underdogishere

I'm sure the blogsphere is filled with thoughtful and emotional, and perhaps even angry, posts this Memorial Day. Mine is a little different, because every Memorial Day I am reminded that the movie Three Wishes begins on this day (at least, the flashback part, which is the bulk of the movie) and ends on Independence Day. The two holidays act as bookends for the story, and while this is just my opinion and observation, I don't think it's a coincidence that Three Wishes begins on a day of mourning, and ends on a day of celebration.

I don't have "favorite" movies, but there are those that I can watch again and again and enjoy every time, and Three Wishes is among them. I love it. I think I love it in part because I see my own youth in Tom Holman, the youngster in the movie, an underachieving outsider yearning to be one of the gang. And I love Three Wishes because I like movies that combine the natural with the supernatural or extra-natural. And I love Three Wishes because it's beautifully paced. There are a lot of people who think it's slow. Personally, I would consider regarding those people as shallow. At least when it comes to their movie tastes -- they may be exemplorary in every other way. Three Wishes isn't slow. It's contemplative, and so it moves at a contemplative pace. And the icing on the cake is that Three Wishes is so authentic to its period -- which was before mine, by the way :) And I can't bash any movie that highlights the sublime parallel between baseball and Buddhism. That alone could be the subject of a book -- even a Movement. The Dalai Lama might want to take note.

If you've never seen Three Wishes, you might want to give it a spin. If you like it, spin it again -- you'll notice a lot of clues early in the movie that don't make sense until you know how it ends. It's smart, and very well put together. Please leave me a comment to let me know what you think.

Thanks.

And thanks to the spirits of those who have died for us.

Have a contemplative Memorial Day.

Labels: Musing