My 25 favourite films
The title speaks for itself. This is a chronologically (!) categorized list of my all-time favourite films, thus including every genre and era.
Preferably, I like to watch films in their original language, which I did with all 25 films on this list.
My background: I was born (1986) and raised in The Netherlands.
Preferably, I like to watch films in their original language, which I did with all 25 films on this list.
My background: I was born (1986) and raised in The Netherlands.
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28 titles
- DirectorCharles ChaplinStarsCharles ChaplinPaulette GoddardJack OakieDictator Adenoid Hynkel tries to expand his empire while a poor Jewish barber tries to avoid persecution from Hynkel's regime.Watching The Great Dictator 69 years after its original release, I had to admit that it is a timeless classic. It is well known that Charlie Chaplin has a bright sense of slapstick humor, which is one of the aspects of this film that appeals to me, however, knowing now how history unfolded after 1940, Charlie's final speech is both strongly chilling and emotional.
- 19641h 35mPG8.3 (520K)97MetascoreDirectorStanley KubrickStarsPeter SellersGeorge C. ScottSterling HaydenAn unhinged American general orders a bombing attack on the Soviet Union, triggering a path to nuclear holocaust that a war room full of politicians and generals frantically tries to stop.Dr. Strangelove (short) shares an important characteristic with the aforementioned The Great Dictator: it is set and produced in an era of globally significant friction. The Cold War engulfed our planet and its people lived in constant fear of all-out nuclear war. Stanley Kubrick magnificently achieves to capture that global tension in a single film, perhaps even within the confines of a single control room. It makes Dr. Strangelove very interesting for me, while Sellers' multiple characters and their characteristics further caught my attention.
- DirectorSergio LeoneStarsClint EastwoodEli WallachLee Van CleefA bounty hunting scam joins two men in an uneasy alliance against a third in a race to find a fortune in gold buried in a remote cemetery.It would not be until after my 28th birthday that I would watch this legendary film for the first time in its entirety. And afterwards, I felt an extreme sense of satisfaction for not having watched it before. Matured (cinematic) experience has undeniably contributed to my appreciation of The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. It is masterfully shot, the tension and intrigue of both story and characters kept me on the edge of my seat throughout the film and its marvellous musical score literally made me feel ecstatic. I was overwhelmed, which felt surprisingly pleasant.
- DirectorFrancis Ford CoppolaStarsMartin SheenMarlon BrandoRobert DuvallA U.S. Army officer serving in Vietnam is tasked with assassinating a renegade Special Forces Colonel who sees himself as a god.I went into watching this film fully prepared, having read reviews, background information and even the Joseph Conrad novel Heart of Darkness on which it is based. Consequently, I had high expectations. These were met by Apocalypse Now's fairly slow pace and its dark, depressing mood. It is not a pleasant 3.5 hours (Redux version), but rewarding through its depth nonetheless.
- DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsHarrison FordKaren AllenPaul FreemanIn 1936, archaeologist and adventurer Indiana Jones is hired by the U.S. government to find the Ark of the Covenant before the Nazis can obtain its awesome powers.One of my very first movie-related memories is of Indy clenching on to the nose of a Mercedes-Benz truck during a chase in this action-packed adventure. I distinctively remember watching Raiders of the Lost Ark on the BBC, which shows that its story and action transcends language boundaries (considering I was a 7-year-old Dutch boy at the time). Of course, just hearing the theme song brings back all the memories.
- DirectorRobert ZemeckisStarsMichael J. FoxChristopher LloydLea ThompsonMarty McFly, a 17-year-old high school student, is accidentally sent 30 years into the past in a time-traveling DeLorean invented by his close friend, the maverick scientist Doc Brown.'80s music, '80s humor, '80s sci-fi, Back to the Future has it all and I love it. Admittedly it is far from flawless, but this film has such a nice feel to it, part of it because of Michael J. Fox's very likeable character.
- DirectorRon ClementsJohn MuskerStarsScott WeingerRobin WilliamsLinda LarkinA kind-hearted street urchin and a power-hungry Grand Vizier vie for a magic lamp that has the power to make their deepest wishes come true.In my opinion, Aladdin is Disney's best animated feature, although it is closely followed by The Lion King. Aladdin has a humorous and romantic story-line that works for me both in Dutch and English.
- DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsSam NeillLaura DernJeff GoldblumA pragmatic paleontologist touring an almost complete theme park on an island in Central America is tasked with protecting a couple of kids after a power failure causes the park's cloned dinosaurs to run loose.Jurassic Park was my childhood obsession. Seeing it at as a mere 7-year-old, of course I was scared to death. However, the story is an ingenious one and seeing 'actual' dinosaurs on television was a breathtaking experience. That feeling of awe has never since faded and I still very much enjoy watching Jurassic Park.
- DirectorPeter FarrellyBobby FarrellyStarsJim CarreyJeff DanielsLauren HollyAfter a woman leaves a briefcase at the airport terminal, a dumb limo driver and his dumber friend set out on a hilarious cross-country road trip to Aspen to return it.In the mid '90s Jim Carrey was my favourite actor and I still consider him one of the most hilarious ones (also for Ace Ventura II). Pared up with Jeff Daniels in Dumb & Dumber, they manage to make me laugh out loud throughout most of the film. And the best thing is; Dumb & Dumber gets better and better the more you watch it and the older you get.
- DirectorBryan SingerStarsKevin SpaceyGabriel ByrneChazz PalminteriThe sole survivor of a pier shoot-out tells the story of how a notorious criminal influenced the events that began with five criminals meeting in a seemingly random police lineup.
- DirectorHayao MiyazakiStarsYôji MatsudaYuriko IshidaYûko TanakaOn a journey to find the cure for a Tatarigami's curse, Ashitaka finds himself in the middle of a war between the forest gods and Tatara, a mining colony. In this quest he also meets San, the Mononoke Hime.Visually staggering and action-packed, for me Princess Mononoke is one of the finest examples of Japanese animation. By no means is this film meant (just) for children, while it attacks the sustainability issues resulting from the way human beings exploit the planet they live on. Naturally, you need to appreciate animation to enjoy this film, but if you do it is a definite must-see.
- DirectorTony KayeStarsEdward NortonEdward FurlongBeverly D'AngeloLiving a life marked by violence, neo-Nazi Derek finally goes to prison after killing two black youths. Upon his release, Derek vows to change; he hopes to prevent his brother, Danny, who idolizes Derek, from following in his footsteps.I watched American History X with my two older brothers when I was 11 or 12. Consequently, I was terribly disturbed afterwards. The level of realism in the violence and hatred throughout this film is rather intense and did made me feel sick to the stomach. However, its real world connections make American History X all the more important. It is highly emotional as Edward Norton gives us his best.
- DirectorJoel CoenEthan CoenStarsJeff BridgesJohn GoodmanJulianne MooreJeff "The Dude" Lebowski, mistaken for a millionaire of the same name, seeks restitution for his ruined rug and enlists his bowling buddies to help get it.Although I only first saw it in 2008 and I had to watch it twice to fully appreciate it, The Big Lebowski in my opinion is the Coen brothers' greatest achievement. It is the ludicrous story of 'The Dude' Lebowski being mistaken for the millionaire Lebowski, filled with ridiculously clever humor and highly ingenious dialogues. Actors Jeff Bridges, John Goodman and Philip Seymour Hoffman give perhaps their best and most natural performances to date.
- DirectorTerrence MalickStarsJim CaviezelSean PennNick NolteAdaptation of James Jones' autobiographical 1962 novel, focusing on the conflict at Guadalcanal during the second World War.
- DirectorDavid FincherStarsBrad PittEdward NortonMeat LoafAn insomniac office worker and a devil-may-care soap maker form an underground fight club that evolves into much more.After watching Fight Club for the first time I felt gutted. The violence is graphic and the story rather morbid. Nevertheless, after the second time (like with The Big Lebowski) it instantly became one of my favourites. I regard the surprising plot very highly and admire both Edward Norton and Brad Pitt in their respective roles.
- DirectorKar-Wai WongStarsTony Leung Chiu-waiMaggie CheungSiu Ping-LamTwo neighbors form a strong bond after both suspect extramarital activities of their spouses. However, they agree to keep their bond platonic so as not to commit similar wrongs.To me, the most interesting aspects of In the Mood for Love are the setting (Hong Kong, 1962) and the chemistry between the main characters of Tony Leung and Maggie Cheung. Under the direction of Wong Kar Wai, this film very easily makes you sympathize with the two neighbours while it effortlessly captivates my attention throughout.
- DirectorJoel CoenEthan CoenStarsGeorge ClooneyJohn TurturroTim Blake NelsonIn the deep south during the 1930s, three escaped convicts search for hidden treasure while a relentless lawman pursues them.It is the dialogues and its setting in the deep south of the United States of America in the 1930s that make O Brother, Where Art Thou? a highly enjoyable film. As with The Big Lebowski, the Coen brothers have again delivered highly intelligent dialogues, (shards of) which were used many a time afterwards by me and my friends in our own conversations.
- DirectorHayao MiyazakiStarsDaveigh ChaseSuzanne PleshetteMiyu IrinoDuring her family's move to the suburbs, a sullen 10-year-old girl wanders into a world ruled by gods, witches and spirits, and where humans are changed into beasts.Spirited Away is one of my first encounters with full-length Japanese animated features. Straight from the start it is almost flawlessly amazing. An incredible combination of adventure, creativity, fantasy, Japanese customs, myths and traditions, crazy creatures and emotions everyone has, I enjoy every second of it. In my opinion, Spirited Away is an animated feature that transcends the boundaries of its genre and should definitely be appreciated as such.
- DirectorAlejandro G. IñárrituStarsSean PennBenicio Del ToroNaomi WattsA freak accident brings together a critically ill mathematician, a grieving mother, and a born-again ex-con.21 Grams is the most tragic film I have seen, as a result of the small scale of its drama. Sean Penn, Benicio Del Toro and in particular Naomi Watts deliver disturbingly realistic human emotion after a single event connects their lives. The intensity of the human drama in this film left me near-crying and gutted while seeing it, however, it also made me greatly appreciate the honesty of the emotions displayed and the ingenuity of Innaritu's trademark story line.
- DirectorPark Chan-wookStarsChoi Min-sikYoo Ji-taeKang Hye-jeongAfter being kidnapped and imprisoned for fifteen years, Oh Dae-Su is released, only to find that he must track down his captor in five days.(In)famous for its graphic violence and a sickening story-line, I did not expect Oldboy to be 'my cup of tea'. Its highly acclaimed status and public appreciation did convince me to give it the benefit of the doubt and after watching it I was glad to have done so. I did find it rather graphic and sickening, however, admittedly it is also terribly clever, well-acted and even eerily beautiful at times. The one-take hallway/hammer fighting scene still ranks among my favourite action scenes.
- DirectorKim Ki-dukStarsKim Ki-dukOh Yeong-suJong-ho KimA boy is raised by a Buddhist monk in an isolated floating temple where the years pass like the seasons.Stumbling upon it during a nighttime screening of Asian cinema on Dutch television, Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... and Spring was my first acquaintance with non-martial arts Asian cinema. Its serene beauty left me virtually speechless and urged me to take a deeper interest in (East) Asian cinema, which I did. The strength of this film, as is the case with many other films directed by Kim Ki-Duk, lies in the limited use of spoken words.
- DirectorMike NicholsStarsNatalie PortmanJude LawClive OwenThe relationships of two couples become complicated and deceitful when the man from one couple meets the woman of the other.Admittedly, Closer occasionally is a bit vulgar and explicit. It is an adaptation of a (theatrical) play and the beauty of the film is that a great part of the lines in the script were not altered. That might make the acting seem slightly over-the-top at times, however, its consequent style and use of language are what I thoroughly appreciate about this film. In my opinion, both Clive Owen and Natalie Portman excel in portraying their characters.
- DirectorYimou ZhangStarsZiyi ZhangTakeshi KaneshiroAndy LauA romantic police captain breaks a beautiful member of a rebel group out of prison to help her rejoin her fellows, but things are not what they seem.Perhaps the most visually impressive film I have ever seen. The costumes, make-up, sceneries and sets all are breathtaking. Added to that is a nice bit of sword fighting, martial arts and a surprising plot, which will probably have made me watch House of Flying Daggers with my jaw dropped all the way through.
- DirectorJonathan DaytonValerie FarisStarsSteve CarellToni ColletteGreg KinnearA family determined to get their young daughter into the finals of a beauty pageant take a cross-country trip in their VW bus.To me, Little Miss Sunshine is one of the most terrific 'road movies'. Rather than trying to be hilarious, it is perfectly comical in its own, darker and more cynical sense. The relations within the dysfunctional family that the film centers around are awkwardly realistic, their emotions abundant. It makes Little Miss Sunshine appear honest, which to me is where its main strength lies.
- DirectorMakoto ShinkaiStarsKenji MizuhashiYoshimi KondouSatomi HanamuraTold in three interconnected segments, Takaki tells the story of his life as cruel winters, cold technology, and finally, adult obligations and responsibility converge to test the delicate petals of love.An exquisite compilation of three love stories, which mainly caught my attention by its stunning use of colours throughout the film. 5 Centimeters Per Second is a reference to the speed at which cherry blossom petals, Japan's most treasured tree, fall towards the ground. There is a romantic beauty in that which managed to warm me from the inside.