Over the years I've accrued Billboard's Top 100 hits for every year in the eighties (except 1980)... While I have memories of music from the late seventies and the early eighties for some reason 1980 is a bit of a musical black hole for me. I looked over the hits from that year and didn't find that many that I had/have any emotional connection to.
So anyway-- I'm listening to this music and feeling this music a regular sucker punch of nostalgia and it's not just the good stuff, there's some real cornball stuff that I'd almost rather not even cop to being familiar with that is triggering some rather random memories.
So, could I re-create the 80s with my daughter by exposing her to predominantly eighties music? Maybe I need to expose her to some eighties movies too... stuff like Real Genius, Better Off Dead, One Crazy Summer, How I Got Into College, the Back to the Future trilogy, the first two Indiana Jones films... Or would that be considered child abuse?
Showing posts with label movies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label movies. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Friday, August 07, 2009
RIP John Hughes
I was saddened to hear of the passing of director John Hughes, yesterday. As a child of the 80s, I grew up with his films. National Lampoon's Vacation (which he wrote but did not direct), as well as The Breakfast Club, Sixteen Candles, Pretty in Pink, Weird Science, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Some Kind of Wonderful, Uncle Buck, Planes Trains & Automobiles, and the first two Home Alone movies are arguably seminal movies of the eighties. His teen comedies which propelled many Brat Packers to stardom spoke to teens, not over their heads and not dumbed down to insult their intelligence. And all of his movies, captured middle-America quite well-- some of the dialogue from those movies still gets quoted or referenced today-- a testament to the impression they left on those who were fortunate enough to view them.
In 1994 Hughes retired from the public eye and relocated to Wisconsin-- keeping a low profile for much of the rest of his life. He'd made his mark and his mark will remain indelibly stamped on the hearts and minds of those whose lives were touched by his films.
Thank you for the memories, Mr. Hughes-- you will be missed.
In 1994 Hughes retired from the public eye and relocated to Wisconsin-- keeping a low profile for much of the rest of his life. He'd made his mark and his mark will remain indelibly stamped on the hearts and minds of those whose lives were touched by his films.
Thank you for the memories, Mr. Hughes-- you will be missed.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Classic movies
I've been taking the opportunity to catch up on old movies I've wanted to see (thanks to the public library). Today as I lunched I watched the Jimmy Cagney classic The Public Enemy (1931). There was a grittiness to it, and the fact that the violence was never actually shown made it that much more graphic. The filmmakers of that era knew that the human imagination was capable of conjuring far more troubling images than they could ever dream of. So all the violence is inferred or implied.
Cagney was f*cking brilliant. There's a scene where he angrily smashes a grapefruit into the face of his love interest. That says so much more in one short scene than many movies say in their entirety today.
Other movies that the local library has that I plan on renting and viewing:
The Sheik (1921) - Rudolph Valentino
Son of the Sheik (1926) - Rudolph Valentino
Robin Hood (1922) - Douglas Fairbanks
The Saphead (1920) - Buster Keaton
Scarface (1932) - produced by Howard Hughes
The Shop Around the Corner (1940) - Jimmy Stewart and Margaret Sullivan
Roman Holiday (1953) - Gregory Peck & Audrey Hepburn
Cagney was f*cking brilliant. There's a scene where he angrily smashes a grapefruit into the face of his love interest. That says so much more in one short scene than many movies say in their entirety today.
Other movies that the local library has that I plan on renting and viewing:
The Sheik (1921) - Rudolph Valentino
Son of the Sheik (1926) - Rudolph Valentino
Robin Hood (1922) - Douglas Fairbanks
The Saphead (1920) - Buster Keaton
Scarface (1932) - produced by Howard Hughes
The Shop Around the Corner (1940) - Jimmy Stewart and Margaret Sullivan
Roman Holiday (1953) - Gregory Peck & Audrey Hepburn
Friday, February 01, 2008
On Heath Ledger
I remember the first time I saw 10 Things I Hate About You as a video rental back in 1999 (and to think that now VHS tapes are essentially antiques). Ledger's big introduction to the American public and thinking to myself, "This guy can do a lot better than this!"
And the thing is, time and time again-- he proved me right. Each movie seemed to be a step up from his last. Most folks laud him most for his performance in Brokeback Mountain but there are a couple of moderately obscure Aussie films that I much preferred over his Brokeback Mountain performance... Maybe it's just me but in that film-- in each and every scene he sounded as if he was talking with a mouthful of marbles... Is that how cowboys really talk? I thought it was more of a caricature of the perception of how they talk. I found it rather off-putting.
My favorite Ledger film (although certainly not his best performance), was in a little-known independent Aussie dark comedy called Two Hands. The film had a rather Australian sense of humor that did not translate well with American audiences, but left me in stitches. One scene in particular-- a bank robbery gone horribly awry. The cops shoot out the tires on the getaway car so the robbers carjack a businessman who happens to have a bumper sticker of the local radio station on his car. That very station is playing in the car as they make their getaway on a high speed chase. Meanwhile that radio station is doing a special contest where they give $10,000 away to the first car they see with the radio station's bumper sticker... That car happens to be the very one the bank robbers are using as their getaway car... And ironically that $10,000 is exactly how much they were trying to steal from the bank. The film also stars Bryan Brown whom some of you may remember as the older bartender from Cocktail or possibly as the photographer love interest of Dianne Fossey in Gorilla's In the Mist.
The other film of note that I'll always associate Ledger with is Ned Kelly, a biopic of Australia's most notorious bushman-- their equivalent to America's Jesse James or Billy the Kid-- although he's more of a cult-hero than the anti-heroes that James and Billy the Kid later came to be. There have been several films about Kelly over the years. Perhaps the most famous, prior to this one is from the early seventies and features Mick Jagger in the titular lead role. Jagger may be one mean singer and entertainer... But a good actor he is not-- not by any stretch of the imagination. Ledger's performance is leaps and bounds beyond his predecessor in that role.
With that in mind, I'm looking forward to this summer's release of The Dark Knight which many close to the film have said features the role of Heath's career-- The Joker. Initially I was really skeptical of Ledger in this role, I was hoping for Adrian Brody quite honestly. But from the trailers and clips I've seen, Ledger nailed the part-- a much darker and more sinister Joker than Jack Nicholson's rather cartoon-ish but well played caricature of that role.
While I'll wonder what other great performances we'll be deprived of as a result of a young talent being snuffed out well before his time, I'll continue to enjoy the fine roles he did grace us with in his all too short life.
And the thing is, time and time again-- he proved me right. Each movie seemed to be a step up from his last. Most folks laud him most for his performance in Brokeback Mountain but there are a couple of moderately obscure Aussie films that I much preferred over his Brokeback Mountain performance... Maybe it's just me but in that film-- in each and every scene he sounded as if he was talking with a mouthful of marbles... Is that how cowboys really talk? I thought it was more of a caricature of the perception of how they talk. I found it rather off-putting.
My favorite Ledger film (although certainly not his best performance), was in a little-known independent Aussie dark comedy called Two Hands. The film had a rather Australian sense of humor that did not translate well with American audiences, but left me in stitches. One scene in particular-- a bank robbery gone horribly awry. The cops shoot out the tires on the getaway car so the robbers carjack a businessman who happens to have a bumper sticker of the local radio station on his car. That very station is playing in the car as they make their getaway on a high speed chase. Meanwhile that radio station is doing a special contest where they give $10,000 away to the first car they see with the radio station's bumper sticker... That car happens to be the very one the bank robbers are using as their getaway car... And ironically that $10,000 is exactly how much they were trying to steal from the bank. The film also stars Bryan Brown whom some of you may remember as the older bartender from Cocktail or possibly as the photographer love interest of Dianne Fossey in Gorilla's In the Mist.
The other film of note that I'll always associate Ledger with is Ned Kelly, a biopic of Australia's most notorious bushman-- their equivalent to America's Jesse James or Billy the Kid-- although he's more of a cult-hero than the anti-heroes that James and Billy the Kid later came to be. There have been several films about Kelly over the years. Perhaps the most famous, prior to this one is from the early seventies and features Mick Jagger in the titular lead role. Jagger may be one mean singer and entertainer... But a good actor he is not-- not by any stretch of the imagination. Ledger's performance is leaps and bounds beyond his predecessor in that role.
With that in mind, I'm looking forward to this summer's release of The Dark Knight which many close to the film have said features the role of Heath's career-- The Joker. Initially I was really skeptical of Ledger in this role, I was hoping for Adrian Brody quite honestly. But from the trailers and clips I've seen, Ledger nailed the part-- a much darker and more sinister Joker than Jack Nicholson's rather cartoon-ish but well played caricature of that role.
While I'll wonder what other great performances we'll be deprived of as a result of a young talent being snuffed out well before his time, I'll continue to enjoy the fine roles he did grace us with in his all too short life.
Random thoughts
Have any of you ever seen an actor in a movie where he/she so owned the role and the overall performance that you have a really difficult time separating the actor from the role/performance? Any time you see that actor/actress in anything else you still picture them in that one movie where they WERE the character because they so owned the performance.
The first movie I ever saw Don Cheadle in was Boogie Nights and after that film for the longest time any time I saw him in any other film I just pictured an African-American porn star who loved country music and whose life ambition was to sell stereos...
Well last night it kind of happened again while I was watching Lost. There was a scene where Hugo Hurley (Jorge Garcia) was being interrogated by this detective (Michael Cudlitz). And I instantly recognized Cudlitz from his small role in Grosse Point Blank as Bob Destepello. I suddenly pictured a drunk guy reading poetry to John Cusack. And I realized anything I see that guy in from here on out I'll be picturing him drunk and reading poetry.
The first movie I ever saw Don Cheadle in was Boogie Nights and after that film for the longest time any time I saw him in any other film I just pictured an African-American porn star who loved country music and whose life ambition was to sell stereos...
Well last night it kind of happened again while I was watching Lost. There was a scene where Hugo Hurley (Jorge Garcia) was being interrogated by this detective (Michael Cudlitz). And I instantly recognized Cudlitz from his small role in Grosse Point Blank as Bob Destepello. I suddenly pictured a drunk guy reading poetry to John Cusack. And I realized anything I see that guy in from here on out I'll be picturing him drunk and reading poetry.
Monday, November 26, 2007
Political Youth Movement
Over the Thanksgiving holiday the wife & I watched Amazing Grace, which you may or may not know is the story of William Wilberforce the British MP who fought for over 20 years and to end the slave trade in the British Empire in 1807 (he was successful, btw).
What struck me about the movie wasn't so much Wilberforce, but his close friend William Pitt the Younger. At age 24 Pitt was (and remains) the youngest PM in Britain's history. A certain dialog in the film really stuck in my mind:
William Wilberforce: No one of our age has ever taken power.
Pitt the Younger: Which is why we're too young to realize certain things are impossible. Which is why we will do them anyway.
This got me to thinking... maybe the problem with politics today is that politicians are generally a lot who have been "in the game" for most of their lives already. They're comfortable in their circumstances and too jaded to try to accomplish anything of substance for fear it will "rock the boat" (and thus knock them out of said boat).
To put it another way, would the Vietnam Conflict have escalated into a War that killed over 50,000 Americans if we'd had a President still of draft-able age as we did under a President who was already in the twilight of his life (LBJ)? Wouldn't a president in his/her late twenties or early thirties have a much more vested interest in "saving" Social Security than any number of the current politicians who are approaching (or past) retirement age?
Humans are generally a selfish lot, and as such are most likely to act in self-interest. Wouldn't it make more sense to have a President of a younger generation who would have to live with the repercussions/results of his/her policies than a President with little or no regard for future generations because he/she won't be around when the fall-out of their policies come to pass?
Today, 24 would be/is a bit too young as most 24 year olds I know aren't mature enough to handle that kind of power, but are we Americans/Canadians/Aussies/whatever doing ourselves a horrible disservice by not considering a more youthful leader to serve our interests? I don't know what the laws/policies are of other nations, but I do know here in the states the youngest a person can be and run for President is 35... an age at which many of us have long since dispensed of our youthful idealism and vigor and are generally a bit too jaded to be proactive enough to serve not just our generation but the generations yet to come. Your thoughts?
What struck me about the movie wasn't so much Wilberforce, but his close friend William Pitt the Younger. At age 24 Pitt was (and remains) the youngest PM in Britain's history. A certain dialog in the film really stuck in my mind:
William Wilberforce: No one of our age has ever taken power.
Pitt the Younger: Which is why we're too young to realize certain things are impossible. Which is why we will do them anyway.
This got me to thinking... maybe the problem with politics today is that politicians are generally a lot who have been "in the game" for most of their lives already. They're comfortable in their circumstances and too jaded to try to accomplish anything of substance for fear it will "rock the boat" (and thus knock them out of said boat).
To put it another way, would the Vietnam Conflict have escalated into a War that killed over 50,000 Americans if we'd had a President still of draft-able age as we did under a President who was already in the twilight of his life (LBJ)? Wouldn't a president in his/her late twenties or early thirties have a much more vested interest in "saving" Social Security than any number of the current politicians who are approaching (or past) retirement age?
Humans are generally a selfish lot, and as such are most likely to act in self-interest. Wouldn't it make more sense to have a President of a younger generation who would have to live with the repercussions/results of his/her policies than a President with little or no regard for future generations because he/she won't be around when the fall-out of their policies come to pass?
Today, 24 would be/is a bit too young as most 24 year olds I know aren't mature enough to handle that kind of power, but are we Americans/Canadians/Aussies/whatever doing ourselves a horrible disservice by not considering a more youthful leader to serve our interests? I don't know what the laws/policies are of other nations, but I do know here in the states the youngest a person can be and run for President is 35... an age at which many of us have long since dispensed of our youthful idealism and vigor and are generally a bit too jaded to be proactive enough to serve not just our generation but the generations yet to come. Your thoughts?
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Say what?
Last week I was in Ottawa on business. Some non-work highlights/observations from the trip:
- My hotel was walking distance from the Byward Market area. There are a lot of cool restaurants in this area.
- The panhandlers are a bit pushier/more aggressive than in Chicago. There's an air of world-weary defeat in many of the panhandlers in Chicago. In Ottawa they were coming up to me and were quite persistent. I'll give money to street performers and what not, people who do something to "earn it." Accosting me as I'm trying to walk into a pub for a quick pint is NOT the way to get money out of me. This was one of the only downers of the trip.
- Ottawa is beautiful in the fall. Driving on Colonel By Dr. along the Rideau Canal with the fall foliage was rather breathtaking. I've been to Ottawa several times, but this was the first time I'd ever been there in the fall.
- I tried Haggis for the first time at the Highlander Pub. I absolutely loved it! It helped that it came with a dram of Scotch. And the nice smooth malty Scottish beer (Caledonian 80 Shilling) certainly didn't hurt either.
- I have a new favorite beer (see above)! Caledonian 80 Shilling is the nectar of the Gods. It was the smoothest beer I've ever had and easily the best tasting as well. Sadly this wonderful brew is not available in the U.S. so I will have to imbibe of it on my visits north of the border.
- I tried Ethiopian cuisine for the first time as well. My friend, Erin, drove over from Montreal and we celebrated our respective birthdays on Wednesday evening-- mine on Thursday hers was on Friday. After dinner we went to the Highlander pub and I introduced her to Caledonian 80 Shilling. Her assessment was similar to mine. Scorpios of a stinger stick together (or something like that), I guess.
- Unrelated to my trip... Over the weekend I was channel surfing and noticed that on ABC Family they'll be showing Poltergeist. Is it just me or is there something peculiar about Poltergeist being a "family film?" Many of the people who starred in the first 2 films died shortly thereafter or even during the filming. And the subject matter isn't exactly what I'd want any kids I know to be exposed to. That being said, it could have been worse, they could have been showing Poltergeist II, which imho is MUCH creepier than the first one (in particular, the late Julian Beck as Kane was far creepier than Freddy or Jason could ever dream of being-- his very brief performance exuded a much greater menacing evil than all of the Friday the 13th and Nightmare on Elm Street movies COMBINED).
Thursday, August 02, 2007
Fully Clothed Thursday Randomness
1) Target store brand orange pop. On the can it reads: "Contains natural and artificial flavors." But it also says "Contains 0% Fruit Juice." So where do the "natural" flavors come from? Did they zest an orange into the soft drink?
2) I've come up with 2 new words:
Thesbian: A person who is only sexually attracted to people in the acting community.
Lespian: An actor or actress who works exclusively in homosexual themed theatre and film
3) The new Velvet Revolver CD, Libertad, is pretty damn good! I definitely hear a bit of a Stones influence (Mick & Keith, not Fred & Barney). Interestingly I listened to Libertad and Dream Theater's Systematic Chaos back to back and reveled in both the dirty and raw jangly guitar work of Slash and Velvet Revolver and the much more polished but still hard driving fretwork of John Petrucci and Dream Theater. Listening to the 2 CDs back to back got me to appreciating the wonderful strengths and differences of each band.... Speaking of Velvet Revolver... Did Scott Weiland once have a heroin problem or did Heroin once have a Scott Weiland problem? Discuss amongst yourselves.
4) I really was surprised that Paris Hilton's father didn't run a promotion when his daughter was released... Giving everyone booked at the Paris Hilton on the day of her release a free night. Thus giving a whole new meaning to "Free Paris Hilton."
5) Movie recommendation for y'alls... Return of the Killer Tomatoes. The movie is utterly atrocious to the point where it's actually good. The highlight of the film: a rather young (and mulleted) George Clooney sets up a fake "Win a Date With Rob Lowe" contest passing himself off to several applicants as "the 2nd place prize." Another fun/interesting bit was product placement/endorsements to pay for the movie after they ran out of money (something that was also done in the first Wayne's World -- although somewhat differently, a few years later). John Astin (of Addams Family fame) played the villain and interestingly enough stand-up comic Rick Rockwell (the multi-millionaire from the ill-fated reality TV show, Who Wants to Marry a Multi-Millionaire) had a bit part in the movie. Basically it's a pop-cultural treasure trove. There was actually another Killer Tomatoes movie done in the early 90s (The Killer Tomatoes Eat France) with Marc Price (Skippy Handleman on Family Ties) playing the protagonist. The only funny bit about the film was that he was an American visiting France and he lied to the female romantic lead telling her he was Michael J. Fox so she'd be interested. Funnier yet (although quite implausible), she actually believed him.
6) Regarding the bridge collapse in Minneapolis-- I heard some really stupid questions being asked by Wolf Blitzer on CNNlast night-- por ejemplo, "Given the debris in the water, how dangerous are the water rescues?" Oy vey!
It begs the question are the "journalists" asking the questions really that stupid/hungry for their 15 minutes or do they assume the American public is that stupid and feel they're doing us a service by asking rather obvious questions we should certainly already know the answers to because they don't believe we're smart enough to figure these things out for ourselves? Are THEY really that stupid? OR Do they believe WE'RE really that stupid? Are they the idiots or are they really that condescending to insult our intelligence so blatantly? Sometimes it's really tough to tell!
Thursday, May 24, 2007
This Woman's Work
So Toni & I were watching She's Having a Baby on TV this evening. And on came the montage scene with Kate Bush's This Woman's Work. As far as montages set to music go, this has got to be one of the most emotional I've ever seen. There's just something so beautiful and emotionally truthful about that scene:
The scenes used in the montage of the film are all these fun memories the two main characters have shared but they are moments that are so true to life that many of us have shared moments that are at least similar, if not the same.
The scenes used in the montage of the film are all these fun memories the two main characters have shared but they are moments that are so true to life that many of us have shared moments that are at least similar, if not the same.
Monday, March 05, 2007
Captivated
This weekend I watched Buster Keaton's The Cameraman and was totally floored by the beauty of his leading lady. I like silent films, I've seen several of them... I wouldn't say a lot but probably more than the average 30 year old... and I never really saw any of the women in those films as beautiful... until Marceline Day:
Both Marceline Day and Buster Keaton said so much with their eyes, with their faces... They said more in their eyes than some actors today say in all the lines in their careers. After finishing the film I looked her up online and found out she retired from the film business in 1934... she was only 26! She'd grown frustrated with a film industry that had relegated her to supporting roles in "B" movies when she'd been a female lead in the "A" movies of the silent film era. She married twice but never had any children. She died in 2000 at the age of 91.
Both Marceline Day and Buster Keaton said so much with their eyes, with their faces... They said more in their eyes than some actors today say in all the lines in their careers. After finishing the film I looked her up online and found out she retired from the film business in 1934... she was only 26! She'd grown frustrated with a film industry that had relegated her to supporting roles in "B" movies when she'd been a female lead in the "A" movies of the silent film era. She married twice but never had any children. She died in 2000 at the age of 91.
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Plastic Flowers
So an old sport I know from back in my Ohio days recently put together a short film with a bunch of his new mates-- Plastic Flowers and submitted it to a short film contest sponsored by the Sci-Fi channel. This short is now posted and is up for voting on both the Sundance and Sci Fi Channel websites:
Film name: Plastic Flowers
Here are the webaddresses:
http://www.scifi.com/exposure/
http://www.sundancechannel.com/exposure/
I haven't had the chance to watch it yet myself, but I fully intend to do a solid for my mate, watch it and vote for it once on each of those sites (you can only vote once per site). As a flavor to the lad I'm spreading the word. So give the film a looksie, and if you happen to dig it, toss a few votes its way and spread the word to all the blokes and sheilas you know.
Film name: Plastic Flowers
Here are the webaddresses:
http://www.scifi.com/exposure/
http://www.sundancechannel.com
I haven't had the chance to watch it yet myself, but I fully intend to do a solid for my mate, watch it and vote for it once on each of those sites (you can only vote once per site). As a flavor to the lad I'm spreading the word. So give the film a looksie, and if you happen to dig it, toss a few votes its way and spread the word to all the blokes and sheilas you know.
Tuesday, September 05, 2006
Book Meme (answers & explanations)
1. Highlander : Connor MacLeod (guessed correctly by St. Dickeybird)
Explanation: There's something beautiful and tragic about his tale. After "dying" he doesn't age, is banished as a heretic, and watches the woman he loves age and die before his eyes. Freddie Mercury and his boys in Queen put it best. Who Wants to Live Forever? Indeed!
2. High Fidelity (the book and the movie) by Nick Hornby: Rob Gordon (played by John Cusack)(guessed correctly by bearette24)
Explanation: This book and movie are dangerous. Hornby gives away all of the masculine secrets of how we deal with and cope with our relationships. This is the most accurate portrayal of men in relationships of any romantic comedy ever. I relate to Rob Gordon as I've been him at multiple points in my life.
3. Bright Lights, Big City (the book) by Jay McInerney
Answer: This was a trick question. I relate most to the main character who was never given a name in the book. His friend, Tad Allaghash, repeatedly referred to him as "Coach" and in the movie he was given the name Jamie Conway.
Explanation: Even though I couldn't really relate to the main character as I've never been a coked up writer living in Manhattan whose fashion model wife has left him, there's something poignant about him. He wants the traditional life, or what he perceives to be the traditional life-- but instead struggles with the reality of what his life has become, in that there's a universality of experience that we can all relate to.
4. Island of the Sequined Love Nun by Christopher Moore
Answer: Tucker Case
Explanation: Tucker Case is not a traditional sympathetic character. In some respects he reminds me of the prophet Jeremiah in the Bible. He's a reluctant hero. He's a bit of a louse-- a drunk womanizer who has a holy task thrust upon him by the ghost of a WWII ace pilot (as with all of Moore's comic novels, there is nothing traditional or normal about his plots). And why might you ask has the ghost of a WWII ace pilot thrust this task upon poor Tucker? Well said pilot took a side bet with Jesus in a holy poker game. The side bet-- he wagers that he can start a religion that will one day rival Christianity-- and Tucker Case is his first "prophet." Moore actually has a far better understanding of religion-- or at least a much more entertaining way of presenting it than most theologians and other religious leaders.
5. The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemmingway : Jake Barnes (guessed correctly by bearette24)
Explanation: There's a naked honesty to Barnes that was/is lacking in some of Hemmingway's other characters. The one passage that really nails it for me, "It's a lot harder to be hard-boiled in the night time." We men put up a front of toughness, but that false front is much more difficult to hide behind when we're left to our own devices to sleep in an empty bed and watch the object of our affection walk away.
6. A Seperate Peace by John Knowles
Answer: Gene
Explanation: Phineas is the guy everyone likes. He's the popular one that everyone aspires to be. Gene is essentially his shadow. He's just trying to get by and do his own thing and often feels as though he's just being brought along for the ride. There's a darkness to Gene, a darkness that exists in all of us to some extent or another. But in Gene that darkness comes out when he shakes the limb causing Phineas to fall to the ground and break his leg. This is largely about coming to peace with that dark voice inside us.
7. An American Tragedy by Theodore Dreiser
Answer: Clyde Griffiths
Explanation: Much like Gene in A Seperate Peace, Clyde is the embodiement of that darkness that exists in all of us. He has a tremendous desire to better himself at any cost. Woody Allen's Match Point largely plagiarized the plot to this American classic with it's tale of opportunism at any cost. Dreiser did an excellent job of making his readers care for a character which they really shouldn't feel sympathetic to.
8.Real Genius
Answer: Chris Knight (played by Val Kilmer)
Explanation: Chris Knight has a witty, but quirky sense of humor that I love. He snaps off witty one-liners with an ease I could only dream of:
Answer: Alex P. Keaton (played by Michael J. Fox)
Explanation: Once upon a time I wanted to be Alex P. Keaton. I was young and Republican and I even started to read The Memoirs of Richard M. Nixon at age 10 (I only got about 100 pages into the gargantuan mass of a book that it is). Eventually, I learned to just be myself rather than trying to be a fictitious character on an eighties sitcom... Although I am still relatively young, and while I don't necessarily agree with the current administration, I still am very much Republican (but truth be told, I really miss Ronnie).
10. American Psycho (the book and the movie) by Bret Easton Ellis
Answer: Patrick Bateman (played by Christian Bale)
Explanation: While I love how Bale portrayed him (and I honestly believe no one else could have done the role justice), the Bateman in the novel had a better sense of humor. There's a bit where Patrick is begging a limo driver to "rescue" him from a Christmas party with little people dressed as elves. He implores to the driver to rescue him before the "elves" start "harmonizing." That and when he makes his fiancee eat a chocolate covered urinal cake had me in stitches. Sick and wrong, but man did he ever have great taste in music. Although, unlike Bateman I prefer Genesis earlier artsy material to their later "more accessible" pop material.
Current Music: Quicksilver Messenger Service - The Fool
Explanation: There's something beautiful and tragic about his tale. After "dying" he doesn't age, is banished as a heretic, and watches the woman he loves age and die before his eyes. Freddie Mercury and his boys in Queen put it best. Who Wants to Live Forever? Indeed!
2. High Fidelity (the book and the movie) by Nick Hornby: Rob Gordon (played by John Cusack)(guessed correctly by bearette24)
Explanation: This book and movie are dangerous. Hornby gives away all of the masculine secrets of how we deal with and cope with our relationships. This is the most accurate portrayal of men in relationships of any romantic comedy ever. I relate to Rob Gordon as I've been him at multiple points in my life.
3. Bright Lights, Big City (the book) by Jay McInerney
Answer: This was a trick question. I relate most to the main character who was never given a name in the book. His friend, Tad Allaghash, repeatedly referred to him as "Coach" and in the movie he was given the name Jamie Conway.
Explanation: Even though I couldn't really relate to the main character as I've never been a coked up writer living in Manhattan whose fashion model wife has left him, there's something poignant about him. He wants the traditional life, or what he perceives to be the traditional life-- but instead struggles with the reality of what his life has become, in that there's a universality of experience that we can all relate to.
4. Island of the Sequined Love Nun by Christopher Moore
Answer: Tucker Case
Explanation: Tucker Case is not a traditional sympathetic character. In some respects he reminds me of the prophet Jeremiah in the Bible. He's a reluctant hero. He's a bit of a louse-- a drunk womanizer who has a holy task thrust upon him by the ghost of a WWII ace pilot (as with all of Moore's comic novels, there is nothing traditional or normal about his plots). And why might you ask has the ghost of a WWII ace pilot thrust this task upon poor Tucker? Well said pilot took a side bet with Jesus in a holy poker game. The side bet-- he wagers that he can start a religion that will one day rival Christianity-- and Tucker Case is his first "prophet." Moore actually has a far better understanding of religion-- or at least a much more entertaining way of presenting it than most theologians and other religious leaders.
5. The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemmingway : Jake Barnes (guessed correctly by bearette24)
Explanation: There's a naked honesty to Barnes that was/is lacking in some of Hemmingway's other characters. The one passage that really nails it for me, "It's a lot harder to be hard-boiled in the night time." We men put up a front of toughness, but that false front is much more difficult to hide behind when we're left to our own devices to sleep in an empty bed and watch the object of our affection walk away.
6. A Seperate Peace by John Knowles
Answer: Gene
Explanation: Phineas is the guy everyone likes. He's the popular one that everyone aspires to be. Gene is essentially his shadow. He's just trying to get by and do his own thing and often feels as though he's just being brought along for the ride. There's a darkness to Gene, a darkness that exists in all of us to some extent or another. But in Gene that darkness comes out when he shakes the limb causing Phineas to fall to the ground and break his leg. This is largely about coming to peace with that dark voice inside us.
7. An American Tragedy by Theodore Dreiser
Answer: Clyde Griffiths
Explanation: Much like Gene in A Seperate Peace, Clyde is the embodiement of that darkness that exists in all of us. He has a tremendous desire to better himself at any cost. Woody Allen's Match Point largely plagiarized the plot to this American classic with it's tale of opportunism at any cost. Dreiser did an excellent job of making his readers care for a character which they really shouldn't feel sympathetic to.
8.Real Genius
Answer: Chris Knight (played by Val Kilmer)
Explanation: Chris Knight has a witty, but quirky sense of humor that I love. He snaps off witty one-liners with an ease I could only dream of:
Chris Knight: Kent put his name on his license plate.9. Family Ties
Mitch: My mother does that to my underwear.
Chris Knight: Your mother puts license plates in your underwear? How do you sit?
Answer: Alex P. Keaton (played by Michael J. Fox)
Explanation: Once upon a time I wanted to be Alex P. Keaton. I was young and Republican and I even started to read The Memoirs of Richard M. Nixon at age 10 (I only got about 100 pages into the gargantuan mass of a book that it is). Eventually, I learned to just be myself rather than trying to be a fictitious character on an eighties sitcom... Although I am still relatively young, and while I don't necessarily agree with the current administration, I still am very much Republican (but truth be told, I really miss Ronnie).
10. American Psycho (the book and the movie) by Bret Easton Ellis
Answer: Patrick Bateman (played by Christian Bale)
Explanation: While I love how Bale portrayed him (and I honestly believe no one else could have done the role justice), the Bateman in the novel had a better sense of humor. There's a bit where Patrick is begging a limo driver to "rescue" him from a Christmas party with little people dressed as elves. He implores to the driver to rescue him before the "elves" start "harmonizing." That and when he makes his fiancee eat a chocolate covered urinal cake had me in stitches. Sick and wrong, but man did he ever have great taste in music. Although, unlike Bateman I prefer Genesis earlier artsy material to their later "more accessible" pop material.
Current Music: Quicksilver Messenger Service - The Fool
Tuesday, August 29, 2006
Book meme snarfed from bearette24
– Post a list of 10 books/movies/TV shows that you’ve had a fannish love of at some time in your life.
– Have your friends guess your favorite character from each one.
– You can cross out the show/movie/book and put the character when someone guesses.
1. Highlander : Connor MacLeod (guessed correctly by St. Dickeybird)
2. High Fidelity (the book and the movie) by Nick Hornby: Rob Gordon (played by John Cusack)(guessed correctly by bearette24)
3. Bright Lights, Big City (the book) by Jay McInerney
4. Island of the Sequined Love Nun by Christopher Moore
5. The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemmingway : Jake Barnes (guessed correctly by bearette24)
6. A Seperate Peace by John Knowles
7. An American Tragedy by Theodore Dreiser
8. Real Genius
9. Family Ties
10. American Psycho (the book and the movie) by Bret Easton Ellis
Current Music: Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds - The Mercy Seat (live & acoustic)
– Have your friends guess your favorite character from each one.
– You can cross out the show/movie/book and put the character when someone guesses.
1. Highlander : Connor MacLeod (guessed correctly by St. Dickeybird)
2. High Fidelity (the book and the movie) by Nick Hornby: Rob Gordon (played by John Cusack)(guessed correctly by bearette24)
3. Bright Lights, Big City (the book) by Jay McInerney
4. Island of the Sequined Love Nun by Christopher Moore
5. The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemmingway : Jake Barnes (guessed correctly by bearette24)
6. A Seperate Peace by John Knowles
7. An American Tragedy by Theodore Dreiser
8. Real Genius
9. Family Ties
10. American Psycho (the book and the movie) by Bret Easton Ellis
Current Music: Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds - The Mercy Seat (live & acoustic)
Thursday, August 03, 2006
Regarding Mel...
Is it just me or is way too big a deal being made out of Mel Gibson's drunken outburst. The focus is being placed on what he said in the drunken outburst, not on the fact that he was driving while intoxicated.
Now maybe it's just me, but any of us who have ever been inebriated, haven't we all said things we didn't really mean or agree with while under the influence? Did our friends or relatives hold us responsible for the things they heard us say in our state of inebriation?
I'm not saying we give Mel Gibson a free pass on driving while intoxicated. He should be punished the same as any Tom, Dick, or Harry. But it seems that we, as a culture, don't want celebrities treated the same as us-- we want them treated HARSHER than us. We want them judged on a much harsher scale. Why, when we wouldn't expect to be held accountable for the foolish things we say in a state of inebriation, are we as a society holding Mel Gibson accountable for his drunken rantings and ravings?
If the following sins have been forgiven and/or excused, why can't we forgive Mel for his drunken ramblings? He's even taken the time and effort to apologize which is more than can be said for some of the following:
He was drunk, he's apologized. Forgive and forget already. And why not focus on the real issue-- not the remarks he made, but the fact he was driving when he really shouldn't have been. Is it just me or does Hollywood and the news media kind of have their priorities out of whack on this one?
Current Music: Billy Joel - Captain Jack (live) (this song is fantastic, it's always been my fave of Billy's)
Now maybe it's just me, but any of us who have ever been inebriated, haven't we all said things we didn't really mean or agree with while under the influence? Did our friends or relatives hold us responsible for the things they heard us say in our state of inebriation?
I'm not saying we give Mel Gibson a free pass on driving while intoxicated. He should be punished the same as any Tom, Dick, or Harry. But it seems that we, as a culture, don't want celebrities treated the same as us-- we want them treated HARSHER than us. We want them judged on a much harsher scale. Why, when we wouldn't expect to be held accountable for the foolish things we say in a state of inebriation, are we as a society holding Mel Gibson accountable for his drunken rantings and ravings?
If the following sins have been forgiven and/or excused, why can't we forgive Mel for his drunken ramblings? He's even taken the time and effort to apologize which is more than can be said for some of the following:
- Former D.C. Mayor Marion Barry was caught on tape snorting cocaine. After serving his sentence he once again ran for mayor and was actually elected by the people of D.C.
- Director Roman Polanski is a convicted rapist. If he sets foot on U.S. soil he WILL go to prison. Despite this, he not only won an Oscar for directing The Pianist, he was given a standing ovation in absentia for winning the Oscar.
- Woody Allen married his own stepdaughter! Not illegal, but certainly not moral. He did wait until she was legal before doing so. But people still go to his movies. He's essentially been forgiven.
- Jesse Jackson once referred to NY City as "Hymietown" and has been known to use the K-word ("kike" for those unfamilar), but we don't see him getting raked over the coals for his remarks-- and he was sober when he was saying those things! To my knowledge he's never apologized for his remarks either
He was drunk, he's apologized. Forgive and forget already. And why not focus on the real issue-- not the remarks he made, but the fact he was driving when he really shouldn't have been. Is it just me or does Hollywood and the news media kind of have their priorities out of whack on this one?
Current Music: Billy Joel - Captain Jack (live) (this song is fantastic, it's always been my fave of Billy's)
Monday, July 10, 2006
Postscripts
1) I forgot to mention this weekend, wifey & I watched Match Point. Neither of us liked it for various different reasons. If you want to read me tearing the film and its writer/director Woody Allen to shreds. I posted a rather vitrolic review of it over on The Review Revue.
2) And I stumbled upon the following goodie on youtube.com and wanted to share and dedicate it to Keshi and/or any other Aussies who may have stumbled upon my blog:
2) And I stumbled upon the following goodie on youtube.com and wanted to share and dedicate it to Keshi and/or any other Aussies who may have stumbled upon my blog:
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