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Weekly Quick Six series kicks off

Welcome to the new weekly Quick Six series.

As the Times-Republican staff work to provide information on what is happening in Marshalltown, it can be easy to get swept up. There are a lot of story ideas that fall to the side, a lot of journalism requirements that need to be met, a lot of thoughts that do not end up printed.

The weekly Quick Six will provide staff the opportunity to flex their writing skills and use creativity or ideas ordinarily not reserved for traditional newspaper articles.

This is the kick-off of the Quick Six. Readers will get an opportunity to know staff — their humor, their experiences. Staff will get an opportunity to have some creative fun. We hope you enjoy Quick Six, which will be available every Sunday.

The first Quick Six is below:

Classic movies at the theaters

Since the COVID-19 pandemic struck, there has been a shortage of new movies produced by Hollywood. Productions and releases have been delayed. However, movie theaters have busted out some classics that film buffs can enjoy. Sure, you can watch the movies on streaming services or from a DVD or Blu-Ray disc, but watching movies in a theater is a different experience.

Fridley Theatres here in Marshalltown has provided some classics. As a movie buff, I was thrilled at the viewing options and have been encouraging my children to watch the films in their big-screen glory.

Some of the awesome flicks Fridley has brought back during the pandemic are:

1) “Jurassic Park” – I first saw this as a kid at a drive-in theater. Watching the dinosaurs on a small television at home does not compare to seeing them larger-than-life on a theater screen. Seeing the larger-than-life dinosaurs adds so much more to this movie theater experience. This is being shown at Fridley right now.

2) “The Karate Kid” – Everyone knows the story of young Daniel LaRusso – the bullied high school student in a new school who learns how to defend himself from Mr. Miyagi. How many kids, after watching “The Karate Kid” for the first time, attempted the famous crane kick at home? This is also being shown at Fridley right now.

3) “Raiders of the Lost Ark” – This is the movie that introduced Indiana Jones to the world, and I have tried to get my kids to sit through it. For some reason, they never make it to the climax where the villainous Nazis meet a horrific fate after they open the Ark of the Covenant. This is a classic adventure film that everyone should see at least once.

4) “Back to the Future” – Marty McFly escapes a dangerous situation in 1985 in a time-traveling DeLorean – a car rarely seen on roads — and ends up encountering his parents when they were teenagers in 1955. Imagine the full-on geek moment I had when I saw a DeLorean traveling on the road in front of me when I lived in Tulsa. I was so close to asking the driver to pull over just so I could sit inside. If I ever get my hands on a DeLorean, you can bet I will put a faux flux capacitor in the back seat.

5) “Jaws” – I am convinced this is the movie that created a case of galeophobia — the fear of sharks — for many. I can understand why. After all, the film features a man-eating great white shark terrorizing beach goers. Five people end up getting eaten. I went on a trip to Orlando during my senior year of high school. I learned about an opportunity to swim with sharks and I was excited at the chance. Unfortunately, none of my friends would go with me. When I asked why, the universal response was, “Haven’t you seen ‘Jaws?'”

6) “Ghostbusters” – Who you gonna call? The first time I saw this movie was at a neighbor’s house. I was a toddler, so I should not remember it, but I do. It terrified me, but it was so well-done, I kept coming back for more. This is a childhood favorite movie of mine that my kids enjoy, as well. I look forward to the release of the upcoming “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” in 2021 and I hope it does the movie series justice.

Contact Lana Bradstream at 641-753-6611 or lbradstream@timesrepublican.com.

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