Five Films I Love To Help You Get To Know Me

Starting something is never easy. Trust me, as a chronic procrastinator I can safely vouch for that. Still, all journeys need to start somewhere, and without this opening blog post I'd likely still be in bed a 2 pm debating whether or not I should get up and finally start my weekend.

So I thought I'd kick off the blog thread with something a little different to the usual 'here's my journey' or 'Just a bit about me' post. Why not begin with a little peek into some of the movies that make me, well me? After all, what better way to get to know someone than to critically judge them by their film and music taste? So without further ado, let's get into it.

1. Guardians of the Galaxy

Out of all of the choices here, Guardians of the Galaxy is perhaps the most obvious (Given the pseudonym I've chosen) choice on this list. Though my love for the dysfunctional family has only grown with each passing year, thanks to their increasing popularity giving them: sequels, a wide variety of comic runs, as well as some rather stellar video games. Yet that love all stemmed from James Gunn's initial 2014 Marvel blockbuster.

Everything in the movie just clicked. The casting was spot on, the soundtrack was brilliant, and was the first time I started to notice and love films and their scores/soundtracks, which unlocked a whole new world for me. Primarily, it was just how well-written these characters were. Gunn managed to select to perfect group of misfits to create the perfect reactive family. Each character has their own strengths and weaknesses, but they all share a common goal and also share a common ground of getting on each other's nerves, they're all outsiders, but together they find strength and find their own family (Albeit a very dysfunctional one). But it's great chemistry to continually watch explode in a flurry of love and laughter. These are the sort of characters we can all relate to, flawed, and failures, but they find support in each other and stand for what's right when it matters. they're one of the few groups of characters I not only root for but also relate to on a very personal level. The film is excellent, the soundtrack is one bop-filled mix, but the real star of this film is its characters.

2. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy

Growing up there were many great franchises launching, or relaunching at the time; Harry Potter, Star Wars, Lord of the Rings. Much like the One Ring, Jackson's Lord of the Ring trilogy was "My Precious." Now don't get me wrong I still loved Harry Potter and Star Wars, but in my mind nothing compared to the true EPIC scale of Tolkien's Middle Earth. It really was the peak of the cinematic experience and a film trilogy that I would not only watch (And still watch) over and over, but also, re-enact it as games at break times, craft swords and shields out of cardboard tubes, and invent further quests to tackle across Middle Earth. It was one of those very first worlds to truly capture my imagination. All whilst it continued to stand the test of time with its phenomenal score, excellent world building and practical effects. Much like most films on the list, it centred on the unlikeliest of heroes (Side note Sam really is the fellowships MVP) and how they fought against insurmountable odds to win. If Guardians was the film that showed me how great characters could be, Lord of the Rings were the films that showed me the limitless potential of adventure, and what potential a world could hold.

3. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-verse

Into the Spider-Verse is what I would class as the perfect movie. Not necessarily the perfect movie for everyone, but the perfect movie for me. The comedy in this film just hits that exact 'Matt sweet spot' of comedy, which if you're wondering is sheer stupid, but brilliantly executed laughs. Though to be fair I usually find myself laughing at almost every Lord & Miller project, Yet Into the Spider-Verse elevated everything. The animation style is, simply put, phenomenal. The story of Miles is so well executed and his journey to believe in himself and be Spider-Man is so relatable, yet inspiring. I mean I think every re-watch I get goosebumps during his 'Leap of Faith' moment. On top of all that you've got a film that's perfectly cast (shout out to Jake Johnson as Peter B. Parker), one of the best film soundtracks out there, both in terms of listenability, but also capturing the character and their world. Everything works as it should, and not just works, excels. I will always look at this film as a true testament to what can be achieved when you have every aspect firing on all cylinders. It's the kind of story that sets the bar, and I hope that one day I can be part of a project that's just as phenomenal.

4. Booksmart

I love Booksmart. There's just no two ways about it. I think it's just one of those films I will continue recommending to people until the day I die. It's just such a fun and well-directed movie. The soundtrack is excellent, it has some truly laugh-out-loud moments and the central crux of the story is such a fantastic journey to get behind. It's one of the best coming-of-age stories I've watched, and for some reason, those stories are my Kryptonite. The two leads (Amy and Molly) share such wonderful chemistry, as they go through their 'HUGE teenage problems together and apart. But it isn't just those two who run the show, every other character in their world, who may start as simple 2D caricatures of their stereotypical schoolyard roles, but with just a little bit of time with them, you discover they're all dealing with their own problems and vulnerabilities. People who could usually just be condensed to a bully just to provoke Amy and Molly, have so much more to them. The world is full of interesting people just trying to survive school in their own ways, you just needed to get a chance to know them.

Even though director Olivia Wilde has done a stellar job of creating a true school of 'real' characters (Shout out to Gigi), the real message of the film is Amy and Molly's journey. They've been so focused on studying and forsaking the social aspect, that they missed out on socialising, messing up, and experiencing the true balance of growing up. Their real journey is catching up and realising they missed out by forsaking that dreaded work/life balance, and that by embracing it, we're all better off for it.

5. WALL-E

For me, WALL-E is one of those true comfort films that reassure me everything will be alright. I mean I'm not sure why, as I tend to spend about a third of the movie in tears. but I think it's a combination of the beautiful animation and just how pure and kind-hearted WALL-E is. At his core, he's, well he's likely a bunch of electronic components, but at the core of WALL-E's character is a pure soul that yearns for companionship, that just wants to find companionship, which he finally discovers in EVE. It's chasing that companionship in EVE that leads him on his grand adventure, touching the hearts of each life he interacts with along the way (well maybe not BURN-E, but even he comes around). It's a film that holds a lovable hero at its centre, not because they're super, but because they're ordinary, and it's their kindness that makes the waves of change. He's a character that you root for, even with odds stacked against him, and it's the sort of character that you want to channel to be better in yourself. It's comforting, beautiful and reassuring, and that's why it's on this list.

So there you have it. Five films to help you understand me a little more, why not let me know what you think of the films, or what five films speak to you in the comments below?

And have a great week.