These are a few of my favorite things...
Films I Adore 101
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- DirectorIrvin KershnerStarsMark HamillHarrison FordCarrie FisherAfter the Rebel Alliance are overpowered by the Empire, Luke Skywalker begins his Jedi training with Yoda, while his friends are pursued across the galaxy by Darth Vader and bounty hunter Boba Fett.Quite possibly my all-time #1 favorite film! The strongest of the three, IMO. Re: The Triology, as Joseph Campbell has said, Star Wars is our new mythology. For multiple generations now it has provided those goal posts on the proper form of existence (power vs compassion, ego vs id, the will of the state vs the will of the soul) ...something we lost in abandoning our old mythologies. Star Wars provided a spiritual awakening and affirmation that 19th & 20th century religion failed to convey to it's pupils. Thank you, George! To quote Joseph, "God is an intelligible sphere, let's say a sphere known to the mind and not to the senses, whose center is everywhere & circumference is nowhere, and that center is right where you are sitting, and the other is right where I am sitting and each of us is a manifestation of that mystery." May the force be with you ;)
- DirectorDavid LynchStarsNaomi WattsLaura HarringJustin TherouxAfter a car wreck on Mulholland Drive renders a woman amnesiac, she and a Hollywood-hopeful search for clues and answers across Los Angeles in a twisting venture beyond dreams and reality.My favorite David Lynch film. This is not only Naomi Watts breakthrough Oscar worthy performance as an artist, but possibly one of THE BEST acted performances in all of cinema period. The camera LOVES her and her performance is simply golden. You can't get closer to perfection in this art as Naomi did in Mulholland Dr. A perfect example of an artist who's found their passion and embodies it 100%
- DirectorJim HensonFrank OzStarsJim HensonKathryn MullenFrank OzOn another planet in the distant past, a Gelfling embarks on a quest to find the missing shard of a magical crystal, and to restore order to his world.My favorite piece of Jim Henson art & one of my top favorite films of all time!
- DirectorGodfrey ReggioStarsEdward AsnerPat BenatarJerry BrownA collection of expertly photographed phenomena with no conventional plot. The footage focuses on the relationship between nature, humanity, and technology.WOW. A collaboration of extremely talented artists converged on a project and the final result is this magnificent work! This thing transcends the label of "film" & resides in a stature that I believe is worthy of being one of the most important products of man in this period of history.
- DirectorDavid CronenbergStarsJude LawJennifer Jason LeighIan HolmA game designer on the run from assassins must play her latest virtual reality creation with a marketing trainee to determine if the game has been damaged.Mind candy at it's finest! IMO the schizophrenic nature of the characters, the disillusionment the viewer feels as they consciously discern game character dialog from reality, the brooding dystopian atmosphere, & the subtle textures of the sets are far far more trippy than any lacking-substance-CGI-fest (ala The Matrix). Plus, Jennifer Jason Leigh is one of those actresses I can watch for hours & never tire of the charisma she exudes nor the joy of simply being here to experience this art.
- DirectorMartin ScorseseStarsWillem DafoeHarvey KeitelBarbara HersheyThe life of Jesus Christ, his journey through life as he faces the struggles all humans do, and his final temptation on the cross.IMO Martin Scorsese's magnum opus, enough said.
- DirectorDarren AronofskyStarsEllen BurstynJared LetoJennifer ConnellyThe drug-induced utopias of four Coney Island people are shattered when their addictions run deep..Although I've enjoyed everything Darren Aronofsky has done to date, this film has always spoken to me on so many levels. Up there in my top 10 list. The Fountain is arguably a "better" film, but I feel more viewers can relate to the cultural imminence of Requiem VS the existentialism of The Fountain.
- DirectorSofia CoppolaStarsKirsten DunstJosh HartnettJames WoodsA group of male friends become obsessed with five mysterious sisters who are sheltered by their strict, religious parents in suburban Detroit in the mid 1970s.Another film that goes straight to my soul. I get it ... and it gets me, every single time.
- DirectorDavid LynchStarsSheryl LeeRay WiseMädchen AmickLaura Palmer's harrowing final days are chronicled one year after the murder of Teresa Banks, a resident of Twin Peaks' neighboring town.Yeah, critics hate it but this "prequel series finale" is one of those films that I have watched & will continue to watch over & over & over again, and appreciate it as it's own piece of art and not the beginning or end of anything. 8)
- DirectorOliver StoneStarsVal KilmerMeg RyanKyle MacLachlanThe story of the famous and influential 1960s rock band The Doors and its lead singer and composer, Jim Morrison, from his days as a UCLA film student in Los Angeles, to his untimely death in Paris, France at age 27 in 1971.Val Kilmer completely embodies Jim Morrison. One of my favorite bands & one of my favorite movies, they both sparked my love affair with 60s counter culture!
- DirectorMark RobsonStarsBarbara ParkinsPatty DukePaul BurkeFilm version of Jacqueline Susann's best-selling novel chronicling the rise and fall of three young women in show business.I absolutely ADORE this cult classic! "I have to get up at five o'clock in the morning and SPARKLE, Neely, SPARKLE!"
- DirectorAlan ParkerStarsBob GeldofChristine HargreavesJames LaurensonA confined but troubled rock star descends into madness in the midst of his physical and social isolation from everyone.Psychedelic introspection at it's best.
- DirectorJonas ÅkerlundStarsJason SchwartzmanJohn LeguizamoPatrick FugitA drug dealer introduces one of his customers, a 'speed freak', to the man who runs the meth lab. A crazy three-day adventure ensues.Another counter culture favorite chock full of amazing performances & shot through the eyes of a tweaker. Not only is it outrageously entertaining, there is also so much truth & reality laced in this gem that bleeds through on repeated viewings.
- DirectorPeter JacksonStarsMelanie LynskeyKate WinsletSarah PeirseTwo teenage girls share a unique bond; their parents, concerned that the friendship is too intense, separate them, and the girls take revenge.IMO, Peter Jackson's finest.
- DirectorRichard KellyStarsJake GyllenhaalJena MaloneMary McDonnellAfter narrowly escaping a bizarre accident, a troubled teenager is plagued by visions of a man in a large rabbit suit who manipulates him to commit a series of crimes.A moment in time that I've watched a million times and will watch a million more.
- DirectorAdrian MabenStarsDavid GilmourRoger WatersRichard WrightLive versions of the songs, filmed in an old Pompeii amphitheater. Songs included are Echoes (split into 2 parts), Careful with that axe, Eugene, A saucerful of secrets, One of those days, Set the controls for the heart of the sun, Mademoiselle nobbs (Seamus, but with Rick's dog on vocals). "Careful" and "Set the controls" are shot at night with minimal lighting, setting a beautiful mood. And the live Saucerful just has to be seen, with Waters jumping around in the sunlight banging the huge gong. The 80-minute version features studio footage from the recordings of Dark side of the Moon, with alternate versions of Us and them, On the run and Brain Damage, as well as interviews with the band.EpiC ... That amazing natural amphitheater experience (which we now associate with places like Red Rocks) right around their creative peak ... Mind BL0WiNG
- DirectorDarren AronofskyStarsHugh JackmanRachel WeiszSean Patrick ThomasAs a modern-day scientist, Tommy is struggling with mortality, desperately searching for the medical breakthrough that will save the life of his cancer-stricken wife, Izzi.Although I've seen the film many times, I still do not think I made it through one entire continuous viewing. And that is SUCH a high compliment! I always find my brain over stimulated & pausing to read up on biotech or contemplate Xibalba. Or rolling around in the beauty & agony of the pain that is love. These performances are FTW! Poetry on the importance of impermanence.
- DirectorTerry HughesStarsAngela LansburyGeorge HearnCris GroenendaalBarber Sweeney Todd returns to London to uncover the past, along the way meeting pie shop owner Mrs. Nellie Lovett, and begins to start his life of crime.The George Hearn / Angela Lansbury classic shot on stage. A masterpiece that helped launch my passion for theatre!
- DirectorTerry GilliamStarsJohnny DeppBenicio Del ToroTobey MaguireAn oddball journalist and his psychopathic lawyer travel to Las Vegas for a series of psychedelic escapades."We can't stop here, this is bat country!" ;P
- DirectorBob RafelsonStarsPeter TorkDavy JonesMicky DolenzThe Monkees frolic their way through a series of musical set pieces and vignettes containing surreal humor and anti-establishment social commentary.A "must see" for any spunion! Witty, psychedelic & co-written by Jack Nicholson
- 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.The Dude Abides
- DirectorPaul Thomas AndersonStarsMark WahlbergJulianne MooreBurt ReynoldsBack when sex was safe, pleasure was a business and business was booming, an idealistic porn producer aspires to elevate his craft to an art when he discovers a hot young talent.This film is *SOOO* much fun! Love it! The yayo scene between Julianne Moore & Heather Graham is to die for 8D
- DirectorJaco Van DormaelStarsJared LetoSarah PolleyDiane KrugerA boy stands on a station platform as a train is about to leave. Should he go with his mother or stay with his father? Infinite possibilities arise from this decision. As long as he doesn't choose, anything is possible.When I 1st screened this back in 2009, I remember going into it dismissively. "Hmmm, pretentious art house dribble. Just more hipsters w/all of time & too much $ doing another 'The Science of Sleep'" and I let it play ever so slightly in the peripheral while I multitasked. Then somewhere around the tract "Daydream" this thing just bit me like a rabid animal. Having seen it at least half a dozen times now, I can say it's got me hook, line & sinker. Theoretical quantum physics, eternal love, contentment with no fear, I mean what else can I say?
- DirectorPeter WeirStarsRachel RobertsAnne-Louise LambertVivean GrayDuring a rural summer picnic, a few students and a teacher from an Australian girls' school vanish without a trace. Their absence frustrates and haunts the people left behind.if someone said turn the word "yearning" into a 2hr film. here it is
- DirectorAdrian LyneStarsTim RobbinsElizabeth PeñaDanny AielloMourning his dead child, a haunted Vietnam War veteran attempts to uncover his past while suffering from a severe case of dissociation. To do so, he must decipher reality and life from his own dreams, delusions, and perceptions of death.Scary, psychedelic, & ultimately enlightening. This MK-Ultra-esque tale has kept me fascinated for over two decades!
- DirectorRichard LinklaterStarsJason LondonWiley WigginsMatthew McConaugheyThe adventures of high school and junior high students on the last day of school in May 1976.This teenage wasteland truly does define a generation.
- DirectorGoran DukicStarsPatrick FugitShea WhighamTom WaitsA film set in a strange afterlife way station that has been reserved for people who have committed suicide.A surreal little gem that often gets overlooked.
- DirectorChristopher GuestStarsFred WillardEugene LevyCatherine O'HaraA behind-the-scenes look into the highly competitive and cut-throat world of dog shows through the eyes of a group of ruthless dog owners.My favorite mockumentary. Absolutely hilarious!
- DirectorSam RaimiStarsBruce CampbellEmbeth DavidtzMarcus GilbertWhen Ash Williams is accidentally transported to 1300 A.D., he must retrieve the Necronomicon and battle an army of the dead in order to return home."Name's Ash, Housewares!" 8D
- 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.Terry Gilliam has a few films in this list, but this classic from the British comedy troupe is one of the best comedies ever put on film IMO! These guys act their arses off in just about everything they've done.
- DirectorCameron CroweStarsBilly CrudupPatrick FugitKate HudsonA high-school boy in the early 1970s is given the chance to write a story for Rolling Stone magazine about an up-and-coming rock band as he accompanies them on their concert tour.Having followed PHiSH around the country for a decade or so I can somehow relate to this film ... ;P
- DirectorTomas AlfredsonStarsKåre HedebrantLina LeanderssonPer RagnarOskar, an overlooked and bullied boy, finds love and revenge through Eli, a beautiful but peculiar girl.IMO the best vampire film ever.
- DirectorJames CameronStarsSigourney WeaverMichael BiehnCarrie HennDecades after surviving the Nostromo incident, Ellen Ripley is sent out to re-establish contact with a terraforming colony but finds herself battling the Alien Queen and her offspring.One of those films that consumed my adolescence. Both scary & simply f'n cool!
- DirectorClyde GeronimiWilfred JacksonHamilton LuskeStarsKathryn BeaumontEd WynnRichard HaydnAlice stumbles into the world of Wonderland. Will she get home? Not if the Queen of Hearts has her way.This film always puts a cheshire smile on the spunion inside me! 8D
- DirectorKatsuhiro ÔtomoStarsMitsuo IwataNozomu SasakiMami KoyamaA secret military project endangers Neo-Tokyo when it turns a biker gang member into a rampaging psychic psychopath who can only be stopped by a teenager, his gang of biker friends and a group of psychics.Complex & visually stunning. My favorite piece of anime!
- DirectorJim HensonStarsJerry NelsonFrank OzMarilyn SokolA poor otter family risks everything for the chance to win the cash prize of a talent contest for Christmas.THE BEST CHRISTMAS SPECIAL EVER! One of Jim Henson's finest.
- DirectorAndrei TarkovskyStarsNatalya BondarchukDonatas BanionisJüri JärvetA psychologist is sent to a station orbiting a distant planet in order to discover what has caused the crew to go insane.Definitely not casual viewing, but if you can put in the time I guarantee your brain is in for a treat!
- DirectorNeil JordanStarsSarah PattersonAngela LansburyDavid WarnerA teenage girl in a country manor falls asleep while reading a magazine, and has a disturbing dream involving wolves prowling the woods below her bedroom window.My favorite werewolf film!
- DirectorTerry GilliamStarsJonathan PryceKim GreistRobert De NiroA bureaucrat in a dystopic society becomes an enemy of the state as he pursues the woman of his dreams.The Criterion Collection treatment of this Gilliam film is a must own!
- DirectorDario ArgentoStarsJessica HarperStefania CasiniFlavio BucciAn American newcomer to a prestigious German ballet academy comes to realize that the school is a front for something sinister amid a series of grisly murders.My favorite Dario Argento film. Absolutely love the color saturation!
- DirectorJohn FawcettStarsEmily PerkinsKatharine IsabelleKris LemcheTwo death-obsessed sisters, outcasts in their suburban neighborhood, must deal with the tragic consequences when one of them is bitten by a deadly werewolf.Possibly my 2nd favorite werewolf film. I like the whole trilogy, but the first was the best.
- DirectorJohn CarpenterStarsSam NeillJürgen ProchnowJulie CarmenAn insurance investigator begins discovering that the impact a horror writer's books have on his fans is more than inspirational.One of my favorite John Carpenter films! A trippy little horror film with a touch of H.P. Lovecraft.
- DirectorRobin HardyStarsEdward WoodwardChristopher LeeDiane CilentoA puritan police sergeant arrives in a Scottish island village in search of a missing girl, who the pagan locals claim never existed.A cult classic! Enough said...
- DirectorLuc BessonStarsJean RenoGary OldmanNatalie Portman12-year-old Mathilda is reluctantly taken in by Léon, a professional assassin, after her family is murdered. An unusual relationship forms as she becomes his protégée and learns the assassin's trade.Natalie Portman will never top her performance in this film. One of the first import DVDs I ever owned.
- DirectorSergio LeoneStarsClint EastwoodEli WallachLee Van CleefA bounty hunting scam joins two men in an uneasy alliance against a third in a race to find a fortune in gold buried in a remote cemetery.Sergio Leone, need I say more?
- DirectorRidley ScottStarsHarrison FordRutger HauerSean YoungA blade runner must pursue and terminate four replicants who stole a ship in space and have returned to Earth to find their creator.The film that defined cyberpunk!
- DirectorStanley KubrickStarsMalcolm McDowellPatrick MageeMichael BatesIn the future, a sadistic gang leader is imprisoned and volunteers for a conduct-aversion experiment, but it doesn't go as planned.I love all things Stanley Kubrick, but this one has had the most impact on me.
- DirectorJohn CarpenterStarsKurt RussellWilford BrimleyKeith DavidA research team in Antarctica is hunted by a shape-shifting alien that assumes the appearance of its victims.One of the only movies to ever actually scare me as a kid!
- DirectorRidley ScottStarsTom CruiseMia SaraTim CurryA young man must stop the Lord of Darkness from destroying daylight and marrying the woman he loves.Tim Curry is the coolest "devil" ever in this epic Ridley Scott fantasy!
- DirectorMel StuartStarsGene WilderJack AlbertsonPeter OstrumA poor but hopeful boy seeks one of the five coveted golden tickets that will send him on a tour of Willy Wonka's mysterious chocolate factory.This trippy classic contains some of the most quotable lines of dialog in all of cinematic history IMO!
- DirectorSean EllisStarsSean BiggerstaffEmilia FoxStuart GoodwinBen is an art college student in London, whose imagination runs wild as he works the late-night shift at the local supermarket. What do he and his colleagues do to pass the long, endless hours of the night?Anybody who has ever attempted to master the art of retail needs to see this short. A feature length film was later made, but stick to this original short film, it was near perfect & IMO did not need extrapolated upon.
- DirectorOliver StoneStarsWoody HarrelsonJuliette LewisTom SizemoreTwo victims of traumatized childhoods become lovers and psychopathic serial murderers irresponsibly glorified by the mass media.A lot of people didn't get this film, and for that I feel sorry for them.
- DirectorTarsem SinghStarsLee PaceCatinca UntaruJustine WaddellIn 1920s Los Angeles, a bedridden patient in a hospital captivates a young girl with a fantastic tale of heroes, myths, and villains on a desert island.This Tarsem film melted my f'n face off!
- DirectorDennis HopperStarsPeter FondaDennis HopperJack NicholsonTwo bikers head from L.A. to New Orleans through the open country and desert lands, and along the way they meet a man who bridges a counter-culture gap of which they had been unaware.Another classic that defines it's decade.
- DirectorRichard LinklaterStarsEthan HawkeTrevor Jack BrooksLorelei LinklaterA man shuffles through a dream meeting various people and discussing the meanings and purposes of the universe.The first time I saw this it blew my mind. And it stands up to repeat viewings, so it made this list.
- DirectorRoger AvaryStarsEric StoltzJulie DelpyMartin RaymondThe cab driver sets American Zed up with Zoe in his Paris hotel. Despite FFR1000 charged, she's an art student with day jobs e.g. bank. Safecracker Zed meets his junkie friend after 11 years to rob a bank.Drugs, a bank heist, & Julie Delpy naked! How can you not love this film?!
- DirectorTony RandelStarsDoug BradleyAshley LaurenceClare HigginsKirsty is brought to an institution after the horrible events of Hellraiser (1987), where the occult-obsessive head doctor resurrects Julia and unleashes the Cenobites and their demonic underworld.My favorite in the series & one my favorite horror films. "Time to play."
- DirectorJoe DanteStarsDee WallacePatrick MacneeDennis DuganAfter a bizarre and near deadly encounter with a serial killer, a television newswoman is sent to a remote mountain resort whose residents may not be what they seem.Another great horror film that sparked my imagination & really got me interested in the art of special effects as a kid.
- DirectorJoe DanteStarsZach GalliganPhoebe CatesHoyt AxtonA young man inadvertently breaks three important rules concerning his new pet and unleashes a horde of malevolently mischievous monsters on a small town.8D
- DirectorHarold RamisStarsChevy ChaseBeverly D'AngeloImogene CocaThe Griswold family's cross-country drive to the Walley World theme park proves to be much more arduous than they ever anticipated.Ahhh, the Griswolds!
- DirectorWes CravenStarsHeather LangenkampJohnny DeppRobert EnglundTeenager Nancy Thompson must uncover the dark truth concealed by her parents after she and her friends become targets of the spirit of a serial killer with a bladed glove in their dreams, in which if they die, it kills them in real life.Up there in my top 5 horror films!
- 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.Another great piece of cinema I find myself watching 2+ times a year. The perfect segue between fall & winter.
- DirectorAllison AndersAlexandre RockwellRobert RodriguezStarsTim RothAntonio BanderasSammi DavisFour interlocking tales that take place in a fading hotel on New Year's Eve.I absolutely love this anthology of interwoven tales.
- DirectorJohn HendersonStarsKate BeckinsaleCharlotte CurleyPenelope WiltonAlice visits the magical kingdom on the other side of the looking glass.Kate Beckinsale all tripped out! My favorite take on the Lewis Carroll tale.
- 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.My 2nd favorite Martin Scorsese film.
- DirectorSam RaimiStarsBruce CampbellSarah BerryDan HicksAsh Williams, the lone survivor of an earlier onslaught of flesh-possessing spirits, holes up in a cabin with a group of strangers while the demons continue their attack.One of my favorite horror films & my favorite Sam Raimi film!
- DirectorJames MangoldStarsWinona RyderAngelina JolieClea DuVallA directionless teenager, Susanna, is rushed to Claymoore, a mental institution, after a supposed suicide attempt. There, she befriends a group of troubled women who deeply influence her life.Ok, so not 1 of my favs, but I worked on location in PA, and any endeavor that *PAYS* me to chill with Angelina, Winona, & Brittany all in one go has got to make the list. Thank you Columbia Pics, it was a blast!
- DirectorDarren AronofskyStarsJennifer LawrenceJavier BardemEd HarrisA couple's relationship is tested when uninvited guests arrive at their home, disrupting their tranquil existence.