Saturday Night at the Movies

Ever since we installed a video projector in our living room a few months ago, Oliver and I have had a movie night every Saturday.

Oliver came up with a system for selecting what movie we watch: one week it’s a film released during his teenage years, the next week during my teenage years. Oliver picks the theme, I pick the movie.

Here’s what we’ve watched so far:

  • Raiders of the Lost Ark
  • The In-Laws
  • Carrie Pilby
  • Volunteers
  • The Best Offer
  • Peggy Sue Got Married
  • A Star is Born (2018)

This week I secured special dispensation to extend my pool of eligible films back to my pre-teen years; the themes Oliver selected were death, Canadian history, animals, running, and autumn.

Could there be a better week for 1978’s Heaven Can Wait, directed by Warren Beatty and Buck Henry with the stellar cast of Beatty, Henry, James Mason, Julie Christie, Charles Grodin, Dyan Cannon, Vincent Gardenia, and Jack Warden.

It may lack animals and Canadian history, but it’s got death, running and autumn in spades. It’s also my very most favourite film.

And it was as good in 2020 as it was when I saw it in a theatre 42 years ago.

Comments

Andrea's picture
Andrea on September 20, 2020 - 14:16 Permalink

I saw Heaven Can Wait in the early 80s, when, if I recall correctly, the entire QCJHS were taken to the old Prince Edward Cinema on Grafton Street to see it as part of our Winter Carnival festivities. I enjoyed the film, but remember thinking it was an odd choice for the group.