GTP's Top 10 Movies... Ever!

[Solid Lifters]

With all the war movies listed, I don't think A Bridge Too Far was ever listed. That's a great war flick, for sure!

 

[Danoff]

Ok, here we go. Movies from Dukes list that I have not seen:

Raising Arizona
What's Up, Tiger Lily?
Time Bandits
North by Northwest
The Eiger Sanction
Breaker Morant
Marathon Man
Dog Day Afternoon
The Untouchables
Ronin
The Bedford Incident - tie with Fail Safe
The Longest Day
Kelly's Heroes
The Big Red One
The Deer Hunter
Das Boot - in German
The Great Escape
Catch-22
The Magnificent Seven
Fist Full of Dollars
High Plains Drifter
Shane
High Noon
Rooster Cogburn
Pale Rider
Paint Your Wagon
Westworld
Dark Star
The Day The Earth Stood Still
Akira - in Japanese
THX1138
Logan's Run
A Boy And His Dog
Diva - in French
The Italian Job - original
The Sting
Psycho
Deliverance
Blue Velvet
Sixteen Candles
Repo Man
American Werewolf In London

Well, we can take Akira off this list. Though, I didn't really care for it. I didn't hate it as much as my wife did, but the ending was more than a bit confusing.

 

[Duke]

Well, we can take Akira off this list. Though, I didn't really care for it. I didn't hate it as much as my wife did, but the ending was more than a bit confusing.

Here are some priorities (IMHO, anyway) that you might want to check out before the less-priority titles:

Ok, here we go. Movies from Dukes list that I have not seen:

Raising Arizona - though if you automatically hate Nic Cage, you'll automatically hate this one
What's Up, Tiger Lily?
Time Bandits
North by Northwest
The Eiger Sanction
Breaker Morant
Marathon Man
Dog Day Afternoon
The Untouchables
Ronin
The Bedford Incident - tie with Fail Safe
The Longest Day
Kelly's Heroes
The Big Red One
The Deer Hunter
Das Boot - in German
The Great Escape
Catch-22
The Magnificent Seven
Fist Full of Dollars
High Plains Drifter
Shane
High Noon
Rooster Cogburn
Pale Rider
Paint Your Wagon
Westworld
Dark Star
The Day The Earth Stood Still
Akira - in Japanese
THX1138
Logan's Run
A Boy And His Dog
Diva - in French
The Italian Job - original
The Sting
Psycho
Deliverance
Blue Velvet
Sixteen Candles
Repo Man
American Werewolf In London

You'll have to bear in mind that you need to allow some for when each movie was made. However, that didn't prevent my 12-year-old from being glued to the Twilight Zone marathon last weekend.

 

[Danoff]

I put THX on the list before you gave me priorities. Oops.

Remaining Movies from Dukes List that I have not seen:
(I've put a strike through movies I don't think suit me)
Raising Arizona
What's Up, Tiger Lily?
Time Bandits
North by Northwest
The Eiger Sanction
Breaker Morant
Marathon Man
Dog Day Afternoon
The Untouchables (don't like mob movies)
Ronin
The Bedford Incident - tie with Fail Safe
The Longest Day
Kelly's Heroes
The Big Red One
The Deer Hunter
Das Boot - in German
The Great Escape
Catch-22 (didn't like the book)
The Magnificent Seven (not big on westerns)
Fist Full of Dollars (not big on westerns)
High Plains Drifter
Shane (not big on westerns)
High Noon (not big on westerns)
Rooster Cogburn
Pale Rider
Paint Your Wagon (not big on westerns)
Westworld
Dark Star
The Day The Earth Stood Still
Logan's Run
A Boy And His Dog
Diva - in French
The Italian Job - original
The Sting
Psycho
Deliverance (I already know too much, plus, it falls into an "about rednecks" category I don't care for)
Blue Velvet
Sixteen Candles
Repo Man
American Werewolf In London

Movies from Duke's list that I have recently seen:
Akira - in Japanese
THX1138

0/2 Duke - both THX and Akira sucked. Granted, they both had a ton of potential. You could tell that there was some good writing in the background, but execution ruined both movies. I'm noticing a theme though - I wasn't able to get attached to a single character in either of these movies.

Next up... The Eiger Sanction.

 

[Famine]

Danoff - you've not seen The Day the Earth Stood Still?

*shocked face*

Not to mention The Italian Job and Logan's Run. It's like not having seen Tron.

 

[Danoff]

Danoff - you've not seen The Day the Earth Stood Still?

*shocked face*

Not to mention The Italian Job and Logan's Run. It's like not having seen Tron.

I have seen Tron. But yea, neither version of Earth Stood Still (is the new one out yet?). I've seen the remake of Italian Job but not the original.

I guess I have some catching up to do, but so far the catching up hasn't been so much fun.

 

[niky]

The original Italian Job... worth it just for the first ten minutes... but parts of the rest of it still sparkle compared to more modern caper movies.

Logan's Run... man... I'm miffed I didn't finish that movie when it came on on Turner a year back or so... shame on me. Finally got to see "Soylent Green" in its entirety, though... a very Kafka-esque film...

I love late-night TV.

 

[Duke]

I put THX on the list before you gave me priorities. Oops.

Movies from Duke's list that I have recently seen:
Akira - in Japanese
THX1138

0/2 Duke - both THX and Akira sucked. Granted, they both had a ton of potential. You could tell that there was some good writing in the background, but execution ruined both movies. I'm noticing a theme though - I wasn't able to get attached to a single character in either of these movies.

Next up... The Eiger Sanction.

That's a good one. Hopefully you'll attach to the main character a bit, though he is Clint Eastwood, and he isn't the nicest guy on the planet. There is no philosophical confusion, though - it's a straightforward thriller.

Don't forget that THX was made when Lucas was just out of college and had to beg for budget, too. I wouldn't mind if my first major project came out that well.

Fair enough on the Westerns. If they don't paddle your canoe, they don't paddle your canoe.

And, for the record, I've never seen TRON, ever.

 

[Gil]

And, for the record, I've never seen TRON, ever.

I have.
I wish I hadn't.
It was a cool game though.

 

[Danoff]

1) LOTR (all)
2) Matrix (all)
3) Braveheart
4) Star Wars (4-6)
5) V for Vendetta
6) You’ve Got Mail
7) Fight Club
8) Terminator 2
9) Star Trek (2,6)
10) Princess Bride

My other list from another thread:

Bram Stoker's Dracula
The Lord of the Rings
Braveheart
Batman Begins
Star Wars 5: Empire Strikes Back Iron Man
Fight Club
Matrix Reloaded
You've Got Mail

Re-watched V for Vendetta this last weekend, man is that a good movie. I was right to list it in my top 10. Also re-watched Braveheart, also definitely belongs in my top 10. However, I also rewatched Start Trek 6, and I think I need some re-tuning.

1) LOTR (all)
2) Matrix (all)
3) Braveheart
4) V for Vendetta
5) Fight Club
6) Princess Bride
7) Batman Begins
8) Iron Man
9) You’ve Got Mail
10) Star Wars 5: Empire Strikes Back

Honorable Mention: Bram Stoker's Dracula

As much as it pains me to boot Dracula (I love that movie), I have to admit that Empire is a better film. There's just so much going on in Empire, and Dracula gets a little lost toward the end. Still, it hurts to see Dracula go.

I do want to point something out, though. Here are the dates for my top 10 list:

1) 2001
2) 1999
3) 1995
4) 2006
5) 1999
6) 1987
7) 2005
8) 2008
9) 1998
10) 1980

Eight of my top 10 are within a 13 year time period. Is that because I haven't see earlier movies? No. I've seen Citizen Kane, Casablanca, Wizard of Oz, 2001, The Good Bad and the Ugly, Blazing Saddles, Airplane, The Day the Earth Stood Still (I watched it since my previous posts), Logan's Run, The 10 Commandments, The Shining, Close Encounters, Godfather, etc. etc. etc. etc.

I honestly think that in the last 20 years cinema has started hitting a much higher bar. Television has done the same. Compare "House" to "The Love Boat" and I think you'll see what I mean. Is Iron Man a better movie than 2001: A Space Odyssey? Yes absolutely. Is it better than Casablanca? No question in my mind.

 

[JediRage]

We need new threads/polls for GTP's best/worst movies/tv series since these are from 2008.

 

[Stotty]

Holy thread revival!!

I've never seen this thread before, but looking back at some of the posts I can't believe a list of the best car chase films doesn't have Ronin in it!

 

[Danoff]

We need new threads/polls for GTP's best/worst movies/tv series since these are from 2008.

I don't think a thread being a few years old means it needs replacement.

 

[Lee]

1. V For Vendetta
2. Saving Private Ryan
3. The Matrix
4. Cloverfield
5. Battle Royale
6. Fight Club
7. Dodgeball
8. Snatch
9. Star Wars Episode V: Empire Strikes Back
10. Man On Fire

Ok, I'm shaking my head at the list I produced, since then I've started going out with a film-o-holic, so I should change my top ten after she demanded I watched certain films, also there's been some decent films released lately;

1. The Godfather
2. Inception
3. Brazil
4. Lost in Translation
5. V For Vendetta
6. Black Swan
7. Rushmore
8. Up in the Air
9. Hard Candy
10. The Departed

Much, much better. I can sleep easy tonight! 👍

 

[Ru-fus]

Random order...picking a top 10 of anything is always difficult for me.

So my top 10 is basically a few of my favourites from various genres.

1. Gone in 60 Seconds (1974)
2. Bullitt (1968)
3. The Searchers (1956)
4. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966)
5. Casablanca (1942)
6. Unforgiven (1992)
7. Psycho (1960)
8. Dawn of the Dead (1978)
9. Ôdishon (Audition) (1999)
10. Janghwa, Hongryeon (A Tale of Two Sisters) (2003)

I may consider (if I get time) to make a top 10 for each genre.

Edit: as you'll notice I'm a big fan of order movies, pre 1990's mostly. Yes there have been a few 'great' movies made in the past 20 years but they just don't my the cut for my list unfortunately.

Also a general thought on movies today, or the past several years for that matter. Is it just me or has Hollywood really run out of idea's for making good movies? Every second movie I heard about now is either a re-make of an old movie or a new movie as part of an existing franchise, that got boring after the first or second movie, which means there's a 99% chance they will suck big time!

 

[TT3AZ]

1. The color of purple
2. Predator 2
3. Gone fishing
4. Tango and cash
5. Lethal Weapon 1-3
6. Marked for death
7. Heat
8. Carlitos way (old one)
9. On deadly ground
10. Kiss of the dragon

I dont know, action movies from the 90s are the best . Ohh i liked the 90s, even though i hardly was born. Danny Glover is 2 cool 4 you.

"theres no stopping what cant be stopped, theres no killing what cant be killed"

 

[Lain]

Is Iron Man a better movie than 2001: A Space Odyssey? Yes absolutely.

I absolutely hope you're joking. 2001 ain't flawless, but trying to compare it to Iron Man like that just doesn't work.

Iron Man has a mediocre plot that's main purpose is pretty much to deliver awesome action sequences. 2001's (somewhat convoluted) plot piques curiousity and delivers a strong sense of mystery and awe.

So saying one is absolutely better than the other is just wrong. It depends on what you're looking for in a film. Both films succeed about equally at accomplishing their objectives.

It's true that not everything about 2001 has aged well. But the films of today will suffer the same phenomenon when viewed 40+ years from now, I'm sure.

 

[Ru-fus]

Noticed Dukes big list too, some great movies on it 👍 can easily say I've seen 85% of the films on that list from a quick look through it...and Kelly's Heroes loved that movie growing up.

 

[Jump_Ace]

Star Wars Trilogy (Original 4,5,6)
The Matrix Trilogy
Blow
Cinderella Man
Rocky (Series)
The Bourne Trilogy
The Karate Kid (Original)
Terminator II
Enter The Dragon
Lord Of The Rings Trilogy


With honorable mentions going to:
Die Hard
The Dark Knight


Jerome

 

[Danoff]

I absolutely hope you're joking. 2001 ain't flawless, but trying to compare it to Iron Man like that just doesn't work.

Iron Man has a mediocre plot that's main purpose is pretty much to deliver awesome action sequences. 2001's (somewhat convoluted) plot piques curiousity and delivers a strong sense of mystery and awe.

So saying one is absolutely better than the other is just wrong. It depends on what you're looking for in a film. Both films succeed about equally at accomplishing their objectives.

It's true that not everything about 2001 has aged well. But the films of today will suffer the same phenomenon when viewed 40+ years from now, I'm sure.

Yes, 2001 was orders of magnitude deeper than a movie like Iron Man. It had iconic scenes, and it touched on the fundamental nature of our existence. A movie (or book) can't try to tackle much more than 2001. And yet... it's not as good a film.

There are many movies that are deeper than Iron Man. Deeper does not mean better. Inception is deeper - and a damned good film too. The Pianist is deeper, Schindler's List is deeper, Shawshank Redemption...

I've seen these movies and I understood them, and (with the somewhat unfortunate exception of the Pianist) I don't own a single one of them. Why don't I own them? Because I didn't enjoy them as much as Iron Man (which I admit is not without flaws). If I go back to the well over and over for some more of Tony Stark talking about getting caught doing a piece for Vanity Fair and not to listen to a guy breathe into his head gear and argue with his ship's computer, then I have to think that it's a better movie.

I recognize that other people will not have the same value judgments as me. It's one of the reasons a movie like the 6th sense will not make my top 10 list. It was probably done better than most of the movies on my list - had me on the edge of my seat, had me totally captivated, at times terrified, and threw me for a loop in a way that almost no other movie could hope to. And yet... I'd rather watch Bruce Wayne. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad to have seen the 6th sense, but for me it's a one-off... well... ok.... that one is a special two-off case for obvious reasons. Repeatability is a key component of my list.

 

[F1GTR]

Not in any particular order:

1. City of God
2. Manhattan
3. Lost in Translation
4. Spirited Away
5. This is England
6. (500) Days of Summer
7. Annie Hall
8. Blade Runner
9. 2046
10. Pulp Fiction

 

[Lain]

Yes, 2001 was orders of magnitude deeper than a movie like Iron Man. It had iconic scenes, and it touched on the fundamental nature of our existence. A movie (or book) can't try to tackle much more than 2001. And yet... it's not as good a film.

There are many movies that are deeper than Iron Man. Deeper does not mean better. Inception is deeper - and a damned good film too. The Pianist is deeper, Schindler's List is deeper, Shawshank Redemption...

I've seen these movies and I understood them, and (with the somewhat unfortunate exception of the Pianist) I don't own a single one of them. Why don't I own them? Because I didn't enjoy them as much as Iron Man (which I admit is not without flaws). If I go back to the well over and over for some more of Tony Stark talking about getting caught doing a piece for Vanity Fair and not to listen to a guy breathe into his head gear and argue with his ship's computer, then I have to think that it's a better movie.

I recognize that other people will not have the same value judgments as me. It's one of the reasons a movie like the 6th sense will not make my top 10 list. It was probably done better than most of the movies on my list - had me on the edge of my seat, had me totally captivated, at times terrified, and threw me for a loop in a way that almost no other movie could hope to. And yet... I'd rather watch Bruce Wayne. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad to have seen the 6th sense, but for me it's a one-off... well... ok.... that one is a special two-off case for obvious reasons. Repeatability is a key component of my list.

Exactly, I never said deeper was better. I asserted that some people prefer deep movies, while others prefer fun movies. Saying that a film is a fundamentally better work of art than another isn't easy to do even if the films are in the same genre, and near impossible if they're in totally different genres. At that point it becomes entirely a matter of personal opinion and taste, not of fact.

But yes, Iron Man is certainly one of the better action movies available. Just as 2001, in my opinion, is still one of the better science fiction movies available. And by that, I mean harder science fiction. Partly due to the fact that they don't make many hard sci-fi flicks... Moon and Sunshine, both good movies, are about the only other films I can think of off the top of my head that can be considered to be mostly hard sci-fi. For soft sci-fi, Star Wars still stands king in my book.

 

[Danoff]

My wife's top 10 list:

1) Apollo 13
2) The Matrix (I)
3) LOTR (all)
4) Gattaca
5) Braveheart
6) Star Wars Episode V
7) Friday Night Lights
8) Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
9) Lost In Translation
10) Iron Man

Honorable Mention: The 6th Sense

 

[MercilessOne]

A lot of you have great tastes!


In no particular order:

1. Taxi Driver
2. Memento
3. The Matrix
4. The Shawshank Redemption
5. The Godfather Part II
6. Goodfellas
7. Gladiator
8. Fight Club
9. Trainspotting
10. Almost Famous


This list can and will change.

 

[Minty]

1. Inception
2. How To Train Your Dragon
3. Iron Man 1
4. Star Wars(4,5,6)
5. The Lion King(The first one, the second one was awful IMO)
6. Start Trek: TNG(Entire movie collection)
7. Kung Fu Panda
8. Star Trek: Original Series(Entire movie collection)
9. Star Trek(The newer one)
10. Jurassic Park(any of them)


I think this may be the most varied list I've seen anyone have.

 

[Danoff]

By varied you mean 3 slots dedicated to the same franchise?

 

[Lain]

1. Inception
2. How To Train Your Dragon
3. Iron Man 1
4. Star Wars(4,5,6)
5. The Lion King(The first one, the second one was awful IMO)
6. Start Trek: TNG(Entire movie collection)
7. Kung Fu Panda
8. Star Trek: Original Series(Entire movie collection)
9. Star Trek(The newer one)
10. Jurassic Park(any of them)


I think this may be the most varied list I've seen anyone have.

7 sci-fi/action and 3 animated? SO VARIED!

 

[Wiegert]

In no real order:

1. The Rock
2. Fight Club
3. The LOTR Trilogy
4. Die Hard
5. Terminator 2
6. Inception
7. Anchorman
8. The Great Escape
9. Aliens
10. The Bourne Trilogy

 

[turboash78]

1. LOTR
2. The Matrix
3. Star Wars (Ep 4-6)
4. Trailer Park Boys: Countdown to Liquor Day
5. Forest Gump
6. Alien series
7. Braveheart
8. Red Dawn
9. South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut
10. Avatar

Honourable mentions: Sucker Punch, Inception, Swingers, Young Guns series, Saving Private Ryan, Star Trek (all of them), Contact, Backdoor Midget Amputee Nurses 7: Dwarfs vs Donkeys

 

[TB]

Backdoor Midget Amputee Nurses 7: Dwarfs vs Donkeys

I thought this scene in particular was quite moving: