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Now that The New 52 ( and Convergence ) has come to an end, and Rebirth has begun, here are some of the titles that I found were the best of the bunch. I have also mentioned the reading order and the name of the collected editions.BatmanScott Snyder and Greg Capullo have registered their names in the history books with this series. This series was jam-packed with action, and had great expositions. The decisions Batman takes and the fallout from them have a deep impact and they are conveyed beautifully here. This is the highlight of The New 52.The reading order is -1. The Court of Owls2. The City of Owls3. Death of The Family4. Zero Year - Secret City5. Zero Year - Dark City6. Endgame7. Superheavy8. BloomThe extended story lines are “Batman Eternal” and “Batman & Robin Eternal”.Justice LeagueGeoff Johns carried forward The New 52 with an action packed Justice League series. The main team of DC Universe was superb. Especially during the end, when Geoff teamed up with talented Jason Fabok, whose each and every page is worth putting on your walls.The reading order is -Justice League : Origin - The first time Justice League met and defeated Darkseid.Justice League : Trinity War - The Justice League is at war within themselves as an external agent watches them.Forever Evil : Earth is under attack by evil Earth-3 doppelgangers.Injustice League and Amazo Virus - Lex Luthor joins Justice League in the fallout from Forever Evil.Justice League : Darkseid War - It all comes to this. Darkseid vs Anti-Monitor. On Earth. Perhaps the best Justice League story of all time.Green ArrowJeff Lemire and Andrea Sorrentino redefined Green Arrow’s origin and introduced a great new nemesis in the form of The Outsiders. Benjamin Percy in the subsequent run tries to reinvigorate the Social Justice warrior elements from the “Longbow Hunters” story of the Golden Age. Must read for Arrow fans.The reading order is -1. The Killing Machine2. The Outsiders War3. Broken4. The NightbirdsThe FlashFrancis Manapul and Brian Buccelato’s run is especially famous for the stunning artwork. It is a wonderful character study of The New 52 Flash. Robert Veditti and Van Jensen’s Zoom story arc introduces the character of Zoom in the New 52. Must read for The Flash TV fans.The reading order is -1. Move Forward2. Rogue’s Rebellion3. Gorilla Warfare4. Reverse5. ZoomWonder WomanOne of the highlights of The New 52 was the revised origin of Wonder Woman by Brian Azzarello. Now a half-God, this series explores the relationship of Wonder Woman with her new Godly kins. Beautiful artwork by Cliff Chiang makes it a wonderful read.The reading order -1. Blood2. Guts3. Iron4. War5. Flesh6. DianaAction ComicsThe comic series which introduced Superman, did the best justice to the character in The New 52. Greg Pak and Aaron Kuder made Superman awesome again. Reading order - What Lies Beneath, Superdoom, Under the Skin.Superman : UnchainedScott Snyder and Jim Lee combined to create one of the best Superman story of The New 52. It perfectly juxtaposes the distrust of the World with this young Superman’s efforts.Superman : Lois and ClarkThe Superman from Pre-Flashpoint era made his way to The New 52 along with his wife Lois and son Jonathan, thanks to the events of Convergence. A Superman we all love and admire.Green LanternGeoff Johns’ swan song, Green Lantern, came to an end during The New 52, as the everything from the epic space saga from the Pre-Flashpoint comes to its head. Must read for anyone trying to know about Hal Jordan and Green Lantern Corps. Go start reading from Green Lantern Rebirth.In the New 52, the reading order is - Sinestro, The Revenge of Black Hand, The End.The Omega MenGreen Lantern/White Lantern Kyle Rayner finds himself at the opposite edge of the Universe, engaged in Civil War in the Vega System. Meta-political commentary and engaging story is just one of the few praises this book by Tom King and Barnaby Bagenda has received.Nightwing and GraysonDick Grayson returns to his Nightwing identity in the series written by Kyle Higgins. The 30 issues explore Dick’s identity, history and his relationship with the Haley’s circus.After the events of Forever Evil, Dick becomes an international spy, working for Spyral, with his own secret mission. Written by Tom King and illustrated by Mikel Janin, “Grayson” brought fun and sexiness to the comic as the writers could not resist the temptation to describe his impeccable physique.MidnighterHe has a computer in his brain. He knows all the moves before anyone can make one. He is hot and he is gay. He is a badass and no villain wishes to see his face ever in their life. Written by Steve Orlando and illustrated by Aco, this is fun and pure action based series. Grayson’s butt jokes and lots of wit, this series is a joyride!BatgirlBarbara Gordon has moved to the Burnside subarbs, has a new costume and a new start at life. Written by Brenden Fletcher and Cameron Stewart, and illustrated by Babs Tarr, they introduced a freshness and optimistic funk in the often sad and marooned life of Barbara.Reading order -1. Batgirl of Burnside2. Family Business3. MindfieldsBlack CanaryBatgirl’s best friend is now a touring singer of the self-named band Black Canary. Written by Brenden Fletcher and illustrated by Annie Wu, this series explored the life of Dinah Lance and her efforts to solidify her identity.Gotham AcademyOlive and Maps are students of the prestigious Gotham Academy. They are also part of a covert detective group in school. Fun and intriguing at the same time, this series by Brenden Fletcher and Becky Cloonan explores the life of a school student in Gotham.Reading Order -1. Welcome to Gotham Academy2. Calamity3. YearbookPrezThough not set in the current timeline, this series is a meta-commentary on the present political scenario and the dominance of social media. Written by Mark Russell and illustrated by Ben Caldwell, this drama about a teenage President of USA is an illuminating and fun tale runs for 12 issues.Earth 2Written by James Robinson and then by Tom Taylor, this series explores an alternate Earth where Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman lost their life fighting Darkseid’s army. Jay Garrick and Alan Scott are part of the new Wonders of this Earth just as the alarms for an impending disaster start ringing.Reading Order -1. The Gathering2. The Tower of Fate3. Battle Cry4. The Dark Age5. The Kryptonian6. CollisionAquamanGeoff Johns redefined Aquaman for this era by making Aquaman a serious hero, unscathed by constant attempts to make fun of his abilities. He is the King of the Seven Seas, and his attempts to do right to both Atlantis and The Land form the core of the series. Continued by Jeff Parker, this series is a must read for new and old fans alike.Reading Order -1. The Trench2. The Others3. Throne of Atlantis4. Death of a King5. Seas of Storms6. MaelstromGotham by MidnightWritten by Ray Fawkes and Illustrated by Ben Templesmith and Juay Ferreyra, this series explores the paranormal investigations carried out by Detective Jim Corrigan aka The Spectre in Gotham city. Superbly illustrated, deeply personal and terrifying at times, this series deserved more appreciation than it did.Reading Order -1. We do not Sleep2. Rest in PeaceAnimal Man and Swamp ThingThese series explored the various aspects of Earth and their manifestations, The Green (Swamp Thing), The Red (Animal Man) and The Rot (Arcane). Swamp Thing (#1-#18) were written by Scott Snyder and explored a cured Alec Holland’s life and his eventual fate while Animal Man (#1-#29) dealt with the life of superhero Buddy Baker and his pursuit to keep his family safe.The MultiversityIf you want to go on a journey to the 52 universes of The New 52, and understand the intricate structure of this Multiverse, look no further. Written by Grant Morrison, this series was meta-commentary on the present state of comic books, and featured stories that were refreshing, nostalgic, giddy, and wonderful all at the same time. It is a unique experience because you are part of Earth-33 in this book.This is it from The New 52!

The question seeks 5 best movies. I will list 25 in my list in descending order.When I started making the list, I did not realize how difficult this is going to be. 'Why should this flick make it to the list and why that one should be left out' was a question that I cannot answer till now. Ultimately, just a gut feeling decided. I have used the following yardstick in the given order of importance:My own reactionUniversal Critical AcclaimEntertaining capabilityGenerally liked by others tooBe it as it may, most films listed here will make it to anybody's favourite list with possibly just some change of places. To check out these 25, click on the pictures (best seen on PC or tablet). But first, and a usual, I must mention those which I like very much. So here are the "Honourable Mentions" or my next 50 (in no particular order) that just failed to make it to my list:25. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the GalaxyMany would be surprised to find this movie in my list of top 25 displacing quite a few iconic flicks mentioned above. The reason is that this is an incredibly funny movie based on the book of same name by Douglas J Adams. But it is not the usual brand of slapstick. It is classic British old style - a la P G Wodehouse style. The original book itself is a classic. I was very sceptical when I saw the movie - will it do justice to the witty, tangential writing? But I was relieved. The book is very long and hence the movie had to deviate from the book a little bit. The two-hour limit puts severe constraint on the director but he managed to retain the soul of the author. It makes it to my list because it's unique, genuine humour and all round good performance. If you want the "Answer to The Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything", then you must watch the movie. The answer will leave you in splits, and, no, it is not philosophy that is preached. It will be pointless for me to explain the plot. It cannot be touched upon here. It is a film that should be seen. But it may require quirky mind set to appreciate the humour.About the Guide: Don’t leave the Earth without it.24. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's (Sorcerer's) StoneWhy should a ‘sort of trivial’, kiddie-stuff movie be in this list? Simply because, this is the movie that started the franchise. Even so many years later, it remains as lovable and watchable as when it was released. There came subsequent HP movies but none could capture the magic, if you excuse the irony. Perhaps it was because it faithfully followed the book so closely. With the exception of the second HP movie (CoS) and the seventh (TDH-Part 1), all other movies were a big let-down.Several things could have gone wrong with the movie. It was a completely different concept. Does the director wish to make it a movie for the children or teens or elders? The writer (J K Rowling), when selling the rights to the story for making films, insisted on a condition – the whole star cast must be all British. How to make the magic fantastic as well as believable at the same time? And the greatest challenge of all – who would play the three main child characters? Thankfully director Chris Columbus came top on all counts.The British actors such as Maggie Smith, Richard Harris and Robbie Coltraine came out good. But the best was certainly Alan Rickman playing the dangerous and slimy Professor Snape. The CGI was just right and did not feel going overboard at any time. The movie (as the book) introduced wizard games – Quidditch. Now is it volleyball or rugby or basketball? There is a chess game with life-size, deadly pieces, a room filled with flying keys, a pit of tendrils, and a dark forest where a loathsome creature threatens Harry but is scared away by a centaur. And the dark shadows of Hogwarts library, cellars, hidden passages and dungeons, where an invisibility cloak can keep you out of sight but not out of trouble.This movie brought forth the freshness of youth and even though the child actors were fairly wooden (at that time). It was like the expectation of the ecstasy to come after the gentle climb the roller coaster. Too bad the roll down was not as exciting. The franchise and JK Rowling is so popular that I need not go into the details of the movie. This is one must watch film.23. The Usual SuspectsThis is one movie that is an anti-climax. Over half or perhaps three fourth of the movie, you are being entertained but there is nothing spectacular about it. When the climax arrives, you are just stunned. The actors were finely tuned and well controlled by the director with Stephen Baldwin as the biggest surprise. Kevin Spacey played a part slightly out of character for him, but he was excellent at it.I refuse to say more about the plot other than its central theme revolves around a character known as Keyser Soze. This guy is likened to the devil in the movie, but the closest character in fiction would be Professor Moriarty from Sherlock Holmes. As the movie unfolds, it is not clear whether Keyser Soze exists or if he is just a figment of imagination. Moreover, for those who might be inclined to believe in him (as Agent Kujan does sometimes), it is even less clear who he might be. An enigma wrapped in an enigma as they say. This conundrum alone was worth the price of admission.The ending makes the show. This is a "who-done-it" movie, a thrilling suspense. Just watch it.22. The Silence of the LambsCan you imagine a horror film that has no gore, no gushing blood anywhere, no supernatural/evil beings, no special effects except perhaps some background music, and almost nil violence? Well, here it is. Just plain dialogues and viewer's imagination is at work. It won the five "Oscars" – Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Screenplay nearly a year after it was released. This is a real achievement because usually movies released post-November hog the limelight of the event held in February.The heart of this unnerving suspense movie is a terrifyingly intimate relationship between a sociopathic genius (who makes the most notorious Nazi butchers seem like saints), and a dedicated career woman (who, for all her drive and ambition, is as pure as a nun). It's a queasy, mesmerizing journey into the darkest recesses of the human mind. The film manages to be both seductive and repulsive at the same time. It's perhaps the film's most unsettling quality that Hannibal, with all his seething brilliance and cutting wit, is an oddly appealing character.While Anthony Hopkins receives most of the (well-deserved) praise for his chilling portrayal of incarcerated serial killer "Hannibal 'the Cannibal' Lector", it is Foster's performance that holds the movie together. The fear she shows just behind her eyes makes her outward courage all the more interesting and vulnerable. This is the perfect way to play the part because it explains Lector's interest in Clarice. Her only bargaining chip in getting Lector's help is to let him 'feed' on her innermost secrets and fears in exchange for his brilliant insights into the psychotic mind. The title of the movie comes from these exchanges and is very poignant.21. GoodfellasMartin Scorsese is the king of crime thrillers. You have to see the movie to see how brilliant it is. Every frame, every voice-over, every song - it all comes together at the exact right moment to create the perfect film experience.The movie begins with the background monologue:"As far back as I can remember, I've always wanted to be a gangster." - Henry HillGangsters are all around us. Everyone knows it, but not everyone wants to accept it. "Goodfellas" is based on true events. It explores the lives of gangsters, chronicling the events through the eyes of Henry Hill (Ray Liotta), who gets involved with the Mafia at a young age and continues his "career" throughout the film. This film makes you really understand and feel what makes the American mafia so compelling; in the eyes of a kid, who was unfortunate enough to grow up in a tough neighbourhood, those gangsters are rock stars. Live fast, die young - but when you die, it ain't gonna be of a glamorous suicide or drug overdose - the ending will be brutal, ugly and sad. And it may very well be one of your best friends that will blow your brains out. Storytelling with impeccable pacing, this is what it's like when a master composer conducts his masterpiece. All hail the king; the most versatile and talented filmmaker of his generation: Martin Scorsese.20. Les MisérablesBreath-taking! Simply breath-taking! No other words to describe this musical magnum opus. Based on the fiction written by Victor Hugo, this book has been made into a film quite a few times. My review is based on the latest version released in 2012. But first a warning to those who are contemplating to see it - this is an out and out musical.In its near 2.5 hours, there may not be more than 5 minutes of spoken words - everything is musical. The plot is simple. After 19 years as a prisoner, Jean Valjean (Hugh Jackman) is freed by Javert (Russell Crowe), the officer in charge of the prison workforce. Valjean promptly breaks parole but later uses money from stolen silver to reinvent himself as a mayor and factory owner. Javert vows to bring Valjean back to prison. Eight years later, Valjean becomes the guardian of a child named Cosette after her mother's (Anne Hathaway) death, but Javert's relentless pursuit means that peace will be a long time coming. It is the music that brings goose bumps all the time. The very first song "Look down" is the crown amongst all.19. No Country for Old MenWhile out hunting, Llewelyn Moss (Josh Brolin) finds the grisly aftermath of a drug deal. Though he knows better, he cannot resist the cash left behind and takes it with him. The hunter becomes the hunted when a merciless killer named Anton Chigurh (Javier Bardem) picks up his trail. Also looking for Moss is Sheriff Bell (Tommy Lee Jones), an aging lawman who reflects on a changing world and a dark secret of his own, as he tries to find and protect Moss.The first note of excellence must be directed at Spanish actor Javier Bardem. He is more well-known these days because of the main bad man (Rodriguez) that he played in the Bond flick "Skyfall". Javier has cemented himself as the leader in portraying a psychopathic killer and has perhaps surpassed that of Anthony Hopkins in his 'Silence of the Lambs' Hannibal Lecter role (something that I thought would never happen). Ruthless, unforgiving, sociopath, and in desperate need of a new hair style, Anton Chigurh (Bardem) is flawless. Every time he showed up on-screen one can feel chill run through the bones. Absolutely perfect! But not only that, Josh Brolin and Tommy Lee Jones play their part superb.If you have not seen this movie, then please do.18. 12 Angry MenAn excellent courtroom drama with a unique twist! Instead of following the trial itself, the viewer has a unique chance to observe the events behind the closed doors of a jury room. The film begins with the end of the trial. The jurors retire to deliberate the case. A preliminary vote is taken and the result is 11:1 in favour of the guilty verdict. Eleven jurors have raised their hands to convict a young man of killing his father. Only Juror #8 has doubts. At first even he does not truly believe the young man to be innocent but notes (rightfully) that the case for the defence might have been presented in a more convincing manner and that the boy might be given the benefit of a doubt. Since the boy is to be executed if found guilty his life is now in the hands of the jury and juror #8 reasons that the least they could do is talk about the case a bit. As time goes on some of the jurors change their minds and find that there is perhaps enough reasonable doubt not to convict the young man after all. But not everyone is easy to convince.The film's greatness lies in its bringing-together of twelve different men who have never met each other before and the interaction of their characters as each man brings his own background and life experiences into the case. Thus, we have the hesitant football coach (Martin Balsam), the shy, uncertain bank clerk (John Fiedler), the aggressive call company director (Lee J. Cobb), the authoritative broker (E.G. Marshall), the self-conscious slum dweller (Jack Klugman), the solid, dependable painter (Edward Binns), the selfish salesman (Jack Warden), the calm, collected architect (Fonda), the thoughtful, observant older man (Joseph Sweeney), the racially bigoted garage owner (Ed Begley), the East European watchmaker (George Voskovec) and the beefcake advertising agent (Robert Webber) who has plenty of chat and little else.Very few courtroom dramas can match this film.17. The Good, The Bad, The UglyI can hardly add anything to a film that is iconic and favourite of so many - especially the guys. But let me give it a try anyway. Sergeo Leone gave us some films of the same genre which were known as "Spaghetti Westerns" and "Man with No Name Trilogy". The trilogy began with "A Fistful of Dollars", continued to "For a Few Dollars More" and finished with "The Good, The Bad, The Ugly". Easily the last one is the best of the lot.The story is riveting. There is not a single dull moment. The movie is very long by Hollywood standards (nearly 3 hours), but Leone's direction is so good that you will love the fact that you can enjoy this movie for three hours. When it comes to the three main characters, it is simply difficult to choose. Clint Eastwood plays the "man with no name" and is nicknamed 'Blondie' by the others. Lee Van Cleef is incredible as "Angel Eyes." It is the part he was born to play. I am tempted to pick Eli Wallach as the best who is perfect as Tuco. He really shines in this movie. Some people say he steals the show, and I can see why they think so. I think that Clint Eastwood has the least strong presence in the movie.This movie is hypnotic. It's operatic. It's sad. It's funny. It's gritty. It's violent. It's art. It's action. It's pure entertainment. The music is perfection. The way the music drives this movie is absolutely amazing. The musical genius of Morricone and the incredible direction of Sergio Leone is a combination that will probably never be equalled. The theme song will forever be etched in your brain. In fact, it probably already is, even if you haven't seen the movie! The scene where Tuco runs through the graveyard with the song "Ecstasy of Gold" is pure poetry. And the showdown at the end with that great music- just incredible!16. Star Wars Episode V - The Empire Strikes BackIt is extremely rare that the second instalment of the trilogy trumps to be the best of the lot. In case of the "Star Wars" trilogy, this happened. The first instalment of the trilogy (Ep. IV) introduced one of the most iconic villains of Hollywood - Darth Vader. We see him as an evil, heartless and cruel man. That movie itself was iconic and introduced us to space adventure like never before. This flick took it further.It has all the great qualities that the original Star Wars has: great effects (at the time of its release), appealing characters, and lots of spellbinding action. It also has eliminated some of the problems that plagued the first: the storyline is tighter, and goes much deeper into character development. The performances are terrific, especially by Harrison Ford as Han Solo, and Billy Dee Williams as Lando Calrissian. George Lucas and director Irvin Kershner will always be remembered for the spellbinding battle sequence at the beginning between the rebels and the evil galactic empire - the snowspeeders vs. the Imperial AT-AT walkers. The music by John Williams is great especially the "The Imperial March (Darth Vader's Theme)". The conclusion, with a lightsabre duel between Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker, is truly one of the most suspenseful and dramatic scenes in the entire series. This is a truly wondrous film, and serves as a constant reminder that just because a movie is expensive and a blockbuster doesn't mean that it has to be shallow and two dimensional. This film will undoubtedly entertain viewers of all ages from start to finish.15. The Lord of the Rings TrilogyI have included the entire trilogy as one massive film at this position. This is because it is not possible to split one from the other. What can I really write more that is not already written? Peter Jackson has been very faithful to the JRR Tolkien classic and the entire series is breath-taking and spellbinding.14. Modern TimesThis episodic satire of the Machine Age is considered Charles Chaplin's best "silent" film. Charlie Chaplin stars as an assembly-line worker driven insane by the monotony of his job. After a long spell in an asylum, he searches for work, only to be mistakenly arrested as a Red agitator. Released after foiling a prison break, Chaplin makes the acquaintance of orphaned gamine (Paulette Goddard) and becomes her friend and protector. He takes on several new jobs for her benefit, but every job ends with a quick dismissal and yet another jail term. During one of his incarcerations, she is hired to dance at a nightclub and arranges for him to be hired there as a singing waiter. He proves an enormous success, but they are both forced to flee their jobs when the orphanage officials show up to claim the girl. Dispirited, she moans, "What's the use of trying?" But the ever-resourceful Chaplin tells her to never say die, and our last image is of Chaplin and The Gamine strolling down a California highway towards new adventures.The word 'genius' is maybe overused for Charlie Chaplin. But what can one do? There are no other words to describe him.13. Lawrence of ArabiaAs one of challengers to the definitive epic of the cinema's history, "Lawrence of Arabia" is one of the finest productions and makes a strong case as the best movie ever made.The titled character (Oscar-nominee Peter O'Toole in his career-defining role) dies in a freak motorcycle accident in the early-1930s in his homeland of England. In spite of being honoured by the nation, many knew nothing of him. Some loved him, others despised him, but no one seemed to know the man at all. Flashbacks immediately start as we meet the character during World War I. He is a lieutenant assigned to mundane duties, but suddenly he is thrust into a greater role in North Africa. He is to assist a Saudi Arabian Prince Faisal (Alec Guinness). The goal is to fight off the dreaded Turkish regime that poses a threat to the Arabs. If the Turks take over this land in Africa, what will it mean for the English?I will not go into the details of the story. The film deals with a slice of history that really did not seem that important back during World War I, but the situations in the Middle East now are greatly due to T.E. Lawrence's acts nearly a century ago. Did leading the Arabs to freedom make the world a safer place? This is the main question that Lean's film raises. Guinness' character is someone who changes almost immediately near the end of the production and it is a somewhat frightening foreshadower of things to come. A monumental milestone in film-making that stands so tall against all the other great productions of all eras. It is another breath-taking film. Am I running out of adjectives?12. Alien"In space, no one can hear you scream".This is the tag line of the film. But in the theatres people were gasping and screaming.While most space sci-fi films (Star Wars, Star Trek, 2001, etc.) dealt with space adventurism in somewhat romantic fashion, this movie introduced us to the other side of space - the chill and horror that may be waiting for us. The commercial vessel Nostromo receives a distress call from an unexplored planet. After searching for survivors, the crew heads home only to realize that a deadly bio-form has joined them. Then begins the cat and mouse game. The Alien is not just another being - it is super intelligent and powerful. As one of the crew members, an android named Ash (Ian Holmes) describes it - a perfect being.Many consider this movie’s successor "Aliens" directed by James Cameron to be better. But I think that 'Alien' deserves far more accolades for the sheer originality of the concept. Director Ridley Scott's well-honed talents of pacing and editing create a tense atmosphere that superbly conveys dread and fear of an unknown, unseen evil entity.11. Pulp FictionNo 'top-list' can be complete without a Quentin Tarantino in it. QT established himself with this film. He then became known for his disjoint style of presentation in reverse chronological order. QT became known as another genius.“Pulp Fiction” is extremely violent in an outrageous way. The script is snappy with witty give-and-take dialogue, written mainly by Quentin Tarantino himself. The movie is starred by an intriguing hand-picked array of actors who deliver those well-written snappy lines. This film oozes inspired casting, of actors who either played against type or at least became offbeat and edgy in ways in which we hadn't hitherto known them.Then, QT mesmerizes us through the editing process, by telling the story in a maximum non-linear way, out of time, reducing the film to a series of seeming disjointed non-sequential vignettes, each vignette featuring the aforementioned snappy dialogue delivered by the aforementioned hand-picked edgy actors. It is only after watching the entirety of the movie, and reflecting back on it, does the gestalt emerge for the viewer. It leaves you spellbound and wondering what hit you. There is much more to enjoy in director/ writer/ co-star Quentin Tarantino's anthology movie about small-time, pea-brained crooks in L.A. Their tales all start slowly and then zigzag into outlandish twists. The two strongest stories involve Travolta, with long limp hair, taking his gangster boss's wife (Thurman) to dinner while the big man is out of town; and Willis, as a boxer who has been paid to take a fall, deciding instead to take the money and flee with his girlfriend (moon-faced Maria de Medeiros, who talks with erotic dreaminess of blueberry pancakes).The entire cast, like Tarantino, seems to revel in sloshing around in this muck, the knowingly hip distillation of several generations' worth of film noir, cheap crime novels and indifferently shot television shows. Travolta, charmingly dim, gets unexpected laughs from the slimmest bits of comedy, whether trying to answer the intercom while coked up or making his voice childishly tiny for the line, "Bacon is good. Pork is good." Samuel Jackson, as Travolta's partner, is perhaps the standout, frighteningly intense whether he's about to shoot a rival through the head or convinced that he has just witnessed a miracle. Despite the drugs, the blood, the language, the grit, Pulp Fiction is fundamentally light-hearted (R).And, it may take more than one viewing to get there. Lastly, by topping it all off with a snazzy soundtrack, QT put the icing on the cake. Add all that stuff together and you get Pulp Fiction.10. Downfall'Downfall' is not strictly Hollywood but I have included it here nonetheless. The story is of the last days of Hitler. It is a German film and available with English subtitles. The reason I came across it was because of the numerous parodies that were floating on the net like this one. I liked them so much that I knew I had to see the movie.I did not expect too much. Surprisingly, the movie is very sensitive and expertly handled. So much so that you start feeling sorry for the monster. Well, sort of that you would feel for a rabid dog about to be put down. Is it a mistake to see him, after all, not as a monster standing outside the human race, but as just another human being? I can't say. This is what makes this movie a brilliant film that starred a brilliant actor - Bruno Ganz."Downfall" takes place almost entirely inside the bunker beneath Berlin where Adolf Hitler and his inner circle spent their final days, and died. It ventures outside only to show the collapse of the Nazi defense of Berlin, the misery of the civilian population and the burning of the bodies of Hitler, Eva Braun, and Joseph and Magda Goebbels. For the rest, it occupies a labyrinth of concrete corridors, harshly lighted, with a constant passage back and forth of aides, servants, guards, family members and Hitler's dog, Blondi.Against the overarching facts of his personal magnetism and the blind loyalty of his lieutenants, the movie observes the workings of the world within the bunker. All power flowed from Hitler. He was evil, mad, ill, but long after Hitler's war was lost he continued to wage it in fantasy. Pounding on maps, screaming ultimatums, he moved troops that no longer existed, issued orders to commanders who were dead, counted on rescue from imaginary armies.That he was unhinged did not much affect the decisions of acolytes like Joseph and Magda Goebbels, who decided to stay with him, and commit suicide as he would. "I do not want to live in a world without National Socialism," says Frau Goebbels, and she doesn't want her six children to live in one, either. In a sad, sickening scene, she gives them all a sleeping potion and then, one by one, inserts a cyanide capsule in their mouths and forces their jaws closed with a soft but audible crunch. Her oldest daughter, Helga, senses there is something wrong; senses, possibly, she is being murdered. Then Magda sits down to a game of solitaire before she and Joseph kill themselves. (By contrast, Heinrich Himmler wonders aloud, "When I meet Eisenhower, should I give the Nazi salute, or shake his hand?").To describe more about the film will be injustice. You must watch it yourself.9. The Dark KnightRarely are sequels better than the original. I made this statement with "The Empire Strikes Back" - I make it again for this flick. Usually the slide starts with the second movie itself and in case of planned trilogies, invariably what happens is that the middle instalment is the 'most boring' one. It happens because it is neither here nor there (Back to the Future Trilogy, LOTR Trilogy, and many others). 'The Dark Knight' is not just an exception. It is an exception of exceptions.It is stupendous. It became extremely successful - something that Warner Brothers were not expecting. WB was expecting to make money with 'Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince' that was scheduled to be released later that summer. But this movie made so much money that WB pushed the HP6 release to next year 'to even out things' and have a bankable blockbuster for the next year.Christian Bale plays such a well-rounded Batman and Bruce Wayne, qualities that none of those who have donned the cowl before him have pulled off. Bale has a particular slurring lisp that serves him quite well, charmingly for Bruce Wayne and threateningly for Batman. Countering him is Heath Ledger, who plays such a scary and creepy Joker that I found it impossible to NOT have chills half the time I saw him on screen. It is Heath Ledger who stole the complete show. But all in all, it is the genius of Christopher Nolan who handled the whole film like a genius that he is. Bury Jack Nicholson’s Joker. The new joker has arrived and set fresh standards. The bar is much higher now. Usually super heroes films will probably not make it to a top-something list. But this one is again one more exception.8. InceptionOne of the best films ever produced in the last ten years. Christopher Nolan will make it to all-time great movie maker. What a story! What imagination! What a portrayal! What originality! On the last attribute, over the last decade, all people are making are comic book super heroes, remakes, sequels and such, 'Inception' brings a breath of fresh air. Nolan blurs the distinction between dreams and reality so artfully that Inception will be called a masterpiece for years to come.What is the most resilient parasite? An Idea! Yes, Nolan has created something with his unbelievably, incredibly and god-gifted mind which will blow the minds of the audience away. There is only one word to describe the cinematography, the set designs and the special effects, and that is exceptional! You don't just watch the scenes happening, you feel them. The movie is a real thrill ride. The action scenes are well picturized and the music by Hans Zimmer is electronically haunting. Never, in the runtime of the movie, you will get a chance to move your eyes from the screen to any other object.This is a flick that you will enjoy watching again and again.7. The Godfather - Part IIThe second instalment of the trilogy starts where the first one left off. The film traces two parallel stories. The young new Godfather, Michael Corleone, is seen making his way big and to the top of the crime world. The parallel story is that of his own father when as a young immigrant from Sicily, he struggles to make his own way to the top. In a sense the movie is both a prequel and sequel.The Godfather Part II is not just a movie about the mafia; it is a movie about a man's life long struggle. Michael controls a vast empire that is constantly slipping out of his hands. He grows increasingly distrustful and paranoid, and even shows signs that he hates his own life. Michael almost seems to resent the fact that he is a natural born crime lord, a man who puts the family business ahead of everything. The great Don Michael Corleone can never come to terms with one simple fact.... his father's empire was built on love and respect, Michael's empire is built on fear and violent treachery.The acting performances are outstanding, hence three supporting Oscar nominations for acting guru Lee Strasberg (Hyman Roth), Michael Gazzo (Frank Pentangeli) and Robert De Niro (young Vito Corleone). Duvall, Keaton, Cazale and Talia Shire all provided first rate performances but it is the performance of Al Pacino which steals the show, expertly portraying Michael as a cool, calculating, suspicious Don Corleone.The end is what surmises the whole era of Michael Corleone. He is sitting on his garden chair, his face now a creased mask of implacable hatred. He has exacted vengeance on all his enemies. He is reminiscing. And then we suddenly cut back 20 years to the fresh-faced young Joe College, still capable of a boyish grin, startling his brothers over the dinner table by announcing he's joined the army, and stoutly defending his patriotism. It's a stunning narrative flourish: mysterious and moving. See this movie. It is three-and-a-half hours very well spent.6. To Kill a MockingbirdHarper Lee's Pulitzer Prize-winning autobiographical novel was translated to film in 1962. Set a small Alabama town in the 1930s, the story focuses on scrupulously honest, highly respected lawyer Atticus Finch, magnificently embodied by Gregory Peck. Finch puts his career on the line when he agrees to represent Tom Robinson (Brock Peters), a black man accused of rape.'To Kill a Mockingbird' is a different kind of movie. Sure, it touches upon 'white vs. black' issues but the difference is that it looks at the problem from the eyes of a child (Atticus' daughter). It's in the innocence of a child's world overshadowed by the evil that adults do.The two kids in the movie are six-year-old Scout, the narrator of the story, and her 10-year-old brother Jem. They live in a dusty, deprived Alabama town, where their father Atticus Finch is a lawyer. In the long, hot summer of 1932, Scout and Jem scamper around town, getting into scrapes and playground fights, and becoming increasingly fascinated by the dilapidated house at the end of the street and its scary unseen occupant.However, the sunny mood darkens when Atticus has to defend a black man falsely accused of raping a white woman. The courtroom scene, witnessed by the children from the gallery, is one of the best in the movies, as Atticus demolishes the prosecution case with thrilling ingenuity - not that what happens subsequently reflects any kind of justice.Gregory Peck won an Oscar for his performance as the immovably decent and wise Atticus. Just as impressive are Mary Badham (who had no acting experience) as Scout and Phillip Alford as Jem. Their naturalness and honesty in the roles are a joy. The film won two other Academy Awards and was nominated for eight, including Best Picture.The movie focuses on that gut instinct of right and wrong, and distinguishes it from just following the law. Even the titular quote: "Shoot all the blue jays you want, if you can hit 'em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird" is in itself an allegory for this message. Being in itself a generic message, the idea of 'doing what's right' obviously has a different meaning depending on when and where you're reading the book or watching the movie.5. The Shawshank RedemptionIn the year 2002, I was in USA all alone and looking ahead to a boring weekend. I dropped in the local Blockbusters Video. I chanced upon the DVD of this movie. I knew nothing about it and as I found nothing more interesting, I picked it up. Boy, what a movie!The plot and theme is very straight-forward - a prison escape. There are many movies on these themes. So what is special about this movie? The fact is that it handles the human relations very delicately. The director has paid utmost attention to details. The Shawshank Redemption defines a genre, defies the odds, compels the emotions, and brings an era of artistically influential films back to Hollywood. The marvellous cast of this film will dazzle you with some of the most convincing performances you will witness in a film. While both Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman shine as Andy and Red, respectively, the true spectacle of acting lies within the plethora of amazing supporting actors who easily disappear into their roles. Most noticeable of these, the veteran film star James Whitmore, who portrays the elderly Brooks Hatlen. Brooks, a man incarcerated for an unmentioned crime for so long that he finds himself attached to the Shawshank and the daily life he has lead. Each of these actors show a true dedication to their art, and a focused purpose in their motivations, creating a convincing setting that never once caters to anything unbelievable.'The Shawshank redemption' encompasses friendships, hardships, hopes, and dreams. And what is so great about the movie is that – it moves you, it gives you hope! Even though the circumstances between the characters and the viewers are quite different, you don't feel that far removed from what the characters are going through.4. The Godfather, Part I“I will make him an offer he can’t refuse”- this is the most famous tag-line of all times.I will say here again – I will make you an offer you can’t refuse – watch this film.No list of favourite movies can be complete with including this iconic movie. Some critics consider this as "glorification of crime". This is because it tells only one side of the story and then we begin to sympathize with the characters who are essentially evil. But then such feelings - sympathy or disgust - must be put aside when looking at the movie purely as a movie.As a movie, it is quite flawless. One way to look at the movie is to find what is bad with the movie and I guess everyone will have to think hard to make just 3 attempts. The acting from everyone involved is great, Marlon Brando comes across perfectly as the head of the family, and James Caan and Al Pacino are excellent as his sons. The soundtrack by Nino Rota is also very memorable, bringing back memories of the film every time I hear it. The plot has to be excellent for it to get ten out of ten, and it is, it's far from predictable and the film is the definition of a great epic.The film is pretty shocking in the way every death occurs almost instantaneously, and as it spans ten years so many different things happen and every minute of it is great entertainment.3. All Quiet on the Western Front (1930)Once in a while, there will be a movie that will strike you hard in your solar plexus and leave you completely out of breath. For some moments, you will be wondering what happened. 'All Quiet on the Western Front' is such a movie. This movie looks at the tragedy of war.The movie starts with a bunch of high school going kids. They are ‘psyched’ into joining the defence of their fatherland during World War I. What results is terrible mayhem and calamity. The movie shows the intense suffering of the bunch kids from Germany who joined to fight in War. Erich Maria Remarque traces the fate of all the kids who slowly loose each other. The irony of war cannot be starker when Paul, the hero, is stuck in a ditch with an injured enemy soldier. Paul realizes that he does not hate his enemy and desperately wants the soldier to live. In the final scene, Paul is back on the front lines. He sees a butterfly just beyond his trench. Paul smiles and reaches out towards the butterfly, but becoming too exposed, he is shot and killed by an enemy sniper. The final shot shows the 2nd Company arriving at the front for the first time, fading out to the image of a cemetery.P/s. This one is not shown in the movie but if one reads the book, it will leave her/him devastated and miserable. On the last day of the war, Germany has lost and surrendered. The corporal on the front comes back reports to his Major, "All quiet on the Western Front, Sir".2. CasablancaIt's a movie that brings nostalgia, goose bumps and a lump in the throat. I must have watched it at least 20 times. The plot and story is really no great shake. It is a romantic story of two (Rick and Ilsa) in the background of the war (WW-II). They are planning to marry and agree to meet at the railway station. Ilsa fails to show up leaving Rick dejected and angry. A couple of years later, Rick, a bitter man having a total cynical view of life, runs a cafe in Casablanca. As fate would have it, he runs into his former lady love, who is now married. The married couple is trapped and now Rick must choose between his love for a woman and helping her Czech Resistance leader husband escape the Vichy-controlled Moroccan city of Casablanca to continue his fight against the Nazis.There is some mystique in this film. An unknown quality that one can't easily place. It is romantic and haunting, something that will grow on you. Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman make the movie unforgettable. The quotes are unforgettable like "Here is looking at you, kid". A B&W classic of all times.Whenever I see this movie, I mutter to myself – "Play it again, Sam".1. Ben HurIt is not just any film. It is possibly the greatest movie ever made. It is not just any movie –it is a magnum opus. It is not a story –it is a spectacle. It is not just any spectacle – it is a spellbinding one.With a running time of three and a half hours, Ben-Hur is one of those films that definitely takes it’s time to tell a story. It presents memorable characters, gorgeous production design, lavish costume design, beautiful cinematography, sweeping music, and timeless themes. As someone who has seen this film as a re-release in a theatre, I could not help but be as marvelled by it as older folks who had seen it back in 1959.Some believe that William Wyler's box-office smash is no match for the 1925 silent version, but there's no denying that the race that forms the famous climax is one of the most iconic sequences in Hollywood history - a thousand-strong force toiled for a year to construct the 18-acre chariot arena, which was eventually filled with 8,000 extras. The film, in all, used over 300 sets, 40,000 tons of sand (for the chariot track).Ben-Hur's days in slavery are vividly captured in two powerful sequences. One involves him and other slaves fighting extreme thirst, as their Roman masters greedily drink water themselves and give some to their horses but not their slaves. The other takes place on a warship where slaves, including Ben-Hur as slave #41, are pulling oars in the galleys, to a rhythm established by a Roman beating a block with hammers. The torture becomes excruciating when the hammers come down at a faster pace, forcing the slaves to row faster to the point of collapse. This is a scene that will surely wrench your gut.It won 11 Oscars. Two other movies (Titanic and LOTR: The Return of the King) have equalled its feat of 11 Academy awards, but neither of the other two won all the three top coveted awards - Best Picture, Best Director and Best Actor in a Leading role.Source and copyright of images: Google and various studios.

Here are the list, of some of the amazing science fiction movies, in no particular order :-2001: A Space OdysseySub Genre - Hard Science FictionRelease Year - 1968Directed By - Stanley KubrickCast - Keir Dullea, Gary Lockwood, William Sylvester, Douglas Rain, Daniel Richter and several othersOverview - Based on Arthur C Clark’s 1951 short story, The Sentinel. 2001: A Space Odyssey, is one of the greatest sci-fi movies ever made, one that elevated a short story into a big ambitious movie, that was praised for it’s pretty realistic depiction of space travel at the time and also for making sci-fi, a mainstream genre, when it comes to cinema. It was also noted for telling such a unique story and explore ideas like, artificial intelligence and evolution, by taking advantage of the visual medium.Summary - A mysterious black monolith, had influenced humanity, during it’s early stages of evolution. Now, millions of years later, humans are advanced enough to conduct space voyages. A crew of human astronauts discovered another black monolith on Moon’s surface. Several months later, the U.S. spacecraft, Discovery One, along with a sentient A.I., HAL 9000, goes onto make a voyage to Jupiter, but except HAL 9000, none of it’s crew members know that their mission is to investigate about the monolith, that was found on the moon.Blade RunnerSub Genre - Cyberpunk/Dystopia/Neo-NoirRelease Year - 1982Directed By - Ridley ScottCast - Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer, Sean Young, Edward James Olmos, Daryl Hannah, Emmet Walsh, and several othersOverview - A loose adaptation of Philip K. Dick’s 1968 novel, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, the film was a failure at the time of it’s release on 1982, but it later went onto receive cult status, many even praised it as one of the best sci-fi movies of all time. It even had a sequel, released on 2017, titled, Blade Runner 2049, with Ford and Edward James Olmos, returned to play, aged version of their respective characters. Blade Runner gives a commentary on our existence and our emotions.Summary - Set in the then-dystopian future of 2019, a high-tech firm ,called as, Tyrell Corporation, have invented Replicants, a genetically engineered beings, that are virtually identical to adult humans and composed entirely of organic materials but have superior physical capabilities and shorter life-span. They are now deemed illegal on Earth, after a mutiny; but can be used as slave labour, in off-world colonies. A specialized police units have been created, called, as Blade Runners, whose job is to hunt down and kill escaped replicants on Earth. In Los Angeles, California, one such, Blade Runner, named Rick Deckard, was forced to come out of semi-retirement, after a cunning group of Replicants escaped from an Off-world colony and reached his city.Planet of the ApesSub Genre - Restored Eden/Alternate HumanityRelease Year - 1982Directed By - Franklin J. SchaffnerCast - Charlton Heston, Linda Harrison, Roddy McDowall, Kim Hunter, Maurice Evans, and several othersOverview - A loose adaptation of 1963 French novel, La Planète des singes (translates to, Planet of the Apes) by Pierre Boulle. The script was initially written by Rod Serling, the man behind the famous anthology TV series, called as, The Twilight Zone (which is evident from this movie’s iconic twist ending). The film was a commercial and critical success, many praised for it’s performances, imagination and it’s commentary on real world issues and ideas, like, religious fanaticism, evolution and animal cruelty, that is still relevant to this day and also for it’s makeup by John Chambers, which was pretty groundbreaking at the time, which inspired CIA to recruit him as a contractor for creating "disguise kits" for CIA personnel stationed in other countries, he even helped CIA officer, Tony Mendez, during Iran Hostage Crisis. Anyway, this movie went onto span multiple sequels, comic books, merchandising, live action and animated TV series. Other than that, it even had a reboot two times, one on 2001, with the same title and that was much more closer to the book, than this was. Then it was rebooted again on 2011, titled, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, which spanned two sequels.Summary - A group of astronauts, led by George Taylor, crash lands on a distant planet in a distant future, where, human beings are less advanced creatures wearing animal skin, enslaved by, apes, who are the dominant species, on this planet, with higher intelligence, ability to talk and advanced enough to thrive in their own civilization.Star Wars: Episode IV – A New HopeSub Genre - Space OperaRelease Year - 1977Directed By - George LucasCast - Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Sir Alec Guinness, Peter Cushing, Peter Mayhew, Kenny Baker, Anthony Daniels, David Prowse, James Earl Jones and several others.Overview - Inspired by Flash Gordon comics, John Campbell’s Hero with thousand Faces, Arthurian mythology, Issac Asimov’s Foundation series, Frank Herbert’s Dune, Spaghetti Westerns, Akira Kuroswa’s samurai films, Star Trek and even several real world historical events; Star Wars became one of the most popular sci-fi movies of all time, that spawned multiple sequels, prequels, spin-offs, novels, comics, games, tv shows and merchandising (which continues till this day and is not stopping at all), it is so popular that, some real world species, got named after, it’s characters, an actual religion called as Jediism, was established, based on the philosophies depicted in Star Wars franchise. One of the most popular weapons in the history of sci-fi, Lightsaber is the most recognizable thing about Star Wars and also one of the most recognizable villain in the film history, Darth Vader, is also from this franchise.Summary - Set during a long time ago, in a Galaxy far far away; a 19 year old farm boy, named Luke Skywalker, a cocky pilot Han Solo, his Wookie (an alien species) companion Chewbacca, a wise old Jedi master Obi-Wan Kenobi, along with two droids, C3PO and R2D2, together they attempts to save princess Leia Organa of the planet Alderaan, from the clutches of Galactic Empire and Darth Vader. They also have to ensure that the design plans for a planet destroying space station, Death Star, should reach the HQ of Rebel Alliance, an organisation of anti-imperial revolutionaries, that is in war against the Empire, to restore the galaxy’s old Galactic Republic.Westworld (1973)Sub Genre - Science Fiction Western/ThrillerRelease Year - 1977Directed By - Michael CrichtonCast - Yul Brynner, James Brolin, Richard Benjamin and several othersOverview - Michael Crichton, who was more famous for his 1990 novel, Jurassic Park, had actually made a movie about an amusement park gone wrong, long before his iconic novel, which was Westworld, this one was also famous for being one of the earliest films to feature CGI and also one of the first movies to mention computer virus. Yul Brynner’s character, in this film, the Gunslinger, later inspired, Arnold Schwarzenegger’s T-800 in 1984’s Terminator. Westworld, had also, launched it’s own media franchise, with a sequel, titled, Futureworld (1976), a television series Beyond Westworld (1980), and on 2016, another television series, was debuted on HBO, based on this film, with the same title, and it spawned 3 seasons and is getting renewed for the 4th season, this year. Westworld like any other movies, involving robots, questions the idea of A.I. and just like, Crichton’s novel, Jurassic Park, it questions our delights in searching for the past.Summary - In the then-future of 1983, an amusement-park for rich people, called as Delos, is filled with humanoid robots, that features, 3 different themes, or worlds, one of them is Westworld, where it’s visitors can live their fantasy of being in the Wild-West era, mainly by fighting a robot, known, simply as, the Gunslinger. Very soon, all the robots become rogue and deadly, due to, a computer virus that causes a breakdown in their programming.InceptionSub Genre - Firm Science/HeistRelease Year - 2010Directed By - Christopher NolanCast - Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Elliot Page, Tom Hardy, Ken Watanabe, Dileep Rao, Cillian Murphy, Michael Caine, and several othersOverview - Inception is one of the most successful and popular sci-fi movies from the decade of 2000s, that went onto change sci-fi genre as a whole. The movie exploited a unique concept, of dream sharing, and made it more unique and complex, along with an unresolved ending, which made the audiences to come up with various fan theories, based on it, ever since it’s release.Summary - Dom Cobb, is a professional thief, who is involved mostly in corporate espionage, through the use of a rare technology, that allows him infiltrate into his target’s dreams and extract valuable secrets from deep within his/her subconscious. One day, he receives an offer from a client, who wants, him and his team, to add an idea onto someone else’s subconscious, in return, Cobb’s past criminal records, will be erased and he can go back to his children.Akira (1988)Sub Genre - Post-Apocalyptic/Cyberpunk/ActionRelease Year - 1988Directed By - Katsuhiro OtomoCast - Mitsuo Iwata, Nozomu Sasaki, Mami Koyama, Tarō Ishida, Mizuho Suzuki, Tesshō Genda, and several othersOverview - A Japanese animated movie based on 1982 cyberpunk manga of the same name, Akira was the most expensive anime at the time and it had changed the animation and cyberpunk genre forever, Akira was the one that introduced, anime and Japanese Pop Culture popular among western audiences. Many critics still consider it as one of the greatest sci-fi and animation movie of all time. Akira has characters that possess superhuman abilities, but what makes it unique, is it’s depiction of a grim future, with, corrupt government, military and public (especially youth) who lost trust in the system.Summary - Set in the then future of 2019, Neo-Tokyo, a city filled with gang violence, corruption, terrorism, and several other crimes, was actually built on the ashes, of Tokyo, which was destroyed on 1988, during WW3. Shotaro Kaneda is the leader of a biker gang in Neo-Tokyo, has a childhood friend, Tetsuo Shima, who is taken to a government facility, after a motorbike accident, where he develops telekinetic powers, the powers that are similar to that of Akira, a force that destroyed Tokyo, 30 years ago.Blade Runner 2049Sub Genre - Cyberpunk/Dystopia/Neo-NoirRelease Year - 2017Directed By - Denis VilleneuveCast - Ryan Gosling, Harrison Ford, Ana de Armas, Jared Leto, Edward James Olmos, Dave Bautista, Sylvia Hoeks, Mackenzie Davis and several othersOverview - Plans for a Blade Runner sequel had been going on ever since, the first movie received cult status, and also due to the movie’s alternate ending in Director’s cut. Denis Villeneuve replaced Ridley Scott as the director and Scott instead became the movie’s executive producer. and actors like, Harrison Ford and Edward James Olmos, returned to play their respective characters from the original film. But, just like it’s predecessor, Blade Runner 2049, was a failure at the box-office, yet many praised the movie’s storyline, direction, performances, visual effects, production design and some even described it as better than the original film. It even received several accolades, in Academy Awards, for Visual Effects and cinematography. What made Blade Runner sequel so good, is it’s aesthetic visuals and it’s depiction of degraded ecosystem, due to the actions of humans and makes us question the real nature of humanity.Summary - After the events of the first film, Tyrell Corporation have gone bankrupt, due to the complete ban on the production of Replicants. But they were replaced by, Wallace Corporation, the experts of synthetic farming, who bought the remains of Tyrell and began the production of a new series of Replicants, called as, Nexus-9, ones that are more obedient than their previous counterparts. By the year 2049, Blade Runners, are still active, and they kill older models of, Replicants living among humanity. One such Blade Runner, named K, who is a Nexus-9 Replicant, working for L.A.P.D., finds out a dark secret, during one of his missions, that can lead to the destruction of human society, which also leads him to discover, Rick Deckard, a former Blade Runner, who had gone missing for 30 years.SnowpiercerSub Genre - Dystopia/ActionRelease Year - 2013Directed By - Bong Joon-hoCast - Chris Evans, John Hurt, Tilda Swinton, Ed Harris, Song Kang-ho, and several othersOverview - Based on the French graphic novel, Le Transperceneige (1982), Snowpiercer was the English language debut of South Korean filmmaker, Bong Joon-Ho, who is well-known for his 2019 Black comedy film, Parasite, which also stars Song Kang-ho. The film along with it’s original source material, goes onto have a television adaptation, on Netflix, with the same name as the film, that began to air since 2020. The movie has typical Bong Joon-Ho tropes of class struggle and income inequality, along with that, the movie also provides an explicit commentary on environmental degradation.Summary - An attempt to stop the global warming was made, but it turned out to an utter failure, as it caused, a new ice age, in then future of 2014. The survivors of humanity, is now living on a train that never stops, The Snowpiercer. Each year, Snowpiercer covers the entire circumference of Earth. The train is owned and created by a millionaire, Wilford, who created a class division, in his train, where the elite live in the extravagant front cars and the poor in squalid tail compartments controlled by armed guards. This leads to a lower class rebellion on 2031, led by, Curtis Everett, who attempts to take over the engine room of the train.ArrivalSub Genre - Mystery/First ContactRelease Year - 2016Directed By - Denis VilleneuveCast - Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner, Forest Whitaker, Tzi Ma and several othersOverview - Based on 1998 short story, by Ted Chiang, Story of your life, Arrival is considered as one of the best films of the year 2016 and one of the best films by Denis Villeneuve. Unlike other movies, involving aliens, Arrival, shows a completely unique and grounded depiction of aliens, both in design and traits. Along with that, it plays around the unique idea of languages influencing human minds.Summary - 12 alien spacecrafts lands on various regions of Earth, which panics the entire humanity, one of them, was landed on, the state of Montana, U.S.A., where U.S. military recruits two linguists, Louise Banks and Ian Donnelly, to find a way to communicate with alien life forms, to find out their purpose of arrival.Wall-ESub Genre - Dystopia/Comedy/RomanceRelease Year - 2008Directed By - Andrew StantonCast - Ben Burtt, Elissa Knight, Jeff Garlin, Fred Willard, Sigourney Weaver, and several othersOverview - This animated movie, by Pixar, is considered as, one of the best sci-fi movies of all time, due to it’s portrayal of environmental degradation and consumerism, but, along with it, what made this movie amazing was, the same thing that made any other Pixar movies amazing too, the depiction of, complex and adult concepts as loss, sadness, love, nostalgia and compassion, which made me watch this movie again and again.Summary - Set in 29th century, rampant consumerism and environmental degradation have left Earth, uninhabitable. a corporation called as, Buy-N-Large shipped all humans off the planet to live on starships, 7 centuries ago. On Earth, Wall-E, is the last remaining robot, he spends his days tidying up the planet. But during 700 years, WALL-E has developed a personality, and he's is living alone, with no other companions with him, other than a pet cockroach. Then he spots EVE, a probe robot send by, Axiom starship, to search for vegetation on Earth. Wall-E falls in love with EVE and both of them have a long adventures, covering the universe.MetropolisSub Genre - Dystopian/DramaRelease Year - 1927Directed By - Fritz LangCast - Brigitte Helm, Rudolf Klein-Rogge, Alfred Abel, Gustav Fröhlich, Heinrich George and several othersOverview - Metropolis, is a German silent film, that many consider as the very first feature length sci-fi film. The movie had significant impact on sci-fi genre and the cinema in general. It went onto inspire multiple movies like, Star Wars, Blade Runner, Equilibrium and others. Metropolis received mixed reception upon it’s release, even the father of modern science fiction, H.G.Wells described the movie as too naive and simplistic. But in later years, many began to consider it as the one of the greatest sci-fi movies of all time. Metropolis, is a timeless classic that mainly deals with the timeless subject of class struggle, along with that, there are several religious allegories in the film too, that elevates the film’s storytelling. Also, Metropolis is also the first film in the history, to feature a robot.Summary - Set in a futuristic million-acre urban dystopia, the city of Metropolis, where wealthy people live in the huge skyscrapers and workers live underground to operate the machines that power up the city. The workers are controlled by their prophet, Maria, who wants to find a mediator between the upper class and the workers, since she believes that a heart would be necessary between brains and muscles. Maria meets Freder Fredersen, the son of the Lord of Metropolis, Johhan Fredersen, in a meeting of the workers, and they fall in love with each other. Meanwhile, Johhan decides that the workers are no longer necessary for Metropolis, and uses a robot pretending to be Maria to promote a revolution of the working class, just to eliminate them, in the end.Black PantherSub Genre - Afrofuturism/Science-Fantasy/SuperheroRelease Year - 2018Directed By - Ryan CooglerCast - Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong'o, Danai Gurira, Daniel Kaluuya, Martin Freeman, Winston Duke, Angela Bassett, Forest Whitaker, Andy Serkis, and several othersOverview - Based on the adventures of a Marvel comic book character, Black Panther, by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby and 18th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Infinity Saga, Black Panther, is a movie with almost all Black-cast, it became the highest grossing film by a Black director, highest grossing film of 2018 and also the first superhero film to receive a Best Picture nomination and the first MCU film to win an Academy Award. Upon it’s release, Black Panther became a cultural phenomena, due to it’s portrayal of Africa and it’s people, and it’s appeal towards African American community, in a manner, that was never done before.Summary - Set in the world of Marvel Cinematic Universe, Wakanda, is a hidden but technologically advanced country, on our planet, located in the continent of Africa. After the events of Captain America: The Civil War, T’Challa, who used to be the crowned prince of this nation, is now going to take his father’s place as the new ruler of his kingdom and as the new Black Panther, the protector of Wakanda. But at the same time, he got challenged by, Killmonger, who threatens to, put the entire fate of Wakanda and the world at risk.Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes BackSub Genre - Space OperaRelease Year - 1980Directed By - Irvin KershnerCast - Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Billy Dee Williams, Peter Mayhew, Kenny Baker, Anthony Daniels, David Prowse, James Earl Jones, Frank Oz and several others.Overview - After the massive phenomenon, that, first Star Wars movie turned out to be, LucasFilms, released the sequel to the iconic film. Here, Irvin Kershner replaced, George Lucas as the director, Lucas was credited for the story. Empire Strikes Back is also known for, it’s iconic plot twist and being a rare example of a sequel becoming better than the original.Summary - 3 years after the events of A New Hope, Galactic Civil War continues, Darth Vader along with a bounty hunter, Boba Fett, tries to find, Luke and his friends. Meanwhile, Luke went to Dagobah with R2D2, to continue his Jedi training under master Yoda. Rest of his friends, finds refuge in Cloud City located on the planet Bespin, to escape from the Empire. But all of this would, lead to an event, where Luke has to take a hard decision, that would decide his fate and question his own identity.Ready Player OneSub Genre - Dystopian/Virtual Reality/Pop Culture Fiction/ActionRelease Year - 2018Directed By - Steven SpielbergCast - Tye Sheridan, Olivia Cooke, Ben Mendelsohn, T.J. Miller, Mark Rylance, Simon Pegg, Hannah John-Kamen and several othersOverview - Based on 2011 sci-fi novel, of the same name, Ready Player One, both book and the film, are for nerds, who are obsessed with pop culture, both of them deals with the themes like, nostalgia, adventure, romance, with a great and fascinating social commentary.Summary - In the year 2045, people can escape their harsh reality in the OASIS, an immersive virtual world where you can go anywhere, do anything, be anyone, the only limits are your own imagination. OASIS creator James Halliday, left his immense fortune and control of the OASIS, to the winner of a easter egg hunt, designed to find a worthy heir. An orphaned teenager, named, Wade Watts, successfully completes the first challenge, he and his friends, known as the High Five, now has to complete the contest, before, the evil CEO of IOI, Nolan Sorrento and his employees.