In the last 30 years, movies have made great leaps and bounds in the areas of special effects. We've seen classic actors become the new (old?) heartthrobs (Sean Connery and Harrison Ford) as well as adding some new sexy actors (Michelle Pfeiffer and John Travolta, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck).

What new films (last 10-20 years) would you consider classics and why?

Obviously Star Wars and Indiana Jones would fall into my list. They paved the way for special effects development and storyline. They made people think about the future (and the past?) What about Back to the Future?

Let's see if I can put this in some kind of order:

1. Star Wars trilogy
2. E.T.
3. Indiana Jones trilogy
4. The Sixth Sense/American Beauty
5. Dogma (just saw it - fabulous!)
6. Face/Off
7. Back to the Future
8. Forest Gump
9. Steel Magnolias

These are not in any particular order.

I included some recent films I think will become classics. The Sixth Sense (I won't give away any surprises) will have an impact on writers, I believe, because of that fabulous plot twist. I think writers will start to veer away from that safe old formula and try some new and exciting things. American Beauty is another that I think will so the same thing.

I saw Dogma tonight. While this movie has some very foul language in it (not for the kiddies) I thoroughly enjoyed the story and humor. When I can leave the theatre thinking about what I just saw, it's a good movie.

Face/Off did some really neat things with effects and writing that I think will be used again, and the acting by both Cage and Travolta was phenomenal.

Steel Magnolias... wow. A real chick flick, but man, what a chick flick. Gets a box of tissues award from me.

I wasn't too impressed with Forest Gump as a story, but once again, the effects were amazing.

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Silver Moonsong
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The man who has seen the rising moon break out of the clouds at midnight, has been present like an archangel at the creation of light and of the world.
--Emerson

I posted last month in the old classics what my all-time films are....and they most certainly should be here plus a few changes to my original list. So here goes.....

1. Highlander
2. Breakfast cLub
3. The Lost Boys
4. Star Wars Triology
5. Indiana Jones Triology
6. Karate Kid (part 1 only)
7. Back to the Future (part 1 only)
8. The Thing
9. Escape from New York
10. Scent of a Woman

Let's see Why....

Ok...Star Wars and Indiana Jones....just pure fun and fantasy roled into one.
Highlander....as they say 'There can be only one'...excellent script, very original and brilliant acting by Sean Connery and Christopher Lambert. Soundtrack was very good by Queen.

Breakfast Club....again very original and great acting...just blew my mind with their discussions.

Lost Boys....made me want to become a Vampire...very cool and chic. Karate Kid...started to learn Martial Arts after seeing this film, plus what Mr.Miyagi says hits home on a few points.
John Carpenter films were very good in the eighties, with Escape and The Thing being his best. One for action and the other for horror....both starring Kurt Russell (who I think is a great actor.

Last but not least of all is Scent of a Woman....Al Pacino was fantastic, the film made me laugh, hurt, angry and very emotional especially the speech at the end of the film. Just pure acting from Pacino.

That's about it... so onto the next person...

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Deciphering the World as I see it !!

[This message has been edited by Sypher (edited 11-26-1999).]

In addition to the movies that have been cited above, I would add:

Ordinary People
Driving Miss Daisy
Field Of Dreams
Hannah And Her Sisters
Moonstruck
The Dresser
Terms of Endearment
Crimes And Misdemeaners
Tootsie
Chariots Of Fire
Schindler's List
Why? I think that they are great films, with terrific performances and flawless production values.And they remain emminently watchable time after time.Some of them also deal more frankly with their subject matter than films made forty or fifty years ago--and I see that as another stride forward.

Excellent list so far but here are others that belong - from '70 on - since the Star Wars movies are on the earlier lists.
(chelseabelle, superb additions!)
Dances with Wolves (How could it have been missed so far?)
Platoon (Reflection a generations pain)
Wall Street ("Greed...is Good!" - so 80's)
The Color Purple
The Matrix
Apocolypse Now
The Godfather trilogy
Do The Right Thing (For Spike, though I think "He Got Game" is his best to date)
Pulp Fiction
Four Wedding & A Funneral
JFK
Toy Story
The Princess Bride
A Few Good Men
A League of their Own
Nightmare Before Christmas
Terminator
Aliens
Titanic (As much as I HATE to say it)
Top gun
Ghandi
Tootsie
The Big Chill
Silverado
Amadeus
Ran
Fargo
Philadelphia
Ghost
Risky Business
Road Warrior
An Officer & A Gentleman

I'm sure there's more. These are listed because they've added something to our culture, they've lasted well and they've been satarized or quoted from frequently.

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"What is life, without a little Spice".

Some excellent additions.

I question Amadeus, simply because there was so much that was fictionalized to make it a great story. It was certainly an enjoyable movie, the acting was superb (LOVE Tom Hulce). As a music major, I had to take 2 years of music history, and about one month of that was spent on Mozart. He barely knew Salieri, only met him once or twice, if I remember correctly. He did die a pauper and was buried in a pauper's grave. Historical movies are great, but only when they get the correct information to the audience.

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Silver Moonsong
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The man who has seen the rising moon break out of the clouds at midnight, has been present like an archangel at the creation of light and of the world.
--Emerson

Silver Moonsong - I understand your feelings about the historical accuracy, but I still believe THE FILM is a modern classic.
The Film had an inpact on a lot of people and regardless of the truth of what happened, the film itself will stand as a favorite for years to come. You can find nits to pick with EVERY film on everyones list for accuracy, but will that stop people from wanting to watch Titanic; Dances with Wolves, Tombstone, JFK, A Few Good Men? I don't think so. I think they'll all be considered old revered "classics" in 20 years.

I didin't say it wasn't a great film. I think it's fabulous. I just wish Hollywood would get a clue. THey can make history seem interesting without distorting it.

Another great flick is Amistad, which also has that darn accuracy problem.

While I'm in here, I have to add Blazing Saddles. The bean scene will live forever! (If you haven't seen it, go rent it! It's a Mel Brooks film)

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Silver Moonsong
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The man who has seen the rising moon break out of the clouds at midnight, has been present like an archangel at the creation of light and of the world.
--Emerson

Yep.....the bean scene is a classic...I missed one on my list, and that has to be 'The Frisco Kid' with Harrison Ford and Gene Wilder. I love the bit where Wilder jumps off the cliff with his horse for some absurd reason...can't remember but it is a great film.

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Deciphering the World as I see it !!

Got to add some more Mel Brooks
The Producers
Young Frankenstein

And, how about Jaws and Close Encounters of The 3rd Kind ?

And, how about Babe--for the clever animatronics ?

Apocalypse Now, was also an interesting flick.

ooops, got a double post.

Well, as long as I'm here, I might as well add another movie
Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid

[This message has been edited by chelseabelle (edited 12-21-1999).]

Steel Magnolias, Dirty Dancing and Always!!

Oops, I forgot the Grench Who Stoled Christmas!!

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Sandalwood's Cosmic Creations: Working with the magic of love....

I almost forgot......

The Exorcist

Hey, I agree about all those great movies you mention, but as far as I can see only one of them isn't American (4 weddings...).
How about some great european movies?
Has any of you seen a Pedro Almodovar film?\
I truly believe they should be counted among the best.

Shawshank Redemption
No Way Out
Toy Story
The Shining

Some old, some new, some already mentioned and some of my own personal favorites....but all good!!!

Star Wars Trilogy (although I haven´t seen Episode 1 yet)
Close Encounters of the Third Kind
The Exorcist (parts I & III)
Alien(s) (all of them)
2001: A Space Odyssey
The Matrix (hated the story-line, but loved the effects and soundtrack)
Seven
Braveheart
Amistad
The Silence of the Lambs
Last of the Mohicans
The Shawshank Redemption
Schindler´s List
Pulp Fiction
The Sixth Sense (although I figured out the plot within the first half hour)
Dead Poet´s Society (love Robin Williams)
Forest Gump

As far as international films go, I really enjoyed Four Weddings and a Funeral...but I´d also have to recommend three spanish- speaking flicks that got my attention:
Like Water for Chocolate
The House of Spirits (with Glenn Close)
El Callejon de los Milagros (I guess it would be called Miracle Alley in English...it starred Salma Hayek)

Oooops...almost forgot:

Fantasia (and waiting anxiously for the new one!)
A Clockwork Orange
One Flew Over the Cuckoo´s Nest
Citizen Kane (definitely spans time as a classic)

and lets not forget a little Italian film...hehehehe...called Life is Beautiful...what a tear-jerker!