Working in a video for so long, you'd think I'd see more movies...
Every Oscar seasons I get all excited, because I love them. They're goofy, and a million bajillion hours long, but what are you going to do? It's the only four hour television event that I can claim is professional research. Except making fun of the poorly dressed celebrities, I don't think I can say that part is all that valuable. Anyway, it got me thinking about what my favorite movies of all time were. I don't think I can actually rank them in order, but here's my top five list...
1. Almost Famous
I love this movie. It makes me want to go back in time to follow bands around in the seventies and write for Rolling Stone back before it sold out in a serious manner. I think it may have something to do with the soundtrack( ex. "feel flows" - The beach boys, "that's the way"- led zeppelin "america"- Simon and Garfunkle, to name a few), but this movie makes me want to move into it and ride around their bus singing Elton John's "Tiny Dancer", albeit with the "Tony Danza" lyrics. Frances McDormand as the overprotective mother is just a superb bonus.
2. The Royal Tenenbaums
I love Wes Anderson films. But I wouldn't love them as much if this were not the first one I saw, because the reason I love the rest is that they remind me of this film. I love the entire cast, even Ben Stiller. Similarly, the soundtrack has an influence as well because it is just fantastic (my favorite is the Nico track "These Days", though the use of "Needle in the Hay" in the film is perfect) but that's a running theme in most of my favorites. I can't even express how excellent this movie is, if you haven't seen it go get it right now. NOW. This list can wait.
3. Lost In Translation
Sophia Coppola's films are one of my guilty pleasures (in the sense that no one I know will watch them with me anymore). I love them, even when I can tell they're boring. Like Marie Antoinette, which was interminable, but the gorgeous sets and soundtrack made up for the plot that took six zillion years to get anywhere, though it also had the BEST teaser trailer I have EVER seen. I often listen to the soundtracks for her films when I'm doing all night inventory at my store, and the night seems to go by faster. In any case, Lost in Translation is one of the only movies I've seen that really changed the way I thought about things, and it was such a simple moment in the film that it seems silly that it took the movie to drive the point home. "The more you know who you are and what you want, the less you let things upset you." Thanks, Bill Murray!
4. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
I feel almost guilty putting this on this list because of all the movies I love, I've certainly seen this one the least amount of times. I often pick it up, take it out of the case and decide I just don't feel like being as sad as I get when I watch it. But it's a phenomenal movie, and I love, love, love Kate Winslet in it. Out of all her Oscar nominations, she deserved to win for this one the most. In any case, the story is excellent and sad and it is the only movie where I truly like Jim Carrey.
5. Zodiac
I realized I had become old the day I could tell people who my favourite directors were. And David Fincher is one of them. Seven was excellent, and Fight Club is probably the movie I have seen the most with the boys I have dated (beasley and owen really inundated me with it in the years of high school), hell I didn't even mind Alien 3. But I love Zodiac, there's something about the grim, creepy, unflinching manner in which it's shot that has captivated me since I first saw it and couldn't sleep for a couple days. Mark Ruffalo ( who is also in eternal sunshine) is fantastic as Dave Toschi the lead investigator. The movie is well cast, well written and fascinating because it's a true story. The scene in the one super creepy dude's basement is even more terrifying when you realize it happened in real life to Graysmith.
1. Almost Famous
I love this movie. It makes me want to go back in time to follow bands around in the seventies and write for Rolling Stone back before it sold out in a serious manner. I think it may have something to do with the soundtrack( ex. "feel flows" - The beach boys, "that's the way"- led zeppelin "america"- Simon and Garfunkle, to name a few), but this movie makes me want to move into it and ride around their bus singing Elton John's "Tiny Dancer", albeit with the "Tony Danza" lyrics. Frances McDormand as the overprotective mother is just a superb bonus.
2. The Royal Tenenbaums
I love Wes Anderson films. But I wouldn't love them as much if this were not the first one I saw, because the reason I love the rest is that they remind me of this film. I love the entire cast, even Ben Stiller. Similarly, the soundtrack has an influence as well because it is just fantastic (my favorite is the Nico track "These Days", though the use of "Needle in the Hay" in the film is perfect) but that's a running theme in most of my favorites. I can't even express how excellent this movie is, if you haven't seen it go get it right now. NOW. This list can wait.
3. Lost In Translation
Sophia Coppola's films are one of my guilty pleasures (in the sense that no one I know will watch them with me anymore). I love them, even when I can tell they're boring. Like Marie Antoinette, which was interminable, but the gorgeous sets and soundtrack made up for the plot that took six zillion years to get anywhere, though it also had the BEST teaser trailer I have EVER seen. I often listen to the soundtracks for her films when I'm doing all night inventory at my store, and the night seems to go by faster. In any case, Lost in Translation is one of the only movies I've seen that really changed the way I thought about things, and it was such a simple moment in the film that it seems silly that it took the movie to drive the point home. "The more you know who you are and what you want, the less you let things upset you." Thanks, Bill Murray!
4. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
I feel almost guilty putting this on this list because of all the movies I love, I've certainly seen this one the least amount of times. I often pick it up, take it out of the case and decide I just don't feel like being as sad as I get when I watch it. But it's a phenomenal movie, and I love, love, love Kate Winslet in it. Out of all her Oscar nominations, she deserved to win for this one the most. In any case, the story is excellent and sad and it is the only movie where I truly like Jim Carrey.
5. Zodiac
I realized I had become old the day I could tell people who my favourite directors were. And David Fincher is one of them. Seven was excellent, and Fight Club is probably the movie I have seen the most with the boys I have dated (beasley and owen really inundated me with it in the years of high school), hell I didn't even mind Alien 3. But I love Zodiac, there's something about the grim, creepy, unflinching manner in which it's shot that has captivated me since I first saw it and couldn't sleep for a couple days. Mark Ruffalo ( who is also in eternal sunshine) is fantastic as Dave Toschi the lead investigator. The movie is well cast, well written and fascinating because it's a true story. The scene in the one super creepy dude's basement is even more terrifying when you realize it happened in real life to Graysmith.