Special Mission: Operation - Death Proof Shining Scissorhands

Despite my aims of movie wankery, I am yet to watch the full catalogue of any screen personalities (directors/actors and such). I also decided I want to write some notes on my favourite films I have watched long ago and movie persons I like or hate (Cusaaaack). I have decided to embark on a mission inside my 'watch all movies ever' mission. At least that would mean I could win a battle, if not the proverbial war. Okay - so I figured I have the best chance of watching up all the movies of these three males - Director Quentin Tarantino, Director Stanley Kubrick, Actor Johnny Depp.

Quentin Tarantino - King of nonlinear blood and dialogue, God of 90's movie college students.
Tarantino is the reason I got into movie appreciation. Life aim - build own theatre in house like Tarantino. The first Tarantino I ever watched was Pulp Fiction which was an absolutely perfect introduction to a man I now admire (I base admiration on whether or not I would have a drink with a person). Pulp Fiction is one of my top ten movies. As is the next Tarantino I watched - Reservoir Dogs (despite the fact that one of my "friends" gave away the surprise end). Kill Bill is gorgeous with it's tasty blood and base vengeance. All I have left is one assumed blaxploitation style movie. DAMN YOU, Jackie Brown!! Tarantino is fun. Sometimes I think movies miss the ... 'should be entertaining in some capacity' element that meant that movies actually exist. Tarantino knows how to keep the audience watching.

Tarantino seen: Pulp Fiction, Reservoir Dogs, Kill Bill, Death Proof, Inglorious Basterds (also, the Tarantino written - From Dusk till Dawn and Natural Born Killers).
Tarantino to watch: Jackie Brown (also special points if Tarantino written True Romance is watched).
STATS: 7 watched, 2 to watch.
Stanley Kubrick - Prime suspect in case concerning origin of the term 'Kubrickian'.
First Kubrick I ever watched - The Shining - by myself, when I was little. I was scared as hell. Nowadays I like to get drunk and watch 2001: A Space Odyssey (I like the part with the monkeys). I also like to use search engines late at night when I'm writing blogs so I can look up the proper spelling of 'Odyssey'. Full Metal Jacket is fepic (cool friends assure me this means 'fucking epic'). I should note - I think I have seen Spartacus but I can't remember anything bar people rowing a boat (is this from Spartacus)(or something else my history teacher made me watch)(OH! STORY - My Ancient history teacher used to make us watch 2001 when it was rainy - it would be either that, or Monty Python's Holy Grail), the 'I'm Spartacus' scene and the fight with the amusing music.

Kubrick seen: Dr. Strangelove: or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb, The Shining, Full Metal Jacket, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Clockwork Orange.
Kubrick to watch: (only full feature length film included)(only movies that I can actually access) Killer's Kiss, The Killing, Paths of Glory, Spartacus, Lolita, Barry Lyndon, Eyes Wide Shut.
STATS: 5 watched, 7 to watch (daunting, much?).


John Christopher Depp II - He is pretty.
I have watched a lot of things this guy has done. Annoyingly, I have just realise that I have watched everything that Johnny's partner in crime - Director Tim Burton - has made (apart from Pee wee's Big Adventure)(note: this Gen Y lady has no idea who or what this 'Pee wee' man/thing is, why he/it has such a horrible name, and why I would ever desire to watch a movie about he/it). Anyway, so, Johnny Depp is pretty. He is also. Seriously, really, being seriously serious here - one of the best actors of all time. I had a friend who once had a Johnny Depp sleepover. I believe the basis of the sleepover was spawned from something to do with Johnny Depp and prettiness. My favourite Depp is Ed Wood - it is amusing and eccentric - like the man it's based on. I also lurve Donnie Brasco, Pacino and Depp working together (squee much?). So - most of Gen Y would know Depp from his Pirates movies and nothing else, and I am not convinced that is a bad thing. The Pirates movies were great fun and I really hope they make more. Depp did a great job in that trilogy. In fact, he MADE the trilogy (made as in he pwned it)(Johnny Depp is not any form of incarnation of Gore Verbinski or Jerry Bruckheimer).

Depp seen: Alice in Wonderland, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, Corpse Bride, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Finding Neverland, Once Upon a Time in Mexico, From Hell, Blow, Chocolat, Sleepy Hollow, Donnie Brasco, Ed Wood, What's Eating Gilbert Grape, Edward Scissorhands, Platoon.
Depp to watch: Secret Window, Public Enemies, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, The Libertine, Before Night Falls, The Man Who Cried, The Astronauts Wife, Fearing and Loathing in Las Vegas, The Ninth Gate, The Brave, Nick of Time, Dead Man, Don Juan DeMarco, Benny and Joon, Arizona Dream, Cry-Baby, Private Resoirt, Nightmare on Elm Street.
STATS: 18 watched, 17 to watch (LAME)(although I am looking forward to Fear and Loathing).
Mescaline kills the pretty.

2010: MAY-JUNE - 'You say this gadget of yours is for ordinary people. What on earth would ordinary people want with computers?'

It's been a slow month in the Moviequest department with the university learning and the watching most of the seasons of Buffy: The Vampire Slayer. My plan from here on in is to watch ten movies and then write some opinion of them as a group. So, here be the last ten movies I have seen. I think the Bad:Good ratio has changed significantly.

Ace Venture: Pet Detective.

Barton Fink.

Date Night.

French Connection, The.

Hot Tub Time Machine.

MASH movie.

Pirates of Silicon Valley.

Raise Your Voice.

Sicko.

Untouchables, The.

THE STATS:

2 "comedies".

1 actual comedy.

1 drama/comedy.

1 mindfuck/comedy.

Only one DeNiro movie - note: not a comedy.

TOP THREE:

3. The Untouchables - 'I want him DEAD! I want his family DEAD! I want his house burned to the GROUND! I wanna go there in the middle of the night and I wanna PISS ON HIS ASHES!'

2. Sicko - 'An educated, healthy and confident nation is harder to govern.'

1. Pirates of Silicon Valley- 'Get real, would ya? You and I are both like guys who had this rich neighbor - Xerox - who left the door open all the time. And you go sneakin' in to steal a TV set. Only when you get there, you realize that I got there first. I got the loot, Steve! And you're yellin'? "That's not fair. I wanted to try to steal it first".'

BEST SURPRISE:

Here I am going to have to go with my number 1, Pirates of Silicon Valley. Yes, I've chosen a made-for-TV movie over The Untouchables, but Al Capone is dead and he can't get me now. While Bill Gates, THAT guy is a king of the dollar in present society. Pirates of Silicon Valley is a biographical drama about how Bill Gates and Steve Jobs came to be as they existed in the late 90s. Bill Gates of course being the Microsoft guy and Steve Jobs being Mr. Apple himself. They compete. Steve Jobs gets pwned. I laugh at my Mac-loving boyfriend. I didn't expect much from this as I acquired it from people who I will describe as technophilic electronerds (they are similar to any group of people who believe their ideas are the ones to curb the future - young university socialists, indie bands, anyone with a beret or patterned fedora, Bill Gates and Steve Jobs). This movie presents a story that I wish more people knew. It isn't just a nerdfest movie. The story of Mac and Microsoft IS actually interesting, and if you are alive right now, it's probably impacting your life (she writes on her computer running from Microsoft XP - I really gotta update that). Plus, the movie dialogue and visuals (while inherently 90's and low budget) were fun. I suspect that, given the current iEra, a sequel to this movie would end with a much happier Mr. Apple. By happier, I mean richer.

Sicko was also fabulous (although, ALWAYS approach a Michael Moore movie with understanding that there may well be large doses of bias) and Date Night has functioned in the annual refreshing of my hope in American comedy.

THE 'OH MY GOD, KILL ME NOW, YOU'RE RUINING MY LIFE MOMENTS' AWARD:

I have four incongruent words to present - Hot Tub Time Machine. This is an example of a movie that you expect to be bad, and then, IT IS BAD. Not only was the movie bad, but my popcorn was burnt. The dialogue is bad, the concept is bad, and I hate John Cusack so much more now (I can never, and will never, explain the hatred for John Cusack I use as a general beacon of life). Did I mention - the word 'bad'? This movie may appeal to - people who think it is being ironic (a.k.a. people I hate), people who are my brother (a.k.a. people who are stupid jocks), and people who had non-burnt popcorn to eat (a.k.a. those who were able to be saved by the buttery kernels of distraction). If I ever have to see this movie again, I will ... probably have a more depressed outlook on life.