For me that means better weather, more and more sunny afternoons spent on patios and BASEBALL!
Every April I look forward to the return of major league baseball and my beloved Toronto Blue Jays.
I really miss playing baseball regularly. Playing competitive ball back in the day used to dominate my summer’s. In those days, I’d give anything to play ball. I’d settle for catch as long as I could be outside.
Here is the irony of this week’s post. All I can think about is being outside but here I am recommending an afternoon indoors watching movies.
In this case, I’m willing to make an exception because the movie I have in mind is:
Field Of Dreams
This isn’t the first baseball movie I’ve recommended on this site. The Sandlot has also made an appearance on a Rainy Sunday.
Maybe there is something about a nice relaxing afternoon and a good baseball movie. The reason is simple…
There nothing like a good baseball movie!
What I love about Field Of Dreams is how they captured the pure love of the game. If you love baseball, you love Field Of Dreams. It’s that simple. It’s an incredible story and an amazing movie. A perfect companion to the Spring weather and baseball fever!
PS: I had a 2 hour drive today and got to listen to the Jays/Rays game this afternoon… Baseball is back!
Each week, I pick a movie that people would enjoy watching on a lazy day and pretty much everyone has a Rainy Sundays list. A collection of favorites they turn to on lazy afternoons. This week, I add another to my growing list of classic movies.
A while back, I was speaking to someone about this week’s pick and learned something shocking which eventually led to this post.
The person in question had never seen:
Who Framed Roger Rabbit?
How is this possible!
I made a firm recommendation and watched it myself a few days later. Classic. Awesome. Spectacular.
With all the VFX movies being released today, it’s usually tough to go back and see older FX driven movies. The effects we used to regard as state of the art just don’t seem to pack the same punch when you revisit the films years later. Who Framed Roger Rabbit is definitely an exception as it still holds up today.
Seamlessly integrating live action with animated characters was an incredible achievement. This movie raised the bar technically but did so with an extremely entertaining story that’s definitely worthy of a few hours on a relaxing Sunday afternoon.
Every once in a while, when you’re really in the mood to watch a good movie, there’s nothing like a good drama.
These are the types of movies you plan to watch days in advance. Endearing classics starring Tom Hanks that you look forward to watching.
Lazy day dramas
Honorable Mention: Jerry Maguire, Good Will Hunting (Mostly because I’ve spoken about the films many times on this site already.)
Cast Away
“Wilson!!!!”
There aren’t many actors out there who can carry an entire movie by themselves. Even fewer can pull it off the way Tom Hanks does in Cast Away. I have a concept for a movie which features one actress. I haven’t written it yet because I’m still trying to find a way to fill out the rest of the movie. Cast Away is a great example of how to keep things interesting and entertaining.
About Schmidt
“Dear Ndugu”
Jack Nicholson carries this movie in a similar way. I think movies like this depend entirely on an endearing lead character. I could watch Jack in anything. I remember buying this movie for exactly that reason. I wasn’t disappointed.
The Pursuit Of Happiness
“Don’t ever let somebody tell you… You can’t do something.”
Will Smith is my favorite actor. From Fresh Prince all the way up to the blockbuster action movies that established him as a box office guarantee. However, he’s proven time and time again that he can shed the tears needed to capture audience’s hearts. The Pursuit Of Happiness is an amazing and uplifting story that’s perfect for a quiet evening at home. (Or a Rainy Sunday for that matter.) Extra points for being a true story.
Patch Adams
“Why don’t you like me? You’re a prick and I like you.”
Robin Williams leads the way in this drama that again gets extra points because it’s based on a true story. You never really know where this movie is heading the first time you see it but the journey is absolutely fascinating.
Apollo 13
“We just lost the moon.”
Thought I was going to go with “Houston we have a problem” didn’t you? I saw Apollo 13 during the old ‘Network Premiere’ era. I remember vividly being completely frustrated during every single commercial break. I’m a young guy, I didn’t know what happened. I needed to know and again, Tom Hanks delivered.
Mr. Holland’s Opus
“Enough of us already think “time” is a magazine.”
I’m not sure why this movie makes me sad but it does. Regardless, it’s still an unbelievable and original story. I’m a big fan of stories that span multiple decades. Some of the most memorable movies in history tell their stories in this way. Do you think we’ll start seeing some 80′s, 90′s and 00′s in the near future?
Forrest Gump
“Sometimes, there just aren’t enough rocks.”
If there is a definitive movie that spans multiple decades, it’s Forrest Gump. Tom Hanks makes his third and most important appearance to this list. I looked around for my copy today and then I realized that I don’t even own it! That’s a big problem. I think Forrest Gump is my favorite drama of all time. I’ll put some thought into it but I think it would be the winner.
My Life
Michael Keaton’s performance really makes you take a step back and examine your own life. Sounds pretty intense for a list like this but it’s important to remind yourself where you are lucky in life. This movie is a perfect way to inspire those thoughts.
Garden State
“I thought you killed yourself? That wasn’t you?”
If you haven’t seen this movie and you’re looking for a good quirky and well written drama, look no further than Garden State. Essentially, it’s about a man who returns home after a long absence for his mother’s funeral but the movie is so much more than that. It’s so interesting and thoughtful but who am I kidding? You’ve already seen it right?
Almost Famous
“I’m always home. I’m uncool.”
I’m really big on originality. Don’t get me wrong, I love sequels and remakes and big budget franchises but you won’t find any of them on a list like this. This list is reserved for amazing characters and touching stories. I keep going back to Almost Famous when I think about new characters and how they fit in my stories. Every single person in this film is interesting in unique ways. Not to mention it’s an incredible movie. If you’re going to watch any film on this list, I’d recommend you start with Almost Famous.
I’m 26 years old now. E.T doesn’t scare me that much anymore. I still think he’s a creepy, squashy little alien but it’s still an incredible movie. I honestly think E.T is the best pick I’ve made out of all the Rainy Sunday movies I’ve selected so far. Why?
It truly embodies the very definition of a movie to watch on a lazy day. Since my post earlier in the week, I’ve been dying to find a few hours to hit my couch and watch E.T again.
Who doesn’t love movies like E.T?
I think we need more movies like this today. The ‘could you imagine if this was real’ type of movie.
Recently, James Cameron’s Avatar took us to a world we’ve never seen before and it was absolutely fascinating. E.T took us to another world without having to leave our planet. E.T brought his world to us. A classic example of remarkable storytelling.
One of my favorite aspects of the movie is the interaction between Elliot and E.T. I love watching the two of them learn from each other. I realize this blog is starting to sound like a film school essay but it’s true. It’s a touching story and it should be studied by everyone interested in film. (Or at the very least viewed on the odd lazy day.)
So while it’s true that I used to be terrified of E.T, I believe Steven Spielberg’s unbelievable tale is one of the greatest movies ever made. Having said that, I’m willing to accept the nightmares of my past to allow this movie to remain in my life.
My goal with my weekly picks is to inspire at least one person to dig up their copy of the movie and relive a classic. If you haven’t listened to me yet, now is a great time to start.
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