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Now Playing: Four questions from Jason
As requested, here are some questions sent to me by Jason, one of the few regular visitors I have. So here goes...

1. What was your first really memorable movie-theater experience from childhood?

Answer: That's easy- the time I went to see BACK TO THE FUTURE with my mom when I was 7. Because I had a younger brother, all the movies I saw when I was little had to be family movies, since they had to be suitable for both me and someone three years younger than I was. BACK TO THE FUTURE was the first movie I saw without him being there as well, the first movie I got to see that wasn't just for kids. The circumstances under which I saw the movie weren't really all that spectacular, but the fact that it was (and still is) an awesome movie and that it was more of a grown-up movie than anything I'd gone to see before, made it stick out in my memory.

2. If you knew there was going to be a nuclear war in one week and you couldn't do anything to prevent it, what would you do?

Answer: For a while, I was tempted to say that I wouldn't do anything, simply go about my normal routine as if nothing was going to happen. However, I don't especially like my normal routine, so that would be a pretty lousy way to spend my last week on Earth. So instead I'd hop in my car and drive home to visit my family for the first time. I could get that done in a day, I think, so with the rest of my time I'd buy a plane ticket and visit a place I've never been before (maybe Ireland) or else I'd go back to France, which I enjoyed a great deal when I visited there in high school. Being older now, I could do whatever I wanted there instead of having to stick with the group, so I think I'd just rent (or steal, if necessary) a car and drive around, stopping wherever I want to stop. I'd just relax, enjoy myself, up until the end. But knowing me, I'd probably end up staying home and locking myself in a room with my favorite movies.

3. If you could wake up in the morning having gained any one ability or quality what would it be? (real abilities, not invincibility or anything like that)

Answer: This is a good wrinkle on the superpowers question (I'd choose invisibility, by the way). I've been thinking about this and most of my answers have been along the lines of "I'd like to be a few inches taller," "I'd like to lose some weight," "I'd like to be better-looking," etc. But when it all comes down to it I think what I would really want is something less tangible. I think I'd want to be more charismatic. I think I'm a pretty interesting person, and not terrible looking, but I've never really been the sort who people really notice. I kind of fade into the background where there are others around. I've grown to accept that, which is really the only thing one can do when one lacks something like this, but if I had the choice I'd prefer to be noticed, to linger in people's minds. Plus I think that being charismatic would help me in my social life and my (currently nonexistent) love life.

and finally...

4. If you were going to be stranded on a desert island, but had the choice of the cast of characters from any one movie to keep you company, which movie would you choose? (and keep in mind that these are the characters, not the actors playing them)

Answer: Oooh, this is a good one, and a tough one too. Personally, the characters that really endure for me are the ones who remind me people I'd hang out with, except that they've got more style. The one example that sprung to mind immediately was DAZED AND CONFUSED, in which most of the people are pretty easygoing, and even the jerks among them (namely O'Banion and Clint) aren't the sort who will drag down the proceedings. I could hang out with (most of) these folks for quite a long time. Although if there was booze on the island, I might be inclined to choose the characters from Kaurismaki's TAKE CARE OF YOUR SCARF, TATJANA instead- perhaps the most entertaining drunks I've seen. And if we're only talking principal characters, I'm sure that the island would be a lot more fun if I spent my days with Celine and Julie (from CELINE AND JULIE GO BOATING, natch). Who knows what sorts of imagined adventures we could get into on a desert island?

Hope you're satisfied, dude. And for the rest of you, send those questions!