People often talk about their “top three” or “top five” films. I’ve probably said a dozen films are in my top 5, so I thought I would list them all. The following is an alphabetical list of my top n films, and why.
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954)
This is an old film, but it is so wonderful. The design aesthetic, and the characters, and the set pieces. It’s a truly wonderful film. Watching it brings me back to being a child and filled with awe for the wonders of the sea.
Back to the Future (1985)
Back to the Future is practically a perfect movie. I has the blend of wonderful casting, rousing score, wonderful effects, and a novel plot. It’s funny, tense, thrilling, and just great story telling.
Bicentennial Man (1999)
I love this movie. I think it’s a slower paced and thoughtful movie. It explores humanity through the eyes of Andrew. The movie takes place over several generations. Robin Williams performance is wonderful. He brings in a lightness to the story even though it’s more of a drama.
Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure (1989)
This movie reminds me of being a kid. It’s whimsical and fun. What I love most about it is that it really is an adventure. There’s no antagonist apart from the deadline of their report. No bullies, no fights. Just antics. It’s positive, fun, and wacky. I could rewatch this film (and have!) so much.
Contact (1997)
This is one of the best hard science fiction movies I think has ever been made. I recently read the book from which it is based, and while the book is probably better than the movie, I think the movie did a fantastic job of portraying the themes of the book while streamlining the story. It’s optimistic and shows the religion versus science debate in a fair and interesting way.
The Hunt for Red October (1990)
I love this thriller. I think it’s an amazing adaptation of the book and so fun. The cold war espionage and posturing by the US and Russian governments is genuinely exciting. I love every minute of this film.
Jurassic Park (1993)
I know people who get uppity because it doesn’t follow the book perfectly, however, it works. It’s practically a perfect film. There’s a good build up. The dinosaurs aren’t shown to us immediately. It’s tense. The characters all have arc and the whole story is layered in themes. Again John Williams knocks it out of the park with the music, and ILM delivered with groundbreaking effects.
The Princess Bride (1987)
This film turned out better than I bet anyone expected. It has a certain humor to it that I feel like nothing had really done before. It’s both outlandish and sincere. The cast is just amazing and every minute of it is fun. It’s also infinity quotable.
Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
Iconic. How else can Indiana Jones be explained? The film is non-stop full of fun and iconic moments. The film is further elevated by the score and the special effects.
Star Trek: First Contact (1996)
I love Star Trek. I grew up with The Next Generation, and this was honestly their first proper movie. (I like generations too, but it wasn’t completely their film). This movie featured the Borg. It felt big and cinematic. The new Enterprise was flashy and exciting (though after all these years, prefer the comfort of the D). It did a fun time travel story and expanded on the lore (even if it did contradict the original series somewhat).
Star Wars (Episode IV) (1977)
I don’t think I need to explain this. We were transported to a galaxy far, far away, and went on a hero’s journey like we’ve never seen before. Amazing villains, smug scoundrels, and optimistic heroes combined with star ships and laser swords. An amazing ground-breaking adventure.
TRON (1982)
This film was so out there, and I don’t think the majority of people got it. Even among the technical people, I feel like this isn’t always well regarded. I love how different of a story it is. I love how different it looked. I liked the translation of computer terms into physical space, and how those interactions were represented. Such a different and fun film.
Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942)
A Biopic about George M Cohen. Although the story has been idealized somewhat, it features such wonderfully memorable and patriotic music that it has become my favorite film to watch on the Fourth of July. It’s delightfully charming.
And some random analysis
If you look at the years these films came out, the mean is 1982, which is really close to my birth year. I suspect most people have more fondness for movies and media from their youth over the media they encounter later in life. The most recent movie on this list is 1999; just about when I was 15. Odd to think that no movies this century are as meaningful to me as these have been. Once again, this may be because movies seen during one’s formative years have a way of being more impactful and nostalgic.
John Williams composed the scores to 3 of these films. I definitely have a fondness for his scores and think he is unparalleled.
Robert Zemekis and Steven Spielberg are both represented twice in this list. They are both amazing directors, so that should come as no surprise.
Three films revolve around time travel as a plot device. I think time travel plots are generally pretty easy to criticize for plausibility or having plot holes, however I think the stories they enable make up for the suspension of disbelief that they require.
The majority of these films are science fiction, whether hard or soft. It’s clear I prefer that genre over others.
I also find it interesting that Sam Niel stars in 3 out of this list. No other actor appears as many times.