Robert Rodriguez - Movie List

Well here's my list of a director who I absolutely idolise. No he hasn't always hit home runs and no he sometimes strikes out but as an auteur who can create a visual palette to rock the senses he am in awe of his possibilities!!!

1. Sin City (I struggled for a #1 but this is rewatchable and superbly made)
2. From Dusk Till Dawn (A fantastic story told really well)
3. Desperado (Viewing for the senses!)
4. Spy Kids (I would have goofed over a movie like this a kid, so beautiful and imaginative)
5. The Faculty (A great take of the paranoia movie AKA The Thing)
6. Spy Kids 2:Island of Lost Dreams (A bloody good worthy follow up to original)
7. El Mariachi (What he was able to achieve on such little money is legendary for a reason)
8. Planet Terror (He achieved what he set out to achieve but nowhere near the top 6 flicks on this here list)
9. Once Upon a Time in Mexico (Not bad but too convoluted in unnecessary plot)
10. Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over (Another tired 3rd installment, lets hope 4 in an improvement!)
11. Shorts (Obvious RR was having fun with his kids but not much on offer!)
11. The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl 3-D (Tie with Short for the exact same reason!)
12. Roadracers (Not a bad made for TV effort but that's all it is)
N/A Machete (Haven't seen it but will!!!!!)


Not adding Bedhead or The Misbehavers (Four Rooms instalment) as they're shorts and don't count. But for what they're worth they were fun little ditties!

Here's hoping he knocks Sin City 2 and Spy Kids 4 out of the park!!

Tell me your thoughts and pass judgement because that's the point of the exercise and I'm big enough!!

Even don't your list in the comment box below for comparisons!

Until then hail to the Trejo!

Making it?

I have started a new writing venture with a guy in Phoenix, Arizona and was discussing it with my brother when he said 'Man you'll be rich soon!'

This got me thinking about writing success and what is considered 'making it' and what would I consider more important.

The 2 main things to come out of selling scripts (not counting fame, groupies and ladies) would be money and pride of having your words materialise. Both could be considered to be ego driven but from different spectrum's.

So when I got off the phone I poured myself a water returned to the lounge room... oops back to the point. Off the phone I asked myself what would I prefer?

1) A crappy movie that made me $1,000,000.00 and $50,000 yearly in residuals.
or
2) A really quality film that critics loved and more importantly I loved but only made me $20k.

Well, Id be lying to say I'd hate the cool mill and selling out would haunt me. It wouldn't!! But you know what, a mill isn't going to be enough to retire on and would probably guarantee I never sell another script again. And most importantly I wouldn't have this DVD on my shelves that I would be proud for people to watch.

However the pride I would receive by having an 'indie' film produced that I believed was a good (hell maybe great) flick would give me such a greater satisfaction than a bank balance.

After this internal monologue I realised......

I don't care I'd just love to sell a script!!!!!!

So lets hope that this current treatment I'm writing pays some dividends!

Until then hail to the desert!

The Coen Brothers Movie List

I mentioned on the previous Movie List (Tarantino) that I had completed my Coen Bros list and put it on StinkBrown as a comment. Well I've been badgered and begged to put it up here, so here it is.

1. The Big Lebowski (Such a great blend of script/acting/directing. My all-time favourite movie!!)



2. Miller’s Crossing (This is an absolute classic of the genre and could easily be #1 here)


3. No Country for Old Men (The Coen's admit they pretty much shot the book but I believe in less capable hands this could have been average)


4. O Brother Where Art Thou? (Such a clever script, love the dialogue)


5. Blood Simple (A gem of a 1st entry)


6. Fargo (Won oscar for a reason, would probably have it equal 5th)


7. The Man Who Wasn’t There (Gets better after each viewing)


8. Intolerable Cruelty (Some very funny one-liners, I'm gonna nail yo ass!!)


9. Raising Arizona (Some good moments but didn't grab me)


10. The Hudsucker Proxy (Same as #9)


11. Burn After Reading (Same as #10


12. A Serious Man (Only seen it once and admit it's too clever for me, may jump up upon further viewings)


13. Barton Fink (Again some good moments but not one of my favs)


14. Crimewave (Not horrible)


15. The Ladykillers (Average at best :-(


(NA). True Grit (Haven’t seen it yet!!)

The Coen films for me fall into tiers.

1st Tier:    #1 and #2 MASTERPIECE
2nd Tier:  #3 to #7 FANTASIC
3rd Tier: #8 to #12 GOOD SOLID
4th Tier: #13 to #15 AVERAGE

Feel free to have a go yourself and also pass judgement on my list.

Until then hail to the peda familia!

Quentin Tarantino Movie List

My brothers and I often discuss movie lists of our favourite director/actor/genre/writer etc. So I thought I would blog one of my own after viewing my erudite brothers' version of The Coen Brothers on Stinkbrown. I put my list on all things Coen after his post so thought is would be lazy to just regurgitate it here.

So I thought I'd have a go at Tarantinos!

Well I've had a go and changed the list more times than Andy Dick's vibrator. My criteria is my favourite (A mix of rewatchability and domination of the genre) movie.

Here we go:

1. Pulp Fiction (it's cult for a reason**)
2. Kill Bill vol.1 (yes they are 2 very different movies and this one nails the genre **)
3. True Romance (script only but such a bloody tight one!)
4. From Dusk Till Dawn (script & acting, classic genre and such a fun movie **)
5. Reservoir Dogs (very good but lacking something from great**)
6. Inglorious Basterds (good script with a knockout performance, tried too hard to be QT**)
7. Kill Bill vol.2 (good but suffers from comparisons to vol.1**)
8. Death Proof (car chase alone great, too much girl power**)
9. Jackie Brown (good twisty Elmore adaptation)
10. Natural Born Killers (good concept/poor execution)
11. Four Rooms - QT segment only (okay punchy little short only)

** Killer Soundtrack

I could be persuaded to flip a couple but top 5's are all top 5's

I've shown you mine, now bare yours!!!

Until then hail to the two African fellows!

T.V Series Top Ten

Top Ten's are a very organic beast and change with the viewing of one episode or more likely a whole season.

I laid down my top ten T.V shows last year but having found two absolute gems recently I find it prudent to post an updated TT based on my current feelings.

Top Ten #1 (Formerly #1)

Seinfeld -
Kramer: THE BEACH!!! (enters the apartment) You smell like the beach. What's the name of that perfume you're wearing?
Tia: It's Ocean by CALVIN KLEIN.
Kramer: CALVIN KLEIN? No, no. That's my idea. They, they stole my idea. Y'see I had the idea of a cologne that makes you smell like you just came from the beach.
Jerry: I know look at this (shows an ad from CK)
Kramer: (shocked) Whooo! That's you! What is going on here? The gyp, he laughs at me then he steals my idea. I could have been a millionaire. I could have been a fragrance millionaire, Jerry. They're not going to get away with this. (leaves)

I honestly find this particular show extremely hard to dislodge from it's ivory tower. One of the great things about Seinfeld is the fact that it doesn't age and the gags are clever rather than obvious (see: Friends)

Top Ten #2 (Unlisted)

Madmen -
Bertram Cooper: There’s a Pete Campbell at every agency out there.
Don Draper: Well, let’s get one of the other ones.

Friday Night Lights -
In some situations, you need to ask yourself 'WWRD?', What Would Riggins Do? - At least she's not interested in a serial killer... or one of the Riggins! (couldn't choose!)

As it stands (I've seen 3 Madmen seasons and 2 FNL's) I can't in all good conscience split these two. I think the fact they are so different make it harder to split.
 
Madmen is a dry (often hilarious) look at the ad agency business in the early 60's. Whereas FNL's is a drama centered around a small Texas town, Dillon and in particular their prize high school team The Panthers.
 
What they both share in common and is a direct result of their esteemed placing at #2 on my list is the very elusive combination of great writing, inspired casting, top class performances and at the heart of it a story worth caring for.
 
Top Ten #4 (4)
 
Entourage -
Drama: What if I fly myself out, put myself up, you give me a little something; if I don't deliver, you cut it. Or cut it anyway. As long I'm on the call sheet and listed on IMDb, we're all good.

Brett Ratner: You're telling me you're gonna spend 20 grand to go to Paris for a part that I might end up cutting?
Drama: Such is my passion for movies

My beautiful wife and I have watched all 6 seasons that we own at least 4 times, so that goes a long way to explaining that repeat viewings are still enjoyable. This is also a big feature in making the top ten.
 
My favourite thing/s about Entourage are Ari Gold and Johnny 'Drama'. Both would have to be up in the stratosphere as best television characters ever to appear on the small screen.
 
Without these two complex characters the show would be the Vince and Turtle show. Now I don't dislike the characters but they are definitely on the outer compared to Ari and Big Bro.
 
Top Ten #5 (3)
 
The Office (US version) -
Dwight: Don't you want to earn Schrute bucks?
Stanley: No. In fact, I'll give you a billion Stanley nickels if you never talk to me again.
Dwight: What's the ratio of Stanley nickels to Schrute bucks?
Stanley: The same as the ratio of unicorns to leprechauns.

This show has shown longevity thus far in it's fifth season and has another cracker of a character in Dwight Schrute. Just saying/typing his name makes me smile. Sure Steve Carell as Michael Scott is a great character but the show stealer, Jack Nicholson style in Batman has to be Dwight!!

Top Ten #6 (6)

Scrubs -
Ted: If you need some happy pills, they're in the top drawer.

Jordan: In this hell-hole, I'll need a gun!
Ted: Bottom left.

One of the strong points of Scrubs is it's ability to mix zany comedy with heartfelt dramatic emotions and get it right (most of the time).
 
Scrubs doesn't have the longevity of the previous 5 series' but it is still an enjoyable rewatch.
 
Top Ten #7 (2)
 
Arrested Development -
Lindsay: You haven't had a serious relationship since your wife, and you guys weren't even speaking towards the end.

Michael: A lot of that was the coma.
Lindsay: Yeah, I've heard your side of it.

I'm going to stop at 7 for the moment because it honestly feels like I'm adding ok/good shows to make the numbers. Honorable mention goes to and not in this order, Two Guys a Girl and Pizza Place, The Twilight Zone, Ned and Stacey, My Wife and Kids, My Name is Earl and Weeds. I am also aware that there many other great series' out there but until I've seen them I can't add them to the list! I'm in the process of narrowing down the next three positions.

Until then hail to the Panthers

Friday Night Lights

Having become a father for the first time 12 months ago (and 1 day) I haven't been able to to attend the cinemas as much as I would like. (once this year!!!!!)

Therefore I have sort my viewing through other avenues (NO redtube here!!) and through the good graces/prices of JB HiFi have bought several TV series' and thus far haven't been disappointed yet!!!!

The stand out has been Mad Men (3 seasons so far) however Friday Night Light was much more a sleeper and my expectations were low going in (even though it's set around high school gridiron !).

FNL's is a well made show from the ground up. The writing tight, acting solid and production values through the roof.

I would love to have thought I was like Tim Riggins in High school.

However I was/am much more like Landry but hey he also gets the hot girl (as of Early Season 2).

I love football but it's the characters and story lines that make the show. The limited parts of the football shown not only tell part of the story well but also carry well on screen. I particularly liked how football was used to express the relationship between QB1 Saracen and his father.

Next up on the TV series conveyor belt is Sopranos so fingers crossed.

Until then Clear eyes, Full Hearts - CAN'T LOSE!

Sense of accomplishment!!

My little man, Benjamin turned 1 yesterday. It wasn't until we put him to bed last night that I realised my amazing wife with minimal support from me has raised a new born human with limited abilities all the way to 12 months.

In that time he has learned/been taught how to:     rollover, crawl, drink from a cup, sit up, crawl, take a few steps, say "no, dadda, mumma and oodle oodle oodle", play with water, feed himself (pancakes are the fav), help put clothes on, pick up objects in one and pass to the other, throw balls, giggle at farts/burps, sleep through the night, empty pantry, cupboards etc and make his parents very proud and happy.

I'm sure I've missed something!

And to top it off he took his first steps (more than 2 less than 10) on his actual birthday which is awesome!!

Until then hail to the ATAT Walker!

Mad Men Season 3 Ep's 6 &7

I have found another TV series that would certainly make my top ten list. (Probably top 3)

I bought the first 2 seasons of Mad Men at JB HiFi in a 3 for the price of 2 deal. (Sopranos S1 was the other set) I had heard good things but money and time being an issue hadn't seen any of it.

I turned to my wife 5 minutes into the first episode and said 'this is beautiful to look at coupled with great writing: I am going to like this show!'

In 5 weeks we have watched 2 thirteen episode seasons and 10 out of 13 of season 3. Out of the 36 episodes I have seen, every episode has had it's highlights however eps 6 and 7 of season 3 were absolute crackers!!!!!

I won't issue a spoiler alert because it won't be needed, however I can say rarely has a tv show surprised me so much with clever writing or effected me so much (laugh, cringe, shake my head in dismay) as much as Mad Men has.

For example, a ride on mower was brought into the agency and at the end of the day all of the workers were celebrating and having a drink. (3 fingers {for the drinks and ladies}) I mentioned that no good can come from whiskey and ride ons and low and behold one of the secretaries hops on and drives it like it has a faulty clutch??????

So we all know 'something' is going to happen... this is where the quality of the writing, humour and actors kicks in. I won't give it away but my reaction nearly woke up our son!! Well worth a see!

Sadly I only have 3 eps left and will probably finish them by the end of the weekend. Next on the slate is either Friday Night Lights or The Sopranos.

Until then hail to Don Draper!