movies, movies, movies

I LOVE the movies. Hardly a weekend goes by without seeing at least one movie. Although this does not necessarily mean I am an expert, I have experienced a broad spectrum of movies ranging from the down right deplorable (necessitating a good shower) to the . . . laudable (for want of a better adjective). As in any art form, beauty is purely subjective. I know what I like and I know what I don't like.

Because of my notoriety as an avid movie-goer, friends often ask me for recommendations when updating their Netflix list. As a result of much soul-searching, I have compiled a brief list of some of my all-time favorite movies. It is by no means complete. I may add to the list as I think of some movies I may have overlooked. Nonetheless, I share it with you here in its present incarnation. You can judge by some you have seen on the list whether or not we share the same taste in movies. I'm confident there are some on the list you have not heard much about, such as "Restoration, " or "Titus" or even "Empire of the Sun," but I think if you take a shot at viewing one of these, you will be pleasantly surprised. (Warning: "Titus" is very, very dark and violent, so unless you are in the proper frame of mind, you may want to forgo this one. It is after all, Shakespeare.) Even if you don't give one of these films a shot, I hope you find it moderately interesting and amusing to at least visit the list below:

Cinema Paradiso
Restoration (with Robert Downey Jr.)
Spellbound (Documentary)
E.T.
Diner
Empire of the Sun
Happy, Texas.
Moulin Rouge
About a Boy
Joyeux Noel
The Lord of the Ring Series
The Matrix (the first of the series, not the rest)
Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon
House of Flying Daggers
Anything with Audrey Hepburn
Anything with Cary Grant
They Might Be Giants
The Last Samurai
The Professional
The Fifth Element
Silverado
The Great Escape
The Triplets of Belleville (animated)
American Graffiti
Titus
Letters from Iwo Jima
Robin and Marian
The Three Musketeers (directed by Richard Lester)
High Fidelity
To Kill a Mockingbird
L.A. Confidential
The Sting
Princess Bride
In Bruges
Crash
Rocky
Unforgiven
A Hard Day’s Night
Seven Samurai
Something’s Gotta Give
Jaws
Local Hero
Graveyard of the Fireflies (animated)