Lifetime Movies: 1990

Ok so start here...this is my new obsession and if you watch more than 2 of this guys video's your going to hell...I feel that I am usually 2 years behind the times so you may have seen this guy before.

Now we can start:
Interesting picture...this is what comes to mind when I think of this film...there is never in the whole film a guy that wears a hat and is shot under an elevated train/highway...not to mention the cars in the photo are like from the 1930's and the film spans 1960's-1980's.

I came across this after it was in theaters, it was released in September of 1990 and I saw it the beginning of 1991...a friend from High school who knows nothing of movies turned me on to it...since watching this movie when I was 16 I have been a movie snob...sure I saw the Godfather and Scarface...but I watched this and was blown away...it was a real look at these guys...these fringe mafia organized crime guys...not that I know anything about that lifestyle...but up until this time the Godfather was a center piece...and that was our bible as film fans as to what a mafia person was like...no one could conceive of a simple person..like your father being connected with these types of people...but Goodfellas shows the very nature of these everyday people in extreme situations.

I then bought the book and the book was the real Henry Hills account of his life...the book is more expansive then the film, but both are excellent companion pieces...the same could not be said for the Godfather...
The team of Robert DeNiro and Joe Pesci is gold...Raging Bull, Casino, A Bronx Tale and this film are a dynamic duo of an Italians wet dream...throw in Marty as Director, the fast cuts, long single take shots, and of Course Vincent Gallo...and you have a masterpiece.

I have to say when normal people...you know those of us in a society that just watch films for entertainment and not art...when these people talk about the best films and specifically crime/mafia films...they always talk about the Godfather...but very rarely have those people ever even heard about Goodfellas...in that regard I think this film is something people heard of or saw, but it never stuck with them because they can not connect with the characters...it may take a special person who has witnessed these types of people to truly appreciate this film...or maybe its still a lost treasure...but ask someone that you know if they saw this film and I bet they never have or only saw it once.

This was an easy pick for me...this is my favorite film of all time...believe me I rank films...and this one is always number 1...number 2 is usually always the same and then the list just jumbles...but Goodfellas has been number 1 since I saw it for the first time. Also look for all the people in the background...chances are that most of them were eventually cast in The Sopranos

Here's a classic cut

Rest of that year:

Total Recall: The story holds up...maybe not the effects...but this story can be seen over and over again in different ways...I wish Verhoven would have made more Sci-Fi

Godfather III: The weakest of the bunch sure...but its Al as Micheal Corleone...enough already

Wild at Heart: Gotta be one of my favorite Lynch films...and the parallel with the Wizard of Oz is a level that most directors would never take and can't take...Nick Cage at his over the top best, and I Love it "Texas Style"

Joe Versus the Volcano: Steven Spielberg produced, Meg Ryan plays 3 characters...Tom Hanks lives on Staten Island...the Director, John Patrick Shanley also wrote Moonstruck and Doubt...how could this not be a winner...its heartfelt...funny, dark...and that's the problem..it's dark...Tom Hanks thinks he's dying and is supposed to jump into a volcano...funny funny movie

see ya in 1991

Playlist: Louie

2 episodes tonight which I did not know that was the case.

Louis C.K. names the show "Louie"...why not "Louis" like he spells his name?...so he directed it, wrote it, produced it...and the Pilot episode he also edited it...the first episode was not very good and was sporadic like the reviewer in the last "Future List" wrote...it cut too often between the stand-up act and the show/plot...we need more of Louis and less plot...or less "sit-com" style jokes...more of Louie as a single dad I guess...but the show needs time...

The second episode was much better...they worked kinks out of the pilot and the editing was done by someone else...the same could be said for most pilots...like the pilot for "Its Always Sunny"...that was not great

Louis' second episode was funny and sad...there are a lot of moments of true reflection about life...the "faggot" story that is told...and the "whip it out" segment in the show...I won't spoil it but I think he is going for a drama/comedy rather then a straight up sit-com like "Lucky Louie" was on HBO...the sad part is that his comedy really needs to be on something like HBO...but on FX they will just bleep stuff out.

Result: Not wall to wall laughs...nothing groundbreaking...and a few laugh out loud (more like chuckle)...it's a bit predictable...but I want this guy to succeed so I will continue to watch it. Also there were 2 spots..1 for the new Season of "It's Always Sunny"...and another for "The League" ...two great shows that will air beginning in September...so till then we can look forward to a July 25th "Mad Men" start.

Out

Lifetime Movies: 1990

Winner: Goodfellas

This needs no explanation and I know Vin will have more to say in his post. What separates this from so many of the other elite films of all time is that it's just so much damn fun. Dances with Wolves? Really?

Films of Note:

The Adventures of Ford Fairlaine: The most disappointing movie ever. Phantom Menace? Ok, maybe, but...this was Andrew Dice Clay. The Diceman. Teenage Me was expecting Caligula in a leather jacket (not that I knew what Caligula was at the time). What I got was, my god, I still don't know what I got. No nudity, for one. No nudity! How was that possible. And am I remembering a koala?

Edward Scissorhands: When people talk about what a visionary Tim Burton is they're thinking about this magical modern fairy tale. This twenty year old magical not-so-modern-anymore fairy tale. Is it that he won't or that he can't make original stories like this anymore? Long sigh.

The Grifters: An absolutely underrated noir gem (produced by Martin Scorsese). Annette Bening gives one of my favorite performances ever.

Miller's Crossing: I remember hearing about this Coen Brothers film a few years later when I got to college. Particularly how it was a precursor to the Tarantino-led indie cool scene. I know I felt hipper once I saw it.

Side Out: Still the best beach volleyball movie in the history of cinema.

Tremors: One of the best "B" monster movies ever. One of those movies that just exceeds all expectations despite there being no reason that it should. Plus, my favorite sitcom dad, Michael Gross from "Family Ties", as a right-wing gun nut.

Future List: Louie

Louie: FX Tonight at 11pm starring Louie C.K.

Since we tell you alot here at SMC Studios what we "did watch"...what about letting you know about events we definitely "WILL WATCH".

This is an EVENT for me...summer used to be about crappy re-runs, bad barbeque and terrible family vacations...now that I am an adult and hate outdoor activities, the summers have gotten better over the years...it started with crappy reality tv that only aired during the summer...it was like a wonderful experiment in the ridiculous...shows like
Hells Kitchen
The Littlest Groom
Amish in the City
Wipeout
Queer Eye for the Straight Guy
Hole in the Wall
Downfall

And others...if you have any let me know...but now the powers that be are actually airing some interesting things...for me it started with the summers showing new episodes of Entourage (which Sunday nights sucked...but we watch anyway)...and last years "The League" starring SMC Fan favorite and "Friend of the Site" Mark Duplass...this combined with the anticipation of July which should bring us more The League, Its Always Sunny In Philadelphia, the start of Mad Men season 4 and Season 2 of Eastbound and Down...

Tonight though I will watch the Pilot of "Louie"...starring the funniest comedian today in my opinion Louie CK..the HBO show "Lucky Louie" was genius...granted the cast around him you may not have liked...but for me it was the writing of the episodic, plot of the show that was the problem..I hated when Louie went to sell a doll to make money in one episode...there were no jokes...the funniest parts were the everyday life of a man who hated his life, and his only out was to be honest about his life and tell his friends and family exactly what he was thinking...like calling his wife a "cunt" in one episode...show me that and you get funny...the doll episode sucked...so the show sputtered through 12 aired episodes

This time Louie is playing a father of 2 who is divorced...it mirrors his own life...Louie C.K. wants to make a good show...this being his second time I hope he nails it, check this site out for a review...according to the review the show is "sporadic and clunky"...I guess we will see...it can change...Charles in Charge got better with age didn't it...but the Steven Weber show did not...originally that show was about how Steven Weber was "Cursed" hence the name Cursed as the original title...I loved that show..and it had Chris Elliot and Wendell Peirce (Bunk from the Wire)...NBC thought it was bad I guess and then the show became crap...generic and finally cancelled.

Watch Louie tonight and then we can Playlist that Bitch

Playlist: Bourne Identity

More reasons to love Matt Damon:

I mean I hated this kid...and only because he was handsome, young, rich, and I thought his talent was fleeting and he was riding the coat tails of a one. Ben Affleck. Man I hated the success of Good Will Hunting...looking back that film works so well, and those guys still did not deserve the Oscar...but ultimately Matt Damon was the talented one..he is a great actor. Don't get me wrong, it took a long time for Affleck to get close to Damon, to compare them now is comparing Damon's talent to Frank Sinatra, and Afflecks ability to Dean Martin...sure they look good together, and sure Affleck tries...but he will never be a Frank Sinatra.

Damon's film here is a 2002 action picture which was botched with problems due to its due date and then lack of focus by the producers post Sept 11, 2001. They were afraid to put this out in a world that no longer wanted explosions (so says Tony Gilroy the screenwritter and Frank Marshall the producer)...if I learned anything from the Entourage season opener last night...dont trust agents, or producers...Doug Limon of Swingers fame and Matt Damon, make a fun, intriguing old style action film set with modern pizazz.

I just trust the tough, baby face, and honest eyes of Matt Damon...maybe its because of how much he and I have gone through over the years (not that he knows)...but his charm and action sense make him 2 parts Spiderman, 1 part Terminator, and 5 parts Will Hunting

I am really looking forward to catching the rest of this film series now and then I can focus on catching up with "The Shield"...since Frank has said I would like it and I would like to reciprocate his advice and check that show out.

It should be noted that Clive Owen is in this and is great in it...he does barely nothing...but is great at it.

Playlist: Youth in Revolt

This was the film where Michael Cera finally played a character other than Michael Cera. Or at least that's what everyone kept saying to me whenever I mentioned that he's never played anything other than himself. I had my doubts. As usual, I was right (by "usual" I mean, "for the first time".)

YiR is another amusing, quirky comedy--nothing hysterical, but enjoyable. Cera is his usual self, meaning he's himself as a high school kid in love. The big twist here (as opposed to his character's last name, Twisp) is that he develops a smooth criminal alter ego named Francois Dillinger. Francois has a moustache. Not exactly Russell Crowe in The Insider, but it's a start. So, he's going to me Michael Cera playing Scott Pilgrim. So what? I like Michael Cera. Everyone likes Michael Cera. That's his superpower. Probably got bit by a radioactive bunny.

Some good supporting casting to note: Steve Buscemi, Ray Liotta, Fred Willard, and Zach Galifianakis (though Zach is sadly underused, as he was in Up in the Air. Here, he basically plays a slob with a beard. Talk about typecasting.) But it's a testament to Zach's rising star power that both YiR and UitA misleadingly featured him in ads. He's the buzz boy right now after his cannonball splash onto the public radar in last year's The Hangover. That was Todd Phillips' latest stake (after Road Trip and Old School) to the claim of best mainstream comedy director.

While that's not an actual thing, if anyone could be said to have held that title, it would be Harold Ramis. Proof? Caddyshack, Vacation, Groundhog Day. It's almost poetic that his latest film, Year One, came out the same month as The Hangover. Year One felt like a holdover from Ramis' prime in the 80s. The jokes were DOA, the tone was flat, and it felt more like a string of gags than a fully developed story. That can work and has worked, but you really need to be at the top of your comedic game to pull it off. Mainstream comedy is a tough genre to survive--you have to be equally funny to people with actual senses of humor and also the rest of the idiots out there. It's a small window. Phillips has missed twice already (Starsky & Hutch and School for Scoundrels, though blame Ben Stiller's ego for the former).

The two movies also may have marked the passing of a second torch. Year One's Jack Black seems to have hit the funny wall. Though him hitting a wall might be more entertaining than some of his recent movies. H-Wood is a fickle town and he better watch his back because Zach is the same age, has the same look, but is still the cheaper option. Just saying. Next up for both: Black has Gulliver's Travels this Christmas in what looks to be his attempt to tap into the Night at the Museum market; Zach has Phillips' Due Date with Robert Downey Jr. this fall.

Oh, Jack Black's Year One co-star? Michael Cera. Playing Michael Cera dressed like a caveman.

Playlist: Commando, The Sopranos, Bruno

Pretty much ran the gauntlet of emotion and questioning my sexuality last night with these three titles.

1. Commando Director's Commentary and Directors Cut: Mark Lester is a no name director that made this, Firestarter and Armed and Dangerous with Eugene Levy. He does a great commentary and goes into how he used Leni Riefenstahl and the Nazi Propaganda film Triumph of the Will as inspiration for Commando. It's a fun commentary and he is really proud of the film which makes it even funnier...the director's cut offers more dismemberment by John Matrix...the film's gore is very minimal by today's standards and except for the cursing would have got a PG-13 for the director's added gore. I loved this film as a kid and it's still fun...I love when director's feel the need to make excuses for the lack of CGI in the 1980s...they always do in commentaries for some reason.

2. The Sopranos Season 1 Episode 11 "Nobody Knows Anything": I am rewatching these from the beginning on HBO on Demand...I missed a bunch of episodes originally in 1999 when this show came out because I did not have HBO 11 years ago. Its a little ridiculous looking back, some of the episodes have great moments, some are ridiculous like the Master G rap episode, which was episode 10, Christopher does make a great Uncle Ben's Converted Rice Joke in a Harlem chicken takeout place though.

3. Bruno: I felt like I had to take a shower after this...It's not just Gay, or super gay, they might at well as had full on fisting and bestiality, etc...what is our world cumming to?...the highlights were the Ron Paul Interview..and Straight Dave's Ultimate Fighting...I laughed my ass off, and had my ass covered the whole time in case Bruno was behind me with a dildo.

What a crazy night...if I learned anything tonight, it was sometimes you have to "let off some steam"

Playlist: Dementia 13

SMC Exclusive: the next sacrifice to The Distillery will be Francis Ford Coppola. So, to prepare I watched what may or may not be counted as his first directorial effort, Dementia 13. I hope we do count it because despite it only being 75 minutes long, I'd hate to have wasted my time for no reason. There's nothing here at all. It's just another schlocky, 1960s Roger Corman-produced sub-B movie, but not one bad enough to enjoy MST3K style. It sets up as a ghost story, but doesn't go anywhere that interesting. Apparently, there was some concern at the time about the gore level, though since it was 1962 you can imagine how lame those fears look now.

The only interesting thing about this other than FFC's involvement is this (and it's a pretty good one):  The line, "The mood around this place isn't good for her. Especially an American girl. You can tell she's been raised on promises," may be the source for the chorus of Tom Petty's great "American Girl." Maybe we'll ask him in a future Contacting Greatness, though he may be a bit out of our league.

Lifetime Movies: 1989

June 23, 1989...like it was yesterday I remember this date...I know the time and place...I know what I wore...and its the first time I picked something that matched the film to wear at the theater...I remember the strangers that sat next to me...I remember who I went with...I remember the ride home from the theater..no garbage smell from the Staten Island Dump to stop me from thinking about the film I had seen. That film was Tim Burton's "BATMAN"

I guess you have to get in first to write about all the best movies of the year...Frank already hit most of them...the list I am working from is not long...their were some good movies...some memorable bad ones...and only one great film for me.

The anticipation for this film was unbearable...its the first time I cared about a film being made...its the first time I remember trying to learn information about the production of a film...and this is before the Internet!!!

The first image was the logo which was great...batman, even though I am and never really was big into comics was and is my favorite super hero...cause he can really happen..he is just a man that is driven to fight crime even if he is the cause of some of the crime (as we see in this new Chris Nolan Era)...The TV show Batman from the 60's hooked me first...I had the toys, the posters...all of it..the Underoos ( the red dye in a pair of Robin underoos once gave me a rash on my chest and crotch...red crotch is tough to get out)

As I got older I was still naive as a freshman in high school...and so the magic of a batman movie was giant for me...its the first time I ever used the word "trailer" in a conversation..the kid I said it to (Charley Piazza) had no idea what I was talking about...but by the end of freshman year the first trailers were coming out and this was going to be the best summer ever...I even bought the novelization of the film before the films release...it was great and was the first book I read in ONE day...the book matched the film...but did have a few scenes that were never filmed...

On opening day...the first time I ever saw a film on opening day I wore my new Batman t-shirt...I also had some boot-leg Joker shirt that I got off Arthur Kill Road out in Sho-Lin...

As we watched the film some black gentlemen with a bucket of KFC yells "get him batman...kill that Muther F$%ker"...I may be embellishing the language but not the KFC...

Keaton as Batman?...I was originally kinda weirded out by this...I even saw the film "The Dream Team" which came out in April of the same year...to support his entrance as the Batman...the Dream Team is not an official film for "Best film of 1989"...Keaton was good...funny enough he was a better Batman then Bruce Wayne

Jack Nicholson?...can you pick a better Joker?...people cried foul and wanted Robin Williams...what crap that would have been...its funny because at the time people thought this film was supposed to be campy...but then thought it was very dark...when watching it now and comparing it to say The dark Knight...this film is a camp fest...not as crazy as the comic delight of the Adam West film...but not-grounded in reality at all...watch in 20 years we will have a Batman film where he tears peoples heads off in deluxe 3D or something

The film was a dark Noir, Gothic tale as only Burton can do...the suit was great, the car he nailed, the Joker was great...IMDB list Nicholson's take as 6 million...but I have seen reports that he also demanded a percentage of the next film as well...and that netted him up to 70 million

other films?

Cinema Paradiso: saw this in Italian class, I think it was our Junior year...this film won the Jury Grande Prize at Cannes...never came out in America till a year later...but I wanted to mention it here...this was a film about film lovers and the ways in which film brings people together...these films may be a dime a dozen...but it is great...warms your heart and needed to be added to this list. Ciao

Lifetime Movies: 1989

Winner: Field of Dreams

What, you didn't believe me when I said this was the golden age of baseball films? For me, this is the top of the list. I can't argue it's not sentimental, but why is that a bad thing? Baseball. Family. The American Dream. God, I feel like putting one of those little flags on my car and driving down to buy some meat. Hot dogs. And eating them with a cranky old black man.

Now, I'm not going to say this movie makes me cry, but when Ray's dad comes out of the cornfield to play catch with him, I always seem to get something in my eye. Just a coincidence. And dust mites.

This is my second straight pick featuring Shoeless Joe Jackson. And my second straight pick featuring Shoeless Joe Jackson batting the wrong way. (Seriously, he was a lefty. Don't exactly need CGI for that one.)

Films of Note:

Born on the Fourth of July: After this Tom Cruise should have had two Oscars (Best Supporting for Rain Man). Yes, I know how that sounds, but it's true.

Do the Right Thing: I still get angry every time I watch this. Why the hell does Mookie throw that trash can? I get the socio-economic explanations, but it still ticks me off. Though the first thing I think about when this film comes up is watching it on regular TV and Radio Raheem demanding, "Twenty D batteries, mickeyfickey!" from the Korean shop owners. And check this out.

Drugstore Cowboy: I am not as big a fan of director Gus Van Sant as Vin, a big reason being that I keep waiting for him to make a film as good as this. *Frank Trivia*: this was the first film I watched on an iPod. (That tidbit will win you a few bar bets down the line.)

Heathers & Say Anything...: the last two great teen films of the decade. And how fitting that one has Winona Ryder and the other John Cusack? Say Anything... is the directorial debut of one of my favorite filmmakers, Cameron Crowe. And Heathers features a high school named after Paul Westerberg. Who would go on to have two songs featured on the soundtrack to Singles...directed by Cameron Crowe. The circle of cool.

Indiana Jones and the last Crusade: I've heard people claim this is the best of the Indy movies. I don't agree, but it's really good and a lot of fun. I'm so glad they ended the series here instead of waiting 20 years and dusting off Harrison Ford to make the movie equivalent of disemboweling Santa Claus.

Major League: I remember having so much fun watching this in the theater. When "Wild Thing" kicked in and Ricky Vaughn emerged from the bullpen I didn't even care that I was cheering against the Yankees.

Skin Deep: Bought a ticket for some PG crap and snuck in to see what I thought was going to be the dirtiest movie ever. It wasn't. But it had nudity, so no one complained. Don't judge me.

UHF: Went to see this the day after it was released and it was already not playing. Saw Lethal Weapon 2 instead, which was good, but c'mon. I say this with no irony whatsoever: "Weird Al" is a genius.

Weekend at Bernie's: You couldn't get stupider than this. But it works. It's not "good," but it works. That Andrew McCarthy is magic.

Playlist: Toy Story 3

This is the Pixar's "Sophies Choice"

Ok...I am a sucker for these films...especially since having kids and seeing them grow and mature and grow out of toys. When these films first came out I could have really have cared less for these films back in 1995...in fact I never saw either of these till about 6 years ago. Now I am sucked into this world...Toy Story 2 was even better then the first so this Toy Story 3 had to live up to the hype...it does live up to the hype...I simply cried like a baby at the end...the penultimate scenes were some of the scariest scenes in Pixar history...It was a roller coaster ride of emotion...and I hate being told how to feel by films...some scenes were too long and forced emotion way too much, but I look past that, Up did it so well at the start of that film. The story is satisfying in the end...the bad part is that this starts a trend now where Pixar will have sequels for Cars, Monsters Inc and possibly The Incredibles...I love Pixar for their originality and sticking to story, I have loved all the films except Wall-E...In a summer that lacks really any good films, this was hands down the best so far.

SMC Extras

Why do they have commercials extolling the life-altering benefits of Blu-ray on regular DVDs?

"If you had Blu-ray the scenes you are now watching would be freakin awesomer. We have no way of supporting this claim, but trust us. We're advertisers."

That's like an old hag trying to set you up with her "beautiful" granddaughter. Hold on. No, it's like McDonald's showing pictures of real food while you wait in line to buy a Filet-O-Fish. Or it's like organized religion. It's like something, goddamit.

This post makes more sense in Blu-ray. Trust me.

Lifetime Movies: 1988

Winner: Eight Men Out

Thus begins the golden age of baseball films. This is one of the best--an historical account of the 1919 Chicago Black Sox World Series-fixing scandal that still reverberates in the sports world today. Solid all the way through with a terrific ensemble cast and a great feel for the time period. No clear-cut front runner this year, so if you wanted to talk me into something else, I’d listen. (And, yes, I know Shoeless Joe batted left-handed, but what can you do. Watch the film in a mirror if it’s that big a deal.)

Fun fact about director John Sayles: he wrote an unproduced screenplay called Night Skies that Spielberg would later turn into a little something called E.T.

Films of Note:

There were a lot of good films this year, but overall, a little light on the great. Vin mentioned a bunch, so I won’t regurgitate those. (Funny, how we both picked period pieces, though.)

Beetlejuice: Tim Burton when his imagination was still working in original mode. My favorite director at the time. Michael Keaton at his best. And I love seeing the young Winona Ryder and Alec Baldwin. Plus, we might not have this without it.

Bull Durham: Wait, isn’t this better than Eight Men Out? Eh...I don’t think so. Maybe. Maybe I just never got the whole Susan Sarandon thing. Still a fun movie, though.

Cocktail: Wait, what? Ludicrous movie, but I remember being mesmerized by Tom Cruise flipping bottles.

I’m Gonna Git You Sucka: For a small window, the Wayans Brothers were the funniest people out there. This and the first 2 seasons of In Living Color were comedy gold. (Jim Carrey was on that show? I don't know what you're talking about.)

Scrooged: Not sure why this doesn’t get more play around the holidays. Maybe we can try only 22 hrs. of A Christmas Story this year?

And finally...

The Last Temptation of Christ: Still not sure how Vin did not even mention this. I'm holding onto this with an asterisk since I haven't seen it in a long time. It's definitely one of the most important films of the decade, if not all time. Like I said above, go ahead and change my mind.

Playlist: New Moon

This is technically titled, The Twilight Saga: New Moon, and all marketing obnoxiousness aside, it's apt. New Moon isn't so much its own film as it is a segment of the larger story. That doesn't make it bad, but it does make it a bit of an unfulfilling viewing experience. From what I hear, it's also the weakest of the books, so this was not unexpected. Just a necessary step along the way.

As for Twilight on the macro level, I understand a lot of people have written it off as just another soap opera for teenage girls, a supernatural Romeo and Juliet. But--and this is important--that's what it is. And, taking it as such, the series works (at least so far). The first film was, wait for it, good. (Full disclosure: I may also be the only person who actually likes Kristen Stewart, so what do I know.)

But, bigger question: how does Twilight work as a vampire movie? Let's take a look at how it handles some classic vampire "rules":

Do they ignite/explode in the sunlight? No, they, er, sparkle. Ok, that's pretty lame, but it is an interesting twist in that they can't go out in the sun or else they will stand out as inhuman. Plus, really, exploding in sunlight makes no sense whatsoever.

Do they sleep in coffins? They don't sleep at all. Imagine all the movies they could watch.

Can they be killed by a stake through the heart? Decapitation and/or burning works a lot better. Their hearts don't actually work anymore, so we're talking flesh wound and a change of shirts.

Do they have to be invited in? No, again. But in Let the Right One In, they do (psst, read the title again) and they came up with a killer new consequence for trespassing.

There are more, but looking at it like this, most vampire "rules" are pretty dumb, or at least totally oblivious to the laws of physics. Then again, they are freakin vampires.

Playlist: The Godfather Part II

Micheal Corleone is a bad Father:

On this "Fathers Day"...I got breakfast cooked for me...then my children had a pillow, blanket and a remote control on the couch. Tucked between the remote and the blanket was the Godfather DVD set...so I got to watch the Godfather Part II today.

What a great gift...in the morning, no interruptions...just this film that I have as the best film of 1974 and probably in my top 5 films of all time.

I haven't seen this full and uninterrupted in a long time. It holds up great, but a few observations.

1. "Keep your friends close but your enemies closer"...Micheal doesn't really know who tried to kill him early in the film...he tries to smoke out the rats through telling Tom Hagen, Hymen Roth, and Frankie Pantangelo all someone else "did it"...until Fredo...freaking Fredo makes the mistake of saying the wrong thing in front of Micheal...

2. Its all Pacino....sure DeNiro is in it...DuVall really has a small role as does Diane Keaton

3. Pacino never smiles and is never happy...not once

4. I miss Bruno Kirby

5. I think only 4 people die...wait maybe 5

6. Coppola tried to get Brando to reprise the role as Godfather in a flash back scene..he refused, which then gives us the picture above.

7. If it wasn't for the flash back DeNiro and Little boy coming to America scenes..this film is a downer...great...but a downer, revenge thriller...I have never seen the "Saga" version that just plays out in chronology all 3 films...but it would be interesting.

Playlist: An Education

All the buzz around this was about Carey Mulligan's breakout performance and it was certainly justified. The story is about the awakening of an English school girl in 1961 (sounds a little Rochelle, Rochelle, doesn't it?). Nothing innovative here, but good movies don't always have to be. They just have to be, well, good. Surprisingly, that is far easier said than done. It helps to have a great cast, of course. And, looky here, this one does--Peter Sarsgaard, Olivia Williams, Emma Thompson, and a very funny Alfred Molina. But this is Mulligan's film and she is as charming and captivating as advertised and makes you want to see everything she has ever done.

The other drawing card for me was that the screenplay was written by one of my favorite authors, Nick Hornby. In case you skipped that first paragraph (and I understand, what with how you're so busy these days), I really enjoyed this film and the writing was a major factor. Mulligan, especially, brought his dialogue to life and I'd love to see the two get to work together again.

Lifetime Movies: 1988

1988...my favorite film from this year...I will give you some hints...I saw this film the summer after 8th grade with a bunch of Junior High School friends that I never saw again....I hated the film as soon as we left the theater, probably during the first few scenes...I have seen this film many many more times after that day, but my appreciation took probably 10 years to really come to a head...I hate...I mean HATE ever other film this director made (except his second film which was genius--Ed. Note: Mike Nichols)...the film also is David Schwimmer's movie debut.

There is not a GREAT film here in this year...this is probably the year I started to go see a lot of films by myself...or at least films I chose to go see...when I look at lists of films from this year I see a lot of comedies like Coming to America, Big, Naked Gun, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Twins, etc...and films like Die Hard, A Fish Called Wanda...films I like...but only 3 stand the test of time to be nominated for me.

Rain Man, Biloxi Blues, The Chocolate War

The winner this year is Biloxi Blues

As I got older I started to appreciate the subtle humor of everyday life and events, this film was a true enough life story which continued the story of Neil Simon from Brighton Beach Memoirs...I mean I am not Jewish so why should I "get this"...I just never gave it a chance...these days my wife and I quote this film all the time...especially living in Florida...

"Man i'ts hot, It's like Africa Hot, Tarzan couldn't take this kinda hot...it ain't this hot in Brooklyn"

It's just written perfectly...and I give no credit to the director...this is all Neil Simon's brilliance...the casting of Christopher Walken as the Drill Sargent...for me starts him as a comic genius...look on IMDB...every film before this was Walken as a serious actor...a drama actor...maybe points of Annie Hall and the Deer Hunter (kinda a joke)...are funny...but this was a new level for Walken. The film has great timeless lines...a great true to life feel, and to me the best film of the year.

Others of note:

Rain Man is a close second here...its got everything you need...but even Dustin would not go "Full Retard"...Tom Cruise is great..its heartfelt and a fun film.

The Chocolate War...directed by Arnie from Christine (Keith Gordon)...maybe its the fact that I went to an all boys catholic school...maybe its that I too was ridiculed in Mr Gatti's class for not selling any Super Dance tickets...but this to me ends the era of "80's" films...it had great 80's music, great acting, IIan Micheal-Smith is now a Professor at like Texas University (kid opposite Anthony Micheal Hall in Weird Science)....It's a great film

Midnight Run: haven't seen this one in a while...but I remember watching it over and over again...Walken had Biloxi Blues the same year DeNiro had this...his first Comedy? Too bad for DeNiro it was down hill from here on the comedy front.

Thats it...1988

Boom

Playlist: Shutter Island (Remix)

Going in, I heard a lot about how you can see the "twist" coming from a mile away. Funny, how everyone is so smart when it comes to movies and not at any other time. (This is a far bigger pet peeve. Seriously, even if I believed you figured out the ending of a film--which I usually don't--SFW. Good for you, your brilliant mind ruined the enjoyment of watching a movie. Be proud.)

Anyway, guess what? The movie gets better AFTER the twist. The twist was never the point. Martin Scorsese doesn't need gimmicks, even when he tests his hand at a new genre. The payoff doesn't come from what happens (taking notes, Night?), but in what comes next.

If anything, this film was Marty having fun playing around with CGI and arty flourishes (to wonderful effect, I should add.) I know this may sound strange, but it's easy to forget how talented a filmmaker he is. It's too easy for him to get overshadowed by his actors' powerhouse performances or simply by the stories themselves. Maybe that's not so strange considering how long he was overlooked at the Oscars. But this movie is a great example of what he can do with a camera. I know Vin picked up on this, but there's a great overhead tracking shot when they first get to the island that reminded me of the ascent up Shining mountain.

Playlist: Tales from the Script

I always enjoy listening to creative people discussing their art and here we have some of Hollywood's top screenwriters sharing what they've learned about the industry. Nothing that hasn't already been said--yes, it is harder than you think and even after you "make it," you still haven't made it--but enlightening all the same. Even though movies can't be made without a script, and even though the number one complaint when a movie bombs is that it was poorly written, the powers that be continue to arrogantly treat their writers as disposable typists. So it goes.

One writer that stood out in this film was Paul Schrader. Whenever he popped up, under his name they listed a different film he wrote. I knew he had an impressive resume, but I guess I never really put it all together. The guy wrote Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, and The Last Temptation of Christ. Granted, not exactly Transformers 2, but not bad.

Playlist: Black Dynamite

Damn, this is one righteous blaxploitation homage, suckas. I say homage because, one, I'm pretentious, and two, parody calls to mind too many goofy hack jobs like all those Scary Movies. The difference is that Black Dynamite, like Shaun of the Dead or even Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story, has fun with, instead of making fun of, the source material. There's a degree of reverence present and not just a collection of cheap sight gags or topical jokes that are DOA by the time they come out on DVD.

Director Scott Sanders comes to this with really no track record, but he and co-writer/star Michael Jai White show deft hands at capturing that parodic comedic balance. We get the best of the genre--pimps, hos, kung fu--in all their ridiculous splendor. The climax? Why a nunchucks duel with Richard Nixon, of course.

Now, in the words of The Man himself (Black Dynamite, not Tricky Dick): Shh, mama, you gonna wake up the rest of the bitches.

Playlist: Tetro

Francis Ford Coppola: His last great movie...and I mean GREAT was Apocalypse Now...1979...that's 31 years ago. This guy should be in the scrap heap...but when real film buffs look at great directors, Coppola's name is always high on that list, we cant get away from the Godfather I and II...it could be argued that Godfather III was good...but great? To me Tetro is the next GREAT Coppola film...when it comes to his films, why not put this film on the same level with the classic Godfather films and Apocalypse...sure it never had the wide spread hype and fan fare of those films..but at its core is a cared for multi-level film that truly is close to the heart and life of the filmmaker. This is an artist at his best...I will not go into the story too much except to say that a young man comes to Argentina to fine his older brother and discover answers to his families questions..the film unravels these mysteries in a way that I was surprised by...even though toward thew middle of the film I saw the twist coming...so this is similar to my experience with a very different film , Shutter Island...where Scorsese is making films now that make tons of money..Coppola was lucky to get this film made as well as even seen. Coppola doesn't care for that anymore would be my guess...he just wants to make his films his way.
Many comparisons I have read compares this most closely with Rumble Fish (probably because its in black and white and pops with color at important spots...but I see it as bigger then that...this is a great film...not for everyone...but a top film in the career of Coppola...

Now for Vincent Gallo...Gallo was not the first choice...oddly, Matt Dillon was the first choice...lucky for us he was busy, and Gallo got the role...Gallo actually acts here, its a struggle...in interviews on the blu-ray he states as much...he respects Coppola and really wants to do a great job in a Coppola film...(On the title card of the film it has both their names at the same time..I mean I as Vincent Gallo fan #1 creamed my pants)...but Gallo is truly a haunted character as Tetro...things happen in this film like in Shutter Island that scream for a second viewing...his performance will be understood more after that second viewing for what is revealed in the end. Gallo is a director and an improvisational actor who claims is set in his way, and hates rehearsal..Coppola is like Andre in My Dinner with Andre...he goes to ridiculous extremes to rehearse and it was apparent that this was uneasy for Gallo...but he had to realize that it was to pay off..and it did...you get your Gallo being smug and a jerk here...you get your Gallo yelling and becoming unravelled...and you get a great performance. Coppola even states that he never heard of Gallo until Dillon pulled out, apparently the crew in Argentina's first choice to replace Dillon was Gallo...Coppola then watched Buffalo '66...thank God it wasn't The Brown Bunny.

See this: BOOM

Playlist: Shutter Island

I have to admit...I really liked "The Departed"...but I also only saw it one time...I know I will revisit "Shutter Island" many times...I am not sure if it is a better film...but this is what I do know
1. Its a thriller...and Scorsese has not made many with this many twists
2. From the first trailer I ever saw of this film over a year ago...I knew the twists...maybe not all the twists...but I just could tell...and it did not ruin the film for me
3. For me to even say what films this one is like...would spoil the film for you

I just got the Blu-Ray from Amazon...my only complaint is no commentary from Scorsese...he does great commentaries and none here...I guess I will be double dipping at some point.

Playlist: The Rain People

Francis Ford Coppola to me has one of the most interesting Directing careers of all the great American Filmmakers. He is honest and genuine..and you really get a sense of his insecurity and passion when you listen to a Coppola commentary, or interview. Coppola went to Hofstra University and started to direct plays and then off to California to film school to make shorts, films with Roger Corman and his first feature student film called You're a Big Boy Now. Coppola then had the great fortune to be asked to direct his first film from Warner Brothers and it was a musical staring Fred Astaire. Coppola wanted to direct small auteur films, like 400 Blows from the 1950's...he wanted to be an artist who made personal small films...its not ironic now in his 70's he is back to making those small personal films like Tetro and Youth Without Youth. Coppola has been on hiatus..after years of being in debt and having to make films that a young Coppola would have possibly looked down upon (like Jack, The Rainmaker, etc) to pay the bills and start his wine and hotel conglomerate, and possibly finance these personal films, his career arc has been one of a clear direction...in interviews and commentary Coppola rejoices in all his films, he truly is one who loves the work and not necessarily the prestige that the work may or may not bring. I have come to appreciate the joy of filmmaking through Coppola, and although I may not love all his films, they are all his children, his heartache, his failures and more than equally his successes.

The Rain People is most notable for having pre-Godfather stalwarts, James Caan and Robert Duvall..but the center piece is actress Shirley Knight, who plays a newly married and newly pregnant New Yorker who gets scarred and leaves her husband to get as far away from her responsibilities as possible, foreshadowing of the ideas that Coppola will eventually tackle like Kay wanting an abortion in Godfather II and the road aspect of Apocalypse Now are all here. But this film is magic for all the subtle camera work and character details that Coppola paints, slightly...we come to hate all the main characters at some points and want Shirley Knight's character to succeed and fail throughout.

For 1969 this film must have been a downer...but other films of the time looked at their films as a mirror to society of the 60s..and that society was bleak and had few happy endings.

One last thing..in an interview between Coppola and his latest star, Vincent Gallo, Gallo called The Rain People his favorite Coppola film, especially the ending...I am a fan of Gallo and see clear connections between this road film of 1969 and Gallo's film The Brown Bunny...in Coppola's road film a small crew of young filmmakers and actors went across the country from New York to the far mid-west, and in a just a few weeks made a film, they were poor and struggled to make an engrossing and original film..they dared to make this film..in the group with Coppola was a young associate producer and crew member named George Lucas..I really hope he can find it in his filmmaker soul to go back to his roots as Coppola has and start creating original honest work again.

I recommend the film to anyone who enjoys the process of any hard work, especially from young and talented people.

Playlist: Even Dwarfs Started Small

Where to begin? Really, this is one of those films that you don't actually like or dislike as much as simply experience. Director Werner Herzog has said this spawned from his nightmares at the time and, well, thanks for sharing, mein Freund.

The "what" here is shockingly easy to describe: in an alternate world where everyone is a dwarf, a group of inmates/patients at an unnamed institution hold their instructor hostage and run wild. And that's an understatement. The "why" is another story, is not even in the ballpark of apparent, or for that matter, relevant. I still don't even know how it ends. To give you another idea of what kind of film this is, there's a commentary track with Herzog and Crispin Glover and Glover comes off as the sane one.

There's arson, joyriding, cannibal chickens, a murdered pig, cockfighting, a crucified monkey, a defecating camel, chickens used as grenades (yes, a lot of chickens. On the commentary, Herzog mentions how he's scared of chickens and used to hypnotize them). I'm not going to even hurt my head trying to delve into the allegorical implications of any of it. Every time I try all I hear is the giggling. Oh my god, the giggling.

Lifetime Movies: 1987

Gotta keep up with Frank here. 1987 was clearly a great year for film according to Frank...and why should I argue...but I just dont have that many films here...alot of what Frank wrote I sadly havent even seen...and many are also on my list...let me just say I think its freaking cool that Franks Grandpa brought him to see Full Metal Jacket...sadly I just saw 1 of Kubricks films in theaters. Heres my list of Films I considered to be the best Nominees and then some thoughts on others:

Angel Heart, Full Metal Jacket, Robocop

The winner for me was clear and not a tough decision: ROBOCOP

I had this poster hanging in my room for years. I remember buying it from Select Video in Staten Island on Hylan Blvd...and being so proud that I got to buy the very same movie poster that was hanging in the store front a few months earlier...(I also bought a Commando and The Golden Child poster but thats a different story. This film was originally an X rating for violence..the directors cut that is on Criterion is brutal. From the design to the violence to the glory of DR. Peter Wellers performance I just love this film...my hopes were that Darren Aronofsky would find it in his busy schedule of artsy fartsy films to do this remake some justice...but the original film stands the test of time...they just dont make great films with action and violence as visceral as this anymore...not with all this CGI fake blood.

Angel Heart: another possible X rating...Mickey Rourke continues to fascinate me...I have an interview on the dvd for this film where he just flat out states that he doesnt remember most of the filming of this movie...

Full Metal Jacket: Franks said it best...the dvd commentary to the new Kurick collection is great...its got D'Onofrio and some great stories.

Untouchables: Just saw an interview with an author that states that Capone never would have known Elliot Ness's name..great another way that Hollywood fucks up history...great film but historically inaccurate..for accuracy see Public Enemy's by a much better director Micheal Mann

Raising Arizona: funny funny funny...the Coens are great...but sometimes they fall flat also...looking forward to True Grit

Who's That Girl: I saw this in the theater...I had a fascination and love affair with this woman for years...she looks best in this film towards the end in a stunning dress...I was in love

Lifetime Movies: 1987

Winner: Full Metal Jacket

For the simple reason that the first half of Stanley Kubrick's Vietnam War film contains some of the most powerful images ever shot (no pun intended)(really). The rawness of the fear and hate and pain between R. Lee Ermey's Gunnery Sergeant Hartman and Vincent D'Onofrio's Private Pyle left an incredible impression on me when I saw this at a too young age. (I was into war movies at the time and had my grandpa take me to see this. Poor guy. If only there were informative movie blogs back then to help guide him.) 

Films of Note:

Angel Heart / Barfly: Double-barreled Mickey Rourke. Was he as good as anyone in his prime?

Can't Buy Me Love / Some Kind of Wonderful: Two of the last great 80s teen movies. Some might argue SKoW may be the best. (Here's another: Adventures in Babysitting. Elizabeth Shue...sigh...and I still regret going to see Jaws IV instead of this.)

Evil Dead II: Not much more to be said about this. Its cult classic status is platinum, as is its place as the prototype slapstick horror film. Its everything that's great about Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell. And that's a lot of everything.

Lethal Weapon: Back when Mel Gibson was just playing crazy. Still the best buddy-cop movie, though points deducted for giving us 25 years and counting of...more buddy-cop movies.

The Lost Boys / Near Dark: Great year for vampires.And Coreys.

The Princess Bride: What's your favorite quote from this? If you don't have one, you probably have two. "Why won't my arms move? You've been mostly-dead all day."

Raising Arizona: The Coen Bros. second film and first comedy. Amazing how well they understood the types of movies they wanted to make right from the start...and were able to pull them off so masterfully.

RoboCop: Nihilistic, right wing vigilante fantasy? Satiric skewering of the decline of western civilization? Badass robot violence? Yep, yep, and hell yep.

Spaceballs: I couldn't imagine anything ever being as funny when I first saw this. Now? Not so much.

Summer School: All hail the great Dean Cameron! Very underrated movie.

The Untouchables: Say what you want about director Brian De Palma (buy Vin a drink and he'll say plenty), but this is a terrific film. Screenplay by David Mamet. Music by Ennio Morricone. Ok, maybe it's not so much De Palma.

Playlist: Food, Inc.

Trouble losing weight? Who isn't, what with Speedo season fast approaching? Sure, you could go the traditional route, but with so many germs floating around these days it's just not as safe sticking your fingers down your throat as it used to be. May I offer a suggestion? Sit on the couch (what, you were thinking exercise?) and put on Robert Kenner's Oscar-nominated doc about the food industry.

I hope this doesn't come as a shock, but the American food-industrial complex is a dark, sordid place. If you eat meat, you already know how to disassociate the mouth-watering aroma of a grilled burger with the horrifically violent and unsanitary conditions of the slaughterhouse it came from. You have to. Like that one uncle. You know the one. You don't remember? Good job.

But the real revelations in this eye-opening film come from the rainbow and pony filled fields of happy-go-vegan land. It seems the entire grains and veggie market is a corporate repression training film in progress. Thank you, Monsanto. How have they not put Soylent Green on shelves yet?

We're all victims of the system and woefully unarmed to fight the power. Things need to change. It's scary and sad, not just that this is how the world is, but that we let it happen. Where the hell's Upton Sinclair when you need him? Dead? Must have been something he ate.

Playlist: Shakes The Clown

Bobcat Golthwait...his name conjures up images of an uncomfortable , quirky, snorting through his mouth and nose, unfunny, drunk/retarded, rent-a-cop from the latter films of Police Academy. Then came this film...and the people of 1991 rejected Bobcat even more then ever...how dare he try to make his own film, direct it and star in it...and not be that cool Police Academy moron we all know and love. For me I just watched this film...and I loved it. This is funny, unconventional, and something I have never seen.

You see in most run of the mill clown films, they would have to explain to you all about the rules of clown world...you know, why they drink, why they can jump to the second floor of an apartment building and have like almost magical abilities, why they do drugs and of course the pecking order of Rodeo Clowns versus Party Clowns versus Mimes...and why all Clowns must beat up Mimes...This film does not explain it and does a great job of making us feel like we have been dropped an another world that just makes sense..and that's Palookaville...this is the brain child of Bobcat Goldthwait. This man is a jewel of comedy that I truly feel has not been heard enough...part of it is my love of his film Worlds Greatest Dad ...That was one hell of a funny film that pulls no punches...if we are getting films like Superbad, Forgetting Sarah whatever, and The Killers to make money...why not a smart, edgy, thinking mans comedy like Bobcat has done?

I am currently getting a few more of his written and directed films from Netflix, so we shall see if it holds up..check out his IMDB page a read up on this guy, he is talented.

Also 4 little gems in this film:

1. Adam Sandler is actually funny

2. Julie Brown (the white one from MTV)..is funny as heck

3. The background and whats going on in some of the scenes are almost as funny as what is going on in the foreground

4. Binky the villain clown is played by Spongebob

Playlist: Sherlock Holmes

It's elementary* that the combo of director Guy Ritchie and star Robert Downey, Jr. would adapt Sherlock Holmes into a highly watchable, bare-knuckled romp through Victorian London. There's nothing new or innovative here, but sometimes fun is enough. Add Jude Law as loyal partner Watson and the always enchanting Rachel McAdams and you have two hours you won't demand back.

There's been some criticism that they took too many liberties with the classic Holmes character, but my understanding is that most past adaptations have been worse offenders. The great detective has become something of a cliche over the years and we have unfortunately been living with a watered down image of this very complex, very flawed (in the most interesting way) literary creation.

One of the better versions of the Holmes-Watson dynamic in recent years has been playing out on "House, M.D." So much so that I kept thinking Downey and Law were reminding me of Hugh Laurie and Robert Sean Leonard's House and Wilson.

*legally required pun

Lifetime Movies: 1986

When I think of the 80's...for some reason 1986 seems like a great year...Frank and I turned 12 this year...the prime of our childhood. 86..just like the great 86th street in Brooklyn New York...86 like the Challenger explosion...86 like the great Watchmen Graphic Novel...and Platoon won the Oscar...here are my Nominee's

At Close Range , Blue Velvet, Big Trouble In Little China , Wise Guys

I gotta say this is a tough one. Do I pick the artsy film and be called a snob again like with Eraserhead?...do I pick the little Gem that is At Close Range with both Penn boys, Chris Walken and my favorite Madonna song of all time, do I choose the crazy go nuts Big Trouble which perfectly balances action, kung fu, comedy, and sci-fi horror?...or do I go with a film I could watch a thousand times and always laugh knowing its glorious and no one has seen it in Wiseguys (picking this will make it the second Brian DePalma film...what?...me pick DePalma twice over Scorsese?..What a Disgrace I would be.

Enough pick I know: I just feel this is so important I must go with my gut:

BLUE VELVET by David Lynch

Its just THE best film of 1986...it is the best filmed and most beautiful of the films listed, it is a true American Nightmare, Dreamscape, Fim Noir, Scary film....not in the horror sense but in the David Lynch sense...this is the film I would recommend to someone who wanted to see their first David Lynch Film. Maybe I'm feeling nostalgic but the late Dennis Hopper was amazing and scary and fun fun fun to watch. On a personal note the film was filmed in North Carolina...it is set in the fictional town of Lumberton...but in North Carolina there really is a Lumberton...and I ate at a Cracker Barrel in Lumberton...

Others of note that need to be recognized:

WiseGuys:...this film is great...probably in a toss up with Blue Velvet...but I HAD to pick one which are the rules...Wise guys has the best Captain Lou Albano ever and the first "Italo-Judeo Deli"

Cobra : What a crazy film...watch this one with some friends now and realize how stupid the 80's was...the product placement is great and Director Sylvester Stallone lets us all know he is the star.

of course : Stand By Me, Top Gun and Ferris Bueller..all equally wonderful to watch on the USA network during July 4th or some shit.

BOOM BITCHES (for Brattsley...our late great reader)

Lifetime Movies: 1986

Changing up the format a bit. All apologies to you SMC purists.

Winner: Aliens: This is how it's supposed to work--young director proves himself on a low budget and is given the chance to play around with some bigger bucks. James Cameron's follow-up to Ridley Scott's Alien is a sci-fi action masterpiece that isn't so much a sequel as a roided out version of the original. Like the kid in high school who left in June looking like Yakov Smirnoff and came back looking like Ivan Drago. Timely 80s references--mint! Sigourney Weaver was even nominated for a Best Actress Oscar for kicking so much ass, which really should be its own category.

Films of Note:
Back to School: I can't not watch this when it's on TV. Rodney Dangerfield is hilarious. Plus, there's a Kurt Vonnegut cameo!

Big Trouble in Little China: Director John Carpenter and Kurt Russell at the top of their games. Another movie that's just so much fun to watch.

Ferris Bueller's Day Off: Who didn't want to be Ferris? Actually, I think more people just wanted to hang out with him. Seeing Matthew Broderick now, it's almost hard to believe he was once the epitome of cool.

Hoosiers: In the running for best sports movie ever. Hackman and Hopper's powerful performances are just running up the score.

Pretty in Pink: More John Hughes! And this one may be his best overall film. Spader!

River's Edge / Sid and Nancy: Ah, the underbelly of the most superficial of decades. Gritty, indie films that presaged the coming darker, alterna-90s. At least the early 90s.

Stand By Me: Coming-of-age film that actually surpasses the Stephen King novella on which it was based. People tend to make fun of a lot of these 80s kid actors today because, well, people are dicks. But take Corey Feldman...please. Seriously, though, he's very good in this, and a lot of his other roles. It's a shame sometimes that we're all so cool.

Top Gun: Iceman would have crushed Maverick.

*Before Vin says anything, I'd like to point out that Blue Velvet is not mentioned. Honestly, I haven't seen it in some time and don't really feel comfortable judging it here. (And Vin, if you love David Lynch so much, why don't you marry him?)

Playlist: Justified

FX had me at "The Shield". Then, "Sons of Anarchy". So, my faith in their programming is...well, justified, but that's just a coincidence. Stupid puns.

There's nothing like good writing, is there? Smooth segue, eh? Good writing delivered via good actors. I'm not sure why so many producers treat this as a top secret formula. Sometimes it feels like more people know KFC's magical recipe. Which, SPOILER ALERT, is people.

Justified is based on the exploits of the Elmore Leonard character, U.S. Marshall Raylan Givens (played cool as all hell by Timothy Olyphant). If you're not familiar with Leonard, get familiar with him. He's one of the best crime fiction writers ever and a master of dialogue. And this show is dripping with his style and flair. At first, I worried it would unfold as a case-of-the-week procedural--which would have been entertaining enough--but having been spoiled by so many good recent shows, I have come to expect more. And this does deliver as a season-long arc hit a very satisfying conclusion last night.

But back to the writing and acting. Some of the best scenes you'll see on TV--anywhere, really--are between Olyphant and Walton Goggins, who was so powerful on "The Shield". Mesmerizing. Not so much for what is said, but how. How they own their characters and the space they're in, how they feed off each other, and how you could watch one scene play out for the whole hour and still want to see more.

So, yeah, check it out.