Favorite Movies

There's always sort of a question in my mind when someone talks about their favorite movies. Because what makes a movie a favorite? Is it something that astounded you when you first saw it? Something that influenced you in some way? Or just something that stayed with you? Maybe it's just a movie you watched over and over as a kid; I have a few of those myself.

And of course the list of favorite movies changes. Depends on the day, one's mood, and whether any great new movies can be added to the list. Weirdly enough, though, with so much out there, I find my favorites are still the older movies. I am less inclined to repeatedly watch newer films. Maybe it's elitist of me, or just nostalgic—maybe I'm getting old—but they just don't make 'em like they used to.

With all this in mind, some of my all-time favorite movies (at least today) are (in chronological order):

1. The Bishop's Wife - watched it every year at Christmas growing up and still do
2. Rope - though I didn't see it until film school, this is a movie I come back to again and again; it amazed me then and I love it still, try to watch it at least every couple years and would love to see the stage version
3. The Innocents - because I love the Henry James story and this is an appropriately creepy adaptation of it
4. Summer Magic - I spent a summer in the 80s eating up this cute Disney pic
5. My Fair Lady - my favorite musical, was also lucky enough to see the stage version featuring Richard Chamberlain
6. Grease - loved it as a kid and have to watch it every time it's on television
7. Watership Down - both the book and animated feature left a huge impression on me
8. Raiders of the Lost Ark - first movie I can remember seeing in a cinema, and I went home and pretended to be "Petey" (I misunderstood the name), would later play Indiana Jones often with my best friend.
9. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan - would watch this on VHS often, along with Search for Spock
10. The Secret of NIMH - another one my best friend and I would play
11. Young Sherlock Holmes - watched this one every day after school (not an exaggeration) and played it with my best friend as well
12. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade - memento of a fabulous summer spent with my best friends
13. Jurassic Park - holds the record for the movie I've seen most times in a cinema
14. Anastasia - my favorite animated feature
15. The Matrix - runner up to Jurassic Park; too bad about those other two movies
16. Hot Fuzz - I could watch this one over and over (and I have)

I'm sure there are others. I vaguely remember really liking Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, but that was when I was extremely young and didn't know the Bee Gees weren't the Beatles. I certainly know better now. (Though I'll admit a lingering fondness for Yellow Submarine.)