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[Ape Gone Insane]

I thought it may be a good idea to consolidate our recommendations into one thread, creating a list (ordered by genre) and providing a medium for users looking for more recommendations. It's useful to be introduced to films you may not have been aware of, and a lot of lists online (IMDB Top 250 etc) do have their flaws. I'll try and maintain the list as regularly as I can.

Any suggestions about genres or the placement of certain films are welcome. I'm not entirely sure about the current ones I've put up to get us started.

*Check if your film is already there: CTRL-F

Formatting for a new recommendation:

Genre

Title (Year)
Title (Year)

Different Genre

Title (Year)

GAF Film Recommendations (List updated up to: post #9)


Action

• Casino Royale (2006)
• Die Hard (1988)
• Sherlock Holmes (2009)
• Kill Bill (2003)

Animated

• Up (2009)
• Spirited Away (2001)
• Toy Story (1995)
• Howl's Moving Castle (2004)
• Beauty and the Beast (1991)
• Wall-E (2008)
• The Lion King (1994)
• Despicable Me (2010)
• How To Train Your Dragon (2010)
• Toy Story 2 (1999)
• Toy Story 3 (2010)
• The Incredibles (2004)
• Ratatouille (2007)
• The Fox and the Hound (1981)
• The Iron Giant (1999)

Black Comedy

• Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005)
• In Bruges (2008)

Comedy

• The Hangover (2009)
• Hot Fuzz 2007)
• Scott Pilgrim v The World (2010)
• Dogma (1999)
• Austin Powers (1997)
• Shaun of the Dead (2004)
• Raising Arizona (1987)
• Anchorman (2004)
• Airplane (1980)
• The Big Lebowski (1998)
• Zombieland (2009)
• Wedding Crashers (2005)

Comedy-drama

• Big Fish (2003)
• About A Boy (2002)
• Forrest Gump (1994)
• The Truman Show (1998)
• Little Miss Sunshine (2006)

Crime

• Pulp Fiction (1994)
• Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998)
• Se7en (1995)
• Once Upon a Time in America (1984)
• The Departed (2006)
• Catch Me If You Can (2002)
• Sin City (2005)
• Reservoir Dogs (1992)
• Goodfellas (1990)
• The Usual Suspects (1995)
• Godfather: Part II (1974)
• The Godfather (1972)
• City of God (2002)
• Carlito's Way (1993)
• The Road to Perdition (2002)
• Miller's Crossing (1990)
• Training Day (2001)
• Eastern Promises (2007)
• Snatch (Guy Ritchie, 2000)
• Layer Cake (2004)
• Drive (2011)

Documentary

• Senna (2010)

Drama

• 12 Angry Men (1957)
• Gran Torino (2008)
• The Social Network (2010)
• A Beautiful Mind (2001)
• Children of Men (2006)
• Green Mile (1999)
• Good Will Hunting (1997)
• Trainspotting (1996)
• One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975)
• American History X (1998)
• American Beauty (1999)
• Requiem for a Dream (2000)
• Crash (2004)
• Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)
• Anatomy of a Murder (1959)
• Easy Rider (1969)
• Into the Wild (2007)

Fantasy

• Lord of the Rings (2001-2003)
• Edward Scissorhands (1990)
• Pirates of the Caribbean (2003-2007)
• Pan’s Labyrinth (2006)
• Harry Potter series (2001-2011)

Foreign

• Volver (2006)
• Metropolis (1927)
• Léon (1994)
• Los Cronocrímenes (2007)
• Kung Fu Hustle (2004)
• Aguirre, the Wrath of God (1972)
• Akira (1988)
• Delicatessen (1991)
• Seven Samurai (1954)
• The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2009)
• Y tu mamá también (2001)
• Ikiru (1952)
• Wages of Fear (1953)
• Life is Beautiful (1997)
• The Lives of Others (2006)

Historical

• Downfall (2004)
• Schindler's List (1993)
• The Pianist (2002)
• Gladiator 2000)
• Robin Hood (2010)
• The Last of the Mohicans (1992)
• Kingdom of Heaven: Director's Cut (2005)
• Apocalypto (2006)
• Musa (2001) (also known as: "The Warrior")
• Mongol (2007)
• 1492: Conquest of Paradise (1992)
• The Duellists (1977)
• Aguirre (1972)
• Krzyzacy (1960) (also known as: "Knights of the Teutonic Order")
• Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
• Údolí vcel (1968) (also known as: "The Valley of the Bees")
• Tasogare Seibei (2002) (also known as: "The Twilight Samurai")
• The Vikings (1958)
• The 13th Warrior (1999)
• The New World (2005)

Horror

• Alien (1979)
• Event Horizon (1997)
• The Blair Witch Project (1999)
• The Shining (1980)
• The Exorcist (1973)
• Halloween (1978)
• Paranormal Activity (2007)

Musicals

• The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)
• Little Shop Of Horrors (1986)
• Cabaret (1972)
• Grease (1978)
• The Wizard Of Oz (1939)
• The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
• The Sound Of Music (1965)
• West Side Story (1961)
• Bugsy Malone (1976)
• The Blues Brothers (1980)
• Mary Poppins (1964)
• Dreamgirls (2006)
• Chicago (2002)

Mystery

• The Prestige
• The Sixth Sense (1999)
• Blue Velvet (David Lynch, 1986)
• The Third Man (Carol Reed, 1949)

Prison dramas

• The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
• A Prophet (2009)
• The Hurricane (1999)

Psychological thriller

• Donnie Darko (2001)
• Oldboy (2003)
• Memento (2000)
• Mulholland Drive (2001)
• Inland Empire (2006)
• The Butterfly Effect (2004)
• Funny Games (1997)
• Psycho (1960)
• Vertigo (1958)
• Lost Highway (1997)
• Black Swan (2010)

Romance

• The Notebook (2004)
• Titanic (1997)
• Moulin Rouge (2001)

Romantic-comedy

• Amelie (2001)
• (500) Days of Summer (2009)
• Bridget Jones' Diary (2001)
• Annie Hall (1977)

Science Fiction

• Inception (2010)
• Primer (2004)
• Sunshine (2007)
• Gattaca (1997)
• Terminator 2 (1991)
• Moon (2009)
• 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
• District 9 (2009)
• Blade Runner (1982)
• Fifth Element (1997)
• Back to the Future (1985)
• Star Trek (2009)
• The Matrix (1999)
• Star Wars (4-6) (1977-1983)
• E.T. - The Extra Terrestrial (1982)
• Dark City (1998)
• Brazil (1985)
• Children of Men (2006)
• Total Recall (1990)
• Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)

Silent

• Sunrise (1926)

Superhero

• Batman Begins (2005)
• The Dark Knight (2008)
• The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
• Spiderman 2 (2004)
• Iron Man (2008, Jon Favreau)

Thriller

• The Bourne Identity (2002)
• The Bourne Supremacy (2004)
• The Bourne Ultimatum (2007)
• Take Shelter (2011)
• The Secret in their Eyes (2009)

War

• Black Hawk Down (2001)
• Full Metal Jacket (1987)
• Saving Private Ryan (1998)
• Glory (1989)
• Apocalypse Now (1979)
• Troy (2004)
• Letters from Iwo Jima (2006)
• The Thin Red Line (1998)
• Band of Brothers (2001) Not technically a movie, but amazing nonetheless

Western

• 3:10 to Yuma (2007)
• No Country for Old Men (2007)
• The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly (1966,)
• The Magnificent Seven (1960)
• A Fistful of Dollars (1964)
• For A Few Dollars More (1965)
• Once Upon A Time In The West (1968)
• A Fistful of Dynamite (1971)
• Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)
• True Grit (Coen Brothers)
• Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid (1973)
• High Plains Drifter (1973)
• The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976)
• Dances with Wolves (1990)

 

[SCULLIBUNDO]

Nice OP, but one would probably be well off just browsing through the Movies You've Seen Lately thread.

 

[1138]

Here are some of the best historical movies I have encountered:

Historical

The Last of the Mohicans (1992)
Kingdom of Heaven: Director's Cut (2005)
Apocalypto (2006)
Musa (2001) (also known as: "The Warrior")
Mongol (2007)
1492: Conquest of Paradise (1992)
The Duellists (1977)
Aguirre (1972)
Krzyzacy (1960) (also known as: "Knights of the Teutonic Order")
Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
Údolí vcel (1968) (also known as: "The Valley of the Bees")
Tasogare Seibei (2002) (also known as: "The Twilight Samurai")
The Vikings (1958)
The 13th Warrior (1999)

 

[Ape Gone Insane]

Here are some of the best historical movies I have encountered:

Historical

The Last of the Mohicans (1992)
Kingdom of Heaven: Director's Cut (2005)
Apocalypto (2006)
Musa (2001) (also known as: "The Warrior")
Mongol (2007)
1492: Conquest of Paradise (1992)
The Duellists (1977)
Aguirre (1972)
Krzyzacy (1960) (also known as: "Knights of the Teutonic Order")
Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
Údolí vcel (1968) (also known as: "The Valley of the Bees")
Tasogare Seibei (2002) (also known as: "The Twilight Samurai")
The Vikings (1958)
The 13th Warrior (1999)

Added, cheers!

 

[TheKaeptain]

Holy shit dude. How much time do you have on your hands?

 

[Ward]

A few recent movies I've seen, that I consider must see.

Animation:
The Fox and the Hound (1981)

Comedy:
Wedding Crashers (2005)

Crime:
Drive (2011)

Documentary:
Senna (2010)

Drama:
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)
Anatomy of a Murder (1959)

Foreign:
Ikiru (1952)
Wages of Fear (1953)
Life is Beautiful (1997)
The Lives of Others (2006)

Historical:
The New World (2005)

Romantic Comedy:
Annie Hall (1977)

Silenet:
Sunrise (1926)

Thriller:
Take Shelter (2011)
The Secret in their Eyes (2009)

War:
The Thin Red Line (1998)
Band of Brothers (2001) Not technically a movie, but amazing nonetheless

Category?:
Easy Rider (1969)
Into the Wild (2007)

 

[maquiladora]

Science Fiction Fantasy

Brazil (1985)

 

[Draconian]

Sci-fi
Children of Men (2006)
Total Recall (1990)
Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)

Western
Dances with Wolves (1990)

 

[NoRéN]

Animated

The Iron Giant (1999)

 

[FloppyDelux]

Science Fiction Fantasy
Running silent
Close encounter
Alien


Animated
Secret of kells
Batman: Mask of phantasm
Ghost in the shell
Smmer wars
Fantastic Mr fox

comedy:
ghost busters

Anti-comedy:
The Three Colors Trilogy

Thriller:
Hanna

Horror:
The Freaks
Friday
Candy man
Devils reject
hose of 100 corpse
Creature from the black lagoon

 

[BuddyJoeHooker]

Western:
Unforgiven (1992)
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Crawford (2007)

 

[demon]

The Matador (starring Pierce Brosnan and Greg Kinnear) -- 2005 -- Black comedy -- awesome movie

Get Shorty (John Travolta, Gene Hackman, Rene Russo, Danny Devito, & more) -- 1995 -- Black comedy -- another awesome and I think overlooked movie. A 90s classic IMO.

The Andromeda Strain -- 1971 -- Sci-fi -- just watched it recently, the plot is 100% science fiction, no superfluous bullcrap. Holds up very well for being over 40 years old.

 

[rCIZZLE]

Action:
Commando (1985)

 

[AngmarsKing701]

Here are some of the best historical movies I have encountered:

Historical

The Last of the Mohicans (1992)
Kingdom of Heaven: Director's Cut (2005)
Apocalypto (2006)
Musa (2001) (also known as: "The Warrior")
Mongol (2007)
1492: Conquest of Paradise (1992)
The Duellists (1977)
Aguirre (1972)
Krzyzacy (1960) (also known as: "Knights of the Teutonic Order")
Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
Údolí vcel (1968) (also known as: "The Valley of the Bees")
Tasogare Seibei (2002) (also known as: "The Twilight Samurai")
The Vikings (1958)
The 13th Warrior (1999)

I'd like to recommend this one for the historical category (from 1989).

 

[haikira]

Comedy:
Clerks.

Drama:
Lost in Translation

Foreign:
Memories of Murder
Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance

Horror:
28 Days Later
Jaws
The Thing (1982)

Mystery:
Brick

Thriller:
Shallow Grave

War:
The Bridge on the River Kwai

 

[Robot Pants]

Historical (I guess. Maybe you can find a better category. Drama?)
The Elephant Man (1980)

Western
Open Range (2003)

Drama
Fight Club (1999)
Last Tango in Paris (1972)

Action
Big Trouble in Little China (1986)

 

[The Storyteller]

Animated

Princess Mononoke (1997)
Coraline (2009)
Akira (1988)
Mulan (1998)
Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind (1984)
Toy Story (1995)

 

[Rei_Toei]

Like the idea, but calling 'Foreign' a genre? That could become a potentially very long and convoluted list filled with cross-posted titles. Maybe a bit too American-centric.. Everything USA/Hollywood produces is 'foreign' for me

 

[Broder Salsa]

Black Comedy
Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale (2010)

 

[Aselith]

Foreign
Le Samourai (1967)
Full Time Killer (2001)
Sword of Doom (1966)

Action-Comedy
The Big Hit (1998)
Grosse Point Blanke (1997)

Action
Babylon A.D. (2008)
The Rocketeer (1991)

Sci Fi
Dark City (1998)
Sunshine (2007)
Gattaca (1997)

Comedy
The Frighteners (1996)
Ghostbusters (1984)
Groundog Day (1993)
Planes Trains and Automobiles (1987)
Mean Girls (2004)
10 Things I Hate About You (1999)
Slackers (2002)

Horror
Lost Highway (1997)

Historical
Richard III (1995)

Sports
The Program (1993)

Western
Unforgiven (1992)
Once Upon a Time in the West (1968)
Fistful of Dollars (1964)

 

[OrangeGrayBlue]

Like the idea, but calling 'Foreign' a genre? That could become a potentially very long and convoluted list filled with cross-posted titles. Maybe a bit too American-centric.. Everything USA/Hollywood produces is 'foreign' for me

Agreed. Someone who loves Aguirre: The Wrath of God will not necessarily love Leon: The Professional.


Also, I think that movies should be allowed to be nominated several times, and the amount of nominations should be included. As it stands now, the 1998 remake of Psycho and the original 1960 Psycho would both appear to be equally recommended so long as there's one person out there who thinks the '98 remake is worth a damn.


I would list the films from each genre in order of the amount of nominations they've received and cap each genre off at it's respective top 25.


Anyway, I'll keep my nominations slim.

Drama (or Foreign)

A Separation

Drama

There Will Be Blood
Match Point
Make Way for Tomorrow
Ran

Black Comedy

American Psycho

Comedy

Modern Times

 

[zethren]

Science Fiction
The Fountain (2006)

Foreign
Oldboy (2003)
The Host (2006)

*Ctrl F for The Outlaw Josey Wales*
*Sees it already on the OP's list*
Yes, you are awesome OP.

 

[Dreaver]

Superhero
The Avengers

 

[Fabrik]

Fantasy
The Fall by Tarsem Singh.

A bit reminiscent of The Princess Bride.

 

[Aselith]

Like the idea, but calling 'Foreign' a genre? That could become a potentially very long and convoluted list filled with cross-posted titles. Maybe a bit too American-centric.. Everything USA/Hollywood produces is 'foreign' for me

I think the idea is that anything not in English goes there. Far as I know a pretty big majority are native English speakers so it would at least be helpful to have a subtitles section for people that don't like em.

 

[Alphahawk]

Comedy-Dramas
Empire Records
Breakfast Club

 

[Ark]

Comedy:
Get Smart - starring Steve Carrell, Anne Hathaway, Dwayn Johnson and Alan Arkin.

 

[SlowRevolution]

For documentaries, The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters and King Corn are great, I'd highly recommend checking them out. As for a more recent release, I was surprised by how good Being Elmo was.

 

[Aguirre]

CTRL + F'd Aguirre, Wrath of God

1 results in ops list

Foreign:
Le Doulos

 

[wetwired]

I would have called Take Shelter a drama rather than thriller, and bourne movies as more action \ espionage than thriller

all good movies though

 

[Sad_Panda]

I think the idea is that anything not in English goes there. Far as I know a pretty big majority are native English speakers so it would at least be helpful to have a subtitles section for people that don't like em.

Lumping all foreign movies into one single category seems pretty reductive. Why not put them into their respective genres, with their country of origin between brackets ?

 

[qindarka]

If you are going to accept recommendations from everyone who posts in this thread, won't the list get too bloated?

 

[bjork]

That Amadeus hasn't come up by now makes me very sad.

Amadeus.

I'm bad at genres, but:

High and Low
Dancer in the Dark
Duel