graculus: (geek love)
[personal profile] graculus
One of the lawyers I deal with a lot seems to have lost the plot a little, to the point where I had to ask her boss if she could get A to calm the hell down. She's always been a bit panicky, with a tendency towards jumpy emails and stalkery telephone calls till you tell her to leave you alone to do what it is she's asking about, but recently it's escalated to:

1. Problem arises
2. A is told we cannot immediately sort out the problem
3. A panics and emails everyone and their dog about the problem
4. Things spiral out of control because senior managers get involved
5. I get involved, one way or another
6. Things get sorted, one way or another
7. Senior managers continue to kvetch because they got involved
8. A eventually calms down about this but then finds something else

If this wasn't just an escalation of her previous behaviour, I'd have to call it passive-aggressive, but what it definitely turns out to be is counterproductive. One case could have been stopped at stage 2 if A had just spoken with the person who was trying to sort out the problem (who eventually did so), since the rest of the stages really weren't necessary...

But instead of thinking about this tonight, I (re)watched one of my favourite films, though I'm trying to figure out now how many times I've seen it. The film in question being Zoolander, in case you were wondering. I must be well into the double figures now, though the title for most-watched movie is probably still held by Withnail and I - I had the video, wore it out and then had to buy the dvd. I watch that movie at least once or twice a year, along with Galaxy Quest and a couple of John Cusack movies (Grosse Pointe Blank and High Fidelity).

There are also movies I can't help but watch if they turn up on tv, though owning a Preston Sturges boxset reduced that a little where his movies are concerned. I wouldn't like to think how many times I've seen Singing in the Rain, The Philadelphia Story (or indeed High Society, though I prefer the original) or some of the Frank Capra movies. I tend to do quite well in those '100 classic movies' memes that roll around every so often.

So, esteemed readers, what movies have you worn out? Is there, like with mine, a rough theme to them or are there particular movies you watch for particular reasons?

Date: 2008-07-22 10:22 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] the4ts.livejournal.com
Am currently rewatching The Right Stuff on TCM for the nth time right now, despite having it on DVD. I was channel-hopping and there it was and I just stopped... I know it's long but there is just something so compelling about that for me.

Hmmm, what else? A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, It Happened One Night, When Worlds Collide, Blade Runner, Romancing the Stone, The Last Starfighter and An American Dreamer. That's getting to be rather a long list so I will stop now! I have others such as Now Voyager that if I see I have to watch but they are too painful to own or deliberately seek out.
Edited Date: 2008-07-22 10:22 pm (UTC)

Date: 2008-07-22 10:27 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] graculus.livejournal.com
It Happened One Night is probably my favourite Capra movie, so I've seen it loads, even though I'm not a big fan of Clark Gable... chances are, if it's Capra, Preston Sturges or Powell and Pressburger, I've probably seen it at least once! ;)

Date: 2008-07-23 01:43 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] leethet.livejournal.com
Seconding When Worlds Collide. I've got that sucker all but memorized. Every once in a while I do a War of the Worlds/When Worlds Collide mini-marathon, then go re-read the books (When Worlds Collide/After Worlds Collide).

Date: 2008-07-22 10:26 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] sg1scribe.livejournal.com
Films that I will watch if I stumble across them while channel changing:

The Matrix - so damn stylish and clever (shame about the crap sequels)

Gladiator - I love the supporting cast, especially Joaquin Phoenix's evil emperor

Galaxy Quest - yep, brilliant

Star Wars - any of the original trilogy, but Return of the Jedi is probably my favourite of the three

2001 A Space Odyssey - Hal still gives me the creeps

Silent Running - makes me cry

I'm sure there's others. As for theme - hmmmm... seems I'm a bit of a scifi fan :-)

Date: 2008-07-22 10:30 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] graculus.livejournal.com
I have to admit to liking Empire Strikes Back most of the trilogy (and the other three films just didn't happen!), while the only movie I can guarantee will make me cry is one called Land and Freedom about the Spanish Civil War - I've got the dvd and then it was showing in the arthouse cinema where I was living at the time and I've never blubbed in public before that way!

I like sci fi movies, but they're just not what I keep going back to over and over, though I do recall now I've seen the original Stargate movie more times than I care to admit to... ;)

Date: 2008-07-23 01:41 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] leethet.livejournal.com
It's so funny you should say that since I just rewatched Singin' in the Rain and The Philadelphia Story (the latter one of my all time favorites). The former, which I hadn't seen in years, made me consider slashing Kelly and O'Connor's characters. ;-)

I'm a massive rewatcher of things, though. I couldn't list the movies I've watched, you know, 10 times or so.

Date: 2008-07-23 07:30 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] graculus.livejournal.com
I can't think of that many movies I've watched more than 5 times (when I was thinking about it on the way to work, I figured there's probably 10-15 movies on that list) but the one of movies I have watched 2-4 times is extremely lengthy...

Date: 2008-07-23 10:23 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] rhade-rad.livejournal.com
Tombstone - I've been hooked into watching that twice in the last week because the BBC are showing it.

And Law and Order: Criminal Intent no matter how many times I've seen the episode ... OK trying to avoid admitting to Pretty Woman.

Date: 2008-07-23 12:11 pm (UTC)
ext_5650: Six of my favourite characters (Default)
From: [identity profile] phantomas.livejournal.com
Zoolander is one my favourites too, doesn't stop being entertaining even after several rewatching :)

Date: 2008-07-23 07:28 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] graculus.livejournal.com
Had I mentioned that I don't even really like Ben Stiller? There's just something about that dumbass movie, though...

Date: 2008-07-23 07:46 pm (UTC)
ext_5650: Six of my favourite characters (Default)
From: [identity profile] phantomas.livejournal.com
I know!!! I don't like him either, although I do believe he's made a jolly good homage to S&H with the remake (better than any other remake of similar staples of my youth!)...and I confess to a liking of Will Ferrell's Blades of Glory *hides in shame* such a classic, ste-by-step buddy film, lolol

Date: 2008-07-23 01:06 pm (UTC)
siluria: (Chris_gun)
From: [personal profile] siluria
My repeat movies are all really bad and a little bit embarrassing, but they are ones I watch every single time they're on, regardless of if I've missed the first half or not. Jaws, Under Siege (mindless violence gets me every time), Groundhog Day, 10 Things I Hate about you, and Pretty Woman. I'm sure there are probably others, but those are the ones that come to mind. See, embarrassing!! :)

Date: 2008-07-23 07:31 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] graculus.livejournal.com
Yep. Extremely! :P

Date: 2008-07-23 07:50 pm (UTC)
ext_5650: Six of my favourite characters (Default)
From: [identity profile] phantomas.livejournal.com
as to rewatching..

LotR

The Cutting Edge (D.B. Sweeney!!! But..I really really like the film, sigh)(does i count that it was directed by Paul Michael Glaser?)

Pitch Black and Chronicles of Riddick

G.I Jane

The Indian Runner

Withnail and I

Boondock saints

Harold and maude

Johnny English

A Cock and Bull Story

:)

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