What are your top ten favorite movies?

Boy…this is a seriously tough question. I used to work in television so I have seen a lot of movies. I don’t know if I can come up with ten standouts but I will try.

Here they are in no particular order…

1. “The Big Lebowski” – a classic film with a great cast and not a weak character in the film
2. “Into the Wild” – this is admittedly a very hard movie for me and even though it had a profound impact on me I have only been able to watch it twice. I saw it the first time at the theater while figuring out some life decisions. I had read the book and it really struck me as life-changing; seeing the movie really drove it home. The second time I saw it only part way through and had to stop. I really reflected on the main character Chris and saw some similarities to myself as far as looking for “something”.
3. “Live at the Paramount” – This movie made me understand the hype around Nirvana and appreciate what they were doing. They just kick asses all over the place and it’s one of the best concert films out there. I worked with a guy who not only had Nirvana’s manager as a neighbor, but he also played in bands around Seattle at the time. To hear him talk about this magical time after seeing this film made me wish I had been in the middle of it. Visiting Seattle further helps understand where grunge came from.
4. “That thing You Do” – a fun movie that reflects the “one-hit-wonder” days of music in the late 50s/early 60s. Tom Hanks had a big hand in the movie and plays a great part.
5. “Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle” – another fun movie I have watched repeatedly, usually in an altered state. It’s funny, sometimes crude, and a hilarious adventure. Neil Patrick Harris is so damn funny in this and there are a lot of funny, perhaps juvenile, things in this movie.
6. “The Journey” – there are several movies by this name, but this particular one is a documentary about some college students pursuing celebrities, politicians, and others to see what regrets they had in life and what advice they have for younger generations. I watched this the first time on a disc from Netflix and I ended up buying a copy online and have watched it several times. The main guy ended up going on to become a motivational speaker and it is easy to understand why after watching the movie. It had a big influence on me.
7. “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” – another classic movie I can watch over and over and over again. It’s fun, funny, and easy to watch.
8. Any Wes Anderson movie – this might be cheating, but I really like Wes Anderson movies and have seen all but one. They are weird, quirky, and usually have the same actors in them, but I love that they are not “typical Hollywood”.
9. “Lost In Translation” – another favorite I have seen probably 100 times over the years. Bill Murray and Scarlet Johansson are the leads and it is set in Tokyo.
10. “Cars” – this is a family-friendly fun movie. The storyline is really good and really tells the story of Route 66 in a different way. If you have ever traveled “The Mother Road” you will see many familiar sights and you really understand the movie more.
11. Okay…one more…”Fast Times at Ridgemont High” – another classic movie. Admittedly, it’s a bit dated but it was high school back then Sean Penn is really good in it.

I have others I like, but these are ones that I usually come back to.

See you next time!

Shawn