Why I Love Movies

Many times in my life I have been asked a terrifying question: "What is your favorite movie?" For years I have caved under the pressure of summarizing a broad love into a single 2 hour film, so I usually skirt around the question. That it until last week when I read a blog by Jon Negroni. For those of you who don't know, Jon Negroni is the genius behind the expansive-now-made-into-a-book Pixar Theory that all the Pixar movies are connected in the same universe. He is a great thinker with great opinions on movies. On this blog when asked his favorite movie, Jon flipped the question to articulate five movies that show why he loves movies. 

This got me thinking so now I've done the same thing with this post. It is good to keep in mind that this post is NOT a ranking of my favorite movies but rather an articulation of why I love movies. Some of my favorite movies didn't make the list, but most did. I really love this exercise because it reframes the standard query from a "what" question to a "why" question, which yields a deeper, more thoughtful response. So here are five movies and five shows that show why I love movies. The ranking articulates the importance I place on what they bring to the table, not necessarily how I would rank them in terms of personal favorites.

Five Movies to Show Why I love Movies

5. Oceans 11 (2001)- This movie has always had a soft spot in my heart but it makes this list because it blends genres better than any other movie I can think of. Oceans 11 is part comedy/part action/part heist movie, yet the blending of this genres just works perfectly. Brad Pitt and George Clooney epitomize how two really good lead actors can enhance the performance of all the other cast members. 

4. When Harry Met Sally- I will go on record that When Harry Met Sally is one of my favorite comedy movies (romantic or otherwise), but that alone does not place it on this elite list. It makes the list because in my estimation, WHMS captures the perfect formula of what a comedy should be: a few actors in the prime of their careers with a competent supporting cast, a pretty good script and a REALLY good story. What sets this movie apart from others is the questions it asks. It presents the very real, difficult question "can men and women really be 'just friends'" and by asking this, strips down the finery of the movie to it's most base components. Good movies ask really good questions, and this one still has me baffled. 

 

3. Up- In my opinion, Up is the greatest achievement in animation. It was nominated for Best Picture for a reason (in a really solid year, I should add). Up makes this list because it clearly shows animated "kids" movies transcending the typical conventions. It's sad, intense, genuinely frightening and conveys deep meanings probably lost on its youngest viewers. No one worth their salt can classify Up as "just a kids movie" and for that reason it raises animation to new heights without sacrificing characters or story. 

2. Psycho- Psycho makes this list because it shows how cinematography, lighting, music and direction make a movie into a masterpiece. The story of Psycho isn't all that creative or compelling, but the cinematography is, I believe, second to none. Hitchcock's choice of shooting it in black and white even though color was common in 1960 captures why he was the genius that he was. Color would kill this movie and he knew it. Everything about this movie defies genre conventions, as well as those pioneered by Hitchcock himself. It's truly a masterpiece like no other.

1. Inception- Inception is my go-to answer for favorite movie for the simple reason that I've seen it some dozen times. Inception tops this list because it shows the number one reason I love movies: they are puzzles. It doesn't matter what the genre, all of the movies on this list (and my other favs that I didn't mention) are puzzles in some way. Because when movies have a puzzle element to them, they are just way more fun to watch and rewatch so you can catch another little touch of the director or track another fan theory. Inception brings together many of my favorite actors, my favorite director and a complicated story with so many levels and layers that you absolutely have to watch it many times. Ultimately that is what I love about movies: top-notch professionals creating a story yarn that I have no choice but to unravel and comprehend. 

I hope this has inspired you to think about you favorite movies differently and taught you a bit more about me. Next time I'll do the same thing with TV shows, which is an even harder task!