Films you must watch
According to a non-movie critic
I am not naturally sociable. I would say I am a social introvert. I am a little shy, especially with new people, and I get tongue tied or I am so sarcastic people think I’m an imbecile. Aaron Sorkin describes brilliantly how I feel when I avoid meeting new people. “I don’t want to live in fear of the inevitable bungling of the English language which will occur and the mortification that will ensue”.
However, ask me a question about films and I can talk for hours and hours and I’m animated and engaged. I don’t watch that many. I probably only watch about 200–215 a year. Oh.
I have fond memories dotted around films. I had a birthday party, maybe my 10th, where we played a computer game on my Commodore Vic 20 called Blitz (yes I am showing my age a bit here) and watched the film Freaky Friday (1976). It was thirty years ago but I still remember watching this film for the first time. There are quotes from this film my family and I still say to this day. In a similar way to Shakespeare’s language working its way into modern parlance, films have a way of seeping into my speech too.
I love being able to quote a film with a new person and they get it without having to explain myself by saying something after. Recently I was stood outside a pastry shop in Italy, with a colleague, staring at the biggest pile of cream filled puff pastries I’d ever seen, so of course I quote the Godfather (1972) “leave the gun, take the cannoli”. Nope, nothing. Wasted a quote on a non-movie person. I was at the Colosseum once and did my best Gladiator (2000) “are you not entertained?”. Again, just had a couple of strange looks.
But every so often, I’ll meet a kindred spirit and they get it. We are like “peas and carrots” (Forrest Gump, 1994). They also start to smile and quote back and it’s the “beginning of a beautiful friendship” however short. (Casablanca, 1942). These are my people. My tribe. The people that get me.
I am not a critic. I have a personal review scale such as Good Crap, Brilliant but won’t win Oscars, Strokey Beardy Director nonsense, Original was so much better, Drivel etc. And I watch most films. Well, if I am being choosy I will only watch films with 7 or more on IMDB site but I have been known to slide down to a 4 depending on who is in it.
Which brings me to the question that people always ask me when they know I love films. What is my favourite film? Like it is even possible to only have one! I couldn’t even given you a comprehensive list of films I like let alone love. I’d be here for hours and the list would be endless. I will list some which I have a soft spot for either because the film was incredible or the time I first watched it was or I still quote. No particular order and basically the only ones I can think of before my brain goes blank:
Forrest Gump (1994)
Splash (1984)
Big (1988)
(Ok noticing a theme here, I love Tom Hanks)
Shawshank Redemption (1994)
Star Wars (1977)
Bugsy Malone (1976)
Labyrinth (1986)
The Dark Crystal (1982)
Gone with the Wind (1939)
Magnificent Obsession (1954)
Boys on the Side (1995)
Steel Magnolias (1989)
Logan’s Run (1976)
Star Trek II Wrath of Khan (1982)
The Rock (1996)
The Matrix (1999)
Jason and the Argonauts (1963)
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)
Back to the Future (1985)
Stand by Me (1986)
Twelve Monkeys (1995)
Annie (1982)
Clash of the Titans (1981)
Alien (1977)
The Princess Bride (1987)
When Harry met Sally (1989)
Explorers (1985)
Point Break (1991)
Toy Story (1996)
And all things Marvel.
I really could go on and on and on but I won’t. I’m not entirely sure the point of this blog except to say I like the cinema and perhaps other people do too. I like it a lot (Dumb and Dumber, 1994).
If I absolutely had to choose only one movie though I would have to say When Harry met Sally (1989). If you know this film it is impossible to eat pepper or pecan pie without doing the funny voice. If you haven’t seen this film, what are you doing reading this blog!! Go watch this film. Do it. Do it now! (Predator, 1987)
