I've seen lots of great films, old and new-ish. Here's a sampling of some that I can remember. I won't include anime because there's so much good stuff out there that it'd make this list quite lengthy.

- Battleship Potemkin - A cinematic masterpiece definitely worth the watch for any film buff or anyone interested in films in general. The first (or at the very least first effective) use of montage. The Odessa stairs sequence is still thrilling in this day and age.

- The Bicycle Thief - I love the interaction between the father and the son, and the story's such a heartbreaking journey where we learn so much about these characters, which is why the events turn out having such a bif effect on us when we see the lengths the father's going through for his son's sake.

- City of God - An interesting, one could almost say hip depiction of Brazil's slums told in a very entertaining yet somewhat gritty way. The characters are memorable, the cinematography is exquisite, and the story has some nice sequences with interesting dialogue.

- Infernal Affairs - The film The Departed is based on, more or less. In some ways it's still superior to Scorcese's version; I just love the character interaction, the twists and turns and the way it's shot. Lots of cool stuff going on.

- Pan's Labyrinth - This is one of those great dark fantasy films. Such distinctive look, the breathtakingly beautiful and complex music score by Javier Navarrete, fine performances and many memorable sequences which all serve what matters the most: the bittersweet story.

- Persepolis - An interesting, surprisingly comical yet intelligent look at the Iranian revolution and its effect on the main character while still having darker elements. It's a pretty balanced coming of age film with a clear story arc, and the animation will linger in your mind after you've watched it.

- Tuntematon Sotilas (The Unknown Soldier) (1955 version) - This is one of THE Finnish films which most foreigners likely won't ever watch, but its historic signifance to us Finns is unmistakable. It and the novel that spawned it were much needed after WW2, its sayings, scenes and characters live on in everyday Finnish life, and even if we leave all of that out, it's still a very interesting look at people from different areas in Finland growing into a cohesive military unit and winning victories and ultimately suffering losses in the war against Soviets. You won't understand a Finn until you've seen this film; it and the novel have shaped the nation, and it's still an enjoyable film to watch with lots of memorable performances from A list Finnish actors of the time.