# Movies that Rule and Why



## groph (Jun 8, 2010)

Saving Private Ryan - Has it all. Tom Hanks, Adam Goldberg, tremendous violence, wicked story, Nazis, tremendous violence, tanks, machine guns, and tremendous violence. The only bad part about this movie is that little shit who can't grow a pair and would rather sit on the staircase crying whilst his Nazi buddy walks by him and kills Adam Goldberg.

Starship Troopers - Michael Ironside, swarms of bugs, limbs flying everywhere, gratuitous violence, brain suckage, general hilariousness. One of my favorites.

Forrest Gump - Probably the best movie to come out of the late 20th Century. It's significance is beyond measure. It's like so many movies packed into one. Fantastic, fantastic story.

Mean Girls - Lindsay Lohan and Rachael MacAdams at their hottest. I haven't seen Sherlock Holmes yet, I'm sure Rachael MacAdams in a corset is a boner to behold. But Lindsay Lohan is just insanely attractive in this movie. Insanely. Tina Fey too, but that's a given. The other parts aren't bad either, I just can't get that scene where Katy is walking down the hallway out of my head so I don't care to write any more.

The Hangover - Probably the funniest movie I've ever seen. Lately at least. Ed Helms is the shit.

Super Troopers - One of the funniest movies I've ever seen. The opening sequence of that movie is a reason to start smoking pot. Get baked and watch it. You'll probably pass out from laughter.


YOU BOYS LIKE MEXICO? YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!

Rat Race - No explanation required.

Happiness - With Philip Seymour Hoffman. Completely fucked up independent black comedy movie that deals with all sorts of sexual deviance like pedophilia. It's meant to be funny, but every character in the movie is dead serious about everything, so in that sense it isn't "meant" to be funny. Definitely not a movie for everybody but I really liked it.

I Stand Alone - Another fucked up independent movie. Deals with a middle aged French man who is by far the most negative character ever portrayed in a movie that I have seen. Watching the movie is really a test of your ability to not commit suicide. Not a "feel good" movie whatsoever, but if you want to see a new perspective, watch it.

Children of Men - Just rules. The urban combat in this movie is incredibly well done and realistic. I'm a sucker for well done combat. 

Sin City - Figured I'd hate it, and I didn't like 300 all that much. This one really feels like a comic book though, and it's got some memorable quotes thanks to Mickey Rourke.

Freddy Got Fingered - Eventually I might grow up and stop liking this movie, but for the time being it's easily one of the funniest things I've seen on a screen. Yeah, Tom Green is an attention whore. You just need to accept that and find him funny. If you, like most people, hate Tom Green, you'll definitely hate this movie. There's not much of a plot, not much in character development, not much imagination at all. In fact, the movie is completely god awful, but I like Tom Green and so I find that outrageous "humor" to be funny, and Rip Torn is PRICELESS in this movie.

Battlestar Galactica: Razor - Yeah it's a TV movie, but it's a part of BSG which is my favorite series ever. If there are any die hard purists out there who are about to foam at the mouth, yes I am aware that there is an original BSG series and the new one isn't really anything at all like the old one. I haven't watched much of the original series save for one movie and one episode that happened to be on.


----------



## vampiregenocide (Jun 8, 2010)

Black Hawk Down - Its like the best game of COD but in a film, with an array of awesome actors.

Forest Gump, Cast Away, Philadelphia - All brilliant characters and storylines played by the ever awesome Tom Hanks.

Donnie Darko - Fucks with your mind, but its just win. Awesome soundtrack too.

Jurassic Park - FUCKING DINOSAURS.

Shawshank Redemption - Just a brilliant story full of heartbreak, discovery and a happy ending.

Misery - Scary as fuck.

Wolf Creek - Goes from Home & Away to OMG PLEASE DON'T KILL ME when you least expect it.

Dawn of the Dead (Original) - The ultimate zombie survival guide.

The Dark Knight - More than a superhero film. A brilliant story that doesn't let up and has a great cast of actors, lead by Heath Ledger and the aspiring death metal vocalist Christian Bale.

Licky Nicky - Funny as hell XD

Click - I expected a typical Adam Sandler comedy, I nearly cried like a little girl.

Dog Soldiers - British soldiers VS Werewolves. Fucking epic.


All I have for now!


----------



## orb451 (Jun 8, 2010)

A Clockwork Orange: It's classic. 'Nuff said.

Full Metal Jacket: First 45 - 50 minutes are PRICELESS. "Who's the slimy little cock sucking twinkle toed commie puke piece of shit that just signed his own death warrant? No one huh? The fairy fucking godmother said it? Was it you you scroungy little fuck? You look like a fucking worm!!"

Romper Stomper: Russell Crowe as badass skinhead Hando. Epic movie, makes American History X look like a Hallmark Channel after-school special.

Central Station: Some Brazilian movie about a kid on a quest to meet his dad. Brilliantly done.

Godfather I & II: Classic. If you don't like this movie you're an asshole. Sorry but them's the rules. I don't give a fuck how boring you think it is. I don't give a fuck how overrated you think it is. Both of these are absolute masterpieces.

Cool Hand Luke: Paul Newman as the quintessential anti-hero. Great fucking movie.

The Good, The Bad & The Ugly: Soooooooooo fucking good. Add in Ennio Morricone's BEST WORK EVER and you have another masterpiece.

Raising Arizona: Like a fine wine, just keeps getting better with time... "say, that reminds me..."

Alien & Aliens: Not the sequels or spinoffs. Both are great, but for very different reasons. Alien because it took the old haunted house and put it in a space ship and with the RIGHT amount of suspense and thrills. You were scared shitless by what you DIDN'T see and not by some stupid effects or constant editing. Aliens because it took the story in a different direction while still maintaining continuity and CHARACTER. You got a good look at the alien this time around but it was still exciting and while maybe not scary, was still classic.

Blues Brothers: I fucking hate musicals. This is as close as I'll get to a musical and it's outstanding. THIS is how to do a car chase. THIS is how to do comedy. 

The Hustler: Another Paul Newman gem. Jackie Gleason as Minnesota Fats is worth the price of admission alone. Add in George C. Scott and it's all gravy.


----------



## Customisbetter (Jun 8, 2010)

Basic

The Gumball Rally

The Island


----------



## Leuchty (Jun 8, 2010)

CLOCKWORK ORANGE: Yes

FULL METAL JACKET: Yes

ONG BAK: Awesome fighting. Awesome fighting.


----------



## Aurochs34 (Jun 8, 2010)

None of these require any explanation [slap]

Gladiator
Braveheart
Sunshine
Citizen Kane
Casablanca
28 Days Later
Fight Club
Batman Begins (honestly, all in all, this was the better of the two films...hate me if you must  they really were both fantastic though)
American History X
Full Metal Jacket
Man on Fire
Pulp Fiction
Godfather I & II "[ If you don't like this movie you're an asshole. Sorry but them's the rules. I don't give a fuck how boring you think it is. I don't give a fuck how overrated you think it is. Both of these are absolute masterpieces.]" THIS couldn't be any more correct.

And that's all I've got right off the top of my head! Definitely missing a shit load of the best...like the Twilight series of course (add them above!)


----------



## -mouse- (Jun 8, 2010)

District 9- Easily one of the most well-made films, and done for shitloads cheaper than avatar. Amazing acting and emotional resonance, not to mention kickass action too.

The Dark Knight- I really liked it because it showed how gritty and dark the world of Batman can be, without getting overly cheesy.

Ip Man- holy fucking awesome fight scenes, batman!

Clerks II- A hilarious and smart movie, that keeps all the raunchy humor without sacrificing the essential message (whatever that is, I was too busy laughing at the "porch monkey" joke to notice)

Star Trek (the newest one)- I was actually really suprised by this movie, I was expecting a shitty reboot but it actually portrayed all the characters and story in a new and likeable way. Also that scene where they were diving into the atmosphere was fucking radtacular.

Pulp Fiction- Who doesn't like this movie? Come forth so that I may fight you.

Planet Terror- Such a great zombie flick. That scene with the pocketbike kills me.


----------



## Jason (Jun 8, 2010)

Movies, Books, TV & Media - Sevenstring.org


----------



## Chickenhawk (Jun 8, 2010)

Black Hawk Down - I know a Ranger that was there, and he's seen it once. Refuses to watch it again. It was pretty damned accurate (with some Hollywooding, of course).

Full Metal Jacket - Military movie MASTERPIECE.

2001: A Space Odyssey - Kubrick at his fucking FINEST. 

Debbie Does Dallas - No explanation needed


----------



## Explorer (Jun 8, 2010)

Limiting myself to movies I actually spent money to own, a good indication of it rising above films not worth owning...

Existenz and The Thirteenth Floor - Exploring what is real

Back to the Future trilogy - surprisingly well written and works well when things accumulate

American Psycho, Fight Club, Ravenous, Memento, The Limey, Leon the Professional, Perfume: The Story of a Murderer - Alternate points of view on life

Butterfly Effect, Groundhog Day, 12 Monkeys, the Jacket

Blades of Glory, Balls of Fury, Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story - Feasts of inappropriateness, with enough show of sincerity to make you feel bad for laughing

Next, Unbreakable, Special, Defendor - fringe explorations of the superhero genre

The Sixth Sense, Stir of Echoes, What Lies Beneath - Stanley Kubrick stated that any ghost story is hopeful, in that a ghost is evidence that something survives death

The Rocketeer, Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow, Raiders of the Lost Ark, The Mexican 

Intacto, Nine Queens (Argentina), Abre los ojos (Open your eyes) (Spain), Night Watch & Day Watch (Russia), Let the Right One In (Sweden), Pan's Labyrinth, District 9, Stander (South Africa) - reasons to look outside of American cinema

Lord of the Rings trilogy, 2001: A Space Oddysey, Spartacus, Clockwork Orange, Contact - epic... literally

Insomnia, Death to Smoochie, One-Hour Photo - Robin Williams' dark triptych of terror

Singing in the Rain, Strictly Ballroom - put away "Explosion Man" parts one through 6, and watch something completely different.

I'll stop here.

I did try to avoid the usual blockbusters, and movies I think will eventually show up on lots of lists....


----------



## Origin (Jun 8, 2010)

No Country for Old Men
Stalker
Spongebob Squarepants
Terminators 1 and 2 (3 and 4 I thought were pretty damn good, just not the usual caliber)
Rockys 1-4 (same as above)
The ENTIRE Dirty Harry saga, holy SHIT.
Enemy at the Gates
Equilibrium
Platoon
Apocalypse Now
Tropic motherfucking Thunder.

And a hearty agreement with most of the movies on everyone's lists  I like this more positive thread, praising things instead of bitching about them.


----------



## ry_z (Jun 8, 2010)

/end


----------



## Bungle (Jun 8, 2010)

ry_z said:


> Pan's Labyrinth
> 
> /end


Yes! Guillermo Del Toro 

*The Orphanage:* A Spanish film produced by Guillermo Del Toro. Wouldn't call it a horror film, more of a supernatural thriller and it is EXCELLENT! I cannot recommend this movie enough to people.

*The Longest Day:* Another excellent film that a lot of people haven't seen. It's a black and white 3 hour WW2 epic based on D-Day with ensemble cast of about 42 actors. Seriously, 42 actors. And you thought Ocean's Eleven had heaps of people in it  

I'll think of more films as the day progresses!


----------



## The Somberlain (Jun 8, 2010)

2001 A Space Odyssey: A visual poem, slow moving, only absorbed in an almost subconscious, freudian manner

Apocalypse Now: wonderful pacing interspersing gritty battles with reflection, Scorcese, Brando, and the actor of the protagonist did wonderfully, and it's a great reinterpretation of Conrad's Heart of Darkness

Dr. Strangelove: Greatest satire of politics EVER

Spinal Tap: we all know why...

Anything Monty Python b/c it's Python...


----------



## Origin (Jun 8, 2010)

Bungle said:


> *The Longest Day:* Another excellent film that a lot of people haven't seen. It's a black and white 3 hour WW2 epic based on D-Day with ensemble cast of about 42 actors. Seriously, 42 actors. And you thought Ocean's Eleven had heaps of people in it



Oh god, forgot about that one. My Grandpa made me watch it when I was younger, I love him for it.


----------



## Nights_Blood (Jun 9, 2010)

A few off the top of my head.


Blade Runner - Stunning imagery, especially for the 80's. It's sci-fi with a Film Noir feel, which sounds impossible until you watch it.

Clash of the Titans (original) - As long as you don't go in expecting big budget effects, this movie FEELS like an epic journey.

Miracle at St. Anna - I feel like this movie fell by the wayside, since it came out around the time the Hurt Locker did. It won't be noted like Saving Private Ryan, but packs just as much emotion, if a different kind.

Rosemary's Baby - You think it won't creep you out just because it's from the 60's? No cheap scares here, just the notion that the little old lady next door could be part of a cult ready to baptize your newborn child in the name of Satan.

Not an "all-time" best movie by any means, but I actually think Silent Hill kicks the shit out of a lot of horror movies of the last 20 years, not to mention every other movie based on a survival-horror game.

Pan's Labyrinth


----------



## stryker1800 (Jun 20, 2010)

Cannibal Holocaust- very gritty movie, some extremely disturbing scenes, best part is most of it is quite possibly real, none of the people in the movie have been seen since like '75 when they left for south america. I personally think its real but thats just me.

Hellraiser- it's just a horror classic

Silence of the lamb- need i say more?


----------



## CrushingAnvil (Jun 20, 2010)

Heavy Metal 2001

Kidding, I haven't seen it, only the first part on youtube 

Star Wars IV, V and VI - Seriously?...fuck your 'why'.

Jurassic Park I, II and III - Again...fuck yeah.

Spaceballs - Again again...you know it rules.

Independence Day - ...It has Lonestar in it 

Too many to name really...those are my all time favorites though.


----------



## pink freud (Jun 21, 2010)

The Fountain. To me the film transcends "movie" and is actual "art."


----------



## Explorer (Jun 21, 2010)

Since someone mentioned the second "Heavy Metal" movie...
 
The first "Heavy Metal" movie was made because of the huge interest in "Heavy Metal/Métal Hurlant (French for "Howling Metal")," an adult graphic/comic magazine. There were a lot of cultural reverberations from that magazine, including the artist Jean Giraud (AKA Moebius), who did designs for the films "Blade Runner" and "Alien."

The film "Heavy Metal" also had imagery which directly inspired other productions (including the dystopian future and the flying cars from the "Harry Canyon" sequence, from which "Blade Runner" descended). 

Although it was obviously done on a shoestring, and can't compare with the production values of larger animation houses, "Heavy Metal" is an interesting watch and historical piece. At a time when American animation was considered to be for children, this film, as well as works from Ralph Bakshi, helped push the envelope and took back the medium for adults.

(And, for the curious, even though the second "HM" movie was from a graphic novel from Kevin Eastman (of TMNT fame), and had as a model Julie Strain, his wife at the time, it felt a lot like just an expansion of the story arc of the last segment of the original "HM." Even the animation of the armoring sequence was greatly identical. For me, it didn't seem to set its sights very high....)


----------



## Arminius (Jun 21, 2010)

Taxi Driver - One of those movies where your not quite sure if the main character is a hero or a villain. Beautiful music too.

Reservoir Dogs - Tarantino minus whatever drug he's been on since Kill Bill. I still like Tarantino movies, but this and Pulp Fiction are pretty much my favorites. (Inglorious Basterds isn't bad either.)

Pi - Just a really cool movie. I mean, it's got a Jewish number theory cult in it.

Secret Window. - Johnny Depp drives a Cherokee.


----------



## Skyblue (Jun 22, 2010)

Well aside from the already mentioned Fight Club, The Dark Knight, Pulp Fiction and so on- 

American History X- Edward Norton, and a fucking powerful movie. 

The Pianist- I dunno, might not be a special movie, but it really got me. 

Monty Python and The Holy Grail- "It's a flesh wound" best comedy ever 

Life Of Brian- same as above 


Err I could I had another one, forgot it lol.


----------



## PnKnG (Jun 24, 2010)

The Boondock Saints - Rocco + Cat, Stupid fucking Rope and the Ending scene, nuff said


----------



## Xaios (Jun 25, 2010)

Hot Fuzz - Simon Pegg and Nick Frost are brilliant together, and Edgar Wright is awesome at parodies. Not only is it a fantastic parody, but, like all great parodies, it works as a strong representation of the things its parodying as well, this time being buddy cop movies. Also, the movie had some moments of real seriousness, like when the top cop in the town is revealing to Nick Angel the true motivations for the killings, and when Danny stabs Nick. Not to mention, top notch action too. 

Pan's Labyrinth - Brilliant movie, beautiful story. Plus, it's Guillermo Del Toro, everything he touches is fantastic, which brings me to...

Hellboy II - I actually didn't really like the first Hellboy movie, and I know that Hellboy and occult themes are pretty intertwined, but I REALLY enjoyed the movement to a more fantasy based theme. The scene with Red and Abe singing love songs while drunk was absolutely hilarious, and that Prince Nuada was a much more interesting villain than Rasputin was in the first movie, nuanced and tragic, not evil and one-dimensional. Couldn't help feel bad for Abe, as well, when his love interest sacrificed herself. I do kinda wish, though, that they'd stuck with David Hyde Pierce's voice for Abe, instead of going with Doug Jones' real voice. It seemed to fit better. And I also really enjoyed Seth McFarlane as Johann Krause. And the opening scene with the battling marionettes was really well done.

Wanted - Awesome, awesome, AWESOME action sequences. I really enjoyed James McAvoy in this movie as well. It's really funny in spots too.

Pretty much any Pixar movie. I love them all, even Cars.

Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country - Even though I loved the most recent Star Trek movie, this one will always be my favorite. I thought the Cold War scenario was really well done. It was great to see Captain Kirk in a roll where he comes out of the movie truly changed, and is really deeply flawed in his prejudice as opposed to the normal brash and reckless that he's always been otherwise. And the moment in the climactic battle sequence in which he stands, pumps his fist and says "Fire!" with that look on his face is the greatest display of Shatnerian gusto ever seen. Christopher Plummer was also brilliant as General Chang, I think I enjoyed him as a villain even more than Ricardo Montalban as Khan in Star Trek II. The acting in this movie was better than any other Star Trek movie, it had the most realistic ring to it. It was the perfect send off, and Kirk's monologue at the end of the movie was just great. And, of course, you have not experienced Shakespeare until you have read him in the original Klingon. 

Star Trek II: The Wrath of KHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNN!!!


----------



## Scar Symmetry (Jun 25, 2010)

Gladiator: needs no justification.

Basic: wait? what? oh, awesome!

No Country For Old Men: see 'why' for Gladiator.

The Fountain: an average story told in a fantastic way.

Vanilla Sky: it touches me on a very personal level in a way that no other film can.


----------



## vampiregenocide (Jun 25, 2010)

Scar Symmetry said:


> No Country For Old Men: see 'why' for Gladiator.
> 
> Vanilla Sky: it touches me on a very personal level in a way that no other film can.


 
I loved No Country For Old Men but I felt the ending was a bit too abrupt, left me feeling like I was missing something.

Vanilla Sky is epic, I watched that recently all the way through for the first time and had no idea how it ended. Complete mindfuck.


----------



## Scar Symmetry (Jun 25, 2010)

The thing about NCFOM is that they kept it absolutely true to the book, so that ending was the appropriate ending, and really if you go away and think about it, it ties up the film nicely.

Vanilla Sky is hard to watch sometimes, watching it can strike a few too many nerves, but for the very same reason I love it because I can connect with it on a deeply profound level.


----------



## vampiregenocide (Jun 25, 2010)

Scar Symmetry said:


> The thing about NCFOM is that they kept it absolutely true to the book, so that ending was the appropriate ending, and really if you go away and think about it, it ties up the film nicely.
> 
> Vanilla Sky is hard to watch sometimes, watching it can strike a few too many nerves, but for the very same reason I love it because I can connect with it on a deeply profound level.


 
Yeah, I just get the feeling it might've been possible to film it better, or at least to have it build up so it feels like an ending, instead of being so anti-climatic. Maybe I should read the book and compare them.

I get what you mean, its a deep film. Made me respect Tom Cruise a lot more as an actor.


----------



## Vairocarnal (Jun 26, 2010)

Nights_Blood said:


> A few off the top of my head.
> 
> 
> Blade Runner - Stunning imagery, especially for the 80's. It's sci-fi with a Film Noir feel, which sounds impossible until you watch it.
> ...



I was going to post my  but this guy already did. With the exception of Pi and Army of Darkness. Bruce Campbell=King Midas...Pure Gold.

Pi was the first movie that actually helped me realize important facets of myself and that the Icarus metaphor applies to thought as well as drugs and boundary pushing in general...eventually it pushes back. Hard.

Rosemary's Baby because I've had some "similar" experiences with cults so it relates to real life...in a way. Not that extreme but similar, symbolically.


----------



## josh pelican (Jul 2, 2010)

Zombie Holocaust. Need I say more?

Any Troma film.

EDIT: When I was younger, I tried watching Pi as well as Cube/Cube II on acid... NOT A GOOD EXPERIENCE.


----------

