Saturday, December 31, 2016

PROFESSOR MORIARTY’S NOTORIOUSLY NETTLESOME AND NEFARIOUS NEW YEAR’S DAY 2017 MOVIE QUIZ


We at SLIFR University are fully aware that most of you are probably settling in for the last few days of a hopefully restful and renewing holiday season, or at least the meaty part of a long three-day weekend meant to celebrate the passing of a spent and stressful old year and the hope (fingers and hearts and minds crossed) of a better one over the 365 days to come. But we also believe in the value of unexpected education, particularly as it pertains to the concept of the pop quiz. And what quiz could pop more unexpectedly than one dropped on the student whose thoughts are conveniently focused on seasonal celebrations at the expense of her or his studies? Can we get a sinister chuckle?

Certainly our esteemed professor of the moment is eminently qualified to bring forth such a noise. It is our honor and privilege to present to you now this latest quiz as administered by its author, SLIFR University’s very own Dean of Philosophical Ethics, Professor James Moriarty. The professor, who reminds his students that of all subjects his own shadowy past is the one that may not be broached during classroom hours (he believes that to be a topic for discussion best suited for private sessions in the his eerie clock tower office perched high above the SLIFR campus), has said that he desires to take us forth into the coming year with our minds set on the lessons of the past year that we can gather from our experiences and apply to the various ethical situations with which we may soon find ourselves faced. But, being the pesky mastermind that he is (evil or merely amoral—you must decide), it may be that he’s just toying with the minds of his students, tossing out matters of trivia meant to distract from those very ethical concerns, all the better to set the traps, academic and otherwise, he has hidden between the lines of his seemingly innocuous syllabus.

The only way to find out for sure is to proceed with the quiz and take your chances. Here’s how the professor demands it be done. Answer each thoroughly, to the best of your abilities, at any length you choose, but remembering that the more verbose the response, the more credit you will receive in the professor’s ledger. And when you answer, be sure to cut and paste the question along with your answer into the comments section so your answer may be more easily understood. Due to current space restrictions on Blogger, you may find it necessarily to post your answers in two or three sections. Or, if you have your own site, feel free to post a link to that location so we can read your answers there.
So, without further delay, let us get under way. The professor waits for no one, especially bleary-eyed students who wish they were anywhere else but at their desks, awaiting further instructions. Number twos up. You may now open your blue books… and begin.


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1) Best movie of 2016

2) Worst movie of 2016

3) Best actress of 2016

4) Best actor of 2016

5) What movie from 2016 would you prefer not hearing another word about? Why?

6) Second-favorite Olivier Assayas movie

7) Miriam Hopkins or Kay Francis?

8) What’s the story of your first R-rated movie?

9) What movie from any era that you haven’t yet seen would you be willing to resolve to see before this day next year?

10) Second-favorite Pedro Almodovar movie

11) What movie do you think comes closest to summing up or otherwise addressing the qualities of 2016?

12) Chris Pine or Chris Pratt?

13) Your favorite movie theater, presently or from the past

14) Favorite movie involving a family celebration

15) Second-favorite Paul Schrader movie

16) Ruth Negga or Hayley Atwell?

17) Last three movies you saw, in any format

18) Your first X-rated, or porn movie?

19) Richard Boone or Charles McGraw?

20) Second-favorite Chan-wook Park movie

21) Movie that best encompasses or expresses loneliness

22) What’s your favorite movie to watch with your best friend?

23) Who’s the current actor you most look forward to seeing in 2017?

24) Your New Year’s wish for the movies


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19 comments:

  1. 1) Best movie of 2016
    2) Worst movie of 2016


    I see so few movies in the year they were made any more – in the theater, it’s typically movies I see with my godson (he’s 5) or an action movie on a summer day so hot I’m willing to pay for air conditioning for a couple of hours. So, here’s my top 10 list. In reverse order, it’s my bottom 10 list, since I think that’s all I’ve seen. Maybe we can do this question again next year and I’ll have more useful input!

    O.J.: Made in America
    Zootopia
    Hail, Caesar!
    Moana
    Florence Foster Jenkins
    Sully
    The Jungle Book
    Deadpool
    Star Trek Beyond
    Captain America: Civil War

    3) Best actress of 2016
    Meryl Streep, Florence Foster Jenkins. Trust me, it is not easy to sing like that intentionally.

    4) Best actor of 2016
    Ryan Reynolds, Deadpool. Or maybe the one who just surprised me most.

    5) What movie from 2016 would you prefer not hearing another word about? Why?
    I liked all the ones I saw. Hmm … Hillary’s America?

    6) Second-favorite Olivier Assayas movie
    Oy, still haven’t seen one. Didn’t know he had made a Stockhausen documentary, I’d like to see that.

    7) Miriam Hopkins or Kay Francis?
    There’s a love triangle to drive a man crazy! I’d probably go with Francis (and Madame Colet), but I would be sorely tempted.

    8) What’s the story of your first R-rated movie?
    Well, I slept through The French Connection at a drive in, so that probably doesn’t count. Probably The French Lieutenant’s Woman, which my mom took me to. Think I was speechless afterwards. So was she.

    9) What movie from any era that you haven’t yet seen would you be willing to resolve to see before this day next year?
    I’m embarrassed that I’ve never seen Sunset Boulevard, and shoot, it’s on Netflix streaming.

    10) Second-favorite Pedro Almodovar movie
    At least I’ve seen two! Kika would be second to Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!.

    11) What movie do you think comes closest to summing up or otherwise addressing the qualities of 2016?
    The Tin Drum

    12) Chris Pine or Chris Pratt?
    I like them both, but Pratt (from what I’ve seen) seems like the same character in different films. Pine takes elements that are similar but transforms them well into different contexts. I have trouble imagining Pratt singing “Agony”, for instance. But I’d love to be proven wrong!

    ReplyDelete
  2. 1) Best movie of 2016
    2) Worst movie of 2016


    I see so few movies in the year they were made any more – in the theater, it’s typically movies I see with my godson (he’s 5) or an action movie on a summer day so hot I’m willing to pay for air conditioning for a couple of hours. So, here’s my top 10 list. In reverse order, it’s my bottom 10 list, since I think that’s all I’ve seen. Maybe we can do this question again next year and I’ll have more useful input!

    O.J.: Made in America
    Zootopia
    Hail, Caesar!
    Moana
    Florence Foster Jenkins
    Sully
    The Jungle Book
    Deadpool
    Star Trek Beyond
    Captain America: Civil War

    3) Best actress of 2016
    Meryl Streep, Florence Foster Jenkins. Trust me, it is not easy to sing like that intentionally.

    4) Best actor of 2016
    Ryan Reynolds, Deadpool. Or maybe the one who just surprised me most.

    5) What movie from 2016 would you prefer not hearing another word about? Why?
    I liked all the ones I saw. Hmm … Hillary’s America?

    6) Second-favorite Olivier Assayas movie
    Oy, still haven’t seen one. Didn’t know he had made a Stockhausen documentary, I’d like to see that.

    7) Miriam Hopkins or Kay Francis?
    There’s a love triangle to drive a man crazy! I’d probably go with Francis (and Madame Colet), but I would be sorely tempted.

    8) What’s the story of your first R-rated movie?
    Well, I slept through The French Connection at a drive in, so that probably doesn’t count. Probably The French Lieutenant’s Woman, which my mom took me to. Think I was speechless afterwards. So was she.

    9) What movie from any era that you haven’t yet seen would you be willing to resolve to see before this day next year?
    I’m embarrassed that I’ve never seen Sunset Boulevard, and shoot, it’s on Netflix streaming.

    10) Second-favorite Pedro Almodovar movie
    At least I’ve seen two! Kika would be second to Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!.

    11) What movie do you think comes closest to summing up or otherwise addressing the qualities of 2016?
    The Tin Drum

    12) Chris Pine or Chris Pratt?
    I like them both, but Pratt (from what I’ve seen) seems like the same character in different films. Pine takes elements that are similar but transforms them well into different contexts. I have trouble imagining Pratt singing “Agony”, for instance. But I’d love to be proven wrong!

    ReplyDelete
  3. 1) Best movie of 2016
    2) Worst movie of 2016


    I see so few movies in the year they were made any more – in the theater, it’s typically movies I see with my godson (he’s 5) or an action movie on a summer day so hot I’m willing to pay for air conditioning for a couple of hours. So, here’s my top 10 list. In reverse order, it’s my bottom 10 list, since I think that’s all I’ve seen. Maybe we can do this question again next year and I’ll have more useful input!

    O.J.: Made in America
    Zootopia
    Hail, Caesar!
    Moana
    Florence Foster Jenkins
    Sully
    The Jungle Book
    Deadpool
    Star Trek Beyond
    Captain America: Civil War

    3) Best actress of 2016
    Meryl Streep, Florence Foster Jenkins. Trust me, it is not easy to sing like that intentionally.

    4) Best actor of 2016
    Ryan Reynolds, Deadpool. Or maybe the one who just surprised me most.

    5) What movie from 2016 would you prefer not hearing another word about? Why?
    I liked all the ones I saw. Hmm … Hillary’s America?

    6) Second-favorite Olivier Assayas movie
    Oy, still haven’t seen one. Didn’t know he had made a Stockhausen documentary, I’d like to see that.

    7) Miriam Hopkins or Kay Francis?
    There’s a love triangle to drive a man crazy! I’d probably go with Francis (and Madame Colet), but I would be sorely tempted.

    8) What’s the story of your first R-rated movie?
    Well, I slept through The French Connection at a drive in, so that probably doesn’t count. Probably The French Lieutenant’s Woman, which my mom took me to. Think I was speechless afterwards. So was she.

    9) What movie from any era that you haven’t yet seen would you be willing to resolve to see before this day next year?
    I’m embarrassed that I’ve never seen Sunset Boulevard, and shoot, it’s on Netflix streaming.

    10) Second-favorite Pedro Almodovar movie
    At least I’ve seen two! Kika would be second to Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!.

    11) What movie do you think comes closest to summing up or otherwise addressing the qualities of 2016?
    The Tin Drum

    12) Chris Pine or Chris Pratt?
    I like them both, but Pratt (from what I’ve seen) seems like the same character in different films. Pine takes elements that are similar but transforms them well into different contexts. I have trouble imagining Pratt singing “Agony”, for instance. But I’d love to be proven wrong!

    ReplyDelete
  4. 13) Your favorite movie theater, presently or from the past
    Probably the Whiteside in Corvallis, Oregon, which was so otherworldly when I was a kid – the fancy ceiling, a balcony(!), and a little plush sitting room upstairs by the restrooms, where you could socialize during intermission(!). It’s been renovated and reopened now, although it usually only has one film a week – but that makes it special in its own way, each one is an event. It’s a concert space now too, and a church meets there. Maybe it’s not as magic as 40 years ago, but it’s a broader part of the community.

    14) Favorite movie involving a family celebration
    Does What About Bob? count?

    15) Second-favorite Paul Schrader movie
    Only seen one, Auto Focus.

    16) Ruth Negga or Hayley Atwell?
    Haven’t seen Negga in anything yet, so Agent Carter it is!

    17) Last three movies you saw, in any format
    Florence Foster Jenkins, on DVD – delightful
    Sully, on DVD – good, although the resolution seemed somewhat underwhelming
    Animal Crackers, on DVD – great fun, and an honest to goodness Harpo solo

    18) Your first X-rated, or porn movie?
    I think it was Henry & June, which was lovely to look at, but somehow I felt disappointed at the end.

    19) Richard Boone or Charles McGraw?
    McGraw was great in The Narrow Margin.

    20) Second-favorite Chan-wook Park movie
    Haven’t seen one yet.

    21) Movie that best encompasses or expresses loneliness
    Man, I would think I would have a better answer for this, but the best I can come up with right now is The Lives of Others.

    22) What’s your favorite movie to watch with your best friend?
    Anything involving Harry Potter.

    23) Who’s the current actor you most look forward to seeing in 2017?
    Cate Blanchett

    24) Your New Year’s wish for the movies
    I often turn to movies for escapism, but I don’t think it’s really a time for that. A really good escapist film, though, isn’t truly escapism – it motivates you to become involved, to make commitments, to strive for something, even if it does so in an unexpected or undreamed of way. I’m hoping for more of that kind of escapism.

    ReplyDelete
  5. 1) Best movie of 2016
    MOONLIGHT

    2) Worst movie of 2016
    HAIL CAESAR

    3) Best actress of 2016
    AMY ADAMS/ARRIVAL

    4) Best actor of 2016
    CASEY AFFLECK/MANCHESTER BY THE SEA

    5) What movie from 2016 would you prefer not hearing another word about? Why?
    THE BIRTH OF A NATION......The film stands strong on its own merits but the off screen story,as awful as it is, became repetitious.

    6) Second-favorite Olivier Assayas movie
    SUMMER HOURS and where is Juliet Binoche anyway?

    7) Miriam Hopkins or Kay Francis?
    KAY FRANCIS running away

    8) What’s the story of your first R-rated movie?
    Before the rating system it was Russ Meyer's LORNA. Definitely too much for one man. Or 16 year old.

    9) What movie from any era that you haven’t yet seen would you be willing to resolve to see before this day next year?
    THE GOOD EARTH

    10) Second-favorite Pedro Almodovar movie
    TIE ME UP! TIE ME DOWN! My first Almodovar. You must be curious about my favorite....TALK TO HER

    11) What movie do you think comes closest to summing up or otherwise addressing the qualities of 2016?
    TITANIC

    12) Chris Pine or Chris Pratt?
    CHRIS PINE since HELL OR HIGH WATER

    13) Your favorite movie theater, presently or from the past
    RKO 23rd Street in NYC. Formerly the Grand Opera House. My dad met my mom there when he ushered in the 40s. It was my playground. A majestic theater that I watched burn in 1960. Nothing today comes close.

    14) Favorite movie involving a family celebration
    THE CELEBRATION popped into my head first. A CHRISTMAS STORY second but you didn't ask.

    15) Second-favorite Paul Schrader movie
    ROLLING THUNDER

    16) Ruth Negga or Hayley Atwell?
    HAYLEY ATWELL> Deduct points, Professor. I haven't seen LOVING yet

    17) Last three movies you saw, in any format
    FOOTLIGHT PARADE, CITY LIGHTS, DUCK SOUP (Our New Year's Fest....to be continued)

    18) Your first X-rated, or porn movie?
    Hard core was Desiree Cousteau in Ms. MAGNIFICENT. Thought she was Linda Ronstadt.

    19) Richard Boone or Charles McGraw?
    CHARLES McGRAW but I do search to find both their films every year.

    20) Second-favorite Chan-wook Park movie
    1-2-3 are OLDBOY

    21) Movie that best encompasses or expresses loneliness
    PSYCHO

    22) What’s your favorite movie to watch with your best friend?
    Any cheesey old horror/sci-fi from the 50s-60s with McSwine.

    23) Who’s the current actor you most look forward to seeing in 2017?
    AMY ADAMS in anything

    24) Your New Year’s wish for the movies
    Find a way to have fun again. I think for the most part, we've lost that.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I posted on my blog here https://pillowshots.wordpress.com/2017/01/02/professor-moriartys-notoriously-nettlesome-and-nefarious-new-years-day-2017-movie-quiz/

    ReplyDelete
  7. 1) Best movie of 2016

    I didn't see very many in the theater this year; one I did see and enjoy was Everybody Wants Some!!, which I think would've wound up my favorite even if I saw four or five times as many as I did.

    2) Worst movie of 2016

    Again, didn't see many. For the ones I did see, Hail Caesar was the biggest disappointment. Maybe it needed an extra exclamation point...

    3) Best actress of 2016
    4) Best actor of 2016

    Feelin' too uninformed to answer.

    5) What movie from 2016 would you prefer not hearing another word about? Why?

    I've had my fill of Suicide Squad.

    6) Second-favorite Olivier Assayas movie

    See #3.

    7) Miriam Hopkins or Kay Francis?

    Every kiss begins with Kay.

    8) What’s the story of your first R-rated movie?

    On video: I saw Animal House at a toga party when I was 16. Everyone else was doing the whole party thing; I stayed in the corner watching the TV, refusing to miss my chance to see a classic. In the theater: I saw Good Morning Vietnam shortly after turning 17. It was the first and only time they checked my ID.

    9) What movie from any era that you haven’t yet seen would you be willing to resolve to see before this day next year?

    This is the year I'm finally going to get around to seeing 10 Things I Hate About You.

    10) Second-favorite Pedro Almodovar movie

    Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!

    11) What movie do you think comes closest to summing up or otherwise addressing the qualities of 2016?

    Batman vs. Superman. Two already-famous people square off in battle, and the result is one big mess.

    12) Chris Pine or Chris Pratt?

    Pine.

    13) Your favorite movie theater, presently or from the past

    Railroad Square Cinema in Waterville, Maine. Introduced me to small indie films, both past and present (saw my first big-screen Altmans there), and still thriving today - home of the Maine International Film Festival.

    14) Favorite movie involving a family celebration

    Altman's A Wedding.

    15) Second-favorite Paul Schrader movie

    If we're talking director-specific, I'll say Touch.

    16) Ruth Negga or Hayley Atwell?

    Ruth Negga.

    17) Last three movies you saw, in any format

    When Harry Met Sally..., Singin' in the Rain, and Horse Feathers.

    18) Your first X-rated, or porn movie?

    Clockwork Orange counts, doesn't it?

    19) Richard Boone or Charles McGraw?

    McGraw, for The Narrow Margin.

    20) Second-favorite Chan-wook Park movie

    Pass.

    21) Movie that best encompasses or expresses loneliness

    Lost in Translation, both for small-scale (can't connect with spouse) and large (strangers in a strange land).

    22) What’s your favorite movie to watch with your best friend?

    I'll watch Dazed and Confused with ANYBODY. Or should that be "WITH anybody"?

    23) Who’s the current actor you most look forward to seeing in 2017?

    Michelle Pfeiffer in Murder on the Orient Express. It's been too long.

    24) Your New Year’s wish for the movies

    Google "2017 movies" and it's nothing but remakes, sequels, and franchises. My wish is for a small unknown to break through and show Hollywood a new direction to move in. But I'm not holding my breath.

    ReplyDelete
  8. 8) What’s the story of your first R-rated movie?
    "Straw Dogs." Hell with the story, Susan George's breasts.

    13) Your favorite movie theater, presently or from the past
    Picwood Theater, West Los Angeles. Alas, no longer exists but the loge seating was great.

    ReplyDelete
  9. My answers are here: http://moviebot.blogspot.com/2017/01/new-years-day-2017-slifr-quiz.html

    ReplyDelete
  10. Posting my answers at my own blog, because I do run on a bit... http://coolbev.blogspot.com/2017/01/movie-quiz.html

    ReplyDelete
  11. Maybe I shouldn't be commenting, as I live in Barcelona, Spain. But then - why not?
    1) Best movie of 2016
    I, Daniel Blake and Eight days a week. I left the movie theatre devastated after the 1st and levitating with happiness (and envying the people waiting for the next session) after the 2nd.
    2) Worst movie of 2016
    Parched – the combination of comedy and drama was extremely unbalanced and annoying.
    3) Best actress of 2016
    Isabelle Huppert in Elle and Things to come.
    4) Best actor of 2016
    Ralph Fiennes in A bigger splash.
    5) What movie from 2016 would you prefer not hearing another word about?
    The girl on the train? Now I feel bad for the poor movie! It's just... meh.
    6) Second-favorite Olivier Assayas movie
    One may think I’ve been avoiding his movies (I haven’t)
    7) Miriam Hopkins or Kay Francis?
    Miriam Hopkins (I don’t think I have seen any of Ms. Francis movies)
    8) What’s the story of your first R-rated movie?
    I think it was The Big Easy, on TV. My mom asked me to leave the room before one particular scene, but later told me it wasn’t such a big deal. I still can’t tell if if was, as I haven’t rewatched it since then (1988 maybe?). I do remember one funny scene that involved Ellen Barkin, a refrigerator, and the son of Dennis Quaid’s character.
    9) What movie from any era that you haven’t yet seen would you be willing to resolve to see before this day next year?
    Cutter’s Way
    10) Second-favorite Pedro Almodovar movie
    A tie between ‘Women on the verge…’ (What a group of amazing characters) and Volver (so entertaining! And Penelope shines.) My favorite Almodovar is 1988 Dark Habits, a masterpiece in my humble opinion.
    11) What movie do you think comes closest to summing up or otherwise addressing the qualities of 2016?
    OJ: Made in America.
    12) Chris Pine or Chris Pratt?
    Chris Pine. I find him hard to watch sometimes (the camera seems to be saying: ‘’look at him! So handsome!’’, which I find annoying), but that can be a virtue, right? Or maybe he’s just getting older and more interesting as an actor.
    13) Your favorite movie theater, presently or from the past
    Out of nostalgia, I’ll pick Cine Fraga, in Vigo, where I was born.
    14) Favorite movie involving a family celebration
    3 weddings and a funeral. It hasn’t aged well, but I enjoyed it soo much when I was 17 or 18.
    15) Second-favorite Paul Schrader movie
    The comfort of strangers
    16) Ruth Negga or Hayley Atwell?
    I have to pass.
    17) Last three movies you saw, in any format
    Comoara ,The Handmaiden and Frantz (all3 in movie theaters)
    18) Your first X-rated, or porn movie?
    In the realm of senses (2 seconds of it, by accident. Traumatic experience - I was 11 or 12)
    19) Richard Boone or Charles McGraw?
    Charles McGraw
    20) Second-favorite Chan-wook Park movie
    Only seen The handmaiden a few days ago, now I want to see more!
    21) Movie that best encompasses or expresses loneliness
    Rebecca.
    22) What’s your favorite movie to watch with your best friend?
    Prick up your ears. I watched it many times with one of my sisters when we were teens. We were obsessed with the whole thing: the actors, the story, some lines of dialogue (“Cheap clothes suit you. It's because you're from the gutter.” – thanks imdb for selecting that quote!)
    23) Who’s the current actor you most look forward to seeing in 2017?
    After checking your post, I have to go for Jared Harris. He is consistently brilliant. And that voice! I think I love him.
    24) Your New Year’s wish for the movies
    More Jared Harris! On a different note, I hope 2017 will be a great year for movies. I think we actually need it, more than ever.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Barbara, your status as a citizen of Barcelona in no way disqualifies you from participating int he quiz! In fact, as a first-timer I welcome you especially! Your answers to #3 and #23 only confirm for me that you have found the right place to be here! Thanks so much for contributing!

    ReplyDelete
  13. 1) Best movie of 2016: Hell or High Water

    2) Worst movie of 2016: Well, it's a TV show, not a movie, but the pilot episode of "Search Party" was so deeply repellant that I feel the need to highlight it here.

    3) Best actress of 2016: I'm a year late, but I thought Saoirse Ronan was wonderful in "Brooklyn," which I finally say in 2016.

    4) Best actor of 2016: Jeff Bridges in "Hell or High Water."

    5) What movie from 2016 would you prefer not hearing another word about? Collateral Beauty, because the title is so deeply stupid.

    7) Miriam Hopkins or Kay Francis? All the way with Kay. Listening to her pronouncing the letter "R" is a balm in troubled times. Plus, she made more good movies. And I'd put "One Way Passage" and "Jewel Robbery" up against any of Miriam's best. (Of course, Kay is actually in Miriam's best, "Trouble in Paradise.")

    8) What’s the story of your first R-rated movie? We were 16 and we snuck into the Medina Drive-In, hidden inside the trunk of our 18-year-old friend's car, like any good red-blooded American youth would do. It was a Russ Meyer double feature, including "Cherry, Harry, and Raquel," in which the great Charles Napier asks that immortal question, "Where's the growler?"

    9) What movie from any era that you haven’t yet seen would you be willing to resolve to see before this day next year? I always feel bad that I haven't seen anything by Robert Bresson.

    10) Second-favorite Pedro Almodovar movie All About My Mother. (Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down! is my fave.)

    11) What movie do you think comes closest to summing up or otherwise addressing the qualities of 2016? Outside of Leni Riefenstahl in the 1930s, I don't think movies have captured what Trump means.

    12) Chris Pine or Chris Pratt? I've enjoyed Pine's work in "Bottle Shock" and "Hell or High Water," but Pratt's Andy Dwyer is a very special piece of work. He was very good, too, in the little-seen "Ten Years." So I'll go with Pratt.

    ReplyDelete
  14. 13) Your favorite movie theater, presently or from the past Theater 80 in lower Manhattan. A former speakeasy, and it felt like one. The Thalia was also a gem, not only for its great movies, but also for its very unusual, if not unique, upward sloping floor.

    14) Favorite movie involving a family celebration The first one I thought of was "The Best Years of Our Lives," with its wedding scene, so I'll stick with that.

    15) Second-favorite Paul Schrader movie Probably "Light Sleeper," because it doesn't resolve in a satisfying way. "Comfort of Strangers" would be my favorite.

    16) Ruth Negga or Hayley Atwell? Hayley Atwell. Her Peggy Carter is one of my favorite female characters ever.

    17) Last three movies you saw, in any format White Christmas (on TCM), Ain't in It For My Health (on AXS cable), and Florence Foster Jenkins in the theater with my mom.

    18) Your first X-rated, or porn movie? See #8, above. (Although "Autobiography of a Flea" at a rundown theater in Cleveland might have been a little bit earlier.)

    19) Richard Boone or Charles McGraw? Boone had more presence, and a more distinctive persona, with an unsettling hint of rot under the surface. (I think he might have been able to give a good screen rendering of Tennessee Williams.) On the other hand, I'd rather spend time with McGraw in "The Narrow Margin."

    21) Movie that best encompasses or expresses loneliness This is such a good question, so I'm disappointed that I'm not thinking of a good answer. The image of John Wayne framed in the door at the end of "The Searchers" or Charlie Chaplin inside the circle left by the departed caravan in "The Circus" come to mind, but neither seems exactly right. James Murray lost in the sea of desks at the end of "The Crowd" is also a candidate. For me, though, music does a better job of capturing the feeling of loneliness, perhaps because I watch movies in a crowd, whereas a I listen to music alone.

    22) What’s your favorite movie to watch with your best friend? Any Beatles movie.

    23) Who’s the current actor you most look forward to seeing in 2017?

    24) Your New Year’s wish for the movies: Respond to Trump as well as movies responded to Nixon in the Seventies.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Thanks Dennis! I've been following your blog for years, it's on my top 5 of movie blogs. Top 3 probably!

    ReplyDelete
  16. 1) Best movie of 2016

    Currently, "Loving."

    2) Worst movie of 2016

    Am still in the "watching movies from '16 I think I'll like stage." So I'll choose one from 2015 (albeit one that went wide in '16): "The Revenant." Fairly certain it will stand as my most hated movie of the decade com Dec. 31 2019.

    3) Best actress of 2016

    Ruth Negga, "Loving"

    4) Best actor of 2016

    Michael Shannon, "Midnight Special"

    5) What movie from 2016 would you prefer not hearing another word about? Why?

    "La La Land"--It's *fine* but I found it an average, rather than exceptional, musical.

    6) Second-favorite Olivier Assayas movie

    "Irma Vep" ("Carlos" is #1).

    7) Miriam Hopkins or Kay Francis?

    Kay Francis

    8) What’s the story of your first R-rated movie?

    Parents let me watch R-rated flicks early on. It was either "Creepshow" or "Salvador," which I watched when I was between 4 and 6 (though they sent me out of the room for a couple graphic scenes in "Salvador"). I guess that my parents let me watch those movies at those ages *is* the story.

    9) What movie from any era that you haven’t yet seen would you be willing to resolve to see before this day next year?

    "It Happened One Night," because I need to watch *a lot* more early Hollywood. Though I'm looking forward to this project, really, so maybe "Salo" because, like, I have no desire to watch it but feel I've put it off long enough.

    10) Second-favorite Pedro Almodovar movie

    "Matador" comes in a close second to "Bad Education."

    11) What movie do you think comes closest to summing up or otherwise addressing the qualities of 2016?

    "Stroszek"? I mean, it's gotta be something by Werner Herzog, right?

    12) Chris Pine or Chris Pratt?

    Chris Prine. Chris Pratt seems to take being a movie star way too seriously.

    13) Your favorite movie theater, presently or from the past

    Currently, I enjoy Pittsburgh's Row House Theater (a repertory theater). Growing up, it was always Albany, NY's, Spectrum.

    14) Favorite movie involving a family celebration

    "35 Shots of Rum"

    15) Second-favorite Paul Schrader movie

    "Cat People"

    16) Ruth Negga or Hayley Atwell?

    Tipped my hand at this already: Ruth Negga

    17) Last three movies you saw, in any format

    "Keanu," "Princess Mononoke" (revisiting), and "The Nice Guys"

    18) Your first X-rated, or porn movie?

    "Midnight Cowboy" or "Clockwork Orange," probably.

    19) Richard Boone or Charles McGraw?

    Charles McGraw

    20) Second-favorite Chan-wook Park movie

    Another realization: I'm woefully unfamiliar with Asian film outside of Japan/Taiwan.

    21) Movie that best encompasses or expresses loneliness

    Tarkovsky's "Stalker" or Haynes's "Safe"

    22) What’s your favorite movie to watch with your best friend?

    We haven't regularly watched movies together since high school, but back then it was probably "Dr. Strangelove."

    23) Who’s the current actor you most look forward to seeing in 2017?

    Michelle Williams is doing a movie with Todd Haynes that's supposed to be released in 2017. Her brief turn in "I'm Not There" is fantastic. Very excited about this.

    24) Your New Year’s wish for the movies

    That there continue to be outlets available for exceptional but largely unheralded young filmmakers like Marielle Heller or Justin Simien or Peter Strickland or Alex Ross Perry.

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  17. My belated answers:

    http://mythicalmonkey.blogspot.com/2017/01/sergio-leone-and-infield-fly-rule.html

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  18. As Mark said, "Better late than never, my answers here:"

    https://le0pard13.com/2017/04/28/time-again-to-be-late-for-the-moriarty-movie-quiz/

    Thanks so much, Dennis. ;-)

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