A couple of Sundays ago, I was using the remote to lazily flip through TV channels, burning up valuable hours of my life doing nothing.
Did I want to watch this show? Nah. How about that show? Nope. This one? Are you kidding?
Suddenly, though, something popped up onscreen and I stopped. No, I didn't stop - I slammed on my brakes and screeched to a halt.
"Night Shift" was on.
For those who don't recognize the name, it's a 1982 comedy starring Henry Winkler and Michael Keaton in his first major movie role. Directed by Ron Howard, it's about two guys who work at night in the city morgue, and decide to run a prostitution ring out of it while also handling dead bodies.
Like I said, it's a comedy.
And it's one of those movies that, if I run across it while channel surfing, I stop and watch. No matter if it's an hour into the film or just starting, I watch.
I think everyone has those kinds of films, the ones you have seen a million times but don't mind seeing again. I'm not talking about movies that you have on DVD or can stream whenever you want. I'm talking about the ones that you love so much you can't help yourself when they pop up on TV. You have to watch again.
For me, "Roxanne," the comedy remake of "Cyrano de Bergerac" starring Steve Martin, is in the same league as "Night Shift." "Tootsie," "Shane" and "The Professionals" are there, too.
I recently put out a Facebook call to friends asking which movies fell into this category for them. Films like "Field of Dreams," "Cool Hand Luke" and "The Shawshank Redemption" showed up on several lists. Others included "Smokey and the Bandit," "The Princess Bride," "It's a Wonderful Life" and "Notting Hill."
Alfred Hitchcock got some love with "North by Northwest" (on my list, too) and "Rear Window." And idiotic-but-iconic films like "Animal House," "Caddyshack" and "Smokey and the Bandit" also made appearances.
So what about you? What films are on your gotta-watch-it-whenever-I-see-it list? Send me your No. 1 film on that list and tell me why it grabs you.
Now, sorry, I've got to go. "Roxanne" is on again.
Shawn RyanContact Shawn Ryan at mshawnryan@gmail.com.