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10 Movies I Could Watch 100 Times or More and Not Be Bored

This Labor Day weekend, my kids watched the Star Wars saga all the way through—again. As I watched most of it with them, I started to think of the films that I watch over and over. So, I came up with this list (the idea of which I owe to Joseph McBee, who constructed his own list a couple of years ago.)

1. The Mummy. Like Roger Ebert says, “There is hardly a thing I can say in its favor, except that I was cheered by nearly every minute of it.” Me, too.

Memorable line: It's just a book. No harm ever came from reading a book.


2. Hellboy. One of my favorite comic-book films, it’s witty, fun and it’s got God-talk to boot.

Memorable line: How big can it be?


3. 50 First Dates. While I could do without some of the typical Adam Sandler crudeness, this film has a lot to say about love and leaves me in warm, happy tears every time I watch it.

Memorable line: Can I have one last first kiss?


4. Fellowship of the Ring. We watch the extended versions of these film adaptations of the classic Tolkien novels at least twice a year, and the first film is my favorite.

Memorable line: Even the smallest person can change the course of the future.


5. My Neighbor Totoro. This 1988 film is my favorite of all of Hayao Miyazaki’s creations. It is not only beautifully rendered but is also a soft, moving story.

Memorable line: I'm not afraid of dust bunnies.


6. Jaws. This 1975 Steven Spielberg classic is a suspenseful and entertaining tale enriched by great characters and themes that make it much more than a summer blockbuster.

Memorable line: You're gonna need a bigger boat.


7. Casablanca. Who doesn’t love this classic? Great characters and actors, amazing cinematography, and themes of love and sacrifice.

Memorable line: Of all the gin joints, in all the towns, in all the world, she walks into mine.


8. Star Wars V: The Empire Strikes Back. We go through this saga once or twice a year as well. I’m amazed at how this story has endured over the last three decades. My kids love it as much as my husband and I.

Memorable line: Do, or do not. There is no 'try.'


9. Pride & Prejudice. While there are several versions of this classic Jane Austen tale (which is all about forgiveness, humility and love), my favorite is the 2005 version.

Memorable line: You mistake me, my dear. I have the utmost respect for your nerves. They've been my constant companion these twenty years.


10. Serenity. Firefly is one of my favorite series, and, as Hollywood Jesus’ Greg Wright so aptly observes, “this film is not ultimately about faith. It's about love. . . ‘And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.’”

Memorable line: So no more runnin'. I aim to misbehave.


Of course, this isn’t an exhaustive list. I also enjoy rewatching Harry Potter & the Prisoner of Azkaban, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, Out of Africa, Contact—the list actually is really long--maybe too long, heh.

So, what does your list include?