While I made mention of a couple of movies recently, I can honestly say that most of my movie watching days are behind me.  I am not sure why?   I have never liked horror movies.  I thought Freddie Kruger was a sissy.  I don’t like movies where folks are shooting at one another and killing each other.  That is no fun.  I like fun.  But I don’t like fun that is nasty and raunchy and stupid.  Seems like there is a great deal of that out there too.

What are my favorite movies?

“Bull Durham”.  Not the most wholesome of programs, but a funny one.  This is a great story about one of my favorite pastimes…minor league baseball.  Want some fun?  Go watch the Asheville Tourists.  That is the team Crash Davis sign on with at the end of the movie.  My dear wife, Carrie, and I saw a no-hitter thrown there.  It was in June of 2000.

“The Prince of Tides”.  I am a romantic at heart.  This Pat Conroy adaptation gets it right.  Carrie and I were at a dinner party for Pat once and he is one of the most interesting people you could ever run into.   Nick Nolte and Barbara Streisand make a great on-screen romance.  The movie is also partially shot in Charleston, SC and we love the place.  The music?  The soundtrack is on my IPOD.

“The Wizard of Oz”.  I still like to watch it all these years on.  I love the Scarecrow.  I think the Tin Man is a weenie.  The Lion is painful to watch at times.  Overall, this is as classic as you will find.

“The Ten Commandments”.  I’d sit and watch this just to listen to the guy narrating the story.  He really sounds like he was there.  The colors and the sets and the dude that is Charlton Heston. The hours….many of them for you that know it…fly right by.

“The Homecoming”.  The original movie that started the saga of Virginia’s Walton family in the Blue Ridge Mountains.  Carrie and I watch this movie every Christmas season.  What I would have given to of had a chance to take a seat on one of those benches around the Walton table at supper time.  Those were some great characters.

“Space Cowboys”.  We lost James Garner a week or so back.  Jim Rockford does not disappoint as “Tank” in this one.  Space Shuttles have always fascinated me.  Guess that is over.  But…this movie is not.  It shows up on television now and again and gives me a reason beside football season to pay for my DIRECTV.  The banter between Clint Eastwood’s character and Tommy Lee Jones’ character is infectious.

“TEACHERS”.  Another Nick Nolte gem.   He plays a bit of a rounder with a heart of gold.  He is all about helping the kids in a school that is going through some political upheaval.  Gee…that never really happens.  The music?  If you can find the soundtrack, let me know if it costs less than 50 bucks.  It is very elusive for some reason.  I had the cassette when it came out.

“MIRACLE”.  The hockey movie.  I really do like it.  I wasn’t just saying that on another post.  This is my favorite sports story of all time.  In large part, I love it because I remember it.  To this day if I hear Al Michaels asking us if we believe in miracles, I get goosebumps.

“Stand by Me”.  It clocks in at about 90 minutes and I wish all movies could do that.  Coming of age tales have potential to stay with you.  I have not forgotten this one.  Though it was set in a time before I remember and a place I have never been, there is plenty there I am familiar with. Verno said it best, “This is a really good time.”

“Children of a Lesser God”.  Wow.  This filmed got hosed at the Oscars.  It was the best picture of 1986.  Platoon was not…too much shooting and killing and hamburger meat flying around.  I have never seen a picture before or since that appealed to me as visually as this film does.  As dark (literally) as some of the scenes are, they are intrinsically brightened by the optimism they hold.  Marlee Matlin won best actress… I think.  William Hurt should have won one too.  One of the greatest love stories ever made.

Fun at a minor league baseball game where they filmed “A League of Their Own”.

Nick Nolte’s characters usually spoke the rights.

Danny Johnson