First Movies and Movies Never Seen

I remember the first ‘adult’ movies that I saw in the theater…   High Anxiety, Foul Play, Smokey and the Bandit… 

But the VERY FIRST movie that wasn’t a Disney cartoon or some other crap that would now be an afterschool special (do kids these days get to see Escape to Witch Mountain?),

was…

ROCKY

and wow!   I have not had a movie make a similar impression or get a more amazing reaction out of me than that Rocky flick.     We were standing up and cheering and clapping and crying at the end of that – the whole place was rocking like we were really ringside!      I was eleven.   Gosh, that doesn’t sound right but we can’t deny the years.

And, the movie that I’ve never seen that when I admit to this, provokes the reaction that I must be crazy?   Jaws.   It was an R movie!  I was only 10!    And I just haven’t been inspired to go out of my way to see it since.   Sharks!?   ick.

  

Of the last 20 years of Best Picture Winners according to Oscar:

1987   The Last Emperor       
1988   Rain Man 
1989   Driving Miss Daisy      
1990   Dances With Wolves 
1991   The Silence of the Lambs      
1992   Unforgiven     
1993   Schindler’s List          
1994   Forrest Gump   
1995   Braveheart      
1996   The English Patient  

1997   Titanic *

1998   Shakespeare in Love   
1999   American Beauty    *?    
2000   Gladiator    *    
2001   A Beautiful Mind  *        
2002   Chicago  *     
2003   The Lord of The Rings: The Return of The King  *
2004   Million Dollar Baby    *   
2005   Crash    *

2006   The Departed  *

  2007    ?      

Noms:  Atonement/Juno/Michael Clayton/No Country for Old Men*/There Will Be Blood

     

I have not seen 87’s The Last Emperor (and Netflix doesn’t have it).    The stars are movies that I actually saw on the big screen…

I have only seen No Country for Old Men from the Nom list but hope to catch Juno on Friday.    Michael Clayton is on the LONG WAIT list at Netflix and I just can’t make myself go buy it.    I’m not going to make it…   I’m feeling the letdown, ‘why-even-try’ resignation.   sigh

I’ve highlighted 3 that are my favorite TODAY.   I base this on which ones would I like to see again RIGHT NOW if I had to sit and watch three.     I enjoy Gladiator but have seen it a thousand times.    I honestly can state that I never need to see Titanic again, nor Million Dollar Baby.  or The English Patient.    But that could change tomorrow…   

What was the first movie you remember that made an impression on you?   Which movie have you not seen that most of the world has seen and would gasp if you admitted it?  Which movies on this list have you not seen but want to?    Which one is your favorite?  or top 3 if you can’t pick one?   

Happy Oscar Mania Week!

My Take on “Oscar”

I love the Oscars.    But, I’m more of the type who WANTS to be obsessed about all things Oscar rather than one of those people who are successful at being Oscar-Obsessed. 

I will support and visit the websites of those successful types and my fave is Sasha at www.awardsdaily.com.   You can visit her site to see all the others.

I will not RANK and summarize my reviews of  movies as to who deserves the statue.   I’m in the camp that it is a thrill to be nominated.

Unfortunately, this year, I have not seen and will not get to see all the films that have received nominations.    This bums me out.    Clock is ticking to Sunday and I only have so many hours in a day, so many remaining days and must work around the schedule of my household.   Plus IDOL is on, too, and this conflict annoys me.    I would rather watch movies than watch American Idol but I’m still irked about this week and its limited hours.

My fault.  Oh well.   I have no idea why I needed to post about this.    Just frustrated a bit and didn’t want to mislead everyone with this week of movie reviews as to why I may not post a final HERE’S WHO SHOULD WIN post.     Okie dokie?   I’ll share favorites but usually don’t have an opinion about the grand finale.

The OSCAR NOMS, to me, are a sample list of movies that one should see in a given year.    And to BALANCE that statement, the movies that DON’T make the list but are brought up in argument to it, I have on my Not-Nom’d-Must-See list, so I DO enjoy the hubbub and controversy of AllThingsOscar.   The Oscars to me is a snapshot of “creative times” and not a final stamp of BESTNESS.    Debate all you want, I’ve got more flicks to go see.   

THE END.