So here goes! I'm only numbering them so that I can organise them, but I came up with this list by going "If I had to save 10 movies from my home because it was burning down/If I was stranded, which 10 movies would I take?" mindset.
10. Hellraiser - This is a terrific horror movie, more cerebral than a lot of the horror stuff in the 80s. Back when horror movies were either over the top gorey, or typical slasher fanfare, Hellraiser came out, and oh boy was it not like the other 80s Horrors. Lets look at the monsters/villains, The Cenobites weren't your typical demonic entities, they were amoral dark beings from hell, not entirely evil or good, they just seek to explore the dimensions of flesh and pleasure. The special effects for the time were good, the designs, the general mood and atmosphere were disturbing and eerily pleasant at the same time. It's one of my favourite horrors of all time, and so it's why I placed it on my list. Plus Doug Bradley's performance as Pinhead or "The Leader "Cenobite is great to watch.
9. Cabin in The Woods - So this movie, I went to see it as a "fuck it, looks interesting enough" and by god it blew me away. it's a love letter to horror movies, especially the 80s shockfest of horrors. The pacing, the acting, and the idea is just great. The finale is one of the best final acts in a movie, period, shit just hits the fan royally. I went in not expecting much and damn did I love this movie to bits at the end of the night.
8. This is England - I usually avoid Dramas and especially period or historical ones at that, but this movie, man it really hits home. It follows the Skinhead movement, from it's early black British roots right through to its racist reform. It has a semi slow build up, which escalates to a rather brutal end. It will make you laugh, it will make you go "what the hell?" and it will leave you stunned. It's a great social commentary on a movement that changed for the worse back in the 80s.
7. This is Spinal Tap/Anvil! The Story of Anvil - The music nerd in me needed to rank these together, because both are so damn good. one is a Mockumentary and the other is an actual Documentary. Spinal Tap is one of the funniest movies you will see that has a band theme to it. Anvil! looks into the history of a band that was once popular, but suddenly became obscure, looking at it as a sorta reflective documentary on how the music industry can chew you out into nothing. Both movies are great, I recommend you go watch them.
6. Pulp Fiction - Needless to say, I love this movie. Probably my favourite Tarrantino movie of all time. Nothing really needs to be said about it other than that xD.
5. American History X - Want a reason? Look up Jorick's list explanation of it :p
4. X-Men: Days of Future Past - My favourite, and probably best X-Men movie so far. the movie translated my favourite X-Men comic Arc into a great movie. The acting was stellar, the action was great, and by god Quicksilver's scene was just phenomenal. The only real complaint I have is the treatment of Bishop, which to me, felt like they could've had any character to fill his shoes and it wouldn't have impacted the movie. Overall, I admire Bryan Singer's movie in that he did not just rewrote how Last Stand ended, but he also rewrote the other two movies he directed, and that is usually something you don't see often. Sure, it's a comic movie, but I'm a super big comic nerd anyway, so fuck you.
3. Guardians of The Galaxy - Another new movie! OOOHH GEEE, joking. This movie was everything I wanted and more. Superb soundtrack, superb cinematography, effects and acting, even from Dave Bautista, who's not a great actor. This movie was a triumph, using D-List Characters through and through. It was fun,thrilling and funny. I love this movie, and it's one of the few movies I universally agree with my friends too. I could watch it over and over again. TLDR: I fuckin love it.
2. Godzilla(2014) - Anybody expecting a Pacific Rim like movie? you will be horribly disappointed. I can only speak for myself why I love this. The suspense and build up was nigh perfect, the emotional delivery from Bryan Cranston was just great, and the family moment between Aaron Taylor Johnson and Elizabeth Olsen was surprisingly not that bad. It payed homage to the original movie and by god it was great. The battle between the MUTOs and Godzilla, it wasn't some silly badass-esque fight, it was three giant animals brutally attacking one another, and that's why I liked it. Plus the death scene, anyone who's seen it knows what I'm talking about. It's a favourite of mine because I'm also a Godzilla nerd xD.
1. Aliens - So this was between Alien and Aliens and holy damn did Aliens only win by a small margin, if it weren't for the fact I went with the "only 1 from a franchise" it would quite easily be a tie. The only reason I chose Aliens was because the pacing, Aliens had the superior pacing of the two. Anyways, yeah I can easily switch between these two movies, because holy fuck I love them so much. some of the best Sci-Fi movies I've seen in my life, and one terrifying creature as a menace to boot. This movie made an impression on me, and by jove it still does.
Honorable Mentions: Robocop, Terminator and Terminator 2:Judgement Day, Avengers, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, V for Vendetta, Watchmen, The Room, Guyver: Dark Hero, The Dark Knight, Batman(1989), Silence of The Lambs, Evil Dead Trilogy, Iron Man, Th Raid 1 and 2.