I am going to rent most of these movies on your recommendation, especially "A Scanner Darkly." Thanks a bunch!

get 'Waking Life' too, its kind of a companion piece to 'A Scanner Darkly'.

I've heard that "Waking Life" is just an utterly worthless, pretentious piece of shit.

I love you're doing a top 10 list every week :D Really appreciate it, thank you!

Nevermind! Time to watch the video

Great list Sage, very unconventional... I like that.

You looked like you were at or near tears mentioning the depth and impact of A Scanner Darkly. I'm curious if I should run out and find a copy. Is it really that moving and stirring of a film?

you should run out and find a copy of every movie on this list. and thus He did make Netflix, and it was good. (imagine that with Linkara's Narrator/God voice for proper effect.)

I'm curious about the Ben 10 thing on the title card... Oh wait, I get it now.

Uggghhhhh! This list is nothing but touchy, feely, artsy-fartsy flicks here. Which is ok to like those....but no Quality action movies? No horror flicks? No comedies?

Don't get me wrong, if this is his LEGIT, personal top 10? Fine. But i've noticed when a lot of reviewer types around the net list their favs, its often these kinda movies. Almost as if they worry they won't be taken seriously otherwise, as if the snooty part of their fanbase will scoff at it or something.

So when i see a listing to such extremes, i can't help but call B.S on at least a few of those entries.

By the way, if i were to do a top 10 list.... Rocky IV would be among my all-time favorite movies. NOT part I. Excuse me for being so uncultured....

Really? Of all things you think The Blues Brothers and Team America, two well-known comedy movies, are artsy-fartsy movies? Same with American Psycho, a horror movie being "artsy". Someone get me a map, I need to chart that leap in logic!

And what's wrong with enjoying thought-provoking movies? Ben might be many things, but if he genuinely likes those kinds of movies, who are you to take that away from him, from anybody, and say "Oh you're just putting those films on there to seem cultured, you don't really like them"?

Just like how you automatically assume that people will think you're uncultured for liking Rocky IV. If it's one of your all-time favorites, good for you! No one wants to take that from you. Of all people, maybe Roger Ebert might call you uncultured for liking Rocky IV, but not many people are like Ebert.

Personally, I like movies like Guess Who's Coming To Dinner and Grapes of Wrath, and I would rank them among my other favorite movies like The Exorcist, Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein, The Maltese Falcon, A Nightmare on Elm Street, The Blues Brothers, Heart and Souls, The Devil's Carnival, Fiddler on the Roof, and Noferatu. Does that mean because I like the first two movies, it completely negates the other movies I like simply because they're not all serious, thought-provoking commentaries on the times they came out? Hardly!

When I see comments like yours trying to be self-righteous and condemning other people's opinions, I can only feel sad as I would suppose that maybe you're not comfortable with the movies you like, or letting people know you like them, so you try to put others down to make yourself feel better. It's better than thinking you're outright arrogant.

Are you trying to say that horror movies can't be intelligently written? Because I'd need a map to chat that lead in logic.
American Psycho was an extremely thoughtful, clever satire of the materialistic culture of the 80's (as Sage pointed out) it's not an art house film, but it is artistic and it is meant to make you think and that's not a bad thing.

Or maybe True Grave, he really likes these movies. Shawshank Redemption and American Psycho aren't made for the arthouse. They are mainstream and they are two of the greatest films I've ever seen.

To sit there and write that Bennett would lie about films that touched him because he wants too impress someone is an insult. I don't think he really cares what anyone thinks of his list.

You don't count "The Blues Brothers" as a comedy?

You're really going out of your way to be offended aren't you?

Yes, A Scanner Darkly is deeply profound movie. I don't really like it, because it is depressing, but when i saw it i was extremely impressed by it's style, it's story and the characters.

I'm not a huge "Ben Ten" fan but I do appreciate the jist of your titlecard and how it fits.


Also, I know I have been putting it off, but I really am going to make a effort into actually seeing "Team World Police" for myself.

i love month long events from internet contributors. it's cool to see something that has nothing to do with Christmas going on at december too. this was a wonderful little insight and very informative. i wish all TGWTG did these for areas of media that they don't operate within.

Sage if Roy Batty's half-assed speech of seeing "attack ships on fire" and "c-beams glitter in the dark" sounds poetic and touching to you, you need to watch more movies but preferably read more books. No doubt the scene gets many elements right but the dialog disappoints. What, does him throwing "Orion" in there make it all better? Ooooh transcendent.

But seriously, check out Dr. Manhattan's realization in The Watchmen:
Dr M: Will you smile? If I admit I was wrong?
SS: About what?
Dr M: Miracles. Events with astronomical odds of occurring, like oxygen turning into gold. I've longed to witness such an event, and yet I neglect that in human coupling, millions upon millions of cells compete to create life, for generation after generation until, finally, your mother loves a man, Edward Blake, the Comedian, a man she has every reason to hate, and out of that contradiction, against unfathomable odds, it's you - only you - that emerged. To distill so specific a form, from all that chaos. It's like turning air into gold. A miracle.
--Taken from imdb.
He breathes out the word "form" as a revelation so deliberately that it sends chills down your back.

I enjoy A Scanner Darkly very much as well but not as a whole movie, rather parts of it. Sweet list!

Wow Sage! Don't think I've ever seen you so shaken up in a video before. then again it was a very personal selection of movies.

Glad to see some comedies in there as well. Horror, action, comedy movies, they usually get overlooked on these lists for the hard hitting (or sometimes just uplifting) dramas, but every kind of movie can effect you; especially one of such varied tastes as yourself.

Dahhr-ho-ha, good show.

Well, this was definitely different.

I really enjoyed this and I look forward to your other lists too! Partly because while I love your comedy, it's nice to see you be a bit more serious every once in a while, and partly because it gives me some new things to watch. :)

Blues Brothers would absolutely be on my own list of top 10 favorite films as well. I've actually never seen American Psycho and never heard of A Scanner Darkly; I'll have to check them out. A Scanner Darkly reminds me considerably of Waking Life (visually anyway).

First of all: great list with not just your average "favourit films", with the general exception being "Shawshank Redemption", and the lack of a Stanley Kubrick film comes somewhat as a surprise, but not that you have two high-ranking spots for Phillip K Dick based films (namely "Blade Runner" and the film I want to expound on).

Second of all: I love spot #1. This movie is SO underrated it pains me to see people turn away from it because of the cell-shading, saying it's to cartoony and that it's just about a bunch of junkies. There's more to this movie than most people realize. Among others; it is Keanu Reeves absolute best performance. Usually he looks so dumbfounded, baffled and awestruck that you kind of get used to his expression. The Matrix is a good example of this, but as for this movie: he fits in to the puzzle beautifully and his usual Keanu Reeves expression is a welcome addition to the cast.

The ultimate reveal of the plot can be compared to the real worlds corruption within authority when considering the production and addiction of pills, heroin, cocaine and crack. It is a very political movie, but at the same time a very personal movie, to people who have experienced a world of drug abuse and the total confusion inherit. Every time I watch this movie it's like coming home again, and thankfully; being able to escape at the end of the film, or by the simple press of a stop button.

PS: Team America and Blues Brothers... this list of yours is strangely akin to my top 10 list.

If you like Westerns with a sense of humor try:

Cat Ballou
Support Your Local Sheriff
Support Your Local Gunfighter
Hallelujah Trail

Just to name four off of the top my head.

Well, you didn't ask for it, but...

10. The Warriors
9. Donnie Darko
8. Midnight Cowboy
7. O Lucky Man!
6. Inglourious Basterds
5. The Devil's Rejects
4. Trainspotting
3. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
2. The Big Lebowski
1. A Clockwork Orange

Eek! Anytime I see "A Clockwork Orange" on anybody's list my heart does a little dance. I admit its only number 5 on mine, but still greatly cherished nonetheless! *thumbs up*

EpicFish-- I didn't think about Team America or Blues brothers when mentioning comedies, know why? Because he BARELY talks about the comedic aspects of them!! Just goes on about the technical qualities with the puppetry in T.A, and the subtle thoughts behind the jokes in B.B.

And American Psycho is NOT a horror movie. Its a psychological drama/thriller.

Anyway, i'm not calling B.S on the list or saying liking thought-provoking movies is bad. Just saying that its such an extreme and sounds so much like every other artsy top 10 list out there, that my brain can't help but call B.S on some of it.

Oh and Rocky IV is MORE than just great action and a rockin' 80s soundtrack. I could do a write-up of the "deep" subtleties behind the scenes and the characters, that could EASILY Rival Sage's thoughts on Rocky I.

So just goes to show that even action movies can be respectable too. Liking them isn't just for "guilty pleasure" reasons.

I loved this list it had beautiful movies some i never heard of and some i haven't seen
Thank you sage =D

p.s i haven't seen blues brothers don't kill me!! -hides-

Just... wow.

Woah, woah, woah. Please tell me I misunderstood that. You said "after Wicker Man and Lord of War, we forget Nick Cage is a good actor." Are you trying to tell me Sage that you thought Lord of War was bad, or that Nick Cage was bad in that? It's one of his best movies. >=|

It's always refreshing to see Blues Brothers get some love. It's one of my favorite films and when people talk about comedic gold they often forget about (arguably) the best script Aykroyd ever wrote! I'm still waiting for someone on the site to show some love for E.T. In my opinion, the best film ever. But just sayin ;)

Excellent list. A Scanner Darkly, Blade Runner and The Shawshank Redemption are among some of my all time favorite films as well.

Nice taste man, just saw Team America, it was hilarious, you know the aids broad way scene was a parody of Rent right? Or did you never go back and watch and that starting bit? Anyway for some reason I thought for sure Fight Club would be somewhere on your list. Also curious as to if your watching any of the airing anime. I know you don't like modern anime, but the new Jojo's bizzare adventure anime is just awesome especially if you like the 80's shonen style from Fist of the North Star.

What I'm about to say is probably going to be controversial, but it's true -

Have not seen a single one of these films. I believe I saw Blade Runner, but it was at the age of 2 or so, so I disqualify it for not having seen it recently enough to remember the film. I have also seen the last 20 or so minutes of The Blues Brothers. Caught it on TV, didn't see the whole thing.

That said, I'm not some kind of movie hermit. With the exception of the one Anime on the list, I've heard of all of these movies and know a good deal about them. I just tend to watch different movies altogether. Movies like Blue Velvet, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Idiocracy, Primer... I would probably like most of these films, but I know my top ten would be radically different from Sage's.

Its okay, the only one I've seen is Blues Brothers. I need to get on the ball with most of 'em.

the omnitrix is a clever use for a top 10 list.

I'm surprised you didn't mention how A Scanner Darkly is also extremely funny in places... that contrast is a major reason why the movie is so good, to me at least.

Seen 9/10... Good choices.

Adaptation is among my Top 10 WORST films ever seen.

Then you don't know what a good movie is.

never expected blus bros. on this list it was one of those films that I knew before I clicked the video.