Five Forgotten Favorite Films

Everyone has their laundry list of favorite films of all time. But everyone also has another list: the films they will drop what they are doing to watch on cable or have seen so many times they can quote it from memory but always get forgotten when the first list is made. Here are five movies that can be found on my own second list - are any of them on yours?

Swing Kids (1993) - When I say I have been a fan of Christian Bale's from the beginning, I really mean it. While Swing Kids was not his first big movie (see also: Newsies), it puts him into one of my favorite periods in history (World War II), which is, alone, enough to put it at the top of my list. I also love the examination of the swing kids movement and the conflict between Peter (Robert Sean Leonard) who fights against assimilation into the German Schutzstaffel (SS) and Thomas (Bale) who eventually gives up the fight and joins. It all culminates with tears at the end as young Willi (David Tom) cries into the night the mantra of the swing kids, "Swing Heil," declaring with finality his decision to fight against the SS.

Memphis Belle (1990) - Back to WWII and films "based on actual events," Memphis Belle follows the crew of a real life B-17 bomber on their final flight before heading home. Part of the fun of this film is seeing the faces of Billy Zane, Eric Stoltz, Matthew Modine, Tate Donavan and Sean Astin before they became recognizable faces.

Dutch (1991) - Technically, my list of favorite films includes the phrase, and I quote, "All things John Hughes," which includes Dutch but it's one of those films I watch every time it's on cable and enjoy it every time but never think of it when I visit the video rental shop. Follow a blue collar fella (Dutch, played by Ed O'Neill) as he journeys to retrieve his favorite gal's bratty silver spoon child (Doyle, played by Ethan Randall/Embry) from his boarding school for Thanksgiving. In true John Hughes fashion, Dutch and Doyle lock horns out of the gate and encounter a barrage of mishaps on their way home but find themselves friends in the end.

Dancer, TX, Pop. 81 (1998) - Teen flick. Coming of age dramedy. However you classify it, Dancer, TX is a little-known, straight-to-video that everyone with any interests in either genre should see at least once. If for no other reason than some terrific one-liners. Best friends Keller, Terrell Lee, John and Squirrel vowed as children to leave Texas for the sunny shores of L.A. as soon as they graduated high school. But on their final night, that plan comes into question and their lifelong friendship is tested.

Foxfire (1996) - Teen movies, like many other genre films, have a set of three or four basic formulae which they tend to follow. Foxfire is no different; new girl shows up on the local teen scene and stirs up the rebellious tendencies in a group of outcasts. Angelina Jolie stars as the newcomer rousing a group of outcast girls in a California Catholic school. The girls start by beating up a lecherous teacher who has been sexually harassing girls around the school and they only get more wild from there. Only four more films follow this one before child actor Jenny Lewis gave up her place on the silver screen in exchange for a position behind a microphone.