Monday, June 28, 2010

50 Films I've Seen. And Loved. And Would Totally Watch Again.

Yep - i think the title says it all. Todays posts is a very special Blog This! challenge - the brief this week reads:
50 Things...Take your pick, this one is open. 50 things I want you to know about me; 50 things I would do if I won lotto; 50 things I want to cook; 50 things I have photographed; 50 things I want for my birthday; 50 things I would like to tell my ex....
It's up to you, whatever you want to tell your readers.
So, in case the blog title wasnt quite literal enough for you, my " 50 things " is a list of 50 films i've seen and really loved and would watch again. Some of them are childhood favourites which i've already watched over and over; some are films i've watched and kind of liked, so i've bought them on dvd so i can re-watch them on rainy weekend afternoons; and some i've only seen once but would watch again given the chance. Here goes ( in no particular order ):

1. " The Never-ending Story " - loved Atreyu, i cry when Artex dies in the Swamps of Sadness and, as a child, i was totally scared of The Nothing. An 80's childhood classic.
2. "Annie " - Tomorrow! Tomorrow! yep, as a girl i sooooo wanted to be a redheaded, singing, dancing orphan...
3. " The Princess Bride " - Inigo Montoya rocks, and Buttercup and Wesley would probably make my Top 5 film couples list ( if i had one ). Ah, true love.
4. " Empire Records " - one of Liv Tyler and Rene Zellwegers early screen outings. Its set in a record store - coolest place to work EVER.
5. " Young Guns " - even though i was only around, maybe, 10 years at the time, i loved me a piece of Lou Diamond Phillips. Pity age caught up with him...
6. " Forrest Gump " - even though critics out there alwasy deride this as " schmaltzy ", i love it. It has all the best quotes, the coolest soundtrack and one of the most loveable characters of all time.
7. " The Little Mermaid " - one of my favourite childhood animations. Even now i still sing snatches of the songs to Flynn - and if i had a pet crab, i'd name it Sebastian.
8.  " Chocolat " - Johnny Depp. Juliet Binoche. France. Chocolate. And its based on one of my favourite books. Wait, did i say Johnny Depp?
9. " School of Rock " - its funny and sweet and crazy. Plus it stars an awesome rock'n'roll soundtrack and Jack Blacks awesome eyebrows. I aspire to those eyebrows and their crazy tricks, i really do.
10. " Dogma " - Kevin Smiths best. And Alanis Morrisette as a rockin' female God? If i were a believer, thats what i'd want...
11. " Almost Famous " - i went through a period of imagining myself as a young Rollingstone journalist. This movie was like my ultimate fantasy. It would be worth it for the whole " Tiny Dancer " sequence alone.
12. " Gladiator " - i saw this twice in cinemas, own it on video ( oh yea, on VIDEO ) and have watched it numerous times. The soundtrack is also rather stirring, especially the music played over Rusty's *SPOILER * dying scenes.
13. " The Crow " -  i do not have the time nor space to fully describe why i love this one. Its my all-time favourite movie and so far i've only discovered two other girls that have ever seen it ( shout out to you, Brea ).
14. " Pleasantville "- its the costuming and the gorgeous " black and white to colour " cinematography that gets me with this one. Also - Paul Walker is pretty.
15. " Dazed and Confused " - Slaters whole marijuana-fueled spiel on George Washington makes me laugh. So does Mathew McConaugheys moustache. Just keep l-i-v-i-n!
16. " Pans Labrynith " - quirky, and foreign, and spectacularly beautiful, both in imagery and in theme. Guillermo Del Toro is a genius.
17. " The Muppets Movie " -  The Muppets ? In a movie ? Who wouldnt love that?
18. " Transformers " - ok, yea the critics say it sucks. And yea, the plot ( or what there is of one ) has some might big holes. But its stuff blowing up, and Transformer robots, and awesome CGI - thats stuff is cool!
19. " Amelie " -  i've already written a whole post on this one. I heart this film. That is all.
20. " Reign Over Me " -  if you havent seen this one, go out and find it. I rate this as Adam Sandlers finest dramatic performance. Its totally heartbreaking though, so grab yourself some tissues.
21. " American Pie " - the quintessential high school comedy of my generation. Its kind of rude, yet has its tender moments. Sort of. Either way, that pie scene was hilarious!
22. " The Breakfast Club " -  and onto a quintessential high school film of the generation before me. It may have come out the year i was born but it just got to me. Judd Nelson was way cool - you know, for a bully.
23. " A Streetcar Named Desire " - A classic for many reasons. One of which is the scene where Marlon Brando is coming home from work in his white t-shirt. That man, in that scene ? Sex on legs my friends, sex on legs.
24. " 13 Going On 30 " - its all bubble-gummy and cutesy. But as far as chick flicks go, i love this. The sweet Jennifer Garner, the divine Mark Ruffalo and the " Thriller " dance. Sweet as.
25. " Shaun of the Dead " - i'm not big on horror films but horror film spoofs? Especially one as clever as this? Count me in! Which reminds me - i need to get myself a cricket bat in case of zombie attack...
26. " Moulin Rouge "  - i love me some Baz Luhrrman. And this movie is so pretty and sparkly and woo! Plus, i wana live in that elephant. You know, just without the whole being a prostitute.
27. " Benny and Joon " - sweet, and funny and romantic. Benny and Sam are so odd, but they're odd together, and thats all they need. Ooh, and did i mention Sam is played by Johnny Depp?
28. " Breakfast at Tiffany's " - Audrey Hepburn at her most glamorous. Love the dress, love the city, love the characters. Ooh, and love Tiffanys!
29. " Reservoir Dogs " - oh Quentin Tarantino, you loveable kook, you. Everyone has a colour-coded name, people get their ears cut off, and the soundtrack is groovy. Classic Tarantino...
30. " Cyrano De Bergerac " -  you know what? Gerard Depardieu in English ? Lame. Gerard Depardieu in French ( playing a classic French hero ) ? Funny. And at turns oddly grumpy and sweet. Also sweet? Vincent Perez. Yum....
31. " V for Vendetta " - awesome graphic novel adaption. Its politically motivated, sure, but stuff blows up and here are great fight sequences and Natalie Portman looks rather fetching with a bald head.
32. " Beauty and the Beast " -  another one of my Disney favourites. I want to sit down and watch this one with my neice - introduce her the beautiful songs and " beauty is on the inside " message.
33. " Love Actually " - i think this is my favourite chick flick. It's funny and smart and has such a wonderful cast. This is one of those films that, whenever its on tv, i'll watch it.
34. " Edward Scissorhands " - the most beautiful of Tim Burton's fractured fairytales. I watch this at least once a year and still come to the brink of tears at the end. Oh, and did i mention Johnny Depp ( even in all that makeup ) ?
35. " Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King " - of course i've seen them all, but this one is the most action-packed, and it asnwers all the questions ( except, whether Sam and Frodo ever got it on ). Also, Aragorn is at his most rugged in this one. Scrumptious.
36. " Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest " - and while we're on films that are part of a trilogy, here's my choice from the POTC series. Johnny and Orlanda at there most gorgeous, that crazy tentacle beard and that snotty Lord Cutler Beckett. Oh, and did i mention Johnny Depp?
37. " Saved! " -  a very clever little film. Proves that Maculay Culkin is funny ( when he isnt all strung out ), Mandy Moore can do more than sing, and that Jesus is the Devil. See what i did there? Trippy.....
38. " Say Anything " - John Cusack has aged so well. Go back to this 80's effort and he's freckly and kind of geeky but still totally cool. And sweet. Doesnt every girl want a boy to serenade her with a boombox outside her window?
39. " Mean Girls " - another clever chick flick ( thankyou Tina Fey ). It is also a reminder of what Lilo used to be .... you know, normal and talented.
40. " Hairspray " - this musical is all frizzy, and fabulous and it makes me happy. I think if i'd been around 13 years old when it came out i may have been in love with Zac Efron.
41. " The Lion King " - doesnt everyone love this film ? And doesnt everyone hate Scar? Yes, and yes. This is one i want to show to Flynn when he's older.
42. " Pride and Prejudice " - the Keira Knightley version. This is one of my favourite books of all time, and i just love this adaptation of it. I know i've said it before, but i totally want to be Elizabeth Bennett...
43. " The Dark Knight " - soooooo worth it for Heath Ledgers performance alone. Plus, Batman is my favourite superhero. Which reminds me, i really need to get my copy of this back from my brother...
44.  " Don Juan Demarco " -  a film that speaks to the romantic in us all. Sure, Marlon Brando is old and fat but he still rocks - and i have mentioned the ever delectable Johnny Depp?
45. " Somethings Gotta Give " - Jack Nicholson at his twinkly, lady-loving best. At least in this one he's loving a lady of appropriate age - the beautiful, funny Diane Keaton.
46. " The Truman Show " - i initially liked this because it was Jim Carrey without the rubbery goofiness. On second and third watches i loved it for what it said about society at the time ( the days BEFORE " Big Brother " ). Good afternoon, good evening and goodnight!
47. " Roman Holiday " - if " Breakfast at Tiffanys " is Audrey at her most glamourous, this is Audrey at her cutest. I love the whole look and feel of this film, and it makes me want to run away on a Roman adventure.
48. " Romeo and Juliet " - Baz and his brilliance again. This is manic and modern and hip and made Shakespear trendy. And that fish tank scene ? Awww....
49. " Rent " -  so many people hate this movie or, at the very least, think its a bad adaptation of the stage musical. Not me, i love it. This is the movie i watch when i need a pick me, despite the dying and disease and stuff. Its the music and the friendship and the love. It makes me happy.
50. " The Usual Suspects " - Keyser Soze? Spin out!

10 comments:

  1. I love mean girls, and School of Rock. I line some of the other ones too, but for some reason I could watch those 2 all the time

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  2. Well now you've met 3 girls that have seen The Crow and it's on my Top 10 list!!! Brilliant film, I actually have it on VHS, that's how long it's been since I first saw it :) I don't know that many people who have watched it either...

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  3. I have probably only seen half of these! I will have to get watching. lol.

    I found you on blog this.

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  4. Agree with loads of those. Mean Girls, Love Actually, 13 Going on 30, Shaun of the Dead (have you saw Hot Fuzz? it stars the same main guys as SOTD and is really funny), Annie, Forrest Gump, Empire Records . . . I'll stop now.

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  5. The Princess Bride, Chocolat and Love Actually all my favs. Good list! I seen about 3/4 of the list and must get around to seeing the rest.

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  6. I am totally with you on all of the Johnny Depp films, and in agreement about John Cusack and would add some more of his films if I wrote this list.
    Really feeling like you're my movie kindred spirit type bestie so I will be checking out the films on this list that I haven't seen yet.
    Thanks in advance

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  7. @toushka - movie kindred spirit type bestie? Right on, i'm up for that!

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  8. Well, some of those bring back memories. I remember watching The Never Ending Story for the first time and being so scared heheh I also cried when the horse died :-(

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  9. Oh I loved The Crow!! You just reminded me that I have it on dvd (or do I, hmmm) must go searching and watch. Thank you!

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  10. OMG we must be twins. Very, very similar lists. I adore movies and a lot of these are on my favorites list.

    Empire Records. LOVE.

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