Top Ten Favorite Directors

Making this list was somewhat annoying for me because it made me realize how many directors I have not adequately experienced.  Because of that, my next list will be my top 10-15 directors whose filmography I wish to explore more.  The directors listed below are not simply guys who happen to be attached to movies I enjoy watching.  Instead, each of these men (unfortunately, no women made the list...) has a distinct style and brings to their films a certain aesthetic or personality that I enjoy.  Also, all but one of these directors at least share a writing credit for the films they make.  To me, if the director is not in some way involved with the story writing process then the film is not truly their vision.  These are the directors that I try to see every film they directed.  As the list draws closer to the top spots the auteurs become the ones that I feel "inspire" and "influence" me the most.
NOTE: I tried to avoid clips with spoilers but when it's a scene from the movie it makes it a little harder.  No major story points are revealed in any of the clips, that I can assure you of.

10. Darren Aronofsky

Known For: Pi, Requiem for a Dream, Black Swan

I have actually met Aronofsky and he seems like a pretty cool guy.  He brings to American cinema a gritty realism that seems to be a bit spotty throughout the country's history.  Aronofsky seems to have more in common with current European directors than Hollywood ones, which is a good thing.  The only problem I have with him is how his recent pictures, such as Black Swan, have entered into the "mainstream." The man needs to make a living, I understand that, I just don't like annoying film-goers saying Black Swan is the weirdest movie ever when it's actually pretty straight forward.  Pi on the other hand...

Favorite Film: Requiem for a Dream
Example of Style:

9. Gaspar Noe

Known for: Irreversible, Enter the Void

Here is a man who has changed how I look at movies, not only visually but emotionally.  I have seen two of his three feature films and they have both shaken me like few other works of art.  After watching Irreversible I felt like the only appropriate reaction was to burst into tears (unfortunately, I didn't, so I instead chose to feel miserable for a few hours).  While watching Enter the Void in the theater I was shaking in my seat the whole time.  His films strike you in the gut and contour your emotions in a way that most filmmakers can't come close to.

Favorite Film: Irreversible
Example of Style:

8. John Hughes

Known For: The Breakfast Club, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Planes, Trains and Automobiles.

Even though he had not directed a film in years his death (at age 59) was still too soon.  Many artists are called "generation definers" but I find that few are as appropriately given the title as John Hughes.  His films are essentially the archetype of the 80's teen comedy.  The movies he writes and directs are often recognizable from the music he selected for them and some songs are even synonymous with the film they were featured in.  His combination of comedy with tragedy is irresistible.  He has the wonderful ability to make you really feel for the characters in his films and by the story's end he will have you sitting with a huge grin on your face.

Favorite Film: Toss up between The Breakfast Club and Planes, Trains and Automobiles
Example of Style:

7. James Whale

Known For: Frankenstein, The Bride of Frankenstein, The Invisible Man

As stated in another post, I love Monster Movies from the 1930's through the mid 50's, and James Whale turned out some of the best of these movies.  The influence of German Expressionism lends a pleasantly distinct look to his films.  He also had some balls for being openly gay in the middle of the 20th century.  Many have found gay undertones in his films, mainly in The Bride of Frankenstein, and whether or not these undertones are intentional, the theme of isolation is definitely present.  Unfortunately, I have only seen Whale's monster movies and none of his other films such as Journey's End.

Favorite Film: Frankenstein
Example of Style: 

 
6. Godfrey Reggio

Known For: Koyaanisqatsi, Powaqqatsi, Naqoyqatsi

I almost love hearing Godfrey Reggio talk about his films as much as actually watching them.  Although, he is not the first to make non-narrative films, by any means, he has certainly made some of the best, in my opinion.  His films are not, what some refer to experimental films as, "bull shit," for the meaning is entirely determined by the viewer.  His synthesis of music and image, with the assistance of the genius, Philip Glass, is something that few directors can even come close to achieving.  His films are like watching a poem being imagined right before your eyes.  They transcend narrative and strive for something far more.

Favorite Film: Koyaanisqatsi
Example of Style:  

5. Sergio Leone

Known For: A Fistful of Dollars, The Good the Bad and the Ugly, Once Upon a Time in the West

Anyone who has seen a movie by Quentin Tarantino should be able to recognize the style of Leone.  He is pretty much, unarguably the best director of the Spaghetti Western genre, but his films are also some of the greatest ever made, regardless of genre.  Most of the time when someone thinks of a staple of a western he or she is thinking of a scene from The Good the Bad and the Ugly.  When I first saw Once Upon a Time in the West I was finally able to see what is meant by a director having control over his filmmaking.  His sense of pacing is impeccable and he is one of the best directors when it comes to building a climax and then releasing it in a satisfying way.

Favorite Film: Once Upon a Time in the West
Example of Style:   

4. Akira Kurosawa

Known For: Rashomon, Seven Samurai, Yojimbo

Kurosawa is often times hailed as one of the greatest directors of all time, a distinction I wholeheartedly agree with.  His use of extreme weather in his films is probably my favorite aesthetic aspect of his work, especially the use of rain in Rashomon and Seven Samurai.  I love his combination of humor and severity, most often with his number one leading man, Toshiro Mifune.  His characters are rarely black and white, but rather are shades of gray, making them infinitely more interesting than those who merely possess one of the former.

Favorite Film: Seven Samurai
Example of Style:   

3. David Lynch

Known For: Eraserhead, Blue Velvet, Mulholland Drive

This guy is nuts.  Many of his films require a solid amount of patience while viewing, but the end results is pure satisfaction.  Lynch's films are good examples of, what can be seen as, films, which are difficult to watch, but in the end,  totally worth it.  I love his distinct narrative technique, where the viewer constantly has a feeling of discomfort, and one usually has little idea as to what is actually going on.  I particularity enjoy how characters in his films interact and exchange dialogue.  Not only that, but visually, Lynch is in another league compared to most filmmakers.

Favorite Film: Eraserhead
Example of Style:   

 2. Ingmar Bergman

Known For: The Seventh Seal, Wild Strawberries, Persona

Throughout my childhood I searched for a celebrity who has the same birthday as I.  My efforts, for a time, appeared fruitless; but then I cam across a gentleman by the name of Ingmar Bergman.  A fellow Bastille Day baby, Bergman is an example of filmmaking at its greatest excellence.  His films strike a tone that I have rarely seen equaled.  The existential questions of morality, loneliness and faith he raises always leave me in a state of thought after viewing each of his films.  Bergman's films never end once the credits roll, because you are pressed to think about what you have just watched, and even better, hopefully, discuss it with someone else. 

Favorite Film: Persona
Example of Style:   

1. Stanley Kubrick

Known For: Paths of Glory, 2001: A Space Odyssey, The Shining 

I would argue either that Stanley Kubrick or Orson Welles is the greatest director in American history.  His films possess such a "wow" factor that anyone from a Joe Schmoe film-goer to a snobby film student can come away from one of his movies and understand that what he or she saw was something special.  I always enjoyed his body of work but once I finally saw 2001 my entire opinion of Kubrick changed.  That's not to say that Dr. Strangelove, A Clockwork Orange, or The Shining aren't masterpieces of their respective genres, because they are.  The thing about 2001, though, is that it is without question one of the greatest movies ever made.  It is, in my opinion, the greatest example of sound editing in a film, from the classical music soundtrack, to Hal's voice, to the breathing within the space suits.  In fact, all of his films have great sound editing.  In A Clockwork Orange he juxtaposes classical music with violence brilliantly, and even though numerous others have copied this technique, none of them have the same effect as Kubrick's work.  The distinct look of his films also makes my mouth water.  The trenches of Paths of Glory, the twins in The Shining, or the camera zooms in Full Metal Jacket, are all striking to the eye and the senses.  Kubrick does not give the viewer answers in his films, but instead asks us questions, and the answers are never simple.  Many of the auteurs listed share that quality, and that is one of the primary reasons why I enjoy their work.  Ultimately, but not always, of course, when I watch a movie I want to be challenged and to think. I love how Stanley Kubrick goes about doing this more so than any other director and his movies are great because he directed them; if anyone else had done so, they would have been worse. 

Favorite Film: 2001: A Space Odyssey
Example of Style:   

Top Fifteen Favorite Movie Posters

This is a tricky list only because there are some posters I like but I am not sure if they were officially released posters or fan made.  There is also the issue of knowing if they were theatrical posters are covers to home media cases.  So what I tried to do was find ones that I am pretty sure were posters for the theatrical release of each film respectively.  

15. Cashback (2006)

There is a naked lady on this poster.  I think that is reason enough to like it.

14. Attack of the 50 Foot Woman (1958)

What's more awesome, the poster of the title?  It's a giant scantly dressed lady attacking a high way.  What else do you need?

13. Godzilla vs. Megalon (1973)

This poster by itself is pretty rad, but once you find out that this scenario is not in the actual film you realize just how incredible it really is.

12. Platoon (1986)

This image is probably the most memorable part of the film and it's taken from its best scene too.

11.  Star Wars (1979)

The original Star Wars trilogy has some fantastic posters, which is why this is one of three that are on this list.

10. Fargo (1996)

 I love the simplicity of this.  Also, the kinda soft texture that it has is a nice touch considering how rough the actual story is.

9. The Exorcist (1974)

 I love how this shot is set up in the actual movie.  You are watching it when suddenly you realize, "hey, that's the poster image!"

8. Lawrence of Arabia (1962)

The fact that Lawrence's eyes are covered in shadow is a good way of showing that the movie is a story that seeks to discover who he was.

7. The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

Darth Vader reaching out to give you a physical is a nice touch.

6. Metropolis (1927)

The use of lines in this poster is phenomenal to look upon.  The emphasized size of the buildings as well as the font work well with the German Expressionism of the film.

5. Akira (1988)

I really like the contrast of the red against the white.  This is quite a violent film so the red could be seen as a symbol for the bloodshed.

4. The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

This poster is on many "top posters" lists and there's a reason for it.  You should inspect the skull on the moth a little closer.

3. King Kong (1930)

Remind anyone of a certain Godzilla poster?  Kong looks absolutely ferocious in this poster, but not quite as threatening as he does in the actual movie.

2. Revenge of the Jedi (1983)

Notice the title?  This was the original title to the movie but Lucas changed it to "Return" because he says Jedi don't take revenge.  Also, look at the lightsabers.

1. Rocky (1976)

 I love Rocky.  I love how motivational and inspiring it is.  It is a great representation of American tensity.  But I would argue that the movie is a love story first, and a sports movie second.  This poster defends that argument.  

Movie Reflection: The Dark Knight Rises

I am breaking my silence (on the internet) and will now share my thoughts on The Dark Knight Rises.  I went to the midnight premiere but I wanted to wait a few days to think things over before I made my opinion heard/read.  Basically, I thought The Dark Knight Rises was disappointing, predictable, and anticlimactic.  The film was by no means bad, but it certainly was not great, and it is easily the worst of the trilogy.  There will be plot details ahead but I will try to indicate when the spoilers begin.  The first section will be spoiler free.

The Good
First, the good.  The special effects and set pieces overall were great.  When the Dark Knight himself first dons his cape and cowl and takes down Bane's thugs I felt excited and I celebrated within myself at the the Caped Crusader's return.  Also, the music was pretty solid as well.  Not as good as The Dark Knight but still really powerful in its own right.  In fact, I am listening to it now.  Christopher Nolan is a fantastic director when it comes to big blockbusters and spectacle in movies and The Dark Knight Rises continues this tradition.  Unfortunately, one of the problems with the movie is that it tries to be too big and too grand.  With this, the film lost focus and was unable to develop certain elements to their fullest. 

The Not So Good (SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS)
The opening set piece with the airplane is pretty marvelous to watch.  But was I the only one who had a but of deja vu?  This was the first instance of predictability in the movie. No one should have been surprised that Bane was one of the guys with a hood over his head.  It was just like The Dark Knight when The Joker was one of the thugs wearing a clown mask.  The big difference being that I was more excited when the Joker was revealed.

After that the story picks up and it is shown to be taking place 10 years after The Dark Knight.  There is some sort of fundraiser, celebration, party, thing at Wayne Manor and there is an instance where some authority figure tells some other figure that Commissioner Gordon is going to be fired soon.  This comment is never made mention of or returned to again for the rest of the movie.  Ok...

The next plot point that made essentially no sense at all when the new character Officer Blake (Joseph Gorden Levitt) comes to Bruce Wayne's crib to talk to him.  Blake sits down and says he knows that Bruce Wayne is actually Batman (or as characters in the movie like to call him, THE Batman).  Blake gives a lengthy exposition explaining to Wayne and the audience how he knows his secret.  The explanation makes absolutely no sense.  Since Bruce Wayne looked like he was faking a smile and hiding something Blake then deduces that he must be Batman.  All right... I was not the only member of the audience that thought he was an adult version of the kid in Batman Begins that Batman gives his night scope thing to.  But it turns out that he is just some random guy who saw Bruce Wayne once when he was a kid.

While watching the movie I was able to look past the dumb Blake exposition with hopes that the movie would make up for it.  This is when Bane starts tearing Gotham apart.  This section is probably the best one of the movie, with the best moment being this, of course.  Once Batman is broken, though, things start to get annoying.

Bruce Wayne is told earlier on in the movie that his body is essentially useless now and that his knees don't even have cartilage in them.  He is able to get around this by using high tech knee braces.  Cool gadgets.  But Bane is still able to beat him easily and then throws Wayne into a hole-prison.  Batman is able to gain back all of his strength and become even stronger than before in a matter of days just by doing a bunch of pushups, situps, and pullups.  -_-  Come on, really?  Oh, and he had to climb out of the hole.  Which he does, you guessed it, on his third try.  Third times the charm even for The Dark Knight himself.

Then, later on, Bruce Wayne appears on the now isolated island of Gotham City, also known as Manhattan, to confront Selina Kyle and ask for her help.  How the heck did he get there?  If I'm not mistaken, there was less than 24 hours left on the nuke-bomb-machine so Wayne must have somehow managed to get there in under 10 hours.  So, that part was 100% impossible unless he ran into Scotty in the middle of the dessert.

The worst part of the movie, for me, was the "twist" near the end.  This is the part where Miranda Tat turns on Batman revealing that she is Ra's al Ghoul's daughter and the true protagonist.  Now, her character is actually from the comics and in retrospect her role in the movie makes sense and is appropriate for that character.  The problem, though, is that this twist came so close to the end of the movie that the main villain changed for about 15 minutes.  Bane was built up so much as this incredible and all-powerful figure just to discover that he is only a henchman and that his whole back story belongs to someone else.  

Then you have Bane's death.  Could not have possibly been more anticlimactic.

This leads to another major instance of predictability.  Whoever was surprised to see Catwoman come back and help batman is a fool.  So much attention was drawn to her not coming back and resisting the urge to help Batman it became irritating.  During Batman's fight with Bane I was constantly WAITING for her to show up.  If less attention had been drawn to her refusing to come back and help Batman we still would have known that she was going to come back.  But instead of waiting for her we would instead be HOPING for her to come back.

Then there is the ending.  The ending went way too quick.  Some people complain that The Return of the King took too long to end.  I disagree.  Look at movies like Harry Potter 7 Part 2 and The Dark Knight Rises that ended quickly and one releases how much is gained though a long ending.  The Dark Knight Rises went so fast at the end and almost ended abruptly.  With The Dark Knight Gordon goes on for a while explaining the situation.  This gives the viewer a chance to let everything that has happened sink in just before the credits roll.

The whole scene with Blake at the end is also irritating.  Not only does it not make any sense but it is an insult to fans of Batman.  Apparently Blake's real name is Robin.  Wait, what? Where do I even start?  For those who don't know, Robin's real name is Dick Grayson in the comics (the first Robin that is).  So it would have actually made sense if he had said "my legal name is Dick."  Why wasn't it like that in the movie?  Probably because that movie was catering to the fans of the movies.  Fans that don't actually know anything about Batman and his character outside of Nolan's interpretation of the source material.  There is nothing wrong with being just a fan of the movies, but if your knowledge of the characters stems only from the movies then you can't call yourself a fan of Batman.  Sorry, you just can't.  Any Batman fan would instantly understand the implications if Blake had said his name was Dick Grayson.  Also, for some reason fans of the movies don't even like Robin.  Why not?  Are you only basing this on Batman and Robin?  If so, you are wrong.  Oh yea, and if his legal name is Robin then what will his super hero name be?  Do you think I could get away with calling myself Harrison as a super hero?
 
Also, when we see Alfred crying at Wayne's grave I almost started laughing, simply because I had completely forgotten that Alfred had left in the first place.  They never really did anything with that did they?  The Alfred sitting outside at the restaurant was also a little cheesy and elementary level foreshadowing.  The movie could have done without that, which leads me to...

BATMAN SHOULD HAVE DIED!     So the ending where Batman pretends to sacrifice himself to save Gotham was unsatisfying for two reasons.  First off, for some reason I did not care that he was sacrificing himself.  I think this is because it was so obvious that he would have to do so.  It was more expecting of him rather than a shockingly brave sacrifice.  The second fault was that it is the exact same ending as The Iron Giant, but in The Iron Gian I actually cared.

This Looks Familiar....
The Iron Giant is not the only movie that The Dark Knight Rises resembles.  If I were to describe in one sentence The Dark Knight Rises, it would be, "Rocky 3 set in the French Revolution."  The basic structure of Batman in this movie is almost identical to Rocky 3.  In Rocky 3, Rocky comes out of retirement, fights a new guy, looses, then re-trains for a rematch with the bad guy.  Notice the resemblance?  Oh, and does this look familiar?  I also recommend looking at this.

What I Would Have Done
With these complaints I also have suggestions as to what I would have done differently if I were Nolan.  First off, I would have reduced the number of characters.  Nolan seemed to be wary toward adding a bunch of new characters but for some reason he still did.  Four major characters were added and the only one anybody really cared about was Bane.  If it were just he and Catwoman who were added that would have been fine.  This would allow the film to focus on these characters and develop them more while also allotting more screen time to the characters from the previous films.  I also would have reduced the scale a bit.  Batman is not a character that needs to be placed in an "epic" story, that would be better suited for Superman.  The movie, in a way, tried to be The Return of the King, in terms of grand, epic scale.  But, The Return of the King this movie is not.

The biggest change I would make is the structure of the later middle of the film.  Instead of inter-cutting between what is happening in Gotham and what Wayne is doing in prison I would have focused entirely on Wayne.  The way it is in the film there is equal emphasis on Gordan's forces and Wayne's rebirth.  The movie is titled "The Dark Knight Rises" not "Commissioner Gorden and Friends," I want to see a movie about Batman, not the Gotham police department.  Since there was so little screen time for Wayne in prison there was not a feeling of growth for his character.  I did not feel like he had to develop in any way in order to defeat Bane.  There was no "seizing the sword moment" for him.  All he needed to do apparently was learn to fear death and do some pushup for a few days and he was able to easily defeat Bane in a fight.  I don't buy it.


The Dark Knight Rises is the worst in the trilogy but it is not really a bad movie.  There have been annoying fans online already doing stupid things.  Also, the rating on IMDb is absurd.  Thankfully, The Dark Knight Rises does not ruin the trilogy like some think The Matrix sequels did.  It is more similar to Return of the Jedi, but Jedi is still a better film in my opinion.  I really want to see The Dark Knight Rises again, with lower expectations, because then I will hopefully enjoy it more.

The Dark Knight Rises Shooting

In case you don't watch the news, there was a shooting at a movie theater in Colorado during the premier of The Dark Knight Rises.  Many people will be talking about gun control and the effects of movies on violent behavior.  So for today I will share someone else opinion on the matter, but in response to Columbine specifically.

It is sad to think that the first few people on earth needed no books, movies, games or music to inspire cold-blooded murder. The day that Cain bashed his brother Abel's brains in, the only motivation he needed was his own human disposition to violence. Whether you interpret the Bible as literature or as the final word of whatever God may be, Christianity has given us an image of death and sexuality that we have based our culture around. A half-naked dead man hangs in most homes and around our necks, and we have just taken that for granted all our lives. Is it a symbol of hope or hopelessness? The world's most famous murder-suicide was also the birth of the death icon -- the blueprint for celebrity. Unfortunately, for all of their inspiring morality, nowhere in the Gospels is intelligence praised as a virtue.
A lot of people forget or never realize that I started my band as a criticism of these very issues of despair and hypocrisy. The name Marilyn Manson has never celebrated the sad fact that America puts killers on the cover of Time magazine, giving them as much notoriety as our favorite movie stars. From Jesse James to Charles Manson, the media, since their inception, have turned criminals into folk heroes. They just created two new ones when they plastered those dipshits Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris' pictures on the front of every newspaper. Don't be surprised if every kid who gets pushed around has two new idols.
We applaud the creation of a bomb whose sole purpose is to destroy all of mankind, and we grow up watching our president's brains splattered all over Texas. Times have not become more violent. They have just become more televised. Does anyone think the Civil War was the least bit civil? If television had existed, you could be sure they would have been there to cover it, or maybe even participate in it, like their violent car chase of Princess Di. Disgusting vultures looking for corpses, exploiting, fucking, filming and serving it up for our hungry appetites in a gluttonous display of endless human stupidity.
When it comes down to who's to blame for the high school murders in Littleton, Colorado, throw a rock and you'll hit someone who's guilty. We're the people who sit back and tolerate children owning guns, and we're the ones who tune in and watch the up-to-the-minute details of what they do with them. I think it's terrible when anyone dies, especially if it is someone you know and love. But what is more offensive is that when these tragedies happen, most people don't really care any more than they would about the season finale of Friends or The Real World. I was dumbfounded as I watched the media snake right in, not missing a teardrop, interviewing the parents of dead children, televising the funerals. Then came the witch hunt.
Man's greatest fear is chaos. It was unthinkable that these kids did not have a simple black-and-white reason for their actions. And so a scapegoat was needed. I remember hearing the initial reports from Littleton, that Harris and Klebold were wearing makeup and were dressed like Marilyn Manson, whom they obviously must worship, since they were dressed in black. Of course, speculation snowballed into making me the poster boy for everything that is bad in the world. These two idiots weren't wearing makeup, and they weren't dressed like me or like goths. Since Middle America has not heard of the music they did listen to (KMFDM and Rammstein, among others), the media picked something they thought was similar.
Responsible journalists have reported with less publicity that Harris and Klebold were not Marilyn Manson fans -- that they even disliked my music. Even if they were fans, that gives them no excuse, nor does it mean that music is to blame. Did we look for James Huberty's inspiration when he gunned down people at McDonald's? What did Timothy McVeigh like to watch? What about David Koresh, Jim Jones? Do you think entertainment inspired Kip Kinkel, or should we blame the fact that his father bought him the guns he used in the Springfield, Oregon, murders? What inspires Bill Clinton to blow people up in Kosovo? Was it something that Monica Lewinsky said to him? Isn't killing just killing, regardless if it's in Vietnam or Jonesboro, Arkansas? Why do we justify one, just because it seems to be for the right reasons? Should there ever be a right reason? If a kid is old enough to drive a car or buy a gun, isn't he old enough to be held personally responsible for what he does with his car or gun? Or if he's a teenager, should someone else be blamed because he isn't as enlightened as an eighteen-year-old?
America loves to find an icon to hang its guilt on. But, admittedly, I have assumed the role of Antichrist; I am the Nineties voice of individuality, and people tend to associate anyone who looks and behaves differently with illegal or immoral activity. Deep down, most adults hate people who go against the grain. It's comical that people are naive enough to have forgotten Elvis, Jim Morrison and Ozzy so quickly. All of them were subjected to the same age-old arguments, scrutiny and prejudice. I wrote a song called "Lunchbox," and some journalists have interpreted it as a song about guns. Ironically, the song is about being picked on and fighting back with my Kiss lunch box, which I used as a weapon on the playground. In 1979, metal lunch boxes were banned because they were considered dangerous weapons in the hands of delinquents. I also wrote a song called "Get Your Gunn." The title is spelled with two n's because the song was a reaction to the murder of Dr. David Gunn, who was killed in Florida by pro-life activists while I was living there. That was the ultimate hypocrisy I witnessed growing up: that these people killed someone in the name of being "pro-life."
The somewhat positive messages of these songs are usually the ones that sensationalists misinterpret as promoting the very things I am decrying. Right now, everyone is thinking of how they can prevent things like Littleton. How do you prevent AIDS, world war, depression, car crashes? We live in a free country, but with that freedom there is a burden of personal responsibility. Rather than teaching a child what is moral and immoral, right and wrong, we first and foremost can establish what the laws that govern us are. You can always escape hell by not believing in it, but you cannot escape death and you cannot escape prison.
It is no wonder that kids are growing up more cynical; they have a lot of information in front of them. They can see that they are living in a world that's made of bullshit. In the past, there was always the idea that you could turn and run and start something better. But now America has become one big mall, and because of the Internet and all of the technology we have, there's nowhere to run. People are the same everywhere. Sometimes music, movies and books are the only things that let us feel like someone else feels like we do. I've always tried to let people know it's OK, or better, if you don't fit into the program. Use your imagination -- if some geek from Ohio can become something, why can't anyone else with the willpower and creativity?
I chose not to jump into the media frenzy and defend myself, though I was begged to be on every single TV show in existence. I didn't want to contribute to these fame-seeking journalists and opportunists looking to fill their churches or to get elected because of their self-righteous finger-pointing. They want to blame entertainment? Isn't religion the first real entertainment? People dress up in costumes, sing songs and dedicate themselves in eternal fandom. Everyone will agree that nothing was more entertaining than Clinton shooting off his prick and then his bombs in true political form. And the news -- that's obvious. So is entertainment to blame? I'd like media commentators to ask themselves, because their coverage of the event was some of the most gruesome entertainment any of us have seen.
I think that the National Rifle Association is far too powerful to take on, so most people choose Doom, The Basketball Diaries or yours truly. This kind of controversy does not help me sell records or tickets, and I wouldn't want it to. I'm a controversial artist, one who dares to have an opinion and bothers to create music and videos that challenge people's ideas in a world that is watered-down and hollow. In my work I examine the America we live in, and I've always tried to show people that the devil we blame our atrocities on is really just each one of us. So don't expect the end of the world to come one day out of the blue -- it's been happening every day for a long time.
MARILYN MANSON (May 28, 1999)
 

Movie Reflection: The Dark Knight

Here I will post my thoughts on The Dark Knight.  No, not The Dark Knight Rises, that is a different movie but I'm sure some people will be confused anyway.  Tonight I am seeing the sequel and then post my thoughts on that particular film on Saturday to give some time for the hype to die out a bit.

I really like The Dark Knight and it's probably one of my favorite comic book movies.  When compared to some movies in the genre it's simply incredible to see what Nolan was able to do.  The story is intelligent and grounded in "reality" in a fresh and interesting way.  whatever praise I can give The Dark Knight would be unoriginal and boring at this point in the game so I am going to stop complimenting teh film.

The Dark Knight is a difficult film to like though, and it's not the film's fault.  Instead, it's the fans.  No, not the nerdy comic book fans and no, not the nerdy movie nerds.  With those fans one can actually have an interesting conversation with and discuss clever, small aspects of the film.  What I don't like are the "common" or "mainstream" fans the film has.   The people the over-hype it and call it the best movie ever.  I will say right now that The Dark Knight is not the greatest movie ever nor is it one of the greatest movies ever.  I would say it is not one of the top 1000 movies ever.  Sorry.  With this, I understand that I am coming of as annoying and pretentious and I apologize because that is not my intention.  A movie can be popular, that's fine.  Star Wars is ridiculously popular but its fan-base (for the most part) is much better than that of The Dark Knight.  Christopher Nolan makes great movies, and ones that make A LOT of money.  The Dark Knight Rises will make A LOT of money.  With that, though, there will many annoying people saying it's the greatest thing ever, blah blah blah.  Hype can be a dangerous thing, and it can sometimes interfere with enjoying a great movie.  Which is sad.

Top Ten Favorite Horror Films

I really like horror films, but to make a list of my top 10 favorite ones is a little bit tricky. For me, when I am making this list I am not simply ranking my top 10 favorite movies that happen to be within the genre of horror.  Instead, the criteria, for me, are how much I like the particular film as a horror film.   I am judging it as a horror film not only by how much I happen to like it.  So, for example, in my list there are some movies I may like more than ones that are ranked better, but I do not like it as much as a horror film. I can imagine this is mildly confusing to some and to the rest it is just stupid. Oh well, it's my list, not yours.

NOTE:  THE FAVORITE SCENES CONTAIN SPOILERS (DUH)

10.  Scream (1996)

I like to think that Scream is almost like a reward, or a treat for horror film buffs, especially for those who are particularly fond of slashers. Anyone who is familiar with the Halloween, Friday the 13th, or A Nightmare on Elm Street series will find the humor and catch the many in-jokes within Scream. It has a solid marriage of being a slasher film while also an amusing satire.
Favorite Scene


9. A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)

I have fond memories of begging my parents to let me see this movie when I was younger. I saw a toy of Freddie Kruger's knife glove at the grocery store one Halloween and since then I just had to see the movie that was associated with it. Then, in middle school, my wish was finally granted. I saw it and I loved it, and it even lived up to my expectations. Actually, I like it more now than I did the first time, since I now understand the cool "what is real?" mechanic the film has.
Favorite Scene


8. The Thing (1882)

 
I will start off by saying that when it comes to alien movies, I prefer this one to Alien. I love the mystery the movie has surrounding it. One is never sure who is "the thing" until it's too late, and when that happens there is usually a fantastic scene full of death, gore, and magnificent traditional special effects. Plus, Ennio Morricone wrote the score.
Favorite Scene


7. Night of the Living Dead (1968)

I love the look of this movie. The raw, grainy black and white photography works so well with the overall creepy aesthetic of the film. Also, the title, I think, is one of the best in the history of cinema. This movie simply screams classic! The political undertones of the film add a nice touch of intelligence to the storytelling and it is interesting to compare the zombies in this movie to those in the more modern zombie movies.

Favorite Scene

6. Freaks (1932)

Here is an example of a movie that can probably never be made again. Director Todd Browning used actual freak show performers as the cast of his movie. The effect is shocking. The viewer is robbed the luxury of being able to say, "It’s just a movie." Also, the climax is one of the most visually interesting and creepy scenes I have ever witnessed. Well, it's at least one of my favorites.
Favorite Scene


5. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)

Chaos, absolute chaos. That is what The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is, pure insanity. The film creates a brilliant world that is completely void of reason. The viewer and the protagonists are lost in a film that does not offer much rhyme or reason behind the killers, they simply are. he entire situation is random and the 16mm handheld photography along with fantastic sound effects decorate one of the most unforgettable horror films of all time.
Favorite Scene


4. The Ring (2002)

I'm pretty sure The Ring terrified at least 90% of the people my age, me included.  The nightmare I had after I first watched this movie spooked me for a month. Unfortunately, the CGI at the end looks a bit lame today, but the original film used only makeup effects for the climactic scene, so that is always an option if anyone is interested. The video from the movie is probably the scariest thing I have ever seen in a movie. It's of course my favorite scene.
Favorite Scene


3. The Exorcist (1974)

This movie actually did not scare me at all the first time I saw it. Then a few years passed and I watched it again.  That time, I was a tad creeped out. I had one of those moments where one constantly looks over his or her shoulder while watching a movie just in case a monster is there. The sound design is what really makes me shiver, with the fantastic music and Regan's demonic voice, one simply must shiver.
Favorite Scene


2. Frankenstein (1931)

Frankenstein is a somewhat tricky pick. It's not really scary, nor did it ever scare me, even when I was younger. But when I was growing up (I'm talking pre-school though elementary school) I would constantly go to the library and check out Universal Studios Monster Movies. Of that movie series, Frankenstein is my favorite, but I would like to say that this entry represents all of them. With a run time of only 71 minutes not a single frame is wasted. So many images from the movie are iconic today and the cinematography inspired by German Expressionism is wonderful.
Favorite Scene


1. The Shining (1984)

The Shining.  It is a masterpiece of both the horror film genre and film in general. The movie's greatest aspect is how its fear is created not with shocks, but instead atmosphere. The entire film feels creepy, and it's not because Kubrick had a bunch of creepy images.  Rather, much of the horror comes from the synthesis the movie has with its sound, image, and story.  Kubrick messes with the viewer's head in more ways than most people are even conscious of. In a way, he scares the viewer with nothing, which is exactly what may be amiss with the Overlook Hotel, nothing.
Favorite Scene

 

Top Ten Celebrities I Wouldn't Mind Being in a Romantic Relationship With

This list is not to be taken seriously. At all. The idea that I would actually have interest in these people is absolutely ludicrous. After all, I have never met any of the individuals listed below and it is quite possible that I will never meet them. So what am I basing these rankings on? Looks, how nice they appear in interviews, and how much I like their body of work. Enjoy.



10. Tom Hanks (Age Difference: 35 Years)

Nowhere did I say that this list is exclusive to women. Can you blame me? It's Tom Hanks! The man is awesome; he is Robbie Wheeling, Richard Harlan Drew, and David Bradley. He also comes off as a swell guy with a great sense of humor in his Inside the Actors Studio appearances.  If we weren't both straight men I'm sure it would have worked out.

9.  Ellen DeGeneres (Age Difference: 33 Years)

I was heartbroken at the age of 12 when I discovered that Ellen DeGeneres is gay. I have never wanted to be a woman so badly in my life then or ever since. She is, to me, one of the funniest people alive, and if my wife-person can make me laugh all day long, well then that is great start to a relationship. 8. Zoe Saldana (Age Difference: 13 Years) I wouldn't want you guys to think I'm racist would I? 7. Jennifer Connelly (Age Difference: 20 Years) I really like the movie Requiem for a Dream. Jennifer Connelly is kinda a crazy in that movie though. Hmmm. I like the movie A Beautiful Mind. Jennifer Connelly is not crazy in that movie but is married to a crazy guy. Good enough for me. Oh yeah, she is also quite pretty and seems cool I guess. 6. St. Vincent (Age Difference: 8 Years) I only found out who St. Vincent is this past year thanks to a friend of mine sharing some of her music with me.  Why did she make the list?  For her black curly hair and singing voice. My ultimate fantasy with her would be me laying in my bed trying to fall asleep as she sings to me. Sexy. 5. Emma Watson (Age Difference: 1 Year) She is actually close to my age, played a wizard, is cool enough to have short hair, and on top of that, she is lovely to look at (I was going to have a link to emmawatsonnude.com but I figured that would not be appropriate). What is there to not like? I read somewhere that she smokes but I have no idea if that is true, but if it is, well that is something to not like. Also, she went to Brown. 4. Ellen Page (Age Difference: 4 Years) Ellen Page appears to be a really cool person, and no, not simply because of Juno. I can't really say exactly why I think she seems cool, she just does. That, and she is short, which is a plus because standing next to her would make me feel more masculine. Of all the people on this list she is probably the one that is the most serious. 3. Pre-Plastic Surgury Meg Ryan (Age Difference: 29 Years) Reason 2. Scarlet Johanson (Age Difference: 6 Years)   I think Scarlet Johansson may be the most attractive person I have ever seen. No joke, it's almost hard for me to look at her in the movies she is in. One of her best aspects, in my opinion, is the fact that she is curvaceous; I don't like it when girls are uber skinny. I'm aware that my opinion of her is 100% superficial, but I like to think that she is also a nice lady. Thank you, Sophia Coppola.   1. Zooey Deschanel (Age Difference: 11 Years) What the heck she was in elf?  With blonde hair (I prefer her with darker hair)?!  I know, picking Zooey Deschanel for my number 1 spot is like saying The Beatles is my favorite band, but I don’t care.  What is it about her that makes her so... awesome? Cracked believes it's her "dorkyness," which is probably true.  She plays the role of the "weird" or "quirky" girl pretty well.  Moral of the list, I like weird, quirky girls.

First Post

I have joined the ranks of cliché college students with the creation of this blog. Go me.  Next I will buy 10 Che shirts and begin reading The Autobiography of Malcolm X.  In this blog I will primarily post lists of my making, mostly relating to movies. This blog will not be limited to these lists though, for I will also post rants and whatever thoughts that I believe require more than just a tweet to articulate. With that said, I will now share my first list...

Top Ten Favorite Movie Trailers

Many argue that the overall quality of movies has decreased in recent years but I think it is safe to say that trailers, as a whole, have become better in the last decade. Since the average movie these days has to make most of its money in the first weekend, the studios need to have a strong advertising campaign. Thus, better trailers are made. That explains why many of these trailers are recent, but do not fret, there are classics in here as well.

10. Suspiria (1977)

This is some gold right here.  Just that creepy voice saying "Susssssperiaaaaaa" alone warrents a spot on this list.  It's hard to understand what is actually going on but that is essetially Dario Argento's thing.  With the trailer, one is able to see the mania of the film and the chaos that creates the horror.  But the real money maker is the last sentence of the trailer.  Awesome. 

9. Koyaanisqatsi (1982)

In a way, this is the perfect trailer. It is essentially a condensed version of exactly what the movie is, but without spoiling any of the story. Then again, the movie doesn't actually have a story. But even so, running at just over two minutes, little of the visual flair is shown off so the viewer is still awestruck when he or she watches the full film.

 

8. Where the Wild Things Are (2009)

Here is a good example of a great trailer to a horrible movie. I mean, man, that movie was bad, just bad. The trailer, on the other hand, is fantastic. I have a theory, though, that if one simply attaches Wake Up by Arcade Fire to any trailer it will automatically be good.

7. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)

 

Anyone who knows me should be aware that I am a huge fan of The Lord of the Rings film trilogy. This trailer does a good job of giving a layout of the objectives of the characters while not revealing too many details of the actual plot in the film(s). We know what Frodo must do, but we don’t know what he is going to have to go through to do it. Oh yeah, and there is X-Ray Dog.

6. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)

I love the use of The Aquarium in order to create a feeling of magical mystery in the trailer. Trailers for David Fincher movies tend to be quite good (along with their opening credits) and this is one of the best. The quick cuts to major plot points give a glimpse of what to come and also shows off the beautiful cinematography.

5. The New World (2005)

 

I'm not going to lie; I have not seen this movie. But I have watched the trailer about 100 times. I have read that it received mixed to negative reviews, many of which stating that the film is boring. I have seen Malick's The Thin Red Line and I wasn't necessarily on the edge of my seat while watch that particular film, so I have been a little wary to watch The New World. With that said, every time I watch this trailer I do feel a strong desire to finally see it.

 4. Alien (1979)

This trailer probably sounds a little familiar to those who are reading this list.  Most people after watching this trailer are probably having a "wtf?" moment.  It's pretty hard to have any idea what the heck is going on unless one has seen the movie, which is one reason why it is so great.  What I like is that instead of showing what the movie is about it instead shows what the movie is going to feel like. 


3. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)

The Two Towers' trailer is probably the first trailer that really floored me when I was growing up.  The trailer gives a glimpse to the massive scale of the film, giving preview to the story's epic proportion.  Like many trailers on this list, the music is key, and the Requiem for a Tower track is how I first became interested in the film, Requiem for a Dream.

2. The Shining (1980)




The trailer to The Shining may be the simplest trailer I have ever seen, which is one of the reasons why I love it so much. One static shot, accompanied by creepy music, and a climax of blood flooding from elevator doors washing up onto the camera.  Fantastic.  Like the Alien trailer, this one establishes the tone of the film rather than giving a glimpse into the story. It's worth noting how similar the trailer is to the actual film though. The Shining is not a film that has a series of scary scenes in the traditional sense; instead it's the overall tone and mood Kubrick creates. Like this trailer, little action actually occurs.


1. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011)




I was extremely skeptical toward David Fincher's American adaptation of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. But when I saw this trailer my jaw dropped and I became ecstatic for its release that Christmas. The trailer is absolutely incredible. For anyone who knows the story (I did, since I had seen the Swedish version prior) he or she notices that the entire film is essentially summarized in this trailer. Every major plot point is shown for half a second in chronological order. To someone who is unaware of the story, it is only a mesh of images, granted, the images are extremely interesting looking. The cinematography shown is beautiful and the intensity from the original appeared to be intact (as it turned out in the final film it was intact, and then some). On top of that there is the Karen O and Trent Reznor cover of Immigrant Song by Led Zeppelin. I was overthrilled to find that this cover is also in the final film.  This trailer is simply incredible.