On Movies
I absolutely love movies. I adore them. And I always try to take Elijah to any movie that looks like it would be a good time. Our last escapade was Chicken Little. We saw Polar Express 3 times. We didn’t see Valiant, but it was the summer and a bit more hassle to get up and out than I really want to put forth. And as I type, Elijah is enjoying the DVD of Willie Wonka – which has prompted me again to find the book and read it to see which version is closer to the book. If you haven’t seen it, you should, it’s really quite good.
There are few things that I would rather do than be comfortable and watch a movie. But I also really enjoy the whole going to the theater experience. I much prefer the empty matinee experience – just because if the movie sucks, then Elijah can run rampant among the seats and no one is there to give me dirty looks.
I tell my students that watching movies is like reading books for me. It’s about escaping. It’s being the fly on the wall. And since I’ve had children, and much more susceptible to outbursts of emotion, I enjoy the cathartic nature of a good chick flick. Of course, chick flicks I have to watch at home, by myself, because Elijah won’t go see those in the theaters. And I really love children’s movies. I had a extensive Disney movie collection before Elijah was even born – and am now converting much of it to DVD –
Now, those of you who know me will realize that my passion for movies and books – both highly athletic endeavors have helped me to achieve my ultra-voluptuous figure – and you’re probably right – and I’d be much more successful in a gym if they would show movies on the screen instead of cnn / sports channel / or oprah – of course those screens are playing so low it might as well be an airplane movie without the special headphones.
And, unlike my friend Mary, if a movie is good – I enjoy watching it over and over again – especially if I’m just flipping through on a Saturday afternoon trying to find something to watch. My sister is the same way – though she really likes old movies – sometimes the black and white movies kind of get on my nerves – I don’t know why really – but the absence of color sometimes makes me edgy – perhaps too many viewings of Schindler’s List makes me associate black and white with dark, dismal and devastating.
I remember my mom took us to see the Other Side of Midnight – and the people were getting naked and having sex within the first few minutes – and she wouldn’t let us leave because she’d already paid. It was rated R – but we had just seen A Star is Born a few weeks before with Barbara Streisand and Kris Kristofferson (great soundtrack at the time) and it wasn’t soo bad – I also remember seeing King Kong and crying because I didn’t think it fair that they killed the giant gorilla – as it wasn’t really his fault. And my mom kept telling me it was only cherry flavored syrup on his chest – not really blood. Appareantly telling me that there is no such thing as a 60 foot gorilla worked. I also remember seeing Jaws – and going to get ice cream after and my ice cream fell off the cone on the way to the car. But of course, Jaws was a movie that has affected many a lake swimming trip and every ocean swimming trip since I saw it. I don’t know what my first movie was. I know that Elijah’s first movie was Shrek – he was like 6 months old. And Isaiah has been to a few movies in his tender months – at least 4 – and so far he’s doing very well – which is good – because nothing will make me grumpier than missing a good movie. Elijah and I will most likely be going to see Harry Potter later this month – and Isaiah too, I guess, as I doubt I’ll want to go on the weekend.
Anyway – my movie list – if you care:
Educational Movies that make you think
These are about the Holocaust
Schindler’s List
The Pianist
Life is Beautiful (is one of my favorite – made me go to Jose and thank him for being a good daddy – get the dubbed version though unless you like to read a movie – which I don’t)
Shakespeare in Love – a good chick flick
Of Mice and Men – good book, good movie (I like the one with Gary Sinese)
“O” – if you ever have to read Othello – this is the one you need watch
10 Things I hate about you – taming of the shrew
Clueless – Jane Austin’s Emma (very cute)
Chick Flicks
Pretty Woman – love this
Steel Magnolias – an all time favorite – my friends and I can quote parts of this
Titanic – cried all three times I saw it in the theater – but it’s on two tapes – so you lose momentum
Finding Neverland – a really good movie – it’s new but a great story
Random
I like the Abyss – but not the director’s cut because it’s hokey
Pride and Prejudice
Sense and Sensibility
Wuthering Heights
These are all the contemporary version – those old ladies can right a very nice romance – without all the sweat, panting and sex – it’s a lost art and should be rediscovered
I liked Dangerous Minds – motivated me for my occupational choice
As did Children of a Lesser God
The Exorcist scared the holy living bajesus out of me and you couldn’t pay me to watch it again.
The Jurassic Park Movies and Jaws are really good action adventure (and very similar if you pay attention)
Of Course Star Wars and Indiana Jones
The Usual Suspects is an interesting movie
I Like Billy Elliot
Torch Song Trilogy
Dad
The Polar Express – one of my all time favorite movies ever – it was just so well done and makes me wish I had a big screen television so I could watch it really close over and over agin.
And well that’s enough for now – Let’s just leave it at watching movies has been a big part of my life. Movies are for me what music is for many people – a way of marking time – of course most of those movies have been kid flicks – but not a thing wrong with that at all.
