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There's no particular redeeming factor in Sundays. Religious significance aside, its weekend status is completely neutralized by the impending work week. It would almost replace Monday as the most dreadable day of the week if not for one saving grace usually found on basic cable: The Rewatchable Movie. We're talking about the evergreen films, the immortal mainstream viewing experiences that provide the same entertainment value as when they were released on VHS 15 years ago. These are the movies that suck you in each and every time you catch them on TBS at 5 a.m. They are the bane of term papers, bar exams, sleep and your attendance at your first-born's birth.
Our only two rules are no franchises and no holiday films. So while The Godfather trilogy might rival the DMV for your man hours or you may have seen A Christmas Story more times than you've actually experienced Christmas, we're sticking to done-in-one deals. Here are our 10 Most Rewatchable Movies. Let us know yours in the comment section.10. Goodfellas (1990)
Scorsese's definitive mob movie sports an electric rags-to-riches yarn with Ray Liotta at his finest. The heat turns up as Liotta's made man in training learns about the Machiavellian, insanely violent price to pay for respect and decadence in Italian organized crime. With Joe Pesci, Robert DeNiro and Paul Sorvino providing backup, there's no doubt why this has remained an engrossing ride since it's inception.
9. Napoleon Dynamite (2004)
Some of our most lovable screen gems aren't about providing text books of academic rhetoric: they're simply about laying back and enjoying the adventures of a socially inept milk taste tester who knows his way around a Jamiroquai dance routine. The geographic time machine of Idaho provides the unlikely backdrop for this original high school comedy, featuring an A-List roster of idiosyncratic characters the writers at SNL wish they'd thought of first. Our wildest dreams are still coming true rewatching the quotable antics of Pedro and Napoleon.
8. Pulp Fiction (1994)
From the opening credit twang of Dick Dale's silver-tone guitar, this movie bleeds cool. It's style is only matched by its stream-of-conscious quick dialogue and nonlinear narrative of two goons, their boss' seductive wife and a boxer with a grudge. The heir proper to David Mamet, Quentin Tarantino cemented his status as cult film god and broke the mainstream movie handbook with this pioneering masterpiece.
7. Spaceballs (1987) /Robin Hood Men In Tights (1993)
Just go ahead and insert your favorite Mel Brooks movie in here. Inane, raunchy and undeniably fun, the greatest generation's prince of Jewish showbiz comedy made parodies that shame our modern-day lampoons. Look no further than Rick Moranis' biting take on Darth Vader or Richard Lewis' on Prince John to see why Brooks is still as fresh today as he was 20 years ago.
6. Casablanca (1942)
What else can be said about one of the finest romances in film history starring golden-age legends Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman? Sam can play it again whenever he damn well pleases.
5. The Princess Bride (1987)
Rob Reiner's charming medieval fantasy has something for everyone: swashbuckling sword fights, passionate romance, inventive beasties and Andre the Giant (who totally has a castle-storming posse). This is pure, family-friendly fun with imagination to rival any Disney adventure. Bonus points for an adolescent Fred Savage providing narrative bookends.
4. The Ten Commandments (1956)
The length of this three-hour-plus biblical epic hasn't stopped it from becoming a springtime tradition for thousands of households the nation over. Director Cecil B. DeMille paved the way for Spielberg, Lucas and Bruckheimer and the summer blockbuster's domination in the modern box office. The first is still one of the best, with Charlton Heston and Yul Brynner delivering concentrated popcorn bliss in this retelling of Moses' exodus from Egypt.
3. Animal House (1978)
John Belushi created an entire character archetype in his too-short career, but it's best vehicle is quite possibly in John Landis' party romp as the intoxicated slob, Bluto. Not the only entry on this list written by Harold Raimis, Animal House captures all of the excessive, mindless fun of college in a memento that never becomes any less funny or nostalgic.
2. Groundhog Day
It's hard to place what exactly makes Groundhog Day such an intimate, timeless piece of film history. Is it the clever narrative of a man forever trapped in the confines of one day? Is it the warming sight of watching romance bloom from dynamically challenging characters? Yes. But it's mostly Bill Murray using the one-horse town of Punxsutawney, Pa. as a virtual stage for his brilliant wit that makes this movie as rewatchable as the titular day in question.
1. The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
A haunting tour de force, this cinematic breakthrough defines emotional realism. Based on a short story by Stephen King and directed by Frank Darabont, Tim Robbins plays Andy Dufresne, a framed convict who plans an intricate escape from a corrupt prison in the 1940s. With touching performances and an evocative soundtrack, this is about as close to perfection as mainstream cinema gets.
Honorable Mentions: Casino, Forrest Gump, Fast Times At Ridgemont High, Amelie, The Sound of Music, Inherit The Wind, What About Bob?, Snatch, Lawrence of Arabia, Hoosiers, E.T.: Extra Terrestrial, Zoolander, To Kill a Mockingbird, Pretty Woman, When Harry Met Sally, The Sound of Music, Corky Romano
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Where's "Airplane!"?
This seemed like a good list until I didn't see The Big Lebowski at number one. Shame on you Paste
Wow...Corky Romano gets an honorable mention? Fair enough. I actually saw a Girl Scout selling cookies outside my local supermarket who sounded exactly lie Corky. "You guys want some cookies?" She was too young to be making the reference, but it certainly cracked me up.
I'd like to throw in "The Blues Brothers", "The Usual Suspects", and "Clue".
Good, you got Princess Bride on the list -- that was the first one that came to my mind. (I think it's the fact that it spans generations.)
And I offer a second for Blues Brothers. Utterly rewatchable, and never fails to entertain.
The Mel Brook's movies you mention are "Spaceballs" and "Robin Hood Men in Tights" but not "Blazing Saddles" or "Young Frankenstein"??? Holy crap! You'd need to pay me cash money to re-watch those god awful disasters again.
We were actually going to include Blues Brothers, but that would break our franchise rule (Blues Brothers 2000...sigh). As for your other suggestions- you're all completely right. This list could go on indefinitely...
what a brilliant idea for an article! shawshank is definitely #1. you may also be able to put rounders in there somewhere. forrest gump is definitely a top 10.
Very fun list.
Star Wars? I know I've watched the originals a hundred times.
The Departed is good for a re-watch. Fight Club? Se7en? What about JAWS? That never gets old haha
Man, there are too many!
Shawshank Redemption, I wouldn't have thought of that, but excellent choice.
"Willow." val kilmer at his best. if you haven't seen it, it's a fantasy film on par with Princess Bride.
I like this!
Groundhog Day? That movie repeated itself enough as it was. No need to watch it more than once.
Hold on. The rules say no holiday films. Why is Groundhog Day on this list? It's not exactly a postal holiday, but it's on my calendar every Feb. 2.
The Big Lebowski really would've tied this list together. Not even an honorable mention. Wow. Just wow.
The bums lose again. That's okay.
I'll just take any rug in your house.
Tina Fey loves Young Frankenstein, ergo it's specific absence from this list invalidates the list.
Serenity.
Lebowski should be on here. The Coen's most re-watchable film.
Heat by Michael Mann. It's what Miami Vice should have been.
Shawshank Redemption is overrated, IMHO.
An honorable mention for Corky Romano? If you didn't have Neko on the cover, I'd stop reading the magazine based on that alone.
I'm surprised it took this long to draw ire for the great Corky Romano scandal of '09 ( ;
Tommy Boy tops my list.
Who made this list, Grand Potentate of Cliche movies? Spaceballs? ( Her? ) and Napoleon Dynamite? I was always under the impression that replay value in a film implied quality. g
Napoleon Dynamite? Really?
Seriously? Napoleon Dynamite? I mean, it was all right the first time...funny and stuff...but not quite the "classic" such as Pulp Fiction...definitely not one I would rewatch.
This aggression will not stand, man. Leaving The Big Lebowski out is huge oversight.
Other omissions: Tombstone, Holy Grail, 1st half of Full Metal Jacket, Swingers, Mallrats, Dazed and Confused, Talladega Nights.
Dunno what you guys were thinking about with Casablanca and 10 Commandments...or Men In Tights.
Amelie gets an honorable mention while The Big Lebowski gets the shaft?
I do not abide!
The diverse and passionate responses are almost as interesting as the list. Maybe you need to do a "least rewatchable" feature. Movies of quality that you never want to see again. I'll start the list with "Henry Portrait of a Serial Killer."
napoleon dynamite, really? I definitely have not watched that since it came out. and I agree with someone up there that young frankenstein way out votes spaceballs for mel brooks movies in my book. but not a lot of other disagreements. wish I had a few more of these stocked up, for spring break has made me a couch potato and I could use some classics right about now.
oh and you honorable mentioned sound of music twice. :)
How fun! And, Shawshank jumped to mind first, though The Princess Bride is my personal kryptonite, if I'm trying to get something done. And, come on, The Big Lebowski is a serious omission.
I'm not going to argue the Mel Brooks, since you basically said: insert your fave MB film here, which for me is Young Frankenstein.
I think you could put an: insert you fave John Hughes movie here. For list purposes, I'd put Breakfast Club.
Thanks for the props to Amelie. I like the votes for Tombstone and Dazed and Confused (I'm a redhead).
Other than the Hughes films, the one I thought of, when I saw Hoosiers, was a big rewatchable in our house, Remember the Titans. Inspirational sports movies are always welcome.
Thanks for the water cooler fodder!!
Okay, after a bit more thought and discussion with co-workers, after The Big Lebowski, I think the greatest omission is:
Field of Dreams.
They will come, Ray!
Outlaw Josie Wales and Young Frankenstein
I'd have to throw in The Royal Tenenbaums, Little Miss Sunshine and I Heart Huckabees.
Just sayin'.
No Big Lebowski? WTF? It bombed at the box office but sold 20 million DVDs and has one of the largest cult following in the history of movies (second to Star Wars).
The goddamned plane has crashed into the mountain!
Also, Royal Tenenbaums or Life Aquatic should also have been at least admirably mentioned.
Pull it together Paste. I was liking your list until I saw that the Dude was not only NOT number one, but not even on the list.
Monty Python's HOLY GRAIL!!
Buckaroo Banzai across the 8th Dimension
Although I loved The Usual Suspects the catch at the end is a big part of the film so I would not put it in this category.
I cringed at some on the list. However, my friends endlessly watch things I would never. Some of these listed here and some that others wish would have been. Personally, most of my favorite films are best only watched rarely, Pay it Forward, Dancer in the Dark, and other emotionally charged gems. I am sad not to see Boondock Saints though.
What a lame list? There is no real rhyme or reason or thought to this list; you just shot out movies you liked off the top of your head. And you really can't have "Laurence of Arabia" and "Zoolander" on the same list, that's just stupid. (Not to mention I don't know anyone who has watched either of those more than once...) And Spaceballs? Really? You can still watch that? I can't. Its so over. Why not Night of the Living Dead? no reason not to have it on there either, this list is just plain stupid to make in the first place...
How about a movie list that has some thought to it? Lets make "MOVIES YOU SHOULD WATCH MORE THAN ONCE". That will take some actual thought, (not just a list of movies you happen to like). I nominate "The Others", "Memento", "Primer", and "The Prestige". All are as good a second time through, (some are BETTER). And Primer you really have to watch 3 or 4 times in my opinion.
I just re-watched Moonstruck last night for the first time in years and it tops my list! And what about Almost Famous?
On the comedy side its Animal House for sure. On the non comedy side, honorable mention to L.A Confidential, but numero uno, the most rewatchable movie ever,is Chinatown. (Two Jakes does not a franchise make).
The Breakfast Club!!!
Almost Famous!!!
Heat!!
The Big Lebowski!
Aliens.
You are obviously too young to be telling us what the 10 Most rewatchable movies are. Where is Catch 22, One Eyed Jacks, any Busby Berkley musical, Vertigo, Wine and Roses? I could go on and on. Grow up.
Rear Window (or almost any other Hitchcock film with the excpetion of The Paradine Case and a few other sub-par efforts)
The Maltese Falcon (or one of at least a dozen films noir)
Dark City
Manhattan Murder Mystery (or any of a number of Woody Allen films, from Bananas to Vicki Christina Barcelona; I mean, really: Mel Brooks but not Woody?)
Serenity
Galaxy Quest
All About Eve
The Women (the original!)
I Walked with a Zombie, Cat People, and Curse of the Demon (Jacques Tourneur's moody horror films are perfect at two in the morning)
and, yes, The Big Lebowski!
I guess this shows that you just can't make everyone happy. Many good suggestions, though. The obvious obmission for me is "The Wizard of Oz". I grew up watching this movie. My whole family would gather around the TV every year as it was played. My sisters got to know the movie so much they would recite every line. We were all afraid of the flying monkeys at one point in our young lives. Good always triumphs over evil. And never trust the man behind the curtain! All the true classic movies are the older ones. Another list entirely.
Mark- I totally hear you. Definitely a fantastic movie and one that I should have included on this list...in addition to the Big Lebowski, as I'm discovering ( ;
You are out of your element making these lists.
Definitely agree with the Big Lebowski. It would be #1 on my list. Also have to add Holy Grail and I would give Anchorman and honorable mention.
I had to crack up when I went to comment and the first I saw was, "Where's Airplane?" Exactly what I was going to say. That movie is a classic comedy that makes me and everyone I know laugh no matter how many times I see it. I also think Monty Python and the Holy Grail ranks right up there, because, "Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition!"
How about, "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly", "It's a Wonderful Life", "Copland", "Reservoir Dogs" and "Dances With Wolves"?
"Spinal Tap"?
The one film I've watched over and over again is "12 Angry Men", the original version in black and white, not the populist remake. The acting is outstanding and even though you know the verdict, watching the various characters turn one by one is always thrilling.