OK, now lets make a BTP must-see movie list this was SO tough for me to get it down to 5... what are you guys' recommendations?

In no particuar order:

1) Bladerunner - I just love this film, it is so stylish, I could watch it over and over and over. Vangelis' creepy music and Rutger Hauer's brilliantly psychotic yet ultimately touching turn as the android Roy just make it for me. Incidentally, why is it that tough-guy actors are so good at playing automatons? Arnie's best role was in the first terminator lol, and he only says about 20 words. Oh BTW, it HAS to be the directors cut of this. The theatre version with the crappy tacked on hollywood ending spoils the whole twist.

2) Shawshank Redemption - nuff said. Another classic, most uplifting film I've ever seen just about. A real modern classic, I think people will be watching this for years to come and falling in love with it.

3) Schindlers List - one of only three things that can consistently bring a tear to my eye. Spielberg is such a crappy director but what he does, he does brilliantly, and this film is the perfect subject for his emotive way of working, without the schmaltz that infests everything else he does. His best film by about a million miles. Liam Neeson is only average in the lead role (bizarre choice of casting) but the acting in gerneral from the cast is quite phenomenal, Fiennes steals the show as the gruesome camp commandant. The denouement goes on for too long, and I am not keen on the real-0life bit at the end in israel, which I think detracts from the power of the Spielberg film, but I think perhaps it is necessary, given the subject matter.

4) It's A Wonderful Life - I love old films. This is, along with #3), one of the only three things that consistently bring a tear to my eye. The other is testicular violence. Anyways, if you haven't seen this film yet, I insist you do. Forget all that manger and Bethlehem stuff, this is the true reason for Christmas. Hollywood schmaltz done exactly how it should be, the dark side of it where George (the brilliantly hangdog Jimmy Stewart), albeit breifly, is made ot have never lived by clarence the angel, is brilliant, and the ensemble bit round the christmas tree at the end is great. A beacon of sanity in a mad world.

5) Happiness - A little known, but great, Todd Solondz film. About the only thing I've seen at the cinema that made me want to stand up and applaud at the end. Not everyone's cup of tea, dark and without exception all the characters are pretty hateable, but it is quite brilliantly put together and about the most daring, emotionally visceral film I've ever seen.

Jeez tough list to do. How could I leave out the brilliant lord of the rings trilogy, Wayne's World, which always makes me laugh, or Heat, with De Niro and Pacino, surely the best action film ever? In a way, I am slightly bothered that Taxi Driver didnt make the list as it clearly belongs in ANYONES top 5, truly phenomenal performance by De Niro and would easily hit my top ten. Same can be said of the INCREDIBLE apocalypse now, the best war film ever made IMO. Full metal jacket and the deerhunter aren't far off. And talking of De Niro, how the hell can his GREATEST EVER PERFORMANCE, in Raging Bull (wow that film is so damn powerful) not make it, and how is the fantastic Goodfellas not there (though I doubt that would creep into my top ten, however). I loved the Godfather, too, both the first two films though especially the first one are fantastic. I loved pulp fiction, and I love crappy horror and zombie flicks too, the evil dead is just the funniest thing ever seen on screen, and in a more serious (though still light-hearted) vain, from dusk till dawn is a litttle cracker. Silence of the lambs is a brilliant adaptation of the equally terrific book (forget the other two hannibal films with hopkins in, though). Also, I've never laughed as much as recently when I went to see Team America, World Heroes.

There must be dozens of other films I truly loved that didn't even make it. This was so tough.

So... what're your faves, guys? Keeping it down to 5 is a tough ask .

Monk
xxxxx

Funny. I was about to make the same thread here, and then I saw you had beat me to it Monk. Well, here are 5 that everyone has probably already seen but should watch again. And again. You can probably tell what type of movies I like.

Godfather Pt I
Godfather Pt II
Goodfellas
Scarface
Pulp Fiction

Goodfellas is probably my favorite of all time. What an incredible picture.