MOVIES!!!

Yesterday the genius was telling me about his day. He has basically finished his AP math class for the year since the AP test was this week and was talking to his class about what they could do for the remainder of the semester. One of the students asked him what kind of movies he liked. In typical genius behavior, he whipped out his list of his all time top twenty-one (?) movies and proceeded to read them off.

I can just imagine the faces of the boys when he did this. They asked him why he would list out his favorite movies and WHY did he carry them around with him in his wallet?!? Then he told them that he has them saved on the computer also. They couldn’t believe it --- they’ll be talking about this one for some time.

What followed was a discussion of his list: #1 is Stand and Deliver, #2 Shawshank Redemption, and that’s all I know of the actual rankings. I do know that Hanoi Hilton, Chariots of Fire, Cool Hand Luke, Schindler’s List, and The Long Walk Home are all on the list. Of course, most of them the boys had never heard of many of them. But one of them mentioned The Sandlot and the genius agreed that maybe that should be on his list, also.

As for me, I can’t list mine in a certain order. I could probably come up with a list of about twenty, but even then I’m not sure. I always say when asked that I like “feel good” movies like the ones made from Jane Austen novels or You’ve Got Mail or My Big Fat Greek Wedding. I certainly watch the Austen movies over and over, but I also have a few favorites that the genius is continually surprised about: The Godfather movies I and II, Tombstone, The Scent of a Woman.

All of these have bad language and most are very violent. But what I like about them is the superb acting in each one. I am continually amazed at Al Pacino, Marlon Brando, Robert Duval, and Robert DeNiro in the Godfathers and Kurt Russell and Val Kilmer in Tombstone. So I guess these three would top my list, but I too would have to add The Sandlot --- that’s a classic.

I’m interested to hear some of YOUR favorites and invite you to do so by leaving your comments.