I’m participating in the A-Z Blogging Challenge, where I post every day in the month of April (except Sundays) and each day is a letter.

My theme for the month is a series of posts about the things that shaped me.

Clueless (also, Emma)

I was born in the 80s, but the 90s is where my heart lies. And there is nothing more 90s than Clueless.

It’s one of those movies that is endlessly rewatchable, endlessly quotable, and was standard sleepover fare. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve watched Cher and Dionne give Tai a makeover. And the soundtrack is so much fun — I’ve got the whole thing on my Spotify playlist.

It took me a couple years before I read Emma, and then it was super fun seeing all the clever correlations between the novel and the movie. I dare anyone to say Jane Austen isn’t relevant, because all it took is some plaid miniskirts, a tiny backpack or two, and a few “as if!”s to bring Emma to a whole new generation.

Charade

Audrey Hepburn.

Cary Grant.

Paris.

There’s nothing more perfect in this world.

If I was ever asked “what is your favorite movie?”, and under no circumstances would I be able to give more than one, this is it.

Considered “the greatest Hitchcock film Hitchcock never made,” Charade is full of mysterious strangers, charming romance, thrilling murders, and some of the most hilarious moments you’d never expect from two of the most elegant movie stars who ever existed:

It’s a fun, twisty tale and even when you know how it ends, it’s still so enjoyable to rewatch it again and again.

Clue

I love Tim Curry, and it’s all Clue‘s fault.

I think it’s pretty clear by now how much I enjoy a good mystery, and this one is a great one.

It’s brilliant. The cast is brilliant. The story is brilliant. Tim Curry rushing everyone through every possible solution is brilliant.

And Madeleine Kahn?

Fabulous. Kills me every time.

Chuck Palahniuk

Yes, Fight Club was my first exposure to Mr. Palahniuk, but after watching the movie, I immediately bought and devoured the book. This was another college viewing, expecting it to just be some uber-masculine action fest, and to my surprise it turned out to be so much more than that.

It’s one of the few instances where I can’t decide which is better, the book or the film. If you haven’t read it yet, I think you should.

And once I’d read and liked one book, I had to go on and read the rest of Palahniuk’s books, and that’s when I found this gem:

Survivor is 100 times better than Fight Club. Chuck Palahniuk started the story in one place, and I’m still amazed how he got to the end. The imagination it required to come up with the turns it takes, I am flabbergasted.

I wish it could have been turned into a movie as well, but the film was in the works and quickly abandoned around 9/11 for good reason, as a plane hijacking was a huge part of the story.

But it still doesn’t stop me from keeping this book on my favorites shelf.

It’s probably for the best that it never gets onscreen. I’m sure I’d hate it.

Lewis Carroll

I’ve seen several versions of Alice in Wonderland, and I’ve read the Alice books. But It’s less that he dreamed up Wonderland and its inhabitants, and more his absolutely amazing knack with words that puts Lewis Carroll on my list.

I love his use of language, and how easily he played with it. Portmanteaus weren’t a thing, until he made them a thing. He coined that word (in the linguistic sense, everybody back then knew it only as a suitcase) and so many others: chortle; snark; galumph; etc.

Carroll was a wordsmith, and a poet. Some of his poems were in his famous books — “The Walrus and the Carpenter” and “Jabberwocky,” for example — but my favorite is one that references Alice:

A Boat Beneath a Sunny Sky

A boat beneath a sunny sky,

Lingering onward dreamily

In an evening of July —

Children three that nestle near,

Eager eye and willing ear,

Pleased a simple tale to hear —

Long has paled that sunny sky:

Echoes fade and memories die:

Autumn frosts have slain July.

Still she haunts me, phantomwise,

Alice moving under skies

Never seen by waking eyes.

Children yet, the tale to hear,

Eager eye and willing ear,

Lovingly shall nestle near.

In a Wonderland they lie,

Dreaming as the days go by,

Dreaming as the summers die:

Ever drifting down the stream —

Lingering in the golden gleam —

Life, what is it but a dream?

It’s magical and musical, and makes me think of lying under a shady tree, the warm summer sun lulling me to sleep.

Just like Alice.

Until tomorrow!

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