Anastasia (1997)
As a nineties kid, I feel like I was spoilt for choice when it came to animated films. I honestly believe that we, as a generation, got the best of them. It was a wonderful transitional time, in which technology was certainly advancing – CG was becoming more prominent in films (Toy Story) and by the end of the decade, we were beginning to convert from VHS to DVDs. I’m aware that I sound (and feel) old, but kids these days and their 3D animated films just aren’t good enough for me. They lack the magic touch, despite their impeccably pristine CG appearance. I have always found the beautiful, hand-drawn 2D cartoons of my childhood to be so much warmer and inviting. The amount of Disney Classics that I have seen, loved and devoured on VHS to the point of wearing them out, are too much for this feature. So, instead, I’m going to talk about a slightly more underrated cartoon, that I still to this day, adore – 20th Century Fox‘s 1997 classic, Anastasia. The film’s story is very loosely based on that of the Russian princess, Anastasia, of the Romanov dynasty. I say this, because after a whole A-Level of History, I was made aware of just how very unhappy an ending the actual princess got, in comparison to the cartoon heroine I had grown up with. Despite it’s dodgy history lessons, the film is an enchantingly engaging tale. The two main characters – Anya and Dmitri- may well have been my first ever ‘ship’. But it’s also a movie that is funny, adventurous and even at times – with a villain as repulsive as Rasputin – pretty scary.The musical moments in Anastasia could certainly give Disney a run for their money too; My favourite, undoubtedly being “Journey to the Past“, which as the clip below shows, is incredibly beautiful and also, for me at least, tear-jerkingly nostalgic.
Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994)
I have always loved comedy, and I think this is in part, because of my Mum’s liberated approach to censorship. She never really restricted me from watching funny things – whether it was late night comedy shows on UKTV Gold or films like The Full Monty and Austin Powers, as long as I was laughing, she wasn’t too fussed. And while that choice may have made me aware of certain swear words slightly before I should have, it has otherwise done me nothing but good. I pride myself in having an eclectic sense of humour, in the same way people have a varied taste in music. And that is in large part due to the vast collection of comedies I have been privy to over my lifetime. One of the earliest comedies I remember watching, is the hysterical Ace Ventura: Pet Detective. Starring Jim Carrey, in what were arguably the best years of his career, Ace is a fun and zany caper that never fails to make me laugh, even now. It has always both amused and astounded me, how Carrey can contort his face and adapt his voice so effortlessly for comedic effect – and this film is the perfect showcase of his talents for the kind of slapstick humour that people like Will Ferrell and the late Robin Williams, are also famous for. From his Star Trek impressions in a dolphin tank and his tutu-wearing, ploying antics in a mental institution, to his infamous catchphrase (“aaaaaaaaaaaalrighty then”), there is not one scene in Ace Ventura that doesn’t make me smile.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzxDlS6QY1s
Harry Potter and The Prizoner of Azkaban (2004)
How I can be the first to mention a Harry Potter film in this feature about our lives in film astounds me, but here we are. Harry, was undoubtedly a huge part of my childhood. There is no other film on this list that can so literally claim to have grown up beside me. As I grew from child to awkward teenager to reluctant adult so did the boy Wizard. My childhood memories are so anchored by the creations of J.K. Rowling, it’s unreal. Of course I remember buying the books at midnight and playing with my Hermione rag-doll, but what I find most memorable – From the Harry Potter series is sitting in the cinema, engrossed by the magic before me. Despite my favourite Potter film being The Order of the Phoenix, I chose Prisoner of Azkaban because of the nostalgic connotations it holds for me, unlike any other film in the series. World Book Day was considered a big thing at my school – it always warranted a chance for us to discard our uniforms and dress up as our favourite literary characters. And I remember, every year, dressing up as Hermione on this sacred day. But while other people donned their Gryffindor robes with pride, I always opted for the wavy-haired, pink hoodie and jeans combo that she wore in this film. Partly for convenience, partly because I really loved my pink hoodie. But also, I think because it was in this outfit, that Hermione embraced her inner badass and punched Malfoy square in the face. And to this day, I’m still impressed by that. Go on girl!
The Avengers (2012)
In my formative years, I was partial to the odd superhero movie. In those days though (here I go again with the acting old), movies based on comic-books weren’t as big or as enthusiastically mass-produced as they are now. You got a Spiderman here, an X-Men there, and it was all very well and good, but I was never massively into them. They fleeted past me, as I became (regrettably) more engaged in things like Twilight. But then, Joss Whedon happened. In 2012, I watched The Avengers and became utterly transfixed by the wonders of the Marvel Universe. It was a superhero movie, that stood head and shoulders above the few others I had seen – it had it all; Humour, action, moments of sadness, and just about the most attractive group of actors I’ve ever seen in one film. I would say that since then, ‘I never looked back’, but that isn’t strictly true. I did go back and devour every single Marvel film prior to it – my love for the heroes (and villains) only increasing with every movie. I’ve become a comic fanatic in the last few years – I make it my business to see and know about all the superhero movies yet to come my way. And that is all because of how much The Avengers engaged me into it’s world. Below is one of my favourite scenes – A scene between my favourite of the super-group, Tony Stark (Iron Man) and the evil Norse God that introduced me to the beauty of Tom Hiddleston’s cheekbones, Loki.
Some Like It Hot (1959)
I know it seems odd, to have started this list with films from the Nineties and Noughties, and then to finish with a Classic Hollywood film from the Fifties, but this is literally where my life in film is at right now. I’m close to finishing my first semester at University – where I study BA Film and English – and since September, I’ve been becoming more accustomed to the Classic films of Hollywood. From Casablanca to Psycho, I’ve been learning about them all and loving it. But my favourite of my ‘required watching’ list is Billy Wilder’s Some Like It Hot, starring Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon and the fascinatingly beautiful Marilyn Monroe. Marilyn’s is a face I’ve been familiar with for what seems like forever – she’s a cultural icon, after all – but before this course, I realised I’d never actually watched any of her films. And now, I want to watch them all. Some Like It Hot is a comedy, that revolves around two musicians, who in an effort to get away from a gangster who wants them dead, pose as women in an all-female musical troupe headed to Miami. I’ve always enjoyed a good drag act, and even though I used to be a person who wouldn’t give a black-and-white film the time of day, I really love this film. I’m even writing an essay about it (not here, don’t worry!). The scene I’ve chosen below, is the infamous ending, in which Curtis gets the girl, and Lemmon gets more than he bargained for…
Honourable mentions: The Aristocats (1970), The Lion King (1994), Toy Story (1995), The Magic Sword: Quest for Camelot (1998), Men In Black (1997), Hot Fuzz (2007), The Inbetweeners Movie (2011) and The Hunger Games (2012)