My Top 10 Favorite Steven Spielberg Films

Note: Just in time for Ready Player One.

There is no living filmmaker who has changed the world like Steven Spielberg. His literal “household name” is synonymous with movies. Starting in the mid-70s, Spielberg has brought wonder and amazement to the theaters again and again and again. Picking your personal favorites out of the intimidating and unmatched filmography of his is not an easy challenge. Mine is made out of films that I return to more often than others. Now, naturally there are omissions, and I will explain them.

A. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial is not on this list. That is not an oversight. Do not misunderstand me, I do honestly enjoy this movie and it is an unarguable masterpiece. However, sticking it in the top 10 is what everyone would do. I wanted this list to include a few heavy hitters and some that people might not recognize at first glance.

B. 1941 is not on this list, but it is not because it is a bad film. It is a much maligned film for many reasons but it is not the abject failure it has been made out to be over the years. Give it a chance if you have never seen it and only heard its unfair reputation. Contrarily, Schindler’s List is not on this list and is a great film but is an extraordinarily hard one to watch.

C. There is only one Indiana Jones film on the list. Crystal Skull is the worst of the bunch but it too suffers from an over-exaggerated reputation.

D. Hook is not on this list. Get over it, fellow ‘90s kids. The BFG is better.

E. The Spielberg films I have not seen as of this writing are The Color Purple, Empire of the Sun and Munich. Their omissions are simply because I have yet to see them in their entirety; something I hope to rectify very soon. Ready Player One, too, but that goes without saying because it is brand-new. If all I have read, seen and heard are correct, it definitely deserves a spot on this list.

With all that out of the way, on with the list. Feel free to comment, but please be civil.

"You know what my husband said about the news? He called it the first rough draft of history. That's good, isn't it?"

10. The Post (2018)
Cast: Meryl Streep, Tom Hanks, Sarah Paulson, Bob Odenkirk
Written by: Liz Hannah and Josh Singer
The most recent film on this list is one of Spielberg’s strongest. Boasting an incredible cast that includes reuniting actors who have previously worked together (i.e. David Cross and Bob Odenkirk from “Mr. Show”, Sarah Paulson and Bruce Greenwood from “American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson” among others) as well as the first pairing between screen icons Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks. Naturally, they play off each other well as Streep plays the optimistic owner of the Washington Post, Katherine Graham and Hanks plays the wry curmudgeon editor-in-chief Ben Bradlee. When the “Pentagon Papers” come into play threatening Richard Nixon’s presidency, Bradlee and Graham join forces with some courageous reporters to print them in the Post, despite facing certain prison time. Of course, this story has very obvious modern-day parallels which is why Spielberg wanted to make it (and make it quickly). It has some of the longest takes I have seen in a Spielberg movie, where he and longtime cinematographer Janusz Kaminski excel at capturing the tense situations on-screen. Ultimately, it is no spoiler where this story ends, but it is exciting to see that the final shot of this film nearly matches one of the opening shots of All the President’s Men, which can be considered a pseudo-sequel to this film. Spielberg and Hanks have proven themselves a formidable team time and time again and with the notable performance of Meryl Streep (who earned yet another Oscar nomination), The Post shows that freedom of the press is a weapon worth fighting for.

"We're just on our way to Sugarland to pick up my boy Langston."

9. The Sugarland Express (1974)
Cast: Goldie Hawn, William Atherton, Michael Sacks, Ben Johnson
Written by: Hal Barwood and Matthew Robbins
From the most recent to the very first Spielberg film, the master filmmaker debuts in American cinemas with a high-octane, rollicking adventure drama/comedy inspired by a true story. A young woman, Lou Jean Poplin (Hawn) breaks her estranged husband, Clovis (Atherton; soon to be forever known as Walter Peck from Ghostbusters) out of pre-release prison to obtain their young baby after the State of Texas deems Lou Jean an “unfit mother”. After hitching a ride with an elderly cornpone couple, the Poplins get caught in a high-speed chase and end up hijacking a straight-laced police officer at gunpoint. With a legion of brother officers hot on their tail, Lou Jean and Clovis try to survive their lengthy journey across the state of Texas on their mission of mercy as they quickly become heroes of the common people. Without Goldie Hawn’s participation in the film, Spielberg would never have gotten the director’s chair in the first place. Though she is most well known for comedy, she demonstrates a remarkable balance between laughs and tears in this film. Particular note is given to Michael Sacks, the hapless policeman caught up in the middle of the Poplins’ chase. He has an interesting arc in the film – at first, he is duty-bound and most definitely not on their side, but by the end of the film, he has come to see them as people and does not want to see them get hurt. There is brilliant cinematography in the film with the cars on the road with the characters inside; a great example is the sequence where Clovis and Captain Tanner are first discussing terms of their hijacking. It is all filmed in one take as the camera careens around both sides of the car. While the film does not have a happy ending for the main characters, it was only a happy beginning for Steven Spielberg.

"You know your own future, which means you can change it if you want to."

8. Minority Report (2002)
Cast: Tom Cruise, Max von Sydow, Colin Farrell, Samantha Morton
Written by: Scott Frank and Jon Cohen
After fulfilling his duties to his good friend Stanley Kubrick and finishing A.I., Spielberg got to do his own, un-tethered take on the future with the writings of Blade Runner author Philip K. Dick. Tom Cruise plays police captain John Anderton of the Pre-Crime Unit, a special agency that can predict and prevent crimes from happening. At the same time a nosy investigator (Farrell) questions the integrity of such an idea (“We are arresting people who have broken no law”), Anderton finds himself the prime suspect in a murder that will happen in less than 48 hours. In order to clear his name, he goes on the run with one of the three Pre-Cogs, a young woman named Agatha (Samantha Morton) who has never seen the outside world. While he protects her and searches for the truth, Anderton must face a terrible tragedy from his past and question what he might be capable of if pushed to his limits. The first real Spielberg film of the new millennium showcases a future not as fanciful as Back to the Future Part II but more realistic than Blade Runner. The mystery is quite thrilling and the action is spot-on. There is even a bit of gross-out humor in the film, almost a throwback to the dinner scene in Temple of Doom. If there is a weak spot in the film, it comes down to the very end of it. Without giving anything away, it is very out of tone with the rest of the film and could come off as schmaltzy. Still, Minority Report is a very compelling thriller with enough action and political intrigue to keep you watching and keep you guessing.

"James... Earn this. Earn it."

7. Saving Private Ryan (1998)
Cast: Tom Hanks, Tom Sizemore, Edward Burns, Barry Pepper
Written by: Robert Rodat
Perhaps the second most emotionally difficult film for Spielberg following Schindler’s List, the film’s opening is among the most heart-pounding and visually arresting sequences in all film history – the recreation of the Allies storming Omaha Beach. There are many reports of veterans of World War II having to exit the theater during this scene – it was too much for them to take, particularly the sound design when the soldiers drown underwater. The film continues on with Tom Hanks as Capt. John H. Miller leading a group of soldiers on a mission to rescue a young man (early Matt Damon) whose three brothers have already died in the line of duty. There are causalities to be sure, but the characters do not die in vain. Spielberg received a second Oscar for Best Director and dedicated it to his father who served in World War II (and would later help to inspire Bridge of Spies).

"Now get this! Comic books! He reads comic books! Barry Allen is The Flash!"

6. Catch Me If You Can (2002)
Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hanks, Christopher Walken, Amy Adams
Written by: Jeff Nathanson
After the heady dark themes of both A.I. and Minority Report, Spielberg took the opportunity to lighten up a bit as he directs this breezy adventure based on the almost literally unbelievable true story. Frank Abagnale Jr. (DiCaprio) is a bright young man whose world collapses around him following his parents’ divorce. Having inheriting the gift of gab from his father (an Academy Award-nominated Christopher Walken), Frank decides to take on several different identities and the high life that comes with them – including a pilot, a doctor and a lawyer. Hot on his heels, however, is a determined FBI agent (Hanks) chasing after him to bring to justice. This is yet another Spielberg film with an absolute dynamite cast; DiCaprio apparently was very sick during the making of the film but his self-confidence as Frank is effervescent. It also marks one of the first major films of Amy Adams, who was clearly a movie star from the start. John Williams’ main title theme matched with the hypnotic animated opening is simply the best. Catch Me is a nice treat to have if you have just been subjected to bitter herbs of darker stories.

"You care about something, you fight for it. You hit a wall, you push through it."

5. The Adventures of Tintin (2011)
Cast: Jamie Bell, Andy Serkis, Daniel Craig, Simon Pegg
Written by: Steven Moffat, Edgar Wright and Joe Cornish
Steven Spielberg was reading the initial reviews came out for Raiders of the Lost Ark in France and he kept coming across the word "Tintin" in the papers. He had scant knowledge of French from high school, but when the translation was brought to him, he discovered a series of comic books about a young adventurer named Tintin, who traveled across the globe much like Indiana Jones but with a more comedic bent. Naturally, Spielberg was hooked on the story but could not fathom a way to bring the inimitable artwork of Hergé to life. That is, until, over 20 years later when Spielberg met Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson on-stage at the Oscars presenting him with Best Picture for The Return of the King. Spielberg soon discovered another Tintin acolyte in Jackson, who suggested creating the world of Hergé through performance capture. Intrigued by the technology, Spielberg agreed with the provision that Jackson accompany him as producer. The resulting film is, as Spielberg described it, "unapologetic, shameless adventure", written by "Doctor Who" showrunner Steven Moffat and Hot Fuzz collaborators Edgar Wright and Joe Cornish. The film has a rousing momentum that rarely stops and Spielberg shows his amazing control of perfomance capture and pushes it to its limits in a standout chase sequence all done in one shot. Spielberg and Jackson set off to make three films, the latter two of which have not been made but if there is any chance that they will happen (and recent reports indicate they might), I will gladly be there on opening day.

"Mr. Hammond, I think we're back in business!"

4. Jurassic Park (1993)
Cast: Sam Neill, Jeff Goldblum, Laura Dern, Richard Attenborough
Written by: Michael Crichton and David Koepp

When Michael Crichton first pitched his novel to him, Steven Spielberg called Jurassic Park “the most genius combination of science and imagination”. Another combination of science and imagination is visual effects, which took a gigantic leap forward with the computer-generated dinosaurs in the film which were complimented by the real-life mechanical dinosaurs created by Stan Winston. During a once-in-a-lifetime meeting with the legendary Ray Harryhausen, Spielberg showed him a test of digital dinosaurs running through a film and Harryhausen declared, "Well, there's the future." The lead characters are memorable and actually stand a good chance against the dinosaurs though they are not your traditional action heroes. Spielberg throws in his trademark characters who cannot deal with the idea of parenting; specifically one Dr. Alan Grant, played by Sam Neill with a decent character arc. The movie spawned two sequels (with only one directed by Spielberg) and a soft reboot with a sequel on the way later this year. 

"I saw something last night that I can't explain!"

3. Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
Cast: Richard Dreyfuss, Teri Garr, Melinda Dillon, François Truffaut
Written by: Steven Spielberg
In the 1970s, two very different news stories were being propagated frequently in the media: Watergate and UFOs. Both had theories thrown around about, mundane and fantastical. As far as Steven Spielberg was concerned, all the negative stuff going on Earth meant the stars were the limit. In all the movies he directed with Richard Dreyfuss starring, he purposefully casts him in the character that Spielberg sees himself as: in this case, Indiana lineman Roy Neary. After coming into contact with beings not of this world, Neary becomes obsessed with finding out the truth of they are here. At the same time, famed scientist Lacombe (Truffaut) is pursuing evidence all around the world of extraterrestrial life and bizarrely, keeps coming across the same five musical notes. The paths for both men end at the intimidatingly-named Devil's Tower in Wyoming. The last third of the movie culminates in a very sweet and heartfelt ending. In one of the three different versions of the movie, John Williams composes a stirring and almost tear-jerking take on "When You Wish Upon a Star" from Disney's Pinocchio (a movie that comes up in dialogue early in the movie). Late last year, Columbia Pictures put the movie out in theaters again for its 40th anniversary (as well as shilling for a new Blu-Ray and 4K release). It actually did well enough that Columbia's initial one-week-only engagement was bumped up to two weeks. That shows you the power a Close Encounter can have.

"This shark, swallow you whole."

2. Jaws (1975)
Cast: Roy Scheider, Richard Dreyfuss, Robert Shaw, Lorraine Gary
Written by: Peter Benchley and Carl Gottlieb
If there is one movie that has launched the careers of multiple modern-day directors, it has to be this one. And really, who can blame them? For all the trouble Spielberg and company had to endure with drunk lead actors, an unpredictable ocean to film on and a recalcitrant robot shark, it has perhaps the sweetest happily-ever-after of a cinematic afterlife that is possible. From the line "You're gonna need a bigger boat" to the iconic theme, Jaws has encompassed almost all pop culture. It spawned three lesser sequels, a popular theme park ride at all Universal parks that no longer exists, as well as video games and even a fan documentary on the film's Blu-Ray. Despite the film's reputation for being terrifying, it has a lot of slow, meaningful moments: the tearful Mrs. Kinter confronting Chief Brody, the brief sequence of Brody and his youngest son silently playing together and, of course, Quint's famous "U.S.S. Indianapolis" speech. To paraphrase actor Michael J. Fox, "[Jaws] is everything you go to movies for." 

"I don't know, I'm making this up as I go."

1. Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
Cast: Harrison Ford, Karen Allen, Paul Freeman, Ronald Lacey
Written by: Lawrence Kasdan
I know I said I was not going to put 1941 on this list, but it is an important film. Without its (seemingly) epic failure, Spielberg would not have needed a project to prove himself on. George Lucas, Spielberg's long-time friend, had just the project: a full-blown throwback/love letter to the rough-and-tumble adventure serials they had both grown up on with the greatest hero of them all who was then-named Indiana Smith (Spielberg agreed to direct on the condition the character's name be changed). At the time, Spielberg was on the outskirts of Hollywood to the point where he was filming the movie overseas (a first for him). John Landis was filming An American Werewolf in London. Joe Dante was filming The Howling. John Carpenter was filming Escape from New York. These films are all memorable and fine in their own right, but only one topped them all in the same year. A movie with Nazis, ghosts, Hitler-loving monkeys, thousands upon thousands of snakes, and the Ark of the Covenant; as well as the role Harrison Ford will forever be known for - Indiana Jones. It continues to define the action/adventure genre and inspired countless knock-offs (some decent, some awful). Harrison Ford was once asked what his definition of Indiana Jones is: "I think the audience likes a character who is both an academic and an adventurer.... It's his tenacity, his unwillingness to give up, his zeal for the hunt. And the pleasure that he takes in going to amazing places, seeing bizarre and amazing things and solving the mysteries that lay before him." 

So there it is, my personal top 10 favorite Steven Spielberg movies. It definitely took a lot of time - re-watching the movies, thinking about them, reading on what Spielberg himself and others had said about them - and it is a list I am willing to stand by. I hope you enjoyed reading it and please share if you did!

Best of 2015

NOTE: Spoilers.

2015. The year Marty McFly and Doc Brown finally made it to the future. We were reunited with Rocky Balboa, the Avengers, Ethan Hunt, Katniss Everdeen, James Bond and, of course, Luke Skywalker, Han Solo and Leia Organa. We were reintroduced to Mad Max and, more importantly, George Miller as a major blockbuster director; as well as Pixar coming back in full force with two films for the first time in the same year. It has not been the worst year in movies for certain, but it certainly has not been perfect. With that said, let me walk you through what I consider the top 10 best movies of the past year. 

10. Ant-Man
Director: Peyton Reed
It is hard these days to say that a superhero movie can come out of nowhere, but certainly no other superhero movie has humbler source material. For decades, Ant-Man was mired in the middle of nowhere in the Marvel Universe; writers attempted to give the character edge by making him a paranoid wife beater. Fortunately, the film adaptation of said character wisely bypasses all the tough stuff and has fun with itself just for the hell of it. Paul Rudd may not strike one as the superhero type, but like Michael Keaton as Batman years before, he makes the suit do most of the work for him. Having an acting legend like Michael Douglas in the film lends it weight and gravitas and Douglas is game to work in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (hopefully he will help to lead the way for his acting peers to join a superhero movie). The supporting cast also pulls together the film with memorable characters. It should be mentioned that director Reed certainly came into the job under intense scrutiny after the public demotion of Edgar Wright to writer-in-name-only. Admirably, he made the best movie possible and the funniest Marvel movie since Guardians of the Galaxy (my #1 film from last year).

9. Furious 7
Director: James Wan

A lot of filmgoers walked into Furious 7 with heavy hearts and more than a little curiosity on their minds as this would be the final performance of franchise mainstay Paul Walker. However, as daunting as the task was, the filmmakers rose to the occasion and delivered a quality action film that also works as a fitting sendoff to the character of Brian O’Connor. While there are some scenes near the end of the film that are trying to hide Brian’s face, the technical work by WETA Digital at preserving his performance is sublime. But with all that aside, Brian does not get a lot to do in this movie. After Fast & Furious, the movies became ensemble, with a large cast. It is a literal return to the place where the “familia” started, Los Angeles. One of the interesting twists the film takes is removing Hobbs from the equation and temporarily replacing him with Mr. Nobody (Kurt Russell); after the film was released, it was announced that Dwayne Johnson was going to star in a remake of Big Trouble in Little China, which starred Russell. As revealed in Fast & Furious 6, the big bad in this film is action movie star Jason Statham, who adds considerable menace. Where the F&F films go from here, nobody knows. It is up to Universal to flip on the high beams. After Furious 7, they'll be brighter than ever.

8. Tomorrowland
Director: Brad Bird
When one has a filmography as pervasive as Bird's (The Iron Giant, The Incredibles, Ratatouille and Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol), film fans were jumping at the bit for Tomorrowland. Bird was returning to Disney for their biggest original project in quite some time. Still, eyebrows were furrowed when Bird was joined by screenwriter Damon Lindelof, J.J. Abrams' second-in-command; a man infamous for raising questions he has no intentions of answering and is often declared as the one who ruined Prometheus and World War Z. While the film is by no means utterly despised by anybody, it certainly does not shine as brightly as Bird's previous work. On the positives, Bird should be commended for getting George Clooney in a Disney movie; no small feat. He also still has a good hand in casting, bringing to light Britt Robertson and Raffey Cassidy - both of whom I am sure we will see more of. The story has a sense of promise, but what it delivers is what it thinks audiences want, rather than what they actually want. Still, if you have not seen it, I recommend it.

7. The Martian
Director: Ridley Scott
A worldwide-accepted science-fiction film in this day and age is pretty hard to find. But what make this one work is that it has a sense of humor. Drew Goddard's brilliant screenplay is well-adapted from the original novel (with few hiccups in transcription). It seems rather funny to me that both Saving Private Ryan stars Matt Damon and Tom Hanks have both done (separately) movies in space and movies where they are stranded in a distant location alone. The disco soundtrack keeps the positive feel of the movie rolling without always being the punchline. If there is one fault I think the movie has is as fun as Mark's adventure on Mars is, the events on Earth are almost deadly dull. Granted, it is not meant to be a laugh-fest - they are indeed spending a lot of time and money to save one man - but a few chuckles here and there would not go unappreciated. The world of Mars is very stunning to look at; never once does it enter that naturally, it was filmed on Earth. Ridley Scott has made a triumphant return after a few misfires and I am sure The Martian will continue to invade screens everywhere.

6. The Walk
Director: Robert Zemeckis
If there was one movie I wish a lot more people had seen, it was this. The Walk, apart from being a ripping true story yarn of doing amazing things despite people telling you it is impossible, is a masterful event in filmmaking, digitally bringing the World Trade Center back to life. It is no secret that Zemeckis is one of my great filmmaking heroes and this is his best film in quite some time. He brings together a good cast, headlined by Joseph Gordon-Levitt with a French accent (bringing to mind Pepé Le Pew). I think over-promoting the film as an IMAX experience was not the best course of action; considering IMAX is a premium experience that not everyone can just go to down the street. The 3D element of the film is one of the best I have seen in quite a while; things come out at you, but also establish a sense of place and scale. The film's financial debacle, aside from The Martian coming out earlier and stealing a bit of thunder, perplexes me. I suppose the period aspect of the film also may have had an effect. But I often find that a lot of the great visual-based movies are often found later in time than immediately. When the audience is ready, The Walk will be there; daring you to cross it.

5. Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation
Director: Christopher McQuarrie
Whether or not you approve of Tom Cruise's personal life, one cannot argue his enthusiasm for showmanship. If you are coming to one of his films, he feels you deserve an experience. Mission: Impossible has become his playground, experimenting with a central concept with different directors. With the fifth installment, Cruise brought onboard Christopher McQuarrie, who had directed him in Jack Reacher. After the lightheartedness of Ghost Protocol, Rogue Nation presents our characters in darker situations with a more compelling opponents: the Syndicate (as promised by the end of the previous film). One of the more head-scratching decisions films the movie makes is taking the movie's main "WTF" stunt sequence - Ethan Hunt hanging from the side of a plane - and sticks it at the beginning of the movie. The Burj Khalifa sequence from Ghost Protocol was the main selling point of that film and took its time getting there. I feel like they played that card too early in this film and as cool as the car/motorcycle chases are, it holds no candle to the plane stunt. McQuarrie will return for M:I 6 (marking the first time in the franchise that a filmmaker has returned for multiple films) and I know he will only improve.

4. Jurassic World
Director: Colin Trevorrow
Reopening the park is a bad idea. Reviving Jurassic Park as a franchise is not. Now one of the highest grossing films of all time (though its particular position is being threatened by another film on this list), Jurassic World is what audiences wanted to see: a functioning dinosaur park. However, I feel the movie has a lot to be desired: stronger characters, a less serious approach and let us face it, actual dinosaur puppets made the original film. CG everywhere does not make one believe the characters are in danger when they are just running around an exploding film set. An actor staring at a 60 foot T-Rex staring back at them does not have to act fear, it happens. Trevorrow gets a lot of flack for the somewhat emotionless performance of Bryce Dallas Howard (while there may be good points, I feel the online argument is slightly exaggerated), but to me, Chris Pratt's practically humorless character of Owen Grady is more jarring. Granted, I would not want to see him repeating his performance of Peter Quill outside of the Guardians movies, but the comedic possibilities of running around a dinosaur park go woefully unused. A sequel is on the way, and hopefully more will be added for a more entertaining experience, but for the big dumb action blockbuster of the summer, Jurassic World is the perfect candidate.

3. Inside Out
Director: Pete Docter
After a year away from silver screens, Pixar returned triumphantly with what on the surface might seem a simple film but is remarkably expansive in its premise. It is well reported that Pixar often goes through several drafts of a story before finally hitting on what audiences all over the world will see (Up went through the most; Toy Story 3 went through the least). Being inside the human mind certainly presents loads of comedic opportunities and Inside Out does not miss a one of them. Its strengths are in hitting on what everybody goes through: getting a song stuck in our heads, losing our train of thought and even brain freeze. The voice cast is spectacular and is among the best Pixar has ever assembled. The design of Riley's mind is well-done and is fun to look at and think what our own minds would look like through Pixar's eyes. A lot of people think that a sequel would be really good to tackle, but I kinda feel like they may need to leave well enough alone.

2. Mad Max: Fury Road
Director: George Miller
If Jurassic World was the big dumb action movie of the summer, Mad Max: Fury Road was the big smart action movie of the summer. We all forgot George Miller was this master of action filmmaking, largely due to the Happy Feet films. What a better position he was in to surprise us all. It is also a modern miracle that a major Hollywood studio like Warner Bros. did not attempt to mess around with the film like we hear about all too often. You would think they would be thwarted by being a sequel to a 30-year-old film (Beyond Thunderdome) that does not even have the original star of said film (Mel Gibson). Despite all of these potential roadblocks (pun intended), Fury Road may not have made a major financial impact this year (though collected more at the box office than was initially predicted) but culturally, it has started a massive storm for people who like and do not like it. As many people dress up as Max, Furiosa and the other characters, there are others who decry the film as misleading - saying that a masculine film series like Mad Max makes women more important than men in Fury Road. Those fools miss the point of the film: Max is searching for a righteous cause to get behind and in doing so, regains some semblance of his former humanity. You, however, have to search no longer. Fury Road is certainly a righteous cause.

... and my #1 film of 2015 is ...

1. Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Director: J.J. Abrams
As I have said before, like you guys did not see this coming. It is the first Star Wars movie in 10 years. I will not say too much about this since my review is still fairly new. To summarize it, I am glad that respect was kept for the original cast, while also establishing a new cast that everyone will want to see in the next installments. Practical effects win out over CG, but the new CG characters are not given much establishment. The paternal reveal in this film is also not handled very well; it is delivered as though somebody is giving out directions. But my God, the stuff that works in this movie works: the performances, the action, the character interactions; everything that we did not get in the prequels. As it is highly unlikely if you are reading this that you have not seen the movie (even my parents who do not go to movies all that often got out to see it), Star Wars: The Force Awakens is my #1 movie of the year.

Honorable Mentions: Goosebumps, The Peanuts Movie, Spectre

Worst of the Year: Vacation, Daddy's Home, Strange Magic, Blackhat, Get Hard, Steve Jobs

My Top 20 Favorite Films

All my life I've been known as "the movie guy". The walking, talking IMDb. Among the questions I get most often -- "Why are you so into movies?" They make sense to me; they always have, they always will. "Are you, like, gonna make movies when you grow up?" I have made short films, yes, but as I get *older* I'd like to make features. -- is "What's your favorite movie?" For the longest time, I fought the question reasoning that to be a good student of film, one had to be open to all genres and all types of stories. Singling out one film more than others can be easy for some, but not for me. Still, I think I've finally sat down and realized what movies mean the most to me. The ones I know by heart because they know me by heart. My all-time favorites in a top 20 list. Now I've laid out a few ground rules for myself:

1. No Star Wars or Star Trek. Way too easy and I enjoy them all (except on the "Trek" side - Insurrection, Nemesis and Into Darkness).

2. For the purposes of this list, I'm staying with films that I currently own on Blu-Ray. That means nothing currently in theaters (believe me, that ain't saying much).

3. Because of the exclusions of Star Wars and Star Trek, trilogies ARE allowed. 

4. I will not be beholden to this list for the rest of my life. Change is inevitably bound to happen (though for the top 5, it is very unlikely).

So here goes. My Top 20 Favorite Films. I'm going in reverse order to preserve surprises. There may be a few films on this list I talk more about than others (some on this list are classics everyone knows).


---

20. Cloud Atlas (2012)
Directors: Lana Wachowski, Tom Tykwer and Andy Wachowski

"While my extensive experience as an editor has led me to a disdain for flashbacks and flash forwards and all such tricksy gimmicks I believe that if you, dear Reader, can extend your patience for just a moment, you will find that there is a Method to this tale of Madness."

I'm quite aware there is not a lot of love for this movie. If you saw it and didn't like it, I can't tell you that you're wrong. However, if you believe the hearsay of this film without seeing it, I highly encourage you to set apart three hours for yourself and actually sit down and watch it. The directors themselves have acknowledged that this ambitious movie was hard to market because it was hard to condense to sell in a 30-second TV spot.  All I know is that as soon as I saw that first extended trailer, I couldn't miss this movie. And to this day, I'm still incredibly taken by this movie. The way it was made (three directors - a brother and a sister and a unrelated Frenchman), the way it was cast (each of the main actors plays multiple parts; the two main leads play six roles each), the way it's edited (the film ranges from scenes set in 1849 to the far-flung future) and its legitimately epic storytelling (how does a man go from a villain to a hero?). The cast is fantastic and is some of their finest work. This movie is unique in that it's telling six different stories that happen to intersect in intriguing ways. One's a sea-faring voyage, another is a '70s noir and one is a modern-day "prison break" comedy caper; it's juggling genres like no other film I've ever seen. I'm told that the Wachowskis' new Netflix series "Sense8" takes a lot of cues from Cloud Atlas. I'm definitely intrigued and will have to catch up with it at some point. 

19. Forrest Gump (1994)
Director: Robert Zemeckis

"If there's anything you need, I won't be far away."

There's a lot of talk of "oh, this movie's overrated", "oh, if you really look hard enough this movie is nothing but tripe", blah, blah, blah. I only know that this movie works. It's a tour through 20th Century American History like no other. It's funny, it's poignant, it's sad, it's joyous; isn't that what movies do best? It's telling to this day that although Tom Hanks is probably most recognized for this character that he never got typecast. That's how good he is. Even so, this is a character that has a good heart, instinctively does the right thing and that's why I like him. The supporting cast is good - Robin Wright plays Jenny as someone trying to figure out what she wants in life and constantly going down the wrong roads; Sally Field as Forrest's mother is his conscience, telling him what is right and what is wrong; and Gary Sinise has the biggest character arc as Lt. Dan, a guy who was so sold on dying on the battlefield that he had to rediscover how to live. Should this movie be looked at as "Life: The Manual", as many of the '90s wannabe philosophers took it as? Not at all, that's a ridiculous assumption. This is just a simple American fable in a time and place where fables are not always appreciated. 

18. Goodfellas (1990)
Director: Martin Scorsese

"We ran everything. We paid off cops. We paid off lawyers. We paid off judges. Everybody had their hands out. Everything was for the taking. And now it's all over."

This is unquestionably Scorsese's masterpiece. Since the beginning of cinema, there has been more fascination with depicting bad men doing bad deeds than heroes saving people and doing the right thing. Ray Liotta narrates, as Henry Hill, his life of being a gangster; from meeting his life-long friends and wife in the '50s to getting busted for narcotics in the '80s. The movie never attempts to show how evil the things these people are doing; it's a family thing. Scorsese orchestrates a brilliant one-take shot of Henry and his wife entering into a club from the outside in; a lot of movies today have long one-take shots but Scorsese does it with such unchallenged style and class. One thing that surprised me was how funny the movie is - most of said humor coming from the Oscar-winning performance of Joe Pesci ("I'm funny to you? Like a clown? How am I funny?"). Naturally the consequences of Henry catch up to him, but even at the end, the audience never feels that Henry is remorseful for what he did, but that he got caught. It's a crime story that thrills, chills and kills.

17. Fletch (1985)
Director: Michael Ritchie

"I had to keep digging... without a shovel."

There's a lot of roles that Chevy Chase has been identified with over the years but for me, as much as I love him as Clark Griswold, he'll always be Irwin M. "Fletch" Fletcher. It's a testament to not only his performance but also the tightly-constructed mystery story scripted by Andrew Bergman (Blazing Saddles, The Freshman). So no matter where in the story Fletch is, as many one-liners and wisecracks he drops, there is still a serious mystery to be solved. One of the antagonists of the film is played by Joe Don Baker, who to me will always be the sloppy cop "Mitchell" and might as well be playing the same character in this film, just with a promotion to police chief. There is a sequel to the film, Fletch Lives, that is not nearly as good as this film; mostly due to the film's construction being the opposite of this one (Fletch goes into disguises and then solves a mystery as opposed to solving a mystery requiring Fletch to go into disguises). One thing I should not neglect to mention is the stellar score by Harold Faltermeyer who is also famous for his scores for Beverly Hills Cop and Top Gun. It perfectly acknowledges the thriller aspect of the film, while staying true to the comedy.

16. The Incredibles (2004)
Director: Brad Bird

"No matter how many times you save the world, it always manages to get back in jeopardy again."

It's not easy to create a hit movie with completely new superheroes that no one's heard of. Luckily Pixar seems to have that magical calculation that can take whatever you throw at it and make it awesome and endearing (except for Cars 2 for some reason). Bird always said that this film is about "the mundane and the fantastic" and how they clash at the opportune times. But it's also a great story about how we have no idea how the way we interact with people can come back to haunt us. Other movies try and tell similar stories but this movie does it the best. The cast - although none of them are marquee movie star names; aside from Samuel L. Jackson - is impeccable, tailor-suited for their roles. Jason Lee, in particular, is at once hilarious and devious. If one owns the Blu-Ray, there is a fantastic 10-minute alternate opening (in animatics) to the movie that is almost as compelling as the opening in the film. It's different, not as action-packed, but it feels more personal. You get into Bob and Helen's lives as people first and then gradually reveal they used to be superheroes. It's been long in development, but an official Incredibles 2 with Bird at the helm (at least in writing, no word on directing) is finally on the way and I'll definitely be there opening day.

15. Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)
Director: Stanley Kubrick 

"You're talking about mass murder, General, not war."

My first Kubrick film. It constantly popped up in AFI's 100 Years... TV specials and I was intrigued. I watched it and... I didn't get it. At first. It took me a few more watches and it finally dawned on me: this was absolutely hysterical. Peter Sellers playing three different roles with three different accents and, in some scenes, he actually talks to himself. But let's not take away from the hilarity that George C. Scott brings. He's so committed to the role that in mid-take, he trips over himself, somersaults and brings himself back up into frame without blowing his line. That's amazing. The three stories that the film tells - a British officer is trapped in an office with a crazed American general who single-handedly has started World War III, the War Room of generals, a Russian ambassador, a Nazi mad scientist and a President who are desperately trying to prevent said war and a plane full of patriotic soldiers willing to die for their country - could have (and was initially planned as) played for drama, but goes for laughs in as tasteful a way as possible (a line that Slim Pickens uses was changed from referencing Dallas to Vegas in the aftermath of the JFK assassination). It's madness from beginning to end.

14. The Dark Knight Trilogy (2005, 2008, 2012)

Director: Christopher Nolan

"You won't kill me out of some misplaced sense of self-righteousness and I won't kill you because you're just too much fun. I think you and I are destined to do this forever."

In the years following Batman & Robin, comic book movies were generally frowned upon as know-nothing tripe for the masses. Even successes like X-Men and Spider-Man were not received as game-changers in cinema. That was until Christopher Nolan, director of Insomnia, was brought on-board to reboot the Batman series for modern audiences. His first film, Batman Begins, was a brilliant reinvention that took the Batman origins and made them realistic. You see how someone with the billions Bruce Wayne has can fabricate a suit, build the gadgets, upgrade his vehicle and be Batman. It was a success (though not as much as was anticipated as some fans were still burned after Batman & Robin) and naturally a sequel followed. And the answer to the question everybody asked themselves, "How is Heath Ledger gonna play the Joker," was the talk of the year. After his untimely death, Ledger gave an expectations-defying performance that rightly won him a posthumous Academy Award. However, his performance outshone Aaron Eckhart's as Harvey Dent/Two-Face. The film itself, The Dark Knight, was an evolution of what had been set up in the previous film. It was deeper, darker and even more thrilling. Momentum was high when The Dark Knight Rises was released three years later. While Tom Hardy could not reach the atmospheric levels of Ledger's Joker, his portrayal of Bane also permeated the culture. Anne Hathaway also took up the mantle of Selina Kyle, while Nolan did away with all the supernatural cat-themed brouhaha that plagued the character in the past. Kyle, in this film, is simply a cat burglar balanced between Bane's reign of terror and Batman's war on crime. Through these three films, Christopher Nolan redefined Batman for a new generation of moviegoers as a symbol that was incorruptible. Though DC/Warners has moved on with a new Batman, we'll always have this one to go back to.

13. Superman: The Movie (1978)

Director: Richard Donner

"They can be a great people, Kal-El, they wish to be. They only lack the light to show the way. For this reason among others, their capacity for good, I have sent them you, my only son."

The character of Superman had conquered the realms of radio, theatrical cartoons, weekly serials and a popular television series. Still, he didn't get his first theatrical feature-length film until the rights were purchased by two Italian film producers from Mexico. The Salkinds, who had perfected franchise building by filming one long movie and releasing it as The Three Musketeers and The Four Musketeers, decided they would do the same with Superman. Hiring Richard Donner, hot off the hit thriller The Omen, was the best decision they made. Somebody who believed in bringing verisimilitude ("the appearance of being true or real") to the character. The film plays out in three acts - the icy world of Krypton featuring acting legend Marlon Brando playing Superman's father Jor-El, the Norman Rockwell-ish Smallville where Clark Kent grows up and then the city of Metropolis that plays like a '30s screwball comedy, especially when Gene Hackman shows up as "the greatest criminal mastermind of our time" Lex Luthor. Christopher Reeve brings an earnestness that shines through in his Superman. In contrast, Hackman is genuinely hilarious as Luthor. The flying effects, that won a Special Achievement Academy Award, still hold up today. This is my favorite DC Comics movie.

12. Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1978)

Director: Steven Spielberg

"I know this. I know what this is! This means something. This is important."

Though this wasn't Spielberg's first take on aliens (see his short film "Firelight") and certainly wouldn't be his last, but between E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial and War of the Worlds, it has a great position being in between a cutsy kidsy alien tale (no disrespect) and a dark and chilling cautionary tale (don't get invaded by aliens, Earth; you oughta know better by now). Even with its out-of-this-world (pun intended) premise, the movie is grounded in humanity thanks to the performances of Richard Dreyfuss as an Indiana lineman who finds himself in the middle of this massive UFO conspiracy and François Truffaut as the head scientist chasing the titular "Third Kind". The climax of the film is less action-packed than you'd expect but more wondrous and thought-provoking. Even Steven Spielberg has said that he wouldn't make the movie the same way today. It's cinematic catharsis at its finest. 

11. Ghostbusters (1984)

Director: Ivan Reitman

"We're ready to believe you!"

If "Ghostbusters" the franchise was just limited to one movie, no sequels (holding off judgment of the new all-female reboot; but you don't mess with the Ecto-1, that car's a classic), no animated series, no video games and no Ecto-Cooler, Ghostbusters the movie would still be awesome. They're better than superheroes because they are basically everymen who have dangerous equipment and are running around trying to protect us. Though he essentially did the film as a favor after Columbia bankrolled his pet project The Razor's Edge, Bill Murray leads a perfect ensemble cast who are all invested in not only their characters, but the concept itself. Dan Aykroyd's initial drafts of the film were very esoteric and futuristic, so Harold Ramis took time to pull the script back into something more palpable. This is the best movie Ivan Reitman has ever directed and it shows in the rest of his career. To say the special effects no longer hold up isn't exactly fair considering it was 1984 and they still had the best of Industrial Light and Magic working on the film. "Ghostbusters" the song is still as catchy and awesome today as it was then and both times it appears in the film -- the "Ghostbusters at work" montage and the joyous end credits scene -- really brightens the mood. If you can't quote-a-long with this movie, watch it again until you can.

10. Jaws (1975)

Director: Steven Spielberg

"You yell barracuda, everybody says, 'Huh? What?' You yell shark, we've got a panic on our hands on the Fourth of July."

I had to do a lot of shifting around to get Jaws in the Top 10. Not that I don't like the movie; it's amazing, I love it. But the real die-hard fans of this movie would clean my clock if I put it anywhere under 10. And it's not hard to see why: this movie literally invented the blockbuster. For years, I didn't want to see it because I'm not much of a horror guy (I was a kid too, come on). But I didn't realize that the movie is much more of an action-thriller and the horror of the movie actually came in the making of it. The fact that Steven Spielberg didn't lose his mind or snap is a testament to why he's still a legend to this day; he's always thinking through his films to make them. The cast, of course, are unforgettable - Roy Scheider playing the reluctant Brody, Richard Dreyfuss as the brainy Hooper and the performance everybody loves, Robert Shaw as Quint, the 20th century's answer to Captain Ahab. It's incredible how the team that built the shark ("Bruce") got so much personality out of the character with almost no expression. And the size of it really gives this animal more monstrous qualities. The movie itself is pretty split in half: the first being on Amity Island with all the townspeople and the second out at sea with Brody, Hooper and Quint. Personally, I prefer the first half because you get a whole lot of characters to deal with and not just the main stars. Still, it's a testament to 20th century cinema and it's a tale that will "swallow you whole".

9. Toy Story Trilogy (1995, 1999, 2010)

Directors: John Lasseter (Toy Story), John Lasseter/Lee Unkrich/Ash Brannon (Toy Story 2), Lee Unkrich (Toy Story 3)

"Look, over in that house is a kid who thinks you are the greatest, and it’s not because you’re a Space Ranger, pal, it’s because you’re a toy! You are his toy!”

These movies have a special place in my heart because they grew up with me. I mean, OK, I'm sure they grew up with a lot of people reading this, but they mean a lot to me specifically. I wouldn't say I was Andy, but I certainly could identify with him. Like him, I had (and still have) a Woody and Buzz Lightyear. But you don't see movies today being made with the care that Pixar does. As Genri says in Toy Story 2, "Ya can't rush art!" I remember the day they announced Toy Story 2 with that picture of the toys going across the street with the towering monster truck ahead. You couldn't find a happier camper that day. I saw it and was thrilled! And so years went by and Pixar just got better and better, making different movies that all followed the same idea: fish, superheroes, cars, rats, robots and old people; they're all more than they seem. Then, Toy Story 3 was announced. The one plotline that was given was that "Andy grows up and leaves for college". That's a very depressing thing for a kid who's loved these movies all his life. Each trailer reminded you of the good times but hinted of things to come. I saw the film and was blown away. The infamous trash fire pit scene? I wasn't ready to buy it because the trailers had spoiled Andy's last words about Woody so I knew there had to be more. But when the claw came down, I was laughing my head off. I think the audience I saw it with was annoyed because I caught it first: the long-awaited payoff to "THE CLAW!!!" gag that the Little Green Men from Toy Story 1 couldn't shut up about. I had a huge smile on my face as Mr. Potato Head hugged them and the LGM all say, "DADDY!!!" It still cracks me up. These are perfect movies that I will always carry with me, in my memories and in my heart.

8. Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)

Director: James Gunn

"And you think life takes more than it gives, but not today. Today it's giving us something. It is giving us a chance."

Maybe a movie this new (at this writing, exactly a year old) shouldn't be in the top 10, but it's my top 10, so there! It's not just cause it's a Marvel superhero movie; it's a hysterically sci-fi comedy action/adventure. It's the movie of my dreams, as weird as that sounds. I had an idea JUST like that, even down to the retro soundtrack but it just didn't have the Marvel comic book edge. So if that movie never gets made, at least there's this one. This is the movie that made Chris Pratt a household name and deservedly so. He's one of those few movie stars that seems just as nice and cool as the characters he plays if not more so. Zoe Saldana gets to add another great performance to her sci-fi repertoire, rivaling that of her Avatar co-star Sigourney Weaver. Dave Bautista does a great job playing a character who seems like a massive warrior but is hiding his true heartbreak underneath and that's really hard to do. Which is why they hired Vin Diesel to play another Iron Giant-esque character Groot, who even with "I am Groot" to say, conveys so much. Bradley Cooper takes his cue from Joe Pesci in playing a funny tough guy with Rocket Raccoon. The movie took off as audiences all over the world fell in love with the characters. It was something new from a Cinematic Universe we thought we knew. It's already been confirmed that James Gunn and the cast are back for another installment. I know I can't wait for the next ride through the galaxy with these wonderful characters.

7. Marvel's The Avengers (2012)

Director: Joss Whedon

"The Avengers. That's what we call ourselves; we're sort of like a team. 'Earth's Mightiest Heroes' type thing."

Say what you will about the sequel to this, this is cinematic history whether you like it or not. The first cinematic crossover of comic book movie heroes. 10 years ago-- heck 20 years ago, this never would've been possible. Not just because of special effects, but studios just did not care enough to put the right people on these projects. Marvel made the somewhat questionable choice to announce Joss Whedon as director on April Fools' Day, but it ended up working for them. Whedon has history in the industry as a writer (including an Academy Award nomination for co-writing Toy Story) and he is the only Marvel Studios director to have previously written for Marvel Comics. The cast is impeccable as expected, improving on their characters from their previous films. Especially Tom Hiddleston as Loki, in a star-making performance; which is why Thor: The Dark World may as well be called Loki: The Movie. Just that one shot circling around the characters is worth the price of admission. To me, this is the ultimate comic book movie.

6. Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

Director: Steven Spielberg

"Oh, Marcus. What are you trying to do, scare me? You sound like my mother. We've known each other for a long time. I don't believe in magic, a lot of superstitious hocus pocus. I'm going after a find of incredible historical significance, you're talking about the boogeyman."

Raiders is an amazing film; perhaps the greatest action film ever made. It launched its lead character into the pop culture lexicon forever. That's not to outweigh the efforts of the rest of the cast, who all fit their characters as well as that fedora fits Harrison Ford. Seriously, they're gonna bury him in that hat. Even people who hate Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull have admitted getting chills in seeing that shot of Indy putting on the hat in silhouette; it's that iconic. Spielberg's direction has been imitated since the film's release, with many challengers to the action/adventure throne. None of them however can make you feel the sweat and blood that permeates through the celluloid. Naturally, sequels followed and although they each have pros and cons to them, none of them feel as real as Raiders. All followers, not innovators. What more can be said about a movie that is truly legendary?

5. Groundhog Day (1993)

Director: Harold Ramis

"Well, what if there is no tomorrow? There wasn't one today!"

Here we are at the top 5, with what I will argue to my dying days as the best Bill Murray movie ever. The movie operates briskly and brilliantly with each day that Phil Connors re-experiences audiences are able to see something new that they hadn't before. Characters that come into play later on in the film are set up early in the story; for instance, Buster the Groundhog Day head honcho (played by Bill's brother, Brian Doyle-Murray, one of the best character actors around today), the drunks (one of whom played by the late Rick Ducommon) and Nancy, Phil's one day love tryst. There's the frequently mentioned "deleted opening" to the film that features Phil's ex-girlfriend having a gypsy place him under a curse, which results in him repeating Groundhog Day; naturally, that's a dumb move. Phil is repeating Groundhog Day because he needs to learn how to become a better person. If it takes him months, years, decades... so be it. This is one of the few comedies I've seen that really emphasizes the drama properly; Murray knocks his scenes with Andie MacDowell out of the park. Unarguably, it's Ramis' masterpiece.

4. Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988)

Director: Robert Zemeckis

"So tell me, Eddie. Is that a rabbit in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?"

How Zemeckis, master animator Richard Williams, or anybody in the cast and crew did not lose their minds doing this movie is beyond me (though Bob Hoskins has admitted, perhaps jokingly, to seeing cartoon rabbits long after the movie had ended). This film is a work of art; a modern miracle. It works on so many levels: as a flat-out funny comedy, a hard-boiled detective story, a buddy picture, a '40s romance and an action-packed thriller. The British Hoskins delivers his greatest role as American private eye, Eddie Valient. You see all the backstory necessary for his character in that great panning shot across his desk that shows you his relationship with his late brother ("Toon dropped a piano on his head") and Dolores, the hardened lady running the bar across the street that ostensibly has a train running next to it. Though the shining character is Roger himself, voiced by certified genius Charles Fleischer (seriously, look him up, he's written about gamma-rays making him a real life Dr. Bruce Banner). It'd be easy to make Roger really obnoxious and annoying, but Fleischer wisely balances both wackiness and sympathy for his character making him endearing to the audience. And who can forget the evil Judge Doom, played by Christopher Lloyd, in an absolutely chilling performance. The blend of 2D hand-drawn animation and live-action is still a marvel to this day; even more so is the blend of world-famous Disney characters and Looney Tunes characters. Legally, you will never see Mickey and Bugs and Daffy and Donald together in a movie ever again. That's how special this movie is. Zemeckis triumphs, balancing story and spectacle, and this is just one of the films that proves it.

3. Mary Poppins (1964)

Director: Robert Stevenson

"I'd know that silhouette anywhere! Mary Poppins!"

Yeah, you laugh, but this movie means a lot to me. Disney has always been a huge part in my life but unlike a lot of people in my generation, I was raised more on the live-action side of Disney than the animation side. Of course, a movie bridging both of these sides had to be "practically perfect in every way". It's also my all-time favorite musical: all the songs by the Sherman Brothers are sensational. Everyone in the main cast gets a song to sing; if "Feed the Birds" doesn't make you teary-eyed to outright bawling, you have no soul. Can you believe this was Julie Andrews' first film? Not only is she the title character, she also won an Academy Award and became a part of childhood consciousness. A few years ago, a wild rumor went around saying that Steven Spielberg had mused about remaking Mary Poppins. Naturally the world went into an uproar, while actors like Will Ferrell and Jim Carrey were trying to get in on the part of Bert. Spielberg eventually had to release a press statement saying, "I have no intention of remaking a classic, let alone a Disney classic." That's how powerful this film is. Quite frankly, it's supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!

2. It's a Wonderful Life (1946)

Director: Frank Capra

"You see, George, you really had a wonderful life. Don't you see what a mistake it would be to throw it away?"

I am constantly frustrated at the number of people my age I meet who have never seen this film. And how is that possible? It's on practically every Thanksgiving on NBC; don't they know a holiday perennial when they see one?! Steven Spielberg (yes, him again) has said that this movie necessitates about "five hankys" to get through it. I don't necessarily cry at this film, but it's certainly moving. Though he achieved a lot through his Westerns and Hitchcock films, this is without a doubt James Stewart's signature role. Through the eyes of his guardian angel Clarence, we see all of George Bailey's life in Bedford Falls, NY: as a boy saving the life of his kid brother and losing half of his hearing in the process, as a young man courting the love of his life, and as an adult trying to get out of the town that he's been tied to his whole life and see the world. But at his lowest moment, when he's lost a large amount of money for the banking and loan for the town that needs him, he considers throwing away God's greatest gift ("Oh, dear, his life!"). Clarence comes down to tell George that he shouldn't think of killing himself. George cynically says he should've never been born which gives Clarence an idea: he shows George the town of Bedford Falls as though he's never been born. Although George regains the hearing he lost as a boy, he loses all the friends and family he's ever known (the plot of this film is often used as fodder for Christmas-themed episodes of sitcoms past and present). At first he believes it's nothing but a trick, but as George explores this terrifying train of thought, he fears for all that he's lost and wants his life back. What follows is probably the happiest ending ever seen in American cinema short of "...and they lived happily ever after," (though it comes awfully close). A year or so ago, a low-budget production company proudly announced they were attempting a sequel to the beloved film. Never have I been more thankful for brutal studio mentality as the rights holders of the film quickly issued a cease-and-desist order towards these fools. This is the ultimate Christmas movie, but its shining quality is that it can be seen at any time of the year and still reach your heart.

1. Back to the Future Trilogy (1985, 1989, 1990)

Director: Robert Zemeckis

"It means your future hasn't been written yet! No one's has! Your future is whatever you make it! So make it a good one, both of you!"

Come on, guys. You knew this was coming. These series of films combines so much of what I love: science-fiction, comedy, rock 'n roll, time travel and just the definition of cool in the performance of Michael J. Fox as Marty McFly; somebody who's kind, funny, smart and talented. Who wouldn't want Doc Brown as their friend? Who wouldn't want Jennifer Parker as their girlfriend? Who wouldn't want to drive around in a time-traveling DeLorean? Michael J. Fox apparently, but that's beside the point! Zemeckis and Bob Gale's script is flawless; it's often used in screenwriting classes today to explain the concepts of "setups-and-payoffs". A lot of talk has been made recently of Eric Stoltz, who was originally hired to play the role of Marty, disliking the ending of Part I as it seemed to celebrate '80s excess. As with everybody else on the planet, I disagree. The ending of Part I is all about good choices in life versus bad ones. With Marty's help, George changes the course of his life. The second film is my favorite of the three. A lot of people don't like it because it's darker than the other two films. To me, the dark moments of the film only make the funnier stuff stand out that much more. It's really cool to see two Martys, two Docs, two Jennifers and two Biffs running around. My favorite moment in the entire film, if I had to sum up my sense of humor, is Part II Marty getting knocked out by Part I Marty running out the door. Makes me laugh every time. Part III really belongs to Christopher Lloyd and Mary Steenburgen. Their relationship is so sweet and really makes you look at Doc in a completely different way. The train climax is so awesome, simultaneously achieved with a full-size train and a smaller scaled model; something you wouldn't see in today's CG extravaganzas. Ultimately, I feel like these movies were made for me. I know there are legions of fans for these movies, and deservedly so, but... I don't know. It just seems like whenever I watch these movies, they might as well be speaking to me. They're truly timeless.

And so we've come to the end of my top 20 favorite movies! I hope you've enjoyed reading and I certainly hope it's inspired you to revisit these films or even see them for the first time. Cinema is something very important to me and I like to share it with everyone. I'll leave you with a little jam that's sweeping the Interwebs that's very fitting for the occasion.