We’ve all done it.  Anyone who’s a fan of film has integrated film quotes into everyday conversation.  It’s all part of pop culture.  The film could be one that everyone has seen, or it could be one that falls under the cult status.  No matter which part of the spectrum, there are always those films that inhabit your everyday conversations.

When quoting films, one of two things will happen.  The person you’re dropping this little gem on will either get it, or they won’t.  To be in the know is priceless.  To be on the outside is confusing and may cause you to blush.  You’ll either get the high five or the “I can’t believe you haven’t seen that yet!”.

Certain quotes can be worked into the most mundane everyday conversation.  If done properly, the user will be admired for the cunning use of the quote.  When used incorrectly, the user will have to bow their head in shame and wear an “I Love Jar-Jar” T-shirt.  No one wants that.  So please, read on for a list of 10 quotes and examples of how they can be used.

“I’ll make him an offer he can’t refuse.” – The Godfather
This one works great with favors.  If you need someone to help you do something that would otherwise garner a “hell no” from the other party.

Example:
Guy 1: So dude, I was going to ask John to help me move this weekend.
Guy 2: Dude.  No way is he going to help.  He gets mad when people ask him to help just because he has a truck.
Guy 1: yeah, but I’m going to make him an offer he can’t refuse.

This will normally get you an approving nod of the head and an understanding that nothing else needs to be said.

“Go that way really fast, if somethings gets in your way…turn.” – Better Off Dead
I use this typically in the directional sense.  For example: Hey, which direction do I need to go?

Example:
Buddy 1: Dude, I need directions to where we’re going.
Buddy 2: Dude, go that way. Really fast. If something gets in your way, turn.

This one will most likely result in an eye roll and dismissive shake of the head.  Even though the user will most likely be giggling.

“Keep it secret, keep is safe.” – LOTR: Fellowship of the Ring
This one is good for girlie gossip that concerns scandal.

Example:
Girl 1: OMG! Did you hear about Jane?
Girl 2: No
Girl 1: Really? OMG you HAVE to hear this.  But you have to promise to keep it secret, keep it safe ok?
Girl 2: Ok my Precious.

There is no greater promise than to keep it secret, keep it safe.  This is most effective when used in conjunction with a pinky swear.

“That’s a negative, Ghost Rider, the pattern is full” – Top Gun
Normally used when there just isn’t anymore space….for anything.  Or can also be used on kids when they ask permission to do something and the answer is no. Use of this phrase however may result in confusion.  Which will most likely result in eye rolling on the users part.

Example 1:
Girl: Hey guys, I heard you’re all headed out to the club.  Can I ride with you?
Guy: That’s a negative, Ghost Rider, the pattern is full.
Girl: Huh?

Example 2:
Kid: Dad, Kari wants to know if I can stay over tonight.
Dad: That’s a negative, Ghost Rider, the pattern is full.
Kid: Huh?

While Top Gun is a classic in it’s own right, most people come up with the other well known quotes.  That’s what makes this one such a gem.  It mostly receives the questioning look, but is best used if shrugged off as if it’s a perfectly normal phrase to use.  For those who use this, it is part of everyday speech.

“Sometimes you just gotta say, ‘What the f**k, make your move’.”  – Risky Business
This is typical of a peer pressure situation.  Like, say you really want to go that concert your buddy is going to, but it’s on a night you have to work.

Example:
Buddy 1: Dude, you have to go to the concert!
Buddy 2: Dude, I have to work. No way can I call in sick again.  I already called in sick when you got that hair brained idea to drive to Vegas at midnight.
Buddy 1: Dude, it’s called L-I-V-I-N! Sometimes you just gotta say, “What the f**k, make your move.” . CALL IN SICK!
Buddy 2: OK.

This phrase is normally associated with trying to convince someone to do something that is most likely going to result in a sever case of bad judgment.  Use sparingly and with caution.

“These aren’t the droids you’re looking for.” – Star Wars

This can be used a couple of different ways.  When you’re looking for something and think you found it only to realize that it’s not what you wanted.  When something unexpected comes up or when a certain 12 year old is trying to pull the Jedi mind trick on her parents.

Example 1:
Girl: Oh good.  I’ve been looking for this forev….oh wait.  These aren’t the droids I was looking for. Damn!

Example 2:
Guy: So you hear about Jack?  He had a meeting with the boss today. He thought he was getting a promotion and he got laid off.
Guy 2: That sucks.  Guess he wasn’t the droid they were looking for eh?

Example 3:
Mom: Do your homework.
Kid: ::Jedi hand movement:: You don’t need to see my identification.
Mom: I said, do your homework!
Kid: ::Jedi hand movement:: These aren’t the droids your looking for.
Mom: DO YOUR HOMEWORK!!!!
Kid: Alright! Jeez……..

I’m sure there are many other uses for this phrase, but these are the ones that come to mind.

“Come with me if you want to live”  – All of the Terminator films & The Sarah Connor Chronicles.
This should really be used by an extremely agitated parent.  Had this been big when I was young, I’m sure one of my parents, or both, would have used this.

Example:
Mom: C’mon Tracy, it’s time to leave.
Tracy: But I don’t wannnnaaa goooooooooooo.
Mom: COME WITH ME IF YOU WANT TO LIVE!
Tracy: er, ok.

There isn’t anything more frightening than an irritated Mom.  Don’t make her use this.  It never turns out good.

“That right R2, we’re going to the Degoba System.” – Star Wars: Return of the Jedi

Ok, I’m going to be honest and tell you I’ve actually used this.  On my cat.  You read that right.  My cat (the official HUG mascot) is strong willed.  After being particularly naughty, she looked up at me as if to say, “What are you going to do about it”. I responded by saying “That’s right Kitty, you’re going to the Degoba System”. And promptly removed her from whatever havoc she was creating.

This one can be use similarly with children, friends, relatives and the like.  Anytime someone asks, “Where are we going”, it’s a prime time to bust out this little nugget.

“They’re here.” – Poltergeist

This one is best used when big family gatherings are about to take place.  I’ve heard it used with a touch of dread and a hint of forewarning of what is about to take place.

Example:
Mom: Dinner is almost ready.  The family should be here any minute.
Dad: (from his recliner) THEY’RE HEEEEERRREREEEEEEE.
Mom: ::facepalm::

Depending on the inflection of tone, this phrase can be used in a positive and a negative way.  In the example, or any time it’s used in conjunction with a family gathering….it’s most likely leaning toward the negative.

“Soylent Green is people!” – Soylent Green

This one is great because it’s a bit obscure and not a lot of people know about it.  It’s best used when trying to figure out what an unidentified food item is.  The set up for this one usually pays off for the user, but the other party may just fall into that “confused” category.  If you’re lucky however, the other party will raise fist to the sky and say it with you loud and proud.

Example:
Guy: Ewww, what is this stuff?
Girl: Gross.  It looks like Soylent Green.
Guy: What’s Soylent Green?
Girl: SOYLENT GREEN IS PEOPLE!!!!

You can see where the humor comes in.  It makes me giggle every time.  BUT….this is to be used only when it applies.  Do not under any circumstances toss this out as any old response.  Respect the phrase and it will serve you well.

So there you have it class.  I hope you found today’s lesson informative and will go forth and wisely unleash film quotes on the world!  Your homework is to let me know which quotes you use the most and to cite them in an example.  Thanks for joining, class dismissed.

For more of my musings, you can find me on Twitter here: @baddladd

With the explosive end to the first season of T:TSSC all we were left with, excepting a charred robot corpse, were questions, and given the seemingly constant threat of cancellation most US TV shows seem to live with it’s gratifying that giving T:TSSC a second series allowed the creators to delve further into the Terminator mythology and spend more time in industrial labyrinths and watching things get blown up. And it looks beautiful in Blu-ray.

What I enjoyed most about the first series was the glimpses of the future world, so evocatively rendered in the first two Terminator films, and how the present is informed by our knowledge of the future world, and how the extended Connor family survive under the weight of the expectation that knowledge bought. Now with Cameron, the friendly Terminator, fizzing and popping a spark or two and her possibly sinister agenda is given more air to breathe, further soldiers from the future sent back to help, or hinder, Sarah Connor and her son John becoming the future leader of the resistance, and the formative years of Skynet and Cyberdyne and their AI experiments, the second series of T:TSSC is an improvement on the first in every way.

There is no better way to discover a new series than on a DVD box set, and if you’ve not yet caught up with this show I’d recommend it, particularly if Terminator: Salvation left you colder than a red-eyed exoskeleton. The trials and tribulations of the present and future John Connor are enhanced greatly by the luxury of time a 22 episode run allows, and the more we learn of the birth of the software and systems which become the murderous Terminator AI and the ethical questions it poses adds considerable depth to the original Terminator films.

Though they cannot compete on an action level, and often lapse (but never dally for too long) into family soap opera territory, each episode is a self contained part of the Terminator puzzle, and this series becomes more about the machines than the humans. And – yes, there is the patented Terminator hunt with stone faced chases and shotguns taking chunks out of everything and lots of staring at computer screens and talk of destiny and fate, but it works, and you’ll find yourself sucked in.

The sad news is that this series was canceled after this season, and would have benefited from another season or a final mini series. While not many people mourned its, seemingly inevitable, fall from the network’s graces it is far less trivial and ephemeral than much that survived on the TV schedules. Don’t mistake me – this is not The Wire, nor does it do too well in the comparisons with the recent Battlestar Galactica series (which it shares themes of paranoia and conflict between man and machine), but it is a solid world and asks interesting questions and has a lot to say about the themes of the Terminator series.

It’s worth your time, and worth seeking out on Blu-ray. You’ll get 22 episodes of which only a few are throwaway, characters that may take their time in settling down but by the end they are comfortable in their skin and the writers allow them to drive the story, making for an enjoyable watch. And casting Garbage diva Shirley Manson may seem an odd choice but it works.

There are the obligatory gag reels, deleted scenes and commentaries on the discs, and it’s well presented and strong enough to make it worthwhile watch. We’ve got a couple of clips below and the Blu-ray and DVDs are out now.