10 best movies ever

10 - Forrest Gump - Tom Hank's role in this movie lives on as one of the most iconic acting performances in the 90's. The movie captivates most who watch it and has become one of those movies people talk about and quote for decades. It touches almost every emotion from happy to sad, fear to courage, and everything in between. This movie easily makes my top 10.

9 - Gladiator - While I've always loved a good action movie, it seems rare for me to find an action movie with a great plot and great acting. Russel Crowe is at his best battling for what he loves in one of the best movies of his career. The twists and gut-wrenching plot turns make this movie easy to sit and watch from beginning to end.

8 - Scarface - Al Pacino played one of the most famous characters ever in this 80's movie. He is the reason I love this movie. The progression his character makes from a lowly criminal to crime lord and millionaire is great to watch. The decisions he is faced with and his demeanor in general are both more than enough to give this picture the #8 spot.

7 - Avatar - While some critics may complain this movie has a thin plot, or relies on action too heavily I cannot help but love this movie. The special effects are by far the best seen to date. The acting is top notch, with emotional highs and lows. The plot has been seen before, true, but you cannot criticize every movie for reusing a plot. 90% of movies made are not at all original; we've all seen the same romantic comedy, same action hero saves the day, and same collage party portrayed in 500 different movies. This one does the same but perfects it without losing any magic of the story itself. That is why I put this movie in my top 10.

6 - No Country for Old Men - When I first saw this movie, I didn't know what to think. After having seen it a second time (and a third) I realize now how great this movie really is. The seemingly simple storyline evolves into a deep and intricate manifestation of the Cohen brother's creative process. I found myself at the edge of my seat throughout so much of this movie. The suspense generated by the amazing acting of the villain makes the movie. The lack of any real music in the movie creates an odd atmosphere, and further impresses me. Usually in a movie, the music makes the suspense. In this movie, the acting and screenplay create some of the most anxious scenes I have ever seen in a film and it is for this reason (and the amazing acting) that I put it in my top 10.

5 - Saving Private Ryan - To me, the best war movie ever. Tom Hanks, again, played a role that supersedes the typical action hero. He isn't running around killing everyone. He's got demons of his own, and the battle going on inside his own mind parallel that of the action portrayed on-screen. The comradery in this movie feels as genuine as possible and the acting is great. The opening scene lives on as one of the most memorable war scenes ever and helps to give the typical person a sense of how scary war can actually be.

4 - Goodfellas - Goodfellas has some of the best dialogue and off the cuff acting I have seen. Its atmosphere is both funny and serious at the same time. It is easy to relate to some of the gangsters in the movie. Every time I watch it, there is always some funny one-liner or interesting bit I seemed to have missed the first time.

3 - Pulp Fiction - Pulp Fiction is a hard movie to follow but an easy movie to love. I remember seeing it for the first time. I didn't even know what happened, but I still loved it. I have seen it many more times since and each time I get a greater appreciation for the director's genius in creating such an original and captivating movie. The dialogue is crude and some scenes are grotesque, but it all comes together to create a great package that has yet to be reproduced in modern film. The odd story-telling manner Tarintino uses in this movie amplifies the coolness and originality which is why this movie makes my #3.

2 - The Departed - Martin Scorsese’s work with Leonardo Dicaprio and Matt Damon in this movie left me in awe after I saw it in theaters. The twists and sudden, drastic evolution of the story is something that has to be experienced rather than explained. The tense mood and anxious atmosphere persists throughout and Jack Nicholson's character is not easily forgotten. It is a movie about deception and subtlety; addiction and despair, and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys films of this nature.

1 - The Shawshank Redemption - My dad tried to convince me to watch this movie and judging by the box art I was expecting something lame. I was surprised to find a moving picture that captured every essence of human emotion and glorified the brotherhood that is rare to see in the modern world. It's about a man who is wrongly accused of murdering his wife and her lover in bed. He's odd in many ways but more prominently he's a genius when it comes to math and logic. After being brought to prison for life he soon befriends his fellow inmates and creates a lifestyle within the prison that nobody would ever have envisioned. The ending unfolds perfectly and along the way there is everything ranging from hope to anguish. It's not a movie that fills any specific niche - people from all walks of life can come together to enjoy this movie. Anyone who enjoys a good story or movies in general should sit down on the couch with some friends or family and experience The Shawshank Redemption.