Top Movies Of All Time (#1-20) (Pointless List)

at least as at 5.04pm. Don't know why I wanted to do this list. As a budding screenwriter who has no ideas at all at the moment and everything that was on the boil is stagnant like a swamp, I wanted to list my favs (and this is personal favs, not the 'best', which would probably start with Citizen Kane) in the feeble hope that I would get inspired. Shucks.

1. The Terminator - yes, the greatest flick I've ever seen. It has everything on the menu crammed into one tight package. It satisfies the uber-action fan in me, while delivering emotion most other car chase flicks can only dream of.
2. Raiders Of The Lost Ark - Ball-buster of a film that follows the above template of delivering exemplary action, but works on another, almost 'biblical' level of emotion. Spielberg don't make flicks like this anymore.
3. Chasing Amy - my favorite non-action relationshiop picture. A lot of people hate this, citing Joey Adams' voice as annoying. Since when do you bag a film coz the lead actress has an annoying voice? WTF?
4. Once Upon A Time In The West - I hated westerns as a kid. Loathed them. But, more and more, my (filmic) heroes started to cite westerns as their inspiration. And this one kept coming up, again and again. Finally I went and saw it at a cinema and was blown away by it. I should of known I'd like it, as I'd always liked Sergio Leone's Once Upon A Time In America. Again, I like a film that is shot in widescreen and takes full advantage of the frame.
5. The Empire Strikes Back - no question, this is the best Star Wars movie. The only one with balls. The only one daring enough not to have a happy ending (or at least a convincing one). The only one with beautiful, expressionistic special effects. The only one where the characters come close to emoting. The only one in which we, as an audience, are given what we need, not what we want.
6. Blow Out - it's nice to know the Quentin Tarantino loves this film, as it's always been one of my favorites. One of the few times Brian DePalma was able to merge his style with a good story and good emotions. John Travolta is outstanding (never thought I'd say that) and again, the use of widescreen photography and the sound is clever and integral to the story.
7. The Thing - strip out the amazing special makeup effects and you'd have a first rate drama about a group of men unable to deal with crisis and unable to trust one another. Mix in the effects and you have the most delicious icing ever seen.
8. Near Dark - Most people hate this film. I saw it with an audience earlier this year and people were laughing at it (not with it). Me, I love it. Kathryn Bigelow has never been one for logic and strong dialogue, but this film works one a purely visual level and is incredibly haunting. Plus the bar massacre has to be one of the funniest, most disturbing scenes ever.
9. Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me - This is here because I adore the tv show so much and because this film is so damned unappreciated. This film can be enjoyed (enjoyed may be the wrong word) on its most basic level, but at the end of the day, the film is a jigsaw puzzle. Break the code, solve the crime, Dale Cooper once said.
10. Adventures Of Robin Hood - my all-time favorite movie-on-tv as a child, I've seen this way too many times and still receive immense pleasure from watching it.
11. Back To The Future - possibly one of my most watched films ever. The best structured story ever filmed, it's also (as most people will testify) hugely entertaining.
12. Serenity - The newest film on this list, I put it here, mainly to encourage other people to go see it. Based on the axed show, Firefly, I haven't been this jazzed about a sci fi action film since possible Empire.
13. Taxi Driver - I first saw this film in my mid-teens and was deeply disturbed by it. It also started my fascination with makeup effects (ie. the gore), so I'm probably desensitised (spelling?) to most violence now.
14. Psycho - my favorite comedy of all time.
15. Boogie Nights - I should probably have put an Altman film on this list, but I admire Altman more than I actually like him, so this goes here instead.
16. Blade Runner - The director's cut of course. Can we have a nice DVD of this please?
17. Out Of Sight -I don't understand why more people didn't go for this film - it should have been a huge hit with both men and women. J-Lo's finest (only) hour.
18. Casablanca - one of the few films which would make it onto my best and fav lists. Need I say more?
19. Jackie Brown - QT's best easy. Kill Bill 2 comes close, these films merged QT's style with real emotion and character.
20. The Third Man - classic. Nuff said. Ahhh, Venice.