Favorite Movies

Last week I ran an "unofficial" contest on my Facebook account asking my FB friends to guess my favorite movies to win a copy of my book. The premise was simple enough; the first three people to guess a movie that's on my top 10 list would win a book. However, when I set about creating the list, that task was anything but easy.

Straight away I decided to exclude comedies from the list. I don't think it's possible to judge comedies along with other movie genres. It's hard enough to weigh dramas against action movies, but how can I compare Old School to Fight Club? I'll probably end up ranking my top 10 comedies and then using that list as a contest for a giveaway here... so stay tuned.

But, back to the list. After much agonizing, sorting, shuffling, and re-sorting I finally arrived at a top 10. At the moment I saved it, I knew it was probably not 100% accurate. I'm sure there were movies that I had simply forgotten about that belonged on the list... or did they if I forgot about them?

Without further ado... the list:

1. Blade Runner
2. Apocalypse Now
3. Rear Window
4. Fight Club
5. Unforgiven
6. One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest
7. North By Northwest
8. Pulp Fiction
9. American Beauty
10. A Clockwork Orange

To me, these are all movies that stand the test of time. I wouldn't hesitate to rewatch any one of them on a moment's notice.

I've gotten some grief about my #1, but I don't care. It's my list. There is so much more going on beneath the surface in that movie that it's completely deserving of the number 1 spot. Also, Philip K. Dick is one of my favorite authors. Blade Runner is adapted from his novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? .  I can't recommend it enough. Now, if someone would make Flow My Tears, the Policeman Said ...

Apocalypse Now is an easy #2 for me. I can't recall how many times I've watched that movie. Hell, I've bought the DVD three times; The original, Redux, and the Complete Dossier. If and when I buy a blu-ray player it will be one of the first titles I purchase.

I think the two Hitchcock movies need no defending (#3 Rear Window & #7 North by Northwest). I'm a trememdous fan of all his work, but these are two of my favorites along with The Lady Vanishes and The Thirty-Nine Steps .

Fight Club . Another great movie based on another great book. Check out the book if you haven't already.

Unforgiven. Not just a great Western, but a great all-around movie. Tombstone is not too far out of my top 10 as well.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest .  Continuing the great book, great movie theme.

Pulp Fiction. Tarantino's masterpiece.

American Beauty. Kevin Spacey at his best.

A Clockwork Orange. Uh, what to say about this one? Well, after watching it 4 or 5 times it starts to make more sense... nah, it's just crazy-fun-as-hell to watch.