COLUMN: A review of my movie bucket list

Why? Because last weekend I took photos at a karate tournament. On Sunday I needed to rest from those long days of shooting, and I also needed to prepare myself for the start of the new school year Monday. Now I have homework to manage as well.

Seems like there aren’t enough hours in the day.

Yes, it has been a long several days and my mind has not absorbed everything yet. But, I’m not going to let that bring me down. Instead, I’m going to forge on and hopefully make this deadline. Now the article will actually start. Sorry for the delay You know, I’ve realized something sad and it’s not just that school has started back up so early. No, it’s the fact that many kids have not seen the true master pieces of cinema, the classics. So, I wanted to make a bucket list of movies that people (especially talking to my generation) should definitely take a look at sometime in their lives.

1. You know how I feel about the “Twilight” craze. For those who are fans of vampires, I recommend “The Lost Boys,” a great vampire movie starring Kiefer Sutherland, Corey Feldman, and Corey Haim. What’s the story? A family moves to a town that is overrun by vampires. The older brother gets turned and the younger brother enlists the help of two young vampire hunters. Not only is this movie full of action and horror, it has quite a few comedic scenes as well. OK, so it’s not really considered a classic movie, but it’s still a great film.

2. However, “Terminator 2: Judgment Day” is a classic film. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton and Edward Furlong make a great ensemble. This is probably one of the only sequels that surpasses the original. How? Well, the makers had a bigger budget and better technology. Instead of using CGI, they actually blew up the cars and really did those dangerous stunts. The plot? It picks up several years after the first one (but you can watch T2 without seeing the original). John Connor (Furlong) is a teenager who will become the leader of the resistance in the future. A cyborg is sent from the future to kill him, and another cyborg is sent to save him. I’ll let you just watch it to find out the rest. Let’s just say that this movie has a lot of action.

3. Speaking of action, did you know “The Blues Brothers” at one point held the record for most cars crashed in a movie? I think it still does. For that alone it should make the list, but that’s not the sole reason. James Belushi and Dan Aykroyd are Jake and Elwood Blues. They have just been released from prison and are “on a mission from God” to raise money to save an orphanage. Doesn’t sound good yet? Remember I said they had the most car crashes in a movie. These brothers have to outrun not only the police, a crazy country band, a trigger-happy ex-fiance, but also the Illinois Nazis. This movie has a great soundtrack and great lines that you’ll want to repeat over and over!

4. “The Goonies” has to be on this list! I asked a lot of kids at school if they liked “The Goonies.” What was the overwhelming response I got? “What’s that?” So, to clarify to everyone who asked what “The Goonies” is, it’s a Steven Spielberg film starring a terrific group of kids such as Sean Astin, Corey Feldman and Josh Brolin. They discover a map to the infamous pirate “One-Eye” Willy’s treasure. The adventurous group goes on the hunt and are chased by a family of killers! It’s full of laughs and it lives up to the expectations of a Spielberg film. The kids are so adorable and witty, especially Mouth who is played by a very young Corey Feldman. This movie will unleash the inner buccaneer in you.

5. Moving on to a darker tale, “The Invisible Man” is a wonderful example of early science fiction. In 1939, Claude Rains starred as the title character (however only in voice) who discovers the secret to invisibility. However, he is unable to change himself back. Unfortunately for him, one of the ingredients to his experiment is a very strong drug that will drive the user mad! This short movie shows his dissension into insanity. For the time, the special effects are impeccable. If you want a truly evil villain, there are few that compare to the Invisible Man. Since it was made early on in cinema history, it’s not very graphic, however the car explosion is definitely worth checking out. Shivers will run down your spine! Trust me, I know all too well.

6. Now another interesting flick, “The Shining,” also has a very notable character. Jack Torrance, played by the incredible Jack Nicholson, has his fair share of problems. He’s a recovering alcoholic who agrees to look after the Overlook Hotel with his family in the off season. He figures this would be a great time to write his novel. Yet, the isolation eats away at him until it drives him to do the unthinkable. I’m not going to ruin it for you. The movie is a tad bit slow. Director Stanley Kubrick has a history of this in his films. I will tell you, it has a very explosive ending that is worth the wait. To this day, this has been the only movie that has ever scared me. It’s probably in my all-time favorite list.

7. After discussing some horror and violent movies, I feel it’s time to chat about a lighter topic. “Monty Python and the Holy Grail” is definitely a lighter subject. It’s an old comedy from 1975 starring John Cleese, Graham Chapman, Eric Idle, Terry Gilliam, and Terry Jones. They play multiple roles, as is customary in Monty Python films. The story follows King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table, who are set on a quest by God to find the Holy Grail. The comedy is random and at time makes you think. You have to listen to the dialogue; it’s not just a bunch of drug and fart jokes. After seeing so many so-called comedies these days, it’s refreshing to dive a little bit deeper in time and watch comedy that isn’t about getting drunk or high.

8. Yet another great comedy is “Uncle Buck.” If you have never seen John Candy’s performance as this eccentric uncle, you need to stop what you’re doing and see this movie! So many memorable scenes and ‘ins! I could write my column just on this one movie. Basic idea: parents go away for a funeral, leaving the kids with the crazy uncle. Anything can happen. And it does! He’s a loose cannon. He tells off the assistant principal, he punches a drunk clown, he locks a guy in the trunk of the car. Don’t worry, the guy deserved it. You’re probably wondering why he did those things. Well, I’m not going to tell you, go see it for yourself! Sure, I can quote the movie by heart, but I can’t do it justice.

I’m sure most of the people reading this have seen or heard of these movies. But, for those of you who haven’t. trust me, out of all of these there is at least one that you will adore. I encourage everyone to not be afraid of the past, to look beyond the newest fads and flicks. There is gold hidden in the past, and it is worth checking into.

Jessica Brown is the photographer for the Barrow Journal. You can reach her at jessica@picsbyjessica.com.