Why These Movies Matter to Me
Having previously worked at a movie theater for nearly two years, films have been more than entertainment for me: a significant part of my life's journey. My top movies reflects not just great filmmaking, but the personal connections and memories attached to each, at different times in my life.
I chose these movies due to genre diversity, emotional resonance, artistic achievement, character performance, and cultural impact.
Many of these films hold sentimental value beyond their acclaim. "It's a Wonderful Life" represents a cherished Christmas tradition shared with my dad, who watched it with his dad before him. Others are guilty pleasures or just comforting. Poetic Justice and Gilbert Grape might be quiet and heavy, but there’s something special in their pacing. Uptown Girls, with Brittany Murphy’s Blumarine dress alongside a young Dakota Fanning, speaks to me through my love of fashion as well as touching themes.
What further makes these films special to me is the moments they've created in my life, through laughter shared, tears shed, and contemplative silences. Whether they are sentimental and quiet (What's Eating Gilbert Grape, Poetic Justice, and Uptown Girls), romantic and reflective (Moonstruck, La La Land, Lady and the Tramp, and When Harry Met Sally), youthful and fun (Dazed and Confused and Raising Arizona), bold and iconic (Scream and Pulp Fiction), or a timeless, nostalgic tradition (It's a Wonderful Life), they will stay with me forever.