Top Ten Tuesday, as always, is hosted at my other blog — The Broke & the Bookish
This week’s topic: Top Ten All Time Favorite Movies
For the most part my taste in movies tends to be more dark humor and kind of quirky? I don’t know. I totally love sappy romances and sports movies and dramas and hilarious movies too but I always tend to be drawn and love those kinds of movies the most. All I know is for most of my life I could rarely pick a movie that my friends or Will would like. We all had vastly different taste in movies so pretty much all the movies that I’m interested in I end up watching by myself. These are my ALL TIME, have lasted through the years favorites. Looking at my list I realize so many of my picks are older movies. I think that’s because I watched a lot more movies in college that have stayed favorites and honestly I haven’t found a lot of newer movies to LOVE as much as these.
Without further ado, here they are! THIS WAS SO HARD. (also I cheated and gave a crapload of “honorable mentions” hahaha)
1. Amelie:
“When impish Amélie finds a long-hidden trove of toys behind a baseboard in her apartment, she’s inspired to return the items to their original owner, an impulse of generosity that sparks more benevolent acts.”
Audrey Tatou is one of my favorite actresses EVER and I’ve really loved all the French films I’ve seen her in. Yes, Amelie is a French flick and it’s SERIOUSLY AMAZING. I now have the urge to watch it immediately just thinking about it.
2. Garden State:
“Just weaned off antidepressants, Andrew returns to his New Jersey hometown after a decade away for his mom’s funeral and starts to see his life in a new light. In the process, he confronts his psychologist father and connects with a new friend.”
Zach Braff. My fave. Plus this soundtrack was awesome too!
3. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind:
“After learning that his ex-girlfriend had an experimental medical procedure to purge all memories of him, a man decides to do the same with her. But during the operation, he realizes he doesn’t want to lose what’s left of their relationship.”
GAWD I LOVE THIS MOVIE. And Jim Carrey was perfect in it. As much as I love him in Dumb and Dumber, I find myself loving him in this role WAY MORE. This movie was thought-provoking and just so unique. And the cinematography!!
4. The Royal Tenanbaums:
“The early promise of Tenenbaum child prodigies Chas, Margot and Richie is short-circuited by the flaws of their father, family patriarch Royal, in Wes Anderson’s New York fairy tale about a dysfunctional clan of eccentrics.”
Pretty much I devour all things Wes Anderson and this is definitely my favorite of his and GOD THERE ARE SO MANY OF MY FAVES IN THIS MOVIE (pretty much Bill Murray and the Owen brothers are staples in his movies). It’s funny but like not the typical mainstream funny I don’t think. I watched it with a friend and I don’t think she laughed once. Dry humor and dark! True story: one year I was Margot Tenanbaum for Halloween. I tried to find pictures to post but to no avail!
5. Mean Girls:
This movie needs no introduction or summary does it?? I have watched this movie more than any other movie and could quote it at any moment….like the rest of the world I’m sure.
6. Lost In Translation:
“Two lost souls visiting Tokyo — the young, neglected wife of a photographer and a washed-up movie star shooting a TV commercial — find an odd solace and pensive freedom to be real in each other’s company, away from their lives in America.”
I loved this film so much! Don’t watch this if you want something plot driven. It’s not.
7. Roman Holiday:
“Princess Ann leaves her guardians, and while in Rome, she’s taken under the wing of tabloid writer Joe and his photographer sidekick. She thinks the boys don’t know who she really is, but they’re onto her — and sense a sensational story.”
I love Audrey Hepburn and it’s really close between this and Breakfast at Tiffany’s though I actually do think I prefer this one if I had to pick!
8. Pulp Fiction:
“Weaving together three stories featuring a burger-loving hit man, his philosophical partner and a washed-up boxer, Quentin Tarantino influenced a generation of filmmakers with this crime caper’s stylized, over-the-top violence and dark comic spirit.”
Quentin Tarantino at his best IMO! Although Reservoir Dogs was damn good too.
9. Fight Club:
“An insomniac corporate drone (Edward Norton) meets roguish rebel Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt), and together they form a cathartic but brutal underground society in which men fight each other freely in director David Fincher’s sharp Oscar-nominated flick. But the line between reality and sleepless haze begins to blur when propagandist Durden transforms Fight Club from a group of non-conformists into a nihilistic cult.”
Yeah, I watched this before I read the book. Bad bookworm, right? But the movie was brilliant. Can’t say I’ve watched it more than twice but I am just in awe of that movie and remember my mouth dropping to the floor.
10. Love Actually:
“Writer-director Richard Curtis’s charming treatise on romance and relationships is an all-star ensemble comedy that tells 10 separate (but intertwining) London love stories, leading up to a spirited climax on Christmas Eve”
I watch this EVERY Christmas but I could watch it any day. ROMANCE! HUGH GRANT. Plus a younger Andrew Lincoln! YES PLEASE.
Honorable mentions: Dirty Dancing, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, The Perks of Being A Wallflower, Rushmore, Requiem For A Dream, Bottle Rocket, The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys, Big Fish, Little Miss Sunshine, Grease, Pretty Woman, Donnie Darko, The Usual Suspects, American Beauty
So tell me…what are some of your favorite movies that you’d recommend to me? Have you seen any on my list? I would LOVE some recs for some newer movies you think I’d like based on what I put down here!
Sarah says
Sigh…Garden State! One of my all time favorite movies! I’m so excited to see his new film as well!
Jamie says
ME TOO. I’d been so out of the loop and then Ginger told me and I was like AHHH OMG!
Alison Doherty says
I love so many of these movies! Roman Holiday and Garden State are two of my favorite movies!
Jamie says
*high fives*
Anne Bennett says
I have only seen Lost in Translation of the movies you mentioned. Proof that I don’t see very many movies! My list is favorite movies based on books.
Jamie says
Ooh what a good topic!
Melody says
Ahh! I love Lost in Translation! I feel like it’s so underrated! Great seeing Garden State and Eternal Sunshine on your list as well! Great taste!
Jamie says
SO underrated!! Do you have any recs for meeee??
Melody says
Based on the titles in your honorable mentions, I’d say you’re doing just fine on your own but if you haven’t seen Upside Down or TiMER, I recommend those! If I think of any more, will let you know during the 5k!
Jess Gofton says
Ah, I love Love Actually! I’ve been meaning to watch Amelie and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind for a while now, I don’t know why I haven’t yet. I’m also rather ashamed to admit that I’ve never seen Fight Club or Pulp Fiction. 😮
I don’t think I’ve seen Roman Holiday, but I did love Audrey Hepburn in Funny Face. 😀
Jamie says
Oh yes, you should get to those!! ALL OF THEM. Clear a day and watch them all 😛
I LOOOOOOVE FUNNY FACE!
Bekah L. says
Love love your list, I haven’t see a few of these!
Okay, you HAVE to watch The Fall with Lee Pace. Plot: “In a hospital on the outskirts of 1920s Los Angeles, an injured stuntman begins to tell a fellow patient, a little girl with a broken arm, a fantastic story of five mythical heroes. Thanks to his fractured state of mind and her vivid imagination, the line between fiction and reality blurs as the tale advances. – The Fall (2006)” the cinematography itself is stunning, filmed in something like 15 different countries. Definitely in my top three with any Tim Burton Classic and Audrey Hepburn movie.
Jamie says
Oooh adding this to my netflix!! Thank you for the rec!
Christianna says
Good Lord, your movie list is amazing! I’ve seen almost all of these and totally agree that they’re amazing! I did a list of my top ten favorite Indie movie, so if you’re interested I high suggest most of them based on this list!
My TTT
Jamie says
Definitely going to check out yours!! I love finding people with such similar movie tastes because my group of friends had extreme OPPOSITE taste and so does Will!
Nobody@The Story Goes... says
Yes, Mean Girls! Awesome list!
Jamie says
I wonder if Mean Girls is going to be on every list! haha
Christine @ BookishlyB says
1, 2, 3 and 8- yes!
Jamie says
Seems like we have pretty similar tastes!!
Kat V says
We have so many common favorite movies. I remember when i first watched Amelie and fell in love!
Jamie says
RIGHT? I was just enamored with Amelie. I think I watched it obsessively after the first time I did. I was just amazed by it. Have you seen any of her other films? I really loved Happenstance.
Chrissi Reads says
Mean Girls is an amazing movie. I adore it. I really want to watch Amelie.
Jamie says
Amelie is so, so good! I hope you watch it!! And Mean Girls. It’s just so classic. I put it on when I’m in a bad mood always.
Wandering through the Shelves says
Have you seen Jeux d’enfants (Love Me If You Dare). Visually it has a similar look to Amelie. It’s also a quirky romance but it’s a little darker following two friends that continue to play their childhood game of dare in adulthood.
Jamie says
Adding this to my Netflix! Thank you for the suggestion!!
Tiff @ Mostly YA Lit says
That one is really cool, but it left me super disturbed at the end – just a warning. I agree that it’s visually very cool, but man, I was stressed out at the end…
Tiff @ Mostly YA Lit says
Ok, ok, since I’ve already told you that we basically have the exact same list of favourite movies, I will now give you recs that I include on my favourites list as well:
The Station Agent – one of the best quiet movies about friendship ever. Also, I think someone else suggested Win Win? This is written by the same guy. He also did the story for Up, which is probably my favourite animated movie ever.
The Republic of Love – based on a Carol Shields book – the book is good, but the movie is beautiful, haunting, and just really spoke to me.
Before Sunrise/Before Sunset/Before Midnight – I’ll be shocked if you haven’t seen these – they are top of my movie list, and just THE BEST.
Dear Frankie – this might be veering into not quirky enough for you, but man, I love this perfectly drawn story of a boy who is deaf and writes letters to his dad who is a sailor…only his mom is the one writing the letters, because his dad’s a real jerk. Then it turns out that the boat that she says the dad is sailing on is docking in their city, so she has to figure out what to do…I can’t say more than that, it’s just so moving.
Chungking Express – so good. So atmospheric. If you want quirky and cool and sweet, you want this movie.
Babette’s Feast – amazing movie about being an artist – might be too artsy, I’m not sure.
Patty says
I love Requiem For A Dream and Big Fish. I really need to watch those again. Great movies.
Jamie says
After I made this list I’m definitely wanting to rewatch all of these!!
Becky @ A Fool's Ingenuity says
Wow these are all such good films. Garden State and Lost in Translation are a couple of my favourites too. All I want to do now is have a duvet day and watch films, damn having to go to work.
Jamie says
SAME HERE. I’m just in the mood especially because it’s kind of gloomy today!!
Milka says
Great list with some awesome films there!
I see that your taste is kind of similar to mind – some funny stuff, some dark stuff 🙂
Jamie says
YES that is exactly what I like! And my romances are typically always offbeat but I do love my classics!
Isa @ Words in a Teacup says
Ohh, great list. Love Actually made it on mine as well! Not even going to lie, I tend to watch it in the middle of June if I feel like it. (Except currently my copy resides at a friend’s house, woe.)
Jamie says
Oh I’ve totally watched it randomly through out the year. It’s that good!! And ahh you must get it back!!
Laura@BunnyTales says
Amelie is one of my alllll time favorites too! We just watched Love Actually last week :). Not a Tarantino fan, but over all I’d say your list was FETCH!!! 🙂
Jamie says
Love the Mean Girls nod 😛
Jennifer aka YA Book Nerd says
LOVE Love Actually and Roman Holiday 🙂 Great picks. I like seeing a change up from bookish posts.
Jamie says
Yes I thought this was fun! If you have any ideas for others ( I was thinking music maybe..that would be even HARDER FOR ME) non-bookish topics let me know!
Christina @ BookTasty says
Oh this is a fun list! I adore Amelie and Love Actually both so much! The scooter scene at the end of Amelie makes my heart burst every time! Also The Royal Tenanbaums is Wes Anderson awesomeness!!!
Jamie says
OMG I KNOW!! THAT SCENE.
JZN McCauley says
Amelie was great! I loved that movie I recall, oh but it’s been so many years since I’ve seen it. I will have to see it again real soon.
I would recommend How to Steal A Million with Peter O’Toole (Love him! So sad he’s just recently passed away!) and Audrey Hepburn. I’m sure you’ll enjoy it at least because of Audrey! 🙂 One of my favorite movies for sure!
Jamie says
Will check that one out! Thanks!
Christie says
I think you’d like The Way Way Back!! Since you liked Little Miss Sunshine 🙂 Watched it last week and loved it.
Jamie says
I have that added to my queue! I’m hoping I will love it!!
Lianne @ caffeinatedlife.net says
Great list! Love love love Amelie and Roman Holiday and I also enjoyed Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Garden State, and the Royal Tenenbaums (perhaps my first Wes Anderson movie? Hmm *ponders*)
My TTT
Jamie says
Sounds like we have very similar taste!! If you haven’t seen Rushmore that’s another Wes Anderson movie I love and then my next favorite is The Life Aquatic !
Lianne @ caffeinatedlife.net says
Thanks for the recommendation! Will have to check that movie out (I think this is the first time I’ve heard of it?) 🙂 Hee, I remember watching The Life Aquatic years ago–such a quirky movie! xD
Katherine @ I Wish I Lived in a Library says
I’m so embarrassed that I’ve only seen a few of these. I did enjoy the ones I watched though! I need to rewatch Love Actually though. I watched right after it came out and I liked it but didn’t LOVE it and so maybe I missed something? Great list! I’ve got some movies I need to watch now!
Jamie says
No need to feel embarrassed!! Now you just have some new movies to try out 😛
It’s funny you say that because I didn’t LOVE Love Actually the first time either. I liked it but I don’t know that I would have watched it again had a friend not wanted to watch it!
Christy @ Christy's Book Addiction says
Mean Girls! I’ve watched that movie so many times that I could probably recite it word for word hahaha. I haven’t watched Love Actually yet but I’ve heard great things about it, so hopefully soon!
Jamie says
I think the most epic convos are the ones where Mean Girl lines are thrown out left and right. This is when I knew I loved the book blogging community because everything could go back to a Mean Girls line!
starryeyedjen says
Movies would have been too hard for me, as well, which is why I stuck to TV which I don’t watch all that much of these days. But all of Wes Anderson’s films would have been on there if I’d done movies, plus Garden State, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Donnie Darko, The Princess Bride, and Little Miss Sunshine. Great list!
Jamie says
I was so torn on movies/tv tbh! I might just make a list of tv shows for funsies!
I need to give The Princess Bride another chance. I watched it in like high school maybe and didn’t really love it. I love that we have such similar taste, btw!!
Becky LeJeune says
I chose tv shows for mine – I don’t know if I could narrow down a movie list! Love Actually would definitely have to be on it. I rewatch that movie an almost embarrassing number of times every year! Amelie is another one I watch too often to be normal. I’m surprised my DVD still works! (If it was old VHS it would have worn out!)
Jamie says
It was so hard to narrow down movies!! I was like AHH BUT DISNEY MOVIES AND TEEN MOVIES ETC!!
Amelie is just one of THOSE movies. You can just rewatch it over and over and it never gets old!
Annie says
I haven’t seen Amelie yet but I really want to! It looks really good! The only Audrey Tatou film I’ve seen is Coco Before Chanel which I really enjoyed just because I’m fascinated by Coco Chanel. And I think French films in general are just really good. There hasn’t been one I’ve seen that I haven’t loved! The 400 Blows is one of my favourite all-time movies and Monsieur Lazhar (which isn’t exactly French-French because it’s Canadian-French) is really good too.
Kate @ The Book Bee says
Donnie Darko is so f-ing creepy to me still (after seeing it a few times) that I cover my eyes every time Frank shows up.
Kayla @ The Thousand Lives says
I haven’t watched any of these except for Mean Girls, and that one I quote far too much to be healthy. But there is a Mean Girls quote for ANY situation!
bookmammal says
Love Actually is one of my favorite movies of all time–definitely NOT just a holiday film! Plus–the soundtrack is incredible!
Tiffany / Bookplates for Brunch says
Loooove Amelie. I think I watch it once a month. I adore Eternal Sunshine and The Royal Tenenbaums as well, but reserve those for days I feel like moping, hah.
The only other Audrey Tautou film I’ve seen is A Very Long Engagement. Gaspard Ulliel co-stars and he is an adorable dreamboat. The film content itself is super intense and graphic though. (I’m a baby and can’t deal with suspense or blood…)
If you’re into good cinematography, you might like Nanny McPhee. The colors are gorgeous and it’s sort of charming and magical and Mary Poppins-esque. Emma Thompson and Colin Firth are in it. A Little Princess (from the 90s) is gorgeous too, if you haven’t seen it before.
Fiona says
Wow you’re list is amazing! One of my favorite movies is Midnight in Paris, which you may like! Love Love Actually! Probably one of my favorite Christmas movies!
Bonnie @ A Backwards Story says
Jamie, I’m so glad I’m not the only one doing movies this week. EVERYONE chose TV shows! I definitely would have pegged you for rom com. But some of your favorites are mine! Garden State and Eternal Sunshine and Love Actually and Big Fish make my list, and like you, they just last and last through the years. It’s so hard to break into my Top 10. Ooh, not on my list, but I do love Amelie!
Holly says
Great list! Amelie is my all time favourite too, I just love it. So perfectly whimsical! Have you seen About Time? It’s the latest offering from Love Actually director Richard Curtis and it’s absolutely lovely.
Holly – Holly in Your Pocket xx
Jess @ Gone with the Words says
Ugh, is there really anything I can recommend to you when some of your favorites are MY favorites! Tenanbaums, Garden State, Love Actually, Mean Girls! I’ve watched Amelia once and I LOVED IT! I need to rewatch that soon! I do need to watch Roman Holiday…
Jade @ Bits & Bobs says
Some great films included. I love Audrey Hepburn films, picking a favourite is hard! Mean Girls is such a classic teen film too, I remember back in the day I could recite that word for word, that and Legally Blonde (terrible eh?!). Amelie is a film I have wanted to watch for the longest time but have yet to watch!
🙂
Violet says
I love your list! I had Eternal Sunshine on mine as well- I really love that movie and how thought provoking it is. Roman Holiday is definitely one of my favorites (Audrey Hepburn is my favorite actress), but I put Sabrina because that’s my favorite movie of hers. Great list!
Lori says
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind blew my mind when I first saw it. I loved it! Also, my husband is a huge Wes Anderson fan so I’ve seen The Royal Tenenbaums many, many times. (We’re opposites. Royal Tenenbaums is his favorite, mine is Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou.) I actually laughed a little at your list because your movies tastes line up pretty well with his! I’d recommend The Grand Budapest Hotel and Inglorious Basterds if you haven’t seen them yet.
Ginger @ GReads! says
GARDEN STATE. I know you and I have fangirled over this movie multiple times, but I just get so excited when you mention it. Zach Braff’s follow-up hits theaters this weekend! YAYAYA! I picked up the soundtrack today for it and it’s AMAZING. Oh my god Jamie, GET IT RIGHT NOW AND LISTEN. Seriously, stop what you’re doing.
PS, the fact that American Beauty is another one of your faves is also reason as to why we’re such great friends. LOVE that movie.
Casee Marie says
Amelieee! I adore that film, and both Audreys on your list. Have you seen Priceless? It’s Audrey T. in a sort of Breakfast at Tiffany’s-inspired comedy; not all that much like Tiffany’s, in my opinion, but it’s super sweet and fun. It’s one of my go-to feel-good movies.
Lost in Translation and Somewhere are tied as my favorite Sofia Coppola movies – I feel like hers are the cinematic equivalent of people-watching, basically. And Love Actually is totally one of my holiday necessities. Hugh Grant’s dance scene is the best thing ever. (:
Lea @ YA Book Queen says
You can never go wrong with a Quentin Tarantino movie. Although I think Inglourious Basterds is still my favorite, Pulp Fiction is a close second.
FIGHT CLUB! Excellent movie!
Great top ten 😀
Lena says
Great list! I love Amelie and Mean Girls. And it’s not really Christmas without Love Actually! Many of the others I really want to watch now. Especially Pulp Fiction. So many people have recommended it.
I also love the Curious Incident of Benjamin Button, It’s kind of a funny story (great book as well) and the Virgin Suicides.
Rebecca @ The Library Canary says
hahaha Mean Girls. I swear, I quote Mean Girls daily. Love that movie.
Angie F. says
I loooove Mean Girls, Pulp Fiction, and Fight Club! Such amazing movies! I also really liked Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. 😀
I also tend to be an oddball when it comes to liking movies my friends and family don’t, and not liking movies that they love. Oh well.
Megan says
Argh, I haven’t even *seen* most of your favorites, but I loooooove Love Actually. I could easily watch it every Christmas.
Jessica says
Oh my gosh, Amelie! I absolute adore that movie! Have you seen Populaire? It’s another super cute French movie. And Audrey Hepburn!!!!! My number one movie is Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Have you seen Paris When it Sizzles? That’s another one of my favorite of her’s, but it’s definitely not as popular. And Love, Actually is one of my favorite Christmas movies! Hugh Grant and Colin Firth together in a movie? You can’t go wrong there!
-Jessica (Peace Love Books)
Alexa S. says
Love Actually is one of those movies I return to time and time again, especially at Christmas! Such a feel-good, wonderful, enjoyable film. I absolutely adore it!
Megan C. Stroup says
Yeaaaaaah Mean Girls! Haha. I couldn’t finish Lost in Translation, but now I know why! I need a plot. 🙂
Heather says
A girl after my own heart….LOVE Audrey Hepburn. Roman Holiday is such a gem and one of my favorite classics.
Elle @ Erratic Project Junkie says
Your #10 is my #1. Love, love, LOVE me some Love, Actually. Also in my Top Ten…American Beauty. Good movie picks. One for you to try if you haven’t already…Across the Universe. It’s my #2 pick.
Laura says
Umm…are we the same person? Your top 3 is literally my top 3, in that order. In fact I’d agree with all your top 10 (except Pulp Fiction, I try so hard, but I can’t get into Tarantino).
Lindsey @ Bring My Books says
*GASP* Someone else that has seen & loved Amelie?? Be still, my heart! It’s so hard to talk people into seeing that movie because of the subtitles, so it’s really wonderful to find someone that’s seen it & appreciated it. (and that soundtrack!!)
&&I saw Love Actually in your honorable mentions – have you seen About Time yet? It’s another Richard Curtis film (Notting Hill, Four Weddings & A Funeral, Love Actually), and it’s kind-of spectacular. No, scratch that. It *is* spectacular.
Great list, Jamie! 🙂 Here’s my Top Ten Movies, if you’d like to check them out!
Dre @ Sporadic Reads says
Garden State, Eternal Sunshine, and Fight Club <3 <3 <3
Lina @ bibliophilic geek says
Aww, I love Garden State! And yes, the soundtrack is awesome. And I love Nathalie Portman.
I also watch Love Actually every Christmas and I won’t ever get tired of it. It’s pure perfection and it features some of my favourite actors and actresses.
Lina @ bibliophilic geek says
*Natalie 🙁
Kel (Booked til Tuesday) says
I’ve only seen five from your list (fail), but I definitely enjoyed Roman Holiday and Love Actually. I’m not sure what to say recommendations-wise. Hmm…are you by any chance a fan of Casablanca, The Philadelphia Story (Hepburn, Grant, Stuart) and/or The Importance of Being Earnest? 🙂