Standing the test of time

I was watching 'The Incredibles' last night, and I got to thinking about movies I like. That, of course, led to a "Movies I Could Watch Every Day" list.

First, Star Wars. The original, baby. Forget that 'New Hope' add on, this is the one and only. Critics say that The Empire Strikes Back is better, but I love this movie best. When I was in third grade, my parents put us in the back of our Toyotal Corolla wagon, threw in the paper bag full of popcorn my mom had made (we're talking a grocery bag here, not a lunch bag), and took us to the drive in theater. Back then, you took the speaker box and hooked it on the window. I remember sitting there, eating popcorn, completely enthralled as Luke Skywalker, Obi Wan Kenobi and the rest of the gang dared to stand up to Darth Vader and the might of the Empire. This movie started my love affair with movies.

Second MICWED: Vision Quest. Unless you're a wrestler who grew up in the 80's or you're a fan of Matthew Modine, you probably haven't heard of this one. A teenager turns 18 and is searching for his place in life. As his Indian friend tells him (and we're talking American Indian, no PC here), he's on a vision quest. In the end, he wins the big match, lands the hot older chick, and realizes what life is about. When I'm not feeling motivated, I watch this movie, and my motivation level goes right back up. Funny side story: I almost went in the Army, and went to MEPS in Spokane, WA. I stayed in the same hotel that Matthew Modine's character worked at. My piece of movie history.

Next up: The Terminator. I first saw this on laser disk at my cousin's house. I don't need to explain the plot, but the seminal moment, for me, was when Arnold first arrives and he stands up. The camera pans around him, and he...is...HUGE. This movie is the reason I got into lifting weights. Even today, I see that scene, and I STILL want to be that big and ripped. The special effects are cheesy by today's standards, but the movie still rocks.

Transformers. I'm talking about the newest one, not the cartoon from the 80's where they kill off Optimus Prime. This was one of those movies that I was so excited to see, if the theater in our small town had shown it at midnight, I'd have been first in line. I never owned a Transformer, my parents ignored requests at birthdays and Christmas, but I still loved the cartoon. In the recent movie, when the Autobots show up and transform, I got chills. And when Optimus Prime goes from big rig to hsi robotic self, and speaks for the first time, I was so emotional I wanted to stand up in the theater and scream, "Woooooooohoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!" Only the knowledge that I'd completely embarass my daughter kept from doing so.

Five is a nice number, so I'll end my list with this one: Superman, The Movie. I was in fifth grade, and our babysitter was taking us to see some movie that I can't remember the title of. So we get to the theater, and it's sold out, so she asks if we want to go see 'Superman.' From the opening credits, I was hooked. The music, Marlon Brando, a young Clark racing the train, the first appearance of Superman... throw in some Truth, Justice and the American Way, and a big serving of manliness in the form of Christopher Reeve, and you have everything you need for a Movie I Can Watch Every Day. Of course, I didn't think the chick playing Lois Lane was hot.

So, five movies I could watch every day, all for different reasons, but all with some meaning. I'm sure a psychiatrist could give you a reason why I chose those movies, but you know what? It wouldn't matter. Because what I like is what I like.

And when it comes to movies, isn't that all that matters anyway?