Apr 28 2008
Movies That Make You Want To …
One Film Gets My Daughter’s Toes’ Wiggling
If the movie, Music and Lyrics, had not been made I fear my daughter may never have eaten. The moment the film begins, the world is filled with sunshine, the smell of roses permeates the air and she happily eats her food. When finished, my daughter gets down from her high chair and dances around. I need to send Hugh Grant, Drew Barrymore and Marc Lawrence, the writer and director, a thank you note.
Her obsession with the film got me to thinking about movies that I love, movies I can watch again and again without getting sick of them. There are films I watch to simply relax and others to re-ignite the fires of my imagination when I’m devoid of creativity. Here are some that make me laugh, others that make me want to move my feet, some that make me cry and finally, those that inspire me.
The Breakfast Club – but truthfully have you ever heard of the term “neo-maxi-zoomed-dweebie” used in any other film?
Sixteen Candles – the interaction between Long Duk Dong (Gedde Watanabe) and Jake (Michael Schoeffling) when Jake is looking for Samantha (Molly Ringwald) STILL makes me laugh when I watch it. And honestly, is there anything better than Jake suddenly appearing at the church and waving to Samantha?
50 First Dates – Hawaii, a penguin in a Hawaiian shirt, an adorable concept – making someone fall in love with you everyday – and 311’s song, Amber, make for a fun viewing experience.
Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels – there are at least three different storylines going on at the same time and when they all collide it’s fantastic.
The Usual Suspects – he got me. Writer Christopher McQuarrie (he apparently wrote this at his parent’s kitchen table) completely got me with the ending. I still wonder about the difference between truth and fiction when I watch it. And Keyser Soze – what a name!
Jaws – I have some sort of serious obsession with this film. Oddly, I love everything about it, especially when Police Chief Brody (Roy Scheider), Quint (Robert Shaw) and Matt Hooper (Richard Dreyfuss) are sitting on the boat singing.
The Lost Boys – the music and the boys – Jason Patrick and Keifer Sutherland – they made this movie for me.
Before Sunrise & Before Sunset – the conversations between Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy are thought-provoking.
Four Weddings and a Funeral – the characters in this film were a riot. Although I hate Andie McDowell’s line, “Is it raining? I hadn’t noticed” at the end of the film, I like the idea of focusing the film around life’s big moments.
About a Boy – There is a warmth about this film. I like the idea of lonely folks – some who know and acknowledge that their lonely and some who deny it – finding one another and creating a makeshift family.
The Goonies – They’re the Goonies, they’re hilarious. I SO wish I had a friend with tons of gadgets. I would have enjoyed their adventure.
Say Anything – I wanted to date Lloyd (John Cusack)…period, end of story. If he’d held up a radio and played a song outside of my window there is no way I would have turned my back and gone to sleep.
Some Kind of Wonderful – Watts (Mary Stuart Masterson) was amazing…she was just well, kinda wonderful. And I adored the bald-headed guy that Keith (Eric Stoltz) met in detention.
Gross Pointe Blank – the idea of a hitman needing therapy (aside from Tony Soprano) was hilarious.
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off – I still want to sing, dance and get a crowd going on a parade float someday!
As Good As It Gets – I ended up wanting that weird looking dog!
What are some of yours?
I love watching chick flicks, and i have to say that THE NOTEBOOK is one of my favs. Although its very sad, it just feels so good to cry sometimes. Also TITANIC & GLADIATOR.
A hardy Yes to GOONIES & SAY ANYTHING! Along with those, Id pair STAR WARS, E.T. and all INDIANA JONES, (my fav) that i could always watch anytime, I guess becuase besides being great films,they been with me forever. Oh, and I almost forgot….all JAMES BOND.
Movies that get me excited & my juices flowing and the Bourne Identity series & Thomas Crown Affair.
For inspiration, BARAKA is amazing. There is no plot, just The most spectacular images of nature and parts of culture that make you think about things long after the movie is over. Koyaanisqatsi is the film that preceeded this, also amazing.
Also recently, as a result of coming to India, I discovered the female director/writer Deepa Mehta. Her film WATER is amazing. She has too other films to note, EARTH and FIRE, which ive not seen yet.
Refreshingly brilliant are JUNO, Little Miss Sunshine & Eternal Sunshine.
My favorite films to watch with my Little ones are FINDING NEMO, THE WHALE RIDER, & SOUND OF MUSIC, WILLIE WONKA & the Chocolate Factory,The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe original version and lastly but not least…Song of the South.
Dirty Dancing
Bridget Jone’s Diary
The Replacements
i know i have more!
omg! i forgot braveheart!
Love this, and love so many movies and love to know why people love whichever movies they do and which scene brings them to their knees…
You have listed so many here for me already. So I’ll just add one to the list -
Big Fish
Love that movie!
xo
I love so many of the movies already mentioned.
Since you brought up dancing, I love Strictly Ballroom, by Baz Luhrman. Then there’s Moonstruck. And there are all sorts of Jane Austen movies, Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice and so on. Amadeus is lots of fun. The Wedding Singer. School of Rock. The Incredibles.
For some reason, I also love Independence Day. Sure it’s rock ‘em sock ‘em shlock, but it’s done so well and so simply that it gets me every time.
Ok, this is my first time and I am shy on cyber-space. However, this got me thinking of my teen years. Long Duck Dong, the best scene ever, MAWWWIED?? Stil say it to my friends and I think I said it to you Tashie. That little brat brother was the kid from Kramer VS Kramer, amazing movie that made no sense to me then but now that my parents are divorced, I GET IT.
What about “LUCAS”, i actually thought Corry Haim was cute in that movie. However, Charlie Sheen was out-of-control hotness. Jennifer Grey got a nose job after “Baby Was in the Corner”and she looks so weird. I want someone to tell my Dad,Vince that no-one puts baby in the corner, Tash, will that ever happen, umm prob not with our family. Maybe Uncle Jimmy??
This blog also remided me of music and driving from CT to NYC to Grandma and Grandpa’s house. We always got off exit 96 on DR and there was grafitti and people playing hand-ball and we (CT, NERDY kids-the country-bumpkins) thought that was so cool. Remember listening to Billy Joel-”I’M Moving Out”, NY State o Mond”, Super Tramp, KC and The Sunshine Band (Davis’s favorite, don’t know why). I remmeber sittn in back of red little shit car and being sooo excited to see my cousin Natasha so we could play in her awesome room and throw things out of her window. I also remember sleeping over and hearing “noise”. We didn;t have noise in Connecticut. I never could sleep in NYC in the late 70’s, early 80’s but hanging with Tashie made the noise SOOOOO worth it!!
I am reambling maybe I should not write on these blogs, i will ramble ans will make no sense but Tash, cheers to you for making US ALL think of past,presesnt and POSITIVE thoghts in this INSANE life. i love ur blogs but I love you so much more.
Oh one more thing,Tash you will only get this blog. Remember making Ian, yes you Ian, dance in his crib when he was a baldy baby. He looked like the best looking ” cabbage patch kid” ever. Ian should have been a Gerber baby but ur mom was smart enough to not pull a “John Bennet Ramsey” (sp). I love those photos of ian and Dave. Wow, we had good times. Back to Ian, the cutie, your mom would come in and yell at us. I loved making Ian dance, he would get wild in that crib in his blue-onesy with the feet, i hated those PJ’s, my feet always sweated and I had to ta them off in the middle of the night.
I miss Grandpa and Gram. I miss playing with you in Grandma’s closet and hiding in that crack between grandpa’s bed an the wall. Remember. I miss their bathroom. Grandpa always hung wet things lie Umbrellas in the bathroom.
I still smell that apt and them sometimes in random NY apts.
Remember Aunt Elaine’s green VW bug in the 70’s.
Ok, i am done, sorry i rambles but you bring up MEMORIES like never before Tashie.
pps-How amazing is Billy Joel’s song-” i want you just the way you are”? Is that the title?? I am listening to his greatest hit and it makes me sooooooo happy. So NYC, the 70’s/80’s, Dave was around, Tash and I hung, Ian was a Cabbage Patch Kid, Chris was “Untouchable-too cool” and the Doyles rocked it “Jasckson Heigths” style. Grandma and Grandpa just rocked it. I GOT UR TOYS!!!!!
Peace out-
i will never write again since this turned into my personal journal.
Jen, Bridget, Judy and Rowena - I loved every movie you mentioned and to be honest could not believe I had forgotten them. Seriously…if we all got together for a movie night we’d have no problem choosing an awesome film that we would all enjoy!
Heath - first and foremost thanks for writing! YAY!! And you TOTALLY have to write again - this was beautiful and funny and I love that you just shared all of yourself…you are so cute. Love you! Come and play again soon!!