by Theo Williams
The large double doors of the courtroom swing open. I force a deep breath through my ever-tightening chest and stride towards the counsel table. I lay down my briefcase, sort its 100 some-odd pages, and conclude what might be the most outlandish metaphor on the blogosphere. But I couldn’t start my post like any tired top 10, 50, or 100 list on the internet, now could I?
It is an apt comparison: movie criticism and defense of the law. An attorney wouldn’t mosey into a courtroom, proclaim his client “not guilty” on the grounds of, “I’m pretty sure he didn’t do it,” and call it a day. No, he must assure that the jury leaves for deliberation with enough reasonable doubt to pronounce the defendant innocent. And I have approached this list with a similar goal: to defend roughly 120 of my favorite films with passion, knowledge, and zeal until you the reader have at least some small desire stir within you to watch or rewatch each and every one.
But before I begin to wax eloquent about my hand-picked flicks, allow me to defend the existence of the list itself.
First of all, I. Am. Bored. I think that’s a sentiment that most of us share, having bunkered ourselves in for the better part of a month, wishing that we had taken all of those doomsday-prepping programs half a percent more seriously.
However, I wouldn’t categorize boredom as the overarching motivation, but the first domino that fell as my mind cascaded its way down to this very exciting idea. You see, ever since I enrolled in a film elective course in college way back in 2013 (thanks, Mr. Z!), I took a medium that I passively enjoyed and turned it into a full-blown hobby. So when it was announced that we would be highly encouraged to stay at home and avoid contact with others, I leapt at the chance to catch up on a handful of movies I had missed. 2 weeks went by, and having checked off nearly every film on my list, I began to ask others for suggestions, and they in turn asked recommendations of me.
I was genuinely appreciative of the suggestions I received from others, but what I discovered was that I gained even more joy from receiving texts that would say, “Hey, loved the movie rec! Got any more?!” Then it dawned on me: why limit my pretentious movie tastes to my close friends and family, when I can spread my objectively-correct opinions to the entire internet? And thus, the list was born.
In all seriousness, I’m just a guy who loves movies and watches a few more than the average joe. If you are kind enough to read my list, I offer my sincerest thanks, and I hope that I can at least entertain you during these trying times, if not intrigue and persuade you.
Lastly, let’s briefly summarize the parameters of the list.
- All movies are rated PG-13 or below. I wanted to truly make a list for everyone, and I decided that the most objective means of inclusivity would be to disregard all rated R movies. There are loads of great movies that have received R ratings, but I’ll let you be the judge of what is right and wrong for you.
- No documentaries. Even though they are experienced through the same medium, the documentary, much like TV, feels like an art form in and of itself.
- 90 individual films, 10 “Franchise Spotlights.” Each entry in this series will include 9 movies on their own, plus one Franchise Spotlight that highlights the merits of a large, profitable movie series that includes at least 3 films.
With these restrictions in mind, I created a list that is wholly and uniquely mine. Sure, not every movie on the list will be preserved in the national archive, but I believe that I have compiled a collection of movies that both appeal to most people and reflect my personal tastes. So strap in, and keep your eyes peeled, because volume 1 is set to hit the blog sometime tomorrow.
This post may have reached its end, but the defense does not rest. Oh no, we have only just begun.
The(o)nly Movie Blog 