Stand by Me

Rob Reiner, 1986

IMDB

4/5

Stand by Me is not just a movie about a group of boys searching for a rumored dead body. That's all secondary. It doesn't really even matter if there even is a body at the end of their journey. Stand by Me is just an honest coming-of-age piece that will force any man watching to revisit their youth. The rapport between the four boys is identifiable to any grown man. Their world was a world that existed long before bullying was considered a punishable crime. They were living in a world where spankings were expected, getting picked on was the norm. When cold cuts cost $1 and the older men were slicking back their hair and driving fast cars.

Very much like Gordie recalls his youth after seeing a newspaper article, this film conjures up memories of your own youth. That group of friends that you would spend the summers running through the neighborhood with. Back then, they seemed like they would be life-long companions. Little did you know they were just those people who were there at that particular point in time. Those friends come and go. But for that little blip in time, they are your guides... your mentors, your support.

The film goes down as another one of Stephen King's masterpieces that made the successful transition to the big screen. King has a way of capturing the essence of relationships between people. He has also displayed the ability to see things through the eyes of children as he did in his 1986 novel It. There is a lot more to this movie than a fat Jerry O'Connell "sincerely" drinking game. It's a portal to your own past, when you had your whole life in front of you and the companionship.

The Princess Bride

Rob Reiner, 1987


4/5

          The Princess Bride falls in love with a local farm-hand, someone who lives much lower on the social ladder than herself. Soon after they acknowledge their love for each other, he is called off to war. She soon receives word of pirates attacking his ship and vows to never love again.
          This film has the quirky love-tale elements of Robin Hood: Men in Tights paired with the comedic mythical elements of Cabin Boy but in the end is a much better looking offspring. The film is so well edited with such beautiful scenery and set design. The comedy lands exactly where its supposed to, over thirty years later. I am late to the party on this film. I heard so many familiar references that I had heard so many times before without knowing their exact origin. My favorite character was Vizzini, played by character actor Wallace Shawn. Favorite scene: the sword fight between Westley (Cary Elwes) and Inigo Montoya (Mandy Patinkin! WHOA! Saul from Homeland?! Had no idea). Currently #192 on IMDB's Top 250, and clearly deserves a spot on the list. This exceeded my expectations, and it won't be the only time I see this film.