My Favorite Movies

I feel that I owe a greater force a write up for a section in the Philippine Star called My Favorite Movie. And although I had my attempts to make a piece worthy of publication, I can’t get past paragraph one. I may be once again procrastinating greatness the way I’m doing with my most coveted Palanca dream.

Naughty, naughty me!

Since it is my birthday month, I’ve decided to fill the days I refuse to contemplate on matters that are of greater importance to humanity with lists of my favorite things. Ergo, as my title states, today I shall share my favorite movies of all time (at least those I can remember right now). Note that they don’t come in a particular order.




Spanglish. I have to restrain myself from pulling Adam Sandler out of our TV set to hug him every time I watch this film. He has never been lovelier than in Spanglish! Plus the good thing in this movie is the way the characters are built. The makers of this film really loved their characters—they were disturbed and flawed yet a viewer gets to appreciate and understand the characters despite how they behave. A lot of elements found in this film are also fun to deconstruct! (Ok, that’s the geek me talking!)





Alfie. Nope, it’s not just Jude Law I like in this film but the whole presentation itself. Each scene shown in this movie is well thought and is picture perfect. From the charming characters in the foreground to the graffiti wall in the background—it’s a visual and mental feast! Once you’re done digesting what you see, there’s always the plot which will compel you to think, “what’s it all about?” And “it” won’t be limited to the movie alone, that I assure you.





With Honors. Melodrama yet hits me right where it should. Whenever one gets lost in pursuit of perfection, there’s always With Honors to keep you grounded. It teaches us that the world does not revolve around the pseudo trophy we are eyeing for and that we cannot find a shortcut to the golden cup by kissing ass. Success is sweetest if we worked our hearts off and if we were able to look around us and do some good deeds along the way. Just as Simon says, “Joy. Ache.” Love. Life. Success. All full of joy and ache, joy and ache. But we don’t have to end up as losers because of the “ache.”





A League of Their Own. Baseball. Women. Sisters. Three elements of the movie that appeal to me. A League of their Own makes me want to become a good ball player for the fun of it and to piss off men out there who’d think women can’t. Women issues make me want to become a real-life activist. And sister matters make me ponder if I completely suck at this sister business more than I acknowledge.





The Matrix. Probably is the coolest movie of all. I like the action, the costumes and the concept. The makers of The Matrix are cunning in that they were able to challenge, in their effective cryptic way, several institutions and norms in our society that usually tend to dictate how we humans should be. And I don’t think they spurred any controversies by doing so unlike the Da Vinci Code which made an awfully empty noise. Just try not to concentrate on the Sleeping-Beauty kiss in the end so as not to spoil the movie.





Moulin Rouge. This movie is entertainment. Believe me that I understand my self completely when I say that Moulin Rouge is a celebration of what post modern is. I can imagine everyone in this production having fun while doing their job. I don’t usually like musicals but I’m willing to make exceptions for Moulin Rouge. The visual and auditory spectacle this film features makes watching it for the Nth time worth one’s while.





Heart and Souls. I dig the unfinished business thing and this movie was able to explore it while keeping everything light. Each of us has a Julia, Penny, Milo and Harrison within. Heart and Souls reminds us that our times are a-ticking and so there is no point in postponing the things we ought to do the way these four souls did. They are lucky they had Thomas Kenneth Railey to do things for them. We may not share the chance that had been given them so carpe diem!





Wimbledon. Suddenly tennis became sexy! Wimbledon introduces us to an athlete who’s at the last days of his career. Then we see more of this player outside the court. Then we learn to love him. I’ve always wondered how athletes think and Wimbledon just reveals what’s inside an athlete’s mind. This movie is more than just a love story; it is all about how one proves himself by being committed to his so-called passion.





Dyesebel. Yep! A Filipino movie. There’s a mermaid in this movie and she’s Pinay! How can I not like that? Dyesebel probably is the best Filipino mermaid movie there is. Plus this movie captures the 90s fashion as Alice Dixon, the actress who played Dyesebel, becomes a model in the course of the movie. “Special effects” is not bad considering the time when this film was done.





X-Men. My childhood cartoon heroes coming to life is one real movie magic! This time, the characters gain more depth as we see more of them in the flesh. Good casting and special effects are just two of this movie’s selling points. X-men also deals with issues on discrimination which make it matter. Over all, X-men is a classic, at least in its genre.




I may never get tired of watching these ten movies over and over again. That probably is my basis for having them as my favorite. I can see them for a thousandth time and yet the punch lines will still make me laugh and the plot lines will still reveal something new. Yes I did not choose them based on some scholarly film critic way which therefore make them a selection from the heart.