The Princess Bride

If you've never said, “My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die”, you're about as rare as a swear word at Hogwarts. Part of the reason the movie is so quotable is because the author of the book – William Goldman – is an Academy Award-winning screenwriter.Why it made the listWhat you don't get a sense of in the movie is the genius of the structure of The Princess Bride. There's a deceit involved in how it's told: It's supposedly an abridged version of a (longer, more boring) book by S. Morgenstern. This book doesn't exist. Why is this genius? Because it allows Goldman the opportunity to comment on his own work – as if he's Goldman commenting on Morgenstern, when it's actually Goldman commenting on Goldman pretending to be Morgenstern.This isn't only an excellent way to overcome any inconsistencies in his own narrative; it's also how we get into the heads of the characters and learn about their histories – without sacrificing any of the pace of an action driven plot.There's something for everyone here: Swordplay and romance, action and banter. And, while it's always snappy, there's still depth to it. The theme that's interwoven with the witticisms and quick dialogue is how the journey from youthful naiveté to loss of innocence changes a person. The book also warns of something even more intrinsic: Sometimes (and often) life does not play fairly.