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Post by Mr. Atari on Jun 19, 2012 9:01:11 GMT -5
1989 was such a great year for movies. I like Do the Right Thing more than you do, in part because it felt like a more honest and angry statement about race relations than the slow and southern-baked Driving Miss Daisy. But I don't think it was the best picture of the year.
I've never personally enjoyed When Harry Met Sally, and I've never understood why it's considered a classic, but I don't hate it. The same goes for sex, lies, and videotape. I'm glad you mentioned Crimes and Misdemeanors, which I think is Woody Allen's best film (except for possibly Sweet and Lowdown).
For me, however, Glory is the movie that had it all. The best acting, the best drama, the best script, the best directing, the best score, the best cinematography, and the best statement about brotherhood and racism, far better than both DMD or DTRT.
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Post by Mr. Atari on Jun 10, 2012 1:03:12 GMT -5
A very happy welcome to you, kabluie.
Here are my recent viewings:
12 to the Moon: This episode has some of my all-time favorite riffs ("Messiah tracks-- two, three days old." "They head off towards Emmaus."). However, when it comes to the "multi-national crew goes on a space exploration" episodes, I vastly prefer "First Spaceship On Venus". Even "Rocketship X-M" does it for me more than this one. "12 To the Moon" had the same producer, actors, and costumes as "Phantom Planet", and I kept thinking that I'd rather be watching that instead.
The Painted Hills: A personal favorite. Watching this again made me wish they did more westerns. I got tired of the "snausages" riffs this time around, but not so much it spoiled the greatness of the rest of the experiment. And boy, that kid really couldn't act.
The Creeping Terror: This one's in the bottom 10 for me, but I wanted to give it another chance. The movie wasn't as hard to sit through this time, and the riffing on the newlyweds was better than I remembered. I still had to work for it, but there were more laughs than I was expecting.
The Leech Woman: I've always liked this one, but for some reason, the movie itself really grated on me this time. Maybe it was the lack of any redeeming characters, maybe it was the terrible African stock footage and stereotypes, maybe it was the whole stabby ring thing, but I found the film loathsome. The riffing was top-notch, though, especially in the opening scenes with the bickering couple. Special note: was the assistant/fiancee Sally played by the same actress as the Romulan in "Girls Town"?
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Post by Mr. Atari on Jun 6, 2012 18:58:07 GMT -5
I'd dig up the thread if our search function didn't totally suck, but ah memories. Here it isHere's a follow up thread.The downside of the story is that she sent all of her first-generation KTMA tapes to this MST3KCentral guy (Lee Lovingood) who had some life troubles and disappeared into thin air with all of her tapes. Boo. The lesson, as always, don't trust anyone but skyroniter for your trading needs.
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Post by Mr. Atari on Jun 6, 2012 0:16:32 GMT -5
Nice pick.
I first saw Tap at a club in New York City called "The Electric Banana". Don't look for it, it's not there anymore.
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Post by Mr. Atari on Jun 6, 2012 0:09:19 GMT -5
First Spaceship on Venus, 1990.
15 years old, girlfriend had cable, got me hooked, etc. etc.
Still love the episode more than most.
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Post by Mr. Atari on Jun 3, 2012 15:47:07 GMT -5
Loved Hogan's Heroes. Enjoyed Family Feud. But he will always be Killian to me.
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Post by Mr. Atari on Jun 1, 2012 16:28:47 GMT -5
Poor, poor, Steve Stone.
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Post by Mr. Atari on May 31, 2012 18:08:14 GMT -5
If it makes you feel any better, I still don't know.
Who's who in the what now?
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Post by Mr. Atari on May 31, 2012 14:55:39 GMT -5
Let's see just how iconoclastic MJ will be for 1981. If he has real cajones, he'll go with The Cannonball Run.
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Post by Mr. Atari on May 31, 2012 14:53:29 GMT -5
Just wanted to point out that both the Cubs and the Rockies have won 3 in a row.
I bring it up because it's the only time all season that it'll happen.
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Post by Mr. Atari on May 26, 2012 17:43:33 GMT -5
Thanks to anyone who bothered to read this. I didn't realize how personal this would be for me.
I completely understand that these are extremely subjective opinions about why this album is so significant to me, and therefore I doubt anyone will have the same response. But hopefully, I've been able to explain why I feel this way, even if you don't. And hopefully, that's worth something.
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Post by Mr. Atari on May 26, 2012 17:40:28 GMT -5
15. Who Cares?
I mentioned before that this final medley of songs makes me cry. That's mostly true. It's this particular song that does it every time. On its own, it's a phenomenal piece of music, with a composition and orchestration that is amazing. In context of this 3-song set, it's a stunning wrap-up, overlapping the medley's musical and lyrical themes in a climactic finale. In context of the entire album, it's the moment when everything shifts from, "Wow, this is a pretty great album" to "Holy crap, this is a frickin' masterpiece."
In "Who Cares?", the debates and questions of the album, from racism to war to media to philosophy get shrunk down to one person having a soul-searching, intimate prayer. He no longer blames the world at large; instead, he sees himself as part of the problem and wonders if anyone else feels like he does. He decides that even if no one else cares, he still wants to make peace for his own soul. And perhaps, through the humble confession of a broken man, he might find the hope that he can't seem to find in the world.
All of this takes place against a sweeping score that takes the listener to just about every emotional place music can take you.
The Music: This song is the perfect alchemy of Queen, the Beatles, and Mozart. It opens with 1:15 of solo piano introducing the musical motif (you heard it before as the tinkling music box at the beginning of "Rise 'N' Shine"). There is some indistinct whispering behind it that adds to the haunting and/or prayer feeling to the proceedings. Then, the strings kick in with a chamber orchestra building a secondary motif until the full orchestra explodes with powerful horns and percussion. This has grand finale written all over it.
Following the bombastic opening, the bottom drops out and we're left with Cherone's voice over simple piano chords. This leads into the chorus, which isn't so much a chorus as it is a dream set to a few notes. I love the chromatic moves in the melody here. The second time through the verse, more instrumentation is added to support Cherone, with flute and french horn accents right out of Mussorgsky or Tchaikovsky.
Suddenly, the song shifts from minor key ballad to a 3/4 waltz, sending the mood into a carnival of emotion that's equal parts chaos and dance. There's 16 bars where Nuno plays a simple melody over plucked nylon string chords. It's stunning. The orchestra comes back in and builds everything up to a shimmering crescendo with Nuno wailing over the top. And then...
"Here I am: a naked man, nothing to hide, with empty hands" is sung over nothing. I've never heard a better use of a capella. Ever. It's like the entire album has been building to this singular moment. Some wind is heard behind his voice, then cellos, then the opening theme is recapitulated. Only this time, the dissonance of the 7th is allowed to sit there, reinforcing the heartbreak, and building tension to a staggering height until...
RESOLUTION! The first major chord of the song hits at the seven minute mark, and it is orgasmic. The release of the tension in the lyrics, the resolution of all of the musical themes, and the sheer majesty of the orchestration is why I lose it every time. It's as triumphant as anything I've ever heard.
But wait, we're not done yet. The choruses of the previous two songs get mashed up over the chords of this one, and the medley laps itself in arrangement and thematic perfection. Until finally, the song winks out of existence and we're left with the music box that started the whole thing. *Whew*
The Lyrics: "Tell me Jesus, are you angry? One more sheep has just gone astray," is the first line here and it signifies the intimacy of the ending. It's a lament for the people who don't care, but it's mostly about his own epiphany regarding what really matters. He's worried that he's missed his opportunities to live right and choose wisely; that he's wasted his existence "Hardening hearts, wandering off, chasing rainbows, and looking for a sign" while "losing sight of the light."
The crowning moment is in the a capella solo where he cries out, "Here I am, a naked man, nothing to hide, with empty hands. Remember me, I am the one, who lost his way, your prodigal son." Is this a moment of repentance? Conversion? I don't know, but it's powerful. And as someone who has prayed that prayer more times than I care to admit, I know the place in the soul from where it comes. The fact that the major key resolution comes right after these lyrics might be my favorite moment of music ever recorded. The denouement that follows, where the lyrics of the previous songs are revisited, completes the journey in the most fulfilling way possible.
Favorite Moment: There's nothing about this song that isn't a favorite moment. But the walk down the scale to the big resolution at the 7:00 mark hits me in a deeper place than just about any art ever made.
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Post by Mr. Atari on May 26, 2012 16:16:28 GMT -5
Very cool. I like the way you breakdown the reviews and quotes into different movie and host segments. Looks like a lot of work.
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Post by Mr. Atari on May 23, 2012 15:33:23 GMT -5
14. Am I Ever Gonna Change?
After the hopeful beginnings of "Rise 'n' Shine", the grand finale shifts into its second act, the introspective and cathartically honest, "Am I Ever Gonna Change?" It's one of my favorite songs ever, due in large part to its lyrical theme, which too often reflects my own feelings. In answering the questions raised earlier in the libretto, the song goes to a psychological and spiritual depth that too many people are too scared to go. In fact, in my 17+ year career of working with people, it might be the #1 counseling issue I run into, again and again. Namely, the ability (or inability) to own one's own crap. It's always someone else's fault. I don't have to take responsibility or face the consequences of my choices. Unfortunately, that way of life leads to nothing but pain. Playing the victim card is a cheat and "But-I-Want-To-ism" is a fast path to a rotten life.
This song continues the optimism of the finale, but it's optimism is found in its honesty and humility. It's a wonderfully paced B-section to the 3-song medley, and provides a nice continuation to the idea of "a new day is coming" from part 1.
The Music: The song starts with some beautiful bounce-back delay of a chucka-chucka guitar line. Four-on-the-floor kick drum gives it the slow drive it needs to build and build. The song makes great use of empty space and quiet moments throughout. Again, the orchestration and strings really build the majesty that marks the finale medley. I've said it a lot in these reviews, but this song really sounds like something Queen would have done on their later albums. During the section in Latin (see below) we get some vintage, classically influenced, intensity-building arpeggios from Nuno that end with some amazing licks before heading back into the final chorus.
The Lyrics: In 1908, The London Times ran a write-in op-ed with the question, "What's wrong with the world?" G. K. Chesterton wrote in with a response, "Dear sirs, I am. Sincerely yours, GKC" In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus famously taught, "Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?"
What I love in this song is that Extreme isn't afraid to do some real soul-searching and self-admission. This isn't self-pity or faux-humility. It's an honest frustration at the inability to live with integrity or make lasting change. "I'm tired of being me and I don't like what I see. I'm not who I appear to be." I don't know anyone who hasn't thought these thoughts.
"I say one thing then I do another, it's the same old song that goes on forever." This, I believe, is the human condition. We just don't want to be honest about it. When I tell people what I do for a living, they often say, "I don't go to church. It's full of hypocrites." My answer is always the same, "Oh, we're not full. There's room for you."
It's not only Christianity that promotes confession as a healthy discipline. Most world religions and even secular spirituality understand the breakthroughs that can happen in the psyche when we process through our weaknesses and brokenness. Catholicism is the most famous for it, though, and this song reaches its most powerful moment when a voiceover quotes the Latin text for absolution during the sacrament of confession. "Indulgentiam, absolutionem, et remissionem peccatorum tuorum tribuat tibi omnipotens et misericors Dominus. Amen. Dominus noster Jesus Christus te absolvat: et ego auctoritate ipsìus te absolvo ab omni vinculo excommunicationis, suspensionis, et interdicti, in quantum possum, et tu indiges. Deinde ego te absolvo a peccatis tuis, in nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti. Amen." In English, "May the almighty and merciful Lord grant you pardon, absolution, and remission of your sins. Amen. May our Lord Jesus Christ absolve you. And I by His authority release you from every bond of excommunication suspension and interdict, in so far as I am empowered and you have need. And now I absolve you from your sins; in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen."
I'm not Catholic, and I'm not even that interested in the doctrine of those words. But the impact of the sentiment in light of the song and flow of the entire album always brings me to a deep place of reflection and catharsis. It's a great setup for the real payoff that comes in the next (final) song.
Favorite Moment: As I'm sure my comments showed, it's the lyrical theme that I love on this one. It just hits so close to home. When the Latin comes in underneath the building arpeggios, I'm taken to another place.
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Post by Mr. Atari on May 23, 2012 12:58:33 GMT -5
Okay, I'll bite.
1. How often do you… a) go to the cinema?
About 3 or 4 times a year. Now that the little Ataris are hitting pre-teen ages, I'll take them to see something they're interested in. Thankfully, it's movies like "The Muppets" and not dreck like "Alvin and the Chipmunks 2 (IN 3-D!)".
b) rent DVD/BDs? c) buy DVD/BDss?
It's all streaming for me now. I can't remember the last time I physically put a disc in a player. 6 months, at least. I'll purchase films for download, but then stream it from my laptop to the TV. The last one I bought this way was Moneyball.
d) watch films on TV? And what was the last movie you saw
All the time. AMC or TCM will have a movie that interests me on a regular basis. Last night I flipped over to Groundhog Day because the Rockies and Cubs were both losing.
2. What film have you seen the most and how many times have you seen it?
Gotta be Back to the Future. I saw it at least 5 times in the theater in 1985, and easily over 500 times on VHS, cable, DVD, and Blu-Ray. In the early days of VCRs, we had a couple of tapes with TV versions of movies like The Blues Brothers, Police Academy, Fletch, Blazing Saddles, and Vacation. So any of those might be a close second just from the repeat viewings in my childhood.
3. What genre(s) of films do you… a) love b) hate and why?
I'll go with the famous Roger Ebert quote here: "It's not what the movie is about that's important, it's how it is about it." In other words, any movie that is interesting, creative, or different is one that will get my attention. Any movie that is by-the-numbers or cookie-cutter is one I will hate. This applies to all genres, be they romantic comedies, Oscar-baiting dramas, gross-out comedies, or (especially lately) comic book popcorn. Also, there is a special hell for shaky cam movies. And torture horror needs to go away and never come back. 4. Who is your favorite… a) actress b) actor c) director? Why? And what are your 3 favorite films from each?
Actress? I don't think I could improve on Mad Plumber's pick of Sigourney Weaver. In classic cinema, Ingrid Bergman always did it for me. Currently, I'm usually glad to see Amy Adams on screen, and she seems to have the chops.
Actor is tougher because I tend to prefer character actors to movie stars. Guys like Gary Oldman, Alan Rickman, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Paul Giamatti, and Ben Kingsley come to mind. But even the lesser known character actors like Steven Tobolowsky, Kevin Pollak, Jon Polito, Stephen Root, or the late, great J.T. Walsh fascinate me. In old Hollywood, I can't remember ever being disappointed in a Cary Grant or Humphrey Bogart performance. The one actor today who I would pay money just to see him act would be Sam Rockwell. Although I love that Martin Freeman is finally getting his due.
Director is a slam dunk: the Coen Brothers. They're the most interesting directors out there. Even their rare duds are compelling. All-time, it might be Kurosawa. 3 favorites from the Coens: Miller's Crossing, Barton Fink, and A Serious Man. From Kurosawa: Ikiru, Seven Samurai, and Ran.
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