Saturday 10 November 2012

My Movie Alphabet


Mettel Ray Movie Blog, a blog I recently discovered, is hosting a Movie Alphabet Blogathon. I guess I have made some unorthodox choices but I like them so there's that. Hope you like them too :)


12 Angry Men

One of the most inspiring and thrilling films that I have ever seen. My own warped moral sense has been hugely influenced by this film- everyone deserves a chance.


Anthonies- Perkins and Hopkins

These two Anthonies have played my favourite movie villains of all time. Anthony Perkins played Norman Bates, the troubled momma's boy proprietor of Bates Motel, in Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho. Anthony Hopkins played Hannibal "The Cannibal" Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs for which he won the Best Actor Oscar, and he was only in the film for sixteen friggin' minutes!


The Beatles

Well apart from the fact that they are one of my most favourite bands, The Beatles have also starred in very entertaining and fun movies where they play themselves. While A Hard Day's Night is the most Beatle-esque of the lot, Yellow Submarine is one groovy animated film. And Help! is awesome because of Ringo Starr.


Casablanca

I think this was one of the first films that after viewing, I felt that I had just witnessed perfection. There is nothing that is unnecessary or out of place. The romance, the dialogue, the leads, "As Time Goes By", everything is just lovely.


David Fincher

Fincher Fangirling time! I love how well-made his films are. They are not touching or wildly ambitious or any of that, but his precision and perfectionism are evident in the high craftsmanship of his films. Also no one does a modern thriller better than him.


Ewan McGregor

The most underrated leading actor ever. He comes in brilliant movies every year where he is great, but no one ever notices. WHY?


Fight Club

How does this even exist? It's so bloody awesome!


The Graduate

A romance. A coming of age story. A cultural milestone. Mrs. Robinson's devastating legs. The Graduate is all of these things. Eternally rewatchable.


The Harry Potter films

Because I wouldn't be me without them.


Indian Cinema

Yes technically these are only Bollywood films, since I am most well-versed in them, but I have watched a few movies in other Indian languages too and intend to increase my knowledge of them soon. Anyways these are the films I grew up with. My first stepping stones, and I still do love many of them.


Johnny Depp

Because whatever you might say of his current career choices, the man is a fantastic actor with some amazing performances to his name and I love him for it. Still, buck up Johnny!


Kirsten Dunst

I did hate her as Mary Jane Watson, which was my first introduction to her (I think... I might have seen her in Jumanji before though), but with every other film that I have seen of hers, she started becoming one of my most favourite actresses. Must ask- am I the only one waiting for a Dunst-Sofia Coppola reunion?


Let the Right One In

The film that restored my faith in vampires. A most innocent tale of doomed love, beautifully shot by Tomas Alfredson. Also that pool scene.


Michael Cera

I know what you're thinking- he looks exactly the same in all these pictures. Michael Cera is my favourite typecast actor, but if you actually look at it, all his roles are slight different from each other. His films make me happy and so he is kind of one of my favourite leading men.


Network

This film is brutal and brilliant and forever relevant. The performances are to die for. Also "I'M MAD AS HELL AND I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE THIS ANYMORE!"


O-Ren Ishii

One of my favourite supporting characters of all time. She's like the coolest underworld boss ever. Added to that her army called the Crazy 88, her mood changes, her mocking, her fighting skills and of course her backstory.


Paris in films

Yes I know this isn't a movie or character or movie personality, but Paris is my favourite movie setting. To me at least, the films set in it have something magical about it. As Gil Pender says, "Because you look around and every street, every boulevard, is its own special art form and when you think that in the cold, violent, meaningless universe that Paris exists, these lights, I mean come on..."


Quentin Tarantino

He is actually the coolest. His characters, his dialogues, his women- everything is mindblowingly awesome. And I love his love for films. It's inspiring (and also a bit daunting since he's a genius and all). Nothing gets me as excited as a new QT film.


Ryan Gosling

Uhduh. Look at who's making this list. Not only do I think he's the sexiest human being ever, I also believe he is one of the best actors of his generation and I will stop at nothing to watch a new Gosling movie when it comes out. Plus he's like a real-life superhero and gets ballet lessons.


Stanley Kubrick

I have a real respect for film makers who fashion a unique look for their films- one glimpse and you just know that it is them. Kubrick's films are like that. No one did adaptations like him, or classical music. 


Titanic

The heart wants what it wants. I really thought about putting something more mature or cool here, but eh. I love this film. It is my earliest proper memory of visiting a cinema theatre. My first love is there. I love Kate Winslet and this film is soooooo much better than Avatar, it's insane.


The Usual Suspects

Congrats to all the uber clever people out there who guessed the twist in the first five seconds of the film. I didn't and when it came, I was totally floored. Kevin Spacey is ab fab.


Vivien Leigh

No I am not her biggest fan. That is someone else. But her performance as Blanche Dubois is almost unparalleled in my eyes. Also in spite of hating the film, her Scarlett O'Hara is one helluva character that she completely brings to life, and no one else could have played her but Leigh. Very few actors can give such great performances even once in their lifetime; Leigh did it twice. And her tragic life make them all the more potent.


Woody Allen

Once again, this is my list and who else could I have chosen? My favourite filmmaker of all time. His films compliment all my moods- happy or sad. They are just what I need when I watch them, it's uncanny. But I love it, and I absolutely worship him for it.


X-Men: First Class

X is not a very easy letter, is it? Still, the McFassy bromance makes this a worthy enough choice. I had fun watching it. Described it as girl porn (this was pre-Magic Mike times). Love Charles and Erik.


"You've Got A Friend In Me"

Ha I cheated! Well not really because the moment I thought about the letter 'Y' for this list, this song started playing in my head. And after all, the Toy Story trilogy is a story about friends. True friends. I love Pixar's ability to make these wonderful, human characters from anything and everything, like a cowboy doll and an astronaut action figure.


Zoolander

This is my favourite film from all that feature the Frat Pack. I mean a male model brainwashed to be an assassin- where do they get these stuff? Also David Bowie mediating a male model catwalk-off- genius.

30 comments:

  1. Great list!
    What you're writing about Titanic is as if you've read my mind! :)

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    1. Thank you :)
      Haha glad to know people still love it so.

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  2. Great post. Ooh, Paris in films. :D

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  3. Excellent post! But, damn, this is why I use post pages so the whole entry doesn 't go up.

    As a sign of my affection, tho, I wanted to share this one with you:
    http://imgur.com/ygcdX

    Yeah, it's political, but someone made an animated gif of the end of T2, cropping Romney and Ryan into the pic. Trust me, you'll laugh =)

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    1. Also, I should've added, you really did a fine job of paring down each entry; you conveyed what you needed to with a nice economy...

      I like the new banner (and all the ones before, really)! Your love of The Gosling knows no bounds, does it?

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    2. Haha it's funny.

      Thanks for the kind words :) And no, my love for The Gosling is infinite.

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    3. Yes, but if you had to choose between Gosling or Elba, what do you do hotshot? What do you do?

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    4. Elba is awesome and all, but Gosling is like the ultimate dream for me. So yeah, if I had to choose, I'd give Elba to Sati and keep the Gosling for myself :)

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  4. Awesome choices! So glad to see O-Ren Ishii here, she may be my favorite character from Kill Bill. I so agree Titanic is so much better than Avatar - Avatar is practically a retarded cartoom comparing to it.

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    1. Thank you! Well, The Bride is my favourite but O-Ren is a close second.
      Exactly, though a very well made one.

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  5. Great post, Nikhat! I need to see The Usual Suspects and Network.

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  6. Cool list! I also agree Ewan Mcgregor does not get the attention he deserves. He's so amazing and when I first saw him in Angels&Demons, I swear my heart fluttered.

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    1. Thanks! Oh see him in other things too. He is pretty spectacular.

      Thank you for commenting :)

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  7. Great choices. I am currently working on mine. But I have the same 'K' choice as you. I'd watch that, Coppola and Dunst reunion!

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    1. Thank you :) Kiki rocks and yeah she and Coppola should make another film together.

      Thanks for the comment :)

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  8. Cool blogathon, maybe I will do it, too! I love your choices- I should really see Network, I don't know much about it!

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    1. It really is. Do it! And watch Network!!

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  9. Nice list, O-Ren Ishii is a very inspired choice, also thought she was awesome. Currently busy with writing my own version which I'll put up on Wednesday.

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  10. Anthonies! Love that. Great picks all around here: Network, O-Ren, Paris, Gosling… SOLID.

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  11. Really great list, especially to see Network on here! Such a fantastic movie, and my first pick for N too. :)

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    1. Thank you so much. Network IS brilliant!

      Thanks for the comment.

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  12. Haha, you have Zoolander too! :)

    Love all your picks.

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  13. Paris in films ... Ooh! Nice! :-)

    Your choice for "Y" is a unique and wonderful choice. I love the Toy Story franchise.

    You have many fabulous choices here ... to many to comment on individually.

    I read 12 Angry Men in high school, and I don't mind admitting that was a LOOONG time ago. :-) Yet it made such an impression that I still think of it often. I don't know why I haven't seen it yet, either the film or a production of the play.

    I love this: "My own warped moral sense has been hugely influenced by this film- everyone deserves a chance." :-) I really want my teens to read and/or see this partly for that reason. There is so much cynicism in what my family and I read and watch. That's not necessarily a bad thing. But we need authors and thinkers (including this old classic) that bring us back to that moral center. Y'know? :-)

    And as my final comment ... why the hell haven't I seen Network yet?!?! ;-)

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    1. And ... I just realized I read and commented on this SAME POST twice. My memory is so bad, sometimes I feel like my life is turning into some version of Memento. :-P Well, it's a gorgeous post, and it was pure pleasure reading it a second time.

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    2. Paris in films is lovely.

      You should really watch the film. I sooo want to see it on stage. And I get what you say completely.

      Haha thanks for commenting a second and third time :P

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