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What makes a favorite movie? Look at your own personal favorite movies and it's easy to answer. I know that some of the films that I love the most are ones that I have seen a hundred times and could stand to watch a hundred more. They are the films that I can relate to and that I'm fascinated by. Films like Rocky, Jaws and Back to the Future are movies that I am always in the mood to discuss, watch, debate and enjoy.

For most people, if you want to figure out your favorite movie, start paying attention to yourself when you're channel surfing. What movie can you never pass up watching? What movie will you put on and watch until the credits role? For some of the more obsessed, is there a DVD that you will buy any copy or special edition of no matter how many copies you already own? If any film falls into these categories for you then those are probably some of your favorites. "Watchability", as I call it, goes a long way with a movie and it's always different for everybody. Some of the greatest movies of all time are movies that we can normally stand to watch once a yearif that. Our favorites are craved from the first to the last day of the year.
Is there a film that embodies your area of interest? If you're a war buff is your favorite movie a war film? Maybe it's Saving Private Ryan or Platoon or The Longest Day. Do you enjoy the music and the culture of the 1950's? If so then maybe your favorite films would be Grease or American Graffiti or perhaps even The Buddy Holly Story. Interest plays a key role in our favorite movies because it draws us into that world. It is what keeps our attention for two hours or sometimes more. Look at your favorite films. I'm sure that there is a theme or a setting or a premise that you are personally interested and/or invested into. Maybe a character is in the same profession or sport or hobby that you are into?
And this leads me to my next point; is there a character that you can identify with? I mentioned already that Rocky was one of my personal favorite movies. A big reason for that is because Rocky was a character that I related to. He was an underdog who never realized his own worth and a man who has obviously been dealt a few less than generous cards in life. I, like a lot of people, understood that. Every time I watch the movie it is like reliving a piece of my life. I'm sure that everyone has a movie experience like that for them. Can you relate to the isolation and melancholy of Louie in Interview with a Vampire? Do you ever feel like you have a "hero" complex and understand the type of pressure that Superman is under? Movies that reflect our own lives attract us. This is the case with any art form. When we have such a strong character to identify with, such as Superman, we feel like heroism is possible in our own lives and that we are capable of attaining the same levels of greatness and happiness.
Furthermore, our favorite movies are normally not the best ones. That is what makes them so much fun. You get to argue them and defend them and try and turn people on to them. I love finding someone who hates a film I like and then turning them onto it. It all adds up for greater enjoyment of the film and great movie talks among friends and that is my favorite part of being a movie buff.
If you don't have your favorite then I suggest watching more films until you find it. From one movie buff to another, if you don't have one, you're missing out.

Learn more about this author, Dan Rooney.
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