# Your 15 favorite movies of all time... **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 1, 2001, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-15-favorite-movies-of-all-time/67258 "2001-06-01T20:50:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2001, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-15-favorite-movies-of-all-time/67258/41 "2001-06-03T22:20:16Z")
Oh lets see here, in no particular order: **Monty Python’s The Life of Brian** (I have to confess its because my first name’s Brian and I really identify with “me” in the movie!) **Bladerunner** (with or without voiceover) **Koyaanisquatsi** **Until the End of the World** **Leon, The Professional** **Star Trek: The Wrath of Kahn** (The only movie I can quote 99% of the dialogue) **Henry and June** **Citizen Kane** **Gladiator** **1984** **Star Wars** **Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas** **Amazon Women on the Moon** **American Beauty** **Casablanca** And there’s probably half a dozen more I’ll think of here in a sec. ---
**Author:** ![plnnr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@plnnr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plnnr)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2001, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-15-favorite-movies-of-all-time/67258/42 "2001-06-04T00:36:01Z")
Ike, I don’t know where you live, or anything else much about you, but I believe we may be long separated brothers. My list, in rough order: 1. Maltese Falcon: I just can’t say enough about this movie. A pure joy. Great characters, great acting, great writing. See my sig for a taste. 2. Casablanca: Maybe these two should be 1a and 1b. I saw this one a few years ago at the Byrd Theater here in Richmond, a big old movie palace that has been renovated to 1920s splendor. It was Valentine’s Day and my SO thought it the most romantic thing in the world. 3. The Godfather and The Godfather, Part II: Big, sprawling stuff, this. Poor Abe Vigoda, he sleeps with the fishes. 4. Ben Hur: Sure, Charlton Heston chewed the scenery to pieces, but the chariot race alone is worth the price of admission. “Row well, and live.” 5. Chinatown: Its got Jack Nicholson, Faye Dunaway, John Huston, and Roman Polanski. I think that just about covers it. 6. Its A Gift or The Bank Dick: A toss up here. W. C. Fields doing fine, fine work. 7. A Day at the Races: “Ice cream, tootsie frootsie ice cream.” 8. Some Like It Hot: Marilyn Monroe never looked as good as she did playing Sugar Kane. Plus, it has the best closing line of any film. 9. Bride of Frankenstein: Chills, thrills, AND laughs. “We belong dead.” 10. Cassanova’s Big Night: You’ll have to look long and hard for this one. Bob Hope in a case of mistaken identity with the greatest lover of all time. 11. The Philadelphia Story: Cary Grant, Cary Grant, Cary Grant. 12. Citizen Kane: Orson Welles decides to try his hand a movie making. Not bad at all for a first time effort (!) 13. Raising Arizona: My vote for the funniest movie of all time. A weak ending, but the chase scene is priceless. 14. The Apartment: Jack Lemmon saves Shirley MacLaine from Fred McMurray. Billy Wilder was on a roll. 15. The Big Sleep: I’ve watched it a dozen times, with the extra footage added and with it left out, and I still can’t follow the damn story; however, you have Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall in their first on screen pairing. “You can wean this one, she’s ready.” “Yes, sir.” ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2001, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-15-favorite-movies-of-all-time/67258/43 "2001-06-04T01:41:57Z")
{sniffle} Me long-lost _bruddah!_ (except I’d take _Animal Crackers_ over _A Day at the Races._ And _Ben-Hur_? Half-bruddah, maybe.) ---
**Author:** ![Kayeby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9de0a6/32.png) [@Kayeby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kayeby)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2001, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-15-favorite-movies-of-all-time/67258/44 "2001-06-04T02:09:11Z")
1. American Beauty 2. Singin’ in the Rain 3. The Usual Suspects 4. Beauty and the Beast 5. Trainspotting 6. Swimming with Sharks 7. Happy Gilmore 8. O Brother, Where Art Thou? 9. The Sound of Music 10. The English Patient 11. Rashomon 12. Empire Records 13. Toy Story 14. Toy Story 2 15. Strictly Ballroom 16. Grease 2 ---
**Author:** ![mongrel\_8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@mongrel\_8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mongrel_8)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2001, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-15-favorite-movies-of-all-time/67258/45 "2001-06-04T03:25:31Z")
It has been great reading this. I have list movies to watch now. Here’s mine in no particular order: 1. The Boondock Saints (1999) 2. Dazed and Confused (1993) 3. Fight Club (1999) 4. Matrix, The (1999) 5. Reservoir Dogs (1992) 6. Saving Private Ryan (1998) 7. Schindler’s List (1993) 8. Shawshank Redemption, The (1994) 9. Snatch (2000) 10. Star Wars (1977) 11. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) 12. Space Balls 13. Pulp Fiction (1994) 14. Amores Perros (2000) 15. The Manchurian Candidate (1962) ---
**Author:** ![Epistaxis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ebca7d/32.png) [@Epistaxis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Epistaxis)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2001, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-15-favorite-movies-of-all-time/67258/46 "2001-06-04T11:40:32Z")
Some of you guys are wusses!! Here are mine IN ORDER… 1. 12 Monkeys 2. Jacob’s Ladder 3. True Lies 4. Fight Club 5. Contact 6. Se7en 7. The Naked Gun! 8. The Shawshank Redemption 9. American History X 10. Raiders of the Lost Ark 11. Memento 12. Total Recall 13. Lost Highway 14. Reservoir Dogs 15. Dark City ---
**Author:** ![plnnr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@plnnr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plnnr)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2001, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-15-favorite-movies-of-all-time/67258/47 "2001-06-04T12:15:31Z")
How I hate to see a grown man cry. I’ll drop Ben Hur (even though I still think its a great, campy classic) and add: Goldfinger: The quintessential Bond film. “My name’s Pussy Galore.” “But of course it is.” ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2001, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-15-favorite-movies-of-all-time/67258/48 "2001-06-04T13:08:32Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by plnnr \* > “My name’s Pussy Galore.” “But of course it is.” I thought his reply was “I must be dreaming.” ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2001, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-15-favorite-movies-of-all-time/67258/49 "2001-06-04T17:28:48Z")
Greatest Japanese films and no Mizoguchi, Imamura, Ichikawa, or Suzuki? For shame!! 😉 [worthy hijack] My favorite 15 Japanese films (in chronological order): A Page of Madness (Kinugasa) I Was Born, But… (Ozu) Sisters of the Gion (Mizoguchi) Ikiru (Kurosawa) Ugetsu Monogatari (Mizoguchi) Tokyo Story (Ozu) The Seven Samurai (Kurosawa) Sansho the Bailiff (Mizoguchi) The Burmese Harp (Ichikawa) An Autumn Afternoon (Ozu) High and Low (Kurosawa) Woman of the Dunes (Teshigahara) Branded to Kill (Suzuki) Death by Hanging (Oshima) Vengeance Is Mine (Imamura) [/worthy hijack] ---
**Author:** ![Chas.E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e99b99/32.png) [@Chas.E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chas.E)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2001, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-15-favorite-movies-of-all-time/67258/50 "2001-06-04T19:48:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ArchiveGuy \* > \*\*Greatest Japanese films and no Mizoguchi, Imamura, Ichikawa, or Suzuki? For shame!! 😉 > \*\* If I’d have seen them, I’d probably have listed them. Those are definite must-see films but are hard to find, but I only catch a few gems once in a while… and a few turkeys. I recently snored my way through Oshima’s Nihon no kiri to yoru, it was like being trapped in a theater full of arguing socialists for 3 hours. ---
**Author:** ![Labdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Labdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labdad)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2001, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-15-favorite-movies-of-all-time/67258/51 "2001-06-04T21:25:57Z")
1. Citizen Kane 2. 2001: A Space Odyssey 3. The Third Man 4. Gone With the Wind 5. Singing in the Rain 6. The Godfather 7. Red River 8. The Maltese Falcon 9. Rear Window 10. Bonnie and Clyde 11. Duck Soup 12. A Hard Day’s Night 13. Jaws 14. Ran 15. This is Spinal Tap ---
**Author:** ![CrankyAsAnOldMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crankyasanoldman/32/11670_2.png) [@CrankyAsAnOldMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrankyAsAnOldMan)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2001, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-15-favorite-movies-of-all-time/67258/52 "2001-06-05T01:52:33Z")
I am naming these because I really enjoyed them, and in many cases could watch them repeatedly. I make no apologies for their actual quality. Well, okay, I apologize for including Flash Gordon. What can I say? The Sound of Music --loved it since I was a kid Raising Arizona – I think it’s brilliant Blazing Saddles – just good fun Field of Dreams – enjoyable on many levels, but it’s partly because I aspire to be the kind of wife Amy Madigan’s character is Jeremiah Johnson – just like it. Funny, lots of nature, has that “surviving” aspect to it When Harry Met Sally – a lot of perfect things about this one Flash Gordon – I can’t explain it. The Music has something to do with it. Giant – just a great big movie I loved, even though I thought James Dean sucked Life of Brian – too funny Monty Python’s…Holy Grail – no explanation needed Princess Bride – ditto Animal House – it’s just funny. Shawshank Redemption – only movie I’ve ever paid to see in a theater twice All The President’s Men – maybe I have a Robert Redford theme here? ---
**Author:** ![Weird\_AL\_Einstein](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c67d28/32.png) [@Weird\_AL\_Einstein](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weird_AL_Einstein)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2001, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-15-favorite-movies-of-all-time/67258/53 "2001-06-05T03:26:45Z")
1,2,3 The original Star Wars Trilogy 4,5,6 Star Treks 2, 4, and 6 7 Tremors 8 ET 9 John Carpenters Prince of Darkness 10 Apollo 13 11 Airplane 12 Indiana Jones in the Temple of Doom 13 Ghostbusters 14 Two early Woody Allen films, Bananas and Sleeper, they are both really the same movie 15 (I should put in at least one thats not sci-fi, fantasy, or a ZAZ parody) Rain Man Octopussy was the best James Bond movie Many other good ones, but I’ve already cheated 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![suziek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8491ac/32.png) [@suziek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suziek)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2001, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-15-favorite-movies-of-all-time/67258/54 "2001-06-05T06:54:30Z")
Light the Red Lanterns Pulp Fiction Dirty, Rotten Scoundrels Trains, Planes, and Automobiles My Blue Heaven The Money Pit Red Dawn Matrix Men in Black Onegin Dr. Zivago Ill Postino Shawshank Redemption Fargo The American President ---
**Author:** ![kenny777](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f07891/32.png) [@kenny777](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenny777)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2001, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-15-favorite-movies-of-all-time/67258/55 "2001-07-04T20:55:22Z")
Here is my list: 1. L.A. Confidental 2. Basic Instinct 3. The Usual Suspects 4. Reservoir Dogs 5. Fargo 6. American Beauty 7. Gladiator 8. Clerks 9. Dogma 10. Dazed and Confused 11. Fight Club 12. Seven 13. Chasing Amy 14. Mallrats 15. Keeping The Faith “You are. Your the one who is supposed to get away with it.” -Ed Exley, L.A. Confidential ---
**Author:** ![Tokiwoki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/898d66/32.png) [@Tokiwoki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tokiwoki)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2001, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-15-favorite-movies-of-all-time/67258/56 "2001-07-04T21:08:44Z")
I’m surprised more of you haven’t included Animal House in your lists. It’s a classic. Hey, I’m a college student. I have a certain appreciation for this movie. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Michael\_Ellis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/977dab/32.png) [@Michael\_Ellis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michael_Ellis)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2001, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-15-favorite-movies-of-all-time/67258/57 "2001-07-04T21:31:58Z")
These aren’t necessarily my favorites, just the ones that stick in my mind the most. They also are not in order. _The Towering Inferno Saving Private Ryan Breakfast at Tiffany’s Airport Blazing Saddles 12 Angry Men Scanners Monty Python and the Holy Grail The Taking of Pelham 1-2-3 Evil Dead 2 Citizen Kane Seven Samurai Chicken Run Blazing Saddles Casablanca_ ---
**Author:** ![racinchikki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@racinchikki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racinchikki)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2001, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-15-favorite-movies-of-all-time/67258/58 "2001-07-04T22:06:58Z")
A few things that need to be said: 1. I have no taste, and I know it. I apologize in advance for the last two especially. 2. I had to think long and hard before I could even think of fifteen movies I’ve _seen_, much less fifteen movies I _like_. 3. I’ve never watched a movie with Opal. So, here’s my list: [list][li] **Monty Python and the Holy Grail** : _This goes without saying._[/li][li] **The Land Before Time** : _My childhood favorite, and still my favorite animated movie._[/li][li] **The Princess Bride** : _This, too, goes without saying._[/li][li] **Braveheart** : _The longest movie I’ve ever been able to sit and watch without getting fidgety. The drama!_[/li][li] **Mystery Science Theater 3000** : The Movie: _Hilarious. I love MST3K._[/li][li] **Gone In 60 Seconds** : _Mostly on account of the cars._[/li][li] **The Blues Brothers** : _Funny, a classic, and I want the Bluesmobile…_[/li][li] **Days of Thunder** : _Sure, they managed to mess up their explanation of drafting (a concept you can hear explained in full if you watch or listen to any NASCAR event for more than fifteen minutes), and it’s extremely unrealistic, but it’s fun to watch._[_] **The Never-Ending Story** : I have a dog that looks like the luck-dragon, only black.[/li][li] **Clay Pigeons** : Vince Vaughn as a psycho killer who wears the awesomest shirts I’ve ever seen. Everyone else I know who has seen this movie hated it. I love it.[/li][li] **The Dead Hate The Living** : A bunch of amateur filmmakers break into an old hospital to film a horror movie, and end up being assaulted by zombies. It’s incredibly campy, yet it somehow manages to be scary and hilarious at the same time.[/li][li] **Austin Powers: International Man Of Mystery** : Funny, and a source of all kinds of fun quotes.[/li][li] **Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me** : Funnier than the original.[/li][li] **South Park: The Movie** : I know, I know. I thought it was funny. And I’m always singing the "Kyle’s Mom’s A B_\*\*" song._[/li][_] **Dude! Where’s My Car?** : _The most recent movie I’ve seen in a theater. I found it to be quiet amusing, despite (because of) its stupidity._ ---
**Author:** ![Purd\_Werfect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e47c2d/32.png) [@Purd\_Werfect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Purd_Werfect)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2001, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-15-favorite-movies-of-all-time/67258/59 "2001-07-04T22:44:23Z")
1 - Local Hero 2 - Harold and Maude 3 - Raiders Of The Lost Ark 4 - Star Wars 5 - Raising Arizona 6 - Swimming With Sharks 7 - The Ref 8 - Usual Suspects 9 - Fight Club 10- Magnolia 11- Underground 12- Black Cat, White Cat 13- The Wrong Trousers 14- Unforgiven 15- Koyaanisqatsi ---
**Author:** ![Ben](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/df788c/32.png) [@Ben](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ben)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2001, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-15-favorite-movies-of-all-time/67258/60 "2001-07-05T01:49:31Z")
This is a nice idea- we can find people whose lists share a lot of movies in common with our own, and then go see the remainder! 1. The Heroic Trio- an HK kung-fu superhero movie. Must be seen to be believed, in more ways than one. 2. Kurosawa’s Dreams, Sanjuro, Yojimbo 3. Raiders of the Lost Ark 4. Exorcist 3 (IMO much better than the original, and vastly underappreciated.) 5. The Adventures of Baron Munchausen 6. Blade Runner 7. Psycho, Rear Window, Rope 8. Cube 9. Ghost in the Shell 10. Heavy Metal 11. Forbidden Planet 12. The Shining, 2001 13. Shawshank Redemption 14. A Chinese Ghost Story (Pao Yeh Pao Mo Li!) (Incidentally, I recently found a translation of the 17th-century book of ghost stories from which Hark took ACGS.) 15. Iron Monkey. (This one has Donnie Yen- apparently there’s another one which I haven’t seen. I remember watching this in grad school, at a time when I was working every waking moment. My wife convinced me to take a break, so we rented two videos. The first was the depressing-to-the-point-of-self-parody “I, Zombie.” After watching that, we popped in “Iron Monkey,” which turned out to be the best feelgood kung fu movie ever.) -Ben [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-15-favorite-movies-of-all-time/67258.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-15-favorite-movies-of-all-time/67258.md?page=4)