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The WMB Ultimate Movie List
The vote totals are in for the WMB Ultimate Movie List. Remember, these are the movies that when they’re on, you can’t not watch them. I tabulated the results two ways. First, the top five vote-getters in each of several categories; and second, the top 25 vote-getting movies overall. Click “more” to see your results!
Top Can’t-Not-Watch Movies by Category
Comedy
- The Princess Bride
- Monty Python and the Holy Grail
- The Awful Truth
- The Importance of Being Earnest
- Bowfinger
Drama
- Gone with the Wind
- The Shawshank Redemption
- The Godfather
- Facing the Giants
- Pride and Prejudice
Musical
- The Sound of Music
- Chicago
- Fiddler on the Roof
- West Side Story
- Muppets Christmas Carol
Thriller/Scary/Suspense
- The Green Mile
- The Sixth Sense
- Signs
- The Client
- Silence of the Lambs
Action
- Braveheart
- Indiana Jones films
- Bourne films
- Mission Impossible
- Hunt for Red October
Sci-Fi/Fantasy
- Lord of the Rings trilogy
- Star Wars (first trilogy)
- The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
- Back to the Future
Then a tie:
- Field of Dreams
- Sin City
- A Series of the Unfortunate Events
Animation
- The Incredibles
- Finding Nemo
- Shrek 2
- Cars
Then a tie among Disney classics
Top 25 Can’t-Not-Watch Movies
- Lord of the Rings trilogy
- The Princess Bride
- The Sound of Music
- Indiana Jones films
- The Incredibles
- Star Wars (first trilogy)
- Back to the Future
- Braveheart
- The Jason Bourne films
- The Sixth Sense
- Monty Python and the Holy Grail
- Gone with the Wind
- The Shawshank Redemption
- The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
- The Godfather
- Facing the Giants
- Pride and Prejudice
- Chicago
- Muppets Christmas Carol
- The Green Mile
- Hunt for Red October
- The Awful Truth
- Fiddler on the Roof
- Signs
- Bowfinger
Topic: Just for Fun, WorldMagBlog
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back to top41 Comments to “The WMB Ultimate Movie List”
Sad commentary of society when nobody nominated the greatest film ever made: Chariots of Fire
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Ok, now we know what good movies we can’t not watch, but what about the not-so-good [or downright bad] movies we find our selves watching every time we come across them? You know: you’re home alone, maybe sick in bed with the flu, and you’re looking for something to watch when, there it is! So you stop and watch it. Again!
A couple that come to mind for me are “Grease” and “Dirty Dancing.” And “From the Terrace” because that was when I fell in love with Paul Newman. I know there are more, but they’re not coming to mind at the moment. What is it for you?
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Where’s the category for westerns? Shame, shame. For the record, it’s “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.”
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It is difficult to believe that a movie as bad as ‘Signs’ made a must-see list of any type; but I guess maybe as a sort of inadvertant comedy?
For those of you who have had the great good fortune not to see that lamentable movie starring Mel Gibson, I will summarize the plot in a few sentences:
An alien race of incredibly high-tech hideous green sort-of-humanoid creatures decides to invade Earth, take it over, and destroy (or enslave – I cannot remember) all the pesky humans. For most of the movie, you don’t see them, as supposed suspense is being built up, but that is the main plot line.
Now the absolutely incredible thing is that it turns out that – get this – the aliens are incredibly allergic to WATER and die when exposed! Which dooms their invasion.
I can see the Alien Board of Inquiry prosecuting the Director of PIPID (Planet Identification for Prospective Invasion Department) after the failed alien invasion of the planet Earth.
“So, Director, you admit that this planet you identified for invasion was 75% WATER? And that it averaged 75% HUMIDITY? And that our invasion troops would be subjected to RAIN?”
So. Maybe it WAS a good movie after all. By the end of the movie, the folks were cracking up pretty good.
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Justus331,
Chariots of Fire was listed by two people in their list of top movies. It apparently wasn’t in the top 25 however.
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Kayvee, I’ll confess to “Dirty Dancing” on that.
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My hubby watches “Red October” about once a month. Even though I’m always in the same room with him when it’s on, it has never caught my attention enough to try to follow it. “Nemo” on the other hand ……
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Did those who are complaining bother to vote?
“The Princess Bride” is well deserving of it’s award. Maybe Lynn will do a blog on “The Princess Bride” and we all can contribute our favorite quote from the movie. It has so many!
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I liked the “Princess Bride” the first three or four times I saw it, but after that, everywhere I went people were watching it and I got pretty tired of it.
I’ve seen about 13 of these, most of them only once. I didn’t get in on the original thread (I read it just now), and while I own videos of my favorites, I don’t have any “can’t not watch” movies. My favorites (not divided by genre) include “Trip to Bountiful,” “Pride and Prejudice,” “Ponette” (French), “Maltese Falcon,” “To Kill a Mockingbird,” “Shawhank Redemption,” “Sound of Music,” and “Bambi.”
I enjoyed “Babette’s Feast,” but only saw it once and don’t know whether it’s one to watch repeatedly. “Secrets and Lies” is absolutely wonderful, but rated R with a sexual scene and a sexual conversation or two, so I’d recommend it only with caution. (I don’t normally even watch movies with as much “stuff” as it has, but it’s really only a couple of scenes, and it’s otherwise a profound movie.) If I’d nominated a comedy, I’d have probably mentioned one I’ve only seen once, “What About Bob?” I loved “Lord of the Rings,” but have only seen the first two (once each, when they came out).
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I’ve only seen 8 of these movies…oh dear. I suppose that I am therefore culturally deficient.
Or perhaps just movie illiterate.
Anlir, the Princess Bride thread is a good idea!
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How about “Some Like It Hot” and “Singing in the Rain”?
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How about a thread on the best foreign films?
My vote: The Return of Martin Guerre
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One other note: The vast majority of these are generational. Not too many choice prior to 1985.
As the resident “old timer”, I’d like Chas to chime in on this one.
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Whatever happened to “Casablanca”?
I didn’t participate in the original survey because I haven’t seen many movies. But I enjoyed “Sound of Music”. It was the first movie I took my wife to see. We had been married ten years by then.
I saw “Gone With the Wind” when it cost $0.09 to get into a movie.
I saw many of the others on TV. But I expect some, like “Braveheart” need to be seen on the big screen, as does GWTW BTW.
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Any movie with Irene Dunne is a “Can’t-Not-See” movie. I think Scroop Moth and I agree on that, so it must be right! Smile.
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Chas chiming in. Just a couple of rememberances:
There was a movie, Technicolor western called “Belle Star” starring Randalph Scott and Geng Tiereny. Not a great movie, but I will always remember it because I went to see it one Sunday afternoon in December. When I got home, I learned that we were at war.
It’s technological trivia today, but I remember a western where the hero (Bob Steele, I think) was against his twin brother. At the end, it showed them together. I was amazed that they could do that.
“The Three Cabalerros” (SP?), a Disney movie, had a woman (Carmen Miranda?) dancing with Donald Duck and friends.
The sexiest advertisement I have ever seen. Even by today’s standards, is (not was) the poster for the movie “The Outlaw” starring Jane Russell. The movie was forgettable, but the poster isn’t. Hard to describe. Jane, mostly clothed, laying on some hay holding a gun. Not impressive you say? You haven’t seen it.
In those days, “It’s in Technicolor”, lent a certain quality to the movie. But some, like “The Third Man” (why didn’t anyone mention that great movie?) are best in B&W. It would be a shame to color that.
I could go on. I have the impression that the general quality of movies was better in the 30’s and 40’s. They were all rated “G”, even to the point where married couples slept in separate beds. Attending a movie was an event in those days.
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I have actually seen 23 of the movies!
Would Kayvee count Forrest Gump in her list of “bad” movies?
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Chas,
Do you get TCM (Turner Classic Movie) channel? It’s a great channel for the old movies. I especially like how before each movie they tell a little bit of the history behind it, who starred in it, and put it into context of the times.
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I saw “Gone With the Wind” when it cost $0.09 to get into a movie.
Now that’s cool!
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Lynn, Soft drinks, (Coke, Pepsi, etc.) came in glass bottles. There was a $.02 deposit on each bottle. A family in the neighborhood kept their bottles under the house (not basement). A juvenile delinquent and I once stole enough bottles to return for the deposit and went to a movie.
The Saturday cowboy movie the Statlers sing about always had a serial (”continued picture”). It was about fifteen minutes long and each segment ended with the hero, Bob Steele, Zoro, etc. in a situation he would never survive. We had to return next week to see how he escaped.
The Batman TV movies were a sort of parody of that.
There was always a pretty girl in the cowboy movie, but never any ramance. But you could tell she liked the cowboy.
For a western “Shane” belongs at the top of the list.
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The movie “The Jolson Story” revived a career that had died. Al Jolson became popular again for a couple of years. He was a great entertainer. They will never show The Jolson Story on TV.
Now, somebody may prove me wrong, but I doubt it.
Bob Hope made the best comedies ever made. Bud Abbot and Lou Costello were slapstick, but I laughed to tears.
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They will never show The Jolson Story on TV.
I thought I saw it once. Possibly on Turner Classic. But the way my memory is functioning lately, I may have just imagined it.
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Thanks for chiming in Chas. It was a gift to go along with you for a ride in your generation.
Are we going to do the foreign film thing do you think?
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a little late to the party, but here are my votes:
Western: Stagecoach
High Noon
Treasure of the Sierra Madre
Drama: Random Harvest
The Best Years of our Lives
Beau Geste
The Four Feathers (second the ‘39 ed. vote)
Babette’s Feast
Musical (?) Ben Kingsley in Twelfth Night
Nearly anything with Gene Kelly (13 y.o. daughter’s fav. actor)
If we ever did a fav. actor/ess poll Greer Garson would be at the top of my list.
Family Fav’s: Thin Man movies and anything with Cary Grant. The kids’ perennial fav.s – Abott and Costello, the Marx Bros. and the “Road” movies.
Oh also, when 12 y.o. son was 2-3 I brought home Chariots of Fire and he was hooked. He called it “The Runners” and would watch that over and over and then run the length of our married student housing apt.
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(btw, its 11:18 AK time – staying up to meet the midnight flight bringing home husb. and youngest dtr)
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1939 was uniquely productive, when it comes to exceptional films. Several have already been mentioned…
* Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939-Frank Capra).
* Love Affair (1939 – Leo McCarey).
* Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1939 – Sam Wood).
* The Four Feathers (1939 – Zoltan Korda).
* Destry Rides Again (1939 – George Marshall).
* Gunga Din (1939 – George Stevens).
* Gone With the Wind (1939–Victor Flemming).
* Beau Gest (1939 – William A. Wellman).
* Stagecoach (1939. John Ford).
* Espionage Agent (1939 – Lloyd Bacon).
* Drums Along the Mohawk (1939 – John Ford).
* On Borrowed Time (1939 – Harold S. Bucquet).
* Made for Each Other (1939 – John Cromwell).
* The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1939).
* The Wizard of Oz (1939 – Victor Flemming).
* The Oklahoma Kid (1939 – Lloyd Bacon).
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Anlir: I had to wait ’till this morning to check the TV schedules in the paper. Mediacom does not carry TCM here. In fact, AMC is the only movie channel we have. Though some other channels carry movies. I saw all the James Bond series on Spike.
I agree on “High Noon”, BTW.
There was a good movie called “Stars in My Crown”. I think starring Joel McCray. I’ve never seen it on TV.
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I missed the original thread, but when Die Hard comes on, I always watch. I get a little misty in the beginning, when they show a gas station sign in the foreground. Unleaded gas was .76 cents a gallon.
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I’ve been way too busy to post lately, but it makes me laugh to see this list. The only category in which I’ve seen all the movies is Sci Fi/Fantasy–my least favorite! I’ll have to tell my husband . . .
And in our submariner family, we watch The Hunt for Red October every time we find it on TV–even though we own the movie!
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Did anyone mention “12 Angry men”? (The older version) I show it to the middle schoolers I teach yearly. They start off whining about an old black and white, but then I stop the movie right at the point when Henry Fonda drives the switchblade into the tabletop. Then it’s “AWWWWWWWW…let us just see what happens!” Great writing to keep your attention when most of the story takes place in a jury room. Great lesson about one man making a difference.
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I’ve shown that after teaching To Kill a Mockingbird–it’s pretty effective for them.
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Anlir – I think a couple of years ago WMB did a Princess Bride thread and people did post their favirite lines. I know I did. I think by the time it was done, we had the entire script in out of order lines. It would be good to bring it back again, maybe under the Something Llight thread… (Hint hint.) As I recall it was a lot of fun. I’ll see if I can find it in the archives.
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It was from2006, I think. I found a reference to it and a url, but I think it is forever lost to the ether.
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An interesting TV movie everyone should see if the History channel ever shows it again. It’s “The Last Mission”, a story about the final bombing mission over Japan. It is two stories (kinda like some Clancy novels) that seemingly have nothing to do with each other. Yet, the mission profoundly affects the outcome of the war. Lots of pictures of B-29’s. You won’t care for that, but I do.
A great history lesson.
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Chas,
“Stars in My Crown” (1950) is great. Joel McCrea plays a “Lincolnesque” parson who has one foot in heaven and the other planted in the real world of a small town in post-Civil War America. His homespun storytelling skills add to the message. There is a science vs faith conflict theme that affirms the value of both. His practical faith stands up to hostile skepticism, false accusations, greed and racism. The parson played by McCrea is humble enough about his calling to scrutinize his methods but bold enough to stand up for justice.
You’ll like this movie.
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Joel, I saw “Stars in My Crown” on the silver screen. I have been looking for it on TV.
I can understand why they don’t show it. It makes a Christian pastor look strong. We can’t have that, can we?
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Chas & Joel Mark – Have either of you seen a movie called One Foot in Heaven, starring Fredric March? It’s about a pastor & his family, I think based on a real minister.
I liked it alot, but then again it could be cuz I’m a Fredric March fan (even though he was “before my time”.)
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I haven’t seen or heard about that movie, Karen.
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I see “Back to the Future” made the list. It had a funny scene in which this guy’s mother was getting sweet with him. Of course, he didn’t want to mess with his mother. Reminded me of a time a few years ago; our family was watching some old home movies. I was showing film made in San Antonio in 1960. A beautiful woman was on a swing. Chuck said, “WHO’S THAT?”
That’s your mother Chuck.
“oh”.
We didn’t laugh at him then, but it was funny.
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Karen O,
I have seen it, and liked it. It’s been a while but I liked the way they treated the relationship the pastor had with a particular member who thought her giving power gave her other “powers” in the church. Even basically good people can be a pastoral problem and it takes a courage of conviction to trust God with certain decisions. As I recall, even that member softened and came around(?).
And I think it’s cool that you are a Fredric March fan.
I know the old movies don’t have the cinematography or the visual power of new films, or the special effects. But Oh the dialogue, the authentic sentiment and character development they created! Many newer movies just don’t compare at that level.
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Joel Mark – I like the scene where the pastor stops by the little cottage of a poor old man, who worked for the rich lady you mentioned. He showed the pastor true hospitality, offering him whatever he had available, asking him to sit down for a bit.
This was contrasted with the visit to the rich lady, who offered the pastor nothing.
I agree with you about the old movies.
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