With Bonnaroo just around the corner and this being my 5th year in a row attending, I thought I would list my Top 12 favorite Bonnaroo performances of the last four years (I was going to do Top 10, but it was too hard to narrow it down). For those of you who don't know, Bonnaroo is a four-day music and arts festival that takes place every year in mid-June in Manchester, Tennessee. Every year, I get together with a group of friends, rent an RV, and head down south for an awesome time. Here is my list of my favorite performances:
12. Metallica - 2008 - There was a brief time in around 1988 where I took a break from listening to hip-hop and became a huge metal head, and ever since, I have loved Metallica. I loved Ride the Lightning, Master of Puppets, ...And Justice For All, and Metallica (aka "The Black Album") so I was very excited when I saw Metallica's name as one of the headliners of Bonnaroo in 2008. While not normally a band that one would associate with Bonnaroo, they put on an awesome show. At the beginning, they asked the audience how many people were seeing Metallica for the first time and thousands of people raised their hands. They played all of their hit songs including awesome renditions of "Enter Sandman" and "One" complete with stage explosions and fireworks. Metallica simply showed why they are the masters of metal and why they also made metal more accessible to mainstream audiences.
11. Al Green - 2009 - This man is an absolute legend, and while I was not that familiar with a lot of his songs, I knew of his well respected status in the music world. He met and well exceeded my expectations. Despite being well over 60 years old, he did not miss a beat and seemed to be having an absolute blast on the stage and it was infectious. He kept telling the security guards that they weren't necessary because everyone was all about the love at his shows and he gave out roses to some of the young ladies near the front of the stage. The Reverend made a believer out of me that day.
10. The White Stripes - 2007 - I had obviously heard of The White Stripes before this show and knew a few of their songs, but I was not that familiar with them. This show really opened my eyes and made me appreciate how talented Jack White really is. Despite being a two-man band, they had such a big sound. It sometimes seemed like Jack White was playing three different instruments at once to create that sound. And despite what people say about Meg White not really knowing how to play the drums and it being too simplistic, I personally love that big heavy bass drum that just keeps the beat in such songs as "Seven Nation Army" and "Icky Thump". Their cover of "Jolene" by Dolly Parton was also fantastic and I was glad that they did "We're Going to Be Friends"
9. Public Enemy - 2009 - The legendary hip-hop group performed the entire album of their 1988 classic It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back as well as other fan favorites such as "911 is a Joke" and of course, "Fight the Power". Over 20 years in the game has not appeared to slow these guys down at all as their stage presence was electric. Chuck D continues to have one of the best rap voices in the business and did not disappoint, and despite being a joke in recent years due his run of reality TV shows, Flava Flav showed why he is the best hype man in the biz and held his own on his rap verses as well. I was very impressed.
8. Levon Helm and the Ramble on the Road - 2008 - Levon Helm is a member of the legendary band, The Band. I had recently watched The Last Waltz and also read an article about Levon in Entertainment Weekly a short time before seeing this show. The article documented his health issues and how there was a chance that he could never sing again because of vocal chord damage after a battle with throat cancer, so I was definitely excited to see this performance. The EW article also talked about Helm's Midnight Ramble, concerts that he put on in his home, "the Barn" in Woodstock, NY to raise money for his medical bills and which featured a variety of musical guests. These shows also gave him the chance to finally sing again. His performance at Bonnaroo, although during the early evening, was basically a recreation of one of the Midnight Rambles and it just seemed like everyone was having a great time on the stage, including Levon, whose voice still sounds great. Particular standouts were "Ophelia" and of course, "The Weight".
7. The Flaming Lips - 2007 - This show would probably be higher up on the list except for the fact that I was exhausted and the show started at midnight and I only stayed for probably two hours of what was a three hour show. The Police actaully ended their show way earlier then expected, so a ton of people went directly from that show to the stage that The Flaming Lips were set to play on even though their start time was still an hour away. Wayne Coyne came out and told the crowd that they weren't allowed to start early due to the rules of Bonnaroo, but they performed a "sound check" by playing as awesome version of "War Pigs" by Black Sabbath. Then when the actual show began, it was nothing short of amazing. Wayne entered the stage via a spaceship while inside of a giant rubber ball and walked on top of the crowd while inside the ball. There were giant balloons and streamers constantly being showered on to the crowd from the stage and all sorts of weird inflatables that were surfing through the crowd. There were also a bunch of Santa Clauses on one side of the stage and a bunch of green martians on the other side. At one point, he even brought out a gong which he played for a song. Needless to say, I am very excited to see that they will be covering the entire Dark Side of the Moon album at this year's Bonnaroo.
6. The Roots - 2007 - I hate to admit it, but despite growing up in Philadelphia and being a pretty big hip-hop fan in general, I am not that familiar with The Roots body of work. I usually like the songs that I hear by them, and I even have a few of their albums on my iPod, but I have never taken the time to just sit down and really listen to them. However, when I saw that they were playing Bonnaroo in '07, I made it a priority to check them out, and they did not disappoint. In addition to being just a great hip-hop act and obviously knowing their hip-hip history (they did a fantastic medley of old-school songs during this show) they also showed that they are talented musicians as they had a full band including a great saxophone player and of course the one-and-only Tuba Gooding Jr. A highlight of the show was when they paid tribute to the reuniting of The Police later that night by covering Roxanne with ?uestlove on drums and vocals.
5. Cypress Hill - 2006 - This is the only show to make the cut from my first year at Bonnaroo. Atmosphere and G.Love were close, but didn't quite make it. Cypress Hill was another group that I had been listening to since basically 1993 or 1994 and I had always wanted to see them play. They did all of their big hits and put on a great stage show, including a giant inflatable Buddha that rose over the stage about halfway through the show. They ended by saying "Our name is Cypress Hill, and this is how we say good night" before breaking into "Rock Superstar". Overall, a pretty awesome show.
4. Stephen Marley - 2008 - I saw Damien Marley at my first Bonnaroo and I saw Ziggy Marley at my 2nd Bonnaroo and they were both really good and did their fair share of Bob Marley songs, but there was something about this Stephen Marley show that was just a little different. It just had the ultimate feelin'-good-chillin'-in-the-sunshine-listenin'-to-some-reggae vibe. It was just an extremely happy and upbeat show. And of course he did plenty of dear old dad's songs.
3. Snoop Dogg - 2009 - I have loved Snoop since 1993. Doggystyle was one of the 1st CDs that I ever bought, so I was extremley excited when I heard that he was playing Bonnaroo last year. By the time his show rolled around, it was Sunday afternoon, it was really hot, I was completly exhausted, and the show started late, but as soon as Snoop hit the stage, I just lost it. Apparently there were some young ladies videotaping me and my friend Bobby T. because I guess it's not every day that you get to see two large hairy white men dancing and rapping along to every word at a Snoop Dogg concert.
2. The Decemberists - 2007 - I had only heard a few of their songs at the time of this show and I had never heard "The Mariner's Revenge Song". Now, thanks to this show, The Decemberists are one of my favorite bands and "The Mariner's Revenge Song" is one of my all time favorite songs. I also had no idea that apparently they hardly ever play that song live anymore, so it was a rare treat. They trained the crowd on how to do whale noises before they started playing, so when our part came, we were ready. Another highlight of the show was bringing out the legendary Mavis Staples and singing "The Weight" with her. Absolutely fantastic.
1. Rodrigo y Gabriela - 2007 - this show was just one of those transcendent moments that are few and far between. This was a midnight performance on Thursday night in one of the tents, so it wasn't too crowded and we were able to get close enough to actually appreciate how fast Gabriela's hands were moving while she played percussion on her guitar and played the guitar at the same time. These two are amazingly talented and the highlight of the performance was when they started playing the intro to "Wish You Were Here" by Pink Floyd and just as it got to the part where the lyrics kick in, Rodrigo pretended that he was going to start singing, but the entire crowd just launched into the verse and Rodrigo turned the mic around to face the crowd and the entire crowd sang all the lyrics in perfect unison. It was definitely one of those "you had to be there" moments. I saw them again at Bonnaroo in 2009 on the main stage in the middle of the afternoon and it was good, but it didn't come close to capturing the magic of that 2007 show.
Well, that concludes my list. For those of you out there who have been to Bonnaroo, what were your favorite shows? Also, I would encourage everyone to try to get down to Bonnaroo at least once. It really is a great experience. BONNAROOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
100 Greatest Hip-Hop songs of all time
This is a list that I came up with last year after I saw VH1's list of their 100 greatest hip hop songs and I have updated it slightly since the time that I first wrote it. For my criteria, I tried to use songs that captured the message of what hip-hop is all about as well as the cultural impact that the songs had. Some songs such as Parents Just Don't Understand and Bust A Move are included because they furthered the popularity of hip-hop even though they are obviously jokey types of songs. Of course I have a personal bias towards East Coast rap of the mid-90s such as Nas, Biggie and the Wu-Tang Clan, but I tried not to pick too many songs from one artist. I also will post the list without commentary except to say that my choice for #1, The Message by Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five to me epitomizes what hip-hop is all about and even though it was released in 1982, it is still completely relevant today. While the Sugar Hill Gang put hip-hop on the map, The Message gave us an illustrative description of what life was like coming up on the streets of urban New York, and that is what hip-hop is all about. Please post some comments below. I would love to hear other people's opinions and what songs people think I left out or am crazy for including. Without further ado, here is the list:
100. OPP - Naughty By Nature
99. It Takes Two - Rob Base and DJ Easy Rock
98. Freaks Come Out At Night - Whodini
97. Regulate - Warren G ft. Nate Dogg
96. Parents Just Don't Understand - DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince
95. Bust A Move - Young MC
94. Cool Like Dat - Digable Planets
93. So Whatchu Want - The Beastie Boys
92. All I Need - Method Man ft. Mary J. Blige
91. Tennessee - Arrested Development
90. Wild Wild West - Kool Moe Dee
89. Ladies First - Queen Latifah f. Monie Love
88. Hard Out Here For A Pimp - Three 6 Mafia ft. Paula Campbell
87. B.O.B. (Bombs Over Baghdad) - Outkast
86. It's All About the Benjamins - Puff Daddy & The Family ft/ Notorious B.I.G., Lil' Kim and The Lox
85. Momma Said Knock You Out - LL Cool J
84. Chief Rocka - Lords of the Underground
83. Passin' Me By - The Pharcyde
82. Shimmy Shimmy Ya - Ol' Dirty Bastard
81. Insane in the Brain - Cypress Hill
80. Jump Around - House of Pain
79. Mo' Money Mo'Problems - Notorious B.I.G. ft/ Puff Daddy and Mase
78. Woo Ha! I Got You All in Check - Busta Rhymes
77. Colors - Ice-T
76. Hand on the Pump - Cypress Hill
75. Stayin' Alive - Wyclef Jean and the Refugee All-Stars
74. New Jack Hustler - Ice-T
73. One Mic - Nas
72. Dwyck - Gangstarr ft. Nice and Smooth
71. Me Myself and I - De La Soul
70. You Gots to Chill - EPMD
69. Ruff Riders Anthem - DMX
68. They Want EFX - Das EFX
67. Ms. Jackson - Outkast
66. Fu-gee-La - Fugees
65. How I Could Just Kill A Man - Cypress Hill
64. You Got Me - The Roots
63. Rock the Bells - LL Cool J
62. Treat Em Right - Chubb Rock
61. Scenario - Tribe Called Quest and Leaders of the New School
60. Flava in Your Ear - Craig Mack
59. The Choice is Yours - Black Sheep
58. Don't Sweat the Technique - Eric B. and Rakim
57. Gangsta's Paradise - Coolio
56. Hey Ya - Outkast
55. I Get the Job Done - Big Daddy Kane
54. Hard Knock Life - Jay Z
53. Big Poppa - Notorious B.I.G.
52. Brenda's Got A Baby - Tupac
51. Paul Revere - The Beastie Boys
50. Check the Rhime - A Tribe Called Quest
49. I Go To Work - Kool Moe Dee
48. The Symphony - Marley Marl & The Juice Crew All-Stars
47. I Got It Made - Special Ed
46. I Can't Live Without My Radio - LL Cool J
45. Push It - Salt N Pepa
44. They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.) - Pete Rock and C L Smooth
43. Ain't No Half Steppin' - Big Daddy Kane
42. Little Weapon - Lupe Fiasco
41. Hip-Hop Saved My Life - Lupe Fiasco
40. It Ain't Hard To Tell - Nas
39. King of Rock - Run DMC
38. My Philosophy - Boogie Down Productions
37. Lose Yourself - Eminem
36. 99 Problems - Jay Z
35. MC's Act Like They Don't Know - KRS One
34. One Love - Nas
33. The Warning - Notorious B.I.G.
32. Dear Mama - Tupac
31. Tha Crossroads - Bone Thugs-N-Harmony
30. By the Time I Get to Arizona - Public Enemy
29. Shook Ones: Part II - Mobb Deep
28. My Mind's Playin' Tricks On Me - Geto Boys
27. The Show - Doug E. Fresh and the Get Fresh Crew featuring Slick Rick
26. The World is Yours - Nas
25. Today Was a Good Day - Ice Cube
24. Gin and Juice - Snoop Dogg
23. It's Tricky - Run DMC
22. The Breaks - Kurtis Blow
21. La Di Da Di - Doug E. Fresh and the Get Fresh Crew featuring Slick Rick
20. Paid in Full - Eric B. and Rakim
19. Nothin' But A G Thang - Dr. Dre & Snoop Dogg
18. Keep Your Head Up - Tupac
17. Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos - Public Enemy
16. C.R.E.A.M. - Wu-Tang Clan
15. The Way I Am - Eminem
14. Protect Ya Neck - Wu-Tang Clan
13. Children's Story - Slick Rick
12. Stan - Eminem
11. Changes - Tupac
10. Planet Rock - Afrika Baambaata and Soul Sonic Force
9. New York State of Mind - Nas
8. Juicy - Notorious B.I.G.
7. I Used to Love H.E.R. - Common
6. Eric B. is President - Eric B. and Rakim
5. Straight Outta Compton - N.W.A.
4. Walk This Way - Run DMC
3. Fight the Power - Public Enemy
2. Rapper's Delight - Sugar Hill Gang
1. The Message - Grandmaster Flash and the Furious
100. OPP - Naughty By Nature
99. It Takes Two - Rob Base and DJ Easy Rock
98. Freaks Come Out At Night - Whodini
97. Regulate - Warren G ft. Nate Dogg
96. Parents Just Don't Understand - DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince
95. Bust A Move - Young MC
94. Cool Like Dat - Digable Planets
93. So Whatchu Want - The Beastie Boys
92. All I Need - Method Man ft. Mary J. Blige
91. Tennessee - Arrested Development
90. Wild Wild West - Kool Moe Dee
89. Ladies First - Queen Latifah f. Monie Love
88. Hard Out Here For A Pimp - Three 6 Mafia ft. Paula Campbell
87. B.O.B. (Bombs Over Baghdad) - Outkast
86. It's All About the Benjamins - Puff Daddy & The Family ft/ Notorious B.I.G., Lil' Kim and The Lox
85. Momma Said Knock You Out - LL Cool J
84. Chief Rocka - Lords of the Underground
83. Passin' Me By - The Pharcyde
82. Shimmy Shimmy Ya - Ol' Dirty Bastard
81. Insane in the Brain - Cypress Hill
80. Jump Around - House of Pain
79. Mo' Money Mo'Problems - Notorious B.I.G. ft/ Puff Daddy and Mase
78. Woo Ha! I Got You All in Check - Busta Rhymes
77. Colors - Ice-T
76. Hand on the Pump - Cypress Hill
75. Stayin' Alive - Wyclef Jean and the Refugee All-Stars
74. New Jack Hustler - Ice-T
73. One Mic - Nas
72. Dwyck - Gangstarr ft. Nice and Smooth
71. Me Myself and I - De La Soul
70. You Gots to Chill - EPMD
69. Ruff Riders Anthem - DMX
68. They Want EFX - Das EFX
67. Ms. Jackson - Outkast
66. Fu-gee-La - Fugees
65. How I Could Just Kill A Man - Cypress Hill
64. You Got Me - The Roots
63. Rock the Bells - LL Cool J
62. Treat Em Right - Chubb Rock
61. Scenario - Tribe Called Quest and Leaders of the New School
60. Flava in Your Ear - Craig Mack
59. The Choice is Yours - Black Sheep
58. Don't Sweat the Technique - Eric B. and Rakim
57. Gangsta's Paradise - Coolio
56. Hey Ya - Outkast
55. I Get the Job Done - Big Daddy Kane
54. Hard Knock Life - Jay Z
53. Big Poppa - Notorious B.I.G.
52. Brenda's Got A Baby - Tupac
51. Paul Revere - The Beastie Boys
50. Check the Rhime - A Tribe Called Quest
49. I Go To Work - Kool Moe Dee
48. The Symphony - Marley Marl & The Juice Crew All-Stars
47. I Got It Made - Special Ed
46. I Can't Live Without My Radio - LL Cool J
45. Push It - Salt N Pepa
44. They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.) - Pete Rock and C L Smooth
43. Ain't No Half Steppin' - Big Daddy Kane
42. Little Weapon - Lupe Fiasco
41. Hip-Hop Saved My Life - Lupe Fiasco
40. It Ain't Hard To Tell - Nas
39. King of Rock - Run DMC
38. My Philosophy - Boogie Down Productions
37. Lose Yourself - Eminem
36. 99 Problems - Jay Z
35. MC's Act Like They Don't Know - KRS One
34. One Love - Nas
33. The Warning - Notorious B.I.G.
32. Dear Mama - Tupac
31. Tha Crossroads - Bone Thugs-N-Harmony
30. By the Time I Get to Arizona - Public Enemy
29. Shook Ones: Part II - Mobb Deep
28. My Mind's Playin' Tricks On Me - Geto Boys
27. The Show - Doug E. Fresh and the Get Fresh Crew featuring Slick Rick
26. The World is Yours - Nas
25. Today Was a Good Day - Ice Cube
24. Gin and Juice - Snoop Dogg
23. It's Tricky - Run DMC
22. The Breaks - Kurtis Blow
21. La Di Da Di - Doug E. Fresh and the Get Fresh Crew featuring Slick Rick
20. Paid in Full - Eric B. and Rakim
19. Nothin' But A G Thang - Dr. Dre & Snoop Dogg
18. Keep Your Head Up - Tupac
17. Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos - Public Enemy
16. C.R.E.A.M. - Wu-Tang Clan
15. The Way I Am - Eminem
14. Protect Ya Neck - Wu-Tang Clan
13. Children's Story - Slick Rick
12. Stan - Eminem
11. Changes - Tupac
10. Planet Rock - Afrika Baambaata and Soul Sonic Force
9. New York State of Mind - Nas
8. Juicy - Notorious B.I.G.
7. I Used to Love H.E.R. - Common
6. Eric B. is President - Eric B. and Rakim
5. Straight Outta Compton - N.W.A.
4. Walk This Way - Run DMC
3. Fight the Power - Public Enemy
2. Rapper's Delight - Sugar Hill Gang
1. The Message - Grandmaster Flash and the Furious
Top 10 Movies of 2009
Well, the Oscars have come and gone and I still have yet to post my Top 10 movies of 2009. Better late than never I suppose. I only saw seven out of the ten films nominated for Best Picture (I have yet to see The Blind Side, Precious, or A Serious Man), but I thought they did a relatively good job with the nominations. Six of my top ten matched up with the Academy's choices and I have a feeling that if I had seen A Serious Man and Precious, they may have bumped out The Road and Adventureland.
10. The Road - I had very high expectations going into this movie because I absolutely loved the book, and while it didn't quite live up to those expectations, I still thought it was really well done and was very faithful to the source material. This is definitely a very bleak and depressing story and is probably not for everyone, but I thought Viggo Mortensen was excellent as usual as was Kodi Smit-McPhee as the boy. There are several absolutely heart-renching scenes, but the one that still sticks with me is between Viggo and his wife played by Charlize Theron when they see each other for the last time.
9. Adventureland - I have a feeling that this movie will gain momentum over time and become a cult classic. Especially now that Kristen Stewart is known the world over as Bella from the Twilight movies. The film does a great job of capturing the nostalgia of the '80's (including a fantastic soundtrack) but is also universal in it's themes of aimlessness after college and young love. It also has some really funny moments.
8. Up In the Air - While I wasn't as high on this movie as most critics, I still thought it was very good and the acting was impeccable. All three of the leads were deserving of their nominations, especially George Clooney who gives perhaps the best performance of his career (although I think I still might lean towards Michael Clayton for that distinction). I also enjoyed Jason Bateman and Danny McBride in their smaller comedic supporting roles and of course that cameo by Young MC was fantastic!
7. Fantastic Mr. Fox - This was a really enjoyable movie and even though it was animated, it still had that quirky, oddball feel of a typical Wes Anderson movie. Many Wes Anderson regulars provided voices for the film including Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray, and Owen Wilson. George Clooney and Meryl Streep did great voice work as the title character and his understanding wife.
6. Up - Once again, Pixar proves that they can basically do no wrong. The montage sequence showing Carl and Ellie's life together was brilliant and absolutely heartbreaking. I don't think I've been that close to tears watching an animated film since Grave of the Fireflies. The story was on point as usual and several memorable characters will be added to the Pixar legacy, particularly Dug the "talking" dog.
5. (500) Days of Summer - A highly original take on the romantic comedy, with a unique approach to the boy meets girl story. The story is told in non-sequential order and jumps back and forth among 500 days of a relationship. A few fantastical scenes, such as a musical number set to a Hall and Oates song and the main character being transported into a Frech existential film add to the charm. It is also really witty and well-written and Zooey Deschanel is absolutely adorable. It's easy to understand why Joseph Gordone Levitt would fall so hard for her.
4. Avatar - I had to admit that I had my doubts about this film after seeing the trailer. I really didn't udnerstand what all the hype was about, but after seeing this film in the theater in 3-D, I was as blown away as everyone else. From the opening moment where the main character is waking up aboard the spaceship, I knew that this film was visually like nothing else that had ever been done before. The story is of course pretty predictable and oversimplistic with a lot of the characters basically just playing types such as the corporate suit who just cares about making money and the prejudiced military man who only cares about wiping the alien race off the face of their own planet, but the visual effects alone put this one in the top 5.
3. District 9 - Now this is what a sci-fi movie should be! Inspired by the events that took place around Apartheid in South Africa, this film tells the story of an alien race who basically broke down on our planet and now they can't leave so they are confined to a refugee camp. The message is a bit heavy handed, but the story is very original and keeps the tension ratcheted up. I was particularly impressed with the acting performance of relative newcomer Sharlto Copley as we watch his transformation from a seemingly dimwitted, happy-go-lucky bureaucrat to a man pushed to the brink and forced to fight for his life. I was pleasantly surprised to see this among the ten films that the Academy nominated for Best Picture.
2. The Hurt Locker - I was extremely happy that the Academy actually came through and bestowed Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay and Best Editing upon the Hurt Locker. This film was just non-stop intensity as the three leads went from one harrowing situation to the next. The editing was extremely brilliant and kept you on the edge of your seat the entire time. It really allowed the audience to feel the uncertainty along with the characters of whether the random Iraqi observer was just filming the latest viedo to put up on Youtube or was getting ready to activate a detonation device at any time. I loved how the film stayed out of the politics of the war in Iraq and just focused on these characters and how they coped with performing a seemingly impossible job. Jeremy Renner was simply fantastic as Staff Sargeant James, the leader of the three man crew with the cowboy approach to his job and if it wasn't for Jeff Bridges finally getting the Oscar that he definitely derved, I think Renner would have been a shoo-in. I'm excited to see what else he can do in future films. This was also, as everyone knows by now, the first time that a female director has won the Best Director Oscar and it was well-deserved. Kathryn Bigelow was once married to James Cameron. Talk about sweet revenge. Her little movie trumped the highest grossing film of all time!
1. Inglourious Basterds - I usually love everything that Quentin Tarantino does and this film was no different. I was slightly disappointed with Grindhouse, but I still enjoyed it and I knew that Basterds was somewhat of a labor of love for Quentin as it had been in development for quite some time and I thought it delivered big time. While the movie may not have been as cohesive as some people would have liked (most of his films are very episodic in nature anyway) the brilliance of several individual scenes left such an impression on me that I had no choice but to name this my top movie of 2009. In particular, the opening sequence and the scene in the tavern were two of the most intense sequences ever captured on celluloid. I also didn't think that his rewriting of history detracted from the film in anyway. This was just Quentin being Quentin and having a blast while doing it. Also, what more could be said about the performance of Christoph Waltz that hasn't been said already. It was simply one of the best screen performances of all time.
10. The Road - I had very high expectations going into this movie because I absolutely loved the book, and while it didn't quite live up to those expectations, I still thought it was really well done and was very faithful to the source material. This is definitely a very bleak and depressing story and is probably not for everyone, but I thought Viggo Mortensen was excellent as usual as was Kodi Smit-McPhee as the boy. There are several absolutely heart-renching scenes, but the one that still sticks with me is between Viggo and his wife played by Charlize Theron when they see each other for the last time.
9. Adventureland - I have a feeling that this movie will gain momentum over time and become a cult classic. Especially now that Kristen Stewart is known the world over as Bella from the Twilight movies. The film does a great job of capturing the nostalgia of the '80's (including a fantastic soundtrack) but is also universal in it's themes of aimlessness after college and young love. It also has some really funny moments.
8. Up In the Air - While I wasn't as high on this movie as most critics, I still thought it was very good and the acting was impeccable. All three of the leads were deserving of their nominations, especially George Clooney who gives perhaps the best performance of his career (although I think I still might lean towards Michael Clayton for that distinction). I also enjoyed Jason Bateman and Danny McBride in their smaller comedic supporting roles and of course that cameo by Young MC was fantastic!
7. Fantastic Mr. Fox - This was a really enjoyable movie and even though it was animated, it still had that quirky, oddball feel of a typical Wes Anderson movie. Many Wes Anderson regulars provided voices for the film including Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray, and Owen Wilson. George Clooney and Meryl Streep did great voice work as the title character and his understanding wife.
6. Up - Once again, Pixar proves that they can basically do no wrong. The montage sequence showing Carl and Ellie's life together was brilliant and absolutely heartbreaking. I don't think I've been that close to tears watching an animated film since Grave of the Fireflies. The story was on point as usual and several memorable characters will be added to the Pixar legacy, particularly Dug the "talking" dog.
5. (500) Days of Summer - A highly original take on the romantic comedy, with a unique approach to the boy meets girl story. The story is told in non-sequential order and jumps back and forth among 500 days of a relationship. A few fantastical scenes, such as a musical number set to a Hall and Oates song and the main character being transported into a Frech existential film add to the charm. It is also really witty and well-written and Zooey Deschanel is absolutely adorable. It's easy to understand why Joseph Gordone Levitt would fall so hard for her.
4. Avatar - I had to admit that I had my doubts about this film after seeing the trailer. I really didn't udnerstand what all the hype was about, but after seeing this film in the theater in 3-D, I was as blown away as everyone else. From the opening moment where the main character is waking up aboard the spaceship, I knew that this film was visually like nothing else that had ever been done before. The story is of course pretty predictable and oversimplistic with a lot of the characters basically just playing types such as the corporate suit who just cares about making money and the prejudiced military man who only cares about wiping the alien race off the face of their own planet, but the visual effects alone put this one in the top 5.
3. District 9 - Now this is what a sci-fi movie should be! Inspired by the events that took place around Apartheid in South Africa, this film tells the story of an alien race who basically broke down on our planet and now they can't leave so they are confined to a refugee camp. The message is a bit heavy handed, but the story is very original and keeps the tension ratcheted up. I was particularly impressed with the acting performance of relative newcomer Sharlto Copley as we watch his transformation from a seemingly dimwitted, happy-go-lucky bureaucrat to a man pushed to the brink and forced to fight for his life. I was pleasantly surprised to see this among the ten films that the Academy nominated for Best Picture.
2. The Hurt Locker - I was extremely happy that the Academy actually came through and bestowed Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay and Best Editing upon the Hurt Locker. This film was just non-stop intensity as the three leads went from one harrowing situation to the next. The editing was extremely brilliant and kept you on the edge of your seat the entire time. It really allowed the audience to feel the uncertainty along with the characters of whether the random Iraqi observer was just filming the latest viedo to put up on Youtube or was getting ready to activate a detonation device at any time. I loved how the film stayed out of the politics of the war in Iraq and just focused on these characters and how they coped with performing a seemingly impossible job. Jeremy Renner was simply fantastic as Staff Sargeant James, the leader of the three man crew with the cowboy approach to his job and if it wasn't for Jeff Bridges finally getting the Oscar that he definitely derved, I think Renner would have been a shoo-in. I'm excited to see what else he can do in future films. This was also, as everyone knows by now, the first time that a female director has won the Best Director Oscar and it was well-deserved. Kathryn Bigelow was once married to James Cameron. Talk about sweet revenge. Her little movie trumped the highest grossing film of all time!
1. Inglourious Basterds - I usually love everything that Quentin Tarantino does and this film was no different. I was slightly disappointed with Grindhouse, but I still enjoyed it and I knew that Basterds was somewhat of a labor of love for Quentin as it had been in development for quite some time and I thought it delivered big time. While the movie may not have been as cohesive as some people would have liked (most of his films are very episodic in nature anyway) the brilliance of several individual scenes left such an impression on me that I had no choice but to name this my top movie of 2009. In particular, the opening sequence and the scene in the tavern were two of the most intense sequences ever captured on celluloid. I also didn't think that his rewriting of history detracted from the film in anyway. This was just Quentin being Quentin and having a blast while doing it. Also, what more could be said about the performance of Christoph Waltz that hasn't been said already. It was simply one of the best screen performances of all time.
Monday, January 25, 2010
Screen Actors Guild & Producers Guild Awards
The SAG Award winners were announced on Saturday and the PGA Award winners were announced yesterday, and the results point to a potentially interesting Oscar race. This is good news to me because as cool as Avatar was visually, I really don't think it deserves to win Best Picture at the Oscars when there were so many more deserving candidates this year. Avatar was completely shut out of all the SAG award categories, which makes sense since they focus only on acting. Probably the biggest surprise from the SAGs was that Up in the Air wasn't even nominated in the Outstanding Performance by a Cast category despite the three main leads, George Clooney, Vera Farmiga, and Anna Kendrick getting nominated by pretty much every single award group. I guess it's because the cast pretty much ended with those three, although I enjoyed Jason Bateman as Clooney's and Kendrick's boss and Danny McBride as Clooney's future brother-in-law who gets cold feet before his wedding. I was very happy to see Inglourious Basterds win the Best Cast award at the SAGs as that was probably my favorite movie of 2009 and I was glad to see the entire cast get some recognition. Christoph Waltz continued his award season dominance by picking up the Best Supporting Actor award at the SAGs. In fact, the four major individual acting award winners were exactly the same as the Golden Globes as Mo'nique, Sandra Bullock, and Jeff Bridges all picked up yet another statuette.
As for the PGAs, they don't have acting awards becuase they focus on production, so they really only have three categories for film; Best Picture, Best Animated Feature, and Best Documentary. The Hurt Locker took the top prize at the PGAs which means that now Avatar has some competition going into the Oscar race. Another interesting tidbit, is that Katherine Bigelow and James Cameron, both of whom are shoo-ins to be nominated in the Best Director category for the Oscars and whose films are now the front runners in the Best Picture race, were once married to each other briefly from 1989-1991 before getting divorced. I can't imagine anyone being married to James Cameron because he is so egotistical. I guess that's why he's been divorced four times and is now on wife number five. Anyway, I was very glad to see Inglourious Basterds and The Hurt Locker get some love as they were my two favorite movies of 2009. Here's hoping the Oscars continue the trend that the SAGs and the PGAs have started by continuing to honor these two fantastic films.
As for the PGAs, they don't have acting awards becuase they focus on production, so they really only have three categories for film; Best Picture, Best Animated Feature, and Best Documentary. The Hurt Locker took the top prize at the PGAs which means that now Avatar has some competition going into the Oscar race. Another interesting tidbit, is that Katherine Bigelow and James Cameron, both of whom are shoo-ins to be nominated in the Best Director category for the Oscars and whose films are now the front runners in the Best Picture race, were once married to each other briefly from 1989-1991 before getting divorced. I can't imagine anyone being married to James Cameron because he is so egotistical. I guess that's why he's been divorced four times and is now on wife number five. Anyway, I was very glad to see Inglourious Basterds and The Hurt Locker get some love as they were my two favorite movies of 2009. Here's hoping the Oscars continue the trend that the SAGs and the PGAs have started by continuing to honor these two fantastic films.
Friday, January 22, 2010
Welcome to Koob's Korner
Welcome to Koob's Korner. My new blog dedicated to film. Most people who know me know that I am a huge movie buff and I love watching films whether it be a new release in the theater or discovering a classic American or foreign film for the first time on DVD. I love talking about my favorite movies and encouraging other people to watch them. So, with a little encouragement from a certain special someone, (no Nate, I'm not talking about you) I decided to start up a blog. With awards season in full swing, this seemed like the perfect time to start up a film blog. Over the next few weeks, I will be commenting on the various award show results as well as adding a few lists of my own inclduing my Top Ten List for 2009. I'm a huge fan of lists because they are never perfect, but they always make for great discussion and debate. To kick things off I thought I would post an update to a list I wrote in 2004 of 25 underrated films of the past 25 years. Since another five years have passed, I'll add five more films and make it 30 underrated films from the past 30 years (1979-2009). This list consists of some films which I consider to be the most underrated movies of my generation. They were all largely ignored by the Academy Awards and were not particularly successful at the box office, yet they all are great films and are worth checking out. Of course, as with any list such as this, there is a personal bias. These films just happen to be ones that I have seen and they definitely lean more towards certain genres of film and certain actors. I also practically skip right over the 1980’s. I’m sure that there are tons of other overlooked films out there that I have not seen, but I think the films on this list are a good start for anyone looking to watch something a little different than the typical Hollywood fare. Here they are in chronological order:
1. The Warriors (1979) – d. Walter Hill – A surrealistic look at gangs in NYC and in particular, the title gang trying to get home to Coney Island after being wrongly accused of a murder. Great appearances by such gangs as the Baseball Furies (guys who where baseball uniforms and fight with bats) and of course, the Gramercy Riffs, perhaps the baddest film gang of all time. “Can You Dig It?!!”
2. The Wanderers (1979) – d. Philip Kaufman – Another great gang movie about NYC, but this one takes place in the early ‘60’s and is more of a coming of age story as well. Great gangs such as The Baldies and The Wongs. The title gang is a group of Italian friends who are just trying to survive in the rapidly changing times. Great soundtrack featuring Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons and of course “Wanderer” by Dion.
3. First Blood (1982) - d. Ted Kotcheff - I know what you're thinking. Really? A Rambo movie? Trust me, go back and watch it again. First Blood tells the story of the now iconic Rambo character, but in this first installment, he was just a scarred (both mentally and physically) Vietnam veteran trying to find a place in the world who gets harrassed and eventually arrested by a small town police chief. The abuse that he receives at the police station causes him to have flashbacks to when he was a prisoner of war and eventually, he snaps. A massive manhunt ensues but the townies have no idea what they're up against. Great turn by Richard Crenna as Colonel Trautman. Look for a young David Caruso as Deputy Mitch.
4. The Thin Blue Line (1988) – d. Errol Morris – This documentary by Academy Award winning director Errol Morris blew me away when I saw it and although I only saw it once, it definitely left a lasting impression on me. The film reenacts the murder of a Dallas police officer and through interviews and investigation of the evidence, begins to present a case that perhaps the wrong man is sitting on death row for this murder.
5. Drugstore Cowboy (1989) – d. Gus Van Sant – Matt Dillon plays Bob, the very superstitious leader of a small band of drug addicted friends who rob drugstores in order to support their habits. The film follows them through their ups and downs as they have run-ins with the law and talk about “going clean”. Truly a great look at a fascinating subculture. Look for a very young Heather Graham in one of her first film roles. “No hats on the bed!”
6. Falling Down (1993) – d. Joel Schumacher – Michael Douglas plays a disgruntled former defense industry engineer who snaps while sitting in a traffic jam and proceeds to go on a rampage throughout LA doing some things that we all wish we could do sometimes. Some great, darkly humorous scenes such as when he “marks down” the prices in a Korean grocery store and when he gets denied breakfast in a fast food restaurant. Good performance by Robert Duvall as the LA cop working his last day before retirement who begins to track the case.
7. A Bronx Tale (1993) – d. Robert DeNiro – DeNiro’s directorial debut has him directing himself in a supporting role as a hard-working bus driver who is worried because his son starts hanging around with the local mob boss. We follow his son Colagero, or “C”, from his time as a young boy who witnesses a murder to his teenage years where he has to make some tough decisions about the type of life he is going to lead.
8. Carlito’s Way (1993) – d. Brian DePalma – Al Pacino plays Carlito Brigante, a Puerto Rican ex-con who is trying to escape his old lifestyle and go legit, but his past associates, including his lawyer/best friend played brilliantly by Sean Penn, keep dragging him back down into situations that spiral completely out of control.
9. Dazed and Confused (1993) - d. Richard Linklater - This is definitely my favorite high school movie of all time. The great thing about this film is while being very specific to a time and place (the suburbs of Austin, TX in 1976) it also captures the universal feeling of what it was like to be in high school. This film is full of great quotes and while the funniest and most memorable of them belong to Matthew McConaughey's Wooderson, I think my favorite quote comes from Cynthia, the girl with the big red afro played by Marissa Ribisi in her exchange with her two friends, Mike and Tony.
Cynthia: God, don't you ever feel like everything we do and everything we've been taught is just to service the future?
Tony: Yeah I know, like it's all preparation.
Cynthia: Right. But what are we preparing ourselves for?
Mike: Death.
Tony: Life of the party.
Mike: It's true.
Cynthia: You know, but that's valid because if we are all gonna die anyway shouldn't we be enjoying ourselves now? You know, I'd like to quit thinking of the present, like right now, as some minor insignificant preamble to something else.
Amen sister!
10. What’s Eating Gilbert Grape? (1993) – d. Lasse Hallstrom – Johnny Depp plays the title character, a small town teen with dreams of escaping his small town life, but who has to put his own ambitions on the back burner in order to take care of his mentally challenged brother (played to perfection by Leo DiCaprio) and his enormously obese mother. Gilbert sees his chance at escape in the form of Becky (Juliette Lewis), a young girl whose trailer breaks down in Gilbert’s town
11. Hoop Dreams (1994) – d. Steve James – Absolutely riveting documentary about two up and coming high school basketball players growing up in the projects of Chicago and the different paths that they take in order to reach the next level and play basketball in college.
12. Natural Born Killers (1994) – d. Oliver Stone – This very misunderstood film by Oliver Stone received exactly zero Academy Award nominations. A brilliant social commentary about our media saturated culture and its love of violence and scandal. Stone takes us on a fast-paced roller coaster ride of a movie as we follow the exploits of Mickey and Mallory Knox and the media frenzy that they create.
13. Crumb (1994) – d. Terry Zwigoff – A cinematic portrait of the controversial comic book artist R. Crumb, who drew Keep On Truckin', Fritz the Cat, and played a major pioneering role in the genesis of underground comix. We gain some insight into the strange mind of a man who many consider to be a genius through interviews with his very bizarre family, his wife and his ex-girlfriends.
14. Heat (1995) – d. Michael Mann – How can a movie featuring both Al Pacino and Robert DeNiro be underrated? Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Heat (can we all just pretend that Righteous Kill never happened). An absolutely epic crime saga about two men –one a cop and one a criminal – who are not so different from one another as they might think. Both are completely obsessed with their respective professions and this obsession leads to troubles for both of them. Also some very intriguing subplots with a great supporting cast that includes Val Kilmer, Ashley Judd and John Voight.
15. The Cable Guy (1996) – d. Ben Stiller – A dark comedic gem directed by Ben Stiller (yes that Ben Stiller) and starring Jim Carrey and Matthew Broderick. Perhaps, this comedy was a little darker than what people were used to from Jim Carrey at the time as he plays a desperate loner who works as a cable guy and tries to get Matthew Broderick to be his best friend. When Broderick doesn’t comply, the cable guy makes his life a living hell.
16. Donnie Brasco (1997) – d. Mike Newell – The third and final Pacino movie to make the list has Al playing against his usual character type as small time mobster “Lefty” Ruggiero who befriends Joe Pistone, an undercover FBI agent calling himself Donnie Brasco and played by Johnny Depp. As he goes deeper and deeper into the crime underworld, Pistone begins to unravel and he is ultimately faced with the prospect of bringing down Lefty, who has become his good friend.
17. Cop Land (1997) – d. James Mangold – Sylvester Stallone gives what I believe to be his best screen performance (yes, even better than Rocky) as Freddy Heflin, the sheriff of a small New Jersey town just across the river from NYC and largely inhabited by members of the NYPD. Freddy was struck deaf when he was a teen while rescuing his high-school crush and he could never pass the physical exam to become a city cop. However, when Freddy is approached by an Internal Affairs officer, played by Robert DeNiro, he begins to realize that the cops in his town, who he looks up to, may not be exactly what they seem and Freddy must decide whether or not to stand up to them. Oustanding supporting turns by Ray Liotta and Harvey Kietel, as well as De Niro.
18. The Game (1997) – d. David Fincher – Absolutely gripping from start to finish, “The Game” follows Nicholas Van Orton (Michael Douglas), a wealthy but lonely San Francisco banker who receives a birthday present from his brother Conrad (Sean Penn). The present is an enrollment into a live-action game which begins to completely absorb Nicholas’ life until he can no longer tell the game from reality. Full of twists and turns that will keep you on the edge of your seat from start to finish.
19. The Big Lebowski (1998) - d. Joel and Ethan Coen - I know this film has developed a pretty substantial cult following over the past decade but it was criminally overlooked at the time of its release and I have to admit, I was one of the guilty. This film, perhaps better than any other, lives up to the idiom "it gets better every time you watch it". The first time I saw it, I just didn't "get it". Now, it is one my top five favorite movies of all time and I consider it to be the best written script since Casablanca. It is endelessly quotable and the way different snippets of dialogue keep resurfacing is absolutely brilliant. I still catch something new every time I watch it and it has even caused me to go to Louisville, KY and drink White Russians while dressed up like Walter Sobchak. Now that's the power of film!
20. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998) – d. Terry Gilliam – Based on the fascinating book by Hunter S. Thompson about his assignment to cover a road race in Las Vegas and the drug-fueled escapades that he and his “attorney” get into and get out of. Johnny Depp and Benicio Del Toro give pitch-perfect performances as the gonzo journalist and his partner in crime. Look for Tobey Maguire as the hitchhiker who picks the wrong car to get into.
21. Rounders (1998) – d. John Dahl – This film has developed a pretty large following in recent years due to the explosion of the World Series of Poker on ESPN. Rounders follows the story of Mike McD, a reformed gambler turned law student who is trying to get out of the poker life, but his best friend “Worm”, played by Edward Norton, keeps getting him involved in more and more trouble with loan sharks and the Russian mob. Great cast of supporting characters including John Tuturro, Martin Landau and especially John Malkovich as Teddy “KGB”.
22. Ronin (1998) – d. John Frankenheimer – The fourth and final DeNiro movie to make the list has our man Bobby D as one of a group of expert criminals hired by an Irish lass to track down a mysterious package that is sought after by several different groups. Has some of the best car chase scenes ever captured on film. A great international cast, including Jean Reno and Stellan Skarsgard, make up the supporting characters.
23. American History X (1998) – Tony Kaye – Edward Norton plays a reformed neo-Nazi skinhead who has just returned from prison to find that his brother (Edward Furlong) is heading down the same path that he once was on. Through extensive use of flashbacks, we learn how Norton’s character became so fueled with hatred and now he must try to help his brother see the light before it is too late.
24. Dark Days (2000) – d.Marc Singer – A fascinating look at a subculture that I had no idea even existed. Dark Days takes us inside the surprisingly thriving community of homeless people who have chosen to live underground in the train tunnels of New York City. The resourcefulness and humor that these people have despite their situation is absolutely inspiring.
25. Ghost World (2000) – d. Terry Zwigoff – This touching film by Zwigoff (the only repeat director on the list) tells the story of two best friends, Enid and Becky (played by Thora Birch and Scarlett Johannson) who have just graduated high school and are trying to make there way through the “real world”. They play a cruel prank on a geeky loner named Seymour (played brilliantly by Steve Buscemi) but Enid realizes that she has a lot in common with Seymour and begins to form a special bond with him while the two girls begin to drift apart.
26. The Believer (2001) – d. Henry Bean – A breakthrough performance by Ryan Gosling who plays Danny Balint, a young Jewish man who has developed a deeply anti-Semitic worldview and has joined up with a band of neo-Nazi skinheads. Danny struggles with the contradictions between his beliefs and his heritage while trying to hide his true identity from the people he hangs out with. As he climbs the ranks of his organization, he must make a final decision of whether to continue on his current path or accept his true identity. Based on a true story about an American Nazi Party leader who was revealed to be Jewish.
27. Donnie Darko (2001) – d. Richard Kelly – This film has developed a pretty big cult following in the last several years. It can’t really be classified into one genre. It is basically the story of a troubled teen named Donnie Darko who takes medication and follows the instructions of a giant demonic looking bunny rabbit named Frank who saved Donnie from being killed by a jet engine that fell into his bedroom and tells him that the world is going to end. ‘Nuff said.
28. Punch Drunk Love (2002) – d. P.T. Anderson – Adam Sandler (in an atypical role for him) plays Barry Egan a small business man who is dominated by his seven overbearing sisters. One day he finds a harmonium that was abandoned on the street, meets a girl and comes up with a great way to get frequent flyer miles. A truly off-the-wall love story as only P.T. Anderson could tell it. Some of his usual character actors, such as Philip Seymour Hoffman and Luis Guzman play hilarious supporting roles.
29. - Idiocracy (2006) - d. Mike Judge - Luke Wilson is just your average Joe working as an Army librarian, but when a top-secret military experiment goes awry, he wakes up 500 years in the future and is now the smartest man alive. While filled with Judge's typically goofy and immature Beavis and Butthead type humor (which I find pretty hilarious) it is also a subversive commentary on the consumer-driven culture in which our society has become immersed. My favorite quote of the movie is delivered by Justin Long as a doctor who gives quite a unique diagnosis.
30. The Lives of Others (2006) - d. Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck - Yes this film won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film at the 2007 Oscars, but I still feel as if not many people have seen it, so I am including it anyway. Ulrich Muhe (who died not long after the film was released) was absolutely brilliant as Captain Gerd Weisler, the meticulous agent of the East Berlin secret police who is assigned to listen in to the goings-on in the apartment of Georg Dreyman, a successful dramatist who spends much of his time with his girlfriend, a popular actress who catches the eye of a Stasi officer. As Weisler listens in, he gets wrapped up more and more in the lives of the people he is spying on and must ultimately make some life-altering decisons for both himself and his charges.
I would love to hear what other people think of this list as well as any other films that you would include, so please post some comments.
1. The Warriors (1979) – d. Walter Hill – A surrealistic look at gangs in NYC and in particular, the title gang trying to get home to Coney Island after being wrongly accused of a murder. Great appearances by such gangs as the Baseball Furies (guys who where baseball uniforms and fight with bats) and of course, the Gramercy Riffs, perhaps the baddest film gang of all time. “Can You Dig It?!!”
2. The Wanderers (1979) – d. Philip Kaufman – Another great gang movie about NYC, but this one takes place in the early ‘60’s and is more of a coming of age story as well. Great gangs such as The Baldies and The Wongs. The title gang is a group of Italian friends who are just trying to survive in the rapidly changing times. Great soundtrack featuring Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons and of course “Wanderer” by Dion.
3. First Blood (1982) - d. Ted Kotcheff - I know what you're thinking. Really? A Rambo movie? Trust me, go back and watch it again. First Blood tells the story of the now iconic Rambo character, but in this first installment, he was just a scarred (both mentally and physically) Vietnam veteran trying to find a place in the world who gets harrassed and eventually arrested by a small town police chief. The abuse that he receives at the police station causes him to have flashbacks to when he was a prisoner of war and eventually, he snaps. A massive manhunt ensues but the townies have no idea what they're up against. Great turn by Richard Crenna as Colonel Trautman. Look for a young David Caruso as Deputy Mitch.
4. The Thin Blue Line (1988) – d. Errol Morris – This documentary by Academy Award winning director Errol Morris blew me away when I saw it and although I only saw it once, it definitely left a lasting impression on me. The film reenacts the murder of a Dallas police officer and through interviews and investigation of the evidence, begins to present a case that perhaps the wrong man is sitting on death row for this murder.
5. Drugstore Cowboy (1989) – d. Gus Van Sant – Matt Dillon plays Bob, the very superstitious leader of a small band of drug addicted friends who rob drugstores in order to support their habits. The film follows them through their ups and downs as they have run-ins with the law and talk about “going clean”. Truly a great look at a fascinating subculture. Look for a very young Heather Graham in one of her first film roles. “No hats on the bed!”
6. Falling Down (1993) – d. Joel Schumacher – Michael Douglas plays a disgruntled former defense industry engineer who snaps while sitting in a traffic jam and proceeds to go on a rampage throughout LA doing some things that we all wish we could do sometimes. Some great, darkly humorous scenes such as when he “marks down” the prices in a Korean grocery store and when he gets denied breakfast in a fast food restaurant. Good performance by Robert Duvall as the LA cop working his last day before retirement who begins to track the case.
7. A Bronx Tale (1993) – d. Robert DeNiro – DeNiro’s directorial debut has him directing himself in a supporting role as a hard-working bus driver who is worried because his son starts hanging around with the local mob boss. We follow his son Colagero, or “C”, from his time as a young boy who witnesses a murder to his teenage years where he has to make some tough decisions about the type of life he is going to lead.
8. Carlito’s Way (1993) – d. Brian DePalma – Al Pacino plays Carlito Brigante, a Puerto Rican ex-con who is trying to escape his old lifestyle and go legit, but his past associates, including his lawyer/best friend played brilliantly by Sean Penn, keep dragging him back down into situations that spiral completely out of control.
9. Dazed and Confused (1993) - d. Richard Linklater - This is definitely my favorite high school movie of all time. The great thing about this film is while being very specific to a time and place (the suburbs of Austin, TX in 1976) it also captures the universal feeling of what it was like to be in high school. This film is full of great quotes and while the funniest and most memorable of them belong to Matthew McConaughey's Wooderson, I think my favorite quote comes from Cynthia, the girl with the big red afro played by Marissa Ribisi in her exchange with her two friends, Mike and Tony.
Cynthia: God, don't you ever feel like everything we do and everything we've been taught is just to service the future?
Tony: Yeah I know, like it's all preparation.
Cynthia: Right. But what are we preparing ourselves for?
Mike: Death.
Tony: Life of the party.
Mike: It's true.
Cynthia: You know, but that's valid because if we are all gonna die anyway shouldn't we be enjoying ourselves now? You know, I'd like to quit thinking of the present, like right now, as some minor insignificant preamble to something else.
Amen sister!
10. What’s Eating Gilbert Grape? (1993) – d. Lasse Hallstrom – Johnny Depp plays the title character, a small town teen with dreams of escaping his small town life, but who has to put his own ambitions on the back burner in order to take care of his mentally challenged brother (played to perfection by Leo DiCaprio) and his enormously obese mother. Gilbert sees his chance at escape in the form of Becky (Juliette Lewis), a young girl whose trailer breaks down in Gilbert’s town
11. Hoop Dreams (1994) – d. Steve James – Absolutely riveting documentary about two up and coming high school basketball players growing up in the projects of Chicago and the different paths that they take in order to reach the next level and play basketball in college.
12. Natural Born Killers (1994) – d. Oliver Stone – This very misunderstood film by Oliver Stone received exactly zero Academy Award nominations. A brilliant social commentary about our media saturated culture and its love of violence and scandal. Stone takes us on a fast-paced roller coaster ride of a movie as we follow the exploits of Mickey and Mallory Knox and the media frenzy that they create.
13. Crumb (1994) – d. Terry Zwigoff – A cinematic portrait of the controversial comic book artist R. Crumb, who drew Keep On Truckin', Fritz the Cat, and played a major pioneering role in the genesis of underground comix. We gain some insight into the strange mind of a man who many consider to be a genius through interviews with his very bizarre family, his wife and his ex-girlfriends.
14. Heat (1995) – d. Michael Mann – How can a movie featuring both Al Pacino and Robert DeNiro be underrated? Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Heat (can we all just pretend that Righteous Kill never happened). An absolutely epic crime saga about two men –one a cop and one a criminal – who are not so different from one another as they might think. Both are completely obsessed with their respective professions and this obsession leads to troubles for both of them. Also some very intriguing subplots with a great supporting cast that includes Val Kilmer, Ashley Judd and John Voight.
15. The Cable Guy (1996) – d. Ben Stiller – A dark comedic gem directed by Ben Stiller (yes that Ben Stiller) and starring Jim Carrey and Matthew Broderick. Perhaps, this comedy was a little darker than what people were used to from Jim Carrey at the time as he plays a desperate loner who works as a cable guy and tries to get Matthew Broderick to be his best friend. When Broderick doesn’t comply, the cable guy makes his life a living hell.
16. Donnie Brasco (1997) – d. Mike Newell – The third and final Pacino movie to make the list has Al playing against his usual character type as small time mobster “Lefty” Ruggiero who befriends Joe Pistone, an undercover FBI agent calling himself Donnie Brasco and played by Johnny Depp. As he goes deeper and deeper into the crime underworld, Pistone begins to unravel and he is ultimately faced with the prospect of bringing down Lefty, who has become his good friend.
17. Cop Land (1997) – d. James Mangold – Sylvester Stallone gives what I believe to be his best screen performance (yes, even better than Rocky) as Freddy Heflin, the sheriff of a small New Jersey town just across the river from NYC and largely inhabited by members of the NYPD. Freddy was struck deaf when he was a teen while rescuing his high-school crush and he could never pass the physical exam to become a city cop. However, when Freddy is approached by an Internal Affairs officer, played by Robert DeNiro, he begins to realize that the cops in his town, who he looks up to, may not be exactly what they seem and Freddy must decide whether or not to stand up to them. Oustanding supporting turns by Ray Liotta and Harvey Kietel, as well as De Niro.
18. The Game (1997) – d. David Fincher – Absolutely gripping from start to finish, “The Game” follows Nicholas Van Orton (Michael Douglas), a wealthy but lonely San Francisco banker who receives a birthday present from his brother Conrad (Sean Penn). The present is an enrollment into a live-action game which begins to completely absorb Nicholas’ life until he can no longer tell the game from reality. Full of twists and turns that will keep you on the edge of your seat from start to finish.
19. The Big Lebowski (1998) - d. Joel and Ethan Coen - I know this film has developed a pretty substantial cult following over the past decade but it was criminally overlooked at the time of its release and I have to admit, I was one of the guilty. This film, perhaps better than any other, lives up to the idiom "it gets better every time you watch it". The first time I saw it, I just didn't "get it". Now, it is one my top five favorite movies of all time and I consider it to be the best written script since Casablanca. It is endelessly quotable and the way different snippets of dialogue keep resurfacing is absolutely brilliant. I still catch something new every time I watch it and it has even caused me to go to Louisville, KY and drink White Russians while dressed up like Walter Sobchak. Now that's the power of film!
20. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998) – d. Terry Gilliam – Based on the fascinating book by Hunter S. Thompson about his assignment to cover a road race in Las Vegas and the drug-fueled escapades that he and his “attorney” get into and get out of. Johnny Depp and Benicio Del Toro give pitch-perfect performances as the gonzo journalist and his partner in crime. Look for Tobey Maguire as the hitchhiker who picks the wrong car to get into.
21. Rounders (1998) – d. John Dahl – This film has developed a pretty large following in recent years due to the explosion of the World Series of Poker on ESPN. Rounders follows the story of Mike McD, a reformed gambler turned law student who is trying to get out of the poker life, but his best friend “Worm”, played by Edward Norton, keeps getting him involved in more and more trouble with loan sharks and the Russian mob. Great cast of supporting characters including John Tuturro, Martin Landau and especially John Malkovich as Teddy “KGB”.
22. Ronin (1998) – d. John Frankenheimer – The fourth and final DeNiro movie to make the list has our man Bobby D as one of a group of expert criminals hired by an Irish lass to track down a mysterious package that is sought after by several different groups. Has some of the best car chase scenes ever captured on film. A great international cast, including Jean Reno and Stellan Skarsgard, make up the supporting characters.
23. American History X (1998) – Tony Kaye – Edward Norton plays a reformed neo-Nazi skinhead who has just returned from prison to find that his brother (Edward Furlong) is heading down the same path that he once was on. Through extensive use of flashbacks, we learn how Norton’s character became so fueled with hatred and now he must try to help his brother see the light before it is too late.
24. Dark Days (2000) – d.Marc Singer – A fascinating look at a subculture that I had no idea even existed. Dark Days takes us inside the surprisingly thriving community of homeless people who have chosen to live underground in the train tunnels of New York City. The resourcefulness and humor that these people have despite their situation is absolutely inspiring.
25. Ghost World (2000) – d. Terry Zwigoff – This touching film by Zwigoff (the only repeat director on the list) tells the story of two best friends, Enid and Becky (played by Thora Birch and Scarlett Johannson) who have just graduated high school and are trying to make there way through the “real world”. They play a cruel prank on a geeky loner named Seymour (played brilliantly by Steve Buscemi) but Enid realizes that she has a lot in common with Seymour and begins to form a special bond with him while the two girls begin to drift apart.
26. The Believer (2001) – d. Henry Bean – A breakthrough performance by Ryan Gosling who plays Danny Balint, a young Jewish man who has developed a deeply anti-Semitic worldview and has joined up with a band of neo-Nazi skinheads. Danny struggles with the contradictions between his beliefs and his heritage while trying to hide his true identity from the people he hangs out with. As he climbs the ranks of his organization, he must make a final decision of whether to continue on his current path or accept his true identity. Based on a true story about an American Nazi Party leader who was revealed to be Jewish.
27. Donnie Darko (2001) – d. Richard Kelly – This film has developed a pretty big cult following in the last several years. It can’t really be classified into one genre. It is basically the story of a troubled teen named Donnie Darko who takes medication and follows the instructions of a giant demonic looking bunny rabbit named Frank who saved Donnie from being killed by a jet engine that fell into his bedroom and tells him that the world is going to end. ‘Nuff said.
28. Punch Drunk Love (2002) – d. P.T. Anderson – Adam Sandler (in an atypical role for him) plays Barry Egan a small business man who is dominated by his seven overbearing sisters. One day he finds a harmonium that was abandoned on the street, meets a girl and comes up with a great way to get frequent flyer miles. A truly off-the-wall love story as only P.T. Anderson could tell it. Some of his usual character actors, such as Philip Seymour Hoffman and Luis Guzman play hilarious supporting roles.
29. - Idiocracy (2006) - d. Mike Judge - Luke Wilson is just your average Joe working as an Army librarian, but when a top-secret military experiment goes awry, he wakes up 500 years in the future and is now the smartest man alive. While filled with Judge's typically goofy and immature Beavis and Butthead type humor (which I find pretty hilarious) it is also a subversive commentary on the consumer-driven culture in which our society has become immersed. My favorite quote of the movie is delivered by Justin Long as a doctor who gives quite a unique diagnosis.
30. The Lives of Others (2006) - d. Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck - Yes this film won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film at the 2007 Oscars, but I still feel as if not many people have seen it, so I am including it anyway. Ulrich Muhe (who died not long after the film was released) was absolutely brilliant as Captain Gerd Weisler, the meticulous agent of the East Berlin secret police who is assigned to listen in to the goings-on in the apartment of Georg Dreyman, a successful dramatist who spends much of his time with his girlfriend, a popular actress who catches the eye of a Stasi officer. As Weisler listens in, he gets wrapped up more and more in the lives of the people he is spying on and must ultimately make some life-altering decisons for both himself and his charges.
I would love to hear what other people think of this list as well as any other films that you would include, so please post some comments.
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