My Top Ten Movies

I'm a fan of many things -- video games, food, music, biking, girls -- and of course, movies. Tonight, I'm taking a small trip down memory lane and I'm running through my top ten favorite movies, in order, and saying a little about why I love each one of them. Enjoy.

Starting with my favorite movie and working down to ten...

Spirited Away

Although I only first discovered Spirited Away in early 2006, I was blown away by it. More than any other movie, Spirited Away feels like a return to childhood - to a time when the world was still new, exploration yielded risk and reward, and I felt like growing up was impossible. Nonetheless, Spirited Away is a coming of age story unlike any other, and I hold it dear to my heart unlike any film before or after it.

The Lion King

Before Spirited Away came along, The Lion King was it for me. Ever since it's 1994 release, it has consistently captured my imagination in ways that I can never fully explain. Perhaps it's the bright, vivid animation, or the beautiful and bouncy soundtrack, or the timeless story and life lessons, or perhaps it's just a sweet Disney movie. Along with The Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin, The Lion King represented some of Disney's best 1990s films.

Jurassic Park

Before CGI came along and ruined movies, CGI was simply born by this movie. Between sharp visuals, a great story, an involving cast, and plenty of cool theoretical technology to go along with it all, Jurassic Park sits as one of my all-time favorite afternoon popcorn movies.

Tremors

Humor, horror, action, and suspense all done perfectly right -- in one package, no less. If it weren't for the House of Mouse, this movie might just be my number one favorite. Forget all the logic holes, Tremors is a must see at least one or twice a year.

Twister

Another good use of CGI. Usually credited with starting the "natural disaster" genre in 1996, I've always been attracted to Twister due to my love of nature and violent storms. The homely, realistic feel that the characters give off is always a welcome, and the pace of the movie is almost perfect. I'll watch this at anyone's request.

The Abyss

Deep, dark, and cold. The Abyss sits somewhere between sci-fi and horror, suspense and romance. More than anything, I'm scared of small, tight spaces and water. This movie has both, and then throws in creepy aliens that turn out to be more than meets the eye. Not exactly a movie for everyone, but it's all good on my list.

Spider-Man 2

I feel miserable. This movie should be far higher on my list. Spider-Man 2 is the perfect film. Period. Spider-Man was an incredible film, and Spider-Man 3 was too busy. Spidey 2 gets it all right for me: romance, action, revenge, science, regret -- and of course, web-slinging! All in all, I feel that this could contend with any of the above films for my top spot, but in all honesty, most the above films have been around longer, and their longevity to me means something special. In about ten years, look for Spidey to move way up my list.

Back to the Future

The first film in this trilogy was astonishingly cool, although it took me until about 1998 to get it all. When I finally did, it shot onto my Top 10 list without hesitation. Time travel in a tin can car is cool, and so is this movie. The third film gets props for doing a western better than most genre films today even do. But watching the DeLorean roll out of that trailer in the first movie did it all for me.

The Matrix

I'm an atheist. But if I did believe in a religion, this movie would be it. I do believe in this film, and so should you. Ever since I "got it" in 1999, The Matrix has redefined how I view the world, and I always question if what I see, hear, smell, touch, and taste is truly "there."

The 40 Year Old Virgin

Love, raunchy humor, and a great story pushes this film to round out my top ten, just BARELY pushing American Pie 2 off the list for title of my favorite sex comedy. I believe what makes this film so great isn't that it's focused on sex, but that the film is never pretentious about it. You hear the jokes and are put in the awkward situations, but the film never falls into the perverted trap of endless penis jokes. It's a love story first and foremost, and I like that.