Patchy Pop Culture: What Are 5 Movies You Can't Shut Off?

They are conversations and debates that take place time and again at the office water cooler, over lunch, at the dinner table, in the car or just sitting around the living room.

Pop culture debates - conversations.

The best of this, the best of that. What makes this so great or what makes that so aggravating? How come that was so bad and what was the worst of all time?

Patch editors Ted Glanzer and Chris Dehnel just can't help themselves when they get together. They have to discuss movies, TV shows, music, even not-so-simple items to find in the grocery store.

So they are turning it into a regular feature - Patchy Pop Culture.

The first segment features a question to ponder - It's February vacation - and we might get weather.

That means the potential to be stuck in the house. So then, if that happens, what five movies would you watch?

Not what are the greatest movies of all time, mind you, but what are the flicks that you just can’t shut off once you come across them while channel surfing?

Here is Ted's take:

1. Miracle (2004) - I'm not saying this is the greatest movie of all time (it isn't). It's not even the best sports movie (I’m looking at you, Raging Bull). But all I know is that whenever this flick is on, no matter what part at which I catch it, I never, ever turn it off.

Quote: Tonight, you are the greatest hockey team in the world.

2. Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004) - No one does dumb humor better than Will Farrell, and this is the best and funniest in his body of work.

Quote: They've done studies you know. Sixty percent of the time it works every time.

3. The Incredibles (2004) - Hoo, this is the third movie from 2004. This animated film about a family of superheroes is both surprisingly adult and violent. But it's also Pixar at its most creative and intelligent.

Quote: 'Greater good?' I am your wife! I'm the greatest good you are ever gonna get!

4. The Shawshank Redemption (1994) - Heartbreaking, uplifting, gorgeous and sometimes brutal (The Sisters, anyone?) prison movie. But, oh, the last 10 or 15 minutes of this movie still give me chills. Oh, and that portion of the movie is responsible of launching Morgan Freeman's monopoly on voiceover work.

5. Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back (1980) - My favorite movie of all time. The ice planet Hoth? Han Solo? Yoda? Han Solo? Bounty Hunters? Han Solo? Mark Hamill's laughable "NOOOOOOOOOO" at the end? If you don't like this movie, we can't be friends. End of discussion. Han Solo.

Quote: "I am your father."

Quote bonus:

Leia: I love you

Han: I know.

OK, Chris’ turn:

1. Gettysburg (1993) - It's long, entertaining and based on a historically accurate novel. Plus with Martin Sheen as Lee, Tom Beringer s Longstreet, Sam Elliot as Buford and Jeff Daneils as Chamberlain, the charters are way cool. Have to have a war movie on the list.

Quote: "You know what's going to happen here in the morning?" - John Buford

2.  It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963) - The best car chases, crashes. The funniest scenes and the most outlandishly goofy subplots in my book. An it's an all-star cast that rivals any in cinema history.

Quote: "It's under a big W." - Smiler Grogan.

3. The Shawshank Redemption (1994) - Best prison movie, best narration, a complex multiple charter study - Stephen King at his best and a great adaptation. It's one of those movies that you can watch anytime, anywhere. It never gets old.

Quote: "I had to come to prison to become a crook." - Andy Dufresne.

4. 12 Angry Men (1957) - The plot, the cast and the fact that the setting is in one room for 96 minutes just rock. And the knife scene - that knife scene with henry Fonda - is one of the all time great 10 seconds of film.

Quote: "It's always difficult to keep personal prejudice out of a thing like this. And wherever you run into it, prejudice always obscures the truth." - Juror No. 8 (Henry Fonda).

5. Madagascar (2005) - Maybe it's the Grand Central Station scenes (memories of trying to get home from concerts of Knickerbockers games), maybe it's the penguins, maybe it just the sheer nuttiness. Have to have an animated movie on the list and this is my favorite. Maybe it's that great Mets fan Chris Rock. Caught myself singing "Afro Circus" at the Circus Circus in Vegas over the holidays. Wait, that's a sequel …

Quote: "Now I have to take the Stamford Local." - Marty

Honorable mention: Field of Dreams, The Gunfighter (Gregory Peck), Kelly's Heroes, Finding Nemo, Les Miserables (Liam Neeson).

OK, we’ve given you our list, what are some of the movies on your list for a vacation or snow day?