For The Love Of Port

I am a movie nut every bit as much as a Port lover!

Although I know my all-time favorite is A CLOCKWORK ORANGE based on over 2 dozen viewings in more than 30 years (1974 was my first ... in my junior year of HS in a film class).

But I am trying to come up with my top 5 or so. I'll be back with this, but wondered what are some of your favorites?

Gladiator.

just never get bored watching it.

Alan,

I agree with Gladiator - I've watched it loads of times. Other favourites are Jaws, Top Gun, Shawshank Redemption, Grease and Spice Girls: The Movie.

Derek

The Seven Samurai
Streets of Fire
Hamburger Hill

With respect to A Clockwork Orange, I liked the book but was not so impressed by the movie.

Star Wars empire strike back. Man do I love that movie.

All the lord of the rings too, braveheart.

One movie that Roy made me discover : The unbearable lightness of being. It is really good, watched it 3 times already and never got bored!

The Shawshank Redemtion
Saving Private Ryan
Road to Perdition
Caddyshack
Life as a House
Heat
Tombstone

Once upon a time in the west
Lord of the Rings Trilogy
The Karate Kid (part 1 only !!!)
Dawn of the Dead (the original from Romero)
Pulp Fiction
Schindler's List
The Usual Suspects
Se7en
Léon

And so many others, but it would be long list

Roy,

You'd love our Cine Vino group here in Anchorage. We meet monthly in one of (15-20) members homes and they host a full-on wine themed evening where we eat, drink, and discuss the wine theme of the night. Then we all settle in to watch a movie of the hosts choosing and end with a desert and discussion of it. A great combo to be sure.

Erik,

I watched LEON last night, although here it has been renamed The Professional. I'll admit that Natalie Portman in that early debut (she was 13) captivated my attention when it came out in 1994. I've loved her ever since and Closer, my favorite of all ... but don't plan to see her and Scarlett together until it comes on HBO someday. Leon is just amazing.


Scott,

Before I married my wife, she used to take me to her friend's home who held a movie and wine night once a month. They got carried away and designated "perfect pairings" between wine and the specific film to go with it. Lots of fun!

I could open a movie Forum and be pretty darn happy!

Fred,

Glad to see you love ULOB. Definitely in my all time top 10!!!

Here's a few favorites of mine:

Breaking Away
Predator
Vacation
Full Metal Jacket
The Shining
Rocky

Roy Hersh wrote: I watched LEON last night, although here it has been renamed The Professional.

My friend rented Jean Renu his apartment for two months while Jean filmed in Boston.

Here's my list in no particular order (except for the first):

Tombstone
La Femme Nikita (original) and The Professional
The Iron Giant (yes, it's a cartoon, but watch it and you'll see it fits)
Seven Samurai and to a lesser extent Yojimbo
Unforgiven

My wife and I spent a month a while ago watching Akira Kurosawa flicks and then all of the Hollywood remakes, and that was fun. The Magnificant Seven is practically a scene-by-scene remake of Seven Samurai, in some cases all the way down to camera angle. A Fistful of Dollars deviates a little more from Yojimbo, but it's still very obviously the same movie. Last Man Standing is also a remake of Yojimbo. I wasn't as impressed with Ran as movie critics seem to be... it was good, but I don't think it was Kurosawa's best movie by a long shot.

Moses Botbol wrote: Breaking Away

How could I forget that one.

First Blood
Once upon a time in the west
The good the bad and the ugly
12 angry men (1957)
Rio Bravo
Rear Window

I also love movies from the Coen Brothers, The big Lebowski/Fargo/Barton Fink etc

Cat On A Hot Tin Roof ('57)
Withnail and I
Metropolitan
Gosford Park
Impromptu
When Harry Met Sally
The Great Escape
Fast Times At Ridgemont High

and if BBC productions count:
Pride & Prejudice
House of Cards

My top 5 films would be:

Dark Star (John Carpenter, 1974)
The 39 Steps (Hitchcock's 1935 version)
The Italian Job (Starring Michael Caine, 1969 - great family entertainment)
The Last Emperor (Bernardo Bertolucci, 1987 - just breathtaking cinematography)
Our Man in Havanna (Starring Alec Guinness, 1959)

C'mon folks - you've got to leave a good film for at least 20 years to mature before you can really appreciate them at their best!

It's gotta be " Guess who's coming to dinner "
- Tracy & Hepburn , awsome
- 1967 , is that vintage enough ?

Last Emperor
Empire of the Sun
Shogun
A league of their own
Ten Commandments
Ben-Hur
Exorcist
Usual Suspects
Seven

And many more......

Derek T. wrote:Alan,

I agree with Gladiator - I've watched it loads of times. Other favourites are Jaws, Top Gun, Shawshank Redemption, Grease and Spice Girls: The Movie.

Derek

OK - I lied, but just in case anyone took it seriously I'd like to re-cast my vote.

In no particular order...

• Gladiator
• Shawshank Redemption
• As Good as it Gets - all port geeks should take something from this film
• Saving Private Ryan
• Forrest Gump
• Silence of the Lambs

Derek

Sanjuro
Yojimbo
Key Largo
The Big Sleep
The Searchers
Stagecoach
Singing in the Rain
Saving Private Ryan
Patton
Where Eagles Dare
The Great Escape
Lord of the Rings trilogy
Miniseries: Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy and Smileys People