-I've decided that Wednesday will be the day I post each week. The time will probably vary between posts, but you can always count on me to have something every Wednesday.
Now that that's out of the way, let's talk about movies. About two-and-a-half years ago, I published a list of my top ten favorite movies on the Brick Wall. The link is here if you'd like to check it out. If not, here's my list anyway:
#10. The Lego Movie
#9. Wreck-It Ralph
#8. The Lion King
#7. The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
#6. Beauty and the Beast
#5. Despicable Me 2
#4. Monsters Inc.
#3. Tangled
#2. Finding Nemo
#1. Pitch Perfect
I'm honestly not too proud of that post in hindsight, and a big part of the reason why this blog exists is because I want to remake it. That's partially because of the choices (Some of these movies are going to appear on this list, but others I just don't like as much anymore), but mostly because I don't like how I explained my opinions in that post. It was so fill-in-the-blank. "The acting is ________. I love the _________. The plot is _________. The movie is overall ________." That's how every entry feels like, and that's not a good explanation of why I love those movies. This post is different, because I'm going to explain what each movie means to me personally. I want this to feel more like an emotional commentary on movies that changed my life, instead of a Mad Libs that barely praises the movies in question.
Now that that's out of the way, I'd like to remind all of you that this is not an objective list of the greatest movies of all time. If it was, the title would be "The Best Movies of All Time." This is merely a list of my favorites, and is therefore entirely subjective. I can guarantee that you won't agree with at least one of the movies listed here, and that's okay! That's your opinion! These are mine, and I'm not asking you to agree, I'm just asking you to respect it like I'll respect yours. Now I've done enough stalling, let's get on with the list!
#10. The Outsiders (1983)
One post I've considered writing (but probably won't for various reasons) is my Top Ten Favorite Books. I bring this up because, if I were to make that list, my #1 would be S.E. Hinton's The Outsiders. I read it for English class in eighth grade, not expecting much, to be honest. I then read the book, saw the movie, and fell in love. As is to be expected with book-to-movie adaptations, the book is better, but the movie is still amazing. It's probably one of, if not the most accurate adaptations I've ever seen. There aren't any huge differences between the book and the movie, and you can tell everybody involved worked hard to make it as faithful of an adaptation as possible. Every character is cast perfectly, with some of the biggest actors of the 80's (such as Rob Lowe and Tom Cruise) in starring roles. The story is pretty much the same as it is in the book. It's about a group of greasers who are rivals with the wealthy kids in town, known as the Socs. One of the things that turned me off initially was that my teachers made it sound like The Outsiders was a really cheesy story about how hard it is to be an outsider, but that's not what it is. The main reason why I love this story so much is because of the greasers' friendship. Above all else, this is a story about friendship and having your friends' backs even when the times get tough. You really get to see how close the greasers are and you consistently find yourself rooting for them to beat the Socs. Overall, The Outsiders is a fantastic movie. The only reason why it's not higher is because I've only seen it once and I've seen the other movies on the list more times than I can count.
#9. Beauty and the Beast (1991)
This is the first movie from my previous list to make this one as well, and it won't be the last. Although it was at a higher ranking in my previous list, I still adore everything about this movie. I've always been a huge fan of Disney's animated movies, and this is one of the best ever. Starting with The Little Mermaid in 1989 and lasting throughout the 90's was a period known as the Disney Renaissance, where everything Disney touched turned to gold. Beauty and the Beast is up there with The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, and The Lion King as one of the most iconic and beloved movies from that era, and it's definitely my favorite of the bunch. This is a movie I have loved for pretty much my entire life, and I will continue to love it. Belle is one of my favorite Disney princesses. When I was little, I saw her as a hero, and I still admire her independent spirit and book smarts. All of the characters are great and likable in their own ways (except for maybe Gaston, but that's expected since he's the villain). It's a classic story that will continue to hold up for future generations (as proven by the success of the 2017 live-action remake, which is fine, but nowhere near as good as the original). This movie taught me that appearances don't matter because it's what's on the inside that counts, which is a great message. While everything about it is great, my favorite element has always been the music. Every song in this movie is amazing and a classic, from "Be Our Guest" to "Gaston" (which is probably my favorite Disney villain song) to my personal favorite, the opening "Belle". To wrap things up, this was the first animated movie to be nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars for a reason. A true classic.
#8. High School Musical 2 (2007)
As we continue in this ranking, I'd like to remind you all of what I said in the intro. This is a list of my FAVORITE movies, not the objective BEST ones. If I were making the latter list, this would absolutely not make it. However, it wouldn't feel right for me to make a list of my favorite movies and not mention the High School Musical series at some point. These movies defined my childhood and have a lot of sentimental value to me, and I still admittedly really enjoy them. It's not even in a guilty pleasure way, because I don't feel bad about loving them. It's more that I'm well aware of their flaws (and how cheesy they are), but I still adore them. In fact, I think the cheesiness makes me love them even more. The second movie in the series has always been my favorite. In this movie, we see the Wildcats spending the summer at mean-girl Sharpay's country club and dealing with the struggles of being teenagers there. There's a lot of melodrama but it's still fun to watch. I make sure to watch this one as soon as school lets out for summer. My favorite character has always been Troy, played by Zac Efron. I'm not ashamed to admit it, Zac Efron is my celebrity crush, and has been for a decade. He gets to sing the best song in the entire series, "Bet On It", which...okay, I'm not gonna lie. "Bet On It" is why this movie is on the list. It's just so awesome and powerful and I love it so much. I sing it all the time when I'm home alone. There are some other excellent songs on the soundtrack, like "What Time Is It", "Fabulous" (which is so cheesy and over-the-top you can't help but love it), and "I Don't Dance". To sum it up, I love High School Musical and I'm not afraid to admit it.
#7. The Princess Bride (1987)
One day during over Christmas break a few years ago, my dad decided to show this movie to my younger brother and I, declaring it as one of his all-time favorites. At first, our response was, "But that sounds like a girly movie!" Then we watched it, and here we are now. The plot is a twist on the standard fairytale, but it's way funnier. The screenplay in this movie is absolutely genius. I don't think I have ever seen a movie as quotable as this one. There are so many gems here, as documented by this article, and they're all absolutely hilarious (in case you were wondering, my personal favorite is #19). I love the framing of the movie as well. Basically, it's a grandfather reading the story to his sick grandson, but we get to see the fantasy realm of the book. I love the grandson's interjections ("Do we have to read the kissing parts?"). The main thing I love about this movie is how literally anybody can enjoy it. Despite the girly-sounding title, there is something for everyone, no matter what kind of movie you're into. Do you like comedies? See my previous comments about the screenplay and how hilarious it is. Do you like romance? There's a pretty solid love story. Action? You bet. Fantasy? Of course there's fantasy, it's called The Princess Bride, after all. I believe the only people who don't like this movie are the ones who haven't seen it. Check it out if you haven't.
#6. Big Hero 6 (2014)
Yes, putting Big Hero 6 at #6 on my ranking was completely intentional, and no, I will not apologize for it. Anyways, Big Hero 6 is an absolutely incredible movie that I actually feel pretty bad for. For those who don't follow Disney and don't know, this was their first film after the smash hit Frozen. Now, any movie that has to follow a phenomenon like that has some hard work to do, but Big Hero 6 surprised me by being (controversial opinion alert) better than Frozen. However, while Big Hero 6 was not by any means a failure, its success was still eclipsed by Frozen's. I mean, go to the toys section of your friendly neighborhood Target (or Target.com) and tell me which you find more of: A.) Anna and Elsa toys, or B.) Baymax toys? The correct answer is almost always A, even though Frozen came out a year earlier. See what I mean? OK, besides me feeling bad for it, why else do I love this movie? Like I said with The Princess Bride, this is a movie anyone can enjoy. There's action, comedy, sci-fi, and the genuinely touching moments we've come to expect from Disney. The heart of Big Hero 6 lies in the bond between its two protagonists, boy genius Hiro Hamada and his inflatable robot best friend Baymax. Despite one of them being a robot and unable to feel emotion, you still can feel the bond between the two. The last fifteen minutes or so are proof of this. The other characters, while not as developed as the two protagonists, are still incredibly likable and interesting. I'm a sucker for movies about the importance of friendships, and this one definitely fits the bill. I also love this movie's willingness to tackle issues that most kids movies don't, like grief. This is a movie I've loved ever since I first saw it and will continue to love, and it's one of my all-time favorite animated movies.
#5. (Tie!) Pitch Perfect (2012) and Pitch Perfect 2 (2015)
I normally don't like making ties, but I genuinely couldn't decide which movie in this series I prefer. The original Pitch Perfect was actually #1 on my previous list, and while I found a few movies I love even more, I still love it. The movies center around an all-female college acapella group called the Barden Bellas, and the main reason why they work so well is because of their dynamics as a group. Every one of the Bellas is likable, and they all have their fair share of great one-liners. This is another comedy I would describe as extremely quotable. And it's not just the Bellas, literally every character in this series has some amazing moments. From the first movie, my favorite quote is "You guys are gonna get pitch-slapped so hard, your man boobs are gonna concave" and my favorite from the second is "Your sweat smells like cinnamon." You'll have to actually watch the movies to see them in context. Another thing I love about this movie is the elements of music in it. I've said it many times: I'm a music nerd. It's my love and passion. A comedy that also happens to be about music and girl power is simply too good to be true, but here we are. There are some amazing acapella mashups on the soundtrack, and the cast members are actually pretty good singers. I love the Riff-Off scenes, which are just awesome. Here is the one from the first movie, and here is the one in the second. I associate these movies with my mom, who loves them just as much as I do. We've seen both many times together, and we even went to see the second on opening day. We'll probably do the same with the third, which is set to hit theatres this December. If Pitch Perfect 3 ends up being like its predecessors, you can expect it added to the tie.
#4. Finding Nemo (2003)
Another movie to make both of my lists is Finding Nemo. This is, surprisingly, the first Pixar movie to make the list. I was expecting this list to be filled with Pixar movies, but there are only two (foreshadowing!). Either way, I still adore the movies created by the Pixar Animation Studio. I'm not going to say I love every single movie they've made, but the good ones are awe-inspiring. They've set the bar high for kids' movies. Pixar's trademark is gorgeous animation, imaginative plots, funny characters, and above all else: making even the most uptight of adults ugly-cry in the theatres. Finding Nemo has all of those elements and more. It's one of Pixar's most iconic movies for a reason: it's incredible. It's so good that I really can't think of much to say about it other than just stating that it's amazing over and over again. I actually don't have much to add to it from the first list. The animation is stunning and it's probably Pixar's best, animation-wise. I love the bright colors and beautiful imagery of the ocean. The characters are all great, especially Dory, played by Ellen DeGeneres. Ellen is one of my favorite celebrities and Dory is a huge reason why. Finding Nemo is just a fun movie to watch. It's like comfort food. No matter how many times I've seen it, it never gets old. As great as it is, however, it's not my favorite Pixar movie. Do you want to know what is?
#3. Inside Out (2015)
I'm not sure how popular of an opinion this is, but this is hands-down my favorite Pixar movie. It had been four years since Toy Story 3 and Pixar had struggled to make something that was undeniably great. Inside Out was a welcome return to form for them. This has one of the most creative plots I've seen from any movie. It tells the story of a young girl named Riley and the five emotions who live in her head and control her: Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear, and Disgust. My personal favorite is Joy because I see a lot of myself in her. I saw this movie in theatres and I instantly fell in love with the world the animators created. This movie definitely came out at the right time in my life. It's surprisingly high-concept for a kids' movie, and I don't think I would've been able to appreciate it if I were younger. The main reason why this movie is so high up on my list is because of the message it has. It's about how it's okay to be sad, and it's presented in such a powerful way. We watched this in band in eighth grade and even though I had seen it before, the last twenty minutes or so really hit me emotionally. One thing that some people know about me is that I rarely cry at sad books, movies, or songs, but I was almost in tears by the end of Inside Out. The way I see it, if you can get me to that point, you're doing something absolutely right.
#2. Lemonade Mouth (2011)
Yes, I have a Disney Channel Original Movie ahead of many Disney and Pixar classics on my list. This is seriously happening. Don't judge me. Like I said with High School Musical, this is on the list purely because it makes me happy. I can think of tons of movies that are better Lemonade Mouth from an objective standpoint. However, there are very, very few movies that can make me smile faster. It's the story of five outcasts who are brought together through unlikely circumstances, start a band, and change the world. The message of this movie is to stand up for yourself because everyone deserves the chance to be heard. It's an important message, and the themes are still relevant five years later. It's also legitimately good for a Disney Channel movie. Unlike a lot of Disney Channel shows and movies, the acting isn't cheesy or overdone. The characters are all likable and even inspiring. You root for them throughout the entire movie, even when times get tough. The music is also surprisingly decent. It's a Disney musical, but it's not as cheesy as something like High School Musical (which I still love, of course), and the songs are surprisingly solid for Disney-pop. The final song "Breakthrough" is a jam. I loved this movie when I was a tween in my Disney Channel phase, and I still unironically love it now.
Before we get to #1, here are some honorable mentions, movies that I love but not as much as the 10 on my list. I'll keep these as short as possible.
The Little Mermaid (1989)
I know the morals for this one are pretty dated, but it's such a classic and the soundtrack is great. "Kiss The Girl" and especially "Part of Your World" are two of my all-time favorite Disney songs.
The Sandlot (1993)
One of the few sports movies I like. I've never actually sat down and watched it in its entirety, but I've seen pretty much the entire movie in bits and pieces. It's hilarious and very quotable. My brother even owns a shirt that says "You're killing me, Smalls!" on it.
Moana (2016)
This movie was pretty good, but not one of my absolute favorites...except for the animation. The only reason why I'm mentioning it is because it has the best animation I've ever seen in a movie. It is GORGEOUS to look at.
The Fault In Our Stars (2014)
A great adaptation of one of my all-time favorite books. Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort are perfect as Hazel and Augustus and they have so much chemistry together. I highly recommend it- just keep the tissues handy. It's a total tearjerker.
Thunderstruck (2012)
This movie is actually pretty terrible. The only reason why I'm mentioning it is because I have amazing memories with it. We watched it in my fifth-grade class (as requested by this one guy in my class who was a big Kevin Durant fanboy), and the entire class got so excited during the climax. It was awesome. There's also this one part where KD is making a commercial and there's this song that goes "Brand new shoes, fresh as can be, I'ma hit the court in my new KDs" or something. I sing that all the time.
Mulan (1998)
One of the first Disney movies to show that women don't need men to save them. Mulan is one of my favorite Disney characters because of how independent and fierce she is. Plus "I'll Make A Man Out Of You" is my personal favorite Disney song of all time even if it is slightly sexist. It's just awesome.
Shrek (2001)
It's easily my favorite DreamWorks movie and I consider it a modern classic. It's a clever subversion of the Disney tropes. Plus it's a meme.
The Lego Movie (2014)
I expected this movie to be absolute garbage but it turned out to be really good. It's imaginative and very clever, and I feel like anybody can enjoy it.
Monsters, Inc. (2001)
This would have made the list but I feel like I've seen it one too many times. It's still one of the defining movies of my childhood and a great movie in general. Let's call this #11. Now let's go to #1!
#1. Tangled (2010)
I don't know if words can properly explain just how much I love this movie. It's yet another movie I saw in theatres, and honestly I wasn't expecting that much. I wasn't really into Disney when it came out, so I wasn't expecting to like it. My parents then surprised me by taking me and my brother to see it, and it blew me away. It is perfection. This is one of those movies where you can tell that everyone involved put so much love and passion into it, trying to make it the best it could be. Every individual element is great, and they all combine into a masterpiece. Rapunzel and Flynn are two of the strongest characters Disney has created. Rapunzel is supremely likable and just puts a smile on my face, and Flynn is one of the few Disney princes to actually have a personality and lots of character development (plus he's the hottest animated character ever in my opinion). The plot is the Rapunzel story, except even more magical. Like most of the movies on this list, there's also some really funny moments. My personal favorite is the scene where Flynn fights Maximus the horse with a frying pan. That scene has always made me laugh. As is to be expected from Disney, the animation is exquisite. It holds the record for the most expensive animated film ever, mostly because of how much it took to animate Rapunzel's hair, and that money was well-spent because it turned out amazing. The soundtrack is also downright incredible, with "I See The Light" being one of the most beautiful songs I've heard in general. How that song didn't win an Oscar for Best Original Song is beyond me. Tangled is a movie I can watch a million times and still not get sick of. It holds up remarkably well no matter how many times I watch it. I'm pretty sure one of my friends (who was Banana_Elephant on the Brick Wall) watched it once every day for a long time and still isn't sick of it. I'm not going to say it will always be #1 because I might see something I love more in the future, but as of right now, I'm always going to love Tangled.
If you made it all the way through, good job! I sincerely appreciate you for doing so. I worked really hard on it and I'm so proud of how it turned out. As for my next post, I have a general idea of what it's going to be, but I'm not sure how to explain it. I'm Stellar in Neverland, signing out!
Stellar
#10. The Lego Movie
#9. Wreck-It Ralph
#8. The Lion King
#7. The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
#6. Beauty and the Beast
#5. Despicable Me 2
#4. Monsters Inc.
#3. Tangled
#2. Finding Nemo
#1. Pitch Perfect
I'm honestly not too proud of that post in hindsight, and a big part of the reason why this blog exists is because I want to remake it. That's partially because of the choices (Some of these movies are going to appear on this list, but others I just don't like as much anymore), but mostly because I don't like how I explained my opinions in that post. It was so fill-in-the-blank. "The acting is ________. I love the _________. The plot is _________. The movie is overall ________." That's how every entry feels like, and that's not a good explanation of why I love those movies. This post is different, because I'm going to explain what each movie means to me personally. I want this to feel more like an emotional commentary on movies that changed my life, instead of a Mad Libs that barely praises the movies in question.
Now that that's out of the way, I'd like to remind all of you that this is not an objective list of the greatest movies of all time. If it was, the title would be "The Best Movies of All Time." This is merely a list of my favorites, and is therefore entirely subjective. I can guarantee that you won't agree with at least one of the movies listed here, and that's okay! That's your opinion! These are mine, and I'm not asking you to agree, I'm just asking you to respect it like I'll respect yours. Now I've done enough stalling, let's get on with the list!
#10. The Outsiders (1983)
One post I've considered writing (but probably won't for various reasons) is my Top Ten Favorite Books. I bring this up because, if I were to make that list, my #1 would be S.E. Hinton's The Outsiders. I read it for English class in eighth grade, not expecting much, to be honest. I then read the book, saw the movie, and fell in love. As is to be expected with book-to-movie adaptations, the book is better, but the movie is still amazing. It's probably one of, if not the most accurate adaptations I've ever seen. There aren't any huge differences between the book and the movie, and you can tell everybody involved worked hard to make it as faithful of an adaptation as possible. Every character is cast perfectly, with some of the biggest actors of the 80's (such as Rob Lowe and Tom Cruise) in starring roles. The story is pretty much the same as it is in the book. It's about a group of greasers who are rivals with the wealthy kids in town, known as the Socs. One of the things that turned me off initially was that my teachers made it sound like The Outsiders was a really cheesy story about how hard it is to be an outsider, but that's not what it is. The main reason why I love this story so much is because of the greasers' friendship. Above all else, this is a story about friendship and having your friends' backs even when the times get tough. You really get to see how close the greasers are and you consistently find yourself rooting for them to beat the Socs. Overall, The Outsiders is a fantastic movie. The only reason why it's not higher is because I've only seen it once and I've seen the other movies on the list more times than I can count.
#9. Beauty and the Beast (1991)
This is the first movie from my previous list to make this one as well, and it won't be the last. Although it was at a higher ranking in my previous list, I still adore everything about this movie. I've always been a huge fan of Disney's animated movies, and this is one of the best ever. Starting with The Little Mermaid in 1989 and lasting throughout the 90's was a period known as the Disney Renaissance, where everything Disney touched turned to gold. Beauty and the Beast is up there with The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, and The Lion King as one of the most iconic and beloved movies from that era, and it's definitely my favorite of the bunch. This is a movie I have loved for pretty much my entire life, and I will continue to love it. Belle is one of my favorite Disney princesses. When I was little, I saw her as a hero, and I still admire her independent spirit and book smarts. All of the characters are great and likable in their own ways (except for maybe Gaston, but that's expected since he's the villain). It's a classic story that will continue to hold up for future generations (as proven by the success of the 2017 live-action remake, which is fine, but nowhere near as good as the original). This movie taught me that appearances don't matter because it's what's on the inside that counts, which is a great message. While everything about it is great, my favorite element has always been the music. Every song in this movie is amazing and a classic, from "Be Our Guest" to "Gaston" (which is probably my favorite Disney villain song) to my personal favorite, the opening "Belle". To wrap things up, this was the first animated movie to be nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars for a reason. A true classic.
#8. High School Musical 2 (2007)
As we continue in this ranking, I'd like to remind you all of what I said in the intro. This is a list of my FAVORITE movies, not the objective BEST ones. If I were making the latter list, this would absolutely not make it. However, it wouldn't feel right for me to make a list of my favorite movies and not mention the High School Musical series at some point. These movies defined my childhood and have a lot of sentimental value to me, and I still admittedly really enjoy them. It's not even in a guilty pleasure way, because I don't feel bad about loving them. It's more that I'm well aware of their flaws (and how cheesy they are), but I still adore them. In fact, I think the cheesiness makes me love them even more. The second movie in the series has always been my favorite. In this movie, we see the Wildcats spending the summer at mean-girl Sharpay's country club and dealing with the struggles of being teenagers there. There's a lot of melodrama but it's still fun to watch. I make sure to watch this one as soon as school lets out for summer. My favorite character has always been Troy, played by Zac Efron. I'm not ashamed to admit it, Zac Efron is my celebrity crush, and has been for a decade. He gets to sing the best song in the entire series, "Bet On It", which...okay, I'm not gonna lie. "Bet On It" is why this movie is on the list. It's just so awesome and powerful and I love it so much. I sing it all the time when I'm home alone. There are some other excellent songs on the soundtrack, like "What Time Is It", "Fabulous" (which is so cheesy and over-the-top you can't help but love it), and "I Don't Dance". To sum it up, I love High School Musical and I'm not afraid to admit it.
#7. The Princess Bride (1987)
One day during over Christmas break a few years ago, my dad decided to show this movie to my younger brother and I, declaring it as one of his all-time favorites. At first, our response was, "But that sounds like a girly movie!" Then we watched it, and here we are now. The plot is a twist on the standard fairytale, but it's way funnier. The screenplay in this movie is absolutely genius. I don't think I have ever seen a movie as quotable as this one. There are so many gems here, as documented by this article, and they're all absolutely hilarious (in case you were wondering, my personal favorite is #19). I love the framing of the movie as well. Basically, it's a grandfather reading the story to his sick grandson, but we get to see the fantasy realm of the book. I love the grandson's interjections ("Do we have to read the kissing parts?"). The main thing I love about this movie is how literally anybody can enjoy it. Despite the girly-sounding title, there is something for everyone, no matter what kind of movie you're into. Do you like comedies? See my previous comments about the screenplay and how hilarious it is. Do you like romance? There's a pretty solid love story. Action? You bet. Fantasy? Of course there's fantasy, it's called The Princess Bride, after all. I believe the only people who don't like this movie are the ones who haven't seen it. Check it out if you haven't.
#6. Big Hero 6 (2014)
Yes, putting Big Hero 6 at #6 on my ranking was completely intentional, and no, I will not apologize for it. Anyways, Big Hero 6 is an absolutely incredible movie that I actually feel pretty bad for. For those who don't follow Disney and don't know, this was their first film after the smash hit Frozen. Now, any movie that has to follow a phenomenon like that has some hard work to do, but Big Hero 6 surprised me by being (controversial opinion alert) better than Frozen. However, while Big Hero 6 was not by any means a failure, its success was still eclipsed by Frozen's. I mean, go to the toys section of your friendly neighborhood Target (or Target.com) and tell me which you find more of: A.) Anna and Elsa toys, or B.) Baymax toys? The correct answer is almost always A, even though Frozen came out a year earlier. See what I mean? OK, besides me feeling bad for it, why else do I love this movie? Like I said with The Princess Bride, this is a movie anyone can enjoy. There's action, comedy, sci-fi, and the genuinely touching moments we've come to expect from Disney. The heart of Big Hero 6 lies in the bond between its two protagonists, boy genius Hiro Hamada and his inflatable robot best friend Baymax. Despite one of them being a robot and unable to feel emotion, you still can feel the bond between the two. The last fifteen minutes or so are proof of this. The other characters, while not as developed as the two protagonists, are still incredibly likable and interesting. I'm a sucker for movies about the importance of friendships, and this one definitely fits the bill. I also love this movie's willingness to tackle issues that most kids movies don't, like grief. This is a movie I've loved ever since I first saw it and will continue to love, and it's one of my all-time favorite animated movies.
#5. (Tie!) Pitch Perfect (2012) and Pitch Perfect 2 (2015)
I normally don't like making ties, but I genuinely couldn't decide which movie in this series I prefer. The original Pitch Perfect was actually #1 on my previous list, and while I found a few movies I love even more, I still love it. The movies center around an all-female college acapella group called the Barden Bellas, and the main reason why they work so well is because of their dynamics as a group. Every one of the Bellas is likable, and they all have their fair share of great one-liners. This is another comedy I would describe as extremely quotable. And it's not just the Bellas, literally every character in this series has some amazing moments. From the first movie, my favorite quote is "You guys are gonna get pitch-slapped so hard, your man boobs are gonna concave" and my favorite from the second is "Your sweat smells like cinnamon." You'll have to actually watch the movies to see them in context. Another thing I love about this movie is the elements of music in it. I've said it many times: I'm a music nerd. It's my love and passion. A comedy that also happens to be about music and girl power is simply too good to be true, but here we are. There are some amazing acapella mashups on the soundtrack, and the cast members are actually pretty good singers. I love the Riff-Off scenes, which are just awesome. Here is the one from the first movie, and here is the one in the second. I associate these movies with my mom, who loves them just as much as I do. We've seen both many times together, and we even went to see the second on opening day. We'll probably do the same with the third, which is set to hit theatres this December. If Pitch Perfect 3 ends up being like its predecessors, you can expect it added to the tie.
#4. Finding Nemo (2003)
Another movie to make both of my lists is Finding Nemo. This is, surprisingly, the first Pixar movie to make the list. I was expecting this list to be filled with Pixar movies, but there are only two (foreshadowing!). Either way, I still adore the movies created by the Pixar Animation Studio. I'm not going to say I love every single movie they've made, but the good ones are awe-inspiring. They've set the bar high for kids' movies. Pixar's trademark is gorgeous animation, imaginative plots, funny characters, and above all else: making even the most uptight of adults ugly-cry in the theatres. Finding Nemo has all of those elements and more. It's one of Pixar's most iconic movies for a reason: it's incredible. It's so good that I really can't think of much to say about it other than just stating that it's amazing over and over again. I actually don't have much to add to it from the first list. The animation is stunning and it's probably Pixar's best, animation-wise. I love the bright colors and beautiful imagery of the ocean. The characters are all great, especially Dory, played by Ellen DeGeneres. Ellen is one of my favorite celebrities and Dory is a huge reason why. Finding Nemo is just a fun movie to watch. It's like comfort food. No matter how many times I've seen it, it never gets old. As great as it is, however, it's not my favorite Pixar movie. Do you want to know what is?
#3. Inside Out (2015)
I'm not sure how popular of an opinion this is, but this is hands-down my favorite Pixar movie. It had been four years since Toy Story 3 and Pixar had struggled to make something that was undeniably great. Inside Out was a welcome return to form for them. This has one of the most creative plots I've seen from any movie. It tells the story of a young girl named Riley and the five emotions who live in her head and control her: Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear, and Disgust. My personal favorite is Joy because I see a lot of myself in her. I saw this movie in theatres and I instantly fell in love with the world the animators created. This movie definitely came out at the right time in my life. It's surprisingly high-concept for a kids' movie, and I don't think I would've been able to appreciate it if I were younger. The main reason why this movie is so high up on my list is because of the message it has. It's about how it's okay to be sad, and it's presented in such a powerful way. We watched this in band in eighth grade and even though I had seen it before, the last twenty minutes or so really hit me emotionally. One thing that some people know about me is that I rarely cry at sad books, movies, or songs, but I was almost in tears by the end of Inside Out. The way I see it, if you can get me to that point, you're doing something absolutely right.
#2. Lemonade Mouth (2011)
Yes, I have a Disney Channel Original Movie ahead of many Disney and Pixar classics on my list. This is seriously happening. Don't judge me. Like I said with High School Musical, this is on the list purely because it makes me happy. I can think of tons of movies that are better Lemonade Mouth from an objective standpoint. However, there are very, very few movies that can make me smile faster. It's the story of five outcasts who are brought together through unlikely circumstances, start a band, and change the world. The message of this movie is to stand up for yourself because everyone deserves the chance to be heard. It's an important message, and the themes are still relevant five years later. It's also legitimately good for a Disney Channel movie. Unlike a lot of Disney Channel shows and movies, the acting isn't cheesy or overdone. The characters are all likable and even inspiring. You root for them throughout the entire movie, even when times get tough. The music is also surprisingly decent. It's a Disney musical, but it's not as cheesy as something like High School Musical (which I still love, of course), and the songs are surprisingly solid for Disney-pop. The final song "Breakthrough" is a jam. I loved this movie when I was a tween in my Disney Channel phase, and I still unironically love it now.
Before we get to #1, here are some honorable mentions, movies that I love but not as much as the 10 on my list. I'll keep these as short as possible.
The Little Mermaid (1989)
I know the morals for this one are pretty dated, but it's such a classic and the soundtrack is great. "Kiss The Girl" and especially "Part of Your World" are two of my all-time favorite Disney songs.
The Sandlot (1993)
One of the few sports movies I like. I've never actually sat down and watched it in its entirety, but I've seen pretty much the entire movie in bits and pieces. It's hilarious and very quotable. My brother even owns a shirt that says "You're killing me, Smalls!" on it.
Moana (2016)
This movie was pretty good, but not one of my absolute favorites...except for the animation. The only reason why I'm mentioning it is because it has the best animation I've ever seen in a movie. It is GORGEOUS to look at.
The Fault In Our Stars (2014)
A great adaptation of one of my all-time favorite books. Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort are perfect as Hazel and Augustus and they have so much chemistry together. I highly recommend it- just keep the tissues handy. It's a total tearjerker.
Thunderstruck (2012)
This movie is actually pretty terrible. The only reason why I'm mentioning it is because I have amazing memories with it. We watched it in my fifth-grade class (as requested by this one guy in my class who was a big Kevin Durant fanboy), and the entire class got so excited during the climax. It was awesome. There's also this one part where KD is making a commercial and there's this song that goes "Brand new shoes, fresh as can be, I'ma hit the court in my new KDs" or something. I sing that all the time.
Mulan (1998)
One of the first Disney movies to show that women don't need men to save them. Mulan is one of my favorite Disney characters because of how independent and fierce she is. Plus "I'll Make A Man Out Of You" is my personal favorite Disney song of all time even if it is slightly sexist. It's just awesome.
Shrek (2001)
It's easily my favorite DreamWorks movie and I consider it a modern classic. It's a clever subversion of the Disney tropes. Plus it's a meme.
The Lego Movie (2014)
I expected this movie to be absolute garbage but it turned out to be really good. It's imaginative and very clever, and I feel like anybody can enjoy it.
Monsters, Inc. (2001)
This would have made the list but I feel like I've seen it one too many times. It's still one of the defining movies of my childhood and a great movie in general. Let's call this #11. Now let's go to #1!
#1. Tangled (2010)
I don't know if words can properly explain just how much I love this movie. It's yet another movie I saw in theatres, and honestly I wasn't expecting that much. I wasn't really into Disney when it came out, so I wasn't expecting to like it. My parents then surprised me by taking me and my brother to see it, and it blew me away. It is perfection. This is one of those movies where you can tell that everyone involved put so much love and passion into it, trying to make it the best it could be. Every individual element is great, and they all combine into a masterpiece. Rapunzel and Flynn are two of the strongest characters Disney has created. Rapunzel is supremely likable and just puts a smile on my face, and Flynn is one of the few Disney princes to actually have a personality and lots of character development (plus he's the hottest animated character ever in my opinion). The plot is the Rapunzel story, except even more magical. Like most of the movies on this list, there's also some really funny moments. My personal favorite is the scene where Flynn fights Maximus the horse with a frying pan. That scene has always made me laugh. As is to be expected from Disney, the animation is exquisite. It holds the record for the most expensive animated film ever, mostly because of how much it took to animate Rapunzel's hair, and that money was well-spent because it turned out amazing. The soundtrack is also downright incredible, with "I See The Light" being one of the most beautiful songs I've heard in general. How that song didn't win an Oscar for Best Original Song is beyond me. Tangled is a movie I can watch a million times and still not get sick of. It holds up remarkably well no matter how many times I watch it. I'm pretty sure one of my friends (who was Banana_Elephant on the Brick Wall) watched it once every day for a long time and still isn't sick of it. I'm not going to say it will always be #1 because I might see something I love more in the future, but as of right now, I'm always going to love Tangled.
If you made it all the way through, good job! I sincerely appreciate you for doing so. I worked really hard on it and I'm so proud of how it turned out. As for my next post, I have a general idea of what it's going to be, but I'm not sure how to explain it. I'm Stellar in Neverland, signing out!
Stellar
