The Baseline Movie
Does everybody have a baseline film that they watch - something utterly undemanding and familiar? I have two - Men in Black and Men in Black II. I've probably watched each half a dozen times. I cannot explain why. It's a slightly shameful admission, surely I should be watching nothing but Tarkovsky and Bergman. But I was consoled recently when I heard that the great director Terrence Malick watches Zoolander over and over again. The MIBs and Zoolander have something in common - I think it's timing. This lulls and relaxes. Anyway, I just wondered if I was alone in this.

34 Comments:
At December 01, 2008 8:48 AM,
mahlerman said…
Beau Travail by Claire Dennis, for it's beauty and mystery, with PT Anderson's Magnolia, an epic that gives the lie to that old chesnut about American cinema's curse - the need to package and sell something.
At December 01, 2008 9:11 AM,
Brit said…
Far too highbrow, Mahlerman.
The Men in Blacks and Zoolander are fine comfort movies (we love all those silly American comedies: Anchorman, Blades of Glory, Dodgeball etc) but my best baseliners are Napoleon Dynamite, The Royal Tenenbaums and (me but not the wife) Withnail and I.
At December 01, 2008 9:19 AM,
Paddy said…
Is it allowed to mention Dumb and Dumber on this blog?
'According to the map we've only gone 4 inches...'
At December 01, 2008 9:25 AM,
Brit said…
I'll see your Dumb and Dumber, Paddy, and raise you an Austin Powers 2.
At December 01, 2008 9:37 AM,
ian russell said…
I tried to watch Austin Powers the other day and found it very demanding, though not in any intellectual way.
Oh, Mr. Porter! (not specifically that one but that as a good example of the ilk, irrestistable nonsense, not excessively funny).
At December 01, 2008 9:46 AM,
Gordon McCabe said…
Starship Troopers. ("Nuke 'em Jonny!"; "The only good bug is a dead bug!")
At December 01, 2008 9:47 AM,
Paddy said…
Good call Brit. Puzzled how you could reference Will Ferrell and miss out the peerless Ballad of Ricky Bobby - the story of a man who could only count to #1.
At December 01, 2008 10:01 AM,
Peter Jackson said…
Any of the Back to the Future films will do for me.
At December 01, 2008 10:30 AM,
Steve Buckley said…
amelia2'Remains of the Day', a forgotten De Niro film, 'True Confessions' and the Paul Schofield / Burt Lancaster double-header 'The Train'.
At December 01, 2008 10:40 AM,
mongoose said…
Is it still legal to watch "Zulu"?
At December 01, 2008 10:45 AM,
Dick Madeley said…
'Groundhog Day', 'Sleeper', 'Treasure of the Sierra Madre' and 'Zatôichi' (I really see myself as 'Beat' Takeshi).
At December 01, 2008 10:48 AM,
elberry said…
Die Hard, Predator, Commando, Lethal Weapon - 4 excellent 80s action films, though Predator & Lethal Weapon aren't undemanding as such.
At December 01, 2008 11:03 AM,
malty said…
Dance of the Vampires, Polanski, Jack MacGowran and Alfie Bass's finest, the supreme tongue in cheek vampire flick, now called The Fearless Vampire Killers. Every time we watch it new delights are revealed. Includes Sharon Tate.
Jean de Florette, simply for the outstanding performances of Montand and Auteuil.
Love Bergman, can't watch very often.
At December 01, 2008 11:48 AM,
Mark said…
Goodfellas (what a great soundtrack too), Heat, Donnie Brasco and I'll also vote for the Royal Tenenbaums. If in total zombie mode, pretty well any episode of the West Wing will do fine.
At December 01, 2008 12:19 PM,
Old Man Stream said…
King Kong.
Demanding in a Freudian way.
At December 01, 2008 12:31 PM,
Brit said…
Good shout on Fearless Vampire Killers, Malty.
Kung Fu Hustle and Shaolin Soccer - never tire of those.
At December 01, 2008 12:35 PM,
Gordon McCabe said…
As an action thriller, Die Hard is closer to perfection, within its genre, than any other film I've seen.
At December 01, 2008 1:41 PM,
Anonymous said…
Back to the future, Apocalypse Now, Dumb and Dumber, Stand by me, Confessions of a dangerous mind (Underrated), Terminator, Raiders of the lost ark.
At December 01, 2008 1:46 PM,
Anonymous said…
Meet the Fokkers both parts generate unending pleasures - as does There's Something about Mary
At December 01, 2008 2:18 PM,
Anonymous said…
Philmore Butts Taking Care of Business
At December 01, 2008 3:34 PM,
Anonymous said…
Groundhog Day is my baseline. For some strange reason I can watch it again and again. And again.
At December 01, 2008 3:38 PM,
malty said…
Not one of you lot had the balls to own up and admit to Bambi.
At December 01, 2008 3:39 PM,
Bryan Appleyard said…
Well, actually, I almost did say The Princess Bride, Malty
At December 01, 2008 5:52 PM,
Nige said…
I'd go with Brit's list pretty much - and I'd add Some Like It Hot. Best - and funniest - comedy ever? Tho it takes a while to achieve the required level of restfulness...
At December 01, 2008 7:15 PM,
Bryan Appleyard said…
The Blues Brothers?
At December 01, 2008 7:37 PM,
RichardS said…
Withnail and I, The Time Machine and Zulu, I think. All of them infinitely watchable (pun almost intended).
At December 01, 2008 8:17 PM,
Grabber said…
Best in Show, Shrek, Shrek 2, Toy Story 2 (Woody: 'I was a yoyo, I was a yoyo!' Mr Potato Head: 'Wuz?'), Babe: Pig in the City (eat your heart out, Fellini!)and, yes, all right, Men in Black.
Among others, which would include The Three Musketeers and The Italian Job.
At December 01, 2008 8:21 PM,
Vernon Howell said…
A video library without 'Withnail and I' in it would be a very fine video library indeed, even if it had no other videos in it (to paraphrase Mark Twain).
I'm surprised nobody has mentioned the Big Lebowski.
At December 01, 2008 9:37 PM,
Spongebob said…
From Walter in The Big Lebowski: 'Nihilists! Fuck me. I mean, say what you like about the tenets of National Socialism, Dude, at least it's an ethos.'
At December 01, 2008 9:50 PM,
malty said…
One more before bedtime, the original Point Blank, Boormans beautifully choreographed violence,
and yes Nige, Some Like it Hot, Lemmon and Curtis perfectly teamed up.
At December 01, 2008 11:38 PM,
Susan B. said…
I really must find a copy of "Withnail and I." It's an endlessly referenced comedy (by British folk, anyway) and I have never seen it.
I can't stand to watch movies more than once nowadays, but I did when I was a kid. I remember going to see "The Sound of Music" four times in two days with my stepbrother (who later turned out to be gay). I know I had a crush on Christopher Plummer (I was a weird kid; I also liked Rex Harrison and Jack Lemmon) but I didn't know until much later why my step-bro was willing to see a dumb musical with me so many times.
At December 02, 2008 9:00 AM,
Johnny said…
The Goonies; Big; Commando; Mannequin; Labyrinth; Total Recall.
At December 02, 2008 9:20 AM,
Anonymous said…
Twister, Cheaper by the Dozen, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, 13 Going on 30, High School Musical...
At December 02, 2008 8:13 PM,
elberry said…
What about the 80s classic Highlander? That film is my life. Except i don't carry a samurai sword (an expandable baton is, however, a good substitute).
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