He knows I watch a lot of movies...

...so that's why Agitprop tagged me with meme that going around where you have name the ten next films in your Netflix queue or name the last ten movies you watched. Since I abhor Netflix, I'll name the 8 movies I recently watched and the two I intend to watch next:

1. Gattaca
2. Happy Go Lucky
3. Role Models
4. Monty Python and the Holy Grail
5. Eating Raoul
6. Wallender: Firewall
7. Inland Empire
8. The Adventures of Baron Munchhausen
9. Repo Man (going to watch again soon since I saw they have it at my local Blockbuster store)
10. Zodiac (I saw the first half of this on an On Demand channel but then they took it off before I could finish it. Then I saw it for sale on DVD for $3.99 so I bought it. I'm going to watch it from the beginning again soon.)

I tag you with this meme if you want to do it.

Ten favorite movie characters meme

This meme has been going around on some of the more pop culture conscious blogs so I thought I'd weigh in with some of my favorites:

John Winger from Stripes (Bill Murray)

McCroskey from Airplane! (Lloyd Bridges)

Mary Bland from Eating Raoul (Mary Woronov)

Kenneth Bowden from Wild Things (Bill Murray)

Han Solo from the good Star Wars movies (Harrison Ford)

Dennis from Monty Python and the Holy Grail (Michael Palin)

Nurse Alex Price from An American Werewolf in London (Jenny Agutter)

Al Czervik from Caddyshack (Rodney Dangerfield)

Bluto Blutarsky from Animal House (John Belushi)

Tyler Durden from Fight Club (Brad Pitt)

It pained me to leave off Bruce Willis in 12 Monkeys, Peter Sellers as Fred Kite in I'm All Right Jack, which is one of my favorite movies, and Sarah Polley's character from the recent Day of the Dead remake and her character from The Claim, but rules are rules so there you go.

Alphabet Movie Soup

PJ tagged me with this meme last week. It was begun by Fletch at Blog Cabins. You name one movie for every letter of the alphabet. I'm going to skip the rules because most of you have seen them by now. Here's my list:

Airplane!-One of my favorite movies ever.
Bedazzled-I love both versions.
Cat Ballou-Lee Marvin is great in it and it also has a young Jane Fonda in it, grrr baby grrr.
Drug Store Cowboy-Matt Dillon's finest movie and it has Kelly Lynch in it, grrr baby grrr.
Eight Men Out-John Sayles take on the sad tale of the Chicago Black Sox. It costars a ton of people who went on to do bigger but not necessarily better things. And it features the late Studs Terkel as well.
Frankenhooker-A cheesy fun funny horror movie. It also features the finest non porn performance ever by Heather Hunter.
Go-A great little movie. Sarah Polley and Katie Holmes rock in this movie.
Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle-Yes, it's a stoner comedy with all kinds of jokes about farting and getting high but I love it. What do you expect? I have the sense of humor of a 13 yr old.
I Heart Huckabees-If you hate this movie then you can bite me, I love it. It's funny and it has Naomi Watts in it so there, nah nah nah.
Jeremiah Johnson-One of the best westerns ever made.
King of Comedy-Deniro is creepily wonderful in this movie.
Lair of the White Worm-Another fun horror movie. Directed by Ken Russell and it has Amanda Donohoe and Catherine Oxenberg in it, grrr baby grrr.
Miller's Crossing-Marsha Gay Harden should have won her Oscar for this film. It's a brilliant gangster movie.
Nine to Five-Another great Jane Fonda movie.
O Lucky Man!-A crazy Malcolm McDowell movie musical from the late 60's/early '70's. I've seen most of it and the best thing about it is getting to see a young Helen Mirren's bare butt.
Patty Hearst-I lived through all of this and the movie got it pitch perfect. Natasha Richardson is knock your socks off great in this movie.
Quintet-One of Robert Altman's lesser thought of films from the 1970's. People are still trying to figure out just what the heck this movie was all about.
Rabbit Proof Fence-A great movie about a shitty time in Australian history. Also the DVD version has the best 'making of' feature ever made.
Soylent Green-I hated his right wing politics but I loved Heston's dystopian movies from the 1970's.
Tremors-Best movie Reba Whatshername ever made.
Up the Academy-One of the worst movie's ever made. Horrible. I'm still trying to forget how bad this movie was almost 30 years after I first saw it.
Virgin Suicides-A dreamy and sad movie. One of Kirsten Dunst's finest roles ever.
Who Framed Roger Rabbit?-Clever animated/live action film.
Xiu Xiu: The Sent Down Girl-X movies are hard to find. And yes, I've actually seen this film. I like Chinese movies, so there. Nah nah nah.
Young Frankenstein-Gene Wilder is brilliant, so is Marty Feldman, and don't get me started on the perfection that is Terri Garr. Her accent alone in this movie drives me wild.
Zardoz-Sean Connery rides around on a horse while wearing a thong thingy that is stretched over his lumpy hair body, people in masks ride around after him, women bitch about penises polluting them and the planet, what more could you want in a shitty 1970's sci fi movie? What's that? You want a super sexy Charlotte Rampling in the film as well? Okay then, you got it. Trust me, she's the best thing about this turkey.

Thanks for the tag PJ! I tag MN Mom, Enriched Geranium, Enc, and you to do this meme if you want.

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.

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.

The Cinematic Life

My blog brother Samurai Frog said he'd love to see someone else do the list of your favorite movies for every year you've been alive meme he saw on the Onion's AV Club blog so I thought I'd step up and do it. Here's what I came up with:


1962-Manchurian Candidate-Great cold war paranoia film. Angela Lansbury is chilling in her role as the villaness.
1963-The Birds-Tippi in trouble! Oh no! It looks cheesy by today's standards but back in the day it scared the poop out of me.
1964-Dr. Strangelove-Simply the greatest cold war black comedy ever made. It made both superpowers look like the idiots we were. Peter Sellers was a acting genius.
1965-Cat Ballou-Jane Fonda and Lee Marvin got upstaged by a horse and the whole darn thing is still funny today. A truly under appreciated comedy.
1966-Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?-In a not very good year for films this one stands head and shoulders above everything else. It showed Liz Taylor's range for the first time ever and every actor should be required to attend the clinic on film acting Richard Burton gives in his performance.
1967-Bedazzled-Dudley Moore and Peter Cook are brilliant in this deadpan comedy and Raquel Welch was some great eye candy. I love this version and I really like the remake as well.
1968-Planet of the Apes-You thought I'd pick another film from this year? Oh hell no. "Get your hands off me you damn dirty ape," is one of the best movie lines ever.
1969-Take the Money and Run-One of the first fake documentaries ever and still one of the best. I saw it again a few months ago and it made me remember how funny Woody Allen used to be.
1970-M*A*S*H-An anti war comic gem. One of Robert Altman's best.
1971-Billy Jack-Only a dam dirty right wing religious nut job Republican wouldn't love a movie about an Indian guy who kicks ass to protect some hippy kids and his ol' lady. I loved this one and The Trial of Billy Jack as well.
1972-The Godfather-I'd watch this one every day if I could.
1973-It's a tie between Paper Moon and The Wicker Man. I love movies about con men, especially funny ones, but I also love creepy British horror movies co-starring Britt Ekland's boobs too.
1974-Lords of Flatbush-I must have seen this one about 10 or 15 times when it came out. I saw it that much mainly to escape Aunt Rageholic's farm in Howell, MI, but I also saw it that many times because I liked it, despite it having Sly Stallone in it.
1975-Monty Python and the Holy Grail-No matter how many times I see it I still laugh in all the same places. This film helped shape my sense of humor like no other for many years.
1976-Bad News Bears-I'll admit it, I had a school boy crush on Tatum O'Neil. And the fact that she played baseball in this movie was doubly sweet.
1977-Star Wars-One of the greatest sci fi movies ever made. I have yet to see the newer ones but I'll watch the older ones any time.
1978-Lord of the Rings-Back before Peter Jackson made his great films from the books Ralph Bakshi made this animated version and despite what the critics said, I loved it. Yes they compressed it and cut it to shreds but it looked so damn cool and for a time it looked like this was going to be the only version ever. And it was a great movie to watch while stoned.
1979-The Jerk-Steve Martin was my stand up comedy idol in the late '70's and I ran to see this when it first came out. It didn't live up to my expectation at first but it's grown on me since then.
1980-Airplane!-One of my favorite movies of all time. It's in my top ten easily. I saw it the night I got dumped by a girl and by the end of the film I was laughing go much that I forgot all about how sad I had been just a few hours before I saw this. It's a Monkey certified classic.
1981-Excalibur-John Boorman's take on the Arthurian legend. My college friend Lou took me to see this one and I am eternally grateful to him for it. Lou opened my eyes to all the great films that were out there and if not for him I would have missed many many great movies. Helen Mirren is smokin' hot in this movie too.
1982-Eating Raoul-Paul Bartel's droll black comedy about one man's quest to open his own restaurant called Chez Bland. It's a very funny satire on swinging, the emerging California cuisine, and white people in general. Plus it had the super sexy Mary Wornov in it. Hubba hubba.
1983-Flashdance-I'll admit to seeing this one way more than I should admit to. I can't help it, I adore Jennifer Beals in it and I wanted to be that short order cook character who thought he was a great comedian.
1984-Repo Man-One of my cult favorites. Alex Cox's best film for my money.
1985-Brazil-A masterpiece of film making. Looking back at this film it's kind of scary how much Terry Gilliam got right. And who didn't love Kim Griest in this film as well?
1986-Blue Velvet-For me this was David Lynch's break through film. It's creepy and believable at the same time. And it's got a nude Isabella Rosselini in it. Hubba hubba squared.
1987-My Life as a Dog-One of the sweetest films ever made.
1988-The Adventures of Baron Munchausen-A personal favorite of mine. I finally bought a DVD copy of this movie and I need to watch it again soon to remind myself how great it is. That Terry Gilliam fella makes some damn fine movies and this is not the last one you'll see on my list.
1989-Heathers-The first time I saw this film I saw it with my then girlfriend, a horrid female who shall remain nameless, and she kept punching me in the arm and telling me to stop laughing so much because she didn't think what I was laughing at was funny. I should have broken up with her right then. This pitch black comedy is still funnier than 90 percent of filmed comedies released after it.
1990-The Krays-The best British gangster movie ever made in my opinion. Billie Whitelaw as the mother of the brothers Kray is mesmerizing.
1991-The Commitments-A great movie about an bunch of Irish kids who want to be rock and rollers. It's one of the most underrated films of the past 20 years.
1992-Glengarry Glen Ross-"First prize is a Cadillac. Second prize is a set of steak knives. Third prize is you're fired." Having been in sales for the last 15 years of my working life I really identified with this movie. I knew someone like all the guys in that office and I hated working with all of them too. One of Mamet's best films.
1993-Groundhog Day-Bill Murray is one of my favorite actors and he's brilliant in this film.
1994-Heavenly Creatures-One of the most compelling creative films I have ever seen. This film alone qualifies Peter Jackson a place in the Monkerstein Movie Hall of Fame.
1995-Twelve Monkeys-Another Terry Gilliam film, another great movie. Brad Pitt and Bruce Willis were fantastic in this. My friend Allan took me to see this film just after I had been laid off from work for the second time that year. Despite the movie being a bit of a downer his friendship that day cheered me up immensely.
1996-The Craft-Yes, it's cheesy. Yes, it's a teen age horror flick. Yes, I could care less. I loved this movie. I loved Robin Tunney and all the other young ladies in it. It's pure popcorn munching escapist fun.
1997-Austin Powers International Man of Mystery-I was a sucker for these films until the last one. This one is still the funniest of the lot and it's got Liz Hurley in it, grr baby grrr.
1998-Pleasantville-A great concept that was brilliantly executed. Reese Witherspoon and Joan Allen shine like twins suns in this film.
1999-Fight Club-I resisted it when it first came out and then I finally saw it. And I loved it. And I love the book it's based on.
2000-Bring It On-If you think I'm ashamed to say I love this movie then you're wrong. Hell, I just admitted I loved The Craft didn't I? I've got "spirit hands" just thinking about seeing this movie again.
2001-Harry Potter-I love this film so much because I identify with young Mr. Potter so very much. I know what it's like to be a third class citizen in the home of the people raising me, just like Harry does. However I had no Hogwarts to escape to so I'd get lost in movies, sports, books, and my imagination.
2002-About a Boy-A perfect movie about modern love, relationships, and families.
2003-Goodbye Lenin!-Probably the best movie about the aftermath of the fall of Communism on East Germany ever made. It's sweet, funny, and surprisingly touching. If you have never seen it, you really should.
2004-Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle-Those who dismiss this movie as just a stoner comedy do themselves little justice. This movie is hilarious and Neil Patrick Harris and Anthony Edward's cameos are priceless.
2005-The 40 Year Old Virgin-It's a little long but still it's funny as anything. The comic turns by Janet Lynch and the old Indian guy who works in her store are hilar squared as Katie Schwartz would say.
2006-Art School Confidential-One of my new favorites.
2007-Death at a Funeral-It's a droll British comedy that has some funny lines, some great slapstick, and my current imaginary British girlfriend Keely Hawes is in it too. What's not to love?
2008-The year's not over yet to I'll wait until it is before I pick my favorite.

That's a wrap people

Either Kirby and I watch and love all the same movies or she is me, either way she kicked everyone's ass in my Movie Line Meme post. Tying for second with one correct guess each was Matty Boy, D Cup, and my blog and real life friend Snad. Everyone else finished third. Check your mail boxes every day for your official Movie Line Meme prizes!

There were two quotes no one got and the answers are as follows:
#7 came from a little seen and less loved film by Alex Cox called:

I'm not sure who hated it more, the critics or everyone else who stayed away from this movie in droves. While there was plenty of hate for this odd offbeat movie, it got none from me because I loved it. I didn't take it seriously and I laughed liked a mad man the first time I saw it, but in retrospect the first time I saw it I was smoking joints as big as my head so that may have had something to do with why I liked it so much. This film featured one of the most eclectic casts ever, it had Elvis Costello, the Pouges, Joe Strummer, Dennis Hopper, and Grace Jones, among others. If you ever see it you'll probably hate it so don't go bitchin' at me if you do or I might just fling poo at you.

Line #8 is from one of my new favorites and it's another movie that most critics hated. It comes from Art School Confidential.

I liked this movie so much I watched it twice when we first rented it and it wasn't just because Sophia Myles has a topless scene in it. The guy on the left in the photo cracked me up and he reminded me of me when I was in college and he is the one who utters the line I quoted in my original post. I loved the inside jokes about art and artists and I loved the way they skewered pop culture and people who mock pop culture in this movie. It's also got great performances by John Malkovich, Max Minghella, and the guy who plays Earl's brother on My Name is Earl. And it has Sophia Myles topless in it, hubba hubba.

I'll do another movie quote post in a week or so but I'll make it a bit more difficult for that fiendishly clever Kirby when I do.