My Favorite Movies
There are a few movies that I enjoy watching many times. They are what I call “feel good” movies and “must see” for everyone. And I also have my favorite actors which include Judy Dench, Meryl Streep, Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan, Maggie Smith, and Sally Field, Of course you probably have your own favorites and I’d love it if you’d share them with me. You can send your comments to me via the form at the bottom of this page. I hope you enjoy watching some of my favorites.
Romantic Comedies
Groundhog Day – A 1993 movie starring Bill Murray and Andie MacDowell as reporters who are covering the Groundhog Day events in Punxsutawney, Pa. I love this romantic comedy movie that has a karmic message about living your life over and over until you figure out how to get it “right”!
Defending Your Life – A 1991 movie starring Albert Brooks and Meryl Streep about two people who die and find themselves in Judgment City where their fates will be determined: Go on to heaven or back to earth to try again. What I like about this movie is the message about living a life without fear. I think this is one of the best and funniest “afterlife/angel” movies.
You’ve Got Mail – A 1998 movie starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan who meet online and then have to work through the sometimes difficult reality of meeting in person. This movie was one of the first of its kind about internet romance. It definitely hits home for Mark and me since that is how we met.
Florence Foster Jenkins – A 2016 movie starring Meryl Streep and Hugh Grant about a woman who dreams of becoming a great opera singer. Of course that touches home for me, but the movie is both hilarious and touching. I laughed so hard I cried.
Dramas
The Bridges of Madison County – A 1995 movie starring Meryl Streep and Clint Eastwood about a woman who comes to an unexpected fork in the road that causes her to question everything she had come to expect from life. She shares it with her children posthumously via a journal she kept documenting those 4 days. I find her desire to “be known” by her children in this way most touching.
Grand Canyon A 1991 movie starring Kevin Kline and Danny Glover among other stars. This is one of Hollywood’s most underrated movies about life… and how to live with it. No smart answers. No solutions. But every worth-while question gets its honest reflection.
Driving Miss Daisy A 1989 movie in which Morgan Freeman and Jessica Tandy invoke grace and dignity in this sensitive treatment of race relations and old age. This is a wonderful drama filled with humor. It’s an adaption of an award-winning play recently revised on PBS starring Angela Lansbury and James Earl Jones.
Classics
Persuasion – This is the classic Jane Austin novel made into a movie by the BBC in 2007, starring Sally Hawkins and Rupert Penry-Jones. I think this is one of the best versions produced. They make the perfect romantic couple. Their long awaited kiss is so beautifully filmed!
On Golden Pond – I consider this a classic. A 1981 drama with Katherine Hepburn and Henry Fonda. Living in a cabin on a lake holds special fondness for me, plus the theme of growing older and managing that with grace and humor makes this movie a must see.
Documentaries
Alone in the Wilderness – This is the true story of Richard Proenneke who carves out a life for himself alone in the wilderness of Alaska. He amazes and inspires me to live my dreams. Not only did he live the life, but he documented it on film. It’s amazing!
Forks Over Knives A 2011 documentary with T. Colin Campbell and Caldwell Esselstyn Jr. This documentary is a must see for anyone who values their life and wants to be healthy.
Aging Backwards I saw this documentary on OPB in 2014 and started doing her workouts regularly. I credit the Classical Stretch program she developed with eliminating all my aches and pains and making me feel 10 years younger. I highly recommend her exercise program.