My Favorite Movies

I don't know how to convey the incredible magnificence of Night of the Hunter without coming across like a complete and total lunatic. First, it is a shame of biblical proportions that this was the only movie that Charles Laughton ever made. The man accomplished more in one movie than many directors ever pull off in their entire careers. The look of this movie is like a hellish fairy tale being told in a film noir setting. One of the most amazing-looking movies ever! Then you've got the performance of Robert Mitchum's career. (I would've like to have seen more of a fight out of him at the end but for the story's sake I'm kind of glad there wasn't...) I'm ashamed of myself for not liking this movie when I first saw it and am eternally thankful that Criterion re released it.

If this isn't a perfect movie, I don't know what is. On the Waterfront spares any glossiness that other classic Hollywood movies were pitching and just drenches the audience in humanity. This movie's characters' likability is merely incidental and despite what you may think of Elia Kazan, he knocked this one out of the park. The cast is amazing and everything just came together with this one. Absolutely essential...

One of the most amazing movies ever. Not so much about what happens, but what leads up to it. Eli Wallach is amazing and Leone's direction is as always, superb. The last 15 minutes are what movies are all about.

Rita Hayworth's a doll and Glenn Ford's a badass. Oh, and the film's great too. Definitely one of my favorites...

Not the best, but definitely my favorite Kubrick film. There is nothing wrong with this film whatsoever. I remember thinking Tarantino was a hack after originally seeing this but then again, the kind of genius contained within this film is going to escape eventually. Kubrick's direction and camera work are absolutely astonishing. The cast, the dialogue and story are all to die for. This movie is so underrated its depressing...

THE perfect movie. Arguably but definitely Hitchcock's best, he turns Jimmy Stewart (in a brilliant performance) into an obsessive neurotic against a beautiful San Francisco backdrop. Kim Novak is haunting in a dual role that would be liberally borrowed for many following years (Lost Highway, anyone?) The masterpiece of all involved with a truly beautiful restoration

Jack Nicholson is a magical combination of rambunctious and hilarious as Bad Ass in this riotous and sometimes touching movie wonderfully done by Hal Ashby. The drunken parking lot and hotel scenes are great, but the bar scene is one of my new favorite scenes ever. ("I am the motherfucking shore patrol, motherfucker! I am the motherfucking shore patrol! Give this man a beer!") My only gripe was that the ending was kind of anticlimactic and really fizzled out even though I knew how it was going to end. But still--I'm not so sure that Chinatown is my favorite Nicholson movie anymore. It's also great for some much-needed laughs.

One of the most amazing movies ever made. Not a dull moment and not a bad song. Too bad there's a sequel.

NOT the 92 version, the 1950 version. One of the watermarks of film noir.

Wastecase film noir. No matter how many times you see it it never gets old. If you don't love this movie you've got serious problems. You're also out of your element, too.

This movie nearly erased my mind. So clever its anger-inducing.

This is without a doubt the most entertaining movie I've seen in my entire life. Planet Terror is over the top fun, which if criticized means only the viewer doesn't get the over-the-top antics and intentional and VERY entertaining nonsense. Death Proof drags a bit when Kurt Russell isn't present, but the last 20 minutes more than make up for it. The closest thing to a criticism I have is that Tarantino decided to try acting again, but the fake trailers, namely "Thanksgiving" more than justify having to see him in front of the camera. Oh, and I would drink Rose McGowan's (Planet Terror Rose McGowan's) bath water. Rrrrrrr....!

This movie is what I wish my childhood was like.

This movie is so tough you'll get a black eye watching it. One of the pillars of film noir and despite the fact I've seen it dozens of times I'm still on the edge of my seat whenever I watch it. Sterling Hayden's the quintessential bad-ass and there's not one false note as far as the rest of the cast's concerned either. Also, I'm not a big fan of Marilyn Monroe, but she was truly captivating. And of course, John Huston's direction through a masterful script makes this one of the best heist movies ever. If you like The Asphalt Jungle, The Killing and Rififi are also well worth your time.

Now this is what I call a horror movie. Very disorienting and mesmerizing.

So damn good. DiCaprio finally shakes the Titanic soot off.

Point Blank is such a badass movie you'll get a black eye watching it. Lee Marvin is icy cold as he gets revenge after being on the wrong end of a screw job. Angie Dickinson's as fine as frog hair and John Boorman's direction is spectacular as he blends psychedelia, film noir and still photos wonderfully. Admittedly, its a bit weird seeing Lee Marvin smile at certain points in the movie but this is the best I've seen him. The rest of the cast is great and by the time the Point Blank was done I was kind of disappointed that more people don't know about or love this movie. Completely underrated and underappreciated. And the ending's fantastic. Surpasses the remake (Payback with Mel Gibson) in every way...

I was all over Fight Club when if first came out and thought it was the most brilliant and best movie ever. I was 24 then and had different tastes as well as... let's just say I was an idiot. More or less of an idiot than I am now I can't really say, but an idiot. Watching Fight Club now I still stand behind David Fincher's direction but this movie really, really likes itself. Kind of like I did when I was 24. Edward Norton's narration is too dry and pithy for my 34 year-old tastes and the movie has its fair share of embarrassing moments I never really noticed the 3276 other times I've seen Fight Club. This isn't to say Fight Club is a bad movie, it just didn't hold up too well over the last decade and just isn't as good as I remember. But watching Jared Leto get turned into ground burger never gets old--I want to make that abundantly clear.

I think its safe to say I might have a new favorite Bond film. No stupid gadgets and no idiotic gimmicks. Straight up Bond and its never been better. Picture Batman Begins, except with James Bond. And it keeps getting better every time I see it.

The Departed not only proves that Martin Scorsese (at the time) still has/had it but vastly improved on the original, Infernal Affairs. Admittedly this shouldn't have been the one Scorsese got the Oscar for but better late than never. There's not a bad performance to be found and anyone who calls Scorsese a has-been after seeing this movie is a goddamn fool. Great writing, great acting, great casing and a great soundtrack with plenty of references to Scorsese's earlier work. Great, great stuff...

Even with Tom Cruise starring, this is an amazing idea and an amazing film.

I will always love this.

A truly amazing movie. While all of Stanley Kubrick's movies are amazing and there really are no lesser or greater Kubrick movies, I'm inclined to say this is one of his greater ones. With Paths of Glory you see his visual style take shape (especially during the trench scenes) over a story that's so great and anger-inducing. The cast is great without so much as a bad performance anywhere and there's not a false note in that movie. The scene in the bar at the end tears me apart every time. Anyone who claims to be even a half-assed fan of Kubrick really owes it to themselves to see Paths of Glory. End of story...