What are your ten absolutely favourite films? I saw this meme over at Caroline Smaile's blog and I enjoyed reading about her choices and why she likes them. I'm not sure I can say I have ten favourites but there are some films I've watched and watched and others made a big impression on me.
Films I've watched more than once:
1. Avatar. I saw it twice and I'd have gone on seeing it every week if I could. I loved the eye-candy scenery and I felt swept away to another world. I think the 3D helped but for me it was just a wonderful film.
2. Robin Hood Men in Tights. When my sons were little we watched this so many times I lost count. It's fun and lighthearted and I enjoyed their enjoyment.
3. The Princess Bride. I liked the beginning more than the later parts but the humour was wonderful, especially the part where the hero is fighting left-handed and so is his opponent. I don't usually like sword-fighting scenes!
4. Saving Grace. A woman saves her finances by growing weed. I love the scene in the village shop when the two shopkeepers have taken weed by mistake and are out of their minds on it. "She's a lovely, lovely woman, in a lovely, lovely house..."
5. Kinky Boots. The story of a shoe making company that turns to making transvestite shoes. I loved the discomfort of the guy who didn't like gays or transvestites when he was forced to face up to his prejudice. Plus it was funny.
6. Fifth Element. A bit sexist for my taste but I love the sci fi effects and Bruce Willis... well he's Bruce Willis. *fans myself*
7. Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure. Pure escapism. Party on dudes!
Other films I enjoyed:
8. The King's Speech. Not one I'd normally choose but so well done and I loved the spiky relationship between the King and his therapist.
9. Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. I love Michael Caine when he's acting well as he was in this. Plus I loved the twists and turns.
10. Shrek. The first one was very funny. "Do you think he's compensating for something?"
I also enjoyed Monsters Inc, and The Incredibles. Do you notice a theme running through this?
I'd love to hear about your ten favourite films, either as a comment or a blog post!
21 COMMENTS:
Ace films and thanks for playing along! I love Monsters Inc.
Thank you! I really enjoyed reading your post.
I'm not sure I can even name ten films, let alone rank them.
I can remember stuff 30 years ago fine - last month, not so much...
I know I loved Avatar 3D - I'd love to be as mobile as the blue folk.
For exactly opposite reasons I also enjoyed Jackass 3D... the sorts of dumb stunts those guys get up to are exactly the sorts of things teenage me got up to.
One I remember involved two of us stood about 50 feet apart using each other for target practice with a supply of golf-balls and a #2 iron each... and a full-face helmet.
The Tim Burton version of Alice in Wonderland was pretty good by way of pure escapism - we both really enjoyed it.
As for films I can watch over and over... they tend to be old ones.
Casablanca would be in there... so would almost anything Hitchcock was involved in.
Some great films there, although I must admit I'm a bit meh about Avatar. The Lord of the Rings films maybe. Bladerunner? Amelie?
I'm a big fan of Lost In Translation — and films of this ilk that seem to meander along in a haze. Rather than having a tight narrative and turning points of action scenes and so on, it throbs a single idea in a cyclic rhythm.
Any of David Hemmings' 60s films are also a big hit — particularly Blow Up.
That said, oddly attracted to The Towering Inferno, Finding Nemo and Memento.
Dream movie? A quirkily dystopian sci-fi thriller featuring Claire Goose and (somehow) incorporating a goggle-eyed Jeff Goldblum as comedy interest.
The Cook, The Thief, His Wife and Her Lover is magnificent — no-one plays ruthless ignorance better than Michael Gambon. Anyone who loved his portrayal of a Scrooge-like bully in last year's Dr Who special will love him in this. So wonderfully unpleasant. Plays a similar role in Layer Cake alongside Daniel "Will Have Floppy Man Boobs by 2030 No Matter How Many Times He Plays Bond" Craig.
Ooooh, oooh, oooh — and The Unforgiven (mainly for Gene Hackman, who also excels as a paranoid CIA agent in The Conversation).
Used to like Kevin Spacey also (Suspects, American Beauty, 7) until he disappeared up his own arse.
Oooh, oooh, oooh — and Fargo by the Coen Brothers.
Also quite partial to Christopher Lee in a cape.
Anyhting featuring Jackie Chan, Stallone, Andie McDonald or Les Dennis makes me hurl.
(Dennis was just useless in Psycho Kopz IV)
Oooh all wonderful films!! Oh I did like Fifth Element - solely because of Bruce Willis in his orange vest. Yum!!
Erm... let me see - Toy Story 3, To Wong Foo Thanks for Everything Julie Neumar, Galaxy Quest, Star Treks 1-6, Little Shop of Horrors, any film with Ingrid Bergman in it!, A Letter to Three Wives, All About Eve, Film Noirs (too many to choose!), Tokyo Story. Ahem!!! And lots more!!!
Yay!! What fun!! Take care
x
Richard, you were a real scallywag when you were younger. Or maybe you still are?
Simon, I wasn't very keen on Lord of the Rings. It focussed too much on the fighting for me!
Whirl, I don't think we have any films in common at all! Except maybe for Finding Nemo, which was OK, and the guy in the cape.
Kitty, how could I have forgotten Galaxy Quest! That's one I've seen more than once!
I'm going to cheat and count series as one film.
1. LOTR series - Great story, terrific cast. Hot leader of the Riders of Rohan. Need I say more?
2. Harry Potter series - Again, great story. The movies get better with each release. For me, the beginning of each film make me feel like a magical life could be entirely possible. I love the shadowy London stuff, too.
3. The Bridge - This is a depressing and probing documentary that received a lot of criticism because it actually showed a couple of suicides of people jumping off the Golden Gate bridge. I'll probably never watch it again. But its questions resonated with me so profoundly on a personal level, I did find it inspirational.
4. John Adams - Again, I'm cheating. I guess technically this isn't a film, but a miniseries. But the writing was superb and so was the cast. It also made me want to reread the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. Definitely a great piece of work if you want Americans to feel inspired about how their own government works. I walked away with a new appreciation for the problems our founders grappled with.
5. Raiders of the Lost Ark - Saw this when I was a kid over and over and over again. One of my favorite films, ever. I grew up during the heyday of Stephen Spielberg, and I can tell you, I don't regret a minute of watching ANY of his films.
6. Wizard of Oz - Enough said.
7. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Tim Burton version) - Johnny Depp is great in this.
8. Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory - A childhood love.
9. Watership Down - Sadly, I knew the film first, but as a child I loved it because it was the first animated film I'd seen that didn't feel like it was talking down to me.
10. Casino Royale - Daniel Craig, shirtless. I don't think I need to add anything to that (at least, for the ladies).
5.
Whoops, typo at the end there.
Whirlochre: If you haven't seen Moon (a quietly affecting science fiction I do recommend), Kevin Spacey provides the voice for a robot that is really endearing in a very understated (and non-cutesy) way.
FairyHedgehog: Ooh, good choices! I am so with you on #1 and 2. I haven't seen Tim Burton's Willy Wonka yet! I loved his Sweeney Todd, so I should nab that one too sometime.
Here's my list of favourites, roughly in order starting from most favourite:
1. Children of Men - A science fiction story, but also a taut adventure with a potent anti-violence message.
2. Solaris (with George Clooney) - Again, a great science fiction film, but the focus is on a beautifully painful love story.
3. District 9 - Sharlto Copley is so amazing; it's astonishing it was his first time acting!
4. Galaxy Quest - Just darned funny.
5. Blade Runner - MuchMuchMuch better than the book; trust me, just see the movie. It's high art. The book? Enormously over-rated.
6. A.I. - Not a perfect film, but so very amazing.
7. The Matrix - If they had left out the love story, it would have been utterly perfect.
And-and-and I can't believe those are all science fiction. I love fantasy novels, but it seems to be science fiction films that grab me. Or maybe Hollywood just makes more science fiction?
I do remember Ladyhawke impressing me a lot, back when I was a teen. Not recommended for people who loathe Matthew Broderick, but definitely recommended for people who adore Rutger Hauer.
FairyHedgehog: Wait--Willy Wonka wasn't one of your choices. I was getting your list mixed up with Stacey's. Sorry!
This is great. I keep thinking of more films that I loved!
stacy, I loved the first Harry Potter film, although it gave me a severe craving for a working broomstick! I'd forgotten about Watership Down and that was a lovely film.
jj, I'd forgotten about the Matrix, maybe because the sequels were so disappointing. But the original was great!
I love this meme but I know that my favourite films change depending on my mood. However, I am huge fan of Disney and Pixar films and a few musicals (though I really have to be in the right mood for these). My favourite film that I've seen recently is Tangled - I saw it twice and loved it way more the second time so can't wait until I can get my own copy to watch over and over. :)
Tamara, I haven't seen Tangled but it looks like it might be fun. Talking of musicals, we're going to see Mamma Mia live for our anniversary! I hope we like it.
If you like girly Disney films then you probably will love Tangled (actually, my boyfriend loved it as well). I've never seen Mamma Mia live but didn't enjoy the film that much - hope you enjoy it though and that it's something you will remember in the future.
Tamara, thanks for the kind wishes!
I love reading these answers! I wanna join in! I'm not a big fan of romcom's, don't know why.. And I'm too young for the classics, although I'd loooove to have a classic movie-marathon one time with my BF. Okay here's my top10..
1. Avatar - saw it twice as well and loving it.. Everytime I wished I was a blue creature with big cat-eyed-eyes and glowing-in-the-dark-plants!
2. LOTR series - read the books of my dad and just love the movie and the story
3. Twilight series - What can I say.. werewolves and vampires..
4. Beautiful Mind & American Beauty share a space :)
5. Howl's moving castle - great & happy japanese animated movie
6. Ponyo - another great & happy japanese animated movie
7. Spirited Away
8. 300 - Epic and great torso's! ^^
9. Earth
10. Pirates of the Caribean part 1 - loved Jack Sparrow in this part!
"Fifth Element" was also my favourite movie during my teenage years! I saw "district 9" somewhere in these ratings, also liked it! But also liked "I am legend", "Big Fish", "Delirious", "Raw" and I have to say I also love love love "Monsters & Co." & "Despicable Me"..
I'm sure I forgot a lot of movies.. But I want to see more movies now!! CHOCOLATE POPCORN!!!!!
Forgot one of my favourites:
"10.000 BC"
I'll probably remember even more favourites tomorrow..
Lily, I love some of those too! I read the first Twilight but I didn't see it, the same with Howl's Moving Castle. And I loved the first Pirates of the Caribbean too, although I was less interested in the more recent one.
And I forgot to mention Jumanji!
I thought of another fave when I woke up this morning: Love Actually. Best Christmas film ever.
stacy, it is a fun film, especially at Christmas! Oh and it reminded me of another favourite: While You Were Sleeping.
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