So, I’ve become accustomed to writing down lists of Tops. Top 10 favorite movies, Top movies with an all-star cast, Top 5 fictional Girlfriends (thanks Alice), etc. I am going to post my Top 10 favorite movies in 3 parts. Please feel free to agree or disagree in the comments.
As I came out of Inception, I heard a certain phrase many, many times: “Oh my God, this is my new favorite movie EVER!!”. While Inception was a fantastic movie, I thought to myself as I was walking out of the theater, it does not make my favorite movie list, not yet at least. That thought prompted this one: “Well, what ARE my favorite movies?” Thus, after a great deal of internal debate, this list emerged. I want to note that this list changes frequently with mood. I also want to note that these movies are in no particular order, except for the first one. This is not a list of the movies that I think are the best made films in the history of forever and ever, just the ones that I feel the most connection with. I will try to describe this connection in the following paragraphs.
Good Will Hunting
Real loss is only possible when you love something more than you love yourself
This is my favorite movie of all time. I could write multiple pages on why I love this film, but let me break it down simply. This is an amazing story, one that Ben Affleck and Matt Damon wrote together.
A brilliant but small cast. We have the dynamic duo of Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, plus Robin Williams in what I consider to be his best role ever. Robin Williams is great when he’s funny, but I think his true power and depth as an actor is when he holds his antics and eccentricities down and concentrates on a dramatic role like the one of Sean in Good Will Hunting. The small cast helped too. There wasn’t a big ensemble to tangle up the film, just two major characters and three supporting ones to balance the film out.
The Dynamic Duo’s movie prowess. One of the things that impresses me the most about this film is that it was written by Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, it was their first film, and they won and Oscar for it. An Oscar for their first film, how intense is that? It give me something to inspire towards. When you watch this film, think about it being made by new-comers to the movie business and think about how well its written, acted, and put together, and it will give the film a whole new light.
Chasing Amy
I love you Holden, I always will. (Smacks him) But I’m not your f**king whore.
I firmly believe this is the best piece of cinema that Kevin Smith has produced. Is it horribly and flagrantly crude? Most of the time, yes. Does it tackle difficult subject matter that might be hard for the viewer to stomach? Yes. However, does it do this in a real, down to earth fashion, along with a great, twisted love story, a talented cast, and a signature Jay and Silent Bob appearance? Definitely. The best part about this movie is that every character is flawed. They are jealous, insecure, gratuitously sexual, liars, convoluted, and Smith doesn’t hide it at all. That’s what draws me to this Kevin Smith film the most: It’s real, entertaining, and unassuming. Plus, it’s also partly about comic books, which is awesome.
I also like Ben Affleck in this film. I think this is the kind of film where Ben Affleck excels: when he acts in roles that are not meant to be blockbuster roles. Like Holden in this film and Chuckie in Good Will Hunting, Affleck is greatest when he can be a down to earth character with flaws and sparse wisdom. His character’s power is understated, and Affleck harnesses that delivers.
American History X
Hate is baggage. Life’s too short to be pissed off all the time, it’s just not worth it.
This is such an intense and significant movie. I have yet to see a movie that rivals it in it’s gritty and vivid portrayal of race hatred in modern-day America. The way that Edward Norton portrays the redemption of a former skinhead is riveting; we see exactly how a mind is conditioned to hate others of a different race, creed, religion, or sex, and the consequences for doing so.
If I ever have children, as soon as they are old enough to handle this movie I am going to show it to them. It will teach them how hate and intolerance is just poison in your heart and soul. That is how much I believe in this movie. The story drives you and the characters into a whirlwind of hate, mayhem, suffering and ultimately, heartbreaking redemption. And of course, you can’t forget the first time you saw Edward Norton tell another guy to “bite the curb”. (An interesting tidbit–This was made right before Fight Club. Norton had to lose all that muscle (about 30 lbs) to play the wimpy character in Fight Club)
Stay tuned for the second part!
