5. Inglourious Basterds: I'm a HUGE Quentin Tarantino fan and WWII is one of favorite topics in history, and this gem combines random violence, dark humor, great directing, and good actors all in 1944 France.
4. The Departed: I also love Martin Scorsese, and even though this was a remake of a Hong Kong flick called Internal Affairs in 2002, The Departed is superior in every way, from better directing, acting, and more intense scenes. It should be the father of Undercover Cop Informat/Snitch movies. Jack Nicholson, Matt Damon Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Wahlberg, and hell, even Martin Sheen and Alec Baldwin had memorable acting performances.
3. Pulp Fiction: Quentin Tarantino Magnum Opus. His best movie and an American Classic. From funky dialogues about what the French call a 1/4pounder with cheese, random violence that comes when you least expect it,hundreds of quotable lines, and it's star studded cast, Pulp Fiction is a movie that has passed the test of time.
2. City of God: The most Gangster movie I've ever seen, hands down. You think your hood is bad? Wait till you see how they handle business in the slums of Rio de Janeiro. Honestly, on the Gangster level, Scarface, Casino, Carlito's Way, and Training Day got nothing on this movie. And IMO it's more gangster than even Goodfellas.
1. Gladiator: Classic film making if there is ever an example. The tale of the General who helped build an Empire and the Slave who defied the very Empire he helped build was ironic indeed. Awesome acting by Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, and Connie Nielsen impress, epic battle scenes, one of the most memorable decapitation scenes, and a memorable Villain who even tries to seduce his own sister. Worthy of a #1!
