So, I've been talking to people about the holidays and shiz, and it seems that alot of people are having movie marathons, and staying in whole days and nights to watch movies, however most of the movies are either doo doo or sappy christmas movies. So I'm going to share with you guys my list of top SIX movies. I say six because i wanted to do five but couldnt narrow it down. While your checking out the list, how about listening to "My Favorite Things" by Coltrane, Hmm?




Alright,
#1. Goodfellas

"As far back as I can remember, I've always wanted to be a gangster." -- Henry Hill, Brooklyn, N.Y. 1955

Goodfellas is a 1990 crime drama film directed by Martin Scorsese. It is based on the non-fiction book Wiseguy by Nicholas Pileggi. The film follows the rise and fall of three gangsters, spanning three decades.

"we always called each other good fellas. Like you said to, uh, somebody, :You're gonna like this guy. He's all right. He's a good fella. He's one of us.: You understand? We were good fellas"

The film was nominated for six Academy Awards but only won one for Pesci in the Best Actor in a Supporting Role category. Scorsese's film won three awards from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts and was named best film of the year by the New York Film Critics Circle, the Los Angeles Film Critics Association, and the National Society of Film Critics.

Featuring Robert Deniro, Ray Liotta and Joe Pesci, Goodfellas is able to embody all that is Gangster, and recieved #2 on AFI's list of Gangster movies.

I Don't know why i love this movie so much, and I can't describe the plot to you because i dont want to ruin anything, but i have yet to meet someone who has seen this movie and hasn't liked it. In a word, its AMAZING. The dialogue is excellent, the acting is excellent, the cinematography is excellent, the directing is excellent, and it features the quintessential cameo of Samuel L. Jackson (playing Stacks Edwards) that seemingly every successful movie needs.


#2. Blow Up

Blowup is a 1966 British-Italian art film directed by Michelangelo Antonioni and was that director's first English language film. It tells the story of a photographer's involvement with a murder case.

Without spoiling the movie too much, basically its about a professional fashion photographer beginning his day after spending the night at a doss house, where he has taken pictures for a book of art photos he hopes to publish. He is late for a photo shoot at his studio with a famous French fashion model, which in turn makes him late for another photo shoot with many other models later in the morning. He grows bored, leaves the shoot and goes out for a drive. Wandering into Maryon Park he sees two lovers and takes photos of them. The woman is nettled at being photographed and chases him down back to the studio. After they have made love and she has left, he wonders what is on the film, and becomes inquisitive enough to make numerous blowups (enlargements) of the photos, which seem to reveal both a body lying in the grass and a murderer hidden in the trees with a gun, but the photos have been blown up so much, it is hard to understand what can be seen through the very rough grain of the black and white film.

I dont know what it is i like so much about this film, just the whole mystery of it, the way its shot, and the whole theme of photography. That, in addition to the minimal dialogue and controversy that surrounded the film, gives off a great movie. For sure a must see.



#3. Reservoir Dogs

Reservoir Dogs is the 1992 debut film of director and writer Quentin Tarantino. It portrays what happens before and after a botched jewel heist, but not the heist itself. Reservoir Dogs stars an ensemble cast with Harvey Keitel, Steve Buscemi, Tim Roth, Michael Madsen, Quentin Tarantino, Eddie Bunker, Chris Penn and Lawrence Tierney. Tarantino also has a minor role, as does criminal-turned-author Eddie Bunker. It incorporates many themes and aesthetics that have become Tarantino's hallmarks: violent crime, pop culture references, memorable dialogue, profuse profanity, and a nonlinear storyline.

The film has become a classic of independent film and a cult hit. It was named "Greatest Independent Film of all Time" by Empire. Reservoir Dogs was generally well received and the cast was praised by many critics. Reservoir Dogs often criticized for its high degree of violence and profanity, and audience members reportedly walked out during an infamous torture scene (which might I add is amazingly brutal)


The film opens to eight men eating breakfast at a diner: Mr. Blonde (Michael Madsen), Mr. Blue (Eddie Bunker), Mr. Brown (Quentin Tarantino), Mr. Orange (Tim Roth), Mr. Pink (Steve Buscemi), Mr. White (Harvey Keitel), Joe Cabot (Lawrence Tierney), and his son, "Nice Guy" Eddie (Chris Penn). Mr. Brown discusses his comparative analysis on Madonna's "Like a Virgin" and Mr. Pink expresses his anti-tipping policy until Joe forces him to leave a tip.

From there, the film follows a robbery, and although you never actually see the robbery, you get a pretty good idea of what went down from the dialogue between the characters as they wait for help in an abandoned warehouse.

This film, if you like action, set the standard for movies containing robbery and violence, and is often used as a bench mark for movies with such themes. Straight up, its amazing and you'd have to be some sort of schmuck to not want to see it.

#4. Blow

Alright you goonies, no real need to get into explanation about this one because im guessing most people have seen it. If you haven't seen it, go see it. Johnny Depp at his finest. Go see it, now.