I respectfully offer a disclaimer. There may be some very good movies of the decade I haven't seen yet. This may be why they aren't on my list. Or, alternately, you may have gotten a lot more out of a film that I did. So there, nyahh... wow, that was cathartic. On with the show....
STIWMDSSEHHIWGTABOFOTD (read part 1 for explanation), movie list:
7) Letters From Iwo Jima - I remember when this movie was supposed to be the sideline curiosity to Flags of Our Fathers, the little vanity project that Clint Eastwood just "had to" put together. Okay, after it got nominated for a Best Picture Oscar I decided to check it out, and was very glad I did. Allegedly, it's the Japanese point of view of the Battle of Iwo Jima, though it's been criticized for making characters with exposure to the United States overly sympathetic to the "enemy" in this movie (hey, that's us, and darned unpatriotic! Er, darned patriotic?) Anyway, probably the movie on my list that's been seen by the fewest people. This is a shame, even if I'm not in love with Eastwood as a director. At least he didn't cast an orangutan as a co-lead...
6) Batman Begins - And this movie is probably the one that's been seen by the most. No, The Dark Knight will not be showing up later, because I believe the first film was better, even without Heath Ledger and even with Katie Holmes. Weird, I know. The reintroduction of the Batman franchise had a far better story line to my way of thinking, and while maybe the villains were a little less showy, I think Tom Wilkinson, Liam Neeson, and especially Cillian Murphy were fantastic doing the voodoo they did (yeah, ruins the internal rhyme, moving on...). If Christian Bale had just learned to talk more loudly while constructing the menacing verbal mannerisms of the Caped Crusader, my one big complaint about this movie would be resolved. Oh, and you know, Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman just around, doing Caine/Freeman things, no big deal, you know. There might be some of you who criticize the overuse of "hero movies" in this day and age, and you might be right. Doesn't mean the best ones don't stand up to anything else out there. All the Oscar quality movies can't be "chick flicks" can they....
5) The Incredibles - No, I take it back, this one's been seen by more than anyone on the list, but most of them weren't of an age to also read blog entries about movies yet when it came out. There might still be some of you out there who criticize the quality of a movie because it's animated, and see my previous movie comment about superheros, but this has both, and it's that good anyway. I wouldn't have been disappointed to see this one nominated for Best Picture. The redemptive nature of the film, surrounded some pretty dark subject matter for your summer kiddie flick, was impressive enough to get an Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay. That's the words, not the pictures. I could irritate some people I know and say it's the best Samuel L. Jackson movie from that time period, because he was also doing Star Wars things (*sigh*), but let's move on. Ice to see you, too...
4) Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon - I bet this movie would have been breathtaking to see on the big screen, but even on video, it was awesome. Not many Westerners, myself included, had been exposed to much of the wuxia style, but considering it became the highest-grossing foreign film in U.S. history, a lot of people did not make the same mistake I did. The character of Li Mu-bai has the warrior/philosopher ethic that 21st Century Jedi only wish they could have. Sigh. Moving on, the movie also led to the opening to the west of other very good films, like Hero, Curse of the Golden Flower, and House of Flying Daggers. Further, it introduced the West to Zhang Ziyi, and as part of the West I am gratified for this introduction. Everybody say "YES!" Sorry, out of practice, there....
3) O Brother, Where Art Thou - so I recently was convinced to watch No Country For Old Men, and the person was bothered on some level that I said it was "good, not great". He said "you must not be a Coen Brothers fan". Au contraire, and to wit, besides... I'm not sure I buy their claim that they had never read The Odyssey at all before making the film, but if so other interpretations gave them a hell of a lot to work with. Not that Homer was this funny. Love the blues tie-in (Tommy Johnson, the crossroads, etc.), fanciful integration on a limited scale during the Depression, and the quotability of this film (Oh, George... not the livestock!). The film is definitely bonafide, and it's a suitor, besides. By the way, we thought... you was... a TOAD!
2) The Departed - I admit, I haven't seen the film Internal Affairs (Hong Kong) upon which this film was based, but it had been a while since I read The Odyssey too. Anyway, don't know any anyone can't be interested in a film with Nicholson, Sheen, Damon, DiCaprio, et al in it, all playing tough guys on one side of the law or the other. A little bit Scarface (the old version), a little bit Goodfellas (I mean, it is a Scorsese film, so hopefully you become inured to the F-word after an f@#&*!% while, but come on, he makes the best f@#&*!% films) and a little bit suspense. Then with the point in the film where you go "holy crap! What the f*#$!"? Oh, very rewatchable, even if you know what's coming. I understand, it's not as much Sixth Sense as a less surprising Usual Suspects or Seven, but that's a fine comparison as far as I'm concerned.
1) High Fidelity - What came first, the music or the misery? Music, misery, melancholy, misanthropy, melodrama, a hint of misogyny, and "the musical moron twins"... that's at least seven m's, magnificent number, and lot's of mmmmmmms. Good enough for me. Okay, seriously, always been a big John Cusack fan. I think Jack Black works a lot better as a supporting character with the room to stretch and be insane, rather than when that's the primary deal to the movie. And it's a movie that focuses a lot on music, of course, but not just the performances, but also as a vehicle for at least theorizing that what you like is as important as what you like. Okay, it's not as important, but why else do we spend so much time find out what people we associate with and are interested in read, watch, and listen to? Just passing time, I don't think so. Also, this is my #1 because when I first saw this in the theater, and John Cusack said to the audience "there's an art to making a tape" some smart-ass I know (take a bow, Jennie) looked right at me and said "yep, that's you." I said then, and believe it still, that it's a slightly more polished version of whatever amalgam you can put together between me, Wendell, and Richard. For those of you in the know, ponder that and shudder. And if you *really* wanted to screw me up, you should've gotten to me earlier.
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Decade End Humble Opinions - Part I...
assuming I stop being such a Grade A slack-ass and post more often than once every 6 months or so. Anyway, I am planning to do three of these (songs, movies, albums) to reflect the end of the current decade, which still hasn't been "named" (the zeros? the aughts? the ohs? anyway...)
So, the "best songs" of the decade? I dunno. "Favorite"? Probably. "Songs that I would make damn sure someone else has heard if we're gonna talk about best or favorites of the decade"? That sounds about right, so:
The STIWMDSSEHHIWGTABOFOTD, songs list -
7) Seven Nation Army - White Stripes: Anyone who is reading this now knows it already, but to anyone who wanders this way should know now that I'm into the White Stripes. Most important band of the decade as I see it, and it's not even close. Pretty good for a band with two members, one of whom was only really learning to drum at the beginning of this decade, huh? Anyway, I hear that this song helped clue people in to the Stripes, because it was off of their biggest album to date (more on this in a later post, to be sure), Elephant. Yeah, I was already there. Other lists I have seen also talk about this guitar riff being one of the "new classics". Okay, that works.
6) Clocks - Coldplay: Okay, go ahead and abuse me for picking one of the most overplayed songs of the decade. However, one, it was several years ago and some of you might not have immediately screamed when you read this. Two, if I still leave it on every time it comes on, that's gotta be a good sign, right? Honestly, I didn't get as inundated at the time because I think it was right around then that I discovered the crack candy that was iTunes. At any rate, it holds up very nicely, since I'm listening to it right now. I promise to get a little more esoteric later.
5) Steady, As She Goes - The Raconteurs: Yeah, this might get turned into a big love letter for Jack White. Don't care. So this was the first notable side project for White that involved something other than acting or producing Loretta Lynn. This song was a collaborative effort between White and Brendan Benson, which led to an album that is pretty darned good in its own right (Broken Boy Soldiers). Further, if the band hadn't formed off of this song, I wouldn't get treated to the Youtube video of them playing Gnarls Barkley's "Crazy" at Lollapalooza.
4) Lion Thief - The Beta Band: I haven't really managed to get anyone to embrace TBB as a group, or any whole album of theirs, but they seem to get positive responses when I play a couple of songs of theirs. "Dry The Rain" sparks the memory of those who then get told about that part in High Fidelity where John Cusack says he's gonna sell 5 albums by The Beta Band. 2000 movie including a 90's song, so that song can't go here. This one can, off of the last album this group made (Heroes To Zeros) before they broke up. Pity. Would like to have seen where they went from here.
3) Seven Times Closer Than Fire - T Bone Burnett: Burnett, producer extraordinaire (O Brother, Where Art Thou soundtrack, et al) released his first album in 14 years in 2006 and this song justified the wait all by itself. When I first heard it, I tried to get lots of people around me to listen to it and tell me what it sounded like, and I got different stuff from every person. It's an interesting song to try and swing dance to, as well. Actually, if you're me, nearly any song I try to swing dance to becomes an "interesting" experience, but I digress. It appeals on a visceral level.
2) Fell In Love With A Girl - The White Stripes: Probably the only surprise here was that it wasn't number one. That crazy Lego video from 2001 set the whole thing in motion for me. I've gone on ad nauseum in an earlier post (about karaoke) about how much I love to sing this song, with his garage rock sensibilities and short but powerful strokes. Doesn't need to be any longer to do its job perfectly. One of my all-time favorite songs, though so is....
1) Pink Bullets - The Shins: Yeah, Natalie Portman was right in Garden State though I am perversely happy to say this song wasn't in that movie. Found it on my own on a mixed CD a woman at work loaned me back in around 2003 or so, and it was interesting to me from the get-go. But it was one of those things like Nick Drake was for me, the kind of thing I kept coming back to and listening. And listening. And you get the idea.
Honestly either of the last two songs could have been #1, and then there was a huge fall down to #3. The rest of this list was kind of bunched up there, and in fact I might consider Seven Nation Army as high as #5 (big surprise, I know). However, here are the "honorable mention" songs that I just didn't have room for, and at different points of the decade would have probably been somewhere on this list:
Falling Slowly - Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova
Lose Yourself - Eminem
Somebody Told Me - The Killers
Clint Eastwood - Gorillaz
Flame - Bell X1
Pagan Angel and a Borrowed Car - Iron & Wine
Heavy Soul - The Black Keys
American Idiot - Green Day
Indian Ocean - Yusuf Islam
Rehab - Amy Winehouse
So, the "best songs" of the decade? I dunno. "Favorite"? Probably. "Songs that I would make damn sure someone else has heard if we're gonna talk about best or favorites of the decade"? That sounds about right, so:
The STIWMDSSEHHIWGTABOFOTD, songs list -
7) Seven Nation Army - White Stripes: Anyone who is reading this now knows it already, but to anyone who wanders this way should know now that I'm into the White Stripes. Most important band of the decade as I see it, and it's not even close. Pretty good for a band with two members, one of whom was only really learning to drum at the beginning of this decade, huh? Anyway, I hear that this song helped clue people in to the Stripes, because it was off of their biggest album to date (more on this in a later post, to be sure), Elephant. Yeah, I was already there. Other lists I have seen also talk about this guitar riff being one of the "new classics". Okay, that works.
6) Clocks - Coldplay: Okay, go ahead and abuse me for picking one of the most overplayed songs of the decade. However, one, it was several years ago and some of you might not have immediately screamed when you read this. Two, if I still leave it on every time it comes on, that's gotta be a good sign, right? Honestly, I didn't get as inundated at the time because I think it was right around then that I discovered the crack candy that was iTunes. At any rate, it holds up very nicely, since I'm listening to it right now. I promise to get a little more esoteric later.
5) Steady, As She Goes - The Raconteurs: Yeah, this might get turned into a big love letter for Jack White. Don't care. So this was the first notable side project for White that involved something other than acting or producing Loretta Lynn. This song was a collaborative effort between White and Brendan Benson, which led to an album that is pretty darned good in its own right (Broken Boy Soldiers). Further, if the band hadn't formed off of this song, I wouldn't get treated to the Youtube video of them playing Gnarls Barkley's "Crazy" at Lollapalooza.
4) Lion Thief - The Beta Band: I haven't really managed to get anyone to embrace TBB as a group, or any whole album of theirs, but they seem to get positive responses when I play a couple of songs of theirs. "Dry The Rain" sparks the memory of those who then get told about that part in High Fidelity where John Cusack says he's gonna sell 5 albums by The Beta Band. 2000 movie including a 90's song, so that song can't go here. This one can, off of the last album this group made (Heroes To Zeros) before they broke up. Pity. Would like to have seen where they went from here.
3) Seven Times Closer Than Fire - T Bone Burnett: Burnett, producer extraordinaire (O Brother, Where Art Thou soundtrack, et al) released his first album in 14 years in 2006 and this song justified the wait all by itself. When I first heard it, I tried to get lots of people around me to listen to it and tell me what it sounded like, and I got different stuff from every person. It's an interesting song to try and swing dance to, as well. Actually, if you're me, nearly any song I try to swing dance to becomes an "interesting" experience, but I digress. It appeals on a visceral level.
2) Fell In Love With A Girl - The White Stripes: Probably the only surprise here was that it wasn't number one. That crazy Lego video from 2001 set the whole thing in motion for me. I've gone on ad nauseum in an earlier post (about karaoke) about how much I love to sing this song, with his garage rock sensibilities and short but powerful strokes. Doesn't need to be any longer to do its job perfectly. One of my all-time favorite songs, though so is....
1) Pink Bullets - The Shins: Yeah, Natalie Portman was right in Garden State though I am perversely happy to say this song wasn't in that movie. Found it on my own on a mixed CD a woman at work loaned me back in around 2003 or so, and it was interesting to me from the get-go. But it was one of those things like Nick Drake was for me, the kind of thing I kept coming back to and listening. And listening. And you get the idea.
Honestly either of the last two songs could have been #1, and then there was a huge fall down to #3. The rest of this list was kind of bunched up there, and in fact I might consider Seven Nation Army as high as #5 (big surprise, I know). However, here are the "honorable mention" songs that I just didn't have room for, and at different points of the decade would have probably been somewhere on this list:
Falling Slowly - Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova
Lose Yourself - Eminem
Somebody Told Me - The Killers
Clint Eastwood - Gorillaz
Flame - Bell X1
Pagan Angel and a Borrowed Car - Iron & Wine
Heavy Soul - The Black Keys
American Idiot - Green Day
Indian Ocean - Yusuf Islam
Rehab - Amy Winehouse
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