FDLF's Top Five Movies of All Time

Situation: 
A reader thought we did such a great job with Music Week, that they asked if we could share our top five movies of all time. Sure thing! Here we go…


She Says:

My top five favorite movies of all time…hmmmm… I have my number one and nothing will ever top it. Now to think of four more…

1. Trading Places – “I am a karate man and a karate man bruise on the inside. They don’t show they weaknesses. But you wouldn’t know nothing about that because you a big Barry White looking mother*cker. ”   THIS IS MY FAVORITE MOVIE OF ALL TIME!!!!! I mean, this is just classic Eddie Murphy right here. I can “perform” the whole movie from start to finish, and in different voices. This is just a straight classic--I really cannot say anything else about it!

2. Imitation of Life (1959) – Every time I watch this movie, the water works open. It is a great movie about a black girl who looks white, but hates that she is black. To add insult to injury, her mom works as a maid to a white movie star. So, the girl leaves home and “passes” as white all of her life. I won’t give away the movie, but you definitely should watch it if you have not seen it already. Just make sure you have your tissues ready.

3. Center Stage – I could watch this movie over and over again. I have it saved on my DVR from when I recorded it back in 2007. Now that I have Apple TV and Netflix, I could probably delete it to make space on my DVR, but I never will. It is definitely a chick flick and it features Zoe Saldana, before she found stardom.

4. Coming to America – Am I an Eddie Murphy junkie?! You have to admit, he really is a comedic genius. Who doesn’t love this movie? Who can’t recite the lines from this movie? Actually if you can’t you might just find your black card revoked! Lol

5.Dirty Dancing – I don’t think I need to say anything except, “Nobody puts baby in a corner.” Ohhh and Patrick Swayze was hot in this movie! (RIP!)

A

He Says:

Though ranking movies may be much easier for me than narrowing down music lists; I did still have a little trouble getting to my favorite five. However, after much thought and deliberation, I bestow upon you: K’s Holy Grail of movies.

1. Love Jones - Anyone who knows me well is aware of my deep love, passion, and damn near obsession with this movie. This love story is brought to life by combining all of my loves--jazz, poetry, photography, steppin’, and sex; no other movie does this in quite the same way. “Darius” embodies the meaning of true love, especially when he says things like, “This here--right now, at this very moment--is all that matters to me. I love you. That's urgent like a mother*er.” That’s exactly how I felt about “Nina Mosley” then, and how I still feel to this day. LOL.

Side note: I was going to insert my favorite clip from the movie here. But since we are a fairly family friendly website (the Steak and BJ Day post wasn’t that bad, right?), I could not post the beautiful Nia Long in all her splendor. Sorry gentleman…and ladies.

2. Vanilla Sky - Most people will say either one of two things when I tell them how much I love this movie: “WTF” or “That movie made no damn sense.” While the latter of those two statements may be true, I have an honest appreciation for movies that make you think; ones where you learn or pick up on something new every time you watch them. Come talk to me if you ever want me to break this movie down for you and confuse you even more….or perhaps, I will tell you in another life--when we both are cats.

3. Hitch - If ever there were a movie character that I connected with, it was Hitch: a smooth guy, with a good heart who eventually had to learn to take his own advice to get what he wanted from life. Not to mention Kevin James’ character is funny as hell.

4. Mo Betta’ Blues - I was Bleek Gilliam in a past life. Or maybe I will be him during the next Harlem Renaissance. Fk it, I am Bleek Gilliam! LOL. I’ll even accept the burden of having two fine women at the same time!

5. Coming to America – This is, in my opinion, the greatest comedy of all time. I don’t know if Black people have quoted any other movie more often than they have quoted Coming to America. In the words of Reverend Brown, “You know there's a God who sits on high and looks down low! Man cannot make it like this! Larry Flint? Hugh Hefner? They can take the picture, but you can't make it! Only God above, the Hugh Hefner on high, can make it for ya!”

K