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...
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