A dozen best movies

Let me share with you some of the best made movies which I have come across in the recent years. When I say that I am going to list about the best movies, these are based only on what I consider the best. To make the listing shorter, only a dozen of such best movies are chosen. And of course there is no inclusion of regional movies (lets put a separate listing for them), and the listing isn't in any specific order.

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1. Le fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain (2001) – French

  

I just fell in love in with this movie because of its splendid and gorgeous cinematography in narrating an ordinary romance tale. Amélie is the story of an innocent and naïve girl from Paris who has her own sense of justice. She helps the people around her and finds her solace along the way. It is a kind of movie which creates its own sort of joyful and colorful universe. Audrey Tatou as Amélie is simply amazing.

Genre: Drama, Romance, Fantasy 

2. The English Patient (1996) – English

 

A mysterious, critically burnt patient who is known to others only as English patient is taken care of by a charming and isolated young war field nurse. Though he is reluctant to speak about his past, his world of love, fate, deceit and loss is shown in the form of flashbacks. To simply say about the movie, all the aspects of the movie are at the peak of excellence, be it the dreamy and romantic music, or the high class photography, or everlasting wonderful performances from Kristen Scott and Ralph Fiennes or the well handled script by director Anthony Minghella. It’s one of the very few films I get emotionally drawn into it.  Genre: Romance, Drama, War

3. The Godfather (1972) – English

I honestly say that this is one of the movies where you cannot find any flaw in after watching it for multiple times. The movie concentrates on the powerful New York based mafia Corleone Crime family headed by Don Vito Corleone (Marlon Brando), how their business runs and transformation of head of the syndicate from his the ageing patriarch to his reluctant son Michael Corleone (Al Pacino).

Genre: Drama, gangster

4.Three Colors: Red (1994) – French

This is the third and final of the Three Colors trilogy by famous Polish director Krzysztof Kieslowski. Red is about the story of a model who discovers her neighbour is keen on invading others' privacy. It focuses about the French revolutionary theme of fraternity, by showing characters whose lives gradually become closely interconnected. One can feel a loneliness, and mild melancholy prevailing in the film throughout, like the previous 2 movies in the trilogy.

Genre: mystery, romance, drama 

5. The Lives of Others (2007) – German

Set in East Berlin in 1984, a secret police agent is assigned to conduct surveillance on a famous author and his partner, an actress. Throughout the operation in listening to their conversations, he gets more and more absorbed by their lives. The screenplay is excellent with stunning performance by the lead actor. One of the best thrillers from German cinema.

Genre: Drama, thriller

6. Infernal affairs (2002) – Hongkong

A well stylish thriller movie with a gripping screenplay I have seen in recent years. Two rats, one in police precinct and the other inside the crime regime Traids, both working for the opposite, must find and expose the other in order to keep their own cover. The 2006 Hollywood gangster drama The Departed directed by Scorcese is a remake of this Asian masterpiece.
Genre: Crime, Thriller 

7. Eastern promises (2007) – English

A Russian teenager dies at childbirth and leads a clue to a British midwife (Naomi Watts) to interact with Russian Mafia Vory V Zakone. Directed by one of classical, unsung maverick David Cronenberg, Eastern Promises is more like a tale of morality, good and evil stuff rather than blood and gore exploitation, a terrific, gritty, tight and violent thriller set in dark London which will take your breath away. It left me with memories of some unforgettable characters, as well as perplexing thoughts about good and evil.  Viggo Mortensen as enigmatic driver and cleaner for the crime family gives one of his career best performances.

Genre: gangster, thriller

8. The Deer Hunter (1978) – English

This is one of the very few post-war films that show a sincere reverence for the lives of small town people. It is a movie about three Russian American friends working in steel mill in a small American town, and their service in Vietnam War. It is an in-depth portrayal of how War affects the people in small town. Already a hardcore De Niro fan, I just started watching it for his presence only, but ended up liking it more than anything. This along with The English Patient changed my perspective towards the slow going drama genre.

Genre: War, Drama.

9. Fight Club (1999) – English

The script was tight, the theme fascinating, the incredible acting from Edward Norton and Brad Pitt, the direction inspired, and the cinematography stunning, this is for sure one of the best and unique movies ever made. A discontented, insomniac white collar professional and who-cares type soap maker forms a relationship and starts Fight Club which ultimately leads to a violent revolution. I could talk for hours about Fight Club if I am asked to. It is a kind of brilliant film which both entertains and enlightens one.

Genre : Drama, thriller, satire

10. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) – English

It is undoubtedly one of the best science fiction films made till date. It is primarily a technically advanced movie for its time, directed by Stanley Kubrick, one of the most talented filmmakers. The film explores the elements of human evolution and extraterrestrial life with spellbinding visuals and very minimal dialogues. It took some time for me to realize that it indeed was produced before 4 decades with such artistic excellence.

Genre: Sci-fi, drama

11. The Shawshank redemption (1994) - English

A simple and smooth-spoken depiction of friendship hope, hardships and redemption. A banker (Tim Robbins) is convicted for murdering his wife and is put into Shawshank State prison. He spent almost next 20 years of his there and befriends fellow prisoners and forms a strong bond with Red (Morgan Freeman). There was no need of any freaky special effects for the movie and that’s what I call it simple. The dialogues are catchy and narrated through the man of magical voice, Morgan Freeman.

Genre: Drama 

12. Mulholland Drive (2001) – English

Followed by a car accident, a young amnesiac woman (Laura Harring) get stumbles into the apartment of an aspiring young actress (Naomi Watts). The two soon get close to each other and set to find out what has happened. The film also follows few parallel storylines which closely connects to the two women. Without any second thought I’d say this is one of the best surreal and psychological thrillers through which director David Lynch challenges the viewers in solving the puzzle and lets one drawing into own conclusion.

Genre: Mystery, psychological thriller