For many many many many years I have thought of my 'top 5' or 'top 10' favourite movies. This has changed depending on my age, circle of friends, what just came out, as well as if I am trying to impress someone with how cool I wish I was. Lately though I have been thinking it through more and have been trying to really narrow it down seriously. Recently I was catching up on a podcast I listen to called 'Stuff You Should Know' and one of the hosts was compiling his top 100 favourite movies so each episode had an advertisement mentioning it which really got me obsessing over it. So, in order to get it out of my brain, off my chest, etc. I have put together a list and am posting it in the hopes that I stop thinking about it completely.
The main criteria for me includes how many times I have watched the movie (meaning I don't get tired of it), if it stands up over time (meaning I have watched it somewhat recently and still loved it), and how impactful it was on me personally shaping this misshapen person I now am.
Top 5:
Wizard of Oz
Sixteen Candles
Breakfast Club
The Sound of Music
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
Top 10:
Footloose (original)
Fast Times at Ridgemont High
The Terminator
The Empire Strikes Back
Moonstruck
Remaining Top 20:
Dirty Dancing
Star Wars
A Room with a View
Robin Hood (Animated version)
Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark
Return of the Jedi
The Lord of the Rings trilogy (Or The Fellowship of the Ring if I have to pick)
To Kill a Mockingbird
Anne of Green Gables
Up
Honourable mentions:
A Christmas Story
Dark Crystal
Labyrinth
Kill Bill
Empire of the Sun
Once Around
The Avengers
Jaws
Gran Torino
Willow
The Blues Brothers
West Side Story
Chocolat
I also have to mention mini-series because they are half way between a movie and a T.V. show and put them in a kind of limbo in my mind. Here are my favourite mini-series for the record:
Pride and Prejudice
Band of Brothers
There are also a lot of great movies that I thought were amazing but for various reason I have not watched again (or for a very long time) so those did not go on my list. Some of these include:
The Mission
Trainspotting
El Orfanato
Like Water for Chocolate
Splendor in the Grass
Cabin in the Woods
The Monster Squad ('87)
Seven ('Se7en)
Kung Fu Hustle
If you have not seen these movies I highly recommend watching them! I realize some of them don't really make sense together but I am a bit of an oddball so it works for me.
