My List of My Personal Favorite Movies by Eric Homan Watch these and your life will improve... or be uniquely challenged! Several people have asked me what movies I would personally recommend as great, so I finally made a solid list. After watching and analyzing thousands of highly-regarded movies (from looking up which ones were "great" in movie guides), I've assembled a personal, comprehensive list of the movies that affected, moved, influenced, and inspired me the most throughout my life. These were the movies that motivated me the most emotionally, artistically, spiritually, and creatively - especially during my high school and college years (marked with an *). These are the movies that shaped my own personality with empathy, sensitivity, imagination, horror, and humor. I identified with some aspect of each movie, whether it be a particular character s personality traits, no matter how positive and negative they were. Quite a few of the individuals in these movies became my role models. So please take a look: 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0062622/ Schindler's List (1993) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0108052/ Lust for Life (1956) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0049456/ Heathers (1989) * http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0097493/ Pump Up the Volume (1990) * http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0100436/ Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980) *
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080684/ Blade Runner (1982) * http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083658/ Impromptu (1991) * http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0102103/ Batman Returns (1992) * http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0103776/ Dead Poets Society (1989) * http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0097165/ The Last Temptation of Christ (1988) * http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095497/ Big (1988) * http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094737/ Dawn of the Dead (1978) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077402/ Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0031679/ Testament (1983) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086429/ Imagine: John Lennon (1988) * http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095360/ Natural Born Killers (1994) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0110632/ American Beauty (1999) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0169547/ What Dreams May Come (1998) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120889/ My Dinner With Andre (1981) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082783/ The Truman Show (1998) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120382/ Taxi Driver (1976) * http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0075314/ Crumb (1994) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0109508/ Apocalypse Now (1979) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078788/ Scenes from a Marriage (1973) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0070644/ The Great Dictator (1940) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0032553/ Fearless (1993) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0106881/ Frances (1982) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083967/ The Muppet Movie (1979) *
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079588/ Patton (1970) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0066206/ Malcolm X (1992) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0104797/ Pulp Fiction (1994) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0110912/ Wings of Desire (1987) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093191/ Day for Night (1973) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0070460/ Ordinary People (1980) * http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0081283/ Parenthood (1989) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0098067/ Running on Empty (1988) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096018/ Bad Lieutenant (1992) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0103759/ Mask (1985) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0089560/ Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters (1985) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0089603/ The Deer Hunter (1978) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077416/ My Own Private Idaho (1991) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0102494/ It's a Wonderful Life (1946) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0038650/ The Piano (1993) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0107822/ The Player (1992) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0105151/ The Elephant Man (1980) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080678/ The Godfather (1972) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0068646/ The Godfather: Part II (1974) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0071562/ Dog Day Afternoon (1975) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0072890/ The Doors (1991) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0101761/ Lawrence of Arabia (1962) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0056172/ Donnie Darko (2001)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0246578/ Edward Scissorhands (1990) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099487/ Ghost World (2001) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0162346/ Fight Club (1999) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0137523/ The Apostle (1997) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118632/ Duck Soup (1933) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0023969/ Thelma and Louise (1991) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0103074/ Being There (1979) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078841/ The Graduate (1967) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0061722/ One Flew Over the Cuckoo s Nest (1975) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0073486/ The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0043456/ Requiem for a Dream (2000) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0180093/ The City of Lost Children (1996) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112682/ Dances with Wolves (1990) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099348/ Midnight Cowboy (1969) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0064665/ To Kill a Mockingbird (1962) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0056592/ Toy Story (1995) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0114709/ The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095705/ The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0107688/ Dancer in the Dark (2000) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0168629/ Fargo (1996) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116282/ Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983) * http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086190/ Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977) * http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0076759/ Run Lola Run (1999)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0130827/ The Crying Game (1993) * http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0104036/ Lucas (1986) * http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091445/ Fellini Satyricon (1969) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0064940/ Prospero s Books (1991) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0102722/ Network (1976) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0074958/ Carrie (1976) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0074285/ Akira (1988) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094625/ Moscow on the Hudson (1984) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0087747/ American Psycho (2000) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0144084/ Wonder Boys (2001) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0185014/ Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0338013/ An Unmarried Woman (1978) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078444/ The Squid and the Whale (2005) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0367089/ Me and You and Everyone We Know (2005) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0415978/ American Splendor (2003) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0305206/ Lost in Translation (2003) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0335266/ Finding Nemo (2003) http://www.imdb.com/find?q=finding+nemo+&s=all The Incredibles (2004) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0317705/ Being John Malkovich (1999) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120601/ Singin in the Rain (1952) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0045152/ Once Upon a Time in the West (1968) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0064116/ Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0087544/ Five Easy Pieces (1970)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0065724/ Children of Men (2006) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0206634/ The Wrestler (2008) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1125849/ The Dark Knight (2008) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0468569/ Watchmen (2009) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0409459/ Walkabout (1971) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0067959/ Glory (1989) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0097441/ Visions of Light: The Art of Cinematography (1993) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0105764/ The Road Warrior aka Mad Max 2 (1981) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082694/ E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial (1982) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083866/ The Shawshank Redemption (1994) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0111161/ The World According to Garp (1982) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0084917/ Superman (1978) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078346/ Beetlejuice (1988) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094721/ Se7en (1995) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0114369/ Kids (1995) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0113540/ Planet of the Apes (1968) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0063442/ Lenny (1974) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0071746/ Guyana Tragedy - The Story of Jim Jones (1980) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080832/ The Rapture (1991) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0102757/ Annie Hall (1977) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0075686/ Ghostbusters (1984) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0087332/ Jaws (1975) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0073195/ Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills (1996)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0117293/ Hannah and Her Sisters (1986) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091167/ A Night at the Opera (1935) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0026778/ Slacker (1991) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0102943/ Once Upon a Time in America (1984) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0087843/ Man on the Moon (1999) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0125664/ Scent of a Woman (1992) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0105323/ Marty (1955) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0048356/ Evil Dead II: Dead by Dawn (1987) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0092991/ Troll 2 (1990) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0105643/ What s Eating Gilbert Grape? (1993) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0108550/ A Clockwork Orange (1971) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0066921/ Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0075860/ Rosemary's Baby (1968) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0063522/ Threads (1984) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090163/ The Day After (1983) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0085404/ Cocoon (1985) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088933/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 Cinemania (2002) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0281724/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 Exit Through the Gift Shop (2010) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1587707/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 Halloween (1978) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077651/?ref_=fn_al_tt_2 The National Parks: America's Best Idea (2009) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1464482/ Lewis & Clark: The Journey of the Corps of Discovery (1997) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0129694/ The Times of Harvey Milk (1984) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088275/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 The Little Mermaid (1989)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0097757/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 Kent State (1981) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082608/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 Robocop (1987) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093870/?ref_=nv_sr_2 Other Movie Lists American Film Institute's Top 100 Films of All Time 1. CITIZEN KANE (1941) 2. CASABLANCA (1942) 5. LAWRENCE OF ARABIA (1962) 7. THE GRADUATE (1967) 8. ON THE WATERFRONT (1954) 9. SCHINDLER'S LIST (1993) 10. SINGIN' IN THE RAIN (1952) 12. SUNSET BOULEVARD (1950) 13. THE BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI (1957) 14. SOME LIKE IT HOT (1959) 17. THE AFRICAN QUEEN (1951) 18. PSYCHO (1960) 19. CHINATOWN (1974) 20. ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST (1975) 22. 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY (1968) 23. THE MALTESE FALCON (1941) 24. RAGING BULL (1980) 26. DR. STRANGELOVE (1964) 28. APOCALYPSE NOW (1979) 40. NORTH BY NORTHWEST (1959) 41. WEST SIDE STORY (1961) 42. REAR WINDOW (1954) 43. KING KONG (1933) 44. THE BIRTH OF A NATION (1915) 45. A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE (1951) 46. A CLOCKWORK ORANGE (1971) 47. TAXI DRIVER (1976) 48. JAWS (1975) 51. THE PHILADELPHIA STORY (1940) 52. FROM HERE TO ETERNITY (1953) 56. M*A*S*H (1970)
57. THE THIRD MAN (1949) 61. VERTIGO (1958) 64. CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND (1977) 65. THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS (1991) 66. NETWORK (1976) 67. THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE (1962) 74. THE GOLD RUSH (1925) 77. AMERICAN GRAFFITI (1973) 79. THE DEER HUNTER (1978) 80. THE WILD BUNCH (1969) 81. MODERN TIMES (1936) 83. PLATOON (1986) 84. FARGO (1996) 85. DUCK SOUP (1933) 87. FRANKENSTEIN (1931) 88. EASY RIDER (1969) 91. MY FAIR LADY (1964) 93. THE APARTMENT (1960) 94. GOODFELLAS (1990) 95. PULP FICTION (1994) 97. BRINGING UP BABY (1938) 98. UNFORGIVEN (1992) 99. GUESS WHO'S COMING TO DINNER (1967) Dan Grose's Favorite Movie List: Four Rooms Flash Gordon The Big Sleep (40s) Blazing Saddles Young Frankenstein Catch 22 War of the Worlds The Thing (both) His Girl Friday A Fish Called Wanda Airplane! This is Spinal Tap Animal House 1941 Arsenic and Old Lace Harold and Maude Fast Times at Ridgemont High
Breakfast Club Ferris Bueller s Day off The Bellboy Notorious Marathon Man Guns of Navarone Nosferatu An Affair to Remamber (50s) Charade Breakfast at Tiffanys Mrs Miniver Bagdad Cafe Dog Day Afternoon Stranger than Paradise Seven Samarai Rashomon Hell in the pacific Alien Mine Point Blank (1967) In the Heat of the Night The Rescuers (animation) The Usual Suspects Seventh Seal Inherit the Wind Dirty Dozen Stalag 17 Great Escape Time Bandits Citizen X The Cowboys Lost Boys My Favorite Year The Adventures of Baron Munchausen Eraserhead Lost Highway Mulholland Dr. Blue Velvet Excaliber City of Lost Children Delicatessen Romancing the Stone Killer Clowns from Outer Space Dragonslayer Blues Brothers Stir Crazy Silver Streak
The Snapper Hard Eight Da The Commitments Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison The Night of the Hunter Battleship Potemkin Dead Calm Manhunter Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead La Femme Nikita Mindwalk Bladerunner Jaws Adventures of Buckeroo Banzai Always The Tenant Near Dark Goonies ET Cape Fear (60s) Forbidden Planet Plan 9 from Outer Space Blackboard Jungle Rope Look Who s Comin to Dinner Gone With the Wind 12 Angry Men (50s) Cool Hand Luke 9 1/2 Weeks Fail-Safe (60s) Deathtrap 8 1/2 La Dolce Vita La Strada The Defiant Ones Sweet Smell of Success Local Hero Princess Mononoke Fantasia Bambi City Lights (Chaplin) The Searchers (John Wayne) The Wild Bunch High Noon The Hustler
Bull Durham Rear Window Day the Earth Stood Still Bonnie and Clyde Scarface To Kill a Mockingbird The Verdict Anatomy of a Murder In Cold Blood Schindler s List Spartacus Glory Gandhi Shawshank Redemption Diary of Anne Frank Sergeant York Raisin in the Sun Sunset Boulevard