14 June 2014

JR Late Night Blogs: All Time 25 Movies (Part 2)


JR's All Time 25 - Movies
JR Late Night Blogs debuts the All Time 25 lists. JR Late Night Blogs' All Time 25 lists JR's favorites and picks for random categories ranking them in his own tastes and preferences and giving them a brief reason why he included such. In JR's first All Time 25 list, JR gives you an idea on what are his 25 Favorite Feature Films encompassing all years of movie release and all types of movie genres. The films  listed on the list have been watched by JR from start to finish and are deemed by him as aesthetically beautiful in terms of story, cinematography, editing, and musical score. These movies are his favorites and shall therefore not be representative as the best films of all time. As there are a lot of movies that have not yet been watched by JR, JR may wish to re-release the list soon with new films definitive of his wants in a movie.
By the way, SPOILER ALERT!!! JR presents to you his All Time 25 Movies.

JR's ALL TIME 25 - MOVIES METHODOLOGY:
1. For a movie to qualify in the list, it must first be watched by JR from start to finish.
2. It must pass JR's standards on story, cinematography, editing and musical score.
3. No more than five feature films per year are to be included.
4. Only five films per movie genre are included. The following are those genres:
     >>> Animation
     >>> Action / Crime
     >>> Drama / Comedy
     >>> Fantasy / Sci-Fi
     >>> Horror / Thriller
5. In cases of movie franchises, only one film will be selected. Spin-offs included.
6. No tv show/anime/video game adapted movies were included in the list.
7. Only films which premiered in cinemas are included in the list. No films which premiered on TV included.
8. In cases of re-releases or remasters, JR will make mention of his pick in the list.
9. All films selected are international films, they should be known and acclaimed universally.
10. All data in the list were as of blog editing - 24 May 2014. All box office numbers were rounded to nearest thousands.


JR'S ALL TIME 25 - MOVIES

Summary of the List:
1   |   2   |   3   |   4   |   5   |   6   |   7   |   8   |   9   |   10   |   11   |   12
13  |  14  |  15  |  16  |  17  |  18  |  19  |  20  |  21  |  22  |  23  |  24  |  25
Intro   |   Methodology   |   Data Sources   |   Photo Credits

JR's All Time 25 - Movies
Rank
Movies
Movie Genre Year of Release
1 Horror 2005
2 Sci-Fi 2013
3 Action 2007
4 Animation 2010
5 Drama 2010
6 Thriller 1991
7 Animation 2006
8 Sci-Fi 2007
9 Thriller 1993
10 Crime 1983
11 Crime 1972
12 Sci-Fi 2010
13 Comedy 1985
14 Thriller 2009
15 Animation 2003
16 Action 1962
17 Sci-Fi 1991
18 Animation 2010
19 Drama 2001
20 Thriller 2014
21 Action 2000
22 Fantasy 2011
23 Drama 1997
24 Animation 2001
25 Drama 1999

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Back To The Future
#13
BACK TO THE FUTURE
(1985)
Worldwide Box Office: 
$381,100,000
Movie Genre: 
Comedy
Director/s: 
Robert Zemeckis
Producer/s: 
Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall, Steven Spielberg
Writer/s: 
Robert Zemeckis, Bob Gale
Distributor: 
Universal
MPAA Rating: 
PG
Total Running Time: 
1 hour, 51 minutes
Production Budget: 
$19 million
Cast Overview: 
Michael Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, Crispin Glover, Thomas Wilson, Claudia Wells, James Tolkan, Marc McClure, Wendie Jo Sperber

One of those perfect examples of old movies that kids and teens at present should watch is Back To The Future. Unlike other drama / comedy films, Back To The Future builds into the idea of time travel but using a unique type of transport,  a DeLorean built with a Flux Capacitor Time Circuit by Doc Brown. My favorite of the three Back To The Future films though is the first as it goes into an era and situation that, for me, is very interesting. The era being that going back to where your parents were still teens, an era where America is a bit retrospective and conservative. The situation being within the era but interfering with what should have happened in that specific time. The movie revolves around the idea that once you interfere with what should happen during a time in the past, you would create an alternate universe in the present or future where everything is different from what should be happening within that time in the first place (confusing, isn't it). Once you watch the first, you'll really anticipate on watching the second and third movie.


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2012
#14
2012
(2009)
Worldwide Box Office: 
$769,700,000
Movie Genre: 
Thriller
Director/s: 
Roland Emmerich
Producer/s: 
Larry Franco, Mark Gordon, Harald Kloser
Writer/s: 
Harald Kloser, Roland Emmerich
Distributor: 
Sony / Columbia
MPAA Rating: 
PG-13
Total Running Time: 
2 hours, 38 minutes
Production Budget: 
$200 million
Cast Overview: 
John Cusack, Woody Harrelson, Thandie Newton, Amanda Peet

Did not happen, but still worth watching the movie. It has been believed that the Mayans prophesied  that the world would end on a date that is 21 December 2012. And that is what the movie revolves on. 2012 gives a unique rendition of what could have happened if the prophecy where to be real and accurate. Cities suffering from earthquakes, tsunamis striking various business districts, volcanoes spewing huge amounts of lava, water devouring land, devastation is what seems to be what would happen at the end of the world, the demise of humanity. Despite destruction occurring (which is actually the attention grabber in the film), what you would really focus on the film is the story of an average family struggling to reach the only means of survival - arks that contain ample amount of supply that would help carry humanity until land comes back from abyss. Of all the apocalyptic movies created by Roland Emmerich, 2012 is the one that truly captures the idea of end of the world. No other movie comes close.


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Finding Nemo
#15
FINDING NEMO
(2003)
Worldwide Box Office: 
$936,700,000
Movie Genre: 
Animation
Director/s: 
Andrew Stanton, Lee Unkrich
Producer/s: 
John Lasseter
Writer/s: 
Bob Peterson, David Reynolds, Andrew Stanton
Distributor: 
Buena Vista
MPAA Rating: 
G
Total Running Time: 
1 hour, 44 minutes
Production Budget: 
$94 million
Voice Cast Overview: 
Albert Brooks, Ellen DeGeneres, Willem Dafoe, Eric Bana, Geoffrey Rush

Finding Nemo is another classic that adults and kids would love. Finding Nemo is about a clownfish named Nemo who was captured and sold by scuba divers to a dentist in Sydney which in turn leads to his father swimming across the Pacific meeting and getting help from various kinds of aquatic animals (like sharks, turtles, jellyfishes, and whales) just to find and save his one and only child. Finding Nemo is a very touching movie as it deals with family love only few films can present in a manner that is unique. From the very tragic start where Nemo was the only survivor of all the children Marlin should have to the time when Dory and Nemo was captured by fishermen, the movie is full of sad moments (which sometimes are very strong for children). Despite these, however, the film knows how to change the tone and emotion of the film to somewhat a happy ending which all of the viewers deem for in an animated movie. As you root for Marlin and Dory, expect a lot of twists which would enhance your feeling of thrill and excitement. Finding Nemo is an animated classic that everyone should watch.


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Dr. No
#16
DR. NO
(1963)
Worldwide Box Office: 
$16,100,000
Movie Genre: 
Action
Director/s: 
Terence Young
Producer/s: 
Harry Saltzman, Albert Broccoli
Writer/s: 
Richard Maibaum, Johanna Harwood, Berkely Mather
Distributor: 
United Artists
MPAA Rating: 
PG
Total Running Time: 
1 hour, 50 minutes
Production Budget: 
$1 million
Cast Overview: 
Sean Connery, Ursula Andress, Joseph Wiseman, Jack Lord, Bernard Lee, Anthony Dawson, John Kitzmiller, Zena Marshall, Eunice Gayson, Lois Maxwell, Peter Burton, Timothy Moxon, Reginald Carter, Yvonne Shima, Michel Mok, Marguerite LeWars, Dolores Keator

No list is complete without the movie icon that is James Bond. With 23 movies and counting, James Bond is one of the most prominent fictional characters on print and media. Well known as a spy who is tasked to various difficult and impossible missions by the Secret Intelligence Service, James Bond has been a staple in the entertainment industry. It's like everyone knows him. Unlike Mission Impossible's Ethan Hunt and Die Hard's John McClane, James Bond is involved in diverse missions expanding from the seas to the space outside our planet. Other than that, James Bond invests in unique technology ranging from Aston Martin cars and gadgets that only a few films can take advantage of. Another unique thing about James Bond is that the movie can progress despite a change in actor (notable ones being Sean Connery, Roger Moore, Pierce Brosnan, and Daniel Craig) and despite a change in cast ensembles including those of the Bond girls which Mission Impossible and Die Hard fails to do. My favorite among the James Bond films is the very first one, Dr. No as it establishes who the character really is and the type of missions that he engages in. Other James Bond films that I really like are Goldfinger, Diamonds Are Forever, Moonraker, Octopussy, Goldeneye, Die Another Day, and Casino Royale. Not yet have watched Skyfall though, some say it is the best film of the series so far. 


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Terminator 2: Judgment Day
#17
TERMINATOR 2: JUDGMENT DAY
(1991)
Worldwide Box Office: 
$519,800,000
Movie Genre: 
Sci-Fi
Director/s: 
James Cameron
Producer/s: 
James Cameron, Gale Anne Hurd
Writer/s: 
James Cameron
Distributor: 
TriStar
MPAA Rating: 
R
Total Running Time: 
2 hours, 17 minutes
Production Budget: 
$102 million
Cast Overview: 
Arnold Schwarzenegger, Edward Furlong, Linda Hamilton, Robert Patrick

What happens when mankind's artificial intelligence technology turns out to become far more superior than mankind's own intellectual capabilities, technology starts to have a mind on its own and the demise of humanity follows. What Terminator invests in is the idea of machines becoming self-aware, killing the entire human race, and controlling the world that was once predominantly owned by natural living organisms. Of all the Terminator films, only one manages to successfully capture my attention and that is Terminator 2: Judgment Day. With the help of the the Terminator himself (played by Arnold Schwarzenegger), the rise of machines against mankind is prevented by going back in time and destroying the development of the technology which is believed to start this havoc in the first place. Believe me, the reason you'll love this film is Arnold Schwarzenegger's portrayal of Terminator which I believe is the awesomest thing you'll witness on screen.


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How To Train Your Dragon
#18
HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON
(2010)
Worldwide Box Office: 
$494,900,000
Movie Genre: 
Animation
Director/s: 
Dean DeBlois, Chris Sanders
Producer/s: 
Kristine Belson
Writer/s: 
Dean DeBlois, Chris Sanders
Distributor: 
Paramount (DreamWorks)
MPAA Rating: 
PG
Total Running Time: 
1 hour, 38 minutes
Production Budget: 
$165 million
Voice Cast Overview: 
Jay Baruchel, Gerard Butler, America Ferrera, Jonah Hill, TJ Miller, Kristen Wiig, Christopher Mintz-Plasse

You will become a fan of dragon taming if you watch How To Train Your Dragon. How To Train Your Dragon is another of those animated films which would not fail to give you awe in its amazing rendition of an environment surrounded by diverse species of dragons.  Set in a fictional medieval ages where dragons are considered as enemies, How To Train Your Dragon engages a young viking to the test of gaining the trust of a Night Fury dragon (a very powerful species of dragon) to aid him in his quest of defeating an enormous foe which was the primary cause of disparity between dragons and humans. In this list of JR's, How To Train Your Dragon is unique amongst all animated films because it was not made by Disney Pixar (those being Toy Story 3, Cars, Finding Nemo, and Monsters, Inc.). How To Train Your Dragon is the only animated film in the list to be made by DreamWorks. As a big fan of the movie, I really anticipate the two sequels of How To Train Your Dragon with one set to premiere this month. 


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Pearl Harbor
#19
PEARL HARBOR
(2001)
Worldwide Box Office: 
$449,200,000
Movie Genre: 
Drama
Director/s: 
Michael Bay
Producer/s: 
Michael Bay, Jerry Bruckheimer, Randall Wallace
Writer/s: 
Randall Wallace
Distributor: 
Buena Vista
MPAA Rating: 
PG-13
Total Running Time: 
3 hours, 3 minutes
Production Budget: 
$140 million
Cast Overview: 
Ben Affleck, Josh Hartnett, Kate Beckinsale, Cuba Gooding Jr., Jon Voight, Alec Baldwin, Tom Sizemore, Jennifer Garner

Pearl Harbor has been highly criticized by critics but that doesn't stop me from loving this film. One thing that Michael Bay accomplishes in Pearl Harbor is a creation of a love story set in one of the most historic events during the World War, the bombing at Pearl Harbor. When one re-invents an event that occurs in the past, there are a few things to take note of, one being able to portray it as accurately as possible adding minimal adjustments and changes which would not damage the course of what truly happened. I may have not witnessed the actual event but Pearl Harbor gave me a glimpse of what occurred during this devastating event in the history of mankind. It may not be the real portrayal of the bombing at Pearl Harbor but the movie's use of the event is enough to create a love story that viewers would get attached to. Pearl Harbor, other than being about the bombing of Pearl Harbor, is about two best friends under the Air Force of the military who falls in love with a volunteer nurse during the peak of World War II. With the best friends being sent into missions by the United States, they are faced with the challenge of trust and loyalty to each other. What happens in the end is really a shocking game changer.


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Godzilla
#20
GODZILLA
(2014)
Worldwide Box Office: 
$323, 400,000
Movie Genre: 
Thriller
Director/s: 
Gareth Edwards
Producer/s: 
Jon Jashni, Mary Parent, Brian Rogers, Thomas Tull
Writer/s: 
Max Borenstein
Distributor: 
Warner Bros.
MPAA Rating: 
PG-13
Total Running Time: 
2 hours, 3 minutes
Production Budget: 
$160 million
Cast Overview: 
Aaron Johnson, Ken Watanabe, Elizabeth Olsen, Juliette Binoche, Sally Hawkins, David Strathairn, Bryan Cranston

The most recent film to be included on this list is Godzilla. It is really the best film of the year so far, graphics, computer animation, story, musical score, cinematography, everything is thoroughly-made in this film. Just watched this film a few days before making this blog and having it in the list is a big thing. Tracing back to the original Godzilla movies and its classic remakes, this contemporary version of the monster giant is just big and ambitious. I mean, Godzilla is really big, the MUTOs are literally massive, the setting that is Japan, Philippines, Hawaii, Nevada and California is broad in scope (and destruction), the army also made a big contribution in this film. Godzilla is about a predator monster named Gojira (I researched it and that was the name) who is set out into land after two MUTOs (Massive Unidentified Terrestrial Organisms) were triggered to be born by man. It is really a battle of the giants with Godzilla fighting and killing these two massive organisms which are deemed to bring this world back to an age where radioactivity is prominent. Before the blockbuster experience ends, go out to your local cinema and watch the King of all Monsters, Godzilla. Just excited on who Godzilla will fight next, now that we have great movie technology.


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Gladiator
#21
GLADIATOR
(2000)
Worldwide Box Office: 
$457,600,000
Movie Genre: 
Action
Director/s: 
Ridley Scott
Producer/s: 
Douglas Wick
Writer/s: 
David Franzoni, John Logan, William Nicholson
Distributor: 
DreamWorks
MPAA Rating: 
R
Total Running Time: 
2 hours, 35 minutes
Production Budget: 
$103 million
Cast Overview: 
Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix

Roman and Greek history are some of the great concepts ever to be presented on film. No other movie presents that history better than Gladiator. Gladiator focuses on a general who formerly ruled the Roman army named Maximus Decimus Meridius.  He was deemed to be the next emperor after the reign of Marcus Aurelius after Maximus led the empire towards a victory against an opposing group / tribe set to conquer them and their land. The movie gets twisted though when Commodus declared himself emperor (after the death of his father) and intended to kill Maximus. Maximus flees the empire and makes himself known once more as a gladiator, a fighter in the games made by the Romans for entertainment. There are many other picks for me other than Gladiator, they were Braveheart and Spartacus, but the reason why I chose Gladiator is how realistic the battles were presented despite the gore and violence involved. The gruesome battles where blood and death is involved is what made this movie truly iconic and unique for me. Add up the presentation of cruelty, corruption and deception during the past, Gladiator gives us an idea how really different the civilized life of the Romans were to our modern civilized way of life.


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Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Part 2)
#22
HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS - PART 2 (2011)
Worldwide Box Office: 
$1,341,500,000
Movie Genre: 
Fantasy
Director/s: 
David Yates
Producer/s: 
David Heyman
Writer/s: 
Steve Kloves
Distributor: 
Warner Bros.
MPAA Rating: 
PG-13
Total Running Time: 
2 hours, 10 minutes
Production Budget: 
$250 million (shared with Part 1)
Cast Overview: 
Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Helena Bonham Carter, Ralph Fiennes, Tom Felton, Robbie Coltrane, Michael Gambon, Jason Isaacs, Alan Rickman, David Thewlis, Julie Walters, Bonnie Wright, Gary Oldman, Emma Thompson, Maggie Smith, John Hurt, Kelly Macdonald, Ciaran Hinds, Warwick Davis, Miranda Richardson, Timothy Spall, Jim Broadbent

I really love Harry Potter, everything about its fictional universe is just unique. The thing is its hard for me to even select my favorite of all the films in the franchise because it seems to me all were made with beautiful environments, attention-grabbing story and memorable characters. To be honest, though, only two I have watched in theaters, these were Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (the first film) and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2 (the last film) so I guess I would choose from those two because the experience I had with the two films is different from those I have watched on Blu-Ray. Though the first film gave me awe when I watched it on cinema, the last film is what gave me the "true" and "most" awe, excitement and goosebumps as it was the final time I am going to see the adventures of the man that is Harry Potter. Harry Potter is a boy wizard set into adventures occurring within the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The second part of the final film highlights the battle between Harry Potter and Lord Voldemort (he who must not be named). The movie is a nice conclusion to J.K. Rowling's iconic book series.


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Titanic
#23
TITANIC
(1997)
Worldwide Box Office: 
$2,186,800,000
Movie Genre: 
Drama
Director/s: 
James Cameron
Producer/s: 
Jon Landau
Writer/s: 
James Cameron
Distributor: 
Paramount
MPAA Rating: 
PG-13
Total Running Time: 
3 hours, 14 minutes
Production Budget: 
$200 million
Cast Overview: 
Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, Billy Zane, Kathy Bates, Bill Paxton, Bernard Hill, Ioan Gruffudd

What is the best romance film out there? Titanic. Titanic is the only romance film that I think has a long-lasting appeal to its viewers. Those who watched the film will never forget the love story between a poor man named Jack Dawson and the daughter of a high-class family named Rose Bukater. One thing that James Cameron that Nicholas Sparks and John Green failed to do is creating a love story that is set in an event that has happened in history, one of the most tragic disasters in history. It was like creating fiction out of a real event. Titanic has been one of those movie classics that broke box office records earning more than a billion dollars in worldwide gross and earnings. The movie focuses on a love story between two individuals who are challenged with events occurring in the Titanic. As the RMS Titanic is deemed as the boat that even God can't sink, the engineers were proven wrong as they have not prepared for a challenge that they have not expected. As the disaster happened, a lot of people died but the love story of Jack and Rose lived together with a piece of treasure that has been searched by many. Watch the romance that is Titanic before engaging in any other flick. Watch it with your special someone, to make the experience more special.


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Monsters, Inc.
#24
MONSTERS, INC.
(2001)
Worldwide Box Office: 
$562,800,000
Movie Genre: 
Animation
Director/s: 
Pete Docter, David Silverman, Lee Unkrich
Producer/s: 
Darla Anderson, John Lasseter
Writer/s: 
Pete Docter, Daniel Gerson, Andrew Stanton
Distributor: 
Buena Vista
MPAA Rating: 
G
Total Running Time: 
1 hour, 30 minutes
Production Budget: 
$115 million
Voice Cast Overview: 
Billy Crystal, John Goodman, Bonnie Hunt

Another Pixar film if you may. It has been a tough call for me to choose the last animated film in the list because I also like Up, WALL-E, and Frozen but I settled with a movie that is for me an experience I will always treasure as a kid. That experience is Monsters, Inc. Monsters, Inc is for me a memorable experience as a kid because I have always dreamt to have an adventure just like Boo from the film had. Call me weird, but I always wanted to have buddies like Mike and Sulley. Set in a universe where power is generated through the screams of children from monsters, Monsters, Inc is about a factory mistake that means success or failure to Sulley and life or death to a kid named Boo. The movie's ending, believe me, will give you the most painful pinch to the heart. One of the most unforgettable scenes in all animated movies.


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Anna And The King
#25
ANNA AND THE KING
(1999)
Worldwide Box Office: 
$114,000,000
Movie Genre: 
Drama
Director/s: 
Andy Tennant
Producer/s: 
Lawrence Bender
Writer/s: 
Anna Leonowens, Steve Meerson, Peter Krikes
Distributor: 
Fox
MPAA Rating: 
PG-13
Total Running Time: 
2 hours, 28 minutes
Production Budget: 
$92 million
Cast Overview: 
Jodie Foster, Yun-Fat Chow

JR ends the list with an action, romantic, dramatic, comedic, and historical flick. Anna and the King is one of those movies based on historic events that will really give you an experience you will never forget. Set in the beautiful palace in Siam, Anna and the King explores a dynasty where they place emphasis on the education of those successors to the throne. When a British teacher comes into the palace, reform and changes happen in terms of customs, traditions, and beliefs. The movie is historical as it was based on the experiences of Anna Leonowens upon being hired a teacher to the 82 children of King Mongkut, King of Siam. The movie is comedic as it engages two various individuals in culture conflict ending up in a funny clash of words and beliefs. The movie is action-packed as it places a whole city in danger after a group of men from Burma wages war to them. The movie is dramatic as it places Anna in various cultural and traditional practices that her conscience does not condone. And finally, the movie is romantic as it focuses on the love formed between King Mongkut and Anna Leonowens. I recommend this movie for all individuals who wants to experience something different, exotic, and unique. Experience history and love at the same time in Anna and the King.


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Movies has become an integral part of our life giving us entertainment, pleasure, inspiration and emotion in those moments when we need them. As JR have shared to you his 25 All Time Favorite Movies, JR guess that you would also reflect on those films that defined your life, those that you have memorable and treasured experiences. These are JR's 25 All-Time Favorite Movies, what are yours?
This has been JR Late Night Blogs: All Time 25 Movies.

- - - END OF JR LATE NIGHT BLOGS: ALL TIME 25 MOVIES - - -

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DATA SOURCES

All data used in the details of each film used in this blog are from the following sites:
1. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia
2. The Internet Movie Database
3. Box Office Mojo

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PHOTO CREDITS

1) Saw 2
2) The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
3) The Bourne Ultimatum
4) Toy Story 3
5) The Social Network
6) Silence of the Lambs
7) Cars
8) Spider-Man 3
9) The Nightmare Before Christmas
10) Scarface
11) The Godfather
12) Tron: Legacy
13) Back To The Future
14) 2012
15) Finding Nemo
16) Dr. No
17) Terminator 2: Judgment Day
18) How To Train Your Dragon
19) Pearl Harbor
20) Godzilla
21) Gladiator
22) Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
23) Titanic
24) Monsters, Inc.
25) Anna And The King

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^JR Late Night Posts - JR Late Night All Time 25
Time Published: 14 June 2014 (9PM)