Your Top Favorite Films?

[Flynn]

I was just curious, what ranks as your favorite films? Likely, one of the Star Wars films would be up there, but what are some others?

I recently composed a Top 20 list of my own personal favorite films-

1. The Empire Strikes Back
2. Jesus Christ Superstar
3. The Secret of NIMH
4. To Kill A Mockingbird
5. Ed Wood
6. The Dark Crystal
7. Batman
8. Ghostbusters
9. Lars and the Real Girl
10. The Abominable Dr. Phibes
11. The Nightmare Before Christmas
12. Superman II
13. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
14. Sunset Boulevard
15. Hook
16. Back to the Future
17. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
18. Toy Story 2
19. Tron
20. Cabaret

Number 1 really isn't any surprise, but whatever. It's a legitimately great and enjoyable film, and by far the best of the SW films.

So, your favorites...?

[Robzula]

My number one favourite film is Requiem for a Dream.

[Jedd the Jedi]

In no particular order:

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Tomb Raider (film)
Mr and Mrs Smith
The Rock (film)
Air Force One (film)
Casino Royale (2006 film)
Enemy of the State
The Bourne Ultimatum (film)
The Fugitive
Executive Decision
Star Wars (all of them, though my absolute favourite is. Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi)
Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Batman Begins
Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker
X2: X-Men United
Spider-Man 2
The Incredible Hulk
Deep Impact
Virtuosity
RoboCop
Jurassic Park
Minority Report (film)
Iron Man (film)
The Dark Knight (film)
Forrest Gump
The Queen
Slumdog Millionaire
WALL-E
Finding Nemo
The Incredibles
The Phantom of the Opera (2004)
Rain Man

[Obi-Wan Skywalker]

In no order

My fellow americans
Planes trains and automobiles
The empire strikes back
wall e
Harry potter

[Teekay]

In no order (mostly)
ESB
Jurassic Park
A Christmas Story
Iron Man
Spider-Man Trilogy
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
ANH (Those are easily the two best SW films)
Indy and the Last Crusade
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Wall-E
Toy Story 2

~Sam (Teekay)

[RocketClone]

In no particular order..

1.Empire Strikes Back
2.Indy and the Last Crusade
3.Black Hawk Down
4.Pearl Harbor.
5.Top Gun
6.Goldeneye
7.The Spiderman Trilogy
8.Transformers The Movie (the 1986 one)
9.A Christmas Story
10.Batman: The Dark Knight

[ccjwprongs]

(pretty much in order)

District 9
The Dark Knight
Avatar
Public Enemies
Saving Private Ryan
Empire Strikes Back
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Cloverfield
Defiance
Persepolis

[Plo]

Back to the future 1-3
star wars original trilogy
Jurrasic park 1-3
Star Trek wrath of khan
New star trek
Transformers(2009)
Apollo 13
National treasure 1

[dWhisper]

1. Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
2. Star Trek V: The Final Frontier
3. Batman & Robin
4. Titanic
5. Battlefield Earth
6. Blair Witch Project
7. Gili
8. Anything starring Larry the Cable Guy
9. Face Off
10. I could be that by now, you've realized that these are probably not my favorite movies, but a list that is making fun of lists and topics like this. The simple fact is, these sort of topics are just somewhat lame. There's nothing wrong with making a thread to talk about films, or your favorites, but a topic that consists of nothing more than a list? It's just pointless. Tell us why a movie is your favorite, why you love it, or why it's so important to you. Don't just rattle off titles. No one cares. You don't even care, otherwise you would have put some more thought into it.

Just saying is all...

[Drock]

The Godfather
The Shawshank Redemption
Bridge on the River Kwai
Star Wars
The Godfather Part II
Return of the Jedi
Pan's Labyrinth
Raiders of the Lost Ark

[theJudeAbides]

I tend to agree with dWhisper. A long list of movies without any explanation why you like them is ultimately worthless.

I'm not sure if I can really group movies of different genres into one list, either. I mean, how do you compare Terminator with Monty Python with Green Mile? All are excellent films, yet they have little to nothing in common with one another. As such, I think I'll just start off with my favorite Sci-fi/Fantasy Films (in approximate order):

Terminator 2 - To me, this movie defines what sci-fi movie, a sequel, and a blockbuster movie should be. The effects are phenomenal, yes, but the story isn't that bad either (especially since contemplating the time travel in the movie makes my head hurt). I love the grittiness (even if it does remind me of the 80s/early 90s), I love Arnold's Terminator, and I love the playground (with LA in the background) being nuked (it's such a powerful image that many have tryed to duplicate, but few have succeeded). The only Terminator to come close since has been the Sarah Connor Chronicles TV show.

Matrix - This movie completely wowed me the first time I watched it (and I seem to recall it was on some dinky <15" tv in a hotel room). I wish I could say I saw this in theatres on opening night, but in reality I didn't even hear about it until a few years later when a friend introduced me to it. And let's face it, with Keanu Reeves acting abilities, there's no reason this movie should have been as good as it was, except for the excellent story, high-octane fight scenes, and mind-bending "there is no spoon" "reality." As a side note, unlike many others, I don't hate the sequels as much as many others do. Were they good as the original? Perhaps not, but they were very entertaining and I still enjoyed them.

The Lord of the Rings Trilogy - Epic Story? Check. Mind-bending, movie-industry-changing effects? Check. Well cast characters? Check. Accurate depiction of a book? Check. Peter Jackson? Check. Yep, these movies pretty much had everything.

Alien - I know many consider this to be more of a "horror" movie than Sci-Fi, but I still consider it Sci-fi (with horror elements). The great thing about this movie (that so many horror movies forget these days) is that they kept us in the dark as to the nature (including the appearance) of the creature that was hunting the crew. The story slowly built along with the tension until a climactic finale was reached. It's maintains a great sense of suspense and tension throughout without being overly dramatic or cheesy. And let's face it, the scene when that alien pops out of the dude's stomach is a piece of cinimatic history that will never die.

Army of Darkness - A movie so awesome that it turns the epicness dial straight past 10 and well on to 11. It's special effects makes the Lord of the Rings movies look like an amateur LEGO stop motion video, it's engaging dialogue makes Quentin Tarantin's works sound the nonsense gibberish mumbled by a deranged hobo, and it's gripping storyline makes the Green Mile look like Jury Duty. Hail to the king, baby. Go watch this movie now or else I'll have to get out my boom-stick.

You may be asking "What about Star Wars?" to which my reply is "what about it?" I once would have considered it higher, but it's been too watered down by prequels, cartoon shows, and far to much EU to even keep track of anymore(although some of it is good). I'd put the OT next, but the rest of it would be much lower.

So that's all for now. Maybe later I'll tackle comedy or action films.

[Andi]

The Lord of the Rings Trilogy - Epic Story? Check. Mind-bending, movie-industry-changing effects? Check. Well cast characters? Check. Accurate depiction of a book? Check. Peter Jackson? Check. Yep, these movies pretty much had everything.

I agree to 200%. This trilogy is the best since long. You can watch it over and over again and it is still awesome.
You can even read the books and still loving the movies.

Star Wars OT are my top favourites too. It's true that all the crap of the last years is useless, but still the OT movies are very enjoyable every time I watch them.

Gone with the Wind is definitely on my list too. I still remember the very first time I saw it. It was so emotional, so nice, so sad, so much Clark Gable in it. He was my very first favourite actor, and I still enjoy watching movies he's in, and especially Gone with the Wind.

Bringing up Baby - I don't know how many times I watched that film till now, but it is still so funny and Cary Grant and Katherine Hepburn are a great team (same in Philadelphia Story).

There are many more movies I like to watch, I enjoy every time I watch them, but it would take too long, to list them all, and there should be a difference between a real top-favourite and favourites.

[kelano28]

The original 12 Angry Men. Hands down.

This movie has such a profound impact and keeps your eyes glues to the screen, and there is absolutely no action. It's the gripping dialogue and performances that make this the cinematic gem it is. Henry Fonda is spectacular at playing devil's advocate, and the other 11 jurors all play their own roles in a consistent and believable manner. No other movie consisting of only one room and dialogue has wowed me the same way.

Oh yeah and ESB might be #2...

[I Don't Know]

Jurassic Park is my favorite. Or any other Michael Crichton book-based film.

Then Empire Strikes Back.

Then Revenge of the Sith.

[liquidcross]

Actually, none of the Star Wars films would be on my top ten list. They're fantastic, but vastly overrated. (And the prequels just suck!)

In no particular order:

1. Army of Darkness
2. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (the extended cut)
3. 2001: A Space Odyssey
4. Blade Runner
5. The Day the Earth Stood Still (the original!)
6. Hellraiser
7. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
8. Aliens
9. The Matrix
10. Raiders of the Lost Ark

[TheBohrok]

North By Northwest. I fell in love with it when I first saw it. The Hitchcock films that I'd seen before this were Psycho, The Birds, and Vertigo. This is definitely my favorite of his films that I've seen, but I really need to see more of his oeuvre. It's a story about mistaken identity, spies, chases, and uncovering the truth. Trying to summarize the plot beyond that without spoiling the movie is difficult and ultimately pointless. This is a film that needs to be experienced to get a good grasp of what it is about. There are great performances by Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint, and James Mason. It just captured my attention from the beginning and never let go. I remember bluemoose spoke highly of this film years ago on the old forum, and I'm glad that I checked it out. Definitely worth a watch.

The original 12 Angry Men.

I just saw that movie for the first time last month, and I agree completely. The movie rests entirely on dialogue and the actors' performances, but they deliver. The idea of twelve jurors debating a verdict doesn't sound very interesting, but it's absolutely captivating, which is a great accomplishment for all involved.

[BigBenKenobi]

I think I can come up with a good list:

1. Star Wars (all of them)
2. The Godfather (I and II)
3. Forrest Gump
4. The Shawshank Redemption
5. Titanic
6. From Russia With Love (James Bond Film)
7. Harry Potter (entire series)
8. American Graffiti
9. Patton
10.El Dorado (1967 with John Wayne)

[thepatient]

I tend to like movies with a good allegory- and some without.

Blade Runner- This has always seemed like a true thinking persons Sci-fi story. I love how people either love it or hate it {get it or don't get it}. I had to do a movie review/report on this movie in High School and it changed the way I watch films to this day.

Clockwork Orange- Absolutley a brilliant look into the mind of a rotten person in a rotten world. Stylistically great too.

2001: A Space Odyssey- Though real life still hasn't caught up to it this movie, it still stands the test of time. The super clean look of the space craft match the white bread attitude of the characters. HAL is still one of the creepiest movie characters ever.

Black Book- If you can handle subtitles this is Paul Verhoeven's best movie. A frank look at the Dutch resistance through the eyes of Jewish woman.

The God's Must be Crazy- Who knew a Coke bottle could cause so much trouble.

Resevoir Dogs / Pulp Fiction- I really like it when a story makes you like a group of cool and funny people, and then turns around and shows you how really really bad they really are. The conversations in these two films are some of the funniest dialog among cold blooded killers.

Hostel- This seems like the most plausible slasher type film to me. It was the first horror flick to really give me the creeps. I'll never let my kids go back-packing across Europe solely because of this film.

[Obi-Wan Skywalker]

@ thejudeabides,

Alright Look, there's only 1 return okay and it ain't of the king, it's of the jedi. -randall graves (clerks 2)

[Flynn]

The simple fact is, these sort of topics are just somewhat lame. There's nothing wrong with making a thread to talk about films, or your favorites, but a topic that consists of nothing more than a list? It's just pointless. Tell us why a movie is your favorite, why you love it, or why it's so important to you. Don't just rattle off titles. No one cares. You don't even care, otherwise you would have put some more thought into it.

Just saying is all...

You are absolutely right. I was actually going to expand on the list, but didn't have the time to do it, and decided to wait until I had the full time (Of course, I really should've just waited to post the topic until then- that Save button's there for a reason). So, while I'm here, here's the full expanded list:

20. Cabaret- I'll admit, the only reason I really like this movie is for Joel Grey's performance. He's an absolute delight to watch, and completely steals every scene he's in. But the rest of the movie is good, too. Liza Minelli, while not my favorite actress to play Sally Bowles (Jill Haworth FTW), gives a very good performance nonetheless, and the film manages to be a faithful recreation of the original stage version even as it strays wildly from the play's original story. Like most movie musicals, the original is far superior, but this is still really good.

19. Tron- I'll bet some of you are rather surprised to see this so low, what with my screen name and all. And this used to be a lot higher, but I just realized how much I liked the other films on the list. Anyways, I'll admit Tron has a lot of flaws and overall is a rather weak film, but it is a complete joy to watch and has a lot of memorable scenes. David Warner and Jeff Bridges also give very good performances.

18. Toy Story 2- One of the few sequels to surpass the quality of the original, this is just a great film. While I don't think it's Pixar's absolute best (That spot is reserved for Up), it's definitely up there. It has excellent characters, humor, a very original plot, and, like all of Pixar's films, can be enjoyed by both a child and adult audience (Something the other animation studios desperately need to learn how to do). This is an old favorite of mine, and I beleive it was one of the first films I saw in theatres, so it has a lot of nostalgia for me.

17. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan- By far the best Star Trek film to date, this film just has it all- a great cast, an involving, complex story, and superb special effects. What really makes the film, though, is Ricardo Montalban's performance as Khan Noonien Singh, the genetic superhuman out for revenge on Kirk. He gives an absolutely fantastic performance as Khan, and is really the highlight of an already-fantastic film.

16. Back to the Future- This is just a great (sci-fi/nostalgia peice/comedy/???) film.It has a stellar cast led by Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd, superb effects, a great (and unique) story, and a great soundtrack. It's just an overall great film.

15. Hook- Okay, now this is a pretty weak film, I'll admit it. The Lost boys are so incredibly annoying, and there's a number of scenes that just don't make sense and are just really stupid. However, what really makes the film for me (And why it gets the #15 spot is because of Robin Williams, Dustin Hoffman, and Bob Hoskins. Their performances in the film really save it, and make it a very worthwhile film.

14. Sunset Boulevard- This is an old classic, and for good reason. It has incredible acting (Particularly from Gloria Swanson) a unique and original story, and a wonderful atmosphere throughout the whole of the film. It's just a great, great movie.

13. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade- While I don't think this is the best Indiana Jones film (Raiders of the Lost Ark takes that for me), this is certaintly my favorite. Sean Connery really adds something to the film, and the rest of it is just fun to watch.

12. Superman II- I was surprised to find that this one really isn't as well liked as I thought it would be. But it is hands-down my favorite Superman movie. It goes so far beyond the original film in almost every aspect, and overall is a much deeper film then the original. The only downside is the stupid slapstick moments that plague certain parts of the film, thanks to Richard Lester. Despite that, the Lester cut still has preference over the Donner cut, as the Donner cut removes a lot of the things that made the Lester cut good (And it had such a stupid ending).

11. The Nightmare Before Christmas- This is a vastly overrated film, I'll admit it. But it's still incredibly good. The film, like most of Burton's films, is very imaginative, the characters are good, and Danny Elfman's score is extremely good- among my favorite film scores. Despite its annoyingly enormous popularity, it remains among my favorite films- but not enought to breach the Top Ten, unfortunately.

10. The Abominable Dr. Phibes- This is a pretty dang obscure one. It's an old horror film from 1970 starring Vincent Price, and I personally think it's his best horror film. It's suspenseful at times, and has a chilling atmosphere throughout most of the film. What really makes the film stand out to me, though, is the fact that it doesn't take itself seriously. The horror elements are layered with comedy, and really make the film enjoyable. Add some superb visuals (For the most part, anyway...) and an all-around excellent cast, and you've got a really great movie.

9. Lars and the Real Girl- This is another relatively unknown one, although much more recent. The plot involves a man who has a delusion that a party doll bought off the internet is a real girl, and pursues an actual relationship with her. The small town he lives in is encouraged to actually go along with the delusion, his doctor saying that he'll get rid of it when he's ready to. The result is a film which, I think, is one of the best films of the decade. Its comedy mixes with poignancy so beautifully well that often times you don't know whether you're supposed to laugh or be touched. Another thing that makes it great is the impeccable cast, who play very beleivable and complex characters. I think it was a crime that this was almost completely snubbed at the Oscars, earning only a nomination for Best Screenplay.

8. Ghostbusters- Gee, I bet none of you would have ever guessed that this would be on my favorite films list. Anyway, Ghostbusters is another great 80's classic that perfectly blends (extremely mild) horror, sci-fi, and comedy. Really, there's not that much to say about it. The acting's good, the story's good, the effects are great, the soundtrack is absolutely fantastic- it's just a really great film. If you haven't seen it yet, definitely check it out.

7. Batman- In my opinion, this is the best Batman film to date. There are so many things that make it good, but probably the biggest reason for me is the whole atmosphere of the film. It has a very dark, imaginative atmosphere that really makes the film stand out, and one which has yet to be matched in the later Batman films. Another big thing that makes it good is Michael Keaton's performance as Batman- in my opinion, the best Batman we've had. He's able to perfectly play Batman without overdoing the voice (*cough*ChristianBale*cough*) and also plays a very human Bruce Wayne, something not done by the later actors.

6. The Dark Crystal- This is another one which the atmosphere really makes it for me. What really makes it special here, though, is that the whole film is done with puppets- unique, imaginative puppets. Each creature has a different, unique design, and there was so much thought and creativity put into the world itself that it really gets you into the film.

5. Ed Wood- This is, in my opinion, Tim Burton's best work. There's just so much that makes it good- the excellent casting of Johnny Depp and Martin Landau (Though I really wish Burton would stop using Depp for parts he really shouldn't have- I'm looking at you, Sweeney Todd), the soundtrack that captures the feel of Wood's films, the black-and-white, the sentimental moments with Lugosi and Wood, the uplifting ending sequence, etc., etc. This is just a fantastic movie.

4. To Kill A Mockingbird- I think the Nostalgia Critic said it best that this is just an all-around perfect film. It has a perfect cast, it's an extremely close adaptation of the novel, etc. What really makes the film for me, though, is the fantastic score by Elmer Bernstein. What makes it so great is that Bernstein doesn't write the score to sync up with the action- something composers like Jerry Goldsmith or John Williams tend to do- he writes the score to capture the whole look and feel of the film- and he does it best here. The sweet but haunting score perfectly matches with Boo Radley's character in the film, and just really completes the film for me.

3. The Secret of NIMH- This is, by far, my favorite animated film. The animation by Don Bluth is absolutely stunning, the likes of which has yet to be matched by other animation studios. Every shot in the film is just beautiful, and every character has their own unique look to them- particulary Nicodemus and the Great Owl, with their luminescent eyes and long grey beards. Yes, the movie strays far from the book, but it creates something so good that you hardly notice. It's just a great film overall, and is by far Don Bluth's best work.

2. Jesus Christ Superstar- This is, by far, the greatest musical movie ever made. Ever. It's a rock opera about the last days of Jesus Christ through the eyes of Judas Iscariot, and it's just absolutely perfect. The cast is all-around perfect- every single actor/actress was perfectly cast, and they all give amazing vocals. By far the best performance is Barry Dennen as Pontius Pilate. Reprising his role from the original concept album and the subsequent Broadway production, he gives an absolutely chilling performance as Pilate, and adds a sympathetic note to the character. The rest of the cast is great as well, with Ted Neeley as Jesus (And who is still playing the role today), Carl Anderson as Judas, and Yvonne Ellimen, reprising her role as Mary Magdalene from the concept album and Broadway production. Another noteworthy cast member is Zero Mostel's son playing King Herod- a delightfully nonsensical take of the character. The film is, as I mentioned before, a rock opera, with music and lyrics by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice- and is by far Webber's best work. Each song is catchy (Without being annoyingly so), with excellent orchestration (Webber is a master at mixing rock music with a full scale orchestra), great lyrics, and overall a great score. The best songs would have to be "Heaven on Their Minds", "Gethsemane", "Trial Before Pilate", "Pilate and Christ", and "Jesus Must Die". The direction by Norman Jewison is also great, and the film's location in (then) modern ruins of Jerusalem really make it stand out. The film also manages to appeal both to a Christian and non-Christian audience- it provides a lot of theological questions to Christians, but also puts the story in a matter-of-fact presentation, with no actual clear definition that Christ is or isn't the son of God- leaving the viewers to decide that for themselves. There's just so much that makes this film so good, I can't give it enough justice. If you haven't seen it, I'd highly recommend you check it out. It's just wonderful.

1. The Empire Strikes Back- This is such a typical pick for a Star Wars fan, I know. But it's just so good. It took everything that made Star Wars good, upped it beyond beleif, and added more depth and complexity, no doubt due to the excellent direction of Irvin Kershner. The effects, cast, soundtrack, etc. are all fantastic, and it's definitely my favorite film of all time. It's just great.