Sad and lonely

62. "Super High Me"
I think Doug Benson is a very good comic. I laugh at his pot jokes. I do not get high. I figured the film would bore me and end up turned off within the first 15 minutes. I was wrong. This documentary/experiment was a not-too-pothead friendly look at both the comedians life and the affects of marijuana. Like "Super Size Me," it's obvious what those affects are, the study is the reason for film but not the reason to keep watching. Benson's solitary life as a stand-up is what makes the film engrossing.

Two-thirds of the film is about Benson not smoking for thirty days, followed by thirty continuous days of smoking. The other third is about the legality situation of medical marijuana in California. Since the state said it's legal over 200 shops have sprung up. The Feds do not agree and occasionally shut down stores. That stuff is boring. What's sad and kinda funny is watching Benson smoke up alone, send his mother money because no one else does and perform with his friends.

Purple leather

61. "Raw"
Maybe I didn't like it because I'm too young. Maybe I didn't like it because I was sober. Either way, I didn't like Eddie Murphy's second comedy film.

Murphy recently announced he was retiring from films and was going to go back to stand-up. It'll be better than his films, but not by much.

Cleaning out my bag

In an effort to wrangle up all my pay stubs since March I've been emptying my backpack and messenger bags. Rather than just discard random writings, I've decided to include some.

Early January 2008 in Cleveland with Mike
We could go in as early as 1:35
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The outfits alone are in the thousands. He kicked down the door! And we need 2 doors! And smoke machines! NUGE! Sorry I'm not more lively. Like a woman from Tokyo!
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Why did he ignore the girl to croon to Weird Al?
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Look at the people dancing on the risers.
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I'll eat Really slow.
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I want to be in Shok Paris!!!
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I think stop-action animation is great.
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I'll bet you $10 they auto-tuned every vocal track on the song.

December 2007 in CVS, probably something I overheard and felt the need to catalogue since it's written on the back of a receipt
"Hey, you might now want to eat that, I have to bring you home for Christmas."

Wal-Mart might not sell this film

60. "Wall-E"
Pixar is really good at what they do.

"Wall-E" is easily the darkest Disney film since "Bambi" or "Dumbo." It's set 800 years from now, when Earth is too polluted for human life. Wall-E is a trash compactor of sorts. He's alone on a lonely planet. His only friend is a cockroach. Everyone who lives in America will know this by now.

Easily the best 2008 film I've seen this year. It made its own world, created wholly original characters, used a song to help tell a story (think "Punch Drunk Love") and had a message that didn't preach and still gives hope. Top that, Dreamworks.

Carefully placing microphones around the room

29. Mick Brown "Tearing Down the Wall of Sound: The Rise and Fall of Phil Spector"
This biography exists because Phil Spector 'allegedly' murdered Lana Clarkson. The most boring part of the book is the part where Phil Spector 'allegedly' murders Lana Clarkson. Spector's recording techniques and wacky (serial killer wacky, not Bugs Bunny wacky) lifestyle is the reason to read this book.

Phil Spector is cut from the same cloth as Orson Welles. Both men created something at an early age that they could never top. Welles' life can easily be followed through his films. The same does not go for Spector. The man is confusing and this biography does nothing to sort things out. No book can. Spector is probably certifiably crazy with a drive on par with Hitler.

Mick Brown interviewed Phil Spector for a British music magazine a few weeks before Spector 'allegedly' killed Clarkson. The producer talked for four hours about his recording style, life philosophies, life as a record man, being a father and more. Based on the excerpts in this book it appears that it was an interesting interview. What's more intriguing is the setting of the exchange, Spector's castle. The interviewer was forced to wait for hours, witnessed Spector descend his staircase dressed in a cape to a soundtrack of classical music and dined alone while Spector hid upstairs.

Brown and his team did an excellent job compiling interviews. The first 350 pages don't touch upon the murder. Instead, you learn about what drove this man to become a megalomaniac. His overbearing mother, insane sister, father's suicide and small stature are thoroughly explored. Fellow musicians, friends and employees speak openly to paint a multifaceted picture of the creator of the Wall of Sound. Though the book was published to cash in on the trial (part two begins this fall), it does stand up with the best pop music biography's.

No Jambi, the Genie

59. "Pee-wee's Big Adventure"
Yes, I was a fan of "Pee-wee's Playhouse" as a kid and had never seen the film. I guess I'm not really a child of the 80's.

The Tim Burton 1985 is wonderful is every way. It stars a wholly original character that lives in his own world but grows to be loved in each new one he stumbles upon. The mixture of 50's kitsch, 80's hair and Burton's Dali inspired sets made the film timeless in it's own way. Everyone that has seen this film after childhood would agree. It's sad that the film, show and character were forced into obscurity, but it was probably for the best. Two films and 45 episodes gave us just enough Pee-wee to miss him when he went.

Keep an eye out for a young Sarah Vowell

58. "Man in the Sand"
This is an odd documentary. It's kind of a film about the life and legend of Woody Guthrie. It's partly about Billy Bragg following in the footsteps, figuratively and mostly literally, of Guthrie. It attempts to give some perspective on the making of "Mermaid Avenue," a collaborative album between Billy Bragg and Wilco. It doesn't do any of these things well.

I read Greg Kot's book about Wilco a few years ago. He mentions an interview with Jeff Tweedy about these sessions. The Chicago band was taken aback by an extremely large American flag on the wall of Bragg's Dublin's studio. They thought it was odd that an Irishman was proud of a country he never lived in. The flag is in nearly every scene shot in Ireland.

Billy Bragg fans will eat this shit up. Woody Guthrie fans will call Billy Bragg a cheap impostor but proceed to eat this shit up. Wilco fans, which includes me, will argue that Tweedy should've done this project alone (which couldn't have happened because Bragg asked Wilco to join him) because he wrote the music to "California Songs" and that's much better than anything Bragg did. Wilco fans will also think, "Wow, everyone in that band has aged quite a bit in 10 years."

The documentary and albums (the first album came out in 1998 to critical acclaim so a second volume was released in 2000) exist because of Guthrie's daughter Nora. She comes off as an idealistic hippy that probably wants to sleep with Billy Bragg. But what do I know? I didn't grow up around Bob Dylan.

"I Am Trying to Break Your Heart" is a much better documentary.

Welles deserves the acclaim

57. "F for Fake"
Orson Welles visual essay on fakery is the last film he ever saw completed. It is unlike any other film. It is quite a feat.

The first hour of "Fake" is about the world's best art forger, Elmyr, and the world's most well known lying writer, Howard Hughes 'biographer' Clifford Irving. The last half hour is about Picasso and the woman that scammed him into painting twenty-two portraits of her and got to keep them. One of these stories is fake.

It's difficult to give anything away about this film. It's non-linear, uses footage from a different documentary, has magic tricks and features narration and commentary by the film's director, co-star and editor, Orson Welles. The film is like the conversation you wish you had in philosophy or art class about art or philosophy. In a way, the film is just pure fun. It doesn't take itself too seriously and features some of the most important artists of the 20th century. A wonderful film that is definitely not for everyone.

Heroin addict, alcoholic, deadbeat dad 'artist'

56. "Imagine"
I watched this John Lennon biography because Phil Spector is in a few scenes. It was not worth watching.

Unless you're a big Lennon fan and haven't seen or read "Anthology," there's no reason to watch this documentary. It does nothing but cater to the Lennon legend. He's tortured and great and childlike and a jealous guy and an artist and saves lives and doesn't believe in Beatles. It's all been said and seen and is boring and self-serving.

A New York Times reporter interviews Lennon about his billboard campaign. He says he has saved lives. The reporter calls him on being full of himself. The should have ended the film.

There are tits in the first scene for no reason

55. "Lethal Weapon"
He is getting too old for this shit.

For the other three people that haven't seen this film, let me give you some story notes. Mel Gibson is a suicidal cop with a loaded gun, a lethal weapon so they say. Danny Glover is a veteran cop who is getting too old for this shit. The two become partners. The two have to bust a drug cartel that happens to have some of Glover's old Nam buddies as middlemen. Shit goes down.

The film is dated. Besides Gibson's mullet, the cars, dialogue, film stock and music scream 1987. Those are the bad parts. Gary Busey is the great part. A henchman for the main smuggler, Busey is krazy, where Gibson is just crazy. He lets his boss burn his arm to set an example for another drug dealer. He has horse teeth. What more could you want from a villain?

I did not enjoy "Lethal Weapon" as much as I thought I would. Maybe it's the 500 parodies that I've seen.

I hate him! I love him! He's a scoundrel! He's a saint! He's crazy! He's a genius!

54. "Citizen Kane"
Preface: I'm writing this within an hour of seeing the film. I'm going between this and reading three reviews/critiques of the film in addition to some history. Be warned that this thing will probably be all over the place.

I've finally watched the greatest film of all time.

At 26, Orson Welles created his masterpiece. Coming off the success of his "War of the Worlds" radio play, he had complete control over his directorial debut. This did not happen again in his career.

I've known about this film, the history and the stature, since I knew that film was an art form. I knew that "The Simpsons" parodied the story of Kane when Mr. Burns yearns for his childhood plush bear 'Bobo.' I had a feeling that I had heard the song about Kane sung by a chorus line (I had, the White Stripes used to sing a verse or two at live shows). In other words, why haven't I seen this thing before? The only reason I can think of is fear, the fear that I won't understand the praise.

I do understand the praise. The cinematography alone makes it ground breaking. The story structure is still interesting. Welles' performance as Kane is probably taught in any self-respecting acting class. The audio is realistic and scary, specifically in scenes in Xanadu.

I do not completely understand why this is the greatest film of all time.

If I saw this film at 1941 and understood why Hollywood did not want to see a film that in any way resembled William Randolph Hearst, I might consider this the greatest film of all time.

Do I not think it's #1 because so many films have borrowed techniques that Welles created?

After seeing this and "The Lady From Shanghai" I see Welles love of mirrors and will probably steal some shots he's used.

Of the films on the AFI Top 100 Films list, I would say that "Singin' in the Rain," "It's a Wonderful Life" and "High Noon" should be moved to 1, 2 and 3. I would also add "The Thin Man," which isn't on the list, to number 4. "Citizen Kane" would be in the top 10.

I have a feeling that "Kane" will become more resonant the older I get. The idea that someone my age wrote (with Herman J. Mankiewicz) the greatest film of all time, lines that resonate today, lines about aging that only a dumb youth could stumble upon, makes me think there's something I won't understand till I'm on my deathbed.

Like I've been doing since I was thirteen, I'm once again looking to Roger Ebert to explain to me what I think I understand.

Holy shit, I watched 5 films in 14 hours

53. "My Man Godfrey"
William Powell is the epitome of what a man should aspire to be, classy, quick witted, intelligent and, perhaps most importantly, carries himself with an air of respect that he knows he deserves. I want to be William Powell.

In this 1936 classic Powell plays a bum who becomes a butler but is from a well to do family. Whatever. It doesn't matter. The point is Powell gets to play the character that George Clooney has been trying to embody since his early years on "Roseanne." The man is a gift to cinema.

It's not as good as "The Thin Man" series, but it's pretty damn good. Since it's now public domain there's no excuse not to watch this film.

The thing with Manson is distracting and sad

52. "King of California"
A remake of sorts of "The Tempest." The film stars Evan Rachel Wood as a 16-year old that has lived on her own for the last two years. She's dropped out of school, has no friends and works at McDonald's. Her father, played by Michael Douglas, is coming home from a mental institution. Once back he begins to search for gold. I'll leave it at that.

Michael Douglas is a great actor and Evan Rachel Wood is getting better with each picture. A solid piece of work.

Watch "King of Kong" instead

51. "Word Wars"
Either I was oblivious to the popularity of documentaries, which I doubt considering my illustrious job history working in theaters and video stores, or the genre has increased exponentially in the last ten years. A search on Netflix in the documentary section will give you titles on seemingly every topic.

"Word Wars" follows four Scrabble players on their quest to become the National Champion. There's the incoming champ that practices Thai Chi, a neurotic white man in his late 30s that probably has Aspberger's, a part-time comic and an African-American that hates the white man and lives in a Baltimore ghetto. This isn't like the cast of "Spellbound."

The production value is reminiscent of a high school science video.

So-so.

The poster is magnificent

50. "The Motel"
When reviewers say that a film "looks like an independent film" they're referring to flicks like "The Motel." The dialogue is sparse, the lighting is dim and the location is rural.

Did you see "Chuck and Buck" and like it? You'll probably like this. Did you see "Me and You and Everyone We Know" and think it ushered in a new form of cinema? You'll love this.

The casting was spot on. The emotional tole the 13-year old protagonist endures is believable and identifiable. Though the film is only 75-minutes, it does have a slow pace.

It was good. Not life changing or worth watching twice, but a good, solid indie film.

Julie Delpy is a talented lady

49. "Two Days in Paris"
Julie Delpy's 2007 film is wonderful even at 6am.

Delpy (who stars in, wrote, directed, edited, produced and scored! (I think that does deserve an exclamation.)) and Adam Goldberg are a couple who are spending two days at Delpy's Paris apartment after two weeks in Italy and on the way home to New York.

The film is all about the dialogue in a wonderful "Annie Hall" way. Goldberg bitches for the majority of the film and Delpy confronts many French stereotypes. If either of those things turn you off, avoid this like the plague. If not, watch this film. It's realistic (Delpy's real life parents play her parents in the film), beautiful, funny and smart.

I liked when they fought

48. "Semi-Pro"
A Will Ferrell B-Sides movie. Better than "Blades of Glory." Not nearly as good as "Anchorman." Is Ferrell playing the same character again? Kinda. Will your girlfriend like this movie? Probably not.

ADD or drugs

47. "Meet the Robinsons"
Kelsey wanted to see this film because the trailer showed a dinosaur that said "I have a big head and little arms." That is a funny line, so we rented the film.

A Disney film about an orphan who wants to see what his mother looks like. He is science obsessed and keeps his roommate up doing his experiments. For an upcoming science fair he submits a machine that lets you look back at memories you no longer remember. This is when the villain comes in and the film picks up. Till this point the film follows the typical Disney formula. Once the protagonist goes to the future things get a little nutty. There's no good way to describe what happens without giving away too much, so I'll just say that the director has ADD or enjoys psychedelic drugs.

This film will not be considered a classic and will not influence kids to become scientists. For a $1 rental from Redbox, it's worth it.

Demi Moore has aged well

46. "One Crazy Summer"
This is an awful movie. A decent cast can't save awful writing and a pointless, meandering plot. The only reason I didn't turn it off is because I started doing multiple tasks. Even as background it was disappointing.

If you search 'stiff' in google images you won't see the cover

28. Mary Roach "Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers"
While "Stiff" is an excellent book about a subject that everyone ever can understand, it is not full of side-splitting laughs. Professional reviewers are liars or
have awful senses of humor.

The book is about what happens to cadavers that aren't buried or cremated. Dissection, crash test dummies, fertilizer and more possibilities each get their own chapter. Roach interviews multiple experts in their respected field for each section. By the end of the book the idea of being chopped up or liquefied isn't as disturbing as it once might have been. In a way, an excellent summer book.