I don’t know whether there is still some fever bubbling over the recent Desert Island DVD blogorama, or that maybe I finally have seeped into the movie blogging community, but I’ve been tagged by Castor from Anomalous Materials to take part in a little meme to share 1o things about myself that are somehow related to movies. Without further ado, here we go:
1. I believe that there are two kinds of people in this world: those who like Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and those who like Risky Business. While I am the former, most of the guys I grew up with are the latter.
2. I also believe that every movie ever made has at least one person who considers it their favourite. It thus chills me to the bone that someone out there that considers Sweeny Todd to be their favourite film. (I’m not talking about someone who “likes” it, I’m talking about someone who considers it their absolute fave.)
3. I actually prefer going to the movies alone. It keeps me from having to compromise on what we’re going to watch.
4. While at the theatre, whether alone or in a group, I don’t take guff of anyone and will call out anyone who talks, texts or kicks the back of my freakin’ chair. I consider this a weakness, rather than a strength.
5. The Return of the King was directly responsible for me making my surprise visit to Victoria from Toronto to see my future wife.
6. My Big Fat Greek Wedding convinced me that marrying my wife was a good idea.
7. The Shawshank Redemption was the direct inspiration for where we spent our honeymoon. “If you’re reading this, you’ve gotten out. And if you’ve come this far, maybe you’re willing to come a little further. You remember the name of the town, don’t you?”
8. The Long Kiss Goodnight was the film that convinced me I would like the name Charlie for my first daughter. I was going to give my second daughter the middle name Matinée, but I backed out in the end when I just couldn’t get past that people would be thinking cigarettes instead of the cinema.
9. My DVD collection numbers at over 500 discs. I was inspired to build my collection by my late friend’s stepfather who had about 5 walls worth of VHS in his house.
10. The Film Cynics, which started out as a TV pilot, was created with the express purpose of getting free movies, and as such it has been a resounding success.
And now, as is customary, I will pass the torch to 5 others whom I think will provide some more interesting and comical answers than I was able to muster:
Brian from The Film Cynics
Sarah from Sarahnomics
Josh from Film Insight
Luke from Cane Toad Warrior
Marc from Go, See, Talk!
I also fall into the Ferris Bueller’s Day Off category. I completely agree about the chair-kicking – In fact, it’s included in my seat-picking strategy when I go to the cinema. I try and identify the least likely candidates to perpetrate the chair crime and then I sit in front of them
Wow, that sounds so dull in writing.
Not even a little bit. I have a full strategy too. My friend’s Dad is a projectionist and he explained to me that when they first set up a cinema, they calibrate everything based on being 2 thirds back from the screen. So I start with that and then size up who might be a chair kicker and decide whether I can properly chastise them and not get beaten up by their partner… be they man or woman… Hmmm, maybe you’re right…
I make it a point never to put my feet up on a seat in front of me. Why would you want to? Silly knees in the way and everything.
Ohhh how romantic you are (about #5). It’s amazing how films have the power to move and/or motivate people to do certain things, isn’t it? So is your wife from Greece or just from a different culture from yours?
My wife is 1st generation Canadian, but her parents were born in Greece, so the cultural influence is still pretty strong. My family has more of an Anglos meeting the Saxons kind of background, so it’s a nice blend we have. They say the farther apart in the world the parents come from, the more beautiful the children.
I think that movies have been responsible for almost all of my romantic decisions in my life, both the good ones and the stupid ones. Considering where I’m at now, I think they’ve steered me exactly in the right direction.
I should try going to the movie theater by myself sometime, I have never done it! It’s weird even though there is little opportunities to talk to the people you go with
Nice DVD collection, I stopped doing that as it got expensive fast and let’s face it, most people very rarely fire up their own DVDs, at least no more often than once or twice a year.
I made the realization a while back that going to the movies in a group makes no sense. Considering that you shouldn’t be talking during the film, and that most of the best chit chat happens afterwards, you might as well be calling up your buddy on the phone to talk about while driving home from the theatre, like I do with Brian every week.
Yeah, my collection represents a large investment over time, but a lot of what I have was either acquired for free from the studios, bought with an employee discount from HMV, or exchanged from my old VHS collection at a ratio of about 3:1. Considering the sentimental value of it as an abstract concept and also how I make use of it almost on a daily basis, I’m comfortable with it… but what’s important is that my wife is comfortable with it. Considering she just cleared me for another shelf of space, I think she’s cool with the idea.
Oh, and for those who live in town, I have a great movie cataloguing program, so I’m cool with doing loans. Sometimes even extended loans – I haven’t had my copy of Redbelt in my collection for about 5 months now.
I’ve never done it, either, Castor. But I don’t think I’d enjoy it as I need someone to chit chat with before the movie starts. I have no problems watching DVDs myself though, but at the movies I’d prefer to go with at least one other person.
Uh, confession time… The last time I was at the movies solo was for Kick-Ass, and I found myself actually insinuating myself into other people’s conversations – and I could tell I wasn’t actually welcome. I guess I really do need someone to talk to before the movie starts…and occasionally to lean over and whisper something to…and to laugh louder than me so I don’t come off like Max Cady in the theatre.
Well, I put on a brave face, but I suppose we’re all social creatures, even in a scenario when you’re not expected to talk… I still think that a movie is a bad choice for a first date though – too much time in silence builds up the tension.
I actually like the groyup compromise on movie-going. Sure, occasionally it’s a false compromise, but it always leads to something interesting and occasionally something you wouldn’t expect. I’m struggling to think of any masterpieces I’ve been introduced to this way, but I can name several really great films I wouldn’t have watched but for the people I was watching them with.
And I didn’t know about the pilot. Wow. You guys are intimidatingly professional.
Yeah, intimidatingly professional at being relatively competent.
I can’t deny the camaraderie factor of going to the movies in a group – but considering that I watch so many movies at home on my own, I stopped thinking that has to be any different when I’m out on the town… except it lands me in a position where I’m reminded that I’m not in my living room anymore, and I’m surrounded by people who might not have the same movie etiquette as me, with the talking, the texting, the kicking of chairs… And you’re right, I never would have seen Sliver or Formula 51 if I hadn’t been rolling in a group.
You can actually see the sizzle reel we were using to sell our pilot here. I’d like to think that even though we wound up on radio, our mission statement is pretty much the same.
[...] In the spirit of movie blogging community participation, I am submitting these ten facts about me and movies. If you read my blog you already know most of them. Thanks for the tag, Steve fromThe Film Cynics. [...]
http://www.sarahfobes.com/movies/10-facts-about-me-and-movies/
there ya go, pal.
You’re a peach!