“The Good Son” 1993; starring: Macaulay Culkin and Elijah Wood.

Elijah Wood plays 12-year old Mark, who has just lost his mother to cancer. His father has to go out of town on business, leaving Mark in the care of his aunt and uncle and their two children, Henry and Connie, (played by Culkin and his real life sister, Quinn). Mark quickly realizes that Henry is not what he appears to be to the rest of his family after he catches glimpses of his sociopathic behavior. This movie has an “on the edge of your seat” ending that, no matter how many times I watch it, I still find myself on the edge of my seat!

“Dogma” 1999; starring: Matt Damon, Ben Affleck (yeah, I know, but the movie is still good) and George Carlin.

The basic storyline is that the last living descendent of Jesus Christ is sent on a Holy mission to stop two fallen angels from getting back into heaven. But don’t let the words Jesus Christ, angels, holy or heaven fool you. This movie is rated R for a reason! It is filled with crude language, sexual references, violence and lots and lots of really funny $#!%. (Don’t watch this movie with your grandma.)

“Sleepers” 1996; starring: Robert DeNiro, Dustin Hoffman, Kevin Bacon and Brad Pitt.

This movie is based on the (purportedly) true story extolled in the novel by author (and former Catholic priest) Lorenzo Carcaterra detailing certain events from his childhood in New York’s Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood. It reveals the horrors of sexual abuse by guards during a stint in reform school after Lorenzo and his friends accidently kill someone in a prank gone horribly awry. As adults, two of the boys stumble upon, and subsequently kill, one of the men who had abused them as young boys. What follows are the events of the trial and how all four of the boys play a part in the outcome. Because this movie is based on a story the author claims is true, I find it fascinating. It is exactly the kind of movie a social worker (like me) would love!

“Holes” 2003; starring: Shia LaBeouf, Sigourney Weaver, John Voight and Patricia Arquette.

Even though I am a grownup, I still love this movie. Stanley Yelnats (LaBeouf) is sent to a juvenile correction facility for a crime he didn’t commit. He is convinced this is due to the Yelnats family curse. All day, every day, these youngsters have to each dig a hole as punishment. What the boys don’t know is that they are actually digging for the treasure of Kissing Kate Barlow – treasure that has been searched for by the warden’s family for generations. What I love about this movie is the connection to the past with the people in the present as well as the connection between Stanley and one of his fellow “inmates.” The warden is played by Weaver and her right hand man, Mr. Sir, is played by Voight. This is a movie that makes me happy, and I could watch it over and over again.

“All That Jazz” 1979; starring: Roy Scheider and Jessica Lange.

This is the story of (fictitious) Broadway choreographer Joe Gideon, who does absolutely everything in his life to excess...drugs, drinking, women, work, etc…landing him on deaths door on more then one occasion. Intermingled within the storyline are plenty of song and dance as well as fantasy scenes and frequent visits by “death” (Lange) as Gideon looks back on different periods of his life. I love the music and the dance in this film (I have the soundtrack in my car!) not to mention that Scheider does a phenomenal job playing the self-destructive Gideon.

“The Shawshank Redemption” 1994; starring: Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman.

Ahhh…. Stephen King…..Love, love love his books. but his movies not so much. However, this one is a winner! Actually, most people don’t even know that this is a Stephen King short story. This is the tale of Andy Dufresne, wrongfully convicted of the murder of his cheating wife. He spends decades behind bars in a prison with a corrupt warden, guards who regularly assault prisoners and inmates who beat and rape at will. One morning when the prisoners rise for the day, Andy’s cell is empty with no sign of how he could have escaped. Not only does he manage to escape from prison, but he finds a way to expose the warden and the guards at the same time. (I love it – stickin’ it to the man!)

“Hair” 1979; starring: John Savage, Treat Williams and Beverly D’Angelo.

Man, oh, man, what is not to love about this movie! Hippies and groovy music, war protesting and drug use…it just doesn’t get any better than this. This is the story of a young man on his way to basic training during the Vietnam War. He encounters a group of hippies who try to convince him not to go, although he does anyway. They all catch up with him again later at the end of his stint in basic training as his unit is waiting to move out. This movie/musical is filled with song and dance and a fabulous cast.

“What’s Eating Gilbert Grape?” 1993; starring: Johnny Depp, Leonardo DiCaprio and Juliette Lewis.

Honestly, I am not much of a Leonardo DiCaprio fan, but this has to be his all time best performance ever. He is absolutely phenomenal in this film. Johnny Depp plays older brother Gilbert Grape - caretaker of the entire dysfunctional family following the suicide of their father and the desertion of their eldest brother. Their mother is morbidly obese and hasn’t left the house in seven years. Gilbert is left to care for his mentally challenged brother Arnie (DiCaprio) and their two additional sisters while holding down a job and repairing the falling apart house that his father built. This is one of those movies you just have to see. I promise you will love it!

“The Princess Bride” 1987; starring: Cary Elwes, Mandy Patinkin, Robin Wright, Andre the Giant, Peter Falk, Fred Savage, Chris Sarandon and Christopher Guest.

Last, but certainly not least, is the “Princess Bride,” based on a novel of the same name that begins with a grandfather reading the story to his sick grandson. The film flashes back and forth between the story and the storyteller. “The Princess Bride” is fantasy, sword fighting, the “Cliffs of Insanity”, pirates and giants. It is ultimately a story of true love and defeating all odds, but there is a lot of humor, imagination and silliness that goes along with it. This movie has a wonderful cast including a tiny bit of Billy Crystal thrown in just for good measure.