What's your alltime favorite movie?

["Skeet" McD]

The thread's initial question is for me a no-brainer: Withnail & I, written and directed by Bruce Robinson, 1986. I've seen it 94 times.

And counting...

Ahh....the chicken in the stove. Just thinking about it makes me laugh out loud. And there's so much more.

"Skeet"

 

[MisterCairo]

[QUOTE="Skeet" McD]Ahh....the chicken in the stove. Just thinking about it makes me laugh out loud. And there's so much more.

"Skeet"[/QUOTE]

"Oy! Parkin's been! There's the supper!"

"What the... are we supposed to do with THAT?!"

"EAT it!"

"EAT IT?! The f@#$%^'s alive!"

"Ya, I know, YOU"VE got to kill it!"

 

[Yeps]

Drama...Lawrence of Arabia
Comedy...The Princess Bride (with The Court Jester a close runner up)
Musical... Singing in the Rain (The Court Jester does not count as musical, even though there is plenty of singing.)

 

[The Good]

I would have to say that The Godfather is my all-time favorite film. It's about as close to perfection as a movie can achieve, in my opinion of course. The next two that rank high up there are The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, and Once Upon a Time in the West. The Treasure of the Sierra Madre and Casablanca are definitely next following those mentioned, and are excellent as well, which I'm sure most of you can agree with, though maybe not necessarily my top three.

 

[Chas]

Impossible to pick one for me. There are "perfect films", in my opinion. 42nd Street, The Seven Samurai, The Big Sleep, Casablanca, For Whom The Bell Tolls.

 

[The Good]

Impossible to pick one for me. There are "perfect films", in my opinion. 42nd Street, The Seven Samurai, The Big Sleep, Casablanca, For Whom The Bell Tolls.

I've only seen The Seven Samurai and Casablanca, but I can definitely agree with those choices. The Big Sleep is something that I have actually added to my Netflix rental queue. I'll have to check out your other two though.

 

[Yeps]

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly,

I like the first two of the trilogy much more. The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly got a budget, and, I think, suffered from it. To me the characters (except maybe Tuco) were nowhere near as compelling as those from the first two.

Don't get me wrong, I loved the movie, but if I were to pick one of the Dollar Trilogy movies to be on this list, it would not be that one.

 

[The Good]

I like the first two of the trilogy much more. The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly got a budget, and, I think, suffered from it. To me the characters (except maybe Tuco) were nowhere near as compelling as those from the first two.

Don't get me wrong, I loved the movie, but if I were to pick one of the Dollar Trilogy movies to be on this list, it would not be that one.

I think I get what you meant by that, and I agree that Tuco was the most compelling character, while the rest rarely spoke (though when they did, it was great), and seemed almost to be "perfect," compared to Tuco, almost as if with superhero or supervillain qualities (Blondie and Angel Eyes). Tuco seemed to be the most believable character.

I really like the other two in the Dollars Trilogy as well though, and I think For A Few Dollars More is my second favorite. A Fistful of Dollars, while third, is still a great film superior to so much that's out there...

 

[Mr E Train]

I like the first two of the trilogy much more. The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly got a budget, and, I think, suffered from it. To me the characters (except maybe Tuco) were nowhere near as compelling as those from the first two.

Don't get me wrong, I loved the movie, but if I were to pick one of the Dollar Trilogy movies to be on this list, it would not be that one.

I disagree about the characters being less compelling than in the first two. I think Eli Wallach as Tuco is more compelling than all the characters in the first two combined. I consider him one of the all-time great characters, played by one of the all-time great character actors. I love both Dollars movies, but for me they can't hold a candle to The Good, The Bad & The Ugly. Of course, that's just one man's opinion. You can't go wrong with any of them. Or Once Upon a Time in the West, or Duck, You Sucker!

 

[Dixon Cannon]

I think I get what you meant by that, and I agree that Tuco was the most compelling character, while the rest rarely spoke (though when they did, it was great), and seemed almost to be "perfect," compared to Tuco, almost as if with superhero or supervillain qualities (Blondie and Angel Eyes). Tuco seemed to be the most believable character.

I really like the other two in the Dollars Trilogy as well though, and I think For A Few Dollars More is my second favorite. A Fistful of Dollars, while third, is still a great film superior to so much that's out there...

Here is a good article on the subject: http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2010/03/08/100308fa_fact_denby

-dixon cannon

 

[Smithy]

I don't think I could narrow it down to just one but here are a few which would vie for top spot with me:

"A River Runs Through It" - being a fly fisherman and loving the 30s this is one of my all time favourites. Marvellous story as well.

"Withnail & I" - I must have seen this 20 times and I still scream with laughter when I watch it. Richard E. Grant's best role as well.

"Battle of Britain" . goes without saying.

 

[Yeps]

I disagree about the characters being less compelling than in the first two. I think Eli Wallach as Tuco is more compelling than all the characters in the first two combined. I consider him one of the all-time great characters, played by one of the all-time great character actors. I love both Dollars movies, but for me they can't hold a candle to The Good, The Bad & The Ugly. Of course, that's just one man's opinion. You can't go wrong with any of them. Or Once Upon a Time in the West, or Duck, You Sucker!

Okay, Tuco was great.

I still like the other dollar movies more, but this officially my last post on the subject, as I have clearly rambled on too much.

 

[Edward]

To pick just one..... Mmn. I remember respected film critic Barry Norman was once asked this, at a time when he'd been a professional film critic for something like thirty years. His conclusion was that it was impossible to have just one favourite film, cinema being an art form which provides so many very different experiences, why limit yourself to just one? I am very much of this mindset myself.

The one film that I do have probably a more intense relationship with than could possibly be the case for anything else is the Rocky Horror Picture Show; I've been shadowcasting that film for close to eleven years, now (which still means I'm a relative baby on that scene). I'm not sure that I would say it was close to being my favourite - I certainly virtually never watch it for pleasure now (as opposed to for rehearsal purposes... and a screening is always far more about the interaction than about the film itself).

'And oh my brothers, I was cured'

I adored the book, but the film.... meh. While the droogs were nicely done, and the soundtrack is a thing of beauty, overall it has dated very badly. That I could maybe live with, but the real kicker, and what ultimately takes away from my enjoyment of it, is the omission of the epilogue to the story (which, I am told, was also cut from the first US printing of the novel). The downbeat ending, with Alex finally coming home to discover all his friends have matured, grown up, and left him behind to his childish love of violence and delinquency, is an essential capping of the whole satire.

I'd have to say that after much deliberation, my favourite film of all time is "Lost In Translation".

I'm a big Bill Murray fan, and my wife and I have often been in similar situations as the film's protagonists.

Loved it on release; love it even more now having spent quite a fair bit of time in China over the past few years. Not quite the same as Japan, but a closely related culture, and the same sense of beig 'other' when wandering on your own... especially during work periods.

Years ago, when The Godfather was re-released I saw it at the Chinese Theater. When Tom Hagen goes to Hollywood to try and convince the producer to use Johnny Fontane in his new picture, there's an establishing shot of L.A. that includes... the Chinese Theater! How wonderfully odd it was to be inside a theater, watching a movie that includes a shot of the very theater you're in! The audience went WILD.

I've been to several Rocky Horror screenings actually within Oakley Court Hotel, the building that was used as Castle Frank'n'Furter in the film.... It's actually a beautiful hotel to stay in, convenient to Heathrow, too. Prior to being a hotel in the late 80s/early it was used in many of the movies filmed just down the road at Brae Studios, including several Hammer Horrors. It was the school building in the original St Trinian's films also. At the time of filming Rocky Horror it had gotten pretty grungy; the house had been inherited by someone who couldn't afford the upkeep, and who had also stripped the lead from the roof to be sold as scrap. Lounge folks may be interested to know that, back when still in use as a house, it is believed to have been where DeGaulle stayed while in England during WW2.

Star Wars (Ep.IV of course...and Han definitely shot first!)

Of course. The sad thing is that ever since that revision, I have lost all interest in the whole kit and caboodle of Star Wars. From being one of the touchstones of my childhood, I am now wholly and utterly indifferent to it. If I never see it again.... I don't care. The VHS tapes are probably gummed together, and I can't be bothered seeking out the proper versions on DVD.

 

[ratpack66]

With out a doubt L.A.Confidential

 

[MCPRE]

Clockwork Orange, thats a good one "righty right", " a little pain in the ol gullet huh".

My all time favorite is "To Kill A Mockingbird" I can watch that movie and turn around and watch it again. Narrated by the young Lass and all of the nostalgia hooks me in everytime I watch it.

 

[Atomic Age]

Raiders of the Lost Ark.

 

[vintage68]

I think maybe I already responded to this thread a while ago, but if not I would have to confess my choice would be Last Man Standing with Bruce Willis. Embarassing but true.

It was bases on Akira Kuwasawa's Yojimbo, which was then copied by Sergio Leone for the Man With No Name series of films with Clint Eastwood. There's just something about the film that I can watch it over and over again.

 

[Kate O Potato]

A Matter of Life and Death because I love Niv, and I love Powell & Pressburger...

(Closely followed by Hitchcock's Notorious)

 

[pretty faythe]

Recently its been the Labrynth.
Just got finished watching it on nextflix wii

 

[vintage68]

The Labyrinth is very good. Benicio Del Torro is also directing the new Hobbit movie which is hopefully to start production this year.