Your favorite films

[ApostateAbe]

I just got a five dollar Hollywood video gift card, and I am thinking of renting a DVD this weekend. So this thread is to make recommendations. I'll list the movies that I love to give you an idea of the kind I am into (not in any order):The Usual Suspects
Red Dawn
Happiness
Gandhi
My Fair Lady
Lolita (1997)
Sling Blade
Fight Club
What About Bob?
Groundhog Day
My Cousin Vinny
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
The Shining
Reservoir Dogs
Pulp Fiction
Ronin
Seven
The Bourne Identity
Doctor Strangelove
Shawshank Redemption
The Professional
Patton
Yojimbo
Seven Samurai
Dirty Harry
Unforgiven
In the Line of Fire
The Fugitive
Taxi Driver
Joy Ride
Ringu
I also love a few anime movies and series, although I am not a big anime aficiando:Berserk
Coyboy Bebop
Spirited Away
Princess Mononoke
Here are a few other series that I love:Family Guy
Mr. Bean
Monty Python
The Sopranos
And the best thing I have ever seen on a video screen is:Cosmos
So what are your favorites?

[beyelzu]

My absolute favorite movie is Things to do in Denver When Your'e Dead. It has a great cast and an excellent script. The movie is just kickass all around.

If you havent seen it, you might want to check out True Romance, great movie. It has everyone in hollywood in it, or at least it seems that way. Dennis Hopper, Christopher Walken, Brad Pitt, Val Kilmer, Christian Slater, Michael Rappaport, Chris Penn, Bronson Pincho9sp?), one of the arquette sisters, Samuel L Jackson. It is a great crime drama action movie.

[ApostateAbe]

My absolute favorite movie is Things to do in Denver When Your'e Dead. It has a great cast and an excellent script. The movie is just kickass all around.

If you havent seen it, you might want to check out True Romance, great movie. It has everyone in hollywood in it, or at least it seems that way. Dennis Hopper, Christopher Walken, Brad Pitt, Val Kilmer, Christian Slater, Michael Rappaport, Chris Penn, Bronson Pincho9sp?), one of the arquette sisters, Samuel L Jackson. It is a great crime drama action movie. beyelzu, that's great, those are two movies I haven't seen (or even heard of before now), but I love what the reviews are saying about them. They seem to be just my taste.

[beyelzu]

My absolute favorite movie is Things to do in Denver When Your'e Dead. It has a great cast and an excellent script. The movie is just kickass all around.

If you havent seen it, you might want to check out True Romance, great movie. It has everyone in hollywood in it, or at least it seems that way. Dennis Hopper, Christopher Walken, Brad Pitt, Val Kilmer, Christian Slater, Michael Rappaport, Chris Penn, Bronson Pincho9sp?), one of the arquette sisters, Samuel L Jackson. It is a great crime drama action movie. beyelzu, that's great, those are two movies I haven't seen (or even heard of before now), but I love what the reviews are saying about them. They seem to be just my taste.
I thought you might like them, we seem to have similar tastes in movies. I like a fuckload of the movies in your list and dont like only 2 of them.

[Dingfod]

My favorite movies, liked well enough to own a copy on VHS or DVD, not necessarily in order of preference:
Unforgiven (1992)
The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976)
The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean (1972)
The Mountain Men (1980)
Will Penny (1968)
Monte Walsh (1970)
Little Big Man (1970)
Tombstone (1993)
Jeremiah Johnson (1972)
Paint Your Wagon (1969)

Notice any kind of a trend?

[beyelzu]

My favorite movies, liked well enough to own a copy on VHS or DVD, not necessarily in order of preference:
Unforgiven (1992)
The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976)
The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean (1972)
The Mountain Men (1980)
Will Penny (1968)
Monte Walsh (1970)
Little Big Man (1970)
Tombstone (1993)
Jeremiah Johnson (1972)
Paint Your Wagon (1969)

Notice any kind of a trend?
yeah, you like to fuck horses????

you quit watching movies over ten years ago?


seriously, Outlaw Josey Wales is a great fucking movie, plus Clint directed it iirc. I love tombstone and Jeremiah Johnson as well. I might have to check out some of those other movies that I havent seen.

[freemonkey]

Little Big Man (1970)
I love that movie. :popcorn:

[Dingfod]

Notice any kind of a trend?
yeah, you like to fuck horses????Shhh! Don't tell my wife I'm glad she bought a mare that's stump-broke, them geldings are hell to mount.

you quit watching movies over ten years ago?Not entirely true. That was a very incomplete list of my favorite movies. I'm pretty picky about which ones to lay out the cash to purchase and those represent the ones in our collection that are mine, all mine. My mother gave me the Spiderman movie for Xmas last year. Maybe I'll get Spiderman2 this year, and Hellboy. I rather enjoyed the Lord of the Rings movies, maybe I'll get them too; I'll probably buy them for Roxy my daughter.

seriously, Outlaw Josey Wales is a great fucking movie, plus Clint directed it iirc.He also directed Unforgiven. The Mountain Men stars Charlton Heston and Brian Keith in a very realistic depiction of the life of 1820-1830 trappers in the Rocky Mountains, much as Jeremiah Johnson was. Will Penny stars Heston as a pretty realistic cowhand, not a gunfighter. Monte Walsh stars Lee Marvin as a cowhand past his prime, in a career past its prime. Paint Your Wagon was a rollicking musical starring Clint Eastwood and Lee Marvin, pretty accurately depicting the life of a California gold mining camp (well, except for the orchestra music and the songs).

Then there's the pseudohistorical movies. Little Big Man, starring Dustin Hoffman as the only surviving member of George Armstrong Custer's last stand and Little Big Horn, Montana. The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean starring Paul Newman was "true, for the most part". And, Tombstone, starring Kurt Russell as Wyatt Earp, depicted the events leading up to the shootout at the OK Corral and the subsequent revenge of the Earps and Doc Holliday, very aptly portrayed by a very pallid Val Kilmer ("I'm here, Huckleberry.").

[wade-w]

Little Big Man (1970)
I love that movie. :popcorn:

Yeah, it's a hell of a movie. Though to my mind they ruined the ending. The book is much better.

[pescifish]

Abe, there are several threads in the Arts & Literature forum here (http://www.freethought-forum.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=32) regarding movies. You might want to check out Best SciFi Movies (http://www.freethought-forum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=785) for example.

Also, viscousmemories' journal has very useful (IMO) reviews of many films here (http://www.freethought-forum.com/forum/journal.php?do=view&journalid=3).

[Cool Hand]

Little Big Man (1970)
I love that movie. :popcorn:

Yeah, it's a hell of a movie. Though to my mind they ruined the ending. The book is much better.

I agree about the movie. Dustin Hoffman excels in it, and it's very funny, but tragic too.

I haven't read the book, although I know I should. Thomas Berger wrote it, and he is one of America's finest writers. I love his novel Being Invisible. His mastery of language is on full display in it. It's a comedy of manners and an interesting examination of identity.

Cool Hand

[viscousmemories]

I think Tarentino's Kill Bill flicks might be the droids you're looking for.

Plus I just want to second, third or whatever True Romance. I loved that flick. Plus I believe the perpetually stoned roomate on the couch role was Brad Pitt's debut.

[livius drusus]

Plus I believe the perpetually stoned roomate on the couch role was Brad Pitt's debut.

Naw, he had already made a splash as the thief and boytoy in Thelma and Louise by then. I think A River (of Shit) Runs Through It was before TR as well. That's one of the things that's so awesome about his stoner: there's nothing of the pretty boy Pitt was already known for about him.

Fucking condescend to me... I'll fucking kill you, man... :bonghit:

[viscousmemories]

Plus I believe the perpetually stoned roomate on the couch role was Brad Pitt's debut.

Naw, he had already made a splash as the thief and boytoy in Thelma and Louise by then. I think A River (of Shit) Runs Through It was before TR as well. That's one of the things that's so awesome about his stoner: there's nothing of the pretty boy Pitt was already known for about him.

Fucking condescend to me... I'll fucking kill you, man... :bonghit:
I'll be damned. Color me clueless. He was also in Kalifornia and Contact (though I don't remember him in either) before True Romance, as well as a dozen other things. Huh.

That reminds me for some reason of another great flick: Freeway

Some random clown at IMDB calls it a "totally nihilistic, cynical, immoral and unredeeming film" and I agree completely. It was a lot of fun. :popcorn:

[Johnny Pneumatic]

The Naked Gun, Whatever It Takes, Orange County, Airplane!, The School of Rock, Saving Silverman, Zoolander, Heavyweights, Happy Gilmore, The Wedding Singer, Biloxi Blues, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, The Freshman and Liar Liar. These should get you started.

[LadyShea]

Another big thumbs up for True Romance, definitely one of my all time fave flicks. livius, another slang term we use is "I got fucking Floyd" meaning "no, I don't have any <whatever is asked for>" from that movie :)

VM, Bradd Pitt played the disgusting, foot picking, loogy hocking serial killer in Kalifornia...it was a duel lead movie with David Duchovny as the "good guy" opposite Pitt...how could you not remember him? Freeway is another good suggestion and the Kill Bills :appl: good choices.

Lets see here, Abe, I like your list very much, but will add

Hunt for Red October
Amadeus
The Elephant Man
Breakfast at Tiffany's and Roman Holiday if you want an Audrey night along with My Fair Lady
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (love this movie so much)
Pretty much anything by Tim Burton


I like some old movies

Stage Door
Snake Pit
It Happened One Night
Arsenic and Old Lace

[ApostateAbe]

Another big thumbs up for True Romance, definitely one of my all time fave flicks. livius, another slang term we use is "I got fucking Floyd" meaning "no, I don't have any <whatever is asked for>" from that movie :)

VM, Bradd Pitt played the disgusting, foot picking, loogy hocking serial killer in Kalifornia...it was a duel lead movie with David Duchovny as the "good guy" opposite Pitt...how could you not remember him? Freeway is another good suggestion and the Kill Bills :appl: good choices.

Lets see here, Abe, I like your list very much, but will add

Hunt for Red October
Amadeus
The Elephant Man
Breakfast at Tiffany's and Roman Holiday if you want an Audrey night along with My Fair Lady
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (love this movie so much)
Pretty much anything by Tim Burton


I like some old movies

Stage Door
Snake Pit
It Happened One Night
Arsenic and Old Lace LadyShea, you have a good taste in theatre. It Happened One Night is a swell film. And I think Willy Wonka is the best film for kids (that anybody can enjoy of course).

I was planning on making tonight my movie night, but I discovered that I don't know where the nearest Hollywood Video is located.

[Lauri D]

HEAT.

Directed by Michael Mann.

Starring:

Robert DeNiro (drool)
Al Pacino
Val Kilmer
Tom Sizemore
Ashley Judd
Diane Venora
Amy Brenneman
Jon Voight
William Fichtner (VAN ZANT!)
Natalie Portman

and more.

One of my top 5 favorites ever.

ORDINARY PEOPLE.

Directed by Robert Redford.

Starring: Donald Sutherland, Mary Tyler Moore, Timothy Hutton, Judd Hirsch, Elizabeth McGovern. Based on the prize winning (and wonderful) first novel by Judith Guest. Winner of Best Picture in 1980 IIRC. Great, great flick.

[ApostateAbe]

HEAT.

Directed by Michael Mann.

Starring:

Robert DeNiro (drool)
Al Pacino
Val Kilmer
Tom Sizemore
Ashley Judd
Diane Venora
Amy Brenneman
Jon Voight
William Fichtner (VAN ZANT!)
Natalie Portman

and more.

One of my top 5 favorites ever.

ORDINARY PEOPLE.

Directed by Robert Redford.

Starring: Donald Sutherland, Mary Tyler Moore, Timothy Hutton, Judd Hirsch, Elizabeth McGovern. Based on the prize winning (and wonderful) first novel by Judith Guest. Winner of Best Picture in 1980 IIRC. Great, great flick. I should have listed Ordinary People in my list of faves. I have seen it, and I love the realistic close-to-life nature of it. But I haven't seen Heat, but it looks good to me. Anything with De Niro and Pacino is a sure winner.

[Lauri D]

Cool. I really think you'll enjoy "Heat". It's long - about 3 hours - but has great character development and gorgeous cinematography.

[ApostateAbe]

I am a complete jackass. I listed all those movies, and I neglected the film that definitely tops everything except Cosmos (and then only maybe). It is the Pride and Prejudice miniseries produced by the BBC in 1995 starring Colin Firth. There is no way that a better film carrying that title could have been made (and I have read the book). You will not find a less-than-perfect review of this miniseries anywhere. Warning: view it on VHS, don't get the DVD. For some strange reason, the color is abominable on the DVD (unless they fixed it).

[viscousmemories]

VM, Bradd Pitt played the disgusting, foot picking, loogy hocking serial killer in Kalifornia...it was a duel lead movie with David Duchovny as the "good guy" opposite Pitt...how could you not remember him?
Yeah, right. Shea, I can't remember what I had for breakfast.

Freeway is another good suggestion and the Kill Bills :appl: good choices.
:bowing:

Another vote for Heat, too. Awesome flick.

[Adora]

Hmmm... This isn't in order or anything, just writing them down as they come to me.

Donnie Darko
The Utena Movie
Cowboy Bebop movie (yes, I am an animation bunny)
Lilo & Stitch (you have no idea of the level of love I have for this film. It's the last great cry of Disney)
Finding Nemo (Pixar is love)
Spirited Away
Princess Mononoke (yes, Ghibli pwns all)
Shark Skin Man And Peach Hip Girl (Nippon does Snatch, with a side of crack)
Snatch
Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels
Anything by Kurosawa. The man could do no wrong.
The Animatrix: The Second Renaissance 1 & 2 (social metaphors, HELLO!)
Kill Bill vol 1
Road Trip
Valmont (so much better than Michael Douglas or Ryan Phillipe noncing like the untalented bitches they are)
Amelie
City of the Lost Children :D
Aliens and Alien Ressurrection
Ghost in the Shell (though the manga was better)
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (shut up)
A Nightmare Before Christmas
Pirates of the Carribean
House of Sand and Fog
Lost in Translation
Lost in La Mancha (okay, so its a documentary, it's still fucking brilliant)
Return to Sarajevo (okay, another Doco, but it's really really good)
Anything by Peter Jackson. Really, I like all his movies. Even the crazy independent stuff he did before LotR.
Whale Rider (speaking of Kiwis and all)
And this itty-bitty little Australia film called "Red Dust". It's a short film, but by gods, it's good.
Two Hands (Heath Ledger and Rose Byrne before they were big, and Brian Brown doing his funky thing)

That's all I can think of for now. There's probably others though. I find it very hard to narrow the field down properly.

EDIT: That film was called "California" or "Kalifornia" or something. The one with the psycho Brad and David Duchovny.

[LadyShea]

Adora, I am also a Lilo and Stitch fan and LOVED all of the Harry Potters. You have a lot of my faves on your list, actually....which I find surprising given I have never even seen anime which I know you like that kid of stuff. Always nice to find something in common with others :)

[Cool Hand]

I am a complete jackass. I listed all those movies, and I neglected the film that definitely tops everything except Cosmos (and then only maybe). It is the Pride and Prejudice miniseries produced by the BBC in 1995 starring Colin Firth. There is no way that a better film carrying that title could have been made (and I have read the book). You will not find a less-than-perfect review of this miniseries anywhere. Warning: view it on VHS, don't get the DVD. For some strange reason, the color is abominable on the DVD (unless they fixed it).

I agree about Cosmos. It's riveting.

As for a spectacular dramatic mini-series, I've never come across anything that could touch Band of Brothers, based on Stephen Ambrose's book of the same name. Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks produced a grand slam with their astoundingly authentic depiction of one company of paratroopers from the 101st Airborne Division. It follows them from their training at home, through D-Day, Operation Market Garden, the Battle of the Bulge, and the European campaign to Germany, and ends with the capture of Hitler's Eagle's Nest and the post-VE occupation of the American sector in Germany. Although the cast is an talented ensemble, the acting performances of Damian Lewis and Ron Livingston are outstanding. There is a documentary with interviews with many of the real survivors of Easy Company that will bring tears to your eye and a lump to your throat. They unanimously praise the film series as jaw-droppingly realistic. It's about 10 hours long, spread across 6 disks, but you likely won't want to stop watching. It is truly that compelling.

Big thumbs up.

Cool Hand

[livius drusus]

I agree with so many of the ones already listed, so I'm going to try to throw out some of my favorites that (I think) haven't been mentioned yet.

Animal House
Blazing Saddles
The Long, Hot Summer (Newman and Woodward version, screenplay by William Faulkner)
The Maltese Falcon
North by Northwest (hands down the best Hitchcock film ever)
LA Confidential
Persuasion (if you've read this Jane Austen too, Abe, you'll shit over this movie)
Quills
Singin In the Rain (I don't care if it's cheesy; it's the happiest movie ever)
Desperado
Metropolis (now that they finally put together a DVD that approaches the original)
All the Evil Deads
Hamlet (Branagh's version)
Titus (probably the best staging of Titus Andronicus in history)
Cinema Paradiso (best. ending. ever.)
Three Colors (especially Red and Blue)
The Princess and the Warrior (another great one from Kieslowski)
We Had All Loved Each Other So Much (obscure Italian movie you can only find in art house video stores but it's totally worth watching for a funny and touching glimpse into Italian post-war social history)
Suspiria (a scary, scary, splashy, silly movie)
The God of Cookery (Stephen Chow, the 15 brass men of Shaolin monastery, Pissing Beef Balls: it's fucking hilarious)

[Socratoad]

Liv, did ya ever see Bitter Rice? An Italian movie starring anna Maganini (spl)

[The Lone Ranger]

I have to agree with the "anything by Kurosawa" sentiment.

Though it's not his best-known, I particularly like Redbeard. Seven Samurai is often cited as the closest thing ever to a "perfect" movie, and I'm inclined to agree. Ikiru will break your heart.

Truly, what Kurosawa could accomplish is nothing short of breath-taking.


My favorite non-Kurosawa movie is Lonely Are the Brave. It's hard to find on VHS nowadays, alas. I sure wish they'd release it on dvd!

Never Cry Wolf is another of my all-time favorites.

Anyone ever seen Winged Migration? It's a truly wonderful movie!


Cheers,

Michael

[Brimshack]

I concur with the "anything by Kurusawa" sentiment.
I will add anything by Juzo Itami, but especially Tampopo.
City of Lost Children.
Little Big Man, ...yep, great movie.
The Unforgiven.
Pulp Fiction.
Farewell My Concubine.
(and before we leave China) To Live.
A Clockwork Orange.
The Devil's Backbone.
Schizopolis. (It is your obligation to watch this over and over until you understand it.)
Man Bites Dog.
Black Robe.
The Princess Bride.
Titus (Just a great story, with one of the best villains of all time).
The Prophecy (Speaking of great villains.)
The War Zone.
Monty Python's Holy Grail. I know some of us have watched it until we're sick of it, but hey, there was a reason we watched it so much to begin with, or maybe it's me. I dunno. Moving on now...

Just watched "Hail Mary Full of Grace." Great movie. DOn't know if it belongs on the list, but if you get a chance to see it, it's worth it.

[Adora]

Additions to my list.

Fight CLub
The Rage in Placid Lake (Ben Lee version, not the horror flick)
Monty Python and the Holy Grail. It is not possible to be sick of it.
American Beauty
Plan 9 From Outer Space :D
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Kikujiro
Hana Bi
And if I ever see it, I'll probably love Zatoichi, because obviously I have a raging hard-on for Beat Takeshi.
Ringu
Taxi (original, of course)
Bladerunner
Travelling Birds (simply unbelievable)
Missing (at least, I think it's called that. Y'know, the one where the South American country is taken over and the husband goes missing, then his father and the wife go look for him & stuff?)
Anything by the Cohen Brothers
The Usual Suspects.

[livius drusus]

Liv, did ya ever see Bitter Rice? An Italian movie starring anna Maganini (spl)
I haven't, Toad. Do you recommend it?

[Dingfod]

Has anyone seen Napolean Dynamite? I'm curious as to why this has been showing in two or three theaters here in Tulsa since it came out in June. Has it become a cult classic for some reason? Is it worth seeing?

[Socratoad]

Liv, did ya ever see Bitter Rice? An Italian movie starring Anna Maganini (spl)
I haven't, Toad. Do you recommend it?

Good morning Liv. The Toad has just lifted eez head off the lily pad and so try as I might I'm not able to put together a list of my favourite films, but I just want to mention films or snippets of films that have left an indelible mark in my memory.

And so first there was Bitter Rice ..... a early post war Italian film about the lives of several Italian women working in the rice fields of Italy. This film and the women therein was my first exposure into the lives of women that became the foundation of all that I have come to love, respect and indeed hold in awe about women in general. It really is far too difficult for me to capture in mere words or even quite understand how this film shaped the perception and values the then very young Toad gleaned from this film vis-a-vis the glorious female. It was a long time ago, but hazy though the memories are, I recommend this film. It really made quite a splash at the time. Anna Magnanni's raw sexuality lept right off the screen in a time when films were not noted for such things.

Another film that had a great role in the shaping of the values of a young Toad was All is Quiet on the Western Front ...... in my less than humble opinion possibly the greatest anti-war film ever made.

Picture if you will a very young boy, raised during WW11 and subjected to such jingoistic crap as the many John Wayne films ...... handsome brave cheerful young soldiers storming ashore on some beach in Europe or South East Asia to the strains of "From The Halls Of Montezuma or some such. Why the young Toad could hardly wait to be old enough to join the infantry and become a member of this merry band of world-saving modern day knights.

Then one day Toad wandered into a rather artsy film house that at the time was the only place in Toronto specializing in showing foreign films. At the time young Toad just could not get enough war films into his little pointy head.

So picture now if you can a young Toad stumbling out into the daylight in a state of shock, his perception of war forever changed. The visions of young men driven to insanity, young bodies hanging from barbed wire like torn sheets.

Oh yes young Toad did join the military a couple of years or so later, but it sure as hell was not as a member of the infantry.

Another (for me) powerful snippet from a movie was the scene from Cabaret that takes place in the small biergarten of a small village in prewar Germany. the almost beautiful young blond man springs to his feet and sings "Tomorrow Belongs To Me" slowly and then building rapidly everyone else springs to their feet and joyfully join him in song ...... all except one old man. I am not quite sure why this scene sticks in my head, other than it so starkly captures the banality of evil.

From the still slumbering mind of an early morning Toad :yawn:

[livius drusus]

I've seen several of Anna Magnani's movies, the most astounding being Roma, Citta' Aperta. Judging from your profound reaction to Bitter Rice, I imagine you would be blown away by RCA which is so close to the war you can smell it. It was shot in Rome on basically no budget the second the war was over and is generally considered one of the archetypes of neorealism. It's director Rossellini's best work, imo, as well as a truly great Magnani performance.

I've never even heard of Bitter Rice, which really kind of freaks me out, but it's definitely going on my list for rental. I know just what you mean about her overt sensuality. I think what makes it stand out so is how complete it is, how rich she is: emtionally, intellectually, physically. They broke the mold after they made her, no doubt about it.

I'm ashamed to say I've never seen All Is Quiet. The book is one of my favorites, however. Have you read Goodbye To All This by Robert Graves? The horrors of WWI generated some magnificent art.

Cabaret is brilliant as well. The scene you mention stands out in a lot of people's minds, I think.

[The Lone Ranger]

Has anyone mentioned The Iron Giant yet? Definitely a very good (and sadly underappreciated) film. I understand it's being released as a "Special Edition" on dvd next month -- I may just have to get a copy.


Suuuperman!