Movie Meme

I'm way behind on topics I want to blog about - isn't that sad? I'm not only behind in my real life, I'm also behind in my cyberlife. I so need a clone, maybe two - anyway, I'm behind but today I'm going to do a meme because after reading about it at Deb's yesterday I ended up dreaming about it last night. In my dream, in case anyone was wondering, I was in France somewhere, but not Paris (undoubtedly influenced by having watched a show last night about a woman who traveled around France studying the influence of the Virgin Mary). I had to leave my camera in my hotel room and I was trying to find a good place to hide it if my room was broken into when I was gone. (this part because I spent five hours last night trying to upload photos to an online storage site) Then I attended some sort of French eco-conference for saving fish (which, uhm, my brain put together that global climate change conference in Paris that was in the news lately with Laura's photos about chocolate fish?) I was sitting at a table writing down my lists of favorite movies - favorite comedies, favorite musicals, etc. Which of course takes us back to Deb's meme post, which she original found at Create a Connection which, now that I've finally taken a look there, is a pretty cool site. There were also Smart cars in my dream which is my husband's fault as he's heavily campaigning at the moment to be allowed to buy one. (the answer is - No, they're impractical for where we live, maybe when we retire.)

I've decided to change the meme from the original questions to my own format, which is simply to list my favorite movies in different genres because, like Deb, I can't possibly pick just one movie, so why even try.

For the record, my list is only as accurate and complete as my brain can remember titles at this particular moment in time. Later today I'll probably think of some really great movie I forgot to add, tomorrow I'll think of another one, and so on. But let's just get started.

Romantic Comedies

Chocolat
Practical Magic
French Kiss
Moonstruck
Groundhog Day
While You Were Sleeping
Sleepless in Seattle
Romancing the Stone - this one maybe could be in Action/Adventure?
Four Weddings and a Funeral
Sabrina (the new one, I don't think the chemistry works as well in the original one)
The Holiday (just saw this one but I know it's gonna be one I watch over and over)
When Harry Met Sally
The Butcher's Wife
Father Goose
Ghost


Dramas

Big Fish
Brokeback Mountain
It's a Wonderful Life - I almost didn't put this one on here because it's so obvious, but then decided I couldn't leave it out since I watch it every December.
The Color Purple


Musicals

Chicago
Singin' in the Rain
South Pacific
Music Man (the original with Robert Preston, not the tv remake with Matthew Broderick which I really wanted to like but just couldn't, although it did introduce me to Kristen Chenowith who I loved in it as Marian)
Rocky Horror Picture Show
Funny Girl
Mary Poppins
Dirty Dancing - which I suppose isn't technically a musical, but where else to put it!?


Fantasy/Sci Fi

Serenity
Lord of the Rings trilogy
ALL of the Harry Potter movies
The Princess Bride
Willow
The Brothers Grimm - a lot of people don't like this movie for the very same reasons I love it
The 10th Kingdom - this was a television miniseries
A Midsummer Night's Dream - the one with Kevin Kline and Michelle Pfeiffer


Comedy

Monty Python and the Holy Grail
Amelie
A Fish Called Wanda
Some Like It Hot
Arsenic and Old Lace
Young Frankenstein
Without a Paddle
Dogma
Mystery Men
Galaxy Quest
A Pocketful of Miracles
Office Space
Murder by Death
Beetlejuice
PeeWee's Big Adventure - this one belongs here mainly because when our kids were little we wore out our copy of this - it's sweet somehow and I can't hear Tequila without having to do the little counter dance
Ghostbusters - this one is here for the same reason - family favorite. My son Sam had the overalls and backpack gun and all sorts of other Ghostbuster paraphenalia.
It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World


Scary or Thriller

Donnie Darko
Sleepy Hollow
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil
Body Heat
Shaun of the Dead - this could go in comedy or comedy drama or fantasy
Charade
Deathtrap


Childrens

The Three Lives of Thomasina
The Secret of Roan Inish - I could have put this in Fantasy just as easily
The Neverending Story - William has a friend that was actually named after the main character. Cool, huh! Only he a teen now and goes by Trey.
The Goonies
Bedknobs and Broomsticks
The Parent Trap - both the new and the old one are equally good
Miracle on 34th Street - ditto - I couldn't tell you whether I like the old one or new one best
A Christmas Story
Ollie Hopnoodle's Haven of Bliss - this is the same family that is featured in A Christmas Story only this time they're on their summer vacation
Mr. Boogity and Return of Boogity - these two were made for TV Disney movies that you can't get copies of anymore!

Action Adventure

Pirates of the Caribbean
I really liked the Raiders of the Lost Ark movies too, more then the Star Wars series. But I don't know if I they need to be on this list. I do like action/adventure, I'm surprised I only have one movie listed in this category!


Animation

Princess Mononoke
Shrek - both the first and second movie
Sleeping Beauty
Fantasia
Disney's Robin Hood
Corpse Bride
Beauty and the Beast - this one makes the list because I already liked it, mainly because Belle was one of the first Disney princesses who wasn't just interested in romance. In fact it's the BOOKS that give her the most comfort when she's first held captive by the beast. But it's even more special to me now because it's my favorite daughter-in-law's (okay, my only daughter-in-law) favorite movie.
Kiki's Delivery Service
The Brave Little Toaster
Disney's Jungle Book

It's hard to explain how a movie made my list or not. It had to do with some extra "something" over and above the fact that it was a fun or great movie. There are a lot of movies I enjoyed and have watched over and over but some of them didn't make the list because when push came to shove, I could say I'd choose another movie that did make the list as more favorite, even if it was just by a tiny smidgen. So movies like Jumanji or Forrest Gump for example - GREAT movies - but for some reason I haven't laid a personal claim to them in my head. I also didn't include a number of movies I really liked but can't remember well because I've only seen them once or twice or long ago and so I'd be hard pressed to tell you the plot or what exactly it was I enjoyed so much about them.

It's hard to stop. I'm absolutely 100% certain I've left out some very important titles. Some of my choices are well known, but others not so much perhaps. I know there were a few on Deb's list that I hadn't heard of before and now I'll have to check them out. So, I hope you find some new favorites amongst the ones I've listed. If you decide to post a Movie Meme on your blog, either my list version or the original question version, let me know so I can go look and see if I can find any more new possibilities.

None of my television shows are on tonight and my dentist finally put in my new permanent cap (I had sooo much trouble with the temporary this time!) so popcorn is now a snack option once again. Maybe tonight would be a good night to watch a few of my favorites I've been wanting to rewatch lately. French Kiss is on the top of my list and also.... oh man, I forgot what the other movie was I wanted to see again. Oh well, it will come to me eventually. Or, maybe I should go check out something new at the video store. There are so many recent movies I haven't had time to watch. (Nowadays television has new shows in the fall/winter and then a completely different season of new new shows in the spring and summer. I think I liked it better in the "ol' days" when you could look forward to watching new episodes of your favorite shows in the long dark evenings of winter and then, since it was all re-runs, you could forget the television in the summer and never come inside, or spend summer evenings catching up on movie watching.)

Okay, gotta go. William is sitting next to me on the couch wanting me to help him write a paper dissecting Emily Dickinson's ""Hope" is the thing with feathers". Sigh. My brain hates keeping track of all those descriptive words. Analogy and simile - which one uses like or as? Figurative elements - huh? Is that the same thing as what's called a Literary Element in the textbook? I love literature but I really hate analzying it academically. Anyone here get their college degree in Literature? Ah! Joshilyn! And I am so sure she'd be happy to take time out of her busy writing schedule and parenting time to help my child with his paper.

Oh Joshilynnnnnn...