Power Rankings: Top 10 Biggest Thrills

---Recently, Zach told me that he had revamped his all time top 10 list, which got me thinking about doing the same. Mine is always fluctuating, so I came up with the idea of doing a series of power rankings of AFI categories (as well as some of my own) leading up to the unveiling of my all time list. These lists will include  Cheers (inspiring), Peers (on-screen couples), Fears (scariest), Tears (emotional), Jeers (worst), Thrills, Laughs, and finally my top 10 films of all time. Note: My lists are not going to be even a fraction as objective as AFI’s lists. They are solely my personal preferences and experiences. Enjoy!---

This is a list of the movies that provided the biggest thrills to me, particularly ones whose thrills can be carried over to subsequent viewings. For the sake of not being repetitive, I am going to exclude horror films from this list. AFI’s list was topped by Psycho (1960), Jaws (1975), and The Exorcist (1973), along with non-horror thrillers like North by Northwest (1959), The French Connection (1971), and The Silence of the Lambs (1991). Will any of those make an appearance on this list? Find out below!

Blind spots (notable unseen films): Deliverance (1972), Harry Potter saga (2001-2011), King Kong (1933), Marathon Man (1976), The Night of the Hunter (1955)

Others receiving votes: The Day of the Jackal (1973), Drive (2011), Fight Club (1999), The Killing (1956), The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

10. White Heat (Raoul Walsh, 1949)

Of all of the early Cagney gangster movies, this is the only one that truly transcends the genre. Back when it came out, he considered it “just another gangster flicker”, but it is so much more. It is a thrill ride from beginning to end. It delves into the mind of the volatile and magnetic main character, and scene after scene it is simply explosive and brilliant entertainment.

Memorable sequence: “Made it, Ma! Top of the world!”

9. Pulp Fiction (Quentin Tarantino, 1994)

This is not a thriller in the classic sense of the word, but to watch the movie is as exhilarating and thrilling as any. Tarantino’s screenplay of interconnecting, non-linear stories is a marvel. Each scene is crafted with enough precision that every shot seems like something absolutely vital. Perhaps the greatest edited movie of all time, Pulp Fiction is a blur of a 150 minute movie, and one that will constantly keep the audience on the edge of their seat and deliver the goods, even when the view count gets up to 10 or 20 or 30…

Memorable sequence: Lance’s house

8. Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back (Irvin Kershner, 1980)

I could have included the entire first trilogy, but in my eyes, this is by far the best movie of the entire franchise. This movie has one of the all time great twist endings, and every line, every shot, every character just seems classic. It is one of those movies that if you start watching any segment of it, you will be there for the duration. There is nothing like the Star Wars saga anywhere, and without this vital chapter in the story, it would have never gained the status that it has.

Memorable sequence: AT-AT Walkers attack the rebel base on Hoth

7. Battle Royale (Kinji Fukasaku, 2000)

Before there were Hunger Games, there was Battle Royale. This is a crazy, absurd, luridly entertaining, and painfully funny thriller. Putting junior high classmates on an island, forcing them to kill each other until there is one remaining, is as dark of a story I have ever seen onscreen. Following the news-like opening sequence, we are left with our jaws on the floor for the rest of this furiously exciting movie. The intensity is only heightened as it goes along, as the time, space, and number of students shrinks. The movie will get in your head and not leave for quite some time.

Memorable sequence: Lighthouse

6. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (James Cameron, 1991)

In another case of the second film trumping the original masterpiece in almost every aspect, Terminator 2 is perhaps the greatest pure action movie ever made. It uses the first movie as a reference and plays off of it to some extent, but unlike so many other film sequels, this one can stand on its own. Each scene has a setting that makes it absolutely memorable, and visually the movie is as impressive as it gets. It is a ride that you will never forget, and one that you will want to continue to take from time to time.

Memorable sequence: Galleria shootout

5. The Departed (Martin Scorsese, 2006)

It is difficult to maintain a tense atmosphere for the duration of a 150 minute movie. This, however, is the most breathtaking one of its kind, one where there is never a false note or scene that is not absolutely thrilling in every way. In what Marty called his “first movie with a plot”, he crafted a movie that will be looked back on in 50 years as the one film to define the crime genre for this generation of filmmaking. It is a furious, heart-pounding crime epic with unforgettable characters and astonishing visual aspects. It is one of a kind.

Memorable sequence: Chase through Chinatown

4. Runaway Train (Andrey Konchalovskiy, 1985)

As far as relentless pure actions movies go, everyone has a favorite. Terry’s is Die Hard. Zach’s is Speed. Mine is unquestionably Runaway Train. It is a movie that from the opening shot until the credits begin rolling the audience is glued to the screen for some insane stunts and action sequences held together by Jon Voight and Eric Roberts acting their asses off. The “runaway train” plot vehicle is not exactly groundbreaking, but this is not Unstoppable or something of the like. This is a fantastic, thoughtful, and exhilarating ride.

Memorable sequence: Suicide mission outside F-Unit

3. Memento (Christopher Nolan, 2000)

I didn’t necessarily know what I was getting into at the start of this movie. When it started, I was intrigued. As it went along, I was spellbound. When it ended, I was left breathless, as I am with each addition viewing. This movie is as brilliantly written and edited as any mystery thriller. Once you get a hold of what the movie is trying to do, trying to piece it together is nearly impossible since every moment and every word is so vital to the experience. There is no movie that is like Memento, and there probably never will be. If one attempts to copy its style, it will fail. This is a master class in inventive filmmaking.

Memorable sequence: Natalie (ab)uses Leonard

2. Kill Bill (Quentin Tarantino, 2003-2004)

Words cannot express what I felt watching these movies for the first time. Volume 1 is an edge-of-your-seat action picture that does not give you a chance to breathe, but then the second one is a much quieter but equally intense experience. There was a time when I felt Volume 2 was the best movie I had ever seen. Making a movie where the audience knows about how long about the it is going to be because of obvious checkpoints (like a Death List Five) makes for an even greater and more exciting experience because it develops a paranoid-type energy, not knowing what is going to happen next, but knowing that something significant certainly will. This is just filmmaking at its finest, and Tarantino’s best movie by far. Hopefully Volume 3 will not spoil it. Just kidding... no chance QT would do that to The Bride and her story.

Memorable sequence: “Elle and I”

1. The Usual Suspects (Bryan Singer, 1995)

In terms of mystery thrillers, it does not get better than The Usual Suspects. You would think that the first time watching a movie like this (with such a complex puzzle of a screenplay and a twist ending) that it would not hold up on additional viewings. That would be incorrect. This movie only gets better. The first viewing makes for a furiously thrilling experience. After that, you notice more little things that add to the story, and everything can somehow maintain that level of uncertainty even when you know how it is all going to wind up. For a mystery to be able to accomplish that feat, it is something truly astounding. This used to be my #1 of all time, and every time I catch it on DVD or cable, I wonder why that ever changed.

Memorable sequence: Police trafficking “taxi service"

It may be a bit blasphemous to not mention “The Master of Suspense” Alfred Hitchcock on a list of thrills, but other than Psycho (horror) and North by Northwest (overrated), I consider the majority of his movies as more mysteries of intrigue rather than thrills. What are your thoughts, comments, and most thrilling films? Post below.

Previous Articles:

Cheers (Most Inspiring Movies)

Peers (Best On-screen Couples)

Fears (Scariest Movies)

Tears (Most Emotional Movie Experiences)

Jeers (Worst Movies)

Coming up next: Top 10 Laughs, my final ranking before unveiling my revamped Top 10 Films of All Time!

Power Rankings: Brad Pitt Performances

With another Brad Pitt-starring blockbuster getting released this weekend (Andrew Dominik’s Killing Them Softly), I decided to do a tour back through the career of the 3-time Oscar-nominated actor. He has developed a very diverse filmography, particularly lately when he has seemingly worked with a new major director each and every outing. He started out as essentially a pretty boy, but he seamlessly disappeared into a few roles early on and eventually became one of the most bankable and reliable actors in the business. Here’s to his work in Killing Them Softly being worthy of adding to this list!

Note: I have seen the majority of his acclaimed work, but I am lacking a few of his lesser mid-90s ventures (Seven Years in Tibet, The Devil’s Own, The Favor, etc.)

Others receiving votes: Burn After Reading, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Ocean’s Eleven, Snatch, True Romance

10. Inglourious Basterds (character: Lt. Aldo Raine; 2009)

This may very well be Pitt’s funniest performance. He is a menacing character, but his lines are hilariously delivered over-the-top and his attempt at Italian is just amazing. He had just as much to do with the success of the film as Christoph Waltz did. His monologue to his Nazi-scalping Basterds is one of the best of the decade. He doesn’t really disappear into the character, but that is part of its charm. He is one of the many things about the movie that leave a lasting impression.

9. Legends of the Fall (character: Tristan Ludlow; 1994)

Even though the film may be a bit soapy and melodramatic, Pitt’s lead performance is really what thrust him into movie-stardom. He lingers around the movie in a very James Dean in East of Eden-kind of way. He is emotional and heroic. The movie hinges on his character and on Pitt’s ability to make the audience care about him. This Golden Globe-nominated performance was the one that let everyone know that he had arrived and that he was not going anywhere for a long time.

8. Kalifornia (character: Early Grace; 1993)

This is another case of a mediocre film that is carried by Pitt’s performance and charisma. Here, we see Pitt completely unhinged, shedding any pretty boy Robert Redford-type image that may have been put on him to that point. However, he also makes the trailer-trash serial killer into someone curiously likable. Only he could have turned this typical psychodrama into something really interesting and authentic. He doesn’t often play the villain, but here he absolutely kills it.

7. Babel (character: Richard Jones; 2006)

Pitt’s performance in Babel is absolutely devastating. To this point, I hadn’t really thought that he had something like this in him, or at least he hadn’t really made an attempt to take on a character that would really push the boundaries of what he could do emotionally. The phone call scenes are deeply affecting, focusing on his frightened and heartbroken face, one of the only times during his career where Pitt truly bared his soul and made us really feel something.

6. Moneyball (character: Billy Beane; 2011)

In one of Pitt’s most impressive feats, he took a normal guy in a seemingly mundane situation and turned it into a heroic American story about something much deeper. Pitt nails every line he is given and plays off his costars (most notably the equally-brilliant Jonah Hill) and makes us actually care about the Oakland A’s. So often, subtlety is overlooked when talking about elite performances, but Pitt’s work here was actually singled-out and should have brought him Oscar gold. His scenes where he is wheeling and dealing with other GM, as well as the scenes carried by his facial expressions (sitting alone in an empty stadium listening to the game in short segments on the radio), show that this is one of Pitt’s most complete performances and one that may be looked back on as a defining role in his soon-to-be legendary career.

5. A River Runs Through It (character: Paul Maclean; 1992)

This is one of those roles that may have seemed like an easy role on paper, but when it is given to a certain actor, it becomes a role for the ages. Pitt’s smile and appeal make his performance one that burns in the memory of the viewer. Those scenes such as “I’ll never leave Montana…” just break your heart and help make the film one of the most emotional of that era. This is perhaps a personal and nostalgic choice to be on this list, but I have always been blown away by Pitt’s work here, the best performance in a rather strong ensemble.

4. Fight Club (character: Tyler Durden; 1999)

In a role that could arguably be ranked #1 on a list of most iconic movie characters of the last 20 years, Brad Pitt creates his most memorable role ever. Pitt’s furious energy and maniacal character are really what makes Fight Club what it is, a generation-defining cult classic. His chemistry with Edward Norton is incredible. In this role, he is mysterious, hilarious, unlikable, irresistible, enthusiastic, and pissed off, all the while having this unbridled physical energy about him that brings him to life. It is one of the most unforgettable characters in recent film history, and I honestly cannot imagine another actor playing the part nearly as effectively.

3. Twelve Monkeys (character: Jeffrey Goines; 1995)

In what will go down as Pitt’s most underappreciated role, his Oscar-nominated turn in Twelve Monkeys is one of the most impressive performances he has ever given. Here, he plays an insane person with an unrestrained psychotic energy about him. This is one of his biggest steps out of the box, and while it may seem like he takes it too far, he somehow avoids caricature. Of all the over-the-top psych-ward inhabitants we have seen on screen, Pitt’s Jeffrey Goines may be one of the most believable and devious. It is a volatile performance that really shows off what Pitt can do when he gets a great role.

2. The Tree of Life (character: Mr. O’Brien; 2011)

Pitt’s performance in Terrence Malick’s ambitious epic is unquestionably his most mature performance to date. He plays a rough, unlikable, hard-working, disciplinarian father/husband. He completely disappears into the role. In almost every one of his serious turns there is still are still relatable and affable traits about the character. In The Tree of Life, however, there is none of that. His performance is first and foremost physical, with tight, troubled expressions. He has a few outbursts, but most of the pain of the character is internal and shown on his face. For a role originally intended for Heath Ledger, would say that Pitt filled those shoes admirably. It would have probably been a slightly different dynamic with Ledger in this spot, but I am not sure it could have been any better than what Pitt accomplished.

1. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (character: Jesse James; 2007)

I know that this cannot be everyone’s choice for the top spot, but I do not think I have ever been more haunted by a character that Pitt has played than I was when I first saw Jesse James. Even though Casey Affleck was nominated and decidedly better in the film (a top 5 performance of the 2000s), it is Pitt’s weary and sensitive performance that lingers in the memory of the film. He is incredibly restrained and subtle. His character is at times depressed, and just by looking at how Pitt carries himself you can see a wounded spirit. His performance is cool and calculated with a twinge of menace and edginess. It is the most complete performance that Pitt has ever given and one that will stick with me forever. It may not be his showiest role or most iconic character or biggest step outside his comfort zone, but for me, this is his best work to date.

So, there you have it. Agree/Disagree? I know Jesse James cannot a popular choice for #1, but does anyone else have it ranked highly? What are your favorites? Let me know in the comments or on our Facebook page.