7 favorite films

last week, the lovely anya, of anya adores, gave me a blogger award.  have you been to her blog yet?  she's new to the blogging world, but she has such a beautiful blog {and she's such a sweet gal} that it's quickly becoming a favorite.  anyhow, receiving a blogger award means sharing 7 facts about me.  however, since i already shared 7 random facts about me not too long ago, i thought i would do something a little more specific this time around.  yesterday someone asked me if i have any good movie recommendations, so i thought i would take this opportunity to share 7 of my favorite films {7 out of about 50, mind you}.

so in no particular order, 7 of my favorite films are:

in the "awesome-message-for-little-and-grown-up-girls-alike" category: 

penelope

the clothes and set design are just out-of-this-world amazing! i'm ready to move into that movie and make it my home.  plus, it's a fairytale with a really great message, as opposed to all those old disney fairytales that teach little girls they need a big strong man to rescue them. nope, this one is far more positive, simple, and sweet.  ...and adorable!

in the "teaching great life lessons" category: 

big fish 

it's been years since i saw this, but when it first came out i was in college and discovering a lot of things about life.  i remember this movie gave me so much to think about that i ended up journaling and making notes of my thoughts afterward.  there are truly dozens of gems of wisdom in this film.

in the "classic love story that gets recited at every wedding" category:

the princess bride

oh man, i can't recall how many times i've seen this movie over the years, and i still love it!  sure, it's totally silly and absurd, but it will always have a special place in my heart.  a couple of our dear friends are even screening this the night before their wedding for all their guests to enjoy!

in the "possibly my favorite movie of all time" category: 

the goonies 

when i was little i would daydream about having all sorts of wild adventures, so when i saw this movie i thought it was a dream come true.  now that i'm all grown up, things haven't changed a whole lot!  i still watch this movie periodically with the thrill of a kid {and i always, always, check for secret passages in fireplaces}.

in the "how could anyone not have this movie on their favorites list?" category:

 amelie 

i probably don't need to explain this one at all.  i'm sure you completely get why this is a favorite, but i'll just say this movie is absolutely beautiful in every single way, and i always feel happier & inspired after watching it.

in the "touch your heart in a deeper way" category: 

the darjeeling limited

 this is one of the most beautiful looks at grief and loss that i have ever seen in a movie.  the pain is there, but there's also a sense of hope, an understanding that the healing process doesn't happen overnight, but also that the pain won't last forever.  overall, it's amazing.

in the "family is super complicated" category:

little miss sunshine

i adore this ragtag adventure about a fairly dysfunctional family.  i mean, i think we all know how complicated family dynamics can be, but what i love about this movie is that this family still knows how to love and support each other, no matter what. so sweet!

and because i was having a super hard time deciding which seven i would share, here are a few others at the top of the list:

the royal tenenbaums, napoleon dynamite, scott pilgrim vs. the world, donnie darko, being john malkovich, black swan, lars & the real girl, juno, inception, (500) days of summer, youth in revolt, strange brew, fight club, and the mystery science theatre 3000 movies.

what are some of your favorite films?