We Asked The Biggest Movie Fans To Name These Movies, And They Couldn't. Who Can?
- by Edward Cambro
- – on
- in Movies and TV
Video killed the radio star. However, before people started identifying the Buggles song with the rise of music videos on MTV, it was originally about television and film taking over radio as the primary means of entertainment. Apparently, nobody was reading back then either. So glad I planned to become a writer.
Anyway, video did indeed kill the radio star. Specifically film. It took television time to find a foothold into every household if Back to the Future is to be believed (and I think it is). Some of the finest stories have been told on film (or at least adapted from books). However, with literally over a hundred years of film history to go through, it would be an impossible task to see every film produced in one country let alone all of them. So, for this quiz, we had to take some liberties. We’ve cherrypicked films throughout as many genres as we could think of from as many decades as possible. Some of these films are classics; others are forgotten gems (though, sadly, Zardoz didn’t make the cut).
For anyone who has ever thought themselves to be a fan of film, or someone looking for a great place to start, this is the perfect place to be.
Good luck, film buff.
What movie is this?
For my money, this is not only the best Martin Scorsese movie but also my favorite movie. I can (and have) quoted this film chapter and verse to friends and family members. Taking place over the course of 30 years in the mafia, this film is brilliantly structured. The movie seduces the audience with the glamor of mafia life before pulling the rug out from under us; by the time Ray Liotta’s Henry Hill says “This is the bad time” we realize it was never good in the first place.
What movie is this?
There’s horror, and then there’s Kubrickian horror. When it was first released, the film was critically panned, only to find a second life as time went on. Incredibly hypnotic, richly textured, and deeply layered, there are few films—let alone horror films—that have so much detail. The film is open to interpretation and to so many possibilities that there are still new analyses coming out nearly 40 years after making its debut. I’ve never wanted a burgundy jacket or advocaat more than after watching this film.
What movie is this?
It’s not only one of the best Star Trek or science fiction films. It’s a classic in its own right—as a film in general. It celebrates the fans who returned to the theater to see it, while also being accessible to a wider audience and adding new layers to established characters. Filled to the brim with thematic connections and heavy on a commentary about getting older (for the characters, for the fans, for the franchise), the regret and sadness that permeates this film gives way to a sense of hope for the future. And if that isn’t Star Trek, I don’t know what is.
What movie is this?
Yeah, not quite the best idea to take a first date to a special screening of this movie. Well, live and learn. Anyway, as far as David Lynch movies go, this one is easily his most accessible to the vanilla normies. That said, there’s still plenty of strangeness (the lightbulb man at the end), and Dennis Hopper’s Frank Booth is a truly terrifying villain. The amyl-nitrate is a nice touch, however. The examination of suburban Americana is one of Lynch’s primary themes, and it is explored beautifully here.
What movie is this?
This is the second and final chapter of the “Escape From” duology. The movie received major critical and fan backlash for its tonal shifts and redundancy. Modern audiences, however, realize that the film was satirizing sequels and the nature of action films in the first place. Of course, there are still iconic Snake Plissken scenes; particularly the awesome “suiting up” montage which is identical to my daily routine to the “draw” scene, which is as modern-western as you can get.
What movie is this?
Science-fiction horror is easy to make. Good science-fiction horror is nigh impossible. This movie, however, pulled it off, managing to not only become a classic in its genre but in filmmaking in general. The film is loaded with iconic moments and characters; from the shifty and creepy Ash to the very definition of Strong Female Protagonist in Ellen Ripley, to the (ahem) alien villain, this film manages to scare and surprise on every level. That the film has aged as gracefully as it has, and its story and characters still feel as fresh as ever simply highlight the fact this is a masterpiece.
What movie is this?
Speaking of scaring the crap out of people, here’s a movie about a guy who eats people helping the FBI to catch another guy who’s skinning people to make a suit out of them. While Manhunter may have introduced Hannibal Lecter to the silver screen in 1986, it was this 1991 film that saw Anthony Hopkins take on the cannibal’s distinctive patois and paraphilia and launch him into pop-culture infamy forever and ever. Of course, Jodie Foster more than pulled her weight as the young and clever lead actress. Vulnerable but not weak or naïve, she is the film’s beating heart.
What movie is this?
The first film noir film on this quiz is, well, the first recognized film noir film. And, after all these years, it still may be the best. It finds insurance salesman Walter Neff aiding unhappy housewife Phyllis Dietrichson in murdering her husband so the two can live happily ever after. But this is noir. The endings aren’t happy (ahem), and the dames can’t be trusted. The film masterfully crafts its characters, style, and tension, but its two greatest accomplishments are its brilliant undermining of the censors and, obviously, the fact it created a new genre.
What movie is this?
This forgotten comedy classic is the reason why there’s a Back to the Future franchise. Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale co-write the film with the former also directing. Steven Spielberg ended up as Executive Producer on the film and liked the cut of their jib. He worked with them and helped finance their screenplay, which eventually became Back to the Future. Anyway, this movie is certainly different. There are cars, but the humor is much, much darker. Kurt Russell plays seedy car salesman Rudy Russo looking to become a seedy politician. Jack Warden plays twin rivals, and Gerrit Graham nearly steals the show.
What movie is this?
The most quotable and important Star Wars movie is the one where the bad guys took the day. This film expanded the lore thanks to the contributions of writers Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan and under the direction of Irvin Kershner. It introduced Yoda, gave greater depth to the Force, and had the franchise’s biggest twist. Most importantly, it produced Lando Calrissian, the coolest man in the galaxy, and first exposed us to Star Wars’ amputation fetish. Also, Han Solo wore a cool jacket.
What movie is this?
This is Alfred Hitchcock’s noir masterpiece and one of my favorites as well. By adding a healthy dose of psychological thriller to the recipe, this film builds up to a climax and then descends into madness. We are made to feel that rise and fall alongside Jimmy Stewart’s Scottie Ferguson. Kim Novak plays her complex role with a shadowed sadness and alluring, sexually-tinged mystery that is perfectly at home in noir. She’s both a moll and a victim of circumstance. Of course, this ends in tragedy, but we all knew it was going to. Even the characters.
What movie is this?
Noir goes with everything—even sci-fi. Admittedly, this classic has had almost as many revisions as Star Wars’ original trilogy, but, well, let’s call a spade a spade here: this movie was always superior; now it’s just by a matter of degrees. Asking the great questions of all speculative fiction—What makes us human? What is consciousness?—this film subtlety reveals two important things: the replicants act more human and the humans, and it doesn’t matter if Deckard is a replicant or not; it matters that he has humanity.
What movie is this?
Taking a break from noir, here’s a comedic satire of the blaxploitation film genre. Parodying Shaft along with a dozen other more colorfully named titles, it’s not only one of the best comedies of the last 20 years, but it’s certainly the smartest. It knows the genre it’s goofing on, but it’s done with affection, understanding, class, and fun. It’s clear that everyone involved loved the genre and the script they created. Some may want a sequel, but when perfection was achieved the first time, why tempt the gods?
What movie is this?
One of the best horror movies in years comes loaded with one of the best soundtracks of all time. The complicated sexual politics of the film and its layered themes make this a joy to explore thematically. The dreamlike direction and world-building give the ostensibly naturalistic character work gives the ethereal some accessibility, allowing the audience to immerse themselves more completely. And, of course, do not watch this in the early phase of a relationship. Or when first getting to know someone on a dating app. I’m an idiot.
What movie is this?
What? It’s neo-noir! It’s different! David Lynch’s magnum opus is correctly described as "poisonous valentine to Hollywood." From vile directors to mafia coercion, and, most importantly, the false promises, dead dreams, and personal betrayals—this is what Hollywood is and what it is built upon. Even when someone’s successful. Especially when they’re successful. Of course, it’s even worse when not only the dream doesn’t come true; it turns into a nightmare. Laura Harring (my beloved) and Naomi Watts give career performances, fulling fleshing out the versions of the characters they play.
What movie is this?
This modern fairy tale—modern as in it was made in the 80s; it still takes place in a medieval kingdom—has a wit, charm, and earnestness that was sold to kids, but adults found themselves enjoying as well. Sure, the bad guys don’t get ventilated in the end, but evil is still punished, justice is served, and boy gets girl back. Along the way, we’re treated to some of the most oft-quoted dialogue in popular culture, even if this generation doesn’t realize where these quotes are coming from. Inconceivable.
What movie is this?
Who would have thought a movie with characters dressed head to toe in leather would have such an undercurrent of sexual dysfunction? As far as Batman movies go, it’s not so Batman-y; rather, it’s a dark fairy tale with an exploration of Christmas and its inherent ideas of redemption, giving and selflessness. And god knows Catwoman is hotter than Hindenburg. Just remember: mistletoe can be deadly if you eat it, but a kiss can be deadlier if you mean it.
What movie is this?
Double Indemnity is clearly in the DNA of this noir classic—a third party comes into a married couple’s wife; wife and new guy kill husband for money—but there is a lot more to it than a simple cash-in. Of course, one could make the argument that Lana Turner is the difference maker—the way she smolders onscreen—and that’s definitely a part of it. There’s the consequential and mutual suspicion, the fear of and eventual betrayals, and the greatest theme: even shared secrets can still shatter lives.
What movie is this?
Wes Anderson does love making modern fairy tales and parables, doesn’t he? Like many of his films, this one centers on a dysfunctional family who understates themselves and is in dire need of epiphany, catharsis, or just plain old love. Here, the family in question is large but mostly estranged; everyone’s going through a personal crisis but also have plenty of reasons to dislike each other. The father of the group is a scoundrel and a manipulator, but there is something of a heart left in him; it’s his journey to being a better man that brings his family back together.
What movie is this?
Even for something that’s ostensibly a comedy about the porn industry in the 70s and 80s, there’s an undeniable weight by the end of it. This film is structured similarly to Goodfellas; the world of porn seems just as exciting and lucrative. The stars feel like real stars. Life is a party. Then the 80s and cocaine happen. The film makes some nods to famous adult films and entertainers of the era, particularly the John Holmes story. In the end, the film does leave the audience with a question as to whether it was all worth it. Yes, it probably was. Probably not for Little Bill, though.
What Star Trek is this?
Wrath of Khan might be the best Star Trek film, but this one is my favorite. The Federation and the Klingons are finally ready to make peace, perfectly timed to the coming down of the Berlin Wall contemporarily. The themes of aging and the changing world that was a touchstone of The Original Series films is brought to climax here. The adventure is over. This is the last time. But there is still one last story to tell, before James T. Kirk, the space cowboy rides off into the sunset one last time.
What movie is this?
I was never claustrophobic, but I think this movie made me reconsider it. Horror movies are a dime a dozen, but there are only a few per decade that ever truly resonate long after the experience is over. This is one of those movies. The character-centric horror film is as much about interpersonal and internal struggle as it is about the atavistic creatures residing in a cave far removed from history. Sarah’s journey back to herself following a tragedy and her eventual confrontation of a major betrayal are central to the film’s story, and often a greater source of tension than the monsters.
What movie is this?
This film charts the moral decay of a man who was never that good in the first place. It also tells the desperate story of desperate men trying to secure a future for themselves and their families in a time when the West was already supposedly won and civilization had finally tamed the United States. Villains are often more interesting than heroes, and in Daniel Plainview, we find a villain that is truly enthralling and evermore vile. The expansive film follows his work as an oil prospector; appropriately, by the end of the epic film, everything is covered in black.
What movie is this?
If noir were to be distilled into its hardest edges, deeply paranoid and convoluted glory, it would be in the form of a James Ellroy novel. A merciless writer who writes merciless worlds filled with awful people, a number of his works have made it to the screen, but none more perfectly executed than this one. Hollywood’s glitz and glamor are autopsied to reveal the sewers in their guts. As far as characters, there’s Ed Exley, the political climber; Bud White, violent bruiser; “Trashcan” Jack Vincennes, the pill-popping Hollywood blackmailer—and those are just the cops.
What movie is this?
This is not only Bill Murray’s best holiday-themed film, but it’s also his best film period (or “full stop” as young people now say for some reason). Oddly enough, I tend to watch this film at Christmas. I can’t quite explain why. Maybe the cold weather. Who knows? Anyway, Bill Murray finds himself stuck in a time-loop, reliving the same day over and over again despite whatever decision he makes. Look, everyone knows this movie. It’s not a tough one, but who doesn’t love talking about it?
What movie is this?
“I was born when she kissed me. I died when she left me. I lived a few weeks while she loved me.” There is no line that better encapsulates the over-wrought and sometimes melodramatic beauty of film noir. Humphrey Bogart plays temperamental alcoholic writer (redundant) Dixon Steele. Gloria Grahame plays his new love interest, Laurel Gray. Their passion comes from their instability. Suspicion and increasingly erratic behavior destroy them. Here, the crime that acts as a catalyst is merely incidental to the unsettling of a great love that would have fallen apart sooner or later.
What movie is this?
The first of only two Batman animated features to see a theatrical release, this 1993 entry in the Batman oeuvre might be the best representation the Dark Detective’s had in adapted media. No film has captured the emotion or the tragedy quite as perfectly as this one or presented us with a love interest as deeply woven into Batman’s past as Andrea Beaumont. Their parallel stories of trauma and revenge highlight the ways the world can break a person, and how sometimes we choose our own hell. Great movie to show to a 7-year-old.
What movie is this?
Easily the youngest film in this quiz (I am a classic man with classic taste), this forgotten gem turned cult classic is everything fans want in a comic book adaptation. Namely, be true to the source material and hire writers who understand and respect said material and its characters. Here, the Judge is perfectly in character. His face is never seen, he’s unrelenting and unmoved. Judge Anderson provides a perfectly likable audience surrogate, and Ma-ma is a delightfully awful human being. Sadly, a sequel doesn’t seem to be in the cards; there really is no justice in the world.
What movie is this?
If asked to distill noir down to a single image, one would be hard-pressed to find one better than Robert Mitchum in a tattered hat and trench coat, a cigarette dangling from his lips, lost in thoughts of regret and failure; indeed, no one knew how to smoke and smolder quite like Mitchum. He plays Jeff Bailey, a former private investigator who is called back into the life. His story is revealed in flashbacks, explaining why he was living under an assumed name, and the violence he’s committed that got him here. Of course, the story ends with more violence, cycling everything back around again.
What movie is this?
This film is all sorts of funny. The odd Coen Brothers kind of funny. The subtle funny. The overt funny. The just plain bizarre. But maybe that’s just because of the occasional acid flashback. This film—as well as Jeff Bridges’ Dude (or El Duderino) aren’t so much cult classics, but cult icons at this point. There’s hardly a time when someone could purchase a White Russian now that someone doesn’t refer to this film, and with good reason. Jackie Treehorn forever.
What movie is this?
People will still reference this movie; considering it came out in 1947, that’s a great legacy. References to “The Strawberry Incident” or referring to an unstable or unlikeable leader as “Captain Queeg” all come from this movie. This was one of the first war films to ever explore themes of PTSD, decades before it even had a name. However, the film’s greatest achievement was the way it handled its characters and took both sides into account. War is never truly glamorous, and this movie points it out, however subtlety.
What movie is this?
A comedy classic made on a budget of $15, a bottle of Jack and three pieces of string. This movie also marks the first, and last time a college fraternity actually seemed cool. To be fair, though, it would be hard to follow this movie up about rowdy college kids. Of course, many movies have tried, and they never quite made it work the way it did here. Zits, nudity, Belushi, a guy named D-Day and the song “Shout” steal the show.
What movie is this?
But then there’s the high school experience. This pitch-black satirical comedy found Jason and Veronica—one of them a grade-A maniac—attempting to bring down the clique of popular girls who essentially run their school. And what’s their strategy? Poison, bullets, and bombs. It’s a film that is extremely transgressive and would never be made today (as the attempted TV adaptation recently proved). However, the film is brilliantly funny, incisively critical, and so deeply antisocial that, paradoxically, makes it so much fun to watch with friends.
What movie is this?
It’s sad when a good movie gets forgotten about. It’s especially strange when said good movie was also nominated for a ton of Oscars. But such is the case in this forgotten 2006 classic. The film follows Jaguar Paw, a Mayan tribesman in 1511 as he races to return to his wife and child while being chased by raiders who killed and enslaved his tribe. Using naturalistic dialogue spoken in the traditional Yucatec Maya language gives the film both a familiar yet realistic feel. The direction, cinematography, and design are intimate and completely engrossing.
What movie is this?
Another comedy that could never be made by today’s humorless standards, this film takes uncomfortable notions of race, and the romanticized perception of the Old West and has the most fun anyone could have with it. Co-written by Richard Pryor and Mel Brooks, the film never lets its audience breath as it races from one now-classic bit to the next. Even if not all the jokes land, they come at such a velocity and with such haste that even the flat ones somehow get over. Just remember not to shoot Mongo; it’ll just make him mad.
What movie is this?
Quentin Tarantino has come far. This, his first film, was one of necessary restraint. Made on a negligible budget, the writer-director had to focus on his best skills: dialogue and character-work. The heist-gone-wrong that launches the plot forward is never seen—just a few staccato cuts. The focus is on character interaction and betrayal. Michael Madsen is reliably psychotic, Harvey Keitel decidedly cool, Lawrence Tierney is, well, Lawrence Tierney. Even at his age, he was obviously someone who could still scrap in real life.
What movie is this?
Is it a Christmas movie? Is it not? Why get upset when either way it’s still, decades later, every bit as good as it was back then. John McClane, the average-guy action star, just wants to spend Christmas with his family. He also wants a pair of shoes. Instead, he has to face-off against terrorist-thieves with small feet and inferior tobacco. But at least he has a machine gun (ho-ho-ho). I would use more quotes, but the powers that be won’t let me use those colorful metaphors.
What movie is this?
In presenting his film for the first time, director Francis Ford Coppola said, “My film isn’t about the Vietnam War—it is the Vietnam War.” Pretentious and arrogant? Yes. Accurate? Most assuredly. The desperation, the taxed sanity; children fighting wars; acts of brutality committed by and against both sides. Larger questions are asked: “What would you do for your country?”; “Did any of this make a difference?” They’re never satisfactorily answered, and that’s the point. The film is a classic, always worth a look. Just not the Redux version.
What movie is this?
For a while there, back in the 80s and early 90s, mockumentaries were all the rage. It was a brief but popular flirtation. However, it had a lasting impact. The Office and Parks and Recreation employed it as a storytelling device. Community did several episodes in that style. But it all started here, with a long-time hard-rock band on the downward turn of popularity. Its humor is understated and subtle (most of the time), but never reaching for laughs. Especially with these gents who are never quite in on the joke anyway. Christopher Guest has made many mockumentaries, but none as popular as this.
What movie is this?
The film that launched Arnold Schwarzenegger’s career. The film that launched an unnecessary franchise. The movie that made us all wonder if the future really would be overrun with evil machines and the entire world would look like Detroit. Fun fact: Lance Henriksen who has a small role in the film as Detective Hal Vukovich was James Cameron’s original choice to play the eponymous time-traveling robot assassin. The studio demanded Arnie, so Cameron rewrote the script to be more action-oriented rather than horror.
What movie is this?
I love the Western genre. It’s a shame that there just aren’t that many being made today (in the modern or even classical sense), though Breaking Bad is definitely a modern western. This movie was made in 2007 and follows the last days of famous train robber and outlaw Jesse James before his assassination by Robert Ford, who some might call a coward. Now, the name of the film is easily given away, but that’s fine. It’s a freebie. The other answers are other Western-genre recommendations for anyone interested.
What movie is this?
This film, released in 1975, created the idea of a summer blockbuster: releasing big (usually expensive) adventure films in the summer when most people can see them to maximize buzz and potential earnings. Before that studios had different strategies and released fewer films. After this thriller, the game was changed. All by Steven Spielberg and a wooden shark with lifeless eyes. Black eyes. Like a doll’s eyes. Eleven hundred men went into the water, three hundred sixteen men come out, and the sharks took the rest, June the 29th, 1945. Anyway, we delivered the bomb.
What movie is this?
When this brilliant black comedy was released in 1964, it made some uncomfortable due to its rather bleak ending (nukes). But there’s something funny about the idea of annihilation, and Stanley Kubrick saw that. This film is the result of that gallows humor. An accident between the United States and the Soviet Union result in Mutually Assured Destruction. Peter Sellers plays almost every character in the cast. There are characters named Jack D. Ripper, Merkin Muffley, and Turgidson. This movie rules at every relevant level.
What movie is this?
Film critic Jay Sherman once sang, “I love French films—boring pretentious French films! I love French films, two tickets s'il vous plait!” This brilliant French short film eventually became the basis for the decent film (and excellent TV series) 12 Monkeys. Comprised mostly of still-shots and destroyed landscapes with narration explaining the events, the film hypnotic in its documentary-like minimalism, adding a sense of history and sad, lived-in reality to the otherwise broad time-travel-centric story. For those interested, there are some similar film suggestions in the answer section.
What movie is this?
This is the film that put Pixar on the map, made Disney attempt to replicate, fail, and eventually just buy out the competition like they always do. The film is every child’s dream: their toys are real, and they have their own lives, personalities, and adventures. Oddly, they also created their own society and loose governmental system. Nothing too strict, of course, though it does seem to be run by Sheriff Woody, suggesting it’s something of a police state. That’s a bit troubling.
What movie is this?
It really is hard to go wrong with a film that stars both Robert De Niro and Al Pacino, isn't it? This movie shows the two of them as detectives for the LAPD. They have been detectives for over 30 years while they investigate a very serious case involving a pimp. They see some patterns in this case and a former case of theirs. As the body count rises they start to notice an even worse pattern, a vigilante has decided to take justice into his own hands, believing the police have failed them.
What movie is this?
This is my favorite Spielberg film. I love it even more than Jaws, Jurassic Park, or anything else in the man’s sprawling, genre-hopping oeuvre. Emasculated David Mann is in his crapbox car, being stalked by an unseen killer in a gigantic Peterbilt truck. It’s an intense, jarring picture that is as much about Mann finding, well, his manhood again, as it is about survival. Of course, those two conflicts are deeply entwined. Spielberg’s direction matched with Richard Matheson’s script make for a tightly-wound, intense and jarring experience.
What movie is this?
Despite coming out in the 90s, there is something timeless about this movie. It’s like a John Hughes film about being in your 20s and 30s. Mike Peters is a socially awkward man, wondering where his life is going and is extremely lonely. I know I mentioned socially awkward before, but really, it’s worth restating. He’s socially awkward. This movie helped launch the careers of Jon Favreau and Vince Vaughn and is an honest and unpretentious look at the pratfalls of being an adult, but not quite feeling it.
What movie is this?
Of all of Quentin Tarantino’s films, this one gets the least attention, and yet it might be my favorite of the punch. It’s the most linear, but usually, I don’t care for that style in the first place. Of course, the dialogue is great—it’s Tarantino working off the novel Rum Punch by Elmore Leonard, a man who is also a master of dialogue—and its certainly doesn’t hurt seeing Sam Jackson and Michael Keaton in a movie. As far as crime films go, it’s by the numbers, but it’s the characters and their interaction that make it worth giving this film another try.
What movie is this?
We couldn’t just do this quiz without mentioning this film. Well, either this one or its sequel (the third film was a rumor, it never existed, no one can tell me otherwise). The film recreated the gangster genre, adding in layers of family drama and generational consequences. Infinitely quotable and riddled with classic scenes, this is a flawless film regardless of anyone’s feelings on content or genre. If asked, I’d say my favorite line was “Stop; you’re spilling it.” I don’t know why. Every time I hear it I laugh. Pour one out for the Don. And for Clemenza too.