Its All About Allen | Favorite Movies

Favorite Movies

These are some of My Favorite Movies

I'm In "The Case Of The Parking Meters" 1996

	Straw Dogs (1971) Astrophysicist David Sumner (Dustin Hoffman) and wife, Amy (Susan George), move to England to get away from the violence in America. But the Sumners learn that things are no better on the other side of the pond when local construction workers intimidate and exploit the couple. The trouble turns into a bloody battle when David -- who discovers a feral and vicious side of himself -- is forced to defend his home after Amy gets raped. Starring: Dustin Hoffman, Peter Vaughan Director: Sam Peckinpah My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
	Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966) On a serene New England campus, an emasculated professor (Richard Burton) and his rancorous wife (Elizabeth Taylor, who racked up a Best Actress Oscar) turn an evening of cocktails into an unrelenting onslaught of wrenching disclosures and bellowed epithets. Soon the couple's guests -- a junior professor (George Segal) and his colorless wife (Sandy Dennis) -- get sucked into the vortex of the warring duo's unbounded fury and endless antipathy. Starring: Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton Director: Mike Nichols My Rating: 4.9 out of 5 stars
	GoodFellas (1990) Murderers often come with smiles -- and problems of their own. Joe Pesci and Robert De Niro chew plenty of scenery, but the real focus of director Martin Scorsese's mob opus is Ray Liotta as real-world Irish-Italian mobster Henry Hill, a gangster who dreamed of making it to the top but landed in the witness protection program instead. Nominated for six Oscars (including Best Picture), the film's only win was Pesci's Best Supporting Actor statue. Starring: Robert De Niro, Ray Liotta Director: Martin Scorsese My Rating: 4.25 out of 5 stars
	The Godfather (1972) Mario Puzo's The Godfather Director Francis Ford Coppola brings Mario Puzo's epic saga of the Corleone crime family to the screen in stunning fashion. Oscars include Best Picture, Best Screenplay and Best Actor for Marlon Brando's riveting performance as the Don. But the whole cast is excellent, including Al Pacino as Michael and James Caan as the ill-fated Sonny Corleone. Truly an offer you can't refuse! Starring: Marlon Brando, Al Pacino Director: Francis Ford Coppola My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
	The Godfather, Part II (1974) In this unique case of a sequel superseding the original, The Godfather II follows the Corleone crime family as it relocates to Nevada in the 1950s, with Michael (Al Pacino) as the new Don. The original cast returns with Robert Duvall outstanding as consigliere Tom Hagen and John Cazale as the tragic Fredo Corleone. Starring: Al Pacino, Robert Duvall Director: Francis Ford Coppola My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
	The Godfather, Part III (1990) Some Godfather devotees thought this final installment in the Corleone crime family saga an infamnia; for others, it represents closure to one of cinema's epic tales of dissolution without redemption. It's the 1980s, and Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) has struggled to make the family business legitimate. But dark forces (in the Vatican and among his Mafia compatriots) conspire to pull him down. Starring: Al Pacino, Diane Keaton Director: Francis Ford Coppola My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
	Pulp Fiction (1994) Fast-food-loving hit man Vince Vega (John Travolta), his philosophical partner Jules (Samuel L. Jackson), a drug-addled gangster's moll (Uma Thurman) and a washed-up boxer (Bruce Willis) converge in this sprawling, comedic crime caper. Their adventures unfurl in three stories that ingeniously trip back and forth in time. Director and co-writer Quentin Tarantino uses whip-smart dialogue to propel the most audacious and imitated movie of the 1990s. Starring: John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson Director: Quentin Tarantino My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
	Somewhere in Time (1980) In this unabashedly romantic film, an elderly woman approaches playwright Richard Collier (Christopher Reeve) and presses a pocket watch into his hand whispering, "Come back to me." Years later, Collier becomes obsessed with a picture of an early 1900s actress (Jane Seymour) and discovers that she's the woman who gave him the watch. Collier wills himself back in time to find the woman, and the pair begins a love affair out of time. Starring: Christopher Reeve, Jane Seymour Director: Jeannot Szwarc My Rating: 4.25 out of 5 stars
	The Perfect Storm (2000) Veteran fisherman Billy Tyne (George Clooney) has had a run of disappointing catches and is determined to change his luck by going beyond the normal reach of New England fishing boats to the remote Flemish Cap. Once out at sea, he hears about a huge storm building up, but is convinced he can beat it back to Gloucester, taking an enormous catch with him. If he doesn't try, his crew will come away empty-handed on this last trip of the season. Starring: George Clooney, Mark Wahlberg Director: Wolfgang Petersen My Rating: 4.35 out of 5 stars
	Once Around (1981) Renata Bella (Holly Hunter) is feeling the soul-sucking torpor of a dead-end career -- and life -- until she meets whirlwind sales guru Sam Sharpe (Richard Dreyfuss) at a real estate-selling seminar. The slightly older Sam could be Renata's new lease on life if she can just convince her skeptical dad, Joe (Danny Aiello), and other family members (Gena Rowlands and Laura San Giacomo) that he's the real deal. Directed by Lasse Hallstrom. Starring: Lasse Hallstrom, Richard Dreyfuss Director: Lasse Hallstrom My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
	Leaving Las Vegas (1995) An incisive portrait of an alcoholic Hollywood executive (Oscar-winner Nicolas Cage) who moves to Las Vegas to drink himself to death. Elisabeth Shue plays a prostitute who comes to know and love him, without trying to change him or upset his nihilistic agenda. Cage and Shue mesmerize as a marginalized couple who cling to each other despite the direness of their circumstances. Starring: Nicolas Cage, Elisabeth Shue Director: Mike Figgis My Rating: 4.25 out of 5 stars
	The Tao of Steve (2000) An overweight, overeducated lady-killer (Donal Logue) learns that his rules of cool (aka The Tao of Steve -- McQueen) get him everywhere with the women he doesn't want and nowhere with the woman he covets (Greer Goodman). Could there be something wrong with his philosophy? Sly and smart, The Tao of Steve burrows under the skin of modern romance, with warm, funny results. Starring: Donal Logue, Greer Goodman Director: Jenniphr Goodman My Rating: 4.25 out of 5 stars
	Reservoir Dogs (1992) Quentin Tarantino's directorial debut is raw, violent, often mimicked -- and unforgettable. A botched robbery indicates a police informant, and the pressure mounts in the aftermath at a warehouse. Crime begets violence as the survivors -- veteran Mr. FFFFF0 (Harvey Keitel), newcomer Mr. Orange (Tim Roth), psychopathic parolee Mr. Blonde (Michael Madsen), bickering weasel Mr. Pink (Steve Buscemi), and Nice Guy Eddie (Chris Penn) -- unravel. Starring: Harvey Keitel, Tim Roth Director: Quentin Tarantino My Rating: 4.4 out of 5 stars
	Harold and Maude (1971) A self-absorbed, death-obsessed teen (Bud Cort) and a geriatric, high-on-life widow (Ruth Gordon) find love in this comical cult favorite. Hassled by his domineering mother (Vivian Pickles) to play the dating game, the morbid Harold would rather attend funerals, which is where he meets the feisty Maude (natch). The seemingly mismatched pair forms a bond that turns into a highly unconventional -- but ultimately satisfying -- romance. Starring: Ruth Gordon, Bud Cort Director: Hal Ashby My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
	American Beauty (1999) A shocking and funny look at suburban life, American Beauty stars Kevin Spacey and Annette Bening as a couple struggling to endure a stale marriage, unfulfilling careers and a rebellious teen daughter. Immersed in a midlife crisis, Spacey decides to rattle some cages. The ensuing familial contempt, tit-for-tat insults and outlandish behavior will leave you laughing, cringing and thinking long after the credits roll. Starring: Kevin Spacey, Annette Bening Director: Sam Mendes My Rating: 4.75 out of 5 stars
	The Falcon and the Snowman (1985) As a CIA employee in charge of guarding top secret documents, all-American Christopher Boyce (Timothy Hutton) becomes disillusioned with his country and decides to make a deal with the Soviet Union. Boyce drags his childhood friend Daulton Lee (Sean Penn) into the arrangement, but the drug-addicted Lee's reasons for committing espionage are strictly monetary. John Schlesinger directs this provocative and sometimes humorous account. Starring: Timothy Hutton, Sean Penn Director: John Schlesinger My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
	Mr. Holland's Opus (1995) In 1965, passionate musician Glenn Holland (Richard Dreyfuss) takes a day job as a high school music teacher, convinced it's just a small obstacle on the road to his true calling: writing a historic opus. As the decades roll by with the composition unwritten but generations of students inspired through his teaching, Holland must redefine his life's purpose. Dreyfuss earned an Oscar nomination for his outstanding work in this emotional drama. Starring: Richard Dreyfuss, Olympia Dukakis Director: Stephen Herek My Rating: 4.25 out of 5 stars
	Rear Window (1954) As his broken leg heals, wheelchair-bound L.B. Jeffries (Jimmy Stewart) becomes absorbed with the parade of life across the courtyard: A dancer, a lonely woman, a composer and a bedridden woman and her husband become like creatures in Needham's voyeuristic zoo. But when one of them disappears, Needham suspects foul play -- and suddenly he finds himself in the center of the action with nowhere to run. Starring: James Stewart, Grace Kelly Director: Alfred Hitchcock My Rating: 4.35 out of 5 stars
	Being There (1979) Comic wunderkind Peter Sellers stars as an illiterate gardener mistaken for a brilliant pundit well versed on everything from nature's inexorable cycles to the exigencies of modern politics. Adapted for the screen by Jerzy Kosinski from his short story, Being There is a droll essay on American life. Melvyn Douglas won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar as an aging kingmaker who befriends Sellers. Starring: Peter Sellers, Shirley MacLaine Director: Hal Ashby My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
	The Shawshank Redemption (1994) Upstanding banker Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins) is framed for a double murder in the 1940s and begins a life sentence at the Shawshank prison, where he's befriended by an older inmate named Red (Morgan Freeman). During his long stretch in prison, Dufresne comes to be admired by the other inmates for his upstanding moral code and unquenchable sense of hope. Co-stars Gil Bellows and Bob Gunton (who's memorable as the amoral prison warden). Starring: Tim Robbins, Morgan Freeman Director: Frank Darabont My Rating: 4.85 out of 5 stars
	Papillon (1973) He was called "Papillon", meaning "butterfly." Unable to fly, Henri Charriere virtually willed himself free. He did the impossible: escaped Devil's Island. It was the greatest escape. Steve McQueen in one of his greatest roles. Starring: Dustin Hoffman, Steve McQueen Director: Franklin J. Schaffner My Rating: 4.85 out of 5 stars
	The Breakfast Club (1985) At 7 a.m., Emilio Estevez, Anthony Michael Hall, Judd Nelson, Molly Ringwald, and Ally Sheedy had nothing to say to each other as they faced a Saturday detention together in their high school library. But by four p.m., they had bared their souls in this seminal '80s film. To the outside world they were simply the Jock, the Brain, the Criminal, the Princess, and the Kook, but to each other, they would always be The Breakfast Club. Starring:Judd Nelson, Anthony Michael Hall Director:John Hughes My Rating:4.5 out of 5 stars
	Lost in America (1985) David (Albert Brooks) and Linda (Julie Hagerty) live a boring life. David has dutifully obeyed orders at an ad agency for 8 years, while Linda has devoted 7 years to a dead-end job. But after David gets fired, the couple impulsively embarks on an odyssey of discovery, traveling across the United States … and when they park their RV in Las Vegas, all bets are definitely off! Starring:Albert Brooks, Julie Hagerty Director:Albert Brooks My Rating:4.5 out of 5 stars
	City Slickers (1991) For a change of pace, three amigos (Billy Crystal, Daniel Stern, Bruno Kirby) facing midlife crises sign on for a fortnight cattle drive through the Colorado hills. The urbanites' survival depends on a leathery trail boss (Jack Palance, winner of the Best Supporting Actor Oscar) who doesn't cotton to greenhorn city slickers. Though they run into foul weather, pregnant cows and pistol-packin' ranchers, trail's end brings a bittersweet victory. Starring:Billy Crystal, Daniel Stern Director:Ron Underwood My Rating:4.35 out of 5 stars
	Glory (1989) An epic tale of triumph and tragedy. Based on the letters of Col. Robert G. Shaw, Glory tells the tale of a Union Army regiment composed entirely of black volunteers. Denzel Washington, Morgan Freeman and Andre Braugher stand out as soldiers with a personal stake in the fight against slavery. Matthew Broderick shines as Shaw, who commanded the regiment at great personal risk. Starring:Matthew Broderick, Morgan Freeman Director:Edward Zwick My Rating:4.5 out of 5 stars
	The Deer Hunter (1978) A group of working-class pals decide to enlist in the army during the Vietnam War and find it to be hellish chaos -- not the noble venture they imagined. One of the survivors (Robert De Niro) must return to Saigon to save a shattered pal (Christopher Walken) from certain death in a Russian roulette club. An Oscar-winning epic, The Deer Hunter shows the heavy toll the conflict exacted on soldiers and civilians. Starring:Christopher Walken, Robert De Niro Director:Michael Cimino My Rating:4.75 out of 5 stars
	Midnight Cowboy (1969) Hayseed hustler Jon Voight comes to Manhattan to earn cash as a freelance sex stud. There, he meets seedy gimp Ratso Rizzo (Dustin Hoffman), and an improbable friendship blossoms. Rated X in 1969, the movie won Oscars for Best Picture, Director (John Schlesinger) and Screenplay. Although Hoffman didn't win a Best Actor Oscar, his Ratso characterization - the vilified butt of everyone's jokes - is absolutely heartbreaking. Starring:Dustin Hoffman, Jon Voight Director:John Schlesinger My Rating:4.65 out of 5 stars
	Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004) Michael Moore's hard-hitting documentary addresses the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, outlining the reasons the U.S. has become a target for hatred and terrorism. Criticizing President George W. Bush's response to the attacks and reinforcing his theory that the Bush Administration used the tragic event to push its agenda, Moore also traces alleged dealings that connect two generations of the Bush family with Osama bin Laden's clan. Starring:Michael Moore, Debbie Petriken Director:Michael Moore My Rating:4.5 out of 5 stars
	Jeepers Creepers (2001) A college-age brother and sister (Justin Long and Gina Philips) get more than they bargained for on their road trip home from spring break. When the bickering siblings witness a creepy truck driver tossing body bags into a sewer near an abandoned church, they investigate. Bad move! Opening a Pandora's Box of unspeakable evil, the pair must flee for their lives -- with a monstrous "shape" in hot pursuit. Starring:Gina Philips, Justin Long Director:Victor Salva My Rating:4.65 out of 5 stars
	Boogie Nights (1997) By turns touching and shocking, Paul Thomas Anderson's Boogie Nights is ultimately an intimate drama about an unlikely family whose patriarch (Burt Reynolds) produces hardcore pornography. Set in porn's golden age -- the '70s -- Boogie Nights stars Mark Wahlberg as young stud Dirk Diggler and Julianne Moore as vulnerable star/earth mother Amber Waves. Starring:Mark Wahlberg, Burt Reynolds Director:Paul Thomas Anderson My Rating:4.75 out of 5 stars

Grizzly Man (2005)
Renowned nonfiction director Werner Herzog chronicles the tragic and untimely death of outdoorsman Timothy Treadwell, who devoted his life to studying grizzly bears living in the Alaskan wilderness -- only to have one of them maul him to death. Pieced together mainly from Treadwell's own video footage, this fascinating documentary goes deep into the wilderness of one man's mind to uncover how he spent his final days.

Starring:Amie Huguenard,Timothy Treadwell
Director:Werner Herzog
My Rating:4.5 out of 5 stars

Arthur (1981)
Charming but incessantly intoxicated multimillionaire Arthur Bach (Dudley Moore) stands on the brink of an arranged marriage to properly pedigreed heiress Susan Johnson (Jill Eikenberry), but his heart belongs to a working-class filcher (Liza Minnelli). When his family threatens to cut off Arthur's inheritance if he doesn't marry Susan, he asks loyal squire Hobson (John Gielgud, who chalked up an Oscar for his supporting role) to lend a hand.

Starring: Dudley Moore, Liza Minnelli, More
Director: Steve Gordon
My Rating: 4.85 out of 5 stars

Brother's Keeper (1992)
This acclaimed documentary explores the odd world of the four elderly Ward brothers -- illiterate farmers who have lived their entire lives in a dilapidated two-room shack. When William Ward dies in the bed he shared with his brother Delbert, the police become suspicious. Citing motives ranging from sex crime to euthanasia, they arrest Delbert for murder, penetrating the isolated world that left "the boys" forgotten eccentrics for many years.

Starring: Delbert Ward
Director: Joe Berlinger
My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Catch Me If You Can (2002)

Frank W. Abagnale Jr. was a true Renaissance man -- working as a doctor, a lawyer and a pilot for a major American airline all before he turned 18. In Catch Me if You Can, Leonardo DiCaprio plays the cunning Abagnale, a con artist so skilled at forgery that he managed to steal millions of dollars. Tom Hanks is Carl Hanratty, an FBI agent hot on Abagnale's trail in this fact-based crime film directed and produced by Steven Spielberg.

Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hanks, More
Director: Steven Spielberg
My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Jaws (1975)

When an insatiable great FFFFF0 shark terrorizes the townspeople of Amity Island, a police chief (Roy Scheider), a grizzled shark hunter (Robert Shaw) and an oceanographer (Richard Dreyfuss) seek to destroy it. Director Steven Spielberg created the summer blockbuster boom with this FFFFF0-knuckle adaptation of the Peter Benchley novel. John Williams's ominous musical score has become legendary.

Starring: Roy Scheider, Richard Dreyfuss, More
Director: Steven Spielberg
My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Matchstick Men (2003)

Starring: Nicolas Cage, Sam Rockwell, More
Director: Ridley Scott
My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Miller's Crossing (1990)

Gabriel Byrne stars as Tom Reagan in Joel and Ethan Coen's take on the '30s gangster film. Adviser to a Prohibition-era crime boss (Albert Finney), Tom gets caught in the literal and figurative crossfire when his loyalties are divided between warring mobs. Mix in an affair with the boss's dame (Marcia Gay Harden), several double-crosses and backstabs and the Coens' typical blackly funny dialogue, and you've got a bang-up (literally) movie.

Starring: Gabriel Byrne, Marcia Gay Harden, More
Director: Joel Coen
My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Mystic River (2003)

Three childhood friends, Sean (Kevin Bacon), Dave (Tim Robbins) and Jimmy (Sean Penn) are reunited in Boston 25 years later when they are linked together in the murder investigation of Jimmy's daughter. This taut thriller from director Clint Eastwood won two Oscars (Robbins and Penn) and was nominated for several more in its exploration of human behavior when faced with pain just beneath the surface, justified rage, and scars that never heal.

Starring: Sean Penn, Tim Robbins, More
Director: Clint Eastwood
My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

The Exorcist (1973)

If this horror classic doesn't terrify you, maybe you need a shrink. Movie actress Chris MacNeil (Ellen Burstyn) realizes an evil spirit may possess her daughter (Linda Blair). Against formidable odds, two priests (Max von Sydow and Jason Miller) try to exorcise the demon. A superb meditation about the nature of evil, The Exorcist was created with adults in mind and isn't appropriate for youngsters.

Starring: Ellen Burstyn, Max von Sydow, More
Director: William Friedkin
My Rating: 4.65 out of 5 stars

Miracle Mile (1989)

Los Angeles resident Harry (Anthony Edwards) picks up a ringing telephone in a street-corner booth and hears an apocalyptic message: A nuclear bomb is going to wipe out the City of Angels in 50 minutes! Now, Harry must do everything he can to save himself and his new love, Julie (Mare Winningham), a waitress he's just met. But should he let others in on his little secret and risk a citywide panic?

Starring: Anthony Edwards, Mare Winningham, More
Director: Steve De Jarnatt
My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

C.R.A.Z.Y. (2005)

There are five boys in the Beaulieu family -- Christian, Raymond, Antoine, Zachary and Yvan. But Zac (played by Emile Vallee and Marc-Andre Grondin) is the only one who's gay. That's why growing up in Montreal alongside his heterosexual brothers and his strict, emotionally distant father (Michel Cote) proves especially challenging for the blossoming outsider, who finds solace in the music of Pink Floyd, the Rolling Stones and David Bowie.

Starring: Michel Cote, Danielle Proulx , More
Director: Jean-Marc Vallee
My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

The Beach (2000)

While staying at a hotel in Bangkok, Thailand, Richard (Leonardo DiCaprio) learns of a secret beach that purportedly exemplifies paradise. Richard travels with Françoise and Étienne to the magnificent strand, finding a bohemian community intent on keeping its precious refuge a secret. But after falling in love with the beach and Françoise, Richard discovers that things aren't as idyllic as they seem.

Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Virginia Ledoyen , More
Director: Danny Boyle
My Rating: 4.25 out of 5 stars

Rivers and Tides (2003)

This amazing documentary from Thomas Riedelsheimer won the Golden Gate Award Grand Prize for Best Documentary at the 2003 San Francisco International Film Festival. The film follows renowned sculptor Andy Goldsworthy as he creates with ice, driftwood, bracken, leaves, stone, dirt and snow in open fields, beaches, rivers, creeks and forests. With each new creation, he carefully studies the energetic flow and transitory nature of his work.

Starring: Andy Goldsworthy
Director: Thomas Riedelsheimer
My Rating: 4.35 out of 5 stars

Wordplay (2006)

From the masters who create the mind-bending diversions to the tense competition at the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament, Patrick Creadon's documentary reveals a fascinating look at the addictive pastime. Creadon captures New York Times editor Will Shortz working with crossword puzzle builders, talks to celebrity solvers -- including Bill Clinton and Ken Burns -- and presents an intimate look at the national tournament and its competitors.

Starring: Will Shortz, Ken Burns, Bill Clinton, More
Director: Patrick Creadon
My Rating: 4.35 out of 5 stars

It's Complicated (2009)

Ten years after their divorce, Jane (Meryl Streep) and Jake (Alec Baldwin) enjoy an amicable friendship. When the two unite for their son's college graduation, their romance is rekindled. But Jake is married, and Jane's architect, Adam (Steve Martin), has a thing for her. Now cheating on the younger woman for whom he left Jane, Jake wants his ex-wife back. But Jane's busy getting to know Adam. Nancy Meyers (Something's Gotta Give) wrote and directed this Golden Globe-nominated comedy.

Starring: Meryl Streep, Steve Martin, Alec Baldwin
Genre: Romantic Comedy
My Rating: 4.45 out of 5 stars

Little Miss Sunshine (2006)

Convinced their little Olive (Abigail Breslin) is beauty queen material, parents Richard (Greg Kinnear) and Sheryl (Toni Collette) load the rest of the family into a van and embark on a life-altering road trip to a California pageant. Richard pushes Olive to win while her silent brother (Paul Dano), depressed uncle (Steve Carell) and nursing-home reject grandpa (Alan Arkin, in an Oscar-winning role) add their own quirks to the mix.

Starring: Greg Kinnear, Alan Arkin, Abigail Breslin, More
Genre: Quirky
My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

The Kite Runner (2007)

Years after fleeing the Taliban and immigrating to the United States, a privileged Afghan man (Khalid Abdalla) returns to his war-ravaged homeland to try to repay his debt to a loyal childhood friend whose trust he once betrayed. Marc Forster (Finding Neverland, Monster's Ball) directs this touchingly honest story of family, friendship and bravery, based on the best-selling debut novel by Khaled Hosseini.

Starring: Shaun Toub, Khalid Abdalla, More
Genre: Heartfelt, Inspiring, Emotional
My Rating: 4.7 out of 5 stars

Slumdog Millionaire (2008)

After coming within one question of winning it all on the Indian version of "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?," 18-year-old Mumbai "slumdog" Jamal Malik (Dev Patel) is arrested on suspicion that he cheated his way to the top. While in custody, he regales a jaded inspector (Irfan Khan) with remarkable tales of his life on the streets and the story of the woman (Freida Pinto) he loved and lost. Danny Boyle directs this Oscar-winning Best Picture.

Starring: Dev Patel, Freida Pinto, More
Genre: Romantic, Inspiring, Gritty
My Rating: 4.9 out of 5 stars

Gladiator (2000)

Oscar winner Russell Crowe is Maximus, whom Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris) had picked to succeed him. But Marcus's son Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix) snatches the throne, ordering Maximus dead. Instead, he's enslaved and learns to be a skilled fighter. When the Coliseum opens for gladiator games, Maximus finally has the chance for revenge. Ridley Scott directs this vivid epic, winner of the Oscar and Golden Globe for best picture.

Starring: Russell Crowe Joaquin Phoenix, More
Genre: Suspenseful, Exciting, Violent
My Rating: 4.8 out of 5 stars

Midnight Express (1978)

The true story of Billy Hayes (Brad Davis) is brought to life by Oliver Stone's Academy Award-winning screenplay recounting the young American's experience in a Turkish prison. When Hayes is caught attempting to smuggle drugs out of Turkey, the courts decide to make an example out of him and sentence him to 20 years in prison. With little hope of ever getting out, Hayes decides to attempt a daring escape.

Starring: Brad Davis, John Hurt, Randy Quaid, More
Genre: Gritty, Dark, Violent
My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

A Man for All Seasons (1966)

When Henry VIII (Robert Shaw) seeks approval from the English aristocracy to divorce his wife and marry commoner Anne Boleyn, Sir Thomas More (Paul Scofield) finds himself caught between a murderous king and the powerful Roman Catholic Church. Richly crafted with a fine supporting cast, director Fred Zinnemann's period drama swept the 1966 Oscars, winning six golden statuettes, including Best Picture, Best Actor and Best Director.

Starring: Paul Scofield, Wendy Hiller, Orson Welles, More
Genre: Inspiring, Dark, Cerebral
My Rating: 4.75 out of 5 stars

East of Eden (1955)

Set in California's Salinas Valley, Elia Kazan's adaptation of John Steinbeck's novel centers on Cal Trask (James Dean), the black sheep son of a stern farmer(Raymond Massey). Tired of being compared to his perfect brother, troublemaker Cal tries in vain to please his father. The two finally face off when Cal confronts his dad with the truth about his allegedly dead mother. Julie Harris, Jo Van Fleet and Burl Ives co-star.

Starring: Julie Harris, James Dean, Raymond Massey, Burl Ives, More
Genre: Heartfelt, Emotional
My Rating: 4.65 out of 5 stars

Almost Famous (2000)

In this enchanting coming-of-age story based on director Cameron Crowe's own experiences, teenage writer William Miller (Patrick Fugit) cajoles a Rolling Stone editor into handing him a plum assignment to cover the band Stillwater on a cross-country tour. Kate Hudson earned an Academy Award nomination for her portrayal of band groupie Penny Lane, while Crowe won the Oscar for his original script. Jason Lee and Billy Crudup co-star.

Starring: Billy Crudup, Frances McDormand, Kate Hudson, More
Genre: Understated, Feel-good
My Rating: 4.6 out of 5 stars

Coming Home (1978)

While her husband is in Vietnam, Sally Hyde (Jane Fonda) volunteers at a veteran's clinic, where she encounters embittered paraplegic Luke Martin (Jon Voight). Feeling progressively disconnected from her spouse, Sally starts an emotional and physical affair with Luke. When Sally's husband returns, however, the trio must contend with a new reality -- and a country that turned its back on America's servicemen. Fonda and Voight each won acting Oscars.

Starring: Jane Fonda, Jon Voight, Bruce Dern, More
Genre: Understated, Romantic, Dark, Emotional
My Rating: 4.6 out of 5 stars

Casino (1995)

Martin Scorsese draws on Nicholas Pileggi's book about Las Vegas in the 1970s and '80s as inspiration for his tale contrasting the city's glamorous exterior with its sordid interior fueled by excess -- and the mob. Against this backdrop, the story chronicles the rise and fall of a casino owner with mob connections (Robert De Niro), his friend and Mafia underboss (Joe Pesci) and an ex-prostitute with expensive taste and a driving will (Sharon Stone).

Starring: Robert De Niro, Sharon Stone, Joe Pseci, James Woods, More
Genre: Violent
My Rating: 4.7 out of 5 stars

The Idolmaker (1980)

Loosely based on the life of rock promoter Bob Marucci, this film follows Vincent Vacarri (Ray Sharkey), a charismatic music fan who becomes a successful producer. Vacarri's tenacity pays off when he discovers the Fabian-like singer Caesare (Peter Gallagher) in his feature debut. The film marks director Taylor Hackford's first time behind the camera and the movie debut of Joe Pantoliano, who plays Vacarri's abused but loyal songwriting partner.

Starring: Ray Sharkey, Olympia Dukakis, Peter Gallagher
Genre: Gritty
My Rating: 4.7 out of 5 stars

Murderball (2005)

Rugby-playing quadriplegics compete for the Paralympic gold medal in this documentary about an amazing sport -- and the strong-willed athletes who participate in full-contact rugby using specially designed wheelchairs. The film, which walked away with the 2005 Audience Award at the Sundance Film Festival, follows the U.S. Quad Rugby Team as they compete in the 2002 World Championships and the 2004 Paralympic Games in Athens.

Starring: Mark Zupan, Keith Cavill, More
Genre: Gritty
My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

The Times of Harvey Milk (1984)

Harvey Fierstein narrates this documentary by Rob Epstein about San Francisco's most colorful -- and tragic -- political figure: Harvey Milk, a staunch fighter for gay rights who helped forge a presence for the city's gay community in city hall. Milk became the first openly gay member of San Francisco's combative city council. But his life, along with Mayor George Moscone's, was cut short by infamous fellow politico Dan White.

Starring: Harvey Fierstein
Genre: Inspiring
My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Crumb (1994)

Director Terry Zwigoff spent six years compiling this portrait of the underground cartoonist whose characters Fritz the Cat and Mr. Natural became counterculture icons. Candid interviews with Robert Crumb and his spouses, offspring, siblings and peers render a compelling profile of a tormented man who transcended a harrowing upbringing to produce stunningly original art. The film won the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival.

Starring: Robert Crumb
Genre: Quirky, Raunchy
My Rating: 4.25 out of 5 stars

Frost/Nixon (2008)

Ron Howard directs this Oscar-nominated adaptation of Peter Morgan's popular Broadway play, a drama centering on a series of revelatory television interviews between British talk show host David Frost and former President Richard Nixon. Frank Langella reprises his Tony Award-winning stage role as Nixon with a stellar cast that includes Michael Sheen, Toby Jones, Sam Rockwell, Kevin Bacon and Oliver Platt.

Starring: Michael Sheen, Toby Jones, Sam Rockwell, Kevnin Bacon, Oliver Platt
Genre: Political Dramas, 20th Century Period Pieces
My Rating: 4.7 out of 5 stars

Gloomy Sunday (1999)

A romantic melodrama set in 1930s Budapest, Gloomy Sunday centers on a love triangle with tragic consequences. Restaurant owner Laszlo hires pianist András to play in his restaurant. Both men fall in love with the beautiful waitress Ilona, who inspires András to write his only composition. The resulting song, "Gloomy Sunday," is at first loved by the public … but soon, its melancholic melody appears to trigger a chain of suicides.

Starring: Ein Lied, Von Liebe, Und Tod
Genre: Germany, Subtitled, Foreign Romance, Foreign Drama
My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars ^oscar worthy^

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