The only part of "Truly Madly Deeply" that I don't like is letting go of Alan Rickman! He helps Nina get over him, but not me! When Nina places Jamie's cello in its case for the last time, I can hardly bear the finality of it. But the film grabbed me from the first shot of the Underground, the lighting, the North London milieu, Bill Paterson, the perfect music choices, but mostly the luminescent brilliance of Juliet Stevenson. Obviously, the scene where she weeps with such anguish and anger is the best on-screen crying in the history of movies.

Marcia Roop, 62

Herndon

'The Godfather'

Feel like a tough guy and get advice for life -- what more could you want? On what really matters: "A man that doesn't spend time with his family can never be a real man." On what's better than violence: "Leave the gun, take the cannolis." On the futility of hatred: "Is vengeance going to bring your son back to you?" On not trusting the government: "FBI don't respect nothin'." Even on what to say to your girlfriend at Thanksgiving: "That's my family . . . it's not me." Greatest movie ever made. Pardon me for sayin', but it's one you can't refuse.

Michael Long, 43

Burke

'Groundhog Day'

"Favorite" is the word and does not mean best. Favorite means that I can watch it again and again; it must endure the test of time. Each time you watch it, the script still has something new to offer, a nuance undetected before, an enduring theme, a scene repeatedly enjoyed. For me, the only type of movie that fits this mold is a romantic comedy. If I was stuck on a deserted island, this movie is the one I'd pick. Comedy to keep me laughing and coming back, romance with its themes that engage and endure.

Eric Sanne, 48

Chevy Chase

'The Third Man'

In Vienna, something is rotten. But wait! Here comes Joseph Cotten. Will he clear up the crime and find Harry Lime? In time? That zither is haunting, the villain's so daunting, the heroine taunting. Who can be trusted? Who will get busted? Can you turn in your friend? Get the girl at the end? Loyalty! Honor! Betrayal! Welles in his prime, camera sublime. Mon Dieu, what a tale!

Sandra Kauffman, 71

Bethesda