101 Movies you must see and why.
 

Yup, another one! Usual stuff: one film at a time (can be short film or a movie, or a specific episode title included- in a series), and posters must wait for at least one other person to post their suggestions before posting another one. You're reasons can be anything you found noteworthy about the film (even if it just's "this is the funniest thing I've ever seen") but try to elaborate a little beyond 'this is a good movie. You should watch it.'

If a film has multiple versions, please be specific about which one you are talking about (the release date from imdb.com would work).

I will keep a list up here with what's already been suggested.

Page 1 (at default posts per page)
1. Neon Genesis Evangelion: End of Evangelion (1997)
2. John Dies at the End (2012)
3. Gattaca (1997)
4. Conan the Barbarian (1982)
5. The Breakfast Club (1985)
6. Labyrinth (1986)
7. Blazing Saddles (1974)
8. These Amazing Shadows (2011)
9. Wreck-It Ralph (2012)
10. Blade Runner (1982)
11. We're No Angels (1955)
12. Princess Mononoke (1997)
13. Soylent Green (1973)
14. Tokyo Godfathers (2003)
15. The Ghost and the Darkness (1996)

Page 2
16. Persona (1966)
17. Monty Python's The Meaning of life (1997)
18. Origin Spirits of the Past (2006)
19. Pacific Rim (2013)
20. L�t den r�tte komma in (2008)
(English = "Let the Right One In.")
21. Arsenic and Old Lace (1944)

Page 3
22. Alien (1979)
23. Secondhand Lions (2003)
24. Spirited Away (2001)
25. Aliens (1986)
26. Puppet Master (1989)
27. Paprika (2006)
28. The Cell (2000)
29. October Sky 1999

Page 4
30. Through the Never (2013)
31. "Hush" (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, season 4) - 1999
32. The Room (2005)
33. The Others (2001)
34. Logan (2017)
35. Oldboy (2003)
36. Mama (2013)
37. Method (2017)

Page 5
38. John Carpenter's The Thing (1982)
39. What We do in the Shadows (2014)
40. Kiki's Delivery Service (1989)
41. My Neighbor Toroto (20th Century Fox dub, 2002)
42. Snatch (2000)
43. "Once More With Feeling" (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, season 6) - 2001
44. When Marnie Was There (2014)
45. Just My Luck (2006)
46. Koe No Katachi (2016)
47. The Bucket List (2007)



As I had no immediate thoughts on this topic, someone else gets to pick the first film!

1. End of Evangelion

And the first film on the list is an anime... oh my! This is probably my favorite movie ever, and for anyone not familiar with the concept of the series, it's essentially a deconstruction (I really seem to like these things...) of mecha anime and the triumph of spirited young people in the face of overwhelming adversity.

A horrifying psychological exploration of a tormented, traumatized, unstable young boy, the film is absolutely bursting with (rather disturbing) symbolism ranging from occult Judeo-Christian lore, psycho-sexual Freudian metaphors, and a few moments of postmodern mimesis that present the dissolution of a human mind in a manner that is nothing short of exhausting to watch.

I've only seen it once, and I'm honestly not sure I could bare to watch it again. The experience of it is just so overwhelming, but it is absolutely a "must watch" to me, I've never encountered anything else like it. Watching it, you can just feel your subconscious being spoken to directly, even while your conscious brain is reeling in confusion and horror.

The rest of the Evangelion series I could take or leave, but this film in particular is a masterpiece.

2. John Dies at the End (2012)

Based on a novel which I now intend to track down and read. I'm really not sure what to make of this film. The book is horror/comedy. It seems a little like a stoner movie that isn't a stoner movie. Perhaps sci-fi, perhaps fantasy, perhaps comedy, perhaps apocalyptic. The plot is fairly simple, two guys encounter a strange street drug that gives them the ability to mess with time and find themselves among alien beings and a mission to save the world, but it's how the film is executed that really makes one quirk an eyebrow.

It's different.

3 - Gattaca - 1997

Gattaca is a commentary on both the progress of biological science and on the caste/class into which human societies force others into in the name of efficiency and progress. In the not-to-distant future, it is your genetics, not your race/gender/creed, that is the source of discrimination.

In this world - a biological-punk world - people now only have 1-2 children a family, selected and grown from specific combinations of the parents' genetic makeup (test tube babies). As such, illicit affairs outside of the lab are looked down upon, and children begotten in such a manner are suited only for the lower class (Janitorial work, mining, etc.)

However, one such fellow, Freeman, dreams of going into space, and nature does not fully determine nurture. When one of the more perfect "test-tube" people winds up crippled, Freeman is able to take the guy's place (using hair and all for the frequent genetic screenings) and is able to trick the system. Freeman also overcomes mistakes in his genetics, such as allergic reactions, in pursuit of his dream.

Another important factor would be the comparison of Freeman to his brother, a "perfect" person. While his brother could outperform on almost all levels, Freeman winds up winning in the end.

All in all, this is a movie that shows how a great scientific idea could be used and abused to the point of creating a caste-like system, and how even such a system (caste based on scientific research) cannot account for/control everything.

At least, that is how I viewed it.

4. Conan the Barbarian - 1982

New one is okay I suppose, but I still prefer this one. For those interested in fantasy-esque adventure movies I have to recommend this one, even if you don't know a thing about Conan. (I certainly didn't the first time I watched this, and I don't know all that much about him now).

Okay, so it's not exactly profound, or meaningful, but for what it is I think it's an honestly well made movie. The score is great, one of the few soundtracks I own and listened to on a regular basis before I lost it >.< and much of the film has a rather understated feel to it as opposed to the typical grand heroic story with moments of withering sorrow and epic triumph.

The plot is nothing exceptional, really. A rise from the ashes revenge story. Conan's family and people are slaughtered by the villain and he is sold as a slave, and it goes from there. He meets people, does things, all the while seeking revenge. What I think makes this film stand out to me are the small details here and there. The fact that the rogue-type character isn't an oaf after gold and treasure (in the second film on the other hand...let's not go there), Conan and Valeria don't make silly goo-goo eyes at each other or stumble around being oh-so-not-in-love-really-we-mean-it or snapping at each other in an effort to build sexual tension, the moments of conversation and observations that develop character, and the fact that there is no blatant attempt at comic relief (well, Mako, possibly, but he's useful and does stuff). Some of it is a little over the top, but for the most part the action is believable and practical, minus giant snakes and people with big hammers toppling pillars over.

One thing that another fan mentioned to me that I also like about the story is that Conan's not making an obvious attempt to be a hero. He's out for his own gain, to his own ends, and when all is said and done he is left with the choice of whether or not to take that extra step beyond his own endeavors and become a hero.

Conan changes throughout the story, and even the villain isn't the same in the end as he was in the beginning. A lot of time has passed and it shows.

Okay, that's done with. I will get to something serious at some point, really.

5. The Breakfast Club - 1985

Damn. I love 80's movies. The Breakfast is the quintessential 80's teenage angst movies. It is quoted in many movies since. It's a pop icon. Directed and written by John Hughes. I love John Hughes. <3

So, here you have a study of high school stereotypes. It's brilliant. It's funny, and puppy love romantic. I like that there is both a boy point of view and a girl point of view!

I don't think it will change you life, but I can watch this movie on repeat. <3

6. Labyrinth (1986)

Just a fun movie! Jim Hensen film, so puppets. Brian Froud is the creative designer (known for his fairy books, also worked on Dark Crystal). The acting and the music can be cheesy at times, but it's lighthearted and entertaining. Something I watch all the time when it's on. And, of course, David Bowie.

I could say more, but it doesn't seem to be the sort of movie that one really needs to get technical about.

(No fair! Quiet! I was going to say that one next!)

7. Blazing Saddles (1974)

A black sheriff?!

Yes. This movie is so irreverent and has very adult humor and jokes. But it's also funny! Basically, it makes fun of everyone equally.
Mel Brooks - is pure genius.

At the base of the film, a racist town gets a black sheriff. Hilarity ensues.

If you are easily offended...
... if you get offended at all...
don't watch this film.

Hee hee. Blazing Saddles is actually in the National Film Registry as a movie that has culture/cinematic value. There was a documentary on the registry called These Amazing Shadows (I think) that was quite interesting to watch. I think I'll put that on here!

8. These Amazing Shadows (2011)

A documentary about the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress. The registry was started to preserve films that were seen have cultural or cinematic value, such as through what they represented, how they reflected society, or what they added to cinema in terms of special effects, stuff that is in general noteworthy.

What I find interesting is that to qualify for the registry, a film must be at least 10 years old, so the "flavour of the month" film isn't going to get accepted. It includes short film, movies, new reels, etc.

9. Wreck-It Ralph

First off, it's a video game movie that actually works. Why, you ask? Because it has no source material to tear apart. Setting the movie up in a Toy Story-like theme, the characters in video games have lives of their own, their jobs being their own games. There's just one problem: Ralph has been a villain for thirty years, and he's tired of it.

So he abandons his game.

The movie explores the havoc this creates. From risking his game being unplugged, the clashes of different characters of different generations, and one unlucky arcade goer, the plot explores what happens when one person decides to challenge what they are meant for in life.

Overall it has an excitingly varied set of atmospheres, endearing characters that you cannot help but love and several direct punches right in the feels. Easily the best video game related movie of all time.

10. Blade Runner (1982)

Getting a number of 80s movies here.

Blade Runner is a Ridley Scott movie based on the novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, but the movie varies quite a bit to the point where they are essentially two different entities (for instance, the film's noticeable lack of Mercerism and electric sheep).

I enjoy this film for a number of reasons: the atmosphere, the setting, the characters (Roy Batty in particular). It's a dystopian cyberpunk story that deals with life and what it means to live, as the main character butts heads with rogue androids that he's hunting.

Along with Labyrinth, it's another film that I will flick to if I happen to see it on TV.

11. We're No Angels - 1955

Now, I did not want to see this movie, but it is now one of my watch every year x-mas movies.

It's about three convicts and a snake who escape prison, Humphrey Bogart being one of them. :) They sort of adopt this family on the Island they land on.
It's ADORABLE!

I know not many people have seen this - so I don't want to spoil to much. :D

*Does not know if Soylent Green would be worthy of this list*

12. Princess Mononoke (1997)
I've only known about movies made by Hayao Miyazaki for a short time, but I'd say that he would be to Anime what Disney was to cartoons. Princess Mononoke would be my favorite of the ones I've seen so far (Howl's Moving Castle is a runner-up). In it, the gods of the natural woods are infected by man, and become demons. One young lad from a near-extinct became mortally infected in the process of fending off one of the infected gods. He is thus sent on a quest to find the source of this corruption/infection.

This, I find, is a good example of Hayao Miyazaki's work. It has top-notch animation, believable (likable?) characters, left me asking questions, and has a strong storyline. It is reminiscent of the first cartoon movies Walt Disney made in that the world is narrowed down greatly to focus on the local area and develop the characters (not through a montage!).

Why not? I'll put it on.I forgot all about it. :)

13 - Soylent Green (1973)

I think most people are at least familiar with the title of this film if nothing else. The premise is simple: humanity has severely overpopulated the Earth, and the Soylent company provides food products that resemble Kraft Singles, with their newest, abundant product being Soylent Green (there's Brown, Yellow, etc.). We follow Charlton Heston's character, a detective who's investigations are causing trouble.

One of the things I like about this film is the interaction between the skeptical protag and his friend who remembers how the Earth used to be, and is depressed because of how far things have deteriorated. He tells Heson's character about greenery, animals, and fresh food and the protag doesn't believe him.

When you see a montage of famous movie scenes, the final scene from Soylent Green is often in it, though I won't quote it since that would spoil things. ;)

Tokyo Godfathers (2003)
(This is another anime, sorry.)
It's basically about three hobos who find a baby in a dumpster on Christmas eve. They then set out to return the baby to her mother, hyjinks ensue. This movie is funny, but still manages to make you ball your eyes out by the time it's over.

An overreaching theme of the movie is family. We find out why each homeless person ran away and by the end the main characters are reunited with their family one way or another.

Another good thing about the film is that one of the characters is transgender and it's played straight. No excuses like 'it's just a dude who likes wearing a dress because of ____' like a lot of anime does. The issue is treated realistically.

Nothing wrong with Anime. I tend to look at is as being more of a medium than a genre, given how much ground it can cover. Compare anything Miyazaki to Perfect Blue, for example.


15. The Ghost and the Darkness 1996

This is a good movie. I'm hesitant to call it horror because it's more sophisticated than the term usually implies, but it does have its jump scares and blood and such. I'd say it's something in between horror-adventure-drama.

It's based on a true story about a pair of lions that terrorized a bridge project in Africa. I enjoy the music, and there's more depth to the main character, played by Val Kilmer, than one normally finds in a movie about animals attacking people.

It's another one of those films that I watch whenever I see it on TV. I've seen it enough times that I hardly need to pay attention, but I still enjoy it.

I cannot tell you how many nightmares The Ghost and the Darkness gave me as a child. It inspired a fear that made me refuse to go to the zoo, and refusal to leave the house when a lion escaped from a private zoo.

Also the inspiration for a certain someone. Definitely deserves a spot here.

I had already been traumatized by Jaws before I saw TGatD, so it didn't get to me as much as it could have. Jaws is a good flick, too. Not sure how many times I've seen it now.

"You're gonna need a bigger boat."

It's also the source of the "bad hat, Harry" line that happens at the end of some TV cartoon. Can't remember which one.

16. Persona

I've stated before that my tastes tend to gravitate towards the pretentious, and this film is certainly no exception to that; it's certainly not for everyone, but I highly recommend it to anyone who will listen. This film is slow and methodical, wildly open to interpretation, and viscerally emotional. The narrative itself is secondary -- in that way, it's almost a deconstructivist film, relying upon visual poetry and powerful emotion more than a straight-forward, dramatic narrative.

In essence, the structure of the film follows a nurse, Alma, who has been charged with the care of a mute actress named Elisabeth. Throughout the film, Alma continues to talk to Elisabeth -- who does not reciprocate -- eventually revealing deeply held secrets, profoundly existential quandaries, hopes, fears... and finds that her own persona is being swallowed by the mute Elisabeth.

Extraordinarily good. And just because I feel like my description does absolutely no justice to the film itself, here's an excerpt of the dialogue in it (coming from a doctor caring for Elisabeth):

"I understand, all right. The hopeless dream of being -- not seeming, but being. At every waking moment, alert. The gulf between what you are with others and what you are alone. The vertigo and the constant hunger to be exposed, to be seen through, perhaps even wiped out. Every inflection and every gesture a lie, every smile a grimace. Suicide? No, too vulgar. But you can refuse to move -- refuse to talk, so that you don't have to lie. You can shut yourself in. Then you needn't play any parts or make wrong gestures. Or so you thought. But reality is diabolical. Your hiding place isn't watertight -- life trickles in from the outside, and you're forced to react. No one asks if it is true or false, if you're genuine or just a sham. Such things matter only in the theatre, and hardly there, either. I understand why you don't speak, why you don't move, why you've created a part for yourself out of apathy. I understand. I admire. You should go on with this part until it is played out, until it loses interest for you. Then you can leave it, just as you've left your other parts one by one."

Actually, having recommended this film, I would highly recommend just about anything else directed by Ingmar Bergman -- certainly one of my favorite directors of all time.

I've heard a lot about Bergman, but I'm not sure I've actually seen any of his films, except for selections from Wild Strawberries and Fanny and Alexander in Swedish Class. Not really sure of my thoughts on the guy.

I like the variety of movies that are showing up on this list. I have a couple more thoughts that I'm sure I'll get to at some point when I decide which to go with.

Persona is an entirely different kind of film from Bergman. Both of those are much more approachable, particularly Fanny and Alexander. Originally, I was actually going to recommend The Seventh Seal, which is also one of my favorite films, but at some point I decided that Persona is really the one that I would call a "must-see."

The Seventh Seal is really wonderful though, so I'd say you probably should see it sometime. (To summarize it in a sentence, a knight returning from the Crusades meets Death along the way home -- and challenges it to a game of chess with his life as the wager. Philosophy ensues. I lied, that was two sentences.)

17. Monty Python's The Meaning of Life - 1997

If you've seen Monty Python anything I imagine you'd know what to expect. That, I would say, and then some. A mixture of skit-comedy that follows the themes of birth, age, and death. It gets a little weird. It's hard to describe really, but it's the source of several house-hold (my household) expressions.

It...gets a little weird. Looking for fish, galloping nude women, songs about sperm... yeah. Watch it at least once.

Origin Spirits of the past2006

Why:

it's surrely beautiful, set in the future where Elders can become "enhanced". it's own description is "Ghost in the Shell for an environmental age".

the blurb on the back of the dvd reads:

Ages past, the forest was awakened and the moon unleased a ravenous beast upon the Earth. Man cowered in fear...

it has been 300 years since mankind's interference with the environment left Earth in ruins. Now, the remnants of humanity are divided as never before. The crumbling remains of vast city's stand in tenuous coexistence with the encroaching forest, and humans live on both sides of this brewing conflict. Young Agito, the son of an aging hero, inadvertently sets in motion a series of catastrophic events hen he wanders into a forbidden zone of the forest. He stumbles across a cryogenic stasis tube containing Toola, a girl who has a vital mission entrusted to her from the past...

It is an unsteady peace in an unnatural time. Only by searching their souls and examining the past will Agito and Toola understand the origin of all things and unite mankind with the forest.


I've watched this contless times its just pure beauty inplaces really enjoyable as well.

Rise! Thread updated and continued!

What? I like these threads.

19: Pacific Rim! (2013)

(I added the exclamation point myself)

Because it's so darn fun! I'm sure there are complains about plot, and character, or lack thereof, or plausibility, of why we would bother with giant robots to fight aliens as a first line of defense, but ultimately giant robots > story issues, +1 for the dog.

If you don't mind spoilers, go check out the Honest Trailer for it on Youtube.

20. Let the Right One In (Original version)
While it's a horror movie nothing is really scary about the film. The book is pretty out there sometimes but the movie really captured the parts that mattered. When I first saw this movie I just fell in love with it, it really sticks to a lot of traditional vampire theories and has tons of things to look for and spend your time thinking about. If you can stand the sight of a little bit of blood without too much gore, if you like coming of age stories, or if you're into vampires, you should really give this one a chance!

Did I get the right one, Glitch? I'm not sure if it's the 2008 one of if there was a Swedish one before that.

That's it ^_^ Someone remade it in English with the title Let Me In, but that one is terrible.

Yeah, that was the one made in the States I think, and from what I heard they made it more genre or more like a horror instead of the more quirky sort of deal that the book had. I didn't read it, but heard of it in one of my Swedish classes. I think the 2008 one was a US release of the Swedish film.

21. Arsenic and Old Lace (1944)

This movie is HYSTERICAL. I can't get too much into it, because that would spoil the entire movie, but Cary Grant was phenomenal in it, and the story was originally a play. It's a black and white movie, but that does not detract from it in the least. When I first saw it, with a group of friends (some of whom, like me, had not seen it before) there were several of us falling off of our seats as we laughed.

Like pretty much every film of the era, its humor is funny without even giving grossness or inappropriate humor a look. It's one I'd recommend for families with kids at least 9-10 years in age. Any younger and they might need a lot of explaining of things... But it's not got any stuff that would cause bad dreams later that night, nor cause awkward discussions after.

Also, there's a reference to a certain famous horror actor of the era right in the story, and said actor almost took the role, but was unable to due to scheduling conflicts between filming and the stage play, which was still running at the time of filming.

The name sounds very familiar, though I'm not sure where I've heard it most. I think I thought it was a book.

Just FYI, most of the movies I'm gonna contribute are ones I've watched with a group of friends who meet weekly just to watch movies... one of those friends has a taste for older movies, and we usually end up watching two movies that fit a "theme" at his place... We've seen some pretty obscure stuff as a result. :)

As long as you figure it' work watching, it's not a problem.

22) Alien

The First Alien Movie was a novel of both Science Fiction and Horror. Firstly, the cast of Alien at the time came from a largely unknown group of actors. It really worked on hard science fiction in explaining the traits of the Nostromo and the daily life of the crew. You actually have the crew arguing, talking, laughing, etc. – without the “sex equals death” trope or other such features.

Then there is the Alien itself. A biomechanical parasitic creature from surrealist H.R. Giger, it is an intelligent but sightless predator (a trait forgotten in other iterations in favor of a zombie horde). It outwits members of the crew through the vent systems.

It is different from Predator in that it is really set in space, on ships and all. It does not go for the “space is a special effect” that most sci-fi horror cheese movies go. In fact, it works to mock them. There is so little CGI stuff that the overall feel is more realistic. This may be one of the few successful hard science fiction movies I know of.

What made me realize this was a better work than most such things was listening to the dialogue. There aren’t stupid decisions made by anyone except the wife of the guy infected. The alien only gets in (isn’t frozen, detained, or shot) due to sabotage. Also, the tropes parodied in things like “Scream” are almost reversed in Alien. In addition, before Ripley became the James Cameron superhero, she was just a professional second-in-command trying to follow protocol. She wasn’t strong, or superhumanly brave, but she led everyone as best as she could.

Overall, I wish there were more subtle and human works like this out there. Stylized, but a style that I find timeless.

23. Secondhand Lions (2003)

I tough I put this one up already but apparently not. Probably one of the most charming and entertaining movies I've seen, and some-what deceptive in appearances. I saw it on TV a lot but never watched. It's a film about a boy who is sent by his single mom to live with two bachelor uncles who are reputed to have piles of money stashed away somewhere. A heartwarming story of course, but it was glancing up at the scrolling credits that got me to actually watch it. Stuntmen, animal wranglers, can-can dancers...a far stretch from the rural setting general shown. And yes, there actually is a lion.

Spirited Away (2001)

Another Studio Ghibli movie. <3

Good movie, but care to elaborate a little? I like to see more than just a title. Doesn't have to me much.

Never really thought much of the sight thing, but then, I don't think it showed up much in the films either. I wouldn't use "zombie horde" as a comparison, more like something of a colony. More of something is not always inferior.

As to the CG, I don't really think the had the option of using much, so it was largely practical effects, but I think it shows a good example of what someone can do with practical effects rather than computer generated stuff. There's a werewolf horror film called Dog Soldiers that makes a point of using puppetry and make-up over CGI, and it also breaks horror stereotype by having the protagonists (professional soldiers) actually fighting back, and fighting back like hell.




25. Aliens 1986

A rare example of a good sequel. In the first film there was only one alien, (emphasized by Ripley in her briefing) and this one ups the ante by adding more. It's more survival horror as the genre goes I think, since heroism isn't all that practical in this situation.

A mercenary group goes to find out what happened to a planet colony that has fallen out of contact. Things don't go well. Simple plot, really, but as with the first film, it's characters and interactions that make it memorable. Lt. Ellen Ripley really is what I consider to be an ideal "strong female character" in the sense that she is a strong character, without there being any need to draw attention to her biological sex.

26. Puppet Master (1989)

A synopsis of the movie I've found online states thusly:

Assailed by nightmarish visions, Alex Whitaker (Paul Le Mat) and his fellow psychics descend on the Bodega Bay Inn. There, they discover that their compatriot Neil (Jimmie F. Scaggs) has apparently committed suicide. But, as the gruesome visions continue, they sense that there's still something sinister afoot. When they find themselves hunted by a band of homicidal marionettes created by twisted puppeteer Andre Toulon (William Hickey), they discover they're right.

The movie spawned nine sequels, one of which was actually a prequel. The acting's cheesy and over the top, and it's just a terrible movie over all. This movie is also a cult classic. I'm more morbidly amused by the B-Movie plot and action than terrified, and I hope someday to have my own set of Puppets.

27. Paprika (2006)

"Paprika (パプリカ Papurika?) is a 2006 Japanese animated film co-written and directed by Satoshi Kon, based on Yasutaka Tsutsui's 1993 novel of the same name, about a research psychologist who uses a device that permits therapists to help patients by entering their dreams." Source

I saw my sister watch it once when she lived here still, but I was a bit too young and not into anime that didn't involve sparkles and magical girls to care.
Now I'm on a anime + animation movie watching mission, and I remembered this. It looks puzzling, intriguing, and some critics have said the quality was comparable to Miyazaki's Spirited Away (which I love.
And apparently, it was a film that inspired Nolan's Inception.

It sounds similar to Cell from what you say there. I saw that one some time ago. I thought Paprika was a series. I first encountered it as a comic/manga/animation show at the city art gallery when I went last.