Favorite films.

I got “tagged” by Doug to list my ten favorite films. Okay I’ll bite! Since he included at least one “trilogy”, I will, too. Thanks Doug! I had another post for today, so perhaps today will be my first “two-post” day.

1. Citizen Kane by Orson Welles. Probably the best film ever made. Period. If I had to list only one, it’d be easy. This one. If you get to watch it the first time without knowing how it ends (hard these days, you’ve probably heard), as I did, it’s incredibly powerful.

2. Lord of the Rings trilogy by Peter Jackson. All one really long film, imho. Every moment is brilliant, even the stuff that they “added” to the story.

3. Blue by Krzysztof Kieslowski. Yes this is one you have to read (some of the others are, too), but it’s a brilliant story with wonderful music that will haunt you for a long time.

4. Anything with “Star Wars” in the title. Even the bad ones, but especially episodes 3, 4, and 5.

5. The Seven Samurai by Akira Kurosawa. Another one you have to read, and it’s interminably long, but everything you ever need to make a western is right in there.

6. Godfather and Godfather Part II by Francis Ford Coppola. One of the best descriptions of the capability of the human heart to descend into the madness of evil.

7. Babe by Chris Noonan. It should have won Best Picture in 1995 over Braveheart. Yes, the kids’ movie with the talking pig.

8. Pan’s Labyrinth by Guillermo del Toro. I was NOT expecting the story to end so satisfyingly. I won’t tell you in case you want to check it out. You have to read this one, too. AND… this guy is apparently going to direct the two Hobbit movies… that’s going to make them great.

9. Empire of the Sun. Spielberg’s big “flop” and my absolute favorite of his movies. Some of John Williams’ best music, too.

10. Zulu by Cy Enfield. A 1964 classic that was Michael Caine’s first starring role. The best war picture ever. Peter Jackson bragged that he made the battle of Helm’s deep last for nearly an hour in “The Two Towers”. Well in Zulu, the battle lasts for nearly the whole movie, and the tension just keeps building.

I guess I’m s’posed to tag somebody. Okay, I tag Ange Hamm. And I tag Camey. I know you’re supposed to tag five people… sorry I can only think if two (other than Doug who tagged me) right now.

I’m supposed to give a HT to Dan. Thanks Dan!