First some honorable mentions:
Tropic Thunder:
There are a lot of comedies on my list. This one is hilarious and has a spectacular ensemble cast. The Tom Cruise performance almost put it on the top ten.
Brazil:
Terry Gillian is a genius. Brazil is a classic from my youth and was only edged out by 12 Monkeys (The Fisher King was also in contention).
Galaxy Quest:
This is one of the most quotable movies I've seen. Never give up. Never surrender.
Idiocracy:
When this movie came out it was very much out there in terms of a dystopian future. Now it looks about spot on.
True Lies:
One of the best Arnold movies ever. Nuff said.
Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back:
Should be in the top ten, but the Wrath of Kahn edges it out slightly.
Seven:
This is one of the best movies and probably my number 11 overall. I love the suspense and the twist ending. ... Don't open the box.
The Edge of Tomorrow:
In an era where Hollywood doesn't take chances, comes this truly original and truly wonderful science fiction movie. I love everything about this film.
Okay and now on to the top 10:
10: Star Trek: The Wrath of Kahn
By far the best (IMHO) of the Star Trek movies. At the time it legitimized the original series.
9: A Hard Day's Night
I'm a big Beatles fan and this movie truly captures Beatlemania and the vibe of the band. It is also an excellent movie in its own rite.
8 ; The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou
I love Wes Anderson movies. They are sweet and quirky and full of child like wonder. Life Aquatic is my favorite. Bill Murray just knocks it out of the park with this movie.
7: O Brother, Where Art Thou?
The Cohen Brothers have also made so many good movies. This retelling of the story of Ulysses is spot on in the way that it captures Americana. The performances of Clooney and Tim Blake Nelson are stand outs in my opinion.
6: The Avengers
This was the best interpretation of a comic book ever. Joss Wheedon got everything right in this movie and it cemented the Marvel name as one associated with quality.
5: Young Frankenstein
Mel Brooks is a comedic genius. This movie has it all, with the great interplay between Terri Garr and Gene Wilder. A classic in my mind.
4: Twelve Monkeys
Dystopian science fiction is one of my favorite types of story. This work is excellent, with a great Bruce Willis performance.
3: Princess Mononoke
Hayao Miyazaki is a master of animation. His movies are wonderful pieces of art. This is my favorite. I love the message and the tone. Truly beautiful.
2: The Adventures Of Buckaroo Banzai Across The 8th Dimension
I don't know how many times I've seen this movie. Too many but not enough. This movie not only defines the 80s but is eminently quotable and so much fun. This is my undisputed number 2.
1: Dr. Strangelove Or: How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love The Bomb
My undisputed number 1, ever since I've seen it, was this wonderful Kubrick film. This movie has everything I want to see in a movie. I love it a lot :)
There you have it.
