MOCK Squid Soup: Pulp Fiction: December 12, 2014

One of the surest ways for me to NOT like something is to be told that I MUST like it.  Such was the case with Pulp Fiction when it came out.

I saw it shortly after its theatrical run, when it first debuted on VHS.  I was thoroughly underwhelmed.  People who had seemed smart to me were praising it.  People who I detested thought it was the greatest movie ever made.  It seemed that it was "hip" to enjoy it.  I was not hip.  Never have been and never will be.  But I am petty and those memories are powerful.

My memory of it was such that when I went to check on flickchart, I had rated it 17 times and it was the LAST movie on my list.  Dead last.

Re-watching it with Squid moved it up to 281 on my list.  While I am still underwhelmed,  I can understand the impact it has on people.  I liked the juxtaposition of the "real" world with the seediness going on at the same time.  I liked the use of the soundtrack as another layer within the movie (a technique done even better earlier this year with Guardians of the Galaxy).  Some of the dialogue was clever.  The non-sequential story telling didn't seem to be necessary.

My kids don't understand my love of the first Star Wars movie.  They see things like it all the time.  They see movies with better effects.  They see actual Star Wars movies and television shows any time they want.  They don't know what I went through growing up.  I had three movies.  And I didn't get a VCR until Return of the Jedi was already 5 years old.

Perhaps my inability to understand the adoration for Pulp Fiction comes from everything I have seen since that was inspired by it.  Or not being able to grasp the "revolution" it set forth in modern cinema (which parallels my inability to understand the music revolution of the same era and my distaste for most "indy" music).

Or maybe I just know what I like and I'm okay with that...

Why not check out the other folks who signed up for this month's film:

1.	The Armchair Squid	2.	Scouring Monk
3.	Cherdo on the Flipside

Lastly, check the Squid's site for exciting information about January's title!  Guest hosts!  Guest picker!  I will not be partaking as we have a movie I just can't bring myself to view again....but perhaps you will!

Mock Squid Soup: Unbreakable: October 10, 2014

The Armchair Squid and I are once again hosting an installment of Mock Squid Soup: A Film Society.  Each month, on the second Friday, we shall host a bloghop devoted to a particular movie.  We invite others to watch the same film and post their own reviews.  This month's movie is... 

Currently #92 on my flickchart list

I hadn't seen this since it was in theaters in fall of 2000.  In my memory, it was one of the first superhero movies in the current wave of decent superhero movies but I hadn't viewed it since.

I was lucky enough to get to see this a few weekends back with The Squid and our mutual friend.  I enjoyed the twists and turns, as well as the final reveal.  If viewed separately from M. Night Shyamalan's other films, especially "The Sixth Sense", it is a decent thriller with some neat superhero under/over tones.

It was also the movie, with this viewing, where I realized I have now seen enough movies with The Squid that I can no longer keep track of what we've seen together easily.  I know I slept through our first ("The Pirates! Band of Misfits") and he dozed during our second ("The Avengers") but after that, I had to start writing them down!

I know that really isn't a discussion nor a review but it's been a rough week!

Head over to the Squid's site for November's sign-up list tomorrow.  

The next feature on Friday, November 14th will be... 

Space Battleship Yamato

D is for Die Hard

Die Hard is currently #1 on my flickchart list.

I actually did not see the first Die Hard for a very long time.  It was released the summer after I graduated high school before starting college.  A large group of friends had decided we would go see it.  I was a HUGE Moonlighting fan but for some reason, I couldn't make the night in question and was put out that no one would consider changing the date!

I only recently purchased this on DVD.  I have owned a deluxe boxed set of VHS versions of the first three movies for so long.  I do wonder if this is REALLY my number one movie or if it would be dethroned by a day of flickchart ranking!!

I think it is interesting how the "Die Hard on a ..." premise is still so strong to this day.  One review I read for Olympus Has Fallen referred to is as "Die Hard in The White House"!

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Why not jump around the Blogging from A to Z Challenge and find some new blogs to read!

Top Ten Movie Blogfest!

Are we friends on FLICKCHART?  If not, click HERE and let's be friends!!

There is SOOOOOO much to say about these movies....alas, I have no time.


According to flickchart, my top ten favorite movies are....

10.  Ghostbusters

9.  The Hunt For Red October

8. 12 Monkeys

7.  Raiders of the Lost Ark

6.  It's A Wonderful Life

5.  Fight Club

4.  The Fugitive

3.  The Avengers

2.  Black Hawk Down

1.  Die Hard

Film Festival Friday: 6/29/12

Another week, another batch of movies!

Currently #74 on my flickchart list.

The week started very rainy here in Vermont. I took advantage of that and spent some time Monday on the computer working on my comic book database and put "Serenity" on in the background.

I am a late-to-the-party Whedon fan.  I had read his comic book runs on "Astonishing X-Men" (enjoyed it) and "Runaways" (caused me to drop the book) but hadn't seen any of his TV work.  We were fans of Nathan Fillion from "Castle" and once The Armchair Squid shared he had enjoyed "Firefly", we hunted down the series and become instant converts.

I'm not sure how the movie works as a stand alone film as I've not spoken to anyone who has seen it but NOT seen the show.  The phenomenal opening tracking shot (actually TWO shots nicely cut together) does a great job of introducing you to the main characters and setting up the story.  It is action packed, funny, grim and exciting!

Currently #124 on my flickchart list

Tuesday's comic session had "Live Free or Die Hard" with Bruce Willis playing in the background.  I went with the unrated version.  I remember seeing this in the theater when it was PG-13 and realizing how badly they had erred by going with a lower rating.  Die Hard NEEDS to be an R rated adventure. 

Currently #37 on my flickchart list

Each summer, I try to send my new class of students a postcard every couple of weeks.  On Wednesday, it was time to send out the first batch.  "Predator" with Arnold Schwarzenegger seemed to be a good choice to have on in the background.

Currently #41 on my flickchart list

Last night Nan and I watched "North By Northwest" with Cary Grant.  What a great movie, from start to finish.  I think a Hitchcock week is in order.  The Armchair Squid recently talked about starting his daughter on some Hitchcock movies....I think that is a GREAT idea!