Friday, January 28, 2011

Last week of January

I have not been writing much (read: at all) on my blog and decided it was time I started writing more. So for my reader out there, I believe there will be some new stuff available on this site starting very soon. Some things that I expect to write are my yearly Movie column where I discuss what I enjoyed this year, and since I'm on a HUGE reading kick, expect more updates of what I'm reading and why. And I also hope to add my 100 favorite scenes like Patton Oswalt included and I pasted here a few weeks ago.

For now though, expect to read my "favorite things of the week". I'm stealing this from a blog I read, but every Friday, she includes her favorites of the week, and I decided to try and steal that since I consume enough pop culture I may help you guys find some interesting things you may have missed.

Best TV show I saw: This is hard, but I think it was most likely the newest episode of Parks and Recreations. I literally laughed out loud four or five times. The show strikes my funny bone every time. Funniest part when Andy was diagnosing Amy Pohler and found out she had "Connectivity problems"

I also enjoyed: The Office, Last week's episode of Fringe



Best movie I saw: I only watched one this week from beginning to end, but it was great. It was a documentary called Tapped. This was about the bottled water industry and how they are stealing water from local water sources and selling it at 9000% profit. It also discussed how terrible PET plastic bottles are for not only the environment, but for our own health. The movie even featured music by three of my favorite bands: Radiohead, Blind Melon and The White Stripes which was an added bonus. Check this movie out on your Netflix Watch it now feature. It is only 75 minutes long, but it will really make you think the next time you want to buy a bottle of water, when literally the same product is available for free out of any water tap in any kitchen or bathroom.




Best thing I read: I finished one good book and am reading a second great book now, so there will be 2 for this category. I finished Full Dark, No Stars by Stephen King. It's a book of 4 short stories and this is a great book to suggest to people that think Stephen King is all horror. There are 4 stories in them, and only one of them (the shortest at 40 pages) has even the remotest sense of the supernatural. Instead these stories are all about normal people put into awful situations and how they deal with them. After reading these, I also think Stephen King may be a feminist since although awful things happen to women in these stories, they all are met with repurcussions for that.
I am also reading a book called Endurance about an expedition to Antarctica in 1915. I am only half-way through this book, but so far it's quite good, and non-fiction.



Best music I heard: I listen to mostly the same music over and over again. But this week I especially enjoyed the song Dreamer in my Dreams off of the Wilco CD Being There (Disc 2). I've heard this song hundreds of times, but the chaotic nature of it really struck me this week. And I even enjoyed the fiddles. I usually hate fiddles.







Best Other of the week: I had another treat this week. On Sunday, I went and saw a preview of the Spider-Man musical on Broadway. I'm a HUGE fan of Spider-Man as most people know but was not expecting much from this show. I will say this: It's not what you expect. The music is OK. Mostly boring and repetitious, but loud. The acting is fine, but that's not why you should all see the show. It visually looks like nothing I've ever seen before. The villains truly look like comic books come to life, and Spider-Man and the Green Goblin fly over the audience and have battle above your head. The aerials are well worth the price of admission. The show is all fun, it does not take itself seriously, and although the main "villain" of the show is a little out of left field, it works for people that are not as into the comic book-ness of the show. But Julie Taymor has an eye and a vision that is unlike anyone else. It cannot be described how great this show is visually.


Thursday, January 6, 2011

Patton Oswalt's 100 Favorite movie moments

I'm not the world's biggest Patton Oswalt fan, but I thought he had some decent additions to his favorite Movie moments. I also liked the idea of trying to think up mine. Since I haven't done that yet, I will instead just post his:
People who added this item 50 Average listal rating (26 ratings) 7.1 IMDB Rating 7.7
1. American Movie (1999)
Uncle Bill recording his lines.

People who added this item 138 Average listal rating (76 ratings) 7.5 IMDB Rating 7.5
2. Cat People (1942)
The night swimming sequence.

People who added this item 167 Average listal rating (121 ratings) 4.1 IMDB Rating 4.2
3. Double Team (1997)
Jean-Claude Van Damme, Dennis Rodman, Mickey Rourke, and a tiger fighting in a minefield inside the Roman Coliseum at the end.

People who added this item 459 Average listal rating (294 ratings) 6.2 IMDB Rating 6.3
4. Pet Sematary (1989)
Spina Bifida Sister.

People who added this item 17 Average listal rating (5 ratings) 7 IMDB Rating 6.4
5. Mad Monster Party? (1967)
The monsters getting their invitations during the opening credits.

People who added this item 335 Average listal rating (199 ratings) 7.5 IMDB Rating 7.8
6. Blood Simple (1984)
The last eight minutes.

People who added this item 637 Average listal rating (393 ratings) 7 IMDB Rating 7.5
7. Raising Arizona (1987)
The first fourteen minutes.

People who added this item 1546 Average listal rating (1024 ratings) 7.8 IMDB Rating 8.3
8. Fargo (1996)
Frances McDromand's awkward "date."

People who added this item 1948 Average listal rating (1241 ratings) 7.9 IMDB Rating 8.2
9. The Big Lebowski (1998)
Jeff Bridges explaining the "newest shit" in the back of the limo.

People who added this item 26 Average listal rating (17 ratings) 6.8 IMDB Rating 7.1
10. The Candidate (1972)
Robert Redford's on-air crack up.

People who added this item 257 Average listal rating (148 ratings) 6.9 IMDB Rating 7.3
11. Murder on the Orient Express (1974)
Albert Finney getting ready for bed.

People who added this item 170 Average listal rating (100 ratings) 6.7 IMDB Rating 6.8
12. Repo Man (1984)
Zander Schloss singing "Feelin' 7-Up".

People who added this item 66 Average listal rating (36 ratings) 7.1 IMDB Rating 7.7
13. Breaking Away (1979)
Great movie dad played by Paul Dooley.

People who added this item 595 Average listal rating (350 ratings) 6.9 IMDB Rating 7
14. Sixteen Candles (1984)
Great movie dad played by Paul Dooley.

People who added this item 26 Average listal rating (12 ratings) 6.5 IMDB Rating 6.7
15. Hardcore (1979)
Peter Boyle negotiating his fee with George C. Scott.

People who added this item 305 Average listal rating (219 ratings) 7 IMDB Rating 7.3
16. Vacation (1983)
Chevy Chase crying in the desert with Anthony Michael Hall.

People who added this item 7 Average listal rating (4 ratings) 5.8 IMDB Rating 6.1
17. ZigZag (2002)
Scene-stealing performance in a film no one saw: Oliver Platt as "Toad".

People who added this item 91 Average listal rating (55 ratings) 7.2 IMDB Rating 7.2
18. Chopper (2000)
Great performance in a great film: Eric Bana.

People who added this item 124 Average listal rating (94 ratings) 6.4 IMDB Rating 6.6
19. Smokey and the Bandit (1977)
Great performance in a good film: Jackie Gleason.

People who added this item 0 Average listal rating (0 ratings) 0 IMDB Rating 5.4
20. Making the Grade (1984)
Great performance in a shitty film: Dana Olsen.

People who added this item 717 Average listal rating (448 ratings) 7.9 IMDB Rating 8
21. Night of the Living Dead (1968)
The news reports.

People who added this item 657 Average listal rating (416 ratings) 7.6 IMDB Rating 8
22. Dawn of the Dead (1978)
Zombies prowling to the Muzak.

People who added this item 238 Average listal rating (132 ratings) 7 IMDB Rating 7.1
23. The Return of the Living Dead (1985)
"Send more paramedics!"

People who added this item 916 Average listal rating (628 ratings) 6.7 IMDB Rating 7.4
24. Dawn of the Dead (2004)
Celebrity target practice.

People who added this item 1300 Average listal rating (898 ratings) 6.5 IMDB Rating 7
25. Blade (1998)
Blade's entrance at the blood rave.

People who added this item 1202 Average listal rating (818 ratings) 6.3 IMDB Rating 6.6
26. Con Air (1997)
John Malkovich's insane, Wile E. Coyote death at the end.

People who added this item 509 Average listal rating (355 ratings) 5.4 IMDB Rating 5.8
27. Broken Arrow (1996)
The gunman eating the dead man's candy bar.

People who added this item 1967 Average listal rating (1349 ratings) 7.7 IMDB Rating 8.3
28. Die Hard (1988)
Alan Rickman.

People who added this item 1370 Average listal rating (750 ratings) 7.5 IMDB Rating 8.1
29. Ed Wood (1994)
Bill Murray getting baptized.

People who added this item 49 Average listal rating (19 ratings) 8.8 IMDB Rating 8.3
30. Le Trou (1960)
The sad, ironic final twist.

People who added this item 89 Average listal rating (54 ratings) 7.5 IMDB Rating 7.7
31. The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974)
The funny, ironic final twist.

People who added this item 43 Average listal rating (22 ratings) 7.9 IMDB Rating 7.5
32. Charley Varrick (1973)
Joe Don Baker ordering breakfast at the whorehouse.

People who added this item 11 Average listal rating (5 ratings) 7.2 IMDB Rating 7.4
33. I Wake Up Screaming (1941)
Laird Cregar watching film of the dead woman.

People who added this item 14 Average listal rating (7 ratings) 5.4 IMDB Rating 7.6
34. Phantom Lady (1944)
Ella Raines seducing Elisha Cook Jr.

People who added this item 75 Average listal rating (36 ratings) 8.1 IMDB Rating 7.2
35. Two-Lane Blacktop (1971)
The final "frames."

People who added this item 761 Average listal rating (514 ratings) 7.7 IMDB Rating 8
36. Young Frankenstein (1974)
Gene Wilder's complete fucking meltdown.

People who added this item 27 Average listal rating (20 ratings) 7.8 IMDB Rating 7.2
37. Full Contact (1992)
Bullet deflected with a bullet.

People who added this item 19 Average listal rating (7 ratings) 6.4 IMDB Rating 6.8
38. Mute Witness (1994)
Marina Zudina out running the hall lights.

People who added this item 197 Average listal rating (101 ratings) 8.2 IMDB Rating 8.3
39. Diabolique (1955)
Columbo's first "appearance."

People who added this item 49 Average listal rating (30 ratings) 5.6 IMDB Rating 6.6
40. Devil in a Blue Dress (1995)
Don Cheadle's interrogation technique.

People who added this item 810 Average listal rating (539 ratings) 7.6 IMDB Rating 8.2
41. The Thing (1982)
"You've gotta be fucking KIDDING!"

People who added this item 19 Average listal rating (8 ratings) 7.4 IMDB Rating 7.1
42. One False Move (1992)
Bill Paxton's face when he overhears the two city cops making fun of him.

People who added this item 269 Average listal rating (154 ratings) 7.6 IMDB Rating 8
43. The Bride of Frankenstein (1935)
"We belong dead."

People who added this item 3 Average listal rating (2 ratings) 6.5 IMDB Rating 7.3
44. Never Take Candy from a Stranger (1960)
The senile child molestor tracking the girl around the lake.

People who added this item 15 Average listal rating (9 ratings) 7.4 IMDB Rating 6.8
45. Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed (1969)
Peter Cushing's line, "PACK! We're LEAVING!"

People who added this item 24 Average listal rating (12 ratings) 8.1 IMDB Rating 7.5
46. The Big Combo (1955)
Hearing aid torture.

People who added this item 614 Average listal rating (385 ratings) 5.6 IMDB Rating 6.6
47. Wild Things (1998)
The ending credit sequence.

People who added this item 749 Average listal rating (476 ratings) 7.5 IMDB Rating 7.9
48. True Romance (1993)
Brad Pitt mumbling, "You condescend me. I'll fucking kill ya man."

People who added this item 610 Average listal rating (318 ratings) 8.2 IMDB Rating 8.5
49. Cinema Paradiso (1988)
The reel of rescued kisses at the end.

People who added this item 528 Average listal rating (381 ratings) 6.2 IMDB Rating 6.3
50. Commando (1985)
"Why don't dey just call him 'Girl George' and get rid of all dah CAHN-foo-shun?"
The scarred girl releasing the doves at the end.

People who added this item 22 Average listal rating (13 ratings) 7.9 IMDB Rating 7.7
52. Blast of Silence (1961)
Alan Barron stalking through Harlem.

People who added this item 118 Average listal rating (77 ratings) 7.6 IMDB Rating 7.8
53. The Day of the Jackal (1973)
Target practice.

People who added this item 557 Average listal rating (335 ratings) 3.8 IMDB Rating 4.3
54. Nutty Professor II: The Klumps (2000)
The Klumps at the all-you-can-eat buffet.

People who added this item 252 Average listal rating (152 ratings) 4.8 IMDB Rating 4.1
55. The Island of Dr. Moreau (1996)
Nelson De La Rosa.

People who added this item 16 Average listal rating (12 ratings) 7.5 IMDB Rating 7.2
56. The In-Laws (1979)
Peter Falk telling the story about the "eagle sized" tsetse flies carrying off the brown babies during the dinner party.

People who added this item 2019 Average listal rating (1372 ratings) 6 IMDB Rating 6.3
57. Mars Attacks! (1996)
Lukas Haas' speech on the White House steps at the end.

People who added this item 17 Average listal rating (3 ratings) 6.3 IMDB Rating 7
58. Real Life (1979)
"James Caan. Is that real enough for you?"

People who added this item 6 Average listal rating (3 ratings) 5.7 IMDB Rating 6.7
59. Modern Romance (1981)
"Hulk running."

People who added this item 20 Average listal rating (9 ratings) 6.9 IMDB Rating 6.9
60. Lost in America (1985)
Albert Brooks' crossing guard job.

People who added this item 88 Average listal rating (60 ratings) 7.1 IMDB Rating 6.9
61. Dead or Alive (1999)
The apocalyptic gunfight at the end.

People who added this item 112 Average listal rating (59 ratings) 6.1 IMDB Rating 6.2
62. Heavyweights (1995)
Ben Stiller.

People who added this item 16 Average listal rating (1 ratings) 10 IMDB Rating 6.7
63. Dementia (1955)
Ed McMahon's disembodied, accusatory floating head emerging from the depths of space at the beginning.

People who added this item 54 Average listal rating (32 ratings) 7.4 IMDB Rating 7.7
64. Grey Gardens (1975)
Edie feeding the raccoons.

People who added this item 14 Average listal rating (3 ratings) 8 IMDB Rating 6.2
65. Street Smart (1987)
Morgan Freeman asking Kathy Baker which eyes she wants to keep.

People who added this item 281 Average listal rating (187 ratings) 8 IMDB Rating 8.1
66. The Searchers (1956)
John Wayne shooting out the dead Comanche's eyes.

People who added this item 3531 Average listal rating (2335 ratings) 6.4 IMDB Rating 7.1
67. The Matrix Reloaded (2003)
The freeway battle.

People who added this item 1235 Average listal rating (831 ratings) 7 IMDB Rating 7.8
68. South Park: Bigger Longer & Uncut (1999)
The song "Up There."

People who added this item 149 Average listal rating (83 ratings) 7.1 IMDB Rating 7.3
69. Hard Eight (1996)
Phillip Baker Hall explaining the rate card.

People who added this item 180 Average listal rating (123 ratings) 5.7 IMDB Rating 5.9
70. Bachelor Party (1984)
"I just bet my balls and shook on it."

People who added this item 335 Average listal rating (207 ratings) 5.7 IMDB Rating 6.3
71. Revenge of the Nerds (1984)
"I thought I was looking at my mother's old douchebag, but that's in Ohio."

People who added this item 390 Average listal rating (240 ratings) 7 IMDB Rating 7.4
72. Heathers (1989)
"Football season is over, Veronica. Kurt and Ram had nothing left to offer the school except date rapes and AIDS jokes."

People who added this item 63 Average listal rating (42 ratings) 6 IMDB Rating 6.2
73. Supervixens (1975)
Christy Hartburg dancing towards the payphone.

People who added this item 413 Average listal rating (240 ratings) 7.8 IMDB Rating 8.3
74. Cool Hand Luke (1967)
Joy Harmon washing the car.

People who added this item 139 Average listal rating (77 ratings) 7.7 IMDB Rating 7.9
75. The Vanishing (1988)
The screaming contest.

People who added this item 53 Average listal rating (15 ratings) 6.9 IMDB Rating 5.6
76. Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song (1971)
The fucking contest.

People who added this item 131 Average listal rating (85 ratings) 7.6 IMDB Rating 7.9
77. Wait Until Dark (1967)
Alan Arkin introducing "Geraldine."

People who added this item 726 Average listal rating (480 ratings) 6.9 IMDB Rating 7.2
78. Ronin (1998)
Robert De Niro ambushing Sean Bean with coffee.

People who added this item 557 Average listal rating (329 ratings) 5.9 IMDB Rating 6.9
79. Pee-wee's Big Adventure (1985)
Pee-Wee Herman dancing his way out of a biker beating.

People who added this item 17 Average listal rating (6 ratings) 7.7 IMDB Rating 7.4
80. Hated (1994)
Unk pontificating on the tenement roof.

People who added this item 1245 Average listal rating (763 ratings) 8.5 IMDB Rating 9
81. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966)
Eli Wallach assembling his gun.

People who added this item 641 Average listal rating (411 ratings) 7.2 IMDB Rating 7.5
82. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)
Leatherface's chainsaw death dance at dawn.

People who added this item 85 Average listal rating (56 ratings) 6.4 IMDB Rating 6.8
83. Ruthless People (1986)
Bill Pullman as "stupidest person on the face of the earth" Earl Mott.

People who added this item 903 Average listal rating (591 ratings) 5.6 IMDB Rating 6.4
84. Final Destination 2 (2003)
The first ten minutes.

People who added this item 464 Average listal rating (302 ratings) 6.1 IMDB Rating 6.7
85. Uncle Buck (1989)
John Candy's side of the phone conversation.

Thelonious Monk spinning around and around in circles.

People who added this item 688 Average listal rating (467 ratings) 5 IMDB Rating 5.6
87. Deep Blue Sea (1999)
Samuel L. Jackson's interrupted monologue.

People who added this item 882 Average listal rating (601 ratings) 3.9 IMDB Rating 4.3
88. Anaconda (1997)
Jon Voight's winking corpse.

People who added this item 129 Average listal rating (81 ratings) 8.2 IMDB Rating 7.7
89. McCabe & Mrs. Miller (1971)
Julie Christie explaining the brothel biz to Warren Beatty.

People who added this item 7 Average listal rating (2 ratings) 7 IMDB Rating 7
90. Bad Ronald (1974)
Scott Jacoby coming out the woodwork.

People who added this item 45 Average listal rating (29 ratings) 7.2 IMDB Rating 7
91. The Killers (1964)
John Cassavettes putting the beatdown on Ronald Reagan.

People who added this item 26 Average listal rating (8 ratings) 8.5 IMDB Rating 7.9
92. The Decline of Western Civilization (1981)
Chris Holmes on the pool raft with the "vodka."

People who added this item 20 Average listal rating (8 ratings) 6.8 IMDB Rating 6.3
93. God Told Me To (1976)
Andy Kaufman going on a killing rampage.

People who added this item 91 Average listal rating (56 ratings) 7.6 IMDB Rating 7.1
94. Carnival of Souls (1962)
The abandoned pavilion.

People who added this item 2143 Average listal rating (1469 ratings) 5.9 IMDB Rating 7.2
95. Dumb & Dumber (1994)
Jeff Daniels and Lauren Holly's snowball fight.

People who added this item 2 Average listal rating (0 ratings) 0 IMDB Rating 6.5
96. The Idolmaker (1980)
Ray Sharkey shadowing Peter Gallagher's onstage moves from the sidelines.

People who added this item 119 Average listal rating (71 ratings) 7.9 IMDB Rating 8.1
97. Sanjuro (1962)
The final, tidal wave of blood samurai duel.

People who added this item 256 Average listal rating (170 ratings) 7.1 IMDB Rating 7.2
98. Yellow Submarine (1968)
John Lennon battling The Glove.

People who added this item 31 Average listal rating (14 ratings) 7.6 IMDB Rating 6.8
99. Jesus' Son (1999)
Jack Black cradling the dead rabbits.

People who added this item 181 Average listal rating (124 ratings) 7.1 IMDB Rating 7.5
100. Midnight Run (1988)
Joe Pantoliano screaming, "Everybody's telling me to go fuck myself!"