Anytime I meet new friends or co-workers, the common ice breaker is “what is your favorite movie?” For years I didn’t know what the answer was, because honestly there are so many movies that I haven’t seen. No particular reason other than the fact that I have the attention span of a baby squirrel, therefore I CANNOT sit through some of these nearly 3 hour movies.
Now at the big age of 28 I finally have a (very short) list of my favorite movies. These movies are ones I can, and have, watched over and over again.
The common theme with these movies, despite the difference in their subject matter, is positivity. I love movies that either encompass some sort of lesson, or are just down right silly! I’ve probably seen some of these dozens of times because I know they’ll cheer me up if I’m in a bad mood.
I was gonna give y’all a top 5, but you know what… let’s make it even and go with 6!
Check out my list below and watch my favorite scene from each film!
KILL BILL VOL. 1
Kill Bill Vol. 1 (2003) – My dad was the one who actually suggested I watched this movie. As a kid, I would always sit and watch all of the Old Bruce Lee films with him on repeat. So obviously he knew that I would love Kill Bill. I was pretty much speechless the first time I watched this movie. I LOVE how badass and understandably vengeful Beatrix Kiddo was. I mean if a group of your trusted allies tried to kill you, put you in a coma that almost killed your baby, and then lived to tell the tale…. wouldn’t you want to seek revenge on those motherfuckers too?! Despite the fight scenes and occasional gore, her “never give up” attitude has always stuck with me. This is where Kobe Bryant actually got his nickname “The Black Mamba” from! Though this is my top choice, it wasn’t hard to pick a favorite scene. Beatrix or “The Bride” let’s all her badassery out on The Crazy 88’s AND Gogo, proving to O-Ren Ishii she is NOT the one to be played with!
WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS
What We Do In the Shadows (2015) – This one was another family suggestion, this time from my silly brother! I was a little apprehensive at first because most of the time vampire movies are a little corny. However this Aussie Vampire mock-umentary is one of the silliest movies I’ve ever seen. Honestly I was cracking up just trying to find a clip to include in this list. The humor is definitely for a very specific and quirky audience, and it is right up my alley. Often times we see vampire’s portrayed as brooding and mysterious, but this group of vamps are quite the opposite. The clip below is the perfect example, Vampire Style!
BLAZING SADDLES
Blazing Saddles (1974) – Now this particular movie has gotten a lot of backlash with the world coming increasingly more progressive by the minute. I get that people like to go back and call out how certain themes in old movies were problematic, but the difference with this movie is, that is the EXACT reason why it was made! Mel Brooks made this film to spoof Western films (and actually most films during the time this one was made) and their blatant racism. Because I know that this is clearly a spoof and not meant to offend anyone, I’m able to watch this anytime I need a good laugh and a dose of reality. My favorite scene in particular is when Madeline Kahn’s character Lili Von Shtupp does a very lackadaisical performance describing how tired she is of, ahem “dating” countless men, it’s pure comedic genius.
WILLY WONKA & THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY
Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory (1971) – This is one of these movies that I can say I’ve seen way more than 20 times in my life, it always puts me in a good mood! It’s a feel good story with a lesson that still applies to adulthood, cheating and having a terrible attitude will get you nowhere in life… it may even get you trapped in a chocolate factory! Besides the heartwarming plot, I was always so blown away with Gene Wilder’s whimsical portrayal of the candy magnate. As a kid, the clip below used to terrify me… now, I love it!!! It shows just how extremely outlandish and wildly unpredictable Mr. Wonka was! (Honestly those awful kids deserved a good fright.)
BEETLEJUICE
Beetlejuice (1988) – Another whimsical classic! My favorite holiday is Halloween, so of course this my go-to movie during spooky season. However the problem is, that I love this movie so much I just end up watching it over and over again and never get to the other ones on my list! I’m a big fan of Tim Burton and his extreme attention to detail. Also, I was introduced to the lovely music of Harry Belafonte because of this very scene. Though I love Halloween, I’m not huge on horror films because I’m a bit of a chicken. Luckily, this movie is the perfect amount of dark and quirky, which actually happen to be two words I use to describe myself.
THE WIZARD OF OZ
The Wizard of Oz (1939) – I’m a bit of a dreamer so this movie has always resonated with me. I constantly think of what life would be like if I woke up in a completely different world filled with such vibrancy, color, and kindness! Of course, I’ve gotten older so my interests have changed in some ways (i.e. Kill Bill), but this movie will and always has made me teary eyed every time I’ve watched it (which is possibly over 100 times). Though there have been countless remakes and spin offs, nothing will compare to the original. It has a 98% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, a nearly perfect score that I couldn’t agree with more. This very scene shows how ahead of their time they were!