I love movies. They have always been part of my life. The first movie I recall seeing was Godzilla. I went with my mother and father before I was even old enough for school. I can’t recall the storyline of the film but I do remember being terrified and later hearing my parents discussing whether or not it had been appropriate to take me to see something so obviously scary. I suppose it did not have too much impact on my psyche because I enjoy thrilling and frightening movies to this very day.
We often went to drive in movie theaters when my brothers and I were young. My mother especially liked the bargain nights when a whole carload of people cost only the price of one adult. She would bring sandwiches and a big brown paper bag filled with popcorn. We sipped on sodas that she stowed inside a cooler in the back seat. She always brought pillows as well in case any of us grew weary and ready to sleep before both of the double features were over.
My father enjoyed the experience of a grand theater. One of the last movies I saw with him was in San Francisco where we watched The Mountain with Spencer Tracy in technicolor on a huge screen. Daddy enjoyed any movie with Spencer Tracy and this one was quite exciting. I admit that I can’t recall every detail of the story but I knew that it was mostly about the relationship of a father and son who were often at odds.
After my father died and I was a bit older Mamma dropped me and my brothers off at the Fun Club at the Santa Rosa Theater on Saturday mornings. This was great fun for me and my siblings and gave my mother time to run errands without three children tagging along. It was a win-win for everyone for a for small cost. She gave each of us fifty cents which covered the price of admission and a snack or two depending on what we chose from the concession stand. The movies themselves were geared toward kids and in between the films we played games and competed for prizes. I still smile inside at the thought of those glorious times.
My love of movies has been constant. Once I married I found myself watching films that I might not have chosen on my own. My husband liked serious topics and movies that had historical themes. He was also a fan of intrigue. I learned to enjoy those films as much as the comedies and rom coms and musicals that had been my choices before I partnered with him. I’d still go see my movies of choice with my mother or with girl friends and eventually with my own daughters.
I suppose I missed going to the movie theater during the pandemic more than almost anything else. Home streaming experiences are almost as good as the viewing of old but can’t hold a candle to the majestic feel of the cinematography and sound that comes from sitting in a darkened theater. It was with great joy that I began enthusiastically attending movies again this past year even thought the cost of doing was was outrageously higher than that fifty cents that I used for the Saturday Fun Club in the long ago.
I literally saw almost every movie that was mentioned at the Oscars ceremony this past Sunday, I was wowed by Oppenheimer and most particularly by the incredible acting of Cillian Murphy and Robert Downing Jr. I dressed in pink and joined the joyful viewing of Barbie which turned out to have a much more meaningful and serious message than I had expected. I was awed by Killers of the Flower Moon and actually thought it was one of the very best movies of the year. Lilly Goldstone gave a perfect subtle and understated performance which was a master class in developing a character. I actually thought that Leonardo DiCaprio gave one of his best ever performances and should have been acknowledged for his craft. The movie itself held a personal meaning for me because my grandfather had often told us how the white men had taken advantage of the Osage Indians when he was working there in the early part of the twentieth century.
Eventually I viewed Zone of Influence and felt that it was an artistically perfect film. I was stunned by the story and the performances in Anatomy of A Fall. In Maestro I realized the genius of Bradley Cooper. Poor Things was a modern day Frankenstein perfectly acted by the entire cast, but most especially Emma Stone. American Fiction was particularly fun for me because it was about a writer. Two of my favorite actors outdid themselves in the wonderful film which was far deeper than I had expected. As a teacher I especially enjoyed The Holdovers, a delightful film about the human connection. The documentary 20 Days in Mariupol was riveting and I am still not able to stop thinking about what I saw and how much more dire the situation has become for the people of Ukraine since those early days when Putin invaded the country and this film was made.
All in all it was a glorious year for movies. It was as though the industry had been saving the very best that they had for a kind of celebration of cinema in twenty twenty three after four years of a worldwide pandemic punctuated by wars. The craftsmanship and artistry was stunning and I can’t imagine how difficult it was to select a single winner for an Oscar in any of the categories. I watched that annual ceremony with a sense of awe and gratitude for the countless men and women who brightened my life and caused me to think with their work. As far as I am concerned everyone was a winner this year. My only hope is that the coming season of movies will touch my heart as much as they did this past year.
All It Takes Is A Little Love 