First Fiscal Quarter Mailbag

Dear HOM,

With Valentine's Day coming up, there's always the possibility of picking up a movie for me and the mrs. to watch. As a 27 year-old male, the problem is I struggle with "chick flicks." What do you recommend that won't make me want to (insert something gruesome)?

Thank you,

Lost in Louisville 

Dear L.I.L,

I have a tall friend that recently told me about a practice he and his wife make use of. They will go to the theater and plan on seeing two movies. They'll each pick one that they want to see that way each party is content enough. This takes time and money, though.

Here's the thing with "chick flicks", L.I.L. There are some worth watching. And this is where you'll need an expert. Next time she wants to queue up a love story, guide her towards some of these less gushy titles (notably, if the romcom features Hanks and Meg Ryan then your enjoyment is sure to be mutual):

When Harry Met Sally - The Holiday - You've Got Mail - Sleepless in Seattle - The Devil Wears Prada - Notting Hill - The Wedding Planner - Fool's Gold

There are many more and here is what I'd nudge you towards. Granted, she will have seen all of these. The great thing about a chick that likes chick flicks is that she'll most likely easily be swayed towards one that she knows is a sure bet, even if it is her 17th viewing. I'll stand by these above titles and add one more bit of advice. Flicks that feature McConauhey are usually superb for one reason - McConaughey. He'll provide genuine entertainment on so many levels. It's the absurdity that becomes the pursuit, you'll be on pins and needles waiting for him to come through with utter unbelievability.

Stay Strong, LIL, and muster up the courage to suggest the same 8 movies every Valentine's day for the next 40 years.

Yours Truly,

HOM

HOM,

The blog looks great. Thanks for keeping me up-to-date! The editor is sexy.

Anonymous

Dear Anonymous,

I have a suspicion that you are my sister. Thanks, I guess.

Peace,

Uncle HOM

Dear HashingOutMovies,

I haven't seen many foreign movies. I've never been excited about having to read subtitles for two hours. I'm wondering if I'm missing out on some good stuff. Can you recommend some foreign movies that are worth my time? Thanks,

American Joe

Privet! American Joe,

Great question! Jacked that you're willing to put in a little extra work to find some worthwhile movies. In the first place let me recommend a practice that I learned from an expert movie goer and lover of all movies - black, yellow, red and white. She taught me how beneficial it can be to watch all movies, english or sans english, with subtitles. Not only does it enhance the script but it also makes subtitles less intrusive. It becomes the norm to read subtitles this way. Some folks roll their eyes when I turn the subtitles on as if to say, "Seriously, could you do anything more cinephile?" I say, yes, I could and then they temper their scoffs for they know that I might watch three hours of extras before the movie starts, then watch the movie, then watch the movie with commentary on.

As to your question. Let me start with just a few that changed my life. Indeed, there are countless others that are worth laboring through two hours of reading but these would be a good start. They are compelling and will most likely ensnare enough of your attention with content to keep subtitles subdued.

Pan's Labyrinth - The best from Guillermo del Toro (one of the best of all time).
The Bicycle Thief - An older flick but the humanity of it trumps anything that might deter you.
Waltz With Bashir - Read up on the history of this one and then watch it - you'll be captivated.
Le Petit Soldat - A first rate thriller from the master Jean-Luc Godard. If you enjoy movies and have seen enough of them you'll notice how many scenes and shots and sorts of dialogue that he create.
Mesrine: Killer Instinct - Saddle up, this one is fast paced and features a top five actor, Vincent Cassel. You will not want to be gangster after this one.

There are so many more but this is a good start. Let us know how it goes.

Shalom,

HOM

I was talking with some friends the other day about the best movies about or featuring horses. I was wondering if you could weigh in on the debate/conversation. What's your favorite horse movie?

Thanks HOM,

Avid Rider

Avid Rider,

If "All the Pretty Horses" was not at the top of y'all's list then HOM won't have much to say on this matter. I'd have to mention "Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken" if I was going to talk about horses in movies. As much as I appreciated "Seabiscuit", I didn't love it - a little to heavy on the Disney. Slot "Black Beauty" just in front of "The Horsewhisperer" and you have a top five. Leave "Hidalgo" behind but be sure and talk about how brave of a movie it is. 

Toes Up,

HOM

HOM,

Picked up MI: Ghost Protocol last weekend...solid picture. Got me thinking about how the MI movies have gotten better as the series has progressed. 

In your opinion, which series - Bourne or Mission Impossible - has improved the most since the first installment? I know MI has one more movie than Bourne now, but I think we have a large enough sample size to decide.

And a bonus question - If you had to pick between Ethan Hunt and Jason Bourne for a one-man mission to save the world, who would you pick?

Thanks,

Lost in Louisville

Greetings to you and yours, LIL,


You've made some strong statements here. I've been thinking about them for like two hours. I came up with this in response:


Have they (Mission Impossible) gotten better? I mean, sure, they spend more money on each new installment and they do what they can to tip their hat to what worked in the previous flick. But I'm not sure that bigger explosions and wringing out excessive, clever quips makes it possible to deem the new superior to the old. I'd have to hear an awfully cogent hashing on how any besides the first is best. With that said, I've answered your first question only partly.


If MI has not improved then we need to establish if the Bourne's have improved. Here's the thing, I find the Bourne's to benefit from a level of pure devotion. Not only are they faithful to the books but they are faithful to mood and pace - two things of monumental importance for a thriller series. In this way, the Bourne's have not improved as much as they have remained (or attained) consistent brilliance. Each is as good as the last, the last is as good as the first. On this note, how do you feel about Jeremy Renner replacing Damon? I'm cool with it. I think the series needs a dose of fresh and I think Damon, himself, needs to move on from the roll that was made for him and he for it. It shall rest in time as one of the best.


Lastly, I'm not even sure that we need to think about this too long. The question could be asked a little differently, though. Do we want everything blown up in our hero's wake or do we want to leave no trace besides a series of prostrated dictators? I'd choose the latter which in turn points me towards Bourne. Sure, Ethan Hunt would be effective but I'd rather rest easy knowing that no one else on the planet knows that Bourne even exists. He also shows less emotion amongst a release of revolutionary information. Ethan gets volatile while Bourne keeps looking for whatever he was looking for. The only tip to the viewer that Bourne even heard the information would come in a brief glance from behind the scope of a sniper rifle or a split second stall. I'll take a stoic hero over a dramatic one any day. We probably can't lose though, can we?


Thanks LIL,

HOM