1. Hard Candy
I took an analytical film class, which basically consisted of watching films and saying whether or not we liked them. My instructor disliked Ellen Page, basing his opinion on one movie that he had seen her in: Juno. He said that it was too hipster. However, he had never even heard about this movie. This movie, starring Ellen Page and Patrick Wilson, is about a girl who meets an older man online. He finds her very appealing and they arrange to meet in person. They go back to his place, and what happens next is one of the craziest games I have ever seen. She is an phenomenal actress and someone that young girls can actually look up to. Anyone who says otherwise needs to tell me why.
2. Fight Club
I know that this film is on pretty much everyone’s top ten list, however I like it for different reasons. I am a huge fan of Chuck Palahniuk; he is one of my favorite author, simply because his voice is very distinctive. I like to think that I loved him before he got really popular. Anyway, I am pretty much always disappointed with movie adaptations of books, however, this is the exception. It was spot on. Reading the book and watching the film felt the same, which should be the goal of every filmmaker who chooses to adapt a book.
3. Citizen Kane
Normally I am that person that you don’t want to watch films with because I either find something wrong with the film and share it with the person I am with or just generally talk too much. Even so, I remember the first time I saw Citizen Kane; it was a Sunday morning, except it was in the wee hours of the morning, like one or two o’clock. I was waiting for my father to come home from work and I turned the channel to TCM. The film began and my father came home, and I didn’t say a word. He sat there and watched it with me and thought that there was something wrong with me, because I wasn’t talking. This is one of my favorite movies because I am in awe of it.
4. 12 Angry Men
In 1957, Henry Fonda starred in a movie called 12 Angry Men, which revolves around 12 men who are serving on a jury. All of the jurors, except for one, want to go back to their lives, go back to their baseball games, and their couches, and are willing to give a guilty verdict because it’s quicker than looking deeper into the case. The case is about a young Italian boy who is accused of murdering his father. This movie delves into the problems of prejudice and apathy, trying to show that caring saves lives and should never be neglected.
5. Funny Girl
Barbara Streisand is one of those people. Those people that you see and you never want to look away, this is my favorite Streisand pictures because of the music and because of the way that she looks. The soundtrack contains some of my favorite songs of all time: Funny Girl (the title track), People, and My Man. The way she looks is something all together; she is simply radiant. The clothes, the hair, maybe it's just the times, but everything that she puts on make her skin glow. Also because I think it was one of her harder roles. There was some comedy but mostly drama, and Streisand can do both very well.
6. American Beauty
I have been accused of having something for Thora Birch, even sitting through that horrible train wreck (pardon the pun) Train (2008). I found her to be a very good actress when she was a child and teenager, however when I say that this movie is one of my favorites, it isn't because of her. It's because of Kevin Spacey. I didn't understand the rampant obsession that some people I know had about his acting, but this movie gave me a glimpse. He was sad and pithy and something of an ass but he was likable.
7. Dead Poets Society
I have never been a fan of Robin Williams, but I put that aside for this film. This film opened my eyes to the past, introduced me to Robert Sean Leonard, who currently is on House and going to be starring in the Broadway revival of Born Yesterday. He remains one of my favorite actors. This movie was very good at dealing with the problems of youth of this time period. It went the extra mile using poetry, something that even now men don't care to learn or memorize. This movie is a favorite of mine because it is universal and timeless; no matter what generation there will still be controlling parents and children that feel restricted and unable to pursue their dreams.
8. Heartbreaker
A great French film and one of my favorites because it takes a premise that has been tapped out, so much that all the movies with the same general plot line usually end up in the five dollar bin at your local Walmart. It's not completely original but it makes up for that because the characters are so interesting. I'm not referring to the main characters who obviously fall in love. I'm referring to the supporting cast. They carry the film, foiling the "Heartbreaker", and making shine, not only because they do all of the work, the research but because in the end, you care about them because they are something completely different from what you know to be supporting cast.
So those are my eight favorite films, comment below with some of your favorites and I'll watch them.
I took an analytical film class, which basically consisted of watching films and saying whether or not we liked them. My instructor disliked Ellen Page, basing his opinion on one movie that he had seen her in: Juno. He said that it was too hipster. However, he had never even heard about this movie. This movie, starring Ellen Page and Patrick Wilson, is about a girl who meets an older man online. He finds her very appealing and they arrange to meet in person. They go back to his place, and what happens next is one of the craziest games I have ever seen. She is an phenomenal actress and someone that young girls can actually look up to. Anyone who says otherwise needs to tell me why.
2. Fight Club
I know that this film is on pretty much everyone’s top ten list, however I like it for different reasons. I am a huge fan of Chuck Palahniuk; he is one of my favorite author, simply because his voice is very distinctive. I like to think that I loved him before he got really popular. Anyway, I am pretty much always disappointed with movie adaptations of books, however, this is the exception. It was spot on. Reading the book and watching the film felt the same, which should be the goal of every filmmaker who chooses to adapt a book.
3. Citizen Kane
Normally I am that person that you don’t want to watch films with because I either find something wrong with the film and share it with the person I am with or just generally talk too much. Even so, I remember the first time I saw Citizen Kane; it was a Sunday morning, except it was in the wee hours of the morning, like one or two o’clock. I was waiting for my father to come home from work and I turned the channel to TCM. The film began and my father came home, and I didn’t say a word. He sat there and watched it with me and thought that there was something wrong with me, because I wasn’t talking. This is one of my favorite movies because I am in awe of it.
4. 12 Angry Men
In 1957, Henry Fonda starred in a movie called 12 Angry Men, which revolves around 12 men who are serving on a jury. All of the jurors, except for one, want to go back to their lives, go back to their baseball games, and their couches, and are willing to give a guilty verdict because it’s quicker than looking deeper into the case. The case is about a young Italian boy who is accused of murdering his father. This movie delves into the problems of prejudice and apathy, trying to show that caring saves lives and should never be neglected.
5. Funny Girl
Barbara Streisand is one of those people. Those people that you see and you never want to look away, this is my favorite Streisand pictures because of the music and because of the way that she looks. The soundtrack contains some of my favorite songs of all time: Funny Girl (the title track), People, and My Man. The way she looks is something all together; she is simply radiant. The clothes, the hair, maybe it's just the times, but everything that she puts on make her skin glow. Also because I think it was one of her harder roles. There was some comedy but mostly drama, and Streisand can do both very well.
6. American Beauty
I have been accused of having something for Thora Birch, even sitting through that horrible train wreck (pardon the pun) Train (2008). I found her to be a very good actress when she was a child and teenager, however when I say that this movie is one of my favorites, it isn't because of her. It's because of Kevin Spacey. I didn't understand the rampant obsession that some people I know had about his acting, but this movie gave me a glimpse. He was sad and pithy and something of an ass but he was likable.
7. Dead Poets Society
I have never been a fan of Robin Williams, but I put that aside for this film. This film opened my eyes to the past, introduced me to Robert Sean Leonard, who currently is on House and going to be starring in the Broadway revival of Born Yesterday. He remains one of my favorite actors. This movie was very good at dealing with the problems of youth of this time period. It went the extra mile using poetry, something that even now men don't care to learn or memorize. This movie is a favorite of mine because it is universal and timeless; no matter what generation there will still be controlling parents and children that feel restricted and unable to pursue their dreams.
8. Heartbreaker
A great French film and one of my favorites because it takes a premise that has been tapped out, so much that all the movies with the same general plot line usually end up in the five dollar bin at your local Walmart. It's not completely original but it makes up for that because the characters are so interesting. I'm not referring to the main characters who obviously fall in love. I'm referring to the supporting cast. They carry the film, foiling the "Heartbreaker", and making shine, not only because they do all of the work, the research but because in the end, you care about them because they are something completely different from what you know to be supporting cast.
So those are my eight favorite films, comment below with some of your favorites and I'll watch them.
No comments:
Post a Comment