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As the saying goes, "If two do, then the third do, too." Here is the current list of my top 100 movies, broken into categories that help explain why these movies mean so much to me.
Childhood (30)
These are the movies I grew up on. I watched these on VHS so many times that when I donate blood, the recipients begin quoting these movies.
Aladdin - 1992
Bedknobs and Broomsticks - 1971
Bride of Frankenstein - 1935
The Dark Crystal - 1982
The Day the Earth Stood Still - 1951
Dracula - 1931
Frankenstein - 1931
The Incredible Shrinking Man - 1957
Independence Day - 1996
The Invisible Man - 1933
Jurassic Park - 1993
King Kong - 1933
Labyrinth - 1986
The Last Unicorn - 1982
The Lion King - 1994
The Little Mermaid - 1989
Mary Poppins - 1964
The Mummy - 1932
The Princess Bride - 1987
The Producers - 1967
Robin Hood - 1973
The Secret of NIMH - 1982
Sleeping Beauty - 1959
The Sword in the Stone - 1963
Top Secret - 1984
West Side Story - 1961
White Christmas - 1954
Willow - 1988
The Wizard of Oz - 1939
The Wolf Man - 1941
Young Frankenstein - 1974
High School (17)
Move over VHS, hello DVD. These are the movies my friends and I would invite over because "You have to see this!" This list used to be longer, but it turns out that teens have terrible taste in movies. These are the ones that I still stand behind.
Amelie - 2001
Arsenic and Old Lace - 1944
Best In Show - 2000
The Emperor's New Groove - 2000
The Fifth Element - 1997
Fight Club - 1999
High Fidelity - 2000
The Iron Giant - 1999
Lilo & Stitch - 2002
The Lord of the Rings - 2001-03*
The Lost Skeleton of Cadavra - 2001
The Matrix - 1999
Memento - 2000
Mystery Men - 1999
Snatch - 2000
Spaceman - 1998
The Usual Suspects - 1995
*Yes I cheated and put all three LOTR movies together. I don't care.
Star Wars (4)
Not every film fits neatly into a developmental period of my life. Some categories transcend age. Star Wars films were a crucial part of my childhood, but they are also so much more. There are only three bad Star Wars, but these are the four that I can't get enough of.
Return of the Jedi - 1983
Rogue One - 2016
The Force Awakens - 2015
The Last Jedi - 2017
Marvel (13)
Marvel films didn't really exist during my childhood. (I was unaware of Howard the Duck. Some alternate-reality Keith was raised on that movie, and he grew up to be the manager of an all-girl rock band. Probably) Two things that were instrumental in my upbringing were Marvel comics and X-Men, the animated series. By the time they started making (good) movies based on those characters, I was ready. These are the best ones.
The Avengers - 2012
Avengers: Age of Ultron - 2015
Avengers: Infinity War - 2018
Captain America: Civil War - 2016
Deadpool - 2016
Guardians of the Galaxy - 2014
Iron Man 3 - 2013
Logan - 2017
Thor: Ragnarok - 2017
X-Men - 2000
X-Men: Days of Future Past - 2014
X-Men: First Class - 2011
X2 - 2003
Auteurs (17)
Certain filmmakers will pique my interest in any film if their name is attached. The following are some favorites from Christopher Nolan, Hayao Miyazaki, Guillermo del Toro, (pre-200's) Tim Burton, and the holy trinity of Charlie Kaufman/Spike Jonze/Michel Gondry.
Adaptation - 2002
Batman - 1989
Being John Malkovich - 1999
Big Fish - 2003
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind - 2004
Her - 2013
Inception - 2010
Interstellar - 2014
Mars Attacks - 1996
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind - 1984
The Nightmare Before Christmas - 1993
Pan's Labyrinth - 2006
Pee-Wee's Big Adventure - 1985
The Prestige - 2006
The Shape of Water - 2017
Spirited Away - 2001
Margie (14)
Ever since my wife and I started dating, seeing movies on the big screen has been one of our favorite ways to spend time together. These are movies I first experienced with the love of my life.
Arrival - 2016
Children of Men - 2006
Coraline - 2009
The Host - 2006
Hot Fuzz - 2007
The Incredibles - 2004
Juno - 2007
Looper - 2012
Mystery Team - 2009
School of Rock - 2003
Scott Pilgrim vs the World - 2010
Sorry to Bother You - 2018
Toy Story 3 - 2010
Up - 2009
What We Do in the Shadows - 2014
Fatherhood (5)
Being a parent has brought me back full circle to my love of animated films. These are some of the best ones I enjoyed with the two best boys.
Incredibles 2 - 2018
Inside Out - 2015
Moana - 2016