My Favorite Movies

If you read my previous post, Your Reading List?, you know that I recently put together two lists of my favorite books, one list of fiction books and one list of non-fiction books.  After I finished writing that post, I got to thinking: “What about my favorite movies?  Could I create a list of my favorite movies and as with my book lists, keep it to just ten movies?”  Over a lifetime of watching movies, this seemed like a daunting task, but I decided to give it a try.  Besides, I typically read more books in a year than watch movies so surely it would be easier.  Ha, easier said than done.

One thought I had in identifying my favorite movies would be to look through my collection of movie DVDs.  Surely the ones I considered to be my favorites would be ones that I owned.  And this would include movies released long before the introduction of compact disks since they also are now available in DVD format.

As you can see, I don’t have that large of a collection, but they are for the most part some of my favorites.  For the past 25 years, I have had Netflix as an easy tool to economically “try-before-you-buy” (though that ended in DVD format in September).  It would be that rare movie that upon watching it for the first time, having thoroughly enjoyed it, that I would want to watch it again, ergo, buy the movie DVD.  It’s interesting to think that even though you know the entire plot of the movie and there are no surprises left, you still want to watch it again justifying the purchase.

Before even looking at my DVD collection I quickly jotted down favorite movies just from memory.  These are ones that I know I have watched at least 10 times each and, in some cases, actually watch them every year, to the point of knowing the dialogue (e.g., that’s a quality item Clark…).  Once I had nine on my list already, I realized this was going to be a challenging task.

I then went to my collection and seeing it was going to be impossible to limit it to just 10, decided to create a favorite list and an honorable mention list (so I’m really not cheating).  As I scoured the titles, a few of them moved off the favorite list and were added to the honorable mention list.  In several of my selections, you will note that multiple movies were released under the same franchise, but I have captured the original as it was typically the best (although not in one case).

When you see my lists below, many of you (May the Fourth Be with You) will be surprised to see the absence of Star Wars (1977).  While I enjoyed the first movie, I have not been enamored by the multiple releases or the worldwide popularity of the entire franchise.  I figure I have probably watched the original movie only two or three times.

I have not listed my movies in order of preference but rather just as they first came to mind.  Some of my favorites you will probably accept without question as they may well be some of your favorites.  But a couple of titles warrant a bit of an explanation.  So, please indulge me for a moment before revealing the lists.

You will probably be surprised to see the movie first on the list, The Italian Job (2003).  This movie was the first one that came to mind, no doubt because in my mind, the main characters in the movie are cars—Mini Coopers.  I had first seen the Mini Cooper (the retro upgrade) at the 2001 Detroit Auto Show (officially the North American International Auto Show) and was smitten enough to snap a photo.

But after watching the movie and seeing those little cars scooting around so easily (having been described as exhilarating as driving a go-cart), I knew I had to buy one—which I did in 2006 just like the red one featured in the movie.

Another on my list that you may not challenge as much, Back to The Future (1985), I still have vivid memories of myself sitting on the floor in front of our little 13 inch color TV, watching it on our VHS player (remember those), and laughing my head off at this dialogue when Marty (Michael J. Fox) first goes back in time to the 1950s in the coffee shop.

Lou: Are you gonna order something, kid?

Marty: Yeah, gimme a Tab (a sugar free soft drink launched in 1963).

Lou: Tab? I can’t give you a tab unless you order something.

Marty: Right, gimme a Pepsi free (a sugar free version of Pepsi launched in 1982).

Lou: You wanna a Pepsi, pall, you’re gonna pay for it.

Marty: Well just gimme something without any sugar in it, okay?

Lou: Without any sugar (Lou hands him a cup of black coffee).

So, without further ado, my consolidated and difficultly curated favorite movie list:

1. The Italian Job (2003)
2. Charade (1963)
3. Ghostbusters (1984)
4. It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)
5. Christmas Vacation (1989)
6. Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
7. Back to the Future (1985)
8. Men in Black (1997)
9. The Bourne Identity (2002)
10. Mission Impossible (1996)

And my honorable mention list:

1. Cars (2006)
2. Spiderman (2002)
3. Iron Man (2008)
4. The Rocketeer (1991)
5. Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986)
6. No Way Out (1987)
7. Live Free or Die Hard (2007)
8. My Cousin Vinny (1992)
9. The Fugitive (1993)
10. Office Space (1999)

I hope reading down my lists that you found some movies that you too said, “oh yea” in agreement.  But for others, you might be scratching your head thinking why that one.  Obviously, what one considers a favorite movie depends a lot on what they may be interested in seeing in a movie.  However, if it is one you have not seen, maybe you will give it a try.

I know I could have easily made another ten-movie list with little effort.  When you think about all the great movies you have seen, it is hard to narrow it down to just a few.  But maybe me publishing my lists will motivate some of you to create your own lists (especially those like me who just like to make lists).  If you do choose to make your list, good luck!