Day 10 of the 30 Day Geek Out Challenge, and today we’re talking about movies! Yesterday’s question of the day was regarding what anime or anime series is your favorite. Due to the fact I have seen very little anime, I decided to spend Day 9 watching from the sidelines. I have nothing against anime, I just haven’t had the most exposure and haven’t gotten around to watching enough. If anyone out there wants to give me any recommendations for an “anime noob” feel free to let me know in the comments below. When it comes to movies, as with most other things I am pretty open-minded and watch anything, finding something I enjoy in any genre of movie, live-action or animated. I won’t sit here and list every single movie that I would consider a favorite, but I’ll list a few movies that spring to mind when I think of movies that I love; something I can watch many, many times. They may not all be very “geeky” movies in the typical sense, but more so in referring to how obsessive I became over them. Here we go…
The Empire Strikes Back – Let’s get this out of the way first…when I think of movies I love and have impacted my life since watching as a child, the Star Wars movies come to mind. I could simply list the Star Wars series as a whole, as there isn’t one that I don’t like, but Empire has always been my favorite. It took the characters and universe that George Lucas created in the first Star Wars and expanded upon it. It has a bit of a darker tone and doesn’t have a happy ending, which has always seemed to appeal to my inner pessimist, along with the Battle of Hoth early in the movie that features two of my favorite ships in the Star Wars universe – AT-ATs and Snowspeeders. There’s so much of The Empire Strikes Back that is deeply engrained in pop culture, including one of the most iconic reveals at the climax of any movie “Luke, I am your father…”. I love this movie!
Dumb and Dumber – Throughout my life comedy movies have usually been my go-to if I’m not sure what to watch or just feeling kinda down and want something to laugh at. Dumb and Dumber is one of those movies that I have watched a hundred times and know every line of. Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels are great in this movie as a pair of dim-witted best friends making their way across the country to Aspen, Colorado. I just watched this again recently and still laugh at the exact same parts of the movie. I could also swap this out with either Tommy Boy or Anchorman.
Pulp Fiction – My favorite Quentin Tarantino movie! The entire cast is great, with great performances from Uma Thurman, Harvey Keitel, and John Travolta, not to mention the seemingly career-defining role by Samuel L. Jackson. A movie that seems to encapsulate the what was “cool” about the 90’s. Pulp Fiction is one of those movies that you for the first time and are blown away by what you’re watching. It is still referenced online in quotes and memes daily.
The Big Lebowski – Another movie that gets quoted quite frequently after gaining popularity when released on VHS and made its way around college dorm rooms. The Cohen Brothers have made many great movies, but The Big Lebowski was considered a failure when it was released theatrically in 1998. The first time I watched “The Dude” Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, and Steve Buscemi’s banter at the bowling alley or navigating a kidnapping and mistaken identity gone awry I didn’t quite get it, but enjoyed the movie as I watched it a couple more times and is now one of my favorites that I am always in the mood to watch. That rug really tied the room together…
Forrest Gump – Yet another movie from the 90’s, Forrest Gump is one of those movies that perhaps hasn’t aged as well, and is noted for “stealing” the Best Picture Oscar from Pulp Fiction in 1994. I still love watching Tom Hanks play the slow, but relatable Forrest as he recalls his life that is intertwined with both political and cultural events through the 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s. This was one of my favorites to watch as a young history geek.
The Dark Knight – And finally, a movie NOT from the 90’s 😉 Having loved anything and everything Batman since childhood I feel obligated to mention Christopher Nolan’s defining moment of his Dark Knight Trilogy. This is the darker, grittier Batman movie that fans had been clamoring for as a palette cleanser from the campy, neon-washed Batman Forever and Batman and Robin from the 90’s (which I don’t HATE…but…Batsuit nipples? <sigh>). The entire cast of The Dark Knight was great, but Heath Ledger’s performance as The Joker earned him a posthumous Oscar and will go down as possibly the greatest in any comic book movie. I was able to see The Dark Knight in an IMAX theater and it was incredible!
There’s many more movies I could name besides these – Gladiator, Seven, anything directed by Martin Scorsese, and that’s not even mentioning any Disney/Pixar movies! Any other favorite movies that you have? Let me know in the comments below. We’re one-third of the way through the Geek Out Challenge! See you tomorrow…
Gaming Omnivore 