I was never any good at sports...

...especially anything that involved that crazy concept of "coordination" - but I've been passed this virtual baton by Jim, and who am I to refuse?

1. Total number of films I own on DVD and video.
25 on DVD, 41 on video.

2. Last film I bought.
I think it was "The Station Agent."

3. Last film I watched.
"Finding Neverland" - and I loved it. Bawled my eyes out at the end... (And at least in this case, that's a good thing.)

4. Five films that I watch a lot or that mean a lot to me (in no particular order).
Not being a real cinema buff, it's hard for me to make a list of five movies that I love now, I've always loved, and I always will love. Chances are, this list would be different in a year if you asked me this same question. Be that as it may, here's the snapshot for now.

"Mindwalk" will always be on this list, unless I hear something really scandalous about it that makes me lose faith in all mankind. It's not available on DVD, sadly, but I have the VHS. (And my brother was kind enough to have a friend burn it onto DVD for me, which is wonderful.) It's essentially a 2-hour conversation between a poet, a politician and a physicist (and I remember this every time because they all begin with P!) that takes place on Mont St-Michel in France. And before anyone likens it to "My Dinner with Andre," let me tell you I finally saw it and I can tell you "Mindwalk" is nothing like it. One of the things I like best about "Mindwalk" is that I learn something every time I watch it - usually about physics - and yet it never comes across as a boring or educational film. Besides, who can beat Mont St-Michel for a setting?

"The Wizard of Oz" is my childhood favorite. I hated "The Sound of Music" (still do), but "The Wizard of Oz" still brings back the fondest of memories.

"Lord of the Rings" trilogy: I know, I know - it sounds geeky, but it's true. I loved these films. I'd never read any of the books before, and after seeing the first film twice I thought, "Y'know, if the movies are this good, I'm sure the books are, too..." And so I read them. And any movie that can get people to read three enormous volumes is a good movie. An element that I really adore from the story (film and book alike) is the theme of 'friendship,' and all the forms it takes. It's palpable, and even those of us without pointy ears or overly hairy feet can relate.

"All the President's Men" was a favorite of mine long before Mark Felt came out of the closet (so to speak), really. I love spy stories, and as the saying goes - truth is stranger than fiction! This film captures one of the more interesting 'spy-like' stories of our time. And it doesn't hurt that it stars one of the movie hunks of our time, either. (Redford, not Hoffman, silly!)

"The Usual Suspects" is what turned me on to how amazing Kevin Spacey is. I love this film, absolutely adore it. And I can say no more, for fear that someone out there hasn't seen it (sacrilege!) - I don't want to spoil anything for you...

5. If you could be any character portrayed in a movie, who would it be?
I agree with Jim, this is the most interesting question of the bunch. And I'm still mulling it over. The title character from "Amelie" would be a fine choice - the impossible-to-suppress will to do good deeds, lovely Paris apartment and cafe job, adorable boyfriend (not to mention her own adorableness)... Then there are the strong/quirky female leads who always intrigue me - the most recent favorite being Kate Winslet's Clementine in "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" (a film that got completely shafted at the Oscars, thankyouverymuch) - not that I generally like all of what happens to these women, or the choices they make, but that they possess a strength (or at least an "I really don't give a shit" attitude) that I sometimes think would be fun. I could never pull it off, but it'd be fun to give it a go... And if we're stepping outside the boundaries of gender, I'd have loved to have been the kid in "The Black Stallion" - just to have been able to ride that magical, beautiful horse... But I think the one that resonates with me most (at least right now) is Scarlett Johansson's Charlotte in "Lost in Translation," a young woman still trying to figure out what her life is going to be - but at least she's getting to travel a bit, right? Really, it would be interesting to be back at that point in life, when you're done with the things you have to do (school) and now you're stuck making up your own rules. Charlotte's not having an easy time of it, to be sure, but I suppose I like the idea of being able to do it all over again.