Top Ten Favorite Movies!

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish.
Every once in a while I participate in this one when I either
1) Like the theme, and/or 2) Have the time!
This week's topic:
Top Ten Favorite Movies

This week, I could choose to list my top ten favorite TV Shows or my Top Ten Favorite Movies.

I don't watch a lot of TV, so I could probably just get to ten based on what I watch. That doesn't necessarily make something my favorite, though, so...no.

Movies it is!!!

I should tell you...
For movies, books, etc, series don't make my Top 10 list of mainline items. I group them in a separate "Favorites" category. Just sayin' ^.~



In Order of Favorite...

1) MOULIN ROUGE

My all-time favorite movie. I love love love love LOVE this movie! Because of Moulin Rouge, Ewan McGregor became one of my favorite actors. True story? I was at some store with my mom one day and they were playing Elton John's "Your Song." I mentioned that I highly preferred the version Ewan McGregor sang in Moulin Rouge and she yelled at me for being sacrilegious. But...it's one time when I like a remake better, so sue me now!

I'm a huge fan of musicals. This is a musical. It has great cinematography and costuming (And because of this, I am also a huge Baz Luhrmann fan and will instantly see anything he's done, even if it's a mess, because these aspects are gorgeous). It has happiness and tragedy and romance and just...I love it!!!

(Another fun fact? The first time I ever watched this, I turned it off within 10 minutes. I could NOT get through the opening and thought it was horrible. I still am not a fan of the opening, but I am so glad I gave the movie a second chance because it is my all-time favorite!!!)

2) EVER AFTER

Ever After used to be my favorite movie...until Moulin Rouge came along! This movie (Along with Gail Carson Levine's ELLA ENCHANTED) made me redefine a fairy tale and fall in love with the genre all over again. It wasn't all Disney magic (Which, at the time, I thought I had "outgrown," being a "grown-up teenager" and not a "little kid" anymore...I love how we always "outgrow" Disney as a teen and then grow back into it when we're old enough to appreciate it differently!) 

Cinderella gets to know the prince before the ball. It's not just about meeting him and dancing and blindly falling in love without knowing ANYTHING about the prince. Plus, this Cinderella is pretty kick-ass and can stand up for herself. And her costumes are AWESOME. And it's historical fantasy with an appearance by famous painter Leonardo da Vinci! 

(Fun Fact: I watched this VHS tape so many times that I wore it out and couldn't watch it anymore. It was the first movie I ever bought on DVD!)


3) ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND


This movie has such an interesting, unique concept. You see traces of this stuff a lot now in YA dystopian fiction, etc, but when I first saw Eternal Sunshine, I was blown away by the lengths people will go to forget one another, only to fall into the same pattern all over again. If people are meant to be together, destiny interferes every single time. It gives me the tingles to think about how many times the couple in this movie has been through this process. Technology can be really scary!

I initially had wanted to see this one because it had a great superstar cast. I know a lot of people aren't a fan of Kirsten Dunst, but I've only liked watching her films. I've also always been a fan of Elijah Wood (*Swoon* Those eyes!!!), and the rest of the cast is great, too. I'm normally not a fan of Jim Carey, but I tend to enjoy his more "serious" movies like this, The Majestic, The Truman Show, etc. His acting is lovely in this one! 

4) BIG FISH

For one thing, Ewan McGregor is in it. Do I even care what it's about? (Well, YES. But his presence helps!!) For another, this world is gorgeous. Tim Burton brought this movie to life in a way that no one else could. Without the visuals and that hint of twisted creepiness, this movie wouldn't be what it is.

I think what I like so much about this one is that at its core, it's a story about truth. How do we define it? How does our perception of our own memories distort over time? Sometimes it's...shinier and prettier than what actually happened (This is one reason I want to see both parts of The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby so badly when each movie half comes out later this year). Sometimes it's bigger and better and grander. Sometimes we remember something poorly that no one else saw that way. Big Fish is a story of tall tales and half-truths and fantastic realities. It's a great escapism movie that I adore!


5) STRANGER THAN FICTION



Not everyone loves or gets this movie. I understand that! I think what makes me love it so much is the fact that I'm a writer. I have killed off my darlings before. I have story ideas in my head where characters will die in the future (And, spoiler alert! There's one in particular that might make you hate me someday!). What I love about this movie is that it is centered around a book character who has no clue that he's a book character...until he starts hearing a voice (the author!) in his head. And realizes that he's destined to die. We also get to glimpse the author itself, to see the impact her character's life, death--even knowledge of both--affects her.

I just love all the ways this movie makes me think and speculate!

(Fun fact: Like Jim Carey, Will Ferrell is another actor I don't care for. When I tell people about this movie and they hear he's starring in it and scrunch up their nose, I tell them I'm the same way, but he's really good in this one!)


6) HOOK


I didn't like HOOK very much when I was little. Or else, I pretended not to. I'm not sure. I know I often overlooked movies and shows and stuff that my brother enjoyed just because. But when I was in college, I got a hankering to watch it again and asked for it for my birthday. And now I'm so in love with this movie!

Actually, all Peter Pan movies are pretty high on my list, especially Finding Neverland and the 2003 Peter Pan. I adore Peter Pan stuff. The concept of Peter growing up and experiencing our world was new to me. He has his own family now. He's forgotten how to have fun and be care-free. He's forgotten himself. It's only when Captain Hook returns to our world for revenge and steals his children that he's forced to re-evaluate everything.

I love so much about the movie. It can be so inventive and fresh. Play-doh food, for example. Eating if you believe you can! Ahh, so good. And Rufio! Gah, what girl didn't have a crush on actor Danté Basco? (Fun Fact! Later in life, I'd find out that he was the voice behind Zuko, my favorite character on Avatar: The Last Airbender!)

7) LABYRINTH



The music! The world! The story! The puppetry! 

There aren't even words for how much I love this movie. I can watch it again and again--and have! I love the fairy tale feel to it, the story of the girl who goes to save her brother from the horrible Goblin King, not to mention the Goblin King who awakens new feelings and emotions in a girl on the threshold of growing up...

There's so much that makes this movie great, and if you love it as much as I do, you get that. You get that there aren't words to sum it up. It's all love!

8) LOVE ACTUALLY


I'm not a big fan of romance movies and chick flicks. This isn't one I would have seen on my own, but so many people I knew loved it that I wanted to give it a chance. Even guys liked this one. There was something about it that made it special. I wanted in on that action!

I think what I like so much about this movie is that it's reality. Not every relationship ends happily ever after. We don't always make the right choices in life. Sometimes, things go deliciously, radically our way and we rejoice. Other times, those choices tear us apart.

This is one of those movies where...gah. 

--One of my favorite actors, Colin Firth, is in it. 

--I have a favorite scene (Hugh Grant dancing!)...in fact, I can't say that without wanting to watch it immediately. So here you go:


--I have a favorite "couple" because their scene is so great and emotional:


--I also love something tragic that happens. If you've seen the movie, you know the scene I'm referring to. It changes the whole feel of the movie, and I can't listen to the particular song that was playing during this scene without tearing up whenever I hear it!

Just....if this doesn't seem like your movie, watch it anyway. It wasn't mine, either, but I adore it!

9) GARDEN STATE


I don't know what it is about this movie that I love so much. I think it's just the way that it's life. There are things we love. Things we hate. Things we're apathetic about. It shows how family and friends can mess us up, can change us, can make us whole. It shows the way we change if we have too many medical drugs in our system, that doctors don't care the way they should, and we lose our light. It shows how death can force us to talk to one another and grow in new directions. I don't know. This movie has a heart, and I love it's bleeding, pulpy mess.

I also adore the soundtrack (For it AND The Last Kiss. Zach Braff can pick his music! I'm really looking forward to seeing his new movie Wish I Was Here, which comes out this week! I also want the soundtrack because I already know it's going to be good!)

10) THE LITTLE MERMAID


Fun Fact? If you ask me what my favorite Disney movie is, I'll tell you Aladdin. So why is The Little Mermaid in my Top 10 and not Aladdin? I...don't have an answer to that. It has always been this way. It doesn't make sense to anyone, least of all me!

But...I think it being a Top 10 has something to do with the fact that Ariel is a MERMAID. And the music! And it was probably the first Disney movie I ever saw. And Prince Eric! *swoon* And and and...!

There are no words for how much I love this movie. Or even why. I just do!

(Another fun fact? When I was little, the scene where Urusla dies TERRIFIED me. I closed my eyes every time because I hated seeing her bones. I also didn't want to like Prince Eric because he shared a name with my brother! But oh, how I wanted to be Ariel!! Not as much as Belle, but still a lot! She's a mermaid, after all!)

(One last fact: I own more figurines of Belle and Ariel than I do anyone/anything else! I blame Jim Shore because he has come out with some amazing stuff!)




What are your favorite movies?
Do we have any common loves??
 ^_^

Comments

  1. I adore Love Actually (especially that dance scene) and I'm partial to Little Mermaid. I loved Labyrinth as a kid - I can't count the number of times I watched it. Great list

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  2. Amazing list! I can't believe I forgot Moulin Rouge- that music, the emotion, the story. It's epic! I adore that movie as well. I'm a Disney princess movie fan, but my favorite is Beauty and the Beast, although I definitely love The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, and Sleeping Beauty as well! I've seen quite a few gifs from Labyrinth and had never realized what movie that was so now I know! Hook is really great, and I loved Eternal Sunshine as well. Love your list!

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  3. Lots of great stuff here. :) Beauty and the Beast is my favorite Disney movie, but The Little Mermaid and Aladin are both extremely close seconds.

    I wanted to add Ever After, but since I had The Princess Bride and The 10th Kingdom on there, it seemed like it would've been overkill.

    I haven't seen Love, Actually... And from what you're saying, I'm not totally sure that would be for me. When I watch a romance, I expect an HEA. If the characters don't get one, it turns kinda tragedy-ish for me, and I don't go into tragedy unless the story makes it clear it's gonna kick my butt from word go. (I can handle side characters having issues, but a main couple having a non-HEA in a romance...? Not likely.)

    I've never seen Moulin Rouge or Labyrinth, but it looks like I might want to check 'em out.

    Overall, a very interesting list. :)

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  4. I seriously love Labyrinth so much. That movie is like my favorite ever when I was a child. I can quote it spot on. I recently saw an article about the things people don't know about the movie and one thing that blew my mind was that Bowie doesn't actually move the crystal balls around. There is someone behind him putting their hands in front of him!!

    Angie
    http://angelasanxiouslife.blogspot.com/2014/07/top-ten-tuesday-tv-shows.html

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  5. There are a lot of Disney movies which I Iike. But I forgot to add them on my list. Thanks for stopping by my blog, Bonnie.
    Kero

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  6. Ever After made my list too! It's a "comfort movie" kind of film for me – love that it's got a good dash of humour in it as well as the drama.

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  7. I too love Ever After. It is one of my favorite movies and I've watched it so much that I can quote the lines.

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  8. I haven't thought about Ever After or Hook in ages. I remember loving those movies. I still love Love, Actually, and I think that's one of the few DVDs that I took with me when I moved house (I gave a bunch away). Great list!

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