The Ultimate Movie Collector’s Game – Watch, Own, or Forget?

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Did you ever see that game of kiss, marry, kill mentioned on US TV or Movies? The premise is simple, who would you like to do those things to. I had a bright idea one day recently that I could do the same to movies but obviously change the options. I have to say in advance that I do like the films I have marked as Forget but I randomly picked titles to give myself a bit of a challenge. Even as I typed them out, I was humming and hawing about it. Would you have come to the same conclusion?

If you enjoy this bit of a fun post, check out this one 5 Essential Old-School Comedies That Couldn’t Be Made Today , it’s packed with nostalgia and films that pushed the limits of what comedy could get away with.


Retro-style poster for the blog post The Ultimate Movie Collector’s Game – Watch, Own, or Forget? showing colorful icons for Watch, Own, and Forget with popcorn, film reels, and vintage typography on a blue background.

The rules are simple:

  • Watch – A film you’d happily rewatch but wouldn’t necessarily buy.

  • Own – One that deserves a permanent spot on your shelf.

  • Forget – A movie you could skip next time without guilt.

Let’s see how this plays out with a few well-known titles…

🎬 Round 1: The Modern Epics

Watch: The Last Samurai – beautiful but a bit too long. In saying that, I enjoy this movie immensely every time I put it on. It is one of those sweeping epics with a great story that they just don't make anymore.

Own: Gladiator – Ridley Scott’s masterpiece and a reference disc for collectors. A true masterpiece of cinema. I was glued to it when I went to watch it in the cinema and couldn't wait to own my own copy. It has since been joined by a sequel which didn't quite match the original in terms of freshness but it compliments the story beautifully nonetheless.

Forget: Braveheart – it’s showing its age. I had a bit of trouble relegating this one to the forget bracket. I did watch it recently and for the first time ever, the continuity errors really caught my eye. I'm a big fan of Mel Gibson as an actor & director but had to list a third.

All 3 of these movies are in my Blu Ray collection and I happily watch them again every one to two years. I picked options that are close so that you the reader would struggle like I did.

💥 Round 2: Sci-Fi Heavyweights

Watch: Tenet – great concept, confusing delivery. To be honest, I've only a vague recollection of this movie so it probably didn't strike a chord with me at the time of watching.

Own: Interstellar – one of Nolan’s best, and it shines on Blu-ray. It is a long watch and a little confusing along the way. I bought it last year on Blu Ray to watch once again. There is no doubt it is a great movie and a credit to Nolan as a director. Would it make your list?

Forget: Inception – yes, it’s brilliant, but I’m done spinning that top. If you ask me today to tell you the storyline or describe the movie, I probably couldn't do it. Buildings and roads flipping all over the place, does that sound right?

🎭 Round 3: Dramas That Stay With You

Watch: The Green Mile – Another hard list to go through. This movie easily slips into the watch or Own categories but I've added it here as it is quite a long watch indeed. I'm a huge Stephen King fan as well so double the agony.

Own: The Shawshank Redemption – Probably the greatest drama movie of all time and a must have for all collectors out there. It resonated with me the first time I watched it and if I ever catch a glimpse of this movie on TV I'm bound to finish watching it.

Forget: A Beautiful Mind – it is an interesting movie and great to watch the first time. I watched it again last year and I struggled a bit with it. I knew what was coming so I wasn't as engrossed as I should be. 

Do you feel the same about these three titles?

🍿 Round 4: Blockbusters vs Classics

Watch: Top Gun: Maverick — A brilliant modern blockbuster and far better than it had any right to be. The aerial footage is incredible, the sound mix is reference-level, and it has that rare mix of nostalgia and freshness. I thoroughly enjoyed it in the cinema and on Blu-ray, but I don’t reach for it often enough to justify putting it in the “Own” slot if I’m being strict. Still, it’s one of the best legacy sequels ever made.

Own: Die Hard — The king of action films and yes, it is a Christmas movie in my house. Bruce Willis at his peak, Alan Rickman stealing the show, and practical action that still puts modern CGI to shame. This is one I rewatch every year without fail and I’ll probably still be watching it in my old age, subtitles on and remote in hand. A must-own for any collector.

Forget: Speed — A great 90s action film and one I genuinely like, but when you line it up against Die Hard and Maverick, something has to drop. The bus scenes are still brilliant, and Keanu and Sandra had great chemistry, but it’s not one I revisit often. I’m sorry, Speed — it’s not you, it’s the competition.

I struggled picking a “Forget” here because all three are great in their own way, but that’s what makes this round fun — something has to go. Would you have landed on the same choices?

This Post was Absolute Torture to Write

I had a fun, light-hearted idea based on that childish game, and I genuinely thought it would be easy. I generated a few movie titles by genre and quickly realised the problem, I own almost all of them.
 
Trying to put favourites into a “Forget” category was agony. After chopping and changing several times, the lists above are what I finally settled on.

I’m still not 100% happy with my choices, but that’s the nature of that game. It actually took about three weeks before I was willing to publish, coming back to it again and again making small changes.

Would you have picked the same or gone a completely different direction?

💿 Final Thoughts

The best part of this little game is there are no wrong answers — just a lot of strong opinions. For collectors like me, deciding which films are worth owning versus just watching is half the fun.

If you’ve played along while reading, drop your own Watch, Own, Forget picks in the comments. And if you enjoy this kind of movie talk, check out my post Streaming vs Collecting: Why I’ll Always Keep My DVDs & Blu-rays — it’s the same love of film, just with fewer arguments!

Thanks for Reading,

David

💬 Have a thought on this? Please leave a comment below, I’d love to hear your take.

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About the Author

I’m David Condon, a movie enthusiast from Tralee, Co. Kerry. I’ve been collecting DVDs and Blu-rays for years, and along the way my shelves have become a mix of favourites, hidden gems, and titles I occasionally decide to resell.

I’m not a professional critic, just someone who enjoys good films, well-made discs, and the odd rant about the quirks of collecting. This blog is where I share my thoughts, opinions, reviews, and experiences as a fan.

💬 Note from the Author
This blog is a hobby project where I write about DVDs, Blu-rays, and the ups and downs of being a collector. If you enjoyed this post, you might also like my other writing:

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Original content © Phoenix DVD Blog — Written by David Condon. Please credit and link if shared.

Location: Ballyard, Tralee, Co. Kerry, V92 W2H4, Ireland

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