Brodie Fanns!
If you remember, a while back I did an epic mini-series of blog postings where I counted down my top 100 favourite films. As a follow-up, I started to post the top 10's of my various family members. I then took a break from that, due to big happenings in the world of cinema, including the end of the Writer's Strike, and then my fatigue inducing Oscars 08 Live blog-a-thon.
But now I'm back, from outer space... kidding, I'm back with that follow-up series, and this week, I'd like to thank my sister for providing me with her top 10 list. Also... her son, my nephew, is due in like... 2 months. I couldn't be happier for her and my brother-in-law.
Here's Heather's List:
1.Gone With the Wind
2.Love Actually
3.Never Been Kissed
4.Hairspray (the new one)
5.How the Grinch Stole Christmas (Jim Carrey)
6.Beauty and the Beast (Disney)
*ALREADY POSTED VIDEO ON THIS ONE*
7.The Goonies
8.Forrest Gump
9.Grease
10.The Passion of the Christ (not so much favorite, just a really powerful movie...hard to watch...saw it twice in theathers and bought it but I haven't watched it since.)
Well, that's my sister's list. Next week... who the heck knows. Could it be Katherine? One of my parents? Is Jesus stopping by? The world may never know. At least not till Friday. Have a good one!
-Brodie Mann
Showing posts with label Lists. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lists. Show all posts
Friday, March 07, 2008
Friday, January 25, 2008
100 Favourites: The Wrap-Up
Brodie Fanns!
Never fear, last week was not the last you had heard from the list. This week is. I'm doing the post-game this week. A few stats and figures.
The list was originally about 400 long, in it's first inception during the summer of '04 I believe. In those four years it's been altered many a time, obviously. The original list was not a ranked list, it was just a list. After about six months, I decided it should be ranked. The first top 10 resembled the current one, though it included the 1931 Dracula. After a while, I deemed it unnecessary to have two films in the top 10 that were essentially different, yet near identical, versions of the same story, with Nosferatu also being based on the story of Dracula. Yes, they are technically two wildly separate and different films, but I couldn't justify both of them being in the top 10. So I went with my favourite of the two, Nosferatu, and the rest is history.
To make it easier on me, I cut 200 films out of the list. And that original list is now lost in memory, as I don't have a back up anywhere. So there it sat. 200 films, the top 20 had since been ranked, and I was making process. Then about... mid last year, I decided "Hey, I'm writing in a blog now, I should do my top 100." So I sliced another hundred out of the list. The original is on this computer still. Then I ranked the back 50. And that brings us to today. The list has been published. Go us!
Just today, I sat down and took a long hard look at the list. I am happy with the list. That doesn't mean it won't change in the future. I still haven't decided if I want any 2007 flicks in the list, (Zodiac, No Country for Old Men and Sunshine are strong contenders). And there are plenty of classics I have yet to see.
It was criminal that I didn't have any foreign, non-english films on the list, so I may add in a few of those. Don't know why I would forget them in the first place.
And who knows... someone may come out with a flick in the future that just blows me away. Cloverfield was amazing. Not Top 100 amazing... but damn close.
Just so you know...
an * denotes inclusion of trilogies
The actors with the most films on the list:
Al Pacino and Harrison Ford* with 4 each. Bruce Willis, Brad Pitt, Ian McKellen, Kevin Spacey, Michael J. Fox*, Christopher Lloyd* and Elliot Gould with 3 each.
The actresses with the most films on the list:
Uma Thurman, Cate Blanchett* and Lea Thompson* with 3 each. Diane Keaton, Julia Roberts and Carrie Anne Moss with 2 each.
The directors with the most films on the list:
Quentin Tarantino, Frank Capra, Sidney Lumet and Stanley Kubrick with 4 each. Steven Spielberg, Peter Jackson* and Robert Zemeckis* with 3 each.
Alright peeps... that's alls I gots for you now.
Next week... keep an eye out for reviews for Rambo, a somewhat similar data list, and a top 10 list from someone who isn't me.
Weird.
Peace!
-Brodie Mann
Never fear, last week was not the last you had heard from the list. This week is. I'm doing the post-game this week. A few stats and figures.
The list was originally about 400 long, in it's first inception during the summer of '04 I believe. In those four years it's been altered many a time, obviously. The original list was not a ranked list, it was just a list. After about six months, I decided it should be ranked. The first top 10 resembled the current one, though it included the 1931 Dracula. After a while, I deemed it unnecessary to have two films in the top 10 that were essentially different, yet near identical, versions of the same story, with Nosferatu also being based on the story of Dracula. Yes, they are technically two wildly separate and different films, but I couldn't justify both of them being in the top 10. So I went with my favourite of the two, Nosferatu, and the rest is history.
To make it easier on me, I cut 200 films out of the list. And that original list is now lost in memory, as I don't have a back up anywhere. So there it sat. 200 films, the top 20 had since been ranked, and I was making process. Then about... mid last year, I decided "Hey, I'm writing in a blog now, I should do my top 100." So I sliced another hundred out of the list. The original is on this computer still. Then I ranked the back 50. And that brings us to today. The list has been published. Go us!
Just today, I sat down and took a long hard look at the list. I am happy with the list. That doesn't mean it won't change in the future. I still haven't decided if I want any 2007 flicks in the list, (Zodiac, No Country for Old Men and Sunshine are strong contenders). And there are plenty of classics I have yet to see.
It was criminal that I didn't have any foreign, non-english films on the list, so I may add in a few of those. Don't know why I would forget them in the first place.
And who knows... someone may come out with a flick in the future that just blows me away. Cloverfield was amazing. Not Top 100 amazing... but damn close.
Just so you know...
an * denotes inclusion of trilogies
The actors with the most films on the list:
Al Pacino and Harrison Ford* with 4 each. Bruce Willis, Brad Pitt, Ian McKellen, Kevin Spacey, Michael J. Fox*, Christopher Lloyd* and Elliot Gould with 3 each.
The actresses with the most films on the list:
Uma Thurman, Cate Blanchett* and Lea Thompson* with 3 each. Diane Keaton, Julia Roberts and Carrie Anne Moss with 2 each.
The directors with the most films on the list:
Quentin Tarantino, Frank Capra, Sidney Lumet and Stanley Kubrick with 4 each. Steven Spielberg, Peter Jackson* and Robert Zemeckis* with 3 each.
Alright peeps... that's alls I gots for you now.
Next week... keep an eye out for reviews for Rambo, a somewhat similar data list, and a top 10 list from someone who isn't me.
Weird.
Peace!
-Brodie Mann
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
Top 5 Romances
Brodie Fanns!
One thing people don't realize about your old pal Brodie, is that I have a soft spot. A nice, tender heart. Granted that's encased inside the cold, sarcastic heart of steel everyone knows... but it's still there. And I love a good love story just as much as the next person. So I present you with this... My Top 5 Love Stories (no... Love Story is not on the list)...
5) It Happened One Night
In Frank Capra's pitch perfect It Happened One Night, Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert (no relation to Stephen) is the first screwball comedy, and one of the top road comedies, but above it all, it's a romance. The mismatched duo on the road, one a spoiled heiress fed up with her silver spoon, the other a dashing out of work reporter, having found the story that may put him on the map. They teach each other about life and love and all that. Sure, 74 years later, it's a cliche. But in 1934, it's brilliant and heartwarming. Look at it in context, and you'll see that it's one of the finest love stories ever told.
4) The Princess Bride
This made a previous appearance on my "Top 5 Comedies", but you know what, because of that comedy it also works as a glorious love story. Who knew that such an outrageously hilarious tale could also be one of the most beautiful love stories. And it starred Peter Falk! Not as the love birds, that honour went to Cary Elwes and Robin Wright (before she added the Penn). There's something Disney-esque and romantic to their love, but it calls back to a time when Disney was good. I know the clip I chose is the marriage to the evil prince, but it's such a good scene, and the interspersed scenes of Westley trying to get to his beloved Buttercup, despite the fact that he had just been "nearly dead" earlier that day, is all the proof you need to know the two were meant for each other.
3) Say Anything...
Cameron Crowe's directorial debut is a painful reminder of the heartbreak that comes along with true love, but a joyous reminder that if it's meant to be, it will persevere. Thanks to John Cusack's performance as Lloyd Dobbler, the film gave hope and inspiration to "nice guys" everywhere. What clip do you think I chose? The boom-box scene, that's right. Why? It's perfect.
2) Love Actually
So, I'm one of the few straight guys I know who actually loves this movie (no pun intended), so I'm in somewhat of a minority here. But, it's such beautiful film because it shows multiple relationships, multiple facets to a relationship, all the bullshit that one goes through for someone they love, it's just magnificent. And it's a Christmas film to boot. This was my favourite story line, between Jamie and Aurelia (Colin Firth and Lucia Moniz). It's a bit choppy, because they cut out scenes involving other characters. But the important part is intact. It's so beautiful that they learned each other's language, and it's even better that they completely butcher it. But you can't help but love it. All the stories are great, but this one is by far the best.
1) Casablanca
What can be said about Casablanca in 2008 that hasn't been said in the past 66 years? Nothing really. Tis an beautiful film about love lost and love redeemed. It shows that true love never dies, even if she's with another guy. You see Rick's (Bogart at his finest) torment over having Ilsa (Ingrid Bergman, at HER finest) walk back into his life, giving us the classic line "of all the gin joints in all the world." And is there any more perfect song than "As Time Goes By"? I think not.
There it is. My top 5 love stories. Shed a tear.
- Brodie Mann!
One thing people don't realize about your old pal Brodie, is that I have a soft spot. A nice, tender heart. Granted that's encased inside the cold, sarcastic heart of steel everyone knows... but it's still there. And I love a good love story just as much as the next person. So I present you with this... My Top 5 Love Stories (no... Love Story is not on the list)...
5) It Happened One Night
In Frank Capra's pitch perfect It Happened One Night, Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert (no relation to Stephen) is the first screwball comedy, and one of the top road comedies, but above it all, it's a romance. The mismatched duo on the road, one a spoiled heiress fed up with her silver spoon, the other a dashing out of work reporter, having found the story that may put him on the map. They teach each other about life and love and all that. Sure, 74 years later, it's a cliche. But in 1934, it's brilliant and heartwarming. Look at it in context, and you'll see that it's one of the finest love stories ever told.
4) The Princess Bride
This made a previous appearance on my "Top 5 Comedies", but you know what, because of that comedy it also works as a glorious love story. Who knew that such an outrageously hilarious tale could also be one of the most beautiful love stories. And it starred Peter Falk! Not as the love birds, that honour went to Cary Elwes and Robin Wright (before she added the Penn). There's something Disney-esque and romantic to their love, but it calls back to a time when Disney was good. I know the clip I chose is the marriage to the evil prince, but it's such a good scene, and the interspersed scenes of Westley trying to get to his beloved Buttercup, despite the fact that he had just been "nearly dead" earlier that day, is all the proof you need to know the two were meant for each other.
3) Say Anything...
Cameron Crowe's directorial debut is a painful reminder of the heartbreak that comes along with true love, but a joyous reminder that if it's meant to be, it will persevere. Thanks to John Cusack's performance as Lloyd Dobbler, the film gave hope and inspiration to "nice guys" everywhere. What clip do you think I chose? The boom-box scene, that's right. Why? It's perfect.
2) Love Actually
So, I'm one of the few straight guys I know who actually loves this movie (no pun intended), so I'm in somewhat of a minority here. But, it's such beautiful film because it shows multiple relationships, multiple facets to a relationship, all the bullshit that one goes through for someone they love, it's just magnificent. And it's a Christmas film to boot. This was my favourite story line, between Jamie and Aurelia (Colin Firth and Lucia Moniz). It's a bit choppy, because they cut out scenes involving other characters. But the important part is intact. It's so beautiful that they learned each other's language, and it's even better that they completely butcher it. But you can't help but love it. All the stories are great, but this one is by far the best.
1) Casablanca
What can be said about Casablanca in 2008 that hasn't been said in the past 66 years? Nothing really. Tis an beautiful film about love lost and love redeemed. It shows that true love never dies, even if she's with another guy. You see Rick's (Bogart at his finest) torment over having Ilsa (Ingrid Bergman, at HER finest) walk back into his life, giving us the classic line "of all the gin joints in all the world." And is there any more perfect song than "As Time Goes By"? I think not.
There it is. My top 5 love stories. Shed a tear.
- Brodie Mann!
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