A landmark in black cinema, The Color Purple captures the human spirit so well that it's a strange yet moving work of art with powerful scenes. Making her astonishing film debut is Whoopi Goldberg. There's so much for the characters to overcome such as domestic violence, incest, forced separation, rape, slavery, pedophilia, poverty, racism, and sexism.

The king of high school pictures, Lean on Me is a heartwarming tale that's based on a true story about how Joe Clark created a storm of controversy by using unconventional methods of discipline at Eastside High in Paterson, New Jersey, during the 80's. Thanks to Morgan Freeman's stirring performance, it's scene-by-scene brilliant in a moving way that captures the essence of the human spirit.

Brilliant writing, brilliant acting, and brilliant story. After sloshing around in the world of alcohol and therefore wasting his talent for years, Richard Burton makes the greatest comeback of all time by appearing in Equus as psychiatrist Martin Dysart by giving a fiery but focused performance. His riveting soliloquies are the stuff of greats. On the other hand, Peter Firth is unforgettable. It's a singular peformance.

Not many motion pictures are as deeply haunting as this one. To depicit the Arctic wilderness, the whole thing was shot on location in Alaska and Yukon and British Columbia, Canada. The cinematography is thoroughly outstanding. Based on Farley Mowat's book, the story is powerful without the need to rely on words. It's about nature and adventure in the spirit of The Man Who Would Be King. As a bonus, wolves, caribou, and mice are featured a great deal. Not many would have pulled off an exceptional performance like how Charles Martin Smith did. He's just perfect for the role.

Benefitting from Frank Darabont's well-written screenplay and powerful direction, Tim Robbins' and Morgan Freeman's performances help lift the film off the ground and let it fly like the human spirit. If anything, it's the Red's voice-over narration that makes The Shawshank Redemption so good. Roger Deakins' cinematography gives the film a special feel as it enters the classic territory.

The title may look strange to you, but it has an enormous reputation as landmark picture in black cinema history. Hence, the tagline reads: "This is the movie the Man doesn't want you to see. Rated X by an all-white jury!" Not the first black film made, it's, along with Shaft, credited with the creation of the Blaxploitation genre and is about racism, alienation, misery, persecution, police brutality, escape, and survival.

Sidney Poitier made history by becoming the first black person to win an Academy Award for Best Actor by giving the best performance of his career in Lilies of the Field, one of the most heartwarming human pictures made. The script was first given to Harry Belafonte, but he didn't want to be doing a bizarre picture that takes place in the middle of nowhere with five crazy white German nuns. What a huge mistake he made.

The definitive picture about female stalkers, Play Misty for Me, not the rip-off that's called Fatal Attraction, is one of the finest thrillers made. A lot of guys can relate to Dave Garver when dealing with an emotionally damaged female after a one-time fling. He's a hip deejay with an even-keeled temperament but is pushed to his limits before he can't take it anymore and is forced to be harsh with Evelyn who's dangerously psychotic.

Before there was Steve Prefontaine and before there were Harold Abrahams and Eric Liddell, there was Larry "Rain" Murphy. The best memory I have of The Jericho Mile is the slow motion of him running topless in gray shorts with his hair in the wind. It's the highlight and my favorite moment of the movie. Simply unforgettable.

Nobody played Philip Marlowe better than Robert Mitchum. It's just terrific writing. "This car sticks out like spats at an Iowa picnic." "She had all 'A's', none of them on a report card." "There was something about Abraham Lincoln's picture that loosened him up." "She gave me a smile I could feel in my hip pocket." "I'll bet you five dollars you can't find a state they're not wanted in." "$50, $10 extra if you bleed in my boat."

"It's just you and me now, sport." Forget The Silence of the Lambs. Manhunter is the original. If you want to understand the word "genius," look no further than the "Moment of the Truth" scene when Will Graham began to figure out the identity of the killer. It's brilliant stuff. In reality, a serial killer can remain elusive for years. Logging hundreds of thousand hours, it only takes one trivial piece of evidence or sheer luck like a routine motor vehicle violation for the detectives to catch him finally.

Talk about two actors making something out of nothing. Scarecrow mostly reminds me of Midnight Cowboy. Everybody is dumb but has character. First half is dominated by Gene Hackman, and then, Al Pacino takes over during the second half. They both finish the film at a high but somber note. It's about relationships and earning respect. Yes, this one takes a while to get there, but once it does, you'll be hooked.

This is Chariots of Fire stuff. The subject is unique: competitive sailing. Epic doesn't come to my mind for most films, but Wind should be labeled so. Putting the sailboats against the backdrop of hundreds of spectators and the ocean makes them look larger than life, and there are the competitors who work furiously to operate these machines. It's truly a spectacle.

If England has The Great Escape to boast of, then Germany's answer to it is: The One That Got Away. Surprisingly, the film was made six years earlier. Not only that, it was filmed by Pinewood Studios of Iver Heath, England. Well, it's a brilliant acting by Hardy Krüger, setting up for a two-hour one-man show. It's easy to root for him along the way despite being a Nazi. The story is incredible, and most of it did happen.

Full of action and war, The Last of the Mohicans is a unique masterpiece with a love story to boot. Although it's the best Daniel Day-Lewis movie, the best Michael Mann movie, the best American Indian movie, and the best Colonial movie, nothing is more impressive than Wes Studi's performance as Magua. It's so good that he was sadly robbed of an Oscar. Of course, the title says it all.

Is The Big Country the Citizen Kane of Western films? Absolutely yes. A favorite of U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower who gave the movie four consecutive showings at the White House, The Big Country is so good that you won't be able to find more than a few that pack many lessons in one film.

The final film for Cabaret's director Bob Fosse, Star 80 presents a compelling story of how a Playboy Playmate of the Year named Dorothy Stratten was raped and murdered by her husband Paul Snider. Because of his "personality of a pimp," Eric Roberts is captivating and gives the performance of his career.

Do you want to see one of the most unusual pictures about a serial killer couple? Then, check out The Honeymoon Killers. Its tagline reads: "Ray and Martha are in love. They're on a honeymoon. (The bride is in the trunk.)" Tony Lo Bianco and Shirley Stoler will be forever remembered as Raymond Fernandez and Martha Beck, aka "The Lonely Hearts Killers," who may have murdered at most twenty women during the late 40's before being executed in their 30's.

Don't get me wrong: I like The Big Chill and think of it as a classic of the genre. But let's give proper credit where it's due: Return of the Secaucus 7 is the original. There are so many similarities between them that there's no way that Lawrence Kasdan couldn't have seen it.

How subtly swept away is Cary by the sight of Ron. She falls for him, and oh, my...how the town talks afterwards. A Douglas Sirk classic, All That Heaven Allows presents one of the best cinematography ever. The on-screen mix of contrasting colors is beautiful.

Sorcerer is a unique motion picture from William Friedkin that's shot on location in the Dominican Republic. This isn't about the plot per se but an adventure of four men who are down on their luck and will do anything to turn their fortunes around even if it means life and death. Among the finest and most unforgettable scenes in cinema history is the bridge crossing, twice at that, which took three months to film.

One of the all-time great political fantasy pictures made, what had transpired either has happened or will happen. The use of "Gabriel" in the title is meant to signify the change in government was initially approved by a divine authority. A big fan of what's a hit piece against Herbert Hoover, FDR took advantage of many elements that would be part of his New Deal package. The warning at the end of what to expect with nuclear weapons will be demonstrated twelve years later in Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Move over, Julia Roberts...Richard Gere shows what a high-priced escort is and, more importantly, how to do it well with class. American Gigolo is a fantastic neo-noir with lots of style. The Armani clothes that Gere wears, he introduces the brand in a big way. Lauren Hutton does an admirable job of keeping up with Richard Gere who's simply unbeatable.

Michael Douglas is chilling as Gordon Gekko and steals every scene. The most famous line of Wall Street is: "Greed, for lack of a better word, is good." It's also full of Gekkoisms such as "The most valuable commodity I know of is information," "Ever wonder why fund managers can't beat the S&P 500? 'Cause they're sheep, and sheep get slaughtered," and "I don't throw darts at a board. I bet on sure things. Read Sun-tzu, The Art of War. Every battle is won before it's ever fought."

A rare film that showcases Marlon Brando at his absolute best, Burn! provides an excellent insight into colonialism to form a banana republic out of a Central American country. Confessing that he did his best acting, Brando plays a villain as in somebody who "sells war."

Many Vietnam veterans swear by Hamburger Hill as the most realistic picture of what it's like to fight in the Vietnam War. This one is quite brutal and holds nothing back including Braveheart-style injuries, fratricide, FNG mistakes, cowardice, chickenshit duties, disease, mud, enemy radio pleas, resentment for the AOs, camaraderie, racial tensions, abandonment by the loved ones back home, and the yearning of getting back to the States, among others.

"Yeah. I killed my mama." In response to "How about those Bears?", Henry nonchantly says, "Fuck the Bears." Shot in 28 days under a budget of $110,000, Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer is bar none the best in the serial killer genre. No other film comes this close. This is Michael Rooker at his chilling best. What a performance for him which is clearly off the charts.

Dusty and realistic, it has a cast of hardened men leading a cattle drive from Texas to Fort Lewis, Colorado. A kid is eager to join them but soon find out how unfit he is for the cowboy life. It's been a series of poor decisions, causing everybody to resent him. Bad things happen, and there are consequences to pay for while law and order isn't a valid concept. The ending is Peckinpah-esque.

Chalk up The Train as one of the most exciting WWII pictures. Nothing beats the sight of Burt Lancaster in action. He going down the ladder quickly, jumping off the train while it's in motion, running across the bridge, and getting through the mountain range with a injured leg are some of the film's highest points. Also, it has some great aerial shots, especially when the railyard is bombed.

Anyone asking me this question, "Can you tell me the greatest horror movie ever made?", my answer will always be Invasion of the Body Snatchers. It's bar none the best I've ever seen. There's no monster, blood, gore, or violence whatsoever. It's just the beautiful use of subtlety to create frightening scenes.

If you ask me which is the best film I've seen for politics, my answer is The Candidate. What's brilliant about it, which feels like a documentary, is nothing has changed. In fact, it's the bona fide blueprint of how to run a successful political campaign. Hence, I won't be surprised if The Candidate is the standard reference guide for many fledgling politicians.

Planes, Trains & Automobiles is an all-time classic that's relatable for everybody, no matter what decade it's viewed in. Scoring high in comedy, it's almost a laugh-a-minute all the way through. There are many funny scenes and one-liners involving John Candy. Both he and Steve Martin have called Planes, Trains & Automobiles their favorite movie they've done. Honestly, there's not a single flaw in it.

Tex is among top three films of Matt Dillon's career. When the two high school girls saw Tex at the mall and walked away, one of them said, "God, he is so cute." It's true. At age 18, there's no question that Matt Dillon was one of the best-looking young actors in Hollywood history. More importantly, he could act. It was all too easy for him.

The Citizen Kane of horror films? You got that right. The genius behind a horror film, as evidenced in Don Siegel's Invasion of the Body Snatchers, is to make the world seemingly ordinary that's free of monsters, blood, gore, etc. Yet there's still something fundamentally wrong with the picture. That's why The Wicker Man succeeds, thanks to Anthony Shaffer's screenplay.

The Man Who Would Be King is first-rate entertainment at the hands of John Huston. Do not ever expect anything less from him because he always has a great yarn to tell. Michael Caine and Sean Connery deliver some of the best acting of their careers. The ending puts the final stamp on the film's greatness.

Reportedly, That Hamilton Woman is Winston Churchill's favorite film, having seen it over eighty times. It's not hard to see why. This is an excellent film that's about overcoming adversity to rouse British (and possibly American) support to enter WWII and showcases the very best of Laurence Olivier's and Vivien Leigh's talents in their third and final collaboration.

12 Monkeys is an unparalleled sci-fi thriller with strong performances by Bruce Willis, Brad Pitt, and Madeleine Stowe. Terry Gilliam's direction elevates it to another level. It's also a confusing movie to follow until the fatalistic ending that will clear up the mystery. What's impressive is the number of red herrings, including Brad Pitt's character, that put everybody on the wrong track.

It can't be any more dramatic than the scene when Tre yelled out to Ricky after the sight of the red Hyundai Excel. Simply put, Boyz n the Hood is the game changer of the genre and sets the standard that all black films are forever burdened to match. Of the ensemble cast, Ice Cube is unmatched as Doughboy.

The Swimmer is a strange, disturbing movie, but Burt Lancaster is a dream. In fact, he said it was the best work he had ever done in his career and called it Death of a Salesman in swimming trunks. Once again, it's a strange, disturbing movie because the story is so frustrating that I want more details about Neddy to know what happened to him in the past. The ending is haunting to watch.

When Arnold Schwarzenegger met James Cameron at a restaurant, he wanted to audition for the role of Kyle Reese. But the director took a look at him and said, "My God! You're the Terminator!" But Arnold replied, "No, no, no...I want to play Kyle." Highly insistent, Cameron went, "Absolutely not! You are it. A machine!" Of course, I'm making up the exchange of dialogue, but you get the idea of the magnitude.

There's a lot of David Lean in Empire of the Sun, thanks to the top-notch cinematography. Christian Bale gives a performance that's on par with Peter O'Toole of Lawrence of Arabia. There are a lot of similarities between both films as well. Steven Spielberg is the best director ever because of his ability to create a masterpiece in any genre.

Death of a Fuckin' Salesman is how the all-star cast described Glengarry Glen Ross which started out as a play that won David Mamet the Pulitzer Prize in 1984. Alan Arkin called the acting job a "murder" because of his insistence on everybody to perform exactly how the parts were scripted, right down to their facial emotions with no leeway.

Bronco Billy is one of the true greats. It's a Western film with a quirky romantic story. This is Clint Eastwood at his best. He makes a lot of personal statements about life. The cast is great, even down to Sondra Locke. What works is the chemistry among everybody.

Buoyed by Ethan Hawke's performance, the story of Gattaca is what makes the film so interesting to watch that it almost transcends the sci-fi genre and steps into the "human spirit" territory. Its feel is less of sci-fi but more of neo-noir, taking advantage of some of the most appetizing yet minimalist in/exteriors, with a surprise twist at the end.

Lorenzo's Oil is about Ordone's son who was diagnosed with adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD) and the parents' quest to find a miracle cure for the deadly genetic disease because they refused to stand still and watch him die without taking any action. Nick Nolte gives a brilliant performance as the father.

When it comes to corruption among the boys in blue, Sidney Lumet was the master storyteller. Q&A is the third compelling movie in his oeuvre with Serpico and Prince of the City being the first two. Nick Nolte is a badass and uses his massive body size to tear up everybody. He's a force to be reckoned with.