Books and movies have provided me with some of the greatest moments of stimulation and diversion in my life. I am just vain enough to believe that my view on what makes a good movie (or a good book, for that matter) could be important or could influence someone. Here is my personal movie guide. AKEELAH AND THE B. - 2006 - Laurence Fishbourne - Angela Basset. An eleven year old black girl has the ability to learn words and remember how to spell them. This leads to a spelling bee and the opening up of an entire world for her and her family and friends. Not to be missed. 11 A BEAUTIFUL MIND: 2001 - Russell Crowe, Jennifer Connelly. This is the story of Dr. John Nash, a brilliant math scholar who is plagued by mental illness. The film is a fictional account of what his life was like, and I understand that the screen writer took a great deal of liberty with the acutal story, but they made a wonderful movie. The middle of it is very tough - I was horrified by what was going on - but the ending is terrific and worth all of the agony to get to it. 9 A STAR IS BORN: 1976. This is the 2nd remake of the classic movie starring Judy Garland. This version stars Barbra Streisand and Kris Kristofferson. Streisand plays a young girl who is discovered by a rock star and eventually eclipses him. It is an all around great flick. The song "Evergreen" was introduced in this movie. 10 A WALK ON THE MOON: 1999. I am not sure of the names of the actors, but the movie is about living in New York City in 1969 and how families used to spend summers in the cottages in the Catskills and Poconos because it was so hot in the city. I thought that the movie was very well done, and it will bring back a lot of memories if you lived through that era. 9 AMERICAN PRESIDENT: Michael Douglas, Annette Bening, Martin Sheen, Michael J. Fox. November, 1995 release. Douglas plays the President. His wife passed away shortly before he was elected leaving him with a 13 year old daughter. Bening is a high priced lobbyist that stumbles into his life. The movie is about that relationship and the difficulties of being the President and trying to go out on a date. Delightful, easy to watch, happy ending, what more could you ask for. 9 AS GOOD AS IT GETS: 1997. Jack Nicholson and Helen Hunt. Nicholson plays an obsessive-compulsive author who meets a waitress with many problems at a local restaurant. The entire movie is about their relationship and about how they help each other and ultimately fall in love. This is a great movie and both of these stars won academy awards for their efforts. 10 BACK TO THE FUTURE: This was the first of three "Back to the Future" movies starring Michael J. Fox. While the sequels were interesting, they did not approach the magic of the original offering. 9 BEACHES: Bette Midler plays a child star that meets another young girl under the boardwalk in Atlantic City (Barbara Hershey) and continues a very special relationship through their entire life. The movie featured the song "Wind Beneath My Wings" and was, in my opinion, Bette Midler's very best work. It is a tear jerker and all the reviews were not great but it will be a classic. 10 BEING THERE: Peter Sellers, Shirley MacLaine. 1979. Peter Sellers plays the role of an unassuming gardener who is mistaken for an heir to a fortune. This was a brilliant performance by Peter Sellers and while the movie is not all that it could be, it is well worth the time to see it. 10 BEVERLY HILLS COP: Eddie Murphy plays a cop from Detroit who heads out to Beverly Hills to try and discover what happened to his brother. His experience as a cop in Motown holds him in good stead as he teaches the California police how to deal with the criminal culture. 9 BIG FISH: Albert Finney - Jessica Lange - Billy Curddup - 2003. This film, by Tim Burton, is a story about a father and his son and the misunderstandings that probably plague most father/son relationships. The first half of the movie could have been a little shorter and at times it becomes confusing, but the second half of the movie was a wonderful representation of what life should be like. Great performances and very well done. 9 BODY OF EVIDENCE: Madonna - Willim DaFoe. (DVD) An older, wealthy man is found dead in his bed. He had a heart attack but there were traces of coke in his system and the police think that the heart attack was induced by his lover on purpose. His lover, of course, was Rebecca (played by Madonna). She hires DaFoe to defend her. It is a very good mystery/suspense movie and it is very hot as Rebecca spins a sexual web around every man she comes into contact with. 8 BORN YESTERDAY: A remake of a famous movie. The new version stars John Goodman as a wealthy, cunning businessman. Melanie Griffith is his beautiful but dumb, blonde wife. Don Johnson plays a newspaper man who is writing a story on the businessman. Griffith comes of age as the modern day Marilyn Monroe in this easy to watch comedy. While Goodman may be guilty of over acting, Griffith more than makes up for it. 9 BRAVEHEART: 1995. Director/star Mel Gibson took home the Best Picture and Best Director Academy Awards for this historical epic about 13th century Scottish hero, William Wallace. The movie is a bit brutal, but the times were brutal. 8 BREAKER MORANT: The setting is the Boar war at the turn of the century. 3 Australian soldiers serving with the British Army are on trial by courts-martial for essentially following orders. This is the age old question of responsibility for actions taken as a result of orders during military activity. Brian Brown and Edward Woodward are excellent. This is a captiviating 4 star movie. 10 THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY: 1995 - Clint Eastwood and Meryl Streep play the lead roles in this screen adaption of the best selling book by Robert Waller. Basically, Eastwood is a photographer for National Geographic who has come to Madison County, Iowa to photograph covered bridges. He meets Streep while trying to find a bridge and it just so happens that her family is out of town for four days. The chemistry is right and the two of them have a very extraordinary relationship which changes both of their lives and winds up changing the lives of her two children when they learn of this many years later, after her death. Bring a box of tissues, you will need them. 9 BULL DURHAM: 1988 - Kevin Costner, Susan Sarandon, Tim Robbins. A minor league baseball classic. This is a "easy to watch" movie that is not very deep but is very entertaining. 10 CAT BALLOU: Jane Fonda stars with Lee Marvin as the old gun slinger who has come back to take on his arch rival. Stubby Kaye and Nat King Cole provide the narration and music. Lee Marvin won an Acadamy Award for his perfomance. 10 CHOCOLAT: (2000) Juliette Binoche, Judi Dench, Lena Olin, Alfred Molina, and Johnny Depp. In a small town in the south of France, a single mother and her daughter arrive and open a chocolate shop. The mayor of this town controls everything, including attendance at church, and is not happy that the shop opened during lent. In my opinion, this is as near a perfect movie as you can get. It has a moral, it is not offensive, the story moves well, and you will feel good at the end. Johnny Depp's best performance. Not to be missed. 10 CIDER HOUSE RULES, THE: (1999) Michael Caine, Toby McGuire, Charlize Theron. Caine plays Dr. Wilbur Leech who is the director of an orphanage in Maine during the 40's. McGuire plays an orphan named Homer who is raised at the home and brought under the doctors wing. The story is about Homer's "coming of age" and finding his place in the world. It is also about love, war, and abortion. Caine gives a 4-star performance. Great movie. 9 CITY SLICKERS: Billy Crystal plays the part of a middle aged businessman and father who follows 2 of his friends into a number of silly adventures as they try to prove that they have not lost their youth. This time they have signed up to work an a cattle drive. Jack Palance plays "Curly", the old time cowboy who heads up the drive - and is excellent in the role. 9 COCOON: Wilford Brimley, Don Ameche, Hume Cronyn, Jessica Tandy, Steve Guttenburg, and Brian Dennehy all star in this great movie about a group of aliens who come to Earth to retrieve some cocoons left behind hundreds of years ago that contain fellow aliens. In the process they meet up with a group of very active senior citizens and offer them the opportunity to return with them to a place without aging or death. A delightful fantasy. 10 COMING HOME: 1978 - Jane Fonda and Jon Voight. A parapalegic veteran returns home from the Vietnam War and gets involved with a volunteer worker whose husband is a Marine officer (Bruce Dern). A very moving drama about the pain and agony that endurs after the war is over. 9 CONTACT: 1997 - Jodie Foster. A young girl falls in love with the stars and becomes an astronomer whose goal is to make contact with life in other solar systems. The story of what she finds, both here on earth and in the heavens is well worth the time spent watching this wonderful movie. 9 COOL HAND LUKE: 1967. Paul Newman is a man sentenced to serve hard time in a tough prison in the south. The daily chain gang include George Kennedy and Dennis Hopper. Strother Martin plays a sadistic warden but the inmates manage to survive and retain their sanity. 10 DAMN YANKEES: Tab Hunter, Ray Walston, and Gwen Verden star in this movie vesion of the smash broadway play about a fellow who makes a deal with the devil so that he can play one season with the Washington Senators and lead them to a pennant past the New York Yankees. 10 DANCES WITH WOLVES: Kevin Costner stars and directs this modern classic about the Government's push west after the civil war. This movies clearly depicts the Indian civilization as the oppressed of the period. 10 DAVE: Kevin Kline, Sigourney Weaver. Kevin Kline plays the role of a Presidential double hired to stand in for the pres whenever it might be to difficult or dangerous for him to make an appearance himself. Dave does too good of a job and when the president has a stroke while in the middle of an extramarital tryst, Dave is called upon to cover. The best part about this movie is the way that they tie the whole thing together at the end. 10 DISCLOSURE: 1994. Michael Douglas and Demi Moore star in the filmversion of the book by Michael Creighton. It is an excellent story about corporate and sexual politics in the 90's. The book was was easy to read and the movie is easy to watch. 9 DIE HARD: 1988. Bruce Willis and Bonnie Bedalia star in an action packed adventure about a crazy man (Alan Rickman) who holds a skyscraper full of people hostage. The language is rough but the action is very well done and it kept me on the edge of my seat. 9 DIRTY DANCING: Patrick Swayze is the Dance Instructor at a Catskills resort. Jerry Orbach brings his family up for a summer vacation. Jennifer Grey (Joel Grey's daughter) plays Baby, who falls for Swayze in a big way. The music and dancing is super, and the story moves right along. Easy to watch any number of times. 10 DIRTY HARRY: Clint Eastwood plays Harry Callahan, a San Francisco Police Detective who gets all of the dirty jobs. The Mayor doesn't like how he goes about doing his job, but they can't seem to get along without him. This is a classic cop movie and Eastwood made four more "Dirty Harry" movies after this. 10 DRIVING MISS DAISY: Jessica Tandy stars (with Morgan Freeman and Dan Akroyd) as an older lady who is still very active but cannot drive any longer. Her son (Akroyd) hires a driver to take her wherever she wants to go. The relationship between the driver and "Miss Daisy" becomes the focal point of the movie. 10 DR. ZHIVAGO: 1965. Omar Sharif stars as the Russian doctor and writer branded as an enemy of the state after the 1917 revolution. It also stars Julie Christie and Alec Guinness. The movie won 5 Academy Awards. 10 A FEW GOOD MEN: 1994. Tom Cruise, Demi Moore, and Jack Nicholson. A Marine Colonel who commands the Marine detachment at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba is responsible for the death of a young private who didn't fit in. The story is in the Court-Martial and the peopel involved. Great acting and riviting story. 10 FIDDLER ON THE ROOF: 1971. This is the story of Tevye, the Milk Man in Pre Revolution Russia, and of his wife and 4 daughters. This is a screen adaption of a broadway musical that was a smash hit. Tevye is played by the man who starred in the play when it was in Israel - Topol. No one could understand the casting until they saw the movie, and then no one could understand how anybody else could play the part. 10 FIELD OF DREAMS: This is a baseball fantasy that is maybe my favorite movie of all time. Kevin Costner stars with James Earl Jones, Ray Liotta, and Burt Lancaster. He is a farmer in Iowa who is bothered by a strange voice telling him to create a baseball diamond out of his corn field. A lot of people thought the movie just wasn't believable, but I think they missed the point - fantasy isn't supposed to be realistic - it is supposed to be fantasy. This is an easy movie to watch, and you won't want it to end. 10 FINDING FORRESTER: 2000 - Sean Connery. This is a movie about an author who published one book many years ago and then dropped out of sight. Through a strange sequence of events, he befriends a 16 year old boy who lives in the neighborhood. The youngster is very bright and well read - and is also a very good basketball player. He is recruited to attend a private school where his talents are exploited and his writing ability is questioned. While the movie was slow in the middle, the performances were first rate and the last half of the film was delightful. The movie is right up there with Good Will Hunting and Scent of a Woman. 10 FLASHDANCE: 1983 - Jennifer Beales. Good movie about a female steel worker who wants to be a dancer. Super music, good story, nice ending. Big hit that year. 9 FOR THE LOVE OF THE GAME: 2000 - Kevin Costner, Kelly Preston. Billy Chapel is pitching what will turn out to be his last game after 19 years as a Detroit Tiger. During the game, in flashbacks, he goes over a relationship with Jayne, a girl he met quite by accident. It's a chick flick, built around baseball, and I really enjoyed it. It will win no awards but it is what movies are supposed to be about - entertainment. 9 FRISCO KID, THE: Harrison Ford stars with Gene Wilder in this story of a very young Polish Rabbi who is sent to San Francisco to take over a congregation that has lost their Rabbi. Of course, this all takes place in the days right after the civil war when it was not so easy to get from Poland to San Francisco. 9 FUNNY GIRL: 1968. The life of Fanny Brice as portrayed by Barbra Streisand. Omar Sharif plays Nickie Arnstein. The music is wonderful. Songs include 'People' and 'Don't Rain On My Parade'. 9 FUNNY LADY: Barbra Streisand, James Caan. The sequel to Funny Girl. Again, great music, but not necessarily a great movie. 8 GHOST: Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore are the perfect young Husband and Wife. He works on Wall Street and she is an artist. He gets killed in what appears to be a random crime and then reappears as a ghost to help his wife figure out what really happened. Whoopie Goldberg plays the Fortune Teller - Medium that he uses to converse with Demi Moore. There are a lot of things that don't make sense, but once again, since when did fantasy have to make sense. Great music in this one. Brought back Unchained Melody and made it a hit once more. 9 GODFATHER, THE: 1972 - Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, and a host of great character acters star in this larger than life look at the workings of the Mafia. Part II and Part III are also worth seeing. They will make more sense if you watch them in the correct order. 9 GOLDFINGER: I think this was the best of all the James Bond movies. Sean Connery stars and never looked better. 9 GOODBYE GIRL: Richard Dreyfuss and Marsha Mason wind up both subletting the same apartment and decide to share it. She is tired of having guys have a good time and then say good bye. He resents being covered with all of her old baggage. She has a smart mouth daughter that winds up helping to bring them together in this very improbable love story. 9 GOOD WILL HUNTING: 1997 - Matt Daemon, Robin Williams, Minnie Driver. A young man who cannot afford college and is working as a janitor at an ivy league school attracks the attention of a math professor with his incredible talent. Robin Williams plays a pyschiatrist who works with the young man to bring him out of his protective shell so he can get on with his life. This is a magnificent movie with the exception of the coarse language that occurs throughout the film. 10 GRAND CANYON: Kevin Kline, Steve Martin, and Danny Glover star in this wonderful movie about how life happens and how each of us has to do everything we can to be in the right place at the right time. It is a great story with a great moral. 10 GREEN MILE, THE: (1999) Tom Hanks, David Morse. Takes place in 1935 at a Louisianna Death Row. Hanks and Morse are guards who actually carry out the executions. A new convict is brought to them who is very different than anything that they have ever known. His story, and how it affects everyone he comes into contact with makes for a fascinating movie. 10 GRUMPY OLD MEN: Walter Matthau, Jack Lemmon, Burgess Meredith and Ann Margaret star in a story set in Northern Minnesota during the winter. Two next door neighbors have been friendly enemies for more years than either wants to admit when a lovely, younger (than them) women moves in across the street. Burgess Meredith plays Jack Lemmon's father and is hilarious. Make sure that you stay for all of the credits. 9 GRUMPIER OLD MEN: 1995. The same cast as the original get together again with the addition of Sophia Loren to continue the story of these neighbors and their life in Wabasha, Minn. This story takes place in the summer and is just as funny and delightful as the first. Finally, a sequel worth watching. 8 HEAVEN CAN WAIT: 1978. Warren Beatty and Julie Christie along with Dyan Cannon, Charles Grodin, and Jack Warden star in this remake of Here Comes Mr. Jordan. Beatty plays the role of a Quarterback for the Los Angeles Rams who is taken prematurely by an novice angel who has not yet earned his wings. Finding another body for him to live out the rest of his life then becomes the basis for a really different love story. 10 THE HUSTLER: 1961. Paul Newman plays "Fast Eddie" Felson and Jackie Gleason plays "Minnesota" Fats in this famous movie about hustling pool around the country. George C. Scott co-stars. A sequel was made in the 90's - The Color of Money with Paul Newman and Tom Cruise. It is not as good of a movie but if you see The Hustler, you should see the sequel. 10 THE IMPOSTERS: Stanly Tucci - Oliver Platt. Two out of work actors wind up as stow-a-ways on an ocean liner in this slapstick comedy. The movie is very reminiscent of the Marx Brothers or Laurel and Hardy. I thought that it was very funny but it won't appeal to everybody. 9 KING OF HEARTS, THE: 1966 - Alan Bates, Genvieve Bujold. A city in France is deserted during the war because the Germans are coming. The inmates are let out of the asylum and take over the town. They do a much better job of living in the town than the citizens who left. Great movie. 9 THE LAST SAMURAI: Tom Cruise - 2003. Although fairly graphic with huge battle scenes, this is an excellent movie with fine performances by Cruise and many unknown actors. I really enjoyed it. 9 THE LEGEND OF BAGGER VANCE - 2000 - Matt Damon - Will Smith - Charlize Theron - Jack Lemmon (briefly). This movie was directed by Robert Redford and is very artistic, as are most of his films. It is also very slow - which will be a turn off for many people. I found it charming and while it will never come close to being "Field Of Dreams", it has the same kind of appeal. The movie starts during the first world war and takes place in Savanah, Georgia. A local golF "legend" goes off to war and when he returns he is a very different person. No one sees or hears of him for a very long time. Move to the early 30's - the depression. Our hero becomes the focal point for a very special golf match. And the rest of the movie revolves around that match and the people who are involved. It is a great sports story - love story - human interest story - slow but very well done. 9 LETHAL WEAPON: 1987. Mel Gibson and Danny Glover in a "buddy" movie about two LA detectives trying to bring down a drug ring. 9 LOVE ACTUALLY: Hugh Grant - Emma Thompson - and ensembel - 2003. An excellent romantic comedy that moves well and has many memorable scenes. The story is about a large number of different people who are all inter-connected in some way or another - who all manage to find love at more or less the same time. I especially enjoyed the way that the film came to an end, bringing all of the different stories together and making everyone watching feel good about having done so. 10 MAJOR LEAGUE: Charlie Sheen, Corbin Bernsen, and a great assortment of character actors make up the Cleveland Indians who wind up playing way over their heads just so the owner can't cancel her stadium lease and move the team to who knows where. This is a great baseball comedy that provides Cleveland with the best pennant race it has seen in years. 10 MASH: 1970 - Elliot Gould and Donald Sutherland star as Trapper John and Hawkeye Pierce, 2 surgeons assigned to a MASH unit in Korea. Sally Kellerman plays Hot Lips Houlihan as the unit tries to survive the war. 10 MEET JOE BLACK: 1998. Anthony Hopkins and Brad Pitt. It is hard to write a synopsis of this movie without giving the whole thing away. Anthony Hopkins plays a very successful man who has come to the end of his life and Joe Black appears as the "angel" who is going to take him to his next assignment. It is drama, romance, fantasy, and mystery. Very high on my list - but you have to be able to suspend reality. 10 MIRACLE: Kurt Russell - 2004. The story of the 1980 USA olympic hockey team is told with Russell playing the coach, Herb Brooks. This is an excellent movie that really does justice to a great event in American sports history. 10 MOLLY MAGUIRES, THE: 1970. Sean Connery and Richard Harris tell the story of the Coal Mines of Pennsylvania at the turn of the century. The Molly Maguires were the first of the Union-like organizations that tried to stand up to the companies exploiting the workers. Great movie and a good history lesson. 9 MONA LISA SMILE: Julia Roberts. Roberts plays a 30-something college instructor in Art History. She applies and gets a position at Wellesly College. She soon learns that teaching at this institution is more about conforming than about challenging students to stretch their intellect. Roberts is excellent and the movie tells its story well. It's not a classic but it is a good movie. 9 MR. HOLLAND'S OPUS: 1995, Richard Dreyfuss. The story follows Mr. Holland from the mid 60's when he starts teaching music at a high school in Portland, Oregon through his retirement in 1995. What started out as a 4 year "gig" to put enough money away until he could take the time to write his music, winds up becoming his life work. We see the times change with the students and we see his goals and objectives change as well. The movie has a message: Life is what happens to you on the way to finding out what you want out of it. Extremely well done. 9 MUSIC FROM THE HEART: 1999, Meryl Streep. A very well done story about a violin teacher trying to support her two sons. I didn't really want to go to see this one but I wound up enjoying it a great deal. Heart warming and another wonderful performance by Ms. Streep. 9 MYSTERY, ALASKA: 1999, Russell Crowe, Burt Reynolds. The story is about a very small town way north in Alaska where the most exciting thing going on is the Saturday Afternoon hockey game. A dozen of the town's best hockey players get together on a "black ice" pond every Saturday afternoon and the city "fathers" decide on who will be on which team - so these guys are always playing either with or against each other. Then a fellow who grew up there and moved away to become a sports publicist, returns to tell the city fathers that he has arranged an exhibition game between the Mystery players and the New York Rangers. The whole thing becomes "bigger than life" and the movie shows how everyone in the city is affected. By no means an award winner but an excellent movie for pure entertainment. 9 NATURAL, THE: 1984. Robert Redford, Barbara Hershey. Beautiful movie about a baseball player who can do it all and how the owners and gamblers attempt to corrupt him. Great visuals and story. It can become confusing at times, but it is a true classic. Robert Duvall, Glenn CLose, Kim Basinger, also star. 9 NOBODY'S FOOL: 1994. Paul Newman and Melanie Griffith star in this wonderful movie about a neer-do-well who is forced to confront the emptiness of his life during a visit from his estranged son. 9 NOTTING HILL: 1999. Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant. This is a perfect date movie. Julia Roberts plays a world famous actress (and why not?) who meets Hugh Grant while she is filming on England. From there it is the story of how they meet, separate, meet again, and fall in love. This is pure entertainment and very easy to watch. 9 NUTS: Barbra Streisand and Richard Dreyfuss. Streisand stars as a "nut case" who is really ok but is rebelling against her manipulative parents. Dreyfuss becomes her public defender and saves the day. This is a great flick but it is hard to watch. 9 ON GOLDEN POND: Henry Fonda and Katherine Hepburn take their family to a vacation at the family cabin. Jane Fonda plays the grown up daughter dealing with the aging of her parents. Only movie that the two Fonda's starred in together. Good flick. 9 OPEN RANGE: Robert Duvall - Kevin Costner - Annette Bening - 2003. A good, old fashioned western where you know who the good guys are and you know who the bad guys are. The acting is superb and the scenery is marvelous. Excellent, oscar worthy film. 9 PATCH ADAMS: 1998 - Robin Williams. Williams plays an older medical student who tries to bring a sense of humor and compassion to the medical profession and faces a great deal of pressure to cease and desist being a human being. A very well done movie with a great deal of compassion and warmth. 10 PRETTY WOMAN: Julia Roberts is a street walker in Hollywood. Richard Gere is the single businessman who picks her up for a lark and hires her to be his companion for a week. This is a very easy movie to watch over and over again - It is a modern day "My Fair Lady/Cinderella". 10 PRINCE OF TIDES, THE: Barbra Streisand, Nick Nolte. Directed and starred in by Streisand, this Patrick Conway novel is about a family that grew up in the south and went through hell together. A sister is now attempting suicide. Streisand is the Shrink and Nolte is the brother. Great visual accomplishment. Worth the time. Heavy but excellent. 10 PRINCESS BRIDE, THE: Robin Wright, Mandy Patinkin, Carey Elwes, Billy Crystal, Andre the Giant. An absolute "must see" for everyone. May be a little to graphic for the very young. But should really captivate young adults over the age of 13. Adults will appreciate the humor and fantasy much more than kids will. 10 RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK: 1981. Harrison Ford is the famous professor Indiana Jones in the adventure film that set the standard for modern day adventures. The stunts are amazing - the effects are astounding - the direction is flawless and the pace is perfect. 10 RAIN MAN: 1988. Dustin Hoffman is an idiot savant being maintained in a private care facility. Tom Cruise is his shifty brother. When their father dies and leaves everything for the care of the invalid sibling, the brothers get reacquainted and the story of their life unfolds. Hoffman won the Best Actor Award for his portrayal of the Savant brother. 10 RETURN TO ME: 2000. David Duchovny, Minnie Driver, and Carroll O'Connor. This is an very well done romantic comedy that should stand the test of time. Minnie Driver plays a young lady with a genetic heart condition who is waiting for a transplant. David Duchovny is a builder whose dynamic wife is killed in an auto accident. Driver gets the heart and as fate would have it, the two of them meet about a year later and neither knows that the other is involved with the heart in question. O'Connor plays the Grandfather of Driver and does a wonderful job. The movie is an very enjoyable two hours with lots of laughs and hugs and kisses. 10 RESURRECTION: Ellen Burstyn is a woman who finds out that she has acquired the power to heal the sick. While other so-called faith healers travel around the bible belt making a living from their "powers", she has to deal with the media and the trouble that even a small degree of fame can bring. This is a great story, very well told. 10 ROCKY: The American Dream - this is why we root for the under dog. Sylvester Stallone plays a local Philadelphia boxer named Rocky Balboa who is selected almost at random for a chance at the Heavyweight title. Given no chance to win, he goes about getting into shape in the least glamorous way possible. Great performances by Carl Weathers, Talia Shire, and Burgess Meredith. Believe it or not there were four sequels to this movie. Whle none of them were as good as the original movie, they weren't bad. You will have to make up your own mind. 9 ROMANCING THE STONE: Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner star in this adventure romance about a chase after an elusive emerald. Danny DeVito adds a comic touch and the movie really works. 10 THE ROOKIE: Dennis Quaid, Rachelle Griffiths - 2002. The true story about Jim Morris who pitched in the minors and hurt his arm. He had surgery and got a job in a small town in west Texas where he taught science and coached baseball. When his arm healed, he found that he could throw harder than he ever had, and on a challange from his players, he tried out for the major leagues again. An excellent film, rated G and very well done. 10 ROXANNE: Steve Martin, Daryl Hannah. 1987: A modern day adaption of Cyrano with Steve Martin playing the role of the fire chief in a small town who has a "BIG NOSE" and the stuff to back it up. Very easy movie to watch. 10 SAVING GRACE: 2000 (from Scotland). A comedy of the same type as Waking Ned DeVine. Grace loses her husband at the beginning of the movie and finds that she is left with a tremendous debt and no income. Some of the residents of the small city come up with a plan to help her raise enough money to pay off the debts and be able to live. I don't want to give any of it away, so you will have to watch the movie to find out what happens - but trust me on this, you will have a good time. It is a wonderful comedy that has something for everybody. 10 SCHINDLER'S LIST: 1994. Liam Neeson and Ben Kingsley. This is a story of the holocaust and of one man's effort to save some of the victims. The movie captures the terror and the insanity that ruled the day during this period of modern history, and it does not paint Arthur Schindler as a saint by any stretch of the imagination. The movie is filmed in black and white and is incredible in a hundred different ways. It must be seen. 10 SEABISCUIT: 2003 - Jeff Bridges - Tobey Maguire. The story of a small racing horse in the 1930s. The movie is a visual delight and maybe one of the best I have ever seen. The acting was excellent and the story was exceptional. Moviegoers were clapping during the movie - incredible. 10 THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION: 1994. Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman. Robbins plays the part of a financial expert who gets caught up in a murder and winds up in prison. Prison life is hard and corrupt and nasty but he adapts and makes a life for himself. Great story and great ending. A five star movie. 10 SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT: Burt Reynolds is "The Bandit". Jerry Reed is his Sidekick. Sally Fields is his gal. Jackie Gleason is "Smokey". This is the first of the modern "Chase" comedies. The Bandit and his friendly sidekick take on a dare to bring a truckload of beer across state lines from Texas to Alabama. They have to complete the round trip in some ridiculous amount of time, so the Bandit runs interference for the 18 wheeler. Lotsa laughs - a good vehicle for Gleason to shine. 9 SOMETHINGS GOT TO GIVE: Jack Nicholson - Diane Keaton - 2003. Nicholson plays a 63 year old single man who is bright, wealthy, and likes dating much younger women. On a trip to the Hamptons with his current girl friend, played by an adorable Amanda Peet, he meets her mother, Keaton. The movie is about the two of them falling in love, discovering each other, and it is just good entertainment. Keaton steals the movie - she is wonderful. The story is tender and loving and the music is wonderful. 10 SOUND OF MUSIC: The hills are alive with the sound of the Von Trapp family singers finding out that Germany and Austria are not the place to be during the 2nd World War. Julie Andrews is the young girl trying to become a Nun who is assigned the job of being a Nanny to the Von Trapp children. Christopher Plummmer plays the father who is trying to balance the new world on his shoulders. A musical classic. 10 SOUTH PACIFIC: Mitzi Gaynor and Rossino Brazzi bring this Broadway hit to the screen. The music is wonderful and the acting is terrific. Just a great show. 10 SPACE COWBOYS: 2000, Clint Eastwood, James Garner, Tommy Lee Jones, Donald Sutherland. Four ex Air Force test pilots who never had a chance to participate in the space program in the 50's are called back to work on an old piece of equipment that nobody else can deal with. This is a good, funny, well paced movie that is very easy to watch. 9 STAR WARS: Harrison Ford stars in the first of the 3 movies that make up this George Lucas trilogy. A futuristic look at Good triumphing over Evil. The story is the same but it is told better than ever before. 9 STING, THE: Paul Newman, Robert Redford. One of the all time great movies about grifters and the big double cross. Good music, great cast, excellent direction. 10 SUMMER OF '42: Jennifer O'Neill is the lonely young widow alone at the summer cottage. This 'coming of age' movie was made in 1971 and holds up very well. 9 SWEET NOVEMBER: 2001, Keanu Reeves, Charlize Theron; Reeves plays a very modern young man working in advertising who is completely wrapped up in his business world. Theron plays a very delightful young lady who seems to be in the business of changing the world, one man at a time. She convinces Reeves to live with her for the month of November so that he can learn to relax and enjoy life. The first 3/4 of this movie are as sweet and tender and funny as anything you have ever seen. The ending, however, must be defined as "bitter-sweet". It's a great date movie but be forewarned, you may not like the ending. 9 "10": 1979 - Bo Derek, Dudley Moore, Julie Andrews. Dudley Moore falls in love with a fantasy woman who he then meets on a beach. It's a movie about a guy going through a mid life crisis with one of the most beautiful girls in the world. 9 TERMS OF ENDEARMENT: 1983. Debra Winger, Shirly Maclaine, Jack Nicholson. A young mother relies on her Mother and friends to help her when she discovers that she has a terminal illness and can no longer cope with the demands of raising 3 young children. If you don't cry at this movie your heart is made of stone. Five oscars and well worth your time. 10 TITANIC: 1997 - Leonardo DiCapra, Kate Winslet. The story of the ill fated Titanic is brought to life by this wonderful movie that finds a very unique way to relate what happened in 1917. It is a love story that will grab you and hold you in your seat for the entire 3 hours and 15 minutes. The movie won eleven academy awards including best picture. 10 UNBEARABLE LIGHTNESS OF BEING, THE: 1988, Juliette Binoche. This movie tells the story of Chekloslovakia and the way it was before the 1968 invasion by Russia, and then the way it was afterwards. It is a long movie but very watchable. You can really feel the change in the country. Very well done. 10 UNDER THE TUCSAN SUN: Diane Lane - 2003. A women loses her house in a messy divorce and takes a tour of Italy where she winds up buying a house that is very old and very much in need of a lot of renovation. Her life changes and we get to watch the entire evolution unfold. The scenery is beautiful and the movie is very 'feel good'. 10 WAKING NED DEVINE: 1999. This is a delightful comedy made in Ireland that starts with one of the best scenes I have every had the pleasure of laughing at. The movie is about the trouble that comes to a small town in Ireland when one of it's residents wins the lottery and then has a heart attack and dies when he gets the good news. His friends and neighbors want to cash in the ticket and split the prize - and getting there is a great laugh for all. 10 WAY WE WERE, THE: 1973. Barbra Streisand, Robert Redford. Too much make-up and the effort to place the movie in the right time frame may have been over emphasized, but the music is great and the story is well told. They first get together during their college days in the 30's and then meet again in Hollywood in the 50's. 9 WEST SIDE STORY: Natalie Wood, Richard Beymer, Rita Moreno, George Chakiris, Directed by Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins. 1961. 154 Minutes. A modern day retelling of the Romeo and Juliet story set in New York in the 50's. This movie won 10 Academy Awards including Best Picture. 10 WHAT DREAMS MAY COME: 1998 - Robin Williams. This is a fantasy with the most beautiful scenes I have ever seen. The movie is an absolute tear jerker and not for the insensitive. It has to do with living and losing and heaven and hell and how we perceive all of these things. 10 YOUNGBLOOD: Rob Lowe, Cindy Gibb. 1986. Minor league hockey and the people who are involved with it. Very enjoyable movie with good action scenes and lots of romance. 9 ===========================================================================