Channel Surfing at its best.

This past week I came across a few movies that I totally love. I watch a few scenes, I get caught up in the story and I end up wanting to watch the DVD but before all that happens, another movie is on and I don’t get to finish what I started to watch.

Here’s a few that came across the dial as I surfed.

I’ve always considered Boggie Nights as one of my all time favorite films. I was able to catch the beginning and the introduction of characters. This movie is almost perfect in structure in my book, and its so difficult to maintain a strong structure with such an ensemble cast with B-stories throughout. But this one really represents the hero’s journey. From the ‘call to adventure’ to the acceptance of the call, to the fall and back up again. It has it all. I particularly love this movie because of the music. I was there - you know the 70s and early 80s - and hearing the music alone triggers a sense of emotion that I can attach to the film in a positive way. God, I love this movie.

Saturday Night Fever was on and John Travolta’s innocence and desire to win the dance contest is very easy to identify with. It’s the ultimate ‘super want’ of a character and he didn’t deviate from trying to achieve the goal. And fit into this through line there’s a boy meets girl, boy gets girl and boy loses girl storyline. Again, the music triggers that sense of emotion once again and just like Boggie Nights, its from the days of old. What a fun movie to watch!

This entry should be themed ‘the emotional response that music can illicit in a movie’ because here’s another movie where the music just fits. I know several people who criticized the music in this movie and how it didn’t fit. And one writing teacher at UCLA also admitted he felt the same way until he watched it again and realized how well the music worked. Again a perfect character arch. Superwants, realizations, falling into the worst possible scenario and then finding your way out. Tom Cruise is great in this movie and his relationship with Jeanne Tripplehorn who played his wife was a perfect match. I though this would lead to bigger roles for Jeanne Tripplehorn but she hasn’t been seen too often on the star level.

Okay… I really like this movie! Jack Lemon and Walter Matthau are great together. But the ensemble cast is what makes up this movie. I watched the beginning of this movie. The whole setup for Jack Lemon’s character to want to commit suicide. The scene with his poker buddies freaking out over him was classic! Those younger generation, the 20somethings, should do themselves a favor and watch a 60s classic. Funny, funny movie! And of course, who could forget the opening theme for the movie (and the sitcom)? Brilliant.

And those are just four movies I came across this past week that were a pleasure to watch. Even if it was a few minutes of jumping back between baseball games or another show. Channel surfing at its best.