“Ten years ago, Zamansky’s students convinced him to see Star Wars:Episode 1-Phantom Menace as an unofficial class trip. He did not like the movie, but enjoyed the experience with his students.”

Telling your teacher you did not do the homework because you were at a movie may not be the best excuse. But they too like to take time off and relax by watching a movie they love. Their favorites can range from an inspiring, original Oscar film to over the top goofball comedy movies.

For English teacher Jennifer Choi, movies have made a significant impact on her life, especially a few she saw as a child. One of her fondest memories is when her older cousins took her to see the tearjerker Ghost, but told her it was a horror film. She was on the edge of her seat the whole time, worrying that some crazed killer would pop out between Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore. The heartwarming flick actually became one of her favorites and she even danced to “Unchained Melody,” from the movie’s soundtrack, at her wedding.

Recently Choi has enjoyed current award winners, like The Wrestler which she called “haunting and disturbing.” She believed Mickey Rourke deserved the Oscar for Best Male Lead. She also enjoyed multiple Academy Award winner Slumdog Millionaire for the bright colors and catchy soundtrack.

Computer science teacher Jon Alf Dyrland-Weaver grew up loving a wide variety of cinema because his parents were movie buffs. “I like action movies, but I also like good movies, like The Godfather.” Dyrland Weaver said. As a computer science teacher he also has a flair for the science fiction movies, such as Independence Day, which he saw four times in the theater. He saw it once on the first day it came out with his friends, once on a boy scout trip, once with his cousins and once with his friend who could not come with him to see it the first time. “By the fourth time I was quoting the whole thing,” he said.

Dyrland Weaver’s fellow Computer Science teacher Mike Zamansky, enjoys all types of movies and struggles to identify his favorite. Zamansky said, “I can’t pick a favorite movie, because they all bring something different to the table.” Even so, he prefers classic films like Casablanca, Inherit the Wind, and Singing in the Rain. Zamansky particularly loves Robert De Niro and Humphrey Bogart films, even going as far as to invoke “Bogey” as the legendary actor’s nickname.

Despite his love of the classics, Zamansky also branches out into other, less prestigious types of movies. “Seeing a bad movie can be fun if you see it with a lot of friends,” he said. Ten years ago, his students convinced him to see Star Wars:Episode 1-Phantom Menace as an unofficial class trip. He did not like the movie, but enjoyed the experience with his students.

On the other hand, chemistry teacher Dr. Jeffrey Kivi grew up loving the original Star Wars, drawn in by the special effects. Now he likes the gothic animated films of Tim Burton, especially The Nightmare Before Christmas and Corpse Bride. “I love the visual style, the feel and the atmosphere of [Burton’s] movies,” Dr. Kivi said. Even though his favorites have changed, he clearly enjoys movies that are visual impacting and take him to an unusual place, whether it be “a galaxy far far away” or “Halloween Town.”

Growing up in Italy, Italian teacher Vito Recchia enjoyed “western spaghettis” or Western movies filmed in Italy. He prefers older films, particularly those starring the glamorous movie star from the ‘30s, Greta Garbo. Even today with so many choices at Blockbuster, Recchia still prefers his Italian classics. “They are about family, relationships, feelings, which I like,” he said.
English teacher and pop culture enthusiast Kim Manning (formerly Rober) likes curling up on the couch with a good comedy. “My favorite director is Woody Allen because he has such a narcotic outlook on life,” Manning said. Her favorite film is the twisted comedy Harold and Maude because it is utterly ridiculous but still amusing. Interestingly enough, when Manning isn’t laughing during a movie, she likes to cry. “A great movie, just like a great novel, has the power to move people in profound ways. My idea of a good movie is one that leaves me in tears,” Manning said.
Between grading papers and teaching kids, teachers like to take a break from their hectic job with a beloved movie of their choice. Whether it be a movie from their childhood that brings back old memories, a hilarious comedy, or a dramatic award winner, they enjoy having their hour and a half of entertainment, comfort and relaxation.