It's been far too quiet in here lately, and I thought I'd get some conversation going again. So, here's my list of ten movies that 'blew me away'. I define being blown away as being surprised by the ending and being left with some greater sense of awareness. These are in no particular order.

1. Donnie Darko
I'd been hearing about the movie for months before I finally saw it tonight, and I must say, it's hype is deserved. Marvellous cinematogrophy and a positively spooky soundtrack propel the movie, and the ending was just great. Not the biggest shock in the world, but great all the same.

2. Fight Club
One of the finest 'twist' endings you'll ever see. I remember being absolutely gob-smacked when all of the 'pegs fell into place' and the entire broad scope of the movie was revealed.

3. The Butterfly Effect
I guess time travel movies really do suit this topic, since they're best equipped to provide shock endings. While Ashton Kutcher's acting isn't perfect, the movie has a growing sense of impending doom that you just savour. Really enjoyed it.

4. Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind
Can't go passed Kauffman's wonderfully bittersweet look at romance in the twenty first century. One of the finest movies I've ever seen, without a doubt.

5. La Vita E Bella
Roberto Benini's 'Life is Beautiful' was so wonderfully emotional, and believe it or not, I was shocked by the ending. One of the best movies of the last decade, no doubt.

6. Memento
For ages after I saw this movie I found myself being forced to remind myself that not everything runs backwards. Another movie whose twist is a jaw dropper, and whose atmosphere is wonderfully sparse and alienating.

7. Punch Drunk Love
Paul Thomas Anderson's delightfully oddball look at the romantic comedy genre really needs to be seen to be believed. Adam Sandler is awesome, and the music (provided by master composer Jon Brion) is eccentric and unique. Doesn't have a 'twist' like the others, but did blow me away.

8. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
The ending to this classic movie wasn't what I expected, but I was definitely left both satisfied and shocked. If you haven't seen this, arguably Nicholson's finest work, you need to. Now.

9. Dawn of the Dead (2004 edition)
A refreshing slap in the face after becoming used to the P.C film-making of the last decade. If you miss real gore, women being killed as often as the men, and you want it all with a killer sense of style and coolness, Zack Snyder's Dawn of the Dead remake will blow you away. One of 2004's finest movies.

10. The Sixth Sense
Maybe everyone else picked it a mile out, but I really loved the twist in this movie- that one and only M. Night Shalyman movie I've honestly enjoyed from start to finish. That said, Unbreakable and Signs had their moments.

I've doubtless forgotten a half dozen.

In this catergory, I’ve also defined movies that surprised me by its quality. These are in no particular order. These are not my favourite movies, but damn good ones.

1. Dawn of the Dead (2004 remake) : I am a fan of horror movies, but there are a lot of garbage ones around. But I do hang around, searching for a quality movie of the genre. When I bought a ticket to this movie, I went into the movie just to burn time. I expected a bit of blood, special effects, not quality. Boy, was I wrong!!!
Best horror movie made this decade, without a doubt. Not a dull moment in the whole movie. Beginning to end, a total masterpiece. I feel that it will be recognized more over time as a cult flick.

2. Schlinder’s List : The only movie I’ve ever come out of the cinema with tears. The enormity of the Holocaust is depicted in this movie. “The Pianist” is every bit as good. Must see movies about one of the darkest periods in history.

3. Cliffhanger : Great action flick to watch in the cinema. The opening scene is one of the most tense moments depicted on film. One of those movies where you walk out with the “Wow” factor.

4. Terminator 2 : Judgement Day. Anybody who saw this movie in the big screen and was not blown away, does’nt have a heartbeat. It set a new benchmark in computer-animated special effects.

5. Midnight Express. For those of you who don’t know the story, it is a true story about a drug smuggler who gets caught trying to smuggle hashish out of Turkey. He gets sent to a brutal Turkish prison.
The brutality of the movie blew me away. If you ever think of going on holiday to buy cheap drugs, this movie should deter you.

6. Requiem for a Dream : I went to this movie just to burn time. Totally blown away by its bleakness. Best anti-drug movie ever.

7. Heat : The major gun-battle scene is a must for any home theatre system.

8. The Vanishing : Very underrated 1990s thriller with Kiefer Sutherland and Jeff Bridges.

9. When A Stranger Calls : The scariest movie I’ve ever seen, without a doubt. I saw the dvd a few months back and it still spooks me. Inspired the opening scene with Drew Barrymore in “Scream”.

10. The Hitcher : Another spooky 1980s movie, with Rutger Hauer. Don’t dare see the sequel. The worst movie I’ve seen this year.

seen it the other night, absolutely loved it, i remember thinking F*ck off thats bullshit a fair few times during the latter part of the movie, i didnt think ashton was too bad in it either

i watched the movie Godsend the other day, it was very freaky, i liked it :)

1:Schindler's List
2:The Terminal
3:La Vita Bella
4:Lost In Translation
5:The Village
6:Mr Holland Opus
7:Meet Joe Black
8:Armageddon
9:Sex 2 ^_^
10:Saving Private Ryan

The Village and Armageddon were fucking awful, IMO.

I agree with you on The Terminal though, it was very well done.

I would contend that it is possible to be blown away by some element that is not at the end of the film. Having said that, here's my magiificent seven:

1) Psycho - Janet Leigh's shower is the perfect example of being blown away well before the end of the film - it overshadows what would be a "blown away" ending in it's own right. You can blame Cary Grant for this...

2) North by Northwest - the cropduster sequence is another example of an early "blown away" moment - but the ending has a surprisingly humorous twist to a very dramatic moment at Mount Rushmore, which blew me away quite nicely...

3) Hatari! - The turning point of the whole film comes about a fourth of the way into the film - and it involves Elsa Martinelli, Hardy Krueger and Red Buttons - in a John Wayne movie, quite the surprise. The match scene at the end of the film, and how director Howard Hawks plays it in a different key from the scene it tracks from the beginning, makes for a very hilarious way to end the film...

4) Airplane! - What can I say - it had very few slow moments, and kept me in stitches to the end - I picked the wrong week to take a vow of silence...

5) My Favorite Year - The last reel certainly blew me away, on a humourous as well as an emotional one - Peter O'Toole's work in the previous moments made the last reel even more hilarious, even though it's predictable what will happen by the time the fight begins....

6) Stalag 17 - Just enough comic relief to make the film bearable - good thing, too , as the film puts you through a psychological wringer to the very end. The shooting of the German spy by his own friends - need I say more?

7) Rio Bravo - The villain must die, that's ordained from the start in this John Wayne film - but how he dies, who kills him, and the reaction afterwards from Wayne and the killer was quite stunning - the scene from The Quick and the Dead where the young girl must shoot the hanging man comes very close to this...

Thank god that it's movies that blew ME away.

Armageddon: was a movie that I saw when I was thankful enough not to analyse movies. Its special effects and shit blew me away.

The Village: Is just one of those movies that I liked. It may have had every plot twist under the sun but I still liked it.