Board 8 > Presenting: The SephG Top 250 [movies]

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Mr Lasastryke
05/23/19 6:23:55 PM
#152:


almost famous is great. you forgot to mention its amazing soundtrack!

sin city is awful. sure, it LOOKS cool, but the novelty of the look gets old fast and then you're stuck with a movie that goes on way too long filled with boring characters doing uninteresting shit and spewing badly written dialogue. would have worked so much better as a short film. probably the most overrated movie ever. (do a lot of people hate this movie? the sequel, sure, but everyone seems to think the original is some kind of masterpiece for reasons unclear to me.)

Nelson_Mandela posted...
Mild spoilers for The List: I hate Eternal Sunshine.


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Nelson_Mandela
05/24/19 11:09:14 AM
#153:


#200. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/27/Crouching_Tiger%2C_Hidden_Dragon_%28Chinese_poster%29.png
Dir: Ang Lee
Genre: Action
Year: 2000

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon was a phenomenon in the US for all the wrong reasons. This was in the early days of CGI, so the fight scenes were incredibly novel and sold this move to audiences. Don't get me wrong, they're awesome. But so is the rest of the film.

Ang Lee has a penchant for just making beautiful looking things. It's one of the reasons why I am the only person in the world who really likes Hulk (2003)! CTHD is no exception. It showcases the majesty of China with impressive location shots and set design. The love story is also simple and effective and is a nice complement to the grand scale of the movie overall.
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Nelson_Mandela
05/24/19 11:17:26 AM
#154:


#199. Close Encounters of the Third Kind
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/b/ba/Close_Encounters_of_the_Third_Kind_%281977%29_theatrical_poster.jpg
Dir: Steven Spielberg
Genre: Science Fiction
Year: 1977

This is the year Spielberg's powers truly came into form. After scrimping and clawing his way through the Jaws production, Close Encounters began a 20 year run for him in which he was the most visually effective filmmaker on the planet.

Close Encounters is all about atmosphere. From the perfect John Williams score to the lighting that's used to obscure the aliens, there is a sense of wonder and dread that is exactly how one would imagine a first encounter would bring. My hat really has to come off to all the legends who worked on this movie, because they really gutted it out to make something special. Apparently John Williams wrote three hundred different combinations for the musical tones used to communicate with the aliens. That's pretty much indicative of why the 20 year Spielberg run was so great--hard work and dedication that comes off as mere "movie magic."
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Nelson_Mandela
05/24/19 11:24:34 AM
#155:


#197. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/9d/The_Lord_of_the_Rings_The_Fellowship_of_the_Ring_%282001%29_theatrical_poster.jpg
Dir: Peter Jackson
Genre: Fantasy, Adventure
Year: 2001

2001: the year nerd culture went mainstream. We've become too oversaturated with similar media to really appreciate it, but I remember seeing LOTR in the theater for the first time and never wanting the movie to end. It was the first time that I truly felt that movies were able to match the scope of someone's imagination, and they just nailed that feeling of "epicness" to a tee.

The Fellowship of the Ring still holds up to this day. Peter Jackson poured his heart and soul into the film and I get the sense that this sentiment was shared by everyone else involved. They knew they were making something special, and it really shows.
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Nelson_Mandela
05/24/19 11:32:04 AM
#156:


#196. Dunkirk
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/15/Dunkirk_Film_poster.jpg
Dir: Christopher Nolan
Genre: War
Year: 2017

Dunkirk is probably the most underappreciated of Nolan's films thus far. Coming fresh off of the hype of The Dark Knight trilogy and the visual spectacle of Interstellar, I think the expectations for his next film might have been a bit skewed. Instead of making a frenetic, action-packed war movie, he instead opted to make a realistic tribute to the British soldiers (and sailors) who pulled off one of the most harrowing feats in military history.

Dunkirk doesn't feel like a Christopher Nolan film, and I like it better for it. The drama of the film is in the lack of the story--we are simply following select people as they attempt to escape certain death. What shines because of it isn't the drama of individual people, but the collective experience of the forces. And this is evident in the sound design, which I would argue is the best that has ever been put to film--at least certainly for a war movie. It makes you feel immersed in the battle, drowning along with the sailors or a fly on the wall for the soldiers engaged in battle. I don't think most people understood that this was the intention, but I am hoping this film's legacy will increase over time.
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Mr Lasastryke
05/24/19 11:33:15 AM
#157:


best of the trilogy in last place? bleh.

(unless the other two are not on the list, which would be even worse.)

edit: referring to lotr, obviously.
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Nelson_Mandela
05/24/19 11:40:04 AM
#158:


#195. The Dark Knight Rises
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/8/83/Dark_knight_rises_poster.jpg
Dir: Christopher Nolan
Genre: Superhero
Year: 2013

Coincidentally, next on the list is another Nolan film that gets a bad rep! I've already stated that I am generally not a big fan of superhero movies, but The Dark Knight trilogy is an exception.

The Dark Knight Rises can be considered, in some ways, the best movie of the trilogy. The story is epic but not meandering. Tom Hardy turns what could have just been a lumbering monster into a well-established villain. They even manage to make me not hate Anne Hathaway as Catwoman!

I think what makes me adore this movie so much is one scene. The "rise" climax in which Batman has to climb his way out of the underground prison is just so perfectly paced that I might even rank it as one of the most iconic/best moments in movie history. I know a lot of people don't like this one as much as me, but I've yet to hear a compelling reason why. It's amazing.

FYI for those confused by my count earlier, there are now 2 superhero movies remaining on The List. What will they be?
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Nelson_Mandela
05/24/19 11:40:34 AM
#159:


Mr Lasastryke posted...
best of the trilogy in last place? bleh.

(unless the other two are not on the list, which would be even worse.)

edit: referring to lotr, obviously.

There will be one other LOTR movie in the Top 250
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Mr Lasastryke
05/24/19 11:52:33 AM
#160:


Nelson_Mandela posted...
The Dark Knight Rises can be considered, in some ways, the best movie of the trilogy.


i hope the "in some ways" part is meant to imply this isn't REALLY the only movie in the trilogy you put on the list.

and the "rise" scene sucks. from bruce asking "WHAT ARE THEY EVEN YELLING" (he never asked this question before, even though he's been sitting in the prison for months with nothing to do and the inmates are constantly yelling it? lol) to bane conveniently being so dumb that he didn't put guards at the top, it's crap.

decent movie overall, though. but it doesn't belong on any list of classics.
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Nelson_Mandela
05/24/19 11:54:21 AM
#161:


Mr Lasastryke posted...
i hope the "in some ways" part is meant to imply this isn't REALLY the only movie in the trilogy you put on the list.

Your inference is correct!
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Mr Lasastryke
05/24/19 11:55:30 AM
#162:


Nelson_Mandela posted...
There will be one other LOTR movie in the Top 250


hmm. as long as it's RotK i can live with this.
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Jakyl25
05/24/19 5:20:56 PM
#163:


Nelson_Mandela posted...

I'm sure there are thousands of term papers written on how Animal House represents the patriarchy or is misogynistic or inspired the "rape culture" of the time.


No, thats Revenge of the Nerds
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neonreaper
05/24/19 5:32:36 PM
#164:


Fellowship is my all time fave
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Nelson_Mandela
05/24/19 5:53:18 PM
#165:


Jakyl25 posted...
Nelson_Mandela posted...

I'm sure there are thousands of term papers written on how Animal House represents the patriarchy or is misogynistic or inspired the "rape culture" of the time.


No, thats Revenge of the Nerds

Well they actually rape a woman in that one...
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Nelson_Mandela
05/25/19 11:06:37 AM
#166:


On vacation now, back at this Tuesday or Wednesday!
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Nelson_Mandela
05/27/19 5:03:19 PM
#167:


Up
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Nelson_Mandela
05/28/19 8:04:12 PM
#168:


#195. Boogie Nights
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/dc/Boogie_Nights_poster.png
Dir: Paul Thomas Anderson
Genre: Drama
Year: 1997

Boogie Nights is one of the greatest directorial debuts ever and one of the twenty or so best movies period until you realize that it's basically a Goodfellas knock-off. Not that there's anything wrong with that--Goodfellas is one of the coolest movies ever made--but look closely and Scorsese's fingerprints are all over PTA's first feature.

But precisely because of the stylistic influences of Goodfellas, Boogie Nights is incredibly fun. It's by far the most energetic of PTA's movies and the soundtrack is totally killer. And despite being about the porn industry, the sex never feels gratuitous or overused--climaxing (^_~) with the greatest dick reveal of all time.
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Nelson_Mandela
05/28/19 8:19:30 PM
#169:


#194. Traffic
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/0a/Traffic2000Poster.jpg
Dir: Steven Soderbergh
Genre: Drama, Crime
Year: 2000

Traffic is the most honest drug movie of its scale ever made. Nothing is glorified, nothing is pontificated, nothing is fearmongered. It's an appropriately complex, layered movie about a complex, layered problem. That's an extremely rare feat for mainstream Hollywood.

For those who don't know, Traffic essentially follows the various intersecting people involved in the Drug War: the politicians, the cartels, the DEA agents, and the users. My favorite of the stories is easily Benicio del Toro, who rightfully got an Oscar for the role. But, if nothing else, Traffic is worth watching just to see Eric Foreman freebasing coke as he approaches orgasm.
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Nelson_Mandela
05/28/19 8:31:00 PM
#170:


#193. Dark City
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/9c/Dark_City_poster.jpg
Dir: Alex Proyas
Genre: Science Fiction, Neo-noir
Year: 1998

The biggest part about what made me excited to do this list for you all is getting to list relatively unknown and/or criminally underrated films. Nothing would make me happier than for someone to check out one of these movies that they otherwise would have never heard of and love them as much as I do.

Dark City is one of the most underappreciated sci-fi movies in recent history. Bolstered by its incredible atmosphere, it's one of those rare mysteries that you will not be able to figure out until the very end--with a genuinely WHAT THE FUCK kind of twist about two-thirds through. Forget Blade Runner, forget all of the steampunk/cyberpunk clones of the early 2000s--go watch Dark City right now if you haven't seen it. And please report back to make me happy :)
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Nelson_Mandela
05/28/19 8:41:19 PM
#171:


#192. Saving Private Ryan
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/a/ac/Saving_Private_Ryan_poster.jpg
Dir: Steven Spielberg
Genre: War
Year: 1998

I'm sure everyone here has seen Saving Private Ryan. It's widely considered to be the most realistic fictional depiction of D-Day/World War II--so much so that every person my age I've met has had to watch it in history class in high school in lieu of reading a textbook.

Saving Private Ryan is about a simple of a story as it can get. It's literally a "get from point A to point B" film, which is probably where it suffers a bit and stops itself from being in the greatest war movies ever conversation. But, alas, it doesn't really need much in the way of story or character development purely because the visuals are that stunning. The only immersion into battle that is quite as compelling as this comes in movie #161. Look out for that one!
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Nelson_Mandela
05/28/19 8:49:41 PM
#172:


#191. The Wrestler
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/3e/The_Wrestler_poster.jpg
Dir: Darren Aronofsky
Genre: Drama
Year: 2008

The Wrestler was the first time that Darren Aronofsky showed self-restraint and actually made a movie that wasn't pure visceral overload for two hours. And, looking back at his oeuvre as a 30+ year old now, I can now see how good of a decision this was for him. The Wrestler is far and away the most mature of his movies and represents the perfect direction for his career.

As someone who has been to a bunch of indie wrestling shows, The Wrestler strikes me as incredibly realistic and equally as heartbreaking. No one could have pulled off The Ram as perfectly as Mickey Rourke, who gives one of the greatest performances of the decade. Unlike almost every other film under Aronofsky's belt, Mickey makes sure this one ages gracefully as time passes.
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Mr Lasastryke
05/29/19 2:47:10 AM
#173:


definitely agree on dark city being great/underappreciated. out of the "late '90s sci fi movies with similar themes" trilogy (dark city/the truman show/the matrix), dark city is the one that never really got the respect it deserved.
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Slanted_Silver
05/29/19 1:08:42 PM
#174:


Nights isn't the first film PTA directed
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Nelson_Mandela
05/29/19 2:10:50 PM
#175:


Slanted_Silver posted...
Nights isn't the first film PTA directed

Whoa I have literally never heard of "Hard Eight" until this post. I was always under the impression that Boogie Nights was his debut considering he was 27 when he made it.
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Nelson_Mandela
05/29/19 2:17:13 PM
#176:


#190. This Is Spinal Tap
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/c8/Thisisspinaltapposter.jpg
Dir: Rob Reiner
Genre: Comedy, Mockumentary
Year: 1984

I'm not sure if this was the first mockumentary to ever have a mainstream release, but it's certainly the most important and likely still the best. Spinal Tap is like the prime episodes of The Simpsons where there are about a dozen jokes buried in every minute of the film. Many have penetrated the American ethos, but the amazing thing about this movie is that you can rewatch it now and find new hysterical moments each time.

Even though the hair metal zeitgeist has long passed, Spinal Tap is still relevant to this day because it could really be about any vapid group of people who rise to fame at a young age. I would love for this style of movie to be released about a mumble rapper, a pop group, or any of the celebrities of this age now and still have the same kind of balls they had when they made this 35 years ago.
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RPGlord95
05/29/19 2:19:36 PM
#177:


Turned into a pile of green goo on stage
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Nelson_Mandela
05/29/19 2:24:12 PM
#178:


#189. Lethal Weapon
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/d9/Lethal_weapon1.jpg
Dir: Richard Donner
Genre: Action, Buddy Cop
Year: 1987

48 Hours may have invented the buddy cop drama, but Lethal Weapon really perfected it. And I will attribute its enduring success to none other than Shane Black (writer of Predator and Kiss Kiss Bang Bang) for being able to churn out a script that is absolutely soaking with charming, witty dialogue.

Behind the generic formula (which actually wasn't quite so generic yet in 1987) is a great character dynamic between Riggs and Murtaugh--a dynamic that single-handedly spawned an entire series out of a premise that didn't need one. The action is also also top-notch and is up there with Die Hard as the most emblematic of its era.
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Nelson_Mandela
05/29/19 2:32:20 PM
#179:


#188. The Big Lebowski
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/35/Biglebowskiposter.jpg
Dir: Joel and Ethan Coen
Genre: Comedy, Crime
Year: 1988

The Big Lebowski is everyone's favorite Coen Brothers movie but also no one's favorite Coen Brothers movie. I guess what I mean by that is that if you told someone they had to watch a Coen Brothers movie at this very moment, regardless of whatever mood they were in or where they were, I think they would pick Lebowski. But, interestingly, I'm not sure anyone would pick it as the best when really pressed about it (that would go to Fargo, No Country for Old Men, or a deeper cut for the real fans).

Why did I think it was important to write that? I guess it just helps highlight what a confusing legacy this movie has on the internet. I've seen people scream that it's overrated and I've seen it as the very top of peoples' all-time lists. My take is that it's an excellent movie with some really hilarious and iconic scenes, but it's not the Coen Brothers' best film and it's not something to base your personality around. However, it's easily the most enjoyable to watch with a group of friends out of their filmography, and if you haven't had a Lebowski White Russian hang night, you haven't lived.
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Nelson_Mandela
05/29/19 2:39:07 PM
#180:


#187. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/ce/Smith_goes.jpg
Dir: Frank Capra
Genre: Drama
Year: 1939

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington was truly a film of another era in Hollywood. The idealism was in-your-face, but still not off-putting like it always seems to be today. It's melodramatic without being corny and triumphant without seeming cliched. Chalk it up to a legendary director and a GOAT-worthy performance in Jimmy Stewart I guess, but we'll never see anything quite like it.

This movie also, in a weird way, feels a bit more modern than its year would imply. I don't mean that it feels contemporary, but it seems very edgy for a 1939 political drama. Perhaps that's why it has the legacy it has, but Mr. Smith is certainly still thoroughly enjoyable to this day.
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Jakyl25
05/29/19 2:40:12 PM
#181:


Nelson_Mandela posted...
I would love for this style of movie to be released about...a pop group,


https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Popstar:_Never_Stop_Never_Stopping
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Nelson_Mandela
05/29/19 2:48:14 PM
#182:


#186. Zoolander
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/7c/Movie_poster_zoolander.jpg
Dir: Ben Stiller
Genre: Comedy
Year: 2001

And we're continuing to count down the amazing comedies from my youth that I probably have an unconscious bias toward! Zoolander is in the upper echelon of those films (I believe I only have two left to cover after this) and for good reason. There was no better satire of early 2000s entertainment.

As Zoolander 2 proved, this is the type of movie that could only have worked between 1997ish and 2002ish. Ben Stiller absolutely nails the empty-headed fashion industry type that rose to prominence in this era, which successfully lampoons the people he got to guest star in the movie seemingly without them realizing it.

"Sting's definitely a hero of mine. I don't listen to his music, but the fact that he's making it--I respect that."
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Nelson_Mandela
05/29/19 2:48:53 PM
#183:


Jakyl25 posted...
Nelson_Mandela posted...
I would love for this style of movie to be released about...a pop group,


https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Popstar:_Never_Stop_Never_Stopping

I forgot this was a mockumentary. I do like this movie.
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Slanted_Silver
05/29/19 2:55:06 PM
#184:


Hard Eight is a great film. John C Reilly is the lead and it has a lot of energy and style.
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Nelson_Mandela
05/30/19 12:17:14 PM
#185:


more later maybe
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neonreaper
05/30/19 1:16:42 PM
#186:


Boogie Nights and Goodfellas is a good comparison. The lifestyles are at first intoxicating and appealing but by the end it's kind of rough and raw and terrible.

Lebowski's great, just so dumb and the timing is spot on for every conversation. Very few movies are as good at having every line being pretty much perfect. Those are the movies and shows that just get better and better every time you watch them.

I never liked Zoolander

Spinal Tap is a total classic. The only competitor is Best In Show imo, though BIS doesn't have the same hilarity. Fear of a Black Hat is #3 for me but I don't think it's as funny today as it was back then
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Lopen
05/30/19 1:26:20 PM
#187:


I can already tell I'm not gonna agree with a single thing on this list but I'll tag it anyway.
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Nelson_Mandela
05/30/19 3:26:13 PM
#188:


#185. The Last Picture Show
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/8/8f/The_Last_Picture_Show_%28movie_poster%29.jpg
Dir: Peter Bogdanovich
Genre: Drama, Coming of Age
Year: 1971

The Last Picture show reminds me of one of my favorite books ever, 100 Years of Solitude. They both convey a similar atmosphere and tone with a focal point on a single town in its lively prime, slowly decaying into dust. It's a hard thing to achieve so seamlessly, but The Last Picture Show really captures that ephemeral nature of life.

Shot in gorgeous black-and-white, this is also another one of my favorite kind of meta-narratives in which an old movie theater acts a symbol for the past/innocence/etc. It's a real subtle way of commenting on a lot of the changes going on in the industry during this time.

One last fun oddity about it is how amazing Timothy Stack's lead performance is and then the next big role he gets is...George W. Bush in That's My Bush! thirty years later.
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Nelson_Mandela
05/30/19 3:33:33 PM
#189:


#184. Drive
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/13/Drive2011Poster.jpg
Dir: Nicolas Winding Refn
Genre: Action, Crime
Year: 2011

I don't know a single person who doesn't like Drive. Upon release, everyone who saw it was floored by the stylish visuals, the kick-ass original soundtrack, and the brutal realism of the action scenes. It helped launch the quasi-80s nostalgia trend that is still kicking to this day, mainly because it reminded people that style can elevate the simplest of stories.

The initial driving scene through the Staples Center is still one of the best action scenes ever recorded. If you weren't familiar, you might think the entire movie was like this--sort of like a Fast and Furious 7 with more neon lighting or something--but you would be incorrect. Drive pumps the brakes after that opening rush, which actually helps temper the film and make it more rewatchable time and again.
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Nelson_Mandela
05/30/19 3:39:51 PM
#190:


#183. Boyz n the Hood
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/c3/Boyz_n_the_hood_poster.jpg
Dir: John Singleton
Genre: Drama, Crime, Coming of Age
Year: 1991

For some unexplainable reason, I find myself so drawn to early 90s LA/Compton ghetto culture. Maybe it's because I'm used to bad neighborhoods in New York looking so obviously bad--graffiti, run-down buildings, broken glass, etc.--and there's something about palm trees and lawns in the hood that interests me to no end. I love GTA: San Andreas for it, I love The Chronic for it, and I love Boyz n the Hood for it.

It's not just the setting that makes Boyz n the Hood a classic, of course. You have some truly breakthrough--and very real--performances, a stellar screenplay, and realness that captures the essence of the time unlike anything else of the era.
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Nelson_Mandela
05/30/19 3:47:08 PM
#191:


#182. The Conversation
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/e0/Theconversation.jpg
Dir: Francis Ford Coppola
Genre: Thriller/Suspense, Mystery
Year: 1974

The Conversation is, admittedly, pretty boring. If you're looking at lists for classic mysteries or suspense films, you might be sorely disappointed when it fails to make your heart race like more modern films. But that's not the point of the movie.

The Conversation is more of a character study of Gene Hackman's lonely private eye than anything else. If you doubt me on this, look no further than the GOAT-worthy piano soundtrack. Nothing better captures the melancholy and loneliness than Amy's Theme, which isn't there to enhance the suspense, but to complement the character of the detective. The mystery is secondary--and once you prepare yourself with this fact, it becomes a much more enjoyable film (the second-best FFC movie of that year, in fact!).
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"A more mature answer than I expected."~ Jakyl25
"Sephy's point is right."~ Inviso
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Nelson_Mandela
05/30/19 3:53:37 PM
#192:


#181. Jaws
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/eb/JAWS_Movie_poster.jpg
Dir: Steven Spielberg
Genre: Suspense/Thriller
Year: 1975

Every aspiring filmmaker should study the story behind Jaws. Marred by a shit ton of technical issues, Jaws production was almost shut down several times. A young Steven Spielberg had to convince the studio to keep it going while searching for solutions to make sure his vision came true on screen. And what we were left with was a masterpiece of suspense.

Because of Spielberg's tenacity, Jaws eventually was completed and the final product was greater than the B-movie that it might have been. The fear is in what you don't see, which makes the revelation of the shark even more impactful and memorable. There's a reason why this movie literally caused the beach tourism industry to suffer in the mid-70s. It's that effective.
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"A more mature answer than I expected."~ Jakyl25
"Sephy's point is right."~ Inviso
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Nelson_Mandela
05/30/19 4:16:12 PM
#193:


#180. The Sixth Sense
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/a/a4/The_Sixth_Sense_poster.png
Dir: M. Night Shyamalan
Genre: Horror, Drama
Year: 1999

We all know The Sixth Sense spoiler by now. I'm not going to post it because I am still a firm believer that people can be spoiled decades later, but that is pretty much what everyone remembers about this movie. Except for me!

I remember The Sixth Sense for having a genuinely chilling atmosphere and giving me one of the most lasting frights of my theater-going experience. Much like Jaws, M. Night wisely kept the scares at a minimum, which only served to make them even more effective when they happen. And buried deep within the movie is some kind of message about relationships and single-parenthood, which is again played off with perfect subtlety.
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"A more mature answer than I expected."~ Jakyl25
"Sephy's point is right."~ Inviso
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Nelson_Mandela
05/30/19 4:42:17 PM
#194:


#179. In the Mood for Love
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/45/In_the_Mood_for_Love_movie.jpg
Dir: Wong Kar-wai
Genre: Drama, Romance
Year: 2000

There are basically two kinds of Wong Kar-wai movies: high octane, handheld guerilla indie flicks and meticulous, beautifully produced period pieces. In the Mood for Love is the best of his films in the latter category.

In the Mood for Love is the story of two neighbors whose friendship develops when they both begin to suspect that their spouse is having an affair with the other's. In the midst of this Shakespearean-like story is a gorgeous recreation of 1960s Hong Kong, complete with perfectly designed costumes, sets, and soundtrack that makes you feel like you have the same nostalgia for it the characters do. I won't say much about how the plot develops/ends, but I can say that it bucks some of the expected conventions of a story of its kind to give it a much more meaningful and satisfying conclusion.
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"A more mature answer than I expected."~ Jakyl25
"Sephy's point is right."~ Inviso
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Mr Lasastryke
05/30/19 4:50:04 PM
#195:


jaws pretty much invented the blockbuster, too. it's hard to overestimate how groundbreaking it was.
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Geothermal terpsichorean ejectamenta
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Nelson_Mandela
05/30/19 4:52:36 PM
#196:


#178. Blowup
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/d8/Blowup_poster.jpg
Dir: Michelangelo Antonioni
Genre: Suspense/Thriller, Mystery
Year: 1966

I saw Blowup for the first time relatively recently and I hated it. But this might be the only movie in recent memory that I hated this much upon first viewing, but then wound up loving once I reflected on it for a couple of months. Maybe it's because I was frustrated with myself for having the wrong expectations for it. Maybe it's because few films have stuck with me that strongly after watching. But now I absolutely adore it.

Blowup is similar to The Conversation and Zodiac in that the mystery is secondary to its affect on the psyche of the person trying to uncover it. But something sets Blowup apart from both of those movies for me. Woven into the mystery is a really surreal portrayal of 60s Italian counterculture that actually has lasted with me more than the mystery itself. The very end in particular, with the main character resigned to the fact that he can't convince any of his peers to care about the crime and opting to instead mime a game of tennis is so utterly bizarre but so perfectly emblematic of the era that I wanted to pull out my hair out of creative jealousy. Top 10 movie ending for me.
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"A more mature answer than I expected."~ Jakyl25
"Sephy's point is right."~ Inviso
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Nelson_Mandela
05/30/19 5:00:02 PM
#197:


#177. Life Is Beautiful
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/7c/Vitaebella.jpg
Dir: Roberto Benigni
Genre: Drama, Comedy
Year: 1997

A Holocaust movie about a father using humor to keep his young son safe and also to keep his humanity intact sounds like a cheap way to pull at peoples' heartstrings and win a few Oscars. I assumed this would be the case with Life Is Beautiful, but I was completely wrong.

Life Is Beautiful is so well-made that it even won over a cynic like me into appreciating how great it is. The movie begins as sort of a classic Italian slapstick comedy, but as the historical events unfold, it gradually becomes, well...a Holocaust film. It may seem weird to have those two tones in the same movie, but it actually works perfectly. The halcyon days early in the war only enhance the tragedy of the second half of the film and set up Roberto Benigni's character's unrelenting use of humor to get his family through the concentration camp. Watch it with your wife/girlfriend if you want them to cry.
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"A more mature answer than I expected."~ Jakyl25
"Sephy's point is right."~ Inviso
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Nelson_Mandela
05/30/19 5:07:22 PM
#198:


#176. Mean Streets
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/62/Mean_Streets_poster.jpg
Dir: Martin Scorsese
Genre: Drama, Crime
Year: 1973

Mean Streets set the stage for all of your favorite Scorsese movies after it--Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, Goodfellas, the list goes on. It is as New York as New York gets and established his gritty style that pairs perfectly with the talents of Robert De Niro and Harvey Keitel.

Mean Streets is also very clearly one of Scorsese's most personal films, as the story is really centered around regular neighborhood people and the consequences of their forays into crime. This is no Goodfellas--we aren't talking about large-scale mobsters and airport heists. This is an intimate film about a few square blocks in Manhattan, and its contained nature makes you feel like you are merely peeking in through a window on their lives.
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"A more mature answer than I expected."~ Jakyl25
"Sephy's point is right."~ Inviso
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Nelson_Mandela
05/30/19 5:13:55 PM
#199:


#175. Call Me by Your Name
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/c9/CallMeByYourName2017.png
Dir: Luca Guadagnino
Genre: Drama, Coming of Age
Year: 2017

I think what sets Call Me by Your Name apart from many other similar dramas of its kind is just how marvelously all of the small elements of the film work together. The Italian summer scenery lends itself to some of the prettiest cinematography in recent memory and the camera work is equally wistful as the characters (with amazing performances by Armie Hammer and Timothe Chalamet, by the way) it is filming.

But what really makes Call Me by Your Name special is the soundtrack by Sufjan motherfucking Stevens. His voice and the sparing guitars completely elevate every scene that they grace and will stick in your brain for years to come. The man has a calling to write songs about impossible gay romances it seems.
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"A more mature answer than I expected."~ Jakyl25
"Sephy's point is right."~ Inviso
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neonreaper
05/31/19 8:40:36 AM
#200:


Saving Private Ryan was such a nice home theater experience, back when everyone had 40 inch wega Trinitrons and Outlaw receivers driving their new JBL surround sound system and annoying their entire apartment complex. Incredible mix.

I saw Fifth Element earlier - that was one of the first "I have an HDTV, what do I show it off with?" movies, as the colors and action really jump out, along with the home theater sound system everyone already had pumping out the soundtrack and activity.

The Prologue and Concerning Hobbits intro to Fellowship was also a very recommended "got a HD TV and a good sound system?" bit of film.
---
Donny: Are they gonna hurt us, Walter?
Walter: No, Donny. These men are cowards.
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Nelson_Mandela
05/31/19 10:47:43 AM
#201:


Oh man remember when bigscreen TVs and sound systems were a thing? Now they literally have to make movies keeping in mind that half the viewers will watch on their phones.
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"A more mature answer than I expected."~ Jakyl25
"Sephy's point is right."~ Inviso
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