What are some of your favorite movies to watch and why?

I like the TREMORS movies, all of them. Why? Because these are my kind of folks. Who couldn't like Burt, Val and Earl. Before my folks moved up, about once a year I used to have what I called a Tremors Day. I'd put my sleeping bag on the living room floor, stay in my pjs, fix some popcorn and watch Tremors and all the sequels back to back. What a great do nothing day! Haven't done it for years now. Probably couldn't get up off the floor now!

I love the kind of movies that stick with you for awhile and you can watch again and see something new. I love Hidalgo, Harvey, Return to Me, The Green Mile, Saving Private Ryan, Schindler's List, Sound of Music, On the Waterfront, Avatar, Passion of the Christ, ... there are SO many. But, as most of us I suspect, I haven't really indulged in movie watching too much anymore.

As for movies, just can't find a time slot good enough to movie watch... but if I am lucky I will watch part of a Turner Classic "Key Largo" with Edward G. Robinson and Humphrey Bogart. Such outstanding acting.

If I need something to watch to make me sleepy, I usually turn to the reruns of the comedy TV show "Frasier" as that always works :0

I am a drama buff. I like the ones that have a strong moral tone. Forrest Gump, And Justice for All, Gilbert Grape, Terms of Endearment, The Pursuit of Happyness... gosh, I like so many. They seem very different, but they all have moral theme.

When it comes to TV I am more normal. Grey's Anatomy, Blacklist, Revenge. I used to like The Good Wife until she started to run for state attorney. Then it got boring and confusing. They ruined a good show.

I love so many of the Sci fi types listed above! My favs are 13th Warrior and the expendibles series ( oh yes I drool), but for a good belly laugh give me The Great Outdoors or any John Candy movie...or The Money Pit. For a feel good cry I love Bye Bye Love...

I find it hard to watch a movie with Mom. She has trouble hearing so misses the dialog. Does not like scary, bloody, movies that have any death scenes, movies with lots of dialog or character development, or ones that have any animation....so we have a small list of the ones we can watch during our together time.

Usually I pick a nap time to watch a movie or catch up on an on demand TV show that is too rough for her (NCIS, CSI, ELEMENTARY, NCIS LA, NCISLOLA, etc) but what happens is she wakes up and joins me. Then I get the isn;t there anything else on...so I change to a show she likes and she falls asleep. but as soon as I change the channel back to "my" movie she wakes up to watch the one she wanted that is already half over...sad ...
There are movies like Dave, American President, Sabrina, etc that I can watch with her - Crocodile Dundee, etc and we have them on tape.

glasshalffull, I know what you mean. I tried to watch the TV a few times here. My mother would come in and start complaining about how bad the show was. She wouldn't let up until I would give up watching what I wanted. I don't even try to watch the TV anymore. She told me it was her TV. So I let it be hers and watch things on my computer. I subscribe to Hulu and Netflix, so get a large assortment of things. It works for me.

I like the movie "DAVE" but I always wonder how they got the other guy in the ambulance....Do you do that ...try and debunk the movie?

glasshalffull, I notice these editorial glitches, too, in movies and shows. I think we're just not supposed to notice when things don't make good sense. I find myself telling myself, "It's only a movie" and trying to ignore the problems with logistics. I guess the good thing about making a movie is you can make it go the way you want it to. For example, in a crime show you can make the DNA profile fit someone who just happened to be picked up for a misdemeanor 5 years back... and wonder why they did a DNA profile on this person. Some things push the limits of credibility, but it's just a show. :D

I like the sweeping, historical dramas such as Gone with the Wind, Dr. Zhivago, Mayerling, and others. As many times I as I watch them, there's always something I realize that I missed in earlier viewings.

Expanding from movies to series, Downton Abbey, Mr. Selfridge and the old Cadfael series are marvelous - there's so much historical and social drama, so much insight into classes and social change.

And of course, Top Gun, Executive Decision and all the JAG series, although they're not really movies.

Reading the Favorite Things post I was reminded that the Never Ending Story was another favorite - it's so philosophical and allegorical. Another in that category is The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe in the Chronicles of Narnia.

But how could I forget Avatar? It's another allegorical movie, but also one of tremendous creativity and beauty in the non combat scenes.

Avatar was interesting, especially how they derived their spiritual fix from plugging their tail into 'the source' which I believe was the Banyon tree.
Or something like that.

SendMe, that's one of the fascinating themes in Avatar - the interconnectivity with the animals and the natural world, similar to that of native peoples who learn to learn with the land and not exploit it. I think that was also one of the very well integrated if not somewhat disguised aspect of the film, the criticism peoples and countries which seek to conquer and subordinate.

GardenArtist, Yes, it is also the native people, and present in every culture the practice of ' using something ' to either numb oneself or get high (reference to 'plugging their tail into the source), usually provided by others who wish to control, conquer and subordinate. That is how I saw it, missing the allegory which was meant by the movie makers and perhaps taking it more literally?

SendMe, I didn't think of that possibility at all. That's an interesting theory.

I saw the control, conquer and subordinate efforts as being exerted by the "Sky People", the colonialists who came to Pandora for the element "unobtanium", with a military leader "assisting" - someone who clearly was ready to use a slash and burn tactic which could destroy the native people's connection with the land and Eywa.

Their actions were clearly those of conquerors and plunderers. I've frequently been reminded of the conquistadors and other Europeans who plundered and confiscated when they "colonized" the "New World."

I'm guessing there are a lot of theories about this fascinating movie, perhaps even why the animals had 6 instead of 4 legs. And of course there's the planet's name: Pandora.

The Milagro Beanfield War, and The Maldonado Miracle.
The Maldonado Miracle was director Selma Hayek's only movie, and was a hit.
Especially just remembered Mare Winningham singing 'Plastic Jesus'. Strange town, strange relationships, strange story, but it could have been real. Don't usually watch movies like this, but husband liked it, so I did.

Garden Artist, did you ever watch 'Raintree County' with Elizabeth Taylor? Wasn't that during the same historical period as 'Gone With the Wind'?

SendMe, I have some vague recollections of having watched it. Just did a quick check - you're correct; it was about the same time. I think there was another movie with Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift set in the South but I think it was in the early 20's. Will have to do some more checking tomorrow.

Attention all caregivers! There is a newer movie out called "The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. Anyone wanting a retirement plan with their caregiver friends needs to watch this! Bill Nighy Judy Dench, Maggie Smith.

Place in the Sun or Suddenly Last Summer are the Liz Taylor/Monty Clift flicks

I watched the marigold hotel on my flight back.. it was soo good!! I think there is a part 2 out now.. going to have to look for it!

Dr. Strangelove, with Peter Sellers, George C Scott. Saving Private Ryan, the best world war 2 movie ever made. Tootsie, best of Dustin Hoffman. Fargo, "I think I'm gonna barf!", best dark humor movie of all time.

The first Marigold Hotel movie was great. The second, a rip off remake for extending profit.

Run Silent, Run Deep; Guns of Navarone, Force 10 from Navarone, Red October - lots of action!

Julia is a move of an entirely different genre, sometimes intense, sometimes sad and melancholy, and sometimes politically very relevant.

Just got through watching "Karate Kid".... lot of lessons in that movie.... for some reason my ribs are hurting now :P

Away From Her was definitely helpful for me because my mom had Alzheimer's and it was an extremely visceral portrayal of what goes on between two married people when one begins to become increasingly symptomatic. The movie shows how heartbreaking it is for the rest of the family. In this case, the Husband...very realistic.

If we were talking about TV shows... and now I will...LOL I love Black Sails!!
I DVR it when we get Showtime free, and rented the first season from the library. I also love Ripper Street and used to watch Copper!

No, I was talking about a movie called "Away From Her", it is about a couple experiencing Alzheimer's. in my humble opinion it is a very realistic portrayal of the progression of the disease and the effects it has on the loved ones. My husband, however, is very fond of the series black sails.

Finished, and what a creative ending to "Away from Her"! That movie led me to contemplate the rationale behind not being able to see a loved one in a facility for was it 30 days or more? That is, in my opinion, such a self-serving and controlling policy.