Favorite Movies!??!

[dukemomLA]

Okay, we all know the classics. Citizen Kane, Casablanca, etc.

But I'm curious about this. When you're channel surfing late at night, what are the movies you've probably seen again and again, but....for some reason, even though you smile and say, I'll just watch a few minutes of this," you can't seem to turn off. Perhaps a notable good movie, perhaps a guilty pleasure.

I can't to seem to resist any of the following:
Shawshank Redemption
Good Morning, Vietnam
Some Like It Hot
Bringing Up Baby
Dirty Dancing
All About Eve
The Day the Earth Stood Still
The Godfather
Bull Durham
Hoosiers
....and many more, but I'll stop there.

I'd love to hear other thoughts. (Obviously I haven't been 'snobby' in my choices.

[Bob Green]

I'm sure some great ones will pop into my head later, but here goes (in no particular order):

In Harm's Way
Donovan's Reef
It's a Wonderful Life (every XMAS it's a must)
Rear Window
The Longest Day
Father Goose
The Graduate
Key Largo
The African Queen
A Streetcar Named Desire
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
Cool Hand Luke
A Place in the Sun

Bob Green
Yokosuka, Japan

[dukemomLA]

I LOVE all of your movies!! Just what I was hoping for with this post. Can we add "Boy on a Dolphin" with the amazing Sophia Loren??! Gosh, there are so many movies to adore.

[dkbaseball]

American Graffitti
Chariots of Fire
An Officer and a Gentleman
The Sting
MASH
Groundhog Day
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
The Goodbye Girl
Field of Dreams
Bull Durham
Hoosiers

Older is better, as I find myself constantly arguing to women.

[ohioguy2]

These are movies I can watch over and over. they are also ones I want on my DVR. One from each of my four mental catagoties.

1)African Queen
2)Bull Durham
3)MASH
4)North by Northwest

[Raleighfan]

I'm not that much of a movie lover in that I don't have a list of movies (like previous posters) that I'm drawn to EXCEPT for "Chinatown". I love that movie...as much for the music as anything else. I saw it during its first run in 1974. My companion and I got there about 10 minutes late, so you might imagine how confused we were...it's hard enough to figure out if you see it from the beginning. I thought Jack Nicholson as Jake was the coolest thing I'd ever seen. Since then, I've lost count of how many times I've seen the whole thing plus bits & pieces here and there. I just about know the script by heart. I can't think of any other movie that pulls me in like that one. And now when I see Jack Nicholson....the thrill is gone!!! :rolleyes:

[BlueDiablo]

Hmm... I like a lot of movies, but for some reason, I always have a hard time coming up with a list. Here are some that come to mind:

Miller's Crossing
Monsoon Wedding
Wings of Desire
Once
In the Mood for Love
Out of the Past
Spirited Away

What a horrible list. It sounds like I'm purposefully trying to be a hipster who likes obscure or artsy movies. But those are all really good movies, I swear!

[Dukerati]

You all are dating yourselves with these movies:) As a fairly recent graduate and avid channel surfer, I find that I usually stop at comedies and newer ones at that. A lot of the movies that you all have listed are terrific movies to be sure but many of them pack emotional punches that I, personally, need to be in the right frame of mind for. So without further ado...

Dumb and Dumber
Old School
Zoolander
Animal House
The Matrix


Two GREAT movies that I have seen in the past year that people need to see...

Pan's Labryinth
The Lives of Others

[captmojo]

I LOVE all of your movies!! Just what I was hoping for with this post. Can we add "Boy on a Dolphin" with the amazing Sophia Loren??! Gosh, there are so many movies to adore.

Why not "Houseboat"?
I like anything with Cary Grant. "Philadelphia Story" "Bringing Up Baby" "Mr. Blandings""Arsenic and Old Lace" on and on.

All Jimmy Stewart flicks.

"You Can't Take it with You"

But Cary Grant was the coolest actor ever.

[mr. synellinden]

Movies that suck me in if I am channel surfing at night? This list could be VERY long but I'll list 20 of my favorites:

The Natural
Midnight Run
The Shawshank Redemption
The Silence of the Lambs
The Verdict
Caddyshack
Fletch
Bull Durham
The Thomas Crown Affair
Life is Beautiful
Annie Hall
The In-Laws (original)
Bad News Bears
Beverly Hills Cop
48 Hours
Stripes
40 Year Old Virgin
Anchorman
Hoosiers
Goodfellas

[3rdgenDukie]

Usual Suspects
Road House
Dr. Strangelove
Resevoir Dogs
A Bridge Too Far
Grease
Dazed & Confused
Seven
Exorcist
Bigger, Longer and Uncut (South Park)
12 Monkeys
Papillon
Taxi Driver

[dukemomLA]

Damn, I'm stoked! This is just what I was hoping for when I started this thread. Thank you Dukies!! Most of you have listed movies that I would have included, if I didn't want my list to be endless. Then again, there are a few gems that I haven't considered for a while. Thank you all. Jeanne (i.e. dukemomLA)

[hc5duke]

Here's what I can think of with my post-meeting fried brain...
Bulworth
Civil Action, A
Usual Suspects, The

... but these really suit me better :)
Team America: World Police
South Park: Bigger, Longer, and Uncut
My Sassy Girl

[DevilAlumna]

Let's see -- channel-flipping stoppers:

(Generally, TBS/TNT/FX movies that when edited for TV don't lose too much):
10 Things I Hate About You
A Knight's Tale
Tommy Boy
Wedding Singer
Dodgeball

Other DVD/HBO favorites off the top of my head: (For that mindless rainy Saturday morning or somesuch)

Bull Durham
For Love of the Game (If you love Bull Durham and/or Field of Dreams and haven't seen this one, do!)
Breakfast Club
The Blues Brothers
Blazing Saddles
Fletch
Spies Like Us
Usual Suspects
Death to Smoochy

[rthomas]

I too love Chinatown. Jack and Faye, they are awesome.

Another great great movie with Faye Dunaway was Little Big Man. To me this is Dustin Hoffman's best movie.

Both of these are classics!

[dukemomLA]

I'm not that much of a movie lover in that I don't have a list of movies (like previous posters) that I'm drawn to EXCEPT for "Chinatown". I love that movie...as much for the music as anything else. I saw it during its first run in 1974. My companion and I got there about 10 minutes late, so you might imagine how confused we were...it's hard enough to figure out if you see it from the beginning. I thought Jack Nicholson as Jake was the coolest thing I'd ever seen. Since then, I've lost count of how many times I've seen the whole thing plus bits & pieces here and there. I just about know the script by heart. I can't think of any other movie that pulls me in like that one. And now when I see Jack Nicholson....the thrill is gone!!! :rolleyes:

Chinatown, written by Robert Townsend is considered the most perfect script ever penned. Yes, a GREAT movie!! Kudos, from L.A.

[The Gordog]

I too think Miller's Crossing is underrated.

His Girl Friday
Goodfellas
Bull Durham
The Princess Bride (My love for it I can't hide.)
Casablanca

Sadly, this is not something I get to do very often in my current lifestyle...

[alteran]

When you're channel surfing late at night, what are the movies you've probably seen again and again, but....for some reason, even though you smile and say, I'll just watch a few minutes of this," you can't seem to turn off.

A Christmas Story is my biggest "seen a million times, can't turn off, end up watching the ads" movie.

My list, minus movies other people already listed, in no particular order:

A Christmas Story
L.A. Confidential
Galaxy Quest
L.A. Story
Lawrence of Arabia
16 Candles
Singles
Outlaw Josey Wales
Searching for Bobby Fischer
Dirty Harry

I'm leaving out just about every Sean Connery Bond movie.

[mapei]

The Deer Hunter
Day for Night
McCabe and Mrs. Miller
One From the Heart
The Moderns
Choose Me
Nashville
A Man and a Woman
The Commitments
High Fidelity

[jimbonelson]

my favorite funny movie of all time is porkys. then how about kingdom of heaven,the outsiders..and braveheart

[JasonEvans]

Far, far, far too many for me to list. It often is a matter of mood for me.

Right now, I am in the mood where Princess Bride and Shawshank are my favorites-- I just loaded both in my DVD traveller case for a vacation. A week ago, I was in a mood where I am embarassed to say that Matrix was my favorite as I watched it for about the 15th time with my son. I am jonesing to watch The Incredibles right now though, because my kids brought it with us on vacation. In a week, I'll probably be maxing on Raiders or (I'm embarassed to say) Independance Day.

Sometimes I turn on Pulp Fiction or Reservoir Dogs just to watch one of the segments and end up watching the whole thing.

I don't think anything makes me cry like Schindler's List does, except maybe the ending of Field of Dreams or perhaps the ending of Glory.

I adore twist endings and can watch Fight Club and Memento endlessly. Of course, for twists, nothing tops the ending of Usual Suspects.

Holy Grail is the Holy Grail of comedy, IMO.

I still think no greater crime has been committed in Oscar history than the way Finding Neverland was overlooked for virtually every award in 2005.

Is there anything more uplifting than watching Redford hit that homerun with the blood on his shirt at the end of The Natural? And is there a better freeze frame in history than Redford and Newman at the end of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.

Then there are the classics from my youth like One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, The Sting (more Redford), Bridge Over the River Kwai, The Man Who Would Be King (love me some Connery!), All The President's Men, Blazing Saddles, and Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.

Like I said, the list is long... and (thank god) always growing ;)

-Jason "next week, I could probably add 7 different ones to this grouping-- that's for sure" Evans

[JBDuke]

Far, far, far too many for me to list. It often is a matter of mood for me.

Right now, I am in the mood where Princess Bride and Shawshank are my favorites-- I just loaded both in my DVD traveller case for a vacation. A week ago, I was in a mood where I am embarassed to say that Matrix was my favorite as I watched it for about the 15th time with my son. I am jonesing to watch The Incredibles right now though, because my kids brought it with us on vacation. In a week, I'll probably be maxing on Raiders or (I'm embarassed to say) Independance Day.

Sometimes I turn on Pulp Fiction or Reservoir Dogs just to watch one of the segments and end up watching the whole thing.

I don't think anything makes me cry like Schindler's List does, except maybe the ending of Field of Dreams or perhaps the ending of Glory.

I adore twist endings and can watch Fight Club and Memento endlessly. Of course, for twists, nothing tops the ending of Usual Suspects.

Holy Grail is the Holy Grail of comedy, IMO.

I still think no greater crime has been committed in Oscar history than the way Finding Neverland was overlooked for virtually every award in 2005.

Is there anything more uplifting than watching Redford hit that homerun with the blood on his shirt at the end of The Natural? And is there a better freeze frame in history than Redford and Newman at the end of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.

Then there are the classics from my youth like One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, The Sting (more Redford), Bridge Over the River Kwai, The Man Who Would Be King (love me some Connery!), All The President's Men, Blazing Saddles, and Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.

Like I said, the list is long... and (thank god) always growing ;)

-Jason "next week, I could probably add 7 different ones to this grouping-- that's for sure" Evans


Jason, like you, I have many, many movies that I'd call "favorites". I generally put Casablanca, Lawrence of Arabia, and Gone With the Wind at the top of my list, but there are many more films that I have trouble turning away from. Some of these are critical "greats", some are just my personal "guilty favorites":

Comedies: The Holy Grail makes me laugh from opening to ending credits. Animal House, The Producers, Blazing Saddles, Some Like It Hot, Arsenic and Old Lace, Dr. Strangelove, The Philadelphia Story, Airplane!, As Good As It Gets, A Christmas Story, Groundhog Day, Raising Arizona, Waking Ned Devine, and The Princess Bride are some of the others on my list.

Musicals: I love musicals, and my favorites are probably The Wizard of Oz, Singin in the Rain, The King and I, and The Sound of Music. Close behind: An American in Paris and Meet Me In St. Louis

Epics: In addition to Lawrence and GWTW, I'd add Ben Hur, The Ten Commandments, El Cid, Out of Africa, Ghandi, The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, and Dr. Zhivago.

Film Noir: Laura, Double Indemnity, Touch of Evil, The Third Man, Body Heat, and LA Confidential.

War: Saving Private Ryan, Patton, The Longest Day, Tora Tora Tora, The Dirty Dozen, The Great Escape, and Where Eagles Dare.

Action: The Adventures of Robin Hood, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Jaws, The Searchers, High Noon, and The Fugitive

Period Pieces: The Age of Innocence, Howard's End, Pride and Prejudice (the Keira Knightley version), Cyrano de Bergerac (both Ferrer's and Depardieu's versions), A Room with a View

Comics/Superhero films: Batman Begins, Superman (1978), The Rocketeer, Spider-Man, and Spider-Man 2

Animation: Beauty and the Beast, Pinocchio, Fantasia, the entire Pixar library, just about anything Miyazaki does, the Wallace and Gromit shorts (The Wrong Trousers and A Close Shave), and The Snowman

Sci-Fi: Blade Runner, 2001, The Day the Earth Stood Still, Star Trek 2: The Wrath of Khan, Serenity, The Matrix, Buckaroo Banzai, Alien, Aliens, Close Encounters, Contact, Dark City

Sports: Chariots of Fire, Bull Durham, Slap Shot, The Natural, Hoosiers, The Rookie, and Seabiscuit

Romance/Romantic Comedies: Amelie, Shakespeare in Love, Romeo and Juliet (the Zefferelli version), Chasing Amy, Sleepless in Seattle, and When Harry Met Sally

Drama: The Godfather (I and II), It's a Wonderful Life, The Remains of the Day, Schindler's List, Scrooge (1951 version), The Shawshank Redemption, The Sting, Unforgiven, The Usual Suspects, American Graffiti, and The Mission

And last but not least, just about all of Hitch's movies (Rebecca tops my list, but I love Rear Window, Vertigo, North by Northwest, Notorious, Suspicion, The Birds, Psycho, To Catch a Thief, etc.)

That's a long list, but I could have listed twice that many, I think.

[dukemomLA]

As a movie lover -- and the originator of this post, I can't tell you how thrilled I am by the responses so far. Almost every movie mentioned is a favorite of mine also. And, as I said in my original post -- there are too, too many to list! BUT, that said, I feel that we are providing a wonderful service to those who are not cinemaphiles, (sic) and need some help finding that great movie to cherish.

I think I might try (if I can find the time) to do an AFI type of thing -- and list "DBR's 100 favorite movies" or "Top Ten DBR Movies by Genre" or something of that nature.

Thanks everyone for your input!! I've seen a couple of my favorites listed that I hadn't thought about for a while. THANKS.

[captmojo]

For having it all..."Time Bandits"

History-Little people-comedy-Sir John Guilgud-Sean Connery-adventure-Pythons

Everything in one neat little package including Satan and the Supreme Being.

[allenmurray]

Bull Durham

This world is made for people who aren't cursed with self-awareness.

[Clipsfan]

There were some movies mentioned above which I tend to list in my favorites, even if I sometimes feel embarrassed to do so due to the fact that they're not the most "manly" movies (Princess Bride, When Harry Met Sally). A few others which I've always enjoyed (even if only for mindless entertainment in some cases):

Four Weddings and a Funeral
Total Recall
Snatch
The Game
Romancing the Stone
I'm Gonna Git You Sucka

[mapei]

JBDuke mentioned Waking Ned Devine, which reminded me of one of my favorites, Local Hero. The wonderful Mark Knopfler soundtrack alone is reason enough, but it also a very sweet, beautifully filmed movie.

[darthur]

I guess I'm a little late to this party, but here are my choices:

Comedy: The Big Lebowski and A Fish Called Wanda
Drama: The Godfather (I and especially II), The Sixth Sense, and Finding Neverland
Action, etc.: Lord of the Rings, Hero, and The Incredibles

I like almost all "classic" moves to some degree, but I often find the characters hard to believe (either because I am too young, or because they are too stylized - I'm not sure which). By and large, this means my all-time favorites are more recent. Among classics, however, some of my favorites are: The Sting, Twelve Angry Men (although its been a long time since I saw that), and Casablanca.

[throatybeard]

BlueDiablo:

I love arty movies, and on of my arty-movie-loving friends recommended In the Mood For Love to me on that basis, and I totally did not get it. What am I missing?

[BlueDiablo]

BlueDiablo:

I love arty movies, and on of my arty-movie-loving friends recommended In the Mood For Love to me on that basis, and I totally did not get it. What am I missing?

I dunno, man. If you didn't like it, then you didn't like it. It was slow, I'll give you that.

I thought it was beautifully filmed (typical for Wong Kar-Wai), and really enjoyed the performances. I'm also a sucker for movies about platonic, unrequited love.

The sequel (of sorts), "2046," is really good too, but very much more bizarre and makes less sense. It's got some very, very attractive people in it though, so it's exceedingly easy on the eyes.

It will be interesting to see if Wong Kar-Wai can make a successful American movie. His latest project, "My Blueberry Nights," (which I think debuted at Cannes this year) has Nora Jones, Rachel Weisz and Natalie Portman, along with some male actors that I'm less interested in.