Starring: Chevy Chase, Goldie Hawn, Charles Grodin, Robert Guillaume, Yvonne Wilder, Harold Gould, T. K. Carter

"I hope they shoot you! I hope they shoot you in my kitchen! And when they drag your dead body out of here, I hope they shoot you again!" - Glenda Parks

Why watch this? This is my favorite Chevy Chase film. Goldie Hawn is adorable.

Dad's Review: Chevy and Goldie demonstrated some on-screen chemistry in Foul Play (1978). They re-teamed for this wonderful Neil Simon comedy. He’s a down-on-his-luck writer who manages to have the police after him. She’s his ex-wife, and an attorney, therefore he comes to her for help. Her current husband is the District Attorney. The hilarity ensues as she tries to keep Chevy’s presence a secret because the bad press would sink her husband’s election campaign. 

Starring: Toshiro Mifune, Takashi Shimura, Keiko Tsushima, Isao Kimura, Daisuke Katō, Seiji Miyaguchi, Yoshio Inaba, Minoru Chiaki

"This is the nature of war: By protecting others, you save yourselves. If you only think of yourself, you'll only destroy yourself." - Kambei Shimada

Why watch this? This Kurosawa's great masterpiece about farmers at war with invading bandits.

Dad's Review: Kurosawa's work would influence many films, including Leone's Spaghetti Westerns and The Magnificent Seven. A small group of samurai warriors agree to protect a farmer village from forty marauding bandits. Each samurai's personality is unique, the most charismatic being Kikuchiyo, a fiery fighter with a hidden past. The group is led by the steady and wise Shimada. They train the meek farmers in how to defend themselves. It's composition, pace, performances and action are incredible. Don't miss it.

Starring: Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Kate Ashfield, Lucy Davis, Dylan Moran, Bill Nighy, Nicola Cunningham, Keir Mills, Matt Jaynes

"Who died and made you f***ing king of the zombies?" - Shaun

Why watch this? It was high-time for a zombie comedy, a zomedy, if you will!

Dad's Review: Like the oncoming undead themselves, Zombie films had flooded the film market. This fresh take on that genre is creative and really, REALLY funny. It strikes the right balance between comedy, satire, and playful gore. Simon Pegg and Nick Frost together are an unstoppable comedic duo. You cannot not laugh when our two unwilling, unqualified heroes resort to flinging selections from their vinyl LP collection at the slow-plodding ghouls.  

Starring: Tim Robbins, Morgan Freeman, Bob Gunton, William Sadler, Clancy Brown, Gil Bellows, James Whitmore

"Yeah, right. That's the way it is. It's down there and I'm in here. I guess it comes down to a simple choice, really. Get busy livin' or get busy dyin'." - Andy Dufresne

Why watch this? It's simply a modern classic - one of the best prison films, hell films, ever made.

Dad's Review: There’s a reason Shawshank is so over-played on TV. Based on a Stephen King story, this is the ultimate film about wrongful imprisonment, the brutalities of prison, and one man's determination to escape. We each become Andy Dufresne, and he battles, through every trial and inch of pain, to finally gain his freedom. Freeman's steady narration soothes you like manna from heaven.

Starring: John Wayne, Betty Field, Harry Carey Sr., Ward Bond, Beulah Bondi, James Barton, Marjorie Main, John Qualen

"I got too big for my britches. I ain’t an orphan no more." – Matt Matthews

Why watch this? It's about a father who left a son behind. Kinda hits home with me.

Dad's Review: This film came early in Wayne's career. It has always impacted me emotionally. The plot deals with a father who left, and who a son becomes in that absence. It is not the standard Western form. Set in the back country Ozarks, there are no blazing gunfights or cattle drives. Rather, the film focuses on broken relationships, long-held superstitious traditions and a young man’s promise to himself. Wayne often credited Harry Carey Sr. as his mentor. He knew Carey all his life and loved him deeply. Duke said Harry taught him how to deliver lines in a natural way, by slowing down and using pauses for affect. Here we get to see the two of them on screen together, and you can just feel the respect between them.

Starring: Emily Blunt, Josh Brolin, Benicio del Toro, Jon Bernthal, Maximiliano Hernández, Victor Garber, Daniel Kaluuya, Julio Cesar Cedillo

"You should move to a small town, somewhere the rule of law still exists. You will not survive here. You are not a wolf, and this is a land of wolves now." - Alejandro

Why watch this? It will help you understand the brutal drug war Texas faces every day.

Dad's Review: This intense film follows a female DEA officer who wants to make a difference. She is assigned to an experienced team working on a big drug bust. She quickly learns that things work very differently than the black and white world she's used to. She's also way in over her head. Del Toro once again chews up every scene with his ability to portray the tough guy, with a touch of heart. The scene where they infiltrate the drug tunnel at night using infrared goggles is heart-stopping! The driving, suspenseful soundtrack is beyond powerful.

Starring: Mel Gibson, Joaquin Phoenix, Rory Culkin, Abigail Breslin, Cherry Jones, M. Night Shyamalan

"Swing away Merrill. Merrill... swing away." - Graham Hess

Why watch this? It's eerie, scary, and features rich, flawed characters.

Dad's Review: Shyamalan was on a mega-roll with The Sixth Sense and Unbreakable. Signs combined his intense direction with stars Mel Gibson and Joaquin Phoenix. The result is a terrifying film about first contact. However, the film’s strength is its character development. Gibson is a preacher who has lost faith. His brother, Phoenix, is the young man who never reached his potential. These stark emotional scars play out as the "signs" begin to manifest indicating something has landed on earth, and it's not friendly.

Starring: Kevin Kline, Scott Glenn, Rosanna Arquette, John Cleese, Kevin Costner, Brian Dennehy, Danny Glover, Jeff Goldblum, Linda Hunt

"Now, I don't wanna kill you, and you don't wanna be dead." - Mal Johnson

Why watch this? It is a fun-filled modern homage to Western films of old.

Dad's Review: There are only a few good Westerns from the 1980's. This is one of the best. It’s full of Western staples: gun fights, the cocky kid, greedy landowners, a stampede, a final showdown. What helps this rise above the rest is Kasdan’s superb direction.
NOTE: My Texas cousin, Roy McAdams, a former bull-rider and stuntman, is listed in the credits as the "Tall Outlaw". Way to go, Roy!

Starring: Gene Kelly, Donald O'Connor, Debbie Reynolds, Jean Hagen, Millard Mitchell, Cyd Charisse, Douglas Fowley, Rita Moreno, Dawn Addams

"Gee, I'm glad you turned up, we've been looking inside every cake in town." - Cosmo

Why watch this? I have a wide smile from beginning to end of this genre-defining musical.

Dad's Review: This will forever be the lofty standard that musicals are compared, and with good reasons. The songs are catchy. The dance numbers are extravagant. The leads are endearing and clearly having a good time. This was not Hollywood's first musical, but it deserves the title of "Best". I was really impressed with Debbie Reynold's dance skills; she tore it up. I also sit in awe of Gene Kelly - what an graceful athlete! He glides on air and is sublime to watch.    

Starring: Christopher Reeve, Jane Seymour, Christopher Plummer, Teresa Wright, Bill Erwin, George Voskovec, Susan French, William H. Macy

"Do you actually believe that I have nurtured her, cared for her, molded, taught, developed her, for all these years merely to groom a wife?!" – William Robinson

Why watch this? It's the first romance movie I actually liked. Now, I can't watch without tears.

Dad's Review: This film stands out because of its creative premise: a man becomes infatuated with an old photo of a beautiful actress from 1912. Using hypnosis, he travels back in time to meet her. This angers her doting manager who plots to drive them apart. This breaks the link and Richard returns to current time, completely heart-broken. Can he return and reconnect with his long, lost love? There's incredible chemistry between Seymour and Reeve, and the film's musical score is amazing.

Starring: Kirk Douglas, Laurence Olivier, Jean Simmons, Charles Laughton, Peter Ustinov, John Gavin, Tony Curtis

"And maybe there's no peace in this world, for us or for anyone else, I don't know. But I do know that, as long as we live, we must remain true to ourselves." - Spartacus

Why watch this? It's the first great gladiator masterpiece.

Dad's Review: This sweeping epic chronicles the life of Spartacus, a slave, who leads a revolt against the Roman Empire. He is forced to becomes a gladiator. After a riot where all slaves escape, Spartacus becomes their fiery, yet wise, leader. After winning many battles, the slaves are finally defeated by the Romans, but not without their honor. This drama is superb, painful, and historically interesting. Kirk Douglas carries much of the film, but Tony Curtis also renders a strong performance. This Kubrick masterpiece garnered four Oscars.

Starring: Keanu Reeves, Sandra Bullock, Dennis Hopper, Jeff Daniels, Joe Morton, Alan Ruck, Glenn Plummer, Richard Lineback, Beth Grant, Hawthorne James

"A bomb is made to explode. That's its meaning. Its purpose. Your life is empty because you spend it trying to stop the bomb from becoming. And for who? For what? You know what a bomb is, Jack, that doesn't explode? It's a cheap gold watch, buddy." – Howard Payne

Why watch this? It's a high-speed action film to beat all others... and not an ounce of CGI.

Dad's Review: This action, and I mean ACTION, thriller broke open the careers of Keanu Reeves and spunky Sandra Bullock. A city bus is rigged with a bomb; it has to stay above 55 mph or the bus will blow up! It’s up to hunky Jack Travern and this team to save the passengers and catch the bomber. This flick fun and intense from its onset. Bullock is so damn cute as the passenger drafted to drive the huge bus. Buckle your seat belt and enjoy!

Starring: Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, James Franco, Alfred Molina, Rosemary Harris, Donna Murphy

"I believe there's a hero in all of us, that keeps us honest, gives us strength, makes us noble, and finally allows us to die with pride, even though sometimes we have to be steady, and give up the thing we want the most. Even our dreams." – Aunt May Parker

Why watch this? This is the best Spider-Man film. Doc Oc is a wonderfully menacing villain.

Dad's Review: Director Sam Raimi got Spidey right. Maguire hits the right mix of immature school boy and quirkily quipping hero. The CGI is amazing, and really necessary to make this kind of movie work. I was surprised by Molina’s stellar performance as the villain-in-conflict, Doctor Octopus. It’s not easy to elicit sympathy for a bad guy, but Molina more than pulls it off.

Starring: Tom Hanks, Daryl Hannah, Eugene Levy, John Candy, Dody Goodman, Shecky Greene, Richard B. Shull

"I don't understand. All my life I've been waiting for someone and when I find her, she's... she's… a fish." - Allen Bauer

Why watch this? It's the best guy-falls-in-love-with-mermaid film... ever, and I stand by that.

Dad's Review: Plop! This interesting Rom-Com dropped out of thin air! A regular guy meets a beautiful girl, then he learns her disarming secret – she’s a mermaid. How the heck is this going to work? That question is the film's central theme. The answer, of course, is that true love conquers all, right? Maybe, but it's never easy. So put on your trunks and dive into this sweet flick about having the courage to love who you love, regardless of what others think.

Starring: Wil Wheaton, River Phoenix, Corey Feldman, Jerry O’Connell, Kiefer Sutherland, Casey Siemaszko, Frances Lee McCain, Richard Dreyfuss

"Boy, you don't know nothing. Mighty Mouse is a cartoon. Superman's a real guy. There's no way a cartoon could beat up a real guy!" - Teddy

Why watch this? I was one of these kids, going on long adventures, playing in the woods, worrying my mom.

Dad's Review: This is a another film created from a Stephen King story ("The Body"). It follows four 12-year-old boys who venture to find the body of a boy who was killed along a remote stretch of railroad tracks. The strength of this film is simply the mannerisms and interactions between the boys. Each one is different, with unique problems. Yet they stick together, as they get closer to their grim destination.

Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986), Director: Leonard Nimoy, Rated PG

Starring: William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, Catherine Hicks, DeForest Kelley, and the test of the Enterprise crew.

"They like you very much, but they are not the hell your whales." - Spock

Why watch this? This is the second best of the original crew's films... and there's whales.

Dad's Review: After Wrath of Kahn, expectations were very high. Star Trek III was just OK. Thankfully, Lenoard Nimoy gave us this wonderful film. Mostly set in the past, 1985 Earth, there are many great moments where the futuristic crew has to acclimate to old Earth. The heart of the film is the quest to find humpback whales from the past and bring them forward in time to save the earth's future from our destructive nature. This film is majestic.

Starring: Jeff Bridges, Karen Allen, Charles Martin Smith, Richard Jaeckel, Robert Phalen, Tony Edwards, Dirk Blocker

"Shall I tell you what I find beautiful about you? You are at your very best when things are worst." – The star man

Why watch this? This John Carpenter film surprised me. It's deep and very beautiful.

Dad's Review: For a brief stretch, director Carpenter was red hot. This film takes a simple premise: a benevolent alien crash lands on earth and wants to go home. It becomes a statement about our very humanity (or lack thereof). The film is warm and a little terrifying. There is a sweetness to the interaction between the alien and Jenny. Some parts are funny, some tender, some unexpected. All of it is wonderful.

Starring: Christopher Reeve, Margot Kidder, Gene Hackman, Marlon Brando, Ned Beatty, Glen Ford, Valerie Perrine

"There's a strong streak of good in you, Superman. But then nobody's perfect...almost nobody." – Lex Luthor

Why watch this? It's like Superman walked out of a comic book and onto the screen.

Dad's Review: This was the first full-length feature film about a super-hero. It's success created a new market for this type of movie. The special effects budget was sizable and it shows. Reeves literally is Clark Kent and Superman; as was Margo Kidder as spunky reporter, Lois Lane. Somehow they snagged Hackman for Lex Luthor the rest is history. The film is light and cheeky, even innocent, which audiences loved at the time. To this day, it remains one of my super-hero favorites.    

Starring: Christopher Reeve, Margot Kidder, Gene Hackman, Terence Stamp, Sarah Douglas, Ned Beatty

"General, would you care to step outside?" - Superman to General Zod

Why watch this? The addition of 3 Kryptonian villains makes this better than the original.

Dad's Review: I love (even prefer) this darker-in-tone sequel, which takes place immediatly after the original. Reeve plays Clark Kent like no other, so unsure, bumbling, and ordinary. This flick's three powerful super-villains are unforgettable, with General Zod being the worst.  They team up with slimy Lex Luthor, who is intelligent, yet cocky and conceited.  There are some light moments, but things are more serious as Superman surrenders his powers to marry Lois. Overall the film flows well, and there is a nice surprise ending.   

Starring: Charlton Heston, Yul Brynner, Anne Baxter, Edward G. Robinson, Yvonne De Carlo, John Derek, Vincent Price

"You gave me this staff to rule over scorpions and serpents, but God made it a rod to rule over kings. Hear His word, Rameses, and obey." - Moses

Why watch this? It is the epic film we all grew up with. It's massive and wonderful.

Dad's Review: This was our Easter movie. It is the great Jewish story, yet also loved by most Christians. This is DeMille’s last great masterpiece, and it covers a lot of ground and spectacle. The special effects are incredible, garnering the only Academy Award win of its 7 nominations. Elmer Bernstein's orchestra delivers a powerful, emotional musical score. There are many great moments: Moses revealed to be a Jew, the Creeping Death, Moses breaking the tablets, and who will every forget the parting of the Red Sea - that scene may be the greatest ever on film!

Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Michael Biehn, Linda Hamilton, Paul Winfield, Lance Henriksen, Earl Boen

"Listen, and understand! That Terminator is out there! It can't be bargained with. It can't be reasoned with. It doesn't feel pity, or remorse, or fear! And it absolutely will not stop, ever, until you are dead!" – Kyle Reese

Why watch this? This inventive sci-fi action film features Mr. Universe as a relentless cyborg.

Dad's Review: This is the futuristic juggernaut that started the Terminator franchise. It is ground-breaking and intense. In the future machines become sentient. A robot, called a Terminator, is sent back in time to exterminate Sarah Connor, the mother, of the man who will defeat the machines. Humans also send back a man, Reese, charged with keeping Sarah safe. 

Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Robert Patrick, Edward Furlong, Joe Morton, Earl Boen

"It is in your nature to destroy yourselves." The T-800 Terminator

Why watch this? Cameron delivers an incredible sequel using ground-breaking effects and a buffed-up Linda Hamilton.

Dad's Review: This sequel is bigger and bolder than the original. The future's machines send another Terminator - this one more lethal and advanced. In a surprise flip, humans back a T-800 Terminator (from the original film), only it's programmed to protect Sarah. This has all the elements of the original film, yet it's characters are more fully explored, and it's message is more poignant.

Starring: Susan Sarandon, Geena Davis, Harvey Keitel, Michael Madsen, Christopher McDonald, Brad Pitt

"You said you 'n' me was gonna get out of town and for once just really let our hair down. Well, darlin', look out, 'cause my hair is comin' down!" - Thelma

Why watch this? This has Elsie's "Golden Stamp of Approval". Ladies, time to cut loose!

Dad's Review: My mom absolutely loved this flick. When I finally watched it, I could see why. It’s fiercely female, and very personal to her. It follows two women who are tired of "taking it" from men and the system. They are determined to live for possibly the first time in their lives! My Mom was the perfect wife and mother. That got her a lousy divorce, and a broken heart.

Starring: Cameron Diaz, Matt Dillon, Ben Stiller, Lee Evans, Chris Elliott, Lin Shaye, Jeffrey Tambor, Markie Post, Keith David, Sarah Silverman

"I want a guy who can play 36 holes of golf, and still have enough energy to take Warren and me to a baseball game, and eat hot dogs, I'm talking sausage hot dogs and beer, not Lite beer, but beer. That's my ad, print it up." - Mary

Why watch this? This film has certainly grown on me. It's gross and offensive, but what the hell.

Dad's Review: It's crude, gross, sexually over-the-top, yet somehow it manages to be one of the funniest love stories ever made. Stiller, per usual, plays a guy too nice to land the girl of his dreams. He's awkward but determined. Matt Dillon as Heady, the shady private investigator, steals a lot of scenes, as a conniving a-hole, yet we love him anyway.  

Starring: Paul Rudd, Leslie Mann, John Lithgow, Megan Fox, Albert Brooks, Maude Apatow, Iris Apatow, Jason Segel, Annie Mumolo, Robert Smigel, Graham Parker

"Stop eating cupcakes!!" - Debbie

Why watch this? A great slice of life film where aging, and parenting, gets hilariously real. 

Dad's Review: This is just a dang funny movie about getting older, the trials associated with entering middle age, and being married with children. Rudd and Mann are perfect as spouses trying to manage careers, kids and life milestones. Director Apatow is an master at building his characters, and giving them realness. I already loved Leslie Mann (thanks George of the Jungle), but this film can be credited with starting my Paul Rudd man-crush.

Starring: Malcolm McDowell, David Warner, Mary Steenburgen, Charles Cioffi, Patti D'Arbanville

"We don't belong here? On the contrary, Herbert. I belong here completely and utterly. I'm home."- Jack the Ripper, on being transported to New York City in 1979

Why watch this? As a fan of The Time Machine, this takes things one more, horrifying step.

Dad's Review: I love the concept of time-travel, so this film caught my eye. In this creative spin, H.G. Wells' machine is hijacked by none other than the infamous Jack the Ripper! The murderer uses it to travel to current time. Wells, of course, pursues the serial killer. This hidden treasure is intelligent and packed with suspense. Kudos to great performances by the three leads. It is a must see for sci-fi buffs and time-travel enthusiasts.

Starring: John Cleese, Sean Connery, Shelley Duvall, Ian Holm, Katherine Helmond, Michael Palin, David Warner

"God is not interested in technology...He's obsessed with making the grass grow and getting rainbows right. Look at what he spends his time on: Forty-three species of parrot! Nipples for men!" - Evil

Why watch this? It's a fantasy comedy. Plus most of the Monty Python players have roles!

Dad's Review: Written and directed by the creative mind of Monty Pythonier Terry Gilliam, this magical journey takes you to many places in both history and fantasy, each populated by a cast of quirky characters. You will wonder, "Who thinks up this kind of stuff?" as Sean Connery battles a Minotaur to the death. David Warner is excellent as the personification of evil. It’s witty, fun, imaginative, and very well done.