I was going through some older files and I came across my film lists dating back to the beginning!! Wow! As I was not blogging back in those days, I thought that sharing these lists would be beneficial! Important thing to note, I saw very few movies in the theater as a kid/teen. We rented movies out the yin yang, but the cinema was for special trips. I am also not pegging Best/Worst until later in the list, due to low film counts. I will also be numbering them to see what my total tally is! With that in mind-Here we go:
1987
Really?! We are going back 27 years?! Yes we are. I was 8 years old in August of 1987 and this was the first movie I saw in the theater. Now, many others saw films long before they were 8. My parents waited until my brother was 6, and I 8, to attend our first film at the cinema. I don’t think I will be able to keep my future children out of the movie theater until age 8, but I applaud my parents for being respectful of other moviegoers.
1: My brother and I were MASSIVE He-Man fans back in the 80’s. This movie is odd in how well, and how badly, this film has aged. It is a weird one, but it was my first, and you never forget your first. It is the only movie I saw in the theater that year, and is therefore the Best and Worst of 1987.
1989
Yes, After being exposed to cinema, it was nearly 2 years until we went again! Now, we had VHS (a large library) and cable, so we did not suffer. In fact, I would say that my film exposure was FAR beyond what other kids got to see. This was the time I saw Friday the 13th, Nightmare on Elm Street, Godfather, Caddyshack, and other R rated films, context and guidance by my parents of course. By this point, I was 10, and my brother was 8.
The list:
2: Honey I Shrunk the Kids: I remember enjoying it.
3: Peter Pan: My mother dragged us to this one- rerelease of the Disney cartoon. A good movie, a classic even, but even today I would watch any of the others before reaching for this.
1990
We were off to the races now. While some years from here on out did not match the quantity of 1989, the movie bug was firmly planted.
4: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: another defining movie for kids my age.
yup, only 1 movie. times were tough.
1991
5: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: Secret of the Ooze: NINJA, NINJA RAP! Despite being horrified as an adult by this, I recall being enthralled by this entry into the series.
6: Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country: This one was powerful! The last film of the original Star Trek Crew! The trailer shocked me, in that the story could ever end. here it is, still gives me the weeps:
7: Hook: Bang-a-rang! Rufio! Bizzare movie, but I have a soft spot for Mr Smee.
1992
8: Batman Returns: Movie of the century for me. I adored it more than the first. Its still a great film.
9: Home Alone 2: It has charm, and I certainly laughed, but even I knew this was more of the same by this point. Yes, I was starting to develop TASTE.
1993
This was the year I turned 14, started High School, and began to grow up.
10: Jurassic Park: Blew my goddamned mind! This was probably my “Star Wars” moment in cinema- seeing something you had never seen before. Still one of Spielberg’s top 5.
11: Son of the Pink Panther: I am proud to have seen this one. It starred one of my new discoveries- Roberto Benigni as the son of Inspector Clouseau. It is notable as the last entry in the original series. At least I saw the last one in theaters. Love these movies.
1994
12: Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult: Funny funny movie. I love the ending at the oscars.
13: Major League II: We enjoyed it, a lot, but it had none of the teeth of the original.
14: The Flinstones: Yuck. Dead on Arrival. John Goodman was made for this role though.
15: Star Trek Generations: The first film of the Next Generation, but also the Death of Captain Kirk! Shocked and saddened this young Kirk fan.
1995
16: Batman Forever: It has not aged well, but this was a huge movie at the time. Jim Carrey was at the top of his game, and the insane style was somewhat fresh.
17: Ace Ventura 2: That Rhino birth scene still destroys me.
18: Goldeneye: Bond returns! nuff said.
1996
This is an interesting year. I was 16, turned 17, I got my first job in November of 95, and my license to drive in January 96. I wonder what will happen when Ponte has wheels and money?
19: Black Sheep: Chris Farley and David Spade. Actually not a bad movie.
20 Broken Arrow: I remember my pal Chad and I having a hell of a time getting into this one. It was rated R. I was 16 and he was 17. They would not let me in! We traveled to another theater and walked in- no problem. Cannot remember one detail of the movie though, lol.
21 Executive Decision: Every trailer showed this as a Steven Segal movie. He dies 15 or so minutes in, and Kurt Russell takes over. Definitely an improvement.
22 Mission impossible: Still the best of the series.
23 The Phantom: SLAM EVIL!!! I don’t care, I still love this film.
24 The Rock: Sean Connery and Nicholas Cage battling Ed Harris on Alcatraz!
25 Independence Day: I have not seen this in years, my wife despises it, but I enjoyed it enough on release. It is the quintessential 90’s movie.
26 The Frighteners: I don’t recall what brought me in to see this, but it was pretty good. Directed by LOTR Peter Jackson!
27 A Time to Kill: I remember the movie running long and we had to leave early. I did not see the ending until years later.
28 Kingpin: Still my favorite Farrelly Brothers film. It marked the unofficial start of Bill Murray’s ascension to godhood.
29 Joe’s Apartment: Not a good movie, but I remember it being the first MTV movie, which was a big deal in the day for a teenager. MTV still meant something other than Snookie.
30 Island of Dr Moreau: Yikes! So bad. I can still remember sitting in the theater, freaked out by that mutant thing so expertly lampooned by South Park a year later.
31 Star Trek First Contact: An amazing movie, to this day. The best of the TNG cast.
32 Mars Attacks: I still love this one. It was just so insane. It’s hard to believe it got made.
33 Scream: This is the one that defined our generation’s teen years. SCREAM! It restarted the horror genre, and inspired many filmmakers to do the self-aware horror movie.
Well. Holy Crap 1996. Who knew that Money+Car+teenage Ponte = MOVIES!
Lets recap total movies seen here:
1987-1995: 18 movies
1996: 15. That’s right. 45% of my total Cinema attendance, to this point, was in ’96. Insane. Now that we have a larger body to work with, I can start on Best/Worst:
Worst:
Broken Arrow. I can’t even remember the damn thing, and that is over a time to kill, which I did not finish!
Best:
Scream. That was the defining film for me. It was one of those movies that hit at just the right time (senior in high school). Looking back, it also captures a time, and place, in our lives. The clothes and hairstyles were of my generation’s high school. A touchstone.
This is the break for Part One. 1996 was a watershed year for me. I attained some independence, a used movies to help soften the loss of my father on January 20th. This was the first big year for movies.
The next, and presumably LONGER part 2 (I might have to do 3) will appear shortly.
The Skinny from the Fatty 
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