Since I am new to this forum, I suppose that I might as well leave a short post talking a bit about some of the movies I like. These are the movies that I've enjoyed the most. You may dislike some of these films, but keep in mind that this just my own subjective opinion. Most likely, it will be different than yours.
#15: Moon (2009)
This seems like a simple sci-fi movie at first, but several plot points show that something far more sinister is happening. Also, this movie has the tendency to surprise you with its multiple reveals. This is definitely a film which flew under the radar.
#14: Fight Club (1999)
This movie has it all. Great characters, great buildup, great action, great foreshadowing, a great plot twist, and an amazing ending. This movie offers something new each viewing and it must be watched by everyone. Also, it has great performances.
#13: American History X (1998)
Carried by Edward Norton's incredible performance, this is a superb work of character development which is truly unforgettable. It handles racism expertly and cleverly details someone trying to change their life around. The ending always gets me, but it makes its message even more powerful.
#12: Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)
This masterpiece hits numerous layers of comedy that can sometimes be pretty deep. Its comedy evokes Kubrick's talent of making simple, yet grand stories. Also, the acting is really good as well, especially coming from Sellers who played 3 roles exceptionally. Many other actors did great jobs in this film as well.
#11: 12 Angry Men (1957)
One of the most engaging and tense movies I've seen in a long time. It is very tense seeing the jurors constantly go back and forth at each other with hostility, increasingly growing more and more bitter. Also, one of the jurors acts like a sadist and his character gives the movie more tension. I haven't been this engaged in a film in a long time. Also, the acting was amazing.
#10: The Thing (1982)
This movie has grotesque practical effects which are disturbing and well-done. It still looks gross today despite being over 30 years old. It also has many memorable scenes like the defibrilator one which is now iconic. It also keeps you pointing fingers at who you think may be infected. It is a fantastic work of horror. It's one of the few instances of a remake being better than the original.
#9: Inception (2010)
This is my favorite film by Christopher Nolan. It has many great action scenes which will blow your mind. Also, its elaborate and intricate plot leaves a lot of room for re-watches. Although it's light on character development, it's still a very entertaining film which must be watched by all sci-fi fans. If you don't understand it at first, the jaw-dropping action will keep you coming back until you do.
#8: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)
Topped by fantastic performances from Jack Nicholson and Louise Fletcher, this is a perfect movie which is both uplifting and disheartening. The onscreen battles by McMurphy and Nurse Ratched are unforgettable and iconic. The movie also has many well-developed characters that I cared for. Finally, the movie's ending is both very heartbreaking and powerful. Its ending is a personal favorite of mine.
#7: Twelve Monkeys (1995)
This is never too overly-complicated, but complicated enough for you to enjoy it much more on future viewings once you know how it ends. It also contains great production design and great acting from Bruce Willis, Madeleine Stowe, and especially Brad Pitt who stole the show. In my opinion, it is one of the best films of the 90's. Also, I did not see the ending coming at all. It took a little while for me to fully appreciate it, but I'm glad that I did.
#6: Sunshine (2007)
In my opinion, this is the most underrated movie of all time. I like every bit of it. I love the action scenes, the music, and the characters. Every death scene is handled with care. I don't know why, but I am very addicted to this movie. There was once a time when I watched this every day for 2 weeks. It also has an amazing soundtrack with some fantastic songs. I sometimes have a hard time explaining why I love it so much.
#5: Saving Private Ryan (1998)
This has many unforgettable scenes like the beginning which is now very iconic. Many more of its fighting scenes also have great buildup and execution. Steven Spielberg did a great job making the environment look as realistic as possible. Speaking of realism, it also shows a very realistic depiction of war. It also has a great cast of characters who gave great performances on all parts. Plus, this film has a superb and powerful ending.
#4: Eraserhead (1977)
This is the weirdest movie I've ever seen. Besides just being weird, it contains some nice ambiguity that makes for some interesting interpretations. Every time I watch it, I feel like I pick up on another detail which could possibly mean something else, and I also think of other interpretations to set pieces which I didn't think of before. It provides something new each time I watch it. Also, the effects are very disturbing and well-done. It's an outstanding debut film.
#3: Come and See (1985)
In my opinion, this is the most horrifying non-horror movie ever made. It can also get incredibly powerful because of some of its scenes. Examples of its most effective scenes include the church burning scene and its ending. It contains several techniques for providing horror and all of them lingered with me long after viewing it. I don't think that many films besides a few exploitation films are as horrifying as this one is. To be blunt: This is the greatest and the most effective anti-war film ever made.
#2: The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
This is an unforgettable and thrilling emotional ride. It has outstanding performances on all ends. The movie contains great characters and it developed them expertly. There are actually a ton of plot points in this movie and it has a very huge plot in terms of how much happens in it. I could see this being turned into a TV show someday. Its #1 ranking on IMDb's top 250 is completely well deserved and justified in every way. In conclusion, it is the best story driven movie I've ever seen.
#1: 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
I understand why some people dislike this movie, but I was enthralled throughout the whole experience. The movie offers some great ambiguity which makes the movie even more amazing and re-watchable. There were many memorable scenes which blew me away. The music perfectly fits the movie. Also, in my opinion, it has the most beautiful cinematography out of all the movies I've seen. Everyone should watch this at least once. Sure, some scenes were drawn out, but it didn't bother me at all and I was entertained throughout the entire movie.
You can feel free to discuss your opinions on these films if you're interested in doing so.
#15: Moon (2009)
This seems like a simple sci-fi movie at first, but several plot points show that something far more sinister is happening. Also, this movie has the tendency to surprise you with its multiple reveals. This is definitely a film which flew under the radar.
#14: Fight Club (1999)
This movie has it all. Great characters, great buildup, great action, great foreshadowing, a great plot twist, and an amazing ending. This movie offers something new each viewing and it must be watched by everyone. Also, it has great performances.
#13: American History X (1998)
Carried by Edward Norton's incredible performance, this is a superb work of character development which is truly unforgettable. It handles racism expertly and cleverly details someone trying to change their life around. The ending always gets me, but it makes its message even more powerful.
#12: Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)
This masterpiece hits numerous layers of comedy that can sometimes be pretty deep. Its comedy evokes Kubrick's talent of making simple, yet grand stories. Also, the acting is really good as well, especially coming from Sellers who played 3 roles exceptionally. Many other actors did great jobs in this film as well.
#11: 12 Angry Men (1957)
One of the most engaging and tense movies I've seen in a long time. It is very tense seeing the jurors constantly go back and forth at each other with hostility, increasingly growing more and more bitter. Also, one of the jurors acts like a sadist and his character gives the movie more tension. I haven't been this engaged in a film in a long time. Also, the acting was amazing.
#10: The Thing (1982)
This movie has grotesque practical effects which are disturbing and well-done. It still looks gross today despite being over 30 years old. It also has many memorable scenes like the defibrilator one which is now iconic. It also keeps you pointing fingers at who you think may be infected. It is a fantastic work of horror. It's one of the few instances of a remake being better than the original.
#9: Inception (2010)
This is my favorite film by Christopher Nolan. It has many great action scenes which will blow your mind. Also, its elaborate and intricate plot leaves a lot of room for re-watches. Although it's light on character development, it's still a very entertaining film which must be watched by all sci-fi fans. If you don't understand it at first, the jaw-dropping action will keep you coming back until you do.
#8: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)
Topped by fantastic performances from Jack Nicholson and Louise Fletcher, this is a perfect movie which is both uplifting and disheartening. The onscreen battles by McMurphy and Nurse Ratched are unforgettable and iconic. The movie also has many well-developed characters that I cared for. Finally, the movie's ending is both very heartbreaking and powerful. Its ending is a personal favorite of mine.
#7: Twelve Monkeys (1995)
This is never too overly-complicated, but complicated enough for you to enjoy it much more on future viewings once you know how it ends. It also contains great production design and great acting from Bruce Willis, Madeleine Stowe, and especially Brad Pitt who stole the show. In my opinion, it is one of the best films of the 90's. Also, I did not see the ending coming at all. It took a little while for me to fully appreciate it, but I'm glad that I did.
#6: Sunshine (2007)
In my opinion, this is the most underrated movie of all time. I like every bit of it. I love the action scenes, the music, and the characters. Every death scene is handled with care. I don't know why, but I am very addicted to this movie. There was once a time when I watched this every day for 2 weeks. It also has an amazing soundtrack with some fantastic songs. I sometimes have a hard time explaining why I love it so much.
#5: Saving Private Ryan (1998)
This has many unforgettable scenes like the beginning which is now very iconic. Many more of its fighting scenes also have great buildup and execution. Steven Spielberg did a great job making the environment look as realistic as possible. Speaking of realism, it also shows a very realistic depiction of war. It also has a great cast of characters who gave great performances on all parts. Plus, this film has a superb and powerful ending.
#4: Eraserhead (1977)
This is the weirdest movie I've ever seen. Besides just being weird, it contains some nice ambiguity that makes for some interesting interpretations. Every time I watch it, I feel like I pick up on another detail which could possibly mean something else, and I also think of other interpretations to set pieces which I didn't think of before. It provides something new each time I watch it. Also, the effects are very disturbing and well-done. It's an outstanding debut film.
#3: Come and See (1985)
In my opinion, this is the most horrifying non-horror movie ever made. It can also get incredibly powerful because of some of its scenes. Examples of its most effective scenes include the church burning scene and its ending. It contains several techniques for providing horror and all of them lingered with me long after viewing it. I don't think that many films besides a few exploitation films are as horrifying as this one is. To be blunt: This is the greatest and the most effective anti-war film ever made.
#2: The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
This is an unforgettable and thrilling emotional ride. It has outstanding performances on all ends. The movie contains great characters and it developed them expertly. There are actually a ton of plot points in this movie and it has a very huge plot in terms of how much happens in it. I could see this being turned into a TV show someday. Its #1 ranking on IMDb's top 250 is completely well deserved and justified in every way. In conclusion, it is the best story driven movie I've ever seen.
#1: 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
I understand why some people dislike this movie, but I was enthralled throughout the whole experience. The movie offers some great ambiguity which makes the movie even more amazing and re-watchable. There were many memorable scenes which blew me away. The music perfectly fits the movie. Also, in my opinion, it has the most beautiful cinematography out of all the movies I've seen. Everyone should watch this at least once. Sure, some scenes were drawn out, but it didn't bother me at all and I was entertained throughout the entire movie.
You can feel free to discuss your opinions on these films if you're interested in doing so.