Happy Friday Night, Modern Philosophers! It’s time for our weekly Think Tank gathering, so put on your toga and prepare to generate some Deep Thoughts.
As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, screenwriting is a little hobby of mine, so I’m really into movies. The Academy Awards have always been a huge event for me and it’s my dream to win an Oscar. When I lived in California, I’d get up at 5:30am on the morning the nominations were announced so I could watch the names read off live.
I might not be so intense about it all now (The Girl Who Will Be My Oscar Date had to remind me yesterday that it was Oscar Nominations morning), but I still turn Oscar Night into a mini-event at The House on the Hill (formal toga required, of course!) and still plan to take home a little gold statue one of these days.
In honor of the Nominations being announced, I’ve decided to give this week’s Think Tank a cinematic theme. So, feel free to sit in a director’s chair and munch on some popcorn as you ponder this one…
This week’s topic: What’s your go to movie when you need to pick up your spirits or escape to a better place?
This is a very difficult one for the guy with the Film degree to answer. I have so many “favorite” movies. The Usual Suspects is always up there, as is Out of Sight.
Beautiful Girls has a very special place in my heart, but that’s a movie I’ll only watch with The Girl Who Rests Her Head On My Shoulder.
When I need to laugh or reminisce about the good old days, when I need a little inspiration to write, or when I need to feel a little money, there’s only one flick for me…
Swingers is the big winner in the casino tonight! Absolutely love this movie. Jon Favreau wrote a kick ass script about his friends and let them play the parts. This is the flick that put Vince Vaughn on the path to stardom (and apparently the path to a much higher BMI) and introduced us to phrases like “You’re so money” and “Vegas, baby, Vegas!”. It taught me when to double down in blackjack, the true power of Sega Genesis Hockey, and that I needed to learn to dance if I ever wanted to meet a really cool girl.
Most importantly, this movie taught me how powerful a well-written screenplay really is.
So what about you, Modern Philosophers? What’s your go to flick? Maybe we need to start a Modern Philosopher Film Fest…
As always, there are no wrong answers. Looking forward to reading your Deep Thoughts on a subject near and dear to my film loving heart.
it changes but right now :bird cage, somethings gotta give..since you mentioned las vegas: viva las vegas.
Nice choices. A wide range…
I turn to Super Troopers or Out Cold.
Ooooo. Super Troopers has been on cable a lot lately. Looks like it’s making a comeback…
This isn’t an easy question. I have so many favorites. My most watched would be (in no specific order) Forrest Gump, Shawshank Redemption, Hangover, Austin Powers International Man of Mystery, Goodfellas, Green Mile, Mystic River, Sleepless in Seattle (loved the music). These come to mind because they hold my attention and I feel entertained.
It must be very intense for someone with your knowledge to watch movies, I never thought about that before. I don’t have that knowledge and feel there’s a lot of crap out there on the big screen.
My nephew went to school with with Ted Tally’s son. Although he seemed like a very nice man at functions, the fact that he wrote Silence of the Lambs scared me. I kept staring at him wondering what exactly goes on in his head. Sometimes I find myself saying that about what you write…that’s a compliment.
Well, cute Ted some slack. He is an Oscar winner, after all, and he did base his screenplay on the novel, so not all the crazy is his.
It is difficult for me to watch movies at times, but I think it’s even harder to watch them with me. I’m much better now, but I used to drive the ex-wife crazy by whispering things to her and telling her what was going to happen. I couldn’t help myself! Great list of flicks, btw…
Hahahaha That is exactly what I thought you would be doing during a movie.
Oh Ted is a very nice guy with an incredible son to boot, but I still couldn’t help myself from wondering…lol. I was just happy I had the control to leave it at “hello” and not ask a million questions that probably wouldn’t make sense. OMG! I might be doing that to you one day.
Oh, I welcome the questions, so bring them on!
I’m a huge Lambs fan (I did write that blog post about the Silence of the Lambs Christmas movie spoof…) so I would be all over Mr. Tally with questions. I remember having to purchase that screenplay at NYU and then studying it in class.
I try not to be a movie chatting pest anymore, but it might have to do more with my current movie date than with anything else. When she holds my hand and rests her head on my shoulder, it tends to settle me and keep me quiet…
The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai: Across the 8th Dimension. Brain surgery, interdimensional exploration, and rock and roll. And that’s just the first twenty minutes. I’ve seen that movie dozens of times and I still notice some gag or bit I previously missed each time I watch it.
Very intriguing choice! Thank you for participating and bringing a classic into the conversation!
Any of the Bourne Trilogy. Total escapism into an action packed couple of hours with a wicked story line.
One of them is on TV tonight. Just saw it when I was checking to see what might keep me entertained during slow parts of the game tonight. Have you read the Bourne novels? I enjoyed them…
My go-to film wouldn’t win an Oscar because it’s foreign. But it’s the Japanese films Nana & Nana 2. Based off the anime which I have yet to see because things from Japan cost more than they should. Albums here runs $10-$15, rarely much more. Japanese albums $21-$26. And the anime costs $46. Sorry, off topic. Anyway…
No need to be an Oscar contender. Swingers certainly never won any of those.
Thanks for sharing your choices. I really am thinking about starting a Modern Philosopher Film Fest in which I’d watch all the flicks mentioned in the replies to this post… 
That’s a really good idea. I think The Girl Who Has Your Heart & Rests Her Head On Your Shoulder (etc.) would enjoy Nana if she doesn’t mind subtitles. It’s about friendship and love.
I always tell everyone they have to watch it because it is just so good. 
I am going to look for it. Anything that she might like it great for me.
I like the running list so far – so much so, I may have to parrot some already mentioned (big fan of Usual Suspects and Swingers as well) but for feel good or comfort I don’t always lean towards the cerebral selection. I can watch (and quote ad nauseum) Ace Ventura Pet Detective, as well as, My Cousin Vinny … Did you say ‘youts’?
I’m a sucker for anything with Cary Grant and Alfred Hitchcock so I adore North by Northwest and Notorious (longest kiss on screen … Very sexy), My inner (sadistic) child can’t get enough of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory – the Gene Wilder version, I love Johnny Depp but Wilder is pure genius in that campy celluloid classic. Too many more to list but that’s a good start for me.
I am also a huge friend of Ace. Do you mind if I ass you a question???
And North by Northwest is a true classic. First saw that flick in high school film class and was mesmerized. Hitchcock was the man…
Was a Business Major in college and the one and only film class I ever took (electives were always the most fun) covered Hitchcock’s entire body of work… needless to say, easy “A”.
The first time I ever saw Psycho was in a film class at NYU. It was Halloween night, and the teacher showed it to us in one of the screening rooms on the big screen. So awesome to see it that way rather than on DVD…
I don’t really have just one favorite…though if I’m in need of cheering, John Hughes is usually my guy…loved his stuff (& not just because I lived around the areas where a lot of his filming took place). I admit, I never pass up an opportunity to see Real Genius, The Goonies or Tombstone, either.
All super choices. My ex-wife was from Evanston, which is supposedly where the Hughes flicks were set, right?
Many of them, yes. Home Alone…the house & the cobblestone streets? Those were actually filmed in Hinsdale.
Ah. I always wanted to attend the college depicted in Real Genius. Looked like a fun place. I’ve never enjoyed popcorn more than after watching that flick…
Me, too. I also considered becoming a dentist, but decided messing with someone’s head wasn’t a good enough cause for motivation.
Every time I watch Die Hard, I still think of the annoying reporter as the dicky professor from Real Genius. I guess he’s overjoyed at how I have him pigeon holed in my mind…
LOL! I think he’d probably prefer to swim in a house full of popcorn than getting his teeth knocked in by a woman. Can you believe that they’re releasing another new Die Hard in February?
I am pumped to see it. Gotta say, love those flicks. I’m so into it, I tracked down the novella upon which the original is loosely based. That was a good read…
I just wonder what more they can do to poor John McLain.
Send him to Russia to help his son. After this, he’s going to space! Or maybe he’ll fight Zombies. I’ll write that script!
Good point, LOL! He can’t fight robots…that’s Arnie’s gig.
Well, I’m all about fighting robots, so maybe I’ll try to recruit him. I might have to write a script about heroes coming to Maine to “rescue” us from all the monsters and such…
Great plan!
LOVE that movie.
It’s so money, am I right?
SO money