Movie Answers...Part One

I was just going to list the movies which corresponded to the quotations I posted, but then I began to feel the need to justify my list of favorites. Call me crazy or insecure. Therefore, I'm including the movie title as well as the reasoning behind why the movie is one of my favorites. Since I can get a little wordy at times, I decided to split this post into two so my readers don't become too overwhelmed when they see an extraordinarily long post. Here is part one:

1. Better Off Dead. This is quite possibly the funniest movie of all time. Please watch it. The film has so many memorable lines- such as "Man, it's a real shame when people be throwin' away a perfectly good white boy like that." and "Do you realize the street value of this mountaintop? It's pure snow!"- that I promise you will begin quoting the movie on a regular basis. You'll also find yourself randomly thinking about a particular scene and then begin laughing out loud. Of course, you then have to explain to your coworker while you're in your office alone and laughing...

2. Gettysburg. Okay, I admit it. We all knew already anyway. I'm a pretty big dork. I love history; it utterly and completely fascinates me (some eras more than others). This movie was based on the phenomenal book, The Killer Angels, which recounted the Battle of Gettysburg through different viewpoints of several of the key players. I loved this book and movie so much that I wrote my research paper my sophomore year of high school on Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, who is credited with the quotation I posted. If you're wondering, he pretty much saved the battle for the Union Army, and therefore also pretty much saved the war. If he and his men hadn't successfully defended that flank, we could all be living in a different country right now. Seriously. Look him up. But, honestly, his best line in the movie is... "BAYONETS!!!!!" Love it. I can watch that scene on repeat for hours. Like I said, I'm a dork.

3. The Man From Snowy River. Come on, man. Has anyone ever heard of A.B. "Banjo" Patterson? Don't you remember watching the opening ceremonies to the 2000 Olympics? Remember all the people who came riding into the Stadium with inspirational music playing over the speakers as the television commentators talked about a poem that is indelible to the Australian people? This movie was based on that poem written by Patterson. I admit, there are some super-cheese parts, but I grew up watching it, so there is a nostalgic element to it. Plus, it has awesome music. And if you do find yourself ever watching this movie, please know that the actor who played Jim rode the horse in that very climactic chase scene all by himself. For real, flying down the mountain wasn't a stunt. Go ahead. Let your jaws drop.

4. Pride and Prejudice (A&E Version). Sorry to Drew, but I still love Jane Austen. Yes, all of her books= amazing. This version of Pride and Prejudice is by far the best adaptation of any of her novels; the version with Kierra Knightly completely pales in comparison. Plus, this one has Colin Firth. I like Colin Firth (as you will see evidenced by the rest of my list). The character portrayal in this movie is spot on and everything so well done (scenery, costumes, music) that every time I watch it, I wish I lived in 19th-century England and was friends with Bingley and Mr. Bennett. I also find myself speaking like an Austen character...indeed.

5. Shakespeare in Love. I freely admit this is not a family movie. Please do not let your children watch it, and I would not recommend watching it with your parents, in-laws, etc due to the awkwardness factor (I bet if you watched it on television, most of the inappropriate scenes would be almost completely removed). However, the movie really is beautifully done and is actually rather hilarious! If you enjoy Shakespeare specifically, it's a fun movie to watch- you'll catch all the little nuances throughout the film and enjoy a little chuckle. This movie also has Colin Firth in it, but he is definitely not a likable character, so don't watch this film after you're fawned over him as Darcy in Pride & Prejudice because you will feel completely betrayed by him.

6. And the Band Played On. This is an original HBO film which chronicles the early stages of the AIDS pandemic, focusing on the efforts of the CDC and other international medical entities (namely the Pasteur Institute) to isolate the cause behind the mysterious illness that was spreading throughout the world so quickly. The movie is based on Randy Shilts' classic and incredibly well-researched book by the same title. This movie will anger you and inspire you simultaneously. The quotation is from a scene that gives me goosebumps every time I watch it. Made almost twenty years ago, this film appeared when HIV and AIDS was still considered pretty taboo. Kudos go out to HBO for having the courage to produce this film. And double kudos to HBO for getting so many wonderfully famous people to commit to cameo appearances, including Phil Collins, Alan Alda, Steve Martin, and Ian McKellan, among others.

I'll be posting part two of the movie answers soon! Does anyone want to hazard some guesses for movie numbers 7-13 since you've now seen the first half of my favorite movies?