The list is not comprehensive, or an 'all time best' list or something. The top 10 movies are from the ones that I have seen. These movies pass the five things that make movies memorable (although, not in the same order):
1) Incredible performances
2)Great Dialogues
3)Original Plot
4)Sustained viewer interest
5)Technichaly decent
The list of movies is ever growing, but below are the ones that I feel are the best :
10) Reservoir Dogs (1991) :
Cast : Steve Buscemi, Tim Roth, Harvey Kietel, Micheal Madsen, Quentin Tarintino and a whole lot of great actors.
Director/Producer : Quentin Tarantino/ Miramax.
What is it about ? : A bank heist gone bust.
Highlights : Cop torture by Micheal Madsen, it is a total cinematic classic. It will haunt you forever, especially if you listen to the song by Stealer's Wheel; the non-linear Screenplay that shot Tarantino to fame. Cult Classic.
9) Fight Club (1999)
Cast : Ed Norton, Brad Pitt
Director/Producer : David Finch(er ?)/ Warner Bros.
What is it about ? : FIGHT CLUB !! Psychological thriller
Highlights : The performances by Norton and Pitt, the fights.
8) True Romance (1994)
Cast : Pattricia Arquette, Christian Slater, Christopher Walken, Dennis Hopper, Gary Oldman, Brad Pitt, Val Kilmer (as Elvis !), phew..a long list of A-one actors.
Director : Tony Scott
What is it about ? : Lovers on the run, drug deals in Hollywood.
Highlights : Christian Slater's most sincere performance to date. The Walken-Hopper face off, the Slater-Oldman face off.
7) A Clockwork Orange (19??)
Cast: --
Director : Stanley Kubrick
What is it about ? : The working of a violent mind/s.
Highlights : ''Artified violence'', stunning visuals, performances by the cast.
6)The Sixth Sense (1998)
Cast : Joel Osment, Bruce Willis
Director/Producer : M. Night Shyamalan/Warner Bros.
What is it all about ?: ''I see dead people''
Highlights : The director's brilliant craftsmanship, Excellent performance by Osment as the traumatized kid.
5) Pulp fiction (1994) Cast : John Travolta, Samuel Jackson, Bruce Willis, Uma Thurman
Director/Producer: Quentin Tarantino/Miramax, A Band Apart
What is it all about ?: Themed around the redemption of many characters in the movie.
Highlights : Samuel Jackson's wit coupled with the most mind-boggling screenplay.
4) Forrest Gump
Cast : Tom Hanks, Robin Wright, Gary Sinise, Mykelti Williamson, Sally Field
Director/Producer : Robert Zemecksis/Paramount
What is it all about ?: Forrest Gump and his life.
Highlights : Tom Hanks' heart-rendering performance.
3)Scarface (1983)
Cast : Al Pacino, Steven Bauer, Michelle Pfeiffer, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Robert Loggia, Paul Shenar.
Director : Brian De Palma
What is it all about ?: A gangster's life, trials and tribulations of being in ''the business''
Highlights : Al Pacino's electrifying performance, mindblowing plot, and realistic violence.
2) Traffic
Cast: Micheal Douglas, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Benecio Del Toro, Topher Grace
Director:Steven Soderbergh
What is it all about ?: Drug trade from Mexico into the the United States, and its consequences.
Highlights : Benecio Del Toro is a revelation as the disturbed yet smart Mexican Cop. Douglas sincerely potrays the father of a drug addict, while heading the Anti-Drug Dept. The cinematography is unique.
1) Citizen Kane : This is a timeless classic, which has spawned so many 'inrpirations'. In fact, Pulp Fiction by Tarantino is an ode to this classic. You have to watch it to get it. Excellent Masterpiece.
The ones that don't need to be on this list are American Beauty, The Godfather Series, The Usual Suspects, One Hour Photo, Saving Private Ryan, Schindler's List, Kill Bill. These movies will always live as classics. The top 10 list is a list of judgemental movies, but the movies that are listed outside of it are timeless classics that have redifined modern cinema, with their insights into the human psyche.
Terminator, Matrix, Star Wars, Space Oddysey, etc. didn't make it to the list, because while they were lavish productions, they did not sustain my interest as many of the above movies did. Plus, these CGI and special effects productions were also marred with bad/overacting.
