I love movies.
It’s just that simple. I love that I can go to a movie, pop in a DVD, or run across something on TV that can take me away for a while to let my mind think about new things or revisit old memories (that whole escapist thing). I have a deep appreciation for what it takes to complete the production in so many ways. But as I begin to digress, I’ll redirect my efforts to the list.
5. Good Will Hunting – It just hit home with me. I identify strongly with the whole loyalty to friends theme in the film. But it’s the search for one’s self thanks to a romantic connection that took it over the top. Call me a softie… Call me mushy… Just don’t call me Shirley. Wait, wrong movie. Well acted, well shot, and amazingly written… It’d be higher on the list if it weren’t one of those too good to be true things. It deserved many of the Oscar’s that year stolen by a crappy sinking boat.
4. The Fog of War – The only documentary to make the list. This definitely shaped my political outlook in a major way. Going into how it has done so would be a monumental task, so instead I simply ask that you see this movie and internalize McNamara’s lessons regardless of whether you agree with them or not. It’s hard to deny the painstaking logic behind them, and the profoundness of the experiences that produced them.
3. Heat – It’s Probably one of the most complete movies in my mind. It’s shot well… it’s acted well… It’s pretty realistic without the need for either CG or the suspension of disbelief. The story is long and complex – but it all comes around… The length and complexity are are impressive, but it’s also the biggest detraction. I think I caught this 5 times in the theater, including the last time where I was the only person in the theater.
2. Real Genius – It was 1985. I was 9, and my sister was 11. We were crazy for this film. It was so funny, and the belief that a youngster like Mitch Taylor could hang with the big boys was awesome. And don’t for get about the popcorn. It’s one of those childhood things, but it has actually stood up for me unlike a lot of others. Still great lines and a fun time to be had. My sis and I saw this 7 times in the theater.
1. Fight Club – It’s all about the story in this one – and you have to be a really good filmmaker to pull it off. It’s very complex, and the fact that it was pulled off to the level it was is a big reason why it’s at the top of my list. The other big reason is that the story itself is captivating to me. It’s an amalgamation of many dead-on snapshots of things I currently or previously identify with. I could care less about the fighting. It’s more about the messages.
Honorable Mentions: Top Secret, Amelie, Blazing Saddles