I confess I’m addicted to film and I have been since I was five years old.

As many of you know, my mother was born developmentally disabled.  At age 5 it became my job to help take care of her.  It was a gentler time, when a little girl could safely take her obviously challenged mother by the hand to go on the bus to movie theaters in my Midwest city.

As I grew older – learned to read, write; to reason – and my mother did not, movies became the vehicle through which we could connect.

From the time I was five until I left for college, most weekends I took my mother to four movies for the sheer joy of being able to laugh with her at funny films, cry at sad ones and scream during horror flicks.

Every time I walk into a darkened theatre I think of my mother and the joy film has always given her.  For me the summer movie season is more than a bonanza of fabulous  films – it is an opportunity to magically connect with other loved ones in the same way.

This June, there will be several magical moments in Chicago.  Not only will Ron Howard be honored at The Film Festival, but Robert Downey, Jr. will be awarded the Gene Siskel Film Center Renaissance Award – and I’m thrilled to report I’ll be in
attendance!

Of course IRON MAN 2 is at the top of my Summer movie list ( I’ve already seen it and I give it an A – Robert Downey, Jr. again delights!), but here are a few of my other must-see summer movies:

● ROBIN HOOD (saw it – found it interesting – great cast and           director)

● SEX AND THE CITY 2 ( I was at the Premier Party on May 26  – all dressed up, sipping champagne and enjoying the film. I don’t care what the critics say.  I’ll see it again just for the clothes, shoes and fun gals.)

● PRINCE OF PERSIA: THE SANDS OF TIME (The female lead,         Gemma Arterton, was very compelling in CLASH OF THE                 TITANS- ok, it wasn’t the best film but she was memorable!)

● LETTERS TO JULIET (I’m a hopeless romantic)

● SHREK FOREVER AFTER (Yes, I’ll be seeing this with young           children)

● KNIGHT AND DAY (I’m hoping it will replace my unpleasant         memory of Cruise and Diaz in VANILLA SKY)

● JONAH HEX (For some reason I can’t explain, I feel                   compelled to take the risk and see this one)

● THE A-TEAM ( Loved the series – like this cast)

● THE TWILIGHT SAGA: ECLIPSE ( I saw the first two with               teenagers – how can I not see this one?)

● THE KARATE KID ( I was at the Olympics in China so will             enjoy revisiting those sites - plus Jackie Chan is just too               much fun!)

● TOY STORY  3 (Another opportunity to share with the                 children)

● LOVE RANCH (This one is strictly for me – Helen Mirren               rocks!)

● INCEPTION (I’m not a big fan of Chris Nolan, the director –         but I’m giving this one a chance)

● THE ADJUSTMENT BUREAU (Because I am a fan of Matt               Damon and Emily Blunt)

● SALT (Angelina Jolie is always interesting)

● PREDATORS (I still love horror flicks)

● THE SORCERER’S APPRENTICE (It looks like a blast with Nicolas   Cage)

● THE LAST AIRBENDER (Again for the children – plus this director   has done some good work in the past, he needs a winner after a string of misses)

●  EAT PRAY LOVE (How can I resist?)

● THE GIRL WHO PLAYED WITH FIRE ( I must rent THE GIRL           WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO before I see this one)

● GOING THE DISTANCE (Just because of Drew Barrymore)

● THE SWITCH ( It looks like a fun summer romance)

I wish we could see them all together to share the magic!  

xoxo,

Sherrill

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