“Everybody’s a dreamer
And everybody’s a star
And everybody’s in movies
It doesn’t matter who you are
There are stars in every city
In every house and on every street
And if you walk down Hollywood Boulevard
Their names are written in concrete”
- The Kinks- Ray Davies (1972)
I received a request for a blog on my favorite movies- a great topic! And yes, I have walked down the Hollywood Boulevard Walk of Fame to see the stars on the pavement with so many of my favorite actors. I loved going to the movies when I was young- with family, a group of friends, or on dates. Back then we didn’t have any streaming options, and very few movies were shown on television besides made for television “movies of the week”. I still go to the movies on occasion, but I more often just relax in my own home and watch the newest releases on Netflix, Amazon, or Hulu. But I admit that there is something special about seeing a film on the big screen. This week I present my top 10 movies of all time, featuring many of my favorite “celluloid heroes”. These are the movies that for some reason make me stop channel surfing every time, so I can watch them yet again. Some I’ve probably seen dozens of times. I guess it’s not surprising that, like music, my favorite movies tend to be from decades ago. I’m not sure if they were truly better than what’s out there now, or if it’s just the fact that the era brings back such pleasant memories. You’ll notice that most of these are not exactly feel-good movies. I must have a secret passion for violence. I’m not big on science fiction, but drama, thrillers, action flicks, and the occasional raunchy comedy get my attention. Here is my list:
The Godfather, Part I – 1972 (“Leave the gun, take the cannoli”)
It’s hard to rank my top 10 movies in order, but The Godfather has to top the list. I have undoubtedly watched this more than any other movie. I love everything about it- the cast, the acting, the music, the cinematography, the plot, the action, the complex family relationships, and the dialogue. James Caan as Sonny getting shot at the toll booth is one of the most memorable special effects shoot-out scenes of its day. John Marley’s scream as Jack Woltz finding the horse’s head in his bed is a classic. I’ve seen it on the big screen, the little screen, read the book, have a Godfather t-shirt, and have seen it with a live orchestra performing the musical score. One of the all-time great films.
The Godfather, Part 2- 1974 (“Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer”)
The Godfather Part 2 is right there with the original. I particularly loved the backstory of how the young boy Vito Andolini from Corleone became a mob boss, and then eventually gets revenge on Don Ciccio for killing his family. It was hard to imagine anyone topping Marlon Brando as Vito Corleone from the first film, but Robert DeNiro was fantastic as the younger version of Brando. I usually don’t like movies that flash-forward and flash backward, but I loved it in this film- it was like getting two movies in one. While I didn’t care as much for the subsequent Godfather Part 3, the first two movies in the trilogy clearly top my list of favorites.
Lost in Translation – 2003 (“For relaxing times, make it Suntory time.”)
While I’m generally not big on romantic-comedy films, Lost in Translation is an exception. As a frequent traveler to Japan, this movie really hit home- the culture, the language, the jet-lag, the feeling of being an outsider, the nightlife, the karaoke bar, the sights and sounds of Tokyo and Kyoto all felt so familiar to me. Writer/director Sophia Coppola nailed the culture clash of an American of spending time in Japan. Bill Murray was awesome in a serious role as a fading American movie star who is having a midlife crisis when he travels to Tokyo to promote Suntory whisky. And the film made me a big fan of Scarlett Johansson, who was perfect in her role as Charlotte, who strikes up a friendship with Murray’s Bob Harris character. Every time I see it I feel like hopping on a plane and going back to Japan. Bill Murray and Scarlet Johansson were outstanding.
Animal House – 1978 (“As of this moment, they’re on double secret probation!”)
In my opinion, Animal House is the funniest movie of all time. It probably helps that it came out my senior year of college. Just looking at John Belushi’s facial expressions and mannerisms in this film makes me laugh no matter how many times I watch it. He had so many great lines- “Seven years of college down the drain!”, “I’m A Zit! Get It?”, “Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?”, and the classic “Food fight!”. I tend to get bored by comedies, but this kept me laughing all the way through the closing epilogue. I can only imagine how many great films Belushi would have made if he had lived longer. He left us too soon.
Goodfellas – 1990 (“What do you mean funny, funny how? How am I funny?)
I know I’m overdosing on gangster films, but I just find them entertaining. Goodfellas is a biographical crime drama film directed by Martin Scorsese, written by Nicholas Pileggi and Scorsese, based on Pileggi’s 1985 nonfiction book “Wiseguy”. Starring Robert De Niro, Ray Liotta, Joe Pesci, Lorraine Bracco, and Paul Sorvino, the film narrates the rise and fall of mob associate Henry Hill and his friends and family from 1955 to 1980. I liked the narration from the main character throughout the film. The cast is excellent, especially Joe Pesci as Tommy DeVito. The “What do you mean, funny?” scene is one of my favorite movie scenes ever. The fact the movie is based on a true story makes it even more interesting.
Full Metal Jacket – 1987 (“You’re so ugly you could be a modern art masterpiece!”)
Having never been in the service, I’m always interested in military films, in a way to see a path that I could have taken when I was young. Lee Ermey was downright terrifying as Gunnery Sergeant L. Hartman, a harsh, foul-mouthed and ruthless senior drill instructor. Ermey used his actual experience as a U.S. Marines drill instructor in the Vietnam War to improvise much of his dialogue. Vincent D’Onofrio gained 70 pounds for his role as Private Leonard “Gomer Pyle” Lawrence, an overweight, slow-minded recruit who is the subject of Hartman’s mockery. I always wondered if I served in any capacity in the military how I would have come out psychologically. An intense film. Hits me in the gut every time I see it.
Pulp Fiction – 1994 (“And you will know I am the Lord when I lay My vengeance upon you.”)
Hard to believe two Quentin Tarantino films made my top 10- I know he’s not for everybody. But I find his movies very entertaining- characterized by stylized violence, extended dialogue with frequent profanity, great soundtracks, and references to popular culture. The cast was also widely praised, with John Travolta, Uma Thurman, and Samuel L. Jackson earning high acclaim. It has appeared on many critics’ lists of the greatest films ever made.
Almost Famous – 2000 (“If you think Mick Jagger will still be out there trying to be a rock star at age fifty, then you are sadly, sadly mistaken.”)
Although it wasn’t a big box office hit, Almost Famous is another personal favorite. It tells the story of a teenage journalist writing for Rolling Stone magazine in the early 1970s, touring with the fictitious rock band Stillwater, and writing his first cover story on the band. The film is semi-autobiographical, as writer/director Cameron Crowe himself was a teenage writer for Rolling Stone. A great soundtrack- I liked the movie so much we also saw the Broadway musical based on the film (it was a flop, but I still loved it). Seventies rocker Peter Frampton served as a technical consultant on the movie. Crowe and his then-wife, musician Nancy Wilson of Heart, co-wrote three of the five Stillwater songs in the film, and Frampton wrote the other two, with Mike McCready of Pearl Jam playing lead guitar on all of the Stillwater songs. Whenever I see it, I imagine myself as the 15-year-old William, hitting the road with my favorite band.
American History X – 1998 (“Hate is baggage. Life’s too short to be pissed off all the time. It’s just not worth it”)
Probably not on your bingo card as one of my top-10 picks, but I found this to be a fascinating look at a culture I don’t understand. American History X is a crime drama starring Edward Norton and Edward Furlong as two brothers from Los Angeles who are involved in the white power skinhead and neo-Nazi movements. The older brother (Norton) serves three years in prison for voluntary manslaughter, is rehabilitated during this time, and then tries to prevent his brother (Furlong) from being indoctrinated further. Edward Norton was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor for his role as Derek Vinyard, but lost to Roberto Benigni for Life Is Beautiful. Norton’s loss was included on Empire’s list of “22 Incredibly Shocking Oscars Injustices”. The flashback scenes were edited to be to be in black-and-white, adding to the dark nature of the film.
Kill Bill- Vol 1 – 2003 (“Every time you don’t give me answers, I’m gonna cut something off. And I promise you, they will be things you will miss.”)
I’ll round out my list with another Quentin Tarantino film- Kill Bill Volume 1, starring Uma Thurman as the Bride, who swears revenge on a group of assassins (Lucy Liu, Michael Madsen, Daryl Hannah, and Vivica A. Fox) and their leader, Bill (David Carradine), after they try to kill her and her unborn child. Her journey takes her to Tokyo, where she battles the yakuza. Originally intended to be released as one film, they ended up releasing it in two volumes due to its length. It’s pretty hard to separate them, but Volume 1 made my list since it was first, and I liked the connection to Japan. Blood, gore, martial arts, a bit of Japanese anime, and a killer soundtrack- all of my favorites.
It’s certainly fun to get lost in a motion picture. Life in our golden years can get depressing at times, and watching a good film always helps take my mind to another place. “Everybody’s a dreamer, and everybody’s a star. And everybody’s in movies, it doesn’t matter who you are.”
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