Have you ever read a story or watched a movie and found yourself sympathetic towards the villain?

Yes, In orphan I was totally rooting for Esther. Kate was really, really annoying and odd looking. Also, did anyone else notice that the main couple in the movie is named John and Kate..?

all the time

More then once. When it coms to books, a good writer makes the villain seem like the good guy. Which I really love. Same as in a movie. If the bad guy acts good and nice, then I feel terrible when they either hurt or kill him. Like in Law Abiding Citizen. This guy watched his entire family be raped and murdered and the wrong guy was put in jail for it. So, he sets out to get justice. I feel terribale at the end.

More than a few times, especially in books. A good writer will make his/her villain relate-able.

I agree.

Villains are much better people. I'm studying to be a Super Villain.

Definately a lot of the books I read I feel sympethetic towards the villans, some of them arent even villans they just get caught in someones assumption

Yes, many a time. I could make a long list of different villains from movies who I've felt sympathy for. I think a lot of villains are mostly misunderstood and/or unloved by others in the film or book, and that's part of the sympathy. And then there are the villains who may start out good, but then a corrupt society and/or person turns thwm into a dark person/shell of their former self, and then all the audience wants to do is feel pity for what made them the monster they became. And then there are the baddies who have been through some experience that the reader/watcher has as well, and the reader/watcher knows how they feel and wishes they could do the same thing that the villain does (meaning big time revenge, murder or something) but really knows, that they truly wouldn't be able to do it. So it's like they let the character do it for them.

Oh...you mean like Twilight? Towards the end of the movie, I was hoping someone would just put an end to pathetic Bella.

I love to watch High Sierra with Humphrey Bogart. In the movie, he is a gangster whose hard-boiled persona finds itself at war with his compassionate side. When he was killed at the end of the movie, I was sad.

Happens all the time.
I'm a nerd so my examples are geek examples. Take the Star Wars prequel. Anakin had every right to turn Sith. The Jedi were d*cks, especially Mace Windu. Qui-Gon Jinn could have easily rescued Anakin's mother, but he didn't. Because he wanted total influence over the prophesied "One who would bring balance to the force". Then after years of loyal service, Mace still didn't trust him. Obi Wan Kenobi spoke down to him, humiliated him regularly in front of others. I would have turned to the Dark Side years before Anakin did. Guy had amazing restraint. Or take Joker (any of the villains really) in the comic Arkham Asylum: Madness by Sam Kieth. The guards taunted him constantly. He had every right to the murder and mayhem he unleashed.

Qui Gon couldn't rescue his mother because she had explosives injected into her body. "Any attempt to escape...and they blow you up Boom!" The Jedi preserved order to the republic for years, they were uncertain of Anakin's power and feared what would happen if he fell to the Darkside. Obi Wan was his mentor, he never intended to truly harm Anakin but thanks to Palpatine's influence he was under the impression that he was superior to everyone else. I actually sympathize with Anakin also I don't think the movies showed his decisive, courageous, competent side. But Anakin made his choice and enslaved the galaxy for fifteen years untill he turned on the Emperor. Some of the Jedi were arrogant and self righteous but most had good intentions. Overall I say Anakin is a hero.

Sometimes. Especially if they were manipulated or you find out they weren't as bad as you think.

I watched an episode of CSI New York. In that episode there was a killer who was dying of cancer so he went after the faulty healthcare system. I could understand why he was angry but I do not support what he did so no hate please.

Mr. Freeze in Batman & Robin

Yes, and then I think to myself "wow, they've just manipulated me", and then I put myself in the victim shoes and snap out of it.

Same here.

Yep, one right off hand is The Godfather.

I consider myself a movie lover and I haven't seen the Godfather movies. That was actually my New Years resalution but I don't see that happening this year. For me, it's Tom Cruise's character from Collateral Vincent, Robert DeNiro in Heat and Johnny Depp as John Dollinger in Public Enemies.

I don't think I've watched any of those, but I HIGHLY recommend The Godfather Trilogy. All three are awesome but the first is phenomenal. Then again, I like most mafia movies, but The Godfather is tops. I'll look for the movies you listed.

All three are good, I enjoy crime movies also. I recently watched Edward G. Robinson's Little Ceaser on Turner Classic Movies.

The new batman.
The spiderman movies.

I cant think of anymore off the cuff, but it happens often.