I cheated. I pulled up my list of Essentials on Letterboxd and organized them by rating. It left me with films I can definitely get behind as an Essential list of Cinema Basics.
1.
The Godfather/
The Godfather Part II - The definition of a classic epic and the definition of a classic genre deconstruction on an epic scale.
2.
Seven Samurai - Sorry Bondo, this is the long film that justifies its length. Perhaps if Adam would watch this he would find the benefit a long movie can bring.
3.
12 Angry Men - A highly cinematic play. Great writing and acting, but also wonderfully visual.
4.
Pulp Fiction - This list is mostly about knowing the rules of cinema, but just as important is watching what good things can come from ignoring these rules.
5.
The Good, The Bad and the Ugly - A myth that's the cinematic equal of Homer's Odyssey, and a damn fine western to boot.
6.
Star Wars - And by that I mean
Episodes 4-6. Does the same as The Godfather, but on a level of pulp adventure.
7.
The Passion of Joan of Arc - What advantage do silent films have above talkies? It's all in the faces. It's also in the way you are drawn into the framing.
8.
High and Low - My least favorite film personally among these 10, but as important in terms of narrative construction, and resonating themes. The one title among these 10 where each new viewing uncovers new things to think about. [NOTE:
This has been replaced with Singin' In the Rain.]
9.
Sunset Blvd. - This covers all the genres not covered by the other 9: black comedy., macabre horror, Hollywood satire, film noir
10. TIE:
Rear Window/
Psycho - If I had to pick one director you cannot ignore if you plan to be a critic or a teacher of film, it would be Alfred Hitchcock. Both films show an admirable amount of restraint while proving to be the best examples of Hitchcock's label "Master of Suspense"