Over at DesignbyHumans they’re having a competition to figure out who could come up with the best design for arguably, the most anticipated movie of 2012. My dad poured his heart and soul into the design you see below upon my request. Unfortunately, it was rejected, but life goes on. As my father said, “it’s a cool piece of art and I’m proud of it”. It should make for a cool framed poster that will find it’s way onto my wall someday soon. Long story short, YOU CAN NOT BUY THIS, I just thought it would make for a cool post.
This was a confusing list to make. It’s one I’ve been wanting to make for a while, but I just wasn’t completely sure how to go about it. I don’t actually even like the title of the list because I certainly don’t feel guilty about loving these movies, I just do. As I stated before, this was a confusing list to make. That’s because I wasn’t quite sure where to draw the line between the masterpieces I call the best and the movies I love regardless of their flaws.
Making this list helped me realize that, in terms of movies, when you like the big picture, you’ll almost always look past any slight flaws because you’re enjoying yourself and vice-versa, when you don’t like a movie you’re going to look for flaws. At the end of the day, this is simply a list of movies I love that don’t hold a candle artistically and thematically to the many movies I would call my favorites.
10. Saw Saga
If I were to feel guilty about enjoying a movie (or series for that matter), I would probably feel guilty about enjoying the Saw movies. Of course the first one is my favorite, but I’m actually a big fan of the entire story. For some reason I really enjoyed watching the whole complex story pan out. It is the horror series of my generation and it entertains me to no end.
9. Star Trek
Star Trek is the newest film on this list and while I love most of these movies because of nostalgic reasons, that didn’t play a part with Star Trek. I had never seen anything Star Trek before this movie and I wasn’t expecting much, but with this new Star Trek film I was blown away. It was fun, exciting and everything just worked.
8. Sin City
By essentially recreating the panels of Frank Miller’s original stories Sin City tells a fast-paced collage of intertwining tales of brutality, crime, lust, etc. Like all of the movies on this list, I could pick up and watch Sin City any second and be whole-heartedly entertained. I might just add that, visually, this may be my favorite movie.
7. The Punisher
This is the movie that inspired me to make this list. After watching it recently I realized that every once in a while I should definitely take a break from what I see as art and just watch a movie and enjoy. Watching The Punisher again was like watching a combination of Batman Begins, Gladiator and Unforgiven. It doesn’t reach the amazing levels of those movies, but it is fun as hell.
6. Hot Fuzz
I was a big fan of Edgar Wright’s latest film Scott Pilgrim vs. the World and I absolutely love Shaun of the Dead, but I don’t enjoy either of those films as much as I enjoy Hot Fuzz. The give and take of Nick Frost and Simon Pegg is ridiculous and when you match that with the great satire on cliché action movies what you get is a fantastic time through and through.
5. The Matrix Trilogy
From this point on, this list was nearly impossible to make. When I came up with the idea to make a list out of my top ten favorite guilty pleasure movies, the movies from five on came almost immediately to mind. I’m obsessed with The Matrix Trilogy, and I’d like to emphasize “Trilogy”. Like everyone, I’m a huge fan of the first and how it showed what an action movie could be, but I also love both sequels and The Matrix Revolutions holds a special place in my heart. I might even call it my favorite.
4. Death Proof
Quentin Tarantino is one of my favorite director’s to have ever made a movie. While Death Proof is no Kill Bill, Inglourious Basterds or Pulp Fiction, I still can’t help the fact that I always feel the need to pick it up and watch it again because of how much I enjoy every single moment. No one writes dialogue as well as Tarantino and its just as good here, then there’s Kurt Russell as the awesome villain, Stuntman Mike and a fantastic two-part set up that builds to one of the greatest car chases in film.
3. Casino Royale
If I viewed all of the movies on this list the way I view most movies and take in every aspect, this could easily be called the best movie on the list. Daniel Craig fully embodies the James Bond for a new generation. This is new 007 series filled with realism and grit. This is a James Bond who can almost die, who has only his wits and strengths as a secret agent to save him, not a ridiculous array of gadgets. It manages to change almost every aspect of the series, while paying homage to the gimmicks you need from a 007 movie. In terms of execution, this is far and away the best movie on this list and it also manages to entertain from beginning to end.
2. Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
Before Christopher Nolan’s Batman series came into my life, I had never anticipated a movie more than I had anticipated seeing Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. I obviously didn’t enjoy The Phantom Menace or Attack of the Clones that much, but this one looked appealing. This was to be the final Star Wars movie that would not only connect the two trilogies, but also essentially tell the origin story of my favorite character in the series.
At the time, I was not disappointed. I loved every single moment. I couldn’t get enough. I had built this idea up in my mind of how amazing this film would be and some how it turned out to be just that. As I matured it became clear that this wasn’t the masterpiece I had made it out to be in my mind, but it still means so much to me and I can say with out a doubt that it entertains me more than any other Star Wars movie.
1. Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End
This is it, there is no other film that has ever been made that comes close to Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End. There are many films that reach a level of perfection and I would call them my favorites for many different reasons. With Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End, like no other film I can look past its flaws and be completely taken away by the swashbuckling adventure at hand.
One of the reasons it stands apart as my favorite guilty pleasure movie is because of the incredibly memorable characters. I have an unconditional love for what Geoffrey Rush did with the character Hector Barbossa, even Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley play some what of an important part to the epic that is At World’s End, Bill Nighy is fantastic as villain, Davy Jones, and every secondary character has something different to offer. Let us not also forget that Johnny Depp manages to offer one of the greatest characters in history with the now iconic, Captain Jack Sparrow.
I love the whole series, I really do. But I just wanted to emphasize how much I care for this single film in particular. Artistically and thematically this film pales in comparison to films I’d call my favorite films. However, for lack of a better phrase, this is the ultimate guilty pleasure movie in my mind. Sometimes you need some mindless fun. It’s nice that not every film is trying to say something broader, but merely trying to entertain. It’s nice to just have some escapism and Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End is one of my favorite forms of escape.
It goes with out saying, but I’ll say it anyways because of how important it is to me that as many people that have the ability to enjoy LOST get the chance with out knowing any secrets so I will say this: please do not read this list if you have not taken in this beautiful story in its entirety. And know that it is never to late to just watch it. I did follow LOST from the beginning, but there are a handful of other shows I love and I’ve never watched a live episode.
That said, let’s just get into this. This is my list of my twenty-five favorite stories that help make up what just may be the greatest story ever told. Let me just establish to you how difficult this was. Every single episode of LOST has value and entertainment for me and that includes the widely hated “Stranger in a Strange Land” and my personal least favorite episode “Fire + Water”. There are episodes that stand above the rest and these are my favorites.
25. Dr. Linus (Season 6)
Benjamin Linus is one of my favorite characters in the series and there aren’t many episodes that are solely based on just his character. Every one of them is very memorable and I can’t think of a better way to start my list. Though there are many moments where Ben shows off his villainous side there are also many moments where you feel for him, never like in this episode however.
24. Deus Ex Machina (Season 1)
John Locke is and from the beginning was my favorite character of LOST. Like all John Locke episodes, Deus Ex Machina is fantastic. It easily makes it’s way onto this list if only for having one of the greatest moments and endings in the series. It’s pictured above and seeing that moment for the first time was a breath-taking punctuation mark of an already great episode.
23. The Long Con (Season 2)
This one holds a special place in my heart and for no particular reason other than it being incredibly entertaining. I just remember being whewed by this character-driven episode the first time it aired and having watched it since I can’t get over how much I enjoy this episode. It’s hard not to understand and like Sawyer by the end. In The Long Con you delve deeper into this mysterious character.
22. Happily Ever After (Season 6)
For the first time in the best season of all, an ending started to take shape. While questions were being answered and an ending was in sight, one of the biggest mysteries throughout the sixth and last season was the flash-sideways. By way of a Desmond Hume episode the flash-sideways aspect starts to make some sense and in a very cinematic way.
21. The Man From Tallahassee (Season 3)
This episodes is just full of great moments. There’s the point where John Locke blows up the submarine, the reveal of how John Locke broke his legs, and the fantastic cliffhanger of having John’s dad on the island. The Man From Tallahassee is also full of interactions between Ben Linus and John Locke and you can never go wrong with a scene between two of the best characters in the show.
20. There’s No Place Like Home (Season 4)
It took an entire season to get right back to that amazing cliffhanger that Season 3 left on. That’s not a complaint at all though. Even though Season 4 may be my least favorite season it is still amazing and one of the many reasons it’s amazing is this season finale. Ben kills Martin Keamy, Michael dies, we think Jin dies and then there’s that brilliant reveal as to who Jeremy Bentham is.
19. Walkabout (Season 1)
This is the episode, even more so than the Pilot, that truly got people interested in the wonders of LOST. That’s how it went for me anyways. I loved Pilot of course, how could you not? It wasn’t until I saw Walkabout when I fully escaped and realized I could never miss an episode. We got to know the man who would come to be my favorite character and I could see many people actually being surprised that it’s not in the top ten of this list.
18. LA X (Season 6)
The best way you could describe this episode would be mesmerizing. This was the episode that had the impossible job of not only making you excited for the rest of Season 6, but it had to follow after the masterpiece that was Season 5. It did so with flying colors. I mean this episode is relentless. It had so much to cover and it does so in such an entertaining fashion.
17. Exodus (Season 1)
There’s not much to say about this episode other than wow. It was never truly understood just how unique and glorious LOST was until this episode aired. The raft is finished, we begin to see “the Others” as more of a threat when we hear that single line, “we’re gonna need to take the boy”, and then there’s the palpable anticipation as to what’s in the hatch only to be told we had to wait a year.
16. The Life and Death of Jeremy Bentham (Season 5)
On all accounts this is just one of the many perfect episodes. The acting is phenomenal, the writing is as incredible as ever and the way the story at hand is told is just flawless. The episode is so prominent as well; it had to answer the question as to why John Locke was found in a casket at the end of Season 4. I couldn’t wait for this episode and it definitely did not disappoint.
15. Across the Sea (Season 6)
Talk about looking forward to an episode. From the second the two characters were revealed in The Incident, I fell in love with the mysterious conflict between Jacob and the Man in Black. I knew at some point there would be an episode about their past. I won’t lie, but at first I was slightly disappointed. Time made me realize however that this episode is a masterpiece. We already know who Jacob and the Man in Black are, it was this episode’s job to show who they were and it did that perfectly.
14. The Man Behind the Curtain (Season 3)
Benjamin Linus was essentially the first personified villain in LOST. Season 6 had the Man in Black, Season 4 had Martin Keamy, but in Season 3 the antagonist was Benjamin Linus and The Man Behind the Curtain was his episode and it was the first of its kind. Just being different didn’t make this an amazing episode, the fact that it was an amazing episode made it an amazing episode. Not only do we come to understand Ben more, we also find out some fun facts about the Dharma Initiative and Jacob.
13. The Substitute (Season 6)
The Substitute was the episode that established just how different Season 6 was from all the others. LA X was incredible and What Kate Does was great, but both of them had a lot of mystery to them, which is fine because it’s LOST. However, every Season does find a way to stand a part from one another and with Season 6 that all starts with this marvelous episode, The Substitute. Season 6 is my favorite season and The Substitute is one of the many reasons it as extraordinary as it is.
12. The Shape of Things to Come (Season 4)
Lets face the facts, Benjamin Linus episodes are simply incredible. The majority of them are on this list and Dead is Dead just barely missed the list. This is unquestionably the greatest Benjamin Linus episode. It has the pacing of a perfect action film with the emotional toll of a perfect drama film. This is a truly fascinating episode and it downright amazes me that I was unable to put it into my top ten. The Shape of Things to Come is one of my favorite titles of any LOST episode.
11. Man of Science, Man of Faith (Season 2)
This is it, this is the episode that changed everything. This is the episode that defined exactly just how much I loved LOST. I watched Season 1 with my eyes glued to the screen every second. I loved every moment getting to know these characters. I in no way could comprehend how fantastic the first Season was. Then this episode came along and managed the impossibility of being better than anything prior. We found out what was in the hatch, we met a knew character and everything changed forever.
10. Orientation (Season 2)
It was between Man of Science, Man of Faith and Orientation for a spot in my top ten. I decided I couldn’t make a top ten list of my favorite LOST episodes with out putting Orientation on it. It has the show-changing qualities of Man of Science, Man of Faith, but with the added bonus of the best John Locke and Jack Shephard scenes of the whole series. That’s not even mentioning the fact that we are introduced to the Dharma Initiative. Definitely some of the finest LOST there has ever been.
9. The Candidate (Season 6)
As far as I’m concerned the first Act of LOST was Season 1, Act two was Seasons 2-5 and Season 6 was the third Act. The Candidate was the moment when the third Act was coming to a monumental close. Compared to any other Season there was so much by way of story when it came to Season 6, but that was nothing compared to the events of The Candidate. The board was set and the pieces were moving towards the inevitable end. The Candidate is simply breath-taking and that’s all there is to it.
8. The Constant (Season 4)
The Constant is widely considered to be the greatest of all LOST episodes. It’s easy to see why that is. It has the same science-fiction/fantasy properties that you’d expect from a classic episode while being just as beautifully character-driven as any other flawlessly made LOST episode. The Phone Call at the end is one of the best moments in LOST history. Desmond Hume, even over Hurley, could easily be considered the most likable LOST character and this is definitely a shining moment. The Constant deserves all the praise it gets.
7. Ab Aeterno (Season 6)
Upon the first view of this enthralling episode, I was simply blown away. I instantly knew that it was one of the greatest hours of LOST I had ever seen and I stand by that thought. Ab Aeterno had it all. It took the fascinating island mystery that was Richard Alpert and gave him the classic character development the way only a LOST episode could tell it. Then it expanded on the broad mythology of Jacob, the Man in Black and the Island itself. All LOST episodes are great, but rarely did they ever reach the heights they were able to reach in Ab Aeterno.
6. The Brig (Season 3)
LOST is flawless in the way it seamlessly combines elements of character and the magic of story together. The Brig has the magic you’d find in any other LOST episode, but it also manages to tell the greatest singularly character-driven story in the series. It is my favorite episode that centers around my favorite character, John Locke. Locke gets the help needed to face his demons from another awesome character who needed to face his own demons. The first time you see the episode it’s easy to see how fantastic it iss, but watch it again and it will be hard not to realize it’s one of the best episodes of the series.
5. What They Died For (Season 6)
I could understand many people reading this and thinking that this is an unusual pick for my top 5. I could understand that thought. It certainly doesn’t get the praise of many other episodes, but that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t. Season 6 is the best Season. LOST, in all of its beauty and glory, had been working up to this one Season and even though I loved every moment of LOST before it, by the end I could easily say that as a whole Season 6 was my favorite. What They Died For is definitive Season 6 and it sets up for a series finale perfectly. Frankly, this is as good as season finale should be and it was merely setting up for one.
4. Live Together, Die Alone (Season 2)
This was such a beautifully shining moment for LOST. This was the end of what I believed would be my favorite Season. After this episode, I never thought I’d watch better LOST. I was mistaken, but this episode still never ceases to amaze. Not only does the episode wrap up the two most interesting aspects of my second favorite Season, the Swan Station and Henry Gale, it does so by way of a Desmond Hume episode.
Every episode based on Desmond is one for the history books. Flashes Before Your Eyes is fantastic, Catch-22, Jughead and of course the fan favorite The Constant. They’re all great. They don’t compare to this though if only for the way that like all the season finales, it focuses on a lot of the on-island characters as well, specifically a loss of faith from none other than John Locke. There is just no denying this episodes value.
3. Through the Looking Glass (Season 3)
When you read practically any list involving the episodes of LOST, the number 1 spot is almost always one of three episodes; Walkabout, The Constant or Through the Looking Glass. Of course all three are on the list, how could they not be? Of those three though, it wasn’t a hard choice at all. And, no, this episode isn’t just amazing because it has may have the greatest cliffhanger in a show full of great cliffhangers.
Through the Looking Glass is an incredible showcasing of the characters we’ve followed for a while now and the realization that their plight to escape the Island may actually come true. It’s vastly entertaining throughout and the reveal at the end that we haven’t just been watching another Jack Shephard flash-back episode is just the frosting on an already delicious cake. I haven’t even mentioned the fact that it holds one of the most memorable and touching deaths of the series.
2. The Incident (Season 5)
Up to this point, nothing even came close to how important this episode was. The Incident actually managed to, five Seasons in, be better than anything prior. In just the average time-span of a Season finale for LOST, The Incident made you realize just how colossal the story of LOST really is. It’s beautiful to see where these characters we know and love have gotten, but in terms of story, nothing we’d seen prior could even touch upon what The Incident did for the show.
It all starts right from the get-go. The opening conversation between two characters we had never met before was miraculous, if not slightly confusing. The 1970s and Jack’s attempts at detonating a hydrogen bomb offered that rich entertainment you’d expect from a Season finale of LOST. Then it all leads to the most insane reveal in the series that John Locke actually did die and we then have the greatest scene in all of LOST, the moment when it’s who they chess players are and who the pawns are. “Indeed I did. And you have no idea what I’ve gone through to be here.”
1. The End (Season 6)
There was never a shred of doubt as to whether or not this episode would be right here at number 1. The final episode of LOST, The End, was the greatest episode of the entire series. After being completely captivated by Season 5 and The Incident, you could say that I had some high expectations for the sixth and final Season. I had been glued to the television set for five years feeling as though I were on this journey with these characters.
I was hard, even when you were being completely entertained, not to sit and wonder exactly where it would all lead. Would this masterpiece of a show get the ending it deserves? Season 6 did not disappoint what so ever. It was the greatest Season of them all and it all led to a single episode simple titled, The End. And that’s exactly what it was. It was hard to believe, but this was it, this was the end.
In just one final episode, LOST, in a very epic fashion, closed the book on the catastrophic poetry that Season had been working with from the beginning involving Jacob and the Man in Black, all while allowing us to sit back and realize what a wonder LOST truly was. To the people who truly cared about the characters and events in LOST, this episode could not have been better. Not every question needs to be answered. The mystery of LOST is just one of the many things that make it the greatest television show ever to be aired. In terms of episodes, nothing was as extraordinary as The End because it was the perfect ending to the perfect story.
I was always thinking about making this list, but I never took the time to coherently think about it. This was probably the easiest list I’ve ever made. I never saw much point because I knew it wouldn’t be that difficult to realize what films I want to see more than the others in a year that may go down in history as one of the greatest. Well with out much more introduction I’d like to just get into it. These are my most anticipated movies of 2012…
10. Seven Psychopaths
Martin McDonagh is the writer and director of In Bruges, a unique film that finds a brilliant balance between comedy and drama and a film I’m actually a huge fan of. Seven Psychopaths sounds even more promising. It has something to do with screenplay writing, assassination, and dog-napping. It also stars Colin Farrell, Christopher Walken, Sam Rockwell, and Woody Harrelson. I can’t wait.
9. Lincoln
Just the idea of Steven Spielberg making a biopic about arguably the most important President in American history sounds great. Add to that the fact that my favorite actor, Daniel Day-Lewis, is playing the titular character. Also Joseph Gordon-Levitt is playing his son. This almost seems to good to be true. I don’t know much about this Lincoln movie at all, but I do know I am unbelievably excited to see it.
8. Skyfall
I absolutely love Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace, there aren’t that many movies that offer as much fun as those two movies do. Skyfall is the sequel and one that sounds downright incredible. The story sounds more personal, Ralph Fiennes is involved and the villain is played by Javier Bardem. Daniel Craig is fantastic as the James Bond crafted for a more realistic and gritty world and Skyfall will be awesome.
7. Only God Forgives
Drive was my favorite movie of 2011 and without question one of my favorites ever made. Nicolas Winding Refn and Ryan Gosling make an amazing team. Only God Forgives is a film directed by Nicolas Winding Refn and it stars Ryan Gosling. It tells some type of story involving cops, criminals and a thai-boxing match. I don’t know much, but it interests me and I could know nothing about the story and still need to see it.
6. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
The Lord of the Rings offers up one of the greatest stories ever told. The Hobbit is the prequel to that very story and obviously I can’t wait to see it. I do already know that The Hobbit is no The Lord of the Rings, but it is a story that expands upon a universe that I love dearly. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey will be spectacular and it’s unbelievable that I’m only able to put it at number 4. Any other year and this could’ve easily been number 1 on this list.
5. The Master
The Master may be the movie on this list I know the least about, but it’s also one of the ones I’m most excited about. Paul Thomas Anderson is one the greatest crafters of film who ever existed. The Master is a movie that examines religion and studies a sort of L. Ron Hubbard character. Had it been another director the film might not have interested me. As a Paul Thomas Anderson movie I can already see all the pieces falling into place.
4. Looper
This movie should be much higher on this list, but 2012 is going to be an extraordinary year for movies. Rian Johnson is a fantastic director, I know this and he’s only directed two movies. Both The Brothers Bloom and Brick are masterpieces. They’re innovative, incredibly written and the directing is brilliant. Looper is Rian Johnson’s next movie and like Brick it stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt. If Looper is anything like his previous works, I’m in for one hell of a treat.
3. Prometheus
This is actually the movie that inspired me to just finally sit down and make this list. There was never a question as to what my top 2 on this list would be, but it was the newest trailer for Prometheus that made me realize how potentially perfect of a year for films 2012 could be. I practically know nothing about the story at hand here, but this looks like genre-defining stuff, truly. Ridley Scott showed what sci-fi movies could be with Alien and Blade Runner and now with Prometheus it looks like he may be doing the same thing, but with the technology we have now. If this reaches its potential, I don’t know if we’ll be able to handle it.
2. Django Unchained
At first I was saddened by the fact that I had to use the picture that I did, but then I realized that picture is all I would need to understand the necessity to see this movie. Quentin Tarantino is my second favorite writer and director and I look forward to all of his future projects, but with Django Unchained, it’s not just the fact that it’s a Quentin Tarantino movie.
The film stars Jaime Foxx, Christoph Waltz (a piece of casting that would get me to see any movie), Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Kurt Russell and Leonardo DiCaprio as villain Calvin Candie. Let me repeat that: Leonardo DiCaprio is playing a villain. That’s another fact that would easily get me to see a movie. Now let’s discuses the fact that Django Unchained is also going to be a spaghetti western, a genre that Quentin Tarantino was born to put his own style on.
1. The Dark Knight Rises
I have literally never and I mean never looked forward to a movie as much as I have The Dark Knight Rises. There was never a question as to what movie would be number 1 on this list. If I had to choose between watching between watching The Dark Knight Rises and watching any other movie that has ever existed and ever will exist I would choose The Dark Knight Rises and I would be able to decide that in seconds.
The Dark Knight Rises is the final film in my favorite series of films and in that way, I have never wanted to see a movie more than I have this one. It’s got all the same actors playing the same great characters and plenty of other casting decisions that’ll make for what should be able to stack right up there with The Dark Knight. Its got Marion Cotillard, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Liam Neeson, Anne Hathaway and the brilliant Tom Hardy as the main antagonist, Bane.
Christopher Nolan is one of the greatest filmmakers of all time. In terms of originality, the movies he makes are nothing short of inspiring. The emotion, magic and potent storytelling that Nolan offers up in the Dark Knight Legend he’s been crafting is simply perfection. Christopher Nolan has never let me down and there’s no way he’s going to let me down with the sequel to my favorite movie that has ever been made. Not only is The Dark Knight Rises my most anticipated movie of 2012, it’s my most anticipated movie of all time.
With just the creation of six films, Paul Thomas Anderson has solidified himself as one of the greatest directors in existence. If his career in filmmaking were to end right now it would still be one the most enigmatic, beautiful, poignant and spectacular careers that will have ever been crafted. I could watch any one of his six films at any time and be completely happy. He’s made six spectacular films, five of which I would consider masterpieces and that’s all there is to it. This is a list celebrating him and his illustrious career.
6. Hard Eight
It just amazes me that I’m putting Hard Eight last on my list. This is how you debut a career in filmmaking. Anderson regular, Philip Baker Hall, gives his career best performance as protagonist Sydney with John C. Reilly doing just as great as usual. It’s completely consistent of Anderson to have rich and incredibly-well written characters. You’ll find exactly those kind of characters in Hard Eight. I would expect nothing but a truly spectacular movie from Anderson and that’s exactly what my least favorite Paul Thomas Anderson movie is.
5. Magnolia
Paul Thomas Anderson was quoted as to saying that for better or worse Magnolia will probably be the best film he’ll ever make. Where as I hate to disagree with such a genius, I do. Magnolia is just as much of a masterpiece as my top three on this list, but I did have to decide on an order and this is where Magnolia falls for me. This examination of life and the oddities there in is nothing short of breathtaking. The film offers one of the greatest ensemble casts ever and it goes without saying, but the direction is outlandishly good. Magnolia simply proves that Anderson is a director without boundaries.
4. Boogie Nights
With Boogie Nights, Paul Thomas Anderson offers a movie that is as character-driven and riveting as Raging Bull, almost as epic as Apocalypse Now and as fun as your average Quentin Tarantino movie. That’s quite a feat on its own, but when you add the fact that it’s a film tracking the rise and fall of the porn industry between the 70s and 80s, the idea of it is rather ridiculous. Boogie Nights tells a timeless tale and does so with unrelenting gusto. It’s hard not to be seduced by the world that Anderson has laid out in front of you and once I was consumed by it, I was left speechless right up until the credits rolled. Boogie Nights is an extravaganza of the things that make for a truly classic film and the best way to describe the experience is unforgettable.
3. Punch-Drunk Love
Punch-Drunk Love offers up one of the greatest cinematic love stories ever told and one as only Paul Thomas Anderson could tell. It definitely does not need to be said, but I’ll say it anyways; this is by far Adam Sandler’s best performance and none of his movies even come close to being as fantastic. Punch-Drunk Love tells such a beautiful story of contempt and the defying ability of love, that the idea of artful direction could fall as a moot point. Instead Paul Thomas Anderson takes the beautiful story he’s crafted for himself and creates the masterpiece that it truthfully deserved to be. Punch-Drunk Love usually falls by the wayside and is eclipsed by his other films, but I love the film and I always will.
2. The Master
The Master tells the tale of a confused and troubled man, a drifter, who’s looking for his way after World War II. The drama ensues with a chance meeting with Lancaster Dodd. That is his name, but it becomes apparent that the title more often used to refer to Dodd is “Master”. He is an enigmatic man, he’s likable, he’s articulate, and there’s a sense of power to him. He is the master of his own religious movement. However, this eloquent tale deals with a lot broader themes than just religion.
The Master is a masterpiece. It’s Anderson’s sixth and latest film and at this point it’s as if I can expect nothing less than a masterpiece from this brilliant artist. The always spectacular Joaquin Phoenix gives his career best performance as Freddie Quell, while Lancaster Dodd is also portrayed flawlessly by Philip Seymour Hoffman. The film centers around the relationship of these two characters. One is a leader and one is a follower and the two characters are utilized to tell a chilling and beautiful tale of obedience and control.
1. There Will Be Blood
Paul Thomas Anderson is a master of his craft and one of my favorite directors working today, but it’s with There Will Be Blood where he proves himself to be one the greatest directors of all time. Some may call Punch-Drunk Love his best and I could see a lot (or most) of people calling either Boogie Nights or Magnolia his best. No matter how much I love Anderson’s other masterpieces, there was never a doubt in my mind that I would call There Will Be Blood his best film.
In Paul Thomas Anderson’s magnum opus you’ll find the greatest character study ever put on film. The word ruthless was never as evident than when the character Daniel Plainview was on screen (which was practically the entirety of the film). He’s conniving, cruel, vindictive, monstrous, and he’s the protagonist. Daniel Plainview is a character so gloriously layered and so distinctively dissected that only a truly masterful performance would have sufficed. Daniel Day-Lewis offers that and more in one of the greatest performances in the history of film.
There Will Be Blood is extraordinary in every sense of the word. It is the most flawless film in Anderson’s career of spectacular movies. Every detail is meticulously slaved over and what results is a film that is gorgeous in its scope and a masterpiece that showcases film as the art form it is. There Will Be Blood is above all else, a perfect movie that serves as a testament to the true prowess of its creator.
There will also be a special place in my heart for the Gangster genre because it was films like Goodfellas and The Godfather (among other movies on this list, but I don’t want to give the whole thing away) that in all honesty got me into the art of film in general. When done right a good gangster movie is filled with rich and vibrant characters, stories and pieces of dialogue. This is my list of the best Gangster movies I’ve ever had the honor to watch.
Before getting into this, I’d like to clarify what I mean by Gangster movie. I considered any movie that involves gangsters driving the central drama of the film. That means I could use movies that didn’t necessarily star gangsters as the protagonists. For the list, I could use movies like The Untouchables and The Usual Suspects because even though the main characters weren’t mobsters, there would be no drama with out them. I could however not use a movie like The Dark Knight because even though gangsters play a part, they most certainly do not propel the plot of the film. Well, here we go…
10. The Untouchables
There were a lot of movies battling for this tenth spot; Miller’s Crossing almost made it, as did Gangs of New York and if I had an eleventh slot on this list it would be the complex drug drama, Layer Cake. It ended up being The Untouchables if only for how gratifyingly fun the movie can be from beginning to end. Robert De Niro is fantastic as the antagonist, but what makes this one of my favorite gangster movies is Sean Connery as Malone.
9. True Romance
True Romance is a beautiful love story as only Quentin Tarantino could write it. It’s filled with violence, course language, drugs, tense scenes (particularly one of my favorites in film including Dennis Hopper and Christopher Walken), but at it’s heart it is a full fledged love story. It was unfortunately not directed by the man himself, but his brilliant writing is all there making True Romance undoubtedly one of the most incredible stories of crime ever told.
8. RockNRolla
Other than the sequel to Sherlock Holmes, I’ve loved every movie Guy Ritchie has ever made. It goes without saying that Snatch is just an awesome movie, while Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels is even better, but for me my favorite will always be RockNRolla. It has all the fast-paced direction and zest of any other Guy Ritchie movie, but with the added bonus of the greatest and most compelling characters Guy Ritchie has ever created.
7. A Prophet
A Prophet is simply a magnificent film that never fails to captivate. What sets A Prophet above most other crime dramas is a sense of brutality and realism. A Prophet is unbelievably epic and from beginning to end, it never fails to leave you speechless from scene to scene. And it’s not just the tense violence the director never fears or fails to utilize, but also the tense and dramatic scenes that propels the beautiful plot of a man raising through the ranks in a crime-driven French prison.
6. The Usual Suspects
I don’t think much needs to be said about The Usual Suspects and that right there is a testament to how truly spectacular of film it is. The writing is unbelievably intelligent and never spoon feeds you. While The Usual Suspects is an enjoyable and fascinating tale of thieves and criminal masterminds, it is also an enthralling mystery. It’s the kind of film you have to pay attention to. You have to take the time to examine every detail and by the end, what you find is simply an incredible film.
5. Goodfellas
Martin Scorsese is one of the greatest directors who ever lived and Goodfellas is just one of the many films that showcase his prowess. Goodfellas is a masterpiece through and through and while never failing to be completely entertaining, it tells a tremendous tale that envelops everything you’d ever want to know about a life of crime. Ray Liotta is fantastic, Robert De Niro is just as amazing as ever and Joe Pesci gives an Oscar-worthy performance. It’s Scorsese that deserves the most praise for directing such an amazing movie.
4. The Godfather (Part I+II)
I’ve always had a constant argument with myself as to what I loved more the first two Godfather films or Goodfellas. It wasn’t until just recently when I realized that I have to give it to The Godfather (Part I+II) if only for its beautifully epic tale of not only crime, but also family, loyalty and change. Francis Ford Coppola, with the first two Godfathers, creates one of the greatest movies of all time. It would be an absolute sin not to put The Godfather (Part I+II) on a list of my favorite gangster movies in existence. I mean, it’s The Godfather!
3. Drive
There was a dilemma for me on whether or not I should put Drive on this list. Yes, Drive is so much more than a gangster movie, but without the involvement of organized crime the film would have nothing to drive the plot or our protagonist to do the things he does. Drive is, to put it as plainly as possible, extraordinary.It’s the retro feel, it’s the tremendous music, it’s the stylized violence, it’s the minimized dialogue, it’s the spellbinding direction that takes its time to tell its story, and it’s the way that regardless of how much tension, action and blood is in the movie, it never fails to have a pleasant moment of realistic affection. Drive is a profound film in its flawless creation and its relentless entertainment.
2. The Departed
It’s practically unbelievable that Martin Scorsese has made as many masterpieces as he has. He made the raw and rugged Raging Bull, he made the grotesque and hellish Taxi Driver and he even made another entry on this list, Goodfellas, but The Departed is Scorsese’s magnum opus. There are a lot of different opinions as to what Scorsese’s best movies are and that’s understandable, but for me it’s The Departed and I seriously doubt that will ever change. Scorsese holds nothing back, he pulls all the punches and the result is something miraculous. The Departed tells a fantastic intertwining tale of cops, criminals and grit. It is and forever will be a masterpiece.
1. Pulp Fiction
Take what may be the greatest writing in cinematic history, a handful of characters that individually could have their own movies centered around them, the direction of a mastermind, some of the stories that inspired said mastermind to make movies in general and then throw in that magical twist that Tarantino adds to all of his films and what you get is the greatest gangster film in existence. Pulp Fiction is and will always be one of my favorite movies that will ever be created.
What Pulp Fiction offers isn’t just beautiful, but refreshingly original. And this originality isn’t in the case of the stories that are being intertwined, the film is original in the way that the stories are told and the characters that are being followed. In Pulp Fiction, what you get are days in the lives of the kind of low-lives you wouldn’t expect to see as protagonists whether they be a pair of talky hit men, the wife of a crime boss, a low-rent boxer or even a couple whose hobby is robbing restaurants and liquor stores.
With Pulp Fiction, Quentin Tarantino taps into a the vein that is the gangster genre to make something truly extraordinary. Pulp Fiction offers an experience that is nothing short of breathtaking from start to finish. Every single aspect of Tarantino’s crime masterpiece is not only a gorgeous piece of art, but it’s also a consistently entertaining piece of pulp. It is one of the greatest movies ever made and nothing short of the greatest gangster movie of all time.
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