These are a Few of My Favorite Things

No raindrops on roses, though I do like whiskers on kittens. I'm not sure I've even seen a bright copper kettle.

If you take a glance at the blog profiles on the left side of the page you see where we list a few of our favorites in different categories. Since I eluded to the AFI top 100 movie lines in an earlier post, I'll give you a rundown of my top favorite movies. I think this is a fun conversation starter with new friends.

My top five are in no particular order, but they are most definately a step above what I would consider my "honorable mention" second five. They include:

Dances with Wolves. Kevin Costner was a pretty bankable star in Hollywood for about three years, but to be honest, this is his only movie I really like. I was in college when Dances with Wolves came out. I like history-based movies, and even if this one has no basis in reality, I really liked it. Michelle gives me a hard time about the fact that I cry every time I watch the movie, during the scene where the Indian warrior is on top of the bluff, calling out to the Costner character in his native tongue, "You are my friend." It gets me every single time.

The Wizard of Oz. This is a great movie for all the right reasons -- the characters, the dramatic change from black/white to color when they leave Kansas, the music, and the message that for most of us there really is no place like home. Those dreaded monkeyes sure use to give me the heeby-jeebies (I just grew out of that a couple years ago). I love it now when my six year-old son walks around the house chanting "Poppies, poppies" in his best wicked witch voice.

Hoosiers. Any guy that grew up with sports in his life probably has a sports movie in his top five. My dad was a baseball, basketball, and football coach for 15 years. I like several sports films, but Hoosiers is my favorite. The whole Hickory High underdog thing, and the Norman Vale relationship with the cranky teacher turned love interest is fun. But I also like the story line about the Dennis Hopper father character redeeming himself through basketball and the relationship he has with his son. And to top it off, how about the scrawny guy that makes the free throws to ice the game? Don't we all feel like the scrawny guy once in awhile?

That Thing You Do. This may have been the first movie that Tom Hanks produced and directed. It's about four high school guys in Erie, PA who record a 45-record in their garage. a local radio station starts playing it, and a few weeks later they're playing state fairs and hitting the Billboard top five. This is such a fun movie and probably realistic for a lot of those one-hit-wonder bands from the 60s. If you've never rented it, grab it this weekend.

The Sound of Music. I said this list was of no particular order, but if hard-pressed, I would probably say the Sound of Music is tops for me. #1, Christopher Plummer and I have about the same voice range, so I can sing Edelvies along with him; #2, it is really a compelling story about war, and faith, and love, and the stuff of life, and #3 ... well, I guess everything else about it. This is ONE movie that I can quote through and through.

That's the top 5. The honorable mention 5 includes (again, in particular order):
The Patriot: I know it's probably makes historians role over in their graves, but I feel completely American after watching it)
Gods and Generals: Another war movie, much different than the Patriot, and I like civil war history
You've Got Mail: I liked Meg Ryan before she decided to divorce her husband, take "challenging" roles, and do nude secenes. I like Tom Hanks here too.
Princess Bride: "Mahrwidge is vought bwings us togevour, too-day."
The Passion of the Christ: I don't know if I'll ever watch this movie again, maybe when my kids are older. And I know it has its critics with all the violence and the Catholic overtones some people want to make a big deal about, but it is the closest visual I've ever had of what Jesus did for me. And for that, Mr. Gibson, thank you.

And honorable, honorable mention ... Father of the Bride (the Steve Martin version). As my daughter gets older, this movie becomes less enjoyable, because I get a lump in my throat during the opening credits that doesn't go away until the movie has been over for a half hour and I'm mowing the yard. I've been known to shed a tear (AKA bawl like a baby) during this one, too.

Want to take some potshots at my list? What are your favorite flicks?

P.S. When I was in college writing for the Northern Iowan, I was a movie reviewer for a semester. Why did I EVER give up that gig?