there are times when a critic truly risks something, and that is in the discovery and defense of the new

22. What film do you hate that most people love? 

    Forrest Gump (1994). It's not "hate", but I don't think I could stomach all that sweetness ever again. Blatant emotional manipulation does not equal entertainment to me, and leaves me feeling like I've just consumed a big bowl of brown sugar with whipped cream and chocolate sauce on top.

23. Tell about a movie-going experience you will never forget—not just because of the movie, but because of the circumstances in which you saw it. 

    I saw El Orfanato (2007) in the theater. That in itself is weird enough, given the subject matter. I saw it with my housemates' grown son. We had been casual friends for years and by that time were spending more time together, typically watching movies or binging Nip/Tuck (2003-2010) and similar programs. We saw the film at one of the large theater complexes in the Western suburbs, after going out for dinner. I don't recall where we went or what we ate, but I do know that I drank WAY too much and was far too intoxicated to be getting anything from a movie anyway. We got to the sold-out theater just before credits rolled and managed to get two seats together...in the front row. Drunk, full from a big meal, and sitting at the exact opposite spot in the theater from that which I prefer. In no time at all, I was not just closing but fully covering my eyes (because the light filtering through my eyelids nauseated me), and willing myself not to listen, (because some of the audio would've turned my stomach on a good day) so that I wouldn't projectile vomit. It was agonizing.

24. What aspect of modern theatrical movie-going do you like least? 

    ads before the film begins. In the spirit of Crash Davis' famous "I believe" monologue: I believe in the inherent value of previewing upcoming attractions. They often spur me to see other movies in the same genre or subject matter, or with the same cast. Those on DVDs are especially helpful for making realistic, helpful suggestions, and at least a third of my collection was discovered in this way.

    The ads, on the other hand, are just annoying. As if the theater isn't already getting enough money out of us!

25. What aspect of movie-going in times past do you miss the most?

    I remember the good old days when going to the movies was an affordable night out. The overblown cost of movies—spurred by the obsession with superheroes!—has made it a special occasion event, if that.

26. Have you ever damaged a friendship, or thought twice about a relationship, because you disagreed about whether a movie was good or bad? 

    not yet. There are a couple of people in my life right now who persistently give an inordinately large amount of crap about the movies that I watch, what I like, what I don't watch or haven't seen, and what I don't like. That's a lot of interest in something that ought not to matter to anyone else.

    I don't like my opinions being dismissed.

27. What movies have you dreamed about? 

    oh my gosh, so many! My movie nightmares have been covered elsewhere in the blog, many times. I guess the ones I've dreamed about in depth have mostly been water-related. The Big Blue (1988, reviewed here), The Shape of Water (2017, reviewed here), Perfect Storm (2000, reviewed here), The Life of Pi (2012, reviewed here) all come to mind.

28. What concession stand item can you not live without? 

    over-buttered and salted popcorn, if it is fairly hot and fresh. A small bowl is fine—there is no need for a "bucket" of any food substance at all. Maybe a small drink, too. This is not "can't live without," but it does enhance the movie theater experience.

 

[pulled and adapted from The Movie Love Questionnaire; the title quotation is by Ed Catmull, from Creativity, Inc.]