The long title says it all. This is basically going to be an ever expanding list of films you need to see whether they won an Oscar or have been seen by only five people. Everything included. Just straight recommendations based off what I find to be interesting and watchable. Let’s start.

 

Easy Rider (1969)

The road movie that started all road movies. Started the American New Wave of film making and is also just fun to watch. The campfire scene with Jack Nicholson is one of my favorites.

Harold and Maude (1971)

Seriously just one of  the best movies ever made. Harold seeks attention by staging suicide and generally being obsessed with death. Maude loves life so much that every day is an adventure. Wacky and fucking hilarious with a damn fine soundtrack.

One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest (1975)

Absolute classic film starring one of the best actors of all time and a villain that truly makes your blood boil. So many great scenes. I can’t believe Brad Dourif didn’t become a gigantic star after this.

Almost Famous (1996) Available on Netflix

Essential hangout movie. You could literally put this on at any point and the movie and I’d sit an watch it. It’s the first thing I think of when I hear Tiny Dancer by Elton John. Also, Kate Hudson.

Battleship Potemkin (1925)

One of the most famous silent films of all time. The Odessa stairs sequence is historical. Pretty bloody and action filled given the year it was made. Also relatively short compared to some of the epics being made during the 20’s.

Come and See (1985)

Absolutely haunting film about Russia’s role in WWII. The main kid actor here goes through an ordeal that would have landed filmmakers today in jail. You can literally see his face become hollow and empty as the film goes on. Beats the shit out of you and never lets up. Crazy film.

Midnight Cowboy (1969)

One of the best acting displays of all time from Dustin Hoffman. Film has heart even though it’s technically a rated X film. Hey, also won best picture too. I’M WALKIN’ HERE.

Rushmore (1998)

You’ll probably see nearly every Wes Anderson film on this list. Schwartzman is perfectly cast as Fischer and Bill Murray hams it up the only way he knows how. I also think the scottish kid is one of the most underrated supporting characters in Wes Anderson films. Nobody talks about him.

Blood Simple (1985) Available on Amazon Watch Instantly

Early Coen brothers film that has SUCH A KICKASS ENDING. Great underseen noir film.

Deliverance (1972) Available on Netflix

Jokes aside, this is a great film. Everybody will remember it for the “squeal like a pig” scene but it’s really a great example of primal instinct and the will to survive. Jon Voight is a badass.

Memento (2000)

I think people forget how visionary Christopher Nolan was/is. The Dark Knight Rises and Interstellar had serious flaws but his earlier work really proved how unique his mind really is. This film is a work of intricately sculpted art.

Night of the Hunter (1955)

I’ve talked about this film extensively. It’s one of my favorite films of all time and to me, the most well filmed black and white ever. Charles Laughton could have given us magic but was cut down by inept critics. Now all we have is this masterpiece. What a loss to filmmaking.

Straw Dogs (1971)

You’re going to notice a theme. I really love Dustin Hoffman. Like, a lot. This film is one that doesn’t get seen often by modern audiences due to its, well, horrific nature. Not for the faint of heart. This film really accelerated the home invasion films of the 80s.

Assault on Precinct 13 (1976)

John Carpenter gem that takes a back seat to The Thing (For good reason albeit) but is still fucking badass and entertaining. Spawned a shit remake but the original has so much more going for it.

Cache (2005)

My favorite Michael Haneke film and therefore one of my favorite films of all time. The minimalist approach that has made Haneke famous is in full force here as we get long lingering shots that only pump up the mystery and dread of what is already a creepy as plot. Unsettling.

Das Boot

Makes you seriously wonder how they were able to film such intense and faced paced scenes while filming in such tight spaces. Epic game of cat and mouse that looks great on the directors cut blue ray that came out a few years ago. They don’t make submarine movies often, but when they do they always pale in comparison to this.

Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang (2005)

Ahhh that glorious time right before Iron Man where Robert Downey Jr. was still kind of not a big deal. To me, this may be the best buddy cop movie of all time. Perfect chemistry between RDJ and Val Kilmer. I always wished for a sequel but in a way we kind of got that with The Nice Guys coming out this year. That’s another film that needs to be seen by the way.

Play Misty For Me (1971)

Vastly underrated Clint Eastwood film about a crazy bitch who really really digs listening to Clint play late night sex songs on the radio. It’s actually the first film that Eastwood directed and it shows a bit what the film is very tense and full of WOAH THIS BITCH PSYCHO moments.

Wild At Heart (1990)

Probably the most underseen and underrated David Lynch film. I had a ball with this. It has crazy violence, Nicolas Cage acting like a nutcase like always, and Willem Dafoe being super creepy which is something because Willem Dafoe is already super creepy.

Death Race 2000 (1975)

This movie is goddamn ridiculous. For those of you wondering, and I’m sure you are, yes, that is a picnic layed out with a fake baby packed with dynamite with a speeding race car heading towards it because running over pedestrians during this crazy race gets you more points. Those burgers look great by the way. David Carradine and Sylvester Stallone are in this and the cars are just so 70s. Seriously a camp classic.

 

PART TWO COMING SOON