These are what I consider my all-time favorite films. I've seen each of them dozens of times, and I never get sick of them. Everyone should see these.
Title: The Wizard Of Oz
Original Release: 1939
Starring: Judy Garland, Frank Morgan, Ray Bolger, Jack Haley, Bert Lahr
Synopsis: A restless young girl finds herself in a strange land inhabited by strange people. As she tries to find her way back home, she learns an important lesson.
Thoughts: I've loved this film since I was born. I know every line, every word to every song. If you tried to come up with the ultimate timeless classic, this would definitely be at the top of the list.
Title: (Monty Python's) Life Of Brian
Original Release Date: 1979
Starring: Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Michael Palin
Synopsis: Tells the story of a man named Brian who was born on the same night as Jesus Christ. His life oddly parallels Jesus', and in fact he's mistakenly taken for a messiah.
Thoughts: What I love about this film is the way it perfectly defines blind faith -- something I've always been wary of -- and then proceeds to tear it to shreds. Hysterical from beginning to end. One of the best bits is the explanation of how various religious factions are created. It just kills me.
Title: The Rutles: All You Need Is Cash
Original Release Date: 1978
Starring: Eric Idle, Neil Innes, Ricky Fataar, John Halsey
Synopsis: A mockumentary about the ficitious band The Rutles, an affectionate parody of The Beatles' career.
Thoughts: This is one of the greatest ideas ever put on film. The music is phenomenal, and only a huge Beatles fan can comprehend how much research and thought went into this parody. Every detail of that film pokes fun at some aspect of The Beatles. Pure comedic genius.
Title: The Music Man
Original Release Date: 1962
Starring: Robert Preston, Shirley Jones, Buddy Hackett, Ron Howard
Synopsis: A hustler ends up in a small Iowa town intending to sell the citizens on a boys' band and skip town with their money. He ends up getting a lot more than he bargained for.
Thoughts: This is another film I've been in love with since I was a child. I think Robert Preston's Harold Hill is one of the greatest character portrayals of any film, ever. I love the soundtrack, the story...and Ron Howard is just adorable.
Title: The Kids Are Alright
Original Release Date: 1979
Starring: Pete Townshend, Roger Daltrey, John Entwistle, Keith Moon
Synopsis: A documentary film about rock band The Who, including live performances, promotional films, and interviews from 1965-1968.
Thoughts: I think this was the first "rockumentary" ever made. Such a fantastic film; if you're not a Who fan before seeing it, you will be by the end. I love that they don't try to tell the story through obnoxious narration. The makers of the film made the brilliant decision to let The Who (and their music) tell their own story.
Title: Pretty In Pink
Original Release Date: 1986
Starring: Molly Ringwald, Jon Cryer, Andrew McCarthy
Synopsis: A high school girl with a lot of style -- and little money -- falls in love with one of the rich guys in school.
Thoughts: I just adore this film. The clothes are great, the characters are so unique...and Duckie is probably the best sidekick ever. Any girl that discovers John Hughes' films will at some point want to be Andie Walsh.
Title: The Odd Couple
Original Release Date: 1968
Starring: Jack Lemmon, Walter Matthau
Synopsis: A sloppy, long-divorced sports writer lets his best friend -- a compulsive neat-freak -- move in when his wife asks for a divorce.
Thoughts: This is one of the funniest films ever made -- and highly underrated. Most people I talk to have never heard of it, let alone seen it. The dynamic between to two main characters is killing, and all the side characters -- their odd poker buddies, the adorable English neighbors -- just add on to the laughs. I think I've seen this film more than any other, and it still makes me laugh. It's also unique because it's the one film that my whole family loves.
Title: The Godfather, The Godfater Part II
Original Release Date: 1972, 1974
Starring: Al Pacino, Marlon Brando, James Caan, Robert Duvall, Diane Keaton
Synopsis: The story of how the black sheep of a mafia family can get sucked into a world of crime and end up being head of the family.
Thoughts: People are always shocked when I say these are some of my favorite films. I guess I don't seem like the crime film type. This isn't just a snuff film; the characters, the plot, all have depth and feeling that's surprising in a film of this genre. There's a reason this is a classic. It's incredible, lifechanging. You need to see it. I've converted more than one person, so trust me on this.
Title: A Hard Day's Night
Original Release Date: 1964
Starring: John Lennon, Ringo Starr, Paul McCartney, George Harrison
Synopsis: A fictional account of a day in the life of The Beatles.
Thoughts: First off, the soundtrack for this film is amazing. If you consider that The Beatles had to star in the film, do promotion, then go right back on the road to tour, it's amazing that they could come up with such a great collection of originals. That aside, the film itself is funny, cute, and a great example of how The Beatles were more than willing to poke fun at themselves and their fame.
Title: This Is Spinal Tap
Original Release Date: 1984
Starring: Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, Harry Shearer, Rob Reiner
Synopsis: A mockumentary about a fictional hard rock band and their attempt to revitalize their careers.
Thoughts: If The Rutles were the ultimate Beatles parody, Spinal Tap is the ultimate band parody. They hit everything, from life on the road to shitty gigs to obnoxious girlfriends. This is one of the few films that I've seen that had me laughing to tears on more than one occassion. The greatest thing about the whole film is the band itself, from Nigel's cluelessness to David's ego-inflated rambling to Derek's foil-covered bulge-enhancement. Every band should be forced to see this film, if only to remind themselves that despite everything people tell them, they're just as pathetic as Tap.
Title: Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory
Original Release Date: 1971
Starring: Gene Wilder, Peter Ostrum, Jack Albertson
Synopsis: A poor young boy and his grandfather win one of only five passes to get a tour of the world's most amazing chocolate factory...and the chance to win something even better.
Thoughts: Gene Wilder is Willy Wonka. Johnny Depp did a great job, but to me, Gene Wilder became that character and made it into a real person. He was amazing. I love everything about that character, most of all his sly sarcasm that no one seems to pick up on. I picked up my favorite quote -- a line that has become my personal motto -- from this film: "A little nonsense now and then is relished by the wisest men." Brilliant.
