Rewatch, Rewind

Earlier this year, the inimitable Piers Beckley tagged me in a meme, asking 'what films do you watch again and again?' Well, I clean forgot about the meme until Piers gave me a polite poke recently (which I very much enjoyed, fnaarr). So, here's my mini-list of obvious choices combined with some guilty pleasures from the 80s era. I thang-ew.

Superman (original). On its release, I was at the impressionable age to be suitably awed and inspired. It was a big thrill to work with Gareth Tandy on Origin, who worked on the original Superman as assistant director. Wowza!

Ferris Bueller's Day Off. I saw this in Cork as a way to kill time before I got the train home to Cobh. I then pestered EVERYONE to see it once it reached The Great Island.

Weird Science. "He don't even have a license, Lisa!" Sure, it's a bit childish but it's still quality Hughes, and I love it.

Class. Rob Lowe, Andrew McCarthy and Jacqueline Bisset in early 80s indulgence, with John Cusack & Virginia Madsen in early roles. What's not to like??

The Thing. Surprising, suspenseful masterpiece. "It's weird and pissed off, whatever it is."

Don't Look Now. Saw it on late-night TV when I was a teenager and had no idea what it was about. Heavily traumatised afterwards.

The Godfather. Apart from its obvious brilliance, it was the first film to enlighten me on the value of character-driven narrative, and still continues to do so.

Trading Places. So much about this shouldn't work at all but it's just pitch perfect all the way.

Mannequin. Kim Cattrall as a mannequin who comes to life! Andrew McCarthy as the guy who gets his way with her! Hmm, I should probably stop this list now, yes? (but hey, there's a clever backstory of WHY she's a mannequin, so THERE!)