HIGH LIFE : Good Films Come to the Fore in the Good Old Summertime

Summer is the hottest box-office time of the year for movie theaters across the nation, a fact that leads to this week’s hot topic: “What’s the best movie you’ve ever seen and why?”

“ ‘The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe’--it always makes me cry.”

Cheryl Padayo, 17,

senior, Connelly

“ ‘Raising Arizona’--it is so sarcastic that it makes you laugh. ‘Aliens’ and ‘Full Metal Jacket’ because they get your adrenaline pumping and parts are funny.”

--Bart Hickson, 18,

senior, Corona del Mar

“ ‘Breakfast Club’--it made me understand people better.”

--Nir Rahamin, 16,

junior, Cypress

“ ‘Dirty Dancing’--I’m a dancer myself and I realize how hard it is to be able to dance like that.”

--Vicki Kennedy, 17,

senior, Dana Hills

“ ‘Breakfast Club’--it deals with a lot of situations (that) kids face every day in high school and it showed how alike we all are, even if we’re parts of different cliques.”

--Brandy Elser, 16,

senior, Dana Hills

“ ‘Clockwork Orange’--it shows what society is turning out to be.”

--Richard Hartzell, 16,

senior, Dana Hills

“ ‘Big’--the movie really made me laugh and made me remember the way I thought when I was young.”

--Ken Romaniszyn, 16,

senior, El Toro

“ ‘Full Metal Jacket’--it showed the duality of mankind.”

--Neil King, 17,

senior, Estancia

“ ‘Platoon’--the action in it is very real. It showed a lot of emotion of people dying during the war. It is very close to reality because it shows just about everything. This is not like any other wartime movie; it’s a must-see.”

--Luan Ton, 17,

senior, Estancia

“ ‘Running Scared’--or one of the ‘Beverly Hills Cop’ movies because the writers make me feel like I’m right there with the action.”

--Jason Hassay, 16,

junior, Fountain Valley

“ ‘Who Framed Roger Rabbit’--it’s different and funny.”

--Valerie Smith, 15,

sophomore, Fountain Valley

“ ‘Star Wars,’ ‘Empire Strikes Back’ and ‘Return of the Jedi’--they have lots of action, great story lines and imagination.”

--David Berryman, 14,

sophomore, Heritage

“ ‘St. Elmo’s Fire’--even though it may lack a solid story that the critics tend to ‘hunt for,’ the actors and the style of the movie appealed to me.”

--Alex Im, 17,

senior, Kennedy

“ ‘Who Framed Roger Rabbit’--I haven’t seen it but the previews were great. And I’m sure it would easily be the best movie I’ve ever seen if I do see it.”

--Jean Chen, 16,

junior, Kennedy

“ ‘Top Gun’--it inspired me very much. I really want to become a Navy fighter pilot when I get older.”

--Mike Hall, 17,

senior, Loara

“ ‘Apocalypse Now’--it is a most interesting and intriguing movie.”

--Chris Brown, 16,

senior, Los Alamitos

“ ‘Wall Street’--it shows the reality of the business world.”

--Hugh Hua, 17,

senior, Los Amigos

“ ‘Stand and Deliver’--it showed that nothing is too hard to accomplish in life.”

--Refugio Placentia, 15,

sophomore, Los Amigos

“ ‘Robocop’--I liked the special effects very much.”

--Richard Madren, 16,

junior, Magnolia

” Big’--it’s hilarious, and it seems it could happen to me.”

--Alison Bush, 17,

senior, Mater Dei

“ ‘Star Wars’--it has everything: action, adventure, romance and even some comedy.”

--Nimisha Gohil, 17,

senior, Orange

“ ‘Ladyhawke’--for the magic and the romance, and the fact that everything turns out OK in the end.”

--Anna Pezzetti, 16,

senior, Orange

“ ‘Westside Story’--I liked the singing, dancing and the music.”

--Jenelyn Cunningham, 18,

senior, Orange Lutheran

“ ‘For Keeps’--I guess I liked it because it showed how tough teen pregnancy is.”

--Pam Sanchez, 15,

sophomore, Santa Ana

“ ‘E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial’--it was heart-warming.”

--Jorge Rivero, 17,

senior, Santa Ana

“ ‘Stand By Me’--it was something I could relate with.”

--Matt Budds, 16,

senior, Servite

“ ‘Who Framed Roger Rabbit’--it had all my favorite cartoon characters in it.”

--Cindy Lacina, 18, senior,

Southern California Christian

“ ‘Gone With The Wind’--Scarlett O’Hara was such a strong character and one who demanded admiration from everyone.”

--Barna Dee, 16,

senior, University

“ ‘Monty Python and the Holy Grail’--it is clever and witty.”

--Brent Phillips, 17,

senior, University

“ ‘Predator’--it was violent; I like violent movies.”

--Chad Beeler, 15,

sophomore, Valencia

“ ‘North Shore’--it is a rad surf movie.”

--Jeff Meyers, 16,

junior, Valencia

“ ‘Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure’--it was funny.”

--Mickey Doi, 16,

junior, Valencia

“ ‘Strange Brew’--it is the stupidest movie I’ve seen but it’s a funny one.”

--Heather Jones, 17,

senior, Westminster