I second that emotion!

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Conman had such a cool idea for a blogathon that I couldn’t resist – here’s my last-minute entry into the Emotion Blogathon from the most emotional mess on the planet, and for balance, Sean-the-Robot’s picks as well.emotions Joy: The movie that makes me smile the most? Can I say my wedding video? No? A real movie? Billy-Elliot-billy-elliot-13639478-760-499Okay then. The movies that make me giggle the most are Hamlet 2 (the always-hilarious Steve Coogan is a failed actor-turned drama teacher who writes a brilliant sequel to Hamlet) and Eagle Vs Shark (Jemaine Clement plays an irredeemable weirdo; the wit is dry and unapologetic). The movies that make me happy are Singing in the Rain (I’ve never remained seated while watching it. It’s infectious.) and Billy Elliot (oh, no theme there at all). The movie that puts a song in my heart is Up. Gets me every damn time. The movie that gives me that Fuck yeah! feeling is Big Fish.

Sean’s pick:  Amelie – there’s something about this movie that makes me feel hopeful, not just one thing, repeatedly, over and over, it captures something raw about us.We are at our best when we do good and help each other, just for the sake of it, and sometimes we forget that.

Sadness: Which movies has made me cry the most? All Dogs Go to Heaven was probably the first to turn me into a giant puddle of weepery. In grade 7 I turned purple and had to lock myself All-Dogs-go-to-Heaven-all-dogs-go-to-heaven-4984580-780-588in a bathroom stall in school when we watched The Outsiders. And we’d just finished the book so I knew what was coming. The Last Kiss (Zach Braff cheats on his wife with Rachel Bilson and then regrets it and tries to win her back) had me totally choked up when I unknowingly watched it during the throes of my horrible divorce. Furious 7 reduced me to tears on numerous occasions just thinking of the movie or hearing that damn song on the radio for weeks after I saw it – I’m not proud of that, but in my defense, I did lose 2 very close friends to car accidents and that movie seems to have triggered a lot of grief for me.

Sean’s pick: Big Fish – this is a movie that exemplifies “good sad” which I didn’t even know existed for the first 25 years of my life. Billy Crudup’s story of how his dad dies is hands down the finest cinematic expression of the love between a father and son.

(I think it’s sweet how we overlap on happy\sad)

Anger: A movie that fills me with rage and inspires Jay-Hulk to rip off my shirt and rant for ages? Well, that’s probably like every second movie I’ve ever seen, come to think of it. 40 Days and 40 bayNights (that Josh Hartnett one where he tries to be celibate for 40 days) really makes me seethe because the dude gets straight-up raped in the movie, only nobody calls it that because he’s a guy, and the rapist is a woman. I literally think steam comes out of my ears. 50 Shades of Grey makes me livid and I haven’t even seen it. But I can’t believe we’re allowing this to exist, this dumbing down of society, and this glamourization of an abusive relationship. Thanks, 50 Shades, for setting us back about 65 years! And you know who really steams my broccoli? That Michael Bay. Does anyone so consistently annoy the shit out of me by making steaming piles of crap? Michael Fucking Bay!

 

Sean’s pick: The Amazing Spiderman – if you reboot a superhero franchise, don’t rehash the origin story in the reboot. It’s lazy and terrible and makes me angry. The only way Chris Nolan got away with it was by capturing the essence of the classic “Batman: Year One” storyline, but I can’t think of any other situation where that would work. So please, none of these origin stories are complicated, just do it in the opening credits and get to the good stuff, i.e., the conflict between our hero and one of his/her (though let’s be honest, it’s always his) classic villains.

 

childrenFear: The movie that scared the bejesus out of movie? Precious. That got under my skin. No horror movie will ever bother me half as much as the degradation of a human being. Children of Men made me fear for the future. Man Bites Dog made me fear for our souls. The Act of Killing made me fear for the human race. Complete lack of empathy. I mean, wtf. Boys Don’t Cry can probably go into that same category. Hotel Rwanda. Like, I’m just sad for humanity for days.

Sean’s pick:  Friday the 13th – As a kid before I even saw the movie (but knew the basic concept) I was terrified of killers in the woods at camp because of this movie and its (first few) sequels. Especially at night, when I was walking through a wooded area at camp, I would be freaking out.

Disgust: This is my favouritest emotion ever and I’m full of cringes and upturning of my cute-as-a-button nose. How can I ever pick just one? I’m disgusted by just about any movie that’s a waste of space. I famously reenacted nearly every scene of 2012 when I was flummoxed as to how such a terrible movie ever got made. And I feel that way of about a third of the movies ever made. So that’s a lot. I’m also disgusted by anything poopy or farty (I’m looking at you, street-poopBridesmaids). Even toilet humour. Oh god. And that scene in Big Daddy where the kid spits this big long string and then slurps it back up? I have to go take a shower just from writing that. And that blonde chick in Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist who just will not throw out that revolting piece of gum to save her life (or more realistically, MINE). And obviously anything eye-related. I have to actually turn away, and when Sean tells me it’s safe, I’m like, are you SURE? Because no. Not even. And Minority Report seems to have been made solely to make me squirm. Tom Cruise gets his eyeballs swapped out in a crude and unsanitary procedure, and then goes on to blindly eat THE MOST DISGUSTING THINGS IN THE KNOWN UNIVERSE. I’m making retching noises right now and I bet if you listen carefully, you can hear them wherever you are.

Sean’s pick: Pixels – The feeling when you hope for a return to form and then receive the laziest possible effort from a guy who used to have his finger on the pulse of a generation, and more egregiously, the exact generation who remembers the greatness of pac-man and donkey kong and centipede.

All right. We’ve fessed up, so now it’s your turn. What movies would you pick? And if you’ve participated, be sure to leave us your link!

32 thoughts on “I second that emotion!”

    1. Jay Post author

      It’s a pathological failing of mine that I can never choose a favourite ANYTHING, so no, do not berate yourself for following the rules.

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  4. ruth

    I’m so with you about 50 Shades… “I can’t believe we’re allowing this to exist, this dumbing down of society, and this glamourization of an abusive relationship.” Right on. It angers me as much as the Kardashians.

    Oh and I put down a Michael Bay flick for Anger, so deplorable!

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      1. fragglerocking

        Had to come back to this post, as am currently watching a series called The Last Ship, that Michael Bay is executive producer on, series one a bit gung ho American clap trap, but series 2 a cut above. He may be redeeming himself here.

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  5. Everyday Adventures at Home... Hurrah!

    This was a fun post to read. I love Singing in The Rain, Billy Elliott, and Amelie. I also agree whole-heartedly with your take on 50 Shades, though (like you) I have never watched it and wouldn’t bother. Just the other day I was remembering one of the most amazing movies I think I have ever watched,”Life Is Beautiful”. Have you seen that one? I watched it many, many years ago, but it is the only movie I can think of that has simultaneously made me cry feeling utter heartbreak and laugh my head off… Talk about complexity of emotions! Genius work, kind of defies a category. Maybe time for me to watch it again. Take care!

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  9. Brittani

    Awesome pick! THANK YOU for saying that about 40 Days and 40 Nights. I haven’t seen that since it first came out, but I remember thinking the same thing. People were laughing at that scene. No.

    I love that Michael Bay meme.

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  10. Andrew

    First, your banter in the comments section about your wedding is adorable.

    AND…your post is awesome too!!! Love the bounty of picks here. The fact that you mentioned the spit slurping in Big Daddy is so great. I completely forgot about that movie but the minute you mentioned it I saw the scene..,and YUCK!

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    1. Jay Post author

      Aw, thanks. I think we walk a fine line between banter and bicker, but it’s us and we never shut up. And by we I mean me.

      And yes, I know, I can even HEAR that scene, just ugh.

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  11. Christopher

    Anger is so much fun that I’m just going to focus on that one and a film that just makes me seethe with rage: You’ve Got Mail. People seem surprised that such a sweet, charming movie causes my eyes to bleed, but here it is: a young woman who runs a decent independent business is driven to bankruptcy by the owner of a global chain who, by the way, has been stringing her along for months, and it’s all okay because she marries him in the end. She might get a job out of it too. Isn’t it nice that the man who destroyed her livelihood is holding out that carrot?

    Capping it off is the fact that at the time the movie came out I read a real-life story of an owner of an independent bookstore that went bankrupt. She then went to work at one of those big chain stores. Instead of being able to use her skills and knowledge she was a glorified cashier at a place that put more emphasis on rules like “No open-toed shoes” than books. She tried to sponsor community events but these had to be approved by a corporate office in another state that took so long the opportunity would be gone before she got a reply.

    Oh yeah, You’ve Got Mail is a romantic comedy. Hilarious.

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  12. Dan

    Joy – HAMLET 2. YES. So freaking funny. I almost went with Amelie, actually, but when I’m in the wrong mood, the ending sometimes makes me cry, so I went with the pure unadulterated joy of Singin’ in the Rain instead.

    And honestly, 50 Shades may be terrible literature, but the film is more progressive in some ways than most films are. Consider that most of the sex is focused on the woman’s pleasure, and that SHE is the one in charge of the relationship at all times – Christian makes it clear that Ana can say no at any time, and when it gets too much for her, she does. And he stops. Compare this to The Boy Next Door, in which J. Lo is basically raped (she repeatedly uses the words NO and STOP), but it’s okay because he makes her feel GOOD, so she kinda gives in, and is then punished for feeling good by having the kid stalk her. Which film sounds like any other film, and which one in this day and age is more radical?

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    1. Jay Post author

      I haven’t seen 50 Shades but I did read it, and it awful. Not just terrible, cliched writing, but genuinely a depiction of a sickening, controlling, abusive relationship. Not acceptable. Do NOT sell this to me as erotica.

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  13. Wednesday's Child

    I’ll tell you a movie that makes me angry: Pacific Heights! Michael Keaton plays the worst tenant in the whole wide world, and manages to get the authorities on his side against his landlord, Matthew Modine. Arrgh! It’s hard to watch. The most disgusting movie is titled with two apartment numbers I can’t remember, but it’s a Korean movie where a woman wants her neighbor to cook and eat her. I think I’m too high strung for apartment living! Ok, joy is Harold and Maude, sadness The Orphanage, and fear is Pet Sematary. I know it’s a stupid old movie, but I still can’t watch that Zelda character to this day!

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    1. Jay Post author

      I don’t know that I’ve seen Pacific Heights and from what I hear, I don’t think I could handle it either. And ditto for the Korean one – I just don’t have the stomach for stuff like that!
      I love your joy pick – that makes me happy too!

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