Showing posts with label cutie pie Miss PJ. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cutie pie Miss PJ. Show all posts

Friday, August 15, 2008

Un film fest de Monkey (part 2)

Night seven: Neo realism and it's discontent
I dig the Italian neo realist films of the late '40's and '50's and I love Open City the most out of those films. I saw parts of it in college and I finally saw the whole thing a few years ago. It's an impressive bit of film making.


And to lighten the mood after Open City we'll screen this light comedy that playfully and gently mocks those overly earnest neo realist films. The Icicle Thief is a treat all the way around. I first saw it at an art house theatre down the street from my old apartment in Roanoke VA.
Night eight: Grandin Memories in black and white
I loved the Grandin so much that I had to devote a night to a few of the many films I saw there. Very often I was the only person in the theatre when they'd run some of the lesser known art house or independent films and I clearly remember being the only one in the place when I saw this over looked gem:
Say what you will about Robin Givens, in this movie she shone brighter than the sun. It's a crime that this film did not do better at the box office.

It's also a crime that White Mischief isn't out on DVD. This film is about some debauched Brits who live in Africa, sure that doesn't sound like much to base a movie on but believe me, it's kick ass good. Greta Saachi never looked better and her performance in this film is off the hook good.

Night nine: Hollywood comes to me
Yes, kids, I'd screen the film I'm in. Hey come on, not only am I in it, it's also a good little movie. Katherine Keener is very funny in this movie and Sam Rockwell is good in it too, as is John Turtrruo. It's another overlooked film of the past few years. Not only was I in a film but a few films have been made near places I used to live. Parts of Crazy People were shot in Roanoke when I lived there, in fact one scene was shot across the street from my old apartment. They also shot parts of What About Bob? near Roanoke when I lived there.

Night ten: Monkey business!
Did you think I'd not show some movies with primates in them? We'll screen this classic:And then this classic which I saw for the first time at the Grandin Theatre:The day this film opened they put up on the marquee, "Now showing: Gorillas in the Midst." Thankfully someone noticed the mistake and it was changed later that day.

Night eleven: Bill Murray
Bill Murray has always been one of my favorite comedian/actors. Since I already screened one of his early works I'll use this night to show off some of his later stuff.

His supporting role as the shady lawyer in this fine film is one of his best. He's the much needed comic relief in this sexy suspense flick. The whole thing works all the way around and who knew Neve Campbell could be so conniving?

We'll close Bill Murray night with one of my new favorite's of his: Night twelve: Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it

History has always been one of my passions, I did major in it in college after all, and so we'll close my personal film festival with a couple of historical films made by one of America's best film makers, John Sayles.This great film shows the story of the Matewan massacre that took place in Matewan WV. It's a damn fine realistic and sympathetic portrayal of the south that is not burdened by big time actors who do shitty southern accents and go all "actorly" on our asses. Chris Cooper deserved an Oscar for his role in this film.

And finally we'd end with this sports drama about the Chicago Black Sox. It's one of the most poignant films ever made. The entire cast gives great performances in this movie and among them those of Studs Terkel, John Cusack, Charlie Sheen, and Bill Irwin really stand out.

Thanks for the tag PJ, this was a fun meme and it reminded me of how much I love films.

Thursday, August 14, 2008

Un film fest de Monkey (part 1)

My British buddy, and fabulous babe, PJ tagged me with the "Program your personal film fest" meme and like her I am going to break my film fest post into two parts. The first six nights of my twelve night festival break down as follows:

Night one: Pranksters and Hoaxers
This great documentary would open my film festival (it will actually close my section of the Southern Appalachian film festival here in Johnson City later this fall):
This film is a screamingly funny look at the life of Alan Abel and his media pranks. The film was made by his fabulous daughter, who left a comment on my blog!, and it's one of the best documentaries ever made. This film deserves a wider audience and I will never get tired of recommending it.
The second film on the first night would be this one:
It's a great dramatization of the Clifford Irving Howard Hughes biography scandal. It's one of Gere's best roles in years and the always good Alfred Molina is a stand out in it as well. And it features the delightful French pastry Julie Delpy in it too, hubba hubba.
Night two: Con Men
I love movies about con men and this film is one of my faves.
It's Mamet so get ready for lots of spoken ellipses, double crosses, and other trickery. It's one of Lindsay Crouse's best movies.
Next up we go back to the late 1960's to one of my favorite George C. Scott movies: I saw this one when I was young and I loved it. It's light, yet still slightly criminal.

Night three: Put the funk in Dysfunctional 1970's style!


Ahh, this one will leave you thanking your lucky stars that your family is not as fucked up as this one was. Robert Duvall is chillingly good in this one, as is Michael O'Keefe in the role of his tormented tortured son.

We go further into the lives of some fucked up white families with this choice. This movie was Robert Redford's directing debut and he did a hell of a job with it. Great performances all the way around in this one.

Night four: Sports Comedies
After night three I figured we all could use a good laugh so I combined my love of sports with my love of comedies. We'll start by screening this classic:
It's a bit dated now but still it's funny as hell. Bill Murray's improvised dialogue, especially the bit about being the Dali Lama's caddy, is pure genius. We'll then close the night by watching this great comedy:
Night five: Together again, an original and it's remake

Once in a blue moon Hollywood gets it right. The original Bedazzled was comic genius and no one could top Dudley Moore, Peter Cook, and Raquel Welch, so in the remake they didn't even try. Instead they took the basic premise and moulded it to fit their cast and the result was stunning. I love both these movies for different reasons.

Night six: War is h-e-double hockey sticks!
As long as we are mired in an illegal immoral war then we need to be reminded of the toll that war takes on the people who fight it and the people who love them. One of the best films to show that terrible toll is this one:

I can't tell you how much I love this film, words are not sufficient so if I tried to tell you how much I loved it I'd have to do an interpretative dance to go along with whatever words come out of my mouth, and maybe I'd have to do a multi media slide show as well.

And finally to close out the sixth night I'd show this film:

It's one of the best anti war films ever made. It's not bloody and violent but it makes it's pacifist case all the same.

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Thank goodness for awards season!

My pal PJ, aka the Urban Recluse, from across the pond has seen fit to award me with this:


From the bottom of my simian heart PJ, I say "Thank you!" I'd also like to thank Sparky, my parents, my cardiologist, most all of my dear wonderful smart readers, and the cast of Father Ted. Of course this award would not be possible without the many idiots we have in Washington DC and the greedy corporate bastards the world over, if it wasn't for them I wouldn't have much to write about and make fun of.


The rules say I get to pass this along to 10 other bloggers if I want, but I'm a rebel, so I'm gonna break the rules and I'm passing it on to all the fabulous, funny, and smart people on my blog roll. You're all worthy and all your blogs deserve this award. And now without furter adieu, here's the blogroll:
A CUP OF COFFEY
A SUNNY THOUGHT
ALL THE WAY FROM OY TO VEY
ANAIS NOHANT
ANGRY BALLERINA
ANXIOUS MOMENTS
ARISTOCRATS
AUNT DAHLIA
AXIS OF EVEL KNIEVEL
BAD TEMPERED ZOMBIE
BARBIE 2 BE
BATHOS FOR THE MISANTHROPIC
BEATING STUART SCOTT SENSELESS WITH HIS OWN LAZY EYE
BEGINNING TO BIRD
BELATED GEOGRAPHY
BELLS ON
BETTER LIVING THROUGH BACON
BIG MOUTH INDEED STRIKES AGAIN
BLACK IS THE NEW BLACK
BLACKWING SKETCHBOOK
BLUE APPLES
BLUE GAL
BOING BOING
BOXER REBELLION
BULLET PROOF BRACELETS
BUSY BODY BAXTER
C3-FUN
CAP'N DYKE
CHAPTER 3: IN WHICH SHE BLOGGED
CHEESECAKE MAVEN IN IOWA
COASTER PUNCHMAN'S WORLD
CONCERNED TN CITIZENS
CRAYONS
CROOKS AND LIARS
CURRENT JAM
DADANOIAS
DARK BLACK
DEATH WORE A FEATHERED MULLET
DEMOCRACY NOW TRI CITIES
DEPENDABLE RENEGADE
DEUS EX MALCONTENT
DEVILHAMS ATTIC
DICK SMALL'S BLOG
DISTRIBUTOR CAP NY
EASY BAKE COVEN
EDITORIALS FROM HELL'S LEADING DAILY NEWSPAPER
ENRICHED GERANIUM
FRAN I AM
FREIDA BEE
GET-YOUR-ZS
GOATHORK
GODLESS LIBERAL HOMO
GRANT MILLER MEDIA
GREEN SUNFLOWER
GUYS FROM AREA 51
HAPPY SLIP
HAPPY TO BE FROM IOWA
HAVE CAMERA WILL TRAVEL
HERE COMES JOHNNY YEN AGAIN
HOOKED ON HEAT
HYSTERICAL RAISINS
I AM BOSSY
I CAN'T BELIEVE IT'S NOT A DEMOCRACY
I MAKE NO PROMISES
I WAS JUST WONDERING
I'M LEARNING TO SHARE
I'M QUIETLY JUDGING YOU
I, SPLOTCHY
ICE STATION TANGO
IMPEACHMENT AND OTHER DREAMS
JOE'S MOVIE CORNER
JUST WONDRIN WHAT HAPPENED
L'ENNUI MELODIEUX
LADY, THAT"S MY SKULL
LAND-O-LULU
LIBERALITY
LIFE AND TIMES OF NOT SOCCER MOM
LITTLE MERRY SUNSHINE
LOTSA 'SPLAININ' 2 DO
LUMINIFEROUS ETHER
MAD HAIKU
MAKING ART THE OTTO LANG WAY
MEDIA NEEDLE
MOCK PAPER SCISSORS
MONKEY MOUTH
MONKEY-SCAN
MORNING MARTINI
MOTHER GOLDSTEIN
MUMBLE PANTS
MWB'S WORLD
NAOMI KLEIN
NEVER WHAT YOU THINK IT SHOULD BE
NO SMOKING IN THE SKULL CAVE,
OLIVER WILLIS
ONE PISSED OFF VET
OTHERWHIRLED
PASSION OF THE DALE
PENNY PIGTAILS
PHYDEAUX SPEAKS
POLITITS
POSITIVE APE INDEX
PRINCESS SPARKLE PONY
QUAKER FRUIT SALAD
RAW STORY
RETORTE
SAMURAI FROG
SHORPY
SHUCK AND JIVE
SKIPPY THE BUSH KANGAROO
SNADANDJOHN
SOME GUY'S BLOG
SOMETHING AWFUL
SPRAWLING RAMSHACKLE CAMPGROUND
SPRING READING CHALLENGE
SUSAN JAYNE
SWEET JESUS I HATE CHRIS MATTHEWS
TALES FROM THE FOURTH CORNER
TANYA ESPANYA
TEXAS OASIS
THE _____IEST THING I SAW TODAY
THE EVIL REGIME
THE FEE FEASIBLE PROPHECIES
THE LARGEST MINORITY
THE NEEDS OF THE FEW
THE NEFARIOUS LAIR OF LGPPP, INC
THE OBSCURE PASSIONS OF THE 8 1/2 PERSONAS
THE POP EYE
THE SELF HELP CENTER
THE WORLD OF KANE
THINK PROGRESS
THIS COULD TAKE AWHILE
TREE HUGGER
TWO CAN ANNE
TWO MINUTES IN THE BOX
UBERMILF
ULTRABROWN
URBAN RECLUSE
VOYAGES OF THE HMS SWIFTSURE
WANDERING COYOTE
WESTCOAST WALKER
WHAT WOULD TYLER DURDEN DO?
WHEN WILL I USE THIS?
WHY THAT'S DELIGHTFUL!
WINTER READING CHALLENGE
WONDER MACHINE
ZAIUSNATION

You guys are great! And thanks again PJ!

Friday, January 18, 2008

Question of the day

Today's question comes to us from across the Atlantic ocean. My blog buddy PJ in London wants to know: Are you a medical doctor or a doctor of the liberal arts?

Actually PJ, DR. Monkerstein is both a medical doctor and a doctor of letters, however the guy who writes his stuff is not a doctor but he's played one on TV. (I played a doctor on an episode of America's Most Wanted.)

From Von Monkerstein's Simian-a-pedia biography: "Dr. Monkerstein got his medical degree from the University of Madagascar when he was 15. He was in fact the inspiration for the show Doogie Hoswer MD. But due to certain rules, laws, and prejudices against human/animal hybrids practicing medicine in the USA, Dr. Monkey has had to give up his medical practice. However after he stopped practicing medicine he began his studies of various fields of arcane knowledge. As he studied and became somewhat famous in academia he was awarded degree after degree from institutions such as the Jed Clampett School of Finance, the Don Rickles School of Charm, Harvard, and Alliance Truck Driving Academy. With all those facts and stuff swimming around his simian brain now you know the reason why Dr. Monkey writes such an eclectic blog that covers so many topics."

Great question PJ, thanks for sending it in!

There's still time for you to get on this gravy train that is "question a day." Send your questions to monkeymuck(at)gmail(dot)com and I'll answer one a day through the end of January.


Tuesday, October 16, 2007

Stars in my eyes

My blog bud from across the pond PJ saw fit to bestow another award on me. She named me one of her Blog Stars. How sweet is she? She seems to like my naughty jokes, my insane posts, and my blog as a whole, I wonder how she feels about the anus as a hole though. I've been a long time fan of hers and I could not be more grateful for this honor, it means alot to me especially since it comes from someone who I like so much. PJ, if you ever get to my part of TN, then you better come over for supper so I can cook for you.

The nice part of these blog awards is I get to now pass this award on to five others who I feel are my blog stars. Ready? Ok then, here we go:

1) Beth at Cup of Coffey gets one for her concert reviews, for her Friday mix tapes, and for her comments. No one rocks it like Beth rocks it.

2) Katie "Jewgirl" Schwartz gets one for being the funniest, Jewiest, craziest gal on the planet. Her menses reports crack me up and if I ever need a laugh I just click on her vagina poll from this past summer, I howl every time I read it.

3) Angry Ballernia gets one for being such an angry poignant smart funny highly entertaining twentysomething gal. On her off days she's better than most of us but don't tell her I said that or it may go to her head.

4) My little blog sister Fran of FranIAm gets one for being such a blog force for good. In a few short months Fran has taken the blog world by storm by being nice, compassionate, and so darn good that it makes me feel bad that I'm such an evil cranky bastard monkey sometimes. She's inspired an army of followers and readers and I hope she'll lead them well.

5) If Fran is my little blog sister then D Cup is my female blog alter ego, so she gets my final Blog Star award for writing such great political posts, for sharing such funny and touching stories about her family, and for just being a stand up chick in a world gone terribly wrong. I confess to checking her blog several times daily hoping that she'll post new content, what can I say, I go for the boobs but I stay for the commentary. You had me a double D, madam, you had me at double D.

*******
I hope these women will pass this along to others and not let it sit and get all moldy. All six of you ladies rock my blog world and I'm ever so glad that you do what you do.

Saturday, August 11, 2007

Thanks PJ

The wonderful Ms. PJ of The Urban Recluse fame awarded me with my fourth Thinking Blogger award! How great is it that I am now infecting minds in the UK as well as here in North America?

You know I love you and your blog Ms. PJ and thanks ever so much for giving me this honor again.

And now, I leave you with a few pictures of the Urban Recluse herself, here's PJ in all her glory:

You look great in orange PJ but I prefer you in this:Hubba hubba.

Thanks again sweetie!

Friday, July 6, 2007

PJ from the UK interviews me

My bud from across the pond, Miss Penny "PJ" (I'm not going to reveal her last name) sent me these five questions to answer and since I am powerless to resist most demands made by cute British chicks (I think it has to do with the accent and the fact that I crushed hard on Diana Rigg when she was on The Avengers when I was a young lad), here are my answers:

1. Who are the biggest influences on your life so far?

Wow, girl, you don't mess around do you? I'd say the biggest would be my late mother Norma and you can read more about her here. Also in that group would be the professional baseball player Willie Horton, former President Jimmy Carter, Elvis Costello, former Czech President Vaclav Havel, Nelson Mandela, Lech Walesa, Mother Jones, and the early union organizers who fought to make life better for all of us.

2. What items have you stored in the back of your pickup truck?

That's my truck right there, the black Nissan (that yellowish blob on the left side of the tailgate is a yellow magnetic sticker in the shape of a question mark and when you get up on it, it reads "Question War") . I've stored trash, furniture, and when I worked for Myers Tire Supply, cases upon cases of wheel weights, valve stems, impact wrenches, and other tools and supplies used in the tire, wheel, and under car service industry. I also have stored product samples and demonstration items from the last company I worked for. These days I just store my spare tire and my collapsible golf cart. Yes I play golf, but I do not ride a motorized cart, I walk the course. It's one of the few exercise options I have left.

3. Please provide brief biographies of the League of Mullets.
The origin of the League of Mullets and a small amount of biographical data about the lads can be found here. Trust me, it's thrilling reading, I ought to know, I feckin' well wrote it.

4. Apes, chimps, monkeys, humans, Dr Zaius. Arrange in order of attractiveness.

A)Monkeys B) Chimps C)Humans D)Dr. Zaius E) Apes

5. What would be your first action on becoming President of the USA?

I will end three wars immediately after I take the oath of office. I will end the war of terror on Iraq and Afghanistan, the hopelessly clueless war on drugs, and the war the multi national corporations wage on us everyday. The most important of these is the last one. When we end the stranglehold the multi nationals have over us then racism, terrorism, and drug use will not be so pervasive and we can work to eradicate those ills with ease after we end the corporate stranglehold.




Thanks for your questions Madam PJ I salute you, as does a grateful nation. If any of you would like to be interviewed by me, then please leave a comment on this post that says something like, "Interview me."

Tuesday, June 19, 2007

Tagged again

The oh so cute PJ who writes Urban Recluse has tagged me with a meme. She must know of my inordinate fondness for the women of the UK and she is using it to her evil advantage. Nonetheless I shall comply with part of her meme and I will answer the following questions:

What were you doing ten years ago?
I was working for the man and keeping the wheels of mindless capitalism spinning by selling car and truck under car service tools, supplies, and equipment.

What were you doing one year ago?
Enjoying not making the wheels of capitalism spin, playing golf when it was not too hot or too cold, and cooking.

Five snacks you enjoy.
1. Brownies
2. Baked Bar B Q potato chips
3. Werthers hard candy
4. Sugar Snap Peas
5. low fat frozen yogurt

Five songs to which you know all the lyrics.
1. Cruel to Be Kind (Nick Lowe)
2. Tokyo Storm Warning (Elvis Costello)
3. Fernando (ABBA)
4. Bottle Of Smoke (The Pogues)
5. The Magnificent Seven (The Clash)

Five things you would do if you were a millionaire.
1. Buy two houses in North Carolina, one in the mountains and one at the beach.
2. Start an organic farm.
3. Start a charitable foundation to help find a for a cure for HIV/AIDS.
4. Travel and buy art from different places all over the world.
5. Open an art gallery/museum to show off all that art I bought.

Five bad habits.
1. Cutting the cheese at inappropriate times
2. Watching too much TV
3. Getting mad too easily
4. Staying up far too late
5. Being an ass

Five things you like doing.
1. Writing funny blog posts
2. Reading the genius blog posts by the fabulous people who inhabit my blog roll.
3. Cooking
4. Watching our Brit-com DVDs (Father Ted, Vicar of Dibley, Knowing Me Knowing You with Alan Partridge, The Thin Blue Line, and all three Little Britains)
5. Playing golf when it's not too hot or too cold (and no I do not use a cart, I actually play golf for the exercise)

Five things you would never wear again.
1. a uniform shirt that had my name on it
2. my gold "This Show Stinks!" Tony Kornheiser ESPN radio show T shirt (RIP old friend)
3. my Washington Redskins sweat shirt (my girlfriend hated it, I loved it but I'm too fat to wear it, so she wins, damn her!!!!)
4. Polo brand cologne
5. any tye dyed article of clothing that also had the words "Grateful" and or "Dead" on them

There you go Miss PJ. If you send me and my girlfriend plane tickets to London so we can visit you and hang out after Blair gets run out of office, I promise I'll do the rest of the meme you tagged me with.

Otherwise it ends here babe.
Oh yes. It. Ends. Here.