I've always been interested in how people change over time. I'm 39 now and when I look back at who I was twenty years ago, I see both profound differences and remarkable similarities. Additionally, from a scientific standpoint, I think my actual cells are not the same ones I had at birth, or as a teenager, and so on. Yet, I'm still me.
In the context of movies, they've always been a part of my life. I imagine it's the same with most of you. Sometimes, I'll watch something and it'll transport me right back to the first time I saw it and who I was with and what I had going on in my life at the time. Or maybe you bonded with someone over a shared love of a particular film.
In any case, I thought it might be fun to list the films you loved at ages 8, 18, 28, 38, etc. Don't *just* list them, though. Tell us a little about yourself at the time and why you loved those specific films. I realize this could get a little lengthy, so let's cap it at 5 films at the most (although I think using a single entry for a series of films like STAR WARS or LORD OF THE RINGS is fine).
Here's mine...
AGE 8
THE STAR WARS SAGA: In 1986, I had already found a lifelong love. I had tons of the toys and I had already seen all three of the OT many times. The characters and places and space ships captured my imagination. One of my earliest memories is seeing ROTJ in the theater. We were living in a small town in Ohio, though not the one I was born in. However, when I think of my childhood, I think of that town, that house, and STAR WARS.
THE GOONIES: My friends and I watched this film constantly. We saw ourselves in these adventurous kids and we all wanted Sloth to be our best friend. I still revisit this film every so often and it stands the test of time. At the time, I had no inkling of being a father and being excited to share the Goonies' quest.
POLTERGEIST: By this age, I had already developed an affinity for horror. My sister, my cousins, and I rented it many times while all spending weekends together at my grandma's house. To this day, we still tease each other with the quotes, "They're here" and "Carol Anne!" Good lord, that guy ripping his face off scared the crap out of us haha!
STAND BY ME: Like with THE GOONIES, my friends and young family members recognized ourselves in this tender coming of age tale. I can't remember if I had already read some Stephen King by then, but if not, it wouldn't be long before I dove head long into his bibliography.
GREMLINS: I was obsessed with this film. I remember being disappointed when my folks wouldn't let me see it at first. They eventually relented and ended up getting me a stuffed Gizmo doll for Christmas. They packaged him in a box with holes poked in the top (so he could breathe, of course!). I still have the doll, though he's pretty shabby, as well as a my complete set of records and storybooks that were giveaways at Hardee's.
AGE 18
THE STAR WARS SAGA: In 1996, I was getting ready to graduate high school but my love for the saga had not diminished. If anything, it had intensified. Though the prequels had yet to be announced, I had devoured the sequel comics and novels that had come out. Though I had friends who were into the films, I had not yet made a larger connection with fandom since the internet was something that only well off families in my town had access to. My family had moved back to the town where I was born and junior high and high school were not entirely pleasant experiences. However, my deeper interest in film as a medium was beginning to emerge.
PULP FICTION: I think I can pinpoint exactly when my modern appreciation for film as an art form began. It's when my one film loving friend and I rented this for the first time. We would go on to rent it almost every weekend for months. I distinctly remember some of the girls we hung out with teasing us about it. Maybe we should have been paying more attention to them. What can I say? We were clueless on that front. We had endless theories about what was in the briefcase. This was one of the very first VHS that I bought with my own money (back then, movies came out for rent for a length of time before they were available to purchase). I'm not certain, but I'm guessing I paid around $25(!) for it. It was the beginnings of my collection.
NATURAL BORN KILLERS: This was another one that my one film loving friend and I obsessed over. I think it was the over the top nature and extreme violence that appealed to us. In any case, this was another early addition to my collection. It repulsed some of the other kids in our circle, which kind of made us love it even more.
EVIL DEAD 2: This was the film that got the ball rolling on my early appreciation for horror. Again, my buddy (and my dad) laughed our asses off at Ash's misfortunes and bravado.
MALLRATS: Like many people with my interests from my generation, Kevin Smith's films tapped into a shared experience that had not yet solidified from the internet. We saw ourselves on film for the first time and felt a little less alone. I think I saw MALLRATS and searched out CLERKS afterward. God, do I miss the video store experience...
AGE 28
THE STAR WARS SAGA: Yep, still there. By 2006, the anticipation and the crushing disappointment of the prequels had come and gone. Despite them not reaching my impossibly high expectations, I still saw them multiple times in the theater and purchased all of them to add to my collection. I had already cemented my disdain for the Special Editions. I had graduated from OSU, though I remained in Columbus, and I had begun going to comic book conventions regularly and internet usage was common. I finally had begun connecting with other fans locally and all over the world. I had also met the woman who would one day become my wife. One of the things we bonded over was our shared love of Star Wars.
NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD: By this time, I was a full fledged horror junkie. I had taken film studies classes in college and my appreciation for film as an art form was in full swing. I picked up a public domain VHS copy of this for $0.99 one day in the late '90s since I was intrigued by its reputation as being a culturally significant film and an important film for horror, historically. I was blown away. Though I've seen the OT Star Wars films countless times, NOTLD is up there for me as far as most watched films go.
WAKING LIFE: This is one that my film nerd friends and I love to watch late at night. Not just because of the trippy visuals, but also for the philosophical conversations it fueled. I have an appreciation for Existentialism and I still turn to it every now and again to help me alter my outlook on life. I'd love it if this could get a UHD release, soon!
DAZED AND CONFUSED: Our party film par excellence. Though I was growing out of that stage of my life, it was still a late night favorite. My friends and I almost knew it by heart and still we'd laugh and recognize ourselves in the characters.
THE LORD OF THE RINGS TRILOGY: Some of the best theatrical experiences I've ever had. I still remember seeing FOTR for the first time and just being absolutely enthralled. I had loved Peter Jackson's earlier films but this was a cultural milestone for me.
AGE 38
THE STAR WARS SAGA: In 2016, I had seen THE FORCE AWAKENS though my wife and I couldn't see it on opening weekend as we now had a child to take care of. I still look forward to seeing the new ones (we finally saw TLJ yesterday!!!). Star Wars has been with me for my entire life. We both experienced ups and downs. I foresee it being a part of my life going forward and I intend on sharing them with my son, though at that time he was still a little young to sit through an entire film.
GEORGE ROMERO'S ORIGINAL DEAD TRILOGY: My love for NOTLD grew into an obsession with his original trilogy. I absolutely love these films and revisit them more than I do Star Wars, these days. I find them to be a source of comfort, entertainment, and enlightenment. My appreciation for the accomplishments of Tom Savini had grown over the last decade. Inspired by Romero, I went back to school in the early aughts to obtain a second degree in Film and make my own films.
THE THING: In the last decade, John Carpenter became my favorite filmmaker. To me, this is his masterpiece. I had grown up watching his movies, but it was only in my adulthood when I began to appreciate the politics and technique with which he crafted his flicks. My wife and I watch this one quite a bit, throwing it on whenever we can't decide on anything or when we just want something on in the background, and it probably notches just below the OT Star Wars films and NOTLD for my most watched films.
NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN: This Coen brothers film struck a chord with me when it came out and has stuck with me ever since. Its existential (nihilistic?) themes about getting older, and how the world changes, and what it all means, and the choices we make, and fate just stimulate me in a way I can't quite put my finger on. Even without the themes resonating with me, I found it to be a structurally interesting film and highly entertaining with fascinating characters.
SUSPIRIA: While I had begun exploring Italian cinema in college, it was only in the last decade when my true appreciation was formed. The works of Dario Argento in particular fascinated me. By 2016, I had already owned SUSPIRIA on VHS, and on two separate DVD releases.
Looking back now, I can see how my love of film evolved. At first, it was mostly about identifying with characters. Then, there was a period where it was about the visceral nature of what I was watching. Now, it's more esoteric and atmospheric. I thank you for taking the time to read all this and I'm eager to read what you post!
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Favorite Movies at Age 8, 18, 28, ETC
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