John and Laurel's Top Ten Movies of All Time

I LOVE the movies.  I enjoy watching them at home or in the theater, by myself or with crowd of friends.  In college we had an awesome Dollar Theater about 15 minutes away, and it was often a highlight of my week to head to the theater, candy secreted somewhere on my person, to enjoy a relaxing evening of movie watching.  I'm pretty sure matinees and Tuesday nights were $1, and the other nights were $2.  Affordable price for a cafeteria dish-scrubbing college student!

John also enjoys watching movies, though perhaps not as much as me.  Between the two of us, we have watched a LOT of movies.  Putting on a good flick is one of our favorite ways to relax in the evening after a busy day.  Now we have come up with our "Top Ten Movies of All Time."  This list has been scrutinized and thought over for at least two minutes, so I am sure it is perfect in every way!

Without further ado, and in no particular order . . .

John and Laurel's Top Ten Movies of All Time

1.  "An American in Paris"

This is John's favorite movie EVER.  We watched it together early on in our dating relationship, and I'm pretty sure if I hadn't liked it he would pulled the plug on us.  Fortunately, I did like it (had seen it before, in fact), and our relationship flourished.

2.  "Les Miserables" (2012)

If Anne Hathaway doesn't win an Oscar for her turn as Fantine, I am going to boycott the movies.  Ok, that's an exaggeration.  It would take far more than that to make me boycott movies.  But as someone who keeps the soundtrack to the Broadway version in the car, so that I can blast it and sing along when I am driving by myself, I was in raptures watching this in the theater.  The Entertainment Weekly reviewer who gave it a horrible review must be a crack-smoking hater of musicals.

3.  "Nacho Libre"

Another John pick, but I can agree.  Quoting from Nacho is like belonging to a secret club . . . only a select few know what you are talking about.  "Get that corn out of my face!" or "These eggs are a lie, Steven, a lie!!!"  Can't go wrong with Jack Black (Oh, except for "Tenacious D and the Pick of Destiny," not good.)

4.  "Anne of Green Gables"

The Megan Follows version, of course.  Who could not fall in love with Anne from the moment she appears, reading aloud from Tennyson's "The Lady of Shallot?"  I have cheered for and agonized with Anne MANY times over the years, reading the books every year and re-watching "Anne of Green Gables" and "Anne of Avonlea" more times than I could count.  Of course, John and I honeymooned on PEI so I could walk where Anne did (I know she is fictional!), and our daughter's middle name is "Anne . . . with an 'e.'"  One note, "Anne of Green Gables, the Continuing Story" (put out in 2000) is a complete non-starter, and a kick in the face to any true Anne fan.  NOT worth your time.

5.  "Princess Bride"

I'm pretty sure I watched this movie once a week in high school.  "Hello.  My name is Inigo Montoya.  You killed my father.  Prepare to die!"  'Nuff said.  (Please pardon his French at the end of the linked clip!)

6.  "Kung Fu Panda"

John and I saw this one together on the IMAX big screen . . . pretty sure it was the highlight of our summer in Michigan.  "Kung Fu Fighting" is the first song on any running mix I make, pretty much right behind "Chariots of Fire" as far as motivating goes.  Great to dance around the kitchen to as well!  And of course, it's another Jack Black movie . . .

7.  "Life is Beautiful"

Pretty much a sob fest, whether you watch it in the original Italian with subtitles or dubbed English.  It's the love story of a Jewish man (Guido) married to an Aryan woman in Germany during WW II.  She follows him and their son to the concentration camp, where Guido does his best to keep them all alive, and reunite them in the end.  And funny!  Guido is a character . . . he keeps up the charade with his son that the camp is a competition, and the winner gets a tank.  You will laugh and you will cry.  This one got eight Oscar nominations, with wins for Best Music, Original Dramatic Score, Best Foreign Language Film, and Best Actor . . . not often that an actor from a foreign film wins Best Actor!

8.  "Big Fish"

A wonderful fantasy adventure story about the reconciliation of a father and son at the end of the father's life.  Amazing cast, including Ewan McGregor, Albert Finney, and Helena Bonham Carter.  A must-see!

9.  "Winnie the Pooh" (2011)

Ok, so this one is Sophia's pick.  She and I went to see this in the theater just before Jude was born, her first (and still her only) movie in the theater.  She was a wee bit scared of the "Backsoon," but was overall thrilled with her first theater experience.

10.  "Lincoln"

"Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter," that is!  I know, I know, you are all shaking your heads.  "What on earth, vampire hunter?!"  This is another Lincoln movie that came out in 2012.  It is rated R, but as might be expected, it is for violence, not sexuality.  There is a bit of violence involved in hunting vampires, after all!  Before you naysay it completely, let me tell you that the acting is great, relationships well-developed, plot well-reasoned (Everything actually seems a natural progression . . .), and cinematography amazing.  In what other movie have you ever seen a chase scene on horseback where those involved actually run on top of stampeding horses?!  I thoroughly enjoyed this movie, and John has now seen it twice, liking it just as much the second time.  (We watched it for Valentine's day!)

So there you have it, the definitive list of "John and Laurel's Top Ten Movies of All Time."  Now I am going to hurry up and post this before I think too much and it become the Top Twenty . . .