One
of the precious few escapes from the soul-sucking stress of the COVID-19
pandemic has been bonding with our couches and sweatpants while watching
scores of movies. Whether we're streaming one of Robert De Niro's
talented portrayals of characters who enjoy shooting people in the
face, or dusting off our fossilized VHS players so that we can see
the original, untainted Star Wars trilogy-before George Lucas tried
to turn it into a digital effects-laden pile of Ewok manure-movies
have a way of transporting us to galaxies and murder scenes far, far
away.
I know you are all bubbling with interest about my film-viewing habits,
so here are a few of my favorites:
"The Shawshank Redemption"
Anytime I'm tempted to turn to a life of crime, a thorough viewing
of "Shawshank" sets me on the straight and narrow path that won't
lead to crawling through 500 yards of prison sewage pipe. Even the
prospect of becoming best friends with Morgan Freeman and reuniting
on the beaches of Zihuatanejo doesn't entice me to risk having to
face a firehose shower in "the hole." Even so, the last thirty minutes
of "Shawshank" are some of the most inspiring of any film I've ever
seen. (I still wonder if Andy Dufresne remembered to pack deodorant.)
"True Grit"- 2010
Yes, my father and most of my male relatives born before 1970 have
probably considered disowning me for (among other reasons) suggesting
that the Coen Brothers' version of "True Grit" is superior to the
1969 film featuring "The Duke." I've always been a sucker for the
savage quirkiness of the Coens' films, and even though I'm about as
country and western as Bernie Sanders in a rhinestone-bespangled Nudie
suit, I could watch a paunchy, one-eyed Jeff Bridges face off with
Lucky Ned Pepper's gang a thousand times. Seeing that film always
inspires me to dust off my only handgun-a trusty .38 Special I have
on loan from my dad-if I could remember where I put it.
"Moonrise Kingdom"
Speaking of quirky, Wes Anderson's ochre-tinted films never fail to
bring on the whimsy. I'm not certain why a coming-of-age story about
a nerdy kid with glasses who fails at scouting, but still gets the
girl, would appeal to me. Sure, as an adolescent, I wore a series
of spazoid spectacles, I was in a constant state of hormonal distraction,
and the highlight of my brief scouting career was when my fellow Cub
Scouts and I convinced our den mother to take us on a tour of the
local sewage treatment plant. Other than that, I just don't see the
connection.
"Nebraska"
It's also hard to explain why I'm repeatedly drawn to this understated
road film. It was produced in black and white, most of the characters
are not particularly pleasant, the setting features the desolate landscapes
of the American Midwest, and the story focuses on the dysfunctional
relationship between an aimless middle-aged son and his confused,
elderly father-basically the feel-good movie of 2013. Part of the
film's charm is that the "old folks" drive the development (and the
humor) of the plot, and they are forces with which to be reckoned
and, ultimately, taken seriously by the younger characters, which,
as a parent of three teen daughters, gives me a faint bit of hope.
"The Revenant"
Watching this punishing depiction of 19th-century wilderness survival
satisfies my deeply embedded (practically smothered) need to experience
the great outdoors. No, I don't have to camp, fish, hunt, hike or
anything else that lacks central heat and air to appreciate the splendor
of God's creation. In the comfort of my own bathrobe (or my wife's),
I can witness Leonardo DiCaprio being mauled by a grizzly bear, taking
shelter inside a fresh horse carcass, and gagging on a raw bison liver,
which pretty much does it for me.
These are only a few of the worthy-of-repeated-viewing films on my
list, and I may share more some other time-if you're lucky. In the
meantime, grab your favorite soft pants and escape to the world of
movies, where you don't need a face mask-but you may want to bring
deodorant. |
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