Ferris Bueller's Day Off

     This movie. This masterpiece. This work of Godlike art. This is Ferris Buellers Day Off, a movie I gladly admit an obsession to.
      Every line of dialogue is brilliant. I can actually recite every line in the entire movie. It's not because of my memory or charm, it's because this movie is preciously ner and dear to my heart.
      The plot centers around a suave guy named Ferris Bueller who fakes sickness in order to have the greatest day of his life before becoming a full fleged adult with bills and a dead end job. Who better to join on his wild adventure than his hypochondriac best friend Cameron Frye and straightforward girlfriend Sloane Peterson.
       The cast is incredible consisting of Matthew Broderick, Alan Ruck, Mia Sara, Jeffrey Jones and many other great talents. The writer-director of this film John Hughes has an incredible eye for great actors. It's second nature to a man like him, may he rest in peace.
       Principal Rooney is the principal nobody wants to have. He's quite a bumbler, but he is also crafty and wise to Ferris' "I'm dying" act that nobody else in the town can see through. Reason being Ferris is the craftiest character in recent cinema memory.
        One guy said to me that he hated thsi movie and thought it was too 80's for his taste. Maybe it's because I'm an 80's fan to the point of wearing a real mullet for about a year, but I told him it wasn't "too 80's", that it was completely universal and a potential icon. In the 25th anniversary since it came out, this film has proven to be so.
        I think this is one of my all time favorite comedy films. I could watch it every single day for the rest of my life and I'd feel I had a great life. It's not feel good, it's not a raunch fest, there's little swearing. It's perfect. The storytelling is ridiculously choice. If I ever made a movie half this good, I'd be famous forever and ever. Adored forever and ever. John Hughes, it was only another day at the office.
        I can say nothing bad about this movie and I think these readers can tell this is a movie I adore. The movie speaks for itself. I advise every person on this planet, especially those feeling down and blue, to watch this movie at least twenty times. It's so flipping good, it makes me want to cry. Save Ferris.

A Parody of themselves

     One of the world's guiltiest pleasures is Parody or Spoof films. Films that make fun of mostly melodramatic award winning movies. Usually viewed as really stupid by critics but always doing well at the box office, these films always wind up with a cult following.
      Austin Powers is probably the famous character to come out of a spoof film. The entire movie makes fun of James Bond films with Mike Myers as the villain and the hero. The characters have hilarious names much like the Bond girlfriends and villains always did.
      The Powers films were a rare example of a spoof film staying true to the original premise of the film being made fun of, and I personally found those movies to be humorous. Many parody films are overly goofy and terribly tacky.
      Epic Movie is one of the dumbest films I've ever seen. Lots of gross out humor and breaking the fourth wall. The movie makes fun of big budget elaborate movies that do thirty times as well at the box office due to appeal it might have. This movie wasn't epic and had zero appeal. The title is erroneous beyond measure.
      Disaster movie was a disaster. This movie doesn't lie to you in the title. It's about big budget natural disaster films (Twister), but this movie is really stupid. Maybe that was the intention, but come on, it wasn't even funny stupid, like South Park or Monty Python. It plain stank. Putting movie in the title feels so pretentious to me.
      Scary Movie (pretentious) was actually really funny. A parody of the movie Scream, it features many amusing references to the original gfilm and the actors who portrayed the roles of the characters. Like many "horror" films, Scary Movie spawned four sequels, all of which were awful. Fits the horror genre formula. Well done, Wayans Brothers.
       I must admit there are two parody films I am in love with. Shaun of the Dead and hot Fuzz, both done by the same people. The British made films were both hilarious, original, and down to earth. Hard to come by in any spoof film.
        Shaun of the dead was about a slacker who loses his girlfriend in the midst of a zombie invasion. The epidemic was largely ignored by Shaun and his friend for a while, until they saw warnings on the TV. Then they went to pick up their loved ones and go to a bar they think will be safe. The movie was very relatable.
         George A. Romero himself found them really funny. Romero created the zombie genre thwe writers of this film loved so much. Dawn of the Dead and land of the dead were the two biggest inspirations for Shaun of the dead. And there's the biggest thing. This film had original characters in a different situation. It was a romantic comedy with zombies, a unique departure from the spoof film norm.
         Hot Fuzz was the other spoof film by the Shaun of the dead guys. It made fun of the hard edged detective and his wise cracking sidekick buddy cop films. It's not as funny as Shaun of the Dead, but it far surpasses Shaun in storytelling, acting, and certainly action. The dialogue in both films is phenomenal. More proof that the British are much more talented than Americans.
         I hate most spoof films but some guys get it right. I'm guilty of making my own parody versions of songs, kind of like Weird Al Yankovic. Movies are harder to spoof because it's ninety minutes of assault on an original product. That's tough to do right, and personally I'd never try it. Let the original movie speak for itself.

Animation domination

      Who says quality films can not be animated? Not me. In fact, animated films today are better than what most live action films put on the table. Toy Story 3 was incredible. Transformers Dark of the moon, I'm not so sure.
       Walt Disney is the man personally responsible for making animated feature films profitable. 1937 marked the year Snow White and the Seven Dwarves came out.
        Based on the Brothers Grimm fairy tale and consisting of nine musical numbers, the film was an instant smash. Not bad for a guy who had made a fortune making seven minute animated shorts featuring Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck.
        For fifty seven years the tired formula of musical fairy tales applied to almost all animated features. The Pixar minds said "enough of this. We're making a buddy picture". That picture was Toy Story, the first EVER CGI feature film released. I personally think the Toy Story series is the best animated film series ever.
        Dreamworks followed Pixar's new, improved formula of Original Characters and NO breaking into a four minute musical number with funny flicks Antz, Shrek, the Shrek Sequels, and Kung Fu Panda. All funny films but none can compare to Pixar films, not even the tediously boring WALL-E.
         The Incredibles had great action and killer dialogue. A Bug's Life was clever and had a great cast. Monster's Inc. still makes me laugh. Ratatouille is overrated. A 96? Really Metacritic? Toy Story and Toy Story 3 got 92's and Ratatouille gets a 96?! There's something really wrong with this picture.
          The Simpsons movie once and for all proved that those five yellow skinned freaks could dominate the movie screen in addition to t shirts, television screens, and every merchandising product imaginable. The film had a great plot. It was like a big, explosive, 88 minute long episode with more emotion than normal. 100/100 for my tastes. I'm a fanatic as it is.
          Animation is truly a fantastic medium. Characters can achieve the physically impossible, the voices can be zany and nonsensical without having to worry about the silliness, and Anthropomorphia is as accepted as the common cold. Those are the main reasons why I love animation so much and sometimes wish I was a cartoon. If a mistake is made, the scene can be deleted or I can be erased and redrawn. What a life!

The Dark Knight

 
    It's simple: we watch the Batman. And that is what a billion people did when this film hit theatres in July, 2008. Everything about this movie made me personally believe that it is the film of the 2000's.
    The action is awesome and required NO computer generated imagery. Even the maniacal blowing up of the hospital was all practical. The dialogue was sometimes hilarious and often times prophetic in tone and in delivery. Every actor was stunning, but none more so than scene stealing Heath Ledger.
     The Joker was never played this way on screen before. A psychopathic, masochistic, mass murdering, schizophrenic madman who gladly terrorizes the city of Gotham and every good guys morality for his own unusual amusement. Jack Nicholson was crazy and narcissistic in his performance in 1989 no question, but it was extremely campy 80's style especially Jack's dancing with his cronies in the mansion scene.
     Heath Ledger was mesmerizing. Aaron Eckhart played Harvey "Two Face" Dent more realistic and tortured than I ever thought imaginable, being a fanatic of the Batman series. His turn from incorruptible goodie to a revenge seeking murderer was perfectly played by Aaron, who deserves a lot more recognition but Heath Ledger was in this movie too, so....
     Christian Bale, who everybody rips on, nailed the physicality of the role of the Batman and acted with an American accent, which is incredibly method on his part. And also the no name actors Morgan Freeman, Gary Oldman, Michael Caine, and Maggie Gyllenhaal make appearances.
      Metacritic gives this film an 82/100, which I find appaling. It deserved at least a 92. Christopher Nolan, who also did "Inception", proved he was one of the best directors on the scene today. What an extraordinary mind. He also was a co-writer and co-producer on this film. Christopher wrote many of the Joker's lines that appeared in the film, which scores big points with me.
      One thing I haven't mentioned is the fantastic cinematography in this film. No matter the action in the scene, the camera stays with the film and I never once checked my watch in the entire 139 minutes when I saw it in the theatre on my 14th birthday. My Grandma covered her eyes during a few scenes, which I still believe proves this movie is effective.
       Although Heath Ledger died in a tragic overdose six months before the movie was released, he still became only the second actor to win an academy award posthumously (after death). The other was Peter Finch who won for 1976's "Network" after his untimely death.
      The movie is already a Hollywood phenomenon only three years after its release. The haters would probably say Heath Ledger's death sparked the hype for the film, which I find to be total bubkus. The movie is fantastic and a death wouldn't heighten a film's prestige. Besides, Heath Ledger's Joker has become iconic both in appearance and in quotes. "Why so serious"? I strongly recommend this movie to everybody.

The Big Three(Not the Miami Heat)

   











There are certain films that make many Historians and Critics all time top five list. They make mine as well. These five films are Citizen Kane, Casablanca, and The Godfather.
     It is difficult to label anything the greatest of all time because that's a lot of pressure on a single product. However, these films truly are flawless. Citizen Kane occupies #1 on AFI's renewed 100 greatest films of all time. On said list, The Godfather made #2 and Casablanca #3. Other top tens were Schindler's List, The Wizard of Oz and Lawrence of Arabia.
     Casablanca is easily the most quotable film I've ever seen. AFI agrees on its 100 movies 100 quotes list. This single film had six quotes on an all time list voted by the best of the best. Among the best are "Here's lookin' at you kid", "Play it again Sam", and "I think thsi is the start of a beautiful friendship".
      Possibly the greatest romance film of all time. Today those films are inevitably comedic in nature. This film is much more tragic and realistic to lost love in a lifetime. Humphrey Bogart is considered one of the best actors of his time, the golden age of Hollywood mind you. Is it any wonder he starred in this masterpiece?
       We move now to The Godfather, the quintisential mob movie. Goodfellas gfave it a run for its money, but I'd waste the whole blog tlaking about that. The Godfather embodies the rise, prime, and fall of a crime family known as the Corleone's. Vito's death was the dagger.
       Filled with realistic violence and mafia problems, The Godfather Part One's three hours flew by and hit you over the head the first time you watched it. The one big criticism this film has gotten mainly from protesters, thank you very much amendment number one, is that the movie romanticizes the ugliness and grit that is the Italian mafia.
       It couldn't be further from the truth. The many brutal deaths within the family, the betrayal of trust, and the loneliness Michael Corleone feels in the end by losing everytbody he cared about is very realistic. Almost every aging crime boss will die in prison from a heart attack of some sort. Granted, Vito's attack came from chasing his Grandson through the gardens but the effect was still the same. The Godfather rocks!
       Last but certainly not least Citizen Kane. This is a movie with perfect storytelling. I will give no spoilers but I must warn all who watch it, watch it. Don't talk to other people you may watch it with. You better watch it alone. I learned this the first time. The movie can be confusing if you don't pay attention. If you do, well......
       All three of these movies have iconic legacies not only in America but throughout the world. I thank God every day for TCM and AMC because those are the only channels I was able to find and record these Bucket list films. I have yet to delete Citizen Kane. I have to watch it one more time before I let it go. It's like my kid. All three of these movies were my kids. I hate the delete button. Watch these movies everybody!

Monty Python

     Monty Python is one of those rare phenomenons. Six guys who found eachother and realized simultaneously that they had a knack for writing perfect comedy, albeit aimed at the male gender. The planets must have aligned when their show Monty Python's Flying Circus first aired on BBC back in 1969.
    British people were taken aback by the offbeat, random, satirical and dark comedic themes these Silly Six often used. Their jokes almost never had punchlines, the skits could either be very sophisticated or very simple in humor and nobody can forget the crossdressing most of them would do.
     The Monty Python troupe consisted of Graham Chapman(may he rest in peace), John Cleese(easily my favorite), Terry Gilliam(the creator of the iconic cheapo animations on the show and in the movies), Eric Idle(sang and songwrote in addition to writing and performing), Terry Jones(the notorious crossdresser) and Michael Palin(the most diverse Python).
      In 1974, the show went off the air and this is where my favorite part of the story is. All six had been writing a movie for the last two years that was approved for filming by EMI studios in the UK. Everybody knows how it goes with most TV stars trying to make it on the big screen. Usually it goes horribly wrong. Not these guys.
      Monty Python and the Holy Grail is one of the funniest movies ever made. I defy any Male to tell me they saw that movie and didn't laugh all the way through. The greatest thing about Monty Python is everything is written by the six guys. No staff, no creators, only them. Top that SNL!!!
      In spite of a very modest budget of 175,000 pounds(325,000 dollars) the movie did incredibly well. The Holy Grail proved once and for all that cheap comedy is the best comedy. Too bad Will Ferrell didn't realize that when he did Land of the Lost.
      It seems the best tend to come out of England. What a talented country. The Beatles are the greatest BAND ever and Monty Python is the most talented comedy troupe ever. While making The Dark Side of the Moon, members of Pink Floyd would often laugh their hides off at Flying Circus after recording all day. Pink Floyd helped fund The Holy Grail they loved Monty Python so much.
      Holy Grail wasn't enough. Oh no. The Life of brian came out in 1979 and was a smash. A lot of controversy with the christians, but it was a smash. I personally think Life of Brian is my favorite Monty Python film. It's incredibly well made and the story is shockingly straightforward for MP. The song at the end will have you humming for decades.
     Monty Python were about to break up so they decided to do one last comedy performance Live at the Hollywood Bowl. I've never seen it all the way through but I know they perfromned some of their most famous skits along with their own personal favorites. Like any true comedy troupe, they'd been performing live together for a long time.
     The Meaning of Life happened in 1983. Various gross out gags, random non sequiturs, and mindless violence didn't turn me off in the least. In fact it made that movie all the more addictive. Even the three or four elaborate musical numbers entertained me to no end.
     Along with the show Friends and Linkin Park, Monty Python is the best half dozen human beings working together in the history of Western Civilization. For goodness sake, they met the Knights who say Ni in 930 AD, I think the Python players have outlived that history.

Censorship of Film

     Censorship. I hate it. In school, nobodys allowed to swear or listen to Youtube on the internet. In movies, unless they get that dumb R rating stamped on the poster, they dont get away with anything.
      PG-13 didnt exist until 1985, but when it first appeared as a rating, people really started thinking twice about movies they went to see with their children. Going back to the 30's as I love to do, movies werent allowed to have blood violence, language, or gratuitous themes that are allowed in films with the R rated films now.
       Movies that first started breaking those barriers happened in late 50's and early 60's B movies. In Mainstream terms The Gosdfather was the first film to feature Graphic Violence and mature themes and language. Why not, the 70's were only beginning, and films were getting more and more free to do as they please.
       In 1983 it happened. Scarface was released. Every possible "inappropriate" thing was used in this film, most notably Al Pacino's character diving his nose into a giant pile of an illegal powder substance. After a cult classic like that, certain movies would forever follow that pattern of ignoring the censors. TV was changing too.
      TV had always been dreadfully overcensored, even on shows like Sandford and Son or All In the Family, where racism was an often tackled issue. NYPD kicked the "You Cant Do That on TV" door in with its casual swearing and realistic violence. TV MA(Mature Audiences only) was created because of those genius bozos.
       When people think inappropriate, they think South Park. No wonder I love that show so much. The original premise was literally how children REALLY act when adults arent around. Trey and Matt, the creators, were sick of this Shirley Temple image these bratty kids were always getting on the Idiot Box. It was the first of numerous political statements these modern day Renaissance Men would make.
      I despise the TV edit of many movies. To allot more assaultive commercials, a lot of amazing scenes are cut out or censored for little kids and families who unwisely turned on such a lewd film. Examples include Friday the 13th, Peter Jackson's King Kong and worst of all Pulp Fiction.
      Occasionally, TNT will air movies immune to censorship such as Schindler's List and Saving Private Ryan. Thank you very much, Steven Spielberg. It's high time somebody made a couple of masterpiece films that cant be tamed by the conservative lowlifes at these cable stations. This country needs to be more Liberal but this isn't apolitical blog. I dont want to bore people.
       The channel F/X was created by FOX executives to broadcast both films and Television shows considered far too risque for their own precious network. A brilliant channel that airs one of my favorite shows called Archer. Its TV MA so put the kids to bed when you watch it, but its animated and its hilarious. That channel is a lifesaver for censorship haters like me.
        Censorship is the dumbest idea America has had since putting Japanese people in Internment camps during World War II. I figure children hear cursing in the house, they see mindless violence on the Nightly News, and they learn about the mature themes in Health class, so yeah. America grow up and have an open mid if you please!

Technology of Mainstream Cinema

     It's amazing to think how far cinema has come in the field of technological advances. The Great train Robbery, a film from 1903, was an innovative film in the usage of "special effects" such as having a train come right into frame, shooting on location and having multiple cuts of the camera. Audiences weere frightened when they first saw this film. Little did they know what was in store for later generations.
     All movies were silent until 1927 when another pioneering film came out called The Jazz Singer. Al Jolson uttered the now famous and ironic first ever lines of dialogue "wait a minute, wait a minute. You aint heard nothin' yet". As learned in American History, us Avon Lake kids all know that this was the first "talkie". For the likes of Buster Keaton, The Marx Brothers and Charlie Chaplin, the silent, vaudeville era was over.
     The american audiences really hadn't seen nothing yet, until 1939 when Gone With the wind and The wizard of Oz came out. Both film plots called for actual technicolor, unheard of at the time. both films utilized the big budgets they had to make that happen and it paid off in the end. both were among the most successful films of 1939 and have each stood the test of time as worthy pieces in the top ten all time films.
     however, color didnt become a mainstream effect on television let alone film until about 1966. That was when true technological marvels became possible. Space Odyssey: 2001 contained computer technology, among the first films ever to use Computer Generated Imagery, now taken for granted. Special effects were really starting to become large parts of the plot. Star Wars, released in 1977, more than proved that notion.
     The special effects in Star Wars mesmerized the public to no end when first released. In fact, it became the highest grossing film of all time, back when that was an actual accomplishment. Not like today where every five months a new billion dollar film is released. The film was released theatrically four more times in 1978, 1979, 1981, and 1982 and with some controversial added/altered scenes in 1997.
     Budgets have grown and grown and the look of big budget films have been more and more innovative, but nothing compared to Avatar, the 3D experience that made you feel like you were actually in the fantasy world. 3D films had been released before, but all were considered cheesy and predictable. Avatar blew that so far out of the water, it touched Saturn. At a cost of 237 million dollars with dazzling special effects, but I must admit a cheesy plot, it became the highest grossing film of ALL TIME at $2,782,275,172 in sold tickets.
      The 13 dollar price of tickets at 3D theatres definitely helped that new record. Who cares, though? It set a new Hollywood standard while I was a teenager! I never imagined being alive and well to see an innovation of Avatar's calibur special effects wise. Personally, movies aren't told as well as they were in the 70's 80's 90's and even the early 2000's, but at least the technology can make your eyes pop out of their sockets like never before, and for that, I tip my Yamaka to the film industry.