by Catalogs.com Info Guru Elizabeth Sobiski

You’re finally home after a long day at work and all you want to do is relax with a warm dinner and a movie.

What movie are you going to watch, though? Sure, you can scroll through the hundreds of cable television stations – only to find that nothing really appeals to you. This is when having a library of movies comes in handy. We’ve complied a short list of the top 10 movies everyone should own. Grab your popcorn and a favorite beverage. It’s time to be entertained!

10. The Godfather

Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, Andy Garcia and many more – this movie is packed with top-notch actors. Directed by Francis Ford Coppola, the film tells the story of one Sicilian family’s rise of power and near demise in America. In 1972, it won three of the 10 Academy Awards it was nominated for. Have you ever heard ‘revenge is a dish best served cold’? You can thank Don Vito Corleone for that one.

9. Backdraft

Two brothers, played by Kurt Russell and William Baldwin, are the stars of this film. As Chicago firefighters, the siblings, who barely get along on the best days, are forced to put their minds together when a serial arsonist enters their world. Directed by Ron Howard, the movie is an action thriller with fantastic special effects that keeps watchers guessing until the end.

8. Close Encounters of the Third Kind

Released to movie theaters in 1977, this movie by Steven Spielberg was a phenomenal success. In 2007, thirty years after it debuted, the American Library of Congress deemed it “culturally, historically or aesthetically significant” and was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry. Essentially, it is a story about an everyday guy in Indiana whose life changes dramatically after encountering an unidentified flying object. It’s a movie that never gets old, no matter how many times you see it.

7. Die Hard

Bruce Willis plays John McClane, an NYPD officer who is visiting Los Angeles to reconcile with his estranged wife. While in LA, a German terrorist takes McClane’s wife and co-workers hostage while stealing bearer bonds. Packed with action, excitement and special effects, this movie has something for everyone. Since the story takes place at Christmas time, the movie has become a Christmas favorite for many fans. As McClane says, “yippie-ki-yay.”

6. Mary Poppins

As one of the most famous Walt Disney movies of all time, Mary Poppins has been entertaining audiences since 1964. Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke star in this musical comedy that won five of the thirteen Academy Awards it was nominated for. Have you ever been asked to spell ‘supercalifragilisticexpialidocious’? If so, this movie is the reason. It is also responsible for giving kids the idea that ‘a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down’.

5. Titanic

Without a doubt, many viewers know the end of the movie before watching the first scene. That doesn’t stop people from hoping that history will re-write itself so the story between Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio can have a happy ending. Although long at 194 minutes (yes, that’s three hours and 14 minutes of movie!) the film is a true classic and worth seeing more than once. It won 11 Academy Awards and was the most expensive film of its time with a budget or $200 million. Some scenes show footage of the actual Titanic wreck, while other parts of the story take place on board the Akademik Mstislav Keldysh. Scale models and computer imagery make up for the other detailed scenes of the famous sunken ship.

4. Gladiator

This epic film portrays Maximus Decimus Meridius, played by Russell Crowe, as the avenger of his family’s brutal murders. Maximus, who begins as a general is reduced to being a slave after his family was wiped out. He rises through the ranks as a gladiator in order to exact his revenge on the emperor, Commodus. The film is credited with kicking off a renewed interest in historical movies. It is full of action, intrigue and death, all while telling an interesting story.

3. Star Wars Complete Saga

This epic story begins with the release of Star Wars: Episode IV: A New Hope in 1977. The first movie introduces the audience to Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia and Darth Vader, among other special characters. George Lucas, who wrote and directed the first film, had a difficult time convincing studios to make the movie. In the end, 20th Century Fox gambled on the picture – and won big. Since the first movie, there have been sequels and prequels to tell the full story. Disney has taken over and has more titles in their queue. The series is a must-see for sci-fi fans.

2. The Wizard of Oz

Based on the book of the same name by L. Frank Baum, this 1939 film was noted for its use of Technicolor, as well as the story and music. Since 1956, the movie has aired yearly on television, making it one of the best-known films in history. Lines from the movie are popular with viewers, too. For instance, if someone says, “I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore”, they mean they are in a situation that is unfamiliar to them.

1. Top Gun

Romance, drama and action fill the 110 minutes of Top Gun and make it seem like a much shorter movie. Tom Cruise is a wild F-14A Tomcat pilot with a chip on his shoulder and a wild reputation. With impressive flight scenes and comedy between Cruise and cast mate Anthony Edwards, this movie belongs in every home collection. Be on the lookout for the Cruise/Edwards duet of ‘You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling’!