Being the film buff that I am, and having a job (as a receptionist) where I sit at a computer all day and do basically nothing, I decided to compile a list of my top 50 favorite films of all time. Some are pretty obvious, while others might make you scratch your head and think “How the heck can anyone like that film?” Anywho, I feel like this will be a process, so I’ll try to add a few films everyday until the list is complete. I’ll list the title, a picture, and a little description of what the film means to me. These are in no particular order.

So, first on the list is:

#50

AMERICAN BEAUTY

Maybe it’s the calm, soothing tone of Kevin Spacey’s voice narrating the film. Or the taboo issues surrounding a typical American suburban family. Or the fact that I use to sneak downstairs to the basement to watch this film; this film with all of it’s nudity, sex, and murder, when I was only 11 years old. But when someone asks me what my favorite film is, this is the one that instantly comes to mind. The film’s tagline “look closer” suits it perfectly. Things aren’t always as they seem. The grass isn’t always greener. Etc etc, and every other popular cliche applies to it.

Here we have the story of a middle class suburban family. On the exterior they appear quite normal. A hard working mother, a corporate father, and their cheerleader daughter. But soon we see that the mother is an overbearing perfectionist. The father is miserable and unhappy with his life, both at home and at work. And the daughter…typical teenager…insecure, unsure of herself…with a delusional self absorbed whore for a best friend. As the movie progresses we see the journey and the changes these characters go through. Secrets unravel, drama ensues, and it all leads to a shocking climax.

What I love most about this film is it’s realism. Everything about it feels so natural. These characters look like a common family you would see in your everyday life. Their neighborhood, their home, everything about them looks and feels familiar and personal. Like we’re voyeurs peering in on their lives. It doesn’t feel like a film at all. It feels like real life, and that’s what makes it so great.