The ChucksConnection’s Best Films List

Hoosier DVD cover The Cure cover Bill & Ted's Excelent Adventure cover Brainscan cover

You won’t go wrong when you view these outstanding films.

The Adam Project. (2022) [PG-13] The Adam Project is a time travel adventure from Netflix that gives us a new twist: having the same person appear in parallel, both as an adult and as a kid simultaneously. Great performances by Ryan Reynolds and Walker Scobell along with outstanding action scenes and special effects make this one of the best time travel adventures in the genre. Back to Alphabetical Links.

Amelie. (2001) [R] Amelie, a shy young waitress in Paris, decides to help people around her, and along the way discovers love. One of the clever mysteries of this French film: who is the stranger wearing red high top chucks? Back to Alphabetical Links.

Animal House. (1978) [R] Probably the best fraternity comedy ever made with a classic comedy performance by John Belushi. It’s too bad that the sexual subplot between college professor Donald Sutherland and student Karen Allen gives the film an “R” rating. Back to Alphabetical Links.

Anya’s Bell. (1999) [Not rated, would be PG] It’s 1949. Anya, a blind woman who collects bells and never leaves her house suddenly finds herself alone when her mother dies. She meets Scott, another loner, a twelve-year-old boy from a single parent family who others term as slow, and they become friends. Together they help each other conquer personal handicaps. Too bad this film is only available through streaming. Back to Alphabetical Links.

Back to the Future. (1985) [PG] The first and the best of the many time travel comedy/adventures that became popular as a result of this film. The skateboarding scene with Michael J. Fox is not to be missed. Back to Alphabetical Links.

Before Midnight. (2013) [R] In this fourth movie of the Before Sunrise series, Jesse and Celine are vacationing with their family in Greece, at the beautiful estate of a Greek author. Jesse is 41, a successful author, but worried that he is not spending enough time with his son, Henry (from a prior marriage). Celine is the mother of their twin daughters, but not always happy about it, and is contemplating a job change. Are Jesse and Celine in the best years of their lives or in a middle aged crisis? Back to Alphabetical Links.

Before Sunrise. (1995) [R, should be PG-13] A love story about two strangers — a young American writer on the rebound from a broken romance and a beautiful French graduate student — who meet on a train to Vienna, hit it off, and embark on a romantic adventure for one night, knowing that they may never see each other again. Back to Alphabetical Links.

Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure. (1989) [PG] This comedy/adventure in the tradition of Back to the Future poses the interesting question “What if the survival of the world depended on the academic success of two teen-aged valley guys from Southern California?” While this may sound frightening, the film is actually a campy sendoff of both history and modern society suitable for the entire family. Back to Alphabetical Links.

The Black Stallion Returns. (1983) [PG] The extraordinary relationship between a boy and a champion Arabian horse is explored again in this sequel. The well-photographed adventure focuses on the boy’s courage and determination to track down and find the black horse when it is forcibly taken back to northern Africa by the Berber tribe. Back to Alphabetical Links.

Boyhood. (2014) [R] Boyhood is a fascinating story of growing up as seen through the eyes of Mason Evans, Jr. (Ellar Coltrane). Mason literally grows up on screen before our eyes, along with Linklater’s daughter Lorelei, who plays Mason’s sister, Samantha. Linklater’s realistic script shows how Mason and Sam react to divorces, moves, road trips, family celebrations, the onset of adolescence, and constantly changing family members. Back to Alphabetical Links.

Brainscan. (1994) [R] An under-rated science fiction thriller that explores the mind set of a teenager obsessed by computer games and horror movies. Back to Alphabetical Links.

Breaking Away. (1979) [PG] A young champion bicyclist living in a college town wants to spend the year after high school just hanging around, competing in races, and having fun with his three best friends. But reality soon changes their lives in this Academy Award winning coming of age film.

Bridge to Terabithia. (2007) [PG] Jesse Aarons is a 12-year-old artistically talented boy living in rural West Virginia who has been having a tough time due to money problems at home, lack of acceptance from his family, and fending off bullies at school. But life changes for the better when Leslie Burke, an adventurous and free-thinking girl his age moves in across the road. She encourages him to be imaginative and together they create the world of Terabithia in the woods near their homes. Back to Alphabetical Links.

Call Me By Your Name. (2017) [R] In the 1980s, in a small town in northern Italy, an unlikely romance develops between Elio, a seventeen-year-old music student, and Oliver, an older American graduate student in archaeology staying at the family villa for six weeks while interning as a research assistant for Elio’s father. Back to Alphabetical Links.

Charlotte’s Web. (2006) [G] Excellent adaption of the classic E.B. White tale about a young girl who adopts Wilbur, the runt of a litter pigs, the spider who helps him to survive, and how their actions end up affecting an entire Maine farm community. Back to Alphabetical Links.

Chasing Ghosts. (2015) [PG] Eleven-year-old Lucas Simons and his parents are trying to deal with the death of Lucas’ older brother, who was Lucas’ partner in making videos. Things turn around in Lucas’ life when he meets Chris, a local author and basketball coach who had a near death experience. Back to Alphabetical Links.

The Client. (1994) [PG-13] Susan Sarandon, Tommy Lee Jones, and Brad Renfro all deliver strong performances in this well done screen adaptation of the John Grisham novel about a young boy pursued by both the Mafia and the FBI when he witnesses the suicide of a mob lawyer. Back to Alphabetical Links.

The Climb. (1997) [PG-13] A twelve year old boy wants to climb a huge but decrepit radio tower to prove his courage in this coming of age story set in suburban Baltimore in the late fifties. John Hurt plays a dying cranky old man living next door who helps the boy pursue his dream and discover the true meaning of bravery. Back to Alphabetical Links.

The Cure. (1995) [PG-13] A moving coming of age story about two lonely eleven-year-old boys who develop an unlikely friendship. This is an unusual film about kids because its strong character development, minimalist style, and the riveting performances by Brad Renfro and Joseph Mazzello more than compensate for the somewhat improbable story line.

Don Quixote. (2008) [NR, would be PG] After the death of his mother, 12-year-old Moritz is distressed and bullied at school, so the aunt he is living with sends him off to Spain to be with his father. His father is very late picking him up at the airport, so Moritz wanders off. Outside he runs into a seemingly delusional man dressed as Don Quixote who goes around attacking windmills and monsters. After Moritz and his father have a quarrel, Moritz runs off to have some adventures with Don Quixote as they head to the sea to leave a message bottle for Moritz’s mother. (In German with French subtitles) Back to Alphabetical Links.

Duma. (2005) [PG] An orphaned cheetah becomes the best friend and pet of Xan, a young boy living in South Africa. When family circumstances change, Xan undertakes a trek to return Duma to his natural habitat. The condition of Xan’s optical white high top chucks as the film progresses is one of the ways to measure how taxing and difficult the journey becomes. When the journey starts they are a normal broken in pair of white high tops, but by the end of the journey the canvas has become completely brown and torn. Yet they still are functional to the end of the film! Back to Alphabetical Links.

EDtv. (1999) [PG-13] An average guy working in a video store suddenly becomes a national celebrity when he wins a contest and a cable company begins broadcasting his life to the world 24 hours a day, affecting his relationships with family and friends. A great ensemble cast makes this bittersweet comedy work. Back to Alphabetical Links.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. (2004) [R] An offbeat couple undergo a procedure to erase each other from their memories when their relationship turns sour. This very creative screenplay won an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay in 2005.

The Fast and the Furious. (2001) [PG-13] Spectacular racing scenes highlight this story about a Los Angeles police detective who infiltrates a street racing gang to apprehend the drivers who have been hijacking cargo trucks. Back to Alphabetical Links.

The Fault in Our Stars. (2014) [PG-13] Two teens, both who have different cancer conditions and their own unique takes at life, fall in love after meeting at a cancer support group. Great performances by Shaline Woodley and Ansel Elgort elevate this film. Back to Alphabetical Links.

Fire with Fire. (1986) [PG-13] A love story about two teenagers from very different worlds — an honor prison camp and a Catholic boarding school — who fall in love at first sight and risk everything to be together. Back to Alphabetical Links.

Frailty. (2001) [R] A man confesses to an FBI agent about how his religious fanatic father’s visions led the family to participate in a series of murders to destroy “demons” on earth. Back to Alphabetical Links.

Frequency. (2000) [PG-13] When a young Brooklyn policeman gets out his father’s old ham radio set on a whim during a storm, he soon finds himself talking with his father, who has been dead for thirty years! This breach of the space-time continuum soon leads to the two men trying to change the past and the surprising results that their tampering causes. This engaging thriller is both science fiction and crime drama, as well as a tribute to working class family devotion.

Getting to Know You. (1999) [NR, probably would be R] Heather Matarazzo, Zach Braff, Michael Weston, Bebe Neuwirth, Mark Blum, Bo Hopkins. Written and directed by Lisanne Skyler. Judith, a shy teenage d girl about to enter a foster home and her older brother who is going off to college are stuck waiting at a bus station for five hours. They end up examining their loyalty to each other, their family troubles, and their true feelings about what is important in life after she meets street-smart Jimmy, who passes the time by telling her the life stories of various people they see in the waiting room. Based on several short stories by Joyce Carol Oates. Back to Alphabetical Links.

Glasskår, aka Scars. (2002) [NR] Viktor Hansen, a perceptive thirteen-year-old, knows something’s up in his family. His parents are not talking to him, while his older brother OK tells him secrets he finds hard to believe. In the meantime Viktor is going through the normal rites of adolescence with his buddies Arnor and Roger. Filmed in Norwegian with English subtitles. Back to Alphabetical Links.

Gleaming the Cube. (1989) [PG-13] Christian Slater plays a skateboarder whose life is radically changed when his stepbrother is mysteriously killed, and he is determined to find out why. Back to Alphabetical Links.

The Glory Road. (2006) [PG] In 1966, Texas Western coach Don Haskins led the first all-black starting line-up for a college basketball team to the NCAA national championship. This is a film about winning and race relations in the 1960s. Back to Alphabetical Links.

Gran Torino. (2009) [R] Clint Eastwood delivers one of his career best performances as Walt Kowalsky, an embittered old man estranged from his family and church, mourning the loss of his wife and in failing health. When Thao, a teen-aged neighbor, is forced by a gang to try to and steal his prized 1972 Gran Torino, Kowalsky ends up reforming the teen and helping his Hmung neighbors rid the neighborhood of the gang. Back to Alphabetical Links.

Grease. (1978) [PG] This Hollywood remake of the popular Broadway musical features fifties rock and roll music augmented by music from the BeeGees, a strong cast headed by John Travolta, lots of cameo performances to be appreciated by baby boomers, and of course lots of black high top chucks.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. (2007) [PG-13] Daniel Radcliff in his starring role as Harry Potter brings the series into the modern era by sporting a pair of black low cut chucks in this film and the following film, Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. With their warning about Lord Voldemort’s return scoffed at, Harry and Dumbledore are targeted by the Wizard establishment as an authoritarian bureaucrat slowly seizes power at Hogwarts. Back to Alphabetical Links.

A History of Violence. (2005) [R] A small town family is thrust into the spotlight after Tom Stahl, the father, is declared a hero in the media after taking out two thugs trying to rob and kill the employees at his diner. Later when some mobsters from Philadelphia appear at the diner and say they know Tom under another name, his family and the sheriff begin to wonder if Tom is really who he says he is. Back to Alphabetical Links.

Hoosiers. (1987) [PG] This classic story of a small town basketball team that comes from nowhere to the state finals is considered by some critics to be the best sports film ever made. This film is worth a look just to return to the days when teams were defined by their black or white Chuck Taylor high tops.

I, Robot. (2004) [PG-13] Will Smith plays a chucks-wearing technophobic cop investigating a crime that may have been perpetrated by a robot, a violation of the first law of robotics in this film based on the classic Isaac Asimov novel. Back to Alphabetical Links.

Igby Goes Down. (2002) [R] An adolescent who has grown up in a dysfunctional, wealthy family tries to strike out on his own and find meaningful relationships, but must continually deal with the machinations of his mother, stepfather, and older brother, and the legacy of his mentally ill father. Back to Alphabetical Links.

I.Q. (1994) [PG] A witty romantic comedy about a young auto repairman who comes up with a theory of quantum physics to impress his would-be girl, the daughter of Albert Einstein. Walter Matthau steals the show with his portrayal of Einstein. Back to Alphabetical Links.

It. (1990) [NR-would be PG-13] A malevolent predatory force in a 1960s New England town takes on the shape of a clown to prey on young kids, until a group of seven 12-year-olds band together to stop it. When the force reappears thirty years later, the seven must re-confront the terrors of their youth to make a last stand against “It”. Back to Alphabetical Links.

Jet Boy. (2002) [NR, would be R] Fourteen-year-old Nathan, starting to live the life of a street prostitute due to his horrible family life, runs away from the authorities after his mother overdoses and seeks companionship from a man with family issues of his own. Back to Alphabetical Links.

Journey. (1996) [PG] Jason Robards and Max Pomeranc (Journey) are outstanding in this story of a restless mom who deserts her children and leaves them to be raised by their grandparents on the family farm. Through his love of photography, the grandfather helps Journey recover from the confusion and emptiness that he is experiencing, and discover the true meaning of what a family is. Back to Alphabetical Links.

Just Looking. (1999) [R] In the summer of 1955 a 14-year-old kid from the Bronx sets himself one goal: to see two adults making love. When his mother sends him to stay with his pregnant aunt and uncle in Queens, he thinks his plan is doomed, until he meets his gorgeous adult neighbor Hedy and hooks up with some like-minded kids in the neighborhood. Back to Alphabetical Links.

Lady in White. (1988) [PG-13] A ghost story set in a small northeastern town pits a boy with dreams of becoming a mystery writer against a serial killer when the boy sees an apparition re-enacting the ten-year-old unsolved murder of a young girl. Back to Alphabetical Links.

Lost Christmas. (2011) [NR, would be PG] Orphaned the previous Christmas, a young boy looks after his demented grandma by selling stolen goods to a soft-hearted fence. One Christmas Eve the boy meets Anthony, an enigmatic stranger with apparent psychic powers, who begins to change his life.

Matinee. (1993) [PG] This tribute to grade B horror flicks stars Goodman as a fly-by-night producer promoting his newest film “Mant” (half man, half ant) in Key West, Florida during the same week as the Cuban missile crisis. Back to Alphabetical Links.

Mr. Holland’s Opus. (1995) [PG] This film about the thirty year struggles of a music teacher to make ends meet, inspire his students to perform music at a high level, and deal with the pressure of raising a deaf son is an emotional tribute to the importance of arts education in our schools. Back to Alphabetical Links.

A Monster Calls. (2016) [PG-13] Small for his age, young Conor feels very damaged, guilty and mostly angry when outside his inner world of drawing and imagination. He struggles at school with bullies, pity looks from everyone, and at home with his mother’s terminal sickness and the absence of his father until a huge yew tree monster helps him face the truth.

My Girl. (1991) [PG] Vada Sultenfuss, an eleven year old with aspirations to become a writer learns about life (and death) when her widowed father, the town mortician, gets a new girl friend, and through summertime adventures with her best friend, a shy but intelligent boy living next door. Back to Alphabetical Links.

My Girl 2. (1994) [PG] In this sequel, Vada travels to Los Angeles to try to find out about her long dead real mother and finds romance with the son of her uncle’s girl friend. Back to Alphabetical Links.

Mystery Kids. (1999) [PG] Geneva Johnson, an aspiring 12-year-old mystery writer, and her best friend, Tommy, spend their summer searching for a missing girl in order to collect a $5,000 reward. The witty and well-delivered dialogue along with the great personal rapport of these junior sleuths combine to make this a gem of the mystery genre suitable for the whole family.

A Perfect World. (1993) [PG-13] Butch Haynes escapes from prison with another inmate, and is on the run from the law, led by Texas Ranger Red Garnett, leading deputies and and a criminologist in a statewide pursuit. Butch takes a young boy as a hostage, but surprisingly the two end up bonding, with each enjoying the father-son relationship that they never had, while the law continues to hunt them down. Back to Alphabetical Links.

Pie in the Sky. (1996) [R] A light hearted romance about a young man with two obsessions — understanding traffic patterns and pursuing Amy, the girl of his dreams.

The Pistol: The Birth of a Legend. (1991) [G] The story of how Pete Maravich began to pursue his dream to become one of the world’s greatest basketball players with the support and encouragement of his father, a visionary basketball coach at Clemson University. The film deals with young Pete’s early high school years, when he was a freshman on the Daniel High School varsity team. Back to Alphabetical Links.

The Right Stuff. (1983) [PG] This film adaption of Tom Wolfe’s classic story of the Mercury astronauts shows how they and their families faced the unknown dangers of early rocket flight along with the overwhelming pressures of becoming instant celebrities. Back to Alphabetical Links.

Rocky. (1976) [PG] Sylvester Stalone’s first boxing film stands up over time as one of the best sports films ever made. The training sequence where Rocky runs up the steps to the top of Philadelphia’s Art Museum square to the pulsating Rocky theme is a classic film moment. Back to Alphabetical Links.

Run Lola Run. (1998) [R] Time is running out for Lola in this surrealistic thriller. She’s just received a frantic call from her boy friend, Manni, who has lost a small fortune belonging to his mobster boss. If Lola doesn’t replace the money in twenty minutes, Manni will surely suffer severe consequences. Back to Alphabetical Links.

Running on Empty. (1988) [PG-13] Powerful performances by Christine Lahti, River Phoenix, Judd Hirsch, Martha Plimpton, and Steven Hill highlight the story of the Pope family, living in the underground on the run from the FBI since the late sixties. Now Danny, their oldest son and a talented pianist, wants a life of his own and the opportunity to study music at the Julliard School in New York, but this means a complete separation from his family or the paper trail required for admission will tip off the authorities.

The Sandlot. (1993) [PG] A nostalgic look at a group of boys who spend every possible moment of their summer playing baseball. This film celebrates a simpler lifestyle for kids when all that was needed for a good time was a baseball glove and ball to throw, a pair of chucks to run around in, some friends to hang out with, and a sandlot where they could play the game. Back to Alphabetical Links.

School of Life. (2003) [PG] A hip new teacher makes a big impact on the students and faculty of a middle school. Back to Alphabetical Links.

The School of Rock. (2003) [PG] A wannabe rock star, kicked out of his own band, and in desperate need of cash, poses as a substitute teacher at an exclusive private elementary school. When he discovers that his students have musical talent, he turns the class into a rock group to compete in a local battle of the bands. Back to Alphabetical Links.

Sin City. (2005) [R] A contemporary film-noir, with clever uses of spot color, based on the comic novellas written and illustrated by director Frank Miller. Three intertwined story lines are about Marv, a brutal thug seeking the murderer of a beautiful woman who was killed while asleep in bed with him; Dwight, an ex-photographer who accidentally kills a corrupt hero cop and has to cover it up; and Hartigan, a police detective who is incarcerated for a crime he didn’t commit to protect a young victim. Back to Alphabetical Links.

Sky High. (2005) [PG] Set in a world where superheroes are commonly known and accepted, young Will, the son of Commander Stronghold and Josie Jetstream, tries to find a balance between being a normal teenager and the expectations that he will be another superhero. Back to Alphabetical Links.

Sling Blade. (1996) [R] An unconventional character study written, directed, and starring Billy Bob Thornton about a seemingly retarded man recently released from a mental hospital after years of incarceration for murdering his mother and her lover when he was nine. The main story line is based around the friendship that Thornton develops with a young boy, and the boy’s widowed mother as the tragedy of his own life is gradually revealed.

Sneakers. (1992) [PG-13] A renegade team of computer hackers are blackmailed into carrying out a covert operation against a industrialist who has developed the ultimate computer weapon — a black box that is capable of breaking into any computer system in the world. A great ensemble cast led by Robert Redford and Sidney Poitier. Back to Alphabetical Links.

SpaceBoy. (2021) [NR, would be PG] A gifted eleven-year-old boy secretly builds an air balloon with his friend Emma to prove to his father that everything in life is possible. In French. The cinematography features many close up shots of Basile Grunberger’s blue high top chucks. Back to Alphabetical Links.

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. (2018) [PG] Miles Morales is a New York teen struggling with school, friends, and being the new Spider-Man. When he comes across Peter B. Parker, the erstwhile saviour of New York, in the multiverse, Miles must train to become the new protector of his city. Back to Alphabetical Links.

Stand and Deliver. (1988) [PG] Edward James Olmos’ tour-de-force as the uncompromising mathematics teacher in a ghetto high school who insists on teaching his students calculus. Back to Alphabetical Links.

Stand By Me. (1986) [R, should be PG-13] A coming of age story about four twelve year olds living in a small town in the year 1959, whose lives were changed by a chance adventure to find the dead body of a missing boy that had been spotted in the woods twenty miles away. Back to Alphabetical Links.

Starman. (1984) [PG] An alien whose space ship crash lands on earth takes the form of a young widow’s late husband and forces her to help him travel to Arizona where he can be reunited with his mother ship. At first she resists, but gradually as the alien develops more human traits reminding her of her husband, and she sees the hostile attempts by the government to capture the starman, she begins to actively help him. Back to Alphabetical Links.

Super 8. (2011) [PG-13] During the summer of 1979, a group of friends shooting amateur video movies witness a train crash and investigate subsequent unexplained events in their small town. Back to Alphabetical Links.

The Sure Thing. (1985) [PG-13] John Cusack plays a college freshman at an Eastern college full of hope for improving his love life. When his best friend back home in California tells him that he has set up a “sure thing” for him over Christmas break, he ends up riding back with a prim and proper coed also going to California.

Tick Tick BOOM! (2021) [PG-13] On the cusp of his 30th birthday, a promising young theater composer navigates love, friendship and the pressures of life as an artist in New York City. Back to Alphabetical Links.

To Dance with the White Dog. (1993) [PG] After fifty years of marriage, Sam Peek loses his beloved wife, Cora, and no amount of fussing by his overprotective children is going to ease Sam’s loneliness or failing health until one day a beautiful white appears out of nowhere and brings positive change to his life. The only problem —no one else can see it except his grandson, Bobby. Back to Alphabetical Links.

Tremors: Shrieker Island. (2021) [PG-13] When a group of hunters genetically modify Graboid eggs, they face an all-out war against the larger, terrifyingly intelligent Graboids, and the swiftly multiplying Shriekers. The campy end to the Tremors series with an extra half chuck in the rating for all the great chucks footage. Back to Alphabetical Links.

Twins. (1988) [PG] This comedy/adventure successfully pairs the unlikely combination of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny De Vito as two twin brothers who were created as part of a genetics experiment gone awry. After the two meet up, they end up going on the road, with Schwarzenegger on a mission to find their real mother and DeVito trying achieve a windfall from a stolen rocket he has gotten hold of by accident. Back to Alphabetical Links.

Wadjda. (2012) [PG] An enterprising Saudi girl whose independent ways and dress (she always wears black high top chucks) are seen by many as defiant in the restrictive culture for women in that country, signs on for her school’s Quran recitation competition as a way to raise the remaining funds she needs in order to buy a green bicycle that has captured her interest. Back to Alphabetical Links.

Wayne’s World. (1992) [PG-13] The first of two feature films based on the popular Saturday Night Live comedy segment about two young guys into the heavy metal scene who broadcast a weekly program on the Aurora, Illinois public access channel. Funny situations, creative dialogue, and Mike Meyer’s self-deprecating approach to the project make this film work. Back to Alphabetical Links.

Ways To Live Forever. (2010) Sam, a twelve-year-old boy suffering from leukemia wants to know everything he can about life, his disease, and death, a possibility he might face. Together with his best friend, Felix, he embarks on a "scientific investigation" and a bucket list of things to do and find out. Back to Alphabetical Links.

West Side Story. (1961) NR (would be PG-13) This film version of the trend setting Broadway musical about two rival gangs in Manhattan’s Hell’s Kitchen influenced a generation and won numerous Academy Awards. This modern day Romeo and Juliet remake has a fabulous musical score by Leonard Bernstein with lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, impressive choreography by Jerome Robbins, and strong performances by the principal actors. Chucks have an important role in the costuming, with the Jets wearing white low cuts, and the Sharks wearing black low cuts. Back to Alphabetical Links.

West Side Story. (2022) [PG-13] Steven Spieberg’s remake is a masterful job in cinematography and scene composition. He fixes some things from the first version of the film that was made in era with different sensibilities, and changes the role of Doc to his widow and gives her the Somewhere song, so that Rita Moreno (from the original film cast) has a part. The only downside is that you never get to know the individual Jets like you do in the original. Back to Alphabetical Links.

These films feature great chucks cinematography. Except for The Cure and The Pistol: The Birth of a Legend, they are rated between two and three chucks.

The Adventures of Jurassic Pet. (2019) Science and reality take huge hits and even some gunshots in this story of Chris, a chucks-wearing thirteen-year-old who receives a mysterious large egg from a man in an antique store. Later that evening the egg hatches, and a fully-formed and ultra fast-growing dinosaur pops out who understands English, bonds with Chris, and is named Albert. Now Chris must try to protect Albert from the authorities, the public, and a “mad scientist” reptile researcher who wants to perform experiments on it.

The Adventures of Mickey Matson and the Copperhead Treasure. (2013) [PG] When a mythical alchemy machine from ancient times is rebuilt by a group of Confederates who feel the civil war never ended, Mickey Matson and his newfound friend, Sully, must follow a series of clues left by his dead grandfather to keep the evil men away from the three mystical objects that power the device.

Air Buddies. (2006) [PG] When doggie dad Buddy and mom Molly are dognapped, their five adorable pups, the Air Buddies, must save the day with the help of their kid owners, Noah and Henry. Cool pups and black high top chucks. What more could Noah want?

Aliens for Breakfast. (1994) [PG] Young space nut Richard Bickerstaff is blown away when Areck, a miniature space alien, appears in his breakfast cereal. Soon Areck has Richard fighting against Dorf, another alien disguised as a popular new kid in his class at school who has Pied Piper-like capabilities and soon has most of the kids wearing red high top chucks like he does. Richard wants to abandon wearing his brand new black high top chucks for red ones until his mom puts her foot down and he discovers the new kid is an alien.

The Babysitters Club. (1995) [PG] Good chucks shots abound in this pleasant family comedy about Kristy, the leader of a group of seven girls who decide to run a summer camp for kids to earn money. But things are complicated by other kids and some adults, including her long-absent father who shows up and wants to spend time with her.

Balloon Farm. (1998) [PG] A friendly newcomer to a drought-ravaged farm town surprises everyone by growing an amazing crop of brilliantly colored balloons in his field. Is this a sign of good things to come or is it part of a more sinister plot to defraud the struggling community? Young Willow checks things out in her red high top chucks.

The Basketball Diaries. (1995) [R] Leonardo di Caprio and his friends on a Catholic high school basketball team all wear black high top chucks on the road to lives of drug addiction and crime.

Billy Owens and the Secret of the Runes. (2010) [NR] Billy Owens and his friends must use their intelligence and magical powers to find a way to free their teacher’s soul from an enchanted amulet.

Blue Lagoon: The Awakening. (2012) [PG-13] Emma and Dean, two very different high school students become stranded on a tropical island and must rely on each other for survival, while their parents desperately search for them. As the weeks pass by they develop an attraction to one another and eventually fall in love.

Breakin’. (1984) [PG] A struggling young jazz dancer meets up with two break-dancers. Together they become the sensation of the street crowds. The film features Ice-T in his film debut as a club MC and lots of great shots of Adolfo Quinones and other dancing in different pairs of high top chucks.

Charlie Bartlett. (2007) [R] Expelled from a series of private schools, wealthy and intelligent teenager Charlie Bartlett must attend a public high school where he at first has trouble fitting in and is harassed by school bully Murphy Bivens until he begins to better understand the social structure at the school. Part of Charlie’s character is the wearing of black high top chucks even with fancy dress clothing.

Child’s Play 2. (1990) [R] This is the second film in the series about the evil doll Chucky who is trying to possess the soul of young Andy Barclay (Alex Vincent). There are some great chucks shots in the chase scenes between Vincent and the Chucky doll.

Chucks. (2015) [NR, would be R] Mae, alienated from her mother after the death of her brother, roams the streets of Vienna as a punk in his red high top chucks which have an important symbolic role in this film. She lives in abandoned buildings, commits petty crimes, sprays walls with graffiti, and tries her hand at poetry slams. Her life goes through a big change when she meets and falls in love with Paul, a patient at the AIDS center where she is performing community service to stay out of jail. In German with English subtitles.

The Cure. (1995) [PG-13] This film has outstanding chucks cinematography, including two scenes where one of Brad Renfro’s black high tops serves as a symbol of the friendship that has developed between the two main characters.

De Boskampi’s (The Little Gangster). (2015) [NR, would be PG] Young Rik Boskamp, son of a nerdy accountant, wants one thing: to not be bullied. Inspired by a mafia film, Rikki concocts a plan where he and his father move to a new village and everyone is led to believe that his father is the dangerous mafia boss Paulo Boskampi. The plan works great until a bully from the past emerges and Paulo hears of his new competition. The scene where Rikki laces up a new pair of black high top chucks to complete his changeover to gangster kid is a classic. In Dutch with English subtitles.

The Dust Factory. (2004) [PG] Ryan is a young teenager who has withdrawn into himself after seeing his father die. After a traumatic fall off a railroad trestle, Ryan finds himself in a realm between reality and immortality called the Dust Factory where people walk on water, determine their fate on a circus trapeze, and Ryan’s grandfather, who has Alzheimer’s disease is now lucid. He meets up with Melanie, another lost soul, and together they try to find the courage to return to the world of reality. There are several extended scenes of Ryan trying to make his way back to reality in his black high top chucks.

Earth to Echo. (2014) [PG-13] After receiving a bizarre series of encrypted messages, a group of kids led by Teo Halm in a pair of black low cut chucks embark on an adventure with an alien who needs their help.

Encino Man. (1992) [PG] Two Los Angeles high school losers dig up a frozen caveman in their backyard and when he thaws out they figure he is their ticket to being part of the “in” crowd at school. But the caveman turns out to be wilder and crazier than they ever imagined in this satire about the stone age meeting generation X.

The Great Gilly Hopkins. (2015) [PG] Twelve-year-old Gilly Hopkins finds herself shuttled from one foster home to another partly due to her bad attitude toward others and partly due to her desire to be reunited with her birth mother who put her into foster care. When her scheming backfires, Gilly learns some important lessons about life.

The Haunting in Connecticut. (2009) [PG-13] After a family is forced to relocate for their son Matt’s health, they begin experiencing supernatural behavior in their new home, which turns out to be a former mortuary and the site of unspeakable crimes. Eventually Matt laces up his black high top chucks and bravely goes after the evil spirits haunting his home.

House of Tomorrow. (2017) [NR, would be PG-13] Sebastian, a shy home-schooled teenager living in domed house and shrine to Buck minster Fuller has his life changed when he meets up with iconoclastic Jared who encourages him to become a punk rocker. Alex Wolff looks great in the punk rocker’s essential footwear, black high top chucks.

Ice Cream Man. (1995) [R] According to one of the actors, this cheesy horror film was sponsored in part by the Converse Company. There certainly is an underlying chucks theme, because nearly all of the main characters wear Chuck Taylor high tops in various colors, and there are lots of good shots of them throughout the film.

The Invisible Boy (Il terrazzo invisible). (2014) [NR, would be PG-13] Michele (Miki) is thirteen year old, shy, unpopular at school, and in love with Stella. After wearing a costume for a Halloween party, he finds out that he’s invisible and that there is a lot about his life he doesn’t understand or know about. Lots of great shot of Miki in his maroon high top chucks and Stella in her black high top chucks.

Jeepers Creepers. (2001) [R] Two teens returning home from college are nearly run off the road by a maniac in a beat-up truck and later spot him shoving what appears to be a body down a sewer pipe. When they stop to investigate, they discover that the grisly reality at the bottom of that pipe is far worse than what they suspected, and that they are now the targets of an evil force more unspeakable and unstoppable than they could have ever imagined. Those scenes with Justin Long’s beat up black high tops in the culvert really grab at you.

Jurassic World. (2015) [PG-13] Ten years after the fiasco of Jurassic Park, the theme park has been reopened with new dinosaurs being created through genetic manipulation. The park is seen through the eyes of Zach and Gray, two brothers going by themselves to visit the park where their aunt is the CEO. But things go very wrong when the new dinosaur breaks through security. Luckily Zach has on a pair of black low top chucks to help him lead his brother away from imminent danger.

The Paperboy. (1994) [R] Close ups of Marc Marut’s red high top chucks are used as a symbol of his psychotic and malevolent behavior in this unsettling horror film.

Pas de répit pour Mélanie. (No Rest for Melanie). (1998) Teen boyfriend Louis looks very cool in his red high top chucks as he helps Melanie, her little brother Peter, and Florence discover who robbed elderly Ms. Labbé of her most valuable assets and her pet pig. In French, no subtitles.

The Pistol: The Birth of a Legend. (1991) [G] This film is about basketball star Pete Maravich’s early high school years, when he was a freshman on the Daniel High School varsity team. Great chucks footage throughout, especially during the training sequences.

The Protector. (Tom yum goong). (2005) [R] A young fighter named Kham trained in martial arts as a “protector of royal elephants” goes to Australia to retrieve two stolen elephants, taken by a well-connected gang of smugglers. With the help of a Thai-born Australian detective, Kham must take on the deadly gang and their police insiders who try to kill him and frame him for murder. This film is filled with great martial arts scenes featuring Tony Jaa wearing a pair of black high top chucks as he takes on gang after gang of bad guys.

Ready or Not. (2019) [R] On her wedding night, a young bride is forced to play a game of Hide and Seek as she joins her new husband’s rich, eccentric family, a time-honored tradition that turns into a lethal game with everyone fighting for their survival.

Ready Player One. (2018) [PG-13] In the post-apocalyptic year 2045, Wade Watts is one of many searchers in a virtual reality world called the OASIS, for an Easter Egg, which will give the finder the fortune of the world’s creator. Wade proudly wears his black high top chucks in not only the virtual world but also the real world.

The Red Sneakers. (2002) [PG] When a high school student with below average athletic skills is given a pair of red high top chucks that once belonged to a basketball great, they magically give him the ability to single-handedly win games and lead his team to the city championship game.

Saving Shiloh. (2006) [PG] Young Marty leads a simple life with his dog Shiloh, his family, and his favorite sneakers, a pair of black high top chucks. In this film Marty investigates a crime that his neighbor Judd is suspected of committing.

The Skateboard Kid. (1993) [PG] Lots of great chucks shots in this fantasy about Zack, a teen-aged skateboarder who moves from Los Angeles to a small town, where the local skaters treat him with hostility. When lightning strikes Zack’s skateboard, it becomes alive, turning into Rip, a wise cracking personality who becomes Zack’s confidant and helps him fight against the local skateboard gang who are continually trying to take him down.

Sky High. (2005) [PG] Set in a world where super heroes are commonly known and accepted, young Will, the son of Commander Stronghold and Josie Jetstream, tries to find a balance between being a normal teenager and the expectations that he will be another superhero. Will wears both red and blue high top chucks as he tries to discover what his actual superpower is.

Skyrunners. (2009) [PG] Fourteen-year-old Tyler, a bullied freshman, and his older brother Nick, a senior trying to be successful with girls and life in general by lying a lot, run into a small alien spaceship one night. Nick grabs the ship, and Tyler takes a ride in it. The next day, “Skyrunner” Tyler has had a growth spurt, which makes him appear older, and discovers he has incredible physical powers. This turns his high school life upside down and there is an incredible scene in the school gym where he takes on all comers in a dodge ball contest wearing a pair of green high top chucks.

Teufels Kicker (Devil’s Kickers). (2010) [NR, would be PG] When Moritz’ parents split up, he and his rather eccentric, “no idea about soccer” mother have to move in with his grumpy grandpa Rudi, far away from his home, friends and his beloved football club. Despite rejection by the local club in his new town, Moritz succeeds in setting up a new team and signs them up for the upcoming championship. Chucks are featured a lot in the costuming and cinematography, and viewers have the delight of seeing different generations of the same family wearing high top chucks.

Thrashin’. (1986) [PG-13] A skateboarding tribute to West Side Story about a champion skateboarder who falls in love with the sister of the leader of a rival gang. Nearly all of the characters wear high top chucks, and there are lots of close up shots during skateboarding sequences.

Tommy Tricker and the Stamp Traveler. (1987) [Not Rated but would be G] This Canadian family classic with a stamp collecting theme is filled with great chucks shots. Ralph and Tommy, the two main characters, wear them during most of the film and chucks even appear on stamps when Ralph and Tommy go stamp traveling.

True Friends. (1998) [R] Three young best friends live lives full of fun and mischief until they witness a local mob boss kill a man. Although they vow to keep it a secret, it eventually comes back to haunt them when they are adults. The boys growing up in the Bronx in the year 1980 look great in their “uniforms” of t-shirts or tank tops, blue jeans and black or navy high top chucks.

Under the Silver Lake. (2018) [R] A young man sets out on a quest to investigate the sudden disappearance of his neighbor only to stumble upon an elusive and dangerous large-scale conspiracy. Andrew Garfield looks great throughout the film in his well broken-in black high top chucks.

Victor and the Secret of the Crocodile Mansion. (2012) [PG] Eleven-year-old Victor is both thrilled and mystified when his family moves into his grand-uncle’s somber mansion filled with African masks, taxidermy crocodile mounts—and a dark secret: Four decades ago, his grand-cousin Cecilia, at the same age as he is now, lost her life in the mansions impressive staircase, and the circumstances of her death still remain obscure. Victor makes it his mission to solve the case and there are great close ups of his blue high tops as he explores the mansion.

You’ve Got A Friend. (2007) [G] In 1976, 12-year-old Bobby Graham, a recent orphan, moves to Albuquerque to live with his aunt and uncle, who never had children of their own. Although his uncle is opposed to the idea of Bobby doing anything but attending school and working in his hardware store, Bobby has the talent to design his own race car and wants to build it and enter the local soap box derby. Saying that he has joined the school baseball team, Bobby defies his uncle and teams up with the town recluse, Vietnam veteran Jim Klecan, a former soap box champion, to build a soap box racing car and compete in the derby. There is chucks-friendly cinematography of Bobby throughout the film.

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