The Motorcycle Diaries. My #1 favorite movie of all time.  True story of the young Ernesto “Che” Guevara and his friend who make their journey across South America with only their feet and a motorcycle.  You begin to see hints of his transformation from medical doctor to revolutionary.  A real man’s movie. Mandatory viewing for all guys.

    Braveheart. After the murder of his wife by the English, Braveheart takes matters into his own hands and incites revolution for a better world for his people.  Great movie, really inspiring.  I don’t need to tell you to watch this movie as just about every guy already has.  However, you will want to order the audio soundtrack- the movie has a fantastic soundtrack that’s been recycled in many movies since.

    Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. I don’t like the poster art, so I used this hot pic instead.  Better isn’t it?  A story of transformative love, based much on Joseph Campbell’s classic work The Hero’s Journey.  This movie had a big influence on me when I was younger, inspiring me to learn to draw and storyboard, which I spent a few years doing.  The Little Mermaid, Hercules, and Tarzan also get Honorable mentions - a true golden age of classic animation and storytelling.

    The Matrix. Humanity is enslaved to its lack of consciousness and social conditioning– also serves as a Marxist allegory that we’re in a rat race where nothing is in our control.  It’s not enough to watch this movie.  This is a call to Free Yourself, and humankind.

    V for Vendetta. Just in case the Wachowski brothers didn’t get the Marxist/anarchist “question all your beliefs” message through with Matrix, they hit you over the head with a sledgehammer about revolution in V for Vendetta.

    Star Wars, the original trilogy- “A New Hope” was the first movie I ever “saw” as a newborn baby and throughout my childhood I was Star Wars obsessed.  This is a fight and revolution against fascism against all odds - and the temptation to turn to evil, sloth, and apathy in all of us.

    Happy Feet. On the surface, this just looks like a movie about dancing penguins.  I was at IMAX without a ticket and “Happy Feet” was the only thing playing.  I don’t like computer animated movies much to begin with, so I was convinced it would be the worst movie I’d ever seen.   Actually, it turned out to be one of my favorite movies of all time.  Happy Feet goes on an epic journey and its metaphorical for the journey from boyhood into manhood.  Give this one a chance, you’ll thank me.

    That’s my list for now– if I think of anymore I’ll add them!

Tags: cinema, derek vitalio, favorite movies, movies