tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10762474393149170822024-03-13T14:06:01.888-07:00HaywireUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076247439314917082.post-71584308617261639912011-10-05T21:27:00.000-07:002011-10-05T21:30:34.130-07:00The Age-Old StruggleOne of my friends from recently posted this on her facebook, and there was a minor uproar of response: 7 likes and 15+ people discussing it.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LRmdmvSrQGE/To0dXTT2b0I/AAAAAAAAAX0/AoW8RadB1As/s1600/Screen+Shot+2011-10-05+at+10.13.24+PM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="61" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LRmdmvSrQGE/To0dXTT2b0I/AAAAAAAAAX0/AoW8RadB1As/s400/Screen+Shot+2011-10-05+at+10.13.24+PM.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>This opinion didn't really surprise me - from what I know as a friend of Melissa she's particularly into singer-songwriters (no matter how well-known or obscure). There were a lot of comments, some agreeing with her, and some disagreeing. I'm a Skrillex fan myself, and I said so. It doesn't bother me that some people don't find certain styles pleasing or interesting, so none of the comments for or against really bothered me, either. But later that day Melissa's brother posted a comment that actually irritated me.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EVRTczq15WM/To0e-8kblgI/AAAAAAAAAX4/K2RKx9zfbzY/s1600/Screen+Shot+2011-10-05+at+10.21.46+PM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="62" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EVRTczq15WM/To0e-8kblgI/AAAAAAAAAX4/K2RKx9zfbzY/s400/Screen+Shot+2011-10-05+at+10.21.46+PM.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Maybe it seems pretty innocuous, but this comment really made me mad. A little backstory: Michael Jones is in his mid- to late-20s and a math teacher at a high school near Austin. He's also a talented musician, and he plays regularly at a local bar. He sings solo and accompanies with acoustic guitar; he does covers of his favorite artists. I've seen him - he's good. I don't know this for a fact, but my guess is he doesn't write any original music, and if he does, it's nothing special. Would I ever call him out on this? No, it's in bad taste.<br />
<br />
Until you make an ignorant comment like this one. At first I had no idea what would compel him to say something like this about someone else in the world of music. Don't artists have each other's backs most of the time? But thinking about it some more, the whole comment reeks with jealousy. It's practically drowning in it. Evidently, Michael Jones fancies himself a prodigious musical talent. He thus believes that someone like Skrillex - who makes music that sounds bizarre and computer generated to him - doesn't deserve the fame he has gained. He wants to be in Skrillex's place on stage at huge music festivals, by virtue of his perceived talent, and he thinks he <i>deserves</i> to be. <br />
<br />
Saying that an artist who uses a computer to generate music has no talent is the most enragingly closed-minded statement I've heard in a long time. Regardless of whether you <i>like</i> his music, denying that Skrillex is a musical innovator is the height of ignorance. Since before Brian Eno, a certain brand of musicians has been expanding the scope of music using computer-generated sounds. Progressive Rock bands used Moog synthesizers in the 70s; Daft Punk led a host of DJs creating electronic house music; rap and hip-hop have used similar tools to create backing music and beats. Like it or not, the computer is an integral part of music today.<br />
<br />
Apparently Michael doesn't like it. There's one <b>essential</b> point that is lost on Mr. Jones. Skrillex goes through the same process any "normal" musician would in creating his songs. In place of physical instruments, however, he uses the vast catalog of sounds afforded him by computer generation. The intricacy and detail in his songs makes it evident that no computer could, on its own, create these tracks. They can only aid an artist in the production.<br />
<br />
This is really nothing new, though. Innovative musicians have always face resistance. If you can believe the basic premise of the movie <i>Amadeus</i>, people liked what Mozart was doing in general, but thought he used too many notes. Jazz as an art form has come under criticism because of its lack of structure, yet it was among the most influential musical styles of the 20th century. The other Beach Boys pushed back when Brian Wilson brought them <i>Pet Sounds</i>. Some people <i>still</i> maintain rap is not music because they don't outright sing. Skrillex is just another artist in this long line of musicians pushing sonic boundaries. He'll meet resistance from those who don't recognize his genius. But luckily that'll never stop him from creating.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076247439314917082.post-81262035462612194642011-10-05T00:25:00.000-07:002011-10-05T00:25:12.073-07:00College Football Uniforms...are a hot-button issue this season. A lot of teams have come out with vastly expanded uniform designs and combinations, most of these being teams that use Under Armour gear (Oklahoma State and Maryland have been the most talked-about). I guess they figured they better try to compete with Nike or fall behind even more. These new uniforms have come under heavy fire, especially from the boring old people commentating on ESPN. But the reason they're around is the players love them, so odds are the trend isn't going to slow or turn. And it shouldn't, necessarily. The amount of colors and combinations used make it inevitable that some heinous uniforms will come out, but a lot of them are really pretty good. Oregon, the poster child for uniform madness, has had unis at both extremes. And one can't forget that there are some programs that have landed on a look so classic it doesn't need changing at all. The flip side of that, though, are the programs that haven't changed their uniforms in forty years. These are mostly incredibly boring (Penn State, Alabama, I'm looking at you). There's a balance to be struck between classic and cutting-edge, and different styles suit different programs. That being said, I thought I'd add my two cents on which teams have gotten it right, because it seems to differ a lot from what others are saying. <br />
<div><br />
</div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Classics</span></b></div><div><b><br />
</b></div><div>Like I said, there are several teams that have stuck to simplicity amid the trend to difersify, and a few have done so with fantastic results. It seems like a lot of these programs are teams that have been elite for decades, which makes a lot of sense. People know immediately who they're looking at, so don't fix what isn't broken. </div><div><br />
</div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138; font-size: large;">Texas</span></div></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div></div><div>I'll get this one out of the way. I'm a UT student so I'm inherently biased, but I've looked around and a lot of people agree with me. Texas has some of the best football uniforms on planet earth; the away jerseys especially. All white with burnt orange accents, they're basically the visual embodiment of less is more. The home jerseys are very similar, just switching burnt orange with white on the top.</div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.bengalsgab.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/JordanShipley.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.bengalsgab.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/JordanShipley.jpg" width="244" /></a></div><div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.studybreaks.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/300px_1118202g.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.studybreaks.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/300px_1118202g.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000; font-size: large;">Florida State</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">The perfect balance between two really good-looking colors. That helmet logo is among the very best in college sports. It sounds a bit ridiculous, but the word beautiful is perfectly fitting for these uniforms.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://cdn.bleacherreport.net/images_root/slides/photos/000/129/489/RackMultipart.12472.0_display_image.jpg?1262363195" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://cdn.bleacherreport.net/images_root/slides/photos/000/129/489/RackMultipart.12472.0_display_image.jpg?1262363195" style="cursor: move;" width="252" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red; font-size: large;">Ohio State</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;">I'm definitely not an Ohio State fan, but I have to admit they have some great home uniforms. They're one of the few three-color uniforms I've seen that look truly great. A ridiculous number of teams have red as their primary color, but OSU's red is surprisingly unique. The helmet stripe is repeated exactly on the sleeves and the pants, a design chioce I like a lot. I prefer the helmets sans buckeye stickers, but everything is so simple they don't really distract you.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://0.tqn.com/d/collegefootball/1/0/r/6/-/-/ohio-state.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="218" src="http://0.tqn.com/d/collegefootball/1/0/r/6/-/-/ohio-state.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Also...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Michigan</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_SdY5TtGAMd4/SvR9TUyYDCI/AAAAAAAAC6A/pnCU18d2-Ts/s640/ncf_g_minor2_600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_SdY5TtGAMd4/SvR9TUyYDCI/AAAAAAAAC6A/pnCU18d2-Ts/s320/ncf_g_minor2_600.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Notre Dame</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://trepanddoc.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/notredame.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://trepanddoc.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/notredame.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">UCLA</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://magazine.ucla.edu/depts/happenings/football-austin-promo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="226" src="http://magazine.ucla.edu/depts/happenings/football-austin-promo.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Slick and New</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;">Nike has led the charge on modern, varied, and multi-textured uniforms with their Pro-Combat series and their runway models at Oregon. A lot of these combinations can look really good, but there are some that transcend to classic status almost instantly.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f1c232; font-size: large;">Arizona State</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">ASU completely rebranded last year with the help of Nike, and it was a huge success. The new logo looks great, and all the jersey combinations are good. The all-blacks are the real standouts.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-K_tVKWkZzMY/Tov9U6sojZI/AAAAAAAAAXQ/8g08Ldz7fvE/s1600/Screen+Shot+2011-10-05+at+1.42.42+AM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-K_tVKWkZzMY/Tov9U6sojZI/AAAAAAAAAXQ/8g08Ldz7fvE/s320/Screen+Shot+2011-10-05+at+1.42.42+AM.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: lime; font-size: large;">Oregon</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Oregon has been the standard-bearer for Nike in their uniform experiments, and their jerseys seem to change every game they play. As many look really good as look ridiculous, but every once in a while a true classic emerges, and is promptly scrapped for something else. The Pro-Combat unis in their season opener vs. LSU were great.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tdrnPSvCNLs/Tov-wdzc8_I/AAAAAAAAAXU/A8iLRq3BBnc/s1600/Screen+Shot+2011-10-05+at+1.48.40+AM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="222" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tdrnPSvCNLs/Tov-wdzc8_I/AAAAAAAAAXU/A8iLRq3BBnc/s320/Screen+Shot+2011-10-05+at+1.48.40+AM.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I really liked the helmets they wore in the National Championship game last year, too.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://cf.mp-cdn.net/c1/0f/74d3ea553a0ece2d91bb35953710.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="264" src="http://cf.mp-cdn.net/c1/0f/74d3ea553a0ece2d91bb35953710.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #bf9000; font-size: large;">Missouri</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">My family raised me as Mizzou fans, so I'm biased to black and gold. Also, Mizzou has been the beneficiary of some of the best Pro-Combat unis since the series began. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/218376/MU-KU_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/218376/MU-KU_1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.examiner.com/images/blog/EXID1431/images/MU_procombat_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.examiner.com/images/blog/EXID1431/images/MU_procombat_1.jpg" width="239" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #741b47; font-size: large;">LSU</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">LSU benefits a lot from making the gold of their Purple and Gold... actually <i>gold</i>. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.solecollector.com/niketraining/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/nike-2011-pro-combat-uniforms-lsu-tigers-02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.solecollector.com/niketraining/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/nike-2011-pro-combat-uniforms-lsu-tigers-02.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Also...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Navy</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/714059/304853_10150818542045721_57460905720_20781255_1914583782_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="290" src="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/714059/304853_10150818542045721_57460905720_20781255_1914583782_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Army</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/714055/317760_10150818539630721_57460905720_20781228_555030307_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="297" src="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/714055/317760_10150818539630721_57460905720_20781228_555030307_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">And Finally...</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The most talked about uniforms this season by far were the ones Maryland unveiled in their opening game against Miami. Definitely the most striking unis so far, they featured patterns from the very unusual flag of Maryland, and they were almost universally panned by crotchety ESPN analysts. The Maryland players seemed to love them, though.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I'm going on record as saying I like the infamous flag uniforms. They're a great way to rebrand a program that has struggled in the ACC and needs a jolt. Obviously uniforms won't make a tangible difference on the field, but they create interest and are uniquely Maryland's. Sure the patterns are wacky and bold, but the rest of the uniforms are simple white, so there's a pretty good design balance.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.soraspy.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Maryland_Uniforms.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://www.soraspy.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Maryland_Uniforms.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076247439314917082.post-15612823542508443672011-03-31T15:55:00.000-07:002011-03-31T15:55:08.019-07:00The Blazing Saddles Drinking GameAbout a month ago I re-watched <i>Blazing Saddles</i> and it was even funnier than I remembered the last time I watched it. I watched it again last Monday with my brother, and we made a drinking game for it. I enjoyed it thoroughly, and I thought I'd post it. It's not incredibly creative (you could do drinking/smoking/cursing for about half the movies out there) , but it's my first, I'll work on it. I may come up with some more drinking games for other movies, it's pretty enjoyable.<div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8cHPZ-V1xd8/TZUCiaWcL8I/AAAAAAAAAI0/mE4nFZwtf8s/s1600/blazing-saddles-title.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8cHPZ-V1xd8/TZUCiaWcL8I/AAAAAAAAAI0/mE4nFZwtf8s/s1600/blazing-saddles-title.jpg" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div><ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">Take a drink every time someone says something racist</span> - Mel Brooks is pretty equal-opportunity with the slurs and racist jokes, and they're all very funny</li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">Drink every time a character takes a drink or lights a cigarette/cigar/pipe/joint</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">Drink every time a character curses</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">Drink every time a character breaks the fourth wall</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">Drink every time Hedley Lamarr loses control</span> - He has a tendency to get a little rapturous when he's imagining land-snatching, and he loses his temper when he's challenged</li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">Drink every time Lili Von Shtupp says "tired"</span> - This is the marathon drink session during the movie, but it's manageable, especially if you're just doing beer</li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">Drink every time someone is shot</span></li>
</ul><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><br />
</span></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076247439314917082.post-81316858855184996902011-03-23T21:48:00.000-07:002011-10-04T22:03:18.598-07:00These Are a Few of My Favorite DirectorsA while back I figured if I wanted to become a film director I should learn from the best. So I started compiling a list of the greatest movies ever made, determined to take it on and learn what I could simply through observation. I quickly developed a love for certain filmmaker's works, and I made a list of my favorite directors, both past and present. Regardless of whether I ever get into film in any way, I've enjoyed watching these directors' works and analyzing their common themes and styles. <br />
<br />
I enjoy making lists, so I thought I'd list all the movies I've seen from my favorite directors and talk about the ones that struck me. I only list directors of whose movies I've seen at least five, with one exception.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-fb1LPjODIhI/TYrPJyLPfmI/AAAAAAAAAIY/ZY8UYkuGS7A/s1600/Annex+-+Stewart%252C+James+%2528Vertigo%2529_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-fb1LPjODIhI/TYrPJyLPfmI/AAAAAAAAAIY/ZY8UYkuGS7A/s320/Annex+-+Stewart%252C+James+%2528Vertigo%2529_01.jpg" width="262" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">#1 - Alfred Hitchcock</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">He was astronomically ahead of his time, and was the master of absolute simplicity.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">The 39 Steps</span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">The Lady Vanishes</span></b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">Rebecca</span></b> - Don't tell me that burning monogrammed pillow wasn't an influence on <i>Citizen Kane</i>.<br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">Notorious</span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">Rope</span></b> - Could've been better edited by today's standards, but I love the idea of a single continous take.<br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">Strangers on a Train</span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">Dial M for Murder</span></b> - Hitchcock's under-appreciated one-setting murder mystery.<br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">Rear Window</span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">To Catch a Thief</span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">The Man Who Knew Too Much</span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">Vertigo</span></b> - Still the best twist ending to any movie I've ever seen. Absolutely haunting.<br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">North by Northwest</span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">Psycho</span></b> - Simplicity doesn't get better than this.<br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">The Birds</span></b><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-rQW3ebneYk4/TYrNvxhQDgI/AAAAAAAAAIQ/E0ztTJz6t7E/s1600/2001-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-rQW3ebneYk4/TYrNvxhQDgI/AAAAAAAAAIQ/E0ztTJz6t7E/s320/2001-3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">#2 - Stanley Kubrick</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br />
</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">What can you say? Immensely influential and a strong candidate for the best director of all time.</div><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">The Killing</span></b> - Great use of the alternative plot structure about 40 years before Tarantino.<br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">Spartacus</span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb</span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">2001: A Space Odyssey</span></b> - An existential masterpiece.<br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">A Clockwork Orange</span></b> - Really disturbing, but unforgettable.<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><b>Barry Lyndon</b></span><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">The Shining</span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">Full Metal Jacket</span></b> - The best war movie I've ever seen. Friggin' brilliant.<br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">Eyes Wide Shut</span></b><br />
<b><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-eEUd9wK5EaA/TYrOFFyYJxI/AAAAAAAAAIU/Y2WrlX6nhNk/s1600/UnforgivenStillShotgunBaja.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-eEUd9wK5EaA/TYrOFFyYJxI/AAAAAAAAAIU/Y2WrlX6nhNk/s320/UnforgivenStillShotgunBaja.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">#3 - Clint Eastwood</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br />
</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">A simple but powerful filmmaker, when he gets the right script he knocks 'em dead.</div><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">The Outlaw Josey Wales</span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">Unforgiven</span></b> - The darkest, most powerful western I've ever seen.<br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">Mystic River</span></b> - A cold tragedy about mistrust, deceit, and treachery.<br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">Gran Torino</span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">Invictus</span></b><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-Yfa0w9rnoCM/TYrQEjlbOzI/AAAAAAAAAIc/6G2JNaB6vY4/s1600/RagingBull-TitleScreen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-Yfa0w9rnoCM/TYrQEjlbOzI/AAAAAAAAAIc/6G2JNaB6vY4/s320/RagingBull-TitleScreen.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">#4 - Martin Scorsese</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br />
</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">A visionary auteur with at least four timeless classics, he's still producing high-quality work.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">Taxi Driver</span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">Raging Bull</span></b> - A masterpiece that contrasts gut-wrenchingly violent with exquisitely filmed. <br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">Goodfellas</span></b> - Gets better with each watching.<br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">Cape Fear</span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">Casino</span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">The Aviator</span></b> - An underrated period epic, with great montage.<br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">The Departed</span> </b>- Smart and fast, with unforgettable characters in an epic struggle.<br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">Shutter Island</span></b><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-_mp4k-7FMhc/TYrRmbePNeI/AAAAAAAAAIg/v4HKwiO5m9c/s1600/brazil.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="158" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-_mp4k-7FMhc/TYrRmbePNeI/AAAAAAAAAIg/v4HKwiO5m9c/s320/brazil.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">#5 - Terry Gilliam</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br />
</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Not as good a story-teller as the others, but his visions are so unique they demand watching.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">Monty Python and the Holy Grail</span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">Brazil</span></b> - An incredible dystopian vision, with some tiny semblence of hope. Sort of.<br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">Twelve Monkeys</span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas</span></b> - It owes a lot to Johnny Depp, but it's absurdly hilarious.<br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus</span></b> - Really cool visuals with that signature cock-eyed humor.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-LeLRiYeAZQk/TYrSH8qoAWI/AAAAAAAAAIk/BBgxFA2RGRw/s1600/pulp-fiction-500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="215" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-LeLRiYeAZQk/TYrSH8qoAWI/AAAAAAAAAIk/BBgxFA2RGRw/s320/pulp-fiction-500.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">#6 - Quentin Tarantino</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br />
</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">He's got a great, unique style, but he wouldn't be this good without his extremely clever writing.</div><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">Reservoir Dogs</span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">Pulp Fiction</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"> </span>- Innumerable unforgettable scenes, and a mixed-up plot that come together perfectly.<br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">Jackie Brown</span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">Kill Bill: Vol. 1</span></b> - Slick and stylish<br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">Kill Bill: Vol. 2</span></b> - But with a moral message at its heart.<br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">Death Proof</span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">Inglourious Basterds</span></b><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-jonRgifMz6E/TYrT25TOW8I/AAAAAAAAAIo/RkuiMt_x3eU/s1600/socialnetwork05_rowing.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-jonRgifMz6E/TYrT25TOW8I/AAAAAAAAAIo/RkuiMt_x3eU/s320/socialnetwork05_rowing.png" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">#7 - David Fincher</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br />
</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">With a good script he's the best in the business, and his future is looking really really good.</div><b><br />
</b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">Se7en</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"> </span>- The most underrated movie on this entire list. A chilling, elemental horror/thriller masterpiece.<br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">Fight Club</span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">Panic Room</span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">Zodiac</span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">The Curious Case of Benjamin Button</span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">The Social Network</span></b> - Perfectly suited to its time period, but it'll soon be a timeless classic as well.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-lrwiJ_2sh-E/TYrUS34ClyI/AAAAAAAAAIs/sUDkhMfZ3mo/s1600/Inception+hallway.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-lrwiJ_2sh-E/TYrUS34ClyI/AAAAAAAAAIs/sUDkhMfZ3mo/s320/Inception+hallway.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">#8 - Christopher Nolan</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br />
</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">The most original writer/director in movies today, he's not getting the recognition he deserves...yet.</div><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">Following</span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">Memento</span></b> - A perfectly executed, original thriller with a fantastic twist.<br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">Insomnia</span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">Batman Begins</span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">The Prestige</span> </b>- A character study on obsession with another great twist.<br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">The Dark Knight</span></b> - Elevates a superhero movie to questions of fundamental morality.<br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">Inception</span></b> - The most original movie in ten years (at least), thought-provoking and visually stunning.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-hPvzIvvw8bg/TYrUyy_MQRI/AAAAAAAAAIw/mx56jIo1H_Y/s1600/The_Black_Swan-mirror-still.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="263" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-hPvzIvvw8bg/TYrUyy_MQRI/AAAAAAAAAIw/mx56jIo1H_Y/s320/The_Black_Swan-mirror-still.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">#9 - Darren Aronofsky</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br />
</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">A little explanation: I had watched his first two movies as a part of my list, and I was very impressed. I loved his most recent movie, <i>Black Swan</i>, so much that I decided he deserved a place on the list just for that. He's got a promising future in store, I'm sure more of his movies will appear here soon.</div><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">Pi</span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">Requiem for a Dream</span></b><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><b>The Fountain</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;"><b>The Wrestler</b></span><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">Black Swan</span></b> - As stunningly beautiful as it is paralyzingly terrifying, I couldn't look away.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076247439314917082.post-72889565734910993812011-03-06T22:51:00.000-08:002011-03-06T22:52:30.664-08:00One of the most badass movie quotes of all time...by one of the best screenwriters ever.<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">"When fortune smiles on something as violent and ugly as revenge, it seems proof like no other that, not only does God exist, you're doing His will."</span><br />
<br />
The Bride, Kill BillUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076247439314917082.post-88280924350321581212011-03-03T18:49:00.001-08:002011-03-03T18:51:33.279-08:00I've Always Wondered...Why did people hold guns so weird in the 50s?<br />
<br />
Example: <i>Catch Me If You Can</i>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076247439314917082.post-5811654027070130922011-03-02T21:57:00.000-08:002011-03-02T22:06:14.615-08:00HouseI'm glad I stopped watching House. I just saw a clip on the Craig Ferguson show and it looks like it turned into Two and a Half Men in three years. Hugh Laurie has an awesome accent though, and him and Craig talking is exponentially more awesome.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1076247439314917082.post-86376478603949475142011-03-01T00:15:00.000-08:002011-03-01T14:01:19.269-08:00The Quote of the Week (so far) and a short intro<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">The Oscars were a little slow and pretty predictable this year, and although this is the first time I've watched the entire ceremony, I shouldn't have been surprised. My favorite part of the night by far was right before the presentation of the Best Picture Oscar. With a sly smirk on his face, Steven Spielberg delivered a line that put the entire evening into perspective:</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">"Well in a moment, one of these ten movies will join a list that includes </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">On the Waterfront</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">, </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">Midnight Cowboy</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">, </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">The Godfather</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">, and </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">The Deer Hunter</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">. The other nine will join a list that includes </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">The Grapes of Wrath</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">, </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">Citizen Kane</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">, </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">The Graduate</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">, and </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">Raging Bull</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">."</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #b45f06;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">I've always had a mixed opinion about Steven Spielberg. In some movies, he appears to be a consummate artist (<i>Jaws</i>, <i>Schindler's List</i>), and in others he seems like a typical Hollywood blockbuster-pusher (Indiana Jones 4, producing <i>Transformers</i>, etc.). I guess I shouldn't fault the guy for being productive. But this surprising (at least to me) intro reasserted that, of course, Spielberg cares a great deal about movies and that he's one of the most commercially successful Director/Producers of all time for a good reason. Anyway, he re-earned my respect by bringing the ego of the Academy down a little, even if they didn't take it quite that way.</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">If this had been a weak year for movies I don't think the statement would have really resonated. But this was a fantastic year for movies, and that fact that an organization with an often spotty record chose one very good film over many other arguably better films is really a small matter in the grand scheme of things. Don't get me wrong, I loved <i>The King's Speech</i> and it was a high-quality movie. But I enjoyed <i>Inception</i> and <i>Black Swan</i> more, and I thought <i>The Social Network</i> deserved the Best Picture Oscar over any of them. And, as is the case with the second list of movies above, I'm willing to bet that in ten or twenty years <i>Black Swan</i>, <i>Inception</i>, and <i>The Social Network</i> will be considered bigger contributions to the film canon than the movie that won Best Picture (sort of an <i>Oliver!</i> situation). </div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">So, if anyone should stumble upon this blog, it's really just meant to be a dump for all my random thoughts, opinions, and observations. It's more for my benefit than anything, but if people somehow find it and decide to read it that's cool too. The title's from a quote from one of my favorite movies, <i>The Philadelphia Story</i>, and it's still tentative. Anyway, Katharine Hepburn's character is apologizing to Ruth Hussey's character for the mistakes of a drunken night, and she replies:<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #e69138;">"Oh it's all right Tracy. We all go haywire at times and if we don't, maybe we ought to."</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0