"B" Movies

I had a great Sunday. Got that extra hour of sleep and it was absolutely a beautiful fall day in New York! Great day for the New York City Marathon and for all those New York Giant fans extra special! Not that I watched it, but I hear.

I started my day with my niece Bella, our Sunday church service together. Her brothers were with their dad for basketball games and one on one with Bella first thing in the morning is usually so mushy and peaceful. Saturday morning she was wild, having had some leftover birthday cake from her dad's birthday on Friday. Uncle Bob and Aunt Janet spent the night with them and were leaving as I was coming to pick her up for basketball practice. I told Bella to tell Aunt Janet to watch it, next time I'm on first shift I'm giving you pure sugar before Aunt Janet and Uncle Bob come!!! But this morning was one of those mushy mornings. I came in and she was still lounging in bed, just waking up. I love getting kisses and hugs then and talking, she goes from one subject to the next and makes me laugh, blows my mind with what she knows and asks and states as fact! After that I had the day to myself, I took a nice ride with my morning cup of coffee and then walked a bit in the neighborhood. All the trees are so colorful. I also watched a few movies and took a nap, perfect Sunday in my book.

I'm a "B" movie fan. Ever since I can remember. Don't get me wrong, I also love the great movies, the classics. But I'll never go by the reviews. If a movie sounds interesting to me I'll watch it, if it doesn't I won't, unless some one tells me to watch a certain film and I love being pleasantly surprised by a great movie, four star or B.

I watched a movie yesterday afternoon (before my nap, gaining that extra hour). It was "Last Holiday" with Queen Latifah, didn't do so well in the theaters, but I enjoy it. It's a feel good movie, sweet love story and I can watch...really just nice background noise, I guess...while I'm cooking, cleaning, writing and sometimes I sit down and actually watch it for the 30th time and still I like it. I have watched "Overboard" with Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell more times then I want to admit, makes me laugh, feel good. Goonies, not a "B" movie, but another movie I can watch all the time, if you've seen it, who does not love Chunk! And Fast Times at Ridgemont High, another classic "B" movie.

Did you ever see "Breaking Away" (1979)? It is a fabulous movie! And the soundtrack! I kind of remember this film not being too popular until after it received so many Academy Award nominations and then every one was going to see it. Amy Wright is in that film. Amy is someone you have seen in so many films, but you don't remember her name. She's done TV and more known in the theatre and when I was attending acting classes at HB Studios in the Village (too cool), Amy was my teacher for a few years. She is a character actress, a chameleon, I love actors and actresses that are like that. You look at them, and you're like where do I know this person from, you just can't place it, they are subtle, so good at their craft.

There are so many great scenes from "Breaking Away". Here's one of my favorites with another actor you see in so many films and might not remember his name, Paul Dooley, who plays the dad, he's so funny in this film, too many great scenes with him to count, this is "refund, refund, refund..."



I watch a movie for entertainment. I'm not a fan of horror movies and all the blood and gore, though I do love action films even though some of them can be pretty bloody too. But I think I just love the feeling action films give me, being on the edge of my seat with anticipation and of course the special effects. I can't even watch the beginning of the movie "Cliffhanger" with Sylvester Stallone. My hands start sweating watching that part, though I will switch it on 10 minutes into it, loving the rest of the movie. Also has John Lithgow as the bad guy. John Lithgow is an awesome actor, can play the good guy, the bad guy, the sick crazy guy and the funny man as well.

The first time I saw John Lithgow in a movie was "The World According to Garp" which was first a great book written by John Irving, one of my favorite authors. I will say again, I have to read the book first, I don't want to get movie characters into my head while reading a book. I want to use my imagination and then sometimes rate the movie on that aspect as well. Did the movie capture those characters, did they choose the right actors. In "The World According to Garp" John Lithgow plays the transsexual ex football player, Roberta Muldune. A great choice, as was Glenn Close in the lead role.

But John Lithgow is also in one of my favorite "B" movies, The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension (1984). It's considered a cult film now, again didn't do very well in the theaters. Lithgow's character is hysterical. And as quirky as the movie is, I love it.



Don't judge a book by its cover, a movie by its review, or person from their looks, too often you'll be disappointed by the pretty package. Plain brown wrapping can hold treasures!