OK, we have a thread for books, a thread for music, an entire forum for cooking, it's about time we had a thread for my favorite subject: movies.

I'm a total moviephile. I have every movie channel our cable system offers, and netflix.com's biggest subscription package. And I wish I had more :)

I like "thinkers", not "stinkers". Big budgets don't impress me, in fact the worst movie ever made (IMO) was a big-budget summer smash.

Some of my current favorites are "Magnolia", "American Beauty", "Pay it Forward", and "As Good as it Gets". Some of my classic favorites are "The Stunt Man" and "Once Upon a Time in the West". Of course these just came to me as I typed this, I have thousands of favorites.

I'll watch about any genre, but my favorite favorites usually have an ambiguous touch of magic.

So, what are your favorites? (and of course, "why?")

:D

Great question

I to have logged quite a few hours watching movies. I think my favorite movies stand out because of a line in the movie that I never forget and I seem to watch these movies over again when I need a little lift:

THE OUTLAW JOSIE WALES -- "Dyin aint much of a livin boy"

INDEPENDENCE DAY -- "We will not go quietlly into the night"

L.A CONFIDENTIAL -- "I guess this is Good cop/Bad cop" also Bud White is a great name for a cop.

LIAR LIAR -- "Short Shrivleled and to the left"

GLADIATOR, ROB ROY, BRAVEHEART -- All epic style movies with great stories. Some with sad endings.

Thanks
Jerry :D

A movie I really liked was "The Earthling" (not science fiction) as I described in another thread http://www.retouchpro.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=7706#post7706.
There are so many great movies that it's hard to name just a few. But I *very much* enjoyed "On Golden Pond", which most of you are familiar with, "The Godfather", and "Field of Dreams". There was a time when I thought "Abbott and Costello meet Frankenstein" couldn't be beat, but I have since changed my mind about that one. :)

Ed

OK I'll say it...Lord of the Rings. I have been waiting 20 years since I read the books for them to create a movie on that fantastic adventure. I'm glad they waited until technology could really do it justice.

I love Science fiction so those movies are right up my alley. My old time favorite Sci Fi was the Forbidden Planet with Walter Pigeon and another was The Fantastic Voyage. Of course The Wizard of Oz always brings out the kid in me to this day.

I also love comedies but not like Jim Carey type comedy. More like Grumpy Old Men comedy with Mathau and Lemon. And some scary suspenseful but not gory gross. I don't get to see as many movies as I would like. I also tend to stay away from the tear jerkers even though when I do watch them they are usually so good.
DJ

The Shawshank Redemption is always a pleasure to watch, strong storyline, excellent cast and revenge (always a good theme)followed by a happy ending. And in a similar vein the Green Mile. I hought Lord of the Rings was quite good, a vast improvement over the Harry Potter tripe.
I can't approve of the Scottish propaganda in the form of Rob Roy and Braveheart, amusing tales but biased against the benevolent rule of England !!

Almost forgot the 'Seven Samurai' by Kurosawa its a stand alone masterpiece.

I have to say - Hearts In Atlantis is my new favorite movie. Who would have guessed Steven King could write such a touching story!

Lisa

I'm with DJ on the Lord of the Rings! :bigthmb: I have waited for that since I was a little kid.

Other science fiction movies I love - Metropolis, Things To Come, 2001, Blade Runner, Brazil.

Jerry mentioned The Outlaw Josie Wales ... I have not seen that, but I love the ""spaghetti westerns" Eastwood did- The Good, The Bad and the Ugly, A Fistful of Dollars... I love the off kilter style and Ennio Morricone's music.

just remembered another movie I saw recently, Das Boot. VERY tense movie about a German U-boat crew during WW2

Young Frankenstein

Blazzing Saddles

The Godfather (First Movie)

The Exorcist

American Graffiti

Dirty Harry (The Original Movie)

10

High Plains Drifter (gotta love those Clint Eastwood flicks)

and the list goes on and on!

I'm glad to hear from DJ that "The Lord of the Rings" is a worthwhile rendition of the books - I've also been hoping for a good film version.

Right now I'm still impressed with the TV movie "Living with the Dead" - stellar acting, suspenseful and moving storyline.

Over the years, my favorites have included
"Holiday" - Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn - the first movie I ever taped (with a reel to reel sound tape recorder -- never dreamed in 1961 that there would be video recorders!)

"A Star is Born" - Judy Garland version; as well as "Meet me in St. Louis"

Any and all of the Nick & Nora Charles "Thin Man" series - suspense, sophisicated fashion and smart, witty dialogue, tippling, fun-loving detective who always gets his man, and of course -- Asta, the wire-haired fox terrier (usually hiding under the table when the bad guys start shooting).

Still love the "Andy Hardy" movies -- stern but loving father, fluttery softie of a mama, sparring sister and brother, Andy gets into mischief - learns a lesson - all is well at the end. (Why isn't life like that?)
I'm with DJ in still loving "The Forbidden Planet" -- Robbie the Robot and the magnified Id still get my attention.

Oh, something from the last 50 years? Hmmm, "The Music Man" will always be watchable to me; "1776" is a wonderful mix of music and historical characters; "9 to 5" always makes me smile; the first few minutes of "ET" were fantastic; "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" was mesmerizing the first 10 times; "Forrest Gump", "Amistad", "Unbreakable" and "The Sixth Sense".

Hey CJ, I was watching that Living with the Dead too. I really liked it. Shows that made for TV movies are pretty good too. Did you figure out who dune it? :)
DJ

I was enjoying "Living with the Dead" until the commercial came on halfway through it "Hi, I'm the man that this movie is based on, and these experiences really happened to me". (for those who don't know, the movie is about a psychic who talks to dead people and uses this talent to catch a serial killer)

I mean no offense to any psychicly-inclined members we might have here, but that was just a little over-the-top for my taste. I would have liked the movie just fine if it had been presented as totally fictional.

Yeah, I saw that too. Reminded me of a Miss Cleo ad. But I just put that aside and enjoyed it as a fiction. By the time they get done beefing up a true story to appeal to audiences, it usually bears little resemblence to the original story it was supposedly based on anyway. Which is ok for me because when I want a real story I will watch a documentary or the news. Movies are for fun.
DJ

I knew Doug was going to say that....


:tongue:

I should have predicted someone would say that... :)

I have a few favorites -

The Magnificent Seven
Sommersby
Of Mice and Men (with Gary Sinise & John Malkovich)

(If you've ever seen them, you could probably guess why).

And Rancho Deluxe (Jeff Bridges/Sam Waterston) for no other reason than it made me roll on the floor laffin'

I like quite a variety of movies. some of my faves are;

Sci fi: things like Star Wars and Lord of the rings (can't wait for the sequels to both of those)

there's a lot of great old comedies like "Paint your wagon", the Pink Panther series (Peter Sellers was great), "I love lucy" shows, "the three stooges" etc. etc.

Other: Magnolia, Forrest Gump, there's lots more that I really really enjoyed but I can't remember the names right now.

- David :)

I have lots of movies that I've liked over the years, but one that I can watch over and over is "Three Seasons." It was filmed in Viet Nam and it is as close to "real life" as a film can get. When I need a "fix" of VN and can't travel, that movie is the next best thing. :) Everyone that I've told about the film has told me that they really enjoyed it, so I don't think it's just my connection the VN that makes is so special (though it certainly doesn't hurt! ;) )

Jeanie

Hi
Been away recently and had alot of catching up to do on this site. A heck of alot more interesting conversations going on here then some of the relatives I've been with lately.....relatives-we could start a new thread on that one alone sometime.

Relatives...what an unintentional? segueway to my question -was that "Living with the Dead" show based on that guy named ? Prague( or something like that who is on TV from time to time.Will have to catch it on the reruns.By the way is anyone watching " Alien"? That's become one of my favorite shows now although I will tape it next week so that I can watch the concluding episode of the X-Files.Maybe the happy reunited family will all go off somewhere on a UFO into another galaxy or something.

Saw in the paper that " SpiderMan" did a big boxoffice this weekend. Don't really remember what his speciality was and how he differed from Superman and Batman. I'd ask my husband but all he watches are old westerns. Will go to see Lord of the Rings now. Nice to hear that it's getting good reviews on this site.

By the way, we are really into our summer pattern early this year here in Florida.Ocean temperature was 78 the other day. In a way I don't mind it because it's a great excuse to stay in and work on my computer more.

Paulette:cool:

Hi Paulette,
Nice to see you back. We've missed you. :) Know what you mean about relatives. I got the same ones I think. :D

Yes, living with the dead is based on that guy. Can't remember his name exactly either but that's the one.

Spiderman is a superhero with spider capabilities. He can spin and throw webs as a way of getting around town (similar to Tarzan and his vines) and he scales buildings. There use to be a cartoon about it on tv years ago based on the Marvel comics.

If you liked Lord of the Rings in book form then I think you will be impressed with how they did the movie. I loved it. So much of it was just like I envisioned it when I read the book.
DJ

here we go - THE PRINCESS BRIDE:I must have see this show 50
Times or more. I never get tired of it.
- DUNE: A great epic movie. I know almost everyone will tell you that "the book is better". I respectfully disagree. ( I'm talking about the version with patrick stuart in it)
- HELL RAISER: My favorate scare flick by Clive Barker
- FIGHT CLUB & RESEVIOR DOGS: I put these movies togeather becouse they're equally as good as each other. If you havn't seen one of these...run, don't walk to the video store right now!!!
- And finally I'll say lord of the rings. It's as exciting and captivating as the books are. They did a bang-up job on this one!!

Originally posted by fury
here we go - THE PRINCESS BRIDE:I must have see this show 50
Times or more. I never get tired of it.


Oh I LOVE that movie - the part where he's only MOSTLY dead just cracks me up!!!

Did 'Shakespeare in Love' make it across the pond ?

Shakespeare in Love was an excellent film. But, in spite of the great humor and romance, etc., my favorite part is still Dame Judi coming in at the end.

I saw two movies over the weekend... AI :thmbdwn: and How to Kill Your Neigbor's Dog, which was good but not great.

Anyone stand in line to see Star Wars last night? ;)

Star Wars episode II hasn't opened here yet, but it's coming on saturday. I would be standing in line to get in but I have to go to work :(

- David

Being a sucker for exotic romances with gorgeous soundtracks & scenery: The English Patient & Out of Africa

Favourite silly ones: Some Like It Hot (a classic), As Good As It Gets + just about anything by Monty Python (they used to film a lot in Scotland and I went along to watch them filming The Meaning of Life - a scene where the British soldiers were being slaughtered by Zulus - except the "Zulus" were in reality unemployed Glaswegians covered in boot polish!!!)

Hmm, let me see - what else? Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid, Titanic, Shakespeare in Love, Local Hero.

And, just to annoy chris h - BRAVEHEART!!!!!!

LOTR hasn't hit Zim yet ...

Originally posted by d_kendal
I would be standing in line to get in but I have to go to work :(

- David

You sound like you are getting a cold to me....cough, cough...might have to call in sick David....;)

Greg - :D heheh sounds like a good plan ;)

Sam, that must've been great fun watching the filming of Monty Python. For some reason, my local library system has lots of the Monty Python's Flying Circus series, so I've rented most of them by now, they're hilarious! I love Monty Python movies

- David :)

Star Wars flu:

from IMDB.com
On Tuesday, Chicago-based outplacement firm Challenger, Gray and Christmas forecast that U.S. companies could lose more than $319 million in productivity as a result of employees calling in sick -- but actually heading for the multiplex.

Originally posted by Doug Nelson
Star Wars flu:

from IMDB.com
On Tuesday, Chicago-based outplacement firm Challenger, Gray and Christmas forecast that U.S. companies could lose more than $319 million in productivity as a result of employees calling in sick -- but actually heading for the multiplex.

The money is just being transferred to Lucas Films and ILM! :D

Sam,

My views on Braveheart are well known but when I first saw it I never realised it was Patrick McGoohan playing good king Edward ! It has some good scenes especially Edward disposing of his sons 'friend' via the window !

well I thought Star Wars episode II started today here (Saturday) but I was wrong (it actually started thursday night at 12am) so I got to see it the first day it was out on friday evening. (so I didn't even have to "call in sick" on saturday :D) the theater was packed but I managed to get in just before it started. I really liked it, even more then Episode I. has anybody else seen it yet? if so what did you think of it?

- David :)

Originally posted by chris h
The Shawshank Redemption is always a pleasure to watch, strong storyline, excellent cast and revenge (always a good theme)followed by a happy ending. And in a similar vein the Green Mile. I hought Lord of the Rings was quite good, a vast improvement over the Harry Potter tripe.
I can't approve of the Scottish propaganda in the form of Rob Roy and Braveheart, amusing tales but biased against the benevolent rule of England !!

Almost forgot the 'Seven Samurai' by Kurosawa its a stand alone masterpiece.

Are you aware that 2 of those you mentioned were written by Stephen King?

Originally posted by Doug Nelson
OK, we have a thread for books, a thread for music, an entire forum for cooking, it's about time we had a thread for my favorite subject: movies.

I'm a total moviephile. I have every movie channel our cable system offers, and netflix.com's biggest subscription package. And I wish I had more :)

I like "thinkers", not "stinkers". Big budgets don't impress me, in fact the worst movie ever made (IMO) was a big-budget summer smash.
Was it Godzilla? or Armagedin?
Some of my current favorites are "Magnolia", "American Beauty", "Pay it Forward", and "As Good as it Gets".
I took my son to that one, we were sitting in the back so we could see everyones reactions, and no one laughed more than we two. We were laughing so loud, no Sitcom ever made me laugh that much. The dog down the laundry shoot, classic.

Some of my classic favorites are "The Stunt Man" and "Once Upon a Time in the West". Of course these just came to me as I typed this, I have thousands of favorites.

I'll watch about any genre, but my favorite favorites usually have an ambiguous touch of magic.

So, what are your favorites? (and of course, "why?")

Originally posted by OhThatGirl2001
I have to say - Hearts In Atlantis is my new favorite movie. Who would have guessed Steven King could write such a touching story!

Lisa

I see too many films. I saw that and can't remember it, though I know it was good.
Anyone see Stand by Me? King wrote that too.

Originally posted by G. Couch
I'm with DJ on the Lord of the Rings! :bigthmb: I have waited for that since I was a little kid.

Other science fiction movies I love - Metropolis, Things To Come, 2001, Blade Runner, Brazil.

1st two classic. 2001, I took off work and went to Hollywood to see it in '68 on grass, blew my mind completely.
Brazil, very cool/weird.

Jerry mentioned The Outlaw Josie Wales ... I have not seen that, but I love the ""spaghetti westerns" Eastwood did- The Good, The Bad and the Ugly, A Fistful of Dollars... I love the off kilter style and Ennio Morricone's music.

just remembered another movie I saw recently, Das Boot. VERY tense movie about a German U-boat crew during WW2

Originally posted by Jakaleena
I have a few favorites -

The Magnificent Seven
Sommersby
Of Mice and Men (with Gary Sinise & John Malkovich)

(If you've ever seen them, you could probably guess why).

And Rancho Deluxe (Jeff Bridges/Sam Waterston) for no other reason than it made me roll on the floor laffin'

You know, don't you, that Jeff is one of the forgotten by the academy, best actors alive don't you. Watch his performance in Star Man, he transforms himself.
greg
who loves movies more than anyone.

I was aware that Stephen King was the author of the Shawshank Redemption but only made the connection with the Green Mile a few weeks ago. Film makers rarely make good interpretations of books but they suceeded in this case. The best adaptation of a book for film that I've seen is 'Day of the Jackal' Frederick Forsythe's novel about the attempted assassination of De Gaulle.

Originally posted by G. Couch
I saw two movies over the weekend... AI :thmbdwn: and How to Kill Your Neigbor's Dog, which was good but not great.

Anyone stand in line to see Star Wars last night? ;)

No, but I stood in line for the 2nd StarWars in what? '80?
It was the 2nd time I waited in a big line for a flick, the 1st being The Exorcist. There was a family that had a motorhome, and they would have different people stand in line for a while and then spell them, they had drinks and everything.
greg

I like watching many movies..... but some I reach for when I like to enjoy some familar moments.... altho i think this was released a little before I could appeciate it ..

I'll go with AFRICAN QUEEN ... so timely .... anyone who has it but has never seen it's value ... just pay attention to the opening scene as boggie happens to steam in , during an un-harmonized church service in the jungle...

Imagine ... going wherever you pleased on a boat that only required wood for fuel ... and for a time all the gin one man would need to sit out a war..

the two main characters fit me and my lady well I think... and I long ago made this animation of the four of us.. boggie and Kate... pam and I

Originally posted by fugitive


You know, don't you, that Jeff is one of the forgotten by the academy, best actors alive don't you. Watch his performance in Star Man, he transforms himself.
greg
who loves movies more than anyone.

I've seen most of his movies. I love him. I went on an actual quest about 4 years ago to BUY every JB movie that was on video that I could get my hands on. Then someone broke into my house and stole them (along with all of my camera gear). But you're absolutely right - he is excellent and unfortunately very forgotten...

I take it you've seen American Heart... I really think he does an incredible job in that one!

American Heart, can't remember, give me a little backgrnd.

Originally posted by fugitive
American Heart, can't remember, give me a little backgrnd.

Here's the synopsis I found:

A boy [Edward Furlong] longing for a relationship with his newly-released ex-convict dad [Jeff Bridges], tracks him down and begs to stay with him. Grudgingly, the father agrees and they set up house in a residential hotel. Jobs are hard to come by for ex-cons "who can't do nothin'," but the father finally gets work washing windows, and instructs his son to go find a school to attend.
As the father and son struggle to become a family, the father tries to resist the temptation to return to the streets and slip back into his old ways. They plan to fulfill the father's dreams of resettling in Alaska, but a feud between the two has dire consequences, leading to a tragic ending.

It was filmed in Seattle. I've never read a bad review on it, and most were just glowing. If you haven't seen it, you really should. It's one of the first ones I spent actual $$ to own.

Thanks Jac, still don't recall. Problem is I see a lot of films, though not as many as Roger Ebert.
I'll see if I can find it. Did you see the one where he was in the plane crash?
greg

Yeppers - Fearless.

Rondon -the two main characters fit me and my lady well I think... and I long ago made this animation of the four of us.. boggie and Kate... pam and I

Kate and Bogie are one of my all time favorites, and a great pair to "fit" with! Nice animation.
Rondon - I like watching many movies..... but some I reach for when I like to enjoy some familar moments

I feel that way about a number of movies - laugh myself out of a sad/bad mood -- "9 to 5" with Lilly, Dolly, & Jane; have a good cry (AND revive my patriotic fervor) watching the WWII tour shows in Jane Froman's story "With a Song in My Heart", [especially singing 'Back Home Again in Indiana']; the great bits from Mae West/W.C. Fields movies, wrenching free from conformity with "Holiday" (Cary Grant/Katharine Hepburn); the thrill watching the cafe crowd fervently singing "La Marseillaise" over the sounds of the Gestapo voices... and the eerie shock of watching the sweet blond boys singing the sweet tune and horrifying threat of "Tomorrow Belongs to Me" in "Cabaret". Of course, "Cabaret" includes many more special moments.

Just finished watching Grand Canyon, with Kevin Kline. Great film. The dynamic of good and bad, violence and peace. Someone was a genius, writer or director or both.

Grand Canyon is marvelous. Writer/director are the same guy, Lawrence Kasdan. He also did Body Heat, Big Chill, Accidental Tourist, and Silverado. Plus he wrote two Star Wars movies :)

I'll try to remember that> It sound like you might be deeper into films than I. I only know a few directors.
The first was Hitchcock, from the TV shows, 2nd was in the '70s Huston, then Spielberg, and on ..........

Loved Body Heat, saw it recently, Big Chill..fantastic.
Tourist, good, Silverado loved Kevin Kline, and Linda Hunt.

I cheat :) (http://www.imdb.com)

Originally posted by Doug Nelson
I cheat :) (http://www.imdb.com)


You use the book then? I have one too. Don't use it for conversation, just bets.

Hey, wanna see a good murder mystery?
Body Double..................I'm watching it right now, 1984, a very, very good yr for films, in fact, to me one of the best ever. I can't count how many good ones came out that year.

I know Doug will have a comment on this.