I was involved in a serious conversation with a few friends recently in which we each tried to name our “Top 10” movies.  I drew a complete blank.  I couldn’t even name a movie I liked without thinking “But surely there are 10 other movies I like more than this one…”  So now here we are.

Wrapped into this conversation was a question of what “Top 10” means.  Top 10 that you could watch over and over and over and over and never get tired of for the rest of your life?  Top 10 “objectively” best movies (as close to objective as possible, anyway)?  The possible qualifications go on and on.

So, I’ve boiled down a list of my “favorite” movies.  They’re in tiers more than one-by-one rankings, as the specific numbered slots can shift based on my mood.  I’ve also included a separate list of my favorite TV shows.  Because why not?

Full disclosure: I’m aware that my tastes are not that refined, and that my favorites lists really show my age.  I can appreciate and enjoy objectively good movies, but when it comes down to it, some of my favorites are average (or sometimes below-average) films that have some sort of very specific quality or scene or character that sticks in my mind and takes hold of my heart.  And it’s hard to break a bond like that.

Also, don’t worry, there aren’t any spoilers for any TV shows or movies contained within.

TV Shows

First: the easy choices.  My favorite TV shows.  “Favorite” here simply means I’ve seen every episode and truly enjoyed the series from start to finish (or start to present, for the still-running shows).  Of course long-running series will have story arcs that I’m not as happy with for various reasons.  But overall, these are the shows I love.  Most of them I can and do relate every day situations to, much to the annoyance of my friends.  Most are comedies.  Ironically, it is hard for a drama to hold my attention even though theoretically the dramas have the more compelling storylines.  I just get bored with them really easily.  And you may notice I have severe brand loyalty when it comes to TV: when I start a show from the beginning, I give it a few episodes to hook me.  If it does, then I am with them until the bitter end.

Tier 1: The best of the best

• Grey’s Anatomy: (2005-present on ABC) I started watching this show from the night the pilot aired in 2005, I never missed an episode live (until I got a DVR, and then I always watched the recording the same night or the next day) and I will continue watching it until it is cancelled.  It has certainly had its ups and downs.  But there are certain characters that feel like members of my own family now.  I know it’s somewhat cheesy and often ridiculously over-the-top.  But I love it anyway.
• Parks and Recreation: (2009-present on NBC) Always makes me laugh out loud.  And the story and characters are top notch.  Less-than-stellar episodes are very rare in this series.  I started watching this series the night of the pilot and rarely missed watching the episodes live (or close-to-live on DVR).
• It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia: (2005-present on FX, FXX) Another one that never fails to make me laugh out loud.  And the hilarious but egotistical characters often remind me of my own close friends (and vice versa).  I binge-watched the five seasons that had already been out when I moved to Texas in 2010 and have been faithfully following the show ever since.
• Community: (2009-present on NBC, Yahoo!) Another laugh-out-loud comedy.  It has dips in quality at times, and you never know if it’s going to be cancelled or keep going or something in between.  I started watching this show from the pilot as well, but fell away from it in the middle of season 1.  At a friend’s recommendation I caught up on it after the season ended and have kept up with it and loved it ever since.
• Scrubs: (2001-2010 on NBC, ABC) This one is the perfect blend of comedy and drama for me.  It has so much heart but so much silliness and laugh-out-loud moments.  I began watching it halfway through its run and stuck with it to the end, even through the change of networks.  I have several friendships that started with or were significantly enhanced by a shared love of this show.
• Arrested Development: (2003-2006, 2013 on FOX, Netflix) I was way late to the bandwagon on this one (as were most people) and didn’t see a single episode until about 3 years after the show was cancelled.  A mix of Community and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (clever, smart jokes with unlikable characters), it is like it was made for me.

Tier 2: The best of the rest  (Or the rest of the best?)

Films

• High Fidelity (released 2000, first viewing unknown): This one’s got it all – spontaneous top 5’s, heartbreak, music elitism, etc.  Such a great film.  So great, in fact, that I don’t feel I even need to justify its being here on this list.
• Garden State (released 2004, first viewing circa 2005): This film will stay high on my list for a long time because of its unique comedic style (with great delivery by the actors) and its soundtrack (duh), but mainly for the two water-centric scenes with honest conversations between Braff’s and Portman’s characters (the pool scene and the bathtub scene).  Plus, I’m a sucker for movies that do a good job of portraying fucked up family dynamics.  Most movies say “oh, we have our problems, but we love each other because we’re a family.”  And this film does that to some extent in the end.  But the realization of how much damage his upbringing has done and consciously overcoming that is something I can totally relate to.
• Spanglish (released 2004, first viewing circa 2005): I think this was the film where I realized I would ideally like to end up with someone who knows how to cook well.  There are a lot of things I love about this movie, but that was my number one takeaway.
• Proof (released 2005, first viewing circa 2006): Speaking of types of men I’d like to end up with… Jake Gyllenhaal’s character in Proof (with an added aptitude for cooking) is that man to a T.  The portrayal of mathematicians in this film (and in the play it’s based on) leaves something to be desired, but there are some great lines.  And I’m in love with Harold Dobbs.
• It’s a Wonderful Life (released 1946, first viewing circa 2006): The quintessential (if not THE original) “What would the world be like if I’d never been born?” movie.  Topped with a bit of “It sucks to be poor.”  And “Friends make me forget about how terrible I feel when things in my life are terrible.”  The religious angle is a bit smothering at times, but when you want an uplifting film that makes you feel like an individual can make a difference, this is a good one to go to.
• Take this Waltz (released 2011, first viewing 2011): Watching this movie always makes me feel really depressed and self-critical.  But in a good way?  It has also ruined “Video Killed the Radio Star” for me forever.  The opening scene of the movie sets the tone and is something I can relate to all too well sometimes.
• St. Elmo’s Fire (released 1985, first viewing circa 2011): A really fun “growing up” film.  Possibly my favorite about twenty-somethings (even higher than Garden State).  Maybe this movie will fall out of favor if/when I “outgrow” it.  But I found/find it so relateable, even nearly 30 years later.
• The Five-Year Engagement (released 2012, first viewing 2012): This one almost didn’t make the list (meaning I originally wrote a top 8).  This film is full of tons of laugh out loud moments but also has a lot of painfully realistic relationship moments.  The best scene, by far, is the “Elmo voice scene.”  I won’t ruin it for you if you haven’t seen the movie, but the message of the whole film is basically explicitly said in the dialogue of that scene and it makes for great food for thought.  Also, it pretty accurately portrays the two-body problem in academia and how soul-suckingly depressing it is.
• Before Sunset (released 2004, first viewing 2013): The “Before trilogy” (at the time, the “Before duo”) was recommended to me (and the rest of my class) by my high school math teacher.  I always tucked that away in the back of my mind that I should watch those films, but didn’t actually watch them for the first time until last summer.  I really enjoyed “Before Sunrise” but “Before Sunset” really takes it to the next level.  During my first viewing, every 15 seconds I was feeling a new emotion, or a stronger version of an old emotion than I’d ever felt before, or had gained a new way of looking at a situation, or had some other revelation.  These films are almost completely dialogue driven and so it’s hard to catch everything in a first viewing, or even the first several viewings.  And I am sure revisiting them at different times in life after various experiences change your perspective would also change or enhance what you get out of the films.