My Favorite Movies


  1. shauna1354
  2. Shauna

A list of my ultimate favourite films.

  shauna1354's Rating My Rating
1
Trainspotting (1996,  R)
Trainspotting 5.0 Stars
Trainspotting is one of the best British films ever made and my favourite film of all time. It's gritty, edgy, unrelenting and is secure in it's status as a cultural phenomenon.
Based on the incredible novel of the same name by Irvine Welsh. Trainspotting chronicles the lives of a bunch of friends immersed in the Edinburgh drug scene.
Ewan McGregor gives his best performance to date as troubled protaganist Renton and Ewen Bremner equally incredible as his dopey yet loveable best mate Spud. Robert Carlyle gives easily the best performance as quick tempered egomaniac Frank Begbie and in my opinion is one of the best and most entertaining characters although not likeable ever seen in film.
From all the films of his I have seen, Trainspotting remains Danny Boyle's finest hour, it's a daring work of art which was a breath of fresh air to british film-making.
This is film that must be seen. The characters are brilliant and especially the conversations they carry out with each other (a personal favourite of mine is Sick Boy's theory of life). Filled with memorable scenes, great use of black comedy and a perfect soundtrack, Trainspotting is the ultimate experience.
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2
A Clockwork Orange (1971,  R)
A Clockwork Orange 5.0 Stars
Disturbingly grotesque, but a damn good film. Kubrick is a master of film-making. It's a difficult film to sit through and it's understandable that some people find it sick and twisted. Malcolm McDowell shines in his role as ulta-violence addicted Alex DeLarge, leader of 'the droogs'. Although his character is horrible, the film has a strange way of making you feel sorry for him through the parts where he is cured. And to end it all ingenious uses of music to compliment the on-screen action.
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3
A Streetcar Named Desire (1951,  PG)
A Streetcar Named Desire 5.0 Stars
A Streetcar Named Desire is a dramatic, fascinating and truly memorable cinematic experience. I could not take my eyes off the screen through out, I was completely engrossed by the sharp and edgy atmosphere and tense confrontations between the characters.

Elia Kazan did an excellent job of bringing to life Tennessee Williams's celebrated play.

Never before have I witnessed acting so good from all of the leads. Vivien Leigh shines as the disturbed and confused Blanche, drifting between fantasy and reality. Marlon Brando, wow. He gives an immaculate performance of the rude and brutal Stanley, definitely up with the best of his career, maybe even THE best. Karl Malden and Kim Hunter both give incredible supporting performances.

A Streetcar Named Desire is an emotive, intelligent, thought-provoking piece of film-making. A true example of a classic.
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4
Cidade de Deus, (City of God) (2003,  R)
Cidade de Deus, (City of God) 5.0 Stars
Magnificent, powerful and totally compelling.
I felt transported into the City of God whilst watching this film, the director really makes you feel every inch of the film and care for and despise some of the characters.
It's a solid yet exciting film with faultless performances. Leandro Firmino was especially excellent as Li'l Zé, I don't think I've ever hated a character as much.
This film is wonderfully crafted with beautiful cinematography that takes you on an exhilirating and brutal journey into the slums of Rio de Janeiro. Probably one of the best foreign films I have seen, it stays with you. See this movie.
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5
Amelie (Le Fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain) (2001,  R)
Amelie (Le Fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain) 5.0 Stars
A clever little gem of a film. Intelligent and articulate, poignant and profound. I liked it's close attention to details in every scene and the message it gives you about life.
Audrey Tautou was perfect for the role, a delight to watch, giving a sincere yet very funny performance.
Stunningly shot, with amazing costumes, colours and art direction. Amelie is charming, funny, moving and a beautiful experience. One of the best films I have ever seen.
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6
The Graduate (1967,  PG)
The Graduate 5.0 Stars
Dustin Hoffman is really incredible in his breakthrough role , I can really understand why his career took off after this was released. This film is a benchmark in so many ways.
It's fantastically shot, so many memorable scenes, from the scuba diving scene to the ending scene on the bus. Anne Bancroft was perfect and was even better combined with Hoffman. Katharine Ross in a weaker supporting role but still pulls it off.
It's hard to ignore the comedic element as it will have you laughing out loud every so often.
Simon and Garfunkel soundtrack was wonderful, never has a song (The Sounds of Silence) matched the mood of a film as much.
This film is a timeless masterpiece that is still as funny and still as affecting to today's audience.
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7
Psycho (1960,  R)
Psycho 5.0 Stars
A perfectly suspenseful and enjoyable experience. Psycho is an astonishing masterpiece that set the standard in the horror/thriller genre. Anthony Perkins is really remarkable as Norman Bates, he is disturbed yet innocent, horrifying yet mesmerizing. I found myself spurring Norman on, to get away with it, he was that effective.
Hitchcock crafts a masterpiece which is still today a scary ride. This film probably wouldn't be as great as it is without the incredible score from Bernard Herrmann. I adore this film, definately a must-see.
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8
Bonnie and Clyde (1967,  R)
Bonnie and Clyde 5.0 Stars
'This here's Miss Bonnie Parker. I'm Clyde Barrow. We rob banks.' Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway are excellent in their title roles as well as Gene Hackman and Michael J. Pollard. This is an important piece of film-making of the 1960's and is most definately a landmark. A fast-paced, entertaining, quotable and violent film that makes you want the Barrow gang to succeed. The ending will leave you speechless. Highly recommended memorable classic.
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9
Dog Day Afternoon (1975,  R)
Dog Day Afternoon 5.0 Stars
A highly enjoyable, tragic comedy. Al Pacino, performing what I think is one of the greatest peformances of his career, he leaves you in awe because he brings an undescribable energy to his performance. John Cazale is just riveting, the whole cast is just fantastic. Greatly directed, wonderfully written. This is one powerful movie here, it's a shame they don't make them like this anymore.
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10
The Usual Suspects (1995,  R)
The Usual Suspects 5.0 Stars
This is a tremendous movie in all aspects. I think this movie is the inspiration behind a lot of other movies to have a mind-blowing twist at the end. It is an excellent crime thriller that has to be in the top twenty films ever made. It has very eccentric but interesting characters which the actors play extremely well, Gabriel Byrne, Kevin Spacey, Benicio Del Toro, Stephen Baldwin to name a few. If you haven't seen this film yet, then sorry but you haven't lived.
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11
Brief Encounter (1945,  Unrated)
Brief Encounter 5.0 Stars
A wonderful British romance film of the 1940's. A timeless masterpiece with characters so real you sometimes forget they are acting. I'm not usually one for romance films but Brief Encounter is so incredibly poignant and well written. Celia Johnson and Trevor Howard are perfectly cast and give unforgettable performances. The train station and sound effects create a haunting atmosphere and have probably changed the way I look at train stations. It's a simple, honest story of love and longing, I could never tire of it.
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12
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998,  R)
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas 5.0 Stars
'We can't stop here, this is bat country!'
Strange and psychadelic film but nothing less than a masterpiece. Benicio Del Toro and Johnny Depp were both fantastic in their roles, I think this was the era where Johnny Depp shined in his acting career.
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13
Léon (The Professional) (1994,  R)
Léon (The Professional) 5.0 Stars
Masterpiece. Incredible film with an intense story and fantastic performances. It has wonderful elements of comedy, action and drama all rolled into one. Gary Oldman reminds me why he's my favourite actor as he perfectly executes the sadistic, psychotic but quirky character of Norman Stansfield. Jean Reno and the young Natalie Portman are also phenomenal. A personal favorite film of mine.
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14
Sin City (2005,  R)
Sin City 5.0 Stars
Smart, stylish and sick. Visually stunning and filled with gore, violence, humor and a powerful dialogue. An excellent performance from Benicio Del Toro as the crooked Jackie Boy. Other incredible performances from Clive Owen, Bruce Willis, Elijah Wood, Mickey Rourke and Rosario Dawson.
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15
GoodFellas (1990,  R)
GoodFellas 5.0 Stars
I think this is without a doubt the best mob movie ever made - in my opinion. The performances were excellent. Ray Liotta's best performance of his career. Joe Pesci steals every scene with his quirkiness. Robert De Niro is brilliant, but isn't he always? Breath taking direction by Scorsese and this just happens to be my favourite Scorsese film. And with a great soundtrack to top it all off.
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16
Full Metal Jacket (1987,  R)
Full Metal Jacket 5.0 Stars
An excellent war movie. Kubrick's a genius. The first half an hour of the film, really gets you gripped. R Lee Ermey's character is really the main reason, the sarcastic comments and yelling that come out of his mouth are just hilarious. Vincent D'Onofrio's portrayal of the victimised and very psychotic Private Pyle is unforgettable. Spectacular film, with spectacular direction, cinematography and dialogue. Definately worth a view.
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17
Memento (2000,  R)
Memento 5.0 Stars
This film is original, intense and suspenseful. It's a fresh, thrilling movie that is extremely different from your average special effect-packed thriller. It takes you through and interesting journey of flashbacks (considering the whole film is set backwards) which you must pay very close attention to.
Guy Pearce is a hugely underrated actor but he definately shines in this and proves his talent. Excellent dialogue and direction. If you want a movie that is puzzling, original and makes you think, it's Memento.
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18
True Romance (1993,  R)
True Romance 5.0 Stars
Great cult movie. Tarantino's dialogue is top notch, the story is exciting and intense. This film is filled with great performances from some of the best actors working today. Christopher Walken, Gary Oldman, Dennis Hopper, Christian Slater, Tom Sizemore and not to mention Brad Pitt is absoloutley hilarious in his role. Don't miss this!
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19
Reservoir Dogs (1992,  R)
Reservoir Dogs 5.0 Stars
This movie is very stylish. The colour-coding names was very intelligent. and amusing. The acting was incredible. You can't not like this movie.
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20
Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind (2004,  R)
Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind 5.0 Stars
This movie is so fresh and different. It was a bizarre storyline but incredible to watch. At times I found myself struggling to keep up but it was worthwhile and came together at the end. The performances I could not fault and the screenplay was inspiring. This movie really makes you think about memories and cherish them more. By far one of the best movies of 2004.
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21
Garden State (2004,  R)
Garden State 5.0 Stars
Zach Braff proves his talent by directing and writing Garden State. This film is smart and charming and has some of the most inspiring dialogue, I have ever witnessed. The cast is wonderful Portman and Braff work really well together as well as good supporting performances from Ian Holm and Peter Sarsgaard. You definately get more out of it each time you watch it and this film offers many things you can relate to.
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22
Dead Poets Society (1989,  PG)
Dead Poets Society 5.0 Stars
I really liked this film, probably because of my love of poetry and literature. The humor in it was really great and a lot of the dialogue was excellent, so were some of the poems used. A beautiful and touching film.
'The name is Nuwanda' - I loved that line.
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23
The Pianist (2002,  R)
The Pianist 5.0 Stars
Adrien Brody was well deserving of his oscar. Most moving film I have seen in a long time. Incredible film. Bravo Roman Polanski.
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24
Lost In Translation (2003,  R)
Lost In Translation 4.5 Stars
A beautiful movie, very interesting and charming story. Scarlett Johansson and Bill Murray work excellent together. I think it's Sofia Coppola's definitive best.
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25
Fight Club (1999,  R)
Fight Club 5.0 Stars
Dark and disturbing but smart and stylish.
An instant classic and one of the most unique films ever made. In my opinion Edward Norton gives his best performance and Brad Pitt is equally entertaining. Well-crafted film with great black comedy. I first watched this film last year and it changed the way I think about movies. A must-see.
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26
American History X (1998,  R)
American History X 5.0 Stars
Very powerful movie and very moving.
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27
Misery (1990,  R)
Misery 5.0 Stars
Extremely suspenseful film that's directed brilliantly. It has moments where you will be on the edge of your seat and moments that will either make you laugh or make you cringe. Kathy Bates extremely deserving of the Oscar as she carries the film playing her sinister, psychotic character wonderfully. She is terrifying and unforgettable in this role. A must watch even just for Kathy Bates performance.
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28
The Godfather (1972,  R)
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29
Laberinto del fauno, El, (Pan's Labyrinth) (2006,  R)
Laberinto del fauno, El, (Pan's Labyrinth) 5.0 Stars
It's a magical and beautiful film but also a very dark masterpiece. I liked the fairytale elements and all the wonderfully costumed creatures although the pale man is a little creepy. Excellent script and a brilliant cast. The little girl Ivana Baguero carries the film but also a great performance from Sergi Lopez as the brutal, sadistic step-father. A stellar film.
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30
Snatch. (2001,  R)
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31
21 Grams (2003,  R)
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32
Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975,  PG)
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33
Monty Python's Life of Brian (1979,  R)
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34
Alien (1979,  R)
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35
Scarface (1983,  R)
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36
Taxi Driver (1976,  R)
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37
If.... (1968,  Unrated)
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38
Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998,  R)
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39
Batman Begins (2005,  PG-13)
Batman Begins 5.0 Stars
By far the best batman movie. The setting and the story is much deeper and darker. Christian Bale was perfect for the role. And the rest of the cast were excellent Gary Oldman and Cillian Murphy really captures the evilness of his character.
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40
Atonement (2007,  R)
Atonement 4.5 Stars
Stunning, beautiful and poignant film. I am intent on reading the novel after viewing this excellent film.
James McAvoy and Keira Knightley were well cast as the pining lovers, although James McAvoy performed a little better and was oustanding to watch. Keira Knightley on the other hand wasn't as sensational as McAvoy but still pulls off a riveting performance. The young Saoirse Ronan was gave a great performance, she and Romola Garai show great potential for the future. Vanessa Redgrave is also worth a mention, she gave a very powerful performance of the ageing Briony.
A breathtakingly well-crafted film from Joe Wright, who I hope will bring us more remarkable films in the future.
With inspiring dialogue and a unique sound, Atonement deserves the praise it has been given and will hopefully scoop a few Awards. This is a modern masterpiece, just as captiviting as other romantic epics such as 'The English Patient', Atonement is definately a must-see.
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41
American Psycho (2000,  R)
American Psycho 4.5 Stars
This film proves what an amazing actor Chrstian Bale really is. It's a disgustingly brilliant film. Very funny. I like the 'Death By Huey Lewis' scene.
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42
Amores Perros (2000,  R)
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43
Schindler's List (1993,  R)
Schindler's List 5.0 Stars
Spielberg's best. This movie is so moving and devastating. I can't watch this film very often because I find it difficult to watch. Liam Neeson and Ben Kingsley are amazing and so is the direction. I am proud to have it in my collection because of the powerful message it holds.
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44
Das Leben der Anderen (The Lives of Others) (2007,  R)
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