Dirty Dozen

My love affair with cinema, probably started in the womb.  My parents met at the Colonial Theatre, back in 1955-56.  This theatre actually opened the day the Titanic set sail, April 10th, 1912.   My father was a projectionist there, I believe this passion started when he was 15.   My Mom later worked the Concession stand they met and fell in love.   Movies are a form of entertainment, that create many emotions, they makes us laugh, cry, shock, inspire us, makes us feel things.   I love how when we go, we either escape our reality or learn something.   I was smitten as a child, but my real love affair, started at age 12.   Our theatre, on Monday nights, had an event called Buck night, later when I ended up working there as the Ticket girl, it was Bargain Night.  It is a huge deal to go Monday night for $1 and meet your friends, see who was there, who was with whom, but mainly to enjoy the movie.   The 7pm and 9pm shows, were always "SOLD OUT" , when it was a new release.  I was raised around stars, by day my Dad and Grandfather ran an oil and gas business, the Texaco, their motto was "You can trust your car to the man who wears the star".   A few times a week, my Dad was the projectionist at this local theater, showing the stars on the silver screen.

I remember, the summer of the movie, "Smokey and The Bandit", it was 1977, I was 16 yrs old.  I hadn't been working very long at the theatre.  I received this phone call, between shows, it was an elderly woman. She wanted to know what time the next show was.  Then she asked me, if Burt Reynolds, was in the movie, how much the fee was and giggling, was Burt Reynolds in the nude.   My radar went up; I knew this wasn't an old woman, but I wasn't quite sure.   It sounded like an old woman....so I said, "Dad, that isn't funny!"..silence...Oh, God, I am in trouble, I'm going to be fired.   Then I hear my Dad laughing "How did you know, it was me?"   I told him I didn't....just elderly women, don't usually ask those kind of questions. (do they?)

Oh, for sure curtain lights, this is it to hit the heights and oh, what heights we'll hit on with the show this is it...
do you have your popcorn, drink and candy...let's begin:

These are in no particular order:

"It's a Wonderful Life":  It took me a few years, to see the whole movie.  I would always catch random bits and pieces.  One year, Christmas Eve, I finally saw the whole movie, from start to finish.  I loved it; I love how it's message is as clear a bell.   We all have a purpose and can have a profound affect on each other.  We all contribute to the human kind in various shapes and forms.  Life is a precious gift~

"The Wizard of Oz"-I watch this movie, every year. I have a childhood book, there are silver slippers in my copy.  I think it was later sold and rewritten for film.   The magic of what if and how we always think greener on the other side of the fence.  We don't need ruby red slippers or silver to remind us" there's no place like home". 

                                                      
 "Forest Gump- Yes, life is like a box of chocolates, it can be nutty, sticky and sweet.  Compassion and kindness go a long way in the scope of living and finding our way in the world.  An epic film about a simple man~
Tom Hanks was brilliant in this film.

 "Contact"-I saw this movie in Pensacola, FL.  If memory serves me this is the setting about a girl named Ellie, my nickname and her father dies of a heart attack.  I am hooked, this happened to me.  NO, I didn't travel to another space n' dimension, darn it, but I did get carried away by the story.  This was a novel by Carl Sagan.
It blurs the lines between religion, space and the unknown.  It was well acted and it left you wanting more.
I loved it~

"Fried Green Tomatoes"-I remember hearing this was a book, written by Fannie Flagg.  She was known in game shown world and a witty red head.  I was amazed at the story and her work.
It is a story of women, life love friendships.  A woman having a midlife crisis, a woman dying ...their stories all
come together, through obstacles and encouragement.  It is a Chick-Flick, but many loved this unique, southern tale....me included!

"Silver Streak"-A movie of suspense, comedy and love.  Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor are two wild and crazy guys.  This pairing later went on to more comedic adventure films.   They are hilarious; I can laugh, when they just twitch.   Great combo of all types of genre, played out on a real train.   It has a spy element and lots of slapstick humor.   A fav~                    

 "Crimson Tide"-a tension packed film aboard a Navy submarine. This suspenseful film, makes me want to bite my nails.  You can feel the rage and worry on how matters of national security will be handled.  The Commander and the Executive Officer clash over protocol, how far will we go, when we think we are right!
Denzel Washington and Gene Hackman give a stand up performance.   I wanted to smack one of them...guess which one.

"Frequency"- blurred the lines of when past meets present and changes the future events.  An electrical storm and CB/Ham radios are the set up for this strange scenario.  I loved the wishful side of what if....
Time travel and suspense and altering the course of lives.  Great story~

"Phantom Of The Opera"-I saw a glimpse of Lon Chaney when I was 9yrs old.  This image still haunted me and left me intrigued.  A disfigured man living under an opera house...  I love the blend of a tortured soul, filled with torment, yet his heart is filled with joy, by the beautiful voice of Christine, a performer.  His angel of music opens his raw, tortured soul and gives us hope. He shows signs of humanity.  It is a odd triangle of love and disgust.  The music is haunting and poetic~ 
                                                                                               
"Titanic"-The human interest story, brought to life in a huge way! It showed us the touch stone of our hearts and how love can be timeless, through oceans of time(oops another movie..vampire one)lol.  Amazing actors,
science and technology bring this heart wrenching story to life.  The social aspects of crossing the boundaries of status, in love, with grandious scenes taunting us with the harsh reality of what is to come.   Major Blockbuster~

"Shawshank Redemption"-Some say this was the greatest movie, not to win an Oscar.  I loved the reversal of good guys being bad and bad guys being good.  How morals and hope made a friendship come to life and how shocked I was when I found out this was a Stephen King film.  The horror was there, but on many different levels.  

"The Notebook"-a love story, from young to old.  There story is of struggles and boundaries, later on illness makes an appearance.  I loved how the fight for what we want and how we remain steadfast to those who matter in our world, no matter what.     A real tearjerker~

Phew, this was hard; I know there are a few I have forgotten, but this was what came to mind, when I started playing with the idea~

Alex has a linky list of those who shared their "Dirty Dozen" 12 favorite movies, check them out~