Top 3 Classic: Movies to Watch Anytime

Top 3 Classics will be reprints of my Top 3 column that originally appeared in the St. Norbert Times. I'm reprinting them here, and tweaking them a little bit from how they originally appeared to add a little flavor. This repost was inspired by reading the A.V. Club's response to a reader question asking what movie they watch over and over. Not one of the movies listed below was listed as any of their responses.

I would like to preface this list by saying it is a fairly male biased list, and being male, I’m ok with that. (This is what you need to say when you're publishing in a college newspaper).

The subject of this list is my top three movies to watch anytime.  What I mean by this is that I can turn the TV on at any point of these movies, already in progress, and know exactly what is happening.  It also means I know exactly how it will end, allowing the freedom to walk away from it at any point. Most importantly it means that no matter what else is on during that time, I will be watching this movie if it is on TV. These movies also qualify because they on almost any given weekend you will be able to find one, if not all on your basic cable.  These movies are best viewed on a Saturday afternoon or late Sunday evening.  Here we go:

 

1.  Air Force One 

When Harrison Ford tells you to get off his plane, you get the FUCK off his plane

    Arguably one of the best movies where Harrison Ford is asking the bad guys to give him back his family.  Harrison Ford plays the President of the United States and is on Air Force One when the plan gets overtaken by hijackers mid-flight.  This movie is great on its own account due to its strong supporting cast that includes Gary Oldman, William H. Macy, and Glenn Close.  But what makes this movie great is Harrison Ford at his peak. This not to say he is better in this movie than he was as Han Solo or Indiana Jones, but that in this movie he is playing up all the things that he is known for.  This is Harrison Ford at his grouchiest, raspiest, and most resolved to take down the bad guys.

2.  Forrest Gump

What is he looking at, seriously even the text of the poster is on the other side

  Is there any part of this movie you can’t quote or don’t enjoy?  This is the movie that changed America’s perspective on chocolates, shrimp, and girls named Jenny.  Is there any movie that better embodies the phrase “something for everyone”? What makes Gump so watchable is that it’s like ten movies rolled into one.  It’s an overall inspirational, feel good movie, but there is so much more to the movie than that.  It’s a war movie, sports movie, and romantic comedy all rolled into one.  Let’s not forget Tom Hanks, whose tremendous skill captivates the audience the minute he appears on the screen and makes it near impossible to change the channel.

3.  Independence Day

Help us Jeff Goldblum! Your computer virus is our only hope!

  We had the action movie, the feel good movie, now there’s the sci-fi movie.  What more could you want from this movie.  Alien invasions, awesome one liners, massive destruction, Will Smith, and what many consider the cheesiest speech in all of film history.  This is the movie where America fell in love with Will Smith, here he became Hollywood's next big blockbuster star.  This is also where Rolan Emmerich found his true calling  as a director who loved to destroy the cities of America.  Plus this movie has Jeff Golblum being used to the best of his ability as nervous science guy.  Mostly though, I think people watch this movie because it’s patriotic, and people love to see America at its mightiest.

So there you go, I wrote this over a year ago, and I still think this is a pretty good list, but let me know what you think.  Hit the comments with the movie you just can't turn off when it come son the tube. I'll do a follow-up if there are enough responses.