Top Ten Movies I Watched Late

There's a common life saying "It's better late than never". The saying applies to movies I watched late. Many movies are more than pure entertainment. Movies can inspire, change, touch our hearts and souls, and think and re-think our beliefs and values. Movies can begin conversations. Movies can bring people together. Movies can educate and influence people.

Today's top ten are movies I watched late that could have educated and influenced me when I watched them within the first year of release. I could have been more mature. I could have avoided some problems from my childhood to my early adult years. I experienced some experiences in the last five years I should have experienced at a much younger age. I'm happy to say my catching up continues indefinitely.

Star Wars is a good example. I didn't watch Episode V in 1980 and Episode VI in 1983. I was introduced to Star Wars for the first time in 1984. I watched Episode V for the first time in 1987. I don't remember when I watched Episode VI. My gut feeling tells me I watched Episode VI before Episode V. I wonder how my childhood could have been different if I was introduced to Star Wars at my earliest when I was in kindergarten.

Here are my top ten movies I watched late:

10. Clerks (Released 1994). I was introduced to Clerks for the first time on my first week at Blockbuster Video. The store manager kept Clerks in the New Release section at least 2.5 years. The customers and my co-workers encouraged me to watch Clerks which took me months. It was the daily life working in retail. "I'm not even supposed to be here today!" - Dante

My take on the movie is Dante needs to stop complaining about his life. Grow up and wise up.

9. The Godfather Trilogy (Part I 1972, II 1974, III 1990). I watched all three movies in 2008. I never paid attention to the time length. All three movies got my attention. I recognized Al Pacino in the middle of the Part I movie. I need to watch the movies multiple times to fully comprehend. "I'm going to make him an offer he can't refuse." - Don Vito Corleone

My take on the movie is organized crime, drugs, power, greed, revenge, and the past. The Godfather Part II was my favorite because we see Vito Corleone in his early years.

8. Mr. Smith Goes To Washington (1939). I watched the classic movie for the first time in 2011. The movie has relevancy in today's world. My take on the movie is government, politics, strength, determination, believe in yourself, courage, corruption, and people supporting you.

7. It's A Wonderful Life (1946). There are people who missed me if I never exist. There are more people I influence their lives than I think. I must get better. I experience more confidence, stronger strength, enhance human kindness, and more wisdom in time. I earn the world my good human existence for good things to happen. I digress. I watched the movie for the first time in Dec 2009.

6. Falling Down (1993). I saw the movie 1997 and later. I know I watched the movie after college. The movie still has relevancy in today's fast pace life. The movie represents many of today's people trying to live life and finding who they are. "I'm the bad guy?" -William 'D-Fens' Foster

My take on the movie is some days we're going to have bad days and some days we're going to have angry days. We need to relax, take it easy, calm down, and live life one day at a time. Control what you can control and don't control what you can't control. Good daily life lessons.

5. The Graduate (1967). A genius college graduate who doesn't know what to do in his life. He has an affair with a wife who happens to be the mother of the daughter he fell in love with. I watched the movie for the first time in 2008.

My take on the movie is affairs, drama and conflicts between people, ruined relationships, the unknown future, pursuing what you want even if it sounds crazy and stupid, and don't make the same mistakes as your parents did.

4. Wall Street (1987). I became interested in stocks and investing in 1999. My first job involved supporting brokers in the commercial real estate industry. I could have experienced the business world of investments, greed, negotiations, cold calling, and business jargon years before I started my first white collar job in 1998. I watched the movie for the first time in 2005. "The most valuable commodity I know of is information." -Gordon Gekko

3. Welcome To The Dollhouse (1995). The main character named Dawn experiences some of my childhood problems including my un-attentive parents, a small amount of friends, a smart sibling, and my weak self-esteem. On the other hand, Dawn has strengths and knowledge I never had when I was in junior high such as swearing, defending herself against her siblings, and sex.

I watched the movie for the first time in Oct 2013. The movie turned back the clock to my junior high years. Also, the movie made me forgive myself in my early teenage years.

2. Colors (1988). The movie could have influenced my teenage years. The movie is about gangs in East Los Angeles in the eyes of a rookie police officer and his veteran police officer partner. I never heard about gangs, street violence, drugs, police encounters, and the ghetto throughout my high school years. If I watched Colors in my high school years, I was exposed to gang life and even a brief sex education.

1. Good Will Hunting (1997). I watched the movie for the first time in Feb 2014. I believe if I watched the movie between 1997-2000, I could have experienced my grow up moment then instead of Sat Oct 4, 2008. Everyone must watch the movie. Everyone must have the movie in their personal movie collection. "It's not your fault." - Sean Maguire