35 Movies To Watch Over And Over Again

I really enjoy watching movies. It’s one of my favorite pastimes and it’s something I can do while working on the computer so I’m able to watch lots of movies.

On the weekends I usually search the movie providers for the latest new releases. Unfortunately they don’t put out enough great movies to fill the hours I am able to watch.

In the case of a lack of movies I normally go to regular DISH TV and just surf the listings. While surfing the listings there are certain movies that I like and I’ll sometimes watch. These are movies considered on my favorites list.

There are several movies that I like to watch like The Green Mile and The Shawshank Redemption. I enjoy this group of movies but if I’ve seen one of them recently I normally will wait a few months before I watch them again. This is a big category of films.

Every now and then I’ll be surfing the channels and I’ll spot a movie that I just can’t not watch. These are my favorites of the favorites. These are the movies that I can watch over and over again. Each of these films has something about them that lures me back every time.

When I first thought of this idea I knew I had a list of about 5 movies that I’ll always watch. Then when I really began thinking about it more movies started popping into my head. I then decided to do a search for movies that are watched over and over again and found several more.

Here’s my list of 35 movies that I get can’t stop watching once I get started. They are in no particular order.

If you haven’t seen some of these movies I’d recommend you give them a try especially if you feel like you can’t find anything to watch. These selections aren’t the best films of all time but they definitely are worth a watch.

The Warriors – 1979
A turf battle between New York City street gangs that rages from Coney Island to the Bronx. The Warriors are mistakenly fingered for the killing of a gang leader. Soon they have every gang in the city out to get revenge and they must make their way across the city to their own turf.

This was a movie my buddies and I watched together while in high school. It was a time that we’d watch a movie and then meet girls at the local pizza place. I loved the underdog story and the fact that each gang had it’s own “look”. The soundtrack and score were so good I went and bought the album.

Phantasm – 1979
The residents of a small town have begun dying under strange circumstances, leading young Mike (Michael Baldwin) to investigate. After discovering that the Tall Man (Angus Scrimm), the town’s mortician, is killing and reanimating the dead as misshapen zombies, Mike seeks help from his older brother, Jody (Bill Thornbury), and local ice cream man Reggie (Reggie Bannister). Working together, they try to lure out and kill the Tall Man, all the while avoiding his minions and a deadly silver sphere.

A cult classic! This one has lots of weirdness and rarely makes it on regular TV. We were freaked out a little when we first saw this in 1979. I instantly fell in love with the movie score and even have it on vinyl. You won’t see this story line in any other movie and there aren’t many characters creepier than the Tall Man. Boooooy!

The Goonies – 1985
Old-fashioned yarn about a band of adventurous kids who take on the might of a property developing company which plans to destroy their home to build a country club. When the children discover an old pirate map in the attic, they follow it into an underground cavern in search of lost treasure but come up against plenty of dangerous obstacles along the way.

What a fun adventure! This is what I wanted my childhood to be! Who doesn’t want to search for a lost treasure? It’s a silly movie but really reminds me of our grade school gang that rode banana seat bikes to places our parents never knew. A fun cast of characters.

Close Encounters of the Third Kind – 1977
Science fiction adventure about a group of people who attempt to contact alien intelligence. Roy Neary (Richard Dreyfuss) witnesses an unidentified flying object, and even has a “sunburn” from its bright lights to prove it. Roy refuses to accept an explanation for what he saw and is prepared to give up his life to pursue the truth about UFOs.

A great sci-fi movie that could almost really happen. Lots of 70s stuff in this film.

Goodbye Girl – 1977
Former Broadway hoofer Paula McFadden (Marsha Mason) and her young daughter, Lucy (Quinn Cummings), are outraged to find that Paula’s former lover has fled to Europe and subleased their apartment to hyper Chicago actor Elliot Garfield (Richard Dreyfuss). Neither Marsha nor Elliot is prepared to acknowledge the other’s right to the apartment, but they reluctantly agree to share it. Despite their opposite natures and constant bickering, when Elliot’s play fails, Marsha is surprisingly affected.

Another Dreyfuss movie. This is a 70s rom-com and is rarely on so when it is I catch it.

Stand By Me – 1986
After learning that a stranger has been accidentally killed near their rural homes, four Oregon boys decide to go see the body. On the way, Gordie Lachance (Wil Wheaton), Vern Tessio (Jerry O’Connell), Chris Chambers (River Phoenix) and Teddy Duchamp (Corey Feldman) encounter a mean junk man and a marsh full of leeches, as they also learn more about one another and their very different home lives. Just a lark at first, the boys’ adventure evolves into a defining event in their lives.

A great kid movie set in. the late 60s. Reminds me of when our gang went on adventures.

The Lost Boys – 1987
Teenage brothers Michael (Jason Patric) and Sam (Corey Haim) move with their mother (Dianne Wiest) to a small town in northern California. While the younger Sam meets a pair of kindred spirits in geeky comic-book nerds Edward (Corey Feldman) and Alan (Jamison Newlander), the angst-ridden Michael soon falls for Star (Jami Gertz) — who turns out to be in thrall to David (Kiefer Sutherland), leader of a local gang of vampires. Sam and his new friends must save Michael and Star from the undead.

You gotta love a movie about a group of kids trying to defeat a gang of vampires. A fun cast of characters in this one and some great songs.

Twister – 1996
During the approach of the most powerful storm in decades, university professor Dr. Jo Harding (Helen Hunt) and an underfunded team of students prepare the prototype for Dorothy, a ground-breaking tornado data-gathering device conceived by her estranged husband, Bill (Bill Paxton). When Harding tells Bill that Dorothy is ready for testing — and that their privately funded rival Dr. Jonas Miller (Cary Elwes) has stolen the idea and built his own — Bill rejoins the team for one last mission.

If you live in Oklahoma you get to see the action in this movie every spring. The TV weather guys in the film are our real forecasters and many of the locations were filmed near my hometown. Having gone tornado chasing on several occasions this movie sometimes feels almost like reality TV. It’s a great story with a cast that has chemistry. Being on the crew for this film would have been a blast!

The Perfect Storm – 2000
Based on a true story, the film tells of the courageous men and women who risk their lives every working day, pitting their fishing boats and rescue vessels against the capricious forces of nature. Their worst fears are realized at sea on Halloween of 1991, when they are confronted by three raging weather fronts which unexpectedly collide to produce the greatest, fiercest storm in modern history — “The Perfect Storm.”

One of my favorite film scores. Just one of those movies I watch every time it’s on.

Jaws – 1975
When a young woman is killed by a shark while skinny-dipping near the New England tourist town of Amity Island, police chief Martin Brody (Roy Scheider) wants to close the beaches, but mayor Larry Vaughn (Murray Hamilton) overrules him, fearing that the loss of tourist revenue will cripple the town. Ichthyologist Matt Hooper (Richard Dreyfuss) and grizzled ship captain Quint (Robert Shaw) offer to help Brody capture the killer beast, and the trio engage in an epic battle of man vs. nature.

I know the story by heart but I still sit and watch it every time. I know the ending and all of the suspenseful moments. It’s almost like Jaws is an old family friend that you just love to be around. I like the characters especially Dreyfuss. I can recite many lines from this movie which may also be why I watch it over and over again.

Jurassic Park – 1993
In Steven Spielberg’s massive blockbuster, paleontologists Alan Grant (Sam Neill) and Ellie Sattler (Laura Dern) and mathematician Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum) are among a select group chosen to tour an island theme park populated by dinosaurs created from prehistoric DNA. While the park’s mastermind, billionaire John Hammond (Richard Attenborough), assures everyone that the facility is safe, they find out otherwise when various ferocious predators break free and go on the hunt.

This movie floored me when I first watched it. A great concept and the special effects are awesome. Also one of my favorite movie scores. This movie really takes you on an adventure that feels like being on a roller coaster. The cast is perfect for each of their characters.

Signs – 2002
Everything that farmer Graham Hess (Mel Gibson) assumed about the world is changed when he discovers a message – an intricate pattern of circles and lines – carved into his crops. As he investigates the unfolding mystery, what he finds will forever alter the lives of his brother (Joaquin Phoenix) and children (Rory Culkin), (Abigail Breslin). A unique story that explores the mysterious real-life phenomena of crop signs and the effects they have on one man and his family.

This movie is so cool because everything throughout the film comes together in the end. A great original story from M. Night that creeps you out but also makes you wonder. When I do thing over and over for no reason I think about this movie and question whether there’s a reason I’m doing whatever it is. This film has a fantastic cast and interesting enough storyline that I enjoy it every time.

Vision Quest – 1985
High school wrestler Louden Swain (Matthew Modine) feels he must do something significant in his life shortly after turning 18. Despite vehement advice against it from his father (Ronny Cox) and coach (Charles Hallahan), Swain decides to try to lose over 20 pounds in a very short time in an attempt to take on the defending state champion of a lower weight class. Meanwhile, he falls for the edgy, older Carla (Linda Fiorentino), who provides further distraction for the young wrestler.

This is an oldie but a goodie. This movie isn’t a blockbuster and doesn’t have any huge scenes but it’s a great story. If you like underdog stories this one is for you. It’s also a fun look at wrestling if you’ve never been around the sport. There are some scenes in this movie that are made great just by the dialogue. Modine does a great job and makes you want to root for his character. Another flick with some great 80s music.

Cast Away – 2000
Obsessively punctual FedEx executive Chuck Noland (Tom Hanks) is en route to an assignment in Malaysia when his plane crashes over the Pacific Ocean during a storm. The sole survivor of the flight, Chuck washes ashore on a deserted island. When his efforts to sail away and contact help fail, Chuck learns how to survive on the island, where he remains for years, accompanied by only his handmade volleyball friend, Wilson. Will Chuck ever return to civilization and reunite with his loved ones?

I just really love the score in this movie and the ending. So much is taken away but then there’s always hope if you keep believing. What does Chuck do at the very end? Pay attention to the very last scene and you know what he does. Love Hanks delivering this line, “I gotta keep breathing. Because tomorrow the sun will rise. Who knows what the tide could bring?”

Once Upon a Time Time In Hollywood – 2019
Actor Rick Dalton gained fame and fortune by starring in a 1950s television Western, but is now struggling to find meaningful work in a Hollywood that he doesn’t recognize anymore. He spends most of his time drinking and palling around with Cliff Booth, his easygoing best friend and longtime stunt double. Rick also happens to live next door to Roman Polanski and Sharon Tate — the filmmaker and budding actress whose futures will forever be altered by members of the Manson Family.

If only a movie could really change history. This movie is all over the place and jumps from one thing to another but in a good way. I love the vibe of this film and enjoy many of the songs scattered throughout.

The Mummy (Franchise) – 1999
The Mummy is a rousing, suspenseful and horrifying epic about an expedition of treasure-seeking explorers in the Sahara Desert in 1925. Stumbling upon an ancient tomb, the hunters unwittingly set loose a 3,000-year-old legacy of terror, which is embodied in the vengeful reincarnation of an Egyptian priest who had been sentenced to an eternity as one of the living dead.

If a movie is set in the desert it usually has an epic feel to it. This franchise has adventure written all over it and Brendan Fraser is at his best. These movies are just fun and set in another time period. I enjoy the back and forth of these movies going form past to present.

John Wick (Franchise) – 2014
Legendary assassin John Wick (Keanu Reeves) retired from his violent career after marrying the love of his life. Her sudden death leaves John in deep mourning. When sadistic mobster Iosef Tarasov (Alfie Allen) and his thugs steal John’s prized car and kill the puppy that was a last gift from his wife, John unleashes the remorseless killing machine within and seeks vengeance. Meanwhile, Iosef’s father (Michael Nyqvist) — John’s former colleague — puts a huge bounty on John’s head.

I like the story line of these movies. It’s intriguing and I’m wanting to learn more about the back story.

Flight Of The Phoenix – 2004
On a flight over the Gobi Desert in Mongolia, Capt. Frank Towns (Dennis Quaid) and co-pilot A.J. (Tyrese Gibson) are unable to keep their cargo plane in the air when a violent sandstorm strikes. Crash-landing in a remote part of the desert, the two pilots and their passengers — a crew of oil workers and a drifter (Giovanni Ribisi) — must work together to survive by rebuilding the aircraft. Soon, low supplies and a band of merciless smugglers add greater urgency to their task.

I think I have a thing for movies that take place in the desert because it makes them more epic. This is a great survival type movie that also has suspense and great plot twists. Many people may not have seen this film but I highly recommend it. Even though I know the ending it’s always fun to see how everything comes together in the end. This movie also has some great music.

Halloween – 1978
On a cold Halloween night in 1963, six year old Michael Myers brutally murdered his 17-year-old sister, Judith. He was sentenced and locked away for 15 years. But on October 30, 1978, while being transferred for a court date, a 21-year-old Michael Myers steals a car and escapes Smith’s Grove. He returns to his quiet hometown of Haddonfield, Illinois, where he looks for his next victims.

I might not watch this one in the middle of summer if it comes on but you can bet I watch it every Halloween. It’s not officially Halloween until I’ve seen this one each year. It’s great seeing a horror flick over and over without having to see slashing and blood all over the place. The movie score is excellent and I have it on vinyl as well. The cool thing about this story is that it could happen in any small town in America.

The Poseidon Adventure – 1972
En route from New York City to Greece on New Year’s Eve, majestic passenger ship the S.S. Poseidon is overtaken by a tidal wave. With the captain (Leslie Nielsen) dead, surviving passengers, including the passionate Rev. Scott (Gene Hackman), band together in the ship’s ballroom. The group struggles to avert fires, flooding, structural instability and mechanical malfunctions as they make their way through a maze of ladders and tunnels in their desperate attempt to escape a watery grave.

Probably the first adventure movie I ever saw. The suspense and story holds up today but it’s a great 70s movie.

Almost Famous – 2000
Set in 1973, it chronicles the funny and often poignant coming of age of 15-year-old William, an unabashed music fan who is inspired by the seminal bands of the time. When his love of music lands him an assignment from Rolling Stone magazine to interview the up-and-coming band Stillwater — fronted by lead guitar Russell Hammond and lead singer Jeff Bebe William embarks on an eye-opening journey with the band’s tour, despite the objections of his protective mother.

A fun movie about groupies. Great music and an interesting look behind the scenes of a touring band.

Pretty In Pink – 1986
Andie (Molly Ringwald) is an outcast at her Chicago high school, hanging out either with her older boss (Annie Potts), who owns the record store where she works, or her quirky classmate Duckie (Jon Cryer), who has a crush on her. When one of the rich and popular kids at school, Blane (Andrew McCarthy), asks Andie out, it seems too good to be true. As Andie starts falling for Blane, she begins to realizes that dating someone from a different social sphere is not easy.

One of the great 80s movies for the younger crowd. A fun story and perfect cast.

10 Things I Hate About You – 1999
Kat Stratford (Julia Stiles) is beautiful, smart and quite abrasive to most of her fellow teens, meaning that she doesn’t attract many boys. Unfortunately for her younger sister, Bianca (Larisa Oleynik), house rules say that she can’t date until Kat has a boyfriend, so strings are pulled to set the dour damsel up for a romance. Soon Kat crosses paths with handsome new arrival Patrick Verona (Heath Ledger). Will Kat let her guard down enough to fall for the effortlessly charming Patrick?

It’s a rom-com with lots of twists and turns. Worth watching just for the songs.

Ghostbusters: Afterlife – 2021
When a single mother and her two children move to a new town, they soon discover they have a connection to the original Ghostbusters and the secret legacy their grandfather left behind.

This movie has a great young cast, ghosts and takes place in a fictitious town in Oklahoma. It also brings back the cast and the ambulance from the original Ghost Busters movie. There’s a lot of fun and adventures in this film. It has a Lost Boy’s feel at times but mixed with a Goonies like group of kids.

Top Gun: Maverick – 2022
After more than 30 years of service as one of the Navy’s top aviators, Pete “Maverick” Mitchell is where he belongs, pushing the envelope as a courageous test pilot and dodging the advancement in rank that would ground him. Training a detachment of graduates for a special assignment, Maverick must confront the ghosts of his past and his deepest fears, culminating in a mission that demands the ultimate sacrifice from those who choose to fly it.

This one gets me every time. Nostalgic to see the actors from the first movie and how they are 30 years later. Being the same age it brings up feelings of getting older.

Contact – 1997
In this Zemeckis-directed adaptation of the Carl Sagan novel, Dr. Ellie Arroway (Jodie Foster) races to interpret a possible message originating from the Vega star system. Once first contact with an extraterrestrial intelligence is proven, Arroway contends with restrictive National Security Advisor Kitz (James Woods) and religious fanatics bent on containing the implications of such an event. An incredible message is found hidden in the signal, but will Arroway be the one to answer its call?

The cast in this one is worth the watch. Interesting story and ending.

Empire Records – 1995
Joe (Anthony LaPaglia) runs Empire Records, an independent Delaware store that employs a tight-knit group of music-savvy youths. Hearing that the shop may be sold to a big chain, slacker employee Lucas (Rory Cochrane) bets a chunk of the store’s money, hoping to get a big return. When this plan fails, Empire Records falls into serious trouble, and the various other clerks, including lovely Corey (Liv Tyler) and gloomy Deb (Robin Tunney), must deal with the problem, among many other issues.

Lots of great music. It’s a movie about kids working in a record store. What could be better?

13 Going On 30 – 2004
A girl who’s sick of the social strictures of junior high is transformed into a grownup overnight. In this feel-good fairy tale, teenager Jenna (Christa B. Allen) wants a boyfriend, and when she’s unable to find one, she fantasizes about being a well-adjusted adult. Suddenly, her secret desire becomes a reality, and she is transformed into a 30-year-old (Jennifer Garner). But adulthood, with its own set of male-female challenges, isn’t as easy as it looks.

This one is fun and has some great songs scattered throughout. It’s a rom-com.

Catch And Release – 2006
A woman (Jennifer Garner) struggles to rebuild her life in the wake of her fiance’s untimely death and the discovery of secrets he kept from her. Along the way, she bonds with his best pals (Sam Jaeger, Kevin Smith), including a n’er-do-well (Timothy Olyphant) she initially disliked.

Most people probably have not seen this one and the reviews were not great. It’s a good movie with a fantastic cast. Watch this one on a rainy day.

Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory – 1971
A sweet boy from a poor family dreams of finding one of five golden tickets hidden inside chocolate bar wrappers which will admit him to the eccentric and reclusive Willy Wonka’s magical factory. One after another, tickets are discovered by ghastly children – but will the lad find the last remaining one and have all his dreams come true?

Reminds me of when I was a kid.

The Wizard of Oz – 1939
When a tornado rips through Kansas, Dorothy (Judy Garland) and her dog, Toto, are whisked away in their house to the magical land of Oz. They follow the Yellow Brick Road toward the Emerald City to meet the Wizard, and en route they meet a Scarecrow (Ray Bolger) that needs a brain, a Tin Man (Jack Haley) missing a heart, and a Cowardly Lion (Bert Lahr) who wants courage. The wizard asks the group to bring him the broom of the Wicked Witch of the West (Margaret Hamilton) to earn his help.

It’s classic and full of nostalgia.

Tremors – 1990
Repairmen Val McKee (Kevin Bacon) and Earl Bassett (Fred Ward) are tired of their dull lives in the small desert town of Perfection, Nev. But just as the two try to skip town, they happen upon a series of mysterious deaths and a concerned seismologist (Finn Carter) studying unnatural readings below the ground. With the help of an eccentric couple (Reba McEntire, Michael Gross), the group fights for survival against giant, worm-like monsters hungry for human flesh.

Don’t ask. I’m not sure what I like about this movie but I watch it all of the time. I guess it’s just fun and has a great cast.

From Dusk till Dawn – 1996
On the run from a bank robbery that left several police officers dead, Seth Gecko (George Clooney) and his paranoid, loose-cannon brother, Richard (Quentin Tarantino), hightail it to the Mexican border. Kidnapping preacher Jacob Fuller (Harvey Keitel) and his kids, the criminals sneak across the border in the family’s RV and hole up in a topless bar. Unfortunately, the bar also happens to be home base for a gang of vampires, and the brothers and their hostages have to fight their way out.

A crazy vampire movie not exactly one for the kids.

Dawn Of The Dead – 2004
When her husband is attacked by a zombified neighbor, Ana (Sarah Polley) manages to escape, only to realize her entire Milwaukee neighborhood has been overrun by the walking dead. After being questioned by cautious policeman Kenneth (Ving Rhames), Ana joins him and a small group that gravitates to the local shopping mall as a bastion of safety. Once they convince suspicious security guards that they are not contaminated, the group bands together to fight the undead hordes.

I love zombie movies and this is a great one! It’s full of medium speed zombies.

Rear Window – 1954
The story of a recuperating news photographer who believes he has witnessed a murder. Confined to a wheelchair after an accident, he spends his time watching the occupants of neighbouring apartments through a telephoto lens and binoculars and becomes convinced that a murder has taken place.

There are not many actors better than Jimmy Stewart and he’s great in this film. Grace Kelly, Raymond Burr and director Alfred Hitchcock! This is a fun movie and so simple.

WORTH MENTIONING: I’ve watched these films many times but I don’t always lock in on them.

Kong: Skull Island
Breakfast Club
Pulp Fiction
Dead Poet Society
Sixteen Candles
Second Hand Lions
The Descendants

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