Streets Ahead Pt. 1

A while back when Sibi and I were talking, he mentioned that I should do something on Freaks and Geeks. He introduced me to the show during one of our typical late nights in his basement and I immediately fell in love. After much deliberation (and even more re-watched episodes) it was clear to me that a cult list must be made; with some tweaks of course, since most cult tv show/movie lists are (for the most part) the same give or take a few minor differences. This list, and the ones to come, will be a combination of my favorite cult movies, tv shows and music, with some not-as-cult-like lesser known/appreciated favorites peppered in. Also, I’ve consciously decided to heed Sean’s advice and do the Top 5 bit for every list (in NPO, unless otherwise noted). Maybe one day he’ll actually read one of them…

5) This Is Spinal Tap  –  In this rock music mockumentary we follow Spinal Tap, a British rock band, as they embark on a US tour.  Although it was meant to satirize the culture of hairbands throughout the 70’s and 80’s by being completely over the top and ridiculous, it’s portrayal of that era wasn’t far off. In an interview with a member of an actual hairband (I’m almost positive it was in “The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years”, but don’t quote me on that), the interviewee said that when he saw “This Is Spinal Tap” he almost cried after realizing that this was exactly what the rock scene had turned into. On a more comedic note, if you are interested in being a rock drummer, I wouldn’t audition with Spinal Tap. All of their drummers have died, most under odd circumstances (Two from spontaneous combustion, and one from a freak gardening accident, among others). Authorities said the deaths were better left unsolved. This movie should be, if it isn’t already, the poster child of what a mockumentary should be like. Watch, laugh, then thank me later.    “Oh, there actually is, uh… there was a Saint Hubbins?” “That’s right, yes.” “What was he the saint of?” “He was the patron saint of quality footwear.”  

4) The Iron Giant  –  One of the last great hand-drawn animations. Unfortunately it didn’t do well in the theaters, which directly led to the downsizing of Warner Brothers Animation staff.  One of the best animated movies you’ve probably never seen, The Iron Giant will steal your heart as it tells the story of a young boy who evades the government while trying to keep his discovery, an iron giant, a secret. Easily one of my favorite animated movies of all time, and without question my #1 non-musical. P.S. Really cool article I read about this movie last week. CAUTION: there are spoilers. Check It “You stay. I go. No Following”   

3) Out Cold  –  Very loosely based on Casablanca, Out Cold has been called the “best worst movie ever”, and I couldn’t agree more. The story is mediocre at best, but it’s so unbelievably funny that its impossible not to love. The actors, a couple of whom are actually professional snowboarders, are horrible, but having the hilarious Zach Galifianakis there brings everything together. Being that Out Cold was one of the first movies he ever did, the character he plays in every movie (which has since devolved considerably) that we’ve all learned to love, and and now gotten sick of from over-repetition, is raw and untouched, making it that much better. This is one that gets better and better the more times you watch it, so go ahead and check it…then after you’ve seen it a couple times drive your friends crazy with all of the epic one-liners. “No regrets, that’s my motto. That and everybody Wang Chung tonight.” Enjoy 

2) Airplane!  –  Almost everyone on the airplane gets sick and the only person fit to fly is an ex-fighter pilot who is afraid to fly. With Leslie Nielsen (The Naked Gun) starring as the doctor on board, subtle hilarities, and war stories always followed by the listener’s suicide, this movie is easily in the top 2 of my favorite comedies of all time. “What kind of plane is it?” “Oh, it’s a big pretty white plane with red stripes, curtains in the windows and wheels and it looks like a big Tylenol.”  

1) The Big Lebowski  –  Lets be honest, you probably should’ve seen this coming. Done by the Coen brothers (True Grit, O’ Brother Where Art Thou and No Country For Old Men, among others) starring Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Steve Buscemi an appearance from Phillip Seymour Hoffman (who I love), this movie is a classic. The Dude’s life, in his eyes, is perfect; “I bowl. Drive around. The occasional acid flashback.” However, this turns upside down he gets confused with another man named Lebowski and has his perfect world shattered. “That rug really tied the room together.”  It’s on netflix. Open a new tab, and Enjoy 

Honorable Mentions:

Clerks – “I’m not even supposed to be here today!” Two convenience store (or bodega, if you will) workers in New Jersey go about one day at work dealing with ridiculous customers along with (making their cinematic debut) Jay and Silent Bob (played by Kevin Smith who was the director, co-producer and writer). Of all the movies about nothing, this is the one to see. I only wish I could have a job where there was enough downtime to talk about utterly meaningless topics.  “My friend here’s trying to convince me that any independent contractors who were working on the uncompleted Death Star were innocent victims when it was destroyed by the Rebels.”

The Warriors  –  I’ve already talked about how good the music is for this movie, so let the shock of me mentioning it again pass over quickly. The Warriors isn’t great, but what makes the cult-fanatics (guilty as charged) so crazy about it is that its original, exciting and (at least for me in the case of this movie) makes you think about what you would do if you were in it. Could I get from The Bronx to Coney Island in one night? Of course. Could I do it with every gang in the city chasing me? Hell no. I’m a little bias with The Warriors because I am from New York and whenever I see movies set in places I’ve been, I get excited watching them. Check it out. You won’t be disappointed. “Warriors, come out to play-i-ay.”

Donnie Darko  –  The movie only that will make you scared of bunnies (besides maybe Monty Python and the Holy Grail). Not much else to say other than go hit this up.  “My mom had to get a restraining order against my stepdad. He has emotional problems.” “Oh, I have those too! What kind of emotional problems does your dad have?” “He stabbed my mom four times in the chest.” “Oh.”

Can be viewed on Netflix online: Donnie Darko, Clerks, The Big Lebowski & Airplane

Scene thought of on my way to long island

I’ve done this before with the wackness on my way to jersey…well this is from the book “drive” by James sallis, which is what the movie “drive” comes from…and both are just awesome…but of course I love the movie for its score and soundtrack…nate…WATCH IT!

If I drive for you, you get your money. You tell me where we start, where we’re going, where we’re going afterwards. I give you five minutes when we get there. Anything happens in that five minutes and I’m yours. No matter what. Anything a minute on either side of that and you’re on your own. I don’t sit in while you’re running it down. I don’t carry a gun. I drive.

And then…the best scene of the movie, both for the way its filmed, the music, and the sequence that its edited in is just great….enjoy

Here’s what I’m prepared to offer. You give me the money, the girl is safe. Forever. Nobody knows about her. She’s off the map. I can’t offer you the same. So, this is what I would suggest. We conclude our deal. We’ll shake hands. You start the rest of your life. Any dreams you have, or plans, or hopes for your future… I think you’re going to have to put that on hold. For the rest of your life you’re going to be looking over your shoulder. I’m just telling you this because I want you to know the truth. But the girl is safe.

Scene that popped up in my head coming from jersey

I met Dr. Squires in the spring of ’94. First as a client, then as a patient. At the beginning we didn’t talk about much of anything. I don’t know why I kept seeing him, to be honest. But sometimes it’s nice to have someone to talk to. Even if you’re just talking shit. He told me the drug thing was a cry for help. Maybe he’s right. I am Luke Shapiro. I’m a drug dealer.

Hear my cry. My occupation takes me to exotic places like Brooklyn and Queens. Now, I like it most in the summer when no one’s around. Just me, the sweaty girls in their short skirts with their breasts and their panties, which I like to see when I can see them. I like fly ladies. I like tank tops. I like short skirts. I like my impure thoughts, which go a little something like this.

I hate high school so I’m alone a lot. Which is fine by me. Sometimes it gets lonely, I guess. But I don’t need high school friends. One week they’re listening to Kris Kross, the next, they’re listening to Pearl Jam. I’m not like that. I’m loyal. I mean, I still listen to cassettes. But tomorrow my life changes. Tomorrow I graduate.
And then I go to my safety school. And then I get older. And then I die.

2001 Space Odyssey is in EVERYTHING

When it comes to sci-fi, 2001 Space Odyssey is the bible of the space/scifi genre.  Directed by the genius Stanley Kubrick, the film takes place before, during, and after mankind.  A study of how we come to be, how we first create the “idea”, how we first “develope”, how we make the “tool”…the list is endless.

It is impossible to watch a science fiction film and not find anything sort of inspiration from 2001.  Its what images is to film, it has become the “how to” book into making the genre.

Some people cannot take the film in one sitting, one can be due to the fact that there isnt dialogue till 45 minutes in.  Another can be, what seems to be, the emotionless dialogue and characters, or even its long takes.  But if you watch the movie its incredible how Kubrick created mindblowing sfx using tricks of the camera

and that was just one scene out of the nearly 3 hour long movie.  The movie is just complete genius and if you dont think so I would LOVE to hear why you disagree.  There are shots that are so subtle yet is a HUGE part of the theme and plot, which isnt done as often as the movies made today

This scene on youtube is rather long, but there is a part near the 2 minute mark where we see a stewardess walking to a man while the man’s pen is floating.  As cool as it looks, especially during that time, the pen is floating for a reason.  The scene before this we see the first time man created the “tool” and how they have become experts at it and how they use it to survive.  Well in this entire youtube clip, we observe how man have lost their “touch” with the tool and no longer have control of them.  Which is what the whole movie later argues for the rest of the movie.  He loses his pen, they are seen walking as babies, as if they have to learn ALL over again their basic functions.  Their food and drinks are like baby food, liquid and squishy.  They are lost in space…where their intellect and experience in earth do not serve them anymore, as they have to start from scratch to learn how to adapt.

But beside the point, seriously you have to watch this (or watch it stoned for extra points)…lets get to these awesome homages to 2001

The movie Moon seems like it was made only to pay tribute to 2001, Hal 9000 is basically GERTY from Moon, a machine that is so advance it becomes a companion to the character

This scene of Sunshine has effects of the fire that split by the middle of the scene and then we observe it through the eyes of the character, sounds like the ending of 2001…hmmm

Even a stupid movie like TRON…this rooms seems to look like the final room of 2001…interesting

In disney’s, WALL-E…the robot that is in control of the entire ship…that has a bright red eye in the center…familiar?

The list is infinite, and believe it or not…even this unknown movie, when watching the whole thing…one can find more than one homage…know which one they are?

Think of any other movies where they pay homage to 2001 Space Odyssey??

Go The FOK to Sleep

I dont have kids, but i can imagine that when i do i will have to tell them some bedtime stories from time to time.  And they will all have to be G-rated, and im not really good at telling G-PG rated stories.  If it was up to me, I’d tell them a story about some serial killer, or tell them a story of some movie and tell them i made up the story, so when they grow older and they see the movie theyll be like “wow they stole this from daddy”

However…I found this, and i can only say that not only will I be buying this book to put my kids to sleep, but i hope Ill be rich so i can pay Samuel L Jackson to read this to my kids.  Please play the video and youll realize how much more awesome the book is with Samuel L. reading it

HYSTERICAL!!!

My Favorite Movies…IN MINIMAL FORM!!!

15. SUPERMAN!!!

14. Pulp Fiction

13. The Shining

12. Fear and Loathing In Las Vegas

11. Reservoir Dogs

10. This Is England

9. V For Vendetta

8. Pi

7. American Psycho

6. Inception

5. The Matrix

4. Requiem For A Dream

3. Clockwork Orange

2. OldBoy

1. 2001 A Space Odyssey

This is probably the closest i can get to doing my top 15…if you havnt watched one of these…please go rent, buy, illegally download, whatever it is that you do go do it and watch.

Hope you enjoy =)

Music just makes everything seem more awesome!!!

In relation to the previous article, Music has a way to make you feel a certain way.  Reasons were already given as to the different possibilities of why a piece of music might affect you.  Whats also interesting is the mixture of Images and Music to create an even stronger feeling.  Whether it’s a photo slide show of an individuals graduation with the cliché Green Day song (Time of you Life), or a brilliant Movie Trailer that sells you, not through the images, but the music mixed into it, its mostly through the music that your emotions come out in a climatic form

This trailer, in my opinion one of the best trailers ever made, successfully sells itself through both the beautiful images and the music.  Classical Music is hit or miss with me, but this movie made me love classical music.  The movie last about 3 hours, with roughly only 30 minutes of dialogue, and an incoherent story.  And this may or may not be apparent, however, this film is not for everyone.  I loved this movie for the photography, its obscure storytelling, but most of all its music.  And this trailer proves it.  Watching this trailer you can’t really tell what the movie will be about, but you are blown away with the images and the music.  And the movie is also successful in showing the viewer the psychological struggles of life, without dialogue, through only the storytelling of images and music….its beautiful

This an example of how music can sell something really average.  Watching this trailer, you FEEL for the characters, you UNDERSTAND what they are going through, even if you never went through the premise of the movie in your life, the music puts you in a familiar state of your life where you may have felt loved and sadness, a feeling bittersweet.  The film however is bland, and average.  Neither bad nor good, and it’s the perfect example of how a trailer can be extremely good at selling the movie but when you watch the movie, 1.  the song isn’t even in it 2. the movie is not as good as the trailer and 3. you don’t really feel anything for the characters.

The you have the ROBBERS!!! The STEALERS!!! The trailers that use the original score of a movie and try to sell it with their movie.  But why would a movie like the Lord Of The Rings need to steal the song of REQUIEM FOR A DREAM.  REQUIEM is a great film with a strong story.  You get lost in the script and dialogue that everytime the song pops up, it climaxes your emotions, making you feel sad, hyped, scared, all at the same time.  The song gets played during the strongest parts of the movie, not to mention the ending which is one of the most jaw-dropping endings in modern day films.  As a result, the song begins to carry those emotions with it, you play it on your ipod, you will get those same feelings you got when you watched the scene that came along with it.  Almost the same way an album will make you reminisce moments during the time it first came out.  So imagine putting that song in an action/thriller/fantasy trailer, all those emotions will come up again subconsciously and the film/trailer you will be watching will win your interest.  A film student can make a 2 minute short, add that song, and it will automatically have a sense of suspense and epic-ness to it.

I sometimes grab all the scores of films, soundtracks, and trailer music, grab it ALL and make a playlist, and play a game with family or friends where they have to guess where the song is from, and if they need a hint, you have to act it out or say the dialogue that matches the scene with the music.  This is obviously just a brief summary as to different ways where music can sell something and be part of your memory in accordance to certain images, and there are thousands of other great films and scores that weren’t mentioned.  Every now and then ill post some great trailers that sell, as for now, I hope this gives an appreciation of music used in other ways to enter the subconscious minds to SELL

And only because this whole blog was created based on a daft punk theory I will of course add this

What better way to make a trailer, let alone film, but with daft punk composing the music…..GENIUS