250 Canisters of Comfort: Films as Delicious to Watch as Pancakes Are to Eat!
*THIS LIST IS CURRENTLY BEING UPDATED*
Welcome, fellow film fan!
I have lovingly prepared for you this list of my Top 250 film recommendations; these are my all-time favorite movies to watch while eating pancakes, stacked below in chronological order, by date of each film's first theatrical release. Ready for a marathon of pure motion picture magic? Whip up some tasty buttermilk flapjacks, get cozy, and ENJOY!
I've spent decades of my life assembling, contemplating, and refining this list, while consuming thousands of succulent hotcake breakfasts and working in multiple video stores and theaters, including the legendary Movie Madness store in Portland, the now-extinct Hollywood Video, American Family Video, Regal Cinemas, and Majestic Theaters (formerly Alamo Drafthouse).
There are obviously many other great films not included here, but these specific titles are the ones that I personally treasure, recommend, and re-watch the most... rare and exquisite cinematic experiences that are, in my opinion, always best when paired with hot pancakes!
Please add my picks to your Watchlist, send me your own, and follow me on IG for more fun than you can shake a buttered griddle at!! (@mickpancakes / Mickey Widmer).
Gallons of Pure Maple Love and Melted Flapjack Butter,
-Mick Pancakes. Watch Movies. Be Happy.
Welcome, fellow film fan!
I have lovingly prepared for you this list of my Top 250 film recommendations; these are my all-time favorite movies to watch while eating pancakes, stacked below in chronological order, by date of each film's first theatrical release. Ready for a marathon of pure motion picture magic? Whip up some tasty buttermilk flapjacks, get cozy, and ENJOY!
I've spent decades of my life assembling, contemplating, and refining this list, while consuming thousands of succulent hotcake breakfasts and working in multiple video stores and theaters, including the legendary Movie Madness store in Portland, the now-extinct Hollywood Video, American Family Video, Regal Cinemas, and Majestic Theaters (formerly Alamo Drafthouse).
There are obviously many other great films not included here, but these specific titles are the ones that I personally treasure, recommend, and re-watch the most... rare and exquisite cinematic experiences that are, in my opinion, always best when paired with hot pancakes!
Please add my picks to your Watchlist, send me your own, and follow me on IG for more fun than you can shake a buttered griddle at!! (@mickpancakes / Mickey Widmer).
Gallons of Pure Maple Love and Melted Flapjack Butter,
-Mick Pancakes. Watch Movies. Be Happy.
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250 titles
- DirectorBenjamin ChristensenStarsBenjamin ChristensenElisabeth ChristensenMaren PedersenFictionalized documentary showing the evolution of witchcraft, from its pagan roots to its confusion with hysteria in Eastern Europe.Satan. He wants to shish-kabob your soul! The practical effects, set design and costume craftsmanship are utterly spectacular here, especially for 1922!
- DirectorCharles ChaplinStarsCharles ChaplinMack SwainTom MurrayA prospector goes to the Klondike during the 1890s gold rush in hopes of making his fortune, and is smitten with a girl he sees in a dance hall.No wonder Charlie Chaplin said that this was the film he wanted to be remembered by. It’s far and away the most delightful, hilarious, and all-around epic movie he ever made!
- DirectorFrank CapraStarsClark GableClaudette ColbertWalter ConnollyA rogue reporter trailing a runaway heiress for a big story joins her on a bus heading from Florida to New York and they end up stuck with each other when the bus leaves them behind at one of the stops along the way.That’s not all that happened one night…
Available in 4K! - DirectorVictor FlemingKing VidorStarsJudy GarlandFrank MorganRay BolgerYoung Dorothy Gale and her dog Toto are swept away by a tornado from their Kansas farm to the magical Land of Oz, and embark on a quest with three new friends to see the Wizard, who can return her to her home and fulfill the others' wishes.Toto-ly Awesome!
Available in 4K! - DirectorErnst LubitschStarsCharles BoyerJennifer JonesPeter LawfordA free-spirited parlor maid and a Czech refugee surprise an English village with their unconventional ways.The frequent sexual innuendos in this are utterly hysterical!!
- DirectorElia KazanStarsGregory PeckDorothy McGuireJohn GarfieldA reporter pretends to be Jewish in order to cover a story on anti-Semitism, and personally discovers the true depths of bigotry and hatred.Gregory Peck really sticks it to the anti-Semites in this one. The script and cast are fantastic all around. This was also the last film that my mom and I ever watched together. Love you, mom… Rest In Peace. I miss you and your pancakes so much!
- DirectorJohn HustonStarsHumphrey BogartWalter HustonTim HoltTwo down-on-their-luck Americans searching for work in 1920s Mexico convince an old prospector to help them mine for gold in the Sierra Madre Mountains.Bogey at his best!! An outstanding cautionary adventure, which also provided inspiration for the Indiana Jones films!
- DirectorMax OphülsStarsJoan FontaineLouis JourdanMady ChristiansA pianist about to flee from a duel receives a letter from a woman he cannot remember, who may hold the key to his downfall.Wait... a letter from WHO now?
- DirectorAkira KurosawaStarsTakashi ShimuraNobuo KanekoShin'ichi HimoriA bureaucrat tries to find meaning in his life after he discovers he has terminal cancer.Devastating, hypnotic, inspiring. My favorite Kurosawa picture!
- DirectorBilly WilderStarsHumphrey BogartAudrey HepburnWilliam HoldenA playboy becomes interested in the daughter of his family's chauffeur, but it's his more serious brother who would be the better man for her.My favorite Audrey movie!
- DirectorJack ArnoldStarsRichard CarlsonJulie AdamsRichard DenningA strange prehistoric beast lurks in the depths of the Amazonian jungle. A group of scientists try to capture the animal and bring it back to civilization for study.The Gill Man, brilliantly designed by (the unfairly uncredited) Disney artist Milicent Patrick, is my all-time favorite Universal Monster, and this movie has always fascinated me since I was a kid, despite its moments of wooden acting, dated dialogue, helpless dames in camel-toed bathing suits, and jarring horn music.
Available in 4K! - DirectorJack ArnoldStarsJohn AgarLori NelsonJohn BromfieldMen capture the Creature from the Black Lagoon and make him an aquarium attraction, from which he escapes.Gill 'em All! The sequel almost tops the original, with even more 3-D creature action, wooden acting, dated dialogue, helpless dames in camel-toed bathing suits, and jarring horn music.
- DirectorFederico FelliniStarsGiulietta MasinaFrançois PérierFranca MarziA waifish prostitute wanders the streets of Rome looking for true love but finds only heartbreak.My favorite Fellini film!
- DirectorMikhail KalatozovStarsTatyana SamoylovaAleksey BatalovVasiliy MerkurevVeronica plans a rendezvous with her lover, Boris, at the bank of river, only for him to be drafted into World War II shortly thereafter.Featuring extraordinary cinematography, and a really amazing Tatyana Samoylova, who has been called the ‘Russian Audrey Hepburn’!
- DirectorFrançois TruffautStarsJean-Pierre LéaudAlbert RémyClaire MaurierA young boy, left without attention, delves into a life of petty crime.I don’t care that Tarantino doesn’t like it. I loved the intimate cinematic style of this film, and personally resonated with the bleak portrayal of a kid trying to adjust to the pressures of his everyday world.
- DirectorGeorges FranjuStarsPierre BrasseurAlida ValliJuliette MaynielA surgeon causes an accident which leaves his daughter disfigured and goes to extreme lengths to give her a new face.You’ll never take your face for granted again.
- DirectorJack CardiffStarsTrevor HowardDean StockwellWendy HillerA young man with artistic talent lives in a close-knit coal-mining town and finds himself inhibited by his emotionally manipulative mother.A terrific, under-appreciated classic!!
- DirectorBilly WilderStarsJack LemmonShirley MacLaineFred MacMurrayA Manhattan insurance clerk tries to rise in his company by letting its executives use his apartment for trysts, but complications and a romance of his own ensue.The dynamic duo of Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine!
Available in 4K! - DirectorTony RichardsonStarsRita TushinghamDora BryanRobert StephensA pregnant teenage girl must fend for herself when her mother remarries, leaving the girl with only a new male friend for support.Rita, oh Rita...
- DirectorAgnès VardaStarsCorinne MarchandAntoine BourseillerDominique DavrayCleo, a singer and hypochondriac, becomes increasingly worried that she might have cancer while awaiting test results from her doctor.This and "Vagabond" are my favorite by the great Agnes Varda!
- DirectorJohn SchlesingerStarsAlan BatesJune RitchieThora HirdAfter his girlfriend's pregnancy forces him to marry her, a young man must adjust to his new life and contend with his domineering mother-in-law.A kind a’ lovin, Vic!
I really love all the dialogue in this movie! - DirectorRobert MulliganStarsGregory PeckJohn MegnaFrank OvertonAtticus Finch, a widowed lawyer in Depression-era Alabama, defends a Black man against an undeserved rape charge, and tries to educate his young children against prejudice.Gregory Peck socks it to the racists again, after conquering the anti-Semites in Gentleman’s Agreement.
Robert Duvall’s debut!
Available in 4K! - DirectorBilly WilderStarsJack LemmonShirley MacLaineLou JacobiWhen a policeman falls in love with a prostitute, he doesn't want her to see other men, so he creates an alter-ego who will be her only customer.More wild fun with Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine… irresistible!!
- DirectorIngmar BergmanStarsIngrid ThulinGunnel LindblomBirger MalmstenTwo estranged sisters, Ester and Anna, and Anna's 10-year-old son travel to the Central European country on the verge of war. Ester becomes seriously ill and the three of them move into a hotel in a small town called Timoka.This erotic, edgy mind-warp from ‘63 is absolutely hypnotic and my favorite Bergman film.
- DirectorRichard QuineStarsWilliam HoldenAudrey HepburnGrégoire AslanThe sprightly young assistant of a Hollywood screenwriter helps him over his writer's block by acting out his fantasies of possible plots.A barrel of wild, infectiously silly fun with the stars of "Sabrina", Audrey Hepburn (more dazzling and delicious to watch than ever) and William Holden (her real-life partner), as a hyper-imaginative screenwriter gone bonkers. It's absolutely swimming in visual flair and charm and wit and like no other movie you'll see!
- DirectorDesmond DavisStarsPeter FinchRita TushinghamLynn RedgraveIn 1960s Dublin a young girl becomes involved with an older man, a much-travelled and still married land-owner.Rita Tushingham!
- DirectorDavid SwiftStarsJack LemmonRomy SchneiderDorothy ProvineTo help his divorced neighbor claim a substantial inheritance, a family man poses as her husband. The ruse spills over into his career in advertising, and his recent promotion relies on his wholesome and moral appearance.Jack Lemmon is marvelous in this one!!
- DirectorKihachi OkamotoStarsTatsuya NakadaiMichiyo AratamaYûzô KayamaThrough his unconscionable actions against others, a sociopath samurai builds a trail of vendettas that follow him closely.Die by The Sword!
- DirectorClaude BerriStarsMichel SimonRoger CarelPaul PréboistIn German-occupied France, a Jewish child is sent away from his family and conceals his religious affiliation from the anti-Semitic elderly man that takes care of him.An under-praised gem!
- DirectorRoman PolanskiStarsMia FarrowJohn CassavetesRuth GordonA young couple trying for a baby moves into an aging, ornate apartment building on Central Park West, where they find themselves surrounded by peculiar neighbors.A perfect allegory for what is happening to our world today... we are Rosemary! Roman Polanski tapped into something otherworldly here; still his absolute best work.
Available in 4K! - DirectorCarol ReedStarsMark LesterRon MoodyShani WallisAfter being sold to a mortician, young orphan Oliver Twist runs away and meets a group of boys trained to be pickpockets by an elderly mentor in 1830s London.A fantastic companion piece to 1982’s “Annie”!
And just like Annie, Oliver is now available in 4K! - DirectorDennis HopperStarsPeter FondaDennis HopperJack NicholsonTwo bikers head from L.A. to New Orleans through the open country and desert lands, and along the way they meet a man who bridges a counter-culture gap of which they had been unaware."They see a free individual, it’s gonna scare ‘em."
Available in 4K! - DirectorJames B. ClarkStarsTed EcclesTheodore BikelTudi WigginsAs young Sam Gribley runs away he learns about nature.A wonderful hidden gem of the '60s! A young "Into The Wild".
- DirectorGeorge Roy HillStarsPaul NewmanRobert RedfordKatharine RossIn 1890s Wyoming, Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid lead a band of outlaws. When a train robbery goes wrong, they find themselves on the run with a posse hard on their heels. After considering their options, they escape to South America.Such an enduring classic! My favorite Robert Redford performance.
Available in 4K! - DirectorBob RafelsonStarsJack NicholsonKaren BlackBilly Green BushA dropout from upper-class America picks up work along the way on oil rigs when his life isn't spent in a squalid succession of bars, motels, and other points of interest.An under-heralded Jack Nicholson classic!
- DirectorLionel JeffriesStarsDinah SheridanBernard CribbinsWilliam MervynAfter the enforced absence of their father, three children move with their mother to Yorkshire, where during their adventures they attempt to discover the reason for his disappearance.Walkabout / Logan's Run star Jenny Agutter's breakout picture!
- DirectorRichard C. SarafianStarsBarry NewmanCleavon LittleCharlotte RamplingDuring the 1970s, car-delivery driver Kowalski delivers hot rods in record time, but always runs into trouble.The greatest American car-chase movie ever made!! An absolute scorcher!!
- DirectorGeorge LucasStarsRobert DuvallDonald PleasenceDon Pedro ColleyIn the 25th century, a time when people have designations instead of names, a man, THX 1138, and a woman, LUH 3417, rebel against their rigidly controlled society.For more enjoyment and greater efficiency, consumption has been standardized. Take four red capsules.
- DirectorDalton TrumboStarsTimothy BottomsKathy FieldsMarsha HuntDuring World War I, a patriotic young American is rendered blind, deaf, limbless, and mute by a horrific artillery shell attack. Trapped in what's left of his body, he desperately looks for a way to end his life.Land mine!! Has taken my sight!!! The somber anti-war story from Dalton Trumbo's excellent novel that inspired the great Metallica song "One". It's an incredibly affecting film, beautifully constructed and frequently mesmerizing; a deeply haunting meditation on the preciousness of consciousness and the repugnance of war.
- DirectorNicolas RoegStarsJenny AgutterDavid GulpililLuc RoegTwo city-bred siblings are stranded in the Australian Outback, where they learn to survive with the aid of an Aboriginal boy on his "walkabout": a ritual separation from his tribe.Three in the outback is worth one in the bush. I have almost no idea what I mean by that statement. Watch this movie.
Available in 4K! - DirectorFrancis Ford CoppolaStarsMarlon BrandoAl PacinoJames CaanThe aging patriarch of an organized crime dynasty transfers control of his clandestine empire to his reluctant son.Still far and away the best in the trilogy. I do not agree that part 2 was better, as some claim. Even Coppola stated that he had not intended to make any sequels. This is really the only one you need.
Available in 4K! - DirectorPeter BogdanovichStarsRyan O'NealTatum O'NealMadeline KahnDuring the Great Depression, a con man finds himself saddled with a young girl who may or may not be his daughter, and the two forge an unlikely partnership.The best, best, best Peter Bogdanovich movie. Utterly charming and infinitely rewatchable. I love it!
- DirectorAlejandro JodorowskyStarsAlejandro JodorowskyHoracio SalinasZamira SaundersIn a corrupt, greed-fueled world, a powerful alchemist leads a messianic character and seven materialistic figures to the Holy Mountain, where they hope to achieve enlightenment.There are no words. To describe. This.
Jodorowsky's mind-frying metaphysical masterwork. The astonishing set designs are beyond anything ever done before it, or since. Good luck looking away. - DirectorTerrence MalickStarsMartin SheenSissy SpacekWarren OatesAn impressionable teenage girl from a dead-end town, and her older greaser boyfriend, embark on a killing spree in the South Dakota Badlands.Malick’s breakout masterpiece!!! Far better than its predecessor “Bonnie and Clyde”, in my opinion.
- DirectorRobin HardyStarsEdward WoodwardChristopher LeeDiane CilentoA puritan police sergeant arrives in a Scottish island village in search of a missing girl, who the pagan locals claim never existed.A thoroughly absorbing and outstanding suspense-horror classic!!
Available in 4K! - DirectorWilliam FriedkinStarsEllen BurstynMax von SydowLinda BlairWhen a young girl is possessed by a mysterious entity, her mother seeks the help of two Catholic priests to save her life.I wonder if ouija board sales went up or down in 1974?
Available in 4K! - DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsRoy ScheiderRobert ShawRichard DreyfussWhen a killer shark unleashes chaos on a beach community off Cape Cod, it's up to a local sheriff, a marine biologist, and an old seafarer to hunt the beast down."That's some bad hat, Harry."
Available in 4K! - DirectorSidney LumetStarsAl PacinoJohn CazalePenelope AllenThree amateur bank robbers plan to hold up a bank. A nice simple robbery: Walk in, take the money, and run. Unfortunately, the supposedly uncomplicated heist suddenly becomes a bizarre nightmare as everything that could go wrong does."ATTICA!!"
- DirectorMilos FormanStarsJack NicholsonLouise FletcherMichael BerrymanIn the Fall of 1963, a Korean War veteran and criminal pleads insanity and is admitted to a mental institution, where he rallies up the scared patients against the tyrannical nurse.Filmed in my hometown of Salem, Oregon when I was a two year-old. I was born directly across the street from the hospital where this was filmed!
- DirectorJohn HustonStarsSean ConneryMichael CaineChristopher PlummerIn 1880s India, two former British soldiers decide to set themselves up as Kings in Kafiristan, a land where no white man has set foot since Alexander the Great.A cinematic jewel and my favorite John Huston film!!
- DirectorMartin ScorseseStarsRobert De NiroJodie FosterCybill ShepherdA mentally unstable veteran works as a nighttime taxi driver in New York City, where the perceived decadence and sleaze fuels his urge for violent action.Still Scorsese’s Best!
Available in 4K! - DirectorMichael AndersonStarsMichael YorkJenny AgutterRichard JordanA police officer in the future uncovers the deadly secret behind a society that worships youth.“RENEW!!”
- DirectorGeorge LucasStarsMark HamillHarrison FordCarrie FisherLuke Skywalker joins forces with a Jedi Knight, a cocky pilot, a Wookiee and two droids to save the galaxy from the Empire's world-destroying battle station, while also attempting to rescue Princess Leia from the mysterious Darth Vader.The original, unaltered 1977 theatrical version is my favorite.
The altered version is available in 4K. - DirectorUlu GrosbardDustin HoffmanStarsDustin HoffmanTheresa RussellGary BuseyThe difficulties of a career burglar to reinsert himself after being released on parole.An overlooked treasure. Gary Busey is terrific in this! The whole thing is incredibly good!! Almost like a companion piece to “Taxi Driver”.
- DirectorGeorge A. RomeroStarsDavid EmgeKen ForeeScott H. ReinigerDuring an escalating zombie epidemic, two Philadelphia SWAT team members, a traffic reporter and his TV executive girlfriend seek refuge in a secluded shopping mall.The king of zombie apocalypse movies! There’s just something about the atmosphere of that shopping mall!
Available in 4K! - DirectorTerrence MalickStarsRichard GereBrooke AdamsSam ShepardA hot-tempered farm laborer convinces the woman he loves to marry their rich but dying boss so that they can have a claim to his fortune.Love Kills. A devastatingly beautiful early classic of Terrence Malick, his follow-up to "Badlands". I love this movie so much!!
Available in 4K! - DirectorFrancis Ford CoppolaStarsMartin SheenMarlon BrandoRobert DuvallA U.S. Army officer serving in Vietnam is tasked with assassinating a renegade Special Forces Colonel who sees himself as a god.This seems to get better with every viewing! The "Redux" cut is my fave.
Available in 4K! - DirectorRidley ScottStarsSigourney WeaverTom SkerrittJohn HurtThe crew of a commercial spacecraft encounters a deadly lifeform after investigating a mysterious transmission of unknown origin.Nothing beats the original.
Available in 4K! - DirectorJonathan KaplanStarsMatt DillonMichael Eric KramerPamela LudwigA group of bored teenagers rebel against authority in the community of New Granada after the death of one of their own.Don’t miss this early Matt Dillon “Mattsterpiece”!!
- DirectorKing HuStarsChun ShihFeng HsuSylvia ChangA scholar, tasked to copy a sutra, meets with a mysterious old lady and her daughter in the mountains.A fantastically bizarre, epicly crafted and highly under-appreciated masterwork!
- DirectorCarroll BallardStarsKelly RenoMickey RooneyTeri GarrAfter being shipwrecked with a magnificent horse off the coast of Africa in the 1940s, a boy bonds with the stallion, and trains him to race after their rescue.Seeing this as a 6 year-old kid with my mom and dad in a packed-out theater, shortly after it was released in 1979, was my first truly epic, awestruck theater-going experience. Kelly Reno's character resonated so deeply with me as a little boy. I've since watched it countless times, and it never fails to mesmerize, move and inspire me. Carroll Ballard has crafted a thing of intense naturalistic beauty and pure cinematic magic. This is also my favorite Mickey Rooney movie, who I was named after. I'll be thrilled to see this one in 4K!
- DirectorJohn KrishPeter SykesStarsBrian DeaconRivka NeumanAlexander ScourbyFilmed on location in Israel at authentic biblical sites, this inspirational drama and commercial success retells the life of Christ.(The original, unaltered 1979 theatrical version, entitled "JESUS"; not the 2013 "extended version" with newly added scenes and re-dubbed audio, which is a travesty.)
This film was one of my first, most epic family movie-going memories, back in 1979. It really breathed life into the Christ-story for me, and back then as a little boy, it was easy for me to overlook its two most obvious transgressions: Jesus could not possibly have been white, or have had an English accent. If you can forgive those flaws, I personally believe that this is the best Jesus film ever made. For those of you who resonate, there is also an extended version of this film entitled "New Media Bible: The Gospel According to Luke", that runs at 4 hours and 10 minutes. - DirectorHal AshbyStarsPeter SellersShirley MacLaineMelvyn DouglasAfter the death of his employer forces him out of the only home he's ever known, a simpleminded, sheltered gardener becomes an unlikely trusted advisor to a powerful tycoon and an insider in Washington politics.This one had to grow on me for a couple of viewings before it really clicked for me, but now I absolutely LOVE it!! Peter Sellers is phenomenal. A subtle revelation to behold and treasure, again and again.
- DirectorIrvin KershnerStarsMark HamillHarrison FordCarrie FisherAfter the Rebel Alliance are overpowered by the Empire, Luke Skywalker begins his Jedi training with Yoda, while his friends are pursued across the galaxy by Darth Vader and bounty hunter Boba Fett.Still the greatest of all Star Wars movies!
Available in 4K! - DirectorStanley KubrickStarsJack NicholsonShelley DuvallDanny LloydA family heads to an isolated hotel for the winter where a sinister presence influences the father into violence, while his psychic son sees horrific forebodings from both past and future.Scared the crap out of me as a kid, and in time it grew to become my favorite Kubrick picture!
Available in 4K! - DirectorLech KowalskiStarsStiv BatorsTerry ChimesThe ClashDocumentary chronicaling the rise and fall of the punk movement with rare interview footage of Sid Vicious and Nancy Spungen. Also concert and news footage."Don’t Order Anchovies". A real treat for punx and Pistols fans!
- DirectorDavid LynchStarsAnthony HopkinsJohn HurtAnne BancroftA Victorian surgeon rescues a heavily disfigured man who is mistreated while scraping a living as a side-show freak. Behind his monstrous façade, there is revealed a person of kindness, intelligence and sophistication.John Hurt was the MAN! As was Anthony Hopkins. An indelible masterwork of multiple talents, and my favorite David Lynch film.
Available in 4K! - DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsHarrison FordKaren AllenPaul FreemanIn 1936, archaeologist and adventurer Indiana Jones is hired by the U.S. government to find the Ark of the Covenant before the Nazis can obtain its awesome powers.The original thrill-ride that started it all!
Available in 4K! - DirectorPenelope SpheerisStarsEugene TatuAlice Bag BandBlack FlagA look into the Los Angeles punk rock scene, that was largely ignored by the rock music press of the time.The greatest punk rock doc of all!!
- DirectorTerry GilliamStarsSean ConneryShelley DuvallJohn CleeseA young boy accidentally joins a band of time travelling dwarves, as they jump from era to era looking for treasure to steal.Don’t watch this one alone, unless you want to be badgered right out of your skin by droves of ornery dwarves, who will suddenly pile out of your closet and whisk you away on a mind-bending trans-Atlantic expedition to meet Sean Connery, Shelley Duvall, and Satan.
Available in 4K! - DirectorJohn HustonStarsAileen QuinnAlbert FinneyCarol BurnettA spunky young orphan is taken in by a rich eccentric, much to the chagrin of the cantankerous woman who runs the orphanage.One of the first films I ever saw in a movie theater. A delightful musical and fantastic companion piece to 1968’s “Oliver!”.
Available in 4K! - DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsHenry ThomasDrew BarrymorePeter CoyoteA troubled child summons the courage to help a friendly alien escape from Earth and return to his home planet.I’ll never forget the afternoon way back in 1982 when my dad took me out to the theater to see this, at my mom’s urging. I think mom just wanted some time to herself… and the slimy, long-fingered extra-terrestrial living in her closet.
Available in 4K! - DirectorDon CoscarelliStarsMarc SingerTanya RobertsRip TornA sword-and-sorcery fantasy about a young man's search for revenge. Armed with supernatural powers, the handsome hero and his animal allies wage war against marauding forces.HBO = "Hey, Beastmaster's On!" -Dennis Miller
Don Coscarelli's magnificent underrated masterpiece! It absolutely stunned and captivated me from beginning to end as a 10 year-old kid, when I first got to watch it on laserdisc, during a sleepover at my friend's house. And it still does, every time. Beats "Conan the Barbarian" any day!
Available in 4K! - DirectorTed KotcheffStarsSylvester StalloneBrian DennehyRichard CrennaA veteran Green Beret is forced by a cruel Sheriff and his deputies to flee into the mountains and wage an escalating one-man war against his pursuers.After seeing this as a kid, I became obsessed with it and even had to have one of those knives with all the survival stuff inside of the handle. Anyone else remember those?
Available in 4K! - DirectorJohn SaylesStarsRosanna ArquetteVincent SpanoJoanna MerlinIn a 1966 New Jersey high school, Jill and new student Sheik from the other side of the tracks make their way in a first love romance.Such an overlooked treasure! I love Rosanna Arquette forever because of this one.
- DirectorTerry JonesStarsJohn CleeseTerry GilliamEric IdleThe comedy team takes a look at life in all of its stages in their own uniquely silly way."It's only wafer-thin!"
Available in 4K! - DirectorRichard MarquandStarsMark HamillHarrison FordCarrie FisherAfter rescuing Han Solo from Jabba the Hutt, the Rebel Alliance attempt to destroy the second Death Star, while Luke struggles to help Darth Vader back from the dark side.(The original, unaltered 1983 theatrical version; not the 1997 "special edition" re-release version with the added scenes, which is a travesty.)
- DirectorJohn LandisStarsEddie MurphyDan AykroydRalph BellamyA snobbish investor and a wily street con artist find their positions reversed as part of a bet by two callous millionaires."Your breakfast, sir..."
Available in 4K! - DirectorPenelope SpheerisStarsChris PedersenBill CoyneJennifer ClayWhen household tensions and a sense of worthlessness overcome Evan, he finds escape when he clings with the orphans of a throw-away society.Filmed with non-actors, so it’s raw, but still such a vivid and affecting reminder of my experiences of being a displaced punk teen.
- DirectorWolfgang PetersenStarsNoah HathawayBarret OliverTami StronachA troubled boy dives into a wondrous fantasy world through the pages of a mysterious book.Always such a treat to rewatch! I feel like I could watch this film forever. But it always seems to end, at right about the hour and forty-minute mark. NeverEnding, my arse!
Available in 4K! - DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsHarrison FordKate CapshawKe Huy QuanIn 1935, Indiana Jones is tasked by Indian villagers with reclaiming a rock stolen from them by a secret cult beneath the catacombs of an ancient palace.Classic Indy. Set in 1935, this is chronologically the first (and certainly the darkest) of all the Indiana Jones adventures!
Available in 4K! - DirectorNick CastleStarsLance GuestRobert PrestonKay E. KuterHigh schooler Alex Rogan conquers the Starfighter video game, only to find out it was just a test, and is transported to another planet. He has been recruited to join a team of the best starfighters to defend their world from the attack.That part when Alex's little brother sees him kissing his girlfriend and says, "Dia-reeah!!"
Available in 4K! - DirectorJohn CarpenterStarsJeff BridgesKaren AllenCharles Martin SmithAn alien takes the form of a young Wisconsin widow's husband and makes her drive him to his departure point in Arizona. Distrustful government agents, along with a more ambivalent scientist, give pursuit in hopes of intercepting them.Everyone praises Halloween and The Thing, but this is my all-time favorite John Carpenter movie.
Available in 4K! - DirectorJohn HughesStarsEmilio EstevezJudd NelsonMolly RingwaldFive high school students meet in Saturday detention and discover how they have a great deal more in common than they thought."Da cheek doth not know how to hold dee smoke...dath what it is."
- DirectorDan O'BannonStarsClu GulagerJames KarenDon CalfaWhen two bumbling employees at a medical supply warehouse accidentally release a deadly gas into the air, the vapors cause the dead to rise again as zombies."Send more cops… send more paramedics!”
Available in 4K! - DirectorRobert ZemeckisStarsMichael J. FoxChristopher LloydLea ThompsonMarty McFly, a 17-year-old high school student, is accidentally sent 30 years into the past in a time-traveling DeLorean invented by his close friend, the maverick scientist Doc Brown."You're my density!"
Available in 4K! - DirectorTim BurtonStarsPaul ReubensElizabeth DailyMark HoltonWhen eccentric man-child Pee-wee Herman gets his beloved bike stolen in broad daylight, he sets out across the U.S. on the adventure of his life."Tell 'em Large Marge sent ya!"
- DirectorAgnès VardaStarsSandrine BonnaireMacha MérilStéphane FreissA young woman's body is found frozen in a ditch. Through flashbacks and interviews, we see the events that led to her inevitable death.Just got to see a revival screening of this! My favorite Agnes Varda, along with “Cléo from 5 to 7”.
- DirectorJames IvoryStarsMaggie SmithHelena Bonham CarterDenholm ElliottLucy Honeychurch (Helena Bonham Carter) shares a brief romance with George Emerson in Florence. Yet as she tries to move on with her life and look for marriage elsewhere, can she truly forget the events of that summer?Positively charming, with a surprisingly funny performance from Daniel Day-Lewis!
- DirectorRussell MulcahyStarsChristopher LambertSean ConneryClancy BrownAn immortal Scottish swordsman must confront the last of his immortal opponents, a murderously brutal barbarian who lusts for the fabled "Prize".So much better than critics give it credit for! A timeless classic!
Available in 4K! - DirectorHoward DeutchStarsMolly RingwaldJon CryerHarry Dean StantonA poor girl must choose between the affections of dating her childhood sweetheart or a rich but sensitive playboy."Applause, applause, applause..."
I went to see this in the theater 11 times in 1986. At the time I was 13, and the film just really resonated deeply with me! Wore out the soundtrack cassette, too. I can’t get enough of this movie! - DirectorAlex CoxStarsGary OldmanChloe WebbDavid HaymanThe relationship between Sid Vicious, bassist for British punk group Sex Pistols, and his girlfriend Nancy Spungen is portrayed.A story about how “love kills”.
Or more accurately, how needles packed with black-tar heroin and quarreling punks with knives kill. I've likely rewatched this one a hundred or more times!
Awaiting the 4K, Criterion! - DirectorJohn HughesStarsMatthew BroderickAlan RuckMia SaraA popular high school student, admired by his peers, decides to take a day off from school and goes to extreme lengths to pull it off, to the chagrin of his Dean, who'll do anything to stop him.When I was 13, my parents allowed an older friend from church to take me to a "sneak preview" showing of this John Hughes treasure in Wilsonville, Oregon back in 1986, and at the door I got a "FBDO" button and a "LEISURE RULES" poster of Ferris... a fantasticly memorable theater-going experience!!
Available in 4K! - DirectorRob ReinerStarsWil WheatonRiver PhoenixCorey FeldmanA writer recounts a childhood journey with his friends to find the body of a missing boy.I'll never forget how my (quite religious) mother took me to this movie in the theater in 1986 because I wanted to see it so much, even though it was rated "R", and she sat through the whole thing with me calmly, without making us get up and leave, despite all the profuse amounts of foul language. I'll always be grateful for that, mom...it became one of my all-time favorite films, that I've lovingly re-watched countless times. I've even visited multiple sites where it was filmed, in Brownsville, Oregon.
Amazingly, 30 years later, mom and I even went to see it again together, at a revival screening of it at the Hollywood Theater in Portland. Love you, mom...
Available in 4K! - DirectorNicolas RoegStarsOliver ReedAmanda DonohoeGeorgina HaleMiddle-aged Gerald Kingsland advertises in a London paper for a female companion to spend a year with him on a desert island.Not the Tom Hanks one from 2000 (which I also love)... this one's an underrated stunner from the great director of "Walkabout", Nicolas Roeg.
- DirectorDavid Hugh JonesStarsAnne BancroftAnthony HopkinsJudi DenchTrue story of a transatlantic business correspondence about used books that developed into a close friendship.An absolute heart-warmer. The greatest movie made about books!
- DirectorHoward DeutchStarsEric StoltzMary Stuart MastersonLea ThompsonWhen Keith goes out with Amanda, the girl of his dreams, Amanda's ex-boyfriend plans to get back at Keith. Meanwhile, Keith's best friend, tomboy Watts, realizes she has feelings for Keith.As corny as it may sound, I was so inspired by Mary Stuart Masterson's drummer character "Watts" in this movie, that I actually got a red drum set like the one she plays in the film, and began a drumming career that has yielded over 30 albums and countless touring adventures across the world. There's some kind of magical component to this movie for me, as well as to its unofficial companion film, "Pretty In Pink", and I never get tired of re-watching them both, back-to-back! Love their soundtracks, too!!
- DirectorJoel CoenEthan CoenStarsNicolas CageHolly HunterTrey WilsonWhen a childless couple--an ex-con and an ex-cop--decide to help themselves to one of another family's quintuplets, their lives become more complicated than they anticipated."Okaayy, then."
- DirectorSam RaimiStarsBruce CampbellSarah BerryDan HicksAsh Williams, the lone survivor of an earlier onslaught of flesh-possessing spirits, holes up in a cabin with a group of strangers while the demons continue their attack.Far superior to both its predecessor "The Evil Dead" and its sequel, "Army of Darkness"!
Available in 4K! - DirectorBruce RobinsonStarsRichard E. GrantPaul McGannRichard GriffithsIn 1969, two substance-abusing, unemployed actors retreat to the countryside for a holiday that proves disastrous.Richard Grant is the MAN!! A golden classic of British comedy.
Available in 4K!