Honorable Mentions
Per the suggestion of a few of my readers, this new addition to Op-Rob will document my favorite movies. Over the course of the next few months, I will post my 50 favorite movies with reviews for each of them.
For now, however, I am posting a list of films that I love, but didn’t make the cut for top 50. I’ve added a sentence or two commenting on each of the honorable mentions. If you strongly dislike any of these movies or want to know more about why I like them, feel free to post a comment and I will do my best to respond in detail.
I hope you enjoy and get the chance to watch a few of these titles if you haven’t seen them already!
"La Femme Nikita" (1990, Action)
For fans of Jason Bourne and James Bond, Luc Besson's "La Femme Nikita" is an essential viewing.
"Hunt for the Wilderpeople" (2016, Adventure-Comedy)
Set in the New Zealand bush, this film is non-stop excitement from start to finish, with more than a few thoughtful moments too.
“Charlie Wilson's War” (2007, Comedy Drama)
- This scene is one of many reasons I love this true-ish Cold War political comedy/drama.
“Ghost Dog: Way of the Samurai” (1999, Action)
This movie blends seemingly incongruent themes to create an entirely unique take on the crime genre.
“Locke” (2013, Drama)
“Locke” takes place almost entirely inside of a car. If you can get past the static scenery, this movie bears a compelling message about family, honor, and a man’s duty to own up to his mistakes.
“Shaft” (1971, Action-Crime)
"Right on."
“Little Miss Sunshine” (2006, Comedy-Drama)
This movie presents such a dreadful cast of characters at its outset (with the exception of Olive), it is remarkable that you’ll be rooting for them all by the end of the story.
“Gladiator” (2000, Action-Drama)
High School teachers can debate the historical accuracy all they want, “Gladiator” is a grand adventure that never fails to inspire with a killer soundtrack and a powerhouse cast.
“The Descendants” (2011, Drama)
Don’t let the backdrop of Hawaii fool you, “The Descendants” is an often dark, but ultimately inspiring tale about a family coming together in the wake of a physical, and behavioral tragedy.
“Mulholland Drive” (2001, Mystery)
With an ever present eeriness and twist for the ages, one must question everything in this mysterious thriller from the mind of David Lynch.
"Casino" (1995, Crime-Drama)
Scorcese? Check. De Niro? Check. Pesci? Check. "Casino" would break the top 50 if a similar film weren't just a little better...
“Fantastic Mr. Fox” (2009, Comedy)
Stop-motion with the Wes Anderson signature touch. This film is light, funny, and has an all-star voice cast and an excellent soundtrack.
“Moneyball” (2011, Sports-Drama)
Who knew a movie about baseball analytics could be so thoughtful and entertaining?
“State of Siege” (1972, Historical-Thriller)
A Costa-Gavras matter-of-fact political thriller, “State of Siege” is a lesson in the shadier corners of Cold War history, and a conversation-starting message about the rules of war.
“In Bruges” (2008, Dark-Comedy)
Quotable and clever, “In Bruges” is an all-around well executed movie about the perils of the hitman business.
“Rushmore” (1998, Comedy)
“The Hunter” (2011, Adventure)
It’s a slow-burn, but visually rewarding throughout and surprisingly creative in the climax.
“The Gift” (2015, Horror Thriller)
- “The Gift” is one of those movies that takes your expectations and throws them out the window. It is very scary, but the source of real terror will certainly surprise you.
“A Serious Man” (2009, Dark Comedy)
Detailed, hilarious, and shrouded in symbolism, "A Serious Man" is a movie that makes you think.
“Green Room” (2015, Horror-Thriller)
Not for the faint of heart, “Green Room” is a sharp, bloody plunge into a culture of neo-nazi’s from which a visiting rock band must extract themselves.
“Inside Out” (2015, Animated Comedy-Drama)
Somehow achieves to be kid-friendly and entertaining while executing an inventive and extremely complex premise. “Inside Out” is Pixar perfection.
"Die Hard" (1988, Action)
It’s scenes like this that never get old, and make “Die Hard” an annual Christmas Eve tradition.