I’ve been a bit, okay, a lot, of a film swot for as long as I can remember. Growing up, I’ve always found that there’s just something about watching films that gives me a certain happiness – whether that be because they can give me thrills, laughs, tears of joy, shocks or whether that be because I grew up in a large family who are just as obsessed with films as I am. When people ask me what my favourite films are, I have to think about it for a long while. It’s always been hard to choose because there are just so many and each one is as diverse as the last because I’m obsessed with horror films but I adore a good laugh and crave musicals as my guilty pleasure – but I can always recollect ones that have impacted on me for any particular reason. So, without further ado, the following 5 films are ones that are particularly important to me. This list will appear rather tedious for many of you but I won’t forget my fairly rational honourable mentions at the end.
Phantom Of The Opera (2004)
Dir: Joel Shumacher
Ah. Phantom Of The Opera. This film was certainly my first musical experience and to this day remains one of my favourite films probably as a consequence of that. It is by no means a ‘mainstream’ film, but there’s just something about it that captivates me entirely. All I do around the house (to the misfortune of my family) is sing, having being encouraged to love music from a young age, and Andrew Lloyd-Webber’s masterpiece compositions from this film prove to be the most popular ‘singing in the shower’ songs for me. Emily Rossum, who plays Phantom Gerard Butler’s literal victim of obsession ballerina Christine Daae, was my ‘I want to look like her’ role model for when I was younger, even though I’m blonde and she’s brunette. Ah well. A girl can dream. Her voice is so captivating and the passion that is enveloped in the songs, the dramatic piano riffs and heavy chords are truly a treat for the ears. Just wow.
The Dark Knight Trilogy: Batman Begins (2005), The Dark Knight (2008), Dark Knight Rises (2012)
Dir: Christopher Nolan
First thing’s first: Thank you, Mr. Nolan, for bringing an outstanding adaptation of the legendary Batman comics and films onto our screens once more and introducing us to the dramatic, husky voice of Christian Bale, the psychotic callousness brought by the late, exceptional Heath Ledger and the terrifying violence (namely neck-snapping) portrayed by Tom Hardy. This trilogy is easily my favourite trilogy of anything, ever. I am very proud to say that I, along with the rest of my family, am a Marvel and DC geek. Truly. I own a fair amount of Batman memorabilia from t-shirts to necklaces, and my house is filled with different collectables of various superheroes. The second instalment, The Dark Knight, has to be my favourite. Upon first viewing and even in the numerous times watching this film since, I was completely blown away by Heath Ledger’s performance as the Joker. Jack Nicholson (another legend) has in the past also been cast as the Joker and portrayed him more as a psychotic man who seemed to be on a constant supply of laughing gas. What captivates me most about Heath Ledger, however, is just how sinister he made the joker seem. The performance he gave is enough to send a shiver down your spine, as through the whole film you just think ‘he’s so twisted’ and you become pretty unnerved, especially when Officer Gordon does an acceptance speech as new-founded commissioner and Ledger improvised a slow, sarcastic clap breaking the room into silence to congratulate him that Nolan just had to keep in. Wow. This film just brings out a lot of the DC geek in me. I love it.
Insidious (2010)
Dir: James Wan
The first and only horror film on my list is Insidious, the first instalment of course, as there are just too many I could mention. Whenever I mention the word ‘horror’ in regards to films, a lot of people instantly associate it with gore, and I mean extreme gore like the Saw franchise (quite the experience). Don’t get me wrong, gore is fascinating, but that’s not what horror is for me. A horror film that features a child with special powers to travel – well ‘fly away’ – to different worlds in his sleep and finding himself in a coma from a fall and bringing back a demon and a creepy dancing boy with him has got to be on this list. Being the first ‘proper’ horror film I sat down to watch, I recall watching this with my sister in the living room with the lights off and volume up. Ever since, I knew that horror films were right up my street, the pure adrenaline rush and heart rate increase being an experience that is unmistakable and one I shall never forget. Luckily, I don’t cower easily. I’m extremely jumpy, but that’s the extent of it. I don’t curl up and cry for days or anything. So, 5 years later, the amount of horror films I’ve seen is most definitely in high double figures, I’d say 50+. I even watch really obscure ones, and some actually are really underrated. This film is brilliantly done and is an exemplar piece of horror, having the jumpscare, eeriness, demonology and suspense factors just right. Perfect.
Fun With Dick and Jane (2005)
Dir: Dean Parisot
For a director as obscure as Dean Parisot, this film is truly exceptional. He has created a pure comedic masterpiece. This film is honestly one of the funniest films I have ever seen and it makes me howl with laughter each time. Jim Carrey is brilliant in any film that he’s thrown in, but this really is one for the books and unfamiliar co-star Téa Leoni shines in this film, too. It’s unfortunate that the trailer provided does it absolutely no credit, it just makes the film look bland which it is far from. This is an important film for me because it perfectly suits my family’s humour, a very slapstick and silly one, and it is the film that all of my family happily sit around to watch, as close as we are. It just gives me good feelings every time I watch it and reminds me of my family and for this I always turn to this film when I’m feeling down and it never fails to put a huge smile on my face. I seriously recommend this one for all of you folks who share my love of comedy, and to all of you like poor Dick Harper who know what it is like to have a sudden high and low at work – it’s a perfect resemblance to a more comedic take on the popular classic Falling Down. ‘It looks like we’re in a bit of a pickle, Dick’. Aye.
Mrs. Doubtfire (1993)
Dir: Chris Columbus
“Hellooooo, dear!” chirps an eccentric actor disguised as an old housekeeper with pie cream all over his face. This is one of, if not the, most famous lines from this comedic perfection. I have always held this film in such high regard, but even more so after my hero, Robin Williams’, devastating passing. A true comedic legend brings a big spark of life to this original storyline, accompanied by Sally Field and a dashing Pierce Brosnan surrounding an immature actor separated from his beloved children by stubborn Miranda Hillard’s file for divorce. With the help of his brothers, there’s nothing that a pair of fake breasts and a little bit of makeup on a mask can’t fix. This film is incredibly legendary, and I find innuendo a key aspect in comedy, and this film is absolutely riddled with it. I watched this for the first time many years ago, but of course once having a young and innocent mind, was completely oblivious to the tremendous amount of hysterical innuendos and slapstick wit within this film. For this, Mrs. Doubtfire remains one of my favourite films ever and is seriously well-crafted and wonderfully written, reminding me constantly of the simple pleasures and true joys of comedies and adult humour jokes that I’ve (maybe ashamedly) gradually understood over time. Pure brilliance. “I’m surprised she hasn’t chipped a tooth”. Classic. If you want a great laugh then go and watch this. Immediately.
HONOURABLE MENTIONS: Spiderman trilogy (2002-07), The Strangers (2008), The King’s Speech (2010), Toy Story trilogy (1995-2010), Nightcrawler (2014), Signs (2002), Scary Movie franchise (2000-13), Speed (1994), The Breakfast Club (1985), Jaws (1975), The Hobbit trilogy (2012-14), Girl, Interrupted (1994).
Words by Sophie Moffatt