Asteroids Do Not Concern Me!

(If you aren't interested in small talk, skip to the movie review below.)
Last month we enjoyed the celebration of the marriage of my nephew Max and his lovely bride, Emily. We spent some time in Vegas and in the old hometown of Spanish Fork, UT. I just love visiting with family, friends, and old acquaintances. While visiting with my 'Hansen' cousins, they expressed dismay that I had ceased my little movie reviews on social media. So, they've inspired me to resume sharing my thoughts on the many movies we see. Typically, we catch a movie every Friday afternoon. This is the perfect time to attend a flick; theaters are mostly empty, quiet, and nicely air conditioned. It is the perfect way to start the weekend! By attending as many films as we do, we see mostly entertaining ones, but of course there is the occasional stinker. Please don't confuse me with a 'real' movie critic. I'm really not interested in whether a movie is artsy, relevant to the times, or is of high literary value. I really only have one rule: "Don't bore me." That's it, keep me entertained, keep my attention, then I'm good. The Scorecard for my movie reviews will be baseball related and as follows: (Why baseball related? Because baseball is the best sport ever invented and it gives me an excuse to talk about it)
K (Strikeout): Terrible movie, boring, not worth the price of admission.
Base Hit: A serviceable film, mildly entertaining, but not recommended.
Double: Solid film, would hesitatingly recommend to others, still worth seeing.
Triple: Great movie, highly recommended, thoroughly entertaining!
Home Run: Fantastic film, a definite must see, could watch over and over!
Grand Slam: A classic, not a film you'll soon forget. Would receive serious consideration to join my Top 100 list.......... That's it, here we go........

Peter Berg and Mark Wahlberg

When Mark Wahlberg and director, Peter Berg, have teamed up in the past (Lone Survivor and Patriot's Day) they've produced movie magic. Not so much with Mile 22, an incoherent, savagely violent debacle. Thank goodness, this sensory overloaded dud had a running time of only 94 ice pick to the retina minutes. I knew it was bad when we were walking out and Kar asked, " Where do we go to get our money back?" Then Ally remarked, "That movie gave me a headache behind my eye-sockets, I'm sick" Not exactly ringing endorsements. I guess we should have paid heed to it's 'R' rating, which is this case would be 'R' for Ridiculously Repugnant! We love Marky Mark, but not even his ample biceps could rescue this spectacularly awful spy yarn. This is one of those films that come out every August that sometimes is a hit, sometimes a miss. This one struck out badly. The good news is, there will be another movie next week!
Rating:

See you next week..............................

Any of you who know me, know that I am a devoted movie lover. We try to get to the Fri matinee every week. There is nothing quite like relaxing comfortably in a darkened theater with a few treats with loved ones enjoying the latest new release. I love the movies! I only have one rule for a movie: Don't bore me! As a result, there are only a handful of films that I really hated. 'The French Lieutenant's Woman' comes to mind, but that is another list for another day. A few years ago, I created my Top 100 list. Unfortunately, that document disappeared with my old Dropbox account. Over the past few months, I have come up with my current list of Top 100 Movies of All-time. Through this process, I also have created a list of another 200-300 movies that are on my Honorable Mention list. Just for fun, I thought I'd share my Top 20 which includes a few tidbits and memories from each movie. To the best of my recollection, I have included where I first viewed each film. I welcome your feedback, positive or otherwise. If you are interested in my full Top 100 list, let me know, I'll share it with you. Well, here's the list:

1. The Black Stallion (1979)

First Screening: We saw this movie for the first time at the old Uinta Theater on Center Street in Provo, UT in the summer of ’79. We loved it so much we went back and watched it again the next two nights!

Favorite Scene: Alec and The Black, alone on a deserted island, silhouetted at dusk at the water’s edge side by side with tears of joy running down Alec’s cheeks.

Favorite acting performance: Mickey Rooney as Henry Dailey

Best Line: “This horse has speed that ain’t even been tapped yet.” Henry Dailey.

2. The Man from Snowy River (1982)

First Screening: Carillon Square Theater Orem, UT. We saw this movie in Dec 1982 while on Christmas Vacation in UT.

Favorite scene: Jim and Jessica leading the colt from Old Regret on the paddock at dusk.

Favorite acting performance: Kirk Douglas as Stump and Harrison.

Best Line: “There are a dozen good brood mares in that mob, I’ll be back for them…and for whatever else is mine.” Jim Craig

3. Ben Hur (1959)

First Screening: On the 19” Black and White Zenith at home during my childhood. The HD DVD makes the viewing experience much better now.

Favorite Scene: Of course the Chariot Race, one of the greatest scenes in moviedom.

Favorite acting performance: Chuck Heston as Judah Ben Hur.

Best Line: “I know this man!” Judah Ben Hur

4. Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

First Screening: The Center Theater Salt Lake City, UT in the summer of ’80. The movie wasn’t open yet in Provo, so we had to drive up to SLC to see it on opening day.

Favorite Scene: The battle on the Ice Planet Hoth.

Favorite Acting Performance: Harrison Ford as Han Solo.

Best Line: “Do or do not. There is no try.” Yoda

5. The Godfather (1972)

First Screening: The movie was released on Mar 24, 1972, my 16th birthday. Since I was too young to get into an ‘R’ movie, I first saw it on TV in the late 70’s.

Favorite Scene: Michael Corleone blowing away Sollozzo and Captain McCluskey in the Italian family restaurant.

Favorite Acting Performance: Marlon Brando as The Godfather

Best Line: “A man who doesn’t spend time with his family can never be a real man.” Vito Corleone

6. Field of Dreams (1989)

First Screening: Mann Theaters in Glendale, CA in late April 1989.

Favorite Scene: Dr. Archibald ‘Moonlight’ Graham stepping across the edge of the Field, leaving his dream behind, to save Karin Kinsella who was choking to death on a hot dog.

Favorite Acting Performance: James Earl Jones as Terence Mann.

Best Line: “If you build it, he will come.” The Voice

7. Star Wars: A New Hope (1977)

First screening: The Center Theater in Salt Lake City, UT on June 22, 1977, the night before Steve and Paula Day’s wedding.

Favorite Scene: Luke Skywalker using The Force to destroy the Death Star.

Favorite Acting Performance: Alec Guinness as Obi Wan Kenobi

Best Line: “Help me Obi-Wan Kenobi, you’re my only hope.” Leia Organa

8. The Great Escape (1963)

First Screening: On TV sometime during my early childhood. I considered this my favorite movie of all time until I was 21 and saw Star Wars.

Favorite Scene: Hilts’ failed escape attempt riding a motorcycle jumping huge fences with the Alps in the background.

Favorite Acting Performance: The legendary Steve McQueen as Capt. Virgil Hilts, the Cooler King.

Best Line: “I haven’t seen Berlin yet, from the ground or from the air, and I plan on doing both before the war is over.” Capt. Virgil Hilts

9. Gladiator (2000)

First Screening: UA La Canada 8 on May 5, 2000.

Favorite Scene: The final battle between Maximus and the evil Commodus.

Favorite Acting Performance: Russell Crowe as ‘The Gladiator’ Maximus Decimus Meridius

Best line: “Are you not entertained?” Maximus

10. Contact (1997)

First Screening: UA La Canada 8 on July 11, 1997.

Favorite Scene: Ellie, during her travel through the cosmos, meeting the image of her dad on the most beautiful beach in the universe.

Favorite Acting Performance: The incomparable Jodie Foster as Dr. Eleanor ‘Ellie’ Arroway.

Best line: “First rule in government spending: why build one when you can build two at twice the price?” S. R. Hadden

11. The Natural (1984)

First Screening: Pacific Hastings Theater on the 60’ screen in Pasadena, CA.

Favorite Scene: Roy Hobbs’ dramatic home run blast, winning the pennant for the Knights, shattering the lights and setting off fireworks as he rounds the bases.

Favorite Acting Performance: Glenn Close as Iris Gaines

Best Line: “You know, I believe we have two lives, the life we learn with and the life we live with after that.” Iris Gaines

12. The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

First Screening: Cineplex Odeon at Universal Studios on a Fri in Sep 1994. This was one of my early ‘Friday Movie Days’ movies.

Favorite Scene: Red’s journey from his prison release to finding Andy at Zihuatanejo Beach, Mexico.

Favorite Acting Performance: A tie: Tim Robbins as Andy Dufresne and Morgan Freeman as Ellis Boyd ‘Red” Redding.

Best Line: “Get busy livin’, or get busy dyin” Red Redding

13. Planet of the Apes (1968)

First Screening: The New Eden Theater in Twin Falls, ID with my dad and granddad in Aug 1968 when I was 12 while we were on vacation. We discussed the feasibility of time travel for about 2 hours afterward.

Favorite Scene: Taylor and Nova on horseback riding along the beach discover the half buried Statue of Liberty and Taylor realizes that, tragically, he is home.

Favorite Acting Performance: Charlton Heston as George Taylor

Best Line: One of the best lines in movie history: “Take your stinking paws off me, you damned dirty ape!” Taylor

14. The Right Stuff (1983)

First Screening: AMC La Mirada 7 Oct, 21, 1983.

Favorite Scene: Chuck Yeager breaking the sound barrier for the first time.

Favorite Acting Performance: Dennis Quaid as Gordon Cooper

Best Line: “There was a demon that lived in the air. They said whoever challenged him would die. Their controls would freeze up, their planes would buffet wildly, and they would disintegrate. The demon lived at Mach 1 on the meter, seven hundred and fifty miles an hour, where the air could no longer move out of the way. He lived behind a barrier through which they said no man could ever pass. They called it the sound barrier.” The Narrator

15. Superman: The Movie (1978)

First Screening: University Mall Theaters (Large theater) Dec 1978.

Favorite Scene: Clark and Martha Kent saying their final goodbyes surrounded by a sea of golden wheat fields stretching forever.

Favorite Acting Performance: No one will ever portray Superman/ Clark Kent as well as Christopher Reeve did it.

Best Line: “It’s amazing that brain can generate enough power to keep those legs moving.” Lex Luthor

16. Braveheart (1995)

First Screening: AMC 10 (later 16) Burbank on May 19, 1995.

Favorite Scene: Wallace’s incredible pre-battle speech to the clans with face painted in blue stripes.

Favorite Acting Performance: Mel Gibson as William Wallace

Best Line: “Freedom!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” William Wallace

17. The Fugitive (1993)

First Screening: Movie theater in Newport Beach, CA in Aug 1993.

Favorite Scene: Train/bus crash which facilitates Dr. Richard Kimble’s escape

Favorite Acting Performance: Tommy Lee Jones as Lt. Samuel Gerard

Best Line: “I didn’t kill my wife.” Richard Kimble, “I don’t care.” Lt. Gerard

18. Shooter (2007)

First Screening: ArcLight Pasadena on Mar 25, 2007.

Favorite Scene: The showdown on the snow covered peaks where incredible long range shooting is on full display.

Favorite Acting Performance: Mark Walberg as Gunnery Sergeant Bob Lee Swagger.

Best Line: “Colonel, your moral compass is so ‘messed-up,’ I’ll be shocked if you manage to find your way back to the parking lot.” Attorney General Russert

19. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2017)

First Screening: ArcLight Pasadena on Dec 16, 2016.

Favorite Scene: The opening scene when the evil Director Krennic and his force of attack droids arrive on Lah’mu and kidnap Galen Erso, and kill his wife. Jyn, their young daughter, escapes and is rescued by Saw Gerrera.

Favorite Acting Performance: Alan Tudyk as K-2SO.

Best Line: “Be careful not to choke on your aspirations, Director.” Darth Vader

20. The Count of Monte Cristo (2002)

First Screening: AMC 10 Burbank Jan 25, 2002

Favorite Scene: The birthday toast for Albert Mondego.

Favorite Acting Performance: Richard Harris as Abbe Faria

Best Line: “Life is a storm my young friend. You will bask in the sunlight one moment, be shattered on the rocks the next. What makes you a man is what you do when that storm comes. You must look into that storm and shout as you did in Rome, ‘Do your worst, for I will do mine!’ Then the fates will know you as we know you: as Albert Mondego, the man!” Edmond Dontes.