The movie that "WOWED" you

[sapito318]

So, its very safe to say that there are not many movies out there that are simply astounding and amazing and everything else good. However, there are a few...

What movie did this for you? What movie simply got your attention by being either so real or so unimaginable that you can never quite shake it out of your head? Or, a movie that affected you greatly for better or worse.

The first movie that comes to mind for me is "Pan's Labyrinth" written and directed by Guillermo del Toro. The movie is in Spanish, and is subtitled in English. Simply amazing movie that provided something that I did not expect. I would call this movie an "Adult Fantasy Film", not adult as in adult content, but adult as in not a typical children's sort of fantasy story. This movie really touched me for some inexplicable reason. I dont want to give away too much of the plot, but it just shows so plainly how powerful the human mind really is, and what deeds we humans are capable of, good or evil. I feel that it also showed that there really is no such thing as just black and white, but that there is definitely a grey area that is rarely clearly visible and yet always there...

 

[Leche]

Schindler's List, Life is Beautiful (In Italian), and Band of Brothers were some of the most powerful films I had ever seen. There are more but those three pop up.

 

[ouch]

Clockwork Orange.

 

[sapito318]

clockwork orange.

+1

 

[Brodirt]

Jaws. Seeing that as a young boy who spent the vast majority of days not in school out on a boat, with a Dad a lot like Quint, was mind-bending. It is today my favorite film, but I have not completely overcome the inpact it had on my pubescent brain.

Halloween. The first of its kind and I was the target customer. Shocking good fun. To this day its still the only "horror" movie I like, in fact I can say that I hate horror movies.

Schindler's List, for the obvious reasons.

Here is an odd one for you, and to this day I cant explain it, but Prince of Darkness. I was probably 20 when I saw it on a Friday night with a bunch of buddies and our dates, and for some reason or other the end of that movie scared the ****e out of all of us...seriously, it chilled me to my bones.

 

[Confilo]

Los Olvidados by Luis Bunuel; in fact most of his movies do it for me

 

[ClubmanRob]

I saw Evil Dead II when I was five years old. That movie changed my life forever. I still marvel at it to this day.

 

[ouch]

El Topo. (First half.)

 

[Dustinl]

The most visually stimulating movie that I have ever watched and can watch over and over would be Sin City. I found it to be absolutely amazing. Still my favorite to this day. Apocolypse Now is a close second for me.

The most disturbing movie I have ever watched is Natural Born Killers.

Perhaps the most life-changing movie I have watched would be The Passion of the Christ.

DL

 

[Lynchmeister]

Kids.

My friends and I watched it as young teenagers (14-15ish). It blew me away...for better or worse, I'm not sure, but at the time as a young, suburban, Minnesota kid, I couldn't believe what I was seeing.

 

[Captain Flint]

Hal Hartley's Amateur (1994), definitely. His last movies are close to rubbish, though.
More recently I would have to name at least two chefs-d'oeuvre: Peter Greenaway's Nightwatching (2007) and Jason Reitman's Juno (2007).
But many more could be considered...

 

[Hoos]

Classic WOW: To Kill A Mockingbird

OMG I can't watch WOW: Last House on the Left (Wes Craven version)

Dammit you made me cry WOW: Old Yeller

 

[cricky101]

For me: "A History of Violence."
I really enjoyed that there were long sections without dialogue and the actors' expressions and actions spoke for them. It made it tense and drew me in without seeming forced.

Another, although I don't know if it will entirely count as a movie, is "Murderball." It's a documentary about parapalegics who play full-contact wheelchair rugby and their quest to make it to the Paralympic Games in Athens, Greece.

 

[strat1117]

Clockwork Orange.

He said it first. Kubrick at his best.

My all-time favorite, my little droogie.

 

[Confuzius]

Amores Perros http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0245712/
Kind of like Mexican Pulp Fiction in that it's a whole bunch of seemingly non-connected stories that are very connected, awesome movie. If you liked this check out Crash and 21 Grams (or vice-versa).

The Usual Suspects http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0114814/
I saw this when I was 12 or 13 and it was the movie that made me love movies (and led me to working in a video store and going to film schol). I was totally blown away. The best montage and "twist ending" ever.

 

[GoldenMonkey]

Blade Runner, director's cut - actually any version, but I've seen this movie a million times, and it still keeps me on my toes and keeps me thinking about it. I saw it in the theater when it came out, and as a 12 year old, lol...it took may more years and views before I finally thought I understood what was going on.

Apocalypse Now! - SO many memorable characters, lines, moments...some of the most harrowing and uncomfortable thought processes ever commited to film. I think I've analyzed this film even more than Blade Runner.

Seven Samurai - Stunning. Any Kurosawa work is high on my list, but this one had it all...action, drama, excitement, jawdropping cinematography. Perhaps one of the greatest films EVER.

Memento - seriously well done film, and an editor's nightmare, lol. One of the greatest mind Fs ever, lol.

Brokeback Mountain - Ang Lee manages to paint pictures with his films...stunningly beautiful visually (except for the "uncomfortable" bits), and great great GREAT acting...Heath Ledger's strength, internal torment, and subdued character is some of his best work...sure, he was great as The Joker, but THIS role...wow.

Empire of the Sun - Spielberg, back when he know how to tell a great story...I love the little Christian Bale in this film. Full of wonderful moments and high adventure.

Raiders of the Lost Ark - I saw this with my dad as a kid, and I went to the theater kicking and screaming, not wanting to go see "some dumb bible movie..."...let's just say that once the giant boulder came rolling after Indy, my love affair has not stopped. At least with the first film...the rest...not so much...

 

[dwestenk]

Classic WOW: To Kill A Mockingbird

Blade Runner

+1 to each of the above.



I'd also add 2001: A Space Odyssey.

 

[TimMechEngr]

1. Dances With Wolves
2. Braveheart
3. Gladiator
4. Forrest Gump
5. Driving Miss Daisy
6. Titanic
7. Pearl Harbor

Many, many more...

 

[big1096]

Schindler's List

There are certainly many more favorites; but this one had the biggest impact for me. I am forever a Liam Neeson fan because of it.

 

[RILEY]

Star Wars.
I was 9 years old at the time & seeing it up on a big screen was just awesome. The characters & story truly captured my imagination at that age. I was in awe of these incredible special effects that were way ahead of their time. The Star Wars marketing machine had its grip on me.
Come Monday, I was sure to have the lunch kit in hand. The hockey card trading was put aside & it was common to see light sabre battles break out on the playground.