The Must Haves: 30-21

The Must Haves: 30-21

So a few things have interrupted my countdown of my top 100 films, most prominently the release of Netflix’s Daredevil season two (review here), but I am back on track. Last time we spoke, I ran down numbers 40-31 which were filled with a couple comedies (Blazing Saddles and Monty Python and the Holy Grail) and a couple films a part of trilogies (Fellowship of the Ring and The Empire Strikes Back). Today we are pressing on with numbers 30-21 (wow we are getting close now). Like before, I would love to hear your opinions about the films on this list, good or bad. Get ready because here is The Must Haves: 30-21.

#30—Die Hard (1988)

Favorite Quote: “Yippee-ki-yay, motherfucker.”—John McClane

A group of hostages are trapped in a 40 story skyscraper in downtown Los Angeles and their only hope for survival is a gritty NYPD detective.

Well it was only a matter of time before John McClane made his way onto my list. This film redefined the action genre of the 80s, pitting one ordinary man against a group of terrorists. Die Hard as everything a good action film needs…action, humor, and a little bit of love. To me this is the action film that all other action films will be measured.

#29—O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000)

Favorite Quote: “You two are just dumber than a bag of hammers!”—Ulysses

An extremely loose retelling of Homer’s ancient epic The Odyssey, set in 1930s South we find three fugitives trying to find a fabled treasure.

I absolutely adored this comedic “epic” by the Coen brothers. The simple, even family friendly, story was great. The performances by the three lead actors were great and the magnificent colors do wondrous things for this film. I think the family friend aspect of the film is what I loved most about it. The antics weren’t too crude and the humor wasn’t laden with sex.

#28—Inception (2010)

Favorite Quote: “What is the most resilient parasite? Bacteria? A virus? An intestinal worm? An idea. Resilient... highly contagious. Once an idea has taken hold of the brain it's almost impossible to eradicate. An idea that is fully formed - fully understood - that sticks; right in there somewhere.”—Cobb

A master thief and his skilled team enter the subconscious of a successful CEO to plant an idea.

My favorite director, Christopher Nolan, is at his absolute best with this film. The film is an philosophical action thriller that is very hard to pull off. The cast is amazing and the special effects are spectacular. The film ends with in an unresolved way that will have its audience questioning the outcome for years. I still think that he was in the real world, but that is just my opinion.

#27—Se7en (1995)

Favorite Quote: “Wanting people to listen, you can't just tap them on the shoulder anymore. You have to hit them with a sledgehammer, and then you'll notice you've got their strict attention.”—John Doe

Two city detectives must stop a serial killer, murdering people by the Seven Deadly Sins.

One of the best detective films of all time is a brutal and unforgiving look into the mind of a serial killer. The film that brought David Fincher into the limelight and audiences’ around the world have benefited by his presence. I loved the look and gritty texture of this film. Fincher goes out of his way to show us the dark underbelly of life. This is just one of those films that stick with you long after you watch it. I still shudder at the thought of the climax of this film.

#26—Shaun of the Dead (2004)

Favorite Quote: “Well, your mum rang about you going around tomorrow night, and then Liz rang about the two of you eating out tonight, and then your mum rang back to see if I wanted to eat her out tonight.”—Ed

A comedic/British take on George A. Romero’s cult classic, Dawn of the Dead.

The start of a brilliant ‘trilogy’ of comedic greats from English director Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg. As ridiculous as the synopsis sounds, this film really works because the amazing screen chemistry that Pegg and Frost have. The film also succeeds with the amazing script and jokes. I would just like to think that this was one of the reasons for the recent Zombie craze, but I doubt it is true.

#25—Love, Actually (2003)

Favorite Quote: “Whenever I get gloomy with the state of the world, I think about the arrivals gate at Heathrow Airport. General opinion's starting to make out that we live in a world of hatred and greed, but I don't see that. It seems to me that love is everywhere. Often, it's not particularly dignified or newsworthy, but it's always there - fathers and sons, mothers and daughters, husbands and wives, boyfriends, girlfriends, old friends. When the planes hit the Twin Towers, as far as I know, none of the phone calls from the people on board were messages of hate or revenge - they were all messages of love. If you look for it, I've got a sneaky feeling you'll find that love actually is all around.”—Prime Minister

Director Richard Curtis’ romantic comedy about 5 intersecting stories of love around Christmas time.

Number 1 on my favorite Rom Com list (here) and like #33 on The Must Haves list, there is really nothing more I can add. I love the comedy and sweetness of this film. Whenever I need to feel better about my relationship or just want to laugh at love, I turn this one.

#24—Back to the Future (1985)

Favorite Quote: “Wait a minute. Wait a minute, Doc. Ah... Are you telling me that you built a time machine... out of a DeLorean?”—Marty

A young high schooler accidentally uses a time machine to travel back to the 1950s where he now has to find his way home to 1985.

A film that has been etched into Hollywood greatness, Back to the Future is one of the rare films that works on such an absurd concept. There is no real hero of the film nor a major villain. Just a movie about a kid lost in 1955, trying to get himself back to 1985. Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd made iconic characters out of Marty McFly and Doc Brown. Every time I hear the theme song, I can’t help but just smile at the awesomeness that is Back to the Future.

#23—Elizabethtown (2005)

Favorite Quote: “So you failed. Alright you really failed. You failed. You failed. You failed. You failed. You failed. You failed. You failed. You failed. You failed. You failed. You failed. You failed. You think I care about that? I do understand. You wanna be really great? Then have the courage to fail big and stick around. Make them wonder why you're still smiling.”—Claire

As one young man goes home for the death of his father, he finds out more about life and love.

I truly believe that this is one of director Cameron Crowe’s most underrated films. The story is an amazing look at the relationships that he build and the relationships that we sometimes forget. I loved the father/son aspect of the film, always making me think of my dad and where he grew up. I thought the cast was great and the Crowe’s use of music is top notch.

#22—American Psycho (2000)

Favorite Quote: “There are no more barriers to cross. All I have in common with the uncontrollable and the insane, the vicious and the evil, all the mayhem I have caused and my utter indifference toward it I have now surpassed. My pain is constant and sharp, and I do not hope for a better world for anyone. In fact, I want my pain to be inflicted on others. I want no one to escape. But even after admitting this, there is no catharsis; my punishment continues to elude me, and I gain no deeper knowledge of myself. No new knowledge can be extracted from my telling. This confession has meant nothing.”—Patrick Bateman

A look into the lavish lifestyle of a 1980s serial killer and his break from reality.

This film is a sick, twisted look into the life of a highly successful investment banker who just so happens to be a serial killer in the 1980s. Based on the book by Bret Easton Ellis, American Psycho is more about the masks that we all wear to hide who we really are on the inside. I think that Christian Bale’s performance in this film was legendary and should be held as his best ever. For me, this film was just a well-acted, at time humorous, psychological thriller.

#21—Kill Bill Vol. 1&2 (2003 & 2004)

Favorite Quote: “Now, a staple of the superhero mythology is, there's the superhero and there's the alter ego. Batman is actually Bruce Wayne, Spider-Man is actually Peter Parker. When that character wakes up in the morning, he's Peter Parker. He has to put on a costume to become Spider-Man. And it is in that characteristic Superman stands alone. Superman didn't become Superman. Superman was born Superman. When Superman wakes up in the morning, he's Superman. His alter ego is Clark Kent. His outfit with the big red "S", that's the blanket he was wrapped in as a baby when the Kents found him. Those are his clothes. What Kent wears - the glasses, the business suit - that's the costume. That's the costume Superman wears to blend in with us. Clark Kent is how Superman views us. And what are the characteristics of Clark Kent. He's weak... he's unsure of himself... he's a coward. Clark Kent is Superman's critique on the whole human race. Sorta like Beatrix Kiddo and Mrs. Tommy Plimpton.”—Bill

An assassin takes vengeance on her former employers who tried to have her killed.

Contradiction time! I know that I have said that I don’t want to put a whole group of movies together, but I like to think of Kill Bill as one movie and not two separate films. Though, Vol. 1 has a more Kung Fu/Asian film flare to where Vol. 2 is more of a spaghetti western. However, to me, these two films are one big story. I thought the action scenes were amazing and even the story was really cool. I love Tarantino’s films and this was up there with Pulp Fiction.

I would like to apologize to all of you for my extra-long quotes today, but they really are my favorite monologues of each of those films.  Thanks again for coming along on this journey with me. Today we had a couple of thrillers and one childhood classic. Please come back for numbers 20-11, where I really had to go through some soul searching to slim down my list. Please let me know what you all think of my choices for numbers 30-21! See you soon.