Have you ever wondered what makes a movie a “classic”? Filmsite says, “Classic Films are often distinguished or unique works of cinema that have transcended time and trends, with indefinable quality. Classic films are often universal favorites that hold up after repeated rescreenings. Classics are renowned films of first rank, reference points in film mythology, or films that have become a part of American cultural folklore.”

That’s a great definition and definitely matches the final five classic movies on this must-watch list! So, grab the popcorn and a glass of wine or hot cocoa and get ready to settle in for some more classic movies!

• Psycho: This movie changed what people’s idea of a horror film should be! Google summary of Psycho says: Phoenix secretary Marion Crane (Janet Leigh), on the lam after stealing $40,000 from her employer in order to run away with her boyfriend, Sam Loomis (John Gavin), is overcome by exhaustion during a heavy rainstorm. Traveling on the back roads to avoid the police, she stops for the night at the ramshackle Bates Motel and meets the polite but highly strung proprietor Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins), a young man with an interest in taxidermy and a difficult relationship with his mother.
• Rebel Without a Cause: Ah, James Dean! Ed Stephan on IMDB says: Jim Stark is the new kid in town. He has been in trouble elsewhere; that’s why his family has had to move before. Here he hopes to find the love he doesn’t get from his middle-class family. Though he finds some of this in his relation with Judy, and a form of it in both Plato’s adulation and Ray’s real concern for him, Jim must still prove himself to his peers in switchblade knife fights and “chickie” games in which cars race toward a seaside cliff.
• Some Like It Hot: Marilyn Monroe and Jack Lemmon are fantastic in this romantic-comedy! Rotten Tomatoes summary of the plot says: After witnessing a Mafia murder, slick saxophone player Joe (Tony Curtis) and his long-suffering buddy, Jerry (Jack Lemmon), improvise a quick plan to escape from Chicago with their lives. Disguising themselves as women, they join an all-female jazz band and hop a train bound for sunny Florida. While Joe pretends to be a millionaire to win the band’s sexy singer, Sugar (Marilyn Monroe), Jerry finds himself pursued by a real millionaire (Joe E. Brown) as things heat up and the mobsters close in.
• Singin’ In the Rain: Want to watch a fun classic musical? Then give Singin’ In The Rain a try! Google says: When the transition is being made from silent films to `talkies,’ everyone has trouble adapting. Don and Lina have been cast repeatedly as a romantic couple, but when their latest film is remade into a musical, only Don has the voice for the new singing part. After a lot of practice with a diction coach, Lina still sounds terrible, and Kathy, a bright young aspiring actress, is hired to record over her voice.
• Roman Holiday: Here’s another fantastic romantic-comedy to watch on a cold night! Rotten Tomatoes says: Overwhelmed by her suffocating schedule, touring European princess Ann (Audrey Hepburn) takes off for a night while in Rome. When a sedative she took from her doctor kicks in, however, she falls asleep on a park bench and is found by an American reporter, Joe Bradley (Gregory Peck), who takes her back to his apartment for safety. At work the next morning, Joe finds out Ann’s regal identity and bets his editor he can get an exclusive interview with her, but romance soon gets in the way.

Classic films offer a great escape during the winter months! Give one of these a try and share your thoughts or share your recommendation for a great classic film to watch.