Bass
Nexus of the World
I generally don't find "Top 10 Movie" lists interesting because they're usually uninsightful beyond, "10 Movies I've Seen That I Like To Talk About" with the "crappy kid's movie" that's actually a gem (generally something by Spielberg) and the important art film (something with Marlon Brando) and the appreciated classic (it's black and white) which makes the compiler of the list appear well-educated. But it doesn't say much beyond what this person has thought will be an impressive list.
But a top 10 favourites list, done with thought, can actually reveal quite a bit about the compiler.
So here, I offer you to put up your 10 favourite movies. You're FAVOURITE movies. Not the movies you respect, not the movies that you can talk about, not the movies that were 'important' in some fashion, no. Movies that you ADORE. Movies that so completely suck you in that when you watch them, the rest of the world disappears. When you tell people about the movie, you begin reliving the movie to the point where it would be easier to just watch the movie again and ******* it, even though you know it by heart and listen to the soundtrack, it seems like the BEST DAMN THING TO DO RIGHT NOW. The movies you can put on that are so familiar they are background noise yet so immersive to you that you can't do anything but watch.
Your favourites. Why are they your favourite? Doesn't matter. Doesn't have to be a 'proper' reason. Doesn't have to be because it was a success or because it was influential or **** like that. These films can be ****ing terrible films. What's important is that you LOVE them - for whatever reason. And the list might just tell you something about yourself.
Here's my list, in chronological order:
CLUE (1985)
THE TRANSFORMERS: THE MOVIE (1986)
DEAD POET'S SOCIETY (1989)
TERMINATOR 2: JUDGEMENT DAY (1991)
GROUNDHOG DAY (1993)
THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION (1994)
THE USUAL SUSPECTS (1995)
SEVEN (1995)
DUMB & DUMBER (1997)
THE DARK KNIGHT (2008)
I find that interesting. Nothing in there outside my time. I haven't fallen in love with something before my time, like STAR WARS or even INDIANA JONES (and I love Indy). And the films course a 12-year span, except for a sudden leap with THE DARK KNIGHT. What also surprises me is what's NOT on my list. MY COUSIN VINNY, INDIANA JONES, AMADEUS... I love those films, but it seems, not as much as these.
3 comedies; 2 dramas; 1 animation, but I like crime movies (four) and action (four)... Two of the films have Morgan Freeman, no one else appears more than once. I have a bizarre taste in comedies: a murder mystery farce and two romantic comedies, one is toilet humour and the other is dry wit. They're all American films - no British, no Asian, no European - which means I don't seem to stray far from Hollywood. None are particularly realistic. I suppose you could say DEAD POET'S SOCIETY is, but it's set in 1950 something, which to me, may as well be set on Mars. I like happy endings, but am not adverse to down-endings. THE USUAL SUSPECTS and SEVEN are the only proper down-ending films. DEAD POET'S SOCIETY and THE DARK KNIGHT both kinda end on high notes. I seem to love ensemble casts; only GROUNDHOG DAY has a proper leading actor. All the rest are ensemble cast, and SHAWSHANK, DUMBER, and SEVEN are all buddy movies.
And, according to me, 1995 was an awesome year for crime movies.
It probably says even more about me than I'm aware, but that's what I get out of it right now. What's palpable to me, is the unique atmosphere each one of these films has for me. THE DARK KNIGHT is the weakest in that sense. It's atmosphere just is too thin, but that's because it's so new. It's not had time to fester. At the moment, I'm totally inspired by it but maybe I'm too eager about it. Maybe in two years I'll put MY COUSIN VINNY back in.
What do your favourite movies tell you about you?
But a top 10 favourites list, done with thought, can actually reveal quite a bit about the compiler.
So here, I offer you to put up your 10 favourite movies. You're FAVOURITE movies. Not the movies you respect, not the movies that you can talk about, not the movies that were 'important' in some fashion, no. Movies that you ADORE. Movies that so completely suck you in that when you watch them, the rest of the world disappears. When you tell people about the movie, you begin reliving the movie to the point where it would be easier to just watch the movie again and ******* it, even though you know it by heart and listen to the soundtrack, it seems like the BEST DAMN THING TO DO RIGHT NOW. The movies you can put on that are so familiar they are background noise yet so immersive to you that you can't do anything but watch.
Your favourites. Why are they your favourite? Doesn't matter. Doesn't have to be a 'proper' reason. Doesn't have to be because it was a success or because it was influential or **** like that. These films can be ****ing terrible films. What's important is that you LOVE them - for whatever reason. And the list might just tell you something about yourself.
Here's my list, in chronological order:
CLUE (1985)
THE TRANSFORMERS: THE MOVIE (1986)
DEAD POET'S SOCIETY (1989)
TERMINATOR 2: JUDGEMENT DAY (1991)
GROUNDHOG DAY (1993)
THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION (1994)
THE USUAL SUSPECTS (1995)
SEVEN (1995)
DUMB & DUMBER (1997)
THE DARK KNIGHT (2008)
I find that interesting. Nothing in there outside my time. I haven't fallen in love with something before my time, like STAR WARS or even INDIANA JONES (and I love Indy). And the films course a 12-year span, except for a sudden leap with THE DARK KNIGHT. What also surprises me is what's NOT on my list. MY COUSIN VINNY, INDIANA JONES, AMADEUS... I love those films, but it seems, not as much as these.
3 comedies; 2 dramas; 1 animation, but I like crime movies (four) and action (four)... Two of the films have Morgan Freeman, no one else appears more than once. I have a bizarre taste in comedies: a murder mystery farce and two romantic comedies, one is toilet humour and the other is dry wit. They're all American films - no British, no Asian, no European - which means I don't seem to stray far from Hollywood. None are particularly realistic. I suppose you could say DEAD POET'S SOCIETY is, but it's set in 1950 something, which to me, may as well be set on Mars. I like happy endings, but am not adverse to down-endings. THE USUAL SUSPECTS and SEVEN are the only proper down-ending films. DEAD POET'S SOCIETY and THE DARK KNIGHT both kinda end on high notes. I seem to love ensemble casts; only GROUNDHOG DAY has a proper leading actor. All the rest are ensemble cast, and SHAWSHANK, DUMBER, and SEVEN are all buddy movies.
And, according to me, 1995 was an awesome year for crime movies.
It probably says even more about me than I'm aware, but that's what I get out of it right now. What's palpable to me, is the unique atmosphere each one of these films has for me. THE DARK KNIGHT is the weakest in that sense. It's atmosphere just is too thin, but that's because it's so new. It's not had time to fester. At the moment, I'm totally inspired by it but maybe I'm too eager about it. Maybe in two years I'll put MY COUSIN VINNY back in.
What do your favourite movies tell you about you?
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