Thursday, May 8, 2014

Liebster Award

Hey everyone,

I've been neglecting my blog for quite a while, busy contributing to awardscircuit.com and that pesky duty of finding employment after graduating. But good news - I've been nominated for a Liebster Award! I'd like to thank all the little people I've stepped on to get here. Only kidding. Thanks to Ben for the generous nomination and, sorry ahead of time, for not following the rules and regulations of the game.

I'll keep it plain and simple, but here are my answers:

1. What's your most prized Blu-ray/DVD/VHS and why does it have a special significance to you?

I try not to get attached to physical copies of films. I also don't have that many to brag about (maybe forty?). But if I had to pick one, I'm gonna go with an old-school answer and say my original VHS copy of Jurassic Park. It's one of my all-time favorite films and it sparked my love of film growing up; I had a short phase where I wanted to be a paleontologist. SHOOOOOOT HAAAAA!!!!!!

2. What was the first movie you remember seeing in the cinema?

My parents tell me the first film they took me to see was 101 Dalmations, but the first one I remember seeing was The Nightmare Before Christmas. It has since become one of my favorite, nostalgic films and my love of Tim Burton, Danny Elfman and stop-motion films has grown infinitely since.

3. What was the first R-rated film you saw in theaters?

I didn't see an R-rated film in theaters until I was of age (17), but I couldn't have had a better first experience. It was Knocked Up. It was my senior year in high school. Me and some friends ditched school and had a fun day in town. It was awesome.

4. Have you ever dressed up as a movie character for a party/holiday/occasion? 

I'm trying to think and I don't recall ever dressing up as a movie character! And she calls herself a cinephile?

5. When did you last cry like a baby while watching a movie?

I don't think I cried "like a baby," but I've been into depressing documentaries of late. I saw this documentary called It's a Girl on Netflix recently and it made me cry a few times. For the most part, I don't really cry when I watch films.

6. Have movies taught you any life lessons that you still adhere to today?

Most definitely. Scorsese taught me not to be a rat. Almodovar taught me there's something masculine about every woman and something feminine about every man. Sans Soleil taught me there's no such thing as documentary or truth in film. And Funny Games taught me never to let strangers in my house. Knock all you want, I ain't opening the door FedEx man!

7. Think of your favorite director. Now write a short poem about why you love their work.

Poem? I, uh...eh, here goes:

Roses are Red,
Violets are Blue,
I deeply respect and admire Pedro Almodovar's filmography, with his feminist tendencies, auteur style and his unapologetic display of colors that usurps Spain's once austere Francoist regime,
How about You?

8. What's your favorite movie score/soundtrack?

Great question. I love Clint Mansell and think "Requiem for a Dream" is one of the best soundtracks, but I prefer "Death is the Road to Awe," found on The Fountain's OST. I also have to give shout outs to Danny Elfman, Dario Marianelli, Alberto Iglesias, Howard Shore and John Williams. I could literally talk about soundtracks for days.

9. What's your favorite animation of all time?

Favorite animated movie? Does PIXAR count? I'll go with maybe Up or Ratatouille.

10. Do you have any favorite childhood movies that you now hate?

No, believe it or not. They're all nostalgic for me now. Even something like Good Burger or Space Jam.

11. Which do you prefer: a packed cinema auditorium on opening night or a quiet and empty cinema auditorium a week later?

Hands down, the latter. I rarely go to opening-night screenings, unless I'm dragged by a friend. I don't like watching films with other people, since you don't get to choose who goes, e.g., woman with crying baby, teenagers who talk throughout the whole thing, older couple who laughs at everything, even the stupid cell-phone commercials before the previews, woman who sneaks a smelly three-course meal inside, children who incessantly ask questions throughout the film, people texting (you know you paid to watch this movie, right, and it's distracting those around you?!), young adult who takes infinity opening his noisy bag of who-the-hell-cares chips, etc. It's annoying. I'd rather wait a week or two and bask in the liberty to sit where I please, put my feet up without bothering anyone and read the credits without having people in my aisle waiting for me to get up and leave (just walk in front of me, I need to know who the director of photography was!)