My Top 10, Scratch That, 5 Movies that Span All Decades and Genres

My previous article started a list of my personal picks for favorite films. While most everyone would disagree with me on the majority of my picks, they truthfully represent the first films that pop into my head when considering different genres. Hopefully one or two of these will trigger your memory switch and hit your eureka button, make you smile and say, "Oh yeah! I remember that one." Without further ado...

6. Oldboy

Chan-wook Park's second of the Vengence trilogy (Sympathy for Mr. Vengence being the first and Lady Vengence completing the series) brings together all the great elements of the thriller genre. Oh-dae Su is locked in a room for 15 years by a mystery man and released into the world with a new suit, a cell phone, and plenty of cash. His only goal is to find the man that imprisoned him and exact revenge. The audience is left biting nails at each twist and revelation until the motive is finally revealed. Chan-wook Park's cinematic genius imbues the unique story with an aesthetic quality faintly reminiscent of David Fincher with a dab of Darren Aronofsky and a splash of Kurosawa. The borderline insane elements of the story will keep you peeking through fingers trying to catch a glimpse of the grotesquely romantic scenes unfolding before your squinting eyes. Watch this one with your hands under your bum so you don't miss a frame; it will tickle your id and betray your morals leaving you questioning your own notions of sympathy.

7. Lucky Number Slevin

Regardless of genre, this is easily one of my fave fives. Being an English major, I appreciate the scripting above all else. I can't help but think of Shakespeare when I watch this. Josh Hartnett's character commands language with a fluidity and ease that would give Hamlet a run for his money. Besides the poorly acted flashbacks, each actor plays their role impeccably. Lucy Liu plays the smart, sexy (and legal) version of Nancy Drew while Bruce Willis (you gotta love Bruce) functions as the deus ex machina that provides the decisive character upon which a mystery drama like this can pivot. If you haven't seen it, see it; if you have seen it, watch it again. There's always something new to pick up on as the story's threads are all perfectly weaved into a patchwork quilt of awesome.

8. There Will Be Blood

Paul Thomas Anderson is yet another directorial wunderkind. If you can make it through the long stretches of dialogue-deprived exposition, you'll recognize the sublimity that this film achieves. The soundtrack is bar none one of the most fantastic facets of this cinematic symphony of emotion adding an eerie grandeur that compliments each scene with queer perfection. The natural lighting provides a tangible harmony for the audience to immerse itself in. The acting is unparalleled by today's standards-Daniel Day Lewis is, simply put, a master of the craft. It is one of the few movies that will never be called iconic of a genre or decade, yet will maintain a renown that will permeate through all time. I lay the accolades on so thick here because I believe There Will Be Blood is a paradigm for the mixture of art and film. It reminds us that film is a medium that should be respected, which is no small feat given the littering of forgettable movies that muddle the big screen. PTA titrates emotion through this filtered medium and what results is purified brilliance.

9. Gangs of New York

I'll flat out say that I'm not a Scorcese fan, but he pinned the donkey's tail on this one. I just listed There Will Be Blood above, but I again I have to include a Daniel Day Lewis film as it represents another unclassifiable masterpiece. The true luster of Gangs lies in the costume and set design. This filmsimulates the same aesthetic brilliance of Hook without the Disneyfied childishness. Each character has a distinctive style of dress that perfectly compliments their personality. The garb works in tandem with the gorgeous sets and allows the audience to fully immerse itself in the semi-fictional time and place of mid 19^th-century New York City. The scripting also helps define the setting, as does the characterization. I list Gangs of New York because of its unique story, which allows a refreshing break from the monotony of framework drama. It's a movie you can watch over and over and still enjoy because of its visual dazzle.

10. The Nightmare Before Christmas

Unique stories seem to be a theme for my critiques, and Tim Burton takes the cake for quirky plots. I could have listed Edward Scissorhands or Beetlejuice, but stop animation is a guilty pleasure of mine. Burton has a knack for producing outlandishly dark films, which I don't think we see enough of. The Nightmare Before Christmas gives us the chance to challenge our normal perspective on things and sympathize with characters we would normally alienate. It's also nice to hear Danny Elfman's voice (he does the voice for the protagonist Jack) instead of his awesome music scripts, which in no way do I mean to underplay since they are always fantastic. This is one of those movies that's able to teeter-totter on the fine line between sanity and delusion without pulling too far in either direction. It tugs at all the right emotional chords while simultaneously satiating or desire for entertainment.

So there you have it, my mixed list of top films. I don't think they're all Oscar worthy, nor are they all AFI top 100 material, but they all have at least one element that separates them from the generic blend of bland Hollywood drek. I'm interested in what you all think so please be so kind as to leave me a comment or two on what you would have included-I might have to rethink my thinking after reading your inputs.