The movies that nearly made the list

For a while now, my editor has been joking about all of the editorial staff writing a top five list of their favorite movies. At least we thought he was joking. I think it all started when the new reporter, who is straight out of college would stare at us blankly when we mentioned certain movies we all loved.

In fact, most recently his response to a comment made by another co-worker about "It's a Wonderful Life," was "Isn't that a Christmas movie?" Well, yes, but it's so much more. So we finally published our list this week, two reporters, a sports editor, a photographer, the editor and me. The list can be viewed online at the Weekend Pinnacle Web site.

I learned some interesting things about my co-workers. One person had no movies that were more recent than 1971 - not because he's so much older than the rest of us, but because he grew up in an era without VHS or DVDs. He said movies came on TV once a year and it was a big event, like watching the aforementioned "It's a Wonderful Life" during the holidays each year. Another person had what I referred to as a typical guy list - lots of action/comic book movies. My list, I was surprised to find, was composed of movies that aren't the best ones I've ever seen. Instead, many of my pics reflected some personal connection to the movie and people in my life. Number 1. on any good movie list has long been the first movie my best friend and I saw after she got her driver's license - it was our first moment of freedom from parents shuttling us places and I still think it's a pretty darn good movie after all these years.

But sticking with our strict five movies only policy, there were quite a few movies that just didn't make the final cut. I think most of us started with a list of a dozen or so movies and then culled it down. Here are some of the ones that didn't quite make the final cut and why - although as with any favorite movie list, ask me next week and the answers might be different.

Flirt - This is a strange indie film that is basically divided into three parts in which the exact same story is told with different actors, in different places and with different languages. The essential plot line is that a person is torn between two lovers and not sure which person they should chose. It's set in New York, Berlin and Tokyo. I loved this movie when I was in high school, but I haven't watched it in years so opted to live it off the top five list.

Wings of Desire - I really like this indie foreign film, too, in which an angel falls in love with a human and decides to trade in his wings for mortality. It's a little odd with random appearances of Peter Falk, but it is so much better than the "City of Angels" rip off of it with Nicolas Cage and Meg Ryan. But I left it off the list because it seemed unfair to list this Wim Wender movie and then leave of the sequel, "Far Away, So Close."

Bend It Like Beckham - I really liked this movie when I first saw it. It was a cool girl power movie. Parminder Nagra and Keira Knightley were great as soccer phenoms whose moms are both unhappy with their choice to play the sport. Plus Jonathan Rhys-Meyers is extra cute when he uses his natural accent. But, alas, there was no room for a sports movie at the top of the list.

About A Boy - This movie was probably the closest to making it into the top 5. I loved the book by Nick Hornby and it is one of the few times when it felt like a film did justice to an author's intention. Hugh Grant did well as a selfish man who somehow finds himself engaging with a middle school kid after his mom attempts suicide. Though he's just a kid, Nicholas Hoult is great as Marcus. Will learns that no matter how hard he wanted it to be true and unlike the Simon and Garfunkel lyrics, no man is a rock or an island. The film was just inched out by No. 5's "Say Anything," because Lloyd Dobler was sympathetic from the start.

Four Weddings and a Funeral - Another Hugh Grant movie to nearly make the list, this movie was exceptionally funny the first time I saw it and it continues to be funny every time I see it. I can relate to it a bit more now that I've been to my share of weddings and worn some bridesmaids dresses. I love the way that Charles (Grant) blinks and stumbles over his words (and who knew that was going to be Grant's trademark) and pines over Carrie (Andie MacDowell) not quite long enough. But what really makes this movie for me is Matthew's (John Hannah) reading of a W. H Auden poem at Gareth's (Simon Callow's) wedding. The movie is full of unrequited love, but also offers the lesson that true love is worth the wait. If only Grant didn't act the same in every other the movie, this performance would have remained more meaningful.

Clueless - I love this movie about Cher (Alicia Silverstone) and Dionne (Stacey Dash) navigating the teenage world of Beverly Hills while trying to do good deeds like makeover the new kid Tai (Brittany Murphy.) Paul Rudd is great at Cher's stepbrother. But one movie from when I was 15 was enough and my No. 1 pick got the slot.

Up in the Air - I really liked this movie and it was my pick to win the best picture at the last Oscars. But I've only seen it once so it seems unfair to put it on an all-time favorite movie list. I've seen all the movies that made the list at least a half a dozen times, some more, and I will be watching them all again.