Guest godthedog Posted July 10, 2002 Report Posted July 10, 2002 i'm not talking about movies that we like because they're so good, i'm talking about movies that seem to strike a very personal chord in us and make us truly relate to them. for example, 'rear window' is one of my favorite movies, but it didn't teach me anything profound about myself. they don't have to be great movies, just movies that you love for personal reasons. my favorite movie of all time is "it's a wonderful life". see, growing up i wanted to do something huge and important with my life, just like jimmy stewart in the movie. during the middle third of the film, the kind of despair he feels for his life stealing away his dreams just jumped out at me. at the time i saw it, i didn't think there was anything that could be more devastating to me than to have my dreams taken away. that spoke to me more than the message at the end, & instilled a very deep fear in me of staying in my hometown and ending up in debt with a shitty job. it kind of lit a fire under my ass, and made me work a lot harder as a writer, cause i was damned if i was going to settle for what everybody else settled for. i still write, and i still hate living in this god-awful town (but thankfully, this is the last summer i have to spend here). as someone who writes, 'wonder boys' became one of my favorites. it's the only movie i've ever seen that seems to really be in love with writing, & whenever i watch it i want to write. for reasons i still can't explain, 'magnolia' spoke to me very intensely. i had nothing in common with any of the characters, & seeing it in the theater was one of the most emotional experiences of my life. i was in tears for the last hour & a half of that movie. 'ghost world' was another movie that awakened in me that fear of being average & settling for the middle class trap. it reminded me perfectly of how scary it was to be out of high school and wondering how to make sense of everything & how i'd get by in life without failing. that's all i can think of, off the top of my head. now let's hear from some others in the group.
Guest ArkhamGlobe Posted July 10, 2002 Report Posted July 10, 2002 I have several films that strike a chord in me in the way the manage to capture my imagination, almost speaking directly to my "inner child" if you will. Flash Gordon is one of them. There is just something about this film that makes me feel like when I was younger and was marvelled by films like Big Trouble in Little China, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and this film. Nowadays when I watch it I can enjoy the almost baroque set and costume design, and the gleefully over the top performances by seasoned british stage actors, and as a fan of Queen, the musical score is a real treat. But the film still basically manages to turn me back into the little boy who had just fallen in love with cinema. Highlander works almost the same way for me, as do most of the James Bond films. One recent film that sort of spoke to me on a very personal level was Amélie, mainly because the character of Amélie in a way reminded me about myself when I was younger. Another that spoke to me in a similar way was Francois Truffaut's Shoot the Pianist, for much the same reasons. Since I'm not sure how many here have seen it, the basic story is about a gifted piano player. His wife commits suicide and he basically retires from the limelight, and starts playing at a café on his street more or less (it's been a while since I last saw the film). He also let's his shyness get the better of him, and this is where it got to me, that I could relate to the character in a way (except for the whole wife suicide part), and in that I didn't want to throw my life away and waste my dreams and my talents in that manner. Another is Escape from New York, mainly because that is the film that made me into the movienut that I am today. That's all I can think of for the moment, I'll post more if I can think of any.
Guest C.H.U.D. Posted July 11, 2002 Report Posted July 11, 2002 Blade Runner, Heathers & Who Framed Roger Rabbit are my top 3.
Guest RobJohnstone Posted July 11, 2002 Report Posted July 11, 2002 the last boyscout, I dunno, I just love that movie --Rob
Guest Kinetic Posted July 11, 2002 Report Posted July 11, 2002 I'm a major "Forrest Gump" mark. I'm not sure why. I'm generally turned off by overt sentimentality and the "lovable idiot" archetype but that movie never ceases to impress me.
Guest bps "The Truth" 21 Posted July 11, 2002 Report Posted July 11, 2002 Searching For Bobby Fischer Best. Movie. Ever.
Guest MrRant Posted July 11, 2002 Report Posted July 11, 2002 My favs are: First Blood Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory Wizard of Oz (Yeah.. so what motherfucker?) Die Hard Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country
Guest red_file Posted July 11, 2002 Report Posted July 11, 2002 Every time I watch The Shawshank Redemption I'm amazed at how much it touches me.
Guest starvenger Posted July 11, 2002 Report Posted July 11, 2002 Groundhog Day, Office Space and The Matrix
Guest godthedog Posted July 11, 2002 Report Posted July 11, 2002 the last boyscout, I dunno, I just love that movie --Rob that's a favorite among my friends & me, even though jerry bruckheimer is the devil. as an action movie it's nothing special, but it's filled to the brim with great one-liners. "i had sex with your wife last night." "how do you know she was my wife?" "she said her husband was a stupid pimp-looking motherfucker with a funny hat." "maybe i could take her horseback riding." "she's 13 years old, & if you so much as look at her funny i'll shove an umbrella up your ass & open it." "i think i fucked a squirrel to death." "shit, we're being beat up by the inventor of scrabble." "why did mister milo cross the road? because his dick was stuck in the chicken!" i always laugh my ass off whenever i see it.
Guest dreamer420 Posted July 11, 2002 Report Posted July 11, 2002 i have a few: ed wood pulp fiction reservoir dogs swingers jackie brown true romance natural born killers clerk chasing amy half baked
Guest evenflowDDT Posted July 11, 2002 Report Posted July 11, 2002 Anyone who's looked at my signature can tell my submission. Aside from Chopping Mall, my other favoritest favorites are Dogma, Bruiser (even though the ending sucks... oh wait, are we supposed to be critical towards our favorites?), Blood Dolls (first Full Moon movie!), and Escape from New York deserves special mention because I watched it all the time when I was younger, even though I haven't seen it in years.
Guest CoreyLazarus416 Posted July 11, 2002 Report Posted July 11, 2002 The Crow Rocky Aliens Terminator 2 (I cried the first time I saw this because of the ending...I was 7, shut up)
Guest Zack Malibu Posted July 11, 2002 Report Posted July 11, 2002 Mallrats. I can begin to tell you how many times in my life I've epitomized Brodie Bruce. When life gets you down, when a girl breaks up with you, when you're friends are being assholes...just head to the mall. Saved By The Bell. I absolutely love this show. Was a major part of growing up for me. There are so many similarities between myself and the show it's scary. I don't think the day will ever come that I tire of watching my Saved By The Bell tapes. Ski School-Bought on a whim for $3.95 during a previewed sale at a video store. Bought it the same week that my older cousin, who I had always spent time with and looked up to immensely, passed away. Hilarious movie that got me through some tough nights, and the one-liners are great.
Guest Incandenza Posted July 11, 2002 Report Posted July 11, 2002 Kicking and Screaming. In spite of its imperfections--and it has its share--I love that movie with a passion, particularly the last scene.
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