What a great question / topic dude, been thinking about this all morning. I've always been hugely into movies, we own like 800 DVD/Blu Rays and have probably seen north of 2k. Tons of great flics but trying to whittle that down to films that define you is tough! Characters are what I typically enjoy the best about a great movie, so I kind of took that approach (for most of them) in terms of flics that define or really hit home.
How's this list for a bag full of cats....
Christmas Vacation - Clark Griswold. This one has always been entertaining over the year, but became even funnier and more relatable in my 40s. I.... am..... Clark. And yes my in-laws own an RV that was parked in my driveway this Christmas season.
Breaking Bad - Walter White. Yeah I know it's not a movie, but I don't care. I actually just finished watching this series (didn't have the time when it originally came out), and I'm glad I waited, as watching it in my 40s made it hit home so hard it was crazy. I would
really like to say that given the same set of circumstances, I would not be Walter White. But I would probably be lying....
Guardians of the Galaxy - A marvel movie?? Damn skippy, and the best one at that. This is quite possibly the best collection of flawed, wounded characters that just want to find their spot in life (and a family) and do something worthwhile - while fucking up pretty much every step of the way - ever assembled on the silver screen. I sat watching this at a drive-in while on a family vacation on the Cape with a huge ear-to-ear grin the whole movie. They're all
aliens, yet each member of the crew is completely relatable in some fashion. The unlikely group of heroes that saves the day (and likely steals some shit on the way) - wearing their hearts on their sleeves the whole time - take me for what I am or GFYS.
Spaceballs (no character on this one) - a 100% hysterically true allegory to the corporate world that is still relevant 35 years later. If you work in corporate America: you work on Spaceball 1. Go watch it again and tell me I'm wrong
I need a new copy of this DVD, it's worn out I've watched it so many times.
Monsters University - Mike & Sully. My favorite 2 Pixar movies, great movie overall but the way it ends
absolutely fucking rocks. Two really talented guys cheat their way through school but make it right in the end with their buddies, but in doing so come clean & get thrown out. Rock bottom. What attitude do they take? Start in the mail room and work their way back up to the top, a nod to the notion that you don't always need a fancy degree to get ahead in this world, just a lot of hard work and perseverance. Yes I saw this in the movies and I swear the end credits nearly made me cry. There are also some fairly accurate parallels to Mike & Sully that my old college roommate and I share, but I won't go down that road lol.
Signs - Graham Hess. I went through a similar period in my life that Graham did during the movie; same attitude and outlook on life/faith. My favorite M Night Shyamalan movie (though Unbreakable & Split are very close behind).
The Incredibles 2 - Mr. Incredible. This is the ultimate Dad movie for old-school style fathers of school aged kids/teens living in the modern era of "new math" and working moms.
This was such an incredibly powerful flic, and one that made me practically ill with anger/disgust at what our governmental/leaders can be capable of.
