Movies That Make Up 60% of My Personality

There are just some movies that speak to you. I love when I watch a film that includes every trope I love, and typically has some amazingly quotable moments or a memorable soundtrack. I’ve written a few blog posts about how much I love Gossip Girl, and how I re-watch it maybe a little bit too much (see: I Can’t Stop Rewatching Gossip Girl and Here’s Why), and the same goes for the movies on this list. 60% is a pretty large chunk, and it may be a stretch, but I have the quotes for these films stored somewhere in my brain, and it definitely takes up a hefty amount. Though this isn’t my ultimate favorites list, it’s pretty close. I am a compulsive re-watcher, so I have seen these films multiple times, but I simply never get tired of them. Enjoy!

Bring it On (2000)

The original Bring It On is the epitome of an amazingly quotable film that never gets old. I’ve owned this DVD for as long as I can remember, which is insane considering it released in 2000 and I probably watched it around 2005 (when I was only five years old). This is a teen flick through and through, and I didn’t understand most of the off-hand jokes when I was younger, and only a re-watch every few years will reveal them to you. But despite it all, this movie will continue to be one of my absolute favorites. I love a good cheer movie any day (some of the sequels are also pretty good), so the likes of Kirsten Dunst and Gabrielle Union as the captains of opposing squads is just the icing on the cake. I have a a sticker on my laptop that reads “Awesome! Oh wow! Like totally freak me out, I mean right on!” because anyone who catches that reference is a friend of mine. And if you can’t recite the entire opening dream sequence cheer, are you even a Bring It On fan?

Stuck In Love (2012)

Nearly every fourteen year-old had their Tumblr phase. And during the years 2012-2015, I’m sure that Stuck In Love was a staple favorite movie of teens on Tumblr everywhere. I am no exception. Stuck In Love is my ultimate me-day movie when I want something a bit more dramatic with perfectly flawed characters, and a broken family dynamic. Logan Lerman’s role in this movie is just a plus. Stuck In Love is also a movie with an amazing soundtrack. I still hum the beginning, whistling notes of Home by Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeroes every time the movie opens. I’m a sucker for love stories in all forms, and though I usually go for me cheerful rom-coms, Stuck In Love has always kept a special place in my heart. I don’t thank Tumblr for much, but I will always be grateful to it for introducing me to this gem.

Twilight (2008)

I may not have been a Twi-hard during the prime years of Twilight, but this film has become a staple in my list of favorites. What can I say? I guess I’m a sucker for a good vampire love story. Twilight is a movie that feels like an obscure indie film. This, of course, is very ironic considering the cultural phenomenon that erupted from the film series. But it’s true. It’s a movie where you have to suspend disbelief for the entirety of its run time, and also appreciate the subtle cinematic elements it offers. It’s an odd mixture. Twilight introduced me to songs like Decode by Paramore and Flightless Bird, American Mouth by Iron & Wine, two songs I would have never come across otherwise. But on a more surface-level note, I just love the story of this single film. Rooted in high school, with a fun blue tint to represent the overcast environment, and a heartthrob sparkly vampire who will stop at nothing to be with you? It’s a recipe for a juicy film that I will constantly have on repeat. I never really got into the habit of defending my love for this movie, because at the end of the day it’s just a movie. I’ll watch the other installments in this film series every now and then (mostly Eclipse), but I definitely watch this original film the most. It’s so much fun to see where it all started, and a re-watch never fails to make me want to visit Forks.

Monsters University (2013)

I definitely grew up with the Pixar classic, Monsters Inc. and it has a special place in my early DVD collection as a kid. Monsters University, the prequel to Monsters Inc, released when I was at the start of my teenage years, and secured a place in heart from my very first watch. I loved the fictional college setting (and the made up Greek Life organizations. I even have a fake sorority shirt that adorns the Slugma Slugma Kappa letters), and I LOVED seeing the origin of Mike and Sully’s friendship. I typically dislike when prequels or sequels are released for movies where I care so deeply about the original. However, now I’m pretty sure I prefer Monsters University to Monsters Inc. It’s the story of two unlikely students becoming best friends, and joining a fraternity of underdogs, set off by the most beautiful animation (as expected of Pixar). Now that I’m in college, the stereotypes are a lot more clear, and make me love the movie even more.

High School Musical (2006)

This list would not be reaching its goal of listing the movies that make up 60% of my personality without one of my all time favorite films, High School Musical. In the last few months, HSM has seen a resurgence of popularity with the release of the Disney+ series, High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, which is a spin-off (of sorts) of the original trilogy. But anyone who knows me knows that I have always been a die-hard fan of this musical movie masterpiece. I grew up during the best years of Disney Channel Original Movies (see: Movies With Deja: The Best Disney Channel Original Movies), and High School Musical hit the small screen when I was only six years old. As the sequels released and more and more HSM merchandise hit the shelves, the phenomenon that was (and still is) HSM, was undeniable, and I dived into it head first. I had two consecutive HSM themed parties growing up, and I was lucky enough to see the final film in theaters. High School Musical was to me, what Harry Potter was to most; so, needless to say, it means A LOT to yours truly. I never starred in theatre productions during my high school years, but when I was singing along to HSM tracks in my childhood bedroom, I felt like I could do anything.

XOXO,