I Wonder What Those Dents on the Couch *Really* Mean

Aimlessly trying to figure out what to blog about.  I'm still thinking I'll take up a 365 day challenge, but for now I leave you with something I found via kottke.org, originally at Bullshit:

The ultimate personality test

It’s not strange to disagree about movies that are wildly different, and there are surely a few random movies that are very polarizing. What I find most interesting is which movie people consider the best movie from a particular director, as it is usually very telling and polarizing in a different way, so to this point I will propose a new personality test where you reblog your favorite movie from each of these directors:

1. Joel Coen: No Country for Old Men, The Big Lebowski, Fargo, The Hudsucker Proxy, Miller’s Crossing, Raising Arizona, etc
2. Wes Anderson: The Darjeeling Limited, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, The Royal Tennenbaums, Rushmore, Bottle Rocket, etc
3. Hal Ashby: Being There, Shampoo, Harold and Maude, etc
4. Kevin Smith: Zack and Miri Make a Porno, Dogma, Chasing Amy, Mallrats, Clerks, etc
5. Quentin Tarantino: Grindhouse, Kill Bill, Pulp Fiction, Reservoir Dogs, etc

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I find it a fascinating idea, mostly because people LOVE to argue about this stuff.  Get any group of holier-than-thou intellectuals, pseudointellectuals, wannabe intellectuals, or self-proclaimed total movie buffs together and you could bet against the clock to see who'll bring up one of these movies up first --either by quote or by scene-- and who else will threaten to beat the shit up out of the other person because there is NO WAY that movie is better than the other one. 

Note I say "threaten"-- intellectuals are notoriously pussy about stuff like that.  I speak from experience.

Another noteworthy item-- sometimes your favorite movie may be the only one you've seen.  I've only seen two Wes Anderson films and two-and-a-half Hal Ashby, so in some ways it's unfair to pick a winner out of such a slender selection, you know?  On the other hand, if you've seen every movie by a certain director, picking a favorite is like picking among your kids-- it's bizarrely Sophie's Choice-y.

Without further ado, my picks are The Big Lebowski (possibly my favorite movie EVAR, although, honestly, that was hard, because, I mean, Fargo???); The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (because I totally HATED The Royal Tenenbaums and so bring it on, bitches); Harold and Maude (although Peter Sellers was so eerily amazing in Being There that I feel I should go with the less popular choice); Dogma (hands down, my favorite, although Clerks will always have a special place in my heart); and finally, although Pulp Fiction and both Kill Bill movies would be the logical choices here, I have always liked best the less-heralded, grittier and shittier-told Jackie Brown. 

Judge as you see fit; also, I would love to see your replies!

Comments

[Sean]

Big Lebowski, Rushmore, Being There (I don't think I've seen any Hal Ashby movies but I liked the book) Zack & Miri (I saw it recently and it was filmed in Pittsburgh; huge bonus points for anything filmed in Pittsburgh), and Pulp Fiction.

So what does this mean (besides making for a fun blog post!)?

[Patrick Bray]

Raisin' Arizona (definitely) followed by the Big Lebowski. Darjeeling Limited, followed by Royal Tenenbaums (you know it in your heart to be true). Harold and Maude 4ever man. And finally, Dogma, then clerks. No room for discussion, obviously.

[lacochran]

What if you hate all things Tarantino? Does that make me a not-wanna-be-intellectual?

[Madame M.]

Sean: I wish I knew what it means, but it is interesting. Now I'm thinking I'll give a chance to Zack and Miri.

Pat: The Dude abides. And, no.

LA: Not at all-- if anything it makes you that much more interesting, but certainly you'll get many such people in tears ;o) What are your other picks?