This list covers the 25 greatest English Language films that I have seen. Though I do not claim to have seen every great film, I don't think there are many sins of omission from this list. Now, how do I define greatest? I considered several factors when making this list: acting, directing, cinematography, screenplay, set design, and "the x-factor." The term x-factor is used to label a quality that is not quite describable, almost a feeling one receives after watching a great film. Here are the first 5:
25. Alien - Yes, there is a monster movie in the top 25. Nevertheless, Alien could easily be the most frightening film of all time. The world that Ridley Scott creates both in the spacecraft and on the ominous planet surface is tense, detailed, and terrifying. No other film of this genre is more affective at unsettling its viewers and also drawing them in.
24. O Brother, Where Art Thou - Very few filmmakers have created a more impressive film resume than the Coen Brothers. Starting with Blood Simple, the Coen Brothers have consistently made quality work for 20 years. There most complete film to date is not Fargo, but O Brother, Where Art Thou. The vibrant cinematography , stirring soundtrack, and the terrific and hilarious cast help make one of the most thouroughly entertaining films of the 21st century.
23. Blue Velvet - Every decade has a film that redefines the boundaries of taste, and Blue Velvet was that film of the 80s. Lynch's masterpiece is a surrealist satire on small town America. Over the top performances by Dennis Hopper and Dean Stockwell simultaneously terrify and draw in the viewer. Though difficult to watch at times, no film of the eighties takes more risks or dives deeper into the human condition.
22. Five Easy Pieces - Most for known for propelling Jack Nicholson and "the chicken salad sandwhich scene" into stardom, Bob Rafelson's Five Easy Pieces is one of the best films to depict a person struggling with his identity. Anchored by Nicholson's brilliant (and subtle) performance, the viewer journies with Nicholson as he tries to discover who he is and who he wants to be. The plain direction works perfectly with the somber screenplay to help create one of the best movies of the 70s.
21. Blade Runner (Director's Cut) - Though universally panned at its release, Blade Runner eventually became a cult classic, and with the release of its Director's Cut, became one of the best science fiction films of all time. With some of the best special effects and set design for its time, Blade Runner creates a dystopia that focuses not on its world, but its characters. Dynamc performances by Rutger Hauer and Edward James Olmos help make this a brilliant character study and a foreshadowing of the planet years to come.
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