So, my latest book has decided (look, I'm mostly a secretary - I am totally not the boss of them) to come out like 'High Fidelity' — a movie I absolutely love.
Since it's a first draft, I'm going to let it have its way for now. But it made me think of my Top 5 Most Meaningful Movies. And here they are.
Number 5. High Fidelity. In with a bullet at Number 5. Music is such a huge part of my life, my being, and my creative process. Also, working in a record store is one of my top 5 jobs (another post for another time). This movie is a great blend of funny and sad, which gets me right in the Venn diagram. It's one of several movies I want to live in. Does that mean I should move to Chicago, New York, or London?
Number 4. The Royal Tenenbaums. Don't know why it gets to me like it does. Maybe it's the symmetry. Maybe it's the funny dad and the practical mom. I know some find Wes Anderson too twee (and way too white), but his aesthetic appeals to me in an emotional way. My back reading room is dedicated to this film. It's whimsy. It's poignant. That's me in a nutshell. Also, I want to be Anjelica Huston. The fingerprints of this movie are all over my first book.
Number 3. Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid. A great movie about relationships. Beautifully filmed, hilarious. Written by William Golden, who also wrote the book and the movie "The Princess Bride." Funny and sad is a recurring theme for me. Probably why my comedy comes out as dramedy.
Number 2. Bambi. I cry as soon as the music comes on — and I know the music by heart. It was the soundtrack to my 1973. Bambi, Alone Again Naturally, and Raindrops Are Falling On My Head. That was pretty much it for me. It encapsulates the beauty and the harshness of the world. I should probably rewatch it, all things considered. Still Disney's most beautiful film.
Number 1. Little Big Man. This movie had an enormous impact on me, both from a storytelling POV and in showing me the rights and wrongs of the world. I first saw it when I was between 5-7 years old. It is not an understatement to say that I would not be the person I am today without it. Thank you, Chief Dan George. You are a real human being.