I'll just start going for ten here, and see how far I get. (Note, any "foreign film" that I mention I have only watched in the original language, and, for me, that is the best way. Two in particular - they'll likely be obvious - became quite gauche in dubbed form when I tried to rewatch them that way)
I'll start with my favourite movie to leave me feeling just generally happy all over:
1.
Muriel's Wedding - I think I just said why in my lead-in
2.
Powaqqatsi
3.
Baraka - this and number 2 are pretty much for the same reason, since they're a similar style. They take you out of your own private universe and thrust you into the World
4.
Goldmember - this I can watch over and over again. Yes, I know how juvenile the humour in it can be. What's your point?
I hear they are making another, though my love of this one makes me hope they're not setting up the motorbike, pool and shark for The Fonz.
5.
Amelie - one of the most beautiful films (visual, character, story) I've ever watched. Audrey Tautou is the second-most beautiful actress I have watched, and I've only ever watched her in this film.
6. Anything with Katherine Hepburn - see above, and let the "second-most" tell you who the "most" is.
7.
Fargo - it's the only Cohen Brothers film I've seen, and not all that long ago. It is completely and utterly brilliant in its contrast of violence against peace. Frances McDormand left me awed at the simple perfection of her portrayal of her "simple" (not the pejorative version of "simple") character
8.
Shortbus - this movie somewhat makes redundant the question, "Is it art or is it pornography?". It is magnificently filmed, wonderously peopled, completely heartfelt (the small vignettes of "animation" are exquisitely placed), and the ending will have you marching around the room cheering and singing the anthem. This movie is most
extremely sexually explicit (just thought I'd chuck that warning in there). Not for everyone, I strongly suspect.
9.
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon - I think this would rival
Amelie in the visual aspects of beauty. Each scene feels as carefully and perfectly composed as an image from any master photographer (Cartier-Bresson, Ansel Adams, et cetera). It's a damned lovely story too, and even the fight scenes are a magnificent dance within their violence.
10. Here I'll just list some that jockey for this position, changing constantly:
- Fight Club
- Monty Python's [anything]
- Caddyshack
- Blazing Saddles
- Flying High/Airplane
- 2001
- Bliss (but this is swayed here by the book)
- The Spongebob Squarepants Movie
- Apocalypse Now
I could go on, but probably to needless effect.
I also just wanted to mention something that was flung into my thought processes by rhadin.
Cool Hand Luke was my Dad's favourite movie. Although he was a fan of Peter Sellers, and thought extremely highly of
Doctor Strangelove... and
Being There, it was Paul Newman's gentle and subtle leading role in
Cool Hand Luke that he always referred to as "Brilliant!", and passed similar sentiment on to all other aspects of the movie. I've watched it one-and-a-half times - once, as a child, before my parents realised I was behind them watching it, and once as a late-teen. I've not watched it since, wanting to savour the time to watch it, and to only occasionally feed myself that treat. Thus, it's not in my "Top 10", though that's because it's in a separate and very personal realm to general "movie appreciation". Regardless, I think it's Paul Newman's best, and, to me, certainly he is at his smolderingly sexiest.
Cheers,
Marc