Trailer Tuesday: our editors’ favourite films

Luca Fontana

28.4.2020

Translation: Jessica Johnson-Ferguson

What are our editors’ all-time favourite movies? I asked them and now have the results. The choices ranged from interesting to weird. Which editor has the best taste in movies? You decide!

What are the digitec and Galaxus editors favourite films? I've done my research. The results? A bit all over the shop. The broad spectrum is weird and wonderful. Feel free to give your vote below to whoever you think has the best taste in movies.

Speaking of which, last week I asked you what your favourite movie was. And the winner is Christopher Nolan's «Interstellar», officially making it the digitec and Galaxus Community’s favourite flick.

So. Let's see what the editorial team has to offer.

Dominik: Escape from New York

I first heard Kurt Russell growl «Call me Snake» when I was five years old. Snake Plissken is the first anti-hero I can remember. This man in army trousers, motocross boots and a patch on his eye was so incredibly cool to me that he’s still my favourite movie character to this day.

The cynicism of the movie «Escape from New York», the implications and the historical setting only became clear to me over the years, after watching it for about the 100th time. But Snake Plissken is and will always remain the film character that moved me the most.

Release date: July 10, 1981
Earnings: $25.2 million

Phil: Clerks

Clerks is the debut of director Kevin Smith, who also plays one half of the cult duo Jay and Silent Bob.

Clerks is mainly set in the mini-supermarket Quick Stop and the adjacent video store. The two clerks are best friends who indulge in philosophical conversations about Death Star contractors or how many blowjobs are too many. The film is carried almost exclusively by the characters and their unusual dialogues.

Visually there’s not much going on, which is why the movie was shot in black and white. But if you're into weird discussions and absurd stories, be sure to watch Clerks.

Release date: October 19, 1994
Earnings: 3.1 million dollars

David: The Big Lebowski

One afternoon, I watched this one three times in a row. After that, I knew a large part of the dialogue by heart. Although this happened a long time ago, I’ve never done anything like it again, so I guess that makes it my all-time favourite movie. Besides, the Dude abides.

Yeah, well, you know, that's just, like, my opinion, man.

Release date: 6 March 1998
Earnings: $46.7 million

Natalie: Johnny English

My heart belongs to «Johnny English» – the first one. I laughed until I cried when I saw it at the cinema when it first came out and still do to this day, whenever it’s on TV. I even named my stuffed animal after the movie's secret star: Agent Bough. But don’t bother with the sequel. It was a bigger fail than Johnny’s attempts to cover up his lacking qualifications as a spy with feigned arrogance. Having said that, part three is pretty decent.

Release date: April 9, 2003
Earnings: $160.5 million

Raphael: Kill Bill, Vol. 1

Why? Two words: Quentin Tarantino.

The start of the movie alone manages to knock my socks off every single time. The church scene with the supposedly dead bride. You know what I’m talking about. Then there’s the music. Tarantino's movies are worth seeing purely for the soundtrack. Personally, I could watch his movies without seeing the picture. The songs Tarantino picks are so perfect, it almost feels as if he chooses the music first and then creates a film around it.

But back to Kill Bill. Uma Thurman is also a knockout. Seeing her awaken from a coma, learning to walk again and grabbing the Pussy Wagon to seek revenge is quite something. When she sees red to the sound of the infamous Kill Bill siren, I still get shivers down my spine, even after the ninth time watching it. How she gets hold of her Hattori Hanzo sword or the massive fight with the Crazy 88 – not to mention the schoolgirl Gogo Yubari’s epic performance. O-Ren's scalp is the culmination of the fight. A scene only Tarantino can stage in this way.

«The Bride», as Thurman's character is affectionately called in the film, has had me in her grip since I first watched the movie. Not even the underwhelming sequel managed to taint the legend that is «Kill Bill». When I think of Tarantino, I think of «Kill Bill». When I think of revenge, I think of «Kill Bill». And when I think of my favourite movie, I think of «Kill Bill».

Release date: October 9, 2003
Earnings: $180.9 million

Ramon: Into the Wild

An outstanding lead actor, a fantastic soundtrack, breathtaking landscapes and a story that moves me to tears every single time. «Into the Wild» is the story about Christopher McCandless (Emile Hirsch) who drops out of his regular life to set off on a journey to find himself. The movie is an inspiration to anyone who struggles to identify with our consumer society and strives for an alternative lifestyle. Happiness, anger, love, sadness, beauty and melancholy. A must-see film.

Release date: 21 September 2007
Earnings: $56.7 million

Simon: Mary and Max

This is one of my favourite animated films. The clay animation technique is reminiscent of «Wallace and Gromit», but the story is much darker. The main characters are shy eight-year-old Mary from Australia and overweight 44-year-old Asperger’s sufferer Max from New York. By chance, the two of them become pen pals.

In this flick that’s jam-packed with dark humour, Australian director Adam Elliot (who has Asperger's himself) tells a heartwarming and deeply tragic story that does not leave a dry eye in the house. Make sure to watch the original, as Max is voiced by the great Philip Seymour Hoffman.

Release date: 26 August 2010
Box office results: $1.7 million

Kevin: This Must Be the Place

The washed-up rock star Cheyenne, played by Sean Penn, is on an odyssey through the US. He’s searching for the Nazi who tortured his late father. However, the plot is a minor matter. «This Must Be the Place» is carried by the calm shots and Sean Penn’s brilliant performance. And then there’s also a healthy dose of bizarre humour. This is my movie recommendation for anyone who’s more into tragicomedies than epic blockbusters.

Release date: August 24, 2011
Earnings: $11.9 million

Carolin: Boyhood

I love «Boyhood». The film documents the childhood of Mason and was shot over twelve years with the same cast. That's not just cinematically impressive, but also makes the story feel incredibly intimate and authentic. It’s almost like watching a documentary. The film warms my heart and makes me feel nostalgic – feelings very much fuelled by the carefully compiled soundtrack.

Release date: June 5, 2014
Earnings: $48.1 million

Luca: The Imitation Game

It’s 1939 and the Allies are close to losing the Second World War. The German Wehrmacht’s secret weapon? Enigma, an uncrackable enciphering device designed to encrypt secret messages. But mathematician Alan Turing (Benedict Cumberbatch) comes up with a revolutionary idea: what if just one machine could crack another machine?

Alan Turing, who was also a logician, cryptanalyst and computer scientist, was not only the inventor of the well-known Turing test; the Imitation Game. He was also the inventor of the computer. And he was a war hero. Sadly, he never received the recognition he deserved during his lifetime. Quite the opposite. In 1952, it came to light by chance that Turing was homosexual, which was considered a crime at the time. He was sentenced to chemical castration and hormone therapy with severe side effects. Two years later, he took his own life. He was 42 years old.

«The Imitation Game» is not just his biography. It’s a film about the brilliance of a humiliated man outside of social norms. A man who probably saved the lives of millions but who was considered a criminal until his Royal Pardon in 2013. The movie’s not only incredibly exciting, it’s also heartbreaking and encouraging at the same time. It’s a cry for humanity. Appreciation shown way too late and perfectly accompanied by Alexandre Desplats' score that gets under you skin.

There’s no doubt this is my favourite film.

Release date: 14 November 2019 Earnings: $233.5 million

Now it's your turn. Which of the editors' picks did you like best? Let's find out.

What’s up next week? Community member Masterland came up with the idea compile a list of the most «mind-bending movies». In other words, movies with a twist nobody saw coming.

Of course it might be a bit spoiler-heavy. But could be fun.

Luca Fontana

Senior Editor

Luca.Fontana@digitecgalaxus.ch

I'm an outdoorsy guy and enjoy sports that push me to the limit – now that’s what I call comfort zone! But I'm also about curling up in an armchair with books about ugly intrigue and sinister kingkillers. Being an avid cinema-goer, I’ve been known to rave about film scores for hours on end. I’ve always wanted to say: «I am Groot.» more