Minor Wisdom

Memento

So I’m reading Ben Yagoda’s latest book, When You Catch an Adjective, Kill It. In the chapter on verbs, Ben talks about how some fiction is written in the present tense—for example, Walker Percy’s The Moviegoer. This makes me think of the short story on which the movie Memento is based; I remember reading it off of the special edition DVD and recall that it’s written in the present tense. So I Google “memento short story,” and I find this web site full of information about the movie, including the full text of both the short story (which, indeed, is written in the present tense) and the movie script. Being a fan of the movie, I end up wasting about half the weekend poring over this stuff. Anyway, I think I may not be the only fan of this movie, so in case you’re one too, you know where to point and click.

One of the intriguing questions from the movie: Whose wife had diabetes, Leonard’s or Sammy’s. I think it was Leonard’s. Why?

Yeah, definitely going to see this movie.

I rarely make it to the movie theater; I’m too spoiled by my home setup, and I’m usually willing to wait for a movie to come out on DVD. But I think this one will put my fanny in a seat at the local Gigaplex:

“I am altering the pants. Pray that I don’t alter them any further.”

For no particular reason, here are the top 266 lines from Star Wars improved by replacing a word with “pants.” (Hat tip to Electronic Ephemera.)

Like bunnies

Click here to watch bunnies re-enact Brokeback Mountain.

Maple Palm

If you happen to be in Los Angeles between November 10-16 and feel like taking in a movie, think about seeing Maple Palm. It will be playing at Laemmle's Grande 4-Plex, 345 S. Figueroa Street. My friend Rorberto Foss, an immigration lawyer, is the technical advisor.

Kingfish

All the King's Men, starring Sean Penn as Huey Long, will open in theaters on September 22. To view the trailer, click here. (Via Southern Appeal.)

Movie quotations that didn't make the cut

Other bloggers have cited the American Film Institute's 100 top movie quotations. Me, I'm disappointed that some of my favorites didn't make the list:

• "Could be worse." "How?" "Could be raining." Young Frankenstein.
• "Games? He must be joking. I've seen better organized riots." Chariots of Fire
• "[He] must be a king." "Why?" "He hasn't got shit all over him." Monty Python & the Holy Grail.
• "I have a vewwy gweat fwend in Wome called Biggus Dickus." Monty Python's Life of Brian.
• "But one thing's sure: Inspector Clay's dead. Murdered. And somebody's responsible!" Plan 9 From Outer Space.
• "Well, now, ladies and gentlemen of the j-j-j-j-j-j-jury ..." My Cousin Vinnie.

If you have a favorite movie quotation that didn't make the AFI's top 100, please share it with us in a comment.