I love movies. Not in an "Oh, this is a great way to kill time!" kind of way. I love the stories. The cinematography. The acting. The soundtracks. All the hard work that goes into them. I love them for many different reasons. And because I find so much to love about the movies I enjoy, it's really difficult to narrow my favorites down to a Top Five list. I had trouble just getting it down to a Top Fifteen, to be honest.
1. Yankee Doodle Dandy
Yankee Doodle Dandy is the reason James Cagney is my favorite actor. So many people think of him as Rocky Sullivan, a gangster. They don't realize how talented he truly was. As George M. Cohan, he was able to sing and dance, something he loved. If only Jack Warner had allowed him to make more than the handful of musicals he made while signed to Warner Bros.
Yankee Doodle Dandy is the reason James Cagney is my favorite actor. So many people think of him as Rocky Sullivan, a gangster. They don't realize how talented he truly was. As George M. Cohan, he was able to sing and dance, something he loved. If only Jack Warner had allowed him to make more than the handful of musicals he made while signed to Warner Bros.
George M. Cohan was so impressed with Cagney's performance in the film that his reaction was, "What an act to follow!" Coming from him, I'd say that's quite a compliment.
2. La Vita รจ Bella
Life is Beautiful starts out nice enough. Man meets woman, man falls in love with woman, man marries woman and they have a son together. Except that he's Jewish, and the film takes place during World War II.
Life is Beautiful starts out nice enough. Man meets woman, man falls in love with woman, man marries woman and they have a son together. Except that he's Jewish, and the film takes place during World War II.
This is one of the most beautiful movies I have ever seen, and it drives me insane that some people do not seem to grasp what it's about. If you look on IMDB, you're bound to find someone ranting about how insensitive it is to make a comedy about the Holocaust. Those people don't get it. Life is Beautiful is about the lengths a father will go to in order to protect his son from the horror that surrounds him. If that means pretending that the concentration camp they're in is really the location of a game they're playing where the winner gets a tank, so be it. How do you not see the meaning behind that? It's not hidden. It's not meant to confuse you.
3. The Phantom of the Opera
I've already discussed this, but here we go again. The movie adaptation of the stage musical was almost perfect. I can only think of two scenes that were altered. The singing could have been better, but it wasn't bad. Overall, I'm really impressed, especially since Hollywood seems to prefer big names to actual talent. (Hairspray, anyone? That was a disaster.) Gerard Butler tends to growl a bit as the Phantom, but he did an amazing job portraying him otherwise. Obviously, my ideal Phantom would have been Hugh Panaro, but I'll settle for Butler.
I've already discussed this, but here we go again. The movie adaptation of the stage musical was almost perfect. I can only think of two scenes that were altered. The singing could have been better, but it wasn't bad. Overall, I'm really impressed, especially since Hollywood seems to prefer big names to actual talent. (Hairspray, anyone? That was a disaster.) Gerard Butler tends to growl a bit as the Phantom, but he did an amazing job portraying him otherwise. Obviously, my ideal Phantom would have been Hugh Panaro, but I'll settle for Butler.
The cinematography was incredible, the costumes were beautiful, and most of the acting was impressive. Minnie Driver was especially good as Carlotta, and I'm not even a fan of most of her work.
4. Jurassic Park
This shouldn't need an explanation. But I'll give you several anyway. My love for Deinonychus comes from Jurassic Park. The Velociraptors in this movie were so terrifying...And awesome. Honestly, all of the dinosaurs were. They are the reason I became interested in dinosaurs to begin with.
This shouldn't need an explanation. But I'll give you several anyway. My love for Deinonychus comes from Jurassic Park. The Velociraptors in this movie were so terrifying...And awesome. Honestly, all of the dinosaurs were. They are the reason I became interested in dinosaurs to begin with.
Aside from how spectacular it was to see those dinosaurs come to life in a movie theater, there are two other reasons I love Jurassic Park. As a child, one of those reasons was Joseph Mazzello. To this day, I still think he is one of the best actors. Not just now, but ever. He's so incredibly talented. He was as a child, and he still is. There is not one other actor in their twenties that I can think of and say, "Wow, they're really wonderful." There was one, but...I'll get back to that.
The other reason I love Jurassic Park, as an adult, is Sam Neill. He's a fantastic actor. He can do anything. Jurassic Park, In the Mouth of Madness, Dead Calm, Happy Town. He's always enjoyable to watch.
5. Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein
As a comedy team, I love Abbott and Costello. As people...I really respect Bud Abbott. I suppose that's not really the point though.
As a comedy team, I love Abbott and Costello. As people...I really respect Bud Abbott. I suppose that's not really the point though.
Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein is arguably their best movie. While it includes a few of their popular routines (such as the moving candle), it's not overkill. Most of the material is new and it doesn't seem to just be a showcase for their old routines (not that I would mind that).
The story is simple enough. Lou is seeing a woman who is using him for his brain...She wants to transfer it to Frankenstein's monster. Of course, she's not the only one behind this genius idea. Dracula is also involved. And that's not all! The Wolf Man finds out what Dracula is planning and recruits Bud and Lou to help stop him.
All the classic Universal monsters are here. Vincent Price even makes an "appearance" as the Invisible Man.
6. That Thing You Do!
Let's just get this out of the way right now. Steve Zahn is a comedic genius. I didn't realize it when I was younger, because...I didn't really pay much attention to things like that, but now, I can definitely say he is. (His talents extend beyond comedy, in case you've yet to see A Perfect Getaway.) Now that I'm older, he is my favorite part of That Thing You Do!. He's one of the few actors I would watch a movie I have no interest in for.
Let's just get this out of the way right now. Steve Zahn is a comedic genius. I didn't realize it when I was younger, because...I didn't really pay much attention to things like that, but now, I can definitely say he is. (His talents extend beyond comedy, in case you've yet to see A Perfect Getaway.) Now that I'm older, he is my favorite part of That Thing You Do!. He's one of the few actors I would watch a movie I have no interest in for.
Aside from that, That Thing You Do! has a really catchy soundtrack and a ton of references to the Beatles. It's a really fun movie, and sometimes you need those.
7. Gilda
I love film noir. The shadows, the dialogue, the storylines. And Gilda may very well be my favorite.
I love film noir. The shadows, the dialogue, the storylines. And Gilda may very well be my favorite.
Glenn Ford and Rita Hayworth are beautiful together. They had such amazing chemistry in all their films, but it's especially apparent in Gilda. Even when they're busy hating each other, you can tell there's something else behind that hatred. Unfotunately for Gilda, her husband could sense that very same thing.
The dresses in this movie are to die for. Rita Hayworth had the most amazing wardrobe. It's worth watching for the costumes alone.
8. Singin' in the Rain
I'm not really a Gene Kelly fan. It's not that I dislike him, I just prefer Fred Astaire's style of dance over his. Still, it's impossible to take your eyes off of him while he's splashing around and dancing in a downpour.
I'm not really a Gene Kelly fan. It's not that I dislike him, I just prefer Fred Astaire's style of dance over his. Still, it's impossible to take your eyes off of him while he's splashing around and dancing in a downpour.
Some people seem to assume I like all musicals. I don't. I used to like West Side Story, but now I realize how ridiclous it is that the Sharks and the Jets were dancing around in the middle of a knife fight. Musicals aren't meant to be realistic. I realize that. But it really helps when they are. That's why I enjoy Singin' in the Rain. It makes sense.
The movie is about Gene Kelly's rough transition from silent films into talkies. After his first talkie turns out to be a complete disaster, it's remade into a musical. Singing and dancing make perfect sense in this case.
9. Sleepers
The other actor in their twenties who would have been incredible now is Brad Renfro. He had so much talent and I was really, really sad when it was announced that he passed away. I had always hoped he'd get himself together because he had so much going for him.
The other actor in their twenties who would have been incredible now is Brad Renfro. He had so much talent and I was really, really sad when it was announced that he passed away. I had always hoped he'd get himself together because he had so much going for him.
Four friends in Hell's Kitchen pull a prank and end up accidentally injuring someone in the process. They're sent to a detention center where they're repeatedly beaten and raped by the guards. When they grow up, two of them decide to take revenge on one of the guards and the other two attempt to help them get away with it.
There was a lot of controversy surrounding Sleepers when it was released. Lorenzo Carcaterra claimed it was a true story (and for the record, I believe him). People were outraged that he would say a priest lied under oath in court. (And yet, some have done much worse than that.)
For anyone who has seen or read Sleepers, I also suggest reading A Safe Place, another book about Lorenzo Carcaterra's childhood, this time centered around his relationship with his father.
10. Breakfast at Tiffany's
Breakfast at Tiffany's is one of the few examples of a movie being more enjoyable than the book it's based on. At least, it is in my opinion.
Breakfast at Tiffany's is one of the few examples of a movie being more enjoyable than the book it's based on. At least, it is in my opinion.
I can't really explain my love for this film. I'm not particularly fond of Holly, though I think Audrey Hepburn did a wonderful job playing her. There's just something very charming about the movie, and I can't quite put it into words.
11. In the Mouth of Madness
There's already an entire post about In the Mouth of Madness on here, but I'll sum it up again. This film is heavily inspired by H.P. Lovecraft's stories. It deals with insanity and mass hysteria, and in my opinion, that's more terrifying than any monster movie Hollywood can come up with.
There's already an entire post about In the Mouth of Madness on here, but I'll sum it up again. This film is heavily inspired by H.P. Lovecraft's stories. It deals with insanity and mass hysteria, and in my opinion, that's more terrifying than any monster movie Hollywood can come up with.
I don't think it's a movie that everyone can appreciate. I don't mean that in a movie-snob way. If people don't have a basic understanding of Lovecraft's work and what it's about before watching the movie, they'll probably think it's very corny and not even the least bit frightening. I feel like it's something you can enjoy more having read some of his work. That's not to say you have to read his stories to enjoy In the Mouth of Madness, but if you watched it and found yourself wondering why something so ridiculous was made, it may help.
12. Adventureland
Let's start with the one major issue with this movie: Kristen Stewart. Aside from that, I really enjoyed Adventureland. The characters are flawed, which is a nice change from the seemingly perfect characters in so many other movies. It has one of the best soundtracks I've ever heard. At times, it manages to be very funny. But I think the reason I like it so much is because it's based on the Adventureland on Long Island (don't let the setting in Pennsylvania fool you). I enjoyed many days there when I was younger, and then cringed when I was older and had to take the kids in my summer camp on a trip there.
Let's start with the one major issue with this movie: Kristen Stewart. Aside from that, I really enjoyed Adventureland. The characters are flawed, which is a nice change from the seemingly perfect characters in so many other movies. It has one of the best soundtracks I've ever heard. At times, it manages to be very funny. But I think the reason I like it so much is because it's based on the Adventureland on Long Island (don't let the setting in Pennsylvania fool you). I enjoyed many days there when I was younger, and then cringed when I was older and had to take the kids in my summer camp on a trip there.
13. The Maltese Falcon
As I said before, I love film noir. And The Maltese Falcon is special because not only is it a film noir, it's also based on one of Dashiell Hammett's stories. (Hammett happens to be one of my favorite writers.)
As I said before, I love film noir. And The Maltese Falcon is special because not only is it a film noir, it's also based on one of Dashiell Hammett's stories. (Hammett happens to be one of my favorite writers.)
Every character in The Maltese Falcon is shady, including Sam Spade. Humphrey Bogart's version of Spade makes him incredibly likable, much more than the Spade in Hammett's story.
This movie also has some of the best dialogue I've ever heard. "The cheaper the crook, the gaudier the patter." It doesn't get much better than that.
14. The Philadelphia Story
Cary Grant and Jimmy Stewart in one movie? I don't really feel that I need to say any more than that.
Cary Grant and Jimmy Stewart in one movie? I don't really feel that I need to say any more than that.
15. Faust
Faust is the representative for all the other German Expressionist silent films I love. I would have liked to include The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, Nosferatu and Metropolis on this list, but it's already long enough.
Faust is the representative for all the other German Expressionist silent films I love. I would have liked to include The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, Nosferatu and Metropolis on this list, but it's already long enough.
For anyone who doesn't know the story of Faust...You should really look it up. I'm rarely ever interested in anything with heavy religious tones to it, but I was amazed by this film. It was never boring, it always kept my attention.
I really enjoy German Expressionism. The set designs are so bizarre and almost dream-like, unrealistic. I wish that style was still used today, other than in Tim Burton's movies.
Here are some other movies worth mentioning:
Gentleman's Agreement, The Cure, It's a Wonderful Life, Charade, Battle Royale, The Strawberry Blonde, The Little Mermaid, Rebecca, You'll Never Get Rich, The Monster Squad, The Buddy Holly Story.
Gentleman's Agreement, The Cure, It's a Wonderful Life, Charade, Battle Royale, The Strawberry Blonde, The Little Mermaid, Rebecca, You'll Never Get Rich, The Monster Squad, The Buddy Holly Story.
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