What makes a favorite movie?

Serine

Serine Warner’s favorite films are those that embrace themes of chosen family. She loves “Kung Fu Panda 2” for its emphasis on family not being defined by blood and “Cheaper by the Dozen” for its representation of families that aren’t picture perfect but have each other’s backs no matter what.

“Chaos is part of the family,” Warner said. “Chaos does not mean dysfunctional, it just means a bunch of different personalities who are choosing to love each personality, whether they instinctually would or not.”

Both of these films are personal to Warner and point her towards the good things in her life.

“For ‘Kung Fu Panda 2,’ I watched it when I struggled with my adoption” Warner said. “‘Kung Fu Panda 2’ really emphasizes the choosing. That was a great movie to have when I needed it, as stupid as it sounds, with the panda going through the same things I was.”

Daniel

Daniel Lynch

Daniel Lynch hopes that his favorite films say, “My convictions run deep, that my emotions aren’t shallow and that I care deeply about things that are not just surface level.”

His favorite films, “Tortured for Christ” and “Sabina: Tortured for Christ – The Nazi Years” tell the story of the real-life Romanian priest Richard Wurmbrand and his faithfulness through persecution.

The most impactful moment of the films for Lynch is in “Tortured for Christ.” Praying is forbidden in the communist prison camp Wurmbrand is kept in, but he made an arrangement with the guards where they let him pray, but only if they beat him afterward. After years of torture and imprisonment, with Wurmbrand’s wife imprisoned and his son parentless, a guard snaps and asks, “What more could you be praying for?” to which Wumbrand responds, “I was praying for you.” This moment sticks with Lynch as what it means to pray for those who persecute you.

“That is physically what it looks like,” Lynch said. “That is spiritually how it’s lived out.”

Reyna

Reyna Golson

For Reyna Golson, her favorite films reflect her love for her family and her passion for adventures. She loves “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty” because of its goofy and adventurous tone.

“I love traveling and adventure, and that just personifies it,” Golson said. It’s a film that her family watches and quotes all the time.

“I’ve traveled a lot with my family, growing up overseas” Golson said. “The encounters that he has on those adventures are very similar to things that we’ve experienced together.”

Another of her favorite films, Greta Gerwig’s “Little Women,” holds a special place for several reasons. The book is one of the first she remembers reading, and the March family reminds her of her own.

“We very much are like the March siblings; we yell and fight, but also are very close.”

She loves these stories for being wholesome, and “Little Women” and “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty” are films that her family has watched together over and over again.

Justin

Justin Kemp

The films that resonate with Justin Kemp are about coming of age and finding your place. Those themes and his connection with the characters is why “How To Train Your Dragon” really resonates with him.

“I’ve always loved fantasy and dragons” Kemp said. “I’ve always also loved coming of age and growing up stories, and it’s both those things at the same time.”


Kemp saw “How To Train Your Dragon” opening day for his eighth birthday and felt like he got to grow up with Hiccup as the movies progressed. Another favorite film that resonated with Kemp is “Everything Everywhere All At Once,” as it shares how the people we love help us navigate the world’s chaos.  

“Something for everyone in our generation is we feel very scattered and bombarded by information,” Kemp said. “The thesis of the movie is through all that chaos, searching for love and connection.”

Brosnan

Brosnan Butt

When finishing a film, Brosnan Butt loves coming out of a movie feeling understood and changed. All of his favorite films ask existential questions like “Where is my place in all this? In this thing I don’t understand?” and “What is the role of tragedy in how you navigate your life,”  questions Butt has asked his entire life.

“Inside Out” is a film that Butt related to, as it came out while he was moving to and from Japan with his family.

“I felt a really deep connection to Riley as she had to navigate new experiences she felt completely unprepared for and mourning this loss of a life that she had loved” Butt said.

A recent favorite for him is “Steel Magnolias,” particularly the dichotomy of its script. Its two tones of comedy and melodrama complemented each other well and illustrated how there is always a community you can fall back onto in the face of tragedy.

Another newer film on Butt’s list is “Suzume,” both for its nostalgic representation of Japan and for its theme on trauma and difficult experiences forging who you are.

“Bad things and sad things are unavoidable, but so are beautiful things” Butt said. “I want to be that type of person who can hold the bitter and sweet in each hand and see God in both.”

Favorite Movie Conclusion

By Janie Walenda

Janie Walenda

What’s your favorite movie?

Is there a film that immediately comes to mind? Or do you have no idea? Maybe you can rattle off two or three of your favorites or point towards a genre or a franchise you love.

There is no set definition for what a favorite movie is. It is not judged strictly on quality; “Citizen Kane” may be one of the best films ever made, but it is not in my top ten favorite films. On the other hand, “12 Angry Men,” another regular on best films lists, is one of my top five favorite films.

If this sounds a bit snobbish, keep in mind that “12 Angry Men” is right next to “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” on my list. For the non-cinephiles, blockbusters are often favorite films. Whether it is my dad’s enduring love for “James Bond,” my brother’s encyclopedic knowledge of the “Lord of the Rings” films, or mine and my youngest brother’s newfound enthusiasm for the “Planet of the Apes” films, we love a good franchise to get invested in and a blockbuster to wow and entertain us. There’s a reason “Avatar” and “Avengers: Endgame” are two of the highest-grossing films of all time.

Despite what the internet or the pretentious cinephile you’re bound to meet tells you, there’s no superiority attached to whether your favorite movie is “Casablanca” or “Twisters.” Of course the films you watch in crowded theaters and eagerly wait for each installment are going to be your favorites.

Another major factor in what makes up a favorite film is if you relate to it. Relatability is not required to make a film good or your favorite, but the films that we connect with tend to stick with us for years. One of the great assets of films is the window it can provide into perspectives and worldviews other than your own. 

There are better Pixar movies than “Inside Out,” but none that articulate an aspect of my life more clearly. The film came out right as my family began a period of several transitions. As cheesy as it sounds, the film’s message of happiness and sadness intertwined was an important starting point for me in navigating change.

Representation in film is important because film is nothing but a representation of something. Sometimes it is a window into other people’s lives, and other times it is a mirror for us to examine ourselves. The best films combine both; “Encanto” is relatable for anyone who has struggled with high expectations placed on them (hello college students preparing for finals), but it also provides a window into a culture we might not be familiar with.

Finally, nostalgia is a major factor in choosing favorite films. The films we grew up with will always hold a special place in our hearts. The original Disney “Cinderella” will likely forever occupy a portion of my favorite films of all time. There was a point where I not only had most of the movie memorized, but my dad did as well. I think many people remember the stories, whether film or television, book or video game, that captured our imaginations as children and made us realize the power of storytelling.

Even with all that recognition of what makes a favorite film, it is still nearly impossible to just choose one. None of the students I interviewed could, and I can’t blame them. However, if I really had to, I think I could identify one movie that encapsulates everything that makes a favorite film. It’s a high-quality film that’s also a fan favorite, with themes that I relate to and childhood nostalgia by the bucketful. So if you come up on the street and ask me, “What’s your favorite film,” my answer would obviously be, “The Muppet Christmas Carol.”

Janie Walenda is a senior Global Business major and the A&E editor for Cedars. She is overly passionate about musicals, caffeine and weirdly enough Dracula.

Photos by Ian Chan and Logan Howard

No Replies to "What makes a favorite movie?"

    Leave a reply

    Your email address will not be published.