BJ Colangelo's Favorite Movies Of All Time

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Hello /Film Readers and welcome to another edition of Thunderdome, err, getting to know the writers here by judging us mercilessly by our taste in cinema.

I've been professionally writing about film for over a decade, and there were times in my life where I was afraid that I'd lose credibility if I waxed poetic about films that weren't "Film Twitter Approved." Then I had pancreatic cancer and almost died, so now I refuse to stifle my voice talking about the things that bring me joy. I like what I like, and there's no such thing as a "guilty pleasure" in my book.

Look, I'm going to cut right to the case: I am an odd person and live to champion movies that most people treat like punchlines. I sat here and tried to think of a list that wouldn't "hurt my reputation," but then I remembered, this is the internet and no matter what I post, someone is going to be mad about it, so I'd rather just be honest and proudly own up to what I'm into. The hardest part was trying to rank them in a sequential order, because it felt a little like having to choose between my children. (I don't actually have children). Think of this list less as my trying to sell you on these films, and rather explaining why they mean so much to me.

Anyway, submitted for the approval of the /Film readers, I call this list: "BJ's Favorite Movies of All Time."

It's astounding that a film from 1995 about young boys at a fat camp is still one of the best examples of body positive storytelling in all of cinematic history. I hit puberty well before my classmates did as a child, and when you don't have the language to describe what that means, it turns into relentless bullying for being "fat." As a fat adult, I look back on "Heavyweights" with such fondness, because it makes me feel affirmed both as a fat child and for who I am now. It's a movie I didn't know how badly I needed until many years later, and I am grateful every day for having grown up with it playing on VHS on repeat. Outside of the trope of summer camps-treat-indigenous-iconography-as-decoration, "Heavyweights" has also aged remarkably well, and is the home of one of Ben Stiller's career-best performances.

Okay, so, "Grease" is my least favorite movie ever made. I truly and genuinely hate it with every fiber of my being. "Grease 2," on the other hand, is a musical camp masterpiece and does not deserve nearly the vitriol it receives. It's sex-positive, the choreography is masterful, Michelle Pfeiffer's Stephanie Zinone is a feminist icon, and the music is nowhere near as grating as the tunes from "Grease." The love story is better, the jokes are less problematic, and Lorna Luft's gold lamé pants in the bowling scene deserve an award all their own. Loving "Grease 2" is a cinematic hill I am more than willing to die on.

"Clue" is a perfect film. Full stop. A perfect blend of farcical physical comedy and sharp-tongued wit from an absolutely untouchable ensemble cast, there's a reason "Clue" has stood the test of time. When it premiered in 1985, it bombed at the box office only to develop a huge cult following. This exact brand of midnight movie/sleeper hit is my bread and butter. I live for films that are terribly misunderstood upon release but beloved and reanalyzed for years (see also: "Jennifer's Body" which just missed this list) after the fact. Tim Curry's ending monologue alone is worth the price of admission but everyone is firing on all cylinders in this one. It is always me, in the living room, with a bowl of popcorn.

Combining the talents of future Disney legends Alan Menken and Howard Ashman with the directorial skills of Miss Piggy and Yoda himself, Frank Oz, was a recipe for success no matter how you slice it. "Little Shop of Horrors" is, without a shadow of a doubt, the best film version of a Broadway musical ever made. I've been in a couple of stage productions of "Little Shop of Horrors" and I genuinely believe part of my casting was due to my existing knowledge of every lyric and line from watching the film incessantly as a child. If you didn't know, I have green hair, and every time I get it touched up, I put a quote from "Mean Green Mother From Outer Space." I'm a big fan of practical monsters, especially those of the puppet/Muppets variety. Even now, Audrey II is still the most impressive practical effect ever put to screen. I said what I said.

As I indicated with my reasoning for "I Spit on Your Grave," the Swedish vampire masterpiece "Let the Right One In" is also one that stays with me for its deeply personal connection to my lived experience. I'm someone who navigates this world while enduring severe mental illness, and in my younger years, dangerous and self-destructive ideations. This film came out during one of the darkest times of my existence, and I'm not exaggerating when I say "Let the Right One In" saved my life. There's a painful beauty to this film, one that highlights that sometimes life is hard, sometimes life is scary, and sometimes the best way to survive it is to learn how to walk alongside that darkness and learn to not be afraid of it. I've written before about the willingness of this film to navigate childhood queerness, and the score to this film is what I play on repeat during my most difficult days of dealing with mental illness. "Let the Right One In" always brings a great deal of peace, so much so that I've got "sweet dreams," the first thing Oskar teaches Eli what to say in morse code, tattooed on my arm as a constant reminder that I can get through it.

I love the Universal Monsters, but "Dracula's Daughter" has always been my favorite despite the fact that most people pretend she doesn't even exist. It's always been weird to me that "The Bride of Frankenstein" became the go-to "girl monster" in the Universal Monsters canon, and she's in the film for like, three minutes and doesn't even speak, whereas Countess Marya Zaleska (Gloria Holden) has an entire movie centered around her own story and is oft forgotten. "Dracula's Daughter" is a heavily queer-coded story that tackles the difficulties of existing in a world that finds your presence disgusting and dangerous. I have her portrait tattooed on my arm, a constant reminder that embracing who you are is important, no matter how monstrous the world finds you.

It may be hard to believe considering my current half-shaved head and green-haired appearance, but for over 15 years, I was extremely active in the Midwest beauty pageant scene. Competing in pageants was a huge part of my life, and there are few people I can relate to about this considering how stigmatized the pageant industry (rightfully) has become. That said, "Drop Dead Gorgeous" speaks to me on a religious level. If you've ever wondered what the behind-the-scenes of a small town pageant looks like, this movie nails it. With no exaggeration, "Drop Dead Gorgeous" is my favorite comedy film ever made and if you catch me in the right mood, I can quote the entire film front to back, in full, Minnesotan accent. Go Muskies, Woo!