Favorite movies by year (1888-2017)
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- DirectorLouis Aimé Augustin Le PrinceStarsAnnie HartleyAdolphe Le PrinceJoseph WhitleyIn the garden, a man asks his friends to do something silly for him to record on film.Not really a movie, but it's the first still existing part of film
- DirectorÉtienne-Jules MareyShot of the flight of a fly.
- DirectorGeorges MélièsStarsJehanne d'AlcyJules-Eugène LegrisGeorges MélièsWith the help of a magic cauldron, Mephistopheles conjures up a variety of supernatural characters.The first horror film. Funny to watch but it's cool because its from the 19th century
- DirectorGeorges MélièsStarsGeorges MélièsA magician and his assistant perform numerous magic acts.Pretty funny. This must be one of the first movies having special effects. Only for that it's worth on here. Plus: it's made before the 20th century! Only one minute-long, so totaly worth to have a look at a little history. Also: Momijikari
- DirectorGeorges MélièsStarsGeorges MélièsVictor AndréBleuette BernonA group of astronomers go on an expedition to the Moon.Very cool short, great effects for its time
- DirectorEdwin S. PorterStarsGilbert M. 'Broncho Billy' AndersonA.C. AbadieGeorge BarnesA group of bandits stage a brazen train hold-up, only to find a determined posse hot on their heels.Nothing mind-blowing, only for the fact that it was pretty revolutionairy back then. Still a cool movie
- DirectorGeorges MélièsStarsGeorges MélièsFernande AlbanyJehanne d'AlcyUsing every known means of transportation, several savants from the Geographic Society undertake a journey through the Alps to the Sun which finishes under the sea.Pretty cool movie. It's partly hand-colored so it looks interesting. I saw a version with an English-speaking man talking. Suppose that wasn't in the original but it did, together with the music, make it more interesting.
- DirectorAlbert MullensWilly MullensStarsWilly MullensA gentleman on a beach-chair is surprised by the high tide, and takes his trousers off to keep them dry. A policeman chases him across the beach and through the village of Zandvoort, until he is arrested.This is actually pretty funny. Check it out when you're interested in the history of cinema. This one isn't boring at all. It get's pretty funny thanks to the music and the things that happen.
- DirectorSegundo de ChomónA man tries to shave, but his mirror keeps playing tricks on him.Funny short with some terrifying imagery. Check it out, it's just two minutes.
- DirectorSegundo de ChomónStarsJulienne MathieuFrom the rocky center of a fountain a fairy emerges, and with a wave of her wand she causes to appear a huge, green bullfrog, which begins to hop around the fountain. Suddenly the rocks disappear and the scene is enveloped in showers of multi-colored fire; when the rocks again appear there is a tableau of posing girls revolving round it. Several changes of pose and costume now take place, embracing the artistic employment of white horses and heroic male figures, and one change reveals only a gigantic green frog. The film closes with the appearance of the fairy once more.Interesting cinematography and use of special effects. Mostly just some weird stuff, but it's cool to witness.
- DirectorJ. Searle DawleyStarsMary FullerCharles OgleAugustus PhillipsThe first filmed version of Frankenstein. The young doctor discovers the secret of life, which he uses to create a perfect human. Things do not go according to plan.Not that good but yea, only movie I've seen from 1910 so.. It's pretty interesting still and because it's not that long it will be a fun watch (they did do a very inventive thing with a mirror for that time too)
- DirectorFrancesco BertoliniAdolfo PadovanGiuseppe de LiguoroStarsSalvatore PapaArturo PirovanoGiuseppe de LiguoroLoosely adapted from Dante's Divine Comedy and inspired by the illustrations of Gustav Doré the original silent film has been restored and has a new score by Tangerine Dream.The first full length movie, and what a movie. Those effects are great, especially for its time. Check it out if you're interested in film/older movies, if you aren't, then leave it because you'll quite possibly find it a little boring. But I still highly recommend this to every film-buff
- DirectorWinsor McCayStarsWinsor McCayGeorge McManusRoy L. McCardellThe cartoonist, Winsor McCay, brings the Dinosaurs back to life in the figure of his latest creation, Gertie the Dinosaur.This is one of the first animated films. About a Dinosaur! I thought it was pretty funny. Nothing too mind-blowing but what can you expect. It's great for it's time and definitely worth a few minutes of your time.
- StarsLillian RothDocumentary on American troops in France in the First World War.Just some quite boring but historical filmmaking. Only watch when interested.
- DirectorRobert WieneStarsWerner KraussConrad VeidtFriedrich FeherHypnotist Dr. Caligari uses a somnambulist, Cesare, to commit murders.Pretty fun movie, very watchable for its time
- DirectorF.W. MurnauStarsMax SchreckAlexander GranachGustav von WangenheimVampire Count Orlok expresses interest in a new residence and real estate agent Hutter's wife.Awesome, great, fun (even creepy at parts)
Häxan was a great movie too, so many classics - DirectorJ.B.L. NoelStarsAndrew IrvineGeorge MalloryThe official record of Mallory and Irvine's 1924 expedition.
- DirectorTeinosuke KinugasaStarsMasuo InoueAyako IijimaYoshie NakagawaA man takes a job at an asylum with hopes of freeing his imprisoned wife.
- DirectorFritz LangStarsBrigitte HelmAlfred AbelGustav FröhlichIn a futuristic city sharply divided between the working class and the city planners, the son of the city's mastermind falls in love with a working-class prophet who predicts the coming of a savior to mediate their differences.Stunning movie by Fritz Lang. Watched the first with a new soundtrack I found on YouTube. I thought it wasn't suiting the movie at all (industrial hiphop beats, wasn't too bad, but it just didn't match). So after an hour or so, I decided I needed other music. Put on the incredible recent Swans album "The Glowing Man" and things just ended up fantastic. Would recommend anyone that isn't sure what music to play while watching this movie, to put on The Glowing Man.
- DirectorCarl Theodor DreyerStarsMaria FalconettiEugene SilvainAndré BerleyIn 1431, Jeanne d'Arc is placed on trial on charges of heresy. The ecclesiastical jurists attempt to force Jeanne to recant her claims of holy visions.This movie leaves you speachless. I watched it in total silence since there is no known score to it. I read it's great with a Beethoven Symphony or some other music on the background made for this movie, but choose for yourself. It worked great without, so don't worry.
- DirectorLuis BuñuelStarsPierre BatcheffSimone MareuilLuis BuñuelLuis Buñuel and Salvador Dalí present 16 minutes of bizarre, surreal imagery.This one was a really cool surrealistic movie. It's not that long so check it out! It's very interesting
- DirectorFritz LangStarsPeter LorreEllen WidmannInge LandgutWhen the police in a German city are unable to catch a child-murderer, other criminals join in the manhunt.Lovely movie, very intense. Great year for cinema concidering the release of Dracula and Frankenstein
- DirectorMervyn LeRoyStarsPaul MuniGlenda FarrellHelen VinsonWrongly convicted James Allen serves in the intolerable conditions of a Southern chain gang, which later comes back to haunt him.Wow, what a great movie. Can't say more about it, just check it out if you like old movies (this one isn't slow in a bit so it won't be a hard to watch or something). Another cool movie from this year is: Freaks
- DirectorMerian C. CooperErnest B. SchoedsackStarsFay WrayRobert ArmstrongBruce CabotA film crew goes to a tropical island for a location shoot, where they capture a colossal ape who takes a shine to their blonde starlet, and bring him back to New York City.Very cool movie! I didn't expect much from a 1933 "monster-movie" but it sure was entertaining! Nice script and awesome special effects. It had the perfect running time and kept me interested during the whole thing.
- DirectorJames WhaleStarsBoris KarloffElsa LanchesterColin CliveMary Shelley reveals the main characters of her novel survived: Baron Henry Frankenstein, goaded by an even madder scientist, builds his monster a mate.Loved it. One of my favorites and I think it's better than Frankenstein (1931). One scene actually really got me, never expected that to happen in such an old movie. Great.
- DirectorKenji MizoguchiStarsIsuzu YamadaYôko UmemuraBenkei ShiganoyaTwo geisha sisters lead a hard life in the Gion district of Kyoto. After one of them feels obliged to support a bankrupt businessman, the other sister sets up various schemes to get rid of him.Great pre-was Japanese movie. A little slow, but that wasn't unexpected. Great watch over-all.
- DirectorWilliam CottrellDavid HandWilfred JacksonStarsAdriana CaselottiHarry StockwellLucille La VerneExiled into the dangerous forest by her wicked stepmother, a princess is rescued by seven dwarf miners who make her part of their household.Only one I've seen from '37 and it's not that good in my opinion. Although the animation was done really well.
- DirectorHiroshi ShimizuStarsMieko TakamineShin TokudaijiShin'ichi HimoriTwo blind masseurs travel to a mountain retreat. One of them falls for a visiting lady from Tokyo and investigates a series of thefts.Truly beautiful movie. One of the earliest movies where I really love the soundtrack. Check out the first 5 minutes (it's on YouTube). There you'll get the vibe and hear the music.
- DirectorWalter FordeStarsArthur AskeyRichard MurdochKathleen HarrisonHigh jinks and chills ensue when a group of people become stranded at an isolated station and a legendary phantom train approaches.Yes, this movie was pretty awesome, funny and even a little scary. Check it out, it's fun.
(Also: Dumbo) - DirectorMichael CurtizStarsHumphrey BogartIngrid BergmanPaul HenreidA cynical expatriate American cafe owner struggles to decide whether or not to help his former lover and her fugitive husband escape the Nazis in French Morocco.Although this one got a lot of good reviews of it being one of the best movies ever, I didn't expect to like it. I did enjoy it a lot anyway, so I was wrong. Good movie
- DirectorLewis AllenStarsRay MillandRuth HusseyDonald CrispA composer and his sister discover that the reason they are able to purchase a beautiful gothic seacoast mansion very cheaply is the house's unsavory past.I have to admit, I was a little distracted while watching the movie. Had nothing to do with the movie though, because I think I liked it quite a bit. Need to rewatch it once to be fully sure, but I can already fairly say it had something special about it.
- DirectorAlfred HitchcockStarsJames StewartJohn DallFarley GrangerTwo men attempt to prove they committed the perfect crime by hosting a dinner party after strangling their former classmate to death.One of my favorite Hitchcocks. Not interesting at the first sight but while watching it, it gets more and more fun.
This one's on par with Ladri di biciclette, although I might even like that one a little better - DirectorYasujirô OzuStarsChishû RyûSetsuko HaraYumeji TsukiokaSeveral people try to talk 27-year-old Noriko into marrying, but all she wants is to keep on caring for her widowed father.Beautiful movie. Very slow but progresses very nicely.
- DirectorBilly WilderStarsWilliam HoldenGloria SwansonErich von StroheimA screenwriter develops a dangerous relationship with a faded film star determined to make a triumphant return.Cool, good and creepy, no need to say more
Also a great movie: Rashômon - DirectorRobert WiseStarsMichael RenniePatricia NealHugh MarloweAn alien lands in Washington, D.C. and tells the people of Earth that they must live peacefully or be destroyed as a danger to other planets.Great. Fun all the way through. Just a great sci-fi movie and the meaning behind it is still accurate these days!
The Thing From another World is another good movie to check out. - DirectorAkira KurosawaStarsTakashi ShimuraNobuo KanekoShin'ichi HimoriA bureaucrat tries to find meaning in his life after he discovers he has terminal cancer.Very good movie. It actually is a life-changer. Sometimes it might be slow but it's never boring (in my opinion, others might think something else). Just check it out, the movie is really good.
Life of Oharu and Children of Hiroshima really deserve a mention too. Beautiful movies. - DirectorKenji MizoguchiStarsMasayuki MoriMachiko KyôKinuyo TanakaA tale of ambition, family, love, and war set in the midst of the Japanese Civil Wars of the sixteenth century.Great tale with some deeply touching themes. Worth every minute of it.
(Tokyo Story is great too of course and I'm not ashamed to admit that Robot Monster is a fun movie too) - DirectorKeisuke KinoshitaStarsHideko TakamineItsuo WatanabeMakoto MiyagawaSchoolteacher Hisako Oishi forms an emotional bond with her pupils and teaches them various virtues, while at the same time worrying about their future.Before I saw this one, I had Shichinin no samurai up as my favorite for this year. But this one.. I don't know, it felt so special. A beautiful and emotional tale of kids and their teacher. Slow but perfectly paced, you feel every bit of emotion that's been put into this. Make sure you're focussed and enjoy this one.
Also:
Sanshô dayû, Chikamatsu monogatari (super movies), Rear Window and Gojira. Great monster movie that everyone knows (although I have a feeling not many have actually seen this movie). Check it out if you haven't, it's fun. - DirectorHenri-Georges ClouzotStarsSimone SignoretVéra ClouzotPaul MeurisseThe wife and mistress of a loathed school principal plan to murder him with what they believe is the perfect alibi.Pretty cool investigation story and left me guessing to the end. Never boring and overal creepy atmosphere which 'explodes' in the last 10 minutes. (Go into this without knowing too much, takes away a lot of the fun)
Another one: Pather Panchali - DirectorDon SiegelStarsKevin McCarthyDana WynterLarry GatesA small-town doctor learns that the population of his community is being replaced by emotionless alien duplicates.Yes this one was great. I love it. Very entertaining and great set-up. To me this one was even better than the '78 remake. Got me in from start to finish.
(It Conquered the World is a bad, but funny B-movie by Roger Corman. The monster is rediculous but it's definitely a classic. Earth vs. the Flying Saucers was good too) - DirectorStanley KubrickStarsKirk DouglasRalph MeekerAdolphe MenjouAfter a failed attack on a German position, a general orders three soldiers, chosen at random, court-martialed for cowardice and their commanding officer must defend them.Aj aj, had to choose this one above Bergmans Smultronstället and Det Sjunde Inseglet. Both are great movies but this one gets (in my opinion) way more inside of you. Very well made movie and very watchable these days.
- DirectorAlfred HitchcockStarsJames StewartKim NovakBarbara Bel GeddesA former San Francisco police detective juggles wrestling with his personal demons and becoming obsessed with the hauntingly beautiful woman he has been hired to trail, who may be deeply disturbed.Great Hitchcock, very mysterious and well created atmosphere. Have-to-see for Hitchcock fans although I don't think many Hitchcock fans who haven't seen this one already.
The Blob was very cool too. Not good, but a fun early science fiction. Also Narayama bushikô was a great movie. - DirectorEdward D. Wood Jr.StarsGregory WalcottTom KeeneMona McKinnonEvil aliens attack Earth and set their terrible "Plan 9" into action. As the aliens resurrect the dead of the Earth, the lives of the living are in danger.The famous bad movie. And yes, it is bad, very bad. How bad? Very bad. And very fun and never boring and everybody should see this one.
The first two/three Ningen no jôken parts should be in here of course, but I feel like some variety is on it's place. Hiroshima mon amour. I feel sorry not to include this one in my list. I love this love-story movie. It's incredible score, the story line and the acting make it a very good movie.
Ofcourse you could also watch Hitchcock's North by North West or Ichikawa's Nobi, which are great movies! - DirectorGeorges FranjuStarsPierre BrasseurAlida ValliJuliette MaynielA surgeon causes an accident which leaves his daughter disfigured and goes to extreme lengths to give her a new face.Psycho is my favorite Hitchcock movie, but I just had to choose this one above it. There have been already two Hitchcocks on this list and I think this one is just better than Psycho. Very good movie!
Liked Hadaka no shima maybe even a little better than this one, but wanted to give this movie a place. Both really special.
Jungfrukällen a.k.a The Virgin Spring is also a very well made movie - DirectorJack ClaytonStarsDeborah KerrPeter WyngardeMegs JenkinsA young governess for two children becomes convinced that the house and grounds are haunted.Why did I even chose to do only one movie/year. Matka Joanna od aniolów should have been right here on this spot if The Innocents wasn't such an incredible movie. Never have I experienced such thick atmosphere as for The Innocents. This movie's build-up was so well done you get totally creeped out by a woman just standing in a field of long grass. I know, that already sounds pretty creepy but when in the movie, wow. Never expected a '61 movie to be one of the scariest movies ever (in my opinion). It's cinematography, the creepy song, the story, the acting, the not jump-scare scare scenes. It just makes it perfect.
The Human Condition part 3 is absolutely incredible, it could be on this spot just as well. Viridiana's great as well, as is Il Posto - DirectorMasaki KobayashiStarsTatsuya NakadaiAkira IshihamaShima IwashitaWhen a ronin requesting seppuku at a feudal lord's palace is told of the brutal suicide of another ronin who previously visited, he reveals how their pasts are intertwined - and in doing so challenges the clan's integrity.One word: wow.
Also check out Ivan's Childhood and Lawrence of Arabia, they are both great movies but not as good as Harakiri - DirectorHerschell Gordon LewisStarsWilliam KerwinMal ArnoldConnie MasonAn Egyptian caterer kills various women in suburban Miami to use their body parts to revive a dormant Egyptian goddess while an inept police detective tries to track him down.First so-called slasher flick. Had it's moments, really cool movie. And of course Black Sabbath could just as well be on this spot, but oh well, only place for one.
(Ps. I didn't like the Haunting and 8½ (I know I know, it's well made ok, but boring as hell and I really gained a headache from all that screaming) at all, so that's why it's not here. Could've chosen Matango, but that's not fair.) - DirectorHiroshi TeshigaharaStarsEiji OkadaKyôko KishidaKôji MitsuiAn entomologist on vacation is trapped by local villagers into living with a woman whose life task is shoveling sand for them.What a perfect year for Japanese filmmaking. This one, Onibaba and Kwaidan are all three incredibly good films. This one is the best in my opinion, being very claustrophobic and atmospheric. Near-perfect movie. The other two are great too so don't let a "not top of the year" spot, stop you from watching it.
- DirectorJán KadárElmar KlosStarsIda KaminskaJozef KronerFrantisek ZvaríkA carpenter in the Fascist Slovak State is appointed "Aryan controller" of a Jewish widow's store.Before I saw this movie, Color Me Blood Red was the only movie I'd seen from this year. But now, Obchod na korse a.k.a. The Shop on Main Street is here to kick that bad movie out. Because what a movie experience! This movie is so well build up that when things finally start to get worse, you're fully living with the main characters and you feel their emotions. This movie was so incredibly sad and disturbing (in some ways) that it left me speachless when finished. It's a very minemalistic story about how Jews were treated in WWII brought back to one old Jewish lady and a man wanting to help her with her "Shop on Main Street". Before you start guessing what's going to happen, you should just go and watch this movie. Rent it, buy it, download it, whatever. It's a very important movie for everybody that has an attention-span of over 10 minutes.
(Another interesting, but in my opinion a little boring, movie is: Shadows of our Forgotten Ancestors. Ukrain movie about a part of their history.) - DirectorSergio LeoneStarsClint EastwoodEli WallachLee Van CleefA bounty hunting scam joins two men in an uneasy alliance against a third in a race to find a fortune in gold buried in a remote cemetery.One of my all-time favorites. Very good movie and really easy to stay awake during this almost 3-hour long movie, it just keeps being interesting.
Andrei Rublev is great too. Beautiful film-making. Only problem was that I couldn't really get into it.
Tanin no kao also recommended
Also: Au hasard Balthasar - DirectorMasaki KobayashiStarsToshirô MifuneYôko TsukasaGô KatôThe mother of a feudal lord's only heir is kidnapped away from her husband by the lord. The husband and his samurai father must decide whether to accept the unjust decision, or risk death to get her back.
- DirectorStanley KubrickStarsKeir DulleaGary LockwoodWilliam SylvesterAfter uncovering a mysterious artifact buried beneath the Lunar surface, a spacecraft is sent to Jupiter to find its origins: a spacecraft manned by two men and the supercomputer HAL 9000.Great visuals and just very good. Not to entertaining, but the creepy atmosphere thanks to the computer makes it still very watchable.
Also: Night of the Living Dead, Yabu no naka no kuroneko and Rosemary's Baby - DirectorSydney PollackStarsJane FondaMichael SarrazinSusannah YorkThe lives of a disparate group of contestants intertwine in an inhumanely grueling dance marathon.I never guessed I'd like a movie about dancing, but I do now. This movie goes far behond dancing and I think the dancing part is just on the background. The emotional breakdown is really well done and this is 100% recommended for everyone (accept when you deal with depressions or something because a lot of people seem to find this one pretty depressing, I don't, I think it's a beautiful movie).
Also: Horrors of Malformed Men, great and experimental movie. Kind of disturbing even. Got to mention Easy Rider huh - DirectorAlejandro JodorowskyStarsAlejandro JodorowskyBrontis JodorowskyJosé LegarretaA mysterious black-clad gunfighter wanders a mystical Western landscape encountering multiple bizarre characters.It was this one or 'I Drink Your Blood' (love that movie), but since this one is way better I went for this one. Great movie, just watch it. If you've never heard of Alejandro Jodorowsky, this is a good movie to start with.
Valerie and her week of wonders is also very mentionable - DirectorStanley KubrickStarsMalcolm McDowellPatrick MageeMichael BatesIn the future, a sadistic gang leader is imprisoned and volunteers for a conduct-aversion experiment, but it doesn't go as planned.My favorite Kubrick movie (not that I've seen that many, just three haha) and I'm a fan. One of my all-time favorite movies.
Also a great movie: Walkabout by Nicolas Roeg and Shura by Toshio Matsumoto - DirectorAndrei TarkovskyStarsNatalya BondarchukDonatas BanionisJüri JärvetA psychologist is sent to a station orbiting a distant planet in order to discover what has caused the crew to go insane.Nop. No "The Godfather" for me. Though that's a great movie too, but simply not as good as Solyaris! Solyaris is a very strange movie and I won't say anything about it furthermore. Just check it out, although first see Stalker and see if you like Tarkovskiy. When you like that movie, you'll enjoy this one too. You just got to have some patience and being able to enjoy good cinematography.
- DirectorNicolas RoegStarsJulie ChristieDonald SutherlandHilary MasonA married couple grieving the recent death of their young daughter are in Venice when they encounter two elderly sisters, one of whom is psychic and brings a warning from beyond.Great movie, one of my favorites. The cinematography, the story, the acting, the music, just everything is great. (another recommendation from '73: 'The Spook (Who Sat By The Door)', it's a little know movie about racism from the point of view of black people made by black people, just a well crafted peace of cinema)
- DirectorTobe HooperStarsMarilyn BurnsEdwin NealAllen DanzigerFive friends head out to rural Texas to visit the grave of a grandfather. On the way they stumble across what appears to be a deserted house, only to discover something sinister within. Something armed with a chainsaw.Hard time to choose between this one and 'Sweet Movie' but this one wins. When you block of the screen and just listen to the sound of some scenes, you know you're listening to a perfect example of a horror movie
- DirectorPeter WeirStarsRachel RobertsAnne-Louise LambertVivean GrayDuring a rural summer picnic, a few students and a teacher from an Australian girls' school vanish without a trace. Their absence frustrates and haunts the people left behind.Wow, had to knock down some great movies like Profondo Rosso, Zerkalo and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest to get this one in. And this movie is just great, watched it with my mouth open half of the time. One of the creepiest atmospheres I've even experienced in any movie, you just keep thinking what happened, such a great mystery.
Zulawski's L'important c'est d'aimer is a great movie as well - DirectorDan CurtisStarsKaren BlackOliver ReedBurgess MeredithA family moves into a large old mansion in the countryside which seems to have a mysterious and sinister power over its new residents.It's not my favorite movie by far but it is my favorite haunted house movie I've seen. It's pretty cool and creepy, just check it out. It's way better then a lot of other 70s horror.
The Omen is great too ofcourse, so is Taxi Driver. - DirectorDavid LynchStarsJack NanceCharlotte StewartAllen JosephHenry Spencer tries to survive his industrial environment, his angry girlfriend, and the unbearable screams of his newly born mutant child.David Lynch's debut film. Crazy, funny, creepy, disturbing, depressing and great.
Another great and very strange movie was made this same year called Hausu. It even defeats Eraserhead with its strangeness but it also got a great story!
Una giornata particolare also deserves a mention, great movie about a gay man. - DirectorMichael CiminoStarsRobert De NiroChristopher WalkenJohn CazaleAn in-depth examination of the ways in which the Vietnam War impacts and disrupts the lives of several friends in a small steel mill town in Pennsylvania.Hard not to include Dawn of the Dead but The Deer Hunter is just such a great movie with great character development and really shocking but very very well executed stuff.
- DirectorAndrei TarkovskyStarsAlisa FreyndlikhAleksandr KaydanovskiyAnatoliy SolonitsynA guide leads two men through an area known as the Zone to find a room that grants wishes.Oh man how can I not have Alien on this list? Well, because Stalker was just better. Loved the whole movie. Wasn't bored at all (something that would happen to some of you including me when being a little tired) because I was lucky enough in the right state of mind to view it. Alien is great too by the way, let there be no misunderstanding about that.
- DirectorDavid LynchStarsAnthony HopkinsJohn HurtAnne BancroftA Victorian surgeon rescues a heavily disfigured man who is mistreated while scraping a living as a side-show freak. Behind his monstrous façade, there is revealed a person of kindness, intelligence and sophistication.A hard year to not include some movies again like The Changeling (man I love this movie) The Shining, Cannibal Holocaust, Without Warning, Maniac and (yes seriously, I love this next one) Humanoids from the Deep but The Elephant Man got to be in my top 10 favorite movies, so it wasn't hard to choose. Just beautiful.
- DirectorAndrzej ZulawskiStarsIsabelle AdjaniSam NeillMargit CarstensenA woman starts exhibiting increasingly disturbing behavior after asking her husband for a divorce. Suspicions of infidelity soon give way to something much more sinister.Wow this is a great movie. Pretty looking and great acting. I loved it. Lot of people seem to hate it because of things I cannot understand because well, I said it already, it's just a great movie!
An American Werewolf in London is pretty cool, creepy and funny too - DirectorHarry Bromley DavenportStarsPhilip SayerBernice StegersDanny BraininAn alien creature impregnates a woman who gives birth to a man who was abducted by aliens three years ago. The man reconnects with his wife and son for a sinister purpose.Yes I'm very aware I just chose Xtro but I just love this movie. B-movie/sci-fi/slasher/splatter/crazy-stuff-happening-here fans should all see this movie. AND very cool special effects, especially for the budget.
The Thing is a great movie too of course. Lot better than Xtro but this one feels so special for some reason. - DirectorAndrei TarkovskyStarsOleg YankovskiyErland JosephsonDomiziana GiordanoA Russian poet and his interpreter travel to Italy researching the life of an 18th-century composer, and instead meet a ruminative madman who tells the poet how the world may be saved.Beautifully filmed and acted movie. With the right setting, you'll get absorbed
- DirectorWim WendersStarsHarry Dean StantonNastassja KinskiDean StockwellTravis Henderson, an aimless drifter who has been missing for four years, wanders out of the desert and must reconnect with society, himself, his life, and his family.Also: Toxic Avenger
- DirectorElem KlimovStarsAleksey KravchenkoOlga MironovaLiubomiras LauceviciusAfter finding an old rifle, a young boy joins the Soviet resistance movement against ruthless German forces and experiences the horrors of World War II.Wow this is a great film for sure. Great cinematography and intense acting. Sometimes it's very hard to watch but for sure one of the best war movies ever, and through the eyes of a child (makes it different from other war movies)
Other great/cool movies: Phenomena, Ran and Re-animator - DirectorDavid LynchStarsIsabella RosselliniKyle MacLachlanDennis HopperThe discovery of a severed human ear found in a field leads a young man on an investigation related to a beautiful, mysterious nightclub singer and a group of psychopathic criminals who have kidnapped her child.Argg no Tras el Crystal, Aliens, Offret, The Fly, Platoon or Class of Nuke 'Em High. This David Lynch-classic is just a little better than those movies. Liked the tone of it a lot
- DirectorDario ArgentoStarsCristina MarsillachIan CharlesonUrbano BarberiniA young opera singer is stalked by a deranged fan bent on killing the people associated with her to claim her for himself.Together with Phenomena my favorite Argento. A very cool watch. Full Metal Jacket is also great, but it wasn't as good as I expected it to be. The Last Emperor, though, did do it's job for me. With it's beautiful OST and story made it one of my favorites. But still, Opera ranks just above it.
- DirectorAlan ParkerStarsGene HackmanWillem DafoeFrances McDormandTwo F.B.I. Agents with wildly different styles arrive in Mississippi to investigate the disappearance of some civil rights activists.This really makes you think.
Kárhozat by Béla Tarr is also a great movie, very slow and dark but with great cinematography and use of music. Other mentions to On The Silver Globe by Andrzej Zulawski and My Neighbour Totoro - DirectorAlejandro JodorowskyStarsAxel JodorowskyBlanca GuerraGuy StockwellA former circus artist escapes from a mental hospital to rejoin his armless mother - the leader of a strange religious cult - and is forced to enact brutal murders in her name as he becomes "her arms".My favorite Jodorowsky movie. Makes your screen looks so beautiful.
(Rikyu is also great) - DirectorAdrian LyneStarsTim RobbinsElizabeth PeñaDanny AielloMourning his dead child, a haunted Vietnam War veteran attempts to uncover his past while suffering from a severe case of dissociation. To do so, he must decipher reality and life from his own dreams, delusions, and perceptions of death.Aiaiai impossible to choose but no Wild at Heart since Lynch was in here three times already and Jacob's Ladder is just slightly better I guess. Very very dark, creepy and cool movie.
(For the B-movie fans: Frankenhooker and Sgt. Kabukiman N.Y.P.D.) - DirectorNgai Choi LamStarsSiu-Wong FanMei Sheng FanKa-Kui HoRiki-Oh, a young man who has superhuman strength, is incarcerated in a private prison, where inmates are treated like slaves. He is forced to use his unstoppable form of martial arts to destroy the corrupt officials and their lackeys.Nop, although I like Silence of the Lambs it's not going to win from Riki Oh: The Story of Ricky. Háh! This is just plain funfunfun
- DirectorDavid LynchStarsSheryl LeeRay WiseMädchen AmickLaura Palmer's harrowing final days are chronicled one year after the murder of Teresa Banks, a resident of Twin Peaks' neighboring town.Unfortunately no Reservoir Dogs. I just love the Twin Peaks series and this was even more creepy than the series. Very cool and leaves you pretty shocked. Yea, intense film.
- DirectorTony ScottStarsChristian SlaterPatricia ArquetteDennis HopperIn Detroit, a pop-culture nerd steals cocaine from his new wife's pimp and tries to sell it in Hollywood, prompting the mobsters who own the drugs to pursue the couple.Liked it a lot. Just a fun ride, not very special, just lots of fun.
(B-movie fans: The Untold Story,
Troma fans: Cannibal! The Musical) - DirectorBéla TarrStarsMihály VigPutyi HorváthLászló feLugossyOn the eve of a large payment, residents of a collapsing collective farm see their plans turn into desolation when they discover that Irimiás, a former co-worker who they thought was dead, is returning to the community.Great year for cinema. This masterpiece by Béla Tarr impressed me beyond expression. 7,5 hours of amazing cinematography and not a single bored minute. First hour was a little slow, but when you get the flow it'll feel like something meditating.
Other amazing movies I just have to mention are: Once Were Warriors, Léon, DellaMorte DellaMore, Natural Born Killers and Chunking Express - DirectorDavid FincherStarsMorgan FreemanBrad PittKevin SpaceyTwo detectives, a rookie and a veteran, hunt a serial killer who uses the seven deadly sins as his motives.In the beginning I found it very boring but it evolves in a great way with one of the most intense movie endings ever! Don't fool yourself by switching it off after the first half hour because it's gonna be great!
Also check out Leaving Las Vegas and especially Fallen Angels (1995), which are two great movies too.
Also: Maboroshi no hakari - DirectorRoland EmmerichStarsWill SmithBill PullmanJeff GoldblumThe aliens are coming and their goal is to invade and destroy Earth. Fighting superior technology, mankind's best weapon is the will to survive.I loved this film when I was young. This is the movie that got me into sci-fi so that's worth a lot for me. (Tromeo and Juliet + From Dusk Till Dawn, Trainspotting and The Ebola Syndrome (yes, a horror/gore/comedy about Ebola) are pretty awesome movies too)
- DirectorAbbas KiarostamiStarsHomayoun ErshadiAbdolhosein BagheriAfshin Khorshid BakhtiariAn Iranian man drives his car in search of someone who will quietly bury him under a cherry tree after he commits suicide.Beautiful movie with great moral story about suicide. First Iranian movie I ever watched, but it made me interested in more!
Of course Lost Highway is a great movie as wel! - DirectorTakashi MiikeStarsMasahiro MotokiRenji IshibashiMakoA salaryman and yakuza are each sent by their bosses to a remote Chinese village but discover more than they expected.This one was very difficult again. Had to choose it above Seul Contre Tous, Wrongfully Accused and Happiness. This is just a very very beautful movie that shows Takashi Miike can do way more then just make gore films.
- DirectorDavid FincherStarsBrad PittEdward NortonMeat LoafAn insomniac office worker and a devil-may-care soap maker form an underground fight club that evolves into much more.Again a hard pick. No The Mummy (this one got me into horror (yea I know it's not a horror film but it was for me back then) and no Straight Story. Fight Club is just the best of them all. Liked it a lot. Guess most people will enjoy this one.
(The Straight Story is also very recommended for those who can chill out, because it's a slow ride with an old man with an emotional story. Also: The Sixth Sense and Kolobos. For those wondering: I didn't like American Beauty at all, I'm sorry.) - DirectorBéla TarrÁgnes HranitzkyStarsLars RudolphPeter FitzHanna SchygullaA naive young man witnesses an escalation of violence in his small hometown following the arrival of a mysterious circus attraction.This one just won from In the Mood for Love, Requiem for a Dream, Subconscious Cruelty and Audition and it's deserved. Very beautifully crafted by Béla Tarr with one scene that leaves you totally speachless. Can't recommend it though because it is really slow, so if you're not used to that you're warned. This is one everybody deserves to see anyway because this will definitely end up being one of your favorite movies ever.
Seriously, if this movie wasn't made in this year I would have placed In the Mood for Love right on this spot. Go check that beautiful movie out too! Same goes up for Amores Perros, 2/3 stories are great, didn't care for the other one) - DirectorDavid LynchStarsNaomi WattsLaura HarringJustin TherouxAfter a car wreck on Mulholland Drive renders a woman amnesiac, she and a Hollywood-hopeful search for clues and answers across Los Angeles in a twisting venture beyond dreams and reality.One of my favorite Lynch movies. Just great creepy atmosphere and really leaves you guessing and thinking way after the movie ends.
(Same counts for the movie that just didn't make it: Donnie Darko.
Another recommendation: Failan, What time is it there?, Address Unknown and Bad Guy. Three rather unknown beautiful Korean movies. Session 9 and The Devil's Backbone are two good creepy and atmospheric movies) - DirectorLukas MoodyssonStarsOksana AkinshinaArtyom BogucharskiyPavel PonomaryovSixteen-year-old Lilja and her only friend, the young boy Volodja, live in Russia, fantasizing about a better life. One day, Lilja falls in love with Andrej, who is going to Sweden, and invites Lilja to come along and start a new life.Beautiful movie and very sad. You really live with the characters
(Sorry for the Lord of the Rings-fans, I'm not one of them :(, Adaptation was another good movie but doesn't reach Lilja by far) - DirectorPark Chan-wookStarsChoi Min-sikYoo Ji-taeKang Hye-jeongAfter being kidnapped and imprisoned for fifteen years, Oh Dae-Su is released, only to find that he must track down his captor in five days.Very easy choice, which is not easy to accomplish with concurents like A Tale of Two Sisters, Memories of Murder, Monster, Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... and Spring and The Room (yes, The Room), but Oldeuboi is just, well, at least in my top 2 favorite movies of all time, maybe even my favorite (probably it is). It's just so beautifully made and such a great story with great acting and cinematography. Just watch it! O yea, and a GREAT soundtrack. Wow, The Last Waltz by Jo Yeong-wook is really the most beautiful soundtrack for a movie I've ever heard.
Other great movies: Save the Green Planet, Big Fish and Kontroll - DirectorPark Kyung-JinJohn H. LeeKim Tae-WonStarsJung Woo-sungSon Ye-jinJong-hak BaekA young couple's enduring love is tested when 27-year-old Su-jin is diagnosed with a rare form of Alzheimer's disease.This is just one of the most beautiful movies ever made in my opinion.
Bin-Jip is also one of my favorites and almost without words. From the two main characters is one a mute and one says just 2 things or something. Very beautiful. Mysterious Skin is also a great movie for '04 as is Samaritan Girl - DirectorSion SonoStarsMasumi MiyazakiIssei IshidaRie KuwanaThe erotic novelist Taeko is writing a morbid story of a family destroyed by incest, murder and abuse. Her assistant, Yuji, sets on a mission to uncover the reality of this story, but the reality might be too much to bear.Very interesting and great movie. Must see for those interested in Asian cinema and for those who are in for a great movie (it can be a little shocking)
(Other great movies: Noriko's Dinner Table, Stay, a very, very underrated movie with 'just' a 6.9 on IMDb. Everybody should just see this one
and Pierrepoint: The Last Hangman, about the last hangman from Britain. Very good movie but I've not the idea its widely known) - DirectorChao-Bin SuStarsChang ChenYôsuke EguchiKarena Kar-Yan LamIn Taipei, the crippled scientist Hashimoto uses his invention of "Menger Sponge" to capture the energy of the spirit of a child in an old building. He invites the specialist in reading lips, Detective Tung, to join his research team that is studying the phenomenon to understand the movements of the lips of the ghost. Hashimoto is trying to disclose why the energy of the ghost does not dissipate, and Tung discovers the identity and the dramatic story of the boy. He was sick with tumors and was killed by his own mother and buried nearby a nuclear plant. Hashimoto deduces that the rage of the boy for his mother associated to the location where the body was buried were the reason to keep the energy. When the government decides to shutdown the research, Hashimoto becomes insane and takes the spirit with him.A little known movie from Taiwan. Cool Asian horror with an overall creepy atmosphere to it. The story is interesting too so just check it out!
Taxidermia could also have been on this spot. Great movie too but I found it a bit flawed at some important parts of the movie.
(For those wondering, not a big fan of Pan's Labyrinth, not a bad movie don't get me wrong) - DirectorSean PennStarsEmile HirschVince VaughnCatherine KeenerAfter graduating from Emory University, top student and athlete Christopher McCandless abandons his possessions, gives his entire $24,000 savings account to charity and hitchhikes to Alaska to live in the wilderness. Along the way, Christopher encounters a series of characters that shape his life.Yea I liked it quite a bit. Far from my favorite movie but I'm going to watch it again one day. It was entertaining for sure. And the music from Eddie Vedder added a lot.
The Man From London was a great movie too. Béla Tarr is a master in filmmaking. And also: Ex-drummer - DirectorSion SonoStarsTakahiro NishijimaHikari MitsushimaSakura AndôA bizarre love triangle forms between a young Catholic upskirt photographer, a misandric girl and a manipulative cultist....
10/10.
What a great movie. Four hours of full emotion. It's an amazing rollercoaster that lets you laugh, fear, thrill and cry. It's got a great storyline and touches some difficult subjects for example cults and religion. Just give it a try. If you don't like it in the first hour, you probably won't enjoy the rest of it.
Other movies: Gran Torino, Martyrs, Okuribito and Lake Mungo. - DirectorMohammad RasoulofStarsHassan PourshiraziYounes GhazaliMohammad RabbaniRahmat has been asked to meet the inhabitants of these islands to collect their tears. Although for years people have been giving their tears to Rahmat, no one knows exactly what he has been doing with them.
- DirectorJee-woon KimStarsLee Byung-hunChoi Min-sikJeon Gook-hwanA secret agent exacts revenge on a serial killer through a series of captures and releases.Wowwowwow, Korea does it again. This time with a great revenge flick. Lots of action and although it's pretty long, it's always awesome and never boring. Just watch it.
(disturbing but very good film: A Serbian Film. Also Kick Ass was way better than I expected and Tucker and Dale vs. Evil was very funny) - DirectorPedro AlmodóvarStarsAntonio BanderasElena AnayaJan CornetA brilliant plastic surgeon, haunted by past tragedies, creates a type of synthetic skin that withstands any kind of damage. His guinea pig: a mysterious and volatile woman who holds the key to his obsession.A cool, very interesting and good movie
(Melancholia was a great and very deep movie too. Intouchables was pretty good too but I liked La Piel Que Habito just more. Rundskop is a great movie from Belgium: worth checking out for everybody. Hobo With a Shotgun is just very much fun, not for everybody though.) - DirectorThomas VinterbergStarsMads MikkelsenThomas Bo LarsenAnnika WedderkoppA teacher lives a lonely life, all the while struggling over his son's custody. His life slowly gets better as he finds love and receives good news from his son, but his new luck is about to be brutally shattered by an innocent little lie.This movie is great, sad and beautiful at the same time. It shows the impact of someone being accused of being a pedophile. The way the story evolves, the way it gets more and more sad and how different "friends" react to the accusation makes it a very realistic and interesting movie. This is one of the very few movies that made me cry and I personally would say that only for that reason people should see this. It also gives you a life lesson: keep thinking.
(Black Metal Veins is a pretty interesting documentary about drug addicts and you'll be left disturbed after it's gritty mood and disturbing scenes. Kapringen by the same makers of Jagten is beautiful too. So is Pieta by Kim Ki Duk) - DirectorAlex van WarmerdamStarsJan BijvoetHadewych MinisJeroen PercevalA vagrant enters the lives of an arrogant upper-class family, turning their lives into a psychological nightmare in the process.Watched this movie on recommendation of my uncle. Wasn't expecting that much because I know how "bad" most of dutch cinema is. This one is very different though! It was a very great movie with some pretty eary scenes and interesting but difficult story line. This easily is my favorite Dutch movie I've seen so far and I'd recommend it to anyone willing to watch a movie in another language and likes to think while watching.
(Kick Ass 2 almost made it to the list. I love that movie, actually think it's better than part 1. The Conjuring was a pretty fun and scary movie but nothing special. Cliché driven but still better than most of the horror flicks that come out these days.
Need to mention Dance of Reality by Jodorowsky. Probably one of my favorites by him. But really wanted to give Borgman this place. - DirectorWes AndersonStarsRalph FiennesF. Murray AbrahamMathieu AmalricA writer encounters the owner of an aging high-class hotel, who tells him of his early years serving as a lobby boy in the hotel's glorious years under an exceptional concierge.Love the story and cinematography in this one and I've got the feeling I'm not alone! Lot's of fun and amazement guaranteed!
Titli and The Babadook also interested me - DirectorDavid SandbergStarsDavid SandbergJorma TacconeSteven ChewIn 1985, Kung Fury, the toughest martial artist cop in Miami, goes back in time to kill the worst criminal of all time - Kung Führer, a.k.a. Adolf Hitler.A short movie worth to check out anytime. Far from good but way better than you'd expect it to be. Very funny and good special effects. Go check it out.
Also: The VVitch: A New-England Folktale, Baskin and We're the Millers - DirectorPark Chan-wookStarsKim Min-heeHa Jung-wooCho Jin-woongA woman is hired as a handmaiden to a Japanese heiress, but secretly she is involved in a plot to defraud her.Such a beautiful movie by Chan-wook Park. One almost equal to his Oldboy. Cinematography is great, as always. Same goes for the acting, story and setting. The music was nice, but not too explicit, but it fitted well in. Must watch.
Before the Flood is a great eye-opening documentary with a nice score. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them deserves a mention too. Very entertaining, had a great watch!
Another edit: Poesía sin fin, Miss Peregrine and Maquinaria Panamericana