DSW10: TOP 10 FILM RECOMMENDATIONS from GAETAN PAPPALARDO

 

On Halloween 2020, Digging Star Wars turns 10! To celebrate, we've asked previous contributors to provide a Top 10 Recommended Films. Here's a Top 10 list and words from one of our guest writers, Gaetan Pappalardo, who wrote the Jurassic Park III (2001) entry in our 2020 The Mandalorian series and was our guest star in our vlog entry on Test Pilot (1938). Here is Gaetan's list and write-up....

Movies remind us of ourselves.  They whisper in our ears, tell us everything is going to be okay, give us advice and push us out into the streets for battle.  Like all art, movies save us. Here are a few that I love.

Slap Shot
Karate Kid
Rocky 3
Rad
Jaws
National Lampoons Vacation 
Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back
Rudy
Just Friends
The Shining 

Gaetan - and an awesome Star Wars toy -  circa Christmas 1978.

Slap Shot is usually on in February while I'm completing my second tri-mester grades --- putting on the foil, so to speak.  Rad is the summer fling when bikes and skateboards rock the streets and pavements. It's also the greatest, and maybe the only, BMX movie in existence.  I always watch Jaws before I visit Maine in the summer.  Even though it's New York, I feel like it's very New England. Maybe it has to do with the filming location?  Just Friends for Christmas hilarity and sound advice --- never enter the "friend zone".   The Shining around Halloween for my Stephen "I hated the movie" King fix. I read the book at light speed.  By far, the fastest I've ever read a novel. It's the sign of a well written book.  When you read a book effortlessly, great care went into cabling those words together. Respect.  Rocky 3 because of Mr. T.  The Karate Kid because Daniel (The victim) gets his revenge in the end.  However, with the release of Cobra Kai, I'm team Johnny all the way. Cobra Kai never die!  Rudy because Rudy is me.  I'm five foot nothing.. A hundred and nothing.. But I still go out and kick some butt in athletics. It's the ultimate connection with a movie.  Empire -- I mean, come on, it's Empire. Put snow in a movie and you got me.  And finally, Vacation is my reminder that doing crazy dad things is sometimes okay, as long as nobody gets hurt. WINK.