Post by Alucard on Sept 18, 2009 22:43:36 GMT -5
You will probably disagree with a lot of my choices. You will probably outright hate some of my choices. There will be stuff that I love, but somehow it didn't make it on the list. But at the end of the day, this list is about stuff I like, just as the one you make is about the ones you liked. This is inspired by NC's list.
#20: Hackers
Okay, this movie has nearly zilch to do with actual hacking. The only thing you could legitimately do at the time of the movie was phone Phreaking, but now that's completely outdated. But...absolute lack of "realism" aside, this movie is just a LOT of fun to watch. The wacky costumes, the setting, the cyberpunk-ness. I can't help but simultaneously hate and love it. Hack the planet, indeed.
#19: Street Kings
Without a doubt, the most underrated film of 2008. It kind of came and went quietly, and I don't know but one person aside from me that saw it. But it was without a doubt one of Keanu Reeves' best roles. It's one of the few times I've legit bought him in a role, I really saw him as Det. Tom Ludlow, alcoholic veteran cop, trying to get to the bottom of a corruption case. Okay, sure, Reeves had a LOT of backup, as Forrest Whittaker and Hugh Laurie can make any actor look good. Actually, when I think of it, this flick had an all star cast, why it got barely any attention I'll never know. The ending dialogue between Reeves and Whittaker is easily one of my favorite exchanges in movie history. If you've never seen it, catch it sometime. It's not as bad as you'd think.
#18: Heat
I don't know what I can say about this movie that hasn't already been said years ago. But, it's a top to bottom entertaining flick. The downtown shootout is one of the best in cinematic history, intense and almost TOO realistic. Great movie. Great director.
#17: The Lost Boys
I know, I know, Joel Schumacher...
I feel dirty just for saying his name. But loooong before vampires were cool again, there was The Lost Boys. Something about the story...as non traditional for vampire lore as it is, and as often silly as it is...just...works. The characters are likable and even when the movie is at it's worst, it's still a lot of fun. Today's sparkly vamps got ya down? You can always travel back to the 80's, where instead of being angsty, our fanged friends much preferred to ride dirtbikes and attend concerts held by oiled up sax players. Ah, better days.
#16: Coraline
Holy crap. For a movie that leans more towards the kid-friendly side, this was a freaky flick. The 3D aspects, while ultimately just being a gimmick, did actually help you feel further immersed into the world created on the screen. The latter parts of the movie were surprisingly intense. It's hard to go wrong with anything Neil Gaiman related, and yeah, a few liberties were taken with the story, like a character being added in and all. But hey, if you ever need to see something with pretty colors and will make your mind wander to a fantasy world...this one will do it.
#15: The Warriors
A true cult classic which I was fortunate enough to be early to the party for, as I found it in a Circuit City bargain bin in about 2002, before the special edition and video game were released. It's...just a fun movie.
#14: Macross Plus: Movie Edition
Okay...this might barely count as a movie. It's essentially just a condensed version of the OVA, but it has scenes that you didn't see in that. It's sort of like...Top Gun in the future, with planes that can transform into robots. You probably know Macross, if you knew Robotech. An early Shinichrio Watanabe work (of Cowboy Bebop and Samurai Champloo fame), it might be a bit bland for modern anime fans, but oddly the art and 3DCG still hold up today. VERY well, in fact. Scored by Yoko Kanno, it's a feast for the eyes and ears, and is one of the things that opened a whole new world of anime to me.
#13: National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
This is less a movie, and more of a family tradition. Every year, and we never get sick of it. Comedy classic.
#12: Watchmen (Director's Cut)
It won't top the original source material, but I'll admit, I was still pretty taken by it. Amazing visuals and intense action sequences, with scenes straight out of the novel made this movie far better than I could've imagined. Jackie Earle Hayley as Rorschach was top notch casting...but pretty much everyone has said that by now.
#11: Terminator 2: Judgment Day
A movie I saw at a very young age, it had a lasting effect on me. More than just an Ahnuld bloodfest, it was also a good commentary on the dangers of artificial intelligence and nuclear war, as well as humanity. I'll admit, I uh...get something in my eye at the end.
#10: Godzilla vs. Destroyah
A movie that just BARELY got a release in the US (I mean, it got one...just not a quality nor an easy to find one outside of internet shopping), this was quite possibly my favorite 'G movie, right next to the original '58. It showed even the inhuman monster had a vulnerable side, even he eventually will die. And man, I have to admit...even KNOWING that was just a guy in a suit and some clever CG and camerawork, it got to me. I'm even aware of how ridiculous it is...but man, Godzilla dying? That's...just such a bummer. Sadly, the WAY COOL ending in which Big G's energy is transferred to Jr. was never, ever, EVER capitalized on or spoken of again, to my knowledge, as most films after it took place as a direct sequel to the '58 original, or as an alternate reality "what if" flick.
#9: Batman (89)
Really the movie that pretty much got me into comic books, and as hammy and corny as it could be at times, it was a violent superheroic romp filled with Prince music (?) and a brilliant score by Danny Elfman that has remained a favorite of mine ever since.
#8: The Crow
Okay, maybe I just saw it at the right time in my life (you know, as an angsty teen), but I still like it today. Brandon Lee's final role is one that has never been forgotten. A ridiculously violent, but hopelessly romantic story fueled by a great 90's soundtrack. Meh, screw the "fanbase" haters. It's just a good movie.
#7: The Usual Suspects
I'll admit I actually saw this movie recently, and it surprised me so much that it became a top ranking favorite of mine. Sure, everyone knows the twist by now...but that doesn't make it any less awesome.
#6: Blade Runner (The Final Cut)
Same case as above, it's just a great film. A young Harrison Ford shows us the darker side of the future, gritty, violent, and very immersive, it's just an unforgettable movie. It's not your typical sci-fi fare, but that's why I like it. Whatever happened to good cyberpunk movies?
#5: Transformers (2007)
I know, it has a lot of haters, but not expecting much out of a movie based on action figures, I gotta say it surprised me. I love the action, the humor, and the downright unbelievable work they did to bring the Autobots to life. I don't even see CG when I look at them, it's like they're really there. Long story short, it has it's haters, but that doesn't stop me from enjoying it.
#4: The Dark Knight
Love it or hate it, it's the flick that changed the way comic book movies will be, forever (obvious pun intended). In a lot of ways, it really reminds me of Heat. And strangely, I think even if you removed EVERYTHING Batman from the movie, it'd STILL be a good movie.
#3: TIE- Reservoir Dogs/Pulp Fiction
Do I really need to explain why I like either of these? I'm not really a Quentin Tarintino worshipper, but I do love both of these movies like they were my own children. It's hard to say which one I like more than the other because of that. Reservoir Dogs had it's strong cast and eerily realistic cinematography keeps my attention, while Pulp Fiction just oozes style from every pore and also has that major cast of heavy hitters. I dunno, I can't pick just one...so I picked 'em both...speaking of picking them both...
HERE COMES THE HATE!
#2: Three Way TIE-The Fast and the Furious, Fast & Furious (IV), and The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift
A lot of you are either imagining punching me in the face, vomiting into a bucket, or just rolling your eyes in disgust, but eh. What can I say. The first flick is timeless to me. It's a great window back into the year 2001, before the world was as it is today. It's sort of like my American Graffiti. It made the world of cars and modern day hot rods cool. The actors? Well, some were better than others, but really the movie isn't as bad as people make it out to be. Fast & Furious, the movie that made a large quotient of the forum experience extreme pain of the rectal area upon the week of it's release apparently, was a great companion piece to the original, it was the sequel that 2 Fast 2 Furious should have been (NO, literally.) And it pretty much just...did it's job. It tied off the loose ends and answered most of the questions after the climax of the original movie. Tokyo Drift? Well...a lot of people
about this movie. Those same people probably have never seen it. I honestly expected nothing good to come of it...but much to my surprise, the film was a pretty accurate representation of what it would be like to be a white dude in Tokyo. Okay, you probably won't drift in parking garages after school (and really, they don't even do that, but they made up for that scene with the mountain touge drifting scene later, which they DO actually do over there), but you will be a smidge ostracized and stick out like a sore thumb. I expected a direct to video quality movie, but director Justin Lin delivered a smash right in my face movie that not only surprised me at how good it actually was, but left me leaving the theater completely satisfied with what I just saw. Speaking of Justin Lin surprising the hell out of me...
#1: Better Luck Tomorrow
Most of you are probably scratching your heads and going "Uhm, what? I've never even heard of that." Well, yeah. That's no big deal really. I remembered it's release in 2002...it kind of came and went quietly, despite it winning awards at several indie film festivals, I don't really think this movie was what you'd call a smash hit. And I don't think it was ever really meant to be. I'm sure the money spent on it was made back (thank god, otherwise the guy probably would've never made movies again), but this is a movie that was made on pretty much a meek budget, but rather than hinder and take you out of it, it actually somehow makes the presentation more sleek and real feeling. I'd compare the way this movie leaves me feeling to the same way Requiem for a Dream leaves most people feeling...you know you just saw something good, but you can't help but feel a bit...disturbed. Better Luck Tomorrow is the story of a group of studious young Asian teens, balancing their boring lives of books and quiz bowls with...um, well, crime. They start small, but become notorious, but it's ultimately not all glitz and glamour. While their good grades are ultimately their alibi; What goes up, unfortunately, must always come down...and dear lord does it ever. The violence and the drugs take their toll quite realistically. Honestly, I don't know what it was, but the end...while not entirely sad or anything, was just very...bittersweet I guess. If you've never seen it, check it out. If you don't like it, well, at least you can say you've seen Better Luck Tomorrow.
Honorable Mentions:
Ghostbusters, Sailor Moon R: The Movie, Top Gun, Spider-Man, No Man's Land, The X-Files: Fight the Future, Robocop (really should have made the main list), Cowboy Bebop: The Movie (also probably should have made the main list), Batman: Mask of the Phantasm, Batman Returns, The Boondock Saints, William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet, Battle Royale, Clerks 2, The Naked Gun Franchise, This is Spinal Tap, Black Sheep, Tommy Boy, Shoot 'Em Up, Grave of the Fireflies, Point Break, The Wrestler.
#20: Hackers
Okay, this movie has nearly zilch to do with actual hacking. The only thing you could legitimately do at the time of the movie was phone Phreaking, but now that's completely outdated. But...absolute lack of "realism" aside, this movie is just a LOT of fun to watch. The wacky costumes, the setting, the cyberpunk-ness. I can't help but simultaneously hate and love it. Hack the planet, indeed.
#19: Street Kings
Without a doubt, the most underrated film of 2008. It kind of came and went quietly, and I don't know but one person aside from me that saw it. But it was without a doubt one of Keanu Reeves' best roles. It's one of the few times I've legit bought him in a role, I really saw him as Det. Tom Ludlow, alcoholic veteran cop, trying to get to the bottom of a corruption case. Okay, sure, Reeves had a LOT of backup, as Forrest Whittaker and Hugh Laurie can make any actor look good. Actually, when I think of it, this flick had an all star cast, why it got barely any attention I'll never know. The ending dialogue between Reeves and Whittaker is easily one of my favorite exchanges in movie history. If you've never seen it, catch it sometime. It's not as bad as you'd think.
#18: Heat
I don't know what I can say about this movie that hasn't already been said years ago. But, it's a top to bottom entertaining flick. The downtown shootout is one of the best in cinematic history, intense and almost TOO realistic. Great movie. Great director.
#17: The Lost Boys
I know, I know, Joel Schumacher...
I feel dirty just for saying his name. But loooong before vampires were cool again, there was The Lost Boys. Something about the story...as non traditional for vampire lore as it is, and as often silly as it is...just...works. The characters are likable and even when the movie is at it's worst, it's still a lot of fun. Today's sparkly vamps got ya down? You can always travel back to the 80's, where instead of being angsty, our fanged friends much preferred to ride dirtbikes and attend concerts held by oiled up sax players. Ah, better days.
#16: Coraline
Holy crap. For a movie that leans more towards the kid-friendly side, this was a freaky flick. The 3D aspects, while ultimately just being a gimmick, did actually help you feel further immersed into the world created on the screen. The latter parts of the movie were surprisingly intense. It's hard to go wrong with anything Neil Gaiman related, and yeah, a few liberties were taken with the story, like a character being added in and all. But hey, if you ever need to see something with pretty colors and will make your mind wander to a fantasy world...this one will do it.
#15: The Warriors
A true cult classic which I was fortunate enough to be early to the party for, as I found it in a Circuit City bargain bin in about 2002, before the special edition and video game were released. It's...just a fun movie.
#14: Macross Plus: Movie Edition
Okay...this might barely count as a movie. It's essentially just a condensed version of the OVA, but it has scenes that you didn't see in that. It's sort of like...Top Gun in the future, with planes that can transform into robots. You probably know Macross, if you knew Robotech. An early Shinichrio Watanabe work (of Cowboy Bebop and Samurai Champloo fame), it might be a bit bland for modern anime fans, but oddly the art and 3DCG still hold up today. VERY well, in fact. Scored by Yoko Kanno, it's a feast for the eyes and ears, and is one of the things that opened a whole new world of anime to me.
#13: National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
This is less a movie, and more of a family tradition. Every year, and we never get sick of it. Comedy classic.
#12: Watchmen (Director's Cut)
It won't top the original source material, but I'll admit, I was still pretty taken by it. Amazing visuals and intense action sequences, with scenes straight out of the novel made this movie far better than I could've imagined. Jackie Earle Hayley as Rorschach was top notch casting...but pretty much everyone has said that by now.
#11: Terminator 2: Judgment Day
A movie I saw at a very young age, it had a lasting effect on me. More than just an Ahnuld bloodfest, it was also a good commentary on the dangers of artificial intelligence and nuclear war, as well as humanity. I'll admit, I uh...get something in my eye at the end.
#10: Godzilla vs. Destroyah
A movie that just BARELY got a release in the US (I mean, it got one...just not a quality nor an easy to find one outside of internet shopping), this was quite possibly my favorite 'G movie, right next to the original '58. It showed even the inhuman monster had a vulnerable side, even he eventually will die. And man, I have to admit...even KNOWING that was just a guy in a suit and some clever CG and camerawork, it got to me. I'm even aware of how ridiculous it is...but man, Godzilla dying? That's...just such a bummer. Sadly, the WAY COOL ending in which Big G's energy is transferred to Jr. was never, ever, EVER capitalized on or spoken of again, to my knowledge, as most films after it took place as a direct sequel to the '58 original, or as an alternate reality "what if" flick.
#9: Batman (89)
Really the movie that pretty much got me into comic books, and as hammy and corny as it could be at times, it was a violent superheroic romp filled with Prince music (?) and a brilliant score by Danny Elfman that has remained a favorite of mine ever since.
#8: The Crow
Okay, maybe I just saw it at the right time in my life (you know, as an angsty teen), but I still like it today. Brandon Lee's final role is one that has never been forgotten. A ridiculously violent, but hopelessly romantic story fueled by a great 90's soundtrack. Meh, screw the "fanbase" haters. It's just a good movie.
#7: The Usual Suspects
I'll admit I actually saw this movie recently, and it surprised me so much that it became a top ranking favorite of mine. Sure, everyone knows the twist by now...but that doesn't make it any less awesome.
#6: Blade Runner (The Final Cut)
Same case as above, it's just a great film. A young Harrison Ford shows us the darker side of the future, gritty, violent, and very immersive, it's just an unforgettable movie. It's not your typical sci-fi fare, but that's why I like it. Whatever happened to good cyberpunk movies?
#5: Transformers (2007)
I know, it has a lot of haters, but not expecting much out of a movie based on action figures, I gotta say it surprised me. I love the action, the humor, and the downright unbelievable work they did to bring the Autobots to life. I don't even see CG when I look at them, it's like they're really there. Long story short, it has it's haters, but that doesn't stop me from enjoying it.
#4: The Dark Knight
Love it or hate it, it's the flick that changed the way comic book movies will be, forever (obvious pun intended). In a lot of ways, it really reminds me of Heat. And strangely, I think even if you removed EVERYTHING Batman from the movie, it'd STILL be a good movie.
#3: TIE- Reservoir Dogs/Pulp Fiction
Do I really need to explain why I like either of these? I'm not really a Quentin Tarintino worshipper, but I do love both of these movies like they were my own children. It's hard to say which one I like more than the other because of that. Reservoir Dogs had it's strong cast and eerily realistic cinematography keeps my attention, while Pulp Fiction just oozes style from every pore and also has that major cast of heavy hitters. I dunno, I can't pick just one...so I picked 'em both...speaking of picking them both...
HERE COMES THE HATE!
#2: Three Way TIE-The Fast and the Furious, Fast & Furious (IV), and The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift
A lot of you are either imagining punching me in the face, vomiting into a bucket, or just rolling your eyes in disgust, but eh. What can I say. The first flick is timeless to me. It's a great window back into the year 2001, before the world was as it is today. It's sort of like my American Graffiti. It made the world of cars and modern day hot rods cool. The actors? Well, some were better than others, but really the movie isn't as bad as people make it out to be. Fast & Furious, the movie that made a large quotient of the forum experience extreme pain of the rectal area upon the week of it's release apparently, was a great companion piece to the original, it was the sequel that 2 Fast 2 Furious should have been (NO, literally.) And it pretty much just...did it's job. It tied off the loose ends and answered most of the questions after the climax of the original movie. Tokyo Drift? Well...a lot of people
about this movie. Those same people probably have never seen it. I honestly expected nothing good to come of it...but much to my surprise, the film was a pretty accurate representation of what it would be like to be a white dude in Tokyo. Okay, you probably won't drift in parking garages after school (and really, they don't even do that, but they made up for that scene with the mountain touge drifting scene later, which they DO actually do over there), but you will be a smidge ostracized and stick out like a sore thumb. I expected a direct to video quality movie, but director Justin Lin delivered a smash right in my face movie that not only surprised me at how good it actually was, but left me leaving the theater completely satisfied with what I just saw. Speaking of Justin Lin surprising the hell out of me...#1: Better Luck Tomorrow
Most of you are probably scratching your heads and going "Uhm, what? I've never even heard of that." Well, yeah. That's no big deal really. I remembered it's release in 2002...it kind of came and went quietly, despite it winning awards at several indie film festivals, I don't really think this movie was what you'd call a smash hit. And I don't think it was ever really meant to be. I'm sure the money spent on it was made back (thank god, otherwise the guy probably would've never made movies again), but this is a movie that was made on pretty much a meek budget, but rather than hinder and take you out of it, it actually somehow makes the presentation more sleek and real feeling. I'd compare the way this movie leaves me feeling to the same way Requiem for a Dream leaves most people feeling...you know you just saw something good, but you can't help but feel a bit...disturbed. Better Luck Tomorrow is the story of a group of studious young Asian teens, balancing their boring lives of books and quiz bowls with...um, well, crime. They start small, but become notorious, but it's ultimately not all glitz and glamour. While their good grades are ultimately their alibi; What goes up, unfortunately, must always come down...and dear lord does it ever. The violence and the drugs take their toll quite realistically. Honestly, I don't know what it was, but the end...while not entirely sad or anything, was just very...bittersweet I guess. If you've never seen it, check it out. If you don't like it, well, at least you can say you've seen Better Luck Tomorrow.
Honorable Mentions:
Ghostbusters, Sailor Moon R: The Movie, Top Gun, Spider-Man, No Man's Land, The X-Files: Fight the Future, Robocop (really should have made the main list), Cowboy Bebop: The Movie (also probably should have made the main list), Batman: Mask of the Phantasm, Batman Returns, The Boondock Saints, William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet, Battle Royale, Clerks 2, The Naked Gun Franchise, This is Spinal Tap, Black Sheep, Tommy Boy, Shoot 'Em Up, Grave of the Fireflies, Point Break, The Wrestler.
