I rarely re-read books. I know, it sounds almost sacrilegious . . . but it’s true. I’ve re-read some classics (like Edgar Allan Poe) and some Stephen King novels (like THE STAND) and some books I read in high school I’ve re-read as an adult (like THE PRINCESS BRIDE.) But for the most part, once I’ve finished with a book I’m done with it. I’ll remember it and rave about it to friends if I loved it, but I have so many unread books I want to read that reading a book twice seems . . . wasteful.
But movies? That’s a whole ‘nother ballgame.
I have some all-time favorite movies that I can watch over and over and not get bored or feel like I’m wasting time. It’s hard to narrow them down to a top five or top ten list because I watch them for different reasons.
THE CLASSICS
I’ve always loved classic movies. I hate colorized film–if it was filmed in black-and-white, it should stay in black-and-white. Period. Classic movies are rich, textured and nostalgic in many ways. CASABLANCA is hands down my favorite classic movie. I own it and watch it at least once a year. Others that I’ve seen more than twice: THE THIN MAN, THE MALTESE FALCON, NORTH BY NORTHWEST and CHARADE. You can see the pattern, right?
And every Christmas, like most Americans, IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE. And yes, I cry each and every time even though I know damn well what happens.
THE NEW CLASSICS
I think we know what modern movies that are classics, or will be. STAR WARS . . . yep, I’m a Star Wars nut. I love all six of the movies (of course, the original trilogy is superior.) It’s a classic story that transcends genre. It came out when I was eight and changed my life. THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION is a movie that is played on television often, and anytime I’m flipping through channels and it’s on, I stop. Doesn’t matter the scene, beginning middle or end, every scene is necessary and full of life and hope. It’s truly incredible.
Some movies have been created to be classics, like LORD OF THE RINGS. Which is why I think a film like SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION is so incredible because it wasn’t specifically created to be a classic, it simply IS one.
FUN
There are some movies I pop in because they are tight, fun, and action-filled. I can’t even count how many times I’ve see DIE HARD, SPEED, RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK and THE MATRIX. And then . . . I might claim I bought them for the kids, but FINDING NEMO and TOY STORY and MONSTERS are some of the best movies ever made and you might find me sitting down watching them over and over . . . and over.
ROMANTIC
And then there’s the times when a good romance is called for. It’s usually when I’m alone at night, husband is working late, kids are asleep (and, most recently, I’ve been watching my favorite romances with my two older daughters.) I’ve watched WORKING GIRL a hundred times. Sigh. And FRENCH KISS. I use that in my hero’s journey for romance workshop, but that’s just an excuse to watch the movie again 
. . . in preparation, of course.
I prefer the light, fun romances . . . because I cry easily. I mean, I cried when in TOY STORY II the girl grew up and left Jessie in a box by the side of the road. And I took my kids to see MEET THE ROBINSON’S and cried when Lewis went back in time to watch his mother abandon him at the orphanage. And even in commercials–we saw this preview for AUGUST RUSH with Keri Russell. Two musicians have a brief affair, she gets pregnant and her father forces her to give the baby up for adoption. The story is about the boy, a musical prodigy, searching for his parents. I had TEARS streaming down my face in the preview alone. I’ll watch the sad stuff, because movies like this have happy endings, but I need to go in prepared . . . and I don’t usually watch them more than once.
So tell me, what’s your favorite classic, new classic, fun movie and romantic flick?
No related posts.
Fun: Hitch. It’s been on TV every 2 days lately, and I watch it every time I come across it. It’s probably supposed to be romantic, but I never got that feeling from it, ya know? The relationship between the guys struck me more. It just cracks me up.
Also MIB. I adore Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones individually, but together? Perfect.
Romantic: Prelude to a Kiss. Weird and funny and touching and romantic. And weird.
Classics: I like Doris Day movies (the romantic comedies, not the musicals). My favorite, favorite, favorite, though, is Desk Set with Hepburn and Tracy. The verbal back-and-forth between them is priceless.
That was me, by the way.
I can’t be fashed to fill in all these little boxes on 3 hours of sleep…
Classic: Gone With The Wind, anything by Hitchcock, 30’s and 40’s horror (Frankenstein, etc.)
New Classic: Master and Commander, Star Wars, Indiana Jones
Fun: Better Off Dead, Miss Firecracker, Grosse Point Blank
Romantic: Any Meg Ryan chick-flick, Pride & Prejudice
Classic: Anything with Fred Astaire. I love these old classic black and white movies where they dance. It was beautiful, and often they were funny and classically romantic. I also love The Wizard of Oz.
New Classic: The Red Violin. If you haven’t seen it, you should. It is one of these movies that leads you around and you think it is going in a million directions, but it all ties together in the end.
The Usual Suspects, another one where the ending is “Wow”
Indiana Jones. LOL, I love them.
Shawshank Redemption, again because it all comes together at the end.
Princess Bride. I’ve had it memorized since I was twelve.
Fun: True Lies. Who can resist that scene where Jaime Lee Curtis dances for him. It was perfect.
School of Rock. I know, it looked like the dumbest movie ever, but I think it is just adorable and so funny.
Bedazzled with Brendan Frasier and Elizabeth Hurley as the Devil. She was the perfect devil, and that movie is also too much fun.
Austin Powers 1&2 but not three.
Any of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies.
Anything by Pixar, and the Shrek movies.
Romantic:
Hitch. It was romantic, surprising, sweet funny and fun.
Stranger than Fiction. It is a must see for any writer.
French Kiss. I don’t care how many times I’ve seen it, I can’t resist watching it again.
Classic: A Letter to Three Wives, Leave Her to Heaven, North by Northwest, Arsenic & Old Lace, Saratoga Trunk
New Classic: The Holiday
Fun: Tootsie, Trading Places
Romantic: Notorious, Holiday Affair
I should have included a guilty pleasure category . . . I have two guilty pleasures. GREASE (the original, of course) is one, MIB is another.
And I can’t BELIEVE I forgot the movie that sparked the idea for this column. I just passed it next to the VCR. MY FAIR LADY–a classic, a romance, and fun all wrapped up in one. I LOVE musicals. I’m a huge sucker for them. I saw HAIRSPRAY twice in the theater this summer, once with my daughters and once for my mom’s birthday.
I can’t believe I forgot NOTORIOUS, Bettye. I love that movie. But CHARADE is one I pick up more.
Classic: anything from Marilyn Monroe, anything from the Mark Brothers
New Classic: Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, Indiana Jones
Fun: Pirates of the Caribbean, Harry Potter, MIB, Shrek, Mulan, Lilo & Stich, and Aladdin.
Romantic: You’ve Got Mail, LadyHawke, Princess Bride
Hmnn.
favorite classic: “Mr. Smith Goes To Washington”. Ever seen this one? It has Frank Capra, I believe, just being as Frank Capra-ish as he can.
new classic: Harry Potter (of course, the quality of each movie varies with each director)
fun movie: The Matrix (all but the last), Hoodwinked, *anything* by Pixar
romantic flick: The Phantom of the Opera (pretty much all versions). The Frank Lloyd Webber one is amazing.
- JustAHunch
New Classic: Star Wars, LOTR, Shawshank Redemption, I”m like Allison I can watch it at anytime, catch at any point and I’m hooked
Fun: Harry Potters, Happy Feet, Pirates of the Caribbean, Surf’s Up, Underworld I&II, Resident Evil movies
Romantic: Something’s Gotta Give, The Lakehouse, Love Actually, Notting Hill, Bridget Jone’s Diary
I love MR SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON. It’s definitely a classic. It’s not in the “I’ll watch anytime it’s on tv” category, though. Don’t know why.
And Vivi Anna, I LOVE the first PIRATES movie. The second had so much potential, but it didn’t click for me. The third was better, but still not up to the first; very unlike STAR WARS which all three in the original trilogy were home runs.
What a fun topic! I love movie and tend to watch m favorites over and over–I share a lot of your favorites, particularl “The Shawshank Redemption” which is just brilliant. I think I saw “Return of the Jedi” in the theater about ten times the summer it was released.
Here are a few of my favorites (I could probably name a whole list for each category)
classic – “The Philadelphia Story”, “Pride and Prejudice” (1940s, I like the newer versions too), “Notorious”
new classic – A & E “Pride and Prejudice” (okay, i know it’s not a movie), “The Shawshank Redemption”, “The Hours”, “L.A. Confidential”, “The Usual Suspects
fun – “Pirates of the Caribbean”, I, II, & III (I liked all of them). “Raiders of the Lost Ark”
romantic – “Shakespeare in Love”, “Dead Again”, “An Ideal Husband”
Oh my gosh, I LOVED LadyHawke! And Hawk, the Slayer. Such an old movie, I don’t even know if you can get it anymore. I’m a sucker for Gone With the Wind. I even dragged my husband (then boyfriend) to see the anniversary release at the Crest Theater in Sacramento years and years ago. Others…
* A & E’s Pride and Prejudice
* Nacho Libre ~ I LOVE this movie, and I was sure I wouldn’t love it. It has become a family favorite and classic. It has so many quotable lines! “I believe in science” and “Sometimes a man wears stretchy pants” (or something like that) are my favorites.
* I’m a Raiders of the Lost Ark fan, and the original Star Wars trilogy, but especially the first one. We took our boys to see the big screen rerelease of them.
* The Lake House. I love this movie, although Kate Perry is probably cringing right now. Keanu is smokin’!
* Love, Actually. Quirky, fun, and a favorite.
* We’re rediscovering a lot of older movies with our kids. October Sky is one of our favorites. I make a point of buying ones like this so that I’ll remember to show them to my kids when they’re older.
There are so many, I could go on and on! My Fair Lady, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, It’s a Wonderful Life, Miracle on 34th Street, Patrick Stewart’s A Christmas Carol, Roots…
You’ve sent me down memory lane, Allison! I want to go home, hunker down with the kids and some hot cocoa, and watch a movie. =)
Oh- how fun!
) Robin Hood and Captain Blood come to mind here!
Classics- Anything by the Marx Bros. And… ERROL FLYNN!( I’m sorry, he was my first romantic crush
New Classics- LOTR, HP’s, Star Wars ( the original 3- I’m not so hot on the latest ones)
Fun- Disney’s Aladdin ( I totally lost it when the genie came out!) What a Girl Wants ( my daughters and my favorite “together” girl-film!) Any and all of Mel Brook’s movies.
Romance- Princess Bride, Ladyhawke, Pride & Prejudice ( A&E Version), Love, Actually.
That’s all I can think of off the top of my head. But I’m taking notes on all the other suggestions
Several people have mentioned THE PRINCESS BRIDE, but I’ve only seen it once. It *almost* lived up to the book, but not quite. And I loved the book, so I don’t have plans to watch the movie again.
Allison, I enjoyed the movie of “The Princess Bride” but I agree that some of the magic of the book is missing. So much of what makes the book a delight is the author commenting on the story.
love briget jones
love actually is great
legally blonde
something gotta give
la confidetal is great, had to watch it about 5 times to get it lol. love russel crowe
gone with the wind, the thornbirds is great.
from here to eternity with the infamous great kiss of all time
the Big easy with dennis quaid
aganist all odds
Hmm… It all depends on what kind of mood I’m in. Let’s see:
My fav’s would be definitely French Kiss
, The King & I, Underworld I&II, The Dish, Notting Hill, Gladiator. That’s all I can think of off the top of my head. Might have to come back with more 
Classics – Not a huge fan of b and w films. That being said, Hitchcock was a genius.
New Classics – Children of Men, The Royal Tennenbaums, As Good As It Gets
Fun – Miss Congeniality, Clue, Sin City, Groundhog Day, Anchorman
Romance – Love Actually, Amelie, When Harry Met Sally, Say Anything
What about television shows that you can get on DVD? My favs are Arrested Development, How I Met Your Mother, Firefly, Sports Night, and Freaks and Geeks.
Oh, I like this topic! I could rave and rave about all kinds, but I’ll stick to a basic list…I hope.
Classics: Anything w/ Jimmy Stewart, especially the Alfred Hitchcock movies & Harvey. The spaghetti westerns with Clint Eastwood (The Good, the Bad, and The Ugly, For a Few Dollars More, and Fistful of Dollars). The Searchers. I know, there’s a theme. My dad loves westerns and it kind of went over to me.
Fun: The Bourne trilogy, especially 2 & 3. Finding Nemo, The Princess Bride, Beauty & the Beast (Disney version…I WANT that library!). I seem to like funny, doofy stuff, but hate true bathroom humor movies.
Romance: 13 Going on 30, Never Been Kissed, 10 Things I Hate About You, Pride & Prejudice (2005 version)…I’m a big romance nut. Sense & Sensiblity, Emma, etc.
I agree with many of the selections here; so I’ll just add the movie I stole from my children. Beauty and the Beast. The most perfect movie ever, IMHO.
Wow, this is as difficult as picking favorite books!
Classics: Gone with the Wind, To Kill a Mockingbird, A Patch of Blue and the Adventures of Robin Hood (Errol Flynn and Olivia de Haviland).
New Classics: There are many movies I enjoy but I don’t know if I’m ready to call them Classics yet.
Fun: Any Bond movie. I’ll laugh out loud during the opening chase scenes. Even over-the-top, they’re wildly entertaining.
Romantic: Too many classic romances to list, but of the “newer” movies — American President and Kate and Leopold.
Oh, I love American President!
Classics: Casablanca as well, and Singing in the Rain and Some Like It Hot, Bringing Up Baby and Arsenic and old Lace, Ladykillers, Kind Hearts and Coronets.
We rewatch Sound of Music round here – it’s our favourite corny family movie.
I am also addicted to Fred Astaire movies and my favourie arthouse weepie is Jules et Jim.
Modern classics – Grosse Pointe Blank. Knight’s Tale. 10 Things I Hate About You.
Fun: Delicatessen and Diva
I love French Kiss. No one ever gets it when I say “you people make my ass twitch” in a low, raspy voice. Obviously I’m not in the right company.
But, dude, you forgot the “cheese” category. I have a whole section of the DVD library devoted to the cheesy: The Count of Monte Cristo, The Scorpion King, Eight-Legged Freaks, Simply Irresistible, Armageddon…
LOL, Kate was that meant to be ‘ass’ or ‘eyes’:lol: I always thought it was a very French ‘eyes’
Still, I always have a giggle when I hear it.
It’s “ass” Lyn. I’m positive. And Kate, I would totally get it
Robyn, I agree about BEAUTY AND THE BEAST. I love that move. I’m a sucker for most of the classic Disney movies. The only one I never really cared for was SLEEPING BEAUTY. Just didn’t do it for me. But CINDERELLA? I can watch that all the time (and each of my daughter’s went through a CINDERELLA and BEAUTY phase.)
is the thin man romantic? i only ever remember it being hilarious. i think they drink in every scene in that film. i’m not about to start writing romance novels but i think it’s funny (though not surprising) that women dominate the realm of romance novels, written and read. i guess us dudes just don’t cut it. if you want en effin’ love story (i know this is about movies, but i’ve only read the books), it’s gotta be anna karenina and maybe a jane eyre in there.