I had such fun with yesterday’s list post, and I learned so more about my friend Cathy and her hopes, that I thought I’d do another. This time list the movies you watch over and over again and why.

Here’s my list, in no particular order:

It’s a Wonderful Life – i totally relate to George Bailey – big dreams of doing great things only to find that I’m an average guy, with an average life, doing average things – when Jimmy Stewart’s characters says “I’m shaking the dust of this crummy little town off my shoes and I’m gonna see the world. Then, I’ll go to college, see what they know, then I’m going to build things, big things…that was me at 17 when i left home to seek my fame and fortune! On the positive side, It’s a Wonderful Life helps me remember that everything touches everything else and I wouldn’t be who i am today without all of the interactions I’ve had with people who have come in and out of my life…however briefly.

 

 

 

Trading Places – on top of being a very funny movie with Eddie Murphy at his best, it’s also a reminder to me that one day your Billy Ray (down on your luck, bum) the next day you’re William. Or vice versa, one day you’re Louis Winthrop the 3rd (everything is going for you – you have the killer job, hotwife, plenty of money) the next day your Louie (flat broke, homeless, a hooker for a girlfriend).

 

 

 

 

Last of the Mohicans – makes me run faster and train harder whenever i play the soundtrack of this movie in my head. It inspires me to live with purpose and intent, and to be intense in pursuit of what i want, no matter the cost.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Crossroads – i love the blues, i love the lines, and Joe Seneca’s character, Willie Brown is the king of verbal aphorisms like ‘a man ain’t no man ain’t got no car’ or ‘blues ain’t nothing but a good man feeling bad thinking about the woman he left behind.’

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Last Samurai – I’m always a sucker for a good warrior movie that emphasizes true warriorship and the deep connection to spirit the true warrior has to have to be a fully realised human being. I love the samurai and the Bushido Code – do everything as if it is the last time you’ll ever get to do it…kiss partner like its the last time you’ll ever kiss them (because one day it will be) that’s intense!

 

 

 

 

 

Point Break – not Kenau Reeves finest acting hour, but it’s one Patrick Swayze’s best in my opinion. I love the who surfing as a spiritual quest motif and the whole adrenaline junkie live free or die mentality, as Brodie, original Bodhvitsta says, “it’s not a tragedy dying doing something you love.” Conjures up that longing inside of me to be that passionate about something.

 

 

 

 

 

 

American Pie – When I’m feeling overly nostalgic for the good old days when the world was my oyster and me and my homies were masters of the universe and obsessed with getting wasted and getting laid.

 

 

 

 

 

American Beauty – There have been huge stretches in time in my life, particularly my early 40s where I was Lester Burnham – There are so many great lines in this movie:

Look at me, jerking off in the shower — this will be the high point of my day. It’s all downhill from here.

It’s a great thing when you realize you still have the ability to surprise yourself.

Our marriage is just for show. A commercial for how normal we are when we’re anything but.

And my absolute favorite line:

Both my wife and daughter think I’m this gigantic loser and they’re right, I have lost something. I’m not exactly sure what it is but I know I didn’t always feel this… sedated. But you know what? It’s never too late to get it back.

When I watch this movie, I feel like Lester, desperate to be passionate about life, to really, truly feel alive in the moment. The rhythm of eat, work, sleep – rinse and repeat, where every day is pretty much the same as the day before. Even now, my day today was no different from yesterday, and I suspect tomorrow will be the same as today on the whole. It’s beyond mundane and repetitive.

So which movies to you watch and over and over again? Write a post and tag me in it or leave your thoughts in the comments.