Movie Meme Days 22 and 23 - I’m trying here, peeps

I have no steady employment. I have no money. I have no hope. I have lost the will to blog.

But I am working on it, I SWEAR.

And that’s peeps in the non-Dr. Laura sense of the word.

31 Day Movie Meme

Day 22 - Favorite final scene/line

The first time I watched The Lost Boys, I wasn’t aware that it’s a parody/spoof. My mother, her boyfriend, my sister and I all watched it together. It was dark in her room, and we were scared shitless. It didn’t help that my mother conspired with her boyfriend and he went outside and slammed his hand into the window to REALLY scare the pants off of us.

But come the end of the movie, you’re thoroughly invested, oh, god, oh, god, we’re all going to die…then Grandpa roars in with his truck and kills the vamp. He gets out of the truck, grabs a soda from the fridge, and turns to the gang.

One thing about living in Santa Carla I never could stomach, all the damn vampires..

It’s just…perfect. As are the reaction shots that end the movie. That’s when I should’ve known it’s a humor movie, not a horror movie.

Second runner up for this is Matthew Broderick in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, with “You're still here? It's over! Go home. Go!” Also, see RyAn's entry for Back to the Future. I think his beats mine.

 

Day 23 - Best explosion or action scene

When I first thought about this entry, I was going to use the destruction of the White House in Independence Day, because to me, that’s still one of the most “Holy shit” explosion scenes ever featured in a movie.

But that’s a cop-out, because really, I’m not all that impressed by explosions in movies. Ooh, you blew up a house. Ooh, you blew up a car. Ooh, you caused a 25 car pile-up. Wow. I’m sure that took a lot of work.

I love beautifully choreographed fight scenes. Not ones that make me think, “Wow, that’s some nice wire harness work going on there.” And especially not ones where I think, “Nice stunt doubles.” I want good choreography that looks like the actors did as much as they could, and got their asses handed to them.

Enter Mr. and Mrs. Smith. I already thought Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie were the most beautiful people in the world. Brad I’ve loved since Legends of the Fall, and Angelina immediately won me over after watching Gia. So the fact that the two of them were going to be in an action movie? HELLO.

We’ve already gotten some nice action throughout the movie, some small things that just made me grin. Then the fire explodes in the kitchen, Jane comes flying out, and “Express Yourself” blasts on the soundtrack, and the battle. is. on.

This fight scene is not only amazing to watch, it’s also hilarious. I would’ve loved to have been a stunt double on this, because I can’t imagine not cracking up while fighting. They are just BEATING THE CRAP out of each other, and it’s raw and there’s no wire stunts or even guns involved. It’s all hand-to-hand, and it’s hilarious to watch.

Promptly followed by the required sex scene, which is just…wow. If I weren’t a Brangelina supporter before then, I most certainly was after that.

Movie Meme Day 21 - Theirs is a Forbidden Love

31 Day Movie Meme

Let’s thank the sexy and amazing Liz for her guest blog yesterday! Liz is amazing and awesome and please go check out her blog. Give her some Guns ‘n’ Roses love, she’ll be yours forever. I haven’t seen Zach and Miri yet, but it’s on my list. I’m glad to know it gets such high praise from someone I respect. :)

Day 21 - Favorite romantic couple

This was a difficult one for me. I dislike romantic movies. I dislike romantic comedies, chick flicks, and all things involving forbidden/lost/long distance/past/insert your own type of love. So I had to strain my brain a bit.

I had no desire to see the Lord of the Rings movies when they first came out. Same thing with the entire Harry Potter series. Turns out a giant chess set won my attention with HP, and Orlando Bloom won me over for Lord of the Rings. TBF’s then boyfriend, who turned out to be a fuckwad, was a huge fan of the series, and insisted the lot of us watch.

I’m a huge fan of Liv Tyler, and she was really the only actor I was looking forward to in this movie. Yes, I know who Sean Astin is, yes, Elijah Wood, but honestly, who gives a fluck? It’s Liv freaking Tyler. Empire Records, for crying out loud.

The relationship between Aragorn and Arwen grabbed my attention from the start. She is so soft and sweet, and he’s so hard and tortured. I mean, this is my perfect couple here. And we get all of the things romantic movies give you. Theirs is a forbidden love, two different ethnicities, warriors, being kept apart, blah blah blah. But really, they’re just hella pretty.

After seeing Two Towers, Fuckwad informed me that in the books, Aragorn and Arwen don’t end up together. He ends up with Eomer. I immediately despised her and wanted to claw her eyes out. I was furious, and swore I wouldn’t watch the third movie. Luckily for me, Hollywood despises literature, and they changed it. Just for me.

I adore this relationship. Other than Orlando Blooms prettiness, it’s my favorite part of the films.

Movie Meme - Day 20 - Best Kiss

Oh, hi. I'm not your normal bunny. In fact, I don't associate as a bunny at all. Well, maybe after a glass of wine or two...anyway. I've known Bunny for quite some time via interwebz. We're musical soul mates. It's true.

I'm Liz. I like movies. One movie in particular that I happen to love is Zack and Miri Make a Porno. Now, yes, it is an unfortunate title, but that is the plot of the movie and all, so it works.



Like most Kevin Smith movies, it's pretty raunchy. There's fake boobs and simulated anal sex and a fuck fuck here and a fuck fuck there. But underneath it all is a very sweet love story, and I don't know about you guys, but I am a complete sucker for a good love story.

Basically it goes like this: Zack and Miri are BFF. They live together, but they have shitty jobs and are having a hard time paying the bills. Zack comes up with the idea to make some porn, because why not? People love porn and will pay a lot for it. So Zack schemes and schemes and they figure it out and they make the porn. Meanwhile, Zack is jealous of the scene Miri is going to do with another dude and Miri has her own issues with Zack's scenes. But neither of them are ready to acknowledge the feelings they have for each other, even though it's completely obvious to everyone else around them, because they've been best friends for so long.

Inevitably, Zack and Miri have a scene in the porn together. We, as an audience, are ready for them to just do it already, damn it! There's been all this tension building up for half the movie about how they're always there for each other and how they have to stick together and lalala. Finally, they have this ridiculous scene where he's delivering the milk and it's very cheesy porn-like, but finally, they get down to business. He lays her down on sacks of beans (HOT!), and he says, "We'll start kissing on a count of three? Ready? 1, 2, 3, go." And then, THEN, the most amazing Live song starts and they start kissing. It's a majorly hot kiss--so many years and so many lost moments and so many stolen glances have now built up to this kiss. Miri closes her eyes and looks like she can't even believe how hot this is. She grabs his head like she needs him to kiss her to keep on breathing. The Live song only makes this scene even more amazing and intense.

Then they do it. You know, the sex. And that's hot, too, and when it's over, they both look like the wind's been knocked out of them. Their lives are different now. They can no longer deny that they are completely in love with each other.

Of course they try to deny it and there's drama and OH NOES ARE THEY NOT GOING TO GET TOGETHER?! But of course they do because they were meant to be. They were inevitable. And so was that amazing kiss.

So...yeah. I'm going to have to rewatch this movie now. Meanwhile, here is the scene in all its glory. And if you wish to pay me a visit, you can do so here.

Thanks, Bunny!

Movie Meme Day 19 - Whatta cast

31 Day Movie Meme

Day 19 - Best movie cast

How could any movie possibly be higher than Can’t Hardly Wait on the list of best movie cast? I don’t understand how that’s possible, especially for anyone whose teen heyday was the 1990’s.

Before I say anyone else, let’s cover the BTVS alumni featured in here.

• Seth Green (Oz) - Kenny
• Amber Benson (Tara) - Stoned Girl (aka Banana girl)
• Eric Balfour (Jesse) - Stoned Boy (aka Brownie boy)
• Paige Moss (Veruca) - Ashley (“Chester Cheatah!”)
• Clea DuVall (Marcie) - Jana (“I’m allergic to dancing”)
• Nicole Bilderback (Unnamed Cordette) - Ready to have sex girl
• Christopher Wiehl (Owen) - One of the guys hitting on Amanda
• John Patrick White (Pete) - Tassel Guy

That’s a HELL of a lot of amazing actors, and all but one are background actors.

Jennifer Love Hewitt, who was one of the reining scream queens of the 90’s. Ethan Embry. Lauren Ambrose. Charlie Korsmo, who will always be The Kid from Dick Tracey for me. Along with Seth Green, they are the big players, and they’re huge. Then you have Peter Facinnelli, who I didn’t have a problem with until he signed on for Twilight.

Melissa Joan Hart, Channon Roe, Sean Patrick Thomas, Donald Faison, Jaime Presley, Jason Segel (pre HIMYM), Selma Blair, Sarah Rue, Jennifer Elise Cox, Jerry O’Connell.

If ever there was a stacked cast? This is it. Almost every big named teen actor of that time was in this movie. And rather than just being a movie shoved full of them, it’s hilariously funny and smart in it's own right. It makes you wish this was your post-high school graduation experience.

I’m still rather bitter it wasn’t mine.

Movie Memes Day 17 and 18 - Home again

I was on an airplane for hour after hour yesterday. Today I was just lazy.

Know what happens when you procrastinate? Someone steals your answers before you can even think of them.

Day 17 - Favorite series of related movies

My first answer was Lord of the Rings. But SOMEONE stole that answer. So I had to use my brain again. Back to the Future? No, I (sadly) hated the third movie. Scream? God, that third movie sucked. Poltergeist? If I think about it enough to see if it’s a favorite, I’ll give myself nightmares. Then there’s Pirates of the Caribbean, which…wait…

Why didn’t I think of that one first?

If it hasn’t been mentioned before, I love Johnny Depp more than I love having a head. And while it was weird as HELL to get used to Orlando Bloom without ice blonde hair and elf ears, he rapidly grew on me. And they are absolutely amazing in these movies. The outer actors, as I think of them, like Keira Knightley, Geoffrey Rush, and Bill Nighy only add to the fun of the entire experience.

A lot of people I talk to didn’t care for the third movie. I loved all of the movies, no exception. I don’t know if the fourth movie has been confirmed yet, but I am ready, willing, and have my drool cup ready.

 Day 18 - Favorite title sequence

My mother saw Se7en in the movie theater without me. I don’t think I ever really forgave her for that, because I desperately wanted to see it.

To be fair, I wanted to see it because Brad Pitt was in it, not because I was so blown away by the plot.

This may be the most beautifully fucked up movie ever made. There are many fucked up movies in the world, don’t get me wrong. But this movie is smart, and artistic, and brilliantly written. It’s not your average thriller by a long shot. Despite the fact that this is a seriously gory movie, you don’t see the worst bits. And that’s what makes it so amazing. And the opening title sequence sets that up for you.

I also love the soundtrack, the reverse sound of Closer by Nine Inch Nails. Most people wouldn’t even realize it was the song until Trent Reznor’s amazing voice lurches out “You get me closer to god”. It’s a brilliant opener to an amazing movie.

Movie Meme Days 14 - 16: Blame NY

I would be able to do this meme daily. I would. If it weren't for Central Park, Renaissance fairs, bagels, 8-inch knives, and watermelons.

There's a story to everything, this blog is not the time.

Day 14 - Favorite film in black and white

I suppose technically this would be considered a cheat, because while Clerks is indeed in black and white, it was also made in 1994, after the point when black and white movies didn't really happen anymore.

But I think the black and white aspect is part of the charm. This really was a group of friends putting together a movie. Kevin Smith is a genius when it comes to movie making (we're going to ignore Jersey Girl for the moment), and as his first movie, it's all you need to convince someone to watch the entirety of his film making career. It's sharp, funny, and in black and white, you really focus on what's being said as opposed to any attempt at flash or special effects. It's stark and just extreme amounts of fun.

Day 15 - Best musical

I'm a music baby. I grew up with music in my house, I've been going to concerts since I was around six years old. I live for good music. Ergo, musicals are heaven to me. I love musicals, and they love me. So I have a lot to choose from. Which means that I'm trying to think of a musical I love more than Across The Universe. I'm failing miserably.

It's Beatles songs. FABULOUS Beatles songs, like "I Wanna Hold Your Hand" and "Happiness is a Warm Gun". Music altered, sung by different people, but still so beautiful as to make you cry, or make you smile. The acting that is built around the songs is also amazing. From the frat boys singing "With a Little Help From My Friend" to Max yelling, "Hey Judie, Judie, Judie Judie Judie" to go along with the lyrics, this movie made me smile so much. And also see above re: crying. "Let it Be" makes me cry on my best day. Set to the scene it is in this movie? I cry just thinking about it.

I love AtU for the same reasons I love Moulin Rouge. Contemporary songs redone, and also amazing scenery and color choices. But AtU squeaks by as my favorite. Just wonderful.

Day 16 - Your guilty pleasure movie

Karen: "I can't go out. ::cough:: I'm sick."
Regina: "Boo, you whore."

Janis: "Did you have an awesome time? Did you drink awesome shooters, listen to awesome music, and then just sit around and soak up each others awesomeness?"

Karen: "Gretchen, I'm sorry I laughed at you that time you got diarrhea at Barnes & Nobles. And I'm sorry for telling everyone about it. And I'm sorry for repeating it now."

Gretchen: "Oh my God, Karen, you can't just ask people why they're white."

Regina: "Gretchen, stop trying to make fetch happen! It's not going to happen!"

Scary Homeschooling Boy: "And on the third day, God created the Remington bolt-action rifle, so that Man could fight the dinosaurs. And the homosexuals."

Gretchen: "Why should Caesar get to stomp around like a giant, while the rest of us try not to get smushed under his big feet? What's so great about Caesar? Hm? Brutus is just as cute as Caesar. Brutus is just as smart as Caesar. People totally like Brutus just as much as they like Caesar. And when did it become okay for one person to be the boss of everybody, huh? Because that's not what Rome is about. We should totally just stab Caesar!"

Regina: "I CAN'T GO TO TACO BELL, I'M ON AN ALL-CARB DIET. God, Karen, you are SO stupid!"

Movie Meme Days 12 and 13: New York State of Mind

First of all, let's give it up for Lori for so generously guest blogging day 11's meme entry. Lori is the bomb, if you're not reading her blog, get your ass over there.

I was going to post yesterday's blog entry, but I was stuck in an Atlanta airport for literally 5 hours, with a "you have to pay" wifi system that I wasn't feeling. I managed to sneak one hour of time, but any more would've pushed my luck. So, two in one. Also, the next four or five days' worth of entries will be live from New York.

31 Day Movie Meme

Day 12 - Best soundtrack/background music in a scene

I'm not even going to lie. Bring it On is one of my favorite movies. I love the energy, the sass, the sarcasm. I've also discussed my love for good choreography, and a movie about cheerleading is all about the dance and movement.

The soundtrack is fabulous. I don't think there's one song on there I don't like. All throughout the movie you get these great songs, not including the original cheer at the beginning that will get stuck in your head faster than a commercial jingle. Parts of these songs play throughout, and you groove on them without realizing it while watching.

Then, in the final cheerleading scene, all of those songs are mashed together to make up the song they perform to. I was absolutely tickled pink by this. From Blaque's "As If" to Smashmouth's "Freaking Me". It's just a great use of a soundtrack, and I think it made the final performance even more fun to watch.

Love. Love love love this movie. And only 3/4 because Eliza's in it.

















Day 13 - Favorite animated movie

This is another one of those that doesn't require a moment's hesitation. I still have the ticket stub from seeing The Little Mermaid in the theater when I was a little girl.

As a little girl, I loved it because Ariel is pretty, the movie is funny, and there's singing. But growing up, the message just resonated so beautifully with me. Who doesn't want to experience something they don't have? There's so much in the world you want to do, and there's always something that's trying to hold you back, and you fight against it.

Ariel didn't want to go to the surface to meet a boy. She wanted to learn. She wanted to know about books and fire and the way humans live. Finding a cute boy was just another thing to motivate her on.

Ursula is my favorite Disney villain. First of all, she's a BBW. Then, she's purple and evil. Oh, she's so much fun.

I got involved with a debate on a favorite website of mine some time back about this movie. A woman didn't like that Ariel has to give up her voice for a boy. She felt it wasn't empowering. I felt she completely missed the point of the movie.

If you listen to the lyrics of Poor Unfortunate Soul, it's telling you right there the anti-message of the movie.

The men up there don't like a lot of blabber
They think a girl who gossips is a bore!
Yet on land it's much prefered for ladies not to say a word
And after all dear, what is idle babble for?
Come on, they're not all that impressed with conversation
True gentlemen avoid it when they can
But they dote and swoon and fawn
On a lady who's withdrawn
It's she who holds her tongue who get's a man

So Ariel gives up her voice. And she meets Eric, and he thinks she's so freaking beautiful, but he really can't get into her because he doesn't know who she is. She can't talk to him. Once she gets her voice back and can speak again, he falls in love with her.

It's a fairy tale way to get to the point, but I like those.

I also love and can sing the words to every song on the soundtrack. I had it on a CD when my niece was very very little with other Disney songs, and my favorite one to sing to her while driving was Les Poissons. I did the overly exaggerated French accent, and she loved when I would shriek the "Hee hee hee haw haw haw!" parts.

And then there's Part of Your World, which you can catch me singing at random sometimes when I think no one is around.

Final note: My hairdresser, who diligently dyes my hair dark red as often as I can afford it, has a gorgeous little girl about my niece's age. I've babysat her before, so she knows my name. But hairdresser has another client with my name, as well. So her daughter has a way to differentiate us.

I'm the one with "Ariel hair".

I love my hairdresser's little girl.