These movies aren't in any real order, but just a list of movies that I love and am currently thinking about. I also tried to include movies of several different genres just to keep things different. No Spoilers!
Jurassic Park
I guess it wouldn't be right for me to start this off with any other movie than Jurassic Park. This is one of those movies that I think everyone can agree with in saying it's a masterpiece. It's probably the movie I've seen the most, as I've literally been watching it since I was a tiny little boy. As I grew, my love for this movie grew too. The things I loved when I was young are still there, the amazing visuals and dinosaurs, but also so much more than that. The actors all do an amazing job portraying their characters and the writing is so great. The way everything is presented and the story slowly unfolds just works so well. The unforgettable scene where the T-Rex makes his debut on the rainy road as they teased him throughout the movie. The great dialog about the ethics of bringing extinct creatures back to life and opening a theme park with them. It's all perfect and it makes a film that will stay with you the rest of your life. Every part of this movie works and it works fantastically. That's why it will always be probably the most important film in my life and one that I will always love. Oh and John Williams' score brings a tear to my eye.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Whenever I'm thinking about my favorite movies this one always pops into my head pretty quickly. It's not a movie I grew up watching, but I've seen it enough times that it certainly feels that way. It's a film that really takes you through a rollercoaster of emotions along the main character. The story of how an awkward/shy teen in high school named Charlie meets a group of kids that invite him into their circle. There we see Charlie grow and change into a new person as he finds a place where he really feels like he belongs, but not without some pain along the way. The movie brings this perfect balance of believability and absurdity that really works well and makes for a very memorable cast of characters. As far as High School movies go, this is one of my favorites.
Inglourious Basterds
Can't have a list like this without putting at least one Tarantino film. I've never really been a huge fan of WWII movies myself, but this is one giant exception. This movie isn't exactly factual in any way when it comes to WWII and how it went down, but that doesn't stop it from being one of the best movies ever made. From one of the best opening scenes in any movie to one of the most surprising endings I never saw coming, it's truly a masterpiece. Every cast member knocks it out of the park and I'm sure the great script does a lot to help. There are so many iconic scenes full of tension, laughs and memorable lines. Also one of the best villains in a movie played by Christoph Waltz, who was so much fun to hate. When it comes to Tarantino films, this one is still my favorite.
LotR: The Fellowship of the Ring
I always have this debate about whether fantasy or sci-fi movies honestly it's hard to choose since there are so many great films in both categories. When it comes to fantasy there's not much that stands up against the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Fellowship of the Ring was the one that started it all, and it had a lot to accomplish as the first movie in a series of three. This movie lived up to expectation and it also blew past any expectation going into it. The world of Middle-Earth was established about as perfect as it could be in this one movie and only made everyone even movie excited to see the next movie. Every character was perfectly cast and done justice. The visuals and locations felt epic and unlike anything else in film at the time. Seeing the Orcs, Elves, Hobbits, and Dwarves of Middle-Earth for the very first time were amazing. Even almost two decades later and there hasn't been anything to match this movie in the high fantasy genre. It set the bar so high, even it's own prequels in the "Hobbit" didn't stand a chance to be as good. PO-TA-TOES... wait that's the second one.
Ex Machina
It seems like these AI/robot sci-fi movies are a dime a dozen these days, but none of them have hit me as hard as Ex Machina. That's probably because of the amazing performances by actors that I have grown to love but did not know when I first watched this movie. Oscar Isaac, Alicia Vikander, and Domhnall Gleeson all showed up and gave performances that I won't be forgetting anytime soon. The great performances lead to some truly gripping moments that freaked me out about whatever the future is and I'm glad I won't be around when robots truly become a thing (maybe?). If you're into the idea of robots that are way too lifelike then this movie is for you.
Singin' in the Rain
Movie musicals are usually hit or miss for me. Singin' in the Rain though, was much more than just a hit. It's one of those movies that I get lots and lots of joy from watching. The music is amazing for one, but you kind of expect that in a musical. The story is actually very clever and hilarious, and all the actors come off as very charismatic and/or hilarious. What I love the most though is the amazing choreography on all the musical numbers. Gene Kelly, Debby Reynolds and Donald O'Connor (among all the extras and such) are so memorable in their performances. I love the old Hollywood feel this movie has, it really takes me back to a time I wasn't even born yet. When it comes to movie musicals, I don't think anything compares.
Princess Mononoke
This was the first full-length anime movie I ever saw, and also the first animated movie that wasn't a kids film. It was an awesome experience watching an animated movie with blood, violence and serious topics. Of course, I was too young to really understand it all completely, but watching it now I really get to appreciate every little bit of this movie. Miyazaki created this amazing story and world with lots of great action and topics that can relate to our own world. The film explores man's relationship with nature and how they are in conflict because of man's destructive nature, you know like building another shopping center and cutting down all the trees...except the movie takes place in the 14th century so not quite that. Still, this movie holds up amazingly well, thanks to the highly detailed hand-drawn animation and great voice acting by some well-known actors. Yep, there are some amazing animated movies out there that aren't just for kids and this is a great place to start.
Whiplash
How much are you willing to give up to become the best at something? That's what this movie asks as it follows young Andrew in his quest to become one of the next great jazz drummers. It's a movie that just builds little by little like a crescendo if you will. Andrew's struggle to make it to the next level keeps taking pieces of his life outside of drumming away as he deals with an instructor who only takes perfection and nothing more. This builds to one of the most satisfying endings in recent memory and one that I always get very excited to see.
Scott Pilgrim VS the World
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is the kind of movie that I would have made... if I knew anything about making movies anyway. There's nothing like this movie out there, and it took what could have been an awful adaptation of a graphic novel and made it into something that worked far better than it had any right to. It does it's own thing while still paying much respect to the source material. It's got great humor, visuals, and music. It's got lots of fun and memorable characters. It's the kind of movie that I can watch anytime and not feel bored. Oh and also, Ramona Flowers.
Well, I guess that's it for this post, though there are still at least 100 more that should be on this list but will probably be on some future list that I may or may not write. So if you see a movie that you know I love or that everyone is supposed to love... it's probably gonna be on one of the next lists. PROBABLY.
0 comments:
Post a Comment