Reel Maniacs

Movies with Meaning Vol. 1 - No Country For Old Men

noreply@blogger.com (Brad) — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 05:17:00 +0000

Released in 2007, No Country For Old Men is a western noir romp set in the badlands of rural Texas. Taking home numerous awards from every ceremony giving them out, including the Best Picture Oscar, the movie was a smash with cinema enthusiasts and film goers who sat in stunned silence after the final cut to black. They knew the Coens had done it again. Yet, amongst the general population, there was discord. Backlash came from a general population who "didn't get it" and were waiting for the high noon showdown that never happened. On the contrary, the tension was built to a fever pitch.

I've watched the movie many times, including the theater. A couple next to me, as the credits began to roll, exclaimed "That's it?" When the DVD hit, I was working in a video store, and recommended the disc to anyone I could get to watch it. More often than not, patrons would bring it back and ask me "What was that all about? What did it mean?" The Coens were used to this response. Their offbeat pictures have always been the subject of heated debate.

The confusion stems from the monologues of the character Sheriff Bell, who feels that his time as a lawman is coming to an end as he fails to keep up with more aggressive forms of violence and destruction. The diatribes are the confessional of a man who knows he can't fight something he doesn't understand. He even states

This is a man coming to terms with his mortality as he ages, feeling as if he's not able to do his job anymore. He's feels a deep sense of guilt and regret for not confronting Anton. Although he's wise enough to know he would have lost, the fact that he didn't weighs heavy. Bell comes from a time when criminals had a moral reasoning that they operated within, but Chigurh is evil incarnate. He feels no sense of moral responsibility with any of his actions. The world Chigurh lives in is a series of random events. He's wild. Unpredictable. Dangerous.

During another revealing piece of dialogue, Sheriff Bell states

"But I think once you quit hearing "sir" and "ma'am," the rest is soon to follow."

What Bell is saying is that the lack of manners and discipline is what has brought society down. He comes from a "different time." His era has passed, and his resignation is not one of happiness, but of bitterness and disappointment. He yearns for the past when he exclaims

"My grandfather was a lawman; father too. Me and him was sheriffs at the same time; him up in Plano and me out here. I think he's pretty proud of that. I know I was. Some of the old time sheriffs never even wore a gun. A lotta folks find that hard to believe."

This new time is something the Sheriff can't fit into. Bell has put his life into maintaining law and order, but the world he thought he knew is crumbling around him, and his faith is shaken to the core. The Sheriff laments

"I always figured when I got older, God would sorta come into my life somehow. And he didn't."

Ultimately, the film is a look into the heart of darkness. A gaze into the abyss itself. Too often Hollywood paints the portrait of murder and death as something that doesn't effect the characters, since in the end they "save the day" and the evil is defeated. What viewers need to understand is that there's a big difference between closure and satisfaction. Many weren't happy with the ending or didn't understand it, but what other fate could there be for Sheriff Bell? What was there to misunderstand? Quite simply, Bell believes it's no country for old men. He doesn't know where the world is headed, but he's ready to move on from being a lawman and make peace with his life and the decisions he's made. Whether or not he can do that is unknown not only to the viewer, but himself. For those who are interested in diving further, I highly recommend reading the novel, then rewatching the film. What the Coens have done is given you the gist of the novel brilliantly, but the medium of film can only take you so far.

2010: The Year of the Documentary Vol. 1

noreply@blogger.com (Brad) — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 05:34:00 +0000

It only occurred to me recently that I have a ton of interesting documentaries to watch this year. I can't ever remember being this swamped with only documentary features. Banksy has one out, the "all-star" docu of Freakonomics is out (which is a great book), Inside Job covering the wall street crash, and Restrepo which I've heard is the best war docu ever.

My short list to watch..

1. Exit Through the Giftshop
2. Inside Job
3. Waiting For Superman
4. Restrepo
5. Gasland
6. Client 9: The Rise and Fall of Elliot Spitzer
7. Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work
8. The Lottery
9. Lucky
10. Waiting For Armageddon
11. Freakonomics

Well, last night I knocked out a few notable ones.

Exit Through the Giftshop (2010) - (out of 5)
Directed By: Banksy
IMDB

Art is a touchy subject among those in the community. As someone who fancies himself as a bit of an amateur artist, what exactly constitutes as art? When someone splashes 8 different colors onto a blank canvas and someone finds "deep and profound" meaning in a bunch of splatter, is that art?

Questions about the validity of such art is part of what makes up the Banksy documentary. The first half plays like a crash course in street art, showing the incredible lengths some of these artists go to in order to have their voice heard. Some climb up so high that a dizzying drop awaits them. They are under constant threat from the authorities as well.

Thierry Guetta is a man who decided to take his camera and follow these street artists. In what became his new obsession, Guetta filmed thousands of hours of footage and attempted to make a documentary on street art, but failed miserably. Enter Guetta's street art alter ego "Mr. Brainwash" and you have one of the most interesting documentaries on modern art since My Kid Could Paint That.

I honestly can't tell if Mr. Brainwash is a real misguided artist or if this was Banksy's ultimate hoax and pitch perfect statement on street art and what it's become. What I got out of it was that Bansky is showing the world how mass media and popular culture have overtaken street art as something to be valued monetarily and preserved. A majority of the art in the film was created to make a social or political statement, but this is lost when people put a price tag on it.

Exit Through the Giftshop is one of the best documentaries of the year and an open-ended experience. It's Banksy, did the shroud of mystery surprise you?

Inside Job (2010) - (out of 5)
Directed By: Charles Ferguson
IMDB

Inside Job follows the economic collapse and the aftermath of what happens when Wall Street goes overboard. Well, way more overboard than usual. Various players in the downfall are interviewed (and made to squirm) while most top level people are shown via footage from television or radio.

While it's good, I still feel like it's only a crash course in the problem(s) that occurred and currently plagues us. I'm not exactly saying it's a detriment to the filmmakers, but I felt like these people needed to be challenged even more. No doubt the subtle low-blows Ferguson delivers with his questions are a joy to watch, but I would have enjoyed him going even farther and really pressing them.

However, I understand. I can't expect a mainstream documentary to give me everything when Hollywood is controlled by corporate interests. I found a particular section riveting about an immigrant family swindled out of their home by predatory lending and basically outright lies. This issue is shown for a few minutes, then it's on completely to something else. The "tent city" stuff was great as well, but again far too short.

Maybe it's the fact that I was outraged about this before, and I was still outraged after. The fact is that no justice has been brought to anyone. The economy is shit, wall street got their bailout, and not one person involved has seen the inside of a jail cell. How is this fair or just?

It's not.

It's always been apparent that the U.S. government is corrupted by businessmen and high level officials with loads of money. This is the way it has always been. The fact that the head of Harvard's economic division didn't see a problem with the corruption speaks a lot to the Ivy League and the kind of characters they're churning out every year.

I couldn't help but giggle at these Wall Street nutjobs thinking of them as real life caricatures of Christian Bale in American Psycho. Sitting in the top of their cozy penthouse suites, pondering thoughts of greed and font placement on personal business cards.

Inside Job is a good documentary that hopefully inspires action. All the corrupt systems that were in place have not changed. That should bother a lot of Americans. The majority of wealth is still divided amongst a very select few who stand by and watch the middle class shrink. Eventually, the only classes will be the have and have nots. Hate to be there the day it happens.

FBI Warnings: The problem that won't go away

noreply@blogger.com (Brad) — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 04:17:00 +0000

Are these really necessary anymore? Is anyone with a functioning brain unaware that it's illegal to copy a movie and distribute it for monetary gain? Are they really gonna put me in prison for 5 years for copying a $10 DVD? If it's all about money, would the court fees not outweigh my $10 gain from piracy?

The biggest problem is that while I don't have a problem with the ad, I do have a problem with the fact that I can't skip it! Have you ever tried to watch a foreign film on blu-ray? Not only do I have to sit through the English FBI warning, but at least 8 other languages. Each message runs for 15-20 seconds and I'm unable to skip or jump to the main menu.

That = 2:30 minutes of my life wasted. My patience wears thin. The irony is that the warnings aren't present on pirated movies. However, if you buy a movie, the warning is there. Hmm...

I do agree it's an effective ad. I read it and shake in my little boots wondering if the FBI is gonna come busting down my door to take me to prison for copying a $10 DVD. Does anyone really fall for these scare tactics? Give me a break.

How about those "you wouldn't steal a car.." adverts before movies? Actually, if a car were as easy to steal as a movie, I probably would steal a few. SO THERE.

Speaking of other things on DVDs/Blu-rays that make me angry.. how about those long drawn out menus?

I swear, there are movies with 45 second swishing and swirling of computer animated images to the movies. They show various scenes, with some giving away plot points that border on spoiler alert material. Why? Just get me to the menu so I can start the movie already. Remember the days when YouTube wasn't littered with 30 second ads before every video?

However, I digress.

Allow me to direct your attention to this AD..

I rest my case.

Does anyone have a voice anymore?

noreply@blogger.com (Brad) — Sun, 27 Feb 2011 19:48:00 +0000

When I first had the idea of creating a blog rumbling in my head, all I could think about was how I wanted to share my journey with the world. The blogosphere is cluttered with movie blogs, but there are few I can actually read that seem to be coming from a human and not a general populace robot that's more concerned with fitting a popular stereotype of a movie "buff" than someone who actually loves movies. Ebert is Ebert. Why do so many attempt to emulate him?

Let me give you an example.

I read other movie blogs to see what that person likes, their personal taste, and to see if I can relate to them in any way. If I can, I'll most likely strike up a conversation. At best, I'll have a new pal to chat about movies with. I don't go to blogs to see this..

"How can you like How High? Have you not watched *insert obscure foreign language comedy here*?"

The kind of generalization that "if you like this it's only because you haven't seen this" is preposterous and incredibly snobby. Of course I have mainstream favorites like Goodfellas, The Godfather Part II, Taxi Driver, etc. I also think that No Country For Old Men is one of the greatest movies released in the last 20 years. However, I'm also completely enthralled with the horror genre. If I were a film critic, is my opinion suddenly discredited if I also enjoyed Friday the 13th Part 6: Jason Lives? This is useless ideology. Maybe I'm different, because I don't let anyone deter me from watching any movie. Whether the film is universally panned or praised, I'm going to watch regardless if it interests me whatsoever. That's why I don't go through the "avoid this" movie review approach. I'm here to share my journey. I'd hope you have a functioning brain, so use it to make your own distinctions about movies.

Here are two different reviews of No Country For Old Men, tell me which one you relate to.

"The aesthetic baffles are replaced by a sparer, less baroque, much grittier tone and a splitting of the narrative into two distinct voices. Moreover, the violence is often ameliorated by its elaborate choreography and vatic narrative voice. The irony coexists uneasily with the eidetic passages. Notice the structure of the male character on the left, and the female on the right, giving off a sort of Oedipus vibe that was no doubt intentional."

If I could pose a question to the reviewer above, it would be "what ass did you pull that out of?" I have doubts that it was at all "intentional."

Now, another.

"This is as good a thriller as the Coen Brothers have ever made, I dare say it's their best film since Blood Simple, not only because the films are similar in tone, style, and setting, but because each film is a thought, a psychological study of the characters and setting the film is based on. Here is a timeless classic from the Brothers Coen, a fine return to form of moral ambiguity after many years spent on simpler, lighter films. Quite simply, this is what a masterpiece is made of, one of the few films I think is perfect in every way, shape and form. Must be seen to be believed."

The type of readers I'm looking to draw would hopefully identify with the latter review. If you want to draw mumbo jumbo conclusions about post-structural theory and how Samuel L. Jackson was cast by Tarantino in Pulp Fiction because an interracial tag team could usher in a new and vertiginous psycho-social mobility, then by all means, do so. No, I don't have a clue what I just said either, but that's what you'll find in typical "film theory and criticism" books.

These film critics are exceedingly predicable and elitist. It's hard sometimes for me to believe they actually enjoy movies. Here are guidelines that every "professional critic" appears to follow.

Black and white? Profound by default.
Independent? Better than any Hollywood film ever released.
Is it new? A Hollywood studio film? Automatic garbage.
Foreign? From a lesser known country like Thailand? Instant classic.

Since when was art ever about education? There happens to be a boatload of blogs filled with snobby intellectual criticism from NYU grads with degrees in "film theory" that believe their words are more valid than a casual moviegoer. Has anyone actually read film theory and questioned whether it was a ruse? Does it have any use for 90% of the populace? Whatever happened to enjoying or disliking a movie, then simply talking about it?

When I read reviews like the first No Country one I posted, I wish that critic would realize that he's not impressing anyone but himself and those "formally educated" in cinema. These masturbatory tirades about "gender systems" and "allegorical impotence" contribute what to the discussion? Thanks, but no thanks. Keep your degrees and film theory to thesis papers. Keep the movie talk to the people who are actually passionate about them.

I say to you professionally educated film theory snob, stop being so damn obdurate.

Spiderman: or how I learn to stop worrying and love the 3rd movie

noreply@blogger.com (Brad) — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 05:38:00 +0000

I came online today to a TON of news/screenshots on the new Spiderman reboot coming out in 2012. While I will reserve judgment until I at least see a trailer, because I'm not gonna be that blogger nerd who tears the movie to shreds based on two pictures, the costume doesn't look too bad so far..

Don't know what's up with those metal pockets on his wrist, but like I said, I won't go there yet.

Which brings me to the real reason for this post.. Spiderman 3.

Spiderman 3 was THE movie in 2007. The advertising campaign Sony rolled out was epic.. and of course by epic I mean ridiculous. By the time the movie actually hit theaters, I was almost sick of it. I had my gripes about it, because yes Venom is cool, but he's a 90's fad. He's like Wolverine, but Wolverine came first so its not cutting edge anymore and nobody gives a shit except pre-teens in 1993 and beyond. I want the Lizard god damn it!!

Anyway, I pay my ticket it to see it, and after all my fanboy grumbling I ended up LOVING IT. Absolute perfect blockbuster summer entertainment.

BUT WAIT, THE FANBOYS DIDN'T LIKE IT.

I'm a webhead/fanboy whatever you choose to call it, and I've been reading the comics long enough to be knowledgeable and able to hold a conversation with even the nerdiest. I'm not only a movie fan, but die-hard Spidey fan as well.

Which shocks me why people completely turned negative against this. My biggest concern going in was that Venom was going to get way too much screen time. Boy, was I wrong. He had just the right amount. The Topher Grace casting was great. Why didn't Raimi cast some hulking blockhead as Eddie Brock? Because it would have been too easy. Eddie Brock is the mirror image of Peter Parker, choosing to make the opposite choices in life. It's a perfect villain in reference to what Spiderman was battling in this movie. Venom is a "through the looking glass" type of character showing Peter Parker what we would have become had he made the choice to be vindictive and evil. Defeating Venom was a validation of his entire life as Spiderman. Why was this lost on people?

Sandman's character had depth, and the storyline of "oh I accidentally shot Uncle Ben to get money for my sick daughter" is something that could easily have been lifted from a comic book page. The CGI was incredible and I thought fanboys would be jizzing all over the place watching this. Nope. Contempt all around.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not touting Spiderman 3 as the greatest comic book film of all-time, but it certainly doesn't deserve the lashing it's gotten. They packed way too much story and action into a 2 hour movie, I realize this. An extra 30 minutes would do it wonders. I understand it's packed with more subplots than a soap opera, but what comic book isn't? What do fanboys have to complain about? The storyline building between Mary Jane/Peter/Harry came to a fever pitch, they had VENOM for god's sake. I swear, I'd hate to be a filmmaker working in this genre, because you can never please these people.

Why on Earth are people complaining about the comedy? Once Parker starts to get cocky because of the Symbiote taking him over, it's a laugh riot. Of course he morphs into an uber dork with a trendy haircut and eyeliner. Peter is so blinded by his nerdiness, this is what he believes ladies find attractive. If he was all slick and smooth ladies man, it wouldn't have been right. All the symbiote did was exaggerate his personality even further. The scene where Connors is telling him to get the Symbiote off as soon as possible is priceless. This is the same kind of material you find in Spiderman comic books from any era.

This is the movie that solidified Tobey Maguire as Peter Parker. His awkwardness in front of the camera is perfect. If you pick up any of the comic books and look at Peter Parker, you'd see Tobey Maguire. He's got that whole boyish charm going on which is vital to the character.

Anyway, since the series is getting rebooted, I felt the need to finally rant my ass off and bid Raimi's Spiderman farewell. I know, 3 years late, but I'm here.

Now stop bitchin'.

In Soviet Russia, Russian Ark Watch YOU

noreply@blogger.com (Brad) — Sun, 20 Feb 2011 14:15:00 +0000

Russian Ark (2002) - (out of 5)
Directed By: Aleksandr Sokurov
IMDB

Russian ark has been universally praised by critics and a good portion of movie goers as a cinematic experience that's unmatched by anything else. It's been hailed as a stunning love letter to the history of Mother Russia by Aleksandr Sokurov!

Honestly, it's no big deal.

I know, I'm some big dumb American who sits at home waiting for the next Transformers movie because there weren't enough explosions in Russian Ark to keep me entertained right?

Wrong.

The film is technically magnificent, with memorable visuals from the museum and of European art. Though I have to ask, where is the art? It's not hard to create stunning visuals when you're walking your camera through the Hermitage museum. The one take is stunning, but if I strolled through the Musee Du Louvre in Paris with an HD camera, would my film be seen as profound and deeply personal as well? Without a plot, this device is meaningless.

I suppose I don't understand the hype. People see this movie as big and profound because no one understands it or gets any fun out of it. "Wait, it's European, there is little dialogue, and even orchestra music! My god, what a masterpiece!" Excuse me for expecting to be entertained at the movies. Maybe this is something that you'd have to see on the big screen? Although I have a feeling it would be even snobbier.

It does some things well, so although it seems like I'm completely bashing it, I'm not. The ending ballroom scene is fantastic, but what about the other 75 minutes of pretentious ho-hum?

As something experimental, it's worthy, but hardly a masterpiece of any kind.

Bourne to Be Wild

noreply@blogger.com (Brad) — Sun, 20 Feb 2011 03:43:00 +0000

It's 2001. America has just been attacked. With no answers in sight and Americans left wondering what's next, it's apparent that the world needs a hero.

AN ACTION HERO.

Okay, maybe that's not true about the Bourne series at all, but IF IT WAS, then what a great answer to action heroes Mr. Bourne would be. I've never watched any of these movies, so having an ass-kicking-steak-eating man-thon of action seemed to be the only true course for me.

I have a guilty pleasure (see: giddy excitement) when it comes to 80's action and more importantly, the stars. I know Rambo was fantastic, but can you say Cobra? Pre-Casino Royale, the Bond series was the Disney of action films. What does this action movies rant have to do with the Bourne series? Maybe nothing, so let's move on!

The Bourne Identity (2002) - (out of 5)
Directed By: Doug Liman
IMDB

Let's get this out of the way right now.. I HAVE NOT READ THE NOVEL. Truth be told, I'm more crime fiction ala Lansdale and Connelly than Tom Clancy. The spy/espionage thriller does nothing for me, hence my late arrival with the Bourne series.

Action movies follow a certain formula in order to be successful. This is something I'm aware of and I've accepted it as part of the fun. When a filmmaker is not only aware of these genre conventions, but completely embraces them, well, you've got yourself a movie.

Jason Bourne is found floating face down in the ocean with two bullets in his back by a group of fishermen. They patch him up, he awakens, has no memory, but possesses one hell of a right hook. Now, his sole mission is to unveil his true identity.

The crazy thing is that this movie brought nothing new to the table, had no surprises in the plot, and yet I found myself enthralled. Okay, maybe enthralled is a strong word, but definitely entertained. Although it needed way more Clive Owen.

For what it's trying to accomplish, it succeeds. The movie is cool. The locations are exotic, the action sequences are well done, and the story is fresh enough to not tread familiar territory. It didn't redefine the action genre, but the film is in the top tier of spy fiction movies.

The Bourne Supremacy (2004) - (out of 5)
Directed By: Paul Greengrass
IMDB

Speaking of 80's action movies, this has gotta be the coolest 80's-esque slogan since Cobra.

THEY SHOULD HAVE LEFT HIM ALONE.

Indeed.

Jason Bourne has vanished "off the grid" of the CIA and taken up life abroad with his new beau Marie when the U.S. government decides "hey why don't we just try to assassinate this guy?" That sounds like a typical decision from our government right? The only problem is, when you fail, things are gonna get fubar quickly.

The Bourne Supremacy features far more plot than Identity, but the action sequences are superior - including one of the coolest car chases since Ronin. The story that follows is essentially a rehash of the first; the only difference being Bourne getting a little bit closer to finding his origin.

What makes the character of Jason Bourne interesting to me is the moral ambiguity. Sure, he's the focus of the story, but he's never fully established as a hero. No, he isn't Charles Bronson Death Wish anti-hero, but sappy slice of Americana he is not.

Before we wrap, a quick note:

Dear Mr. Greengrass, filming all the action with an ungodly amount of camera shake does not add to the tension or suspense. All you're doing is adding to the nausea building in my stomach. This technique has it's place in cinema, but not every action sequence. Trust me, Bourne isn't the only thing that should have been left alone.

The Bourne Ultimatum (2007) - (out of 5)
Directed By: Paul Greengrass
IMDB

Paul, Paul, my dearest Paul, have you learned nothing? Greengrass turns what could have been the ultimate action epic into an almost incoherent stomach turning mess with his awful shaky cam action techniques. Why? Why do filmmakers do this? It doesn't add anything to the picture. I don't "feel like I'm there." Was I spun around 10 times in a circle and thus my equilibrium has been completely robbed from me?

The plot of Ultimatum progresses in the sense that Bourne is really close to finding his identity this time, but there isn't much in the way of suspense or adversity to overcome. Julia Stiles character was wasted. I know, it's Julia Styles, but watch, you'll understand. There is a silly plot device that includes the storage of top secret files in a safe that Bourne just happens to notice through a window at the exact moment the files are being deposited. Good timing? I suppose.

I don't know if this is the end, but I'm assuming this is a trilogy and will not be progressing further. If so, as a whole I found the series to be satisfying. This is a good action flick, and if this film were being driven by a competent director, the mark for this movie would have been much higher.

To sum it up, the Bourne series is an impressive landmark in the action genre. It's like everything good about James Bond without the campy gadgets and loose women. The only thing the series is missing is a villain. There are many rogue agents Bourne has to dispatch, but none of the bad guys are relevant or memorable in any of the movies.

My conclusion?

When it comes to spy films, bow your head, Casino Royale reigns supreme.

The Rating Scale

noreply@blogger.com (Brad) — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 16:19:00 +0000

With the rise of the internet, movie review ratings/grades/stars are quite ubiquitous. Everyone is a critic these days. There is no way I could stop assigning scores, because it helps me remember when I look back and when I want to recommend something. It also helps with ordering favorite films or top film lists. However, I find it to be love/hate because it's far from simple to rate an Oscar hopeful and Hatchet II on the same scale.

I enjoy Ebert's thumbs up/4 star rating system, but I also find that 4 stars isn't a broad enough range for me to be satisfied with. For example, I could rate Hatchet II 3 stars, and An Education 3 stars, but I may enjoy Hatchet II far more because of personal taste. Which brings up another point of reviews being relative. That is to say, Hatchet II is judged against other slasher films of its kind. Comparing a horror film and a romantic comedy is apples and oranges.

When I rate movies, I rate them on an enjoyment level and a filmmaking level. I know it sounds ridiculous, because all ratings are essentially based on enjoyment level, but let me explain.

For example, if I enjoyed an Oscar hopeful movie quite a bit, but didn't think it was all that hot, perhaps on an enjoyment level it would be a 7/10. Although if the film has a high level of filmmaking, I'll bump that rating up to perhaps 8/10 based completely on the fact that it's technically excellent and I appreciate that side of it.

Now, the star rating system is intriguing, since that's how it's always been in the papers I read growing up, it's old school, and I like looking at it. I apply a grading system to a 5-star scale. It will shape up like this..

A+ = ***** = 9.5-10/10
A = ****1/2 = 9/10
A- = **** = 8-8.5/10
B+ = ***1/2 = 7-7.5/10
B = *** = 6-6.5/10
B- = **1/2 = 5-5.5/10
C+ = ** = 4.5-5/10
C = ** = 4/10
C- = ** = 3-3.5/10
D+ = *1/2 = 2.5/10
D = * = 2/10
D- = 1/2 star = 1/10
F = 0 stars = 0/10

The "C" would generally be 2 stars, since there isn't a giant difference between a 3.5/10 and 4.5/10 movie when thinking in terms of the star scale. The star scale seems to be the most rational, because it's quite clear to see the distinction between an average affair and a fantastic film simply by looking at the number of stars it received.

Hopefully this will explain the system enough to quell your curiosity. I figure if you know what the scale means to me, it'll be easier to understand my thoughts.

Presto Manifesto

noreply@blogger.com (Brad) — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 16:00:00 +0000

Movies. Why do we love them? From my vantage point, movies not only give us an opportunity to see the world how we wish it could be, but they allow you to choose that world. Does your idyllic world contain an epic war trilogy set in space? Would you like to be swept off your feet by George Clooney? Do you want to be transported to the Victorian Era? Do you wonder what it's like being born a poor kid in the Bronx?

I love the movies. Cliché, I know, but as a child growing up in the rural midwest, the movie theater offered a vision of something larger. Sit in the theater and marvel as you're transported into a completely different world. It doesn't matter if you're watching in the comfort of your own home or on the biggest IMAX screen you can find, the ability for a movie to affect us profoundly remains unchanged.

This blog was created to explore the history of cinema and the classic films that have woven themselves into the fabric of American culture. Which leads me to this..

The 1001 Movies to See Before You Die list. I've been aimlessly wandering through the annals of film since I was a kid. From Disney, to 80's slashers, to gangster films, to indie, to arthouse, and so on. I've always wanted my knowledge to span many genres and a wide era of time. I'm sure it's been attempted, and possibly completed, but has it been documented from start to finish? That's where I come in. Is the 1001 list perfect? Probably not. I'd imagine the hardest part of creating such a list is deciding what to leave in and what to leave out.

However, it's a damn fine place to start.

At this time, I'm 25 years old, and I'm not naive. I realize my appreciation of some movies may be hampered simply by my life experiences (or a lack of.) To put it simply, I'm sure I'm going to see life a lot differently at 35. Hell, I'll see it different at 30. Then at 40, at 50, etc. The fact is I haven't been married, or had a failed marriage, nor have I any children or buried any of my parents. The convictions I'm strongly attached to now may become old habits at a different age.

The point being, I'm aware enough to know that I'm creating a time capsule. A look into the mind of a younger version of myself as I travel the galaxy of cinema. Truth is, I'm never going to stop watching movies. Ever.

That's not to say my voice can't be accurate. Some elder critics are so out of touch with reality and the current mindset of this generation that they'll fail to connect with the material. That's okay. Why? Because movies, like art, is a subjective experience. The difference between a great critic and an average one is perception. The great critic can despise a film, but see the filmmaker's intentions, perhaps draw upon a past experience to relate, and have a firm understanding of why this director chose to do the project.

Peruse the internet. Uninformed opinion is everywhere. Have you ever spent time at IMDB? Read the vitriol spewed by a casual movie goer who has zero appreciation for life experience or subjectivity. It seems that most positive reviews are written in hopes of appearing on an advertisement or box cover. There's nothing wrong with this, to each their own, but should some opinions be valued over others? I think all opinions are of value, but equal? If I told you that in my opinion, 2+2 = 5, would you hold me in high esteem?

Yes, this is corruption and elitism at it's worst, but it's hard to be quiet when you're passionate about a subject that many people so clearly don't love or value. That's not to say I won't listen. As stated, I think every opinion is of value, even if I disagree.

I couldn't see my life without the simple pleasures of escapism the movies provide. It's like having your best buddy around 24/7. People can die, friends can abruptly leave your life, seasons change, and months fade into years, but the cinema will always be there.

What you ask, is my point?

Film is essential. It reminds us that life is a gift, not a privilege. It reminds us that we are alive. It can impact all races, cross barriers of social or political belief, and is not gender biased. How much can be learned through the introspective examination we go through after the credits roll? That's what I'm looking to find out. As much as we'd like it to be so, movies can't save us from war, greed, betrayal, heartache, old age, or death, but it can revitalize us. I believe the cinema can be a great teacher. Some of the greatest moral lessons I've learned have come from the stories on the screen. A major deciding factor in watching so many movies is finding out what truths these experiences will lead me to.

I don't consider myself a film critic, but more of an observer and participant in this wacky world. I'm not interested in your money, putting up ads for profit, or anything to do with monetary gain. I'm here to share my life experience and provide you with insights that maybe you haven't reached yet. Maybe someone reading this will help me discover something about myself. If you're coming here looking for recommendations, I'd be happy to give some. How about you give me some? Although my rantings may come off as holier than thou at times (a pitfall of passion, I suppose), I'm not someone who will berate your taste.

That's the gist of this blog.

So get comfortable, grab some popcorn, and let's go to the movies.

1001: The List

noreply@blogger.com (Brad) — Sun, 02 Jan 2011 03:17:00 +0000

This is the master list for the 1001 movies. Click on the movie to be instantly taken to the post. If you're unsure what this list is about, then start here.

1. A Trip to the Moon (1902)
2. The Great Train Robbery (1903)
3. The Birth of a Nation (1915)
4. Les Vampires (1915)
5. Intolerance (1916)
6. Broken Blossoms (1919)
7. The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920)
8. Way Down East (1920)
9. Within Our Gates (1920)
10. The Phantom Carriage (1921)
11. Orphans of the Storm (1921)
12. La Souriante Madame Beudet (1922)
13. Dr. Mabuse Parts 1 and 2 (1922)
14. Nanook of the North (1922)
15. Nosferatu (1922)
16. Haxan (1923)
17. Foolish Wives (1922)
18. Our Hospitality (1923)
19. The Wheel (1923)
20. The Thief of Bagdad (1924)
21. Strike (1924)
22. Greed (1924)
23. Sherlock, Jr. (1924)
24. The Last Laugh (1924)
25. Seven Chances (1925)
26. The Phantom of the Opera (1925)
27. Battleship Potemkin (1925)
28. The Gold Rush (1925)
29. The Big Parade (1925)
30. Metropolis (1927)
31. Sunrise (1927)
32. The General (1927)
33. The Unknown (1927)
34. October (1927)
35. The Jazz Singer (1927)
36. Napoleon (1927)
37. The Kid Brother (1927)
38. The Crowd (1928)
39. The Docks of New York (1928)
40. An Andalusian Dog (1928)
41. The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928)
42. Steamboat Bill, Jr. (1928)
43. Storm over Asia (1928)
44. Blackmail (1929)
45. The Man with the Movie Camera (1929)
46. Pandora's Box (1929)
47. The Blue Angel (1930)
48. L'Age D'Or (1930)
49. Earth (1930)
50. Little Caesar (1930)
51. All Quiet on the Western Front (1930)
52. À Nous la Liberté (1931)
53. Le Million (1931)
54. Tabu (1931)
55. Dracula (1931)
56. Frankenstein (1931)
57. City Lights (1931)
58. The Public Enemy (1931)
59. M (1931)
60. La Chienne (1931)
61. Vampyr (1932)
62. Love Me Tonight (1932)
63. Boudu Saved from Drowning (1932)
64. I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang (1932)
65. Trouble in Paradise (1932)
66. Scarface (1932)
67. Shanghai Express (1932)
68. Freaks (1932)
69. Me and My Gal (1932)
70. Zero for Conduct (1933)
71. 42nd Street (1933)
72. Footlight Parade (1933)
73. Gold Diggers of 1933 (1933)
74. She Done Him Wrong (1933)
75. Duck Soup (1933)
76. Queen Christina (1933)
77. Las Hurdes (1933)
78. King Kong (1933)
79. The Bitter Tea of General Yen (1933)
80. Sons of the Desert (1933)
81. It's a Gift (1934)
82. Triumph of the Will (1934)
83. L'Atalante (1934)
84. The Black Cat (1934)
85. Judge Priest (1934)
86. It Happened One Night (1934)
87. The Thin Man (1934)
88. Captain Blood (1935)
89. Mutiny on the Bounty (1935)
90. A Night at the Opera (1935)
91. The 39 Steps (1935)
92. Bride of Frankenstein (1935)
93. Top Hat (1935)
94. A Day in the Country (1936)
95. Modern Times (1936)
96. Swing Time (1936)
97. My Man Godfrey (1936)
98. Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936)
99. Camille (1936)
100. Sabotage (1936)
101. Dodsworth (1936)
102. Things to Come (1936)
103. The Story of a Cheat (1936)
104. Captains Courageous (1937)
105. Song At Midnight (1937)
106. Grand Illusion (1937)
107. Stella Dallas (1937)
108. The Life of Emile Zola (1937)
109. Make Way for Tomorrow (1937)
110. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)
111. The Awful Truth (1937)
112. Pepe Le Moko (1937)
113. Jezebel (1938)
114. The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938)
115. Angels with Dirty Faces (1938)
116. Olympia (1938)
117. The Baker's Wife (1938)
118. Bringing Up Baby (1938)
119. Stagecoach (1939)
120. The Story of the Late Chrysanthemums (1939)
121. Babes in Arms (1939)
122. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)
123. The Wizard of Oz (1939)
124. Destry Rides Again (1939)
125. Only Angels Have Wings (1939)
126. Gone With the Wind (1939)
127. Daybreak (1939)
128. Gunga Din (1939)
129. Ninotchka (1939)
130. The Rules of the Game (1939)
131. Wuthering Heights (1939)
132. His Girl Friday (1940)
133. Rebecca (1940)
134. Fantasia (1940)
135. The Philadelphia Story (1940)
136. The Grapes of Wrath (1940)
137. Dance, Girl, Dance (1940)
138. Pinocchio (1940)
139. The Mortal Storm (1940)
140. The Bank Dick (1940)
141. Citizen Kane (1941)
142. The Lady Eve (1941)
143. The Wolf Man (1941)
144. The Maltese Falcon (1941)
145. Sergeant York (1941)
146. Dumbo (1941)
147. High Sierra (1941)
148. Sullivan's Travels (1941)
149. How Green Was My Valley (1941)
150. The Palm Beach Story (1942)
151. Now, Voyager (1942)
152. Casablanca (1942)
153. To Be or Not to Be (1942)
154. Cat People (1942)
155. The Magnificent Ambersons (1942)
156. Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942)
157. Meshes of the Afternoon (1943)
158. Fires Were Started (1943)
159. The Man in Grey (1943)
160. The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp (1943)
161. I Walked with a Zombie (1943)
162. The Seventh Victim (1943)
163. The Ox-Bow Incident (1943)
164. Shadow of a Doubt (1943)
165. Ossessione (1943)
166. Meet Me in St. Louis (1944)
167. To Have and Have Not (1944)
168. Laura (1944)
169. Gaslight (1944)
170. Henry V (1944)
171. Ivan the Terrible (1944) Parts 1 and 2
172. Double Indemnity (1944)
173. Murder, My Sweet (1944)
174. The Battle of San Pietro (1945)
175. Spellbound (1945)
176. Mildred Pierce (1945)
177. Children of Paradise (1945)
178. Open City (1945)
179. The Lost Weekend (1945)
180. Detour (1945)
181. I Know Where I'm Going! (1945)
182. The Best Years of Our Lives (1946)
183. Brief Encounter (1946)
184. Paisan (1946)
185. The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946)
186. My Darling Clementine (1946)
187. The Stranger (1946)
188. Beauty and the Beast (1946)
189. The Big Sleep (1946)
190. The Killers (1946)
191. A Matter of Life and Death (1946)
192. Great Expectations (1946)
193. Notorious (1946)
194. Black Narcissus (1946)
195. It's a Wonderful Life (1946)
196. Gilda (1946)
197. Monsieur Verdoux (1947)
198. Out of the Past (1947)
199. The Ghost and Mrs. Muir (1947)
200. Odd Man Out (1947)
201. The Bicycle Thief (1948)
202. Letter from an Unknown Woman (1948)
203. Secret Beyond the Door (1948)
204. Force of Evil (1948)
205. Spring in a Small Town (1948)
206. Red River (1948)
207. Rope (1948)
208. The Snake Pit (1948)
209. The Lady from Shanghai (1948)
210. Paleface (1948)
211. The Red Shoes (1948)
212. The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948)
213. Louisiana Story (1948)
214. The Heiress (1949)
215. Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949)
216. Gun Crazy (1949)
217. Adam's Rib (1949)
218. Whiskey Galore! (1949)
219. White Heat (1949)
220. The Reckless Moment (1949)
221. The Third Man (1949)
222. On the Town (1949)
223. Orpheus (1949)
224. The Asphalt Jungle (1950)
225. Rashomon (1950)
226. Winchester '73 (1950)
227. Rio Grande (1950)
228. All About Eve (1950)
229. Sunset Blvd. (1950)
230. Los Olvidados (1950)
231. In a Lonely Place (1950)
232. The Big Carnival (1951)
233. A Streetcar Named Desire (1951)
234. Strangers on a Train (1951)
235. The Lavender Hill Mob (1951)
236. Pandora and the Flying Dutchman (1951)
237. The African Queen (1951)
238. Diary of a Country Priest (1951)
239. An American in Paris (1951)
240. A Place in the Sun (1951)
241. The Day The Earth Stood Still (1951)
242. The Quiet Man (1952)
243. Forbidden Games (1952)
244. Angel Face (1952)
245. Singin' in the Rain (1952)
246. Ikiru (1952)
247. Europa '51 (1952)
248. The Bad and the Beautiful (1952)
249. The Big Sky (1952)
250. High Noon (1952)
251. Umberto D (1952)
252. The Golden Coach (1952)
253. The Bigamist (1953)
254. The Band Wagon (1953)
255. Madame De… (1953)
256. From Here to Eternity (1953)
257. Tokyo Story (1953)
258. Roman Holiday (1953)
259. Wages of Fear (1953)
260. The Naked Spur (1953)
261. Pickup on South Street (1953)
262. Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953)
263. The Big Heat (1953)
264. M. Hulot's Holiday (1953)
265. Voyage in Italy (1953)
266. Ugetsu (1953)
267. Shane (1953)
268. Beat the Devil (1953)
269. Johnny Guitar (1954)
270. On the Waterfront (1954)
271. Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954)
272. Les Diaboliques (1954)
273. Animal Farm (1954)
274. Rear Window (1954)
275. A Star Is Born (1954)
276. The Barefoot Contessa (1954)
277. La Strada (1954)
278. Seven Samurai (1954)
279. Senso (1954)
280. Silver Lode (1954)
281. Carmen Jones (1954)
282. Sansho the Bailiff (1954)
283. Salt of the Earth (1954)
284. Artists and Models (1955)
285. Guys and Dolls (1955)
286. Pather Panchali (1955)
287. Bad Day at Black Rock (1955)
288. The Mad Masters (1955)
289. Hill 24 Doesn't Answer (1955)
290. The Ladykillers (1955)
291. Marty (1955)
292. Ordet (1955)
293. Bob Le Flambeur (1955)
294. Kiss Me Deadly (1955)
295. The Man from Laramie (1955)
296. Rebel without a Cause (1955)
297. The Phenix City Story (1955)
298. Smiles of a Summer Night (1955)
299. Night and Fog (1955)
300. The Night of the Hunter (1955)
301. Lola Montes (1955)
302. Forbidden Planet (1956)
303. The Burmese Harp (1956)
304. The Searchers (1956)
305. A Man Escaped (1956)
306. Written on the Wind (1956)
307. The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956)
308. Giant (1956)
309. All That Heaven Allows (1956)
310. Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)
311. The Wrong Man (1956)
312. Bigger Than Life (1956)
313. High Society (1956)
314. The Ten Commandments (1956)
315. 12 Angry Men (1957)
316. The Seventh Seal (1957)
317. An Affair to Remember (1957)
318. Wild Strawberries (1957)
319. The Nights of Cabiria (1957)
320. Throne of Blood (1957)
321. The Incredible Shrinking Man (1957)
322. Aparajito (1957)
323. Gunfight at the O.K. Corral (1957)
324. The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)
325. Mother India (1957)
326. The Cranes Are Flying (1957)
327. Paths of Glory (1957)
328. Sweet Smell of Success (1957)
329. Man of the West (1958)
330. Touch of Evil (1958)
331. Cairo Station (1958)
332. Gigi (1958)
333. The Defiant Ones (1958)
334. Vertigo (1958)
335. Ashes and Diamonds (1958)
336. Horror of Dracula (1958)
337. Mon Oncle (1958)
338. The Music Room (1958)
339. The 400 Blows (1959)
340. North by Northwest (1959)
341. Some Like It Hot (1959)
342. Anatomy of a Murder (1959)
343. Eyes without a Face (1959)
344. Ride Lonesome (1959)
345. Black Orpheus (1959)
346. Shadows (1959)
347. The World of Apu (1959)
348. Breathless (1959)
349. Ben-Hur (1959)
350. Pickpocket (1959)
351. Hiroshima Mon Amour (1959)
352. Rio Bravo (1959)
353. The Hole (1959)
354. Floating Weeds (1959)
355. Rocco and His Brothers (1960)
356. La Dolce Vita (1960)
357. Saturday Night and Sunday Morning (1960)
358. Shoot the Piano Player (1960)
359. L'Avventura (1960)
360. La Joven (1960)
361. The Cloud-Capped Star (1960)
362. The Housemaid (1960)
363. Psycho (1960)
364. Black Sunday (1960)
365. Peeping Tom (1960)
366. The Apartment (1960)
367. Spartacus (1960)
368. Splendor in the Grass (1961)
369. Last Year at Marienbad (1961)
370. La Jetee (1961)
371. One-Eyed Jacks (1961)
372. Lola (1961)
373. Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961)
374. La Notte (1961)
375. Jules and Jim (1961)
376. Viridiana (1961)
377. The Ladies Man (1961)
378. Through a Glass Darkly (1961)
379. Chronicle of a Summer (1961)
380. The Hustler (1961)
381. West Side Story (1961)
382. Mondo Cane (1962)
383. Cleo from 5 to 7 (1962)
384. Dog Star Man (1962)
385. An Autumn Afternoon (1962)
386. L'Eclisse (1962)
387. Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
388. To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)
389. The Manchurian Candidate (1962)
390. Lolita (1962)
391. Keeper of Promises (1962)
392. The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962)
393. What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962)
394. My Life to Live (1962)
395. Heaven and Earth Magic (1962)
396. The Birds (1963)
397. The Nutty Professor (1963)
398. Blonde Cobra (1963)
399. The Cool World (1963)
400. 8 1/2 (1963)
401. Passenger (1963)
402. Contempt (1963)
403. Hud (1963)
404. Winter Light (1963)
405. Flaming Creatures (1963)
406. The Great Escape (1963)
407. Shock Corridor (1963)
408. The Leopard (1963)
409. Barren Lives (1963)
410. Mediteranee (1963)
411. The House is Black (1963)
412. The Haunting (1963)
413. An Actor's Revenge (1963)
414. The Servant (1963)
415. Goldfinger (1964)
416. Scorpio Rising (1964)
417. The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964)
418. Marnie (1964)
419. My Fair Lady (1964)
420. Woman in the Dunes (1964)
421. Dr. Strangelove (1964)
422. A Hard Day's Night (1964)
423. The Red Desert (1964)
424. Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors (1964)
425. The Masque of the Red Death (1964)
426. Before the Revolution (1964)
427. Gertrud (1964)
428. The Gospel According to St. Matthew (1964)
429. Black God, White Devil (1964)
430. The Demon (1964)
431. Vinyl (1965)
432. The Shop on Main Street (1965)
433. Doctor Zhivago (1965)
434. The War Game (1965)
435. Tokyo Olympiad (1965)
436. The Battle of Algiers (1965)
437. The Sound of Music (1965)
438. The Sargossa Manuscript (1965)
439. Alphaville (1965)
440. Chimes at Midnight (1965)
441. Repulsion (1965)
442. Juliet of the Spirits (1965)
443. Pierrot Le Fou (1965)
444. Faster, Pussy Cat! Kill! Kill! (1965)
445. Golden River (1965)
446. The Man Who Had His Hair Cut Short (1965)
447. Hold Me While I'm Naked (1966)
448. Blow-Up (1966)
449. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966)
450. Daisies (1966)
451. Come Drink with Me (1966)
452. Seconds (1966)
453. Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf? (1966)
454. Persona (1966)
455. Masculin-Feminin (1966)
456. Au Hazard Balthazar (1966)
457. In the Heat of the Night (1967)
458. Two or Three Things I Know About Her (1967)
459. The Graduate (1967)
460. Playtime (1967)
461. Report (1967)
462. Hombre (1967)
463. Belle de Jour (1967)
464. The Young Girls of Rochefort (1967)
465. Week End (1967)
466. The Godson (1967)
467. Cool Hand Luke (1967)
468. Point Blank (1967)
469. Wavelength (1967)
470. Bonnie and Clyde (1967)
471. The Red and the White (1967)
472. Marketta Lazarova (1967)
473. The Jungle Book (1967)
474. The Fireman's Ball (1967)
475. Earth Entranced (1967)
476. Closely Watched Trains (1967)
477. Vij (1967)
478. The Cow (1968)
479. Once Upon a Time in the West (1968)
480. Planet of the Apes (1968)
481. Faces (1968)
482. Rosemary's Baby (1968)
483. If... (1968)
484. Memories of Underdevelopment (1968)
485. The Producers (1968)
486. David Holzman's Diary (1968)
487. Shame (1968)
488. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
489. Hour of the Wolf (1968)
490. Targets (1968)
491. Night of the Living Dead (1968)
492. My Night at Maud's (1969)
493. Lucia (1969)
494. A Touch of Zen (1969)
495. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)
496. Midnight Cowboy (1969)
497. Satyricon (1969)
498. Z (1969)
499. The Conformist (1969)
500. Easy Rider (1969)
501. High School (1969)
502. In the Year of the Pig (1969)
503. The Wild Bunch (1969)
504. Andrei Rublev (1969)
505. Le Boucher (1969)
506. The Color of Pomegranates (1969)
507. Kes (1969)
508. Tristana (1970)
509. Five Easy Pieces (1970)
510. El Topo (1970)
511. Woodstock (1970)
512. Deep End (1970)
513. The Spider's Stratagem (1970)
514. Little Big Man (1970)
515. The Ear (1970)
516. Patton (1970)
517. M*A*S*H (1970)
518. Performance (1970)
519. Gimme Shelter (1970)
520. Zabriskie Point (1970)
521. The Bird with The Crystal Plumage (1970)
522. The Garden of the Finzi-Continis (1970)
523. Wanda (1971)
524. W.R.: Mysteries of the Organism (1971)
525. A Clockwork Orange (1971)

526. The Sorrow and the Pity (1971)
527. Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971)
528. McCabe and Mrs. Miller (1971)
529. Walkabout (1971)
530. Klute (1971)
531. Harold and Maude (1971)
532. Red Psalm (1971)
533. Get Carter (1971)
534. The French Connection (1971)
535. Shaft (1971)
536. Dirty Harry (1971)
537. Murmur of the Heart (1971)
538. Sweet Sweetback's Baadassss Song (1971)
539. The Last Picture Show (1971)
540. Straw Dogs (1971)
541. Two-Lane Blacktop (1971)
542. The Heartbreak Kid (1972)
543. Aguirre, the Wrath of God (1972)
544. Cabaret (1972)
545. Last Tango in Paris (1972)
546. High Plains Drifter (1972)
547. Sleuth (1972)
548. Deliverance (1972)
549. Solaris (1972)
550. The Godfather (1972)
551. Cries and Whispers (1972)
552. Fat City (1972)
553. The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (1972)
554. The Bitter Tears of Petra Von Kant (1972)
555. Frenzy (1972)
556. Pink Flamingos (1972)
557. Superfly (1972)
558. The Sting (1973)
559. The Mother and the Whore (1973)
560. Badlands (1973)
561. American Graffiti (1973)
562. Papillon (1973)
563. Enter the Dragon (1973)
564. Mean Streets (1973)
565. The Long Goodbye (1973)
566. The Wicker Man (1973)
567. Day for Night (1973)
568. Don't Look Now (1973)
569. Sleeper (1973)
570. Serpico (1973)
571. The Exorcist (1973)
572. Turkish Delight (1973)
573. The Spirit of the Beehive (1973)
574. Fantastic Planet (1973)
575. Amarcord (1973)
576. The Harder They Come (1973)
577. Pat Garret and Billy the Kid (1973)
578. Dersu Uzala (1974)
579. The Conversation (1974)
580. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)
581. Mirror (1974)
582. A Woman under the Influence (1974)
583. Young Frankenstein (1974)
584. Chinatown (1974)
585. Celine and Julie Go Boating (1974)
586. Blazing Saddles (1974)
587. The Godfather Part II (1974)
588. Ali: Fear Eats the Soul (1974)
589. Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia (1974)
590. Dog Day Afternoon (1975)
591. One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)
592. Jeanne Dielman, 23 Quai Du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles (1975)
593. The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)
594. The Wall (1975)
595. Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)
596. Barry Lyndon (1975)
597. Fox and His Friends (1975)
598. India Song (1975)
599. Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975)
600. Manila in the Claws of Brightness (1975)
601. Salo, or the 120 Days of Sodom (1975)
602. Nashville (1975)
603. Cria! (1975)
604. The Traveling Players (1975)
605. Jaws (1975)
606. The Killing of a Chinese Bookie (1976)
607. Carrie (1976)
608. The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976)
609. All the President's Men (1976)
610. Rocky (1976)
611. Taxi Driver (1976)
612. Network (1976)
613. Ascent (1976)
614. In the Realm of the Senses (1976)
615. 1900 (1976)
616. The Man Who Fell to Earth (1976)
617. Star Wars (1977)
618. Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
619. The Last Wave (1977)
620. Annie Hall (1977)
621. Last Chants for a Slow Dance (1977)
622. Storszek (1977)
623. Man of Marble (1977)
624. Saturday Night Fever (1977)
625. Killer of Sheep (1977)
626. Eraserhead (1977)
627. Ceddo (1977)
628. The American Friend (1977)
629. The Hills Have Eyes (1977)
630. Soldier of Orange (1977)
631. Suspiria (1977)
632. The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith (1978)
633. Five Deadly Venoms (1978)
634. The Tree of Wooden Clogs (1978)
635. The Deer Hunter (1978)
636. Grease (1978)
637. Days of Heaven (1978)
638. Dawn of the Dead (1978)
639. Shaolin Master Killer (1978)
640. Up in Smoke (1978)
641. Halloween (1978)
642. The Marriage of Maria Braun (1979)
643. Real Life (1979)
644. My Brilliant Career (1979)
645. Stalker (1979)
646. Alien (1979)
647. Breaking Away (1979)
648. The Tin Drum (1979)
649. All That Jazz (1979)
650. Being There (1979)
651. Kramer vs. Kramer (1979)
652. Life of Brian (1979)
653. Apocalypse Now (1979)
654. The Jerk (1979)
655. The Muppet Movie (1979)
656. Manhattan (1979)
657. Mad Max (1979)
658. Nosferatu The Vampyre (1979)
659. Ordinary People (1980)
660. Atlantic City (1980)
661. The Last Metro (1980)
662. The Shining (1980)
663. The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
664. The Elephant Man (1980)
665. The Big Red One (1980)
666. Loulou (1980)
667. Airplane! (1980)
668. Raging Bull (1980)
669. Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
670. Das Boot (1981)
671. Gallipoli (1981)
672. Chariots of Fire (1981)
673. Body Heat (1981)
674. Reds (1981)
675. An American Werewolf in London (1981)
676. Three Brothers (1981)
677. Man of Iron (1981)
678. Too Early, Too Late (1981)
679. Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1981)
680. E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
681. The Thing (1982)
682. Poltergeist (1982)
683. Blade Runner (1982)
684. The Evil Dead (1982)
685. Tootsie (1982)
686. Yol (1982)
687. Diner (1982)
688. Fitzcarraldo (1982)
689. Gandhi (1982)
690. The Night of the Shooting Stars (1982)
691. A Question of Silence (1982)
692. Fanny and Alexander (1982)
693. A Christmas Story (1983)
694. El Norte (1983)
695. Videodrome (1983)
696. Return of the Jedi (1983)
697. The Big Chill (1983)
698. Sans Soleil (1983)
699. The Last Battle (1983)
700. L'Argent (1983)
701. Utu (1983)
702. Terms of Endearment (1983)
703. The Fourth Man (1983)
704. The King of Comedy (1983)
705. The Right Stuff (1983)
706. Koyaanisqatsi (1983)
707. Once Upon a Time in America (1983)
708. Scarface (1983)
709. The Battle of Narayama (1983)
710. Amadeus (1984)
711. The Terminator (1984)
712. Paris, Texas (1984)
713. A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
714. This Is Spinal Tap (1984)
715. Beverly Hills Cop (1984)
716. Ghostbusters (1984)
717. A Passage to India (1984)
718. Stranger Than Paradise (1984)
719. The Killing Fields (1984)
720. The Natural (1984)
721. The Breakfast Club (1985)
722. Ran (1985)
723. Come and See (1985)
724. The Official Story (1985)
725. Out of Africa (1985)
726. The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985)
727. Back to the Future (1985)
728. The Time to Live and the Time to Die (1985)
729. Brazil (1985)
730. Kiss of the Spider Woman (1985)
731. The Quiet Earth (1985)
732. Mishima (1985)
733. Prizzi's Honor (1985)
734. Vagabond (1985)
735. Shoah (1985)
736. The Color Purple (1985)
737. Manhunter (1986)
738. Stand By Me (1986)
739. Blue Velvet (1986)
740. Hannah and Her Sisters (1986)
741. She's Gotta Have It (1986)
742. The Decline of the American Empire (1986)
743. The Fly (1986)
744. Aliens (1986)
745. Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986)
746. Down by Law (1986)
747. A Room with a View (1986)

748. Children Of A Lesser God (1986)
749. Platoon (1986)
750. Caravaggio (1986)
751. Tampopo (1986)
752. Peking Opera Blues (1986)
753. Salvador (1986)
754. Top Gun (1986)
755. Sherman's March (1986)
756. The Horse Thief (1986)
757. Yeelen (1987)
758. Wings of Desire (1987)
759. Project A, Part II (1987)
760. Babette's Feast (1987)
761. Raising Arizona (1987)
762. Full Metal Jacket (1987)
763. Withnail and I (1987)
764. Good Morning, Vietnam (1987)
765. Au Revoir Les Enfants (1987)
766. Broadcast News (1987)
767. Housekeeping (1987)
768. The Princess Bride (1987)
769. Moonstruck (1987)
770. The Untouchables (1987)
771. Red Sorghum (1987)
772. The Dead (1987)
773. Fatal Attraction (1987)
774. A Chinese Ghost Story (1987)
775. Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (1988)
776. The Vanishing (1988)
777. Bull Durham (1988)
778. Ariel (1988)
779. The Thin Blue Line (1988)
780. Akira (1988)
781. Cinema Paradiso (1988)
782. Hotel Terminus: The Life and Times of Klaus Barbie (1988)
783. A Fish Called Wanda (1988)
784. The Naked Gun (1988)
785. Big (1988)
786. Dangerous Liaisons (1988)
787. Grave of the Fireflies (1988)
788. Landscape in the Mist (1988)
789. The Decalogue (1988)
790. Die Hard (1988)
791. A Tale of the Wind (1988)
792. Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988)
793. Rain Man (1988)
794. The Story of Women (1988)
795. The Accidental Tourist (1988)
796. Alice (1988)
797. Drowning by Numbers (1988)
798. Batman (1989)
799. When Harry Met Sally... (1989)
800. Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989)
801. The Cook, the Thief, His Wife and Her Lover (1989)
802. Drugstore Cowboy (1989)
803. My Left Foot (1989)
804. The Killer (1989)
805. Do the Right Thing (1989)
806. Roger & Me (1989)
807. Glory (1989)
808. The Asthenic Syndrome (1989)
809. Sex, Lies and Videotape (1989)
810. Say Anything... (1989)
811. The Unbelievable Truth (1989)
812. A City of Sadness (1989)
813. No Fear, No Die (1990)
814. Reversal of Fortune (1990)
815. Goodfellas (1990)
816. Jacob's Ladder (1990)
817. King of New York (1990)
818. Dances with Wolves (1990)
819. Europa Europa (1990)
820. Pretty Woman (1990)
821. Archangel (1990)
822. Trust (1990)
823. Close-Up (1990)
824. Edward Scissorhands (1990)
825. Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1990)
826. Total Recall (1990)
827. Once Upon a Time in China (1991)
828. Boyz 'n the Hood (1991)
829. Raise the Red Lantern (1991)
830. Delicatessen (1991)
831. A Brighter Summer Day (1991)
832. Naked Lunch (1991)
833. La Belle Noiseuse (1991)
834. The Rapture (1991)
835. My Own Private Idaho (1991)
836. Thelma & Louise (1991)
837. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
838. The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
839. JFK (1991)
840. Slacker (1991)
841. Tongues Untied (1991)
842. Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse (1991)
843. The Double Life of Veronique (1991)
844. Strictly Ballroom (1992)
845. The Player (1992)
846. Reservoir Dogs (1992)
847. Romper Stomper (1992)
848. Glengarry Glen Ross (1992)
849. Unforgiven (1992)
850. Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992)
851. Candy Man (1992)
852. A Tale of Winter (1992)
853. Aileen Wuornos: The Selling of a Serial Killer (1992)
854. The Crying Game (1992)
855. Man Bites Dog (1992)
856. The Actress (1992)
857. Farewell My Concubine (1993)
858. Thirty Two Short Films About Glenn Gould (1993)
859. Groundhog Day (1993)
860. Short Cuts (1993)
861. Philadelphia (1993)
862. Jurassic Park (1993)
863. The Age of Innocence (1993)
864. The Puppetmaster (1993)
865. Schindler's List (1993)
866. Blue (1993)
867. The Piano (1993)
868. The Blue Kite (1993)
869. The Wedding Banquet (1993)
870. Red (1994)
871. Hoop Dreams (1994)
872. Forrest Gump (1994)
873. Clerks (1994)
874. Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994)
875. The Lion King (1994)
876. Satantango (1994)
877. Natural Born Killers (1994)
878. The Last Seduction (1994)
879. Pulp Fiction (1994)
880. The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
881. The Wild Reeds (1994)
882. Chungking Express (1994)
883. Crumb (1994)
884. Heavenly Creatures (1994)
885. Through the Olive Trees (1994)
886. Riget (1994)
887. Dear Diary (1994)
888. Muriel's Wedding (1994)
889. The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1994)
890. Casino (1995)
891. Deseret (1995)
892. Babe (1995)
893. Toy Story (1995)
894. Strange Days (1995)
895. Braveheart (1995)
896. Safe (1995)
897. Clueless (1995)
898. Heat (1995)
899. Zero Kelvin (1995)
900. Seven (1995)

901. Smoke (1995)
902. The White Balloon (1995)
903. Xixch Lo (1995)
904. Underground (1995)
905. The Brave Heart Will Take the Bride (1995)
906. Dead Man (1995)
907. The Usual Suspects (1995)
908. The Pillow Book (1996)
909. Three Lives and Only One Death (1996)
910. Fargo (1996)
911. Independence Day (1996)
912. Secrets and Lies (1996)
913. Breaking the Waves (1996)
914. The English Patient (1996)
915. Gabbeh (1996)
916. Lone Star (1996)
917. Trainspotting (1996)
918. Scream (1996)
919. Shine (1996)
920. Deconstructing Harry (1997)
921. L.A. Confidential (1997)
922. Happy Together (1997)
923. Princess Mononoke (1997)
924. Fast, Cheap and Out of Control (1997)
925. The Butcher Boy (1997)
926. The Ice Storm (1997)
927. Boogie Nights (1997)
928. Kundun (1997)
929. The Sweet Hereafter (1997)
930. Funny Games (1997)
931. Taste of Cherry (1997)
932. Open Your Eyes (1997)
933. Mother and Son (1997)
934. Titanic (1997)
935. Tetsuo (1998)
936. The Celebration (1998)
937. Saving Private Ryan (1998)
938. Buffalo 66 (1998)
939. Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998)
940. The Big Lebowski (1998)
941. Run Lola Run (1998)
942. Rushmore (1998)
943. Pi (1998)
944. Happiness (1998)
945. The Thin Red Line (1998)
946. The Idiots (1998)
947. Sombre (1998)
948. Ringu (1998)
949. There's Something About Mary (1998)
950. Magnolia (1999)
951. Beau Travail (1999)
952. The Blair Witch Project (1999)
953. Taboo (1999)
954. Rosetta (1999)
955. All About My Mother (1999)
956. Three Kings (1999)
957. The Wind Will Carry Us (1999)
958. The Audition (1999)
959. Time Regained (1999)
960. Fight Club (1999)
961. Being John Malkovich (1999)
962. American Beauty (1999)
963. Attack the Gas Station (1999)
964. Eyes Wide Shut (1999)
965. The Sixth Sense (1999)
966. The Matrix (1999)
967. Nine Queens (2000)
968. The Captive (2000)
969. In the Mood for Love (2000)
970. Ali Zaoua, Prince of the Streets (2000)
971. Gladiator (2000)
972. Kippur (2000)
973. Yi Yi (2000)
974. Requiem for a Dream (2000)
975. Amores Perros (2000)
976. Meet the Parents (2000)
977. Signs & Wonders (2000)
978. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)
979. Traffic (2000)
980. The Gleaners and I (2000)
981. Dancer in the Dark (2000)
982. O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000)
983. Memento (2000)
984. Amelie (2001)
985. What Time Is It There? (2001)
986. Y Tu Mama Tambien (2001)
987. Kandahar (2001)
988. Spirited Away (2001)
989. The Piano Teacher (2001)
990. The Son's Room (2001)
991. No Man's Land (2001)
992. Moulin Rouge (2001)
993. Monsoon Wedding (2001)
994. Fat Girl (2001)
995. Mulholland Dr. (2001)
996. The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)
997. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
998. Lantana (2001)
999. A.I.: Artificial Intelligence (2001)

1000. Adaptation (2002)
1001. Far From Heaven (2002)

A DIY Joker Costume Guide: or how I learned to stop worrying and love the Goodwill.

noreply@blogger.com (Brad) — Sun, 31 Oct 2010 10:51:00 +0000

I have a tradition every year of dressing up and terrorizing neighborhood children and roaming the local bars and pubs with my newest garb. However, I'm not that guy who goes to the local "Halloween Party/Express/Drive-Thru" store to pick out my $60 cheaply made consumerism construct of a costume. Every year, I make my own out of various materials and purchase a few items on the budget I set out. It's not that I'm cheap, or snobby, but I am poor, so a budget is a must. Not to mention, the artistic drive inside me to create will not allow me to purchase a costume in a bag and be done with it.

A few years ago I tackled Jason Voorhees from Part 7: The New Blood (which is the best BTW), making my own chest piece and what not. However, after many years of hiding behind a mask and having to remain silent to stay in character, I have chosen to express my inner psychopath and take on...

The Clown Prince of Crime, the archenemy of the Dark Knight, The Joker.

Part of what made me choose the character is that he's so damn interesting. There are countless artistic interpretations to choose from, and really no Joker costume could be deemed "incorrect." With a character like this, I wanted to blend various incarnations of the character, both film and comic wise, take parts that I love, and then some stuff I create on my own.

Remember that whole budget thing? Right, well, I choose to stroll all the local fancy thrift stores to see what I could dig up. Before I tackled this costume, I created this list..

1. Purple Jacket/Trenchcoat

Store found: Value Village Price Paid: $12

- This piece is more Dark Knight Joker inspired, but whether you're going for movie recreation or comic books, a long purple trenchcoat is a must. I searched countless stores before I found this, and it was actually the most I spent on an item. Imagine my surprise when it turned out to be a perfect fit!

2. White/Red/Green/Black makeup + 3. Green hairspray

Store found: Shopko Price Paid: $5

- Facepaint is usually cheap anywhere you buy it, but Shopko was having a 60% off sale of all Halloween items. Luckily, I was able to find every color I need, with some green hairspray to top it off.

4. "Clown" shoes

Store found: Value Village Price Paid: $4

- I found a bunch of shoes that looked great for a Joker costume, but none of them fit. After days of searching, I stumbled upon this pair and knew immediately they would work for the look I was going for. I was pleasantly surprised to find that they fit great.

5. Purple gloves

Store found: Big Lots Price Paid: $1

- Purple gloves are a lot harder to find than you think, and there's no way I'm going to pay $15 for "officially licensed" Joker gloves. After stumbling into this store for an extension cord, I decided to check out the gloves section and found this great pair of Dickies work gloves on clearance. Score! I enjoy wearing gloves because it's COLD where I live during October, but for warmer regions you can ditch the gloves and paint your hands white and your fingernails black for a creepy effect.

6. Prosthetic scars

Store found: Dollar General Price Paid: $1

- "Wanna know how I got these scars?" I forgot to take a picture before I opened the package and tossed it out, but you get the idea. This long wound is actually big enough to cut in half, so I have piece on each cheek for optimum Glasgow smile. A little spirit gum and we'll be good to go!

7. Funky tie

Store found: Mike Bjorn's Price Paid: $0.95

- There is a crazy local vintage suit shop in my town called Mike Bjorn's. Great place, friendly service, and a ridiculous selection! After scouring through at least 100 different ties, I stumbled upon this beauty and knew immediately it was for me.

8. Odd/Ugly dress shirt

Store found: Goodwill Price Paid: $1.50

- Pictures do not do this shirt justice. It is hideous in person. Finding a crazy patterned dress up shirt is not an easy task. I searched countless thrift stores before I started finding "maybe" shirts, let alone one to purchase. However, I spotted this, and thought it was just what I think the Joker would rock.

9. Purple dress pants

Store found: Goodwill Price Paid: $2.00

- This was easily the hardest item on my list to find besides the trenchcoat. Nevermind trying to find a pair of purple dress pants; how about finding a pair that fits? I caught a glimpse of purple in the pants section and hoped for the best as I tried them on. A perfect fit!

10. Joker weaponery (knives, grenades, etc)

Store found: Dollar General Price Paid: $1.00

- Again, I foolishly tossed out the packaging beforehand, but these were part of some "army agent" toy set that included a huge blade, a grenade, and a bow and arrow. I know, I didn't know the military used bow and arrows either. The grenade was a very light gray, which I repainted to a more flat forest green. The knife blade was a dull gray, super long, and serrated. Obviously, not Joker style. So I whipped out the scissors, cut the blade down to a tiny size, removed the serrated edges, and slapped some faux-metal tape on it, and voila! A Joker blade.

11. A Joker card

Store found: My home Price Paid: Free!

- Come on, everyone has to have a deck of cards around somewhere. Now, for those of you who were smart enough to keep the joker cards and not toss them out, you're in luck. I found about 4 or 5 decks in my house, but this one was the only card that had a cool Jester on it. However, it isn't quite a joker card yet.

- Ah, that's better. This is a very simple, but very effective technique. What you do is take a lighter (or anything that gives you fire), and barely brush the edges with the flame. The goal is not to set the card on fire, but to burn it so you get that cool withered/weathered effect. If you hold the flame in the dead center of the card, you'll also get a cool bubble effect as well.

12. Vest

Store found: Goodwill Price Paid: $2.00

- Wow, it is impossible to find a decent vest around here. The problem is that over half of them are just plain jet black, which is a color that is not exactly dye friendly. I searched various tux shops, even used places, but the cheapest green vest was $30, and that's not so much of a necessity to spend that kind of money. However, the red/yellow hues really throw off the Joker color scheme for me.

- Vest meet RIT dye, RIT dye meet vest. After spending exactly $1.50 on a package of dark green RIT dye, my vest now looked a lot more Jokerish than that grandpa/teacher vest before. Add in some touch up weathering effects, and we now have a respectable costume piece.

13. Crazy socks

Store found: Walgreens Price Paid: $2.50

- There are some items I just refuse to buy used. One of those items happen to be socks. Thus, I found this funky pair at Walgreens for a fair price brand spankin' new. Girly? Yes. Joker style? Definitely.

14. Various miscellaneous (chains, cufflinks, etc.)

- I have not purchased any other items besides a chain, but some things are optional and can add to the character. These can be anything from classic clown gadgets like a flower that squirts out water or fake blood, but make sure to dilute fake blood straight out of the bottle, since it'll be too thick to shoot out of the flower tubing.

Total Cost of Costume: 34.45

With that said and done, so concludes my costume DIY. You get the gist of what to do, and besides a few more weathering effects on the coat, this is pretty much what I'll be wearing. In addition, there will be a DIY Arkham Asylum yard post soon if I can get enough decent pictures in time. I'm off to a swift sleep, so I can get up and transform myself into the Joker. Will I look like I just stepped off the Dark Knight set? Most likely not, but I'll be able to take pride knowing I constructed this costume myself, and that makes all the difference.

My DIY costume next year you ask?

"October 12th, 1985. Tonight, a comedian died in New York."

;)

Have fun!

Alright, I've finally had it..

noreply@blogger.com (Brad) — Sat, 30 Oct 2010 09:05:00 +0000

Not only am I a bit of a movie buff/aficionado/whatever term you wish to use, but I'm also a big fan of convenience. What does that mean? Online movie renting is awesome. I've always gotten by on random free trials released every few months, but have only paid for about a month of actual Netflix use. Currently with a deal through work, I'm getting 2 months of Blockbuster Online free. I used this coupon, got a fancy new account, and then the problems began.

I created my free trial account, browsed around, then added about 130 movies to my queue. Wanna guess how many are currently available? 14. These aren't even new releases. I have some Criterion, a lot of old catalog titles on blu-ray, random documentary discs, some TV shows, and older titles on DVD. 57 discs have a "very long wait" and another 40 or so have "long wait." The rest say "short wait" and some even say "unavailable." I've been able to rent exactly 12 movies in 2 months, because Blockbuster never carries anything in stock. I get five free in-store exchanges, which is terrific, but I don't have a local store. How has Brian De Palma's "Blow Out" status of "very long wait" not changed in 2 months?

Fine, the service is busy, so I was pleased to see they added games! That is, until I attempted to rent Dead Rising 2 and realized it would not be available to rent until 01/11/2011. Great, you carry new games, but they aren't available until 3 months after they're released. Not only that, even most of the titles you can rent are never available! What is going on with this service? It's these kind of policies that keep Blockbuster heading toward the inevitable destruction they so rightly deserve.

I figured all was not lost, because surely I could watch some older titles via On Demand with my current state of the art PS3 right? No, of course not, because that would be convenient.

Are you kidding me? No PS3 support? No Xbox 360 support? Blockbuster believes more customers own a 2wire Media set top box? A what?

I don't know if it's the name or what, but how this company stays in business is beyond me. I have not paid a penny on this 2 month free trial, and yet I'm visibly irritated with the product. I couldn't imagine actually paying for this.

Here's a link to the Blockbuster customer service email. Come yell at them with me.