The Recommended Movie List

Lord of the Rings - The only movie I saw in 2001 that absolutely knocked my socks off. Amazingly amazing. I had it on pre-order @ Amazon the day after I saw it. (Link)

Braveheart - Just the best movie. Maybe my feelings are colored by what I experienced at the time of it's release. I remember the night so clearly, so clearly. (Link)

The Untouchables - What a clean, nice, adrenaline-packed show. Makes you feel good to be an American, or Canadian as it were. You guys did have that little "Mountie" scene. (Link)

Stand By Me - No other movie makes me feel like my childhood is within my reach. (Link)

Glory - A story that speaks to everyone. It can even make you cry. (Link)

The Shawshank Redemption - Simple, elegant. A great movie. Morgan Freeman is just like everybody's Dad. (Link)

Usual Suspects - You think you know, and then you don't. (Link)

Seven - Creepy, through-and-through. Surprise ending. One role that Brad Pitt doesn't show off his tight bod, thank god. (Link)

Saving Private Ryan - Ok, I cried at the end. When he asks her "Am I a good man?" I just lose it. (Link)

Dances with Wolves - Very grandiose, even if you don't like Kevin Costner, which I don't. (Link)

Batman - Amazing translation of comic to movie. Surprisingly honest and never realistic. That's what I loved about it. (Link)

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon - I thought this was supposed to be a great action movie, NOT a great love drama. It just happened to be both. (Link)

The Last Unicorn - (animated) Extremely hard to find, this movie pulls its' own weight. Makes you want to go out and read the book. Worth a rent or three. (Link)

The Abyss - Very well done. I wish they had picked a different cast, but by the end, it works. Get the directors cut. (Link)

The Hobbit - (animated) A good intro to a very complex world. Easy to watch for children and adults. Very light on details, but heavy on the action of getting through a story quickly. (Link)

E.T. - Spielbergs sophomore outing makes you laugh at "Penis Breath" and cry when E.T. "dies". Well, *I* cried at least. Yes, I was only 5, but still...It was sad! (Link)

American History X - It's rare for me to like a movie with such a bummber ending, but this movie speaks volumes about what is going on in America. (Link)

Red Dawn - Patrick Swayze's ONE good movie. Makes you realize what it takes to lose everything, if you can avoid the cheese. (Link)

Sixth Sense - Best surprise ending of anything out there. I was actually surprised. (Link)

Amadeus - I'm not sure how I feel about this movie, but it made me tingle. You'll never look at Mozart, or classical music, the same way again. (Link)

The Days of Wine and Roses - The most shockingly raw look at the drink I've ever seen. Worth more than a watch. (Link)

Comedy (Back to Top)

Princess Bride - As my friend, Ali, said: "It has everything that makes a movie great: action, suspense, humor, love, Fred Savage before his voice began to change and Andre the Giant who is dead (but still has a posse)?" Just an amazingly perky, make-you-feel-good movie that has simple charm in its corner. (Link)

Big Trouble in Little China - Hokey w/lots of great lines. A great frat "I'm cool and I'm in the cool club" type movie. (Link)

Ferris Buellers Day Off - Original movie from the 80s that everyone has seen. Still holds up after nearly 2 decades. (Link)

American Pie - The obligatory sexual comedy for the last decade. Funny in a slap-schticky, "Man getting hit in the groin with a football" type humor. "Barney's movie had heart, but Football in the Groin had a football in the groin." - Homer (Link)

The Goonies - Anyone who grew up in the 80s should know this movie. It's amazingly well-done with little or no special effects, little or no acting "talent" (talent being high-priced acting-whores) and it's just fun to watch. (Link)

Splash - Tom Hanks' performance is much the same as his comedy in Bachelor Party and Joe Versus the Volcano: Quirky and funny without ego. I love how he just flits from face to face without the Jim Carrey "Hey, look at me, I can make funny sounds" attitude. (Link)

Willow - A movie about a dwarf who goes on a quest. Willow himself is pretty boring, but the movie belongs to Val Kilmer as "Mad Mardigan", smurf-like warriors called "Brownies" and the cutest damn baby in the world. Worth the watch. Rent, don't buy. (Link)

Pee-Wee's Big Adventure - One of the more campy character comedies created circa Karate Kid. If you don't take it seriously, then it's worth it, but serious comedians beware, this is aimless comedy. (Link)

Ghostbusters - Fun, as long as you try not to pay attention to the horrible 80's acting. Surprisingly good special effects for the mid-80's. Avoid the sequel like the plague. (Link)

Joe vs. the Volcano - Somebody at the studio wasn't paying attention and let escape this oddly anti-establishment jewel. Expect a lot of weird lines and odd plot vehicles. (Link)

Muppets - Take your pick of any of the Muppet movies, but the first three: The Muppet Movie & The Muppets Take Manhattan and The Great Muppet Caper, are the best. (Link) (Link) (Link)

Harry Potter - As with other movies made from books, the best is still the book. This holds very true to the book, even if Hermione and Ron outshine Harry by a fair bit. (Link)

Clue - As with almost everything Tim Curry has starred in (Legend and The Rocky Horror Picture Show come to mind) he is the master of ceremonies for a calamitous calvacade of cunning and conniving criminals. Definitely worth watching, if only for the multiple endings. (Link)

Men in Black - Cheesy, but so well-done that it makes you laugh. Sometimes even out loud. (Link)

The Long Kiss Goodnight - I'm hoping that this was supposed to be a comedy, because it's mildly awful as a drama, and quite good as a straight action-comedy. Geena Davis and Sam Jackson (along with well-done effects) pull this puppy along. (Link)

Remo Williams - Cheesy, but has interesting interplay between the characters. Very 80's. (Link)

Flash Gordon - The originator of cheese, Flash Gordon has a rockin' Queen soundtrack, and the worst special effects ever. Worth a rental. (Link)

Clerks - The standard Kevin Smith movie of the 90's. Dante is annoying... (Link)

PCU - Politically correct protesters ruin a school. Funny as hell and a real trend-setter. (Link)

Drop Dead Gorgeous - Possibly the funniest movie I have seen in the last 5 years. Get this immediately. (Link)

Monsters, Inc. - So well done you don't even notice the animation. The one to watch after a big fight with the significant other. Gets you back on track. (Link)

Heathers - Another one that slipped by the bigwigs. "I love ma dead, gay son!" Worth at least a rental. (Link)

Cats & Dogs - Sometimes a kids movie, and sometimes funny. Mostly though, it's an imaginative, creepy movie with lots of great lines. (Link)

The Rundown - Surprisingly fun, and witty, even though I thought I would hate it. (Link)

Sci-Fi (Back to Top)

Star Wars - Duh. If you have to ask why, then you and I won't see eye-to-eye.
(Link: IV)
(Link: V)
(Link: VI)
(Link: I)
(Link: II)

Aliens Series - Creepy, and suspenseful, like a horror movie should be. Not this "show the scary guy for 90 minutes" horror movie-types you get nowadays. (Link)

Legend - If you don't get a spooky, chilly, wonderfully-creepy feeling from this movie, you're old. (Link)

The Crow - A story of revenge, as it should be. (Link)

The Dark Crystal - Unbelievably complex muppet-style, 80s, coming-of-age movie that I adore. (Link)

Labyrinth - Anything with David Bowie is going to be weird, and this most certainly is. The acting is thin, but the style is amazingly Henson. (Link)

The Matrix - Obligatory sci-fi for the new millenium. The lack of originality in Hollywood is highlighted when you see how many times this movie has been copied outright or otherwise been plagiarized from. I will ONLY discuss the Original movie, not the two abominations that followed it. (Link)

Blade Runner - The directors cut is the one to watch, because it chops out the narration. You really feel like you're in their world when you're watching this movie. (Link)

2001 - A bit slow for the short-attention spanned goldfish among us, but worth it in the end. (Link)

The Andromeda Strain - VERY slow, but a good example of 1960's paranoia. Funny thing is, it might be more poignant in light of 9/11. (Link)

Enemy Mine - Odd little movie, with 2 actors running around on an alien planet. An alien man gets pregnant. It's worth it just for that. (Link)

Heavy Metal - (animation) Very juvenile, but amazing styles. (Link)

Light Years (AKA Gandahar) - (animation) interesting story, if a bit odd and a little slow. Worth the wait for the unusual feeling it gives you. (Link)

Akira - (animation) The absolute epitome of Japanese animation (anime). You should buy this one, because you're going to have to watch it at least 4 times. (Link)

Ninja Scroll - (animation) Fast-paced iconic style anime. It's a good thing to watch. (Link)

Princess Mononoke - (animation) Awesome fast-paced, well-written with a weird ending. Worth the watch, even with your family. (Link)

Ghost in the Shell - (animation) Very modern, and very violent anime. Lots of naked boobs. (Link)

G.I. Joe - (animation) Something from my childhood. I used to watch "The Joes" everyday. What little boy from the 80's didn't? Yo Joe! (Link)

Transformers - (animation) Robots in disguise. Truly a series where there was more than met the eye. Surprisingly deep sometimes, but corny as well. (Link)

Star Trek - I own Generations, but there are many other movies in the series that are excellent, if a bit slow. The ones that are worth watching are: [First Contact, The Original Movie, The Wrath of Kahn and The Search for Spock] (Link)

X-Men - Dutifully followed script is a bit uninspired, but is saved by masterful performances. Hugh Jackman completely steals the show, while Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen have far too few lines. Fun, and fast. Same deal with the second movie. (Link)

Dune - The longest, most boring movie in the world. VERY worthwhile to watch, especially after you read the book. This movie is just worth seeing. Stick with it. (Link)

The Thing - Best thriller to come out in the last 20 years. Cruel, bleak and very satisfying. (Link)

Starman - Quite a beautiful movie about an alien in a dead guy's body. The only thing I like Jeff Bridges in. (Link)

Other (Back to Top)

Reservoir Dogs - Amazing actors getting together for a weird little project that works. (Link)

Pulp Fiction - From the same guy who did Reservoir Dogs. More coherent, even when viewed in different chunks like it's cut. Although, it would be boring with the scenes spliced normally. (Link)

A Clockwork Orange - Not a nice movie, but a good one. Works on your brain a lot. (Link)

Indiana Jones Trilogy - Rumors of a 4th movie abound. The 1st and 3rd are the ones to catch, and the 2nd can be skipped. I grew up with these movies, but even with my bias, they are amazing. (Link)

Unforgiven - Brutally honest, brutally acted and just brutal. I love how faulty the heroes are in it. (Link)

The Shining - So awe-inspiringly creepy, that it can make you wet yourself in your sleep. Rent the DVD, and pick up a rubber sheet. (Link)

The Neverending Story - It's amazing what can be done with a good story, and bad special effects. Bastian and Atreyu, tend to make this story enjoyable, if a bit optimistic. Try not to pay attention to how wet-sounding the "reader" boys words are when he speaks in the beginning and in the end. (Link)

Fantasia - Not so much a story, or a movie, as an experimental musical experience. This is something that can put the kids to sleep one minute and arouse the ardor in others the next. Maybe that's just me, but I find this to be a very sexual movie. (Link)

Total Recall - I have no excuse recommending this movie, but it was $6 at Deep Discount DVD, so how could I refuse? Cheesy plot held up by a 3-breasted woman. Fun. (Link)

Brazil - And you thought YOU were having a bad day. (Link)

Yojimbo - Akira Kurosawa's tale about a samurai gone good. Was copied by "Fistful of Dollars" and "Last Man Standing". Learn the history. (Link)

28 Days - Unusual and almost plausible. Very unlike other horror movies. (Link)

8mm - Ghoulish characters and rage run through this movie. Unusual that I liked it, since I dislike Cage so much. (Link)

Memento - Can cause confusion and furrowed brows, but well worth it, if even to see full-body tattoos. (Link)

Concert DVDs - I have a few DVDs with concert footage, including: 2 Pearl Jam videos and a Tool video.

Movies in my DVD Drawer as of January 2005

Braveheart

Ferris Buellers Day Off

The Crow

The Dark Crystal

Aliens