Best Movies of All Time
Last week, I compared reading the book first to watching the movie first, so I thought I’d continue with the movie theme this week. To be fair, “Best Movies of All Time” may be a bit of a stretch, but these are my personal favorites along with a few honorable mentions. Some of these are favorites of the characters in my upcoming book as well, but I won’t say which ones. (Note that I group entire series together.)
In no particular order:
The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings
If you’ve been keeping up, you knew this one would be on the list. I think it’s irrefutable. These films are a work of cinematic excellence. Not only that, but Tolkien’s masterful storytelling is inspirational. When I watched the first film with my brother at the time of its release, I was in awe of the characters and their world. It represents what is possible when you tap into your creativity and let your imagination run wild. As an adult, it’s taken on an even deeper meaning. It somehow became a certain comfort to me through the 16-month period during which I suffered 2 miscarriages and then lost my infant daughter at birth. It encourages me to persevere no matter how difficult my circumstances or how uncertain the road ahead may be.
The Dark Knight
I have always loved Batman. As a child, if my parents took me to the store to pick out a toy, I wasn’t getting a Barbie doll or anything else girly, I wanted Batman action figures and Hot Wheels. It’s now a love that I get to share with my daughter. While I do enjoy the whole trilogy, The Dark Knight, in particular, is my favorite Batman film. This is the case for a number of reasons, but the top of the list is Heath Ledger’s portrayal of the Joker. I think it’s one of the best performances in cinematic history (alongside Tom Hiddleston’s Loki and Johnny Depp’s Captain Jack Sparrow).
The Fast and the Furious
My childhood love of Hot Wheels should have clued you in on this one. I like cars, and it’s a movie about cars—with no shortage of action, I might add. Are parts of it so far-fetched it’s laughable? Yes. Does that detract from my enjoyment of it? Not in the least. Even more than the cars and the action though, I love the family bond represented in these films. That’s what it’s really all about. (Side note: If you don’t cry at the end of Furious 7 every single time, do you even have a heart?)
I wanted to do my top 5, but the truth is, these top 3 are tied for first place and nothing else belongs on the same list. Therefore, here are some honorable mentions:
The Pirates of the Caribbean (I almost included this one above)
Divergent
The Hunger Games
Avatar
Alice in Wonderland
Death at a Funeral
Animated favorites:
Treasure Planet
How to Train Your Dragon
Megamind
Shrek
Pocahontas
Beauty and the Beast
How does my list stack up to yours? Let me know in the comments.