Two thumbs up



We were discussing motion pictures in the office the other day, and I asked everyone to name their top five favorite movies of all time.

When it came to be my turn, I had to expand the list to ten because there was no way that I could narrow it down that far. It’s like picking between your kids, you know?

Anyway, after changing my mind about a hundred times over four grueling days of deep soul searching, I’ve finally come up with a list of my ten all time favorite movies.

Okay, are you ready? Drum roll, please…

10) LaBamba- I love the soundtrack, and the fact that it was based on a true story. Plus, every time I sing the theme song it makes me feel like I know Spanish.

9) Gentlemen Prefer Blondes- Marilyn Monroe wasn’t the world’s greatest actress, but she was the sexiest creature to ever walk the face of the earth. Everyone else is a distant, distant second.

8) Reservoir Dogs- Just a perfect guy movie, filled with foul language, violence, and buckets of blood. The opening scene in the café was genius.

7) You’ve Got Mail- Okay, I’m pretty sure that my Guy Card will get suspended for this one, but who among us doesn’t have just a tiny, tiny little crush on Meg Ryan?

6) Forrest Gump- I’m not sure how many awards this movie won, but it wasn’t enough. With a great story line and the special effects, this is like a movie and a history lesson all rolled into one.

5) Unforgiven- Clint Eastwood just as he should be- riding horses, smoking thin cigars, and shooting people. None of that romantic Bridges Over Madison County junk, or riding around with monkeys in Any Which Way But Loose.

4) Pulp Fiction- Men everywhere welcomed John Travolta back in to the Guy Club after this performance, which helped us forget his roles in Saturday Night Fever and Urban Cowboy.

This is the second film on the list to be directed by Quenton Tarantino (Reservoir Dogs), and the best yet. But you really have to watch it from the beginning and pay attention to make sense of it all.

3) The Godfather- To this day, whenever I watch this movie I wish I were Italian. And in the Mafia. Any man who watches this film talks with an accent for at least three hours afterward. The only bad thing about The Godfather were the sequels.

2) Tie between Monster’s Ball and Desperado- Like Halle Berry and Salma Hayek? Well you will, especially after these movies.

1) Lonesome Dove- Movies that are based on books usually don’t measure up very well. This is the exception to the rule, and it’s due to the all-star cast. Everybody just fits their part like a glove. I’ve said before that the only two times a year that I shed a tear are listening to the NFL Hall of Fame speeches, and watching the scene where Gus dies in this movie.

Well, there you go. That’s my top ten favorite movies of all time.

One day, I’ll list my ten favorite books. (I just have to read nine more.)