My Favorite Movies

Life-defining.

A pure film.

"Because you wish it."

"Do you know who the poet was? Me."

The greatest of the City Symphony genre.

Brilliantly predictive filmmaking that is the Citizen Kane of its genre, which itself is mindbogglingly difficult to pin down.

David Lean's non-epic masterpiece.

"The trick is not minding that it hurts."

Hands down the best heist movie ever made. Everyone cribs from this.

"I followed you very quickly."

This and "The Lives of Others" stand as proof that great films are still being made. I was in a blue funk for days after watching this. Nolan is a structural genius.

This and "The Prestige" are proof that great films are still being made. Seems at one point to be edging towards predictability but goes in an unanticipated, yet utterly convincing direction. Also, one of the best closing lines in all of cinema.

Masterfully drawn characters. A cry for the power of man's intellect.

A classic of Soviet cinema. A bit of trivia: the female lead is not Russian but Ukrainian. Her dialogue and singing were dubbed in post. The songs, all Russian poetry set to music, are sublime, and range from heartbreaking to ephemerally joyous.

Anyone seen my red Swingline?

This film is not fiction. Just look around you for signs of the coming idiot-apocalypse.

We'll meet again. Don't know where, don't know when.

There is not a wasted scene, shot, or line of dialogue in the entire film, but it does not seem at all pared down. A masterclass in screenwriting could be taught around just this film.

This washed away the bad taste of Die Hard 2. John McLane in the Big Apple with badass Zeus along for the ride.

"You know, drinking wine, eating cheese, and catching some rays."

A remake of Vittorio de Sica's reprehensible "Bicycle Thieves." Tim Burton's best work.

Thank your lucky stars for Lawrence Kasdan.

My favorite of the Jones Trilogy. The most solidly "Thirties" of them all. Tommy guns and Busby Berkeley musical numbers.

Peter Hyams' best work. Some wonderful touches of humanity in an overwhelming technological environment.

Nothing could hope to succeed the greatest film ever made, 2001, but 2010 acquits itself as a solid, occasionally sublimely shot hard sci-fi movie.

I want to see Schwarzenegger as Hamlet!

Shot on location.

I'm not sure which of the female leads in this film I want to marry first.

A Perfect Movie.

You shall be known as Muad'Dib.

"Spend a day with us."

A structurally magnificent action film. The score by Hans Zimmer is particularly effective.

The pre-Matrix Matrix with a lot more style.

Dignity. Always dignity.

"Do you realise the immense tasks we shall undertake? When we set ourselves to an active and aggressive peace. When we direct our energies to tear out the wealth of this planet and exploit all these giant possibilities of science that have been hitherto squandered on war and senseless competition. We shall excavate the eternal hills. We shall make such use of the treasures of the sky and sea and earth as men have never dreamt of hitherto. I would that I could see our children's children in this world we shall win for them. But in them and through them, we shall live again."

- John Cabal

Completely ridiculous and non-sensical, but with its high points. The soundtrack is killer, by the way.

The best worst movie ever made, and consequently the best episode of MST3K ever made.

Thoroughly hilarious!

A spare horror film and the best of its genre. The effects work is real. (That last word would be in italics if Flixster would permit me.)

A science-fiction retelling of Edgar Allan Poe's "MS. Found in a Bottle" and one of the last hurrahs of grand studio effects films. "Elegant," in the words of matte artist Harrison Ellenshaw.

Terminate with extreme prejudice.

Absolutely ridiculous. You must love this movie.

Logodaedaly at its cinematic finest. Brilliant transitions.

A masterpiece with some easily forgiven flaws. This film is absolutely real. Not to be forgotten are the Zeppelin sequence; the final bombing run; and Monte Rutledge's death scene.

Put this on DVD!

She knows it's a Multipass.

Completely silly and dated '80s attempt to reinvigorate the Biggles character. Neil Dickson does a superb job as the dashing hero, but apart from the WWI sequences, this film is forgettable.

An index of cinematic theft on the same level as "Space Mutiny" (q.v.). Stars an unfortunate Donald Pleasence, Persis Khambatta (no longer bald), and that guy from "Paper Chase." Notable for the breakout role of Mega-Weapon.

An important entry in a lost genre, lost because they don't make enjoyable buddy cop movies anymore and because the USSR no longer exists. Written and directed by Walter Hill, producer and writer on the Alien trilogy. Contains the deathless line, spoken by Schwarzenegger as Soviet cop Ivan Danko: "Capitalism."

One of the better screen adaptations of Joseph Conrad's novels. Peter O'Toole may have been chided for playing another Lawrence (Jim is, however, a dissimilar character with a different destiny), but it's hard to imagine anyone else in the role. Bronislaw Kaper's score is magnificent and altogether fitting with the stirring, nautical overtones of Conrad's tale.

Oh, hi movie. Don't worry about it.