Be My Guest - Desiree (Part 2)

We continue on with our interview with our girl from California, Desiree...

Monty: Desiree, what is your favorite decade for film?

Desiree: This is a tough question for me because I love all decades, but I have a particular love for the 1930s and 1940s. However, I can’t choose between the two. It is just impossible. There are so many good films and stars from both decades and I love them both equally.

Monty: Hey I had a hard time deciding between them two decades as well. But finally decided on the 30's mainly because of my  love for screwball comedies.

Monty: Name some of your favorite modern stars.

Desiree: For modern stars, I admire some of the really talented ones, such as Robert de Niro, Johnny Depp, Meryl Streep, Kate Winslet, Mark Wahlberg… and I also love a few because I think they’re adorable or funny, such as Jake Gyllenhaal, George Clooney and Anne Hathaway.

Monty: Yes to Kate Winslet and Meryl Streep for me as well.

Monty: Name some of your favorite modern films

Desiree:  This is such a tough question for me… I am trying to think of modern films that I have seen many times and think are worth many viewings, such as the Meet the Parents movies, There’s Something about Mary, Clueless, Schindler’s List, The Devil Wears Prada, The Outsiders, Edward Scissorhands, The Hangover, Grease, Julie & Julia, Mean Girls, Orphan (seems like a strange choice, but there is something about that movie…), Juno, and films such as Precious and An American Crime, which affected me so deeply that I could not watch them again, but were truly great films.

Monty: I love The Hangover, There's Something About Mary, The Outsiders and Edward Scissorhands as well.


Monty: What are some of your favorite movie quotes?
Desiree: I have so many favorite movie quotes, but here are some that come to mind that I have repeated so many times over the years:

“Life is a banquet and most poor suckers are starving to death!” –Auntie Mame


“Oh, Kendal, what am I going to do with you?!” –Hired Wife


“Rattlesnake, anyone?” –Auntie Mame


“Oh, Walter, you’re wonderful in a loathsome sort of way.” –His Girl Friday

“What’s that man doing in my drawers?” –The Thin Man


“Oh, C.K. Dexter Haven!” –The Philadelphia Story



“Who was that?” “You wouldn’t know them, darling. They’re respectable.” –After the Thin Man


“You see? It’s a circle.” “Well, of course. Do you think it would roll if it were square?” –Bringing Up Baby
“Hello, gorgeous.” –Funny Girl


“Well, I don’t want to be rude, but, ah, may I have a drink? I had three or four before I got here, but they’re beginning to wear off, and you know how that is.” –The Awful Truth

“Ja, is good.” –I Remember Mama
(My mother particularly likes the last one, haha).
 
Monty: A lot of quotes from screwball comedies. Cool.
 
Thanks Desiree for such wonderful answers. We will be back with part 3 shortly.

Be My Guest - Janine: Question # 6 - Name a few of your favorite modern stars

Monty: Do you have any favorite modern stars Janine?

Janine: I have to confess there aren't many modern stars I like, maybe Kate Winslet and Meryl Streep, but that's all.



Monty: Hey nothing wrong with that and I love Kate Winslet. Just ask my friend Irene.

A Blog Everyone Should Be Following: Musings Of A Morleysaurus

Jennifer Cooper writes one of the coolest blogs out there in blogland called Musings of a Morleysaurus. She hails from Arbroath, Angus in good old Scotland. She is a self-proclaimed horror nerd and is proud of it. She is a great supporter of indie films and women produced/directed films. Her blog focuses on mainly horror but she also stretches out to include other genres and even dabbles in the classics. She loves Grace Kelly and His Girl Friday to name just some of her favorites. Her recent posts include a 30 day horror movie challenge: A Favorite Classic Horror Movie - The Creature From The Black Lagoon. Oh she is also a fan of such series as Luther, The X-Files, and Sons of Anarchy. I recently started following her terrific blog and I enjoy immensely. I highly recommend her to all of my followers with a taste for all good things wicked and scary and cool. Oh and did I mention she loves Kate Winslet. I had to throw that in there too. But I guess you already knew that from the photo above.
Musings Of A Morleysaurus

Favorite Romantic Films - THE HOLIDAY (2006)

This being February, I decided to post about some of my favorite romantic films. I mean I dedicated the whole month of October to scary movies, and the least I could do is the same thing for romantic movies this month. And it will be a mixed bag of classic and modern films. Up first: The Holiday (2006)


Well done romantic comedy/drama that features all four leads in great form. Kate Winslet and Cameron Diaz are women who are having men trouble and decide to switch homes over the Christmas holiday. Each will stay at each other houses to get away from their normal routine and away from their significant opposites. Kate comes to LA while Cameron goes to England. Jack Black and Jude Law play the new men who come into their lives. A very pleasing film with solid performances by all, especially Kate Winslet. It's a crime she hasn't won an Oscar yet but I predict she will have several by the time her career is done. Cameron is funny as usual and gorgeous. Jack Black gives a surprising engaging performance as the guy who falls for Winslet. And Jude Law who in past movies can be very annoying is actually pretty good here. And veteran Eli Wallach almost steals the movie as a writer from Hollywood's golden age who becomes friends with Winslet. You will laugh and cry and enjoy this wonderful movie.



Graham: "Long distance relationships can work, you know."
Amanda: "Really? I can't make one work when I live in the same house with someone"

Happy Birthday Kate Winslet

Happy Birthday to Kate Winslet, who is one of my favorite modern actresses. My favorite Kate films are Titanic, Sense & Sensibility, The Holiday, and Heavenly Creatures.

My Top 10 Favorite Leonardo DiCaprio FIlms

 It's been two years since I originally wrote this post and I have seen two more films of Leo, so I decided to update my top 10 list of my favorite films of his, since he is one of my favorite modern actors. The two new films added are Shutter Island and Django Unchained. But I couldn't cut any of the previous films from the list, so I just expanded it to a top 12.  So here we go. I may update this yet again after his new film, The Great Gatsby hits theaters this summer.


12. SHUTTER ISLAND (2010) - Finally saw this a few months ago and I liked it. Set it in 1954, Leo plays U.S. Marshal Teddy Daniels, who is sent to  Shutter Island, a hospital for the criminally insane, to investigate the disappearance of  a murderess. Loaded with a solid supporting cast including Ben Kingsley, Mark Ruffalo, Max Von Sydow, Michelle Williams, Emily Mortimer, Patricia Clarkson and Jackie Earle Haley. Directed by Martin Scorsese (the pair's 4th collaboration). 

11. REVOLUTIONARY ROAD (2008) The long awaited reunion between Titanic co-stars Leo and Kate was a totally different type of film. A stark drama that is heavy on the dramatics but features solid acting from both leads. It's a plus that the film is set in the always trendy 1960's.


10. THE QUICK AND THE DEAD (1995) A decidedly off beat western from director Sam Raimi that has Sharon Stone entering a quick draw contest to get closer to the man (Gene Hackman) who killed her father. Leo plays the cocky but super fast kid, named The Kid. He later turns out to be the son of Hackman. Also co-starring Russell Crowe and Gary Sinise, this is a very entertaining film.

9. CATCH ME IF YOU CAN (2002) The powerhouse pairing of Leo and Tom Hanks drive this fact based story about Frank Abagnale Jr., a young con artist who successfully impersonated an airline pilot, doctor, assistant attorney general and history professor, cashing more than $2.5 million in fraudulent checks in 26 countries before being caught by FBI agent Carl Hanratty (Hanks). The 60's are beautifully caught in this colorful and lively film.


8. WHAT'S EATING GILBERT GRAPE (1993) A terrific performance by Leo as the mentally challenged Arnie Grape, brother to Johnny Depp's Gilbert powers this stong and powerful movie about family life in a small town that is really a must see film.

7. DJANGO UNCHAINED (2012) - Quentin Tarantino's epic western gives Leo one really terrific role as plantation owner Calvin Candie who confronts recently freed slave Django (Jamie Foxx) and German bounty hunter Dr. King Shultz (Christoph Waltz) who plan to rescue Django's wife Broomhilda (Kerry Washington) from Candie's clutches. Leo gets to shine in a rare villainous role and it's a doozy. He should have at least been nominated for an Oscar here.

6. GANGS OF NEW YORK (2002) Here is the first pairing of Leo with legendary director Martin Scorsese and they certainly bring it. Gangs is about as violent as you can get but there is a strong story to go with it. Leo may get overshadowed by Daniel Day Lewis excellent performance as Bill the Butcher, but he still makes an impact all his own.


5. THE AVIATOR (2004) For Scorsese and Leo's second film, they scored with this terrific story based on the life of Howard Hughes, director, aviator and recluse. Leo should have won an Oscar for his performance as Hughes, but alas no such luck. Co-starring the likes of Cate Blanchett, Kate Beckinsale, Alan Alda, John C. Reilly, Jude Law and Alec Baldwin.


4. THE DEPARTED (2006) Scorsese assembled a dream team for this Boston set mob caper of Leo, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson, Mark Wahlberg, Alec Baldwin, Martin Sheen, and Ray Winstone. Everything fell into place and The Departed makes for one of the best crime films ever made.

3. BLOOD DIAMOND (2006) Leo plays Danny Archer, a South African smuggler who befriends a local fisherman played by Djimon Hounsou to find this very large diamond and to rescue Hounsou's son. Amid the crackling action scenes, which are frequent, there is a story about friendship, family, and love amid the chaos. Leo and Djimon make quite an effective pair too.


2. TITANIC (1997) You knew this film had to be on my list. Leo is positively electric as Jack Dawson, the stowaway who steals Kate Winslet's heart. You may scoff at the sentiment and some of the dialogue, but to this day I still love this film.

1. INCEPTION (2010) A mind bender like no other. Leo, once again, gives a star making performance as a thief who specializes in dreams and has to do one last job before reuniting with his kids. Cool visual effects and an intelligent story with a solid cast which includes Ellen Page, Joseph Gordon Levitt, Michael Caine, Ken Watanabe, Marion Cotillard, and Cillian Murphy.


So there you have it, my top 10 favorite Leo films. Please note I have yet to see Shutter Island, so that may make the list at some point in the future.

Review: The Holiday (2006)

Well done romantic comedy/drama that features all four leads in great form. Let me start out by saying that Kate Winslet is one of my favorite modern era actress. She is awesome. For me it's Kate and Sandra Bullock, then everyone else. I've loved her ever since Heavenly Creatures (1994). Kate Winslet and Cameron Diaz are women who are having men trouble and decide to switch homes over the Christmas holiday. Each will stay at each other houses to get away from their normal routine and away from their significant opposites. Kate comes to LA while Cameron goes to England. Jack Black and Jude Law play the new men who come into their lives. A very pleasing film with solid performances by all, especially Kate Winslet. Kate is one of the best actress in today's cinema. Cameron is funny as usual and gorgeous. Jack Black gives a surprising engaging performance as the guy who falls for Winslet. And Jude Law who in past movies can be very annoying is actually pretty good here. And veteran Eli Wallach almost steals the movie as a writer from Hollywood's golden age who becomes friends with Winslet. You will laugh and cry and enjoy this wonderful movie. The Holiday is one of me and wife's favorite movies.
B+


Graham: "Long distance relationships can work, you know."
Amanda: "Really? I can't make one work when I live in the same house with someone"