Monday, March 18, 2013

TOP TEN MOVIE COUNTDOWN (SORTA)




Here I am, signed up for another Blog Hop and I’m almost at a complete loss. This is Alex J. Cavanaugh’s 10 Favorite Movies Blog Hop. I have so many favorites I can’t narrow it down to ten. I keep thinking of others and wondering just exactly what are my BIG TEN FAVORITES. I’m sure as I read others people’s selections, I’ll think ‘OH, I love that movie and I didn’t include it’. So, I’m gonna cheat. Not surprised, are you? I’m going to break my list of likes into categories and tell you some of my favorites in each. Oh well here goes. I’ll start backwards.

10. Christmas Themed Movies.
I’ve got to start with ‘It’s a wonderful Life’. No Christmas would be complete with the opportunity to review George Bailey’s life with him and see that it fact he did have a wonderful life. ‘Every time a bell rings an angel gets their wings.’
For the first time this year I saw the movie Scrooge the Musical and it was absolutely delightful and instantly became one of my Christmas favorites. A big ‘thank you very much’, to the friend who recommended it to me.
Finally I have got to mention ‘Mixed Nuts’ a favorite in my house. It’s wacky, and has quite the ensemble cast, but loads of fun.
Of course I also love old favorites like “Miracle on 34th Street” (the original), and White Christmas.
 9. Musicals
One of my favorites is an oldie, ‘Meet Me in St. Louis’ starring Judy Garland as a young girl. I also love ‘Fiddler on the Roof’ and ‘Showboat’.
 8. Westerns
I love ‘Westerns’ from ‘Dances with Wolves to some of the old John Wayne’s like “Red River and ‘She Wore a Yellow Ribbon’. I also love Monument Valley, the place where so many of the old time westerns were shot. ‘True Grit’ the original with John Wayne is a classic and the remake with that Bridges guy wasn’t too bad either. Recently I was also introduced to “Monte Walsh’ and I loved it, but then what’s not to love about Lee Marvin. Also a crossover western, made great by Lee Marvin was ‘Paint Your Wagon’. A western musical, who woulda thunk? I’ve also gotta mention ‘The Black Stallion’, it’s not really a western, but it has a beautiful horse and I’m not sure what other category to put it in, so here it will be. I cannot forget one of my all time favorites “Friendly Persuasion’ with Gary cooper, Anthony Perkins, with the title song sung by Pat Boone.
 7. John Wayne Movies
Yeah, the big guy gets a category all to himself. I love the movie ‘Donovan’s Reef’, heck it’s got John Wayne and Lee Marvin. Don’t forget Hatari, McClintock and The Cowboys. Probably my favorite JW flick is ‘North to Alaska’, this movie even has Ernie Kovacs, a guy who I think was an excellent comedian, playing the villain with the big black mustache and the title song is sung by Johnny Horton (remember him and his big hit – ‘The Battle of New Orleans’) John Wayne was something else.
 6. Disney Classics
I know there are some great new animated films out there and I like a lot of them but nothing beats the Disney Classics like “Peter Pan’, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs’, ‘Pinocchio’ and the two that are tied as my favorites ‘Dumbo’ and ‘Lady and the Tramp’.
 5. Documentaries
I have got to mention documentaries because two of my favorite films fall into this category. The first I mentioned just recently on one of my blog posts, it’s ‘The Singing Revolution’ the story of Estonia breaking the bonds of the USSR over their country. The second is my favorite Rockumentary, “The Last Waltz’, great music and great recording artists. I never get tired of seeing these guys.
 4. Fantasy and Paranormal
My choices for Fantasy are probably not what most people would think of, but my two favorites are ‘The Princess Bride’ and ‘Stardust’. Not much more to say about that. In the category of Paranormal, I love me a good ghost story and ‘The Ghost and Mrs. Muir’, another oldie but goodie, fits the bill perfectly. Recently, I saw the movie ‘Jacob’s Ladder’ and found it an interesting study in the paranormal along with one I had seen years ago but re-watched recently ‘Altered States’. When it comes to the paranormal, I don’t get out much, but all three of these had a rather profound message.
 3. Silly watch over and over movies, that make you feel good or at least not so bad about yourself.
Ron Howard’s ‘Parenthood’ probably tops that list for me, at least the part about ‘feel not so bad about yourself, as a parent I mean. I love ‘Captain Ron’ and after living three years in the Caribbean, I can attest that most of it is TRUE. ‘The Butcher’s Wife’ is one that I can recite lines from and yet I still howl at some of the sight gags. I like ‘True Lies’ for its goofy spoof of the ‘spy’ movies and the rom/com sentiments between husband and wife. Probably the only Schwarzenegger movie I would sit through more than once. Finally there is ‘Charade’ not really a comedy or silly movie, but it does have its moments and what’s not to like about Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn. And, my all time favorite ‘Who Framed Roger Rabbit’. I don’t think any other explanation is necessary for Roger and friends.
 2. Chick Flicks – not sure if this is a good title for this category but I’m not sure how else to group these films.
The first one that comes to mind is ‘Moonstruck’ starring Cher and Nick Cage. Alright so Nick Cage is kind of a weirdo but in this film it works and Cher is superb. ‘Little Black Book’ is another interesting one with a moral about snooping into the life of your significant other and coming up with all the wrong answers. Finally, I really like ‘A Good Year’, not sure this should be called a chick flick, but I don’t know where else to put it. I love the character study and how Max changes as he relives his life with his beloved uncle and soundtrack is fantastic.
 1. My favorite Movie
This movie started out as a ‘Foreign Language’ (Italian) flick that became so popular it was later dubbed in English by the original cast. I’ve seen both versions and love it in either language. The movie; “Life Is Beautiful’. I love the theme about loving someone enough to live your life for them. I’m in an absolute puddle at the end, every time, even though I know what’s coming. I just can’t help it. If you haven’t seen it, rent it right now. The film is separated in two distinct parts that show a sharp contrast in one man’s life and yet when it comes to love, he never falters.

OK that’s it. I know I cheated and names about thirty films, and I’m sure I forgot a bunch, but I just can’t help myself. I love movies, especially those that make me laugh and those that make me cry. I don’t even mind being scared a little bit. And, I didn’t even mention the love stories. Next time.

To learn more about this Blog Hop and to visit other participants go HERE
  

47 comments:

  1. I had a very hard time narrowing mine down too. Moonstruck is one of my all time favorites too. "Snap out of it" a line I quote quite often to The Husband, lol. Brilliant acting and writing in that one.

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  2. I actually forgot one of my all time favorite John Wayne movies. 'THE QUIET MAN'. Actually, I forgot a lot of my favs, but I had to add that one in the comments.

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  3. What a great bunch of movies. How could I forget The Last Waltz? It makes hubby and me misty eyed every time we see it.

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  4. This is the perfect way to handle too many films on your list. lol I think, if I was participating--and I'm undecided (I know, I'm slow)--that I'd pick my 10 favorites at this moment.

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  5. I'll allow some cheating.
    Haven't watched Parenthood in years. Made me glad I wasn't one though.
    The western quote for Wednesday will be easy for you.
    Thanks for participating in my blogfest!

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  6. it is tough to narrow down, but you handled it like a trooper...

    Jeremy [Retro-Z]
    Howlin' Wolf

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  7. You've got some great choices in there and some I forgot I saw, like Friendly Persuasion which is an excellent move, and Parenthood, which I've always loved (esp. when the grandmother explains about the roller coaster), and Stardust, which is one of my favorite fantasy movies. Excellent list!

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  8. The Black Stallion is a beautifully shot movie. I used to love watching it as a kid.

    True Lies and Who Framed Roger Rabbit are hysterical. I love them!

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  9. Stardust was a weird one for me. I liked it but . . . well, I just can't put my finger on it. The Princess Bride however is on my top 10 list too. And Life is Beautiful reduces me into a weeping mess as well. Amazing film.

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  10. Life is Beautiful is probably my favorite movie of all time. I actually just watched that again last week after having not seen it for a few years. It's funny, it's quirky, it has a great message, and Roberto Benigni's love for his wife shines through in every bit of his performance. It leaves this manly man in a puddle as well.

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  11. I forgot Roger Rabbit, and Dances with Wolves. Mentioning others is ok, since one film can sometimes remind of another!


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  12. Following from the Top Ten Movie Countdown Blogfest. I'm with you...the top "top ten" are hard to pin down. With each blog I visit, I find a few more that make me go..."Oh, I should've put that one on my list!"

    I've got one of those "silly to watch over and over again movies". For months my Sunday morning routine would be to get up and watch "Trading Places" over breakfast. And Galaxy Quest is in my Windows Media Player (on pause) right now! *LOL*

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  13. You covered a lot there, but I can understand the dilemma of coming up with just ten. My wife and I rewatched True Lies recently. I'd forgotten what a fun movie that is.


    Lee
    Wrote By Rote
    An A to Z Co-host blog

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  14. You covered a lot there, but I can understand the dilemma of coming up with just ten. My wife and I rewatched True Lies recently. I'd forgotten what a fun movie that is.


    Lee
    Wrote By Rote
    An A to Z Co-host blog

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  15. My father would be with you on those John Wayne movies. He watches them over and over again. Still!

    And Life is Beautiful was such a great/sad movie.

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  16. I had to break mine down to a category, too. Loving your choices here. :)

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  17. I had trouble picking, too, as I love a lot of movies. Stardust has to be my absolute favorite!
    Nutschell
    www.thewritingnut.com

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  18. That was a smart way to include many, hahaha. Some are familiar, but I have to say I love Life is Beautiful too. :)

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  19. It's funny, I've had the opposite problem: Finding 10 movies I found worthy of a top 10 list. Now that I read other blogs, I keep slapping my head. Dances with Wolves is one of those that should have been on my list!

    Thanks for stopping by, and it's nice to meet you too.

    Alex from A Heep of Everything

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  20. Hi, stopping by from the Hop. I love Moonstruck too. :-)

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  21. I love the classic westerns better than the new ones. Mostly the Italian, spaghetti westerns.

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  22. Nice to meet you. I can relate on the fantasy catagory. The Princess Bride and Stardust are some of my favs too :)

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  23. I like the way you broke this down into categories, Farawayeyes. Life is Beautiful sounds exceptional. You listed so many greats, I kept thinking "Oh, yeah, I forgot about that one too." Nicely done.

    xoRobyn

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  24. True Lies should have been an honorable mention on mine! I do enjoy that movie. I was sad when he became the Guvernator, as it meant the sequel to TL got scrapped. Maybe now? Who knows?

    Shannon at The Warrior Muse

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  25. I'm a big fan of Disney Classics as well. Love how you did different movie genres for your top ten instead of just ten movies.

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  26. Love the categories. i should have thought of that LOL. I do love the Disney films and It's A Wonderful Life. Such beautiful films and stories.

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  27. Classic picks! I love The Princess Bride and Stardust. Excellent!

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  28. Love how you did this!

    Gosh darnit...forgot about STARDUST. Just saw that for the first time this summer.

    Ugh, the more posts I read, the more movies I find that I completely forgot about!!!! Doh!

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  29. This has to be the most diverse list I've encountered so far. Glad to have met you too!

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  30. Quite a creative way to get around the restriction! Some inspired choices here. :)

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  31. After reading your post, I am looking forward to this. Your post is particular useful, plz keep going. Where to sell runescape accounts?

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  32. Nice way to go about the lists and I forgot all about Captain Ron, was a fun one to watch.

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  33. Great idea, to use categories! So hard to pick just one film in each...

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  34. I like how you did this in categories. Jacob's Ladder freaked me out for YEARS after I saw it. :)

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  35. That was a good way to handle the list :)

    ......dhole

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  36. My ten favorite movies? Oh, you MUST mean my favorite movies in ten movie genres, right?

    Very sneaky, very devious. To quote Bob Dylan: "Just like a woman."

    Well, you got some great ones here, fer shure.

    It's pretty much hilarious that you thought to include 'McLintock' (starring John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara) but forgot 'The Quiet Man' (starring John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara). Gee, which movie's bettah? Epic Fail! And no mention of 'The Shootist' in the 'John Wayne' category? Double-Epic Fail!

    Yeah, 'Friendly Persuasion' is a really good one. (Anyone who digs 'Friendly Persuasion' will also dig 'The Sundowners' starring Robert Mitchum. If you've not seen it, I strongly suggest you put it on your NetFlix queue and bump it up.)

    And 'The Ghost And Mrs. Muir' is surely my all-time favorite romance movie.

    You turned me on to 'THE SINGING REVOLUTION' - a fantastic documentary that I simply MUST own and VERY SOON!

    Disney animated classics: my all-time favorite is unquestionably 'SONG OF THE SOUTH'. My Number 2 is surely 'Lady And The Tramp'. Not sure about Number 3, probably 'Pinocchio', but 'Dumbo' is right there with it. '...Roger Rabbit' - was that Disney? If so, that's Number 2, surpassed only by 'Song Of The South'.

    You definitely have good taste in movies, FAE. But then you already knew I knew that.

    ~ D-FensDogg
    'Loyal American Underground'

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  37. I apologize heartily for not getting back here sooner. We had some terrific thunderstorms pass through de islands yesterday and the power kept going on and off. I shut down my computer to avoid any extra stress, but once I tried to get back on, the servers were down.

    It seems most of you were commenting on my 'cheating'. As Mr. McCarthy said 'just like a woman', but there are just so many darn good movies for me to pick only 10.

    I left off quite a few of my favorites, but then this old brain ain't what it used to be. 'The Man from Snowy River', The African Queen' and YES 'The Sundowners' to name just a few more.

    This proved to be a fun blog hop. Thank you Alex and thank all of you for stopping by and for sharing you Top Ten Favorites with me.

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  38. Yup, some pretty serious cheating going on here. I love that you gave The Duke his own category but how could you talk about Disney classics and not mention Bambi?

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  39. Ah, Bambi; how could I have forgotten. Except I hate the part where his mother gets shot. Always, always, always makes me cry, still.

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  40. Great choices. You've got a lot of good shows listed here.

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  41. I like the way you approached this...since I almost did a repost of my blog from the last time Alex hosted a movie blogfest, I wish I'd have thought outside the box a little.

    Larry

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  42. One of my favorite westerns - movie and book - is LONESOME DOVE, although I guess it wasn't a true movie but more of a TV miniseries.

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  43. I love westerns! And one of the best movies I watched was an Italian movie called "Tiger in the Snow"

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  44. Thanks Larry. I finally got through on your blog. It ate my first comment.

    Madeline. I too enjoyed Lonesome Dove the book. Never saw the mini-series.

    Ashley, Tiger in the Snow is one I've never heard of. I'll have to add it tomy Netflix.

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  45. I don't like all the genres or types you've listed here, but some of them include my fave movies of all time. :)

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  46. Just dropping in from the blog hop to say you have an extensive list but enjoyed reading it. :3

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  47. Trisha, I certainly covered a lot of genres (some I even made up) and movies. Glad we have a few similar 'likes' among the crowd.

    The Capillary, glad you liked it.

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