1) Patton - Best war movie of the most interesting American general (In my opinion) in history. George C. Scott was awesome in the role of Patton and the music was awe inspiring. The shots placed you right in the middle of WWII and didn't shy away from the brutality of war. If you have 3 hours, well, 2 hours and 52 minutes, this is the movie I'd pick.
2) Sneakers - Widely panned during its release over 25 years ago its surprising how well this movie has held up over time. But its really the cast that elevates this movie. Robert Redford, Sidney Poitier, Dan Akroyd, Mary McDonnell, River Phoenix and Ben Kingsley highlight this team of security intrusion experts. The writers (who wrote the movie "War Games" a decade earlier) do a great job with the MacGuffin, the magic codebreaking "Setec Astronomy" box. Highly recommended.
3) Rio Bravo - Directed by Howard Hawks after his failure, "Land of the Pharaohs" this is my favorite Western. To quote Roger Ebert, "To watch "Rio Bravo" is to see a master craftsman at work. The film is seamless. There is not a shot that is wrong. It is one of John Wayne's best performances. The supporting cast of Dean Martin, Walter Brennan, Angie Dickinson and Ricky Nelson are perfectly cast in their roles and fulfill their job of orbiting the great one." Awesome flick.
4) 2010 - The Year We Make Contact - This movie is an sequel of the 2001 - A Space Odyssey. (That movie will always live on in my memory for my brother's bewilderment as we stumbled out of the theater. I have to confess I didn't understand it much better either but I played my role as the wiser brother to perfection.) With a cast that includes Helen Mirren and Ray Sheider, the acting seems effortless and the shots are breathtaking. Repeat, this is no 2001 and the ending is pretty cheesy but I love the journey we take to get there.
5) Lord of the Rings - Fellowship of the Ring - Unlocked. This movie brought to life a world that had previously only existed in my imagination and I will always remember the feeling of watching this movie for the first time. The care and love that Peter Jackson produced in this film is something of beauty. No, this is not a great representation of the book. The book moved at a much slower pace, making time for poems and songs, spending great amount of times on leaving and meeting and less on the action sequences we see in the film. Also the Hobbits play a less prominent role in the movie than in the book but not a majorly diminished one in my opinion. Bravery and character are still the values of choice and I can't think of better friends I would want to spend an evening with.
Honorable Mention:
Indiana Jones - Raiders of the Lost Ark
Star Wars - A New Hope (Watched this movie with my parents in the theater)
Jaws
Apollo 13
National Treasure
Class Action
The Trouble With The Curve
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