This is a list of ten movies you must experience at least once in your life. Enjoy and feel free to comment if you have more to add.
ON THE WATERFRONT
This is one of my favorite movies of all time! It’s very well acted and made. The score by itself is a masterpiece. If you are interested in acting or film-making this is a must. This has the dopest ending sequence I have ever seen. Peep it son!
FEAR AND LOATHING IN LAS VEGAS
Of course this is a no-brainer to the people who know and love the great Hunter S. But there is something to be said about this movie. This is film making at it’s finest. Even though one can make the claim that Johnny Depp studied Bill Murray day and night in “Where The Buffalo Roam,” this is some of his finest work. Of course most people know that Bencio Del Toro is one of my favorite actors, this being one of his finest films. If you haven’t seen this movie, we are probably not friends, lol. No I kid, but this is one of the movies that makes film worth while to me. Check it out.
NIKITA AKA LA FEMME NIKITA
This movie is AMAZING. Not to be confused with the cheesy 90s show by the same name. This is however the origin of the idea for that show. It’s hard to achieve the idea that someone so beautiful can be so dangerous. Where MANY other movies have set out to achieve and failed, this successfully delivers. It’s probably because this was the originator of that genre. One of the best movies I have ever witnessed! Go see this!
MALCOLM X
Easily the best Bio-Pic I have EVER seen! Spike Lee is at the top of my list for favorite directors as most know. The scope of this picture is amazing. From Detroit Red to El Hajj Malik El Shabazz. This movie is masterfully made. From the score provided by Terence Blanchard to the breath-taking cinematography. One of Spike’s best, and he has many. I will get into them in another edition of movies you MUST see. I’ll spare you for now, lol.
A CLOCKWORK ORANGE
There isn’t much I need to say about this one. This movie is so FUCKING crazy it’s amazing! Like Spike Lee, Stanley Kubrick is at the top of my list of best film makers of all time. This movie is the flag-ship for most casual admirers of his work. If you haven’t seen this you’re WHACK, period!
DANCER IN THE DARK
This is probably the most important movie to me, in my developement as an artist. This is acting done RIGHT. Even though this is the only movie you’ll probably ever see Bjork in, she in my opinion is one of the GREATEST actors to ever do it. The soundtrack is equally amazing. I mean a duet with Bjork and Thom Yorke… FUCKING THOM YORKE MAN! Bjork herself is a huge inspiration to me! She is one of my favorite all around artists and thinkers of all time! SEE THIS SON!
ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND
Charlie Kaufman at his finest son! This is another no-brainer for movie people, but if you haven’t seen this you’ll want to. As complex as it is beautiful. As challenging as it is heartbreaking. And being that I am a sucker for a great score, this one is done by the one and only Jon Brion. If you don’t know him look him up. Also check out Jay Electronica’s take on it, with his masterpiece “The Pledge.” Go ahead and google that one. You will be blown away.
ICHI THE KILLER
This movie changed my life FOREVER! Man, the guy who showed me this promised I would judge him for owning this after I saw it, and I did! LOL, actually I judge anyone who has already seen this! This opened my eyes to a TOTAL different world of movies, and I was shocked when I found out this was only the tip of the iceberg. Go find this one if you can, but I would suggest watching it by yourself first, lol.
OLDBOY
If you never seen this NEVER talked to me about movies! Just kidding, but seriously… NEVER! That’s all I will say about this one. Check it out if you can find it!
P.S. If Will Smith and Steven Speilberg remake this I will find you and give you a slow death!
THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST
I can say that this is probably THE BEST MOVIE I HAVE EVER SEEN! And this is no Christian convert site, but it’s hard to deny the excellence in film making with this movie. I always say that I have NEVER seen a movie Mell Gibson directed that was not good. Now a movie he has acted in, that’s a different story! The year this came out was the same year I stopped watching those bullshit ass Oscar’s! When Jim Caviezel wasn’t even nominated that year in the best actor category for playing Jesus, I knew they were full of shit! He should have won, as well as the movie winning for Best Picture of The Year!
As stated before, I’m not into the whole I’m a Christian you suck thing, but when respect is due you give it. One of the best movies EVER made!
You think you have some to add? Comment and let me know. This is only the first edition in essential movies I think you should see at one time in your life. Peace!
Looking over your movies, it makes me think we should make a feature length movie together.
Yes! I’m writing one right now that I want to shoot in Lansing in a year or so. I def want you involved. Oh and I finally got a new computer, so I can read ur script. I’ll check it out in a few days. Still got the email. I didn’t forget about you, lol!
Oldboy was pretty messed up. Unfortunately, I already knew about the twist ending before hand, so it probably spoiled the movie a bit. Solid movie.
P.S. I want in on this movie, even if I’m just an extra. Also, I have a buddy who’s about to finish audio production/engineering school if you need an audio guy.
Yeah Steve, I just may need on audio guy. I’ll let you know. I’m still a few years out from my plan though. Prolly within the next 3 yrs. I wanna raise money and develop it correctly you know? But I’ll def keep you in the know.
Both Eternal Sunshine and Clockwork Orange are on my Favorite and my Best Movie list ( 2 separate lists – just cuz something is my favorite doesnt necessarily mean it is greatness)
However, Both Passion of Christ and Fear and Loathing I despised. Granted I saw both only once. And with Fear and Loathing I may not have been in the right frame of mind to appreciate. But I came away from both thinking they both were completely 1 trick ponies. Meaning, it just did one single thing repeatedly nonstop with no change whatsover,
Fear and Loathing = Drug Trip
Passion of Christ = Beat down
NOTHING else happened in either.
At the very basic level, there is no character change or arc in either. Fear and loathing has no real objective. Neither have any real turning points, or a real beginning middle and end arc (not even a decline)
This is not to say that EVERY single film none to man should have these, but most should. And if it doesnt, something else extremely new unique or special should replace it, or there should be a really good reason NOT to. In both cases, this isnt true. Would either be any less effective if whole scenes were chopped off? In the case of Fear and Loathing, since there is even less of a plot, you can cut any scene entirely and the the effect would be no different. I mean not to someone who has seen it and knows that the scene is missing, but to new viewers watching different versions, where one is the full movie, and one has whole scenes vut out. The plot is so non existent it wouldnt matter at all. Additionally, every scene has the same exact effect that it wouldnt alter the film’s emotional or psychological effect on the audience either.
And Ironically the Passion was completely devoid of passion or empathy of any kind. Try to imagine you dont know the story of Jesus. When taking the film on its own, the story told within that film is a complete failure, as there was no real time spent on the WHY. The beating doesnt matter AT ALL if 1) I (the audience) am not told why, 2) the director does not dilberately give a rooting interested so I can care about the why. Gibson NEVER throws more than a line or 2 on this, and that is what matters most
Where Eternal Sunshine, On the Waterfront, Oldboy, Clocwork Orange are all complex masterpieces that tell unique stories int he most original of manners, yet manage FEEL simple organic and natural. Both Passion and Fear & Loathing are oversimplistic and fake. They endlessly rely on the most overused methods and topics in movies – violence and drugs. Neither adding nothing and saying nothing.
Merely showing, and not revealing anything! They show us the drug trips and beatings yet make no effort and spend no time on they why, or even the effect, or the cause, or even a moment of reflection. Neither shed new light in the subject matter, present a new or different or even unique perspective. Neither asks questions or make one think about the subject matter.
At least with Tarantino films, the violence pauses for reflecton. It makes itself powerful and KNOWN so you feel it With the drug tips and beating of The Passion and Fear and Loathing it is like a dumb Hollywood blockbuster, where every scene is packed with endless violence and just like the scene before it.
on a lighter note:
You’ll have to tell me about your script! I currently have 3 unfinished:
1 old scifi which I havent touched in yrs
2 A satire of one of the main arguments used to ban gay marriage. However this screenplay is also on hold while I start up…
3 A short story for my intro to screenwriting class.
The logline:
A neurotic man must release his fear of using public restrooms and his germaphobia, decide how much shit he is willing to take in order to advance his career in a bathroom design firm.
what kind of movie will it be?
Wow, Mikey didn’t have a lot to say did he? LOL. There are a couple on your list that I haven’t seen but will be checking out pronto, including Passion. You have good taste, so I’m trusting your recommendation. Kind of hard to support Mel Gibson’s biggiting ways.