Martha's Top Ten: Movie Edition

It's hard to narrow the massive field of film down to ten and these choices change constantly, but this is what I'm feeling like today...

10) A Simple Twist of Fate
Year: 1994
Starring: Steve Martin, Gabriel Byrne, Laura Linney, Stephen Baldwin
Why I Love It: This is one of the few movies featuring Steve Martin that I can stand him in. He's a lot like Adam Sandler. Most of the time I find both of these men completely obnoxious. But every once in a while they make a film that's wonderful. This movie is one of them for Steve Martin. Great plot, right balance of humor and heartbreak. Good music too.

9) William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet
Year: 1996
Starring: Clare Danes, Leonardo DiCaprio
Why I Love It: Unlike his most recent release, this is one of Baz Luhrman's movies I like. (Australia, *shudder*...) Great semi-modernization of the classic story with some interesting music choices and camera work.

8) Benny & Joon
Year: 1993
Starring: Johnny Depp, Mary Stuart Masterson, Aiden Quinn
Why I Love It: Well, aside from the obvious Johnny Depp thing... His character in this movie is such a great one. From the Charlie Chaplin moves to his interaction with both Joon and Benny. Great music again. Seems to be a theme...

7) How to Make an American Quilt and The Joy Luck Club
Year: 1995/1993
Starring: Winona Ryder/Ming-Na
Why I Love It: I'm counting these two films as one choice here because the similarity between them is so strong. They're both about young women facing an important choice and how women from the older generation impart the knowledge they've gained through their life experiences to help them with their decision. Both are wonderfully made, and while I don't really like Winona Ryder much, the other actresses in her film are so strong (it's really an impressive cast) it makes up for her inability to be anyone other than herself.

6) Clueless
Year: 1995
Starring: Alicia Silverstone, Paul Rudd
Why I Love It: This is a movie I could watch over and over again and never get tired of it. It's a silly movie, full of cliches and catch phrases (as if!) but it makes me smile.

5) To Wong Foo Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar
Year: 1995
Starring: Patrick Swayze, John Leguizamo, Wesley Snipes
Why I Love It: Three very masculine guys in drag - what's not to like? They're all very convincing as ladies and the underlying message of acceptance is uplifting. Bit parts for Robin Williams and RuPaul are great too.

4) A Beautiful Mind
Year: 2001
Starring: Russell Crowe, Jennifer Connelly
Why I Love It: It took me awhile to watch this movie, but once I did I loved it. Interesting plot, good acting, great score. And while it's not exactly true to life (as in, lots of creative liberties were taken in the character of John Nash since the real man is apparently quite a piece of work) it's still one of my favorites.

3) Thelma & Louise
Year: 1991
Starring: Geena Davis, Susan Sarandon
Why I Love It: Girl Power! I always identified with Geena Davis' character. It would have been fun to have a best friend to run away and drive off a cliff with. Of course, this is a movie, so real life isn't that...glamorous? In any case, a wonderful journey through a friendship with some hot, young, Brad Pitt thrown in for fun.

2) Sliding Doors
Year: 1998
Starring: Gwyneth Paltrow, John Hannah
Why I Love It: Bad English accents aside, this is an all-around winner. What a great plot - who wouldn't want to be able to see what might have happened if one thing in your life had changed? And I do love John Hannah and his cute (and REAL, ahem) accent.

1) When Harry Met Sally...
Year: 1989
Starring: Billy Crystal, Meg Ryan
Why I Love It: This movie has consistently been at the top of my list for years now. There's nothing I can find to not like. The actors are great, it's fun, it's serious, it's so true. It's a perfectly made romantic comedy with great supporting cast members and many quotable lines. My favorite?

"Had my dream again where I'm making love, and the Olympic judges are watching. I'd nailed the compulsories, so this is it, the finals. I got a 9.8 from the Canadians, a perfect 10 from the Americans, and my mother, disguised as an East German judge, gave me a 5.6. Must have been the dismount. "