#519 Glue movies

Neil Pasricha

What’s your glue movie?

For me, I’m completely sucked in anytime I accidentally stumble on A League of Their Own while flipping channels. Yes, watching Tom Hanks and Geena Davis scratch out wins on the ball diamond always hooks me like a fish ’til the credits roll.

See, glue movies are any movie you can’t stop watching whenever you see them on TV.

Nope, don’t matter how many times you’ve seen ’em, don’t matter if you own ’em already — just forget the laundry, skip the dishes, and make your lunch tomorrow, people. You’re stuck in a glue movie so start popping corn and pouring Pepsis because you ain’t going anywhere.

Now, I was chilling in my friend Nick and Julie’s basement apartment the other night when we started chatting about glue movies. After I spent five minutes spilling potato chip crumbs all over my T-shirt while describing Madonna and Rosie O’Donnell’s on field chemistry, Nick started up a rant of his own.

“You know, you would think my glue movie would be The Usual Suspects,” he began. “I can pick it up anywhere and knowing the twist makes every scene more interesting. Like, what’s true, what’s made up? I’ve seen it twenty times and I still don’t know. But then again, it’s completely unwatchable when edited for television. In the police line-up scene they say something like ‘Hand me the keys, you giant cockroach.‘ It’s awful. So… now that I think about it my glue movie is definitely Heat. Long movie, understated performance by Deniro, the best bank robbing scene in history, and enough relationship stuff so Julie gets into it.”

It was a good argument and Nick was satisfied with it. He took a long swig of his drink and nodded his head a little bit as he came to terms with his glue movie selection. Then I performed a classy Thumb & Index Finger Pre-Lick, we let a minute pass in silence, and Julie went off like a rocket:

“My movie is definitely The Mighty Ducks 2,” she started, excitedly. Nick and I looked at each other but she ramped up. “Look, I’m smiling just thinking about it. I had a crush on all the boys from the first movie, but I can only responsibly love them closer to the legal age of consent. Plus, they had a girl on the team and I always dreamed of being that female hero. And I generally love movies with kids because they remind you of actors before they were big. I mean, I loved Joshua Jackson in Dawson’s Creek because of the ducks,” she finished.

Nick shrugged and nodded, I furrowed my eyebrows and gave a dramatic thumbs up, but Julie wasn’t quite done.

“Oh yeah!” she beamed. “And the movie taught me everything I know about hockey which can be summarized in three words: Ducks fly together. This is what I yell whenever Nick’s watching hockey.”

We smiled and laughed because it was clear these movies really do hold a special place in our hearts.

Maybe you’re glued to the screen waiting for the redemption in Shawshank, nervous for the courtroom drama in My Cousin Vinny, or eager for the trip home in Adventures in Babysitting.

But no matter what, watching your glue movie is like hanging out with an old friend who pops by for an unexpected visit. After pouring a drink and settling into your couch dent, the memory pops and nostalgia drops start sparking and sizzling in your brain. Suddenly you’re reminded of drives to the movies in mom’s minivan, crashing on the couch with friends, or sharing an old fave with a new flame.

So stick with your glue movies, everybody.

They’ll be yours forever.

AWESOME!

— Email message —

“Hi Neil, I think toilet-top literature is awesome. It’s the casual games of reading. You can pick up where you left off… read it short bursts. Hello old friend… Come here often? An important consideration is whether the book has natural breaking points because sometimes we need cues to get up and rejoin society. Toilet-top literature is also a window into the lives of your friends. What are they going to have in there for you? Ikea catalog? Mad Libs? Or if you’re lucky The Book of Awesome?” – Ryan
Photos from: here, here, here, and here

359 thoughts to “#519 Glue movies”

    2. definately Legally Blonde. It was on this weekend and I made my boyfriend watch it with me! Haha.

      1. YES! i saw it the other night and i can’t help but smile so HUGE when elle wins the case at the end. and you see how much emitt loves her. *my dream life*

  2. Ok, so the awesome things are ALWAYS relatable, but not ten minutes ago, when I was wrapping up my time at a little birthday get together for a friend, I was describing my day:

    I woke up super-early with good intentions of doing one of my very last assignments of my life as a grad student. I decided some background TV was in order, so I gathered my computer and books all around, settled into my bed, and flipped on the tube …

    THREE MOVIES LATER, having accomplished nothing, it was time to get ready and go to the party.

    Too much glue today.

    But it was awesome. :)

    1. I love Down Periscope. I haven’t seen it in years! I think I’ll have to watch it again soon. :)

  4. Singin in the Rain, definitely. I find new things every time I watch it.
    “The studio’s got to keep its stars from looking foolish at any cost.”
    “No one has that kind of money!”

    “People? I ain’t ‘people.’ I…I am a ‘shimmering glowing star, in the cinema firmament.’ “

    1. That’s one of my faves too! I caught it last night during the “Gotta Dance” sequence and I was singing along. Gene Kelly is so handsome in that movie.
      Glue movies include: Breakfast @ Tiffany’s, Running Scared and The Departed.

    2. Definitely! And anytime I hear Moses (like if someone is named it, or we’re reading Exodus in church) I can’t help but sing a little bit in my mind.

      Moses supposes his toeses are roses, but Moses supposes erroneously. But Moses, he knowses, his toeses aren’t roses, as Moses supposes his toeses to be! *Cue extreme tap dancing routine*

  6. i was JUST talking about how A League of Their Own was a movie I could watch over and over again! i love me some marla!

    1. Agreed! I used to watch them whenever they came on Disney Channel at night! They never get old.

  10. Any Harry Potter movie. Read the books countless of times, I own and seen the movies countless of times as well but if I am flipping channels and ABC Family is running a Harry Potter marathon I need to stop what I am doing and just be adsorbed into the world of Hogwarts School of Wizardry and Witchcraft.

    3. Well, lucky for you (and not so lucky for me) ABC family does HP weekends like every 3 months or something ridiculous like that!

  11. While my favorite movie of all-time just so happens to be Nick’s glue movie, my glue movie happens to be Tommy Boy. Whether I’m hearing one of the many famous quotes while watching it, or I’m hearing one just from somebody spitting out a line, I immediately want to watch Chris Farley and David Spade as one of the most perfect comedy duos that ever existed. I never pass up a chance to spend an hour and a half with Richard and the Fat Guy In A Little Coat.

      1. Wait… Charlie or Willy Wonka? It’s gotta be the old school version… (def. one of mine!)

        1. Yes! I was trying to think if I had a glue movie. I have tons of movies I love, but none I would call glue. Then I saw this comment. It’s definitely my glue movie, it definitely has to be the old school one, and it never, ever gets old.

    2. Yes!! The old school one of course. That’s not to say I don’t like the new one, because I do. It’s just not a glue movie for me.

  14. Definitely the Harry Potter movies but the big one for me is Back to the Future. I’ve seen it more times than I can count and mostly just from being sucked into it on TV.

  15. Dave.

    Also, Blazing Saddles.

    Two movies that, I’m sure, are constantly playing on some network or cable channel, somewhere.

  16. Legally Blonde~ such a fun movie
    But what really gets me hooked? Silence of the Lambs~ Anthony Hopkin’s performance is so hypnotic, I just have to keep watching.

  17. ‘A League Of Their Own’ has that very same effect on me, as well. Whenever my dog starts whining to go outside, I quote the line “There’s no crying in baseball!” LOL

    ‘The Hangover’ is another one for me. I swear I bust a rib every time I watch that. I know I have more, but that one is the only one that’s coming to mind right now.

  21. Princess Bride gets me every time. Indigo Montoya is priceless. And who can flippin resist Andre the Giant?

    1. Yes! Yes! Yes! This is the all-time greatest glue movie of all time, the greatest. Ever.

      1. The Princess Bride was the first one I thought of. It’s the very definition of a glue movie: everyone I know loves it, it’s ALWAYS on TV, and I have to watch it every time.

      1. I’m not a witch, I’m you’re wife! (a line my wife quotes to me all the time.. not that I’m calling her a witch, mind you! Or anything that rhymes with witch! But then she chases me around the kitchen yelling: “Humperdink.. Humperdink!”

        Totally agree – this is as good as it gets for glue movies.

  22. hmmm…. For me it’s definetly the Lion King. No matter what I’m doing, one word from Timone or Pumba and I’m stuck. Oh well, Hakuna Matata!

  23. The Princess Bride. I’ve seen the movie, literally, dozens of times and can practically repeat it word for word, but every time its on I have to stop every thing and just watch it. It was a huge part of my childhood and last year when some of my friends threw me a small birthday party at their house they put Princess Bride on because they knew how much I loved it.

    Other glue movies include Sleepless in Seattle, Elizabethtown, Kate and Leopold and almost any Pixar movie.

  24. I just discovered this blog from a friend, and this is my new glue website. A league of their own is definitely my glue movie. One of my all time favorites!

  25. Oh, wow…there are a LOT of movies that are my glue movies.
    Wizard of Oz~my all time favorite movie!!
    Princess Bride
    both of the National Treasure movies
    SWAT
    Basic
    Save the Last Dance
    Anywhere but Here
    the SAW movies
    Forest Gump
    Office Space
    the list goes on. Lets just say that if I had things I needed to do…the tv should probably be off.

    1. Forrest Gump is one of mine, too. Love it. For a while, it was playing on AMC like … all. the. time. :)

  26. “Remember The Titans”….my wife has now grown to HATE the movie because I always stop and watch it when I stumble across it while flipping channels. I can’t help it, I love the movie!

    1. Hahahahah. Remember the Titans is one of my all time favorite movies. I love what I have termed “inspirational sports movies.” I often quote this movie, including while watching football.

      “left side!”
      “Strong side!”

      1. hahah me too. i have 3 favorite movies, Remember the titans, stand by me, and the sandlot.

        but im always quoting remember the titans

        “what’s wrong gary?!”
        “DO NOT COME IN HERE!” and im always walking around singing sunshinneee.

        loveeeeee this movie.

        also – i spelled gary wrong. i cant remember how to spell it right now…

    2. OMG!!!! How could I ever forget this movie?!?! I absolutely love love love this movie. Its like my #2 fav. EVERYTIME it is on I have to stop and watch. Great movie!!

    3. This is my glue movie, too. Was zooming down the comments and was sure someone else had to mention it. My husband just laughs now when he sees that it’s going to be on

    4. This was definitely my ultimate glue movie in high school – and it seemed like it was ALWAYS playing on Disney channel!!!! I probably saw it like once a month, but it never gets old!! I always end up crying when they sing “Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye” at the end.

  28. Everytime they have that day long Sunday marathon of all the Lord of the Rings movies I somehow manage to stumble across it, one second I’ll be folding laundry or cleaning the basement and I hear “It is not for you to deny the return of the King!” and nobody sees me upstairs for the next six hours.

  29. Oh yeah, Shawshank’s the one for me.

    Best two lines of A League of the Their Own:

    1. “It’s supposed to be hard. If it wasn’t hard, everyone would do it. The hard…is what makes it great.”

    2. Kid looking at Tom Hanks’ signature on his baseball: “‘Avoid the clap – Jimmy Dugan’. Thanks!”

    Great glue movie.

    1. I cannot watch the locker room scene when the black-edged telegram comes without bawling my eyes out. Can’t do it.

  31. The Replacements and Miss Congeniality. Any simple, feel-good story of friendship and overcoming obstacles will pretty much do the trick, though!

    2. The Replacements is one of hubby’s glue movies and it seems like that movie is ALWAYS on tv. Seriously. Like every weekend when I walk into the tv room and ask him what he is watching, 9 out of 10 times his reply is the Replacements. Good movie though.

  33. oh, man…
    except for the Mighty Ducks my selection is the same. would add Lord of the Rings (series, nuts about it) and Pixar stuff.

    and… the favourite thing on new years day: it’s always some Bond movie somewhere. hangover and James Bond. shaken, not stirred. looooove it.

  37. When Harry Met Sally

    I own and I watch it regularly. I’m almost always in the mood for it. Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan’s humor and chemistry never get old… plus… this is my dream romance. I want to be friends forever then fall in love. It’s somewhat happened twice for me but hasn’t worked out yet haha!

    2. Absolutely best Rom-Com ever. (I can’t believe I just used that phrase). I am a huge fan of romantic comedies in general, but they broke the mold when they made this one.

      As you say – the chemistry is just right. The “meet cute” required in all romantic comedies is never handled better. Billy Crystal is one of the few guys in a romantic comedy that a regular guy in real life would ever ACTUALLY be friends with. All romantic comedies require a part of the movie where the main characters needs to have some misunderstanding where they hate each other for a while, but this part is mercifully short in WHMS, whereas their extended courtship/flirtation is wonderful! And the scene at the end when he gives her that speech about how he wants to spend the rest of his life with her at the New Year’s party never fails to bring tears to my eyes.

      *deep breath*

      I could go on, but that was very cathartic for me. I love that movie A LOT, and never get a chance to go on an uninterrupted rant about it.

      I measure every other romantic comedy based on the degree to which it falls short of WHMS.. the gold standard in the genre..

      1. Wow, Freddo, you really had some feelings to share, there!

        But yeah, you’re totally right! You just can’t beat WHMS.

        1. I don’t know why I am submitting myself to this kind of public humiliation, but I feel like I have to admit that I’ve never seen When Harry Met Sally.

          I am guessing I definitely should.

          P.S. I hope we can still be friends, guys. It’s not because I don’t want to, I just … never have.

          :(

          1. don’t feel bad…I haven’t seen it either. I have only seen like a few scenes from it, but not the entire movie.

                2. As I’m the only person here who can speak from a position of complete authority (having seen both of these movies), I must insist that everyone see the movie that they haven’t seen. Both are well worth watching.

                  I’ve already said my piece on WHMS above, so not much more to say there.

                  As for Remember the Titans – totally great glue movie. Satisfies most of my requirements of a “Sports movie”, including the triumph of an underdog, scenes of a team coming together and bonding under adverse circumstances, etc. The only things its missing is a slow-mo montage set to ’80s music.

                  So, please go forth and complete your homework assignments and report back.

                  1. Listen to Freddo, for he is wise.

                    On my to-do list for tonight, oh great one. :D

                    I wish other assignments I received were as great as this …

                    1. I hope I didn’t oversell it in my personal love-fest to When Harry Met Sally above. But I don’t know if that’s possible.

                      I don’t think there is a movie that is quoted more in my marriage than this one. And that’s saying something. And not even just the lines that would easily fit into conversation (“You’re right.. you’re right.. I know you’re right..”), but even: “Waiter. There is too much pepper on my paprikash. But I would be proud to partake in your Pecan Pie.”

                      See it. You’ll love it.

                    2. No, I totally believe you. I’ve heard good things. I don’t know why I haven’t seen it, honestly. I’m a sucker for romantic comedies, too.

                  2. Alright Freddo, since you have no assignment, I would like you to go see “New Waterford Girl” and report back. If you don’t like it, then don’t bother ever coming back to Canada; we won’t want you here anymore.

                    1. Just checked it out on Netflix, but most of the reviews claim that the dialogue is nearly inaudible on the DVD. Is this going to be a concern? I’m getting a little old, and my hearing isn’t what it once was. :)

                  3. Ok, Ok….next time its on the tube..I’ll keep it on and let ya know. I have been wanting to watch it, but it seems that everytime that movie is on…one of my glue movies are on.
                    Thanks for the homework!!

  38. Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery.

    and I laugh like an idiot every time.

      1. Well, the truth of the matter is, I don’t report to a Commissioner. I report to a committee. Some of whom are appointed, some elected, and the rest co-opted on a bi-annual basis. It’s a quorum, so to speak

  39. Thanks for capturing this Neil!

    I see my selection isn’t a huge favourite which isn’t a big surprise. I forgot to mention that I frequently try out ‘Ducks Fly Together!’ watching the game with friends and I don’t get so much as a polite half-chuckle. I guess that’s why it’s glue and not just ‘great movies in general’.

    It’s got me stuck and I love it for that!

    1. Since the Stanley Cup playoffs are in full force, you can try out other lines to see if they work. I like to yell, “flying V!” anytime someone gets the puck behind the net. None of my friends find this amusing, but I laugh everytime. I slow, steadily building, “quack…quack…quack…quack” is always fun too! I’m from MN and loved these movies growing up, so I’m with you!

      1. THANK YOU!
        I was wondering if anyone would agree. Good tip on the ‘quack’. I even catch myself imagining that the team will actually form the unstoppable flying V to win the game. Then I snap out of it because the Leafs suck….but wouldn’t it be cool?

        1. This cracked me up: “I guess that’s why it’s glue and not just ‘great movies in general’.”

          Perfectly stated.

          One of my favorite movies ever is Weekend at Bernie’s … and when I share this secret, I get some strange looks. I don’t know why it is, but it is!

          I like the Mighty Ducks movies, too. ;D

  40. Is it possible no one has mentioned Sixteen Candles yet?:) Even on TV with the dubbed-out curse words it sucks me back in…

        1. Anything written or directed by John Hughes is glue to me…Pretty In Pink, Sixteen Candles, Some Kind Of Wonderful, The Breakfast Club, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. In fact any movie that dramatizes the teenage angst of the 80’s deserves its own column. It gives you hope that the awkwardness of being a teen will somehow redeem you. My sixteen year old daughter has seen Pretty In Pink and I secretly cringe at 2 1/2 Men’s Jon Cryer in his Duckie days. Awkwardsome!

  41. Other potential-glue-movies-rendered-un-watchable-due-to-editing-for-TV:

    Fight Club
    Goodfellas
    The Big Lebowski
    40 Year Old Virgin
    Wedding Crashers

    1. Fight club and 40 year old virgin are awesome glue movies. I do agree that you can’t watch ’em on regular tv. They take all the good stuff out.

        1. Yes, so true, cable ruins it! Fight club has earned a permanent space on my ever changing list of movies downloaded on my computer.

  43. Glue movies! I love it! It’s a true phenomenon for sure, and now I know how to name it. “I’m sorry, [teacher / boss / family member], I didn’t get that done because I was trapped by a glue movie.”

    Many of mine are already mentioned above. Others for me are Oceans 11, Mrs. Doubtfire, and my favourite indie Canadian movie, New Waterford Girl. (LOVE it).

    Oh, and anything with the one-two punch of Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson (Zoolander, Meet the Parents, Royal Tenebaums, and yes (*shamefully*) even Starsky and Hutch).

                    1. Wow…I didn’t know my comment was going to display at the bottom instead of under the comment I was commenting to. LOL….
                      But yeah…I love the scene where they are spraying gas everywhere. Cracks me up everytime!

                    2. I really appreciate that almost all of my favorite quotes from Zoolander are available right here. The only one missing is, “I’m pretty sure there’s more to life than being really, really, ridiculously good looking.”

  46. You’ve Got Mail
    Sleepless in Seattle
    Twister… I know, it’s awful, but I can’t help but watch!

        1. Wow…I haven’t seen Twister since High School. That was my glue movie back in the day.

  47. This is totally me! Quoting movie lines is my thing. It’s a great way to figure out what kind of movies my friends like and what movies I need to watch with them. Also, I’m a HUGE fan of watching movies on TV, even with the commercials and editing, it’s so great. That being said, it’s hard to choose a go-to movie. I guess for TV movies I’m a fan of cheesy 80’s movies (Top Gun, A Few Good Men, Pretty in Pink, Breakfast Club) and the occasional more recent movie (Borne series, Ocean’s movies, Italian Job, etc).

  49. Yes these movies are the best…and they always seem to put them on Saturday afternoons when you should be outside enjoy the sunshine. Instead your butt is glued to the sofa.

    1. I feel like this might need to be a half-*tick* or something, just so as not to screw up our official tally when we get to #1 and want to look back at the total number. Thoughts?

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