trust your instincts! Don't think, just do

In this set, I learned some things about myself and about "blockbuster movies." Enjoy!

The Snows of Kilimanjaro (1952) - "As writer Harry Street lies gravely wounded from an African hunting accident, he feverishly reflects on what he perceives as his failures at love and writing. Through his delirium he recalls his one true love, Cynthia Green, whom he lost by his obsession for roaming the world in search of stories for his novels. Though she is dead, Cynthia continues to haunt Street's thoughts. Despite one successful novel after another, Street feels he has compromised his talent to ensure the success of his books, making him a failure in his eyes. His neglected wife Helen tends to his wounds, listens to his ranting, endures his talk of lost loves, and tries to restore in him the will to fight his illness until help arrives. Her devotion to him makes him finally realize that he is not a failure. With his realization of a chance for love and happiness with Helen, he regains his will to live."
source: streamed on Amazon Prime
I watched it because: it has been recommended on my stream for years
IMDB: 6.1/10  -  Rotten Tomatoes: Tomatometer: 75% Audience: 53%
my IMDB: 1/10 DNF

MPAA rating: Approved [TV-PG]

directed by: Henry King, Roy Ward Baker

my notes: I hated it. The first hour is a misogynistic Gregory Peck moping and cogitating, while Ava Gardner makes moues and flounces petulantly. Then they shoot a defenseless animal, just for the sake of shooting it. Gross.

Academy Award nominee:
• Best Cinematography, Color

• Best Art Direction - Set Decoration, Color
overall: not  recommended

A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving (1973) - "Peppermint Patty invites herself and her friends over to Charlie Brown's for Thanksgiving, and with Linus, Snoopy, and Woodstock, he attempts to throw together a Thanksgiving dinner."

source: streamed at the BFF's
I watched it because: it's the movie equivalent of comfort food, which I've been sorely needing
IMDB: 7.7/10  -  Rotten Tomatoes: Tomatometer: 67% Audience: 75%
my IMDB: 10/10

notable quote: "My grandmother lives in a condominium."

MPAA rating: TV-G

directed by: Bill Melendez, Phil Roman

my notes: cute, funny, smart - and exactly what I wanted

Emmy Award winner: Outstanding Individual Achievement in Children's Programming—Charles M. Schulz
Emmy Award nominee: Outstanding Children's Special—Lee Mendelson, Bill Melendez
overall: most highly recommended

It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (1966) - "Charlie Brown is excited to be invited to Violet's Halloween party—his first-ever party. Before the party, the Peanuts gang plans to go trick-or-treating; meanwhile, Snoopy, dressed as the WWI flying ace, takes his Halloween persona to extremes. Linus won't be joining them for trick-or-treating or the party: he will be waiting in the local pumpkin patch for the arrival of the Great Pumpkin. Linus believes that the Great Pumpkin rises out of the most sincere pumpkin patch—one more sincere than his own local one—flies into the air, and delivers presents to all the boys and girls around the world. Because of his belief, Linus is the laughingstock among his friends. Sally is torn between going trick-or-treating for the first time and attending Violet's sure-fire fun Halloween party, or following her love Linus and waiting for the Great Pumpkin's arrival with him."
source: streamed at the BFF's
I watched it because: it's another piece in the puzzle that makes up my childhood
IMDB: 8.2/10  -  Rotten Tomatoes: Tomatometer: 95% Audience: 86%
my IMDB: 9/10

notable quote: "Never jump into a pile of leaves with a wet sucker."

MPAA rating: TV-G

directed by: Bill Melendez

my notes: silly, and a bit scattered, but it contains my single most revered childhood memory in the sequence where Snoopy and the rest are making toast. I grew up loving (x1000) toast, anyway, so this one feels like it was made for me.

Emmy Award nominee:
• Outstanding Children's Program—Lee Mendelson, Melendez

• Special Classifications of Individual Achievements—Melendez (director)

• Special Classifications of Individual Achievements—Charles M. Schulz (writer)
overall: most highly recommended

Top Gun : Maverick (2022) - "Set 30 years after its predecessor, it follows Maverick's return to the United States Navy Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor program (also known as U.S. Navy-Fighter Weapons School - TOPGUN), where he must confront his past as he trains a group of younger pilots, among them the son of Maverick's deceased best friend Lieutenant Nick 'Goose' Bradshaw, USN."
source: I borrowed the Blu-ray from my parents' friends
I watched it because: I've heard it was pretty good
IMDB: 8.4/10  -  Rotten Tomatoes: Tomatometer: 96% Audience: 99%
my IMDB: 9/10

notable quote: "'Thank you. Where am I?'

    [staring] '...Earth?'"

MPAA rating: PG-13

directed by: Joseph Kosinski

my notes: I loved it. LOVED. So well cast (despite my loathing for Jon Hamm), superbly acted, astonishingly filmed, well written, faithful to the much-loved original... it's an awesome movie.

Academy Awards TBD - and I predict that this will be The One for Cruise

overall:  most highly recommended

 

[the title quotation is from Top Gun : Maverick]