55 great movies with explanations why they are great
by cmccartney257 | created - 01 May 2012 | updated - 02 May 2012 | PublicThese are 55 of the best movies I have seen. Please note that I have not seen every movie (Fight Club, Godfather, etc are next on my "to watch" list) so an omission of a movie doesn't mean that I dislike it. It might though. I will add more to this list shortly.
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1. Misery (1990)
R | 107 min | Drama, Thriller
After a famous author is rescued from a car crash by a fan of his novels, he comes to realize that the care he is receiving is only the beginning of a nightmare of captivity and abuse.
Director: Rob Reiner | Stars: James Caan, Kathy Bates, Richard Farnsworth, Frances Sternhagen
Votes: 235,823 | Gross: $61.28M
One of the most simple King adaptions out there, which is why it is so entertaining. You don't see some of the convoluted stuff that makes sense in a 1,000 page novel but doesn't translate well to film. Instead, you have a basic story of a nice man getting held hostage by a deranged baby killer/#1 fan. It's every author's worst nightmare. There are no wasted scenes here and Wilkes' psychotic nature is built up slowly. This film was an effective character study, too: I love how Wilkes noticed her penguin was facing the wrong way and from there figured out that Caan had been sneaking out of his room.
2. Rear Window (1954)
PG | 112 min | Mystery, Thriller
A wheelchair-bound photographer spies on his neighbors from his Greenwich Village courtyard apartment window and, despite the skepticism of his fashion-model girlfriend, becomes convinced one of them has committed murder.
Director: Alfred Hitchcock | Stars: James Stewart, Grace Kelly, Wendell Corey, Thelma Ritter
Votes: 522,500 | Gross: $36.76M
Another character study movie with a man in a wheelchair getting attacked by a murderer. Enchanting.
Hitchcock's take on the pleasures and dangers of voyeurism was well done because of how balanced it was. Some of the characters (like the man who murdered his wife) were exactly as expected, but some (like the female who appeared to be lonely) turned out to be far different people than what Stewart had observed. Oh, and it's a thrill ride for the final half-hour. It doesn't rely on music or jump scares either.
3. Casino (1995)
R | 178 min | Crime, Drama
In Las Vegas, two best friends - a casino executive and a mafia enforcer - compete for a gambling empire and a fast-living, fast-loving socialite.
Director: Martin Scorsese | Stars: Robert De Niro, Sharon Stone, Joe Pesci, James Woods
Votes: 564,497 | Gross: $42.44M
Great movie all the way through. Managed to be violent without glorifying violence in any way. My one caveat deals with Stone's character...I feel that Stone is a good actress, and Ginger's character was excellent for the first half of the movie, but how often did she have to say "I'm through with you!" to Ace before actually leaving him? Everything else was great, especially Pesci. I liked him here more than in Goodfellas because Nicky was more controlled and brooding than Tommy was.
4. Goodfellas (1990)
R | 145 min | Biography, Crime, Drama
The story of Henry Hill and his life in the mafia, covering his relationship with his wife Karen and his mob partners Jimmy Conway and Tommy DeVito.
Director: Martin Scorsese | Stars: Robert De Niro, Ray Liotta, Joe Pesci, Lorraine Bracco
Votes: 1,258,463 | Gross: $46.84M
Not as similar to Casino as some people make it out to be. I loved Ray Liotta here and felt his acting was on par with De Niro and Pesci. I also loved how the MOB put hits out on its own members because some of them *beep* up after the Lufthansa heist. Would have liked to see the JFK and Lufthansa heists played out, but whaddya gonna do.
5. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
G | 149 min | Adventure, Sci-Fi
After uncovering a mysterious artifact buried beneath the Lunar surface, a spacecraft is sent to Jupiter to find its origins: a spacecraft manned by two men and the supercomputer HAL 9000.
Director: Stanley Kubrick | Stars: Keir Dullea, Gary Lockwood, William Sylvester, Daniel Richter
Votes: 720,150 | Gross: $56.95M
Paced beautifully...a true psychedelic experience for the viewer. Long, but exceedingly entertaining if you pay attention to it throughout. Just don't get distracted while watching this movie.
6. Black Christmas (1974)
R | 98 min | Horror, Mystery, Thriller
During their Christmas break, a group of sorority girls are stalked by a stranger.
Director: Bob Clark | Stars: Olivia Hussey, Keir Dullea, Margot Kidder, John Saxon
Votes: 48,387 | Gross: $4.05M
The first true slasher movie, and one of the best. Though I wonder how Billy got the phone number to the house before actually sneaking inside it (Jess had referred to him as "the moaner" so he had been making calls before going on a killing spree...maybe he DID know one or more of the girls?), the movie grips your attention. It also critiques the inadequacy of the Canadien police force. Well acted, and the phone calls are not easily forgettable.
7. Halloween (1978)
R | 91 min | Horror, Thriller
Fifteen years after murdering his sister on Halloween night 1963, Michael Myers escapes from a mental hospital and returns to the small town of Haddonfield, Illinois to kill again.
Director: John Carpenter | Stars: Donald Pleasence, Jamie Lee Curtis, Tony Moran, Nancy Kyes
Votes: 306,996 | Gross: $47.00M
Man, Myers takes a while to kill off any of the teenagers, doesn't he? But that adds to the suspense...you keep expecting him to strike a teenager, but he never does despite having ample opportunities to do so...until you least expect him to! Well done and well paced.
8. Rat Race (2001)
PG-13 | 112 min | Action, Adventure, Comedy
A Las Vegas casino magnate determined to find a new avenue for wagering sets up a race for money.
Director: Jerry Zucker | Stars: Breckin Meyer, Amy Smart, Whoopi Goldberg, Vince Vieluf
Votes: 123,156 | Gross: $56.62M
I get crucified for this, but I love the comedic timing of this entire movie. I loved the heart sequence, loved Bates and the squirrel bit, loved the ending, loved the music...it was really enjoyable. One of the best silly comedies of all time.
9. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
PG-13 | 178 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
A meek Hobbit from the Shire and eight companions set out on a journey to destroy the powerful One Ring and save Middle-earth from the Dark Lord Sauron.
Director: Peter Jackson | Stars: Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Orlando Bloom, Sean Bean
Votes: 2,008,680 | Gross: $315.54M
The best of the trilogy. Jackson did a nice job of introducing us to the characters slowly and building up to the next two movies while still telling a damn interesting story. Loved the visuals as well.
10. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
PG-13 | 201 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
Gandalf and Aragorn lead the World of Men against Sauron's army to draw his gaze from Frodo and Sam as they approach Mount Doom with the One Ring.
Director: Peter Jackson | Stars: Elijah Wood, Viggo Mortensen, Ian McKellen, Orlando Bloom
Votes: 1,980,809 | Gross: $377.85M
The 2nd one was good, but not great. At times, I felt it was unfocused (too much emphasis was placed on Helm's Deep, which made the Gondor siege slightly less suspenseful for me since I had seen a city of humans get attacked before). I loved this movie and felt the long ending was necessary considering the trials and tribulations the characters had been pu through up until that point. A 10 minute conclusion would have been unsatisfying.
11. Jaws (1975)
PG | 124 min | Adventure, Mystery, Thriller
When a killer shark unleashes chaos on a beach community off Cape Cod, it's up to a local sheriff, a marine biologist, and an old seafarer to hunt the beast down.
Director: Steven Spielberg | Stars: Roy Scheider, Robert Shaw, Richard Dreyfuss, Lorraine Gary
Votes: 660,029 | Gross: $260.00M
A killer animal movie with character development and memorable characters??!? Jaws is a rare breed indeed. I thought too much emphasis was placed on the barrels thrattached to the shark (though I understand they were trying to tire it out) but other than that, this movie was terrific. I liked that they were willing to kill a kid.
12. The Terminator (1984)
R | 107 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
A human soldier is sent from 2029 to 1984 to stop an almost indestructible cyborg killing machine, sent from the same year, which has been programmed to execute a young woman whose unborn son is the key to humanity's future salvation.
Director: James Cameron | Stars: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Michael Biehn, Paul Winfield
Votes: 924,935 | Gross: $38.40M
My favorite movie of all time. The music was great, Arnold was a perfect choice to play the baddie, and the action scenes were terrific. Liked the character development too, even if Sarah is ultimately forgettable. Haven't seen the 2nd one yet, and the 3rd one was adequate.
13. The Incredibles (2004)
PG | 115 min | Animation, Action, Adventure
While trying to lead a quiet suburban life, a family of undercover superheroes are forced into action to save the world.
Director: Brad Bird | Stars: Craig T. Nelson, Samuel L. Jackson, Holly Hunter, Jason Lee
Votes: 809,481 | Gross: $261.44M
Great movie with a surprisingly dark plot. Those machines were intense...the way they studied your every move in battle and used that knowledge against you was impressively intense for a kid's movie. Make no mistake though: Pixar is for everyone.
14. Toy Story 3 (2010)
G | 103 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
The toys are mistakenly delivered to a day-care center instead of the attic right before Andy leaves for college, and it's up to Woody to convince the other toys that they weren't abandoned and to return home.
Director: Lee Unkrich | Stars: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Ned Beatty
Votes: 893,050 | Gross: $415.00M
The first one was very good but not quite great, and I didn't like the 2nd one (didn't find it funny nor did I find it interesting). This, however, was terrific. Loved the opening montage, loved the bittersweet ending, and loved the incinerator sequence. I also liked that Lotso wasn't exactly given a powerful comeuppance at the end...daring of Pixar to not sufficiently punish the antagonist.
15. Life Is Beautiful (1997)
PG-13 | 116 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
When an open-minded Jewish waiter and his son become victims of the Holocaust, he uses a perfect mixture of will, humor and imagination to protect his son from the dangers around their camp.
Director: Roberto Benigni | Stars: Roberto Benigni, Nicoletta Braschi, Giorgio Cantarini, Giustino Durano
Votes: 743,776 | Gross: $57.60M
Bold move, making a comedy/drama about the most shameful chapter in the history of mankind. It turns out damn good, too. The ending was bittersweet...that's good, because a happy ending where everyone survives wouldn't be truthful to the reality that is genocide.
16. The Sixth Sense (1999)
PG-13 | 107 min | Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Malcolm Crowe, a child psychologist, starts treating a young boy, Cole, who encounters dead people and convinces him to help them. In turn, Cole helps Malcolm reconcile with his estranged wife.
Director: M. Night Shyamalan | Stars: Bruce Willis, Haley Joel Osment, Toni Collette, Olivia Williams
Votes: 1,052,182 | Gross: $293.51M
Osment and Willis are fantastic here. Great twist, too.
17. Unbreakable (2000)
PG-13 | 106 min | Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi
A man learns something extraordinary about himself after a devastating accident.
Director: M. Night Shyamalan | Stars: Bruce Willis, Samuel L. Jackson, Robin Wright, Spencer Treat Clark
Votes: 442,191 | Gross: $95.01M
Not sure why M. Night makes many of his subjects vulnerable to water, but hey. Ever since this movie, M. Night has been inconsistent (though I didn't hate The Village, Signs, or Devil).
18. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)
PG | 142 min | Adventure, Family, Fantasy
Harry Potter, Ron and Hermione return to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for their third year of study, where they delve into the mystery surrounding an escaped prisoner who poses a dangerous threat to the young wizard.
Director: Alfonso Cuarón | Stars: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Richard Griffiths
Votes: 692,114 | Gross: $249.36M
IMO, this was the best book of the series and the 2nd best movie. It felt dramatically different from other HP's in that Voldemort was nowhere to be found, giving time for character development, new characters, and a different style of ending to materialize. Loved the dark tone, too.
19. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011)
PG-13 | 130 min | Adventure, Family, Fantasy
Harry, Ron, and Hermione search for Voldemort's remaining Horcruxes in their effort to destroy the Dark Lord as the final battle rages on at Hogwarts.
Director: David Yates | Stars: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Michael Gambon
Votes: 949,240 | Gross: $381.01M
The other Harry Potter that I consider truly great. The ending was perfect, and the Battle for Hogwarts was LOTR-esque. Radcliffe and the underrated Grint were especially good here.
20. Alien (1979)
R | 117 min | Horror, Sci-Fi
The crew of a commercial spacecraft encounters a deadly lifeform after investigating a mysterious transmission of unknown origin.
Director: Ridley Scott | Stars: Sigourney Weaver, Tom Skerritt, John Hurt, Veronica Cartwright
Votes: 951,883 | Gross: $78.90M
Scary as hell. It didn't rush, and LV-426 was fascinating to look at even though mostly shrouded in a sandstorm. Looking forward to Prometheus...who was that guy in the chair on the derelict ship???
21. Aliens (1986)
R | 137 min | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Decades after surviving the Nostromo incident, Ellen Ripley is sent out to re-establish contact with a terraforming colony but finds herself battling the Alien Queen and her offspring.
Director: James Cameron | Stars: Sigourney Weaver, Michael Biehn, Carrie Henn, Paul Reiser
Votes: 763,730 | Gross: $85.16M
Less of a horror film and more of an action flick. Highly entertaining, though the "twist" ending resembled Alien and Cameron's Terminator too much. Liked the Vietnam background, with the aliens serving as a substitute for the NVA and the humans substituting for the Americans. Sigourney Weaver is one of the best actresses in Hollywood, right up there with Streep, Watts, Bates and company.
22. Spirited Away (2001)
PG | 125 min | Animation, Adventure, Family
During her family's move to the suburbs, a sullen 10-year-old girl wanders into a world ruled by gods, witches and spirits, and where humans are changed into beasts.
Director: Hayao Miyazaki | Stars: Daveigh Chase, Suzanne Pleshette, Miyu Irino, Rumi Hiiragi
Votes: 850,401 | Gross: $10.06M
Great movie. Great animation. Great characters. The girl was a likeable and capable character; rare amongst child characters. None of the characters here were a waste of time. All had distinguished personalities and all served their own purpose.
23. Finding Nemo (2003)
G | 100 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
After his son is captured in the Great Barrier Reef and taken to Sydney, a timid clownfish sets out on a journey to bring him home.
Directors: Andrew Stanton, Lee Unkrich | Stars: Albert Brooks, Ellen DeGeneres, Alexander Gould, Willem Dafoe
Votes: 1,114,135 | Gross: $380.84M
Hilarious. Ellen D. needs to do more voiceovers because she's good at it. The story wasn't unique, but was told in its own way. The animation was great. Basically, Pixar is awesome.
I will say this...the father could get a bit grating.
24. Up (2009)
PG | 96 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
78-year-old Carl Fredricksen travels to Paradise Falls in his house equipped with balloons, inadvertently taking a young stowaway.
Directors: Pete Docter, Bob Peterson | Stars: Edward Asner, Jordan Nagai, John Ratzenberger, Christopher Plummer
Votes: 1,125,909 | Gross: $293.00M
My favorite Pixar movie. I loved the opening montage and enjoyed the relationship between the old man and kid. The imagery was great and the vllain had a knack for coming SQURREL!
The side characters were fun and imaginative. Interestingly enough, the voice acting cast wasn't full of stars. This was nice to see because I didn't recognize any of the voices. They seemed fresh & new.
25. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)
PG-13 | 143 min | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Blacksmith Will Turner teams up with eccentric pirate "Captain" Jack Sparrow to save his love, the governor's daughter, from Jack's former pirate allies, who are now undead.
Director: Gore Verbinski | Stars: Johnny Depp, Geoffrey Rush, Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley
Votes: 1,211,464 | Gross: $305.41M
Great fun all around. All of the characters are memorable, especially Depp's Jack Sparrow. The sequels suffer a rapid decline in quality but the original tells its own story and has a kick-ass ending. Why not just end it there? Oh right...money.
26. Ed Wood (1994)
R | 127 min | Biography, Comedy, Drama
Ambitious but troubled movie director Edward D. Wood Jr. tries his best to fulfill his dreams despite his lack of talent.
Director: Tim Burton | Stars: Johnny Depp, Martin Landau, Sarah Jessica Parker, Patricia Arquette
Votes: 184,056 | Gross: $5.89M
Entertaining and sad take on the life of Ed Wood Jr. God bless you, sir. I liked the story of the old man who stuck by his side until the day he died...and how he was simply replaced during the middle of the movie's filming.
27. Mean Girls (2004)
PG-13 | 97 min | Comedy
Cady Heron is a hit with The Plastics, the A-list girl clique at her new school, until she makes the mistake of falling for Aaron Samuels, the ex-boyfriend of alpha Plastic Regina George.
Director: Mark Waters | Stars: Lindsay Lohan, Jonathan Bennett, Rachel McAdams, Tina Fey
Votes: 435,628 | Gross: $86.06M
Yes, really. I really feel Lohan is damn talented. I hope she settles down and finds a guy who can help her turn her life around (hintity-hint-hint). She can act, and this movie was as accurate a take on high school as a PG-13 movie can get. Surpringly good.
28. Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977)
PG | 121 min | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Luke Skywalker joins forces with a Jedi Knight, a cocky pilot, a Wookiee and two droids to save the galaxy from the Empire's world-destroying battle station, while also attempting to rescue Princess Leia from the mysterious Darth Vader.
Director: George Lucas | Stars: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Alec Guinness
Votes: 1,450,855 | Gross: $322.74M
The beginning...
29. Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
PG | 124 min | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
After the Rebel Alliance are overpowered by the Empire, Luke Skywalker begins his Jedi training with Yoda, while his friends are pursued across the galaxy by Darth Vader and bounty hunter Boba Fett.
Director: Irvin Kershner | Stars: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Billy Dee Williams
Votes: 1,380,996 | Gross: $290.48M
The middle...
30. Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983)
PG | 131 min | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
After rescuing Han Solo from Jabba the Hutt, the Rebel Alliance attempt to destroy the second Death Star, while Luke struggles to help Darth Vader back from the dark side.
Director: Richard Marquand | Stars: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Billy Dee Williams
Votes: 1,122,335 | Gross: $309.13M
And the end as far as I'm concerned for the Star Wars franchise. And people should stop making fun of Jake Lloyd for his portrayal of Anakin Skywalker. Hayden Chiristiansen makes him look like Al Capone by comparison.
The whole Star Wars universe was bizarrely imaginative. Looking back at it, the plot wasn't even THAT good - it was unique and full of style, and had strong characters.
31. Se7en (1995)
R | 127 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
Two detectives, a rookie and a veteran, hunt a serial killer who uses the seven deadly sins as his motives.
Director: David Fincher | Stars: Morgan Freeman, Brad Pitt, Kevin Spacey, Andrew Kevin Walker
Votes: 1,800,716 | Gross: $100.13M
Love all three major actors in this film. I also loved how dark the plot was, and how the movie made time for character development even as these gruesome murders were occurring. Thank God Fincher directed this; a *beep* director could have easily *beep* this up.
32. The Matrix (1999)
R | 136 min | Action, Sci-Fi
When a beautiful stranger leads computer hacker Neo to a forbidding underworld, he discovers the shocking truth--the life he knows is the elaborate deception of an evil cyber-intelligence.
Directors: Lana Wachowski, Lilly Wachowski | Stars: Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, Hugo Weaving
Votes: 2,055,173 | Gross: $171.48M
Philosophical and fun to watch. I don't love Reeves, but he can play this kind of anti-hero role well. Visuals were stunning. I didn't like the Oracle as I feel that her character wasn't necessary to the plot, but everything else was dandy. Loved Agent Smith as well. You could tell Huge Weaving was thrilled with getting cast here. The 2nd one was pretty good (The Architect was the best part of that movie; the Agent Smiths were the weakest). Haven't seen the last one.
33. The Social Network (2010)
PG-13 | 120 min | Biography, Drama
As Harvard student Mark Zuckerberg creates the social networking site that would become known as Facebook, he is sued by the twins who claimed he stole their idea and by the co-founder who was later squeezed out of the business.
Director: David Fincher | Stars: Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield, Justin Timberlake, Rooney Mara
Votes: 759,328 | Gross: $96.96M
Took a while for me to get used to the frenetic pacing of the film, but it was well-done (though slightly overblown). Eisenberg was a GREAT choice and made this film work. Props for Timberlake on a surprisingly good outing as well.
34. Die Hard (1988)
R | 132 min | Action, Thriller
A New York City police officer tries to save his estranged wife and several others taken hostage by terrorists during a Christmas party at the Nakatomi Plaza in Los Angeles.
Director: John McTiernan | Stars: Bruce Willis, Alan Rickman, Bonnie Bedelia, Reginald VelJohnson
Votes: 946,244 | Gross: $83.01M
One of the greatest action movies of all time. Welcome to the big-time, Alan Rickman. The characters were great, violence was gritty when it needed to be without being superfluous, and the actors were well cast. The scene where Holly punches out the media member gets this movie bonus points.
35. Snow Cake (2006)
Not Rated | 112 min | Drama, Romance
A drama focused on the friendship between a high-functioning autistic woman and a man who is traumatized after a fatal car accident.
Director: Marc Evans | Stars: Alan Rickman, Sigourney Weaver, Carrie-Anne Moss, Emily Hampshire
Votes: 13,279 | Gross: $0.03M
Rickman+Weaver=my dream come true. This film did not disappoint either. This was a very different role for Rickman and he seemed to enjoy it.
36. Speed (1994)
R | 116 min | Action, Adventure, Thriller
A young police officer must prevent a bomb exploding aboard a city bus by keeping its speed above 50 mph.
Director: Jan de Bont | Stars: Keanu Reeves, Dennis Hopper, Sandra Bullock, Joe Morton
Votes: 392,222 | Gross: $121.25M
Man, after this and the acceptable Twister, De Bont's career died quickly huh? This movie was reminiscent of Die Hard...and that's a good thing. I loved Dennis Hopper here. Reeves, once again, plays a role he is capable of playing. The concept ...haven't seen anything like it since.
37. Caddyshack (1980)
R | 98 min | Comedy, Sport
An exclusive golf course has to deal with a flatulent new member and a destructive dancing gopher.
Director: Harold Ramis | Stars: Chevy Chase, Rodney Dangerfield, Bill Murray, Ted Knight
Votes: 127,260 | Gross: $39.85M
One of the most quotable movies of all time. Some parts drag, but the acting and concept were great. Dangerfield has a good time in his role...very much in his element. Again, this isn't a perfect movie, but it's a fun one. Avoid the sequels.
38. A Streetcar Named Desire (1951)
PG | 122 min | Drama
Disturbed Blanche DuBois moves in with her sister in New Orleans and is tormented by her brutish brother-in-law while her reality crumbles around her.
Director: Elia Kazan | Stars: Vivien Leigh, Marlon Brando, Kim Hunter, Karl Malden
Votes: 114,419 | Gross: $8.00M
The only Tennessee Williams play that I actually like was turned into a damn good movie. STE-LLA!!!
Love Vivian Leigh. One of the greatest actresses of all time.
39. The Hangover (2009)
R | 100 min | Comedy
Three buddies wake up from a bachelor party in Las Vegas, with no memory of the previous night and the bachelor missing. They make their way around the city in order to find their friend before his wedding.
Director: Todd Phillips | Stars: Zach Galifianakis, Bradley Cooper, Justin Bartha, Ed Helms
Votes: 847,156 | Gross: $277.32M
Really well-done comedy. I enjoyed the mix of intelligent humor and sick jokes. Also loved the nerdy guy's bitch red-headed wife. Whichever actress played her should have won an Oscar for best supporting actress. I don't care if she only had 10 lines.
40. Pinocchio (1940)
G | 88 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
A living puppet, with the help of a cricket as his conscience, must prove himself worthy to become a real boy.
Directors: Norman Ferguson, T. Hee, Wilfred Jackson, Jack Kinney, Hamilton Luske, Bill Roberts, Ben Sharpsteen | Stars: Dickie Jones, Christian Rub, Mel Blanc, Don Brodie
Votes: 159,983 | Gross: $84.25M
This film always left me wondering, "What the hell became of those kids who were turned into donkeys?" I don't really want to know. This one was really, really dark, much darker than most Disney films. It was also engaging and the animation would look good today.
41. Home Alone (1990)
PG | 103 min | Comedy, Family
An eight-year-old troublemaker, mistakenly left home alone, must defend his home against a pair of burglars on Christmas Eve.
Director: Chris Columbus | Stars: Macaulay Culkin, Joe Pesci, Daniel Stern, John Heard
Votes: 653,175 | Gross: $285.76M
Loved the cynicism of the family...even as they came in through the door on Christmas, they were bickering. Well done. This remains the only slapstick comedy that I actually like. The sequel was decent but stole too much from the original.
42. Easy A (2010)
PG-13 | 92 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
When Olive lies to her best friend about losing her virginity to one of the college boys, a girl overhears their conversation. Soon, her story spreads across the entire school like wildfire.
Director: Will Gluck | Stars: Emma Stone, Amanda Bynes, Penn Badgley, Dan Byrd
Votes: 418,305 | Gross: $58.40M
Liked this a lot more than Stone's Crazy, Stupid, Love. It was honest and hilarious at the same time, and had a good message. The school administrator's storyarc wasn't needed but everything else was good. Very upbeat, optimistic movie.
43. The Mighty Ducks (1992)
PG | 104 min | Comedy, Drama, Family
A self-centered Minnesota lawyer is sentenced to community service coaching a rag tag youth hockey team.
Director: Stephen Herek | Stars: Emilio Estevez, Joss Ackland, Lane Smith, Heidi Kling
Votes: 71,867 | Gross: $50.75M
Emilio Estvez makes this work. One of the few sports movies where I give a rat's ass who wins and loses. The games were intense. Don't remember the sequels even though I'm positive I saw them. Also the movie that introduced me to "We are the Champions" by Queen, so I thank this movie for that.
44. The Blind Side (2009)
PG-13 | 129 min | Biography, Drama, Sport
The story of Michael Oher, a homeless and traumatized boy who became an All-American football player and first-round NFL draft pick with the help of a caring woman and her family.
Director: John Lee Hancock | Stars: Quinton Aaron, Sandra Bullock, Tim McGraw, Jae Head
Votes: 360,783 | Gross: $255.96M
I'm a college football nut, so this movie was great. Loved Oher and loved the way this movie depicted college football recruiting. Ed Orgeron is a much better actor than he is a coach. Didn't understand the point in putting so much emphasis on the little boy, even though the kid playing him was a very good actor.
45. Friday Night Lights (2004)
PG-13 | 118 min | Action, Drama, Sport
Based on H.G. Bissinger's book, which profiled the economically depressed town of Odessa, Texas and their heroic high school football team, The Permian High Panthers.
Director: Peter Berg | Stars: Billy Bob Thornton, Jay Hernandez, Derek Luke, Lucas Black
Votes: 66,884 | Gross: $61.26M
Great sports movie...maybe the best of all-time. Loved how the opposing coach complained to his team about their level of play at halftime, even though they were winning by a ton at that point. "Forty yards!!!" The story of the football program's rebuild had the potential to be boring, but this movie made it human.
46. Last Holiday (2006)
PG-13 | 112 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
Upon learning of a terminal illness, a shy woman decides to sell all her possessions and live it up at a posh Central European hotel.
Director: Wayne Wang | Stars: Queen Latifah, LL Cool J, Timothy Hutton, Giancarlo Esposito
Votes: 36,281 | Gross: $38.36M
Like Rat Race, I get criticized for this. Like Rat Race, I don't care. Queen Lat. is charismatic as hell. One of the best cornball movies ever.
47. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964 TV Movie)
TV-G | 47 min | Animation, Adventure, Comedy
A young reindeer Rudolph lives at the North Pole. His father is one of Santa's reindeer and it is expected that Rudolph will eventually be one too. However, he has a feature which is a setback and causes him to be ostracized: his red nose.
Director: Larry Roemer | Stars: Billie Mae Richards, Burl Ives, Larry D. Mann, Paul Soles
Votes: 37,493
One of the best Christmas movies of all time IMO. Loves the animation and love the elves. The sound effects (like Rudolph's nose) do get tiresome...not a big deal though. Much like Spirited Away, this movie has many characters and makes effective use of all of them. Also liked the writing.
48. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)
PG-13 | 120 min | Action, Adventure, Drama
A young Chinese warrior steals a sword from a famed swordsman and then escapes into a world of romantic adventure with a mysterious man in the frontier of the nation.
Director: Ang Lee | Stars: Chow Yun-Fat, Michelle Yeoh, Ziyi Zhang, Chang Chen
Votes: 281,734 | Gross: $128.08M
Kick-ass from start to finish. An orgy for the eyes...sad ending though. My favorite movie of this kind.
49. Do the Right Thing (1989)
R | 120 min | Comedy, Drama
On the hottest day of the year on a street in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn, everyone's hate and bigotry smolders and builds until it explodes into violence.
Director: Spike Lee | Stars: Danny Aiello, Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee, Richard Edson
Votes: 112,512 | Gross: $27.55M
Manages to discuss racial issues without being racist itself. I liked Crash as well, but this is more subtle and because it narrows its focus, it is able to develop story and characters better. Whoever played Buggin' Out looks a lot like Will Smith.
50. Stepmom (1998)
PG-13 | 125 min | Comedy, Drama
A terminally ill woman must deal with her ex-husband's new lover, who will be their children's stepmother.
Director: Chris Columbus | Stars: Julia Roberts, Susan Sarandon, Ed Harris, Jena Malone
Votes: 74,561 | Gross: $91.14M
Some say it jerks emotions out of you. Yet this is one chick flick I will happily watch. The acting is great and this is really emotional. Didn't like Sarandon's character, but that was probably the point of her. The tragedy of her death wasn't so much her passing, but the effect her passing has on everyone around her. The girl child actress was phenominal, and was Roberts (who gets way too much criticism).
51. James and the Giant Peach (1996)
PG | 79 min | Animation, Adventure, Family
An orphan who lives with his two cruel aunts befriends anthropomorphic bugs who live inside a giant peach, and they embark on a journey to New York City.
Director: Henry Selick | Stars: Paul Terry, Joanna Lumley, Pete Postlethwaite, Simon Callow
Votes: 74,039 | Gross: $28.93M
Great animation and memorable songs. The villains (the aunts) were overplayed, but that's not a big deal. James was an enjoyable (though bland) character and the bugs were fun. Good kid's movie.
52. Phone Booth (2002)
R | 81 min | Crime, Thriller
Publicist Stuart Shepard finds himself trapped in a phone booth, pinned down by an extortionist's sniper rifle. Unable to leave or receive outside help, Stuart's negotiation with the caller leads to a jaw-dropping climax.
Director: Joel Schumacher | Stars: Colin Farrell, Kiefer Sutherland, Forest Whitaker, Radha Mitchell
Votes: 285,918 | Gross: $46.57M
What a thrill ride from start to finish. I am ambivalent towards Schumacher most of the time (he's OK I guess), but he made a damn fine movie here. Like Black Christmas, the phone call aspect of the villain was fascinating. If only "When a Stranger Calls" spent more time on that.
53. The Dark Knight (2008)
PG-13 | 152 min | Action, Crime, Drama
When the menace known as the Joker wreaks havoc and chaos on the people of Gotham, Batman must accept one of the greatest psychological and physical tests of his ability to fight injustice.
Director: Christopher Nolan | Stars: Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart, Michael Caine
Votes: 2,873,224 | Gross: $534.86M
Very good...I need to watch more Nolan flicks. Wouldn't have been a great movie without Ledger though. I'm not overly impressed with Bale's Batman, though he is otherwise a good actor. I liked this movie more upon second viewing than the first viewing. Nolan directs much better Batman movies than Schumaker or Burton.
54. Holes (2003)
PG | 117 min | Adventure, Comedy, Drama
A wrongfully convicted boy is sent to a brutal desert detention camp where he joins the job of digging holes for some mysterious reason.
Director: Andrew Davis | Stars: Shia LaBeouf, Sigourney Weaver, Jon Voight, Tim Blake Nelson
Votes: 100,324 | Gross: $67.41M
One of the most underrated movies of all time. Based off Sachar's classic, and does that book justice. I wouldn't change a thing. Great child acting here, and Weaver makes for an effective villain. The flashbacks were a bit boring and slow down the movie. This is a minor flaw compared to the rest of the film.
55. Cape Fear (1991)
R | 128 min | Crime, Thriller
A convicted rapist, released from prison after serving a fourteen-year sentence, stalks the family of the lawyer who originally defended him.
Director: Martin Scorsese | Stars: Robert De Niro, Nick Nolte, Jessica Lange, Juliette Lewis
Votes: 216,907 | Gross: $79.10M
Not one of the more popular Scorcese films...why might I ask? It's a well-done revenge flick and De Niro is an awesome, spine-tingling villain here. The plot is like Misery's: basic, yet awesome.
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