20 Films That Have Influenced Me

Pulp Fiction - Quentin Tarrintino -1994

Drugs, Dancing, and Samuel L. Jackson 

Eternal Sunshine of The Spotless Mind - 2004

Jim Carrey plays a more serious role with Kate Winslet, beautifully crafted and forever quotable.

Moonrise Kingdom - Wes Anderson - 2012

Two young teenagers run away and survive on scout knowledge and young romance... for about 24 hours.

The Darjeeleeling Limited - Wes Aderson - 2007

Owen Wilson and Jason Schwartzman are back, and quirky and confusing as ever.

The Truman Show - 1998

Again, Jim Carey in a much more serious role but still with elements of humour. One of those films that will completely change your perspective on things. With an incredible crescendo of an ending.

Youth in Revolt - 2009

Had to include a Michael Cera classic! Cera at his possibly most awkward, but still handsomely awkward.

500 Days Of Summer - 2009

Before everybody fell in love with Zooey Deschannel, we watched some poor soul go through the motions, and that poor soul was Joseph Gorden-Levitt. Every 15-19 year old girl's dream.

Spirited Away - Hayao Miyazaki - 2001

Studio Ghibli do it again, an absolute gem, anime at it's best. Heart-warming and beautifully made.

Fight Club - 1999

Cult classic and definitely lives up the hoo-har, Brad Pitt is amazing, Helena Bonham Carter is amazing, the script is amazing and everyone on Earth needs to see this film. Plus Pixies TUNE at the end.

Catfish - 2010

Before the spin-off show! Regardless of your opinion of the MTV show, this film is so so so much better, the original, the real deal that is so niche and different. Stop watching MTV, also.

Django Unchained - 2012

Quentin Tarrintino bangs out another masterpiece, following suit to all his other creations; guns, blood and a lot of N-word use.

Her - 2013

I love Joaquin Phoenix I love Joaquin Phoenix I love Joaquin Phoenix and Scarlett Johansson's voice is to die for!

Rushmore - Wes Anderson - 1998

"I saved Latin, what did you ever do?" Jason Schwartzman still has braces and Bill Murray is starting to look old.

Juno - 2007

Ellen Page and Michael Cera and Kimya Dawson's lovely soundtrack

The Wolf of Wall Street - 2013

HOW DOES LEONARDO DICAPRIO NOT HAVE AN OSCAR???????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Also, Jonah Hill looked FAB.

Black Swan - 2010

In my opinion should be rated much high in IMDB's top 250, as well as higher in many peoples opinions because this film is so captivating and unfortunately too many people only remember it for the Mila Kunis/Natalie Portman sex scene. Which is very unfair.

Donnie Darko - 2001

Another cult clasic, it's so difficult to distance yourself from the events and thesis' in the film from reality. Well worth watching, definitely not when high.

Howl's Moving Castle - Hayao Miyazaki - 2004

Another Studio Ghibli masterpiece, not enough people appreciate these kind of anime films.

American History X - 1998

So many people highly prized this film and I never understood how or why, until I properly sat down and watched it. Ed Norton does a brilliant job and my full respect and appreciation goes out to everything this film stands for and represents.

The Departed - 2006

Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Wahlberg AND Maaaaatttt Daaaamooooon! I think I need to see this again because there's still a few things that didn't make sense to me but despite that, it still stood out as an extremely cleverly crafted film.

The Grand Budapest Hotel - Wes Anderson

I finally got the chance to see Wes Anderson's latest quirky, cutesie, cinematic masterpiece and it definitely followed suit to the typical Wes Anderson style; beautiful scenes, an amazing script and complete with cameos especially for the hardcore Wes fans.

As per usual each and every scene was faultless, if not completely symmetrical then bloody close to it as possible, with the most gorgeous colour schemes!

The film was slightly different to the rest of Wes' collection due to the fact (the very, very very VERY lovely) Jude Law acted as sort of a narrator, for another narrator, narrator inception. Although, because of this, I think the story was a lot easier to grasp and also made it more mainstream so perhaps that factors into why The Grand Budapest Hotel was such bit hit in comparison to all of Wes Anderson's other films such as Moonrise Kingdom or The Darjeeleeing Limited.

And, my God did Ralph Fiennes did a brilliant job as part of the duo protagonist team, partnered with Tony Revolori with his hilariously skinny drawn-on moustache.

Jason Schartzman also made another appearance, along with Bill Murray (OF COURSE), Owen Wilson and Ed Norton as part of his regular cast. Willem Defoe also did a brilliant job, playing a character slightly reminiscent of his green goblin days - a bit evil and menacing. 

The film was rather fast paced, I think it could have done with maybe another half an hour, spaced things out a bit more, but all in all it was bloody phenomenal.

From watching Wes' films, a formula seems to come to fruition; each and everyone one seems to have it's own quirky personality and feel to the film, to the script and to the characters, their worlds seem so perfectly imperfected but we wouldn't want them any other way. With each storyline so different, they submerse the viewer scattered with the driest, cleverest of humour crescendoing to a deep and dark moral.

What did I take away from the film? 

I want to be a lobby boy