The Inconsistent Writer

This week marked the 30th Anniversary of MTV. Although I didn't watch its original launch at midnight (I was just six and we didn't have cable then), I did spent a healthy amount of my weekday afternoons and summers filling my head with every mindless and numbing piece of entertainment that was to be found on MTV. I'm sure my parents are just ecstatic after reading that last sentence, but it was the truth (and I'm almost certain that they knew it, too). Take a look at what MTV looked like upon it's initial launch back on August 1, 1981, starting at the 4 minute mark (just after the Pat Benatar video): They were a bit rough around the edges, and it's glaringly apparent: they looked just as uncomfortable as I'm sure most of them probably felt as they aired their first broadcast. But their concept was novel and the channel grew in popularity with the youth in the 1980s. For over two decades they had a profound effect on the music industry and popular cult

CITIZEN KANE (1941) As we finally pull into the station after this 60 day trek, I arrive at one of the most fascinating motion pictures ever put on screen - Citizen Kane . This was the one and only time that Orson Welles had full control over a studio picture - and it was his first film! The thought that went into each and every shot, every frame still astounds me. The vision that Welles possessed was revolutionary back in 1941 and it still amazes, as well as inspires me today. Brilliant motion picture and worthy of holding any and all top spots on anyone's list.

THE GODFATHER (1972) While everyone that loves movies has a favorite decade of film, I'm no different. The 1950s & 1960s brought great studio productions via post WWII. But the 1970s brought the Hollywood Studio system to its knees with a new generation of filmmakers who made extremely personal films and made it a visible art form for the entire nation to see. It also portrayed the world with gritty realism & violence that shocked its viewers with its honesty. Studios handed over the reigns to fledging film students who studied the craft and brought their own interpretation along with it. The 1970s brought to light such filmmakers as Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese, George Lucas, William Friedkin, and Francis Ford Coppola - whose little film here called The Godfather - pulled Paramount Pictures out of financial trouble and became one of the biggest blockbusters of the decade (until Jaws and Star Wars hit theaters, that is). It also changed how we looked at organ

SUPERMAN: THE MOVIE (1978) Listen to the clip below and tell me that it doesn't give you chills. Best. Score. Ever. ( My only double-dip! )

PREDATOR (1987) I was going to pick Die Hard , which truly is my favorite action movie, but since I chose this already in the first 30 days - along with James now picking it as his favorite action movie - then this fits perfectly into position number two. I do find it funny that my top 2 favorite action films were directed by John McTiernan; it's somewhat coincidental, but interesting nonetheless. Besides, I feel better getting at least one Arnold Schwarzenegger movie in here!

ALIEN (1979) It's like Day 55/56 are paired together in a double feature. Alien is just as much science fiction as it is horror and very scary. While Halloween used to be my favorite horror movie, I think Alien took its place a while back but just forgot to tell me.

ALIENS (1986) James Cameron took a very successful film and made a sequel that was just as good, if not better by combining Sci-Fi, horror & action. If Alien was a haunted house film, Aliens became a roller coaster film. Still one of my favorites after all these years. I still have a soft spot Cameron's films still to this day.

THE BIG LEBOWSKI (1998) One of the greatest comedies ever. Period. Need I say more? No.

L.A. CONFIDENTIAL (1997) I'm kind of at a loss for words today. Not for any other reason than it just shows how ignorant I can be sometimes. Searching for images of this film to put in this photo album for today, I came to the realization that L.A. Confidential is also the name of a particular strain of marijuana. This has nothing to do with how brilliant this film is, but I thought you should know what's tripped me up this morning. Enjoy!

CHINATOWN (1974) Chinatown has long been considered one of the greatest screenplays ever written. Robert Towne has yet to create anything better or at least equal to this masterpiece. It's a gritty noir with a tough-yet-flawed detective who has to dig his way around murder, lies, real estate ventures, and incest. The elements are so deeply-layered and inter-woven that it took me several viewings to finally piece all of its brilliance together.

SCHINDLER'S LIST (1993) Steven Spielberg's drama of Oskar Schindler and his purchase of 1200 Jews during WWII is the epitome of his directing abilities. To be such a captivating storyteller and an amazing visual artist, this film is unbelievably difficult to watch. I personally know people who won't watch this film on the knowledge of how hauntingly honest it is. No one could capture how truly lifeless a body became once their spirit left after being executed. This film, as hard as it is to watch, is still brilliant today - watching a master at work at what he could put on screen to tell this amazing and heartbreaking story.

JFK (1991) Anyone who's seen this film (even if they don't care for it) knows the massive amount of information that's shoved down your throat about conspiracy theories and second gunmen. However, there's so much information, that it would be impossible grasp everything if it hadn't been for such brilliant editing. The director's cut is 206 minutes long yet it's still engaging from beginning to end and that has everything to do with the master pacing that Joe Hutshing & Pietro Scalia set. They also won the well-deserved Oscar that year for this film.

A SERIOUS MAN (2009) Any film that combines the brilliant talents of the Coen Brothers and Roger Deakins is going to produce beautiful images. For some reason, this film stands out as my favorite of Deakin's work. The man's had 9 Academy Award Nominations, yet no wins as of yet (he wasn't even nominated for this movie). One of my favorite cinematographers, his use of light and shadow to create such beautiful images astounds me every time.

THE LORD OF THE RINGS TRILOGY I know I'm picking 3 films instead of one, but in all honesty, it's just three parts of one really long movie. When defining and explaining this to someone earlier, I decided that I was going to lean towards the Art Direction/Production Design that had to create a new world rather than recreating time from the past. These films were amazing and were finally recognized by the Academy with The Return of the King along with winning every other category it was nominated for that year.

RAN (1985) Influenced by Shakespeare's King Lear , Kurosawa loosely adapted it into his final epic. Kurosawa's use of color is amazing with the costumes in this film and it can be seen throughout the picture. The film had 1,400 extras, all who needed uniforms and suits of armor. It took over two years to produce all of the costumes, which were completely hand-made.

HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE (2009) I'm not going to sit here and nitpick this movie because I honestly like the series. This was a hard category today, because I don't read a lot (I do read considerably more recreationally than I did when I was younger). When Lisa and I walked out of the theater after seeing this film I felt like the movie spent 2 1/2 hours running around in circles. For a movie this long there should have been more. They reduced and simplified the plot so much. It also had serious pacing issues. That's when I was encouraged to read the books. I've read the series twice now in that time I still feel that they missed the mark with this adaptation. They left out so much, especially with Voldemort's history and back-story, and I didn't feel that the relationship struggles with Hermoine and Ron didn't need SO MUCH screen time. I don't dislike this movie per se, but as a faithful adaptation, it was seriously lacking.

THE SANDLOT (1993) By far one of the best kid movies that's been made in the past 20 years. It's a great summer movie, baseball movie and it's hilarious. I never had as many friends as Smalls had made in the summer of 1962, but every time I watch this movie, it transports be back to my summers in Moorpark, CA playing with friends until the sun went down. There's nothing better than a film that evokes strong memories, especially good ones. This movie definitely makes me want to be a kid again. "I've been coming here every summer of my adult life, and every summer there she is oiling and lotioning, lotioning and oiling... smiling. I can't take this no more!"

WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT (1988) I almost went in a different direction but glad I thought of this film last night. This film skillfully, ingeniously, and seamlessly combined live action with animation. You can't deny that this isn't an animated feature and it was all done without CGI.  Roger Rabbit has a fantastic script, with great humor along with a perfectly placed murder mystery all in the middle. I loved it as a kid and I still love it to this day... and I have yet to see another film like it since. Roger Rabbit : "Yeah. Check the probate. Why, my Uncle Thumper had a problem with HIS probate, and he had to take these big pills, and drink lots of water." Eddie Valiant : "Not prostate, you idiot, PROBATE!" (With an estimated production budget of $70 million at the time of its release, Who Framed Roger Rabbit was the most expensive film produced in the 1980s and had the longest on-screen credits for a film.)

THE KING OF KONG: A FISTFUL OF QUARTERS (2007) This category was difficult. There's always too many political or social commentary documentaries out there, along with the really good behind-the-scenes filmmaking ones as well. I chose King of Kong because it was neither. It just follows an ordinary guy, Steve Wiebe, as he attempts to beat the world record high score of Donkey Kong from reigning champ Billy Mitchell. Apparently Donkey Kong -- according to most critics and experts -- is one of the most difficult arcade games ever created. This film puts you in Steve Wiebe's shoes, as you tag along on his journey as the underdog in the competitive world of classic arcade game rivalry that still exists today. "I don't drink, I don't smoke, I don't do drugs. I play video games, which I think is a far superior addiction to any of those other ones."

A FEW GOOD MEN (1992) I almost picked 12 Angry Men until I realized that it had been a teleplay first, film second and then adapted into a play. A Few Good Men represents one Rob Reiner's best dramas, adapted from Aaron Sorkin's play of the same name. It's a personal favorite of mine, with Sorkin's dialog just practically brilliant in every scene.

SUPERMAN: THE MOVIE (1978) Even though I've read more Batman, this movie still hits me square in the gut, relating to me on a more personal level (especially as a child) and its faithful adaptation to the source material. Richard Donner and Christopher Reeve created the mold that was nearly invincible for 30 years until Christopher Nolan decided that he wanted to bring Batman back to the big screen. It is still, in my opinion, the best superhero movie put on film.

BRICK (2005) I think this was a hard film for the general viewing public to want to watch. Brick was a film festival darling and because of it, it never reached many theaters. And that's too bad, because it's amazing. Rian Johnson successfully combined Shakespeare and 1940s Noir to create one hell of a high school pulp murder mystery. All I know is that we never spoke like this at my high school... and it may take more than one viewing to completely grasp everything that's going on. "Throw one at me if you want, hash head. I've got all five senses and I slept last night, that puts me six up on the lot of you."

MOONRAKER (1979) I loved this movie when I was a kid. Then I grew up and watched it again. It hasn't aged well and I've discovered that studios will do anything to help promote James Bond to whatever is popular at that time. Science Fiction was big coming out of the 1970s so why not James Bond in... space? Yeah, not such a great idea after all.

DEAD MAN WALKING (1995) Anyone who's met me knows that I stand right of center when it comes to politics and most social issues. I was a staunch supporter of the death penalty before I read this book and saw this film. After seeing this film, I completely re-evaluated how I looked at capital punishment.

ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND (2004) Everyone has had those thoughts, those desires to erase the memories of a failed relationship. Even if not everyone, at least I knew that I had and when I saw this film for the first time I felt like such an idiot saying to myself, "Now why didn't I think of that?" It's such a brilliant concept -- and deftly executed I might add -- that it stands out as one of the most original films I've ever seen. I would expect nothing less from the mind of Charlie Kaufman. What's even more satisfying about this film is that if it is true love, that it will find you, no matter what you do to erase it from existence... Joel : "Is there any risk of brain damage?" Howard : "Well, technically speaking, the operation is brain damage, but it's on a par with a night of heavy drinking. Nothing you'll miss."

THE CROW (1993) I mentioned this before when asked about soundtracks earlier this month. Still hasn't changed since then and probably never will. It's hard to top a single album with STP, Nine Inch Nails, The Cure, Rage Against the Machine, Violent Femmes, and Pantera among others. Listening to this soundtrack transports be back to high school, and I'm okay with that.

MEMENTO (2000) One of the most brilliantly conceived original ideas I've ever seen put on film, it blew me away when it reached its final frames. It's not so much a plot twist as it is a surprise ending. The main character Leonard (someone who we've gained sympathy for throughout the film) reveals at the end [ SPOILERS!! ] that he's not being proactive with his memory loss but reactive in order help him feel justification for the loss of his wife (or at least that's what were to assume). Once we arrive at the end, we're not sure what to think and we discover that Leonard has created a victim in himself--changing the facts--so he serves a purpose (even if it is slanted). An amazing film by an amazing writer/director that's changed the face of the modern blockbuster in the past decade by treating the audience like they have a brain (and we're all that much more thankful to him for it). "Memory can change the shape of a room; it can change th

THE FUGITIVE (1993) I knew that title would be a popular choice, but it's true. In all sincerity, this is by far the best film adapted from a television series and every studio that attempts to do it since this release usually fails. It's the perfect example of how to take the basis of a show and turn it into a movie. Bar none, the perfect example.

ZODIAC (2007) I didn't choose this movie because of how accurate it was to the source material and actual events. This film took pretty big liberties to make it a great narrative film, and sometimes you have to do that in order make a good picture. That's exactly what David Fincher did with this film and it's a better movie because if it.

KISS KISS BANG BANG (2005) Sometimes it's difficult to state that a particular movie is underrated, when in all likelihood it may not actually be underrated. It's really just a matter of opinion, especially if you have just enough film geek knowledge under your belt to feel superior among other people. Underrated is the polite way of saying, "no one saw this really good movie." Why hadn't I heard of this film before it hit DVD? Because it was released to a limited number of theaters, grossing a paltry $4.2 million before disappearing into the void... of the video store. If this had been released today, it would have been in 3,000 theaters and probably would have made $150 million easy. Robert Downey, Jr. hadn't re-established himself yet and wouldn't make himself a household name (again) until Zodiac (which got him more exposure) and then Iron Man (which made him an A-list actor). Shane Black ( Lethal Weapon ) , the hot commodity screenwriter wh

SCREAM (1996) At the time of this film's initial release, I wasn't a huge horror fan. I still am not a huge horror fan, but I do appreciate the genre and when it gets redefined. Before this film came out, no one analyzed horror and slasher flicks. No one picked them apart to find the strange nuances like: the virgin never dies, etc. Before Scream , we didn't categorize these films with "rules." And they didn't seem to make scary movies funny... until here ( American Werewolf in London excluded). The dialog was great, filled with witty banter between "friends" along with a great premise that could have happened to your next door neighbor. Unfortunately, like most franchises, the sequels began to show signs of deterioration in the writing, as they became more implausible (along with the extremely bad idea of killing off one the best characters). Scream greatly represents the redefined horror genre and it still lives up to its name almost 15 ye

THE RAINMAKER (1997) This one was a tough choice. And it wasn't because I had plenty of rounds in the chamber. I'm a reader, but not a big reader. Nine times out of ten, I'm usually disappointed with film adaptations of novels for the obvious reason that they couldn't get it right. Too much detail can't be put on screen and because of it, I feel let down. But I'm also conflicted with the thought that if I see the movie first, I'll lose interest in wanting to read -- let alone finish the book -- so it's a ongoing battle with being let down or slacking. With this movie/novel combination, I had seen the movie when it was released in the theater and then read the book a few years later, so thankfully I wasn't disappointed. The Rainmaker made this list because it was extremely faithful to the book. It took liberties where it needed to, but the core of the novel, along with the first-person narration, was carried over perfectly. I was very surpri

THE MATRIX RELOADED/REVOLUTIONS (2003) Since someone else picked Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull and I really wasn't too keen on slamming Indiana Jones (even if it was horrible), thankfully I don't have to in this post. To say that I was jaded after watching Reloaded is a severe understatement. I really tried to like this movie, but even after seeing it at midnight in the theaters, and then picking it a part on DVD, I really started to dislike this movie. It really didn't live up to its predecessor. I thought maybe they'll make up for it and Revolutions will be better. I was so hesitant that I didn't even see it in theaters. Thank goodness for that, cause it was worse than Reloaded . Way to go and ruin a brilliant concept, Wachowski Bros. Thank God that the first film wasn't tainted by it's lackluster and extremely disappointing sequels. It just goes to show you that it's really easy to screw up a trilogy (or a franchise).

STAR WARS THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK RETURN OF THE JEDI How could I NOT pick this as my favorite movie trilogy? It's been with me since I was a wee one and I still become child-like whenever I watch these three films. Unfortunately, every child born in the last decade or so wants to refer to them as "Star Wars Episode ---", which completely destroyed all credibility with the original three ever since the release of Episode I in 1999. Thankfully, with selective memory, I can almost forget about the prequels... almost. Also, almost every trilogy or franchise falls off the mark with one of its films, and it almost happened here with Return of the Jedi . You could see the children's marketing wheels turning in Lucas' head throughout the entire Ewok sequences. It's still enjoyable, even though half the movie is ruined with teddy bears, but this trilogy is still my favorite and probably always will be. Star Wars changed the cinematic world and flipped it

GHOST (1990) I figured that everyone else was going in the direction of gross-out and to be completely honest, I've never had a huge issue with gore. The only thing I used to have issues with was the disembowelment of people in Romero's Dead pictures, but I got over that a couple of years ago. Instead I went in a different direction. First I was going to choose Twilight, but since I still haven’t seen it, I can’t very well state that it makes me puke. The thought of having to watch it makes me want to throw up in my mouth, but that’s not today’s selection. Then I thought about Godzilla (1998) …or practically everything else Roland Emmerich has directed. So… I chose Ghost instead due to its vomit-inducing pottery scene, or the cheesy/corny dialog spouted throughout this film. I’m surprised that it won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay, but to be completely honest, I haven’t seen the other four films that were nominated that year, so I really don’t have a point o

REQUIEM FOR A DREAM (2000) It's a bit of a contradiction (at least in theory of the post), but in some ways I can't imagine watching a movie about addiction while being sober. I've always said that this film needs to be a prerequisite for all youth entering into high school, and that it needs to be uncensored (for obvious reasons). What better way to keep our children off of drugs by scaring the hell out of them about what drug addiction can truly do to you? It's still my favorite film by Darren Aronofsky, although I have yet to read the book Hubert Selby, Jr. It's powerful, emotional, and it makes you want to take a shower to wash off the filth when it's over. Yeah, it's that hard to watch this film sober.

GONE WITH THE WIND (1939) This is a bit of a stretch for me, but when I really started to think about it, I've never seen Gone with the Wind . I know that I've seen certain scenes, but I don't ever remember sitting down and watching all 238 minutes of this film. I may very well have to borrow this some time from my parents and dedicate a day to watching it. Being a film buff, and finally coming to this realization, I feel just slightly ashamed. My tail is tucked between my legs and I feel like I now have to go to work this morning is shame. Am I the only one who feels this way? Maybe. Am I the only one who hasn't seen this film in my little group of film geeks? Possibly.

THE GOONIES (1985) I struggled with this choice, not for any other reason than Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory fought for this spot as well. Both movies were big in my childhood, but The Goonies won out over the sugary sweet Wonka because of the adventure. This was also made back in the day where PG films were actually good. Today this film would have been PG-13 and it would have pushed the limits of the censor board. I can't remember how many times I saw this movie as a child, but I know that I still watch it repeatedly as an adult and it's hardly aged a bit. What kid wouldn't want to go on an adventure to seek a lost pirate treasure and save his home town? This movie perfectly embodies the adventurous kid spirit - and is the perfect recipe for a rainy day (although watching any other time is just as suitable). Chunk : "Everything. OK! I'll talk! In third grade, I cheated on my history exam. In fourth grade, I stole my uncle Max's toupee and

SUPERMAN III (1983) I didn't see a lot of scary movies as a child. My parents kept these things from me for a long time. They couldn't, however, control what I watched when they felt like there wasn't going to be anything to worry about in the first place. Little did they know what Superman III was going to bring to the table back in 1983. This movie is extremely silly now, but when I was 7 years old this scene scared the crap out of me when this lady gets pulled in by the super computer and is in essence "possessed" by it in order to due its bidding. Silly and quite retarded now. Scary back then. And there you have it. I've never shied away from expressing my opinions on film as well as my first experiences with it.

E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL (1982) I spent the past 2 days thinking on this, wondering (1) if I really cared that much, and (2) was I going to pick one of three great kissing scenes from Hitchcock's films ( Notorious , Rear Window , or North by Northwest )? Then E.T. flashed into my brain. Elliot, who's had this cerebral link to E.T., is stuck having to go to school while E.T. stays home by himself, get's drunk, raids the fridge and watches The Quiet Man on TV, which the kiss obviously mimics. Yes, it's another Spielberg movie, but you already know who my favorite director is... and I bet you didn't think of this movie as having your favorite kissing scene, did you? Spielberg is the master! Michael :" Maybe an elf or a leprechaun." Elliot : "It was nothing like that, penis breath!"

SAVING PRIVATE RYAN (1998) I struggled between a comedic and an honorable death scene. It looks like the honorable won out over the comedic (which would have been Boba Fett and the Sarlacc Pit). There's nothing hardly anything more honorable than sacrificing your life to save another. Captain John Miller, who's sole mission was to find Private Ryan and send him home, sacrificed his life for Private Ryan. Yes, there were other circumstances at hand, but all in all, chose to stay and fight and keep Ryan out of harms way during the final battle scene. Because of his sacrifice, Ryan was able to go home and live full life after his three other brothers died in combat during WWII. And what does Miller say to Ryan as he lay there just before dying? "James, earn this... earn it." It gives me chills again just thinking about it. Amazing film. And another brilliant performance by Tom Hanks.

DIE HARD (1988) Bring home the holidays in style by killing some European terrorists, blowing up a building all while saving your estranged marriage. What other way would you want to spend Christmas Eve? Come on... who wouldn't want to be John McClane in Die Hard ? To be a one man wrecking machine was pretty cool. Being able to pull it off in a believable manner, even better. Yes, this movie was a bit outrageous, but it was the most fun compared to the other 3 sequels. Die Hard was responsible for creating the "action hero" archetype where they had minimal dialog, wore a few pieces of clothing and always appearing grizzled. It stands the test of time and goes down as one of the BEST ACTION MOVIES ever put to film. "Nine million terrorists in the world and I gotta kill one with feet smaller than my sister."

SILENCE OF THE LAMBS (1991) I could have gone the easy route: Darth Vader. I could have gone the more obscure route too, and mention one that you haven't thought about in years: Annie Wilkes in Misery . But the reason why I chose Hannibal Lecter is really due to how well his character has been crafted not only first by Thomas Harris (the book is brilliant, by the way), but then how well he was transitioned onto film by Anthony Hopkins, Ted Tally and Jonathan Demme. You hate to love him and love to hate him and you realize why his victims were drawn to him in the first place. I can't help but like him just a little, even if he is insane. He's well-educated, charming... and downright creepy. He knows what you're thinking before you're even thinking it and he's 17 steps ahead of you, because he's a genius. And he's all about mutual respect (most of the time). Show him respect and he shows you respect. Disrespect him and you might end up on his dinner

CAST AWAY (2000) Compared to yesterday's selection, today's was much easier. Comedic actors usually have a better chance of transitioning to dramatic roles than the other way around. Tom Hanks, in my most honest and humble opinion, is one of the finest actors to ever grace the silver screen. He has the everyday man likes of Jimmy Stewart, the charm & wit of Cary Grant, and the comedic timing of Jack Lemmon. Not too long ago Cast Away divided moviegoers where some were enthralled while others were bored stiff. I was a part of the former group. Most would agree, however, that Tom Hank's performance was outstanding. Personally, I believe he should have won the Oscar over Russell Crowe for Gladiator . There aren't very many people who can pull off a convincing performance where their co-star is a volleyball. If his reaction to losing Wilson after his voyage back out on the sea to get home doesn't bring you to tears, then I question your membership status o

GALAXY QUEST (1999) I don't really have a favorite actress, but I do have favorite actors. (Does that make me sexest?) Anyway, I've always enjoyed watching Sigourney Weaver in almost everything she does, so I picked a film that she had to rely more on her comedic acting chops rather than dramatic. Why not dramatic? Anyone who has seen the Alien franchise knows she has no problem pulling off a tough and independent woman. She perfectly embodied the beautiful bombshell Gwen DeMarco, who was obviously put on the show for her looks rather than anything else they thought she could bring to the table. She takes that role and makes it her own, just like everyone else is this picture. Excellent send up to "Star Trek". This is one of Lisa's favorite movies. Gwen DeMarco : "Fred, you had a part people loved. I mean, my TV Guide interview was six paragraphs about my BOOBS and how they fit into my suit. No one bothered to ask me what I do on the show. " F

SILVERADO (1985) This is like a 50/50 tie with today's selection. I would just as much wish this title had a sequel as much as I'm very glad there isn't one. We all know how sequels go and 90% of them end up devaluing the original and can end up creating a crappy franchise. Silverado, to me, embodies the perfect western film: A great story, an ensemble cast, gorgeous scenery, a roaringly-good film score, efficient editing, multi-layered yet moral protagonists all executed with brilliant direction. To quote my wife, "re-watching this film is like having old friends over to visit." That's exactly how I feel about this film and why it has become increasingly difficult to find a western that can knock it down from the number one slot. It would be nice though, to see these characters 25 years later and what they're doing now, if they aren't in fact, dead... "Now, I don't wanna kill you, and you don't wanna be dead."

THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION (1993) This was a hard choice, but only because there are several movies that I like to watch over and over again. My wife and I revisit some of the same films many times a year, and some of those are: JAWS , Tootsie , Silverado , Galaxy Quest , etc. As depressing as some people may view this movie, I believe it's all about hope. The characters are so perfectly crafted and executed on screen. In all honestly, I believe it to be one of the finest pictures ever made and has one of the greatest and most satisfying endings ever put on film. That's why I could watch this film over and over again. "Get busy living, or get busy dying."

THE APARTMENT (1960) This was very hard to pick. I've never been asked to pick a movie that describes me, let alone define me. At first I was going to pick Dirty Harry, but I'm no so sure how that would have gone over in the end. I may not be as charming as Jack Lemmon, have witty dialog to speak written by Billy Wilder & I.A.L. Diamond, or lend out my apartment to executives in order to move up the company ladder, but this film is so very much me. I'm the nice guy, who sometimes is taken advantage of, and who finally won the heart of a beautiful and wonderful woman who had been walked over by men in the past. In that specific way, this film totally describes me ( although I haven't been daring enough to strain spaghetti with a tennis racket... yet ). "Ya know, I used to live like Robinson Crusoe; I mean, shipwrecked among 8 million people. And then one day I saw a footprint in the sand, and there you were."

THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY (1995) This film is the perfect example of DAY 13's selection. Everyone knows that I love Clint Eastwood, but most don't know about this. While some find the film incredibly boring and/or slow (and others just can't stand it for its romance or infidelity -- which normally isn't my cup of tea), I find the film extremely touching. Meryl Streep and Clint Eastwood are superb and the film is filled with beautifully crafted quiet scenes of revelation building up to conflicting emotions by the finale. It's not what anyone would expect me to love, including my wife, who could care less about this film. Eastwood's master hand directs this film with just the right amount of tenderness. So sue me if I get sappy every once in a while. It doesn't happen very often, I assure you. Enjoy it while you can!

It is with great apprehension that I broach this subject matter. I usually reserved it for very close friends and family members where the teasing, laughing and pointing of fingers is kept to a minimum ( most of the time ). Just as in every normal person's diet there exists some kind of junk food, the same also exists in our entertainment diet. We can choose to watch cinematic masterpieces such as The Godfather , Citizen Kane or Schindler's List . These films can inspire internal reflection as well as entertain us. But just as we need proper nutrition in order to live a healthier life, we often desire--sometimes with every fiber of our being--the caramel cookie crunch of a Twix© candy bar. ( Don't blame me if that's not your favorite candy bar. ) The same exists with movies and television. We thrive for fulfilling entertainment but we sometimes crave a gross-out comedy, an over-the-top action spectacular, or the train wreck that is reality television. They can