Part V: 20-1; Creme de la Creme Homie.

This is it. The top 20. feel free to hate, to comment, to berate, to congratulate, whatever. is it perfect? absolutely not, but i did what i could, and really, i'm pretty satisfied about the whole thing. These top 20 are all films that i either a.) love to a ridiculous extent, or b.) recognize as so unbelievably great that there's really not much of a point of discussing it all that much. at any rate, i could write an entire post about each and every one of these films, so i'll try my best to keep this to a reasonable length.

20. Heat (1995) - 89% on RT, 8.2 (#135) on IMDB

michael mann's tour de force. a true achievement in cinema. this 3 hour crime epic brings together two titans of cinema, deniro and pacino, before they became caricatures of themselves, in an epic show down that shows the men on differing sides of the law really aren't all that different. deniro plays a master thief, pacino, an obsessed detective, the men realize they really have more in common than either would like to admit. killmer, voight, sizemore and ashley judd are all terrific in supporting roles, but what makes this film is the direction. listen to those gunshots. this film is visceral and real. and where else can you find a downtown LA machine gun shootout that looks and feels so real? this is just an awesome, awesome movie, well worth the time investment. a true achievement for all parties involved.


19. Platoon (1986) - 86% on RT, 8.2 (#142) on IMDB

truly one of my all-time favorite films. i have watched the shit out of this movie again and again, and will continue to do so. oliver stone himself dropped out of yale and enlisted in the army, signing up for combat infantry duty in the jungles of vietnam. hard-hitting, relentless, devastating and brilliant, this film is the perfect war movie. it shows it characters, warts and all, not as heroes, but as people, people who are afraid, who change, who make mistakes. an unbelievable cast (charlie sheen, tom berenger, john c. mcginley, forest whitaker) just adds to the believability and absurdity of the whole vietnam experience. oliver stone paints a haunting vision of vietnam and what it was, one that pulls no punches and manages to teach without preaching, something so rare in filmmaking today. this took home a best picture statuette, among others, and deservedly so. everytime i go back to platoon, it has something new to offer. oh yeah, my favorite part about this film: the letters that taylor narrates are letters that oliver stone actually wrote to his grandmother when he was in the 'nam.


18. Fargo (1996) - 93% on RT, 8.3 (#120) on IMDB

a man, deeply in debt, whose business is in trouble, hires two goons to kidnap his own wife in an effort to extort ransom money from his wealth father in law. a convoluted series of events ensues. funny, quirky and violent with a great plot, great dialogue and some terrific performances, especially from francis mcdormand, who brought home best actress for her role as a pregnant sheriff's deputy trying to solve the crime. this is probably the coen bros.' best film, and one of the best films of the '90's. fargo has a lot to offer, and is really artfully done.


17. Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980) - 97% on RT, 8.8 (#10) on IMDB

easily, and i mean EASILY the best of this legendary film franchise that has somehow made george lucas both a god and an enemy to the nerd community. this film is morally and emotionally enthralling, something that escapes the rest of the franchise. luke skywalker goes to be trained as a jedi, and the empire attempts to crush the rebellion, nearly succeeding. this is a film that succeeds alongside of its visual achievements, not because of like other sci-fi films. the placement, this high, of this film speaks to the impact that star wars has had on me, and the realization that this film stands head and shoulders above all the rest. i love love love this movie. just a damn good time.


16. Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964) - 100% on RT, 8.7 (#26) on IMDB

ways to know someone is a master at their craft: they take something deadly serious (see: the prospect of nuclear war in 1964) and make a satirical comedy out of the whole thing. this film truly does a great job at sending up the absurdity of the whole cold war, and the idiots running the show. (gee, how much has really changed?) a flawless film with some amazing performances, especially out of peter sellers, with his many faces. a film that stands up incredibly well as one of the all time greats, even after all these years.


15. American Beauty (1999) - 89% on RT, 8.6 (#36) on IMDB

a terrific, beautifully made, terrifically acted send up of american life and mindless suburban nonsense. a funny, insightful film, sam mendes' big-screen debut won best picture for a reason. a man (kevin spacey in a career-defining role) who hates his life decides to turn his life around as his world unravels around him. the characters, while exaggerated, are recognizable as people we all know, and this film is disturbing for just how damn close it hits to home. the narrative is sharp, the satire stinging, and the visuals gorgeous. amazing performances, especially from spacey, annette bening and chris cooper. striking, brilliant use of color. this is a film i keep going back to, and lester burnham is one of the great characters of the past 20 years.


14. Braveheart (1995) - 76% on RT, 8.4 (#102) on IMDB

"every man dies, not every man truly lives" a truly, truly terrific film. probably the weirdest thing about it is that the #1 emotion i feel after watching it is regret that i have nothing comparable to live/die for today. amazing battle scenes and beautiful cinematography, this film has a lot of heart and spirit. gibson is terrific both in front of and behind the camera, and this spirited epic, despite its multiple historical inaccuracies, depicts the essence of the man and the legend who inspired a nation. if braveheart is ever on tv, i know what i'm doing for the next three hours.


13. The Departed (2006) - 92% on RT, 8.5 (#52) on IMDB

please please please don't watch this on FX and then judge it. this is modern american filmmaking at its best. funny, violent, profane, gritty and real, the departed is the only remake to win "best picture" (it's a remake of "Infernal Affairs"). nicholson is a force of nature on screen, really a great villain, and damon, dicaprio, wahlberg, sheen, baldwin and winstone all shine. engrossing, with great cinematography, performances, soundtrack, directing and a terrific screenplay. this is one of the best 2 or 3 films i've ever seen in the theater. awesome dialogue, with a great, tense plot, this is one of those films i've watched at least 30 times, and i don't see that stopping anytime soon. come for jack, stay for everyone else. no one does cops and robbers better than martin scorsese.


12. L.A. Confidential (1997) - 99% on RT, 8.4 (#65) on IMDB

an absolutely STACKED cast combines with artful direction and a terrific plot to make one of the best films of the past 20 years. just a perfect example of what can happen when an ensemble cast all bring it with a great story. a great homage to hollywood of old, in terms of the noir-ish plot, the setting/set design and the narrative style. kevin spacey (pre-american beauty), guy pearce, russell crowe (pre-gladiator), james cromwell and kim basinger all bring their a-games. three very different cops join forces and dig a little too deep as a murder mystery unravels to prove to be so much more, and winds up bringing the whole city down. just lose yourself in this film and love every minute of it, i give it my highest possible recommendation.


11. Children of Men (2006) - 92% on RT, 8.1 (#186) on IMDB

a beautiful, unsettling, gritty, authentic and disturbing look at the dystopia. in the near future, women have stopped having children, the world's youngest citizen has just died at age 18, and mankind faces its impending extinction. this film does a wonderful job, sociology-wise, of depicting the hopelessness and despair such a situation would bring to society, and you really feel the dread. society teeters on the brink of collapse, and humanity's only hope lies in a teenaged african immigrant prostitute who by some miracle is pregnant. clive owen is perfect, julianne moore is great, and michael caine steals every scene he's in. the apartment building scene will blow your mind... that's all i'm going to say about it. this film will leave you speechless and with plenty to think about. a truly beautiful film.


10. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) - 94% on RT, 8.8 (#14) on IMDB

just as artfully done and beautifully put together as the other parts of this greatest trilogy in film, but so unbelievably epic its not even funny. this film is epic on a scale that braveheart could only dream of. the war for middle earth comes to a head, and the battle of minas tirith features some of the craziest shit ever put on film. it truly is unbelievable that peter jackson and co. managed to translate the greatest books in fantasy history to film, let alone in something as truly outstanding as this. there's a reason this film took home so many oscars, it really is a crowning achievement in film. a fitting end to an outstanding series. the only thing keeping this film out of the top 5 is the ridiculously boring last half hour, that i understand was necessary for the narrative, but really is anti-climatic.


9. Taxi Driver (1976) - 100% on RT, 8.6 (#37) on IMDB

rumor has it that scorsese read doestoevsky's "notes from underground" and then made taxi driver. it definitely seems that's the case, and if so, this is one of the great updates of all time. the first time i saw this film was in a philosophy class, and needless to say, it stuck with me like you wouldn't believe. fascinating narrative take here... every single scene is seen through travis bickle's eyes, so you kind of forget about how fucked up he really is and how skewed and out of whack his worldview, priorities and motivations are. it really makes for an interesting experience, bickle becomes your moral center, so you completely lose sight of what he's actually doing and find yourself rooting for his ass as he devotes himself to his mission of "cleansing". robert deniro gives one of the great performances of all time... you really can see how unstable his character is through deniro's eyes. at times its painful to watch, but you literally can't look away.


8. Lawrence of Arabia (1962) - 98% on RT, 8.6 (#39) on IMDB

peter o'toole, in another one of those performances that absolutely must be mentioned as one for the ages. this film is perfect on every level. unbelievable cinematography and direction, great acting from the leads (o'toole, alec guinness, omar sharif). the scope of this film is outstanding... it feels as epic as anything made since, and all of that was without the benefit of computer effects. the true story of british officer t.e. lawrence who united the arab tribes against the turks in WW1, this film is especially prescient today. powerful without being preachy, this is a film that presents rather than tells, that tells the story of a great man in great times, and truly has a lot to offer today, some 47 years later.


7. The Godfather (1972) - 100% on RT, 9.1 (#2) on IMDB

every once in a while a film comes around that just leaves its mark on american culture and completely changes the game for everything that comes after it. a couple of films come to mind, but none more so than the godfather. one of the truly great achievements, culturally, critically, artistically in the history of film. truly, truly a perfect film, on every level. the story of a prized and beloved son who comes home for a wedding and is forced by circumstances to take over his father's crime empire. really a look at american culture and the mafia. beautifully and artfully done on every level. some amazing performances here, especially brando, but everyone is outstanding. brando's performance in this film made me truly start to appreciate actors for their craft. i'd list the ways in which this film impacted our culture, but really, i don't think we have that much time.


6. The Shawshank Redemption (1994) - 89% on RT, 9.2 (#1) on IMDB

if i can think of example #1 of "travesties" w/ the academy... it would be forrest gump beating out shawshank for best picture. a powerful film that will stay with you, really one of those films that transcends age, race, social status and other biographical information to just be straight up outstanding. a story of hope, friendship and redemption in the strangest of places, a maximum security prison. a pair of outstanding performances from robbins and freeman and some dark/ambiguous moments make this film rise above the sappy and sentimental territory it tiptoes around and become something truly powerful and valuable. i've watched this film quite a bit lately, and it always offers something new. it's sad, it's funny, it's powerful, it's... well, in a word, amazing.


5. Pulp Fiction (1994) - 96% on RT, 8.9 (#5) on IMDB

this is THE film that made me love film. pulp fiction truly changed my life. unbelievably cool, unbelievably stylish, with incredible dialogue, some great performances, and a plot that somehow all comes together. really, the only negative i have with this movie is butch's annoying ass girlfriend ("will you give me oral pleasure?") it's not a stretch to say i've watched this movie 100 times... and i may just watch it 100 more before it's all said and done. at 2:45 long.. that's nothing to sneeze at, but this movie is that fucking good, and that fucking fun. every single scene has a lot to offer, the soundtrack is perfect... and this movie just oozes cool. there will never be another pulp fiction.


4. City of God/Cidade de Deus (2002) - 92% on RT, 8.8 (#17) on IMDB

a young man with connections to the street gangs of rio becomes the man on the beat with the inside information in this tale of the street violence, drugs and chaos on the streets of paradise. this is a beautifully done, amazing film. some outstanding performances from a bunch of kids and unknowns, this film is worth the time and effort, believe me. think "the wire", in rio de janerio, with more characterization of the primary players. a great story of growing up, friendship, and a look at the horrible realities of street crime in the slums of one of the world's most beautiful cities. a dark, yet extremely rewarding experience, this is truly an amazing film. i first watched it on a whim b/c it was the highest ranked of the IMDB top 250 that I hadn't seen... and it's stuck with me ever since. i cannot more highly recommend a film.


3. Godfather: Part II (1974) - 98% on RT, 9.0 (#3) on IMDB

undoubtedly the greatest sequel in cinematic history, this film, in my opinion, manages to exceed its predecessor, no small feat when we're talking about the godfather. the addition of the story of vito's rise from immigrant to crime baron accompanying michael's rise to national crime figure is enthralling. amazing, powerful performances, especially from robert deniro. i love the international scope of this film, profiling the depth of the mafia's involvement in world affairs and the details of vito's rise. plain and simple, this is an unbelievable film... and one that has so much to offer.. somehow 200 minutes long, but too damn short if you ask me. this film works on both a facial, literal level, and on a deeper, more figurative level (not that godfather I doesn't.) ... and i love it for that. i could watch this story all day.


2. Goodfellas (1990) - 96% on RT, 8.8 (#15) on IMDB

that scene above is one of the most legendary shots in the history of cinema. all one take. scorsese's masterpiece, and probably the best film of all time (let's be honest, #1 is a sentimental favorite of mine). call me crazy, but i prefer the smaller scope and regular joe feel of "goodfellas" to the grandiose scope and feel of the godfather films. liotta, deniro, and pesci all bring the goods... this film is eminently quotable, a lot of fun, and real as hell. a lot of amazing shots in this one, and some of the great characters, scenes and stories in all of cinema. this is another one of those films that i watch, re-watch, talk about, and re-watch again. i can't get enough goodfellas.


1. Road to Perdition (2002) - 82% on RT, 7.8 on IMDB

as should be obvious by its place on this list... this is my all-time favorite movie. i love, love, love it. no matter how close the bonds, blood is thicker than water. what are the only criticisms i've ever heard of it? something along the lines of "tom hanks wasn't believable as a mafia hitman"... listen, just because you can't buy america's golden boy as a bad guy doesn't mean it doesn't work. people used to say a black man couldn't be president also i believe. we usually call that prejudice. hanks is perfect for what michael sullivan needs to be. a cold-blooded bastard with tenderness when it comes to his family. an amazing cast, hanks, paul newman in his last on-screen role, jude law, daniel craig. one of the best directors in the game in sam mendes. beautifully, artistically shot, terrifically acted, and plain and simple, an amazing story. i'm a sucker for the father/son stories.. and this is a doozy. this film never fails to make me cry like a baby... and there's something amazing and beautiful about that. if you haven't seen this film, do it... for me. you won't regret it.