My Favorite Movies

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  Erdren's Rating My Rating
1
12 Angry Men (Twelve Angry Men) 1957,  Unrated)
12 Angry Men (Twelve Angry Men)
Watch It... to see the greatest of all courtroom dramas; a film more about morality and the Constitution than about any single verdict.

Avoid it... if you are somehow opposed to the sanctity of human life, or if you haven't the attention span to go 90 minutes in a movie without gunshots or explosions.
2
2001: A Space Odyssey 1968,  G)
2001: A Space Odyssey
Watch it... if you miss the days when space was a place of majesty and mystery, where the future of mankinds' destiny among the stars was filled with mysteries both wondrous and incomprehensible.

Avoid it... If you think that science fictions recent replacement of mysterious expanse with hyperdrives and laser guns is a true and genuine improvement.
3
3:10 to Yuma 2007,  R)
4
Alien 1979,  R)
5
American Graffiti 1973,  PG)
6
Apollo 13 1995,  PG)
7
Auto Focus 2002,  PG-13)
Auto Focus
Movies about sex tend to have little point other than to titillate us, but movies about sexuality (as opposed to just sex) can at times provide keen insight, and Auto Focus offers some of the keenest into the ever-growing sickness (and sickness it is) of true sex obsession. It's roots in a true and well documented story give credibility to this account of a man (Bob Crane) and his descent into the dark side of Hollywood during the early days of the pornography industry, and tell in intense and heartbreaking detail the story of a man who went from becoming a church-going father with a family lost his life, his loved ones, his friends, and his happiness in his pursuit of his favorite maxim: "A day without sex is a day wasted."
8
Babel 2006,  R)
Babel
One of the virtues of great movies is that they help us understand people different from us, or comprehend in some ways situations which might otherwise seem incomprehensible. Babel takes this notion a step further, begging our understanding of a cast of characters who are all in their own way trying to do right, our insight into where their prejudices and certainties do more damage then harm, and that understands that sometimes acceptance without understanding is the best course of action; there is, after all, always so much we still don't know.
9
Bambi 1942,  G)
10
Batman Begins 2005,  PG-13)
11
A Beautiful Mind 2001,  PG-13)
12
Beauty and the Beast 1991,  G)
13
Before the Devil Knows You're Dead 2007,  R)
14
Ben-Hur 1959,  G)
15
The Big Heat 1953,  PG)
16
Black Hawk Down 2001,  R)
17
Blade Runner 1982,  R)
18
Bonnie and Clyde 1967,  R)
19
Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan 2006,  R)
20
The Bridge on the River Kwai 1957,  PG)
21
Broken Flowers 2005,  R)
22
Capote 2005,  R)
23
Casablanca 1942,  PG)
24
Casino Royale 2006,  PG-13)
25
Children of Men 2006,  R)
26
Chinatown 1974,  R)
27
Cidade de Deus (City of God) 2002,  R)
28
A Christmas Story 1983,  PG)
29
Close Encounters of the Third Kind 1977,  PG)
30
Closer 2004,  R)
31
Crash 2005,  R)
32
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (Wo hu cang long) 2003,  PG-13)
33
The Dark Knight 2008,  PG-13)
34
Dead Again 1991,  R)
35
Dead Man Walking 1995,  R)
36
The Departed 2006,  R)
37
The Descent 2005,  R)
38
Double Indemnity 1944,  Unrated)
39
Dr. Strangelove Or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb 1964,  PG)
40
Driving Miss Daisy 1989,  PG)
41
Eastern Promises 2007,  R)
42
E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial 1982,  PG)
43
Falling From Grace 1992,  PG-13)
44
Fantasia 1940,  G)
45
Finding Nemo 2003,  G)
46
Five Easy Pieces 1970,  R)
47
Flags of Our Fathers 2006,  R)
48
The Fog of War - Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara 2003,  PG-13)
49
Forrest Gump 1994,  PG-13)
50
Freedom Writers 2007,  PG-13)
51
Gandhi 1982,  PG)
52
The Golden Compass 2007,  PG-13)
53
Goldfinger 1964,  PG)
54
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (Il Buono, il Brutto, il Cattivo.) 1966,  R)
55
Good Night, And Good Luck 2005,  PG)
56
The Grapes of Wrath 1940,  Unrated)
57
The Great Debaters 2007,  PG-13)
58
The Grey Zone 2001,  R)
59
Groundhog Day 1993,  PG)
60
A Hard Day's Night 1964,  G)
61
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets 2002,  PG)
62
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone 2001,  PG)
63
The Hidden Fortress (kakushi-toride No San-akunin) 1958,  Unrated)
64
Hotel Rwanda 2004,  PG-13)
65
House of Flying Daggers (Shi mian mai fu) 2004,  PG-13)
66
How to Get the Man's Foot Outta Your Ass (Baadasssss!) 2003,  R)
67
The Hunchback of Notre Dame 1996,  G)
68
Ikiru (Doomed) (Living) (To Live) 1952,  PG)
Ikiru (Doomed) (Living) (To Live)
What does it mean to live? This exploration by Akira Kurosawa into what it means to live a meaningful life finds answers in its own execution... few films can inspire someone to change their life, but if one could, that film would be Ikiru.
69
In Cold Blood 1967,  R)
70
An Inconvenient Truth 2006,  PG)
71
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom 1984,  PG)
72
Iron Man 2008,  PG-13)
73
It's a Wonderful Life 1946,  G)
74
Junebug 2005,  R)
75
Juno 2007,  PG-13)
76
The Karate Kid 1984,  PG)
77
Kill Bill: Volume 1 2003,  R)
78
Kill Bill, Volume 2 2004,  R)
79
King Kong 1933,  Unrated)
80
King Kong 2005,  PG-13)
King Kong
Watch it... if you want to see an intimate and thoughtful adventure film that expands upon rather than imitates the original 1933 classic.

Avoid it... if eerily crinkling fur is required for any true Kong epic, or if you expect you might become bored with a film that has more subtext than dialogue.
81
L.A. Story 1991,  PG-13)
82
Letters from Iwo Jima 2006,  R)
83
The Little Mermaid 1989,  G)
84
Lost In Translation 2003,  R)
85
The Madness of King George 1994,  PG-13)
86
The Manchurian Candidate 1962,  PG-13)
87
Marie Antoinette 2006,  PG-13)
88
Mary Poppins 1964,  G)
89
Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World 2003,  PG-13)
90
Matchstick Men 2003,  PG-13)
91
Million Dollar Baby 2004,  PG-13)
92
Minority Report 2002,  PG-13)
Minority Report
Watch it... if you are a fan of science fiction or film noir, as Minority Report is one of the most visionary, morally and psychologically complex, and downright exhilarating films to hit the genre in years.

Avoid it... if you believe that science fiction in film should restrain itself to carefree escapism and mindless space-opera.
93
Miracle on 34th Street 1947,  Unrated)
94
Monty Python and the Holy Grail 1974,  PG)
95
My Fair Lady 1964,  G)
96
Mystic River 2003,  R)
97
The New World 2005,  PG-13)
98
The Night of the Hunter 1955,  PG)
99
North Country 2005,  R)
100
North by Northwest 1959,  Unrated)
101
Northfork 2003,  PG-13)
Northfork
A film of both stark and lush beauty, though the starkness remains mostly on the surface, and the lushness prevails in the depth of its character and meaning as both the town's residents, and the town itself, are drawn through matters of life and death, faith and hope, loss and renewal, and response to final passing.
102
Oliver! 1968,  G)
103
Once 2007,  R)
104
Pan's Labyrinth 2006,  R)
105
The Passion of the Christ 2004,  R)
106
Perfume: The Story of a Murderer 2006,  R)
Perfume: The Story of a Murderer
Probably the most morbid movie I've ever seen, but one that sucks you in and never lets you go. I'm not sure what it is about "Perfume" that pulls me so strongly inward... perhaps its theme of beauty, and the horrendous ends gone to to possess it. But nonetheless, it resounds strongly in the conciousness and in memory, and the power of its storytelling will linger in the air, like a waft of old perfume, long after the credits are rolled and done.
107
Pinocchio 1940,  G)
108
Planes, Trains and Automobiles 1987,  R)
109
The Polar Express 2004,  G)
110
A Prairie Home Companion 2006,  PG-13)
111
Pride and Prejudice 2005,  PG)
112
Princess Mononoke (Mononoke-hime) 1999,  PG-13)
113
The Proposition 2005,  R)
114
The Queen 2006,  PG-13)
115
Raiders of the Lost Ark (Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark) 1981,  PG)
116
Ratatouille 2007,  G)
117
Ray 2004,  PG-13)
118
Rear Window 1954,  PG)
119
Rebecca 1940,  Unrated)
120
Rocky 1976,  PG)
121
Saving Private Ryan 1998,  R)
122
Schindler's List 1993,  R)
123
The Secret Garden 1993,  PG)
124
Seven Samurai (Shichinin no Samurai) 1954,  Unrated)
125
Shrek 2001,  PG)
126
Signs 2002,  PG-13)
127
Singin' in the Rain 1952,  G)
128
Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow 2004,  PG)
129
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs 1937,  G)
130
The Sound of Music 1965,  G)
131
Spider-Man 2 2004,  PG-13)
132
Spirited Away 2001,  PG)
133
Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope 1977,  PG)
134
Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back 1980,  PG)
135
Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi 1983,  PG)
136
Strange Days 1995,  R)
Strange Days
Watch it... if you enjoyed "Blade Runner" but yearn for a stronger dose of character and plot development, for "Strange Days" works not only as a satisfying thriller, but also as a fascinating exploration of the ways we interact with technology and with each other.

Avoid it... if you prefer easier-to-watch space operas to this emotionally and intellectually grueling sort of material.
137
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street 2007,  R)
138
Syriana 2005,  R)
139
The Talented Mr. Ripley 1999,  R)
140
Tarzan 1999,  G)
141
Taxi Driver 1976,  R)
142
The Terminal 2004,  PG-13)
143
This Is Spinal Tap 1984,  R)
144
Titanic (in 3D) 2012,  PG-13)
Titanic (in 3D)
Watch it... if you want to see the film that brought about the return of the modern epic; an exercise in narrative and technical elegance that functions both as evocative storytelling and as a tribute to the great ship itself.

Avoid it... if standout moments in history hold no interest to you, or if you are a member of the small crowd that believes no artistic liberties (such as a fictional romance subplot) should ever be taken with historical events.
145
My Neighbor Totoro 1988,  G)
146
Toy Story 1995,  G)
147
True Grit 1969,  G)
148
The Truman Show 1998,  PG)
149
Les Vacances de Monsieur Hulot (Mr. Hulot's Holiday) 1953,  Unrated)
150
Vanity Fair 2004,  PG-13)
151
Vertigo 1958,  PG)
152
WarGames (War Games) 1983,  PG)
153
Watchmen 2009,  R)
Watchmen
Watch it... if you want to see a different kind of superhero movie; one that deals seriously with the repercussions, moral, psychological, and societal, that the presence of supereheroes might present.

Avoid it... if you have little interest in psychology, ethics, or philosophy, or if you are in the mood to be mindlessly entertained rather than mentally stimulated.
154
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory 1971,  G)
155
The Wizard of Oz 1939,  G)
156
Zodiac 2007,  R)

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