The Dirty Dozen Movies Blogfest: Nebular's TOP 12 Favorite Movies of All Time

The Dirty Dozen Movies Blogfest:

Nebular's TOP 12

Favorite Movies of All Time

3 weeks ago, one of my dearest blogger friends, Alex J. Cavanaugh came up with the idea of starting a blogfest titled The Dirty Dozen, and he invited everyone who wants to participate, to round up and post a list of their TOP 12 Favorite Movies of All Time. Well, today's June 21st and it's time every single on of the participants to reveal their dirty dozen movies. I'm proud to be one of those participants, and to present to you the twelve films that I adore, worship and love the most; the twelve films I could watch over and over and over again; the twelve films that will stick with me forever...

*****************************************

1. Hero /Ying Xiong/
(2004, Zhang Yimou)

Stunningly beautiful from start to finish, "Ying Xiong" is a masterpiece in it's own right. Shot perfectly and vividly, it never ceases to impress and is a joy to watch. It's not only the most jow-droppingly beautiful martial arts/wuxia film of all time, it's also one of the best movies ever made, thanks to its eye-popping visuals, flawless acting, intriguing story, top-notch directing and first-rate fight choreography!

*****************************************


2. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
(2000, Ang Lee)

Watching "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" was almost like watching my own dream evolve on the screen. It had everything I wanted to see in a movie. Ang Lee has created a visually stunning, lyrical, poetic film that is engaging on a number of levels: from the brilliant action choreography and flwaless wire work; to the well-crafted story; lush and exotic cinematography; and last but not least, excellent performances from the entire cast. Rarely the screen has been graced with with a film of such grace and beauty!

*****************************************


3. Kill Bill vol. 1 & 2
(2003-2004, Quentin Tarantino)

From the first seconds of the opening scene of the first movie to the end credits of the second installment, "Kill Bill" is hold-your-breath, armrest-clenching, roller coaster ride, that is filled to the brim with tributes to old Kung-fu chop-socky films, Japanese movies and anime, stylized action, gallons of splattering blood, and of course the usual pop-culture references, a staple to every Tarantino film. Both "Kill Bill" films are smart, original, visually spectacular and exciting. A modern masterpieces!

*****************************************

4. House of Flying Daggers
(2004, Zhang Yimou)

Beautifully-shot against the backdrop of the Tang Dynasty "House of Flying Daggers" reaches dizzying heights of technical brilliance. From the opulently clothed and delicately colored palace interiors of the opening, to the misty forests and plains which see most of the action, Zhang has created a series of Chinese paintings, each a masterpiece of color and composition with the balletically weightless protagonists soaring through. Without a doubt one of the most beautiful movies ever made!

*****************************************


5. The Matrix / The Matrix Reloaded
(1999 / 2003, The Wachowski Brothers)

The magnitude of philosophy in sync with the never-seen-before breathtaking slow-mo special effects make "The Matrix" a one-of-a-kind movie experience. College classes could show this movie in their philosophy class, and at the same time can prove to be one of the best special effects movies ever. Supplementally, "The Matrix" also provides endless fast-paced kung fu action and a pretty solid storyline, that influences the philosophical ideas in the movie. А revolution in the sci-fi genre!

*****************************************

6. The Lord of the Rings:
The Motion Picture Trilogy
(2001-2003, Peter Jackson)

It's a story of heroic adventure set in the unforgettably spectacular landscape of Middle-Earth. The special effects are nothing less than breathtaking, and simply move the story along. The battles are monumentally huge and exciting. The musical score constantly retains its beauty, elegance and power. "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy as a whole is a spectacular achievement in film making history, and all the three movies are together, without a doubt, the greatest epic of all time, and one of the most cinematically perfect films ever made.

*****************************************

7. Kung Fu Hustle
(2005, Stephen Chow)

Stephen Chow's "Kung Fu Hustle" is wildly imaginative, visually dazzling, brilliantly directed , highly entertaining, smart and endlessly hilarious! "Gong Fu" is an action film full of some of the finest martial arts you can find. But it does not stop there. Latest CGI and cinematic effects are deployed with ease to make the experience truly magnificent!

*****************************************


8. 300
(2007, Zack Snyder)

What makes "300" standout is that each scene brings a very unique look, from the rustling of the wheat grains while the sun pierces the cloud-covered sky, to Snyder's amazing ability to use human skin as a palate of contrast to the colors around it. Zack Snyder, it seems, never uses the same camera angle twice, and the combination of color and shading makes for an absolute beautiful vision. "300" is a mind-blowing and extremely well-shot modern masterpiece, with beautiful and stylish visuals, thrilling battle sequences, and vivid and engaging story!

*****************************************

9. Pan's Labyrinth
(2006, Guillermo Del Toro)

All my emotions weree thoroughly tested in Guillermo Del Toro's grim fairy tale. A masterful fable that alternates between uber-gritty realism and dark, twisted fantasy with such a sublime slickness, it is near startling. The balance between the two worlds is perfectly achieved by del Toro. The cinematography is fantastic and perfectly brings out the bleak atmosphere to go with the proceedings of the story. And of course, there's some frighteningly excellently-done special effects and makeup effects. Ivana Baquero who plays little Ofelia is also a joy. "Pan's Labyrinth" is without a doubt Del Toro's masterpiece!

*****************************************

10. The Curious Case of
Benjamin Button
(2008, David Fincher)

Words cannot express how truly magnificent this film is! This is what film-making is all about, pure escapism. You forget reality for two hours and you'll get an amazing masterwork helmed by a genius, written by a visionary and defined by high standard acting. Everything is so amazing in "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button", from the acting, to the vivid cinematography.

*****************************************


11. [Rec]
(2007, Jaume Balagueró)

This is the kind of movie that is all about the experience, the feeling, the atmosphere. This is the kind of movie you wish you hadn't seen because then you'd be able to experience it again for the first time. It's the brilliant style and memorable shocks that lend "[Rec]" as one of the most terrifying, clever and inventive horror films of recent memory!

*****************************************


12. Aliens
(1986, James Cameron)

In "Aliens", all of the requisite elements are there: the super-heroine, the alien monster, cool weapons, intense battle sequences, tension and suspense, an exceptionally well-paced plot, a believable world filled with corporate greed, along with consistent and excellent prop and set-design, visual effects that still, in my opinion, rival most of today's films, and a superbly moving soundtrack score which sonically matches the visual intensity of the film scene by scene. "Aliens" is one of the very few film gems of XX century and hands down the best sequel ever made!

*****************************************

The 12 Honorable Mentions That Almost Made the Cut:

Alien (1979, Ridley Scott)
Amelie (2001, Jean-Pierre Jeunet)
Curse of the Golden Flower (2006, Zhang Yimou)
Gattaca (1997, Andrew M. Niccol)
Grindhouse (2007, Tarantino, Rodriguez, Roth)
Jaws (1975, Steven Spielberg)
Inglourious Basterds (2009, Quentin Tarantino)
Iron Monkey (1993, Yuen Woo-Ping)
Pulp Fiction (1994, Quentin Tarantino)
The Legend /Fong Sai Yuk/ (1993, Corey Yuen)
V for Vendetta (2005, James McTeigue)
Yu Tu Mama Tambien (2002, Alfonso Cuaron)

*****************************************