Paul.E.Bailey’s World – Top 5 Movies of All-Time

Posted on by Paul.E.Bailey

This is one I wanted to avoid if I’m honest. It’s a little obvious for me and I have a habit of trying to give obvious a wide berth.

Simultaneously, this is perhaps the easiest because it’s about the only definitive Top Five I have. I couldn’t pick my five favourite songs of all-time. I already did one about videogames and you’ll recall it was a ‘five of my favourite’; rather less committal than a Top Five.

So despite the obviousness, I’m going to run with it anyway because it’s my blog and I effing well can!

What do I look for in a good movie? Erm…that is a tough question to answer. I suppose I don’t actually look for anything in particular. I’m usually swayed by which actors appear in the movie or the subject matter, but I guess I approach movies with an open mind. There are some movies I thought I’d hate, but actually wound up being quite good and vice versa

I’m a less avid movie watcher than I once was. I tend to like playing videogames more nowadays when I’m not writing or blogging. Nevertheless, I do have an extensive collection of DVD’s covering a wide array of genres and time periods. The oldest movies in my collection are King Kong (1933), Gone with the Wind (1939), Citizen Kane (1941) and Casablanca (1942).

We all love to watch a good flick and the best of them stay with us forever. The five I’m about to mention are favourites of mine because they appeal to me in so many ways. Whether sublime or ridiculous, each one of them has invoked a huge reaction from me. Without further ado, let’s get this Top Five rolling. Action!

  • The Matrix (1999) – Oh, this movie! Just seeing the name typed gives me goosebumps. There is nothing bad I will ever hear against The Matrix. The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions, okay; I’ll just about allow you to be rude about. They aren’t as good, but still both easy Top Twenty fodder for me. The first of the trilogy was just flawless in every aspect. The cast was amazing, the technology was ground-breaking and the story was gripping. The Matrix changed the way I looked at the world. The hidden message in this movie is such a smack in the kisser. I’ve watched it so many times, but I still get excited about the fight scene between Neo and Morpheus, when Agent Smith captures Morpheus, Cypher’s deception and sabotage, Neo and Trinity’s gunfight against the SWAT in the lobby, the iconic part where Neo avoids the bullets, Neo’s fight with Agent Smith in the subway station and when Neo finally realises he’s The One. It all still excites me like it was my first time watching. The Matrix is my favourite movie of all-time, hands down. I imagine it always will be.
matrix
The Matrix – simply the greatest movie ever made in my opinion
  • Fight Club (1999) – The first and second rule of Fight Club is about to be broken. Bringing up P2 in my list is this piece of cinematic art. Another movie that changed my perception of things. This movie is so good that even the author of the book, Chuck Palahniuk, said that the film was better. He was right. It really, really is! Fight Club contains some of the finest monologue and dialogue I’ve ever heard in movies. Edward Norton has one of the best voices in cinema (I could listen to him talk all day) and Brad Pitt’s Tyler Durden is one of the coolest characters in cinema. This movie really has everything. There’s only one bad thing about Fight Club…you can never watch it for the first time again. Nothing beats the first time watching it because you just don’t see that plot coming! After the first time, you know it is so you’re just waiting for it. Not that it suddenly becomes unenjoyable. It doesn’t. It’s still brilliant no matter how many times you watch it. If you haven’t seen it before then what the hell are you doing sitting here reading this? Watch it…NOW!
fight-club
Fight Club is brilliant on every conceivable level
  • Casino (1995) – Most everybody remembers Goodfellas. No harm in that. It’s a brilliant film. But I think Casino is so much better. Like, heads and shoulders better. It’s not a sequel, but it kind of is at the same time. Both films are mob movies based on true stories and both star Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci. What Casino has that Goodfellas doesn’t is the Vegas setting. That’s what makes this movie and then some. All three of the main characters in this are scintillating. De Niro; brilliant. Pesci; superb. Sharon Stone; just wow! She was so good she won the best actress Golden Globe. The violence is gruesome and one of the things that makes this such a riveting watch. What happens to Pesci at the end…sick! Martin Scorsese created a masterpiece with Casino. It’s a massively underrated movie. Some parts can drag and it’s probably a wee bit longer than it needs to be, but that’s such a minor drawback and definitely not enough to ruin the movie overall. The soundtrack is fantastic too. This will always be one of my all-time favourites and has been third behind The Matrix and Fight Club for a long time now. It’d take something very special to dislodge it.
casino
A magnificent movie is Casino. De Niro, Pesci and Stone are brilliant throughout
  • V for Vendetta (2005) – This is the newest film on the list, but belongs here on merit. It’s the second Wachowski Brothers film too along with The Matrix. If you don’t like this movie then I think it says more about you to be honest. Hugo Weaving is absolutely spellbinding as V, just as he was as Agent Smith in The Matrix. Natalie Portman plays her role brilliantly too, but the essence of this movie is the message it’s conveying. The mask of V has become iconic and is used in a host of anti-government memes (which I admit has gone beyond annoying now). It’s similar to a retelling of the Guy Fawkes story set in the near future and is as hard hitting as we expect from a Wachowski Brothers movie. There’s always that sense of ‘shit; this could actually happen’ with their films. V for Vendetta is no exception. The way this world appears to be heading I would say that this film could be frighteningly more realistic than any of us care to believe.
v-for-vendetta
The mask of V has become a symbol of rebellion for most
  • Don’t Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood (1996) – I know what you’re thinking. Every film on this list up to this point has been quite a sensible and reasonable shout; how in sweet holy f**k has this Wayans Brothers Boyz n the Hood parody ended up in my Top 5? The answer is pure and simple; this movie is absolutely hilarious. I mean it’s so funny it almost makes me vomit! That is why this movie belongs here on merit. It’s probably the funniest film I’ve ever seen. The acting ‘talent’ on display is so shocking that you’d be forgiven for thinking you’re watching an Ed Wood movie, but that’s part of the reason it’s so great. It’s a movie that doesn’t take itself seriously and it does it better than any other spoof that has come along before or since. Shawn and Marlon Wayans deliver some superb comedy throughout and you can tell the whole cast had so much fun shooting it. I wouldn’t be bothered if somebody said this was the only movie I could ever watch again for the rest of my life. Besides, I spend so much of my time being deep that a movie like this gives me the opportunity to traverse and enjoy shallower waters for an hour and a half. If you haven’t seen it before then make sure you do.
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Don’t Be a Menace is the funniest film I’ve ever seen

There’s my Top 5. There are so many others that I could mention. I love all the Bond films for example. You Only Live Twice (1967) and Diamonds Are Forever (1971) wouldn’t have looked out of place on the list. Desperado (1995) is a fantastic movie with a brilliant cast, as is Get Shorty (1995). I could spiel off a few Tarantino classics while there are other Scorsese movies that could have easily made the cut; most notably Raging Bull (1980) which is easily the best boxing themed movie ever made.

There are movies from my childhood too. Hook (1991) is one I still enjoy now and who doesn’t like Ghostbusters (1984) and Ghostbusters II (1989)? Schindler’s List deserves and honourable mention while the Bruce Lee film Enter the Dragon (1973) and the absolutely hilarious Kevin & Perry Go Large (2000) are definitely in amongst my favourites.

As you can probably tell, I like my movies. I could mention a whole lot more aside from the ones I have. A good movie stays with you for life. A great movie can change your life. Perhaps one day I’ll do a six-to-ten list, but for now I’ll leave this one where it is. Thanks for reading!

What are your favourite movies and why? Do you like my list? Am I over emphasising how great any of them are in your opinion? I’d love to see your Top 5 so we can compare and discuss. Drop a comment in the usual place and I’ll respond in due course.

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No James Bond movies feature in the list, but I love them all nonetheless

Image Credits

Image header from mobiviki.com

62 thoughts on “Paul.E.Bailey’s World – Top 5 Movies of All-Time”

      1. The Matrix is a top five movie. People have to understand it was ground breaking, not only because it was situated perfectly to end the jaded 90s era, but also because it introduced special effects unlike most people had ever seen.

        Another in my top five is The Royal Tenenbaums. For me, this is Wes Anderson’s masterpiece, a musically perfect piece situated in a specific concept of New York and with a type of dry humor that was hyper appealing.

        My third favorite movie is The Dark Knight, because it was so centered on the character of the Joker, whom I genuinely feared every time he was on stage. The debate on human nature heightened the experience and made it more than a comic book movie.

        Blade Runner is, in my opinion, a timeless movie that can be enjoyed in two ways, either for its explicit theatrical cut or for the more interpretive director’s cut (my favorite). Its focus on debating what is human and what separates us from robots was intriguing.

        My fifth favorite movie is considered terrible by most people but I don’t care. I love Vanilla Sky. That movie’s focus on needing the bad to better appreciate life, the importance of treating everyone with care, and the general trippiness of the film made it one of my favorites.

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  4. I adore Fight Club and -FYI- my BFF named her son Neo because of Matrix… I still clearly recall the date in which I went to see that movie. I have too many movies I like to narrow it down like you have… but a few all time faves just off the top of my head: basically any Kevin Smith movie… Mallrats and Dogma at the top, Almost Famous, High Fidelity, Empire Records, Kiss Me Kate, Short Term 12… Much Ado About Nothing… I Am Dina… ummm… yeah that’s enough for now. LOL

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      3. He was in Degrassi a couple years ago 😂 I know there was some other project he’d been working on recently too but it’s hard to keep up… we should have a movie night so I can educate you on these other films 😉

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  5. Pingback: Another brilliant blog by Paul. Giving his top 5 movies. Give it a read and comment | Just a few words about ….

  6. Interesting selection Paul. The Matrix I can go with, is definitely have it in my top 10 if not top 5. Fight club, I prefer the book for some reason. The film is ok but not necessarily in my top 5 ( sorry )

    Casino and V For Vandetta are pretty good films in their own right. Your last choice, Don’t be a Menace, honestly never heard of it or seen it so couldn’t comment.

    I’d have to include Blade Runner, Fifth Element, Akira and 2001 n my top 5. Mmmmm, definitely a science fiction thing going on here. Blade Runner, Has the best movie anti villain of all time, Rutger Hauer. It also has perhaps the greatest monologue ever spoken.

    I’ve seen things you people wouldn’t believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhäuser Gate. All those moments will be lost in time, like tears…in…rain. Time to die.

    Amazing and improvised. Still gives me goose bumps reading it. Maybe I should blog about the top 5 monologue in movies or TV ?? Food for thought.

    I’d love to include the Lord of the Rings Trilogy and the the original Star Wars Trilogy. Gladiator would just miss out on top 5 and so would Interstellar and The Martian ( Interstellar will become a modern classic, unique and ground breaking )

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    1. I’m ashamed to say I’ve never seen Blade Runner and Interstellar (amazing when you consider I’m an astrogeek). Never been able to get into Star Wars. Not quite sure why. Gladiator is definitely in my top twenty. It’s an amazing film. Technically better than Troy, but I prefer the story in Troy because it’s a retelling of an iconic moment in history.
      I’m a sucker for a good monologue. Edward Norton has had several across various films, but his monologue in 25th Hour is probably my favourite

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      1. Never seen 25th Hour, so will look out for it.
        You have to watch at least Interstellar. The science, the physics, the theory and cinematography are brilliant.
        Star Wars was probably first film I saw on my own ( with friends anyway ) at the cinema and it gripped me from the opening note on the score.

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      2. I honestly can’t remember the first film I saw at the cinema. I remember my mum taking me to watch Addams Family Values (the less said about that the better), but I honestly think the first film I saw at the cinema with mates was Beavis & Butthead Do America. Huh-huh-huh-huh-huh!
        I’ll get round to Interstellar before long. I’ve heard many good things

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  8. Great post! I do like your list, it’s definitely a man’s list. Lol. I’ve seen them all at some point and liked them, but barely remember the plot for most. I just tend to do that. Ok, so my favorites would be Zombieland, Juan of the Dead, Fifth Element, All the Harry Potter films, and Phantom of the opera.

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    1. It’s not quite a bloke list. There’s no porn in there 😂 Would you believe I haven’t seen Phantom of the Opera? I’d probably do a Peter Griffin and yell “C’mon, show us the gross half of your face” if I went to watch the play on stage

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      1. I like the movie, but maybe it’s only because it has Gerard Butler in it. *swoon*
        The music is really beautiful and the plot is more exciting and funny than you may think. And they do show the other half of his face. Lol

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      2. Don’t rain on my Family Guy parade. Haha. I think it’s funny how women can watch a film just because there’s a fit bloke in it. I’d crawl across broken glass on my belly with my fly unzipped just to press my face against Salma Hayek’s window while she was getting undressed, but I definitely wouldn’t go out of my way to watch one of her films. Apart from Desperado. But then Antonio Banderas is in that too and even heterosexual me has to admit he looks damned good in that movie

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      3. He actually wasn’t very fit when he did the film he was in his 20s. I didn’t even realize it was him until partway into the movie. Not his usual role. Haha I have to say I wouldn’t mind a peek at the woman myself. It’s like she never ages! Antonio is hot in desperado, but boy did things go south from there.

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      5. He was still hot in Once Upon A Time In Mexico and the second Zorro film too, but yeah, things have gone downhill for the lad. I haven’t seen Juan of the Dead. I’m quite selective about my zombie movies and I’m assuming that it is one

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      18. Yes the one I worked at was an independent store. The owner was really nice. He’s the reason I watched wrestling, he was way into it and had it on all the time. Once I knew who was who, I got into it. Now I don’t know anyone. He also held poker nights and video game challenges. It was a blast.

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      19. Ah, he sounds ace. A good boss can make any job good. I was like that with wrestling. Got really into it in about 2000, then didn’t bother til about 2006. Another break til 2010-11 and another until about this time last year and I’ve remained semi into it since. I’ve not played poker for years! Probably about a decade. I really like a bit of Texas hold em too

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      20. I’ve never gambled with the cards professionally, I’d like to try it one day. Although it kills me to waste money when I lose. It feels so horrible it doesn’t make it worth it for me. I enjoy the nickel machines on the rare occasion, I go to a casino. Lol

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      21. I’ve only done it twice for money and it was very laid back. Just a bunch of mates and/or family and a small stake. I don’t do gambling. Don’t even play the lottery. I only ever played poker for the social aspect

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