The DVD meme!
by andrew on Jun.06, 2005, under Films, Media Musings, My badges, Pop Culture, Television
Thanks to Strange Cousin Susan, I’ve now been tagged for a DVD meme which seems curiously like the music meme. Anyway, here we go:
Total number of films I own on DVD/video: I’d guesstimate 150. But then, I used to be a movie/DVD reviewer so an awful lot of my collection comprises review copies that I strangely forgot to return. Whoops.
The last film I bought: Oooh, that’s a toughie. I did go on frequent DVD buying sprees until I realised that once the price was cut, it’d stay cut and I was barely watching the ones I did buy. I think it was the superlative Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, of which I bought (of course) the special edition.
The last film I watched: *guilty look* It was probably Star Wars: A New Hope. In my defence, this was right after I’d seen the fantastic Revenge of the Sith.
Five films that I watch a lot or that mean a lot to me (in no particular order):
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind - quite possibly the best film of all time. It combines an unflinching look at the nature of love, with some amazing sci-fi concepts and great visual FX to boot. And some good laughs.
The Matrix: The sequels have unfortunatley sullied the memory of this great action sci-fi’er that literally had me gawping when I first saw it. It also reminded me that kung-fu in movies can be done fantastically well, and didn’t have to resort to cheesy ooofs all the time.
Before Chungking Express, I was convinced that all Hong Kong cinema was just B-movie kung-fu flicks rushed out quickly for a flickering video market, with no real interest in plot or characterisation. Then came Chungking Express, which combined a 1960s-quasi French art feel with the vibrancy and colours of the real Hong Kong. I loved it. Love it, still. A movie to fall in love with.
Brazil: For a long time, this was my favourite film of all time for lots of childish reasons. Most of my friends dream of having their girlfriends put on a gold bikini a la Princess Leia - I dream of having my girlfriend wrap herself in a red ribbon which I then peel off.
Spaced: Simply one of the funniest and coolest comedies ever devised. And it happens to be British. Glorious, stylish, so zeitgeisty-1990s it hurts but the comedy still survives intact today. Catch it.
And as is traditional in a meme, I wish to pass it on to (if they spot it):
Chocolate’n'Vodka
Dirty Dio Bach
markboulton.co.uk
mineblogging.com
Tamper
June 6th, 2005 on 5:32 am
Dreaming Of Princess Leia
Say more about that dream:…
June 6th, 2005 on 7:37 am
Spaced isn’t a film…
June 6th, 2005 on 12:01 pm
Hurrah! Another person who has watched Brazil and wasn’t put off by it, although I like it for reasons other than the red ribbon… And another vote here for Chungking Express; it made Wong Kar Wai and paved the way for the excellent In the Mood For Love. As for Spaced, I always thought you needed to be drunk to watch it.
June 7th, 2005 on 11:21 am
Matrix? I’ll go with that. But where’s LOTR’s trilogy? Don’t tell me you’re not a fan? Ever seen The Cider House Rules?
June 7th, 2005 on 11:34 am
Never liked Lord of The Rings. Admired the films, but 9.5 hours seems a lot of time to try and get two dwarves up and down a mountain so they can drop a ring into some lava pits. It just never got to me. Plus my workmate is *obsessed* by all things swords’n’sorcery!
Not seen The Cider House Rules - but I’ve got the book somewhere…