Being the lazy bum that I am, volunteering as the last person to write on Tikelo’s blog seems to be the only reasonable thing to do. That also posted a problem as all the otherwise awesome movies that I could think of were taken by my predecessors (Nabbe’s Indian thing excluded, didn’t even know that movie existed before I read her blog). So, plan B, approach the task from an alternative angle.
But before I give my top 3 movies, I think it is worth wasting some of your readers’ time to state and explain my position on this particular question I was entrusted to answer here. So I am supposed to answer the question: what are your 3 all time favorite movies?
Well, it kind of depends… on my mood, the time of the day, my surroundings or my lunch, etc. My favorite movies constantly evolve. Hell, if Borat made a movie about ice cream, it would be my favorite on a hot summer day!
My point is, given the nature of such interaction between movies and me as stated, listing top 3 movies based on the movies themselves seems to be a ridiculous intellectual exercise as it is equivalent of illustrating something of dynamic and ever-changing nature with a static snap-shot.
So here is my take. Instead of judging movies based on its own merits, I will list my top 3 in accordance to my reactions to the movie: let it be emotions, a piece of memory, an inspiration or these subconsciously originated warm and fuzzy things some may call feelings. And since we are talking about “favorite” movies, I will concentrate on these ones that by and large generated positive sensations within me. So, in no particular order, here they come:
Be Cool

This is one of those none-sense, no-plot, no-brainer but nevertheless makes you feel pretty good about life afterwards, entertaining yet has no significant intellectual message attached movies with an impressive cast.
Recommended as a couples’ movie by a friend with positive field testing results, I took my blonde high-school sweetheart, who I accidently fell in love with later, to see it on our first date. Other than couple of flashbacks, I have nearly no recollection of the plot at the time of writing. And the reason is mostly irrelevant to the movie itself: respecting the high-school dating traditions, we spent most of the movie chatting, eating candy and making out. So I really didn’t spend much attention to the movie.
To me, this otherwise pretty silly movie has become the synonym for the starting point of my first real relationship and all the warm feelings I associate with it. Associative memories of Be Cool, as this kind of memory is called, merely put a subtle smirk in my otherwise anti-climaxing collection of facial expression and are the only reason I remember it at all after so many years.
The Hangover

Compared to other movies of the same sort, this one pushes it even further with its never-gets-old-got-wasted-and-chemically-influenced-plus-don’t-remember-anything-afterwards ridiculous storyline and an even more ridiculous casts including Mike Tyson’s tiger, a giant cock and a baby wearing massively oversized yet awesome shades.
As funny and entertaining as it was, the real aftermath of this movie came to me at a much later date. Watching it with several buddies of mine turned the otherwise funny movie into a true inspirational source. Now, a $4000/night villa at Caesar’s Palace, where Caesar never actually lived, may sound a bit too far to reach, but luckily there is an equally awesome alternative available not so far away in Netherland.
Our trip to Amsterdam did not involve such exotic animals as tigers, but the party sensations fueled by the movie certainly led to numerous sleepless nights and giant gaps in spectrum of memories. Fun times nevertheless and I am very much looking forward to another visit soon.
Avatar

As a counter-example to Asian geek stereotypes, I am actually not a big or even an average fan of Sci-Fi movies. It was not until the newest star trek movie that I realized that Star Wars and Star Trek are separate things and “May the force be with you” is not what you’re supposed to say with that strange hand gesture Spock makes all the time.
However, I did have a relaxing time watching this movie despite the ever-lasting explosions and giant burning trees. The reason for this is simple: I slept through a good portion of the movie.
I watched this movie not long ago in Macau while backpacking through Asia. As my days were packed with action (partying, sightseeing, getting from point A to B via whatever weird vehicles possible), I didn’t know I was so tired until I hit the dark setting in a Macau cinema. The movie was visually stimulating and action packed, but I simply couldn’t prevent my eyelids from dropping after days of sleep deprivation.
So every time I see these blue-Indian looking aliens, it just reminds me of how important it is to take a nap every once in a while no matter how exciting or hectic your life is.
Yichen Wu
VP
Disclaimer: As the chairman of the club, I feel it is my responsibility to report to the general public that the writer and member of the club apparently has no idea whatsoever on what’s going on since he’s actually the third-last member to write on this blog and apparently picked his movies while under the influence of some sort of intoxicative substances