In a sea of movies that one can watch, there are only a very select few that can be watched anytime.
These movies are super quotable and deeply memorable. In these movies, the performances are exceptional, the soundtrack hits just right, and the plot is first-rate.
We can watch these movies over and over, no matter how we feel. As always, a few spoilers ahead.
The Best Movies To Watch Anytime
Here’s our list, in no particular order, of the top 18 Movies to Watch Anytime.
Kill Bill: Volume 1(2003) & Kill Bill: Volume 2 (2004)
We’re starting the list by cheating with this two-for-one punch by Quentin Tarantino. The revenge double-feature is helmed by Uma Thurman as The Bride, aka Black Mamba, in one of her most iconic roles.
Each film has so many excellent sequences, from the animation in Volume 1 to the coffin sequence in Volume 2. The soundtrack by RZA (we’ll see him again in this list) is unbelievable. The editing by the master Sally Menke, (R.I.P.) And these are just some of the reasons why we can truly watch these anytime, either on their own or back-to-back, in proper binging fashion. Also, Volume 2 celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, and that’s enough of a reason to put it on this list.
The Big Lebowski (1998)
The Dude abides, meaning he can be relied on to endure forever, and therefore, the Big Lebowski can be watched anytime. That logic tracks, right? The Coen Brothers created one of the most memorable characters in movie history with The Dude. So much so, that there’s even a church based on his philosophy. And Jeff Bridges embodies The Dude, aka Lebowski perfectly.
Nearly every single line in this movie is quotable, and it features one of the most memorable cast of characters, from John Turtoro’s Jesus to Steve Boshemi’s Donnie.
American Psycho (2000)
American Psycho, a horror satire, takes down corporate America one business card at a time. Helmed by Christian Bale as Patrick Bateman, a corporate ladder climber cum serial killer. The movie manages to subvert sheer horror into utter hilarity, thanks in great part to Bale’s incredible portrayal of Bateman, which is what makes it a movie we can watch anytime.
Interestingly, well before the movie was being made, the novel American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis was protested by Gloria Steinem, among other feminists, due to its portrayal of violence toward women. In a total coincidence, Steinem is the stepmother of Christian Bale.
Say Anything (1989)
In his directorial debut, Cameron Crowe gifts us this charming yet complicated coming-of-age love story featuring peak John Cusack.
It’s the Peter Gabriel “In Your Eyes” moment for us. Or, perhaps it’s Lili Taylor’s lament for a boy named Joe who lies with his eyes. Either way, this lovely movie is filled with so much heart and love, that we can watch it anytime.
The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004)
Wes Anderson
This Wes Anderson existential adventure film is so well crafted that we’re not sure there is another film where we have fallen in love with every single character as much as we have in Life Aquatic. In usual Wes Anderson fashion, the dollhouse effect is at its peak. It also has an incredibly memorable soundtrack, from the acoustic musings of Seu Jorge to the quirky compositions of Mark Mothersbaugh.
Basquiat (1996)
In his first leading role, Jeffrey Wright masterfully embodies the ever-talented yet deeply tortured Jean Michel Basquiat (zhaan mee·shel baa·skee·aat).
This movie gives us David Bowie as Andy Warhol; It also gives us a plethora of memorable scenes where the use of music is integral. It also depicts the 1970s and 1980s New York, including the burgeoning world of street art, in a very realistic way. Making a truly great biopic is a very rare thing, and this is why we can watch this movie anytime.
Breakfast Club (1985)
We know each and every John Hughes movie featuring the Brat Pack is a classic and can be watched anytime, but since we have to choose, for this list, we’re going with the top most iconic of them all: The Breakfast Club.
This movie is so deeply a part of our pop culture, that we feel like we know each and every character so well. It’s quite possible, too, that these characters helped shape our identities, as we chose to be the jock, the princess, the rebel, the outcast, or the brains.
Also, heads up, a documentary about the Brat Pack called Brats is currently streaming on Hulu. It’s directed and produced by one of the members of the Pack itself, Andrew McCarthy.
The Matrix (1999)
Lana Wachowski & Lilly Wachowski
Are we living in a computer simulation? Are machines using us as food? These philosophical quandaries and many others are what make The Matrix a movie we can watch anytime.
This movie not only changed the way cinematography and VFX are today, but also changed the way we saw reality itself. And sure there are plenty of movies that try to subvert reality (insert any Nolan movie here), The Matrix managed to append our sense of it so deeply that even to this day, folks are still questioning whether or not we are living in a simulation.
High Fidelity (2000)
Yes, another John Cusack movie made it to our list, and yes, Lilli Taylor is in this one too. But what makes this movie one that we can watch over and over is the use of music as a device that moves the rom-com plot along, and the soundtrack does not miss. Beyond that, the dynamic of the affectionately dubbed “musical moron twins” Barry and Dick, played by Jack Black and Todd Louiso is comedic perfection.
Interestingly, the screenwriters, including Cusack, wrote the role of Barry for Jack Black. Black nearly turned down the role because his band Tenacious D was just taking off, and he “didn’t want to mess with that.” But we are so glad he did because we aren’t quite sure this movie would be on a Movie to Watch Anytime list without his iconic role.
Fight Club (1999)
A story about toxic masculinity and mass consumption that is incredibly quotable and filled with plenty of inventive directorial choices makes this a movie we can watch anytime. Peak Brad Pitt, Edward Norton, no matter how many times we watch, it never disappoints. Maybe it’s the satire that oozes through the entire plot, maybe it’s its anti-capitalistic message, or maybe, it’s Brad Pitt’s abs.
Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008)
What do a breakup, Hawaii, a pop star, and Dracula have in common? They’re all a part of the plot of one of the best rom-coms ever, and a movie that we can watch anytime. Every single scene and perhaps every single line is hilarious and essential.
We love the fact that there are no Mary Sues in this story. Everyone gets made fun of equally and all for the sake of creating more well-rounded characters, resulting in a more well-rounded story.
Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai (1999)
Surprisingly hilarious, featuring a fantastic cast of characters, and having one of the best soundtracks in movie history, produced by RZA, we think that this might be Jim Jarmousch’s most successful film.
In usual Jarmusch fashion, we get plenty of vignettes, but in this movie, they all work perfectly together to move the plot along, and what a great plot it is. Also, Forest Whitaker’s gentleness mixed with violence makes this movie one we can revisit time and time again.
Swingers (1996)
An instant classic, made on a tiny budget but imbued with so much energy, it feels each and every one of these characters can and may have been your friend at some point in your life. Written by Jon Favreau, Swingers is insanely quotable and moves flawlessly from scene to scene, and the bromance is deeply honest and exposes vulnerability rarely seen in men.
Amazingly, Favreau wrote the script in two weeks just as an exercise after receiving screenwriting software as a gift.
Dazed and Confused (1993)
Sure, Dazed and Confused is the stoner movie, but there’s plenty more to it. Firstly, it gave us Parker Posey and Matthew McConaughey. It depicted teenage rites of passage, like first kisses, first parties, first major life decisions, in a thoroughly authentic way.
It gave us honest dialogue that felt true to each character. But mostly, it made us feel truly seen, which is why we want to keep coming back to it.
Donnie Darko (2001)
Launching the careers of the Gyllenhaal siblings, this time travel sci-fi thriller gave us such iconic moments as the rabbit costume, the opening bike scene with Church’s Under the Milky Way, and an existential grappling with the idea of duality.
Every single scene from this movie is memorable, there are too many quotable moments to mention, and Jake Gyllenhaal’s breakout performance are just a few of the reasons why this movie is on our list.
The Goonies (1985)
The Goonies is a pirate adventure mixed with buddy comedy and rom com. It has a diverse cast of characters that are very well thought out, and a killer soundtrack, including Cindi Lauper’s Good Enough.
And if you’ve seen Everything Everywhere All At Once, Ke Huy Quan’s character is a tip of the hat to his breakout role as Data in this movie – the adorable gadgeteer whose gadgets mostly work. It’s timeless and we think every age group can and should watch it. And remember, “goonies never say die.”
Boogie Nights (1997)
The ensemble cast, the very obvious influence of Scorcese’s Goodfellas, the compilation soundtrack, including this iconic “Awesome Mixtape” scene, and the endless unforgettable scenes, like the 3 minute-ish opening shot that introduces us to all the movie’s characters, the time period, and the settings, is why this masterpiece is on our list of movies we can watch anytime.
Goodfellas (1990)
We are closing our list with this paragon of cinema. It’s the granddaddy of how to make a movie we can watch anytime. Like the ones before it, it takes a killer ensemble cast, an unending list of quotable lines, an incredible soundtrack, and highly memorable sequences, most of which have been replicated in some of the other movies in this list alone.
It’s also a masterclass in how to mix genres, as it combines comedy, crime, and biography, and does so excellently.
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