Movies I Watched in 2013 (some of 'em)

I decided for no reason, other than I enjoy making trivial lists, to document the movies I watched with my wife-to-be who then became my wife in 2013. I didn't even have a blog when I started this--what could have been the point? As I mentioned, I chose to only list the movies I watched with Jessa, none that I watched, say after she'd passed out from a day much longer than mine. If she passed out mid-movie or woke up for the second half, those, of course, were included. I guess I was just hoping to have some additional record of the year we went from dating to married. I'm overly sentimental like that.

This is 40: We went to the theater on New Years Day. It's become something of a New Years tradition (although I can't remember what we would have seen the past two years). This year it was American Hustle. In 2011 it was The King's Speech when we were still living in Chicago and before which we got loaded at a Buffalo Wild Wings (BW3, if you're nasty, although I've never understood why--there are 2 W's, not 3...) before were coerced by a friendly salesman offering discounts to buy a bed at World Market waiting for our showtime. I had to rent a U-Haul to move the bed, which probably negated any savings, and the bed has since broken and been thrown out.

Rock of Ages: Watched with my dad, who I think had already maybe watched just liked it enough to recommend a second viewing for our pleasure. It was okay.

Batman Year One: Christmas present. We recently reimplemented a family tradition from when I had been a kid, where one member of the family is "picked on" by the rest, everyone buying him or her gag gifts based on some quirk or humorous or slightly embarrassing hobby. So my brother-in-law, who loves vodka and Bon Jovi, got stir sticks and Bon Jovi calendars. I, being a comic book dork, got kiddy Spider-Man bathroom cups and Batman movies. I made out like a bandit. This is how I felt on finding out I'd been picked on:

Justice League: Doom: Christmas present. Jessa slept through most of both of these movies, waking up to maybe only say, "Is Brian Cranston Batman?" to which I responded, "No, honey, he's Commissioner Gordon. Shhh," and she drifted back to sleep.

Extract: Jessa slept through most of this too. Kinda wish I had as well. This was no King of the Hill or Office Space. I don't even know you anymore, Mike Judge.

Spinal Tap: Jessa is more of A Mighty Wind kind of girl, we discovered.

Following Sean: Little kids smokin' dope. Hilarity and trauma ensue.

The Skulls: I put this on for Jessa because of her love of the Pacey (Pacey, Casey: are you seeing the appeal here?). She did not approve and it was turned off about 45 minutes in.

Comic Book Confidential: Jessa put this on for me, because she loves me and knew I would enjoy it. Then she got up to take a shower.

Tiny Furniture: We'd already watched Girls season one, so it was kinda surprising we'd put this off this long. With Lena Dunham's, let's say, extreme brand of comedy, a six-hour season of awkward sex is usually enough to tide us over for about six months until her next project is added to Amazon.com.

The Last Man on Earth: This was either a Svengooli Saturday night feature while we waited for an episode of Saturday Night Live, or Jessa being a very patient, supportive girlfriend again.

CSNY Déjà vu: Because damn the man, save the empire!

Pumpkin: Jessa had been recommending this for a few years. I had always thought this dark comedy was about a vapid blonde played by Christina Ricci who everyone called Pumpkin. I was kinda right and oh so very wrong.

Neil Young Heart of Gold: House cleaning music.

Decoy Bride: Because the David Tennant.

Re-Animator: We'd both somehow missed out on this film until seeing it at one of Chicago's Music Box Massacres a few years before. This and Roger Corman's Bucket of Blood were our clear favorites. We like our guts served with a side of silly.

The Hours: Another of Jessa's faves I'd missed out on. I think it was the fake Kidman nose that'd always made me question.

Barton Fink: A clear standout. Both of Coen fans, this was always on the list. The list just being so long, it took a few decades to get to.

My Best Friend’s Wedding: Jessa and I were both home sick with strep, this was on free movie channel. I bought some chicken nuggets and we made an afternoon of it.

The Frightners

Heavenly Creatures: We had a little Peter Jackson marathon with this and the previous movie. Jessa loved Frightners and liked Heavenly Creatures, I vice versa--we compliment each other so well!

Bachelorette: It's not often you and your soon-to-be-wife have never heard of a film with so many people you love in it.

Meet the Fokkens: It's not often there's a film about seventy-year-old twin prostitutes.

Five Year Engagement: Jessa sometimes compares me to Jason Segel who I think she has a tiny celeb-crush on. I've loved Jason Segel since Freaks and Geeks. We're a match made in Hollywood-nerd-Heaven

Seeking a Friend for the End of the World: We regularly have celebratory "middle-class date nights" where we go to Applebees and see a Steve Carell movie after the end of a semester and things like that.

Pitch Perfect: Anna Kendrick: triple threat (she can sing, she can make music with cups, she can act in Twilight and I still don't hate her). I think Jessa and I both have celeb-crushes on Anna her now. Although Jessa says Anna looks exactly like Adam Scott with boobs. It's true. But I know Jessa has a crush on Adam Scott and likes boobs, so it all makes sense. And according to the internet, she is not the first to think this.

Hamlet: Because we both teach Shakespeare (aawwwww!). And we f'in love some David Tennant.

Woody Allen A Documentary: He's still making some pretty impressive films now and again. This is not one of them. As it is rather about him.

Man on the Moon: I'm a comedy nerd. Jessa's an REM nerd. Match made in media Heaven.

Safety Not Guaranteed: I can't say anything funny or bad about this amazing movie with amazing people from Parks and Rec, New Girl, and the League doing time travel stuff and making funny.

Undefeated: Jessa would go to the school featured in this movie once a month for Teach for America training. Any documentary that offers that, you gotta watch. See also: American Movie featuring my hometown!

We Bought a Zoo: I cried when the tiger died. Whatever.

Young Adult: One of those films where the trailer makes it look like a slap-happy comedic romp. Actually about depression.

The Mission: Amazing Stories: Young Kevin Costner, cartoon magic, war stuff. Spielberg at his finest.

Trading Places: This was the start of an Eddie Murphy kick when Jessa realized she'd missed out on the majority of his oeuvre outside of the ones where he dresses in fat suits or talks to animals.

Silver Linings Playbook: And we climb ever further onto the adoring Jennifer Lawrence bandwagon.

Right back atcha', J-Law.

Inbetweeners the Movie: We binge-watched the show, which is amazing, then rented the movie, only to have it added to instant watch a week later. Don't you hate when that happens?

Queen of Versailles: A few weeks after watching this, I was noticed it playing on the TV in the lobby of my office. Usually the TV is set to CNN or another news station. It seemed like an odd choice. Then when I walked into the men's room, it seemed an even odder choice for the man in the stall to be sitting there in his bare socks. It was an odd day all around.

Lucy: Yup, the made for TV movie about a TV show.

Color me Kubrick: Color us not so impressed.

Casual Sex?: One of the few movie titles to feature a question mark. And someone falling in love with Andrew Dice Clay.

And that's just the first 4 months of 2013! The rest of the year was devoted to Toddlers and Tiaras binging.