Step 1) Clearly identify your two favorite films of all time.
Step 2) Write about why you really like each film.
Step 3) If there is overlap between your list and another’s, let the negotiations begin, which may rely on…
Step 4) Identify any other films that didn’t make your top two that you care to identify, and write about why you really like them.
Alternatively, just talk about movies and stuff and what you like about them and stuff like that.
Well, for quite a while now The Godfather has been number one for me. There are three movies that I can think of that for whatever reason at the time in my life I first watched them, I was so totally engrossed that I walked away able to pretty much remember every scene for a week or two. The first was Batman, when I was around 13. The second was Die Hard, when I was perhaps 15 — here the reason was semi-obvious; it was by the far the most violent movie I had ever seen.
The third was The Godfather, and I was about 22. It had been built up plenty in a lifetime of hearing little references, but it was different from what I expected. What I found fascinating was how likable the characters were. They were doing these terrible deeds and yet I was strangely attracted to them and the weird morality that they live by. In particular, their strong concept of family and loyalty seemed admirable despite their activities. I don’t normally “like the bad guys” like that. And of course by presenting the cops as corrupt, etc, it helps you to assume a different set of rules.
I was also fascinated by the concept of Power, real power over people that all came from trading favors, not all of them violent. That was more developed in The Godfather 2, which is high on my list as well.
As for the second place spot, I’ll have to think about it more.