I Did the Quizzy

1. Name your five favorite actors and actresses of all time.

Actors: Marlon Brando, Robert De Niro, Daniel Day-Lewis, Jimmy Stewart, Cary Grant; with honorable mentions to Bogart and Cagney.

Actresses: Ingrid Bergman, Claudette Colbert, Barbara Stanwyck, Grace Kelly, Rosalind Russell. As far as modern actresses are concerned, I really like Marion Cotillard, Cate Blanchett, and Jessica Chastain.

2. Can you remember the first foreign-language film you saw that made an impact on you? If so, what was it?

RUN LOLA RUN is my answer as well, though TALK TO HER is another foreign film that I vividly remember watching for the first time. RUN LOLA RUN was something inventive and cool. It sort of opened my eyes to the idea that foreign-language films were playing with a different set of rules. Hopefully that makes sense.

3. Favorite moment in a horror film? Least favorite?

Sorry gang, while this is a great question, it ain't exactly my forte. There are so many great scenes in THE SHINING, but I'll go with the reveal at the end of THE OTHERS. I think it's a cool idea and I didn't see the twist coming.

Least favorite...hmm...I'll go with the scenes of Rachel's sister from PET CEMETERY. I also recall a moment from the 2002 remake of CARRIE that didn't sit well with me; one dude Carrie kills at the prom is wearing glasses and she shatters them, stabbing out his eyes. While it isn't actually possible to shatter the glass in someone's eyeglasses, I still feel uneasy about that scene, being someone who needs to wear glasses/contacts.

4. Pick a film for each member of film club that you'd really like for her/him to see.

John - Love and Death
Brandon - A Single Man
Ben - Duck Soup
Jeff - MVP II: Most Vertical Primate
Jason - Rio Bravo
Adrienne - Being There
Squarehead - The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
Cheddar - Angel Face
Arthur - Cleo From 5 to 7

5. Is there a film(s) that you once loved (and maybe even purchased) that now makes you question what you ever saw in it?

I've made quite a few questionable DVD purchases in my lifetime. I remember buying DVDs a lot in college and I spent a good amount of time re-watching movies. Now I re-watch things much less and I'm not buying as many DVDs anymore.

But while I'm thinking of it, I bought the two-disc copy of Judd Apatow's FUNNY PEOPLE. I haven't seen it in years and don't feel the desire to re-watch it. I don't know that I ever "loved" it but clearly I liked it enough to buy it. I think I just wanted to get my special features on in the hopes that it would make the film a little better. While it does have some funny jokes/moments, overall the movie blows.

6. IFC has started releasing films on demand the same day they hit theaters. Would you like more studios to do this or are you afraid it may strike the death knell for movie theaters?

Going to the movies seems to be one of America's most popular pastimes. For that reason, I don't think we will see the death of them in our lifetime. But this question does raise an interesting point, and with the rise of instant streaming and On-Demand downloads, we now spend more time watching movies in our living rooms.

But I would like more independent studios to do this because, as we all know, if can be pretty hard to track down certain foreign and independent films. I'd happily pay five bucks to see a movie on-demand that I wouldn't really to get see anywhere else. It's a great deal.

7. Favorite movie(s) set during the summertime?

Would we call CLAIRE'S KNEE a summertime film? I forget when that one is set. Anyway, that and DO THE RIGHT THING.

8. Which director working today do you think would make a great western if given the chance (assuming he/she hasn't already made one)? Or if you don't like westerns, which director working today do you think would make a great sci-fi flick (also assuming he/she hasn't made one yet)?

Fincher and Refn are great answers for the western. Maybe a Coen brothers sci-fi flick? A Malick western would be pretty cool and boring.

9. Describe a perfect moment in a movie (courtesy of Sergio Leone and the Infield Fly Rule).

One of my favorite movie moments is the ending of CHRISTMAS IN JULY. Even though it's obvious that Dick Powell's slogan is going to be chosen in the end, it's still a great moment, especially given the roller coaster ride of the previous 60 minutes. It's a special moment because it made me feel overcome with joy. When a movie gets you to care about the story and the characters in that way, where their happiness mirrors your own, it's perfect.

10. Top-five films of 1990:

1. Goodfellas
2. Close-Up
3. Miller's Crossing
4. Metropolitan
5. Edward Scissorhands

It has to be GOODFELLAS but CLOSE-UP is also pretty worthy of the top spot. I'll give MILLER'S CROSSING the nod over METROPOLITAN; MC is the better film, but I'd rather re-watch METROPOLITAN if I had to choose between the two. EDWARD SCISSORHANDS is one of Burton's best and it beats out TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES for the fifth spot. I do love that film as well, Brandon. For a film based on a video game/cartoon, it's pretty dark. There's also great make-up/costume design on the Turtles and Splinter. Casey Jones rules as well.

I hope to write about BEFORE MIDNIGHT soon.