Cathy's List of 5 star movies:
People are always asking what my favorite movie is, or what I think makes a good movie. I cannot pick one movie that is my favorite, that's just too tough. For me, there are many factors that make a 5 star movie. One criteria is that I can find something new in the movie every time I watch it; It can still make me laugh out loud (the comedies, people, not all of them) no matter how many times I see it; I'm awestruck each time I watch it at how great it is. So, here is a list of what I consider to be the best of the best, in alphabetical order (I will continue to add to this as I think up more, I'm sure I will have forgotten some).
AMERICAN BEAUTY - Kevin Spacey, Oscar, need I say more? I do? Ok. Fantastic script, laugh out loud black humor, and it makes my heart race. The first time I saw this movie, I sat with my fist curled tight holding my shirt (and I think one hand on Dave's arm) TENSE for the last 45 minutes. Superb acting all around. Beautiful cinematography - gorgeous gorgeous film.
CAST AWAY - I went into this movie thinking I wouldn't like it, or at least hoping that I would. I was knocked on my ass. My full review is up here and you can read it, but let me add that this movie is unlike any that I have seen before. One man, one basic setting for 90 minutes...didn't look away from the screen once, I was totally enthralled.
A FISH CALLED WANDA - Possibly the funniest movie ever made. Watch it again...I jumped up and down when Kevin Kline won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor because so rarely does the Academy award comedic performances, and this one surely tops them all.
RESERVOIR DOGS/PULP FICTION: I put these movies together as one entry because everything I love about Reservoir Dogs, I love about Pulp Fiction. Of course, there is one aspect of Reservoir Dogs that I like more than Pulp Fiction and that's that most of the movie takes place in one setting and it still keeps the viewer enthralled. I think Quentin Tarantino is an amazing writer and the screenplays for both of these movies couldn't be better. Tons of twists, tons of characters, tons of blood and sex - there ya go, that's all one really needs, eh? One more thing that makes QT movies so fantastic - the soundtrack. He can always find the PERFECT song for a scene. I still think the coolest scene in a movie ever (and I mean how actually 'cool' the actors look, not 'cool' like neat) is when the whole pack is leaving the diner in RD and the camera goes slow-mo and you hear "Little Green Bag" - SO cool...I'm gonna go put my sunglasses on :)
SEVEN - Ahem, Kevin Spacey. A sick, twisted killer who likes to chop off heads. What more could a girl ask for? Seriously dark humor and asthetically gorgeous - there's always something to see in the darkness of this film.
THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION - What a great story! Deep character development and acting - you really care for these characters. This is one of those movies that tops the 2 hour mark and you feel like you want it to be another 2 hours.
SILENCE OF THE LAMBS - Wow...wow...wow. I continue ot get chills each and every time I watch this. Anthony Hopkins will forever be known as Hannibal and it's so well deserved. On the other hand, I still don't think Jodi Foster deserved an OSCAR for this, she was really good, but I think it just swept all the catagories because it's so amazing. I especially love how Hannibal gets away at the end - you so rarely find a movie where the bad guy wins. And he's so, so bad :)
THE USUAL SUSPECTS - If I had to pick ONE movie as my favorite, I might have to break down and pick this one to top them all. Kevin Spacey - first Oscar and I can't think of anyone else who deserved it more. This movie has every aspect that I look for - a KILLER plot twist that still leaves my mouth open, amazing acting, and I can always see something new every time I watch it. It's hard to talk about this movie without giving away a ton of secrets for those of you who haven't seen it yet...so I won't...I will just stop typing this and go watch it again.