13Kviews
Hey Pandas, What’s A Classic Movie That Everyone Needs To See At Least Once In Their Life? (Closed)
What movies are considered classics? Which ones do you watch over and over?
This post may include affiliate links.
The Princess Bride
I watched this movie (non-American, so I had no exposure to it) a few months ago. Then I watched it again. And again. Such a brilliant film!
Lord of the Rings trilogy
Just watching the movies was very confusing for me; a lot of things didn't make sense. It wasn't until I read the books that I was able to truly enjoy the story.
Aliens
Made in 1986 - would be all CGI now... to make it in 86 and still have it be brilliant in 2021 is an astounding feat.
CGI is overused and over relied upon. They rely so much on it that now movies are kind of crap.
To Kill a Mockingbird
As someone who both saw the film and read the book, I would better recommend the book (the movie is beautiful, don't get me wrong, but the book has much more extra topics that are not shown in the movie)
I can not tell you how many times I have read the book! I'm the kind to go back and reread any book I like, over and over. So yes it's a great movie, and I completely agree, it's a better book!
Load More Replies...Would you like to know if someone has read the book of a movie you're watching? Don't worry. They'll tell you.
The Wizard of Oz
Unpopular opinion. Dorothy was the Villian. Did not listen to her aunt. Killed a woman just standing there. Stole her shoes. Refused to return the shoes to the rightful heir. Murdered said heir. Exposed the person the land has pinned their hopes and dreams on as a fraud. She literally ruined the lives of everyone she encountered. Horrible person
Neverending story
But whatever happened to the lawsuits as memorialized in the Simpsons episode where Homer gets kicked out of so called "All You Can Eat" fish restaurant: Lionel Hutz- "This is the greatest case of false advertising since I sued "The Neverending Story!" Homer : "So, do you think I have a case?" Lionel Hutz : "Mr. Simpson, I don't use the word 'hero' lightly, but you are the greatest hero in American history."
The Fifth Element
It's a Wonderful Life.
Labyrinth
I love this movie! "You remind me of the babe!" "What babe?" "The babe with the power!" "What power?" "The power of voodoo." "Who do?" "You do!" "Do what?!" "Remind me of the babe!"
Raiders of the Lost Ark
The Sound of Music - its a scary film, and so sad, so glad the family got out of Austria safely.
Spaceballs!
I am your father's brother's nephew's cousin's former room mate!
The godfather
One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest. Maybe Jack Nicholson’s best performance. Harsh & superb.
Stand by Me
Galaxy Quest. the best send up of all- a great spoof of the Star Trek
series!
The Good, The Bad & The Ugly.
Idiocracy
Gone with the Wind
Soylent Green
Saving Private Ryan
A great movie for the whole family, especially the toddlers! (This is a joke dont smite me)
2001: Space Odyssey. It's like a manual of where humanity came from and where it's heading.
Thank you! I strongly urge people to view this movie. It is certainly slow moving and dated in parts, and you will be asking yourself "what on earth did I just see?!" on multiple occasions. But put your thinking cap on and keep an open mind, and I promise it will be a thrilling film viewing experience that will reward your effort. I hate that this movie is so polarizing! It seems that people divide it into either the "you're stupid for not liking it" or the "soooooooo booooring and pretentious" camps. When honestly, it can be enjoyed on so may levels. If you have not seen it, please watch it and then read an analysis from a reputable film critic that will help explain the movie. And if you have already seen it, now would be a good time to see it again. So let's all watch it this week and meet up here at Bored Panda to discus! And I am sorry, I know this is a TL;DR post for sure. I just love this movie so much and want others to experience its joy and wonder.
The Harry Potter franchise. My favorite series ever (books and movies). Watching them for the fourth time.
My Cousin Vinnie
The Color Purple
The Blues Brothers. Hilarious mock epic with great music & a car chase in a mall!
The Outsiders
Same advice I gave To Kill a Mockingbird. Read the book and watch the movie. They are perfect partners.
Das Boot
Breakfast at Tiffany's
Jurassic park,
Ah, yes my bedtime movie when I was kid. I was a strange child.
Psycho (1966)
Rocky Horror Picture Show. Every Halloween. It's just so bad it's good. Always cringe laugh.
"Let's do the time warp again!" But it's even better when you think you're watching the American version, but wind up watching the UK version instead my middle school self was traumatized. Yet, I watched horror movies at a very young age and it was this movie that scarred me. I love the movie, now though.
Casablanca.
Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolf
The Maltese Falcon
All This and Heaven Too
Watch On The Rhine
Duck Soup
Key Largo
Captain Blood
Adventures of Robin Hood
If I could only watch one, before I died, it would be Casablanca.
I agree. It's perfect. Some claim that Citizen Kane is the greatest film of all time, but it's full of unpleasant people.
Big Lebowski
Watched over again I can't even count and laugh my @$$ off every time. Dispersing the ashes 🤣🤣🤣🤣 and so on.
Shrek
Dracula 1931 Bela Lugosi
Doctor Zhivago
Laurence of Arabia
Harvey
Starring Jimmy Stewart
Good Will Hunting
Serenity
Pink Floyds "The Wall"
I think my position on this one should be clear! But it really is an excellent film despite what I felt were the odd choices of Alan Parker as the director and Bob Geldof, a definite anti-Pink Floydite, as the lead. I re-watched last year at the beginning of the COVID lockdown and was pleased that it still holds up closing in on 40 years from its 1982 release date. It helps if you are fan of Floyd and the LP. But still well worth seeing even if you are not a fan. I would say it is a flawed and imperfect film, but also thrilling, deep, and beautiful. Overall an excellent film.
Murder by Death
Clue before Clue. Awesome cast Alec Guiness pre-Star Wars, Maggie Smith + more.
Blood Diamond (2006). My geology teacher in high school actually had us watch it in class. It's a fairly accurate description of the dark side of the diamond industry.
The African Queen
Just got it on DVD for its 70th anniversary! Bogart and Hate Hepburn a dynamic duo!
Jaws. It changed people’s beach habits for years. If I happen across it on TV, I have to stop & watch it whatever point the movie is in every time.
Admittedly, it led to many needless shark killings. But if you took idiots out of the equation, it's greatness.
Field of Dreams
Footloose
how many weddings have you attended that had songs from this movie? Lots.
12 Angry Men
This! Almost zero budget, all in one room, but the acting!! Fabulous film, everyone should watch it especially in 2021!!
North by Northwest
A Summer Place
Murder on the Orient Express
Valley of the Dolls
Gaslight (1944)
Gone with the Wind
The World According to Garp
Forrest Gump
The Exorcist
The Killing Fields
Auntie Mame
Sully
Tom Hanks is a brillant actor and Clint Eastwood did a great job as director
The Secret of Nimh - An animated classic.
Oh my! Not sure how old I was bit that movie scared me so much. I hated it, never wanted to watch that again. Not saying it is bad, I was either too young or I am too sensitive.
The fisher king (1991, by Terry Gilliam)
to learn that every word of you has an effect
Whatever happened to Baby Jane(1962)- I'm so old this was the first movie I ordered from Netflix in the mail
The Music Man with Robert Preston. The characters are loads of fun, and I've never seen a more powerful and commanding leading man. Just be ready to look past the antiquated ideas of courtship.
Silent Running
In my opinion, this is one of the best classic sci-fi movies. While it's a movie intended for the hippie generation, just like 2001, it not only manages to convey its messages without taking clear sides and offering an answer. It's about environmentalism, but shows how much wrong you can still do while being right. It conveys that there's still a wrong way in how to fight wrong. The special effects aren't the best for the time, but they had a tight budget and managed to build great sets with it. Just a shame that they had to rely on so many artificial plants instead of doing the shots for the domes outside, as originally planned.
Army of Darkness
the original Gojira.
while most Godzilla films are quite goofy, this one is more of a horror/drama.
being there- Peter Sellers
Guess who’s coming to dinner. Kathryn Hepburn and Spencer Tracy are gold and the story stands the test of time.
On Golden Pond too!
Forrest Gump ("Lieutenant Dan...!")
Strange Brew
I have never laughed so hard in a movie as when they survive drowning by drinking empty beer bottles. And "watch for mice"! Oh boy, what a funny movie! Moranis and Thomas were absolute gold! I would love to see this one again.
The Breakfast Club
To Sir with Love
here is where I fell in love with Sidney Poitier. and Lulu singing the theme song, head over to You Tube just to hear it.
Blazing Saddles - Mel Brooks was “Woke” before it was a thing. This movie has a unique style of comedy as it makes fun of the stereotypical racist. It’s intelligent yet childish jokes will keep your attention from beginning to end
The Mummy, with Brendan Frazer, Rachel Weisz, John Hannah, Oded Fehr and Arnold Vosloo. Infinitely enjoyable. Witty and the coolest special effects.
Meet Me in St Louis
Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner (1967). Eloquent acting, Katharine Hepburn, Spencer Tracy’s last movie, interracial marriage when it was still banned in 17 states. In 2017, the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".
Slumdog Millionaire
I have tried to see this multiple times and have to turn it off when the young fella is picked on and bullied.
Judgement at Nuremberg
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
Willow
V for Vandetta
“People shouldn't be afraid of their government. Governments should be afraid of their people.”
The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1988)
I read the book as a child, and had me giggling on and on and on! Never saw the movie though.....
How to Steal a Million. Although better known for Sabrina and Roman Holiday, Audrey Hepburn is utterly charming and funny in this classic comedic crime caper / romance. She and Peter O’Toole have more chemistry than she and Bogart ever did. This film is classy and clever in a way that’s rarely found in modern films.
The boy in the striped pajamas. My God, did that movie hit me sideways!
Dr. Strangelove
Brilliant film. But just too close to global politics right now... eek...
The Mission starring Robert De Niro and Jeremy Irons (1986)
Cool Hand Luke. Gritty Paul Newman greatness.
Out of Africa
The Ghost and the Darkness
Both true stories, Isak Dinesen (Out of Africa) also wrote Shadows on the Grass. Re; Ghost and the Darkness, Yes that lion really did go into a lighted train car full of peopl. Not the usuall lion behavior.
Heat
The Great Escape
Steve McQueen wouldn't take the part unless he could do his own stunt work; jump the fence on the motorcycle.
The Rocky Horror Picture Show
The Man from Snowy River
Screwball comedies of the 1930’s and 40’s are wonderful. Films like Bringing Up Baby, My Man Godfrey, The Awful Truth, Ninotchka, Ball Of Fire, The Lady Eve and more.
The Seventh Seal by Swedish director Ingemar Bergman. Or choose some other of his movies. There is a reason he was knownas a genious director.
Pans Labyrinth
Cool runnings
Beetlejuice
Mary Poppins
Mrs Doubtfire
Uncle Buck
Secret Garden
Clueless
Annie
Whatever happened to Baby Jane(1962)- I'm so old this was the first movie I ordered from Netflix in the mail
The Lake House.
Sandra Bullock and Keeanu Reeves
Dancer in the Dark
Protip for this movie: Don't fall asleep during the first half, you will not now what to do during the second half.
I see some truly classic movies that were remade under other titles. (Hollywood has been out of great ideas for a long time but here’s my submission)
Godfather (1)
Of Mice and Men
Mr. Blanding Builds His Dream House
Inherit The Wind
Look Who’s Coming to Dinner (a movie that STILL holds up today and no one can compete with Hepburn and Tracy)
Gettysburg
To Kill A Mocking Bird (still controversial but an important movie)
Rear Window
And the ENTIRE Mel Brookes catalog …
All the Harry Potter Movies.
Blast from the Past. Weird movie, but I love it.
Smart and funny. Excellent premise. Brendan Fraser is so on point.
The Princess Bride, Book and movie, you will not regret
Men in Black
The Matrix
Gladiator
The great Gatsby.
Dead Zone starring Christopher Walken, Martin Sheen and Tom Skerritt. Shines a light on what some people might do to gain power and those who cover it up for them.
Any thing by Alfred Hitchcock
Any thing with Bette Davis
Any thing with Kate Hepburn
Any thing with Humphrey Bogart
Any thing with Judy Garland
Guess what I'm Old and I love and live in my own classic world.
Gone With the Wind Breakfast at Tiffany's, The Godfather, Forrest Gump, What's Eating Gilbert Grape.
Clue
I know this isn't a movie, but the twilight zone.
Actually they did make Twilight Zone The Movie. Sadly the actor Vic Morrow was killed in a helicopter accident while on the filming on the set.
Flawless.
Phillip Seymor Hoffman did such an absolutely amazing performance, truly amazing. Such a shame he died, he was a very, VERY talented man!
An Affair to Remember (grab your tissues), The Philadelphia Story (best opening sequence of a movie ever - no dialogue, but the acting tells you everything you need to know), The Thin Man (the writing and acting is superb, plus the gowns are to die for), Hud (Newman is brilliant), Metropolis. I could go on and on.
The little mermaid
Fiddler on the roof
Jesus Christ Superstar
Fiddler on the Roof is incredible then again it is a musical and I love musicals.
Rocky the original. Other movies are just basking the glory of the first one. And yes It deserved the Oscar and not Taxi driver.
Contact
The Dark Crystal
The Secret of NIMH
The Sting - can't believe it hasn't been mentioned! Incredible cast.
Pirates of the Caribbean - Curse of the Black Pearl (went way downhill in the sequels, but the original film pulled off the perfect pirate saga)
The King's Speech - Geoffrey Rush is amazing in everything!
A Very Good Year - a young Russell Crowe and an excellent film set in Provence
Almost Famous - yes, I still maintain the 60's and 70's rock music is the best ever!
Better Off Dead - a very young John Cusack and yes, that is EXACTLY how I remember high school...
Who Am I This Time? - a short film that has Christopher Walken and Susan Sarandon in a delightful comedy.
Some of my favorites are (in no particular order):
Die Hard
The Big Lebowski
The Shawshank Redemption
American History X
The Matrix
Office Space
Dumb and Dumber
Almost Famous
Angel Heart (1987)
Mickey Rourke (when he looked human) and Robert De Niro star in a neo-noir psychological horror based on the 1978 novel Falling Angel by William Hjortsberg. A genuine classic.
Some Like It Hot
When Harry Met Sally
ANYTHING by Hitchcock.
And the rest of this list contains awesome choices!
Four Rooms!
The Graduate - one word, plastic
Playtime. A french movie from 1967 from director Jacques Tati. A pure genius !!! A true masterpiece. technically revolutionary, visually amazing and extremely clever and funny at the same time. It is ranked 43rd in the British Film Institute's critics' list and 37th in their directors' list of "Top 100 Greatest Films of All Time." A Must See !!!
If you got dumped, 500 of Summer.
These Disney Classics:
Old Yeller.
Pollyanna.
The Parent Trap.
The Sorcerer's Apprentice.
Lady and the Tramp.
The Swiss Family Robinson.
Big Red.
The Three Lives of Thomasina.
M (1931)
Not only does this movie tell you a lot about the society, crime and police work at the time, it also conveys strong messages how two wrongs don't make a right and how legal punishment shouldn't be revenge - all while being a thrilling crime movie.
Marty. why? because it has ernest borgnine in his oscar performance as a person who learns, with difficulty, that physical beauty is shallow and the opinions of friends is nothing when it comes to realizing this. great film
The Quiet Man
The Addams Family
The Addams Family Values
Splash
The Little Mermaid
A Goofy Movie
Home Alone 1 & 2 (That's where it should have stopped)
Parenthood (w/ Steve Martin)
The Black Stallion
Cast Away
Apollo 13
Beaches
Who Framed Roger Rabbit?
Smart House.
It's brilliant! Shot in 1999 it's the story of a boy, whose father is widower and can't handle the daily chores in the household. But in a lottery the first prize is a smart home, impersonated as a woman. (Katey Sagal) She makes a lot of trouble to her owners and yeah, pretty good film.
Watch it!
To add some diversity, here some German movies:
Metropolis
Die Feuerzangenbowle
Das Boot
And from Austria:
Sissi
Sissi - Die junge Kaiserin
Sissi - Schicksalsjahre einer Kaiserin
Super Troopers
Tombstone, Val Kilmer deserves awards for his performance as Doc Holiday. Val and Kurt Russell showed more heart and acting skills than Costner’s lame Wyatt Earp.
Beauty and the Beast (1991), The Swan Princess (1994), Ferngully (1992), The Victim of the Haunt aka The Uninvited (1996) I saw this movie when I was four and it’s stuck with me for 22 years. I recently rewatched it and it’s one of my favorite movies now.
Cromwell (1971) - Richard Harris and Sir Alec Guiness, probably their best performances ever.
Kelly's Heroes - A WWII comedy/heist film, which is styled after a Western, with Clint Eastwood, Telly Savalis, Donald Sutherland, and a host of other great actors.
The Jackal
In the Heat of the Night
The 1967 classic, starring Sidney Poitier and Rod Steiger.
Planet of the Apes. That final scene hit me right in the feels.
Robocop
80s action movies are under represented on this list!
I watch this movie on a regular basis! LoL. I also love Escape From New York and Big Trouble in Little China
Bugsy Malone - an Alan Parker movie...
The signalman.
(If you have time to spare you can watch Carmen Sandiego, not a classic ofc)
HOLY FRICK HOW DO I DELETE A POST I REGRET ADDING A PSA PLEASE IGRORE IT
Where the Red Fern Grows
I've never watched the movies but the book is one of my favorite books of all time
The Court Jester (1955). Danny Kaye is hysterical!
And so are his other movies! 'On the Riviera' 'The Secret Life of Walter Mitty' 'Up in Arms' 'A Song is Born' (remake of Ball of Fire) 'The Five Pennies' 'The Inspector General' -can't think of more just now...
The Sleuth (1972) with Michael Caine and Sir Lawrence Olivier....for me it's a masterpiece.
Lemony snickets a series of unfourtunate events, either the movie or netflix show. Both are a charm!
Cosmos (2019)
Low-budget, but beats ANY big Hollywood "first contact" film because of its realism
Repo Man (1984) ...not to be confused with Repo Men.
King of Hearts
Harold and Maude
The Full Monty
Love 'King of Hearts' Especially the tri-lingual version! Those old ones are the Best!, check my list.
The Vikings (1953) - with Kirk Douglas, Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh. “ODIN!!!!”
Harvey.
Being kind and compassionate is more important than being 'normal'.
The Intouchables. Based on real-life events, incredibly moving and teaching. It shows that anyone can change, but they also have to want to.
A Chorus Line
Groundhog Day
Stranger than Fiction
Carlitos Way
The Lion King (original animation)
Dances With Wolves
Kramer v Kramer
The Wizard of Oz
Yankee Doodle Dandy
The Quiet Man
McClintock
Hacksaw Ridge
No Time For Sergeants
Sgt. York
Dr. Syn, The Scarecrow of Romney Marsh
in No Time for Sergeants, I had to do a double take - in one scene you actually get to see a young Jamie Farr - considering this movie was made in 1958.
The Last of the Mohicans
The 1992 version; starring Daniel Day-Lewis, Madeleine Stowe and Wes Studi.
fried green tomatoes
Random Harvest
I had not even heard of this one prior to seeing it here, not I am dying to see it. I am going to take the plunge and pay the $3.00 to see it on Amazon. Will let you know if I like it!
Philips Joker
You mean The Joker with Joaquin Phillips and directed by Todd Philips?
The Godfather
Philadelphia
Young Frankenstein
Pride & Prejudice (with Keira Knightly)
Gidget
Rear Window
Schindler’s Lost
Forest Gump
Jaws
Now and then I like to watch again Duel by S. Spielberg
Boudu sauvé des eaux by Jean Renoir. The Shining, 2001 by S. Kubrick.
Jacques Tati's films. Dragonwyck, Leave her to heaven.. Gene Tierney. All Bette Davis films. The house by the river 1940's..with actor Louis Hayward.
Mc Kendrick 's Ladies killlers so funny with Alec Guiness. And so many;;)
Bon Cop Bad Cop - it will teach you a lot about Canadian culture, French Canadian culture, and how to swear like an este québécois mon ciboire de tabarcrisse!
The Haunting (1963)
Heat (1995)
The In-Laws (1979)
Network (1976)
Seven (1995)
The Usual Suspects (1995)
Come and see - It shows the true horror of the eastern front.
The vanishing (1998) - Not to be confused with the remake from 1993 with Jeff Bridges and Kiefer Sutherland. You will never forget the ending of this movie.
Sorry for my mistake. The vanishing is from 1988.
The Bad Seed
Vertigo
Clue
Christine
Ghostbusters
Primal Fear
The original The Bad Seed. I watched as a young teen, and it has stuck with me lo these many years.
Brubaker
The 1980 prison masterpiece is starring Robert Redford; and also has Yaphet Kotto, David Keith and (for one scene) Morgan Freeman.
Don't look now. We're being shot at (la grande Vadrouille)
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmWcxvB1j_E
The sucker (le Corniaud)
And almost all other movies from Louis the Funes, but those are translated to English. Rabbi Jacob
Play Misty for Me
Suicide Kings
Harold and Maude
American History X
Run Ronnie Run
Evil Roy Sla
The Boondock Saints 1 & 2
The Game
The 1997 film; starring Michael Douglas, Sean Penn and Deborah Kara Unger.
Payback
Hustle and Flow (you will be surprised at how inspired you are by this film, raw and wonderful)
'The Cat s Paw' 1934, Harold Lloyd
'The Belles of St Trinians' Alisair Sims
'Tight Little Island aka Whiskey Galore'
'So's your Aunt Emma' Zazu Pitts
-and a whole bunch more of forgotten old gems
Passport to Pimlico
a simple but brilliant British comedy from the Ealing Studio comedies series
I am adding 2 more.
Both movies had great originals, and both had great remakes, so actually 4? Lol
Sabrina
Little Shop of Horrors
Krull, a swords and sorcery fantasy set “Light years beyond your imagination” has a very young Liam Neeson in it and a heavily made up Bernard Breslaw as a cyclops.
Tootsie. One of the best comedies ever made.... "That's a corn cob."
Scarface. All these movies and nobody mentioned it despite it being the one of the best movies of its time.
Bringing Up Baby, Used Cars, Hair, The Ten Commandments, A Boy And His Dog
I've said it once and I'll say it again: Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping. It isn't a classic, however it's one of the best comedies I've ever seen. It also has a sweet message aside from being hilarious. It's very underrated :) I recommend it highly!
Tootsie. One of the best comedies ever made.... "That's a corn cob."
Scarface. All these movies and nobody mentioned it despite it being the one of the best movies of its time.
Bringing Up Baby, Used Cars, Hair, The Ten Commandments, A Boy And His Dog
I've said it once and I'll say it again: Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping. It isn't a classic, however it's one of the best comedies I've ever seen. It also has a sweet message aside from being hilarious. It's very underrated :) I recommend it highly!