Your 10 Favorite Movies Reveal Your Inner Soul
What I learned when I listed my 10 favorite movies
If you want a window into a person’s soul ask them to list their 10 favorite movies.
If you want to get deep, ask them to explain why they like them.
I did exactly that just the other day. My friend was arguing what makes a movie great. We went back and forth, listing our favorite movies. At an impasse, we decided to make a list of the top 10 and share why each movie belonged there. I also have included what the presence on this list says about me.
Here is my list, in no particular order:
The Big Lebowski
I hated this movie the first time I watched it. Maybe I hadn’t had enough White Russians, maybe I was too young to get it, who knows. Over time, I have come to love this movie, it relaxes me. It is a movie that I seek out when I have nothing else to watch. I especially love to drink while watching this, it is fun to start sober, have a couple of cocktails, and see where the movie takes you.
What does this movie say about me?
One of the major themes in this movie is going with the flow, taking what life gives you, and rolling with it. I get why I like this movie, my personality is a lot like the Dude’s, never too low, never too high.
The Sandlot
I grew up playing and watching baseball. It is no surprise that I love The Sandlot. Viewing the world through the eyes of a child, building up the neighbors dogs as some sort of “beast,” all while trying to fit in as the new kid in town takes me back. The reality is that I love this movie because of nostalgia.
What does this movie say about me?
This movie speaks to my sense of nostalgia, especially the times spent with friends during the summer. Back in the day, as the kids say, we didn’t have video games that could enthral us for hours on end. We spent time outside, inventing games, getting dirty, and having fun.
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
I love this movie for so many reasons. Number one, I am a big Hunter S. Thompson fan, I think the guy is brilliant. Number two, Johnny Depp is the shit. Number three, this movie perfectly captures the inadequacies of the traditional “American Dream.” I also love a story where the characters flout the rules of society and attempt to make their way.
What does this movie say about me?
I have always been a believer that to achieve the American Dream you need more than luck and determination. This movie reflects that perfectly. It always has been my secret desire to simply go to Vegas and have a weekend of pure madness.
The Shawshank Redemption
This movie is simply great. It has a great storyline, great actors, and has the perfect ending. The Shawshank Redemption is also one of those movies that is the best the first time you watch it. Once you know the ending, the movie can lose some of its shine. Andy Dufresne is a captivating character who you root for the whole time.
What does this movie say about me?
That I love a good underdog story. This is true, I always root for the underdog. I also like it when people in power get what is coming to them, which happens very eloquently in this film.
The Lord of the Rings (all three)
I may be cheating here, putting 3 feature-length films into one, but I feel like the whole story is worth having on the list. The journey of Frodo and Sam to destroy the Ring of Power is an epic journey that captivates me through the whole saga. I love how the story starts with innocent little Frodo who hasn’t left the Shire and ends with him not being able to return because he has seen too much of the world.
What does this movie say about me?
I love a good journey, an expedition. I also believe that most of us are like Frodo in one way or another. We set foot into the real world and are forever changed. It is another good example of my love of an underdog story.
The Lion King
This is the best Disney film ever created, period. A coming-of-age story with great music and actual, real, traumatic events, it is tough to find a Disney movie. I probably like this movie so much because I was 6 when it came out. But it also has a compelling villain and hits on many issues in the modern-day.
What does this movie say about me?
I love it when good overcomes evil, like in this movie and the Lord of the Rings. It says that I am an eternal optimist, I do try to find the positive in every situation. I also believe that bad times cannot last, that the light will eventually displace the dark.
Blow
I love many drug-oriented movies, especially around dealing and making it big. Of these movies, Blow is easily my favorite. Once again, Johnny Depp is tough to beat. The true story of George Jung is another example of the American Dream, his dream ends with him in prison. I love the lawless attitude and how Jung and his crew play the system to earn some cash.
What does this movie say about me?
I love lawbreakers. I don’t know why, but I do. I think it has something to do with the idea that we are all playing by a set of rules designed to keep us down, so when someone breaks those rules and gets out, it is amazing. Living vicariously through these drug lords, even though most are awful humans, is one way to feel like maybe one day we can control our destiny.
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
This movie is in the same vein as Blow and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, but with fewer drugs and viewed as a high schooler. The themes are the same, live your life, screw the rules. It is also simply hilarious to watch as Ferris goes on his insane journey while ditching school.
What does this movie say about me?
Again, I love the idea of going to the beat of your own drum, Ferris gives us the idea that we can make the day ours and have a great time doing it.
Pulp Fiction
The storytelling and music selection by Tarantino is simply awesome in this movie. I love that it moves between different storylines and ends up connecting them all. Just masterful. I also love Samuel L. Jackson and John Travolta in this one, they are so nonchalant about doing their daily work of being enforcers.
What does this movie say about me?
This is a hard one to dissect. Really, it is just an awesome movie. But I suppose that this movie reveals my love of the unexpected, Tarantino pulls no punches and the storyline is as unexpected as they come. I also love how there are really no good characters, as is true in real life, even the bad guys have redeeming qualities.
The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly
This movie got me through a couple of weeks of being couch ridden after knee surgery. I would wake up, pop a pain pill, and throw on The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, then I would see how long I could make it until I fell asleep. When I woke, I would try to remember where I left off with, go to that scene and repeat the process. I probably watched this move 4–5 times during that 2-week span.
What does this movie say about me?
Similar to Jules in Pulp Fiction, the man with no name is also a flawed protagonist. In my life I have come to understand and appreciate that our heroes are human, they are flawed. This viewpoint inspires me to continue pushing to be the best human that I can, understanding that I do not have to be perfect to make a difference.
You try it!
This was a cathartic experience for me and choosing the top ten was truly a difficult task. However, by analyzing the themes and common threads of the movies I was able to learn a bit about who I am.
I challenge you to give this a shot. Feel free to post links to your lists in the responses below!
