My Top 50 Favorite Films – Part 1: 50-41

The following are numbers 50-41 of my top 50 favorite films of all time. You’ll come to see that these first ten are more nostalgic memories of growing up watching films; but they are enjoyable and have a lot of defining elements to them, none-the-less. Have fun!

50. Forrest Gump (1994)

Tom Hanks delivers in this film as a disabled man just journeying through life, mindlessly making an impact on the people and world around him. The references to American history such as the civil rights movement and the war in Vietnam are all encompassed perfectly as we watch the titular character struggle with disability and love throughout. Hanks gives arguably his best performance of his career in this picture.

 

49. Spaceballs (1987)

Not much to say other than that it’s a Mel Brooks movie that parodies my favorite science fiction series of all time, other series, and it’s just downright hilarious. I can recite almost any gag from this movie and it’s pretty annoying for other people to watch it with me because of that.

 

48. Skyfall (2012)

I thought Sam Mendes’ take on James Bond was a huge success. The camerawork in this movie is outstanding with huge landscape shots and impeccable lighting. It has everything that could make a Bond film, and it celebrates the British spy’s 50^th anniversary splendidly. Not to mention Javier Bardem kills it as the main villain. Even Adele’s opening number is incredible, reflecting the early work of Shirley Bassey and paying tribute to the classic James Bond scores.

 

47. Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997)

Arguably the grooviest movie on this list, Austin Powers is another parody film on the man listed above, James Bond. Mike Myers delivers as both the protagonist and the antagonist. Not to mention this was Seth Green’s breakout role. It’s a childhood favorite of mine, what can I say.

 

46. The Sandlot (1993)

“Baseball was life, and I was good at it.” I saw this movie during my first year at summer camp when I was eight years old and it has stuck with me ever since. I guess you can say I connected with it coming to a new place and meeting new friends, and the only thing we had to bond over was sports… In this movie’s case, baseball. It’s a great film about overcoming fear and doubt. It also has one of the best hookups in film, in my humble opinion. I even bought the PF Flyers Benny wears during the climax.

 

45. Die Hard (1988)

It’s Bruce Willis as an NYPD officer killing a whole lot of terrorists… There’s a reason this is considered the greatest action movie of all time.

 

44. Metropolis (1927)

One of the greatest sci-fi movies of all time, this silent film broke barriers with its narrative and special effects. I watched it this past October in class and fell in love with it immediately. It’s a staple in not only German expressionism, but in film history as a whole.

 

43. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

The first of many Stanley Kubrick movies to make it on this list, 2001 was a benchmark for visual effects and truly unlike anything else of its time. It’s a movie that asks more questions than answer them, while addressing key issues about humanity and our faith in tools that can be turned into weapons.

 

42. Sin City (2005)

Based off the neo-noir comics by Frank Miller, director Robert Rodriguez delivers with one of the most visually stunning comic book films to date. The shots are straight out of a comic book as much as the dialogue is. The movie is black and white and only colors particular subjects in the frame to add to their significance to the narrative. The cast is loaded, as well, starring more than ten big Hollywood names from Mickey Rourke, to Clive Owen, to Benicio Del Toro.

 

41. Children of Men (2006)

This is one of, but not the most, depressing movies I have ever seen. It’s about a bleak dystopian future where humans can no longer reproduce and the population is slowly dwindling along with humanity. The cinematography is outstanding (There’s one shot in this movie that lasts over six minutes).

Check back in tomorrow for 40-31!

-Reed

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