Rob, I watch around 200 movies a year (used to watch 300 when that could be considered industry research). While the classics are always good, there isn't going to be any more of those - and there's only so many times one can watch
North by Northwest or
The Maltese Falcon. Matrix was seminal in the action genre, sequels not so much. Its biggest contribution was in showing that our only limitation these days is our imagination - in addition to one of the best shootouts in movie history. Just like elsewhere, 99% of everything is shit; and to be a movie buff one has to learn to appreciate even the stinkers.
I also like documentaries, BBC's
Earth set is an excellent recent one, and Godfrey Reggio's
Koyaanisqatsi/Powaqqatsi/Naqoyqatsi trilogy is visually stunning, although they can be only loosely considered documentaries. One of the best ones I've ever seen is
The Great Dance (click on films, then The Great Dance), about the khoisan people in southern Africa. It shows these "primitive" hunter-gatherers who don't rely on religion or beliefs to guide them in their hunt; they are scientists, and were so thousands of years before the word was even invented. The camerawork won some awards, and for a reason.
Despite the common laments on the internets, there have been exceptional fictional movies in the last few years. Skipping the obvious Oscar winners, three of my favorite movies from last ten years are Michael Mann's moody
Collateral, the intense
Training Day (well, Mr Washington did get an Oscar for his almost-over-the-top performance) and stunning
Hero. First two have limited special effects, certainly less than
Thunderball, while
Hero uses mostly wirework - and in all three special effects are in service of the story and plot, not the driver.
Mann creates
the strongest atmosphere and has
the best pacing of any director, and Collateral is his strongest work after
Heat. There's this one very brief scene with an odd visitor in downtown LA which is moving in its quiet beauty - and this is an action movie.
Training Day in its insanity is a testament to the modern day - it is an updated
Dirty Harry or
Death Wish, capturing contemporary western societies' deepest fears - or more worryingly, perhaps hopes.
Hero is directed by Zhang Yimou, who also directed Beijing Olympics opening ceremony, and the visuals and especially the use of color in the movie is something any photographer will appreciate. The underlying (and controversial) message of the movie dating back to when China was unified for the first time by Qin Dynasty is sent to modern Chinese as much as people outside China. There's plenty of female beauty as well for you!
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