All the Cool Bloggers Are Doing It

Yes, ladies and gents as you've probably seen elsewhere, the 31 day movie meme is attacking bloggers all across the land. And while I lack the dedication, or perhaps better put: the desire to turn over my blog to a single meme for an entire month, I have decided I'd go ahead and tackle all 31 topics, much like Mad Hatter and MovieNut14, in one swift go. So, without further ado, here you are:

1. Sequel that should not have been made
Troll 2. Not too sure I need to explain this one. In many respects this is like adding a turd on top of a moldy sandwich, hoping to spruce it up some.

2. Movie you think more people should see
High and Low. Perhaps because it's not one of his Shakespeare adaptations, or perhaps because it's not one of his Samurai films, High and Low is one of Kurosawa's most overlooked masterpieces. Even though it may rank 4th in my listing of his films, it's the kind of film that could easily be #1 depending on my mood that day.

3. Favorite Oscar-nominated movie from most recent ballot
Up. Since Moon got the zilch, along with most of my other favorite's, I figured I'd go with Up. Yes, I think Hurt Locker is a better film, but it asked favorite, and darned if I don't enjoy Up from start to finish.

4. Movie that makes you laugh every time
The Princess Bride. It might not have made my top 100, but Princess Bride is one of those comedies that just blends perfectly with my absurdest sense of humor. I love it every time I watch it.



5. Movie you loathe
Diary of a Mad Black Woman. I've mentioned this recently, but there comes a point when watching a movie that one just exceeds dislike, annoyance, frustration, and goes right into hate. This movie is one that, if I bothered enough to care, I would truly hate.

6. Movie that makes you cry every time
The Green Mile. Oh man, talk about a tearjerker. This is a tough one, since I could easily coin flip it with my Saddest death, but I wanted to keep the two different. Besides, this is a movie I've seen several times, and each time it hits me right in the gut.

7. Least favorite movie by a favorite actor/actress
The Odd Couple 2. This could also, easily, be my #1, but I love Jack Lemmon and Walter Mathau so much I can't say putting them together was a bad idea. It was just an awful film.

8. Movie that should be required high school viewing
Harvey. I would put this movie under universal required viewing. Despite being hilarious, fun, and pure entertainment. There's countless lessons on how one should look to treat people, no matter how they present themselves.

9. Best scene ever
Saving Private Ryan - Omaha Beach. In all my years of watching cinema, I can't think of one scene more memorable, and shocking, than the opening war scene in Saving Private Ryan. It rattled my cage in more ways than I dare imagine.

10. A movie you thought you wouldn't like but ended up loving
My Fair Lady. Prior to MFL I had a very "back off" musicals attitude. But the charm of Rex Harrison and Audrey Hepburn sold me long and well. Since then I've been a fan of the genre several times over.

11. A movie that disappointed you
Gosford Park. I mention this movie a lot among those few I fell asleep through, and with all its praise I wanted desperately to love it... I just didn't. I feel if I were to rewatch it these days I'd gain a far greater appreciation, if not enjoyment, from it. I just don't have the courage to go back down that route.

12. Best soundtrack/background music in a scene
Platoon - Sgt. Elias' Death. The use of "Adagio for Strings" by Samuel Barber throughout Platoon was a brilliant move on Oliver Stone's part. Combined with the sheer dramatic fall of Sgt. Elias it presents one of the most powerful scenes in history.



13. Favorite animated movie
Spirited Away. Combining my love for Miyazaki with my love for anime style, Spirited Away is one of those animated films I can watch time and time again. Funny, mature, but light hearted, and always heartfelt.

14. Favorite movie in black and white
Seven Samurai. I believe I've explained this one well enough already on my blog.

15. Best musical
West Side Story. Something about the approach to West Side Story really sold me on the range of the musical. It's ability to be more than just smiles, and dancing. It proved to me there was the capability for deep, emotional, thought to be handled throughout the lyrics, and story.

16. Your guilty pleasure movie
Mars Attacks. Don't ask me why, but this is one of Tim Burton's films I love for all its stupidity, and absurdity. Something so over the top it just hits that "what the hell!" humor button I have... a button most films never hit.

17. Favorite series of related movies
The Vengeance Trilogy. Composing of Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance, Oldboy, and Sympathy for Lady Vengeance, these 3 films are as hard hitting as they come. Park Can-wook really nails the darker, more demented, side of vengeance.

18. Favorite title sequence
Se7en. Few directors do opening credits quite as well as David Fincher, but Se7en was just delectably creative, proving Kyle Cooper a true mastermind of the credit sequence.



19. Best movie cast
Magnolia. Not only do I believe this film has one of the best casts ever, but I also believe it has one of the best deliveries from all those involved ever.

20. Favorite kiss
Lady and the Tramp - Spaghetti kiss. Admit it, you know you love that kiss. Admit it!!!!

21. Favorite romantic couple
When Harry Met Sally - Harry Burns and Sally Albright. This is one of those movies I love just because of the great chemistry, and personality of its two leading characters. It takes a long time for them to really be together, but I love it when they are.

22. Favorite final scene/line
Unbreakable - "They called me Mr. Glass.". Something about Samuel L. Jackson's deliver in combination with everything up to that point: it just hit me.

23. Best explosion or action scene
Children of Men - Final Fight/Long Take. One single long take throughout the massive city-wide riot/battle is breathtaking to say the least. The camera work alone is worth the title best.

24. Quote you use most often
Harvey - "In this world you can be oh so smart, or oh so pleasant. Well, for years I was smart. I recommend pleasant.". As I've said before, it's application is simply: timeless.

25. A movie you plan on watching (old or new)
Das Boot. My plans to watch this movie date back years and, for whatever reason, I just haven't. I suppose I'm a bit too worried it will fall under the category of #11.

26. Freakishly weird movie ending
Fight Club. After all the crap that's just happened, a series of explosions in the distance, quick cut: penis. Roll credits. Counts as freakishly weird to me.

27. Best villian
On the Waterfront - Johnny Friendly. Beyond Lee J. Cobb's stunning performance is a villain in the most classic sense of the word. He doesn't just live off of people's struggles, he exploits them for his own gain. Smiling to your face, robbing you behind your back.

28. Most over-hyped movie
I know this is a forfeit, but you all know my opinion on the use of "over-hype" since the hype I've been exposed to is completely different from everyone else. Making me feel uncomfortable placing the title "most" on something that's entirely personal. If I have to, I'll go, as of late, for Wedding Crashers. I didn't care for the movie one bit. Can't remember laughing, and counting the minutes between Rachel McAdams appearances hardly counts as exciting. But most people I know couldn't quit talking about how much they loved it. Oh well.

29. Movie you have watched more than ten times
Glory. This is a tough one, seeing as there are a lot of films I've seen more than 10 times. Though I if I had to go through one that connects with me the same way each time, it'd have to be this 1989 Civil War piece.

30. Saddest death scene
Grave of the Fireflies - Setsuko. I've admitted before that no scene in the history of film, let alone no film, made me cry as hard as this 1980's anime film. Setsuko's final moments, lived through by her brother, and again in montage, are as powerful as any moment in cinematic history.

31. Scene that made you stand up and cheer
Slumdog Millionaire - Destiny Kiss. I figured I'd go recent with this one, and pick a film that really got ahold of my emotional strings and went for a ride. I don't really stand up and cheer for movies, but as of late it's as excited as I've felt over a happy ending in a very long time.



Well ladies and gentlemen that about wraps it up. Hope you've enjoyed the read (if you bothered to read) and if you've done one be sure to link it to me so I can check it out!