Winning Awards, It's (Apparently) What I Do...

David Inman, of The Man on the Flying Trapeze was gracious enough to pass along to me the Liebster Award, of which I am very grateful. A big, huge, gigantic, overblown "thank you" to David and, after perusing his blog, I give it a personal seal of approval, so head on over there and follow him...he surely deserves your attention.

Now then, since I didn't even have a speech prepared or anything, I'm going to have to wing this Liebster Award reception, but I think I can handle it. There are four steps that I must complete. Shall we?

Step 1
Eleven Random Facts About Me

1. I'm a smoker...but hoping to quit before I turn 30 (July 12, 2014). I smoke menthol lights, if you must know.
2. I met my wife (of nearly five years now) online.
3. Before movies, my passion was (and still is) professional wrestling. To me, it's art.
4. I work at Wal-Mart
5. My wife and I have a Toy Yorkie named Tucker.
6. My favorite musician is Iron & Wine, followed closely by The Beatles and Coheed and Cambria
7. My favorite Beatles tune is a odd choice: "And Your Bird Can Sing".
8. My favorite author is Stephen King, though I've only completely read four of his novels and one of his collections.
9. I recently bought a Kindle, but use it less for reading and more for playing Words with Friends and checking e-mail/web.
10. I live in the United States and have been a resident of two states: Pennsylvania (currently) and West Virginia.
11. I'm fond of naps.

Step 2
Answering Eleven Questions

1.  Name a movie you saw at an early age that terrified/transformed/inspired you.

I guess "Cast Away" would be a good answer here. When I saw that movie, at the age of (I think) sixteen, I realized that I wanted to watch as many movies as I could get my hands on. Definitely the movie that made me want to be a movie buff. 

2. What is your favorite movie genre, and why?

I'll call it a tie between prison films and biopics. I've rarely (if ever) seen a bad prison flick and I've always loved a good biopic. Interesting that history on a grander scale often turns me off, while individual history usually gets my attention.

3. What is the most disturbing film you've ever seen?

Well, "Salo" would probably be the stock answer, but I'm gonna' go with "Satyricon". That movie is STILL stuck in my head and proves that Fellini was working (mentally) on an entirely different level.

4. 1930s or 1970s?

Both are great, but I'll go 1970s.

5. Who in your opinion was the most underrated performer in Hollywood between 1930-50?

Thomas Mitchell and Gloria Grahame were the first two to spring to mind, but they both won Oscars, so I guess they aren't underrated...tough one.

6. Name a movie you love, or at least like, that everyone else seems to hate.

I don't know what the general consensus on it is, but I'm gonna' answer "Cross My Heart" - a rarely seen comedy from the 80s starring Martin Short and Annette O'Toole. Very dialogue driven, funny and a guilty pleasure, I guess.

7. Name a movie you hate, or at least intensely dislike, that everyone else seems to love. 

Casablanca

8. What's your favorite filmgoing memory? It can be about the film itself or where you saw it (historic movie palace, drive-in, sitting on Brad Pitt's lap, etc.).

Ouch. Well, I'm not much of a theater goer, but I guess I'd have to say "The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers", just because.

9. What's your favorite Astaire-Rogers movie? 

Top Hat

10. Kirk Douglas or Burt Lancaster?

Well, they're both fine actors, but (and despite not really having a favorite movie of his...yet) I gotta' go Kirk Douglas. There's just something about the guy that makes me WANT to like him.

11. What's your favorite prison film?

Le Trou recently ousted The Shawshank Redemption as my favorite prison film.

Step 3
Sharing the Love

As a Liebster Award recipient, it is my duty to pass the award on to eleven other deserving bloggers...They are...

1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die

1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die

Cinemalacrum

Don't Look in the Cellar

I Shoot the Pictures

Just Like the Movies

Lest We Forget

Lime Reviews and Strawberry Confessions

Mike's Movie Projector

A Mythical Monkey Writes About the Movies

Shot's Shack

Aaaand...Step 4
The Step Where They Answer My Questions

It is the duty of the eleven selected blogs, to provide eleven random facts about themselves, select eleven blogs to pass the Liebster Award on to AND answer the following eleven questions, put forth by yours truly.

1. What is your favorite Hitchcock film?

2. What is the first film you REMEMBER purchasing on DVD?

3. Think of your favorite director. Got it? Okay, now then, what is the movie that made them your favorite director?

4. Wes Anderson or Paul Thomas Anderson?

5. What is your favorite silent film?

6. You're going to be stranded on a deserted island and can take along five movies...what are they?

7. Pre-1960s films or Post-1960s films?

8. Why do you blog about movies?

9. If you could dine with three movie personalities (directors, actors, actresses, etc.), who would be your three choices?

10. How big is your DVD collection?

11. Favorite horror movie to watch on or around Halloween?

I've also planning to take the time to update my BlogRoll!, as a lot of those blogs haven't been updated in ages and some new bloggers deserve a chance to shine. 

Once again, thank you to David for choosing me to be the recipient of a Liebster Award. I had a blast participating in the questionnaire and passing on the love. As all bloggers know, receiving recognition for your work only serves to fuel your fire to keep going and right now I'm well past E.

April 5, 2013  12:24am