Movies are meant for entertainment, and the ones which have been successful in winning our hearts must surely be included in the list of good movies. Check out my tiring compilation…
Consider the situation, a long weekend with an overload of interesting things to do – forcing yourself to stay awake (a heavy duty task!), counting the number of yawns (quite a math!), killing every second (that adds up to 3600 murders every hour, wow!..), etc., etc.. How appealing!! And now consider this, one lonely weekend with a bunch of friends, a bagful of good movies on DVD and a bowlful of popcorn for company…how boring! Here’s a good movies list for you to check out in case you seriously plan to ‘waste’ your weekend by enjoying…
“And the award goes to…”. Well, the makers of these ‘nearest to perfect’ movies have heard this line several times along with showers of praises bestowed upon them by critics and fans all over the world. Let’s check out all the good movies that you must watch and have the experience of a lifetime.
- Inglorious Basterds (2009)
- Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008)
- Slumdog Millionaire (2008)
- The Departed (2006)
- Memoirs of a Geisha (2005)
- Apocalypto (2006)
- Million Dollar Baby (2004)
- The Aviator (2004)
- Around the World in 80 Days (2004)
- Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2003)
- Chicago (2002)
- A Beautiful Mind (2001)
- Pearl Harbor (2001)
- Behind Enemy Lines (2001)
- Gladiator (2000)
- American Beauty (1999)
- Shakespeare in Love (1998)
- Saving Private Ryan (1998)
- Titanic (1997)
- The English Patient (1996)
- 101 Dalmatians (1996)
- Braveheart (1995)
- Forrest Gump (1994)
- Black Beauty (1994)
- The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
- Schindler’s List (1993)
- Jurassic Park (1993)
- The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
- Dances with Wolves (1990)
- The Last Emperor (1987)
- Amadeus (1984)
- Terms of Endearment (1983)
- Gandhi (1982)
- Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
- Kramer vs. Kramer (1979)
- The Deer Hunter (1978)
- Rocky I – VI (1976-2006)
- One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975)
- The Sting (1973)
- The Godfather (I/II) (1972/74)
- The French Connection (1971)
- Oliver! (1968)
- In the Heat of the Night (1967)
- A Man of All Seasons (1966)
- Doctor Zhivago (1965)
- My Fair Lady (1964)
- Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
- To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)
- West Side Story (1961)
- The Apartment (1960)
- Ben-Hur (1959)
- Gigi (1958)
- The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)
- On the Waterfront (1954)
- From Here to Eternity (1953)
- Singin’ in the rain (1952)
- An American in Paris (1951)
- All About Eve (1950)
- The Best Years of Our Lives (1946)
- The Lost Weekend (1945)
- Going My Way (1944)
- Mrs. Miniver (1942)
- How Green Was My Valley (1941)
- Gone with the Wind (1939)
- It Happened One Night (1934)
- All Quiet on the Western Front (1930)
These are the universal favorites, I must say, as they are not only loved by kids, but greatly fancied by the ‘big’ kids as well. We simply love the way Peter saves his siblings from the White Witch, and our very own Stuart teaches lessons of life. I would love to sit next to Harry on the red Hogwarts Express or run on the grounds to meet Hagrid. It is so heartening to watch such movies and feel the child in us jump with excitement.
- Up (2009)
- Spiderwick Chronicles (2008)
- Wall-E (2008)
- Horton Hears a Who! (2008)
- Kung-fu Panda (2008)
- Ponyo on the Cliff (2008)
- Bolt (2008)
- Transformers (2007)
- Bee Movie (2007)
- Enchanted (2007)
- High School Musical (2006)
- Happy Feet (2006)
- Night at the Museum (2006)
- Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005)
- The Chronicles of Narnia (2005)
- Robots (2005)
- The Incredibles (2004)
- Pirates of the Caribbean Series (2003)
- Finding Nemo (2003)
- Dr. Seuss’ The Cat in the Hat (2003)
- Ice Age (2002)
- Spiderman (2002)
- Shrek (2001)
- The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (2001-2003)
- Harry Potter (2001)
- Spy Kids (2001)
- Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001)
- Jack and the Beanstalk (2001)
- Billy Elliot (2000)
- The Kid (2000)
- Pokemon – The Movies (2000)
- The Iron Giant (1999)
- Batman (1989)
- Field of Dreams (1989)
- Mulan (1998)
- Bug’s Life (1998)
- Billboard Dad (1998)
- Hercules (1997)
- Jungle 2 Jungle (1997)
- Matilda (1996)
- Jumanji (1995)
- Toy Story (1995)
- It Takes Two (1995)
- Lion King (1994)
- The Santa Clause (1994)
- Aladdin (1992)
- Beauty and the Beast (1991)
- Rookie (1990)
- Little Mermaid (1989)
- My Neighbor Totoro (1988)
- Oliver & Company (1988)
- Brave Little Toaster (1987)
- Great Mouse Detective (1986)
- An American Tail (1986)
- Back to the Future (1985)
- The Terminator (1984)
- E.T.: The Extra Terrestrial (1982)
- Star Wars Series (1977)
- Rescuers (1977)
- Charlotte’s Web (1973)
- Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971)
- The Jungle Book (1967)
- Mary Poppins (1964)
- Swiss Family Robinson (1960)
- Sleeping Beauty (1959)
- Bambi (1942)
- Dumbo (1942)
- Pinocchio (1940)
- Fantasia (1940)
- Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001)
“Truly, great friends are hard to find, difficult to leave, and impossible to forget.” This is quite true, and it’s also true that it is next to impossible to be completely happy, if your closest friends are not by your side in your best moments. Here, I dedicate this list of movies to all my (and your) bestest friends.
- Sherlock Holmes (2009)
- 21 (2008)
- Superbad (2007)
- The 40 Year Old Virgin (2005)
- Requiem for a Dream – Director’s Cut (2000)
- An Intimate Friendship (2000)
- Frat Daze (2000)
- Open Return (2000)
- Shot Through The Heart (2000)
- Not Another Teen Movie (2001)
- Brokedown Palace (1999)
- 10 Things I Hate About You (1999)
- Fight Club (1999)
- Oliver And Lopez (1998)
- Mighty (1998)
- Frog And Wombat (1998)
- The Big Lebowski (1998)
- My Best Friends Wedding (1997)
- I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997)
- Now and Then (1996)
- First Wives Club (1996)
- Scream (1996)
- The Usual Suspects (1995)
- How To Make An American Quilt (1995)
- Waiting To Exhale (1995)
- Clueless (1995)
- Boys On The Side (1995)
- Romy And Michele’s High School Reunion (1995)
- Stand By Me (1994)
- Speed (1994)
- Corrina, Corrina (1994)
- Circle Of Friends (1994)
- Freaked (1993)
- Dead Alive (1993)
- Secret Garden (1993)
- Homeward Bound (1993)
- Wayne’s World (1992)
- Leaving Normal (1992)
- Passion Fish (1992)
- Gas Food Lodging (1992)
- Thelma And Louise (1991)
- Enchanted April (1991)
- Fried Green Tomatoes (1991)
- Tango and Cash (1989)
- Steel Magnolias (1989
- When Harry Met Sally (1989)
- Rain Man (1988)
- Beaches (1988)
- Mystic Pizza (1988)
- Whales Of August (1987)
- Au Revoir Les Enfants (1987)
- Dirty Dancing (1987)
- Big Trouble in Little China (1986)
- Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986)
- Crimes Of The Heart (1986)
- The Color Purple (1985)
- Brazil (1985)
- The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai (1984)
- Nightmare on Elm Street (first one) (1984)
- Footloose (1984)
- Places In The Heart (1984)
- Entre Nous (1983)
- 48 HRS. (1982)
- Inside Moves (1980)
- Friday the 13th (first one) (1980)
- Charlie’s Angels (1976)
- Jaws (1975)
- Dirty Harry (1971)
- Easy Rider (1969)
- On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969)
- Bullitt (1968)
- The Endless Summer (1966)
Family to us, is the ultimate source of strength and joy. Whether you play all the bad pranks on your teacher or run away with your lover, they are the only ones who always understand you and provide the much needed backbone. Watch these movies on DVD with your loving family.
- Avatar (2009)
- Coraline (2009)
- Where the Wild Things Are (2009)
- Ratatouille (2007)
- Hairspray (2007)
- Meet The Robinsons (2007)
- Wallace & Gromit in The Curse of Were Rabbit (2005)
- The Greatest Game Ever Played (2005)
- National Treasure (I/II) (2004/07)
- Finding Neverland (2004)
- Pirates of The Caribbean (I/II) (2003/06/07)
- Pieces of April (2003)
- School of Rock (2003)
- Cheaper by the Dozen (2003)
- The Princess Diaries (2001)
- Monsters Inc. (2001)
- What’s Cooking? (2000)
- X-Men (2000)
- Remember the Titans (2000)
- Erin Brockovich (2000)
- My Dog Skip (2000)
- Stuart Little (1999)
- October Sky (1999)
- Patch Adams (1998)
- American History X (1998)
- Good Will Hunting (1997)
- Babe (1995)
- Home for the Holidays (1995)
- Seven (1995)
- Born to Be Wild (1995)
- Little Women (1994)
- The Fugitive (1993)
- The Three Musketeers (1993)
- Cool Runnings (1993)
- A Far Off Place (1993)
- The Sandlot (1993)
- Scent of a Woman (1992)
- Beethoven (1992)
- Newsies (1992)
- Hook (1991)
- The Pistol (1991)
- Tremors (1990)
- Honey, I Shrunk the Kids (1989)
- The Land of Faraway (1987)
- The Princess
Bride (1987) - Police Story (1985)
- The Karate Kid (1984)
- The Neverending Story (1984)
- Krull (1983)
- The Beastmaster (1982)
- The Last Unicorn (1982)
- The Black Stallion(1979)
- The Apple Dumpling Gang (I/II) (1975/79)
- The Day of the Jackal (1973)
- A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving (1973)
- Planet of the Apes (original) (1968)
- The Nutty Professor (1963)
- Beach Party (1963)
- The Absent-Minded Professor (1961)
- I Remember Mama (1948)
- Miracle on 34th Street (1947)
- The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938)
- The Gold Rush (1925)
- Safety Last (1923)
- The Kid (1921)
Guys, here’s a deluge of good movies to rent in case you are among the luckiest (or is it unluckiest?) few to spend the afternoon watching an enchantingly romantic movie with your sweetheart…
- Love Happens (2009)
- The Time Traveler’s Wife (2009)
- It’s Complicated (2009)
- The Ugly Truth (2009)
- The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009)
- What Happens in Vegas (2008)
- Definitely, Maybe (2008)
- 27 Dresses (2008)
- The Reader (2008)
- Persuasion (2007)
- P.S. I Love You (2007)
- Music & Lyrics (2007)
- The Holiday (2006)
- Just Like Heaven (2005)
- A Lot Like Love (2005)
- The Wedding Date (2005)
- Hitch (2005)
- Pride and Prejudice (2005)
- The Notebook (2004)
- 50 First Dates (2004)
- How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (2003)
- Something’s Gotta Give (2003)
- Love Actually (2003)
- A Walk to Remember (2002)
- 40 Days And 40 Nights (2002)
- Moulin Rouge (2001)
- Save the Last Dance (2001)
- Serendipity (2001)
- The Wedding Planner (2001)
- Kate & Leopold (2001)
- Bridget Jones’s Diary (2001)
- Amelie (2001)
- Runaway Bride (1999)
- Notting Hill (1999)
- Never Been Kissed (1999)
- Cruel Intentions (1999)
- City of Angels (1998)
- The Wedding Singer (1998)
- Ever After (1998)
- My Best Friend’s Wedding (1997)
- While You Were Sleeping (1995)
- The Bridges of Madison County (1995)
- When a Man Loves a Woman (1994)
- Sleepless in Seattle (1993)
- Wuthering Heights (1992)
- Regarding Henry (1991)
- Pretty Woman (1990)
- Ghost (1990)
- Cocktail (1988)
- Bull Durham (1988)
- Moonstruck (1987)
- A Room With a View (1986)
- Out of Africa (1985)
- Falling in Love (1984)
- The Year of Living Dangerously (1983)
- An Officer and a Gentleman (1982)
- Annie Hall (1977)
- The Way We Were (1973)
- Love Story (1970)
- Romeo & Juliet (1968)
- The Sound OF Music (1965)
- Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961)
- Roman Holiday (1953)
- La Belle et la Bête (1946)
- It’s A Wonderful Life (1946)
- Brief Encounter (1945)
- Casablanca (1942)
- Sullivan’s Travels (1941)
My wife said I have had enough Thats it I’m sick get out
So I stumbled down to Kelly’s Pub, across the edge of town
An I told the boys me story and we had another round” – Dropkick Murphys
This Irish song says it all, drink till you drop and then drink some more…!
- The Hangover (2009)
- The Dark Knight (2008)
- Sin City (2005)
- Star Wars III (2005)
- Devil’s Rejects (2005)
- Dukes of Hazzard (2005)
- Madagascar (2005)
- Batman Begins (2005)
- Harold & Kumar (2004/2008)
- Alien Vs Predator (I/II) (2004/07)
- Dodgeball (2004)
- Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
- Napoleon Dynamite (2004)
- Butterfly Effect (2004)
- Saw (2004)
- EuroTrip (2004)
- Club Dread (2004)
- Dawn of the Dead (2004)
- Old School (2003)
- House of 1000 Corpses (2003)
- Freddy Vs. Jason (2003)
- Stuck on You (2003)
- Underworld (2003)
- 21 Grams (2003)
- Ring (I/II) (2002/05)
- Transporter I/II (2002/05)
- Bubba Ho-Tep (2002)
- Equilibrium (2002)
- Waking Life (2001)
- Super Troopers (2001)
- Blow (2001)
- Donnie Darko (2001)
- Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back (2001)
- Scary Movie 1 to 4 (2000/01/03/06)
- The Beach (2000)
- Dude,Where’s My Car? (2000)
- Snatch (2000)
- Boondock Saints (I/II) (1999/09)
- Matrix Trilogy (I/II/III) (1999/03/03)
- Go (1999)
- Family Guy (1999)
- Office Space (1999)
- Big Daddy (1999)
- Dogma (1999)
- Blade Trilogy (1998/02/04)
- Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998)
- Half Baked (1998)
- Run Lola Run (1998)
- Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998)
- Strangeland (1998)
- Trainspotting (1996)
- Happy Gilmore (1996)
- Tommy Boy (1995)
- Mallrats (1995)
- Billy Madison (1995)
- Pulp Fiction (1994)
- Natural Born Killers (1994)
- Clerks (I/II) (1994/06)
- Dazed & Confused (1993)
- Slacker (1991)
- Batman 1 (1989)
- Full Metal Jacket (1987)
- Hellraiser (1987)
- Terminator I/II (1984/09)
- Scarface (1983)
- Apocalypse Now (1979)
- Animal House (1978)
- A Clockwork Orange (1971)
- 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
- The Wizard of Oz (1939)
A person who enjoys good work, language isn’t a barrier for him. Foreign language movies are not only made differently, but emit an essence of their culture and civilization. Such movies widen our horizon and make us wiser.
- Hævnen (Academy Award Winner 2010), Arabic
- El secreto de sus ojos (Academy Award Winner 2009), Spanish
- Okuribito (Academy Award Winner 2008), Japanese
- Die Fälscher (Academy Award Winner 2007), German
- Das Leben der Anderen (Academy Award Winner 2006), German
- Tsotsi (Academy Award Winner 2005), Tsotsitaal
- Mar adentro (Academy Award Winner 2004), Spanish
- Les Invasions barbares (Academy Award Winner 2003), French
- Nirgendwo in Afrika (Academy Award Winner 2002), German
- Ničija zemlja (Academy Award Winner 2001), Bosnian
- Wòhǔ Cánglóng (Academy Award Winner 2000), Mandarin
- Battleship Potemkin (1925), Russian
- Metropolis (1927), German
- Pandora’s Box (1929), German
- L’Age d’Or/Un Chien Andalou (1930), Spanish-Parisian
- Der Blaue Engel (1930), German
- A Nous la Liberte (1931), French
- L’Atalante (1934), French
- La grande illusion (1937), French
- Ivan the Terrible (1944, 1946), Russian
- La Terra Trema (1948), Italian
- Ladri di Biciclette (1948), Italian
- Ikiru (1952), Japanese
- The Seven Samurai (1954), Japanese
- La Strada (1954), Italian
- Panther Panchali (1955), Bengali
- Birumano Tategoto (1956), Japanese
- The Seventh Seal (1957), Swedish
- Popiol i Diament (1958), Polish
- L’Avventura (1960), Italian
- A Bout de Souffle (1960), French
- La Dolce Vita (1960), French
- Lola (1961), French
- 8 1/2 (1963), French
- The Battle of Algiers (1965), Arabic
- Gertrud (1965), Danish
- Belle de Jour (1967), French
- Andrei Rublev (1969), Russian
- Le Boucher (1969), French
- Aguirre, der Zorn Gottes (1972), German
- Die Bitteren Traenen der Petra von Kant (1972), German
- Celine and Julie Go Boating (1974), French
- Swept Away (1975), Italian
- Der Amerikanische Freund (1977), German
- La Notte di San Lorenzo (1982), Italian
- Cinema Paradiso (1988), French
2010: The year 2010 brought with it some of the best works of the decade. Nolan’s Inception and Tom Hooper’s The King’s Speech can be counted among the best movies of the age.
- Inception
- 127 Hours
- Toy Story 3
- The Social Network
- Black Swan
- The King’s Speech
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows I
- The Twilight Saga: Eclipse
- TRON: Legacy
- Shutter Island
- Easy A
- Tangled
- The Ghost Writer
- Restrepo
- The Town
- I Am Love
- The Tillman Story
- Rabbit Hole
- Waiting for ‘Superman’
- The Kids are All Right
- True Grit
- Winter’s Bone
- Shrek Forever After
- Alice in Wonderland
2011: The most awaited movie of the year was, probably, the last installment of the Harry Potter series. The movie did not disappoint its many fans, and so didn’t the other part-of-the-series flicks. Be it Hangover II or X-Men, all did quite well. As the year comes to an end in a day’s time, we can happily say that it was a good year for moviemakers and an entertaining one for the viewers.
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows II
- Transformers: Dark of the Moon
- Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
- The Beaver
- Kung Fu Panda II
- Hangover II
- No Strings Attached
- Source Code
- X-Men: First Class
- Hanna
- Thor
- Contagion
- The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn
- Bridesmaids
- Rise of the Planet of the Apes
- The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
- Drive
- Hugo
- The Muppets
- 50/50
- The Descendants
- Attack the Block
- The Tree of Life
- The Artist (Silent film in black and white)
- A Separation
- Shame
- Moneyball
- Weekend
- Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part I
- Mission Impossible – Ghost Protocol
Movies entertain you when you are with family and friends, give you company when you are lonely, lift your mood when you are down and multiply your jubilation. They are that part of your life, which you just cannot do without. Here, I leave you with Shakespeare, as no one can define the relationship between the real and the reel, better than he has;
“All the world’s a stage,
And all the men and women merely players.
They have their exits and their entrances;
And one man in his time plays many parts,
His acts being seven ages….”
The show must go on..!