This is the time of year where there are many ceremonies, events and certain sociological rites are performed, mostly by the young.
The older folks have forgotten this, opting for shorter, sometimes supremely frustrating mini events referred to as vacations; but the young, especially the students, lean in with gusto.
I’m talking about the summertime snooze; just as bears, rodents, bats, etc., sleep through the rough winter months, students spend their season hibernating, recuperating from the pressures of school life.
Sure, there may be chores, but for the most part, lethargy punctuated occasionally by trips to the refrigerator is the norm.
I wasn’t immune from that growing up. I even relished the release of responsibility. I spent time gigging frogs, bicycling around the different Air Force bases where I lived, playing in Little League, and since many of the places where I lived didn’t have television, I watched movies.
Lots and lots of movies.
So here are some of my favorites, in no particular order, that will make for interesting watches, or, at lease, time killers:
•“Wonder Man.” Older movies may not be in style these days, unless you consider the fact that the majority of film coming out of Hollywood these days are pretty much overprocessed crap. But Danny Kaye is an outright treasure, and in this pic, alternating between the bookish Edwin Dingle and the speakeasy performer and less-than-honorable twin brother Buster, who was killed after witnessing a murder.
The ghost of one twin would “possess” the other, and watching the shift between demeanors and the resulting shenanigans, along with the musical numbers, is top tier. S-ranked, even.
Yes, it’s an older movie, and yes, it’s a musical that’s not “Hamilton” or “Heathers,” but don’t be afraid of that. Kaye is the consummate performer.
•“Enter the Dragon.” Bruce Lee’s seminal performance, a master class in what an action movie can be, complete with layers of revenge, redemption and top-of-the-line martial arts sequences.
This is one of the first martial arts films with high-dollar budget that introduced Lee and the genre to Hollywood. It has been called, even by me, one of the greatest martial arts films of all time, and deservedly so. It also has a special significance to me as it was one of those films I saw during a summer hibernation.
•“The Cabin in the Woods.” Horror stuff isn’t really my thing, since everything boils down to jump scares, gore, demons, gore, screaming, and gore. I went into this movie thinking it would be more of the same, but maybe a little cooler like “The Evil Dead” was cool. I was surprised. A lot.
When I saw in the credits that the people behind this movie — Drew Goddard and Joss Whedon — my interest was piqued; I am a big fan of “Buffy, The Vampire Slayer” and “Angel and “Firefly.” As the movie progressed, though, I began to get concerned, only to have my preconceptions dumped on their head for a really unique take on the horror genre.
(My disappointment in horror began when I finally sat down to watch the original “Texas Chainsaw Massacre,” because that movie was 90 minutes of some girl screaming and running and audiences young and old were rooting for Leatherface to finally end our torment.)
•“Alien.” Yeah, another horror film, but with elements of science fiction. Not a bad actor in the bunch, and the suspense was, well, suspenseful.
If you’re predisposed to be a couch potato, then get ready to build a fort out of the cushions on this one.
I could fill up a newspaper with the recommendations; instead, I’ll encourage you to expand your viewing horizons. Here, though, are a few honorable mentions: “48 Hours,” “Steel Magnolias,” “Airplane!,” “Slap Shot,” all of the extended versions of the Lord of the Rings, most of the Godzilla movies, the Jim Cavaziel version of “The Count of Monte Cristo,” the Richard Lester version of “The Three Musketeers,” “Monty Python and the Holy Grail,” “The French Connection,” “The Princess Bride,” and “Animal House.”
Send me emails with your favorite picks, and we’ll revisit the topic.
Tony Farkas is editor of the San Jacinto News-Times and the Trinity County News-Standard. He can be reached at tony@polkcountypublishing.com.
