My 2018 Summer 12 Movie “Challenge” and 12 Short Lessons Learned

My 2018 Summer 12 Movie “Challenge” and 12 Short Lessons Learned

One of the most important lessons in life is to embrace the stage that you are in.  A few years ago, when my children were still very young, I looked at my friends who had older kids jealousy.  They would talk about inspirational beach books or meaningful summer movies and I would only have read Dr. Seuss and watched Disney with my young ones.  I used to ask myself, “Will I ever have time to read a book or watch a movie for pleasure?”

Now, this summer, I am embracing my stage and accepting what my friend calls the “Summer 12 Challenge.” Between Memorial Day and Labor Day, over that 14-15 week span, I have spent time on planes, in theaters and on Netflix with friends, family or on my own watching movies once a week or so.

Here are the 12 from this Summer and a 1-2 sentence thought on each one.  They are in no particular order…

Maktub-A fun movie that has everything-mafia, Israeli flavor, drama, humor, theology and religion. Subtitles will test your Hebrew and the plot twist will leave you smiling.

3 Identical Strangers-A most powerful and jarring story.  Makes us think hard about Dena Weiss’ profound words on this week’s parsha, Re’eh, “nature is informative but not determinative.”

Far from the Tree-This is the movie based on one of the most influential books I have ever read. The movie is great, but still not as great as the book which is a foundational read for a deeper understanding of parenting, family and education. 

Sunshine Hotel-Not an easy film to get through. Seeing the depressing reality of the Bowery in the late 90’s is extremely disturbing.

Ordinary People-This was a rewatch that I had not seen in over 30 years. “Repeat experiences (like rewatching movies) “allow consumers an active synthesis of time and serve as catalysts for existential reflection.” (The Atlantic, Education Section, July 2018) The sadness and tragedy that rips apart this family is, needless to say, so much deeper seen through my lens as a father and husband than it was as a 12 year old.

8th grade-Recommended to anyone who spends significant time with middle schoolers.  As a parent and an administrator who does, this is a disturbing, realistic and important movie to see.

Incredibles 2-Before our youngest child was born, we were a family with the same birth order and gender of the Incredibles, so I feel an affinity to this bizarre “Supers” family.  A fun outing with the family. I especially still love Frozone.

Bull Durham-Another rewatch where the first 30 minutes had me wondering why this movie is seen as a classic.  The rest of the movie made me love Crash Davis--a character with the wisdom of experience and a true baseball rebbe. Best line-- “I believe there ought to be a constitutional amendment outlawing Astroturf.”

LBJ-I had never heard of this movie which starred Woody Harrelson. It made me feel better about the political disarray of our country as it teaches, once again, that we have made it through turbulent times before and we have emerged.

I Tonya-This movie takes you revisit  the Tonya Harding story in the 90’s.  It makes the viewer realize that the story we heard in the news was part of a broader, sadder and more tragic context. 

Fever Pitch-My final rewatch.  While I loved the entire baseball culture of the movie, the best line is  a challenge to anyone’s passion for sport when Drew Barrymore’s character asks, “You love the Red Sox, but have they ever loved you back?” 

Uncertain Texas-This film  is a true story about a town in Texas which has a population of under 100.  It follows the lives of 4 people -- teaching the viewer more about financial, emotional and environmental challenges in small town America.