Spinwhiz: Good god man! Thanks for that amazing list! You also got about 95% pre-2000, so well done! I actually had to print this page instead of copying the movies down! I've seen about 85% of the ones you talked about, but with everyone else pitching in, I have about 20 movies to watch. You guys are uber! Keep 'um comin!
Y'want more, lemme know what genres you like...
My personal favorites are the screw-with-your-head type I call Mind Fucks. Apt Pupil, Cube (Already mentioned but still good), Seven, Kiss the Girls, Bone Collector, The Corruptor, Donnie Darko, Basic, The Sum of All Fears, The Bourne Identity/Supremacy/Ultimatum, 12 Monkeys, Snake Eyes...
I've actually seen all of those except for Apt Pupil which I will now add to my list. I'm actually a BIG Stephen King fan, but I really like his books better than all of the mini-series and shows, except for the Shining...good god *shiver*.
I know there are some really good 70's and 80's movies I should have watched as well that I'm sure I've missed. I'm a big fan of some of the stereotypical 80's movies: Lucas, Say Anything, Weird Science, Breakfast Club, Can't Buy Me Love, 16 Candles, ummm...I'm sure there are more but some like that.
Necroswanson, I agree with you too. I've seen all of those and very good. The CoMC movie was great but very very different from the book. I was disappointed about that but still a great movie. Poor Jim Varney *tear*
Can't go wrong with the Naked Gun series... Hotshots 1 & Deux, Willow, and of course Hackers. Red movies are pretty damn good too... Red Dawn, Red Heat, Red Sonja.
Monty Python and The Holy Grail Rushmore Election Raising Arizona Fargo Barton Fink Fletch Cadyshack Psycho also The Nightmare Before Christmas, though its kind of seasonal in its own bizzare way
My GODS... I am a true movie lover, but Fargo and Rushmore both put me to sleep. 'Lotta people liked them, but DAMN I haven't seen anything so uneventful as Rushmore in my life, and I've watched both Carrot Top and Billy Crystal do standup.
You shouldn't have to mention Monty & the Grail... Anyone over the age of 13 who HASN'T seen it is already dead inside... RUN AWAY!
you might be one of the few people who actually need ritalin, but what you say about The Holy Grail is mostly true and provides further evidence that I'm surrouded by zombies. I put it on this thread because it IS a must see pre-2000 movie and there are some people who haven't seen it or heard of it (sad as that is)
Duel. It's Stephen Spielberg's first film. It was a TV movie in North America, but a feature film in Europe. It's about a businessman driving through a beautiful desert-like area being chased by a pyschotic truckdriver. It has a lot of 70s cheese, but it's sweet as hell. It makes me want to own a Plymouth Valiant.
Eat, Drink, Man, Woman. It's a Taiwanese film that is extremely charming and heartwarming. I highly recommend it.
Clue (Tim Curry, Christopher Lloyd, and a whole lot of other great talent)--yes, it IS based off of the game, but well-written in a way that a lot of spin-offs aren't.
See No Evil, Hear No Evil (Richard Pryor and Gene Wilder). It's about a blind guy and a deaf guy that get accused of a murder. Funny from the very beginning. :)
Real Genius (Val Kilmer primarily)--a bunch of college students who set their mind to a pretty great vigilante prank. They end up destroying the BBEG's house with popcorn. I mean, c'mon, you gotta love that.
Spinwhiz: You know, for as well known as Dune is, I've met a ton of people that have never seen it. They know about it, but just haven't seen it! How odd is that? I've also heard it's better to read the books first. That true?
The first book is a must read for anyone who likes sci-fi. The sequels vary in quality, particulary with "God emporer" which tends to be either loved or hated. Too bad Frank Herbert died after 6 dune books. At least they did get basterdized or anything by a close relative(how much would that have sucked).
I personally liked the lynch movie, but it is kinda wierd(It's a lynch movie). The film is worth a watch in my opinion, if for nothing more then the visual effects.
BuckminsterF: you might be one of the few people who actually need ritalin
Tried it, didn't do to much but it DID make me a cynical hateful bastard.
I will most definitely second Fanficbug's vote for Clue... More movies need to implement a multiple-ending system, and more movies need to include Tim Curry. I, Am, a singing telegram... *BANG*
My pick of must see pre - 2000 movies are as follows:
The Thing [1982 version] Withnail & I The Good, the Bad & The Ugly Unforgiven American Werewolf In London The Fly [80's version] True Romance Blazing Saddles Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother Young Frankenstein Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid Groundhog Day Glory Ghandi Rear Window La cite d'enfant perdue The Mission Scarface The Big Lebowski Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas Time Bandits 12 Monkeys Sleepy Hollow Beetlejuice Conan the Barbarian Predator Mad Max II Jaws Saving Private Ryan Kellys Heros The Dirty Dozen The Three Musketeers & it's sequel The Four Musketeers [1971 version] Akira Apocalypse Now Redux Allegro Non Troppo Dr.Strangelove Silent Running Meet the Feebles [this film almost made me choke since I was laughing so hard when I 1st saw it] Gettysburg Soylent Green Taxi Driver The 13th Warrior Raiders of the Lost Ark Stalingrad Das Boote On the Waterfront Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
Good god people...I'll be watching movies until I'm old and gray!.....and I can't wait! Amazingly enough, I've seen about 85% of the movies everyone has talked about, but that still leaves me with a lot of movies to watch and I'm soooo pumped! Thank you everyone for putting a lot of thought into this! If there are more...please don't stop listing, just wanted to add my thanks.
So...THANKS! You guys (girls are included in that b/c I'm from upstate NY and "guys" means everyone) ROCK!
Spin, if you're into Scifi, give some of these a try...
-DeepStar Six -Defcon 4 -Space Truckers (Think i mentioned it already, but it's just EPIC fun) -Soldier -Outland (Yays, Sean Connery in Space) -Robot Jox and its sequel Robot Wars (Not overly spectacular, but fun and the first time Mecha went Live Action) -Metropolis (anime) -Blade Runner -Total Recall 2070 (Damn good, but no Ahnold Guvinator) -Fortress (Epic Dystopian film of all time) -Fortress 2 -No Escape -Escape from Newyork -Escape from LA -Akira (Anime) -Super Atragon (Anime) -Logan's Run -Brazil -Species -The Arrival / The Arrival 2
Also, I could be wrong, but I truly don't recall seeing Donnie Darko mentioned yet...
Khell_Sennet: Spin, if you're into Scifi, give some of these a try...
-DeepStar Six -Defcon 4 -Space Truckers (Think i mentioned it already, but it's just EPIC fun) -Soldier -Outland (Yays, Sean Connery in Space) -Robot Jox and its sequel Robot Wars (Not overly spectacular, but fun and the first time Mecha went Live Action) -Metropolis (anime) -Blade Runner -Total Recall 2070 (Damn good, but no Ahnold Guvinator) -Fortress (Epic Dystopian film of all time) -Fortress 2 -No Escape -Escape from Newyork -Escape from LA -Akira (Anime) -Super Atragon (Anime) -Logan's Run -Brazil -Species -The Arrival / The Arrival 2
Also, I could be wrong, but I truly don't recall seeing Donnie Darko mentioned yet...
Good God Knell! You weren't kidding when you knew movies! I love it! And, I have seen 2 on that whole list. I've actually run out of ink in my pen writing all of these great movies down. Did anyone mention Big Trouble In Little China? That's a great one too!
I can't believe nobody has said anything about this, even when mentioning Johnny Depp!
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998)
A almost trippy drug movie that has some good acting, laugh out loud moments, and truly bizarre drug sequences and disturbing scenes. Don't take it seriously or expect some kind of deep revelation, but the only theme was to point out the overdosed consumerism during the 70's.
Besides, where can you get human reptiles in a blood orgy, using a flyswatter at invisible bats, and watch the Depp be stoned out of his mind on a ether binge?
This line will be in my head forever. :D
"Two bags of grass, seventy-five pellets of mescaline, five sheets of high powered blotter acid, a salt shaker half full of cocaine and a whole galaxy of multicolored uppers, downers, screamers, leaughers...Also a quart of tequilla, a quart of rum, a case of budweiser, a pint of raw ether, and two dozen amyls.
We didn't actually need all this for the trip, but once you get locked into a serious drug collection, the tendancy is to push it as far as possible. The only thing that worried me was the ether. There is nothing more depraved than a man in the depths of an ether binge. And I knew we'd get to that rotten stuff soon."
Spinwhiz: Good God Knell! You weren't kidding when you knew movies! I love it! And, I have seen 2 on that whole list. I've actually run out of ink in my pen writing all of these great movies down. Did anyone mention Big Trouble In Little China? That's a great one too!
My Grandfather (Mother's side of family) is a movie nut, my mother is a movie nut, and I inherited the curse. Also, one of my aunts (Mother's sister) is an actress in Hollywood and is married to a TV producer. Movies are big in my family.
Keeping the movie train rollin along, are you fond of Anime? Must-See anime movies (not series') I highly recommend... -Spirited Away -Pom Poko -Castle in the Sky -Naussica -Macross Plus -Interstella 5555 (IF you could ever find it) -Appleseed (Both the 1988 and 2004 versions) -Princess Mononoke -Kite (Warning, falls between rated R/18A and X depending on which version) -MD Geist (1&2, 1 was the better of them) -Venus Wars -Big Wars -My Neighbor Totoro -Ninja Scroll -Armitage the Third: Polymatrix (There is no Armitage 1 or 2, 3rd refers to HER not a series) -Armitage the Third: Dual Matrix (Sequel to Poly) -Blackjack (Good to see the series, but the movie works well as standalone)
And my roommate would probably insist I mention "Grave of the Fireflies". It's just not my taste, but is hailed as one of Miyazaki's most powerful films.
The Princess Bride Spaceballs This is Spinal Tap Waiting for Guffman Best in Show (2000) Best Little Whorehouse in Texas Austin Power: International Man of Mystery Rocky Horror Picture Show Harold and Maude Time Bandits Back to School Adaptation The South Park Movie Bottle Rocket Brazil Office Space Dr. Strangelove There's Something About Mary The Jerk A Fish Called Wanda The Big Lebowski The Pink Panther The Blues Brothers Kingpin
"Airplane!" and "Airplane 2: The Sequel!": Successors to the previously mentioned "Kentucky Fried Movie" and (IMO) the apex of the parody movie... in any case, they're the reason why the "Scary Movie" series doesn't really do much for me.
"LA Confidential": Film noir, stylish, and an oh-so-relevant actioner with a perfect cast.
"Who Framed Roger Rabbit?": Hilarious blend of live-action and cel-painted animation that put "cartoon physics" on the map.
LA Confidential was awesome, just can't place what category it would ever fall under... Epic perhaps...
The Edge The Fugitive US Marshals The Commitments (costarring Colm Meanie, AKA Transporter Chief Miles O'Brien) Under Siege (Second one wasn't bad, wasn't that good either, but the first is awesome) Flatliners Toys Sneakers (Think it's been mentioned) FX The Fan Ronin
Not to start any argument with others over their suggestions, but be forewarned about "This is Spinal Tap" and "Waiting for Guffman". Both of these shows are the kind where you either love them to death and worship every aspect of them, or can't f**king stand what pieces of retarded crap they are. I fall under the latter, who knows, you may become a fanatic, but just go in knowing it's a real gamble.
Will try to keep my list of films to ones that havent been listed (& in no real order):
Metropolis (the fritz lang & anime versions) Battleship Potempkin THX 1138 Dr Zhivago Village of the Dammed (never heard of it? The Simpsons "We Know All Your Secrets" is a parody of it :-)) Vertigo (I think probably my favourite Hitchcock movie of the few that ive seen) The Producers (NOT the musical!!!!) If... Waterloo The Black Hole jaberwocky Dog Day Afternoon The Spook who sat by the door Robin Hood: Men in tights Event Horizon The Shawshank Redemption Ghost in the shell Toy Story Disneys Hercules
[another 70's sci-fi film I cant remember the name involving an ebil guy trying to conquer a planet that only had one spaceship & the ppl send that spaceship & its pilot on a comng of age journey collecting an assorted army of various aliens including one kewl group of tall white as snow aliens that fly their ship telecenetically & at one point one of those aliens gets captured by the ebil guy & for some reason that ebil guy has the aliens arm replace his own arm at whichpoint the aliens try to kill him telecenetically but fail...if ne1 knows its name pleas say :-)]
thats all I can think of for moment. couple others I wanted to add but cant are Blood; The last vampire & Park Chan-wook's Vengence trilogy (if youve only seen Oldboy please at least see Sympathy for Mr Vengence)
oh, & I still have to watch (amoung many): Network; Citizen Kane; Fritz Lang's M; Nosferatu; Napoleon (silent movie vibe going here)
I'd add a few more with a 5 star rating for those I think are truly masterworks:
A Man who Would be King - great action/adventure flick with Michael Caine & Sean Connery Ribin & Marion - Interesting take on the Robin hood legend with Sean Connery as Robin Alexander Nevsky - fantastic Esienstein movie ***** A Bridge Too Far - good solid WWII film with stella cast Truly, Madly, Deeply - wonderful love/ghost film The Last Valley - very rare but film set in the 30 years war [1600's germany] FitzCarraldo - maddness in the Brazilian jungle - superb ***** Blue Max - great WWI fighter pilot film Forbidden Planet - probably one of the best Sci-Fi movies that's right up there with BladeRunner & 2001 ***** The Crying Game - intersting film with a novel twist The Quiet Earth - beats the hell out of "I am Legend" anyday ***** The Wicker Man - original version not the abomination with Nicolas Cage Kiss of the Vampire - a great vampire movie with Nicolas Cage The Great Escape - another good old WWII film with stella cast ***** Waterloo - the 60's version with Rod Steiger & Christopher Plumber - great period piece Woodstock - the film of the event is great The Doors - I swear Val Kilmer was channeling Jim Morrison in that film The Producers - original film vgersion with Zero Mostel & Gene Wilder ***** Eraserhead - this film was so weird & creepy that it desrves the acclaim it got Blue Velvet - probably David Lynch's masterpiece & Dennis Hoppers best role Easy Rider - just awesome ***** Breaker Morant - an aussie film about 3 soldiers on trial for murder during the Boer War ***** Romancing the Stone - good fun action/adventure/romantic comedy Dark Star - John Carpenters 1st film - a Sci-Fi classic and a real laugh too Dusk til Dawn - balls out vampire maddness with George Clooney MysteryMen - fabulous superhero/loser movie The Last Emperor - visually stunning film about the last chinese emperor Farewell to the King - great WWII movie set in the jungles of Borneo Empire of the Sun - another great WWII film
I could go on but instead here's a link to IMDB's top 250 of all time:
[another 70's sci-fi film I cant remember the name involving an ebil guy trying to conquer a planet that only had one spaceship & the ppl send that spaceship & its pilot on a comng of age journey collecting an assorted army of various aliens including one kewl group of tall white as snow aliens that fly their ship telecenetically & at one point one of those aliens gets captured by the ebil guy & for some reason that ebil guy has the aliens arm replace his own arm at whichpoint the aliens try to kill him telecenetically but fail...if ne1 knows its name pleas say :-)]
While we're digging up old memories... Does anyone remember an old show about 3 (or was it 4) kids on a spaceship who had identical looking battlemechs (colored stripes were the way to ID who was who)... It used to play on YTV in canada over a decade back, and for the last year it's been REALLY bugging me I can't remember it.
Other good shows...
Shaft. Both the old one with Issac Hayes, and the new one with Samuel Jackson. Passenger 57. Turbulance Nobody mentioned Die Hard did they? Personally I love all 4, but #1 can't be beat. Reindeer Games A Simple Plan Air Force One Outbreak Sphere Deep Blue Sea Jacobs Ladder (If you see anything I recommend, SEE THIS) Serpent and the Rainbow (And THIS) Necronomicon (AND THIS!!! But this one's damn near impossible to find.) Bloodsport Double Impact Rumble in the Bronx The One Elizabeth Ever After (After Summer Glau, then Mila Jovavich, and Michelle Yeoh, Drew Barrymore is my next favorite lady) Kill Bill 1+2 Romeo & Juliette (Decaprio's version) Son of Sam Executive Decision Face Off Navy Seals Broken Arrow Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon The Last Samurai (Yes Cruise is a whackjob, but I WORSHIP Chow Yun-Fat and Michelle Yeoh.) Hero (I'll assume it was good in English, I saw it in Cantonese subtitled in English and LOVED it)
And the golden jewel of all old movies... 54 (Studio 54)
Some rather new titles also not to be passed up... TRUST ME, don't NOT see these! -Sunshine -The Host -Pan's Labrinth -The Departed -Blood Diamond -Lord of War -Breach (Only if you like cerebral movies)
Another version of The 7 Samurai/Magnificent 7 set in space.
Another forgotten classic from my youth, ty.
also: I dont think anyone has listed One Flew Over the Cukoos yet. Surprising as its frankly one of the greatest films ever made with possibly the only genuinely hate inducing "villain" ever in any movie ive seen. Or Come & See (one of the most disturbing war movies ive seen, certainly the most uncomfortable)
oh & 2 more 2000+ films that must be seen. Amelie (yes everyone has heard of it, but its one of the best films about nothing much ive ever seen) & The Assassination of Richard Nixon (Sean Penn on screen for 2 hours, & you never get bored)
I have so much hand cramp from writing all of these down I'm actually typing this with my toes. :) Thank you all (Knell and Evil especially)...I'll keep writing them down!
UHF - it's wierd al's movie and just so awesome The Adventures Of Baron Munchausen - closest to a python movie you'll get after that bastard decided to die on us and has a ton of cameos AND uma thurman mostly naked Airplane 1&2 and Top Secret - same guys that did naked gun The Adventures of Ford Farlane - yes it has the diceman BUT it's pretty good Hard Boiled - not so far off but one of John Woo's best A Better tommorrow series - more john woo and chow yun fat Once Upon a time in china Fist of Legend - another version of the chinese connection, fearless was the story before this one deep red - great dario argento flick the hustler - paul newman and jackie gleason as minesota fats, sequal is color of money kalifornia - brad pitt, david ducovney, juliette lewis and ensign ro laren err i mean michelle forbes, made before natural born killers but pretty similar. one of the reason i thin brad pitt is a kick ass actor too the man who would be king - micheal caine and sean connery and they think connery is a god mars attacks - ok not so far off but it's freaking hilarious only the strong - only movie i've seen capoeira in, plays a better part than in ocean's twelve penn and teller get killed - name says it all and teller speaks in it too quills - released in 2000 but is about the marquis de sade re-animator - not far off but still a classic remo williams: the adventure begins - You move like a pregnant yak. the old man in it is awesome they call me bruce and they still call me bruce - so funny videodrome - cause it's james freaking woods vulgar - it's a 2000 movie but done by the guy who plays dante and yes the view askew ppl are in it 13th warrior - a different take on beowulf with antonio banderas
most anything with bruce campbell and sho kosugi in it
*EvilGrin* HAHA, my plan to cripple your hands before the great world championship MarioKart race succeeds, HAHA. /*EvilGrin*
Oh how in the frak did I forget One Flew Over...
Others I'd forgotten to mention: Hoffa Wag the Dog The Firm Mafia (Oh GODS see Mafia) K-Pax 28 Days Later 28 Weeks Later Once Bitten Pumpkin Head Jaws (Has nobody mentioned big J yet?)
And of course, the good Bond titles... Moonraker Goldeneye Die Another Day Thunderball The Man with the Golden Gun Goldfinger Dr No
And the best bond ever done (though very new) Casino Royalle
I find it amazing... I only list movies I've seen and thus can vouch for, but somehow between all these movies I still managed a college education, a job, and my video games. AND I sleep in till noon on days off. This time compressor I bought really works.
The Last Temptation of Christ from Martin Scorsese is pretty interesting. Harvey Kietel plays Judas from Brooklyn (just joking, but I always found funny listening to Judas speek with a Brooklyn accent). Good stuff though, very provocative. And if anybody can get their hands on a Spanish (actually Catalan) movie called Morir o no (To Die or not... I think that's how it's translated) I would strongly suggest you guys do so.
this is the most random movie ever. there is one scene were a midget in a clown suit whips topless school girls in a dungeon
Good call here. This is a classic. I frequently recount the DETROIT! scene fondly.
Another off-the-wall favorite is "Night Patrol!" It's not for everyone, so I'd have a hard time saying it's a must see. However, the bits they pull off are some of the best, and the humor is well before its time.
*takes a DEEP breath to get through his LONG list*
Back to the Future Trilogy FLIGHT OF THE NAVIGATOR (what ever happened to that kid who played the main character?) BARAKA (best to see this one in an actual theater in its native format (70 mm film). It's one for art-house theaters but absolutely breathtaking) Cool Runnings Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (Gene Wilder FTW) the ORIGINAL Pink Panther series, which starred Peter Sellers as Inspector Clouseau. Nothing against Steve Martin but he can't hold a candle to Sellers. Princess Mononoke Tora! Tora! Tora! (orders of magnitude better than "Pearl Harbor" as the parts that show the Japanese fleet were made by a Japanese film crew) "Dreams" by Akira Kurosawa. AMAZING series of film shorts he directed. Field of Dreams (Even if you HATE Kevin Costner, give this film a chance) MiB ('nuff said) Evita (movie version of the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical. One of the few times I actually have liked a film that stars Madonna) the Iron Giant: This gem is the LAST great cel animated film to be made by an American crew The Name of the Rose: a medieval murder mystery starring Sean Connery as a Franciscan monk, and a VERY young Christian Slater as his apprentice. Absolutely breathtaking masterpiece of cinema the Hunt for Red October: You've heard of Tom Clancy. This is the movie that was made from his first book. Also one of the few times that a movie adaptation ended up at least as good as the book it was based on. Twister: First movie ever to be released on DVD and to this day it remains a VERY enjoyable flick. Indiana Jones Series: One of the few action movie series to actually rise above the temptation to string together fight scenes without bothering to write a plot. The plot is epic and a very fitting backdrop for everyone's favourite adventurer Good Will Hunting: Brilliant work. Dead Poet's Society: Proof positive that Robin Williams CAN play a serious role. Mr. Holland's Opus: a hidden gem that is a music-based inspirational film, takes you on an emotional roller coaster that few films of this type can match. October Sky: Best thing about this already great film? Based on a true story. Newsies: Disney's final live-action musical, and one of the most amazing examples ever of a REAL children's crusade (Caveat: It takes a LOT of artistic liberties but it's great fun to watch. And the kids will love it too. Definitely a great family film) Monty Python and the Holy Grail: WHAT is the airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow? Schindler's List: Just watch this one. It's one of the most powerful historical films ever made. Casablanca: Great romance flick but it's one the guys can still enjoy if they like movies with intellect. To Kill a Mockingbird: Classic movie and it actually does the book it's based on fair justice AMADEUS: Brilliant drama, despite, and quite possibly because of its historical INaccuracy. The Day the Earth Stood Still: This film teaches a lesson that we seem to have forgotten in recent years. Twelve Angry Men (the original one): One of the most thought-provoking films ever made. Searching for Bobby Fischer: Anyone who likes chess owes it to themself to watch this movie. Also a must for every screaming, hypercompetitive little-league parent in the world to watch. ID4: GREAT sci-fi action film, if a bit silly at times Dances with Wolves: Another film you should watch even if you don't like Kevin Costner. Give it a chance. Contact: Great sci-fi film and interesting fact: WETA of Lord of the Rings fame did all the machine-ride special effects. Apollo 13: Ron Howard at his directorial best. Air Force One: Another great role for Harrison Ford Rain Man: Watch this one: One of the last GOOD movies that Tom Cruise did while still sane. Sister Act: Some people hate this movie. I think it's better than a lot of newer stuff. ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW: Tim Curry will NEVER live this down. The Truman Show: First time Jim Carrey proved he could play a serious role. Analyze This: Billy Crystal at his best, and one of DeNiro's favourite roles. Dick Tracy: Modern take on Film Noir. Interesting to say the least The Last Waltz (one of the best movies EVER about rock & roll) Pink Floyd's The Wall
(my dad's a film buff, which is why this list is so long)
Woah, you'Re right. I totally forgot good old Johnny. The sequel was pretty good too :)