Top 10 Classic Films

 

Rank 10: Fight Club
Fight Club is a 1999 American film adapted from the 1996 novel of the same name by Chuck Palahniuk. The film was directed by David Fincher and stars Edward Norton, Brad Pitt, and Helena Bonham Carter. Norton plays the unnamed protagonist, an “everyman” who is discontented with his white-collar job in American society. He forms a “fight club” with soap maker Tyler Durden, played by Pitt, and becomes embroiled in a relationship with him and a dissolute woman, Marla Singer, played by Bonham Carter. The movie that defined Brad Pitt from the “Hunk” moniker to one of a cool guy and subsequent rise in popularity among the male community. Fight Club is a violent but smart movie which attacks pop culture and investigates male need for violence to solve problems.

Rank 9: Goodfella’s
Goodfellas (also styled GoodFellas) is a 1990 American gangster film directed by Martin Scorsese. It is based on the non-fiction book Wiseguy by Nicholas Pileggi, who co-wrote the screenplay with Scorsese. The film follows the rise and fall of three gangsters over three decades. Three great performances by screen legends, Ray Liotta, Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci. If you like Mafia movies then Goodfella’s is definitely up there with the best.

Rank 8: One Flew Over the Cuckoo Nest
n 1963 Oregon, Randle Patrick McMurphy (Jack Nicholson), a recidivist criminal serving a short sentence on a prison farm for statutory rape, is transferred to a mental institution for evaluation. He hopes to avoid hard labor and serve the rest of his sentence in a more relaxed environment. Although he is anti-authoritarian with a history of violence, McMurphy exhibits no overt signs of mental illness. A anti hero character who you cant help but root for, Nicholson puts in a stunning performance but equally as stunning is Louise Fletcher as Nurse Ractched.

Rank 7: Lord Of The Rings Trilogy
Set in the fictional world of Middle-earth, the three films follow the hobbit Frodo Baggins (Elijah Wood) as he and a Fellowship embark on a quest to destroy the One Ring, and thus ensure the destruction of its maker, the Dark Lord Sauron. The Fellowship becomes divided and Frodo continues the quest together with his loyal companion Sam (Sean Astin) and the treacherous Gollum (Andy Serkis). Meanwhile, the wizard Gandalf (Ian McKellen) and Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen), heir in exile to the throne of Gondor, unite and rally the Free Peoples of Middle-earth, who are ultimately victorious in the War of the Ring.

Rank 6: Pulp Fiction
Pulp Fiction is a 1994 American crime film directed by Quentin Tarantino, who cowrote its screenplay with Roger Avary. The film is known for its rich, eclectic dialogue, ironic mix of humor and violence, nonlinear storyline, and host of cinematic allusions and pop culture references. Directed in a highly stylized manner, Pulp Fiction joins the intersecting storylines of Los Angeles mobsters, fringe players, small-time criminals, and a mysterious briefcase. Considerable screen time is devoted to conversations and monologues that reveal the characters’ senses of humor and perspectives on life. Just a cool film to chill out to and can be watched again and again. Great Replay value.

Rank 5: The Shawshank Redemption
Adapted from the Stephen King novella Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption, the film portrays the story of Andy Dufresne, a banker who spends nearly two decades in Shawshank State Prison for the murder of his wife and her lover—likely a false conviction. During his time at the prison, he befriends a fellow inmate, Ellis “Red” Redding, and finds himself protected by the guards after the warden begins using him in his money laundering operation. A heart touching and warm tale, Shawshank is in everybody’s DVD collection and is rightly so, one of the best drama’s of all time.

Rank 4: Usual Suspects
The film follows the interrogation of Roger “Verbal” Kint, a small-time con man who is one of only two survivors of a massacre and fire on a ship docked at the Port of Los Angeles. He tells an interrogator a convoluted story about events that led him and four other criminals to the boat, and of a mysterious mob boss known as Keyser Söze who commissioned their work. Using flashback and narration, Kint’s story becomes increasingly complex. A complex tale that has you on the edge of your seat, the whole time and the ending is one of the most famous in all movie folklore.

Rank 3: Inception

Directed by the brilliant, Christopher Nolan, Inception tells the tale of an espionage of the mind. The story tells of corporate thief, Dan Cobh, unable to visit his children, Cobb is offered a chance to regain his old life in exchange for an almost impossible task: “inception”, the planting of an idea into a target’s subconscious. His work consists of secretly extracting valuable commercial information from the unconscious mind of his targets while they are asleep and dreaming. A reality bending roller coaster of a ride, Inception is a movie continually in fifth gear and driving full speed ahead. The ending, which I will not spoil has the audience gasping at the end.

Rank 2: Braveheart

The film tells the tale of Sir William Wallace, a 13th century Scottish knight who gained recognition when he came to the forefront of the First War of Scottish Independence by opposing King Edward I of England, also known as “Longshanks” Directed and starred in by Mel Gibson, the movie tells of love, war and even has some humorous tones especially, the “mad” Irishman Stephen, brilliantly portrayed by David O Hara. Everything connected to the movie worked, the location, soundtrack, costume design, actors, everything fell into place and was the result is, a fantastic movie that will have you on the edge of your seat.

 

Rank 1: The Godfather

Never in movie history as a film caught the imagination of so many people. It seems trivial to review this movie as to put into words a movie so awesome, is beyond my limited writing talent. The scene of Brando at his daughters wedding giving favors to the public still sends movie watchers pulses racing. Brando, Pacino, De Niro, Duvall are just a few actors connected to the movie. They all deliver stellar performances as an Italian Mafia family. If you haven’t seen this movie. Go see it right now.