There is nothing quite like watching a great movie to inspire, relax and lift your spirits. Now that the winter season is fast approaching in Montreal (as I write this it is presently -2 degrees Celsius), there is nothing I crave more every night than cuddling up in a blanket with a nice cup of herbal tea, a cool breeze from the window, the glow of a candle, and a great 90 minute film. To be honest, I am not a a fan of recent trends in entertainment where movies are now two hours or longer. Ain't nobody got time for that (I'm talking to you Benjamin Button).

I will soon be celebrating my twentieth birthday and I believe that justifies reflecting on my childhood as if it happened quite a while ago. Let's be honest, the world is a much different place than it was ten years ago. I also have significantly less time to devote to movie-watching, let alone re-watching a movie I've already seen. Therefore, I decided to pay homage to the movies I used to watch incessantly, to the point where people would get frustrated because I quoted all the dialogue while watching. Many of these movies were not extremely successful, critically acclaimed, or well-received by the general public. Regardless, watching any one of them provides me with that warm and fuzzy feeling of nostalgia and great family memories. This winter, we should all try to set aside some time, ideally 90ish minutes, to make some popcorn, escape our daily worries, and snuggle with some great company to watch a movie. Below are my top ten choices (in no particular order) that can be enjoyed by all ages/genders and appeal to your inner youthful spirit:




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1. Spaceballs (1987)

Ok so I'm going to be honest, I barely understood the multitude of amazingly witty and clever cultural references in this movie when I used to watch it. ("That's funny, she doesn't look Druish") All I know is that I found this hilarious and my family used to watch this all. the. time. Essentially, the storyline is that planet Spaceball is running out of air, and President Skroob decides to send Lord Dark Helmet to Planet Druidia in order to steal their air. The Princess ditches on her wedding to Prince Valium, and Lone Starr is the only once who can save the Princess and the precious air of Planet Druidia. This movie has a little something for everyone, and is my secret party weapon ice breaker, since everyone who has seen Spaceballs loves to talk about Spaceballs.

Note: superstar Mel Brooks wrote, directed, produced, and starred as President Skroob; talk about an over-achiever. Also, the late John Candy kills it as Mog, Lone Starr's half-man half-dog sidekick.

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2. Paycheck (2003)

For years, when anyone used to ask me "What's your favourite movie?", I would say "Paycheck" without a moment's hesitation. Ninety-nine percent of the time, this was immediately followed by "What's Paycheck? Never seen it. Never heard of it." Well, shame on all of you because Paycheck is awesome. Similar to the much-more-respected Memento, Paycheck is a fragmented flashback memory-thriller starring Ben Affleck, Uma Thurman and Aaron Eckhart. Michael Jennings (Affleck) is a reverse engineer, meaning he is hired by a company to imitate/improve a competitor's technology for short-term contract durations. In order to protect their intellectual property, his clients wipe Jennings' memory once his contract is complete. One day, Jennings gets an offer he can't refuse (we're talking lots of cashmoney), but the project is a three-year job, which is significantly longer than anything he had done in the past. Jennings wakes up after the three years only to find out that people are trying to kill him, and he has no clue why. To make matters worse, he finds out that past-Michael withdrew the huge paycheck from his bank account, and only left him with twenty useless household items. I can't really explain why I love this movie so much, especially since Mr. Affleck himself has since admitted that he was not at all proud of Paycheck and that it inspired him to stop making shitty movies (ouch). Ignore him, go watch it, just don't have any high expectations. Also, Paul Giamatti has a small role as Shorty, Jennings' friend. That alone should be enough motivation to have you torrent Paycheck stat.

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3. Eloise at the Plaza (2003)
honorable mention: Eloise at Christmastime (2003)

Confession: I never read the Eloise books as a kid. But who cares, because this movie series is amazing regardless. Eloise is a fun, adventure-loving, curious, friendly, spoiled, and compassionate six-year old girl who just so happens to live at the Plaza Hotel in NYC. The movie adaptations starred a young Sophia Vassilieva, undoubtedly one of the most talented actresses of my generation. The movies also feature Julie Andrews and Jeffrey Tambor, so like you really should watch them. These are the ultimate feel-good movies that I had no shame watching over and over. There's love, New York City, princes, the Plaza, fancy balls, all explored through an innocent, blunt and adventurous narration. Eloise is like To Kill a Mockingbird without the lawsuits, racism and rape. I dare anyone to watch this and not feel better after.




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4. The Parent Trap (1998)

Of all of these movies, The Parent Trap definitely had the biggest impact on my life. Once my mother told me that there was just one girl playing both twins Annie and Hallie, I was so amazed by production magic and Lohan's acting abilities that I was inspired to start acting myself. Lohan kills it, and Dennis Quaid and Natasha Richardson are rather adorable together. For anyone who has somehow not seen this (go change that now): the movie tells the story of two identical girls at Walden summer camp who were both raised by single parents. Awkwardly enough, it takes ripped up pictures of their respective missing parental unit to even realize they were twins separated at birth, as if strangers can actually look that much alike by fluke. Realism aside, this movie takes heart-warming to a new level. 

Note: If nothing else this movie deserves legendary status because it made dipping your oreos in peanut butter a thing. Also, I was so obsessed with this movie that the Debs (my momma dearest) was determined to get me my own "Cuppy" bunny stuffed-animal. I never had a sentimental relationship with a blanket or toy as a child, but that bunny received more of my love than any other beanie baby/inanimate object in my collection.


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5. Get a Clue (2002)

Speaking of Mrs. Lohan, I must bring your attention to her wildly-unpopular Disney Channel Original movie. Get a Clue follows Lexi Gold (Lohan), a wannabe journalist who decides to investigate when one of her teachers (Ian Gomez) goes missing after she publisized his secret romance in her school's gossip column.  Lexi and her best friend Jennifer (Brenda Song) are like preteen Gossip Girls, clad in designer clothes and admired by all. The mystery is not as predictable as you might think, but I won't pretend that everything doesn't work out in the end, or that the boy who teases Lexi the whole time doesn't actually have a crush on her (shocking). Still, I treasured my VHS tape recording of Get a Clue like no other, and would definitely watch this if not just for seeing Lohan in her teenage years. Also, there was a theme song for the movie called "Get a Clue" by Simon and Milo (*see below) that deserves a listen.

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6. My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002)

So this movie was actually nominated for an Academy Award for Best Writing, so that's a thing. No matter how many thousands of times I've seen it, My Big Fat Greek Wedding always makes me laugh. Although enjoyable on its own, this movie is best experienced during a family movie night, given the histerical antics of the greek-orthodox Portokalos family. Canadian Nia Vardalos wrote and stars in the movie as Toula Portokalos, the frumpy family failure who has yet to find a decent Greek husband to start reproducing with. Toula gets a complete makeover and secretly falls in love with Aidan from Sex and the City (aka John Corbett), but her family flips shit when they realize she's dating a non-Greek. No worries though, because Aidan converts and more family hilarity ensues. My Big Fat Greek Wedding was actually one of the most successful independent movies of its time, and inspired a spin-off TV show called "My Big Fat Greek Life," which was absolutely awful (I watched the whole thing). This movie also deserves huge props because it gives Windex the respect it deserves, introduced me to the glorious greek dish moussaka ("moose caca?") and has Joey from N'Sync. 'Nuff said.

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7. Cheaper by the Dozen (2003)
honorable mention: Cheaper by the Dozen 2

Watching Cheaper by the Dozen is like eating a Pillsbury cookie warm from the oven, deliciously sweet and satisfying. Bonnie Hunt and Steve Martin (could there be a funnier pairing?) star as Tom and Kate Baker, the all-American high school sweethearts that live in small-town Midland, Michigan where Tom coaches University Football. Oh, and they happen to have twelve children. The plot is somewhat "fish out of water" since the Bakers decide to ship the entire family to Illinois so that Tom can realize his dream of coaching his alma mater's football team. The kids are not so pleased to leave their lives behind, but at least their new house is ginormous. Kate's career as an author also takes off and she has to leave the country on a book tour, leaving Tom to manage his new job and twelve kids. Naturally, chaos ensues, including the family dog viciously attacking the crotch of eldest daughter Nora's boyfriend (Ashton Kutcher). The Baker family was brilliantly cast, as were supporting characters, including: Oprah Winfrey (minor appearance but still), Steven Anthony Lawrence (Beans from Even Stevens), and Allan Ruck (Cam from Ferris Bueller). Fortunately, this movie was made when DVDs were taking off, because I got to listen to the wonderful actors' and director's (Shawn Levy) commentaries.

Note: The soundtrack of Cheaper by the Dozen is legit, including "Classical Gas," Sum 41, Simple Plan, and Fountains of Wayne covering the Beatles' "Help." In 2005, they made a less-successful sequel with Eugene Levy, Carmen Electra, Jaime King and Taylor Lautner. Some deemed this sequel as disappointing, but that's probably because the original was way too good. If you can make time for both, then I would still recommend it.

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8. Legally Blonde (2001)

"It has come to my attention that the maintenance staff is switching our toilet paper from Charmin… to generic. All those opposed to chafing, please say 'Aye.'" (Aye). Personally, I quote Legally Blonde more than Mean Girls, and us nineties girls like to quote Mean Girls. The movie stars Reese Witherspoon as ditzy-brilliant Elle Woods, a fashion merchandising major/head of her sorority who decides to go to Harvard Law School ("what? like it's hard?") when her boyfriend, Warner Huntington III, unexpectedly dumps her for not being "serious" enough. Although Elle initially regrets her decision when she is socially excluded and academically struggling, she manages to turn it all around with the help of aesthetician Paulette (played by severely underrated Jennifer Coolidge) and TA Emmett Richmond (Luke Wilson). Let's just say, Legally Blonde's depiction of a Harvard Law School experience is a lot more desirable than Scott Turrow's One L. Essentially, the film's message is about overcoming adversity through hard work, perseverance, and staying true to oneself. I truly loved this movie when it came out, without understanding any of the cultural references or sexual innuendos. If you did as well but haven't seen it in a while, do yourself a favor and re-watch Legally Blonde. Like a fine wine, it only gets better with age.

Note: The surprising success of Legally Blonde inspired the creation of a sequel entitled Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde. This sequel actually sucks and I do not recommend wasting your time with it. However, if you ever get a chance to see Legally Blonde: The Musical, the movies' theatrical adaptation, then JUMP AT THE OPPORTUNITY.

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9. The Incredibles (2004)

This movie ranks in as both the longest in duration (115 minutes) and newest in my selection (though keep in mind, it is still almost a decade old). Additionally, this movie is probably one of the least underrated that I have included, and the only animated one. However, I still felt the need to profess my love for The Incredibles because (a) I've seen in that many times, (2) it made me believe that I had a super power I had yet to discover, and (3) it set a new standard for animation technology with its detailed human anatomy, hair and skin. The storyline: After several "Supers" (superheroes) were sued for collateral damages and civil unrest as a result of their trying to save the world and all, they undergo a relocation program and presume to lead traditional, all-American lives. Bob Parr, aka "Mr. Incredible," and Helen Parr, aka "Elastigirl," are typical suburban parents with three children: Violet, Dash, and JackJack. One day, Bob gets too frustrated at his unsatisfying corporate job, loses his temper (remember: he has super-strength) and gets fired. When he returns home, he receives a mysterious offer from a woman named Mirage to put his suit back on and destroy a malfunctioning robot. Every one of the 115 minutes of The Incredibles is worth viewing, and if you have the opportunity to watch all of the behind-the-scenes footage in the 2-disc collector's edition DVD set, I strongly recommend it. Brad Bird, the film's director and voice of Edna Mode (undeniably the best animated character ever), is such a boss. He also directed The Iron Giant and Ratatouille, and is currently working on Tomorrowland, scheduled for a May 2015 release, when I will also be graduating from my undergraduate degree...so we'll forget about that one for now.

Note: Even people who haven't seen the movie dress up as The Incredibles for Halloween (it's actually a popular costume I don't really know why). Don't be that person. Watch the movie.

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10. Big Fat Liar (2002)

Although the order of these films was made arbitrarily, I think I subconsciously saved the best for last. There are so many aspects that make this movie awesome: 
  • Paul Giamatti delivers a stunning comedic performance as the evil, greedy Hollywood producer Marty Wolf
  • Frankie Muniz and Amanda Bynes were the quintessential teenage power-couple that are just friends but obviously ending up together. Awkwardly, in real life, they both decided to "retire" from acting to professionally race cars (Muniz) and go batshit crazy via social media (Bynes) but we'll just ignore that for now.
  • The storyline makes you feel like anything is possible: 14 year-old Jason Shepherd casually uses his "savings" to fly out to LA with his bestie Kaylee to prove to his parents that he actually wrote the screenplay for the upcoming movie "Big Fat Liar" in order to pass eighth-grade English.
  • That scene where Jason and Kaylee raid a production company's costume closet
  • Its a movie called "Big Fat Liar" about a movie called "Big Fat Liar." Trippy.
In the end, Big Fat Liar is really all about good conquering evil, and honesty being the best policy, which are pretty good messages if you ask me. It should also be noted that Big Fat Liar is directed by Shawn Levy (who also directed Cheaper by the Dozen, Just Married, and Night at he Museum). He also just so happens to be a good jewish boy from Montreal. Debs would approve.

Well, there you have it folks. Ten movies that I have significantly overdosed on. Hopefully I re-ignited your love for some old favorites, or inspired you to Netflix one of these for your next Sunday family movie night. I found it extremely difficult to narrow my list down to ten (I had a lot of time to waste as a child) and so there will probably be similar instalments in the future. Thanks for reading  :)

"Movies can and do have tremendous influence in shaping young lives in the realm of entertainment towards the ideals and objectives of normal adulthood." - Walt Disney




Will B.
4/6/2014 06:37:39 am

Spaceballs Was A Hell Of A Movie. Black Sheep, Ace Ventura, And Ghost Buster I Can Remember Watching Like Flashes Of Canvas Images Of Art. Nice Blog.

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