The Must Haves: 20-11

The Must Haves: 20-11

Can you guys taste it? We are almost through my Must Haves! Can I make this anymore cheesy? Probably! Last time we spoke we breezed through numbers 30-21 which included films like the ultimate 80s action flick Die Hard, director David Fincher’s most chilling thriller Se7en, and the beginning of a beautiful film friendship with Edgar  Wright and Shaun of the Dead. Today I am going to march even further to the end of the thought provoking journey with numbers 20-11 with films I absolutely adore, but had no room in my top 10. Thanks again for reading and here we go!

#20—The Fifth Element (1997)

Favorite Quote: “Leeloo Dallas mul-ti-pass.”—Leeloo

In the 23^rd century it will take a down and out ex-military man turned taxi driver and a perfect weapon to save the world from an ancient evil that keeps resurfacing every 500 years.

Well, what can I say about The Fifth Element? Luc Besson’s sci-fi action flick has a lot of great qualities, the action, the special effects, and surprisingly the comedy. I chuckle every time I watch this movie just because of the classic one-liners and the laughs I shared with a great friend of mine. Gary Oldman proves once again how great of a villain he is by portraying the tool Zorg. I still feel that this film is much underrated in many circles; the sci-fi world and even as an action film.

#19—Memento (2000)

Favorite Quote: “I have to believe in a world outside my own mind. I have to believe that my actions still have meaning, even if I can't remember them. I have to believe that when my eyes are closed, the world's still there. Do I believe the world's still there? Is it still out there?... Yeah. We all need mirrors to remind ourselves who we are. I'm no different.”

A man that has suffers from short-term memory loss tries to piece together a mystery.

You want a film that will totally mess with your mind? Here ya go! Memento is the film that sparked my love for director Christopher Nolan. This film has such an amazing concept and I won’t spoil it for those of you that haven’t seen it. So this mention is for you that haven’t seen it, find it and watch it! You won’t regret it.

#18—Psycho (1960)

Favorite Quote: “A boy's best friend is his mother.”

A woman on the run just happens to stop at a roadside motel with a mysterious owner.

The film that made taking a shower a very difficult thing in the early 1960s is my all-time favorite Alfred Hitchcock film. The camera angles used and making the picture in black and white was a stroke of pure brilliance by Hitchcock. He created a scary story without even having to show the gore. That to me is amazing. My favorite scene is the ending, with that wacked stare that Anthony Perkins gives the camera. Just very chilling.

#17—The Raid: Redemption (2011)

Favorite Quote: “Pulling a trigger is like ordering a takeout.”—Mad Dog

A team of Jakarta S.W.A.T members must raid an apartment building full of criminals to bring out a crime lord.

Every so often there is a film that comes out of nowhere and blows away everyone’s expectations and becomes a worldwide phenomenon. The Raid was one such movie in 2011. Directed from an unknown and with a script that is so simple, The Raid is comprised with some of the most amazing action/fight scenes ever caught on film. This is a brutal film that has a few underlining themes, but why I recommend this film is purely the fight choreography. You’ll never watch an action film the same way again. If you like this film, you can check out it’s 2014 sequel as well (review here).

#16—The Godfather (1972)

Favorite Quote: “That's my family Kay, that's not me.”—Michael

Director Francis Ford Coppola and Mario Puzo’s epic film about family and business centered around the Corleone’s.

I didn’t really need a quick synopsis for this film did I? Everyone I know has their own idea of what this film is about. Me personally I don’t think that this film is about organized crime or violence, but about family bonds and what is most important. I sometimes think that aspect of this film gets lost in the mix with the Mafia tones. This is an amazing film with some of the greatest on screen performances of all time. I tend to not listen to a lot of people when they argue which Godfather film is better, though The Godfather Part II is a great film a sequel is still a sequel and inferior by definition.

#15—Schindler’s List (1993)

Favorite Quote: “I could have gotten one more person... and I didn't! And I... I didn't!”--Schindler

A Pro-Nazi business man decides to use the Jewish people as factory workers and slowly finds that his workers are much more than that.

This is one of a couple films on this list that always brings me to state of wonder. Schindler’s List is an amazing true story that should have been told. The film has magnificent performances and awesome directing by one of the greatest, Steven Spielberg. No matter how many times I watch this movie I am moved to almost tears. Especially with my favorite quote, that is a part of a conversation with Sir Ben Kingsley’s character about how Schindler should have tried harder to save more people and how Kingsley is assuring him that he did all he could. The conversation to me is the essence of the whole movie. 

#14—Gladiator (2000)

Favorite Quote: “My name is Maximus Decimus Meridius, commander of the Armies of the North, General of the Felix Legions and loyal servant to the TRUE emperor, Marcus Aurelius. Father to a murdered son, husband to a murdered wife. And I will have my vengeance, in this life or the next.”—Maximus

A Roman General left for dead becomes a gladiator with aspirations to exact revenge on those who wronged him.

Now I know that I am going to get a lot of flak for having this film above other movies like The Godfather and Schindler’s List, but what can I say? I love what I love. Gladiator marked the resurgence of director Ridley Scott and the emergence of Russell Crowe. The movie is filled with astounding quotes and breathtaking sets pieces. Though the story is old and tired, Scott and Crowe bring a fresh take to it. I think the best thing out of this film was Joaquin Phoenix. His take on the villainous Commodus was outstanding and should be considered one of the best movie villains of all time.

#13—Braveheart (1995)

Favorite Quote: “Every man dies, not every man really lives.”--William Wallace

The true story about William Wallace and his quest to bring freedom to 13^th century Scotland.

Mel Gibson’s epic tale of love, revenge, and freedom is one those films that gets me pumped every time I see it. Historical accuracies aside, this film is a great reminder that there are brilliant hidden stories of courage throughout history that we have yet to explore. What surprised me most about this movie was just how well it was directed by Gibson. He uncovered some hidden magic when this film was being shot and just perfectly captured the essence of Scotland at the time. Secret meaning for this film being so high: First rated R film I watched with my Mom.

#12—The Usual Suspect (1995)

Favorite Quote: “After that my guess is that you will never hear from him again. The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he did not exist. And like that... he is gone.”—Verbal

By a chance meeting in a police lineup, five low criminals decide to exact revenge on the police for interrupting their lives. But what was a simple plan turns into something so much more than they could have imagined.

Like Memento a few numbers down, The Usual Suspects is one of those movies that will blow your mind. Feature film debut by X-Men director Bryan Singer, The Usual Suspects is a twisted crime story that leads you through many twists and turns, including one surprise ending. Created with a low budget and a seemingly low cast, this movie definitely etched itself into film history with its pure integrity. I love this movie and I still try and look for clues as to who Keyser Söze is throughout the movie.

#11—L.A Confidential (1997)

Favorite Quote: “The Nite Owl case made you. Do you want to tear all that down?”—Bud

                                “With a wrecking ball... You want to help me swing it?”—Ed

Three 1950’s cops take on political corruption and police brutality while investigating a couple of murders linked to the Mafia.

That synopsis does not give L.A. Confidential any justice but it was the only thing I could say without going to deep into the movie. Following in the footsteps of Roman Polanski’s classic Chinatown, L.A. Confidential is classic film noir with a wonderful cast and near perfect direction. This film was so robbed in 1997 at the Academy Awards by that boat movie. I have a conspiracy theory, this film has been swept into a movie void because it didn’t win Best Picture that year, but if it had I think the Chinatown comparisons would be more grand and there would be a lot more respect for this film.

Well we have only have 10 more films to go through. Thank you so much for sticking with me this far into my top 100. This was numbers 20-11 and as I wrote this I still have to second guess myself on some of these that could have been in the top 10. With numbers 20-11 we have a couple AFI Top 100 films and a few Academy Award winners. Please come back for the final 10!