My Top 10 Favorite Movies of All Time

In the 21 years I've been on this planet I've seen a lot of great movies. Some, not so much. There are a few that stand above the rest that I go back to time and time again. For me, a great movie has drama, adventure, and comedy laced throughout it. There are SO many movies that have those elements. However, there are ten movies in my mind that stand out above the rest. Some are the typical ones that every guy would pick. But, I have some on here that may surprise you and question me a little bit.

Whatever you take away from it, here are my top ten favorite movies of all time:

1. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)

Let me preface this by saying I have ABSOLUTELY no disrespect towards Raiders of the Lost Ark what so ever! I just happen to appreciate The Last Crusade a little bit more. Coming off one of the more darker movies in the trilogy, The Last Crusade went back to what Raiders did right. And that was to surround Indy with a support group and go off and foil any world domination plans the Nazis had. There's just one catch, his dad's involved in this adventure. Sean Connery, James Bond himself, does an incredible job of playing the stern father figure for Indiana Jones. While this may take away from the dramatic element commonly found in these movies, it gives it a more realistic rather than fantasy feel. Indy is on a mission to find the Holy Grail and get it before the Nazis do. With the help of his dad, who's been doing research his entire life on the Grail, and his friends Sallah and Marcus, Indy sets off on an adventure that'll change his life forever.

2. Back to the Future (1985)

If you had to name a movie from the 80's, I'd almost guarantee that most people would include Back to the Future in their list. But just because it came out in the 80's doesn't mean it isn't relevant today. Marty McFly (Michael J Fox) is your typical rebellious high schooler that's in a band and doesn't respond well to authority. It's through this that this movie is more relatable to people who are watching it. One night, Marty is asked to help his friend Doctor Emmitt Brown with a science experiment. Little does he know he made a time machine out of a car. When things suddenly head south, Marty is forced to take the car and is transported to 1955. Now, Marty has to find the younger Doc Brown to help him get back to 1985. After going back and watching this movie, I honestly can't think of anything wrong with it. It's just a fun movie to see any time you sit down to watch it. It also does a great job of keeping events right in the timeline when dealing with time travel.

3. The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (1966)

This movie is absolutely everything right about a western. The 60's were a time when everyone wanted to see and make movies about a gritty and lawless time in America. What differentiates this movie from typical Hollywood westerns is that it's a spaghetti western. These types of movies had actors that weren't exactly beautiful, outfits and locations that were more rugged and music that was more down beat and somber, giving it a more realistic feel to it. Clint Eastwood's character, Blondie, has a good thing going for him with a man named Tuco (Eli Wallach). The two of them go from town to town having Tuco turned over to the police and Blondie taking his reward money and shooting his rope before getting hanged. After a while, Blondie gets sick of their routine and leaves Tuco to fend for himself. The two eventually cross paths again when finding out there's $200,000 buried somewhere. They aren't met without opposition though from a man nick named Angel Eyes (Lee Van Cleef) comes into the picture. He's hunting down the man who originally had this money.

4. Shawshank Redemption (1994)

"Mr. Dufresne, if you please!" It's become mildly evident that my last name is incredibly hard to pronounce. So whenever someone asks it I just say, "It's like Andy Dufresne from Shawshank". After getting framed for killing his wife, Andy's sent up to a state penitentiary in Maine to serve a life sentence. This movie does a fantastic job showing Andy's progression as a character in his years there while meeting some of the other inmates. And while things seemed hopeless at first, they eventually turn around in a big way. Not to mention Morgan Freeman is in it and narrating, so that's a plus.

5. The Dark Knight (2008)

Comic book movies certainly aren't everyone's acquired taste when it comes to movies. This movie is the rare exception. You don't see any superheros in brightly colored outfits flying around and stopping crime. Here you have a more grounded and realistic character portrayed amazingly by Christian Bale. But I think most people recognize this movie for its excellence by Heath Ledgers portrayal of Joker. Just as Batman is getting ready to retire from the vigilante life, he's thrust back into it by Joker releasing chaos throughout Gotham City. Now he has to save millions of citizens along with his best friends Harvey, the District Attorney, and his love interest, Rachel.

6. Star Wars VI: Return of the Jedi (1983)

Hold up, there's gotta be a mistake here. Did I put Return on this list instead of Empire. You bet I did! I don't know what it is specifically about Return of the Jedi, but I've always had the thought in the back of my mind to watch this movie first if I had any down time. I think it does a great job of wrapping up the original trilogy. And while the Ewoks, a quick death of Boba Fett and a second Death Star bring it down, it's still an ENJOYABLE movie in the end. There's just so much going on that the movie could've ended with more questions than answers. From the side mission to rescue Han from Jabba the Hut to the Battle of Endor and the final lightsaber fight, this movie keeps you engaged from start to finish. Not to mention there's another bombshell that's been kept from Luke.

7. Inglorious Basterds (2009)

This was one of the first movies that introduced me to Quentin Tarantino as a director. After seeing a couple more of his works, I believe that this is still a top-tier work of his. In fact the more violent they are, the better. Brad Pitt is a commander of a group of American soldiers who've earned the nickname, "The Inglorious Basterds" from the Germans. The group has a plan to go and kill Hitler and a few other high ranking officers that'll be at a movie premiere about a Nazi sniper who killed 250 Allied soldiers in a single battle. There are moments when you think everything goes to plan then shit hits the fan. Not to mention it has one of THE BEST opening sequences in a movie with Christoph Waltz.

8. Singin' in the Rain (1952)

A musical?! Why the hell do you have a musical in your top ten Devin? I'll tell you why. This movie is absolutely amazing! Back when quarantine started, I made it my goal to finally watch this movie. I'd heard so many people talk about it before. And after it coming up in multiple discussions in my movie class at ISU, I knew I had to watch it. I will admit, I was a little adamant about watching it at first (seeing as how it was an older musical). Man was I wrong about that! This movie is something that's completely ahead of its time and doesn't get enough recognition. From the all the musical numbers to the acting and set pieces, this movie had me smiling the entire time. It also includes the process of Hollywood transitioning from silent films to "talkies" which is extremely interesting and funny.

9. The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)

If you're not familiar with Wes Anderson as a director, I highly recommend you Google him, immediately. When describing his filmography, you can't really place him in a specific category. In fact, I'd make the argument that his movies are their own genre. His use of color palette, prop-like set designs, and combination of drama and comedy make for things not commonly seen in movies. There's something charming about these movies that make them feel all the more enjoyable to watch. Ralph Fiennes is the owner of a hotel in Budapest during a time of war. A young man named Zero comes into his life and he shows him the ins and outs of being a lobby boy at his hotel. One day, a woman he was seeing dies in her home and Gustave is suspected of murdering her. With the help of Zero and some of his close friends, Gustave has to avoid the authorities, the crazy family this woman was a mother to and an assassin hired by her son and played by Willlem Dafoe. I'd also recommend watching The Fantastic Mr. Fox and Moonrise Kingdom if you haven't seen those movies yet.

10. Rear Window (1954)

Jimmy Stewart is one of my favorite actors from the classic movie era. And this film is the perfect example of his range as an actor. L.B. Jefferies is a photographer for a newspaper. After getting into a accident at a racetrack, L.B. has to rest up in his small uptown apartment with a broken leg. In order to keep himself entertained, he sits by his window all day looking in on the lives of everyone else at his apartment complex. One day across the courtyard, a neighbors wife suddenly disappears and L.B. believes her traveling salesman husband had something to do with it. He enlists the help of his nurse Stella (Thelma Ritter) and girlfriend (Grace Kelly) to try and get some evidence on this guy. What also makes this movie so great and interesting is the point of view it's told from. The entire movie is shot from inside L.B.'s apartment and through his window by the complexes courtyard.