Episode 19: The Favorites Episode

You know what, Anna? I’m pretty sure I can explain why we’re still single in two words: Jake Ryan.

It’s fun talking about the new movies that we see each week but honestly some of the movies I like to talk about the most are old favorites. I love being able to share a movie that I have loved with someone else in hopes that they’ll love it (or like it) as well. Anna and I took some time over the last week thinking about which films we love to watch over and over again. I have my standbys, movies that I watch every time they’re on TV, but I wanted to pick a couple films that you may have missed but should check out.

News & Gossip:

• The 21 Jump Street sequel is in the works article
• Daniel Radcliffe to star in a romantic comedy article
• Matt Damon probably won’t be back for another Bourne film article
• Interesting thoughts on why there should be a sequel to John Carter article
• A plethora of Catching Fire casting news article
• 10 overlooked films of 2011 article
• on a side note this is an interesting article on why men should go see Magic Mike

Our Everlasting Favorites:

• Kari’s first choice: The Last of the Mohicans – I wanted to link a trailer but honestly the trailer made for this in 1992 was pretty terrible compared to the masterpieces that are trailers today. When I think of the films that made me truly fall in love with the movies this one comes immediately to mind. For me it has it all: amazing performances, a thrilling score, drama, action, a historically relevant plot, and most importantly a beautiful love story. Daniel Day Lewis can be trusted to deliver a spot on performance and he certainly does as Hawkeye. I can watch him save Cora from being killed over, and over, and over again. This does not get old for me. I also appreciate the beautiful setting in which the film was shot. The locations were in North Carolina and honestly it looks like land that time has forgotten. I would love to tour some of the parks and locations where the film was shot, and only hope that they look as lush and vibrant as they did in the film. Not to say this is only a great love story, it also depicts life in The Colonies during the French and Indian war and if you are a fan of either history or war films you need to check this out.
• Anna’s first choice: Sixteen Candles – John Hughes has the ability to capture life as an American teenager like no other. His films, though dated in appearance, have been able to withstand the test of time. Molly Ringwald, as Samantha Baker, lives out every teenage girl’s fantasy when the most popular senior, Jake Ryan, falls for her during her sophomore year. Her family is hilarious, the trials she goes through are excruciatingly embarrassing, yet through it all you can’t help but relate to her feeling of alienation and the awkwardness of being a teenager. I know if Anna had not chosen this as one of her favorite movies, I would have. This is a classic and should not be missed.
  • Reflections on Jake Ryan article
• Kari’s second choice: Galaxy Quest – This is one of those films that you probably missed when it was released in 1999. I had the pleasure of seeing it in the theater… though the only audience members were myself and my friend. We laughed the entire way through the film and couldn’t believe more people hadn’t show up to see it. The film is about a cast of a science fiction television show (much like Star Trek) who have long since stopped filming, but continue to join together on the convention circuit. During one such convention a group of actual aliens appear asking for the help of the cast. With Tim Allen, Sigourney Weaver, Alan Rickman, Tony Shalhoub, and Sam Rockwell leading the cast how could this go wrong? It doesn’t. They are all hilarious and today, 13 years later, I can still chuckle as I remember some of the more memorable lines. If you like comedy, sci-fi, or Alan Rickman you should give this a watch.
• Anna’s second choice: October Sky- This is one of the first movies Anna bought and she still owns it on VHS. Made in 1999, the film is set in the late 50s, in a West Virginia coal mining town. A slightly bookish Homer Hickam (Jake Gyllenhaal) wants to escape the coal mining life desperately, but isn’t athletic enough to earn a sports scholarship. After he sees Sputnik, he’s inspired to build rockets and when he finds out that winning a science fair is a ticket to a college scholarship, he and his friends embark on a journey to build a rocket. However, at the heart of the movie is a story about a boy just wanted to make his dad proud. Homer and his father (Chris Cooper) have a very contentious relationship, as his dad wants him to give up the “foolish rockets” and follow him into the mine and Homer wants anything except the mine. But Homer still wants his father to be proud of him as he is his football playing brother. And Homer’s father does love him, but isn’t sure how to express it. It makes us both teary eyed every time we see it as we watch a father and his son try and connect and understand each other. This was Jake’s first big movie and his portryal of Homer hints at what a great actor he was becoming. Chris Cooper, as always, does a fantastic job playing his tough, but fair, father.

What’s on the horizon:

• Alex Cross (October 19) trailer

This weekend’s agenda:

• The Dark Knight Rises trailer

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