Magnolia (1999) is one of the better films in the prominent genre, one which has been popularized in recent decades, of ensemble casts and interweaving storylines. This is a quirky one, but the cast is top-notch, headlined by Tom Cruise (as the memorable Frank T.J. Mackey, pictured above), Jason Robards, Julianne Moore, William H. Macy, John C. Reilly, and Philip Seymour Hoffman.

via imdb.com:

24 hours in L.A.; it’s raining cats and dogs. Two parallel and intercut stories dramatize men about to die: both are estranged from a grown child, both want to make contact, and neither child wants anything to do with dad. Earl Partridge’s son is a charismatic misogynist; Jimmy Gator’s daughter is a cokehead and waif. A mild and caring nurse intercedes for Earl, reaching the son; a prayerful and upright beat cop meets the daughter, is attracted to her, and leads her toward a new calm. Meanwhile, guilt consumes Earl’s young wife, while two whiz kids, one grown and a loser and the other young and pressured, face their situations. The weather, too, is quirky.

It is not a particularly uplifting film, but there is no denying that Platoon (1986) is a fine piece of cinema. Oliver Stone flexes his true auteurship as the writer and director here, while a top shelf cast of Charlie Sheen, the menacing Tom Berenger (pictured above), and William Dafoe dominate the screen. Also noteworthy in the caste are John C. McGinley, Kevin Dillon, and Johnny Depp.

From imdb:

Chris Taylor is a young, naive American who gives up college and volunteers for combat in Vietnam. Upon arrival, he quickly discovers that his presence is quite nonessential, and is considered insignificant to the other soldiers, as he has not fought for as long as the rest of them and felt the effects of combat. Chris has two non-commissioned officers, the ill-tempered and indestructible Staff Sergeant Robert Barnes and the more pleasant and cooperative Sergeant Elias Grodin. A line is drawn between the two NCOs and a number of men in the platoon when an illegal killing occurs during a village raid. As the war continues, Chris himself draws towards psychological meltdown. And as he struggles for survival, he soon realizes he is fighting two battles, the conflict with the enemy and the conflict between the men within his platoon.

Your Friends & Neighbors (1998) was writer/director Neil LaBute’s follow-up to his debut hit of In the Company of Men (1997), a tremendous film which I recommended here and periodically reference in my posts.

This time around, Aaron Eckhart (who played the legendary Chad Piercewell in LaBute’s debut) plays the pathetic schlub.  However, Jason Patric (pictured above) leads as the narcissistic sociopath, complete with plenty of memorable lines and scenes.

Here, again, LaBute scores with an original, very dark comedy, also starring Amy Brenneman, Catherine Keener, Ben Stiller and Nastassja Kinski (also pictured above, with Patric).

It is easy to forget that Grumpy Old Men (1993) is a Thanksgiving movie; Well, at least one with a memorable Thanksgiving dinner scene. This film, of course, centers around grumpy old men and their feuds.

Here, you get a winning comedy with legends like Jack Lemmon, Walter Matthau, Burgess Meredith (pictured above), and Ann Margaret in their twilight years. In addition, Ossie Davis, Darryl Hannah, and Kevin Pollack add to a strong cast.

Add Fargo (1996) to the list as another spectacular film written and directed by the Coen brothers, Joel and Ethan. You will find it entertaining and gripping.

William H. Macy, Frances McDormand, Steve Buscemi, and Peter Stormare headline the quirky yet eery crime thriller set in the American Great Plans and upper midwest, where the winters are beyond cold and the accents are, shall we say, memorable.

You will never forget the wood chipper scene…

From imdb:

Jerry works in his father-in-law’s car dealership and has gotten himself in financial problems. He tries various schemes to come up with money needed for a reason that is never really explained. It has to be assumed that his huge embezzlement of money from the dealership is about to be discovered by father-in-law. When all else falls through, plans he set in motion earlier for two men to kidnap his wife for ransom to be paid by her wealthy father (who doesn’t seem to have the time of day for son-in-law). From the moment of the kidnapping, things go wrong and what was supposed to be a non-violent affair turns bloody with more blood added by the minute. Jerry is upset at the bloodshed, which turns loose a pregnant sheriff from Brainerd, MN who is tenacious in attempting to solve the three murders in her jurisdiction.

Arguably the best detective story ever written, and adapted from the novel, The Maltese Falcon (1941) has it all. Writer/Director John Huston (a brilliant actor in his own right) sets the stage for Humphrey Bogart to take on all comers in the search for a priceless statue.

A memorable performance by Peter Lorre seals the deal as this being one of the best film noirs, let alone films, ever made.