10. Holes, 2003
Holes is a movie about a boy who is cursed for a crime he didn’t commit, surviving his sentence in a youth detention center.
People should experience Holes because it is a movie that shows how to adapt a book of the same name faithfully. It brings in that old Disney channel movie charm from the early to mid 2000’s. All the teen and child actors are doing an amazing job.The stand out performances by a pre-Transformers Shia Labeouf and the favorite of the movie Khleo Leon Thomas aka Zero. It’s in the number 10 because while it’s shot well for a Disney channel movie its dialogue is somewhat one note also surprisingly some of the adult actors seem to be over acting.
9. The Fox and the Hound, 1981
An old lady finds a fox and takes it in at the same time her neighbor brings home a hound dog pup they become friends despite being natural enemies.
The Fox and the Hound belongs on the list because it provides solid representation for a movie geared towards young children.
I ranked this movie at 9 because its unique hand-drawn animation puts it above Holes.
8. Chronicle, 2012
When Andrew, his cousin Matt and popular classmate Steve discover a mysterious substance that leaves them with incredible powers.
Chronicle belongs on the list because it reveals the potential for the found footage genre.
I ranked this movie at 8 because it is a well made movie, but it is less important in terms of the lessons it teaches and its contribution to cinema.
7. Scream, 1996
A high school girl and her friends become the targets of a serial killer known as Ghostface.
Scream belongs on the list because it provides meta commentary on the horror genre before meta commentary was popular outside of outright spoofs.
I ranked this movie at 7 because the actors in Scream sell their performances better than those in the previous entries.
6. Kill Bill vol 1 and 2, 2004
A former assassin wakes from a coma four years after her jealous ex-lover Bill attempts to murder her on her wedding day. She now is trying to get revenge on Bill.
Kill Bill belongs on the list because it offers a more contemporary look at Japanese inspired cinema made by an American film maker. This might be a gateway for that genre of film for young people.
I ranked this movie at 6 because it’s a strong representation for Taranitino’s work, making it a more powerful film than those before it on the list.
5. Spider-Man 2, 2004
Doctor Octavious blames Spider-Man for the accident that gave him his metal arms and seeks revenge.
This movie belongs on the list because most people regard it as the best superhero movie ever made, and I agree.
I ranked this movie at 5 because it’s an ideal entry point for new fans of Superhero cinema. Sam Ramey’s directing with brings horror elements to a Superhero film allow the quality of this movie to edge out those before it on my list.
4. Predator, 1987
A group of soldiers find a string of dead bodies on a mission and discover they are being hunted by a brutal creature with superhuman strength and the ability to disappear into its surroundings.
Predator belongs on the list because it’s always in motion and keeps one’s attention. No scenes feel wasted in this action classic.
I ranked this movie at 4 because it manages to be an equally or more entertaining film than Spider-Man 2 while being 28 minutes shorter.
3. Blade, 1998
A half-mortal, half-immortal is out to avenge his mother's death and rid the world of vampires. Because the vampires are trying to bring back a vampire god.
Blade belongs on the list because it is an ideal representation for the work of Wesley Snipes, who defined a characters from comics. Now comic representations of the character are modeled after Snipes. This film represents genres of comic books, action, horror, martial arts and some comedy.
I ranked this movie at 3 because it demonstrates that movies from a comic book can be unique. It came from time before the modern homogenous Marvel Cinematic Universe. It has historical importance for restoring audience faith in comic book movies following 1997's Batman and Robin. Blade set the table for X-Men in 2000 to restore the comic movie craze in the decades that followed.
2. Jurassic Park, 1993
Paleontologists Alan Grant and Ellie Sattler and mathematician Ian Malcolm are among a select group chosen to tour an island theme park populated by dinosaurs created from prehistoric DNA. Then the dinosaurs break out and now everyone has to survive and escape the island.
Jurassic Park belongs on the list because this film from 1993 has visual effects that are still remarkable today, 31 years later. It looks better than modern movies in the same sage because of it's ideal blend of CGI into mostly practical effects.
I consider this the second most important movie to see before graduating because it captures the true feeling of watching a movie; this film makes you want to sit with family, eat popcorn and enjoy spectacle.
1. Akira, 1988
Kaneda, a bike gang leader, tries to save his friend Tetsuo from a secret government experiment. A final battle is fought in the Tokyo Olympiad exposing the experiment's secrets.
Akira belongs on the list because it is it renowned by multiple directors and frequently homaged in other works, such as the use of the Akira Bike Slide. It earns its place on this list because of how much it has influenced cinema, such as adding 50 shades to the traditional anime color pallet.
This is the most important movie to see before graduating because most of the movies on this list are live-action, but the animated main characters of this film feel more real than most of thos eliver performances. It changed the way that western film makers thought about animation, changing many people's perception that animation was just for kids. If you see nothing else on my list, you should absolutely watch this one.