Top 10 Favorite Movies of All Time (Thus Far)

I have deviated from my standard "song title as post title" in order to bring you a list of sorts. The post you are about to read consists of My Favorite Movies Of All Time (Thus Far), and I will include you in the process of elimination leading to a list of My Top 10 Movies. I cannot promise that they will actually be in order, for that may take years of contemplation. I also have in mind right now that I may do separate lists for my top 10 favorites and the top 10 best. Believe me, there are differences. Let's get started, shall we?

First off, I went through all of the movies that myself and my family own. Then, I studied a list I've kept for a few years now of pretty much everything that I could ever want. For this, just the "Movies" section. Obviously. In order for said film to make the list, it must have met some basic criteria:

1. I enjoyed the movie. Enough to own it or desire to own it, at least. And, I enjoy it enough to watch it multiple times. In some cases, multiple times in a row. 
2. The movie has (or had, in a couple of cases) some technical merit and may have been nominated for awards in such. Typically, I go for writing and acting. I really could care less about cinematography most of the time, but I almost made an exception for Inception. Almost. 
3. Be a film in all standard recognized definitions - no concerts, no plays or staged musicals, no comedy specials, no TV or internet series, and no Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, whatever that actually is. 

The first list consisted of the following pictures:
(500) Days of Summer
Amelie
Apocalypse Now
As You Like It (Branagh)
Atlantis: The Lost Empire
Big Trouble
The Boondock Saints
The Brothers Bloom
Charlie Bartlett
Chasing Amy
Clerks
Clue
Dan in Real Life
The Darjeeling Limited
The Dark Knight
District 9
Elf
The Emperor’s New Groove
Equilibrium
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
The Fifth Element
Forgetting Sarah Marshall
Galaxy Quest
Grosse Pointe Blank
Hamlet (Branagh)
The Hangover
Henry V (Branagh)
Howl’s Moving Castle
Hot Fuzz
I Am Legend
In Bruges
Inglorious Basterds
Jersey Girl
Juno
Kick-Ass
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
Lars and the Real Girl
Life is Beautiful
Meet the Robinsons
Mystery Men
Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist
Night Watch
The Nightmare Before Christmas
Once
Pan’s Labyrinth
The Prestige
The Princess Bride
The Radioland Murders
The Rock
Saw
Saw II
Shakespeare in Love
Shaun of the Dead
The Shawshank Redemption
Sin City
SLC Punk
Slither
Slumdog Millionaire
Sneakers
The Specials
Spirited Away
Stand by Me
Stranger Than Fiction
Sunshine Cleaning
Three Musketeers (Disney)
Twelfth Night (Branagh)
Othello (Branagh)
Waitress
WALL-E
Zack and Miri Make a Porno
Zombieland

I then went through that list and highlighted what I considered the "best of the best."  Those that were cut to form this list just lacked . . . something.  Sometimes it was a bad stretch of dialogue, a section of the film that made it seem long or otherwise drew me out, some horrible technical mishap that I can't believe went through, or even just bad music.  The survivors were:
(500) Days of Summer

The Boondock Saints
The Brothers Bloom
Charlie Bartlett
Dan in Real Life
The Darjeeling Limited
The Dark Knight
Equilibrium
Grosse Pointe Blank
The Hangover
Howl's Moving Castle
Hot Fuzz
I Am Legend
In Bruges
Inglorious Basterds
Jersey Girl
Kick-Ass
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
Lars and the Real Girl
Meet the Robinsons
Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist
The Nightmare Before Christmas
Once
The Princess Bride
The Radioland Murders
Saw
Shakespeare in Love
Shaun of the Dead
The Shawshank Redemption
Sin City
SLC Punk
Slither
Slumdog Millionaire
Spirited Away
Stranger Than Fiction
Sunshine Cleaning
Waitress
WALL-E
Zombieland

Next, I went through and distinguished my absolute favorites and those that I thought were technically spectacular.  Most are on both lists, but a few made it to either one or the other.

Favorites:
(500) Days of Summer
The Boondock Saints
Charlie Bartlett
The Darjeeling Limited
Grosse Pointe Blank
Howl's Moving Castle
Hot Fuzz
Jersey Girl
Kick-Ass
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
Meet the Robinsons
Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist
The Nightmare Before Christmas
Once
Shakespeare In Love
The Shawshank Redemption
Sin City
SLC Punk
Stranger Than Fiction
Waitress
Zombieland

Best:
(500) Days of Summer
The Darjeeling Limited
Grosse Pointe Blank
Howl's Moving Castle
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
The Nightmare Before Christmas
Once
Shakespeare In Love
The Shawshank Redemption
Sin City
SLC Punk
Slumdog Millionaire
Stranger Than Fiction
WALL-E
Zombieland

Aha!  21 and 15!  That's actually less than I thought it would be at this level.  The next step is My Top 10 Movies of Right Now, which shall be drawn from the previous 2 lists.  I will try to put them in order, and give some notes as to why each particular film rates as it does.  Here goes nothing:

1. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
   Robert Downey, Jr., Val Kilmer.  Great. Freaking. Film.  Amazing dialogue, amazing acting, shot well, action packed, and very aware that it is a film.  This one I can watch every night and love it every time.
2. Grosse Point Blank
   John Cusack, Minnie Driver, Dan Aakroyd, Jeremy Piven, Hank Azaria.  This movie blew my mind, and I spent the entire duration of my exposure with my mouth open.  I alternate this with #1 on a viewing schedule.  Also, spectacular music.
3. (500 Days of Summer)
   Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Zoe Deschanel, Chloe Moretz.  Another "great use of music" flick.  Also the second of the top 3 to use narration.  The non-linear presentation is very interesting, and a random musical number to celebrate sex is always a plus.  Also, Chloe Moretz is the coolest little sister ever.
4. Howl's Moving Castle
   Hayao Miyazaki/Disney joint; Christian Bale as the voice of Howl.  Miyazaki's films never cease to amaze me, but this one stands out on top for me.  It may be because Howl appears to be some kind of were-raven (near and dear to my heart), or that his fire is voiced by Billy Crystal.  Either way, a must-see movie, even if it is animated.
5. Shakespeare In Love
   Written by Tom Stoppard; Gwyneth Paltrow, Geoffrey Rush.  Romeo and Juliet and Twelfth Night rolled into one.  This movie follows the creation of Romeo and Juliet based on Will's current love affair, a girl who poses as a boy to audition for a play.  Probably the most romantic movie you will ever see, and might cause you to change your mind about Romeo and Juliet being highly overrated (though I still agree overDONE).
6. Stranger Than Fiction
   Will Ferrell, Emma Thompson, Maggie Gylenhaal, Dustin Hoffman, Queen Latifah.  This is such an interesting, well-put together story.  With a surprisingly amazing, strong cast.  And amazing graphics and GUI effects.  Although I do support my own opinion about making the end a bit different, and that's probably why it's not in the top 5. 
7. Hot Fuzz
   Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, some cameos from Simon Pegg/Nick Frost regulars.  Between Hot Fuzz and Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz came in slightly higher only because there is one scene in Shaun of the Dead that I think could have been left out of the movie and it wouldn't have suffered at all.  None of the movies on this list have that tiny little flaw.  Also, it's a better murder/mystery than Shaun of the Dead is a zombie flick.  Besides, I already have Zombieland up here.
8. Jersey Girl
   Ben Affleck, Jennifer Lopez (kinda), Liv Tyler, George Carlin, tons of other Kevin Smith regulars.  This alternates between a romance, comedy, and father-daughter tale.  Tragedy strikes quickly and Ben is left with a daughter to raise on his own.  He moves back to Jersey with his father, George Carlin, and life goes on.  Touching, sweet, and a scene from Sweeney Todd.  Brilliant.
9. Zombieland
   Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone, Abigail Breslin.  A zombie movie that knows it's a zombie movie.  Awesome use of graphics (though the CG blood leaves something to be desired) and spectacularly written with possibly the best 1) intro/opening credits segments ever and 2) cameo.  Ever.  Seriously.  Own it.  Now.
10. Once
    Glen Hansard, Marketa Irglova.  Also known as The Swell Season.  This primarily makes the list because of the music, but the actors' lack of technique and experience allow for a naturalistic tone to every word they speak and every gesture they make.  Watch this with someone you like and you will fall in love immediately.  Trust me, it's happened.  It has probably 4 or 5 of my Top 10 Favorite Songs on it, though I don't know if I'll get around to making that list.

A Suicide Blazon - Draft 1

She wore a simple dress. His favorite. It was black and had slits all the way up to her toned, soccer-sculpted thighs, which she had shaved. She didn't have on shoes, not his favorite heels with black leather laces that started at her toes and wound themselves around her sleek calves. Calves scarred with memories of long days in the woods behind her grandfather's house. An unbidden and unwelcome smile sneaked onto his face when his eyes caught up to her knee; they wouldn't continue until they had taken in the scar, another remnant of her favorite past time. The scar provoked that unwanted smile in response to “the button,” a place on her knee where she couldn't feel anything, just a little bit of pressure. She had laughed whenever he touched it.

The dress hugged a little more snugly than when she had bought it. His senior prom, her first year of college. He wore a zoot suit, she wore that little black dress, not wanting to outdo him However, eyes followed her wherever she went. She wasn't wearing anything under it that night, either. And, again, she had shaved.

She still had delicate wrists. It was a wonder that the recoil from the single round hadn't broken one. Her arms had been hard at work, putting her physical education degree to use. She complained about gaining weight, even though she knew that most of it was muscle. She wasn't fat, she had never been fat. She had been perfect. Still was, lying in that still-expanding burgundy pool.

Her hair. His eyes stopped again at her hair – her blond, red, brown, black, white, silver, yellow, indigo hair – refusing to wander without taking in every tangled curl. She loved it when he ran his hand through it lying next to her in their queen-size pillow-top bed, their first purchase together. He loved it, too, and made it a point for his fingertips ti find their way to her perfect, wavy strands whenever possible. He closed his eyes, remembering the scent of her shampoo. Lavender and sandalwood. She didn't like it, but used it because he had mentioned once that it was his favorite. Still was, even mingled with the copper taste of wood incarnadine.

Her various smiles, frowns, sighs, and laughs fluctuated the pigment in her iris from blue to turquoise to gray to green, always remaining the colors of the sea. Now, black. The storm has passed.

He let a couple of tears wet his cheek before he set to work.

He grabbed the gun, holding it in both hands, touching the grip to his face, breathing it in. He placed it between his jeans and the small of his back, draping his shirt over the handle that still held her warmth.

He pulled it out quickly, placing the muzzle against his temple, intent on following her into the dark. Not his phrase, but he couldn't help but think of her favorite song.

His arms dropped just as suddenly, his body hunched over on itself and heaved silently with sobs. His knees hit the newly-finished wood floor and his arms fell flaccid to his sides. He lost the grip on the gun and it landed next to her unpainted toes. The rest of his body continued to the floor, his forehead smacking the wood hard. He couldn't tell if he was dizzy from the impact or sudden surge of emotion, but he let it work its way out through his breath.

Twenty minutes passed before he could do anything else. He grabbed the gun, tucking it back against his skin. He went to the fridge. Four bottles of Corona. In order to be convincing, he'd have to use them all. He checked the freezer. A half-empty bottle of vodka. He didn't know she'd bought it. That would have to go, too. He opened one of the Coronas, swallowed half of it, then went back to her body.

Jaw clenched, he took the butt of the pistol and slammed it as hard as he could onto the right side of his face. Left-handed swing, right-sided blow. Then, he grabbed her left hand as hard as he could, trying to leave bruises. He knew they would be able to tell that her injuries were caused post-mortem, but if his plan worked, no one would check too thoroughly. He touched the Corona to her lips and then finished the bottle himself and cracked open the vodka.

Eric paced back and forth in the now-quiet second-floor apartment. He was sure that neighbors had heard, police had been called, and investigations had been initiated. He took deep pulls from the frozen bottle as he eyed the suddenly unfamiliar room. The shelf of books, half of them his. The case of DVDs, all of them hers. Hardwood table with four different chairs. Sleeper couch for late-night party stragglers, and a chest containing extra sheets for those partiers who couldn't hold their liquor. He finished the vodka, hoping to black out before the sirens arrived.