Lost21stJedi
Well-Known Member
ESB because my parents had just gone thru a very nasty divorce and I had lost all contact with my dad (still to this day). The ending for me really struck a chord.
What movies deeply impacted you or spoke to you?
- Thread starter Art Andrews
- Start date
"You will be different, sometimes you'll feel like an outcast, but you'll never be alone. You will make my strength your own.
You will see my life through your eyes, as your life will be seen through mine.
The son becomes the father and the father becomes the son." pretty fitting
Bummer we never got a sequel to it
The World According to Garp-
I grew up without a dad (he died when I was 8m old) and used to wonder what kind of great things my father did - strange thing is - my life has been more like that book/ movie than I ever could have known. I just hope I don't get shot by an Ellen Jamesion.
I grew up without a dad (he died when I was 8m old) and used to wonder what kind of great things my father did - strange thing is - my life has been more like that book/ movie than I ever could have known. I just hope I don't get shot by an Ellen Jamesion.
Metaluna mutant
Sr Member
Koyaansiqatsi, without a doubt was a huge influence on me. Saw it at college on a big screen. Wow. One of those films that really changed the way I looked at the world, modern civilization, nature, people, technology and what it's all about.
Axlotl
Master Member
Only a few Sci-Fi films deeply effected me: "Star Wars" and "Bladerunner", most notably.
As a kid I would watch "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" every time it came on TV.
That one spoke to me for the same reasons "Bladerunner" did. Those 2 films shaped my existential life philosophy before I even knew existentialism was a word.
"Saving Private Ryan" really rammed home how hard it must have been and the sacrifices the Greatest Generation really made.
"Schindler's List". That film was an emotional rollercoaster for me. Good thing I went alone - 'cause I bawled like a baby.
This one rammed home WHY the Greatest Generation made the sacrifices they did.
"Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind". I saw some folk said 500 days of summer echoed their own life - ESotSM echoed mine.
That's all I can think of right now...
As a kid I would watch "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" every time it came on TV.
That one spoke to me for the same reasons "Bladerunner" did. Those 2 films shaped my existential life philosophy before I even knew existentialism was a word.
"Saving Private Ryan" really rammed home how hard it must have been and the sacrifices the Greatest Generation really made.
"Schindler's List". That film was an emotional rollercoaster for me. Good thing I went alone - 'cause I bawled like a baby.
This one rammed home WHY the Greatest Generation made the sacrifices they did.
"Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind". I saw some folk said 500 days of summer echoed their own life - ESotSM echoed mine.
That's all I can think of right now...
Star Wars pretty much defined my childhood.
ET was the first movie that really had an emotional impact on me
After that I'd say Big Fish and Forest Gump
Saving Private Ryan also had a huge impact. I went during the day, so there was few people there and no distractions. Seeing the D-Day beach landing scene was the only time I felt like I was physically assaulted by a movie. The sounds, the shakey camera, special effects and everything else. That tension on the boat ride in I could feel in my guts, then the doors open and all hell broke lose...the guy stopping to pick up his arm and then keep running, the muffled silence of the blast. Then the sacrifices throughout the movie right down to the ending. Watching it a second time, or on TV didn't have quite the same physical impact as that first viewing though
I think that movie changed the way war movies were filmed
ET was the first movie that really had an emotional impact on me
After that I'd say Big Fish and Forest Gump
Saving Private Ryan also had a huge impact. I went during the day, so there was few people there and no distractions. Seeing the D-Day beach landing scene was the only time I felt like I was physically assaulted by a movie. The sounds, the shakey camera, special effects and everything else. That tension on the boat ride in I could feel in my guts, then the doors open and all hell broke lose...the guy stopping to pick up his arm and then keep running, the muffled silence of the blast. Then the sacrifices throughout the movie right down to the ending. Watching it a second time, or on TV didn't have quite the same physical impact as that first viewing though
I think that movie changed the way war movies were filmed
I went to Poland just over a month ago and stood in Schindler's office... Quite moving.
Solo4114
Master Member
Star Wars had a profound effect on my life in terms of shaping what I found enjoyable and setting a high-water mark for entertainment. Plus I used to watch it on Sunday mornings (when the "fake preacher" shows were on, as I called them), pretty much every week from the time I was 6 til I was about 12. So, basically, instead of going to church, I went to Star Wars. In the same way that years later you can hear part of a hymn or whatever and hum along to it involuntarily, I can hear part of a line from the film and finish it or even sound effects like R2's bleeps and boops.
Roxanne was a film that, as a kid, spoke to me. Steve Martin's character is awesome in that film. He's athletic, erudite, witty, irreverent, charming, and romantic, but he's also kind of overlooked. Particularly after I'd just started noticing girls, I identified with that. There's a part of me that still identifies with that, even though I'm a hell of a lot more confident nowadays.
At another point in time (late teens), particularly when I was feeling frustrated with life, Taxi Driver spoke to me. I certainly didn't feel like trying to shoot the president to impress Jodie Foster, but I sort of got the notion of not being able to connect on a level, and feeling isolated. I still find Late for the Sky to be this incredibly haunting tune, although it's taken on different meanings for me in later years. Oddly, I interpreted the ending WAY differently than most people do, viewing it as this culmination of a tale where a directionless, marginalized guy ultimately finds purpose and his place in the world. Oops... I see it differently now, but I still kinda like that interpretation better, even if I don't believe in it anymore.
L.A. Confidential convinced me that the Oscars are not worth watching and are a bunch of crap anyway.
Dune (the 1984 Lynch version) encouraged me to pick up the book, which would later lead me to reading the next three entries. God Emperor of Dune fundamentally shifted my view of humanity and the course of human history in a way that still resonates today, and it all goes back to watching David Lynch's trippy film.
Outside of that, I wouldn't say too many movies end up having a profound impact on me. I enjoy them, but they don't "impact" me or "speak" to me very often.
Roxanne was a film that, as a kid, spoke to me. Steve Martin's character is awesome in that film. He's athletic, erudite, witty, irreverent, charming, and romantic, but he's also kind of overlooked. Particularly after I'd just started noticing girls, I identified with that. There's a part of me that still identifies with that, even though I'm a hell of a lot more confident nowadays.
At another point in time (late teens), particularly when I was feeling frustrated with life, Taxi Driver spoke to me. I certainly didn't feel like trying to shoot the president to impress Jodie Foster, but I sort of got the notion of not being able to connect on a level, and feeling isolated. I still find Late for the Sky to be this incredibly haunting tune, although it's taken on different meanings for me in later years. Oddly, I interpreted the ending WAY differently than most people do, viewing it as this culmination of a tale where a directionless, marginalized guy ultimately finds purpose and his place in the world. Oops... I see it differently now, but I still kinda like that interpretation better, even if I don't believe in it anymore.
L.A. Confidential convinced me that the Oscars are not worth watching and are a bunch of crap anyway.
Dune (the 1984 Lynch version) encouraged me to pick up the book, which would later lead me to reading the next three entries. God Emperor of Dune fundamentally shifted my view of humanity and the course of human history in a way that still resonates today, and it all goes back to watching David Lynch's trippy film.
Outside of that, I wouldn't say too many movies end up having a profound impact on me. I enjoy them, but they don't "impact" me or "speak" to me very often.
This is how Star Wars rocked my 11 year old world…
1. Space ships were dirty. Up until then it seems that futuristic movies had bright, shiny tech that seemed to exist in a heavenly fiction. SW showed me dirty space ships … “What a pile of junk!” said Luke. It just made the setting more credible.
2. The story was comprised of a series of settings that constantly changed the scale of the movie. Around that time sci-fi films were pretty predictable (2001: A Space Odyssey being a notable exception) In the first 15 minutes I was sure SW was going to be about the two droids on Tatooine. The death of uncle Owen and aunt Beru was a major plot twist for me. It wouldn’t have the same impact for any viewer with foreknowledge of the Star Wars setting.
Suddenly they were in space.
Then they were on the Death Star.... etc.
The setting and style of the film kept evolving all the way up to the introduction of the X-wings and the trench battle.
Recurrent exposition keeps the viewer in a perpetual state of discovery. To Lucas’ credit he successfully maintained that same formula throughout the series. Still, it’s never been more effectively executed or more effective than it was in Star Wars.
3. The story also accumulated characters as it went along. First it was about two droids … then add Luke … then add Obi … then Han and Chewie … then Leia …. I realize that The Seven Samurai did the same thing in 1954 but I didn’t know about it then. While I’m pretty sure I had seen The Magnificent Seven at least once, I wasn’t used to seeing it in sci-fi. This was a science fiction movie that wasn’t all about future tech or aliens! It was just a great story.
4. It was really funny. At the time most sci-fi movies I recall took themselves seriously – as if it was sacrilege to undermine the sense of awe in sci-fi with lowbrow humor. In SW heroes nagged, prodded and insulted each other relentlessly even in the face of danger. “You said it, Chewie. Where did you dig up that old fossil?” “Will someone get this walking carpet out of my way?/ No reward is worth this.” “Who is more foolish? The fool or the fool who follows him?” “This is some rescue …/ He’s the brains …” …
5. Lightsabers.
6. Sir Alec Guinness. His character, Ben Kenobi, is responsible for introducing the entire back story of the movie in his discussion with Luke on Tatooine. And its plausibility really arises from his performance. Alec Guinness’ unforgettable delivery gave the backstory credibility and palpable emotional weight. I think of how he describes the bygone era of Jedi and it gives me the chills. Just the look at his eyes when he hears the name, “Obi Wan,” after many years. It still makes me misty. Even the way he holds the lightsaber just before he hands it to Luke communicates both a sense of reverence and familiarity with the weapon.
Now that I think about it, if it hadn’t been for Sir Alec Guinness in Star Wars, I probably wouldn’t have discovered the wonderful Ealing Studio comedies (Kind Hearts and Coronets, The Man in the White Suit, Lavender Hill Mob, The Horse’s Mouth, The Ladykillers … etc …). Check those out if you’ve never seen them.
7. Sound Effects and sound design – SW wasn’t full of the canned sound effects common to sci-fi the care and detail really enhanced the credibility of the effects. Blasters didn’t sound like your typical laser-ray-guns. And not all blasters sounded alike. Even a single blaster sounded different depending on how and where it was fired. So firefights didn’t sound like the same repeating sound clip. Even gunfights in movies are guilty of using one sound effect for gunfire. Lucas’ attention to this detail was just wonderful. And the lightsaber sound effects palette is just pure genius.
8. Rapid editing from beginning to end. I would later learn the editing was heavily inspired by The Seven Samurai. In both films this works to great effect. Rapid exposition makes for a lean action/adventure film. I understand that many of the “short cuts” e.g. the encounter with Sand People was less by design than by the fact that, on a limited budget, Lucas often didn’t have as much footage as he wanted. Regardless, it works. And it works brilliantly.
9. In SW the Imperial Stormtroopers were badass. They were efficient and ruthless. They massacred Jawas by the horde just to find the droids. They killed (and no doubt interrogated) uncle Owen and aunt Beru. They were menacing in SW so you really had a sense of danger.
That sense of menace was all but lost by the time we got to Return of the Jedi. By then the Stormtroopers were reduced to keystone cops. They were pretty much gullible enough to fall for any stupid trick in the book. Stormtroopers yelling, “Freeze!”??? Give me a break.
10. Limited amount of “mushy stuff.” I was eleven years old. I didn’t need my sci-fi to get encumbered by romance. A peck on the cheek before swinging across a chasm dodging blaster fire was just enough.
11. The naming of stuff was just superb and the actors really sold it. Toshi Station. Big Corellian Ships. Womp rats. All these allusions expanded the scope of the universe beyond the movie.
The word “laser” was never used – “blaster” just has more kinetic impact and power. What could have been a “laser sword” was named a “lightsaber” which is an appropriately poetic and graceful word.
12. John Williams score.
1. Space ships were dirty. Up until then it seems that futuristic movies had bright, shiny tech that seemed to exist in a heavenly fiction. SW showed me dirty space ships … “What a pile of junk!” said Luke. It just made the setting more credible.
2. The story was comprised of a series of settings that constantly changed the scale of the movie. Around that time sci-fi films were pretty predictable (2001: A Space Odyssey being a notable exception) In the first 15 minutes I was sure SW was going to be about the two droids on Tatooine. The death of uncle Owen and aunt Beru was a major plot twist for me. It wouldn’t have the same impact for any viewer with foreknowledge of the Star Wars setting.
Suddenly they were in space.
Then they were on the Death Star.... etc.
The setting and style of the film kept evolving all the way up to the introduction of the X-wings and the trench battle.
Recurrent exposition keeps the viewer in a perpetual state of discovery. To Lucas’ credit he successfully maintained that same formula throughout the series. Still, it’s never been more effectively executed or more effective than it was in Star Wars.
3. The story also accumulated characters as it went along. First it was about two droids … then add Luke … then add Obi … then Han and Chewie … then Leia …. I realize that The Seven Samurai did the same thing in 1954 but I didn’t know about it then. While I’m pretty sure I had seen The Magnificent Seven at least once, I wasn’t used to seeing it in sci-fi. This was a science fiction movie that wasn’t all about future tech or aliens! It was just a great story.
4. It was really funny. At the time most sci-fi movies I recall took themselves seriously – as if it was sacrilege to undermine the sense of awe in sci-fi with lowbrow humor. In SW heroes nagged, prodded and insulted each other relentlessly even in the face of danger. “You said it, Chewie. Where did you dig up that old fossil?” “Will someone get this walking carpet out of my way?/ No reward is worth this.” “Who is more foolish? The fool or the fool who follows him?” “This is some rescue …/ He’s the brains …” …
5. Lightsabers.
6. Sir Alec Guinness. His character, Ben Kenobi, is responsible for introducing the entire back story of the movie in his discussion with Luke on Tatooine. And its plausibility really arises from his performance. Alec Guinness’ unforgettable delivery gave the backstory credibility and palpable emotional weight. I think of how he describes the bygone era of Jedi and it gives me the chills. Just the look at his eyes when he hears the name, “Obi Wan,” after many years. It still makes me misty. Even the way he holds the lightsaber just before he hands it to Luke communicates both a sense of reverence and familiarity with the weapon.
Now that I think about it, if it hadn’t been for Sir Alec Guinness in Star Wars, I probably wouldn’t have discovered the wonderful Ealing Studio comedies (Kind Hearts and Coronets, The Man in the White Suit, Lavender Hill Mob, The Horse’s Mouth, The Ladykillers … etc …). Check those out if you’ve never seen them.
7. Sound Effects and sound design – SW wasn’t full of the canned sound effects common to sci-fi the care and detail really enhanced the credibility of the effects. Blasters didn’t sound like your typical laser-ray-guns. And not all blasters sounded alike. Even a single blaster sounded different depending on how and where it was fired. So firefights didn’t sound like the same repeating sound clip. Even gunfights in movies are guilty of using one sound effect for gunfire. Lucas’ attention to this detail was just wonderful. And the lightsaber sound effects palette is just pure genius.
8. Rapid editing from beginning to end. I would later learn the editing was heavily inspired by The Seven Samurai. In both films this works to great effect. Rapid exposition makes for a lean action/adventure film. I understand that many of the “short cuts” e.g. the encounter with Sand People was less by design than by the fact that, on a limited budget, Lucas often didn’t have as much footage as he wanted. Regardless, it works. And it works brilliantly.
9. In SW the Imperial Stormtroopers were badass. They were efficient and ruthless. They massacred Jawas by the horde just to find the droids. They killed (and no doubt interrogated) uncle Owen and aunt Beru. They were menacing in SW so you really had a sense of danger.
That sense of menace was all but lost by the time we got to Return of the Jedi. By then the Stormtroopers were reduced to keystone cops. They were pretty much gullible enough to fall for any stupid trick in the book. Stormtroopers yelling, “Freeze!”??? Give me a break.
10. Limited amount of “mushy stuff.” I was eleven years old. I didn’t need my sci-fi to get encumbered by romance. A peck on the cheek before swinging across a chasm dodging blaster fire was just enough.
11. The naming of stuff was just superb and the actors really sold it. Toshi Station. Big Corellian Ships. Womp rats. All these allusions expanded the scope of the universe beyond the movie.
The word “laser” was never used – “blaster” just has more kinetic impact and power. What could have been a “laser sword” was named a “lightsaber” which is an appropriately poetic and graceful word.
12. John Williams score.
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Oddly..... vanilla sky.... I had a bit of a downer mixed with some gf issues. No idea why. But just watched it quite a few times within a short space of time. Like I was hooked on it.
Maybe cos I liked it. Or maybe cos I thought.....
*****.... could be worse... lol
I quite liked the difficulty Toms character had in living in paradise. Film felt pretty deep. I felt that I understood the characters struggle with reality and his choice to forget but ultimatley you cant hide from reality and well ill not spol it lol
J
Sent from my GT-I9505 using Xparent BlueTapatalk 2
Maybe cos I liked it. Or maybe cos I thought.....
*****.... could be worse... lol
I quite liked the difficulty Toms character had in living in paradise. Film felt pretty deep. I felt that I understood the characters struggle with reality and his choice to forget but ultimatley you cant hide from reality and well ill not spol it lol
J
Sent from my GT-I9505 using Xparent BlueTapatalk 2
Jon Kelley
Active Member
The Breakfast Club. pretty much my "coming of age" movie, I could identify with four of the five "facets" of the kids' personality (not the "Princess" - we weren't rich. The Jock, the Basket Case, the Brain, the Criminal? No problem.) STILL one of my all-time favourites.
ALIEN. Still holds the distinction of being the only movie to have scared me - I was ten or so. I literally did not sleep for a week after seeing that movie! (Now I watch it and see it for what it is - a well-executed psychodrama in space.)
ALIENS. We may have gotten our asses handed to us, but it was nice to see humanity fight back.
Event Horizon. Not only another good example of a borderline psychodrama, but it reminded viewers that, sometimes, the hero damned sure does die at the end. Part and parcel of being a hero. People forget that. Someone who plays games is not a hero. Someone who puts his life on the line to save others, knowing it may be the end of him, is.
There are probably some more, but those are the big ones I can think of.
ALIEN. Still holds the distinction of being the only movie to have scared me - I was ten or so. I literally did not sleep for a week after seeing that movie! (Now I watch it and see it for what it is - a well-executed psychodrama in space.)
ALIENS. We may have gotten our asses handed to us, but it was nice to see humanity fight back.
Event Horizon. Not only another good example of a borderline psychodrama, but it reminded viewers that, sometimes, the hero damned sure does die at the end. Part and parcel of being a hero. People forget that. Someone who plays games is not a hero. Someone who puts his life on the line to save others, knowing it may be the end of him, is.
There are probably some more, but those are the big ones I can think of.
J EM
Well-Known Member
Jurassic Park - Its because of this film I love going to Universal Studios as often as I can when I can.
BTTF Trilogy - At an earlier time in my life I used to wish I knew someone who was like Doc because wouldn't that just be awesome?:lol Doc and Marty's friendship is simply beautiful. The ending of Doc's letter to Marty in BTTF3 always resonates with me, man.:cry
V for Vendetta - It is because of the whole Valerie & Evey Reborn scenes that I started my V costume making "journey" 4 years ago going for as much screen accuracy as I can in the long run.
To Kill a Mockingbird - loved it just as much as I loved the novel
The Mummy (1999) - made me obsessed with Egypt for a bit lol
BTTF Trilogy - At an earlier time in my life I used to wish I knew someone who was like Doc because wouldn't that just be awesome?:lol Doc and Marty's friendship is simply beautiful. The ending of Doc's letter to Marty in BTTF3 always resonates with me, man.:cry
V for Vendetta - It is because of the whole Valerie & Evey Reborn scenes that I started my V costume making "journey" 4 years ago going for as much screen accuracy as I can in the long run.
To Kill a Mockingbird - loved it just as much as I loved the novel
The Mummy (1999) - made me obsessed with Egypt for a bit lol
Bigdaddy
Master Member
Great thread, glad it got brought back up, these aren't my favorite movies but in keeping with the theme, these are just 2 form my childhood that had a lasting impact.
Guess Who's Coming to dinner (1967, NOT the year I saw it! ): I remember watching this at home on TV when I was 7 or 8 and not "getting" what the character's were upset about, during the commercials my mom had to explain what racism is, it was a moment when the "real" world started to settle over my childhood view of reality. Note: I thought it was a black & white movie (no pun intended) until I rented it as an adult! :lol
E.T. : I saw this in the theater when I was 10, it was the 1st movie that made me cry, and it's the 1st time I remember seeing a kid dealing with loss so intensely on screen, I really felt for Elliot when ET flat-lined . When I got home I was told my Dad would probably not last through the night, I remember being upset with myself for crying at "a stupid movie" and wasting 2 hours when I had real tragedy at home. That movie marks the moment I adopted an adult view of reality and compartmentalized my imagination (which is still very active ) I re-watched it with my daughter a few years ago and it was tough to get through.
Guess Who's Coming to dinner (1967, NOT the year I saw it!
): I remember watching this at home on TV when I was 7 or 8 and not "getting" what the character's were upset about, during the commercials my mom had to explain what racism is, it was a moment when the "real" world started to settle over my childhood view of reality. Note: I thought it was a black & white movie (no pun intended) until I rented it as an adult! :lolE.T. : I saw this in the theater when I was 10, it was the 1st movie that made me cry, and it's the 1st time I remember seeing a kid dealing with loss so intensely on screen, I really felt for Elliot when ET flat-lined . When I got home I was told my Dad would probably not last through the night, I remember being upset with myself for crying at "a stupid movie" and wasting 2 hours when I had real tragedy at home. That movie marks the moment I adopted an adult view of reality and compartmentalized my imagination (which is still very active
) I re-watched it with my daughter a few years ago and it was tough to get through.
Darth Lars
Master Member
Superman The Movie - I was such a fan of Superman when I was a small kid.
Star Wars - In 1983 when the movie was on TV, just in time for Return of the Jedi.
Alien - I had trouble sleeping for a week. My dad was a journalist who wrote about film, and he had all these photos from various movie productions showing how special effects were made, but it was not enough.
Meet the Feebles, Peter Jackson's second feature film. I watched it when it was new. Hey, a parody of The Muppets. How bad can it be? ... One of the few movies that have made me physically ill. I watched it again when I was in my twenties, and loved it.
Edit: 3000 posts!
Star Wars - In 1983 when the movie was on TV, just in time for Return of the Jedi.
Alien - I had trouble sleeping for a week. My dad was a journalist who wrote about film, and he had all these photos from various movie productions showing how special effects were made, but it was not enough.
Meet the Feebles, Peter Jackson's second feature film. I watched it when it was new. Hey, a parody of The Muppets. How bad can it be? ... One of the few movies that have made me physically ill. I watched it again when I was in my twenties, and loved it.
Edit: 3000 posts!
Nth
Sr Member
Blade Runner - Caught it as the late, late night movie one night while on Christmas break back in the early 90's and was completely captivated by it. I still watch the different variations of it regularly and often listen to the soundtrack. I actually have a burned CD in my car of select Blade Runner tracks that I always pop in when I'm driving in the rain. I've since become quite immersed in Cyberpunk and am pleased to see just how much influence Blade Runner has had on the genre. For years now my PC wallpapers have usually been Blade Runner or Shadowrun related. I also have about a 90% complete Deckard outfit.
Platoon - A movie so good I watched it twice back to back. It was a very refreshing take on a war movie in that it wasn't flag waving American chest beating, but rather conscripts who certainly didn't want to be where they were, really didn't care who won or lost and just wanted to survive long enough to get out.
The Crow - Was a huge fan of the James O'Barr graphic novel and still prefer it to the movie, but the movie was also really well done. Surprisingly so as comic book adaptions at that time rarely did justice to the source material. I've heard rumors of a Crow remake and if that happens I hope they actually make it even closer to the comic. Additionally one of the places I buy leather coats from actually made me the black leather trench coat Brandon Lee wears in the movie as part of my movie coat collection.
Fight Club - Nothing more really needs to be said. Just a very cathartic movie, especially when your living/job situation has driven you to complete nihilism.
Aliens - I'll add this as one of those movies that I can just watch over and over. It's such a shame that the movie franchise has floundered. Don't know why they couldn't adapt some of the comic books to film or TV. They've easily surpassed anything Hollywood has come up with to continue to the franchise.
TRON - A very special affection for this movie. Back in the early 80's my father got an Intellivision system and it came with Tron: Deadly Disks, Tron: Solar Sailor and Maze-A-Tron. It was probably the first movie/video game cross over I ever experienced. At the time I was too young to actually even understand what was going on in Tron, I just liked the visual look and audio sound of the film. As I got older and watched it more and more over the years, and as I understood more about computers I came to greatly appreciate the movie. I even loved Tron 2 and the Tron TV series.
Talk Radio - Another late, late night gem I caught on a barren winter night. Loved it so much I tracked it down on DVD the next day.
A few more honorable mentions I'll throw in:
Strange Days
12 Monkeys
Inception
Collateral
A Clockwork Orange
Apocalypse Now
HEAT
The Wild Geese
Platoon - A movie so good I watched it twice back to back. It was a very refreshing take on a war movie in that it wasn't flag waving American chest beating, but rather conscripts who certainly didn't want to be where they were, really didn't care who won or lost and just wanted to survive long enough to get out.
The Crow - Was a huge fan of the James O'Barr graphic novel and still prefer it to the movie, but the movie was also really well done. Surprisingly so as comic book adaptions at that time rarely did justice to the source material. I've heard rumors of a Crow remake and if that happens I hope they actually make it even closer to the comic. Additionally one of the places I buy leather coats from actually made me the black leather trench coat Brandon Lee wears in the movie as part of my movie coat collection.
Fight Club - Nothing more really needs to be said. Just a very cathartic movie, especially when your living/job situation has driven you to complete nihilism.
Aliens - I'll add this as one of those movies that I can just watch over and over. It's such a shame that the movie franchise has floundered. Don't know why they couldn't adapt some of the comic books to film or TV. They've easily surpassed anything Hollywood has come up with to continue to the franchise.
TRON - A very special affection for this movie. Back in the early 80's my father got an Intellivision system and it came with Tron: Deadly Disks, Tron: Solar Sailor and Maze-A-Tron. It was probably the first movie/video game cross over I ever experienced. At the time I was too young to actually even understand what was going on in Tron, I just liked the visual look and audio sound of the film. As I got older and watched it more and more over the years, and as I understood more about computers I came to greatly appreciate the movie. I even loved Tron 2 and the Tron TV series.
Talk Radio - Another late, late night gem I caught on a barren winter night. Loved it so much I tracked it down on DVD the next day.
A few more honorable mentions I'll throw in:
Strange Days
12 Monkeys
Inception
Collateral
A Clockwork Orange
Apocalypse Now
HEAT
The Wild Geese
Curmudgeon
Well-Known Member
Close Encounters of the Third Kind is usually the first movie I think of (aside from Star Wars and Lord of the Rings).. The ending remains one of my favorite scenes of all time.
Also,
Blade Runner - I watched it because I loved sci-fi movies, but it ended up introducing me to film noir/neo-noir which became one of my favorite "genres" of film.
2001 A Space Odyssey - Doesn't really need an explanation I think
Indiana Jones - Sparked my interest history, one of my lifelong passions
more..
Brazil
Jaws
Toy Story
Pulp Fiction
Fargo
and many more I can't remember right now
Also,
Blade Runner - I watched it because I loved sci-fi movies, but it ended up introducing me to film noir/neo-noir which became one of my favorite "genres" of film.
2001 A Space Odyssey - Doesn't really need an explanation I think
Indiana Jones - Sparked my interest history, one of my lifelong passions
more..
Brazil
Jaws
Toy Story
Pulp Fiction
Fargo
and many more I can't remember right now
Il Princerino
Sr Member
I would have to say
"The Cowboys"- My father was a huge John Wayne fan so I have seen them all, but this one really stuck with me. These kids, out on the trail, then Wayne's character is killed by some would be cattle rustlers and these kids bring in the herd. It's just their coming of age and acceptance of responsibility and over coming obstacles, it all just said something to me as a young boy watching this movie.
"Saving Private Ryan" _ I relate to this one,when the dying Capt. tells Ryan to "earn this" and especially that scene at the end, when the older Ryan is at the Capt. grave and he turns to his wife " Tell me I've lived a good life, tell me I've been a good man". gets me every time, I ball like a little girl. Reminds me that we should earn it, there is something we should strive to live up to.
"Brothers" This one is personal to me. His struggle with life when he comes home, his inability to cope. They express this perfectly when he says he wants to go back to where it makes sense. not a lot of movies, really go into this from the vets viewpoint, at least not what I've seen. And like I said this topic is personal to me, I can't even watch this movie alone, I feel off for days afterward, but I still love it. This more than any other movie MOVES me.
and as cheezy as it sounds, especially after what I wrote above, but "Superman: the Movie" - when I was little, I was amazed when I saw this for the first time. It inspired my love of comics, and from there my love of art. I got into drawing because of this movie. I write because of this movie, I am now into cosplay and costuming and all of this is almost directly inspired by seeing this movie, seeing Superman fly , when I was a kid. My son, who is 5, is getting into superheroes and this is something we share, something we can do together all because Christopher Reeve made a little boy believe that a man could fly.
"The Cowboys"- My father was a huge John Wayne fan so I have seen them all, but this one really stuck with me. These kids, out on the trail, then Wayne's character is killed by some would be cattle rustlers and these kids bring in the herd. It's just their coming of age and acceptance of responsibility and over coming obstacles, it all just said something to me as a young boy watching this movie.
"Saving Private Ryan" _ I relate to this one,when the dying Capt. tells Ryan to "earn this" and especially that scene at the end, when the older Ryan is at the Capt. grave and he turns to his wife " Tell me I've lived a good life, tell me I've been a good man". gets me every time, I ball like a little girl. Reminds me that we should earn it, there is something we should strive to live up to.
"Brothers" This one is personal to me. His struggle with life when he comes home, his inability to cope. They express this perfectly when he says he wants to go back to where it makes sense. not a lot of movies, really go into this from the vets viewpoint, at least not what I've seen. And like I said this topic is personal to me, I can't even watch this movie alone, I feel off for days afterward, but I still love it. This more than any other movie MOVES me.
and as cheezy as it sounds, especially after what I wrote above, but "Superman: the Movie" - when I was little, I was amazed when I saw this for the first time. It inspired my love of comics, and from there my love of art. I got into drawing because of this movie. I write because of this movie, I am now into cosplay and costuming and all of this is almost directly inspired by seeing this movie, seeing Superman fly , when I was a kid. My son, who is 5, is getting into superheroes and this is something we share, something we can do together all because Christopher Reeve made a little boy believe that a man could fly.
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