Abecedarian movies

I saw this at SamuraiFrog. You name one movie for every letter of the alphabet.

Here are the rules:

1. Pick one film to represent each letter of the alphabet.

2. The letter "A" and the word "The" do not count as the beginning of a film's title, unless the film is simply titled A or The, and I don't know of any films with those titles.

3. [Lengthy rules about Star Wars, Raiders of the Lost Ark, LOTR, Chronicles of Narnia series...]

4. Films that start with a number are filed under the first letter of their number's word. 12 Monkeys would be filed under "T."

5. Link back to Blog Cabins in your post.

6. If you're selected, you have to then select 5 more people.

The original Blog Cabins rules suggest that one picks their FAVORITE film under that letter, which not explicit in the various iterations I've seen such as the one by Tom the Dog, who had a lovely twist on the concept. Johnny B. also did it.

My blog, my (additional) rules. These are films I have seen and that I like. Maybe not THE favorite (A would be Annie Hall, e.g.), but one of my favorites. Some were tough to find anything (X), while some had a plethora of possibilities (T). I've tended to lean towards those I first saw in an actual movie theater rather than on video. In fact, I think I saw all my main choices that way except E, H and X

Amadeus - a rockingly good time with Mozart. He died making perhaps my favorite music ever, his Requiem.

Being There - I spent a lot of time defending this film from people who thought it was "boring", that "nothing happens".

Cabaret- picked over the obvious Casablanca only because I saw the latter on TV first.

Dumbo - I decided that I needed some animation, and while The Incredibles and Toy Story 2, to name two, would rank higher, this story of the outsider always resonated with me, despite the crows.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind - my wife and I saw this on video, were too tired to finish, watch the rest in the morning. I still LOVED it. As someone said, "A very, very sweet movie masquerading as something else." But I've recently discovered that my wife likes it much less than I thought she did. TThis was one of the two Charlie Kaufman films I considered, but since I had a perfectly good B choice, Being John Malkovich, alas, was cast to the side.

Field of Dreams = STILL makes me cry.

Groundhog Day - own this on VHS to see annually.

Hairspray - somehow missed this John waters film in the theater. But saw it recently enough to review in this blog. I'm talking the original here, not the remake.

In the Name of the Father - my Daniel Day-Lewis pick. Not even my favorite of his films, but still solid.

Jules et Jim - saw this at a museum in Binghamton when I was in high school. If you insist on something in English, Jesus Christ Superstar.

Kissing Jessica Stein - had trouble picking ANY K movie.

Lonestar - my John Sayles pick. Sayles is from Schenectady, near Albany, and I've seen a LOT of his films, but this is my favorite.

Malcolm X - this covers Denzel Washington and Spike Lee. Actually, my favorite Spike joint would be Do The Right Thing, but I like this one as well.

The Night They Raided Minsky's - I do believe I'm obsessed with this film, based on the number of times that I've mentioned it in this blog. I actually was talking to someone this week who thought it'd be a fine Broadway musical.

On the Waterfront - I actually saw this in television inonly in the past five years. Quite powerful.

Planet of the Apes - a great story co-written by Rod Serling.

The Queen - a recent view; a thin group of choices.

Rear Window - saw this Hitchcock film in a theater when it was re-released in mid-1980s. Indeed, I think I've only seen two Hitch films in an actual movie theater, this and the Birds, though I've watched a number on TV.

sex, lies and videotape - just edging out The Sound of Music and the Shawshank Redemption.

The Truman Show - tough category with Toy Story 2, 12 Angry Men, To Kill a Mockingbird. But this is a GOOD Jim Carrey film.

Unforgiven - one of Tom's selection, the directing of Clint Eastwood needed a spot. So did the western, now that I think of it.

Volver - a relatively recent movie that came to mind with Penelope Cruz.

West Side Story - though Wizard of Oz is the better movie, I do so LOVE the music of WSS. AND I saw it in the movies as a kid.

X2 - this may be the ONLY X movie I've seen and remember. I saw this with my wife in a hotel in Maryland or West Virginia on New Year's Eve a few years ago, before Lydia, stopping midway in our return trip from North Carolina to NYS

Young Frankenstein - oh, yes, another Tom pick. Literally fell out of my chair laughing when I saw it in the theater; good thing I had an aisle seat.

Z - haven't seen this since it first came out, but I remember being riveted by it.

ROG