I love watching movies. I own quite a few videos and one of the things I check on a daily basis is what movies are on TV. There are some movies I'll watch over and over again and there are others I will never watch unless forced to by the government.
Plots draw me to a particular movie. It should have decent characters and a good story. I like comedy and drama equally.
Below are some of my personal favorites. It is a long list and I know I didn't list all my favorites. The links go to information on each movie, including how to buy it, on the best movie site on the web, the Internet Movie Database. If you love movies or TV check out the site.
As a side note, I contribute reviews for the IMDB of some of the movies on this list and some that I have seen but not put on this list. If you would like to read them, then check out this link:
http://imdb.com/user/ur0388652/comments
A Little Romance (1979)-- To be young and in love. This movie starred Diane Lane as a young girl in Paris who falls in love with a French boy. They decide to go to Venice to kiss under a bridge so that they will love each other forever. They are helped by Sir Laurence Olivier. This is a sappy cute movie and good fun.
Animal House (1978) was a goofy movie that scored. The exploits of Delta House had no relation to the actual time the movie came out but like Ferris Bueller's Day Off it influenced pop culture for many years.
Better Off Dead (1985) is a cult classic. It is on par with Ferris Bueller for goofiness and self-reference. Curtis Armstrong steals many scenes. Ricky's mom blowing up is the best scene.
Blade Runner (1982)-- The story and movie blew me away when I saw this the first time. Harrison Ford played Deckard, a police officer hunting down miscreant androids in futuristic LA. If you can only own a few videos I would put this on the list. Rutger Hauer, as the android leader, is excellent.
CaddyShack (1980) is one of those movies, like Animal House, that nobody expected it to be a hit. This was Bill Murray's best early movie.
Chicago (2002)-- An excellent film of the Broadway musical. It fused a narrative with the dance numbers of the show so it is richer than just seeing a filmed theater piece. Catherine Zeta-Jones is hot as Velma Kelly and who knew that Renée Zellweger and Richard Gere could sing and dance.
Chocolate War (1988)-- Since I like odd little movies, this one fit the list. Ilan Mitchell-Smith plays Jerry, the new kid at an all boys Catholic school who challenges a gang of elite boys who think they run the school and the interim head master played by John Glover, who has misappropriated school funds. The war refers to Jerry not participating in the annual Chocolate sale. He becomes the hero of non-conformity to the others in the school and that threatens the gang called the "Vigils" and threatens to expose the embezzlement of the head master.
Dead Poets Society (1989)-- Some films move me beyond simple entertainment and make me reflect on my own life. Dead Poets Society does that. Robin Williams gives one of his better dramatic turns as the influential teacher who helps lead his students to rebel against the stifling conformity of the late 1950s. This movie inspired my creative side for sometime.
Dirty Dancing (1987)-- This is the 80s version of "Grease" with sex and rock & roll. Jennifer Grey is great as the good girl who falls hard for the bad boy played by Patrick Swayze. If you like this kind of movie you will watch it over and over. It is a fun film with some darker drama woven in that makes it more than just a music video.
Excalibur (1981)-- John Boorman's epic telling of the King Arthur legend. This movie got me interested in the legend when I saw it on HBO back in the early 80's. There are many future stars in this movie including Patrick Stewart, Liam Neeson, Gabriel Byrne, and Helen Mirren.
Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986) was one of the first John Hughes movies to hit it big. This quirky movie has no real plot but the comedy comes from the situations and running jokes. This movie was influential on pop culture for many years. Matthew Brodrick speaking to the camera on occasion was unique for filmdom at the time and added to the fun of the movie. Many people can recite lines from the movie.
Forrest Gump (1994) -- I thought I should have a few films from the 1990's in my list and this one is excellent. Tom Hanks plays Gump, a man with a low IQ who gets involved with many historical events such as the Vietnam War and Apple Computer. Robin Wright plays his love interest, Jenny, who takes a different route trough time before eventually getting back with Gump. I was more interested in Jenny's story but the film is excellent. The last 30 minutes gets to me every time.
Freaky Friday (2003) -- This body switch movie teams Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsey Lohan in a remake that stared Jody Foster in 1976. Curtis seems to be having fun acting like a teen and Lohan's facial reactions make her turn as the "mother" satisifing to watch. This is a good family movie - it is kid enough for them and has enough adult in it to keep adults interested.
Graduate (1967)-- was another pop culture influence for the time. It dealt with the trials of Ben Braddock, played by Dustin Hoffman, and his attempt to move into adulthood. He doesn't have a clue about what he wants to do or who he is, so he has an affair with the wife of a family friend and falls in love with her daughter, played by the hottie Katharine Ross.
Grease (1978) is musical along the same lines as Oklahoma! and West Side Story and is one of my favorites. It has no plot but the songs are memorable. I also love Olivia Newton John. It amazes me that 12 year old girls know the movie. I'm also amazed that I know the words to every song. It's not like I've watched more than a dozen times.
Highlander (1986)-- The first film in the movie and television series was an original. The story told of a Scottish warrior named MacLeod, played by Christopher Lambert, who becomes immortal and enters a competition to be the only one left alive. The only real flaw was having Sean Connery playing a Spaniard with a Scottish accent.
Handmaid's Tale (1990)-- This film version of the Margaret Atwood novel is chilling to the extreme. Religious Right fanatics take over the country. They roll back all civil rights, reduce women to breeders, and execute abortion doctors. Natasha Richardson plays a Handmaid, someone trained to have the children of a high official because his wife is barren. Robert Duvall plays the Commander, a somewhat human zealot who falls in love with the Handmaid and shows how hypocritical the new regime is. Includes Elizabeth McGovern as a prostitute.
Henry V (1989)-- Kenneth Branagh has joined Sir Laurence Olivier as the person who can do Shakespeare justice. His version of Henry V is an epic adventure of King Henry. The great scene is before the final battle when he asks his men to go once more into the breech. Stirring. I would go.
Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)-- I was skeptical about the second movie in the LOTR trilogy only because of the unevenness of previous trilogies. The Two Towers just blew me away on the big screen. Even though most of the images were computer generated, this movie showed how cgi and live action can be fused to make a spectacular film.
Max Headroom (1985) started the pop icon known for his Coke ads back in the 80's. I saw the original British movie one day while channel surfing to Cinemax. I didn't know it was going to be on nor did I think I would be interested but the story drew me in. I prefer this version to the US movie and series that followed.
Nineteen Eighty-Four (1984)-- This is an excellent adaptation of Orwell's novel of a New World Order where Big Brother is watching everyone, love is outlawed, and history is rewritten on a daily basis. John Hurt plays Winston, the drone who rebels and pays the price. The rock sound track from the band Eurythmics is excellent although most of it was cut from the film.
Ode to Billy Joe (1976)-- I saw this on TV in the late 70's and I loved the story. It has confused audiences about what exactly it is about. Robbie Benson played Billy Joe, a teen having trouble making the move to adulthood, and Glynnis O'Connor played Bobbie Lee, the girl Billy Joe loves. The movie was inspired by the song of the same name. An interesting fact is that it was produced and directed by Max Baer Jr. who played Jethro on the "Beverly Hillbillies".
Outland (1981) -- This continued the dark smoky world of space colonies that we saw in such movies as Alien. Sean Connery plays the Marshall of a deep space mining company who stirs up trouble trying to solve a murder. The story is a western theme, kind of like "High Noon" in space.
Patton (1970) is the best war movie ever made. Most people think it is just a drama about General Patton from World War II but it is a character study of a character from WW II. Patton believed he was an epic warrior in an epic struggle. In reality it showed how human he really was and what happens to warriors when the war is over. It was ironic that it was made at a time when opposition to Vietnam was at its height. It is the most accurate movie about a General ever. George C. Scott is Patton. The cable classic movie channels will show the entire 3 hour version if you don't have the tape.
Pandora's Box (1929) -- This silent movie is THE film to see the beauty and natural acting of Lousie Brooks (1906-1985). Brooks plays a seductress who rips apart a father and son who both love her. There is a murder and Brooks as Lulu runs away and ends up in London. Her allure and innocence eventually does her in. Lulu as a character has influenced many artists since the 1950s when the film was rediscovered.
Racing with the Moon (1984)-- I like little movies that have a tight story and interesting characters. This film is like that. It starred Elizabeth McGovern and Sean Penn playing two teens at a significant historical time.
Razor's Edge (1984)-- This one shows a dramatic side of comedian Bill Murray. He plays a man who went through the First World War and then attempts to find himself. Based on the novel by W. Somerset Maugham, the drama and period sets draws the viewer into the movie.
Road to Perdition (2002)-- Beautifully photographed by the late Conrad Hall, Road tells the story of a hitman double crossed by the son of his boss and his bond with his son in 1920's Iowa. Tom Hanks turns in another excellent performance.
Romeo and Juliet (1968)-- This classic Franco Zeffirelli directed version is my favorite for a number of reasons. Shakespeare plays are best when they are seen performed. My 9th Grade English teacher had to make a copy of this version to cut out the naughty parts and I fell in love with Oliva Hussey as Juliet. Even though I know the story by heart, this play still gets to me in the final scenes.
Rushmore (1998)-- Another little movie that does more for the art of movie making than any super sfx blockbuster. Jason Schwartzman plays Max, a kid more interested in starting clubs and producing plays than studying, who has a crush on the 1st grade teacher played by Olivia Williams. He tries to impress her by getting a rich man played by Bill Murray to spend money on an aquarium at his school. However Murray falls for Williams which causes Max problems.
Star Wars (1977) was one of those movies that started many things we take for granted in film today. It started the era of Special Effects, the sequel, and Harrison Ford. I look forward for the rest of the prequels in the series.
Stepford Wives (1975)-- A creepy and strange tale of a suburban community with unusually perfect housewives. It has had a pop cultural influence since it was made. This movie is going to be remade with Nicole Kidman in 2003 or 2004.
Streets of Fire (1984)-- Ellen Aim, played by Diane Lane, is a rock singer who is kidnapped by a biker gang led by Willem Dafoe. Michael Paré plays Aim's ex-boyfriend who arrives back in town to save her. The music is purely 80s while the scenes seem like a 50s B movie. Fun movie.
Summer of '42 (1971)-- I first saw this coming of age movie at a drive-in with my family. It is tight story about a teen named Hermie and his crush on an older woman played by Jennifer O'Neill. It ends on a bit of a downer but is uplifting overall.
Taps (1981) -- This movie had an interesting story and high drama. Members of a military school take over the school to try and prevent the school's closing. The leader, played by Timothy Hutton, idolizes the Commandant, played by George C. Scott, and seems lost when his hero is stricken with a heart attack. This film also starred a young Tom Cruise and Sean Penn.
Terminator (1984)-- This was an independent sci-fi movie that wasn't suppose to do well, but turned into a cult classic because of an excellent story and strong performances by Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, and Michael Biehn. I loved the story.
Termini Station (1989)-- This film made my list this year after I first saw it. It is about a family relationship after a major crisis and how it is partly resolved. Colleen Dewhurst plays an alcoholic who wants a last chance at living. Megan Follows, of Anne of Green Gables fame, plays her teenage daughter who was personally involved in the crisis and it led her to lose all feeling. Megan plays a part FAR removed from her role of Anne in the Green Gables movies. She smokes, drinks, and cusses. Gordon Clapp, from NYPD Blue, is actually interesting in his role as the brother.
Valley Girl (1983) -- There are a few movies from the 1980's that shoot me back in time to relive those times when I was young and naive. Those were the days when films and music became touchstones in my life. Valley Girl is one of those films. It has a lot of texture to it, if you pay attention and look past the "look" and "sound" of the picture. I saw the film in the theater back in 1983 and I fell in love with it. The music turned me on to punk and new wave - music that never came to my town. I a had huge crush on Deborah Foreman for several years and the story seemed like it was a snapshot of my life at the time. Not cool enough for the Preps and too Prep for the shop rats.