Video Game: Gameplay Tips for "Deus Ex: Human Revolution"

This game offers you some freedom in exploring the environments and your choice of gameplay techniques.  Regardless of how you play it, it may still present some challenges.  If you're finding yourself stuck with something, perhaps this guide can help.

If all else fails, it never hurts to check out these walkthroughs and guides:

Deux Ex Wiki
IGN Walkthrough
PS3 Trophy Guide
PS3 Trophy Guide Forum:  Roadmap and Guide
 
General Tips

• It might go without saying, but save often.  You're allowed up to 20 saved games, so make a save every time you make an important decision or make good progress.  It certainly helps with certain trophies (and the story in general) to save before a social battle or before finishing a quest with multiple possible endings, so you can reload and try different things.
• Use the cover system, all the time, every time.  It's the best way to ensure that you're really out of the bad guys' line of sight.  Moving along cover is also quieter than moving around freely.  Sometimes, it's the only way to really get somewhere.
• Try to find alternate routes.  The beaten path is usually overrun with hoards of guards; you can usually find small holes, vents, tunnels, doors, or other paths that loop around these areas and allow you to get where you're going without being seen.  As such...
• Explore everywhere you can.  There are vents and airshafts everywhere that lead to other places, allowing you to bypass most areas where bad guys roam around.  They also lead to cool secret places where you can find more ammo, ebooks (some of which grant experience points, and are necessary for the "Doctorate" trophy), pocket secretaries (which may contain passwords and passcodes), money, and praxis kits.
• Hack everything you can, as long as you're able to do so.  It's certainly a bad idea to hack into things with civilians watching, and it's even worse to hack something and have a guard walk up behind you.  But as long as the area's clear, have at it.  Capturing datastores will grant you bonus money, experience, and viruses.  Successful hacks net you decent experience points.  Anything you hack will help you more than it hinders.  So why not?
• Since all play styles may require some fundamental hacking, it's recommended to invest some praxis points toward the hacking skills.  Points in the capture and stealth areas should come first, since they'll let you access higher-rated machines more efficiently.  I never invested much in fortify, but I can see the value in it if you find yourself fortifying your nodes all the time.  However, the skill that lets you see what the datastores have is one of the iffier features.  It may be valuable because it'll let you pick and choose which datastores you want to capture, but if you're like me and you just want to capture them all, then you don't really need it.
• When you land in Hengsha for the second time, you'll have another spazz attack and Pritchard will recommend you go to the LIMB Clinic to get a new biochip.  Don't do it! It's a trap! Turns out that the new chip is rigged by Zhao to purposefully debilitate you during the third boss fight.  The fight goes a lot easier when your HUD and augmentations aren't all glitchy.
• All bosses (except for the last one) can be defeated easily with the Typhoon weapon system.  Max it out early and keep at least a few ammo packs handy (and a few nutrient bars for your battery).  Two to three blasts with Typhoon will kill the bosses quite easily.
• The last boss seems hard, but really isn't.  For the first part, it's just a matter of avoiding the turret fire.  You can either destroy the turrets with occasional gunfire, or deactivate them by hacking into the terminal in the room.  For the second part, it's easy:  find a place to hide, and wait it out.  Eventually, the robots that come out will stop chasing you, the crazies that come out will be zapped by the electric floor plates (and it doesn't affect the "Pacifist" trophy), and Zhao will eventually overload.  That's when you run up to her and shoot her in the face.  Then, that's it, it's game over man!

Stealth vs Combat

Hmmm...should I shoot it, or not...?

In the first level, you're given the choice between lethal and non-lethal means of combat.  Obviously, if you're going for the "Pacifist" trophy, you'll want that non-lethal approach.  But just because you say so to Sarif doesn't mean that you're solely stuck with that playstyle.

The advantage to running and gunning is that you can eliminate all the obstacles in your path relentlessly.  You can rack up some decent experience points as you make more kills.  However, if you're really reckless, you will set off the alarms more often, and find yourself pinned down by enemy fire more often.

The game was designed with stealth more in mind, and it does come recommended.  Reason being:  you get decent experience bonuses for successfully completing objectives without being seen and without setting off alarms.  You also get xp bonuses for knocking out enemies, as opposed to killing them.  It's slower to do, but sneaking through a level feels a lot smoother and more rewarding than fighting your way through.

Regardless of which playstyle you choose, the following upgrades come recommended:

• Arm Enhancements:  You will want to do some heavy lifting.  In fact, during the one level where you're waiting for the funicular, I actually moved the enemy's turret and a couple of vending machines around to block both the doors to the room; so while I pushed the elevator button and the bad guys came out, none of them could actually enter the room.  It was awesome.  The wall-punching upgrade can help you in a couple of areas, but it is noisy and will attract attention (if not kill somebody on the other side of the wall).  Bigger inventory is nice, but may not be all that necessary if you're managing your inventory with maximum efficiency.  Never bothered with the recoil reduction, but it might be handy if you're in combat mode.
• Dermal Armor:  If you're playing a combat-driven game, then you'll want this.  If you're playing it stealthy, then this can wait, but it will help during the boss fights.  Upgrading to electric-resistant armor will be handy for the final level.
• Hacking - Capture:  So you can hack into higher-level devices.  Even if you never plan on turning robots and turrets against the bad guys, it's good to enable robot/turret hacking as well, so you can at least disable them.
• Hacking - Fortify:  So you can hack into devices and make the trace really slow.  If this is how you like to hack, then go for it.  If you're going for this, however, you might not want to spend points of Hacking Stealth, since it works best as one or the other:  if you're hacking with a slower trace, there's no real need to be stealthy, and vice-versa.
• Hacking - Stealth:  So you can hack into devices with a lesser chance of being traced.  However, if you're upgrading Hacking Fortification then you might want to stick with that.
• Icarus Landing System:  Because it's nice to just fall down gracefully to where you need to go.  Will help you reach at least one ebook needed for the "Doctorate" trophy; can also help you reach certain objectives better.
• Leg Enhancements:  Extra jumping will allow you to jump higher to reach certain places.  Silent walking/running/jumping will help in your sneaking.  Never bothered with the prolonged sprinting, so you can probably live without it too.
• Power:  Max it all out.  By all means.
• Radar System:  Gives you a better idea of what bad guys are lurking around you.  It works really great when you see their line-of-sight cones on the screen too.  What I don't recommend are those upgrades that allow you to tag bad guys; it's something I never used.  The upgrade that shows where a bad guy last saw you came in handy a couple of times for me, but I still feel it's not totally necessary.
• Social Enhancer:  Helps with the social battles.  It's actually the only way you can get the "Ladies Man" trophy.  Therefore, you'll want it by the time you get to the second part of the Hengsha missions.
• Typhoon Weapon System:  Works wonders on bosses.

These upgrades are NOT recommended:

•  Hacking Analyze Add-On:  Might be handy if you really want to pick-and-choose the datastores that you want to capture, but if you're like me and want to capture all of them, then why do you need to know what's inside them? All datastores have goodies, so just grab them and continue on.
• Implanted Rebreather:  There are maybe three areas in the whole game where it could be used, and they're all optional sidepaths.  As long as you stay away from the poisonous gas, you'll be fine.  Better to spend your precious praxis points elsewhere.
• Stealth Enhancers:  I absolutely never saw the use in the upgrades that allow you to tag enemies and watch them roam around.  I did see some use in the upgrade that shows where a bad guy last saw you...but it only occurred a couple of times.  As long as you pay attention to the alarm state and the audio cues from the guards, you'll know to move away and hide; you don't need an icon telling you this.  
• Wall-Penetrating Imager:  Because there's no real point in needing to see through walls.  Even if there are bad guys on the other side, they won't see or hear you, so there's no need to pay them any mind.  Radar provides all the info you really need.

Trophy Hunting

• You could get the platinum trophy all in one go.  It took me two, because my first playthrough was casual and I didn't pay attention to the stealth and combat all that much.  I certainly didn't pick up on every little sidequest.
• Most of the bronze trophies will come naturally.  As long as you hack into things often, you will get the hacking trophies easily.  If you punch people out often (guards, not civilians), you will get those trophies.  And as long as you work your way through the story, you will get all the main story-based trophies and the boss-related trophies.  Those are all inevitable.
• There are a bunch of trophies for the sidequests, and many have two possible endings.  I recommend playing through as many sidequests as you can, since they offer good xp and rewards.  As you play them, be sure to save your game before turning the quests in, so you can finish up the quests, reload, and try something different to get that extra trophy.
• The trophy for "Gun Nut" can be easily earned by upgrading your tranquilizer gun thrice:  once for the target leading system, and two reload speed upgrades.  That's all it needs.  Every other weapon requires more stuff, so if you really want to get the "Gun Nut" trophy on another weapon, you'll have to figure out what upgrades given weapon  supports and go find them all.
• The hidden trophy for "Old School Gamer" ought to be the very first trophy you get.  If not, it's easy:  it's in the little room at the very very very start of the game.  Megan Reed will be urging you to get a move on; simply take the time to click on the computer, the ebook, the newspaper, a book, a toy car, and a photograph.
• There is one hidden trophy for saving Malik on your second trip to Hengsha.  I thought it was pretty brutal on hard difficulty, so for this level, I saved the game right at the start, changed the difficulty to easy, and then went through the level taking out all the bad guys.  I kept to the right of the level, taking out the bad guys there, before throwing an EMP grenade at the robot and moving upstairs to take out the snipers.  Do all that, and you can save Malik in the given timeframe.  It is probably possible to save her on hard.  But since I didn't really care what happened to her, I just reloaded, let her die, then moved on without being seen by the guards (I was playing for beating it on hard, "Pacifist," and "Foxiest of Hounds" all at once, so I really couldn't save Malik and satisfy all those requirements at once).
• There's a hidden trophy for finding Hangar 18, whatever that is.  Before leaving the Singapore level, hack into the terminal in the hangar bay to decrypt the e-mail.  Then make your way to the left to find a small hole covered by a crate.  Squeeze yourself in there, hack the computer inside, and viola, you're in Hangar 18.  Trophy ensues...
• There is one hidden trophy for playing basketball.  The ball and hoop is in the back alleys of Detroit, and it's hard to miss.  Simply pick up the ball, aim for the backboard, and throw it.  Sounds easy, right? Well, be prepared to shoot many many many times.  That ball will go everywhere.  I think I had to stand on a dumpster and aim really precisely to get it.  Once I did, it was all good.
• The "Doctorate" trophy is awarded for finding all the xp books.  Simply get yourself a guide, and grab them as you play through the game.  If you get them all, you should unlock the trophy by the time you leave Megan Reed's room.
• Of all the trophies, the hardest one will be "Pacifist," in which you beat the game without killing anyone.  Boss fights do not count.  However, a lot of other factors can mess up your progress on this trophy.  The tranquilizer gun and stun gun may seldomly kill an enemy by mistake.  If enemies land on hazards or landmines, they'll count as a kill.  If enemies fall off a ledge, it'll count as a kill.  I noticed that knocked-out enemies can even die as you drag their bodies around (stuffing them into a vent is not recommended, apparently).  I've read that as long as you get the "Merciful Soul" xp bonus, then you'll have done your job properly.  Just to be sure, though, always check the bodies to see if they're unconscious (Zzzzz icons) or dead (skull icon).  If you're worried that you may have killed one by accident, reload and try again.  The sad thing is, if you go through the whole game and don't get this trophy, then you probably killed someone by accident, and may need to play it all through again.
• The next hardest trophy is "The Foxiest of Hounds," in which you must play the game without setting off any alarms.  By that, they don't necessarily mean going through the game completely unseen.  If guards or cameras become suspicious, simply cloak and move behind cover and out of sight.  Guards may investigate, but they'll eventually turn away and move on.  I just worry when they turn hostile; cameras, turrets, and bots will definitely set off the alarms, so it's best to avoid them, or turn them off (but don't destroy them).  I've read that it's okay for human characters to turn hostile, as long as they don't go for the alarm panels.  I played through the game without turning enemies hostile, just to be sure; I simply reloaded often if I saw them turn red.  Be aware that scripted events (such as the end of the Tiao Young Medical level) do not affect this trophy; such alarms are meant to go off as part of the story.  To help you move along undetected, it's wise to always move bodies out of sight of cameras and other guards.  Sneaking behind cover, using your cloak, using silenced movements, hacking into alarm panels and security hubs, will all help you get through the level without ever being seen.  As long as you get either the "Ghost" or "Smooth Operator" xp bonuses, you'll know that you're doing good (earning "Ghost" also earns you a nice shiny bronze trophy).
• The trophy for the "D-Project" is super-easy.  Simply let the credits roll, and a bonus cut-scene will ensue.  Then...ding!

Video Game Review: Deus Ex: Human Revolution

"Deus Ex" is one of many games that I always see referenced with a strong level of reverence, but I've sadly never played it.  So, when Square Enix released its prequel last year, I was naturally intrigued.  How could I not pass up the chance to play a futuristic cyborg in a massive urban sprawl?

Basically, the game bears something in common with films like "Blade Runner" or "Ghost in the Shell," but it never comes off as a rip-off or a rehash.  It's a truly original piece of cyberpunk sci-fi, which introduced a plethora of interesting new ideas and environments and allows you, the player, to explore it all in great depth and detail.

Gameplay is fairly similar to "Metal Gear Solid 4," insomuch as you have the choice between stealth or combat.  The game (and many of its trophies) may push for the stealth approach, and it is certainly smooth, viable, and rewarding to sneak around your enemies, find secret passages, and hack your way into locked areas.  It's also pretty fun and rewarding to pick up a gun and start blasting away at things.  The levels are designed in a fashion that warrants both approaches.  As you progress, you gain experience points and are able to choose your cybernetic augmentations, which grant you some cool abilities (such as cloaking, smashing through walls, running silently, and more).  I found it thoroughly addicting to scour every level, searching through every room and hackable device to harvest experience points, as well as finding money, information, and ammo.  Cover-based stealth and combat is pretty smooth, with only a few quibbles:  there were times where I accidentally poked my head up when I didn't mean to.  Still, whether I was going in with all guns blazing or working to give the bad guys the slip, I had a blast with this game.

If there's any point of contention, it will be in the boss fights.  Even if you spend the whole game in stealth, the boss fights demand open confrontation, and it can be a royal pain if you're ill-equipped.  Personally, I found myself most agitated with the first boss, who you really can't fight up close or far away.  I can handle all the other ones, especially since the environments for those other bosses are designed with plenty of cover and obstacles; it's just that first one I hated.

What really makes it work will be its storytelling, which is phenomenal.  Its settings are very vivid; the highly-detailed cityscapes are immense, bleak, condensed, scuzzy, and all-around the perfect depiction of a future affected by excess industrialization.  Within this setting, the main character comes across as a really cool, smooth, introspective professional; you can guide his dialogue to make him either really cold, really sardonic, or really confrontational.  No matter what the guy says or does, I grew to admire his tough-guy stature and his soft but harsh voice.  As the character is sent around the world to track down kidnapped scientists, he unravels conspiracies and secrets that hint at much larger themes concerning technological advancement and its toll on the human race (if not the human body itself).  The story bears all the qualities, aspects, and themes that makes other cyberpunk stories so phenomenal.

The game is well-rendered:  the graphics are decent and great to look at, even if they're never totally photo-realistic.  All the levels (sans the boss fights) are well-designed and chock full of detail.  Art design overall is phenomenal:  every setting, object, costume, weapon, character, and thing in the game looks great, and it all finds a good balance between looking futuristic and looking utilitarian.  The game makes decent use of sound, and the voice-acting is good (although voices rarely match up with the lip movements).  The game has good writing, good-looking character animations, and some really great-looking cutscenes.  Lastly, the music is decent.

If you're like me and you enjoy playing games to play through a good story and experience something vividly unique, then "Deux Ex:  Human Revolution" should satisfy you.  I'm sure that existing "Deus Ex" fans and fans of stealth-based games will find it worthy of their time.  The only people I would not recommend it to would be those who just want straightforward, reckless action and don't give a darn about quality storytelling.  You know who you are.

5/5 (Entertainment:  Perfect | Story:  Very Good | Game:  Very Good)

Writing: How to Keep a Dream Log

The brain is one weird biological machine.  When the body is unconscious, the mind still runs, constantly churning through a huge amount of sensations, memories, thoughts, and experiences.  It all gets compiled into dreams, and no two dreams are ever alike.  Dreams are strange (especially for me, but I think most everybody will agree that all dreams are surreal to some extent).  Sometimes, they are so vivid and immersive that they feel just like reality.  I swear, I've had many dreams that felt so real, I invested my whole mind into it, trying to solve some problem or get through some odd dreamscape, only to come out of it with the disappointing realization that it was all just in my head.  Sometimes, the dream can be so intense, that I can actually control it.  There's nothing more intense than a lucid dream:  a space the subconscious where you, the dreamer, can actually say, do, or think things that literally alter the outcome of the dream.

Whether it's a passive or active dream, chances are that it'll be an experience unlike any other.  Chances are that it'll have imagery, scenery, or events so fantastic that they'll stagger the imagination and you'll want to share them in some form.

Chances are that you'll forget all about them, every single morning.  No matter how hard you try to remember a dream, it always slips away.  Dreams are just naturally designed to dissipate, so that the body can go on with its regular course of business.

Thus, if you really want to remember all those dreams of yours, I recommend keeping a Dream Log.

Why Should I?
Key advantages to keeping track of your dreams could be:

• A potential source of literary inspiration.  This may apply most directly to fiction, especially fantasies or stories with really fantastic things.  Maybe you'll have a dream that's so intense, you'll want to recapture that experience in a story.  Or, maybe there's a specific thing you saw in a dream that you'll want to incorporate into a story.  Either way, keeping a log of dreams is another way of keeping a directory of possible surreal images and experiences to be used in whatever project you have in mind.
• A potential topic of conversation.  If you're a regular blogger, blogging about your dreams could be just another series of posts in your repertoire.  If you're a non-fiction writer, perhaps keeping track of your dreams could directly correlate to an ongoing project.  Maybe you're writing non-fiction about dreaming.  Whatever the case, everybody dreams, and everybody can make a topic worth writing about from dreams.
• Insight on your own subconscious.  If you find yourself dreaming constantly about certain things, maybe those things mean something.  Symbols in dreams often have a real-life basis, alluding to your own emotional state.  It might be a good idea to write these symbols down, look them up, and see what they mean.  For example, I had quite a few dreams about tornadoes.  Turns out that tornadoes are a symbol of emotional turmoil.  Imagine that:  I had emotional turmoil.  If you're dreaming about tornadoes too, maybe you're having turmoil yourself.

How Do I Do It?
It's not all that hard or sophisticated, and I doubt that there's any one specific way to do this.  Simply grab yourself a notebook, and write down your dreams as they come.

I prefer to use a physical notebook and pen.  I specifically have a kindergartener's style notebook, half of which is lined and half of which is left blank for pictures.  I use the top blank portion to roughly sketch any memorable images from a given dream, and use the rest to describe the dream.  You don't have to go all-out with the details of the dream; just describe what happens in a concise manner.  Feel free to describe who was there, what you saw, what happens, what symbols appear if any, how you felt, whether or not it was lucid, etc.  Sketching is purely optional; I just do it to get a more accurate representation of a given dream.

The hardest part is, of course, remembering the dream.  Thus, it's best to record the dream immediately after waking up.  It might be a grudging task to crawl out of bed and get up the motivation to grab a pen and write; in which case, it may suffice to take a shower first, eat breakfast, drink coffee, etc, get awake and then write it.  It's do-able as long as you can keep it in your head.  The problem is, the dream will start to vanish from your memory as soon as you wake up, and holding onto it can be hard.  So, if you can, make an effort to write it all down as soon as you can.

A physical notebook is, of course, not the only tool at your disposal.  I did see other folks using blogs as a dream log (or rather, a dream blog).  Heck, I might have to post my own dreams here too! Either way, a blog makes sense, because you can keep track of your dreams online in a chronological order, and share them with the rest of the world.  The problem is privacy; if you have dreams you don't want to share, blogging about them may be a bad idea.  Some dreams might hit too close to your heart to share with the rest of the world.  I certainly wouldn't post dreams that specifically name close friends or family, or expose something sensitive concerning my life.  So, whether or not you want to blog your dreams will depend on how private your dreams are and what your stance is on sharing your private life.

I do see that there are websites that allow you to log your dreams.  I have no idea whether you share your logs with others or not, but it goes to show that online alternatives are available.

If you don't want to post your dreams online, that doesn't mean that logging dreams isn't possible on a computer.  You could certainly use any word processor, or even something simple like notepad, to jot down your dreams.  You could make a new folder for your dreams and save your logs there.

For all I know, there could be apps for dream logging.  It couldn't hurt to look (but I don't see the point in paying for any specialized software when a simple word processor can do the trick).  Chances are also good that there are online forums where you could discuss your dreams, and maybe you can post your logs there (I assume there are, I don't know for sure.  If you are really into your dreams, then it may behoove you to google for dream websites and see what's out there).

The bottom line is, regardless of whether you jot it down in hardcopy or softcopy, keeping a specialized journal of your subconscious experiences can provide an alternate source of inspiration for your writing.  I do recommend keeping track of your dreams, because dreaming is probably your best source of surreal images and experiences, and they're often so unique that you'll want to go back and remember what it was you dreamt about.

Yes, you too can make up your own notebook to keep track of your crazy dreams!

Al's Top 100 Most Favorite Movies Part 5

Part 1, Films 100 - 81
Part 2, Films 80 - 61
Part 3, Films 60 - 41
Part 4, Films 40 - 21

20:  Apocalypse Now!

One of many films that threw me off on the first viewing; Francis Ford Coppola’s war epic is a strange experience. It is a memorable and vivid one though. Its story takes after Joseph Conrad’s novel Heart of Darkness, and the film proves that the concept can work in just about any setting. It is pretty trippy and invoking to watch the characters descend into the depths of insanity (hence, the heart of darkness). With all the hell the filmmakers went through to make this, it turned out to be one unique picture.

The Redux edition of this movie runs for over three-and-a-half hours, and offers a myriad of strange new scenes. It is worth seeing at least once.
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19:  Requiem for a Dream

Darren Aronofsky’s adaptation of Hubert Selby Jr’s novel is one of the most harrowing and depression experiences one can have watching a film. The story revolves around four individuals, whose lives unravel with drug addiction and abuse, leading to the obliteration of their dreams. While the novel didn’t have much structure to its story, the director brings it to vivid life with a strong cinematic style, and the actors emphasize the pain of their nightmare through their quality performances. Clint Mansell’s score is equally powerful. By the end of the film, I guarantee that you’ll be too scared to even think of using drugs ever again. Because of that, I recommend that everybody should see this film at least once in their lifetime.
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18:  Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (Kaze no tani no Naushika)

Of all the wonderful pictures that Hayao Miyazaki created, this one hits me the hardest. As a post-apocalyptic fantasy, it’s quite hard-edged, but still carries a sense of whimsy and high adventure that would define most of the man’s other films. It’s hard not to feel for the main character and her cause (thus, underscoring strong themes concerning the environment). In the end, it’s a wonderful film with a strong story and lots of strong action scenes.
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17:  A Clockwork Orange

Ah, what bliss to viddy this old zammechat picture, seeing the red red krovvy and watching young devotchkas doing the old in-out-in-out. This raskazz is real horrowshow, quite unlike any other gloopy pictures; like milk plus, it can sharpen you up for a bit of the old ultraviolence.

Yeah, this is one weird trip. The film is notorious for its brutality and violence, but memorable for its insane art design and its unique use of the Nadsat language. What really make it work are its story, characters, and very strong themes revolving around the artificial tampering of the human mind and spirit. While this film won’t appeal to everyone, I’ve always found it a profound experience to join Alex and his droogs on their harrowing venture.
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16:  Children of Men

There is probably no worse fate than to have no fate at all. Children of Men offers the grim and sobering premise that the human race will become infertile, leading to a downward spiral of social decay. This film is extremely depressing, with its hard-hitting violence, and numerous scenes of injustice. It is a strong and powerful film though, as its darkest moments serves to make the one light of hope shine brighter (which in turn mirrors the nativity story). There is action to the movie too, and it is impressive; the filmmakers flex some impressive muscle in regards to scene composition, choreography, and logistics, as the camera follows the characters across the countryside and a decrepit refugee camp with hardly any cuts. For the most part though, it wasn’t so much the action that stood out, as it was one specific scene toward the end that really made the movie for me: it is an arousing scene in which, in the midst of all the fighting and bloodshed, the human spirit prevails. It gets to me every time.
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15:  Braveheart

Of all historical epics that have been made, there aren’t many that can match the emotional power and strength of Mel Gibson’s film. Even though very little about this film is historically accurate, it presents an impressive portrayal of the war between the Scotts and the English; there are a few major battles in this film that are incredibly gruesome and harrowing. More interesting than the war are the characters; it is an invoking experience to watch William Wallace suffer the loss of his wife, and then embark on a bloody rampage of vengeance. With gorgeous photography and a decent-looking production, Braveheart is still one of the most powerful experiences I’ve seen on film.
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14:  Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

I remember watching this in the theater, and around thirty minutes in, it dawned on me that everything about the film was darn near perfect. It has action and impressive-looking special effects. It has quality craftsmanship and cinematography. It has good strength in storytelling and characterization. A fairly faithful adaptation of JRR Tolkien’s original story, the film presents a quality adventure with a satisfying amount of action and depth. Only the sequels would come to surpass this film’s superiority.

Extended editions exist for all three Lord of the Rings films, which seamlessly offer a huge number of new scenes with completed special effects and music. They offer great insight on the story and characters, and come recommended for all three films.
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13: Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

This second part of Peter Jackson’s epic depiction of JRR Tolkien’s epic saga takes everything that was great about The Fellowship of the Ring and manages to make it a grade better. The Two Towers has more impressive action scenes, especially with the Battle of Helm’s Deep. It has a slightly stronger visual flair. Above all, it still maintains steady focus on the story and characters. With a strong, quality production backing it, this film remains as quality entertainment.
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12:  Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

Dr. Henry Jones Jr’s third adventure in the series proves every bit as fun and adventurous as his previous outings. Aside from plentiful amounts of fights and chases, the movie’s tank chase scene is a marvelous sequence. At its core, the film revolves around Indy and his father, and their interactions help give the film a substantial heart and soul (in addition to lots of witty comedy). This comes very close to being my favorite of the series, but between this and the first film, it’s a pretty close call. Both films are great fun and have great stories to tell.
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11:  Casino Royale (2006)

While some folks will still be transfixed on the classic James Bond adventures, there is much to be said about this refreshing new take on a classic action hero icon. Daniel Craig brings Ian Fleming’s character to life, with a raw and primal passion that has rarely been touched upon before (maybe a little from Timothy Dalton), and a level of class that hasn’t been seen since Sean Connery (who’s still a strong and endearing contender for being the best Bond of them all). This action-packed film starts off strong and maintains a good level of tension and thrills with its frequent shootouts, chases, and fights. Even when the action dies down, the tension lingers for most of the picture. It follows the original book faithfully while keeping things modern and fresh. Characters are at their strongest here; it is especially groundbreaking for Bond’s evolution from a cocky, arrogant amateur to a cold, hardened superspy. The film looks very slick and stylish. In short, of all the 007 films out there, the latest series has been the most satisfying. Quantum of Solace makes for an excellent follow-up, for it rounds off the characters, but is marred by its jittery camerawork. Chances are good that Skyfall could take over as my favorite Bond film. As it is though, Casino Royale remains definitive.
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10:  Star Trek (2009)

For the past five decades, Star Trek has captured the imaginations and hearts of many audiences, with its intelligent and perilous adventures and endearing characters. With the film series trailing off after Star Trek: Nemesis (and with the old cast having already expressed their farewells in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country), JJ Abrams regenerated the series with astonishing new vitality. The 2009 Star Trek is briskly-paced, with loads of fantastic space battles, shootouts, fights, chases, and occasional witty humor. While it makes for great popcorn entertainment, the film still shows excellent storytelling prowess, with its emphasis on developing rich characters (in turn, breathing new life into characters who have otherwise turned stale). Some audiences will lament for the way it uses time travel to create an alternate universe Trek, that will ultimately allow filmmakers to do anything they please. At the same time, this opens up the possibilities brilliantly, and loosens the constraints of the Trek canon. Some audiences will also hate the way Abrams plays on the camera like a drum, and shines flashlights at the camera to simulate lens flares. I’ve learned to forgive the film’s erratic style, and appreciate how it uses less to make more (it’s a bit weird to think that the interior of the Enterprise was comprised of a beer factory). Altogether though, the new Star Trek represents a fantastic mix of pleasing entertainment and pleasing storytelling.
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09:  Kill Bill Volume 1

Tarantino’s two-part revenge saga is an exceptional story that’s as thrilling as it is stylish. While the story is best viewed as two parts of a complete whole, I’ve always favored volume one of this saga the most; not only is it the most action-packed, but it also has the most vivid cinematic style (complete with ultra-violent anime sequences) and the most interesting narrative techniques. While the impressive fight scenes tend to stand out above most other scenes, it is most rewarding to watch the Bride rise from an unjust atrocity and tear apart the ones who had done her wrong. With the mixed-up editing techniques, deciphering the story is quite an interesting and profound joy. Of course, the ending for volume 2 is even sweeter than the bitterness of volume 1; I prefer to see them together back-to-back for the complete experience. As it is though, volume 1 thrills me the most.
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08:  The Passion of the Christ

This film was quite controversial upon its release; it is by far the most violent and brutal portrayal of Jesus’ sacrifice. The film takes every moment and draws out the agony, forcing the audience to feel the pain He goes through. Thankfully, it is not violence alone that makes this film powerful; Mel Gibson directed this picture with a strong visual flair, an excellent eye for detail, and an extreme sense of power. The film captures the passages of the book of Luke word for word and verse by verse, taking few artistic liberties that would help reinforce the movie’s theology, and bring the characters to life. Whether you can stand to watch it or not, the film is a powerful and heart-wrenching experience. It is an experience that helped me understand the events and their meaning a lot better, and it is an experience I don’t mind revisiting. It’s certainly far more rewarding than previous candy-coated biblical epics that Hollywood released over the past fifty years (like The Greatest Story Ever Told…I just don’t feel it with that one).
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07:  Lawrence of Arabia

Despite the film’s age and its extremely long runtime, the film has never yet bored me once. Even when I wanted it to (at a time when I was ill and needed something to put me to sleep), the film has always sparked my interest and captured my imagination. Taken from the historical accounts of Colonel TE Lawrence, this film chronicles the character’s descent into Arabia, where he immerses himself in the culture and lifestyle of the desert, before leading the war against the Turks. At the same time, Lawrence constantly struggles to maintain his sanity and civility. Not only does the film boast some nice, epic battle scenes, it also sheds interesting light on the politics and conflicts of Arabia (which still resonate today). Featuring beautiful cinematography, the film captures the character and explores him in a manner that is deep and moving. As it is, this remains as my favorite picture among old classics.
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06:  Terminator 2: Judgment Day

The first Terminator film is a clever, original story with enough thrills to keep it engaging. James Cameron’s follow-up is something far bigger, far more polished, and a Hell of a lot more ambitious. It is most memorable for its groundbreaking special effects, which bring to life a frightening villain made entirely of liquid metal. Combined with frequent car chases and shootouts, the film never fails to entertain. At its core, it’s still a strong story, with thoughtful emphasis on the threat of nuclear annihilation (and thus, a glimpse at humanity’s destructive nature). The characters still receive strong treatment, and it is especially heartwarming to see the Terminator character humanized. With slick camera work and strong production values, T2 is a sequel that manages to match, if not outmatch, its predecessor.

Three cuts for this movie exist on home video; the theatrical cut, an extended cut, and an extended cut with an alternate ending. I find myself most attracted to the extended cut without the alternate ending; there are about fifteen minutes of new footage that offers some more insight on the characters and help bridge the gaps of continuity in certain scenes. It’s worth seeing at least once.
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05:  Raiders of the Lost Ark

Indiana Jones’ first adventure on the big screen is still a blast, even after all this time. Right from the start, Indy is pitted against danger at every turn (including one of the most iconic moments, in which he has to swap a golden idol with a bag of sand). In the same manner as the old-fashioned serials, one thing leads to another, building up to a chilling climax. The story manages to dig up some important questions regarding faith (as opposed to cold scientific fact), and there’s enough depth to the characters to make them stand out. With stylish, classy photography and style, Spielberg’s adventure is as timeless as it is exciting.
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The next four entries comprises what I refer to as the "Holy Quadrinity" of films: four favorite franchises. I love all the films in each franchise, and each franchise is masterfully pieced together to form complete wholes. However, I only chose four specific films in each franchise to come out on top.
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04:  The Dark Knight

This film runs for well over two hours, and is just chock full of everything. Its opening bank robbery scene, its epic convoy pursuit scene, the hospital explosion, the scenario with the ferries…hardly a moment goes by without a high-stakes situation propping up. Not only are these scenes gripping, they serve to push the title character to the limit.

The plot for this is winding and complex. But the real charm of this film is in the characters and their interactions. The Joker easily steals the show at every turn, as he diabolically works to test the limits of Batman, and society in general. While the Batman struggles to maintain order and perfection, the Joker represents chaos and corruption. One is good, the other evil. One abides by the rules, the other has no rules. The two characters connect with a perfect system of duality, like the Yin and Yang; the Joker himself even describes their relationship as the result of when an unstoppable force strikes an unmoving object. The moral dilemmas and convolutions extend to other parties as well; the situations involving Harvey Dent, Rachel Dawes, Jim Gordon, and the rest of Gotham City, are all caught in the line of fire, resulting in collateral damages and drastic repercussions. In the end, the film often underscores the issues that have plagued modern society (such as terrorism or the invasion of privacy), depicting us as “indecent men in an indecent time.”

Despite some chaotic editing, the film looks sharp and is cut in a very unique way. For its superb combination of style and substance, Christopher Nolan’s middle part of the Batman saga always sticks with me long after the credits roll. Collectively, all three films in this saga comprise a complete, complex, and coherent masterpiece among superhero films.
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03:  The Matrix

I remember when this film came out, it seemed to stimulate everyone’s brain cells. Its premise posed the question: if our reality is defined by electrical stimulations to the brain, how would we recognize the real world from a virtual one? How do we know we aren’t living in a synthetic reality right now? Not only do such questions hint at even greater thematic material (such as the question of whether or not it’s better to live in blissful ignorance of the truth, or accept the truth and live in misery), it also sets the film up for some of the most groundbreaking action sequences that have graced the big screen. After all, it is explained that if nothing is real, rules can be bent or broken; the characters go on to dodge flying bullets in graceful slow-motion photography, jump vast distances, throw their fists at a hyperfast rate, and conjure weapons at a whim.

The story is staged in a manner which prompts mystery in the first act, followed by a sense of discovery, which leads into an epic series of struggles and conflicts. At its core, it’s a film concerning self discovery, as the main character goes from being just another node in the great machine to a superpowered savoir. As such, the film boasts powerful themes of death and rebirth, as Thomas Anderson dies and becomes the prophesized “the One” to transcend the rules of the Matrix and liberate mankind. Just as the film impeccably presents this story, it also immerses the audience into an interesting new universe; the world of the Matrix is one full of interesting rules and philosophies, just as it is filled with murderous machines and hovercrafts. Not only is the film deep, it is also highly detailed.

With strong cinematography and a quality production, the Watchowskis succeeded in replicating the style of Japanese animation into a live-action film, and the results are extraordinarily entertaining. With each new viewing, the film still resonates strongly, for there is always something new to discover.
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02:  Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope

Those who knew me best will probably not be surprised to see this so close to the top (although you might be wondering why this isn’t my number-one favorite film of all time). Back in the day, George Lucas broke the mold of grim, gritty, hard-edged 70s cinema with this throwback to high-adventure science fiction and fantasy. Right from the start, the film hits the ground running and hardly lets up; every moment is either something really exciting, or something really iconic. The space battles and pursuits are as thrilling as they are unique and imaginative (it must have been a feat of imagination to envision a bunch of fighters zooming down a trench on a space station the size of a moon…to say nothing of the fact that the said space station can obliterate other planets). Even when the space fighters aren’t in flight and the laser beams aren’t flashing across the screen, the film moves fast with its quirky dialogue, and a myriad of memorable scenes (such as the Cantina scene). Through and through, the film captures a lighthearted, adventurous spirit that most other films strive for, but rarely accomplishes with such heart and imagination.

The story is a carbon-copy of the samurai film The Hidden Fortress (which in itself is pretty decent), with elements of classic sci-fi (such as Buck Rodgers, Flash Gordon, or John Carter) heaped on. What the story lacks in originality, it makes up for with its insanely detailed universe; the biggest appeal of Star Wars is in the settings, the characters, the overall way of life depicted, which are sketched out with full depth and background. Once again, many films strive for this level of immersion and detail, but many seem to miss their mark.

George Lucas has been criticized for lots of things over his career (especially in regards to changing things in the Star Wars saga), and he is better known for his technical prowess than his abilities as a storyteller. Regardless, he managed to pump out a decent story to accompany the awe-inspiring visuals in this film. It also helps that he composed it really well on film and made the most out of the tools he was given. Altogether, a quality film of timeless entertainment.
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And my number one favorite movie is…

01:  Lord of the Rings: Return of the King

"My precious!!!"

For the longest time, I considered myself a big sucker for grand finales. I still get a rush from seeing the epic final battle of The Matrix Revolutions, or the final duel in Star Wars: Return of the Jedi. Much like these movies, the finale for Peter Jackson’s epic Lord of the Rings films coherently ties up the story, and goes out with a tremendous bang. The film starts off with a dire note, showing the heartbreaking tale of how Sméagol became Gollum. From there, it follows all the heroes on their various tangents; the most thrilling of which has got to be Aragorn’s quest to Minas Tirith, which becomes besieged by what must be the hugest army ever put onto film. This siege runs for a good length of the picture, cramming in thousands of orcs, men, Nazgul, cavalry, ghosts, and giant oiliphants onto the battlefield. Meanwhile, Frodo finally makes it to Mount Doom and fights the most profound battle in the story: the battle with himself.

"It's like in the great stories, Mr. Frodo.  The ones that really mattered."

This film definitely delivers the spectacle, but what makes it stand out is its steady, detailed focus on characterization and storytelling, and Peter Jackson’s unique filming style. Not only does it make for a perfect combination of action, storytelling, and quality, but it also does the best possible justice to JRR Tolkien’s saga. To say nothing of the twelve Oscars that were bestowed upon this film and its dedicated cast and crew.

"For Frodo."

Within thirty minutes of The Fellowship of the Ring, I realized that everything about the Lord of the Rings saga (from its story and characters, to its style) was close to perfection. As coherent and tightly-knit as the trilogy overall is, I tend to rank all three movies as one lump film, which would reign supreme over all other movies. If I had to pick just one part of the trilogy to call a favorite, it is definitely the final part; the perfect ending for an otherwise perfect film saga.
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And that's all I got: 100 films that have resonated with me so much that they came out on top. These are the films that have penetrated my deepest consciousness, stirred my imagination, inspired my intellect, and tugged at my heartstrings. Some I value for having deep stories, others for having style. The vast majority are simply entertaining as hell. But none of them would have made it on this list if they didn't cling to me in some fashion, making me want to think about them and revisit them regularly.

In composing this list, I tried my best to maintain some level of variety and nuance, but in the end, I couldn't deny my personal impulses. I am a nerd, so I will always have a love for Star Wars, Star Trek, Lord of the Rings, The Matrix, Indiana Jones, James Bond, anime, superheroes, and sci-fi galore. I just can't give due credit to real film snob fodder, like The Godfather or Lost in Translation or countless other artsy films that have no real plot. They just don't do much for me, and to list them here would be lying to myself. Thus, you know that I'm not being pretentious anywhere; everything on this list is definitely a favorite. Chances are that, even if some of them drop off over the years and get replaced by others, many of them will continue to be favorites for years to come.

Whether you agree with this list or not, I do hope that you'll find some value in it, even if they're not all about art and class. Some of them might surprise you with their qualities. Above all, though, if you do go out and discover or rediscover the films listed here, I do hope that you enjoy them as much as I do. If you go out and watch a movie listed here that you've never seen, I definitely hope that it entertains and inspires you the way it has for me.

Al's Top 100 Most Favorite Movies Part 4

Part 1, films 100 - 81
Part 2, films 80 - 61
Part 3, films 60 - 41

40:  Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan

For the longest time, I would have called this my favorite Trek film, and with good reason. While Star Trek: The Motion Picture offered its fair share of spectacle, this sequel proved far more successful at tying up quality visuals, explosive action, powerful drama, and a gripping story into one franchise-defining package. Taking after the classic Trek episode Space Seed, the film brings Khan Noonien Singh to vivid life, thanks to a powerful performance by Ricardo Montalbán. The film rakes up the stakes very highly, pitting the Enterprise crew against this classic villain, while simultaneously hinting at themes of mortality, death, and rebirth. It is as exciting of a story as it is deep. Even after all these years, it remains one of the most endearing Trek movies of the lot.

Entertainment: Perfect | Story: Very Good | Film: Very Good | Resonance: Highest
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39:  RoboCop (1987)


Paul Verhoeven’s first Hollywood picture is a real doozy. It has an extreme amount of over-the-top blood and guts. It makes for an entertainingly hard-hitting piece of pulp sci-fi (which, in my opinion, is something of a rarity). But what makes the film stand out is its story; it’s a short and simple affair, but it’s a story well-told. Aside from having numerous satires and statements concerning human society, the film’s premise inherently carries some strong themes concerning death and rebirth.

Entertainment: Perfect | Story: Perfect | Film: Very Good | Resonance: Highest
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38:  The Fountain

As it is with most other folks, I didn’t like this film on the first viewing. I think I was thrown off by the three-way split in the story, and it took multiple viewings to appreciate what each split represented. Basically, it’s all about a doctor who’s obsessed with finding a cure for death (the present). In another tangent of reality, presented as a piece of fiction the characters are writing, there is a Spanish conquistador battling Mayans and searching for the fountain of youth (the past). In another, stranger, and more fantastic tangent, the man is in a glass bubble with a tree inside floating through a nebula (the future). It gets a little convoluted as all three timelines become entwined; it’s a visually fantastic piece of art that requires some interpretation to appreciate. Ultimately, Darren Aronofsky’s film is a sobering and awe-inspiring expression of remorse.

Entertainment: Good | Story: Perfect | Film: Perfect | Resonance: Highest
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37:  Blade Runner

Adapted from Philip K Dick’s Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, this film takes the basic story of a bounty hunter chasing after androids, and paints a grim depiction of the future around it. The film’s visuals are fantastic, with its dark, bleak cityscapes and crowded streets; it’s a future that’s very much plausible. The film is pretty slow, but the fantastic art design, the quality direction, the storytelling, and the thought-provoking themes of artificiality help make it engaging. Even though it received a mixed reception at the time of its release, it has proven to be a quality piece of science fiction.

Many cuts are available for this film. I find myself favoring the Final Cut above the others; it doesn’t have Harrison Ford’s narration, but I feel the film is more somber and moving that way. It also features some new shots that have been seamlessly incorporated into the film. Whether or not you’ll enjoy this version more will depend on personal taste.

Entertainment: Good | Story: Perfect | Film: Perfect | Resonance: Highest
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36:  Dune

It’s pretty ironic that David Lynch’s biggest flop (a film that even he admits is his biggest failure) winds up so high on my list. What can I say; I totally dig this strange, adventurous sci-fi epic. It takes some liberties from Frank Herbert’s novel (for better or for worse), but it does an impeccable job of bringing the Dune universe to life with lots of crazy detail. The baroque art design does the film great justice. The story is pretty intuitive, even if it does suffer a little. Characters are quite memorable, and feature very strong performances from the cast. For the most part though, it’s a film with a deep and invigorating style; it has a power that very few other films manage to match.

Entertainment: Very Good | Story: Very Good | Film: Perfect | Resonance: Highest
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35:  Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi

For the longest time, I considered this my favorite Star Wars picture (thus, my favorite all-time picture, or else my second-favorite…it’s fluctuated a lot). I can’t deny any more that the film has its flaws; most folks don’t take kindly to the Ewoks’ role in defeating the evil Galactic Empire. I still believe that this film boasts some of the best space battle scenes of all time; I’ve also always been enthralled by the opening act concerning Jabba the Hutt. But what really makes this grand finale stand out is the final duel between Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker; it’s a powerful, heartbreaking climax that ties up the entire saga in the best way possible.

Entertainment: Perfect | Story: Perfect | Film: Very Good | Resonance: Highest
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34:  Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith

The more I see this film, the more striking it seems to get. It does boast some incredible action sequences, including an epic space battle over planet Coruscant, and the climactic duel between Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi. But what really makes the film stand out will be its characters and story; it is a bleak story filled with profound twists and turns that will not only connect the series’ prequels with the sequels, but also define the characters and bring certain themes to light. While the film’s craftsmanship may be put into question, it does go to prove that the Star Wars prequels have redeeming value.

Entertainment: Perfect | Story: Perfect | Film: Very Good | Resonance: Highest
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33:  The Lion King

Pretty much the exact same story as Shakespeare’s Hamlet, only with Lions in an African setting. Disney’s feature film takes ever advantage of its unique setting to present a unique and memorable array of characters and environments. More importantly, it takes every advantage of the story to underscore key themes concerning personal growth, destiny, vengeance, and redemption. I’m not too keen on the music, but with the film’s editing style and fantastic animation quality, it is pretty darn powerful.

Entertainment: Perfect | Story: Perfect | Film: Perfect | Resonance: Very High
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32:  American History X

This film pretty much covers all angles concerning racial prejudice; the film explores its genesis, its progression, and its sobering conclusion. It simultaneously underscores potent themes of tolerance. The story and characters are captured in a style that is as invoking as it is striking and memorable. Even though the film is a little rough with its violence, it tackles some important issues head-on; this is one film that I’d gladly recommend to all.

Entertainment: Perfect | Story: Perfect | Film: Perfect | Resonance: Very High
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31:  Seven Samurai (Shichinin no Samurai)

For a film that runs for nearly four hours long, Seven Samurai never really feels all that long, and certainly not dull. It is a fantastic adventure, offering plenty of action to satisfy. The story is simple, but it boasts an excellent group of characters; the film overall makes the most out of a small-scale plot to make it really epic. While most of Akira Kurosawa’s films have pleased me, this has got to be his crowning achievement, and it comes recommended to all!

Entertainment: Perfect | Story: Perfect | Film: Perfect | Resonance: Very High
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30:  Beauty and the Beast

Disney’s adaptation of the French fairy tale offers the same wholesome fun as most other Disney pictures; it has catchy musical numbers, occasional slappy comedy, and a whimsical sense of magic and wonder. This film has a lot of heart to it though; I couldn’t help but to feel for the characters. For that matter, I feel that the Beast represents the primal brutality at the base of all men in general, while Belle represents the grace of all women. Despite their differences, their unlikely union is a wonderful thing to watch. Combined with a music score that’s occasionally powerful, and top-notch animation quality, this currently stands as my top favorite Disney feature.

Entertainment: Perfect | Story: Perfect | Film: Perfect | Resonance: Very High
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29:  Silence of the Lambs

A close adaptation to Thomas Harris’ novel, this film makes for one stylish, gripping, and bleak thriller. It is most memorable for bringing Hannibal Lecter to life (even though he was portrayed previously in Manhunter, Anthony Hopkins’ performance here is so perfect it’s chilling). For the most part though, the film is about another psycho who skins women to make into clothing; it’s a seriously gross and messed-up concept, but the film handles it very tastefully. It’s a strong story about metamorphosis, and with a uniquely intimate cinematic style, the film stands out really well.

Entertainment: Very Good | Story: Perfect | Film: Perfect | Resonance: Highest
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28:  Wall-E

Pixar’s 2008 feature film explores some fantastic sci-fi environments, from a battered and polluted Earth to the colorful regions of deep space. There are some inherently interesting themes at work concerning human society, but for the most part, this film is a romantic comedy between two robots. Their interactions are pretty darn cute, but the film is never overly-sappy, thanks to its comedy, impressive visuals, and impeccable storytelling. It is as entertaining as it is insightful. It stands as my favorite Pixar film to date.

Entertainment: Very Good | Story: Perfect | Film: Perfect | Resonance: Highest
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27:  Metropolis (1927)

Of all silent movies, Fritz Lang’s sci-fi epic remains my top favorite. It is loaded with unique expressionist imagery, serving to tell a fantastic story that weaves biblical prophecy with visions of the future. It tends to be a bit wild and over-the-top, but that only adds to the film’s charm. Even after all these years, the model work and special effects hold up well enough. In spite of that, the film offers a fine visual spectacle, and a decent story to boot.

Entertainment: Very Good | Story: Perfect | Film: Perfect | Resonance: Highest
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26:  City of Life and Death (Nanjing! Nanjing!)

This film covers one of many bleak chapters in the history of World War II: an event that I was never even aware of, and I’m sure other people may have been in the dark about too. Taken from eye-witness accounts, this film chronicles the Nanking Massacre in full horrific detail. It’s an experience comparable to Schindler’s List, not only because the film is shot in stylish black and white, but largely because of its hard-hitting violence and uncompromising focus on a hideous war crime. Populated with quality characters, and featuring solid craftsmanship, this film is one of the most powerful and sobering ever made.

Entertainment: Very Good | Story: Perfect | Film: Perfect | Resonance: Highest
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25:  Akira

Anime has always endeavored to make the most out of limited budgets, staffing, and resources. Akira was the first of its kind: an anime produced from a small, stuffy apartment, but with handsome hand-drawn and hand-painted animation, a pre-scored soundtrack, weird music, and computer effects. Above all, it is one hell of a thrill ride. Akira is loaded up with all kinds of action, as it shows biker gangs terrorizing the streets of NeoTokyo, before psychic powers manifest in the characters and lead up to one of the most destructive rampages ever put on screen. It’s action-packed, and often quite bloody; the thrills in this movie it matched only by its craftsmanship, which still holds up well after all these years. With a deliciously dense story and decent-enough characters, Akira is a thrill ride that I don’t mind going on over and over again.

Entertainment: Perfect | Story: Very Good | Film: Perfect | Resonance: Highest
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24:  King Kong (2005)

Peter Jackson flexes some impressive filmmaking muscle by taking the classic 1933 picture and putting his epic Lord of the Rings vibe into it. This remake runs for over three hours long, but it hardly ever feels long, and certainly not dull (although it does take an hour or so to get to the really exciting stuff). The film’s highlights include a fantastic fight between Kong and not one, not two, but three T-Rexes! Plus, spectacular sequences involving a brontosaurus stampede, giant bugs, freaky orc-like natives, and Kong wreaking havoc all across New York! It’s not all about excess CGI eye candy though; a lot of screen time is devoted to developing a coherent story and giving the characters some depth. I think it’s actually successful at besting the original ’33 film in regards to story and character. But in the end, this film has a strong heart, and it makes for one of the most pleasing adventure films ever.

The three-and-a-half hour extended cut offers loads more material, and is a pleasure to watch.

Entertainment: Perfect | Story: Very Good | Film: Perfect | Resonance: Highest
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23:  The Abyss

In this film, James Cameron ambitiously captures and creates a unique environment that’s rarely shown on film: the bottom of the ocean. In this high-pressure setting, the characters find themselves encountering the wonders of a dormant extraterrestrial presence, and simultaneously confronting the dire threat of nuclear war. With a colorful cast of characters, impressive (and fully-functional) set designs, and ground-breaking special effects, The Abyss is one of the most original and thrilling sci-fi films ever made.

The extended cut comes recommended, which features a longer, more complete ending that ties in the movie’s themes more coherently.

Entertainment: Perfect | Story: Perfect | Film: Very Good | Resonance: Highest
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From here on up, every film has a perfect 20/20 (Entertainment: Perfect | Story: Perfect | Film: Perfect | Resonance: Highest)
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22:  Back to the Future

Great scott! This film has it all: comedy, cool special effects, and a decent story populated by fun and memorable characters. The dialogue is awesome. The film has impeccable attention to detail. The trilogy as a whole is great quality fun, but this first film remains the most original; it is a brilliant story. With quality craftsmanship by Robert Zemeckis, it’s always a fun trip in the time-travelling DeLorean!
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21:  Red Cliff (Chi Bi)

Say what you will of John Woo, the man best known for orchestrating scenes with crazy slow-motion shootouts where characters dual-wield pistols and pigeons fly across the screen for no reason. In Hong Kong, the man actually does produce quality work, and Red Cliff may as well be a revealing testament to his skill. It is a lengthy epic, based on the historical battle of Red Cliff, and it is loaded up with some impressive battle sequences (sans the slow-mo shootings and birds). It is especially noteworthy for incorporating strategy on and off the battlefield; some of the film’s most interesting moments tackle the problems of spreading disease, stealing arrows from the enemy, mapping out the enemy camp, and ultimately predicting the wind patterns to determine where to set the enemy fleet ablaze. With a cast of decent characters and a strong-looking production value, Red Cliff stands as my top favorite Asian historical epic.

Two cuts exist for this film. I haven’t seen the shorter two-and-a-half hour cut yet, but the full-length five-hour cut (spread across two parts) is fantastic. Even at this length, it hardly ever drags, and no scene feels like it should be cut. It comes highly recommended.
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To be concluded...