With the Thanksgiving break fast approaching, and the holidays following soon thereafter, many Choaties no doubt will be looking for ways to entertain themselves. Free time is always in short supply for those in the Choate community, so it is important to utilize whatever time we have to entertain ourselves. With that in mind, here are a few book and movies to consider for your entertainment pleasure.
When browsing for a movie to watch, be it by yourself or with friends, it’s always a good idea to visit the classics. With the exception of a few truly great movies (Gladiator, The Matrix, Return of the King, and The Dark Knight come to mind), most of the top movies of all time were made before 1995 or so. It is said by many in the arts community, as I learned in English class the other day, that the surest sign of artistic decay in a culture is when the art of a certain age satirizes the art of an earlier time.
Looking at the recent movie lineup, which includes Beverly Hills Chihuahua; Saw V; yet another Tyler Perry flick; and a movie bluntly titled Zach and Miri Make a Porno, it becomes quite apparent that movie culture in America has reached its nadir. Instead of watching movies that reference the cultural icons of days long past, why not skip the dreck being served in the theatre and watch the classics themselves?
There are many excellent films to consider in every genre of movie. If you’re in the mood for mystery, Chinatown or Thunderball (the fourth installment of the James Bond series) would be great choices. If you’re looking for a political thriller, Clear and Present Danger or Citizen Kane both offer drama and political intrigue.
If romance strikes your, Arthur (NOT the aardvarck OR King Arthur) or Pretty Woman will leave you charmed. If you want horror, look no further than Hitchkock. For satire, Dr. Strangelove is tops. The Pink Panther series (the ones from the ’70s, not Steve Martin’s recent attempt at recreating it) offers comic mystery at its best. And if you want to see what the Wild West was like, The Searchers and True Grit are some little-known gems.
If you’re searching for a good book to cuddle up with by the fire as the wind howls outside on a cold snowy evening, there are some choices that can’t be beat. Here is a list of my personal favourites:
Winnie-the-Pooh and The House at Pooh Corner are two masterpieces, written by A.A. Milne in 1926 and 1928, respectively, that have proved to be timeless classics. While generally regarded as “children’s books”, these two books are filled with adventures and characters best understood by the wisest adults. The characters in both books, Pooh, Piglet, Christopher Robin, Rabbit, Owl, Eyeore, Tigger, Kanga, and Roo, represent personality traits common throughout society.
The books, at their core, are not only stories of adventure, but a beautiful vision of how wonderful life can be if we take a deep breath, hum a little, and live. In the busy environment of Choate, the lessons of these two classic books are ones worth remembering.
The Wind in the Willows is another of my favourites. Written by Keneth Grahame in 1908 as a collection of what wikipedia deems “children’s literature”, this classic book (incidentally loved by none other than A.A. Milne himself) describes life on the river bank of rural England. Featuring characters such as Mole, Water Rat, Badger, and Toad of Toad Hall, this is another book that looks at society from the lense of animals. Chalk this down as another under-rated classic worth reading.
But the best thing to curl up with on those long winter nights is, without a doubt, a collection of Calvin and Hobbes. While not exactly literature, Calvin and Hobbes is the best of the comic strip classics, showing the travails of six-year-old Calvin and his stuffed Tiger, Hobbes. Strips range from the exploits of the Intrepid Spaceman Spiff, the machinations of the pair against their malicious baby sitter, Rosalyn, and criticisms of different aspects of adult society.
For anyone looking for a good book, these three represent the cream of the literary crop. For anyone looking for entertainment, these books and movies, though oldies, are worth revisiting.
