The Resident Bitch Prepares for... the Most Recent MoFo Countdown

Walk the Line
(James Mangold, 2005)

This is not a movie that I needed to watch for this countdown. As soon as I knew it was eligible, there was never any doubt that it would get my vote. But it's been a few years since I last watched it and I'd kind of forgotten just how jam packed full of music it is and just how much that I enjoy that music. Which isn't to say that I'm a Johnny Cash fan. I am not. I think I have an "essentials" CD plus Unchained - the album he did with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - but besides a handful of his hits, especially his cover of "Hurt," I never had much interest in his music. But I really enjoy the soundtrack to this film and am impressed with the vocal performances from its cast.

But besides just the music, the acting here is really strong. Joaquin Phoenix in particular brings a huge amount of intensity to his portrayal of Cash and I cannot take my eyes off him (of course the fact that he looks so damn good in it doesn't hurt). He is absolutely mesmerizing. But the other performances are also very strong with the obvious standout being Reese Witherspoon in her Oscar winning turn as June Carter Cash.

Speaking of awards, despite Phoenix's Golden Globe win for "Best Actor in a Musical Or Comedy" with this performance, obviously this isn't a musical with a capital M. But I do think it's very worthy of inclusion in the countdown and will rank quite high on my ballot.

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I can only remember three songs in Hearts Beat Loud. The title song “Hearts Beat Loud” that he uploaded without telling her was good. Then the song that she wrote for her girlfriend was okay, but not great, and I vaguely remember that there was a third song when they were closing the store, but I don't remember the actual song or if I liked it.

If there were any more songs in the movie, I don't remember them.

But as a movie, I liked the story a lot. It won't make my musicals list, but it's a very good movie.

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If I answer a game thread correctly, just skip my turn and continue with the game.
OPEN FLOOR.

I'm not sure of the title, but there was at least one instance where the dad sings a song by himself. I think that last song you were thinking of was "Everything Must Go." I believe the minimum to qualify for the countdown is 3 songs. This one has at least 4.

Hedwig and the Angry Inch
(John Cameron Mitchell, 2001)

I first watched Hedwig in 2013 after its appearance on the MoFo Millennium Countdown and I have no idea how many times I've seen this movie since. And it's an odd little gem of a movie. It's pretty unusual for me to enjoy live action comedies, especially after multiple rewatches, and it's exceptionally rare for me to enjoy a live action musical but I've liked it from the start and it's never gotten old.

The comedy in particular is really witty and it's thick with innuendo and sarcasm that has me laughing every time. But I think the thing that brings me back to it time and again is the story and the performances. The soundtrack is incredible, all of the actors really bring their characters to life, and holding it all together is a the universal theme of self discovery. It really is a beautiful film and one that I hope will take a deservedly high position when the countdown is finally revealed.

I love Hedwig and the Angry Inch and have since it first came out. Like you say, the music is great and the writing is really fun. For several years I enjoyed describing myself as being in "my early late twenties".

And of course the quote that never gets old: "You can't put a bra in a dryer . . . IT WARPS!!!!!!"

I understand that the rules of the countdown are that 3 songs qualifies it as a musical for the countdown, but IMO, only 3 songs makes it a movie with some music, not a musical.

I'm not sure of the exact number, but if it has a bunch of long stretches of movie with no songs, it just doesn't feel like a musical to me.

I just finished the last movie on my watchlist, which I will write up and post later. Gonna have a look over my ballot. I might finalize it and vote tonight

Joe's Apartment
(John Payson, 1996)

In 1996, MTV released their first movie - Joe’s Apartment, a feature length musical adaptation of a short of the same name that used to air on the channel. Featuring a hoard of cockroaches that talk, sing, and dance, the movie is stupid, crude, and disgusting… and I’d be lying if I said it didn’t appeal to 15-year-old me.

But I’d also be lying if I said it doesn’t appeal to 43-year-old me. Granted, I’m sure nostalgia has something to do with that, but I actually find the movie to be genuinely funny. I laughed several times which is more than can be said for a lot of comedies. I also liked the musical numbers and the film boasts some surprisingly good CGI. Now of course this is by no means any kind of masterpiece. It is a very stupid movie. But it’s fun. It’s also had a spot in my personal movie collection for many years and it will surely take a spot on my ballot as well.

Miss Vicky, your dedication to watching so many films of a genre you hate just to prep for the countdown deserves some kind of medal!

I'll just be happy if a good number of the movies I voted for make it, especially one particular movie that I campaigned for.

Also other than Joker: Folie à Deux, I plan to not watch anymore musicals for a long time. I'm just a little bit burnt out.

Too bad you're gonna miss out on Wicked.

I will admit that I lazily used this thread to just remind me of musicals that exist and that I might want to watch before voting.

The Long Kiss Goodnight
(Renny Harlin, 1996)

So today I decided to watch a 90s action movie and accidentally found myself watching my first Christmas movie of the season.

I've seen this movie a few times before, but the last time was so long ago that I remembered almost nothing about it. Having now seen it again, I think it's fun but far from great. Geena Davis and Samuel L. Jackson have decent chemistry and I don't really have any complaints about their performances. The story was interesting enough and I think it does the whole strong woman thing better than a lot of more recent movies, but overall it just felt really superficial and I suspect it won't be too long before I forget about it again.

Long Kiss takes me back to my Blockbuster days. I know I watched it, but don’t remember it at all. 30 years will do that to you.

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Letterboxd

Long Kiss Goodnight is so enjoyably over-the-top that I really dig it despite finding certain parts of it really corny.

The Ref
(Ted Demme, 1994)

I've been really struggling to get into the Christmas spirit this year, but decided to put on this old holiday favorite tonight. Despite not really being in the mood, I was able to have a good time with this. I think the performances are all quite good, with Kevin Spacey in particular proving he could do comedy pretty well (too bad he's a garbage person). And even after 30 years (holy shit!) this ridiculous tale of a burglar that takes a bickering couple hostage on Christmas Eve and poses as their couples therapist when their relatives show up for dinner still manages to make me laugh.