Top 10 Movies

[Megaseth]

did anyone mention Scent of a Woman or Rain Man?

[Sopdadope]

Was the Killing Fields actually filmed in Cambodia ?- I never really thought about it, I haven't seen it in years

Because of the volatile political atmosphere and an uncooperative Cambodian gov., Roland Jaffe was forced to shoot the movie in Thailand instead. Now the scene where Sydney and Pran re-unite was actually shot at a real refugee camp situated on the Thai-Cambodian border. Those people in the background were real refugees. I'm the toddler in closing frame.

The Killing Fields is one of the few movies that makes my cry at each and every viewing. When the John Lennon's "Imagine" picks up at the end, I can't control myself. Awesome movie...Haing S. Ngor should've walked away with a Best Actor Oscar and not the Best Supporting Actor nod.

[Sopdadope]

I remember seeing a Star Wars spoof of Glengarry Glenross. The bounty hunters in class. ABC- Always Be Closing

That scene where Alec Baldwin starts roasting the rest of the guys is without a doubt, the most unintentionally funny scene I've ever seen in a movie.

[Bubba1]

Hmm, hard to narrow it to 10. So many great movies, also a lotta good ones mentioned:

Best comedy: Animal House - a classic that is often quoted to this day.

Best war movies: Saving Private Ryan, Full Metal Jacket

Drama: Hard to beat Godfather 1&2 (3 wasn't as good) Action/AdventureRaiders of the Lost ArkTrue Lies (I don't know why I enjoyed it so much - fun movie)

SciFi: Star Wars, Terminator 1&2

[Rex]

I can't believe I forgot....

Radio Flyer (parent thing)

[Megaseth]

Radio Flyer was a great movie. very sad, but still a great movie

[ShadowKnight006]

Nice, nice..... and the Tremors thing, now that's funny (hope it was meant to be)

What can I say, they are hilarious to watch. I caught part of the series and it even cornier lol.

:slap

Whaz up wit dat? Can't help it love those movies so they make the top of my list.

On another note, I did forget to throw in (somewhere in the middle to lower top) any of the Dragon Ball Z movies, and remember they don't like to be called cartoons. lol

[Tino]

any good porno really...

[DTM006]

Not in any order...

The RockBanditsRoninOld SchoolBilly MadisonDumb and DumberGoldeneyeRoad TripCaddyshack

I can't think of any more

[Megaseth]

just saw the Usual Suspects last night. damn good movie

[nissanrose]

1. smokey and the bandit 2. xxx3. ****tails (tom cruise is gorgeous)4. s.w.a.t. (colin farrel....enough said)5.fast and the furious ( i want that charger)6. joy ride. (big fan of paul walker)7. pretty woman.8 . top gun9. mortal combat10. bad boys 2more good ones that i didn't see mentioned.pirates of teh carribean(sp)tomb raider and tomb raider cradle of life.basic.phone booth and 2 fast 2 furious

[nuQ]

hey sope, just wanted to let you know, i blew off 2 1/2 hours this afternoon to watch the killing fields on one of the cinemax channels,,,and it was incredible. loved it. was looking for you at the end (and what a great ending it was, imagine was the perfect song at that scene!!!). do you know anything currently about the journalists. do they still work for the Times???

if anything is taken from that movie, it should be to realize that what you read in the paper, or the 30 second cnn "news report" is maybe 5% of the real truth. it's important to remember that vietnam was the last united states war where journalists were granted full access. the government realized that the citizens shouldn't be viewing troop casualties over dinner, press "tents" where invented. unless you see "live" across the screen, any war footage is censored by the military. how much death and carnage did we see in iraq????? very little, for a reason. it's there and it's happening now, but we aren't "allowed" to see it. i really applaud your decision for your upcoming journey sope!!!!! stay well and keep in touch!!! jeff

[Fezzik]

No one put any indiana jones down or even back to the future. Those were good. I'd have to say not in any order except the first one.1.) The Rock2.) Bicentinial man (i can't spell)3.) Donnie Darko4.) GoldenEye5.) The living Daylights6.) Any Star Trek movie (even rule appies)7.) Die Hard (all 3) yippie Kay yay mother ****** 8.) All the Inidana Jones. Cant wait for the 4th9.) Memento10.) All the Back to the Futures

[OneFastStanza]

ok well here goes in really no particular order kinda:

1. Star Wars Trilogy (just group these great flicks into one)2. Indiana Jones Trilogy (simply awesome also)3. Braveheart4. LOTR (the ones out so far are great)5. The Matrix6. Office Space7. Tommy Boy8. Swingers9. Rounders10. Tombstone

[Meantime]

1. Apocalypse Now2. GlenGarry GlenRoss3. The Unforgiven4. Platoon5. Raiders of the Lost Ark6. The Big Lebowski7. L.A. Confidential8. Monty Python's Life of Brian9. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan10. The Graduate

[rydwhite]

Favorite movie of all time:The Shawshank Redemption

The rest:Office SpaceHigh FidelityGhostbustersThe ReplacementsField of DreamsGrumpy Old MenOceans Eleven (New and Old)Apollo 13The Band of Brothers SeriesDie Hard TrilogyIndiana Jones Trilogy

I can keep going, but I won't. I think these are the best though. I can't really list them in any order. Except for number 1.

[Well Whoop De Do]

Apocalypse NowBarry LyndonDr. StrangeloveTerminator 2ChinatownCasablancaA Clockwork OrangeThe Godfather The Godfather Part 2Mulholland Drive

[slw240sx]

what no kevin smith movies ??

[Sopdadope]

hey sope, just wanted to let you know, i blew off 2 1/2 hours this afternoon to watch the killing fields on one of the cinemax channels,,,and it was incredible. loved it. was looking for you at the end (and what a great ending it was, imagine was the perfect song at that scene!!!). jeff

Hey Jeff! Thanks for the kinds words! Sorry for not responding sooner, I just got back home from a one-week vacation in Florida.

Yeah that scene is awesome, a real tear-jerker too. I'm the toddler in the very last shot.

Dith Pran currently works as a photographer for the New York Times. He's also an extremely passionate human rights activist you can catch him lecturing at universities around the states. Check out http://www.dithpran.org so see his latest updates.

I last saw Sydney Schanberg on a CNN talk show and from what I hear, he serves as a correspondent for that network, chiming in from time to time about developing situations in Southeast Asia.

In a sick twist of fate, Haing S. Ngor, the man who portrayed Dith Pran in the film, was gunned down in his SoCal home a few years ago. He's been sorely missed by his people.

The whole US Bombing thing still makes me sick to my stomach. The weird part is, I was totally unaware of all those events until I strolled into the INS center in Boston. I was startled by a scruffy man who looked to be in his fifties. He knew I was Cambodian and broke down in tears and screaming over and over again how he was sorry. I hadn't a clue what he meant but once he gathered himself, he admitted that he took part in bombing raids and dropped cluster bombs on hundreds if not thousands of innocent Cambodian civilians. I didn't know how to react...it was like, in one fell swoop my foundations as an "american" were shaken.

[nuQ]

sope, i know what you mean. the more you learn about history, and dive deeper than just the headlines, or the 30 second "news" story at 6 o'clock, you realize that reality is not always what you were either taught, or just thought to be the truth. there really is an entire history of south asia, especially during the vietnam war era, that 99.9% of americans know nothing about (and look at you like you're "un-patriotic" for talking about). most know nothing about the secret bombing that was going on in cambodia during vietnam. like i said, i love history, and not just the history that makes everyone feel good,,,,,the real history(which is MUCH different than we've all been brought up to believe). as we speak, there are things going on in iraq that none of us will know about until much later, and even then most won't believe! an example of this is my uncle. he's a vietnam vet who saw a lot of bad things over there. he's a purple heart and big in the purple heart organization. about 3 years ago he finally told me some details about the war. when i told him i feel the government should give the BEST care possible to all wounded vets, and not the crappy care they receive now, and the fact that vietnam was NEVER declared a war.

IT WAS A UNITED NATIONS POLICE ACTION. ALL U.S. TROOP MOVEMENTS HAD TO BE DECLARED TO THE UN BEFORE THEY WERE CARRIED OUT. THE HEAD OF THE UN SECURITY COUNCIL, AT THE TIME, WAS A SOVIET, WHO WAS BACKING THE WAR FOR THE NORTH. AS A RESULT, OUR TROOPS WERE SITTING DUCKS FOR THE ENEMY. THE NORTH KNEW AHEAD OF TIME WHERE OUR TROOPS WOULD BE GOING. THE CONGRESS AND THE PRESIDENT KNEW THIS AND CONTINUED THE WAR, KNOWING THE HUGE CASUALTY RATE. THIS IN MY OPINION, IS TREASONOUS!!!! MCFARLAND, THE HEAD OF THE MILITARY AT THE TIME, ON HIS DEATHBED, WROTE HOW WE SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN THERE. HE KNEW THE FACTS AT THE TIME, BUT THE MACHINE WAS IN FULL STEAM, HE DID NOTHING!!!! ALL THOSE POOR, YOUNG GUYS. when discussing this with my uncle, he actually broke into tears, and said, "jeff, you may be one of only ten people in new jersey that know that".

THIS IS THE REAL HISTORY!! NOT WHAT WE'RE TAUGHT. i love my country, it's the government that i don't trust. i'm afraid we're all going to be very, very suprised when the real facts of 911, and the "war" with iraq come out,,,,,it's starting to now!!! remember, vietnam was the last "war" where journalists were granted full access, everything since has to be approved by the military before the american people can see it. a very controlled media.

the one thing we should all strive to do is, don't believe everything you hear to be FACT. dig in to the history first. there is NO WAY a 30 second news segment can give all the backround to a story. sope, you can surely attest to this with your cambodian backround.

sometimes the truth isn't comfortable and actually makes people rethink all they've been taught. the intelligent ones will alter their beliefs while the ignorant will take the "don't tell me the facts, i already know what i believe" course.

good luck and be safe with all your travels. keep us all informed, please. jeff

[nuQ]

jon, you're right, kevin smith IS the man!!!!!!! if you ever travel to nj, check out jay and silent bob's secret stash in red bank nj. smith's comic book store, with all kinds of cool memorabilia from the flicks. i actually have a pic of me and my friend behind the counter of the convienance store where he filmed CLERKS. jeff

[pcbootleger]

gooniessnatchfight clubstar warsrequiem for a dreamkids (A MUST see)back to the futurematrixone hour photosigns

[Sopdadope]

Jeff, we're on the same wavelength...

Now back to the subject of movies (we know how political threads turn out) someone did NOT just send me an email dissing my top ten list!

Actually it was three emails from different people questioning MY list and one guy just wanted to knock my movies. Ok, just having a personal favorite list isn't good enough, so now I gotta justify my list? You guys just popped open a huge can of worms...

1. A.I. - The crowning achievement in Spielberg's distinguished career, this is IMO by far his most misunderstood and controversial work. Whether that can be attributed Spielberg's creative audacity to veer away from his usual popcorn yarn or his inheriting a project that was the brainchild of the late Stanley Kubrick, no one knows for sure. What's certain is, this offspring of two legendary directors, Spielberg the "cry-your-eyes-out" humanist and Kubrick, the "cold artist," is a visual, pop-epic that preserves the misanthropic tendencies of the latter.

Many have argued that the film is twenty minutes too long and the underwater scene is the appropriate ending...I beg to differ. The much-maligned third vignette that introduces the viewer to a Hoth-like post-human New York City and later, a god-like race of robots, is simply breathtaking, bravado film-making. The scene where David (the robot boy) awakens to a sparkling dreamscape looking for his mother is the ultimate film representation of celluloid dreams.

Those tender, bittersweet moments in which David celebrates his one day with his "virtual" mom is Kubrick at his malevolent, cynical best. In the final moments with her, David truly becomes human in a Freudian moment of "awakening," and realizes the destitution of his life-long pursuit of love. Only when we're in our deathbeds, dazed in remembrance do we really love, such is love and such is life...

As skin-crawling as he is in this movie, Haley Joe Osment is a bundle of acting marvel. He delivers one of the most boldly naked and memorable performances in a film, ever.

In a film career distinguished by sensationalistic, pop-fare, A.I. sticks out like the proverbial turd in a punch-bowl. It's ultimate contradiction: masquerading itself as a Disney-esque fairy tale film (complete with blatant references to Pinochio and a theme song ) is transcendent movie art that's manipulative, self-deprecating (on the part of Spielberg in blasting his own films conventions), misanthropic all the while celebrating life and asking the dire question of what it means to be human.

This film drew the ire of disassociated "artiste" types when Spielberg released this film in 2001, crying blasphemy to its original creator. Maybe it wasn't that Kubrick couldn't stoop so low, but that he'd never reached so high? A.I. is an appropriate swan-song to the legendary director.

That is why A.I. is on my top ten list.

BTW, I wrote a 40-paged report on this movie so don't even call it commercial, pop-corn tripe!

[nuQ]

did anyone see "night of 1000 corpses???", the rob zombie movie. a couple guys at work were raving about it. any good??? why is it so hard for hollywood to come up with a truly scary movie???? anyone have any pics on scary movies????????

[NY94J30]

sope, a vietnam vet who saw a lot of bad things over there. he's a purple heart and big in the purple heart organization. about 3 years ago he finally told me some details about the war. when i told him i feel the government should give the BEST care possible to all wounded vets, and not the crappy care they receive now, and the fact that vietnam was NEVER declared a war.

IT WAS A UNITED NATIONS POLICE ACTION. ALL U.S. TROOP MOVEMENTS HAD TO BE DECLARED TO THE UN BEFORE THEY WERE CARRIED OUT. THE HEAD OF THE UN SECURITY COUNCIL, AT THE TIME, WAS A SOVIET, WHO WAS BACKING THE WAR FOR THE NORTH. AS A RESULT, OUR TROOPS WERE SITTING DUCKS FOR THE ENEMY. THE NORTH KNEW AHEAD OF TIME WHERE OUR TROOPS WOULD BE GOING. THE CONGRESS AND THE PRESIDENT KNEW THIS AND CONTINUED THE WAR, KNOWING THE HUGE CASUALTY RATE. THIS IN MY OPINION, IS TREASONOUS!!!! MCFARLAND, THE HEAD OF THE MILITARY AT THE TIME, ON HIS DEATHBED, WROTE HOW WE SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN THERE. HE KNEW THE FACTS AT THE TIME, BUT THE MACHINE WAS IN FULL STEAM, HE DID NOTHING!!!! ALL THOSE POOR, YOUNG GUYS. when discussing this with my uncle, he actually broke into tears, and said, "jeff, you may be one of only ten people in new jersey that know that".

THIS IS THE REAL HISTORY!! NOT WHAT WE'RE TAUGHT.

jeff

Vietnam was not a UN action in any sense - The Korean War was conducted under the auspices of UN police power as well as NATO.

Vietnam was carried out without any declaration of war, as has every action post WW II. The action was carried out per a joint congressional resolution granting carte blanche discretion to the executive branch to remedy the situation in SE Asia (i.e. the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution). Much the same as the discretion granted for the war on terror.

BTW, I do not disagree that 50,000 more American died than should have in Vietnam in defending a flawed policy conducted through a flawed battle plan and continuous and eroneous mission creep. I suggest you read a Bright Shining Lie and Robert McNamara's biography, The Living and the Dead.

[nuQ]

my bad, mcnamara, not mcfarland! was very late when i posted!!! i agree with sope, not the place for a political discussion, but all troop movements had to be disclosed through the un, with a soviet the head of the security council. mcnamara wrote his book on his deathbed (when did he finally realize the mistake?), and vietnam was never signed on to the geneva convention, meaning that all our pow's were treated as enemy's of vietnam, not prisoners of war,,big difference! when a friend of mine, who had a son in the marines, fighting in vietnam, wrote to president johnson, asking if his son was captured by the enemy, what would he be held as......prisoner of war, or an enemy to the country of vietnam (i should point out my friend is a popular radio/tv host in the philly area), he was visited by the secret service, wanting to know why he was asking these questions............. sorry for all this,,,a subject near to my heart, an uncle with a purple heart who is just now realizing the whole truth. very sad.

[Sopdadope]

did anyone see "night of 1000 corpses???", the rob zombie movie. a couple guys at work were raving about it. any good??? why is it so hard for hollywood to come up with a truly scary movie???? anyone have any pics on scary movies????????

I'd rate House of a 1000 Corpses as a 5.5/10. Going into this movie, I knew Rob Zombie was a HUGE horror movie fanatic. If you've seen his house in MTV's Cribs, he boasts about having every single horror movie known to man in both VHS and DVD format.

I watched this movie on DVD a few days ago and the verdict: it's an absolutely huge misfire. There's shades of just about every memorable horror movie to come out in the last three decades- most notably Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Friday the 13th and Last House on the Left. Sadly, this movie never even approaches, isn't even in the same solar system as those movies. He also tries to rip off Dario Argento with the colorful red and green lighting, but it never really works here.

Not once did I find the movie scary, suspenseful or feel for the characters. I also thought Zombie could've done without the brash MTV-type editing...whatever ounce of suspense or terror this movie had in it...those cutscenes killed it.

As far as scary movie goes, I prefer the subtle, creep-into-your-psyche kinds of movies and not gorefests like House of 1000 corpses.

The Ring was a fairly good Hollywood horror movie. But if you really want good horror movies, you gotta check out the overseas stuff.

1. Dog Soldiers- A fun, campy, gorefest with werewolves and big guns. Good stuff.2. 28 Days Later- In the vein of zombie pics like Dome of the Dead, Night of the Living Dead but with a modernized, Apocalypse Now twist. Kickass!3. Nightmare- if you don't mind a) foreign movies or b) subtitled movies or c) all of the above, check this one out. It's a Korean ghost movie about your typical vengeful specter, but this one's done right. 4. Versus- Japan's version of Evil Dead but with kung-fu zombies toting Desert Eagle's. Fun. 5. Battle Royale- Lord of the Flies with extreme gore. Puts a spin of the survival-horror genre. 6. Devil's Backbone- more of a drama than a horror movie but it has lots of supernatural elements.

I have tons more to recommend and I could churn out a long list if you'd like.

[Phax]

Pulp FictionResevoir DogsHard Boiled (John Woo baby!)The Great EscapePlatoonTraffic

[miteymax86]

I find it hard to believe that so many people liked 28 Days Later. The inital idea seemed to have promise,(maybe a bit of an Outbreak rip-off, but nonetheless, promise) but then the movie turned into a bunch of random crap. Maybe I'm missing something, feel free to correct my misunderstanding if that's the case.

[Sopdadope]

Miteymax86,

I agree with you. The movie starts off with tons of potential but then about half-way through when the two hook up with the father/daughter pair, the excitement starts to taper off.

At that point, the film's no longer a horror movie but evolved into a survivalistic drama ala Lord of the Flies, Battle Royale, etc. I liked that the lines between man/beast were really blurred in the final sequence in the fort.

Still, there were some straight-up stupid moments (the supermarket, tunnel) that I thought had no place in a horror movie. But, despite the implausible ending and some seriously ludicrous bits, this movie has enough going for it for me to recommend.