Friday, June 10, 2005

The Weekend Question: Films

We have another Weekend Question to make you all think a little. Your opinions are always worth listening to. Note there won't be another Question until I return from vacation at the beginning of July.

I'm asking about one of my favourite subjects: films.

Which are your five favourite movies and why?

Here are mine:

1: The Hours: This is the best by far. Three of the top film actresses of the time (Nicole Kidman, Meryl Streep & Julianne Moore) playing in an intelligent movie with great supporting cast as well. Every time I see this movie it just gets better.

2: The Godfather Trilogy: Cheating a little by having three movies, but they are all part of one epic tale. So much detail is in the telling, I seem to find more everytime I see it.

3: Lord Of The Rings (Extended Editions): Another trilogy that could not be separated in the telling. The theatrical versions aren't good enough, and should only be seen in the Extended Versions, as vital detail is cut out. The definitive fantasy film.

4: Pleasantville: This movie is said to have more special effects than the original Star Wars movie. The use of colour and black and white is astonishing. A moral message is in here also, with stars who had yet to be discovered at the time.

5: Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: A beautifully filmed movie that turned martial arts into an art movie, with balletic sequences duplicated in 'Hero' and 'House Of Flying Daggers'. Chow Yun Fat, Michelle Yeoh & Zhang Ziyi are perfectly cast.

There are so many others I could add that were comedies, thrillers, tragedies etc.

Now, it's over to you......

29 comments:

Kevin said...

Arrived today via shuttlecraft from Michele's Spaceport.

Name five movies? That's hard. But some faves include The Sure Thing, Ben-Hur, A Hard Day's Night, Jaws and Dances with Wolves.

Hey, whattaya know -- that's five!

Anonymous said...

Michele sent me...

1. Amelie. I love, love, love this movie. So beautiful, colorful, and dreamy.
2. Lagaan. Such classic Bollywood, wonderful music, and a great story.
3. Like Water for Chocolate. Intricately woven story of food and love in Mexico. What could be more like me?
4. Lord of the Rings trilogy. (I cheated, too.) Such a pure fantasy world, so perfect and with wonderful depth.
5. You've Got Mail. If you can't tell already, I love movies that transport me somewhere. I've never been to New York, but this movie takes me there every time.

Trinity13 said...

1. Matrix Trilogy-Do I even have to explain this one???
2. Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory-I have the entire movie memorized. And then there are the oompa loompas...need I say any more?!
3. The Village-A great movie by M Night Syamalan who also wrote and directed The Sixth Sense.
4. Notting Hill-I had to include the best chick flick in the world!
5. Terminator 2-One of the best sequels I have ever seen!

Jamie Dawn said...

I my world, sequels/trilogies count as 1:

5. Indiana Jones Movies: exciting, funny, great stories
4. Back to the Future Movies: same as above
3. Parenthood: Funny Steve Martin movie with a great, heartfelt core
2. Matrix Movies: Wow! Unique stories and great special effects
1. Casablanca: greatest love story of all time, great dialogue

Bill said...

Limited to only five movies? Here goes:

5. Predator - the first rated "R" movie I ever saw. My dad took me.
4. What Lies Beneath - Harrison Ford as the bad guy? Never saw it coming.
3. The Longest Day - epic tale of the D Day invasion of Normandy with John Wayne and even a young Sean Connery
2. Ghostbusters - Cutting edge special effects at the time, plus it's got Dan Akroyd and Bill Murray in this battle of good vs. evil. Who's on which side?
1. Star Wars ep IV-VI - I found the prequel trilogy too reliant on special effects while the original series is a great story about how, no matter what you've become, there's always a way back.

That's my list. Putting it together was harder than I thought.

Jean-Luc Picard said...

Great choices so far.

Jamie, I have Casablanca on DVD.

Trinity, the Terminator movies were hard to leave out of my top five. I have those on DVd. I halso have 'The Village'. I had to explain the story to a friend of mine, as she was mystified by the plot!

Star said...

Hi Jean- Luc. I liked all of the movies you mentions but I wouldn't list them as favorites. It hard to pick 5 all time favorites. But I would pobably go more with "chick flicks".

xtessa said...

hey jean-luc! came via michele's but you know i drop by all the time!

this is hard...

1. LOTR Trilogy- and yes, the extended versions!

2. Dirty Dancing- something that reminds me of my childhood

3. My Best Friend's Wedding- a movie that is "meaningful" to me and my hubby

4. Riding In Cars With Boys- i dunno. i just related to Drew Barrymore's character...

5. The Passion of the Christ- beautiful, beautiful, beautiful! double impact on me 'coz i'm catholic...

Anonymous said...

I liked The Hours! Cause of her big nose! Pleasantville I barely remember that one

Anonymous said...

This one is hard for me to answer because I do not watch alot of movies..

1. Gone With The Wind. Just something about that movie..

2. Fast & Furious.. I'm big time into cars. Even better Fast cars..

3.Heart and Souls. A movie that didnt make it big yet my friends and I fell in love with it when we saw it. Just too sweet..

Other than that I'm stuck..

Anonymous said...

The ghosts of Mars with Ice Cube. And all those mentioned are great!

Anonymous said...

Hmmm...

Dead Poets Society is a goodn one...wow there are just too many to name!

Michele sent me...that would be a great name for a film! LOL

Anonymous said...

Fried Green Tomatoes, Bound, XXX, Savanah Smiles, and any Muppet Movie!

Mouthy Mom
www.mouthymom.com

Michelle sent me!

Christie E. Little said...

Hi...Michelle sent me. Ok, these might be chick flicks, but I'm putting in the ones I've watched the most.
1. Sixteen Candles. This used to be my ultimate date movie growing up. All the good guys would get to watch this one with me.
2. Notting Hill. I love Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts. You know it's good when you buy VHS...then upgrade to DVD. :)
3. Gone with the Wind. Love it Love it Love it. The book is better, though.
4. Legally Blond. My daughter had me add that one, because I told her I wasn't going to add a Mary Kate and Ashley movie..lol
5. Father of the Bride.

Shallow huh..lol. I could put any of these on right now and just watch.

Tammy said...

Sadly I don't tend to watch many movies...ask me to name books and I'll have a list for you!

Michele sent me! :)

mw said...

Man, between you and Michele I'm not going to get anything done today. Aye Aye Capitan!

1) Blade runner. SF noire. Everytime I see a dove fly, I think "Time to die..."

2) Strange Brew. A documentary of my 20's.

3) Roadies. Everything works if you let it. A mantra for my life.

4) Three Days of the Condor. Just close enough to reality to be truly scary. It could happen to you. It might happen to me!

5) Wizards. "I'm gonna show you a trick Mom showed me when you weren't around".

Sarie said...

Hello Michele Sent me

Hmmm, 5 favorite movies:

Rocky Horror Picture Show
Wizard of Oz
You've Got Mail
Eight Crazy Nights
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory

Jamie Dawn said...

It was too hard to pick just five. Now, all weekend I've been thinking of movies I love that I didn't put on the list:

A Beautiful Mind: Russel Crow rocks!

The Joy Luck Club: epic and wonderful

Peggy Sue got Married: A great comedy. Nicholas Cage plays a great character, kind of geeky guy

So many others....
The test of a great movie, is that you don't mind watching it again and again. Some movies are just one timers.

Panthergirl said...

Hey...here via Michele today.

SO hard for me to pick just five:

1. The Professional
2. The Godfather
3. Arthur
4. The Princess Bride
5. Team America: World Police

Eclectic, eh? ;)

Jamie said...

I can't believe nobody picked the Star Trek movies!

But I love Tombstone, and Amadeus, too. Both movies I once had memorized.

Jean-Luc Picard said...

Panthergirl, you have a variety of tastes.

Jamie Dawn, I love 'Peggy Sue Got Married'. 'The Joy Luck Club' is great. Amy Tan is a good writer.

Sarah, your tastes are diverse also.

All of you...wonderful entries.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for visiting Lam(b), of course I have to share my 5 favorite films:

1. The Outsiders - all time favorite because I loved it when I was young and still do, and it had a quote by Robert Frost in it that is the first poem I memorized.

2. The Birdcage - cause I laugh everytime I see it, no matter how many times I have.

3. Cape Fear - cause it's a scarey movie I watch with my mom sometimes (she likes scarey movies more than I do).

4. Fried Green Tomatoes - cause any movie that involves "secret sauce" must totally rock!

5. Baraka - cause it's beautiful.

Anonymous said...

Pride and Prejudice (A&E) because it is a very accurate and enjoyable portrayal of one of the best books of all time.

The American President just because it makes me smile.

hmmm...can't think of any others. i have such a crap memory. ;)

here via michele.

Babette said...

Babette's Feast
Room With A View
My Father's Glory/My Mother's Castle
Strictly Ballroom
Master and Commander-Far Side of the World

Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon IS divine--especially with Yoyo Ma on the soundtrack!

Anonymous said...

Five movies...here they are:

1. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy: Whether it be original or extended. Now that I own all the extended, they're the only ones I watch though. I can [and have] spent hours watching the extras. Those movies were incredible, even more so for me because I grew up on the books and love them to death.

2. Star Trek movies: Every single one. Grew up on those too, my dad loves them as well. :D Every once and a while we sit down and have a "Star Trek Marathon". Only the good movies get to be part of a marathon.

3. Star Wars movies: George Lucas is a brilliant man. Star Wars was another thig I grew up on. Also another marathon set. ;) I love them!

4. The Green Mile: My first rated R movie. It made me cry, and it made me cheer. And that mouse was freakin' awesome!

5. Indiana Jones movies: Anything with Harrison Ford in it rocks! I grew up on these too, they are just too good not to love.

There are tons of others...It was hard to just pick 5. Although I [sort of] cheated. ;) Love the blog by the way!

True Jersey Girl said...

Hmmm...its hard to choose because there are so many. I will pick the 5 movies I watch over and over and over...and that certainly doesn't mean that they are the best movies, but that they entertained me the most:
1. Ocean's 11
2. My Blue Heaven
3. Clueless
4. Independance Day
5. Breakfast Club

Robin said...

Don't know if I can answer with just 5. I am a movie-aholic.

LOTR trilogy
Matrix trilogy
Schindler's List
The Princess Bride
True Lies
It's a Wonderful Life
Ocean's Eleven
Catch Me if You Can

NYPinTA said...

It's very hard to pick just 5 movies, because really, it usually depends on your mood at the time...
But I'll give it a shot too anyhow.
1) The Usual Suspects
2) Empire of the Sun
3) The Princess Bride
4) LOTR Trilogy
5) The Red Violin

But good runners up are:
The Breakfast Club,
The original 3 Star Wars movies,
Chocolate,
and these two because they are so damn funny:
Monty Python's Holy Grail
and
Galaxy Quest.

Shelley said...

Hey man, here's my top 5:

1) The Machinist
2) LOTR Trilogy
3) Gladiator
4) The Notebook
5) Reality Bites