Let’s trade favorite movies.
It’s the time of year where I sit around with my family, while someone plays movie trailer, after movie trailer, and someone else tries to get us to watch something derided by the rest, and we never actually choose anything, and then my father falls asleep on the sofa.
Maybe this is also your family… so I am hoping that from a shared list of recommendations, we can all be like– oh yes! That is exactly what we should watch!
I will go first, but please understand— I am NOT a film critic… to prove this, I begin my list with a Nicholas Cage movie… The Family Man, love! SO GOOD!
Note: I am breaking up this wall of text with past Christmas photos.
My movie-criteria was ABSOLUTE FAVORITES: movies that make me clap my hands together and say– oh! I LOVE that movie! LET’S WATCH IT RIGHT NOW!!!
In no particular order, and with plans to update the list, as you remind me what I forgot:
Goodfellas
Urban Cowboy
Amadeus
Wolf of Wall Street
Kiss Me Kate
Roadhouse
Braveheart
Good Will Hunting
Elf
White Christmas
The Family Stone
The Princess Bride
True Romance
Aristocats
Armageddon
Brokeback Mountain
Independence Day
Thelma and Louise
Ocean’s 11
It Happened One Night
The Talented Mr. Ripley
Blow
Casino
The Martian
I love a heist movie.
Bad boys, being bad.
Anything set in another period with EXCELLENT COSTUMES.
Anything with Robert DeNiro… EXCEPT THAT EXCRUCIATING NETFLIX MOVIE.
Brad Pitt, shirtless.
Literally everything about Elf.
Young Matt Damon.
Old Matt Damon.
Howard Keel.
scored these auction urns for a great price–they were exactly what I wanted for a tree base!
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Some of my movies are garbage.
Or generally problematic.
Be warned.
I rewatched Armegeddon this summer… and… Steve Buscemi’s character is… not good.
Some of these movies I love because they remind me so strongly of periods of my life— rewatching them is sort of like revisiting myself in that time period.
Sometimes I find that a movie is improved if you edit it for yourself… example: I don’t watch the end of Thelma and Louise— because it’s wrong.
Same for Roadhouse— once all the monster trucks show up, I’m done… also, even though obviously I am fine with a young Patrick Swayze, I’m actually in it for Sam Elliot.
Life Pro Tip:
If you have a choice, always choose Sam Elliot.
After he two-steps the girl around the diner, the movie is pretty much over for me.
Now.
I want to tell you how I came to watch Urban Cowboy, which I LOVE SO MUCH– it is pure kitsch, with EXCELLENT DENIM AND HATS AND CHARLIE DANIELS BAND AND A VERY BAD DUDE AND A MECHANICAL BULL AND LOTS OF FANTASTIC MUSIC AND DANCING.
Many years ago, on some list of “films every person should see“ I made a mental note of a movie titled Midnight Cowboy.
Sometime later, as I was searching through Netflix, I saw URBAN Cowboy. And my brain remembered the “cowboy” part, so I said to Paul— oh! This is a top movie everyone should see… want to watch it?
And like 10 minutes into it? I was speechless.
TRULY, I was like– HOW have I never seen this!! This IS the greatest movie ever made!
But also, HOW is this on a list of must-see cinema!?
Usually, when they say you should watch something, it’s Easy Rider. Have you tried to WATCH Easy Rider? I tried… after four minutes I was like— this is unwatchable AND WHERE IS JACK NICHOLSON?
ANYWAY.
Urban Cowboy.
I was SO confused that I googled— why is Urban Cowboy one of the greatest movies ever made?
And Google was like— do you mean MIDNIGHT cowboy?
Which we did watch later and it was depressing and cold and not in a good way.
Ok! I think that’s it! NOW IT’S YOUR TURN… what is your FAVORITE!?
Whatever you celebrate, I hope you get to spend it with the people you love!
xoxo, VEB
December 23, 2019 @ 1:11 pm
Something a little different: Chocolat (with Juliette Binoche and Johnny Depp) and Amelie (in French but of course English subtitles, with Audrey Tautou). And let’s face it, I would still laugh out loud on my hundredth viewing in a row of Four Weddings and a Funeral (the movie of course – let’s not even think about what someone else is doing to it 🤐) So fun!
December 23, 2019 @ 1:13 pm
French kiss with Meg Ryan
Beaches
In her shoes with toni collette
13 going on 30
Olympus has fallen
Vicki Christina Barcelona
Most of the movies you listed are also favorites of mine. Other people had alot of good ones too.
December 23, 2019 @ 1:19 pm
Christmas movies I re-watch:
The Family Stone (you, too, I see)
The Holiday
The Ref
Just Friends (very funny)
Others- quirky ones, and these are black comedies
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
It’s a Disaster
Safety Not Guaranteed
Confessions of a Dangerous Mind
Wild Target
The Family Tree
After Hours
Also,
I Capture the Castle
Ladies in Lavender
The Dish
Truly, Madly, Deeply (a more intelligent version of Ghost)
Who is Cletis Tout
The Search for John Gissing
December 23, 2019 @ 1:21 pm
Dan In Real Life. You will love this movie. Funny, sweet and romantic.
December 23, 2019 @ 9:36 pm
Omg! I can’t believe I didn’t say this. I LOVE this movie! #familygoals. I even made my family have a talent show once when we all went away for a week because of it. Lol. love love love.
December 23, 2019 @ 1:22 pm
You Can’t Take it with You
Arsenic and Old Lace
What We Do in the Shadows and most anything else by Taika Waititi
Wristcutters
Moonrise Kingdom
December 23, 2019 @ 1:30 pm
Hell or High Water 2016 – Chris Pine, Ben Foster, Jeff Bridges Only picked it up at Redbox because of Chris Pine and I was blown away. Definitely a bad boys being bad movie.
Zombieland, Terminator (love time travel movies), Moulin Rouge, Titanic, Fury (Brad Pitt)
December 23, 2019 @ 1:32 pm
Roman Holiday ~ best romance ever! Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck; ’nuff said.
Chinatown ~ Jack Nicholson in his prime, fabulous 1930’s LA locales, costumes. It may be the perfect movie.
Enjoy!
December 23, 2019 @ 1:38 pm
You love a good heist movie: THE THOMAS CROWN AFFAIR
Pierce Brosnan at his best.
December 23, 2019 @ 1:39 pm
Most of my favorites have been mentioned … I’m going to recommend “The Fifth Element” as a movie you could watch with brothers … I watched it with my husband when we were dating and he was so happy that I was watching it with me. Sci-fi is not really my thing but it’s a fun movie (Bruce Willis, Kevin Hart).
December 23, 2019 @ 1:49 pm
OMG! My husband and I LOVE this movie and are constantly quoting it, especially the lines by Chris Tucker as Ruby Rod. It is a bit obscure but once you’ve seen it your life is never the same again – am I right??
December 23, 2019 @ 5:49 pm
You’re so right! Thanks, I should have looked it up (Chris Tucker is great in this). I mean, this is not my usual genre at all, but I really like it!
December 23, 2019 @ 1:41 pm
Hidalgo, Eastern Promises, A History of Violence, The Green Book. In short, ANYTHING Viggo Mortensen! Bonus points if he’s (at least) shirtless…
Don’t judge me.
December 23, 2019 @ 1:41 pm
*him
December 23, 2019 @ 1:42 pm
Well, my all time favorite movie will always be The Quiet Man with John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara. It’s set in Ireland in the early 20th century and it’s a love story for the ages. It was filmed in a little town called Cong and my husband and I spent a wonderful week in that little town a few years ago. Most of the houses and other places where the filming was done are still there and you can even take a tour to see them all. If you like Howard Keel, then Seven Brides for Seven Brothers has to be on your list. If you like very well done period pieces, Sense and Sensibility is a must watch and any version of Pride and Prejudice even the original in B&W. There is even Pride and Prejudice and Zombies if you want some really lavish period costumes and sets AND a laugh at the same time. If you love the British humor then your new favorite Christmas movie will become Love Actually. The story line involving Colin Firth’s character and his holiday housekeeper makes me and my husband tear up. Every. Single. Time. The movie pushes ALL your feel buttons: happy, sad, angry, loss, love and regret. I have many more but lots have been mentioned by others posting before me. On a completely separate note – I just think what you do with your cat rescue and fostering is fantastic. We live on 14 acres and have 12 cats – 6 indoor and 6 outdoor – and all are rescues, many who started out as feral. Aren’t cats wonderful creatures? Happy Holidays to you and your family!!! especially the furry ones.
December 23, 2019 @ 1:52 pm
The Godfather 1 and 2. Shawshank Redemption, Best in Show, A Fish Called Wanda, Big Chill, Meet Me in St. Louis, Four Seasons, Longtime Companion, Sixteen Candles and Falling in Love.
December 23, 2019 @ 1:57 pm
Oh sweetie, please don’t forget Out Of Africa and The Great Gatsby. Do y0u see a theme here? Oh the one where Brad Pitt is just so Beautiful. . .something about a River???
December 23, 2019 @ 1:58 pm
I love ‘Love, Actually,’ because, well, who doesn’t?! Also
A Stranger Among Us
Like Water for Chocolate (subtitles, but fantastic!)
The Bourne Series
The Princess Bride
The Queen
The Trip
Damage
Nuns on the Run (stupidly hilarious!)
In Bruges (if you haven’t seen it, you’re missing out)
A Room with a View (swoon)
I’m planning on watching ‘Two Popes’ this week. Really excited!
December 23, 2019 @ 1:59 pm
It’s A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World
December 23, 2019 @ 2:04 pm
*The Thin Man with William Powell and Myrna Loy
*Gone With the Wind
*Monty Python and the Holy Grail
* Boondock Saints
*The Evil Dead
*Shaun of the Dead
*High Tension
*The Lord of the Rings (all 3)
*Paranormal Activity
*Session 9
December 23, 2019 @ 2:07 pm
This is Spinal Tap is the finest movie ever made.
Coal Miner’s Daughter 2nd best.
Mary Poppins and Sound of Music are tied for 3rd best.
Sometimes a Great Notion is also fantastic.
For some reason I am completely unable to explain, I also love Joe Dirt.
Merry Christmas to you and Paul and all the darling kitties, past, present and future. God bless us, everyone.
December 23, 2019 @ 2:08 pm
Some of my favorite posts are the ones of the Christmas bows. Too funny. Favorite movies are Taken with Liam Neesin. Just the first one. And Pretty Woman, Julia Roberts. I also like Enoug and Sleeping With the Enemy. Have a great Christmas. .
December 23, 2019 @ 2:08 pm
My new favorite movie is Dirty Dancing. I just watched it for the umpteenth time last weekend and I love it even more. Some of my other favorite movies: Animal House, Any Star Wars movie, Blues Brothers, The Christmas Chronicles, any Jurassic Park movie, Love Actually, Bohemian Rhapsody, Rocket Man. I could go on and on but I will stop for now.