By This time of year always has me thinking about how great life is. Sure it’s not the best, but to breathe, eat, love, and squat every day is truly an invisible blessing. I also start thinking about how great movies are, and I’m thankful for just having them around. Even if a film comes out worse than you’d hope, it’s still a marvel that it came to fruition.
To celebrate the coming holiday, we here at Flixist decided to let you in on what we’re thankful for. Each of the films we’ll discuss over the next week have touched us in some way and we’re glad they exist.
Now in my case these aren’t the best films (and will definitely call my overall taste into question), but they’re some of my favorites. These are films I’ve watched over, and over again because I couldn’t imagine a life without them.
[Happy Flixgiving, everyone! We’ll be posting these leading up to the actual Thanksgiving. Click here to see all of the films that our writers are thankful for.]
Forrest Gump
Favorite Line: “I’m sorry I had a fight in the middle of your Black Panther party.”
Forrest Gump would be the textbook example of a “guilty pleasure,” but I’ve never once felt shame for loving this movie. It’s one of the rare tentpole films that hits all of the right beats: insanely quotable, well acted, uncomplicated narrative and appealing to a wide range of demographics. I will forever feel indebted to Forrest Gump for giving my friends and I endless quotes.
I even met a girl through Forrest Gump once. Back in college, all the seats in the library were taken up during finals. I was about to curl up on the floor when she opened a space on the couch for me saying “You can sit here if ya want.” I responded, “My name’s Forrest, Forrest Gump” and instantly fell in love. Dated her for three weeks.
Idiocracy
Favorite Line: “Welcome to Costco, I love you./She’s a pilot now.”
Idiocracy is definitely a pyramid scheme of a movie (You’ll tell two friends, and they’ll tell two friends, and they’ll tell two friends…), and I’m so thankful that scheme made its way to me. I’ve never heard of Idiocracy until one of my best friends, Travis, introduced me to it a few years back. He was a cool guy. Told me how he had discovered the film in the military (through another friend, of course) and they subsequently watched it five times in a row.
While under certain influences, he and I proceeded to watch it three times and it was better each time. It’s like you fall more in love with this film the better you know it. Concise, hilarious, and damn horrifying, Idiocracy is the Ow, My Balls of film.
The Little Mermaid
Favorite Line: “Sha la la la la la my oh my!”
The Little Mermaid is the best Disney animated movie, and I’ll fight you all to the death to defend it. It may not have the best messages, or the best main character, but damn it it’s gorgeous. The songs are the best, Ursula is based off of Divine (the best Drag performer), and did I mention the songs? Find me another Disney song about mutilating crabs, and I’ll concede. That’s right.
Just writing this makes me think of the music again. I don’t when, I don’t know how, but I know something’s starting right n- AH I DID IT AGAIN.
Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion
Favorite Line: “You know, even though I had to wear that stupid back brace and you were kind of fat, we were still totally cutting edge.”
Starring the criminally underrated Mira Sorvino and the always lovely Lisa Kudrow, Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion prepped me for high school way before I got there. I first saw this on VHS, and I was hooked instantly. The two women at the center are great, it’s full of biting dialogue delivered with finesse, and the final dance scene is full of that goofy fantasticness that pretty much defined my adolescence.
I’ve always wanted to perform the dance myself, but could never find someone to do it with. Will you be my dance partner?
Set it Off
Favorite Line: “We ain’t robbing stagecoaches, man. We need something to set it off with!”
This film is a remnant of my hood days. You folks don’t know this about me since I seem to be so damn nerdy (with my Top 40 Pop and cartoons), but I rolled with a crew in my youth. Haha, not really. I merely had protection because I helped out a guy’s grandma once, but that’s a story for another day. I clicked more with Set it Off than I have with any crime film. Whether its the blacksploitative tone, the awesome Lori Perry song “Up Against the Wind,” or all the grrl power, this movie just struck a chord with me.
It’s something I’ll watch every now and then to remind me just how good I have it. It’s like the perfect Flixgiving film.
Those are the films I’m thankful for! What are yours?