On Our Way To Crazy

Jeff tagged me, and I haven’t done a meme in a while, so here you go!

The rules of the “game” are simple:
1. list your top ten favorite films (in no particular order).
2. if you’re tagged, you’ve got to post and tag 3-5 other people.
3. give a tag back (some link love) to the one who tagged you in your post
4. give a hat tip (HT) to Dan

Dan, Dan, he’s our man, if he can do it, anyone can!

I am actually not a big movie person. I don’t like to go to the movies very often. Aaron, on the other hand, would go see every movie that ever came out in the theater and rent the ones he missed. But I do have favorites, and I love them oh so very much. Just don’t expect any cinematic masterpieces on this list.

1. Almost Famous

Anytime someone asks me what my favorite movie is, I always choose Almost Famous. I love everything about it: the music, the t-shirts that say everything you want to say, the pencils and legal pads, the tour bus, Jimmy Fallon as the fancy new manager. I love the ending, when William finally gets his interview. I could watch it over and over and over. And have.

Sample quote: “This song explains why I am leaving home to become a stewardess.”

2. Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion

Romy and Michele came out the summer before my senior year of high school. My friends and I probably saw it at the dollar theater about a hundred times. It is so completely ridiculous and so completely fun. And the whole movie is worth watching for the dance at the end.

Sample quote: “You look so good with blond hair and black roots it’s like, not even funny.”

3. That Thing You Do

I have written about my love of TTYD before. It is one of the most quoteable and joyful movies I know. I get a little teary every time they hear their song on the radio for the first time. I think I love it more now than I ever have, since our lives seem to parallel the movie a bit. We’ve done the label visit, the video, the big tours. Soon we will hear our song on the radio. And I will run screaming down the street, just like Faye.

Sample quote: “Are you crazy? A man in a really nice camper wants to put our song on the radio! Gimme a pen, I’m signin’! You’re signin’! We’re all signin’!”

4. Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

I’ve been watching this movie for most of my life. Growing up, we stayed after school with a lady down the street who had a teenage daughter. She was a cheerleader and I completely idolized her. We watched this movie with her ALL THE TIME. I think it might have been where my dancing obsession began. Whatever happened to the guy who played Jeff? His red cut off t-shirt was too sexy.

Sample quote: “Velcro. Next to the Walkman and tab it is the coolest invention of the 20th century.”

5. Can’t Buy Me Love

This is another holdover from the babysitter days. Patrick Dempsey is so awesome in this movie. This and GJWHF are what 80s movies are to me. I love me some Molly Ringwald, but these are the best ones for sure. I was so jealous of the girl who wears a sports bra and overalls to school. That was a sweet outfit. Also, I may or may not be able to perform the African Anteater Ritual for you.

Sample quote: “You raise a doll-chopping homicidal maniac, and what do you do every time you see him? You give him money.”

6. Romeo+Juliet

Things that are awesome about this movie: Leonardo DiCaprio, the crazy carnival set on the beach, the amazing soundtrack, Leonardo DiCaprio, the balcony/pool scene, the colors and the dancing, Leonardo DiCaprio. I was already over the moon for him when this movie came out – I had loved him since his days as a homeless teen on Growing Pains. But Romeo+Juliet really put it over the top for me. It came on TV the other day and I couldn’t believe how young everyone looked… they seemed so grown up when I first saw it. And seriously. It has a great soundtrack.

Sample quote: “No, sir, I do not bite my thumb at you, sir, but I bite my thumb, sir!”

7. Can’t Hardly Wait

This is one of those movies that it feels like no one saw but you, and then you drop a quote randomly and someone picks up on it and that’s how you know you were meant to be friends. This movie has everything – parties, long lost love, a good villain, the unknown who saves the day, personal growth and… Scott Baio. It is also my third favorite Ethan Embry movie. I love that boy.

Sample quote: “You know who else I like that didn’t get much play? Velma from Scooby-Doo. She was cool. She was a hip, hip lady.”

8. Rat Race

Is it bad that this is my third Seth Green movie? I have no idea what that says about me. I do know, however, that this movie makes me laugh every time. I love the rich guys at the hotel taking bets on who will puke first, or how much you have to offer a hooker to get in a jacuzzi filled with Pepto-Bismol, or which maid can hold onto the curtain rod the longest without falling. And I love Mr. Bean. The whole movie is just a mishmash of random things that I think are awesome. Like Lucy impersonators. And Smashmouth. (Just kidding on that last part.)

Sample quote: “What do you mean that’s it? I’m not giving up! And neither are you! And neither am I!”

9. Man On the Moon

I didn’t know anything about Andy Kaufman when I saw this movie. I’m not entirely sure why I ever saw it in the first place. But it is one of my very favorites. It’s such a crazy story, and I think Jim Carrey does an amazing job. The funeral scene is one of the sweetest I have ever seen. I’m not even embarrassed that one of my favorite movies stars Courtney Love. It’s that good.

Sample quote: “I am from Caspiar, an Island in the Caspian Sea. It sunk.”

10. Empire Records

Did I save the best for last? Possibly. I saw this movie for the first time my freshman year in college. I had this roommate that I am pretty sure hated me, but we watched this the first week we were there and I just fell in love with it. It has all the qualities of my kind of movies: music, teenagers, high school drama, more music, and Ethan Embry. It was made for me.

Sample quote: “Joe, I can categorically say that you are not a bigger banana-head.” (Such a hard choice!)

So let’s see… my top ten movies came out between 1985 and 2001, with only one coming out in the new millennium. The bulk of my movies are from high school/early college, which makes sense since it would have been when I was going to the movies the most. There’s not a single serious movie on the list, and I like it that way. I’m not ashamed that my favorite movies are teeny-bopper films. That’s the best kind.

Oh! I have to tag people! I choose Katie, Jacob, Jon and Jonathan