You know those movies that just never get old, no matter how many times you re-watch them, no matter how many lines you can recite, and even though you know who wins and who loses? Here are a few of my favorite flicks that seem to get better each time I press play.
Ocean’s Eleven (2001) is the story of Danny Ocean (George Clooney), his team of eleven accomplices and their plan to rob three Las Vegas casinos without getting caught by one of the toughest, most ruthless hotel/casino owners on the Strip, Terry Benedict (Andy Garcia). Amid elaborate planning and preparation, Mr. Ocean is focused on a goal of his own – to win back his ex-wife, Tess (the only female character in the movie), played by Julia Roberts.
Something about Ocean’s Eleven exudes a sort of sophistication and timelessness. The more often I watch this movie, the more I notice how the cinematography, the score and even the fonts used in the credits (OK, maybe that’s just me) contribute to a special tone that I find so unique to the film. Ocean’s Eleven is one of the rare occurrences where the “bad guys” (the ones who are committing the crime) are really the “good guys,” the ones we are rooting for, the heroes of the story.
If you like Back To The Future, you would love Blast From The Past (1999). This rom-com takes culture shock to a whole new level. The movie is about Adam Webber (Brendan Fraser), a 35-year-old who was born in a fallout shelter and is traveling above ground for the first time in his life to gather food and supplies for his parents (Christopher Walken and Sissy Spacek). We follow Adam as he meets/eventually falls in love with Eve (Alicia Silverstone), encounters new challenges and interesting characters, and attempts to find his way back home.
Blast From The Past is clearly fictional, but to be completely honest, it would actually be an interesting film to watch and discuss in a history class; though the movie is a comedy, in the beginning of the film, we catch a glimpse of the emotion and fears associated with the Cuban Missile Crisis and the Cold War. My parents, brother and I quote parts from this movie all the time – but you’ll have to watch it for yourself to truly appreciate the humor.
The Terminal (2004) follows Viktor Navorski (Tom Hanks), a tourist who finds himself trapped in JFK International Airport when civil war breaks out in his fictional homeland, Krakozhia. Navorski is given strict rules by the Customs director, played by Stanley Tucci (one of my favorite actors), but over time, he finds a way to make friends, make a living and even fall in love within the confines of the terminal.
Fun (or not-so-fun) fact: this film is actually inspired by a true story of a man who lived inside a terminal in Paris, France, for 18 years. Though The Terminal is a bit more serious than the other two movies, it is suspenseful, humorous and heartwarming – definitely a must-see.
What are some of your all-time favorite movies? Let me know in the comments!
Here’s to quiet weekends and movie marathons,
Darcy
The Darcy Diaries 
Bend it like Beckham for multicultural and gender equality themes and fabulous London setting!
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The Birdcage… “When the schnecken beckons…”
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The Way We Were, my all time favorite movie
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