Nelson: It gets hard to align these top movies because each one is really a number one for me on some level.
10. "The Matrix" and I don't mean the trilogy, I mean the first movie of the trilogy, it was far and away the best one I felt. I could lump them together because really I like to watch them all and own them all, but the first one was my favorite. I enjoyed the religious theme running through this movie in that Neo was like Jesus in the future matrix world, and he was sacrificed for the good of all men. Great special effects. 5 stars
9. "Animal House" This movie will always hold a dear place in the hearts of all the kids who went on the basketball trip to Lousville and somehow the chaperones got the idea that it would be ok to take us to this movie, what a mistake on their parts, but at least I got to see the best movie I had ever seen up to that point of my life. I think I was in 10 th grade, and this movie was AWESOME!!!!! Perfect cast, perfect story, perfect everything. As Randy Jackson would say 5 bajillion stars.
8. "Star Wars" Here I will take the latitude of lumping the entire 6 movies of "Star Wars" together, although I feel the first one (in its time) was the best of all of them. Again, perfect cast, perfect story and just very well done. This movie made sci-fi as a genre cool for me. Luckily our kids love these movies as well and we watch them as a family often. 5 bajillion stars.
7. "Love Actually" I recommend this movie a lot to people, and many say they have never heard of it. If you have not watched this movie you have missed a treat, it is smart and funny and poignant. It tells a story of lives that are interwoven, and how love can be , and should be. We cannot watch this movie with our children, there is nudity and sexuality in it, so it is not for kids, but Pam and I watch this movie several times a year, I cry at certain parts every single time. This movie also has some very good music in it. I recommend this move (once again as Randy Jackson would say) 100 bajillion percent. 5+ stars.
6. "Family Man" This is a modern telling of "It's a Wonderful Life" where Nicholas Cage's character gets a glimpse of what his life may have been like if he had made one different choice in his past. He goes to sleep in his penthouse apartment, one of the richest and most successful merger men on the planet, and wakes up with a family and financial struggles, real life. I also recommend this movie early and often, if you have not seen it, you are missing out on a great one. 5+ stars
Pam:
10. "Bourne Trilogy" - I am including all three together, even though I liked the first one best. I never would have thought Matt Damon would fit the role of action hero, but he is a BAD ASS in these movies. The idea that he has all these skills, but can't remember his identity is fascinating - it's like he just keeps surprising even himself. I like Franka Potente as his girlfriend - she's both vulnerable and a source of strength for him. W: 5 stars E.A.: 4.5 stars
9. "Ironman" - This movie totally surprised me. Just like Matt Damon, I would never have cast Robert Downey, Jr. as an action hero, but he delivered. The special effects in this movie were dynamite - I love the detail and engineering the designers put into the Ironman suit - really great. Story plays out a little weak at the end, but who cares? It's Ironman. W: 5 stars E.A.: 4 stars
8. "Family Man" - I've already reviewed this movie on this blogsite, so I won't say much more here other than this is a family favorite. Something I didn't mention before - I love Jeremy Piven in the role of Nick Cage's friend in his "glimpse" of life in the suburbs. Through his best friend's eyes, he gets to see what kind of person he could have become. The love story is simple and sweet, and I almost always cry at the end when he realizes the life he loves is really just a dream. W: 5 stars E.A.: 4.5 stars
7. "Avatar" - Very rarely will a movie leave me speechless, but this one did. Nelson and I saw it in 3-D when it first came out, then we immediately took the kids. The scenery, the story, the special effects, the imagery were so beyond anything I had ever seen before that I couldn't find words to describe it, so the kids had to see it. The social message is good, but it does kindof hit you over the head. W: 4.5 stars E.A.: 4.75 stars
6. "Gone With the Wind" - As a child, I was convinced that I was really a southern belle who had found herself somehow mistakenly trapped in modern day times. I remember thinking, where is my nanny? My cook? I should have somebody here taking care of me. I longed to walk along magnolia-lined lanes leading up to my plantation home, or sip lemonade while lounging on a wide porch in the shade. This movie fulfills all my childhood fantasies of the old south, along with exposing the harsh realities of slavery and war. Is it realistic? No, but I love it. Will I ever understand Scarlett and her obsession with Ashley? No, but I still love her. The movie has held up over the last 70 years, and that's a mark of a classic. W: 4.5 stars E.A.: 4 stars
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3 comments:
Nelson, I wondered if you would put up "Animal House." i love that movie for the same reasons. It was our junior year, I'm pretty sure. John had graduated but K.L. was still our headmaster. That narrows it down. I'm also a huge fan of "Jaws." I think it is a great example of storytelling. They set the stage for everything. The opening scene tells you everything you need to know about the town and motivation of each of the characters.
Not a comment but a question. Have you two been surprised by each other's choices.
Yeah, it was your junior year, my senior year. K.L. had no idea.
and we love "Love Actually." The kid believes in love so much and the hug he gives Liam Neeson at the end is so meaningful. There's a lot of pain in this movie and a lot of joy too.
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