Rachel’s five-star fav flicks

In honor of the 82nd Academy Awards taking place this Sunday, here’s a list of my five favorite movies of all-time and, in my opinion, some of the best films ever created (being the Times’ sole in-house movie reviewer, I’m allowed such hubris):

Gettysburg
(1993. Starring Tom Berenger, Martin Sheen, Jeff Daniels; Directed by Ronald F. Maxwell; Rated PG)

Blame this one on my mother. I was only 7 when this movie came out and she dragged my family and me off to the nearest theater showing it (45 minutes away; we live in a cow town). Then once out on VHS, this four-hour epic played nearly every weekend at our home. And that’s not to mention the camping excursions to Gettysburg, Pa.

Despite my pure familiarity, what I love most about this film is the sheer humanity of it. You empathize with Robert E. Lee and James Longstreet as much as you do with the Union’s Colonel Joshua Chamberlain, who held Little Round Top against the Confederates and was arguably one of the main reasons the Union was victorious in the three-day battle.

It’s a beautiful movie (visually and narratively) that not enough people are familiar with.

Lord of the Rings
(2001-2003. Starring Elijah Wood, Viggo Mortenson, Sir Ian McKellen; Directed by Peter Jackson; Rated PG-13)

All right, so technically this is three movies, but it’s one story. And in an industry running low on ideas and swiftly churning out book adaptations (if you’re a frequent reader, bad adaptations is one pet peeve of mine that you’ll notice will never go away), this was actually a spectacular one.

Not only is the story itself compelling, but the sheer amount of effort put in at every single angle for this trilogy is beyond compare. Beautiful filmography, notable acting and a fantastic soundtrack, Peter Jackson pulled out all the stops and then sent a ringwraith to chase them far, far away.

And it made it OK for people to enjoy fantasy and actually have an imagination for a couple of years. Who would have thought that people could still do that?

Love Actually
(2003. Starring Hugh Grant, Bill Nighy, Liam Neeson; Directed by Richard Curtis; Rated R)

Hilarious and heart-warming, “Love Actually,” though often categorized as a “romantic comedy” and therefore a “chick flick,” really can be enjoyed by both genders.

OK, maybe my boyfriend lied to me because he knows how attached I get to my movies, but I really think he actually liked it. Or at least tolerated it enough to not walk out in the middle of it.

Regardless, “Love Actually” is a wonderful ensemble piece and, no matter my mood going in, always puts a smile on my face.

Stand By Me
(1986. Starring Wil Wheaton, River Phoenix, Corey Feldman, Jerry O’Connell; Directed by Rob Reiner; Rated R)

“Stand By Me” has been my favorite movie since I first watched it over 10 years ago (I consider it a good sign that the movie came out the year I was born).

The late River Phoenix, at the age of 16, gives an indescribable performance as the troubled Christopher Chambers. “Stand By Me” gives a painful and exceptionally moving glimpse into what it means to be young and human.

Who would have guessed a movie this steeped in emotion and the bonds of friendship stemmed from a short story written by horror master Stephen King?

Superbad
(2007. Starring Jonah Hill, Michael Cera, Christopher Mintz-Plasse; Directed by Greg Mottola; Rated R)

The most hilarious movie I have ever seen, ever.

It’s hard to explain the appeal of “Superbad” to someone who hasn’t seen it. If you don’t appreciate excessive vulgarity and just plain crude behavior, you won’t appreciate this movie; but “Superbad” somehow managed to transcend a typical young adult comedy. The highly quotable lines and nonstop entertainment make this a movie you can watch over and over again (in fact, I watched it twice just this past weekend).

A kid I went to high school with is an extra in the home economics scene, so that’s an added plus.