# What Is Your Absolute Single Favorite Movie? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 23, 2019, 7:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-absolute-single-favorite-movie/839092 "2019-08-23T07:24:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2019, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-absolute-single-favorite-movie/839092/41 "2019-08-23T14:56:41Z")
_The Empire Strikes Back_. While _Star Wars_ blew my then-twelve-year-old mind, and led to a lifelong fandom for me, the second film took everything that the first film had done, and made it even better. Nearly 40 years later, if I’m in a down mood, I put ESB on, and it makes me feel much better. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2019, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-absolute-single-favorite-movie/839092/42 "2019-08-23T15:08:13Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > The same as my favorite book: One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest. I considered it. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2019, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-absolute-single-favorite-movie/839092/43 "2019-08-23T15:10:17Z")
Blue Velvet. PABST BLUE RIBBON!!! ---
**Author:** ![RunSilent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e0b2c6/32.png) [@RunSilent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RunSilent)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2019, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-absolute-single-favorite-movie/839092/44 "2019-08-23T15:40:34Z")
Dr. Strangelove, but a close second is Aguirre, the Wrath of God ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2019, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-absolute-single-favorite-movie/839092/45 "2019-08-23T15:41:09Z")
_Spirited Away_. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2019, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-absolute-single-favorite-movie/839092/46 "2019-08-23T15:47:22Z")
There are a lot of great movies, but if I have to pick one it’s probably **The Right Stuff**. I just saw it again on TV a week or two ago. All the action and adventure moments are great, but I’d forgotten how sweet the scenes with Ed Harris and Mary Jo Deschanel are. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2019, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-absolute-single-favorite-movie/839092/47 "2019-08-23T15:50:11Z")
_Casablanca_ - a movie where great parts add up to a great whole. ---
**Author:** ![Disheavel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@Disheavel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Disheavel)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2019, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-absolute-single-favorite-movie/839092/48 "2019-08-23T15:51:58Z")
The movie that I will watch any time and is absolutely the most quotable fun movie: The Castle This Australian “mockumentary” is 1. not long (80 minutes), 2. makes you happy, 3. doesn’t go for the turn to the camera laughs like Christopher Guest movies, and 4. has more call-backs than Arrested Development. I promise you’ll enjoy it the first time and it gets better every time after that. The U.S. cut/version is superior to the Australia release. “Dad reckons fishing is 10% brains and 95% muscle, the rest is just good luck.” “We’re going to Bonnie Doon” “Tell him he’s dreamin’” “Seasonin’” “This is going to the pool room” “YOu know what they say about Greeks” It’s just a good fun movie about underdogs who you don’t need to feel sorry for. But I do love “Goodbye, Mr. Chips” a lot too. Primarily about how it is an epic journey all in one place- using time and events to tell a crazy long story of a life. ---
**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2019, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-absolute-single-favorite-movie/839092/49 "2019-08-23T15:57:59Z")
_Sweet Smell of Success_ “From now on, the best of everything is good enough for me!” ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2019, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-absolute-single-favorite-movie/839092/50 "2019-08-23T15:58:49Z")
The one movie I’ve re-watched the most in the last 15 years is _Sideways_. But…I watch it with the commentary track. It’s great fun to watch Jack the jerk and Miles the sad sack fumble their way through a bachelor party weekend while listening to Giamatti and Haden Church crack wise about the goings-on. Runners-up for favorite movie would be _Contact_, _Paul_, and _Moonlight Kingdom_. ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2019, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-absolute-single-favorite-movie/839092/51 "2019-08-23T15:58:50Z")
Airplane! The funniest movie ever made and my favorite movie of all time. Also, only on this message board could a single-answer question be answered with so many multiple answers and caveats 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2019, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-absolute-single-favorite-movie/839092/52 "2019-08-23T16:00:39Z")
> [@Disheavel](#): > > The movie that I will watch any time and is absolutely the most quotable fun movie: > > The Castle > > This Australian “mockumentary” is 1. not long (80 minutes), 2. makes you happy, 3. doesn’t go for the turn to the camera laughs like Christopher Guest movies, and 4. has more call-backs than Arrested Development. I promise you’ll enjoy it the first time and it gets better every time after that. The U.S. cut/version is superior to the Australia release. > “Dad reckons fishing is 10% brains and 95% muscle, the rest is just good luck.” > “We’re going to Bonnie Doon” > “Tell him he’s dreamin’” > “Seasonin’” > “This is going to the pool room” > “YOu know what they say about Greeks” > It’s just a good fun movie about underdogs who you don’t need to feel sorry for. Great flick. After all these years, “tell him he’s dreamin’” causes an immediate smile, and brings back all the hilarity and warmth that movie has to offer. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2019, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-absolute-single-favorite-movie/839092/53 "2019-08-23T16:06:41Z")
I’ve already named my favorite, upthread, but reading the choice made by posters tells you something about they themselves. I started listing the films here that would be on a “top 20” list for me and came up with nine. All of them are very different films. Then I added others not mentioned here, and I’m up to fourteen. Maybe I’ll start a thread like that. ---
**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2019, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-absolute-single-favorite-movie/839092/54 "2019-08-23T16:08:23Z")
> [@blondebear](#): > > The one movie I’ve re-watched the most in the last 15 years is _Sideways_ No matter how many times I see it or think about it, Miles’ line “I’m not drinking any _fucking_ Merlot” always kills me. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2019, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-absolute-single-favorite-movie/839092/55 "2019-08-23T16:13:22Z")
> [@Author\_Balk](#): > > The original Arthur. I couldn’t bring myself to watch the remake. Good to hear, I wouldn’t have replied if you said the remake, but I would be wondering if you had a serious head injury. 😃 Arthur is a very good movie, I still use Hobson’s “I’ll alert the media.” from time to time, though no one seems to know it anymore. ---
**Author:** ![Reno\_Nevada](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Reno\_Nevada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reno_Nevada)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2019, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-absolute-single-favorite-movie/839092/56 "2019-08-23T16:22:23Z")
Interesting the range of movies being cited! Also interesting that at least a few Dopers have handles or quotes from a movie, but cited a different movie as their favorite. Finally, interesting that I am the first to mention… Big Trouble in Little China. “We really shook the pillars of Heaven, didn’t we, Wang?” ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2019, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-absolute-single-favorite-movie/839092/57 "2019-08-23T16:52:09Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > I grew up on _Dinosaurus_, and love the film (I strongly believe that the fight between the T. Rex and the steam shovel inspired the fight between Ripley in the Loader vs. the Alien Queen in James Cameron’s **Aliens** ), but it’s got too many flaws to be my favorite. > > The Wah Chang stop motion is way below Harryhausen standards, and in a lot of scenes it’s clearly not even animated at all – they used a puppet to save time and money. For my money there are better dino flicks to choose as a favorite. > > But, hey, I could see if Dinosaurus hits your Sweet Spot. I was just looking at the Dell comic adaptation of it a couple of days ago, and felt that warm rush of nostalgia. If the question had been best I probably would have gone Valley of Gwangi but ------- there is something in Dinosaurus! that always just appealed to me more. The human acting is a little better and the little boy with his cereal toys -------- it just has something. And the caveman while funny is also a little heroic as well. Ray did stop-motion the best; he is without the best that ever will be since CGI has basically killed a lot of the art. But Dinosaurus! just has that “it” factor" for me. Now if we were talking Christmas movies ------ Santa Claus Vs. the Devil. What can I say? Stories, even bad stories, are just my thing. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2019, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-absolute-single-favorite-movie/839092/58 "2019-08-23T17:09:59Z")
_What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?_ ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2019, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-absolute-single-favorite-movie/839092/59 "2019-08-23T17:44:51Z")
Die Hard ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2019, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-absolute-single-favorite-movie/839092/60 "2019-08-23T18:32:12Z")
_ **Casablanca** _ is the one I’d take with me going into exile. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-absolute-single-favorite-movie/839092.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-absolute-single-favorite-movie/839092.md?page=4)