May was a month of rewatching and revisiting. I guess sometimes you crave the familiar, things from long ago that you vaguely remember watching and want to see again.

The Emperor’s New Groove (2000)
This is the closest thing to a Warner Bros. cartoon that Disney has ever done. So random and ridiculous, I love it! Not your typical Disney fare, but still highly enjoyable, especially for older kids who get sarcasm.

 

 

 

 

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013)
This was a nice movie. And I mean that in the best and worst ways. Even though I knew exactly what I was going to see, it didn’t make it any less enjoyable. Not really the kind of movie I would watch again, but a nice film for an evening together.

I think the cast elevated this film beyond what it was. Ben Stiller was perfect as rundown Walter. Kristen Wiig was good in a relatively straight roll for her. And the rest of the movie is full of familiar faces, even if you don’t remember all their names. The locations are gorgeous too, really made me want to go to Iceland. A good rental for a warm spring evening when you just want something light.

 

Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)
This movie is perfect. I’ve watched it so many times now and every time I just love it more. The stop-motion animation is beyond amazing, even more so after you watch the special features and marvel at how much work goes into a few seconds of film. The script is full of this dry humor, superbly acted by an amazing voice cast. This may be my favorite George Clooney role of all time. It has moments that will resonate with kids, teens, and adults. And it is HIGHLY quotable.

It’s **does hand wavy motions** different.

 

Singin’ In the Rain (1952)
It’s still good, what more can I say? It’s hard for me not to just stare during each dance sequence and watch Kelly’s feet fly around (even though I will always have a crush on Donald O’Connor). I watched it a LOT when I was a kid and now I own it on blu-ray and I still love it (though the whole “Gotta Dance” sequence is just so random. Clearly an excuse for Kelly to showcase some different dance styles…so why was I complaining?)

 

 

The Breakfast Club (1985)
I watched it in High School and was underwhelmed by it. I wanted it again last night and was still not in love with it. I think that because I never belonged to any of these groups in high school, the story doesn’t resonate so well with me. I didn’t hit this level of angst until later in life. Also, I was a bit surprised by how many “gonna rape ya!” jokes Judd Nelson’s character makes towards Molly Ringwald’s. I had forgotten all of that and it sorta put me off the “Let’s Pair Everyone Off!” ending.

Ferris Bueller’s Day Off is my favorite John Hughes movie.

 

Airplane! (1980)
So bad, so good. I even got a few more of the references this viewing! This is my childhood (which is funny because most of the jokes went right over my little kid head). I miss movies this goofy. Some of the jokes are so subtle and quick that if you’re not paying attention, they fly right by. Some are not very PC anymore, but how can you not laugh at the whole Saturday Night Fever dance scene! Surely, you can’t be serious!

 

 

The Hunger Games (2012)
What can I say about Hunger Games that hasn’t been said? I loved the book series and I’ve been pretty happy with the movies. We rewatched this because someone had just read the book for the first time and wanted to compare. It’s a good translation onto the big screen, but there is so much in the book that makes The Capital that much worse. But they made the right call not including it in a movie that is already over 2 hours long.

 

 

Poltergeist (1982)
This movie has so many little problems. There are some clunky edits, some of the scenes don’t flow right (especially at the end when they had been packing moving boxes all day yet there still seems to be a LOT in the house). I feel like the story still holds up really well. I still get goosebumps during several scenes. And since it has the Steven Spielberg connection, everything turns out all right in the end. JoBeth Williams is my favorite part of this movie, I think she plays Mom very well. Part of me wants to remake this movie and fix some of the issues and another part loves it for all it’s flaws (and also all the Star Wars toys in Robbie’s room…)

Willow (1988)
This movie came out when I was 7 and I think we must have seen it in the theater. I’ve loved it ever since. Yes, it’s bubbling over with fantasy tropes but it’s heart is in the right place. Before I knew the magic of Lord of the Rings or the darkness of Game of Thrones, Willow was my first real venture into live-action fantasy.

FYI Warwick Davis’ commentary has to be one of the best solo commentary tracks I have ever listened to. Such a delight. If you own the DVD/Blu-Ray, I highly recommend giving it a listen.

 

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What did you watch in May? Did you make it to the theater or revisit any favorites? Let me know in the comments or link me to your post!