Hmmm... well, this thread is somewhat old, but I need an intellectual challenge... and sorting my top 10 movies and explaining why I like them is, believe it or not, kind of an intellectual challenge. That being said, here's the list.

10. Kelly's Heroes
This is a Clint Eastwood WWII movie from back in 1970. What I really like about this one is that it's not your average war movie - the title character is a sergeant who hears about a cache of Nazi gold, and persuades his entire crew to leave the Army and steal it. It's put together excellently, and this is one of those movies I can watch over and over again.

9. Star Wars Episode VI: The Return Of The Jedi
Back when I was a kid, I was a Star wars nut. When I saw the end, when Darth Vader died, I was crying. Now, I recently watched it again, and it's still as epic as ever. I wasn't quite brought to tears this time, but nonetheless, it still rules.

8. Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure
What can I say? This is an absolutely hilarious film about two heavy metal-loving teenagers who will go on to form a rock band that will bring world peace and harmony - but only if they don't flunk a big history assignment that's due tomorrow. So a guy from the future gives them a time machine and has them travel through history and kidnap "historical figures" such as Abe Lincoln and Napoleon for their presentation. It's brilliant.

7. The Shawshank Redemption
I first saw this movie a long time ago, before I could understand what it meant. Once I was old enough to get it, everything clicked. Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman are at top form for this movie, and it's a crime that the latter didn't win an Oscar for his performance. Another one of those movies I can watch over and over again.

6. Seven Samurai
The Western take on this movie, Magnificent Seven, was what got me into western films. So, naturally, I wanted to see the original version, and I had a chance to do that about half a year ago. What can I say? It's an incredible film with great acting and a top-notch story, helmed by one of history's greatest directors. Amazing.

5. Monty Python And The Holy Grail
I first saw this film in sixth grade, and I found it hilarious. The Dark Knight segment and the French taunter were most appealing. After watching it again a year ago, however, I began to see the deeper meaning to the humor, and that made me enjoy it even more. (Yes, there is deeper meaning. I'm not joking.) It's a comedic classic.

4. Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King
Stunning. Absolutely stunning. I remember back when I thought that Helm's Deep (from The Two Towers) was awesome... but it's nothing compared to Pelennor Fields. Everything, from the visuals to the acting to the music, falls almost perfectly into place to create an absolutely epic film. The first time I saw the movie in theaters, I was in the aisle during the ending, on my knees and begging for it to never end.

3. The Good, The Bad And The Ugly
The first two movies in the "Man With With No Name" trilogy, Fistful Of Dollars and For A Few Dollars More, were pretty cool. But this final episode bests them all. This is one of the original "spaghetti westerns", which were westerns directed by Italians, and it shows. Sergio Leone is my favorite director, because it just wouldn't be the same without him in the chair. But, of course, the most integral part is the actors. Clint Eastwood, Lee Van Cleef, and Eli Wallach all give (in my opinion) the best performances of their careers, portraying, well, the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. The final shootout, enhanced by a score by Ennio Morricone (one of my favorite modern composers), is dramatic and legendary like no other climax that you've ever seen.

2. Blazing Saddles
The only thing better than a dramatic western is a properly made mockery of one. Mel Brooks is a comic genius, and it certainly shows here. The story: The bad guy (the state Attorney General, played by Harvey Korman) wants to run a train track through the town of Rock Ridge. But the citizens don't want to go. So the bad guy appoints a new sheriff (Cleavon Little) who's black, counting on his mere appearance to drive the citizens out. But things aren't that simple. It's delighfully un-PC and makes fun of every single western cliche that you've ever heard. Little touches (such as Mel Brooks' portrayal of a Yiddish-speaking Sioux chief) also help immensely. If you're easily offended, though, stay away. Far, far away.

1. Braveheart
In the end, i'm a sucker for drama, and this movie delivers. It's based on the story of William Wallace, a Scottish freedom fighter during the 1300's who tries to free his nation from English control, and eventually pays the ultimate price - death. This movie left such an enormous mark on me that I can't even begin to describe it. It's funny, it's dramatic, and it's epic all at once. As a person of Scottish descent, this movie means a lot to me, and it was because of this film - and this film alone - that I began to read more into that side of my heritage. What else can I say? I love this movie to death.

So that's my top ten. If you haven't seen any of these films, I highly recommend them - especially my top three.