Adding on to previous post (pagebreak cooked me), Beowulf is so good that it's missing a portion and still among the oldest and best-known pieces of literature. The Epic of Gilgamesh is also incredible in terms of what it teaches and how.
There are plenty of films which I'd consider peak fiction. To name a few:
Then there are books. I think perhaps the peakest of peak literature is Infinite Jest; it is so insane and whimsical and impossible to read, but once you manage it it's like everything unlocks. I also love The Brothers Karamazov and the former two books are my favorites of all time. On the more palatable side, I think The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho is incredible; it's short, sweet, and discusses the human condition on a very deep level nonetheless.
There are plenty of films which I'd consider peak fiction. To name a few:
Dr. Strangelove - Cynical and brooding but at the same time an absolutely hilarious film; the black comedy and political satire genres pay homage to this film in so many ways.
2001: A Space Odyssey - This movie and Dune (novel) did untold things for the sci-fi genre, and it's super apparent based on the way it looks. So, so good.
Interstellar and Blade Runner - Sci-fi often fails to really portray humanity and human connection very well; these two movies tie it very intricately into the movie in a way that the message cannot exist in a vacuum.
Memento - Christopher Nolan is batshit insane but it panned out here; the parallel plotlines and how the converge is just chef's kiss
Taxi Driver - Robert De Niro my goat.
The Green Mile
No Country for Old Men - Best villain in all of fiction, ever.
Dune parts 1 and 2 - The novel did crazy things for the sci-fi genre, and as good as it is it is also insanely complex. This normally bodes terribly for film adaptation, but these two movies didn't disappoint.
Pan's Labyrinth - Dark fantasy is a great genre that is normally terribly executed. This film bucks that trend and is the best film of this genre by far.
Howl's Moving Castle - Token animated film and among my favorite movies of all time
2001: A Space Odyssey - This movie and Dune (novel) did untold things for the sci-fi genre, and it's super apparent based on the way it looks. So, so good.
Interstellar and Blade Runner - Sci-fi often fails to really portray humanity and human connection very well; these two movies tie it very intricately into the movie in a way that the message cannot exist in a vacuum.
Memento - Christopher Nolan is batshit insane but it panned out here; the parallel plotlines and how the converge is just chef's kiss
Taxi Driver - Robert De Niro my goat.
The Green Mile
No Country for Old Men - Best villain in all of fiction, ever.
Dune parts 1 and 2 - The novel did crazy things for the sci-fi genre, and as good as it is it is also insanely complex. This normally bodes terribly for film adaptation, but these two movies didn't disappoint.
Pan's Labyrinth - Dark fantasy is a great genre that is normally terribly executed. This film bucks that trend and is the best film of this genre by far.
Howl's Moving Castle - Token animated film and among my favorite movies of all time
Then there are books. I think perhaps the peakest of peak literature is Infinite Jest; it is so insane and whimsical and impossible to read, but once you manage it it's like everything unlocks. I also love The Brothers Karamazov and the former two books are my favorites of all time. On the more palatable side, I think The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho is incredible; it's short, sweet, and discusses the human condition on a very deep level nonetheless.
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