April brings a wonderful lineup of films to our Red Mountain and Mesa Downtown senior centers. From golden-age Hollywood classics to beloved family favorites and moving true stories, there's something for everyone this month. Grab a seat and enjoy the show.
Mesa Downtown — Thursdays
Grease (1978) | PG-13
One of the most beloved musicals ever made, Grease follows Danny Zuko (John Travolta) and Sandy Olsson (Olivia Newton-John), who fall in love during the summer of 1958 — only to find themselves at the same high school that fall, on opposite sides of the social divide. Danny runs with the leather-jacketed T-Birds; Sandy has fallen in with the Pink Ladies. The film is packed with irresistibly catchy songs — "Summer Nights," "Hopelessly Devoted to You," and "Greased Lightnin'" among them — and remains the highest-grossing musical film of the 20th century.
War Horse (2011) | PG-13
Directed by Steven Spielberg and nominated for six Academy Awards including Best Picture, War Horse tells the story of Albert, a young English farm boy, and Joey, the horse he trains and loves. When World War I breaks out, Joey is sold to the British cavalry and sent to France, beginning a sweeping, emotional journey across a war-torn continent. Albert, unable to forget his horse, eventually enlists and searches the battlefields of France in hopes of finding Joey again. A stirring tale of loyalty, courage, and the bond between people and animals.
Pillow Talk (1959) | NR
A classic screwball romantic comedy starring Doris Day and Rock Hudson in their first of three films together — a pairing that lit up the screen and launched an entirely new genre. Jan Morrow (Day) is a successful interior decorator who shares a telephone party line with Brad Allen (Hudson), a charming, womanizing songwriter who monopolizes the line. When he discovers the woman he's been feuding with is beautiful, he disguises himself as a shy Texas rancher to win her over. The script won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay, and Day earned her only Academy Award nomination for the role.
Herbie: The Love Bug (1969) | G
A beloved Disney classic and one of the highest-grossing films of 1969, The Love Bug follows down-on-his-luck race car driver Jim Douglas (Dean Jones), who comes into possession of a white Volkswagen Beetle with a mind — and a heart — entirely its own. Herbie starts winning races, but Jim assumes all the credit is his own skill, not his little car's. When a scheming rival plots to steal Herbie away, Jim finally begins to understand what he has. Warm, funny, and full of charm, this one is a delight for all ages.
Front of the Class (2008) | PG
Based on the true story of Brad Cohen, this Hallmark Hall of Fame production follows a young man (James Wolk) who has lived with Tourette syndrome since childhood — facing misunderstanding from teachers, classmates, and even his own father (Treat Williams). Rather than let his condition define his limits, Brad sets his sights on becoming the teacher he never had. Despite his impressive credentials, he is turned down by 24 schools before finally getting his chance. A genuinely moving and uplifting story about perseverance, acceptance, and the power of a good teacher.
Red Mountain — Tuesdays
August Rush (2007) | PG
A modern musical fairy tale, August Rush tells the story of Evan (Freddie Highmore), an 11-year-old musical prodigy living in a New York orphanage who believes he can find his birth parents by following the music. His mother, Lyla (Keri Russell), is a classically trained cellist; his father, Louis (Jonathan Rhys Meyers), is an Irish singer-songwriter. The two were briefly and deeply in love before being torn apart — each unaware that their child survived. Robin Williams appears as a street musician who takes Evan under his wing. A heartfelt, fable-like film about music as a force that connects people across distance and time.
Shall We Dance? (2004) | PG-13
Richard Gere, Jennifer Lopez, and Susan Sarandon star in this warm romantic comedy about a Chicago estate lawyer, John Clark (Gere), who has a good career, a loving family, and a nagging sense that something is missing. On his evening commute, he glimpses a beautiful, wistful woman (Lopez) through the window of a ballroom dance studio and, on impulse, signs up for lessons. What begins as curiosity blossoms into a genuine passion — one he keeps secret from his wife (Sarandon), who grows increasingly puzzled by his evening absences. A crowd-pleasing film about rediscovering joy in the middle of an ordinary life.
Phenomenon (1996) | PG
John Travolta delivers one of his most warmly praised performances as George Malley, an easygoing small-town California mechanic who, on the night of his 37th birthday, is knocked down by a mysterious flash of light. The next morning, he finds himself reading voraciously, learning languages overnight, solving complex problems — and slowly falling in love with a reserved single mother (Kyra Sedgwick). But George's extraordinary new abilities also draw fear and suspicion from those around him, and eventually a darker truth begins to emerge. A poignant, character-driven story about what it means to truly see another person — and to leave something meaningful behind.
Coal Miner's Daughter (1980) | PG
Sissy Spacek won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her extraordinary portrayal of Loretta Lynn in this celebrated biopic directed by Michael Apted. The film traces Lynn's life from her childhood in the grinding poverty of Butcher Hollow, Kentucky, through her marriage at 13 to the ambitious and devoted "Doolittle" Lynn (Tommy Lee Jones), to her unlikely rise as one of the most influential voices in country music history. Spacek performed all of Lynn's songs herself, and the real Loretta Lynn personally chose her for the role. A rich, honest, and deeply human portrait of perseverance and stardom — and one of the finest biopics ever made.
