TCB's (9 Million) Films to Watch Before You Die

ProjectX2

Don't expect me to take you with me when I go to s
Joined
Sep 15, 2004
Messages
25,007
I thought this would be a fun idea for a thread. We've all seen those lists of films you need to see before you die and they've normally got the same ones on it - I'm sure we could all create a much more interesting and unique list.

Basically, we take turns posting a film and why we think everyone should watch it (a sentence or two will suffice). However, each person can only post a certain number of times. For example, TOG might post #3: Saw. Then Planet-man might post #4: Wet Hot American Summer. TOG also wants to post Boondock Saints but he has to wait for 10 other people to post OR 24 hours if 10 people haven't posted before he can post again.

Does it make sense? We must reach 1,001 films OR DIE TRYING!

I'll begin. Remember to post the number too!

#1. Seven Samurai (1954)
Akira Kurosawa's masterpiece is the perfect example of how to write, direct, shoot and edit a film and is perhaps the first example of a group of heroes teaming up to save the day or defeat an enemy as seen in The Dirty Dozen and Ocean's Eleven and in next year's The Avengers.

[video=youtube;zNqQXC8Tv8U]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNqQXC8Tv8U[/video]

Go!

The list so far:

1. Seven Samurai (1954) – ProjectX2
2. The Killing Fields (1984) – J. Agamemnon
3. Twelve Monkeys (1995) – Planet-man
4. The Dark Knight (2008) – thee great one
5. Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back (1980) – Hellsbuttmonkey
6. Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988) – Friday
7. Joe Somebody (2001) – Ultimate Houde
8. Goodfellas (1990) – DARKKNIGHT
9. Blade Runner (1982) – Jaggyd
10. A Beautiful Mind (2001) – Captain Canuck
11. Taxi Driver (1976) – bluebeast
12. Seven (1995) – Bass
13. Weekend at Bernie's (1989) – Ice
14. Up (2009) – thee great one
15. The Lord of the Rings (2001-2003) – DARKKNIGHT
16. Twilight Samurai (2002) – J. Agamemnon
17. Crank (2006) – ProjectX2
18. Time After Time (1979) – ultimatedjf
19. Blazing Saddles (1974) – Jaggyd
20. Bowfinger (1999) – E
21. Shadow of the Vampire (2000) – Planet-man
22. Brick (2005) – Friday
23. The Royal Tenenbaums (2001) – bluebeast
24. Kung Pow! Enter the Fist (2002) – Ice
25. Leon: The Professional (1994) – Jaggyd
26. Heat (1995) – ProjectX2
27. Kill Bill Vol. 1 & 2 (2003-2004) – thee great one
28. True Romance (1994) – Gothamite
29. Groundhog Day (1993) – ultimatedjf
30. Oldboy (2003) – Friday
31. Shaun of the Dead (2004) – ProjectX2
32. Fight Club (1999) – thee great one
33. 12 Angry Men (1957) – Planet-man
34. The Rules of the Game (1939) – Dr.Strangefate
35. The Quick and the Dead (1995) – Jaggyd
36. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966) – J. Agamemnon
37. Catch Me If You Can (2002) – Ice
38. Jaws (1975) – ProjectX2
39. Fido (2006) – Friday
40. The Thing (1982) – Dr.Strangefate
41. Shutter Island (2010) – thee great one
42. Office Space (1999) – Planet-man
43. Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009) – robje
44. Halloween (1978) – Jaggyd
45. Near Dark (1987) – Dr.Strangefate
46. The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1988) – Ultimate Houde
47. The Iron Giant (1999) – ProjectX2
48. The Pink Panther Strikes Again (1976) – J. Agamemnon
49. Willow (1988) – Ultimate Houde
50. Pulp Fiction (1994) – E
51. Pan's Labrinth (2006) – thee great one
52. American Beauty (1999) – Thor
53. Serenity (2005) – Hellsbuttmonkey
54. Sin City (2005) – thee great one
55. The Secret of Nimh (1982) – Ultimate Houde
56. Magnolia (1999) – ProjectX2
57. Rocky (1976) – J. Agamemnon
58. Gladiator (2000) – DARKKNIGHT
59. Aliens (1986) – Hellsbuttmonkey
60. Schindler's List (1993) – Ice
61. The Silence of the Lambs (1991) – Dr.Strangefate
62. Juno (2007) – thee great one
63. The Dark Crystal (1982) – Ultimate Houde
64. Audition (2000) – Jaggyd
65. The Truman Show (1998) – Planet-man
66. Sherlock, Jr. (1924) – ultimatedjf
67. Ocean's Eleven (2001) – ProjectX2
68. The Bourne Ultimatum (2007) – Captain Canuck
69. The Boondock Saints (1999) – thee great one
70. Raiders of the Lost Ark (1984) – bluebeast
71. No Country For Old Men (2007) – ProjectX2
72. Labyrinth (1986) – Ultimate Houde
73. Inception (2010) – Captain Canuck
74. The Shining (1980) – Bass
75. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) – Hellsbuttmonkey
76. Almost Famous (2000) – DARKKNIGHT
77. Speed Racer (2008) – bluebeast
78. James and the Giant Peach (1996) – Ice
79. Iron Man (2008) – thee great one
80. The Fox and the Hound (1981) – ultimatedjf
81. Sunshine (2007) – ProjectX2
82. Kagemusha (1980) – J. Agamemnon
83. Akira (1989) – Jaggyd
84. Hot Fuzz (2007) – Bass
85. The Princess Bride (1987) – Captain Canuck
86. Big Fish (2003) – Ice
87. Snatch (2000) - J. Agamemnon
88. The Green Mile (1999) - thee great one
89. Little Miss Sunshine (2006) - robje
90. Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) - Dr. Strangefate
91. Back to the Future (1985) - bluebeast
92. The Usual Suspects (1995) - J. Agamemnon
93. Tropic Thunder (2008) - thee great one
94. Happiness (1998) - moonmaster
95. The Boat That Rocked (2009) - robje
96. Mulholland Drive (2001) - moonmaster
97. Midnight Run (1988) - ProjectX2
 
Last edited:
Re: TCB's 1,001 Films to Watch Before You Die

You know, The Magnificent 7 is a re-imagining of Seven Samurai. Also a must-see film. I'm going to think of a film I don't think many others have seen, but that I love. BRB,bigboi's!

#2. The Killing Fields (1984)

Starring Sam Waterston, John Malkovic and Craig T. Nelson. And that's probably the only one's you'll recognize. Beautiful film about the atrocities commited during the Cambodian Civil War as remembered by famed journalist Sydney Shandberg who won a Pulitzer for his coverage of the war which wasn't without it's own bit of controversy. Great film; Highly recommend watching before you croak.

[video=youtube;_Z1sj7gzpCk]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Z1sj7gzpCk[/video]
 
Last edited:
Re: TCB's 1,001 Films to Watch Before You Die

Wet Hot American Summer is right, but I'll save that for later.

#3. Twelve Monkeys (1995) - One of the definitive time-travel stories and the most mind-opening to a lot of concepts about time-travel, reality and sanity, particularly the whole closed-time-loop "Whatever happened, happened" factor that has been butchered and dicked around with in a lot of recent works(most notably LOST). You need to see it because it's unique from virtually any other popular film. Everything from the way the plot works to Brad Pitt's supporting-role mental patient and especially the beautiful, surreal French score all dare, for once, to be different.
 
Re: TCB's 1,001 Films to Watch Before You Die

#4. The Dark Knight (2008)

The best comic book movie and one of the best crime dramas ever made.

[video=youtube;yrJL5JxEYIw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrJL5JxEYIw[/video]
 
Last edited:
Re: TCB's 1,001 Films to Watch Before You Die

#5. Star Wars - The Empire Strikes Back

The greatest of the Star Wars series, containing one of the most iconic and oft quoted moments in cinema EVER.
 
Re: TCB's 1,001 Films to Watch Before You Die

#6. Who Framed Roger Rabbit.

1930s Chandler Noir. Talking animated rabbits. Seamless integration of animation and live action. Fantastic in every way.
 
Re: TCB's 1,001 Films to Watch Before You Die

#7 Joe Somebody, 2001

Perfect Everyman Movie.

[video=youtube;8uhUjwA02_o]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uhUjwA02_o[/video]
 
Last edited:
Re: TCB's 1,001 Films to Watch Before You Die

#8 Goodfellas

Great movie, great acting. DeNiro, Pesci, Liotta, all great. "What do you mean funny, funny how? How am I funny?"

[video=youtube;r_DwZfyXAXI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_DwZfyXAXI[/video]
 
Last edited:
Re: TCB's 1,001 Films to Watch Before You Die

#9 Blade Runner - One of Ridley Scott's best works. It evoked the feeling of the old noir crime films, with modern film making. Plus some stellar acting, including one of the most haunting monologues given in film, by Rutger Hauer.
 
Last edited:
Re: TCB's 1,001 Films to Watch Before You Die

#10 A Beautiful Mind Probably my favourite drama ever. And also I think the greatest love story I've ever seen on film.
 
Re: TCB's 1,001 Films to Watch Before You Die

#11 Taxi Driver (1976)

Possibly one of the greatest performances by one of cinema's greatest actors. An incredible movie about an unstable Vietnam vet who decides to fight back against a morally corrupt and degraded world around him. Scorsese's best film.

[video=youtube;bqLyTdcMLhc]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqLyTdcMLhc[/video]
 
Last edited:
Re: TCB's 1,001 Films to Watch Before You Die

This is a very nice idea.

But, if I may, I'd like to suggest an addendum to the rules. You can only post a new film if you have seen the one previously mentioned. The idea of the thread is to get people to watch films listed here. So, it might be interesting to see how that goes?

In any case, I have seen TAXI DRIVER (I didn't care for it personally).

#12 SEVEN (1995)
One of the greatest crime stories ever told. Extremely powerful work.
 
Last edited:
Re: TCB's 1,001 Films to Watch Before You Die

#13 WEEKEND AT BERNIE'S (1989)

A great, fun comedy, and one of the best one of the 80's. Also one of my favorite comedies of all time. Joe Silverman is great.

But, if I may, I'd like to suggest an addendum to the rules. You can only post a new film if you have seen the one previously mentioned. The idea of the thread is to get people to watch films listed here. So, it might be interesting to see how that goes?
I don't think that's fair because it might stop others from posting. Even if the idea is to get them to watch, who's to know if/when anyone could get the chance to watch the previously mentioned or what if it's a movie they never want to see?
 
Last edited:
Re: TCB's 1,001 Films to Watch Before You Die

#14 Up (2009)

If the opening scenes doesn't tug on your heart then you don't have a soul.

[video=youtube;pkqzFUhGPJg]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkqzFUhGPJg[/video]
 
Last edited:
Re: TCB's 1,001 Films to Watch Before You Die

#15 The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (2001-03)

Perfect adaptation of the books? No, but still arguably the best trilogy ever made. The sheer size of the production is impressive.

[video=youtube;I7YllAOqpF4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7YllAOqpF4[/video]
 
Last edited:
Re: TCB's 1,001 Films to Watch Before You Die

I'd like to think I'm so hip that no one else has seen The Killing Fields. I must say I like Bass' idea.

16. Twilight Samurai (2002) - Beautiful film about a poor samurai struggling to provide for his 2 daughters and sick mother after his bitter wife dies of tuberculosis.

[video=youtube;7sEdxb3I3dk]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sEdxb3I3dk[/video]

Also you may be familiar with Sanada Hiroyuki, one of my favorite actors. I just found out he was in the last season of Lost. He was also one of the more memorable samurai's in The Last Samurai with Tom Cruise and will be in the upcoming film 47 Ronin along with Keanu Reeves (of all people).
 
Last edited:
Re: TCB's 1,001 Films to Watch Before You Die

17. Crank (2006)
Have you ever noticed how the best video game films aren't even based on video games? Crank is no exception. Jason Statham plays a literal video game character who will die if he stops moving. One of the craziest action films ever.

[video=youtube;8rvYrVTnSWw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8rvYrVTnSWw[/video]

I've seen all of the films so far except Joe Somebody, Weekend at Bernie's and Twilight Samurai.
 
Last edited:
Re: TCB's 1,001 Films to Watch Before You Die

#18. Time After Time - (1979)


Malcolm McDowell is H.G. Wells in one of his few good guy roles. He time-travels from the 1800s to late 1970s San Francisco to escape Jack the Ripper (an excellent David Warner). There he tries to adjust to the modern time period and meets/falls in love with a bank teller (Mary Steenburgen; she and McDowell wed after the shooting of the film).

[video=youtube;zD39rK1uSww]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zD39rK1uSww[/video]
 
Last edited:
Re: TCB's 1,001 Films to Watch Before You Die

#19 Blazing Saddles - One of Mel Brooks' best. A totally irreverent satire of race relations, and western movie tropes. Cleavon Little, Gene Wilder, Madeline Kahn, Harvey Korman, Slim Pickens, John Hillerman, and a cameo by a very young Dom DeLuise, this was the 70's "All-Star Cast" to a tee.



[video=youtube;iLNQv19YpG4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLNQv19YpG4[/video]
 
Last edited:
Re: TCB's 1,001 Films to Watch Before You Die

I don't think that's fair because it might stop others from posting. Even if the idea is to get them to watch, who's to know if/when anyone could get the chance to watch the previously mentioned or what if it's a movie they never want to see?

Agreed.

#20 Bowfinger
I might get some flack for putting it up this high, but the concept and plot are very unique and Steve Martin and Eddie Murphy are absolutely at the top of their game. Great and funny supporting cast as well, who compliment the leads perfectly.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top