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 @ 2:11 pm
Out of Africa/Taming of the Shrew (Burton-Taylor/Ghost & Mrs Muir/North by Northwest/Jane Eyre (Orson Welles-Joan Fontaine)/When Harry Met Sally/Cleopatra (I know, but I love the sets)/Preacher’s Wife (Grant-Young)/Resurrection(Ellen Bursten)(lovely ending)/All of Harry Potter/All of Doc Marten TV series
December 23, 2019 @ 2:14 pm
Local Hero, The Man from Snowy River, Breaking Away, The Big Chill, Return of the Seacaucus Seven, The Princess Bride, Moonstruck, Remains of the Day, Howard’s End, The Breakfast Club, Big, and a few others I can’t remember right now.
December 23, 2019 @ 2:25 pm
Am agreeing with much of the above, but did not see About Time or Sliding Doors listed. I LOVE THEM. Also, if you haven’t watched much or any of The Crown on Netflix, don’t do it unless you are prepared to fall in love with Prince Charles in Season 3. Crazy, I know…but ’tis the season!
December 23, 2019 @ 9:32 pm
I listed Sliding Doors! It’s my favorite movie. And it’s what started my undying love for John Hannah. I also just posted on someone else’s comment about how much I loved About Time.
December 23, 2019 @ 2:26 pm
Two favorites: Twister and Close Encounters. Most cringeworthy viewing experience: watching Pulp Fiction with my elderly mother and father-in-law in a movie theater where there was no escape. My husband suggested I take them, because he thought it was great and they would enjoy it. Yes, Pulp Fiction. I eventually forgave him, but it was excruciating at the time.
December 23, 2019 @ 2:29 pm
Two favorites: Moonstruck and Field of Dreams. I never get tired of them.
December 23, 2019 @ 2:36 pm
I just watched this for the first time; Racing with the Moon. Sean Penn was like 14. BUT includes Elizabeth McGovern (love her) and she was like 12 – LOL.
If you’ve never watched, try The Idolmaker. Really young Peter Gallagher. I LOVE this movie.
December 23, 2019 @ 2:36 pm
Joe v the volcano-Idiocracy-Pride and Prejudice but only with Colin Firth most of the Bourne movies-one not so much (can’t remember which one?) Some James Bond-The graduate for the line about plastic-then fantastic now a death knell. The Christmas Movie-the one with the leg lamp and the dogs devouring the turkey? The Martian–definitely-Star Wars-and a thousand more. Merry Christmas to everyone and a wonderful 2020.
December 23, 2019 @ 3:16 pm
Oh my goodness, Joe vs the Volcano is hands down the. best. 🤣🤣🤣🤣
December 23, 2019 @ 2:53 pm
‘Sweet Land’ – ‘mail order bride’ travels to Midwest. ‘The Descendants’ – George Clooney. ‘Bridesmaids’ – no explanation necessary. ‘Hell or High Water’ – sleeper nominated for Best Picture 2017. ‘Homeward Bound’ – the original and the remake (music in the remake is outstanding). ‘Wuthering Heights’ – 1970 – again, the music is heartbreaking.
December 23, 2019 @ 2:55 pm
In the UK we love The Sound of Music with Julie Andrews (still makes me cry when I singalog) (come to think of it, it makes most of my family cry when I sinalong !). Mary Poppins with Julie Andrews, and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. So much joy !
December 23, 2019 @ 2:58 pm
Wow! thanks for all of this-reminded me of all the movies I loved and own. Bookcases full of DVDs cause Husband would not go to movie theater-so pi**ed off I bought them! That’ll teach him-right? since he hated spending money. Ha!
December 23, 2019 @ 3:07 pm
If you like heists and suspense, The Italian Job is good. An oldie heist film I liked was Topkapi, however the heroine was a bit seductive.
Second Hand Lions is a great feel good family movie with some quirky twists. Love Michael Caine and Robert Duval in this.
Harvey is a happy film for me. Just love James Stewart and I’d love to have his character’s carefree attitude.
December 23, 2019 @ 3:11 pm
It Happened One Night, Reds, The Quiet Man, Oh Brother Where Art Thou, Christmas in Connecticut (these are not holiday movies – just my favorites with some holiday thrown in), Outlaw Josey Wales, Coal Miner’s Daughter, The Waterboy (yes – Adam Sandler), Caddyshack (dancing groundhog and “that’s OLL I need!!”), Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Kiss Me Kate, Blazing Saddles, any 1930’s movie with Cary Grant – ANY.
December 23, 2019 @ 3:15 pm
Love Actually, of course. Because Colin Firth! And Hugh Grant, but mostly Colin Firth, especially at the end when he goes to Portugal for Aurelia. And Alan Rickman and Emma Thompson and Rowan Atkinson making me cry laughing, and a very young and uncredited Andrew Lincoln before TWD made him a household name. Watching it always makes me feel better about my husband, lol.
December 23, 2019 @ 3:32 pm
Rear Window (well, a h of those old Alfred Hitchcock movies really), Sixteen Candles (watched that over and over with my DD when she was 16), Die Hard, Christmas Vacation (because our oldest son and his friend could almost quote the whole movie), Love Actually, Four Weddings and a Funeral. That’s all I can think of for now.
December 23, 2019 @ 3:40 pm
Strictly Ballroom❣️❣️❣️❣️❣️🤙🏻🤙🏻🤙🏻🎄🥰🎅🏻🤶🏻🧚♀️🦘🦘because it’s an Australian classic and I know you love to dance 💃🏻 🕺🏻
December 23, 2019 @ 10:55 pm
That’s a great indie film!
Thanks for reminding me.
December 23, 2019 @ 3:40 pm
The Italian Job is a great heist movie. Big fan of Fried Green Tomatoes, Steel Magnolias, and A League of Their Own. I can’t pass by Seven Brides for Seven Brothers if it’s on.
December 23, 2019 @ 3:45 pm
My Favorite Christmas Movies-
Bell Book and Candle
Dr. Zhivago
Die Hard (One)
December 23, 2019 @ 3:49 pm
love most of yours but also Love Actually, Sense and senibility, and four weddings and a funeral
December 23, 2019 @ 4:00 pm
I’m a big fan of old movies and although there are so many that I love, I never tire of watching the Thin Man series with Myrna Loy and William Powell. Beautiful period pieces, spectacular clothing, cars, and apartment decorating. And they are ALWAYS drinking cocktails, morning, noon and night. I missed my era.
December 23, 2019 @ 4:16 pm
For holiday movies I love The Ref, Home for the Holidays (Ann Bancroft and Robert Downey Jr. And Dylan McDermott. Come on.) and Bad Moms Christmas. I saw that for the first time this summer and it is absolutely one of the funniest movies I’ve ever seen. And of course The Holiday bc who doesn’t want to house swap with the cutest little British cottage and end up with a hot guy?
Grease 2, When Harry Met Sally, Sliding Doors (actual favorite), Moonlight Mile, Shopgirl, The Last Unicorn. I’m forgetting a ton.
I will say that anytime Enough with JLo comes on I have to stop everything and watch. ‘You have a divine animal right to protect your life and the life of your offspring’. Stop. Can’t take it.