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The 10 Best Movies I've Ever Seen

It's hard to really rank my favorite movies, so some are only in a rough order.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

[10] Dead Poets Society Director: Peter Weir Main Cast: Robin Williams, Ethan Hawke Going to school can be a real pain. But if Robin Williams were teaching you Shakespeare, I think you'd have a pretty fun time, wouldn't you? For the boys at Welton Academy, life becomes an open road when John Keating comes to their Literature class to teach them to tear the introduction out of their textbooks, forget conventional education and to carpe diem - seize the day. The ending gets a little too dramatic, but it's inspiring moments well make up for it. Yep, it's a movie that actually makes you want to go to an all boys boarding school.

[9] The Matrix Director: The Watchowski Brothers Main Cast: Keanu Reeves, Lawrence Fishburne, Carrie Anne Moss Interesting story, cool look. A cyber-adventure in parallel dimensions. Most of the movie is spent on explaining the storyline, but this doesn't leave out too much time for some really good action scenes. Though most of the stunts are done with computer graphics, they pack some great action into the movie. The good guys look rad, and the bad guys look bad. Plus... THERE'S AN ALICE IN WONDERLAND REFERENCE FOR GOODNESS SAKE! What could be better? Here's to one great milestone in sci-fi movies.

[8] Pulp Fiction Director: Quentin Tarrantino Main Cast: John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, Uma Thurman, Bruce Willis, Ving Rhames Whoah, lots of violence here. Parental discretion is advised. This bullet-filled '90s "gangster movie" is a "royale with cheese". Just look at the cast! The way Tarrantino breaks the movie into 3 individual stories gives it some originality in storytelling. The dialogue is quick, smooth and never boring, told by characters which were definitely well written. There is no shortage of weird twists in the plotline. It probably could still have been a hit if it didn't revolve around hitmen and their kingpin boss. But this element of the story gives the picture a spicy tone, and makes it an entertaining trip into a dangerous world where you can get your head blown away accidentally in the back of a car.

[7] Raising Arizona Director: Ethan Coen Main Cast: Nicholas Cage, Holly Hunter, John Goodman Never heard of this one? This is one comedy that can really get you laughing, and I guess was made some time in the late '80s. Nicholas Cage is at his best as a small-time convenience store robber who wants to have a baby with his ex-cop wife, Holly Hunter (beginning to see the comedy?). The problem is, she can't bear children. So waddya gonna do? Steal one, o' course. It might sound a little brainless, but the Coen brothers (Fargo) know exactly how to get people chucklin'. Everybody's got a southern accent, and the local slang (e.g. "Ok, then") is inserted as often as possible. As an Arizona native, I just have to love it.

[6] Forrest Gump Director: Robert Zemeckis Main Cast: Tom Hanks, Sally Fields, Robin Wright Penn, Gary Sinease Forrest Gump is the guy whose life we all wish to have had, to some degree. But to him, it's just a series of happenings, one caused by the next. The movie has a great way of playing with the American culture, and the American experience, putting spins on things that are so familiar to us. Gump's life is made so unbelievable, yet it echoes something in everyone's memory. It's hard to pinpoint exactly what makes it such a good movie, that you almost think EVERY part of it makes it good. And that might just be the case.

[5] The Graduate Director: Mike Nichols Main Cast: Dustin Hoffman, Anne Bancroft, Katherine Ross Some people think this movie is outdated (a man talks about the potential in a career in plastics), but to me, it's the story and the relationship between characters that matters. Plus, I just love Dustin Hoffman's portrayal of Benjamin Braddock, a young man fresh out of college with no direction in his life, except the direction others impose on him. His parents buy him scuba gear, expecting him to use it when it seems like he doesn't give a care about it. His dad's co-worker tells him to sow his young oats. Mrs Robinson twists him into sleeping with her, and then forbids him to see her daughter. His only peace comes from drifting alone in his pool. He first wishes to have a life that's "different", and ends up getting more than he bargained for. Simon and Garfunkel sing "The Sounds of Silence" and "Scarborough Fair", invoking the sense of lonesomeness and isolation Ben feels. When he does fall in love with Elaine Robinson, almost immediately, he is doomed. The way in which he regains control is both funny, and beautiful. It's simply a good story told in a magnificent way.

[4] When Harry Met Sally Director: Rob Reiner Main Cast: Billy Crystal, Meg Ryan A lot of people like Sleepless in Seatlle, as do I, and think it is a really good love story, and to that I have to say, "Yes, a really good love story... about strangers falling in love." When Harry Met Sally is a really good love story... about friends falling in love, which to me is more interesting since it's more of a process than an instantaneous event. I like the little events that slowly bring them closer together, and the one big event that drove them far apart. They're a dynamic duo that get things thrown at them, testing whether they're right for each other or not. Is it the best romantic movie ever? Probably not, but to me, it's as good as it gets.

[3] The Indiana Jones Trilogy Director: Steven Spielberg Main Cast: Harrison Ford, Karen Allen, Kate Capshaw, Sean Connery The creation of two of the biggest men in film-making (Spielberg and George Lucas), archaeologist Dr. Henry "Indiana" Jones Jr. is probably the most dynamic hero that has ever hit the silver screen. Set in the 1930s, Jones' quests for the sacred and divine are what film-making is all about. Humor and action are welded marvelously together, and the end product provides not only three stories of adventure, but also tales about nobility and what it takes to beat the odds.

[2] The Back to the Future Trilogy Director: Robert Zemeckis Main Cast: Michael J. Fox, Christopher Llyod, Lea Thompson, Mary Steenburgen You'll never find a trilogy as closely linked as Back to the Future. That's because the events occuring in the 3 films technically only span over a day! '80s teen Marty McFly only wants to loose some chasing Libyan terrorists when he accidentally transports himself to the 1950s. Getting home proves to become more and more complicated (let's face it, time travelling isn't like using a microwave), as does fixing problems in the space-time continuim. The screenplay is certainly well-written and the story is nothing less than genius.

[1] The Empire Strikes Back and the other SW films Directors: George Lucas, Irvin Kirshner, Richard Marquand Main Cast: Mark Hamil, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, Peter Mayhew No doubt about it. The original Star Wars trilogy has to be at the top. What I like most about them is how the creator, George Lucas, created an entire other galaxy to show to us, with all its zany creatures, mythical heroes, and devious villians. Though the main concept of Star Wars has most of the traits of thousands of other action/adventure or sci-fi flicks, it stands out remarkably for giving more than a simple 2 hour story. It continued, in Empire and Return of the Jedi to show us more of this remarkable tale, and the characters involved. Why do I pick Empire as number one? Well, for one thing, the dialogue in Empire is much more life-like, and not like it was copied out of a comic book. We also get to meet a lot of new characters [Lando, Yoda, Boba Fett] that give the trilogy the greatest "cast" ever. And of course, there's the cliffhanger at the end, which leaves you wondering whether you'll ever get to see Han Solo's laser-brain face again.