Favourite movies

First topic message reminder :

Thought it might be fun, and maybe a bit revealing, if people wanted to list the three best movies they have ever seen, possibly giving reasons
My selection, not in any particular order, would be
1) Popeye, starring Robin Williams. This is a Disney movie, which seemingly sank without trace - possibly a bit 'strange' for Disney. I will watch even bad movies with Robin Williams, but this one, with its surreal settings and strange songs, not to mention a fascinating performance by Shelley Duvall, just ticked all my boxes. Strangely moving, too, as he hopelessly seeks his 'Pappy'
2) Beetlejuice - director Tim Burton, starring Michael Keaton. Loved the calypso sound track, loved the special effects, loved the story, loved the happy ending.
3) AI (Artificial Intelligence) starring Haley Joel Osment (the boy that was in the 6th Sense) and Jude Law. A very moving story, in my view, that also provided thrills and spills in the shape of special effects and scary chase scenes.
Another movie that I don't remember seeing on general release. In case you haven't seen it, the story concerns a robot boy who is bought to replace a loved child who is terminally ill, and what happens to him once the 'real' child recovers.

In my world, there are many more, but first, see if anyone else wants to share some favourite movies

Really impressed that you remembered all the words to the song

err

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ABC_Cinemas

oftenwrong wrote:To the tune of "Blaze Away"

We are the boys and girls well known as
Minors of the ABC
And every Saturday we line up
To see the films we like
And shout aloud with glee
We love to laugh and have a sing-song
Just a happy crowd are we
We’re all pals together
We’re minors of the ABC

"Aunty Andy" was the Board Executive of ABC duly appointed to set up and supervise those Saturday Morning Cinemas, presumably because she drew the short straw (and was not a male, though she wore her hair short and dressed in "manly" tweed suits with stout brogue shoes).

Funny the things that stick in the memory as a kid.

Ah, I remember it well - including the manager acting as compere in a dinner jacket and bow tie (in Middlesbrough!) lol

skwalker1964 wrote:Ah, I remember it well - including the manager acting as compere in a dinner jacket and bow tie (in Middlesbrough!) lol

Including the little ball bouncing on each syllable in time to the music. Red, if I remember rightly..

[quote="skwalker1964
Ah, I remember it well - including the manager acting as compere in a dinner jacket and bow tie (in Middlesbrough!) lol[/quote]

The Cinema Manager (AND his Assistant Manager) arrayed in full Evening Dress, were a feature of Saturday Night cinema right up to the mid-1960s, after which Tenpin Bowling and Bingo infested the old Movie Palaces, when most people thought that Television would kill them off.

But it hasn't. That's interesting, isn't it?

Ah, nostalgia isn't what it was....

The real problem with Saturday morning pictures was whether it was possible to make pocket money stretch to admission and several sticks of liquorice, whilst still leaving sufficient for a trip to the local soccer match in the afternoon...

Was all that before you discovered Girls, Phil?

No - I was 27 at the time...

Phil Hornby wrote:Ah, nostalgia isn't what it was....

The real problem with Saturday morning pictures was whether it was possible to make pocket money stretch to admission and several sticks of liquorice, whilst still leaving sufficient for a trip to the local soccer match in the afternoon...

Ah, you must be a young whippersnapper! I used to set off with a pound, get into the pictures, pick up chips and a Marvel or DC comic from the comic shop on the way home and still have change...

Future cineastes may find it difficult to view current offerings, due to lack of hardware.

Since the advent of "Talkies" when most film was on 35mm celluloid, developments included 70mm with anamorphic lenses for wide-screen, also served by multi-projectors and incorporating surround-sound in various patent forms. Then 3D, followed by Digital filming and replay, which made Hollywood blockbusters available for Home consumption.

But who now has the machine on which to play a Video Disc? VHS tapes, previously universal, became museum pieces when Retailers stopped selling Players. The humble DVD has given way to Blu-Ray, at a time when the retail supply of such devices is under threat from internet downloads of varying quality, or broadcast streaming which can't be copied.

In time, entertainment (and much else besides) may be piped straight into our brains, Orwellian style.

I've still got a VHS player - and a cassette deck - don't know where I'll replace them when they're gone though

Boatman is watching 'Spiderman' on TV - he was my favourite comic hero when I was younger, but finding the movie just not doing it for me.

Modern films have to attract, and maintain, the attention of the (mainly teenage) audience who are busy eating popcorn, chatting, texting and groping. That's why the soundtrack is intrusive.

The Lord of the Rings movies were visually spectacular and I enjoyed each one.
Not so sure about The Hobbit - seems to me a bit of a swizz making it into two movies.

boatlady wrote:The Lord of the Rings movies were visually spectacular and I enjoyed each one.
Not so sure about The Hobbit - seems to me a bit of a swizz making it into two movies.

I hate to break it to you but The Hobbit is actually going to be three films. I agree with you about that being a swizz though. Surely one film would have sufficed, given it's basically a kid's book. The first one was nearly three hours long as well.

THE DISH

A wonderful comedy based loosely on a true story of NASA using Parkes radio telescope for the Apollo moon landings.

Looks good

Whittled down my list to 4:
Schindler's List
Kramer versus Kramer
Last of the Mohicans
Harry Potter Series

My favourite 4 are;
The good the bad and the ugly.
Casablanca
The green mile
Shawshank Redemption.