worth the wait in gold

Rating: 9/10 (4 August 2003)

Way too often when I ask people their favorite movies...one of these three flicks is offered.....Spaceballs...Shawshank Redemption or Monty Python and the Holy Grail.I've always considered these movies over- rated and thus avoided seeing them while simultaneously readjusting downward my opinion of the cinematic tastes of those recommending the flicks.
I only avoided Shawshank for a few months. I've got to admit it was pretty good when I finally saw it and if I would have waited a few more months it probably would have been better and if I had waited a few years it probably would have been great. I waited twenty years to see Spaceballs and when it was finally forced upon me I watched it with an attempted open mind but kept comparing the flick unfavorably to other Brooks films like Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein, High Anxiety, Silent Movie,and The Producers. I came away with the reinforced bias that Mel lost his touch after Silent Movie. I held out for almost thirty years on Monty Python. Then to my alarm my twelve year old daughter Mary told me that Monty Python was the funniest movie she had ever seen. I like Mary's taste and when I told her that I had never seen Holy Grail, she was surprised and encouraged me to rent the DVD which I did. I played it last night and yup, I loved it. Truly an original film. We laughed and now everybody is walking around going "neeth" etc. Of the three Grail is the best, Redemption second and Spaceballs a distant third. I wouldn't say I missed the boat..rather I waited three decades to catch it. Now I'm on board...sort of