Our Favorite Movies: Anonymous picks

Returning to the ongoing Our Favorite Movies project, next on the list is a reader who chose not to identify himself/herself. Not sure why - it's certainly not because of the quality of their choices.

1. Jaws - Fine AND fun choice. This is still the only movie that ever made me scream out loud (during the chumming scene) and this past summer I had a great time seeing this in a beautiful print, playing on a double bill with District 9 at the Holiday Auto Theatre drive-in in Hamilton.

 

2-10 (in some order)

 

Hoosiers - Never been a big basketball fan, but this probably is the best basketball movie

 

The Shawshank Redemption: You know, I'm going to surprise some people by saying this, but I've never quite been able to count this among my favorites - or bests. It's a very fine film for which I have a great deal of respect, and I understand why a lot of people love it, but I can't honestly say I love it - and I really don't know why. There's nothing "wrong" with it, certainly, and it's very well crafted on all fronts, but for reasons I can't define, it doesn't grab me emotionally the way it grabs many people. It lacks that intangible extra something that would push it on any list of mine. Regardless, a very defendable choice.

The Natural: I like the film but find it a bit overrated and overstated. Roger Ebert put it very well when he wrote "At about the 130-minute mark, I got the idea that God's only begotten son was playing right field for the New York team." As far as baseball movies go, Pride of the Yankees is my favorite. 

 

The Bad News Bears (the original): Lots of fun. I like it better than The Natural. And it's really fun to witness Jackie Earle Haley's career renaissance of late, in Little Children and Watchmen.

 

Raiders of the Lost Ark: My favorite of Spielberg's "popcorn" pictures.

 

Dead Poets' Society: Very solid film, and I love Peter Weir as a director, but I grew weary of Robin Williams' shtick in this movie, and the writing is a bit ham-fisted sometimes. My favorite "teacher" film is probably Stand and Deliver, with Edward James Olmos.

 

Rear Window: Probably my second-favorite Hitchcock, after Vertigo.

 

Superman The Movie: Wonderful fun, and I love John Williams' score. but I actually like the second one better, even though it didn't turn out as originally envisioned. 

 

The Hangover: I was surprised at how much I liked this movie, considering most of the alcohol I've ever had was ingested by accident.

I'm still taking submissions, dear readers. Feel free to submit more lists!