The List

Have you ever been flipping through channels late on a Saturday night or on a lazy Sunday afternoon and stumbled across a movie and just stopped? It's usually not the best movie ever made; in fact, in some cases it may be one of the worst. But there's just something about it that renders you unable to turn the channel. I have a list of such movies, and a new one has just been added this weekend. Here it is:

• Road House (1989)
  This would fall into that 'worst' category mentioned above, but it is certainly entertaining. From Swayze meditating in a barn loft, to Locke's dad from 'Lost' running a dive bar, to an unusually hot Kelly Lynch, this movie has it all.
  
  Lasting Line: "No matter how big a man, you kick him in the knee... he'll fall."
  Alternate: "A polar bear fell on me."
  
• Red Dawn (1984)
  What can I say, there's just something about Swayze in the '80s. I usually turn this off after the first Wolverines ambush montage because it tends to get a little dusty in the house when Jed's carrying Matty through the town at the end. As a result of this movie, I always formulate possible escape plans whenever I enter a place I've never been before.
  
  Lasting Line: "Wolverines!"
  Alternate: "Avenge me, boys! Avenge me!"
  
• Escape from New York (1981)
  John Carpenter is a god. This may be a poorly acted and cheesy sci-fi movies, but it's a pretty cool concept. And Ernest Borgnine's turn as 'Cabbie' is outstanding.
  
  Lasting Line: "That's the Duke of New York. A-#1"
  Alternate: "David-14 is... AIR FORCE ONE!"
  
• The Thing (1982)
  This came hot on the heels of '81s Escape and Carpenter got a better budget. Kurt Russell is awesome as MacReady and the supporting cast is stellar. Whereas Escape was one of the cheesier sci-fi films, this is one of the best. When that dude's chest cavity opens up and bites off the guy's arms... classic.
  
  Lasting Line: "I don't know if any of you guys are one of those... things, but I know I'm not."
  
• Hoosiers (1986)
  No defense necessary. If you don't like this movie, you're a Russian or played for the 1952 South Bend Central team.
  
  Lasting Line: "I socked him a good one, didn't I coach?"
  Alternate: "Progress is... indoor plumbing."
  
• The Natural (1984)
  Again, no defense necessary. Just an awesome movie.
  
  Lasting Line: "... and when I walk down the street people will say, there goes Roy Hobbs, the best to ever play the game."
  Alternate: "I should've been a farmer."
  
• The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
  People really rag on Steven King sometimes for bad books to movies, but I think the good far outweigh the bad. Sure, there were Graveyard Shift and Needful Things, but there were also Misery, Stand By Me, Cujo, and Carrie. Shawshank is the best of the lot.
  
  Lasting Line: "Hope is a dangerous thing."
  Alternate: "I've been known to acquire things from time to time."
  

And that's the list. Anytime, any channel, and I'm on board. Some others that were close, but don't make the cut: The Goonies, Empire Strikes Back, Predator, and Clash of the Titans.