My Top Ten

This is a list of my top ten favorite movies.  This list is definitely not set in stone. These are simply the movies that I will always --no matter what-- be in the mood for.  If you ever read the book The Perks of Being a Wallflower (which I highly recommend that you do --seeing as it is tied for my favorite book of all time) the main character says something to the effect of "My favorite book is always the last one that I read."  I would like to emphasize how legitimate that statement is when choosing a top ten of something so personally significant as movies.

1. American Beauty

Aside from Kevin Spacey being my favorite actor of all time, this movie really just gets at my fear of suburbia as it begs us to "Look closer..." at what life in America really is behind the curtains.

2. Donnie Darko

I've got to say that I adore movies that are difficult to understand until the fifth or sixth time that you watch them.  That is this movie.  And yet, I've never met anyone that got the same thing from this movie that I did so who really knows what this movie is actually about.

3. Stand By Me

Now I know this would make a lot more sense if I was a boy because like the Sandlot, this is the ultimate young boy story; but I just love this time period to be honest.  Anything in the fifties and I am all about it.  But this one especially.

4. The Perks of Being a Wallflower

There are a lot of great movie adaptations of books.  This one is by far one of the best that I've seen.  What was already my favorite book was made into one of the most spectacular coming of age films of our generation.  The author of the book was the director of the movie and the dedication to the original script is remarkably evident.

5. Hook

As a child, I watched this movie (without any inkling of exaggeration) EVERY. SINGLE. DAY.  And as a personal homage to Robin Williams (R.I.P.), this definitely makes it to my Top Ten.  A better Peter Pan could not have been found.

6. The Departed

For whatever reason, I LOVE crime movies about heists and mobs and what have you.  And with this cast, how could I like any movie better?

7. Animal House

This is my family's collective favorite.  Between the four of us, we can probably quote the entire movie word-for-word. "I'm a zit! Yah get it?"

8. Good Will Hunting

Just for future reference, I cry at more movies than I am willing to admit.  But this movie gets me more than most.  A perfect movie with a perfect soundtrack.

9. Ferris Bueller's Day Off

I'm pretty sure that every teenager who has ever seen this movie wishes that they could have a day like this. If I don't get to lip-sync to Twist & Shout at some parade, I didn't live my life correctly.  Whenever I can't decide what to watch.... This is ALWAYS my go-to.

10. West Side Story

Other than Disney movies, this was probably the first musical that I ever really watched. One week later I had every word to every song memorized.