katiestuart (![[info]](http://p-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} katiestuart) wrote,@ 2007-06-23 10:00:00 |
|
GOOD FLICKS
...everyone loves a good movie, so I therefore theorize that everyone loves a good movie recommendation:
I was recently sitting in my living room noticing how most of the DVD's in our house are scattered about it, rather than on their various shelves. Most of these movies I haven't seen in ages as I haven't been watching much in the way of movies lately (with the exception of "Planet Earth" - a BBC series about ... you guessed it... Earth - which comes more than highly recommended by yours truly). Despite my recent lack of cinematic enthusiasm, I clearly thought it worthwhile enough to write down the name and location of every DVD in the room. So here goes (I'll spare you the tedium of copying the location as well..but just so you know... I made a map .. cough, cough*dork*cough):
In order of appearance (moving counter-clockwise around each surface, counter-clockwise around the room from surface to surface and - when stacked - beginning with the movie(s) on the top and working down to the bottom of said stack(s)). Without further ado:
The table next to the jungle:
- The Georgia Straight: Vol. 41 (May 24-31 2007) .. okay, not a movie, but a great local paper (this issue has no particular significance...it just happened to be there).
- Bell TV magazine featuring an interesting article on "Pan's Labyrinth" .. again, not a movie, but Pan's Labyrinth isn't out on DVD yet so the mag will have to do as credentials for my recommendation.
- Some of our neighbours mail...oops.
- "A broke down melody" ...FINALLY!! A movie! (and one of my favourites)
- "Le Divorce" ... not the best movie in the world, but I love Naomi Watts and Kate Hudson and they're both excellent in it, also it's a bilingual film which is always fun (French/English in case anyone wondered).
- "Bio-Dome" .. YES!!
- "Fern Gully" .. fight the man, protect our forests!
- "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" ... the original (it came free with Pizza one day but is one of my favourites of all time....man ...they just don't make movies like TMNT any more) *Deep longing for nimble asians in foam latex*
- "Encino Man" ... I heart Polly Shore!! That's right. And I'm man enough to admit it.
- "Big Fish" .. epic
- "Charlie & the Chocolate factory"
- "I ♥ Huckabees" ... seriously one of my favourite movies of all time
- "South Park" - season one ... I love that the social/political activist movement of my generation is lead by small town, American 4th graders.
- "Step into Liquid" ...if you've ever surfed, if you've ever thought about surfing, if you've ever watched, wanted to watch, or if you just love the ocean with an amphibious abandon, as I do, then you'll love this movie too.
- "Robin Williams: Live on Broadway" ...s'okay
- "Dogtown & Z-Boys" ... the birth of extreme and the development of hard core.
- A useless ankle weight which came in a box of cereal. ... Remember when they used to give you fun stuff in cereal? Like a compass that didn't work? or a ring that didn't really fit? ... none of this yoga ball, ankle weight crap. ... sorry. I know, I know ... save the ranting for another post.
..underneath the useless ankle weight, which comes with no actual weight in it, is a stack of old-school Nintendo games (YEAH for the original system!!):
- "Ghosts n' Goblins" .. I could never play this game unless there was someone in the room with me because it scared me that much... and sh*t wasn't even 3D then!! ...coughcough*UBERDORK*cough cough cough..
- "Super Mario Bros/Duck Hunt/World class track meet" ... ooh a 3 in 1. Yes we still have the duck hunt gun, I have no idea what happened to the track meet mat, but I remember running hurtles and cheating like every time. I may have small legs, but I'm still smarter than you 1980's technology, mUAH ha ha ha! Seriously though, who else still bears a grudge for that damn snickering dog?
- "PAC-MAN" Booya!! Classic
- "Rampage" .. nothing like a little senseless destruction to sooth the inner beast (we had to make do when I was a kid, none of this GTA business).
- "TMNT III: Manhattan Project" .. my favourite nintendo game ever
- Packing tape ... not a movie... real packing tape
- "Tank Girl" ... I'm in love with Lori Petty... one day she will be mine
- "Down with Love" ... so great
- "Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer" ... the original claymation (HELL YES! .. anyone else getting nostalgic?)
- "Open Water Diver Video" ... instructional vid from when my bro and I got SCUBA certified.
- "Canada Russia '72" ... I have yet to watch it all the way through (not that it wasn't good), but I think I know how it ends anyway.
- "Aninconvinienttruth"
- "Robin Hood" .. the disney animated, but I feel obligated to mention my love of all Robin Hood films, "Robin Hood: Men in tights" specifically, but they're all good... even Costner's ... so much blew up.
...then there's some sticky shot-glasses from a time so long ago I can't remember the occasion ... yeesh we need to clean up.
- "Newsies" ... one of my favourite anti-Randolph Hearst films, this one in the form of a disney, live-action, musical with some spectacular songs and some of the greatest Jazz dancing I've ever seen in a movie. It's a great family movie.
- "Bruce Almighty" ... you rock, James Carrey, you rock. ... I worry for the sequel, but have great trust in Steve Carell, so we shall see. Don't let me down buddy.
- "Billabong Odyssey" ... the impetus for my own surfing addiction and definitely on par with "step into liquid"
Stacked on the old broken PC tower in the corner next to the TV:
- "Arrested Development" - season one ... the greatest TV series ever contrived? .. why yes. yes it is.
- "Wonderfalls" - season one ... alas there was only one season, but the show was/is hysterical. Gone before it's time.
- "Rushmore" ..anyone who's seen it knows, and anyone who hasn't... do.
- "Buffy: the vampire slayer" - season two ... oh we have them all... season two is the only one attending the living room DVD bonanza though.
- "Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas" ... also one of my favourite books. I was devastated when Hunter S. Thompson exploded himself out of our world for the next. May the force be always with him, and my his force be always with us.
- "Buffy: the vampire slayer" - season one ... okay, two AND one representin'
- "View from the top" ...haha oh good times
- "Forces of Nature" ... still have never seen it all the way through, but I love Sandra Bullock, wouldn't she be awesome to have at a party? you can just see it in her face.
- "Rent" .. nothing compares to seeing it live, but for those of us who don't live in NY and have a million dollars.. in all seriousness; I think it's wonderful that (almost) all the original cast had the opportunity to immortalize this most immutable Rock-popera on film. The live show is mesmerizing.
- "Happytree Friends: Third Strike" ... a SERIOUSLY twisted online cartoon which can also be purchased in DVD format ... not for the faint of heart, squeamish, or die-hard Carebear fans.*
- "Family Guy" - Volume 4 (season 5?), disk 3 ... I couldn't tell you what episodes are on the disk 'cause I can't find the box. .. we're bad
On top of the TV:
- Our DVD player ... essential
- A phone which does not work because we have no house phone line
- A penny
- "Reefer Madness the movie musical" ... if you like musicals (or even if you hate them) this is an absolute must see.. another of my favourite anti-Hearst films. - some extremely mature themes/scenes. It's pretty much the greatest thing I've ever seen. It stems from the original "Reefer Madness" (another recommended watch), a 1936 anti-marijuana propaganda film, originally titled "Tell Your Children". In the late '90s two outstounding (= outstanding + astounding) artists, Dan Studney (composer) and Kevin Murphy (Lyricist), got together and transformed the (by this time) ironic propaganda film into an outright Musical parody extravaganza. With the help of my dear friend Andy Fickman (director) Reefer Madness, the offbroadway play, was an instant hit with L.A. audiences and critics alike. After several years of success on stage (across the country) the time had come to capture the marvel on film. And here it is, perched happily upon my TV. I almost pissed my pants on more than one occasion the first time I saw this movie. It's one of those movies that just can't be unfunny, no matter how many times I watch it. It's the culmination of hundreds of people all sharing the same vision. Enough props cannot be given.
- "Thank you for smoking" .. one of the best movies to happen since I ♥ Huckabees
- "The core" ... I LOVE YOU STANLEY TUCCI!!! ..if you love Stanley Tucci as much as I'm sure you all do, you'll watch this movie just for his part in it.
- "Reefer Madness the movie musical" ... oh yes. It's that good. We have two copies (one's my bro's) and they're both stationed rather permanently on top of the TV.
- "Once upon a time in Antarctica" ... a wonderful doc. about antarctica in the spring as well as a fabulous doc. (it's a 2 fer 1) on the adorable, roisterous Adelaide penguins. Both great for anyone as smitten with penguins as I am. (this film has been due back at Blockbuster for months now. MONTHS!)
- "Maria full of grace" ... never watched it, also due back at Blockbuster months ago.
- "PLANET EARTH" - The complete BBC series... the one I've been watching with my brother religiously lately ... one of the greatest doc series I've ever seen. Very broad coverage of vast areas (geog/geol/meteoro/ecolo) and very in depth coverage of very specific areas (microbio). All and all, a fabulous series for anyone and everyone, even if you just watch it for the mind-bogglingly beautiful, panning, wide-angled, landscape shots from the 'copter-cam. It's truly a humbling experience.
- "Clone High" - season one ... I know ... we all died a little inside when Clone High didn't get picked up for a second season. WHY SKUNKY!!?!?! WHY!?!?!!??!??!??!!!?!?!!???!!
- "Running with scissors" ... I love this movie .... if you loved "The Royal Tenenbaums" as much as I did, you'll love this film too. It's a little darker (if you can imagine) but it's so wonderful and has a surprisingly satisfying end. (Also part of my Blockbuster collection)
- "Stranger than fiction" ... hysterical. Will Ferrell really inhabits this movie. Well done, Will. Well done. (Sorry Blockbuster...one day I will bring your movies back....one day)
And now we've come full circle, so to speak. I hope there's at least one movie in my list that you haven't seen or perhaps haven't heard of. I love hearing about good movies, so if anyone's got any that they want to suggest, please do.
Peace, Fuv n' couch spuds
KT
* Just so's you know, I love the Carebears.
PS. Who else loves it when you one-up your spell check? I know I do. Oh spell-check, silly spell-check, of course roisterous is a word. Tsk tsk. One day computers will have feelings and my belittling victories over spell-checks will not just be pathetic but cruel. Don't worry, I'll stop long before then.
..but for now..
HAH!!
...everyone loves a good movie, so I therefore theorize that everyone loves a good movie recommendation:
I was recently sitting in my living room noticing how most of the DVD's in our house are scattered about it, rather than on their various shelves. Most of these movies I haven't seen in ages as I haven't been watching much in the way of movies lately (with the exception of "Planet Earth" - a BBC series about ... you guessed it... Earth - which comes more than highly recommended by yours truly). Despite my recent lack of cinematic enthusiasm, I clearly thought it worthwhile enough to write down the name and location of every DVD in the room. So here goes (I'll spare you the tedium of copying the location as well..but just so you know... I made a map .. cough, cough*dork*cough):
In order of appearance (moving counter-clockwise around each surface, counter-clockwise around the room from surface to surface and - when stacked - beginning with the movie(s) on the top and working down to the bottom of said stack(s)). Without further ado:
The table next to the jungle:
- The Georgia Straight: Vol. 41 (May 24-31 2007) .. okay, not a movie, but a great local paper (this issue has no particular significance...it just happened to be there).
- Bell TV magazine featuring an interesting article on "Pan's Labyrinth" .. again, not a movie, but Pan's Labyrinth isn't out on DVD yet so the mag will have to do as credentials for my recommendation.
- Some of our neighbours mail...oops.
- "A broke down melody" ...FINALLY!! A movie! (and one of my favourites)
- "Le Divorce" ... not the best movie in the world, but I love Naomi Watts and Kate Hudson and they're both excellent in it, also it's a bilingual film which is always fun (French/English in case anyone wondered).
- "Bio-Dome" .. YES!!
- "Fern Gully" .. fight the man, protect our forests!
- "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" ... the original (it came free with Pizza one day but is one of my favourites of all time....man ...they just don't make movies like TMNT any more) *Deep longing for nimble asians in foam latex*
- "Encino Man" ... I heart Polly Shore!! That's right. And I'm man enough to admit it.
- "Big Fish" .. epic
- "Charlie & the Chocolate factory"
- "I ♥ Huckabees" ... seriously one of my favourite movies of all time
- "South Park" - season one ... I love that the social/political activist movement of my generation is lead by small town, American 4th graders.
- "Step into Liquid" ...if you've ever surfed, if you've ever thought about surfing, if you've ever watched, wanted to watch, or if you just love the ocean with an amphibious abandon, as I do, then you'll love this movie too.
- "Robin Williams: Live on Broadway" ...s'okay
- "Dogtown & Z-Boys" ... the birth of extreme and the development of hard core.
- A useless ankle weight which came in a box of cereal. ... Remember when they used to give you fun stuff in cereal? Like a compass that didn't work? or a ring that didn't really fit? ... none of this yoga ball, ankle weight crap. ... sorry. I know, I know ... save the ranting for another post.
..underneath the useless ankle weight, which comes with no actual weight in it, is a stack of old-school Nintendo games (YEAH for the original system!!):
- "Ghosts n' Goblins" .. I could never play this game unless there was someone in the room with me because it scared me that much... and sh*t wasn't even 3D then!! ...coughcough*UBERDORK*cough cough cough..
- "Super Mario Bros/Duck Hunt/World class track meet" ... ooh a 3 in 1. Yes we still have the duck hunt gun, I have no idea what happened to the track meet mat, but I remember running hurtles and cheating like every time. I may have small legs, but I'm still smarter than you 1980's technology, mUAH ha ha ha! Seriously though, who else still bears a grudge for that damn snickering dog?
- "PAC-MAN" Booya!! Classic
- "Rampage" .. nothing like a little senseless destruction to sooth the inner beast (we had to make do when I was a kid, none of this GTA business).
- "TMNT III: Manhattan Project" .. my favourite nintendo game ever
- Packing tape ... not a movie... real packing tape
- "Tank Girl" ... I'm in love with Lori Petty... one day she will be mine
- "Down with Love" ... so great
- "Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer" ... the original claymation (HELL YES! .. anyone else getting nostalgic?)
- "Open Water Diver Video" ... instructional vid from when my bro and I got SCUBA certified.
- "Canada Russia '72" ... I have yet to watch it all the way through (not that it wasn't good), but I think I know how it ends anyway.
- "Aninconvinienttruth"
- "Robin Hood" .. the disney animated, but I feel obligated to mention my love of all Robin Hood films, "Robin Hood: Men in tights" specifically, but they're all good... even Costner's ... so much blew up.
...then there's some sticky shot-glasses from a time so long ago I can't remember the occasion ... yeesh we need to clean up.
- "Newsies" ... one of my favourite anti-Randolph Hearst films, this one in the form of a disney, live-action, musical with some spectacular songs and some of the greatest Jazz dancing I've ever seen in a movie. It's a great family movie.
- "Bruce Almighty" ... you rock, James Carrey, you rock. ... I worry for the sequel, but have great trust in Steve Carell, so we shall see. Don't let me down buddy.
- "Billabong Odyssey" ... the impetus for my own surfing addiction and definitely on par with "step into liquid"
Stacked on the old broken PC tower in the corner next to the TV:
- "Arrested Development" - season one ... the greatest TV series ever contrived? .. why yes. yes it is.
- "Wonderfalls" - season one ... alas there was only one season, but the show was/is hysterical. Gone before it's time.
- "Rushmore" ..anyone who's seen it knows, and anyone who hasn't... do.
- "Buffy: the vampire slayer" - season two ... oh we have them all... season two is the only one attending the living room DVD bonanza though.
- "Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas" ... also one of my favourite books. I was devastated when Hunter S. Thompson exploded himself out of our world for the next. May the force be always with him, and my his force be always with us.
- "Buffy: the vampire slayer" - season one ... okay, two AND one representin'
- "View from the top" ...haha oh good times
- "Forces of Nature" ... still have never seen it all the way through, but I love Sandra Bullock, wouldn't she be awesome to have at a party? you can just see it in her face.
- "Rent" .. nothing compares to seeing it live, but for those of us who don't live in NY and have a million dollars.. in all seriousness; I think it's wonderful that (almost) all the original cast had the opportunity to immortalize this most immutable Rock-popera on film. The live show is mesmerizing.
- "Happytree Friends: Third Strike" ... a SERIOUSLY twisted online cartoon which can also be purchased in DVD format ... not for the faint of heart, squeamish, or die-hard Carebear fans.*
- "Family Guy" - Volume 4 (season 5?), disk 3 ... I couldn't tell you what episodes are on the disk 'cause I can't find the box. .. we're bad
On top of the TV:
- Our DVD player ... essential
- A phone which does not work because we have no house phone line
- A penny
- "Reefer Madness the movie musical" ... if you like musicals (or even if you hate them) this is an absolute must see.. another of my favourite anti-Hearst films. - some extremely mature themes/scenes. It's pretty much the greatest thing I've ever seen. It stems from the original "Reefer Madness" (another recommended watch), a 1936 anti-marijuana propaganda film, originally titled "Tell Your Children". In the late '90s two outstounding (= outstanding + astounding) artists, Dan Studney (composer) and Kevin Murphy (Lyricist), got together and transformed the (by this time) ironic propaganda film into an outright Musical parody extravaganza. With the help of my dear friend Andy Fickman (director) Reefer Madness, the offbroadway play, was an instant hit with L.A. audiences and critics alike. After several years of success on stage (across the country) the time had come to capture the marvel on film. And here it is, perched happily upon my TV. I almost pissed my pants on more than one occasion the first time I saw this movie. It's one of those movies that just can't be unfunny, no matter how many times I watch it. It's the culmination of hundreds of people all sharing the same vision. Enough props cannot be given.
- "Thank you for smoking" .. one of the best movies to happen since I ♥ Huckabees
- "The core" ... I LOVE YOU STANLEY TUCCI!!! ..if you love Stanley Tucci as much as I'm sure you all do, you'll watch this movie just for his part in it.
- "Reefer Madness the movie musical" ... oh yes. It's that good. We have two copies (one's my bro's) and they're both stationed rather permanently on top of the TV.
- "Once upon a time in Antarctica" ... a wonderful doc. about antarctica in the spring as well as a fabulous doc. (it's a 2 fer 1) on the adorable, roisterous Adelaide penguins. Both great for anyone as smitten with penguins as I am. (this film has been due back at Blockbuster for months now. MONTHS!)
- "Maria full of grace" ... never watched it, also due back at Blockbuster months ago.
- "PLANET EARTH" - The complete BBC series... the one I've been watching with my brother religiously lately ... one of the greatest doc series I've ever seen. Very broad coverage of vast areas (geog/geol/meteoro/ecolo) and very in depth coverage of very specific areas (microbio). All and all, a fabulous series for anyone and everyone, even if you just watch it for the mind-bogglingly beautiful, panning, wide-angled, landscape shots from the 'copter-cam. It's truly a humbling experience.
- "Clone High" - season one ... I know ... we all died a little inside when Clone High didn't get picked up for a second season. WHY SKUNKY!!?!?! WHY!?!?!!??!??!??!!!?!?!!???!!
- "Running with scissors" ... I love this movie .... if you loved "The Royal Tenenbaums" as much as I did, you'll love this film too. It's a little darker (if you can imagine) but it's so wonderful and has a surprisingly satisfying end. (Also part of my Blockbuster collection)
- "Stranger than fiction" ... hysterical. Will Ferrell really inhabits this movie. Well done, Will. Well done. (Sorry Blockbuster...one day I will bring your movies back....one day)
And now we've come full circle, so to speak. I hope there's at least one movie in my list that you haven't seen or perhaps haven't heard of. I love hearing about good movies, so if anyone's got any that they want to suggest, please do.
Peace, Fuv n' couch spuds
KT
* Just so's you know, I love the Carebears.
PS. Who else loves it when you one-up your spell check? I know I do. Oh spell-check, silly spell-check, of course roisterous is a word. Tsk tsk. One day computers will have feelings and my belittling victories over spell-checks will not just be pathetic but cruel. Don't worry, I'll stop long before then.
..but for now..
HAH!!
