Trixster really does have superb taste in general. Last few have been Top notch.

43. RESERVOIR DOGS (Quentin Tarantino, 1992)

"Are you gonna bark all day, little doggy, or are you gonna bite?"

Tarantino's best. It's missing all those long monologues on pop culture and everyday life, and instead just focuses on the story, making for a much tighter and leaner script and more tense film. This just shows how big Tarantino's ego has grown since then.

42. CASABLANCA (Michael Curtiz, 1942)

"Major Strasser has been shot. Round up the usual suspects."

Simply classic. I'm not sure how anyone can dislike this film. I'm no fan of romances and I love it. The script is so well-known and yet still manages to be smart and witty. It's got more laughs than most comedies. Bogart and Bergman are great, but it's Claude Rains that steals the show with his wise-cracking, cynical French captain. There's a reason why it had the most inclusions on the AFI's top 100 quotes list.

Casablanca is just so classy....

Its hard to describe.

Nice listings thus far..

planet of the Apes is to dated now but my god the ending is just pure brilliant.

41. CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND (Steven Spielberg, 1977)

"I saw Bigfoot once! It made a sound that I don't care to hear twice in my life."

Probably Spielberg's most underrated, but also probably his most wondrous. The entire scene at Devil's Tower is simply magical. Everything feels so fantastic and yet so real. It seems like what would actually happen if we were contacted by ETs.

The last three have all been

The last four and Kiss Kiss Bang Bang get my approval.

40. EDWARD SCISSORHANDS (Tim Burton, 1990)

"Forget about holding her hand, man. Think about the damage he could do to other places."

Burton's best film. The classic Frankenstein tale adapted into a fable. An utterly emotional and saddening experience. Depp's reserved performance is one of his best and Burton's trademark style is a perfect fit. There's more than enough comedy to make it entertaining, and the drama feels natural. The movie is a perfect balance between the two.

39. AMERICAN PSYCHO (Mary Harron, 2000)

"There is a moment of sheer panic when I realize that Paul's apartment overlooks the park... and is obviously more expensive than mine."

Dark, disturbing, and absolutely hilarious. The extreme black comedy grafted on to the slasher aspect is not only welcome but fitting. The materialism of the 80s is mocked perfectly and ruthlessly. Bale has never been better and the one-liners are brilliantly biting. It's way over-the-top, but that suits the film so well.

to Edward Scissorhands. I have yet to see American Psycho though.

38. 28 DAYS LATER (Danny Boyle, 2002)

"This is what I've seen in the four weeks since infection. People killing people. Which is much what I saw in the four weeks before infection, and the four weeks before that, and before that, and as far back as I care to remember. People killing people. Which to my mind, puts us in a state of normality right now."

A great modern take on the zombie genre. While the creatures aren't specifically zombies, per se, all the genre conventions and themes are there, and it treats itself as one. While the first hour is just your typical post-apocalyptic drama, everything that happens once the army is introduced is just pure brilliance. Add in superb direction and some truly chilling music, and this is one of the best in recent horror.

37. THE PRESTIGE (Christopher Nolan, 2006)

"No one cares about the man in the box, the man who disappears."

Sure, it's not even a year old. But I've seen it four times now and it holds up just as well each time. The story is masterfully constructed and twists are brilliantly plotted out. The cast is superb and the direction is solid. It's got some great humour in it and the dialogue feels natural. Just an all-around terrific film.

I'm due for a rewatch of the Prestige. Haven't seen it since the theater.

for Edward and American Psycho.

36. THE USUAL SUSPECTS (Bryan Singer, 1995)

"How do you shoot the devil in the back? What if you miss?"

Simply one of the best scripts ever written. The notion of the voiceover narrator is toyed with endlessly and Kevin Spacey's performance is terrific. The way the story is unraveled and told is so utterly brilliant that it's beyond reproach. The type of film you need to watch more than once.

Mmmm... Nolan. You DO have good taste.

I actually found that I was a little bit underwhelmed when watching it in the theater, aside from that awesome ending, but on further viewings I liked it a lot more, since you know what's going on, gives you more time to study the characters than focus on the story/twist.

35. STAR WARS (George Lucas, 1977)

"That's no moon. It's a space station."

A classic. Archetypal story, famous characters, iconic scenes, and quotable lines. The greatest villain in film history introduced. The greatest pop saga created. What can be said that hasn't been said before?

Just wanted to join the chorus trixster, your list is aces. I'm proud to live a few hours from you.

But of course the ironic thing is, your #1 is barely decent at best. But what do I know, your taste evidently trumps my wacky one, so maybe I should give it another watch.

Trixster, can you get through the next 35 films in like, the next five minutes? I suddenly really wanna see what yr number 1 is : (

34. SAVING PRIVATE RYAN (Steven Spielberg, 1998)

"It's like finding a needle in a stack of needles."

The most realistic war film. Not only is the opening twenty minutes an incredibly visceral and heart-pounding experience, but the series of 'adventures' that the audience follows the characters through over the three hours feels real. It's as if we were brought along for the ride, so to speak. The characters are all dealt with appropriately and the direction is superb.

Heh, yeah, I feel sure I'll get a lot of mixed reactions once I reveal my #1. It's definitely a love it or hate it type film.

How do you know what it is, though? (pm me)

33. MEMENTO (Christopher Nolan, 2001)

"You know, I've had more rewarding friendships than this one. Although I do get to keep telling the same jokes."

A twisted noir that bases its greatness entirely on its structure. But, even knowing that, I can't help but love this film. Each time I watch it, I have to work to figure it out, and I have trouble comprehending what exactly goes on at the end. But that's the brilliance of it. Another one that requires multiple viewings.

Haven't you revealed your #1 like a million times on random occasions?

I'm pretty sure I know it.

The last six or so (minus Prestige, but I liked but didn't love) are fantastic choices.

Saving Private Ryan, Memento, Star Wars...

32. JAWS (Steven Spielberg, 1975)

"This was no boat accident."

An extremely well-crafted and still-terrifying horror. The main three characters are all expertly developed and the last half of the film, with just them on the boat, is just pure entertainment. The build-up to that point is just as great, though. Robert Shaw is utterly terrific in this.

Probably. I wasn't sure if anyone would remember it, though.