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Every single Pixar movie is special in its own way and worthy of recognition. Pixar has produced the best animated feature films in the last twenty years of filmmaking. I cannot think of any other film-maker in the industry that has successfully captivated the audience with its simplicity, storytelling and emotional depth. Every Pixar film is a masterful work of art that exceeds most of our expectations. With that in mind, here is my ranking of the top 10 Pixar movies. The following list is not based on public polls or official ranking. Feel free to share your list of top 10 Pixar movies.

1. Up

The movie was directed by Pete Docter. Up was released May 29, 2009 and grossed ,108,790 on the opening weekend. Rotten Tomatoes gave the movie a 98% overall approval rating. Up made 3,004,164 in domestic box office receipts

2. Toy Story

The movie was directed by John Lasseter. Toy Story was released November 22, 1995 and grossed 29,140,617 on the opening weekend. Rotten Tomatoes gave the movie a #100 approval rating. Toy Story made 1,796,233 in domestic box office receipts.

3. WALL-E

The movie was directed by Andrew Stanton. WALL-E was released June 27, 2008 and grossed ,087,526 on the opening weekend. Rotten Tomatoes gave the movie a 96% overall approval rating. Wall-E made 3,749,872 in domestic box office receipts.

4. Monsters, Inc.

The movie was directed by Pete Docter and co-directed by David Silverman. Monsters, Inc. was released November 2, 2001 and grossed ,577,067 on the opening weekend. Rotten Tomatoes gave the movie a 95% overall approval rating. Monsters, Inc. made 5,873,250 in domestic box office receipts.

5. Toy Story 2

The movie was directed by John Lasseter. Toy Story 2 was released November 19, 1999 and grossed 5,852,179 in domestic box office receipts. Rotten Tomatoes gave the movie a 100% overall approval rating.

6. The Incredibles

The movie was directed by Brad Bird. The Incredibles was released November 5, 2004 and grossed ,467,623 on the opening weekend. Rotten Tomatoes gave the movie a 97% overall approval rating. The Incredibles made 1,441,092 box office receipts.

7. Ratatouille

The movie was directed by Brad Bird. Ratatouille was released June 29, 2007 and grossed ,027,395 on the opening weekend. Rotten Tomatoes gave the movie a 96% overall approval rating. Ratatouille made 6,445,654 box office receipts.

8. Finding Nemo

The movie was directed by Andrew Stanton. Finding Nemo was released May 30, 2003 and grossed ,251,710 on the opening weekend. Rotten Tomatoes gave a 98% overall approval rating.

9. Cars

The movie was directed by John Lasseter. Cars was released June 9, 2006 and grossed ,119,509 on the opening weekend. Rotten Tomatoes gave the movie a 75% overall approval rating.

10. A Bug’s Life

The movie was directed by John Lasseter. A Bug’s Life was released November 20, 1998 and grossed 2,798,565 in domestic box office receipts. Rotten Tomatoes gave the movie a 91% overall approval rating.

Feel free to share your list of top 10 Pixar movies.

’Tis the season for holiday traditions, complete with a mug of hot chocolate and a plate filled with Christmas goodies. And what better way to escape the busy shopping malls and nasty winter weather than relaxing at home with family and friends, watching a Christmas movie?

Through the years, Hollywood has produced many excellent holiday films. But none compare to the classic Christmas movies of the 1940s. These timeless treasures are chock-full of wit, whimsy, and holiday spirit. Here are eighteen Christmas classics from yesteryear, arranged in order of their release. Without a doubt, they are some of the best Christmas movies of all time.

1.  Beyond Christmas (1940). The first classic Christmas movie from the 1940s is Beyond Christmas. This film is a colorized version of an old black-and-white classic, Beyond Tomorrow. The story revolves around three ghosts who try to help two people they befriended on Christmas Eve when they were still alive. The film stars Harry Carey, C. Aubrey Smith, Charles Winninger, Richard Carlson and Jean Parker.

2.  Remember The Night (1940).Remember The Nightis a romantic Christmas movie starring Barbara Stanwyck, Fred MacMurray, Beulah Bondi, and Sterling Holloway. The story centers on a young woman arrested for shoplifting during the Christmas holidays, and the assistant district attorney who falls in love with her.

3.  The Shop Around The Corner (1940).The Shop Around The Corneris a charming Christmas movie starring James Stewart and Margaret Sullavan. Set in Budapest during the holiday season, the film revolves around two co-workers who strongly dislike each other. Yet they maintain a secret letter-writing relationship, unaware they are pen-pals. This film inspired several remakes, including the 1998 film You’ve Got Mail.

4.  Meet John Doe (1941).Meet John Doe, a Christmas movie directed by Frank Capra, stars Gary Cooper and Barbara Stanwyck. The story tells of an unemployed man hired by a newspaper to impersonate a nonexistent “John Doe.” When Doe threatens suicide on Christmas Eve to protest society’s problems, he sets off a grassroots political campaign destined to change the country.

5.  Penny Serenade (1941). Because of its holiday setting, Penny Serenade is often classified as a Christmas movie. The sad drama stars Cary Grant and Irene Dunn as a married couple whose big dreams turn into unexpected sadness. As they try to overcome their problems, they wonder if their marriage is worth saving. The movie unfolds in flashbacks, triggered by music recordings and memories.

6.  Holiday Inn (1942).Holiday Inn is a Christmas musical starring Bing Crosby, Fred Astaire, Marjorie Reynolds, and Virginia Dale. Set in a country inn that only opens on holidays, the story involves two song-and-dance men who vie for the love of a young performer. Featuring music by Irving Berlin, the movie it introduces the song, “White Christmas.” The film also inspired the 1954 holiday classic, White Christmas.

7.  Christmas Holiday (1944).Christmas Holidayis a hard-to-find film noir loosely based on a W. Somerset Maugham novel. The story centers on a New Orleans night club singer who tells a stranded soldier the tragic tale of her marriage to a murderous scoundrel. This dark, obscure Christmas movie stars Deanna Durbin and Gene Kelly.

8.  I’ll Be Seeing You (1944).I’ll Be Seeing You is a sentimental Christmas movie based on an old-time radio drama. Starring Joseph Cotton, Ginger Rogers, and Shirley Temple, the film centers on a soldier suffering from battle fatigue who meets a female convict on Christmas furlough. Their mutual loneliness blossoms into romance, but can it last when the truth is discovered?

9.  Meet Me In St. Louis (1944).Meet Me In St. Louisis a romantic musical starring Judy Garland, Margaret O’Brien, Mary Astor, Lucille Bremer, Tom Drake, and Marjorie Main. The movie was adapted from a series of short stories by Sally Benson. Set on the brink of the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair, the film follows four sisters as they learn about life and love. It introduces the song, “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas.”

10.  The Bells Of St. Mary’s (1945).The Bells Of St. Mary’s is a considered a Christmas movie due to a Christmas pageant scene and a warm, touching spirit. Bing Crosby and Ingrid Bergman star as a priest and a nun in a big city Catholic school. Despite their friendly rivalry, they determine to work together to save their school. The film is a sequel to the 1944 film Going My Way, which introduced the Father O’Malley character.

11.  Christmas In Connecticut (1945).Christmas In Connecticutis a humorous Christmas movie starring Barbara Stanwyck, Dennis Morgan, and Sydney Greenstreet. The plot involves a food writer who pretends to be the perfect housewife. When her boss and a returning war hero invite themselves to her home for Christmas, she tries to cover her deception, with hilarious results.

12.  It’s A Wonderful Life (1946).It’s A Wonderful Lifemay be the best-loved Christmas movie of all time. Directed by Frank Capra, it stars James Stewart, Donna Reed, Henry Travers, and Lionel Barrymore. The film tells the story of a compassionate but desperate man who receives a special gift–a chance to see what the world would be like without him. The movies is based on a Philip Van Doren Stern short story, “The Greatest Gift.”

13.  The Bishop’s Wife (1947).The Bishop’s Wife is a Christmas classic from the 1940s starring Cary Grant, Loretta Young, and David Niven. It centers on an angel who is sent to earth in answer to a bishop’s prayer. His mission is to guide the bishop and the people around him, but something unexpected happens along the way.

14.  It Happened On Fifth Avenue (1947).It Happened On Fifth Avenueis a Christmas comedy starring Don DeFore, Ann Harding, Charles Ruggles, Victor Moore, and Gale Storm. The story revolves around a hobo and his friends, who take up residence in a mansion while the owner and his family are away on Christmas holiday. The film introduces the song That’s What Christmas Means To Me,” which became a 1950s hit for Eddie Fisher.

15.  Miracle On 34th Street (1947).Miracle On 34th Streetis a perennial holiday favorite starring Maureen O’Hara, John Payne, Edmund Gwenn, and a young Natalie Wood. Set in New York City following Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, the film tells the story of a nice old man who claims to be Santa Claus, and a young lawyer who decides to defend his claim in court. The movie inspired the popular 1994 remake.

16.  The Miracle Of The Bells (1948).The Miracle Of The Bellsis a sentimental drama starring Fred MacMurray, Frank Sinatra, Lee J. Cobb, and Alida Valli. It focuses on a Hollywood press agent who takes a dead actress back to her hometown for burial. To pay tribute to the girl and generate interest for her film, he convinces the churches to ring their bells for three days. Poignant flashback scenes, particularly one involving a Christmas Eve dinner at a Chinese restaurant, make this one a Christmas movie.

17.  Come To The Stable (1949). Although Come To The Stableis not strictly a Christmas movie, it embodies the spirit of the holiday season. The whimsical little film features Loretta Young and Celeste Holm as two French nuns who visit a New England town and enlist the aid of the townspeople to build a children’s hospital.

18.  Holiday Affair (1949). Rounding out the list of classic Christmas movies from the 1940s is Holiday Affair. The romantic comedy stars Robert Mitchum, Janet Leigh, Wendell Corey, and Harry Morgan. Set during the holiday shopping season, the movie focuses on a young widow and a war veteran–and their sweet but complicated holiday romance.

For Further Reading

The Best Classic Christmas Movies Ever: A Baker’s Dozen

Nine Lesser-Known Classic Christmas Movies From The 1940s

Sources

The Internet Movie Database

Turner Classic Movies

Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia

As a parent, it’s important to make informed decisions about what movies you allow your children to watch. Although the entertainment industry has a rating system for movies, this may or may not coordinate with your own standards for your family and children. You have to consider your child’s individual maturity and developmental level and what you feel is appropriate for them. The cover of a DVD and the rating are helpful, but doesn’t always give enough information for you to decide if a movie is right for your child.

Tips for choosing appropriate movies for children

Do you prefer watching movies at home or in the theater? A downside to watching in theaters …you can’t push an off button if something is inappropriate and it’s more costly than renting or purchasing movies.

Watch movies with your child. Assess their reactions. Create a dialog about the characters and scenes to see how they engage with certain types of movies.

Ask for suggestions from friends who have similar standards as your own and who have children.

Read movie reviews. Many online sites, that sell movies, also have user reviews.

Preview movies before allowing your child to watch them. Most libraries have movies you can borrow or set up an exchange with friends.

Some movies are based on books. Reading the book before allowing your child to view a movie can be helpful. Keep in mind…there can be some differences between the movie and book, but generally the book will give good insight.

Check ratings. Although ratings are only a basic and rather narrow guideline, they offer a starting point.

Movies have ratings as follows:

G - general audience, typically appropriate for young children, including preschoolers

PG – parental guidance suggested, may contain brief nudity or sexual references, moderate violence and a few profane words

PG-13 – parents strongly cautioned, under age 13 is not advised due to more violence, sexual references, possibly drug use and more profane language

R – restricted, may contain female or male nudity, explicit situations, graphic violence, sex, strong language and use of drugs

NC-17 – no one under age 17, while not pornographic, may contain sex scenes, explicit sexual or profane language, or excessive violence

Your child’s personality should also be considered, along with age and maturity. If a child is overly sensitive, you have to be even more careful about choosing movies. While a movie may be age appropriate, it may contain scenes that are upsetting for your child specifically, such as a pet getting lost or dying. On the other hand, your child may be the adventurous type and bores easily with the more tame movies.

Attention span should be considered. A preschooler normally doesn’t have the attention span of an older child. Short animated or educational movies created for this age group may be best. For older children, find out what interests them and let them help choose movies that are appropriate.

Set guidelines early in your child’s life, so that choosing movies doesn’t become a conflict, but an enjoyable venture.

Dog movies are an American staple. When listing the five best movies of all time you  may think that it would be the ones that made the most at the box office, but this leave out many classic dog movies. The five best dog movies of all time are: Old Yeller, Homeward Bound, Marley and Me, Best in Show, and Benji.

Old Yeller, perhaps one of the biggest tear jerker movies of all time,  is a well loved classic adapted from the 1956 novel. This is the story about a family in the antebellum south. The father is away trying to earn money.  Old Yeller is a stray dog who befriends the family and even defends them from a rabid wolf. This movie is popular among adults and children alike. This is the first movie that focused on the love between a boy and his dog, and it spurned many other films and books with a similar theme.

Homeward Bound: the Incredible Journey is a great family movie. This 1993 film is a remake of the lesser known 1963 film The Incredible Journey. Homeward Bound is about the journey of two dogs and a cat as they make their way home. The animal personalities rule the film. Chance, the American Bulldog, is a scrappy wanderer who tries to put out an air of not needing anyone. Shadow, the loyal and older Golden Retriever is a caring soul who watches out for the other two animals. Sassy, the long haired cat, is a prissy, pampered pet who longs to return to the comforts of home. Together these three have funny adventures as well as heart rending ones in their journey to find their loved ones. This movie helped to establish the idea of animals having individual personalities as many pet owners will attest to.

Marley and Me, the newest film on this list, is guaranteed to be a classic. Based upon the book by John Grogan, this film depicts the lovable but worst dog ever, Marley. Marley gets into disaster after disaster from tearing his home apart to shaking in his boots at every thunderstorm that rolls across Florida. Marely and Me depicts the life of Marely from puppyhood up to old age and the journey he has with his family along the way. The love for a dog that never seems to do the right thing is one that many pet owners will connect with.

Best in Show, the 2000 mockumentary about contestants in a dog show, is a hilarious look into the world of dogs and their owners. This movie is more about the people who love their dogs than about the dogs, but dog owners everywhere will love it anyway. There are five dogs featured in the film: a Norwich terrier, a Bloodhound, a Weimaraner, a Shih-Tzu, and a Poodle. These dogs represent pretty common entrants into dog shows.  Their owners back stories, however, are what really brings personality to the film from the over-obsessive yuppy pet parents to the Weimaraner to the quirky owners of the Norwich terrier.

Benji, a classic dog movie from the 1970’s, is a great one for anyone who has ever adopted a stray, mixed dog.  This movie includes as a great mystery as Benji works to save two children who have been kidnapped. This film is guaranteed to be loved by the whole family as much as Benji, the stray dog, is loved by so many people in his town.  Benji was such a popular dog character that his character was reprised for additional films all the way up to 2004, thirty years after the first Benji film debuted.

Dog movies are an American staple. When listing the five best movies of all time you  may think that it would be the ones that made the most at the box office, but this leave out many classic dog movies. The five best dog movies of all time are: Old Yeller, Homeward Bound, Marley and Me, Best in Show, and Benji.

Old Yeller, perhaps one of the biggest tear jerker movies of all time,  is a well loved classic adapted from the 1956 novel. This is the story about a family in the antebellum south. The father is away trying to earn money.  Old Yeller is a stray dog who befriends the family and even defends them from a rabid wolf. This movie is popular among adults and children alike. This is the first movie that focused on the love between a boy and his dog, and it spurned many other films and books with a similar theme.

Homeward Bound: the Incredible Journey is a great family movie. This 1993 film is a remake of the lesser known 1963 film The Incredible Journey. Homeward Bound is about the journey of two dogs and a cat as they make their way home. The animal personalities rule the film. Chance, the American Bulldog, is a scrappy wanderer who tries to put out an air of not needing anyone. Shadow, the loyal and older Golden Retriever is a caring soul who watches out for the other two animals. Sassy, the long haired cat, is a prissy, pampered pet who longs to return to the comforts of home. Together these three have funny adventures as well as heart rending ones in their journey to find their loved ones. This movie helped to establish the idea of animals having individual personalities as many pet owners will attest to.

Marley and Me, the newest film on this list, is guaranteed to be a classic. Based upon the book by John Grogan, this film depicts the lovable but worst dog ever, Marley. Marley gets into disaster after disaster from tearing his home apart to shaking in his boots at every thunderstorm that rolls across Florida. Marely and Me depicts the life of Marely from puppyhood up to old age and the journey he has with his family along the way. The love for a dog that never seems to do the right thing is one that many pet owners will connect with.

Best in Show, the 2000 mockumentary about contestants in a dog show, is a hilarious look into the world of dogs and their owners. This movie is more about the people who love their dogs than about the dogs, but dog owners everywhere will love it anyway. There are five dogs featured in the film: a Norwich terrier, a Bloodhound, a Weimaraner, a Shih-Tzu, and a Poodle. These dogs represent pretty common entrants into dog shows.  Their owners back stories, however, are what really brings personality to the film from the over-obsessive yuppy pet parents to the Weimaraner to the quirky owners of the Norwich terrier.

Benji, a classic dog movie from the 1970’s, is a great one for anyone who has ever adopted a stray, mixed dog.  This movie includes as a great mystery as Benji works to save two children who have been kidnapped. This film is guaranteed to be loved by the whole family as much as Benji, the stray dog, is loved by so many people in his town.  Benji was such a popular dog character that his character was reprised for additional films all the way up to 2004, thirty years after the first Benji film debuted.

Check out hundreds of photos of dogs at the popular dog website http://www.dogsonline.com

You always never expect low budget movies to become hit at the box office that easily. But very few movies manage to do that. “Angel” is a movie of that caliber that managed to do that.

Angel

The movie “Angel” was released in the year 1984. Robert Vincent O’Neill directed the movie. The director was also the writer of the movie along with Joseph Michael Cala.

Donna Wilkes, playing the role of Molly Stuart, studies at an expensive high school. Bet she has two lives of a student and of a prostitute. The name that she had as the prostitute was “angel”. She became a prostitute because she was abandoned by her parents. She lived in a substitute house that was filled with “personalities” – a transvestite, a lesbian and a self proclaimed celebrity.

It so happened one day that her classmates found out that she was working as a prostitute by the night. Her world gets shattered by that and she loses her school. Everything around her gets bad and as if it is not the end of the road for the miseries, she gets stuck with another major one this time. Two of her fellow prostitutes get killed by a psycho serial killer. She becomes the only eyewitness and along with that an automatic target. What happens then you have to see that in the movie itself.

Views and Facts

The movie was very popular at that time and became a hit. Well it got so popular that it had three sequels hitting the theatres after that.

The lead actress of the movie, Donna Wilkes, was a lot older when she played the role of that of the fifteen year old Molly Stuart. She also did a bit of research with the prostitutes and the police department before doing the movie.

Cliff Gorman, Rory Calhoun, John Diehl, Susan Tyrell and Dick Shawn were in other important roles in the movie.

Avenging Angel

It is the sequel to the previous movie “Angel”. It was called as a sequel as it has the continuation of the previous story and some of the previous characters. But the lead actress was changed this time. From Donna Wilkes to Betsy Russell the change was not that good. And to be honest, the acting this time was very bad.

The movie starts with Betsy Russell, playing the lead role as Molly Stuart grown up. This time she has quit the world of prostitution with the help of her friend Lt. Andrews. She is now studying had to become a lawyer. Everything seems to be going smooth till when she gets the news that Lt. Andrews has been killed. Now she feels that she has to avenge his friend’s death so she returns back to that world. Here with the help of some old friends she tries to find out who was the killer. To know the rest of the story you have to see the full of the movie.

Despite the serious plot the movie will at times make one feel that this is a comedy movie. Well I would rather say that this is an average movie and is not for the children to watch as it has a lot of violence and nudity in it.

Angel III: the final chapter

Well this is the third movie in the sequence. This time too there is a change in the lead. In this movie Mitzi Kapture plays the lead role.

This movie shows that Molly has now quit studies and works as a news photographer. Things go smoothly until she learns that her long gone mother is an owner of a art gallery. Then after that after their meeting her mother gets blown up and later she gets to know that her mother was transporting dope. Now the life of her sister gets into danger. This time again she returns to that old world of her to rescue her sister. Well what did she manage to do? You have to see the movie to know the rest of the story.

This movie had a better star cast that the first two movies but the performances were not that good. Although the movie was a lot better than the second movie but it was nowhere near the first one. But still this is an average movie.

1. Paranormal Activity

Paranormal Activity is a low budget movie that is in the number one spot in the top box office horror movies list. It grossed almost USD107 million on a modest budget of USD15,000. I think the main reason for its success is the fact that the movie was such a hush hush business that everyone wants to watch and see what’s all the hoopla is all about. The movie is about how a couple is haunted in their new home. The camera works is reminiscent of The Blair Witch Project  (1999) which makes the movie seem more like a documentary instead of a work of fiction.

2. The Final Destination

Just when you thought it’s the final movie, the producers come out with another destination. And now it’s in 3-D. Irregardless of how ridiculous you might think the movie plot is, it made USD66 million at the box office on a production budget of USD40 million.

3. Friday the 13th

How many sequels would be enough sequels? I guess it’s never enough. In this sequel, Crystal Lake is revisited and the killings start again or rather it never has stopped. This sequel made USD65 million at the box office on a production budget of USD19 million. Not bad for Jason to come back for another sequel?

4. The Haunting in Connecticut

Before you start to put Connecticut in your not to visit places list or rather on your to visit list (if you like to visit haunted places), this movie is not based on a true story as claimed. It may be inspired by true events that may not have occured in Connecticut. Irregardless, this movie made USD55 million at the box office which is another haunted house movie that many have paid to watch in 2009.

5. My Bloody Valentine

What is worse than a remake? A remake in 3D. But to watch Jensen Ackles was enough to redeem this movie (so my daughter said). Anyway, this movie made USD52 million at the box office on a production budget of USD14 million. Not bad for a remake.

6. The Unborn

Despite the flimsy plot and unconvincing acting by a Megan Fox lookalike, ths movie made USD43 million on a production budget of USD16 million.

7. Drag Me to Hell

Drag Me to Hell is quite a decent horror movie only because Justin Long was in it even though I felt that he was a little miscast. I half expected him to do something funny as that is the genre you mostly see him in. This movie is decent enough to make just about USD42 million on a production budget of USD30 million.

8. Halloween 2

This is another sequel that is in the top 10 box office list. Halloween 2 made USD33 million on a production budget of USD15 million. Is that enough for another sequel?

9. The Last House on the Left

This movie is a remake of the 1972 movie of the same name. It made USD33 million at the box office. For a remake, this movie is not too shabby and is highly recommended.

10. The Uninvited

The Univited is one scary horror movie that fans of horror movies must watch. The ending will surprise you. At the box office, it made just over USD29 million.

11. Saw VI

When I find out that there’s another sequel of Saw, my first thought was : Didn’t Jigsaw die in the last movie? So I was wondering how they are going to bring him back to life. Most ridiculous. Nevertheless, Saw IV made USD28 million at the box office on a production budget of USD11 million.

12. Sorority Row

There’s nothing original about this teenage slasher movie. However, Sorority Row did make USD12 million at the box office in 2009 on a production budget of USD12.5 million. Not that impressive.

13. Pandorum

The only original thing about this movie is the coinage of the word “pandorum”. This is just another creature feature horror movie that is set in space. Not surprisingly the movie only made just barely USD10 million at the box office which didn’t even cover the production cost of USD40 million.

Statistical source for the above article : The Numbers.com

The scariest horror movies of all time are the ones that are feasible. Those horror movies that could actually happen in real life are the ones that truly reach into your gut and twist. A great horror movie simply must make you feel as though you are there. While some movies clearly could happen in real life, others ride the edge but still keep that possibility alive.

Here are my top ten scariest horror movies that could happen in real life:

10. The Exorcist – It certainly can be debated whether or not this could happen in real life, but many claim that it has. That is enough to send shivers down your back while watching this movie. The horror is primitive, but very effective.

9. Halloween – The original movie was absolutely horrifying. It was not that far from reality that this could happen right in your own hometown. I watched this for the first time sitting at a friends house on Halloween night. The walk home that night was very spooky. This also sports the best horror soundtrack of all time.

8. Wolf Creek – Lots of folks did not like this movie, but for sheer ferocity there are few that match it. The killer was so unusual that it gave the movie a weird vibe. That vibe goes into overdrive as the movie goes along. If you have not seen this, then you certainly should go and check it out. Be ready for some gruesome scenes.

7. Psycho – Are you kidding me? Old or not, this was one spooky horror movie. What a brilliant movie that was light years ahead of it’s time this was.

6. The Shining – The madness that overwhelms Jack in this movie is something that I will never forget. It is without a doubt one of the scariest movies of all time.

5. Alien – The original was absolutely scary. This movie gets bonus points for scaring the hell out of me without it being overly realistic. Lots of folks believe in Aliens, so it is not that far fetched. The creature was all that was needed.

4. Jaws – This movie is the mother of all animal attack flicks. By far the best of the genre, it scares you as much today as it did back then. The sounds, the acting, the shark and of course, the music all play together to scare you to death. The ocean will never be the same after watching this classic horror movie.

3. The Evil Dead – This movie gave me chills from start to finish. In spite of a tiny budget, the movie still taps into our inner fears quite effectively. The scene with the trees attacking the woman is frightening to the core. As this is actually quite unrealistic, the good versus evil element opens it up to the reality audience.

2. Saw – This movie was original, scary, and incredibly difficult to watch without being disgusted. What more can you hope for from a horror movie? Top to bottom, it scared me to death.

1. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (Original) – This movie is the ultimate in scary. The grainy way in which the movie is filmed adds that element of watching a home movie from hell, and the sheer idea of what is happening on the screen is terrifying. Add to that some innovative ideas, and the ultimate villain, and you have a horror masterpiece. Leatherface is scary just by standing there. The movie claimed to be based on a true story. Truth is, it was based very loosely on the Ed Gein murders. The actual similarities in the case and the movie though are few. (Though Gein did wear the skin of his victims)

These choices are sure to spark debate among horror fans, and I am certain that there are other deserving titles. These just happen to be my scariest movies of all time. What are yours?

Pale-masked Michael Myers has been the silent serial killer in 9 of the 10 Halloween movies. Halloween III: Season of the Witchis the only film in the series so far not to feature Myers, and that’s because that particular movie was not part of any continuity of the other movies in this horror series.

But just how many actors have portrayed Michael Myers? Let’s break it down by movie.

Halloween (1978)

For many horror movie buffs, this John Carpenter film is the best slasher flick of all time. And it’s no easy task to argue against this. Starring Jamie Lee Curtis, the movie has so many things that were original in 1978, but since have become to be staple tropes of the slasher movie genre. Teens doing drugs, having sex, with a killer out to get them. A babysitter at home alone (except for the kids she’s babysitting, of course). Creepy music. It’s all right there. And who could forget the creepy killer that was Michael Myers? A young Michael Myers was portrayed by Will Sandin, but it was really the older killer, played by Tony Moran and Nick Castle, who kept you up all night after watching the film.

Halloween II (1981)

This sequel continues the night of terror that began in the original movie. Michael is at it again, chasing after and trying to kill the young Laurie Strode who is still played by Jamie Lee Curtis. Tony Moran makes a brief appearance in some archive footage at the beginning of this film, but stuntman Dick Warlock takes over as our masked killer, portraying Michael as he rampages through a hospital after Strode. At the end of this movie, it appeared Michael Myers had been killed. But we know better.

Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers (1988)

After not appearing in Halloween III: Season of the Witch, Michael Myers is back. Myers survived the events ending Halloween II, but apparently the Laurie Strode character has been killed in an automobile accident. Figures, doesn’t it? Poor Laurie survives a deranged killer in two films, then she’s killed in an car crash. Well, Laurie apparently left behind a young daughter, Jamie. And Michael has found out and is now on the hunt for Jamie. A bunch more people get killed along the way and Michael once more is eventually killed. But not really, of course, because there has to be more Halloween movies. So, who had the honor of portraying our killer in this movie? George P. Wilbur, one of only two actors who have portrayed Michael Myers in more than one film.

Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers (1989)

Yes, Michael is back. And he’s still after poor little Jamie. This time our murderer is played by stuntman Don Shanks as George P. Wilbur supposedly was not interested in the role. At the end of this film, Michael isn’t killed. Instead, he’s imprisoned but soon broken out by a mysterious stranger.

Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers (1995)

This might be the most controversial of all the Halloween movies, but not because of any gore or bloody scenes. What has upset some fans of the series (and, to be fair, has pleased others), is that a mystical background of sorts is given to Michael Myers. Here it i discovered Michael has upon him the fabled “Curse of Thorn” which means he must slaughter his entire family to save the world from a demon. Or something like that. In my opinion, the whole plot line was confusing and silly. But that’s just me. Still, who was Michael in this film? It was George P. Wilbur. Apparently Wilbur got over whatever caused him to turn down the Myers role in Halloween 5, and here he’s behind the white mask once more. As for the “Curse of Thorn,” this plotline would be ignored by the rest of the movies in the series.

Halloween H20: 20 Years Later (1998)

This film brought back Jamie Lee Curtis as Laurie Strode. It seems Strode hadn’t been killed, but was just in hiding from Michael. But oops! Michael has found her once more and he’s on the prowl to kill his sister. At yet again, Michael is apparently killed in he end. Chris Durand was the lucky stuntman who was Michael Myers for this movie.

Halloween: Resurrection (2002)

Michael is back. Laurie is back. But not for long. Michael finally kills off his sister in this movie. But what’s a killer to do after he’s wiped out his family? He goes home. Only to find some twentysomethings are there shooting an Internet show. He kills a bunch of them. Then he’s apparently killed by electricity and fire. Michael Myers is finally dead. And it was stuntman Brad Loree who got to portray Michael in his last appearance of the original continuity.

Halloween (2007)

Director and musician Rob Zombiestarted things all over again with this remake of the original John Carpenter classic movie. The plot here is basically the same as the original, though more of Michael Myers’ background is show early in the movie. Daeg Faerch portrays a 10-year-old Michael and Tyler Mane got to play the masked Michael we all know and fear.

Halloween II (2009)

Another remake, this one of the Halloween II flick from 1981. Tyler Mane returns once more as Michael Myers, making him only the second actor after George P. Wilbur to be Myers in more than one movie. Also, Chase Wright Vanek portrays a young Michael in flashback scenes.

The final count?

By my count, 11 actors have portrayed mass killer Michael Myers. Another Halloween movie is supposedly in the works, but director Rob Zombie has bowed out of taking part in the next one. But who knows? Maybe there will be more Halloween movies, maybe not. Maybe Rob Zombie will return, maybe not. My guess? Eventually, though it might take a few years, Michael Myers will stalk he silver screen once again.

Related horror links

How many actors played Jason in the Friday the 13th movies?

10 of the Greatest Horror Comedy Movies

10 Classic Movies Every Fan of Horror Should See

Bullitt

This movie is all about the car chase. In fact, I don’t think I’m stretching the truth much to suggest Bullitt features the greatest movie car chase of all time. And don’t shoot this movie down just because it’s old, having been released in 1968. Quite probably the best movie Steve McQueen stared in, at least in my opinion.

Die Hard

Explosions. Explosions. Explosions. And plenty of gunfire, too. That’s what this 1988 film had to offer, as well as plenty of great one-liners from star Bruce Willis. Die Hard is one of the best action movies out of the ’80s, right up there with the original Lethal Weapon (which you’ll see below). And the lead villain, Hans Gruber, was memorably played by Alan Rickman. Willis, playing cop John McClane, finds himself trapped inside a building that has been taken over by terrorists. What to do? Fight back.

Dirty Harry

The greatest cop movie ever made. Period. If you disagree, you are wrong. It’s that simple. This 1971 flick features Clint Eastwood in the title role, and in one of the best role’s he’s ever played (the Man With No Name and Josey Wales are just about as good). In this movie, Harry hunts down the notorious Gemini serial killer. The scene on the football field is alone enough to make this the best cop movie ever, let alone the many other excellent scenes in this film.

The French Connection

1971 was a great year for cop movies because both Dirty Harry and The French Connection came out that year. This one stars Gene Hackman as Detective Popeye Doyle who becomes involved in a case involving heroin smuggling from France to New York City. This is another movie that has a fantastic car chase scene, though I personally think the chase in Bullitt is better (though just barely).

Lethal Weapon

Buddy cop movies. You got to love them. And this is the finest. Part action, part comedy, 1987′s Lethal Weapon lead the way for many, many buddy cop movies that came later. Mel Gibson and Danny Glover star as a couple of detectives who become embroiled with a private ops team that’s smuggling drugs from Southeast Asia into America. A truly funny movie, and it also includes some of the best action sequences ever filmed.

The Maltese Falcon

Arguably, this 1941 movie isn’t a cop movie. Humphrey Bogart’s Sam Spade character is a private investigator, after all. But it’s close enough you couldn’t tell the difference. The basic plot has Spade coping with a trio of crooks who are trying to get their hands on the Maltese Falcon, a small statue worth tons and tons of money. This one might be more noir or thriller than a true action flick, but you’ve still got to see it for no other reason than it was a huge influence on later detective movies.

Reservoir Dogs

Not a cop movie, you might think? I beg to differ. One of the main characters, Tim Roth’s Mr. Orange, is an undercover police officer. And this 1992 film is definitely a crime movie. The plot has Roth going undercover to catch a crime boss who has set up a diamond heist. Part of the genius of this movie is that the viewer doesn’t know at first that Mr. Orange is actually a cop; you just think he’s another crook at first. But there’s plenty more moments and ideas of genius in this Quentin Tarantino debut.

Seven

Almost more of a horror movie, 1995′s Seven is still technically a cop movie. Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman are big city detectives trying to catch a serial killer who uses the Seven Deadly Sins as tokens in his slayings. One of the darkest movies of the 1990s, and it has one of the strongest endings ever to anything on film from a major studio. 

Training Day

A good cop, bad cop movie. It’s Ethan Hawke’s first day as a detective, and he’s under the wing of Denzel Washington. Unfortunately for Hawke, Washington’s character turns out to be a cop so crooked he’s leading a gang of crooked cops. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. A strong film, with some good action sequences, though mostly this isn’t a movie with a bunch of big explosions. Came out in 2001.

The Untouchables

Who could forget Sean Connery as Irish-American cop Jim Malone. And Kevin Costner does a decent job as lawman Elliot Ness chasing down Al Capone, here played by Robert DeNiro in this 1987 movie. Not quite a true gangster movie, but close. There’s plenty of old-fashioned shoot-em-up moments to be found here.

It is quite difficult to just create a list of the 10 best movies to watch on a snowy day. It really depends on whether you are by yourself, with your better half, with your children or just trying to survive the day. So I grouped my favorite choices into 4 categories, depending on what my situation is

Manly Chick Movies – For Romantic Times

I call this group the “Manly Chick Movies” as these are Movies that are really Chick Movies, but it’s ok as a “guy” to watch them with your girlfriend or wife without running the risk of looking like a wimp.

Casablanca

My all time favorite. Rick Blaine (played by Humphrey Bogart) a distinguished but cynical coffee shop owner in World War II Casablanca, Morocco somehow gets a hold of two letters of transit, which during Nazi times was like getting a stay of execution. Things start heating up when a Nazi Major is trying to arrest underground leader Victor Laszlo, who happens to be traveling with Rick’s long lost love Ilsa. After first being cold and distanced to his former lover, Rick warms up to her again and selflessly helps her get away with Laszlo. Timeless. Watch it it with your girlfriend or wife, and you will surely have a romantic night, while the snow is falling outside your window

Singing in the Rain

Another classic, guaranteed to create the right setting for a wonderfully romantic time with your better half.

Set in 1927 Hollywood, two Silent Movie Stars  Don Lockwood (played by Gene Kelly) and Lina Lomont (played by Jean Hagen) are struggling with the rapidly changing movie world that envelopes them as movies start to have sound. Not surprisingly their movie is set to be turned into a musical, but truth be told, while Don can sing and speak, listening to Lina is just painful whether she sings or  speaks. To the rescue comes a charming aspiring actress, Kathy Selden (as played by Debbie Reynolds). Now amidst all these wonderful uplifting songs a twisted love story develops between Don and Kathy.

The music is great, the story is flat but watching it with your better half when it is freezing outside works for me every time.

Feuerzangenbowle

I know most of you are going to call me crazy or outright weird with my next choice. But this is another classic and there is nothing better than sipping a Feuerzangenbowle, while watching the movie when it is really, really cold out there.  You don’t know what a Feuerzangenbowle is? It is basically a piping hot drink  prepared by burning a rum drenched sugar cone into a bowl of mulled red wine. Amazingly delicious. Slowly sip it with your better half in your arm, snuggled in a warm blanket together, watching the snow fall outside. Is there anything better.

The story is really not that important. It is about a guy, Johannes Pfeiffer (played by Heinz Ruehmann) who is drinking Feuerzangenbowle with his friends, while talking about all the adventures Johannes missed, because he didn’t attend school some decades ago. As I said the story doesn’t really matter, the movie is funny and you are watching it for the drink. Cheers.

Family Movies

Now it is a totally different story if you are spending the snow day with your family including kids. I am divorced but my children spend most of the time with me. Normally I would say, “go out and play”, but i know there are situations you just can’t take your kids out in the snow, so for these situations these are  my favorite movies for an indoors snow day with my kids

Alvin and the Chipmunks

The perfect movie when it is gray and dark outside, or when it snowing so heavily that you can’t go outdoors. My kids and me, we love the songs, we know the lyrics and we sing and dance along. Watching this movie together is sure to make us forget the snow outside.

The story is about a three chipmunks, Alvin, Simon and Theodore, that not only can sing but also dance and compose songs. They meet up with depressed loser songwriter David Seville (played by Jason Lee) and finally hook up with David, after first trashing his house. David and the chipmunks present their songs to ueber evil record producer Ian (played by David Cross) and become an overnight worldwide sensation (not surprisingly: Singing Chipmunks – Hello!). But evil greedy Ian wants more and more from the chipmunks and alienates them from David by piling on presents and toys on the chipmunks. But of course we have a happy ending.

Polar Express

This incredibly beautiful animated movie about a boy who embarks on an adventure to regain his believe in Christmas and Santa Clause is set on a magical train going to the north pole. During the train ride the boy meets other children and ghosts who slowly take the boy on a journey to discover that the world is a wonderful place as long as you are open to believe.

I just love the morale of the story. My kids can’t get enough of this movie. It beautiful. The graphics and landscapes are amazing, it transports you and your children to a magical winter wonder world and reminds you to open your eyes and enjoy the wonders of this world.

Guy Wipe Out Movies

I call this category the guy wipe out movies, because these are the perfect movies to watch on a blizzard snow day in your pajamas, for 24 hours non-stop, ignoring everything that is going on around you and everybody that is around you, forgetting who you are and becoming one with the hero in your show, and finally saving the world! And you can do all that without leaving your sofa for a minute…

24

Fast pace action tale about a day in the life of hero terrorist hunter,  Jack Bauer (played by Kiefer Sutherland). We are led to believe that we follow Bauer along during his regular workday while embarking on a global terrorist hunt that involves amazing conspiracies and terror plots that thankfully are way too complicated for real terrorists. But even though the story line is always over the top the action is hypnotic, Bauer is a likeable hero which you can easily identify with, and he makes moral questions like whether torture is wrong seem irrelevant. His favorite words are “time is running out” and the threat grows to monumental proportions from episode to episode. It is addictive, hypnotic and fun to watch. I could watch all seasons nonstop while a Blizzard is passing me by.

Twilight Zone

Ok, if you are not in the mood for terrorist hunting but you still want to wipe out, Twilight Zone (created and narrated by Rod Serling)  is the series for you. An endless supply of episodes, 156 in total, allow you to immerse yourself in a dark and frightening world of supernatural and extraordinary situations. Every episode is completely different than the others and most have a surprising ending that adds a morale to the story. 156 episodes, that is almost 7 days of nonstop mystery. You can wait out even the longest Blizzard in the Twilight Zone.

Stargate SG 1

When I was a child my favorite adventure wipe out was endless stories about explorers and pirates heading out to new worlds, embarking on adventures in strange places, meeting strange and exotic people. Now eventually I had to grow up. You can’t seriously tell anyone that you love pirate stories anymore when you are grown up, but if you tell them you love science fiction everything is ok.

Stargate SG 1 is the mother of all Science Fiction stories. A group of hero adventures start traveling the Universe through a wormhole generating Stargate that was left on Earth and throughout the Universe by a strange and extinct species called the Ancients. Endless episodes, a total of 214, telling stories about explorers and space pirates, good and evil aliens and humans, exploring strange new worlds, living through adventures in strange places, meeting strange and exotic people and aliens. Sounds familiar? That’s why it is now my favorite wipe out and with 214 episodes you won’t see me for 2 weeks straight.

Action, Drama & Adventure

Sometimes you are not in the mood for romance, your kids are gone and you don’t feel the need to wipe out. In that case would go for either a good action/adventure movie or a engulfing drama. Here are my two top choices.

Schindler’s List

One of the most disturbing, but at the same time strangely fascinating movies I have ever seen. It tells the true Story of a Nazi Businessmen, Oskar Schindler (brilliantly played by Liam Neeson) who is down on his luck in Nazi Germany and seeks fortune by moving to Nazi occupied Poland. There he cynically convinces a few rich Jews to finance his factory, manufacturing weapons and ammunitions for the Nazis. He witnesses the brutal and violent excesses against the Jewish and Polish Population that get exceedingly more barbaric and cruel the farther the war progresses. Coached by his Jewish Foreman Itzhak Stern (played by Ben Kingsley) Schindler starts allowing Itzhak to turn his factory into a refuge for Jews. Ultimately Schindler ends up using all his money and influence saving over thousand Jews from certain death in Nazi concentration camps. While the story is being told, the genius director Steven Spielberg, injected a girl dressed in a fire red dress, into the otherwise black and white movie. This girl appears every time the violence and the brutality reaches new levels. She wanders helplessly and aimlessly over the killing fields around her, watching the black and white slaughter in her fire red dress. In her eyes you can see that she can’t understand what is going on…

That’s a movie that puts tears in my eyes, even just writing about it. Perfect for a snow filled day.

Braveheart

And finally another all time favorite of mine is the story of a Scottish Rebel William Wallace (played by Mel Gibson) who leads the Scottish against the British in a bloody rebellion in the 14th century. Heartwarming and mesmerizing story about Honor, Love, Courage and Freedom set in the beautiful Scottish Country Side. This long movie is sure to keep your thoughts of the snow outside.