2. Pulp Fiction (1994)
Pulp Fiction is a true watershed moment for the history of film. There are so many moments from it that have become synonymous with current pop-culture that it's become more than a movie. Pulp Fiction is an incredibly well told story that goes along in a non-linear fashion that keeps the audience on the edge of their seat the entire time. The narrative form of the different, inter-locking stories is perfectly crafted by Tarantino and even when scenes seem to have nothing to do with each other they all come together in a startling way. Pulp Fiction starts as a Howard Hawks type picture with overlapping dialogue before transitioning into a witty Scorsese style gangster flick seamlessly. It's the way that Tarantino is able to go from one mood to another that give the film its most compelling moments. The pawn shop scene, for instance, is so startling because the story goes from having a film noir style with Butch trying to escape with his watch into a strange exploitation/horror movie when Butch and Marcellus enter the pawn shop. Tarantino is excellent at mixing genres together to reinvent them and he has never been better than he is with Pulp Fiction.
1. Goodfellas (1990)
One of many masterpieces made by the legendary Martin Scorsese. Goodfellas is a perfect film than only gets better with repeat viewings. What really makes it the best film of the last 25 years is the sheer size of its scope and the fact that it never feels overwhelming. It spawns decades and features multiple plotlines and characters, who come in and out of the picture, yet it goes by with such force that it never gets bogged down with its expansive story. Goodfellas is also the most well directed film of the past 25 years because Scorsese uses every trick in the book to keep the momentum going until it all culminates in a dizzying third act that is, perhaps, the greatest third act in film history. The Copacabana shot where Henry escorts his, soon to be wife, Karen into the club is the greatest long take ever committed to film because it packs hours worth of narrative information into a compact three minutes. Scorsese doesn't stop there either, he makes use of the zolly effect later in the movie to add a sense of paranoia and the camera tricks on display never take away from the story or become too flashy. The greatest thing about Goodfellas is the fact that it is crafted with such precision and acted impeccably by Ray Liotta, Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci. The three main characters of Henry, Jimmy and Tommy are instantly relateable while being distant at the same time which creates a great feeling for the viewer that they're watching something just familiar enough to sympathize with but just exotic enough to be startling and engrossing. What are your 25 greatest movies of the last 25 years? I'd love to hear your picks below in the comments.