Since I've pretty much stop going to movies because they either:
1) Suck
2) Have a message about the war in Iraq or some other cause or
3) It's a sequel or remake, I found it difficult to find movies that I have really enjoyed in the last 8 years or so. So I compiled a list of movies that I found that didn't suck since 1999.
1) Fight Club - 1999
Before Brad Pitt became fodder for tabloids and before Ed Norton became a joyless windbag they did make a really decent movie. Fight Club, written by Chuck Palinuck and directed by underrated David Fincher was a movie against conformity and excessive materialism. Even though it's ironic that Pitt, Norton and Palinuck are now poster boys for excessive materialism it was still a good movie nonetheless. Filled with imaginative, snappy directing that almost made me throw up in the movie theater because I was so drunk at the time. After I saw it sober I really enjoyed it because it was different from what was out there at the time. It was so different that it tanked at the box office, which surprised no one. It's now a cult classic, like Debbie Does Dallas.
2) Snatch and Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (2000 and 1999)
Before Madonna took Guy Ritchie hostage and told him to never make a good movie ever again he did direct these two gems. Snatch and Lock, Stock were imaginative, funny, inventive and gave us a view of the British gangster world, which is pretty much the wussiest gangster style ever. I enjoyed both movies so much I was actually eager to see Swept Away. Oops. I am now hoping that Guy Ritchie comes to his senses and ditch the old hag, or at the very least chuck her into the Thames.
3) Lord Of The Rings (1 and 2, not 3)
Lord of the Rings, the first two, were unbelievable. Probably one of the greatest translations of book to film since Fight Club. I have to admit that I have never read the Lord of the Rings series, but according to every virgin nerd that I've talked to it's pretty close to enjoyable as reading the novels. The directing was so good that it deserved an oscar, unfortunately the heavy handed and least enjoyable third installment of the series got it. But still, the Return of the King was a hell of a lot better than any movie that it was put against.
4) Sin City - 2005
Another good translation from book, I mean comic book, I mean graphic novel to film. I have to applaud Robert Rodriguez to keeping the film as close to the graphic novel as possible, even making Carla Gugino strip down to nothing but a g-string in most of her scenes (yeah!). Rodriguez also made it seem that Jessica Alba has acting ability, which is not easy by any means. Frank Miller even gave it his stamp of approval, which according to most is not easy since he's a joyless, old drunk now. Like me.
5) Shaun of the Dead - 2004
Loved this movie, directed by Edgar Wright and starring Simon Pegg. I really like Simon Pegg who also starred in a very funny British comedy called Spaced. The movie was born out of Simon Pegg playing Resident Evil 2 and wondering what would happen if London was infested with zombies. We found out; funny and scary. But mostly funny, because their British and drunk.
6) Hot Fuzz - 2007
Another Simon Pegg/Edgar Wright movie. Basically shows what would happen if Bad Boys were white and British. I actually enjoyed it a hell of a lot better than Bad Boys, mostly because I didn't feel intimidated by watching the damn thing.
7) A Scanner Darkley - 2006
I have to admit, I'm a big fan of Keanu Reeves. Even though he's robo- actor half of the time and acts like he's in the fourth dimension full of doped up midgets or something he doesn't use his money and power to make everyone believe what he believes, like all of Hollywood. That makes him awesome in my book. But this movie was a pretty decent translation of the Philip K. Dick book of the same name. Philip K. Dick was pretty insane and did enough drugs that could bring down a bull elephant, but man did he write some good crap. See also Blade Runner and Total Recall.
8) 24 Hour Party People - 2002
Movie that chronicled the life and death of Factory Records located in Manchester, England. Love the movie because I love the acts that it followed namely: Joy Division, New Order and the heavily drugged up Happy Mondays. Made me a big fan of Steve Coogan who was also in the very funny British comedy I am Alan Partridge.
9) Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy - 2005
Great translations of one of my favorite books of all time (yes, I've actually read something once). Martin Freeman was great and this movie made me a fan of Mos Def, until I saw 16 blocks, then I started to hate him.
10) Supertroopers/Club Dread/Beerfest - 2001/2003/2006
Dumb, funny comedy that didn't make me think a whole lot, 'nuff said.
11) Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie - 2007
Love the show even though it seems to be written by two drugged up freaks. Stretching a 10 minute cartoon into a 90 minute movie is no easy task, but they did it. PLUS - IT'S THE MOVIE DEBUT OF NEIL PEART, THE GREATEST ROCK DRUMMER EVER!!!!!!!!! NEIL, PLAY THE DRUM SOLO OF LIFE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
12) Matrix - 1999
Again, big fan of Reeves. I thought it was funny that the directors put in their contracts that they didn't have to do any media events. I guessing because they didn't want to explain the last two Matrix movies and the fact that they are complete, utter freaks. I think one of them is a women now.
13) Hellboy/X-men movies
Probably the only two movies based on comics that worked. Enjoyable to say the least and didn't want me to burn all the comics I had, unlike Daredevil, Ghost Rider, Fantastic Four, The Hulk and the rest of the craptacular movies made from Marvel Comics. I would list Spider Man as good but the movies were held hostage by bad casting. Tobey McGuire is a man child who is 5'2" and 110 lbs and Kirstin Dunst acts like she should be in porn. Then they cast Topher Grace as Venom. The baddest, meanest villain in the Spider Man series is played by a guy that my two year old could beat up. It could have been great.
14) Mean Machine - 2001
Another British movie which is the British homage to The Longest Yard (the original, dammit!). Stars Vinnie Jones as a disgraced soccer (football) player who goes to jail and has to assemble a team to play against the guards. I enjoyed it, even though I really don't like soccer.
15) Layer Cake - 2004
Even though Daniel Craig is so wussy that he's one step away from ovulating, this is still a really good movie. Originally supposed to be directed by Guy Ritchie, but he was reminded that he was married to Madonna and he immediately backed out of the project, you know, because it was good. Matthew Vaughn stepped in and delivered the goods and I immediately wanted to bang Daniel Craig, I mean, Sienna Miller.
16) Road to Perdition - 2002
There is a road, and it leads to perdition, where everyone dies in the movie, including a very annoying Jude Law, gotta love it. I should really learn to use commas, and semi colons, and take a course in writing.
17) Bourne Identity/Bourne Supremacy - 2002/2004
Even though Matt Damon is forever ruined for me (thanks Team America) this was decent. The only complaint I had was the fact that the camera man in Supremacy was acting like he was Micheal J. Fox on Red Bull, there was a LOT of shaking. It was pretty damn annoying after a while, but still enjoyable.
18) Oceans' Eleven - 2001
Before the cast (Damon, Pitt, Clooney, etc.) became a walking, talking US weekly issue they did make a really smart remake. I guessing Clooney made this movie because he believed that this was a way of saving the environment, one of his pet causes (even though he travels by private jet, has multiple mansions, etc.). You know, starring in remakes and sequels is a form of recycling. I'm not saying he's the smartest guy in the world, but he sure is sexy for a 80 year old. But this was a fun movie. Then they made Oceans 12. Then Oceans 13. I'm sure 14, 15, 16 and 17 is in the works. Now I hate Oceans 11. Forget that I mentioned it.
There are others but I can't think of them right now. Please list ones that you like, if you're still reading.
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