the "ayyyy"s have it film festival

Last night, after a blissful May Day at the beach, I must have channeled my inner Fonzie.

That's the only rationale I can surmise for the name of this particular leg of my continuing premium-film viewings.

I had suddenly realized there were a whopping eight channels with movies for free -

so, how to decide which ones to view before the witching hour on Monday night?

And I distinctly heard Arthur Fonzarell say it:

"Ayyyy."

A quick check revealed that each of the eight had movies beginning with that vowel.

So be it!

The "Ayyyy"s Have It Film Festival was thus created!

(smile!)

And what a line-up, too!

I started out with a favorite from 1984, "All Of Me", with Lilly Tomlin and Steve Martin - yes, even though I know the words almost by heart!

Thanks, Streampix, for that one!

Then I flashed forward three years for "Adventures In Babysitting" with the delightful Elisabeth Shue.

How delightful is she?

Well, she could sure give Tom Cruise a run for his money with her dancing and lip-synch of "And Then He Kissed Me" - seriously!

Thanks, HBO, for yet another good one this time around.

"Along Came Jones" was a 1945 Western, featuring a singing cowboy!

But here was the best thing about Gary Cooper - he offered up the best movie kiss ever.

Seriously.

Twice.

The. Best. Movie. Kiss. Ever.

I rewound and watched the first one three times.

Seriously.

Screenpix was the source of that one, so check it out.

I followed that up with a 1959 bit, "The Alphabet Conspiracy", on linguistics that featured the Mad Hatter and the Jabberwocky.

Epix was the only one that offered any of The Bell System Science Series, so kudos to them!

By this time, I'd been to the hospital.

Not for me, but for my middle brother, Ronnie.

Zach had called to let me know he was helping the ambulance crew load him up, that he was unresponsive, and then had me talk to them for Ronnie's birthdate and medical history.

Memorial Hospital was under lockdown when I arrived, with a parking lot full of police cars and no word of how long the lockdown would continue.

A 1996 penny greeted me as I returned to my car - right place, right time.

Home I came to await phone calls and tomorrow.

In need of distraction, I resumed TAHIFF with a favorite, another I know by heart: 1988's "A Fish Called Wanda", with John Cleese cavorting in the buff whilst speaking Russian...

simply magnificent and just the medicine I needed!

Showtime, my deep gratitude for that favor.

Starz gave me my favorite version of this ghoulish group, "The Addams Family".

This was the one from 1991 with the charming Raul Julia with his bedroom eyes - oh, my, yes! - with great comic relief from Christopher Lloyd.

Feeling my energy flagging as the wee small hours approached, I turned to a movie that was 'new to me': "As Luck Would Have It".

That 2021 romantic fluff piece was on Hitz; set in Ireland, it was quite lovely, too.

Then I let Cinemax serve up the last film, a classic and familiar one with great cars, great music, and Wolfman Jack.

Yes, that would be "American Graffiti", from my high school days, with an as-yet unknown Harrison Ford crooning "Some Enchanted Evening" as he searched for a car to race.

Perfect ending.

Now to sleep, as the day ahead looks to be a rough one.

i thank You, God, for this respite.