Essential Films
Table of Contents
My Film Philosophy #
This is my collection of essential films - it’s a blend of favourite movies and a list of films that must be seen. I’m drawn to drama that makes you think and feel deeply, quality sci-fi that isn’t derivative and inspires thought, and martial arts films with compelling storytelling and exceptional choreography.
It’s very rare that I like a popcorn movie, but if it hits all the right points for a bit of vacuous fun without any groan-inducing moments or preachy, moralistic messaging, I’m in.
Selection Criteria #
- Drama: Stories that provoke thought and genuine emotional response
- Quality Sci-Fi: Films that explore ideas, challenge assumptions, and avoid tired tropes (e.g., Arrival)
- Martial Arts: Compelling narratives with choreography that serves the story (e.g., Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon)
- Occasional Popcorn: Pure entertainment that doesn’t insult intelligence (e.g., Clerks)
Title | Year | IMDB | Runtime | Genres | Director | Why It's Essential |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2001: A Space Odyssey | 1968 | 8.3 | 149 | Adventure Epic, Artificial Intelligence, Epic | Stanley Kubrick | Philosophical masterpiece that redefined sci-fi cinema |
Akira | 1988 | 8 | 124 | Action Epic, Adult Animation, Anime | Katsuhiro Ôtomo | Groundbreaking anime that influenced cyberpunk cinema |
Alien | 1979 | 8.5 | 117 | Alien Invasion, Body Horror, Cyberpunk | Ridley Scott | Claustrophobic masterpiece that redefined sci-fi horror |
Aliens | 1986 | 8.4 | 137 | Alien Invasion, Cyberpunk, Monster Horror | James Cameron | Perfect sequel that shifts from horror to action |
Arrival | 2016 | 7.9 | 116 | Alien Invasion, Psychological Drama, Sci-Fi Epic | Denis Villeneuve | Thoughtful exploration of communication and time |
Being John Malkovich | 1999 | 7.7 | 15 | Body Swap Comedy, High-Concept Comedy, Psychological Drama | Spike Jonze | Surreal masterpiece of identity and celebrity obsession |
Blade Runner | 1982 | 8.1 | 117 | Artificial Intelligence, Cyber Thriller, Cyberpunk | Ridley Scott | Definitive cyberpunk questioning humanity |
Blade Runner 2049 | 2017 | 8 | 164 | Action Epic, Artificial Intelligence, Cyber Thriller | Denis Villeneuve | Worthy sequel that deepens the original's themes |
Children of Men | 2006 | 7.9 | 109 | Dystopian Sci-Fi, Epic, Psychological Drama | Alfonso Cuarón | Dystopian masterpiece about hope and humanity |
Clerks | 1994 | 7.7 | 92 | Buddy Comedy, Satire, Comedy | Kevin Smith | Sharp, dialogue-driven indie comedy that launched a career |
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon | 2000 | 7.9 | 90 | Action Epic, Adventure Epic, Epic | Ang Lee | Poetry in motion with profound emotional depth |
Drive | 2011 | 7.8 | 100 | Car Action, One-Person Army Action, Action | Nicolas Winding Refn | Stylish neo-noir with perfect pacing |
Drunken Master II | 1994 | 7.5 | 20 | Kung Fu, Martial Arts, Slapstick | Chia-Liang Liu | Jackie Chan's finest hour of comedic kung fu |
Enter the Dragon | 1973 | 7.6 | 102 | Kung Fu, Martial Arts, One-Person Army Action | Robert Clouse | Bruce Lee's masterpiece blending philosophy and combat |
Ex Machina | 2014 | 7.7 | 108 | Artificial Intelligence, Psychological Thriller, Drama | Alex Garland | Thought-provoking AI thriller with philosophical depth |
Fearless | 2006 | 7.6 | 104 | Docudrama, Kung Fu, Martial Arts | Ronny Yu | Jet Li's philosophical farewell to martial arts cinema |
Ghost in the Shell | 1995 | 8 | 83 | Adult Animation, Anime, Artificial Intelligence | Mamoru Oshii | Cyberpunk anime exploring consciousness and identity |
Heat | 1995 | 8.3 | 170 | Action Epic, Cop Drama, Epic | Michael Mann | Epic cat-and-mouse thriller with perfect character depth |
Her | 2013 | 8 | 126 | Artificial Intelligence, Psychological Drama, Drama | Spike Jonze | Tender exploration of love and technology |
Hero | 2002 | 7.9 | 107 | Martial Arts, Wuxia, Action | Yimou Zhang | Visually stunning wuxia film with layered storytelling |
Interstellar | 2014 | 8.7 | 169 | Adventure Epic, Epic, Psychological Drama | Christopher Nolan | Emotional space epic grounded in real science |
Ip Man | 2008 | 8 | 106 | Docudrama, Kung Fu, Martial Arts | Wilson Yip | Wing Chun mastery with historical gravitas |
Mad Max: Fury Road | 2015 | 8.1 | 28920 | Action Epic, Adventure Epic, Car Action | George Miller | Pure cinema - action as visual storytelling |
Memento | 2000 | 8.4 | 113 | Psychological Thriller, Suspense Mystery, Drama | Christopher Nolan | Innovative reverse narrative exploring memory and truth |
Memories of Murder | 2003 | 8.1 | 131 | Dark Comedy, Police Procedural, Serial Killer | Bong Joon Ho | Darkly comic investigation of incompetence and truth |
Minority Report | 2002 | 7.6 | 145 | Conspiracy Thriller, Cyber Thriller, Cyberpunk | Steven Spielberg | Pre-crime ethics wrapped in stellar action |
Moonlight | 2016 | 7.4 | 111 | Coming-of-Age, Drama, Back to top | Barry Jenkins | Intimate portrayal of identity and human connection |
No Country for Old Men | 2007 | 8.1 | 122 | Contemporary Western, Psychological Thriller, Serial Killer | Ethan Coen | Haunting meditation on fate and morality |
Oldboy | 2003 | 8.4 | 5 | Dark Comedy, One-Person Army Action, Psychological Drama | Park Chan-wook | Revenge thriller with philosophical undertones |
Parasite | 2019 | 8.5 | 132 | Dark Comedy, Psychological Drama, Psychological Thriller | Bong Joon Ho | Masterful class commentary wrapped in genre perfection |
Rec | 2007 | 7.4 | 5 | Body Horror, Found Footage Horror, Supernatural Horror | Jaume Balagueró | Claustrophobic found-footage horror done right |
Ring | 1998 | 7.2 | 96 | Supernatural Horror, Horror, Mystery | Hideo Nakata | J-horror classic that redefined supernatural terror |
Seven Samurai | 1954 | 8.6 | 207 | Action Epic, Epic, Period Drama | Akira Kurosawa | Epic tale of honour, sacrifice, and masterful filmmaking |
Sicario | 2015 | 7.6 | 121 | Contemporary Western, Cop Drama, Drug Crime | Denis Villeneuve | Brutal, uncompromising border thriller |
Spirited Away | 2001 | 9.3 | 124 | Anime, Coming-of-Age, Fairy Tale | Hayao Miyazaki | Miyazaki's masterpiece of imagination and environmental themes |
The Godfather | 1972 | 9.2 | 175 | Epic, Gangster, Tragedy | Francis Ford Coppola | Perfect storytelling and character development |
The Handmaiden | 2016 | 8.1 | 145 | Dark Romance, Erotic Thriller, Psychological Thriller | Park Chan-wook | Elegant psychological thriller with stunning visuals |
The Matrix | 1999 | 8.7 | 136 | Action Epic, Artificial Intelligence, Cyberpunk | Lana Wachowski | Reality-bending philosophy with groundbreaking action |
The Prestige | 2006 | 8.5 | 130 | Period Drama, Steampunk, Tragedy | Christopher Nolan | Intricate puzzle box about obsession and sacrifice |
The Raid | 2011 | 7.6 | 101 | Gun Fu, Martial Arts, Action | Gareth Evans | Relentless action with Indonesian martial arts excellence |
The Raid 2 | 2014 | 7.9 | 150 | Cop Drama, Gangster, Martial Arts | Gareth Evans | Expands the first film's world with epic scope |
The Social Network | 2010 | 7.7 | 128 | Docudrama, Epic, Legal Drama | David Fincher | Sharp dissection of ambition and betrayal |
The Wailing | 2016 | 7.4 | 156 | Body Horror, Folk Horror, Tragedy | Na Hong-jin | Atmospheric horror that questions faith and certainty |
There Will Be Blood | 2007 | 8.2 | 158 | Epic, Period Drama, Psychological Drama | Paul Thomas Anderson | Devastating character study of American capitalism |
This list continues to evolve as I discover films that meet these criteria. Each entry represents cinema that respects its audience’s intelligence while delivering exceptional craft.
Data Management #
This page is automatically generated from structured data. To update:
- Add movies: Edit
data/movies.yaml
with new entries (justtitle
,imdb_id
, andwhy_essential
) - Update all data: Run
python3 scripts/update_all_movies.py
to fetch current IMDB data for ALL movies - Rebuild: Run
hugo
to regenerate the table with updated data
The update script fetches year, rating, runtime, genres, and director from IMDB.