My Top Ten Movies of the '70s

The 1970s were just before my time, so I didn't see any of these in the theater, but I easily got caught up in their magic from the comfort of my own home.

Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1971) / Pete's Dragon (1977) - Both of these movies are live-action films that creatively incorporate animation.  In the first, it's in a lengthy sequence of the movie that takes place underwater and then on an island, where the apprentice witch played by Angela Lansbury goes with the children under her care and their new acquaintance Emelius, portrayed by the always-amusing David Tomlinson.  A fun film with enjoyable songs, especially Portabello Road, which I always think of when I read about Harry Potter's first trip to Diagon Alley.  In the second, everything is live-action except the title character, otherwise known as Elliot.  He's the most unintimidating dragon you've ever seen, except when hard-luck orphan Pete is in danger.  The movie has a bittersweet ending, but it's mostly happy.  Mickey Rooney, Red Buttons, Shelly Winters and Jim Dale give hilarious performances, and Helen Reddy beautifully sings Candle on the Water, one of my all-time favorite Disney songs.

Fiddler on the Roof (1971) / Jesus Christ Superstar (1973) - Norman Jewison directed both of these musicals.  The first is about Russian Jews trying to uphold honored traditions while facing oppression in the tiny town of Anatevka.  The songs are outstanding, and Topol is excellent as the robust, philosophical Tevye, who is deeply devoted to God and to his daughters.  The second is filmed in the Holy Land, which is pretty neat, though some of the directorial choices are a little strange, like the costumes that sometimes seem more suited to hippies than ancient Jerusalem dwellers and the tanks that Judas imagines trying to plow him down at one point.  Still, the songs are amazing in this unconventional look at Holy Week, told entirely in song and focusing on Judas's perspective. The extremely energetic Carl Anderson is exhausting to watch as Judas, and Barry Dennen makes a big impression in his few scenes as the conflicted Pilate.

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971) - I enjoyed Tim Burton's remake of this classic very much, but I'll always have a special place in my heart for the original. Gene Wilder makes a wacky, manipulative Wonka, while Julie Dawn Cole and Roy Kinnear are the most memorable child-parent pair as horrendously spoiled Veruca Salt and her cowed father. My favorite character, however, is Charlie's inept teacher, Mr. Turkentine, hilariously played by David Battley. I also love the Oompa Loompa songs and the vignettes at the beginning of the movie showing what ridiculous behavior Willy Wonka's contest has inspired.

Herbie Rides Again (1974) - My favorite of the Herbie sequels, and I may even prefer it to The Love Bug, though I do miss Buddy Hackett's gold-hearted mechanic, Tennessee. Grandma Steinmetz is just as lovable, though, and has plenty of spunk as she stands up to the comically villainous Alonzo Hawk, played by a deliciously over-the-top Keenan Wynn. This movie has nothing to do with racing; it's just Herbie, with some help from some other curiously animated objects and a couple of human friends, helping sweet Mrs. Steinmetz save the firehouse where she has lived for so many years. A very funny movie.

Young Frankenstein (1974) - As is this, though it's a little more adult-oriented. I watched it for the first time when I was about eight, and I laughed myself silly; I watched it again in high school and couldn't believe how many naughty double entendres were in it. They sailed right over my head at the time, which is one nice thing about this movie; kids can enjoy it as a goofy horror spoof and probably won't pick up on the innuendo. Gene Wilder goes from strictly level-headed to demented in his performance as the scientist trying to resist the associations of the family name, and Marty Feldman is a hoot as his hunchbacked assistant Igor, while Peter Boyle, now most associated with cantankerous Frank on Everybody Loves Raymond, makes a sympathetic monster. Usually I'm not a big fan of black-and-white, but in this case I think director Mel Brooks definitely made the right call.

Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975) - Throughout high school, several of my friends told me I needed to see this famous spoof. My English teacher even showed it in class one day, but it was the one day that term I happened to be absent. So it wasn't until after high school that I finally saw it, and I understood what all of the fuss was about. This, too, is full of adult humor, and some of it is more overt than in Young Frankenstein. There are also a couple of scenes, particularly one involving a vicious bunny, that could be traumatizing to youngsters. But as an Anglophile who loves the Arthurian legends, I couldn't stop laughing at the antics of King Arthur and his Knights, and when it comes to sheer silliness, this one gives Airplane! a serious run for its money.

The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (1977) - Given my great fondness for Winnie the Pooh, I couldn't leave this off the list. This humble Disney masterpiece is a combination of three earlier shorts, in which Pooh gets stuck in Rabbit's front door, Piglet loses his house in a dreadful rainstorm and Rabbit plots to rid the Hundred-Acre Wood of the menace that is Tigger. These cozy tales have only the mildest amount of peril, and they paved the way for my all-time favorite cartoon, The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh.

Star Wars (1977) - This first installment in George Lucas's trilogy is full of classic characters and scenes. Mark Hamill is an endearingly whiny Luke in the film's early moments, while Carrie Fisher's Leia is bossy and Harrison Ford's Han Solo is cynical. They've all got some growing to do, and their first adventures together help them accomplish that. The trash compactor scene is a compact example of the perfect balance the movie strikes between action and comedy. The special effects aren't groundbreaking anymore, but they still draw us into that world, though not as much as iconic characters like R2-D2, C-2PO, Chewbacca, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Darth Vader.

Watership Down (1978) - "It's about bunnies," said LOST's Sawyer in a concise description of the novel from which this animated film was adapted. But that doesn't really begin to cover it. It's about survival, migration, faith, industrialism and all sorts of other things, and while the characters are most definitely rabbits, they have a lot to say about the human condition. It's a surprisingly dark movie, but it's lovely nonetheless, especially the segment that features Art Garfunkel singing Bright Eyes, a somber reflection on grief.

The Muppet Movie (1979) - The musical buddy comedy assembles all of the major players from The Muppet Show for an adventure explaining how they got together. For Muppet fans, this is a must-see. Full of that great mix of humor and heart that makes Jim Henson's creations so irresistible, the movie also features comedic performances by the likes of Steve Martin, Bob Hope, Milton Berle, Richard Pryor and Orson Welles. And of course, the songs are terrific, especially Kermit's banjo-assisted soliloquy, The Rainbow Connection, the quintessential Muppet anthem.

My Top Ten Movies of the Late '80s ('85-'89)

The late 1980s were some of the most formative years of my life, as I headed off to school for the first time and experienced some major milestones, including gaining a brother and losing a grandfather.  The movies that I saw during these years really stuck with me.  Here are some of my favorites.

Back to the Future (1985) / Back to the Future II (1989) - For some reason, I saw the second installment of this classic Robert Zemeckis trilogy first, so that when I saw the first movie several years later, a lot of the jokes made a lot more sense. Each is much funnier in tandem with the other, but as stand-alones, they're great, too. Michael J. Fox is irresistible as Marty, the teenager who gets propelled backward then forward through time courtesy of Doc Brown, who is played to the eccentric hilt by Christopher Lloyd. Since LOST became preoccupied with time travel, I've been especially getting the urge to go back and watch these two movies, which so humorously examine all of the problems that might arise from such a feat. Extra kudos to Crispin Glover, who is a bundle of neuroses as Marty's wimpy dad, George, and Thomas F. Wilson, who perfectly portrays the brutish, dim-witted Biff Tannen and has forever lodged in my mind the phrase "Why don't you make like a tree and get outta here?"

Anne of Green Gables (1985) / Anne of Avonlea (1987) - These gorgeously filmed adaptations of the first few books in L. M. Montgomery's classic series are two of the first videos we ever owned - or I should say four, as both run well over three hours in length and require two cassettes each. We used to pop them in whenever we had my cousins over for a sleepover, as they made a very comforting backdrop, and if we were still up when the second movie was over, we could really consider ourselves champion night owls. Megan Follows is spectacular in the title role, especially the first time around when she gets to play Anne in her early teenage years to the over-dramatic hilt. But then every character is perfectly cast, from Colleen Dewhurst as stern but kind Marilla and Patricia Hamilton as busybody Rachel to Richard Farnsworth as incurable softie Matthew and Jonathan Crombie as the incredibly patient Gilbert. The first film is extremely faithful to the first book, while the second takes considerable liberties as it combines elements of the second, third and fourth novels. Both make for excellent, high-quality, wholesome viewing, not to mention some of the best advertising Prince Edward Island has ever gotten.

An American Tail (1986) / Land Before Time (1988) - I always think of these two Don Bluth films in association with each other. They came out within a couple of years of each other, and they both concern a young animal who is separated from his family making new friends as he undertakes a dangerous journey in hopes of an eventual reunion. The first features Fievel the mouse and his close-knit family, who happen to be Russian Jews, and it is a full-blown musical, with the earnest duet Somewhere Out There a particular highlight. While American Tail introduces kids to the immigrant experience, Land Before Time gives some background on dinosaurs while presenting a powerful tale of faith and friendship. Too many shoddy sequels followed both of these movies, but the originals remain outstanding.

Flight of the Navigator (1986) - Another time travel movie, this one about a boy who finds himself the navigator of a snarky ship carting dozens of aliens across the universe. Young David only jumps ahead eight years, but he's surprised to discover how many things have changed. There's an element of poking fun at the decade in this fun fantasy that is mostly about the unlikely bond that develops between the boy and the sentient spaceship voiced by Paul Reubens. It's been too long since I've seen it, but when I was a kid, I absolutely loved it.

Great Mouse Detective (1986) / The Little Mermaid (1989) - The former was the first movie I remember seeing in the theater. It's a little dark for Disney, focusing on a kidnapped inventor and a plot against the queen of England by a diabolical villain by the name of Ratigan. But I love this very English tale of about Basil, an arrogant detective, and Dawson, his faithful assistant, doing their best to avert a disaster for the sake of sweet young Olivia, the inventor's daughter. Most of the characters in this are rodents or other scuttling creatures, while The Little Mermaid features an array of aquatic characters and some incredibly catchy songs. Disney's twist on the Hans Christian Andersen tale is more upbeat and includes plenty of amusing sidekicks, most notably the world-weary Caribbean crab Sebastian, advisor to the quick-tempered but affectionate King Triton. I wasn't sure how much I'd like this one when it came out, but once I saw it I quickly became obsessed with it. Both are great examples of the magic of Disney in some of its most exceptional years.

Karate Kid II (1986) - When we were growing up, my brothers and I all took karate at one point, as did my dad. I suspect that a lot of folks did that in the '80s after cheering on Daniel, the east coast teen who moves to California with his mom and gets over his fish-out-of-water blues by striking up a friendship with his elderly neighbor, karate expert Mr. Miyagi. I love the movies, particularly because of Mr. Miyagi, who is such a wise and funny character. The second film is my favorite of the trilogy because it focuses primarily on him, delving into his past and using his example to teach Daniel and the audience a powerful lesson on the value of mercy and redemption. It also includes my favorite of Daniel's three girlfriends, whose relationship with him unfolds on screen with some help from a montage backed by The Glory of Love, perhaps the ultimate '80s power ballad.

Short Circuit (1986) - I've always had a soft spot for robots, whether it's Data in Star Trek: The Next Generation or R2-D2 and C-3PO in Star Wars, but Johnny Five may just be may favorite robot of all. The first time my family watched this movie, I was in the other room reading, and the sounds of laughter drew me to the television within minutes. It wasn't long before I was laughing too: at the malapropisms spewed by Fisher Stevens' perpetually befuddled foreigner Ben; at the lovable robot's inappropriate behavior as he insatiably seeks more input; at the incredulity of adorable Steve Gutenberg's Newton Crosby as he comes to accept that his creation has actually come to life. This incredibly quotable movie is one of the most hilarious I've ever seen, and it has moments of real tenderness as well. It introduced me to several terrific actors, and may it well have even sparked my fondness for Dr Pepper, which has long been my beverage of choice.

Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986) - Easily the most accessible of the Star Trek movies, this fourth installment is also by far the funniest, though the stakes are higher here than in any other. The fate of the entire planet is at stake, so it's up to the crew of the Enterprise to save world by going back in time and fetching a couple of humpback whales. Like Back to the Future, this movie toys around with the absurdity of time travel, but it saves most of its energy to skewer '80s culture while making our heroes look like a bunch of buffoons as they try to navigate it. Among the highlights are Kirk and Spock's disastrous trip to the aquarium and the conversation in the car that follows it; Scotty's attempt to interact with a primitive computer; and a hospital escapade that involves high speed, heaps of deception and an instant kidney. All that, plus a lesson in environmental consciousness makes this the only original Trek film that rivals The Wrath of Khan.

The Princess Bride (1987) - Every year at Christmas, we watch this with my dad's side of the family, laughing late into the night over jokes we've all heard dozens of times before, dialogue we've had memorized for a couple of decades. This movie has everything: fantasy, adventure, romance... Most of all, it has humor. Every other line is a quotable classic, impeccably delivered by a top-notch cast. Burly, lovable Fezzik (Andre the Giant), Spanish, revenge-driven Inigo (Mandy Patinkin) and short, demeaning Vizzini (Wallace Shawn) are particularly memorable among a host of entertaining characters. The decision to frame the story with scenes of a grandfather reading the book to his cynical grandson is the icing on the cake in this film that perfectly blends so many elements to create a masterpiece I will never get tired of watching.

Dead Poets' Society (1989) - I remember hearing about this movie when it came out, but it's the only one of the bunch I didn't see until many years later. We watched this in my eleventh grade English class, which was led by an unconventional teacher not so different from the man Robin Williams portrays. This film has a darker tone to it than anything else on this list, but it is inspirational in many ways, demonstrating the power that literature and an involved teacher can have in one's life. It also shows the danger of trying to exert too much control over one's children as they reach adulthood. One of Williams' finest performances, and my introduction to the terrific Robert Sean Leonard.

My Top Ten Movies of the Early '80s ('80-'84)

I like to poke fun at the music of the '80s, but movies are an entirely different matter.  I was a little too young to enjoy these movies when they first came out, but in the decade or so that followed, they became firm favorites that have lasted to this day.

The Empire Strikes Back (1980) / Return of the Jedi (1983) - What would an '80s list be without Star Wars? The second installment traumatized me, but it also introduced Yoda, who I adore and includes the delightful insult, "You stuck-up, half-witted, scruffy-looking nerf-herder!" Most fans seem to list it as their favorite of the series, and it was even referenced in a recent episode of LOST. My favorite, though, is the concluding chapter of the trilogy, with its powerful themes of family and redemption. And what can I say... I'm a fan of the Ewoks!

The Blues Brothers (1980) - Saturday Night Live can be pretty stupid, but this movie based on characters from the long-running sketch show is one of my favorite comedies. Yes, a lot of cars wind up totaled, but there's also a slew of cameos from the likes of Ray Charles and Aretha Franklin and some terrific performances, my favorite of which is the impromptu rendition of the Rawhide theme song. And the madcap adventure has a worthy purpose, as Jake and Elwood are "on a mission from God" to raise money to save the orphanage where they grew up.

Airplane! (1980) - More one-liners and bad puns than you can shake a stick at, and the visual gags are just as rampant. This is one of the silliest movies I have ever seen, but I love it. Some of the jokes are a little off-color, but most of it is just plain goofy, and no matter how repetitive it gets, I laugh every time. Leslie Nielsen and Peter Graves are particularly funny.

The Great Muppet Caper (1981) / The Muppets Take Manhattan (1984) - Both of these original Muppet movies are lots of fun. I'm especially partial to the first, which features a jewel heist and some very funny performances from Charles Grodin and John Cleese, but the second is terrific as well and is more in keeping with the established Muppet personalities, since Kermit and the gang are performers rather than reporters. There's also that fun sequence imagining the Muppets as babies, a precursor to the popular cartoon.

Superman II (1981) - I love Superman, and I'm particularly a fan of this movie, in which the world is threatened by the sinister Zod, who has arrived with two cronies ready to do some serious damage. Christopher Reeve is terrific as both bumbling Clark and impenetrable Superman, and his rescue of a child who takes a tumble at Niagara Falls is one of my all-time favorite superhero moments.

Annie (1982) - Don'tcha just love tomorrow? This optimistic musical is fun and cheerful, with the title character's spirit uplifting just about everyone she touches, all the way up to the President of the United States. A great rags-to-riches story with terrific songs and the hilarious performance by Carol Burnett as the tipsy, diabolical Miss Hannigan.

The Dark Crystal (1982) - One of Jim Henson's darkest projects, this film depicts a beautifully imagined world ruled by opposing entities. It's a haunting fable all about sacrifice and balance, with gorgeous creatures and landscapes and occasional touches of humor, most courtesy of the gruff Aughra and the Ewok-like pod people.

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982) - This pensive film is basically tied with the fourth as my favorite Trek movie. It finds Kirk contemplating middle age while confronting two people he thought were out of his life forever and adjusting to his unexpected role of father. Ricardo Mantalban is deliciously over-the-top as the vengeful Khan, Scotty shows his emotional side after his beloved nephew joins the crew and Spock and Kirk share the most powerful moment in the entire series.

A Christmas Story (1983) / Mickey's Christmas Carol (1983) / A Christmas Carol (1984) - It was a great couple of years for Christmas movies. The first is the funniest, a cult classic that is nostalgic but snarky and is my brother's all-time-favorite Christmas flick. The second is the most kid-friendly, an adaptation of Dickens' classic tale that clocks in at under 30 minutes, casting Mickey as hard-working Bob, Donald as exuberant Fred and, naturally, Scottish miser Scrooge McDuck as old Ebenezer. The third, starring George C. Scott, is my favorite straightforward adaptation of the story. It's much more detailed than the Disney version or even the Muppet version, which is my all-time favorite. Scott is magnificent as Scrooge, and David Warner is truly moving as the best Bob Cratchit I've ever seen.

The Karate Kid (1984) - While the second installment in the trilogy is my favorite, I love the first movie too, and it includes most of the truly classic Karate Kid moments, from "Wax on, wax off" to catching the fly with the chopsticks. While it's exciting to see Daniel transform from a hot-headed fish out of water into a karate champion, it's his relationship with the wise Mr. Miyagi that really makes the movie so much fun to watch. 

My Top Ten Movies of the Late '90s ('95-'98)

The 1990s were incredibly big years for me movie-wise. Half my childhood happened in the '90s, including most of my teenage years. While I didn't necessarily get out to the theater that often back then, the movies I saw at the cinema really stuck with me. And I've had lots of time to catch up with the others - though almost all of my favorites are ones I saw in the '90s themselves. It was such a big decade for me movie-wise, I have to split it up into two. This first list covers 1995 to 1998; I'm skipping '99 since I did a top ten list for that one already and I'm looking for any excuse to trim down my list.

Babe (1995) - This beautifully shot fairy tale about a pig who becomes an expert sheep-herder simply by being polite led me to an obsession with Dick King-Smith. For an entire summer, I read every book of his that I could find in the library. As much as I love his writing, I like the film version of Babe even better than the book. The sun-drenched cinematography, the folksy music, the special effects and, perhaps most of all, James Cromwell as Farmer Hoggett, the ultimate man of few words.

Braveheart (1995) - It took me until 2001 to see this one, just because I knew it would be extremely bloody, not to mention long. I finally watched it when my brother brought some friends home to see it at midnight one night. No matter; bloodthirsty battles have a way of keeping one awake... The music, the cinematography and the accents were glorious. And Mel Gibson was a tour de force on this one. I still had to avert my eyes many times, but on the whole, I was a little surprised by how much I liked it.

Mr. Holland's Opus (1995) - My dad saw this in the theater with a friend of his who happened to be a music teacher himself. They loved it, as did my freshman theology teacher, who took every opportunity she had to recommend it. I can definitely see why any educator would appreciate this movie, in which Richard Dreyfuss shows us the lifetime of a composer who discovers untapped talents as a teacher. Powerful demonstration of John Lennon's observation: "Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans."

Sense and Sensibility / Pride and Prejudice (1995) - Yes, I'm cheating and putting the Austens together, though if you really pressed me, I'd have to claim the first as my favorite. Emma Thompson's incredible screenplay makes it one of the most faithful adaptations I've seen, making Sense and Sensibility manage as well in a couple of hours as Pride and Prejudice does in five. This was the movie that introduced me to her and made me really fall for Alan Rickman and Hugh Grant. Excellent all around. Of course, the latter is considered by many to be the ultimate Austen adaptation, and it certainly is terrific, thanks to a screenplay that sticks close to the book and an amazing cast, with Colin Firth the clear standout as the dashing Mr. Darcy.

Toy Story (1995) - A dazzling movie that ushered in the era of computer-animated films. It would be nice if they all came close to the standard this set. Tom Hanks and Tim Allen lead a top-notch cast of voice actors that includes Wallace Shawn, Don Rickles and Pixar mainstay John Ratzenberger in this funny, touching tale of jealousy and cooperation in the playroom. This one was first recommended to me by my freshman English teacher, who couldn't say enough good things about it. She was sure I'd love it, and she was right.

Phenomenon (1996) - I'd been wanting to see this one but hadn't yet gotten around to it when we watched it as part of my senior theology class. I wrote a four-page-long paper about it, and I could have gone on longer. A fascinating film about a humble man played by John Travolta who suddenly finds himself with remarkable abilities. I loved the story, as well as the excellent supporting performances, especially by David Strathairn, Forest Whitaker and Robert Duvall.

That Thing You Do! (1996) - Who would've ever thought that my little town of Erie would pop up in a Tom Hanks movie? This movie came just a year after Forrest Gump made me fall head over heels for Hanks, who I'd enjoyed in several other movies already. His role as an actor in this is comparatively small, but he wrote and directed the film, which is a fun, family-friendly reflection on the meteoric rise and fall of many bands in the '60s. An exuberant movie with one of the catchiest title tracks around, it's a winner for anybody who loves this era of music.
 
Anastasia (1997) - One of my favorite animated films, this Don Bluth movie was one that my brother and I caught in the theater together. It 's a highly fictionalized version of the life of Russian princess Anastasia Romanov, who was long rumored to have survived the attack on her family; one of the places she supposedly came was Erie, where there is a house named after her. The recent revelation that she died along with the rest of her family doesn't ruin this movie's charm for me. It's a touching love story with a wonderful cast that includes Meg Ryan, John Cusack, Kelsey Grammer and Angela Lansbury, and I loved the music so much I bought the soundtrack and the sheet music.

Ever After (1998) - Speaking of fairy tales, this live-action version of Cinderella directed by Andy Tennant is one of my favorite adaptations of the classic story. Drew Barrymore is headstrong but lovable as Danielle, an intelligent young woman devastated by the loss of her beloved father and oppressed by her cruel stepmother and stepsister. One of my favorite touches in this version is making the second stepsister sympathetic; wonderfully played by Melanie Lynskey, she is sweet and marginalized because she is portly, giving her more empathy with Danielle. Also fun is the incorporation of Leonardo da Vinci, which helps the film almost feel more like historical fiction.

The Truman Show (1998) - Jim Carrey is surprisingly low-key in this thought-provoking movie about a man who unknowingly spends his life as the subject of a reality show. Everything about his life has been manufactured, but there is one person from his past who is determined to tip him off. The lengths these people go to in order to keep up the artifice is incredible; the scary thing is that it's not so terribly removed from reality. I loved the concept of the movie and its family-friendly execution, and for the first time, Carrey's character didn't give me a headache. This is probably still my favorite of his performances.

My Top Ten Movies of the Early '90s ('90-'94)

I'm a child of both the '80s and the '90s, and many of my favorite movies come from those decades. In the first half of the '90s, I was between 9 and 13, and my pre-teen years were filled with some terrific cinema. These are my ten favorites. Give or take a few...

The Rescuers Down Under (1990) / Beauty and the Beast (1991) / Aladdin (1992) / The Lion King (1994) - Okay, so I'm totally cheating on this one because Disney could do no wrong in the early '90s. The sequel to The Rescuers rates just below the others only because it isn't a musical. I like it much better than the first; the animation of all that glorious Australian wilderness is fantastic, especially during the flying-on-the-eagle's-back sequences, and George C. Scott marvelously voices one of my favorite Disney villains. The last three all have amazing songs to go along with the brilliant animation and terrific stories. Beauty and the Beast boasts my favorite Disney heroine, Aladdin the most manic Disney sidekick ever and The Lion King my all-time favorite Disney opening sequence. I saw them all in the theater, and I have them all on tape. Disney doesn't get much better than this.

Ghost (1990) - Seems to me we bought this one on a whim at McDonald's for five bucks one time, and it quickly became a favorite, mostly due to the hilarious antics of Whoopi Goldberg as a crackpot psychic who can suddenly talk to dead people and the touching finale, which features a gorgeous orchestral version of Unchained Melody. Oh, and it's pretty darn romantic too.

Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1992) / Star Trek: Generations (1994) - Neither is my favorite Trek movie, but I think Undiscovered is the first one I saw in a regular theater. I seem to remember it being sold out the first time we tried to see it and being so frustrated about it that I bought the novelization. It's a landmark movie since it's the last to include the full original cast, and it's one of the most philosophical of the Trek films. Spock has some great moments with his protege, and the scene in which Uhura must pass herself off as a Klingon is hilarious. And all that Shakespeare isn't bad either. Generations is the first to feature the cast of The Next Generation, and it probably is my favorite of their films, partly because of the prominence of Guinan (Whoopi Goldberg again), an uncharacteristically serene character who tended to be underused, partly because of the chance to bring the two greatest captains of the Enterprise face to face with each other, partly because of the idyllic quality of the Nexus scenes, but mostly because I absolutely love Brent Spiner's performance as Data, my favorite character, learns to deal with his acquisition of human emotions.

Far and Away (1992) - I'd never heard of this before we watched it in my eleventh grade history class, but I quickly fell in love with it, and shortly after we finished it at school, I insisted we rent it at home. My family loved it as much as I did, so it wasn't long before we bought it, and watching it has become a St. Patrick's Day tradition. I love the humor, the sweetness of the opposites-attract romance, the cinematography, the historical interest, the score, the cast and of course all those Irish accents, even if some of them are phony. It's a movie that my brother and I still quote to each other frequently, and no matter how many times I hear it was a flop, it will be one of my favorites.

Sister Act (1992) - This was a second choice when Mom and I saw it on our annual back-to-school shopping outing. We'd planned to see 3 Ninjas, but it was sold out, so we gave this a try even though Mom had an idea that I'd find it boring. Well, it was anything but. Whoopi Goldberg had me in stitches again, and I found the real nuns at the convent where she goes into hiding to be wonderfully touching as well as funny. This is the movie that introduced me to Harvey Keitel and the formidable Maggie Smith, as well as a lot of great Motown music. I was singing the sisters' hit renditions of those songs for days, and I couldn't wait to get this one on video. Awesome music, side-splitting humor and a moving story of redemption. And nuns! What more could I ask for?

Free Willy (1993) - I saw this one on the next year's back-to-school outing and loved it just as much. I've always been a "save the whales" kind of gal, so I liked the premise, and I found the characters endearing and the film surprisingly free of objectionable material. A tough-on-his-luck kid name Jesse abandoned by his mother gets a new shot at life thanks to a similarly alone orca, his understanding trainers and a couple who want to welcome Jesse into their home despite his issues. It's a heartwarming movie, and that shot of Willy leaping over the barrier is as iconic as E. T. and Elliot flying across the moon. And its theme song, Will You Be There, still stands as my all-time favorite Michael Jackson song.

Angels in the Outfield (1994) - Probably my favorite sports-related movie, this film about a boy whose prayer for divine assistance for his favorite team is motivated by a desire for a family is a great tale of friendship and faith. Christopher Lloyd is his usual zany self as the main angel with whom young Roger communicates, and I love Danny Glover's performance as the cranky coach who begins to reassess his worldview when his team suddenly starts winning. The angels provide some terrific visuals as they help the players pull off some amazing stunts, but what I really love are the ways in which a little bit of faith transforms the characters for the better. And the image of the crowd standing en masse and giving the angel signal is one of my favorite movie moments.

Forrest Gump (1994) - I remember hearing about this movie on Good Morning America and thinking it looked interesting but probably wasn't a movie for kids. It stayed in the theater for ages; it seems inconceivable to me now that a movie could have lasted in the cinema for nearly a year, but I saw it in April of '95 with my mom and grandparents, the only movie the five of us have all seen together in the theater. And I really got what all the fuss was about. Tom Hanks is absolutely pitch-perfect as Forrest, a Bear of Little Brain But Much Heart. He might be a little slow, but it doesn't stop him from making his mark in a multitude of ways. Hanks' performance, an outstanding (and very quotable) screenplay that is as touching as it is hilarious, impressive special effects planting Forrest into historical footage and a soundtrack featuring a couple dozen of the best songs of the sixties and seventies are just some of the reasons I love this movie. I can't go more than a couple of years without watching it; from the moment Alan Silvestri's delicate feather theme begins to play, I am transported. I simply cannot watch this movie without emerging feeling a little better about life.

The Gift of Nothing Is a Gift Indeed

Giving gifts is an enjoyable but sometimes frustrating exercise. There are times when a birthday or Christmas rolls around, and nothing seems quite the right fit for that very special friend or relative. This is the dilemma Mooch the cat faces in The Gift of Nothing, a sparse but tender picture book by Patrick McDonnell, creator of the comic strip Mutts. Mooch and his friend Earl, a Jack Russell terrier, are the stars of that strip, and they make the transition from the funny pages to children's book perfectly.

The majority of the book concerns Mooch's search for the perfect gift for Earl. First, he has to come up with the idea. Then he has to actually find it. His clever notion is to give the dog who has everything a bit of nothing for his very own. There's something very philosophical about this idea, and as Mooch searches the TV for inspiration and scours a shopping mall, the reader is bombarded with the busy-ness of daily life. A quiet moment is hard to come by in such a noisy, materialistic world. But in silence and simplicity, the gift of a lasting friendship can be appreciated even more fully.

While The Gift of Nothing has more words in it than some McDonnell books - particularly South, which essentially has no words at all - it is still very short on text. No page features more than two sentences, and in many cases, a single sentence is stretched across several pages. The book in its entirety contains just over 30 sentences, some of which are very short. A bit of the story is dialogue, but most of it is narration.

The illustrations are just as sparse as the story, with black and pinkish-red the only colors in use throughout the book. The pages themselves are flecked with black specks, giving the pictures a little more texture. (The paper, incidentally, is recycled, supporting the anti-materialist message.) Some pages feature only one object, such as when Mooch mentally catalogues all of Earl's possessions. One page literally features nothing. The shopping mall madness and the noisy television are nearly the only instances in which there is more picture than blank space.

The Gift of Nothing demonstrates several important points. That quiet time is something to be treasured. That relationships are to be treasured even more. That "There's nothing to do" or "watch" or "buy" is rarely a legitimate complaint. In simple, soothing terms, the book urges serenity, generosity and gratitude. Most of all, it encourages friendship. This is a smaller book than most, nearly square in shape, and it's simple enough, with certain words and phrases repeated, that beginning readers should have little difficulty with this one. It might work best as a read-aloud, though, even if it's the child doing the reading, because the gift of a good book is one of the most wonderful experiences a parent and child can share.

Leslie Connor Celebrates Immigrants in Miss Bridie Chose a Shovel

Last month, I read Leslie Connor's Waiting for Normal, an excellent middle grade novel about a pre-teen girl whose optimism allows her to rise above the adversity of her chaotic home life. At one point in the book, the young protagonist, Addie, is given an album containing songs about people emigrating from Ireland to America. When I went looking to see if Connor had written any other books, I discovered that immigration was at the heart of her picture book, Miss Bridie Chose a Shovel.

This book, which is illustrated by Mary Azarian, reminds me of Donald Hall's Ox-Cart Man, about a pioneering farmer who spends his year working the farm in anticipation of his big trip to town to sell his goods, thus earning enough money to get through the next year. In this case, the central object is not a cart but a shovel. Bridie is the name of the young woman who heads for America in 1856 with just one object in tow. She can take only one thing with her, so she chooses something practical, and the book demonstrates how the shovel is of use to her throughout her life.

Its uses are many: to lean on when the waves get too rocky on the boat ride to America; to help her dig a little garden behind the shop where she works upon her arrival; to heap coals into the stove in later years when she is cooking for her family. It's because she has the shovel that she is able to clear away the snow on the pond in the city park, making an ice skating rink where she first catches the eye of the man who will become her husband. Every significant landmark in her life is somehow tied to that tool, for which she finds so many purposes.

Azarian's illustrations have an old-fashioned look to them and are somewhat stylized, with thick outlines that make the pictures remind me of stained glass windows. Each page has between one and three fairly long sentences, all narration. There's a nice circular pattern to the book, with it starting and ending with essentially the same sentence and with Bridie using the shovel for similar purposes in her youth and old age.

"She could have picked a chiming clock or a porcelain figurine," Connor writes, "but Miss Bridie chose a shovel back in 1856." Offering that contrast emphasizes Bridie's work ethic and practicality. Had she taken some type of heirloom, she might have been able to sell it and use the money to help establish herself, but we never get the sense that she regrets her decision. She makes do with what she has, using it to help create a thriving homestead.

This book covers a span of many years, so not only is there the sadness of Bridie leaving her family behind, there is also a death toward the end of the book, not to mention a fire that wipes out the barn. There is a definite harshness to the book, but as in Waiting for Normal, the protagonist's resilience keeps readers from getting bogged down in despair. Miss Bridie is a woman who perseveres no matter what challenges come her way, and her story is a tribute to generations of hard-working immigrants.

Jules the Cat Wants to Give the World a Hug in Hug Time

One of my favorite commercials is the one that features the line, "I'd like to buy the world a Coke." I've always found that a very friendly idea, just walking along down the street, handing Coca-Colas to everyone you meet. Of course, the cost and the issue of transporting all of those cans or bottles of pop would be prohibitive, but it's a nice notion, anyway. I found myself thinking of this ad when I read Patrick McDonnell's Hug Time, which features characters from his comic strip Mutts.

Jules, more commonly known in the strip as Shtinky Puddin', is an orange kitten with brown stripes and a white belly. He's small, but he has a mission: "to give the whole world a hug." His owner doesn't object to this idea but simply equips the cat with a sweater and sends him on his way. He starts with his friends, Mooch, Earl and Noodles, but it isn't long before he has branched out, hugging wild animals in town and eventually on other continents.

Hug Time, like the aforementioned jingle, is a little over-the-top. The journey upon which Jules embarks is an enormous one. Presumably the fact that he is a cat means he can simply stow away on the boat he uses to get from continent to continent on his tour of the globe, but how is he to find food when he is much too gentle to consider ever eating anything that could be a friend? Additionally, it seems a stretch that every predator Jules meets is willing to overlook his meal potential in favor of gratefully accepting the friendly gesture. And in terms of real-world applications, most parents probably would prefer that their children didn't hug every random person and animal they met.

But Hug Time is a fable, so it needn't be taken quite so literally. For instance, a smile will work just as well as a hug, and one needn't travel the world to distribute them. Just making an effort to be a little friendlier as a general rule is a good way to put the book's message into practice. After all, McDonnell says, "Start with the one who's closest to you." He encourages kindness as well as environmental awareness, printing his book on recycled paper and including descriptions of the Earth as "so precious, so fragile, so round" and "so big and yet so small".

Like his other picture books, Hug Time is fairly short on words, with no more than two sentences per page, but in this case, the text is presented in rhyming couplets. The illustrations are in full color, which helps to emphasize the diversity of wildlife in the world. Because Jules is so small, some pages feel like a Where's Waldo search, with the kitten hard to spot as he's locked into a hug with a much larger animal. All told, Jules hugs representatives of more than 300 species on his journey, including a gray squirrel, a blue whale, an elephant, a chimpanzee, a giraffe, a hippo, a tiger, a gnu, a panda, a peacock, a pudu, a wallaby, a wombat, a humuhumu fish and a polar bear. At one point, he even hugs a baobab, making him a true tree-hugger. McDonnell makes a special point of noting how endangered tigers are, and the implication is there with the polar bear as well.

Animal lovers should appreciate this book, and Jules' determination to hug as many creatures as he possibly can is a great way to get children thinking about stewardship of the planet. I still think that giving the world a Coke sounds like a pretty nifty idea. But a hug may be even better.

Joss Whedon's Firefly Soars in Its Single Season

This past Christmas, my brother Benjamin gave me two DVD boxed sets. One was season four of LOST, my favorite TV show. The other was Firefly, the short-lived sci-fi series that he told me was his favorite. I'd heard good things about the show but hadn't ever seen it, so I was anxious to check it out, particularly after seeing the fantastic Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, the brainchild of Firefly creator Joss Whedon, co-starring Nathan Fillion, who stars as the cocky but compassionate captain Malcolm Reynolds. I watched a couple of episodes earlier in the year, but it wasn't until this summer that I sat down for a marathon, devouring the whole series in a couple of days.

Malcolm, or "Mal" for short, has some of the arrogant bravado that was evident in Fillion's over-the-top superhero character in Dr. Horrible, but he's much more likable. Mal may have a habit of talking with his fists and engaging in shady business dealings, but he's very dedicated to the crew of Serenity, the spaceship he uses to smuggle goods across the galaxy. He might shower some of them with sarcastic barbs, but if one of them is in trouble, he'll ultimately figure out a way to come to the rescue.

A former military commander, he fought in a war alongside no-nonsense first mate Zoe (Gina Torres). She's extremely tough, and after enduring many harrowing battles, she is fearless in the face of fire. By contrast, her husband "Wash" (Alan Tudyk) is pretty wimpy, a lovable goofball who reminds me a bit of Full House's Uncle Joey. He's always cracking jokes and breaking the tension, but his job on the ship is of vital importance, as he's the pilot. It's up to him to steer them out of harm's way, in which they frequently find themselves.

Jayne (Adam Baldwin) is a surly crewmember who never can be considered entirely trustworthy. With his distinct Southern accent, his self-centeredness, his heavy sarcastic streak and his penchant for physical violence, he reminds me a lot of LOST's resident redneck Sawyer, particularly in the first season. He's one of the funniest characters but also one of the crudest, and he's easily the most antagonistic of the nine core characters. His unappealing personality perfectly sets up the tragi-comic Jaynestown, one of my favorite episodes, in which he returns to the scene of a heist gone bad and is flabbergasted to find himself a folk hero, complete with a statue and a catchy theme song.

Also on board the ship is Inara (Morena Baccarin), who isn't officially part of the crew but functions as an "ambassador" when certain buyers need a little persuasion or distraction. Inara is a registered Companion, which is essentially a high-class prostitute; not only is the profession legal, it's respected by many, and Companions, who are at liberty to be selective about their clients, must undergo rigorous training that includes instruction in such subjects as music. Baccarin reminds me of Kristin Kreuk, who plays Lana Lang on Smallville. Inara also makes me think of empath Deanna Troi on Star Trek: The Next Generation. Generally, I like the character, who is sweet and kind, albeit prone to tart-tongued exchanges with Mal, with whom she has a complicated relationship, but having a prostitute on the ship, even one as classy as Inara, means that the show is a little excessively preoccupied with sexuality. We tend not to see very much, but there are always comments being made. Of course, it doesn't all revolve around her; Jayne is pretty lewd in general, Zoe and Wash need to get some couple time in now and then, and various other characters have opportunities to get lip-locked. And it's still nowhere near as smutty as the typical episode of Grey's Anatomy.

Initially, it seems that there may be tension between Inara and one of the ship's newcomers, a Shepherd, or preacher, by the name of Book, but although he does not particularly approve of the profession of Companion, it doesn't stop him from developing a rapport with Inara. Shepherd Book (Ron Glass), my second-favorite character on the show, is wise and calm, and he doesn't shy away from offering an opinion when he feels that a moral imperative is being ignored. I especially appreciate this character because elsewhere in the show, most explicitly Christian characters are portrayed in a negative light. The Bible is quoted as justification for killing an innocent young woman with unusual abilities and for forcing teenagers into marriages in which they are treated more like slaves than wives. Such instances gave me the uncomfortable feeling that Whedon had an axe to grind, but the wonderful Shepherd made it seem less like he was associating Christianity with cruelty and ignorance.

My favorite character is Kaylee (Jewel Staite), the ship's mechanic. I liken her to Scotty because of the deep communion she has with her ship; it is very much alive to her, and she takes great offense when anyone insults it, reminding me of Scotty's famous barroom brawl in The Trouble With Tribbles, started because "They called the Enterprise a garbage scow!" Kaylee is even more indispensable than Wash, and she is also beloved by all on the ship. She is eccentric, compassionate and relentlessly cheerful, reminding me quite a bit of Luna from the Harry Potter series. Despite her expertise, she is very childlike in many ways, and everyone seems to regard her as an adored little sister.

That is, everyone except River Tam (Summer Glau), a teenage super-genius whose mind has been horribly addled thanks to a stay in a government-run facility from which her older brother Simon (Sean Maher), a brilliant but socially awkward young doctor, sprang her, making them both fugitives. To River, Kaylee is the older sister, a stabilizing influence as she fights off memories of the torment she experienced. There are also hints that she could be a sister of another kind if Simon would stop tripping over his own tongue. River is an intriguing character, but the limited run of the series doesn't allow us to explore her that deeply. Simon is more developed, and I love his nervous, upper-class mannerisms and his incredibly deep affection for River, which drove him to give up his promising career to rescue her from a trap his parents didn't believe was real.

Apart from the nine major cast members, there are several guest stars in one or two episodes. I only recognized a few of them. Fillion had a brief role on LOST as Kate's husband, and another person from Kate's past turns up as a guest star: Frederic Lehne, who played Marshal Ed Mars. His Firefly character has a somewhat similar disposition but is even more belligerent. A pre-High School Musical Zac Efron has a brief flashback role as the teenage Simon. Other memorable guests include Mark Shappard as Badger, an English scoundrel Mal deals with on a couple of occasions who seems like a character out of Oliver Twist. In two episodes, Christina Hendricks plays Saffron, a seemingly naive young woman who comes into Mal's life in a surprising way and returns later as a major thorn in his side. Edward Atterton is equally suave and obnoxious as Atherton Wing, a wealthy man who offers Inara a permanent position, and Richard Brooks is memorable as philosophical bounty hunter Jubal Early.

Firefly takes place 500 years in the future and is unusual for a space opera, since it combines science fiction with the elements of a Western. Serenity is the home base for these characters, but they visit several different planets throughout the course of the series. These planets have been "terra-formed," which means that they were made acceptable for human habitation and populated. On these planets, there are certain high-tech implements, but there are also horses, trains, saloons and lots of pistols. Clothing and speech patterns largely reflect an Old West sensibility, though there are hints of other cultures, particularly Chinese; the characters have a habit of lapsing into Chinese when making exclamations, which is confusing at first. There are no subtitles, but you can basically figure everything out through context. One of the neatest elements of the show is the music, which incorporates several different musical styles, particularly using instruments common to country music and Asian music. One scene features a lively Celtic-flavored dance, another a violin-heavy lament that serves as a farewell to both a character and the show. I love the twangy soundtrack; it gives the show a very unique sound and really helps root it in this particular setting.

I'm not sure why this show never really took off with the general public. It quickly won a very devoted following, with Firefly fans organizing to send off postcards and letters and take out ads in the paper begging the Powers That Be at FOX to keep the show on the air. But there weren't enough of those fans to keep this series flying for another season. As one-season series go, I have a stronger attachment to the hilarious, heart-rending Freaks and Geeks, but Firefly is a rousing space adventure with an unusual format and engaging characters. It's fairly episodic, so the order in which you watch episodes isn't hugely important, though there are some character arcs that develop over the season. I would recommend starting with the two-hour pilot, even though it was the last episode to air when the show was on TV. The last episode has a touch of finale about it but ultimately resolves far too little in comparison to the number of questions that previous episodes invite.

With most of the cursing done in Chinese, language isn't likely to be much of an issue unless you've studied Mandarin, and I find the rustic colloquialisms used by Mal, Jayne and Kaylee endearing. Bedroom shenanigans are fairly common, with at least one such scene occurring in most episodes, and there's considerable violence as well. Besides the fistfights and the shootouts, there are swordfights, cannibals and mysterious weapons that cause spontaneous bleeding. A couple of scenes seemed pretty R-rated to me, and I was grossed out enough that I had to avert my eyes for a minute or two. The most grotesque bits can be found in Bushwhacked, showing the aftermath of an attack by the cannibalistic Reavers, and Ariel, which humorously reminded me of the hospital heist in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home until the blue-gloved Alliance agents turned up and started turning their alleged allies into puddles of goo. The Alliance, which is after River and Simon, is a palpable threat throughout the series, while the Reavers are only an issue in a couple of early episodes. I assume that we would have seen more of them if the series had continued - not that I particularly wanted to.

While there are a few elements of the show I wasn't crazy about, I found it very easy to empathize with the characters, and the unique blend of science fiction and Western is intriguing. It's a shame that the network didn't give it more of a chance to blossom, especially when it was clear that it had taken off so strongly among many of those who had watched it. On the plus side, that means that you can get through the whole series pretty quickly if you want, and you won't have to pay upwards of fifty dollars for the set as you will with many full-length TV seasons. I'm looking forward to watching Serenity, its feature film follow-up, and seeing whether it answers any of the questions left by the series. Whedon has proven himself quite creative; I just hope his next venture catches on a little more quickly.

Don't Cast Away This Crop of Movies From 2000

It's funny to look a few years back and realize how few releases I've seen from that year. I would think that all the extra time would've given me plenty of opportunity to catch up, but by my reckoning I've only seen about 15 releases from 2000. So I certainly can't call this a definitive list, but I really did love these ten movies.

Cast Away - I've always had a special fondness for castaway stories, and Tom Hanks has long been one of my favorite actors. Reuniting him with the Forrest Gump dream team for a lost-on-an-island drama sounded like a formula for success to me, and boy, did it deliver. I'm still a little surprised Hanks didn't win for his demanding performance, which includes that grueling stretch of time with no one to talk to but a volleyball. And so compelling is Hanks that he makes Wilson's eventual departure rank high among my list of most tragic movie moments.

Almost Famous - This one caught my attention when I heard Simon and Garfunkel's America on the previews. When I saw it, I got an even heftier dose of my favorite band when the aspiring young music journalist purchased Bookends, and his horrified mother, hilariously portrayed by Frances McDormand, exclaimed that she could tell just from the album cover that they were on drugs. Simon and Garfunkel references aside, I would still be a big fan of this film that offers an inside look at the music business and the perils of potentially losing one's integrity in the pursuit of fame. In many ways it's like Tom Hanks' That Thing You Do!, but darker. Nonetheless, it ends on a pretty uplifting note.

Chicken Run - I love Wallace and Gromit, so I was excited to learn that the team that created that lovable duo would be doing a full-length film. Ultimately, I think Chicken Run is my favorite of all their projects. I spent much of the movie laughing hysterically; these bird-brained biddies are full of great one-liners, and the puns are relentless. The kids' meal tie-in toys and the more elaborate contraptions we snagged from the bargain bin that Christmas are great fun as well.

Fantasia 2000 - I always found Fantasia a strange animal, but there are segments of it I really love. Of course, one of those is The Sorcerer's Apprentice, which is repeated in the 2000 version. As for the rest, on the whole, I like the new segments even better than those in the original. Some of the animation is simply stunning, particularly during Pines of Rome, which features a magnificent pod of flying whales. Other favorites are The Carnival of the Animals, featuring an irrepressible flamingo who annoys the other members of his flock; Piano Concerto Number 2 in F Major, which is the backdrop for a cheerier version of Hans Christian Andersen's Steadfast Tin Soldier; and Pomp and Circumstance, which has a sweet and funny love story between Donald and Daisy Duck taking place on Noah's Ark.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas - The story of the Grinch competes only with The Lorax as my favorite Seuss story, so I was excited to see it come to the big screen. Though it is, in many ways, different from the book and animated special, I guess it was probably necessary to change the focus a bit in order to stretch it out to an hour and a half. The end result is pretty much the same, and along the way we get some absolutely dazzling visuals and the thoroughly endearing performance of Taylor Momsen as Cyndi Lou Who. Oh, and Jim Carrey makes a pretty convincing Grinch.

Miss Congeniality - Despite a fairly lame romantic subplot, this tale of a tomboy forced to go undercover at a beauty pageant is funny and touching. Sandra Bullock is terrific throughout, while Heather Burns is terribly sweet as the ditzy girl-next-door type she befriends. Michael Caine in a gentle mentorly role and William Shatner as a lovable doofus antagonized by Candice Bergen (prefiguring Boston Legal?) add considerable charm to this comedy.

My Dog Skip - A coming-of-age drama about a boy and his dog, it's a family film for the most part, though it does get to be a bit dark in places. All the elements of a great kid-and-animal-companion film are here, and not only is the Jack Russell made famous on Frasier clever and adorable, but young Frankie Muniz turns in an impressive performance that is sometimes emotionally heavy, particularly in scenes with Kevin Bacon as his strict dad and Luke Wilson as the troubled young man the boy idolizes.

Pay It Forward - I saw this one solely because of Haley Joel Osment, who became a good enough excuse for me to see any movie after I saw him in The Sixth Sense. He's terrific here as a slightly older boy with some similar issues; he lives alone with an overworked mom, he's not particularly popular with his peers, and he's angry. In this case, the root of his rage is not supernatural; he's upset with his mom for drinking so much and is worried that she might take back his abusive father. Like Cole, he finds a confidant in an older man, a disfigured teacher portrayed by Kevin Spacey, and a purpose in a brainwave that involves a pyramid scheme of random acts of kindness.

Remember the Titans - I'm not much of a sports buff, but I do love a good inspirational sports movie. This based-on-a-true-story film about a football coach struggling to racially integrate his team, in which many of the players are deeply prejudiced, is a powerful testament to the power of close human interaction in breaking down barriers. A stellar soundtrack and great performances from a cast that includes Denzel Washington and a pre-cheerleader Hayden Panettiere help make the Titans very easy to remember.

The Tigger Movie - This was almost certainly the most heavily advertised and merchandised of the various Pooh movies that have come out in recent years. Its clever posters and toys with the various characters dressed up in Tigger costumes were great fun; one of my favorite finds on my trip to England the following year was a nearly complete set of Happy Meal toys with the Hundred-Acre Wood residents all decked out in stripes. The movie is fun and bouncy but also sweet and reflective as Tigger discovers that his friends are his family, so he needn't feel too lonely as the only one of his kind. I love the new songs, with input by notable Pooh fan Kenny Loggins, and the tear-jerking tenderness of the conclusion. It's ever so much better than Piglet's Big Movie. If they ever get around to making a movie that revolves around Eeyore, I hope it turns out as well as this one.

I could definitely stand to see a few more movies from 2000, but I still think this is a fine representation of some of the best 2000 had to offer, especially for a softie like me.

A Fine Bunch of Movies in 1999 Bring the Century to a Close

I graduated from high school and started college in 1999. In the midst of my busy year, I managed to see a few movies. I'm surprised at how few movies from the year I've seen in the decade since, but I think I got around to seeing most of the ones I was really interested in, and a couple of my favorites of 1999 would easily make it onto my best of the decade list.

October Sky - This movie, based on a true story, introduced me to Jake Gyllenhaal, and it's probably my favorite of his roles so far. Here, he's earnest young Homer Hickam, who dreams of building a rocket, despite the disapproval of his no-nonsense dad, played by Chris Cooper. It's a great family film about overcoming obstacles to achieve one's dreams.

Star Wars: Episode One - The Phantom Menace - Yes, Jake Lloyd was pretty annoying as mini-Anakin, and some of the dialogue was just silly. But I felt like a true dyed-in-the-wool Star Wars geek when I went to the midnight premiere with my dad and brother in the last month of my senior year, and it sure was fun to see my fellow geeks crawl out of the woodwork and announce themselves just before we parted ways. I loved the light-hearted feel of this movie, the gorgeous seascapes, the exciting pod race, the return of old friends like R2-D2, C-3PO and Yoda and new faces like the lovely Natalie Portman, brooding Ewan McGregor and contemplative Liam Neeson. It was a really terrific movie experience. And Weird Al's fantastic American Pie parody, The Saga Begins, makes me even more favorably inclined toward it.

Tarzan - One of the few major animated Disney features of my lifetime that I didn't catch in the theater, this story of a young man raised by gorillas has elements in common with The Jungle Book, but in this case the civilized join the jungle instead of the other way around. Though I find Jane rather irritating, I love her relationship with her dad, which is reminiscent of Beauty and the Beast. The animation is great, and while I tend to prefer character-oriented songs in Disney musicals, the more background-ish songs Phil Collins provides for the movie are terrific, and I always smile when I hear one of them on the radio.

Muppets From Space - As Muppet movies go, this one is a little strange, and somewhat controversial among fans for the unconventional backstory it creates for Gonzo. There are a lot of characters and subplots, and there's not much of an opportunity for the Muppets to demonstrate their musical genius. But it's always fun to hang out with the Muppets, and I know I had a great time when we saw this in the theater. Along with the established characters, I loved the crotchety antagonist played by Jeffrey Tambor as well as the burly bear who serves as his reluctant henchman.

Angela's Ashes - Somehow, I never did read the Frank McCourt memoir upon which this movie is based, but after finally seeing the film a couple years ago, I was reassured that I really need to do that sometime. The movie tells the gritty but inspiring tale of the author's impoverished youth in Ireland and how he escaped his dire circumstances to pursue a teaching career in America. We watched it on St. Patrick's Day, but it's definitely worth a look any time of year.

Pokemon: The First Movie - It's not exactly superior cinema, but I recall this one fondly as an icon of my time with my brother Nathan that year. I was a bit befuddled when he first became obsessed with the Japanese series that was taking America by storm, but he soon got me hooked, and we spent many an afternoon watching the cartoon together. Eventually, he and our neighbor also taught me how to play the rather involved card game, which led to me spending way too much money on supplementary packs whenever we went to the mall. I was a full-fledged fan by the time the two of us saw the movie in the theater, and I reveled in both the cheesiness of the dialogue, especially on the part of demi-villains Jesse, James and Meowth, and the touching message of brotherhood that it espoused. And adorable, electrically charged Pikachu. Sooo much Pikachu...

Toy Story 2 - I tend to be a little suspicious of sequels, especially those put out by Disney. A lot of them aren't really up to snuff. But this fantastic film by Pixar was every bit as good as the first buddy flick that so dramatically introduced computer animation to much of the populace. The first was about two very different characters overcoming jealousy and learning to work together. The second has more to do with the fear of obsolescence and dealing with the changes that come with the passing of time. It's both darker and funnier than the first, and the animation quality is even better.

Galaxy Quest - As a lifelong Star Trek enthusiast, I just loved this film that spoofs everything about the show and especially its fandom. Tim Allen is hilarious as the egotistical actor who played the captain on the Trek-like show a number of years earlier. He and his castmates now subject themselves to conventions and other rather degrading events, since they can't find work anywhere else. Though they're all sick of these roles, they find themselves having to do the acting jobs of their lives when a group of peaceful extraterrestrials welcomes them aboard their ship, seeking aid from the heroes whose adventures they have studied so carefully, believing them to be "historical documents." There's a constant battery of jokes aimed at those who have grown up with Star Trek, so it's ideal for Trekkies who don't take themselves too seriously. Great performances all around, especially the fantastically dry Alan Rickman as the world-weary Shakespearean actor who hates being reduced to a catch-phrase.

The Green Mile - One of my two favorite films of the year. I wanted to see it when it first came out, but it took me a couple of years, in part because the length and Stephen King scared me off. I've come to consider myself quite a fan of King, but I usually can't stomach his stories; I don't do horror as a rule, and King is king in that genre. But The Green Mile hardly qualifies. Yes, there are elements of both the violent and the supernatural here, but mostly it's a contemplative and deeply moral film. Tom Hanks stars as the warden of death row in a southern prison. He and his fellow guards are calm and fair, treating their prisoners with dignity, with the result that they have few problems among their prisoners. But the arrival of a psychopathic prisoner, a sadistic guard and a meek alleged murderer named John Coffee who, despite his enormous size, doesn't seem capable of harming a fly, mark a season of great change for these guards. Moving and thought-provoking with an excellent cast, it's an outstanding film, and after reading the book, I can say that it's one of the most faithful adaptations of a novel that I've seen.

The Sixth Sense - As much as I loved The Green Mile, I wasn't entirely surprised; I'd heard that it wasn't really a horror movie, and I knew that King had written things before that weren't entirely terrifying. But all I had to go on with The Sixth Sense at the time I saw it were trailers that were designed to make it look as creepy as possible. I watched it under duress, planning to bury my head behind my popcorn for most of the movie. But gradually, I found myself drawn in, and by the end of the movie I realized that this hadn't been a horror movie at all. A thriller, yes, but that's an important distinction. I loved the twist ending, the compassionate solution to Cole's problem, the touching relationship between Cole and his mother. But mostly, I loved Haley Joel Osment. I'd seen him before, in Forrest Gump, but I didn't realize it at the time, and anyway his part in that movie was too small to make much of an impression on me. But boy, is he amazing in this movie! With this film, he hooked me for life. Which makes it very distressing that he hasn't been in a movie in several years...

One of these days I'll rent a batch of movies from 1999 and see if my list needs to change a little, but for now, I'm quite content with these selections, especially the last two, which haven't lost any of their luster in the past decade.

2008's Group of Films Is Dark But Ultimately Uplifting

After watching so many movies in 2007, I lost a bit of momentum in 2008, but I've still seen more than 20 of last year's movies and was pretty impressed with most of what I saw. I was disappointed at having to wait until 2009 for the sixth Harry Potter installment, but the return to Narnia and further Pixar and Indiana Jones adventures helped make up for it.

Prince Caspian - One of my most-anticipated moves of the year, this second Chronicle of Narnia transports the Pevensie children to a point more than a thousand years removed from the moment of their departure from Narnia. Their kingdom is in ruins, and few remain who believe the old stories. One of the skeptics is Trumpkin, the dwarf who serves as their guide in this semi-familiar landscape. While I have issues with some of the changes made to plot and character - particular Peter and Caspian - and wish Aslan had been more central, Peter Dinklage's performance as Trumpkin is magnificent, and the cinematography is spectacular.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull - Indy rides again! Despite being forever traumatized by Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, I was looking forward to the chance to see Harrison Ford don the fedora on the big screen, and it sure was fun to whoop and holler along with the opening night crowd as he wriggled out of all sorts of life-threatening situations, scarcely any less spry than he was in the '80s. While it would have been neat if Sean Connery had agreed to reprise his role as Indy's dad, Shia LeBoeuf made a great sidekick. On a shelf in my room, I still have a couple of commemorative Dr Pepper cans with scenes from the movie staring out at me, and they always make me smile. If Harrison wanted to come back for one more, I wouldn't complain.

Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day - I've been a fan of Frances McDormand since Almost Famous, and Amy Adams has won me over immediately in every film role I've seen her in since Catch Me If You Can, so when I saw that the two were starring together in a period dramedy about a frumpy English nanny who finds herself in the employ of an elegant American actress, I was immediately intrigued. Throw in the adorable Lee Pace from Pushing Daisies and a glowing recommendation from a friend who tends to be ruthless in his film criticism, and it all adds up to a movie for which I had huge expectations. Happily, this utterly charming film fulfilled them all. Definitely one of the best of the year.

Penelope - This fun, visually appealing modern-day fairy tale boasts a terrific cast that includes Christina Ricci, James McAvoy, Reese Witherspoon and Peter Dinklage. Some of it is a bit over-the-top, but on the whole, this tale of a girl with the snout of a pig hits the right notes, particularly as a family film. Its message about the importance of education and independence is a good one, and even the characters who start out antagonistic end up sympathetic.

Secret Life of Bees - Dakota Fanning, on the verge of no longer being a child actress, portrays a young teen desperate to get away from her borderline abusive father and learn something about the mother she accidentally killed years before. With her is a feisty black housekeeper played by Jennifer Hudson. Before long, they come to stay at a home run by three black sisters, from whom the runaway learns a lot about life, love, prejudice and what home ought to feel like. A sweet romance and a powerful performance by Sophie Okonedo and the anchoring serenity of Queen Latifah help make this coming-of-age story a great movie.

Swing Vote - The election was on everybody's mind in 2008, so this was a very timely movie. Kevin Costner stars as a hapless guy who is more or less being raised by his precocious pre-teen daughter, played by Madeline Carroll. I was excited to see her, as she previously played Annie, Ben Linus's childhood best friend on LOST, and I found her pretty likable, albeit a tad self-righteous, in this role. The movie is far-fetched, as it revolves around the idea that due to a voting glitch, the next President of the United States will be determined by this everyman, but it's an interesting concept. While the two candidates and their advisors do their best to win him over, he eventually comes to appreciate what an important task he has. Fun performances, especially by Kelsey Grammer and Stanley Tucci, make this thought-provoking family film even more likable.

Kit Kittredge: An American Girl - Speaking of Tucci, he has a supporting role in this movie as well, along with several other big names, including Joan Cusack and the always-hilarious Wallace Shawn. Abigail Breslin plays the intrepid would-be reporter who seeks a great story to sell to the newspaper. This Depression-era story feels very timely, with enough excitement and plenty of colorful characters to keep children engaged. This was the first American Girl movie to make it to the big screen, and it feels like the sort of wholesome flick that belongs on The Wonderful World of Disney. A winner all around.

Doubt - This quietly unsettling movie is anchored by three powerful performances, with a fourth that packs an incredible whallop despite the actress's short time on screen. Amy Adams is the naive young nun who thinks she may have seen something fishy; Philip Seymour Hoffman is the forward-thinking priest who stands accused. Both are compelling, but most riveting of all is Meryl Streep as the school's formidable principal, a sister who has long suspected the priest of wrongdoing and is determined to bring him down. By the end of the movie, there's still no clear statement of exactly what happened, and viewers are left to contemplate for themselves which person's testimony is the most gripping.

WALL-E - Pixar just keeps cranking out amazing movies, so it's become pretty much guaranteed that each new year will bring a fantastic new computer-animated film, probably during the summer. I'd been looking forward to this one in particular for quite some time, as my brother had shown me a preview the previous year. Given my love of Short Circuit, I immediately took to the little roving robot with the enormous eyes. I wasn't entirely sure what to expect when I went into this one opening night, as the robot of the title was practically the only character I'd seen mentioned. Would there be any humans? How many other robots would we meet? By the time people did show up, I was startled. The second portion of the film is more action-oriented, providing most of the plot momentum for the movie. But the beginning is absolutely gorgeous and devastating at the same time, a slice of near-silent film in which one stoic little piece of machinery collects bits of beauty in a discarded world. It's a darn shame this didn't score a Best Picture nomination.

In Bruges - It's fairly uncommon for me to list R-rated movies among my favorites - and this one earns its rating more than most - but I couldn't help being amused and profoundly moved by this movie about a pair of hit-men taking a very strange holiday together in Belgium. Brendan Gleeson is the gleeful mentor, Colin Farrell the brooding apprentice, Ralph Fiennes the harsh boss who doesn't turn up until late in the movie. There are scenes of explosive violence, and scarcely a sentence goes by without profanity, yet I think the movie's screenplay nomination was well-deserved, and it has stuck with me more than most of the movies I've seen in the past year.

Interestingly, most of my favorite movies of 2008 had a dark element, but most also left me feeling very positive about the resilience of the human spirit. In times of adversity, that's a very encouraging message to find in the theater.

The Chronicles of Narnia and Other Old Friends Fill 2005 With Nostalgia

Two years after the final installment in Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy came out, the first of Walden Media's adaptations of the Chronicles of Narnia hit theaters. I'd been looking forward to it for months, and it capped off a year in which the movies allowed me to revisit pleasantly familiar territory time and again.

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe - I'd seen the BBC version of this C. S. Lewis classic several times. As much as I enjoyed it, I was anxious to see how it would fare with the big-budget treatment. I saw it opening night, and while the BBC version is inarguably the more faithful adaptation, there was a lot I loved about this edition, starting with the adorable Georgie Henley as Lucy and the thoroughly endearing James McAvoy as the faun Mr. Tumnus. The special effects are gorgeous, as is the cinematography, and some of the key moments from the book leap to life on the big screen. Plus, this movie is responsible for Lazy Sunday, one of my all-time favorite Saturday Night Live sketches.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - I read the book, and of course I saw Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, so again I was interested in seeing how this update would compare. Tim Burton struck me as being an ideal director for a film taking place in such a skewered world, and he delivered a techni-color treat emphasizing the importance of family. While I missed Veruca's bumbling dad and Charlie's ludicrous teacher, in some ways, I preferred Johnny Depp's vulnerable, Michael Jackson-like Willy to Gene Wilder's manipulative version, and I definitely preferred irresistible Freddie Highmore as Charlie.

Dear Frankie - This little gem of a Scottish film stars Gerard Butler as a mysterious stranger who poses as the father who has walked out of young Frankie's life. It's the only way his mother, played by Emily Mortimer, can think of to painlessly deal with the ruse she's kept going; she's been writing to Frankie for years, posing as his father. The seeds of romance that blossom between her and the pseudo-dad are sweet, but it's the man's growing fondness for the open-hearted deaf child that really makes the film endearing.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - Another great installment in the Harry Potter series. Though Michael Gambon is harder to take as Dumbledore in this film than the others, Brendan Gleeson's outstanding performance as Mad-Eye Moody makes up for it. Meanwhile, the visual spectacle of the Quidditch World Cup and the Tri-Wizard Tournament is dazzling, and there's lots of humor to be found as Harry and his friends begin to navigate those dangerous waters of teenage romance.

Hitch - Will Smith and Kevin James are a winning team in this film about a man who makes a living secretly helping schlubs win over the women of their dreams. Each has his own romance to pursue throughout the film, but it's their buddy movie chemistry with each other that's really endearing. They are hilarious together, and James is one of the most lovable losers ever to hit the big screen.

March of the Penguins - Documentaries rarely go far in the theater, and it's pretty unusual for me to go see one there. But this one had been getting so much good buzz that I, like so many others, couldn't resist. The cinematography of those penguins making their perilous journey is breathtaking, and Morgan Freeman narrates with all the warmth of a grandfather telling a bedtime story.

Pooh's Heffalump Movie - My appreciation for Winnie-the-Pooh is one of the first things most people learn about me. I'm a huge fan of the Silly Old Bear, so I was determined to catch this film in the theater. My friend Libbie and I ended up with the theater all to ourselves, so I was able to combine the big-screen experience with the privacy of a home viewing. I loved the quietness of the movie, the lovely animation and the introduction of the adorable Lumpy to help teach the Hundred-Acre Wood gang that different doesn't have to mean scary.

Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants - I hadn't read the novel on which this film is based, but Libbie had, and she was the one who recommended the movie to me. All four of its young leading ladies have starred in television shows, though two hadn't yet at the time this movie came out. I was especially interested in Amber Tamblyn, who starred in the sadly short-lived Joan of Arcadia, and her storyline ended up being my favorite. Meanwhile, America Ferrera, who would go on to star as the plucky heroine in ABC's Ugly Betty, won me over in her storyline, which came in a close second.

Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith - At long last, this film made Star Wars a pair of trilogies - though of course, the original trilogy is the far superior one. Still, I think this third installment was probably the best of the three, albeit not as much fun as The Phantom Menace.

Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit - This pair of claymated buddies finally got a full-length adventure. Though the chatty, addled inventor and his silent, brainy pooch might be better suited to shorter outings, this is a very fun adventure, especially for Anglophiles. And as a big fan of Art Garfunkel, the inclusion of a clip from the song Bright Eyes was a nice bonus for me.

A good year for fantasy and adaptations. Not too many surprises in 2005, but much of this year's crop felt pleasantly nostalgic.

Lord of the Rings Alums Help Me Get Through 2004's Post-LOTR Blues

The biggest media event in 2004 for me was LOST - and I didn't even experience it in 2004, since my VCR failed to tape the first couple of episodes and I knew I wouldn't want to watch the series out of order. It took LOST to fill the void left by Lord of the Rings, but 2004 had a pretty good crop of movies, most of which I didn't catch in the theater. These were my ten favorites.

13 Going on 30 - Probably my favorite movie of the year. I found it much funnier and sweeter than I expected, an endearing story of childhood sweethearts and the mistakes made along the road to adulthood. I loved getting to see Andy Serkis playing a regular old human, and quite a charming one at that, and Sean Marquette and Mark Ruffalo are extremely lovable as the younger and older versions of Matty, the love interest of Jennifer Garner's Jenna. But Garner was the one who really impressed me as the teenage girl in adult shoes trying to figure out just where she went wrong in the 17 years she never experienced.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind - One of the strangest movies of the year, it too boasts a Lord of the Rings alum. Elijah Wood's role as an unethical memory wiper is a far cry from the virtuous Frodo. The movie stars Jim Carrey in one of his most dramatic, least frenetic roles to date, while Kate Winslet is his extremely eccentric love interest. I much prefer his character to hers, but they play off one another well in this pleasantly bizarre movie about the importance of one's memories to one's identity. I'm glad I waited for this one to come out on DVD, since I ended up watching it two times in a row. It made a lot more sense the second time...

Finding Neverland - I find Winslet a lot less grating in this film, which also stars Johnny Depp and Freddie Highmore. Depp is Scottish playwright J. M. Barrie, who seems a little out of touch with reality and is happiest when reclaiming his childhood with the family led by the widowed Sylvia (Winslet). Depp's low-key performance is most endearing, as is that of Highmore, who plays one of Sylvia's sons, the lad who supposedly served as the model for Peter Pan. A lovely score and cinematography and creative incorporation of Barrie's fantasy world added to my enjoyment of this unusual biopic.

Garden State - There were three main reasons I rented this one. An acquaintance of mine had heartily recommended it, and I'd heard that its soundtrack included one of my favorite Simon and Garfunkel songs and that the cast included Ian Holm, yet another Lord of the Rings alum. I'm glad they led me to this movie, which is part romance between the quirky characters played by writer-director Zach Braff and Natalie Portman, part a reflection on dealing with grief, part coming-of-age story, part buddy comedy. It all adds up to a pretty impressive directorial debut.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban - I couldn't leave this one out. Third in the Harry Potter film series, it departs more from the books than the first two films but is still in many ways a wonderful adaptation, from the soaring score to the sweeping cinematography. Important characters such as Remus Lupin and Sirius Black are introduced, and while it's a rather painful transition from Richard Harris to Michael Gambon, Emma Thompson is hilarious as the wacky Divination professor. Meanwhile, the visual spectacle of the Hippogriff and the Patronuses are fantastic, and the Dementors are terrifying.

Mean Girls - Lindsay Lohan stars in this story of an innocent newcomer to high school who befriends a pair of oddballs, who encourage her to infiltrate the class's top clique and do some spying. Of course, she ends up getting sucked in and must ultimately decide whether popularity is worth the changes it has wrought to her personality. Based on Queen Bees and Wannabes, a treatise on teen behavior, the movie is a little over-the-top but still fun and occasionally thought-provoking.

Napoleon Dynamite - I saw this one in the theater with my brother, his friend and the exchange student staying with us. We enjoyed it, but we couldn't really think of anything to say about it as we hung around waiting to get picked up afterward. It's an odd, amusing movie about the triumph of the underdog. Jon Heder's Napoleon is awkward and towering, always sounding like he's mad at the world but expressing his frustration with a surprisingly clean vocabulary. Tina Majorino plays the most normal character in the bunch, a shy girl who actually finds Napoleon appealing. The cult hit is full of great catch-phrases that have spawned everything from magnets to t-shirts. I'm a little surprised there hasn't been a sequel, but then one movie's worth of Napoleon may be enough...

Spider-Man 2 - Probably the best of the series, though each installment has its charms. Alfred Molina and James Franco give great performances as men turned sour by tragedy, and Spidey's big heroic train scene is one of my favorite moments in a superhero movie.

The Terminal - This one didn't get a lot of attention and generally seems to have been regarded as a bit of a flop for director Steven Spielberg and star Tom Hanks. However, I loved this fairy tale-like story of a gentle man from a fictional war-torn country in eastern Europe who spends weeks living in an airport, infuriating the airport director (Stanley Tucci) but inspiring everyone else. Very sweet and very funny.

Two Brothers - This was the movie that introduced me to Freddie Highmore, my favorite child actor since Haley Joel Osment. It also stars Guy Pearce. Each of them has a significant relationship with one half of a pair of tigers, the brothers of the title. The boy and the man don't meet until late in the movie, but their scenes together are quite moving. Most notable, though, is the gorgeous cinematography that so perfectly captures the majesty of these creatures.

I've still got some catching up to do on 2004's crop of movies, but so far, what I've seen is a pretty good batch.

2006 Delivers a Solid Pack of Movies With No Clear Stand-Out

The year 2006 was a busy one for my family, with one brother graduating from college, another from high school, an international guest staying for the summer and a cousin getting married. In the midst of all the activity, we got around to watching a few movies - though the majority of 2006 movies I’ve seen were watched later, thanks to Netflix. I don’t know that I can identify a clear favorite among the films, but there were several I enjoyed very much.  These were my ten favorites.

Akeelah and the Bee - An uplifting movie about a young girl overcoming obstacles to compete in a national spelling bee. Keke Palmer is terrific as the young spelling whiz, while Laurence Fishburne shines as her determined mentor.

Cars - It’s hard to go wrong with Pixar, and Cars is one of my favorite of their films, particularly once we leave the frantic energy of the race track for the drowsy comfort of Radiator Springs, where dwell a colorful collection of automobiles, most of them weathered and rustic, none more so than Mater, a rickety, dim-witted, open-hearted tow truck voiced by Larry the Cable Guy. The characters are lovable, the animation glorious, the vision of a world populated exclusively with vehicles clever. Plus, it has Our Town, an original song by James Taylor, one of my favorite tunes to grace a Disney film in quite some time.

Charlotte's Web - The E. B. White classic was one of the first chapter books I ever read. I’d seen the cartoon many times but was excited for a live action version, and I was quite satisfied with the results. Dakota Fanning is wonderful as always, and the movie has a quiet charm to it most of the time that definitely does justice to the novel. Beautiful cinematography and a lovely theme song by Sarah McLaughlin help make this an exquisite movie.

The Holiday - I didn’t catch this one in the theater, but renting it made for a perfect cozy evening at home. I love the idea of switching houses for a few days or weeks; sounds like a grand way to take an exotic vacation. Here, it’s a workaholic American and a disgruntled Brit who exchange homes and lifestyles, leading each of them to romance and revelation. All four leads are likable, but Eli Wallach steals the show as an elderly screenwriting legend who bonds with Kate Winslet’s character.

Miss Potter - I tend not to be a big fan of Renee Zellweger, but I love her in this gentle biopic about feisty turn-of-the-century author Beatrix Potter. This movie focuses primarily on her beginnings in the writing business, when an enthusiastic young publisher played by an utterly endearing Ewan McGregor sees promise in the project his brothers saw as silly. Their business relationship blossoms into one of the sweetest love stories I’ve seen captured on film.

Nanny McPhee - Emma Thompson stars in this Mary Poppins-like tale of a nanny who tames a bunch of unruly children. She arrives, snaggle-toothed and intimidating, to help the harried single father played by Colin Firth; as her unusual disciplinary methods begin to have an effect, her appearance gradually changes for the better. A funny and tender fantasy.

Pan's Labyrinth - This dark but moving Spanish film written and directed by Guillermo del Toro delves into magical realism as it explores the story of a girl named Ofelia who seeks a fantastical inheritance while the world around her crumbles. Sergi Lopez is a horrific villain, but del Toro’s magnificent vision of Ofelia’s submerged kingdom and Ivana Baguero’s spirited performance as the young heroine, as well as Alex Angulo’s turn as a compassionate doctor, keep the film from getting bogged down in despair. This was the film I’d most hoped to see before the Oscars. I didn’t quite manage it, but when I did rent it I was able to get first-hand confirmation of what all those little gold statues had assured.

The Queen - It was a good year for biopics, and while Forrest Whitaker deserves equal recognition for his towering performance as Idi Amin in The Last King of Scotland, the horrors of that movie are such that I don’t think I could stomach another viewing. However, I’d be glad to return to Helen Mirren’s excellent performance as the restrained Queen Elizabeth II trying to wrap her head around the international outpouring of grief for Princess Diana. That incident made a big impression upon me, and it was fascinating to see it portrayed on film from the perspective of the Royal Family.

Superman Returns - I’ve always been a Superman fan, but my fondness for Clark Kent was dramatically refreshed when my brother got me hooked on Smallville in early 2006. Over the course of his last term of high school, we breezed through three seasons of the show, so when the new Superman movie hit theaters that summer, I was especially pumped. So we went to Tinseltown and bought tickets for opening night, and I went in my glow-in-the-dark Superman shirt and cheered as Superman saved the day yet again in a funny, touching, action-packed update.

We Are Marshall - I caught this one in the dollar theater, one of many films whose main draw was a LOST connection. In this case, it was Matthew Fox, who portrays one of the few surviving members of a college football team devastated by a plane crash. Fox is the brooding assistant coach, while Matthew McConaughey plays the enthusiastic newbie determined to rebuild the team practically from scratch. Meanwhile, as Marshall University’s president, David Strathairn fills a small role with great significance. This true tale of resilience in the face of tragedy is one of the best inspirational sports movies I’ve seen.

Well, there you have it. Of course, there are still a lot of major movies from 2006 that I haven’t seen, but what I saw was pretty impressive.