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
Jennifer
December 24, 2019 @ 3:05 am
I have so many favorite movies but I’d like to suggest The Age of Adaline, The Italian Job, and The Illusionist.
Albertina Strauser
December 24, 2019 @ 7:18 am
It happened on 5th Avenue…meet me in St. louis…love actually (naturally)…a Christmas Carol with Patrick Stewart…scrooged… A Christmas story…A Shop around the corner…so many good ones!!
Jessica Morrell
December 24, 2019 @ 8:14 am
Philadelphia Story —Katherine Hepburn!
Shadow of a Doubt – my fave Alfred Hitchcock
Rear Window — my second fave Alfred Hitchcock, worth watching if only for the clothing
Fargo — a perfect movie
And two “bad boys being bad faves”:
The Great Escape
Cool Hand Luke
I have a short attention span and these are all movies I still LOVE after multiple viewings.
Cassie Madison
December 24, 2019 @ 8:33 am
Almost anything Hitchcock but especially Vertigo. Best rom com obviously French Kiss.
Laura McKenna
December 24, 2019 @ 8:45 am
My brother’s favorite Christmas movie is Die Hard.
I’ll watch It happened One Night anytime it’s on.
Anything with Audrey Hepburn — Roman Holiday made her a star and it’s wonderful.
Everything Marilyn Monroe ever did.
All About Eve (and there’s a cameo of MM — she plays Miss Casswell, a graduate of the Copacabana School of Dramatic Art).
Jezebel.
Gone with the Wind — HOW did you leave out GWTW???
Oklahoma (I know every song)
The Hobbit (the most recent one with Martin Freeman)
Sheila
December 24, 2019 @ 9:11 am
Working Girl, The Shawshank Redemption, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Dirty Dancing.
Melissa
December 24, 2019 @ 9:24 am
I am a movie junkie and I love movies with great acting, great filming, editing, costuming, awards…….all the things……. but for some crazy reason, The Cutting Edge is my favorite movie. It’s almost embarrassing for me to say.
The other 2 must sees: Pride & Prejudice and The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
Rachael
December 24, 2019 @ 9:30 am
Follow up – since Roadhouse is a favorite (as it should be!). Watch that then Blade then To Wong Foo to blow your mind!
Linda Montgomery
December 24, 2019 @ 10:24 am
Band of Brothers is an EPIC series and SO dang good. Worth watching over & over.
Howard Keel you say? I met him when I was in my 20’s and it was all I could do not to swoon! Therefore I suggest my all-time favorite – 7 Brides for 7 Brothers.
Shoot em ups? The Long Kiss Goodnight (also Christmas themed-is)
Best Christmas movie EVER (in my humble opinion) The Bishop’s Wife & Little Shop Around the Corner. Both are old B & W’s are are just excellent!
Finally a rom-com I can watch ALL THE TIME – You’ve Got Mail
Merry Christmas and ENJOY!!
FB
December 24, 2019 @ 10:54 am
Home for the Holidays with Holly Hunter and Robert Downey Jr, directed by Jodie Foster!
Kathy Plettenberg
December 24, 2019 @ 2:42 pm
There’s a new movie on Amazon Prime (if you’re a subscriber) called Brittany Runs a Marathon. Loved it quite a bit. And my all-time favorite, which naturally fits since I’m a white farmgirl from the extreme northern tier of states:. The Color Purple. I love, love, love Celie. “Ev’thing just wanna be loved.” And you can’t get a much badder set of guys than Celie’s father and husband. Movies about interconnectedness do it for me.
Gail
December 24, 2019 @ 5:19 pm
One word – Whalerider. (At least I think it’s one word.)
A beautiful story about believing in yourself and the young girl who played the lead is amazing!
Donna Gibson
December 24, 2019 @ 7:39 pm
Love Actually is my favorite movie ever and great for every season especially Christmas. Howard’s End and Room with A View are close seconds.
Kristin
December 25, 2019 @ 2:35 pm
okkkk, remember you *asked* for this. The Godfather I and II must be on literally every list ever, period. III should never be watched ever, period.
Hmm, Arsenic and Old Lace. Some Like It Hot. Casablanca. Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? The Bad Seed. Jezebel. Now, Voyager. Anything with Bogie and Bacall but preferably The Big Sleep.
It’s A Wonderful Life. The Bishop’s Wife (with Cary Grant, and no, not the remake with Denzel which is actually called The Preacher’s Wife, for the love of God, NO, NEVER THAT ONE. Although I adore Denzel.).
You did mention Goodfellas, yes? Bc definitely that, and The Departed. I also tend to always watch Seven and Silence of the Lambs when they cross my path as well. And From Here to Eternity.
Ohhh, To Kill A Mockingbird. And Rear Window.
p.s. I probably have more. Sorry, this is really more of a blog post than a comment. Oops.
Kristin
December 25, 2019 @ 8:41 pm
I forgot Pretty Woman. And Pope of Greenwich Village. Moonstruck. Mask. Erin Brockovich. A Time To Kill. A Few Good Men. Annie Hall. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. Jaws. Singin’ In The Rain.
That’s a pretty full list. 😬
Elle
December 25, 2019 @ 2:46 pm
Home for the Holidays, a Jodie Foster (directed) film with Holly Hunter and Robert Downey Jr. For anyone who thinks their family has “problems” this family has them ALL. It’s a must-see every year.
Aileen Gronewold
December 26, 2019 @ 8:38 am
My ALL TIME favorites are Bennie and Joon, with Johnny Depp, and To Kill a Mockingbird with Gregory Peck. The BEST! Other faves: Gone With the Wind, What About Bob, Tommy Boy, The Gods Must Be Crazy and Cool Runnings (just for the delicious accent!)
Barb Carey
December 26, 2019 @ 12:00 pm
Loved your movie list and your life advice about choosing Sam Elliot. My favorite movies also are rooted in certain time periods of my life. Here goes:
The Big Easy
Princess Bride
Young Frankenstein
Shawshank Redemption
Bull Durham
Lincoln
Up
Hannah Powell
December 26, 2019 @ 5:03 pm
A Fish Called Wanda, (Jamie Lee Curtis, Kevin Kline, John Cleese, Michael Palin)
” A Comedy Heist”. Very funny.
My Brilliant Career (Judy Davis, Sam Neill) A beautiful film about a girl who wants to be a
writer. Australian Outback.
Clueless (Alicia Silverstone, Paul Rudd) Very funny . Based on Jane Austen’s Emma
What About Bob? Bill Murray, Julie Hagerty, Richard Dreyfus) Very funny film about a
Psychiatrist, his family, and his patient Bob.
Groundhog Day (Bill Murray, Andie MacDowell) Funny but philosophical too. It’s about
the meaning of life.
Diane McNelly
December 26, 2019 @ 6:09 pm
Yes, Die Hard is a Christmas movie.
Brooklyn with Soirse Ronan, Gone in 60 Seconds (the car chase scene is enough reason to watch), The new Lion King movie, Toy Story 4, Where Did You Go, Bernadette?, I know I’ll think of a grillion more after I hit post.
Stephanie
December 26, 2019 @ 7:30 pm
I’m in for favorite movies!
Urban Cowboy is also on my list! It’s baffling why I love it and yet I do. “My thighs are sweaty, mama.”
The Thin Man
The Big Lebowski
Big Trouble in Little China
Black Hawk Down (So many delicious young English men..)
Caddyshack
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (Elizabeth Taylor never looked more gorgeous)
Clue
Elizabeth
All the Harry Potters and the Lord of the Ring trilogy
Help!
Laura
Lovers & Other Strangers (my fav hands down, I still belly laugh my way through it)
All Hitchcocks (the style! The fashion! Amazing)
The Philadelphia Story & Arsenic & Old Lace (Cary Grant is ALWAYS the choice)
A triple bill of those odd 50s movies: Peyton Place, A Summer’s Place and Splendor in the Grass
Raising Arizona
Two musicals: Singin in the Rain & Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
What’s Up Doc? ( last great screwball comedy)