Litmus Test Movies

[GreekGeek]

I've asked this on other discussion forums and always received interesting results: Are there any movies you use as litmus tests for friends or romantic prospects? I've read that This Is Spinal Tap is one such movie for many people: If he or she doesn't laugh, it's a sign that Things Aren't Going To Work Out.

 

I, personally, am not so invested in any movie that someone else's different opinion would be a dealbreaker, but there are those who do have their "If they don't like X, we can't be friends" movies. Are you among them?

[proserpina65]

Die Hard

 

Monty Python & the Holy Grail

 

Disliking or not getting either one (or both) wouldn't necessarily be a deal breaker, but it would make me question how compatible we were.  Now, being a Man United fan, on the other hand . . .

[Trini]

Nah, I do that with TV shows; not really with movies.

[absnow54]

I was in a relationship for two years before I realized he'd never seen Star Wars, and then, when I made him watch them, the only one he liked was The Phantom Menace. Somehow, we managed to overcome this adversity, but I was convinced it would be a deal breaker. 

[Spartan Girl]

Well, I definitely wouldn't be interested in dating someone that doesn't like the Muppets.  Or doesn't think Animal House is funny.

[Schweedie]

Die Hard

 

Monty Python & the Holy Grail

 

Disliking or not getting either one (or both) wouldn't necessarily be a deal breaker, but it would make me question how compatible we were.  Now, being a Man United fan, on the other hand . . .

 

*snort* As a Liverpool supporter, I approve.

 

I'd honestly be very disappointed if a potential friend/romantic prospect didn't appreciate the ridiculousness that is The Room, or the genius ridiculousness that is Life of Brian.

 

Pride. If they haven't seen it, fair enough, but if they've seen and disliked it I'm gonna assume they've a heart made of stone.

[ToxicUnicorn]

Off the top of my head:

 

Must hate: Avatar

Must tolerate: Fred Astaire movies

Must love (it's ok if he doesn't admit it outright): Babe, Homeward Bound

 

Most everything else is negotiable.

[proserpina65]

Pride. If they haven't seen it, fair enough, but if they've seen and disliked it I'm gonna assume they've a heart made of stone.

 

Anyone who'd dislike a movie which could make Dominic West move like that has no soul.

[ribboninthesky1]

Any romantic prospect who enjoys the Todd Phillips or Judd Apatow type of film gives me pause.  I'll make a mental note and observe how well-rounded he is.  

[dusang]

I was in a relationship for two years before I realized he'd never seen Star Wars, and then, when I made him watch them, the only one he liked was The Phantom Menace. Somehow, we managed to overcome this adversity, but I was convinced it would be a deal breaker. 

 

Oh gawd, Phantom Menace?  So, he just has terrible taste in films?  And you can never watch one together or trust his judgment in them at all?

[AimingforYoko]

Negative: Adam Sandler movies, post-Waterboy. Anbody who thinks these are funny are not my kind of people.

Positive: Tarantino. He's so stylized I don't make it a deal-breaker, but I get along better with people who think he's a genius. A crazy, foot-fetishist genius.

[dusang]

Many moons ago, a friend of mine was dating a girl who just had not seen or did not want to see like any of the most beloved films of my generation.  From Star Wars and Indiana Jones all the way through to Princess Bride, she either hadn't seen it at all and/or didn't want to.  A group of us were together one evening and trying to pick a video to watch and the host had just acquired the remastered, re-released Indiana Jones trilogy and everyone except this one girl was like, "Yes!  Indy!"  She was like, "I just don't like that type of film."  Now, this is the point where everyone else, having known each other a long time and trying to make the newbie feel comfortable, just kind of nodded and looked back to find a different selection.  I, on the other hand, was just so honestly dumbfounded I asked, "What type of film?  Action movies?  Adventure movies?  Films everyone else loves?"

 

Long story short, I'm a bit of a bitch and we watched Raiders of the Lost Ark.

 

That couple are now married and seem very happy.  I don't quite get it.

Edited June 11, 2015 by dusang

[ratgirlagogo]

 

Must love (it's ok if he doesn't admit it outright): Babe

Agreed. Babe is a huge favorite of mine but it's more they would have to be animal lovers. A test Mr Rat passed without any problem (although he  does love Babe as well.)      For me a more basic test (since it's definitely going to weed out an awful lot of people) it's more they have to love old black and white/silent films.  Mr Rat more than passed every test by being familiar with all kinds of old movies I'd never seen.  Eighteen glorious years later and it's still red-hot love.

Edited June 19, 2015 by ratgirlagogo

[Bastet]

Are there any movies you use as litmus tests for friends or romantic prospects?

 

No, but now that you've brought it up I'm tempted to quiz those in my circle whose answer I don't already know to find out if they like The Thin Man and cast aside any who say no (they can stay if they haven't seen it, but if they've seen it and don't like it -- dead to me).

Edited June 21, 2015 by Bastet

[Shannon L.]

I don't have a litmus test for relationships, but I do know that there are certain movies our kids must see before they graduate or we'll think that we've failed as parents  :)  With us, it's mostly comedies, but some action-adventures and thrillers have made the list, too.  We've seen The Princess Bride and a few Monty Python* movies.  Wayne's World, How to Marry an Ax Murderer.  I know there's a lot I'm forgetting......Anyway, a few weeks ago, we discovered that our daughter has never seen Ferris Buellar's Day Off, ET, Vacation and Back to the Future.  This summer, we will rectify that.

 

Tonight, we're introducing her to Jaws.  My son (the older of the two) has seen it already and he and husband and I love it.  I can't wait!

 

Monty Python fans, you'll appreciate this:  My daughter, in third grade, actually used the phrase "it is an ex-parrot!" in an appropriate conversation.  Her timing was excellent.  We were proud and the adults around us, who understood it, were quite impressed  :)

[harrie]

Tonight, we're introducing her to Jaws.  My son (the older of the two) has seen it already and he and husband and I love it.  I can't wait!

 

 

Did you do the TCM movie theater thing with Jaws?  

 

I saw it on the big screen for the first time today -- a much more interesting, nuanced (if by any stretch of the imagination a shark v. boat film can be nuanced) experience.  Saw lots of things I never saw watching Jaws on the TV - even the big screen, commercial-free versions - and it's a totally different experience. At the theater near me it's playing again Wednesday so it may or may not be doing so nationwide; if anyone has the time, inclination and opportunity, I highly recommend seeking out the 40th anniversary Jaws experience.

Edited June 22, 2015 by harrie

[Shannon L.]

 

Did you do the TCM movie theater thing with Jaws?

Yes, we did!  It was so much fun.  My husband and I thought it held up really well after all of these years.

[harrie]

Yes, we did!  It was so much fun.  My husband and I thought it held up really well after all of these years.

 

Same here.  I've seen Jaws tens of times, and still I jumped/gasped at stuff I knew was coming.  I also noticed how beautiful the sky was in some of the sunset/sunrise shots, something I didn't get on TV; and I don't know if they cut it for TV versions or just shortened it, but I loved the sort of lingering shot of Quint silhouetted on the bowsprit.   Apparently everyone else in the theater enjoyed the movie too, because there was genuine applause at the end.

 

I might try to do Double Indemnity next month, but I definitely want to do Psycho in October.   I usually go to a little indie theater that shows non-blockbuster (but still acclaimed) movies, but for the TCM series, the local googolplex (copyright barton)  has me hooked. 

Edited June 22, 2015 by harrie

[Shannon L.]

 

Same here.  I've seen Jaws tens of times, and still I jumped/gasped at stuff I knew was coming.

Same here. I'm glad I knew what to expect and when , so I could be ready for it, but I still jumped a couple of times.

 

 

Apparently everyone else in the theater enjoyed the movie too, because there was genuine applause at the end.

Yeah, we had a good audience, too.  Cheers when it started, applause at the end.

 

Psycho would be fun to see on the big screen, too.

[Bastet]

Coming across - and giving a hard pass - to Titanic while going around the dial yet again tonight somehow reminded me of this thread.  The film is stunningly well done visually, features a number of good performances, and has notable scattered powerful character moments -- but not one of those involve the insipid five-minute romance it's centered around.  So, the movie is indeed something of a litmus test for me; if someone likes it in spite of Jack and Rose's story, because of what else it has going for it, groovy, but if anyone is OMG, Jack + Rose 4eva in my heart squealing about that shit, nope, we are going to need to have a whole hell of a lot else in common to be compatible.

[RunningMarket]

Many moons ago, I had a roommate - who for context, I had not met before she moved in. Somehow we discovered our mutual and endless love for the movie Clue. Like, to the extent we spent the next hour reciting almost every line from it. That led to grabbing some drinks, and watching the DVD, while quasi-acting out most of the scenes as they happened.

She was a good roommate.

[methodwriter85]

If you don't get Lost In Translation or Heathers, I don't think you really get me. LOL

[Mabinogia]

4 hours ago, RunningMarket said:

Many moons ago, I had a roommate - who for context, I had not met before she moved in. Somehow we discovered our mutual and endless love for the movie Clue.

Clue is 100% my sense of humour so if someone doesn't like Clue, we are not going to get along. They also wouldn't understand half of what I say since I reference that movie a lot. 

[Bastet]

4 hours ago, RunningMarket said:

Many moons ago, I had a roommate - who for context, I had not met before she moved in. Somehow we discovered our mutual and endless love for the movie Clue. Like, to the extent we spent the next hour reciting almost every line from it. That led to grabbing some drinks, and watching the DVD, while quasi-acting out most of the scenes as they happened.

The first time I hung out with a new friend, whom I'd met earlier as part of a group, we wound up back at her apartment for more drinks after we left the restaurant.  We'd already discovered a lot of things in common, including having been to some of the same concerts in other cities.  Walking down her hallway, I spotted Clue among her DVD collection and told her I can recite the film verbatim.  Since she can too, we promptly popped in the DVD and did just that.  Afterward, she declared us engaged.  🙂  We're still BFFs over 20 years later.

[RunningMarket]

4 hours ago, methodwriter85 said:

If you don't get Lost In Translation or Heathers, I don't think you really get me. LOL

I went through a long phase where I would croak out "Cornuuuuuts..." if I was eating them.

OK, so I still do that.