50 Movies

50 cinematic journeys that have enriched & inspired my first 50 years on Earth.

I’m turning 50 on Wednesday (on 2-5-25…isn’t that freaky?).

Recent conversations about books & things with my friend Daniel Melvill Jones led to a challenge — which I find hard to resist — to come up with lists of my top 50 favorite books, albums, and movies, all things I’m obsessed with and serve as the main topic of evangelism here at in and out of weeks. So I’ve thought about it for a few days and I think I’ve arrived at something that works. Therefore, on the days leading to my birthday I’ll be sharing lists of my top 50 favorites in MOVIES — ALBUMS — SONGS — and finally, BOOKS. One for each trip around the sun so far.

These lists won’t necessarily be ranked, except maybe for the top 10-to-20 or so which may serve as the most formative and most integral. All things considered, these are pieces of art which you may see or hear if you looked at a drop of my blood under a microscope. One way or another, they have latched onto my DNA and either given me great doses of enjoyment, inspiration for my art & my life, and been personally or spiritually significant. All narrowed down to 50. There are tons more of course, but these are probably the most resonant. They’re like the best of my old friends I’ve just met — and somehow they are a part of me and whoever I have still to become.

They shall be posted as lists with a few formative images sprinkled in to make things more visually interesting.

• THE MUPPET MOVIE (probably now & always my #1 favorite)

• THE STAR WARS TRILOGY (original trilogy only — 1977, 1980, and 1983 versions only. I will never watch the Special Editions. This is kind of cheating but I consider all three separate films to be part of the same story. So there. Laugh it up, Fuzzball.)

• THE SECRET OF NIMH (my favorite animated feature of all time)

• THE DARK CRYSTAL

• LABYRINTH

• THE NEVERENDING STORY

• THE LAST STARFIGHTER

• THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS

• MONTY PYTHON AND THE HOLY GRAIL

• AIRPLANE!

• THE GOONIES

• THE SECRET OF KELLS

• MOONRISE KINGDOM

• GHOSTBUSTERS (1984)

• RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK

• LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS (1986)

• MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO

• PEE-WEE’S BIG ADVENTURE

• THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW

• PINOCCHIO (1940)

• CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND

• THE FIFTH ELEMENT

• E.T. THE EXTRA TERRESTRIAL

• ALMOST FAMOUS

• BETTER OFF DEAD

• THE CITY OF LOST CHILDREN

• TIME BANDITS

• THE ADVENTURES OF BARON MUNCHASEN

• TWICE UPON A TIME

• LILO & STITCH

• THE SHINING

• CORALINE

• DARK CITY

• BACK TO THE FUTURE

• AMERICAN GRAFFITI

• SUPERMAN II

• THE GREAT MUPPET CAPER

• HALLOWEEN (1978)

• A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET (1984)

• THE FANTASTIC MR. FOX

• THE JERK

• LADYHAWKE

• DAZED AND CONFUSED

• REAL GENIUS

• PATERSON

• PENGUIN HIGHWAY

• PHANTOM OF THE PARADISE

• THE HUDSUCKER PROXY

• ALIENS

• ERASERHEAD

Tomorrow….ALBUMS.