When you suggest a movie (Larry David moment)

[ᾦɐļᵲʊʂ]

I was once invited to a "movie party" when I was in high school because I knew of "cool and/or" weird movies.  Before the party, I was told that we were watching either Garden State or Napolean Dynamite since they had both come out on DVD about that time, but I was asked to bring something.  Sort of as a joke, I only brought Eyes Wide Shut figuring the general group would reject it.

There were a couple cute girls that asked me to go, which was the only reason I would consider going to this party without feeling like I was wrecking it by bringing a movie most people would reject.  It was at one of the cute girls' house, so she had veto power over what we watched.  She and the other girl really wanted to watch Eyes Wide Shut.  One of the more awkward and interesting viewings I've had of it thus far.

Anyway, everyone left after the movie with little or no discussion, the two girls stayed and I got to hang out with them and talk about Eyes Wide Shut.  In high school, how many times is one boy going to get to talk about Eyes Wide Shut with two beautiful girls?  Shortly thereafter, I started seeing one of them, it moved too quickly for her, she broke my heart and, presumably unrelated, soon joined a mission in California.

[RegularKarate]

This is my favorite thread right now... love Pete's story and the fact that no blowjobs decorate GT's.

[Alexandro]

I work at a video store and I have to endure shit like this pretty much every day. I hate recommending movies to people I don't know face to face (it's different if you're writing as a critic). I never ask anyone to recommend ME a movie so in fact I find it kind of astounding that a person would need the assistance of a stranger to rent a movie. What, you don't know what you might like? I think people who ask for movie recommendations are lazy motherfuckers who then, after you do them the favor, have the balls to come back to you and tell you if they DIDN'T like it. Some people complain is if I was the guy who made the fucking thing, not only recommended it.

And they're usually lazy even for the act of asking itself. I can't tell you guys the number of lazy fucks who have come to me at the store and asked me to suggest "a good one", or a "very good one". "A scary one", "a funny one", "one with a lot of violence", "a very sick one". Jesus.

I only make an effort to recommend something from my heart when I notice the person is actually interested or has taken my advice a couple of times and we are on the same page. All the others I barely look them in the eye and recommend whatever comes to mind first. I've been thinking about recommending Inland Empire to douchebags as a practical joke.

[socketlevel]

I think people who ask for movie recommendations are lazy motherfuckers

or maybe they're just lonely and they want someone to talk to. this might sound pathetic but when i broke up with a girlfriend a few years back i'd spend a little longer talking to the guys/gals behind the counter at my video store. asking what someone recommends is a quick way to establish their tastes; which says a lot about them imo. in my case I would shoot shit with them about film, or film stuff i was working on.  in the process of helping fill that social void I made some pretty cool casual friends outta it. granted i wasn't asking for recommendations exclusively, or hanging around for longer than 15 mins but i think most people like to tell their opinions and give examples of their taste when asked.

Lol it's funny how you seem to take this formality as a hostile exchange. you seriously hate the whole process because of people's reactions to the films you suggest? i think it's kind of a polite ceremonial thing, much like talking to a bartender.  it's good connecting with people through art/entertainment. isn't that what we do here? like, in the past, some people have recommended films to me (a hal ashby flick of recent memory pops to mind), which i watched, but didn't necessarily like as much as they went on about it.  i guess i'm just not offended if i recommend something and the person doesn't like it. c'est la vie, taste is like that.

[Alexandro]

no, I don't give a fuck if a person doesn't like something I recommend. I do give a fuck if that person comes back to me and gives me shit for it as if I forced the damn thing on them. That said, it doesn't happen THAT often, because more people are sensitive, rational human beings.

Also, as I said before, it is one thing to recommend a film to a person in a specific way (as in "what Ingmar Bergman film would you recommend to start?" or "I like Al Pacino and would like to see more of his great movies") than try to guess what some uninterested douche is too lazy to choose for himself. "A good one"??? give me a break. Some lazy bastards actually call from their homes to ask for our recommendations so they can just send their drivers to pick up the dvds (rich fucks). It really is disgusting man.

Of course, when doing this crap is part of the job it takes on a whole different level.

I get what you say about costumers spending extra time with the clerks. We all like that. I mean who doesn't like to chat about films with strangers. Even if it is to disagree...but that's not what I meant up there.

[squints]

I get what you say about costumers spending extra time with the clerks. We all like that. I mean who doesn't like to chat about films with strangers.

especially when it leads to oral copulation.

[socketlevel]

no, I don't give a fuck if a person doesn't like something I recommend. I do give a fuck if that person comes back to me and gives me shit for it as if I forced the damn thing on them. That said, it doesn't happen THAT often, because more people are sensitive, rational human beings.

Also, as I said before, it is one thing to recommend a film to a person in a specific way (as in "what Ingmar Bergman film would you recommend to start?" or "I like Al Pacino and would like to see more of his great movies") than try to guess what some uninterested douche is too lazy to choose for himself. "A good one"??? give me a break. Some lazy bastards actually call from their homes to ask for our recommendations so they can just send their drivers to pick up the dvds (rich fucks). It really is disgusting man.

Of course, when doing this crap is part of the job it takes on a whole different level.

I get what you say about costumers spending extra time with the clerks. We all like that. I mean who doesn't like to chat about films with strangers. Even if it is to disagree...but that's not what I meant up there.

touche i get your point entirely, and take back what i said.

[Alexandro]

I get what you say about costumers spending extra time with the clerks. We all like that. I mean who doesn't like to chat about films with strangers.

especially when it leads to oral copulation.

specially when they're pretty, naive, smart girls who are just discovering that there's this guy called wes anderson.

[Gold Trumpet]

Now that I think about it, I'm not too horrible with movie recommendations. I'm never put in the situation of trying to guess what a total stranger would like (thank God), but whenever I do sincerely make recommendations to friends, I always put their tastes before mine. Currently, I'm trying to get a good friend to watch The Proposition. He loves Westerns, Nick Cave's music, but somehow hasn't seen this movie. I thought the movie was vacuous myself, but I'm driven to get him to see it because I know he'll love it.

But also, my opinion on movies matter very little to my friends so I'm not tempted to really recommend my true favorites ever. My movie friends in real life are established in their tastes and my other friends like what they like. They don't care what I think (unless it's me agreeing with them) so I'm never tempted to say anything. In fact, I'm known more to them for liking sports. I get more questions and comments about that then anything. My miscellaneous group of friends, meaning my pretentious friends who tend to think themselves smart of things other than movies, think I am like a fraternity guy so I'm a good amusement for them.

So, my real life is pretty cozy as far movie recommendations go. I'm sorry, but you guys are really the only ones who have to put up with my rants. If most of my friends knew me on this board, they wouldn't recognize me.  

[socketlevel]

true words about the human condition GT. my friends are like that too, if they're not sponges they're rocks. Either they don't give a fuck and let people decide for them, or they know exactly what they like and don't care to hear any opinion.  one or two will listen and watch based on insight, and when it comes to art, it's those that i value the most.  they give and take.

[SiliasRuby]

I am known to my friends unusually as the pretentious film freak. If they only know how low rent some of my tastes get like you guys do.

[Pas]

She done it again. Now she refers Rusty James in her facebook status a couple weeks after I told her she should check out Rumble Fish.

My gf thinks that she's trying to get my attention by always referring to the movies I suggest her in her facebook status thing.

It could be true but I don't understand why she would be all ''subtle'' about letting me know how awesome my tastes are.

My gf thinks that I wouldn't care if it was some guy and she says it's just because I'd like to bang this chick.

Could be true, especially the latter part, but it's still wrong not to thank people who gives you good suggestions. Also, your first comments on the thing should be directed towards the suggester.

My gf thinks that not everyone is obligated to care as much about suggestions-courtesy as me.

Well, if you're not gonna give me proper recognition and respect for my great suggestions than you are not entitled to them. Me and SoNowThen often share stuff and the last thing I suggested him he enjoyed greatly. At 2AM he emailed me : ''XYZ thing is the best discovery I had in 2009, thank you my friend'' something like that. Now THAT is courtesy.

[Stefen]

haha, GF's always think the worst.

[Pubrick]

ok i just watched Woman in the Dunes (147mins directors cut -- O M G)

now i've got three hours in which to watch only one of the following:

The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp (1943 powell/pressburger, 163min)
Ikiru (1952 kurosawa, 143min)
The Wages of Fear (1953 clouzot, 148min directors cut)

suggest one! i don't care if you haven't seen it.

EDIT: nevermind, went with wages of fear.

[Gold Trumpet]

Doesn't matter now, but I like Wages of Fear the least out of the three. The tension is fine at parts, but feels too forced also because that's all there is to the story. Ikiru is the best and feels like an epic Italian Neo Realist film, but Life and Death of Colonel Blimp is probably one of the most pleasant movies I have ever seen. It's hard to wipe the smile from my face as the characters embark on a happy life journey.