Script Doctor Eric

In Scriptcast – A Screenwriting Podcast, ScriptDoctorEric.com, Selling a Screenplay, Television Writing

(This list is from Joey, who specializes in Television, but has also been known to see a few films on occasion. She also writes feature screenplays, now and then. Who knew?)

I am a list-maker by nature. I constantly list my daily to-dos, books I want to read, goals I want to accomplish, people I need to call, etc.

So of course, I keep a list of movies I see each year and have done so since 2000. In 2004, I saw an all-time high of 82 movies. This year, I only saw 43. I rank these movies in order of my favorite, not necessarily which ones I thought were the “best” — there is a subtle difference.

Some of you will no doubt be appalled that I gave Harry Potter the top spot. But it is the only movie on the list that I saw twice in the theater — within 4 days and thoroughly enjoyed it both times — and may have even cried a little in both viewings.

If a movie is “hard to sit through” because it’s just too depressing, too frustrating or too boring (Biutiful, Buried, 127 Hours, Winter’s Bone, A Solitary Man — I’m talking to you!), I can still appreciate that it might indeed be a “good” movies, but the fact that I sincerely hope to never see it again does affect my ranking.

In my mind there’s a big break between 13 & 14. And can honestly say I “loved” movies 1-13. And again there’s a big gap between 37 & 38. And I think “hate” accurately describes my feelings for 38-43.

So here’s my list for the year. I’d love to hear your thoughts — or see your lists!

1. Harry Potter/ DH1
2. Inception
3. King’s Speech
4. True Grit
5. The Social Network
6. Toy Story 3
7. Kick-Ass
8. The Town
9. The Fighter
10. Never Let Me Go
11. Blue Valentine
12. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
13. The Kids are All Right

14. Easy A
15. Black Swan
16. Mega Mind
17. 127 Hours
18. Iron Man 2
19. How Do You Know?
20. Winter’s Bone
21. The Switch
22. Hot Tub Time Machine
23. Buried
24. A Solitary Man
25. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
26. Catfish
27. Morning Glory
28. Barney’s Version
29. Biutiful
30. Shutter Island
31. The Ghost Writer
32. Date Night
33. The Other Guys
34. Little Fockers
35. Alice in Wonderland
36. Knight and Day
37. Greenberg