As a companion piece to Tigger’s thread on books, it seems only sensible to consider those films that you have compulsively re-watched even though you know the ending and can probably quote the dialogue. Some might be comfort watching, some might reveal new insights on each re-watch, others might just be darned clever, elusive, beautifully photographed, directed or feature your favourite actors. The list could be endless, but I’ve restricted myself to just 10 films that I’d be quite happy to watch again tomorrow.
Casablanca – Bogie’s finest hour, and the noir’s noir.
Brief Encounter – English stiff upper lips were never stiffer, but this is a beautiful film – with trains.
Picnic At Hanging Rock – Unsettling and compulsively watchable Peter Weir drama – see also Walkabout
The Night of the Hunter – camp southern gothic, Robert Mitchum’s finest hour.
Fanny and Alexander – beautifully photographed Bergman masterpiece.
Schindler’s List – One of the best films about the Holocaust. Ralph Fiennes is superb, See also The Zone of Interest.
Sophie Scholl – compelling film about the German Resistance.
Hidden (Cache) – Michael Haneke film with Juliette Binoche and Daniel Auteuil.
Mulholland Drive – David Lynch’s best film.
The English Patient – contains Kristin Scott Thomas, which automatically makes it a fine movie.
Over to you.
To lower the tone immediately: Where Eagles Dare. It has a remarkable ability to cheer me up when I’m feeling down. I couldn’t count how often I’ve watched it over the years.
Broadsword calling Danny boy, Richard Burton what an actor. I’m compiling my list so will post later.
I had a sample of “Broadsword calling Danny Boy” as a ringtone for a while, until I couldn’t get to my phone quickly enough in a library and attracted too many Looks from people obviously too young to get the reference.
I too had that as a ring tone. And on a t shirt.
I am child in a man’s body
1 This Years Love
2 Coldtiz
3 Girl with The Dragon Tattoo ( Swedish version)
4 Whisky Galore ( 1949 Version )
5 American Beauty
6 Where Eagles Dare
7 Two Way stretch
8 The Good Friday
9 Layer Cake
10 Ronin
Not in any order and seen them all countless times. Not very high brow but good none the less.
I didn’t make a list – couldn’t apply myself over the last few days…
but I should have mentioned Tunes of Glory.
When my girls were teenagers and had visitors or friends in for sleepovers, a film was usually part of the night. Billy Elliott was a popular pick closely followed by Forest Gump and Holes – all very good movies and we can quote from them. ET was a big one when they were younger. I’m not sure Christmas counts but we watch Muppets Christmas Carol and/or It’s A Wonderful Life every year. My wife loves Curse of The Were-Rabbit and watches it most Halloweens. Last night I re-watched Hamnet and I was even more shattered that the first time. You can see foreshadowing and callbacks that were maybe missed first time around.
Curse of the Were-Rabbit is fantastic fun. The scene where they’re driving with the decoy rabbit on the roof of the van and Gromit has to make it dance makes me laugh every time.
Some good ones in that initial list. I have probably watched The Apartment 30 times or so. For me the perfect script, director and actors. Otherwise I can watch most Hitchcock films over and over again. Also Withnail and I many many times. A Hard Day’s Night too
Just a few off the top of my head, otherwise I’ll be doing this all day (I am, it’s safe to say, mad about films):
The Lord of the Rings (I consider it one long film, and the best of all time) – theatrical version, extended version, exhaustive making-of documentaries … I’ve watched them repeatedly and never get tired of them. My desert island film.
Sneakers – it slipped by a lot of people, but I’ve probably seen it more than any film other than LoTR. A great mix of spy film, heist flick, and comedy, with a dream cast.
Tremors – a B movie that knows it and is unashamed about it. The Smershpod podcast recently pointed out that it’s much better than many such monster films because much more thought went into it: the pay-offs work, the cast are firing on all cylinders, and it whizzes along without an ounce of fat.
Star Wars – the first film I recall seeing in the cinema. From the moment the Star Destroyer rumbles across the starry backdrop, I was in love with cinema.
Casablanca – of course. I recall an article pointing out that it doesn’t make a ton of sense: why would the all- important transit passes signed by De Gaulle be recognised or honoured by the Nazis? How is a known resistance leader (or at least provocateur) like Laszlo able to freely swan about with his beautiful wife, dressed immaculately and using their own names – who/what was there to stop the Nazis just executing the pair of them? And so on. But, re-watching it for the nth time recently, I knew that none of that mattered in the slightest. “You played it for her, now play it for me.” “The Germans wore grey, you wore blue.” Bogie’s nod to cue the band to play La Marseillaise and tears all round (often from me), and him fixing the roulette to save the pretty refugee’s honour. Claude Rains’ whole performance… What a film.
Field of Dreams. A perfect, powerful movie. I’ve only got to think of the way Costner says (spoiler alert!), “Dad… wanna play catch?” and I’m gone. (On a baseball theme, see also The Natural – the hard-earned win at the end, with the sparks showering the players as they celebrate in slo-mo, is the sort of finale, and beautiful shot, that should be exhibited in my museums by nations grateful that such art exists.) I’ll watch both of them whenever they’re on.
LOTR – same here. Extended box sets with new scenes and “making of…” documentaries. My other half was a huge fan of the films – I preferred the books, but I did enjoy the films – so we watched them many times together.
But I don’t think I’ve watched them once since she died – perhaps I should…
Off the top of my head
– Casablanca – as mentioned above (and probably more below)
– Twelve Angry Men – one of my all time favourite movies that I often revisit
– The Princess Bride
– The Blues Brothers
– Oceans Eleven (the Clooney one)
– Life Of Brian
– The Prestige
– Usual Suspects
Way too many to list! But the three films I think I’ve watched the most times:
Distant Voices, Still Lives – Mainly cos I insist on showing it to people who haven’t seen it, despite the fact that no one I show it to ever likes it as much as I do. Time Out magazine liked it as much as me, they rated it the third greatest British film ever made (after Don’t Look Now and The Third Man) as did The Independent, who rated it the sixth greatest British film ever made. And Mark Kermode is a fan of Terence Davies, though his favourite is the Liverpool sort-of-documentary Of Time And The City.
This Is Spinal Tap – Obviously. I don’t know if I’ll ever watch it again though. I know it too well now. I thought the sequel failed because with the original you could believe they were being funny unintentionally, whereas with the sequel that illusion was a non-starter.
The Last of the Mohicans – I don’t know why I’ve seen it so many times, but I’d happily watch it again. I’m not usually a fan of Daniel Day Lewis, I thought he was hammy in Gangs of New York and There Will Be Blood, but he’s magnificent in this. The two big battle set pieces are great.
Edit: Oh and a fourth: Manhattan Murder Mystery I’ve seen many, many times. I’m a big Woody Allen film and that’s my favourite to watch. I love the chemistry between Allen and Keaton (more than in Annie Hall) and I love the the way it shows New York (more than in Manhattan).
I love Distant Voices, Still Lives – and pretty much anything else by Terence Davies including Of Time and the City, The Long Day Closes, The Deep Blue Sea, Benediction and the Trilogy.
Excellent! Another fan! I met him briefly when he was promoting Benediction. He was lovely. Very chatty. I wish I’d asked him how he came to choose Jack Lowden.
A Quiet Passion is another goodun. But I think DVSL and The Long Day Closes are just pure cinematic poetry. That sounds pretentious, but I stand by it.
Re Last of the Mohicans – yes, Daniel is as good as always (as is Madeleine Stowe), but for me the unsung star is Wes Studi as the villain Magua.
He has relatively few lines, but does so much with just a look and creates a genuinely frightening character. If John Wayne had ever met Magua rather than the easily killed Native Americans he usually encountered, a lot of Hollywood Westerns could have been quite different.
I agree, he’s great.
It may be a little corny, but I like it when Daniel is staring at Madeleine and she asks “What are you looking at, sir?” and he replies without reservation “I’m looking at you, miss” and carries on staring.
I’ve just thought of another: I must have seen The Talented Mr Ripley more than half a dozen times. And I’d happily watch it again right now. It’s my favourite film set in Italy and so much better than the highly but wrongly praised television version, which Andrew Scott was too old for, Johnny Flynn wasn’t good looking enough for and Eliot Sumner was too female for. This is one of my favourite scenes in all of cinema. I love Philip Seymour Hoffman in this scene. Especially the way he plonks the piano keys.
“No, no, no. I don’t think he’s at dinner at 6.30 pm. If you’d said he was still at lunch, maybe I’d believe you.” – Now there’s a writer who knows Italy well!
Obvious really – Groundhog Day: never tire of it….
We have a very odd tradition, where we watch this every year whilst wrapping christmas presents. No reason other than we fancied watching it once & it has stuck since then. An excellent film
It may be already known that Donna my sorely missed wife was a bit of a film nut. So much so that I started to keep a record of how many times we watched each and every film she had in her pretty extensive DVD & Blu Ray collection. There were some firm favourites, her comfort films which were rolled out over and over again. It’s a pretty long list so I’ll truncate it or the typing will drive nuts. Here are the ones we watched the most over approximately twenty years. I’ll break this down into multiple posts as even reducing the number of films it’s still quite a lot!
Rear Window. I’ve put this first because it was Donna’s favourite film. This was watched over fifty times.
Anatomy of a Murder.
All About Eve.
The Apartment.
The Asphalt Jungle.
Alien.
Amores Perros.
Akira.
Annie Hall.
The Anniversary.
Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore.
After Hours.
Ace in the Hole.
Badlands.
Blood Simple.
Breakfast at Tiffany’s.
Born Yesterday.
Blood on Satan’s Claw.
Brighton Rock.
Bringing up Baby.
The Big Sleep.
Billy Liar.
Blithe Spirit.
The Big Lebowski.
Black Narcissus.
The Birds.
Battle Royale.
The Bride of Frankenstein.
Babette’s Feast.
Baghdad Café.
Blue Velvet.
Boyz in the Hood.
Brick.
Blade Runner.
The Bicycle Thieves.
Body Heat.
The Bad and the Beautiful.
Brute Force.
Boyhood.
Charade.
Convict 99.
The Conversation.
Cool Hand Luke.
Citizen Kane.
Casablanca.
Chunking Express.
City of God.
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.
Cape Fear (1962).
Chinatown.
Coraline.
Destry Rides Again.
Double Indemnity.
Das Boot.
Deliverance.
The Devil’s Backbone.
The Deer Hunter.
Dawn of the Dead.
The Duellists.
Don’t Look Now.
The Draughtsman’s Contract.
Dial M for Murder.
Detour.
Detective Story.
Duck Soup.
The Evil Dead.
Excalibur.
The Exorcist.
Eyes Without a Face.
That’s the first tranche.
Well, about half of that list should have been on mine. And the other half are films that are now on my to see list.
Many superb films there. I was a little disappointed when I first saw Martin Scorsese’s Cape Fear, having loved the 1962 original, but I watched it again recently and I really enjoyed it. Whereas I also watched After Hours recently and I must say, it didn’t work for me at all.
I imagine it’s safe to assume you mean the 1948 Brighton Rock. (The 2010 version wasn’t particularly interesting.)
Yes the 1948 version. I’ve only included dates where I feel some confusion may occur. It can be safely assumed I mean the obvious version otherwise. I trust in the good taste of the AW.
Some great stuff in here & I fair few I will investigate.
City of God is one that I would know word for word if i could speak Portugese! It is an astonishing piece of film making
Home Alone
The Godfather 2
Shawshank Redemption
Senna
Withnail & I
French Connection
In Bruges
Leon
Raising Arizona
The Player
Memento
Part the second.
The Fortune Cookie.
From Here to Eternity.
Five Easy Pieces.
A Fist Full of Dollars.
The Fly.
Fargo.
Frankenstein.
The French Connection.
Ferris Bueller’s Day off.
The 400 Blows.
Fight Club.
Great Expectations.
Get Carter.
Gilda.
Ginger Snaps.
Ghost in the Shell.
The Green Ray.
The Godfather parts 1 & 2.
Goodfellas.
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.
Gosford Park.
The Ghost and Mrs. Muir.
The Grifters.
Goldfinger.
Gaslight.
The Goodbye Girl.
Gun Crazy.
Happiness.
The Hustler.
Hud.
Harvey.
The Haunting.
Heat.
Heathers.
Hobson’s Choice.
High Noon.
The Hairdresser’s Husband.
House of the Flying Daggers.
Halloween.
Hero.
Hannah and Her Sisters.
The Heiress.
Harold and Maude.
Il Postino.
In the Heat of the Night.
It’s a Wonderful Life.
In a Lonely Place.
It Happened One Night.
Italian for Beginners.
In the Mood for Love.
Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956).
The Iron Giant.
The Innocents.
Kill Bill parts 1 & 2.
A Kind of Loving.
The King of Comedy.
The Killers.
Kiss Me Deadly.
Key Largo.
Klute.
The Killer.
Jaws.
Jean de Florette.
That’s the second tranche.
A significant number of those are in my own collection, especially the older movies. I watched Gosford Park again recently. It is as fabulous a film as Downton Abbey was awful, yet both were scripted by Julian Fellowes. I think having Robert Altman as director might have just tipped the balance.
Will never tire of
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Wonder Boys
Groundhog Day
The Big Lebowski
Apollo 13
Part the third.
Life of Brian.
Lolita (1962).
The Ladykillers (1955).
Laura.
Lifeboat.
The Lady Vanishes (1938).
La Haine.
The Last Seduction.
L.A. Confidential.
Leon.
Le Goût des Autres.
The Lady Eve.
Lawrence of Arabia.
Le Boucher.
Lucky Jim.
The Long Good Friday.
Letter from an Unknown Woman.
La Belle et la Bête.
The Lives of Others.
Lles Diaboliques.
The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner.
Local Hero.
Lantana.
The Man from Laramie.
My Darling Clementine.
Mr. Deeds Goes to Town.
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.
The Maltese Falcon.
Midnight Cowboy.
Mystery Train.
Mon Oncle.
Monsieur Hulot’s Holiday.
Murial’s Wedding.
The Matrix.
Manhunter.
Mediterraneo.
Manon des Sources.
Mulholland Drive.
Magnolia.
Miller’s Crossing.
My Life as a Dog.
Misery.
Murder My Sweet.
Masque of the Red Death.
Marnie.
Morvern Callar.
The Man Who Came to Dinner.
Mary and Max.
My Neighbour Totoro.
Mildred Pierce.
Night of the Hunter.
Notorious.
North by Northwest.
Nine Queens.
Nikita.
Night of the Living Dead.
Near Dark.
A Night to Remember.
Night and the City.
Nosferatu.
Nightmare Alley ( 1947).
Night of the Demon.
On the Waterfront.
Oh! Mr Porter.
The Odd Couple.
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.
Oldboy.
The Others.
Once Upon a Time in America.
The Omen.
Out of the Past.
That’s the third tranche.
Could happily sit & watch any of these right now (I did in fact rewatch The Commitments last week):
Goodbye Lenin (Probably my favourite film of all time)
This Is Spinal Tap
Quadrophenia
The Commitments
Goodfellas (also rewatched last week)
City Of God
Amelie
Little Miss Sunshine (Steve Carrell is so good in this)
Groundhog Day
Stand By Me
Annie Hall
Whiplash
The Big Short
I hated Amelie for a long time, largely because Audrey Tautou spent most of the film with such a simpering look on her face that I wanted a safe to fall on her from a 5th floor window, but then I watched it again last year and found myself thinking it rather good.
OMG I loved her in Amilie!
Same here. If the film was just 90 minutes of Audrey tootling round some Parisian landmarks and giving an occasional look to the cinema, it would still be more interesting than a lot of movies.
Ahh, I forgot about Little Miss Sunshine – one of the other repeat watches in our house even though my kids were far too young when they saw it first.
Many of the above. The Christmas classics always get an outing. Otherwise
Blues Brothers
Blazing Saddles
The Warriors
All the president’s men
Three days the Condor
Easy Rider
Wild Hogs
Terminator 1
Commando
Rocky 1-5
The Godfathers
Bridge too far
Battle of Britain
Dirty Harrys
Heartbreak Ridge
Spag westerns all
You’ve watched Rocky 4 and Rocky 5 many times? I don’t think I could sit through either a second time. I did like Rocky Balboa (effectively, Rocky 6) though.
I thought Blazing Saddles the funniest film I’d ever seen, I’m pretty certain I fell out of my cinema seat. Watched it last year with my stony-faced wife and most of it fell completely flat. Young Frankenstein on the other hand after my initial indifference has ripened and matured.
Blazing Saddles is terrific until it falls apart during the finale.
The first time I saw it was as a teenager in a group of mates. We laughed ourselves silly until the movie-set fight, then we just said, “What?”, “What’s this all about?”, and “Really?”
Based on the gag rate, it’s Mel Brooks’ funniest film (and Madeleine Kahn is terrific in it), but The Producers is the one from him that I’ve watched the most. Dick Shawn is not an actor most people could name today, but he steals the whole thing as Lorenzo St Dubois, and also sets up the timeless “That’s our Hitler!”
The first time I saw it I didn’t find it funny at all but since then I love it. The ending is rather strange but I suppose Mel couldn’t resist playing with the fourth wall rather then them riding iconically into the sunset.
Forgot to mention Animal House. Also odd fight scene, also consistently funny. Full of heart one liners. “Face it Flounder, you threw up on Dean Wormer”.
Good Fellas
Life of Brian
The Ladykillers (Ealing 1950s version)
Alfie
Cinema Paradiso
Pan’s Labyrinth
The Sweet Smell of Success
I ought to add Young Frankenstein.
Go on, then.
Part the fourth.
Paths of Glory.
The Producers.
The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946).
Psycho.
The Philadelphia Story.
Princess Mononoke.
The Palm Beach Story.
Pauline at the Beech.
Paris Texas.
Platoon.
Pulp Fiction.
Pan’s Labyrinth.
Peeping Tom.
Plein Soleil.
Poltergeist.
The Player.
The Princess Bride.
Pinocchio.
A Prophet.
Point Blank.
The Quiet Man.
Raging Bull.
Roman Holiday.
Rio Bravo.
Rebecca.
Red River.
Ran.
Raising Arizona.
Rififi.
Run Lola Run.
Rosemary’s Baby.
Reservoir Dogs.
Re-Animator.
A Room with a View.
Room at the Top.
Rope.
Rashomon.
The Rebel.
Sex, Lies and Videotape.
Sunset Blvd.
Saturday Night and Sunday Morning.
Schindler’s List.
A Streetcar named Desire.
Strangers on a Train.
The Searchers.
Some Like it Hot.
Spirit of the Beehive.
Spirited Away.
The Sweet Smell of Success.
Suspicion.
A Shadow of a Doubt.
Scarface.
The Seven Samurai.
The Silence of the Lambs.
Se7en.
Strictly Ballroom.
Society.
Switchblade Romance.
Shaun of the Dead.
Sullivan’s Travels.
Secretary.
The Station Agent.
Sideways.
Stand by Me.
The Straight Story.
Strange Days.
Smoke.
The Shining.
Southern Comfort.
Sonatine.
Something Wild.
School for Scoundrels.
Short Cuts.
Summertime.
The Shawshank Redemption.
Sightseers.
To Have and Have Not.
The Treasure of the Sierra Madre.
12 Angry Men.
28 Days Later.
The Train.
Trainspotting.
A Taste of Honey.
Taxi Driver.
The Third Man.
The Thing.
To Kill a Mockingbird.
This Sporting Life.
This is Spinal Tap.
Touch of Evil.
Three Colours Blue.
Three Colours Red.
Tremors.
True Romance.
The Terminator.
To Catch a Thief.
The Thing from Another World.
The 39 Steps.
U-Turn.
Un Coeur en Hiver.
The Usual Suspects.
Unforgiven.
Vertigo.
The Vanishing.
Volver.
The Visitor.
Wild at Heart.
Wait Until Dark.
The Wild Bunch.
Winchester ’73.
Whatever Happened to Baby Jane.
Whisky Galore.
Wellcome to the Dollhouse.
Wings of Desire.
Witchfinder General.
Withnail and I.
The Wicker Man.
The Warriors.
White Heat.
Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown.
The Wages of Fear.
Witness for the Prosecution.
Winter’s Bone.
Young Frankenstein.
Zodiac.
That’s all folks!
This is the abridged version focusing upon the most watched from Donna’s film library. There are far more.
So many good films. Thanks for sharing.
My pleasure Capt. My thanks go to Boney for giving me the opportunity to remember and mention my cariad and her passion for film.
I did a quick count against your very comprehensive list, and over 120 of them are in my own collection. Thanks for taking the time to put the list together – it’s prompted me to explore quite a few more that I’ve missed along the way.
Thanks PS, That’s quite a list…
Diolch Max. Donna was quite a woman. Sadly I haven’t watched any of these since she died. Truthfully I tend to avoid watching them should they appear on TV or streaming services and her DVDs and Blu Rays sit on shelves stacked two or three deep in my sitting room taking up space but I can’t bear the thought of disposing of them. It’s daft of me I know but the thought of watching them again without her sat beside me is just too difficult even after all these long years. It’s been fun being able to go through my record of which films she watched over and over again but that’s as close as I can get for now.
I hear you, Mr P.
Thanks for the great list, pencilsqueezer. Some great reminders about films I’d forgotten.
some great stuff in here PS & reminders of a few that should definitely have made my own list (particularly Sideways & The Station Agent!)
OK, not a list of my favourite films, nor a list of my most watched films of all time, but a list of my current go-to films for times when I want comfort and laughs and excitement, films I know won’t disappoint (and haven’t – yet – seen to death…):
The African Queen – no, forget Casablanca, THIS is the best of Bogie, and a wonderful Hepburn film too, and their chemistry is great together. The development of the characters is perfect, it’s thrilling and funny and heartwarming.
Bringing Up Baby – Hepburn’s finest, and Cary Grant’s too, probably. Laugh out loud funny with so many scenes that have me in stitches. The whole ensemble is brilliant.
Some Like It Hot – Billy Wilder did so many great films and they’re hard to rank, but this is close to the top for me, and the most re-watchable. Jack Lemmon is so funny and wonderful as Daphne, and Marilyn’s beauty is mesmerizing while being very funny and perfect in her part.
Dazed and Confused – one of my favourite films of all time. It reminds me of my youth, though different in details, but the same in atmosphere, characters, car cruises and outdoor parties. Also lots of good music.
The Christopher Guest & gang mockumentaries – never stops being funny. I watch A Mighty Wind and Best In Show the most, but once I finally manage to get my hands on a DVD of Waiting for Guffman, that one will become my go-to, as it’s my absolute favourite.
Le Petit Baigneur/The Little Bather – my favourite Louis de Funés film and one that make me cry laughing. Gets funnier with each watch.
Gröna Hissen/The Green Lift – a Swedish comedy from 1944, one of the funniest from that era (or any era of Swedish comedy). A man and a woman try very hard to make their respective partners jealous, don’t succeed at first, get very drunk and craziness ensues. The end result turns almost too successful before the happy end. Very funny dialogue, great ensemble of comedic actors and two charismatic and funny leads.
Stackars Ferdinand/Poor Ferdinand – a 1941 Swedish comedy, probably even funnier than the previous (my all-time funniest Swedish comedy is unfortunately not yet released on DVD, so I can’t re-watch it anymore, since I no longer have a VCR…) This is just crazy, a cross-dressing plot and a lead actor that makes Jack Lemmon look gorgeous…but he makes up for it in how hysterically funny he is. The one-liners and ensemble acting cracks me up every time.
Ice Cold in Alex – I watch this once a year on the hottest day of summer, to really feel immersed in the story… 😀 Love the tense trek through the desert, full of sweaty and stiff upper lips and occasional nerve-wrecked outbursts. Never did a glass of beer look more delicious than in this film.
The Alien franchise – and not necessarily the first two, best ones… I have a soft spot for the third and fourth ones, in the same way I have a soft spot for bad 70s disaster movies. They’re just less tense, funnier (if sometimes unintentional) and just more relaxed watches. But if I’m not too tired to appreciate the tension and intensity of the first two, they also get re-watched regularly.
Mannen på taket/The Man on the Roof – 1976 Swedish police thriller, based on the Sjöwall-Wahlöö crime novel, and the very best one based on their books. Carl-Gustaf Lindstedt as Martin Beck is a genius choice (he was only seen as a a comedic actor before this, but went on to make more drama) and the acting and style of the film is so realistic. Most of the film, and its most famous scene in particular, was filmed near where I live, which is fun for me, and the soundtrack theme on flute by Björn J:son Lindh is a classic.
Foul Play – one of my all-time favourite comedies. I don’t know how many times I saw it in the cinema at the time of its release, and later when it was often brought back for the summer. Later I had it on VHS and kept watching it, but I still haven’t tired of it in the DVD age! It also joins the sub-genre of “films with a funny opera scene at the end” alongside Wonder Man (the Danny Kaye masterpiece), A Night at the Opera (obviously, The Marx Brothers) and…umm, some other film that I can’t recall at this moment.
Psycho – I’m not a huge Hitchcock fan, but this is so good. Anthony Perkins is perfect, the cinematography, the soundtrack, the atmosphere. It never gets old (which I find that most other Hitchcock films do, although I have a soft spot for Rear Window, which could have made this list).
Tremors – I second this choice, it’s a gift that keep on giving. It’s funny, oddly cosy and just slightly creepy, and I love the landscape it’s set in. Great cast of characters/actors and full of memorable one-liners.
Subway – this 80s French film is just pure fun and silliness and set in the fascinating worlds of the Metro and its service tunnels. Yes, the plot makes very little sense, the characters are caricatures, the lead actor’s range is no threat to DeNiro, but that’s all part of why this film is so much fun and so loveable. It’s cartoonish, it’s absurd, and it’s absolutely lovely. I’ve been obsessed with it since I saw it in the cinema at the time, and my obsession is of the kind that makes me watch it dubbed into all kinds of languages I don’t understand, and love every minute of the experience!
Any Fred Astaire film – my forever crush, my idol, my comfort in dark times. I’m a nut for musical films in general, but Astaire films in particular. I’ve yet to get them all on DVD, but each year I find a couple more (I also collect his albums on CD). Comedy, great music and the best dancing you’ll ever see – what’s not to love? Fred Astaire is God.
And finally, a quick honorable mention for Split, Signs and The Village (my favourite M Night Shyamalan films, despite what other people think, theyre really great fun), and Sing and Sing 2 (best animated childrens films in later years and sporting some brilliant cover versions of great songs).
I assume you’re well acquainted with Eric Serra’s song It’s Only Mystery then. One of my favourite songs. Although I love watching the put-together band (including a very young Serra on bass) play it in the film, the film version isn’t as good as the version on the official soundtrack. Sadly the singer, Arthur Simms, died of AIDS aged just 34, two years after the film was released.
It’s safe to say I’ve heard it a few times…but only in the film – I didn’t realise it was different from the soundtrack, so I haven’t clicked the YT video whenever you’ve posted it here, thinking I knew what it sounds like…
Alien 3 is a much better film than its reputation would suggest.
And the ending was perfect – they should have stopped the franchise right there.
100% right. I think I actually prefer it to (sacrilege alert!) the first one. The prison-planet setting is excellent, and I like the way the convicts with nothing to lose slowly realise that Ripley is their best hope.
Resurrection is rubbish (even with the ace Ron Perlman), and Covenant and Prometheus are wholly unnecessary. They also feature Michael Fassbender, who is obviously a good actor but also a performer I just can’t warm to.
The latest in the franchise, Romulus, is pretty good though.
I stopped after Resurrection, haven’t seen the later ones (they sound too dull).
But don’t underestimate “rubbish”, if you embrace it (and don’t expect it to compare well next to the first ones) you can have a great time watching those “rubbish” sequels. Much prefer those to the ones taking themselves so seriously that they become dull.
And I love the scene when “Ripley” kills her alien “child”, and find it actually moving.
I quite like Alien 3 too despite it being a trifle bit cobbled together. Everything after is a case diminishing returns although I did quite enjoyed Alien : Earth on Disney +.
Bringing up Baby. Yes! Might be the funniest film I have ever seen.
Subway is superb. I have the DVD and will stick it on when Sharon is away hiking.
We had an enlightened French teacher – hello Mr Goddard – who played this for us once. The effect of Ms Adjani on an impressionable 14 year old was lifelong.
He also showed us a policier, the title of which I can’t remember but would love to see again.
Absolutely Some Like it Hot – how could I forget? And Ice Cold in Alex too.
@locust
Waiting for Guffman has passed me by. Given that I love all Christopher Guests other films, should I track it down? What is it about??
@Freddy-Steady You should absolutely track it down! It’s a mockumentary about a small town community theatre putting on a musical about the town’s history for a big jubilee. Christopher Guest is the director with dreams bigger than his talent, and many of the usual suspects are in it. Sadly no Michael McKean or Harry Shearer, but I believe both of them participated as songwriters.
Everything around the production is hilarious, and then you get the musical itself, and that’s the best part – bad theatre and bad musical numbers in the best way possible!
I adore it, and I’ve yet to meet anyone who saw it and didn’t like it.
Thank you @locust…sounds ace! Will attempt to track it down
Not exhaustive, but top of mind.
That thing you do – Tom Hanks helmed piece of easy enjoyment.
Casablanca.
Star Wars the OT.
Godfathers I and II
John Wick.
Desperado/Once Upon a Time in Mexico.
John Ford Cavalry movies.
Both Top Guns
In addition to many of the above, mine would include:
Dead Poets Society
Apocalypse Now (any version)
Blade Runner (voiceover version)
Singin’ In The Rain
Shadowlands
Batman Begins
Mamma Mia 2 (oh yes!)
Mary Poppins
Trading Places
Full Metal Jacket
Die Hard (1,2 and 3)
Predator
Aliens
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Back to the Future
The Running Man
Robocop
There must be a name for the type of film where, if it’s on a channel and you happen across it, however far in it is you have to stick with it till the end. They often have Arnie in them.
Trading Places – and not just for the Jamie Lee Curtis memory.
This one falls into the “when Dan Ackroyd was funny” area
(although his appearance in Grosse Pointe Blank nearly restored the theory).
Eddie Murphy too – great in that film, never truly convinced by some of his other film choices.
Apart from Bowfinger – I like it, no-one else does – and this one has Steve Martin getting back to being funny
What do you mean, “no-one else does”; I thought it was everyone’s favourite Murphy film?
Oh, I hadn’t even thought of Jamie Lee Curtis! I think that bit might have been worn out on a number of rental copies over the years though. The end bit in the stock market is so oddly thrilling that even though I didn’t understand it until I read a discourse of what they’re up to online, I was gripped!
Bowfinger I’ve never managed to see but I remember it being well received when it came out.
Bowfinger is well worth checking out. A lovely, funny film about people dreaming of making it big in Hollywood, and Eddie Murphy sending himself up while playing two roles.
How on earth did I forget Back To The Future?!?
Possibly the most rewatched films of all & a series we have loved introducing the children to. A true highlight of the last few years has been hearing my 8 year old playing in his room & reenacting the story – Nothing funnier than hearing ‘1.21 gigawatts! 1.21 gigawatts?!’ from downstairs
It’s a wonderful film – everything works, and even though you know what’s going to happen it pulls you in to watch it again. It’s lovely to hear that it still appeals to kids now – I think I was about 8 when it came out over here. That’s the mark of a fine film.
The sequels aren’t quite so great although I watched II fairly recently only for the second time since seeing it in the cinema on my 12th birthday and thought it held up quite well.
Top films (which may be on others radar):
Quadrophenia
Spinal Tap
Blues Brothers
Life Of Brian
Italian Job
Get Carter
Top films (which I may be alone in citing):
Long Good Friday
Love, Honour & Obey
Still Crazy
And now to go all high brow …
Smokey & The Bandit 1 & 2
Cannonball Run 1 & 2
Carry On Films
So many, these will do, and change regularly, like my favourite albums
Dr Strangelove
2001 – a space Odyssey
Night of the Demon / The Devil Rides Out
The Big Lebowski
The Producers
Funny Face
Some Like it Hot
Guys and Dolls
Birdman of Alcatraz
Angels with Dirty Faces
School for Scoundrels
Night of the Demon / The Devil Rides Out – what a great double bill.
“It’s in the trees! It’s coming!” Indeed it is. And Charles Gray, who was often wasted in bit parts, is very menacing in TDRO.
I’m not convinced that the films “that you have compulsively re-watched even though you know the ending and can probably quote the dialogue” can change regularly. I suspect you’ve just listed some of your favourite films. Which is cheating.
For me it’s Gregory’s Girl. Watching it again is like a tonic. The ultimate comfort movie. Closely followed by Local Hero.
Others I like to watch on a regular basis are So I Married an Axe Murderer, the Barrytown Trilogy movies – the Commitments, the Snapper and the Van, Blade Runner and the most recent addition is The Nice Guys. Great film.
Good call on the Bill Forsyth movies. Watched Local Hero again a couple of months ago, but I’m definitely due another shot of Gregory’s Girl. I wouldn’t mind watching Comfort and Joy again.
Guess lot of my repeats are the same as many others mentioned, but having Sky Movies it’s hard not to re-watch the Bourne movies, the 2 Jack Reacher ones, Equalizers and the Fallen series as they seem to be shown every other day. Also can’t resist a wee bit of Con Air.
Four I don’t think have been mentioned…
Gallipoli
Hear my Song – Adrian Dunbar, Tara Fitzgerald, David McCallum, Ned Beatty
It Could Happen to You – Nick Cage, Bridget Fonda
A League of Our Own – Tom Hanks, Madonna. The reunion gets me every time.
Any love for “That Sinking Feeling”?
Yes. I haven’t seen that for years.
I just bought it a couple of months ago, I used to watch it all the time on VHS, but hadn’t found a DVD of it until now. Haven’t had time to re-watch it yet since it arrived, so that’s why I didn’t mention it – but it’s my favourite Forsyth film by far.
At times I think Housekeeping is Bill Forsyth’s best film but I find it very hard to watch because it’s the one film that makes me cry EVERY TIME. I don’t think I’ve watched it since I’ve had children and having two daughters I doubt i could handle it now. I think it’s a brilliant film.
Well said. The book is fantastic too
Same here for the reunion in A League of Their Own. I have a soft spot for films (and books, for that matter) that cover a long period where the characters have had their ups and downs but meet at some later point and say something along the lines of “Boy, we’ve lived life, haven’t we?”
A quick example is the Love Actually scene between Billy Mack and his long-suffering manager. Or Beaches (Bette Midler’s best work). Plus quite a few war films, including The Great Escaper from a year or two ago, where Michael Caine’s ageing D-Day veteran meets German veterans who, like him, are there to honour their fallen comrades. Or the criminally ignored Last Flag Flying, with Bryan Cranston, Laurence Fishburne and Steve Carell as reunited Vietnam War buddies full of stories about their time together. If you haven’t seen it, check it out.
In order to watch dozens films a number of times, read a bunch of novels more than twice, listen to new albums more than six times, not to mention go through box sets that need appraising, I have given up work, taken on a number of assistants and stopped sleeping. It’s a tough gig but I’m not going to defeated.
The Wizard of Oz. Love it.
The movie I constantly keep coming back to most is Elizabethtown.
Then there’s also
Young Frankenstein
Leningrad Cowboys
(500) Days of Summer
Garden State
Being there
Running on empty
Paris, Texas
The Blues Brothers
Withnail and I is easily my most watched film … followed by Zulu.
I’ll probably think of more but these have a more emotional link.
The Railway Children I was on holiday in Jersey I went to the cinema every night to see it. I’ve walked the streets of Haworth with Jenny Agutterv(and lots of others) and stood on the platform as she said “Daddy My Daddy”
The Third Man. I’ve done the tour in Vienna, stood in Harry Lime’s ‘doorway’ ridden the Riesenrad and been down the sewers. Visited the Third Man museum and suggested the Martin Carthy version of the Third Man to add to the curator’s collection of different versions.
Fantasia, my father’s favourite film to take me to, to instil a love of classical music, it may now be finally working.
First two yes. Absolutely for me. 2 of the finest British films ever made
Bit of a predictable list from me I suppose but I stand by it…
Withnail & I
The Wicker Man (longer version)
Jaws
Shawshank Redemption
Missisippi Burning
The Great Escape
Quadrophenia
Zulu
The Long Good Friday
Gregory’s Girl
Not all perfect, they definitely all have their flaws, but I love them.
Oh The Wicker Man definitely. Each time I watch it it horrifies me more – it really is one of the scariest films out there; there’s nothing outwardly horrifying until the end when it knocks your socks off.
Certain films I return to every few years or so
Sleuth (probably my most watched}
2001
Taxi Driver
Blow Up (Initially thought too 60s and too pretentious, now thats what I love about it)
Witnail & I
Kill List
No Country For Old Men
Mulholland Drive
The Conversation
Robinson In Space (Very much an acquired taste, first DVD I ever bought)
Brazil
When I was younger, I used to re-watch films often.
Not so much now.
I find it interesting when one’s view of a film changes on the second viewing.
For example:
– I recently re-watched the Edgar Reisz prequel film “Die andere Heimat – Chronik einer Sehnsucht” (“Home from Home”). I loved it even more on a second viewing, and I’d say it’s now one of my favourite films of all time. Magnificent.
– On the other hand, I remember seeing “Midnight Run” (Robert De Niro, Charles Grodin) in the cinema and quite liking it. Years later, I re-watched it on television and thought “This is really mediocre – how did I ever like it?”
Mullholland Drive – maybe most of Lynch’s films. I love the way his films affect me differently every time I watch them. I’ve disliked pretty much everything he’s done on first viewing and thought it a work of genius on the second look. Mullholand Dr. Got me from the off.
101 Dalmations – such gorgeous backgrounds. Also Cruella … hubba hubba.
Onibaba – atmospheric, scary, sexy. Watched this for the first time at mates house late at night in the early 80s – didn’t cut through the fields on the way home that night.
Chinatown – actually, it’s been a while. Is it on Netflix? Prime?
This is Spinal Tap – my favourite funny flick.
These are films I return to regularly, enough for Mrs. T to comment something like ‘we’re watching this AGAIN.?’
American Graffitti
Woodstock
Independence Day
Star Trek – 2,3,4, 6
Star Wars – the original 3
Blues Brothers
Terminator 2
Master and Commander
Gladiator
Goodfellas
Batman – the Nolan trilogy
Goldfinger
Casino Royale
I don’t rewatch films that often / frequently. The exceptions I can remember at the time of writing are :
Topsy Turvy
Master and Commander
Emma ( 2020)
Jo Jo Rabbit
This is England
Most Wes Anderson films
Forgot Kumbalangi Nights, possibly because it’s more difficult to find
Off the top of my head, some longstanding favourites:
Badlands
The Devils
If
O Lucky Man!
Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid
Performance
The Thin Red Line
2001: A Space Odyssey
The Wild Bunch
What a thread. Thanks to @pencilsqueezer for those wonderful lists. He and the lovely Donna would have had many many hours of happiness watching those.
For me,I could re-watch at the drop of a hat:
A Matter of Life and Death. The first scene in the burning Lancaster I think is heartbreaking
To Catch A Thief. I know nowt about fashion but my God everyone looked so good in that movie. Cary Grant and Grace Kelly draped in kit. When glamour was glamour.
North by North West. Grant, again, in one of the best suits ever made.
Dial M for Murder. The first time I saw it I had trouble keeping up with the machinations and bluffs. I was more struck with how poky the flat was. Seen it several times since and am now fully on board with how the detective smoked him out.
Singing in the Rain. I put this on for my daughter at random when she was 7 or 8, not really thinking she would be too fussed. She was enchanted. And bewildered at how good Donald O Connor was at the slapstick and dancing. We love it.
School for Scoundrels. My Dad bore a passing resemblance to Alastair Sim so my Mam loved him. In this in particular. The Dinsdale Brothers and Terry-Thomas. Hard Cheese.
What’s Up, Doc? Streisand has never been better but Madeleine Khan and Kenneth Mars steal it. ‘Yes, Eunice’
The Third Man. Bernard Lee as the Sergeant Major was never better.
The Ipcress File. Made in 1967, when I moved to London to become a civil servant in the late 80’s I worked in an office in one of the buildings Harry Palmer enters early on filled with precisely the same knackered old wooden desks and shelves.
Great films.
Re North by Northwest: I recall reading an article all about Cary’s suit. Can’t find it now, but it was full of technical details about what made the cut/design so good, and how well he wore it. It’s the sort of thing I never thought about before, but now every time I watch NbNW, at some point I’ll find myself thinking “Damn, he wears that suit well!”
Re What’s Up Doc? Another big fan here. The courtroom finale might be the single funniest scene of any film. The bit about the pills – “Do you know why I take the yellow pill? … To remind me to take the blue pill” has become a running joke in my prescription-laden family. And Kenneth Mars as Hugh is also admirably straight-faced in the “I am Hugh” mix-up (below).
Yes, that scene is wonderful.
My favourite is the scene with Mr Kaltanborn, the hotel manager expertly evicting Howard Bannister from his wrecked room.
‘I’m Mr Kaltanborn. The manager of what’s left of the hotel’
‘Good morning!’
‘No…. Mr Bannister I have a message from the hotel staff’
‘Really? What’s the message?
‘Goodbye’
‘Is that the whole message?’
I will sometimes adopt Mr Kaltanborn’s demeanour with my daughter and the state of her room.
So many, but a few off the top of my head:
Casablanca – looks fantastic, great script, brilliant charismatic performances.
His Girl Friday – the speed of Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell’s verbal duelling means I still hear new things every time I see it
Vertigo – my favourite Hitch movie
Spinal Tap – no need to explain
The Last Waltz – certainly my favourite concert film (though Stop Making Sense comes close)
Gregory’s Girl – it’s sweet charm never fails
The Third Man – it looks fantastic and there’s that scene on the big wheel
The Parent Trap – when our daughters were young they adored this film and I watched it with them so many times that we could pretty much run through the entire script without watching it. We still love it.
School of Rock – see Parent Trap – same comment applies.
Apollo 13 – I’m a sucker for a feel good ‘from disaster to redemption’ space film and this is the mother of them all
Cool Runnings – I’m a sucker for a feel good underdog sports film and this is the mother of them all.
Un Semaine de Vacances – Natalie Baye. That is all.
Same here with Apollo 13. It’s a really good example of a phenomenon that I recently read is called “competency porn”: a story about clever/skilled people doing something well.
The bit where Gene Krantz (Ed Harris, as good as ever) sheds a tear, unnoticed by all except the viewer, as everyone around him joyfully celebrates the team’s achievement gets me every time. A small yet very powerful moment in a film full of them, where even when you know the ending, you still end up wondering if the three heroes are going to make it back OK.
I must have watched certain Mission Impossible films many times, often only the first half since they are on late. They replay them regularly at the weekend on a certain TV channel here. I get drawn in when I’ve had a few wines, something alluring and intoxicating about them. They are very good. At times laughable but compelling. The same can be said of James Bond but they are of course dated and daft in their original form but fun.
I very much appreciate Taxi Driver for retro style, fantastic cinematography and music. Also intoxicating. De Niro shows his talent for comedy despite the grim turn of events. The 70s had something.
Also rewatchable, music docs like Don’t Look Back and Woodstock. The way people behaved back then, the sense of not knowing where this was all leading. A fascination.