Ren Reads (and More): Ren's Top Reels

Author Lauren Beck offers thoughts and recommendations on books and a lot more. Find her column on The Alabama Take.

I am by no means a connoisseur when it comes to movies. I watch the same movies on repeat. This means that the movies I do watch are my “deserted island” movies. If a desert island had a TV, that is. These are some movies that I could (and do) watch on repeat for the rest of my life.

WARNING: There are some spoilers below. If you have yet to watch these movies and don’t want them ruined, it's okay to sit this out.

The Silence of the Lambs

We are starting off quite grim. This is probably my all-time favorite movie. But don’t worry, I was not allowed to watch this movie until high school for a very good reason. This movie ignited my love for true crime, thrillers, and abnormal psychology. I can still remember sitting down with my parents, all the lights off, completely oblivious to the masterpiece I was about to witness. My jaw was on the floor from opening to closing credits.

The absolute terror that this movie invokes is bewildering. On the flip side, this movie also invoked a sense of curiosity in me, driving me to learn more about the mind of a serial killer and true crime in general.

One scene that still haunts me is when Hannibal Lecter escapes police custody. In true Dr. Lecter fashion, he sets up a dramatic display of a body and escapes by posing as an injured beloved police officer, only revealing his identity once safely in the ambulance away from law enforcement. I did not see that coming at all and was thoroughly disturbed.

Despite being scarred by this movie, it has grown to become somewhat of a comfort movie. The more I watch it, the more I notice. Shout out to my mom for being the only reason I know it exists. I have yet to read the book because I am so attached to the movie, but maybe I will give it a shot one day.

Coraline

Moving on to a true comfort movie of mine. Despite what it might be marketed as I would not consider this a children’s movie. I will be honest: this movie is plain creepy. However, yet again, I find an odd sense of comfort when I watch this movie.

The comfort this movie brings me comes from the fact that my best friend and I used to watch this movie every time we hung out in high school. This was the movie of our friendship if you will. Because of this, I have a special place in my heart for this movie and I think about my best friend every time I watch it.

This movie is visually stunning. I feel like this makes up for how unsettling the concept of it is once you actually think about it. It is the perfect movie to get you into the spooky spirit even though I watch it year round.

The Lord of the Rings Trilogy

The only way I can describe these movies is absolutely epic. I would not change a single thing about how these movies were made and who played each character. These movies hold some sentimental value in my heart as well. I remember spending countless hours (because that's how long it takes to watch these movies) experiencing this magic with my dad. We are both nerds when it comes to sci-fi and fantasy movies, so this trilogy is right up our alley. We are constantly spitting off quotes from these movies and reminiscing over the most epic scenes.

Speaking of epic scenes, my favorite moment in the whole trilogy is when Eowyn faces the Witch King in The Return of the King. He taunts her, stating that no man can kill him. That is when Eowyn takes off her helmet and states, “I am no man” and stabs the Witch King right in the face. I think this is the first time I have seen such female empowerment in a movie. Because I watched this at such a young age, this scene stuck with me and made me believe that women really can do anything.

Labyrinth

In my mind, this movie is an absolute classic. Part of the reason this is one of my favorite movies is the nostalgia it fills me with every time I watch it. There is nothing better than listening to the sweet voice of David Bowie as he sings about the magic of dance with hundreds of goblins.

Having watched this movie recently with a friend, I have realized just how niche this movie is. I am not sure if my friend enjoyed it as much as I did. Honestly, I can see why. This movie definitely isn't for everyone with its 1980's charm and unusual characters. Directed by Jim Henson, one can only imagine how strange the characters appeared in the movie. However, it is a fun watch nonetheless.

My favorite part of the movie is -- you guessed it -- the upbeat musical number David Bowie performs as the Goblin King trying to soothe the upset baby he has just kidnapped. I can’t help but dance and sing along every time I watch this scene.

I am not sure if this is a five-star movie to anyone other than me as my friend I watched it with said he felt like he needed to be on acid to appreciate it fully. On the other hand, he did not seem to completely hate it and watched the entire thing with me.