The Inconsistent Writer

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

ROCKY II - V For all intents and purposes, any Rocky movie that's followed by a roman numeral quickly degrades its predecessor: the original Oscar-winning film Rocky . Unfortunately, sometimes I end up going through all of the movies within a 2-3 day period (God help us if there's a marathon on soon, probably airing on Spike later this month). I can't help it. It has somehow been ingrained in me to like Rocky Balboa. He fought for the little man, the underdog. He fought for America and our freedom, damn it!

RAISING ARIZONA (1987) It's really hard for me to hate anyone. They're harsh words. But if I have to choose, I'm going for Nicholas Cage. I don't really hate the man, but I can't stand that he seems to have no problem jumping onto every single project without thinking on it first. I seriously believed at one point in his career that he was enormously talented, but the smaller 1995 gets in the rear-view mirror, the more I think it was may have been blind luck ( Leaving Las Vegas ). Now it seems the man has no integrity and he'll do just about anything for a buck, whether it's crap or not ( Drive Angry , Season of the Witch , The Sorcerer's Apprentice , Knowing , ...and the list goes on). Honestly I still think there's talent somewhere inside his skull of his, but he seems to compromise it in order to be able to balance his check book instead. "Son, you got a panty on your head."

THE ROCK (1996) This was a hard one because it didn't state whether you liked or disliked the movie but hated the director, so I've chosen a movie that I've enjoyed from time to time from a director that I truly can’t stand – Michael Bay. The movie really isn't that bad. It has a decent cast (outside of Nick Cage, but I'm not getting into that today), an outlandish concept and plot, but in the end, it's put together pretty well. My bet is that it had more to do with the producers putting out a decent product from start to finish. Jerry Bruchheimer, as much as you may like or dislike the dude, has produced some top-rated material in his day. Michael Bay wasn't too big for his britches yet... so I think Bruckheimer was able to hold the reigns pretty tight and close on this one. The movie lacks believability, but then again, most of Bay's films aren't believable. So in the end, this was Bay's most believably unbelievable movie. ( That made

While I personally believe that this is truly a matter of opinion, I have a feeling deep down in my bones that it'll spark a heated week long debate about why I'm wrong and why 'so-n-so' is right. But I don't care. Opinions are like... oh wait, I don't need to go there. I'm sure you know the quote. Recently I was asked to share my Top 5 opening film sequences. Leave it to me to ask specifics: "Opening film scenes, opening title sequences, or opening scene with titles?" Instead of choosing one, I was instructed to provide all three. That's just not happening, at least not today. But it got me thinking: what is my favorite opening scene in a film? As much as I love a good title sequence like the next cine-file, I really started to rack my brain about what I thought was the perfect opening scene. Title sequences are easier to pick and sometimes the film that follows it isn't as good ( sometimes ). Either you like it, or you don't. And