"And I always dreamed of classic cars and movie screens." - "Old White Lincoln" by The Gaslight Anthem
When I was trying to decide what list to write today, it occurred to me that I have never done a list of my favorite non-holiday movies. How could this be? So here it is, my top ten favorite movies. Since I have separate lists of Halloween and Christmas movies, I won't include any of those this time around.
1. "Almost Famous" - This movie has been my favorite since it came out in 2000. It has everything I love in a movie - a fantastic storyline, terrific characters, a great setting, and the best soundtrack ever. The story of young journalist William Miller (the enemy!) travelling around the country with one of his favorite rock bands, Stillwater, and a group of girls known as Band Aids, is as good as it gets in my opinion. My favorite scene is when they are all on the bus (Doris) after Russell's acid trip and everyone starts singing "Tiny Dancer". I can't hear that song without thinking of "Alomst Famous".
2. "Across the Universe" - Told through a wonderful collection of Beatles songs, "Across the Universe" is not just a movie, a musical, or even an artsy film, it is a masterpiece. The songs are interpreted so creatively through excellent acting and the brilliant direction of Julie Taymor. The 1960s have always been my favorite decade for a number of reasons, and this movie does a great job of showing the trials that made the 60s what they were - The Vietnam War, protest rallies, race riots - and how the music reflected the time. The best part is when Max (Joe Anderson) is drafted, and the Uncle Sam "I Want You" poster comes to life, and Max and the other men reporting for physicals sing the Beatles' "I Want You", carrying the Statue of Liberty as they sing the line "she's so heavy". Genius.
3. "The Help" - Like "Across the Universe", this movie also takes place during the 60s, but in the Deep South as opposed to Liverpool, Detroit, and New York City. I have written about my love for this book before, and the movie is just as good. The acting by Emma Stone, Viola Davis, and Octavia Spencer is outstanding, and I absolutely love the storyline which revolves around black maids and the women they work for. It's so honest, so heartbreaking, and so touching that I could watch this one every day and never get tired of it. And in addition to the drama that makes up most of the movie are a few hilarious parts, including my favorite "Two Slice Hilly" scene. If you have read the book or watched the movie, I'm sure you are laughing right now, and if you haven't, then you are missing out!
4. "Footloose" - I haven't seen the remake yet, but the original version has been one of my favorites since I was a little kid. There is so much great 80s music in this movie that reminds me of my childhood, and I have always loved how Ren (Kevin Bacon) brought life, dancing, and rock and roll back to the depressing little town that seemed to have forgotten the meaning of the word fun. Whenever I hear John Mellencamp's "Hurts So Good" I think of the scene where Ren, Ariel (Lori Singer), Willard (Chris Penn), and Rusty (Sarah Jessica Parker) go over the state line to the bar, but my favorite part is when Ren teaches Willard how to dance. Classic!
5. "The Trouble With Angels" - When I was a kid, I used to watch the old Hayley Mills movies as often as possible, and this is still one of my favorites. She plays Mary Clancy, a mischievous teenager who is sent to a boarding school run by some very interesting nuns. She meets another girl on the bus, Rachel Devery (June Harding), and together they get into all sorts of trouble over the next fews years. It's such a fun movie and has so many terrific scenes, but the best is when Mary and Rachel make a plaster cast of Marvel-Ann's (Barbara Hunter) face. Hilarious!
6. "Juno" - "Juno" is so quirky, so different, and so perfect, that it has become one of my all time favorites. Ellen Page is great in the role of the pregnant teenager, and I love Jennifer Garner and Jason Bateman as Vanessa and Mark Loring, the prospective adoptive parents. "Juno" sends out such a positive message about adoption, and the ending couldn't be better. This movie doesn't sugarcoat any of the emotions or rough patches, but it's definitely not a downer either. I have two favorite parts in "Juno". The first is when Juno's dad finds out that Paulie Bleeker (Michael Cera) is the father of the baby and he says, "I'm gonna punch that Bleeker kid in the weiner next time I see him." I almost died laughing the first time I heard that line. My other favorite part is when Juno writes the note to Vanessa and we find out what it says at the end. It makes me get choked up every time.
7. "Baby Boom" - Diane Keaton is one of my favorite actresses, and this is my favorite of her movies. She stars as J.C. Wiatt, a high-powered Manhattan businesswoman who inherits a baby from her deceased cousin who she hasn't seen since childhood. The learning process that J.C. goes through, with diapers, feeding, nannies, etc. is very funny, because she doesn't have a clue what to do. Since I have been taking care of kids since I was a kid, I always found this so hilarious. Eventually J.C. and baby Elizabeth say adios to New York and move to the beautiful countryside of Vermont and buy a huge old farmhouse complete with apple orchards, but that brings on a whole new set of problems. This movie is just so fantastic, and it never gets old, even though it was made 25 years ago. One of my favorite parts is when J.C. passes out and wakes up in the doctor's office, only to find out that she's being treated by a veterinarian.
8. "Now and Then" - My mom, my sister, and I saw this movie in the theater five times because it was so good. "Now and Then" centers around four 12-year-old girls in the summer of 1970, and how they all reunite 25 years later when one of them is having a baby. The performaces by Christina Ricci and Gaby Hoffman in particular are very heartfelt and the characters are so real, that I think most girls would be able to see themselves and their friends represented on the screen. It's so hard to pick just one favorite scene, so I'll go with the funniest, when the four girls spot the Wormers - four brothers from their neighborhood that love to torment them - skinny dipping and they steal their clothes and run off. There are lines from "Now and Then" that my family still quotes on a regular basis to this day because the movie is that good.
9. "Bandits" - Bruce Willis and Billy Bob Thornton play Joe and Terry respectively, an interesting pair of bank robbers who escape from prison together and end up getting involved with Kate (Cate Blanchett), an unhappy and unstable housewife who just left her husband, only to be mistaken for a hostage. Joe is the tough but charming guy, and Terry is the neurotic, smart, but somehow loveable part of the duo, and they are just perfect. Well, Cate thinks so anyway. If you haven't seen this movie, I highly recommend it. It has something for everyone - comedy, action, drama, and a little bit of a love story too. Plus it has a great soundtrack as well. One of my favorite parts is when Joe convinces Terry that he has a brain tumor, and poor neurotic Terry starts developing imaginary symptoms, like having the right side of his body go numb. You have to watch the movie to understand how hilarious this scene is.
10. "How to Beat the High Cost of Living" - I got this movie for Christmas several years ago, and it instantly became one of my favorites. I have always been a big fan of the 80s sitcom "Kate and Allie", so I was really excited when I saw that "How to Beat the High Cost of Living" starred both Susan Saint James and Jane Curtain! They, along with Jessica Lange, play three friends dealing with different financial hardships in 1980, and come up with a plan to steal the cash out of a giant money ball that is part of a contest at their local mall. It's a really fun movie, and with the current state of the economy, it might give people a few ideas on how they can beat the high cost of living. Just kidding, just kidding! This entire movie is so great, I can't even pick a favorite scene. One of the best conversations though, is between Elaine (Jane Curtain) and her friend, Patty (Susan Tolsky): Elaine - "I want you to get this lousy bank to lend me some money, or at least extend my MasterCharge limit. Oh, Patty, You've got to help me! I'm broke, flat busted broke. The house and car payments are due on Monday, I need money." Patty - "You know how banks operate. They only lend money to people who don't need it." So very true.
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