Top five favorite movies

[NoID10ts]

I didn't have any luck with the non american films thread. thought I would create this one. What are your top five, or are you just not much into movies?

These are ones I just keep coming back to:

1. Bladerunner - A great examination of the ramifications of artificial intelligence and visually amazing

2. Heat - I love the fact that the lines are blurred between good and bad

3. Fight Club - A brilliant satire that addresses the frustration of the modern american gen x male. Let's just burn it all down and start over!

4. Donnie Darko - Sci Fi time travel story by way of teenage coming of age movie? Very thought provoking and intense

5. Dark City - Visually stunning and a fascinating look at the nature of memories and how they effect us. One of the most underrated movies of all time.

 

[Dissident]

Yeah, Dark City is very good. Im not gonna go with top 5, deciding which one I like more takes too much extra effort, but here are some I like: Magnolia, Vanilla Sky, Requiem for a Dream, The End of Evangelion, Im terrible at this Im sure there are others but I cant remember right now ><;

 

[loveofreason]

Seeing They Live mentioned in another thread prompted me to add to this... They Live is a great film!

Having gone through periods of non-attachment and forgetting, I'm loathe to construct a list of favourites, but from distant childhood:

Labyrinth, Watership Downs, Silent Running

and from my twenties:

Chasing Amy.

Blade Runner is still a classic regardless of where my aging brain is reminiscing.

 

[NoID10ts]

Seeing They Live mentioned in another thread prompted me to add to this... They Live is a great film!

Having gone through periods of non-attachment and forgetting, I'm loathe to construct a list of favourites, but from distant childhood:

Labyrinth, Watership Downs, Silent Running

and from my twenties:

Chasing Amy.

Blade Runner is still a classic regardless of where my aging brain is reminiscing.

Maybe I should amend this thread from what are your top five to what are some of your favorites? When I think about it, my favorites tend to fluctuate on mood.

Chasing Amy is good stuff. Most anything by Kevin Smith is good. I have Silent Running on my Netflix list but I haven't gotten it yet.

 

[Agent Intellect]

1. Fight Club. the first time i saw it, i just couldn't get it out of my head. i've watched it probably 20 times, including all the commentaries.
2. Shawshank Redemption. just a beautifully written movie with a great story.
3. American History X. if you haven't seen it, i recommend it. words fail to explain it, it needs to be seen.
4. Apocalypse Now. i'm just a sucker for dark, depressing movies, and this one is very nicely done.
5. Pi. by the person who did Requiem for a Dream (which is another pretty good movie). its another dark, depressing movie, but its also very interesting and nicely done.

 

[Jordan~]

1. Juno.
2. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy.

Can't really think of any more that qualify. If we're allowed foreign films here, too, it would be:

1. Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amélie Poulain.
2. Juno.
3. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy.

Don't want many films, and most of the ones I do watch are just sort of idle entertainment, and they'd probably all occupy the same place.

 

[Kumori]

Hmm, I'll give it a shot but it's gonna be messy.

1. Battle Royale.
2. Kill Bill Vol 1 and 2.
3. The Dark Knight.
4. Requiem for a Dream.
5. Adaption or K-Pax.

 

[eudemonia]

I loved Moulin Rouge, LOTR, The Matrix (1), Serenity, Salvador and Jean de Florette

 

[Jordan~]

Ooh, Kill Bill! Put them in at number 4.

 

[Kidege]

Juno, Seven Samurai, The Draughtman's Contract, Blue Velvet, Doctor Strangelove ( I ado-ore Dr. Strangelove).

I also like Blade Runner and Serenity. It's all in the plot (and Rutger Hauer).

 

[NoID10ts]

Juno, Seven Samurai, The Draughtman's Contract, Blue Velvet, Doctor Strangelove ( I ado-ore Dr. Strangelove).

I also like Blade Runner and Serenity. It's all in the plot (and Rutger Hauer).

Dr. Strangelove is great! Kubrick is one of my favorite directors.

Serenity/Firefly also spectacular! I'd like to kill the person who cancelled Firefly.

 

[Decaf]

• Serenity
• Shawshank Redemption
• Fight Club
• The Usual Suspects
• The Dark Knight

I guess you could say I love smart movies with good twists (not that Dark Knight had much of a twist, but I just loved the ferry scene too much not to include it)

I found out of about Firefly from the movie, but after I realized what the lousy good for nothing execs at Fox did, I cancelled my cable service and stopped watching TV entirely. Bastards. I don't know if this is true across the board but I think Browncoats and NPs go together like apples and apples.

Can't stop the <expletives deleted> signal!

 

[Kidege]

Serenity/Firefly also spectacular! I'd like to kill the person who cancelled Firefly.

I think I had a shock when I heard it was cancelled. Mandarin, people, mandarin! And spaceships, cowboys and (plastic) dinosaurs. Plot and character development. Other sci-fi shows are so fake. *Shakes head*

 

[spockguy]

1. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
2. American Beauty
3. Donnie Darko (even though I found many contradictions in the movie and came to the conclusion that it is inherently nonsensical, but still interesting)
4. Eraserhead
5. Primer

... I find it kinda baffling that my 2 favorite movies are the ones that affected me the most emotionally. Perhaps they are nothing more than a reflection of my Fe.

 

[NoID10ts]

3. Donnie Darko (even though I found many contradictions in the movie and came to the conclusion that it is inherently nonsensical, but still interesting)

Donnie Darko was completely implausible, ultimately, but there was just something about the whole experience of it that really resonated with me. Could Donnie have been INTP?

 

[spockguy]

Donnie Darko was completely implausible, ultimately, but there was just something about the whole experience of it that really resonated with me. Could Donnie have been INTP?

Yeah, of course all of Donnie Darko is implausible as a premise, but the connections between events that create what happens as a whole is completely flawed in terms of each event having some sort of logical meaning to them. I went into length about this with some others half a year ago, need to watch it again and then maybe I'll change my mind, or actually remember my argument.

Anyways, I do believe Donnie is an INTP with a highly imbedded and repressed shadow. His Ne/Ti combonation is apperent through the movie with his upfront insatanious contridictions (Ne) towards views he finds illogical (Fear vs Love, Smurfs, etc) and he deciecievly corrects their errors, but ussually through one who would have a deeply repressed shadow or emotions (Inferior Fe).

 

[AAA]

Hi, my first post and just let me say it's amazing to see in that the first thread I happen to read, that most of you like the exact same movies I like. End of formalities and on to my top 5 (not in any particular order except for #1)

#1 - A Clockwork Orange
#2 - Fight Club
#3 - Gladiator
#4 - Memento
#5 - Apocalypse Now

to further expand some on of the posts of favorites I seen so far

Donnie Darko - I Hated It
Usual Suspects - could easily be in my top 5-7
Kill Bill 2 - could easily be in my top 7 in my opinion was way better than Kill Bill 1

Close and Honorable mentions:

Resorvoir Dogs
Tombstone


some of you are going to laugh but one of my other favorites is........Tank Girl

 

[Kidege]

There's a theme in your choices, AAA. Why so many war/fight movies?

 

[Kidege]

I forgot to mention Das Boot! That movie rocks.

 

[AAA]

There's a theme in your choices, AAA. Why so many war/fight movies?

I suppose I just favor that genre.

 

[tmtaylor]

the warriors, road warrior,kill bills , pulp fiction,natural born killer

 

[Kidege]

@AAA:

I suppose I get it. It can be thrilling. And it was your choices what reminded me of Das Boot. Have you seen it? It's about a German submarine in WWII. It's realistic, humane and exciting. Makes you feel like you're part of the crew.

 

[Decaf]

OMG... I watched a version that was dubbed and had english subtitles... it was ridiculous. The movie is great, but the voiceover and the subtitles NEVER seemed to match. It was seriously two different movies (the subtitles one being better I believe). Which did you see?

 

[Agent Intellect]

i just got done watching Battlefield Earth with my friend. we were sober. a word of advice to anyone curious about this movie, get some alcohol or really good weed before watching it, because its bad. its so bad its funny, though, so it is worth watching just for a laugh.

 

[Kidege]

@Decaf: My copy's in german with subtitles in a bunch of languages. It says it's the director's cut, not that I know what's the difference.

 

[Aurora]

No one likes Gattaca? It's my favorite movie. I love futuristic utopia/dystopia movies and novels.

 

[Decaf]

I'm always a fan of Gattica. I brought that movie up a dozen times on the INTPcentral whenever they got caught up in eugenic, socialist groupthink (which seemed to happen whenever they weren't talking about something trivial or using type theory incorrectly... no I'm not biased).

 

[macronet]

1. Never Give Up (Good hands on conflict movie)
2. Lord Of The Rings (Nice adventure film)
3. Alien VS Predator 1 & 2 (both good ) (Aliens ahhh, I just love aliens)
4. The Zodiac (Horror film that will give you nightmares)
5. Kung Fu Panda (Comedy anime featuring jack black)

 

[Kidege]

Yesterday I finished watching Peter Brook's Mahabharata. Six hours (yes, but worth it!) of rich plot, complex characters and great acting. The art was thankfully minimalist. If you've got the plot, the characters and the acting, not to mention the lenght... why would you add heavy decors?

I loved the movie (or is it a mini series?). LoR pales in comparison. One single character, Abhimanyu, who only got about 7 min of screen time, is enough to make you (ok, me) say "Legolas who?"

Really, as far as fantasy epic goes, nothing tops this in my experience. And I've seen all the 1950s sword and sandals movies, plus the more recent Troy and nearly all the summer blockbusters of recent years.

P.S: As a result of watching this after reading Stars Wars fanfiction, I dreamed that Krishna was telling Darth Vader that his father was Vishnu. It would be embarrasing if it weren't hilarious.


Edit: I hope nobody feels offended for the LoR comment. We're all entitled to an opinion. I do appreciate LoR, particularly in fanfic.

 

[Jordan~]

I thoroughly enjoyed 300, but for purely superficial reasons. The historical inaccuracies, I had to grit my teeth and bear.

 

[ChaosTheory]

The Matrix
Fight Club
Donnie Darko
V for Vendetta
Mr. Brooks

 

[OrionzRevenge]

@AAA:

I suppose I get it. It can be thrilling. And it was your choices what reminded me of Das Boot. Have you seen it? It's about a German submarine in WWII. It's realistic, humane and exciting. Makes you feel like you're part of the crew.

OMG... I watched a version that was dubbed and had english subtitles... it was ridiculous. The movie is great, but the voiceover and the subtitles NEVER seemed to match. It was seriously two different movies (the subtitles one being better I believe). Which did you see?

@Decaf: My copy's in german with subtitles in a bunch of languages. It says it's the director's cut, not that I know what's the difference.

Yes, I like the movie a lot. w/ English overdub it's title "The Boat". It is based on a book of the same name(s) by an ace Captain of a Type VII U-Boat.

I'm a big fan you Sub Sims like Silent Hunter 1 & 2 >>> never have playe 3 & 4.

How 'bout "U-571"??? GREAT FLICK made in the old vintage hollywood style of war story-telling.

 

[Kidege]

Yes, I like the movie a lot. w/ English overdub it's title "The Boat". It is based on a book of the same name(s) by an ace Captain of a Type VII U-Boat.

I'm a big fan you Sub Sims like Silent Hunter 1 & 2 >>> never have playe 3 & 4.

How 'bout "U-571"??? GREAT FLICK made in the old vintage hollywood style of war story-telling.

Didn't know about the book. Well, I knew there was a book, but no details whatsoever.
I think I have caught bits and pieces of U-571 on cable TV, but never the whole movie.

 

[OrionzRevenge]

Didn't know about the book. Well, I knew there was a book, but no details whatsoever.
I think I have caught bits and pieces of U-571 on cable TV, but never the whole movie.

Worth the while. A very accurate WWII historical novel in film!!!
As per the "The Boat" book ( a 70's paperback)... A lot more of the nit & grit. The constant battle with mildew, the smell of the seal-skin overcoats. the unbearable nubming cold of north sea operations, the oxegen deprivation due to long encounters with allied destroyers.

 

[Kidege]

@OrionzRevenge: off topic, but do you like books on war? have you read The Skin by Malaparte, or The Sorrow of War by Bao Ninh? If you do like that sort of book we could make a new thread.

 

[OrionzRevenge]

@OrionzRevenge: off topic, but do you like books on war? have you read The Skin by Malaparte, or The Sorrow of War by Bao Ninh? If you do like that sort of book we could make a new thread.

No, I’m sorry, but I haven’t read these books. Honestly, I had to google research the titles. They sound like something I would read. However, most of my historical readings is of a dry matter-of-fact with lots of picture, diagrams, and maps sort I download tons of “OSPREY” books p2p.
I’ll keep on the look-out for these two titles.
Thanks!

What periods of military history appeals most to you???

 

[Waterstiller]

In no particular order:

The Princess Bride
Ma Vie En Rose (My life in Pink)
Sweet and Lowdown
Dark City
Priscilla: Queen of the Desert

 

[rocky00753]

LOTR Trilogy
Shawshank Redemption
Doctor Strangelove
Memento
Requiem for a Dream and Donnie Darko (oh god this could go on forever)......

 

[Jennywocky]

I just can't do top five, because there are movies I like for different reasons and none of them are really any better than the other(s).

Here are "ten", but there's others I could have interchanged:

- Endless Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
- Alien
- Heat
- My Best Friend's Wedding
- The Incredibles
- The Prestige
- Donnie Darko
- Kill Bill 1&2
- Gattaca
- The Sixth Sense

 

[Trinity]

• Serenity
• Shawshank Redemption
• Fight Club
• The Usual Suspects
• The Dark Knight

Sweet list

I'll cheat and say ^ them plus v them.

• Amelie
• Donnie Darko
• The Lost Boys
• Reservoir Dogs
• Rocky Horror

 

[Jordan~]

Woo, Amélie.

 

[Waterstiller]

I forgot Harold and Maude! I don't know what I was thinking.

Absolute favorite.

 

[eudemonia]

OK, I was reading this thread and thought Donnie Darko comes up a lot I'll buy it and watch it with my kids - daughter 15, son 13 - husband is away. So this is what happens:

the burglar alarm goes off in the middle of the film and we all go down to investigate - lights go off and we all scream. Very scary.

my children (daughter 15, son 13) understand more of what's going on than I do and have to explain it all to me including stuff about other dimensions, primary dimension, ultimate dimension, fourth dimension, worm holes and bits of planes falling off in the worm hold and bits that don't. I feel a total idiot

I always thought my son was an E/ISFP. My daugther, onlisteneing to my son's explanation announces that she thinks he's an N. I think she may be right - I know this develops later in life. Major construct re-organisation at 11pm takes place.


My kids freak out because they spot girl from Disney channel - Tisdale?? boy called Crazy Steve and girl from Aero space??? Think - this is a really cool film. After having to google Tisdale because they can't agree it is actually her.

At midnight, my daughter calls me up to her bedroom. She had interpreted the film as being an exploration of atheism/agnosticism by the director. She's currently deciding whether to get confirmed at the moment. She was really taken by the theme around being alone. For some reason she picks up her spanish/english dictionary, randomly opens it and the word at the top of the page is 'alone'. she freaks out.

Just thought' I'd share this with y'all. Cool eh??

 

[NoID10ts]

Donnie Darko was a rare movie for me because I couldn't get it out of my head. It has some of the typical time travel holes in it but the director didn't feel the need to spoon feed the audience and I appreciated that. It was nice to watch a movie that required me to use my mind to piece the story together. The director's second movie, "Southland Tales", was universally hated it seems like, but I must admit that I really liked that one too (but not as much).

 

[Agent Intellect]

Donnie Darko was ok, but i don't really see why people think it was so great. now Fight Club, that was a movie that stuck with me for a while.

 

[NoID10ts]

Donnie Darko was ok, but i don't really see why people think it was so great. now Fight Club, that was a movie that stuck with me for a while.

You watch Donnie Darko again, and this time you like it, dammit!

Fight Club is one of the best ever (superior to darko in my opinion)! There's a family one for you, eudemonia!

It was full of some very keen observations and brilliant satire. Some quotes:

"Listen up, maggots. You are not special. You are not a beautiful or unique snowflake. You're the same decaying organic matter as everything else."

"Fuck off with your sofa units and strine green stripe patterns, I say never be complete, I say stop being perfect, I say let... lets evolve, let the chips fall where they may."

"Only after disaster can we be resurrected."

"Fuck damnation, man! Fuck redemption! We are God's unwanted children? So be it!"

"It's only after we've lost everything that we're free to do anything."

"In the world I see - you are stalking elk through the damp canyon forests around the ruins of Rockefeller Center. You'll wear leather clothes that will last you the rest of your life. You'll climb the wrist-thick kudzu vines that wrap the Sears Tower. And when you look down, you'll see tiny figures pounding corn, laying strips of venison on the empty car pool lane of some abandoned superhighway."

"You're not your job. You're not how much money you have in the bank. You're not the car you drive. You're not the contents of your wallet. You're not your fucking khakis. You're the all-singing, all-dancing crap of the world."

"Man, I see in fight club the strongest and smartest men who've ever lived. I see all this potential, and I see squandering. God damn it, an entire generation pumping gas, waiting tables; slaves with white collars. Advertising has us chasing cars and clothes, working jobs we hate so we can buy shit we don't need. We're the middle children of history, man. No purpose or place. We have no Great War. No Great Depression. Our Great War's a spiritual war... our Great Depression is our lives. We've all been raised on television to believe that one day we'd all be millionaires, and movie gods, and rock stars. But we won't. And we're slowly learning that fact. And we're very, very pissed off."

"The things you own end up owning you."

"And then, something happened. I let go. Lost in oblivion. Dark and silent and complete. I found freedom. Losing all hope was freedom."

Christ, now I have to watch it again.

 

[eudemonia]

Wow - that's next on my list. I could use this on a leadership programme.

 

[NoID10ts]

It seems to me that it is a great examination of the frustration bubbling beneath the surface of many American males (white middle class GenX ones in particular). It's a violent film but necessarily so, I think.

 

[Jennywocky]

You watch Donnie Darko again, and this time you like it, dammit! Fight Club is one of the best ever (superior to darko in my opinion)!

I don't know about that, I thought FC ended sort of poorly and DD ended more consistently... but I knew I'd love the movie as soon as it opened up with emotionally needy people pretending to be screwed up so they could get into support group meetings. I love that dark quirky stuff.

(I agree with the assessment about it reflecting the underlying anxieties and frustrations of white middle-class male Gen X types too.)

 

[NoID10ts]

I don't know about that, I thought FC ended sort of poorly and DD ended more consistently... but I knew I'd love the movie as soon as it opened up with emotionally needy people pretending to be screwed up so they could get into support group meetings. I love that dark quirky stuff.

(I agree with the assessment about it reflecting the underlying anxieties and frustrations of white middle-class male Gen X types too.)

Ended poorly? I didn't care for the split second subliminal image just before the credits ran () but the ending was spectacular and audacious! I don't think it would have been filmed post 9/11.