A movie before dying

[Bernie]

I've started this message 4 times but they all sounded like warmed-over mushy cliches, so I'll just say don't give up hope -- you never know.  

As for movies, I would say, load up on Mystery Science Theaters and laugh your ass off.

[Deej]

 Firstly, I'm pulling for you pal. I wish you the best of luck and in seriousness if there's anything I can do, let me know. Secondly, and strangely, the first film I'd watch before the big sleep, is...The Big Sleep! Just got it on DVD, a pre-release and a theatrical version...AWESOME. Number B on the list, DEAD-ALIVE, the muther-humpin' best frikkin' movie ever made! My third pick Gunga-Din, hell I dunno, I just friggin' like it! And finally....anything with Joe Don...mother forkin'...Baker!!!!

PS. I was wondering what happened with the Josh Patrick thing! Oh, dammit...I never get the memos!!! I mean it's not like I left the friggin' planet...close, Bosnia....but not quite. Love you guys...mean it!

[ErikJ]

I've lost quiet a few friends with in the past few years to cancer in many of it's forms. Keep up hope because just as I've lost friends I also have had quite a few beat it.
I saw someone mentioned a song for inspiration. The only one that comes to mind is "The Spirit Caries On" from Dream Theater off of Scenes from a Memory.

Now as far as films go Whoops Apocalypse! is the first thing that comes to mind. I never get tired of seeing Michael Richards as a sex toy sales man trying to sell an inflatable sheep to a southern sheriff, "If you want to hear it climax you just pull the string." Or the whistling condoms, "Come in 7 different tunes and so can you."
I laugh so hard at this film cry, and any film that can do that to me is among the best.

[Susan]

I actually hope you are joking than being serious. But I guess it may be better to know than to not ,as anyone at anytime could die unexpectedly. All my best in any case, some piece of advice for anyone really...just enjoy every bit you can.

As for my last movie i hate to say would probably be home movies. I've found they've always been far more scarier and funnier than anything I could rent. ;-)

[Neville]

Don't give up. I'd recommend "Spirited away", it reminded me of sensations and ideas I only had experienced as a child.

[BoyScoutKevin]

Words cannot express how I feel. Though, I would suggest, if you do decide to seek a donor, you post what type of donor needed, here at this board.

[spike]

I have no fear I've been redeemed already but since you ask all the critters film and Shark attack 3 and the whole Halloween series

[Foywonder]

No one who requests all of the Critters and Halloween sequels as their final movie watching experiences has been truly redeemed! :)

[Samiam]

The Straight Story (1999) David Lynch

A film that makes you appreciate every moment of your life.

[chris]

That's horrible JR.  Sorry man.  Here's some good flicks.
Spiritual:
Ninth Configuration
Bad Lieutenant
Good ole fashioned fun:
Evil Dead Trilogy (always good)
Cemetery Man
Deadly Spawn (great low budget alien film)
Split Image (James Woods and Michael O' Keefe are amazing.  Their intense performances almost make this a comedy)
Death Drug (hard to find, but Phillip Michael Thomas is hillarious)
Dr. Butcher M.D. (in fact any Ian McCulloch film, but this is him at his peak)
Wild Zero
Nihilistic Films where you can say "At least I'm not him":
Funny Games
Combat Shock
Irreversible
I Stand Alone

And lots of porn (kidding).

[AndyC]

It must be a very frightening time for you. I've confronted my own mortality two or three times in my life, not through any real threat, but through bouts of depression. It was much like the kid in What About Bob, only much stronger and not so easily dismissed. Death could come tomorrow or in 80 years, but we're all heading straight for it, and  it cannot be escaped. Then what? After having that stuck in my head for a couple of months, I have the deepest respect for anyone who is really staring death in the face.

Based on that, perhaps you might like something a bit more philosophical. I found myself drawn to stuff like Vanishing Point and Falling Down, where the protagonists are driven round the bend by forces around them, and in the end, see death as a release. Not that I was thinking along those lines - far from it. If a pill could have given me immortality, I would have taken it in that frame of mind. The movies just gave me philosophical food for thought.

Of course, with only a few months, I wonder if repeat viewings of the recorded works of other people is the best use of the time. Might be better to get out and do something real.

[Cool Tester]

It's been a depressing past few days for me, and this takes the cake.  I don't even know you JR, and it makes me sad.  I don't know about you (or anyone else), but this type of question has popped up every now and then throughout my life:  What would you don if you only had 6 months to live?  Don't know if it helps, but here's some of the things I would do:

BASE jumping (or skydiving)
Climb a large mountain
To quote Agent Cooper from Twin Peaks: "Make love to a beautiful woman whom I have genuine affection for."
Visit Africa and Australia
Think the Soviets would let me be a Cosmonaut?  I probably don't have the cash for it....
Find a good home for any pets I have.
Throw things at cop cars (non-explosive of course, well maybe a firecracker or two).
Ride in a hot air balloon.
Look up all the people I've hurt in my life and say sorry (and let them beat me up if they want).
Been meaning to write that book (can always post it on line for everyone to see).
Do any random thing that comes to mine, regardless of how insane or inane.  Consequences don't exactly figure into these things, so what the hell.
Quit my job to do all of these things (thank god for stock options... sell sell!).
Above all, spend as much time as you can with any loved ones, even if it means not doing some of the things above.

As for movies to watch, a couple come to mind.  If it's still in the theater where you live, I recommend Solaris.  I found it to be a highly moving film.  And though I'm not a big fan of John "filty man-animals!" Travolta, I did enjoy Phenomenon, and it is about this very topic.  AndyC suggested Falling Down.  This is a very good movie about  about a man with nothing to lose.  I would add Shawshank Redemption to this list, really because of something Red said:  "Get busy living, or get busy dying."

All the best JR.

[Goon]

Here's my few cents:  Do all you can while you still have your mobility.  Be it skydiving or just cheap thrills at a carnival, have fun.  See if you can find a film someone is making and try to be an extra, though that might just be something I'd do.  Spend the time on your feet collecting bad films and later on spend the time on your back watching them.  Perhaps you could get "Return of the King" off of something like KAZAA.  I wish you good luck in however this plays out.

"Man need only fear the things that he can prevent."
----ooo-'U'-ooo------Kilroy was here.

[Christian]

You should watch "Mask", not the Jim Carry one but the Eric Stoltz one. Cheers.

[wheresthecarrot]

Anything that makes you happy.

for me, "The Princess Bride," "The adventures of Milo and Otis" and "The Goonies"  probably "Little Monsters" as well.  All of the movies that my bro and I used to watch when we were little.

I honestly have no suggestions for what you should do with the rest of your life.  I'd like to think I'd spend it doing great things, but part of me thinks I'd just be terribly depressed.  I hope you do realize that you have already done a great service to everyone on this board.  I at least thank you for allowing me the opportunity to realize how rich my life is, and I think i take things a bit less for granted now, and have been hugging my loved ones just a little tighter.  I'm not suggesting that this be any consolation to you, but your story has changed my life.  I thank you for that, and wish you peace, love, and happiness throughout your last days on this earth, and wherever you may travel beyond.