Sunday, March 20, 2011
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Top 90's Teen Ensemble Comedies! (Finally!)
This is probably my most adored subgenre of film. I love the time period, the multiple storylines, the various outstanding casts, and of course the humor of it all. Not to mention that most of their soundtracks also kick a lot of ass.
I say "teenage" since most of us know that the cast is usually older than they portray. You will also notice that a lot of the mentionable cast on this list are in more than one movie on this list.
I was going to make this list a Top 5, but feel like all of these films should be watched.
Anyway... on with it!
10. Wet Hot American Summer (2001) Okay, so I know this isn't 90's, but oh well! I recently just saw this film for the first time, which inspired me to make this list! It reminds me so much of Dazed and Confused (to be discussed...), except set during summer, instead of the last day of school. Cast includes Paul Rudd, Amy Poehler, Bradley Cooper, Janeane Garofalo, Molly Shannon, Michael Ian Black, David Hyde Pierce, and Elizabeth Banks. A funny one that had slipped under my radar.
9. Clueless (1995) Cast includes Alicia Silverstone, Brittany Murphy, Paul Rudd, Breckin Meyer, and Jeremy Sisto. A serious classic. You should've already seen this movie.
8. Varsity Blues (1999) Cast includes James Van Der Beek, Amy Smart, Paul Walker, Scott Caan, Ali Larter, and Jon Voight. One of my favorite moments is right when the football game is heating up, with ACDC's "Thunderstruck" playing over it. So epic.
7. Dogma (1999) This doesn't exactly fall into the "teenage" genre, but decided that it needed to be on this list for being such a great ensemble comedy. Written and directed by the legendary Kevin Smith. A farcical look at religion. Cast includes Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Alan Rickman, Linda Fiorentino, Janeane Garofalo, Salma Hayek, Jason Lee, Jason Mewes, Kevin Smith, Chris Rock and, of course, Alanis Morissette as "God". I would even say that this is my favorite Kevin Smith (even though Chasing Amy is a close second!)
6. Drop Dead Gorgeous (1999) Cast includes Kirsten Dunst, Denise Richards, Allison Janney, Kristie Alley, Ellen Barkin, Brittany Murphy, Denise Richards, and Amy Adams (just realized she plays the slutty cheerleader upon rewatching this the other day!). I cannot even express in words how hilarious I find this movie. I literally watched it 3 times within the first 24 hours of seeing it. If you don't think it's funny, then I feel sorry for you. Allison Janney is a definite favorite of mine & this is one of the roles that I adore her in.
5. 10 Things I Hate About You (1999) A reimagining of Shakespeare's "The Taming of the Shrew". Cast includes Heath Ledger, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Julia Stiles, Larisa Oleynik (omgz, it's Alex Mak!), Andrew Keegan, Allison Janney, Gabrielle Union, and Larry Miller. (& let me say, for the top 5 films, check out ALL of their soundtracks.) Again, you really should've already seen this movie. Sad to think about Heath Ledger. But Joseph Gordon-Levitt is a fox, as always.
4. Empire Records (1995) Cast includes Renee Zellweger, Liv Tyler, Ethan Embry, Robin Tunney, Brendan Sexton III, Rory Cochrane, Debi Mazar, and Anthony LaPaglia. You may not have caught this movie, and it's a real gem. I had seen it actually after receiving the soundtrack from my dad as a gift (free from work?) & it's an amazing movie (any time it's set in a record store? think High Fidelity). I happened to like the movie more than the soundtrack, learning to love its music later :)
3. Romy and Michele's High School Reunion (1997) Cast includes Lisa Kudrow, Mira Sorvino, Janeane Garofalo, Alan Cumming, Camryn Manheim, and Justin Theroux. Seriously, if you don't enjoy Kudrow, Sorvino, & Cumming dancing to Cyndi Lauper's "Time After Time" then you can just leave. This is one of my all-time favorite films. Entirely too enjoyable.
2. Dazed and Confused (1993) Cast includes Ben Affleck, Jason London, Rory Cochrane, Adam Goldberg, Anthony Rapp, Matthew McConaughey, Joey Lauren Adams, Parker Posey, Milla Jovovich, and Wiley Wiggins. At first, I think I was kinda like, "What?" with this movie. I liked it, but I grew to like it more after watching it plenty of times. You have to enjoy the nostalgia, the classic rock soundtrack, tons of bit parts, and hilarious lines of dialogue. I constantly think about Adam Goldberg's line, "I wanna dance!"
1. Can't Hardly Wait (1998) Cast includes Jennifer Love Hewitt, Ethan Embry, Lauren Ambrose, Peter Facinelli, Seth Green, Freddy Rodriguez, Jaime Pressly, Jason Segel, Clea DuVall, Selma Blair, Eric Balfour, and Sara Rue. ABSOLUTELY one of my all-time favorite films. Entirely too underrated, I feel. Probably slipped past your radar. I can't express to you how much I like this movie for its casting, AMAZING indie-ish soundtrack, hilarious 90's dialogue, & the fact that it's set around a party celebrating a group of high schoolers graduating. WATCH IT.
I say "teenage" since most of us know that the cast is usually older than they portray. You will also notice that a lot of the mentionable cast on this list are in more than one movie on this list.
I was going to make this list a Top 5, but feel like all of these films should be watched.
Anyway... on with it!
10. Wet Hot American Summer (2001) Okay, so I know this isn't 90's, but oh well! I recently just saw this film for the first time, which inspired me to make this list! It reminds me so much of Dazed and Confused (to be discussed...), except set during summer, instead of the last day of school. Cast includes Paul Rudd, Amy Poehler, Bradley Cooper, Janeane Garofalo, Molly Shannon, Michael Ian Black, David Hyde Pierce, and Elizabeth Banks. A funny one that had slipped under my radar.
9. Clueless (1995) Cast includes Alicia Silverstone, Brittany Murphy, Paul Rudd, Breckin Meyer, and Jeremy Sisto. A serious classic. You should've already seen this movie.
8. Varsity Blues (1999) Cast includes James Van Der Beek, Amy Smart, Paul Walker, Scott Caan, Ali Larter, and Jon Voight. One of my favorite moments is right when the football game is heating up, with ACDC's "Thunderstruck" playing over it. So epic.
7. Dogma (1999) This doesn't exactly fall into the "teenage" genre, but decided that it needed to be on this list for being such a great ensemble comedy. Written and directed by the legendary Kevin Smith. A farcical look at religion. Cast includes Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Alan Rickman, Linda Fiorentino, Janeane Garofalo, Salma Hayek, Jason Lee, Jason Mewes, Kevin Smith, Chris Rock and, of course, Alanis Morissette as "God". I would even say that this is my favorite Kevin Smith (even though Chasing Amy is a close second!)
6. Drop Dead Gorgeous (1999) Cast includes Kirsten Dunst, Denise Richards, Allison Janney, Kristie Alley, Ellen Barkin, Brittany Murphy, Denise Richards, and Amy Adams (just realized she plays the slutty cheerleader upon rewatching this the other day!). I cannot even express in words how hilarious I find this movie. I literally watched it 3 times within the first 24 hours of seeing it. If you don't think it's funny, then I feel sorry for you. Allison Janney is a definite favorite of mine & this is one of the roles that I adore her in.
5. 10 Things I Hate About You (1999) A reimagining of Shakespeare's "The Taming of the Shrew". Cast includes Heath Ledger, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Julia Stiles, Larisa Oleynik (omgz, it's Alex Mak!), Andrew Keegan, Allison Janney, Gabrielle Union, and Larry Miller. (& let me say, for the top 5 films, check out ALL of their soundtracks.) Again, you really should've already seen this movie. Sad to think about Heath Ledger. But Joseph Gordon-Levitt is a fox, as always.
4. Empire Records (1995) Cast includes Renee Zellweger, Liv Tyler, Ethan Embry, Robin Tunney, Brendan Sexton III, Rory Cochrane, Debi Mazar, and Anthony LaPaglia. You may not have caught this movie, and it's a real gem. I had seen it actually after receiving the soundtrack from my dad as a gift (free from work?) & it's an amazing movie (any time it's set in a record store? think High Fidelity). I happened to like the movie more than the soundtrack, learning to love its music later :)
3. Romy and Michele's High School Reunion (1997) Cast includes Lisa Kudrow, Mira Sorvino, Janeane Garofalo, Alan Cumming, Camryn Manheim, and Justin Theroux. Seriously, if you don't enjoy Kudrow, Sorvino, & Cumming dancing to Cyndi Lauper's "Time After Time" then you can just leave. This is one of my all-time favorite films. Entirely too enjoyable.
2. Dazed and Confused (1993) Cast includes Ben Affleck, Jason London, Rory Cochrane, Adam Goldberg, Anthony Rapp, Matthew McConaughey, Joey Lauren Adams, Parker Posey, Milla Jovovich, and Wiley Wiggins. At first, I think I was kinda like, "What?" with this movie. I liked it, but I grew to like it more after watching it plenty of times. You have to enjoy the nostalgia, the classic rock soundtrack, tons of bit parts, and hilarious lines of dialogue. I constantly think about Adam Goldberg's line, "I wanna dance!"
1. Can't Hardly Wait (1998) Cast includes Jennifer Love Hewitt, Ethan Embry, Lauren Ambrose, Peter Facinelli, Seth Green, Freddy Rodriguez, Jaime Pressly, Jason Segel, Clea DuVall, Selma Blair, Eric Balfour, and Sara Rue. ABSOLUTELY one of my all-time favorite films. Entirely too underrated, I feel. Probably slipped past your radar. I can't express to you how much I like this movie for its casting, AMAZING indie-ish soundtrack, hilarious 90's dialogue, & the fact that it's set around a party celebrating a group of high schoolers graduating. WATCH IT.
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Thursday, August 26, 2010
you were right
Built to Spill.
"All that glitters isn't gold" Cover Girls
"All we are is dust in the wind" Kansas
"We're all just bricks in the wall" Pink Floyd
"Manic depression is a frustrating mess" Jimi Hendrix
"Everything is gonna be alright" Bob Marley (& countless others)
"You can't always get what you want" The Rolling Stones
"A hard rain's gonna fall" Bob Dylan
"We're still runnin' against the wind" Bob Seger
"Life goes on after the thrill of livin' is gone" John Mellencamp
"This is the end" The Doors
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
i've known you for a month.
Brief were my days among you, and briefer still the words I have spoken.
But should my voice fade in your ears, and my love vanish in your memory, then I will come again,
And with a richer heart and lips more yielding to the spirit I will speak.
Yea, I shall return with the tide...
Kahlil Gibran in The Prophet
Monday, August 16, 2010
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Friday, July 2, 2010
Top 5 (serious) Horror Films!
[Because Greg inspired me to do a list!]
While I've seen so many horror films and it was hard to narrow it to a list of just five, I'd like to point out that Audition and Men Behind the Sun were runner's up for this list and are worth seeing.
5. Martyrs (2008, France) This film catches you in the first two minutes. Lots of violence and gore. But for such good reasons. It's intense to say the least.
4. High Tension (2003, France) I remember seeing this film in theatres, being 1 of 5 people there and knowing everyone in the theatre. Because it was a foreign horror film with subtitles! Needless to say, we were all blown away. Just see it.
3. The Last House on the Left (1972 Wes Craven / 2009 Dennis Iliadis, US)... I'm cheating here and counting the original and the remake, because both are pretty awesome. (Note: Wes Craven did help produce the remake, too.) The original surprised me, for being so subtle in places, and then the remake takes those scenes and blasts them up to an 11. In a well done way. More of a story was given to the characters, so you're made to feel for them more.
2. The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974, US)... I am NOT counting the remake of this film here. Though I was a fan of it when it was first released, I have since learned more sense than that. The original blew my mind. I couldn't stop talking about it. Not to mention IT WAS SHOT ON 16MM, WHAT?! Honestly, if you look at the way it was done, it uses film grain at its finest and is a fantastic example of what one can do on low budget filmmaking, back in the day. & the soundtrack is pretty fantastic as well. So many things I really loved about this film.
1. Let the Right One In (2008, Sweden) It's so subtle that a lot of the time you don't even remember you're watching a horror film. There are a good half a dozen moments in the film that will make you go, "Wow." Cinematic genius with what one can do within a genre. Brilliant.
This is a horror film for people who don't like horror films. A vampire film for people who don't like vampires... especially sparkly ones. An androgynous love story for people who don't like gays... I thought it was a little boy (Eli), but it was a girl the entire time!
Well, that's it for now. Keep your eyes peeled... I'll also probably make a top 5 non-serious horror list (Jennifer's Body, anyone?) at some point...
While I've seen so many horror films and it was hard to narrow it to a list of just five, I'd like to point out that Audition and Men Behind the Sun were runner's up for this list and are worth seeing.
5. Martyrs (2008, France) This film catches you in the first two minutes. Lots of violence and gore. But for such good reasons. It's intense to say the least.
4. High Tension (2003, France) I remember seeing this film in theatres, being 1 of 5 people there and knowing everyone in the theatre. Because it was a foreign horror film with subtitles! Needless to say, we were all blown away. Just see it.
3. The Last House on the Left (1972 Wes Craven / 2009 Dennis Iliadis, US)... I'm cheating here and counting the original and the remake, because both are pretty awesome. (Note: Wes Craven did help produce the remake, too.) The original surprised me, for being so subtle in places, and then the remake takes those scenes and blasts them up to an 11. In a well done way. More of a story was given to the characters, so you're made to feel for them more.
2. The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974, US)... I am NOT counting the remake of this film here. Though I was a fan of it when it was first released, I have since learned more sense than that. The original blew my mind. I couldn't stop talking about it. Not to mention IT WAS SHOT ON 16MM, WHAT?! Honestly, if you look at the way it was done, it uses film grain at its finest and is a fantastic example of what one can do on low budget filmmaking, back in the day. & the soundtrack is pretty fantastic as well. So many things I really loved about this film.
1. Let the Right One In (2008, Sweden) It's so subtle that a lot of the time you don't even remember you're watching a horror film. There are a good half a dozen moments in the film that will make you go, "Wow." Cinematic genius with what one can do within a genre. Brilliant.
This is a horror film for people who don't like horror films. A vampire film for people who don't like vampires... especially sparkly ones. An androgynous love story for people who don't like gays... I thought it was a little boy (Eli), but it was a girl the entire time!
Well, that's it for now. Keep your eyes peeled... I'll also probably make a top 5 non-serious horror list (Jennifer's Body, anyone?) at some point...
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
as it was meant to be seen...
Wait..... I already have a post titled, "I hate technology"?! Maybe that's because, "I FUCKING HATE TECHNOLOGY!!!!" as I spent all morning editing my sound in Final Cut to get the best sync sound I could (after recording my project off the projector yesterday), evidently when Final Cut just exports the audio it does it in an .mov file, which iTunes doesn't like. So I then encoded it to an aiff thinking iTunes would take that. Nope. Get the additional software for Toast to be able to encode it to mp3 and we finally have it to iTunes. Fuck you iPod adapter.
Is it weird that I almost uploaded this earlier, but then didn't, because this is just a shitty copy and I was OH SO EXCITED for our awesome show tonight?! but then it got all fucked... so here's this shitty copy. but then you can see it with the sound. use your imagination.
Is it weird that I almost uploaded this earlier, but then didn't, because this is just a shitty copy and I was OH SO EXCITED for our awesome show tonight?! but then it got all fucked... so here's this shitty copy. but then you can see it with the sound. use your imagination.
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