There's no question about it. Movies are a massive part of my life. From the time I could crawl, there hasn't been a moment where I haven't enjoyed watching them. They've made me laugh, cry, think, and done so much for me. But, in spite of that, I've never actually tried putting into words which ones I hold the most dear to me. Well, that changes now, as I present to you my top ten favourite movies of all time. Please bear in mind that this is not a list of films I consider the greatest, as there are many films that I fully acknowledge that are better than the ones on this list, but nevertheless just don't click for me. These are just the ones that, for whatever reason, I enjoy above all others.
10 - Pacific Rim (2013):
We start things off with the most recent film you'll find on this list. I know it's a fairly "uncool" thing to do, putting such a modern film in a top ten list, but PR did a lot of things right for me. True, there are a lot of cliches and stereotype characters in here, but it makes up for that with giving us the kind of excitement and fun that most blockbuster action movies haven't been able to give me since I was a kid. Are people right when they say it's just giant robots fighting giant monsters? Yes, they are. But it's presented and executed in such a masterful way by legendary Director, Guillermo Del Toro that, when you see it, that's all it really needs to be.
9 - The Muppets Christmas Carol (1992):
A Christmas Carol has been done and re-done so many times over the years that many people have begun to get tired of it. But in truth, it's always been one of my favourite stories. I've loved many interpretations of this tale over the years, but this one, given to us by the great people at Jim Henson Productions, is very well done. It stays very faithful to the source material in spite of the more comedic antics of it's largely Muppet cast, and we're given a truly respectable performance by Michael Caine as the lead character, giving me what has become my favourite interpretation of Ebeneezer Scrooge. It's a film that manages to do everything a good adaptation of A Christmas Carol should, even handling the darker and more morose moments just as well as any adult-oriented version.
8 - Conan the Barbarian (1982):
I'll be the first to say it, Arnold Schwarzenegger is not the world's best actor. But then, he doesn't need to be to be perfectly suited to a role like this. This film, at the end of the day, is all about giving us a fantasy world of action and adventure, and it delivers very well on that count. Granted, I haven't read the books this was based on, nor have I heard good things about this film from those who have, but I still enjoy it. What enthrals me about it is that, for most of it, it's silent, with the atmosphere and emotions of the characters being served by what could well be the most brilliant movie score I've ever heard, provided by the late great Basil Poledouris. But in spite of that, there are good acting moments here, mostly from the film's lead villain, played by James Earl Jones. It's an exciting action epic that's more than worthy of a place on my list.
7 - Princess Mononoke (1997):
I was introduced to Japanese animation a few years after it first exploded onto the Western scene in the early 90's, and what little I had seen of it didn't really endear itself to me, so back then I was of the impression that it wasn't a medium I'd enjoy. Then in comes this film, whose sole purpose seemed to me to be to slap me in the face and shake me until I admitted I was wrong. And it did exactly that. I was so blown away by the sheer beauty of this film's animation and scope that I was forever convinced of the value of anime. It's tale of a young warrior thrust into a war between humans and spirits might not be the most original premise I've seen, but it was executed damn-near perfectly, and today continues to stand as not only my favourite from the great line of Studio Ghibli, but as my all-time favourite anime movie period.
6 - Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975):
Easily the funniest movie I've ever had the privilidge to witness. Judging by the sheer number of people out there who have referenced and quoted this movie, I think it's safe to say that it's position as a well-regarded comedy is secure. Putting the classic tale of King Arthur in a comedic light might not have been anything new, even back then, but the sheer number of legitimately funny moments, memorable characters and quotable scenes makes this movie stand out in your mind even in spite of it's age. The Monty Python crew were really on top form here, filling their parts well and really getting into the swing of this medieval-style comedic adventure. While some of the jokes might seem dated by today's standards, that will never take away from the fact that I have never laughed at any film as hard as I have for this one.
5 - The Prince of Egypt (1998):
At a time when Disney was struggling to hold onto the success of it's early 90's boom days, Dreamworks Animation came along and delivered a film that proved that there were other people out there who could produce works just as good. This quasi-remake of the classic live-action1956 film, based on the tale of the Exodus, was a combination of breathtaking animation, deep and dramatic characters and a musical score that fit it absolutely perfectly. I'm no religious person by any stretch of the imagination, but I will admit that stories like these were important to me, and this was by far the best presented of any I've seen in my life. Aside from one or two points, like the comedic moments of the first act which I never felt were needed, this was an animated film that I loved both as a child and as an adult.
4 - The Dark Knight (2008):
Yeah, I know it's a tad cliche to put this film on a list like this, but even over half-a-decade after it's initial hype, this movie still stands up extraordinarily well. Comic book superheroes in movies have always had a number of people criticising them for being "childish", but this film came along to shut up every single one of those naysayers. The story was as deep as these things get, the action was fast-paced and intense, and the acting was superb, especially the terrifying performance given by the late Heath Ledger as the Joker. I may be as sick to death of the "grim and gritty" aesthetic of superheroes as much as the next guy, but this was a film that used it well, to give us a story that even now stands as the yard stick by which all other superhero movies are measured.
3 - Finding Nemo (2003):
When Disney's films started to dip in quality in the wake of "The Lion King", Pixar came in out of nowhere to pick up the slack in the following years. But by far their greatest creation, at least as far as I'm concerned, was the story of Marlin the clownfish travelling the oceans to find his lost son, Nemo. This is a fairly simple "go to X to find Y" story, but what elevates it is it's cast of memorable characters, all of whom grow and develop like real people. I loved each and every one of them, and not once did I ever find myself unengaged with their respective arcs. And then there's the animation. What "Princess Mononoke" did for hand-drawn animation, this film does for computer animation. There was not a single shot of the ocean or it's denizens when I was thinking to myself, "that is beautiful". Good animation and great characters combined to make "Finding Nemo" a near-perfect entry from Pixar.
2 - The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001):
Peter Jackson, a little-known Director from New Zealand, comes in and does what many thought was impossible, adapting JRR Tolkien's magnum opus, The Lord of the Rings, into one of the most critically and commercially successful film trilogies of all time. Do not think for one moment that I do not enjoy the other two films in this trilogy because of their absence from this list, as nothing could be further from the truth. I adore all three films, but the first entry just endeared itself to me more than "Two Towers" or "Return of the King". If I had to cite a reason why, it would be that this film seems less focused on war than the other two, instead having a more quest-oriented and character-focused story. Because this films lacks the divergent storylines of the other two, it always seemed more focused. But even so, it still stands as one of my all-time favourite films, as well as making sure that the great Mr Tolkien's work will be remembered for a very long time.
Also, I'd be remiss if I didn't say that this movie, perhaps more than any other on this list, had an impact on my life in terms of what I enjoy. In addition to giving me a renewed intered in fantasy literature, it opened up a whole new world in terms of my understanding on the way films are made. Before this, I never really cared that much about the people behind-the-scenes on movies like this, but afterwards, I pretty much devoted myself to finding out about all the background stuff that goes into creating a work like movies. So add that to the list of reasons why I love this movie, it made me appreciate film as an art form far more than I'd ever done before.
1 - Beauty and the Beast (1991):
Yeah, there was no way I was making this list without a Disney film getting in. This company have given me some of the most beloved stories of my childhood, and indeed, many of them still hold up now that I'm older. By far the one I hold as the pinnacle of their works is this. The characters are memorable, well-written and wonderfully acted. The songs, all classics and great to listen to. The story, easily the best romance Disney has ever made. The animation too is easily a cut above a lot of what they were doing at the time. While I do have little nitpicks here and there, like my continual confusion as to how a film set in France only has one character with a French accent, that will never be enough to diminish my love of this story and the characters it gave me. It's a film that keeps getting better every time I watch it, and I have no hesitation in naming my all-time favourite movie.
Well, that's my list. I hope you all enjoyed reading it, and I look forward to hearing any comments you have to say about it.
10 - Pacific Rim (2013):
We start things off with the most recent film you'll find on this list. I know it's a fairly "uncool" thing to do, putting such a modern film in a top ten list, but PR did a lot of things right for me. True, there are a lot of cliches and stereotype characters in here, but it makes up for that with giving us the kind of excitement and fun that most blockbuster action movies haven't been able to give me since I was a kid. Are people right when they say it's just giant robots fighting giant monsters? Yes, they are. But it's presented and executed in such a masterful way by legendary Director, Guillermo Del Toro that, when you see it, that's all it really needs to be.
9 - The Muppets Christmas Carol (1992):
A Christmas Carol has been done and re-done so many times over the years that many people have begun to get tired of it. But in truth, it's always been one of my favourite stories. I've loved many interpretations of this tale over the years, but this one, given to us by the great people at Jim Henson Productions, is very well done. It stays very faithful to the source material in spite of the more comedic antics of it's largely Muppet cast, and we're given a truly respectable performance by Michael Caine as the lead character, giving me what has become my favourite interpretation of Ebeneezer Scrooge. It's a film that manages to do everything a good adaptation of A Christmas Carol should, even handling the darker and more morose moments just as well as any adult-oriented version.
8 - Conan the Barbarian (1982):
I'll be the first to say it, Arnold Schwarzenegger is not the world's best actor. But then, he doesn't need to be to be perfectly suited to a role like this. This film, at the end of the day, is all about giving us a fantasy world of action and adventure, and it delivers very well on that count. Granted, I haven't read the books this was based on, nor have I heard good things about this film from those who have, but I still enjoy it. What enthrals me about it is that, for most of it, it's silent, with the atmosphere and emotions of the characters being served by what could well be the most brilliant movie score I've ever heard, provided by the late great Basil Poledouris. But in spite of that, there are good acting moments here, mostly from the film's lead villain, played by James Earl Jones. It's an exciting action epic that's more than worthy of a place on my list.
7 - Princess Mononoke (1997):
I was introduced to Japanese animation a few years after it first exploded onto the Western scene in the early 90's, and what little I had seen of it didn't really endear itself to me, so back then I was of the impression that it wasn't a medium I'd enjoy. Then in comes this film, whose sole purpose seemed to me to be to slap me in the face and shake me until I admitted I was wrong. And it did exactly that. I was so blown away by the sheer beauty of this film's animation and scope that I was forever convinced of the value of anime. It's tale of a young warrior thrust into a war between humans and spirits might not be the most original premise I've seen, but it was executed damn-near perfectly, and today continues to stand as not only my favourite from the great line of Studio Ghibli, but as my all-time favourite anime movie period.
6 - Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975):
Easily the funniest movie I've ever had the privilidge to witness. Judging by the sheer number of people out there who have referenced and quoted this movie, I think it's safe to say that it's position as a well-regarded comedy is secure. Putting the classic tale of King Arthur in a comedic light might not have been anything new, even back then, but the sheer number of legitimately funny moments, memorable characters and quotable scenes makes this movie stand out in your mind even in spite of it's age. The Monty Python crew were really on top form here, filling their parts well and really getting into the swing of this medieval-style comedic adventure. While some of the jokes might seem dated by today's standards, that will never take away from the fact that I have never laughed at any film as hard as I have for this one.
5 - The Prince of Egypt (1998):
At a time when Disney was struggling to hold onto the success of it's early 90's boom days, Dreamworks Animation came along and delivered a film that proved that there were other people out there who could produce works just as good. This quasi-remake of the classic live-action1956 film, based on the tale of the Exodus, was a combination of breathtaking animation, deep and dramatic characters and a musical score that fit it absolutely perfectly. I'm no religious person by any stretch of the imagination, but I will admit that stories like these were important to me, and this was by far the best presented of any I've seen in my life. Aside from one or two points, like the comedic moments of the first act which I never felt were needed, this was an animated film that I loved both as a child and as an adult.
4 - The Dark Knight (2008):
Yeah, I know it's a tad cliche to put this film on a list like this, but even over half-a-decade after it's initial hype, this movie still stands up extraordinarily well. Comic book superheroes in movies have always had a number of people criticising them for being "childish", but this film came along to shut up every single one of those naysayers. The story was as deep as these things get, the action was fast-paced and intense, and the acting was superb, especially the terrifying performance given by the late Heath Ledger as the Joker. I may be as sick to death of the "grim and gritty" aesthetic of superheroes as much as the next guy, but this was a film that used it well, to give us a story that even now stands as the yard stick by which all other superhero movies are measured.
3 - Finding Nemo (2003):
When Disney's films started to dip in quality in the wake of "The Lion King", Pixar came in out of nowhere to pick up the slack in the following years. But by far their greatest creation, at least as far as I'm concerned, was the story of Marlin the clownfish travelling the oceans to find his lost son, Nemo. This is a fairly simple "go to X to find Y" story, but what elevates it is it's cast of memorable characters, all of whom grow and develop like real people. I loved each and every one of them, and not once did I ever find myself unengaged with their respective arcs. And then there's the animation. What "Princess Mononoke" did for hand-drawn animation, this film does for computer animation. There was not a single shot of the ocean or it's denizens when I was thinking to myself, "that is beautiful". Good animation and great characters combined to make "Finding Nemo" a near-perfect entry from Pixar.
2 - The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001):
Peter Jackson, a little-known Director from New Zealand, comes in and does what many thought was impossible, adapting JRR Tolkien's magnum opus, The Lord of the Rings, into one of the most critically and commercially successful film trilogies of all time. Do not think for one moment that I do not enjoy the other two films in this trilogy because of their absence from this list, as nothing could be further from the truth. I adore all three films, but the first entry just endeared itself to me more than "Two Towers" or "Return of the King". If I had to cite a reason why, it would be that this film seems less focused on war than the other two, instead having a more quest-oriented and character-focused story. Because this films lacks the divergent storylines of the other two, it always seemed more focused. But even so, it still stands as one of my all-time favourite films, as well as making sure that the great Mr Tolkien's work will be remembered for a very long time.
Also, I'd be remiss if I didn't say that this movie, perhaps more than any other on this list, had an impact on my life in terms of what I enjoy. In addition to giving me a renewed intered in fantasy literature, it opened up a whole new world in terms of my understanding on the way films are made. Before this, I never really cared that much about the people behind-the-scenes on movies like this, but afterwards, I pretty much devoted myself to finding out about all the background stuff that goes into creating a work like movies. So add that to the list of reasons why I love this movie, it made me appreciate film as an art form far more than I'd ever done before.
1 - Beauty and the Beast (1991):
Yeah, there was no way I was making this list without a Disney film getting in. This company have given me some of the most beloved stories of my childhood, and indeed, many of them still hold up now that I'm older. By far the one I hold as the pinnacle of their works is this. The characters are memorable, well-written and wonderfully acted. The songs, all classics and great to listen to. The story, easily the best romance Disney has ever made. The animation too is easily a cut above a lot of what they were doing at the time. While I do have little nitpicks here and there, like my continual confusion as to how a film set in France only has one character with a French accent, that will never be enough to diminish my love of this story and the characters it gave me. It's a film that keeps getting better every time I watch it, and I have no hesitation in naming my all-time favourite movie.
Well, that's my list. I hope you all enjoyed reading it, and I look forward to hearing any comments you have to say about it.
