Themes or nah?

There are lots of versions of Robin Hood. Please consider a deep cut: The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938) before any modern ones. It's in technicolor, has amazing action and might end up being the oldest film you've tackled.

Rich Wagener

Terminator 2

Night of the comet

Near dark

Beastmaster

Enemy mine

The outsiders

The warriors

Or like Kevin Costner, lol. Okay, I've said it to death but the man is a legend. He only had 2 bad movies in my opinion and that was Tin Cup and 3000 Miles to Graceland. And alot of people still like 3000 Miles to Graceland, I personally didn't. Never saw the postman because it got such terrible reviews but I love everything else I have seen him in. Even Mr. Brooks which is a seriously dark movie.

Matt Dellarosa

May or may not be something everyone would enjoy, but might be fun to do a theme around a particular actor/actress, like Tom Hanks month or something?

Laura Neary Smith

If you’re going to watch men in tights, I recommend you watch RobinHood Prince of Thieves first

Lauren D Martin

You should do a This Movie Will Make You Cry theme. Here are my picks, Field of Dreams, The Road, Schindler's List, Pan's Labyrinth, American History X, Awakenings, Lorenzo's Oil, On the Waterfront, Dancer in the Dark. Thats all I can think of for the moment but there are many others.

Matt Dellarosa

Yes to field of dreams! There is more than enough Kevin Costner to go around. Just do a Costner theme.

Matt Dellarosa

Catch-22 can be hard if you're not familiar with satire. It's definitely an acquired taste as far as movies go.

Matt Dellarosa

I second that for the game. Great movie. Judgment night got me thinking of Dennis Leary so I would add watching Suicide Kings also.

Matt Dellarosa

Hey there, new subscriber here. I couldn't help but notice that you haven't reacted to a single Kevin Costner movie yet. My number one pick would be Field of Dreams which is one of my favorite movies of all time. Then Dances with Wolves which is long but good. If you wanna stay with the baseball theme then you could also do Bull Durham and For Love of the Game which are both excellent. If you wanna go super dark then do Mr. Brooks which is a little too dark for me. After that literally anything starring Kevin Costner. Pleeze!

Matt Dellarosa

Really enjoy your content on here! Your videos make me laugh everytime! Some movies you should check out are The Game starring Michael Douglas and Judgement Night with Emilio Estivez and a bunch of other people. I think you'll enjoy them both

Curtis Fletcher

Keep a good mix going. Do two or three themed ones, but do more mixed. That will keep your reactions varied, and we looooove watching you go from one extreme to another to chill (think going from The Thing to Clue).

Mix it up... But I'm heavily in favour of Airplane,The Naked Gun and The Big Lebowski.

Robert Smith

Regarding themes, there's a holiday of one sort or another every month, so that might be a way to integrate themes into an otherwise random mix.

Elliot Nesterman

Microcosmos....lol JK she'd find that way too gross

Paul Johnson

Themes can be good some months. Halloween or just if its a slow unholiday month, or original on monday remake or reboot on friday. Let them duke it out for you to proclaim a victor.

I'd like to see a month where you do well-known documentaries like March of the Penguins.

Terrel Geer

There is a third option: Both. Alternate between the two. March Madness, Anything April, Military May, Just June, etc.

Jacob Robinson

I'm thinking themes for Holidays like Darby O'gill and the little people for St Patty's day and bells of st mary for easter

Mr Marvelous

(From Devon's husband) Two Cents Magoo, I do like the notion of it being 20-entries for the poll, but only because the few I've seen her open were very obscure, for clear lack of a better term. Like a bunch of cult favorites with a fairly small number of fans. If there's some mainstream 'classics' on the poll, that would make me personally more comfortable with the idea. Jmo. Maybe I've missed a video of her opening DVDs sent to her that already showed the 'mainstream' type flicks mentioned above. Idk.

ChickensAreRacist

$.02 What if Ash created a 20-entry poll made up of DVDs her patrons have sent?

Two Cents Magoo

We like mix it up , so we can eventually run into Diggstown with James Woods

eric brown

If we're suggesting themes, how about military comedies? The Americanization of Emily Catch-22 Father Goose (one of my favorite movies) Good Morning Vietnam Kelly's Heroes MASH No Time for Sergeants Operation Petticoat Private Benjamin Privates on Parade Stripes

Another thought I just had would be if you build up a few solid theme ideas, maybe put up a poll the month before, just include Random Movies as one of the options. If enough people like a theme idea you have then that wins out; if people think it's too limiting or something they might not find thrilling then they can vote against it.

Kenton Kruger

Wait, wait wait. UHF on a BAD movie list?!? Please tell me you're joking. The others I'd agree with, especially Leonard Part 6. But we got it all on UHF! Plus she'll get to experience Stanley Spadowski and his firehose.

Thomas Ivie

If you're genuinely interested in watching 'classic' films then this is what I'd suggest. Every month, on the first (and only the first) weekly poll, limit the choices to strictly pre-1980 movies. Make people dig a bit deeper to find the movies that have truly held up over time. The rest of the month, proceed as you have been.

T.J. Gengler

I'm okay with just Hallobeans and Jingle Beans for theme months. For any other movie to fit a time of year, just keep it to one movie. Maybe make a poll to pick the single movie for the holiday. If a second movie in the poll gets within 10% or so of the winner, do more than one. But no other entire months of themes besides October and December.

Edward Olson

I like Holiday themes gets me in to the season but does not look like its going to turn out that way :( Maby you could inter change Seasonal and non Seasonal on holiday months

Snacky Munchies

It all works for me, but I voted for mix it up to give you more options. 😁

Susan AKA Maisy13(YT) AKA Susan_is_still_in_progress (threads,IG)

Had one reactor do it on request, and he was a bit puzzled, but he tended to overthink the movies anyway. (Basically, think Ash's first reaction to Holy Grail, without realizing it was a comedy.) No offense to the other guy, but it needs a do-over. :)

Eric Janssen

Erm.. I love surprises.. and themes... I have a feeling i'm gonna happy with the poll results either way :D

AM

You still have yet to watch the best Monty Python movie ever... TIME BANDITS

Joe Slay

Super excited to hear that you're finally getting around to Men In Tights! It holds a special place in my heart. I think you'll love it :) While theming is a great idea, I think it's good to keep them to certain months. Keeps it a special thing to look forward to, yeah?

BeastialMoon

More suggestions. Because I think you'll like them. Conan (the original one) Twins Grease Flashdance Animal House Fast Times at Ridgemont High Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure Beverly Hills Cop Field of Dreams (This one starts kind of slow, but it is a great movie) Boondock Saints Footloose Porky's Kindergarten Cop Airplane Crocodile Dundee Splash Highlander Ferris Bueler's Day Off

Mark Lee

As you intimate, what most people think of as classics are simply movies they very much enjoyed when they were young. This is a criterion quite distinct from the criteria cineasts will consider when evaluating a film as a classic of cinema.

Elliot Nesterman

A Jamie Lee Curtis theme would be fun. Trading Places A Fish Called Wanda True Lies Knives Out

Elliot Nesterman

Mix it up, but some seasons justify themed movies. But we don't need to set a schedule for you. If you feel like a theme, then declare the month to be a themed month. And I'll suggest that if someone suggests a movie that does have a theme, include the theme/holiday/season with it in case you are building a list of movies for Christmas, etc. Suggestions: Karate Kid was suggested, and it's a good one. Red Dawn (1984) for the movie, the actors, and the memes it has added to our culture. True Lies (1994), because it has everything you like.

Mark Lee

Themes are good for the major holidays, but not year round.

Matt Gwinn

you do you, if you want to do a special month do it, if you want random do it

Eric Greenwood

Mixing it up is better, but an occasional theme month is OK like Hallobeans.

Tom Evans

you do you gurl!!

sparkles

SMOKEY & THE BANDIT and NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN! (I know, I've mentioned them twice, already!) LOL! :p

I joined just to Say.. 1989 BATMAN!!!

Fatal Jestor

Yes on the robbin hood

Fatal Jestor

Also, I agree with those who say Robin Hood Men in Tights will be a WHOLE lot funnier if you see Robin Hood Prince of Thieves first. They’re right, it’s a parody of that movie specifically, not that genre. (And one more time...or 50 more times, if I have to: Ladyhawke and The Karate Kid...*runs away again*).

Heather Qualy

Seems like April's theme is Comedy.

Nicholas & Heather

I loved Jingle Beans and HallowBeans, because there are so many great movies to pick from, in all kinds of styles. But the recent ones seem more limited in their styles. And if I don’t like the genre, by the middle of the month, I’m just waiting for the theme to be over with. I haven’t been interested in ANY of the movies that have been in your last few polls. Lots of “meh” movies, and so many are NOT what I would consider “classics you should have seen by now”, but instead just random people suggesting personal favourites (e.g. I personally love the movie Real Genius, but am under no illusion that most people have seen it, or even heard of it. That’s not a “classic”). I still watch, because YOU are fun to watch, but it’s even better when you watch Uber-famous movies that I either love or passionately hate.

Heather Qualy

Themes during Halloween and Christmas the other months just be creative.

Dawn

New here if you liked clue you should watch a spoof on old detectives of the 40s called murder by death. Hilarious.

Dawn

I'd rather see DARBY O'GILL AND THE LITTLE PEOPLE.

T.J. Gengler

Yes the Quiet Man plz.... for St Patrick's Day

Aaron Collett

Yes to both of those !

Christine

The classic St. Patrick's Day movie is "The Quiet Man." 1952 - John Wayne, Maureen O'Hara, Victor McLaglen, Barry Fitzgerald. An American moves back to his grandparents town in Ireland, has a bit of a to do with the locals. One of Wayne's best pictures, and has one of the longest, semi-comic fist fights in movie history.

Elliot Nesterman

I think it depends on the themes you pick. For example, musicals might be wide enough for you to catch some real good ones (*cough* Singing in the Rain and Victor/Victoria *cough*) Whatever you do, will be great! Can't wait to see what comes up next.

Melissa

In theory, I like themes. In practice, choosing this artificial restriction on a regular basis is probably more trouble than it's worth. I'm pretty much OK with whatever you choose but if they can be kept in the mix to a limited degree then that would be my preference. There are two themes that I would like to see happen if possible. The first is to simple pick a decade. Suggest any movie you like from any genre from that specific ten year span. The second idea is more nuanced but could be fun - BAD movies. Movies that were never intended to be taken seriously. They're not to be enjoyed but rather endured. You're not laughing with the movie, you're laughing at it. This is a rich gold mine of awesome awfulness we could tap. SPACE TRUCKERS, LEONARD PART 6, CANNONBALL RUN, UHF, MYSTERY MEN - the list is endless.

T.J. Gengler

It's leprechaun month so watch the scary horror namesake I've never watched but heard it's bad? 😃

ITPalg

What time does the poll closes? This could swing either way...

Moni Castaneda

Mix it up. Themes are only necessary for big holidays.

JSharp

You can Always do a black and white movie theme watch Casablanca, Maltese Falcon, His Girl Friday

Beth O'Brien

Also Terminator in May

christopher brown

one idea is event movies (watch a movie about a true event i.e. A night to remember (1958) in April. Tora Tora Tora (1970) in December

christopher brown

I like this idea. I'd add some more possibilities like Arsenic and Old Lace (assuming it doesn't get used for March Madness), The Adventures of Robin Hood, The Best Years of Our Lives, Duck Soup, Gone with the Wind, The Grapes of Wrath, Kind Hearts and Coronets, The Maltese Falcon, The Night of the Hunter, The Philadelphia Story, The Red Shoes, The Searchers, Some Like It Hot, To Be or Not To Be, and 12 Angry Men.

Pick a theme when the mood strikes you. Otherwise, make it easy on yourself and just review my picks!

Paul Kay

Ashleigh already told us Top Gun is definitly coming

I like the idea of themes but I feel they shouldn't be used every month. Maybe a 50/50 mix of themed months and wildcard months.

Luckily, there's a horror movie for every major holiday...! :D

Manuel Johnen

Keep themes when they make sense, but don't try to force every month into a theme. Christmas, Halloween, Independence Day, Valentine's Day, etc. all have tons of movies that fit. Easter, President's Day, etc... not so much.

Nick

Are you suggesting she watch the movie version of "Camelot"?...EWW! ;) Seriously, Singin’ in the Rain is just begging (esp. the fans) for a reaction--Most musicals can be done for Patreon, but are hard to do for YouTube, with copyright-mutes. Fortunately, there’s enough funny plot in Singin’ to excerpt to get the Tuber kids hooked.

Eric Janssen

May Musicals, or Musical May. https://youtu.be/t--e0S5kelY?t=177

Elliot Nesterman

Themes are okay but not every month. And I agree maybe not all month. February was tough for me since I don't like romantic movies. Also I wish you would add Mel Brook's Silent Movie to the list. No one in all youtube has reacted to it. You would be the first.

Moni Castaneda

There are soo many great films that I am sure you have never seen that you really should. His Girl Friday, Freaks, Casablanca, Father Goose, Funny Face, Operation Petticoat, Mister Roberts, African Queen, McClintock, North to Alaska just to name 10. They don't necessarily fit into a category. Freaks for example isn't really a horror film but is often put into that category. It's not a comedy but has comedic elements. It's from 1932 so it's not rated. despite it being so old, it is a must see! No stars! Although some of the lines from this movie are heard in later movies. It's always nice to see where people got it from.

Wesley Eskildsen

I second the Abbott and Costello request. Buck Privates would be good. But I would love to see Ashleigh react to the Marx Brothers too. A Night at the Opera oe A Day at the Races woukd be good.

Bill Bevins

I'd only recommend 24 of the movies on that list (not counting the ones she's already reacted to). Critically-lauded movies are not necessarily going to yield entertaining reactions, nor will many be known enough to inspire people to watch a reaction of it.

Edward Olson

Newish Patreon member, first time posting - my family is hoping Top Gun is on your list somewhere.

Erin Ruff

The French original (La Cage aux Folles) is brilliant. The American remake (Birdcage) fizzled at the box office. Everyone was just trying too hard and it didn't have the magic of the original.

Edward Olson

Someone already mentioned the American Film Institute best-of lists. They are a really great source of pre-vetted ideas. When they came out with their very first Top 100 list, it turned out I’d seen exactly 50, so I made a project of watching the other 50. Since then, they’ve done specific lists for comedies, thrillers, etc, which are a good source of ideas or for narrowing down suggestions.

Kristen North

I'm not suggesting an "Irish" March, but those who keep pushing Boondock Saints as the one sole ID4 and Groundhog's Day of St. Patrick's never had some of our childhoods growing up with John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara in "The Quiet Man" on...EVERY local station once a year. When Elliot kissed the girl in class in "E.T.", we got the joke.

Eric Janssen

There’s no reason to lock yourself into just themes. But you could open up comments for specific themes you are particularly interested in and let people make suggestions. Like a few months ahead.

Kristen North

Definitely agree mix it up. And throwing my bid in once again for Shawshank Redemption.

Amy Silknitter

Not the whole month... But something patriotic around the 4th of July, something like Boondock Saints around St. Patrick's day... That'd be cool

Sinjoro Griego

Some themes encompass such a wide variety of films so they aren’t so restrictive. With the Oscars coming up, an Oscar themed month would be good - watching past Oscar winning pictures. You could do a classic Hollywood film month as well with films like Casablanca, Citizen Kane, etc. I remember you talked about a month of musicals too. Again, you don’t need to do a theme every month but when you get a good idea for one, go for it!

C. A.

Mel really slipped after (and including) History of the World Pt 1, and those who grew up on his 70's gold asked "What HAPPENED??" Everyone else, who thought Mel's entire career revolved around Spaceballs as the one 80's Comedy they grew up watching because it had Star Wars jokes, and judge every one of his movies by Spaceballs standards, see nothing wrong with Brooks' later west-coast period of scene-specific jokes about low-hanging overexposed pop-culture movies like the Kevin Costner. If anything, we need a reactor to find out that The Producers wasn't always a musical. (Or how about the other commenter's suggestion of The Sound of Music first, to find out where Mel got the idea for his WWII musical?)

Eric Janssen

Themes are fine if the mood strikes you, or maybe around holidays, but you shouldn't try to force every month to fit a theme.

Thomas Yanez

A caveat about "Men in Tights": it is pretty much only a parody of Kevin Costner's god-awful "Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves." Actually calling it a parody may be giving it too much credit. It is really just Brooks making fun or how awful the Costner film is. Again, I suggest you go back to Brook's Oscar-winning film "The Producers." It was Brooks's first film with Gene Wilder, and the one that made him a star. And it is not a parody, it's a straight up comedy with a great script and brilliant performances.

Elliot Nesterman

The Thin Man, the first one, is excellent. The sequels went downhill by slow stages. The second and third at least had their stories written by Dashiell Hammett, who had written the original novel; but for the last three Hammett refused to write any more for the series, and it shows. William Powell, who plays Nick Charles, and Myrna Loy, who plays his wife Nora, had such extraordinary on-screen chemistry that they were cast together in fourteen films: the six Thin Man movies and eight unrelated features.

Elliot Nesterman

Themes are ok once and a while when you have good ones in mind, but after a while you may run out of themes. It’s best not to restrict yourself to monthly themes all year long.

C. A.

Themes for HollowBeans and Christmas time but the rest of the time have some fun and jump around to different films. Going to second "Singin' In The Rain" - I showed it to three of my grandchildren (ages 9, 8, and 5) and they loved it. Also want to throw in "Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein" - to me the best of the Abbott and Costello films.

Cristina Collins-Armstrong

Themes are fun once in awhile, like romance for Valentine’s week, etc. If I were a top tier guy, my pick this month would be True Lies. Being a big movie guy, you should trust my judgement on this. The fact that I am fond enough of you that I picked your channel for my Patreon dollars should prove that I will not steer you wrong. 😎

Edward Landis

If you didn't have such a direct way to communicate with your audience themes would be a good way to decide which movies to watch. But with polls and people naming stuff in the comments I believe you're better off just doing the most requested stuff.

Amstrad

Some of my favorites to consider: The Sting, Time Bandits, The Abyss, Up In Smoke and Adventures in Babysitting.

Bill Bevins

Don't mind the themes but by keeping it open you have more flexibility. Why not have a theme just for a specific date? Like the week that they have the Academy Awards play an Oscar winning movie like Dances With Wolves or The Sting. On Memorial Day weekend do a military theme movie like The Great Escape or The Dirty Dozen. Fourth of July could be Independence Day or The Patriot.

Bill Bevins

Maybe if you do a theme you could do the AGI top 10 or IMDb top 10 or something like that. That would, however, make you sit through all 4 hours of Gone with the wind. Maybe musicals like the sound of music grease or Singin in the rain.

Robert Gruhn

I don't think themes are necessary every month, personally, but I trust you to make the decisions, because you haven't let me down, yet.

Michael Sailor

Definately mix it up. Things like horror movies for October and romantic movies for February are fun and cool because there are a ton of good movies in both genres to fill the whole month for years to come. But some monthly themes are going to be tough to sustain. And then there are a lot of really good movies that just aren't going to fit into any one theme.

Todd Bradford

Sort of spoils the movie going in knowing each has some huge twist coming.

Kenton Kruger

A few theme suggestions, Comic Book or Video Game Movies The Original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie Mortal Kombat Street Fighter Haword The Duck Super Mario Brothers Mystery Movies The Thin Man series it's six movies. For the month you and Huben got married wedding movies. Father Of The Bride Betty's Wedding The Marrying Man Four Weddings And A Funeral My Big Fat Greek Wedding

Rachel Culpepper

I don't have strong feelings about this because I am going to be watching either way. However, if you are going to be doing reactions to classic movies over the long term then you are going to get to all of these movies at some point regardless of whether you have monthly themes or not. Themes can force you to be creative, but they can also be a real burden. In any case, keep up the good work.

Michael Buhl

I think the themes are better used in moderation, but that's probably because I don't think I could come up with enough cohesive themes for long if it were me.

Keri Parmeter

I had themes last year. I did Janu-80 (an eighties film every day), Feburrr-ary (a film a day that has difficult situations that made me uncomfortable), a comedy a day for Ma-haharch. Ape-ril I watched all of the Planet Of The Apes films. May-chael Keaton, one of his films per day.

PieHard13

"It's your thang, do what you wanna do...." -Isley Brothers

William Wall

WOO!!

Ashleigh Burton

I'll second that genres, like horror and Christmas and classics, are good if you know what you're curious for--But the "Madness" theme, like the Preview-reviews, "where I'ma give you what I THINK the movie is about" shows how easy it is to pick the wrong movies on title and end up puzzled. Better to alternate, and leave a month for catching up on fan suggestions.

Eric Janssen

Here's a theme for you Older movies that twist (movies with plot twist) The Sixth Sense Fight Club The Usual Suspects American Psycho Citizen Kane (considered one of the all time top 3 movies ever made) The Prestige

Bill Staley

themes are good when there's something happening that month. halloween, christmas always but the rest of the year maybe sometimes themes. Like in summer if u wanted to do 1 month of summer themed movies cool or next feb do romance/black history month awesome

Elisa H.

I have already mentioned for March madness that Stephen King Dead Zone should be added to the list.

Yes to all of the above. I think mixing it up is the way to go and maybe have a theme around big holidays, if only for two weeks instead of the whole month or ?? Stripes has Bill Murray and RH-MIT is Mel Brooks! Airplane is a classic! Sounds like we have some great videos coming!

MrBamaRed

Themes are good but not every month, maybe 1 in 3 or so would be good

Windfury

100% agree that Birdcage must be watched. I've seen it so many times and it still makes me laugh out loud every single time.

Every movie you rattled off is fantastic.

Brandon Portell

Maybe do like 4 theme months per year (3 plus Hallowbeans)? Personally I liked the mixed bag, with Hallobeans being such a broad range available in it. One thing somebody suggested in an earlier post that kind of intrigued me was specific actor themed months for the occasional big name; somebody with a large body of work you're unfamiliar with. Theirs was Schwarzenegger, but one could also do Gary Oldman, or Jack Lemmon, or Meryl Streep; icons with a large body of work. I'd be interested in the occasional theme like that.

Kenton Kruger

Mix it up. I think the themes can be fun, but we don't need to be boxing ourselves in here either. Maybe you could keep the themes BUT just feature one or two movies that month that are related to the theme, that way we still get the theme but the 2 movies or so are even more "special" and it doesn't restrain you from watching other things that may be more fun. Just a thought, but I'll be watching whichever way you decide. Peace.

Tony Williams

😏😏

Ashleigh Burton

TRUE

Ashleigh Burton

HELL YES

Ashleigh Burton

I'm totally on board with this. Ashleigh will love these flicks! 🎬🎞🎟

Shreakin Warrior

Already mentioned BIRDCAGE (it makes Blazing Saddles look like a drama) Also ANIMAL HOUSE. The most insane movie of the 70s

Jon Krantz

Mix it up definitely

Michael Johnson

There are some movies that don’t really fit a theme. And do you really want to do a whole month of “relentlessly depressing but Oscar-worthy” movies? Mix it up! And do Stripes. Definitely do Stripes. It was made for you.

Wally Hartshorn

Getting my popcorn ready for Airplane!!!

Some are good but it’s nice to not be specific all the time

melissa goff

Stripes and The big Lebowski YES!

Brett Delbridge

April’s gonna be a good month!