first time I watched it and the discussion lasted some time with no conclusive ending just pushing our thoughts forward), this in turn also adds to the juxtaposition of free will and state control raising questions that I still think about today. And most apparent and memorable, Beethoven and the Ultraviolence. Classical music is paired with the Ultraviolence in scenes such as crimes committed by the droogs or in the Ludovico technique. This is the hallmark or frontman for the constant juxtaposition Kubrick sprinkles throughout the film. I. FUCKING. LOVE. THIS. MOVIE. The dystopian almost dehumanized society and its moral decay as well as its complex 'Kubrick detail' to the world, it feels as if there is an entire world like this and we are just getting a glimpse of how things operate, the moral questions it brings up with the Ludovico technique, if Alex is truly evil or just a product of the corrupt society he lives in, the ethics of State control, the value of redemption and choice, the role of punishment, and is free will essential to human dignity, questions still heatedly debated today, and the complex psychological nature of this entire film keeps everything very grounded and real, something I can completely immerse myself in and then after it's all done talk and question about for hours, days, months, and even still to this day. This is the reason I love Kubrick, film, and art : )))
- DirectorJonathan DemmeStarsJodie FosterAnthony HopkinsScott GlennA young F.B.I. cadet must receive the help of an incarcerated and manipulative cannibal killer to help catch another serial killer, a madman who skins his victims.Anthony Hopkin's and Jodie Foster's performance is as perfect as Nicholson's and Duvall's in the Shining. There is a reason that this is the only horror movie that has won the Best Picture award. The social commentary on women in the workplace and the interaction between Clarice and Hannibal is an enthralling and intense psychological game. And one of the best twists in cinema history makes this currently the best horror movie, and with how horror movies have been and are going, it seems like this will be the best ever. And I am not complaining at all..
- DirectorLana WachowskiLilly WachowskiStarsKeanu ReevesLaurence FishburneCarrie-Anne MossWhen a beautiful stranger leads computer hacker Neo to a forbidding underworld, he discovers the shocking truth--the life he knows is the elaborate deception of an evil cyber-intelligence.Such a new and exciting storytelling experience with excellent world-building. The philosophical depth of The Matrix is what gives this visually innovative action movie its transcendence, something more than just eye candy and 'bullet time'. The existential questions I asked myself after watching The Matrix are what made me fall in love with it so much. Such an iconic and influential film, really changed how an entire generation thought about reality. Not many films can say they did this.
- DirectorHenry SelickStarsDakota FanningTeri HatcherJohn HodgmanWandering her rambling old house in her boring new town, an 11-year-old Coraline discovers a hidden door to a strangely idealized version of her life. In order to stay in the fantasy, she must make a frighteningly real sacrifice.
- DirectorWes AndersonStarsGeorge ClooneyMeryl StreepBill MurrayAn urbane fox cannot resist returning to his farm raiding ways and then must help his community survive the farmers' retaliation.
- DirectorQuentin TarantinoStarsJohn TravoltaUma ThurmanSamuel L. JacksonThe lives of two mob hitmen, a boxer, a gangster and his wife, and a pair of diner bandits intertwine in four tales of violence and redemption.Q.T. groundbreaking non-linear storytelling makes the movie a timeless classic. With interesting characters intertwined and Q.T.'s use of just listening in to these character's dynamics and dialogues not pushing the story any further but just getting into the head of the characters is what makes this movie stand out.
- DirectorHayao MiyazakiStarsDaveigh ChaseSuzanne PleshetteMiyu IrinoDuring her family's move to the suburbs, a sullen 10-year-old girl wanders into a world ruled by gods, witches and spirits, and where humans are changed into beasts.Surreal, weird, and elegant in its art style and story. Also major nostalgia points.
- DirectorTim BurtonStarsAlec BaldwinGeena DavisMichael KeatonThe spirits of a deceased couple are harassed by an unbearable family that has moved into their home, and hire a malicious spirit to drive them out.
- DirectorRobert ZemeckisStarsJodie FosterMatthew McConaugheyTom SkerrittDr. Ellie Arroway, after years of searching, finds conclusive radio proof of extraterrestrial intelligence, sending plans for a mysterious machine.
- DirectorDavid FincherStarsBrad PittEdward NortonMeat LoafAn insomniac office worker and a devil-may-care soap maker form an underground fight club that evolves into much more.Challenging modern Masculinity, consumerism, identity, and purpose this movie has a nihilistic and often dangerous reaction to the conformity of contemporary life. With one of the coolest twists ever, this movie had me questioning our materialistic and detached society. Its a little cringe but I love this movie, great watch.
- DirectorJohn HughesStarsEmilio EstevezJudd NelsonMolly RingwaldFive high school students meet in Saturday detention and discover how they have a great deal more in common than they thought.I remember analyzing this movie for a Psychology class. The serious topics, the emotional depth, and the social expectations that pressure them into their archetypes. The Brain, the Princess, the Athlete, the Basket case, the Criminal. Through the characters' interactions, they reveal their vulnerabilities, family dynamic, and desire for acceptance and understanding highlighting the complexity of adolescent development. Something I can currently relate to a lot.
- DirectorQuentin TarantinoStarsUma ThurmanDavid CarradineDaryl HannahAfter awakening from a four-year coma, a former assassin wreaks vengeance on the team of assassins who betrayed her.This includes Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 because it's the same movie, not a sequel.
- DirectorTerry GilliamTerry JonesStarsGraham ChapmanJohn CleeseEric IdleKing Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table embark on a surreal, low-budget search for the Holy Grail, encountering many, very silly obstacles.The dryness and uniquely' Monty Python' humor. Another weird film I can watch at any time and laugh. NOSTALGIA POINTS
- DirectorJim AbrahamsDavid ZuckerJerry ZuckerStarsRobert HaysJulie HagertyLeslie NielsenAfter the crew becomes sick with food poisoning, a neurotic ex-fighter pilot must safely land a commercial airplane full of passengers.A unique and iconic comedy style. Something that I can laugh all the way through every time I watch it. And I've watched it a lot. Also, bonus nostalgia points.
- DirectorStanley KubrickStarsMatthew ModineR. Lee ErmeyVincent D'OnofrioA pragmatic U.S. Marine observes the dehumanizing effects the Vietnam War has on his fellow recruits from their brutal boot camp training to the bloody street fighting in Hue.
- DirectorEthan CoenJoel CoenStarsTommy Lee JonesJavier BardemJosh BrolinViolence and mayhem ensue after a hunter stumbles upon the aftermath of a drug deal gone wrong and over two million dollars in cash near the Rio Grande.
- DirectorJoel CoenEthan CoenStarsJeff BridgesJohn GoodmanJulianne MooreJeff "The Dude" Lebowski, mistaken for a millionaire of the same name, seeks restitution for his ruined rug and enlists his bowling buddies to help get it.dude.. funny weed bowling movie with silly plot over a rug. iconic
- DirectorHenry SelickStarsDanny ElfmanChris SarandonCatherine O'HaraJack Skellington, king of Halloween Town, discovers Christmas Town, but his attempts to bring Christmas to his home causes confusion.
- DirectorRidley ScottStarsSigourney WeaverTom SkerrittJohn HurtThe crew of a commercial spacecraft encounters a deadly lifeform after investigating a mysterious transmission of unknown origin.The beginning of a sci-fi movie series that should have just been Alien and Aliens. Sigourney Weaver, the physical props, the iconic and unique creature design, the world-building, and the suspense are all done perfectly.
- DirectorShane AckerStarsElijah WoodJennifer ConnellyCrispin GloverA rag doll that awakens in a postapocalyptic future holds the key to humanity's salvation.
- DirectorBrad BirdJan PinkavaStarsBrad GarrettLou RomanoPatton OswaltA rat who can cook makes an unusual alliance with a young kitchen worker at a famous Paris restaurant.just a good feel-good movie about not judging a book by its cover and that no matter what your background you can still achieve greatness.
- DirectorJohn CarpenterStarsKurt RussellWilford BrimleyKeith DavidA research team in Antarctica is hunted by a shape-shifting alien that assumes the appearance of its victims.Watching 'The Thing' gives me disgust towards movies that use CGI, it reminds me of one of my favorite artists, Zdzisław Beksiński, he made many emotional paintings but he switched to a digital medium near the end of his career and his pieces didn't feel as raw or visceral as they once were, almost disingenuous and they lost their charm. I feel like you can build a parallel with physical props and CGI and this is why I love John Carpenter's The Thing as well as the claustrophobic atmosphere and distrust and paranoia that grows between the scientist everything combined creates a truly genuine response of fear and uncertainty.