Movies shape thoughts and the things we like make us watch certain types of movies. A good chicken and egg situation.
I have always liked to watch action movies and with witty one liners. I appreciate movies with deep thought provoking, emotionally touch but not necessarily like to watch them as I don't like the feelings they give after watching the movie.
My favourite movies and what I learned from them or liked about them:
Action
Top Gun and Maverick - I liked the witty one liners, continuous storyline, speed, the opposite nature of Iceman and Maverick on the same team. "I wont leave my wingman" stays with me.
300 - I loved the courage, the discipline and the gore of the fighting. I was impressed by the women empowerment quotient of the the Spartans.
Kingdom of Heaven: The best one liner: "Your reputation precedes you"
Gladiator: The General's battle strategy, the speech when he removes his full faced helmet at the arena after the fight.
John Wick: Chapter 4: With the legendary status of John Wick, this movie goes up several notches higher with the amount of assassin killings by John and some energy pumping sound tracks. I could reflect the life of an entrepreneur who has to overcome almost a constant stream of issues to no end.
Rambo 3 or last blood: Survival tactics, hit and run tatics, ambush tactics, fighting alone against a group, of an expert guerilla fighter.
Black Hawk Down: Various perspectives, feelings of a real war from multiple people involved in the war. The pressures on the ground force and the things the generals/ command at the top understand and what they dont. Despite all the planning, multiple things can and will go wrong in reality.
Die Hard series: The never scared Bruce Willis using classic fundamental ideas to outsmart smart villians.
Conair: Lesson: Be good and do good irrespective of the evil around you.
The World is not Enough (My fav James Bond Movie): For the classic villians always trying to take over the world by one method or the other. Pierce Brosnan is my favourite James bond. Saw this first James Bond movie as a kid in a theater.
Fast Five (from the Fast & Furious series) for the action scenes.
Under Siege and Under Siege 2: The profile of the "Cook" described by the villian. The cool & always calm Steven Seagal.
Judge Dredd: The multi-variety futuristic gun of the judge. Slyvestor Stallone movie.
Troy: The first fight scene where Brad Pitt takes on a giant. In one scene, he says he doesn't have to fight as he has no role in it - A person's locus standi in the scheme of things, not to get involved in everything.
Desperado: Description of the protogonist, the guitar cases, the bar joke, witty one liners (Did I thank you? No! I will!), shooting while falling backwards from a building, the initial song and Salma Hayek.
Thriller:
Italian Job: The thriller with a lot of thought on planning and executing.
Face off: Both the villians' versions Nicholas cage with his golden gun and John Travolta at their best.
Fight Club: The end changes the entire perspective of the movie. What is reality and what is Delusion? How can we make sure which one we are in?
Double Jeopardy: Brings about the case of Diplomatic immunity and how you can never be punished twice for the same crime. Good crime thriller.
Speed: Good looking Keanu Reeves in his youth and the thrilling storyline. These kind of movies are not made nowadays.
Professions based:
Lord of War: The video of the life history of a bullet is breath-taking. A few great philosophical lines in the movie. A unique story line based on the business of an international weapons dealer.
The Firm: Tom Cruise movie as a lawyer who pays back using a very basic flaw in the system.
Driven: The awesome storytelling of rivalry between 2 top Formula 1 drivers with their value systems. Their value systems are clearly visible.
A few good men: The end speech by Jack Nicholson on the stand.
Comedy:
Oscar (movie by Slyvestor Stallone): Most people dont know he has done this comedy movie, but it a beautiful classic comedy.
Laws of Attraction: Witty one liners by both the lawyers, played by Pierce Brosnan and Julianne Moore.
Sci-fi:
Minority Report: An amazing Tom Cruise movie showing what 2100's could be like.
Paycheck: A very interesting sci-fi thriller.
A different perspective
12 Angry men: A movie of perspectives, analysis, persuasion, change of thoughts. A 1957 movie made in a room.
The Truman Show: The end shocks you with multiple ethical questions on living.
Requim for a dream: I would want every teenager to watch this movie. After this, I think they will never do drugs.
Odd ball movies:
Tattoo (German movie): The first movie I saw free in an International Film Festival while in college. Super impressed with the story line and the story of the market for artist tattoos done on the back of real people. Still not been able to see it anywhere after that.
The Human Centipede 2: I can appreciate the crazy creativity for this unheard of movie series.
I spit on your grave: Brings about creativity in various forms of killing the villians for revenge.
Ringu (The Ring in Japanese): A real horror movie. The first time I felt a chill down my spine.
Forest Gump: Courage
The Truman Show: I was mind-boggled with the concept of this. For all you know, someone can really do this.