Blood Simple
The first outing from the Coen brothers' is undoubtedly their roughest, grimiest, dirtiest film they've made. It's wickedly dark, containing little of the dark humor that peppers even the darkest of their other works. It's not glossy or as formalist in style as any of their other pictures; for example, it's definitely the only one of their films to utilize the Sam Raimi rush camera (unless Raising Arizona did, but I don't recall it having). But in these ways, it is one of their most unique, and nevertheless, a wonderful, twisty story. Also interesting are several shots that are virtually replicated in No Country for Old Men. It's always nice to watch a filmmakers' origins.
Blue Velvet
One of Lynch's most famous films, and one of his most acclaimed, this is his typically bizarre, dark, fucked up piece of entertainment. Dennis Hopper is an especial pleasure to watch, and there are many scenes (in fact, nearly every scene) that you've never seen anything like, and never will again. One of the few truly original films. It's just a fun, bizarre ride.
Born on the Fourth of July
My personal favorite film in not only Oliver Stone's Vietnam trilogy, but also entire his filmography (though JFK is a close second). Also on prime display is in my opinion Tom Cruise's finest performance. The story is just wonderful, and the direction is amazing. Not surprisingly, like JFK, it has flawless editing and cinematography. Just great filmmaking and acting.
The Color of Money
The Hustler was a great film, one of the best of the 1960s. The Color of Money is not one of the rare cases of a sequel exceeding the quality of the original, though I believe it does in some ways, but it is still a goddamn great movie, with a fantastic early performance from Tom Cruise, and of course the brilliant, Oscar-winning performance of Paul Newman. I've also always had a thing for stories about schemers (con men, hustlers, etc.) so the material was fascinating to me. And Scorsese's style never hurts.
Drugstore Cowboy
A tragic tale of addiction, love, and loss. It's quite funny at times, very entertaining, but also manages to maintain a grounded element of drama that permeates throughout as it hurtles toward its dark ending. Hands down my favorite performance from Matt Dillion. I also have an inherent fascination with good films about drug addiction (or addiction of any kind, like in the case of Shame).
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
Aside from my feelings about the title, discussions of which result in me being incredibly annoying about how much it annoys me, this is a goddamn great film. One of the few genuine films that can bring a tear to my eye if I'm in the proper mood. My only regret is that I didn't see it until I was thirteen, and ended up with the 20th Anniversary Edition where Spielberg, in a dumbfuck decision, decided to edit some stuff - like removing the police officer's guns and replacing them with walkie-talkies. Bullshit like that. But, thankfully the true version still exists. And it's a gem.
The Evil Dead II
This *is* one of the rare cases of a sequel being better than the original. Or, in this case it's more that it's different, as my personal preference, I like it more. The original is more horror. The sequel is more dark comedy sprinkled with horror. And with a larger budget, Raimi was able to do some things he couldn't in the original. And interestingly enough, it's almost a remake of the original. Just a fun goddamn movie.
Field of Dreams
One of those movies that I just started watching and couldn't stop. Some think it's sappy and melodramatic. I think it's touching and dramatically rich. The acting is top notch, and the emotion is substantial. Plus, Kevin Costner is one of my favorite actors who never really plays more than one character (an case for exception could be A Perfect World). Like Forrest Gump, Fields of Dreams is one film I'd tag with the adjective "magical."
Heathers
Like Field of Dreams, I started watching Heathers and couldn't stop. I've always loved Winona Ryder, and she is splendid here. Mix in a great performance from Christian Slater, and a darkly comedic plot, and you have yourself a winner. It doesn't stop there, though. Like Clueless, Heathers examines, dissects, and then smartly satirizes the teenage and high school experiences. You'll recognize the jabs as soon as you hear the phrase "diet coke heads."
Midnight Run
Along with Lethal Weapon, Chinatown, and Back to the Future, this is one of the best "by the numbers" screenplays out there. You know, one of those films that hits all the beats at the exact right moments, which would sometimes result in predictability and a formulaic slog, but films such as these don't fall into such a trap. Midnight Run would be my go-to script if I had to recommend one to a beginning screenwriter. Beyond that, the dynamic between Grodin and de Niro is a ton of fun, and it's a fun fucking ride.
Paris, Texas
See description in Top Ten Films of All Time list.
Say Anything
Along with Almost Famous, this is my favorite Cameron Crowe film. It has a somewhat traditional concept, but goes much, much deeper with it, creating complex, original characters with conflicts that are rich and fascinating. And the boom box scene truly is iconic.
Shoah
This 1985 French documentary by Claude Lanzmann is probably the most different film on this list from the others. It is 503 minutes long. That's 8 hours and 23 minutes. This is the longest film I have seen. The movie truly is beyond anything else ever made. It is an event. Roger Ebert hailed it a masterpiece and refused to rank it on his best films of 1985 list claiming it belonged in a class of its own. I do not argue with this. It is a powerful force of cinema.
Tender Mercies
One of Robert Duvall's best performances, he won an Oscar for his portrayal of Mac Sledge, former country singer turned alcoholic. When I watched it, some way through I heard one of the best exchanges of dialogue ever: a woman at the store says to Duvall, "Hey Mister, were you really Mac Sledge?" Duvall responds with, "Well, yes ma'am, I guess I was." I later read that writer Horton Foote felt that line summed up the entire film. I completely agree.
Throw Mamma From the Train
One of my favorite films as a child, I just loved this retooling of the classic Hitchcock picture, framed in the context of a comedy. Danny de Vito and Billy Crystal play so well together, and Anne Ramsey as de Vito's overbearing (to put it lightly) mother is one of the great comedy performances of all time (and she rightfully earned an Oscar nomination). Just a great, fun film.
Runners Up:
After Hours
Bull Durham
Das Boot
Lethal Weapon
Rain Man
Risky Business
sex, lies, and videotape
The Vanishing
The Verdict
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