New Year's Survey

Musique - "Let's Start the New Year Right" by Bing Crosby

The Girl with the White Parasol blog made a new year's survey and I love these sorts of things, so here are my answers:

1. What is your all-time favorite Grace Kelly costume?

 

Grace Kelly is my favorite actress, so it was hard to narrow down my favorite of her costumes. But this little number from To Catch a Thief is so adorable. I love how the dress is paired with a scarf and little white gloves. How very Grace Kelly.

2. What classic film would you nominate for a remake?

Absolutely none. I hate remakes of classic films. I have yet to see one done right.

3. Name your favorite femme fatale.

 

Greta Garbo as Felicitas in Flesh and the Devil

4. Name the best movie with the word "heaven" in its title.

 

All This, and Heaven Too; I just watched this recently, actually. It's not my favorite movie of all time, but I really haven't seen many movies with "heaven" in the title.

5. Describe the worst performance by a child actor that you’ve ever seen.

 

This is soooo easy—Karen Balkin in The Children's Hour. She was soooooooooo annoying. I know the character was meant to be a bratty, annoying, spoiled little girl, but this was over the top. I couldn't even finish watching the film and gave it a one star review on Netflix—99% because of her.

6. Who gets your vote for most tragic movie monster?

 

I feel bad for Frankenstein's monster because he didn't ask to be created or to be feared. I love when he finds the blind man and they become friends, but then it's so sad when he becomes so scared by the fire. Of course, he does kill a little kid, but I'm sure he just didn't know he was playing so rough. Poor guy.

7. What is the one Western that you would recommend to anybody?

I am so not a fan of Westerns, but I do love Barbara Stanwyck. So, I'd recommend The Furies, for the scene where she throws the scissors at her new step-mother-to-be's face if nothing else.

8. Who is your ideal movie-viewing partner?

If I'm at home, I prefer to watch movies alone, so there's no talking and I can pause the movie whenever I want. But if I'm at the theater, I really like seeing movies with my sister.

9. Has a film ever made you want to change your life? If so, what was the film?

Well, other than making me want to move to Paris and making me cut my hair like Audrey Tautou's (nearly every time I watch it), Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amelie Poulain makes me want to be more clever and more kind to others.

10. Think of one performer that you truly love. Now think of one scene/movie/performance of theirs that is too uncomfortable for you to watch.

I love Clara Bow so much, but I really dislike Dangerous Curves. From the drunk idiot she's in love with to the ugly spit curl on the side of her face (normally I like spit curls, but this one bothers me), there is nothing good about this movie. It just makes me feel bad for Clara that she had to be in it.

11. On the flip side, think of one really good scene/performance/movie from a performer that you truly loathe.

I don't necessarily "loathe" James Mason, but he usually plays such smarmy, pervy, icky dudes. So when I saw him as Gustav Flaubert in Madame Bovary, I was pleasantly surprised by his performance.

12. And finally, since it will be New Year's soon, do you have any movie or blogging-related resolutions for 2012?

Nope. I have only one resolution for 2012—to love myself unconditionally, no matter what. But, of course, part of that will involve watching lots of classic movies because I love them so. ;)

Fantasy Christmas Duets Album

Musique - "Baby It's Cold Outside" by Ann-Margret and Al Hirt

I love singing along to Christmas music in my car or at home. And when I'm all alone, I think I sound pretty freaking awesome. So, if I could record my fantasy Christmas album with my favorite musicians, here's what I'd put on it:

"Baby It's Cold Outside" featuring The Bouncing Souls
They're my favorite band ever, so of course I'd choose them for my favorite Christmas song ever. Plus, if you've ever heard "Wish Me Well (You Can Go to Hell)", you know how awesome Greg Attonito is at a duet.

"We Need a Little Christmas" featuring Angela Lansbury
Okay, maybe this one isn't so imaginative since she sang this song as Mame in the Broadway show back in the day. But I love her lots and how could I possibly sing it with anyone else?

"Christmas Wrapping" featuring Elastica
I just think that Justine's accent on this "rap" would be so freaking awesome. Plus, I just love this song and I love this band. I can never be in a bad mood when listening to Elastica.

"Sleigh Ride" featuring Gorillaz
I pretty much just want an excuse to sing a duet with Damon Albarn. Yum. Plus, I think they'd do some really cool things with this song. And I love this song.

"Winter Wonderland" featuring Flogging Molly
I really think the violin and accordion would add quite a bit to this song. Plus, I can't resist an Irish accent.

"Marshmallow World" featuring Dean Martin
Well, I did say this was a fantasy list, right? So, I can add dead people to it if I want. I'd want to do this song like he did with Frank Sinatra, complete with copious amounts of drinks.

"Oi to the World" featuring No Doubt
Another no brainer since No Doubt already covered this song. Love the Vandals, but No Doubt nailed it. I'm not sure it would work as a duet, but it would certainly be worth the try. Plus, I'd get to sing with No freaking Doubt!!

"Christmas Waltz" featuring Katy Perry
I think her voice would be really pretty on this song and I'd just like the chance to hang out with this badass bundle of fun!

"Jingle Bell Rock" featuring Reel Big Fish
They could only improve upon this Christmas favorite. They've already done so before with "Mele Kalikimaka". You can't help but dance with those horns. I've even got dance moves for this song that I choreographed in 8th grade.They're super awesome.

"Let It Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow!" featuring Joseph Gordon-Levitt
If I was trapped somewhere during a snow storm with JGL, I would most definitely sing this song. And we already know he does a killer duet.

"Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" featuring Helen Kane
And here's another super fantasy combo since Miss Kane has been deceased for 45 years. I just think her cutesy voice would be adorable on this. I can't replicate it, but I can sing pretty high—it might sound kinda good together.

"(Party) Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" featuring LMFAO
Oh. My. God. This would be such an epic song! I am incapable of not dancing when I hear their music, so I bet they would do wonderful, wonderful things to this song. And I would very much like to be a part of that.

"All I Want for Christmas is You" featuring All American Rejects
I am not a fan of Mariah Carey, but I am a fan of this song of hers. And I've seen what AAR can do with a pop cover. Plus, all I want for Christmas is Tyson Ritter. ;)

Holiday Movie Madness!

Musique - "Christmas is All Around" by Bill Nighy

I'm a sucker for a holiday movie—be it totally cheesy or heartbreakingly moving or romantic. My favorite holiday movies are ones I tend to watch every year around Christmas. This year, I'll be rewatching favorites Joyeux Noël (which I now own!), Christmas in Connecticut, The Holiday, Scrooged, and It's a Wonderful Life. I also recently purchased Miracle on 34th Street and The Bishop's Wife, so I'll be rewatching those as well.

Last year, I made a very concerted effort to watch as many holiday movies as I could—both ones I'd seen before and new ones. Besides the ones listed above that I watch every year, here are the movies I watched last year:

• Meet John Doe - I'd never seen this before (what?!), but obviously loved it because I heart Barbara Stanwyck and Gary Cooper; kinda depressing in parts, though.
• The Shop Around the Corner - I'd never seen this either, even though I've seen the horrible remake with two actors I am not particularly fond of; I love, love, love Jimmy Stewart.
• The Ref - I used to love this movie because I had a huge crush on Kevin Spacey. But even now that the crush is over, I still think this is a particularly good holiday movie.
• Holiday Inn - sure, only part of the movie is around Christmas, but enough of it is to make it a Christmas movie to me; anything with Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire in it has to be good.
• Eight Crazy Nights - while some characters were annoying and I felt really bad for everyone that Davey made fun of repeatedly, I did really enjoy this movie. I totally cried.
• Four Christmases - I saw this in the theater when it came out with my best girlfriends. I did like it, but I tend to get really impatient with movies where everything goes wrong all the time. Plus, I don't really like movies where the happy ending is having a baby. That's not a happy ending, that's a nightmare.
• Christmas Time in South Park - Not just the Mr. Hanky Christmas special is included on this DVD. All of the best Christmas related South Parks are on here. My favorite was the "Woodland Critter Christmas" (how can you not love Stan taking the lion cubs to an abortion clinic to learn how to give abortions?)
• Fred Claus - another one my friends and I saw in the theater. Guess we have a thing for Vince Vaughn Christmas comedies? It's funny, but probably one I will only watch every few Christmases.
• Christmas Caper - okay, well, I love Shannen Doherty so that is why I deigned to watch this not so awesome flick. It wasn't as bad as I feared it would be, although it was predictably predictable in parts.
• Unaccompanied Minors - a cute kid's film with a nice message.
• Grumpy Old Men - it's been soooo long since I'd seen this. I really, really, really love Ann-Margret, so watching this was such a treat. It's nice when older people find love (although I don't really want to watch them making out).
• A Christmas Carol - I only decided to watch this computer animated Jim Carrey version (two things I do NOT like) because Gary Oldman was in it (and he is one thing I definitely DO like). Thankfully, the animation wasn't totally distracting (can I say how much I prefer hand-drawn animation??) and it was very faithful to the book. But I probably won't see it again.
• A Christmas Carol - this was the 1938 version and I obviously preferred it to the one above. However, I have to say the best adaptation of the Dickens novel is still Scrooged.
• 12 Men of Christmas - this was so very obviously a Lifetime movie. But I still enjoyed it. I mean, it was very obvious who she'd end up with, but it was cute and sweet all the same.
• Love Actually - this is one I like to watch fairly frequently, although maybe not every year. Although just thinking about it has gotten the Bill Nighy song in my head. I love so much about this movie, but I really hate the Alan Rickman/Emma Thompson story line. It makes me sad and angry at the same time. I don't want to hate Alan Rickman, but I do in this movie. But still, such a heartwarming movie for the most part. :)

This year, I'm excited to watch my favorites again, as well as Home Alone, which I haven't seen in eons. Plus, some new ones:

• Christmas Eve - I've been dying to see this one with George Raft and Joan Blondell and now I own it!
• Remember the Night - this is another Barbara Stanwyck Christmas movie, so I'm sure to love it. I bought this on Black Friday along with Christmas Eve (and umpteen other DVDs).
• Mrs. Miracle - OMG, does this look cheesy. But I bet I'll still love it.
• This Christmas - I don't know how I haven't seen this one yet.
• The Family Stone - I haven't seen this one yet, either, but the cast sounds awesome.
• A Christmas Memory - set in the Depression = awesome! Baking fruitcakes for FDR and Jean Harlow = perfect! 
• Un conte de Noël - I love me some French movies; especially when Catherine Deneuve is in them!
• Surviving Christmas - this promises to be totally horrible. But ever since Ben Affleck married Jennifer Garner, I like him much more. And I do love Christmas movies, so I will probably actually enjoy this quite a bit.
• The Christmas Card - okay, I'm pretty sure this one will make me cry. A US soldier tries to find the woman who wrote him a Christmas card? Yeah, definitely a romantic tearjerker.
• Scrooge - this 1951 film is supposed to be the best adaptation of A Christmas Carol. We'll see if Alastair Sim can even tango with Bill Murray.
• A Colbert Christmas - I need some laughs to go along with my tears.
• Saturday Night Live: Christmas - again, I need more laughs.
• Larceny, Inc. - Edward G. Robinson in a Santa Suit? Yes, please!

Oh my, am I going to have a busy Christmas season!