Movies: Neil Burger

The writer-director of " The Illusionist " returns with a new film, " The Lucky Ones, " about three Iraq War vets back at home. His picks:

My Five Most Important Movies

1. "Dr. Strangelove." Kubrick's hilarious, frightening classic. The ultimate dark comedy about the world on the brink of annihilation.

2. "La Dolce Vita." Decadence and social climbing in 1960 Rome. The set pieces and the images are genius.

3. "The Last Detail." Two Navy men taking a prisoner up the Eastern Seaboard. A snapshot of 1973 America.

4. "High Hopes." In Mike Leigh's movies, every action is so well observed.

5. "Raging Bull." A character piece with Scorsese's operatic visual style. Every bit of it is inventive, bravura filmmaking.

A movie parents should share with their kids: "Chariots of Fire." A beautiful, lyrical story of two runners passionate about their sport.

A major movie you revisited with disappointment: I'll get slammed for this, but … "North by Northwest." I love Hitchcock, but the plotting feels mechanical and it lacks the real human behavior that grounds his other films.

© 2008