1. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

Note: I’m not including a trailer for this one because the trailer really gives off the wrong impression about the movie. Just see it.

Everyone has seen a movie that has blown them away completely, more than any other movie they’ve seen. It could have changed the way you thought about life. It could have made you cry more than any other movie. Regardless, chances are there’s a movie where you reached the credits and thought “Wow, that was the best movie I’ve ever seen.” That movie for me is Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.

The movie starts out kinda confusing, because you are introduced to the characters, and they become a couple, and they’re happy. Then, suddenly, it shifts to the guy crying his eyes out while driving home in the rain. And thus, the movie begins.

The movie is about a man, Joel Barish, who finds out that his girlfriend, Clementine Kruczynski, has erased him from her memory. He is devastated and decides to have the same operation done to him. His memories erase in reverse order—from the most recent to the first time they met. He experiences them as they slowly disappear from his memory, reliving them almost. As he slowly moves closer to the beginning of their relationship, he starts to fall back in love with her. But at that point, it’s too late; the operation can’t stop.

Some might think this is a chick flick romantic comedy. I beg to differ. This movie appeals to everyone at an emotional level; nothing cutesy here. It makes you think about love and life, and what they really mean. The real tear-jerking part is his last few memories, right before she is completely erased. He wants another chance, something everyone wants at some point. What happens next is what made the movie for me. The climax of the movie is what made this movie so great.

I remember finishing the movie and being completely astounded at its beauty. This was the movie that made me truly appreciate movies for all that they are, and it also made me hate other movies for what they weren’t. Since then, I haven’t seen a movie that has made me feel the same way, not even close. Maybe I’m a sap for these kinds of movies, but I don’t care. This movie is incredible, in all ways. There’s something about it that feels strangely relatable.

Watch it. You might love it, or you might hate it. Just watch it, it’s definitely worth your time. You will be very surprised at what it has to offer. I know I was, and now I worship it. For all you know, it might become your new favorite.

Well there’s my Top 10 Favorite Movies. I’m glad this is done, so I can do other stuff now too.

2. Pulp Fiction

Trailer

The only film to top Quentin Tarantino’s Reservoir Dogs is Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction, THE most quotable movie EVER MADE. This is the quintessential Tarantino film that won him the Cannes Film Festival’s Palme d’Or, probably the most prestigious film award in the world. Everything in this movie is iconic, everything is quotable, all the characters are memorable, and the story is one you’d never forget. If you don’t like this movie, then you don’t know good movies.

Tarantino dishes it out with an all-star cast: John Travolta and Samuel L. Jackson star as two hitmen; Bruce Willis stars as a boxer on the run; Uma Thurman stars as the wife of the Los Angeles underground boss gangster; the list goes on. There are multiple characters to follow and multiple stories to follow. The characters are so dynamic and interesting to listen to, which means that the dialogue is NEVER dull, and NEVER boring.

Speaking of the dialogue, Tarantino’s writing in this movie is incredible. He has a knack for witty and memorable dialogue, and Pulp Fiction is proof of that. When you finish this movie, there will be many lines you distinctly remember because 1. They were hilarious, 2. They were badass, or 3. They were hilarious AND badass. There’s no possible way you can forget the dialogue. It’s too good.

The way the film is set up is in non-linear format: the movie ends where it began. It sounds odd, yes, and sometimes the movie jumps around, but by the end, everything comes together perfectly. There’s something about it that feels right.

I distinctly remember finishing the movie and desperately wanting more. I bet that you will finish the movie the exact same way. Like Reservoir Dogs, you will never forget this movie if you tried. If you haven’t watched this movie, then this should be a must-see for you. Or else I’ll get medieval on your ass.

3. Slumdog Millionaire

Top 3, let’s finish this up!

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Slumdog Millionaire, the winner of 8 2009 Academy Awards including Best Picture. Why is this movie one of my top three? Everything about this movie to me has such ridiculous artistic appeal: the music, the cinematography, the editing, etc. I find this movie truly magical because of the way it’s presented.

This movie was one of those movies that I had to watch twice to really understand it. I remember hearing first that it had won a ton of awards and whatnot, so I figured it was worth a shot. It certainly wasn’t what I expected, and it didn’t blow me away at first because I had a hard time following the story. But now that I understand the premise, I understand why it’s so acclaimed.

The way it’s presented is so avante-garde and experimental. What this does is add to the intensity of the movie, so much so that it’s overwhelming. I look to this movie to provide cinematography inspiration and ideas to springboard off of to use for my videos. The chasing scenes are absolutely incredible because of the music, the cinematography, and the editing. It’s a different feeling.

Here’s my favorite example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDC47NsoRE0

Basically, the story is about a slumdog who is accused of cheating on the game show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. However, when he is telling his story, he reveals all the hardships he has faced since he was a child; it is his experiences that give him the answers to the game show questions. The story is incredibly intense in a ton of different ways, so I’d just watch it.

I admire this movie for it’s cinematography, editing, music, acting, and story. Something about it makes the whole experience magical, even though some of the themes are dark. Sometimes, I think the Academy doesn’t screw up.

4. Reservoir Dogs

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Reservoir Dogs: Quentin Tarantino’s directing debut, and arguably one of his best films. If you say you love indie movies, and you haven’t seen Reservoir Dogs, then you’re not a true indie movie lover. Reservoir Dogs represents the epitome of what it means to be a great independently made movie.

Everything about this movie is iconic, from the tipping scene, to the torture scene, to the frickin’ opening credits: A bunch of guys in suits, walking down the street in slow motion, to music. You will never forget these scenes; they glue to your brain like a tumor, and they will never leave. The movie is funny, vulgar, violent, and interesting in so many different ways that it’s impossible to not remember this movie.

Quentin Tarantino mainstreamed the non-linear movie format. Reservoir Dogs is about a group of guys robbing a bank. Thing is, you only see what happens before and after the heist; the actual robbery is never seen, but only mentioned through dialogue. This sets up a very unique storytelling method that sounds weird on paper, but shines on execution.

I like this movie because of how many boundaries it pushed, in terms of violence, language, and overall setup. Trust me, you will NEVER forget Reservoir Dogs, even if you tried. Whether you think it’s too violent, too vulgar, or too boring is up to you, but Tarantino undoubtedly debuted with unmatched intensity. It could arguably be the best independent film ever made. It’s that great of a movie, and a must-see if you love indie films, or anything about movies at all.

5. Chungking Express

Best character intro ever

Top five now. Let’s get this going.

Chungking Express is my last Asian film in this list. It is Wong Kar Wai’s most well-known film, and rightly so. Bluntly put, it’s a very quirky romance movie that will delight anyone.

The movie follows two cops in their quests for love in and around the Chungking Mansions in Hong Kong, each with their individual halves of the movie. The first cop was dumped on April 1st, and he thought it was a joke at first. His arc revolves around him getting over his ex and moving on with life. Meanwhile, he takes his anger out by jogging, because “then he won’t have any tears left to cry.”

The second arc revolves around a fast-food employee and her love interest with another cop. This cop was also just dumped, and the employee notices. However, the cop refuses to forget about his ex and just mopes around. Thus, the employee takes it upon herself to help him by stealing a set of his keys, breaking into his apartment when he’s not home, and fixing the place up.

If that doesn’t interest you, then you might as well go watch Transformers 2 or something. Not only does this movie have an awesome plot, but the camerawork, the music, the actors, pretty much everything, just straight-up win.

To truly know what I’m talking about, you seriously have to watch it. Definitely not a movie you will ever forget.

6. Fallen Angels

Trailer

Another movie probably no one I know has seen. Not exactly a movie for everyone. What this movie does with the camera is probably beyond strange for many, and the story structure would probably throw a lot of people off their rocker. Regardless, this is one funky movie that sticks with you.

Wong Kar Wai is quite the experimenter. Half of his scenes are shot with a fisheye lens, which distorts a person’s face to make their noses look big. What he does with the camera is totally unique and experimental, and I love it.

This movie is such a psychedelic rush of mixed emotions. I don’t know how to explain it, but the cinematography really conveys a ton of emotion, which is very unique to this movie. I like the artistic appeal to this movie, and it inspires me to be a bit more experimental with my camera angles.

It’s one of those movies that you have to watch to understand why it’s so great. Definitely geared more to the independent filmmakers, but I would give it a shot nonetheless. :D

7. Spirited Away

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Spirited Away, one of many great Hayao Miyazaki anime films. Bluntly put, it is an incredible movie. The fact that most of the animation was made using traditional, hand-drawn pictures honestly astounds me. You don’t get much of that anymore.

I’ve seen this movie so many times, in English and in Japanese, for years. I’ve always loved this movie for the story, and now I can appreciate and worship it for its technical glory. You get immersed in the story and in the world so easily. The story is interesting, multi-layered, and unique. The characters are incredibly memorable (the baby). There are so many things that you can love about this movie. Which brings me to probably one of the main reasons why I love this movie so much:

The music. The soundtrack is amazing. I love the soundtrack. I love it so much that I own the entire soundtrack. I’ve learned four or five of these songs on the piano. I can’t say enough about the music because I worship it. It’s probably my all-time favorite soundtrack. Joe Hisaishi is just… I could listen to his stuff all day long.

Overall though this movie is just incredible. Definitely one of those movies I could watch over and over again and not get bored.

8. WALL-E

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Yes, WALL-E, my favorite Pixar film ever. Many people seem to be mixed about this movie. Some dislike the pessimistic doomsday outlook on humanities future. Some didn’t think it had as much connection to kids as previous Pixar movies. I personally think this is their best movie overall.

The animation, first off, is absolutely incredible. I remember watching this movie and being amazed by the amount of detail that was put into the visuals. Space and the garbage-ridden Earth were my favorites. They’re just so pretty to look at. Absolutely stunning.

I thought the way the story was told was also incredibly unique. I liked how WALL-E and EVE did not really have to speak much for the audience to understand them. The way Pixar did the characters’ animations really conveyed the right things. I liked watching WALL-E’s actions because they were so expressive and lively—he felt almost human. I felt as if I followed the movie completely fine, which I find quite impressive.

Ignore anyone who thinks this is a bad movie. It’s incredible. It’s totally different than anything else out there, but it tells its story in a fantastic way. Not only that, it’s just pure eye-candy

9. When the Last Sword is Drawn

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A foreign film that I’m sure almost none of my friends have seen. This movie was made in 2004 and it follows the story of a Shinsengumi samurai named Kanichiro Yoshimutra. He is introduced as a very skilled and greedy swordsman. As a mercenary, he goes out of his way to get as much money as he can. This is perceived as greedy by his fellow samurai. However, as the story goes on, more and more is revealed about his past, and his true colors shine.

Turns out Kanichiro is gathering money so that he can support his family. He disgraced his old clan and his family name by leaving. He is perceived as a greedy mercenary in his new clan. However, it is all to support his family. His true character is revealed through his noble actions. During one scene, when food was extremely low, he gave out all the rice to the rest of the samurai and let himself go hungry. It is beautiful and sad how far he went to help others, regardless of the sacrifice.

This was one of those movies that you watch and you just feel good at the end. Kanichiro’s character is someone you really feel attached to. He is funny, quirky, honorable, and honest. You can’t help but wish more people in the world were like him. The acting in this movie is totally superb, especially Kanichiro’s actor. Everything is believable and immerses you into the fantastic tale. I’ve never seen a movie like it before.

10. Fantastic Mr. Fox

I’m gonna write about my top ten favorite movies and then explain why. I’m bored and I dunno what else to post right now.


Trailer

This movie is based off the book by Roald Dahl, though the ending to the movie differs slightly. It is a stop motion animated film. Why is this one of my favorites, out of all the animated films out there? Because it’s totally different from any other contemporary animated movie, i.e. it’s not digital. It delivers a very different feel that works.

The story and the characters are incredibly quirky. You can’t help but laugh at times because it’s just so damn different and funny. You’ll fall in love almost instantly. George Clooney’s voice talent totally fits Mr. Fox, and he delivers a great performance. And Kylie the Opossum is just hilarious. You really have to watch it to understand, because it’s pretty far from ordinary, and only after watching it you will understand.

By the way, this is only the first of three animated films in my top ten.