Monday, August 2, 2021

Recommended movies from 2020s

As I haven't seen many of the movies from 2020 or 2021 or 2022, I'll combine them and keep a running tally of my top ten at the bottom. These are the films I saw and liked enough to recommend with an A or B grade.

80 for Brady
Accident Man: Hitman's Holiday
The Adam Project
Air
Ant-Man and the Wasp Quantumania
Ava
Bad Boys for Life
The Banshees of Inisherin
Barbarian
Bathtubs Over Broadway
Best Sellers
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Black Widow
Blood Red Sky
Borat Subsequent Moviefilm
Bullet Train
Confess, Fletch
The Contractor
Count Me In
Creed III
Day Shift
The Debt Collectors
The Devil All the Time
The Dig
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
Don't Look Up
Elvis
Enola Holmes
Everything Everywhere All at Once
Extraction
Extraction 2
The Fabelmans
Free Guy
Fresh
The Gentlemen (2020 in US though it was 2019 in the UK by a month for a premiere)
Ghostbusters: Afterlife
Ghosted
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery
The Gray Man
Greyhound
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Gunpowder Milkshake
I'm Thinking of Ending Things
John Wick: Chapter 4
Judy Blume Forever
Jungle Cruise
Kurt Vonnegut: Unstuck in Time
Last Night in Soho
The Last Wolf: Karl Edward Wagner
The Lost City
Lou
Ma Rainey's Black Bottom
A Man Called Otto
Mank
The Map of Tiny Perfect Things
The Marksman
The Menu
The Midnight Sky
Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part One
Mr. Harrigan's Phone
My Octopus Teacher
News of the World
Nightmare Alley
Nobody
Nomadland
The Old Guard
One Night in Miami
One Shot
The Paper Tigers
Prey
A Quiet Place Part II
Reminiscence
RRR (Rise, Roar, Revolt)
Samaritan
Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
Small Engine Repair
Smile
Space Sweepers
Spider-Man: No Way Home
Spirited
The Suicide Squad
Talk to Me
The Tender Bar
Tenet
Thor: Love and Thunder
tick, tick...BOOM!
The Tomorrow War
Top Gun: Maverick
The Trial of the Chicago 7
The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent
Uncharted
Vengeance
The Way Back
Weird: The Al Yankovic Story
Where the Crawdads Sing
The Woman King
Wrath of Man

Monday, September 7, 2020

Hell Hunter Playlist

When I write novels, I tend to create a playlist for each book. I don't necessarily listen to the songs while I'm writing because lyrics can be distracting, but I like to have songs that fit the book in question.

In the past, I've kept those mostly to myself. I've talked about songs inspiring fiction on a few convention panels, though. Sometimes a song will help inform a character. Sometimes it hits on a theme. Sometimes it simply evokes a mood.

During the pandemic, I've been listening to a lot of music. It helps to keep me sane (well, close to it). It's been a strange few months.

In any case, because I just finished a new book called Hell Hunter, and included the playlist at the back of that book, I thought I'd share it here, too.

A warning about Hell Hunter. It's extremely dark, so if you can't handle darkness, you'll want to steer clear of it.

If you think you can handle it, Click Here to Buy.

But the songs may still be fun. We'll go alphabetical by song title. Some of the official releases are not set up to be embedded, so I'll link to those instead (links will open in a new window).

1. "All the Good Girls Go to Hell" by Billie Eilish

First of all, this is a cool song with a cool video (couldn't embed it). The attitude fits. If God herself needs Lucifer's help, what about us mere mortals?

Click here to go to the video

2. "Black Sabbath" by Black Sabbath

Released in 1970, this is the oldest song on the playlist, and it feels like a requirement considering the title and subject matter. Besides, it's Black Sabbath.

3. "Brother Jacob" by Head East

Head East is best-known for the song "Never Been Any Reason." This song is from the same album (Flat as a Pancake), in fact, it's the final tune on the record. While the protagonist of the book doesn't sell his soul, he still has a price to pay. I always got a kick out of this song because it's upbeat, and the final verse suggests Brother Jacob is still alive. We can all use a little hope.

4. "Children of the Next Level" by Testament

This one is about a cult. The Heaven's Gate cult in particular. I wanted a song about cults in the playlist, and Testament released this cool tune this year, so I knew it belonged here. If you have some time, check out the video with full animation. It rocks.

5. "Criminal" by Fiona Apple

Fiona may sing about being a bad, bad girl, but this is a good, good song. There are enough criminals in the book to justify this song, and it fits the Brenda character quite well.

Click here to go to the video

6. "Evil and Here to Stay" by The Jeff Healey Band

I first discovered Jeff Healey in the movie Road House, then picked up his CD "See the Light" in 1989. It hooked me, and I bought every Jeff Healey CD (yes, kids, there were CDs, and actual vinyl records before that) when they came out. This particular song was my favorite tune from the "Feel This" album. It has the right attitude for this book, so it's in.

7. "God is a Bullet" by Concrete Blonde

I love Concrete Blonde. Such a cool band. This song is just as timely now as when it was released. Johnette Napolitano's voice is so distinctive and perfect for this amazing band.

8. "Hell is for Children" by Pat Benatar

When this song came out, some Christian groups misunderstood the point of the song, thinking it was about sending kids to Hell or some nonsense. That alone would be enough to include it, but as the book revolves around kids kidnapped by a Satanic cult, a song about child abuse needs to be here.

An official version is not set to embed, so Click Here to Go Listen

9. "Mr. Crowley" by Ozzy Osbourne

I mentioned this song by name in one of my Jonathan Shade novels. As the cult chose the 12th of October to kidnap the children because it was Aleister Crowley's birthday, I felt it deserved another appearance on my playlist. Any excuse is fine. This song rocks.

10. "Ritual" by Ghost

This tune was the third song added to the list (Black Sabbath and Ozzy were the first two) because it would just be wrong not to have it here.

11. "Stargazer" by Rainbow

Ronnie James Dio is in top form on this cool tune. People believe things that can get them killed.

Link to official release Click Here to Listen

12. "Where Evil Grows" by The Poppy Family

This was the last song added to the playlist. I almost went with another song by the same band ("There's No Blood in Bone") because this song was used in the Sonic the Hedgehog movie. I decided it belonged here anyway.

Saturday, January 25, 2020

Recommended movies from the 1970s.

Movies released from 1970-1979.  These would get at least a B rating from me at the time I saw them.  Some movies, we watch again and like better.  Some movies, we wonder what were we thinking?  But enough with the caveats.  This is a long list, so if you're looking for something to watch, maybe you'll find a few gems in here.  List is in alphabetical order because I'm not about to try to rank them.

10
1900
The Abominable Dr. Phibes
Airport
Alien
All the President's Men
American Graffiti
The Amityville Horror
And Justice for All
And Now for Something Completely Different
And Now the Screaming Starts
The Anderson Tapes
The Andromeda Strain
Annie Hall
Apocalypse Now
The Apple Dumpling Gang
The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again
The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz
The Aristocats
Assignment Terror
At the Earth's Core
The Bad News Bears
The Bad News Bears in Breaking Training
Bananas
The Barefoot Executive
Battle for the Planet of the Apes
The Beast Must Die
Bedknobs and Broomsticks
The Beguiled
Being There
Ben
Beneath the Planet of the Apes
Benji
The Betsy
The Big Boss
The Big Fix
Big Jake
Billy Jack
Bite the Bullet
Black Beauty
Black Sunday
Blazing Saddles
Bless the Beasts & Children
The Blood on Satan's Claw
The Boatniks
Bobbie Jo and the Outlaw
Bound for Glory
Boxcar Bertha
A Boy and His Dog
The Boy in the Plastic Bubble
The Boy Who Cried Werewolf
Breakhart Pass
Breaking Away
A Bridge Too Far
The Brood
Buck Rogers in the 25th Century
The Buddy Holly Story
Butterflies Are Free
Cabaret
California Suite
Capricorn One
Captain Kronos: Vampire Hunter
The Car
Car Wash
Carrie
Casey's Shadow
The Cat from Outer Space
Catch-22
Charlotte's Web
The Cheap Detective
The China Syndrome
Chinatown
Chisum
Circle of Iron
A Clockwork Orange
Close Encounters of the Third Kind
Coffy
Cold Sweat
Coming Home
Conquest of the Planet of the Apes
The Conversation
Count Yorga, Vampire
The Cowboys
The Creature from Black Lake
Crossed Swords
Damnation Alley
Dawn of the Dead
The Day of the Dolphin
The Day of the Jackal
Death Race 2000
Death Wish
Deathsport
The Deep
The Deer Hunter
Deliverance
The Devil's Rain
Diamonds Are Forever
Dirty Harry
Dirty Mary Crazy Larry
The Doberman Gang
Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze
Dog Day Afternoon
Don't Go in the House
Dr. Phibes Rises Again
Dracula
Dracula A.D. 1972
The Drowning Pool
Drunken Master
Duck, You Sucker
Duel
The Duellists
The Eagle Has Landed
Earthquake
The Eiger Sanction
The Electric Horseman
The End
The Enforcer
Enter the Dragon
Equus
Escape from Alcatraz
Escape from the Planet of the Apes
Escape to Witch Mountain
Every Which Way But Loose
The Exorcist
Family Plot
Farewell, My Lovely
The Fearless Hyena
Fiddler on the Roof
Fist of Fury
Five Fingers of Death
The Food of the Gods
For Pete's Sake
Force 10 from Navarone
Foul Play
The Four Musketeers
Foxy Brown
Freaky Friday
The French Connection
French Connection II
The Frisco Kid
Funny Lady
'Gator Bait
The Gauntlet
Genesis II
The Godfather
The Godfather: Part II
Goin' South
Going in Style
The Golden Voyage of Sinbad
The Goodbye Girl
Gray Lady Down
Grease
The Great Gatsby
The Great Santini
The Great Waldo Pepper
Grizzly
Halloween
Hanover Street
Hard Times
Harold and Maude
The Heartbreak Kid
Heaven Can Wait
High Plains Drifter
Hooper
Horror Express
Hot Lead and Cold Feet
The Hot Rock
Hot Stuff
House Calls
House of Dark Shadows
The House That Dripped Blood
I, Monster
Ice Castles
The In-Laws
The Inglorious Bastards
International Velvet
Invasion of the Body Snatchers
The Island at the Top of the World
The Island of Dr. Moreau
It's Alive
Jaws
Jeremiah Johnson
The Jerk
Joe Kidd
Kelly's Heroes
Kentucky Fried Movie
King Kong
Kingdom of the Spiders
Kramer vs Kramer
The Land That Time Forgot
The Last Detail
The Last Dinosaur
The Last House on the Left
Last Tango in Paris
The Legend of Boggy Creek
The Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires
Let's Scare Jessica to Death
The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean
Little Big Man
Live and Let Die
Logan's Run
The Longest Yard
Love at First Bite
Love Story
Mad Max
Magnum Force
Mako: The Jaws of Death
Man of La Mancha
The Man Who Loved Cat Dancing
The Man Who Would Be King
The Man with the Golden Gun
Manhattan
Marathon Man
MASH
McQ
Mean Streets
Meatballs
The Mechanic
Midnight Express
Midway
The Million Dollar Duck
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
Monty Python's Life of Brian
Moonraker
Mother, Jugs & Speed
Mr. Majestyk
Murder by Death
Murder on the Orient Express
The Mysterious Island
National Lampoon's Animal House
Network
Night Moves
Night of Dark Shadows
The Night Stalker
The Night Strangler
No Deposit, No Return
Norma Rae
North Dallas Forty
Now You See Him, Now You Don't
Ode to Billy Joe
Oh, God!
The Omega Man
The Omen
On a Clear Day You Can See Forever
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
One of Our Dinosaurs Is Missing
One on One
The Outlaw Josey Wales
The Owl and the Pussycat
Paper Moon
Patton
The People That Time Forgot
Pete's Dragon
Phantasm
The Pink Panther Strikes Again
Piranha
Play It Again, Sam
Play Misty for Me
Plaza Suite
The Poseidon Adventure
Prime Cut
The Questor Tapes
Race with the Devil
Red Sky at Morning
The Reincarnation of Peter Proud
The Rescuers
Return from Witch Mountain
The Return of Count Yorga
The Return of the Pink Panther
Revenge of the Pink Panther
Rio Lobo
Robin and Marian
Rocky
Rocky II
The Rocky Horror Picture Show
Rollerball
Rolling Thunder
Rooster Cogburn
Running
Same Time Next Year
Satan's School for Girls
The Satanic Rites of Dracula
Saturday Night Fever
Scarecrow
Scars of Dracula
Scream and Scream Again
Scavenger Hunt
Semi-Tough
Serpico
Shaft
The Shaggy D.A.
Shampoo
Shaolin Wooden Men
The Shootist
Shout at the Devil
Silent Movie
Silent Running
Silver Streak
Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger
The Six Million Dollar Man
Skullduggery
Slap Shot
Slaughterhouse-Five
Sleeper
Sleuth
Smokey and the Bandit
Snake and Crane Arts of Shaolin
Snake in the Eagle's Shadow
Soylent Green
Spectre
The Spy Who Loved Me
Sssssss
Star Wars (A New Hope to you youngsters)
Starting Over
Stay Hungry
The Stepford Wives
The Sting
Straw Dogs
The Street Fighter
The Strongest Man in the World
The Sugarland Express
The Sunshine Boys
Superman
Support Your Local Gunfighter
Swashbuckler
The Swiss Family Robinson
Taste the Blood of Dracula
Taxi Driver
Telefon
Ten Little Indians
Theater of Blood
There's a Girl in My Soup
They Call Me Mr. Tibbs
They Only Kill Their Masters
Three Days of the Condor
The Three Musketeers
Thunderbolt and Lightfoot
Tim
Time After Time
The Towering Inferno
Two Mules for Sister Sara
Two-Minute Warning
Up in Smoke
The Vampire Lovers
W.W. and the Dixie Dancekings
Walkabout
The Wanderers
The Warriors
The Way of the Dragon
The Way We Were
Westworld
What's Up, Doc?
When a Stranger Calls
The White Buffalo
White Lightning
The Wicker Man
The Wild Party
Willard
Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory
The Wind and the Lion
Winter Kills
Wizards
The World's Greatest Athlete
The Yakuza
Young Frankenstein
Recommended movies from the 1980s.

Movies released from 1980-1989.  These would get at least a B rating from me at the time I saw them.  Some movies, we watch again and like better.  Some movies, we wonder what were we thinking?  But enough with the caveats.  This is a long list, so if you're looking for something to watch, maybe you'll find a few gems in here.  List is in alphabetical order because I'm not about to try to rank them.

10 to Midnight
1984
48 Hrs
52 Pick-Up
84 Charing Cross Road
9 1/2 Weeks
9 to 5
About Last Night
Above the Law
Absence of Malice
The Abyss
The Accidental Tourist
The Accused
Adventures in Babysitting
The Adventures of Baron Munchausen
The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension
After Hours
Against All Odds
Agnes of God
Airplane!
Airplane II: The Sequel
Alien Nation
Aliens
All of Me
All the Marbles
All the Right Moves
Altered States
Always
Amadeus
American Dreamer
American Flyers
American Gigolo
American Ninja
An American Werewolf in London
Angel Heart
Another Woman
Any Which Way You Can
Armour of God
Armour of God II: Operation Condor
Arthur
At Close Range
Atlantic city
Author! Author!
Bachelor Party
Back Roads
Back to School
Back to the Future
Back to the Future Part II
Backfire
Bad Boys
Bad Taste
Bagdad Cafe
Barfly
Bat*21
Batman
Battle Creek Brawl (aka The Big Brawl)
Beaches
The Beast Within
The Beastmaster
The Bedroom Window
Beetlejuice
The Believers
The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas
Best of the Best
The Best of Times
Best Seller
Better Off Dead
A Better Tomorrow
A Better Tomorrow II
Beverly Hills Cop
Beverly Hills Cop II
Big Business
The Big Chill
The Big Easy
The Big Red One
Big Trouble in Little China
Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure
Biloxi Blues
Bird
Black Rain
Black Widow
Blade Runner
Blame It on Rio
Blaze
Blind Date
The Blob
The Blood of Heroes
Blood Simple
Bloodsport
Blow Out
The Blue Lagoon
Blue Thunder
Blue Velvet
The Blues Brothers
Body Double
Body Heat
The Boost
The Border
Born on the Fourth of July
The Bounty
Brainstorm
Brazil
The Breakfast Club
Breathless
Brewster's Millions
Broadcast News
Bronco Billy
Brubaker
Bull Durham
The 'Burbs
Caddyshack
Cannery Row
Carny
Casualties of War
Cat People
The Challenge
Chances Are
The Changeling
Child's Play
Children of a Lesser God
A Chinese Ghost Story
Christine
A Christmas Story
City Heat
City on Fire
Clara's Heart
Clash of the Titans
Class
Clean and Sober
Clue
Coal Miner's Daughter
The Coca-Cola Kid
Cocoon
Code of Silence
Cohen and Tate
The Color of Money
The Color Purple
Colors
Coming to America
Commando
Conan the Barbarian
Continental Divide
The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover
Cop
The Cotton Club
Cousins
Creator
Creepshow
Crimes and Misdemeanors
Crimes of Passion
Criminal Law
Crocodile Dundee
Crocodile Dundee II
Crossing Delancey
Crossroads
Cry Freedom
A Cry in the Dark
Cyborg
Dad
Dangerous Liaisons
The Dark Crystal
Das Boot
Day of the Dead
Dead Calm
Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid
Dead of Winter
Dead Poets Society
The Dead Pool
Dead Ringers
The Dead Zone
Deadly Blessing
Death Hunt
Deathtrap
Defiance
Die Hard
Diner
Dirty Dancing
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
Disorganized Crime
D.O.A.
Do the Right Thing
Doctor Detroit
Dominick and Eugene
Down and Out in Beverly Hills
Dragnet
Dragon Lord
Dragons Forever
Dragonslayer
The Dream Team
Dreamscape
Dressed to Kill
Driving Miss Daisy
Drugstore Cowboy
A Dry White Season
Eddie and the Cruisers
Eddie Macon's Run
Educating Rita
Eight Men Out
Electric Dreams
The Elephant Man
Elvira: Mistress of the Dark
The Emerald Forest
Empire of the Sun
The Empire Strikes Back
Enemies, a Love Story
Enemy Mine
The Entity
Erik the Viking
Escape from New York
E.T. the Extraterrestrial
Everybody's All-American
The Evil Dead
Evil Dead II
The Evil That Men Do
Excalibur
Extreme Prejudice
Extremities
Eye of the Needle
Eyewitness
The Fabulous Baker Boys
The Falcon and the Snowman
Fandango
Fast Times at Ridgemont High
Fast Walking
Fat Man and Little Boy
Fatal Attraction
Ferris Bueller's Day Off
Field of Dreams
The Final Countdown
Firefox
Firestarter
First Blood
A Fish Called Wanda
The Flamingo Kid
Flashdance
Flesh + Blood
Fletch
Fletch Lives
The Fly
The Fog
Footloose
For Your Eyes Only
The Four Seasons
Frantic
Fright Night
Full Metal Jacket
The Funhouse
Funny Farm
F/X
Gallipoli
Gandhi
Gardens of Stone
The Gate
Ghostbusters
Gleaming the Cube
Glory
God of Gamblers
The Golden Child
Good Morning, Vietnam
The Goonies
Gorillas in the Mist
Gorky Park
Gotcha!
Gothic
Grace Quigley
Great Balls of Fire
The Great Outdoors
Gremlins
Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes
Gross Anatomy
Gung Ho
Half Moon Street
Halloween II
Hamburger Hill
Hannah and Her Sisters
Harlem Nights
Heart of Dragon
Heartbreak Hotel
Heartbreak Ridge
Hearts and Armour
Heathers
Heavy Metal
Hellbound: Hellraiser II
Hellraiser
Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer
Her Alibi
Hero at Large
Hiding Out
High Road to China
Highlander
History of the World: Part I
The Hitcher
The Hollywood Knights
Honey, I Shrunk the Kids
Honkytonk Man
Hoosiers
Hopscotch
House
How to Beat the High Cost of Living
Howard the Duck (sorry, folks, I liked it)
The Howling
The Hunger
The Hunter
I, the Jury
The Ice Pirates
If You Could See What I Hear
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
Innerspace
An Innocent Man
Into the Night
Ironweed
Jacknife
Jagged Edge
Jake Speed
The January Man
Jekyll and Hyde ... Together Again
Johnny Dangerously
Johnny Handsome
Jumpin' Jack Flash
Just One of the Guys
The Karate Kid
Kickboxer
The Killer
The Killing Fields
Kiss Me Goodbye
Knightriders
La Bamba
Ladyhawke
Lassiter
The Last Dragon
The Last Emperor
Last Rites
The Last Starfighter
The Last Temptation of Christ
The Last Warrior
Lean on Me
Legal Eagles
Legend
Less Than Zero
Lethal Weapon
Lethal Weapon 2
Licence to Kill
License to Drive
Lifeforce
Little Darlings
The Little Mermaid
Little Nikita
Little Shop of Horrors
The Living Daylights
Lone Wolf McQuade
The Lonely Guy
The Lords of Discipline
The Lost Boys
Lost in America
Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome
Madame Sousatzka
Major League
The Man from Snowy River
The Man with One Red Shoe
The Man with Two Brains
Manhunter
Married to the Mob
Mask
Masquerade
The Mean Season
The Meaning of Life
Memories of Me
Midnight Run
A Midsummer Night's Sex Comedy
The Mighty Quinn
Mike's Murder
The Milagro Beanfield War
Miracle Mile
Miracles (aka Mr. Canton & Lady Rose)
Mischief
Mississippi Burning
Modern Problems
The Money Pit
The Monster Squad
Moonstruck
The Morning After
Moscow on the Hudson
The Mosquito Coast
Mr. Mom
Murphy's Romance
Music Box
My Bodyguard
My Favorite Year
My Left Foot
My Lucky Stars
My Neighbor Totoro
Mystic Pizza
The Naked Gun
The Name of the Rose
Nate and Hayes
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
The Natural
Near Dark
Never Cry Wolf
Never Say Never Again
New York Stories
Night of the Comet
Night of the Demons
Night Shift
Nighthawks
A Nightmare on Elm Street
A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors
No Mercy
No Way Out
Nothing in Common
Octopussy
Off Limits
An Officer and a Gentleman
On Golden Pond
Once Bitten
Once Upon a Time in America
Ordinary People
Out Cold
Out of Africa
Outland
Outrageous Fortune
The Outsiders
Overboard
The Package
Pale Rider
Paperhouse
Parenthood
Patty Hearst
Peggy Sue Got Married
Personal Best
Pet Sematary
Phantasm II
The Philadelphia Experiment
Pink Floyd: The Wall
Places in the Heart
Planes, Trains & Automobiles
Platoon
Police Academy
Police Story
Police Story 2
Poltergeist
Popeye
Porky's
The Postman Always Rings Twice
A Prayer for the Dying
Predator
The Presidio
Pretty in Pink
Prince of the City
The Princess Bride
Private Benjamin
Prizzi's Honor
Project A
Project A Part II
The Protector
Psycho II
Pumpkinhead
The Pursuit of D.B. Cooper
Quest for Fire
The Quiet Earth
Racing with the Moon
Raging Bull
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Rain Man
Raising Arizona
Rambo: First Blood Part II
Raw Deal
The Razor's Edge
Re-Animator
Real Genius
Reckless
Red Dawn
Red Heat
Relentless
Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins
Return of the Jedi
Return of the Living Dead
Return to Snowy River
The Right Stuff
Risky Business
The River
Road House
The Road Warrior
RoboCop
Rocky III
Rocky IV
Romancing the Stone
'Round Midnight
Roxanne
Rumble Fish
Runaway
Runaway Train
The Running Man
Running on Empty
Running Scared
Ruthless People
Salvador
Say Anything
Scandal
Scanners
Scarface
Scrooged
Sea of Love
Secret Admirer
The Secret of My Success
See No Evil, Hear No Evil
Seems Like Old Times
The Serpent and the Rainbow
The Seventh Sign
Sex, Lies, and Videotape
Sharky's Machine
The Shining
Shoot to Kill
Siesta
Silent Rage
Silkwood
Silver Bullet
Silverado
Sixteen Candles
Skin Deep
Some Kind of Wonderful
Someone to Watch Over Me
Something Wicked This Way Comes
Something Wild
Somewhere in Time
Southern Comfort
Spaceballs
Spies Like Us
Splash
Split Image
Stakeout
Stand and Deliver
Stand by Me
The Star Chamber
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
Star Trek III: The Search for Spock
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home
Starman
St. Elmo's Fire
Stealing Home
Still of the Night
Stir Crazy
Stormy Monday
Strange Brew
Street Smart
Stripes
The Stunt Man
Subway
Sudden Impact
Summer Lovers
Summer Rental
Summer School
Superman II
The Sure Thing
Suspect
Sweet Dreams
Switching Channels
The Sword and the Sorcerer
Talk Radio
The Tall Guy
Tango & Cash
Taps
Target
Tattoo
Teachers
Teen Wolf
Tender Mercies
Tequila Sunrise
The Terminator
Terms of Endearment
Tex
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2
That Was Then ... This Is Now
They Call Me Bruce
They Live
Thief
The Thing
Things Change
This is Spinal Tap
Three Amigos
Three Men and a Baby
Throw Momma from the Train
Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!
Tiger on Beat
Tightrope
Time Bandits
Timerider: The Adventure of Lyle Swann
Tin Men
To Live and Die in L.A.
Tom Horn
Tootsie
Top Gun
Top Secret!
Touch and Go
Tough Guys
The Toxic Avenger
Trading Places
Tron
Trouble in Mind
True Believer
Tucker: The Man and His Dream
Tuff Turf
Turk 182
Turner & Hooch
Twinkle Twinkle Lucky Stars
Twins
UHF
The Unbearable Lightness of Being
Uncle Buck
Uncommon Valor
Under Fire
Under the Rainbow
The Untouchables
Urban Cowboy
Used Cars
Vacation
Vampire's Kiss
The Verdict
Victory
Videodrome
Vision Quest
Wall Street
Wanted: Dead or Alive
The War of the Roses
WarGames
Waxwork
Weekend at Bernie's
Weird Science
We're No Angels
Wheels on Meals
When Harry Met Sally
White Nights
White of the Eye
Who Framed Roger Rabbit
Willow
Winners and Sinners
Winter People
Wish You Were Here
Witchboard
The Witches of Eastwick
Without a Clue
Without a Trace
Witness
Wolfen
The Woman in Red
Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
Working Girl
The World According to Garp
The Year of Living Dangerously
Year of the Dragon
Yellowbeard
Yes, Madam!
Young Doctors in Love
Young Guns
The Young Master
Young Sherlock Holmes
Recommended movies from the 1990s.

Movies released from 1990-1999.  These would get at least a B rating from me at the time I saw them.  Some movies, we watch again and like better.  Some movies, we wonder what were we thinking?  But enough with the caveats.  This is a long list, so if you're looking for something to watch, maybe you'll find a few gems in here.  List is in alphabetical order because I'm not about to try to rank them.

10 Things I Hate About You
12 Monkeys
2 Days in the Valley
The 13th Warrior
8MM
Above Suspicion
Absolute Power
Ace Ventura: Pet Detective
Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls
The Addams Family
Addicted to Love
The Adventures of Ford Fairlaine
The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert
Affliction
After Dark, My Sweet
The Age of Innocence
Air Force One
Aladdin
Alive
American Beauty
American Heart
American History X
American Me
American Pie
The American President
Amistad
Analyze This
Angela's Ashes
Angels and Insects
Anna and the King
Any Given Sunday
Apollo 13
The Apostle
Apt Pupil
Arachnophobia
Arlington Road
Armour of God II: Operation Condor
Army of Darkness
As Good as It Gets
Assassins
At Play in the Fields of the Lord
Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery
Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me
Avalon
Awakenings
The Babe
Back to the Future Part III
Backdraft
Bad Boys
Bad Influence
BASEketball
Basic Instinct
Batman Returns
Beautiful Girls
Beauty and the beast
Before Sunrise
Being John Malkovich
Beloved
Benny & Joon
The Best Man
Beyond the Law
Bicentennial Man
The Big Hit
The Big Lebowski
Big Night
Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey
Billy Madison
The Bird Cage
Bird on a Wire
Black Robe
Blade
Blast from the Past
Blink
Blood In, Blood Out
Bob Roberts
Body Snatchers
The Bodyguard
The Bodyguard from Beijing
The Bone Collector
Boogie Nights
The Boondock Saints
Bottle Rocket
Bound
Bowfinger
The Boxer
Boys Don't Cry
Boyz n the Hood
Braveheart
Breakdown
Breaking the Waves
The Bridges of Madison County
Bringing Out the Dead
Brokedown Palace
Broken Arrow
A Bronx Tale
The Brothers McMullen
A Bug's Life
Bugsy
Bullet in the Head
Bullets Over Broadway
The Cable Guy
Cadence
Candyman
Cape Fear
Carlito's Way
Casino
Caught
Cemetary Man
Center Stage
Chaplin
Chasing Amy
China Moon
Chinese Box
Chungking Express
The Cider House Rules
Circle of Friends
City Hunter
City of Angels
City of Joy
The City of Lost Children
City Slickers
A Civil Action
Class Action
Clay Pigeons
Clear and Present Danger
Clerks
The Client
Cliffhanger
Clockers
Closet Land
Clueless
Cobb
The Commitments
Con Air
Conspiracy Theory
Contact
Cool Runnings
Cop Land
Copycat
Coupe de Ville
Courage Under Fire
Crazy People
Crime Story
Crimson Tide
Cronos
Croupier
The Crow
The Crucible
Cruel Intentions
Cry-Baby
Cry, the Beloved Country
The Crying Game
The Cutting Edge
Damage
Dances with Wolves
Dangerous Minds
Dark City
The Dark Half
The Dark Wind
Darkman
Dave
Dazed and Confused
Dead Again
Dead Alive
Dead Presidents
Death and the Maiden
Death Becomes Her
Death Warrant
Deceived
Defending Your Life
Deep Blue Sea
Deep Cover
The Deep End of the Ocean
Deep Impact
Defenseless
Delicatessen
Demolition Man
Desperado
Detroit Rock City
Devil in a Blue Dress
The Devil's Advocate
The Devil's Own
Die Hard 2
Die Hard with a Vengeance
Diggstown
Dirty Work
Doc Hollywood
The Doctor
Dogfight
Dogma
Dolores Claiborne
Don Juan DeMarco
Donnie Brasco
Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood
Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead
The Doors
Double Impact
Double Jeopardy
Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story
DragonHeart
Dream Lover
Drunken Master II
Dumb and Dumber
Ed Wood
The Edge
Edward Scissorhands
El Mariachi
Empire Records
Encino Man
The End of the Affair
Enemy of the State
The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill But Came Down a Mountain
Entrapment
Eve's Bayou
Excessive Force
Executive Decision
eXistenZ
Exorcist III
Exotica
Extreme Measures
Eye for an Eye
Face/Off
The Faculty
Fallen
Falling Down
A Family Thing
Farewell My Concubine
Fargo
Father of the Bride
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
Fearless
A Few Good Men
The Field
Fierce Creatures
The Fifth Element
Fight Club
Fire in the Sky
The Firm
The First Power
The First Wives Club
The Fisher King
Fist of Legend
The Five Heartbeats
Flatliners
Flesh and Bone
Flirting
Fools Rush In
For Love of the Game
For Love or Money
For the Boys
Forever Young
Forget Paris
Forrest Gump
Four Weddings and a Funeral
Frankie and Johnny
French Kiss
The Freshman
Friday
Fried Green Tomatoes
The Frighteners
From Dusk Till Dawn
The Fugitive
Full Contact
The Full Monty
Galaxy Quest
The Game
Gattaca
The General's Daughter
Get on the Bus
Get Shorty
Gettysburg
Ghost
The Ghost and the Darkness
Ghosts of Mississippi
Girl, Interrupted
Gladiator (1992)
Glengarry Glen Ross
Go
The Godfather: Part III
Gods and Monsters
GoldenEye
Good Will Hunting
Goodfellas
Grand Canyon
Grand Tour: Disaster in Time
The Green Mile
The Grifters
Grosse Point Blank
Groundhog Day
Grumpier Old Men
Grumpy Old Men
Guarding Tess
Guilty by Suspicion
The Hand That Rocks the Cradle
The Handmaid's Tale
Happy Gilmore
Hard Boiled
Hard Eight
Hard Target
Hard to Kill
The Hard Way
Haunted
He Said, She Said
Heart and Souls
Heat
Heaven & Earth
Heaven's Prisoners
Heavenly Creatures
Hercules
Hero
Hocus Pocus
Hoffa
Holy Smoke
Home for the Holidays
Homicide
Honeymoon in Vegas
Hook
The Horse Whisperer
The Hot Spot
The House of the Spirits
HouseSitter
Howards End
The Hunchback of Notre Dame
The Hunt for Red October
The Hunted
Husbands and Wives
I Love You to Death
I.Q.
The Ice Storm
Il Postino
Immortal Beloved
In & Out
In the Line of Fire
In the Mouth of Madness
In the Name of the Father
Independence Day
The Indian Runner
Indian Summer
Infinity
The Insider
Instinct
Internal Affairs
Interview with the Vampire
Inventing the Abbotts
Irma Vep
Iron & Silk
The Iron Giant
Iron Monkey
The Jackal
Jackie Brown
Jacob's Ladder
Jason's Lyric
Jennifer 8
Jerry Maguire
JFK
Joe Versus the Volcano
Juice
Jumanji
Jungle Fever
Jurassic Park
Ju Dou
Just Cause
Kafka
Kalifornia
Kindergarten Cop
King of New York
Kingpin
Kiss the Girls
Knight Moves
L.A. Confidential
L.A. Story
La Femme Nikita
Lake Placid
Last Action Hero
The Last Boy Scout
Last Man Standing
Last of the Dogmen
The Last of the Mohicans
The Last Seduction
A League of Their Own
Leap of Faith
Leaving Las Vegas
Leaving Normal
The Legend
The Legend 2
Legends of the Fall
Leon: The Professional
Lethal Weapon 3
Lethal Weapon 4
Liar Liar
Life Is Beautiful
Light Sleeper
Like Water for Chocolate
The Lion King
Lionheart
Little Man Tate
Little Odessa
Living in Oblivion
Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels
Lone Star
The Long Kiss Goodnight
The Long Walk Home
Lord of Illusions
Lorenzo's Oil
Losing Isaiah
Lost Highway
Lost in Yonkers
The Lost World: Jurassic Park
Mad City
Mad Dog and Glory
The Madness of King George
Magnolia
Malcolm X
Malice
Mallrats
The Mambo Kings
The Man in the Iron Mask
A Man of No Importance
The Man in the Moon
Man on the Moon
The Man Who Knew Too Little
The Man Without a Face
Manhattan Murder Mystery
Map of the Human Heart
A Map of the World
Marked for Death
Marvin's Room
The Mask
The Mask of Zorro
The Master
Matinee
The Matrix
Maverick
Maximum Risk
Medicine Man
Meet Joe Black
Memoirs of an Invisible Man
Memphis Belle
Men Don't Leave
Men in Black
Menace II Society
Mercury Rising
Message in a Bottle
Miami Blues
Michael Collins
A Midnight Clear
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil
A Midsummer Night's Dream
The Mighty
Mighty Aphrodite
The Mighty Ducks
Miller's Crossing
The Minus Man
Misery
Mission Impossible
Mississippi Masala
Mo Better Blues
Mother
Mr. & Mrs. Bridge
Mr. Holland's Opus
Mr. Nice Guy
Mrs. Doubtfire
Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle
Much Ado About Nothing
Mulan
Mulholland Falls
Multiplicity
Mumford
The Mummy
Murder in the First
A Murder of Crows
Muriel's Wedding
The Muse
My Blue Heaven
My Cousin Vinny
My Family
My Father is a Hero
My Fellow Americans
My Life
Mystery, Alaska
The Naked Gun 2 1/2: The Smell of Fear
Naked Lunch
Narrow Margin
Natural Born Killers
Necessary Roughness
Needful Things
The Negotiator
The Newton Boys
Nick of Time
Night Falls on Manhattan
Night on Earth
Nightbreed
The Nightmare Before Christmas
The Ninth Gate
Nixon
Nobody's Fool
Notting Hill
Nowhere to Run
The Nutty Professor
Of Mice and Men
Office Space
Once a Thief
Once Around
Once Upon a Time in China
Once Upon a Time in China II
Once Upon a Time in China III
Once Were Warriors
One False Move
One Fine Day
Only the Lonely
Only the Strong
Only You
Open Your Eyes
Orgazmo
Other People's Money
Out for Justice
Out of Sight
Out to Sea
Outbreak
Pacifric Heights
The Paper
Paradise
Passenger 57
Passion Fish
Patch Adams
Patriot Games
Payback
Peace Hotel
The Peacemaker
The Pelican Brief
A Perfect Murder
A Perfect World
The Perfect Weapon
The People Under the Stairs
The People vs. Larry Flynt
Permanent Midnight
Peter's Friends
Phenomenon
Philadelphia
The Piano
The Pillow Book
The Player
Pleasantville
Pocahontas
Point Break
Police Story 3: Supercop
Police Story 4: First Strike
The Postman
Powder
The Power of One
Practical Magic
Presumed Innocent
Pretty Woman
Primal Fear
Primary Colors
The Prince of Tides
Private Parts
The Prophecy
Pulp Fiction
Pump Up the Volume
Q & A
The Quick and the Dead
Quick Change
Quigley Down Under
Quiz Show
Radio Flyer
The Rainmaker
Raise the Red Lantern
Raising Cain
Rambling Rose
Ransom
Rapid Fire
Reality Bites
Red Rock West
The Ref
Regarding Henry
The Remains of the Day
Renaissance Man
The Replacement Killers
Reservoir Dogs
Revenge
Reversal of Fortune
Ricochet
Ride with the Devil
Rising Sun
A River Runs Through It
Rob Roy
The Rock
The Rocketeer
Romy and Michele's High School Reunion
Ronin
Roommates
Rosewood
Rounders
Ruby in Paradise
Rudy
Rumble in the Bronx
Run Lola Run
Running Time
Rush (1991)
Rush Hour
Rushmore
Sabrina
Safe
The Sandlot
The Santa Claus
Saving Private Ryan
Scent of a Woman
Schindler's List
School Ties
Scream
Scream 2
Se7en
Searching for Bobby Fischer
The Secret of Roan Inish
Secrets & Lies
Sense and Sensibility
Shadowlands
Shadows and Fog
Shakespeare in Love
Shallow Grave
Shanghai Triad
Shattered
The Shawshank Redemption
The Sheltering Sky
Shine
Shining Through
A Shock to the System
Short Cuts
Short Time
Showdown in Little Tokyo
The Siege
The Silence of the Lambs
Simon Birch
The Simple Life of Noah Dearborn
A Simple Plan
A Simple Twist of Fate
Single White Female
Singles
Sirens
Sister Act
Six Degrees of Separation
The Sixth Sense
Sleepers
Sleeping with the Enemy
Sleepless in Seattle
Sleepy Hollow
Sling Blade
Small Soldiers
Smoke
Smoke Signals
Sneakers
Sniper
Soapdish
Soldier
Sommersby
The Soong Sisters
Speed
Split Second
Stanley & Iris
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country
Star Trek: First Contact
Star Trek: Insurrection
Stargate
Starship Troopers
Stay Tuned
Stealing Beauty
Stigmata
Stir of Echoes
Strange Days
The Substitute
Sudden Death
Suicide Kings
Swimming with Sharks
Swingers
Switchback
Swordsman II
Tai-Chi Master
The Talented Mr. Ripley
Tales from the Crypt: Demon Knight
Tarzan
The Temp
Terminator 2: Judgment Day
That Night
That Thing You Do
Thelma & Louise
There's Something About Mary
The Thing Called Love
Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead
The Thirteenth Floor
This Boy's Life
The Thomas Crown Affair
Three Kings
Thunderbolt
Thunderheart
A Time to Kill
Timecop
Tin Cup
Titanic
Titus
To Gillian on Her 37th Birthday
To Sleep with Anger
To Wong Foo Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar
Tombstone
Tommy Boy
Tomorrow Never Dies
Total Recall
Toy Story
Toy Story 2
Traveller
Tremors
Trespass
True Colors
True Crime
True Lies
True Romance
Truly Madly Deeply
The Truman Show
The Truth About Cats & Dogs
Twilight
Twin Dragons
Twister
U.S. Marshals
U Turn
Ulterior Motives
Under Siege
The Underneath
Unforgiven
Universal Soldier
Unlawful Entry
Untamed Heart
Up Close and Personal
The Usual Suspects
Vampires
The Vanishing
Varsity Blues
Vincent and Theo
Wag the Dog
A Walk in the Clouds
The War
The Waterboy
The Waterdance
Waterworld
Wayne's World
Wayne's World 2
The Wedding Singer
Wes Craven's New Nightmare
What About Bob?
What Dreams May Come
What's Eating Gilbert Grape
When a Man Loves a Woman
While You Were Sleeping
White Hunter Black Heart
White Men Can't Jump
White Palace
White Sands
White Squall
Who Am I?
The Whole Wide World
Wild at Heart
Wild Bill
Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken
Wild Things
Wind
Wing Chun
The Wings of the Dove
The Witches
Wolf
Wrestling Ernest Hemingway
Wyatt Earp
The X-Files
You've Got Mail
Young Guns II
Zero Effect
Recommended movies from the 2000s.

Movies released from 2000-2009.  These would get at least a B rating from me at the time I saw them.  Some movies, we watch again and like better.  Some movies, we wonder what were we thinking?  But enough with the caveats.  This is a long list, so if you're looking for something to watch, maybe you'll find a few gems in here.  List is in alphabetical order because I'm not about to try to rank them.

13 Going on 30
1408
21
25th Hour
28 Days
28 Days Later
28 Weeks Later
3:10 to Yuma
30 Days of Night
3000 Miles to Graceland
The 40-Year-Old Virgin
50 First Dates
8 Mile
About a Boy
About Schmidt
The Accidental Spy
Across the Universe
Adaptation
Ali
Almost Famous
Along Came a Spider
Amelie
American Gangster
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy
The Answer Man
Antwone Fisher
Appaloosa
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
Assassination Tango
Avatar
The Aviator
Babel
Bad Boys II
Bad Santa
Bandits
The Bank Job
Basic
Batman Begins
Battle Royale
A Beautiful Mind
Before Sunset
Before the Devil Knows You're Dead
Bend It Like Beckham
Big Fish
Big Trouble
Black Hawk Down
Blade II
The Blind Side
Blood and Bone
Blood Diamond
Bloody Sunday
Body of Lies
Boiler Room
The Bourne Identity
The Bourne Supremacy
The Bourne Ultimatum
The Brave One
Breach
Brick
Bridget Jones's Diary
Broken Flowers
Brooklyn's Finest
Brotherhood of the Wolf
Bruce Almighty
Bubba Ho-Tep
The Bucket List
Burn After Reading
The Butterfly Effect
Calendar Girls
Capote
Casino Royale
Cast Away
Catch and Release
Catch Me If You Can
Cellular
Changeling
Changing Lanes
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Charlie Wilson's War
Charlotte Gray
Chicago
Children of Men
Chocolat
The Chronicles of Riddick
Cinderella Man
Clerks II
Click
Cloverfield
Coach Carter
Cold Mountain
Collateral
Confessions of a Dangerous Mind
Confidence
The Constant Gardener
Constantine
The Contender
The Cooler
Corpse Bride
The Count of Monte Cristo
Cradle 2 the Grave
Crank
Crash
Crazy Heart
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Da Vinci Code
Danny Deckchair
Dark Blue
The Dark Knight
Dawn of the Dead
Day Watch
Death Proof
Defiance
Deja Vu
De-Lovely
The Departed
Derailed
The Descent
The Devil Wears Prada
District B13
District 9
Disturbia
Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story
Donnie Darko
Don't Say a Word
The Door in the Floor
Drag Me to Hell
Dreamcatcher
The Dreamers
Dude, Where's My Car?
Eastern Promises
Elf
Elizabethtown
Ella Enchanted
The Emperor's Club
The Emperor's New Groove
Enchanted
Enemy at the Gates
Enough
Erin Brockovich
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Eurotrip
Exit Wounds
The Eye (2002)
The Family Man
The Fast and the Furious
The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift
Fearless
Femme Fatale
Final Destination
Final Destination 2
Finding Forrester
Finding Nemo
Finding Neverland
The Forbidden Kingdom
Four Brothers
Fracture
Frailty
Frequency
Frequently Asked Questions About Time Travel
Frida
Friday Night Lights
From Hell
Frost/Nixon
The Game Plan
Gangs of New York
Garden State
Ghost Rider
Ghost World
The Gift
Ginger Snaps
The Girl Next Door
Girl with a Pearl Earring
Gladiator
The Golden Compass
Gone Baby Gone
The Good Girl
Good Night, and Good Luck
A Good Year
Gosford Park
Gran Torino
The Greatest Game Ever Played
Grindhouse
The Guardian
Half Nelson
Hancock
The Hangover
Hardball
Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Hearts in Atlantis
Heist
Hellboy
Hellboy II: The Golden Army
Hero
Hidalgo
High Crimes
High Fidelity
A History of Violence
Hitch
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Hitman
Holes
The Holiday
Hollywood Ending
Hostage
Hotel Rwanda
The Hours
House of Flying Daggers
House of Sand and Fog
How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days
Howl's Moving Castle
The Hunted
The Hurt Locker
Hustle & Flow
I Am Legend
Ice Age
Identity
Idiocracy
The Illusionist
In America
In Bruges
In Hell
In Her Shoes
In the Bedroom
In the Electric Mist
The Incredibles
Infernal Affairs
Infernal Affairs II
Inglourious Basterds
Inside Man
Insomnia
The International
The Interpreter
Into the Blue
Into the Wild
The Invention of Lying
Invictus
Invincible
The Invisible
Ip Man
Iris
Iron Man
The Italian Job
Jarhead
Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back
JCVD
Jersey Girl
John Q
Joy Ride
Ju-on: The Grudge
Juno
Jurassic Park III
K-19: The Widowmaker
K-PAX
Kate & Leopold
Keeping the Faith
The Kid
Kill Bill: Vol. 1
Kill Bill: Vol. 2
The Kingdom
Kinsey
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
Kiss of the Dragon
The Kite Runner
A Knight's Tale
Kung Fu Hustle
The Ladykillers
The Lake House
Lakeview Terrace
The Last Castle
The Last Samurai
Laurel Canyon
Law Abiding Citizen
Leatherheads
The Legend of Bagger Vance
Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events
Let the Right One In
Life as a House
The Life of David Gale
Lilo & Stitch
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
Lions for Lambs
Little Miss Sunshine
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
Lord of War
The Loss of a Teardrop Diamond
Lost in Translation
Love & Basketball
Love Actually
Lovely & Amazing
Lucky Number Slevin
The Machinist
Madagascar
Made
The Magdalene Sisters
The Majestic
Mamma Mia!
The Man from Earth
Man on Fire
The Man Who Wasn't There
The Manchurian Candidate
Maria Full of Grace
Marley and Me
Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World
Matchstick Men
Martian Child
Match Point
Mean Girls
Meet the Parents
Memento
Memoirs of a Geisha
Men of Honor
Merantau
The Mexican
Michael Clayton
Million Dollar Baby
Mindhunters
Minority Report
Miracle
Miss Congeniality
The Missing
Mission Impossible III
The Mist
Mona Lisa Smile
Monster
Monster's Ball
Monster's Inc.
The Mothman Prophecies
Mr. & Mrs. Smith
Mr. Brooks
Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium
Mrs. Henderson Presents
Mulholland Drive
Munich
Music and Lyrics
My Big Fat Greek Wedding
Mystic River
The Nanny Diaries
Narc
National Treasure
Never Back Down
New Police Story
Next
Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist
Night at the Museum
Night Watch
Nights in Rodanthe
Ninja
No Country for Old Men
No Reservations
North Country
The Notebook
Nurse Betty
O Brother, Where Art Thou?
Ocean's Eleven
Ocean's Thirteen
Ocean's Twelve
Old School
Oldboy
Once Upon a Time in Mexico
Ondine
The One
One Hour Photo
Ong-Bak: The Thai Warrior
Open Range
The Others
Out of Time
Pan's Labyrinth
Panic Room
Pathfinder
The Patriot
Pay It Forward
The Perfect Storm
Perfume: The Story of a Murderer
The Pianist
Pirate Radio
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
The Pledge
Pollock
The Prestige
The Princess Diaries
Proof of Life
The Protector
Prozac Nation
P.S. I Love You
Punch Drunk Love
The Punisher
The Pursuit of Happyness
Push
The Quiet American
Quills
Rabbit-Proof Fence
Rambo
Ray
The Reader
The Recruit
Red Dragon
Redbelt
Reign of Fire
Reign Over Me
Remember the Titans
The Replacements
Requiem for a Dream
The Ring
The Road
Road to Perdition
Road Trip
Rock Star
Rocky Balboa
Romeo Must Die
The Rookie
The Royal Tenenbaums
Rules of Engagement
Runaway Jury
The Rundown
Rush Hour 2
Sahara
The Salton Sea
Saw
Scary Movie
School of Rock
The Score
Seabiscuit
Secondhand Lions
The Secret Life of Bees
Secretary
Serendipity
Serenity
Sex and Lucia
Shadow of the Vampire
Shaft
Shall We Dance
Shallow Hal
Shanghai Knights
Shanghai Noon
Shaolin Soccer
Shaun of the Dead
Sherlock Holmes
Shinjuku Incident
The Shipping News
Shooter
Shopgirl
Shrek
Shrek 2
Shrek the Third
Sideways
Sin City
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants
Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow
Slither
Slumdog Millionaire
Snatch
Solomon Kane
Something's Gotta Give
Space Cowboys
Spanglish
Spartan
Spider-Man
Spider-Man 2
The Spiderwick Chronicles
Spirited Away
Spy Game
Spy Kids
The Squid and the Whale
Stage Beauty
Stardust
Star Trek
State and Main
State of Play
The Station Agent
Stranger Than Fiction
Street Kings
Sunshine
Super Troopers
Superbad
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Sweet Home Alabama
Sweet November
Swimming Pool
Swordfish
Syriana
The Tailor of Panama
Taken
Talk to Her
Team America: World Police
Tears of the Sun
Tell No One
Ten Inch Hero
The Terminal
Thirteen Days
The Time Machine
The Time Traveler's Wife
Traffic
Training Day
Traitor
The Transporter
Trapped
Tropic Thunder
Troy
Tuck Everlasting
U-571
The Ugly Truth
Unbreakable
Under the Tuscan Sun
Underworld
Undisputed 2: Last Man Standing
Unfaithful
An Unfinished Life
Unleashed
Up
Up in the Air
The Upside of Anger
V for Vendetta
Valkyrie
Vantage Point
Veronica Guerin
W.
Waiting
Waitress
Walk the Line
A Walk to Remember
Walking Tall
WALL-E
War
The Warlords
Watchmen
The Weatherman
We Are Marshall
We Were Soldiers
Wedding Crashers
Whale Rider
What Women Want
Where the Heart Is
White Chicks
White Oleander
The Whole Nine Yards
Wild Hogs
Wimbledon
Wonder Boys
The World's Fastest Indian
The Wrestler
Wristcutters: A Love Story
X-Men
X2: X-Men United
Y Tu Mama Tambien
Yes Man
You Can Count on Me
You Kill Me
Zodiac
Zombieland
Zoolander

Tuesday, December 31, 2019

2019 in movies and a look back at the 2010s.

As a storyteller, I consume stories all the time.  Novels, movies, TV shows, you name it.  The problem with novels is that while I can recommend a bunch, there's just no way anyone can read every good book produced each year.  Also, because I'm constantly writing books of my own, I can't keep up, so with the exception of a few favorite authors, I find that I don't get to many of the books I want to read sometimes for many years.  Many of the books I've read (or re-read) in the last few years are from long ago (Hit and Run by Richard Deming, The Last Buffoon by Len Levinson writing as Leonard Jordan, Gone by Lisa Gardner, The Neon Rain by James Lee Burke, etc.) so there you go.

It's a little easier to keep up on movies.  It's also easier for them to be a shared experience.  Call up a friend, and say, "Hey, want to go to a movie?" is more likely to get a, "Sure," than saying, "Hey, let's read the new Connie Willis novel."

That said, I am way behind on my movie-watching this year.  So with the understanding that I didn't get out to the theater much this year, and the only movie I've found time to go see in December is the latest Star Wars flick, here is my list of the top ten movies I saw this year.

Top 10 Movies I saw in 2019

 1. Motherless Brooklyn
2. Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood
3. Knives Out
4. Dolemite is My Name
5. Avengers: Endgame
6. Spider-Man: Far from Home
7. John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum
8. Captain Marvel
9. Always Be My Maybe
10. Jojo Rabbit


We also happen to be at the end of a decade, so just for fun, here's a list of more than 300 movies I watched and enjoyed in the last ten years.  The list will certainly grow as I see more movies.  But if you're looking for something entertaining or in some cases thought provoking, these might do the trick.  To get on the list, I went with a grading system of A B C D F.  These films got at least a B from me.  I try to take movies on the level they're intended which is why a movie like FDR: American Badass is on the list.  That movie hit what it aimed at and kept me laughing throughout.  To make it easy, I just went in alphabetical order because I wasn't about to try to rank them.  So without further ado:

Movies I saw and recommend from the 2010s

10 Cloverfield Lane
12 Years a Slave
1917
2 Guns
3 Days to Kill
47 Ronin
About Time
Absolutely Anything
Accident Man
The Accountant
The Adjustment Bureau
Adrift
The Aeronauts
The Age of Adaline
All is Lost
Allied
Always Be My Maybe
American Assassin
American Hustle
American Made
American Sniper
Anthropoid
Ant-Man
Ant-Man and the Wasp
Argo
Arrival
Assassination
Atomic Blonde
Avengement
The Avengers
Avengers: Age of Ultron
Avengers: Endgame
Avengers: Infinity War
The Awakening
Baby Driver
Before Midnight
Before We Go
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
The Big Short
Bird Box
Birdman or (the Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
Black Panther
BlaKkKlansman
Blade Runner 2049
Blood Father
Blue is the Warmest Color
Bohemian Rhapsody
The Book of Eli
The Book of Henry
The Book Thief
The Bourne Legacy
Boyka: Undisputed
Bridesmaids
Bridge of Spies
Bright
Broken City
Brooklyn
The Cabin in the Woods
Captain America: Civil War
Captain America: The First Avenger
Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Captain Fantastic
Captain Marvel
Captain Phillips
Chappie
Charlie St. Cloud
Chinese Zodiac
Chronicle
Cloud Atlas
Coco
Coherence
Cold in July
Colin Hay: Waiting for My Real Life
Collateral Beauty
The Company You Keep
The Conjuring
The Conjuring 2
Crazy Rich Asians
Crazy, Stupid, Love
Creed
Creed II
Criminal
Dallas Buyers Club
Darkest Hour
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
Deadpool
Deadpool 2
Deadwood: The Movie
The Debt
The Debt Collector
The Descendants
The Discovery
Divergent
Django Unchained
Doctor Sleep
Doctor Strange
Dolemite is My Name
Draft Day
Dragon Blade
Dredd
Drive
Eddie the Eagle
Edge of Darkness
The Edge of Seventeen
Edge of Tomorrow
El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie
Elvis & Nixon
Elysium
Ender's Game
The Equalizer
The Equalizer 2
Escape Plan
Ex Machina
The Expendables
The Expendables 2
Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close
Fading Gigolo
The Family
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald
Fast and Furious 6
Fast Five
The Fault in Our Stars
FDR: American Badass!
Fences
The Fighter
Finding Dory
The Finest Hours
Fisherman's Friends
Focus
For the Love of Spock
Ford v Ferrari
The Foreigner
Foxcatcher
Furious 7
Fury
Get Out
Get the Gringo
Gifted
The Girl on the Train
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
The Giver
Gone Girl
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Gravity
The Great Gatsby
The Greatest Showman
Green Book
Green Room
The Grey
Guardians of the Galaxy
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
Hacksaw Ridge
Hanna
Hard Target 2
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2
He Never Died
Headhunters
Hell or High Water
Hemingway & Gellhorn
Her
Hereafter
Hereditary
The Hero
Hidden Figures
The Highwaymen
The Hitman's Bodyguard
Homefront
Hugo
The Hunger Games
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
I Don't Feel at Home in This World Anymore
The Ides of March
I'll See You in My Dreams
The Imitation Game
In the Heart of the Sea
Inception
Incredibles 2
Indignation
Interstellar
Ip Man 2
Ip Man 3
Ip Man 4
The Irishman
Iron Man 3
Jack Reacher
Jack Reacher: Never Go Back
Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit
Jason Bourne
John Carter
John Dies at the End
John Wick
John Wick: Chapter 2
John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum
Jojo Rabbit
Joy
The Judge
Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle
The Jungle Book
Jurassic World
Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom
Kill the Irishman
Killer Joe
The King's Speech
Kingsman: The Secret Service
Knives Out
Kong: Skull Island
La La Land
Lady Bird
Larry Crowne
The Last Stand
The Last Tycoon
The Legend of Tarzan
Life
Life of Pi
Limitless
Lincoln
The Lincoln Lawyer
Live by Night
Logan
Logan Lucky
Lone Survivor
Looper
Loving
Machete
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Magic of Belle Isle
The Magnificent Seven
The Man from Nowhere
Man from Reno
Manchester by the Sea
Marriage Story
The Martian
Me Before You
The Meg
Men in Black 3
Midnight in Paris
Midnight Special
Midsommar
A Million Ways to Die in the West
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children
Mission Impossible: Fallout
Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol
Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation
Molly's Game
Money Monster
Moneyball
A Monster Calls
The Monuments Men
Motherless Brooklyn
Mr. Church
Mud
The Nice Guys
Nightcrawler
Ninja: Shadow of a Tear
Not Another Happy Ending
Now You See Me
Odd Thomas
The Old Man & the Gun
Olympus Has Fallen
Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood
The Outpost
Overlord
Papa Hemingway in Cuba
Parasite
Parker
Paul
Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales
Pitch Perfect
Pitch Perfect 2
The Place Beyond the Pines
Polar
Police Story: Lockdown
The Post
Predestination
Prisoners
The Professor and the Madman
Promised Land
A Quiet Place
The Raid: Redemption
Ready Player One
Real Steel
Red
The Red Sea Diving Resort
Redemption
Reign of Assassins
The Revenant
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Rocketman
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
Rush
Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage
Safety Not Guaranteed
Saving Mr. Banks
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
The Sessions
The Shallows
Shanghai
The Shape of Water
Shazam!
Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows
Shutter Island
Sicario
Sicario: Day of the Soldado
Silver Linings Playbook
Sing Street
Snowpiercer
The Social Network
Solace
Solo: A Star Wars Story
Sometimes Always Never
Spectre
Spider-Man: Far from Home
Spider-Man: Homecoming
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
Spotlight
The Spy Next Door
Stand Up Guys
A Star is Born
Star Trek Beyond
Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Steve Jobs
Stuck in Love
Sully
Super 8
Ted
The Theory of Everything
This is the End
Thor
Thor: The Dark World
Thor: Ragnarok
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Time Trap
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
The Town
Toy Story 3
Train to Busan
Trouble with the Curve
True Grit
Unbroken
Undisputed 3: Redemption
The Vast of Night
Venom
A Walk Among the Tombstones
A Walk in the Woods
War Horse
War for the Planet of the Apes
Warm Bodies
Water for Elephants
The Way Way Back
We Bought a Zoo
We Still Kill the Old Way
We Still Steal the Old Way
What's Your Number?
Whiplash
Whiskey Tango Foxtrot
The Wife
Wind River
Winter's Bone
Winter's Tale
The Wolf of Wall Street
The Woman in Black
Wonder Woman
World War Z
The World's End
X-Men: Apocalypse
X-Men: Days of Future Past
X-Men: First Class
Yesterday
Zero Dark Thirty
ZZ Top: That Little Ol' Band from Texas

Which movies did I miss?  What are some of your favorites?

Since we're here, if I were to rank the top ten I've seen in the past decade...

My favorite movies from the 2010s (list could change if I made it tomorrow)

Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Guardians of the Galaxy
The Debt Collector
The Adjustment Bureau
Wind River
The Book Thief
About Time
Silver Linings Playbook
Limitless
Gifted





These ten stand up to repeat viewings, though some folks might only watch The Book Thief once because they'll cry their eyes out.  And to the haters of Solo, don't waste your time complaining about it here because it's my favorite Star Wars movie since The Empire Strikes Back.  It's a total blast. Okay, Solo got knocked off the list when I did an update because The Debt Collector had to be in my top 10.