Troll in the Dungeon! Thought You Ought to Know...

The Five Films that I Really, Truly Love
(not necessarily based on the critical acclaim of the movie)

Clue (1985) is funniest thing OF MY LIFE; I've seen "Clue" over five times since July or something and it makes me die laughing EVERY TIME. It's not even that the writing is the most brilliant thing on Earth (although it is pretty clever); it's the performances by the actors that make it a wonderful movie. "Rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrun down the hall" is probably one of my favorite deliveries of any line from any movie EVER.

Phoebe in Wonderland (2008) contains some of the best child acting I've ever seen. Granted, I don't see a crapload of movies, but I think Elle Fanning (sister of good ol' Dakota) is a better actress at whatever age she was - eight or something - than a lot of adult actors I've seen. Parts of it were somewhat emotionally devestating (okay, or not, but they made me tear up) which really ought to be a sign that they're doing something right. Alice in Wonderland + Elle Fanning + generally good movie = love.

To Kill a Mockingbird (1962) is everything that Rena says it was and more. Gregory Peck is one of the finest looking older gentlemen I've ever laid eyes on. I didn't even mind that the movie focused on the Atticus plot as opposed to the Scout + Jem plot (the book, as you no doubt know, is told from Scout's perspective and therefore has many subplots pertaining to the various adventures of her childhood in addition to the infamous trial) because hey, it's a movie, and they can't put everything in there. They took the other plots out tastefully, though, and it didn't feel like it had a lot of holes (which often happens when books are adapted into films). I don't feel like any film could ever live up to the book, but it's a pretty damn good attempt. Also, as previously stated, Gregory Peck. (Fun fact: you know the scene in which Jem is mad at Scout and pushes her and the tire harder than he should have and she rolls into the Radleys' garden? The actor who played Jem actually WAS mad at the actress who played Scout at the time the scene was shot and pretty much wanted to kill her [not actually KILL, but you know how youngsters are... ;) ])

The Lion King (1994) is not only one of my favorite Disney films, it is also one of my favorite films of all time. "The Lion King"" is every non-perverted emotion that one could possibly feel packed into 89 minutes of cartoony FABULOSITY. 1) The soundtrack is both beautiful and catchy; 2) Mufasa's death makes me cry every time; 3) Scar's voice is wonderful; 4) there is a fairly solid plot. At least, it's solid enough to get me invested in what happens to the characters, which is really all you need (sort of ); 5) Simba is so cute, lawdie.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (2001) is the best representation of the wonders of a) Harry Potter, b) childhood, c) friendship, and d) early 21st century trolls in movies today, as far as I'm concerned. To all of those lovely people who think that the first movie is stupid or cheesy or whatever: SHUT UP, please. Of course it's cheesy; that's part of its charm. How can you not smile during the last scene (in which Harry + Co. WIN THE HOUSE CUP!)? Have you not got any emotion at all? Are you Voldemort? I bet you even Voldemort smiled (maliciously, with revenge in his heart, but smiled nonetheless) during that scene. I BET YOU HE DID.

There are others, of course, and don't even get me STARTED on the ones from my younger days (Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, anyone?) but those are five of the ones that I have a weird attachment to. Maybe I'm not so cultured on the inside, but on the other hand, who gives a crap?