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[Leonard Washington]

...Pick one, any one, but only one mind you.

It doesn't have to a forever and ever thing - I'm not going to hold you to it, just the one that pops into your mind after reading the title and then share how and why or sit there with some cognac and a cigar, ruminate on the topic and then come let me know.

For me it has to be:

​

I'd been thinking about this kind of way out, life is a game type stuff for a while before it was released and it was difficult to express the concepts/speak to others about it because they had no point of reference and or thought you were a bit crazy for bringing it up and then this movie comes along which showed me that not only do other people think similar things but that they had done for many, many moons before I was even born. Nothing new under the sun, eh?

What was a tad irritating afterwards is that when I did start expounding my thoughts on reality later instead of getting the "Oh, you're mad" response with no further thinking I'd get the "Oh, I've seen The Matrix too" with no further thinking.

Great points from the movie though were the intricate levels of reference which allowed I to roam on the nascent internet and research more into the topic as it was so much easier than walking into a library and saying "Excuse me do you have any books that deal with the nagging sensation that reality may not be all that it seems please?" and getting baffled looks and or polite smiles with fixed eye contact in the hope that you're not a mental patient on day release who may just end their life after making such a random request.

What would you pick and more importantly why?

 

[Fox102383]

The original 20,000 leagues under the sea.

 

[Pagusas]

Jurassic Park. It made me want to become a filmmaker and be in the career I'm in. Its also the last film I saw with my father before he died the following week.

 

[Dark Star]

The Godfather

one of the greatest films i've ever seen.
i saw it for the first time as a teenager, and it fascinated me.
inspired me to watch similar films like goodfellas, scarface, taxi driver, casino, etc
an utter masterpiece is what it is, part 1 and 2.

either that or ... The Shining/The Exorcist (top-tier films that got me into horror at a young age).

 

[The Bloody-Nine]

Airheads.

 

[jonnyp]

Probably Blade Runner or Lawrence of Arabia. Both mesmerized me as a kid.

 

[quickwhips]

Die hard. Just it’s the best. Bruce Willis could act back then. Best lines, best villains and best hero.

 

[DunDunDunpachi]

The Seven Samurai

I saw it when I was 8. What struck me was not only how good it was but how old it was. It forever shattered my notion that newer = better. It sparked my love of history, not only because it's a quasi-historical movie but also because it taught me that many things we love are inspired by classics from the past.

 

[J-Roderton]

Deuce Bigalow European Gigilo.

 

[*Nightwing]

The last jedi... becouse it turned me into a bitter cynical old man.

And not a movie, but this shit ain't gonna help the situation:

 

[Raven117]

Fight Club. Still amazingly before its time. And its message was so lost among many people whom it was created to benefit.

 

[Catphish]

Contact.

A mainstream acknowledgement that a belief in God can co-exist with a belief in science, to mutual benefit?

Stop it.

But that's just the overarching theme. There was so much more going on in that movie that resonated with me, I loved it. It remains the only movie that I've seen in theaters that inspired me to clap at the end.

Favorite movie of all time.

Runners up:
The Hunt for Red October had a lot to do with me enlisting in the Navy.

Titanic partially inspired me to pack my shit and move across the country.
"To make each day count."

 

[pramod]

Amadeus. Not only is it probably the greatest film ever made but it also taught me to appreciate classical music and how art can transcend humanity.

 

[Raven117]

Contact.

A mainstream acknowledgement that a belief in God can co-exist with a belief in science, to mutual benefit?

Stop it.

That movie is so excellent. Start to finish. From the second of the first contact, all the way to ending. Such a journey. I have a hard time thinking of a movie that covers more ground. (not just talking about the wormholes!) And of course for the rest of the themes at play.

 

[Dice]

The New World

 

[pramod]

Funny Contact also came to mind. For me it didnt have much impact on my life but it was certainly one of the best and most memorable films ive watched.

 

[Meowzers]

Bloodsport. Me and my bro used to watch it at least once a week and used to quote it to each other.
When he died, I struggled for a long time to watch it again.

 

[EverydayBeast]

Probably some enlightening documentary with real world influences

 

[Snoopycat]

I believe it was Sensei's greatest movie Under Seige that changed my life. When I got back from Nam I started drifting along highways looking for guys. One day I walked into a town and this fat pig started oppressing me. I wasn't having any of his shit so I like beat the fuck out of him and like 50 of his pigs or something then I went off into the woods n used my Nam skillz to make a coat out of a carpet n then the fuckin pigs started chasin me so I jumped off a mountain into a tree. Didn't hurt, n then I sat in a cave and cried special Nam guy tears n then I hijacked a truck from some nerd n like blew the entire town.

A few months later I was on this cruise surrounded by seamen and that's when I saw Sensei's masterpiece Under Siege. During the intermission this dude started giving me shit bout jumping the buffet line so I fuckin grabbed the nerd and smashed his fuckin face into a window n then I grabbed a fork n fuckin stabbed him like 70 times in the throat n he was all fucked up n then these sas dudes turned up so I beat the fuck out of them n then the marines turned up n I fuckin wrecked all of them n then the special forces turned up n I fuckin beat the shit out of them n then the Navy Seals turned up n I fuckin kicked their asses n then I just watched the rest of the movie

 

[pramod]

I believe it was Sensei's greatest movie Under Seige that changed my life. When I got back from Nam I started drifting along highways looking for guys. One day I walked into a town and this fat pig started oppressing me. I wasn't having any of his shit so I like beat the fuck out of him and like 50 of his pigs or something then I went off into the woods n used my Nam skillz to make a coat out of a carpet n then the fuckin pigs started chasin me so I jumped off a mountain into a tree. Didn't hurt, n then I sat in a cave and cried special Nam guy tears n then I hijacked a truck from some nerd n like blew the entire town.

A few months later I was on this cruise surrounded by seamen and that's when I saw Sensei's masterpiece Under Siege. During the intermission this dude started giving me shit bout jumping the buffet line so I fuckin grabbed the nerd and smashed his fuckin face into a window n then I grabbed a fork n fuckin stabbed him like 70 times in the throat n he was all fucked up n then these sas dudes turned up so I beat the fuck out of them n then the marines turned up n I fuckin wrecked all of them n then the special forces turned up n I fuckin beat the shit out of them n then the Navy Seals turned up n I fuckin kicked their asses n then I just watched the rest of the movie

Did you like the part when the naked blonde chick jumped out of the cake?

 

[Catphish]

I believe it was Sensei's greatest movie Under Seige that changed my life. When I got back from Nam I started drifting along highways looking for guys. One day I walked into a town and this fat pig started oppressing me. I wasn't having any of his shit so I like beat the fuck out of him and like 50 of his pigs or something then I went off into the woods n used my Nam skillz to make a coat out of a carpet n then the fuckin pigs started chasin me so I jumped off a mountain into a tree. Didn't hurt, n then I sat in a cave and cried special Nam guy tears n then I hijacked a truck from some nerd n like blew the entire town.

A few months later I was on this cruise surrounded by seamen and that's when I saw Sensei's masterpiece Under Siege. During the intermission this dude started giving me shit bout jumping the buffet line so I fuckin grabbed the nerd and smashed his fuckin face into a window n then I grabbed a fork n fuckin stabbed him like 70 times in the throat n he was all fucked up n then these sas dudes turned up so I beat the fuck out of them n then the marines turned up n I fuckin wrecked all of them n then the special forces turned up n I fuckin beat the shit out of them n then the Navy Seals turned up n I fuckin kicked their asses n then I just watched the rest of the movie

 

[Snoopycat]

Did you like the part when the naked blonde chick jumped out of the cake?

Yeah she was all like begging for it n hanging on my knees but I was like nup, sorry babe I gotta save my essence for sensei, n then she totally killed herself

 

[Z..]

Hmmm, probably Alien. Watched it oh so many times starting since I was like 7 or 8. It completely changed the way I saw women and was therefore directly responsible for many of the friendships I made during school years, plenty of which remain some of my best and closest friends to this day. Basically, I went from thinking girls were dumb to having a close social circle that is about 70% female because of Alien.

Contact could have been excellent, but Zemeckis was a terrible choice for director, his lackluster direction can't keep up with the writing at all...

 

[Papa]

Salo

 

[Halo0629]

Home Alone.

Pretty much my christmas movie since the 90's up to this day.

And also mostly documentaries. Really opens your eyes and changes your view towards the world.

 

[TFGB]

Lassie Come Home.

 

[nush]

Star Wars, there was nothing else like it at the time and made me love sci-fi.

 

[patrickb]

Pursuit of happiness. It fills me happiness and positive energy, every single time I watch it.

 

[Macapala]

Amadeus. Not only is it probably the greatest film ever made but it also taught me to appreciate classical music and how art can transcend humanity.

Amadeus is a great movie. I wish Chopin could get a movie of that quality.

For me it's a tie between The Shawshank Redemption and Se7en. Morgan Freeman always excels in dramatic roles.

 

[Skyr]

Terminator 2

 

[petran79]

Had no idea about who Karel Zeman was back then, but this movie encompasses everything I like in movies and ranks as one of the best and most artistic scifi films of all time

The Seven Samurai

I saw it when I was 8. What struck me was not only how good it was but how old it was. It forever shattered my notion that newer = better. It sparked my love of history, not only because it's a quasi-historical movie but also because it taught me that many things we love are inspired by classics from the past.

Had a chance to watch this masterpiece on cinema in early 2000. First time watch too.

 

[Mochilador]

Aliens. Met my gf thanks to this movie.

 

[ThatStupidLion]

Waking Life

theres so many of course, but this one deserves some cred.

 

[hariseldon]

Hmm a couple of possibles here..
Leon (aka The Professional) - the first time I watched a film and really took in the beauty of every single fucking shot. Amelie did that later on.
4 Lions - terrible terrible film but it's what my wife and I saw on our first date so it can't have been all bad.

 

[Patrick S.]

A movie that had an effect on me was Fahrenheit 9/11. It made me view some things in a different light. Another movie that might have had an impact on my life is Scarface. It was one of the first ultraviolent movies I've seen in my life, and made me realize how evil humans can be, and how fast people can kill other people who may even be their friends.

 

[Redneckerz]

​

There have been many movies that inspired me (Anne Frank: The Whole Story being one of them aswell) but Into The Wild is the movie that i have associated most closely with. It has inspired me to seek new experiences, unknown adventures, and it still is part of my motivation every single time i plan a new trip or a new moment in my diary of life.

The book is excellent aswell, but the real life story is so, so utterly sad. I still watch 3-4 times a year. Its just that good.

​

 

[Duallusion]

Can't pick just one so I'll say all the horror movies I've seen as a kid. Childhood fascinations last forever.

Also important was Saving Private Ryan. Saw it in theaters when I was 16 and both me and my friend were literally speechless when it was over; barely said a word to eachother while waiting for a bus to go home. It was around that time I started to take the art of cinema more seriously.

 

[nkarafo]

Who framed Roger Rabbit.

The first movie i ever saw in cinema. The first film i recorded when we got our first VHS. Also my favorite film as an adult.

 

[Boss Mog]

I don't know that any movie ever triggered a life changing epiphany for me, but 12 Angry Men, which is one of my favorite movies, showed a young me that you didn't need special effects and explosions to make a good movie. The movie is literally just 12 men talking in the same room for the whole movie and yet it's extremely interesting.

 

[Nymphae]

Waking Life

theres so many of course, but this one deserves some cred.

Rotoscoped Alex Jones was great

 

[bitbydeath]

 

[synchronicity]

Contact.

A mainstream acknowledgement that a belief in God can co-exist with a belief in science, to mutual benefit?

Stop it.

But that's just the overarching theme. There was so much more going on in that movie that resonated with me, I loved it. It remains the only movie that I've seen in theaters that inspired me to clap at the end.

Favorite movie of all time.

I'm going to make myself sound like a bit of a nut here, but I had a weird experience when watching Contact. It wasn't the first time I'd seen it. (It's also one of my favorite movies ever. At or very near the top.) Anyway I was at home alone watching it, and it was around the climax as she was traveling through space/time. Anyway, I found it so moving at the time that I was brought to tears, and I heard myself utter aloud the words, "I want to go home." to my own surprise. It was a spontaneous and unexpected moment, and I was baffled by the experience and my response. Needless to say, I find the movie to be quite impactful on some level.

Another movie that comes to mind for me is Amelie.

I'm a bit of a romantic at heart. And the scene in which she and Nino kiss is perhaps the most tender and romantic moment in all of film for me. (I won't bother explaining the whole situation, but it needs the context around it to be fully appreciated.) There is a passion and innocence that elevates the meaning of the action to utterly beautiful levels.

And the whole movie always puts me in a good mood and reminds me that it's ok to look at the world like a child / differently, and to not get too caught up in the "seriousness" of being a grown-up. It's just full of wonder and magic, and I'll always love that movie.

 

[Catphish]

I'm going to make myself sound like a bit of a nut here, but I had a weird experience when watching Contact. It wasn't the first time I'd seen it. (It's also one of my favorite movies ever. At or very near the top.) Anyway I was at home alone watching it, and it was around the climax as she was traveling through space/time. Anyway, I found it so moving at the time that I was brought to tears, and I heard myself utter aloud the words, "I want to go home." to my own surprise. It was a spontaneous and unexpected moment, and I was baffled by the experience and my response. Needless to say, I find the movie to be quite impactful on some level.

Not nutty at all. In fact I think I completely understand. Thanks for sharing it.

 

[Corderlain]

Probably Drive with Ryan Gosling. It really sparked my interest in some of the science and art behind cinematography. I'd always enjoyed movies and could appreciate a beautiful scene but Drive made me sit down and start watching video essays on youtube about how moves are shot and how framing and lighting are used and so much more.

Plus is a cool movie everyone loves to poke fun at.

 

[Mr Hyde]

Terminator 2.

It´s such a powerhouse of a movie. Strong messages about the value of life and self destruction, exhilarating action scenes that goes beyond what you normally expect, groundbreaking visual effects, Arnold in his peak and a creative and terrifying villain. This movie has affected me in so many ways. It´s a genuine masterpiece that will stand the test of time forever.

 

[20cent]

Probably Akira since I saw it at the cinema with my mom (and she was..."WTF is that"), it guided my life, career choices, hobbies:

- Motorcycle as something cool
- industrial design love
- gross and disturbing imagery
etc

 

[Kenpachii]

​

There have been many movies that inspired me (Anne Frank: The Whole Story being one of them aswell) but Into The Wild is the movie that i have associated most closely with. It has inspired me to seek new experiences, unknown adventures, and it still is part of my motivation every single time i plan a new trip or a new moment in my diary of life.

The book is excellent aswell, but the real life story is so, so utterly sad. I still watch 3-4 times a year. Its just that good.

​

Yea really good movie, i think it's the typical thing everybody experiences when they make the shift from kid to adulthood. From having to follow orders and a planned out environment towards a wild west situation where it's only you from that point on which can create a void of being lost in the meaning of existence.