Seeing a lot of interesting answers to Anna’s Meme of 15 Questions over at Defiant Success, for example from Lesya and Anomolous Material, I decided to join in the fun and provide my own answers to these questions.
1. Movie you love with a passion.
Those that know me are expecting me to say Black Swan, which I do love with a passion. My choice will be Pulp Fiction though as it’s a movie I could watch more regularly. Samuel L. Jackson’s character, Jules Winnfield, is my favorite character ever. Of course that’s not the only thing which is memorable about this movie. The structure, the dialogue, the story and all the actors that are in it make it a movie classic which I just can’t get enough of.
2. Movie you vow to never watch.
I refuse to watch most horror movies as it’s a genre I generally don’t like. I just don’t voluntarily want to experience being frightened. I watch movies to relax, which I can’t do with horror. If I would need to pick one movie though it’s probably something disgusting like Human Centipede.
3. Movie that literally left you speechless.
There are several movies which did, but Old Boy was so shocking that I just didn’t know what to say after I saw it. It’s such a rollercoaster ride of emotions that it takes a while just to process what the main character has experienced.
4. Movie you always recommend.
Mr.Nobody, it’s also a movie I love with a passion. The first time I saw it I was amazed by its story, it’s visuals and the general concept of it. I saw it twice in a month and would have watched it again if someone would have asked me to go with them to see it. It’s a film that not a lot of people seem to have seen and most of the people I have recommended it to liked it.
5. Actor/actress you always watch, no matter how crappy the movie.
There are some more, but these I will watch without hesitation:
Although I got to know him from his movies together with Jack Lemmon (Grumpy Old Men and The Odd Couple films), Walter Matthau not only did comedy. He played serious roles as well. He always has screen presence and is an actor I love seeing. Even if it’s a movie I know nothing about I will see it.
Although I haven’t seen all of his movies, I’ve seen a lot of them and even though they are not all good it’s alway a joy to see Christian Bale act. The physical transformations he’s willing to put himself through for specific roles is impressive too.
6. Actor/actress you don’t get the appeal for.
Sam Worthington, who starred in Clash of the Titans, Avatar and Terminator Salvation. I really don’t understand why he was chosen for the roles. Personally I never connect to his characters and think he just doesn’t have much screen presence.
As for actresses, I can’t understand the appeal for Megan Fox. Of course Michael Bay knows how make something look attractive by using smoke and mirrors and most men seemed to fall for it, but she didn’t do anything for me. I don’t think she’s very attractive and I’ve seen too little of her acting to actually be able to comment on it (nor am I planning to).
7. Actor/actress, living or dead, you’d love to meet.
Walter Matthau, see above. I think it would be a very interesting man to meet.
8. Sexiest actor/actress you’ve seen.
To me sexy doesn’t mean wearing sexy clothes or acting a certain way (as an example, Mariah Carey acts likes she’s sexy, but she just isn’t as it doesn’t feel natural). I always though that Halle Berry was a very attractive and sexy woman. There’s something about her eyes that captures your attention.
9. Dream cast.
Having a dream cast doesn’t always mean a great movie (as The Expendables has shown). So knowing this here are my picks for a dream cast:
Walter Matthau, Jack Lemmon, Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, Nicholas Cage, Emma Stone, Natalie Portman, Christian Bale, Dwayne Johnson and Vin Diesel.
I’ll admit that such a cast would be problematic as I can’t think of any genre that would fit them all. The end result would probably be a very weird action/comedy/drama piece.
10. Favorite actor pairing.
Has to be Walter Matthau and Jack Lemmon. Seen quite a few of their movies and the two of them were great together.
11. Favorite movie setting.
A sci-fi future which is partly based in reality, like the one in Minority Report.
12. Favorite decade for movies.
I love the rawness of most movies of the seventies, but if I could only choose one it has to be the nineties with a lot of great classics like Goodfellas, Pulp Fiction, The Matrix, Carlito’s Way, Reservoir Dogs, Dark City and many more it has provided a wealth of amazing films.
13. Chick flick or action movie?
Action movie all the way. When it comes to action movies I’m someone that’s statisfied pretty quickly. I don’t expect amazing stories, just show me some exciting sequences, some shooting and some explosions and I’m pretty happy.
14. Hero, villain or anti-hero?
Anti-hero. I like my characters to have depth to them and this is usually the case with anti-heroes.
15. Black and white or color?
I watch both, but have to pick color. Black and white is hardly used anymore and the older black and white movies have slower pacing (which I don’t have a problem with, but it would get to me if they were the only movies I could watch)
I’m interested in reading your own answers, so please post your answers/links/reactions etc.
I really like some of your choices especially how you picked the sci-fi future as your favorite setting that cool and definitely would have to agree although in my own 15 questions definitely went with a more traditional route.
Thanks, I’m a big fan of realistic views of our future. Recently watched a very interesting documentary called Transcendent Man in which Ray Kurzweil gives his vision based on exponential development. If he’s right we will see some amazing things in our lifetime.
Black Swan did’t quite do it for me! Yet a fan of d aronofsky! Nice post!
Yeah, I hear different reactions around me as well. I just was stunned and blown away by Portman’s performance here and loved the story and horror elements.
Agree on Megan Fox, she is sexy but not beautiful IMO. Don’t waste time on evaluating her acting, she is below average at best.
Also agree on favorite movie settings!
Well, I don’t agree on her being sexy…she doesn’t get my heart racing.
Nice that you agree on the movie setting!
Hi Nostra, I totally agree w/ you about Human Centipede, it’s just gross! I’m w/ you on Minority Report setting, that’s why my fantasy movie is a sci-fi. I also think anti-heroes are much more interesting to watch. Good list!
Nice to see some similairaties! Fantasy/sci fi sounds interesting.
Ah Mr. Nobody! Still haven’t seen it but it feels like something I would enjoy (and not just because of Leto).
Apparently Human Centipede isn’t even as bad visually, but the concept makes it one of the most disgusting horrors. I do have a kind of morbid curiosity about it but I’m not sure if I want to go there.
It’s a movie which blew me away, so hope you’ll watch it.
Human Centipede could be the most amazing movie ever made, but like you say, it’s a disgusting thought, so I would never watch it.
I updated my 15 questions meme with actors names and film titles:
http://www.joelburman.com/2011/06/fifteen-movie-questions-meme/
I did not get the concept of Mr.Nobody and I didn’t finish it. Maybe it is interesting for you or I might not captured its essence? Hmmm
I think you have to watch it completely to get what this is about. I like it so much as it touches on a lot of subjects I like reading about. Of course not everyone will like the same movies.
It’s essence is basically about the implications of your decisions.