Welcome to MovieJawn’s first ever Sound & Vision Poll, where our writers share why they love their 10 favorite movies of all time!

by Victoria Potenza, Staff Writer

Narrowing down the list for this piece was quite the challenge. I am a person whose tastes have changed much in the 30+ years I have been on this planet, so there are films from all periods of my life that mean something to me. Some of the movies on this list represent stories that have been precious to me since I was very young, and some are stories that have become important to me in very recent years. Some of these represent directors who have shaped me or plots that have changed the way I think and feel about film. Some evoke nostalgia from my past and others have set me on a trajectory for my future as a writer. This is a list that could look entirely different from day to day because so many movies have meant so much to me that this list is a sampling of some of the themes, genres, memories, and love that I have more movies. Some of the cuts I had to make were movies like Jackie Brown, Lady Snowblood, Face of Another, Rope, The Hitcher, Portrait of a Lady on Fire, and Mandy. You’re all important to me and I hope this list justifies some of the hard decisions I had to make.

The Handmaiden (dir. Park Chan-wook, 2016)

While I have not always been a fan of horror, I have been a fan of romantic movies. I used to rewatch Jane Austen period pieces constantly while I was younger. As my taste has changed I have found myself drawn to stranger tales of love and romance and through this I have begun to believe that Park Chan-wook makes some of the most romantic movies around. Thirst, Stoker, and Decision to Leave are all romantic, even when they are incredibly messed up or troubling. While his newest film, Decision to Leave, might find its way up into a list like this in years to come, The Handmaiden was the movie that really endeared me to his romantic sensibilities. While the film starts off as a con artist thriller, it blooms into a complex and loving story about two women who are stuck in the station that life has made for them, just waiting for something or someone to free them. Kim Min-hee and Kim Tae-ri have incredible chemistry, seeing their love begin as innocent flirtation to full blown passion is a thrilling experience. As I have moved away from most mainstream romances, I find these tales of love blooming in strange places between wicked characters to be a perfect blend. The Handmaiden perfectly showcases how well genre films do romance.

The Guest (dir. Adam Wingard, 2014)

The Guest is a perfect example of a time when I knew my tastes were changing, and it was clear one of my favorite actors, Dan Stevens, was also going through a metamorphosis in his career. I had long been a fan of Downton Abbey and the thought of one of the lead romantic stars leaving to star in an indie horror film was a little shocking. I was just getting into horror and I remember watching this home, alone, and being completely delighted. It would not be until a few years later that I realized how much Wingard’s style would affect me, but in the meantime, I watched The Guest over and over again. Stevens transforms himself into a Hollywood action hunk to play this chilling yet attractive villain. It also stars Maika Monroe who would soon become one of my favorite indie horror actors with her roles in It Follows and Greta. While I came for the shirtless Dan Stevens, I stayed for the neon lights and synth filled soundtrack. I then came back time and time again for the impeccable writing and consistent entertainment value. It was another pivotal moment for me as I became a horror fan and realized how funny, sexy, and strange the genre really could be.

Ex Machina (dir. Alex Garland, 2014)

When Ex Machina came out, I was assisting my old professor with a college course he was teaching on technology and society. I spent a lot of time watching movies and reading books about identity, technology, and what makes us human. Watching films like Her and Face of Another already had my wheels spinning and then I went and saw Ex Machina on the big screen with the person I was dating at the time. I was mesmerized by the performances from Alicia Vikander, Domhnall Gleeson, and Oscar Isaac. As these two men tried to determine if Ava would make a “believable” human, Ava worked to use her position to escape the prison she had been kept in. I remember energetically discussing the movie after the fact and how damning Isaac’s character was. This quickly turned into an argument in which I realized the person I was dating had some very problematic ideas. Ultimately the relationship did not last but the hold that Alex Garland had on me has. With Annihilation, Devs, and Men, I found a director who made thoughtful inquiries about the world through science fiction and horror themes. Every time I have watched this I have found new scenes and pieces of dialogue to grasp onto. Sometimes I find certain film, television, and directors who make my brain buzz and Garland is the perfect example of this. As I question technology, humanity, the future, and other philosophical conundrums, I am grateful for those filmmakers who work through these ideas on the screen to set my brain on fire.

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (dir. Peter Jackson, 2001)

When I was a kid, I coveted my dad’s beautiful collection of J.R.R. Tolkien books. When I was 10, he let me begin reading them and we found another thing besides Star Wars to bond over. Jackson’s adaptation of Fellowship came out when I was 11, and despite it being PG-13, my dad took me to see it without my younger sisters. It is still one of the most spellbinding movie experiences I can remember. Even after seeing it countless times, that feeling never truly wears off. While the entire trilogy is spectacular, Fellowship hit me the most. While I waited for The Two Towers to come out the next year (which felt like an eternity), I saw it 2 more times in theaters and spent hours on the internet reading the script, trying to learn elvish, and printing out pictures of the characters to add to my walls. It was the first thing I remember totally nerding out on, but also one of the first stories where I really had to confront characters I loved dying and facing impossible odds. I still cry from the moment Gandalf falls with the Balrog, to the end when Frodo saves Sam from drowning. The bonds of friendship and found family are still themes that really hit me when I watch movies now. And with the state of the world, sometimes I just need to watch good stand up and fight evil, even when it feels hopeless.

Thief (dir. Michael Mann, 1981)

I knew I needed to pick a Mann move for this list, but I was not sure which one. Ultimately I went with Thief because it was a movie I was so completely uninterested in watching and it ended up hypnotizing me from beginning to end. I did not grow up watching a ton of action movies, my parents usually shied away from it and wanted to avoid showing us much violence. I just never thought these movies that were advertised to and geared towards men were accessible to someone like me. Over the past few years, I have found a love for a lot of action movies, especially cheesy action, but Michael Mann has stuck with me.

Movies like Manhunter, Heat, and Thief revealed stories about broken men that did not necessarily glamorize the macho-masculine themes like I thought they would. I found protagonists that were broken, unable to connect with others, who wanted to obtain impossible dreams, and were often queercoded. In Thief, Caan is great at breaking into complex safes but wants to leave that life behind for “The American Dream”. He wants the wife, children, and the white picket fence. This movie, and many of his others, often show men who were built for a specific life but fight for the conventional often because its what they think they want, it represents a false sense of happiness. As I become older and often rail against the conventional societal norms set out for me I found comfort in these characters who grapple with the reality that the “American Dream” is often a myth.

Basic Instinct (dir. Paul Verhoeven, 1992)

I have grown to love the erotic thriller. Much of this has to do with the fact that I finally watched Basic Instinct a few years back and it quickly became one of my favorite films. It also launched my Women Who Kill column here at MovieJawn which I have found to be a great outlet for a lot of my rage and railing against societal norms and politics. I also got to discover the terrifying and alluring on screen presence that is Sharon Stone as Catherine Tramell. Verhoeven has long been a favorite director, mainly because so many people miss the humor and satire in his films. Having a violent-yet-cool woman against a sexist and damaged detective (Michael Douglas) was delightful from beginning to end. The experience is like watching a fly being told over and over again not to go into the spider’s web and he does it anyway. As I have grown and developed as a writer, I appreciate when I can truly see the moving pieces of a movie. I can see Verhoeven, Stone, Douglas, de Bont, Goldsmith, and Bottin’s DNA all over this. I can truly appreciate what a collaborative experience making a movie is. As a child of the 90s I always heard about movies like this but never knew anything about them, except for the pivotal moments they would dissect on shows like I Love the 90s. It is easy to see how these movies were treated like silly 90s thrillers but to see how much more is going on in Basic Instinct is an unforgettable experience.

The Godfather (dir. Francis Ford Coppola, 1972)

While many of my favorite films do not necessarily fit into the mold of the most highly regarded movies of all time, The Godfather needed to be in my list. One of my mom’s prized possessions was her huge VHS “Godfather Saga” collection, which cut all three movies in chronological order. Watching this together was a big event. My mom would cook a huge Italian dinner and we would watch the first two movies (because the 3rd did not exist according to her). We even designated different Corleone characters for each of us (I’m Tom). I love the Corleone family which is why the first one will always be my favorite. I love watching Michael hideout in the gorgeous Italian countryside. I love watching Sunny beat the shit out of his sister’s abusive husband. I love watching Don love his family. It feels warm and romantic and sometimes I let the theme song play in my head and carry me away. It was one of the few violent films I was allowed to watch when I was young because it was such an important movie for us all to watch together. It might be weird to describe a violent mob movie as the equivalent of a fluffy comforter, but that is how it has always felt to me. I can envelop myself in this gorgeous world, with characters I love despite their flaws, and drift off in peace.

American Psycho (dir. Mary Harron, 2000)

American Psycho was an early gateway horror movie for me. While I did not necessarily gravitate towards horror, I was fascinated by serial killers, and after seeing Batman Begins, I wanted to see all of Bale’s films. I remember when my dad let me rent this from Blockbuster and we watched it together in one of the most awkward father-daughter bonding experiences out there. I loved it from the first time I watched it and it became a favorite to show to my friends when we were hanging out. While my mom disliked it because it was too campy, that is exactly what I fell for. I loved that I could laugh as Patrick Bateman drove an ax into one of his business partners while listening to 80s pop. Now that I am older I can appreciate how essential it was to have a woman direct a movie like this. Mary Harron demystifies the serial killer and makes him a goofy yuppy who kills because he cannot get reservations at a restaurant. It plays fun at wall street/finance bro masculinity in a way that I loved long before I realized what a killjoy feminist I would become.

Videodrome (dir. David Cronenberg, 1983)

Are people tired of me talking about Cronenberg yet? Oh well I don’t care. Videodrome was another essential part of my movie journey. I discovered my love of body horror and found another director that I felt a kinship with. Movies like Re-animator made me realize how fun body horror could be but Videodrome was a philosophical journey for me. I felt that it questioned and deconstructed gender and sexuality in a way that made it more fluid for me. I also found that seeing bodily horrors on screen made me think more about my relationship with my fleshy vessel. Even now I find new ideas to take away from the movie. If Ex Machina helped me process ideas about technology and society this helped me think about how technology relates to our bodies and humanity. Seeing this also gave me the courage to pitch my Cronenberg on Sex and Gender series, which convinced me I had something to say in the horror and film community. Even after a recent, scary, medical procedure all I wanted to do was come home and pop on a Cronenberg movie because I know it always helps me process our ever changing bodies. Plus Debbie Harry shines in this role and Woods gets to showcase how good he is at being a misogynist sleaze bag.

The Thing (dir. John Carpenter, 1982)

When I think of the movie that truly made me a horror fan, I have to give credit to The Thing. I hated being scared for most of my life so I did not know how well this would sit with me. I remember how effective Carpenter is at setting up the pieces and letting an eerie sense of dread seep into the movie. Seeing these characters deal with the impending doom that has just entered into their camp, and working through the ever mounting paranoia as it becomes impossible to trust one another, was terrifying but also enjoyable. I could feel my own dread and anxieties melt away and I became consumed by the anxieties of the characters on the screen. Worrying about work or money fell away into the distance as I was consumed by the practical effects and scares of this movie. I could see why people enjoyed being scared for one of the first times in my life. Since then I was less and less afraid to seek out things that would scare me because I knew horror could be fun and weirdly gave me a therapeutic experience. It is funny that my last two entries are movies by renowned horror filmmakers but each of these movies were considered flops when they came out, disheartening both of them. It made me care less about critical opinions and I was able to seek out anything that interested me and see how it made me feel.