Juan's Top Ten (Shameless Plug) Jul 01 '01 (Updated Sep 22 '03)    Write an essay on this topic. Tweet Popular Products in Movies 1776 From $8 Alias - The Complete Fifth Season From $20 The Bottom Line I only hope that this opinion is as much fun to read as it was for me to write it. You know... Of all the questions that people can ask you, I think that this one is by far one of the most difficult ones. I mean, "What are the 10 Best Films of all time?" I'm a film buff and movies are my life. So what do you do when you have 25,000+ movies (That I know of) to choose from and you have to narrow your search down to 10? Well that's a good question. It really all depends on your mood at the moment. But since I'm writing this at this moment, I may as well rant on about how I feel about this particular batch of fine films. I hope that you will agree. 10. Requiem For A Dream: Directed by Darren Aronofsky A gritty, harrowing story about the self-destruction of a family through drugs. The story is hard-hitting and hard to watch, and ultimately thought provoking. Director Darren Aronofsky uses incredible cinematography to convey the emotions of each of his characters. Although it's not for all tastes, it's definitely worth more than one look as long as you have the stomach for it. 9. Pulp Fiction: Directed by Quentin Tarantino This film is both a joy and a trial to sit through. A cunning mix of stories ranging in variety from 2 philosophizing assassins to a boxer with a moral dilemma of leaving his nemesis to die or save him. Very explicit, very funny and very well directed. Quentin Tarantino creates his masterpiece with great casting, offbeat stories and incredible cinematography. 8. The Sixth Sense: Directed by M. Night Shyamalan A story of a young boy who "sees dead people". The plot is tightly woven with skill and cunning direction. Haley Joel Osment is, by far, one of the best actors ever to be seen on screen. Slowly unfolding story hits you with the force of a sledgehammer in the end. 7. Forrest Gump: Directed by Robert Zemeckis Tom Hanks plays a less than brilliant man with a brilliant heart and an even more brilliant life story. We watch Forrest grow from being a kid picked on all the time to becoming a war hero. (And that's just in the first half of the movie) Very subtle special effects, incredible cinematography, and heart touching story make this one of the most unpredictable yet awe-inspiring movies ever made... Like a box of chocolates. 6. Traffic: Directed by Steven Soderbergh This film about the war on drugs is told through 3 interwoven stories. The ensemble acting and the cinematography is used differently depending on the story being told. Although there are a lot of characters to handle, Soderbergh does a good job of keeping the plot going strong. Hats off to Benicio Del Toro carefully underplays the role of his career. 5. Magnolia: Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson A slice of American life in the San Fernando Valley tells several intertwined stories. Everything from a woman with a guilty conscience about her marriage to a child prodigy who spends his spare time on a TV game show is skillfully woven into a quilt of pure film bravura. Fast paced, often funny, often sad but always satisfying. 4. American Beauty: Directed by Sam Mendes Gripping story of a suburban family living in quiet desperation and one man's decision to change his life. Sam Mendes truly brings out the best in his cast to bring a wonderful tale to the screen. The carefully saturated cinematography is well matched to the moods of the characters and the music is awe inspiring. Kevin Spacey shines as Lester Burnham and received his well-deserved Oscar for it. 3. The Usual Suspects: Directed by Bryan Singer Five career criminals are arrested and decide to use their chance meeting to pull off a big job. That is until a seemingly fictional crime figure decides they should work for him. Incredible story that packs a wallop punch. Kevin Spacey is in the role of his career as a crippled criminal. Bet you can't watch it just once! 2. Fight Club: Directed by David Fincher This offbeat movie based on the novel by Chuck Palahniuk is thought provoking and holds true to itself. It tells the story of a man who hates his life and his job when a mysterious figure comes out of nowhere and tells him to "just let go" and "let the chips fall where they may". Awesome performances by Brad Pitt and Edward Norton are the centerpiece of this very twisted and very funny look at life and how we should look at it. 1. Schindler's List: Directed by Steven Spielberg One man's actions save the lives of 1,100 Polish Jews during the execution of Hitler's "final solution". The black and white skillfully shaded cinematography is a key aspect of the film's effect. Liam Neeson and Ben Kingsley are incredible as Oskar Schindler and Itzhak Stern. The violence is realistically portrayed and the music covers the 3 hour masterpiece like a blanket. This is Steven Spielberg's crown jewel and establishes him as one of the best directors of all time. Honorable Mentions (And I do mean HONORABLE) The Godfather: Directed by Francis Ford Coppola Primal Fear: Directed by Gregory Hoblit Goodfellas: Directed by Martin Scorsese Taxi Driver: Directed by Martin Scorsese Interview with the Vampire: Directed by Neil Jordan The Insider: Directed by Michael Mann Dances With Wolves: Directed by Kevin Costner E.T.: Directed by Steven Spielberg The Crow: Directed by Alex Proyas The Matrix: Directed by Andy and Larry Wachowski

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