20. Twelve Angry Men
12 Angry Men is such a good courtroom drama, that for me, it simply blows the majority of every other film in this genre out of the water (okay, technically this isn't really a "courtroom" drama because the entire film happens in the jury-room. But let's face it, the plot's purpose is one that leads into the most important part of the courtroom process, the verdict).
The combination of a tight script with a solid ensemble cast (oh, & lets not forget a big screen directoral debut for Sidney Lumet) make for a tense, compelling movie that even though it keeps 99% it's entire length within just one room, a viewer can't help but to be spellbound.
15. Unforgiven
"That's right. I'm Will Munny and I've killed women and children. I've killed everything that walks or crawls at one time or another. And I'm here to kill you, Little Bill......"
He was once a real tough hombre who was good with a gun & never hesitated to use it.
But now, after so many years of trying to build a "normal life" away from that of a gunslinger, Will Munny comes to realize that when times get hard, old habits in old people die hard.
The manner in which the icon of the ol' western gunslinger is portrayed here,
as a man with a mysterious past which he would preferred forgotten, yet soon ultimately, comes to rely on for the survival of the redemptive life he has built, shows how this film could've also been called
The Final Chapter Of The Man With No Name, But Now We've Given Him A Name, Punk.
14. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
An extra-terrestial becomes trapped on our planet & befriends an Earthling boy who shares it's love for Reese's Pieces. From there, these two beings "from different worlds" (one of the rare times that this phrase is meant literally), begin to share each other's experiences in a bond that can only result from attitude unconditional acceptance.
A moving picture which "teaches" that when it comes to a deep longing for love in the form of kindness & friendship, we humans are not alone.
And all we have to do to get it, even on a universally galactic level, is to just simply "be.... good".
This movie has gotten such a stigma attached to it, that I easily forget how much I enjoy watching it. After several years of this movie collecting dust on my video collection, I watched it with my 6 yr. old niece a couple of months ago, & I'll be honest with you: I don't know which one of us was left sitting there with more childlike awe & wonder on our faces.
Her, b'cuz as a child, she thought that E.T., was one amazing tale.
Or me, b'cuz as an adult, I thought that Elliot's mom was one amazing tail.
12. The Godfather Part ll
After lightning struck once with the first Godfather, it was almost impossibe to believe that it could strike twice in the same series, especially with the absence of Marlon Brando, James Caan & Abe Vigoda (oh c'mon! Y'know his presence added a certain dimension to the whole of the movie.....).
Yet strike it did.
And with even more intensity than could be expected.
Francis Ford Coppola continues the saga of la familia Corleone. And even though this one lacks the presence of the trio of fine actors I mentioned above, those empty spaces are superbly filled up by the strength Al Pacino's complete grasp of the lead character,
along with an interjecting prologue story starring a Sicilian speaking Robert Deniro.
I know that the rest of the planet says that this one is the superior film, but I myself like the first one better. Now don't get me wrong, G-2 is practically a perfect movie. However IMO, G-1 is just a bit more perfect. That being said, if only all sequels could match the quality ratio that this one did with its predecessor, then I bet that this planet would a lot better place. More than we could probably imagine. Like there probably wouldn't be any more wars or bad stuff in the world.
Like,
ever.
Yep. That's the power of a good sequel.
11. Pulp Fiction
No matter how many times I view it, no matter what time of the day it is,
I never get tired of watching this movie.
Because Pulp Fiction is like pie.
And any time is a good time for pie.
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