My Letterboxd Four Favorites
General Reviews
I consume plenty of media. Too much, frankly. My consumption isn't nearly where it should be proportionally to my creative output, and I'm trying to fix it I promise. One clever way I've found to balance the two, is to simply combine them. So today instead of just scrolling absentmindedly, I want to share my Letterboxd four favorites, and some more fleshed-out explanations and personal connections to each inclusion.
A foreword: I'm new to the app, and have not logged many films. In fact, one of the only reasons I decided to finally dust off my account and begin exercising my critical liberties was because of Four Favorites. That consumption problem I mentioned, well it's got just about everything to do with my interest in filmmaking, behind-the-scenes clips, press junket interviews, and the plethora of fantastic creators who fill the space with content. Amongst those accounts - at the very top of the list- promoted to me by my algorithm is Letterboxd. An internet obsession which I'm sure you're all familiar with, Four Favorites is an incredible study into the quiet and shared pervasiveness films hold in all out lives.
For those who've never seen it, this series includes interviews with actors, directors, creators, A-listers, random folks on sidewalks, and everyone in between, asking all of them a simple question: “What are your four favorite movies?”. No matter the person in front of the camera, they all share the same reaction filled with exasperation. That type of question should remain sacred and theoretical, it's like asking someone why they exist - a seemingly impossible idea to tackle. Yet despite the unfairness of this question, excitement soon replaces helpless expressions and everyone quickly finds their gear. What never fails to amuse me is the unique depth and perception garnered from any one answer. There are films that appear on countless installments of Four Favorites, and yet I've never heard the same reason twice.
None of mine are niche, none are cornerstones of cinema or silent-era films that I believe set the foundation for the latter stages of filmmaking through striking camera movements. They're not encyclopedia picks because that's just not the consumer I've been. Perhaps I should focus more on becoming a student of the craft and understanding it's roots, but that's for another list, not this one.
This is hardly the first time I've thought about my answers, so they came to me without much deliberation. A reminder that this is just a stream of consciousness, and effectively the first things that came to mind when I thought of each title. I'd also like to mention that I've chosen to exclude the LOTR Trilogy - I know I could include the three films as one pick, but it would feel wrong. That being said, they are incredibly special movies to me becoming a yearly tradition in my family. A perfect trifecta and one of the greatest achievements in fiction and storytelling. That's it I'm done, enough yapping, let's go:
#1 The Grand Budapest Hotel
My perfect blend of quip, color, and quotable genius. Wes Anderson's masterpiece and one of the first movies I remember seeing as a fertile teenager that just engulfed me. From the unforgettable composition to an ensemble cast that shares the wealth so gracefully, this world's action and oddities just all deserve their own little stories. The way it's shot, narrated, edited, and paced...it scratches a brain itch of mine every time I see it.
#2 Pulp Fiction
It's liberating to willingly express your admiration for a film through a personal connection and importance, shielded from the uncouth temperament of those who deem your choices as "basic" and "overrated". Has Pulp Fiction aged perfectly? No. Does the declining respect and presence of its writer and director hurt its legacy? perhaps. But it will always be a mainstay of influence for me, and there is no other movie I can remember bonding me to the idea of filmmaking more than it.
In most parent's eyes, I was way too young to be watching such a film...but being as though it was and still is one of my dad's favourite movies, exceptions were made. He would often remind me of my privileges having all forms of entertainment at my disposal, film included. But on this fateful night, he told me a story instead.
It was 1994, and he was 20 years old. It had been half a decade since the fall of the Communist regime in Bulgaria in 1989, and it could not have come at a better time. The 90s saw an abundance of classics stream in from the vast and marvellous western world - something previously inconceivable under the monopolistic powers of communism. Pulp Fiction was not an anticipated feature, but as my dad recounts, he and some friends: “took a chance that night”. What he went on to describe was a revelation. He said he came out of the theatre in pure shock. Never in his life could he have imagined that there were places and people in this world, similar to what he had witnessed. Of course, a ubiquity of great films at that age had desensitized me, but I still felt its charm.
My father's love for this film grew from a place of pure awe and curiosity about a world that was so very real, yet to him, unimaginable. In other words, it all had to do with the life he'd lived up to that point and how it contrasted with it.
For me - having a vastly different upbringing than his, and an immediate exposure to cinema - my love stemmed from what it proved to me about the art of all this. That despite being a woven story with multiple narratives, the ingredients are simple and apparent. Oh, and most importantly, it didn't have to feel like a movie all the time. The breakfast scene where Jules and Vincent talk about eating pork is one of my favourite of all time. On the outside, it's thoroughly unremarkable, but I laugh every time, and every time it reminds me that writing something as culturally significant as Pulp Motherflipping Fiction doesn't have to be so serious.
Because people love it for their own little reasons...or they don't, and that's ok too.
#3 Ocean's Eleven
If there's anything I could hope for as I grow older, it's that I become even a fraction as suave as everyone in this film (and still make a living lawfully).
My ultimate comfort movie. There are "better" crime capers, theft movies, guys' guys movies, but they'll never be another ensemble like Danny and his crew. I could have chosen the second - perhaps not the third - but an original is always the safe choice. If it's on, I'll tune in; if I'm alone, I'll watch it; if I'm with my family or friends, I'll try my utmost best to sell it to them; if I'm at a dinner party and the cousins downstairs have got it running, you know where to find me. There is no "wrong occasion" or "I'm just not feeling that". I would even sit alone at home, actively reciting Rusty's lines along with Brad Pitt as the subtitles appeared on the screen.
But enough self-disclosure; I think you get the point. It's wonderfully paced and edited; despite being loaded with superstars, no ego or semblance of messy competition seems to creep in, as they share the wealth of each scene. It's practically an all-star game, where no one is looking to score the most points but rather to do what they're best at and collectively entertain. Sharp and witty dialogue, with a soundtrack that stands as one of the film's zeniths, and quickly you realize it's the easiest film you'll ever watch.
There's not much more that needs to be said. Coolness is not a forced act. And if it needs to be explained, you've already lost the allure. They may be con men, but Danny Ocean and his guys are effortlessly charismatic, without needing any masks or deception to convince you. I don't always have to commit myself to a viewing experience; sometimes I want to turn off my brain and harness every ounce of finesse and style of a film while beating George Clooney to his own line as I grin like a fool. Now that's a real cinematic transportation.
#4 Cars
The last of my Four Favorites, but the first that comes to mind. I don't think any of my picks make me much different than the general population, and this one least of all. But the way I see it is - like an entire generation of younglings - this film defined my childhood.
I'm writing this having not seen Cars in over a decade, and even though it might come as a token pick, I could never leave it behind. I'm no car guy now; I wasn't one back then, but it didn't matter. Lightning, Mater, Doc- all these characters engulfed me, and a story centered around sentient automobiles turned into a great lesson about humility and a true example of the hero's journey. I suppose that's not what I was focused on at the age of 5, but I can confidently say that for both my brain development and overall disposition, I'm glad to have grown up with a classic like this rather than the media options for children today.
It's a sentimental and juvenile choice, but that's what Four Favorites is all about. The films picked by the heart and soul, rather than mind and ego. The ones that grew up with you and transcended the screen to become real-life heroes. I've had Lightning McQueen birthday cakes and clothing. My parents love to remind me, there was a time when my ability to watch Cars exceeded my ability to communicate, so to get what I wanted- sorry, what I needed- one simple sound was used: Vroom. They could understand my meaning every time.
Thanks for reading, and if you've got any grievances with my picks make sure to go make your own and see how hard it is. If not, perhaps you'd like to connect with me on Letterboxd at https://letterboxd.com/vpv00/. You can check out some of my lack-luster and sparse reviews :)
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