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So many memes, so little time…

Figures. Once you admit you don’t know what one little word means, you start seeing it everywhere. E-mails. Blog posts. Blog comments. Billboards. And you wonder: How did I go so long without knowing this word existed? Was I the only one? Just what natural body part does Heidi Montag have to improve the next time she goes under the knife?

See, these wondering feelings, they pass quickly when you have the attention span of a McDonald’s chicken nugget (the all-white meat kind, not whatever they used before).

So it looks like “meme” and I are going to become, if not “BFF,” at least “F,” since Blake at Bitchin’ Film Reviews tagged me for the Seven Movie Question Meme. Here’s my two cents:

1. What was your first moviegoing experience?

Not to ape Blake’s answer, but I too swear the first movie I recall seeing in the theater was “The Little Mermaid.” Back then I was too entranced with Ursula’s evil genius to notice the priest, uh … saluting the captain under his robe during the Ariel/Eric wedding.

2. How many DVDs do you own?

I’m up to about 200 thanks to my compulsive need to buy used on Amazon or plunder the $5 bins at Walmart. It’s the lowest of the low, you’d think, but I’ve found real treasures in there, like “Happiness.” (Added bonus: Thinking about the horrified reactions of the idiots who bought that movie because it was $5 and didn’t know what it was about is my sunshine on cloudy days.) 

3. What’s your guilty pleasure movie?

Drat. I can’t weasel my way out of this one, can I? This is so shameful I’m almost tempted to lie because you’ll think less of me. A 28-year-old woman should not cop to what I’m about to cop to … which is that I love “Spiceworld.” And I can quote it almost line for line. And I own both the VHS tape and the DVD. And I miiiiiiight own the complete set of Spice Girls dolls.

Oh, the horror.

4. You’ve compiled a list of your top 100 movies. Which movies didn’t make the cut?

Aside from one or two, there isn’t much of Stephen Spielberg’s work represented there. You won’t find any entry in the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy, either, because while I appreciated the visuals/CGI/costuming etc. I didn’t love the films. (They were long. They were so long. I think I’m still watching them.) “Gone with the Wind” has been given a pass as well. (See explanation for “Lord of the Rings.”) And while I really, really want to like David Lynch, his movies do nothing for me.

5. Which movie(s) do you compulsively watch over and over again?

That answer changes; you can tell what mood I’m in by what movie I’m watching. When the relationship realm isn’t going so hot, I’m all about horror — doesn’t matter if it’s campy or serious. When I’m sad, only Jason Segel (hello, “Forgetting Sarah Marshall”) or Ace Ventura can cure me. Sometimes I’ll get stuck on one director or one actor and watch everything I can get my hands on. Right now I’m still riding out my Humphrey Bogart obsession. Woof. They don’t make leading fellows like him anymore.

6. What are some classics you’re embarrassed to admit you haven’t seen?

I’ve seen almost nothing Alfred Hitchcock has done (unless you count “Disturbia,” which I don’t because I don’t want Hitchcock fans to kill me in my sleep); I know little of Audrey Hepburn’s canon; and in general my knowledge of early films — most in the 1930s-50s — is appallingly scant. But I’m working on it. Girl Scout’s honor!

7. What movie posters do you have hanging on your wall?

I’m sad to report that the answer is none, none movie posters. But I have the DVD cover of “Pulp Fiction” as the wallpaper on my cellphone. Surely that counts for something?

To turn the tables, I hereby tag:

33 Responses

  1. wow, no spielberg in the top 100, eh? no Jaws? no Raiders? no Close Encounters?

    oh, and i definitely recommend catching up on the alfred hitchcock library of films. i don’t think you’ll be sorry.

    • Oops, I forgot about “Jaws”! That one DID make the list. I don’t know how, but sometimes I forget Spielberg did that one.

      I have a bunch of Hitchcock films coming up — the “mainstream” stuff everyone’s heard of like “The Birds” and “Psycho” as well as some lesser-known stuff. Do you recommend any of his films as “must-see”?

      • We agree on that, sort of, no Spielberg’s film are in my list of favourites either…
        Screw guilty pleasure, I say, if it’s pleasurable don’t be guilty.

        And get to work on getting acquainted with the 30s-50s.

      • I would recommend Notorious, North By Northwest, Suspicion, Dial M For Murder, and my personal favorite Rear Window. I know a lot of people love Vertigo, but I just couldn’t get into it when I watched it years ago. I might need to give it another shot…

  2. No movie posters? This need to change quick! I think most people of our generation have have seen too little movies that were made prior to the 1980’s. I haven’t seen any Audrey Hepburn movie myself.

    And Spiceworld…lol 😉

    • Like I said, I almost lied. There is no logical reason for my obsession with “Spiceworld” or the Spice Girls. None.

      Probably that’s the kind of thing you take to a therapist’s chair.

  3. Hi!

    I am Malcolm from The Final Oscar and I am cordially inviting you to a smackdown. It’s the SMACKDOWN: 1995 BEST PICTURE. The nominees for that year are:

    Apollo 13
    Babe
    Braveheart
    Il Postino
    Sense and Sensibility

    If you confirm or reject your participation in this smackdown, please reply to this mail. Don’t worry! Two weeks will be allotted for watching/rewatching the movies nominated. If you have any inquiries, just mail me at mylastoscar@gmail.com

    Submission of Analysis: May 20, 2010
    Posting of Results: May 23, 2010

    For more details, you can just visit my site: mylastoscar.wordpress.com

    Thanks for the time and I hope you’ll join!

    Malcolm

  4. Wow…”Schindler’s List” wouldn’t make your top 100? As much resentment I have for Spielberg – I think that movie is perfect.

    • Dear Lord I should have had a V-8 this morning. “Schindler’s List” is in my Top 100 too. And I agree that it’s perfect.

      Ay caramba.

  5. The first version of The Little Mermaid I ever saw was on “Faerie Tale Theatre” and like all of those episodes it was wrought with dark sexual tension. I was but a young kid and because of that have always thought Eric wanted to bang himself a mermaid or something sexual that I didn’t understand a mermaid. ha!

    Because of your awesomeness I think it’s okay that you like SpiceGIrls!

  6. I got one name for you – just one: Fred C. Dobbs. I think he might be related to Daniel Plainview…

  7. I can totally agree with you on David Lynch films. i always try my hardest to like them no matter what, but however, they do nothing for me. Check out my list: http://dtmmr.wordpress.com/2010/05/02/seven-movie-questions/#comments

  8. I. Love. Spice. World. Damn it’s been a long time since I’ve seen it, but I was definitely wayyy into the Spice Girls when I was younger and believe I still have the VHS somewhere, a photo-heavy biography, and a large collection of the stickers that came with Spice Girl lollipops (arranged in numerical order of course).

    Anyway, I’m gonna give a big “whatever” to Gone With the Wind, David Lynch, and LOTR. So keep on fighting that fight.

    • @ Dan The Man + Alex — It’s comforting to know I’m not alone in my distaste for David Lynch. (The opening sequence for “Wild at Heart” scarred me for life.) His movies are just so … David Lynch-ish. And also: If he wants me to take him seriously, he has to change the hairstyle. It just has to be.

      @ Frank — Nobody puts one over on Fred C. Dobbs.

  9. Thanks for the tag. I’ve accepted your offer: http://www.myfilmhabit.com/2010/05/tag-youre-it.html.

  10. Well, at least I’ve seen a lot of Hitchcock and Audrey Hepburn movies…I hope that makes up for my lack of Godfather knowledge…
    I used to be obsessed with the Spicegirls when they were “in”, so I don’t blame you for that one.

    • Sad thing is I still like them … and when I heard a rumor Geri Halliwell was thinking about rejoining, I got kinda excited.

  11. You are so funny. “Spiceworld.” Every time I’m on Netflix and a friend sees I have that movie on there, he/she goes, “You have ‘Spiceworld’ on your list?!” Well, it’s not that I reaaaally wanna see it. It’s just one of those movies that always played on TV way back when but I never got a chance to see it as a whole.

    LoL @ the $5 Wal-Mart bins. I’m guilty of that as well. It doesn’t help either that my mom’s department is right next to those darn bins!! Hahaha.

    You inspired me to write one.

  12. I’m sooo with you on David Lynch… only the Elephant Man was moderately enjoyable and if someone says they understand Mullholland Drive, they are fibbing. Also, I haven’t seen a ton of Hitchcock either… I am ashamed of that because I think I would like some of his better known films.

  13. I’m waiting for the blurays to start a collection of Hitchcock, but yep – I haven’t seen too many of the director’s classics. On the upside, though, the transfer on North by Northwest is pretty awesome.

    • @ Allison — Thanks for visiting my little corner and I can’t wait to read your list.

      @ Franz — Thanks for stopping by my blog. I’m a sucker for those bins, and I’m hardcore about it. The best movies are at the bottom, so sometimes I’ll actually steal an abandoned empty cart, fill it up with the crap movies and dig until I find treasure. The salespeople give me funny looks, but that’s a risk I’m willing to take.

      @ Kai — All these Lynch non-appreciators are coming outta the woodwork. It warms my heart. “Elephant Man” made my Top 100, but I assure you that’s the only Lynch film on there!

  14. Hey don’t worry about Spiceworld being your guilty pleasure movie. Mine is so bad, I couldn’t ever possibly admit to it!

  15. I totally agree with you about Spielberg’s stuff, but would strongly urge you to give Mr. Lynch a second chance.

    Here’s to The Little Mermaid!

  16. Spice World? And now all of those nightmares return.

  17. I’ve seen some David Lynch films, quite a few actually, and the effect they have on me is similar to the one they have on you, which is to say very little. The only Lynch film I truly enjoy is Dune, and that isn’t even really a Lynch film so….

  18. Watch Rear Window by Hitchcock! Absolute classic. Oh and Spiceworld, ya I’ve watched that like 10 times myself. No shame in that! Loved the bus flying over london bridge scene. Pure awesomeness.

  19. Loooooove Spice World

    • @ James — Go on, keep ’em coming; I’ve heard aaaaaall the cutdowns before! 🙂

      @ Jimbob — It’s in the queue!

      @ FRC — I’m so glad all these “Spice World” non-haters are coming outta the woodwork. I feel as though I can look myself in the mirror again!

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