Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Movie Confessions Blogathon


Nostra from My Filmviews has done it again, cooking up another fun, engaging blogathon that is equal parts informative and entertaining.

Some of the questions in this Movie Confessions Blogathon were really difficult for me to answer. I’ve spent my entire life watching all kinds of films from every era imaginable, and I honestly have no huge unseen classics that demand to be viewed. (There are plenty of hidden Criterions that I need to check off, certainly, but as far as “classics” go, I’m pretty content with where I am, viewing wise.) I am a film addict, through and through, but at any rate, let’s get this thing going.

Which classic movie don’t you like/can’t enjoy and why?
I was nearly skewered alive last December when I posted a list of movies I hate that most people probably love. The most traditionally classic of that bunch was It’s a Wonderful Life, which I don’t hate but I think is a two hour encapsulation of the stereotypes of everyone involved (which is not a good thing).

Which ten classic movies haven’t you seen yet? 
The 39 Steps (1935)
The Lower Depths (1936)
The Lady Eve (1941)
Henry V (1944)
The Naked City (1948)
The Hidden Fortress (1958)
Cul-de-sac (1966)
Andrei Rublev (1969)
Berlin Alexanderplatz (1980)
Sátántangó (1994), that one’s for Tyler

Have you ever sneaked into another movie at the cinema?
Addicts often commit acts of desperation to fulfill their addiction. So, yes.

Which actor/actress do you think is overrated?
Most anyone from the Frat Pack, or what the Frat Pack has become today. Will Ferrell is probably my number one. People think I’m batshit insane for not finding him funny (at all), but alas, I do not.

From which big director have you never seen any movie (and why)?
I’ve spent the better part of this day trying to think of a name to put here, and I honeslty can’t think of anyone “big.” (Seriously, addicted.) Éric Rohmer comes to mind. I’ve never seen a Rohmer, I think.

Which movie do you love, but is generally hated?
There is a time (which, for me, is usually when I’m hungover) to watch absurd, trashy action thrillers. Cliffhanger is the first to come to mind. Some people call them guilty pleasures. I call them fucking awesome. ("IF YOU WANT ME... I'M IN HERE!")

Have you ever been “one of those annoying people” at the cinema?
The only time I’ve been one of those annoying people is in telling one of those annoying people to shut the hell up. But that was usually as I was kicking them out of the theater (In the high school days, I worked at a movie theater for three and a half years. There were perks.)

Did you ever watch a movie, which you knew in advance would be bad, just because of a specific actor/actress was in it? Which one and why? 
Several friends warned me that I would not like Greenberg, which I was determined to see it because I love Noah Baumbach. My friends were correct.

Did you ever not watch a specific movie because it had subtitles? 
Oh my god, no. If people answer yes to this it would make me very sad.

Are there any movies in your collection that you have had for more than five years and never watched?
Nope.

Which are the worst movies in your collection and why do you still own them?
Because I own so many movies, occasionally a friend or family member will give me a horrible film as a joke. The Blind Side, The Help, and The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, are a few recent ones. I still have The Help and Eclipse, but I threw The Blind Side away. Awful, just… awful.

Do you have any confessions about your movie watching setup at home?
Nope, I’m really happy with it - 55” flat panel plasma, seven speaker 7.1 surround sound, Blu-Ray, DVD, VHS (because you never know).

Any other confessions you want to make?
I’ve done enough sharing in this film addict support group for now. 

Great job here, Nostra!

58 comments:

  1. Based on your ten unseen classics, you seem to have covered all the greats. Congrats!

    Regarding your movie setup at home...can I come over? Sounds like heaven!

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    1. Ha, sure man, anytime! I'm not trying to sound caviler or anything, but it definitely took me a while to come up with those classics - I really am happy with my number of seen classics!

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  2. Ugh, please hand in your cinephile card if you own any of the Twilight movies. Seriously, dude, I thought you had taste.

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  3. "Do you have any confessions about your movie watching setup at home?
    Nope, I’m really happy with it - 55” flat panel plasma, seven speaker 7.1 surround sound, Blu-Ray, DVD, VHS (because you never know)."

    Hahah. Awesome as. I need to get surround sound..

    I haven't seen The Blind Side, I did find it interesting two of your 'horrible films' were Oscar nominated! Not that that means much with some of the films that get in lately.

    Also don't find Ferrell that funny.

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    1. Not only nominated, but won! Dude, The Blind Side is horrible.

      It came out around the same time as Precious, a movie I love. Precious got a lot of flak because it is very very intense, but I like to sum the two movies up like this: The Blind Side is about white people helping a poor black kid out because he has a chance to be a superstar athlete. Precious is about people (some of whom are white) helping a poor black kid out because she is a human being.

      Ugh, don't even get me started haha.

      Another Ferrell detractor. I'll take it!

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    2. I've been meaning to watch both. Actually heard lots of negative stuff about Precious but with an awesome RT score and a recommendation from you - I'll have to check it out!

      Yeah it wasn't until I realised Ferrell was pretty popular that I realised I don't really like him.

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    3. Precious definitely has its haters, but, and how do I say this without sounding pretentious... okay, everyone I PERSONALLY know who hated the movie didn't like it because they thought it exaggerated a harsh sect of American culture. Basically, they thought it was unrealistic - that there was no way THAT much bad shit could happen to one girl.

      All's I can say is, they're wrong. This shit happens all the time, in all walks of life. I studied it in school and I know people who have witnessed (and lived through it) first hand. I'm kind of running wild here, sorry haha. But yes, I think it is a masterful film. Perfect, in fact.

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    4. Awesome, I shall get to it in the next week. :)

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  4. Nice work! Love learning more about you, and I'm especially envious that you worked in a movie theater for 3 years. Wanna know where I worked for 3 summers back in the day? In a porno distribution warehouse. No perks there... well, except maybe I learned a thing or two.

    Now, now. The Blind Side isn't that awful. It's not great, but come on. Lay off the hate.

    LOVED Cliffhanger, by the way. No one chews villainous scenery better than Lithgow.

    And Will Ferrell sucks.

    Look for my own confessions by the end of the week, hopefully. :-)

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    1. Agreed on The Blind Side. There are wayyyyy worse films that I would throw away before The Blind Side. But then again, you probably only have good stuff in your movie collection.

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    2. I think I'd give The Blind Side a D, so, you know, it could be worse. But that movie is just... wrong to me. There's nothing I can positively say about it. The "I'm a member of the NRA and I'm always packin'" scene is one of the worst things I've ever seen from any movie.

      Anyway, Dave, your comment rocked. Porno dist., huh? Bitchin'.

      Don't you love the way Lithgow says "You stupid bastard"? Epic.

      And yet ANOTHER Ferrell detractor. I dig.

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  5. This is one for the books, something I can tell my Grandchildren. I have seen The Hidden Fortress that YOU haven't. Whooo !! Haha !!(Too dramatic ehh ?). I was also this close to getting The Lady Eve and The 39 Steps but I chose The Philadelphia Story and The Man who Knew Too Much(1934) resp. over them.

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    1. haha nice! That was hilarious. You got me, you sonofabitch. You got me.

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  6. Good post, Alex. I've only seen three of the classics that you've missed, so you're definitely rolling along. I'd definitely suggest checking out The 39 Steps and The Lady Eve when you get the chance. That sounds like a pretty awesome home theater. I'm envious of your set-up.

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    1. Thanks Dan! Yeah, I spend a lot of time in front of that set-up, so I figure I better make it worth it. And I think those 10 classics just became my must-see next views. Glad to hear some are good.

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  7. Well, you're a lot more well versed than I am. I have literally at least 50 classic movies I can list off right now. For the Which movie do you love, but is generally hated question I was going to put Greenberg. And your TV setup, you lucky bastard.

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    1. The cool thing about classic movies is that they certainly aren't going anywhere. Just waiting patiently for you to watch them!

      Man, Greenberg, sigh. I seriously love Baumbach, and I think I "know" what he was trying to do there, but that movie just didn't do it for me. Squid and Margot are gold though. Gold.

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    2. I completely understand your dislike and Squid and the Whale and Kicking and Screaming are better. I just think its kinda fun. Btw do you know who Whit Stillman or Hal Hartley are, if you like Baumbach you may like their films.

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    3. I LOVE Whit Stillman. His films just work for me. I've only seen Hartley's Fay Grim films, but I loved them both. Parker Posey is so underrated.

      Two fine directors right there.

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  8. Glad you joined the support group, Alex :)

    You threw away The Blind Side but kept Eclipse? What, what??

    No love for It's A Wonderful Life?? :( But I'm with you about Ferrell.

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    1. Eclipse is kind of funny to have around actually. People come over and look through my DVDs and are like, "Wait... what?" Throws 'em off everytime.

      It's a Wonderful Life is by no means a dreadful film; it's heart is most definitely in the right place. But there is just too much heart in there for me. Capracorn at its peak.

      YEEESSSS to Ferrell. I had no idea there were so many of us out there.

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  9. I'll confess I haven't gone through the most of the Criterion collection. I'm kind of content with the Bergman and Kurosawa films that I have seen from it. But now that all of them are on Hulu+, maybe I'll start really going through them. Oh come on man, 'It's a Wonderful Life' was unfairly shelved for decades in the wake of WWII. It's cheese but the highest best quality cheese in film. I'm surprised there wasn't a most overrated or underrated film you've seen confession. For myself overrated: Shawshank Redemption, Underrated: Gattaca.

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    1. Ohhh the over/under question would've been a good one for sure. Tons to list there.

      I've given It's a Wonderful Life... three attempts now, and it is exactly what I remember it being: cheese and corn. Which is perfectly suitable for some some of the time, all of the time, or none of the time. 'sway it goes.

      I haven't used Netflix in more than 2 months. Hulu+ is where it's at!

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  10. Love Cliffhanger! I think it was my first R rated movie. Lithgow is an awesome bad guy in it.

    "You want to kill me, don't you, Tucker? Well, get a number and get in line!"

    I'm glad you don't like Greenberg. I pretty much hated it.

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    1. "WRONG ANSWER, MOTHAFUCKA!"

      How badass is Leon on that cave fight? Movie rocks ass.

      Another dig against Greenberg. I dig.

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  11. There's nothing wrong with liking Cliffhanger, that movie is awesome!

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    1. Nice! I love that people love this movie as much as me.

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  12. That's actually something new to me, all I hear is people recommending It's A Wonderful Life. Good to know there's another opinion about it.

    Don't think Will Ferrell felt overrated in my place. Thank God. I don't like the guy too.

    Getting rid of annoying people in the cinema is actually an honorable job (for us mostly) (:

    Nice that you've found a director whose movies you haven't seen. If there isn't any, somehow I feel like I haven't watch enough movies or something :))

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    1. I can't believe people dislike Ferrell as much as me. I'm not one to vehemently hate on an actor, but I've just never understood that guy's appeal.

      It took me forever to find a director haha. But yeah, I could get down with some Rohmer sometime soon.

      Thanks for the comment!

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  13. I love It's a Wonderful Life, but that's a fair point you make.

    Of your 10 classics, I've only seen The 39 Steps and The Naked City, so I've got some work to do too.

    I can take Ferrell in Elf and Stranger Than Fiction, but that's it.

    Hmm…I don't think I've seen a Rohmer film either. But I have one lying around somewhere. Must get to that eventually.

    Nice movie watching setup. Mine gets the job done, but yours must look and sound awesome.

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    1. Stranger than Fiction isn't a bad movie, and he isn't bad in it, but he seemed to get a lot of praise simply because he tried something different. He's okay in it, but he didn't blow me away or anything.

      I seriously had no idea my home theater set up was so impressive. Ha, well, it works for me!

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  14. I'm surprised that people are shocked by you finding Will Ferrell unfunny; I thought it was general consensus that the man plain sucked.

    It's A Wonderful Life is one of my top 100 favorite films, but I can see where the dislike/hate stems from; that, however, still does not detract from my love for it, which is more than I can say for The Help. I liked The Help upon first watch, but your and Tyler's reviews pushed me to watch it again. It's safe to say that the spark was gone upon a second viewing.

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    1. Shit man, my friends want to kill me everytime Anchorman comes up in conversation. I hate everything about that movie. I really thought I was alone.

      Ahh The Help. I was indifferent about it the first time I watched it. Then after thinking on it for a week, I was like, "No, wait a minute, that movie was awful." Just my opinion but I can't say I don't take a certain satisfaction in you NOT liking it now haha.

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  15. Will Ferrel is just awful. When he was in few episdoes of The Office I didn't know whether to cover my eyes so I wouldn't see him or cover my ears not to hear his painfully unfunny lines and delivery of those lines.

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    1. YES!!! Dude, seriously, this is awesome. I thought people were going to rip me a new one on here for not liking him. In complete shock.

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  16. Great post. I had to smile seeing you list Satantango as an unseen classic, because classic is exactly what it is. Andrei Rublev and Berlin Alexanderplatz, the only other two on that list of ten I've seen, are also lengthy but really worth making time for. Amazing, pure cinema.

    I love that you like Cliffhanger. I like that movie too.

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    1. I do need to crank Andrei and Berlin out sometime soon. Just sit down and take it all in. Lengthy but yeah, I'm sure definitely worth it.

      CLIFFHANGER! FUCK YEAH!

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  17. Hooray for the VHS players (it's true, you never know...)
    Fair enough with Will Ferrel. I don't find him that funny either, though I actually quite enjoyed Blades of Glory.
    I only saw It's A Wonderful Life for the first time last year. I do like it, but it's not a favourite (James Stewart can barely do wrong in my eyes, haha)

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    1. I use my VHS player maybe twice a year, but they are occasions when there is no other way. No DVD, or internet stream... sometimes something is only available on VHS. Crazy.

      I love me some Jimmy Stewart, but the performances I enjoy most of his are contained in movies not directed by Capra. Oh well!

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  18. Wow, I think you have the least embarrassing confessions I have seen yet (well, outside of owning Eclipse, haha). Fun read, man. I have only seen one of your unseen classics -- The Naked City -- and that's a good one. Great NYC noir.

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    1. Haha ahh Eclipse, the bane of my existence right there. I need to watch The Naked City really soon. Heard nothing but great things.

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  19. I liked It's a Wonderful Life when I finaly saw it for the first time last year, but I don't feel any pressing urge to watch it again. I kind of avoided it for years, and when I saw it, I found it was not quite the film I was expecting it to be and not the film I suspect most people probably think it is. Whatever the sentimentality of the conclusion, it takes some unexpectedly heavy paths to get there.

    As for Rohmer, I've only seen one of his early shorts, which I found dull enough that I've never watched anything else by him. I probably should at some point.

    Also, friends don't buy friends Twilight, even as a joke.

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    1. What you said about It's a Wonderful Life pretty much exactly sums up my thoughts on it. I didn't think it was nearly as good as everyone made it out to me, but it is by no means bad.

      You're right, Twilight as a joke is no laughing matter. Is there a defriend button in real life? If only it were that easy.

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  20. Awww ... come on. Who doesn't like A Wonderful Life? That's like hating motherhood ... or puppies. What are you thinking? :-P

    Seriously, I enjoyed reading your responses. I love your sense of humor as well as your thoughts on movies. I agree with you on not seeing the appeal of Will Ferrell. Every time I see him onscreen, I just think "WHY?!?"

    No comment on your owning a Twilight movie, except that you're brave to confess that. :-P My daughter and I suffered through the first novel in the series, wanting to give it a fair chance. Based on that experience, we never went within a mile of any of the movie adaptations.

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    1. I think it may be time for me to give It's a Wonderful Life another go. Might could change my perception on it. Maybe...

      I think the part about this post that has most stunned me is that others dislike Ferrell as much as I do. I am baffled by this.

      I have never touched a Twilight book, but I have seen all the films, and believe me, you are infinitely better off for staying as far away from them as possible.

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  21. BTW, I just went back to read your "Films I Hate That You Probably Love." I disagree with you on some of them, but I'm glad to find another person who thought Braveheart sucked. I never liked Mel Gibson, even years before he got bad press. In my opinion, the man can't act. And while I'm willing to grant some artistic license -- especially given that little is known about William Wallace's life, it was SO historically inaccurate that I was just shaking my head in bewilderment. But yes, some of the battle scenes were kind of cool.

    I really liked The Return of the King, but my brother-in-law complained that it was pretentious and the sentimental love between Sam and Frodo was way over the top. He was looking at those two hobbits and saying, "Get a room already!" *Laughing*

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    1. Honestly, in regards to Braveheart, my dislike for it doesn't even touch on the historical inaccuracies. I really just don't give enough of a shit about it to care that much, you know? I actually like Gibson... sometimes. His Man Without a Face is by far the best film he's directed, and he's pretty good in it too. But yeah, I don't think he's a consistently good actor.

      LOTR are films I will never budge on - they simply are not for me. People are ecstatic that The Hobbit is being turned into three films, and that is good. I really am happy that fans are excited for the films, but I certainly won't be watching them. I find them all extremely incoherent and boring. Oh. Well.

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    2. I am definitely looking forward to The Hobbit, but I can understand why not everyone likes these movies. I did see Man Without a Face many years ago, and I remember it being pretty good.

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  22. IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE is such a good movie! I cannot believe how many people don't like it! Every Christmas I'm balling my eyes out over James Stewart! Here's my list - I'm sure I've transgressed, too...
    http://thegreatkh.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/movie-confessions-blogathon.html

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    1. Gahhh, okay, I promise to rewatch it soon and share my honest to god thoughts on it. For better or worse. Gonna check out your list now.

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  23. Thanks for the compliment. It's taking a lot of time to read each and every entry (over 70 now), but since everyone put in the time to participate I want to comment properly.

    Have seen It's a Wonderful Life once and thought it was a great movie, but there are always these movies someone won't click with. Have had that with several movies in the IMDB top 250.

    Except for The 39 Steps I have seen none of the classic movies out of those ten :) 39 Steps was a enjoyable Hitcock movie...

    I like Will Ferrell, but since comedy is so personal I'm not surprised if someone doesn't think he's funny.

    Hahaha, if you like something it really can't be a guilty pleasure I guess! Guilty pleasure is really just a term for people who are afraid to admit they like something!

    Greenberg...I hoped I forgot all about it and then you mention it again ;) It was such a weird movie and I did not like it at all.

    Come one, you can admit you bought the Twilight Saga yourself ;)

    Nice setup! Still dream of one day having a cinema room (although I am happy with my current setup)

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    1. Let me just say, that is so kind and dedicated of you to respond to everyone's post. Huge undertaking there, and it speaks highly of your character that you write back to everyone.

      Few things: Glad we agree on Greenberg, and why did you have to call me out about Twilight? Haha, just kidding... maybe.

      Thanks again for starting this incredible blogathon and leaving such an engaging comment here!

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    2. It is a huge undertaking, but I know how much I like people commenting...it's the best thing about blogging, isn't it?

      You're welcome!

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    3. It's definitely a great aspect about blogging, for sure!

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  24. Did you saw The 39 Steps, The Lady Eve, Henry V, The Hidden Fortress, Andrei Rublev ? Because there were very great.

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