This is a topic that is doing the rounds at work at the moment. It is really strange to see some of the choices and there are normally 1 or 2 guilty pleasures, which stand out a mile from the rest.
Well here are mine, in no particular order.
American history x
Nateual born killers
Lock Stock
One flew over the cuckoo’s nest
Pulp Fiction
Reservoir Dogs
The Life of Brian
Goodfellas
Fever pitch
Shawshank Redemption
Raiders of the Lost Ark.
I love Indy’s tenacity and adaptability. The soundtrack is superb and I love the physical stuntwork.
The Big Lebowski
Genius movie that only really opens itself up on repeated viewings. It’ll confound your expectations the first time around, and you perhaps won’t know what the fuss is. I am not ashamed to say I judge people based on their opinion of this film.
The Empire Strikes Back
Han at his best, Vader in charge and the reason that millions of women have heard “I know” instead of “yes dear, I love you too”.
The Incredibles
My favourite film to watch with my kids, and arguably the best superhero movie ever made, all the more an achievement given that it wasn’t based on an existing property, and actually ripped off huge elements of the Fantastic Four.
The Wolf of Wall Street
I love Scorsese and DeCaprio working together, and while I run the risk of being faddish by selecting one of their newest collaborations, this really is a fantastic piece of work that once you’ve seen, cannot be unseen. I think I’ve seen it four times already, which is astonishingly frequent rewatching for a new film. I would break the age/2 + 7 rule for Margot Robbie. Miaow.
Rocky
I could go on for ages about favourite Rocky moments, but the original is still the best film, start to finish. There’s so much to love about it, from the exterior shots of 1970s Philadelphia, to Apollo’s magnetic character and of course, Rocky himself as his life takes a momentous change. The soundtrack is again, fantastic.
Aliens
I remember being shit scared of the premise of the original Alien film, as described to me by my aunts and uncles. I had no interest in watching a film in which a man gave birth to an alien which then went about killing everything (I also had an irrational fear of robots; Metal Mickey was next to Satan, as far as five year old me was concerned). A little embarrassed at this by the time I reached 12, I did sit and watch my uncle’s copy of Aliens alone. What a fucking rush.
Perfectly explained for anyone that had never seen the original (I still hadn’t at that point), and still probably the best action movie ever made. Referenced to hell, a huge part of popular culture, and a real shame that they followed it up with the relative turd that was Alien3.
District 9
My favourite recent sci-fi film. Keeps its cards close to its chest, not predictable in the slightest, and possibly, just possibly, a bit of an allegory on apartheid 
Life of Brian
The funniest film of all time. I would say nuff said, but it really isn’t. So many good scenes, so fucking silly, but possessing a coherence that wasn’t present in Holy Grail. Python can create the context so that “Found this spoon, sir!” is arguably the funniest thing you’ve ever fucking heard. It has no equal.
Fight Club
Another film that rewards rewatches, and a damning criticism on the values of credit and consumerism. Another superb soundtrack. It met me at an interesting time in my life.
Not surprised by Life of Brian, pap. It’s like your biography. I do love it though. My takedown of the rest:
Raiders is a rehash of so many movies (Spielberg was Tarantino before Tarantino), including the stunt scenes which were mostly copies of stunts in earlier movies (notably the under-the-wagon stunt from Ford’s Stagecoach). But it is what it is, a great popcorn movie. Big Lebowski is a wonderful film for philosophers (and there’s actually a lot of academic philosophy written about the movie), and has a wonderful line - ‘nice marmot’ - which in context is jawdroppingly funny. Empire Strikes Back is another Lucas popcorn movie (you like these, evidently). The Incredibles is only incredible for the first half (a brilliant fish-out-of-water comedy). Wolf of Wall Street is a poor second to Goodfellas (sfcsim gets one right!). Rocky I’ve never understood. Raging Bull is far better. Alien is vastly superior to Aliens (they’re also actually different genres of mvoie - horror and action). District 9 is vastly overrated, and Fight Club is indeed brilliant.
Sfcsim’s list is ‘idosyncratic’. Some real disasters in there, including Micky Blue Eyes and Fever Pitch - I guess no accounting for taste…?
Here’s a world cinema list…
Bicycle Thieves. Vittorio De Sica’s film is almost painfully moving. For me, the greatest work of post WW2 cinema. It also was a huge influence on…
Pather Panchali , the first of the Apu’ trilogy from the brilliant Satyajit Ray. Actually all three movies are works of art. The trilogy is also six hours of the most sustainedly brilliant cinematography you’ll ever see in the cinema. Great score, too, by the then unknown (outside India) Ravi Shankar.
Wings of Desire. Wim Wenders’ classic Berlin-set realist-fantasy, starring Columbo.
The Battle of Algiers , actually shot in Algiers during very troubled times, in neo-realist style, incredibly exciting (and a template for the Bourne movies under Paul Greengrass).
Z. Costa-Gravas’s film, also shot in Algiers but actually about the ‘Greek Colonels’ regime marks the beginning of a new genre, the political thriller.
Les Enfants du Paradis. I saw this for the first time almost 40 years ago, and it remains one of the most magical films I’ve ever seen. Shot in Paris during the Nazi occupation.
This is not a Film. Iranian director Jafar Panahi’s documentary of the film he would have made had he not been banned for 20 years from making it. This film, shot mostly on an iPhone was smuggled out of Iran on a memory stick. It’s a hugely charming, funny film.
The Time that Remains. Palestinian filmmaker elia Suleiman’s resurrection of the ghosts of Jacques Tati and Buster Keaton to reflect on the occupation of Palestine.
Man with a Movie Camera. One of the most playfully inventive films ever made, capturing urban life in three Soviet cities through a variety of novel filming techniques. (Random fact: the director Ziga Vertov’s brother Boris shot On the Waterfront).
Night and Fog. Alain Resnais’ holocaust documentary is only 30 minutes long, but it still stands as the greatest of all films on this subject, challenged only by Lanzmann’s Shoah.
Originally posted by @Furball
Not surprised by Life of Brian, pap. It’s like your biography. I do love it though. My takedown of the rest:
South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut comes second.
Raiders is a rehash of so many movies (Spielberg was Tarantino before Tarantino), including the stunt scenes which were mostly copies of stunts in earlier movies (notably the under-the-wagon stunt from Ford’s Stagecoach). But it is what it is, a great popcorn movie.
It was inspired by the radio serials of the day, and it doesn’t really matter if it’s a rehash. The implementation was fantastic. If you want to rail on an Indy movie, pick any of the others. They’ve all got major issues, be it racism (Temple of Doom), retreading (Last Crusade) or being utterly fucking ridiculous (Crystal Skull). It is what it is, and I haven’t seen anyone, even Spielberg and Lucas, rebottle the alchemy that made the first so great, even when they out and out tried in Last Crusade.
Tomb Raider and National Treasure? Fark orf, as a South Londoner might say.
Big Lebowski is a wonderful film for philosophers (and there’s actually a lot of academic philosophy written about the movie), and has a wonderful line - ‘nice marmot’ - which in context is jawdroppingly funny.
The performances are amazing, particularly John Goodman. Dialogue is endlessly quotable. I love the way it sets its stall out; the Dude paying less than a dollar on a cheque for milk he has already quaffed while ambling around the store.
Empire Strikes Back is another Lucas popcorn movie (you like these, evidently).
You can’t leave Star Wars out, and if you can’t leave Star Wars out, it has to be Empire. To borrow from another verse, that’s logical.
The Incredibles is only incredible for the first half (a brilliant fish-out-of-water comedy).
I liked the ending just as much as the beginning. What’s not to like? It’s host to some of the best moments in the movie, payoff to a lot of setup earlier on. Dash realising he’s running on water. Violet protecting her family. Jack Jack’s powers finally revealed. What is fucking wrong with you man?* 
*(I really like the Incredibles)
Wolf of Wall Street is a poor second to Goodfellas (sfcsim gets one right!).
Too early to tell. I love Goodfellas, and was tempted to choose it, but I reckon Wolf is loads more subversive. If the overall message of Goodfellas was that crime eventually doesn’t pay, Wolf is telling you that it fucking does, and even if you go to jail in disgrace, people will still line up so that they can be like you.
Rocky I’ve never understood. Raging Bull is far better.
Depends on what you want to see. Both movies are compelling, but Rocky benefits from being reasonably uplifting plus having a legacy of sequels.
Alien is vastly superior to Aliens (they’re also actually different genres of mvoie - horror and action).
I’d agree with the focus shift, but that’s where concurment ends. Perhaps it’s because I saw Aliens first. Perhaps it’s because, by comparison, Alien bores the tits off me. But no, on any other count apart from “being a horror film”, Aliens is the superior movie for me, and there are still some fairly gruesome bits.
Alien3 was an action film without guns; certainly wasn’t scary.
District 9 is vastly overrated
Haven’t seen a better sci-fi film in the last fifteen years, myself.
, and Fight Club is indeed brilliant.
Of course it is.
Sfcsim’s list is ‘idosyncratic’. Some real disasters in there, including Micky Blue Eyes and Fever Pitch - I guess no accounting for taste…?
Indeed not, and it’s probably worth remembering that most people have more than ten films in their head, and that liking stuff is a subjective experience which can depend on your own personal context as much as anything else.
Originally posted by @pap
Raiders of the Lost Ark.
I love Indy’s tenacity and adaptability. The soundtrack is superb and I love the physical stuntwork.The Big Lebowski
Genius movie that only really opens itself up on repeated viewings. It’ll confound your expectations the first time around, and you perhaps won’t know what the fuss is. I am not ashamed to say I judge people based on their opinion of this film.The Empire Strikes Back
Han at his best, Vader in charge and the reason that millions have women have heard “I know” instead of “yes dear, I love you too”.The Incredibles
My favourite film to watch with my kids, and arguably the best superhero movie ever made, all the more an achievement given that it wasn’t based on an existing property, and actually ripped off huge elements of the Fantastic Four.The Wolf of Wall Street
I love Scorsese and DeCaprio working together, and while I run the risk of being faddish by selecting one of their newest collaborations, this really is a fantastic piece of work that once you’ve seen, cannot be unseen. I think I’ve seen it four times already, which is astonishingly frequent rewatching for a new film. I would break the age/2 + 7 rule for Margot Robbie. Miaow.Rocky
I could go on for ages about favourite Rocky moments, but the original is still the best film, start to finish. There’s so much to love about it, from the exterior shots of 1970s Philadelphia, to Apollo’s magnetic character and of course, Rocky himself as his life takes a momentous change. The soundtrack is again, fantastic.Aliens
I remember being shit scared of the premise of the original Alien film, as described to me by my aunts and uncles. I had no interest in watching a film in which a man gave birth to an alien which then went about killing everything (I also had an irrational fear of robots; Metal Mickey was next to Satan, as far as five year old me was concerned). A little embarrassed at this by the time I reached 12, I did sit and watch my uncle’s copy of Aliens alone. What a fucking rush.Perfectly explained for anyone that had never seen the original (I still hadn’t at that point), and still probably the best action movie ever made. Referenced to hell, a huge part of popular culture, and a real shame that they followed it up with the relative turd that was Alien3.
District 9
My favourite recent sci-fi film. Keeps its cards close to its chest, not predictable in the slightest, and possibly, just possibly, a bit of an allegory on apartheidLife of Brian
The funniest film of all time. I would say nuff said, but it really isn’t. So many good scenes, so fucking silly, but possessing a coherence that wasn’t present in Holy Grail. Python can create the context so that “Found this spoon, sir!” is arguably the funniest thing you’ve ever fucking heard. It has no equal.Fight Club
Another film that rewards rewatches, and a damning criticism on the values of credit and consumerism. Another superb soundtrack. It met me at an interesting time in my life.
Oh fuck, The Life of Brian, how the feck did I forget about this! Quote it nearly every fucking day. Agreed it is the greatest! There it is on my list!
I still stick by Micky a Blue Eyes and fever pitch is a classic. Also as a 14 year old watching that Liverpool v Arsenal game which was on a par with the Man City v QPR of a couple of seasons ago. It is so true to a football fan and what is in his head and also trying to be in a relationship with a partner as well as a football club.
It is a crazy world in a football fans head as we all know. I can relate to this film so much. Not so much these days, but through my teens and 20’s for sure.
Just pretend it is not about Arsenal and swap for Southampton. It is a very true film for the football fan and the book is great as well.
Jaws
Shawshank
Goodfellas
Cloud Atlas
Life of Brian
LOTR Return of the King
The Excorcist
Monsters Inc.
Airplane
The Godfather
Like Pap I had to stick a Pixar film in there. I miss those days sitting with my daughter watching the superb Pixar films, utter genius.
Oh shit I forgot The Sixth Sense.
Originally posted by @Furball
Originally posted by @Nobby-Plumbs
Oh shit I forgot The Sixth Sense.
Memory?
Good work Sir
Pulp Fiction
Godfather II
Godfather I
One flew over the blah blah blah
In no particular order.
Best Pink Floyd track? Usually the one I am listening to at the time.
12 Angar Bros
Predator
Groundhog Day
Groundhog Day
Groundhog Day
Groundhog Day
Groundhog Day
Groundhog Day
Groundhog Day
Micky Blue Eyes
A friend of mine shot seven of those films. His career has gone around in circles ever since.
I see what you did there, Brian.
Groundhog day was shit yesterday, and it will be shit tomorrow.
My faves (at least the ones I can remember)
The Searchers
One Eyed Jacks
On The Waterfront
Gloria
Mystery Train
Burn After Reading
Bus Stop
Memento
Atlantic City
Casablanca
My pixar choice is WALL-E.
frbl is right about Incredibles & pap’s list in general. Wolf of Wall Street will not stand the Test Of Time.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen Groundhog Day. Is it good, or is Bearsy joking?
See it, Lou. Ohio has revealed himself as a cinematic ignoramus. It’s a great movie - one you have to see again and again.
One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest
Pulp Fiction
Inglorious Basterds
Shaun of the Dead
The Green Mile
Groundhog Day (no, really)
Lord of the Rings trilogy
Kill Bill (counting both parts as one because that’s how it was made!)
In no particular order, of course.
