My Movie Alphabet: Pt. I

Hey there, readers! Hope you’re having a fantastic weekend! I sure am, what with participating in this awesome blogathon and all.

My Movie Alphabet was started by Mettel Ray and, no offense to anybody out there, it’s the coolest blogathon I’ve seen so far. I knew I had to participate so here it is, part one of My Movie Alphabet. I broke the alphabet in three parts as to not bore you with a very long post. Expect parts II and III later in the week.

*Note: there’s a The Help spoiler coming up, so if you haven’t seen that film, skip letter E.

#: (500) Days of Summer

The best movie of 2009, an inventive anti-love story with a nonlinear narrative, great visuals and even a quirky musical sequence set to Hall & Oates’s “You Make my Dreams”. Joseph Gordon-Levitt was great in this film, one that also introduced us to the talents of young actress Chloë Grace Moretz and visionary director Marc Webb (The Amazing Spider-Man).

Other favorites: 300, 12 Monkeys, 12 Angry Men, 127 Hours

A: Alejandro González Iñárritu

My favorite Mexican director. He’s a very polarizing figure but, if you ask me, he’s a national treasure. I had the honor of meeting him and I was thrilled. Alejandro is responsible for Amores Perros, 21 Grams and Babel. People said he wasn’t the talented one, writer Guillermo Arriaga was. But after their very public split, González made his masterpiece and the best film of 2010, Biutiful, proving the haters wrong.

Other favorites: Alfonso Cuarón, Al Pacino, Andrew Garfield, Alfred Hitchcock, Annette Bening, Alien, Amy Adams

B: The Big Lebowski

All of it is insanely quotable; probably the Coens’s best script. Hilarious lines, great music and career-best performances from Jeff Bridges and John Goodman make this one of the funniest movies ever. But that’s, like, my opinion, man.

Other favorites: Biutiful, Buried, Borat, Big Fish, Babel, Bridesmaids, Black Swan, Brad Pitt, Ben Affleck, Ben Foster, Bill Nighy

C: Christopher Nolan

There is no one else like him. His movies are an irresistible blend of blockbuster action and art-house heady fare. His short filmography is chock-full of gems, like The Prestige, Inception, Memento and, of course, The Dark Knight. A smart director with a great sense of style.

Other favorites: Chicago, Closer, Cate Blanchett, Christian Bale, Cary Grant, Carey Mulligan, the Coen brothers, Cillian Murphy, Children of Men, Colin Firth

D: David Fincher

Runner-up: Daniel Day-Lewis

Along with Christopher Nolan and Pedro Almodóvar, Fincher constitutes the Holy Trinity of directors (at least in my book). I wait with bated breath for each and every one of his releases and he never disappoints. Fincher started directing music videos and has since gone on to helm Fight Club, Se7en, Zodiac, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, The Social Network and The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. If that’s not an impressive resumé, I don’t know what is.

Other favorites: The Dark Knight, Drag Me to Hell, Daniel Giménez Cacho, The Darjeeling Limited, Drew Barrymore, Dog Day Afternoon, Doubt, Dustin Hoffman, De Rouille et D’Os

E: Eat my shit!

One of the best scenes in the last ten years and a great moment of sweet revenge for Minnie (Octavia Spencer). Hilly’s (Bryce Dallas Howard) disgusted face is epic. You know what they say: “make a pie out of feces, win an Oscar!” They say that, right?

Other favorites: Eyes Wide Shut, Ewan McGregor, Emily Blunt, Emma Thompson, Emma Stone, Ellen Page

F: Fight Club

Second Fincher entry in the list so far; this was a huge deal for me as a teenager. Great story and dialog from the mind of Chuck Pahlaniuk, a striking look and an even better cast make Fight Club one of the best movies I’ve seen until now and it will likely remain amongst my favorites until the end of time.

Other favorites: Festen, Fantastic Mr. Fox, Fargo, Fantasia, Frances McDormand, Le Fabuleux Destin d’Amélie Poulain, Francis Ford Coppola

G: The Godfather

Absolute perfection. Moving on…

Other favorites: Gosford Park, George Clooney, Gary Oldman, Gone Baby Gone, Gangs of New York

H: Harry Potter

If I’m a dork for being head-over-heels in love with J.K. Rowling’s saga, then so be it. The books are amazing and the movies expand on that wonderful universe with excellent art direction, sets, music and a very talented and ever-growing set of actors. Thank you, Great Britain.

Other favorites: Harvey, The Holiday, Hairspray, Hilary Swank, Harvey

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