Favorite Movies

Greetings, friends!

Not that I have much downtime to spend watching movies these days, but I just wanted to share a few of my favorites with you...as a way for you to get know me a little better (and I'd love to read about your favorites, too)!

Here they are, in a somewhat particular order. #1-3 are ranked specifically, but the rest are kind of all jumbled in there.

www.imdb.com

1) The King & I
Yul Brynner + Deborah Kerr. AND Rodgers & Hammerstein. And grand sets, a powerful message, and a not-quite-a-love-story story. Movie perfection, in every way.








2) To Kill a Mockingbird

www.amazon.com

My favorite novel, and almost my favorite movie. Both excellent in their own right. Gregory Peck played Atticus Finch just like I imagined him in my head when I read the book for the first time.





3) Pride & Prejudice
The A&E six-hour miniseries with Jennifer Ehle & Colin Firth. I developed a fondness for the word "vexing" after seeing this movie. And Mr. Bennett is my favorite character...welllll, my second favorite, if I was being totally honest.

www.imdb.com

4) Ben-Hur
Hollywood in the 50's making epic biblical movies...so awesome. I cry every time I get to the end of the movie - I love that the movie is all about Jesus, and if you don't know ahead of time that the tagline of the movie is "A Tale of the Christ", you don't know that it's all pointing to Him until toward the end. The edition I have comes with a 1925 silent version of the movie, which is really interesting to watch.

5) The Sound of Music
My two best friends in college were astounded that I'd never seen TSoM, so we had an immediate movie night. I was hooked right away. It was also the first time I'd ever really thought it'd be amazing to have more than a couple of kids. Like, maybe seven.

6) Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Two words: Boris Karloff.
...ok, three words: FANTASTIC.

7) Luther
I think everyone should watch this movie at least once. Incredible. The scenes where Luther is in Rome cause me to weep every. single. time.

8) The Ten Commandments
Yul Brynner AND Charlton Heston. In a Bible story. So much amazingness in this movie. Again, it's that 50's grand-scale biblical movie making.

9) A Beautiful Mind

10) Gladiator
#9 & 10 have a common element. That element is Russell Crowe. He's one of my favorite actors. Also, he portrayed a real-life mathematician. A MOVIE ABOUT MATH. It can't not have a place on my list. And I love epic battle scenes (the Gladiator).

11) Gettysburg
One of my favorite novels is The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara. Gettysburg is the film adaptation of the book, and it's beautifully done. I struggle so often to wrap my mind around the horror of the battle and courage of men who fought for both sides.

12) The Manchurian Candidate
A young Jessica Lansbury as the villian!, Frank Sinatra, & Laurence Harvey. Historically speaking, this is a fascinating movie. Set in the McCarthy era, it raises some really interesting questions.

13) The Count of Monte Cristo
I love the book, and the movie with Jim Caviezel & Guy Pearce is so well done. Kings to you, Edmond.

14) V for Vendetta
I'm hesitant to say that this is actually a favorite, but it's a hauntingly moving film that has caused me to think about my responsibilities as a citizen, and to pray for the protection of our nation & her people more often.

15) Remember the Titans
Will & I went to see this movie on our very first date. We bought it on VHS when it came out, and we still have that tape. It is a great movie with a great message, and I think I'd list it anyways, but the fact that it's such an important milestone in our relationship makes it even more special to me.

16) The Sandlot
Come on, how can one not enjoy this movie?! This is actually my favorite movie from my childhood. Honestly, it's mostly because I had a crush on Benny "the Jet" Rodriguez and because I could listen to James Earl Jones talk for hours. But the themes of enduring friendships & reminiscing about childhood are definitely my favorite part now that I've been out of high school for....some amount of years.

and, 9 more movies I've come to love since meeting William:
17-19) The Indiana Jones Trilogy
20-22) The *original* Star Wars Trilogy (none of that Episode 1, 2, or 3 stuff. Ugh.)
23-25) The Lord of the Rings Trilogy
{Seriously, those ones don't even need comments. They are all great movies, and I treasure the hours I've spent watching them with Will.}

What are some of your favorites?

For His glory!
~Lisha