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Tuesday, May 3, 2011

A Life in Movies

"A Life in Movies" is a blog-a-thon hosted by the site Fandango Groovers Movie Blog. The goal is to pick a movie from each year of one's life through 2010 and say a few words about it. A complete list of participants can be found at the host site.

I almost wasn't gonna do this because I
was a bit hesitant about actually revealing my age - something that normally doesn't bother me in real life! But then I decided that was a silly reason not to take part in a blog-a-thon, so here I am. I suppose being surrounded by so many film bloggers who are so much younger than me makes me feel my own age sometimes - not that I'm a senior citizen or anything.

Props to Andy from FGMB for this idea, and for inviting me to take part. It is a pretty clever idea for a blog-a-thon. These aren't necessarily my favorite films from each year; just films I like, or at the very least, have seen.

Cabaret (1972). I think dark musicals are my favorit
e kind, and this is one of the best. Liza knocks 'em dead, but I like Joel Grey best.
Sleeper (1973). I need to accept the bitter fact that sc
rewball Woody is gone and is never coming back. But I keep hoping.
Foxy Brown (1974). Recently scientists have discover
ed that the sexual energy generated by Pam Grier could light up the North American East Coast for a year.
Cooley High (1975). If John Hughes were black, he would've made movies like this.
King Kong (1976). No lie - the overt sexual foreplay between
Kong and Jessica Lange always made me uncomfortable as a kid. Of course, I couldn't have explained why back then...


Pete's Dragon (1977). I remember my mother taking me to see this one.
Thank God It's Friday (1978). Guilty pleasure movie! A youn
g Jeff Goldblum, the Commodores, disco dancing, Donna Summer singing "Last Dance" - you can't miss.
Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979). As a Trekkie, I would be remiss if I didn't include a Trek movie. A sub-par execution of a very good s
tory - one that doesn't need a villain (are you listening, JJ Abrams?).
Popeye (1980). If nothing else, it's perfect casting.
Pennies From Heaven (1981). Another disturbing musical, made even better with dancing Christopher Walken.

Eating Raoul (1982). "I'm a hot-blooded crazy emotional Chica
no!"
Eddie and the Cruisers (1983). This kid I used to
work with couldn't get enough of this movie. Stay far away from the sequel, though.
A Soldier's Story (1984). Underrated military drama that my father took me to see. Early role for Denzel.
Tampopo (1985). A sweet little Japanese movie about foo
d that I discovered during my video retail years.
She's Gotta Have It (1986). Spike Lee has become so closely associated with New York it's easy to forget that he's originally from Atlanta.

Dragnet (1987). Another guilty pleasure. Tom Hanks has another comedy in him, I know he does.
Midnight Run (1988). Charles Grodin needs to make a comeback, dammit!
Uncle Buck (1989). Got dragged to see this and ended up loving it.
Pump Up the Volume (1990). If not Jenny's favorite film, then it's at least in her top five.
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991). Th
e movie that made me a Trekkie.

Hard Boiled (1992). I used to slide down bannisters
all the time as a teenager. Sad to say, however, I never did it while shooting bad guys. It's one of the great regrets of my life.
Demolition Man (1993). M
ore people dig this one than I realized.
Heavenly Creatures (1994). There's this song - I wish I knew who sings it - that's an ode to Kate Winslet. The chorus goes, "I'm no diplomat/But you look better fat/Kate Winslet!" And it's true.
Welcome to the Dollhouse (1995). I saw Heather Mata
razzo speak at a gay rights rally here in NYC once.
Matilda (1996). Awesome, awesome, awesome kids movie. Matilda is totally my role model. Now if only I could develop telekinetic superpowers...

187 (1997). Sam Jackson the dramatic actor doesn't get nearly enough credit. Check out this
film about pre-Columbine high school violence one day.
A Simple Plan (1998). Sam Raimi needs to make another movie like this.
Ghost Dog: Way of the Samurai (1999). "It's da fuggin' birdman!!" [wheeze]
Dude Where's My Car? (2000). The ONLY Ashton Kutcher movie I'll ever watch.
Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2001). Who knew that John
Cameron Mitchell would go from this to Rabbit Hole?

Barbershop (2002). Why do so many black barbers
hops have wide screen TVs? Seriously, in my neighborhood, there's like, a hundred different barbershops and they all have them. Some guy could be shaving Lebron James' number into your scalp when all of a sudden somebody gets shot on CSI and the next thing you know you've got half an ear!
Mystic River (2003). The movie that got me hooked on Dennis Lehane.
Kung Fu Hustle (2004). Took a chance on it on a day when I was feeling depressed, and ended up enjoying it.
Good Night and Good Luck (2005). I know this was the year of Brokeback Mountain, but this was the movie I was rooting for to win Best Picture.
The Fountain (2006). Years from now, people will b
etter appreciate this movie.

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (2007). Would I have the courage to live if I were in this guy's situation? I wonder.
Rachel Getting Married (2008). An interracial marriage and it's treated no differently than any other one.
Up in the Air (2009). Still kinda pissed it didn't win the Adapted Screenplay Oscar.
Hot Tub Time Machine (2010). Seeing this was purely a spur-of-the-moment decision.

8 comments:

  1. This was far from my favourite list with some movies I just can’t get excited by but then I got to your later selections and came across: Hard Boiled, A Simple Plan, Ghost Dog: Way of the Samurai and Rachel Getting Married, I love all those movies. Thanks for taking part.

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  2. I don't think I could've picked one absolute favorite from each year. I preferred doing it this way, even if it means my list is further off the beaten path.

    Thanks for having me.

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  3. Yeah mine wasn't made up of my actual favorites either, just movies that were on my mind or that I felt like promoting. I dig your list a lot! Some really interesting choices- Ghost Dog, Kung Fu Hustle, Foxy Brown, Hedwig, Matilda, Cabaret are all great. And yes Midnight Run! Charles Grodin is the best!

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  4. I'm not familiar with many of your choices from before 2000 but in the last ten years I think you did a great job. I especially love the choice of The Diving Bell and the Butterfly. So underrated.

    www.pseudo6man.blogspot.com

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  5. OMG, you're so old, Rich!! :P Kidding - in fact, you should really join us for a LAMBcast sometime so I don't feel so old, chatting away with 24 year olds and teenagers. At 34, I don't feel old all that often, but yeah, in the film blogging world, it seems as though those that are under 30 are the majority.

    This is one of the more unique lists out there. Some people went totally outside of their "favorites," but you seem to be mostly in it and yet still have much different choices than most. Which isn't a bad thing - I was tickled to see Uncle Buck and Demolition Man and the like.

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  6. One day I wanna write about the young (25 and under) film bloggers who have a passion for classic films. It never ceases to amaze me how much the new generation digs the old (1920s-60s) movies.

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  7. Great list many picks that aren't the typical ones.

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