Modern Classics: Best Post-1980 Films
Jun 13 '02
The Bottom Line New movies are as good as they ever were- or better.
Everyone has a list of 10 best movies- even if they've never quantified it like this or written it down. Everyone, though, has those ten movies that they can't NOT watch.
For me, most movies are only good the first time- if that. Others are like favorite songs; I never grow tired of them.
Since I'm about the 50th reviewer to contribute a list, I'm going to change it up a bit and limit mine to movies made since 1980 only:
1.Shawshank Redemption)
One of the deepest, most troubling, and also most rewarding movie experiences ever. Morgan Freeman is dead-on, as usual, and is backed by a cast, director, and script that are flawless.
2.Aliens)
James Cameron's best work takes the form of an eerie, dark, genuinely scary action/horror film. 'Aliens' features some of the most realistic portrayals of near-future technology ever, and does it through brilliant art direction, cinematography, and set design.
3.Raiders of the Lost Ark)
A believably reluctant hero, honestly detestable villians, and perhaps the best action sequences ever envisioned. Indiana Jones inspired a generation to study archeology.
4.Se7en)
The top of the serial-killer mystery pile, Se7en combines an original premise, a surprise bad-guy cameo, and a riveting shock of an ending. It's depraved, grisly, and thought-provoking.
5.Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan)
By far the best Star Trek film and one of the best sci-fi movies ever, 'The Wrath of Khan' is brilliant in its simplicity. No film in the genre has mixed drama, humor, and action as well. Also, nobody has figured out how to make space naval combat seem so plausible.
6.Die Hard)
The 'True Grit' of my generation- it redefined the action movie genre and the action hero. Years later, similar movies like 'Rambo' have become jokes, but 'Die Hard' is still held in reverence, and still spawns successful copycat films.
7.American Beauty)
What other movie has such a disturbingly happy unhappy ending? What other movie makes you feel pity for every single character- even the antagonists? What other movie demonstrates how everyone's life is just like a movie?
8.The Sixth Sense)
As the DVD features reveal, the story here is deep enough to let you discover something new every time you watch. Bonus: One of the most surprising and brilliantly crafted boomerang-loop endings ever.
9.Saving Private Ryan)
A real eye-opener to a generation that never really knew war. You haven't seen a war movie until you've seen this one. 'Saving Private Ryan' showed me that war isn't simple and the good guys don't always wear green.
10.The Naked Gun)
The only pure comedy on my list because its the only one so packed with gags that I'm still surprised by what I find. Leslie Nielsen has been in some hillarious movies, but this is the cream.
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Epinions.com ID:
TheMonolith
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Member: Mike Holton
Reviews written: 13
Trusted by: 2 members
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