This is it. No more school for me. Today was officially my last day of school EVER.
So as of today I am an ungraduated, unemployed, unmotivated 18 year old with poor-to-moderate knowledge of films, books, pop culture and nothing else. Fun I tell ya'!
Well since an era of my life just finished, here's a few things that I had wished for and did not happen to me (in my 12 years of school):
1) I did not become Molly Ringwald.
2) I never faked out my parents and took a day off.
3) I did not become a princess.
4) I did not get to sing (or receive) a random musical number.
5) I didn't become a spy.
6) I never met a Cera-ish character who is just soooo perfect.
7) I did not have a magical prom moment (or just a prom).
8) I did not have a European city adventure.
9) I did not take part in a revolution.
10) I did not form a clique/ ruin people's lives/ did anything Mean Girls-ey (except I do use the phrase "BOO YOU WHORE" a lot).
11) I did not time travel.
12) I GREW UP!!
:(
Since I had exams for a month now, I couldn't finish my Favourite High School Movies List in timeto commemorate the occasion. It will hopefully be up in a few days, because I will be jobless like that (JOY!).
“Violence is one of the most fun things to watch.”
“I steal from every movie ever made.”
“I couldn't spell anything. I couldn't remember anything, but I could go to a movie and I knew who starred in it, who directed it, everything.”
“My plan is to have a theatre in some small town or something and I'll be manager. Ill be the crazy old movie guy.”
“What if a kid goes to school after seeing Kill Bill and starts slicing up other kids? You know, I’ll take that chance! Violent films don’t turn children into violent people. They may turn them into violent filmmakers but that’s another matter altogether.”
The joy this gives me...indescribable. I have seen almost all of his works- written and directed. Jackie Brown is still incomplete but I will watch that within next month for sure. Here is a film maker who glorifies violence, but it is done with so much humour and class, and not to forget AMAZING MUSIC, that it becomes one hell of a ride just to view any and every film of his. Can't wait for the next one...maybe he'll kill Gaddafi.
Oh I'm such a ginormous fool! The very generous Ruth from ...Let's be Splendid about This... gave me the Stylish Blogger Award more than two months ago along with the wonderful Stevee from Cinematic Paradox, and I just found out that being a recipient of this award, I am supposed to write Seven relatively unknown things about me and give seven other bloggers the same award.
So Seven Things About Me That You May Or May Not Know:
1) I don't know what was the first film I watched. This is because my parents conveniently never bothered filling in the Baby Book (I had to fill my brother's). It was definitely a Bollywood film, and I have a strong feeling that it was a Shahrukh Khan film.
2) I'm a Nerd. Yeah...and sort of proud of it. Not only the marks-getting, teacher's-pet part of it, I also enjoy purely academic things like quizzing, debate etc., absolutely despise sports and am very asocial when it comes to things like parties and stuff.
3) I'm scared of most animals. They bite and scratch. I'm actually deathly afraid of dogs. I would probably choose the Exorcist over a dog, they scare me so.
4) I am a Hobbit. There is no other explanation for my height.
5) I love films and books, but especially those which are quotable. The reason why I love so many chick flicks is exactly that- "Oh my god Karen, you can't just ask people why they're white." And though it isn't exactly a good quality, but I would hate a book without memorable quotes- for example Macbeth (which is a play but you get what I'm saying...it's so uninspiring).
6) Remember how in My Girl, Anna Chlumsky's character Vada was a hypochondriac...I'm sort of like that except in place of diseases, I keep thinking I have personality disorders. This was a result of extensive Fight Club viewing, but everytime I hear or read about a personality disrder, I start thinking I have the symptoms. Except OCD...I'm pretty messy.
7) Lastly, I dream about being a director, and auteur, a filmmaker. While he is not my favourite director, I just really admire Peter Jackson for what he did with the Lord of the Rings series. Kubrick had said that it was unfilmable, but Jackson made it happen, in such a larg scale, in such a wonderful way. Too have so much passion for something you love, and then doing it so brilliantly, ain't that the dream?
The Wikipedia description of Gary Oldman reads "an English actor and filmmaker, well-known to audiences for his portrayals of dark and morally ambiguous characters", i.e., literally spelling out what this list is all about. Much like his Harry Potter co-star Alan Rickman, he too is widely-loved, but never "awards-esquely" appreciated. Lets hope times change.
A look back...
Sid Vicious: If it wasn't for my mum's kindness, we'd be out on the fucking streets!
Lee Harvey Oswald: What the fuck's he doin' here?
Count Dracula: I am the monster that breathing men would kill. I am Dracula.
Drexl: He must have thought it was white boy day. It ain't white boy day, is it?
Stansfield: I like these calm little moments before the storm. It reminds me of Beethoven. Can you hear it? It's like when you put your head to the grass and you can hear the growin' and you can hear the insects. Do you like Beethoven?
Jean-Baptiste Emanuel Zorg: I don't like warriors. Too narrow-minded, no subtlety. And worse, they fight for hopeless causes. Honor? Huh! Honor's killed millions of people, it hasn't saved a single one.
Mason Verger: I guess now you wish you would've fed the rest of me to the dogs.
Richard Crosby: You wouldn't happen to have a really big fork?
The Devil: I am the Devil! Satan, Lucifer, Beelzebub, the Prince of Darkness! Well, the Princ-ess of Darkness, anyway.
Sirius Black: I *was* going for the rat. Normally, I have a very sweet disposition as a dog. In fact, more than once, James suggested that I make the change permanent. The tail I could live with. But the fleas? They're murder.
Lord Shen: The only reason you are still alive is that I find your stupidity mildly amusing.
And finally...
Ivan Korshunov: You can end this all with one phone call Mr. President!
I know that Ivan Korshunov is a seemingly random choice for my favourite, but that is the first film of his I saw, and I'm a huge Air Force One fan, and he was a very effective villain in it. Also yes Beat The Devil is a short (a brilliant one nonetheless) and Richard Crosby is from FRIENDS (which is the best TV show ever), but aren't they just the most brilliant characters?
A VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MR. OLDMAN!! YOU ARE A CINEMATIC LEGEND!!
This is part 6 of Favourite Villains and Anti-heroes.
So apparently I was on a plane, piloted by Anomalous Material and it crashed (very Fight Club-ish), and I was stranded on an island with a permanently-charged cd player and ONE CD, with TWELVE tracks, all of which have to be from a movie soundtrack. Easy-peasy...I LURVE SOUNDTRACKS!! My song choices are slightly weird (even I astonished myself by not putting the song which is the heading in), and that's because I'm pathologically compelled to non-conform- they are different from most posts I have read. Also, since the other survivors have their awesome tracks, I could always switch in case I get bored (which I won't).
But first, Rob Gordon's Tips on How to Make a Great Compilation Tape/Cd in this Case:
"The making of a great compilation tape, like breaking up, is hard to do and takes ages longer than it might seem. You gotta kick off with a killer, to grab attention. Then you got to take it up a notch, but you don't wanna blow your wad, so then you got to cool it off a notch. There are a lot of rules."
The Songs:
1) What Ever Happened, The Strokes- Marie Antoinette
If I had the option to bring one film's soundtrack only, this would be it. Inital shock of what has happened, mixed with a bit of relief... "I wanna be forgotten and I don't wanna be reminded."
2) Lust for Life- Iggy Pop- Trainspotting
Pretty apt I think. Just when the survivor instincts will kick in.
3) Piazza, New York Catcher, Belle and Sebastian- Juno
Gotta turn it down, don't we? Love the song, and the strange, nostalgic feel it brings along with it.
4) Overture/All That Jazz, Catherine Zeta-Jones- Chicago
Half of this film's magic is this song, atleast for me. If I have this, I have Chicago. And that's important.
5) Pale Blue Eyes, The Velvet Underground- Adventureland
I had to put this one in. As Jesse Eisenberg's character says it, it is a pit-of-despair type song. And it's brilliant. Fuck Yeah Lou Reed!
6)A Waltz For A Night, Julie Delpy- Before Sunset
Is this a soundtrack? IMDb says so, and hence I put it in. This is such a pretty song.
7) Black Sheep, Metric- Scott Pilgrim Vs The World
Killer. 'Nuff said.
8) Comptine d'un autre été, Yann Tiersen- Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amélie Poulain
It always calms me down, and makes me inexplicably happy at the same time.
9) All Along The Watchtower, The Jimi Hendrix Experience- Forrest Gump
I had to put Hendrix and Dylan. I would rather die than be stranded without them.
10)I Am The Walrus, Bono & Secret Machines- Across The Universe
Again, this list would have been incomplete without the Beatles. I love Bono's version of this song. Probably will start losing my mind around this time...very good song for when that happens. I think I would have changed my name to The Conch by now.
11) Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien, Edith Piaf- La Vie En Rose
I guess I would be expecting death by now. No regrets! Might have eaten another person.
12) Don't Panic, Coldplay- Garden State
There, I got rescued... by a Jack (Dawson, Sparrow etc. Not Merridew) probably.
I always knew Sir Anthony Hopkins was a hottie. Now, many would find it rude that I'm putting only one character of his in this list, but honestly it's just because I love him so. Hannibal Lecter is considered the number one movie villain of all time, and if hadn't been for this absolutely magnificent man, we would not have gotten such an unforgettable portrayal of a brilliantly diabolical character.
I salute you Mr. Hopkins. Without you, there would never have been Hannibal Lecter. And that would have been a crime.
A look back...
The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
"Closer, please. Clo-ser..."
"A census taker once tried to test me. I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice chianti."
"Quid pro quo, Clarice. Quid pro quo."
"We begin by coveting what we see every day. Don't you feel eyes moving over your body, Clarice? And don't your eyes seek out the things you want?"
Hannibal (2001)
"Your job is to craft my doom, so I am not sure how well I should wish you. But I'm sure we'll have a lot of fun. Ta-ta, 'H'."
"Now you're being rude, and I hate rude people."
"Could he daily feel a stab of hunger for her and find nourishment in the very sight of her? I think so. But would she see through the bars of his plight and ache for him?"
"You see, the brain itself feels no pain if that concerns you, Clarice. "
Red Dragon (2002)
"Remarkable boy. I do admire your courage. I think I'll eat your heart. "
'A robin red-breast in a cage, puts all of Heaven in a rage. Think to yourself that every day is your last. The hour to which you do not look forward will come as a welcome surprise. As for me, when you want a good laugh, you will find me in fine state... fat and sleek, a true hog of Epicurus's herd."
"Have you seen blood in the moonlight? It appears quite black."
"You stink of fear Will, but you're not a coward. You fear me, but still you came here. You fear this shy boy, yet still you seek him out. Don't you understand, Will? You caught me because we're very much alike. Without our imaginations, we'd be like all those other poor... dullards. Fear... is the price of our instrument. But I can help you bear it. "
"And be grateful. Our scars have the power to remind us that the past was real."
Doesn't he have the most amazing face? I feel like writing sonnets and odes on his piercing eyes, his devilish smile, and everything else that is Anthony Hopkins. Well, these were a few screencaps from the Hannibal films and some of my favourite Hannibal quotes. I don't own Hannibal and have only seen it once because frankly, I thought it was kind of disgraceful. I thought they made it especially gruesome to match the other so-called horror movies of the late 90s, and they had no need to that. Also I never thought that I would hate to see Julianne Moore in a film, but seriously Jodie Foster IS Clarice Starling, not Moore or anyone else. Similarly Anthony Hopkins IS Hannibal and not Gaspard Ulliel. Yes he is gorgeous and brilliant, but not the same type of adorable menace that Hopkins' Hannibal is. Thank god they made Red Dragon, which saved Hannibal from being remembered as a farce. I really love that film too, but obviously The Silence of the Lambs is the best and holds a special place in my heart and life-influencing films list. My absolute favourite Hannibal Lecter quote is the one I'm putting after this. The census taker one is a close second.
"Well, Clarice - have the lambs stopped screaming? "
This was part 5 of Favourite Actors who play Villains/Anti-heroes.
