Friday, February 16, 2007

10 Movies I Never Get Tired of Watching

I love to watch movies and there are a handful that anytime they are on television I'll stop and watch them no matter how many times I've seen them before. I own most of them so anytime I'm in the mood to see one I'll pop it into the DVD player. Here are 10 movies that I never get tired of watching. I've listed them below in no particular order:

Rear Window (1954, not rated)
James Stewart is a photographer sidelined by a broken leg who has nothing to do but watch his neighbors out the rear window of his New York apartment. But he ends up seeing more than he bargains for and ends up getting mixed up with a murderer. The elegant Grace Kelly is Stewart's love interest in one of Alfred Hitchcock's best movies.

To Catch a Thief (1955, not rated)
A series of jewelry thefts on the French Riviera starts rumors that the notorious Cat Burglar (Cary Grant) has come out of retirement. The trouble is, he's innocent and no one believes him. As he desperately tries to clear his name he meets up with a rich young heiress (Grace Kelly). Is she interested in helping him or is she more interested in love? It was while filming this movie that Grace Kelly met Prince Ranier of Monaco whom she eventually married.

North by Northwest (1959, not rated)
Considered by many to be one of Hitchcock's finest films, it is a classic example of mistaken identity. Cary Grant portrays Manhattan ad executive Roger Thornhill that manages to innocently get mistaken for spy George Kaplan. After narrowly escaping an attempt on his life, Thornill sets out on a cross-country trip to clear his name and solve the mystery of who George Kaplan really is. This is suspense at it's best.

Charade (1963, not rated)
A film that could have easily been directed by Alfred Hitchcock was actually directed by Stanley Donen. Audrey Hepburn is the widow of a mysterious man murdered on a train. Others who knew her husband are after money they insist is theirs but that she insists she doesn't have. Cary Grant is the man who comes to her rescue to sort everything out - or is he? Wonderful plot twists all through the film, a marvelous cast (including Walter Matthau in a surprisingly sinister role) and wonderful on-screen chemistry between Hepburn and Grant make this a true gem.

Apollo 13 (1995, PG)
The Apollo 11 moon landing in 1969 was a huge accomplishment for all of the folks at NASA and it had captured the imagination of the world. But just a few months later by April 1970, the third moon landing was considered merely routine. As it turned out, nothing would be routine about this mission as disaster struck just 3 days into the flight. This is the true story of that voyage and the courage of not only the astronauts but everyone behind the scenes at NASA that made it possible for the crew to make it home safely. Wonderfully directed by Ron Howard and featuring a first-rate cast including Tom Hanks, Bill Paxton, Kevin Bacon, Gary Sinese, and Ed Harris this is a fascinating look into the space program during NASA's heyday.

The Great Escape (1963, not rated)
Perhaps one of the greatest movies about World War II ever made, this film tells the true story of the Allied prisoners who staged a mass escape like no other from Germany's Stalag Luft III in March 1944. Sturges and his crew went to great pains to get the details right including bringing one of the former prisoners to the set as a consultant. The film is a marvelous tribute to the ingenuity and courage behind one of the most amazing prison breaks in history.

The Pink Panther Strikes Again (1976, PG)
Peter Sellers portrayed the bumbling Inspector Clouseau five times on film but this installment of the series is by far the best. His former boss, Chief Inspector Charles Dreyfus (wonderfully portrayed by Herbert Lom) has escaped from a mental asylum and intends to kill Clouseau - no matter what it takes! Hilarity ensues as Clouseau manages to survive multiple assasination attempts. Many laugh out loud moments are in this film and the jokes are still funny even after seeing it multiple times. If you had to watch only one of the Pink Panther movies, this should be the one.

It's A Mad Mad Mad Mad World (1963, not rated)
The movie starts off simply enough: a man runs off the road in a car accident. Several people are there to see the accident. When they go down to find out the driver's condition he tells them a secret before he dies: a hugh stash of money is buried in a park. Quickly it becomes a mad dash to see who can get to the money first. Boasting a huge cast, this movie contains appearances from a veritable who's who of film comedians. It's a funny, funny movie on a grand scale that is unlikely to be duplicated ever again.

That Touch of Mink (1962, not rated)
Doris Day is the naive small-town girl that has a run-in with big time operator Cary Grant. Love is sure to blossom. Or is it? This is another terrific comedy that is made most special by it's supporting cast: Gig Young, Audrey Meadows, and John Astin who are all wonderfully cast.

The Princess Bride (1987, PG)
Throw together a little swordplay, pirates, revenge, giants, an evil prince, a beautiful princess, rodents of unusual size, a magician, a little kissing and you've got the formula for a perfect fairy tale. This film has more great lines than any other film I think I have ever seen. Except for some brief language this is a film that has everything for the entire family to enjoy.

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