Alright, here's my list. I tried to make this a combination of movies that satisfy both my filmie sense and my emotional sense. I could probably write for excessive lengths about this, but I don't really have the inclination to do it at this moment, and I don't think others want to read page long descriptions, so I'll limit them somewhat. This list will surely change for me in as short a time as 6 months, though the top 2 have remained static for a while. First, some honorable mentions that didn't make the list.
(In no particular order)
The Seventh Seal
Waking Life
2001: A Space Odyssey
Naked
Magnolia
Seven Samurai
Memento
many others....
And, my (current) top 5...
5. Citizen Kane - This is obviously one of (if not the) most critically acclaimed film of all time. Most of its detractors usually don't like older films, or feel it hasn't aged well. I feel that it is still as relevant today as it was when it was released. This film is a masterpiece of directing, lighting, cinematography, sound, and acting. It is often considered revolutionary for some of the above elements. The advances that it made in those formal film elements had been done before, but this was (to my knowledge) the first movie that combined the most recent advances in all of the categories. The use of perspective and deep-focus is amazing, and the character of Charles Foster Kane is one of the best ever put to film. It also features one of the most famous "Macguffins" of all time. Amazing picture, and I am not one to argue its repeated placement on top of "Greatest Films" lists.
4. Kill Bill Volumes 1 & 2 - Quentin Tarantino is often accused of being a plagiarist. Some film scholars consider this to be his most plagiaristic work, combining elements of several different genres, stealing shots, etc. I'm not quite at the level of those scholars, so I can't speak to all of those things, but I will say this. If he does steal film elements, he has stolen some of the best and put them together into a breathtaking set of films. These two don't exactly excite me on the formal level, but they are so exhilirating that I get chills while watching them. Volume 1 is excessively (though cartoony) violent, but it also contains some beautiful shots. The snow fight near the end of the picture leaves me in awe. Volume 2 has the "Tarantino" dialogue that many felt was missing from Volume 1. I think Carradine is fantastic as Bill, and Uma Thurman was the perfect "Bride."
3. The Royal Tenenbaums - I don't know what it is about Wes Anderson, but every single film he does gets me. Maybe it's the great soundtracks, the beautiful cinematography, or the outstanding acting, or all of the above. I think that he might be the best filmmaker working today. The Royal Tenenbaums has a very somber story, but it is presented in an often hilarious way. I love every character in this film, because they all seem so real. They are all flawed characters who are doing their best to seek contentment in their lives. This may have been Gene Hackman's finest performance.
2. The Third Man - Wow. I love this picture. Joseph Cotten plays a low-grade novella writer, who travels to Switzerland to meet with his college friend, Harry Lime. Once he gets there, he gets caught in trying to solve his friend's murder, becoming like the detectives in his own stories. The off-balance camera work is great, the zither score is chilling, and it features two of my favorite scenes of all time. The ferris wheel scene is classic dialogue. The other scene is simply the greatest entrance by a character into a film in cinema history. If you love detective stories, if you love noir, if you love movies, this is a must-see.
1. The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly - Wow again. I have to go with this as my favorite film of all time. Sergio Leone is a master at filming landscapes, and at several times throughout this movie, you feel like you are staring at a painting. The dialogue is sparse, but that's because it has to be. Blondie (Clint Eastwood) is a man of actions, not of words. Tuco (Eli Wallach) talks constantly whenever on screen, the Yin to Blondie's Yang. They make a fantastic pairing. Angel Eyes is an effective villain. The final shootout could not be filmed in a more perfect way. The tension is unreal. This film achieves on both a formal level and an emotional level for me. The cinematography is perfect, the story is great, the acting is great, and it's just so damn fun to watch.
Well, that's it. Hopefully I didn't bore you guys too much.
