top 5 meme!

[musicandme]

Top 5 Movie Characters:

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1. The most interesting characters are the most twisted. They're memorable! That said, my first in the top 5 is Hannibal Lecter. I remember being five years old, watching the Oscar Awards, and being absolutely freaked out at the music from Silence of the Lambs. Why? Because I remember the commercials with Hannibal Lecter, the cannibal who bit someone's nose off and wore someone's cut up face as a mask. Yet during his conversations with Clarice, he was almost charming and hospitable and yet completely terrifying. It both freaks me out and makes me want to know more about him.

2. Norman Bates. I always used to go to Universal Studios when I was a kid. A regular stop on the backlot tour was the Psycho house and the scene that they showed in the sound presentation was the famous shower scene. So, like Hannibal, Norman was a regular fixture in my childhood. Norman has this quiet side to him that's completely unassuming. You don't suspect him. As far as we know, his mother is a killer. Well, until we find out the truth and then you have to reevaluate everything that you've seen and you see Norman in a completely different light. He's intriguing.

3. Now ... how fucked up is Norma Desmond? Really. I always imagined that this is how those old Hollywood stars are. They have pictures of themselves all over their house, they watch their old movies, and then they're completely fixated on making a come back. I could watch her over and over again and never tire of her crazy. She just gets crazier and I love that about her.

4. Tom Hulce made me think about classical music in a completely different light. I've always loved those stories about Beethoven, Bach, Farinelli, Tchaikovsky but nothing compares to the on screen portrayal of Mozart. Mozart trumps them all in this story. Tom Hulce really captures that genius and childish/child-like attitude that Mozart embodied. This is what happens when you're told that you're a genius as a child. You're completely arrogant as an adult, have a giant ego, but the disappointments are great when your plans don't pan out. I love that whimsical feeling in the beginning but the melancholy feeling in the end is just as powerful. Tom Hulce plays it wonderfully throughout and that laugh? Oh yeah. I never tire of it. That's why this is one of my favorite characters.

5. Robert De Niro in this role as the younger Vito Corleone in the Godfather Part II is completely memorable and intriguing. De Niro mirrors Brando in the first movie while still maintaining a sense of continuity. I see Vito emerging from this younger version. I certainly prefer Vito to Michael. Vito retains the quiet personality he had as a child but that silence has an incredible strong inner strength behind it. He shows no fear. He's smart. He devises a brilliant plan to get rid of Fanucci. He's a great father and husband.

Top 5 Brian and Justin Kisses:

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1. Okay, so I'm kind of cheating here but they're part of the same scene. That prom kiss is certainly one of the most romantic in the series. Brian swings him around and kisses him. What's not to love about that? Then there's the kiss up against the car afterward where Brian pauses before kissing Justin. Let's just pretend that that stuff that happens afterward doesn't happen. Okay? Okay.

2. The Forever Young kiss. This really starts it off, doesn't it? When I first saw this I never thought that the line "the best homosexual you could be" would resonate throughout the entire series but it did. Brian gives some advice and whether or not he could tell it registered with Justin, he was proud of him in that moment and he showed it with that kiss.

3. Can I have a top 5 list and not include the Reunification kiss? No. One of my favorite moments in the entire series is 308. When Brian starts to kiss Justin, he rarely stops. That scene was all about Brian getting his lips on Justin and being able to touch him. It's sweet and heartbreaking at the same time, realizing just how much Brian missed Justin and Justin had to have felt that too.

4. Now, there were a lot of really great moments post 308. There were a lot of kisses, some great scenes, and this is one of them. The backroom has reopened and Brian celebrates with Justin by sticking his tongue down his throat. I only wish that it would've lasted longer.

5. I've said before that I've never really understood the 510 I Love You scene. I was spoiled for it. I saw it before it aired on TV. It took me four years to finally get it. I finally get it. This kiss has it all. It's the first kiss after Brian says it and Justin accepts it. It's a kiss that says "thank you for saying it" and "I'm glad that you're still here" and somewhere in there I hope it also means "come back to me".

Five Favourite Music Videos:

1) Metallica - Enter Sandman: This is more like ... videos that have stuck with me the most. I remember seeing Enter Sandman when I was just a kid and it was so frightening. It reminded me of every nightmare that I've ever had and I couldn't look away!

2) Duran Duran - Come Undone: This video actually reminds me of one of my favorite Faerie Tale Theater stories, The Little Mermaid. Well, the mermaids in the video probably help that right along. I always wondered how long they were able to hold their breath underwater. It's just a fantastic video.

3) Michael Jackson - Thriller: What isn't there to love about Thriller? It's a short story. It's well conceived and executed. It's a great song. I have the Making Of memorized as I watch it and I love thinking about everything involved to create this video. It really was a film and it was a good one.

4) Michael Jackson - Man in the Mirror (Moonwalker version): I think I've been watching Moonwalker since I was a toddler and I love this version of the song. The video version that aired makes you think and I know who those significant people are now but this is the version I grew up with. During that really strong chorus when he spins around and slams his knees on the ground? Powerful and inspiring. It's such a beautiful song.

5) Janet Jackson - Alright: Had to throw in some Janet because she followed in her brother's footsteps. Janet had a lot of memorable videos but I picked Alright because it was just so much fun! Cab Calloway was in it and it had a lot of vibrant colors. She's in that black suit and just playing around, playing hopscotch, and singing. It's a fantastic video.

Five Favourite Michael Jackson Songs:

1. Man in the Mirror - I think I said it all in the music video part. It's an inspirational song. It's powerful. It's got a great hook to it and whenever I sing along to it or think about it I just see a sea of candles in a large crowd and Michael performing.

2. Keep the Faith - The Dangerous album was my favorite Michael album for a long time and Keep the Faith is one of the songs that made it my favorite. Not only is it inspiring but the beginning is just so simple. It's a simple melody that starts out quietly and then there's that beat that comes in before the chorus and then the choir. It's a song that just gets bigger and better as it goes on.

3. Another Part of Me - I used to see Captain EO a lot when I was a kid. A lot. This song will always remind me of the end where everything in that world is happy and colorful again and full of music!

4. Music and Me - Again, another song from Moonwalker that's always stuck with me. It's so wistful and Michael's young voice is so crystal clear and beautiful. It's always been one of my favorite songs.

5. Dirty Diana - This song is the definitive concert song. I think it describes every groupie experience that I've been part of/seen. It's just one of those songs and I love everything about it.

Five Favourite TV kisses:

1. Buffy - Becoming Part II: The thing to do after a great kiss is to kill your vampire lover and send him straight to hell, right? No matter how many times I see it, I always end up crying like I've never cried for anything before. Absolutely heartbreaking.

2. Angel - You're Welcome: Conversely, I loved Angel/Cordelia. I loved the way that they developed and that last moment of the show is one of the best in television ... ever. Ever.

3. The Office - Casino Night: Jim/Pam's first kiss. Okay, also another heartbreaking moment of forbidden love. It was sweet though and ended appropriately enough.

4. Friends - Ross and Rachel: Don't know the name of this episode but it just couldn't have gone any other way right? A cliched but lovely kiss in the rain.

5. Queer as Folk: Any Brian/Justin kiss. The end.

Comments

[on-the-ground.livejournal.com]

So glad you did it.. very interesting post and all your top 5 choices. I'd never have chosen those characters so that makes it even more curious to find out, although I agree with you in Mozart, when I saw that movie I totally loved everything about it and that performance.

About the kisses, I also agree.. especially the one in the car and the reunification kisses must be the best for me. The 308 kiss (and everything lol) is like you say, Brian is so happy he can finally touch him again he can't stop for a second (even if i still don't like how it was edited), plus, first he's acting all in control over the situation when in reality he's fucking dying inside to take him back and touch him ^g^ ;)

[amelialourdes.livejournal.com]

Thank you! It was a lot of fun. Easier thinking of the answers than I thought.

Yes, yes, yes! I prefer to watch the one that Wendy edited where it has the entire 308 sequence in order. But, I did like those little bits and pieces of the reunion. It just leaves me wanting more and using my imagination to fill in the gaps, literally and metaphorically. But yes, exactly. He looks like he's totally calm and cool and the second that he gets his hands on Justin, all of that control just slips out the window and all he wants to do is touch and kiss him. Sigh, so beautiful.

[sakesushimaki.livejournal.com]

Here's where I admit to never having seen "Sunset Boulevard". I really should, though. ...Right?
And Tom Hulce's portrayal of Wolfgang A. really is worthy of the Top-5 ranking. I approve!

Sigh. I fell victim to "510 ILY" (+kiss) spoilers when I was only finished with Season 1 and had to bridge agonizing wait to see the rest of the show. *shivers at the memory*
So, I will envy 510 spoiler virgins for all eternity, although, in all fairness: it still had a decent impact on me when I actually watched Season 5 - thanks to the newly learned context and the million things happening in-between 122 and 510. <3
Oh, and, regarding your explanation of the 308 reunion kiss: yes, yes and yes. Brian needy for Justin is just about the beautifulestest thing ever.

"Man in the Mirror" is my fave Jacko song as well!
As for the 'Moonwalker' vid, it's cool, undoubtedly, but also freaky when I think about the million shots of security guards carrying away unconscious gals.

[amelialourdes.livejournal.com]

Gasp! Yes. Yes, you should. I certainly think that Sunset Boulevard is essential movie watching. It really is a great story and having Norma in there just brings it to an entirely different level in movie watching. As much as I loved F. Murray, I loved that over-the-top performance of Tom Hulce. He really made Mozart just that much more interesting from beginning to end.

Oh no! But, at least it had an impact on you in the end. It really took me this long to have an appreciation for it that I didn't have when I originally watched it. Also, yes for 308. One of the best scenes and greatest kissing scenes.

Yay! Also, very true. Unconscious girls were kind of like a staple in a Michael Jackson video. I feel bad for anyone who had to see him in that type of venue. I would've passed out in the first song too from all the overcrowding.

[friday82.livejournal.com]

I love this entry. How long did it take you to complete it? Just curious because I'm not sure I could do that at all.:)

Norma Desmond and Mozart...yes! And I love both films.

I agree with most of your 'Top 5 Brian and Justin Kisses'. The prom kiss against the car will forever my favorite kiss, the one that leaves them all behind since the invention of the kiss.:) Forever Young kiss, Reunification kiss...yep. I'm admittedly still at the point where I don't understand 510.:|

The backroom has reopened and Brian celebrates with Justin by sticking his tongue down his throat. I only wish that it would've lasted longer.
I suppose there's hardly anyone who doesn't wish that.:)

I have a weakness for the "Come Undone" music video as well. Only I don't have an explanation for it...

Finally someone who remembers Captain EO! I talked to my mother about it and she couldn't remember anything. Although I know she watched it at Disneyland in Paris. And I completely agree with "Dirty Diana". :)

[amelialourdes.livejournal.com]

Not too long at all, actually! I started Sunday morning and finished it in the afternoon. :) It was fun trying to think of what to say and all I did was do some adjustment to the photos, uploaded them, and here they are!

I definitely think that 510 can grow on you. I mean, it took me this long to really understand it and really enjoy it the way that other people enjoyed it upon first viewing. I feel like I get it now and I can appreciate it for what it is and of course their kiss says so much about where they are together in that moment. But, thanks for agreeing with me! ;D

I don't think I can explain the Come Undone video either. It's a great song. Maybe the water is just really, really mesmerizing, lol.

Yes! I LOVE Captain EO. I have it on my computer and watch it often. But, I also used to go to Disneyland a lot when I was a kid (well and now) and I never went without staying to watch Captain EO at least 3-5 times. It's just such an optimistic movie/scary for kids/fantastic music ... and there's Michael and little puppets. You can't go wrong.

[mozartfan1313.livejournal.com]

Interesting film character choices. I had no idea the character of Norman Bates fascinated you so much. I saw that film for the first time when I was about ten or eleven years old and I loved it to bits. Anthony Perkins' face in that final shot is haunting. Norma Desmond and Vito Corleone are such iconic screen characters. Tom Hulce was wonderful in Amadeus and I agree that his role is the reason behind my interest in Mozart. However, in terms of performance, I thought F. Murray Abraham was a stunning example of subtle emotion and grace.

[amelialourdes.livejournal.com]

I think that I pretty much adore all Hitchcock antagonists but Norman Bates has been someone that's really resonated with me from childhood until now. You think that he's this ordinary guy that's just been dealt a really rough card with his mother but then you come to find out this secret about him that's so horrific. I love that.

Oh, absolutely. I love F. Murray Abraham's performance as Salieri and those are usually the performances I admire. I think that I hated his character so much that I didn't feel the need to include it. Which, makes it an even better performance because I felt that much dislike toward him. Wish this were a Top 6, ha.

[mozartfan1313.livejournal.com]

Hitchcock definitely has memorable characters. The most recent one I've seen for the first time is Notorious and I loved it. If you haven't seen it yet I definitely recommend it. :)

I have a love/hate relationship with Salieri. He was a good composer. Not as great as Mozart, obviously, and that feeling of inadequacy was his tragic flaw. He was so envious of Mozart that it made him lose his passion and love for music and that always made me sad. I understand the desire to "be somebody" and Salieri loves music so much that that is all he wants to be remembered for when he dies. Instead he is resigned to his fate as the "patron saint of mediocrity" and, really, he speaks to the feelings of most people in the audience. I love/hate that man.

[amelialourdes.livejournal.com]

I love Notorious! Definitely in my Top 10 Hitchcock. I never realized how many Hitchcock movies I've seen until I took a film class my senior year and I've seen almost all of them. He's definitely one of my favorite filmmakers. I'll never tire of his films. I really need some kind of DVD collection of his. I only catch them when they're on television.

No, I agree. He's kind of a prime example of what happens to you when you're so overwhelmed and consumed by a feeling other than your own passions, that you become blocked from reaching your own potential. You're right, he definitely speaks to most in the audience. There's definitely a love/hate relationship with the character and the person. He's intriguing as his own subject but once again, the name of the movie is called Amadeus and not Salieri. That must have him spinning.

[mozartfan1313.livejournal.com]

Notorious was so intense. One of his most underrated films is Shadow of a Doubt. It's so scary and really, really funny at the same time, if you haven't seen it.

Hey, I never thought of that. Technically, Salieri is the main character. He narrates the story and takes up most of the screentime, yet the film still refers to Mozart. Interesting.

[rebeccama.livejournal.com]

I love your Brian/Justin kiss list.

[amelialourdes.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I wanted to make it a Top 20 list but that probably would've defeated the purpose, lol.

[etoile-du-soir.livejournal.com]

Buffy - Becoming Part II: The thing to do after a great kiss is to kill your vampire lover and send him straight to hell, right?
Yes a thousand times to this kiss topping your list! Now I need to have a Buffy marathon asap, haven't any episode for ages.

[amelialourdes.livejournal.com]

It definitely deserves to be first! One of the most heartbreaking moments that I've ever seen. Man, Buffy also deserves a good marathon at least once a year. I think the last time I had one was two years ago. So ready to watch the whole thing again.

PS. OMG YOU ACTUALLY HAVE THE MOMENT IN ICON FORM. DEAD.