My name is Aiden Williams, and I am a movie addict. I mean, not really, I can quit any time I want to… Point is, I have seen a lot of good movies, and I’ve seen a few bad ones. All of the movies I have watched are from a wide variety of genres. Though I do have a particular interest in movies that are comedy, action- adventure, and western, I do have opinions on all movies as a whole. Though I am not a movie critic, and I would probably never become one, I do look at films through a critical perspective overall; that way if I simply don’t like a movie’s style, I can at least say whether or not it has a good script, good acting, or good visuals. That is what I am asking you to do today when you look at my top 10 films I recommend. Some of them are controversial, some of them are often looked at as bad, and some of them you may have never even heard of, and that is the point of this article. I want to possibly introduce you to something new! Now keep in mind, not all of these films are bad! In fact, some of them are considered near perfect films! …I did say “SOME OF THEM”… others, maybe not so much, but still, they hold a special place in my heart, and I love them. So, here they are. Aiden Williams’ top ten recommendations for you people to watch:
10. Mortal Kombat (1995)
Whether or not you played the games, you can still enjoy this film. There is no comparison to any other film in my opinion. And I don’t mean that in a biased way even though this film was also the reason why I had a humongous crush on Bridgette Wilson, who plays Sonya Blade in this movie. It’s actually that good! It was also one of the best on-screen iterations of any other video game; especially at that time when considering the other movies like “Super Mario Bros” (1993). (I actually like that movie, but there is no denying that it is for an acquired taste.) It continues to be the greatest movie out of all of the other Mortal Kombat movies too, like the movie’s 1997 sequel, and the 2021 remake.
It creates a unique world that consists of similar environments to that of the games. Also it brings real Mortal Kombat characters to the big screen, like Johnny Cage, Sonya Blade, Lui Kang, and of course Scorpion and Sub Zero. It does this in a way that honors the characters’ in game personality too. Johnny Cage is seen as a sarcastic, self centered actor who wants to prove his martial arts skills to the world. Sonya Blade is the fierce and bold female fighter. Scorpion and Sub Zero look like they should be on screen and have the same powers as they do in the game. So, say what you want about the horrible CGI and effects, because I honestly don’t think they were that bad! It still managed to create an amazing fictional world, memorable characters with crazy special effects for that time. It might be dated but that doesn’t make them bad, especially considering other films of that time and their CGI. Plus, even if the CGI is bad, there is so much more about the film that makes it worth the watch. Great acting, a fun story, and some crazy stunts.
My favorite character in this (besides Sonya because I guess I’m going to keep simping over her) is Johnny Cage! Man, Goro is also in this movie and he’s out there killing all these other fighters left and right like it’s nothing; there is so much horror built up on this character and one of the three main fighters has got to fight him. Johnny Cage volunteers for the sake of all his new friends, showing us he’s not so narcissistic after all. I was scared because I thought they were going to kill him off because of how powerful Goro is, but no! The first thing Cage does is perform a split punch on Goro’s crotch. And usually that kind of thing is over used in movies, but not this time. It was the best part of the movie. Johnny Cage went against all odds and just completely walked all over the strongest villain in the movie like it was nothing. Awesome. That’s why we love Johnny Cage! That’s just one example of how great the film was.
FILM SUMMARY: Based on the extraordinary arcade game, we have Mortal Kombat the movie! The god of thunder, Raiden chooses three martial artists that are capable of overthrowing the powerful and villainous soul taker, Shang Tsung in his contest Mortal Kombat. Among those three are Johnny Cage, an actor that wants to prove his martial arts skills are not done by a stuntman; Sonya Blade, a Special Forces Agent who stumbles upon a ship taking her to the contest after chasing a member of the Black Dragon Clan named Kano; and last but certainly not least, the powerful young Liu Kang who wants to take revenge on Shang Tsung after his brother was killed by him. They are the last chance the Earth has of not being taken over by Shang Tsung and his evil empire.
9. The “K-9 Trilogy” (1989 – 2002)
The ‘K-9’ movies will forever hold a special place in my heart. I first watched it when I was really little and was hooked on the movies. James Belushi’s humor combined with an intelligent German Shepherd cop dog makes for a really hilarious movie. ‘K-9’ was a very original movie with a lot of cool characters and iconic moments. ‘K-911’ (the movie’s 1999 sequel) was really good too. It brought a lot more development to the characters, and incorporated age as a factor to both the dog (Jerry Lee) and James Belushi’s character (Michael Dooley). “K-9 PI” was the third installment of the trilogy, which focused on Dooley and Jerry Lee retiring from the police force to become private investigators. I must add that though all the movies are great giving me laughs and entertainment, the two sequels are a little weaker than the original K-9. I also think that they watered down some elements in the sequels because of how many kids enjoyed the first movie. That doesn’t make them bad; in fact as far as sequels go they are great! Sequels are expected to not be as good as the original. Even so, keep in mind that I watched K-911 before I saw the original and thought it was a good movie by itself without considering the masterpiece of the original. So I think they are really funny and worth the watch.
FILM SUMMARIES:
K-9 (1989): Detective Dooley is on an intense drug case, and decides that things would be a lot easier if he could get a trained K-9 to help him sniff things out. He is assigned a sophisticated German Shepherd by the name of Jerry Lee. Jerry doesn’t take well to Dooley ordering him around, and Dooley gets fed up with the dog’s attitude leading to a bunch of hilarious moments between the two. Eventually they become close, and Dooley has a new furry partner to help him crack the case.
K-911 (1999): Dooley and Jerry Lee jump right into action after being targeted by a man with heavy firepower and armor. After continuous attacks from the criminal, it becomes apparent that he is obsessed with Detective Dooley. Dooley and his dog face continuous problems with age, so for his safety he is paired up with Officer Wendy Welles and her Doberman (Zeus) to figure out who the criminal is, and how to stop him.
K-9 PI (2002): He’s old… still… But this time, he’s old enough to retire. Jerry Lee is also back, and since the first film came out in 1989, that would mean Jerry Lee is now at least 13 years old. Which is really old for German Shepherds… but nevertheless, he still seems young and agile, and goes on to assist his partner Detective Dooley. The early morning after Dooley’s retirement, he finds a bunch of thieves who commit robbery and murder, so naturally Dooley and Jerry Lee go after the thieves. After the thieves escape, Dooley is arrested for illegally doing the job of a cop, and being a potential suspect. So after his retirement, he is being investigated by law officials. For some extra money to help himself out, he gets a job as a private investigator, and also attempts to breed Jerry Lee.
8. Hudson Hawk (1991)
This movie is often looked at as pretty bad, but I personally think it is gold! It is really funny, and has a lot of moments where I was confused and left scratching my head, but that’s part of the humor in it that I thought was actually genius in a way. It had a lot of clever scenes with both humor and action. I’ve seen a lot of movies and still this one is memorable, and everything you’d want in a ’90s comedy with Bruce Willis. Every movie he’s in creates its own vibe, and that vibe mixed with this crazy movie keeps me coming back. The thing I think throws people off in this movie is how many things that the movie involves. Like it has one scene that’s kind of like a musical, then it also tries to bring in romance, a little bit of action, and mystery. But I think that it just makes the film more fun to watch, and makes the film stand out more. I don’t care what the critics say, I love it, and I would recommend it.
FILM SUMMARY: Starring Bruce Willis as the legendary cat burglar, he is released from a long prison sentence. He wants to leave his crime life behind him and have a fresh start, but old friends and tempting positions all at once get him involved in a series of difficult heists. He ends up stealing a bunch of expensive art and being chased by the law.
7. Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man (1991)
This is a really cool movie that went in a lot of different directions that I didn’t expect. The opening scene is one of the coolest scenes in any movie in my opinion, starting off with the iconic Bon Jovi song, “Wanted Dead or Alive.” There are a lot of cool sequences with motorcycles, but the movie ends up being a lot deeper than that. What I thought would just be a fun motorcycle flick turned out to be an action movie about modern day outlaws. It’s got a lot of talented actors in it like Mickey Rourke as Harley Davidson, and Don Johnson as the Marlboro Man. I thought this was a really good role for Don Johnson as he just got done with the hit show ‘Miami Vice’, and this was a good film to continue his career in my opinion. I will say that some of the special effects in this movie are sort of dated: there’s a scene where a guy falls out of a building, and you can see the green screen outline around his body. But still, the movie holds up in originality and in story. It is definitely a movie I recommend to a mature audience, as it is rated R.
FILM SUMMARY: It’s about a motorcycle gang trying to get enough money to save a bar that they grew up in, so they end up robbing an armored vehicle assuming it’s full of money. In reality what they really end up robbing is a bunch of bags of a new drug called ‘crystal dream’. They try to sell it back to the manufacturers in return for enough money to save their bar. Though the deal seems to pan out at first, a team of highly trained men are ordered after the motorcycle gang to take back their money back.
6. Office Space (1999)
Mike Judge is a comedic genius! He is mostly known for his shows “Beavis and Butthead,” and “King of the Hill,” but this movie proves that he can do comedy just as well in live action as he does in animation. I think that “Office Space” is an underrated gem of a movie. It kind of parodies the struggle of an everyday office worker, but it does it in a way that also makes it relatable for audiences. It goes over a lot of particular subjects in a work environment that are found to be frustrating, and it goes over them in a humorous way. It is all the littlest characters that pull this film together to make something unique and intriguing. It has a main plot, but also has all these side plots where you’re basically just hanging out with the characters in their everyday life, and it’s entertaining! You got to love it! One of my favorite characters in this movie is the boss, Bill Lumbergh played by the hilarious Gary Cole. He has such a funny way of talking and acting that it is the highlight of the film for me. His way of doing some of the most sleazy and (what he thinks is) manipulative and clever is one of things that makes him such a lovable character, even though he is supposed to be kind of like the antagonist of the film. Definitely recommend it if you’re in the mood for some laughs!
FILM SUMMARY: Peter Gibbons is a worker at a software company. He is tired of putting up with the same thing every day from the same people who won’t stay off his back. But after an intense therapy session, Peter is done stressing and worrying about his job. He begins to live his life the way he wants to, rather than worrying about the everyday stuff he is expected to do. For once he does what he wants even at the inconvenience of others. Eventually after figuring out they are going to be laid off from work, he and his friends decide to rebel against the system in a scheme where they can slowly take money from the company and get rich.
5. American Psycho (2000)
This is a really rare movie that doesn’t really compare to anything else in its genre… but at the same time, what is the genre? Some people say it is a horror movie: a psycho man (Patrick Bateman) obsessed with having a perfect image of himself kills anyone he is jealous of, and goes on killing sprees just because he enjoys it. Other people see it as a comedy: a satire of a wealthy man in the 1980s who is delusional and full of anxiety. I suppose anyway you look at the film it is still a masterpiece, and achieves exactly what you’d want it to for any of the listed genres. I think the film specifically stands out to me as a dark comedy/thriller. Though some people see this movie as a terrible movie full of violence and horror, the ridiculousness and just pure terribleness is what really taps into people’s dark humor. The fact that Patrick Bateman does some of the things he does because of how highly he views himself is funny to audiences in a twisted way. Many disagree with what the film does and tries to do which is why it is such a controversial movie. But I think that it’s an interesting story following a man with a messed up mind, and I love it! This movie proves that protagonists don’t have to be the most likable in order for a masterpiece of a movie. Definitely worth that watch.
FILM SUMMARY: His life as a professional investment banker suits him well, and so does being a serial killer! Patrick Bateman kills another investment banker named Paul Allen out of jealousy; as he was more successful than Bateman. Afterwards, Bateman is investigated by a suspicious detective, all while fulfilling his desire to kill more people. Many crazy events lead Bateman along with all of his victims to wonder: is it a nightmare, or is it their horrifying reality!?
4. Falling Down (1993)
This is one of those movies that’s got you questioning who the protagonist is. Is it the police just doing their job to bring down a man who is rebelling against the rules? Or is it the man rebelling against the rules, who’s having a bad day and doing what he can to make it home to his daughter’s birthday party? If you want a thrill ride this is your movie! William Foster is the main character played by the talented Michael Douglas. His performance in this movie is so brilliant, that it has me questioning whether his character is a smart man who has had enough, or an insane man with mental problems; constantly letting his intrusive thoughts turn into actions. I like these types of movies too; the ones that just pick up on a normal day, and then the bad stuff starts happening, and through creative story telling we learn about the character with out the need of any flashback scenes. This is also one of those movies where it really makes you feel the Los Angeles heat. How it does some of the things it does, and how it makes you feel some of the things you feel when watching this film is amazing, and I don’t know how the movie does it. But one thing I can tell you is at the end of the day, whether William Foster was in the right or in the wrong for the things he did in this movie, it really makes you feel bad for him. He is a human just like the rest of us, and though he expressed his feelings in a way that may be looked at as wrong, it still highlights genuine feelings that we as humans all have. It shows what an unfair world this can be. So not only is this film an intense crime thriller, but it is also a heartbreaking drama when you finish watching it.
FILM SUMMARY: It is another hot LA morning. William Foster is stuck in traffic, and is tired of dealing with his surroundings as he would any other day. He abandons his car in traffic to go home to his daughter’s birthday party. On his long walk he encounters people and services that are giving him a hard time, so he chooses to rebel against the law and take matters into his own hands to do what he thinks is right. He ends up taking down gangsters, stealing their weapons, and using them for his own benefit as he runs from the cops leaving a trail of mayhem. Little does he know, after all he is doing to get home to his daughter, his ex-wife isn’t planning on letting him attend the party anyway. As a matter of fact, she’ll do what she can to get William Foster put behind bars.
3. Goodfellas (1990)
“Goodfellas” is one of the many perfectly written gangster movies alongside the “Godfather” films, “Scarface,” and “Casino.” One thing that I really liked about “Goodfellas” was how it really dove deep into a child who was influenced and inspired by the mob, and his journey on how he became a part of it. You start off getting to know all the characters, thinking that they would die for each other, and near the end you’re left wondering if one of them is a rat. It’s really intense, full of thrills and drama. Watching this movie for the first time was truly an amazing experience. As somebody who didn’t grow up watching gangster movies this was all new to me, and I didn’t really know what to expect. When I saw the length of the movie I thought it would be boring, but I was most certainly in for a surprise. Robert De Niro as James Conway and Joe Pesci as Tommy DeVito did some incredibly good acting as usual. Some of their acting would have your heart racing. And Ray Liotta as Henry Hill played an amazing and iconic protagonist. I feel that it is a movie that really put him in the spotlight and showed how great of an actor he really is.
FILM SUMMARY: Henry Hill was introduced to the life of a mobster at a young age. As he grew older he became obsessed with the money and the drugs, which sends him downhill when it comes to situations with the law. He also deals with friction between other mobsters, time behind bars, and intense situations after his friends get into intense situations that require a smart escape. With the hard life of being a mobster does come a life of luxury too however, as Henry gets married and starts a family. But with the difficulties of his situations, and all of the tempting things in the world, he struggles to maintain what he already has.
2. Jackie Brown (1997)
Man, “Jackie Brown,” where do I start!? It is brilliant! Not only is the plot brilliant, but so are the people involved in this movie. We got Robert De Niro in a Quinton Tarantino movie! Plus if you take into account all the other actors in this film like Samuel L. Jackson, Michael Keaton, Pam Grier, and Chris Tucker. It’s a Hollywood dream team! This movie was really enjoyable for me to watch, with such a complex and fun plot! After seeing “Reservoir Dogs,” and “Pulp Fiction” for the first time, Jackie Brown was really the movie that kept my enthusiasm going for the films. This film really demonstrates how powerful and independent women can be without cramming the message down your throat, which is what films and TV should do when trying to highlight a message. It really showed what a hard working woman (Jackie Brown) had to deal with. And though Jackie is kind of a criminal, or at least has some criminal background, the film really shows that she is a good person and does what she has to do by herself, and makes her own decisions. She was a very intelligent and strong character played by the very talented Pam Grier. One of those characters that just doesn’t let anyone push them around.
I had so many emotions going during this movie, and all though it was so serious at times, I busted out laughing harder than I would in most comedy movies during the scene where Robert De Niro’s character (Louis) casually describes to his partner Ordell (played by Samuel L. Jackson) how he killed Melanie who is kind of like Ordell’s roommate. Ordell is all worried if she survived because he doesn’t want her to tell the police on them, so he asks Louis if she’s dead, and he responds saying, “Um… pretty much”. It was the best part of the movie, because Robert De Niro usually plays these tough hardcore mobster guys, and in this film he’s kind of a awkward mentally unstable introvert. All Quinton Tarantino’s films create a particular vibe that really allows the film to have a lasting impact on you. Say what you want, but Jackie Brown creates the most powerful vibe in my opinion.
FILM SUMMARY: A woman named Jackie Brown is a hard working woman who works as a flight attendant. She gets busted off one of her flights because she was smuggling money for her gun dealer boss, Ordell. She ends up being threatened jail time by the police, and also ends up getting threatened by Ordell because he’s worried he told the cops stuff. In reality, Jackie Brown “helps” both the cops and Ordell get what they want in a scheme to screw both of them over, and escape with a large sum of money for herself.
1. Reservoir Dogs (1992)
This movie is excellent. I remember the first time I watched it, it was so iconic and the dialogue rolled off the actors’ tongues so naturally that it was unlike anything I’ve ever heard; at least until I saw other films by Quinten Tarantino. I just recently watched this movie with my mom because I thought it was a tame movie by my standards (which is true). So I popped in the disc (because DVDs are definitely still relevant and used commonly today…) and we got to the scene where the guy cuts off the other guy’s ear, and screwed up me thought it was completely normal. Then my mom walked out of the room, went into her bedroom, and shut the door to block out the noise. Anyway, it kind of had me thinking… Am I messed up for being okay with this? Then the movie sucked me back into it, and I sat alone in the living room to enjoy the masterpiece of a movie that it is. So not everybody can handle the violence and the swearing in the movie, but if you can then I highly recommend you watch it, because it is simply one of the greatest movies you can watch. But if you can’t handle it that’s okay…. In the words of the great Major Payne, ¨Sen-sa-tive!¨ My favorite scene was definitely the part with Mr. Orange where it showed him going undercover and rehearsing his lines before using them on the gang members that he was trying to bust. Tim Roth did a really good job, as did the rest of the cast like Steve Buscemi (Mr. Pink), Harvey Keitel (Mr. White), and Michael Madsen (Mr. Blonde).
FILM SUMMARY: Six criminals are paired up together and their identities are anonymous to one another as they identify each other by randomly chosen colors. They are part of a robbery that involves them stealing some highly valuable jewels, but the robbery is screwed up by the cops that arrive too soon, causing the six to shoot their way out in a series of mayhem. They all try to meet up in a warehouse when things go South, but they all begin losing trust in each other and are led to believe that there is a rat or an undercover cop among them.
That wraps up my list! There were a few more films that I was debating on having in this list like 2004’s “Troy,” 1968’s “Planet of the Apes,” and 1992’s “Batman Returns,” but ultimately I’m pretty happy with my list as it is. There are always better films out there, but as I said earlier, these are just some films that I would recommend to people. I think they are all masterpieces even though some of the ones on this list weren’t the most successful, and didn’t have the best reviews from critics. All of these movies whether you would consider them near perfect films, or not so good, all are special to me, and no matter how much I watch them I will never get bored of them. So that’s all for me. Hope you enjoyed my list! If you haven’t seen some of these you should definitely check them out.
