My Absolute Personal Favorites
These are the movies I can hardly get tired of watching.
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- DirectorKar-Wai WongStarsBrigitte LinTakeshi KaneshiroTony Leung Chiu-waiTwo melancholic Hong Kong policemen fall in love: one with a mysterious female underworld figure, the other with a beautiful and ethereal waitress at a late-night restaurant he frequents.Still the ONE movie I will never get tired of watching, at any given moment in time. It's upbeat, exciting, relatable, nostalgic with a profound message for love.
- DirectorMakoto ShinkaiStarsRyunosuke KamikiMone KamishiraishiRyo NaritaTwo teenagers share a profound, magical connection upon discovering they are swapping bodies. Things manage to become even more complicated when the boy and girl decide to meet in person.Finally Makoto Shinkai graduated from his arthaus, postmodern style of anime into the mainstream. That is not to say that he has lost his essence, but simply that by incorporating mainstream anime elements, he has created a truly unique film, an animation masterpiece both in style and substance.
- DirectorFrancis Ford CoppolaStarsMarlon BrandoAl PacinoJames CaanThe aging patriarch of an organized crime dynasty transfers control of his clandestine empire to his reluctant son.Other than being a phenomenally well-made movie that must be studied by all who wish to be in this business, this film - and more accurately the story of the Godfather, taught me how to be a man. At almost 26 years of age, I'm still trying to live up to it. I make a vow to myself to re-watch this classic at least once every year.
- DirectorAnthony RussoJoe RussoStarsChris EvansSamuel L. JacksonScarlett JohanssonAs Steve Rogers struggles to embrace his role in the modern world, he teams up with a fellow Avenger and S.H.I.E.L.D agent, Black Widow, to battle a new threat from history: an assassin known as the Winter Soldier.IMO the best comic book adaptation ever for the big screen (for the small screen: Netflix's Daredevil): from a fantastic script that stays true to the source materials as much as offers a modern interpretation of the Winter Soldier's tale of international espionage, it delivers top-class acting from its cast, and some of the best action choreography I have seen in Hollywood. Also bonus for moving me to tears with that ending showdown. My instant favorite in the superhero film genre.
- DirectorSteven SoderberghStarsJames SpaderAndie MacDowellPeter GallagherA sexually repressed woman's husband is having an affair with her sister. The arrival of a visitor with a rather unusual fetish changes everything.This film is on here, and this high up the list only because it came at a very special moment in my life where I needed guidance and could not find anywhere else. For that, I am forever grateful.
- DirectorSofia CoppolaStarsBill MurrayScarlett JohanssonGiovanni RibisiA faded movie star and a neglected young woman form an unlikely bond after crossing paths in Tokyo.A sad, but beautiful movie that reminds me of my ex-lover, but I guess every great romance movie does that.
It is beautiful not the least for Scarlett Johansson by the window, or Bill Murray's charisma. It's also in the authentic, subtle emotions accompanied by some clever musical direction. - DirectorTsuneo KobayashiStarsJunko TakeuchiNana MizukiJun FukuyamaHinata Hyuga's younger sister has been kidnapped, so Naruto must do what he can to save her."The last story is a story of first love." How many shonens do this - tell an incredibly moving tale about romance and love? Indeed this is a fitting ending to Naruto.
- DirectorChristopher NolanStarsChristian BaleMichael CaineKen WatanabeAfter witnessing his parents' death, Bruce learns the art of fighting to confront injustice. When he returns to Gotham as Batman, he must stop a secret society that intends to destroy the city.I've watched this movie close to 40 times over by this point. Perfect story structure, writing, and acting. Wally Pfister's cinematography comes straight out of the comic book pages of Batman: Year One. Fantastic characters all around. What else can I ask?
- DirectorChristopher NolanStarsChristian BaleHeath LedgerAaron EckhartWhen the menace known as the Joker wreaks havoc and chaos on the people of Gotham, Batman must accept one of the greatest psychological and physical tests of his ability to fight injustice.One word:
Heath
(Ledger) - DirectorChristopher NolanStarsChristian BaleTom HardyAnne HathawayEight years after the Joker's reign of chaos, Batman is coerced out of exile with the assistance of the mysterious Selina Kyle in order to defend Gotham City from the vicious guerrilla terrorist Bane.Certainly inferior to both Batman movies that precede it, but is still vastly superior to so many films of the time. The acting is superb, the set pieces among the best Chris Nolan can offer (I haven't seen Dunkirk though), and the writing has philosophical depth in the spirit of Dickens.
- DirectorHark TsuiStarsLeon LaiDonnie YenCharlie YeungSeven warriors come together to protect a village from a diabolical General.I thought that the first half of the movie is so sub-par that it makes the final showdown spectacular. I love all the fight scenes here. Everything feels real. I never felt the same way until Netflix's Daredevil way later.
Plus, it's the Seven Samurai in a different context. What's not to love? - DirectorHayao MiyazakiStarsKirsten DunstMinami TakayamaRei SakumaA young witch, on her mandatory year of independent life, finds fitting into a new community difficult while she supports herself by running an air courier service.I have a thing for coming-of-age stories, which explains my near-childish fondness of the shonen genre in manga. This is pretty much the Miyazaki version of a shonen, only with a girl being the main protagonist. In the end, everybody is happy.
- DirectorMakoto ShinkaiYoshio SuzukiStarsHidetaka YoshiokaMasato HagiwaraYuka NanriIn an alternate postwar timeline, Japan is divided into the Union-controlled North and the US-controlled South.Before Kimi No Na Wa, my personal favorite from Makoto Shinkai. Boring, slow, whatever. Intense unrequited love feels that way to the uninitiated.
- DirectorYimou ZhangStarsJet LiTony Leung Chiu-waiMaggie CheungA defense officer, Nameless, was summoned by the King of Qin regarding his success of terminating three warriors.CPC's great propaganda film about so-called "United China" and "Peace." But at what cost?
Well, great film regardless and should be studied by every film student. And bears my name in its title to boot. - DirectorAlexander PayneStarsGeorge ClooneyShailene WoodleyAmara MillerA land baron tries to reconnect with his two daughters after his wife is seriously injured in a boating accident.This to me is the very best of Alexander Payne. Funny, but full of heart. Before watching this, and also before knowing anything about Payne, I heard that George Clooney repeatedly sought out the leading role in a Payne's film, only succeeding in landing one here. Then, after watching this, I knew.
- DirectorGus Van SantStarsRobin WilliamsMatt DamonBen AffleckWill Hunting, a janitor at M.I.T., has a gift for mathematics, but needs help from a psychologist to find direction in his life.A great film purely for the presence of Robin Williams, and that Boston swan lake scene, and Skylar. I have now grown out of the film but it's always fun to re-watch this sometimes.
- DirectorHayao MiyazakiStarsYôji MatsudaYuriko IshidaYûko TanakaOn a journey to find the cure for a Tatarigami's curse, Ashitaka finds himself in the middle of a war between the forest gods and Tatara, a mining colony. In this quest he also meets San, the Mononoke Hime."You cannot change fate. However, you can rise to meet it, if you so choose."
Heroic, mature, but ultimately not as dark as everyone seems to think. Based on script and story alone, this is my favorite work of Miyazaki by a long shot. I only slightly re-watch Kiki more often because of its upbeat vibe and great soundtrack. - DirectorMatt ReevesStarsGary OldmanKeri RussellAndy SerkisThe fragile peace between apes and humans is threatened as mistrust and betrayal threaten to plunge both tribes into a war for dominance over the Earth.The highlight of an excellent trilogy of movies, no thanks to Andy Serkis and Toby Kebbell's powerful voice AND motion performances for Ceasar and Koba, respectively.
- DirectorBlayne WeaverStarsBlayne WeaverMartin StarrNatalie MoralesA womanizer teaches his clueless friend the rules about being single and avoiding emotional attachment.Slice of life without the Hollywood grandeur.
- DirectorMichel GondryStarsJim CarreyKate WinsletTom WilkinsonWhen their relationship turns sour, a couple undergoes a medical procedure to have each other erased from their memories forever.I would cite a poem by Alexander Pope to describe this film. Because it is oh so poetic. Time, space, and the landscape of your mind wander in such unfathomable fashion you can only turn crazy watching it (at least for the first time). But then again, that's what it feels when you're in love.
- DirectorPhillip NoyceStarsMichael CaineBrendan FraserDo Thi Hai YenAn old British reporter vies with a young U.S. doctor for the affections of a beautiful Vietnamese woman.Slightly suppressed in the U.S. because it speaks the truth, this film based on a book that predicted the Vietnam War simultaneously tells a well-delivered psychological thriller and teaches its audience of a precious but rather overlooked history lesson. Quite simply, this is a literary classic coming to life before your eyes.
- DirectorIsao TakahataStarsChloë Grace MoretzJames CaanMary SteenburgenKaguya is a beautiful young woman coveted by five nobles. To try to avoid marrying a stranger she doesn't love, she sends her suitors on seemingly impossible tasks. But she will have to face her fate and punishment for her choices.I only ever cried in a movie theater once in my adult life, and THIS IS IT.
How can a movie 8 years in the making, under the direction of the Master himself (and also some guy named Joe Hisaishi on the sounds), not be such a masterpiece.
Shame on you, the Oscars! Shame on you! - DirectorPedro AlmodóvarStarsVictoria AbrilAntonio BanderasLoles LeónAn unbalanced but alluring former mental patient takes a porn star prisoner in the hopes of convincing her to marry him.To me this movie is special because it is stand-in for Beauty and the Beast but more rooted in real life. The acting is simply impeccable, with the talents of Victoria Abril and Antonio Banderas being fully on display (almost, literally).
- DirectorTony OliverRyuichi YagiTakashi YamazakiStarsWasabi MizutaMegumi ÔharaSatoshi TsumabukiWhat will happen to Nobita's life after Doraemon leaves?If you were ever a Doraemon fan as a kid and did not cry watching this, then you're lying.
- DirectorRichard LinklaterStarsEllar ColtranePatricia ArquetteEthan HawkeThe life of Mason, from early childhood to his arrival at college.Now, THIS is the ultimate coming-of-age movie. Linklater gets more personal than ever before, at least from what I know of. Boyhood is much more than a film, or a project. It is a 12 year commitment that brings the best out of some of its cast (although not you Ethan Hawke - you're good but pale in comparison to your co-stars).
- DirectorTakashi MiikeStarsShun OguriKyôsuke YabeMeisa KurokiA transfer student attempts to take over the most violent high school in the country, whose students form factions and battle each other for power.One of the best manga live-actions to date. Funny, witty, and flashy. Oh, and full of shonen spirit.
- DirectorAlejandro G. IñárrituStarsMichael KeatonZach GalifianakisEdward NortonA washed-up superhero actor attempts to revive his fading career by writing, directing, and starring in a Broadway production.Another movie that dances the line between pretentious, propaganda trash and a cinematic masterpiece.
Since I'm nice, forgiving, and forever an optimist, I'm gonna go with the latter. - DirectorKar-Wai WongStarsLeslie CheungTony Leung Chiu-waiChang ChenA couple take a trip to Argentina but both men find their lives drifting apart in opposite directions.They say hearts can change, but that is only true for a subset of people. For the loyal dogs types, it's fucking miserable. Oh well, at least "Happy Together" can be a fantasy in your head, which is real.
- StarsMayo SuzukazeJunko IwaoNozomu SasakiIn the era of Japan's Meiji Restoration, an assassin regains his humanity.This is undoubtedly in mind the ultimate definition of tragedy (Hamlet & Shakespeare & the ancient Greek plays aside). This, with all its serious, more seinen tone, is what the whole Kenshin anime series could have been, but never was unfortunately. I still cry every time I re-watch this.
- DirectorMichael DonegerStarsMichael DonegerAmanda BrooksWes ChathamA listless writer pursues a woman to help him get over his ex girlfriend.Who said making a movie is hard? All you have to do is to stay true to the emotions in every step of the way. Watching this cute little piece, that's what I thought. I also got all the feels, which put it up here among the elites - as movies go.
- DirectorCameron CroweStarsTom CruiseCuba Gooding Jr.Renée ZellwegerWhen a sports agent has a moral epiphany and is fired for expressing it, he decides to put his new philosophy to the test as an independent agent with the only athlete who stays with him and his former colleague.
- DirectorWoody AllenStarsRebecca HallScarlett JohanssonJavier BardemTwo friends on a summer holiday in Spain become enamored with the same painter, unaware that his ex-wife, with whom he has a tempestuous relationship, is about to re-enter the picture.This film can be a classic and quite predictable Woody Allen fantasy, but Javier Bardem and Penelope Cruz's acting chops shown here more than make up for it.
- DirectorKeishi OtomoStarsTakeru SatohEmi TakeiYû AoiA former assassin who has resolved to never kill again has his vow sorely tested.
- DirectorAlfonso CuarónStarsJulianne MooreClive OwenChiwetel EjioforIn 2027, in a chaotic world in which women have somehow become infertile, a former activist agrees to help transport a miraculously pregnant woman to a sanctuary at sea.
- DirectorBernardo BertolucciStarsMarlon BrandoMaria SchneiderMaria MichiA young Parisian woman meets a middle-aged American businessman who demands their clandestine relationship be based only on sex.For the true love once felt between a man and a woman. It's intense, dangerous, and simply existential.
- DirectorBrin HillStarsMichael Stahl-DavidZoe KazanMark FeuersteinTwo seemingly unconnected souls from different corners of the United States make a telepathic bond that allows them to see, hear and feel the other's experiences, creating a bond that apparently can't be broken.A rather unpolished but very decent work that comes about one of those times Joss Whedon dabbles in the indie scene. It's on this list simply for being the only film made-in-the-West that tackles a subject close to the body-swapping motif already well-established in Japan.
- DirectorJulio MedemStarsPaz VegaTristán UlloaNajwa NimriVarious lives converge on an isolated island, all connected by an author whose novel has become inextricably entwined with his own life.
- DirectorRintarôStarsToshio FurukawaScott WeingerYuka ImotoKenichi and his uncle Shunsaku Ban must find the mystery behind robot girl Tima.I can watch the ending sequence over and over. Breath-taking sights and a heart-breaking story seem to sum it up well.
- DirectorSam RaimiStarsTobey MaguireKirsten DunstAlfred MolinaPeter Parker is beset with troubles in his failing personal life as he battles a former brilliant scientist named Otto Octavius.My no.1 favorite movie circa 2006-2007 when I was in high school. Sam Reimi's first two Spidey films are just the best when it comes to telling an empowering, individualistic coming-of-age story.
- DirectorDamien ChazelleStarsMiles TellerJ.K. SimmonsMelissa BenoistA promising young drummer enrolls at a cut-throat music conservatory where his dreams of greatness are mentored by an instructor who will stop at nothing to realize a student's potential.Because the next Charlie Parker would never be discouraged.
- DirectorMasayukiKazuya TsurumakiHideaki AnnoStarsKotono MitsuishiMegumi OgataMegumi HayashibaraIn the face of increasingly bizarre and powerful Angel attacks, Shinji Ikari and his partner Rei Ayanami are assisted by two new pilots: the fiery Asuka Langley Shikinami and the mysterious Mari Illustrious Makinami.
- DirectorAng LeeStarsChow Yun-FatMichelle YeohZiyi ZhangA young Chinese warrior steals a sword from a famed swordsman and then escapes into a world of romantic adventure with a mysterious man in the frontier of the nation.Deceptively brilliant film about Confucianism and its destructive capacity on a young soul.
- DirectorRichard LinklaterStarsEthan HawkeJulie DelpyAndrea EckertA young man and woman meet on a train in Europe, and wind up spending one evening together in Vienna. Unfortunately, both know that this will probably be their only night together.Two strangers met on a train, and the rest is history.
- DirectorAnthony RussoJoe RussoStarsChris EvansRobert Downey Jr.Scarlett JohanssonPolitical involvement in the Avengers' affairs causes a rift between Captain America and Iron Man.
- DirectorKar-Wai WongStarsTony Leung Chiu-waiMaggie CheungSiu Ping-LamTwo neighbors form a strong bond after both suspect extramarital activities of their spouses. However, they agree to keep their bond platonic so as not to commit similar wrongs.What does it mean to be alive?
To treasure the smallest of genuine connection you have with a person. - DirectorTomorô TaguchiStarsMikako TabeGô AyanoTôri MatsuzakaShino is the type of girl that is easy and available to men. She detests being alone. She cheats and moves on even to new regions. Shino meets her new neighbour Kyoshiro who just happens to be her boss. Of course, she desires him. The problem is Akari who lives with him.I saw this on my flight to Japan, but later struggled to find the English subtitles to this film anywhere on the interwebs (I bought the DVD, but it only has Japanese). The film is really about forgiveness, which is an essential condition of lifetime-lasting intimacy and love.
- DirectorSteve McQueenStarsMichael FassbenderCarey MulliganJames Badge DaleA sex addict's carefully cultivated private life falls apart after his sister arrives for an indefinite stay.There are so many mixed reactions to this movie, due simply to its controversial subject matter. But any of us who ever struggled with the same issues understands it perfectly.
- DirectorStephen ChboskyStarsLogan LermanEmma WatsonEzra MillerCharlie, a 15-year-old introvert, enters high school and is nervous about his new life. When he befriends his seniors, he learns to cope with his friend's suicide and his tumultuous past.This movie, like the book, is reserved specifically for the wallflower teenage kids out there. Know that the confusion will end, and happiness awaits you.
- DirectorSunao KatabuchiStarsNonAva PickardKenna PickardA spirited 18-year-old woman is married off to a man she barely knows as she combats the daily struggles of living in Hiroshima during World War II.Japan, 1945. Try to deal with all the feels this simple but elegant animated feature brings you and you will fail spectacularly.
- DirectorDaniel KwanDaniel ScheinertStarsPaul DanoDaniel RadcliffeMary Elizabeth WinsteadA hopeless man stranded on a deserted island befriends a dead body, and together they go on a surreal journey to get home.ACTUALLY not a great film by any objective measures (much like some others on this list), but it is pure enjoyment. A film made with a lot of humor, and beautifully simple and mundane humanity.
- DirectorBennett MillerStarsBrad PittRobin WrightJonah HillOakland A's general manager Billy Beane's successful attempt to assemble a baseball team on a lean budget by employing computer-generated analysis to acquire new players."How can you not be romantic about baseball?" It is the most uniquely humanistic sport. Like all of us humans, it struggles, and wrestles, with the advent of modern technology. It also emerges victorious. Let's hope we do the same.
- DirectorHideaki AnnoShinji HiguchiStarsHiroki HasegawaYutaka TakenouchiSatomi IshiharaJapan is plunged into chaos upon the appearance of a giant monster.Released the same year with Arrival, both depict a deeply inspirational story of human heroism disguised in a story about aliens or super-natural beings. This one gets my "favorite" card though because the heroes possess no special abilities but the strength in their resolve.
- DirectorRidley ScottStarsHarrison FordRutger HauerSean YoungA blade runner must pursue and terminate four replicants who stole a ship in space and have returned to Earth to find their creator.Ursula K. Le Guin said that the purpose of science-fiction is not to tell the future, but the present, because no matter what happens, what new technology brings changes to facets of human life, life itself doesn't change, and humans don't change.
- DirectorDenis VilleneuveStarsHarrison FordRyan GoslingAna de ArmasYoung Blade Runner K's discovery of a long-buried secret leads him to track down former Blade Runner Rick Deckard, who's been missing for thirty years.A worthy sequel to the original in every sense. In a 2017 context where Hollywood's classicalism declines and the hero myths and stories on the rise, this film is a God-send rarity.
- DirectorKatsuhiro ÔtomoStarsMitsuo IwataNozomu SasakiMami KoyamaA secret military project endangers Neo-Tokyo when it turns a biker gang member into a rampaging psychic psychopath who can only be stopped by a teenager, his gang of biker friends and a group of psychics.It would be an injustice if Akira is not included in ANY film list by ANY one who has seen it. Know that we're talking about a phenomenally made piece of art and craft that sets the trends in both visual and writing for a whole genre AND stays relevant to today (the story is about modernity and the growth of technology - an era we are still in).
- DirectorTatsuya NagamineStarsMayumi TanakaKazuya NakaiAkemi OkamuraA former Marine stands in the way of the Straw Hat Pirates.It's a great One Piece film that carefully considers all audiences old and new to One Piece - that in and of itself is admirable. But the film truly shines because of its perfectly animated fight scenes and more importantly, its central character, Z.
- DirectorSatoshi KonKô MatsuoStarsMiyoko ShôjiShôzô ÎzukaMami KoyamaA TV interviewer and his cameraman meet a former actress and travel through her memories and career.The strong, but kind-hearted woman that is pretty fucking perfect. That's the Millennium Actress.
Oh, this film also is subtly teaching you the entire history of the Japan from its conception to the modern day, with some great humor and wit to boot. - DirectorEsteban CrespoStarsMaría PedrazaPol MonenNatalia TenaLaura and Carlos love each other as if every day was the last, and perhaps that first love intensity is what will tear them apart a year later.We were all young once, first time falling in love, madly and deeply. Maybe if you get lucky, you can do that again. But the feeling is irreplaceable.
"I am you. You are me." - DirectorMasakazu HashimotoJong HeoTadashi HiramatsuStarsManaka IwamiMiyu IrinoYôko HikasaEscaping war, an immortal girl blessed with Eternal Youth finds a lone surviving infant and decides to raise him as her son.
- DirectorAnthony RussoJoe RussoStarsRobert Downey Jr.Chris EvansMark RuffaloAfter the devastating events of Avengers: Infinity War (2018), the universe is in ruins. With the help of remaining allies, the Avengers assemble once more in order to reverse Thanos' actions and restore balance to the universe.
- DirectorMichael DoughertyStarsKyle ChandlerVera FarmigaMillie Bobby BrownThe crypto-zoological agency Monarch faces off against a battery of god-sized monsters, including the mighty Godzilla, who collides with Mothra, Rodan, and his ultimate nemesis, the three-headed King Ghidorah.
- DirectorTony GilroyStarsGeorge ClooneyTilda SwintonTom WilkinsonA law firm brings in its "fixer" to remedy the situation after a lawyer has a breakdown while representing a chemical company that he knows is guilty in a multibillion-dollar class action suit.
- DirectorDavid O. RussellStarsMark WahlbergChristian BaleAmy AdamsBased on the story of Micky Ward, a fledgling boxer who tries to escape the shadow of his more famous but troubled older boxing brother and get his own shot at greatness.