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EClue7very month, our contributors submit lists of ten films fitting certain topics. Each month, we feature an alphabetical list of films along with commentary explaining our selections. There will also be an itemized list at the end of each of our individual selections.

When we sat down to this list, we wanted to do something that required us to look at films not necessarily that we enjoyed as cinematic works, but also as ones we connected to mentally and emotionally in a way that allowed us to watch and appreciate them repeatedly. These are the lists we came up with.

A few facts about these lists: Of the forty possible films we could list (ten for each of the four contributors), we came up with 39 completely different titles (and that includes two sets of trilogies). Clue was the only film mentioned by more than one contributor, appearing on both Wesley’s and Tripp’s lists. And speaking of trilogies, The Lord of the Ring trilogy and the Toy Story trilogy brought the total films to 43. On the directing side, four directors ended up on the list more than once, two of whom were paired for both efforts. Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise, longtime Disney animation directors, showed up with two animated titles (Beauty and the Beast and The Hunchback of Notre Dame). They appear alongside the only director with three titles on the list, Steven Spielberg (Raiders of the Lost Ark, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, and Jurassic Park), and master of suspense Alfred Hitchcock (North by Northwest and Notorious.

After the break, dig into our introductions and follow that by reading about each film.

The Introductions

Wesley Lovell: In choosing the films I can put on repeat and watch over and over again, I picked mostly films that I’ve seen more than a couple of times and whose merits continue to shine or whose entertainment value is superb. This was something of a difficult list as I tend not to watch too many films multiple times, but when I just feel like I need something on in background or I simply need to be diverted, these are the titles I most often go to.
Peter J. Patrick: The films that I tend to watch over and over are mostly comfort films. They can be laugh-out-loud comedies, inspirational dramas, tantalizing murder mysteries, melodious musicals, routine westerns, or four-handkerchief tearjerkers. Genre doesnโ€™t matter. What does matter is that they involve you, take your mind off of things, and leave you feeling spiritually lifted or, conversely, so emotionally drained you are ready for a good nightโ€™s sleep. My selections here are all old movies, released theatrically from 1937 through 1972, only three of which won Oscars for Best Picture of their respective years.
Tripp Burton: This was a very hard list for me to generate for a couple of reasons. First off is that I am not one to rewatch movies a whole lot. If I have the time, I want to watch something new. I also feel like I have written about a lot of these movies already in the past year: they were movies that changed my life and my favorite popcorn movies. Sorry for the repetition.
Thomas LaTourrette: This was a difficult assignment for me, as I generally do not watch movies more than once. There are a few old favorites where I have done that, but no where close to ten films that I would watch with regularity. Thinking about it, I could come up with ones that I had seen more often, so here they are. They were trending mostly towards comedies, so I worked on naming some that were something else, The Lion in Winter for a drama, North by Northwest for a thriller and Raiders of the Lost Ark for an adventure film. So there were definitely ones that I have seen multiple times, so here they are. Enjoy!

AllAboutEve

All About Eve (1950)

(dir. Joseph L. Mankiewicz) Commentary By Peter J. Patrick – No matter how many times Iโ€™ve seen it, I still marvel at the non-stop witty lines that emanate from the mouths of Mankiewiczโ€™s deftly drawn characters. Bette Davis was never better than she is as the aging actress whose faux fan (Anne Baxter) moves in for the kill to take over not just her career, but all aspects of her life as well. Baxter, Celeste Holm as the playwrightโ€™s wife who is Davisโ€™ best friend, George Sanders as the acerbic theatre critic, and Thelma Ritter as Davisโ€™ loyal, acid-tongued maid all lend top-notch support, but itโ€™s Mankiewiczโ€™s screenplay and Davisโ€™ high-water-mark performance that are the crowns in this jewel.

Apartment

The Apartment (1960)

(dir. Billy Wilder) Commentary By Peter J. Patrick – This is the perfect film to watch when youโ€™re in a depressed mood. If Jack Lemmonโ€™s sad sack performance doesnโ€™t make you snap out of it, nothing will. Lemmon is the low-level office clerk who quickly advances in his career by lending his apartment to his bosses who want to have a quick fling with their extra-marital paramours. He takes a long time to wise up even after the elevator operator (Shirley MacLaine) heโ€™s smitten with attempts suicide over the boss (Fred MacMurray) on Christmas Eve. The filmโ€™s New Yearโ€™s Eve ending in which MacLaine also finally gets it, is one of the most satisfying ever captured on film.

beauty_and_the_beast-poster

Beauty and the Beast (1991)

(dir. Gary Trousdale, Kirk Wise) Commentary By Wesley Lovell – The reason the opening line of the title song to Beauty and the Beast is so resonant is because it’s true. This is a “tale as old as time” and that may be why it’s such a fun, memorable, and compulsively rewatchable film. With stirring vocals by Angela Lansbury, Robby Benson, Paige O’Hara, and others, this is one of the quihntessential animated films of the 1990s and is easily one of the best ever made.

birdcage

The Birdcage (1996)

(dir. Mike Nichols) Commentary By Tripp Burton – I have never laughed harder in a movie theatre than I did the first time I saw The Birdcage. What remains remarkable is that I still laugh as hard every time I see the film, a couple times a year. Thanks to a series of sparkling comedic performances from comedic geniuses like Robin Williams, Nathan Lane, and Hank Azaria, to committed work from more serious actors like Dianne Wiest and Gene Hackman, they bring a zany honesty to Elaine Mayโ€™s wry, smart script. The story goes that at times they had to kick director Mike Nichols off of the set because he would laugh too hard and mess up the take; I laugh just as hard every time I see the film.

bringing_up_baby

Bringing Up Baby (1938)

(dir. Howard Hawks) Commentary By Thomas La Tourrette – This Howard Hawks film was considered a bust when it opened in 1938, but it has gone on to gain a sterling reputation. A true screwball comedy with lots of inspired physical sections, it was not a typical Hawks production, but he worked wonders with his cast. The role of a flighty heiress fit Katharine Hepburn and the stuffy paleontologist ended up being a great part for Cary Grant. This was their third movie together, and their chemistry is obvious. Add a couple of leopards and you have the makings of a great film. It is a lot of silly fun, not terribly logical, but an easy film to watch again.

Butterflies_Are_Free

Butterflies Are Free (1972)

(dir. Milton Katselas) Commentary By Peter J. Patrick – The playโ€™s New York-centric setting was moved to San Francisco for the film version because it was cheaper to film there. Oddly enough, it actually enhances the story because Goldie Hawnโ€™s kooky struggling actress fits in with the last remnants of the hippie lifestyle still prevalent in the city. Edward Albert makes a striking film debut as the blind boy trying to get out from under the thumb of his domineering childrenโ€™s book author mother, magnificently played by Eileen Heckart, reprising her Broadway role. The confrontation scenes between Hawn and Heckart still seem fresh and amazing no matter how many times youโ€™ve seen them.

CluePoster2

Clue (1985)

(dir. Jonathan Lynn) Commentary By Wesley Lovell – If you’re having “flames…flames…on the side of your face,” you’re probably a fan of Clue. Starring a who’s who of comedy royalty of the 1980s from Tim Curry to Madeline Kahn. From Eileen Brennan to Martin Mull. From Michael McKean to Lesley Ann Warren to Christopher Lloyd. There was no finer cast assembled, making the film one of the most funny and engaging of ’80s trifles. A weak release didn’t hold the film back as it became a sensation on home video, eventually becoming a cult favorite. This is a film that’s so quotable and so rewatchable that I have almost the entire film’s dialogue memorized and is my most watched fil mof all time.

Commentary By Tripp Burton – A great rewatchable movie is usually dependent on a great ensemble of actors who you want to keep spending time with, and Clue is a perfect example why. With a group of stalwart film comedians, some with expansive film careers and some who were never given as great a role as this again, the success of the film rides solely on their shoulders. They raise the material at every turn, committing so hard to each gag, plot twist, and character revelation that you are with them all the way. I have seen this movie probably over 50 times, from age 8 to age 34, and it remains as funny and clever every year.

Goodbye_Mr_Chips01

Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1939)

(dir. Sam Wood) Commentary By Peter J. Patrick – There have been dozens of film about inspirational school teachers, but none more compelling than this first film version of James Hiltonโ€™s novel in which Robert Donat shines in his Oscar-winning role of the shy schoolmaster who doesnโ€™t go as far in his career as maybe he should have, but has the all-too-brief love of an extraordinary woman (Greer Garson in her American film debut) and the gratitude of generations of boys to warm the cockles of his heart as he mellows and ages with extreme grace. His dying rebuke to those who pity him for never having children of his own is one of the screenโ€™s classic moments.

home_alone

Home Alone (1990)

(dir. Chris Columbus) Commentary By Tripp Burton – I might chalk this one to nostalgia, as my eight-year-old self was the target audience for Home Alone when it first came out, but every Christmas this is the Christmas movie that sucks me in over and over again on cable. The charming performances, gorgeous John Williams score, and ingenuity of the final sequence are a constant pleasure, and one that I am excited to finally share with my older daughter this Christmas. Perhaps we will watch it over and over again.

HowGreenWasMyValley

How Green Was My Valley (1941)

(dir. John Ford) Commentary By Peter J. Patrick – Fordโ€™s film of Richard Llewelynโ€™s novel chronicles the lives of a family of Welsh coalminers as seen through the eyes of the youngest son, played by Roddy McDowall in his star-making performance. Donald Crisp and Sara Allgood are the parents whose other children all move away to find their fortunes elsewhere. Maureen Oโ€™Hara is the daughter involved in an unhappy marriage, Walter Pidgeon is the minister who loves her, and Anna Lee is the widowed sister-in-law with whom 12-year-old McDowall goes to live. Unfairly maligned by no-nothings for winning the Oscar over Citizen Kane, it holds up equally well.

hunchback_of_notre_dame

The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996)

(dir. Gary Trousdale, Kirk Wise) Commentary By Wesley Lovell – Before the advent of computer animation, Walt Disney Animation was churning out classic after classic. After The Hunchback of Notre Dame, the studio began to change and, although Mulan was something special, the studio’s output was hardly the same. What makes Hunchback a film that I enjoy rewatching is the music. It’s not all light-hearted musical trifles, the song “Heaven’s Light/Hellfire,” for example, gives us a dark view of the film’s villain, setting up one of the most visually and emotionally daring sequences in Disney history, approaching the symbolic fascination of “Night on Bald Mountain” from Fantasia. This is a film that I treasure more with each viewing, and going back to look at it time and again has helped me recognize it as one of the key players in the formative development of open and the accepting children of younger generations.

Indiana_Jones_and_the_Last_Crusade

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)

(dir. Steven Spielberg) Commentary By Tripp Burton – Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade is probably my most quoted movie: I use lines from it seemingly all the time, and my wife and I reference it constantly. It is a great yarn of an adventure, one where the verbal sparring, stunt work, and elaborate conspiracy draw me in time and time again. I never get tired of this film, and love the adventure it takes me on every time.

jfk

JFK (1991)

(dir. Oliver Stone) Commentary By Tripp Burton – I donโ€™t know why I watch this film over and over again, but I do. Perhaps part of it is an attempt to piece together Oliver Stoneโ€™s intricate conspiracy. Perhaps part of it is eagerly awaiting the next cameo from a great actor. Perhaps part of it is just enjoying the breakneck filmmaking of Stoneโ€™s camera and editing machine. JFK manages to mix serious subject matter with filmmaking virtuosity and makes this the most endlessly entertaining history lesson before Hamilton.

Jurassic_Park

Jurassic Park (1993)

(dir. Steven Spielberg) Commentary By Wesley Lovell – Steven Spielberg’ films, especially his action films, are engaging cinematic marvels. They are fun, frightening, and memorable in equal measure. Jurassic Park‘s brilliant effects might seem a tad dated today, but they are no less spectacular. Paired with the wonderful score by John Williams, Jurassic Park was a formative part of my cinematic upbringing and each time I watch it, I am hit by the wondrousness of it all over again.

keys_of_the_kingdom

The Keys of the Kingdom (1944)

(dir. John M. Stahl) Commentary By Peter J. Patrick – Based on A.J. Croninโ€™s novel, this was the best of the many inspirational religious dramas of the era. Gregory Peck, in only his second film, is the missionary priest in China whose best friends are an atheistic doctor (Thomas Mitchell), married Protestant missionaries (James Gleason, Anne Revere), his loyal servant (Benson Fong), and a haughty nun (Rosa Stradner). His nemesis is his childhood friend, now his bishop (Vincent Price). The superb cast also includes Edmund Gwenn, Cedric Hardwicke, Roddy McDowall, Peggy Ann Garner, Ruth Nelson, Philip Ahn, Richard Loo, Sara Allgood, Ruth Ford, and many more.

LioninWinter

The Lion in Winter (1968)

(dir. Anthony Harvey) Commentary By Thomas La Tourrette – I felt like I should have at least one drama on my list, and this is a film that I will go see in the theater, and have owned on both VHS and DVD. A great cast, anchored by Katharine Hepburn and Peter Oโ€™Toole, and a great script by James Goldman, adapted from his own play, combine for a terrific film with lots of personal dramas going on. The discussion of which son will succeed Henry II is interesting, and it is a kick to see young Anthony Hopkins and Timothy Dalton in key roles. It also boasts a great score by John Barry, see an earlier top ten list for more on that. Well worth seeing multiple times.

LordoftheRings

The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (2001-2003)

(dir. Peter Jackson) Commentary By Wesley Lovell – There was much trepidation among fans of the J.R.R. Tolkien novels when a relatively untested director was given million to adapt the Lord of the Rings novels to the big screen. Filmed simultaneously, the release of each film confirmed that our fears were unwarranted. The films flow organically into one another, buttressed by a raft of terrific performances, great effects, and a story so potent and magical that now millions more can witness the joy of the stories set in Middle Earth. The film is so strongly constructed that watching the films multiple times is no chore at all in spite of the combined 9 hour 17 minute running time.

Make_Way_for_Tomorrow

Make Way for Tomorrow (1937)

(dir. Leo McCarey) Commentary By Peter J. Patrick – Considered by many as the saddest movie ever made, McCareyโ€™s film of Josephine Lawrenceโ€™s novel takes place in the days just before social security became law in which an elderly couple is separated when they lose their home to foreclosure. With none of their four children having room for them both, the husband (Victor Moore) goes to live with a crank daughter (Elisabeth Risdon) and her husband, while the wife (Beulah Bondi) goes to live with a son (Thomas Mitchell), his wife (Fay Bainter), and their daughter. Beautifully acted, especially by Bondi, the filmโ€™s highlight is the brief reunion of Bondi and Moore.

MaryPoppins

Mary Poppins (1964)

(dir. Robert Stevenson) Commentary By Thomas La Tourrette – โ€œItโ€™s a jolly holiday with Maryโ€ are very true lyrics. It may be a childrenโ€™s film, but it still has a hold on me. The practically perfect nanny is played to sweet perfection by Julie Andrews in her film debut, and she deservedly won an Oscar for it. Dick Van Dyke may not have mastered a true cockney accent, but he is great fun as the chimney sweep Burt. The movie boasts a fun score, great dancing, and surprising visual effects. It has held up well on television, but it is more of a treat to see on a big screen.

murder_by_death

Murder By Death (1976)

(dir. Robert Moore) Commentary By Wesley Lovell – Neil Simon may have been best known as a playwright, but his cinematic adaptations were no less powerful. That he crafted Murder By Death for the big screen and not for the stage is a fascinating development. That he refuses to permit a theatrical adaptation is disappointing. As such, the only way you’ll catch five of the world’s greatest detective pitting their wits against a jaded millionaire mystery fan, is to watch it on the big screen. The cast (David Niven, Maggie Smith, Peter Sellers, Peter Falk, Eileen Brennan, Elsa Lanchester, James Coco, Alec Guinness, Nancy Walker, James Cromwell, Estelle Winwood, Richard Narita, and Truman Capote) is filled with current and future Oscar nominees and winners, and is so thoroughly engaging that finding any single character to love above the rest is impossible. Spoofing on famed literary and cinematic detectives (Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot, and cinema’s Charlie Chan, Nick and Nora Charles, and Sam Spade), every trope of the genre is wittily and hilariously twisted, and watching it on repeat is incredibly entertaining.

NightmareonElmStreet

A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)

(dir. Wes Craven) Commentary By Wesley Lovell – Among horror films, there are few as terrifying and genre-redefining as A Nightmare on Elm Street. After a long, successful career of genre filmmaking, Wes Craven created one of the cinema’s most iconic slashers, a dream killer who goes after the children of the parents who burned him alive. Robert England’s unparalleled embodiment of the nightmare stalker is legendary, but so too are the performances of Heather Langenkamp, Amanda Wyss, Johnny Depp, Charles Fleischer, John Saxon, and Ronne Blakely. This is a film of immense psychological power, invoking fear and anticipation in the viewer. It is the first film in my favorite horror franchise and I can’t even tell you now just how many times I’ve watched it.

North_By_Northwest

North by Northwest (1959)

(dir. Alfred Hitchcock) Commentary By Thomas La Tourrette – One of the most enjoyable of Alfred Hitchcockโ€™s films, it is always fun to watch Cary Grant and Eva Marie Saint trying to escape from the clutches of an evil James Mason. Grantโ€™s Roger Thornhill is seemingly chased by everyone across the country. One is not quite sure which sides Saint or Hitchcock stalwart Leo G. Carroll are on, but they are fascinating to watch. There are of course some iconic images, the crop dusting plane and the climbing of Mt. Rushmore, but the human element holds it together. It is a must see for any Hitchcock fan, or anyone interested in cinema at all.

notorious

Notorious (1946)

(dir. Alfred Hitchcock) Commentary By Peter J. Patrick – It may not be Hitchcockโ€™s greatest film, but itโ€™s easily his most romantic. Ingrid Bergman is at her acting peak as the daughter of a convicted Nazi spy who has committed suicide in prison. She is recruited by U.S. government agents to infiltrate a ring of her fatherโ€™s friends in Rio de Janeiro. To convince them she shares her late fatherโ€™s beliefs she agrees to marry the groupโ€™s leader whose fanatical mother doesnโ€™t trust her. Cary Grant as the handler who loves her, Claude Rains as Bergmanโ€™s duped husband, and Leopoldine Konstantin as Rainsโ€™ mother are all excellent, but itโ€™s Bergmanโ€™s riveting performance that gives it heft.

oceans_eleven

Ocean’s Eleven (2001)

(dir. Steven Soderbergh) Commentary By Tripp Burton – I am a sucker for heist movies, and this might be the most fun heist movie of them all. The film’s charms lie in two places: an all-star ensemble of actors I love spending time with and a complex heist that after dozens of viewings still doesnโ€™t make perfect sense. Steven Soderberghโ€™s playful camera moves through the Las Vegas locales beautifully, taking us along on a roller coaster of an adventure with a group of guys you are desperate to keep riding alongside. Every time it is on TV I cannot turn away.

Philadelphia_Story03

The Philadelphia Story (1940)

(dir. George Cukor) Commentary By Thomas La Tourrette – I probably use this in too many of my top ten lists, but it has been my favorite film since high school. Katharine Hepburn shines in a part that was written specifically for her, and she was wise enough to surround herself with a great supporting cast: Cary Grant, in their last onscreen pairing; Jimmy Stewart, in the role that won him an Oscar; and Ruth Hussey, in her best film role. Itโ€™s improbable fun watching the goddess Hepburn get her comeuppance and tumble from her pedestal, but she does end up with Cary Grant at the end, so happy endings all around.

primary_colors

Primary Colors (1998)

(dir. Mike Nichols) Commentary By Tripp Burton – I love presidential campaigns, and Mike Nicholsโ€™ underrated Primary Colors is probably the best fiction film about a campaign I have ever seen. Elaine Mayโ€™s script manages to create a whole new world of politics while also slyly keeping the Clintons and their 1992 campaign in the back of all our minds. The dialogue is funny and the turns are clever, but the cast is what makes this film so rewatchable: not only John Travolta, Emma Thompson, Billy Bob Thornton, and Kathy Bates, but a populous of great character actors like Larry Hagman, Paul Guilfoyle, Rob Reiner, Tony Shalhoub, Allison Janney, and Stacey Edwards who keep sucking me back in.

princess_bride

The Princess Bride (1987)

(dir. Rob Reiner) Commentary By Thomas La Tourrette – Itโ€™s an enjoyable book, though hugely different from the film, which does benefit from being a visual medium. Cary Elwes has a great time in his best part as the humble stable boy who rises to become the Dreaded Pirate Roberts, all while turning into the handsomest man in the world. Comic turns come from far too many people to mention, though I have to single out Mandy Patinkin and Peter Cook for enlivening the action. Itโ€™s a fun, silly romp.

raiders_of_the_lost_ark

Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

(dir. Steven Spielberg) Commentary By Thomas La Tourrette – It may have been meant as a spoof of older thrillers, but it certainly reinvigorated the genre. Harrison Ford may have been second choice for the role, as Tom Selleck could not get out of his Magnum PI contract, but he made it indelibly his own. He is remarkably handsome and dashing, but Karen Allen matches his performance, something no other woman was able to do in the series. Denholm Elliott adds a dash of goofiness as his absent-minded mentor. Great action sequences, more snakes than you care to imagine and evil Nazis, whatโ€™s not to love. It is a great ride.

raising_arizona

Raising Arizona (1987)

(dir. Joel (& Ethan) Coen) Commentary By Tripp Burton – This list could have been made just with Coen Brothers films if I really wanted to. Their films are so funny and layered at the same time that they almost demand you rewatch them over and over before you can fully appreciate everything they are doing. The one I return to the most, though, is Raising Arizona. It is probably their funniest film.

rocky_horror_picture_show

Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)

(dir. Jim Sharman) Commentary By Wesley Lovell – The original Midnight Movie, Rocky Horror Picture Show is the longest running perpetual theatrical release in history, having been showing at midnight screenings for forty years. It explores the idea that being different or strange is not a reason to hide, but a reason to revel your diversity. The film celebrates sexual liberation and acceptance in a time of puritanical rigidity. That the film has as much resonance today as it did upon release is testament to its persistent power. Few films have reached the degree of cultural infusion that this film has and although the film is quite spectacular in its own right, seeing it performed alongside an audience with all the participatory excitement is one of life’s great pleasures.

Shenandoah

Shenandoah (1966)

(dir. Andrew V. McLaglen) Commentary By Peter J. Patrick – This underrated Civil War drama features James Stewart in his last great performance as the widowed father of seven, six sons and a daughter, who wonโ€™t allow his sons to fight for the State of Virginia in a war he considers not theirs. He is, however, forced into it when his youngest son (Phillip Alford) is taken prisoner by the North. He sets out to find him with five of his sons, his daughter (Rosemary Forsyth), and son-in-law (Doug McClure), leaving behind his married son (Patrick Wayne), daughter-in-law (Katharine Ross), and newborn granddaughter. Emotionally stunning all the way, the final scenes are especially moving.

shining

The Shining (1980)

(dir. Stanley Kubrick) Commentary By Wesley Lovell – Among Stanley Kubrick’s dark oeuvre, only two films have the potential for repeat viewings. The first is his comedy Dr. Strangelove, and the other is his visually daring horror masterpiece The Shining. Although the original author, Stephen King, is said to have disliked Kubrick’s interpretation, there’s little doubt that this is the most iconic of the two present adaptations. From the elevator of blood to the old woman in the bathtub to the creepy twins wanting Danny to come play with them to the hedge maze to any other number of instantly memorable scenes, The Shining has such life and vigor that its horrific elements only solidify my fascination with it, even on repeat viewings.

Titanic

Titanic (1997)

(dir. James Cameron) Commentary By Wesley Lovell – I include this film simply because of how many times I saw it in the theater. I lost count, but it was more than 6. That is testament not just to James Cameron’s assured direction, but to the stunning tragedy that befell a group of unsuspecting men and women in one of history’s most awful maritime disasters. James Horner’s instantly recognizable score bolsters a film that took such pains at realism that the final scenes of the film are stirring still today. With a strong cast of actors on display: Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, Kathy Bates, Frances Fisher, Gloria Stuart, Victor Garber, David Warner, and yes, even Billy Zane, the film flies by almost imperceptibly for three hours and fourteen minutes. The images are so compelling and daring that its immense popularity has earned it equal and opposite attacks, many of them unwarranted.

to_each_his_own

To Each His Own (1946)

(dir. Mitchell Leisen) Commentary By Peter J. Patrick – It begins as the bombs are falling over World War II London with middle-aged cosmetics tycoon Olivia de Havilland reminiscing about her World War I romance with pilot John Lund who, presumed dead, left her pregnant. She gives up the baby to her friend Mary Anderson and her husband, has second thoughts, and takes him back but the child misses his adoptive mother. Heartbroken she moves to London where she builds up her business. Now the son, a pilot himself, is on leave in London where his adoptive motherโ€™s friend has arranged a reception in his honor. Will the truth come out? You literally have to wait until the last minute to find out.

toy_story

Toy Story Trilogy (1995, 1999, 2010)

(dir. John Lasseter (1 & 2), Lee Unkrich (3)) Commentary By Tripp Burton – Of all the films my daughter has subjected us to repeated viewings of, the Toy Story films are the only ones I never complained about. The jokes never get old, the characters are even more charming the hundredth time you meet them, and the tears keep coming at all the right places even if you can recite the lines to them verbatim. This is Pixarโ€™s grandest achievement, going back to the well, yet finding fresh, meaningful, and entertaining reasons to revisit this band of lovable toys. I almost canโ€™t wait for my younger daughters to discover them so we can watch them all a hundred more times.

whats_up_doc

What’s Up, Doc? (1972)

(dir. Peter Bogdanovich) Commentary By Tripp Burton – It is the jokes of Whatโ€™s Up, Doc? that make it so effortlessly rewatchable to me. The way that Bogdanovich handles the set-up of each punchline, and the expert delivery by a top-notch ensemble of comedic actors, makes them stay fresh throughout. The chase scene at the end is timeless, but for me it is the little moments that the film sets up that make it so wonderful: the looks that Austin Pendleton gives to Madeline Kahn, or the nonchalant way that Sorrell Brooke keeps tripping the poor old lady, or the wisecracks that Barbra Streisand handles so well. This is my favorite film of all-time, and I never get tired of it.

Wizard_of_Oz07

The Wizard of Oz (1939)

(dir. Victor Fleming) Commentary By Thomas La Tourrette – Most every person has seen this multiple times on television, but it is a treat to see when it occasionally gets re-released on a bigger screen. There is that moment of magic when Dorothy opens her door and from the sepia cottage there is suddenly the burst of color. I can think of few moments on screen that hold such power. But it also boasts a great musical score and strong performances from Judy Garland and the rest of the cast. It is not just treacly sweet, as there are parts that are genuinely scary, which is one reason it has held up so well. Some of the actors had trouble finding work that was as good again because they were so indelible in their roles here.

women_on_the_verge_of_a_nervous_breakdown

Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (1988)

(dir. Pedro Almodovar) Commentary By Thomas La Tourrette – This was my introduction to Pedro Almodovar, and it is still a film I think of fondly. I first saw it in the theater, but then it seemed to appear on late night television throughout the 90s, and I often found myself staying up to watch the rest of it, no matter how many times I had seen it. The farce follows a disparate group of friends through love affairs, unexpected pregnancies, terrorist activities, and sleeping pill-spiked gazpacho over the course of a wild 48 hours.

young_frankenstein

Young Frankenstein (1974)

(dir. Mel Brooks) Commentary By Thomas La Tourrette – In my opinion, this is Mel Brooksโ€™ finest film. Working with an impeccable cast, he turned the Frankenstein story on its head and had a field day turning it into a comedy. Gene Wilder is suitably manic in the title role and Peter Boyle is a delight as the monster, whether having hot soup poured on him or dancing to โ€œPutting on the Ritz.โ€ But the women are who stay with me, superficial Madeline Kahn, haughty Cloris Leachman, and Teri Garr who played dumb better than anyone. It did not work so well when turned into a Broadway musical, partly because the cast of the movie was so good, so catch it a few times and laugh yourself silly.

Wesley’s List

Peter’s List

Tripp’s List

Thomas’ List

  • Beauty and the Beast
  • Clue
  • The Hunchback of Notre Dame
  • Jurassic Park
  • The Lord of the Rings Trilogy
  • Murder By Death
  • A Nightmare on Elm Street
  • Rocky Horror Picture Show
  • The Shining
  • Titanic
  • All About Eve
  • The Apartment
  • Butterflies Are Free
  • Goodbye, Mr. Chips
  • How Green Was My Valley
  • The Keys of the Kingdom
  • Make Way for Tomorrow
  • Notorious
  • Shenandoah
  • To Each His Own
  • The Birdcage
  • Clue
  • Home Alone
  • Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
  • JFK
  • Ocean’s Eleven
  • Primary Colors
  • Raising Arizona
  • Toy Story Trilogy
  • What’s Up, Doc?
  • Bringing Up Baby
  • The Lion in Winter
  • Mary Poppins
  • North by Northwest
  • The Philadelphia Story
  • The Princess Bride
  • Raiders of the Lost Ark
  • The Wizard of Oz
  • Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
  • Young Frankenstein

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