This took a while. I revised the list about six times, but now it's final. This is my compilation of the top 15 movies of all time. Now, I suppose I should give you a brief analysis of my bias, as you may not find my list to be as relatable as yours, so here we go. I didn't include comedies. I feel that they should have their own list. I'm big on crime thrillers. I'm not much of a Sci-fi fan. I've never seen Star Wars. I've never seen Lord of the Rings. I don't care much for DC/Marvel movies. Also, the earliest movie on my list is from 1988. There's a reason for this. And the reason is, that movies from the past sucked. They all sucked. I find it impossible to watch critically acclaimed movies from the seventies, and take them seriously. Taxi Driver and The Sting, were tough to get through. It's not that the stories were appalling, but rather that the way it was filmed was amateur at best by today's standards. Weak special effects, non existent cinematography, shoddy camera work, etc.... And not only that, but it seemed like the editing process back then wasn't nearly as thorough. Nothing got cut, director's weren't concerned with time constraints. The movie Deer Hunter literally had a thirty minute scene at a wedding reception showing everyone dancing. That's it. That's all that happened, for thirty minutes. Sure it picked up after that, but that's not the point. Nothing about that scene was even remotely pivotal to the plot, yet it was still shown in its entirety. And people in their fifties and sixties still talk about Deer Hunter like it's an American Classic. Imagine watching Shawshank Redemption again and seeing that suddenly the movie is much longer, because they decided to add a new scene showing Andy Dufresne doing the Warden's taxes for thirty minutes. Would you still think the movie was great? But I digress... let's just dive right into this list already, what do you say?
15: Field of Dreams (1989)
Without a doubt the best movie featuring baseball playing ghosts ever. Casper is a distant second. This movie is jam packed with heart warming moments like Ray meeting Shoeless Joe Jackson for the first time, James Earl Jones giggling like a child as he enters the corn field, and of course Ray having a catch with his dad. That last moment is up there with Forrest Gump meeting his son, and the first 10 minutes of UP, as the most tear jerking scenes in cinema history. You'd have to be made of stone not to succumb to the emotion of those scenes. I read somewhere that even Kim Jong Il, cried at the end of Field of Dreams. Which is probably why he banned Television in North Korea. He was afraid that Kevin Costner made him gay. Director Phil Robinson knocks it out of the cornfield with this legendary film. A+
14: Mystic River (2003)
This Clint Eastwood directed murder mystery movie is top notch. An all star cast featuring Kevin Bacon and Tim Robbins tells a gripping tale of three childhood friends who are reunited twenty years later in the midst of a tragedy. Even with Sean Penn's horrendous over-acting, this film manages to reach 5 star status, or 10 stars. Depends on your scale I guess. Basically, whatever amount of stars you've chosen for your movie rating meter, Mystic River is that same amount of stars.
13: Enemy of the State (1998)
Will Smith turned down the roles of Neo from the Matrix and Django from Django unchained. Pair that with his son Jaden, and it's safe to say Will has made some questionable decisions in his life. One thing he got right though, was accepting the lead role in Enemy of the State. This movie is a thrilling rollercoaster ride of betrayal and government corruption. Three years before 9-11 triggered the signing of The Patriot act, Enemy of the state was already warning the public of Big brother's watchful eye. Even though it's a fictional account, it feels like something that can and does totally happen. We all know that the government adds fluoride to our water supply, poisons our air with chemtrails and of course is working with the AOA (American Optometric Association) to brainwash us. They guise it as a Glaucoma test, but everyone knows that puff of air is intended to penetrate your frontal lobe and control your brain. Nice try, CIA. I'd rather go blind. Anyways, if you haven't seen Will Smith's greatest performance, do yourself a favor and partake in Enemy of the State. A+
12: The Nice Guys (2016)
Here's one you probably didn't expect to see on the list, but I've gotta say. This movie is a refreshing change from the typical Hollywood production. What is this movie, even? It's like a murder mystery dramatic comedy. It's got it all. Director Shane Black kills it in this hilariously witty, sharp, well written mystery staring Ryan Gosling and Russel Crowe as private investigators hired to find a missing girl. Shane Black also directed the 2005 movie "Kiss kiss bang bang" which is pretty similar to The Nice guys. I really liked them both, but only wanted to include one in the list and I think The Nice guys is better. But you should totally watch them both if you haven't already. They're the bees knees.
11: The Dark Knight (2008)
Heath Ledger made this movie. Well, not actually. Christopher Nolan made the movie, but Heath Ledger made the movie, if you know what I mean. His performance was by far the best part of the movie is what I mean, if you know what I mean. And if you still don't know what I mean, then you can go jump off a cliff, if you know what I mean, and what I mean is that you don't know what I mean. Jesus, I just gave myself a headache typing all that out. Anyways, there were plenty of great performances in The Dark Knight. Christian Bale, Aaron Eckhart, Michael Caine, all kill it in this movie, but nothing compares to Heath Ledger's performance. Gary Oldman did a great job, and he was like the fifth best actor in the movie. That says a lot, considering all of Gary Oldman's accolades and achievements throughout the years. Go ahead and look up all his achievements, I'll wait. But be sure to remember to type the "R" in Gary Oldman, otherwise you're going to be directed to a very dark part of the internet that you'd rather not see, trust me. It's been months, and I still can't get those images out of my head. To sum things up, with the assistance of Heath Ledger, Christopher Nolan created the greatest superhero movie ever with The Dark Knight. I give it a solid 12 out of 12.
10: Prisoners (2013)
My god is this movie intense! It's like Se7en meets Ransom, which are two great movies in their own rights. I originally had Se7en in my list and bumped it. Anyways, Hugh Jackman, Jake Gyllenhaal, Maria Bello, and Paul Dano, knock it out of the park with this exhilarating thriller. This film is filled with "Oh shit" moments. Not to be confused with "Oh, I've got to take a shit" moments. They are two completely different moments. But if you do have to take a shit during this movie, make sure to pause it. If you have to read a text during this movie, make sure to pause it. If you have to look away from the TV for any reason, pause it. It's 2 and a half hours long, and every scene, every moment, every second, is crucial to the plot development. Director Dennis Villeneuve (Arrival, Sicario) created a masterpiece with Prisoners. It earns a hard 3.14159265359 out of Pi.
9: Saving Private Ryan (1998)
The only war movie on the list, because it's by far the best. That opening scene where they're storming the beaches of Normandy is haunting. Holy shit, what an intense movie. And an all star cast carries this film to legendary status. Tom Hanks, Giovanni Ribisi, Adam Goldberg, Edward Burns, Tom Sizemore, even an unknown at the time Vin Diesel delivered an phenomenal performance. As great an actor as Matt Damon is, this movie wasn't even really about him. Steven Spielberg did what Steven Spielberg often does with Saving Private Ryan, by delivering a monument of perfection. This film earns a filet Mignon on a scale of Kale to Steak. A+
8: Training Day (2001)
I've always said that if they ever make a movie about my life, I want to be played by Denzel. God damn, this guy is a terrific actor. He was always the protagonist prior to Training day, then with one movie he switched up his persona. Just like that, he flipped the script on Hollywood. They wanted to typecast him as the good guy and he outplayed them. This shit's chess, it ain't checkers! By the way, Ethan Hawke was amazing in this movie, but still overshadowed by Denzel. I realize that by now, you've probably had a few head scratchers regarding the films I've had on this list. But I doubt anyone can argue with Training Day being top 10. And if they can, fuck them, this is my list. A+
7: No Country For Old Men (2007)
How could a movie with such little dialogue, speak so loudly? This movie is fueled by powerful silence. Javier Bardem and Josh Brolin invigorate your senses with exquisite performances in a movie that says 1000 words with one picture. There's a reason No country for old men won the Oscar in 2007. Because it's awesome. 11 out of 11. A+
6: Hell or High water (2016)
Right, I realize this movie just came out last year and it's already in my top 6. Why is this? Because it's fucking amazing, that's why! Hell or High water got jipped at the Oscars. Remember the whole, La La land won... no, no, wait, Moonlight won. But you know what? Hell or High water was better than both of those movies put together. Ben Watson and Chris Pine star as two bank robbing brothers with nothing to lose in a ridiculously good movie that will be talked about for decades to come. Hell or High water is a must watch.
5: Die Hard (1988)
Die hard features the most bad ass character in movie history. John McClane makes Jason Bourne look like Pee-wee Herman. No one is more bad ass, I promise you. I don't know what it is about this movie that makes it so rewatchable. Maybe it's Carl Winslow playing the friendly cop. Maybe it's not. Regardless, Die Hard is without a doubt the best action movie ever made, and I'm willing to fight you to the death if you disagree. A+
4: Big Fish (2003)
This movie isn't that well known. And that's a shame, because it should be. It's been described before as a modern day Wizard of Oz, and while I don't completely agree with that analysis, I can't think of a better comparison, so that's what we'll go with. It's directed by Tim Burton, so that should tell you something about it. It's also Tim Burton's best movie ever, so that should also tell you something too. Please do yourself a favor and indulge in this movie if you haven't seen it before. It's unlike anything you've ever seen. I promise you won't be let down.
3: Goodfellas (1990)
This movie is gangster. It's also funny. Funny how? You know, funny like a clown. Funny like it amuses you. That kind of funny. Some people will try to tell you that Scarface is the most gangster movie ever. Those people are wrong. Scarface is over the top, and relies too much on montages to propel its plot. Goodfellas is 100 % gangster from start to finish. Plus it's based on a true story which only makes it more awesome. I mean, come on... Pesci, Deniro, Liotta, Scorsese... this movie is legit. Goodfellas should be a clear cut top 5 on anyone's list. It's top 3 on mine. 10 out out of 9. A+
2: Shawshank Redemption (1994)
No surprise here. I'm pretty sure this movie is widely regarded as the best ever made. And with good reason, it's the shit. A story originally created by Stephen King, narrated by Morgan Freeman, I mean, how much better could it get. The story of Andy Dufresne's false imprisonent and twenty year escape has captivated audiences for the last 23 years, and isn't showing any signs of slowing down. I love it. And not just because my last name is in the title. Although that certainly helps. Just ask the Shawnee Indian tribe about that. Yeah like I would ever donate to the Cherokee's when there's a whole tribe of Shaw's out there. Get real! Irregardless, Shawshank Redemption is a true masterpiece, and one of the greatest works of art in cinema history. A+
1: The Usual Suspects (1995)
Boom! There it is. The moment you've been waiting for. Agree or disagree, you have to admit that The Usual Suspects is an electrifying, riveting, tale of 5 criminals, a stranger with a proposition, and a detective with a motive. This film will keep you on the edge of your seat and by the end you'll most likely collapse. I've seen it probably 25 times, and still wind up with goosebumps by the end. An all star cast, led by an amazing performance by Kevin Spacey catapult this twenty two year old film to the top of the list. The Usual Suspects is the cats pajamas and the bee's knees. A++ there's nothing better...
So there you have it. That's my list. Perhaps you disagree. If that's the case, feel free to comment about it. But elaborate please. Don't just say my list sucks, instead explain why it sucks, and how you would change it, if you could. Don't expect me to take your criticism seriously if you can't construct a coherent sentence.
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