Sometimes, the reason why we love a certain movie is because of its movie stars and how well they portrayed certain roles. But of course, that’s not always true. The most memorable and meaningful amusement of the era is likely the glitz and glamour of the silver screen and all that it entails. Movies are a wonderful collaboration of some of the most artistic and forward thinking minds in this age.  Often, the principal players of the cinema become icons. They live their lives in the fishbowl of the media, every detail of their routine noticed and inspected. Inherent in the choice of my favorite movie stars is likely the influence of clever scripting, masterful directing and thorough producers. The rise to stardom is an arduous one with only a very small chance of success.  Those that make their mark in the entertainment business are usually people of stamina and drive.  Their work will encapsulate their essence long after they are deceased.  My top ten choices of movie stars are no different.

Here’s the list of my favorite movie stars

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An amazing actor-turned-director; Mel Gibson is possessed of a personality that either induces his audience to love him or hate him.  Even his adherents will usually admit that there is something unlikable about his ego and strong personality.  However, almost everyone agrees that he deserves respect in Hollywood’s all-consuming arena. An Australian by birth, Gibson has done extremely well for himself.  During the course of his long career, he has worn the faded leather so prominent in the futuristic world of “Mad Max”.  His long hair, blue jeans and clever quips made him a favorite in the buddy-cop comedies of “Lethal Weapon”.  He wore a kilt in “Braveheart”, colonial garb in “The Patriot”, and a priest’s collar in “Signs”. These are only a few of the more successful features in his long career.  Of late, though he spends more time behind the camera than in front of it, his films are still intriguing and picturesque works of art.

A prolific actress whose endearing smile charmed audiences across the nation, Julia Roberts has played in forty-two movies over the last twenty-four years. Though primarily making her name in romantic comedies, Roberts has demonstrated her versatility in films like “Sleeping With The Enemy”. Her dedication to her career, her craft and her viewing public is unquestionable.

Sigourney Weaver seems to generally play tough characters with heart.  Her most famous pieces, the “Alien” saga, have given her global acknowledgement.  A native New Yorker, Weaver is often referred to as the ‘Sci-Fi Queen’. Well, this queen has made an impact in more than fifty films including “Avatar”, “Holes” and “Ghostbusters”. She has been nominated for different awards countless times and has actually won fourteen of them including two Golden Globes. She has also spent a large amount of time on the stage.  No doubt about it, Sigourney Weaver’s versatility and individuality as an actress and a person are unrivaled.

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Another versatile and prolific performer, Anthony Hopkins is remembered best for his role as Hannibal Lector, a serial killer with an appetite for human flesh.  Hopkins is often said to be the powerhouse of British actors. His career spans more than four decades and he is still going strong.  He has won countless awards and honors over the course of his life, including a knighthood in 1993 for service to the arts.

Brad Pitt, a sensational actor and producer, has been making the hearts of women across the country throb since 1987. His most notable early roles being “Thelma and Louise”, “A River Runs Through It”,”Interview With The Vampire” and “Legends Of The Fall”. His life choices and boyish grin keep the ladies buying the gossip rags and his charitable endeavors touch the lives of many.  In my opinion, he is exactly what Hollywood is all about, a combination of looks, skill and drive.

Another attractive face on the big screen would be Jessica Alba’s. A sex symbol, Alba is best known for her desirability and affecting laugh.  Her skills as an actress are not to be understated, however, and she has won quite a few awards since starting her career in 1994 at the age of thirteen.

A zany personality and outrageous sense of humor makes Adam Sandler a shoe-in as one of my favorite movie stars. He often writes and produces his own pieces and never fails to strike the funny bone. His audience varies in age, nationality, and race.  Nobody does humor and sarcasm better than Adam Sandler.

Denzel Washington is a fantastic actor.  He has won two Academy Awards and appeared in over forty films.  Whether you are watching him play the villain in “American Gangster”, or the misunderstood hero in “The Hurricane”, Washington is not to be missed.

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Lucy Liu is an extremely active artist and producer.  She contributed to six different films just this year!  My favorite of her performances are as a hooker in “Payback”, a Yakusa Boss in “Kill Bill” and a vampire/hunter in “Rise: Blood Hunter”.  She’s also an artist in other mediums such as paints, collages, and photography.

Lastly, I’ve always very much enjoyed the work of Jane Fonda. Though much of her early work is before my time, to go back over it is a real pleasure.  Her self-awareness and the freshness of her work is enthralling and inspiring.  She will always be one of the great movie stars out there.

These are only a few of my favorite movie stars.

In time, others will join the list. Society will always need its public faces, its celebrities to mimic, envy and mock.  Film is perhaps the most difficult art form.  Every nuance of voice and expression is captured and dissected.  These celebrities will never be able to walk through the supermarket unnoticed or throw anything in the garbage that they don’t want the whole world to see.  Every word must be carefully guarded.  Every choice is approved or rejected by countless others.  We sit, spellbound, in a dark and crowded room, anticipating the next golden line out of our favorite star’s mouth, watching their performance with awe and experiencing their emotions along with them.  Movies are transcendent and their movie stars are truly marvelous.

I’m surrounded by movies and more movies to watch. They are cascading down out of huge piles stacked in every corner of the room.  There are movies of all types – color, B&W, letterbox, full screen, comedies, mysteries, adventures.

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No, that is not real life my friend. That description is more like a pleasant dream because you see, I do love movies. Trying to select a few of my favorites to talk about for you today is somewhat difficult as I could compile a very long list of movies to watch over and over again.  Here’s what I’m in the mood to watch now.

What’s the #1 movie on your movies to watch list?

Every discussion needs a holiday movie of some sort and my all-time favorite is A Christmas Story.  I realize in recent years that some cable stations play this movie over and over until some people would prefer to destroy every copy they could find rather than watch it again but I still adore the movie. Little Ralphie with his dreams of a Red Ryder 200-shot carbine action air rifle remind me of those Christmas dreams I had as a child for things that I was never going to receive but at the same time couldn’t stop hoping for.  And although I never had to do this, I do giggle at Ralphie with the bar of soap in his mouth. I remember my first ‘dirty’ word and I did not receive the punishment of a bar of soap in the mouth but there was the same type of upset in the house regarding where I had learned such a horrible term.  All in all, I have to rate this as my favorite holiday flick for its portrayal of a dysfunctional family Christmas.

Another movie that I like to watch in any season is The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T produced by Stanley Kramer with screen play by Dr. Seuss. If you haven’t seen this classic, try to get your hands on a copy and add it to your list of movies to watch.  It is a whimsical story about a young boy, Bart, whose mother is determined that he practice the piano rather than play baseball.  Bart falls asleep and has the most fantastic dream about a place where 500 boys are forced to play on a huge grand piano using the Happy Fingers Method. The evil Dr. Terwilliker is the mastermind of the scheme and a supporting cast of equally strange characters fill the story in the manner that only Dr. Seuss could put together. This is a live-action movie and worth your time.  It is rated G and is suitable for everyone to watch although the film is likely to dredge up memories of the times as a child when you were forced to practice for your piano lesson rather than going out to play.  And I’d rather watch this movie today than play the piano.  Sorry mom, the piano lessons never did produce much of a musician.

Who could talk about movies without mentioning the Alfred Hitchcock classic The Trouble With Harry.  I must say that I am a fan of Hitchcock movies but without a doubt, this is my favorite of his many fine films.  Poor Harry is dead but he certainly does not rest in peace in this movie.  Harry gets planted and dug up and moved with regularity.  A fine cast of actors makes this unlikely tale quite entertaining. This was Shirley MacLaine’s first movie for those of you who keep track of those types of trivia that just might come in handy at some point.  As the story unfolds, we learn that Harry was actually related to one of the primary characters leading to a bit more suspense on what really happened to cause Harry’s demise.  A very young Jerry Mathers also appears in this film.  For those of you who may not recognize the name, he was Beaver in the TV series, Leave it to Beaver. This is a delightful twist and turn movie that remains on my ‘movies to watch’ pile year round.

Add some ‘classics’ to your list of movies to watch …

My favorite movies are often old classics. This next movie fits the bill exactly. The Thin Man which starred William Powell and Myrna Loy is another movie that I keep near the top of the stack. Actually, I like the entire series of movies but this one is an undisputed classic. This is a murder mystery that doesn’t take itself too seriously.  The main characters, Nick and Nora Charles, are rich and apparently have little to do with their lives but they end up devoting time to finding the murderer in this tale. The couple has a charming and quirky relationship that adds to the ambience of the movie.  Stir in quite a bit of alcohol and a darling little dog called Asta and watching the crime and the solution unfold is a delightful hour and a half of black and white enjoyment. My affection for all the movies in this series is derived out of  the genius of this movie, the original in the series.  The movie is based on the Dashiell Hammett novel.  This fact probably adds to my enjoyment as I am a fan of his books.

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Another murder mystery is among my favorite movies to watch and the last one I have time to describe today.  This one, however, is not amusing or funny in any sense of the word.  This is a film noir movie which is deadly serious.  The movie is Laura with Gene Tierney and Dana Andrews.  A woman is shot and killed.  It seems straightforward enough but the Detective looking into the crime gradually becomes obsessed with the victim. It is somewhat creepy as you watch this unfold. There are several classic villains in this movie with Clifton Webb and Vincent Price playing the parts of quite flawed human beings.  This is an Otto Preminger film with many twists and turns.  As it turns out, the murdered lady is not who she seemed to be at first which heightens the tension even more. The first time you watch this movie you’ll be wondering what will happen next.  The next time you watch, you’ll start picking up on some of the smaller plot points which add to the enjoyment of the movie.  While you know the end to end of the plot, you’ll still enjoy the interplay of the characters and the smoothness of the presentation.

How about you? Feel free to suggest your list of movies to watch here.