What Is Your Absolute Single Favorite Movie?

[Tvtyrant]

1.) The Lars got two scenes and Ben got two scenes. Both Lars and Kenobi got about 30 seconds total. So I would argue the "Bens death got more reaction and focus" bit; they seek pretty equal.
B.) We see Ben onscreen much longer than the Lars family. He gets emotional impact because we respond emotionally to his death. And for Luke, he lost everything he had except the guy who was the missing piece to his father, and saved him, and taught him about a new world he knew nothing about,and then he lost that guy a few hours later. It makes sense to see Luke's reaction to that, since then hes truly alone.

Leia is the only one who gets her losses glossed over, and she doesn't really act any differently in ESB. Han and Chewie we see being tortured and affected by torture, but the princess? Not so much.

Fan theory: Leia is just much, much tougher then everyone else. (I know the real reason, but that sounds better.)

1B is probably the issue I have most with. It reminds me of Buffy, where there are three best friends since childhood and one dies in the first episode. He is mentioned like one more time and no one ever grieves him, but Willow and Xander cling to each other for the whole show and Xander goes to die with Willow at one part.

Losing your magic mentor? Tough. Losing your parents? Way, way tougher.

[Peelee]

1B is probably the issue I have most with. It reminds me of Buffy, where there are three best friends since childhood and one dies in the first episode. He is mentioned like one more time and no one ever grieves him, but Willow and Xander cling to each other for the whole show and Xander goes to die with Willow at one part.

Haven't seen it, but at a guess, that's because he died in the first episode and the audience didn't connect with him like they did with Willow and Xander later on. Similar to how we see Owen and Beru for three scenes vs the whole movie for Ben. And, again, they didn't really spend any more time grieving for him. Lars homestead had a scene of Luke in shock, then a scene of depression and Ben forcing him out of it. Ben's death had a scene of Luke in shock, then a scene of depression and Han forcing him out of it.

[Jay R]

That depends so much on my mood.

My favorite musical is The Music Man Singin’ in the Rain.
My favorite art movie is An American in Paris Fantasia.
My favorite pirate movie is Hook Captain Blood.
My favorite swashbuckler is The Three Musketeers The Three Musketeers.
My favorite western drama is A Big Hand for the Little Lady The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance.
My favorite western comedy is Cat Ballou Support Your Local Sheriff.
My favorite science fiction movie is 2001: A Space Odyssey Back to the Future.
My favorite comic book movie is The Avengers Captain America: the First Avenger.
My favorite fantasy movie is The Wizard of Oz The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.
My favorite classic movie is Casablanca Citizen Kane.
My favorite Depression movie is The Untouchables The Sting.
My favorite holiday movie is It's a Wonderful Life White Christmas.
My favorite World War 2 movie is The Great Escape Patton.
My favorite post-World War 2 movie is Judgment At Nuremberg The Best Years of Our Lives.
My favorite romance is Gone With the Wind Titanic.
[The movie with my favorite romantic scene is Up Lady and the Tramp.]
My favorite cel-animated movie is Pinocchio Beauty and the Beast.
My favorite CGI movie is The Incredibles Toy Story 2.
My favorite sports movie is A League of Their Own Bull Durham.
My favorite Star Trek movie is Star Trek 2: The Wrath of Khan Galaxy Quest.
My favorite trial movie is To Kill a Mockingbird Inherit the Wind.
My favorite spy movie is True Lies RED

How are you people choosing just one?

[2D8HP]

That would be the first movie I requested to see:
The 7th Voyage of Sinbad which I saw at a drive-in theater (since I later learned that the movie was made in the 1950's it must have been re-released in the early 1970's). I can specially remember first watching it through the back window of a V.W. bug while my parents watched some boring Burt Reynolds movie through the front window, and marveling at the Dragon and the sword wielding skeleton!

Since for "all time favorite" I just picked the first movie I loved, for what little it’s worth the post 1980’s films that I remember liking and remember the titles of are:

56 Up, and previous films in the Up series (1964 to 2012 documentaries, a 2019 one should be due)

Gattaca (1997, science-fiction)

Saving Private Ryan (historical drama screened in 1998)

Primer (2004 science-fiction)

Atonement (historical drama screened in 2007)

Hot Fuzz (2007 comedy)

Tropic Thunder (2008 comedy)

Locke (2013 drama)

'71 (historical thriller screened in 2014)

20th Century Women (comedy-drama from 2015)

A similar list of pre ’90’s films that I liked would run into the hundreds

[Knaight]

Ask me again in ten minutes and my answer will change. That said, right this instant? Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels. I tend to really like Guy Ritchie's work, I tend to like british gangster movies, and this is my favorite of both of those categories.

[2D8HP]

Ask me again in ten minutes and my answer will change. That said, right this instant? Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels. I tend to really like Guy Ritchie's work, I tend to like british gangster movies, and this is my favorite of both of those categories.

I don't remember them too well, but I remember the two Guy Ritchie directed films I've seen as being fun.

Not by him but a little similar in my mind was In Bruges, which I remember liking (if not much else).

[Peelee]

I don't remember them too well, but I remember the two Guy Ritchie directed films I've seen as being fun.

Not by him but a little similar in my mind was In Bruges, which I remember liking (if not much else).

Saw a trailer for In Bruges while working at a theater. I instantly knew it wouldn't do too well in Alabama and that I would love it. Months later, i was proved right on both counts.

[Knaight]

I don't remember them too well, but I remember the two Guy Ritchie directed films I've seen as being fun.

Not by him but a little similar in my mind was In Bruges, which I remember liking (if not much else).

Were I asked ten minutes later In Bruges might well have been listed as a favorite instead. I love that movie.

[Ninja_Prawn]

I'm sure I haven't seen a movie better than Primer. That said, I haven't seen all that many movies...

[DavidSh]

I don't think I have a single absolute favorite, but if I use Jay R's list of categories, I can say that Gold Diggers of 1933 is my favorite Depression movie. That's largely on the basis of two production numbers -- the opening "We're in the Money", with Ginger Rogers (singing in Pig Latin!), and the closing "Remember My Forgotten Man", with Joan Blondell and Etta Moten.

[Mith]

Saw a trailer for In Bruges while working at a theater. One instantly it with do too well in Alabama and that I would love it. Months later, i was proved right on both counts.

I was soooo happy with In Bruges because I am a Millennial with a passion for all the artists that came out of the British Isles (so counting Ireland) folk revival of the 70s. And I was not expecting the song for the climax in the slightest and it just works !

[2D8HP]

I don't think I have a single absolute favorite, but if I use Jay R's list of categories, I can say that Gold Diggers of 1933 is my favorite Depression movie. That's largely on the basis of two production numbers -- the opening "We're in the Money", with Ginger Rogers (singing in Pig Latin!), and the closing "Remember My Forgotten Man", with Joan Blondell and Etta Moten.

Great movies made during the Great Depression movies? Grapes of Wrath, Ninotchka, His Girl Friday... there's just so many!

Musicals?

Lots to choose from, but I'll go with Footlight Parade for the end song "Shanghai Lil" as performed by James Cagney, Ruby Keeler & Chorus (1933).

[danzibr]

Wreck It Ralph.

[Lvl 2 Expert]

Usually my answer to this question would be The Beast, so that's what I'm going with now.

It's not the movie I'd watch over and over on repeat if I had to pick a movie for that, that's more this thread's territory, stuff like The Avengers, The Matrix, The Transporter, Banlieue 13, Ong Bak. You know, movies where something is always happening.

It's also not a film that could be considered the best movie by any sort of objective standards. From that category my favorite is probably Pan's Labyrinth, How To Train Your Dragon scores high marks as well. But I feel like if I'm going to have a favorite movie it should be a film that sets me apart a bit, so it gives more information about what I like.

I would group The Beast with Cube and Soldier, two other favorites of mine. They provide enough buildup and slow scenes to really get in the mood when you're actually watching a movie rather than playing it in the background. They're not continuously violent, but they pick their moments to go all out and those moments have an impact. Because that's what an R-rating is for. They're also movies I saw at an age where I watched quite a few movies and figured I should really get myself some favorites, so I might be putting the on a slightly higher pedestal than they deserve.

The Beast is certainly flawed, and like one entry each of the Rambo and James Bond franchises it got a little awkward after 2001. But as a self contained story in a self contained setting I like it a lot.


Also, why is this not in Media Discussions?

[DwarvenWarCorgi]

So many quality films, see a couple I'd add to the lists, but also agree that it's soooooo hard/unfair to pick one.


THE FIFTH ELEMENT. Gary oldman is amazing, Chris rock is hilarious, Bruce Willis is Bruce Willis. great cgi for its time.

Kung Fu Hustle. Musical/slapstick/martial arts with amazing cinematography. Watch it in Cantonese with English subtitles, the jokes are funnier, it's not the same dubbed.

Gotta throw in one from the way back machine. STRIPES. Classic Murray, it's long, but it's like watching 2 different movies entirely.

[FinnLassie]

It's hard to choose between Inglourious Basterds and Django Unchained. I don't think I'll ever get tired of those two films.

[Lemmy]

I can't even pin down my all-time favorite of a single genre... Much less of every film ever!

Some that I really love, in no specific order are:

Aliens 2
Terminator 2
Naked Gun
The Godfather
A Silent Voice
Disney's Beauty & The Beast

And these are just the ones I can recall off the top of my head at this moment...

[thompur]

Top 5 in no particular order:
Casablanca-The acting, the writing, the directing, the casting. A nearly perfect movie.
The Court Jester-Danny Kaye at his comedic pinnacle!
Blazing Saddles-The single funniest movie ever made.
Raiders of the Lost Ark-The adventure movie against which all subsequent adventure movies are judged, and found wanting.
The Princess Bride-Possibly the most quoted movie(at least in my area) at the gaming table.(Its only rival being Holy Grail).

The one thing they all have in common for me: I can watch them at any time, in any mood, and enjoy them, even though I've seen them all at least a dozen times.

Honorable mention: Shawshank Redemption, The Sting, and Ocean's Eleven(2001).

[Lvl45DM!]

Im gonna cop flak for this from purists BUT

Evil Dead
The Remake

In my opinion, the perfect horror movie.

[Malphegor]

The Last Starfighter. There’s something that resonates with me about playing a game until you know it and you find out the skills from learning it have applications in life whilst you become an adult and also death is at every turn now.

[Railey66]

Avenger Infinity War 2018

[Lvl45DM!]

Avenger Infinity War 2018

Better than Endgame?

[Sapphire Guard]

The whole 'Star Wars was saved in the edit' thing is a myth. There's a Youtube Video with a lot of traction, but it fails to mention that the original edit of Star Wars it talks about was done by a man named John Jymson, who Lucas fired. So if it was saved, it was by Lucas, not from him. Also, there were three editors for ANH, with Lucas personally involved. Marcia Lucas gets particular credit over Paul Hirsch because it's a juicier story if his ex wife is responsible for his success, when really we have no idea which of them made any particular edit.

Lucas 'not being told no' is similarly baseless. It's a meme with no foundation except the RedLetterMedia reviews, which are not based on any particular insider info. "I don't know, I wasn't there"

On topic, The Departed

[JoshL]

Don't even need to think about it. Legend, with the Tangerine Dream score.

[BeerMug Paladin]

I don't generally think of movies in terms of favorites, because there are lots and lots of excellent movies of all different genres and styles out there. However, if I had to choose only one, I choose Up.

[Jimorian]

For me, it goes back and forth between Bladerunner, and Once Upon A Time In The West.

[GhoulKaven]

The Spectacular Now

[DigoDragon]

Absolute favorite movie... I'd have to think about it, but just going by how many times I've watched it from my vast DVD collection I'll go with Apollo 13. It's a beautiful movie that captured the era well and even though we already know how it turns out it somehow keeps you on the edge of your seat at the end. :3

Plus, who hasn't quoted "Failure is NOT an option!"

[Morty]

For me, it's probably Blues Brothers. Likely because loving it is something my whole family shares. But it's just really funny and eminently quotable, plus it has great music.

[Glorthindel]

Ghostbusters.

It was a mandatory once-a-year (at least) watch for me as a child, usually around Christmas, as I suspect the first time I watched it was at Christmastime (in fact, I know it was, since our recorded VHS copy had Christmas themed adverts running in the ad breaks), and it became one of those good-Christmas associations.

When my fiance moved in with me last year I was overjoyed to learn she had never seen it as it gave me an excuse to dig the DVD out.