I might just be back!

It's been a loooooooooong time. It looks like my last post was at the end of April. I haven't decided if I'm going to have enough time to do a pre-Oscar group of reviews, but I'm definitely toying with the notion.

Stay tuned!!!

~k8~

k8's 100 Favorite Movies of All Time: REDUX

Tomorrow will mark the 1-month anniversary of the last blog I've written. Pretty impressive, I'd say. Let's just call this break one of many hiatus-es (is that even a word?). Call it writer's block, call it laziness, call it what you will...sometimes I just don't watch anything new. (After my Oscar stint, who could blame me?)

At any rate, I return with gusto to introduce the much-anticipated 6th Anniversary Edition of k8's 100 Favorite Movies of All Time: REDUX! That is to say, a couple people I know personally and who may or may not be related to me, are mildly curious and are likely only attempting to make me feel a little better about my recent absence from cyberspace.

Faith, of In My Opinion fame (who has NOT been on hiatus and has written some fabulous reviews in the past month...check them out!), and I have been discussing my options for how to deliver these 100 influential movies of my life. I have chosen the AFI method of releasing the full, uncut and uncensored list of possible films first. Then, once the 100 have been selected, I will embark on a 10 week release of mini-reviews.

Like my quotes, movies are selected based on the following qualifications:

1. Do I identify with the characters or situations in this film?

2. Quote-ability. Memorization was a big part of my early-viewing days. Can I quote any/all of it?

3. Likeability. Is it just a great movie?

4. Did it have some over-whelming impact on my life? Good or bad?

NOTE TO READERS: It's audience participation time! I want to hear back from you. Which movies do you think should be on my list? Why? What makes that movie worthwhile for you? Did it have an impact on your life in some way or did you just think it was FREAKIN AWESOME?! God forbid...have I missed your favorites?? Enquiring minds want to know.

So without further ado...the 240 finalists, in no particular order.

1. The Goonies (1985)
2. Aladdin (1992)
3. Garden State (2004)
4. Singin' in the Rain (1951)
5. Tombstone (1993)
6. The Sandlot (1993)
7. Much Ado About Nothing (1993)
8. Anne of Green Gables (1985)
9. The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
10. The Music Man (1962)
11. Newsies (1992)
12. Return of the Jedi (1983)
13. Big Business (1988)
14. Three Men and a Baby (1987)
15. Groundhog Day (1993)
16. Mary Poppins (1964)
17. Swing Kids (1993)
18. Empire Records (1995)
19. The Sound of Music (1965)
20. Flight of the Navigator (1986)
21. Muppets Take Manhatten (1984)
22. The Princess Bride (1987)
23. Ghostbusters (1984)
24. Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)
25. Back to the Future (1985)
26. The Empire Strikes Back (1981)
27. Gremlins (1984)
28. The Ten Commandments (1956)
29. Hook (1991)
30. The Philadelphia Story (1940)
31. Glory (1989)
32. Moulin Rouge! (2001)
33. Young at Heart (1954)
34. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)
35. Mr. Mom (1983)
36. Memento (2000)
37. The Secret of N-I-M-H (1982)
38. American Beauty (1999)
39. Innerspace (1987)
40. The Parent Trap (1961)
41. The Birdcage (1996)
42. Sleepy Hollow (1999)
43. Take Me Out to the Ballgame (1949)
44. Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986)
45. The Emperor’s New Groove (2000)
46. School Ties (1992)
47. First Wives Club (1996)
48. While You Were Sleeping (1995)
49. Romancing the Stone (1984)
50. Gladiator (2000)
51. Say Anything (1989)
52. Jurassic Park (1993)
53. Good Morning, Vietnam! (1987)
54. Big (1988)
55. Splash (1984)
56. Backdraft (1991)
57. Strictly Ballroom (1992)
58. 12 Monkeys (1995)
59. The Manchurian Candidate (1962)
60. Trainspotting (1996)
61. Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)
62. The Matrix (1999)
63. Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
64. O’ Brother Where Art Thou (2000)
65. Speed (1994)
66. The Chipmunk’s Adventure (1987)
67. What About Bob? (1991)
68. The Fugitive (1993)
69. American History X (1998)
70. The Neverending Story (1984)
71. Toy Story (1995)
72. On the Town (1949)
73. The Usual Suspects (1995)
74. The Three Amigos (1986)
75. Nine Months (1995)
76. Charlotte’s Web (1973)
77. Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954)
78. Robin Hood (Disney) (1973)
79. Schindler’s List (1993)
80. Star Wars: A New Hope (1977)
81. The Land Before Time (1988)
82. Benny & Joon (1993)
83. Braveheart (1995)
84. A Fish Called Wanda (1988)
85. Back to the Future II (1989)
86. The Many Adv’s of Winnie the Pooh (1977)
87. Dead Poet’s Society (1989)
88. Being John Malkovich (1999)
89. Sixteen Candles (1984)
90. Grosse Point Blanke (1997)
91. The Jerk (1979)
92. His Girl Friday (1940)
93. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)
94. Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953)
95. Top Secret (1984)
96. The Ref (1994)
97. Don Juan DeMarco (1995)
98. Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993)
99. Poltergeist (1982)
100. A Night to Remember (1958)
101. Bridget Jones’s Diary (2001)
102. Murder By Death (1976)
103. Fight Club (1999)
104. Blow Dry (2001)
105. Lucky # S7evin (2006)
106. Talladega Nights (2006)
107. Thank You For Smoking (2005)
108. The Great Muppet Caper (1981)
109. French Kiss (1995)
110. Bringing Up Baby (1938)
111. Some Like it Hot (1959)
112. The Departed (2006)
113. Finding Nemo (2003)
114. Sideways (2004)
115. Hotel Rwanda (2004)
116. Blood Diamond (2006)
117. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
118. Sahara (2005)
119. Million Dollar Baby (2004)
120. The Incredibles (2004)
121. Cry-Baby (1990)
122. Pillow Talk (1959)
123. Double Indemnity (1944)
124. Rear Window (1954)
125. How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (2003)
126. Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)
127. Zoolander (2001)
128. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)
129. Little Miss Sunshine (2006)
130. 9 to 5 (1980)
131. Clue (1985)
132. Edward Scissorhands (1990)
133. An American Tail (1986)
134. Hot Fuzz (2007)
135. Twister (1996)
136. The Adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert (1994)
137. Adventures in Babysitting (1987)
138. 12 Angry Men (1957)
139. A Christmas Story (1983)
140. Christmas Vacation (1989)
141. Best In Show (2000)
142. Waiting for Guffman (1996)
143. Better Off Dead (1985)
144. Drop Dead Gorgeous (1999)
145. Elf (2003)
146. Everything is Illuminated (2005)
147. Heathers (1989)
148. It Happened One Night (1934)
149. Office Space (1999)
150. Pecker (1998)
151. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead (1990)
152. Sleepless in Seattle (1993)
153. What a Way to Go! (1964)
154. Tootsie (1982)
155. The Awful Truth (1937)
156. Mrs. Henderson Presents (2005)
157. Barefoot in the Park (1967)
158. MI:2 (2000)
159. Harvey (1950)
160. Overboard (1987)
161. Kiss, Kiss Bang, Bang (2005)
162. Foul Play (1978)
163. Napoleon Dynamite (2004)
164. Soapdish (1991)
165. The Apartment (1960)
166. The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985)
167. Manhattan Murder Mystery (1993)
168. The Last King of Scotland (2006)
169. Pretty in Pink (1986)
170. Noises Off (1992)
171. The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)
172. The Big Lebowski (1998)
173. Milo & Otis (1986)
174. Footloose (1984)
175. Romy & Michelle’s High School Reunion (1997)
176. Stripes (1981)
177. Toy Story 2 (1999)
178. Rocky (1976)
179. Apocalypse Now (1979)
180. M*A*S*H (1972)
181. Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend (1985)
182. Batman Begins (2005)
183. *batteries not included (1987)
184. American Psycho (2000)
185. Beetlejuice (1988)
186. The Brave Little Toaster (1987)
187. Howard the Duck (1985)
188. Casablanca (1942)
189. Cool Hand Luke (1967)
190. Darby O’Gill and the Little People (1959)
191. E.T. (1982)
192. Dogma (1999)
193. Mallrats (1995)
194. Ferngully: The Last Rainforest (1992)
195. The Frighteners (1996)
196. The Graduate (1967)
197. The Gold Rush (1925)
198. Hackers (1995)
199. The Hudsucker Proxy (1994)
200. How to Marry a Millionaire (1953)
201. Jason and the Argonauts (1963)
202. The Legend of 1900 (1998)
203. Mr. Deeds (2002)
204. My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002)
205. Paris - When it Sizzles (1964)
206. Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987)
207. Radioland Murders (1994)
208. Shrek 2 (2004)
209. Shanghi Noon (2000)
210. The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
211. Sleepers (1996)
212. SpaceCamp (1986)
213. Spaceballs (1987)
214. Steel Magnolias (1989)
215. The Sting (1973)
216. Sugar & Spice (2001)
217. Stranger Than Fiction (2006)
218. Super Mario Bros. (1993)
219. Swingers (1996)
220. Swiss Family Robinson (1960)
221. The Sword in the Stone (1963)
222. This is Spinal Tap (1984)
223. The Thin Man (1934)
224. To Catch a Thief (1955)
225. Tron (1982)
226. Wargames (1983)
227. Victor/Victoria (1982)
228. Wayne’s World (1992)
229. Willow (1988)
230. Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter? (1957)
231. What’s Eating Gilbert Grape (1993)
232. Young Frankenstein (1974)
233. Ernest Goes to Camp (1987)
234. Frantic (1988)
235. Con Air (1997)
236. Proof of Life (2000)
237. Tremors (1990)
238. Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf (1966)
239. The Namesake (2007)
240. Holiday (1938)

NO Thanks to the AFI...

Nothing's ever perfect. What's the old adage? You can please all of the people some of the time and some of the people all of the time but never all of the people all of the time. Something like that....but I digress.

As a follow-up to my blog, I Would Like to Thank the AFI, I decided to make a list of the movies I'm not thankful to the AFI for having watched. To mix it up, this one is set up a little differently. There aren't many movies I've disliked since I started keeping tabs; so, I'm going to look at every movie I've disliked on the list, whether I watched it before or after the AFI released their 100 greatest. There are also varying degrees of "dislike". None border on pure unmitigated hatred, as each film serves it's purpose in cinematic history; but that doesn't mean I must like them all, does it? Again, for a complete list, go here. So, without further ado, let's begin shall we?

1. The Grapes of Wrath (#21): Why did I watch the movie? Because it was easier than reading the book for Honors Lit my Junior year of high school. (Sorry Ms. Baharestan!) What did I get out of it? The overwhelming urge to take a nap. It may not be fair of me to rate this movie based on my 17-year-old mind's opinion. However, I think even today I would find this Steinbeck adaptation slow and relatively uneventful. This era of literature has never interested or attracted me. However, that's not to say that the story of Oakies traveling to California for work during the dust bowl of the 1930's lacks heart. Hardly. Henry Fonda's uplifting portrayal of Tom Joad won him an Oscar nomination. The film went on to take home Oscars for Best Supporting Actress (Jane Darwell) and Director (John Ford).

2. Vertigo (#61): Why did I watch the movie? College friends rented it and I'd heard it was a must-see. What did I get out of it? A short nap and a lot of staring at my watch. As I mentioned in my previous AFI blog, I'm not a fan of Mr. Hitchcock. While I've liked a couple of his movies, and I respect him as an artist, his films have never kept me engrossed. Vertigo finds Stewart, a retired San Francisco police detective, hired to follow a wealthy ship-builder's wife (Kim Novak). As the story progresses, Hitchcock weaves a web only he could devise, that has our hero stretched to the brink of his own sanity. Quintessential Hitchcock...if you're not me, you'll probably love it.

3. The Birth of a Nation (#44): Why did I watch the movie? Because it was on the list. What did I get out of it? Exasperated sighs and raised eyebrows. I believe I can say without a doubt, that this was my first silent movie. I think my only other "silent movie" experience was movie within a movie in The Three Amigos...which doesn't even count. If I'm not mistaken, the reason this 1915 silent picture made the AFI's Greatest 100 is because of it's epic scale, subject matter and method of story-telling. The complete DVD version runs a baffling 187 minutes. Yes, 3 hours and 7 minutes of silent Civil War epic. While the cut down 2 hour 5 minute VHS version was boring enough for me to turn off before intermission; it's important to recognize this film broke many boundaries including depicting the KKK and racial turmoil during the 1860's. Silent films aren't for everyone, especially those of us who are used to the fast-paced movies of today. Still, Nation has it's place...but that place is not amongst my personal movie collection.

4. Rebel Without a Cause (#59): Why did I watch the movie? It was on the list and it's James Dean's signature roll. What did I get out of it? Whiney teen angst and mid-50's stereotypes. Like Marilyn Monroe, Dean has become an American Film Icon. Better remembered for leaning against a wall smoking a cigarette than just about anything else. In Rebel, Dean finds himself the new kid in town, who makes a number of friends and enemies as he strives find his place in a new school and the love of Natalie Wood. I'm sure teenagers in 1955 would have identified more with the characters in the movie and empathized with their struggle to belong in a stiflingly structured community. However, I believe my reaction was, "Wah, cry me a river and grow up!" Arguably, what's most interesting to me about this movie doesn't have anything to do with the actual film itself; it's the real life tragedy of 3 of is principle cast members. As we all know, Dean was killed in a car crash about a month before Rebel was released, Natalie Wood mysteriously drowned in a lake in 1981 and Sal Mineo was stabbed and killed in 1976. Fascinating reality, disappointing fiction.

5. North By Northwest (#40): Why did I watch the movie? Because it was on the list. What did I get out of it? About 36 minutes of intriguing action and 100 minutes of thumb-twiddling waiting for something else to happen. Arguably one of Alfred Hitchcock's greatest films and very likely his best collaboration with Cary Grant. Who hasn't seen that "money shot" of Cary running away from the crop-dusting plane? To be honest, I think this is one of the most fascinating stories Hitchcock brought to the screen. Grant's Roger O. Thornhill is an average man, who is unfortunately mistaken for CIA operative, George Kaplan, by a group of spies. Thornhill then goes through Hell and back trying to find the illusive Kaplan and clear his own identity. Along the way he meets the beautiful Eve Kendall (Eva Marie Saint), who agrees to help him on his quest for the truth. I fell asleep during this movie, probably only for about 20 minutes or so, but I fell asleep. This movie could've been incredible if Hitch had cut out about 20 to 30 minutes. Speed up the pace and get rid of the long dead periods where we're just watching people sit or listening to extraneous details. But hey...I'm in the minority here. Just go see it for yourself!

Honourable Mention

A Clockwork Orange (#46): I admit it. I hate this movie. It freaks me out. I haven't even seen it the whole way through. Now before you Kubrick fans jump on my back and start hurling obscenities at me, let me say this: You can't expect me to believe you don't find anything traumatizing about watching someone's eyes held open by wires or that you can ever listen to the song Singin' In the Rain again without the image of a very violent and graphic rape scene...I just won't believe it. (Incidentally, I can still listen to that song, because the rape scene in question is one I haven't seen.) It gets the "Honourable Mention" status because I've basically decided that I will never watch the whole movie. I don't want to see it. I have no desire to see it. Nor do I see any reason why I should see it. Do you have any idea how many other movies are out there that won't cause me personal trauma and require a visitation to a counselor after it's over? There's a lot. Trust me. Netflix has like 30 to 50, 000 for me to choose from.

Ok...let's hear it. I know you have things to say to me about disliking some of the greatest American cinematic staples of the past century. Leave your thoughts...I can take it!

TMNT (aka Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles)

T-U-R-T-L-E Power!

If you were a kid in the early 90's or you had a kid during the early 90's or you were alive during the early 90's...you knew about the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle phenomenon.

I hopped on the TMNT bandwagon with their first movie, aptly named Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990), road it through the sequel Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze (1991) and fell off the wagon with the bumpy and rather lackluster Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III: Turtles in Time (1993) For some unknown reason, the big screen has been over-grown, gnarly, crime-fighting-turtleless for 14 years.

Simply shocking.

Not to worry, though. The four crime-fighting amphibians, their rodent ninja master and band of friends are back with animated vengeance. Plus, with the magic of CGI, these turtles have an unprecedented new litheness.

As with any cinematic resurrection, there are doubts surrounding the ability to make a new movie equal to the original. Naturally, a number of TMNT fans have awaited the release of this newest adventure with a mix of excitement and fear. Myself included. Would Kevin Munroe (who according to his imdb page, had only 1 video game to his directorial credit) be able to capture and deliver a story with the same action, comedy and fun of the first movie?

For all you comic book readers out there, I would just like to say this: I have never read the comics. I don't know anymore than the movies have taught me. That having been said, I thoroughly enjoyed the new TMNT. Michelangelo was bodacious with his obnoxious puns, prompting one of his amphibious brothers to quip, "Mikey, do you remember our little talk?" Donatello was introduced to the audience as "your friendly IT support agent 24 hours a day." Raphael is as angry as ever. And Leonardo is searching for himself in South America.

TMNT gave me the overwhelming urge to watch the 1990 original, which I own thanks to my wonderful little brother, so I popped it in when I got home. There are some amazing similarities. Specifically between Raph and Leo. I won't say more for those who will be seeing one or both of the movies in the near future, but I think some of the dialogue is even the same at parts.

With all do respect to the original...I do believe this latest installment, which continues the story of the four brothers following the demise of Shredder and The Foot (who do make an appearance), does more to set up the characters of the Turtles. As a kid, I didn't grasp the concept that Raph was angst-ridden, Don was the genius, Leo was the fearless leader and...well, ok I did get that Mikey was the party dude! Kudos to the TMNT scriptwriters for transforming the boys from 4 pizza-loving partiers into 4 distinct and independent characters.

What would I have liked to see more of? Mikey and Don. The first movie showcased some great numchuk action...this movie had virtually none. Well, no visible ones anyway. Likewise, Donatello and to an extent Michelangelo’s characters both took a backseat to the conflict between Leonardo and Raphael. They've left the door open for a sequel...so let's bring the other two brothers into the spotlight!

Totally tubular shots of the boys looking powerful, cheesy jokes and radical amphibious ninja action. The Turtles are back in town...COWABUNGA, DUDES! 4 Stars.

The 100 Quotes of Me...20 - 1...The Big Finale

Drumroll please! This list represents the last of the 100 Quotes of Me. In the top 20 you will find the quotes that I either identify with most or have worked their way into my lexicon so far that I've nearly forgotten where I heard it in the first place!

20. Obi-Wan: Luke, you're going to find that many of the truths we cling to depend greatly on our own point of view. (Return of the Jedi)

19. Greg: Oh, I love that movie. (Sleepless in Seattle)

18. Bob: We always like to avoid confrontation, whenever possible. (Office Space)

17. Alexander: I asked you a simple question! Do you love her?
Peter: YES!! But don't hold that against me, I'm a little screwy myself! (It Happened One Night)

16. Largeman: Fuck, this hurts so much.
Sam: I know it hurts. But it's life, and it's real. And sometimes it fucking hurts, but it's life, and it's pretty much all we got. (Garden State)

15. Bulgarian Girl: Mousier, you are a man. If someone loved you very much so that your happiness was the only thing she wanted in the world…that she did a bad thing to make certain of it. Could you forgive her?
Rick: Nobody ever loved me that much. (Casablanca)

14. Largeman: Maybe that's all family really is. A group of people who miss the same imaginary place. (Garden State)

13. Sugar: It's the story of my life. I always get the fuzzy end of the lollipop. (Some Like it Hot)

12. Frank: I will not apologize for who I am. (Magnolia)

11. Robbie: It's just there were a lot of little things like that. I know that sounds stupid...
Julia: Not at all. I think it's the little things that count. (The Wedding Singer)

10. Elwood: I always have a wonderful time, wherever I am, whoever I'm with. (Harvey)

9. Duckie: It's called a sense of humor. You should get one, they're nice. (Pretty in Pink)

8. Clarence: Remember, George: no man is a failure who has friends. (It’s a Wonderful Life)

7. Largeman: It just sort of happens one day and it's just gone. And you can never get it back. It's like you get homesick for a place that doesn't exist. (Garden State)

6. Kate: Happy - smile. Sad - frown. Use the corresponding face for the corresponding emotion. (French Kiss)

5. Tracy: You seem quite contemptuous of me all of a sudden.
Dexter: No, Red, not of you. Never of you...Red, you could be the finest woman on this earth....I’m contemptuous of something inside you--you can’t either help or won’t attempt to. Your so-called “strength,” your prejudice against weakness, your blank intolerance.
Tracy: Is that all?
Dexter: That’s the gist of it. Because you’ll never be a first-class human being or a first-class woman until you’ve learned to have some regard for human frailty. It’s a pity your own foot can’t slip a little sometime, but your sense of inner divinity wouldn’t allow that. This goddess must and shall remain intact. (The Philadelphia Story)

4. Anne: I know I chatter on far too much…but if you only knew how many things I want to say and don’t. Give me SOME credit. (Anne of Green Gables)

3. Becky: That's your problem! You don't want to be in love. You want to be in love in a movie. (Sleepless in Seattle)

2. Kathleen: Every thing I see reminds me of something I read in a book, when shouldn’t it be the other way around? (You’ve Got Mail)

And last, but certainly not least..........The Number 1 Quote of Me!

1. Buddy Elf: I just like to smile. Smiling’s my favorite! (Elf)

Well, thus ends my 100 quotes of me; hope you enjoyed them! I may get ambitious again and re-do my 100 Favorite Movies of all time...but don't hold your breath, that takes a lot of time and energy! :)