Baumer's Top 100 films you have probably heard of but more than likely haven't seen. #1: Cute Clever Mischievous, but don't feed them after midnight!

[TalismanRing]

 

1. Robert Redford even without $1m is not a hard choice

2. She should never have gone back to her weasel husband

[John Marston]

12 hours ago, Baumer said:

Number 33

Indecent Proposal (1993)

Directed by Adrian Lyne

Starring:  Robert Redford, Demi Moore, Woody Harrelson, Oliver Platt, Billy Bob Thornton

Box office:  266M WW

 

What would you do if you and your partner, who you loved dearly were in some financial difficulty and in order to alleviate your difficult circumstances a stranger offered you one million for one night with you? What would you and your partner do? Would you immediately dismiss the proposal, regarding it as preposterous? Would you accept basing your argument on it being only a one-night stand and therefore meaningless? Would you do it for the much-needed money? Or would you refuse saying that money cannot buy love and that such an act would reduce you to the likes of a prostitute?

Confused? Well that is exactly the complex story this film weaves excellently. With a thought-provoking script that manages to challenge our every day perceptions of love and money and the depths we'd go to achieve them, along with some seriously moving moments guaranteed to shed a few tears from the female members of the audience and even managing to throw in a few comic moments this film is something special. A moral dilemma and it's repercussions on relationships and lives is played out with strong performances from the leads. Gripping, heartbreaking, entertaining and thought provoking, this offers a lot more than much of the 'fluff' produced today.

 

Trivia:  Originally designed as a star vehicle for Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman, with Warren Beatty taking the part of the millionaire.

 

 

 

 

 

this movie was huge at the Box office. 

[baumer]

 Yea it was an incredibly intriguing concept when it came out.

[John Marston]

in fact the director made three big hits. Fatal Attraction, Flashdance, and Indecent Proposal

[baumer]

Top 30 is on the way!!

[baumer]

Number 30

April Fool's Day (1986)

Directed by Fred Walton

Starring:  Amy Steel, Thomas F. Wilson

Box office:  12.9M

 

April Fool's Day is really something special to me as a horror fan. In fact, most people I know have never even seen it or heard of it. But I have. And I love it.

The casting is superb, delightful, and entertaining. The plot is mysterious, the acting is average, and jokes, accusations, and decapitations (real or not?) galore in this one-hour and twenty minute delightful and ahead of it's time horror movie. There is even a scene in the end that unravels everything that you believed the movie to be in the first place. Amy Steel (from Friday The 13th 2) stars in this homage to crafty horror films, alongside the charming, sexy Deborah Foreman (Waxwork). It is really good to see at any time, and nothing about it should disappoint you. It is not your average horror movie. It's really more funny than scary.

April Fool's Day provided horror fans something a little more tasteful than was expected back in mid-80's. It's nice to have a mystery every now and then, and this movie will have you wondering what's up the sleeves of each character. True, it's not The Green Mile or The Shawshank Redemption, but it is truly underrated as a horror film.

 

Trivia:  Due to the film being light on violence it received frequent airings on late night television, where it gained a large cult following.

 

 

 

 

[baumer]

Number 29

Basic Instinct (1992)

Directed by Paul Verhoeven

Starring:  Michael Douglas, Sharon Stone, George Dzunda, Jeanne Triplehorn, Wayne Knight, Stephen Tobolowski

Box office:  353M WW

 

Here's an incredibly famous film that you would assume everyone has seen.  Think again.  

 

When I decided to do this list, the age of the posters at this site was the main factor in the choice of films.  Basic Instinct is almolst 25 years old, older than a lot of our members here.  I asked @CJohn, @grim22 and @Water Bottle if they had seen it, all said no.  Hence proving my theory.

 

Basic Instinct is a classis but sadly has not been seen by many here probably because it came out before they were born.  I urge you to find the uncut and or original version of this.  It's terrific.  Here's my original truncated review.

 

Paul Verhoeven has created a masterwork from Joe Eszterhas' controversial script. Several sex scenes become a leitmotif, as the participants appear to pummel, rather than love, one another with their nether parts. But the most rugged and the most erotic scene occurs between Detective Nick Curran, Michael Douglas, and his colleague, Beth Garner, portrayed by Jeanne Tripplehorn. He throws her against a wall and then against the back of a chesterfield. That is only the foreplay. In this film sex is violence, and that is Verhoeven's theme.

But there is more. Sharon Stone as Catherine Tramell has a beautiful blonde form in that Beach Boy / California girl manner. She plays her 'flashing' scene in the police interrogation room with wit and a touch of class. Throughout the film she is arch, intelligent, electric. Her foil, Nick Curran, a troubled detective, realizes she might be a murderer, but finds her personality and her allure, irresistible. Douglas' performance is driven, masculine, affecting ... yet he would be well advised to keep his trousers on henceforth, for his sagging bottom is simply too comical.

There are several echoes of Alfred Hitchcock's Vertigo (58). Both pictures have as a setting the picturesque San Francisco area. Jerry Goldsmith's music recalls Bernard Herrmann's symphonic score. The stairwell in Curran's apartment building resembles the vertiginous staircase of the Mission bell tower. And as with Hitchcock the dialogue is often simultaneously risque and humorous, although more vulgar in keeping with the tenor of modern times.

Eszterhas' script is carefully crafted, and it does not cheat. Life proves ambiguous at many levels, and so does art. The mystery is dark; the action, including a car chase, thrills; and the locale continually shifts, from a cop station to Catherine's lovely seaside house to a colorful bar where Catherine's jealous female lover and Curran engage in a sensual battle for her charms.

Day, night, sun, rain, streets, highways, scenery, ocean, sex, emotion, confrontations, death ... the film envelops everything, perhaps even love. Here, Verhoeven, Eszterhas, Douglas, Stone, have achieved some screen magic of the past.  It's truly a classic.

 

Trivia:  Sharon Stone was only offered the role of Catherine after 13 actresses had turned it down.

Sharon Stone was seriously considering giving up acting to study law at the time she was offered the role of Catherine Tramell.

Joe Eszterhas wrote the script in ten days in the 1980s while listening to The Rolling Stones non-stop without even having a story outline. It was first called Love Hurts, but he then sold it three days later at auction as Basic Instinct.

 

 

 

[CJohn]

I haven't seen Basic Instinct, but I have seen the scene everyone talks about 

[filmlover]

1 minute ago, CJohn said:

I haven't seen Basic Instinct, but I have seen the scene everyone talks about 

Of course you have.

[WrathOfHan]

Basic Instinct is a lot of fun, Paul Verhoeven is underrated in general. @La Binoche

[La Binoche]

11 minutes ago, WrathOfHan said:

Basic Instinct is a lot of fun, Paul Verhoeven is underrated in general. @La Binoche

 

Yes indeed. Underrated and misunderstood in America. That's why he shot his latest in France...and got the best reviews of his career https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/771443757/

 

 

[Fancyarcher]

1 hour ago, La Binoche said:

 

Yes indeed. Underrated and misunderstood in America. That's why he shot his latest in France...and got the best reviews of his career https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/771443757/

 

 

 

I really wouldn't consider him misunderstood in the U.S. Some critics just didn't like his films. He actually had several "hits" in his English language career, as well a few flops.

Edited August 1, 2016 by Daniel Dylan Davis

[ProtoMan]

3 hours ago, Baumer said:

Number 30

April Fool's Day (1986)

Directed by Fred Walton

Starring:  Amy Steel, Thomas F. Wilson

Box office:  12.9M

 

April Fool's Day is really something special to me as a horror fan. In fact, most people I know have never even seen it or heard of it. But I have. And I love it.

The casting is superb, delightful, and entertaining. The plot is mysterious, the acting is average, and jokes, accusations, and decapitations (real or not?) galore in this one-hour and twenty minute delightful and ahead of it's time horror movie. There is even a scene in the end that unravels everything that you believed the movie to be in the first place. Amy Steel (from Friday The 13th 2) stars in this homage to crafty horror films, alongside the charming, sexy Deborah Foreman (Waxwork). It is really good to see at any time, and nothing about it should disappoint you. It is not your average horror movie. It's really more funny than scary.

April Fool's Day provided horror fans something a little more tasteful than was expected back in mid-80's. It's nice to have a mystery every now and then, and this movie will have you wondering what's up the sleeves of each character. True, it's not The Green Mile or The Shawshank Redemption, but it is truly underrated as a horror film.

 

Trivia:  Due to the film being light on violence it received frequent airings on late night television, where it gained a large cult following.

 

 

 

 

 

I enjoyed this movie a lot. It was a fresh take on the horror genre though it doesn't get much credit for it. One of the better horror movies during the late 80's.

[ProtoMan]

3 hours ago, Baumer said:

Number 29

Basic Instinct (1992)

Directed by Paul Verhoeven

Starring:  Michael Douglas, Sharon Stone, George Dzunda, Jeanne Triplehorn, Wayne Knight, Stephen Tobolowski

Box office:  353M WW

 

Here's an incredibly famous film that you would assume everyone has seen.  Think again.  

 

When I decided to do this list, the age of the posters at this site was the main factor in the choice of films.  Basic Instinct is almolst 25 years old, older than a lot of our members here.  I asked @CJohn, @grim22 and @Water Bottle if they had seen it, all said no.  Hence proving my theory.

 

Basic Instinct is a classis but sadly has not been seen by many here probably because it came out before they were born.  I urge you to find the uncut and or original version of this.  It's terrific.  Here's my original truncated review.

 

Paul Verhoeven has created a masterwork from Joe Eszterhas' controversial script. Several sex scenes become a leitmotif, as the participants appear to pummel, rather than love, one another with their nether parts. But the most rugged and the most erotic scene occurs between Detective Nick Curran, Michael Douglas, and his colleague, Beth Garner, portrayed by Jeanne Tripplehorn. He throws her against a wall and then against the back of a chesterfield. That is only the foreplay. In this film sex is violence, and that is Verhoeven's theme.

But there is more. Sharon Stone as Catherine Tramell has a beautiful blonde form in that Beach Boy / California girl manner. She plays her 'flashing' scene in the police interrogation room with wit and a touch of class. Throughout the film she is arch, intelligent, electric. Her foil, Nick Curran, a troubled detective, realizes she might be a murderer, but finds her personality and her allure, irresistible. Douglas' performance is driven, masculine, affecting ... yet he would be well advised to keep his trousers on henceforth, for his sagging bottom is simply too comical.

There are several echoes of Alfred Hitchcock's Vertigo (58). Both pictures have as a setting the picturesque San Francisco area. Jerry Goldsmith's music recalls Bernard Herrmann's symphonic score. The stairwell in Curran's apartment building resembles the vertiginous staircase of the Mission bell tower. And as with Hitchcock the dialogue is often simultaneously risque and humorous, although more vulgar in keeping with the tenor of modern times.

Eszterhas' script is carefully crafted, and it does not cheat. Life proves ambiguous at many levels, and so does art. The mystery is dark; the action, including a car chase, thrills; and the locale continually shifts, from a cop station to Catherine's lovely seaside house to a colorful bar where Catherine's jealous female lover and Curran engage in a sensual battle for her charms.

Day, night, sun, rain, streets, highways, scenery, ocean, sex, emotion, confrontations, death ... the film envelops everything, perhaps even love. Here, Verhoeven, Eszterhas, Douglas, Stone, have achieved some screen magic of the past.  It's truly a classic.

 

Trivia:  Sharon Stone was only offered the role of Catherine after 13 actresses had turned it down.

Sharon Stone was seriously considering giving up acting to study law at the time she was offered the role of Catherine Tramell.

Joe Eszterhas wrote the script in ten days in the 1980s while listening to The Rolling Stones non-stop without even having a story outline. It was first called Love Hurts, but he then sold it three days later at auction as Basic Instinct.

 

 

 

 

Sharon Stone in my opinion never topped this movie performance wise. Way better than in Casino where she got nominated for an Oscar.

 

It's shocking that she really never became the megastar as most thought she would back in 1992.

Edited August 1, 2016 by ProtoMan

[narniadis]

Basic is great

[Chaz]

Catherine Tremmel is a queen. My movie counterpart.

 

Also, I wouldn't bottom for Robert Redford today, but in 1993? Daddy, daddy, daddy.

Edited August 1, 2016 by Chaz

[baumer]

Number 28

Silver Bullet (1985)

Directed by Daniel Attias

Starring Gary Busey, Corey Haim, Terry O'Quinn

Box office:  5.4M

 

Stephen King's dark and horrific tale of a werewolf stalking a town, was so freaky that it will nearly mess you up for weeks, maybe even years and years......

The story is about a young 11 year old wheel chaired boy named Marty (Corey Haim) who comes from a broken home and a small town. He has two crazy parents, a rebellious teenage sister named Janie (Megan Follows) and a drunk uncle named Red (Gary Busey). When people in the town start being grusomely murdered unexpectedly one by one, Marty begins to suspect something. He doesn't know who it is until the 4th of July when he finds out that it is a werewolf when he shoots it in the eye with a rocket. Marty then goes to his uncle and sister for help so that they can stop the werewolf and save the town.

From Hollywood legend Dino de Laurentiis (Hannibal, Army of Darkness), Silver Bullet is a pure and authentic horror movie that is for a sure a classic that I would recommend.

 

Trivia:  Producer Dino De Laurentiis was very unhappy with the werewolf used in the film. He was disappointed in both the way it looked and the way the costumed actor moved. This proved to be a bit of an insult to the actor wearing the suit as he was an accomplished modern dancer and was hired specifically for his movement skills.

 

According director Daniel Attias, Gary Busey ad libbed a great deal, for instance when Uncle Red is in the gun shop. Attias checked with Stephen King, who said OK for these ad libs to be included.

 

 

 

[75Live]

I always liked Silver Bullet   

 

I like how it was told by the sister's POV and Corey Haim's character being in a wheelchair also added some creepiness to it since obviously he would have trouble getting away even with the motorcycle chair his uncle made for him

[baumer]

Yeah I agree. Silver Bullet is one of those perfect little horror films. It's not fantastically scary but it's just really well made and very enjoyable.

[baumer]

Number 27

Sex Drive (2008)

Directed by Sean Anders

Starring:  Seth Green, Clarke Duke,James Marsden, Katrina Bowden

Box office:  18M WW

 

The name "Sex Drive" may awake false expectations for some viewers prior to watching. The movies goes beyond the typical "american-pie-like-comedy-style" and shows a sensitive development of relationships which were not expected at the beginning. These developments are combined with several road-trip experiences and different (of course, also sexual) experiences during the trip. But the film contains more than that, it has a nice plot, a stringent story and very talented young actors. It is definitely not just a teenage-flick, it is much more. 

Because despite some laughs, funny moments ( "amish") and unexpected action - we experience beautiful acting of Amanda Crew who didn't appear to me that intense in other movies before (like Final Destination for example). She does not only look beautiful but acts in a very authentic way, it seems to me like she enjoyed the set, the whole idea of the movie, and the acting in it especially (though the film had its rather crude moments at the beginning and in the step-mother appearances).

I admit that this was one of the best teenage-road-movies I've seen in the last decade. Not only because it shows the lifestyle everybody would have loved to live in its teenage years, it also features both laughs and unexpected developments in the end, thoughts about the meaning of love and how important it is to trust feelings. 

A closer look at the character of Ian would have been great because during the whole movie he seemed a bit inapproachable, and we don't get an impression about his development of feelings towards Felicia, only the other way round.

Summary: Funny movie with a very nice development in the end, and a fascinating and breath-taking Amanda Crew - worth watching!

 

Trivia:  The green 1999 mitsubishi eclipse that the GTO races against is the same one that Paul Walker drives in the first Fast & Furious but with a few changes such as the roof scoop.