Number 60
Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels
 A combination of a great comedy and a smart caper movie. Four friends are seriously in debt after a fixed card game and they must find a way to come up with a large sum of money in a short amount of time. The four decide to try rob their neighbors once they hear they are plotting to hold up some drug dealers. The story is very witty and the camerawork very innovative.
Also Recommended Viewing: Snatch, The Way of the Gun, 2 Days in the Valley
Number 59
The Insider
 Based on the true story of the big tobacco company's bully tactics they used against on of their former executives who wanted to go on 60 Minutes to expose them for the frauds they really were. It is kinda ironic that the efforts of the tobacco companies eventually led to an Oscar nominated tell all film. Anyways, Crowe and Pacino are both great and if you are into realistic drama, this is a movie that isn't to be missed.
Also Recommended Viewing: Broadcast News, The Fugitive, 12 Angry Men
Number 58
The French Connection
 The French ConnectionGene Hackman is great as Detective Popeye Doyle. This movie is the original "gritty buddy cop movie" that all buddy cop movies seem to imitate nowadays. Also, one of the greatest car chases ever is in this film. Roy Scheider also shines as Doyle's partner, Buddy Russo.
Also Recommended Viewing: The Great Escape, Heat, Training Day
Number 57
Spirited Away
 Spirited AwaySen wanders away from her family into a world ruled by witches. Her family is turned into animals. With the help of Haku, she tries to get a job working at a spa for japanese gods. in order to escape and try to free her parents. All of Hayao Miyazaki's movies are wildly original and very well made. The animation is beautiful, especially for anime. It's animated, yet it really isn't made for children due to some mildly scary scenes.
Also Recommended Viewing: Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Whale Rider
Number 56
Thirteen Days
 Thirteen DaysOne of the most underrated movies released in the past few years. Based on the Cuban missle crisis, Kevin Costner stars as Kenny O'Donnell, an assistant to JFK and RFK. If this movie is real, it's amazing how close we were to really going to war with both Cuba and Russia. The drama is wonderfully thought out and since it is based on real events, the story is very informative and thought provoking.
Also Recommended Viewing: JFK, Apollo 13, A Few Good Men
Number 55
Traffic
 A look at the war on drugs from a modern perspective. Traffic is really like four different short movies combined and intertwined into one brilliant movie. Stylistically, this is one of the better movies you'll ever see. Also, you'll see some great acting by Benicio Del Toro, Don Cheadle, Michael Douglas, James Brolin, Luis Guzmán, Topher Grace, Erika Christensen, and Catherine Zeta-Jones.
Also Recommended Viewing: American Beauty, Fight Club, 21 Grams
Number 54
Reservoir Dogs
 Maybe the ultimate "cool" movie. A group of strangers who also happen to be small time crooks are brought together to pull off the perfect crime. They don't know each other's real name. Rather, they are all given a codename. Mr. Whife (Harvey Keitel) is kind of in charge of the small group. Mr. Orange (Tim Roth) who gets shot in the beginning of the movie (which actually happens to be the end. Mr. Blonde (Michael Madsen) who might be the ultimate bad guy. Mr. Pink (Steve Buscemi) who might be the ultimate paranoid criminal and Mr's Blue & Brown (Eddie Bunker & Quentin himself) who don't last long anyways. The group realizes that someone amongst them has ratted them out to the police, but who is it?
Also Recommended Viewing: Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Pulp Fiction, U-Turn
Number 53
American Beauty
 The first time I saw this movie, I thought it was hilarious in a very dark kind of way. I wasn't sure if that was the feeling you were supposed to get from watching the movie. To tell you the truth, I still don't. What this movie is, however, is a great look, actually more of a twist, on American suburbia. Kevin Spacey is at his absolute finest in this movie.
Also Recommended Viewing: The Graduate, Donnie Darko, Adaptation
Number 52
Jerry Maguire
 A chick flick about sports - can you say perfect date movie? Jerry (Tom Cruise) is a big-time sports agen who has second thoughts about how he's going about his business which causes him to get fired. All of his clients except the charismatic Rod Tidwell (Cuba Gooding, Jr.) lose him as the agent. Like I've said before - Cameron Crowe writes great characters and this movie has a ton of them. The stars are great and Renee Zellwegger, Kelly Preston, Jerry O'Connell, Jay Mohr, Regina King, and especially Jonathan Lipnicki are great in supporting roles.
Also Recommended Viewing: Say Anything, The Wood, When Harry Met Sally
Number 51
The Big Lebowski
 First of all, a movie with a main character named "The Dude" just can't fail. It's just impossible! The Big Lebowski is one of those movies that gets funnier and funnier each time you watch it because the humor is just so subtle. In that sense, it's like a fine wine that gets better with age. Having never drank wine besides for communion at church, I'm totally out of my element here, though. The performances are just perfectly cast - from Jeff Bridges in the main role all the way down to Tara Reid as Bunny. The Coens have a unique style of comedy that you either get or you don't. If you do get this movie, I think it's one of the funniest flicks you'll ever watch.
Also Recommended Viewing: Bottle Rocket, Lost in Translation, Adaptation
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