Mark Beall's Geek Beat: Movies to Date By

by Mark Beall Aug 8th 2006 // 3:08PM


To properly understand my position here with Cinematical, it is imperative that you understand one fundamental fact: I'm just your everyday schmuck. I just happen to be a schmuck who knows way more than is probably healthy about comic books and who writes reasonably well. Usually, this means I get to sit in front of my computer and share my thoughts with world. I write, and you read. But hey, you've got opinions too, opinions which are as valid as my own. For this reason, I occasionally turn the tables and ask you to give me advice. When X-Men 3 happened, I used The Geek Beat to poll the general opinion of geekdom regarding the film, and it was one of the most enjoyable experiences I've had here at Cine. There was also a point when I asked for snack suggestions from my readers because I'd developed a case of the munchies while writing.

Today, my friends, is another of those cases. I've got a question I'm curious about, and I'm going to take advantage of the fact that I've got thousands of readers who tend to be quite a bit like me. You know me by now, folks -- or at least, you know my general movie tastes and opinions. I'm obviously into the geek genre films, I love a good comedy, and I adore the Muppets. Let me explain the issue I'm turning to your for an opinion on:

The Geek Beat Guy married a gal who is surprisingly supportive when it comes to my geeky hobbies. She may not read comic books, but she understands and encourages my addiction. She's an enabler, if you will.

Like most couples, among our favorite ways to pass time together when we have nothing that needs doing is watching movies together. Geek movies aren't necessarily her favorite films, but she enjoys a good action flick and is certainly willing to give just about any movie a fair shake. Like most ladies, she enjoys a good "chick-flick" and I typically don't mind giving them a fair shake either. We line up best when it comes to campy, feel-good family films. And we both like animated Disney movies up to and including Aladdin, although she leans more Lady and the Tramp/Little Mermaid while I lean more Sword in the Stone/Great Mouse Detective, and we meet in the middle at Robin Hood.

Your job, good and faithful reader, is to suggest movies for the Geek Beat Guy and the Geek Beat Gal to watch and enjoy together. You can go in any direction here, I'm not asking for a list of guy friendly chick-flicks or girl-friendly action movies -- I just want to know what movies YOU watch with your significant other. What movies can you share together and both enjoy? Give me one, give me a list, break them down by category, I don't care what you do, just sell me on them.

If you give me an impassioned argument, it'll likely show up in a future column. I plan on taking the most compelling suggestions and trying them out with the Geek Beat Gal. Afterward, I'll share with you which movies we watched, and give you a rundown on what we thought of them. If this goes well, it could turn into a great reference list for all of us. Everybody will win.

If anybody manages to suggest a film which REALLY impresses -- maybe something I decide I need to go out and purchase after watching it on your suggestion -- I'll figure out something special to do for you. I have no idea what, yet, but I'll figure out something. Maybe I'll buy you a copy of one of the gal and my's favorite date movies. Maybe I'll dedicate a future Geek Beat to your favorite movies in honor of your excellent tastes. Be warned, however. If you submit an unworthy movie, I reserve full rights to poke fun at you.

So get to it. Tell me your favorite mixed-company flicks, and give me your best passionate explanation of why I should watch them. Remember, you're not just doing this for me, you are doing it for each other.

Oh, and for a quick note: If you were thinking of suggesting About a Boy, you are thinking along very good lines. However, you should probably suggest another movie because I already own it, and the Geek Beat Gal and I have watched it more than once together. Likewise, The Princess Bride is a perfect choice, but everybody already knows that. And you needn't suggest anything with Jimmy Stewart in it, because I'm already well aware of his amazing movie powers. Other than that, have at it.

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