Top 10 Movie List

Grindhouse

300

Platoon

Reservoir Dogs

The Outlaw Josey Wales

Bloodsport

Over the Top

Conan the Barbarian

Army of Darkness

Pumping Iron

Jennifer Garner:  This once action star has gone the way of the Romantic Comedy.  Jennifer was the star of the hit television show Alias when she crossed over into movies.  Most notably it was her role of Electra in the movie Daredevil and the spinoff Electra which gives her the potential to pull off the character of Catwoman.  I know it’s been a while but it must be like riding a bike. I am familiar with the idea of muscle memory and Jennifer Garners training must still be there.

Malin Akerman: She is new to the action movie scene with the recent Zach Snyder film Watchmen, but what a fantastic performance by Mailin as the silk specter.  I thought her fight sequences were well thought out and she pulled it off as if she has been fighting all her life.  She has a lot of qualities which might fit into the persona of Catwoman and she is a hot actress but I am just not sure that physically she can play the part of Selena Kyle.

Evangeline Lilly: This “Lost” star has been on TV for five season almost six and was quickly a favorite of the fans. Kate is as dangerous as she is mysterious as she uses the sexual tension she has with Jack and Sawyer to evade and obtain information a goods on the Island. Okay, she really doesn’t have any physical training to fit the role, but I am allowed one right? Evangeline may not be perfect for the role but she has the look and I would always wonder what can do with the character of Catwoman.

Megan Fox: She is a rising star and fast, quickly becoming one of the top names Hollywood.  With two “action” films under her belt she is no stranger to the hardship of these types of movies.  But is she aware of what it means to play a physically tough character with choreographed fight sequences?  At this point in her life she is still a little young to play the role.  But we all know she will look good doing it.

Charlize Theron: She has starred in many movies at this point in her life and winning a few awards for those roles is not bad either.  Most notably her last major action movie was a bomb for me.  Hancock was un-enjoyable and Aeon Flux was okay. While her ability to act in Dramas is outstanding it was her action movies with failed to intrigue me. I am pinning the action movies failings on the directors to justify her position in the countdown.

Lena Headey:  This British born actress has played many parts in movies but it was her role in the movie 300 which earned her a spot on this top 10 list.  Her character was strong, caring was would sacrifice everything to protect the one she loved.  Her role in this movie wasn’t physical but mental; that experience comes from her now cancelled TV show Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles.  For two seasons Lena Headly portrayed Sarah Connor, and we all know how tough you must be to fill those shoes.

Rhona Mitra: relatively new to the female lead world, she has already started to make a name for herself playing leads in Underworld: Rise of the Lycans and Doomsday and a strong supporting part in the movie Shooter. I have enjoyed the characters she has played so far and I would like to see more. Maybe it’s a little too soon for the part. But she looks the part.

Keira Knightley: The star in all three Pirates of the Caribbean movies know her way around a sword but can she handle a whip? Her head strong character in the pirate movies and her brutish style in Domino makes her one of the leading contenders for the next Batman film.  But would she accept the part.  With movies such as Pride & Prejudice, The Duchess and Atonement it makes me think that she may not be interested at this stage in her career.

Jessica Biel is a close contender of mine for the number one spot. She portrayed a strong female lead in Blade: Trinity and starred in other movies such as Stealth, Home of the Brave, The Illusionist, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and my favorite I now Pronounce you Chuck & Larry.  It was her portrayal of Alex in the last movie I mentioned that almost gave her the number one spot. Her ability to exudes sexual confidence on film made be believe that she really could pull off the character of Catwoman(Not to mention she looked good in the cat costume).  While Jessica does have what it takes to be Catwoman, I believe our Number one choice was just a little (not by too much) better.

Kate Beckinsale is no stranger to getting down and dirty in a film. She brings a lot of diversity in her acting experience.  With movies such as Pearl Harbor, Serendipity,  Underworld, Van Helsing, The Aviator, Underworld: Evolution, Click, and Vacancy each character is as different  as the next and all have qualities which fit into the persona of Catwoman.  We know she has the acting chops but her physical beauty also plays a big role in this decision. It’s almost as if the graphic novel artist chose Kate Beckinsale to be the basis of the Selena Kyle in the graphic novels.  Not to mention we know she can pull off tight leather.

Primarily it was her role in Underworld which brings her to the front of the list.  In the Underworld series she plays Selene a tough, independent heroine bent on uncovering the truth.  These movie have plenty of action sequences and wire work but most importantly hand to hand combat. All the experience needed and to give Catwoman that realistic ability to fight on screen.  Let’s face it, if these two are going to be in the movie together.  It needs to have a decent fight scene between the two, unlike the little one that was shown in Batman Returns.

Christopher Nolan
  The Good Stuff: The Dark Knight, Batman Begins, The Prestige, Memento
  The Duds: Insomnia (We had to pick one)

  Another newcomer to the movie world, but nonetheless has already shown his greatness.  Nolan graced us with his incredible comic book adaptations of Batman Begins and The Dark Knight.  These two movies basically turned the comic book movie upside down.  What we once had were mostly mildly enjoyable, special effects laden superhero movies, Christopher Nolan was able to turn most people's opinions of comic book movies into serious, award contending material.  The Dark Knight was not only a comic book adaptation, it turned out to be one of the best crime saga movies in recent memory.  Oh yeah, and it was only the second movie ever to gross over $500 million domestically.  Oh yeah, let's not forget about Memento, the movie that put Nolan on the map.  The way he was able to mold that story and deliver it completely backwards was nothing short of a miracle. 

    On the horizon: Nolan is currently in production on his sci-fi thriller Inception starring Leonardo DiCaprio

The Coen Brothers
  The Good Stuff: Fargo, No Country for Old Men, The Big Lebowski, Burn After Reading
  The Duds: The Ladykillers, Intolerable Cruelty

    The quirky Coen Brothers can only be described as just that, quirky.  They are mostly known for their quirky characters, a la, Frances McDormand's Margie in Fargo, Brad Pitt's Chad Feldheimer in Burn After Reading.  The characters, combined with the Coen's signature dialogue and incredible situations, always make for one hell of a journey through their movies.  The best thing about the Coen Brothers is the way they focus on each of their characters in each of their films.  These guys are the kings of independent pictures as they still haven't been given the budget they deserve, but they sure make the most of what they have.  They can go from making a serious, blood splattering thriller like Fargo or No Country for Old Men, and without missing a bit can churn out the laughs as they focus on a slacker in The Big Lebowski.  And did we mention they write all of their own movies as well?  Yeah, that's talent.

    On the horizon: The Coen's are currently in post-production on their latest feature: A Serious Man

Ron Howard
  The Good Stuff: A Beautiful Mind, Frost/Nixon, Cinderella Man, Apollo 13
  The Duds: The Missing, Far and Away 

  That's right, little Opie Taylor himself from The Andy Griffith Show and Richie Cunningham from Happy Days has turned himself into one of the most recognizable directors of our time.  If we just sit down and think about the amount of well known movies that Howard has done, we wouldn't believe it ourself.  Think about this, Apollo 13, A Beautiful Mind, Backdraft, Ransom, Cocoon, Splash, Willow, Parenthood, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, The DaVinci Code, and Angels & Demons, and many more.  Now if we rattled off those movies to anyone, even to someone who wasn't a huge movie buff, we bet that person has heard of at least half of those films.  Ron Howard has in our opinion stayed under the radar, all the while churning out some great movies.  Of course he's been critically acclaimed and has won an Oscar, but it seems that a lot of people tend to forget all he has provided us.

    On the horizon: Howard's Angels & Demons is still currently in theaters and talks of an Arrested Development movie may be in the works

Michael Mann
  The Good Stuff: Heat, The Insider, The Last of the Mohicans, Collateral

  The Duds: Miami Vice

  Here is the man who is slowly becoming the king of the crime saga.  Case in point, Heat.  The shootout scene alone is worth multiple viewings.  That was the movie where the big dogs, DeNiro and Pacino share the screen for the first time and Mann knocked it out of the park.  The work that Mann gets out of his actors is special.  Russell Crowe in The Insider, Will Smith in Ali, both nominated for an Oscar.  Even with Collateral, Mann was able to get some of the best work out of Tom Cruise, where Cruise actually played the villain for once.  And The Last of the Mohicans has to be one of the most underrated period movies of all time.  We dare you to go back and watch and not be moved by what Mann put up on the screen.  The best part is, Michael Mann is going to continue his crime saga streak with Public Enemies this summer!

    On the horizon: Public Enemies starring Johnny Depp and Christian Bale hits theaters in July

Quentin Tarantino
  The Good Stuff: Pulp Fiction, Reservoir Dogs, Kill Bill Vol. 1 & 2
  The Duds: Death Proof 

  Who is one of the only directors who can use the most gratuitous violence in a film, but yet have it be such an important part of the film that most people just look past it and realize how awesome it can be?  Well, Mr. Tarantino of course.  Tarantino has been a force since he arrived on the scene in 1992 with Reservoir Dogs are blew most of us away with his witty dialogue and gritty violence.  Since then, Reservoir Dogs has turned into a cult phenomenon and Tarantino went on to write and direct Pulp Fiction which again became one of the most popular movies of the 20th century.  The true talent of Tarantino not only lies in his directing but with his writing as well.  Tarantino has had his hand in many other projects other than his own movies, True Romance, From Dusk Till Dawn, and Natural Born Killers, just to name a few.  We should all be thanking Quentin Tarantino because he is one of the very few directors who still comes up with some original material in Hollywood. 

    On the horizon: Tarantino's WWII movie Inglourious Basterds starring Brad Pitt hits theaters in August

Ridley Scott
  The Good Stuff: Gladiator, Alien, Blade Runner, Black Hawk Down, American Gangster
  The Duds: A Good Year 

  Now here is a director who can pretty much do it all.  Ridley Scott is a renaissance man when it comes to movie making.  Scott is one of the very few directors who can make a great movie in pretty much every genre.  Horror, check: Alien.  Sci-Fi, check: Blade Runner.  Fantasy, check: Legend.  War movie, check: Black Hawk Down.  Mob movie, check: American Gangster.  You get the drift.  The man is a genius.  Ridley is able to blend great drama and action and the result always seems to produce something special.  There's only one word to add it all up, Gladiator.  One of the ultimate guy movies and the film that really established Russell Crowe as a leading man.

    On the horizon: Scott is currently filming his Robin Hood film once again with his favorite lead actor, Russell Crowe

James Cameron
  The Good Stuff: The Terminator, Terminator 2: Judgement Day, Aliens, The Abyss, True Lies, Titanic
  The Duds: Piranha 2 (Does this even really count?) 

  Has James Cameron ever made a bad movie?  And in our opinion, no, Piranha 2 doesn't count.  Just look at his filmography.  The Terminator: classic, Terminator 2: classic, Aliens: classic, Titanic: classic.  Oh yeah, if anyone didn't know, highest grossing movie of all time!  $600 million!!!  A feat that will probably never be broken.  Here's the thing about Cameron.  A complete action director from the get go with the Terminator movies and Aliens and True Lies but then he goes out and creates this epic love story around the sinking of the most famous ship of all time.  Adds his incredible touch of special effects and boom, biggest movie ever.  Without James Cameron, special effects would have never turned out the way they have today.  Terminator 2 came out in 1991 and the effects from that film are still better than a lot of movies we see today.  Now we know he wasn't the special effects wizard who actually created the effects, but his vision is what made those effects what they were.  This man was an innovator and he's probably going to blow us all away again this December when he releases Avatar.

    On the horizon: The long in the works digital 3-D extravaganza Avatar comes out this December

Martin Scorsese

  The Good Stuff: Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, Goodfellas, Casino, Gangs of New York, The Departed
  The Duds: Bringing Out the Dead

  Scorsese has been around longer than any other director on this list but he has continued to churn out the hits in recent times.  It's a shame that it took him all the way until The Departed to win a Best Director Oscar.  The ultimate mob movie director.  Goodfellas, what more can you really say about it that hasn't already been said.  Everyone knows how great it is and still holds up today.  Then Scorsese comes back five years later with DeNiro and Pesci and makes Casino and does it again.  Let's all not forget that Marty was giving us the gritty violence long before Tarantino with movies like Taxi Driver and Mean Streets, and this was back in the 70s.  Scorsese has an extensive knowledge matched by no other when it comes to mob/gangster films.  Nobody will ever match him no matter how hard they try.

    On the horizon: Once again working with new favorite leading man Leonardo DiCaprio, Shutter Island hits the big screen in October

Steven Spielberg
  The Good Stuff: Jaws, E.T., Raiders of the Lost Ark, Schindler's List, Jurassic Park, Saving Private Ryan, Minority Report
  The Duds: Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, Always 

  Well, here we are.  How did you all guess Spielberg would be our number 1?  Come on now, it wasn't that hard to decide this one.  This legend was one of the most important people of our childhoods, well...depending on how old you are.  Another director like Ridley Scott who has the ability to make movies in many different genres.  He gave us the first real blockbuster with Jaws and had people afraid of sharks for years.  He's also the king of adventure and sci-fi.  He touched millions of hearts with E.T.  Thrilled everyone with Raiders of the Lost Ark.  Amazed everyone with Jurassic Park.  And made the greatest war movie of all time in Saving Private Ryan.  How in the world did Saving Private Ryan not win Best Picture over Shakespeare in Love?  Makes no sense.  At least Spielberg won Best Director.  Just think about this, Spielberg is the highest grossing director of all time in terms of box office with $3.7 billion.  Behind him, Robert Zemeckis with $1.8 billion.  Pretty big gap there.  Spielberg just knows what audiences want to see.  He knows that we all go to the movies to be taken out of reality for a little while and he delivers almost every time.  Thank you Steven for all you've done!

    On the horizon: Spielberg is currently working with Peter Jackson on their animated collaboration of The Adventures of Tintin as well as his long gestating Abraham Lincoln project with Liam Neeson set to star

Wanted

I have a feeling this is one of the ones that is going to cause some ruckus. I have to say that I didn't like Wanted the first time I watched it. Even with Angelina bringing all her *ahem* "assets". But on a second go 'round not really paying much attention to the lame weaving aspects of the plot I realized, Wanted is not looking for my acceptance. Wanted from the very beginning says “Hey this is my party bring some more booze so we can take this to the ‘n’th degree or get out.” And right from the onset the viewer is treated with great visual flare and style that honestly doesn’t come around too often. You’ll some wacky stuff at this party like guys jumping across buildings, Dodge Vipers pulling a 360 to pick up a passenger, Keyboards knocking out teeth to spell naughty words, and bullets that apparently ignore the laws of physics.  At the end of the day movies are supposed to be fun to watch. Wanted was so much fun I’m glad I gave it a second chance ‘cause when you let go it’s a really wild ride.

Hellboy

What more can a director ask for when it comes to source material? Hellboy’s universe is rich with the occult Nazi’s and fishmen. Guillermo del Toro first real big hit which paved the way for other Winners like Pan’s Labyrinth and a helm job at the Hobbit. Hellboy is about a demon brought to Earth in a last ditch effort by Nazis’. Good Ol’ U S of A quickly brings about an end to that effort and then ends World War II shortly after. The demon now named Hellboy is raised by Dr. Broom and trained by the United Stated to be our secret weapon in the secret wars against various forces of darkness. (See what I mean great source material) If you haven’t seen Hellboy and consider yourself a fan of comic book movies get off your butt and go rent this one!

Watchmen

Zack Snyder’s epic. Whether you think it was great or just plain too long, Watchmen deserves our respect for breaking new territory when it comes to the genre of superhero movies. Watchmen featured a large cast a sweeping plot line and the first second and third superhero sex scenes EVER! Created by Alan Moore who wanted nothing to do with this project knowing full well how difficult it would be to bring this movie to the big screen so adapted by none other than Solid Snake himself (David Hayter) and Alex Tse. The movie attempts to tell the stories of a group of superheroes who the United States put into early retirement and are forced out of retirement to solve the mystery of who killed one of their own.  Watch this one for great special effects decent enough story line and a break from the norm that is Hollywood.

Sin City

Frank Miller graphic novel turned movie. Sin City is an anthology that follows the lives of several characters we’ll call the “good guys”. “Good Guys” is kind of a funny thing to call them since no one in Basin City truly is good. Even the Priest has his hands involved in the sex scene… is that art imitating life or vica versa? Due to the style in Frank Miller's noir graphic novel and Robert Rodriguez's experimentation Sin City looks like the actual comic book pages in motion, really a beautiful thing to see. I also would like to add that this movie is the actual return of Micky Rourke anyone that can turn a character like Marv into real person through all the makeup and cheesy lines deserves an Oscar more so than for The Wrestler.
 

X-MEN

Arguably the movie that jump started the superhero craze in Hollywood, X-MEN even in the capable hands of Bryan Singer could have been a disaster. Instead it pulled through with a descent story, a stacked cast of superheroes, and enough action to keep fan boys and non comic book readers happy too. The key to X-MEN was the decision to only follow a couple of characters in any sort of depth. Which although disappointing was the right decision because following that many characters would have been too messy and caused non fans to be scratching their heads with mass confusion.
 

Ironman

This was Marvel's first movie as an official movie studio and what a fantastic way to fire it all off. Ironman was a bit limited story wise once you left the origin portion but made up for it with a stellar cast and visual effects which were nominated for an Academy award. I don’t think I can imagine Tony Stark being played by anyone other than Robert Downey Jr. Robert became Tony. I have to admit that I am a bit ticked off that they couldn't work things out with Terrance Howard. I think Terrance should Hustle n Flow the producers of Ironman 2 and "Whoop that Trick"!
 

Spiderman

Spiderman is without a doubt the most visually appealing on this list. Spiderman swings from building to building flipping and jumping and bringing to life what comic  book artists can only dream about getting onto paper with ghost Spiderman showing the motions. You can honestly tell that Sam Raimi, of all people, honestly cared  about how this movie turned out. So they gave him a little more freedom in the second...so he tosses in his horror elements as evidenced by the hospital scene. Then  the studios gave even more freedom and he guts the franchise with emo Spiderman, go figure. But back to the Spiderman 1 the cast all turn in great performances and  they reworked Spiderman's origins in a believable modern way. You will not hear anyone say "that movie sucked!"
 

300

Zack Snyder in his short career has already made his mark in two genres of cinema. With his remake of Dawn of the Dead he showed he could make a great horror flick. 300 proved he could make a great comic book movie and to top it off he proved he could do it with style. 300 is one of those movies that only comes around every 5 to ten years and excels in every aspect. History made it a great story. Frank Miller’s graphic novel gave the movie its awe inspiring visuals, and Zack gave it all life. What else can you say about something that actually happened? If you haven't seen this one, which I would find hard to believe, do yourself a favor and bone up on some Snyder before seeing Watchmen.
 

Batman

Apparently when you take one of my favorite directors and toss him in with my favorite comic book character you get the number two spot in this list's movie. Twenty  one years later Batman is still a great movie. Tim Burton did the first reboot taking away the campy Batman of the 60's and truly put the 'Dark' in the Dark Knight.  Tim Burton's Batman had easily the coolest Batmobile, one of the better costumes, the Batwing, and Joker doing what joker does best. This crazy bastard turned your  deodorant into his smoking gun. He turned your makeup into a programmed nuke to take just you out. As crazy and idea it is, think about it, if you wanted to cause mass  hysteria and scare the bejeezus out of everyone down to a personal level that would be the way to do it. Aside from the actual deaths you've also got everyone in the  city walking around stinking to high hell!
 

The Dark Knight

Christopher Nolan's masterpiece. Heath Ledgers final role. Christian Bale's annoying Batman voice. This movie deserves the top spot for so many reasons it would take  me a whole day to write it all down. The first ten minutes of the movie grab you slap you in the face and tell you you’re in for a ride, then doesn't let go until the  credits roll. The movie running time clocks in at just a smidge above two and a half hours and quite honestly when it's done you'll wish there was more. I have to call  out people who didn't like Ledger. Heath literally became the Joker. From the way he licks his scarred lips, to the eerie voice, down to the greasy hair. He maybe  wasn't the Joker we've all seen for years in print but he was definitely crazy and maniacal. I also think I would be wrong if I didn't mention how the director and producers tried very hard to keep Batman's technology in the vein of reality.
 

Pulp Fiction

This speech plays more like a drawn out punchline but you dont realize it until the end. Plus its Mr. Walken himself, quite possibly one of the best men in the world to deliver nearly any line.

Gladiator

This speech is perhaps the lesser known from this movie but stands on its own.Nothing gets you amped like being told you're most likely going to die.

The Great Dictator

Charlie Chaplin delivers what amounts to a crashing crescendo of words puntuated by great music.

Good Will Hunting

Another lesser known speech, many people prefer the scene where Will verbally neutered a self righteous pompous grad student at Harvard. This one though showcases Matt Damon's ability to pound out quick little vignettes of all the reasons why he shouldn't work for the NSA. 

Full Metal Jacket

Whereas in the previous entry vignettes were came out like beats of a drum, this one uses the same basic formula to rip out jokes in rapid succession. R Lee Ermey has an amazing ability to spew some of the most vulgar yet hilarious epithets ever.

Any Given Sunday

The inches speech, much like fields of war, football is perhaps one of the only sports where the game plays out similar to an actual battlefield. Pacino is an amazing actor, with the exception recent years, he brings out the big guns for this preformance.

Network

Perhaps the most relevant rant to our times Peter Finch basically goes ape-shit on the american people to get off our sedentary asses and stop accepting that things are fucked up do something meaningful about it. As I write this from a lazy boy eating pop-tarts. Damn, I love being american.

25th Hour

Wow, Ed Norton is an amazing actor when he's not making a shitty reboot of a shitty super hero. While watching this blazing torrent of the idle rage that many of us feel on a daily basis you half expect to see him curb stomping each of the groups of people he is eviscerating.

Independence Day

Bill Pullman brings out one of the most stirring speeches I've ever witnessed, then faded into obscurity. Or as I like to think is getting drunk every day and slapping the asses of house maids while they're serving him cold beers.

Braveheart

One of my favorite movies for at least 8 years, Mel Gibson brings his half-charm half-batshit insane acting ability to the table. I am not kidding when I tell you that I still get goosebumps when I watch this speech.

Star Wars Episode One: The Phantom Menace - Duel of the Fates

Composed by: John Williams

It was probably the moment in the movie that most people loved most.  The moment Duel of the Fates kicks in you know you were in for one hell of a lightsaber battle.  You could only watch in awe as the music brought the action on the screen to a rediculously high level.  Luckily, at least for me, it was more than enough to make me forget about Mr. Jar Jar Binks, at least for a few minutes.

The Lost Boys - Cry Little Sister

Recorded by: Gerard McMahon

This one had me at hello.  Originally recorded for the The Lost Boys soundtrack under his pseudonym of Gerard McMann, this song was a perfect fit (back-shivers included) that somehow made Joel Schumacher look competent.  Aiden did a cover of this for the second Lost Boys movie which actually did it a bit of justice.  You can listen to it here.

Legend - Unicorn Theme

Recorded by: Tangerine Dream

Tangerine Dream just created a rediculously haunting soundtrack for Legend.  This in combination with the Intro (you can view here) just leaves the perfect mark on you and brings you into Ridley's fantasy realm.  It is actually shame that Ridley always felt that Jerry Goldsmith's score was the envisioned version, and re-released it with the Tangerine Dream soundtrack removed.  A total shame...

Terminator 2: Judgement Day - Main Title/It's Over Goodbye

Composed by: Brad Fiedel

Among the elite...

Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves - Overture

Composed by: Michael Kamen

This one was so good that Morgan Creek decided to keep it as their theme song for their logo.  The theme made me feel like I knew what my career path growing up would be...and that was to be Robin Hood.

Last of the Mohicans - Promentory

Composed by: Trevor Jones

This movie, I swear, is one of the most underrated movies in history.  Everything about this movie screams excellence and Trevor Jone's score is no exception.  It obviously is stacked with a heavy colonial feeling but its not done in a boring history lesson kind of way.  The music was an absolutely perfect fit for the tomahawk action on screen.  Also worthy from the soundtrack: Elk Hunt and Top of the World

The Rock - Navy Seals Theme

Composed by: Hans Zimmer

Still considered by myself to be one of the most emotional moments in my teenage movie years.  This amazing theme blaring as the seals storm through the sub-levels of Alcatraz is still gets my heart pounded.  The transition from this theme into the "slaughtered from an elevated position in the shower room" theme is seamless and effectively emphasizes the brutal happenings on screen.

Requiem for a Dream - Main Theme

Composed by: Clint Mansell and the Kronos Quartet

Talk about a theme song that will leave you wanting to kill yourself...thats exactly what the "original" version of this did in Requiem for a Dream.  It beautifully and powerfully complimented the disgustingly in your face brutality and quick cuts down to perfection.  I still say that The Two Towers trailer was only as good as it was because of the remix to this killjam.

Gladiator - The Battle

Composed by: Hans Zimmer

This could have easily been number uno for me if the next film hadn't swept me away.  The battle theme in Gladiator is among the most compelling and intricate action themes ever created.  The theme not only accentuates the visual action in style, but also gives you a powerful feeling that what you are witnessing is something you've truely never seen before.

Lord of the Rings - Main Theme

Composed by: Howard Shore

Call me a geek, go ahead.  You can't deny that everything in the Lord of the Rings trilogy was just done on a massive scale, and that includes the rediculous soundtrack.  This is number one because it feels like the Shire is such a small delicate place.  It feels like the undertaking that the hobbits are on is of such a grand scale.  It feels like a true battle up hill against all odds.  Never before or since have I heard such perfectly crafted music in storytelling.  Also worthy from the soundtrack: Enya - May it Be

Star Wars - Death Star Destruction

Barely making the list at number ten, we do owe this one homage.  My only regret was not being born about ten years earlier so I could actually live this one out in 1977 in the theater with everyone else.  I've only heard stories of the crowds of people cheering and coming out in utter amazement.  It definitley would have been a sight to behold, even before George did his dirty little new age digital effects redo on it.

Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines - Judgement Day

This scene mixed with Marco Beltrami's eerie Judgement Day score brings the inevitable event to life for the first time (outside of a dream anyway).  The nukes coming up from a quiet barn infested midwestern field and then criss-crossing each other in the sky brings the whole plot line to the forefront and more importantly, to John Connor himself.

The Dark Knight - Hospital Explosion

In the wake of Heath Ledger's death, the portrayal he gave as the Joker is hard to deny as entertaining, at the very least.  This scene epitomized the raw uncut nature with which the director let his actor's work, and the faith he had in Ledger to get it right the first time.  From the waddling out, to the simplistic turn back to the hospital provided comedic excellence at it's best; right smack dab in the middle of the best action film in recent memory.

Fight Club - Ending

Anyone who waited around for the payoff to this movie (which should be everyone) was treated to a massive city wide scene of digital explosions of the credit companies thus releasing the world into a debt-free paradise.  The score in combination with a massive bullet wound to the side of Edward Norton's face gave the audience an unprecedented level of satisfaction.

Pearl Harbor - Delayed Torpedo

Ok, the movie sucked.  We all looked forward to it, and with its twisted and forced love triangle, it just sucked.  However...you can't deny the rediculous prowess Michael Bay had when directing this masterful attack scene that in my mind, climaxed during the "follow the funny torpedo down from the sky into the Arizona" shot.  That single shot in combination with the delayed triggering of the torpedo gave us an impressive explosion that was really top notch up to that point in digital effects history.

Arlington Road - FBI Bomb

Did anyone really think the terrorists were going to win in this one?  Well ok; probably a lot of you, but still...actually seeing the FBI building going down in flames and Jeff Bridges being blamed for it was a pretty darn good, if not simple, twist.  I think I had a twinge or two in my back as Tim Robbins uttered "Boom".

The Matrix - Helicopter Scene

The movie that gave birth to modern special effects had a shot, ironically enough that had nothing to do bullet-time, that should be noted for its intense climax to a scene that paved the way to one of the more satisfying endings in modern action film history.  The helicopter smashing into the building, causing rippling glass to shatter, followed by a massive explosion gave the audience yet another digital climax among many they experienced watching this movie.

Independence Day - First Alien Attack

Was anyone that watched this in the theater in 1996 not amazed at the level of destruction this whole scene delivered?  The energy waves ripping through the skyscrapers and then expanding down the city street was so realistic (at the time) and still echos in my mind.  This movie really did have it all for a explosion hungry teenager such as myself.  So much so, that if I was to expand this list out to the top 15 then Randy Quaid's "In the words of my generation...UPPPP YOUUURSSS" ship takedown scene would easily make it.

Armageddon - Asteroid hits Paris

This one is number 2 for two main reasons.  First it with the exception of the number one movie on this list, this pretty much solidified my decision to head into the effects industry for college.  I could not believe what I was seeing in the theater as the single shot shockwave headed towards my face in the theater, which leads to the number 2 reason...it is just friggin' cool.

Terminator 2: Judgement Day - Judgement Day Dream

This is it; my all time favorite.  "No fate but what we make for ourselves."  This explosion rates top notch even by today's standards, even though it's quickly approaching its 20 year mark.  The raw feeling that Cameron leaves as the skin is pulled off of Sarah Connor's body is still a sight to behold.

Cannibal Holocaust
Ahh, the late 70's an age of exploration for the film industry. Cannibal Holocaust follows an anthropologist as he seeks out group of documentarians into the jungle. The results are at times very disturbing and viewer discretion is highly advised. But, I'm guessing that that appeals to a large number of you.

Zombie Strippers
If you have a yearning for the horror B movies of the 80's you do not want to miss this one. With some incredibly awful yet hilarious lines such as "I like knives" and "Smoking is so f*cking cool." This movie runs a perfect balance of recognizing itself for what it is and what it is not.

Teeth
An Entertaining if not terrifying story about a case of Vagina Dentata, that’s right think about that one for a little bit.
 

The Machinist
Despite Christian Bale acting like a complete tool one thing that has to be handed to him is his commitment to a role. For his role in The Machinist Bale dropped his weight to below 100 pounds and looked like he was on his death bed. The machinist follows a man who has not slept in a year and as a result begins to think he has lost the remains of his own sanity.

City of Ember
This great little movie actually played out more like a traditional role playing game in plot. Set in a post apocalyptic world where the population lives underground and subsists from a massive electrical generator that is ages old and about to run out of power. The characters set off to solve the mystery of a mysterious box and to find out if the true outside world is really as bad as generations have been told.

Reign over me
This is probably one of my top 20 movies of all time, its a widely ignored film that had very solid acting performances both from Don Cheadle and Adam Sandler. This movie also proved that Sandler didn't have to belt out zany one liners to entertain. Centered on a 9/11 widow who is stuck in an indefinite rut and psychosis and the old college friend who both end up learning about themselves in the process of letting go.

The Man from Earth
Following a Scholar's retiring party his colleagues begin to question his perpetual youth and to find that he claims to be an immortal that has walked to earth for 14,000 years. As an indie flick expect a no frills affair with a strictly dialogue driven film.

Sunshine
Danny Boyle proves with this film that he is capable of handling a mish mash of genres, combining sci-fi with elements of horror and a healthy dose of social commentary. Sunshine follows a crew of scientists on their quest to restart a dying sun with a bomb the size of Manhattan strapped to the front of their ship. Sounds awesome, right? It is.

The Fountain
This had to be one of the most mentally rewarding film experiences I've ever had. In the same vein as 'Pi' With a story that seems tangled and at first glance makes no sense at all, my recommendation is to watch it with a friend and then discuss what you think the story is. Forget 'The Wrestler' and even forget 'Requiem for a Dream' Darren Aronofsky's best film to date.

Oldboy
An absolutely fantastic gritty dare I say epic? Oldboy covers an alcoholic nobody who is for unknown reasons is imprisoned for 15 years and upon once again mysterious release sets about to find out who and why. This movie has one of THE best fight scenes ever laid to celluloid see the video below. On top of great fight scenes a mystery to be solved it also has a great twist at its gruesome conclusion. This twist blows the pants off of Bruce Willis being dead.

Milk

            One of the most important movies of the year.  Sean Penn is brilliant in his portrayal of Harvey Milk.  This movie is a great history lesson through the 1970s in San Francisco and transcends what still goes on today.  Milk may not be for everyone, but it does achieve what Harvey Milk intended and that was to give people hope.  Not only does Penn stand out here, but also tremendous performances by James Franco, Emile Hirsch, and Josh Brolin.

Wall-E

            Is this really animation?  Pixar has reached the pinnacle of animation achievement.  I’m not sure how it can get any better.  This is easily one of the most beautifully put together movies of all time.  Even with no dialogue for the first half hour, as if it were a silent film, I was completely compelled and in amazement of what was on screen.

The Wrestler

            Mickey Rourke’s comeback.  Probably the best and saddest performance of the year.  You can feel Rourke in this character.  A character study of a one time celebrity who has sunk to the lowest of lows and is trying to put his life back together is haunting.  Darren Aronofsky is back at the top of his game.  Kudos to Marisa Tomei in a fine supporting role as well.

Tropic Thunder

            Robert Downey, Jr., the guy can just simply act.  A man who can play an Australian actor who portrays an African American in the movie within the movie has talent.  Not only is Downey terrific, but Ben Stiller directed this hilarious comedy into an entirely believable war film.  Don’t miss that Tom Cruise cameo either!

Slumdog Millionaire

            The little movie that could.  A movie that was supposed to be a direct to DVD release is now up for every award imaginable.  Give all the credit to director Danny Boyle, who we’ve seen brilliance from before, (Trainspotting, 28 Days Later).  Boyle takes us inside what it’s like to live and breathe in India but more importantly puts a real human story in the center.  One of the most wholly original movies in quite some time.

Iron Man

            The biggest surprise of 2008.  Everyone thought this was another superhero movie trying to cash in on the box office, but…once again, enter Robert Downey, Jr. and you have yourself a huge summer blockbuster that entertains the entire family.  Downey, Jr. is Tony Stark, and if I knew nothing about comics, I would say they based the Tony Stark character on Robert Downey, Jr.

Burn After Reading

            The Coen Brothers have done it again.  The follow up to their Best Picture winner of last year, No Country for Old Men, Joel and Ethan went back to their dark, quirky comedy that worked so well in The Big Lebowski.  Witty dialogue and odd characters are the Coens specialty and they work their magic once again especially with Brad Pitt and Frances McDormand.  The back and forth between Pitt and John Malkovich is priceless.

Gran Torino

            Clint Eastwood at the end of his career seems to be in his prime.  He has churned out some really great movies as a director over the past few years and Gran Torino is no exception.  The standout here is Eastwood the actor.  He gives a masterful performance as an old racist war veteran who learns to accept the fact that the world around him has changed.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

            Just an absolutely beautiful film.  A tale of life and death that everyone can relate to.  This film is a technical achievement.  From the amazing special effects of making Brad Pitt age backwards to the incredible cinematography.  This movie will be known as a classic fifty years from now.

The Dark Knight

            This is it!  This is the one genre movie that we had all been waiting for.  Christopher Nolan was able to make a serious crime saga under the disguise of a superhero movie.  The Dark Knight did everything right, from story, to cinematography, to acting.  It kept us compelled from start to finish.  And of course, like it or not, Heath Ledger’s Joker will go down in history.