30 Personal Favorites
A list of some of my all-time favorite films, more or less in order (from favorites to least favorites). Mind you, I still have a lot of movies on my watch list...
Some honorable mentions - Doubt, The Lion King, Back to the Future, The Road, The Dark Knight, The Terminal, Gangs of New York, Shutter Island.
Updated on October 2011 - Added some films I recently watched and slightly changed the order. Also, wrote comment for There Will Be Blood. I might do the same for the rest later on.
Updated on November 2011 - Added some recently watched films and wrote comments for various other entries. I plan to gradually add comments for all 30.
Some honorable mentions - Doubt, The Lion King, Back to the Future, The Road, The Dark Knight, The Terminal, Gangs of New York, Shutter Island.
Updated on October 2011 - Added some films I recently watched and slightly changed the order. Also, wrote comment for There Will Be Blood. I might do the same for the rest later on.
Updated on November 2011 - Added some recently watched films and wrote comments for various other entries. I plan to gradually add comments for all 30.
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30 titles
- DirectorPeter JacksonStarsElijah WoodViggo MortensenIan McKellenGandalf and Aragorn lead the World of Men against Sauron's army to draw his gaze from Frodo and Sam as they approach Mount Doom with the One Ring.It seems rather unfair not to group this trilogy under a single title, seeing as how the films play out with flawless continuity as it develops into the epic 10-hour experience it is. But it would also be impossible to choose a single part of the saga to headline this list. As it stands, this film is an epic conclusion to one of the best trilogies of all time.
- DirectorPeter JacksonStarsElijah WoodIan McKellenViggo MortensenWhile Frodo and Sam edge closer to Mordor with the help of the shifty Gollum, the divided fellowship makes a stand against Sauron's new ally, Saruman, and his hordes of Isengard.Transliterating Tolkien's gift for complex storytelling, Jackson and crew gradually weave the masterpiece that, in my opinion, goes above and beyond its source material.
- DirectorPeter JacksonStarsElijah WoodIan McKellenOrlando BloomA meek Hobbit from the Shire and eight companions set out on a journey to destroy the powerful One Ring and save Middle-earth from the Dark Lord Sauron.The start of the epic trilogy that shook the very foundations of modern cinema.
- DirectorFrancis LawrenceStarsWill SmithAlice BragaCharlie TahanYears after a plague kills most of humanity and transforms the rest into monsters, the sole survivor in New York City struggles valiantly to find a cure.This film features a great setting and smart storytelling, but it's Will Smith who, giving us one of the best performances in cinematic history, assures this film's position in my top 10.
- DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsLiam NeesonRalph FiennesBen KingsleyIn German-occupied Poland during World War II, industrialist Oskar Schindler gradually becomes concerned for his Jewish workforce after witnessing their persecution by the Nazis.Featuring awe-inspiring performances by both Neeson and Fiennes, this is one of the most emotionally resonant masterpieces out there.
- DirectorTom HooperStarsColin FirthGeoffrey RushHelena Bonham CarterThe story of King George VI, his unexpected ascension to the throne of the British Empire in 1936, and the speech therapist who helped the unsure monarch overcome his stammer.Inspiring and witty while retaining an admirable simplicity, Firth, Bonham-Carter and Rush lead this gripping drama that's both surprisingly light and incredibly well-crafted.
- DirectorRidley ScottStarsRussell CroweJoaquin PhoenixConnie NielsenA former Roman General sets out to exact vengeance against the corrupt emperor who murdered his family and sent him into slavery.Crowe and Phoenix construct an awesome antagonism, and the film weaves an epic story of revenge and power while taking care to give every aspect of the film - setting, character development, etcetera - just the time it is due.
- DirectorDarren AronofskyStarsNatalie PortmanMila KunisVincent CasselNina is a talented but unstable ballerina on the verge of stardom. Pushed to the breaking point by her artistic director and a seductive rival, Nina's grip on reality slips, plunging her into a waking nightmare.A gripping paranoia ride that redefines the very concept of a psychological thriller. Led by Natalie Portman, the film maintains a level of grace and elegance that clashes brilliantly with its chaotic nature.
- DirectorChristopher NolanStarsChristian BaleMichael CaineKen WatanabeAfter witnessing his parents' death, Bruce learns the art of fighting to confront injustice. When he returns to Gotham as Batman, he must stop a secret society that intends to destroy the city.The very epitome of superhero films, with a spotless script led by an all-star cast with incredible dynamism, and which impresses even considering the standards they've set as actors in previous films. I cannot recommend this film enough, as I've probably watched it more times than it's considered healthy to spend on anything.
- DirectorPaul Thomas AndersonStarsDaniel Day-LewisPaul DanoCiarán HindsA story of family, religion, hatred, oil and madness, focusing on a turn-of-the-century prospector in the early days of the business.Though it doesn't appear as my top film, if I were to pinpoint a movie I would describe as "perfect" it would be this one. I can't find a single flaw in it: every scene is an incredible masterpiece, and Daniel Day-Lewis gives us one of the best acting feats in cinematic history, while the cast at large shines bright.
- DirectorJames McTeigueStarsHugo WeavingNatalie PortmanRupert GravesIn a future British dystopian society, a shadowy freedom fighter, known only by the alias of "V", plots to overthrow the tyrannical government - with the help of a young woman.The ultimate revolutionary film, intelligent and fraught with beautiful symbolism and layers upon layers of sociological commentary in true Wachowskian fashion.
- DirectorRodrigo CortésStarsRyan ReynoldsJosé Luis García-PérezRobert PatersonPaul is a U.S. truck driver working in Iraq. After an attack by a group of Iraqis he wakes to find he is buried alive inside a coffin. With only a lighter and a cell phone it's a race against time to escape this claustrophobic death trap.Claustrophobic, mesmerizing and thrilling, Buried is a hell of a debut for director Rodrigo Cortés and solid proof that (though he doesn't seem to want to show it often) Ryan Reynolds is a great actor.
- DirectorDavid FincherStarsMorgan FreemanBrad PittKevin SpaceyTwo detectives, a rookie and a veteran, hunt a serial killer who uses the seven deadly sins as his motives.A film that redefines the detective genre and provides in two hours the intrigue, suspense and character development that most novels can't achieve in hundreds of pages. Pitt, Freeman and Spacey are at their absolute best, and the ending will leave you astounded.
- DirectorSam MendesStarsKevin SpaceyAnnette BeningThora BirchA sexually frustrated suburban father has a mid-life crisis after becoming infatuated with his daughter's best friend.Led by a riveting performance by Spacey and an honest and realistic supporting cast, American Beauty paints a powerful picture of modern social and family life and the multiplicity of facades involved in its webbing. Its light-hearted tone suitably clashes with its thematic richness, weaving a story that is ultimately a genuinely unforgettable experience.
- DirectorTim BurtonStarsJohnny DeppHelena Bonham CarterAlan RickmanThe legendary tale of a barber who returns from wrongful imprisonment to 1840s London, bent on revenge for the rape and death of his wife, and resumes his trade while forming a sinister partnership with his fellow tenant, Mrs. Lovett.Gruesome in every possible way, Sweeney Todd is my guilty pleasure. Though the violence and bloodshed is certainly emphasized, it is not glorified, but rather used to tell a gripping tale of revenge, obsession, insanity, and the consequences entailed. The film provokes a somewhat ironic myriad of emotions weaved through the variety of catchy, memorable songs.
- 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.
- DirectorPete DocterBob PetersonStarsEdward AsnerJordan NagaiJohn Ratzenberger78-year-old Carl Fredricksen travels to Paradise Falls in his house equipped with balloons, inadvertently taking a young stowaway.
- DirectorChristopher NolanStarsChristian BaleHugh JackmanScarlett JohanssonAfter a tragic accident, two stage magicians in 1890s London engage in a battle to create the ultimate illusion while sacrificing everything they have to outwit each other.
- DirectorRobert ZemeckisStarsTom HanksRobin WrightGary SiniseThe history of the United States from the 1950s to the '70s unfolds from the perspective of an Alabama man with an IQ of 75, who yearns to be reunited with his childhood sweetheart.
- 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.
- DirectorJames CameronStarsLeonardo DiCaprioKate WinsletBilly ZaneA seventeen-year-old aristocrat falls in love with a kind but poor artist aboard the luxurious, ill-fated R.M.S. Titanic.
- DirectorMartin ScorseseStarsLeonardo DiCaprioMatt DamonJack NicholsonAn undercover cop and a mole in the police attempt to identify each other while infiltrating an Irish gang in South Boston.
- DirectorMartin ScorseseStarsRobert De NiroRay LiottaJoe PesciThe story of Henry Hill and his life in the mafia, covering his relationship with his wife Karen and his mob partners Jimmy Conway and Tommy DeVito.
- DirectorMatt ReevesStarsKodi Smit-McPheeChloë Grace MoretzRichard JenkinsA bullied young boy befriends a young female vampire who lives in secrecy with her guardian.
- DirectorStephen J. AndersonDon HallStarsJim CummingsCraig FergusonJohn CleeseWhile searching for honey, Pooh and his friends embark on an adventure to find Eeyore's missing tail and rescue Christopher Robin from an unknown monster called The Backson.I've been a huge Winnie the Pooh fan since I was very young. This film makes the list not just for the sheer nostalgia it evokes, but also for great musical numbers and that surprising innocence and wit that has always drawn me to the 100-Acre-Wood.
- DirectorDavid FincherStarsJesse EisenbergAndrew GarfieldJustin TimberlakeAs Harvard student Mark Zuckerberg creates the social networking site that would become known as Facebook, he is sued by the twins who claimed he stole their idea and by the co-founder who was later squeezed out of the business.
- DirectorClint EastwoodStarsSean PennTim RobbinsKevin BaconThe tragic murder of a 19-year-old girl reunites three childhood friends still living in Boston--the victim's gangster father, a detective, and the disturbed man they both suspect of killing her.
- DirectorMichael MannStarsTom CruiseJamie FoxxJada Pinkett SmithA cab driver finds himself the hostage of an engaging contract killer as he makes his rounds from hit to hit during one night in Los Angeles.
- 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.
- DirectorFrank DarabontStarsTim RobbinsMorgan FreemanBob GuntonOver the course of several years, two convicts form a friendship, seeking consolation and, eventually, redemption through basic compassion.