Ask a 17 year old girl what makes a movie memorable; she'll probably tell you how incredible the cast list is, or where the storyline comes from, or how upset she is when it's over. It's sad but true. There was an entire summer where I watched a different movie every night, and right now I doubt I can tell you the title of a single one of those movies. Not that the movies weren't good, but they didn't have any large scale actors, or a original plot. My top ten list includes movies with some of my favorite actors in them: John Cusack, Emma Watson, or Leonardo DiCaprio for example. If I recognize the actors involved, and I've liked their past movies, chances are I'll make more of an effort to watch their movie. You might also notice that at least three of my top ten were books before made into a major motion picture. I've read the Harry Potter books multiple times, but I only really enjoy the first movie, because it follows the book series closer than any of the other movies. Not to mention It's Kind of a Funny Story, which is completely different from the the book, but still a good movie. My last criteria can be interpretered differently I suppose. I don't neccessarily have to leave the theater in tears in order for it to be a good movie, but I want to be able to say "wow" as the credits start rolling. I want to be able to watch it again, without getting bored. For example take The Princess Bride, I used to watch it with my grandma all the time when I was younger. I would try and get my grandpa to pretend to sword fight with me by saying "My name is Inigo Montoya, you killed my father. Prepare to die," and still to this day, I will occasionally watch The Princess Bride on a Sunday when I have nothing else to do. A memorable movie is something that you will never get tired of; as soon as you watch it you consider it an instant classic--at least in my mind.
Ask a 70 year old director what makes a movie memorable; he'll tell you that it's the risks the director takes and the diversity in the director's filmography. Look at Martin Scorsese and the number of successful films he has under his belt, and a few rotten ones according to RottenTomatoes.com. Scorsese has been involved in the production of over 80 different films that have explored twelve different genres in the past fifty years. In fact, just last year at the age of 69 he tried his first children's movie, Hugo, also the first movie he has shot in 3-D. His biggest movie before that was Shutter Island--categorized as a "psychological thriller." Let's see: from directing an R-rated mystery movie, to a PG, feel-good, family film all in one year; now that's taking a risk.



http://www.imdb.com/list/c57XsA-Y0M0/