User blog:NerdWithAKeyboard/Top 5 Favorite Movies

Alternative title: Top 5 Best Movies I Have Ever Seen.

The following, are, in my opinion, my five most favorite movies that I have seen (as of May 2018). I am not saying any of these movies are perfect, some have major issues, but I choose to look past them for how great they are. Please remember that these are my opinions. If you hate these movies, that's okay. But it's time to give these movies the praise I think they deserve.

#5: (2001)
This movie was pretty much despised by critics and audiences alike, but I'm just gonna say it: I don't get it. This movie has almost everything you'd need for an amazing sci-fi action movie: incredible, memorable visuals; interesting and relatable characters, both heroes and villains; a unique and fascinating philosophy and message; intense and brutal action sequences; a deep and twisted mystery; and an absolutely amazing soundtrack. I really mean it with that last one too; this movie's soundtrack is absolutely incredible, with the crowning achievement being the film's motif song, "The Dream Within", sung by the always astounding Lara Fabian. Not o mention the star-studded cast that includes Ming-Na, Alec Baldwin, James Woods, Donald Sutherland, Ving Rhames, and Steve Buscemi. Now, in fairness, I don't know what it has to do with the games, if anything. But I don't care what people say, I love this movie.

#4: (2002)
Some of my favorite works of fiction are ones where a detective and criminal engage in a battle of the wits to take each other out, and other than maybe  and a later entry, this movie I think does it the best. Based on the novel by Thomas Harris, this movie serves as a prequel to ' and a remake of the 1986 '. This movie gets so many things right: the look, the tone, the music, the casting, the characters, the action, the suspense, but most importantly, the relationships. Every character's connection to each other, both friend and foe, is fascinating to watch. I love the connection between Graham and Lecter, I love the connection between Graham and Dolarhyde, I love the romance between Dolarhyde and Reba McClane, and I love the sick teamwork between Dolarhyde and Lecter. All of the cast play their parts with such emotion and dedication, and the look and atmosphere make it one of the most chilling crime horror films ever.

#3: (2016)
Perhaps pioneered by , stop-motion films have become works of art, with each one utilizing a creepy theme, but doing it in a unique and clever way. Films like Lakia's ', ', and more did this well. However, I was a little disappointed by , and so I was a little worried when I rented this one. Safe to say, it not only made up for The Boxtrolls, but it surpassed any of Lakia's previous works. The film is gorgeous, with some of the most colorful and creative character designs, environments, objects, and monsters. The music is amazing, the story uniquely fascinating, and all of the characters unforgettable. Everything from the animation to the jaw-dropping epic fight scenes and magic moments is just so entertaining and fun to watch. Wrap it up with that unforgettable shamisen cover of "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" and that beautiful credits sequence, and you have a movie that's worth your two eyes.

#2: (1993)
To talk about why this movie is so great is almost redundant; everyone knows that it's incredible and why. Firstly, the idea is still, to this day, incredibly creative. Second, the memorable characters are too many to count, each played perfectly and given just the right amount of attention (well, most of them). The music is beyond perfect. You all know the songs and you all know the lyrics (My favorite is "This is Halloween"). The look and feel of this movie is unlike any other. To quote Doug Walker/Nostalgia Critic: "You take any still from this movie, and nobody would confuse it for ' or ' or anything like that, they immediately know it's Nightmare Before Christmas. That's how strong an impact it has, every frame is something immediately recognizable". And that's what it is. It's a pure example of how something can be so impactful with simple but entertaining writing, amazing music, and breathtaking, one-of-a-kind visuals. What's this? it's a practically perfect film.

#1: (2008)
Batman is my favorite superhero. The Joker is my favorite villain. The late Heath Ledger's portrayal of the Joker is one of my favorites. This movie is my favorite. This movie has everything I like: dark, brooding atmosphere; a deep, complicated story; fascinating and troubled heroes and villains; outstanding action and stunts; psychology and analysis; and that ever-loved battle of wits between hero and villain. It is out there enough to be a true-blooded comic book film, but grounded enough in reality to be frighteningly realistic. The casting is perfect. The action is perfect. The analysis is perfect. This movie has almost everything right. Some of it I can't even explain why I like it so much, I think it just needs to be felt; seen to be believed. It's not only my favorite comic book movie. It's not only my favorite superhero movie. It's not only my favorite action movie, live-action movie, or sequel. The Dark Knight is my all-time favorite movie.