Marc's 5 Favorite Movies

This is tough. Not as tough as the next blog I have to write (my 5 favorite albums of all time), but difficult nonetheless. So here they are, not necessarily in order.

Spinal Tap - "There's such a fine line between clever and stupid" - David St. Hubbins, Singer & rhythm guitar for the Tap. This movies absolutely straddles that line. But it's so damn funny! Have you ever purchased a DVD and played the movie with the commentary on? I have. It's so distracting. It has no redeeming qualities in 99.9% of all movies. Meet Mr. point one percent!!!! The movie is actually even BETTER with the commentary on during the ENTIRE FILM! Writing about it makes me want to watch it! This is definitely a guy film, though. My wife loves it, but she's in the minority. Most women don't understand it. It's mindless fun. Don't think too hard while you watch it and you'll be fine.

The Quiet Man - One of John Wayne's finest. It's a movie about a boxer from America who moves back to his native village in Ireland after killing an opponent in the ring. It's a story about redemption and new beginnings. It's about love. It's also about drinking and fighting. This movie has something for everyone! The scenery is beautiful. The acting is great! A movie full of micks! Can't get any better than that.

The Passion of the Christ - Saying anything about this movie will only detract from its immensity. If you've seen it, I cried, too. If you haven't, you must. There is only one way for me to describe the effect this movie had on me. I saw it in the theater. When it was released on DVD, I bought it almost immediately. I still have not been able to watch it. There is a director's cut version out now that I must get, to see the way Mel Gibson intended it to be seen. But I need to gather the strength to watch it again.

American Graffiti - This movie makes me wish I was 17 again. Not much else does. It always makes me smile. The movie is pure innocence on celluloid. Custom cars, cruisin', drag races, and the Goat Killer!!! This movie WAS my teenage years (except the Goat Killer part. Didn't do that). Oh how I miss car shows, Friday night cruises on Main St. in Somerville, driving a 1953 Ford F-100 to school everyday. I'm feeling some nostalgia coming on! Time to pop the DVD in. If you ever want to be reminded of your cock-sure teenage days, put on American Graffiti and a smile. This movie never disappoints.

Gladiator - A Ridley Scott epic. No more descprition should be necessary. The scope of this movie is amazing. What puts it over the top is the fact that it is not only visually mind-blowing, but there is a fantastic storyline. The opening scene, I believe it is called Hell Unleashed, sets the tone and the movie just continues to amaze as you watch. Joaquin Phoenix and Russell Crowe are perfectly cast in their respective roles. "Are you not entertained? Are you not entertained?"

These are my five. It was tough. I wanted to squeeze about 5 more picks in there but that would be 10, and that's not what I was asked for. I wanted so terribly to list Amadeus, The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, Patton, Old School, or Secondhand Lions (see, I squeezed ten into a top five list). But he wanted five so I gave five.