My Top 20

First of all, I know my blog name sucks, but until I think of a better one, “Kailah’s Movies” will remain. To start off my blog, I would like to list my Top 20 favorite movies, and explain why they are my favorites. I ranked the movies, but they aren’t really in any precise order.

1. Pride and Prejudice (2005)

This is my absolute favorite movie of all time. It’s one of those movies that I can almost recite verbatim, which is quite impressive given the face-paced, complex, 18th century dialogue. I know that most Jane Austen fans will disagree with me and say that the Colin Firth version is better, but this film is just pure beauty to me. Keira Knightley’s flawless performance of Elizabeth Bennet, the gorgeous cinematography, and the crackling script captivated me ever since I first saw it when my dad brought it home for my mom for Mother’s Day. It’s also the movie that turned me into an Austenite, so there’s that.

2. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (2001-2003)

It would be impossible to pick a favorite out of the trilogy so I am just including all three of them. These are the most brilliant fantasy movies out there, hands down, and I’m pretty sure the combined 17 Academy Award wins are enough to prove that. It’s not just that they tell a wonderfully epic story, they are also timeless, and I can’t wait to show them to my hypothetical kids someday.

3. Finding Neverland (2004)

I could write sonnets about how much I love this movie. The fact that I am a writer might be the reason why I connect with it so much. It tells the (mostly) true story of how the play/novel Peter Pan was created. The performance by Johnny Depp is splendid as he interacts with Kate Winslet’s character and her sons. The last scene also makes me cry like a baby every single time I watch it.

4. Slumdog Millionaire (2008)

My grandma took me to see this after we had visited India, so this movie obviously resonates with me. It’s just such a victorious movie, and one that gives you a wonderful feeling after the credits roll. It also has a killer soundtrack.

5. Fight Club (1999)

This movie blew my mind the first time I saw it, and if you’ve seen it, you know why. In addition to the huge twist, the editing of the film is so creative and edgy. I have yet to see another movie that is like this one.

6. Beauty and the Beast (1991)

I grew up on a steady diet of Disney movies, so it’s only natural there are a couple on this list. Beauty and the Beast is one of my favorites, and always will be. Belle will always be my favorite Disney “princess.” Book nerds unite!

7. Les Miserables (2012)

This is another film that I will always sob while watching it. The music and characters are so rich and epic. There were a few changes from the original musical that I didn’t like, but overall it was a spectacular feat.

8. The Count of Monte Cristo (2002)

I know that this film got a lot of things wrong from the book, but I’ve been watching it since I was very young. I think the relationship between Edmond Dantes and Count Mondego is so interesting.

9. Silver Linings Playbook (2012)

If you know me, you know I don’t usually do romantic comedies, but Silver Linings Playbook has a unique element to it that had me hooked. The performances were perfection, and it really showcased different types of human relationships.

10. The Prestige (2006)

This is my favorite Christopher Nolan movie. I love his movies, and how he uses flashbacks to reveal chunks of the story at a time, but never all at once. The story of rivaling magicians shows how far people will go in order to achieve fame and revenge.

11. Mulan (1998)

Mulan is a movie that my brothers and I must have watched at least twice a week when we were kids. It still never gets old to this day. It was refreshing to me to see a female Disney character save the world for once.

12. Howl’s Moving Castle (2004)

Hayao Miyazaki’s mesmerizing storytelling and animation with voice talents from Christian Bale, Billy Crystal, Emily Mortimer, and Josh Hutcherson. Need I say more?

13. Jane Eyre (2011)

It is a rare thing when I read a book for school and actually like it. Jane Eyre was one of them. The dark and eerie mood of the movie was perfect for the book’s tone. Also, Michael Fassbender is fantastic.

14. Inglourious Basterds (2009)

Speaking of Mr. Fassbender, I liked his character in this movie too, even though it wasn’t a huge role. The character that I really love is Shosanna. I just think she’s so cool. Overall the movie is very satisfying because it’s the Nazis who are suffering for once.

15. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (2005)

The Narnia series were very present in my childhood. The movie had some flaws, but the magic and adventure of the books were captured well on screen. Prince Caspian was good too, but Voyage was a disappointment, and now I’m very nervous that they won’t make the rest of the series because they aren’t successful anymore.

16. Sweeney Todd: the Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007)

This film has all the things that I love: Johnny Depp, dark characters, dark humor, London. If I could ever perform in a musical, I think this would be it. Mrs. Lovett is such a great part.

17. The Duchess (2008)

I’ll never forget the first time I watched this movie with my cousin and we were both in tears by the end. I thought it was going to be a movie about a scandalous affair in the 18th century, but it really has much more depth than that. It deals with so many complex relationships and shows the hardships that women endured during that time.

18. Edward Scissorhands (1990)

Tim Burton at his finest. It’s a film that sounds bizarre by it’s description, but it’s actually one of the sweetest movies I’ve ever seen. The love that Edward has for Kim is just so pure.

19. Sherlock Holmes (2008)

Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law have one of the best bromances, even though they bicker like a married couple throughout the movie. The style of the film is amazing, and even though I like the show Sherlock better, it’s still a wildly entertaining movie.

20. V for Vendetta (2005)

This is another movie that is timeless because it should always remind us of what our government should never become. Natalie Portman’s acting is wonderful, especially because her character undergoes such a transformation from the beginning to the end of the film, and I’m not just talking about having her head shaved.

There are so many more movies I could write about, but I thought 20 was a long enough list. It shows how much variety there is in the movies I like. For the rest of the blog I will be giving reviews about movies I have seen, whether they are new or old. I have a lot of classics to watch yet, and many more that I am anxiously awaiting to hit theaters.