The Perfect (for you) Movie
Yesterday, my daughter was home sick, and we ended up watching Ghostbusters together. It’s one of those movies that I still enjoy, but honestly…I could have turned it off at any point and not missed it. Most movies are like that, but there are a few that it doesn’t matter when it happens — I might be surfing through the channels to get to a show that I want — but if I come across it, I can’t go past it. I have to watch it to the end: The Fifth Element, Aliens, The Princess Bride, Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust, and Willow.
Ah, Willow. I don’t know what it is about this movie, but it hits me in every perfect little place. There’s Willow and his quest to save the cute baby from the evil sorceress. There’s cross-dressing Madmartigan, the wastrel master swordsman who goes from zero to hero. Sorscha, the warrior woman who slowly develops a conscience.
Being who I am, obviously my favorite part of the movie is the romance between Madmartigan and Sorscha, but there’s really no part of it that I don’t enjoy. And I’ve seen it SO many times, I could quote it — and yet I hate missing any section of it. There are so many movies that I can watch just a few scenes, and I’m all good. Not so with my perfect-for-me movies.
Wanna Breed?
I obviously have a severe predilection for fantasy and sci-fi, with action and humor and romance (maybe Aliens doesn’t fit in that, but since I’m in love with Ripley, that’s kinda-sorta a romance between me and her.) And that translates to my reading, as well.
What are your perfect-for-you movies — and are your favorite books similar?
Princess Bride, LadyHawk, Ferris Buehler’s Day Off, Space Balls, ah, the memories. I would stay home sick in high school and watch those with my mom. My husband bought the kids a couple of DVDs the other day that I had completely forgotten from childhood. Batteries Not Included, and Flight of the Navigator. My kids love them.
Oh, I’m totally on a mission to have my daughter watch all of the movies that I love love.
It surprises me, though, how many movies I remember loving … and when I watch now, I just want to close my eyes in pain. Cartoons, especially.
Ditto about old cartoons, I can’t watch them, despite my fond memories of them. The kids however, can’t get enough of the original Transformers cartoons. I forgot the one that has been catching me time and again the last few months. Bourne Trilogy – I’m not huge a Matt Damon fan, but I can’t change the channel if one of those movies pop up.
We have most of the same Must Watch movies. (Oooh, what’s Vampire D??) And I LOVE Willow. It was a fav in my family.
My sister once got this idea to give up everything and raise goats–don’t ask. But every time she’d call me or our other sister, we’d say, “Willow, change me back.” in our best goat impressions.
Oh oh! Vampire Hunter D is truly, truly awesome. There are actually two movies, but I like the second one best. Here’s the trailer (it’s not a very good trailer, alas.)
I think I’ve seen the series of this, not the movie. I even think we own some of the series. Now I need to go home and rewatch them.
Oh, and we need more, good science fiction movies. Lots more.
Yes. Hell yes.
Princess Bride, Ladyhawk, Willow, Ever After, Van Helsing, Stardust – I love to put one of these in when I’m feeling playful.
But then there’s LoTR, Pitch Black, The Last Castle, Man On Fire (the 2003 version), Gran Torino…. These are my true faves, and I was initially dismayed to note the common themes – but not surprised.
I’m not really surprised by mine, either. A part of me wishes that I was … I don’t know, artier in my taste of really amazing, watch-them-again movies. I mean, I enjoy the hell out of so many movies, from pure cheese to somber period pieces (the only genre I consistently seem to dislike is romantic comedy, of all things) but it’s a certain set that I’ll watch over and over.
For me it has to be the Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy, and both trilogies for Star Wars. Also, though it’s not a movie, I could watch the music video for Metallica’s song One over and over, it’s so sad. For the books: Judith McNaught’s Almost Heaven, Shirle Henke’s Night Wind’s woman and last but not least Nalini Singh’s Caressed by Ice…
Oh, definitely Star Wars! Although I can walk away from them if I have to. I’ll always, always stop for at least a few minutes, though.
Return of the Jedi is the easiest for me to flip away from.
Yes! The movie where you turn on the tv to have something on in the background, find it and say “I’ll just watch for a minute”, and the next thing you know the movie is over, the laundry hasn’t been folded, nothing’s been put away and dinner should have been started half an hour ago.
Mine include everything already mentioned (though Willow and the Princess Bride deserve an emphatic “Here, Here!”), plus the Star Wars Original Trilogy, The Last Starfighter, Necessary Roughness, Clueless, Blazing Saddles (who am I kidding, anything Mel Brooks) and McLintock (an old John Wayne movie).
If this weather keeps up, I know what I’ll be watching this weekend!
Ah, yes! I was thinking of The Last Starfighter, too — but I haven’t watched in several years, so I don’t think it can qualify for my super-perfect-for-me movies (which I watch religiously). It’s still one that I love.
For me it’s any of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, Star Wars – all of them except Phantom Menace – Pride and Prejudice, and Speed. Actually, my list of movies that will stop me in my tracks is really long. I’m a movie freak. I have so many movies on DVD my husband is starting to become concerned. He can’t understand how I can watch a movie over and over again – he sees it once and that’s enough for him. For me, if I can own a movie via a Blockbusters Previously-Viewed 4 for $20 sale, it’s cheaper than renting and then I can watch it whenever I’m in the mood.
PS – I’ve never seen Willow. I’m torn – looks like the typical cheezy 80s movie. But some of my favorites of all time are cheesy 80s movies! I may just have to rent this one.
Oh, Pride and Prejudice does it for me, too. I get sucked in every time.
I love a sad, sad amount of cheesy 80s movies. Willow is a lot of fun, though, and if you don’t mind some (by today’s standards) not-so-awesome effects, it’s really entertaining.
You have 4 of my favorites on your list. I also absolutely love, The Long Kiss Good-Night. To me the ending is perfect. Really, it isn’t a great movie, but for some reason it speaks to me.
I’ve only seen TLKG once, but that wasn’t because of the movie — it was tainted because I saw it on a bad date.
For me it’s Die Hard, the Mummy movies, Spirited Away, Princess Bride, and Willow.
Die Hard! Yes, that’s another one for me that I can’t pass by. And I love Spirited Away like crazy, though I’ve only seen it a couple of times. The last time was when I sat my daughter down and made her watch it with me.
I’m teaching her young.
As a kid, I absolutely LOVED Willow. I still do, but it’s been a few years since I’ve watched it again. Hmm.. Maybe a trip to the video store is in order.
The Last Unicorn. OMG. I probably drove my parents crazy watching that flick. And ahem, if you’ve seen it, there’s quite a bit of humor (and whatnot) that goes over a young kids head.
I can’t bring myself to walk away from LOTR. Even though I have all 3 movies with the load of extras… Same with Pride & Prejudice.
I probably watched The American President nearly half a dozen times in the theater when I was a kid. I loved that movie to bits. Sweet, charming, funny .. and whenever its on tv, I will watch it through to the end.
Oh, YES! to The Last Unicorn. I don’t often see it on TV, but it heads into my VHS (is that sad?) at least a couple of times a year.
Have you read the book? I love, love the book even more than the movie, which kind of surprises me, because I loved the movie for years before I even knew there was a book. Usually I love whichever comes first better.
Sad? I think I’m in awe that you still have VHS.
I read the book about 10 years ago, but now I’m developing a serious case of nostalgia, so it looks like it will be another book to buy.
Tempting, but no…
I have many, many movies that grab me… For Romances, Practical Magic, Chocolat, Moonstruck, Love Actually… somehow I have to watch to the happy ending.
For fantasy, House of Flying Daggers, What Dreams May Come, Princess Bride, Fifth Element… Both from visual beauty and story, I just keep watching
Actually, any musical, except High School Musical, I end up watching to the end too… and humming for the rest of the day.
Oh there are so many… I love action movies: Die Hard, Hitman, Lara Croft, pretty much anything that had been a video game. OH Have you seen the trailer for the Prince of Persia movie that is based off the game? Looks pretty good.
I’m also a sucker for romantic comedy: Fools Rush In, Serendipity, Dirty Dancing, The Princess Bride.
But my all time favorite movie: The Boondock Saints. :::stares dreamily off into space:::
I LOVE Willow and The Princess Bride.*loves* I really liked V is for Vendetta…I could listen to V talk forever!
Oooh, Vampire Hunter D looks great. Where can I get it?
Lady Hawke
Galaxy Quest (it’s a great spoof of Star Trek, but it’s also a great movie)
Mummy movies
Lord of the Ring movies (yes, I geek)
Galaxy Quest!! Love that movie.
I don’t really have movies like this (I have favorites, but I can always turn them off) but I certainly have books like this. There’s books that I know almost as well as their author (as in turning directly to the page of the scene I want without fail…) but once I pick them up I have to finish reading them as quickly as I can.
And sometimes, reading one book leads me into another book by that author that I can’t put down and then there goes my week!
Fifth Element, Love Actually, the first 2 Mummy movies (the third one doesn’t exist), Die Hard 1 and 4, Independence Day, Pride and Prejudice, and Two Weeks Notice. My dad and I like to pop LotR DVDs in and skip around to our favorite parts and there’s this one ice scene in the otherwise ridiculous King Arthur movie with Clive Owen and Keira Knightley that we like to watch from time to time as well.
I love intelligent action movies with interesting characters, the movies that aren’t trying to be cool (Transformers 2, Cradle 2 the Grave *shudder*) but are trying to tell a coherent story. =)
Good point on Mummy 3. I tried to like it. I really did. I own it in Blu-ray (sob).
For me it has to be The Godfather, 1 and 2 only. I pretend there was no 3. Also the first 4 Rocky movies. A Clockwork Orange, Full Metal Jacket and Enter the Dragon as well. Kid 2 and I like to watch Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back whenever Ilona is gone.
For my “Movies I can’t pass by” I realized that they have two things in common: an actor (or in somecases a director) that holds my attention and that most are over 40 yrs old.
There are actually a few actors that do this.
Kevin Spacey, because is there any man who can do a one word dialog and arch of an eyebrow so expressively.
Ben Kingsley, Oh, SIR Ben, though Ghandi and Twelth Night are the major ones of his that I have to watch.
Bette Davis is another. I love All About Eve, Now Voyager, Mrs. Sheffington, (and not to mention she was a woman who bucked the system and produced her own movies.)
Katherine Hepburn is another who wins out for the same reason.
Then there is one man who caused me to fall in love with Pirates, Errol Flynn (Yes I know in RL the man was a total JA but He welcomed me to Sherwood when I discovered old movies.)
Then there is Mr Kelley, talk about handsome talented actors. So athletic, so graceful…sigh.
And Mr Grant, (That would be Cary not Hugh)who could be comedic or rip your heart out with a look.
And then there are the directors. Capra, Nora Epsom, Hawk, Hitchcock, I know their movies because they hold me and keep me quoting lines.
Casablanca I think is the one movie who may not have any of the above, but simply is Great.
Princess Bride and Ladyhawke I enjoy, but these old standbys keep me coming back.
I actually have so many favorite movies, they go in cycles. When I get a new movie, if it’s a favorite, it’ll get put on replay and I could watch it numerous times a week. Some all time favorites include The Cutting Edge, Unconditional Love, Some Like It Hot, Willow (I actually watched this a little kid and remembered the pig scene and found it years later and loved it), The Princess Bride, The Mummy, are ones that come to mind.
I literally called to my sister the moment I saw the poster of Willow on the post. WE HEART IT!!! My sister was late to come, as she’s not a big fan of fantasy, but she loves it, too.
Lately, we’ve been watching Lilo & Stitch, Surf’s Up, and Jane Austen Book Club on repeat.
I guess my movie taste is similar to my reading taste, because I buy and read different genres, including children books. ^^
…definitely Pride and Prejudice (BBC). Must add Terry Prachett’s ‘Hogfather’ for fantasy.
– which reminds me of another fave, an old Errol Flynn black & white: Captain Blood (though I like the book much better 
)
Forgot Pirates of the Carribean
I too love Willow. But I think what I like best about it is Val Kilmer’s hair. Hello gorgeous! Totally agree with Princess Bride (best movies quotes ever) and Stardust. I would have to add Laybrinth. In a totally different genre, I get hooked if I see Oh Brother Where Art Thou. My husband is the same way with The Matrix (but just the first one).
My list is ten miles long when it comes to favorite movies! I love, love, love watching movies, but it all depends on my mood which ones I want to watch.
Of course Willow, Princess Bride, Stardust, Love Actually, and LOTR
Also Gladiator (ohhh Russel Crowe), Indiana Jones trilogy (yeah – no fourth), Pan’s Labyrinth (LOVE!!), both Chronicles of Narnia, the Dark Crystal (SO CORNY but lots of love), and of course the Disney movies
Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, and Mulan
Well, most of mine have been mentioned… Princess Bride, Last Unicorn, Ladyhawke, Pride and Prejudice. For comedies though, I can always watch Clue, Office Space, and Galaxy Quest.
In a similar vein to Galaxy Quest, I love reading Donna Andrews’ “We’ll Always Have Parrots”. Something about hysterical sci-fi convention stories remind me of my misspent college years.
And I second the Labyrinth and Dark Crystal nods… I thought my eldest son looked a bit like a gelfling when he was born, (pointy head and ears!), while the husband compared the second to a podling. We both geek. ^_~
I’m a total child of the 80′s. Movies like 16 Candles, Spaceballs, Legend, National Lampoon’s Vacation, and The Lost Boys all make me stop and at least watch a scene or two if not the whole movie. Most of them I know word for word.
You hit the nail on the head with Willow. I don’t know a single person, who doesn’t love that movie. It has everything.
Serenity. (Mal is my fantasy boyfriend)
“Shiny, Lets be bad guys!”
“Can’t stop the signal.”
Sigh…
Oh Firefly, how I miss thee!
I always loved willow
I remember seeing Willow in the theaters with my husband. Princess Bride also. I had always been a huge fan of PB in book form and was so excited to see it made into a movie. A more beautiful similar movie to PB is the most awesome The Fall by Tarsem. Best movie of the decade. A true work of art.
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Dang, it didn’t embed.
Here is the link.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FqZEDY_rV0
With us it’s “Shawshank Redemption”, “Forrest Gump” or “Oh Brother, Where Art Thou”. It doesn’t matter where it is when we are flipping channels. heck they may not be but 15 minutes left. We’ll stop and watch them. I bet I saw ‘Shawshank’ 20 times in bits and pieces before I actually saw it all the way through.