In the spirit of the year ending (Top 5 of 07!)

[whichwaydidshego, the sage of sass]

Beth, I'm a big George Sanders fan as well! He played the rogue in Rebecca. But I always want to cheer him on. I watched him in four of The Falcon movies not to long back. I was CRUSHED when he died so that some other actor playing his brother could take over the role. Lame-with-a-capital-"L." I remember him in The Picture of Dorian Gray and The Ghost and Mrs. Muir. With him you always get the feeling that he's letting you in on a really good joke.

[whichwaydidshego, the sage of sass]

Um, Alison... I just can't may Bridge on the River Kwai a fav because it was my ex-bastard's -- I-I mean, ex-boyfriend's very favorite movie. LOL

[whichwaydidshego, the sage of sass]

Sorry guys, I didn't keep up with this thread, so I'm commenting as I read.

Dee... I had to tell the guy when he was leaving. I didn't want to have to remember all that craziness or live all that down when it got out! Did I mention this guy eventually proposed to me? I turned him down. He couldn't keep up with me, and never made me laugh. In my (extended) family it's all about the teasing and joking. We love to laugh.

The thing about this "gift" is that I can nearly always tell when someone is lying. But I'm also a great one to have around when you need to get out of a sticky situation.

Like one time my brother and I were looking in the window of the door to one of his college classes. If something was going on, he was going to skip. So we were watching what was happening and missed the teacher coming to the door. He managed to duck behind it and she asked if she could help me. I could see my brother completely wide-eyed in fear. I didn't miss a beat and rattled off some odd excuse that she completely believed. My brother's eyes got wider, his face was white, and all he could squeak out after she was clear of us was, "You did good, Hoser." (Our nick-name for each other. For all of you that know it's an insult, it became a term of endearment for us that no one else can use.)

[whichwaydidshego, the sage of sass]

Dee, I used to be a movie junkie, too. The last couple of years, though, I dunno... the just don't do it for me like they used to. But then, I have cables channels now so I just watch them later in HD. LOL

I definitely love the Bourne trilogy, though! And I like the Die Hards, too. When I first started my DVD collection, I mostly had only action/adventure films. Now my biggest genre by far is classics. I still love the action, though!

Along those lines, The Departed was incredible, but it was as much a drama and a suspense as it was an action. But it will make my top films... even if I may have watched it at the end of last year... I just can't remember!

[whichwaydidshego, the sage of sass]

Bette Davis really is wonderful. Now, Voyager is definitely a favorite. I just watched Dark Victory the other day. She is great as an evil biotch, however! All About Eve was fantastic.

"Fasten your seat belts, it's going to be a bumpy night."

Genius! Man that Mankiewicz could write!

[whichwaydidshego, the sage of sass]

Courtney - congrats on the Bette Davis gifts! Your partner is good to you!!

[whichwaydidshego, the sage of sass]

Summer, I discovered Madeleine Peyroux a couple of years ago thanks to NPR and love her! It's definitely mood listening, though! I have a couple of songs by The Traveling Wilburys, too. Cool!

[whichwaydidshego, the sage of sass]

Meghan, I think there are several groups on goodreads that just discuss books. Mostly, though, they are by genre. Look around and let us know what you find.

[whichwaydidshego, the sage of sass]

My to-read is only books I own... and it's at 128 with more on the way! The truth is, I haven't even entered them all because I feel like such a dork! But I need to figure out a place on here to list recommendations I'm interested in.

[whichwaydidshego, the sage of sass]

Summer, The Big Sleep is one of my all-time favorites! Bacall rocks my world. But in that one, it's Bogie all the way!

[whichwaydidshego, the sage of sass]

Oh my God. I just saw how many posts I made in a row. (It didn't feel like it because I was reading pages and pages!) Now I feel stupid posting my picks for the year. I've spend days and days trying to figure them out, too. Well... I'll wait a bit. LOL

[Sarah]

Michele, are you trying to catch up with me on th enumber of posts? heh

[Summer]

Michele (re:The Big Sleep): I'd agree with the Carmen character that he is short and disagree that he is "cute," but there are so many swoon inducing things he does in that movie. Such as when he tells the bookseller girl that he can think of better ways to get wet than continuing his stakeout in the rain. Or when he and Vivian are comparing one another to horses. Ack...I really wish he didn't smoke so much though. I'd swoon myself right into an asthma attack.

[whichwaydidshego, the sage of sass]

Summer - HA! But back then smoking was sexy. It was also a big way the films got sexual ideas past the censors. I liked you "swoon inducing" point!

[Alison, the guru of grace]

I read that the whole scene about the horses (Bacall & Bogie's conversation in a diner, or bar, I think) was added after the fact, when Bogie & Bacall had become a couple. Something like that. I definetely remember that it was added after the fact, for a little more on-screen chemistry. That is some dirty flirting.


Vivian: Well, speaking of horses, I like to play them myself. But I like to see them work out a little first, see if they're front-runners or come from behind, find out what their hole-card is. What makes them run.
Marlowe: Find out mine?
Vivian: I think so.
Marlowe: Go ahead.
Vivian: I'd say you don't like to be rated. You like to get out in front, open up a lead, take a little breather in the backstretch, and then come home free.
Marlowe: You don't like to be rated yourself.
Vivian: I haven't met anyone yet that can do it. Any suggestions?
Marlowe: Well, I can't tell till I've seen you over a distance of ground. You've got a touch of class, but, uh...I don't know how - how far you can go.
Vivian: A lot depends on who's in the saddle. Go ahead Marlowe, I like the way you work. In case you don't know it, you're doing all right.
Marlowe: There's one thing I can't figure out.
Vivian: What makes me run?
Marlowe: Uh-huh.
Vivian: I'll give you a little hint. Sugar won't work. It's been tried.

[whichwaydidshego, the sage of sass]

I believe it was added because their chemistry in their first film was so fantastic.

[Alison, the guru of grace]

Most likely. Humphrey was a hottie.

Those smoking comments reminded me of "Thank you for Not Smoking"...when (Aaron Eckhart's character--tobacco lobbyist) was trying to "bring smoking back into the movies." Haha.

[whichwaydidshego, the sage of sass]

That was such a funny movie - "Thank You for Smoking." (No "not" in there, Alison!)

[whichwaydidshego, the sage of sass]

Oh, and I'll NEVER catch you on the amount of posts, Sarah!

[Alison, the guru of grace]

You're so right, Michelle. That would have defeated the point of the movie. :)

[Meghan]

Well, to comment on Michele's message #22 - The Prestige was better because it had Christian Bale AND Hugh Jackman. Yum. Yummy. Yumtastic!

[Sarah]

Ditto Meghan! Yumtastic indeed. I also thought the twist was better.

[whichwaydidshego, the sage of sass]

So favorites are something that I find difficult. It is all dependent on mood and memory at the moment I’m making the list… in this case, especially memory. What did I read/watch/hear specifically in 2007? Geez, I don’t know… was that last year I read it or this one? The following is the best I can do… at this moment. LOL

Books:
1. Rebecca
2. The Secret (Audio book)
3. A Christmas Carol – go ahead Sarah, gloat.
4. Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows
5. The Prophet

Movies:
1. Stranger Than Fiction
2. The Departed
3. Walk on Water
4. Joyeux Noel
5. Goal! The Dream Begins
Runners up: Danny Deckchair, We Are Marshall, Thank You for Smoking

TV shows:
1. Planet Earth (Absolutely amazing.)
2. Battlestar Galactica
3. Heroes (Season One)
4. Life on Mars (Flippin’ brilliant! Like CSI meets Starsky & Hutch in Manchester, England with a twist.)
5. Playoff hockey (Except the Stanley Cup because the Ducks won. Disgusting.)
Runner up: Top Gear (I know – I’m a dork. But I learn a ton & find it bloody funny.)

If we did one for mini-series, I’d have loads. Most especially Jekyll with James Nesbitt. It was thrilling and fascinating. I mentioned Jane Eyre before, as well. There was also Five Days (brilliant), The Amazing Mrs. Pritchard, and The State Within. Hey! That’s five!

[whichwaydidshego, the sage of sass]

As for music, this year I went on a quest for “empowering” songs. I wanted ones for women specifically (but NOT man-hating) as well as for everyone. I had determined that once I compiled this list, I would listen to it constantly – no matter how sick I got of them. Because this is the diet I wanted to feed my spirit.

It was MUCH more difficult to find them than I expected. It really did take ages, but because I was struggling through so much, I was highly motivated. I didn’t care the genre or style, I wanted meaning. What I got was a fantastically uplifting mix of music.

I confess, I can most certainly NOT narrow it down to five. Do you mind if I name the ones that stick out in my head (whether because they most helped me or because their style or meaning most sticks with me)? …Thanks.

Songs:
1. Proud, Heather Small
2. Watch Me Shine, Joanna Pacitti
3. Fighter (& most of the Stripped album), Christina Aguilera
4. 18 Wheeler, Pink
5. Unwritten, Natasha Bedingfield
6. Absolutely Not, Deborah Cox
7. What a Beautiful Day, The Levellers
8. I’m Gonna Live Til I Die, Queen Latifah
9. Ashes, Embrace*
10. Dream Big, Ryan Shupe
11. I Will Hold My Head High, Third Day*
12. Everybody’s Free (to Wear Sunscreen) , Baz Luhrmann
13. Generator, The Holloways
14. Ordinary Day, Great Big Sea
15. Ain’t Nuthin’ But a She Thing, Salt’N’Pepa
16. Standing Outside the Fire, Garth Brooks
17. Seasons of Love, RENT Movie Cast*
18. Seize the Day, Newsies Movie Cast*
19. Victory, Yolanda Adams
20. Before It’s Too Late, Goo Goo Dolls
21. Either Way, The Twang

Seriously, I just want to list them all! The first two listed are definitely the top. I had never heard them before this search. WOW. Those starred are ones I’ve known and appreciated on some level for some time, but they had to make the list because of how they helped me. Some of them were recommendations from my best mate in England. Thanks for letting me share!

[Sarah]

Michele, what, no Chuck or Journeyman? Heh.

[whichwaydidshego, the sage of sass]

I know, huh. Or Life. I love those three... as well as L&O:CI (for Vincent D'Onofrio). I almost included them, but wanted to highlight my very favorite things. If we are talking this season's Heroes, though, they'd all beat it! I still watch, but it's not impressing me so much now. I think House is a riot, too. I have to watch it just to hear what craziness he'll say this time around!

A friend of mine pointed out that the shows I like best all have an eccentric main character. He's right. Thing is, I told another friend this and they said, "Well that makes sense. YOU'RE eccentric." Heh. So there you go. I chose to take it as a compliment, by the way. I mean, what's a girl to do?

[Sara W]

None of these are in any particular order, and I may have forgotten some from earlier in the year, but here goes:

Top 5 Favorite Books: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (J.K. Rowling), The Flight of the Romanovs: A Family Saga (John Perry), The Rose Without a Thorn (Jean Plaidy), Memoirs of a Geisha (Arthur Golden), Katherine of Aragon (Jean Plaidy)

Top 5 Favorite Movies: Juno, This is England, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, The Simpons Movie, Ratatouille

Top 5 Favorite Songs: Suddenly I See (KT Tunstall), 1234 (Feist), Jesus Walks (Kanye West), Rehab (Amy Winehouse), Crazy (Gnarls Barkley)

Top 5 Favorite Albums: Public Warning (Lady Sovereign), Hot Fuss (The Killers), Fallen (Evanescence), Back to Bedlam (James Blunt), Illinoise (Sufjan Stevens)

Top 5 Favorite TV Shows: 30 Rock, Family Guy, The Simpsons, The Office, Dancing with the Stars

[Dottie]

Michelle -- eccentric is VERY GOOD.

But I have to say -- I'm SO happy with "our" Stanley Cup -- it's just a great feeling to have hockey made "real" for all the naysayers in OC over the years. So I'm really not gloating -- just glad to have legitimacy for our local group finally.

As for favs I can't do any without a lot of work -- they slide right through the sieve as fast as I see, read or hear them these days.

SO -- back to the favs thread y'all. Sorry for the interruption.

[Arctic]

yay another Family Guy fan! Sera, Jondice, and I are also regular watchers.

Welcome to the group Sara!

[whichwaydidshego, the sage of sass]

Sera, "Suddenly I See" is on my empowering list, too! "Crazy" is from the year before for me. I also love theme song to the new TV Show "Saving Grace" by Everlast. It gets into me.

Um. Most of the fans of the Ducks rival teams still think they are a joke... but mostly because their fans are so fair weather and don't know a thing about hockey. No offense, Dottie. My cousin used to be a fan, but hates them about most of all for this reason. He's a Kings fan now, but if he goes to a Ducks v. Sharks game with my brother, he will wear one of my brother's Sharks jerseys - that's how much he can't stand them! (A big deal since the Kings and the Sharks are also in the same division and rivals of a sort.)

Okay, seriously. Put down the computer, Michele! Yikes!

[Dottie]

Michelle -- I totally understand all you said about the Ducks -- but there are also core fans who were Kings fans for eons and were SO happy to see a team arrive closer to home. And those fans DO get hockey. ME -- I didn't know hockey from Pluto until the daughter and her friend got really into it but I do love watching hockey on TV or any even reasonably decent team in person -- it so beats out other big US sports in my opinion. I also love soccer -- over other things -- what can I say?

Still friends?

[Sera]

Sara, I see that you are a Romanov and Jean Plaidy fan. That's awesome! I have read quite a few books on the Romanovs, and there is a great movie about the family on DVD, even though I can't remember the name.

Also, I love Jean Plaidy. Katherine of Aragon was awesome - have you read any others? I've read Mary, Queen of France; The Woman in the Tower; and I recently bought The Rose with the Thorn. If you like books about the Tudor family, try An Innocent Traitor by Alison Weir, which is excellent.

I'm trying to get Meghan into reading Jean Plaidy. She blows Phillipa Gregory away.

[Rebecca]

I can not believe I didn't put the last Harry Potter book in my top 5! I was just reading Sara's top 5 and was shocked that I forgot it.

[whichwaydidshego, the sage of sass]

Dottie, are you kidding?? To find a friend that likes both my favorite sports - and is a female??? Heck yeah, we're still friends!!!

Sooooo... you've seen the Sharks then, obviously. Because they are more than reasonable decent. Hee-hee!

Hockey really is the best sport! Oh, and you'll appreciate this... the day after Christmas I rented a box at the Kings - Sharks game in LA and 10 family members (all hockey fans), one friend, and I had the time of our lives! My cousin Matt is a Kings fan, but there was a contingent of Sharks fans in the family... most wearing jerseys. It was SUCH a blast. Oh, and the Sharks kicked butt.

The funniest bit was when these two burly guys were so disgruntled that the Sharks were winning that they flipped me off when the Kings scored with 27 seconds left, even though there was no way they were going to catch us. Now, my family and I know how to be good fans in another arena - you cheer for your team, but you don't lord over or mock or jeer the opposing fans when you are winning. However, when the final whistle sounded I waited until they turned around and then I did a little bit of gloating just for them. They were ready to beat on me! Such the bad time for me to make any sort of point about rudeness... I mean it was a HOCKEY game... but I just won't put up with it any more! Since we were in the boxes, they couldn't get to me, so I survived without a black eye... but so did they! LOL

[Cody]

I grew up on hockey and I love it. It's one of my all time favorite sports. But I'm a total sports chick...seriously, I'm watching sports right now. I love going to games too, I try to go to at least a handful of NBA games a season, and NHL, and NFL...I could keep going but I won't.

Plus I love what you y'all call soccer, even though back home we call it futbol. :P

PLANET EARTH IS AMAZING. Seriously, EVERYBODY has been getting that as a gift from me for every thing. If they didn't get it for their birthday, they got it for Hanukkah or Christmas (whichever they celebrate) or from the Thanksgiving Fairy (oh yeah, I did it).

Five Days was great, really really great.