What is a classic movie? What is a movie that is better than no other? Here is my definition of this subject.
The best movie in one persons mind can only be gauged against the movies they have seen and the conditions underwhich they watched the movie. They also have to take everything around them into consideration when they reflect on how good or bad a movie was.
Here are my personal Classics or maybe better put here are the movies that define me: (Yeah I know i am missing Brazil and a bunch of others)
American Beauty - This movie holds the top spot on my list out of my desire not to see it again. I dont want to ruin the image i have in my head of what this movie means to me. This movie actually made me sit and think after it was over. It honestly was my first realization that the world is what you make of it and sometimes regardless of what you do it sucks.
Children of Men - Can the world turn into this? How close are we really? The quiet in ending is something everyone was captured by, myself included, but my reason was more towards the quagmire that the population was decreasing and they are pushing self suicide drugs. This strikes me that it doesn't strike me as odd.
The Matrix - Who has not sat and stared at something and wondered if it was really there.
Star Wars - To the stars and beyond. Star Trek was too clean and tidy. Star wars captured what i have in my head when it comes to other places and other worlds.
The Mist - This movie actually has two reasons for this list. First this was the first stephen king story i read and for anyone who knows me that means something. and the director did a great job of moving it from the book to the screen and his ending is the 2nd reason. It was not the books ending, The ending was so riveting that i again found myself just staring at the screen while the credits rolled.
Fight Club - Big Corporations Suck. We baby our children. Is anyone not really crazy?
Can't Hardly Wait - The required highschool movie that reflects what i remember going through school
Donnie Darko - Sometimes giving up everything is the only way to bring back a normal world.
A Scanner Darkly - When the Children of the men world take over this will be what we live like on our steps towards the matrix.
Reservoir Dogs - A heist movie with no heist. enough said.
Idiocracy - This comedy strikes so close to home it is scary. i recommend this movie to everyone who can stomach a good fart joke comedy
Juno - To call this movie anything other than brilliant is an understatement. This is the kind of story that should be told and not limited to a lifetime movie of the week.
Shawshank Redemption - While this movie has nothing really over the other ones it is still a timeless classic that I think people will be watching for years to come.

Honorable Mentions
Pulp Fiction - While I can't say it a top pick it is an interesting film.
Red vs Blue - I know i know this isn't a movie...but it should be...the idea here of machinima is just outstanding.
The lord of the rings Trilogy - The only reason this is here is because of it being such an Epic adventure and production.

Ones I need to watch (Again in some cases)
Vanilla Sky - This one was so twisted i hated it and i think it was because of the situation i was in during the watching of it.
The Boondock Saints - Everyone says this is one to see.
Unbreakable - Yeah i think there might have been something there and i missed it.