The other day, my 17-year-old daughter texted a question on the family group chat. “Poll! What are your top three favorite movies?”
Naturally, when someone asks you a question that broad, you can’t think of a single movie you’ve ever seen in your life. One, for me, was obviously The Godfather, though, so I texted that first — followed by Annie Hall and a tie between Finding Nemo/The Incredibles. My husband texted The Godfather, Thin Red Line and Rushmore. Our other daughter, Abby, 15, had a hard time limiting herself to three and texted Get Out, Juno, Black Panther, Fantastic Mr. Fox, Up and Iron Man.
My daughter Phoebe (whose favorites included No Country for Old Men, Unforgiven and Little Miss Sunshine) then told us that her film teacher at school had predicted The Godfather would be on most if not all the Top Three lists of an older generation. And look at that, her teacher was right!
Two years ago, I queued up The Godfather and The Godfather Part II back to back, and beforehand actually worried that maybe they weren’t going to hold up. But it was the opposite: they were better than I’d remembered and now it’s my goal to convince my kids to make room in their top three for either.
What about you? What’s in your top three?
P.S. Actors’ movie accents rated, and the best TV show of all time.
(Photos from top: The Godfather, Get Out, Little Miss Sunshine, Fantastic Mr. Fox and The Godfather.)
65
Roman holiday
Thelma & Louise
Casablanka
That changes depending on the mood I am in but today, I’d say
– While you were sleeping
– Mrs. Doubtfire
– To Wong Foo (Thanks for everything, Julie Newmar)
1. Amelie
2. Old Boy (original)
3. All of Me
(For kicks) 4. City of God
In America
The Big Chill
Little Miss Sunshine
The Shining
There Will Be Blood
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
1. ANYTHING with Cary Grant (see what I did there? ?)
2. ANYTHING with Doris Day
3. About a Boy
During this Covid sh…show (sorry) I’ve had a difficult time reading/watching anything that might tear at the heartstrings…just craving comfort food literature and media. Rewatching favorite episodes of Murder She Wrote/Magnum P.I., Durrells of Corfu…any fun movie with Paris or Italy as a character. Anyone else having this issue? I’ve decided to just give myself grace and go with it; however, with fall upon us, I think I need to challenge myself a bit more!
I’ve been watching the same things! It gives me a lot of comfort too!
Yes!! About a Boy is such a great film – hilarious, heartbreaking, heartwarming – and not enough people know about it.
1. Double Indemnity
2. Airplane
3. Bringing Up Baby
1. Best in Show
2. Rushmore and The Grand Budapest Hotel (actually anything directed by Wes Anderson!)
3. The Graduate
… and one more 4. Clueless! It will always be on my movie list.
Babel
Casino
Magnolia
Jo Jo Rabbit is a must see and should have had more recognition.
Yes! Definitely one of my favorites
Pride and Prejudice (Colin Firth)
Anne of Green Gables (Megan Follows)
Something’s Gotta Give
You’ve Got Mail
What are your favorites Joanna Goddard?
Ratatouille (Favorite cartoon)
The Shape of Water (Favorite filmography)
When Harry met Sally (Favorite romance)
Mamma Mia (Favorite musical)
Singing in the rain (Favorite childhood movie)
Marley & Me (Favorite dog movie)
The Intouchables (favorite tearjerker)
1917 (newest fav)
You got mail
Because I said so
Crazy stupid love
Good will hunting
Also like the shape of water
And a little princess
Too hard to narrow to three.
One flew over the cukoos nest
To Wong Foo (Thanks for everything, Julie Newmar)
Barfly
Forest Gump
*The Godfather
*Pride & Prejudice (Colin Firth version)
*Working Girl
*Close Encounters
*Star Wars (any or all)
About Time
Fried Green Tomatoes
Braveheart
Ugh, About Time! That is one of those that I would *not* think of off the top of my head if someone asked me this question but sure enough, whenever I see it streaming somewhere I think of how moving and life-changing it was for me. I’ve often thought of it during moments in life when I’ve been forced to consider both the permanence of my choices. I think it serves as a good reminder that there is, in a way, a lot of alternative versions of your life that could have been lived. Like what Cheryl Strayd called “the ghost ship that didn’t carry us.” That’s okay. Relish the life you’re in!
I’ve always been somewhat ashamed of my taste in movies, thinking they weren’t cool enough but after reading this list, I realize I’m in good company! How to choose only three though…
1. Pride and Prejudice (2005-seen at least 300 times)
2. Practical Magic (I would just really love to be a talented witch with a botanical shop on a drizzly sort of island who lives in the most covetable home in movie history)
3. Harry Potter: The Philosopher’s Stone, not because it’s overly good but because the discovery of a magical wizarding community and his true place in the world where people love him just makes me so happy and a little jealous! (I am 34 and still hope that magic is real, I’m not sure if it’s problematic from a mental health standpoint or me just being young at heart with a fabulous imagination ?)
I could have also added The Holiday, Bridget Jones, Little Women, About Time, Moulin Rouge, The Notebook… gah, so many good ones!
Breakfast at Tiffany’s
Romeo and Juliet (Baz Luhrman)
Victor, Victoria
(….wait…oh please, not just three!)
Katy- I thought of Luhrman’s R&J immediately when I saw the post! I wouldn’t have thought I’d Victor, Victoria but loved that movie!! We definitely are on a similar similar length.
The Quiet Man
The Third Man
Cinema Paradiso
I have NEVER heard anyone else say that their favorite movie is Baby Boom — except for me! It is THE BEST. Diane Keaton is my favorite actress, and forget The Godfather, this is her best work. It is the perfect film.
Yes!! 1000% the BEST!
After the wedding
Steel Magnolias
The Sound of Music
The Birdcage
Romancing the Stone
English Patient
all my fav too
Romancing the Stone, hee hee. This is my tribe.
Harold and Maude
Blazing Saddles
Hot Fuzz
Can’t believe I didn’t see these here.
harold and maude is in my top three for sure! love love love.
Interstellar
Sabrina (the 1954 version)
Persuasion (the 2007 version)
honorable mentions:
Harry Potter and the half blood prince
Anastasia
An affair to remember
Midnight in Paris
My top two are easy. I scrolled pretty far and I didn’t see anyone for The Princess Bride. I’m assuming I missed a bunch at the beginning of the comments? Because if not – guys! Princess Bride! #2 is You’ve Got Mail (actually kind of surprised to see how many others put this in their top 3!). #3 I’m gonna say Say Anything, although it could just as easily be Sleepless in Seattle, When Harry Met Sally, The Sandlot, or Only You. I like this game!
Yes! Only you!!
Top 3:
Pride and prejudice
The princess bride
Jaws
Runners up:
Love actually
The holiday
You’ve got mail
When Harry met sally
Gladiator
I enjoy your taste in movies!
I have Pride and Prejudice, The Holiday and Practical Magic on constant rotation and the others you mentioned (aside from Jaws *shudders*) are on often!
I love love but hate rom coms, so mine are:
Singin’ In The Rain
About Time
Amour
About Time!! What an incredible movie ?
The Godfather 2
Heat
Seven
1. When Harry Met Sally
2. Barefoot in the Park, 1967
3. Runaway bride
4. Pretty Woman
5. Cast away
6. Big
7. You’ve got Mail
8. The Shawshank Redemption
9. Trading places
10. Coming to America
11. The war of the Roses
12. Nine to five
13. The Beverly Hillbillies
14. Catch Me If You Can
15. Mrs. Doubtfire
16. What Women Want
17. HouseSitter, 1992
18. The Apartment, 1960
19. Some like it hot
20. The odd couple, 1967
21. The Prisoner of Second Avenue, 1975
22. Breakfast at Tiffany’s
23. Desk set, 1957
24. Funny farm, 1988
25. City Lights, 1931
And so many others!) I’m 27)) Hi from Ukraine!)
Has anyone ever seen “Return To Me”?! It is so precious and sweet and funny.
So… (not in order necessarily)
– Return to Me
– Little Women (Winona version)
– Gone, Baby Gone and The Visitor
*3 is too hard!
Return to me is in my top 3!
Yessssss Little Women, so damn good!
1. Cinema Paradiso
2. Forrest Gump
3. Volver
Random order and will beat myself in about 10 min when I will think of many more I could have chosen instead ❤️
When Harry America Sally
Best in Show
Fried Green Tomatoes
Almost Famous
Amelie
Fight Club
Grease
I have scrolled as far as my eyes will let me and I am SHOCKED that I have yet to see No Country for Old Men mentioned! My other honorees would be Garden State, Whiplash, Blue Valentine and basically any Jake Gyllenhaal film (Nightcrawler!)
You and I have the same taste! I loved No Country, Whilash and Blue Valentine!! I haven’t seen Garden State, but I’m going to take your recommendation.
Love actually
Schindler’s list
Oceans 11
Amelie
The Royal Tenenbaums
& The Godfather, obviously.
Would you please do a similar post asking:
What are your top 3 favorite movies to watch as a family?? I would love more recommendations for ones to watch with kids for movie nights!
Thanks so much!
Schindlers list
A beautiful life
Grease
And I have to: saturday night feveeeerrrr!
Depends on the age of the kids, but when I met my husband and his 11 year old son, we bonded hard over Blended (my stepson loves anything with Adam Sandler, and this is a legit cute movie) and Chef. Chef has a bit of language, but we’ve watched both movies dozens of times together. We also do “bad movie marathons” (Jaws 3, San Andreas, Sharknado, etc). Anything with the Rock is a good bet. :) But again it would depend on ages.
Too many to think of! Right off the top of my head:
* Cool Hand Luke
*Sense and Sensibility
* Rocky Horror Picture Show
Beetlejuice
Little Women *Winona Ryder version
You’ve Got Mail
Bermuda depths !
Cone heads
Mars attacks
Earth girls are easy
Men in Black
The Life Aquatic and The Darjeeling Limited
Amelie
Moulin Rouge
Big Fish
Yes! Big fish. ❤️
Pride and Prejudice (both the 1995 and the 2005 versions)
The Breakfast Club (really anything with Molly Ringwald)
The Sound of Music
Love to rewatch:
You’ve Got Mail
Sleepless in Seattle
The Godfather I + II
Breakfast at Tiffany’s
Bridget Jones’ Diary
Notting Hill
Rear Window
Amelie
I love your list! I would have to add Persuasion.
Oh my, gotta do this:
A few good men
Pretty Woman!!!!!! I know must of the script by heart!
Joanna, you have to watch the last black man in San Francisco!
This is an easy one:
Fried Green Tomatoes
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Off the Map
Too many. I am a movie person so I have categories. I’ll do top 3 Old Movies:
-Swiss Family Robinson
-Operation Petticoat
-Pillow Talk
These are the best! I love the patina of these movies. Makes you wish for a different time (and I’m 28).
Goodfellas
Palm Trees in the Snow
This is 40
I could watch these every day for the rest of my life.
You’ve Got Mail
The Sandlot
Mean Girls
Yes!! All 3 in at least my Top 10. Great taste :)
I can’t do 3. So I’m going collection instead!
Harry Potter – the entire collection
anything Sandra Bullock
Armageddon – I cry every time!!!
I am 36 and never watched the God Father. Thinking maybe I should
Me, too! I’m 36 and have never seen it either!
Anything with Jessica Lange. If I had to pick 3…
Blue Sky
Big Fish
Everybody’s All American
13 year old me will always think GREASE is the best movie ever.
Boys on the Side
Breakfast Club
One Week
Ahhhh Breakfast Club! A lot of 80’s in this post. Rock on!
Talk to her
Frida
The cake maker
our family favourites:
– Sound of Music
– What we did in our holiday
– Lock Stock and 2 smoking barrels
Billy Elliot
Never Been Kissed
Bridget Jones’ Diary
So many good movies but these are hands down my all time faves.
Before Sunrise, Before Sunset, Before Midnight (sneakily chucked them in together)
Once
Wild (probably because it came at just the right time for me)
I’m with you Emma. My brain kind of had a tizz when I tried to think of any movies I love, but your movie choices are perfect :)
Can we do this with books next?!
YES!!
I’m in!
True Romance
Heartburn
The Bourne Identity
Sooo many but without hesitation…
Crooklyn
The Matrix
Spirited Away
Gotta have a movie night soon!
Too many to narrow down so here’s my long list, in no particular order:
Jurassic Park
You’ve Got Mail
Spanglish
Father of the Bride 1 & 2
Love Actually
Harry Potter
Emperor’s New Groove (my kids and I laugh hysterically through the whole thing!)
It’s a Wonderful Life
About Time
Singin’ In the Rain
…and because I can’t choose just three….
Life is Beautiful
Roman Holiday
Little Women (1994)
Newsies
Casablanca (though I do adore To Have and Have Not too)
Howl’s Moving Castle (The animation where you first see the castle is amazing!)
You’ve Got Mail (I realize that objectively, Ephron may have had better films but I love books, I love bouquets of pencils and Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks interacting)
Runners up might include Beauty and the Beast, the Third Man, and It Happened One Night
I LOVE You’ve Got Mail – it’s one of the few movies my daughters and I look forward to watching every fall (another being Little Women).
Oh this is agony! So thrilled that someone mentioned Stop Making Sense!! On the music theme, I have a die-hard love for Tommy. Big fan of Philadelphia, ANYTHING by the awesome Coen boys, The Piano, and also Beginners- an exquisite fulm with Ewan McGregor, Christopher Plummer and Goran Visnjic.
Ahhh! This is so tough.
1. This is an easy one… leaps and bounds ahead of all the others… BABY BOOM. I watch this every time I’m sick and any time I get a rainy day at home with nothing to do. I play it for all my coworkers when I have to work over the weekend and have co-opted the plot to tell to my nieces and nephew during bedtime stories. It is THE perfect movie to me and I will never get sick of it. I’m an expert in the 80’s Rom-Com featuring career women walking around NYC in their skirt suits and sneakers, and Baby Boom completely holds up. It contains a scene with enthusiastic consent! With the exception of the nanny interviews, there aren’t even any cringe-worthy scenes. And Sam Shepard as the hot vet? Swoon.
2. Now and Then – My childhood best friend and i spent many a summer riding our bikes all around town while singing “Knock Three Times”, contemplating water vs. pudding balloons, and daydreaming about Devon Sawa’s butt – all thanks to this movie.
3. Can’t Hardly Wait – probably the most underrated teen movie. And Ethan Embry. Again, swoon.
Honorable mentions that really all could have been #3: Waiting To Exhale, That Thing You Do, Sabrina (w/ Audrey Hepburn), Pride and Prejudice (w/ Keira), Father of the Bride, Dirty Dancing, any Nora Ephron movie (but especially When Harry Met Sally)
Titanic came out when I was in 8th grade (making me the perfect age to develop a HUGE crush on Leonardo) and I saw that movie EIGHT TIMES in the theater. For real. The best part is it that I haven’t watched it since. Anyway, my perennial favorites are as follows:
1. Pride and Prejudice (Kiera’s version)
2. Jurassic Park (not sure why, but I love this movie)
3. Ocean’s 11 (this movie is nearly perfect and amazingly, there’s no sex, violence or swearing!)
The Third Man
The Lady Eve
The Searchers
All time favorite
Return To Me-bring on the Kleenex
Anything with Sandra Bullock or Reese Witherspoon
Serendipity
National Treasure 1 and 2
Can I controversially suggest a top three bad movies poll? Movies you know aren’t the peak of the art form (or have been generally panned) but hold a very special place in your heart?
Mine:
Elizabethtown
Oceans 12
Beauty Shop (W/ Queen Latifah)
Moulin Rouge
O Brother Where Art Thou?
Minority Report
Interstellar
Sixteen Candles
Lilo & Sitch
Love your top 3!!!
So hard to pick 3 and I feel like my favorites change all the time as I see new movies through the years. I feel like this question gets asked and I immediately forget movies I have watched and loved, so I started keeping a list on my phone.
True Stories
Working Girl
The Graduate
Too many favorites:
The Godfather
Miller’s Crossing (by the incomparable Cohen Brothers)
High Society (the remake of the Philadelphia Story)
Harry Potter –all of them
All the Doris Day movies (sing, act and gorgeous!)
All the Audrey Hepburn movies
Pan’s Labrinth
The Party (Peter Sellars at his best)
All of Cary Grant’s movies
One movie that I don’t nderstand the love is –The Big Lebowski (only movie that I can remember walking out)
Random, question but since you like Cary Grant films and high Society, do you also like the Philadelphia Story? Love your list! Also- I’ve only seen a few Doris Day films. What would you recommend as your top three from her?
Too many favorites. I could never just pick 3:)
Meryl: Out of Africa, Bridges of Madison County, Devil Wears Prada, Julie & Julia
Brit: English Patient, 2005 Pride & Prejudice, Far From the Madding Crowd, Much Ado About Nothing
Time Travel-ish: About Time, Age of Adeline, Inception, Midnight in Paris
Christmas: Elf, Love Actually, the Holiday, Family Stone, Step Mom, White Christmas
Just Life: Dan in Real Life, Crazy Stupid Love, Secret Life of Walter Mitty, We Bought a Zoo, Aloha, Chef, Dear Frankie
Spy/Heist(new versions): Man From Uncle, Oceans…,Thomas Crown Affair, Italian Job
Oldies: Court Jester, Bringing up Baby, West Side Story, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
And there’s many more favorites! I’ve never wanted to see any of the Godfather movies, but think I will try one out now:)
Great list! Love the categories!
autopsy of jane doe , 300 and 3rd is golden eye 007 are my favourites movies
1. Amelie
2. Volver (w/Penelope Cruz)
3. Royal Tenenbaums/Darjeeling Limited
Groundhog Day! Best movie ever!
True!
The Darjeeling Limited, Annie Hall, Love Actually, everything else by Richard Curtis, Something’s Gotta Give, and so many more, but it really depends what genre we’re talking about! Also of course just absolutely love When Harry Met Sally and everything written by Nora Ephron, who speaks directly to my heart.
Labyrinth (because David Bowie, duh!)
Contact (it always fills me with wonder and awe)
Sense and Sensibility
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Lord of the Rings trilogy
Howl’s Moving Castle (seriously, such a sweet story)
I have a soft spot for late 60’s/early 70’s films, whether spooky like Stepford Wives and Rosemary’s Baby (Get Out totally reminded me of that era), or dramas like The Graduate, Harold and Maud, and Taxi Driver. Such great filmmaking back then!
Call me by your name!
Yes yes yes! All day long :)
1. To Sir, With Love (love all things Sidney Portier)
2. All About Eve (anything Bette Davis)
3. Dial M for Murder (Hitchcock rules!)
I love the classics.
To Sir With Love, now that’s a movie! No special effects or gimmicks just excellent writing and acting. They don’t even make movies like this anymore.
1. Napoleon Dynamite
2. Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure
3. The Big Lebowski
Napoleon Dynamite is the only movie I will always sit down and watch from beginning to end, without moving. No getting up, no snacks. No phone, no scrolling. I’m glued to the screen through THE WHOLE THING. I don’t know what it is. Every time I watch it, there’s something new for my eyes to see. So many people hate Napoleon Dynamite, but it’s the perfect movie for me!
I try to follow instructions but I simply cannot be limited to 3 movies!
While You Were Sleeping (Mr Joe Fusco Junior)
You’ve Got Mail
Sabrina (The remake with Harrison Ford and Greg Kinnear)
That Thing You Do (A guy in a really nice trailer wants to put our song on the raido!)
Remember the Titans (Can recite the whole movie, drives my husband crazy)
Father of the Bride (Part 1 and 2! Someone else said it but Frahnk can’t be beat)
Also Singing in the Rain and The Fugitive. Runaway Bride ranks pretty high too.
1. Dirty Dancing
2. The Bridges of Madison County
3. Good Will Hunting/Dead Poet’s Society/Breakfast Club
Jaws, Children of Paradise, Stranger than Fiction
Forgot It’s a Wonderful Life. You’ve Got Mail is also up there <3
Sense and Sensibility
Best in Show
The Graduate
(Rushmore, The Big Lebowski, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Eat Drink Man Woman, Man on Wire, When Harry Met Sally, A Serious Man, Grand Budapest Hotel, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Royal Tenenbaums, Coming to America, and not a movie, but BBC’s Pride & Prejudice)
Whew. Okay, so those are my 3, ha!
You Can Count on Me – I saw this four times in the movie theatre so I could sit next to different friends as they experienced it. Great writing, acting, and stays with you for days, months, years…
Hoosiers – the best in the genre of “sports movies” (second place – Breaking Away)
Hannah and Her Sisters – Woody Allen, so bit tough to add to this list, but such a beautiful, funny, and nuanced movie
Crazy Rich Asians
Dead Poets Society
Cinema Paradiso
But I love so many of the other movies too (amelie, juno, nick and nora’s infinite playlist…)
ooooo I was just thinking about this!
1. Cabin in the Woods
2. Interstellar
3. The Royal Tenenbaums v. The Life Aquatic v. Rushmore
runner up: 4. Best in Show
Just had to look up Cabin in the Woods (which I’d never heard of) based on the amazingness of the rest of your list.
Great choices!! I was OBSESSED with Cabin in the Woods and told everyone I knew about it that week I saw it. Also recently re-watched Interstellar and I think about it constantly. It amazes me how it does NOT feel like 3 hours long. Tars!
In the Mood for Love
The Jerk
The English Patient
SARAH. A few weeks ago I was listening to an NPR story that made me remember a romance movie I loved in an Asian cinema class in college. I couldn’t believe I had forgotten about it, and tried googling “Chinese,” “Love” and “Movie” in as many combinations as I could think of to no avail. And then I click on this post and yours is the first response I read. I can finally watch it again! Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
In the mood for love is my favorite, too. Just so beautiful. And i love that your list led to Vittoria solving her mystery!
– Father of the Bride
– Tommy Boy
– Steel Magnolias
Runners-up: Sleepless in Seattle, You’ve Got Mail, A League of Their Own, National Lampoon’s Vacation, Crazy Stupid Love
The notebook
4 weddings and a funeral
Mon oncle (My uncle – Tati)
North by northwest
Love this topic! So many good movies listed (and many new ones to see)
1. The Bridges of Madison County
2. Lost Boys
3. Pretty Woman
1. Because it makes me cry – and there’s something about Clint Eastwood in it (!), 2. reminds me of growing up in the 1980s, and 3. I watched over and over with my beautiful mum, who sadly passed away four years ago ♡
Back to the Future
Garden State
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Plus hundreds of close runners-up!
Garden State over here, too! That soundtrack…
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, too!
Also:
Never Been Kissed
Catch & Release
You’ve Got Mail
Something’s Gotta Give
1) Big Fish (really spoke to me after my dad passed away).
2) The Lord of the Rings: Two Towers (bring on all the nostalgia!) It came out in middle school and my best friend and I were obsessed.
3) Roman Holiday (started my obsession with old movies and romantic movies in general. Gregory Peck 4ever!)
My favourite dramas
1. Broken Circle Breakdown – didn’t win the Oscar for foreign movie that year but I watched it with a film club. While usually we would have a round of questions and discussion about the movie after the finish, we (men and women) actually sat there crying in silence for at least 5 minutes (an eternity basically) before doing that. Highly recommend if you are into drama!
2. Kite Runner – amazing book, great Adaption (if you are into foreign films depicting the less fortunate lifes in other countries, you will also like Capernaum)
3. Dead Poets Society – Reading & Robin Williams do I need to say more?
I LOVE Broken Circle Breakdown – so beautiful, so moving, ended up a puddle of tears
Agree with so many of these, but so far no one has said
“My Cousin Vinny”?!?!?!
It’s one of my favorites for sure! I think I saw one other person mention it? Every time I watch it, I marvel at just how pitch-perfect the script is and how well Joe Pesci and Marisa Tomei play off each other.
Yes! My fave movie. My biological clock is tickin’!!! Hahah
How has no one listed Star Wars? Return of the Jedi for sure ?
Also, Blade Runner and A Star Is Born
Romantic comedy- What’s Your Number or This Means War
Ocean’s 11 or 13
Hell or High Water (to borrow from a comment above, can’t watch it again, but can’t forget it either. Don’t Google it. Just watch it.)
1 – The Fall
2 – Whale Rider
3 – Spirited Away
Love Whale Rider so much!
How has ‘What About Bob?’ not been mentioned? Absolute film classic! And ‘Midnight in Paris’ is so absolutely lovely!
These are two of my absolute favorites!!
So true, definitely in my top list! Grew up watching What About Bob,and my family quotes it all the time!
We went to the premier of Midnight in Paris years back when we lived in LA… we accidentally got sat right next to Owen Wilson (gah!) and, as he watched he turned to us (gahhh!) and said “I can’t usually stand watching myself at these things, but I actually like this one.” He casually turned back to the screen, watched until right about at the end, and got up to leave early. Night made and neat to watch him watch himself!
Wow!!!!
3 is nearly impossible, but at this given moment I’d say;
1. Almost Famous
2. Shirley Valentine (earliest indication maybe a life of travel and non-traditional was the direction I should follow)
3. Harold and Maude
There’s many more but those stand out in my mind. It also depends on my mood sometimes you just need a Harry Potter day or Jason Borne fix!
Fiddler on the Roof, anyone???
The Fall
Wonder Woman
The Sorrow and the Pity
The Fall!! Not many people talk about that movie.
The ones that come to mind first are
1) LORD OF THE RINGS!!
2) 13 Going on 30
3) Bourne Identity
1. Moonstruck, forever and always (Cher! Olympia Dukakis! Martinis! Moonlight! Glam red heels! Nic Cage! La Boheme!)
2. Meet Me in St. Louis (Judy Garland in a ravishing red dress, singing Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas)
3. Signs (Kind of out of character for me, but I love the acting ((Mel Gibson is subtle but great)), the script, the soundtrack, and it’s just scary enough for me!)
Also, LITERALLY ANYTHING that Nancy Meyer waves her wand over (Parent Trap, Father of the Bride movies, The Holiday)
I Love “Meet me in St Louis” :)
1. Bridesmaids (always makes me feel better and crack up)
2. About Time (like another reader said it makes me feel alive)
3. Swingers (classic)
About Time is so good!
Watched it copious times since it hit Netflix!
This is the EPITOME of random but i sat next to Elaine Chao (secretary of transportation and wifE of Mitch McConnell—I’m a politics nerd) on a flight and watched About Time… she watched half of it over my shoulder and commented later that it is one of her all-time favorite movies! Haha SO random, I’m sorry. I’ll retreat back to my weird cave now…
Love About Time! I walked down the aisle to The Luckiest in part because of how beautifully it was used at the end of that movie!
Kate! That’s so sweet!! When I was in college, I used to listen to “The Luckiest” on repeat and cry because of how beautiful it is. This was years before I met my current husband or the movie came out.
Fast forward years, I got married and I am watching About Time for the first time (it is now my all time favorite along with Arrival) and I don’t notice the beginning of the song at the beginning of movie, and then the part with the lyrics comes at the very end of the movie, and I start balling. Of course my life is definitely not the same since, in the best way, thanks God :)
Bawling*
1) Almost Famous
2) True Romance
3) The Big Lebowski
-The (original) Parent Trap
-The Hangover
-Blue Velvet
Room with a view
Philadelphia Story
The Sting
(And Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid,
Days of Heaven, Field of Dreams, Greencard, Heartburn, Sea of Love, The Apartment, Ofd Couple, Pink Panther…so many!)
If we are really going to make me choose 3 (sigh!) then mine are:
1. Romeo and Juliet (Baz Lurhmann)
2. Edward Scissorhands
3. Back to the Future/Point Break
First of all, I adore the fact that you have a family group text. That is so sweet. Secondly, only THREE?! I’m a sucker for kid’s movies and often turn to them to cheer myself up, but the three movies I watch the most are probably Yes Man (as it inspired me to try new things), Legally Blonde (as it taught me that I can be girly, smart, AND strong all at once), and Charlie’s Angels (because I love a woman who can kick some butt)!
After an entire day of careful thought, I’ve decided on:
1. Clueless
2. Groundhog’s Day
3. You’ve Got Mail
(4. My Fair Lady 5. Forrest Gump)
Ugh, this is so hard!
Once, during a job interview, I was asked “What is your favorite movie?” and I couldn’t think of any! I said, “I don’t like Wes Anderson movies.” That was my response!! I’m convinced it’s the reason I didn’t get the job. After that, I pretty much convinced myself I’m not a movie person.
Yet today, doing this exercise, I easily listed 50. They range from childhood favorites (Now and Then, Sister Act II) to cult classics (Empire Records, Labyrinth) to box office classics (Thor Ragnarok, Pulp Fiction) to classic classics (Forrest Gump, Good Will Hunting) to cheesy romcoms (Sweet Home Alabama, Miss Congeniality). I’m proud of my taste in movies and I can’t wait to spend the summer watching all the movies I can’t believe I haven’t seen by now (Rocky, The Godfather… yikes.)
You’ve Got Mail
Working Girl
The Lord of The Rings
Plus: About Time, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Guardian of Galaxy 1
Jaws, Alien, and Mulan
Sense and Sensibility
Inglorious Basterds
Brooklyn
The Princess Bride
Say Anything
Bull Durham, which I watched in the early stages of labour and on my daughter’s first birthday.
My mom watched Bull Durham in the hospital as she was laboring with my brother!
Top three(ish):
(1) The Third Man
(2) True Romance
(3) North by Northwest
Honorable Mentions: The Iron Giant, Moonrise Kingdom, The Fifth Element, The Last Picture Show
Good Will Hunting
Notting Hill
Lord of the Rings
Bonus…my five-year-old daughter and I have watched Moana countless times together. Every single time Moana returns the heart to Te Ka we snuggle tight in anticipation of Te Fiti’s transformation. I feel empowered by Moana’s gentle kindness and badass courage…I think my little one feels the same wave. Definitely a bonus favorite movie!
Call me by your name
When Harry Met sally
Amelie
I’m a sucker for a great love story.
Being Julia (Annette Bening is perfection)
Gosford Park (Maggie Smith is my idol in this and Downton Abbey)
Beauty and the Beast – the animated version
Oh, I love Gosford Park. Almost forgot about that one… such a well put together movie.
must have watched it about 50 times back when I had 3 channels and 4 DVDs (Gosford Park, the 2 Kill Bills, and Swimming Pool with Charlotte Rampling).
Bagdad Cafe
Stop Making Sense
When Harry Met Sally
(And Despicable Me….)
My Best Friends Wedding
Notting Hill
Harry Potter
Empire Records
My favourite movies are about groups of rambunctious, dysfunctional men! Why?!
Good Fellas
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
The Thomas Crown Affair (what IS it about Pierce Brosnan!)
Under the Tuscan Sun
Love Actually
Bridget Jones’ Diary
Clearly…. i like romantic movies. At this point, i’m leaning in!
OK, these aren’t necessarily my *favorite* but they are my absolute most-watched and always-watchable, comfort food of movies:
1) Willy Wonky & the Chocolate Factory
2) Father of the Bride (Franck! The Naahvy blue tux-ah-do!)
3) Bridget Jones (ok, I’d watch Colin Firth doing anything)
4) Elf (son of a nutcracker!)
I’m 40 and have never seen the Godfather(s) so it’s going on my weekend watch list. :)
Oh! I already commented above but then I remembered The Emperor’s New Groove! My whole family can quote it in its entirety!
Agreed. Hilarious movie!
Cashback
Blue is the Warmest Color
The Breakfast Club
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Romeo & Juliet (Baz Luhrman version)
Titanic/My Best Friend’s Wedding/Anchorman/Princess Bride…
I can’t decide on third place! Anyway, such great votes in these comments!
Eternal Sunshine and Titanic are definitely in my Top 3, too! Think Means Girls would take the 3rd spot for me. So hard!
Father of the Bride (watched it more times than I can count)
You’ve Got Mail (glad to see I’m in good company with this one!)
Good Will Hunting OR The Fugitive OR Ocean’s 11 (this is difficult)
Father of the Bride 2
Grumpy Old Men
The Wedding Date
1. Before sunrise
2. The graduate
3. The Godfather (I and II)…..feeling old now
I love “That Thing You Do”!!
My husband I also super love “School of Rock”!
This is really hard, I have more than 3….
Here are a few more:
Devil Wears Prada- “Please move a glacial speed, you know how that thrills me..” Ha!
Tombstone – The only western I could get into, well…Kurt Russell and Val Kilmer!
Remember the Titans – My husband is a football coach and we saw this together, special place in my heart.
But there’s so many more and all different…Godfather, Superbad, Anchorman, Wedding Crashers, Brooklyn…. :)
That Thing You Do is one our family staples, but it’s rare to find someone else who loves it! My jazz playlist on Spotify is called The Blue Spot. :)
Yes!! That thing you do!! “I quit! I quit! I quit…”. Ah Liv Tyler ?
That Thing You Do! is a perfect movie. “A man in a really nice camper wants to put our song on the radio! You’re signing, I’m signing, we’re all signing!”
“Oh I’m not here with these fellas. I got a pig in the livestock competition and I am gonna win that blue ribbon!”
Out of Africa
The English Patient
Gladiator
Good ones! I forgot how much I loved Out of Africa, I think I’ll watch that tonight!
“The English Patient is the most perfect movie I have ever seen” I sighed as I left the theater around Christmas, 1996. I still think that.
Oh god! How to choose just 3?
Some of my faves:
The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly
Superbad
Shawshank Redemption
Love Shawshank Redemption… “get busy living or get busy dying”
Dazed And Confused
Mallrats (don’t @ me)
Sixteen Candles
Also the Before Sunrise/Sunset/Midnight trilogy. And Everybody Wants Some.
Can’t choose 3. But:
Lord of the rings
About time
Pride and prejudice
Plus:
Notting hill
Far from the maddening crowd
Crazy heart
Junebug
Rushmore
Lost in a translation
Only lovers left alive
Dan in real life
Legends of the fall
Once
Darjeeling Limited (Wes Anderson anything really)
Secret of Roan Inish
I have anxiety about seeing films in the theater. I hate the idea that I’m sat there for well over an hour with little control over my emotions surrounded by a lot of noise. Does anyone else feel this way? Relatedly, I’m also one of those people that looks up the plot before watching anything which annoys everyone I know but I never spoil anything for anyone else!
Hello there, Hali. I’ve finally found someone just like me!
I’m not so anxious per se in a theatre, but I cannot unsee anything and remember it too vividly for my own good. So I cannot watch anything before looking it up in case I see something that is too shocking for my system.
You are the only other person I’ve found who acknowledges this! Hi5!
ME TOOOOOOO!
I must google the plot before I go otherwise I can’t see it. I feel like I need to gird myself before entering an emotional battle if you will :)
Also the Darjeeling Limited is my all time fave, I have too too many to fit it into three but that movie will always be up there :)
I don’t have anxiety about seeing movies in the theater, per se, but I also just don’t enjoy it very much – I do feel like I’m being held captive, I can’t control the temperature, I don’t want to pay an arm and a leg for a bottle of water and snack. Movies at home though? Love it. I can sprawl across the sofa, wear my PJs, pause for a bathroom break, etc.
1) Forest Gump (The soundtrack alone makes this my #1!)
2) Pulp Fiction (My partner and I bonded over our mutual love of this one on our first date, and now I’ll never not include it in my top movies of all time. Plus Uma Thurman is my forever girl crush)
3) O Brother Where Art Thou? (Another amazing soundtrack and seriously hilarious, while also being a witty telling of the Odyssey.)
I could watch those three over and over again!
Shindler’s List, not easy to watch, but with life changing impact
Harry Potter
Out of Africa
Should’ve probably also admitted to Harry Potter. It’s by far my most watched movie (series). Potterhead over here.
The Seventh Seal (yes I’m from Sweden)
Breakfast at Tiffany’s
Amelie!
Oh and anything Emma Thompson…
Joe versus the Volcano (anyone??)
Sabrina (Humphrey Bogart or Harrison Ford version)
Love Actually
Yes! Most people have never even heard of Joe vs the Volcano and man are they missing out. So quirky and so good!!!!
Random quotes from this movie pop into my head all the time…. “I have no response to that.” “I’m not arguing that with you”
Love this! My husband and I have a running list of top 10 desert island shows. If you ONLY had ten shows to watch the rest of your life forever. I had to recently bump one to add Fleabag (!)
Out of Africa, The way we were, English Patient and Silence of the lambs (kept me out of my sleep for 4 nights). Best wishes from The Netherlands
There’s enough comments on this post but I’ll give my .02 because fun.
1. When Harry Met Sally
(The soundtrack! Walks through Central Park in the fall! Cableknit sweaters!)
2. Pride and Prejudice (2005- I was in high school when my mom bought this movie on a whim at Target. I watched it and was instantly sucked into the dreamy scenery and the love story between Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy. I remember waking up before school on mornings when there was a 2 hour delay and popping the DVD in so I could cozy up with some hot cocoa and watch it).
3. Harry Potter- the entire series (either you get it or you don’t there is no in between I’m sorry).
P.S. These are the only films I own on DVD thus their immediate placement in my top 3.
Midnight in Paris
The Hundred Foot Journey
Wedding Singer – Adam sandler’s best movie
Honorable mention for Coming to America.
The Hundred Foot Journey is so underrated! Moving and sweet and fun and beautiful.
Love the Hundred Foot Journey!
#1 Titanic, #2 a battle between (Cinderella man and Southpaw), #3 Life is beautiful.
Now I am tempted to spend the weekend, re-watching all these for the hundredth time!
I just recently got introducted to COJ, and am an instant fan. Lovely blog and even more lovely readers/comment. hugs to everyone xo
1) Rear Window
2) Legends of the Fall
3) Sixteen Candles
Shawshank redemption
Inception
The royal tenenbaums
+ special mention for little women (the one with winona), I rewatched it last as and it’s still A+
In no particular order:
– Sarah’s Key
– Brooklyn
– Logan
– Shrek
But there are so many close ones too! Toy Story, Ratatouille, Glory, etc.
Love how the youngest kid’s top three are the most diverse.
To all you Pride and Prejudice peeps, give Sense and Sensibility a try. Emma Thompson’s screenplay and her acting are both stunning.
Stealing Beauty
Dances with Wolves
High Fidelity ( for the 30 seconds of Bruce Springsteen)
That Thing You Do (the people who know this movie LOVE THIS MOVIE, and the extended directors cut is so good)
Draft Day (not a “good” movie by any means, but I don’t follow the NFL at all and now I watch it every year around the NFL draft and it gets me every time. not to mention, chadwick boseman pre-black panther!)
Remember the Titans (cheesy and predictable but oh so good)
Honorary mentions
Shawshank (I can’t watch it again but can’t forget it either)
Parent Trap (Lindsay Lohan)
Oceans 11 (introduced me to heist movies and perfected the art of the “motley crew” coming together… and seriously, george clooney + matt damon + brad pitt + julia, how can anyone resist???)
Ocean’s 11 is one of my favorites too! So glad to see it made someone else’s list!
It’s true, I can almost quote That Thing You Do verbatim! My whole family loves it SO MUCH.
That Thing You Do is my family’s most quoted movie!! Great list