Goal #33 on my 101 in 1001 list includes making a top 10 list of books, music and movies. I'm going to start with movies. The rules for this is that they're not the 10 best movies I've ever seen, but merely the 10 movies that I consider my most favorite. These are movies that I can watch over and over again. I can quote them, and I just don't get tired of them. So, without further ado:
10) Ronin
Chosing #10 was hard. On Netflix I have 76 movies that I've rated 5 stars. Almost all of them would qualify for this list. Ronin wins out for the most intense car chase I think I've ever seen. Combined with my love of Robert DeNiro and Jean Reno. It's an action movie with a huge amount of brains thrown in.
9) The Princess Bride
It's hard to not love this movie. It's funny, irreverent, touching, romantic, full of action. It's got pirates and princesses and swordfights and true love and Andre the Giant. By the end, you might even not mind the kissing parts so much. Also, I totally had the poster of The Fridge on my wall when I was in 6th Grade.
8) The Fifth Element
In the future, everything is just a little bit more awsome. Including things like beuracracy, traffic, and your mom. When you're a regular guy who, thanks to a beautiful woman dropping in, has to save the universe (I mean, this happens to you all the time when you're Bruce Willis); you have to suck it up and save the world. And be totally awsome in the process.
7) Leon (aka The Professional)
The hitman with the heart of gold. His fundamental rule is "No Women, No Children" anyone else is fair game. Like an eastern European ninja. But when a young girl needs his help, he turns his life upside down to rescue her. Not only from the bad guys, but from her own life.
6) Miracle on 34th Street
"I believe. I believe. It's silly, but I believe." No matter what anyone says, there is magic in the world. It's entirely possible that a little old man named Kris Kringle is actually Santa Claus. It's faith in each other that makes magic possible. This would be higher on the list, but since I can only watch it between Thanksgiving and New Year, it doesn't go quite as high.
5) Office Space
Anyone who's ever had a job that was more about doing time than doing what you love can identify with this movie. Sometimes, it's just not worth it. "Yeah, I just stare at my desk; but it looks like I'm working. I do that for probably another hour after lunch, too. I'd say in a given week I probably only do about fifteen minutes of real, actual, work."
4) Ferris Bueller's Day Off
Sometime you need to take a day off. This movie is a story of friendship, loyalty, and in the end, it's about Cameron more than it's about Ferris. For Ferris, it's a fun day with is best friends, but for Cameron, it is, in a lot of ways, the begining of his life. It's also a bit of a love letter to the city of Chicago. "The question isn't 'what are we going to do,' the question is 'what aren't we going to do?'"
3) Top Gun
"Too close for missles, I'm switching to guns." This was practically our battle cry in college. One of my closest friends (who is an actual pilot) and I watched this every time it was on TV, and even rented it a few times. We still watch this if it's on when we're hanging out together. It's not great film-making by any stretch, but I still tear up ever time when Goose hits the canopy.
2) The Usual Suspects
A line up of criminals that leads to a brilliant setup of corrupt cops. That in turn leads to an assult on boat. Which all turns out to be a setup. When you finally figure out "Who is Keyser Soze" it hits you like a brick to the skull. The first time I saw The Usual Suspects, I had to stop it a half hour before the end. When I came back and finished it, I rewound it and watched it again right away. It's that good.
1) The Wizard of Oz
When I was young, The Wizard of Oz was shown on TV once a year. It was a big occasion in our family. We got to stay up late to watch it. We had a big bowl of popcorn and made a major occasion out of it. Now with Tivo and DVDs, it's not quite the occasion that it used to be, but I still love sitting down and watching The Wizard of Oz. It's a beautiful movie, and it hold memories for me that make it even better.
So... what are your favorites, and why? Are there movies that you're surprised didn't make my list? Let me know!
Leave a Comment
Before leaving a comment, please ensure you have read and understand my comments policy and my privacy policy. Any comment that does not abide by the comment policy will be deleted immediately.