Film School 101: School of Dad

A curated list of films from a dad to his son — movies he's less likely to find on his own, but each one teaches something worth knowing. From sharp dialogue and precise direction to subversive tone, philosophical sci-fi, and offbeat emotional depth. These are handpicked for impact, not nostalgia.

These aren't necessarily my favorite films — most of my favorites, your Star Wars and GoodFellas and Princess Brides, he'll find without my help. This list is for the ones he might not. (One favorite he will never find on his own: Kids in the Hall: Brain Candy. Five stars.)

91 films, in the order they sit on the list. The list on Letterboxd · I log films at @manicblass.

  1. 2001: A Space Odyssey — Stanley Kubrick, 1968
  2. Gattaca — Andrew Niccol, 1997
  3. Ex Machina — Alex Garland, 2015
  4. The Man from Earth — Richard Schenkman, 2007
  5. Barry Lyndon — Stanley Kubrick, 1975
  6. Empire of the Sun — Steven Spielberg, 1987
  7. Eastern Promises — David Cronenberg, 2007
  8. Pan's Labyrinth — Guillermo del Toro, 2006
  9. Gallipoli — Peter Weir, 1981
  10. Adaptation. — Spike Jonze, 2002
  11. Heat — Michael Mann, 1995
  12. Moon — Duncan Jones, 2009
  13. The Big Lebowski — Joel Coen, 1998
  14. The Darjeeling Limited — Wes Anderson, 2007
  15. Harold and Maude — Hal Ashby, 1971
  16. Trainspotting — Danny Boyle, 1996
  17. The Painted Veil — John Curran, 2006
  18. The Player — Robert Altman, 1992
  19. The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert — Stephan Elliott, 1994
  20. About Time — Richard Curtis, 2013
  21. Amadeus — Miloš Forman, 1984
  22. Atonement — Joe Wright, 2007
  23. Glengarry Glen Ross — James Foley, 1992
  24. Falling Down — Joel Schumacher, 1993
  25. American Psycho — Mary Harron, 2000
  26. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang — Shane Black, 2005
  27. The Cable Guy — Ben Stiller, 1996
  28. Best in Show — Christopher Guest, 2000
  29. Aliens — James Cameron, 1986
  30. Full Metal Jacket — Stanley Kubrick, 1987
  31. Primer — Shane Carruth, 2004
  32. City of God — Fernando Meirelles, 2002
  33. The Lobster — Yorgos Lanthimos, 2015
  34. Nine Queens — Fabián Bielinsky, 2000
  35. The Talented Mr. Ripley — Anthony Minghella, 1999
  36. Akira — Katsuhiro Otomo, 1988
  37. Sideways — Alexander Payne, 2004
  38. Rushmore — Wes Anderson, 1998
  39. Paper Moon — Peter Bogdanovich, 1973
  40. The Big Blue — Luc Besson, 1988
  41. The Pianist — Roman Polanski, 2002
  42. Fargo — Joel Coen, 1996
  43. L.A. Confidential — Curtis Hanson, 1997
  44. Mulholland Drive — David Lynch, 2001
  45. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind — Michel Gondry, 2004
  46. Amélie — Jean-Pierre Jeunet, 2001
  47. Y Tu Mamá También — Alfonso Cuarón, 2001
  48. Election — Alexander Payne, 1999
  49. Punch-Drunk Love — Paul Thomas Anderson, 2002
  50. Bad Boy Bubby — Rolf de Heer, 1993
  51. Memento — Christopher Nolan, 2000
  52. Barton Fink — Joel Coen, 1991
  53. The Royal Tenenbaums — Wes Anderson, 2001
  54. Quest for Fire — Jean-Jacques Annaud, 1981
  55. My Own Private Idaho — Gus Van Sant, 1991
  56. Brotherhood of the Wolf — Christophe Gans, 2001
  57. Deliverance — John Boorman, 1972
  58. sex, lies, and videotape — Steven Soderbergh, 1989
  59. Dirty Rotten Scoundrels — Frank Oz, 1988
  60. Blade Runner — Ridley Scott, 1982
  61. Caddyshack — Harold Ramis, 1980
  62. The Last of the Mohicans — Michael Mann, 1992
  63. A River Runs Through It — Robert Redford, 1992
  64. Big Trouble in Little China — John Carpenter, 1986
  65. Army of Darkness — Sam Raimi, 1992
  66. Jeremiah Johnson — Sydney Pollack, 1972
  67. Carlito's Way — Brian De Palma, 1993
  68. Apocalypto — Mel Gibson, 2006
  69. Once — John Carney, 2007
  70. Once Were Warriors — Lee Tamahori, 1994
  71. Boyz n the Hood — John Singleton, 1991
  72. Swingers — Doug Liman, 1996
  73. Clerks — Kevin Smith, 1994
  74. When Harry Met Sally… — Rob Reiner, 1989
  75. Tombstone — George P. Cosmatos, 1993
  76. Léon: The Professional — Luc Besson, 1994
  77. Kingdom of Heaven — Ridley Scott, 2005
  78. The Way Way Back — Nat Faxon & Jim Rash, 2013
  79. Better Luck Tomorrow — Justin Lin, 2002
  80. Ravenous — Antonia Bird, 1999
  81. Seven Samurai — Akira Kurosawa, 1954
  82. Twelve Monkeys — Terry Gilliam, 1995
  83. The Fly — David Cronenberg, 1986
  84. Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World — Peter Weir, 2003
  85. Starship Troopers — Paul Verhoeven, 1997
  86. Pi — Darren Aronofsky, 1998
  87. Lars and the Real Girl — Craig Gillespie, 2007
  88. Children of Men — Alfonso Cuarón, 2006
  89. Map of the Human Heart — Vincent Ward, 1992
  90. Roman Holiday — William Wyler, 1953
  91. True Romance — Tony Scott, 1993