Hello Again!!
I don't know about you, but one of my most dreaded questions is, "What is your favorite movie?" You may be one of those who has a favorite "all-time" movie-- maybe "Gone With the Wind," "Caddyshack," "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid," "The Care Bear Movie," or whatever series like "LOTR" or "HP" (btw... I just found out HP is NOT a movie about personal computers...who knew??)-- that you can whip out on any day as your favorite of all time. I, on the other hand, am NOT one of those people. Nor can I offer my favorite color, food, or flavor of ice cream. For me, it depends....
I pick my favorite food or ice cream according to my current mood. Ask me tomorrow, and I might choose something completely. I used to try to pick my favorite movie by category (comedy, drama, western, etc)-- but even THAT changed from time to time.
So, what is YOUR favorite movie?? Feel free to post it. Defend your choice if you care to, but there will be no need to-- your favorite is the right choice for you.
I go through a bit of a process when I think about movie selection-- maybe you do too (consciously or subconsciously), or... maybe you don't. But I will share a little of my process here.
I decide what to watch in categories:
1. Big screen movies are movies that I am dying to see (Robin Hood, RED, Losers and the like).
2. Dollar Theaters are for movies I want to see, but are not atop my list, or for movies where the technology would be lost on my laptop (Star Wars, LOTR, HP or Avatar).
3. DVD rentals and downloaded movies are ones I want to see to know the story, but don't need the price of admission or the hassle of the crowds (Nights in Rodanthe, Sherlock Holmes, and Eat, Love, Pray-- OK...maybe not Eat Love Pray... but you get the idea!!!)
As for the type of movie to see:
I like almost any story, so I like to match my movie-going partner's mood. I tend to watch a ton of action movies by myself, and save the "feel good" or "dramatic" selections with those who would enjoy them more than myself-- then I increase my joy with their joy.
For instance, I would watch, "From Paris with Love," by myself, and watch, "Letters for Juliet," with my daughters. In a conflict of the "which screen process," I will choose their preference. See, "Letters From Juliet," would be a DVD for me, but Elisa (my youngest daughter, for those of you who don't know) would want to see it as soon as possible on the big screen. Hence, we will go to the big screen (Megaplex when first released- hopefully matinee) and see it. Not my choice, but I will enjoy the story, and enjoy Elisa's reactions even more.
Does that make sense?? So, it is a screen choice and a genre choice-- they are not the same.
So, I will answer the big question as well-- knowing it may change by the time you read this. My favorite movie is, "KISS KISS BANG BANG." Robert Downey Jr. cracks me up in this move-- as does Val Kilmer. The more I watch it, the funnier it gets. The story is madcap-- and the dialogue is witty and non-stop.
My last item is my DISCLAIMER---
This is included especially for my sister, Lora (who already knows this NOW). But, in her honor, I would like to make clear that when I say I like a movie, I am in NO WAY insinuating, implying, hinting or any other synonym of these actions, that YOU will like this movie. In fact, I will try to point out things that will detract from your enjoyment movies I discuss in my blog, but if I fail to do so, please do NOT come back to me and say, "Fred, you lying .... I did not find this movie (whatever positive word you insert) at all!" Okay?? OK!
As for "KISS KISS BANG BANG," the detractor is the extraordinarily foul language throughout. If I notice it, it is a problem. After nine years in the Marines, I know that some people lack the ability to communicate without resolving to the F word. In the old days, people like Red Skelton could make me roll me off the couch, laughing, and NEVER use a curse word. Bill Cosby's wife (according to Bill) stood up in the stirrups during childbirth and informed the entire hospital - very loudly- that Bill's parents were never married. Nowadays... well, I digress, sorry. Suffice it to say that they curse so much in this film, that they apologize to us at the end of it. Go figure. Still, I overlook it due to the extremely good acting, timing and quirky storyline. (Again, if profanity upsets you, this movie is NOT for you.)
Okay, my movie-going friends, I will catch up with you next time, When Dr Kildare says, "Please sit down, this may sting a bit...:
JUST KIDDING!!! (and who IS Dr. Kildare, anyway???)
Warm regards,
Fred T Wyrick
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I guess I runneth off with my words to this will have to be in two entries.
ReplyDeleteI cannot give just one favorite because I have many!! The first one I will have to say is....
The Notebook. It is a story about an older gentlemen telling a love story to his beloved wife who has forgotten who he is and everyone else for that matter!! The love story is actually their love story that she wrote many years ago. The love story starts in the 50's or 60's with Allie, a upper class young lady spending the summer at the beach. This is where she meets a young man, Noah, who is not the type her family sees her with in the future. Noah, has a cheeky way of getting Allie to go out with him and soon they are inseparable. Due to circumstances beyond their control, they are torn apart only to be re-acquainted years later to rekindle that romance. The ending is so romantic!!
Another is How to lose a guy in 10 days. A female reporter for a magazine geared towards women has been given a storyline which involves actually torturing a guy to see how long he will stay in the relationship or run. She does dreadful things to him but he amazingly keeps right on dating her. The twist is, he is dating her only to win a bet!! They end up spending a weekend together that gets that spark going full flame!! Once the 10 days is up and someone spills the beans about the magazine article plus the bet which leads to a huge fight and them parting ways. She writes the article telling of her torturous acts towards him and her true feelings about him. He reads the article then confronts her, this leads to a kiss, motorcycle ride and a dead plant. The guys of nowadays wouldn't last 10 days!!
Okay, maybe three entries!!
ReplyDeleteThen there is Bridget Jones Diary and the sequel, Bridge Jones: The edge of reason. This storyline is set in England where a 30ish English gal remains single because she can't seem to get it right with the men of England. Maybe it has something to do with her choice of clothes. She seems to be somewhat accident prone as well. She finds herself face to face with a well to do lawyer, Mark Darcy but doesn't pursue him because of his quirky jumper!! She does have somewhat of a crush on her boss, Daniel Cleaver that oddly ends up into a full blown relationship!! Only he is not faithful to her so she dumps him. She leaves her job because it would be awkward to continue to work there with Daniel, her old boyfriend. She keeps running into Mark and be you know it, they are having a full fledge relationship. This story ends with them standing out in the snow with her wearing only tennis shoes, a sweater and her underwear. Bridget Jones: The edge of reason picks up where Bridget Jones Diary left off with Bridget and the lawyer in a hot and heavy relationship. Of course, that doesn't last long because she can't seem to get it right without screwing it up somehow!! So, they part ways. The job she left at the publishing company that landed her a job at a TV station in the previous movie has given her a new storyline to work with. Remember that boss at the publishing company that she dated, Daniel Cleaver, well, he is her new partner as the male half of the duo who takes you away to foreign lands. Bridget takes one of her female friends with her to Singapore (I believe, I have forgotten exactly where) with her to keep her from doing something stupid like hooking up with Daniel again. This friend hooks up with this gorgeous hunk on the flight over and continues to hang out with him while they are there. Daniel is up to his old tricks and uses his charm to try to win Bridget's heart again but she catches him once again in an unflattering way!! At the airport, on their way home, Bridget finds herself in a vulnerable spot and lands in a Singapore women's prison. The conditions in this prison are dreadful but Bridget makes the best of it and soon makes friends with the other female inmates. Her friend informs Mark Darcy of the situation with Bridget and he comes to the rescue and gets her out of jail but does not tell her it was him that came to her aid. Before she leaves Singapore, she treats her fellow female inmates to cigarettes and bras. After she learns who her knight in shining armor was, she goes to him and well, watch the movie for the ending!! Does anyone know what "wobbly bits" are?....LOL
Why my second entry ended up on there twice is beyond me but I have no doubt that Fred will fix that!!
ReplyDeleteAnd one fitting for the season, The Holiday. You have two stories going that entangle with each other. A young lady, Amanda who owns a movie trailor buisness in Los Angeles breaks up with her boyfriend for what else, infidelity on his part. She wants to run away after this break up and decides to spend the Christmas holiday away on a home exchange to England. Iris, is the young lady whom she will be exchanging homes with and she has her own sad story. She has been in love with her ex-boyfriend, Jaspar, whom she works with, for a few years and continues to have a friendship with him only to learn at their Christmas party that he is getting engaged to the women whom he cheated on her with while dating Iris. Iris agrees to this home exchange so she can runaway from her life in England. It starts with Amanda arriving in England to find herself in a very small quaint cottage but it's not for her so she makes the snap decision to return to L.A.. Before she does that, she meets Iris' brother, Graham, which leads to a romantic evening. She still intends on leaving England but can't seem to forget, Graham so she meets up with him in the local pub. They can't seem to get enough of each other after their initial meeting. Meanwhile, in L.A., Iris has met up with one of Amanda's neighbors, a very old retired screenwriter, Arthur. He teaches her about the great movies of long ago. She also meets, Miles who is actually a friend of Amanda's ex-boyfriend, the reason for her trip to England. They end up becoming friends. When Miles finds his heart being broken by his current girlfriend, he leans on Iris for support and soon they are feeling those sparks starting to kindle. Jaspar pays a visit to Iris in L.A. but just keeps stringing her along and he has no intention of breaking his engagement which helps Iris to realize that she has finally rid herself of any feelings she had left for Jaspar. Then Miles has a chance to straighten things out with his ex-girlfriend, the one who cheated on him but to her surprise, Miles picks Iris!! So, the four of them, Amanda, Graham, Iris and Miles end up spending New Year's Eve in England at the home of Graham. Both couples intend on having a long distance relationship with the one they have fallen in love with!! You have got to watch this movie so you can meet "Mr. Napkin Head"!!
Okay, I never said I was a writer but I hope I have excited you enough to see these movies at least once but I bet you will find yourself hooked as I am!!
Debbie
Thank you very much, Debbie!!! You know how much I like The Notebook!! Your other choices are great, too!! Hopefully, those who haven't seen your choices will give them a view!!
ReplyDeleteThank you for your tip on The Love Letter as well!! Happy movie watching!!!
I liked "to Hell and Back", too. It was a long time ago when I first saw the movie, on the 'big screen'. One thing I'll have to check – in the scene where he's talking on the walkie-talkie I thought that the machine gun was mounted on a destroyed US tank. I guess that I'll have to watch it again to find out. Lucky me.
ReplyDeleteHey Doug!! Let's rewatch it together and find out!! It may have been a truck-mounted machine gun-- that happened to be truck-mounted to a tank?!? It will be fun to find out. No money on truck vs tank, since I'm leaning toward tank myself (in my memory, the vehicle plays a very insignificant part.I definitely remember a disabled tank in the area. But, now the question is, "Was the tank U.S. or German?" Hmmm... Thanks for making me dig deeper and think harder, my friend.
ReplyDelete