2009 Summer Blockbusters

I was thinking about all the good movies that were coming out this summer this morning.  And because I like lists I thought I map out the summer movies that I want to see.  For no particular reason except that I was sitting here thinking I wanted to do this.  The ones in RED are the ones I’ll probably pay to see in the theater. 

 

May 1

X-Men Origins: Wolverine

The Limits of Control

May 8

Star Trek (seen)

May 15

Angels & Demons

The Brothers Bloom

May 21

Terminator Salvation

May 22

Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (still need to see the first one)

May 29

Drag Me to Hell

Up

June 5

The Hangover

Land of the Lost

My Life in Ruins

June 12

The Taking of Pelham 123

June 19

The Proposal

Year One

June 24

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

June 26

The Hurt Locker

July 1

Public Enemies

July 10

Bruno

I Love You, Beth Cooper

July 15

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

July 17

(500) Days of Summer

July 31

Funny People

August 7

G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra

Julie & Julia

August 14

Taking Woodstock

August 21

Inglourious Basterds

 

Don’t judge me.  I tend to

Is there something I’m missing

Somedays I'm Jon Arbuckle

Garfield minus Garfield

Original

What Movies Make A Man?

Esquire.com has a list of 75 movies every man should see.  And because “I’m a man…baby”, this is another list I must achieve.  The funny thing is I’ve read through the list several times now and there is actually only 74 movies on the list.  That makes me laugh. 

My question is how many of these movies does one have to have seen in order to obtain his manly merit badge?  I’m going to say 65%.  Which out of 75 movies is 48.75; out of 74 movies is 48.10 movies.  So let’s say 45, but in order to be a man amoung men, I think having seen all would be a prerequisite.

(If I was lonely and bored I might actually make a Man Scout uniform, similar to a Boy Scout one, but only manly-er.  But alas I have a life.  Sure it involves watching a lot of movies, but nevertheless, it doesn’t have room for a Man Scout uniform.)

I honestly haven’t counted how many of these movies I have seen, but has I review them one more time I will highlight in red which I have seen.  Then I’ll add them up and see if it’s greater than 65%.

1.       In the Heat of the Night

2.       Slap Shot

3.       Iron Man

4.       Jaws

5.       Save the Tiger

6.       12 Angry Men

7.       Fast Times at Ridgemont High

8.       Chinatown

9.       The Godfather

10.   Fitzcarraldo

11.   Ghostbusters

12.   Glory

13.   Wall Street

14.   Runaway Train

15.   Rosemary’s Baby

16.   North by Northwest

17.   Lone Star

18.   The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

19.   The Conversation

20.   The Thin Blue Line

21.   Johnny Dangerously

22.   The French Connection

23.   Miller’s Crossing

24.   The Great Escape

25.   Dawn of the Dead

26.   Shaun of the Dead

27.   Hate

28.   First Blood

29.   Bottle Rocket

30.   Bad Day at Black Rock

31.   Tootsie

32.   Broadcast News

33.   The Terminator

34.   Shakes the Clown

35.   Dirty Harry

36.   Straw Dogs

37.   Raging Bull

38.   Citizen Kane

39.   The Shining

40.   Fatal Attraction

41.   The Incredibles

42.   Blade Runner

43.   Sling Blade

44.   Giant

45.   Glengarry Glen Ross

46.   Serpico

47.   Down by Law

48.   The Searchers

49.   Do the Right Thing

50.   Gone Baby Gone

51.   The Big Kahuna

52.   M*A*S*H

53.   The Verdict

54.   The Warriors

55.   Alien

56.   Stalag 17

57.   Bridge on the River Kwai

58.   The Misfits

59.   Reservoir Dogs

60.   The Maltese Falcon

61.   Dr. No

62.   Cool Hand Luke

63.   The Road Warrior

64.   Patton

65.   True Romance

66.   Run Silent, Run Deep

67.   All Quiet on the Western Front

68.   Platoon

69.   Caddyshack

70.   Hud

71.   Blazing Saddles

72.   Three Kings

73.   Paths of Glory

74.   On the Waterfront

75.   _____________?

Uh oh.  I haven’t counted yet, but I think my man creditials are in trouble.  Counting now….

 

Only 34.  That’s about 45%, but not nearly close enough to make a claim on that merit badge.  But only 15 away from achieving the dream.  This gives me even more excuses to visit Blockbuster. 

 

How about you?  Have you seen a good portion of these films?

 

What movie would you add to this list?  Here is a short list I would have every man consider, in addition to the list above (who am I to argue with Esquire magazine?):

-          Fight Club

-          American History X

-          Field of Dreams

-          Rudy

-          To Kill a Mockingbird

-          Dead Poets Society

 

Magnificent

Have you seen the new U2 video?
Check it out HERE.

"It's All Fun and Game..."

Sorry, but I saw this and had to post it. It's a bit long, but I thought it was worth it. Also there is a inappropriate word (i think i only heard one) so have your earmuffs close by.

But if this doesn't make you appreciate all the wisdom of your mothers I don't know what will.

80s Christian Rock Band

My friend Jon is going to see Stryper in concert. Also he still wears 80s spandex pants, but he doesn't have the hair.
He got me thinking about those few months in my life were I was a Stryper fan. I was also singing along to Psalty, so you must understand that I didn't know who I was or what I appreciated when it came to everything.
FYI - I don't like to say that I appreciate all music. I do appreciate a lot of music. But if I was being forthright I would have to confess that I think some music is just crap.
Now you're probably worried that I just might think your music choices are crap: well that's a good thing to consider. Maybe I do, maybe I don't. This isn't the post to discuss those issues.
So, back to Stryper. I starting looking up some footage on youtube. I forget how much these guys can wail. They're awesome!
Do you need help remembering? Here's a video:

Quote - Greg Levoy

“ We get so consumed and confused with all that’s going on that we live in such a way that sinful patterns never get confronted and changed, abilities and gifts never get cultivated and deployed, until weeks become months, months turn into years and one day you’re looking back on a life of heartfelt conversations you never had, great prayers you never prayed, exhilarating risks you never took, sacrificial gifts you never offered, and lives you never touched, and you’re sitting in your recliner with a shriveled soul and forgotten dreams and you realized there is a world with desperate need and a great God calling you to be a part of something bigger than yourself.  There is no greater tragedy than a life that was never really lived.”

-          Greg Levoy

Poetry in Motion

I just read this poem in W. P. Kinsella's book Shoeless Joe (which is later adapted into the movie Field of Dreams) and I thought I should share it here with you.
Here you go:

There are the saddest of possible words
Tinker to Evers to Chance
Trio of bearcubs and fleeter than birds
Tinker to Evers to Chance
Making a Giant hit into a double
Words that are weighty with nothing but trouble
Tinker to Ever to Chance

Beautiful eh?
Joe Tinker, Johnny Evers, and Frank Chance were a legendary double-play combination that played for the Chicago Cubs.
I'm trying to think of who poems could be written about today. That is, which players expressed the beauty of the game, not poems about steriods or pitch tipping.

Which players today are worthy of poetry today? Who would you write a poem about today?

Zack Greinke

Zack Greinke is on the cover of SI this week and the article (Zack Greinke is in Total Control) I thought was really good and worth a read by you baseball fans out there.  I remember first hearing  his story and thinking it reminded me of the movie The Scout, starring Brendan Fraser and Albert Brooks. 

You don’t often hear of the mental difficulties that ball players face, well at least not at the medical degree that Zack has struggle through.  Maybe Chuck Knoblauch.

Also I really did the cover of the SI issue.  It’s an aerial view of Greinke on top of the mound, setting himself on the rubber getting ready for battle. 

 

Yahoo Sports also had an article on Greinke today.

 

I have an affection the pitching position.  I loved being on the mound growing up.  Having the ball in my hand, taking responsibility of the game for my team.  When I would start heading to the mound and my coach would say, “Trevor, all you need is 9 pitches”, that wasn’t a burden that was a challenge. 

 

So to read a story of one young pitcher over-coming and dominating, that is just cool.

 

Captain Obvious

Apparently from my last post it’s pretty obvious that I’m not a Matthew McConaughey fan. 

Sorry, suddenly realized how bitter that post may have sounded.

I don’t carry how many of his cheesy romantic comedies he wants to make, but when you cross over into the films of comic book icons I get a bit defensive. 

I’m just saying…

 

Captain America

So today I heard or read some blurb about the role of Captain America in the upcoming Marvel movie may be cast with Matthew McConaughey.

Apparently this is just a rumor and not confirmed yet.  Hold on…let me double check with IMDB…um…yeah…nothing confirmed at the IMDB page for the movie.  Although if you’re interested the movie looks to be titled The First Avenger: Captain Amercia.

Now if Matthew McConaughey is cast as Captain America I would like to offer up my review of the movie now and spare myself from writing it later.  Indulge with me:

This movie sucked.  I want to be refunded the price of the ticket.  And because the retched film oozed off the screen so much and ruined my popcorn and slurpee, I also wanted to be refunded for that as well.  (The fact that I still ate the popcorn and drank the slurpee should be of no concern).  I could give you a recap of the story of Captain America, but I’m afraid that the performance of Matthew McConaughey would seep through my words and then cause this review to suck.  Plus the script of Captain America wasn’t bad, but because of the McConaughey casting who could tell?  Who knew Captain America could be so self indulgent.  And I thought Captain America wore a uniform that consisted of a shirt.  I would rather have seen Captain America portrayed by Teddy Ruxpin than Matthew McConaughey.  I dare say I actually enjoyed George Clooney and his Batman nipples more than this disaster of a film. 

Okay that may be somewhat of an exaggeration, but…um…no…that’s exactly how I think that that movie would be.

 

But thankfully the rumor isn’t true.  Thank God for the simplicity of a Google search.

Blogged Tired

I read over 500 blog post today. My reader was a little backed up and I used a few hours today to catch up.
I am tired.
My eyes hurt.
I feel bad for skimming.
I would never read all those words.
I need to cut some blogs out of my life.
Don't worry I won't cut yours.

Quote: Theodore Roosevelt

"It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat."

Theodore Roosevelt - "Citizenship in a Republic," Speech at the Sorbonne, Paris, April 23, 1910

(thanks)

Milli Vanillied

I’ve never been a fan of Howard Stern.  I think I watched his movie back in high school.  I’ve never heard him on the actual radio.  I’ve watched enough of his show on whatever cable station played the video feeds to know I shouldn’t watch his show on whatever cable station that plays the video feed.  (Of course I’m sure some of you are thinking, “didn’t you know that from the movie?”  And the answer is yes.  I should have known better.  But I’m also an idiot.)

Saying all that leads me to the reason for this post.

I was linked today to this audio clip of Beyonce singing on one of the network morning shows.  The clip is actual from Stern’s show and they are listening to it and talking about it.  It’s the actual feed from her microphone.  Of course not many of today’s current pop stars would ever dare to have their real vocals used in a concert, so a pre-recorded version is played thru the speakers instead. 

Give it a listen.

Click HERE.

 

Lights, Camera, Movies!

I was reminded by another blog of my goal to watch all of AFI’s top 100 movies of the past 100 years.  I have made some progress, but after I acquired a late fee charge at Blockbuster I haven’t rented anything lately.  I don’t particularly have a time line for this goal, but sooner rather than later. 

Now there was two list created, one in 1998 and again in 2007.  I think it’s important to watch all of the movies on both list, 1998 & 2007.  Now a couple of these I have seen before but if I can’t really remember the story or if I assume I watched it too young to really understand it I am not qualifying it as read.

I recently watched Citizen Kane and can tell why it’s been given the #1 spot.  An incredible movie.   Below are the two list.  The movies in red are the ones I have seen.

1998

1	Citizen Kane
2	Casablanca
3	The Godfather
4	Gone with the Wind
5	Lawrence of Arabia
6	The Wizard of Oz
7	The Graduate
8	On the Waterfront
9	Schindler's List
10	Singin' in the Rain
11	It's a Wonderful Life
12	Sunset Boulevard
13	The Bridge on the River Kwai
14	Some Like It Hot
15	Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope
16	All About Eve
17	The African Queen
18	Psycho
19	Chinatown
20	One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
21	The Grapes of Wrath
22	2001: A Space Odyssey
23	The Maltese Falcon
24	Raging Bull
25	E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
26	Dr. Strangelove
27	Bonnie and Clyde
28	Apocalypse Now
29	Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
30	The Treasure of the Sierra Madre
31	Annie Hall
32	The Godfather Part II
33	High Noon
34	To Kill a Mockingbird
35	It Happened One Night
36	Midnight Cowboy
37	The Best Years of Our Lives
38	Double Indemnity
39	Doctor Zhivago
40	North by Northwest
41	West Side Story
42	Rear Window
43	King Kong
44	The Birth of a Nation
45	A Streetcar Named Desire
46	A Clockwork Orange
47	Taxi Driver
48	Jaws
49	Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
50	Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
51	The Philadelphia Story
52	From Here to Eternity
53	Amadeus
54	All Quiet on the Western Front
55	The Sound of Music
56	MASH
57	The Third Man
58	Fantasia
59	Rebel Without a Cause
60	Raiders of the Lost Ark
61	Vertigo
62	Tootsie
63	Stagecoach
64	Close Encounters of the Third Kind
65	The Silence of the Lambs
66	Network
67	The Manchurian Candidate
68	An American in Paris
69	Shane
70	The French Connection
71	Forrest Gump
72	Ben-Hur
73	Wuthering Heights
74	The Gold Rush
75	Dances with Wolves
76	City Lights
77	American Graffiti
78	Rocky
79	The Deer Hunter
80	The Wild Bunch
81	Modern Times
82	Giant
83	Platoon
84	Fargo
85	Duck Soup
86	Mutiny on the Bounty
87	Frankenstein
88	Easy Rider
89	Patton
90	The Jazz Singer
91	My Fair Lady
92	A Place in the Sun
93	The Apartment
94	Goodfellas
95	Pulp Fiction
96	The Searchers
97	Bringing Up Baby
98	Unforgiven
99	Guess Who's Coming to Dinner
100	Yankee Doodle Dandy

2007

1.	Citizen Kane
2.	The Godfather
3.	Casablanca
4.	Raging Bull
5.	Singin' in the Rain
6.	Gone with the Wind
7.	Lawrence of Arabia
8.	Schindler's List
9.	Vertigo
10.	The Wizard of Oz
11.	City Lights
12.	The Searchers
13.	Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope
14.	Psycho
15.	2001: A Space Odyssey
16.	Sunset Boulevard
17.	The Graduate
18.	The General
19.	On the Waterfront
20.	It's a Wonderful Life
21.	Chinatown
22.	Some Like It Hot
23.	The Grapes of Wrath
24.	E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
25.	To Kill a Mockingbird
26.	Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
27.	High Noon
28.	All About Eve
29.	Double Indemnity
30.	Apocalypse Now
31.	The Maltese Falcon
32.	The Godfather Part II
33.	One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
34.	Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
35.	Annie Hall
36.	The Bridge on the River Kwai
37.	The Best Years of Our Lives
38.	The Treasure of the Sierra Madre
39.	Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb
40.	The Sound of Music
41.	King Kong
42.	Bonnie and Clyde
43.	Midnight Cowboy
44.	The Philadelphia Story
45.	Shane
46.	It Happened One Night
47.	A Streetcar Named Desire
48.	Rear Window
49.	Intolerance
50.	The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
51.	West Side Story
52.	Taxi Driver
53.	The Deer Hunter
54.	MASH
55.	North by Northwest
56.	Jaws
57.	Rocky
58.	The Gold Rush
59.	Nashville
60.	Duck Soup
61.	Sullivan's Travels
62.	American Graffiti
63.	Cabaret
64.	Network
65.	The African Queen
66.	Raiders of the Lost Ark
67.	Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
68.	Unforgiven
69.	Tootsie
70.	A Clockwork Orange
71.	Saving Private Ryan
72.	The Shawshank Redemption
73.	Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
74.	The Silence of the Lambs
75.	In the Heat of the Night
76.	Forrest Gump
77.	All the President's Men
78.	Modern Times
79.	The Wild Bunch
80.	The Apartment
81.	Spartacus
82.	Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans
83.	Titanic
84.	Easy Rider
85.	A Night at the Opera
86.	Platoon
87.	12 Angry Men
88.	Bringing Up Baby
89.	The Sixth Sense
90.	Swing Time
91.	Sophie's Choice
92.	GoodFellas
93.	The French Connection
94.	Pulp Fiction
95.	The Last Picture Show
96.	Do the Right Thing
97.	Blade Runner
98.	Yankee Doodle Dandy
99.	Toy Story
100.	Ben-Hur