Old Movies

            We recently decided to check out some older movies available for screening. Here are a few of our rediscoveries:

 

Sister Act – Just as enjoyable now as it was the last several times we saw it. We love Whoopie being Whoopie, the odd nuns were fun to watch, and the music is contagious. Sister Act 2 was not quite as good, but also enjoyable.

 

All the President’s Men – A number of people recommended this as one of their favorites, but we could not get into it, possibly because of our saturation with today’s political crimes. Dumped it after 15 minutes.

 

The Birdcage – Totally enjoyed seeing this again. Nathan Lane and Robin Williams? How could we go wrong? Yes, the drag queen acting was over the top, but that’s part of the fun. See it.

 

The Green Book – Somehow, we missed this when it came out. The movie tells the true story of the Don Shirley Trio, a jazz group popular in the 60s. The story centers on the relationship between Don Shirley, a Black classically trained pianist, and his driver, a tough Italian-American, as they tour the South and deal with the racism they find at all levels of society. We especially enjoyed the movie because Kim dated Don Shirley, and another member of the trio, when she lived in California. I did not see her in the movie.

 

The Way We Were – I don’t think I’d seen this before. Good star power from Robert Redford and Barbara Streisand in a love story, with serious political differences between the lovers, that spans several decades. Certainly worth a look. I wonder what the story would be if it were set in 2025.

 

Chicago – Watch it for the dancing. The movie is ultra-stylish and very enjoyable.

 

Harry Potter (1 & 2) – Never saw these when my kids were growing up. I could not follow the plot, mainly because I was distracted by the amazing special effects created way back in 2001.

 

Something’s Gotta Give – Wonderfully entertaining! How can you go wrong with Jack Nicholson and Diane Keaton?! See it again – if only to appreciate what we lost when Diane Keaton died. We will look for more of her work.

 

We also watched some old sitcoms and other tv shows:

 

Seinfeld – After watching a couple of episodes, I thought, “This really holds up, years later.” After a couple more: “O.K., I’ve seen enough.”

 

Alfred Hitchcock Presents – These were intriguing when I was a kid. I’m no longer kid enough. It seemed a bit forced and self-consciously clever.

 

Frasier – Worth an episode or two, but it got a bit repetitious.

 

This is only a short list of tv programs, but it makes me wonder, in the spirit of looking back, what were my favorites? What comes to mind: Taxi, Cheers, Friends, All in the Family, M*A*S*H, The Cosby Show. 

 

What are your favorites? And do you have any older movies to recommend? Winter is coming to us . . ..