My 10 Favorite Movies Part 2

Last time I gave entries 6-10 of my top 10 favorite movies. And while those are all great movies, and each of them is one I would watch with absolutely no convincing needed, they all pale in comparison to the ones on today’s list. So without further ado, I give you my 10 favorite movies, part 2.

#5 – Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan

Okay yes. This is an amazing Star Trek movie, but more important than that, it has probably my third favorite villain EVER! His name is Khan, for those of you who still have problems with contextual clues and haven't seen the movie. Khan Noonien Singh, and he is the single most engaging villain I have had the honor of watching killed.

Um, oops. Spoilers.

He's brilliant, charismatic, resourceful, and adaptive. He's simply better than Kirk and the crew of the Enterprise, but here's the best part. They beat him, and how would you beat someone who is clearly smarter and more resilient than you? With experience, that's how! Spock even observes that Khan is “intelligent, but not experienced.”

So we've got this amazing villain, who is just awesome period, but who is also beaten in a perfectly reasonable way, and not via some contrived plot device. Love it.

#4 – X-Men: First Class

There are three kinds of people in this world. Those who love the Avengers, those who love the X-Men, and those for whom the Fantastic Four are a constant embarrassment. Wait, that last one applies to everyone. My bad. Me, I'm of the first mentioned variety of people, and when I go back and read the Avengers vs. X-Men series of comics, I find myself overawed by the fact that literally everyone in the Marvel Universe is either an Avenger or an X-Man. Seriously, Marvel?

But what's important is that while The Avengers are my peeps, and of course I like their movie better, this one is kicking at its heels in the super-hero universe. Like, I adore this movie. The acting? Amazing. The story? Superb. The action? Awesome. The X-Jet?

Oh yes.

The kicker is that essentially the only thing this movie lacks against the three movies that placed above it is really memorable lines and a sense of light-heartedness. I can't watch dark movies over and over, it's just depressing. So while this movie isn't really dark, and is clearly good enough to come in at number four, a few more memorable jokes would bump this thing up the ranks real fast.

#3 – The Princess Bride

Because of course this is on here. Like, who are you? Why would you possibly think this wouldn't make my top five? Isn't it on like, everyone’s top five? Oh, it's not on yours? That explains your lack of friends.

Get used to disappointment.

This is the most quotable movie ever. I can quote the entire thing. Promise. But I never ever ever ever get tired of watching it. I will sit and quote along with it, and for some completely bizarre reason, that just makes it more entertaining. You know that one friend you have that just sits and quotes movies the whole time as you're actually watching them, and you spend the entire two hours wanting the house to catch fire so you have an excuse to throw him into some flames?

"Dude, I'm not going to survive that!" "Nonsense. You're only saying that because no one ever has."

Weirdly, that dude makes The Princess Bride funnier. It's everything you could ever want in a story of high adventure, but it's campy and funny, and anyone who cannot laugh at this movie was clearly never a child. The essence of this film is happiness, and who doesn't want to watch happiness like, every weekend? Because I sure haven't met them.

And admit it. Of all the movies on this list, this is the one that none of you would dare argue against being here.

#2 – Hook

Hook was at the number one spot on this list for many years. There are several reasons for that. First, it, like The Undiscovered Country, wraps up the Peter Pan universe in about the bestest way possible. And for all of you who are wondering, yes, Peter Pan is a universe. Roll with it.

Pun absolutely intended.

This movie has swashbuckling, a really touching moral, great acting, great lines, and brings in the PG rating for family fun. Also, the whole imaginary feast thing? Actually the coolest thing I ever saw as a child under ten. I cannot describe the level of wanting with which I wanted to have that happen. Essentially, this movie is the most wholesome fun that you can have, bar none.

Ooh, also, the most perfect soundtrack that John Williams has ever written. And I’ll stand by that. Yes, I think that Memoirs of a Geisha is also fantastic, and while John Williams composing music to be played by Itzhac Perlman and Yo-Yo Ma is a pretty tough act to beat, the score for this film captures the imaginative whimsy of the movie so perfectly. Also, Dustin Hoffman as Hook and my second favorite villain of all time?

Genius.

#1 – The Avengers

If you know me and you don’t understand immediately why this is my favorite movie ever, you don’t actually know me. Everything I love about movies is in this movie. Memorable one-liners, great cast, action-packed fast-moving story, amazing fight sequences and special effects, consistent characters I can relate to and like, the fate of the world in the balance and heroes who can crack jokes through it all. Add to that a villain as compelling as Khan, a director who seems to know personally what I like, and the fact that it’s about the Avengers, who embody everything I love about comics…

You know what? I don’t have to convince you. Watch this video.

If that didn’t make you happy inside, you have become so cynical that there’s probably only one direction your life can go from here.

"Excuse me sir? It's time to have your pride handed to you by the Hulk."