OT: Movies you stop everything for to watch
I got to thinking about this yesterday, because I happened to walk into my living room and found Mrs. J. Dean and daughter watching Raiders of the Lost Ark. And I immediately forgot about whatever else it was I was doing and watched it.
Raiders is one of those movies for me: no matter what else is going on, short of the house being on fire or something like that, I stop whatever I'm doing to watch it.
What movies are like that for you?
Shawshank Redemption
Out of 100 people, I think 99 will stop what they are doing when they scroll through the channels and see AMC have 3 1/2 hours blocked for The Shawshank Redemption.
April 15th, 2020 at 10:44 PM ^
I must be the 1.
No, I’m the 1.
There can be only one.
April 16th, 2020 at 11:41 AM ^
Looks like someone is going to have their head chopped off.
No, I’m the 1.
Me too. Probably because I don't care for the lead actor too much. Just bores the hell out of me. Morgan Freeman made that movie memorable.
So, 97 out of 100 then.
April 16th, 2020 at 11:59 PM ^
Tim Robbins is a great actor, what are you talking about?!?
April 16th, 2020 at 12:52 PM ^
No, I'm the 1. And so's my wife.
/Ok, third time I've used that joke on here, but the first time was a classic!
Jaws, Shawshank, Goodfellas, T2 and the first LOTR. My nerd roots run deep. It used be Star Wars but that has been killed for me by Disney.
Agreed on Disney jacking up Star Wars.
April 15th, 2020 at 10:34 PM ^
I am a huge Jaws fan. Forget about the stupid fake shark. It's one of the best movies ever made.
One of those cases where the villain is more frightening when you can't see him.
"I'll get yer shark for you, but yer gonna have to ante up!"
Ferris Buehler’s Day Off
User name checks out
Joking aside, FBDO is a classic. Growing up, I thought Ferris was cool. When I got older, I realized that I was more of a Cameron Frye. I guess it can be argued that Ferris was an ass to his friends, just so he can get his 9th day off.
Back to the Future 1, 2, or 3. If 1 is on and 2 and 3 are following, my day/night is done. Might be one of the most perfectly written movies.
Shawshank, LOTR, T2
Planet of the Apes, Beneath the Planet of the Apes, Escape from the Planet of the Apes, Conquest of the Planet of the Apes, Battle for the Planet of the Apes.
Seriously...
Flash Gordon, Saving Private Ryan, Raiders of the Lost Ark, The Shawshank Redemption. True Grit (the Duke's version), The Dirty Dozen, The Right Stuff, Robinson Crusoe on Mars, 2001: A Space Odyssey, The Guns of Navarone, Casablanca and ok...
Planet of the Apes.
April 15th, 2020 at 10:00 PM ^
I love the original True Grit with John Wayne. I love Rio Bravo, love John Wayne.
I thought the idea of a remake was dumb, couldn't make it better, didn't go to see it and has no intention of watching it. Had no idea of its critical reviews good or bad (I'm not a huge moviegoer and don't pay attention to those goings on).
Bored one day I watched a few minutes of the 2010 version, just as a novelty. It's better than the original, impossibly. It hits deeper somehow. Both movies stand on their own, still love each. They feel so different from each other even though they're also exactly the same. I don't know how they did this, but I love that they did.
I remember reading the book in 9th grade and not liking it, because it was so much uglier and grimmer than the John Wayne movie. As I got older I realized how much they had sanitized the story to fit John Wayne. Still like it, but I appreciate that the Jeff Bridges version is much closer to the source material.
April 15th, 2020 at 10:45 PM ^
the first Planet of the Apes is still bad ass
April 15th, 2020 at 11:54 PM ^
Solid list RGard... I would ditto all and since you like the Duke and classic war movies, throw in "Where Eagles Dare".
April 16th, 2020 at 12:10 AM ^
I like the Duke's "the cowboys" a lot.
Thank you. An odd combo with Richard Burton and Clint Eastwood, but it works beautifully. I should have that on my list. I'd stop and watch if it was on.
April 16th, 2020 at 11:47 AM ^
Logged in to upvote Robinson Crusoe on Mars. First saw it at a drive-in when I was 8 years old. I always get a kick out of seeing Adam West.
It's a fun flick. There's some science in it too, though based on what they thought Mars was like back then.
Full Metal Jacket
Escape from Alcatraz
April 15th, 2020 at 10:54 PM ^
Jaws is another
Saving Private Ryan
April 15th, 2020 at 11:21 PM ^
I like the movie for sure,
but for world war 2 I like Band of Brothers and The Pacific even more
April 16th, 2020 at 11:01 AM ^
I prefer BoB -- but not technically a movie.
Both newer movies and not necessarily great movies but if Hot Tub Time Machine or This is The End are on, I find myself watching.
Classic: Indiana Jones: The Last Crusade.
Sideways, In Bruges, Inglorious Bastards, Gosford Park, Master and Commander, Sin City
Sin City is easily one of the sexiest movies ever made.
April 16th, 2020 at 12:16 AM ^
Nice, an In Bruges shout out. Underrated flick. I’ll add The Godfather I & II to the mix. Of the movies that always seem to be on, Tombstone can easily grab my attention. Not the greatest movie necessarily, but has some visceral moments.
+1 for Gosford Park, great movie.
April 16th, 2020 at 10:36 AM ^
Yes to all of those. And nice shout out to Master and Commander, which never seems to have gotten the love it deserves.
the good, the bad, and the ugly
patton
rocky
doc hollywood
Totally agree on Patton and Good, Bad, and the Ugly. I recently got hooked on an orchestra mix of Good, Bad, and Ugly theme song. It's addictive as hell.
this is the one you are almost certainly talking about;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enuOArEfqGo
i posted it last year in another thread. it is so cool, and that soprano singer toward the end is dynamite.
April 16th, 2020 at 12:22 AM ^
I think it’s Netflix that has a documentary about a group of guys in Spain who resurrected the cemetery from the movie. Might be called Sad Hill. Anyway, they talk a bit about the music from the movie with Metallica chiming in. Worth a look if you’re a fan of this movie. It tops my list.
The only reason you put Doc Hollywood on the list is because Julie Warner is naked. I know this because that is why I watch it, too.
i don't think i've seen that version.
the reason i put it on is because in a way it represents some of the same decisions i made - left LA and did so despite having experienced to some degree or another the movie star life - and now live in a place where a neighbor would genuinely tell me, 'nice (pig/steer/lamb/ram/goat, etc)'
April 15th, 2020 at 11:25 PM ^
Yep, great movie,
not quite as good as the Outlaw Josey Wales, but still a classic
One of these films is not like the others, one of these films doesn't belong, can you tell which film is not like the others by the time I finish this song...
For some reason, I love Doc Hollywood. Can't figure out why. My always-watch movie, however, is Dances With Wolves. Incredibly moving, even though I'm not a big Kevin Costner fan in general.
The Godfather, Saving Private Ryan, my Cousin Vinny, Shawshank Redemption, Tombstone and Silence of the Lambs.