The One About Movies

There are certain movies that are important to me. I'm sure that lots of people feel that way. You connect with it in some way because you went through something like it or you wish you did, it made you laugh, it was beautiful, it touched you, it was sexy, it took you someplace completely different from where you are, it did something. And so you may return to it again and again. One of my friends loves certain movies because he first saw them at a time in his life before many traumatic things happened. And some of his favorite movies take him to a happy place. A time of innocence so-to-speak.

I have another friend who uses certain movies he loves as a filter. A friend filter that is. If you react a certain way to one of his favorite movies he know that you'll never be in his inner circle because, well, you're just not wired the same way he is. There is a certain logic to that. Some people employ that tactic on first dates as well. If the prospective partner reacts poorly to the other's favorite movie list, you may not have a common core.

I'm a bit like that. On the one hand, I don't judge people. Not intentionally. Unless it's something concrete. Like their movie choices. Now that's a different story all together. And I accept that I was brainwashed into knowing and loving some movies because of the, how shall I put it, forcefulness of my oldest sister Judy. Judy has a tendency to tell you what you will like. I believe she is the one who steered me toward The Great Escape, Bullitt, A Hard Day's Night, and The Pink Panther.

I have to say, if you don't find Young Frankenstein or Animal House funny, perhaps we don't have much more to say. The movie that makes me happiest in the world is Singin' in the Rain. It's clever, pithy, the songs are amazing, as is the dancing, and it's gorgeous to look at. I am also partial to Star Trek II Wrath of Khan. And the Lord of the Rings trilogy. If Bogart's in it or Hitchcock directed it, I tend to be partial to it as well.

No Beaches, no Terms of Endearment for me. Give me double secret probation any day. So use your love of movies as a barometer. See if your inner circle of friends is really on the same page as you are. If not, I guess you'll have to watch your favorite movies by yourself. Their loss.