SATURDAY DIME: Phaedra's Movie List

 Spirit: Stallion of the Cimmaron

 The soundtrack and the art of this movie is absolutely beautiful, and I’m a sucker for horse movies and anything with Cowboys and Indians. Hidalgo almost made the cut, but Spirit will always have my heart. Plus if I were a horse, I'd totally be that mustang.

 Pokemon: The First Movie

Who can't remember that heart-wrenching scene where Ash was turned to stone?Anyone who knows me knows that I am absolutely obsessed with Pokémon; even now I still buy all of the games and even have emulators for the classics. I own the first season and I still watch current episodes, the magic never stopped for me. My recent goal has been to crochet the original 150 Pokémon; needless to say I am a diehard fan.

 The Black Cauldron 

Man did this movie rock. I was so scared when I watched it but it is by far one of my favorite Disney movies. 

 Kiki's Delivery Service

This film has a super special place in my heart. It was the first movie that I watched obsessively for a long time.

 Australia

Words cannot explain how much I love this film. First of all, it’s a period piece. Secondly, it’s beautifully shot. Third, how can Hugh Jackman, Nicole Kidman and an aboriginal child (Brandon Walters) not make the perfect family?  

 

 The Dark Crystal

  I remember watching this Jim Henson film over and over again when I was little. I was always fascinated by puppets and how they moved, and the story was just the kind of dark awesomeness that I needed. 

 Spirited Away

I could watch this movie over and over again. I have the special two disc set. I love it because I can watch it while babysitting and the kids are just HOOKED. Not to mention it kills about two hours.

 Lilo & Stitch 

This is totally my comfort movie, when I’m sick, when I’m sad, when I’m happy, when I’m whatever this movie just makes my day. It’s funny though, because I thought for the longest time I hated it, so I probably hated it until I loved it.

 Kill Bill (Vol. 1 & 2)

  I’m such a sucker for karate action films (Kung Fu Hustle, Shaolin Soccer, Drunken Master…honestly my list could go on) but I’m a huge fan of the QT as well.

 

The Thief & The Cobbler

(also known as The Princess & The Cobbler)

First of all, this film took twenty-seven years to make. This was done before the years of CGI and everything in it moves, and everything that moves was done by hand. Not only that it’s a total braingasm whenever I watch it, filled with vibrant colors and ever moving frames—it pioneered so much in the world of animation and a documentary about it is coming out soon.

Animation of Inspiration

 Hayao Miyazaki has captured my imagination ever since I was a little girl. I remember watching his films over and over and becoming completely submerged in the world he creates with each frame. Every time he puts pen on paper it becomes something beautiful. Miyazaki has inspired me to push the limits, to not be afraid to create the world that I want to live in. 

Nature and the environment are very important to me, as well as femininity and being a strong woman--threads that lie within each of his films. Much like his main heroines, I doubt myself, but through friendship and pushing my limits, I know I can be the person I have always wanted to be.

Timshel

 Although Timshel is only a word, it has guided me through my journey out of high school into college that has always been a comforting thought. The word itself means "thou mayest" and a full explanation can be seen here. I first read about it in the book East of Eden by John Steinbeck which is one of my favorite books of all time.

Timshel means that I can control my fate. It is not predetermined, and there is no one that can make my future except for myself.It's the word that I want to get a tattoo of, which I should by the end of the summer (personal goal of mine). The word drives me to not accept failure and to push myself until I can reach my ultimate goal.

~ Bunny