Here is the second half of the list of my 30-Day movie challenge. If you missed part one,
click here.
Otherwise, enjoy the ride...
31) A film you watch to feel good:
Suspiria. Yeah, that sounds weird. But when I'm down and want to experience a mood-changer, Suspiria is the film I take off my shelf. Escapism at its best. Who's with me?
God I love Argento.
32) A film that reminds you of someone:
Faces of Death. Totally takes me back to high school when my same age uncle Shawn and I watched this because we heard how "extreme" it was. (No one mentioned how fake it is, though!) Just the film to watch when I'm sitting down to my monkey brain dessert.
33) A film that reminds you of your past:
When a Stranger Calls. As a babysitting teen myself, this film scared the hell out of me and put me on edge every time I sent a kid's parents out the door. The first twenty minutes are literally terrifying, they still affect me even now.
34) A film you can quote best:
Shaun of the Dead. SHAUN: Take car. Go to Mum's. Kill Phil - "Sorry." - grab Liz, go to the Winchester, have a nice cold pint, and wait for all of this to blow over. How's that for a slice of fried gold? ED: Yeah, boyyyeee!
35) A film with your favorite actor (male):
From Hell. Mr Johnny Depp makes my head spin and my heart pound faster no matter what he is doing.... But a bathtub scene? The movie gods were smiling on me for that one!
36) A film with your favorite actor (female):
The Howling: I don't really have a favorite actress, so I chose my favorite horror actress, Dee Wallace. She's been in many of my favorite horror flicks, and she always adds substance even if there is very little to be found elsewhere. I love her. Even when she is turning into a lycanthrope!
37) A film you used to love but now hate:
Child's Play. I hate dolls, I really do. I think it stems from my dislike of small humans in general. But I liked Chucky at first. Till about the two hundredth time I heard him say 'friends to the end". I don't think I've seen this movie in fifteen years or so. No plans to. Ugh.
38) A film you used to hate but now love: I used to hate
Dead Silence. I think it stems from my pure unadulterated hatred of dolls (see #37) They freak me out and make me uneasy. But I actually think this film goes a long way to help me face my fears. That and Ryan Kwanten. He could make anyone love him...
39) A favorite horror film with animals: Well I should say
The Birds, right? But instead I will stick to
Rogue, a film about a giant crocodile. Two reasons: 1) It's a great film. 2) Much as I love
Jaws, I vacation at the beach and worry about sharks the whole time I'm there. I don't go anywhere that I have to worry about crocs. Hence, I can love it easily and with reckless abandon.
40) A film that no one expected you to like:
Rest Stop. Truly one of my guilty pleasures, it's a pretty awful film that I throw in the DVD player occasionally. Bad acting and a heinous script, plus Joey Lawrence takes a bullet to the head...maybe two. It's so bad it's good. Well, even that is questionable.
41) A film by your least favorite director:
House of the Dead (Uwe Boll). The rumors are all true. Uwe Boll is a fairly awful director who makes really bad films. I dare someone to argue that fact. Yeah, I didn't think so... Fact of the matter is: Blood does not a good horror film make. Uwe, you suck.
42) A film by your favorite director:
The Birds (Hitchcock) -Quite frankly, there is no way to touch the body of Hitchcock's work as far as being my favorite. He's got such a resume of fantastic films I just can't begin to express my admiration for the man. But I do know: this scene above freaked me the fuck out!
43) Your favorite film as a teen: Halloween (1978) Still in my top ten, Halloween is a film that I have loved unconditionally since I first saw it at the tender age of twelve. For years I called it my favorite, until both Psycho and Jaws moved ahead in the line. The art of 'what you can't see scares you more' is at its most profound here.
44) The most atmospheric horror film you have seen: Oh hell. There have been so many - lots of creepy mist and graveyards and haunted houses in my past. But for sheer spookiness: the original The Woman in Black (1989) - One of the only times ever that my hair stood on end in a few scenes. Serious chills.
45) Favorite documentary horror:
Cropsey. I love a true story that is scary as much as it is believable. This is a great film to watch back to back with The Burning, as that 80's film is based on this real-life crime. Besides that, the score of the film is top-notch.
46) Favorite thriller/mystery:
Rear Window (1954) Who doesn't scope out their neighbors? Don't we all wonder what's going on next door? And given the opportunity don't we rubberneck trying to see just what they are up to? Well what if they were up to murder? What would YOU do??
47) Favorite sci-fi film:
Alien. While many folks are more fond of Aliens, I am a straight-up Alien girl. The first time I saw it I was in nothing other than wonder. I couldn't believe something could freak me out so utterly. I still love throwing it in the DVD player and watching it dance the dance. That effing alien is one tough customer. Ah, but so is Sigourney!
48) Best horror movie you saw during the last year: I have no idea. I can't remember exactly when I saw
I Saw the Devil, but it was absolutely stunning. I also loved
Jane Eyre and on DVD:
Absentia and
The Caller. I think I'll just go with
I Saw the Devil.
49) An underrated horror film:
Stir of Echoes. As I've previously mentioned, this film had the unfortunate distinction of coming out the same year as
The Sixth Sense. Here we have a less assuming Kevin Bacon, confused by a hypnotic trip to the dark side and struggling to solve a mystery before he loses his mind. In my opinion, a better film than its popular brother-film.
50) Favorite made for TV horror movie:
IT. I like a lot of made for TV horror, including my runner up
Dark Night of the Scarecrow, but pound for pound, it's gotta be IT. That damn clown. The Losers Club/Lucky Seven. That spooky sewage drain. While the ending is on the lame-o side, the whole of the film takes me back to my youth, when friendship was all that mattered and loyalty was all that counted.
51) A horror film that makes you really happy: So many horror movies make me happy. Even with all the scares and gore I still find extreme satisfaction when I'm watching one. Certain ones come to mind in the "happy" category though. Most of all is
Young Frankenstein. Not just because it is a horror-comedy.
Just because of everything.
52) A horror film that makes you sad:
Let's Scare Jessica to Death. It just has a subtle way about it. Essentially, one can't be sure if Jessica is just depressed, a little looney, or completely off her rocker. I always feel so bad for her because everyone around her tends to think it's "all in her head", and we are never sure if it actually is. Either way, Jessica has a melancholy manner about her throughout that leaves me feeling the same way.
53) Favorite love story in a horror movie:
Jane Eyre (2011). I know, not traditional horror. But truly a gothic love story at its best. I can't tell you how much I am growing to love Michael Fassbender. (Well, technically, I can. I love him. There it is.) And I like this adaption as well if not more than the Ciaran Hinds version) Well played, Michael, well played indeed.
54) Most surprising plot twist or ending:
The Mist. Holy hell, that was harsh! That ending was completely unexpected, depressing and
perfect. I bow to its brilliance, its ability to coax such a strong, gut-wrenching emotion out of me. I do believe I may have shed a tear or two. Whoa.
55) A horror movie you've seen countless times:
The Silence of the Lambs. Just put the fucking lotion in the basket, already! With parts of this film made a few blocks from my own home, I hold a special place in my heart for Clarice & Co. And let's face it, it's a DAMN fine film!
56) A horror film that disappointed you the most:
The Village. It's not that I don't like the film, because I do. But seriously, it just seemed like it would be so incredibly atmospheric and downright creepy - those dark woods with their menacing creatures. Not since HE WHO WALKS BEHIND THE ROWS tried to scare the crap out of me have I been so underwhelmed by a film, in particular the ending.
57) A movie you wish more people would have seen:
The Dark (2005). I've been championing this film for quite some time. Weaving dark Welsh legends with beautiful scenery and fine acting, it's one of my favorite slow burns. Creepy as all get out.
58) Favorite movie based on a book:
The Shining. Yeah, I know Stephen King didn't like the adaptation, and YES I've read the actual book, many times - it's one of my most favorites - but I happen to truly enjoy what Kubrick did with this film. It's so affecting in so many ways. Does anyone DISlike it??
59) A movie you wish you'd seen in theaters:
Jaws. Someday I hope to get the opportunity to see this on the big screen. I keep thinking the theater I go to will have it playing some Halloween or a hot summer weekend...I keep my fingers crossed, because not only is it one of my three most favorite films EV-AH, I can't imagine the glee I would experience just to hear Brody say "You're gonna need a bigger boat" on the BIG screen. IMAX would be all the better, if my stomach could take it.
60) Favorite friendship in a film: Shaun & Ed (
Shaun of the Dead): No other horror friendship plays it as straight-forward as these two. They are made for each other, whether downing pints at the Winchester, whipping Sade albums at the undead, or playing electro amidst a zombie apocalypse. They just gel.
