Protagonist & Praxis: Moonstruck

Cher’s 1987 Moonstruck won 3 Oscars for its portrayal of Loretta (Cher) and Ronny’s (Nicolas Cage) unconventional, inconvenient, and quirky love story. The interwoven stories, from the relationship between Loretta and Ronny, her fiancé’s brother, to the rekindled romance between Loretta’s uncle and aunt to the challenges within her parents’ marriage, reveal the interconnectedness of family bonds, the changing faces of love across generations, and the timelessness of “snap out of it!”.

Grandpa Castorini loves his dogs: he feeds them at the dining room table, sings opera to them, and loyally walks them around New York City throughout the film. Support no-kill shelters like the Anti-Cruelty Society of Chicago through donation or adoption.

In homage to Ronnie’s job at a bakery, try the Bay Area’s famous Acme Bread Company. Co-founded by Chez Panisse’s Steve Sullivan and voted one of the top 20 bread companies in the country by Saveur in the spring of 2012, Acme has been the staple of California organic bread for nearly 30 years. 

Enjoy the music of Puccine’s La Boheme, the opera Ronnie takes Loretta to see on their date with the famous box set with Luciano Pavarotti, Mirella Freni, Elizabeth Harwood, Rolando Panerai, and Nicolai Ghiaurov.

Perhaps the best scene is when Raymond and Rita Cappomaggi, Loretta’s uncle and aunt, see Cosmo’s Moon, inspiring the film’s title. SkyView is a free app that reveals constellations, planets, and stars when you aim your iPhone and iPad anywhere, any time of day.