“Time flies when you’re having fun”…isn’t that what they say?? Well, to be honest I’m not sure how much fun I’ve been having (especially the past year & a half), but that first part is certainly true. It occurs to me that it’s been ten years since I completed the lengthiest project I’ve ever done in this space…my list of 100 Favorite Movies. That series was so much fun, and in the years since I have followed it up with things like 80’s Movie Mania, 90’s Film Frenzy, & Merry Movie Mayhem. What can I say?? I don’t have a wife or girlfriend, no children (that I’m aware of), and lead a rather prosaic existence, so I love movies. I had thought when we did the 100 Favorite Movies that I might update it in about decade or so because I know that taste evolves, and indeed it has. Looking back at that list I’d guess that atleast a dozen or so wouldn’t make the cut now, several films that I didn’t appreciate back then would be given some love now, and of the ones that remain many would be reshuffled…either dropping down a few spots or rising exponentially. However, one of the things that I have realized thru the years is that movies are…atleast for me…kind of a mood thing, and oftentimes seasonal. So was it even fair to rank them 1 to 100?? What’s done is done and I regret very little of what I wrote back then, but I think a fresh approach is required. 

In 2014 I presented the idea for a Weekend Christmas Movie Marathon where we packed over two dozen films & TV specials into 17 viewing hours over the course of two & a half days. Seven years later that sounds exhausting. My attention span seems to have grown shorter as I’ve aged, and I have learned that less is more. So we are going to do things just a bit different for this project, which is open ended and will continue as long as I choose, with new additions being made at my leisure. No pressure. No time constraints. No predetermined intervals of frequency. 

Here’s the concept…..

What I have discovered about myself is that I gravitate toward certain actors & directors. There are film categories & sub-genres that I enjoy and those that I absolutely do not. I suppose that’s not unusual or groundbreaking. Most of y’all are probably the same way, it’s just that I’m a writer with enough spare time for self reflection and a convenient space to kvetch about it. So what I’ve done is choose my favorite filmmakers and decided to create a weekend movie marathon for each of them. However, this time we won’t be watching wall to wall films for hours upon hours. We’ll choose only five…one for Friday, Saturday , Sunday night as well as Saturday & Sunday matinees. I think that is more than doable. 

Looking back at the Christmas Marathon I have to chuckle at how things have changed in seven years. First & foremost I no longer have my sweet & cuddly Rocco, who left this mortal coil in October 2019. That doesn’t affect things one way or another when it comes to movies except I don’t have him to snuggle with anymore. Technology is the big change. In 2014 I wrote about preparing for such a marathon by recording things off television, buying DVDs, or going to Redbox. Nowadays I have no doubt that we can stream anything we want as long as we have access to those channels. Most people probably have Netflix, Hulu, & Amazon Prime Video, and between those three I am quite sure everything is readily available. As far as ambiance, since this is a wide open situation with no seasonal constraints creature comforts are totally up to the individual. I do have a bigger, nicer television than I did seven years ago, but I’m also trying my best to lose some weight & eat healthier, so snacks would be kept to a minimum in this household. 

Okay, so you get the idea. The first marathon will be presented soon. I would ask for patience & broadness of mind if you don’t understand my choices. I am going to do my best to not be repetitive, so there’s a good chance that if I don’t discuss a particular movie it’s because I’ve reserved it for another actor or director. In the course of preparation I have noticed that sometimes there is a lot of crossover. Something I enjoy might have multiple favorite performers or be directed by someone whose filmography I really like. As always I welcome feedback. Unlike politics or social issues I think movies are a subject that we can have positive discussions and perhaps even amiable disagreements about because it is all in good fun.