(Don Chance)
This is an evolving list. It will never contain more than 25 movies but I do expect it to change as my interests and tastes change and as I come to like other movies.
(listed alphabetically)
The Beguiled: my favorite Eastwood movie; hold on to your leg
Bram Stoker's Dracula: terrifying remake with incredible special effects; strong cast even if Vlad looks stupid in sun glasses.
Braveheart: the epic but slightly inaccurate tale of Scotland's hero, William Wallace, is long on speeches and bravado but highly entertaining
Crocodile Dundee: now that's a knife
Dead Poets' Society: Robin Williams' finest dramatic performance
Patch Adams: Another fine comedy-drama performance of Robin Williams; new edition to this list.
The Fog: often eclipsed by Carpenter's Halloween, this is a hidden treasure
Forrest Gump: what can I say but I'd watch it again and again; run Forrest, run
Glory: true story of one of the first organized black regiments in the civil war; unusually strong cast
Halloween: John Carpenter's finest; it set the stage for all sorts of cheesy imitations
Mr. Holland's Opus: what great teachers are like
Homeward Bound: at least one kid's movie should be on any list
The Last of the Mohicans (1992 version): best scenery
The Last Samurai: An epic movie that gives a great look at the dying breed of samurai
Mary Shelly's Frankenstein: another great performance by DeNiro, this time as the monster
Moby Dick: who can forget Gregory Peck's Ahab lashed to the white whale
Mrs. Doubtfire: Robin Williams's finest comedy performance
Panic Room: A thriller with with some real originality. The most recent addition to this list.
Patton: an epic film with one of the strongest performances in movie history by George C. Scott
Rear Window: Jimmy Stewart's best performance; who can forget Raymond Burr carting off his wife, piece by piece
Sergeant York: Gary Cooper's fine performance about the pacifist soldier-hero of WWI
Shrek/Shrek 2: Defines a whole new generation of movies; great characters, great satire; great music; great artwork; the donkey steals the show; sequel is just as good. View them together.
The Silence of the Lambs: and you thought Norman Bates was scary
Sleepless in Seattle: one chic flic per list; my favorite scene: The Dirty Dozen
The Untouchables: extremely inaccurate story but highly entertaining; Costner, Connery and DeNiro in fine performances