Thursday, October 25, 2012

The Absolute, Definitive List of S.R. Braddy's All-Time, Never Been Topped Favorite (for now) Movies, EVER!


I've actually been making a "Top Ten Movies" list for years. Like, literally, back in 2009 or 2010, I sat down at Village Inn and started writing up my list of favorite movies. Ranked it and everything. For some reason, though, I never got around to actually putting it up on the blog.

Well, no longer. I know I've done pretty much nothing BUT talk about movies the last few weeks, but now that one of my friends has beaten me to the punch, I can't afford to put this off a day more. So, with great pride, I present to you The Absolute, Definitive List of S.R. Braddy's All-Time, Never Been Topped Favorite (for now) Movies, EVER!

And, no, before you ask, Tangled did NOT make the cut.


10 - Penelope

Of all the movies on my list... this sure is one of them. Probably the strangest choice, too. I can't honestly explain why I'm so fond of Penelope. When I finished watching it the first time, though, I wanted to immediately pop it in the player and watch it again. That's a feeling I haven't been able to shake nor argue with.

If I HAD to give a reason, it'd probably be the cast. Especially James McAvoy and Peter Dinklage. Those two are great.



Man, what can I say about this movie that I haven't already said? A combination of old-timey stop-motion animation, top voice acting from some real heavy hitters, and some of the sharpest writing I've ever heard in a film. It's a film that's both heavy and hilarious. Well worth a watch to anyone who hasn't seen it yet.


8 - Porco Rosso

I watched through a ton of Studio Ghibli's films recently, and loved each and every one of them (even the ones that are pretty ridiculously bad ). I may prefer the music in My Neighbor Totoro, the characers of The Secret World of Arriety, or the intensity of Spirited Away; however, for the best balance of humor, adventure, and magic, I've gotta give the top spot to Porco Rosso. Seriously, it's a beautiful pic.



What, you didn't think I just watch happy little G-rated kid movies, did you?

I knew everything about Psycho before I watched it. Everything. Every twist, every quote, every surprise. AND YET, this film STILL scared the pants off me. Good thing no one else was in the room, because then they'd have had to see me pantsless.


6 - Stranger than Fiction

Some movies you just can't evict once they've taken up residence under your skin. That's how I feel about Stranger than Fiction. From the first moment I watched it, I related to just about every character - except for maybe Emma Thompson's Karen Eiffel. I wanted to be her... which actually sounds pretty unhealthy, now that I've written that down. I mean, she's kind of a miserable person.

Still wrote a good story, though.


5 - Modern Times

Once upon a time, I hated movies. I thought they were the lowest form of entertainment, and could only be considered worthwhile if they were "intellectual" movies. Then, one day, my English professor broke out this comedy classic, and we analyzed how Chaplin's antics mirrored the anxieties of a newly industrialized society. From that point on, I realized comedy and "intellectual stimulation" could, in fact, go hand in hand. Modern Times literally changed the way I view entertainment. How could I not love it?



I recently found out there are some people who hate this movie, especially Zooey Deschanel's character. I can't help it, though - this movie speaks to me. I've been Tom. I dated a girl whom I over-idealized, I was devastated by the break up for no good reason, and, from that misery, I made a monumental decision that's made my life a lot more work, but, ultimately a happier one. So suck on that, haters. This is my movie.


3 - The Dark Knight

I loved this movie from the moment the Joker unmasked to the ridiculous line, "The hero Gotham deserves, but not the one it needs right now" (I still don't get that). I loved the magic tricks, the coin flips, and all the crazy twists and turns the plot takes. This is still the best superhero movie - entertaining, optimistic, and yet oh-so-dark.



"Are you watching closely?"

We've come a long way from the kiddie flicks, haven't we? The Prestige is one of the meatiest movies I've ever watched. It's packed with themes of duality, dire warnings against obsession, and the ever-frustrating juxtaposition of childlike wonder and cynicism we all face as we grow up. This movie hurts, and in a good way.



Look, I can't help it, okay? Like with Penelope, I wanted to watch this movie again the minute the closing credits rolled. Like with 500 Days of Summer, I felt like I was seeing an aspect of my life on the screen, only blown up and presented in a truly ridiculous fashion. Scott Pilgrim allowed me to take a look at my life, shake my head and say, "You know, I can do better than that."

Also, it let me watch Michael Cera snark with Kieron Culkin while fighting Brandon Routh, Jason Schwartzman, and Chris Evans, a thing I didn't know I needed until I had it.


Okay, so that's it - my irrefutably set-in-stone favorite movie list, and it will never ever be changed at all ever again, period.

Honorable Mentions

Lilo and Stitch
The Fountain
Hugo
Pan's Labyrinth
City Lights
The Illusionist
Casablanca
Beauty and the Beast
The Rocketeer

4 comments:

miss kristen said...

The Fountain? Really? I don't know if we can continue being friends...

Larissa said...

Kristen, my thoughts exactly, although it was visually stunning.

Stephen, I feel super solid in our friendship because you watched 500 Days of Summer with me for the first time - that's gotta mean something! I'm part of something you will remember forever:-)

I don't know if I could even begin narrowing down my list of favorites...oy.

Miss Megan said...

I've seen all but two on your top ten list, and I must say I approve. (I know you need my approval, so there you go ;P) I'm jealous you're able to actually say what your favorite movie is since mine is ever-changing! Scott Pilgrim -- brilliant!

Kristen, I couldn't get through The Fountain either. I usually like slow, character pieces, but that one didn't work for me. *Shrug*

S.R. Braddy said...

Geez, I didn't know one "honorable mention" would spark so much controversy.