Editor’s note: To give you a chance to get to know our writers better, we’ve asked them to respond to some questions. Here’s Peyton Robinson. Read her work here.
1. Where did you grow up, and what was it like?
I grew up in Naperville, IL. It’s quite a stereotypical suburb in a lot of ways, which is why it’s quite infamous among city folk. It’s very Midwestern, with sister homes sandwiched by cornfields, but I liked it for the most part (it’s not the most diverse place on Earth). When I was about 14 or 15, my parents started letting me take the train into the city with friends for little day trips or concerts. Proximity to Chicago is something I’ve always valued about my upbringing. My dad’s side of the family is from the south side, so I spent a lot of time bouncing there to visit my grandparents. Many fond memories of my childhood were spent in my grandparents’ former home on 95th and Halsted.
2. Was anyone else in your family into movies? If so, what effect did they have on your moviegoing tastes?
I definitely lead the pack, but my interest was still birthed at home. Growing up, my older brothers were into the classic slashers, so being babysat involved a trial by fire into the horror genre. My mom and I would also do double-feature days at the AMC by our house, just to see whatever was out. My dad likes movies too, but I like to call him an accidental cinephile because he’ll throw anything on. He’s built up a pretty diverse catalog that way.
3. What’s the first movie you remember seeing, and what impression did it make on you?
The first one I can consciously remember watching was “The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie.” I recall sitting on a pile of blankets on the floor and watching it with one of my brothers, who passed down his love of the cartoon to me. I still love that movie and saw it recently on 35mm, which was a total blast. It was such a formative show for me as a kid and has definitely informed my sense of humor to this day.
4. What’s the first movie that made you think, “Hey, some people made this. It didn’t just exist. There’s a human personality behind it.”
“The Master” really shifted the way I watched movies. I watched it in my college dorm room freshman year, and it was completely out of the realm of what I’d normally throw on. I was immediately transfixed. It was the first film that really made me take notice of cinematography and the power of an ensemble cast operating at the peak of their powers. It’s dark, funny, and utterly human, and it was the film that motivated me to spread my wings from a pretty stringent horror diet.
5. What’s the first movie you ever walked out of?
I’ve never walked out of a movie. The closest I ever came was when I went to see “Vice.” Far too pretentious and self-aggrandizing for my tastes. It was hard to see my girl Amy in that one. McKay should’ve just let “The Big Short” live and lie in singularity. At least that film rocks.
6. What’s the funniest film you’ve ever seen?
Predictable as it may be, “The Hangover” is one of the most rewatchable comedies I’ve ever seen, and I credit Zach Galifianakis and Ed Helms with that. If we’re going by ratio of laughs per minute, though, “The Jerk” is definitely top of the list. Steve Martin is a comfort comedian for me.
7. What’s the saddest film you’ve ever seen?
I’m not a big crier, but I was blubbering at “Blue Jay.” That film is so tender but so heartbreaking, and knowing how much of it was improvised is just a testament to Sarah Paulson and Mark Duplass as performers. I sometimes tear up if I think about it for too long.
8. What’s the scariest film you’ve ever seen?
As a horror fan, I’m compelled to make the distinction between scary and disturbing, and I’ll answer both. For pure fear factor, “Sinister” and “Noroi: The Curse” will always make my heart race. However, I’ve never been more disturbed than watching Gerald Kargl’s “Angst.” I won’t be revisiting that one.
9. What’s the most romantic film you’ve ever seen?
Anyone who knows me knows that romance films are tricky for me. They may just be my least favorite genre. But when done well, I’ll happily go weak in the knees. “Titanic” was a formative film for me, and the impact of that still sticks. I also love “Phantom Thread,” “All That Heaven Allows,” and “Before Sunrise.”
10. What’s the first television show you ever saw that made you think television could be more than entertainment?
I started watching “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” at too young of an age (again, thank my brothers for that one). For a while, a lot of it went over my head, but in time, I came to realize that comedy isn’t always just for laughs but for critique as well. That was revelatory for me. Watching “Atlanta” was the same, and similarly, viewing “Fleabag” in college showed me how much heart can bleed through a laugh.
11. What book do you think about or revisit the most?
I’m slowly making my way through Toni Morrison’s bibliography, and so far, Sula is a novel that I can’t escape. I think about it all the time. It’s so compact page-wise, but so complex at that time. The portrait painted of The Bottom and its citizens is one of the best examples of holistic cultural storytelling that I’ve ever read. I reminisce about those characters often.
12. What album or recording artist have you listened to the most, and why?
My all-time favorite album is BACK TO BLACK by Amy Winehouse, though THE DOCK OF THE BAY by Otis Redding is a close second. I’m a sucker for rich vocals with an undercurrent of attitude. That’s both of them to a T. Some other favorite artists of mine are Vince Staples, Willow, SZA, Frank Ocean, St. Vincent, Denzel Curry, and Slayyyter (during my diva hours).
13. Is there a movie that you think is great, or powerful, or perfect, but that you never especially want to see again, and why?
“Mysterious Skin” and “Come and See” come to mind. Both are some of the most powerful films I’ve seen, but also some of the most gut-wrenching. I’m appreciative of the fact I’ve seen them; I’m a deeper person on account of that. But putting myself through those emotions again is not something I desire. I’ve paid those tolls once, and I’ve gotten a return I’m happy with.
14. What movie have you seen more times than any other?
According to my Letterboxd statistics, the films I’ve watched the most are tied between “Inherent Vice,” “Now You See Me,” and “Dead Man’s Curve” (the Matthew Lillard one). All of these are comfort films of mine, and movies I love to show people for the first time. “The Double” and “Strangers on a Train” are also up there. Pre-Letterboxd days, I know I’ve also racked up at least a dozen watches of “The Other Guys.” It was my favorite movie in high school.
15. What was your first R-rated movie, and did you like it?
This is a hard question to answer due to the babysitting factor of my older brothers in my early years. I’m almost certain it was a horror movie they let me watch. If I’m estimating, “A Nightmare on Elm Street” is one of the earliest I can remember, and at the time, I was shaken by it. It certainly didn’t help that they had a Freddy mask they’d weaponize against me. Nowadays, though, it’s one of my favorite horror films.
16. What’s the most visually beautiful film you’ve ever seen?
As I mentioned, “The Master” was a turning point in my love for film. Late last year, I saw it on a gorgeous 70mm print on a solo jaunt to the Music Box, and it was a pretty spiritual moviegoing experience. Seeing the portraiture and landscapes in such large and clear detail was unforgettable. Some other visually stunning movies I’d love to see on the big screen are “Monos,” “Do the Right Thing,” and “Mommy.”
17. Who are your favorite leading men, past and present?
I’m a big Eisenberg-head. I also love Joaquin Phoenix, Willem Dafoe, Denzel Washington, Donald Sutherland, Sam Jackson, Robert Pattinson, and Philip Seymour Hoffman. Jamie Foxx is underrated, and Eddie Murphy reminds me of my childhood.
18. Who are your favorite leading ladies, past and present?
When Amy Adams is on, she’s ON. I’m also a big fan of Kristen Stewart, Viola Davis, Pam Grier, Emma Stone, Nicole Kidman, Angela Bassett, and Tilda Swinton. Not so much a cinematic leading lady, but I also have the ultimate soft spot for Lucille Ball. I grew up watching “I Love Lucy” with my mom on Saturday mornings.
19. Who’s your favorite modern filmmaker?
Paul Thomas Anderson has never let me down. One of my favorites of all time is “Inherent Vice”…a perfect film, methinks!
20. Who’s your least favorite modern filmmaker?
Sir Wes, the lesser Anderson.
21. What film do you love that most people seem to hate?
I suppose “Now You See Me.” I’ve heard it all: it’s filmed like a car commercial, the magic doesn’t make sense, it’s all too silly, and so on. I can’t necessarily offer counterpoints, but I can certainly tell you that it makes no difference to me! I love that film dearly. It’s one of a few that can routinely pick me up on a bad day.
22. What film do you hate that most people love?
I’ve had the most jaws dropped at the fact that I quite despise “La La Land.” I also can’t get behind “Swiss Army Man,” which is pretty beloved. I found that one borderline unwatchable.
23. Tell me about a moviegoing experience you will never forget—not just because of the movie, but because of the circumstances in which you saw it.
“Twilight” for me, like many Gen-Z women, was a cornerstone of my tweenhood. It’s a movie I’ve seen many times and still adore for the nostalgia and perfectly curated Muse needledrop (among other bangers on the soundtrack).
A large group of my friends and I went to see it at a sold-out Rated-Q 35mm screening at the Music Box. In the most joyous, unabashedly shameless ways, it felt like being thirteen again. The drag performances were incredible and hilarious, the crowd was raucous, and the movie was the beloved campfest we all remember it to be. It felt very pure to share a room with people who adore “Twilight” for the place it’s had in their cinematic biographies; it felt like being in a space with hundreds of old friends.
24. What aspect of modern theatrical moviegoing do you like least?
How comfortable people have become talking during trailers. Full volume. I know some people don’t care about them, but I am no such lady.
25. What aspect of moviegoing during your childhood do you miss the most?
A true premiere. When I was younger, I would queue up with friends behind the tape in the halls of a movie theater to be the first in line. I remember eating our concessions while we waited for entry to “Jonas Brothers: The Concert Experience,” any of the “Twilight” films, and naturally, the One Direction concert movie.
26. Have you ever damaged a friendship or thought twice about a relationship because you disagreed about whether a movie was good or bad?
Never. But I am a fan of spirited debate and don’t mind when it gets a little hot. But at the end of the day, you know what they say about trash and treasure.
27. What movies have you dreamed about?
I wish I could recount the whimsical slumbers of tried and true cherished films, but mainly I can list films that gave me pause when going to bed: “Sinister,” “Hereditary,” “Black Christmas,” and “Child’s Play” (when I was indeed a child as well).
28. What concession stand item can you not live without?
I consider myself a mozzarella stick connoisseur, and AMC’s are patently Not Bad. I get them almost every time I’m there. Since I tend to see movies around meal time, I’m also not above sneaking in an L&M sandwich; they’re the best in Chicago.
