My Top 10 Favorite Movie Scenes

So a lot of you already know what my favorite movies are, but there are so many movies out there that, even not having made the cut and placed in my top 20, are still great movies and have some memorable scenes.  These are the scenes I think about, have analyzed, I quote, and ones that I could watch a million times and never tire of.

So what are my favorite scenes?  Well again, I made a top 10 list.  These are, in my opinion, the top scenes from all the movies I've seen.  I'm sure many will disagree with my choices, but this is just my opinion, and you're free to agree or disagree.  So, without any further ado, these are my top 10 movie scenes.

10. PULP FICTION: The ending scene at the diner.

The first time I saw Pulp Fiction, I didn't know what I'd just seen.  Of course, I'd heard the buzz about it, seen it win awards that year, and even a few years after its release, I saw so many parodies of it already worked into the lexicon of pop culture.  So naturally, my expectations were high.  And, they were met, even if I wasn't fully sure what I'd just witnessed upon my first viewing.

This movie is insane.  It's violent, it doesn't have a standard three act structure, it's probably one of the most famous uses of a MacGuffin (an item in a movie that's sought after, but seems non essential to the overall plot), but the real star, and this is true for so many of Quentin Tarantino's movies, is the dialogue.  He is the master of having people go off on the most amusing tangents.  Hell, I remember more of the strange conversations held in a Tarantino movie than I do the overall story.

The ending scene at the diner, besides brilliantly bringing the opening scene full circle, has some of the best dialogue in any of his movies.  I don't want to spoil too much, but the dialogue between Samuel L. Jackson and Tim Roth, both criminals but for different reasons, is rich humor, philosophy, and even a bible quote.  And admit it, we've all wanted a Bad Mother Fucker wallet at some point after seeing this.

9.  INTO THE WILD: The scene on the mountaintop.

This is a movie that I feel is a very faithful adaptation from the book to the big screen.  It's basically a modern day version of Walden.  There are so many scenes in this movie that brilliantly illustrate the vastness and the freedom that comes from being in nature, and so many moments in them are complimented with a perfect fit of an Eddie Vedder soundtrack, but the one that stands out the most, and I always think of on days I find myself slaving away under the fluorescent lighting of corporate America.  Why? Because this is freedom defined.  He's all alone, possibly for miles, the sky looks gigantic, and the way he just holds out his arms as the music chimes in? God, it just takes my breath away any time I see it.  It won't spoil much seeing the scene, as there isn't any dialogue.  While the entire movie is a great, albeit tragic, story, this scene is powerful, and is one that will always stay with me.

 

8. CASABLANCA: The ending scene.

OK, so it's probably a huge cliche having anything like Casablanca, The Godfather, or Citizen Kane on a list like this, but I can't help myself.  There is a reason these movies are considered among the best films ever made.  They changed everything, and have withstood the test of time.

"Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but soon and for the rest of your life." The end of Casablanca is sad, yet memorable.  It's a love story, and like many true love stories, it doesn't end happily.  Sure, we all like the Disney endings, or the RomCom formula where Julia Roberts marries Richard Gere and we all knew it was coming, but think about real love experiences in your life, and how many just, well, end. Do I even need to explain what happens at the end of this movie?  We've all seen it, we all know the dialogue, we all hate seeing Ilsa board the plane despite the fact we know it's for the best. A tragic love story? Yes, but one that will always remain one of the greatest movies of all time.

7. UP: Opening sequences.

As you know, one of my favorite movies of all time is Disney Pixar's UP.  I've already talked in great detail about it on my top 20 countdown, so I won't bore you much further.  I'm sure most people you ask about this movie will tell you about the first 10 minutes, and just how great they are.  It's the story of a couple's life together, and it's told without any dialogue.  A lot of people joke that it accomplished in 10 minutes what Twilight couldn't accomplish in multiple movies, and to be honest, that is spot on.  If they rolled the credits after this opening montage, I think moviegoers, myself included, would've been completely satisfied.

If you haven't seen this movie yet, check out this sequence.  It sure got me hooked, and if you like what you see, I can't say enough good things about the remainder of the movie.

6. THE BIG LEBOWSKI: The dude's dream sequence.

I love the Cohen brothers, and this movie is one of their best, if not one of their most bizzare.  And from a duo that gave us the likes of Barton Fink, O Brother Where Are Thou, and Raising Arizona? That's saying something! Lebowski is one of the biggest cult movies of all time.  There are festivals each year where people show up dressed in bath robes and drink White Russians.

What makes this movie so memorable?  Jeff Bridges' performance as The Dude, a 60s reject, takin' it easy for the rest of us.  My favorite part of the movie comes when one of his White Russians is drugged by a small time porn producer, Jackie Treehorn.  As explained to us by the narrator, the great Sam Elliott, "darkness warshed over the dude..." at which time we're treated to this surreal, over the top dream sequence.  It's so tasteless, so dark, that I freakin LOVE it.

5. FANTASIA: The intro with Tocata y Fuqa. 

It's weird that Disney did something so offbeat and experimental in the infancy of their studio churning out animated features, but this is so well done, that I find myself wishing Walt's vision to have these be an ongoing series was realized.  Fantasia is just a melding of classical music with Disney animation.  What's not to love? It has no dialogue and creates an almost meditative experience. The animation has held up great, and the way it just syncs with the music I love.

There are a few parts that have more of a story, like Mickey Mouse as the Sorcerer's Apprentice, and the Night on Bald Mountain, but it all just comes together so well.  This movie has some of the most dramatic, heartfelt, and darkest elements of anything Disney has released.  

But the part that stands out is the intro.  Right from the start when we're treated to animation set to Tocata y Fuqua, I was hooked.  It creates such a surreal, dreamlike atmosphere that I knew the rest of the film was going to be one of Disney's best.  And, it turns out I was right.  We've probably all seen it, but if not, give it a watch, I'm sure you'll enjoy.



4) RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK: Swiping the Idol. This is such a great movie, it was hard to choose a favorite scene. I picked the beginning sequence where Indy attempts to steal the idol. I feel this scene sets the tone for just how amazing and filled with adventure the remaining 90 minutes are going to be. I can't think of many other movies where you have to traverse pitfalls, dodge arrows shooting out of the walls, and avoid a giant boulder rolling at you all before the main title rolls.   This movie was an homage to the old 1930s serials that used to be published about explorers in far off lands, and honestly, I'd love to see the genre make a comeback.

 It's so well done, the shot is great, and John Williams' score really is amazing throughout the entire movie. This scene just sets the tone for how awesome the movie is going to be.

3) STAR TREK II THE WRATH OF KHAN: Battle of the Mutara Nebula. Again, just the music and imagery combined makes for an incredible duel to end what will always be the best Trek movie. After being badly damaged in an earlier fight, Krik and the Enterprise prepare for a final showdown in a nebula.  Why fly into a nebula?  Well, as Captain Spock informs Lt. Savvik, "Sauce for the goose, Mr. Savvik.  The odds will be even."

The rest of the scene plays out like an opera.  The music fits so well, that you could close your eyes and visualize exactly what's happening at the moment.  I won't spoil the ending for you, in case you haven't seen it, but after a truly heart wrenching sacrifice, we're treated to one of the best space explosions ever seen.  It's visually stunning, and once again, the music simply fits it like a glove.







2) GOODFELLAS, THE BILLY BATTS SCENE. I've always loved how Scorcese is so obviously a music buff, and the dialogue, the atmosphere (the smokey lounge at night) and the choice of Donovan's "Atlantis" while Billy is beaten just works! And I never noticed until recently that the song playing right before the beating was Knights in White Satin.  So you go from the mellow sounds of the Moody Blues, to Donovan in under 5 seconds as the scene changes from casual conversation to a savage mob rub out. Scorcese said in an interview years ago that music is the backbone of many of his movies.  He wants the song to perfectly fit what our characters are going through, and he does it so well in this movie.  This scene is the one that stands out the most, but there are so many others, and the music varies so widely.  You'd got the doo wop sound played during the days of the young Henry Hill to 80s tracks selected towards the end.  It's just brilliantly handled.  Again, something I could watch a million times and always appreciate.

1) WALL E, DEFINE DANCING SCENE. Probably weird having a Pixar movie scene as my favorite, and while it's not my favorite in their lineup (that honor goes to UP) it's still a great movie, and this is again a scene that just combines beautiful imagery in space, synced with a great score that involves no dialogue. I'm a real sucker for movies and scenes without dialogue, as evidenced by majority of my entries on this post, and part of what makes Wall E stand out so much for me is that the first act is largely devoid of dialogue.  Much like UP, it tells a great love story, and does so simply with visuals and a perfect fitting score.

I won't spoil anything by posting the scene, and I really think everybody simply needs to see this.  I tear up almost every time I see this, not because it's a sad scene, it's actually pretty heartwarming, but it's just so, well, beautiful!  The marriage of colors, movement, the way the animation just flows and goes with the music....I can't say much else, much like this scene, I'll let the visuals and music do the talking.

 

NICK'S TOP 20 MOVIES OF ALL TIME PART 2

 As promised, here are my top 10.  Enjoy!

10. THE DARK KNIGHT – I’ve long been a fan of Batman, as have most men under 90 that grew up in America, but this I feel is the best movie made featuring him.  It’s dark, it’s dramatic, the world that’s created is brilliant.  This is basically what I think of when I think of perfect directing.  The way Christopher Nolen nailed everything perfectly, from lighting to location to dialogue, and yes, the casting.  Every person in this movie could easily be transported into the pages of a Batman comic with zero adjustment. 

I love how this isn’t your typical comic book movie, meant to be some summertime popcorn movie done in 3D that’s more concerned with making money than actually telling a story.  And I love the way that marketing to kids played little to no role in this film’s creating.  It’s as dark as its title implies. 

While some are quick to criticize Christian Bale’s performance as Batman, I really feel that he nails it.  We see a Bruce Wayne that’s not just the millionaire playboy, but a superhero and a man who is deeply conflicted.  He questions his actions, whether or not society is just, whether or not life itself is fair.  He’s nothing short of spectacular. 

Of course, no mention of The Dark Knight can go on without talking about Heath Ledger as the Joker. Honestly, he can’t really be compared to any previous rendition of the Joker.  Nicholson was more comical.  Ledger was just twisted and downright evil.  I was a bit hesitant when I heard of this casting decision, but upon seeing the movie, I was floored.  This is simply one twisted son of a bitch.  He’s all about creating chaos, about making us question choice and free will.  He almost acts with this air of himself being humanity fully realized, and the end result is frightening.  It’s no wonder he posthumously won an Oscar for his performance.

What else can I say but I love this rendition of Batman, and all it has to offer.

9. A CLOCKWORK ORANGE – It’s common knowledge that Stanley Kubrick is a cinematic master, and while I had two of his films duking it out for a position in my top 10 (the other being his final work, Eyes Wide Shut) this is his undisputed masterpiece.  It’s an unsettling movie, to say the least, but also one that leaves you questions so many things in life, as any great film does.

We’re introduced to Alex, easily the most twisted and sadistic character in cinematic history.  He’s so vile and despicable, and what’s especially shocking is his age.  He’s meant to just be a high school kid, yet he actively enjoys violence, torture, and rape.  Pretty messed up for somebody so young, but that’s just the disturbing atmosphere that Kubrick set out to create. 

So what happens when Alex has his freedoms taken away, and becomes a guinea pig in an experimental rehabilitation program?  Well, we find him trying to live his life by making amends and become an upright citizen, only to be torn apart again by those he has wronged in the past.   Is his twisted mid a product of his environment? Of society?  The film doesn’t really tell you, but rather leaves the viewer as the judge.  There is a great scene where a writer tells Alex that the way society has treated him is downright barbaric.  But when he finds out that Alex has wronged him in the past, he quickly becomes one of these so-called savages of society that are responsible.  It’s really just brilliant.

Some of the film hasn’t aged well.  It’s meant to be set in a dystopian future, and a lot of the tech looks like leftovers from Lost in Space, but when you look at the perfect shots, shadows, story, and acting, you’re really quick to forgive.

This was Kubrick’s best film, and God bless each twisted minute of it.

8. BLOW – Easily my favorite movie of Johnny Depp’s, this film is the quintessential drug movie.  Cheech and Chong is a comedic look at drugs.  Requiem for a Dream and Trainspotting are a look at the horrors of drug use.  This movie is about the business of drugs, and the dizzying highs and lowest of the lows that come with it.  Plus, it sticks really close to the story of the real George Jung, as evidenced in the DVD commentary.

Johnny Depp plays George Jung, an infamous cocaine dealer of the golden age of coke, that sleazy time known as the late 70s and early 80s.  In fact, he was so big that the movie gives us the real stat that if you bought coke during this time, there was an 85% chance it was courtesy of George Jung.

This actually starts out as kind of an everyman movie.  The young George has a typical childhood.  He thinks the world of his old man, and plays with his best friend.  Him and his friend move out to California in the late 60s and not wanting to get jobs, they start selling weed on the beach.  The stuff they sell is weak, so they’re introduced to Derek Ferreal, played by Pee Wee himself, Paul Rubens, who makes them the premiere pot dealers of California.  This eventually leads to them selling marijuana to those back east, and eventually forms a cocaine syndicate.  What so impressed me was how quick George was able to think of things.  When his old friend said they couldn’t get that good of pot back in Boston, he starts having his stewardess girlfriend smuggle it, knowing her bags aren’t checked.  When there is a feeding frenzy on his hands and he needs to move more product than his girlfriend’s two suitcases will allow, he buys an RV and does it himself.  And when he wants direct access to the Mexican source? They steal a damn Cessna!  He always seems to be one step ahead of the law, at least for most of the film, which I won’t spoil for you.

The end is downright sad, and you really feel bad for him.  He tried to do all the right things and make amends, only to be brought down by those closest to him. 

7. INTO THE WILD -  This was somewhat of a life changing movie for me.  It really made me question what we’re doing to our world, and whether or not we all complicate our lives too much with materialism and consumerism.  Much like in Fight Club, when Tyler Durden states that in time “the things you own begin owning you” this movie takes a more naturalistic approach to that, and makes the viewer question whether their own lives are needlessly complicated.  Any book or film that makes you question your own life?  That’s just fucking great writing!

We’re introduced to Chris McCandless played by Emile Hirsch.  He’s brought up in a well to do family, and afforded every opportunity.  Yet, upon graduating college, he chooses to cut up his credit cards, burn his money and ID, ditch his car and trek off, as the film’s name states, INTO THE WILD. 

Becoming a modern day Thoreau, we see him adopt the name Alexander Supertramp, and set off on a plethora of beautiful places, from the Pacific Crest Trail in northern California, to the Grand Canyon, and the film even manages to make the wheat fields of South Dakota look downright beautiful. One of my favorite scenes in this movie involves him and a guy he’s working for in South Dakota.  They’re sitting on a combine at sunset, as some high clouds move in.  The characters and the machinery are just shawody figures against the spectacular sunset.  There is no dialogue, yet this scene simply works! It hits you on so many levels. 

Along the way, Alex meets various people, from some hippies living out near the Salton Sea, to farm hands in South Dakota, and an especially touching friendship with a widowed veteran.   All throughout the movie, Alex’s goal is to get to Alaska.  To be far removed from everybody and everything. 

Do you admire him for leaving everything behind, living without any money, and just being free?  Or do you hate him for alienating his friends and family?  Well, the movie doesn’t really plead one case or the other.  It just presents the facts on an interesting human being and lets you decide.

“Things were more exciting when I was penniless” writes Alex.  And there are days I look out at the mountains, the river, or the forests and wonder what that must feel like.  Luckily, I always have this movie to take me there.

6.) CASABLANCA -  I know it’s a bit of a cliché to have a movie like this on a favorites list, but I can’t help it.  This is probably where the term cinematic gold hails from.  The characters, dialogue, and especially the atmosphere are all incredible.

What more can I say about this? This film holds such a tremendous presence in movie history it is amazing. Upon seeing the movie it made complete sense what all the hype was about.  I never saw this until I was in my 20s, and I remember thinking “OK cinematic masterpiece, show me what you’re all about!” I ate those words, and couldn’t be happier. What more could you want than Bogey, Bergman, Casablanca, and some of the greatest quotes ever said? Do not forget the the French Captain Louis played by Claude Rains or the immortal tune of As Time Goes By. This movie has conflict and the uncertainty of war practically in every scene. We have a rogue gallery of everybody under the sun from Peter Lorre and Sidney Greenstreet to German soldiers. There is a broken romance and a forlorn hero who shows his courage in the end. If you take into consideration when this movie was made, it truly is wonderful to watch. You do not need explosions and violence only great characters and a story with both drama and humor. Up until the final moments of the movie you are captivated the entire time. Then fittingly you are left with the two men walking off into the night with the words, "Louis I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship."

5. NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN – The Cohen Brothers are just great.  No matter what they’ve made, I’ve enjoyed it.  What I really like is how they capture the atmosphere of where they’re filming. In Fargo, they simply nailed the upper Midwest, from the overly nice people, to the accent, to the places they ate at.  The Big Lebowski was their LA movie.  Raising Arizona?  Self explanatory.  This is their Texas movie, specifically the border region between south Texas and Mexico.  It’s still very much the wild west, even today, and this film set in 1980, portrays that.

What happens when a simpleton comes across $2 million cash in a briefcase?  Well, a lot can happen apparently, and thus we’re introduced to one of the film’s more frightening characters, Javier Bordem as Anton Chigurh.  This guy is very, very quiet yet so intimidating at the same time.  He thinks nothing of killing those in his way, and sometimes acts like he’s doing it just for fun.  I’m sure most people remember the coin toss scene.  How can something so simple like a coin toss become so frightening?  Well, when Anton Chigurh tells you that “you stand to win everything” while not saying anything about what a loss results in, that’s just creepy.

There are some great action scenes, and a large portion of the film is a simple game of cat and mouse between the protagonist and death incarnate, Chigurh.  Two things stand out the most whenever I revisit this movie.  The first is surreal imagery.  There are some scenes that look like they’re just out of a dream, for example, Anton is driving across a one lane bridge at night.  The surrounding country is dark, save the soft humming light illuminating the bridge.  It’s a simple shot, yet it really builds atmosphere.  And speaking of atmosphere, this film has no soundtrack.  None.  There isn’t any classical music used as a backdrop, there are no songs playing, this entire movie is devoid of any background noise, and it just freakin’ works! It just makes each tense moment that much more tense, and every moment of dialogue that much more powerful. 

4. UP -  I love Disney movies.  My wife loves Disney movies.  I’m sure my son will, like the two of us, grow up on a regimen of Disney movies, and why not?  They tell good stories, they often leave you feeling good, they’re colorful, and have an innate whimsy to them.  One of the best moves Disney has made in the past decades is their partnership with computer animation studio Pixar.  They’ve churned out such classics as Toy Story, The Incredibles, Finding Nemo, and what’s, in my opinion, they’re undisputed masterpiece, UP!

This movie is a relatively simple story.  A little boy meets a little girl and they fall in love.  Disney enough for you yet?  Well, maybe it’s not THAT simple.  He’s a bit of an introvert, and she’s completely eccentric.  But they do share their love of adventure, and hope to someday visit the mythic Paradise Falls in South America. 

You might have ice water flowing in your veins if you’re not moved by the first 10 minutes of this film, for it gives us one of the best love stories I’ve ever seen.  It’s a story of their lives together, and how, dispite wanting to travel to Paradise Falls, but so many of life’s events keep tapping their travel fund, that they eventually succumb to just being happy well into old age.  There is no dialogue at all for this long montage.  It’s just music and imagery, yet it tells an incredible story.  If they had rolled the credits after this, Up would still be in my top 10 films, easy.

Well, you can guess what happens next, this is after all, Disney.  She dies, and the little boy, now a grumpy old man, spends his days isolated and missing his wife.  When court ordered to leave his home after an incident, the man rigs thousands of balloons to his house, lifting it into the sky in search of Paradise Falls.  Along the way, he befriends an energyholic boy scout, and a talking dog named Dug.  I loved the latter!  They way they nail a dog’s thoughts and personality with a voicebox is a riot. 

I won’t spoil any more of the story, short of saying there are so many hilarious, action packed, and downright touching moments throughout the movie.  This is easily Pixar’s finest work to date.

3. LOST IN TRANSLATION – I still have yet to identify what it is about this movie that is so powerful.  There isn’t much of a story, but it’s more about sharing an experience.  It’s about the isolation and loneliness that comes from being on the road, or winding up in a place you didn’t expect.   Bill Murray plays Bob Harris, an aging American action star who is in Tokyo to shoot an ad for Suntory Whiskey.  He’s facing a bit of a midlife crisis, and meets Charlotte, a young wife who is traveling with her celebrity photographer husband, who often neglects her.  They find comfort in each other’s company, as they spend the days exploring the city, and we see a romance begin to blossom. It’s also really refreshing to see a relationship between an older man and a younger woman that doesn’t involve sex at all.  Who’d have thought in movies today any director would opt for that?  Their relationship is all about conversation, and being in a foreign land together, making the most of it.

What I really love is the surreal atmosphere created by Tokyo, at times it seems like our characters are in a hotel bar in any American city, but venturing out and it’s suddenly a very foreign, surreal looking backdrop.

I’ve long been a fan of Bill Murray, and think that he’s really at his best in dramatic roles versus comedic.  This is my favorite movie of his, because of the way him and Scarlett Johansen play off each other.  Plus, you feel a bit sorry for him at times as his wife back home is bothering him about mundane things like carpet samples, and constantly chewing him out.  On the same token, Johansen is in similar straits, being neglected by her husband, who seems more interested in the female starlets he photographs then he is her.  I think the isolation they each feel, and the connection formed by it, is what really makes this movie memorable.

2. LAWRENCE OF ARABIA -  While this might be another cliché to have on a list, like Casablanca, I can’t help myself.  I love everything about this movie.  I long knew it was a Hollywood classic, and a true epic, but for the longest time I never could bring myself to invest the time in watching it. When I finally did, I was blown away.

The score couldn’t possibly be better.  Each note played syncs up perfectly with what’s happening on the screen.  The scenery is equally perfect, with sweeping views of the desert that just cry out adventure.  One of the best, and most famous scenes in cinematic history, can be found in the first 10 minutes.  We find ourselves watching a slow sunrise over the desert, again accompanied perfectly by the musical score.  The sun rises and we’re treated to a sweeping view of the desert, the characters just a mere speck among the size of the dunes.

Peter O'Toole gives a star-making performance as T.E. Lawrence, the eccentric British officer who united the desert tribes of Arabia against the Turks during World War I. Director David Lean orchestrates sweeping battle sequences and breathtaking action, but the film is really about the adventures and trials that transform Lawrence into a legendary man of the desert. Lean traces this transformation on a vast canvas of awesome physicality; no other movie has captured the expanse of the desert with such scope and grandeur. Equally important is the psychology of Lawrence, who remains an enigma even as we grasp his identification with the desert. Perhaps the greatest triumph of this landmark film is that Lean has conveyed the romance, danger, and allure of the desert with such physical and emotional power. It's a film about a man who leads one life but is irresistibly drawn to another, where his greatness and mystery are allowed to flourish in equal measure. He was one of the most fascinating people of the 20^th century, but there haven’t been many movies or books dedicated to him.  Perhaps that’s because this was so perfect, that nobody else has ever wanted to step up.

1. GOODFELLAS -  I’m sure a lot of people who know me already know this, but Goodfellas is my favorite movie of all time.  No matter when it’s on, how butchered it is by censors, I will gladly plop myself down and enjoy it.  And, each time I do, I notice things that I didn’t previously notice.  That’s the mark of a good film!

While I know a lot of people argue that the best mob movie ever made was The Godfather saga, and it was great, I still feel this is far superior.  Director Martin Scorcese does such a great job with this, the movie is like a great book.  You keep wanting to know what happens next, you’re so immersed in the story right off the bat.  Every single thing works.  The characters are all perfectly cast, the story is ironclad, the scenery is perfect, and the dialogue is memorable.  I’m still afraid of little Joe Pesci to this day after seeing this movie! “I’m funny how? Funny like a clown? I amuse you, I make you laugh?!”  That line taken in context is downright terrifying.

It’s a movie about an Irish kid who grew up as an associate in the Italian mafia.  He goes from a small time gangster helping the local capo run numbers and selling hijacked cigarettes, to a big shot helping in one of the largest heists in American history.  We witness his eventual downfall, brought on by drug smuggling and increasing paranoia that comes with it, but even until the final moment, you find yourself needing to know what happens next.

I really love the detail Scorcese put into each shot.  The essence of each decade that progresses throughout the movie are really captured. For example, there is a scene that takes place in a bar in the early 60s.  The whole Tiki theme was very popular around that time, and this bar is a mecca of Tiki kitsch, and even though we’re being introduced to several auxiliary characters, you’re drawn to the loud Hawaiian shirt the bartender is wearing, the fake plastic tiki torches, and the acrid smoke filling the entire place.  Anybody wanting to go into a creative medium, especially film, need to watch this movie to learn how to properly create atmosphere.

It’s violent at times, it’s crude and vulgar at times, it is a movie about the mob, after all.  But it’s also got some of the best acting, best storytelling, and most memorable dialogue out of any other movie I’ve ever seen.  I just love how each time I watch it I notice something different.  I love how I still flinch a bit when they whack one of the main characters.  I know it’s coming, but it’s so well done, that there is still that element of shock.

What else can I say but this is what I think of when I think of a perfect movie.

My Top 20 Movies of All Time

NICK’S TOP 20 MOVIES OF ALL TIME PART 1

Maybe it’s being part of a generation of latchkey kids raised on Nintendo and what is still arguably the best television ever, but I’ll be damned if I don’t love movies.  I mean, I probably border, or perhaps am, a cinephile.  I like talking movies, re-watching my favorites, and incessantly quoting lines from my all time favorites.

But what are my all time favorites?  That’s hard to narrow down to just a few, or to even do a top 10 list on.  So I’m going to take a line from many a corporate seminar and give 110% and breakdown for you my top 20 movies of all time.  Here we go.

20.  HARRY POTTER AND THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX – A lot of people are quick to dismiss the Harry Potter films as the material of summer popcorn movies, but these really do a great job of staying true to the books, thanks in large part to the author herself JK Rowling being present during production. While there were eight films total, I chose the fifth in the series, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix as my favorite out of all of them.  Why?  It wasn’t the most significant in the series, after all Voldemort was first resurrected in the fourth film, and there was an epic conclusion to the saga in the last two.

Order of the Phoenix was the most human of the films, I felt.  It really explored the relationships between the main characters, and established Harry as somebody with close bonds to his friends.  It’s also the first time we see a main character, whom we’d grown to know and love, die.  This movie explored the human element of a fantasy world, and is really quite moving at times. This is the one where the wizarding world FINALLY acknowledges that Harry has been telling the truth the whole time that Voldemort has returned.  In the movies leading up to this, Harry has been told he’s crazy by so many people that you can’t help but feel sorry for him.  This film is his catharsis.

Towards the end, the evil wizard Voldemort possesses Harry.  Harry is left to fight him off, and is reminded by Professor Dumbledore that “It’s not how you two are alike, Harry.  It’s how you’re not!”  Harry fights off Voldemort to deliver what I feel is the most moving sequence in all eight movies.  Harry (to Voldemort) “You’re the weak one!  You’ll never know love, or friendship…..and….I feel sorry for you!”

While all the movies in the Harry Potter saga are great, this one takes the cake, and earns a spot at #20.

19. FEAR AND LOATHING IN LAS VEGAS – This movie is ugly.  The characters are ugly, the story, the horrors of traversing Las Vegas on a bender to end all benders, but that’s part of the charm of my number 19 pick.

For the longest time, I wanted to be a journalist, and is probably the reason I find myself today with the hobby of random internet brain droppings.  But I’ll always recall being urged by a professor to read the works of Hunter S. Thompson, the godfather of gonzo journalism, where the person reporting often becomes so involved in what they’re covering, they themselves become a central piece in the story.  I started by reading Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, and was blown away.  When I found out there was a film version with Johnny Depp, I was hesitant to watch it, fearing Hollywood had ruined the work of a great, albeit eccentric author.  Luckily, I was wrong.

Fear and Loathing involves a writer and his attorney on a quest to find the American dream, and seeing if the counterculture movement of the 60s had indeed been successful. What better place than Las Vegas to find the American dream?  The promise of going from rags to riches with just one lucky roll of the dice.  Well, what they find is that the American dream is dead, and the bender they go on, and the brilliant special effects really make you feel like you were there for every gritty, dirty moment.  You watch this movie and feel like you were on all the drugs the main characters took.  But oddly enough, watching this makes the unfocused work of Hunter S. Thompson seem so much more coherent.

And lastly, it was REALLY cool that in real life Johnny Depp was friends with Thompson, giving much needed legitimacy to the role.  He’s had many roles, but I still argue this is Depp’s best persona, and worthy of my number 19 spot.

18. ALICE IN WONDERLAND – I remember the first time my mom brought home the VHS of Alice in Wonderland from our local video store.  I was a bit upset.  This sounded like a crappy girl’s movie!  But once my cootie fearing bias was cast aside, I found what’s easily one of my favorite Disney movies of all time.

The movie itself is, at best, a loose interpretation of the original work of Lewis Carroll, but it was made in the 50s, and I doubt Disney was willing to indulge the numerous opium fueled fantasies that Carroll originally penned. What we’re left with is a wonderfully drawn fantasy world with funny characters, and a protagonist that you kind of feel sorry for.  She’s so sensible and patient, yet at the same time, CLEARLY annoyed by the wackiness around here and even lets her annoyance misguide her throughout the movie.  I really like the choice of colors that the animators used.  They often went with a dark background with a colorful, bright object in the foreground, and the result really did create a world of wonder. The music is great, the voices fit the characters perfectly, and what about the Queen of Hearts?  A tyrant who can go from kind to wanting your head in under 2 seconds?  That’s funny and brilliant, and worth adding Alice in Wonderland to the list.

17. DAY OF THE JACKAL – I read this book on a flight home for the holidays, and I’ll never forget wishing that there was a bit of a headwind to slow the flight down a bit to give me ample time to finish the book. 

A failed attempt on Charles de Gaulle's life by moped-riding assassins opens Fred Zinnemann's intriguing 1973 adaptation of the Frederick Forsyth (easily one of my favorite authors) thriller. Though not without its car crashes and incidental killings, "The Day of the Jackal" is shot with the same neutrality displayed by its titular assassin, whether he's lifting passports from hapless Danish teachers or funneling hair dye into Old Spice bottles. For all its cold-blooded murder, the most violent image in the film is a bursting watermelon, a taste of the Jackal's plans for the French President's head.

The assassin is just great. Edward Fox is so cool, calm, and collected for a professional murderer, and this of course makes him such an intriguing character.  Most of the movie, I wanted to see him succeed in his mission.  You want to cheer for the bad guy!

This is a classic cat and mouse type chase, between the Jackal and the authorities tracking him, but the Jackal evades several arrests so brilliantly, and the stakes in this particular game are so high, I found myself eagerly wanting to find out what happens next, be it the book, or the excellent adaptation, and my number 17 favorite film, to the big screen.

16. THE BIG LEBOWSKI – This is as big a cult film as you can get.  It’s right up there with Rocky Horror Picture Show in terms of producing legions of loyal fans.  There is even an annual Cinco de Lebowski held here in Portland each year where people show up in bath robes, and spend the evening drinking the Dude’s favorite, White Russians.

The story is actually pretty trivial.  Jeff Bridges plays a 60s reject named simply The Dude, spending his days “takin’ it easy for the rest of us.”  He doesn’t work, drinks White Russians, goes bowling, listens to classic rock casettes, and of course, smokes healthy amounts of weed.  One day his apartment is burglarized and his prized rug is stolen, the one that really ties the room together, and he believes it was all a case of mistaken identity, for his bowling buddy Walter, played hilariously by John Goodman, tells him he was probably mistaken for the richest man in town with the same name.  The Dude goes on a quest to retrieve it, or at least be compensated, and what happens after his initial encounter with the rich Lebowski is pure bedlam.

The star of this movie is the dialogue, and the memorable lines spouted off by a colorful cast of characters that we’d expect in any Cohen Brothers movie.  Couple it with some surreal dream sequences set to a classic rock soundtrack, and it’s easy to see why such a ridiculous story has such a following.

15. FALLING DOWN – This is another movie where you find yourself wanting to cheer for the bad guy??! Or is he really a bad guy?  I guess this is the million dollar question that the movie poses to the viewer.

Michael Douglas plays William Foster, a divorced and unemployed former defense contractor.  While sitting in his car on a jammed LA freeway one summer day, he decides that he’s simply had enough.   Abandoning his car, he sets out on a mission to head home.  He wants to celebrate his daughter’s birthday.

Along the way, he’s accosted by gang members, street hustlers, and yes, even a skinhead.  The way he deals with them, while violent, feels totally justified.  When asked by the gang members if they could read the graffiti tag that they sprayed, he simply responds “Well, maybe if you wrote it in fucking English, I could fucking understand it.”  He’s later told at a fast food restaurant that he can’t have breakfast since they stop serving at 10:30, and it’s currently 10:32.  Again, he loses it, and while not hurting anybody, his reactions are certainly worthy of the police blotter.  But he’s just a guy who is cracking from all the shit the modern world throws at us, that you actually find yourself sympathizing with him a bit. 

While parts of it are a bit slow moving at times, I really can’t stand all the scenes of Robert Duvall’s nagging wife calling him and begging for him to come home, the movie itself is pretty solid, and that’s why Falling Down is one trip home I won’t soon forget.

14. STAR TREK II: THE WRATH OF KHAN – Say what you will about Star Trek movies.   Apparently, there is a lot to say.  They’re full of clichés, preachy plot points, literary ripoffs, and overall schmaltz.  While all valid points with some of the Trek films, there is one gem of an exception in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.

This movie has it all.  Action, a great story, a symphonic soundtrack that is almost meditative at times,  and wonderful acting, even with William Shatner billed as a lead.  From start to finish, Wrath of Khan is near perfection in the world of Sci Fi. 

In Star Trek: The Original Series, there was an episode called Space Seed.  This involved the discovery of a genetically engineered human from the 21^st century who attempted to hijack the Enterprise, only to be marooned on an isolated planet by Kirk and company.  As you can guess from the title, Khan escapes from this prison and seeks revenge on Kirk.

The result?  A space opera without the cornball feel of the Star Wars movies.  Every part of this movie feels damn near perfect.  And while parts of it haven’t aged that well, like the fact that the computers on the Enterprise now look ridiculously dated,  and Shatner was sporting a terrible early 80s man perm, I find I cast those criticisms aside because everything simply works.  Khan’s lust for vengeance.  Spock’s desire to understand the needs of the many outweighing the needs of the few, and even the awesome weapon introduced in the form of the Genesis Device. 

And of course, we have the classic scene of Shatner sounding like he was passing a kidney stone yelling Khan’s name so loud that it echoes INTO SPACE!! That’s impressive, and a reason I’ll never tire of watching The Wrath of KHHHHAAAAANNNNNN!!!!!

13.  REQUIEM FOR A DREAM – Easily one of the best anti-drug PSAs I could ever imagine, this movie can only be described in one word.  DARK.  From start to finish, this movie is dark, and can easily leave me feeling depressed afterwards.  Still, it’s so well done that I enjoy it time and again.

The film showcases the horrors of not just addiction to heroin, and how deadly and horrifying it can be, but just addiction in general.  Jared Leto plays Harry Goldfarb, a Brooklyn kid who has a bad heroin habit and does anything for a fix.  On several occasions he’s pawned his mother’s television for a $20 and a few minutes of gratification from shooting up.   However, his mother, played incredibly by Ellen Burstyn, has addictions of her own as she receives a call to appear on television, and becomes obsessed to fit into the dress she wore to her son’s graduation.  To accomplish this, she becomes addicted to fad diets, and begins ingesting a plethora of diet pills, the end result being absolutely tragic, and I find I tear up seeing what becomes of her.

There is a great supporting cast as well, including Jennifer Conolly as Harry’s girlfriend.  The things she puts herself through in this movie are downright horrifying, and I find myself questioning “Is she wrong to stoop this low, or heroic?”  the movie is that good, you find yourself asking moral questions like this.  

The other star of this film is the soundtrack, provided by the Kronos String Quartet.  Director Darren Aronofsky said in an interview that violin and string music is generally warm and associated with high society.  In this film, he strove to make it sharp, intrusive, and downright unpleasant, and he accomplished this beautifully.

Want your kids to steer clear of drugs?  Then watch Requiem for a Dream, still the best anti-drug movie I’ve ever seen.

12. FIGHT CLUB – I love just how gritty this movie is. It’s unapologetic, and drips testosterone the entire time.  The cover of the DVD case features a bar of soap sitting on a tray in what looks to be a grimy shower, and that fits the movie to a T.  This movie leaves you feeling dirty, gritty, but strangely wanting to know more about what the hell just happened.  It really made me question consumerism, modern society, sociology, and free will.

Edward Norton plays an unnamed protagonist who is a ticking time bomb of an insomniac.  He strives to find some balance in his life, only to get caught up in the consumerist culture.  His clothes, shoes, and his Ikea inspired apartment all eventually begin to own him.

Enter Tyler Durden, played by Brad Pitt in what is easily my favorite role of his.  Tyler teaches our protagonist to just let go, and give in to primal urges and not be such a consumer.   The result is the establishment of underground fight clubs in cities across the world.  These eventually evolve into a secret society known as Project Mayhem, performing every act to disrupt the societal norms from, as Tyler puts it “destroying pieces of corporate art” to kidnapping and extortion. 

There are a few parts of it that I don’t care for.  Helena Bonham Carter, while a good casting choice for a cynical, nihilistic antagonist, I feel her scenes are a bit too drawn out.  But regardless, Fight Club is a movie I won’t soon forget.

11. AMERICAN BEAUTY -  I’ve long been a fan of Kevin Spacey, and this is easily my favorite role of his.  The movie is a prime example of that which we see on the surface, often has a dark and sinister underbelly.  The movie posters and trailers featured the tagline “Look Closer” and this is true throughout the entire movie.  In fact, each time I watch, I notice some symbolism or minor detail I previously missed.

On the surface, this appears to be the story of a man having a midlife crisis.  Him and his wife are near estranged, and intimacy is a foreign concept.  He feels alienated from his daughter.  He hates his job.  The man is basically a walking corpse.  That is until, he spots his daughter’s friend and becomes smitten.  He suddenly begins working out, doing recreational drugs, and even being insubordinate at his job, which leads us to the BEST quit your job scene in cinematic history.

While some may consider him creepy, the film does such a good job of pleading his case, you actually feel a bit sorry for Spacey, and start to question yourself the ideals of a perfect homogenized suburban life.  Is it all superficial? 

There are a number of subplots as well.  His wife begins cheating on him, his daughter wants to run off with her new boyfriend, and Spacey’s homophobic neighbor leads to a tragic ending which I won’t spoil for you.

This movie is good in that it portrays a life so many of us have lived, grow up with, accepted as the norm, and casts it in a light that’s downright unpleasant.  It’s this reason alone that American Beauty is a movie that I’ll continue to look closer at.