What isn’t there
to love about movies, whether they are on DVD’s, VHS tapes or on the big
screen? Movies were a big part of my life when I was growing up… or should I
say “getting older”, as there is a difference of opinion as to whether or not I
ever grew up at all. Just call me “Peter Pan’, I guess I never really saw the
point to it. You die soon enough without labeling yourself in such a manner, is
all that I am saying. Anyways, back to the movies.
I got my first
‘real’ kiss at the movies… her name was Patty and she went out with me because
I had stepped in between her little brother and some local boys who were
harassing him… three of them, and he had his arm in a cast, nice huh? Anyways,
I stepped in and brought him home safe and sound, so I guess I was a nice guy
because of that. I asked her out after hanging around with her brother for a
bit. Took her to see “Billy Jack”… if you care, figure out the year for yourself.
Bit of a late bloomer as far as girls were concerned, but they have cooties
anyways, just saved myself a few years of exposure the way I look at it.
I have done a lot
of things since then that scared me a bit… but nothing quite compares to that,
I swear. The fear of rejection is only comparable to wondering whether or not
your parachute will open… and knowing that you could go down in flames in
either case.
Anyway, first
kiss… didn’t watch any of the movie after that moment as we both had different
interests in our heads than seeing if Billy Jack got his butt kicked. As many
first loves, we were totally infatuated with each other… so of course fate had
to change that. Her parents decided to move back to New York, and of course
wanted the kids to come along. Having no vote in the matter, they went. Letters
aren’t worth a crap at that age…
Movies are great,
except for the ones that suck. Definitions of ones that suck are: Ones where
the hero dies. Period. Brian’s Song was a great movie, but it sucked. I can
stand to have my hero battered, bruised, shot, burned, limbs cut off… but he or
she is supposed to survive at great odds to come home from wherever or whatever
they are doing. People around them can die, which will make me sad, but that’s
life in the movies. Like Goose in Top Gun… sucked for him, but brought in life
motivating moments for Maverick. Forrest Gump was a great movie… not only was
he an “accidental hero” which you have to love, but he was honest and
trustworthy, something we see little of anymore. Plus he was “challenged”, and
that just plays to most of us rooting for the underdog. Speaking of idiots… my
favorite movies have to be Adam Sandlers’. People laugh at me when I say this
because most feel that his movies are stupid. I don’t argue that point. But the
larger point is that they are supposed to be stupid, not just end up
that way. Look at them this way. Every one of them has a moral… something that
most of the world lacks today. Happy Gilmore… he was doing something he thought
was stupid, to save something that was important to his grandmother. Billy
Madison taught us the importance not only of finishing school, but that some
teachers are really hot. Oh wait, I meant that it was important to finish what
you start. And have ethics or else that guy you made fun of in school might
hunt you down and shoot you. 50 first dates shows that love can conquer all
obstacles, and that any difficulties you might have in yours pales in
comparison to having no memory. So take a closer look at the movies before you
knock them. He knows he is playing an idiot in most of them, you can tell that
whenever he gives the camera that full frontal shot and grins. But he has his
buddies in every film and you gotta admit that sort of loyalty is pretty thin
nowadays, especially in Hollywood.
DVD’s are great.
I love them because most of the time when trying to watch a movie, life will interrupt. Kids… pets… doorbell… phone… SOMETHING will come along
and make me miss large portions of the movie. No problem with DVDs I just watch
it over and over again until I am sure that I have seen it ALL!!!!
The best use for
movies is on rainy weekend afternoons… put one in and snuggle on the couch with
that special someone… another reason that DVDs are good, because in this case
as well, you usually end up missing a large portion of the movie…