Thank you to the very talented Mark Hobin from Fast Film Reviews and Amy from Movie Writing for honoring the website with the Liebster Award. Both are incredible writers who I personally follow in their line of work and great individuals as well.
When you receive a Liebster, there are a couple of steps to folow:
1-The person receiving the award must write eleven things about he/she/them.
2-Answer the eleven question from the award givers.
3-Create eleven questions for those receiving the award.
4-Make your selection for the next award recipients.
5-Announce the next line of winners.
Not a big fan of writing about myself (there are more interesting things to write about) but here we go:
Eleven Things About Myself
1-I was absolutely terrified of the film “Gremlins” when I was little. I love the films/franchise now.
2-I’m a big movie soundtrack/score fan. To me it represents a big part of the film experience.
3-I love reading, and being in a bookstore with a cup of coffee in my hand is one of my small versions of paradise.
4-I have a thing for pajamas and have the geekiest and most embarrassing collection of them.
5-I also collect mugs with the same characteristics.
6-I’m a big time “foodie”.
7-I predict that in the future we are gonna be able to watch movies inside our brains “Matrix” style.
8-I’m a big animation fan and I considered it to be still underestimated as a “kids only” media most of the times.
9-I consider Woody Allen to be a genius as a writer/filmmaker. My favorite scene ever from any film is the “movie theater” segment from Hannah and Her Sisters.
10-I have a weakness for B Movies from the 80’s and 90’s. The worse they are, the more I like them.
11-Watching a movie I enjoy can be the best part of my day.
In Response to Mark’s Questions:
1-First movie you remember seeing in a theater:
“The Secret of Nimh” (1982)
2-I once adored the movie______, but I detest it now:
That has never happened to me! I either love it/hate it the first time around.
3-What critically revered film do you hate?
Gaspar Noe’s “Irreversible” (2002). Any film that depicts graphic and brutal violence towards women in a 8 mins long sequence has a big “No-No” from me.
4-Movie you are ashamed to admit you love? (A real guilty pleasure where admitting it actually makes you worried people will think less of you).
I’m writing this while wearing a big paper bag on my head so people don’t recognize me….It’s “The Nightmare Before Christmas” (1993). It mixes so many things I love: monsters of all kinds, stop-motion animation, great soundtrack, and a love story between a skeleton and a rag doll…yep, guilty.
5-What’s the worst film to win Best Picture?
Crash (2004). Stereotype characters following a predictable “cliche” story line.
6-Name a movie most people would be shocked to hear you have never seen:
Schindler’s List (1993). I read a book called “Man’s search for Meaning”, in which a concentration camp survivor talks about his experience in Auschwitz and how the willing to see his wife again kept him alive. It was life changing. I can’t honestly watch anything about World War II (or any war) ever since.
7-What’s the most confusing movie you have ever seen?
A hilarious over the top campy musical I ran into on Netflix: it had The Bee Gees, Steve Martin, Aerosmith and even Alice Cooper singing the weirdest Beatles covers ever! It’s called “Sargent Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band”, but none of the Beatles appear on it!
8-Most visually stunning film:
“The Fall” (2006).
9-Most disgusting film/scene that turned your stomach:
I can take as much gore/blood as you throw at me, but one thing never fails: I can’t watch anyone throwing up in a film, even if it looks fake. I get nauseous right away.
10-Worst film from a great director?:
Bryan Singer’s “Superman Returns” (2006)
11-Name your 5 favorite actors and 5 favorite actresses of all time:
Actors: Philip Seymour Hoffman, Robert De Niro, Tom Hanks, Robert Downey Jr., Sam Rockwell. Actresses: Mery Streep, Julia Roberts, Katherine Keener, Audrey Hepburn, Juliette Lewis.
In Response to Amy’s Questions:
1-What film would you recommend to me?
“Paranorman” (2012). It was released here in the U.S., and is coming to the U.K. in September. Brilliant, visually stunning, an homage to old school horror with a heartwarming story at its core.
2-What was your worse cinema experience, and why?
“Jaws 3D” (1983). I was six and absolutely terrified, I remember taking off the 3D glasses every time the shark appeared on screen!
3-Which piece of fiction would you like to see on the big screen?
My favorite book, The Little Prince by Antoine De Saint-Exupery. There’s an old movie about it already but is, well…not good.
4-What upcoming film are most looking forward to?
I’m a big animation junkie, specially stop motion. This year “Paranorman” was incredible and now I can’t wait for “Frankenweenie”.
5-What is the most “Protentious” piece of cinema you have seen?
“A Scanner Darkly” (2006)
6-Why did you start writing about film?iv>
I love it so much…film dissection can be fascinating, from both good and bad movies.
7-Out of the many locations you have seen portrayed in film, where would you like to live?
In Greece, specially on the Greek Islands. There’s a film I love called “The Big Blue” that’s in part shot there and is just such an idyllic place.
8-What is the most effective piece of cinema you have seen?
“Adaptation” (2002). It breaks the limits between the writer of a film and the finished work. Brilliant.
9-What film you wish you hadn’t seen and why?
“Miss Bala” (2011). The powerless nature of the main character, a teenage girl, against organized crime broke my heart due to the actuality of all the events portrayed in it.
10-Is there a film you think a different director would have done a better work with?
“Superman” (2006) was a big dissapoint.”Man
of Steel”(2013) directed by Zack Snyder is coming out next year, so we’ll be able to compare both takes on this character.
of Steel”(2013) directed by Zack Snyder is coming out next year, so we’ll be able to compare both takes on this character.
11-What is the worst film you have seen this year?
“Project X”. It “wowed” me, but in the worst way.
And Now I Give the Award to:
And Here Are my Eleven Questions for the Winners:
1-What’s your favorite film?
2-What’s the best movie going experience you’ve ever had and why?
3-What film do you consider that changed the history of cinema?
4-What’s your “secret guilty pleasure” movie?
5-What was your favorite movie as a kid?
6-One film you consider absolutely underrated.
7-This is the film that changed the way I see movies: ______
8-People would never think I actually like this movie:_________
9-If you could live inside a film, as a character of it or as yourself, it would be:__________
10-If someone made a biopic about you, who would you like to play yourself?
11-Person in the film industry that have had the biggest impact on you and why (it can be a director, actor,etc).
