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I love movies. I think it runs in the family, because our little R clan seems to love them too. It's hub's and my date night of choice (even though it runs $100 plus including a babysitter). A movie is a feast for the eyes and the mind; a way to suspend reality for a couple of hours and enter a story world.
Although I don't usually watch movies more than once, there are some films that have stuck with me. Some are classics and others newer releases, but in my eyes, they are timeless. These flicks I can watch time and time again. So in honor of the weekend, here are the movies I can watch, re-watch and watch some more. My favorites!
Soul Surfer
The girls and I are really into Soul Surfer right now. My 6-year old watches it with such intensity. I wish I could read her mind to see exactly just what she's thinking and learning from it. And every time we watch it, I just know she is learning something new. If you haven't seen it yet, you need to run to your nearest RedBox or Blockbuster STAT. Soul Surfer is the true story about Bethany Hamilton, who, while taking a break from surfing at 13 years old, had her left arm bitten off by a shark. Soul Surfer the movie is based on Bethany's book, Soul Surfer: A True Story of Faith, Family and Fighting to get Back on the Board. Through her strong faith, perseverance, and determination, she still realizes her dream of becoming a Pro Surfer. It's an extremely family-friendly film, and at the forefront is her amazing faith in God which helped her overcome the horrible tragedy to realize her dreams. When I watch this flick, I laugh, I cry, and I feel warm and fuzzy inside (at the end anyway). It's an underdog story with a strong moral message. And while my three-year old doesn't quite "get" it yet (she calls it the "surfer movie"), I'll have it up my sleeve in four years or so, when she's really impressionable and needs a good role model.
The real Bethany Hamilton and the cutie pie actress who plays her in Soul Surfer, AnnaSophia Robb
Sweet Home Alabama
I should probably just admit right now that I will watch anything with Reese Witherspoon. She is my favorite actress and my 6-year old daughter's namesake. Honestly, the girl can do no wrong. (And no, I don't want to talk about THAT incident which happened this year). In my eyes, Sweet Home Alabama is a classic. I can quote almost this entire movie. Sweet Home Alabama comes on TV pretty regularly now, and I will always stop what I'm doing to watch. It never gets old. I mean, "You have a baby. In a BAR." Or "I'm sorry, I just hallucinated." Brilliant right? And the men in the movie, Josh Lucas and Patrick Dempsey, aren't bad on the eyes either. I don't think she could have gone wrong with either guy, but you just can't deny your Southern roots. Smart woman.
Josh Lucas and Reese Witherspoon in Sweet Home Alabama
Forest Gump
Like many Americans, my husband and I are big Tom Hanks fans. So many of his films are excellent, and while we'll watch just about any we catch on TV, Forest Gump is definitely a favorite.The film won 6 Academy Awards, and for best actor, Tom Hanks was up against Morgan Freeman for Shawshank Redemeption, and John Travolta for Pulp Fiction. Those 2 are classics as well, but the Academy got it right (I seldom agree with the Academy.) So when I sit and think about why I love Forrest Gump, several things come to mind: 1). It is a sweeping historical biopic (albeit of a fictional character). I like anything described as "sweeping," and I'm a self-professed history buff. I will read or watch anything historical, especially set during war times, and ole hubs himself is pretty into war flicks too. 2) It's uber original. There are NO films out there like it. Forest Gump is based on a book by the same name, written by Winston Groom and released in 1986. Had I not been 8 at the time, Forest Gump is likely a book I would have read. Groom's imagination takes us from Forrest's teased boyhood, to the University of Alabama football team, to
Vietnam, to world-class Ping-Pong championships, to Forrest's adventures as business tycoon, and back to his small town of Greenbow, Alabama. Obviously Groom is a talented writer, and the novel translated well into a movie. I just shake my head when I think about how genius it is. 3) Tom Hanks is amazing as Forrest Gump. Period. I can't imagine any other actor in that role. He IS Forrest Gump. His Oscar for this role was well deserved. (You can watch a video of his Academy Award acceptance speech here. I love it when they tear up!)
Gone With the Wind
Ahhh, Scarlett and Rhett. The tumultuous love affair that captured my attention as a young girl, and spawned a life-long love of the classic movie. I was obsessed with Gone with the Wind as a kid. Obsessed. I watched it over and over, collected its memorabilia, and fantasized about naming my children Scarlett and Rhett (adult me couldn't do it). Like Forest Gump, Gone with the Wind is also based on its namesake book by Margaret Mitchell. I was the only teen excited when it was assigned as reading in high school English. The rest of the class collectively groaned, and I said "Yes!!" It's crazy to think that a child born in the 70's could become so obsessed over a movie released in 1939. But, set in the Civil War south, it has the history thing going for it, and I just couldn't get enough of Scarlett's sassy, confident attitude, and Rhett's smoldering tough love. Speaking of the film's stars, it was rumored that Clark Gable didn't want to play Rhett, and the studio spent well over a year chasing him. I'm sure he was glad he eventually gave in, as America loved the film and it's still known as the highest grossing in the U.S. to date (with inflation figured in). It was also winner of ten Academy Awards, including Best Actress for Vivian Leigh and Hattie McDaniel, who played Mammy, became the first African American woman to win Best Supporting Actress. There is good news for all of you Gone with the Wind fans like me - there is life after Gone with the Wind. The sequel to the book, Scarlett, was released in 1991. Margaret Mitchell's estate had hand-picked Alexandra Ripley to pen the sequel, but critics and fans alike didn't think it lived up to its predecessor. In November 2007, Rhett's Butler's Peoplewhich parallels Gone with the Wind from Rhett's perspective, was released and received more favorable reviews than Scarlett. I have read both, and while nothing holds a candle to Gone with the Wind, it was nice to escape to the story of Scarlett and Rhett once again. Gone with the Wind will always be a timeless classic to me, both in print and on film. I wonder when is the age appropriate time to introduce it to my girls...
Looking at this list, I see a trend with my top movies having first been novels. I imagine it's difficult to come up with an original movie idea in Hollywood. Luckily, the literary world is always coming up with something new, and movie lovers everywhere owe book authors a debt of gratitude. Being a book lover as well, I'm anticipating the release of several movies based on books I've read. Maybe that's a blog post for another day. Until then, what are your favorite movies that you can watch time and time again?
