StoryWorth: Favorite Movies

[lillibet]

What are your favorite movies?

The whole idea of favorites is a tricky one for me. When I answer this question, it’s often simply a matter of what movies I happen to think of at the moment. I’ve learned that’s fine in conversation—what people are asking is simply for an insight into what kinds of things you like, what they might talk about with you. But to really discern my favorites, I try to take a long view, to think about what movies have really stuck with me. It helps that a few years ago I went through a big tome listing all the movies released in the US and made a record of all the ones I can remember having seen. Looking back through the list, here are the ones that stand out—today, at least:

The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai
Aliens
Antonia and Jane
Bend It Like Beckham
Better Off Dead
The Big Chill
Clueless
The Commitments
Dark City
Delicatessen
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Four Weddings and a Funeral
Galaxy Quest
The Game
Harold and Maude
Impromptu
Jupiter Ascending
The Matrix
Memento
O Brother, Where Art Thou
Ocean’s Eleven
Raiders of the Lost Ark
A Room with a View
sex, lies and videotape
Star Wars V: The Empire Strikes Back
The Station Agent
Truly, Madly, Deeply
Wayne’s World
What Dreams May Come
Where the Wild Things Are
Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown

Comments

[bex77]

What an interesting list! Not sure what it says about you, but it has fascinating insights. It made me want to check off the ones I have seen, which surprised me at the low number. Some are for the "I don't do scary movies" reasons.

√ The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai
Aliens
Antonia and Jane
√ Bend It Like Beckham
Better Off Dead
√ The Big Chill
Clueless
The Commitments
Dark City
Delicatessen
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
√ Four Weddings and a Funeral
√ Galaxy Quest
The Game
Harold and Maude
√ Impromptu
Jupiter Ascending
The Matrix
Memento
√ O Brother, Where Art Thou
√ Ocean’s Eleven
√ Raiders of the Lost Ark
√ A Room with a View
√ sex, lies and videotape
√ Star Wars V: The Empire Strikes Back
The Station Agent
√ Truly, Madly, Deeply
Wayne’s World
What Dreams May Come
Where the Wild Things Are
Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown

13/31

Is there one or more I have not seen that sticks out as something I should see? I have more time to view movies now!

Several of these would be on my all-time list -
Room with a View
Impromtu
Truly, Madly, Deeply

I would also add these films that feel part of the fabric of my life:
1776
Dirty Dancing
Hunt for Red October
My Big Fat Greek Wedding
Bull Durham
Possession
The Darkest Hour (about Churchill's days just before WW2)
Spotlight
Bohemian Rhapsody

There is a gaggle of British Royalty films that definitely say something about me:
Mrs. Brown
Victoria & Abdul
The King's Speech

Interesting exercise!

-B

[lillibet]

Most of the ones you added are also ones I love--my list did feel a little arbitrary and of the moment--but they just weren't quite feeling right.

I think you'd enjoy The Commitments--it's about Irish kids starting a blues band, lots of great music. I think you'd find Clueless pretty funny--it's my favorite film adaptation of Jane Austen. The Station Agent is lovely, in a quiet way, and has really beautiful acting--it's my favorite work by Peter Dinklage.

Let me know if you end up watching any of them!