DISCLAIMER: Do not read any farther if you aren't ready to view life the way it really is. If you are not prepared DO NOT SEE THESE FILMS!! GO BACK TO YOUR MAINSTREAM CORPORATE SCHLOCK!! These films will show you true art and true beauty and will truly haunt you forever. You will never be the same. Enjoy!

For Starters
The first thing you need to know about American films is that we only started getting good at it about 10 years ago when Quentin Tarantino unleashed 'Reservoir Dogs' and changed movies forever. It was completely fresh and original. Nothing had ever been done like it EVER. REvolution was in the air. It was just the shot in the arm cinema had been so desperately needing. It was the first film to ever show life the way it is really lived. It had guts and grit and great music to boot. It birthed what is sure to be remembered as the golden age of mankind. This film is essential viewing for the true conneiseur.

Hope you're ready. Here we go. Life.

When you think great cinema, you should instantly picture an underage teenage girl covered in rose petals and a middle-aged man creepily lusting after her at a high school basketball game. I am refering to 'American Beauty'. This is truly a definitive portrait of American life. Kevin Spacey gives the performance of a millenium!! The film is so true and captures the essence of life. What's great is that it really is unadulterated truth. This is life and we'll have to learn to come and accept that. The film is so beautiful, I have tears in my eyes as I write this.

So, we just learned from AMERICAN BEAUTY that life is beautiful. But guess what? Sometimes it's not. 'Fight Club' is harsh and intense and not for the weak. Don't like it? Too bad. You need it! Truly examines a side of society most would like to pretend did not exist. But guess what? It does. I hate to break your fragile perfect view. But that's what art does. It opens your mind and expands your eyes. This film could not get any better. A true pinnacle of human achievement. Brad Pitt is awesome!!

Any discussion of American film would be incomplete without it's true master: KEVIN SMITH. Rising from the New Jersey sludge, this man has redefined and refined this art we call cinema. He has given us eyes when we were blind. Eyes to see the truths of life and love. His first film 'Clerks (Collector's Edition)' gives a delightful slice of life. And truth. His next film 'Mallrats (Collector's Edition)', while not reaching the euphoric heights of truth seen in his first opus, the film is still a rewarding experience for the patient viewer. Smith more than made up for it with his next film, 'Chasing Amy - Criterion Collection', an epic ode to diversity, that showed the way love really is. It was also funny because it was true. Kevin Smith is a master and all of his films should be required viewing for all humans.

BAM! More honesty!

'Pulp Fiction (Collector's Edition)' - Quentin Tarantino's best work to date. Great truth!
'Seven (New Line Platinum Series)' - Shows the true human psyche. It can be ugly at times, but so can we. If you can't handle this film, then how can you handle yourself? Brad Pitt is cool!
'Magnolia (New Line Platinum Series)' - A smorgasboard of a film, with huge heaping portions of amazing acting and amazing truth!
'The Matrix' - Neo's journey parrallels every human's souls journey for answers about the world. What is reality?
'Good Will Hunting (Miramax Collector's Series)' - Complex and deep and real like life. It's use of symbolism is astounding!
'Snatch (Special Edition)' - Guy Ritchie presents flash and truth simultaneously. Don't let the dog swallow this one! This one is truly a gem. Brad Pitt is a delight!
'The Shawshank Redemption' - Sometimes it's hard to be free?
'The Usual Suspects' - Amazing in every way. You will truly be amazed! You must like this movie! This is required.
'Boyz 'N the Hood' - Feels so real it'll scare you.
'Office Space (Widescreen Edition)' - Feels so good it'll scare you. Humorously shows the truth of office life. I laughed my ass off!
'Forrest Gump' - This film truly is a box of truth.
'Training Day' - Truth on the streets with Denzel.
'Donnie Darko' - Truth
'Memento' - Hturt

If you can't handle these films, you have failed as a human being.