movies that move me

The Oscar's just started so I thought I'd do as I did last month while watching the Grammy's. I spent the entire show making a list of the music that moves me. So tonight, it will be the movies that move me. Have you figured out yet that I enjoy award shows? Well, I do. And have I told you that I have not graced the inside of a movie theater since July of 2001 when I saw "Pearl Harbor" on a vacation while in San Diego? Ok, I did see "Passion of the Christ" in '04. That experience went well, cuz people were very quiet and respectful while watching it. You see, I am HYPER-sensitive to movement, sounds, smells and well, noises not associated with the movie, like unwrapping candy wrappers, eating food or a cell phone going off, people whispering, babies crying... oh, don't get me started.
**Miranda just called to tell me that I saw "The Notebook" and "A Walk to Remember" with her at the dollar theater. It must have been such a horrible experience that I blocked it from my mind!**
All to say, I have not seen any of the movies that are up for any awards tonight. None. So why am I watching the show? Well, just like the Grammy's, I find myself remembering the movies that mattered while I was growing up. The movies that I find myself watching over and over. The movies that touched my heart so profoundly that I was forever changed.

The very first movie I ever saw in a movie theater was "The Sound of Music" (1965) followed by "Yours, Mine and Ours" (1968 with Lucille Ball & Henry Fonda) and "Six you get Eggroll" (1968 with Brian Keith & Doris Day). I was hooked! I loved the movies! The magic. The drama. The fantasy. The romance.
I distinctly remember going to the big city to see "The Sound of Music" and there were these gorgeous red crushed-velvet curtains that dramatically rose as the music started. I was entranced. To me it was theater. It was real. Well, many years later I move to Phoenix and it's 1977 and I see "Star Wars" at the famed Cine Capri movie theater at 24th Street and Camelback and they have these gold crushed-velvet curtains. I lean over and recall to my friend that they are so reminiscent of my experience watching "The Sound of Music" as a little girl. WELL, years later on the 20th anniversary of "Star Wars" (just before the theater was demolished) Randy takes our then 5 year old son Tyler to the Cine Capri and what does Tyler make a point of telling me later in vivid detail? Yes, how the gold crushed-velvet curtains dramatically rose as the music started. He actually leaned over to his Daddy and asked if what he was seeing was real. He too, thought it was theater, not a film. That made me cry hearing that Tyler had the very same reaction as I did at his age.
Just a little trivia- The Cine Capri held one of the highest grosses for the 1977 "Star Wars" movie and played the film for over a year – the longest run in the United States! I did not know that! Thanks Wikipedia.

Some of my very favorite films are also some of the most violent films. The reason I can tolerate the violence is because they are important historical films. Events that changed our world. That we must never forget.

Saving Private Ryan (World War II)
Pearl Harbor (World War II)
Braveheart (Scottish and English battles)
The Patriot (Revolutionary War)
Last of the Mohicans (French and Indian War)
Crash (War on racism)
Forrest Gump (Vietman War)
Passion of the Christ (the War between good and evil- Christ defeating death on the cross- for me)

My other favorites-

Mr. Holland's Opus (my very favorite)
Frequency (what a great movie! love Dennis Quaid and Jim Caviezel)
Apollo 13 (how it that I can see this film over and over, KNOWING they all survive, but I am still on the edge of my seat!)
Step Mom (I love this film! the little boy steals the show!)
Planes, Trains and Automobiles (hello- who doesn't love Steve Martin and John Candy)
Father of the Bride (again Steve Martin)
Count of Monte Cristo (again Jim Caviezel)
The Amercian President (love all the secondary characters in this huge favorite of mine)
Pretty Woman (I own the film, but I'm sucked in every time I find it showing on TV)
Pure Country (love this romantic film where the lead love interests never even kiss)
The Notebook (have you read the book "The Wedding" by Nicholas Sparks? can't wait for that film)

I am so tickled to have finally recorded this list of movies that personally affected my life.
Maybe some of these films will trigger sweet memories for you.