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Editor's Note: Week in and week out our Pics, Flix and Other Diversions writers give you movie news and insights, but what do they know? This week we're taking a look at the 5 favorite films from our writers. We're kicking off the week with the only lady on the list, Nicole Pollard. SALT LAKE CITY -- You can tell a lot about people by the type of movies they like, so compiling a list of your favorite films for others to see is tricky business. Do you choose artsy films to appear intelligent? Or do you show your true colors by admitting you prefer a low-brow Will Ferrell film over Martin Scorsese, and fess up to owning the Twilight saga? Decisions, decisions.
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My five favorite films had to meet certain criteria, which are very telling of my personality, or lack there of. I'm a mother of two, so movies where children are harmed in any way or turn evil didn't make the list. And while my husband will see movies solely because they have "sick computer graphics," I prefer a good story over fancy effects any day.
And lastly, you won't find much violence on my list. While some women can appreciate a good war film or "The Godfather," I am not some women. My five favorite films are the ones I can watch over and over, without ever growing tired of them. They resonate with me for various reasons and are on heavy rotation in my home all year round.
It's a bold statement, but I believe that "When Harry Met Sally" is the best romantic comedy of all time. Every other romantic comedy before or since pales in comparison to this Rob Reiner film.
The simple plot revolves around the age old question, "Can men and women really be friends?" The film gets its charm from the charisma and chemistry between the characters of Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan as they navigate their way through friendship and eventually fall in love.
It's been the blueprint for many copy-cat films, but "When Harry Met Sally" continues to stand out because nothing about it seems forced. The dialogue is simple but witty. The humor is subtle but memorable, with the exception of the infamous, and not so subtle, diner scene. The performances by Crystal and Ryan are flawless in that it's impossible to imagine anyone else in those roles. "When Harry Met Sally" is intelligent enough to win over those who don't consider themselves to be hopeless romantics, and just sappy enough to win over those of use who are.
"When Harry Met Sally" is rated R.
I'm a child of the ’80s, and "Goonies" holds a special place in my heart. I once saw a car with the license plate "HAUGUYZ," and I had to follow that car to a stoplight to give a big thumbs up to the driver. We had a moment.
Starring Sean Astin before he became a hobbit, "Goonies" is the story of a group of misfit teenagers who set off on an adventure to find One-eyed Willy's treasure. They dodge a group of convicts and booby traps along they way and eventually learn that family and friendship is more valuable than gold.
When I saw "Goonies" as a pre-teen, I projected myself onto the characters. What I would have given to have my own group of rag-tag friends, and a treasure map. Which is why almost everyone has a film like "Goonies" on their list of favorite movies, not because it's Oscar worthy, but because it takes us back to a simpler time and reminds us of how magical movies were to us in our youth.
"Goonies" is rated PG.
"Signs"
M. Night Shyamalan's film, "Signs," is a science-fiction thriller that is less about the aliens and crop circles that qualify it for that genre and more about faith. When I saw it in the theater, it had me laughing, crying and jumping out of my seat. Very few movies can evoke such a wide range of emotions.
Mel Gibson turns in a fantastic performance as Graham, a former reverend who is picking up the pieces after the death of his wife. But the suspense begins when crop circles turn up on his farm and extraterrestrial sightings are reported. In true Shyamalan fashion, the children are more in tune to the danger than the adults are, providing an eerie undertone from the start. Graham and his brother Merrill, played by Joaquin Phoenix, eventually end up preparing the family for the inevitable alien invasion.
The whole theme of "Signs" is summed up when Graham and his brother are watching the phenomenon reported on the news. Gibson's character says, "People break down into two groups. When they experience something lucky, group number one sees it as more than luck, more than coincidence. They see it as a sign, evidence, that there is someone up there watching out for them. Group number two sees it as just pure luck. Just a happy turn of chance. … What you have to ask yourself is what kind of person are you? Are you the kind that sees signs, that sees miracles? Or do you believe that people just get lucky? OK, look at the question this way: Is it possible that there are no coincidences?"
Shyamalan made a few duds, but "Signs" isn't one of them. It's storytelling at its absolute best. Shyamalan uses symbolism, music, camera angles and foreshadowing that prompts film lovers to compare him to Hitchcock. Revealing an alien through the reflection of a knife, rather than in a direct shot, is just one example of how Shyamalan left his artistic mark on this film. It creates the perfect amount of suspense for those of us who love a scary movie but hate the "in-your-face" tone that horror movies tend to have.
"Signs" is rated PG-13.
And while I can appreciate "Signs" for its faith-based message, I can also appreciate a funny atheist.
Ricky Gervais stars in "The Invention of Lying," a lesser-known comedy about a man living in a world where people are incapable of lying. They're unable to sugar-coat the truth, fib or even exaggerate. Gervais' character, Mark Bellison, visits his mother on her death bed at a retirement home, or rather, "A Sad Place Where Old People Come to Die." He suddenly evolves in his desperation to comfort her and "lies" about what will happen to her after she dies. He professes she'll be given her own mansion in a beautiful place and have all her friends nearby. When he's overheard by the hospital staff, they beg him to reveal more about life after death.
Bellison begins to use his ability to lie for his own benefit to get his job back and win over Anna, played by the wonderful Jennifer Garner. He starts to spread the word about "The Man in the Sky" after realizing how happy it makes people. But ultimately he's stuck explaining to his followers that "The Man in the Sky" is also responsible for everything horrible in the world. There are parts that are laugh-out-loud funny, like when Bellison reveals the "10 Rules" from the "Man in the Sky," using pizza boxes as tablets in a Sermon on the Mount parody.
This is a favorite of mine not because it's an exceptional film but because it's an original one. Sure, there are parts of the film where it loses its pace, but it's refreshing to see a film with a premise that hasn't been overdone in Hollywood. I'm careful who I suggest this movie to as blasphemy is definitely part of the humor and Ricky Gervais isn't everyone's cup of tea. However, "The Invention of Lying" is on my list of favorites because it manages to be both snarky and present sincere questions about religion at the same time.
"The Invention of Lying" is rated PG-13.
"Get busy livin', or get busy dyin'."
"The Shawshank Redemption" is a movie I can almost recite, I've seen it so many times. It's rare when a movie is better than the book, but Stephen King's story, "Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption," doesn't hold a candle to the film starring Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman.
It's hard to believe that there are people who haven't seen "The Shawshank Redemption," but it's the story of Andy Dufresne who is wrongly convicted of his wife's murder and sent to Shawshank State Prison on a life sentence. He's befriended by a fellow inmate, Red, while adjusting to prison. The movie touches on some of the ugliest parts of prison life, but the crux of the story lies with the friendship between Red and Andy and their struggle to hold onto hope while being institutionalized.
There are countless reasons why I love this film. Morgan Freeman's narration draws you in, immediately letting the audience know that they're in for a good story. The acting is impeccable, and Andy Dufresne's final redemption makes for one of the best surprise endings ever on film.
"The Shawshank Redemption" is rated R.
Nicole Pollard currently resides in Canyon Country, Calif.
