Zoe and the Perfect List

In re-doing the Perfect List I have run into a snag. I asked the Reckless crew to give me a list of their 10 favorite movies so that I could use it on the $2 wall for Dec/ January. The problem is that my list of 10 is 27. And these are just the movies I like and want as my favorites, it has nothing to do with movies that I think everyone should see. This list would be very different than the movies that I want people to know I like because I think of myself as an elitist and a princess when it comes to the "important" movies. Like my taste is superior to everyone else's. (It's MY taste after all).

But I thought about what the Perfect List says in it's mission statement. "Movies that you think other people should see". A whole different kettle of fish, this one. Who are those people? What do I think they need to know? Who am I to be the arbiter of what is and isn't seen?

Well, I threw out the last question cause, let's face it, I get paid for my taste, good or bad, this is my living, so I am going to pretend that my taste matters a bit.

Movies you should see. And why: (in no particular order)

Wag the Dog
White Man's Burden
Bullworth
Mr Smith Goes to Washington

Because these movies poked fun, questioned and to a degree shifted my perception of politics, and how I envision this country.

Guess Who's Coming to Dinner
Grapes of Wrath
Wings
Rebecca

These movies gave me an insight to a time and an experience I had only read about. And because they are movies of their time they are time capsules of that time.

Beckett
Everything is Illuminated
Into the West
Lilies of the Field

These are my favorite everyman is important and can change the course of the stream.

Sound of Music
Busby Berkley Musicals (all of them)
Red Balloon
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

These movies show the magic of film. There is a reason the scene with Julia Andrews on the mountain top is iconic.

Duck Soup
His Girl Friday
Grosse Pointe Blank
Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolf

These remind us that although the image is king in film, but language is the Queen.

The Godfather (1&2)
Lord of the Rings Trilogy
Star Wars Trilogy ( the first one)
Indiana Jones Trilogy

See you can create characters that are so engaging that you have to know more. And the ride along with these characters effect how a whole generation sees itself. ("Leave the gun, take the cannolli")

There are the little movies no one ever sees. The little gems that make you feel like you are smarter than the critics:

The Station Agent
Pizza
The Princess and the Warrior
Round Midnight

And then there are those movies that you just think folks should see.

Baraka
Reservoir Dogs
Jean Cocteau's Beauty and the Beast
Seven Samurai
The Incredibles
The Journey of Natty Gann
Birdy
Out of Africa
The Quiet Man
Rear Window
African Queen

And the list goes on...
So I am going to take my elitist, princess of movies mind set and work on paring down my 27 movies for my own Perfect List. (since I am the boss here I may bump the total for each of us to 15 or 20.) It sure would make it easier on me.