Movies with a Message

(Why War, What War? is on the BACK Porch--heah is fer more civilized conversin')

Hey ya'll,

I'se been watchin' all kinds of movies--nothin' stellar, jes' stories. Last night, IF ONLY, shot in London. It features a pretty American girl in love with an ambitious young Londoner who puts ambition over relationships....bad dream sets him straight--a "live your life like this is the last day" theme. Cute, enjoyable. But a friend said he was tired of "movies with a message."

But this message not political or theological or economical, jes' plain ole' human: live life with your priorities in order--seems ter be a message that most of us can manage to stomach wif'out ruinin' the movie. All the same, the comment about message movies has some punch. Are we being manipulated by movie makers? Was it ALWAYS so?

I tried ter think about the greats--Casablanca? Yeah...
What about The Matrix? Yep.
On the Waterfront? Definately.

But most message movies these days--well are they "great"? Million Dollar Baby? Puh-lease. I doan see those unless I see's the antidotes, Just Like Heaven.

But not all movies are messages. Some is jes'disasters that mmake money-- I mean disaster flicks that pull in a tide of green: Jaws, Earthquake, The Perfect Storm, Inferno.

Some is simply good yarns, ain't they? Gone With The Wind didn't leave me with no message other than what I already knowed: yankees were the born jerks of the world.

Some is hairy-scary (the hairs on ya' arm stands up)like Bette Davis in Hush Hush Sweet Charlotte. Fatal Attraction was hairy. Play Misty for Me--eeek!

There are movies whose story line I ferget, but the photography was worth the two bits; Ryan's Daughter, Passage to India.

Some are jes' celluloid testosterone storms, an 'I guess that could be a message of sorts...Willis's many takes on Die Hard (Haw, haw.)And many of the James Bond films.
Balance those wif the gentle professor who becomes the reluctant hero, Indiana Jones.

Movies with character building is fine fer ole' Aunty, like Steel Magnolias, Spitfire Grill.

Others are too sweet to demean by noting they is vapid, like half of the Audrey Hepburn flicks...vapid or not, they's fun enough for a few hours escape, and the clothes are sublime! Some is fun and funny wif' nothin' of redeeming value --Dirty Rotten Scoundrels.

One or two sci-fi per yer does the trick--much more and they run together. Still ain't figgered our 2001 Space Oddessy, but I does think I'm startin ter "get" Blade Runner.

Big historical themes is a good escape sometimes--though they seem to carry messages--Braveheart, Gladiator.

They's some actors I jes' cain't abide--won't see nuthin' they make--Jim Carey, Robin Williams. Geeks. Anyway--suddenly, middle-aged male bufoons ain't as interestin' as ole' women: Maggie Smith, Ellen Burstyn.

I like spy thrillers, but I cain't sit still much when it is a serious horror flick--some horrors is too true and I doan wanna go there. But some "horror" is deft and deep enough, and not actually a threat --Sixth Sense, but...er, I still cain't get through The Omen. Never did watch Silence of the Lambs, but I done read it.

Uncle Aloyisus doan like NO movies "that make ya' think" cause he done enough thinkin' at the office, he claims (They is some doubt on that point, however.)
"I goes to the picture show to be entertained, not to think" he said. Fer some of us, thinkin' IS entertainin'. But Uncle likes "chick flicks" if they's good love stories,
The Notebook.

Tonight, I ain't doin' the pickin'---I'll jes' be along fer the ride. But that is a message too: I trust ya' so doan pick a loser.