This is the text, more or less verbatim, of the announcement I'm making at the end of the 2 May 2010 edition of Pop Culture America:
In 1970 when the Beatles broke up, it was left to Paul McCartney to announce the split to the world. That onerous duty fell on Paul's shoulders because he was the last Beatle left standing. When asked about it later he said, "I never would have left the Beatles if everyone else hadn't left them first."
With that in mind, it falls to me this afternoon on the Second of May 2010 to announce that you've just listened to the last Pop Culture America with John and Dave. It's possible that in the future something might crop up on blogtalkradio.com or elsewhere calling itself "Pop Culture America." If it does, I'm sad to say that it will do so without my participation.
This show began back during the second week of May in 2007, so it ends just a hair shy of its three-year anniversary. It's too bad. I love anniversaries. In that time I have missed exactly one scheduled episode: the one slated to air the week after my mother died. Neither the program's termination, nor the timing of same, were my choices.
When we began this endeavor back in 2007, I didn't really think much of it. Frankly, I couldn't imagine anyone listening to a couple of entertainment junkies going on about TV and movies and comics and the rest of it. Nearly three years and tens of thousands of listens later, I am glad to take the full measure of just how wrong I was.
(Only a handful of those listens were me pushing the streaming audio button over and over again, by the way)
It is especially sad that Dave has chosen not to be here for the end of the show. This was his brainchild. I was always the tag-a-long. He was Johnny Carson and I was Ed McMahon. I loved being Ed McMahon.
There are so many people to thank through these past few years for helping to make the program however good it managed to be. I can't possibly name them all but I would like to take the time to note those who have helped us out on multiple episodes. If I forget anyone, please forgive me.
I want to thank Dr. Phil Simpson of the Pop Culture Association. Dr. Simpson was our very first guest and a great guy who came back to talk with us again after we attained a firmer footing on blogtalk. His appearance and compliments made me believe that this show was a worthwhile endeavor.
I want to thank lifestyle columnist Liz Langley, who not only guested for us, but filled the co-host chair on two different occasions. When I first stared thinking about people I might like to talk to on the show, her name was at the top of the list. It has been a privilege to get to meet her.
I want to give special thanks to our two most frequent contributors. In the earliest days of the show there was my long-time friend Jim Parson. And throughout our run we could count on Uncle Marty Selgrad. Their distinctive voices and perspectives enriched our efforts and I'm indebted to them both.
Our two most frequent guests were Dann Gire of the Daily Herald in Chicago and Amy Amatangelo -- AmyTVGal -- from zap2it.com. They always brought great humor and unique insight to us and it was always a treat to talk with them. P.S. Amy is currently on maternity leave after giving birth to her daughter Molly. Congratulations on your li'l TVGal!
Others who were kind enough to join us multiple times include Gord Lacey of tvshowsondvd.com, Mark Prindle of Prindle's Record Reviews, author Doug Brode and blogger Leslie Grey-Streeter. I had a great time talking with all of them and send them my most heartfelt appreciation.
More special thanks to my brother Michael for stepping up and helping us out on a number of different occasions. His presence these past few weeks has done a great deal to make a difficult time better than bearable.
And last but certainly not least, thanks to Dave Weiser, without whom -- as they say -- none of this would have been possible. I love you Davey and I hope you get better soon.
Finally, I want to revisit something from the very first episode of Pop Culture America. That installment ran a scant half hour and I don't think it even got archived, which is probably just as well, because as I recall, it was kind of a mess. But as we embarked on this journey, I wrote a little piece called "Why Pop Culture Matters." I still have my notes from it and I want to close here with a bit of an updating of it.
Pop culture is, first and foremost, Culture. And culture matters because it defines how we think about ourselves. What kind of people are we? What do we value? What are our goals? What do we fear? what do we cherish? We see all that reflected -- and sometimes even initiated -- by our culture. Watch "American Idol" and see how we cherish fame, talent, music, perseverance, and democracy. Watch A Nightmare on Elm Street and see how we fear horrors visited upon children and the betrayal of our own minds. Scratch the surface of even the cheesiest movie or the most cynically slapped-together television program, and you can learn about us. As Americans. As humans.
Pop Culture matters because it's a way to start dialogue. Try this experiment on Monday: Walk up to a co-worker, someone you know but aren't terribly close to. Try to engage him or her in a conversation about the environment. Maybe you're a tree hugger. Maybe you're a free-market absolutist. Doesn't matter what side you take. Just try to start the talk cold, diving right into your opinion on the matter. See what happens.
I suspect there might be an eye roll. I suspect the other person will try to back away from you. It's possible that you may be met with out-and-out hostility.
Now try something different. Walk up to someone else you know about as well as the first person and start up a conversation about Avatar. Or Wall-E. See what kind of reaction you get then. Chances are, you're at least going to be able to begin a dialogue. You might even see eyes light up, instead of rolling up.
Popular culture can get the ball rolling when nothing else can. It gives us a common ground, a place to start. We may disagree mightily about the environment, but we also might both dig Avatar, and that means at least we're speaking the same language. Even if that language is Na'vi.
And it isn't all about serious issues. Popular culture is the place where we can be silly together, where we can indulge in pure fantasy wish-fulfillment. We can punch the bad guy in the nose and get the girl and be cheered by the masses. And for no greater purpose or deeper meaning other than it feels great! Everybody needs that. Try it sometime. Not only will you live a longer span on the earth, you'll live a more joyful span, as well. Life on earth is always better if you can at least once in awhile meet it with a big goofy grin.
And that's what I hope Pop Culture America has provided. Some serious consideration of the issues reflected by popular culture, coupled with a big goofy grin. If we ever got that result, that was the show at its best.
It's the end for Pop Culture America with John and Dave, but it's nowhere near the end of our popular culture. It needs no permission from me. And as long as pop culture continues, I'm going to be sounding off about it.
Keep your eyes peeled!
Wow. What a gross expression.
But sadly, I will not be sounding off here any longer. Thanks again to everyone. Thanks to Andrea Reiher of zap2it.com, our final guest. We've linked to her blog at johnanddaveswebsite.com, now with 100% less John! Thank you Michael. Thank you Dave. Thanks to everyone listening.
Can't wait for Iron Man 2 next week!
Hope you enjoyed the show. I know I did.
Bye!
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Thursday, April 29, 2010
It's Fun to Stay at the Ol' PCA!
This Sunday, 2 May 2010, on Pop Culture America John and Returning Champion Michael are pleased to welcome Andrea Reiher to the program! Andrea blogs about "American Idol" over at zap2it.com and has all the insider info on the behind-the-scenes goings-on and the shocking departures. Poor li'l Siobhan! I'm going to miss her demure, subtle song stylings.
Also, Michael and John will throw down over the latest rebooted franchise, Nightmare on Elm Street. Why does the new Freddy Krueger sound suspiciously like Rorschach in Watchmen?
The answer to that question and many others this week on Pop Culture America!
Be there! Aloha!
Also, Michael and John will throw down over the latest rebooted franchise, Nightmare on Elm Street. Why does the new Freddy Krueger sound suspiciously like Rorschach in Watchmen?
The answer to that question and many others this week on Pop Culture America!
Be there! Aloha!
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Is the Twain moving in the right direction for American Idol
Lee Dewyze-"You're Still The One"
Lee, you are in danger of being a
number 4. I did notice the farcical expressions..Work on that. I loved your song and your style..
Michael Lynche- "It Only Hurts When I'm Breathing."
Yes, Mike is Luther Vandross Lite- The song was not exceptional but it was listenable which is becoming the standard for this year's American idol.
Casey James- "Don't"
Last week, I came to the conclusion that Casey has this Bob Seger sound, which I miss Bob Seger. So now I have Casey James. This Don't was not just listenable, but it was Pop and slick and a song I would "buy" on I-Tunes. I wanted more, which is good not just the ninety seconds they usually give them. Good Job.
Crystal Bowersox- "No One Needs to Know."
Crystal, baby- you are this year's Edie Brickell. Do not become Wynona. Have faith in yourself. I love the folk rock styling , but her version of this song was not memorable.. Sorry Crystal.. take chances after you get booted!!
Aaron Kelly - "You've Got A Way."
Aaron has the David Archuletta feel but not all the talent. He seemed tentative on this song.. Not all the way confidant. His power voice wasn't there for me last night.
Siobhan Magnus - "Any Man of Mine."
Thank God for Siobhan and her quirky punkness and pop styling. I see it every week and this week we had sexy Siobhan and I liked her going into the audience and giving a performance.and belting out her NOTE!! The judges created this when they praised her that first week when she belted out that tune and she has gone with it almost every week. way to go, Siobhan.
Finally- Who is going to be voted off tonight..I am hoping for Aaron but a lot of girls like him so it might be Iron Mike.. find out tonight on "Idol"
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Getting to Know Jack
HBO's new film bears the curious title You Don't Know Jack. I thought it was going to be a documentary about the computer game from the 1990s and the short-lived television game show based on it. Pee Wee Herman hosted that show. It lasted six episodes. I guess HBO didn't think that was enough to craft a film around.
But my confusion aside, it's a curious title because the actual subject of the film, Dr. Jack Kevorkian, the controversial physician who championed -- and continues to champion -- the right to choose to die, is probably the most well-known doctor in America during the last twenty years. We might not be pals with him, but we know Jack better than most of us know our own doctors.
With Al Pacino in the title role, we first meet Dr. Kevorkian in Detroit enduring semi-retirement, puttering about, playing cards with his friends, and experimenting with a homemade device he calls a "mercitron." His mercitron will enable even the most infirm to deliver a lethal dose of potassium chloride solution and painlessly end their suffering. Kevorkian views the practice of simply cutting off feeding tubes and allowing people to starve to death as barbaric. The problem is that the feeding tube method is legal and the mercitron is ... less so.
Aided by his sister (Brenda Vaccaro), a longtime friend (John Goodman), and a politically inclined head of the local chapter of the Hemlock Society (Susan Sarandon), Kevorkian sets out on a crusade which he sees as sparing the hopelessly ill from unnecessary suffering. The Powers That Be, particularly the lawyers in the Michigan Attorney General's office, have other opinions.
Barry Levinson's direction is at its best when we get to see Dr. Jack interacting with his small extended family and with the patients he seeks to help. Those scenes are intimate and heart wrenching and magnificently played by a stellar cast. Pacino, who has been known at times to take rather large bites out of great hunks of scenery, inhabits the title role like a comfy, ratty old sweater. He conveys the attitude of a man who firmly believes he should win out because his reasoning is sound and is baffled by anyone who doesn't fall into line with his logic.
The major flaw in the movie is that no one on the other side of the issue ever gets a serious chance to make the case. We get screaming loons with signs who bang on Dr. Jack's car. We get the petty lawyers who view Kevorkian's activities as a personal affront. But we never get anyone making the reasoned argument from the other side: that doctors actively assisting suicides, no matter how merciful, may well be overstepping a critical boundary.
Jack Kevorkian happily stepped over that boundary. By the time he was finally convicted for second-degree murder, he was jumping up and down on that boundary and daring the authorities to do anything about it. You Don't Know Jack is a worthy look at the man, but falls short of presenting the man's issue. We get to know Jack, just not what Jack was -- and is -- all about.
3 stars
Personal note: At the height of Jack Kevorkian's infamy, Dave and I were at the Second City and we wrote a little piece that got a nice reaction called "Young Dr. Kevorkian." The basic idea was that Jack was a crusading, save-them-at-any-cost idealist as a young man who was corrupted by a bitter, twisted, wheel-chair-bound mentor and turned into a diabolical killer. It was a spoof on the ridiculous extremes of the debate and on people's perceptions of doctors as saints. At least I hoped it was.
It also played as a parody of things like "Young Dr. Kildare" and "Ben Casey." Even then, our references were way too old. Dave got most of the laughs as the idealistic young doctor and then I came in doing a lousy Lionel Barrymore impression and convinced him that killing was super-cool! Al Pacino makes a fine Jack Kevorkian, but for me, Dave was definitive in the role.
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Watch a Movie and Die (Part Two)
So yahoo put out this list of 100 Movies to See Before You Die, focusing on movies released in the last twenty years. I like that idea since lists like this tend to be heavy on the 1930s and 1940s. Nothing wrong with that, but it is refreshing to pay tribute to some greatness that's within living memory. Well, MY living memory, anyway.
I'm old.
Yesterday I ran through the list for the years from 1990 to 1999. Today it's the decade only just recently completed, the two-thousandsies! I'm already feeling nostalgic.
I'll note which films in each year that yahoo thinks you should see before you die, then I'll suggest five others that are at least equally worthy and -- in more than a few cases -- even better. It works like this ...
2000
Almost Famous
Best in Show
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Yi Yi
Can't say as I've seen that last one. My foreign film-going has frankly not been up to snuff. But I love the other three. Best in Show is maniacally funny, with Fred Willard and Larry Miller providing some of the most hysterical moments in the era. CTHD showed that action movies could also be beautiful. And Almost Famous gives you poignant coming-of-age stuff and raunchy rock and roll on the road all in one. Might I also suggest ...
Battlefield Earth
Dude, Where's My Car?
Ready to Rumble
How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
Dungeons and Dragons
Just checking to see if you were still paying attention. Seriously though, all five of those stinkbombs came out in the same year. Remember as we celebrate movies to see before you die, there are plenty of movies that just make you wish you were dead. Not these next few, however.
Cast Away
Unbreakable
High Fidelity
Traffic
O Brother, Where Art Thou?
O Brother is the Coen brothers' version of "Hee Haw." That's a compliment. Unbreakable is the last great M. Night Shyamalan movie. High Fidelity is a film that hits way too close to home for us music nerds. Traffic is everything that Crash five years later wanted to be, but wasn't. Cast Away is a Hitchcockian exercise in limiting the options available to a filmmaker. Makes me pine for the days when Robert Zemeckis wasn't making creepy cartoons.
2001
Amelie
Donnie Darko
In the Mood for Love
The Lord of the Rings (Trilogy)
Memento
Mulholland Drive
The Royal Tenenbaums
Haven't seen In the Mood ... Not as wild about Donnie Darko as the cultists are. The rest are great choices. The Lord of the Rings movies properly deserve a slot through the next three years, but honoring the Trilogy here will be acceptable. Tenenbaums is more quirky Wes Anderson fun. Amelie is a joy. David Lynch's Mulholland Drive is the craziest piece of filmmaking in the year. At least until you see Memento. Both are intense, unique experiences. Might I also suggest ...
A.I. Artificial Intelligence
Ghost World
Moulin Rouge!
Monster's Ball
The Majestic
Some controversial choices there, I reckon. A.I. is a savage meditation on the nature of love; most people have not warmed to it, probably because it rejects the whole idea of warmth. The Majestic is an attempt to do a modern-day Frank Capra movie; it might fall a bit short of those heights, but its still wonderful, anchored by Jim Carrey's earnest performance. Ghost World is kind of the girl version of Superbad and a lot of fun. It's worthwhile after all the crud she's done since to go back to Monster's Ball and marvel at just how brilliant Halle Berry is in it. Roger Ebert once wrote of Moulin Rouge that it was like being trapped in an elevator with the circus. That mania is exactly why I'm so fond of it.
2002
The Pianist
Y Tu Mama Tambien
Only two in 2002? Both top notch. Might I also suggest ...
Minority Report
Catch Me If You Can
Chicago
Panic Room
Punch-Drunk Love
Two Spielberg films this year, both wildly entertaining. David Fincher's Panic Room is intense and inventive and underrated. Chicago is a great big, splashy musical and we need a lot more of those. And then there's Punch-Drunk Love, a kind of deconstructed Adam Sandler comedy that's not to all tastes, but I dig it.
2003
City of God
Elephant
Finding Nemo
Interesting choices from yahoo for this year. They're all about just how harrowing it can be to be a kid (or to be around a kid). I wouldn't include Nemo, the least of the Pixar films. Might I also suggest ...
Mystic River
Lost in Translation
Kill Bill (The ...uh ... Duology? Biology?)
A Mighty Wind
School of Rock
If yahoo can count all three Lord of the Rings movies in 2001, I can count both Kill Bill movies for this year, even though only Volume 1 came out. School of Rock and A Mighty Wind are both completely winning music-comedies. Lost in Translation is a sweet, sad, enigmatic romance. Mystic River is Macbeth on the banks of the river Charles.
2004
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Shaun of the Dead
Sideways
Love 'em all. It's all been downhill for Will Ferrell since Anchorman. Shaun is a hoot. Sideways is an alcohol-fueled road buddy film that turns disarmingly serious. And Eternal Sunshine delivers a labyrinthine look at love gone wrong, then gone away. Might I also suggest ...
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Spider-Man 2
The Incredibles
The Aviator
Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story
Oh, I know. Some will disagree with that last one. All I can say to them is, "If you can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a ball!" The Aviator is the best Scorsese/DiCaprio collaboration to date. Spider-Man 2 and The Incredibles are neck and neck as the best superhero movies ever. Azkaban is the best Harry Potter movie. Lots of bests.
2005
The 40-Year-Old Virgin
Brokeback Mountain
A History of Violence
Oldboy
Again, it shames me to admit that I haven't seen the non-English language film on the list. But then, what good would a list like this be if it didn't steer you towards stuff you haven't managed to catch yet? Oldboy, you're on my radar and I'll take a look soon. Virgin is the picture that defined the Judd Apatow aesthetic that's been so prevalent in American comedies since. Violence is a taut thriller starring one of my favorite actors in the world, Mr. Viggo Mortensen. And after the dust settled and everybody was done telling their dumb gay cowboy jokes, with Brokeback, we were left with an incredibly sad American tragedy about lies shattering families and costing lives. Might I also suggest ...
Serenity
Munich
Cinderella Man
Mr. and Mrs. Smith
Sin City
Okay. So Serenity is mainly up there serving as a kind of tombstone for the late, lamented "Firefly." That series is utterly and completely essential and that means that this movie is, as well. Munich is another in an incredibly prolific run from Steven Spielberg, and it's chilling. Cinderella Man, on the other hand, is fully uplifting and triumphal. Subtle it ain't, but Mr. and Mrs. Smith functions as a great action adventure and a societal satire as Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie attempt to kill each other with a lifetime's accumulated clutter. Sin City is a stylistic stunner, impossible and audacious.
2006
Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan
Children of Men
The Lives of Others
Pan's Labyrinth
The three of these that I've seen are absolutely necessary. Borat is a riot. Duh. Children of Men is science fiction for grown-ups. And Pan's Labyrinth is a journey inside a child's mind that isn't all candy coating and primary colors. It's not so much a fairy tale as it is the raw, unrefined material that fairy tales are made of. Might I also suggest ...
United 93
Babel
Inside Man
Little Miss Sunshine
Flags of Our Fathers/Letters from Iwo Jima
Got another twofer in there. This time at least they were both released in the same year. Eastwood's meditations on the seminal battle in the Pacific Theater of World War II are both good movies on their own (Letters is a little better than Flags). But taken as a piece, they form an unprecedented attempt to truly tell a balanced account of a legendary conflict. Little Miss Sunshine is an uproarious comedy about how everyone's family looks insane. Inside Man is Spike Lee's meticulous hold-up thriller with another stellar turn for Clive Owen; good year for him. Babel interweaves the tales of three groups of people separated by continents. And United 93, with no stars and a documentary approach, tells the tale of those ordinary Americans who saved countless lives on 9/11.
2007
4 Months, 3 Weeks, and 2 Days
The Bourne Ultimatum
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Michael Clayton
No Country for Old Men
There Will Be Blood
Again, I haven't seen the foreign films on the list. I swear, I like foreign films. Sigh. The Bourne movies are dandy little popcorn thrillers, but I wouldn't have one on a list like this. Clayton, Blood, and Old Men are all towering achievements. Might I also suggest ...
Into the Wild
Zodiac
Grindhouse (Full theatrically released version)
Ratatouille
Superbad
The theatrical presentation of Grindhouse with cheesy double feature and fake trailers (one of which, Machete, is about to become an actual film) appears to have been a once-in-a-lifetime experience, since the Weinsteins show no interest in a full DVD release. Glad I caught it. Zodiac is the antithesis of a film I listed earlier from the same director, Se7en; here the serial killer ain't that clever or artistic and the investigation dead-ends. Ratatouille is nothing less than a meditation on what it means to be an artist. A rat artist. Superbad is the template for all the bromance comedies that have followed. Into the Wild is a truly touching film, triumphant and tragic, centered around Emile Hirsch's tour de force starring role.
2008
The Dark Knight
Slumdog Millionaire
WALL-E
All three are deserving. All three are dialled in to serious issues without sacrificing entertainment value. Dark Knight centers on trying to wrap your head around an incomprehensible threat. Slumdog Millionaire examines the role of destiny/pure dumb luck in determining one's social and economic fate. WALL-E is an environmental fable and the best silent movie in three quarters of a century. Might I also suggest ...
Rachel Getting Married
Forgetting Sarah Marshall
The Wrestler
The Bank Job
Happy-Go-Lucky
Rachel Getting Married proved once and for all that there was more to Anne Hathaway than airy-fairy princesses. Forgetting Sarah Marshall cleverly reverses gender roles with Jason Segel getting the bawling diva part while Kristen Bell and Mila Kunis play tough and sexually empowered. Sally Hawkins in Happy-Go-Lucky toes a fine line between being upbeat and being annoying; the key to her character is a wry intelligence. Mickey Rourke's comeback in The Wrestler is one of the great stories of modern cinema. Marisa Tomei is superb here as well. And The Bank Job is a tight little thriller with Jason Statham ably stepping out of lunkhead action and laying claim as the heir to the British new wave of Angry Young Men. He ain't that young and the wave ain't that new, but film geeks know what I mean.
2009
Avatar
The Hurt Locker
Inglourious Basterds
Ah 2009. it seems like only four months ago ... So wistful. Well, those are my top three films of the year, so I guess I can't complain about their inclusion here. Avatar is this generation's Star Wars. The Hurt Locker sidesteps any overt political commentary and makes a much more potent political statement than a shrill screed ever could have. Basterds might have the trappings of a WWII film, but make no mistake about it, it is firmly set in Tarantino-ville and is all about those twin Quentin obsessions, movies and vengeance. Might I also suggest ...
Up
(500) Days of Summer
District 9
A Serious Man
Up In the Air
It wasn't all that long ago, right? We all remember these, right? Well, just in case ... Up is another charmer from Pixar about the glories of -- and the burdens of -- the past. (500) Days of Summer tells you right up front that it's not a romance. But it is. Shhhh. District 9 subjects aliens to apartheid. Turns out they don't care for it any more than humans did. Even with all the cat food. A Serious Man features an ancient Jewish fable that the Coen brothers just made up. And Up In the Air shows the perils of detachment while living through the downsized recession of our modern economy.
Phew. So there you go. 100 movies from yahoo. 100 more from me. Looking back, it's been a pretty fair 20 years. Now if you'll excuse me, I have some foreign films to watch before I die.
I'm old.
Yesterday I ran through the list for the years from 1990 to 1999. Today it's the decade only just recently completed, the two-thousandsies! I'm already feeling nostalgic.
I'll note which films in each year that yahoo thinks you should see before you die, then I'll suggest five others that are at least equally worthy and -- in more than a few cases -- even better. It works like this ...
2000
Almost Famous
Best in Show
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Yi Yi
Can't say as I've seen that last one. My foreign film-going has frankly not been up to snuff. But I love the other three. Best in Show is maniacally funny, with Fred Willard and Larry Miller providing some of the most hysterical moments in the era. CTHD showed that action movies could also be beautiful. And Almost Famous gives you poignant coming-of-age stuff and raunchy rock and roll on the road all in one. Might I also suggest ...
Battlefield Earth
Dude, Where's My Car?
Ready to Rumble
How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
Dungeons and Dragons
Just checking to see if you were still paying attention. Seriously though, all five of those stinkbombs came out in the same year. Remember as we celebrate movies to see before you die, there are plenty of movies that just make you wish you were dead. Not these next few, however.
Cast Away
Unbreakable
High Fidelity
Traffic
O Brother, Where Art Thou?
O Brother is the Coen brothers' version of "Hee Haw." That's a compliment. Unbreakable is the last great M. Night Shyamalan movie. High Fidelity is a film that hits way too close to home for us music nerds. Traffic is everything that Crash five years later wanted to be, but wasn't. Cast Away is a Hitchcockian exercise in limiting the options available to a filmmaker. Makes me pine for the days when Robert Zemeckis wasn't making creepy cartoons.
2001
Amelie
Donnie Darko
In the Mood for Love
The Lord of the Rings (Trilogy)
Memento
Mulholland Drive
The Royal Tenenbaums
Haven't seen In the Mood ... Not as wild about Donnie Darko as the cultists are. The rest are great choices. The Lord of the Rings movies properly deserve a slot through the next three years, but honoring the Trilogy here will be acceptable. Tenenbaums is more quirky Wes Anderson fun. Amelie is a joy. David Lynch's Mulholland Drive is the craziest piece of filmmaking in the year. At least until you see Memento. Both are intense, unique experiences. Might I also suggest ...
A.I. Artificial Intelligence
Ghost World
Moulin Rouge!
Monster's Ball
The Majestic
Some controversial choices there, I reckon. A.I. is a savage meditation on the nature of love; most people have not warmed to it, probably because it rejects the whole idea of warmth. The Majestic is an attempt to do a modern-day Frank Capra movie; it might fall a bit short of those heights, but its still wonderful, anchored by Jim Carrey's earnest performance. Ghost World is kind of the girl version of Superbad and a lot of fun. It's worthwhile after all the crud she's done since to go back to Monster's Ball and marvel at just how brilliant Halle Berry is in it. Roger Ebert once wrote of Moulin Rouge that it was like being trapped in an elevator with the circus. That mania is exactly why I'm so fond of it.
2002
The Pianist
Y Tu Mama Tambien
Only two in 2002? Both top notch. Might I also suggest ...
Minority Report
Catch Me If You Can
Chicago
Panic Room
Punch-Drunk Love
Two Spielberg films this year, both wildly entertaining. David Fincher's Panic Room is intense and inventive and underrated. Chicago is a great big, splashy musical and we need a lot more of those. And then there's Punch-Drunk Love, a kind of deconstructed Adam Sandler comedy that's not to all tastes, but I dig it.
2003
City of God
Elephant
Finding Nemo
Interesting choices from yahoo for this year. They're all about just how harrowing it can be to be a kid (or to be around a kid). I wouldn't include Nemo, the least of the Pixar films. Might I also suggest ...
Mystic River
Lost in Translation
Kill Bill (The ...uh ... Duology? Biology?)
A Mighty Wind
School of Rock
If yahoo can count all three Lord of the Rings movies in 2001, I can count both Kill Bill movies for this year, even though only Volume 1 came out. School of Rock and A Mighty Wind are both completely winning music-comedies. Lost in Translation is a sweet, sad, enigmatic romance. Mystic River is Macbeth on the banks of the river Charles.
2004
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Shaun of the Dead
Sideways
Love 'em all. It's all been downhill for Will Ferrell since Anchorman. Shaun is a hoot. Sideways is an alcohol-fueled road buddy film that turns disarmingly serious. And Eternal Sunshine delivers a labyrinthine look at love gone wrong, then gone away. Might I also suggest ...
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Spider-Man 2
The Incredibles
The Aviator
Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story
Oh, I know. Some will disagree with that last one. All I can say to them is, "If you can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a ball!" The Aviator is the best Scorsese/DiCaprio collaboration to date. Spider-Man 2 and The Incredibles are neck and neck as the best superhero movies ever. Azkaban is the best Harry Potter movie. Lots of bests.
2005
The 40-Year-Old Virgin
Brokeback Mountain
A History of Violence
Oldboy
Again, it shames me to admit that I haven't seen the non-English language film on the list. But then, what good would a list like this be if it didn't steer you towards stuff you haven't managed to catch yet? Oldboy, you're on my radar and I'll take a look soon. Virgin is the picture that defined the Judd Apatow aesthetic that's been so prevalent in American comedies since. Violence is a taut thriller starring one of my favorite actors in the world, Mr. Viggo Mortensen. And after the dust settled and everybody was done telling their dumb gay cowboy jokes, with Brokeback, we were left with an incredibly sad American tragedy about lies shattering families and costing lives. Might I also suggest ...
Serenity
Munich
Cinderella Man
Mr. and Mrs. Smith
Sin City
Okay. So Serenity is mainly up there serving as a kind of tombstone for the late, lamented "Firefly." That series is utterly and completely essential and that means that this movie is, as well. Munich is another in an incredibly prolific run from Steven Spielberg, and it's chilling. Cinderella Man, on the other hand, is fully uplifting and triumphal. Subtle it ain't, but Mr. and Mrs. Smith functions as a great action adventure and a societal satire as Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie attempt to kill each other with a lifetime's accumulated clutter. Sin City is a stylistic stunner, impossible and audacious.
2006
Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan
Children of Men
The Lives of Others
Pan's Labyrinth
The three of these that I've seen are absolutely necessary. Borat is a riot. Duh. Children of Men is science fiction for grown-ups. And Pan's Labyrinth is a journey inside a child's mind that isn't all candy coating and primary colors. It's not so much a fairy tale as it is the raw, unrefined material that fairy tales are made of. Might I also suggest ...
United 93
Babel
Inside Man
Little Miss Sunshine
Flags of Our Fathers/Letters from Iwo Jima
Got another twofer in there. This time at least they were both released in the same year. Eastwood's meditations on the seminal battle in the Pacific Theater of World War II are both good movies on their own (Letters is a little better than Flags). But taken as a piece, they form an unprecedented attempt to truly tell a balanced account of a legendary conflict. Little Miss Sunshine is an uproarious comedy about how everyone's family looks insane. Inside Man is Spike Lee's meticulous hold-up thriller with another stellar turn for Clive Owen; good year for him. Babel interweaves the tales of three groups of people separated by continents. And United 93, with no stars and a documentary approach, tells the tale of those ordinary Americans who saved countless lives on 9/11.
2007
4 Months, 3 Weeks, and 2 Days
The Bourne Ultimatum
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Michael Clayton
No Country for Old Men
There Will Be Blood
Again, I haven't seen the foreign films on the list. I swear, I like foreign films. Sigh. The Bourne movies are dandy little popcorn thrillers, but I wouldn't have one on a list like this. Clayton, Blood, and Old Men are all towering achievements. Might I also suggest ...
Into the Wild
Zodiac
Grindhouse (Full theatrically released version)
Ratatouille
Superbad
The theatrical presentation of Grindhouse with cheesy double feature and fake trailers (one of which, Machete, is about to become an actual film) appears to have been a once-in-a-lifetime experience, since the Weinsteins show no interest in a full DVD release. Glad I caught it. Zodiac is the antithesis of a film I listed earlier from the same director, Se7en; here the serial killer ain't that clever or artistic and the investigation dead-ends. Ratatouille is nothing less than a meditation on what it means to be an artist. A rat artist. Superbad is the template for all the bromance comedies that have followed. Into the Wild is a truly touching film, triumphant and tragic, centered around Emile Hirsch's tour de force starring role.
2008
The Dark Knight
Slumdog Millionaire
WALL-E
All three are deserving. All three are dialled in to serious issues without sacrificing entertainment value. Dark Knight centers on trying to wrap your head around an incomprehensible threat. Slumdog Millionaire examines the role of destiny/pure dumb luck in determining one's social and economic fate. WALL-E is an environmental fable and the best silent movie in three quarters of a century. Might I also suggest ...
Rachel Getting Married
Forgetting Sarah Marshall
The Wrestler
The Bank Job
Happy-Go-Lucky
Rachel Getting Married proved once and for all that there was more to Anne Hathaway than airy-fairy princesses. Forgetting Sarah Marshall cleverly reverses gender roles with Jason Segel getting the bawling diva part while Kristen Bell and Mila Kunis play tough and sexually empowered. Sally Hawkins in Happy-Go-Lucky toes a fine line between being upbeat and being annoying; the key to her character is a wry intelligence. Mickey Rourke's comeback in The Wrestler is one of the great stories of modern cinema. Marisa Tomei is superb here as well. And The Bank Job is a tight little thriller with Jason Statham ably stepping out of lunkhead action and laying claim as the heir to the British new wave of Angry Young Men. He ain't that young and the wave ain't that new, but film geeks know what I mean.
2009
Avatar
The Hurt Locker
Inglourious Basterds
Ah 2009. it seems like only four months ago ... So wistful. Well, those are my top three films of the year, so I guess I can't complain about their inclusion here. Avatar is this generation's Star Wars. The Hurt Locker sidesteps any overt political commentary and makes a much more potent political statement than a shrill screed ever could have. Basterds might have the trappings of a WWII film, but make no mistake about it, it is firmly set in Tarantino-ville and is all about those twin Quentin obsessions, movies and vengeance. Might I also suggest ...
Up
(500) Days of Summer
District 9
A Serious Man
Up In the Air
It wasn't all that long ago, right? We all remember these, right? Well, just in case ... Up is another charmer from Pixar about the glories of -- and the burdens of -- the past. (500) Days of Summer tells you right up front that it's not a romance. But it is. Shhhh. District 9 subjects aliens to apartheid. Turns out they don't care for it any more than humans did. Even with all the cat food. A Serious Man features an ancient Jewish fable that the Coen brothers just made up. And Up In the Air shows the perils of detachment while living through the downsized recession of our modern economy.
Phew. So there you go. 100 movies from yahoo. 100 more from me. Looking back, it's been a pretty fair 20 years. Now if you'll excuse me, I have some foreign films to watch before I die.
Friday, April 23, 2010
Watch a Movie and Die (Part One)
We love lists here at Pop Culture America, so when yahoo put out its list of the 100 movies from the last twenty years that you must see before you die, it was like catnip for us. Cyber catnip.
This is a big ol' list (100 strong!) and I want to present it in its entirety, so we'll do this on the installment plan: the 1990s today, the 2000s tomorrow. After the yahoo choices, I've included five alternate picks for each year, just to get the debate rolling.
Remember, these are movies to see before you die. That means we're not just talking about some good flicks that we like: we're talking Absolute Musts that you will regret missing as you gaze down from the In-Between like Saoirse Ronan. This is serious effin' business. So without (much) further ado, here are the 100 Movies You Must See Before You Die as selected by yahoo and with alternates from that li'l ol' alternator, me.
1990
GoodFellas
Misery
I'm not sure that Misery has worn all that well over the years, but GoodFellas is a no-brainer. Might I also suggest ...
Edward Scissorhands
Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer
Joe Versus The Volcano
Miller's Crossing
The Freshman
It might be hard to remember after the glop he put on the screen this year, but Tim Burton used to make lovely original fables like Edward Scissorhands. Joe Versus the Volcano is an underrated gem that I enjoy more every time I see it. Miller's Crossing got brutally overshadowed in its day, being released on the same weekend as both GoodFellas and Godfather III, but it holds up as well as the former and much better than the latter. Henry ... is one of the most chilling, harrowing films I've ever seen. The Freshman is a beautifully executed farce with Matthew Broderick at his befuddled best and an uproarious turn from Marlon Brando.
1991
Beauty and the Beast
The Silence of the Lambs
Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Thelma and Louise
All solid choices. I still think T2 is utterly unnecessary, but as unnecessary movies go, I'll admit it's one of the best. Might I also suggest ...
Bugsy
JFK
Barton Fink
The Commitments
Defending Your Life
Warren Beatty delivers what might be his finest performance in Bugsy. JFK has been raked over the coals over the years for this or that inaccuracy by people who completely miss the point. With Barton Fink, my Coen-love is showing again. The Commitments is gritty and joyful. Defending Your Life is Albert Brooks' best film and the first inkling that Meryl Streep could be funny.
1992
Hard-Boiled
Malcolm X
The Player
Raise the Red Lantern
Supercop
Unforgiven
I'm not as enamored of the Hong Kong chop-socky as the yahoo folks apparently are. Check out Hard-Boiled because its undeniably influential, but Supercop? It's okay, but I could have gone to my deathbed without seeing it and been perfectly content. Malcolm X, The Player, and Unforgiven are all absolutely essential. Might I also suggest ...
Batman Returns
Glengarry Glen Ross
Death Becomes Her
Reservoir Dogs
Under Siege
How did the yahoo folks leave off Reservoir Dogs? Mr. Blonde will not be happy. I think Batman Returns is audacious and brilliant; lots of people vehemently disagree with me. Death Becomes Her is a riot; more funny from Meryl Streep and a superb, understated performance from Bruce Willis. Movie dialogue has been trying to catch up to the desperate sales patter in GGR for years, to no avail. And Under Siege. Yes, a Steven Seagal film. Deal with it. It's great.
1993
Dazed and Confused
Groundhog Day
Schindler's List
All fine choices. Remember when Matthew McConaughey actually bothered to act? Good times. Might I also suggest ...
The Fugitive
Dave
Matinee
True Romance
The Remains of the Day
The Fugitive is one of the tightest action movies of all time (same director as Under Siege, not coincidentally). Kevin Kline is wonderful in the political fantasy Dave. Matinee is real under-the-radar stuff, but John Goodman as a schlock horror film producer has never been better. Tarantino might not have directed True Romance, but thanks to his script, every frame drips with Tarantino-esque-ness (new word!). And The Remains of the Day is exquisitely acted and paradoxically passionate; my fave from Merchant-Ivory.
1994
Chungking Express
Ed Wood
Forrest Gump
Four Weddings and a Funeral
Pulp Fiction
The Shawshank Redemption
Red (Three Colors Trilogy)
More Hong Kong action? Someone's getting a kickback. I'll confess to never having sat down with the Three Colors Trilogy. Something to do before I die, I suppose. The others are inarguable; I'm especially glad they included Ed Wood which died a hideous death at the box office, but grows in stature each year. Might I also suggest ...
The Mask
Bullets Over Broadway
The Hudsucker Proxy
The Last Seduction
The Paper
The Mask gave Jim Carrey his most Jim Carrey-ish role, even more so than Ace Ventura. Bullets Over Broadway is a scream with one of the best ensembles of the era. Like Ed Wood, The Hudsucker Proxy couldn't give away tickets in its day -- I blame that unwieldy title. The Last Seduction barely got a theatrical release and was first seen on cable, which disqualified Linda Fiorentino from most awards consideration. Unfortunate because she's nothing short of incendiary in the film. And The Paper might be a little by-the-numbers, but another great ensemble acts the hell out of it.
1995
Babe
Before Sunrise
Clueless
Heat
Living in Oblivion
Sense and Sensibility
Toy Story
The Usual Suspects
Toy Story, Usual Suspects and Heat are gimmes. Babe is sweet, with great work from James Cromwell. Before Sunrise and Living in Oblivion are both influential post-modern romances. Sense and Sensibility is a competent bit of Jane Austen. Clueless is still cute, though it isn't holding up well as the years pass. After the first three, I wouldn't have the rest of these on the list. Might I also suggest ...
Se7en
Braveheart
Clockers
The Quick and the Dead
Rob Roy
Two tremendous medieval actioners in Braveheart and Rob Roy. The final sword fight between Liam Neeson and Tim Roth in the latter is one of my favorite scenes of the era. If Clockers isn't Spike Lee's best, it's dang close. Se7en still packs a wallop. As for The Quick and the Dead, it's an odd duck, to be sure; no plot to speak of but loads of attitude and a once-in-a-lifetime cast (Stone, Crowe, DiCaprio, Hackman) shamelessly chewing the dusty scenery.
1996
Big Night
Dead Man
Fargo
Ghost in the Shell
Lone Star
Scream
Secrets and Lies
Sling Blade
Swingers
Trainspotting
Lotsa good quotes here -- "You betcha," "Them french fry pertaters, mm-hmm," "You're money, baby!" "Choose life." Love Big Night, Fargo, Lone Star and Trainspotting. The rest don't feel quite as essential. Might I also suggest ...
Fly Away Home
Bound
Hamlet
Kingpin
That Thing You Do!
Tom Hanks is finally directing again this year! His first effort -- That Thing You Do! -- is an underseen jewel brimming with joy, but scratch the surface and there are serious, murky depths to plumb. Fly Away Home is a sweet triumphal family film -- and I normally hate family films. Kenneth Branagh's Hamlet is a magnificent folly with its four-hour runtime and oddball casting (Jack Lemmon? Robin Williams?). Kingpin is one of the funniest movies of the era. Full stop. And Bound is a gripping, sexy caper movie with not one but two femme fatales. Or is that "Femmes Fatale?" Stupid French.
1997
Boogie Nights
Eve's Bayou
L.A. Confidential
The Sweet Hereafter
Titanic
In the wake of Avatar, it's instructive to go back to Titanic and see just how effective the James Cameron formula is -- place a traditional love story in the foreground of a huge spectacle. Hey, it worked for Scarlett O'Hara. And Rick and Ilsa. All these are terrific choices. Might I also suggest ...
My Best Friend's Wedding
Wag the Dog
Grosse Pointe Blank
The Ice Storm
Starship Troopers
My Best Friend's Wedding is a great romantic comedy -- and I normally hate romantic comedies -- because Julia Roberts has the guts to be thoroughly unlikable in it. Wag the Dog is an all-too-incisive political satire with devious work by both Dustin Hoffman and Robert DeNiro. Grosse Pointe Blank is a sweet movie about a hitman (rare). The Ice Storm is a meticulously observed family drama with a young cast that would go on to rule the next decade's box office (Spider-Man! Frodo!). And then there's Starship Troopers, which is a political satire just as biting in its own way as Wag the Dog. Requires re-evaluation.
1998
The Big Lebowski
Fireworks
Out of Sight
Saving Private Ryan
There's Something About Mary
Haven't seen Fireworks, but the rest are all worthy. Might I also suggest ...
Shakespeare in Love
Rushmore
Zero Effect
The Truman Show
Wild Things
Yeah, that's right. I have not one but two Denise Richards films in my 100 movies to see before you die list. Wanna make something of it? Wild Things is a twisty, turny roller coaster of a thriller. Rushmore's quirkiness caught me first, but it's the tenderness and the vulnerability of its principles that keeps me coming back. Zero Effect is a small miracle of a movie with a magnificent central character played to the hilt by Bill Pullman; I don't say this often but I wish there had been a sequel. The Truman Show was ahead of its time, anticipating reality TV before it had really taken hold. And Shakespeare in Love is THE BEST FILM OF THE YEAR! Cope with it, Oscar haters.
1999
All About My Mother
American Beauty
Being John Malkovich
Election
Fight Club
The Matrix
Princess Mononoke
Run Lola Run
The Sixth Sense
Three Kings
Wow. Pretty good year. Malkovich, Fight Club and Election are all in the running for any all-time favorite list I might make, let alone for just one year. The rest here are pretty good, too, though I've never been as wild about The Matrix as the rest of my geek brethren. Might I also suggest ...
Toy Story 2
Dogma
Eyes Wide Shut
Magnolia
Sweet and Lowdown
In Toy Story 2, Jesse's Song breaks my heart. Dogma is sacrileg-a-rific! Eyes Wide Shut is a difficult one but it's worth the journey for one of the best punchlines in any film. Magnolia is a symphony of pain that prefigures a lot of what P.T. Anderson would do a decade later in There Will Be Blood. And in Sweet and Lowdown, Sean Penn takes his dates out to shoot rats at the dump!
Check back here tomorrow for a look at the 2000s. Then come join us on Pop Culture America on blogtalkradio.com on Sunday, April 25, at 1PM Eastern as we break down this list even further still.
This is a big ol' list (100 strong!) and I want to present it in its entirety, so we'll do this on the installment plan: the 1990s today, the 2000s tomorrow. After the yahoo choices, I've included five alternate picks for each year, just to get the debate rolling.
Remember, these are movies to see before you die. That means we're not just talking about some good flicks that we like: we're talking Absolute Musts that you will regret missing as you gaze down from the In-Between like Saoirse Ronan. This is serious effin' business. So without (much) further ado, here are the 100 Movies You Must See Before You Die as selected by yahoo and with alternates from that li'l ol' alternator, me.
1990
GoodFellas
Misery
I'm not sure that Misery has worn all that well over the years, but GoodFellas is a no-brainer. Might I also suggest ...
Edward Scissorhands
Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer
Joe Versus The Volcano
Miller's Crossing
The Freshman
It might be hard to remember after the glop he put on the screen this year, but Tim Burton used to make lovely original fables like Edward Scissorhands. Joe Versus the Volcano is an underrated gem that I enjoy more every time I see it. Miller's Crossing got brutally overshadowed in its day, being released on the same weekend as both GoodFellas and Godfather III, but it holds up as well as the former and much better than the latter. Henry ... is one of the most chilling, harrowing films I've ever seen. The Freshman is a beautifully executed farce with Matthew Broderick at his befuddled best and an uproarious turn from Marlon Brando.
1991
Beauty and the Beast
The Silence of the Lambs
Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Thelma and Louise
All solid choices. I still think T2 is utterly unnecessary, but as unnecessary movies go, I'll admit it's one of the best. Might I also suggest ...
Bugsy
JFK
Barton Fink
The Commitments
Defending Your Life
Warren Beatty delivers what might be his finest performance in Bugsy. JFK has been raked over the coals over the years for this or that inaccuracy by people who completely miss the point. With Barton Fink, my Coen-love is showing again. The Commitments is gritty and joyful. Defending Your Life is Albert Brooks' best film and the first inkling that Meryl Streep could be funny.
1992
Hard-Boiled
Malcolm X
The Player
Raise the Red Lantern
Supercop
Unforgiven
I'm not as enamored of the Hong Kong chop-socky as the yahoo folks apparently are. Check out Hard-Boiled because its undeniably influential, but Supercop? It's okay, but I could have gone to my deathbed without seeing it and been perfectly content. Malcolm X, The Player, and Unforgiven are all absolutely essential. Might I also suggest ...
Batman Returns
Glengarry Glen Ross
Death Becomes Her
Reservoir Dogs
Under Siege
How did the yahoo folks leave off Reservoir Dogs? Mr. Blonde will not be happy. I think Batman Returns is audacious and brilliant; lots of people vehemently disagree with me. Death Becomes Her is a riot; more funny from Meryl Streep and a superb, understated performance from Bruce Willis. Movie dialogue has been trying to catch up to the desperate sales patter in GGR for years, to no avail. And Under Siege. Yes, a Steven Seagal film. Deal with it. It's great.
1993
Dazed and Confused
Groundhog Day
Schindler's List
All fine choices. Remember when Matthew McConaughey actually bothered to act? Good times. Might I also suggest ...
The Fugitive
Dave
Matinee
True Romance
The Remains of the Day
The Fugitive is one of the tightest action movies of all time (same director as Under Siege, not coincidentally). Kevin Kline is wonderful in the political fantasy Dave. Matinee is real under-the-radar stuff, but John Goodman as a schlock horror film producer has never been better. Tarantino might not have directed True Romance, but thanks to his script, every frame drips with Tarantino-esque-ness (new word!). And The Remains of the Day is exquisitely acted and paradoxically passionate; my fave from Merchant-Ivory.
1994
Chungking Express
Ed Wood
Forrest Gump
Four Weddings and a Funeral
Pulp Fiction
The Shawshank Redemption
Red (Three Colors Trilogy)
More Hong Kong action? Someone's getting a kickback. I'll confess to never having sat down with the Three Colors Trilogy. Something to do before I die, I suppose. The others are inarguable; I'm especially glad they included Ed Wood which died a hideous death at the box office, but grows in stature each year. Might I also suggest ...
The Mask
Bullets Over Broadway
The Hudsucker Proxy
The Last Seduction
The Paper
The Mask gave Jim Carrey his most Jim Carrey-ish role, even more so than Ace Ventura. Bullets Over Broadway is a scream with one of the best ensembles of the era. Like Ed Wood, The Hudsucker Proxy couldn't give away tickets in its day -- I blame that unwieldy title. The Last Seduction barely got a theatrical release and was first seen on cable, which disqualified Linda Fiorentino from most awards consideration. Unfortunate because she's nothing short of incendiary in the film. And The Paper might be a little by-the-numbers, but another great ensemble acts the hell out of it.
1995
Babe
Before Sunrise
Clueless
Heat
Living in Oblivion
Sense and Sensibility
Toy Story
The Usual Suspects
Toy Story, Usual Suspects and Heat are gimmes. Babe is sweet, with great work from James Cromwell. Before Sunrise and Living in Oblivion are both influential post-modern romances. Sense and Sensibility is a competent bit of Jane Austen. Clueless is still cute, though it isn't holding up well as the years pass. After the first three, I wouldn't have the rest of these on the list. Might I also suggest ...
Se7en
Braveheart
Clockers
The Quick and the Dead
Rob Roy
Two tremendous medieval actioners in Braveheart and Rob Roy. The final sword fight between Liam Neeson and Tim Roth in the latter is one of my favorite scenes of the era. If Clockers isn't Spike Lee's best, it's dang close. Se7en still packs a wallop. As for The Quick and the Dead, it's an odd duck, to be sure; no plot to speak of but loads of attitude and a once-in-a-lifetime cast (Stone, Crowe, DiCaprio, Hackman) shamelessly chewing the dusty scenery.
1996
Big Night
Dead Man
Fargo
Ghost in the Shell
Lone Star
Scream
Secrets and Lies
Sling Blade
Swingers
Trainspotting
Lotsa good quotes here -- "You betcha," "Them french fry pertaters, mm-hmm," "You're money, baby!" "Choose life." Love Big Night, Fargo, Lone Star and Trainspotting. The rest don't feel quite as essential. Might I also suggest ...
Fly Away Home
Bound
Hamlet
Kingpin
That Thing You Do!
Tom Hanks is finally directing again this year! His first effort -- That Thing You Do! -- is an underseen jewel brimming with joy, but scratch the surface and there are serious, murky depths to plumb. Fly Away Home is a sweet triumphal family film -- and I normally hate family films. Kenneth Branagh's Hamlet is a magnificent folly with its four-hour runtime and oddball casting (Jack Lemmon? Robin Williams?). Kingpin is one of the funniest movies of the era. Full stop. And Bound is a gripping, sexy caper movie with not one but two femme fatales. Or is that "Femmes Fatale?" Stupid French.
1997
Boogie Nights
Eve's Bayou
L.A. Confidential
The Sweet Hereafter
Titanic
In the wake of Avatar, it's instructive to go back to Titanic and see just how effective the James Cameron formula is -- place a traditional love story in the foreground of a huge spectacle. Hey, it worked for Scarlett O'Hara. And Rick and Ilsa. All these are terrific choices. Might I also suggest ...
My Best Friend's Wedding
Wag the Dog
Grosse Pointe Blank
The Ice Storm
Starship Troopers
My Best Friend's Wedding is a great romantic comedy -- and I normally hate romantic comedies -- because Julia Roberts has the guts to be thoroughly unlikable in it. Wag the Dog is an all-too-incisive political satire with devious work by both Dustin Hoffman and Robert DeNiro. Grosse Pointe Blank is a sweet movie about a hitman (rare). The Ice Storm is a meticulously observed family drama with a young cast that would go on to rule the next decade's box office (Spider-Man! Frodo!). And then there's Starship Troopers, which is a political satire just as biting in its own way as Wag the Dog. Requires re-evaluation.
1998
The Big Lebowski
Fireworks
Out of Sight
Saving Private Ryan
There's Something About Mary
Haven't seen Fireworks, but the rest are all worthy. Might I also suggest ...
Shakespeare in Love
Rushmore
Zero Effect
The Truman Show
Wild Things
Yeah, that's right. I have not one but two Denise Richards films in my 100 movies to see before you die list. Wanna make something of it? Wild Things is a twisty, turny roller coaster of a thriller. Rushmore's quirkiness caught me first, but it's the tenderness and the vulnerability of its principles that keeps me coming back. Zero Effect is a small miracle of a movie with a magnificent central character played to the hilt by Bill Pullman; I don't say this often but I wish there had been a sequel. The Truman Show was ahead of its time, anticipating reality TV before it had really taken hold. And Shakespeare in Love is THE BEST FILM OF THE YEAR! Cope with it, Oscar haters.
1999
All About My Mother
American Beauty
Being John Malkovich
Election
Fight Club
The Matrix
Princess Mononoke
Run Lola Run
The Sixth Sense
Three Kings
Wow. Pretty good year. Malkovich, Fight Club and Election are all in the running for any all-time favorite list I might make, let alone for just one year. The rest here are pretty good, too, though I've never been as wild about The Matrix as the rest of my geek brethren. Might I also suggest ...
Toy Story 2
Dogma
Eyes Wide Shut
Magnolia
Sweet and Lowdown
In Toy Story 2, Jesse's Song breaks my heart. Dogma is sacrileg-a-rific! Eyes Wide Shut is a difficult one but it's worth the journey for one of the best punchlines in any film. Magnolia is a symphony of pain that prefigures a lot of what P.T. Anderson would do a decade later in There Will Be Blood. And in Sweet and Lowdown, Sean Penn takes his dates out to shoot rats at the dump!
Check back here tomorrow for a look at the 2000s. Then come join us on Pop Culture America on blogtalkradio.com on Sunday, April 25, at 1PM Eastern as we break down this list even further still.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Crazy Sexy Pop Culture America
Pop Culture America is proud to welcome Alan Kistler of Alan Kistler's Universe and Crazy Sexy Geeks: The Series to this week's jam-packed episode. With Special Guest Host Michael along for the ride, we'll discuss the sartorial hits and misses of the superhero set, take an in-depth look at the new Doctor Who, let you know if The Losers is a winner, and punch all of your pop cultural buttons till you beg us to stop.
At which point we will stop. Because we are polite.
And we hate begging.
As always, Pop Culture America airs live from 1PM to 230PM Eastern on Sunday afternoon over on blogtalkradio.com (thank you, blogtalk!), and then later is available as a free podcast download from blogtalk and over at iTunes. Subscribe today!
See you Sunday. On the radio!
At which point we will stop. Because we are polite.
And we hate begging.
As always, Pop Culture America airs live from 1PM to 230PM Eastern on Sunday afternoon over on blogtalkradio.com (thank you, blogtalk!), and then later is available as a free podcast download from blogtalk and over at iTunes. Subscribe today!
See you Sunday. On the radio!
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John and Dave talks Oscar nomination predictions
