The most played song on iTunes on my computer is “Postcards,” the theme from “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” composed by Alexandre Desplat. I love movie soundtracks (and I will elaborate on this love later), but this is probably my most played song due to an obsession lasting a few months with the movie and the fact that the song is perfect to listen while doing homework. I don’t know any sort of musical terms to describe it, so I will spare you a misguided discussion of the song. But give it a listen.
Random Factoid #36
2 09 2009Each Tuesday, I bookmark the link to Friday’s movie showtimes at my favorite theaters to get an idea of what is showing, where it is showing, and how long I have to see it.
This is a recent habit, starting only in the past year. So you got a real treat today, factoid lovers; that is, a current tidbit about my obsession.
Comments : Leave a Comment »
Tags: Movie Showtimes, Random Factoid
Categories : Random Factoids
Random Factoid #35
1 09 2009March 7, 2004.
Do you remember the day? My parents made sure that I did.
I was dying to see the new movie “Hidalgo” with Viggo Mortensen. I had begged and begged all weekend to no avail. On Sunday afternoon, they gave me a slight glimmer of hope: a maybe. But, as I know now, when thing seem to good to be true, that’s because they are. They ended up saying “no,” and I whined and complained. They replied, “Are you always going to remember today as the day I didn’t get to see ‘Hidalgo’?” And I said, “Yes, I will.”
And I still do.
Comments : Leave a Comment »
Tags: Hidalgo, Random Factoid, Viggo Mortensen
Categories : Random Factoids
Random Factoid #34
31 08 2009I have never bought a ticket for one movie and then walked into another that is sold out. I would rather wait a few hours to see “The Dark Knight” than give my money to the people who gave us “Mamma Mia!” In my mind, that would make me partially responsible for more lousy movies hitting theaters.
Comments : 2 Comments »
Tags: Mamma Mia, Random Factoid, The Dark Knight
Categories : Random Factoids
Random Factoid #33
30 08 2009The only missing ticket since I officially started collecting them in August 2003 is “Hamlet 2.” The sound was malfunctioning in the theater, and it really detracted from the experience. When I told guest services, the only way they would give me a refund was by giving them my ticket. It really pained me, but I sacrificed the ticket in order to get the free ticket. I ended up using the ticket to go see “Eagle Eye” in IMAX, and it saved me $7.50 on the expensive IMAX ticket.
Comments : Leave a Comment »
Tags: Eagle Eye, Hamlet 2, Random Factoid
Categories : Random Factoids
Random Factoid #31
28 08 2009I have always been a fan of reading a book from which a movie is adapted before going to see the film. Usually, I like the book better. But, in my opinion, whichever you experience first makes indelible impression on you, making it hard to enjoy the other one without making judgement based on the other.
My book choices are often based around movies, often slaving myself to finish books before they are released on the big screen. I finished “Flags of our Fathers” literally minutes before walking into theater. However, my habits will change soon. I want to see all the adapted movies considered to be Oscar contenders this year without having my experience tainted by prior knowledge. Nothing is more painful than sitting in a movie saying, “That wasn’t in the book,” or “Why did they leave that part out?” (Cough, “Public Enemies.”)
Comments : 1 Comment »
Tags: Adaptations, Books, Flags of our Fathers, Movies, Oscars, Public Enemies, Random Factoid
Categories : Random Factoids
Random Factoid #30
27 08 2009My obsession with the Academy Awards when I was younger wasn’t exactly a secret. So I don’t know why I was so surprised when I received a book with a detailed recap of every single winner from two different people one Christmas about seven years ago. I still have them both, but maybe one should go to the recycling bin. My pick would be with my little brother’s scribbles on the cover.
Comments : Leave a Comment »
Tags: Academy Awards, Christmas, Oscars, Random Factoid
Categories : Random Factoids
Random Factoid #29
26 08 2009When I was very young, I saw the famed actor Christopher Lloyd at a hotel in Austin, Texas. I recognized him and asked him for an autograph. Usually people recognize him as zany Doc Brown from the “Back to the Future” movies. But, according to my mom’s report of the incident, he claims that I was the first person to recognize him as “Mr. Hunches and Bunches” from “In Search of Dr. Seuss,” my favorite movie when I was 4.
I still have the autograph. It’s in a binder in my closet. He wrote it on the back of a piece of the hotel’s stationery; it reads: “Marshall, very best to you! Christopher Lloyd”.
Comments : Leave a Comment »
Tags: Back to the Future, Christopher Lloyd, Doc Brown, Dr. Seuss, Hunches and Bunches, In Search of Dr. Seuss, Random Factoid
Categories : Random Factoids
Random Factoid #28
25 08 2009In third grade, I became obsessed with the “Moulin Rouge” soundtrack. I found a 30 second clip of “Lady Marmalade” on AOL Music and played it nonstop for weeks until my mom capitulated and bought me the CD.
Comments : Leave a Comment »
Tags: Lady Marmalade, Moulin Rouge, Random Factoid
Categories : Random Factoids
Random Factoid #27
24 08 2009As far as I can remember, I have only been alone in a theater (that is, without anyone other than the group I came with) once. I was 6 years old, the year was 1998 (for those who need chronology), and it was the 20th anniversary of the movie “Grease.” To commemorate, they re-released it in theaters. It was my mom, her college friend, her daugher, and me. We had the theater to ourselves, so we sat on the front row and danced and sang our hearts out to “Greased Lightning” and all the other classic songs. That still remains one of the most fun movie experiences ever for me.
Comments : Leave a Comment »
Tags: Grease, Greased Lightning, Random Factoid
Categories : Random Factoids
Random Factoid #26
23 08 2009Everyone has “their movie” that they love and have seen so many times that they know every line. For my dad, it’s “Caddyshack.” For my mom, it’s “The Sound of Music.” For me, it’s “The Little Rascals.” There are several movies that I could recite line after line for hours, but with “The Little Rascals,” such a staple of my childhood, I could go for days.
Comments : 1 Comment »
Tags: Caddyshack, Quotes, Random Factoid, The Little Rascals, The Sound of Music
Categories : Random Factoids
Random Factoid #25
22 08 2009The first time I ever saw two movies in the same day at a theater was July 18, 2008. Recognize that date? It’s the day cinema was changed forever with the release of “The Dark Knight.” Was that one of the two movies that I saw? Of course not. I saw “Wanted,” which was pretty tight, and “Hancock,” which was good at first but then became just plain dumb. The crazy part is that I did this combo by choice, not because “The Dark Knight” was sold out. If anyone really wants to know, they can ask me personally why I did this. But I feel that it is in the best interest of the people involved that I not discuss it on the blog.
Comments : Leave a Comment »
Tags: Double Feature, Hancock, Random Factoid, The Dark Knight, Wanted
Categories : Random Factoids
Random Factoid #24
21 08 2009I treat the Oscars like the Super Bowl.
My mom usually makes pizza as we watch the stars slowly descend on the red carpet on E! I print out ballots for my whole family but I am the only one that actually fills one out. I scream and cheer and boo and get nervous for my favorite actors and movies like a football fan would for his team. At the conclusion of the ceremony, I am usually hot and sweaty. Yeah, I do some intense viewing.
Comments : Leave a Comment »
Tags: Academy Awards, E!, Oscars, Random Factoid, Super Bowl
Categories : Random Factoids
Random Factoid #23
20 08 2009For several years, I subscribed to the New York Times for the Sunday edition only for the sole purpose of looking at the giant movie ads that they ran in the Arts & Leisure section.
Comments : Leave a Comment »
Tags: New York Times, Random Factoid
Categories : Random Factoids
Random Factoid #22
19 08 2009The worst threatened punishment I have ever received from my parents was to not be able to go see any movies over Christmas break in 2006. I cried at the thought.
Comments : Leave a Comment »
Tags: Punishment, Random Factoid
Categories : Random Factoids
Marshall and the Movies 
Recent Comments