Thursday Thirteen - Favorite Movies

Thursday Thirteen 002

This week I wanted to list my favorite movies. That was kind of hard considering that I watch a lot of movies. My DVD collection is quite large. So, I sat down in front of my DVD racks and started looking for the best titles. This is the list that I came up with (in alphabetical order because I couldn’t pick favorites).

  1. Blow
    I just like the feel of this movie. Drug dealing. Women. Of course, everything goes awry, and poor Johnny Depp doesn't get to live the good life forever.
  2. Citizen Kane
    The first time I watched this was in my Contemporary American Literature class last Spring. Since then, it hasn't come off my top list of movies, and probably never will. It is arguably one of the greatest films in history, and has influenced countless directors and their work in the last 65 years.
  3. Closer
    Clive Owen makes almost any movie good. And there's something strangely passionate and erotic about this film, yet at the same time, there's something sad. It's hard to explain. If nothing else, after watching this, you'll know how to not act in a relationship.
  4. Cool Hand Luke
    At one point in my life I didn't think "old" movies could be funny. Paul Newman and the rest of the cast changed my mind quick in this one. However, it is probably the best anti-hero movie you will ever see.
  5. Cruel Intentions
    I would like to say that this film changed my life. I was in my mid-teens when this first came out. I actually thought that it was "okay" for a guy to write in a journal after watching it. Now, I'm keeping my journal online. It probably helped shaped me into the writer I am today by keeping a journal.
  6. The Godfather Part I & Part II
    I merged Parts I & II together to save room on my list. Mostly, I just like the gangster stuff. But, there's a real sad story here, and one that should be watched.
  7. Goodfellas
    I almost didn't put this on the list because I already had The Godfather on here. But, I thought about Ray Liotta's line at the beginning of the movie, "As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a gangster," and I had to put it on here. I'm just fascinated with gangster movies.
  8. Good Will Hunting
    One of my friends told me once, "If you want to get motivated, then just watch this movie." As Will Hunting drives off in the end, it brings about a sort of hope for us all. No matter where we are in life now, there's something better if we just go for it.
  9. I Heart Huckabees
    I had to put a comedy on my list, and this movie fits perfectly. It's just funny, and that's all that it needs to be. Well, and it might make you think about reality and life and other things.
  10. Moulin Rouge
    Yes, I must also put a musical on the list. I actually never liked musicals before Moulin Rouge came along. It changed my perspective on the entire genre. And who knew Nicole Kidman could sing like that? But the real treat is hearing Ewan McGregor.
  11. Mulholland Drive
    No movie list would be complete without a David Lynch film. I don't even know where to begin describing how surreal this movie is. You can't watch it just once either. You can be watching it for the fifth or sixth time and still finding more pieces of the puzzle.
  12. Ray
    Jamie Foxx really became a great actor during this movie. I think he finally found the role that will be considered his defining moment in his film career. It is a wonderful story, and it was well acted.
  13. Saved!
    Don't laugh. I know it's a bit corny, but it's my special movie. Everyone has a favorite movie to impress people and a favorite movie that they don't tell anyone about. Citizen Kane is my impress people movie, and Saved! is my don't tell people about movie.

Honorable Mentions (since I can’t stop naming great movies)

  1. Rebel Without A Cause
  2. Scarface
  3. Heat
  4. Hud

Read other Thursday Thirteen lists.