Promises Promises I told Dale a while ago that I would play the movie game. Between hospitals, sad news, happier things, and directing the fall play at school, my mind did lose it. So here, at long last, is my best go.

1. Popcorn or candy? Junior Mints. Popcorn inevitably sticks in my throat.

2. Name a movie you've been meaning to see forever. Capote. But it's the next movie on my Netflix list.

3. You are given the power to recall one Oscar. Who loses theirs and to whom do you give one? I have to go with Coaster Punchman on this one, nabbing from Gwyneth and giving to Cate, who rocks much much harder.

4. Steal one costume from a movie for your wardrobe.


Ha! Honestly, I don't know what to say about this one.

5. Your favorite film franchise is.... Uh. I generally don't go in for that. I got all stoked for the first Harry Potter movie and it disappointed me greatly.

6. Invite five living movie people over for dinner. Who are they? Why'd you invite them? What do you feed them?

Ed Norton. Because he is so freaking hot. Part of it is his talent, and part is his paleness and gawkiness. But I suspect that he's kind of full of himself, so we'd need someone to bring him down a few pegs. I'm guessing that would be

Natalie Portman. She pisses me off because I don't necessarily think she's a great actress, and I think she gets way more credit than she deserves, but she is very smart and seems like an interesting dinner guest. And to offset her refined grace, let's have

Bill Murray. Because he is damn funny. Again, probably an asshole. So I am stealing from Dale's party for a damn funny woman who would not let Bill get away with anything:

Amy Sedaris. This means Hapabukbuk will also have to be invited. And even though HB is a movie star in my book, I still get one technical "movie person," who will be

Edie Falco. I know she's primarily known for that Jersey mob show, but the chick can seriously act and from interviews, comes across as someone who would hold her own at the table and also help with the dishes over a glass of wine.

I'd order from the local cajun barbeque place and also from the Chinese restaurant for the requisite veggie dishes. Natalie and Ed could argue about world politics, Edie could get Bill to open up about his feelings, and Amy and I could make fun of them all.

7. What is the appropriate punishment for people who answer cellphones in the movie theater? This has never happened to me. People just flat-out talking to each other as if they are in their own living rooms and no one else exists are a bigger problem and should be confined to their own living rooms until they acknowledge that other people exist.

8. Choose a male and a female bodyguard from a film: The Man in Black from The Princess Bride and the PowerPuff Girls.

9. What's the scariest thing you've ever seen in a movie? I wish I had something clever to say, but frankly, the first ten minutes of The Lost Boys freaked me out so much when it first came out that I've never been able to watch the whole thing.

10. Your favorite genre (excluding "comedy" and "drama") is....Anything Wes Anderson does.

11. You are given the power to greenlight movies at a major studio for one year. How do you wield this power? Girl characters get to save boys, and/or girls, have sex without being "punished" for it, and the term "chick flick" loses its condescending overtones and becomes the biggest box office opener. For a much more thorough and entertaining take on this question, please refer to Coaster Punchman's World.

That's it for me, for now. Maybe I could actually go and see a movie in a theatre one of these days... In the meantime, HB and JAG, get on this one...  ¶ 8:17 PM