In part 1 (#50-46), I talked briefly about the birth of a giant monster and cultural icon, a darkly hilarious crime drama, a deeply personal documentary, an unconventional superhero, and the sequel to one of the most famous classic horror movies ever made. And now for the next 5 on this list of my favorite movies.
dir. Ridley Scott
Horror/Sci-Fi
When I first watched this movie, I was a serious edgelord about it. Sooo overrated, it's dumb and stupid, blah blah blah. But guess what? Over the years I've come around on it and now consider it one of the greatest sci-fi horror movies ever made. Incredible visuals (which inspired my blog's color scheme along with Metroid, by the way), music, performances, and creature design are only part of what makes this movie special. The tense, claustrophobic atmosphere is omnipresent, and the sudden bursts of violent gore are hardly a release for this suspense. Ridley Scott may be inconsistent, but he nailed it with this one.
dir. Liu Chia-Liang
Action/Adventure
Often considered one of the greatest kung fu movies ever made, and rightfully so, there are few movies that have managed to accomplish the task of showing a character learn a skill over a period of time as believably as this. Watching our hero move from challenge to challenge and travel deeper through each chamber becomes addictive, and witnessing the amount of control over body and mind he possesses is staggering and endlessly impressive. As much as I love Bruce Lee's Enter the Dragon and The Chinese Connection, this will likely remain my favorite kung fu/martial arts movie of its time. The pinnacle of Shaw Brothers entertainment.
dir. Kim Ki-duk
Drama/Romance
I've had an interest in a Zen Buddhism for years now, and when it comes to films directly covering the subject, none that I have seen have even come close to capturing the peaceful and serene nature of the subject quite like this. There's very little story in this film, as it focuses more on the cyclical nature of life and the isolated existence of a young Buddhist monk and his teacher over the course of their lives. It's difficult for me to put myself in the head space of these characters, as the movie essentially provides the same level of escapism as a fantasy or sci-fi film, but grounded in a beautiful, peaceful reality. It's wonderful.
dir. Dario Argento
Horror
While it's definitely my fiance who's the super fan of Italian horror, I'm still a regular fan myself. And as a regular fan of the Italian stuff as well as a massive fan of horror in general, this is one of my favorite ever made. Obviously the lighting is among the main appeals here, with pretty much shot drenched in bright reds, blues, and greens, but the film as a whole is much more than just the visuals. With an unpredictable story full of mystery and creatively over-the-top death scenes, Argento found the perfect balance between supernatural horror and a Giallo-esque crime thriller. As an individual movie, Suspiria is my favorite Italian horror, even though I prefer Mario Bava's work as a whole.
dir. Wes Anderson
Animation/Comedy
I love stop motion animation, and when you combine this unique visual style with the whimsy and humor of Wes Anderson, you get my favorite animated movie ever made. In fact, this is the movie that got me into Wes Anderson's work in the first place and even after a dozen times, I still find it as funny and charming now as I did when I saw it in theaters. With a gigantic cast like this, it could have been easy for the whole thing to become muddled, but Anderson is a master at handling ensembles and gets the most out of everyone involved. Visually, this movie is imaginative, experimental, and wonderfully absurd -- and I love every minute of it.
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