This is my last post for the year. This year was simply exhausting. I do miss writing here sometimes, but unless I have a good idea, it just feels forced. Nonetheless, I really enjoy giving recommendations, so expect a couple of entries like that until the spring season! Take care and have a happy New Year!
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During the pandemic, in order to survive the feeling of going to my death every time had to I leave the house, either to get groceries or to work, I would listen to podcasts instead of music. It was truly the best way to forget that the world ... well, was dying around me. The world is in a better place now, at least, seemingly a lot of things restarted.
The reason we are here, is that as most of you know, I have written this blog of movie reviews for ten consecutive years, and I miss talking about movies, honestly, even if I don't want to write reviews anymore. And answering Brett's questions myself - even if I am not a fancy famous person - felt like a fun idea, as I have been thinking about them since the first podcast I listened to from him. If you enjoy the questions, do consider listening in on the podcast, which you can find here! He has wonderful guests, from A-listers to lesser known but formidable people. If you start by checking out people you know already, you will get hooked, I promise!
Let's jump straight into it with a small disclaimer, in a a lot of places I wrote multiple answers, whereas Brett would usually have his guests pick one movie even if the guests also discuss the difficulty in choosing sometimes. Here, I felt it would be more fun to include more options. Have fun reading and add your own answers in the comments!
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What was the first-ever film you saw?
I could have cheated here and asked my siblings, as they are older and remember for me. But I decided to answer based on what I know to be factually true and what I do remember. I have this one memory of going to the cinema to see Hercules (1997) and Anastasia (1997) with my family. They both came out the same year, and I do not know in which order we watched them (I could do some research here, but I don't want to...). All I remember is that after Hercules we went to McDonald's and with a Happy Meal I got to start my collection of the figures from the movie, which, by the way, I still have! (Hercules, Megara and Pegasus as well!). And with Anastasia I remember being scared as hell of Rasputin and for years, I mean two decades at least, I could not watch the beginning of the movie, where the family runs away as a civil war breaks out. It was and it still is incredibly traumatic to see the beginning of the film. These movies stayed with me for sure as my first experiences at the cinema. However, at the age of 4 or 5, my sister made a recording of me talking about my favorite movie at the time, The Lion King (1994), so I am fairly certain that the first movie I actually saw from beginning to end was that one.
I could have cheated here and asked my siblings, as they are older and remember for me. But I decided to answer based on what I know to be factually true and what I do remember. I have this one memory of going to the cinema to see Hercules (1997) and Anastasia (1997) with my family. They both came out the same year, and I do not know in which order we watched them (I could do some research here, but I don't want to...). All I remember is that after Hercules we went to McDonald's and with a Happy Meal I got to start my collection of the figures from the movie, which, by the way, I still have! (Hercules, Megara and Pegasus as well!). And with Anastasia I remember being scared as hell of Rasputin and for years, I mean two decades at least, I could not watch the beginning of the movie, where the family runs away as a civil war breaks out. It was and it still is incredibly traumatic to see the beginning of the film. These movies stayed with me for sure as my first experiences at the cinema. However, at the age of 4 or 5, my sister made a recording of me talking about my favorite movie at the time, The Lion King (1994), so I am fairly certain that the first movie I actually saw from beginning to end was that one.
What was the film that scared you the most?
What was the film that made you cry the most?
The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012). It is a really difficult movie to stomach, of course, it truly deals with horrible issues, from domestic abuse to suicide, all the way to sexual abuse. However, it is handled all from the view of the main protagonist, who is still just a teenager and is learning about the world. You, as the audience understand the depth of certain things, but it is conveyed in a way that helps you swallow it little by little, and with every time you rewatch the movie you understand a new thing, you learn of a new pain and a new coping mechanism on the parts of the protagonists. And usually I can keep it together until the end, you know, a lot of movies got me crying from the beginning, but this is still the first film I thought of when thinking about this question, because of a scene at the end, when Charlie (Logan Lerman) is crying at his desk and he tells himself "Stop crying", that is the moment I usually break. And from then on I cannot stop crying until the end credits. The movie slowly builds up the get your emotions to peak at the end, and it does! (Click here to read my review of the movie!)
The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012). It is a really difficult movie to stomach, of course, it truly deals with horrible issues, from domestic abuse to suicide, all the way to sexual abuse. However, it is handled all from the view of the main protagonist, who is still just a teenager and is learning about the world. You, as the audience understand the depth of certain things, but it is conveyed in a way that helps you swallow it little by little, and with every time you rewatch the movie you understand a new thing, you learn of a new pain and a new coping mechanism on the parts of the protagonists. And usually I can keep it together until the end, you know, a lot of movies got me crying from the beginning, but this is still the first film I thought of when thinking about this question, because of a scene at the end, when Charlie (Logan Lerman) is crying at his desk and he tells himself "Stop crying", that is the moment I usually break. And from then on I cannot stop crying until the end credits. The movie slowly builds up the get your emotions to peak at the end, and it does! (Click here to read my review of the movie!)
What film is TERRIBLE but you love it?
Spice World (1997). I never thought about it as a silly movie, until I had to summarize it for someone and then realized how, even with the inside jokes and the pop culture references, the plot is so terribly stupid! Very stupid. However, and this is a big however, when you watch the film, even if you can tell that the singers of the famous pop group are not award winning actors, all the other actual academy winner actors in this film took their jobs f*cking seriously! This was not just a paycheck, clearly. I enjoy the movie a lot still, years later, and it is funny, the music is, of course, great, and the performances hold up. I can see why it is not considered the greatest movie ever made, but I love it.
Spice World (1997). I never thought about it as a silly movie, until I had to summarize it for someone and then realized how, even with the inside jokes and the pop culture references, the plot is so terribly stupid! Very stupid. However, and this is a big however, when you watch the film, even if you can tell that the singers of the famous pop group are not award winning actors, all the other actual academy winner actors in this film took their jobs f*cking seriously! This was not just a paycheck, clearly. I enjoy the movie a lot still, years later, and it is funny, the music is, of course, great, and the performances hold up. I can see why it is not considered the greatest movie ever made, but I love it.
What is the film you once loved but watching it now you realise it’s terrible?
It is funny, because I rarely rewatch things, and if I do, it is either because I was too young to remember it and so I want a second look, or because it is an all-time family favorite. This past year though, I decided to rewatch a bunch of films that we had on our shelves in VHS, then DVD, that my siblings collected. Many of them I remember we thought were funny and peculiar, but upon rewatching them I wasn't that blown away... maybe it is the dubbing that makes some movies better, but overall they are not that big of a deal. What happens more often then not, is me showing a friend of mine a movie I loved and they do not appreciate it at all! Let's see if by the end of writing this I can recall any that fit the category. It was difficult, but I did think of one. When we were younger, they played The War of the Roses (1989) on TV, and me and my sister both remembered it being quite fun, so I decided to see it again, but I was really disappointed. Did not crack one single laugh. I felt sick to my stomach most of the time, and I know this was an adaptation, but the trivia page on imdb says it is "Included among the American Film Institute's 2000 list of the 500 movies nominated for the Top 100 Funniest American Movies" and I just do not understand how that could have happened, quite frankly. It is not a bad movie, the acting is fine, the direction of Danny DeVito was great, but not knowing the book it adapts I cannot really tell you how accurate it is or if it is a good adaptation. I just know I expected more when I decided to rewatch it. And would, as a result, not recommend it to anyone.
It is funny, because I rarely rewatch things, and if I do, it is either because I was too young to remember it and so I want a second look, or because it is an all-time family favorite. This past year though, I decided to rewatch a bunch of films that we had on our shelves in VHS, then DVD, that my siblings collected. Many of them I remember we thought were funny and peculiar, but upon rewatching them I wasn't that blown away... maybe it is the dubbing that makes some movies better, but overall they are not that big of a deal. What happens more often then not, is me showing a friend of mine a movie I loved and they do not appreciate it at all! Let's see if by the end of writing this I can recall any that fit the category. It was difficult, but I did think of one. When we were younger, they played The War of the Roses (1989) on TV, and me and my sister both remembered it being quite fun, so I decided to see it again, but I was really disappointed. Did not crack one single laugh. I felt sick to my stomach most of the time, and I know this was an adaptation, but the trivia page on imdb says it is "Included among the American Film Institute's 2000 list of the 500 movies nominated for the Top 100 Funniest American Movies" and I just do not understand how that could have happened, quite frankly. It is not a bad movie, the acting is fine, the direction of Danny DeVito was great, but not knowing the book it adapts I cannot really tell you how accurate it is or if it is a good adaptation. I just know I expected more when I decided to rewatch it. And would, as a result, not recommend it to anyone.
What is the film that means the most to you? (Not because of the film it’s self, but because of the memories, you have of it.)
I changed my answer here, because I decided to add the movie that I thought of first for a later answer. My biggest issue is probably how often this changes, so it wasn't easy, but I think it is Professor Marston and the Wonder Women (2017). This movie came out at a time when I really needed it, I loved the trailer, loved the casting, the music is superb and the story... I have heard complaints about the historical accuracy and a lot of people also looked for more Wonder Woman. What I love about Marston is that he also wishes to learn about women, and as much as he loves these two in his life, he also takes the time to understand them. And we watch romantic movies because we want our actors to end up together, and here, it is just the same. That is why, in my opinion, this is one of the best LGBTQ+ movies out there, it is not about the sex scene, it is not about what makes this couple different from the conventional couples. It is about how love conquers all. (Click here to read my review of the movie!)
What is the sexiest film?
For me it is a tie, but for every different reasons. One is Charlie's Angels Full Throttle (2003), where Drew Barrymore has a few scenes with Justin Theroux, an old boyfriend. During a fight scene the two battle it out, and it is quite sexual, and by that I mean, that you can tell that these two have a history. It is filled with violence and it is no longer than 30 seconds, but you feel their past connection come onto surface right away. And you might point out how incredibly sexist these movies were, and I would agree, however, the thing that kept me going back to them is the clear chemistry among the three protagonists.
And I was torn here, because when you listen to the podcast, Brett points to the idea of the sexiest movie being one that gets you going, that gets you in the mood, and if that is the one that I have to choose, then I will have to go with The Matrix Reloaded (2003). There is this scene, where all of Zion is having a rave, which not only would I want to be a part of, but actually, as that is going on, Neo (Keanu Reeves) and Trinity (Carrie Anne-Moss) have a sex scene. There are a lot of movies out there that have passionate love scenes, but this one just got to me... there is something pure in their love, as this very ecstatic metaphorical orgy is going on next door, you can see the comparison between them and the others, as well as the passion. Most action movies have a quick mandatory sex scene, but no real depth to them. This scene just stands out to me, and if I have to choose between the two movies, I think this is the sexiest one.
I changed my answer here, because I decided to add the movie that I thought of first for a later answer. My biggest issue is probably how often this changes, so it wasn't easy, but I think it is Professor Marston and the Wonder Women (2017). This movie came out at a time when I really needed it, I loved the trailer, loved the casting, the music is superb and the story... I have heard complaints about the historical accuracy and a lot of people also looked for more Wonder Woman. What I love about Marston is that he also wishes to learn about women, and as much as he loves these two in his life, he also takes the time to understand them. And we watch romantic movies because we want our actors to end up together, and here, it is just the same. That is why, in my opinion, this is one of the best LGBTQ+ movies out there, it is not about the sex scene, it is not about what makes this couple different from the conventional couples. It is about how love conquers all. (Click here to read my review of the movie!)
What is the sexiest film?
For me it is a tie, but for every different reasons. One is Charlie's Angels Full Throttle (2003), where Drew Barrymore has a few scenes with Justin Theroux, an old boyfriend. During a fight scene the two battle it out, and it is quite sexual, and by that I mean, that you can tell that these two have a history. It is filled with violence and it is no longer than 30 seconds, but you feel their past connection come onto surface right away. And you might point out how incredibly sexist these movies were, and I would agree, however, the thing that kept me going back to them is the clear chemistry among the three protagonists.
And I was torn here, because when you listen to the podcast, Brett points to the idea of the sexiest movie being one that gets you going, that gets you in the mood, and if that is the one that I have to choose, then I will have to go with The Matrix Reloaded (2003). There is this scene, where all of Zion is having a rave, which not only would I want to be a part of, but actually, as that is going on, Neo (Keanu Reeves) and Trinity (Carrie Anne-Moss) have a sex scene. There are a lot of movies out there that have passionate love scenes, but this one just got to me... there is something pure in their love, as this very ecstatic metaphorical orgy is going on next door, you can see the comparison between them and the others, as well as the passion. Most action movies have a quick mandatory sex scene, but no real depth to them. This scene just stands out to me, and if I have to choose between the two movies, I think this is the sexiest one.
Which film do you most relate to?
Which film is objectively the greatest ever?
Much Ado About Nothing (1996), directed by and starring Kenneth Branagh. I was very small when I first saw this film, but by god, it is simply divine. I was sitting here thinking about all the great things I could list, but I am gonna say just three. First, the direction. Branagh famously casts himself in movies he directs, and of course there are exceptions, here I am happy he did, because he was a brilliant Benedict. The colors of this film, the location they chose, the way actors who are today the most famous names in Hollywood were directed by him is one of the best points of this movie. Second is the casting: Keanu Reeves as the bad guy still gives me the chills... I wish he would play an asshole more often, it was amazing, truly, and people always forget about this role. Not to mention Emma Thompson, who could easily have chemistry with a wet cloth if she wanted to. My final point is that it is, after all, Shakespeare. There was hundreds if not thousands of Shakespeare plays that are remade, presented, on stage and on screen and a director and screenwriter really has to be able to give it a twist for it to stand out from all the others. I just think this is the best example of the great works that we keep revisiting over the years. (You can read a comparison review of the movie here!)
Much Ado About Nothing (1996), directed by and starring Kenneth Branagh. I was very small when I first saw this film, but by god, it is simply divine. I was sitting here thinking about all the great things I could list, but I am gonna say just three. First, the direction. Branagh famously casts himself in movies he directs, and of course there are exceptions, here I am happy he did, because he was a brilliant Benedict. The colors of this film, the location they chose, the way actors who are today the most famous names in Hollywood were directed by him is one of the best points of this movie. Second is the casting: Keanu Reeves as the bad guy still gives me the chills... I wish he would play an asshole more often, it was amazing, truly, and people always forget about this role. Not to mention Emma Thompson, who could easily have chemistry with a wet cloth if she wanted to. My final point is that it is, after all, Shakespeare. There was hundreds if not thousands of Shakespeare plays that are remade, presented, on stage and on screen and a director and screenwriter really has to be able to give it a twist for it to stand out from all the others. I just think this is the best example of the great works that we keep revisiting over the years. (You can read a comparison review of the movie here!)
Which film is the one you’ve watched the most?
Mixed Nuts (1994). I will not even go into detail. This is the greatest Christmas movie ever and people are idiots for not liking it. You should give it a rewatch. It is just so damn funny, and the writing, and the acting... it is a 10/10 across the board! You can read my review of it here!
Mixed Nuts (1994). I will not even go into detail. This is the greatest Christmas movie ever and people are idiots for not liking it. You should give it a rewatch. It is just so damn funny, and the writing, and the acting... it is a 10/10 across the board! You can read my review of it here!
What’s the worst film you’ve ever seen?
This one was easy: Blue Jasmine (2013). I am just tired of people making excuses because it is a Woody Allen movie. Guess what, Allen movies have been SH*T since Match Point (2005). You can put his name on anything but that alone will not make it quality for me, and I can tell you that I am the one who is most sorry about all of this. I go every time saying, "Hey, this should be good!" and it never is. Having a bunch of A-list actors in your movie is not a recipe for success, you should know that, because the more actors the worse the movie... I want to point out that Cate Blanchett is a wonderful actress who deserves all the credit she is given. If anything made this bearable it was her. But this is the single most overrated movie ever, and I am saying that having seen films that are BELOW 2.0 rating on imdb and did not even make it onto Rotten Tomatoes, this was still a much larger disappointment because of all the hype it got. Giving random clips of a woman talking to herself, drinking and taking pills will not help me understand her and or care for her. Nor will a think "Boy, what a great rendition of A Streetcar Named Desire"!!! (You can read my review of the movie here!)
This one was easy: Blue Jasmine (2013). I am just tired of people making excuses because it is a Woody Allen movie. Guess what, Allen movies have been SH*T since Match Point (2005). You can put his name on anything but that alone will not make it quality for me, and I can tell you that I am the one who is most sorry about all of this. I go every time saying, "Hey, this should be good!" and it never is. Having a bunch of A-list actors in your movie is not a recipe for success, you should know that, because the more actors the worse the movie... I want to point out that Cate Blanchett is a wonderful actress who deserves all the credit she is given. If anything made this bearable it was her. But this is the single most overrated movie ever, and I am saying that having seen films that are BELOW 2.0 rating on imdb and did not even make it onto Rotten Tomatoes, this was still a much larger disappointment because of all the hype it got. Giving random clips of a woman talking to herself, drinking and taking pills will not help me understand her and or care for her. Nor will a think "Boy, what a great rendition of A Streetcar Named Desire"!!! (You can read my review of the movie here!)
What is the film that’s literally made you laugh out loud the most?
I had a hard time deciding, but I managed to narrow it down to two, that I love equally, both from the genius of David Wain and Michael Showalter: Wet Hot American Summer (2001) and They Came Together (2014). It honestly pains me how few people appreciated these films. Wet Hot American Summer has had its small but constant fan base, one that I joined myself around the tenth anniversary of the movie. And the single best romantic comedy parody has to be They Came Together... the best parodies are the ones that are timeless, that are not making fun of one movie in particular but of the typical tropes presented in these movies. Let it be the typical 80s movies with its empowering montage, or the final scene of a romantic comedy where the main characters get together. Both of these movies still get me to laugh out loud, even though I have seen them hundreds of times.
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At the end of the podcast Brett tells their guest that they can bring one movie with them, and every night when it is their turn for movie night in Heaven, this is the movie they will watch. I have no idea which movie I would take with myself, It might be on this list, maybe it isn't, I don't know. The best thing about not being an actual guest on the podcast is that I can escape choosing.
What would your picks be for these wonderful questions?
Let me know in the comments down below!
What would your picks be for these wonderful questions?
Let me know in the comments down below!
At the beginning of the year I wil talk about the many podcasts I discovered and that I truly want to have as many people listening as possible! Have a happy 2022!
