From Billy Elliott to A Clockwork Orange: A List of Must-See Films For Everyone
If you know me, you probably know that I’m into lists. Like into them. I feel that lists really separate the (wo)men from the people who are organised to the people who quite frankly live in chaos. I write lists to keep track of achievements from little to large, I also write lists so I can remember to do anything, ever; from painting my nails to painting my wall. Crossing off items feels like a tiny explosion of happiness, which can be difficult to find during some period’s as you may agree.
Anyway, this list was a big un’. About two years ago I met somebody who has turned out to be my best friend. He lives and breathes film, to the point where he knows literally everything there is to know about the film industry. This vast knowledge baffled and enticed me. I, on the other hand, hadn’t actually even watched many films that people would argue are “a must-see” like The Matrix, Goodfellas or Jurassic Park. So I set myself a kind of mission: to catch up with, seemingly everybody else, and know all these films. Even the ones I knew were going to be terrible, but were too famous not to endure. I wanted to know the classics, the iconic scenes, the complicated characters, the wonderful music scores. The good, the bad and definitely the ugly. So I wrote a list. I looked online for a bunch of classics, and I stripped what I didn’t want out and added it to my master list.
I must have read through at least 10 lists that consisted of hundreds of films and I kept adding and adding. It consisted of 113 films first, which gradually rose to 200+ through recommendations. They weren’t watched in any order, more often than not I just threw my notebook at a friend and asked them to pick a film to download. It also prompted me to start remembering the years and directors. If you had asked me before all this, ‘when did they start making heavily decent films?’ I probably would have hazarded a guess at something like the 90s. I didn’t have a clue! I realise now that the 70s and 80s shaped film today, and regrettably, we won’t get a period full of such talent again. They really are just pumping out whatever will make them a quick buck (see this year’s release of Birds of Prey, directed by Cathy Yan and you’ll understand what I mean).
Below, in all its glory, is my main list with some of my own personal notes about some of those deemed a classic – these might be controversial opinions, opinions you agree with or opinions that might make you watch the film you’ve been putting off!
Here are the ones I’ve watched:
1. Forest Gump, 1994, Robert Zemeckis – Absolutely class, one of my favourite films now and definitely wish I watched it sooner – it made me understand the Hanks hype.
2. Billy Elliot, 2000, Stephen Daldry – Adored it, very 80s!
3. Taxi Driver, 1976, Martin Scorsese – Brilliantly violent film that started my obsession with Robert De Niro.
4. When Harry Met Sally, 1989, Rob Reiner – Didn’t get my fill of rom-com’s when I was a teen so this really did the job. The Meg Ryan cafe scene really is iconic.
5. Saving Private Ryan, 1998, Steven Spielberg – Convinced me I didn’t actually hate war films after my relationship with no. 25 on the list.
6. The Green Mile, 1999, Frank Darabont – At 3 hours and 9 minutes long you would think it drags but it assuredly doesn’t. Tom Hanks, Michael Clarke Duncan, Sam Rockwell, Michael Jeter and Doug Hutchison are all mesmerising in this.
7. Goodfellas, 1990, Martin Scorsese – The best of the gangster films I’ve seen in my opinion, Ray Liotta is so amazingly watchable alongside the obvious De Niro and Pesci.
8. Apocalypse Now, 1979, Francis Ford Coppola – Frankly, I hated this film. I thought I wouldn’t really enjoy war films and this cemented it for me at that time. It was boring and Martin Sheen’s acting was far from enjoyable. Funny considering it’s one of my partners favourite films. Some war films that I have actually enjoyed since however have been Hacksaw Ridge, Saving Private Ryan, 1917 and Dunkirk.
9. Slumdog Millionaire, 2008, Danny Boyle – Wowed me. I was told so many times by people I would love this film and they were right; I cried loads. Dev Patel is such a mesmerising actor, same as when he starred in Lion.
10. Alien, 1979, Ridley Scott – The Iconic One; I can finally understand so many references in the sci-fi genre now.
11. Donnie Darko, 2001, Richard Kelly – Although I did enjoy this, I thought it was a little over hyped. Obviously a cool parallel concept and loved young Jake Gyllenhaal as well as his sister Maggie too.
12. Terminator, 1984, James Cameron – YES. Generally don’t watch a lot of action films but really enjoy sci-fi. Not sure I’ve still got my head around the fact [SPOILER] that the main boy was travelling back in time to sleep with his best mates mum, which then actually made him his dad…
13. Ladybird, 2017, Greta Gerwig – I was told beforehand the character ‘Ladybird’ reminded people of me. I didn’t really think all that much of this one, with the character actually heavily annoying me. Maybe I need to pipe down myself a little then eh! One thing I did enjoy notably, was Timothee Chalamet’s performance.
14. The Grand Budapest Hotel, 2014, Wes Anderson – Loved the style of this quirky film, and also the lobby boy played by Tony Revolori.
15. Requiem For A Dream, 2000, Darren Aronofsky – Absolutely nightmarish and a truly disturbing reality of addiction; really feel for the mum in the story and barely recognised Jared Leto.
16. Fight Club, 1999, David Fincher – Can’t really talk about that here.
17. Secretary, 2002, Steven Shainberg – I loved the concept at the beginning as it’s my sort of thing, but by the end I was slightly annoyed (or whatever the word for simultaneously horny and angry is) that they showed next to no sex in a film about BDSM.
18. The Departed, 2006, Martin Scorsese – What a fucking film! Matt Damon really suited this unusual change of role to the slimy bastard. If you enjoy a twisty on the edge of your seat kind of film then download this right about NOW.
19. A Clockwork Orange, 1971, Stanley Kubrick – Perfectly morbid.
20. The Matrix, 1999, Lana + Lilly Wachowski – Loved it. Thoroughly convinced we are living in a matrix.
21. The Truman Show, 1998, Peter Weir – This one really stuck with me, it left me with a forever growing anger for this society – probably my favourite Jim Carrey role.
22. Groundhog Day, 1993, Harold Ramis – My friend Issy, who is the Editor for this here Film section of The Everyday, hated this film but I loved it. The monotony of everyday life is portrayed in this never ending cycle in which he will literally try to kill himself to get out of. I feel ya Bill.
23. Saturday Night Fever, 1977, John Badham – Travolta rocks. Like in everything he does.
24. Edward Scissorhands, 1990, Tim Burton – What a sad gothic story; he just wanted to be loved you animals!
25. Psycho, 1960, Alfred Hitchcock - Watched this one in bouts of about half an hour because I found it so hard to watch. Didn’t even end up watching the ending and I’m not rushing to either – probably shouldn’t admit that on here.
26. American Psycho, 2000, Mary Harron – I enjoyed this one so much more! Christian Bale is quite mesmerising; I can’t help but love it when Bale goes all murder-y.
27. Lost in Translation, 2003, Sofia Coppola – While it was generally a bit pretentious, I did enjoy it. It was refreshing to watch something that wasn’t rammed full of icky love for a change. A story about friendship and loneliness; I also refuse to complain about getting to look at Scarlett Johansson.
28. Brokeback Mountain, 2005, Ang Lee – Can’t really find appropriate words to describe this one. Heath Ledger was a whole tragedy to be ripped away from us so young. I cry at films fairly regularly now but the 2 films I’ve heaved and sobbed at notably were this absolute diamond of a film and the 2008 Seven Pounds directed by Gabriele Muccino, it had gotten terrible reviews but I watched it when I was about 12 and it stuck with me ever since.
29. Thelma and Louise, 1991, Ridley Scott – AHHHHHH! Yes, a double female lead film. They just get deeper and deeper in don’t they? I seem to enjoy anything of Ridley Scott’s that I watch. [SPOILER] What better way to end a film than a double suicide right into the Grand Canyon.
30. Scarface, 1983, Brian De Palma – A descent into power and ego. I always remember when I was young, photos of Al Pacino up on the walls of the barbers near me. I thought he looked so old and scary. Now I think he looks so young and bloody sexy. How times change. One of my favourite Al Pacino roles along with Christopher Nolan’s Insomnia in 2002.
And that wraps up the list. I have watched a bunch more but this article would be unbearably long if I wrote about everything I wanted to. It’s probably too long as it is! Some of these films mean a lot to me so thank you to those directors, my partner & you lot for having a peek at my list when you could have done something else just as menial. Stay safe.
Written by Chloe Smart
My name is Chloe, I'm 23 and I'm currently a care worker. I like to read, act, write, create and most importantly watch!