Summer King
Editor
Photo by Natalie Runyon
Lately I’ve been thinking about movies I might dare consider to be my favorites. I don’t know if the season of fall has drawn me to dwell on such things. Maybe it was my co-worker who caused me to think more about it when he quizzed me one night on just about my favorite anything. At one point he wanted to know what my all-time favorite movie was.
How could one sit down and figure out a top 10 favorite movies list, let alone pick an all-time favorite? Then there are all the different categories. There are Disney films, sci-fi films, ‘80s and ‘90s films, comedy films, cult classics and so many more. I wonder if what we consider to be among our favorite reveals little parts of ourselves like our favorite books do.
I love movies. I’m a Film Studies minor. A part of me feels like it’s strange that I don’t like or dislike films based on production value. I love stories and people. I love films that make me think. I love films that don’t require thought.
“Howl’s Moving Castle” is my all-time favorite film. I have Calcifer tattooed on my arm. In that same breath, “The Princess Diaries,” “Juno,” “Legally Blonde” and “Empire Records” find themselves somewhere on my top 10 favorite movies. “The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension” is my favorite sci-fi film. I don’t think a more tender film than “Say Anything” exists.
I think one of the most stressful things in life is figuring out what to do with all the movies that get watched. If they’re bad, you can just dump that from your brain. If they’re based on a book and they’re bad, you might become mad. Much like I often do.
However, there are so many great movies. They can’t all be favorites. Even still, there are so many movies I haven’t seen yet. There are so many more still being made. Films will always be made. What incredible minds writers, directors and producers have.
I suppose I tend to follow films that appease me. So, maybe our favorite films do say something about us. I think my favorites are films connect with the nerd in me. My favorite films inspire me or relate to me in some way. I don’t think there’s ever been a more relatable character to me than Princess Mia. Some of my favorite films just make me giggle. This might seem inane, but it makes perfect sense to me. After all, these are my favorite films.
Now, if I may be excused, I think I’m going to go watch “Zombieland.”