Almost Famous

The exact moment I decided to be a writer was while watching Almost Famous. In fact I paused the film around halfway through because I was hit by a wave of inspiration and had to go write something. A poem, I think. I'd always written, but this film made it look like something one could do as a job, and that it might lead me on strange and interesting adventures. Mostly it's a film about being different and weird and finding acceptance for it through your art, and that spoke to me on so many levels. I'm different! I'm weird! I write! Maybe I can do this?! Thirteen years later, I've still not been on tour with a rock band, but I do write for a living. Thanks, Cameron Crowe.

—Daniel Dalton

DreamWorks, Thinkstock

Trainspotting

Taught me the following lessons:

Don't do heroin.

Save your money.

Listen to your heart, not your friends.

Don't do heroin.

Scotland is interesting.

Be careful who you pick up when you go to a club.

Don't do heroin.

Always use protection.

Fries are called chips in Scotland.

Don't hang around criminals.

Don't have kids.

And don't do heroin.

—Norberto Briceno

Miramax Films

Hoop Dreams

Hoop Dreams is the greatest documentary ever made and was what taught me to start thinking about privilege and poverty and how that relates to "following your dreams" or whatever, when I was a young stupid teenager constantly being told to follow my dreams.

—Summer Anne Burton

Fine Line Features