The Slackers Selection Movie Blog

Top 5 Movie Guide: Movie Moms

2013-05-18T10:23:00.001-06:00

For the latest edition of the Top 5 Movie Guide, we decided to compose our lists around some of the most memorable Movie Moms! You might be saying to yourself, Gee, this sure would have been a great category to do last week, when we were all celebrating Mother's Day.. Well, you're absolutely right, you just forgot one thing - we're Slackers by name, so while we do usually get to anything applicable to the time, don't be surprised if we're a week or two late in doing so. We have a reputation to uphold, mind you. These things will happen from time to time.

Anyway, there's no film coming out this week that we centered this category around - though, surely there's a mother of some sort present in "Star Trek Into Darkness" (unfortunately most of them died in the first installment...). This is simply our late Mother's Day gift to all of you readers out there just dying for a more comprehensive list compiling some of the most notable moms in movie history.

Hit the jump to see which characters and films we each came up with!

Alex Schopp -
I wanted so badly to include "Mr. Mom" on this list, because 80's Michael Keaton is always good. Unfortunately, there were a few other moms/films that I needed to showcase instead.

1. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) - Sarah Connor

Pretty easy #1 selection for me here. It helps that she's one of the more present moms in her respective film, but what really puts her over the top is her ability to be caring towards her son while still being great with a gun. Pretty rockin' combo.

2. The Kids Are All Right (2010) - Jules and Nic

This one is nice because you get two for the price of one. And I love the back and forth dynamics present in this movie. Between both moms (Julianne Moore and Annette Bening) and Mark Ruffalo's character, there are multiple times where you're despising each of them and also when you're rooting for each of them. Overall, great chemistry between all involved, and the tone and style are perfect for my movie tastes.

3. Carrie (1976) - Margaret White

Is she the scariest mom ever? Possibly. I'm not sure I'd make it out alive if I grew up in a house with her. Moms who get this twisted with their religious beliefs are the worst kinds of moms. It's rare that you want to root for a girl terrorizing and murdering everyone in her town - this upbringing allows us to do so.

4. Black Swan (2010) - Erica Sayers

This mom is close to being just as creepy. She probably is better with the subtle mental abuse that she inflicts on her daughter, and the obsessed former dancer who never made it and is now trying to live out her dreams through her daughter storyline is pretty messed up. Encouragement and support is nice, but obsession to this level is scary.

5. Friday the 13th (1980) - Pamela Vorhees

She kind of takes it to the ultimate level in terms of sticking up for her son. You can't really do anything more than this. If she was more present in the film this would probably be a bit higher; it's still good enough to make the cut here though.

Ben Foutch -

1. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) - Sarah Connor

Even in a robot apocalypse she can offer guidance and support.

2. Serial Mom (1994) - Beverly R. Sutphin

Homemaker, psychopath, and a brilliant manipulator of the courtroom - she's a complicated lady.

3. Carrie (1976) - Margaret White

As a mother and a human being, she is absolutely terrifying.

4. The Long Kiss Goodnight (1996) - Samantha Caine/Charley Baltimore

She's a badass like Sarah Conner, but has her beat in vegetable chopping techniques.

5. Friday the 13th (1980) - Pamela Vorhees

Hell hath no fury like a mother avenging the death of her child.

Derek Clem -

1. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) - Sarah Connor

She raised the leader of The Resistance against Skynet. What more do you need?

2. Kill Bill: Vol. 1 & Vol. 2 (2003, 2004) - The Bride, Beatrix Kiddo

Do NOT get between this lioness and her cub.

3. Psycho (1960) - Norma Bates

"A boy's best friend is his mother."

4. Pleasantville (1998) - Betty Parker

The black & white Betty Parker gets my vote, as she makes one of the most delicious looking meals I've ever wanted to devour. I love the sound of her drenching the pancakes in maple syrup. Heck, even her marshmallow rice squares look absolutely scrumptious.

5. Dumbo (1941) - Jumbo

The amount she loves her son melts my heart to the point that this movie is difficult to watch.

Nathan Hinds -
For this list I decided to go with moms who were good. Basically that happened because when I was doing research for this list, I happened to be eating and came across a picture of the mom from "The Brood" and it made me lose my appetite. So I wanted to avoid coming across any pictures that might be similar to that. I'm still happy with how my list turned out.

1. Terminator 2: Judgement Day (1991) - Sarah Connor

I can go on all day about how John Connor hasn't really done anything to deserve the sacrifices so many people have made for him, but for me, Linda Hamilton plays the ultimate movie mom. This is one of the two most iconic female action roles of all time, and an easy #1 choice.

2. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011) - Molly Weasley

Molly Weasley (played by Julie Walters) is sort of the mother Harry never had in this series. She treats him just like she would any of her other kids. I went with the last film because you finally get to see how far she will go to protect her children when she steps up and takes on my favorite villain from the entire series, Bellatrix Lestrange.

3. Edward Scissorhands (1990) - Peg

If it weren't for the compassion and acceptance of Diane Wiest's character in this film, Edward would've been stuck up in that house for the rest of his life. She was willing to look past the fact that Edward was different and realize that everyone needs someone to care about them. Granted, I'm not sure why she ever thought putting him on a waterbed was a good idea.

4. Forrest Gump (1994) - Mrs. Gump

This is another example of a mother loving her son unconditionally no matter how different he may be. Throughout Forrest's life, she is the one person he can always turn to for love and encouragement.

5. Junior (1994) - Dr. Alex Hesse

Bet you weren't expecting someone to work Arnold onto this list, were you? I'll be honest, it's been so long since I've seen this movie that I don't remember a whole lot about it. I just wanted to highlight this film for any younger audience member reading this who may not realize that at one point, action icon Arnold Schwarzenegger played a pregnant man.

Tracy Allison -

1. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) - Sarah Connor

Sarah Connor is my all-time favorite movie mom. She’s just a carefree college student in the 1980s until her life is changed forever. A cybernetic organism is sent back in time specifically to kill her so that she never is able to conceive her son, John Connor, future leader of the resistance. This is a standard young woman until faced with a seemingly insurmountable task. She works to save herself, and her future child. Later, she is faced with protecting him again from a newer, even more dangerous threat. I think I want to be Sarah Connor for a million reasons, and Kyle Reese is certainly one of them. She’s totally badass.

2. Psycho (1960) - Norma Bates

Mrs. Bates has got to be one of the creepiest movie moms ever. She really did a number on her son. An overbearing and emotionally abusive mother from the mind of Alfred Hitchcock still has gravity over fifty years later. Luckily, I was able to watch this movie for the first time ever in the theater without knowing any plot twists, exactly the way Hitchcock wanted it.

3. The Graduate (1967) - Mrs. Robinson

Mrs. Robinson is perhaps one of the most famous movie mothers of all time. She’s calculating and odd and beautiful and unhappy. She uses the Dustin Hoffman character as her plaything, and threatens him when he has a chance to find happiness with her daughter. The well-to-do parents in this movie forsake happiness for image and convention with no care to how it affects their children. This suffocating upbringing, along with inappropriate relations lead the children to make strange decisions indeed.

4. Almost Famous (2000) - Elaine Miller

Although Frances McDormand doesn't have a huge role in this movie, she still is an interesting mother figure. She hides her son’s true age from him and attempts to shelter her children from a changing world. She’s a straight laced woman, but the viewer knows that she cares for her children deeply. When they need to go, she lets them. Even though her son is young, she allows him to travel around the country with a rock ‘n roll band, where he learns a lot about the world from his own bizarre microcosm.

5. Edward Scissorhands (1990) - Peg

In a neighborhood full of odd women, Edward was adopted by one with a very kind heart. I love how she takes him in and the awkward way in which she learns to care for him. She sees immediately that he is not a monster, and when everyone turns on him. She and her family are the only ones that don’t. She supports him in all of his endeavors. Really, she’s just a standard great mom, and her adopted child just happens to be a humanoid with weapon hands.

Who would have guessed - with as rare as it is to enshrine a film on this site, that's now two weeks in a row in which a film has managed to accomplish such a feat! This time, it was "Terminator 2: Judgment Day", James Cameron's 1991 hit, that hit in the top spot on all five lists. It appears as if most of the writers above had a pretty easy choice in putting this character and film in the #1 spot. Outside of motherly characters, when discussing some of the best female characters of all time - period - you have to put Sarah Connor in that discussion.

So another welcomed film enters the vaults here at the Slackers Selection Movie Blog. While it won't be available for future lists, you can always check it out (and its few brethren) in the Slackers Shrine.

Otherwise, four other films appeared in multiple variety (for the record, there were a total of 17 different films listed above). But outside of T2, which appeared on all five lists, nothing hit on more than two. The four films to do so were "Carrie", "Friday the 13th", "Psycho", and "Edward Scissorhands". Looks like we have a good mix of evil and crazy holding down those first three slots, with some kindness (yet in a crazy and creepy world) occupying the last. Overall I would say if you're looking for some of the more intense movie moms, these are some great places to start, but there is a wide variety of motherly figures displayed above that cover just about every genre. With as much variation as there was this week, everyone should be able to find something worth their while.

As always, we hope that each of the selections above helps to expand your knowledge and appreciation of some of the best films that this category has to offer, and guides you to better and more enjoyable all-around viewing experiences.

Happy watching!

Top 5 Movie Guide: Kiefer Sutherland

2013-05-15T08:32:00.001-06:00

For this edition of the Top 5 Movie Guide, we decided to take a look at some of our favorite films featuring actor Kiefer Sutherland. Sutherland isn't in an upcoming film this weekend (or this year, for that matter), but seeing as the television show "24" was just revived for an upcoming limited 12-episode run, and because our own Nathan Hinds ranks that as one of the greatest television shows of all-time, we decided to feature the actor in this week's post. Sutherland is son to acting parents Donald Sutherland and Shirley Douglas. He was raised in Canada, and his first role came in the Canadian drama "The Bay Boy" (1984). The film earned Sutherland a Genie Award nomination, and propelled him to move out to Los Angeles.

When he first arrived (fun fact: he was roommates with Robert Downey, Jr. for three years), he appeared mostly in television shows at first, but quickly transitioned into feature films. The late-1980's brought him roles in films such as "Stand By Me" (1986), "The Lost Boys" (1987), and "Young Guns" (1988). His acting career was a bit more sporadic in the 1990's, often hit or miss with critics and audiences alike. But even when Sutherland's acting career wasn't thriving, he entertained some of his other passions. He also happened to be an accomplished rodeo champion, traveling the circuit and winning various awards throughout the latter part of the decade.

In 2001 he landed the lead role of Jack Bauer in the Fox television show "24", which has become his most notable role to date. The series ran for eight seasons from 2001-2010, and earned Sutherland multiple awards nominations. You can look for the limited season nine run to debut in May of 2014.

Until then, hit the jump to see which films we each ranked as some as our favorites from Sutherland's career!

Alex Schopp -
Even with as much television as I watch, no matter how hard Nathan tries, I will never give in and watch "24". It just doesn't look like an interesting premise to me. Also, it's something of a battle of stubbornness between Nathan and I at this point - something like that could last forever!

1. The Lost Boys (1987)

While I don't really have any problems with Kiefer Sutherland, this is really his only role/film that I'm fully invested in. I love everything about this vampire flick. If you love the 80's as much as we do, you'll love this movie.

2. Flatliners (1990)

Some aspects don't hold up incredibly well in this film, but overall, it's still quite engaging, and sports an incredible cast. I know there's talk of a remake for this, but I'd love so much to see this entire group get back together for a sequel; see what this same group of characters is up to years later.

3. Stand By Me (1986)

If Sutherland had a larger role, this film would be higher. Still, this is one of the best coming-of-age movies around; that can't be dismissed.

4. Dark City (1998)

I really need to watch this film again. I loved the visuals of the film, and anytime you can provide me a sci-fi, dystopian future/reality, I'm game. But from what I remember, its noir style didn't make for the most re-watchable of films. Maybe this isn't the case now that I'm a bit older? Regardless, the film's unique style definitely makes it worth a watch.

5. Freeway (1996)

Man, Sutherland really plays a creepy guy in this film. He and Reese Witherspoon provide solid performances in this interesting take on the classic Red Riding Hood fairy tale. I wouldn't mind seeing a bit quicker pacing in the film, but the violence and humor work well enough to earn this a spot on this list.

Ben Foutch -

1. The Lost Boys (1987)

A proud product of the 80's that hasn't lost its youthful/rebellious edge, and the soundtrack is still incredible. It's highly nostalgic for some of us slackers - I don't want to think about how many times I've seen it.

2. Freeway (1996)

One of the most twisted takes on a classic fairy tale. Kiefer slimes up the screen with an uber sleazy persona.

3. Dark City (1998)

A visually impressive cult gem that churns out a gloomy atmosphere and over the top character designs. A must for dark sci-fi fans.

4. Stand By Me (1986)

Not a big role, but he brings a menacing presence to the screen. One of the best coming of age films of all time.

5. Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me (1992)

Lynch unleashes his abrasive/awkward style with such reckless abandon that it quickly becomes obvious he is only interested in pleasing himself. I respect that.

Derek Clem -
After looking through his filmography I found that he's been in a heck of a lot of movies that I've never even heard of. Did he spend a lot of time in the straight to VHS circuit?

1. The Lost Boys (1987)

This has got to be, hands down, the greatest vampire movie ever made. That soundtrack! It's one of the greatest in cinema history.

2. Melancholia (2011)

If I recall correctly, on my personal list, I actually named this the Best Movie of 2011 (not favorite). I've only seen this once, and it's possible I'll only ever see it that one time. The theater experience was just too great for me to ever risk watching it at home.

3. Dark City (1998)

The dark sci-fi noir style brings some wonderful set pieces to this gem. Also, does anyone else think that Kiefer sounds like John Cusack when he's hanging upside down?

4. Stand By Me (1986)

Sutherland is barely in this so that unfortunately brings it down a few notches, but it's still a terrific film nonetheless.

5. The Three Musketeers (1993)

I think this is the movie that made me realize how much I hated unnecessary comedy in movies. When I saw this in the theater I liked it okay, but the dumb jokes started to get on my nerves. My problem with this movie is the same problem I have with all the Marvel Studios movies. They don't take themselves seriously. Out of all the Musketeers I think Kiefer takes himself the most seriously, that earns this movie a spot on my list.

Nathan Hinds -
Kiefer Sutherland is one of my all time favorite actors, but it's not really because of any of the movies he's in. Don't get me wrong, there are plenty that I love, but the real reason I'm such a huge fan of his is for his portrayal of the greatest character in the history of television: Jack Bauer, in "24". He's probably the most badass character of all time. Anyone who hasn't seen that show has wasted at least 192 hours of their life doing something other than watching every episode of "24".

1. The Lost Boys (1987)

Here goes another attempt at getting this bad boy enshrined. It's my favorite vampire movie ever, and overall one of the coolest movies out there. Even though the events in this movie are obviously fantasy, I still think this movie represents the 80's perfectly. It makes me wish I could have had a few more years to really experience that decade. It just seems like it was one big party.

2. Stand By Me (1986)

Even though Sutherland has a very small role in this movie, I still feel comfortable putting this movie up this high because I think it's one of the best films ever centered around a group of kids. I wonder how many kids saw this movie and decided to go on a ridiculously dangerous quest?

3. Flatliners (1990)

I just watched this movie a couple months back and it holds up really well for me. I don't really know what else to say about it other than that it's a really fun thriller with an awesome ensemble cast. Sutherland's character is definitely the best in the film.

4. A Few Good Men (1992)

I really don't like using so many movies where Sutherland has such a small role, but this movie is just so damn good. If I was basing these five movies solely on how much I liked them, this one would probably be in the #2 spot.

5. Young Guns (1988)

One of the sillier westerns out there but the great cast makes this one a lot of fun.

Andy Schopp -

1. The Lost Boys (1987)

Two incredible things happened in 1987: "The Lost Boys" was released, and I was born. These are both among the most amazing things to ever happen to me.

2. Flatliners (1990)

Great childhood thriller here! You won't find much better in the medical resurrection department.

3. Dark City (1998)

This is a must watch for everyone. Great ideas inside of a dark work of art.

4. Melancholia (2011)

Please don't kill yourself when you watch this...

5. Young Guns (1988)

You just can't go wrong with movies about cowboys.... (gives a "yea, even yours" stare to Will Smith).

Well, we finally did it. After some previous near-misses, "The Lost Boys" finally found its way to immortality. The film, the first since April's "Jurassic Park", earned enshrinement by appearing in the #1 position on all five lists this week. It nearly missed out on the opportunity when regular contributor Tracy Allison was unable to submit a list this week, but luckily, original member Andy Schopp stepped up (his first Top 5 Movie Guide appearance in more than two months) and finished it off. "The Lost Boys" becomes only the seventh film to achieve such a feat in the nearly two years we've been doing this post.

Outside of "The Lost Boys", which was also the only film to hit on all five lists this week, six other films appeared in multiple variety (ten different films in all were featured above). Two films, "Stand By Me" and "Dark City", were featured on four lists this week, while "Flatliners" appeared on three lists, and "Freeway", "Melancholia", and "Young Guns" all hit on two. That's a pretty strong variety that pretty clearly represents some of the best films that Sutherland has appeared in over the course of his career. If you're unfamiliar with his filmography, each of these titles are great places to start.

As always, we hope that each of these selections helps you to expand your knowledge and appreciation of some of the best films that Kiefer Sutherland has provided over the years, and guides you to better and more enjoyable all-around viewing experiences.

Happy watching!

Top 5 Movie Guide: Films Set in the 1920's

2013-05-11T10:53:00.001-06:00

For this edition of the Top 5 Movie Guide, and with the release of "The Great Gatsby" this weekend, we take a look at some of our favorite films set in the 1920's. "The Great Gatsby", based on F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel of the same name, follows would-be writer Nick Carraway as he leaves the Midwest and comes to New York City in the spring of 1922, an era of loosening morals, glittering jazz, bootleg kings, and sky-rocketing stocks. Chasing his own American Dream, Nick lands next door to a mysterious, party-giving millionaire, Jay Gatsby, and across the bay from his cousin, Daisy, and her philandering, blue-blooded husband, Tom Buchanan. Nick is drawn into the captivating world of the super rich, their illusions, loves and deceits. As Nick bears witness, he pens a tale of impossible love, incorruptible dreams and high-octane tragedy, and holds a mirror to our own modern times and struggles.

Once again, a pretty basic premise to decipher. The film takes place is the Roaring Twenties, the same decade we'll try to pull a few other films from. A few writers made a few minor concessions, and how each tried to rank films that spanned multiple decades was up to them. But overall, there was a good bit of variety featured below that should provide you plenty of great options if you're interested in further exploring this category.

Hit the jump to see which titles we each ended up with!

Alex Schopp -
Overall, I was pleased with the options that this category presented. I feel like the movies I loved the most were the hardest to justify though, so the ranking came out kind of weird. Also, since I feel as if I've featured them so many times recently, this list omitted "Citizen Kane" and "It's a Wonderful Life", regardless of their ties to the decade. Time for some new films to get some attention.

1. The Untouchables (1987)

This film has the benefit of me semi-recently re-watching it, but I still did not expect it to be in the #1 spot. But I love the entire cast of the film (Kevin Costner does not get enough credit), and movies that consist of unlikely team-ups gathering for the greater good always work for me. There are so many great scenes in this movie - I wanted to describe a few specifically but I wasn't able to make my thoughts concise enough.

2. Midnight in Paris (2011)

This is a superior movie, in my mind, to the one above, but I gave "The Untouchables" the honor of the #1 spot for its stronger relevance to the category. Still, there's plenty of 20's fare in this film, and it's such a fun watch. I love the ideas it presents on nostalgia and happiness.

3. Cinderella Man (2005)

Russell Crowe is one of my favorite actors, and Ron Howard is one of my favorite directors. Also, I love sports movies. This film came out the summer I worked at the movie theater. I watched it many times.

4. There Will Be Blood (2007)

This is a bit trickier one to justify, as only its third act takes place in the 20's (still one-third of the film, but the details between 1910-1919 are the most significant here). Even still, I don't think I've ever featured it on one of these lists, and my appreciation for it these days is much stronger than when it first released. It deserves the attention.

5. Leatherheads (2008)

This movie isn't really that amazing, but I like a lot of its pieces (and since I feel confident in saying that it won't appear on any lists below, I wanted to give it a quick moment in the sun here). First, George Clooney and John Krasinski are a good rivaling pair. Second, I enjoy films that showcase (even if barely accurate) the origins of anything, but especially sports. And thirdly, there are a lot of ties (much as is the actual case with football's history) to Central Illinois, where I grew up. That's always neat to see.

Ben Foutch -

1. Midnight in Paris (2011)

"You know, I sometimes think, how is anyone ever gonna come up with a book, or a painting, or a symphony, or a sculpture that can compete with a great city. You can't. Because you look around and every street, every boulevard, is its own special art form and when you think that in the cold, violent, meaningless universe that Paris exists, these lights, I mean come on, there's nothing happening on Jupiter or Neptune, but from way out in space you can see these lights, the cafés, people drinking and singing. For all we know, Paris is the hottest spot in the universe."

2. Shadow of the Vampire (2000)

"Our battle, our struggle, is to create art. Our weapon is the moving picture. Because we have the moving picture, our paintings will grow and recede; our poetry will be shadows that lengthen and conceal; our light will play across living faces that laugh and agonize; and our music will linger and finally overwhelm, because it will have a context as certain as the grave. We are scientists engaged in the creation of memory... but our memory will neither blur nor fade."

3. Legends of the Fall (1994)

"Some people hear their own inner voices with great clearness and they live by what they hear. Such people become crazy, or they become legends."

4. Miller's Crossing (1990)

"It's gettin' so a businessman can't expect no return from a fixed fight. Now, if you can't trust a fix, what can you trust? For a good return, you gotta go bettin' on chance - and then you're back with anarchy, right back in the jungle."

5. Some Like It Hot (1959)

"Will you look at that! Look how she moves! It's like Jell-O on springs. Must have some sort of built-in motor or something. I tell you, it's a whole different sex!"

Derek Clem -
I decided to go with only live-action films for this list, but if you are interested in animation, be sure to check out "The Princess and The Frog" (2009), "Anastasia" (1997), and "Balto" (1995).

1. Fried Green Tomatoes (1991)

While not taking place entirely in the 20's, a good chunk of the movie does via flashbacks. This is one of those movies my Mom bought for herself yet I would watch it on my own quite a bit. It turned into one of my favorite chick flicks ever. I find its watchability to be extremely high. I want to eat fried green tomatoes so bad right now... maybe even some of that famous BBQ from the film.... well, maybe not the BBQ.

2. Seabiscuit (2003)

I've always enjoyed snuggling up with a cozy blanket and falling asleep to this movie. It has such a soothing background quality to it. Plus I really like Tobey Maguire.

3. The Cider House Rules (1999)

Hey, it's another Tobey Maguire movie! Building a Top 10 Movies of All-Time list is so hard for me to do. To tell you the truth, I'm not sure if I've ever actually completed one. But I do know, for a few years, I would always try and squeeze this movie in that impossible list. I think the reason I don't have the same attachment I used to have to it is based purely on the fact that I haven't watched it in a while. But back when it was on the movies channels like everyday, I was watching it like everyday.

4. Midnight in Paris (2011)

Another movie that doesn't quite take place entirely in the 1920's. The different caricatures of the different 1920's icons is a real treat to watch.

5. Shadow of the Vampire (2000)

I wish this was how the filming of Nosferatu actually went. I guess it could be, but I highly doubt it. It's fun to think about though. I think I would have loved being a silent film director. Shouting out orders to the actors during the actual filming seems like such a great way to make movies. That sort of immediacy fascinates me.

Nathan Hinds -
This list turned out to be almost completely different than what I thought it would be. I had my entire list planned out in my head, but I came to discover that most of the films I was thinking about didn't take place until the early 30's. Oh well, most of those were films I've already used multiple times anyway, so now I get to highlight a couple of films I've never talked about before.

1. The Mummy (1999)

This and my #2 choice are the two films I've used before so I don't need to say a whole lot about them. This is one of my favorite adventure films. My only complaint is that Fraser's character is a tad too comedic. Oddly enough, he's more serious in the sequel while everyone else is basically nothing but comedic relief. That's why the first film is far superior.

2. The Godfather Part II (1974)

One of cinemas greatest films and in my opinion, a much more enjoyable film than the first Godfather. I respect the first one but the watchability is so low, whereas with this film I find it pretty easy to sit through. One of the reasons it works so well for this list is because the story of a young Don Corleone (played by Robert De Niro) getting his start in the 20's was easily my favorite aspect of the film. I love seeing background stories on how empires start from the ground up, and this might be the finest example.

3. The Untouchables (1987)

This gangster film features a loaded cast (what gangster film doesn't though?), highlighted for me by Kevin Costner at the height of his popularity. I've always been fascinated by Al Capone and this deals with the long road that led to his downfall. This is a much more fast paced and action based film than The Godfather films, and an easier watch.

4. Some Like It Hot (1959)

This is considered by many film critics and historians as the greatest comedy of all time. I personally wouldn't say that, but I still feel like it deserves being mentioned. Going in, I wasn't expecting to like it - mainly because I don't like Marilyn Monroe - but I actually enjoyed it a lot. The duo of Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis playing a couple of guys on the run from the mob who disguise themselves as women and enter a traveling band is comedic gold.

5. Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948)

I went from feeling like I never referenced older films to referencing them all the time over these last couple of weeks. I'm not complaining though. My favorite type of characters in films are generally guys who are assholes. Sometimes the nice guy character works fine (case in point, James Stewart), but generally I'll always enjoy watching the guy who is the asshole a lot more. Nobody from this era of film played an asshole better than Humphrey Bogart, and you won't find another film of his where he's a bigger one than "Treasure of the Sierra Madre". It should be no surprise then that even though this isn't my favorite Bogart film, it's definitely my favorite of his roles.

Tracy Allison -

1. Midnight in Paris (2011)

I've mentioned before that I identify with the Owen Wilson character in this movie more than any other, ever. Longing for the past is a common affliction, “the good old days”. I don’t want to give too much away, but I love the struggle Wilson’s character is confronted with between the past and present. Plus, who doesn't love seeing their favorite artists and writers from days past represented in a modern movie?

2. Singin’ in the Rain (1952)

I love that this movie tells a bit about the history of movies and the transition from silent films to talkies in a lighthearted, romantic, and sometimes silly way. The songs are great and Debbie Reynolds (Carrie Fisher’s mom!) was plucked from obscurity to play this role. She had no dancing or singing background and Gene Kelly coached her through. Talk about a nifty old Hollywood tale. I remember watching this as a child and my dad walked in and said “Tracy, they made their own rain for this movie.” That was one of my first introductions to magic in films, the stuff you take for granted as a child, until you realize how truly amazing it is.

3. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)

The 1920s aspect of this movie isn't huge because this one spans such an extensive period of time. However, I love movies set in New Orleans for some reason, and this one isn't any different. The first time I saw this movie, it felt so magical and instilled me with a sense of wonder. I think it was built up to be too much, but it made for an excellent first viewing in the theater.

4. The Aviator (2004)

This movie inspired me on so many levels. I wanted to know everything about Howard Hughes and his relationships, his various mental illnesses, his airline, his world record breaking flights, his movies, etc. It interested me on so many levels. The watchability isn't super high because of its great length, but the old Hollywood appeal is spot on.

5. Chicago (2002)

When I think about the 1920s, I think about speakeasies, alcohol, singing, flappers, and Chicago. This is probably one of the first (modern) movies that comes to mind when this genre is discussed. I was always a huge fan of “Cell Block Tango” and Catherine Zeta-Jones’ rendition of “All That Jazz”.

Well there we have it, folks. We came so close to hitting the 20-film mark this week, but "only" 19 films were referenced above. That's still the most we've seen in a really long time, and I think only once or twice before have we ever broken the 20-film barrier (bonus points for anyone who goes back through previous installments and finds which ones). That being said, it made for very few repeats this week. Only four films showed up on multiple lists, but but one stood out far from the rest.

"Midnight in Paris", Woody Allen's 2011 hit, appeared on four of the five lists the week, and earned the #1 pick on two of them. A simply magical film that speaks well to our very nostalgic generation. As most all of Allen's films do, the ensemble cast is extraordinary, and the scenarios make anyone who watches yearn for similar fantasies themselves. Most all should find plenty of value here.

Otherwise, only three other films appeared on multiple lists, "The Untouchables", "Some Like It Hot", and "Shadow of the Vampire", each with two selections. While each of these films is impressive in its own way, it feels more random this week than most. Only getting one more pick than many others, it's hard to say that these three stand out too much more than some of the others featured. Still, if you follow the constructs of these posts, none of these three films would be bad to go with in your first go-round of this category.

As always, we hope that each of the selections above helps to expand your knowledge and appreciation of some of the best films that this genre has to offer, and guides you to better and more enjoyable all-around viewing experiences.

Happy watching!

Top 5 Movie Guide: Leonardo DiCaprio

2013-05-08T09:01:00.002-06:00

For this edition of the Top 5 Movie Guide, we take a look at some of our favorite films featuring Leonardo DiCaprio, star of this weekend's "The Great Gatsby". DiCaprio was born and raised in Los Angeles, son of a comic book artist (George DiCaprio). His parents signed him to a talent agency at a young age (at age 10 his agent suggested he change his name to a more "American friendly" Lenny Williams; thankfully for everyone, he chose not to), and he began work in commercials and television shows. After appearing in the final season of "Growing Pains", his career took a major upswing as he transitioned into film. Over the next few years, he'd go on to star in such films as "The Basketball Diaries" (1995), "Romeo + Juliet" (1996), and, the big one, "Titanic" (1997). (fun fact: the role of Dirk Diggler in "Boogie Nights" was offered to him at the same time as that of his role in "Titanic"; he had to choose between the two). As it was, James Cameron's epic made DiCaprio an instant A-list star, and one of the most notable teen heartthrobs of all time.

After "Titanic", DiCaprio became very selective with his roles. He's worked with a variety of great directors, including four times with his personal favorite, Martin Scorsese. One of the biggest efforts he makes when choosing his roles is not to fall into any typecast situations. He refuses to conform to any one type of character or genre, quietly becoming one of the most diverse actors working today.

There are few roles of note that DiCaprio has turned down over the years (aside from the aforementioned "Boogie Nights"), but a few of prominent ones are Neo in "The Matrix" (who in Hollywood didn't turn that role down?), Ed Norton's role in "Primal Fear", and River Phoenix/Christian Slater's role in "Interview with the Vampire". He's been nominated for three Oscars, but has some how managed to avoid a win to this point. He received nominations for his roles in "What's Eating Gilbert Grape" (1993), "The Aviator" (2004), and "Blood Diamond" (2006).

Hit the jump to see which of his films we selected as some of our favorites!

Alex Schopp -
Leo has been one of my favorite actors since he started taking on adult roles. Not that I disliked his earlier work, but it didn't generally stand out to me.

1. The Departed (2006)

What's really interesting here is that I like Leo more than Mark Wahlberg, but "The Departed" was not at the top of his list. I think that's a combination of two things: 1) DiCaprio is easily my favorite role in this film. I'm so angry with Matt Damon at the end. 2) While Leo as a whole works better for me, there are a few select films of Wahlberg's I love more than any of Leo's.

2. Catch Me If You Can (2002)

This is just an engaging character drama with lots of parts that fit together so well. Tom Hanks and DiCaprio have a really fascinating relationship in the film, and Steven Spielberg provides the story - based on true events, nonetheless - with his usual bit of charm. I love the time period, the soundtrack, and all of the supporting actors in the film.

3. Inception (2010)

I need to give this movie more credit than I usually do. I always dock it major points for being more interested in its plot than most of its characters (I never feel connected to any of them), but at least they got part of it right. I analyzed this movie in my mind and discussed it with my friends more so than just about any other film I've seen in the last five years, so that has to be worth something, right? Plus, it's original sci-fi content, and I have to give that some love.

4. Django Unchained (2012)

Depending on how this film works in subsequent re-watches over the next few years, I could see this climbing all the way to the top of this list. DiCaprio's role is smaller, which hinders it slightly on this list, but it's still one of the best in the entire film. This is the most unique role we've seen Leo in thus far, and it was a welcomed experience to see him exploring further challenges. I wonder if there's anything he can't do well?

5. The Aviator (2004)

This film is so hard to judge. I think DiCaprio does a really good job in the film; his performance as Howard Hughes is quite intriguing. I enjoy the era that the film depicts, and it has a great supporting cast. But that being said, the film comes in just under three hours, which can be a bit daunting. Still, the craftsmanship all-around and the story it tells makes this one worth a watch.

Ben Foutch -

1. The Departed (2006)

"Christ. I mean, a guy comes in here against every, every instinct of privacy and self-reliance he has and what do you do? What do you do, huh? You send him off on the street to score smack, is that what you do? You're fucking ridiculous!"

2. Inception (2010)

"What is the most resilient parasite? Bacteria? A virus? An intestinal worm? An idea. Resilient... highly contagious. Once an idea has taken hold of the brain it's almost impossible to eradicate. An idea that is fully formed - fully understood - that sticks; right in there somewhere."

3. What's Eating Gilbert Grape (1993)

"I'm having a birthday party, but you're not invited, but you can come if you want."

4. The Quick and the Dead (1995)

" No no no no, you see it's a gun fight. We both have guns. We aim, we fire, you die."

5. The Basketball Diaries (1995)

"First, it's a Saturday night thing when you feel cool like a gangster or a rockstar- just something to kill the boredom, you know? They call it a chippie, a small habit. It feels so good, you start doing it on Tuesdays... then Thursdays... then it's got you. Every wise ass punk on the block says it won't happen to them, but it does."

Derek Clem -
I'm putting performance on the back burner for this one. This list is based purely on Watchability. Had it been based on performance it would look 100% different.

1. Titanic (1997)

The length probably makes its actual watchability pretty low, but my desire to always be watching this is high. It's just so hard to squeeze into a regular day. Plus I pop this in the player just to remind myself that Leo has the ability to smile.

2. The Departed (2006)

I already liked this movie but I feel like it just continues to grow and grow on me. The tension and anxiety Leo brings to the role is coerced onto the viewer. Maybe this one would make my performance list after all?

3. Catch Me If You Can (2002)

I think what the world needs is more Leo, Hanks, Spielberg collaborations. I don't know how we'd get there, but we need it. This movie is a lot of fun at every dynamic turn.

4. Blood Diamond (2006)

Leo brings a great energy to the screen that we don't get to see too often anymore. Even though the movie is full of horrific scenes and scenarios, Leo's energy makes those scenes palatable for multiple viewings. Plus I dig his accent.

5. The Aviator (2004)

I actually don't really care for Leo in this part. Physically, I don't buy him as Howard Hughes. But I do love putting this movie on to take a nice long nap. Those golden hues make for some cozy Z's.

Nathan Hinds -
For my money, Leonardo DiCaprio is the greatest actor of his generation. I don't really know who all fits in that generation, but it still feels right to say. I don't think there is a single role this guy couldn't play; there isn't a single weak spot in his game. Right now, I think I can say that DiCaprio is my favorite actor. You heard it here first folks! Can someone get this man an Oscar, please?

1. Catch Me If You Can (2002)

I'm only one pick in and I feel like so many movies in DiCaprio's filmography could be deserving of the top spot. The reason this gets the top spot is 1) it's in my Top 10 Favorite Films, and 2) the film showcases the entire range of his acting abilities. We get to see everything from him in this movie - the serious side, the romantic side, the comedic side (a very underrated ability of his), and the emotional side. This role really allowed him to tap into his entire bag of tricks, and man is it a loaded bag.

2. Titanic (1997)

This is one of the greatest films of all time, and one of the most notorious films that guys claim to hate, even though we all know they probably love it. It's the greatest disaster film ever, and features special effects that still look great today. It's a perfect example of how big of a spectacle a film can be. This was the first film I remember people talking about going to see multiple times in the theater. It was also one of my first instances where I perfected the art of having to cover my eyes, but slightly opening my fingers so I could still see, during a nudity scene. Take that, mom!

3. What's Eating Gilbert Grape (1993)

This movie has the benefit of having another one of my favorite actors, Johnny Depp. If this had been the only film I'd ever seen Leonardo DiCaprio in, I would've fully believed he was just mentally disabled. Hell, I'm not convinced he isn't and has just been acting normal ever since; the role is that convincing! Anyway, this was the first example of a lasting trend that would see DiCaprio not earn an Oscar. This is the part where I deliberately break the rules and throw in a bunch of honorable mentions for some other films in which he should have won an Oscar: films like "Blood Diamond" (2006), "The Departed" (2006) (how did he make it through 2006 without an Oscar?), and "Shutter Island" (2010). In case you haven't figured it out, you should watch all of those films as well.

4. Inception (2010)

2010 marks another year where DiCaprio had multiple films that could have garnered him an Oscar. "Inception" was one of the most ambitious and original films I've seen in years. Every time I watch it, my appreciation for it only grows. It has possibly the most epic soundtrack ever, and some of the most astounding visuals to ever be seen in a film. I'll also take this time to rip on the Academy some more for the fact that they have never given Christopher Nolan an Oscar for Best Director. Man those guys (and girls) suck. No offense Bigelow, but you were third in directing that year, and the gap between you, James Cameron and Christopher Nolan (who were #1 and #2 that year, respectively) wasn't even close.

5. Django Unchained (2012)

This film broke a long streak of roles where DiCaprio only played serious characters. Like "Catch Me If You Can", it was another chance for DiCaprio to show his range as an actor, a range that I think many people had forgotten about. Even though you despise his character, he is fascinating. I love how he switches from joking around to being dead serious so smoothly (like when he wonders why slaves never killed their owners). It's such a hard thing to do, but he makes it look easy. Oh yeah, he should have won an Oscar for this as well. I love Christoph Waltz in this film, but he won for playing a character extremely similar in tone to the character he played in "Inglourious Basterds". For that reason, DiCaprio should have won.

Tracy Allison -

1. The Departed (2006)

I've spoken about this movie several times before. It holds one of the esteemed spots on my favorite movies list (that exists only in my head, for now). It’s complicated and treacherous, and yet not too hard to keep up with. I love the casting -- of Matt Damon and Leo DiCaprio especially. It’s one of those perfect castings in that the actor matches the role so well, but since the ethics and character of these men are in major question and all twisted up the actors could almost switch roles and that would work too.

2. Revolutionary Road (2008)

Before this movie came out, I was excited for another Winslet/DiCaprio team up, who wasn't And then, I heard Kate Winslet mention that they would only agree to do another movie together if their story was nothing like Titanic’s. It’s safe to say that was accomplished here. You know by now that I love movies set in previous decades and the set and costumes are great, they align perfectly with that stifling and yet sought after 1950’s suburban style. If you’re a fan of Mad Men, you might like this one. It’s along the same lines. After the war, people were ready to lead normal, boring, perfect lives. Sometimes the anxiety and stagnant feelings that this sort of life can create are enough to drive people to madness.

3. Catch Me If You Can (2002)

There's a lot to love about this film. Firstly, a team up between Tom Hanks, Steven Spielberg, and Leonardo DiCaprio is sure to create some movie magic. Especially when the story of this mostly lighthearted cat-and-mouse fare is based in truth. What I love most about this movie is its ease of watchability, the great vintage inspired sets, DiCaprio’s effortless charm, and the relationship of the Tom Hanks and Leonardo DiCaprio characters. This lonely young conman has only the respect and friendship of the man trying to capture him. Compelling, indeed.

4. Titanic (1997)

What can I say about Titanic that hasn't already been said? It affected everyone. I was in 4th grade when it came out and every single girl in my class started decorating her locker with pictures of Leo. I know that people take a lot of issue with the movie (the courtship lasted only three days, love doesn't work that way, etc.) but, I find myself drawn to this movie every time it’s on. It holds up well and it certainly thrust Leonardo DiCaprio into the world’s collective consciousness. It remains very important in that regard.

5. Django Unchained (2012)

Leonardo DiCaprio is certainly a versatile actor, but have I ever seen him this evil before? It was enjoyable, in a sick Tarantino-esque manner. DiCaprio was sickly sweet and vicious with a calculating look and unpredictability that left you on the edge of your seat. There’s something truly phenomenal when you are watching a new movie intently thinking, “What the hell is this guy gonna do next?”.

There we have it, folks. Another week with plenty of variety for your viewing pleasures. Overall, 11 different titles were featured above, and seven in multiple variety. Still, no film appeared on all five lists, which is a bit surprising considering a few films in DiCaprio's filmography. The biggest winners were "The Departed" and "Catch Me If You Can", which each appeared on four lists. "The Departed" nabbed three first-place votes, while "Catch Me If You Can" grabbed one more. Both of these films double in high watchability as well as technical proficiency. If you're looking for an entertaining, well made film, you won't go wrong with either of these selections.

Three films hit on three different lists: "Titanic", "Inception", and "Django Unchained". That's an awesome trio of films that really does a great job showing some different genres DiCaprio can handle. "The Aviator" and "What's Eating Gilbert Grape?" were the only other films with multiple selections this week, each earning two picks apiece. Overall, just take a look at some of the directors in the two above paragraphs that DiCaprio has been able to work with over the years: Scorsese, Spielberg, Cameron, Nolan, Tarantino. That's quite the group. Obviously, when you're bringing directors of this caliber into the fold (and adding DiCaprio's acting talents, of course), you know you're going to get something pretty good.

As always, we hope that each of these selections helps you to expand your knowledge and appreciation of some of the best films that Leonardo DiCaprio has provided over the years, and guides you to better and more enjoyable all-around viewing experiences.

Happy watching!

Top 5 Movie Guide: Pre-1970 Films

2013-05-04T11:09:00.000-06:00

For the latest edition of the Top 5 Movie Guide, we decided to take a look at some of our favorite films, all made before 1970! We changed things up quite a bit this week. First, you'll notice that there's not really a connection between this and this weekend's "Iron Man 3". Instead, the category was created at the request of our own Nathan Hinds, who believed we don't do enough to showcase many older films on this site. Which is probably true. Second, as you scroll through our lists below, you'll notice not five, but ten selections by each of us. This is kind of a "special edition" list all around, and a Top 10 felt right for such a broad category.

We discussed doing our Top 5 for each decade through cinema, but it never really gained much traction with the group. As Nathan was informed that doing a series like that would not be an option, the compromise was made to allow for ten picks each this week. Most of us stuck to those general parameters and just did our best to compile our ten favorites from the four-plus decades of cinema this covered. Still, a few deviations were made below. Unfortunately because of such, we can't call this a definitive list for the category, but there are definitely plenty of selections below for you to explore and analyze. It's still a pretty good example of some of our very favorites in film from before 1970.

Hit the jump to see which titles made the cut!

Alex Schopp -
This is kind of an odd grouping, but I tried to make the best of it. While the ranking is simply a best-guess effort on my part, I'm fairly confident that these ten films overall are a good representation of the films I most respect and enjoy from these eras.

1. It's a Wonderful Life (1946)

I've mentioned this film a lot recently, so it feels pretty stale having it sit atop this list. But it's a wonderful movie that I love more and more every time I watch it. Everyone should be familiar with this film.

2. Citizen Kane (1941)

I knew this film would be on my list, but I expected it to be further down. But nothing else on this list really jumped out and grabbed this spot. So here it sits. An epic rise and fall, rags-to-riches-to-rags story.

3. North by Northwest (1959)

I love Carey Grant in this film. I'm not generally a huge fan of him (more due to a lack of familiarity than anything), but he is such a cool guy in this movie. This film is exciting the entire way through; if you love spy thrillers, you won't be disappointed here.

4. Rear Window (1954)

For a film that's entirely centralized in a small apartment and on a man in a wheelchair, I never felt like this movie was restricted. Hitchcock does a great job in the editing to keep it engaging, and there's plenty of tension throughout the film. It's amazing what the mind does and where it goes when you have nothing else to do but watch (speaking for the main character of the film).

5. Psycho (1960)

First off, I didn't think I'd have three Alfred Hitchcock movies on this list, let alone that they'd all be ranked one after another. I think I love this movie a bit more after watching "Hitchcock" (2012) last year, but I always appreciated the style of this film. Anyone out there who makes or writes movies, especially of the horror variety, and isn't constantly drawing inspiration from Hitchcock's shower scene is lying (or not doing it right).

6. The Wizard of Oz (1939)

This movie dropped a bit lower than I wanted simply because I'm kind of over it right now. It's still a magical film, and most of the songs still hold up pretty well for me. And now, thinking about some of the darker imagery in the film, I'm compelled to push it back up a bit. But we'll just leave it where it is. This film is known enough to have been seen by anyone who needs to see it at this point.

7. Night of the Living Dead (1968)

This film makes this list more for what came after it. Honestly, this film doesn't work incredibly well for me. I've always really loved the zombie genre though, so I have a very high respect for it. I think the main female character of the film is nearly intolerable though, which distracts too much from the other elements in the film. It's a great concept, and for how big the zombie genre is these days, if you've never checked out the film that started it all, it's definitely worth doing.

8. Journey to the Center of the Earth (1959)

Cheesy special effects and incredibly unrealistic scenarios and settings, but I love that style about the film. I've mentioned it before, but as a child, the ideas in this movie were some of my grandest dreams. I wanted to do things like this when I grew up.

9. My Fair Lady (1964)

I wanted to include at least one musical on this list, and this is easily my favorite from before 1970. I absolutely love adorable little Audrey Hepburn, and this is just such a charming story. The chemistry between her and Rex Harrison in the film is so good. There are a lot of musicals from the 1960's that I really dislike, but this is one I think you should check out if you haven't already.

10. Fantasia (1940)

I wanted to reserve this last spot for one of the many wonderful animated films from this era. Disney has had a pretty strong track record dating back to their first animated feature in 1937, but I think this film holds up as my favorite today. I'm still not trying to watch it all the time, but there are a lot of great stories in this film. The Sorcerer's Apprentice is the most iconic from the film, but Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Suite, Stravinsky's Rite of Spring, and Mussorgsky's Night on Bald Mountain are some of my absolute favorite sections. They're all great, but these three are really impressive and memorable.

Ben Foutch -

1. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

This is over forty years old and is still superior in every way to a lot of modern sci-fi fare.

2. Rear Window (1954)

Expertly crafted, and still relevant in it's themes of voyeurism and lack of privacy. My favorite Hitchcock film.

3. The Hustler (1961)

A sport's drama that isn't fully interested in the game, but the player. One of Newman's best performances.

4. Night of the Living Dead (1968)

Without this, there would not be any Daryl Dixon memes floating around the internet. Don't know if that is good or bad.

5. 81/2 (1963)

A challenging and thought-provoking experience. Surrealism at its best.

6. To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)

This is a great, lazy afternoon watch. Feels like a standard Hollywood film, but a damn fine one.

7. Freaks (1932)

I found this to be respectful and emotionally moving. It's a shame that it pretty much destroyed Tod Browning's career. Maybe film culture just wasn't mature enough at the time.

8. Modern Times (1936)

Classic physical comedy that tapped into industrialization and corporate dominance. Chaplin's style is dated, but still manages to generate laughs.

9. Nosferatu (1922)

Over 90 years old and still creepy. A masterpiece of horror.

10. Rashomon (1950)

A grandfather of the different perspectives theme. Not as hip as the younger generations, but still has an intriguing story to tell.

Derek Clem -
Because I found this category nearly impossible to whittle down, I had to deviate a little bit. This is what I came up with: Iron Man's first appearance in comics was in 1963, so to commemorate the character and "Iron Man 3" being released this week, I will be selecting movies from only the 1960's.

1. Psycho (1960)

It's difficult to be definitive when talking about Hitchcock, but I believe this is my favorite Hitchcock film.

2. 101 Dalmatians (1961)

I think "The Disney Xerox Era" produced some of Disney's most textually beautiful films. And of that era I'd put this one at the top of the list.

3. Planet of the Apes (1968)

John Chambers' make-up artistry is firing at all cylinders in this film.

4. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

HAL became operational in Urbana, Illinois. Just a little bit of that hometown pride happening with this selection. Plus this is easily my favorite Kubrick film.

5. Night of the Living Dead (1968)

This might be a perfect film. It's lined with endless rich ideas on social and political issues, some of which are very pertinent even today.

6. To Kill A Mockingbird (1962)

When it comes to cinema's greatest heroes, I'd put Atticus Finch right up there next to Indiana Jones... So would The American Film Institute apparently, so I'm not really saying much. That's pretty much fact. That statement is just about as interesting as someone saying their favorite band is The Beatles.

7. Rosemary's Baby (1968)

I love the look of this movie so much. It's textured and colored in all the right ways to make you feel as eerie as possible.

8. The Incredible Mr. Limpet (1964)

My dad taught me to recognize the greatness that is Don Knotts. This movie was one of my father's great lessons.

9. Mary Poppins (1964)

This movie feels as chaotic in a dreamy sense as Disney's animated version of Alice In Wonderland (1951). The outstanding cast pays wonderful service to the Sherman Brother's unforgettable songs.

10. The Incredible Journey (1963)

The first time I saw this movie was in my grade school library, on film, projected on a wall, in first grade. I assume I was the last class to ever view that film reel, as the school was soon supplied with computers, TV's, VCR's and VHS tapes in that same school year. While this movie is good, its remake Homeward Bound (1993) is far superior and one of my all time favorite films.

Nathan Hinds -
This might be my favorite category that we've done so far. I used to be a pretty big snob about watching older films. But after watching all of the Best Picture winners and all of AFI's top 100 Films, I got my world opened to so many great films and styles of film making that have been largely forgotten, by our generation at least. While we've come a long way in terms of what were able to do with film these days, it's refreshing to look back on the simplicity of how films were made so many years ago. If you haven't given many older films a chance, I encourage you to expand your mind a little and look into these classics; I guarantee you'll be surprised by what you can find. P.S. I did decide not to use any animated films since I could easily do a Top 10 list of Disney animated films prior to 1970 as it is.

1. The Wizard of Oz (1939)

I actually don't like this movie. It's more of a vote to get people to watch this movie and see how bad a film can be. I think I've used this film enough times in lists for anyone who is reading this to know I'm not being serious.

2. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)

Shoot, two 1939 films in my top two spots. That wasn't intentional. Even if you've never watched one of Jimmy Stewart's films all the way through, I promise you would recognize his voice. You'll find him scattered all over AFI's Top 100 list. He is one of the most likable actors of all time. Even though "It's A Wonderful Life" is probably his most famous role, his role in "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" for me is his most powerful performance.

3. You Only Live Twice (1967)

I had to have a James Bond film on here. Luckily my favorite one happens to be before 1970. James Bond is one of the most iconic characters in the history of film. For why this is my favorite, you can check out my ranking of every James Bond film.

4. Duck Soup (1933)

I just used this film on my Roger Ebert list. Here is another shot for me to get people to check out one of the greatest comedies ever. If you can watch this film and not be laughing through most of the film, then it's a pretty safe bet you don't have much of a sense of humor.

5. On the Waterfront (1946)

I said Jimmy Stewart was one of the most likable actors ever, but Marlon Brando has possibly the most powerful screen presence of any actor. This is a guy who can suck you in with every moment he's on screen. Even when he's not playing a likable character, you want to pay so much attention to every word. There isn't a better film than this one that highlights just how good Brando was.

6. Casablanca (1942)

This movie oozes class. There is literally a famous line every 10 minutes in this movie. All the actors in here are so classy and charming. This was one of the first films I watched when I started really getting into a lot of older films, and there was something so cool about finally seeing and hearing all these famous scenes and lines you hear referenced over and over again.

7. The Wild Bunch (1969)

This was another film I had highlighted on my Ebert list. This is one of my all time favorite Westerns. It has sort of a modern western feel to it because of how violent it is and that wasn't as common or acceptable back then. The final act though is one of the best ones you'll find in any western.

8. City Lights (1931)

This is the fourth film from the 1930's and my only silent film on the list. I've seen about nine or ten feature length silent films at this point, and I don't like most of them. I respect them, but I simply don't find them that enjoyable. That's not the case with "City Lights" though. This was one of the most magical movie experiences I've ever had. From the perfect score (the film features one of my favorite songs, Smile, which was written by Charlie Chaplin) to Chaplin's amazing acting, this is one of the most beautiful romance films I've ever seen. Most people these days are going to think about "The Artist" when they think of silent films, but "City Lights" is miles ahead of it.

9. It's a Wonderful Life (1946)

My second Jimmy Stewart film on my list. This is one of the ultimate feel good films. It's a story about one man's journey to find himself and recognize all the good things in his life even when everything seems hopeless. The ending is one of the most tear-jerking moments in the history of film.

10. My Fair Lady (1964)

Audrey Hepburn is by far my favorite classical actress. She is so charismatic and charming - this film is the best example of that. Granted, she doesn't start off like that in the film. Her accent to start the film is so annoying it doesn't even seem real. It was definitely overacting on her part, and might not look good by today's acting standards but it works for that period of time. Not to worry though, by the end of the film, she is the ultimate example of beauty and class.

Tracy Allison -

No entry this week.

Well, there we have it. A very peculiar roundup this week indeed, but at least you can't say we didn't give you variety! Even though we were without the contributions of Tracy this week, we still managed 31 different films from our 40 total selections. That means that only eight films appeared on multiple lists, and even with 10 total picks for each of us, not a single film appeared on all four lists. Things were skewed a bit by Derek taking a slightly different approach, but still, there was no chance of an across the board pick this week.

Taking Derek's list out of the mix because he followed his own guidelines, something that was fascinating to uncover was which decade was most represented above. We're only looking at three lists at this point, but it was still the 1960's that naturally was the most represented. On the three lists we examined, 11 films were from that decade, while seven were from the 30's, six from the 40's, and five from the 50's (plus one from the 20's). Overall a pretty decent split.

As it stands, only one film appeared on three lists this week, and that was "Night of the Living Dead". George A. Romero's first venture into the zombie one was an iconic and memorable one. This film launched the entire genre, and led to everything we see today. As many of us at this site have a certain passion for the horror genre, it isn't too surprising that this film showed as well as it did.

Otherwise, and we'll simply list these titles and let you judge them for yourself, seven other films hit on two lists: "It's a Wonderful Life", "2001: A Space Odyssey", "Psycho", "The Wizard of Oz" (each of these first four were the #1 picks this week - interesting that each landed on one other list, meaning that still, two other writers didn't find that #1 pick amongst their 10 favorites), "Rear Window", "My Fair Lady", and "To Kill a Mockingbird". Definitely a great variety featured here. If you are looking for a good place to start with this "category", these seven are probably good cornerstones of everything that ~~this era~~ these eras in cinema represent.

As always, we hope that each of the selections above helps to expand your knowledge and appreciation of some of the best films that this genre has to offer, and guides you to better and more enjoyable all-around viewing experiences.

Happy watching!

The Slackers' Top 5 Films to Look Forward to in May

2013-05-02T08:52:00.004-06:00

If you're a regular reader of this site, then you know just how much we love lists. They're by no means a definitive perspective on anything, but they're a fun way to look at what an entire group of individuals comes to agreement on. At this point we've compiled a few special edition group lists, including our Greatest Movies of All-Time and Favorite Horror Films of All-Time, both of which turned out really well.

As you've already seen with previous installments of this post, these aren't anything overly technical - and in many cases, we're not able to base our opinions on much more than some trailers - but it's a fun way to preview the titles ahead and give you a brief look into what some of us over here, collectively, think are the best ahead.

There's no way in knowing what these films might hold, and we're not trying to say this grouping of films will necessarily be the best of the month, but these are the titles we're most looking forward to as a group.

Hit the jump for the ranking and a few details on the five films that this site sees as the most anticipated for the month of May!

For those of you looking for a detailed description of how the selections were determined, please reference the rules as outlined in our Greatest Films post. It's pretty basic stuff though - we all choose five films, and points are awarded to each; the five highest vote-getting titles are compiled and ranked. Easy enough, but still effective.

Finally, summer is here! We have quality films in all five spots this month, no longer simply just the best of what's left over. As can be expected for the direction of this post, the majority of films this month (and will be the case all summer, I'd presume) center squarely on the box office monsters. These are the types of films we get excited for. Many of them probably won't end up being among our favorites of the year, but they're definitely films we look forward to checking out in theaters. Featured below is a good group of films that should provide plenty of entertainment this month!

5. Now You See Me - 5 Points
May 31 - U.S. Wide Release

We start off this month with another film about magic (Burt Wonderstone). The cast here looks strong, and it appears that there is going to be a bit more to this story than just stage magicians who also perform heists (as if that's not already enough). Is there going to be a real element of "magic" in the film? It seems intriguing enough to warrant a watch just to find out for sure what is going to happen.

4. Fast & Furious 6 - 12 Points
May 24 - U.S. Wide Release

This series somehow just continues to get better. Who would have thought five or six years ago that not only would we be on film #6 of this franchise, but that people would be looking forward to it! This series has little more to offer than mindless high-octane action, but after a drab winter and spring, sometimes a movie full of people flying around in fast cars is exactly what you need to wake yourself up!

3. The Great Gatsby - 14 Points
May 10 - Limited Release

Baz Luhrmann teams up with Leonardo DiCaprio again ("Romeo + Juliet") to tell his version of F. Scott Fitzgerald's timeless story. As usual, the film looks thick with Luhrmann's style, and the trailers have made this look like an exciting telling of this story. The film features a great cast, and the visuals should make for a fun theater experience, even if the story doesn't come through as much as we all hope.

2. Star Trek Into Darkness - 17 Points
May 17 - U.S. Wide Release

"Star Trek" surprised all of us in a big way in 2009, and with J.J. Abrams back at the helm, we're all expecting strong results again. As no one at this site is a bug Star Trek fan to begin with, our collective anticipation for the film only shows the level of quality that Abrams has set. If this film is anything similar to what we got out of the first installment, we should be in for a treat here.

1. Iron Man 3 - 21 Points
May 3 - U.S. Wide Release

All but one of us featured this film in the #1 spot on our individual lists, which is the first time we've seen that happen in one of these posts. Some people who have already seen the film are stating that this is the best Iron Man film yet. While that may just been advertising, it has us excited. The trailers have looked great, and most of us are interested to see Tony Stark in a darker context, post-Avengers. Epic scale, great cast, and a good production company that hasn't let us down so far in its movie-making abilities. Luckily, this film opens tomorrow, so we have little longer to wait before we get to experience this one. Needless to say, we'll all be in attendance for this one opening weekend.

So those are the films that we as a group see as the most anticipated for the month. As I stated in the intro, take this for what you will. These aren't necessarily going to be the best films of the month - or even pan out to be the most entertaining films - but as of right now, with the entire month ahead of us, these are the titles that we see as having the potential to provide the most quality/entertainment/enjoyment.

Those are our picks though. Any other titles you'd like to see on this list?

Be sure to check back next month for our top choices for June!

Top 5 Movie Guide: Robert Downey, Jr.

2013-05-01T09:14:00.000-06:00

For this edition of the Top 5 Movie Guide, and with the release of this weekend's "Iron Man 3", we decided to take a look at some of our favorite films featuring its star, Robert Downey, Jr. Born in Manhattan, New York, Downey, Jr. grew up around film. His father was a writer and director, and his mother an actress. At age 5, Downey, Jr. appeared in his first production, his father's "Pound" (1970). When he was 11-years old, after his parents divorced, he moved it California with his father. It was at this time that Downey, Jr. began his struggle with drugs. His father, who was also a drug addict, exposed Downey, Jr. to them at a very early age. He would go on to struggle with abuse for decades.

At 17-years old, Downey, Jr. dropped out of high school and moved back to New York to pursue his acting career. He studied for a while at Stagedoor Manor Performing Arts Training Center and eventually made a name for himself in the 1980's as a fringe member of the Brat Pack. He appeared in a handful of more prominent roles in the 1990's, including his performance as Charlie Chaplin in 1992's "Chaplin", which earned him his first Academy Award nomination. But drug-related problems led to numerous arrests, incarcerations, and rehab visits, obstructing what could have otherwise been a more prominent decade for the film star. In 2001, when he was fired from the television show Ally McBeal, his career was at an all-time low; he was basically written off by his fans and critics. But in 2003, completely clean and sober, Downey, Jr. reemerged, vowing to rebuilt his career. He worked on a variety of respected films over the next five years, but it was in 2008 that his career really took off. He starred in Ben Stiller's epic comedy "Tropic Thunder" (and also earned his second Oscar nomination), as well as Marvel's "Iron Man". This was also the year he began production on his Sherlock Holmes franchise.

His portrayal of Tony Stark/Iron Man earned him worldwide fame, and this will now be the fifth film he will appear in as the iconic character. He's one of the highest grossing movie stars over the last decade, and has become one of the more powerful people in Hollywood. There's no question that Downey, Jr.'s star is currently brighter than it's ever been in his career.

Hit the jump to see which films made each of our lists!

Alex Schopp -
I've always been a fan of RDJ's screen presence; his wit and sense of humor is right up my alley. Also, I know we generally try to avoid Honorable Mentions, as it basically defeats the purpose of picking our five favorites, but I just feel the need to mention "A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints" and "Fur: An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus". Both are interesting films, definitely worthy of a watch. Unfortunately, I couldn't fit them in with some of the other titles below.

1. Iron Man (2008)

So cliche, I know. But this movie really re-introduced Downey, Jr. to the public and myself. It was a perfect role for him, and I can't imagine anyone else playing this character. I loved seeing a flawed superhero who drank, was a womanizer, and was so arrogant. The tone of this movie was exactly what I wanted in a superhero film. While most other superhero movies continue to drop on my list, this one has held strong over the last five years.

2. Tropic Thunder (2008)

I really didn't think this film would be in the #2 spot when I first visualized this list, but here it is. I love RDJ's role in the film as something of a caricature of serious method actors. Plus, it's fantastic that a role like this earned him an Oscar nomination. The entire cast is great in the film, and while I don't generally feature comedies this high on these lists, this is one that continues to age very well for me.

3. Chaplin (1992)

If you love cinema history, you have to check out this film. This shines a nice light on one of the very first movie stars. I'm not sure quite how accurate all of the details of the film are, but I have always been a fan of absorbing any kind of movie history I can. Movies about making movies (I know that's not exactly this, but it's the same concept) work very well for me.

4. Charlie Bartlett (2007)

A great dramedy, with some pretty fascinating characters. RDJ's role isn't very big in this film, but it's memorable and powerful. It felt like this was a pretty personal role for the actor, as some of the same issues he's dealing with in the film are reminiscent of previous real life experiences (from what I've read and heard about, at least).

5. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005)

Classic RDJ wit, but I never got into this movie as much as many others. Still, it's a very enjoyable film with great performances from Downey, Jr. and Val Kilmer. Even after multiple watches, there are still a few laugh-out-loud moments.

Ben Foutch -

1. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005)

An innovative mix of different genres that continues to generate laughs. The pairing of RDJ and Val Kilmer is one of the best in film history, and it's a shame that a sequel never happened.

2. The Avengers (2012)

I only wanted one Marvel title on this list, and while he shines more in Iron Man, this has a higher watchability factor. One of the best popcorn flicks of all time.

3. A Scanner Darkly (2006)

The assortment of personalities lend to some great comedy that is also laced with tragedy. Linklater did a great job of capturing the frailty and complexities of the human mind, and his animated style is an interesting expression that seems to work with the hallucinogenic drug plot.

4. Zodiac (2007)

Yes, it is slightly long-winded, but it brilliantly captures that harsh reality of the murders and sense of paranoia during the time period, while also finding humor in the media hoopla that ensued.

5. Chaplin (1992)

Chaplin led an interesting life and is an important figure in film history. While the film is sort of a mess and is less enjoyable than some of his other films that could have made this spot, RDJ gives a milestone performance that should not be overlooked.

Derek Clem -

1. Heart and Souls (1993)

This movie has a high watchability rate for me. Plus it's just so heartwarming. Be sure to give it a watch if you've never seen it. It has a really fun concept on the afterlife.

2. Iron Man (2008)

This is the beginning of when RDJ's overused wisenheimer acting style started to wear thin on my nerves. But I'm too much of a superhero fan to hate this great movie. Its sequel however, sucks majorly.

3. Chaplin (1992)

I feel pretty confident in saying this is the best work of his career.

4. Home for the Holidays (1995)

Is this his second best work of his career? I'm not as confident in saying so, but I am leaning that way.

5. U.S. Marshals (1998)

Another high watchability RDJ flick. I think his wisenheimer schtick works well for him in this movie. I believe it with this character. It doesn't feel like a go-to, phoning it in acting style like it does today.

Nathan Hinds -
I haven't seen nearly as many of his films as I thought I have. It's too bad that I can't make this list after I see "Iron Man 3", because it looks like that could end up easily being my favorite Marvel film.

1. The Avengers (2012)

I believe this is the first time I've used this on a list. Doesn't need much explaining, it's Marvel's best superhero movie. Although it really dropped off from how amazing I thought it was in IMAX once I had to watch it on a normal television.

2. Iron Man (2008)

Robert Downey Jr. was born to play this role.

3. Tropic Thunder (2008)

One of the best comedies in recent years.

4. Sherlock Holmes (2009)

Just a fun mystery adventure.

5. Natural Born Killers (1994)

Other than Tony Stark, this might be my favorite character RDJ has ever played.

Tracy Allison -

1. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005)

The team up of Robert Downey Jr. and Val Kilmer created a palpable, if unexpectedly amazing chemistry. This is a movie I could watch again and again. The great script and quick wit of the characters is the perfect style for RDJ. I guarantee that you've never seen a movie like this before. Take note of the scene in which Downey’s character accidentally auditions for a film role. Clever, indeed.

2. Home for the Holidays (1995)

When I watched this movie, I had the luxury of thinking, “Wow, I’m so lucky that my family isn't like this one.” However, there are still elements that ring true and that’s part of what makes this movie good. Downey’s character is probably classified as annoying, but it makes the insightfulness and wounded animal underneath all the more powerful later on. Watch this around Thanksgiving and be thankful that your family is what it is.

3. Iron Man (2008)

Iron Man will probably go down in history as the most iconic role of Robert Downey Jr.’s lifetime. RDJ has a very specific type of humor and method of line delivery that really struck a chord with audiences and critics alike, and it works for the Iron Man character. Instead of a god-like superhero, he played a flawed man with a past, and even his arrogance is a cover up for something more. This provides for a not-so-typical superhero movie.

4. Charlie Bartlett (2007)

This little gem is more about the kids than the adults, but without the flawed parents in this movie, the kids and their various misdoings would have a much lesser effect. This symbiotic relationship is what invests the audience and RDJ actually steals the show here. Knowing a bit about Downey himself and his troubled personal life and how it mirrors this movie in a way makes this role all the more powerful and personal, and dare I say – brave.

5. Tropic Thunder (2008)

This movie is ridiculous, yet fun comedic fare. While it may not be a movie you want to keep watching for the rest of your life, it’s certainly worth a watch to see what the fuss is all about. This role resulted in a surprising, if not controversial Oscar nomination for Robert Downey Jr., although he lost it to Heath Ledger for his performance in "The Dark Knight".

So there we have it, folks! Overall, 13 different films appeared above, and seven in multiple variety. No film hit on all five lists, however, though one did manage four: "Iron Man". We'll note four appearances with an asterisks as "The Avengers", the same franchise in which RDJ portrays the same character, also earned two votes, bringing the Iron Man character up to six total appearances. But officially, "Iron Man" was the only film that picked up four votes. The Marvel films revived Downey, Jr.'s career, and made him a household name for all ages. Not only was RDJ's wit and charisma a perfect match for this character, but the film was the first independently created by Marvel Studios, which many will say set a new standard for the superhero genre.

Three different films appeared on three separate lists: "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang", "Tropic Thunder", and "Chaplin". "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang" was the only film to receive multiple first place votes this week (two), while the other two films are the only two in which Downey, Jr. has earned Oscar nominations.

Otherwise, along with the aforementioned "The Avengers", the only other films to hit on two lists were "Home for the Holidays" and "Charlie Bartlett". "The Avengers" stands out the most here, as just last year it set countless box office records, but the other two pictures are nice small-scale films that should provide you some entertainment if you're looking for something that isn't filled with explosions.

As always, we hope that each of these selections helps you to expand your knowledge and appreciation of some of the best films that Robert Downey, Jr. has provided over the years, and guides you to better and more enjoyable all-around viewing experiences.

Happy watching!

The Trailer Park: The Bling Ring, The East, Fast & Furious 6, Monsters University, Pacific Rim, Prince Avalanche

2013-04-30T12:35:00.002-06:00

Welcome to The Trailer Park! - A weekly column rounding up new and newish trailers lurking around the internet.

As always, put on your John Nada sunglasses before the jump or... submit to the advertising.

The Bling Ring
Emma Watson has finally got the American accent down, as far as I can tell in this trailer anyway. My general disinterest in this culture and these types of people has me wanting to stay away from this movie, but my general interest in Emma Watson has me wanting to watch this movie.

The East
Brit Marling's a cutie.

Fast & Furious 6
I wish I could accurately describe how my opinion of this franchise has fluctuated in the way it has. I can't believe how much of a joke this franchise was for me, but now its movies are some of my most anticipated of the year. Plus I'm diggin' the use of Prodigy for this trailer; brings me back to Jr. High.

Monsters University
The movie looks good, I guess my only problem with it is the fact that its a prequel. I'd much rather Pixar put there efforts towards new and original stories with characters we've never met before. I bet Andrew W.K. is thrilled to be prominently featured in this trailer via his music.

Pacific Rim
Whoa! The scale is unbelievable. Totally dominates over Transformers and Godzilla. Charlie Day looks like J.J. Abrams.

Prince Avalanche
Uhhh, I'm not sure what to think. This feels odd. I dig Paul Rudd's look.

Top 5 Movie Guide: Farm Movies

2013-04-27T10:39:00.000-06:00

For this edition of the Top 5 Movie Guide, and with the release of this weekend's "At Any Price", we take a look at some of our favorite Farm Movies! "At Any Price" centers around the competitive world of modern agriculture. Henry Whipple (Dennis Quaid) wants his rebellious son Dean (Zac Efron) to help expand his family's farming empire. However, Dean has his sights set on becoming a professional race car driver. When a high-stakes investigation into their business is exposed, father and son are pushed into an unexpected crisis that threatens the family's entire livelihood.

For this list we obviously pull from the agriculture bit - by the way, FINALLY Hollywood answers our pleas and makes a film about competitive farming. I think we've all waited long enough. While some writers below may have set specific guidelines for their lists, we made a point to title the category "Farm Movies" and not "Farming Movies". That opened the category a bit and allowed for films that might not center specifically on the act of farming itself.

Even if you might think otherwise, there was a pretty surprising variety of films detailed below. Hit the jump to see just which films made each of our lists!

Alex Schopp -
Can't say I have many opinions on this category; it's not been one that's ever stood out to me before - luckily for all of you readers out there, there's now a definitive list for the genre! By the way, I tried as much as I could to revolve my selections around films that actually included some farming. I wasn't able to stick to it perfectly, but that was a thought on my mind when compiling this list.

1. Field of Dreams (1989)

After this film got omitted from my Sports Drama list, it makes a strong comeback here. The entire film deals with this farming family destroying their entire source of income for an unknown prophecy. Luckily, it all works out for them. Farms + baseball + Kevin Costner. Already you know that's a winning combination.

2. Signs (2002)

One of the greatest atmosphere movies out there. I still love popping this movie in on a dark and quiet night. It's always capable of creeping me out. Mel Gibson and Joaquin Phoenix are both so great in this film.

3. Looper (2012)

Only half of the film takes place on a farm, but it's one of my favorite aspects of the film. Many people didn't appreciate the slow-down pace in these scenes, but I loved it. Plus, the mix of advanced technology in older settings has always been appealing to me - "Star Wars", the beginning of "Star Trek" (2009), etc.

4. Hoosiers (1986)

This film isn't so much about a particular farmer as much as an entire farming community. This underdog story revolves around a rural Indiana town experiencing its moment of greatness. I think Gene Hackman and Dennis Hopper do a great job in the film, but I get a bit bored with the basketball action in the film. The overall message is still a good one; plenty of heart in this movie.

5. Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)

I don't normally care much for animated films, but the ones I do enjoy are typically the stop-motion variety. This was definitely my favorite animated feature of 2009; I loved the wit of the writing, and the voice cast was perfect.

Ben Foutch -

1. Days of Heaven (1978)

A beautiful film that is a prime example of the medium as an art form, and a testament to the Cinematographer's efforts in filming under natural light.

2. Of Mice and Men (1992)

Like the novel, this really sticks with you. Much like the film above, the scenery is immaculately captured, transporting you into that time period.

3. Field of Dreams (1989)

An overall unforgettable feel-good movie. I don't really understand why I enjoy movies about baseball, but am indifferent towards watching an actual game.

4. The Wicker Man (1973)

I like to think of this as the first half the story, and the second which was never filmed, is a family dramedy about the island folk successfully harvesting their crops.

5. Shane (1953)

I have a strong sense of nostalgia for this even though I don't love watching it. It really is a great Western though.

Derek Clem -

1. Son In Law (1993)

I already tried to model my mannerisms after Pauly Shore's character Stoney from Encino Man, but as Crawl I took it to a whole new level. He was my hero. I wanted to act and dress like him, I memorized his lines and spouted them off at school as much as possible. This is that classic fish out of water story, though I don't think Crawl realizes he's out of water. He really tries to drink in and marinate in the agricultural lifestyle. Carla Gugino's laugh can get on your nerves if you watch this too much. In some ways, Patrick Renna steals the show.

2. Star Wars (1977)

Is there a greater story? A naive farm boy with big dreams is forced to leave the moisture farm to embark on the adventure of a lifetime. To become the greatest Jedi the galaxy has ever seen. Honestly, why don't I have this at #1?

3. Twister (1996)

There is something sublime in the image of a tornado over a vast cornfield. It's where chaos and serenity meet. Twister supplies those emotions quite well. We're given the action through the strength and unpredictable rage of weather but are also provided with beautiful farm-scapes and a rekindled hearts.

4. Signs (2002)

The eerie cornfield landscapes are not only terrifying in the film, but affect you in such a way that the fear remains with you after the viewing. Anytime you drive a country route late at night your eyes begin to play tricks on you.

5. Night of the Living Dead (1968)

This might be a perfect film. It's lined with endless rich ideas on social and political issues, some of which are very pertinent even today. And the fact that the majority of the movie takes place in a farmhouse makes it perfect for this list. I'm always in a constant debate with myself on where I would want to be stranded during a Zombie outbreak. I want to say Walmart, but I'm sure being on a farm in the middle of nowhere has its advantages.

Nathan Hinds -
My grandparents farm still remains my favorite place on this planet - there's just something comforting about the simplicity of it. I think that transfers into film as well. I don't know that the five movies I selected are the best examples of farms portrayed in film, but they are all awesome movies and have farms in them.

1. The Patriot (2000)

2. Django Unchained (2012)

3. Looper (2012)

4. Twister (1996)

5. Signs (2002)

Tracy Allison -

1. Field of Dreams (1989)

It is my favorite sports movie, but it’s a lot more than just a sports movie. It’s about forgiveness and faith and redemption. Ray Kinsella follows his heart when he gets rid of a valuable crop in order to construct a baseball diamond for no apparent reason other than a voice only he can hear. He’s about to go bankrupt and his wife and daughter still lend their unwavering support. Little did they know that this farm would be their saving grace. “Ray. People will come, Ray.”

2. Giant (1956)

This was one of the first old films that I ever watched without any adult telling me that I should. I found it of my own accord. I may have bent the rules a bit (this movie takes place on a combination ranch/oil field in Texas), but it means a lot to me, so it made the cut. This was James Dean’s last film and my real introduction to Elizabeth Taylor and Rock Hudson. It’s a long epic, but I fell in love with the characters and the love story and how the story takes place over decades, and obviously no computers were used in the aging process. James Dean was nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role posthumously and that was certainly well deserved.

3. Signs (2002)

I did not expect this movie to be so heartfelt and intriguing. The dynamic between this emotionally ravaged family coupled with a backdrop of aliens slowly taking over the Earth lends a sense of finality to their actions and a need for healing to start occurring before it’s too late. The fact that this family actually lives on a farm in which aliens visit to leave their epic crop signs makes this movie all the more harrowing.

4. Days of Heaven (1978)

Okay, so I just saw this movie for the first time at Ebertfest barely a week ago, but I guarantee that you haven’t seen a farm movie like this before. The only Terrence Malick movie that I had seen previously was 2011’s Tree of Life and so I didn't know what to expect. This one was beautiful and inventive and sad. It really opens your eyes to a way of life nearly forgotten.

5. Babe (1995)

I was about seven when this movie came out and in my memory, love and intrigue concerning this movie swept the nation. I had never seen anything like it before. I feel like it's an odd mix between Charlotte’s Web and something Wes Anderson would have a hand in. Try not to cry when you watch this! This is the story of an underdog (underpig?) who wins the faith of his master. “That’ll do, pig. That’ll do.” There is actually a great deal of devastation in this movie. Do I need to give up pork now?

There we have it, folks. Quite the variety this week - probably more titles than we've seen on one of these posts in a month or so. Overall, there were 17 films depicted above, with five appearing on more than one list. And while no film hit on all five lists, one film, "Signs", did make its way onto four. The farm relevance in this film is obvious, as the aliens use our main character's fields to make crop circles (navigation patterns). Great atmosphere in the film, and a very strong performance by Mel Gibson. No surprise that this one stood out the most this week.

Only one film appeared on three lists, and that was "Field of Dreams". This was also the only film that earned more than one first place vote (two). This is a great film about family and trust and hope. The farm connection is clear, with our main character (Kevin Costner) destroying his entire crop over something no one else believes. One of the most inspiring films on the list. Otherwise, three films hit on two lists: "Days of Heaven", "Looper", and "Twister". All of these are solid selections that meet the criteria in some way, and all seem like safe selections if you're still unfamiliar with any of them and are looking to get a broader familiarity of the Farm genre.

As always, we hope that each of the selections above helps to expand your knowledge and appreciation of some of the best films that this genre has to offer, and guides you to better and more enjoyable all-around viewing experiences.

Happy watching!

[Exclusive] Interview with Writer/Director David M. Evans ("Radio Flyer", "The Sandlot")

2013-04-25T15:20:00.001-06:00

Recently, I had the opportunity to participate in a Q&A with writer/director David M. Evans. If you're a 90's kid, you might remember him for directing The Sandlot and First Kid (yup, Sinbad as a secret service agent), but you might not have known that he was responsible for writing and starting to direct Radio Flyer. The film stars future Frodo Baggins (Elija Wood) and is a unique story about two young brothers dealing with child abuse. It was to be his first directing gig, but due to Hollywood politics, he was replaced by Richard Donner. Radio Flyer is actually the reason he's doing this Q&A, as he's releasing a novel of the same story, The King of Pacoima. But this year also marks the 20th anniversary of The Sandlot, so it seems like the perfect opportunity to pick his brain about that production as well.

Hello, I’m Ben Foutch from the Slackers Selection Movie Blog. Thank you for sharing some of your time in participating in this Q&A. Most of us from the blog had the pleasure of growing up with some of your films and are excited to hear your responses. If there is any question you don’t feel comfortable with, feel free to tell me to get bent.

No worries. Fire away.

1. This year marks the 20th anniversary of your family classic, “The Sandlot”, a film this blog highly respects. Do you have fond memories of the production? Any particular one that signifies your memory of the job?

The whole production was like one big summer camp for the kids. They gelled really fast as friends on and off screen. That made the “Herding Squirrels” thing much easier. Working with them wasn’t so much “working” or directing as it was guiding them like a big brother or a camp counselor. They were all great mimics too, so when we would get stuck (which wasn’t very often) I could say “Try it like this…” and then line-read them and they would mirror me and we’d get it done. The scene that probably took the longest to shoot was the “S’mores scene,” in which Ham instructs Smalls in the fine art of making a S’More. Pat Renna was so damn funny saying “You’re killin’ me Smalls!” That all the other guys busted up laughing every time he said it, and essentially rendered the take unusable because they were in the background. And when kid actors get the giggles, forget it, day over. They simply cannot stop laughing. Eventually (after hours and hours) I had to use a take in which I told the guys “look if you can’t stop laughing, just laugh with you r mouth closed!” The take used in the movie, if you look at Benny in the background, poor Mike Vitar is actually biting his lip to keep from ruining the take.

2. It was probably a great experience in working with child actors, and you certainly proved to bring out some inspired performances. Do you have any advice for aspiring directors who are planning to work with young actors for the first time?

Cast the kid, not the character. Kids are generally very good at bringing the emotions when needed in a scene, it’s all the in-between stuff that can be difficult. I had written several of the characters in The Sandlot a particular way, but then, upon meeting a couple of the guys I cast, I re-wrote the characters to suit their personalities.

3. The film is heavy on nostalgia and the impactful experiences of childhood, which seems to be a recurring theme of your filmography. Are these types of stories your passion as a writer/director, or have your early projects put you in a niche?

I have very strong memories of my childhood and so I suppose that makes childhood and adolescence fertile creative ground for me. Having said that it is not the only thing that interests me. I write stories that interest me, I have scripts that range from a true story epic western, to a drama about a reclusive again writer. I get associated with family and kids movies because ever since I sold RADIO FLYER, every family oriented or kid oriented script that gets written by anyone comes across my desk. I love working with kid actors because I’m still 12 years-old on the inside.

4. On to more current matters, your new book “The King of Pacoima” is the novelization of “Radio Flyer”, which saw Richard Donner replacing you as director. I imagine this being a cathartic experience. Is that the inspiration for the book?

The King of Pacoima is actually the novel I wrote upon which I based the screenplay for the film. After the film was released I put the manuscript away promising myself someday that I would return to it and get it published. So I edited it somewhat and included photos, storyboards, old kodachrome slides and paintings I had commissioned to illustrate the book and hopefully add a depth of authenticity to it for the reader (it’s autobiographical to a large extent). Legacy Publishing is dying, and since the reach of publishing in the e-book formats is worldwide, you’re only limited by how either good or bad the book is I think. And I think the book is good.

5. What is the main lesson you learned in your time spent on “Radio Flyer”?

It was one of the harshest Hollywood baptism’s-by-fire in history. I learned not to get in business with people that are going to “F” you over, and learned that I can take a punch, get back up, make a better movie (The Sandlot) and prove them all wrong.

6. The movie was released in 1992, a little over twenty years ago. Why wait this long to publish, after the movie has probably faded from the collective memory?

Radio Flyer has hardly “faded from the collective memory.” The film did not do well in its initial domestic theatrical release, and I am not a particular fan of the film itself, as such. However, the subject matter gave it an importance to people that remains to this day. The book is an altogether more emotional experience than the film ever will be. I think it needed to age or season or something like a good whiskey. When the e-book thing started to happen it seemed like a good time to publish it.

7. When will we be able to purchase “The King of Pacoima”?

About July 2013 on all e-book platforms from Amazon, B&N, iBooks etc…

10. Last but not least, as is somewhat of tradition at this site, are you able to provide your Top 5 Favorite films? Maybe five notable films that have inspired you as a writer and director over the years?

1. Manhattan
2. Star Wars
3. Anything by David Lean
4. A tie: Rocky and It’s A Wonderful Life
5. Anything by John Ford, Billy Wilder, William Wyler, Spielberg, Frank Capra, Ellia Kazan, Orson Wells, Chris Marker, Francois Truffaut, Vittorio De Sica, Fellini, Kurosawa (especially Dersu Uzala), Goddard, Laurel and Hardy, The Marx Brothers and The Three Stooges

Thanks again, David. I'm looking forward to your book.

My pleasure. Thanks for the time.

Movie Review: "The Lords of Salem" by Ben Foutch

2013-04-24T17:23:00.001-06:00

Director: Rob Zombie
Writer: Rob Zombie
Stars: Sheri Moon Zombie, Bruce Davison, Jeff Daniel Phillips, Dee Wallace, and Ken Foree
Rated: R
Run Time: 101 min

Aside from the unforgettable and brilliantly twisted The Devils Rejects, Rob Zombie hasn't really delivered anything of true value to the horror community besides a signature aesthetic and respect for the genre. This might change with his newest vision, The Lords of Salem. Surely to be misinterpreted or even considered a confusing waste of time, this surreal nightmare has the potential to pull a Prince of Darkness by becoming an underrated cult gem that slowly gains credibility with time. His most artistically ambitious offering to date is also the most challenging, much like the influences lurking within the frames.

Heidi (SMZ) is DJ for a local radio station in Salem and is a recovering drug addict. One night after work she receives a wooden box containing a vinyl record as a "gift from the lords" and when she plays it in her apartment the strange music/incantation puts her in a delirious state. The record eventually gets played on a the radio which instantly has the same effect on the women in town, and gets the attention of local author (Davison) who wrote a novel on the Salem witch trials. The music deeply unsettles him and expresses concern with the name of the group, The Lords.

After some research he finds that The Lords is in reference to a coven of witches (The Lords of Salem) who use music to possess the souls of women, one of whom will be the vessel for the birth of Satan's child. Meanwhile, Heidi continues to suffer from delirious visions which include surgical nightmares, tentacled midget demons, and bloody-penis masturbating demonic priests.

The intriguing premise soon fails miserably at being consistently engaging, mostly due to a lethargic pace that doesn't quite build as much suspense as might be intended. It's also weighed down by the main character who is easily the least interesting in the whole run time, but I can't decide if that is because of Sheri Moon Zombie or the seemingly dull script (maybe both). It appears as if Rob became so involved with creating a style that narrative responsibility was completely abandoned. He also seems more determined to show off his wife's naked body rather than pulling a memorable performance out of her. Other than walking around in a trance-like state and having some bloody coughs, her character doesn't seem too phased by the invasive supernatural presence.

Many might argue to the lack of scares or thrills, but I don't really think this was meant to frighten in the conventional sense nor be narratively captivating. The satanic theme and barrage of abstract bizarre visuals seem to work at creating mood and atmosphere, and the brooding score certainly adds to the doom and gloom vibe he's clearly going for. Some of the shots are immaculately framed with bursts of color which scream early Argento, that when combined with the underlying operatic qualities, leads me to believe that this is supposed to make you feel rather than strictly entertain. And it does make you feel...disgusted. Like a parasite slithering its way into your brain, Zombie wants to infiltrate your subconscious rather than make you jump.

What will surely go down in history as a cinematic oddity is yet another tragic example for aspiring filmmakers in the balance of style and substance. With its many shortcomings aside, The Lords of Salem recklessly defies modern horror standards and hints at Zombie's potential as a film-maker. Even though this is supposedly his last horror film, I like to think that this is his overture of the grotesque.

Top 5 Movie Guide: Mark Wahlberg

2013-04-24T09:06:00.000-06:00

For this edition of the Top 5 Movie Guide, we take a look at some of our favorite films featuring one of the stars from this weekend's "Pain and Gain", Mark Wahlberg. Wahlberg, who dropped out of school when he was 13 years old, was always interested in an entertainment career. His early issues with drugs and violence, however, seemed to get in the way of any success. After a brief time in prison, Wahlberg decided to try and clean up his life. His older brother, Donnie, a member of the teen pop group New Kids on the Block, used his influence to help get Mark a recording contract. It was then that Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch was created. Mark's first album was a hit, but his success only caused more issues. Mark donned the "bad boy" persona, which led to a variety of altercations and poor decisions. Quickly, Wahlberg's star had faded, and his fans disappeared. After his second album flopped, Wahlberg abandoned a rap career.

A few years later, Wahlberg got into acting, first appearing as a minor character in 1994's "Renaissance Man". he followed the film up with two performances that were received well by critics, those in "The Basketball Diaries" (1995) and "Fear" (1996). But it was his next film, Paul Thomas Anderson's 1997 picture "Boogie Nights", that was the real turning point for the star. No doubt that Wahlberg took the role because of its close ties to his own life, that of fame - both the quick rise and fall of it - drugs, and instant money. The performance earned him high marks from critics and audiences, and led to a variety of quality roles over the coming decade.

Wahlberg earned his first and only Academy Award nomination for acting with performance in Martin Scorsese's "The Departed" (2006). Wahlberg says to this day that this is the role he's most proud of. As a Producer of 2010's "The Fighter", he also earned an Academy Award nomination for the film's Best Picture nomination.

Hit the jump to see which films from Wahlberg's career we've selected as some of our favorites!

Alex Schopp -
I have always enjoyed seeing Mark Wahlberg on screen. I realize that sometimes he's not the best of actors, but he has a solid screen presence. And he generally appears in the types of films I enjoy - I could do a Top 10 on this guy and still be disappointed about some titles I'd have to leave off.

1. Boogie Nights (1997)

The gap between this film and the film in the #2 spot isn't even close. I've loved this film for a long time, and even with a recent watch, my appreciation for it was only heightened. There's not a bad shot or scene in the film; in my mind, this is a masterpiece.

2. Invincible (2006)

This movie making my Sports Drama list over "Rocky" a few weeks back should show my interests in the film. Love the soundtrack, love the story, love the era, love the actors in the film. Shall I go on?

3. The Departed (2006)

I just re-watched this film the other night to make sure I was judging it accurately. This is the spot I had the film beforehand, and this seems like a good place to keep it. I love the entire cast, and the concept here is great - good guys doin' bad things, bad guys doin' good things - but for some reason, I think I'm just not in love with the modern organized crime drama. There's nothing in this film I dislike, I just don't feel like I want to pop this one in very often.

4. The Italian Job (2003)

This has always been a favorite of mine. This is among the films I could pop in at just about any time and always enjoy. It's nothing deep or thought-provoking, but it provides great cast, great heisting, and a solid pace that never lags. If you want watchability, this film has it.

5. The Fighter (2010)

Overall I think this features one of Wahlberg's best performances to date. I love the underdog boxing story, raising yourself from nothing and overcoming your vices, but overall, its filming style, at times, dissuades me from giving this too many repeat watches. I'd love to work "The Perfect Storm" or "Three Kings" into this spot, but I just couldn't pull the trigger. Even with it's less-than-optimal watchability factor, this was still, at one brief time, my favorite film of 2010.

Ben Foutch -

1. Boogie Nights (1997)

I think what makes this work so well, much like most of PTA's work, is that it's honest. Even though we're thrown into a bizarre world inhabited by eccentric characters, there is a surprising amount of depth; their struggles, while on the surface are outside of my world, are universal when you get down to the core.

2. The Fighter (2010)

This is a special underdog story. Even though the main narrative focuses is on Wahlberg's struggling boxing career, his brother's struggle with addiction is an interesting parallel that makes this film more than just a sports drama.

3. The Departed (2006)

This would be ranked higher, but Wahlberg's role is so small. Regardless, the casting of every role is perfect and the pacing is flawless. One of the best crime thrillers without a doubt.

4. Rock Star (2001)

This is a fairly standard Hollywood type of drama, but I enjoy the theme of illusion and the hidden sadness that can accompany the entertainer lifestyle.

5. Fear (1996)

I don't necessarily like this or really ever want to watch it, but I put it on the list to showcase Wahlberg's acting. It's still hard for me to picture him as anything but a psychotic douchebag.

Derek Clem -
Generally I am not a fan of his work.

1. The Departed (2006)

This is the only movie I have enjoyed him in. I think he really excels here. I don't necessarily think he deserved the Oscar nomination he received, but I'm okay with it because it's the first time I've ever liked the actor.

2. Boogie Nights (1997)

I really love when Paul Thomas Anderson is working in a similar vein as Robert Altman. The ensemble cast is what make this film so special.

3. Planet of the Apes (2001)

This movie has some of the best makeup and prosthetics I have ever seen - it's a shame it wasn't nominated for an Oscar in the Best Makeup category. If you watch this movie, watch it for the makeup alone.

4. Shooter (2007)

I remember not having too many complaints with this movie. As far as I remember, it's likable. I've only seen it once though.

5. The Fighter (2010)

Really good movie, Christian Bale knocks it outta the park!

Nathan Hinds -

No entry this week.

Tracy Allison -
When I was 12 years old, I was convinced I would someday marry Mark Wahlberg. My best friend made me a Marky Mark scrapbook for my eighth grade graduation present. While I’ve realized that I don’t have a chance with him, I still like watching him on screen. I love the first two movies, but I’ll admit there’s a large gap in between my first two picks and my last three.

1. Boogie Nights (1997)

I actually just re-watched this movie last week. I don’t think I have one problem with this film. The 1970s setting and soundtrack are literally perfect and the wide variety of the cast/characters keeps you interested. The 1970s are probably my favorite decade in America, and this movie felt true to it even though that world feels extremely far removed from me. What an odd group of displaced and even sad people to become a family. But, that’s what I love about this film, they found a place to fit in, weird as it may seem. I like this young Mark Wahlberg best, young, fresh – not as calculated. This role was perfect for this time in Wahlberg’s life.

2. The Departed (2006)

Here’s another movie that I don’t think I have any problem with. For all the twists and double crossing, I’m able to follow along well and I love that about it. This movie is one that I love to re-watch because it’s impossible to remember all of the intricacies that are addressed. What I love about this movie is the large cast and the differing relationships and confusing triangles littered all over. Mark Wahlberg is more of a secondary character, but he leaves an indelible mark as he hearkens back to his own real-life Boston roots.

3. Invincible (2006)

Who doesn't love a great underdog sports story? Wahlberg portrays real life footballer Vince Papale as he attempts to walk on to the Philadelphia Eagles in the mid-1970s. I know I sound like a broken record here, but the 1970s vibe of this movie is a large reason why I’m attracted to it. You can’t help but root for this incredibly deserving guy as he works hard for a dream that he didn't know was even possible.

4. The Perfect Storm (2000)

This movie isn't deep, it’s man versus nature. I love this motley crew of men out weathering and braving the super storm of a lifetime. These men make one final fishing trip of the season for their families, for the money, for their own personal reasons and they end up fighting for their lives out there. This movie is good at what it does.

5. I Heart Huckabees (2004)

This movie isn't fantastic, but what I love is Mark Wahlberg outside of his normal tough guy-esque roles. I think his eccentric firefighter character is my favorite in the movie. I also enjoy his unlikely friendship with the Jason Schwartzman character.

Well there we have it, folks. We're down one list this week, but there was still a good variety of films present above! Overall, eleven different films made our lists, but only four received multiple picks.

Two films, both "Boogie Nights" and "The Departed" landed on all four lists - and both grabbed all four #1 selections, as well. As was mentioned in the introduction to this post, Wahlberg earned his only acting Oscar nomination from "The Departed", so it's no surprise that the film, which also won director Martin Scorsese his first Oscar, was so well received. "Boogie Nights" is an ensemble film featuring a really great story about family and friendship. While, on the surface, the film seems a bit crude, at its core there's a lot of heart.

Otherwise, "The Fighter" was the only film to land on three lists, while "Invincible" was the only film to make it on two. "The Fighter", which was directed by David O. Russell and was nominated for Best Picture, features a gripping story and variety of great performances. "Invincible" isn't nearly as acclaimed as the other films down here (it's no slouch though), but it's one of the easiest films to watch on this list. It's a great true story about heart and perseverance.

As always, we hope that each of these selections helps you to expand your knowledge and appreciation of some of the best films that Mark Wahlberg has provided over the years, and guides you to better and more enjoyable all-around viewing experiences.

Happy watching!

Movie Review: "Oblivion" by Ben Foutch

2013-04-23T21:02:00.001-06:00

Director: Joseph Kosinski
Writers: Joseph Kosinski, Karl Gajdusek
Stars: Tom Cruise, Morgan Freeman, Olga Kurylenko, and Andrea Riseborough

Rated: PG-13

Run Time: 124 min

Oblivion (much like Joseph Kosinski's last effort, TRON: Legacy), is eye candy masquerading as a science fiction epic. Visually immersive and a gorgeous representation of a possible dystopian future, it quickly becomes tarnished by lack of character depth, contrived storytelling, and horrendous pacing. The only things holding this expensive product above water are the star power of Tom Cruise and surprisingly clean dystopian vistas.

As made clear during the first few minutes, Earth has previously been rendered uninhabitable by mankind’s nuclear retaliation and last effort in destroying alien invaders (Scavengers "Scavs"). Jack (Cruise) and Victoria (Riseborough) are stationed on Earth to extract its remaining resources necessary to sustain the new human colony on Titan, memories wiped clean in the event that remaining scavengers might forcibly extract information through interrogation. Drones are used to protect the machines that extract these resources and it is their main objective to repair them. During a routine perimeter check Jack discovers a homing beacon that signals a spaceship which eventually crashes in sector 17.

When investigating the wreckage Jack discovers capsules with hibernating humans contained within. One of them contains a woman (Kurylenko) from Jack’s recurring dreams, who he is able to save from attacking droids that kill the rest of her crew. However, droids are supposed to kill Scavs not humans. Upon further investigation, Jack and the mystery woman uncover the truth about the Scavs and the events that led to the destruction of Earth.

Tom Cruise proves he can still carry a movie with an engaging performance, but the predictability of nuance mirrors just about every creative aspect of Oblivion. The main problem is that the narrative has nothing new to offer; I imagined the story development process as a room full of studio execs brainstorming every element of successful sci-fi films from the past couple decades and throwing them into a script that is catered towards mass marketability rather than providing anything original. However, the source is actually a graphic novel which Kosinski co-wrote, so maybe something was lost in the translation... The film just plods from one revelation to the next, which aren't really revelations anyway, because the audience is always a few steps ahead of Jack. While the script is surely to blame for this, the spoilerific promotional trailers didn't help.

Regardless, a derivative story can be made entertaining with the right direction and editing. This is another area where the film fails, which is a shame considering the sizable budget and effectively crisp visuals. With only one inspired action scene (also spoiled from the trailers) it struggles to find the beat, feeling as lifeless as the worker drones carrying on routine tasks. And that is Oblivion at its core - a routine effort from film makers more interested in the opening weekend than delivering a product that has sustainable interest in the film community. Young/impressionable minds or those looking for something easy to digest might find something here, but for others it may be as stimulating as a sleeve of saltine crackers.

The Trailer Park: Byzantium, Deceptive Practice, The Hunt, Man Of Steel, R.I.P.D., A Teacher, Thor: The Dark World

2013-04-23T11:28:00.001-06:00

Welcome to The Trailer Park! - A weekly column rounding up new and newish trailers lurking around the internet.

As always, put on your John Nada sunglasses before the jump or... submit to the advertising.

Byzantium
While it may come from the same makers of "Interview With The Vampire", this vampire flick doesn't look like it will reach the same quality. It looks interesting enough though; I wouldn't mind checking it out.

Deceptive Practice
This seems like appropriate timing for a magic documentary to come out, with "The Incredible Burt Wonderstone" and "Now You See Me" coming out this year.

The Hunt
This guy is in that new Hannibal TV show, right?

Man of Steel
This looks amazing. If only it was Brandon Routh donning the "S" ... or, "Not and S". If Cavill wore the beard as Superman I think I'd be okay with him. I just have something against his shaven face. We saw it in the original teaser, but even with this trailer the movie comes across as having an early Terrence Malick feel. I hope that actually exists in the movie and not just in the trailers.

R.I.P.D.
I had no clue what I was getting into when I pressed play on this trailer. I'm actually kind of surprised. I laughed out loud once. It's basically Men In Black mixed with Ghostbusters. I think that's something I can get behind. I want to watch this.

A Teacher
If this doesn't make you feel dirty I don't know what does.

Thor: The Dark World
YES!!! YESS! This is exactly what Thor needs! Atmosphere and scope! They're doing it right visually. Now we just have to hope the story is good. Visually, I'm on board. It looks 100 times better than the first Thor flick.

Slackers Selection CinemaCast: Episode 51

2013-04-23T09:16:00.000-06:00

Thanks for checking out this week's edition of the Slackers Selection CinemaCast!

For the first time in ages, all five of us contributed to this week's call. There wasn't a ton to talk about - none of us got around to "Oblivion" - but we still managed some decent discussions. The films we do talk about are the likes of "The ABCs of Death" and "The Company You Keep".

Next week, "Pain and Gain", "The Big Wedding", "Arthur Newman", "Mud", and "At Any Price" hit theaters. We run through each of those titles and detail which we're most interested in checking out.

The majority of this week's time, however, went to some recaps of the previous week's Ebertfest. Ben, Derek and Andy attended each day of the event, and provide further insight to what they detailed in their daily reports. It was another great year at the festival, and all three of them had a really great time.

Check out everything they had to say about the event and more below!

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Ebertfest 2013: Day 5

2013-04-21T21:10:00.003-06:00

A beautiful sky marked the final day for Eberfest 2013

Films/Guests:

Critic's Picks: Roger Ebert -- An International Tribute (Surprise Short)

Kevin B. Lee (Producer)

Not Yet Begun to Fight

Sabrina Lee (Producer/Director)
Erik Goodge (Film Subject)
Steve Platcow (Executive Producer)

The culmination of the 15th annual Roger Ebert film festival was bittersweet in many ways. It was my first time at the festival and even at the Virginia Theater, and having missed seeing Roger in person will always be a regret of mine. Chaz Ebert had mentioned before that this festival was a comfort to her in her time of grief. Her whole family was there to support her and all 1,000+ people that filled the theater were there to support her too. I don’t know if I have ever been in a place with that many people sharing an experience of support and honesty along with a love for film and Roger. The fact that comforted me (and all of the other attendees, I’m sure) was that Roger chose these movies for us. He carefully selected these movies, he placed them in an order with great care to the feeling of the film and how the audience would feel after watching them. I actually spoke with fellow Slacker Andy on the phone before I left for the Virginia and I choked up and said, “I can’t believe it’s over. I’m devastated.” And I was. I am. It’s been a whirlwind of emotions and listening to people talk about their craft and passion was inspiring. I don’t know that I’ve ever felt quite so invigorated. I met some of these people just a few days ago and yet, I already feel like I know them so well. Movies brought us together and final hugs and handshakes were happening all around. But, without further ado, let’s hop into the final films.

"Critic's Picks: Roger Ebert -- An International Tribute" was a surprise short that one of the far flung correspondents, Kevin Lee, put together with the help of the other correspondents. It was a tribute to Roger and personal for Lee. It dealt with Ebert’s top ten movies of all time from 1982. His words were read and bits of a few of the movies were shown. The part that struck me the most was a line from Citizen Kane, "A fellow will remember a lot of things you wouldn't think he'd remember. You take me. One day, back in 1896, I was crossing over to Jersey on the ferry, and as we pulled out, there was another ferry pulling in, and on it there was a girl waiting to get off. A white dress she had on. She was carrying a white parasol. I only saw her for one second. She didn't see me at all, but I'll bet a month hasn't gone by since that I haven't thought of that girl." For some reason, it made me very emotional. I was already vulnerable because the festival was coming to a close, but I think that this line in particular made me feel more connected to humans and nuances and the little things we all notice in life and consequently, in movies. And I love movies that make me feel more in tune to the human experience. It also reminded me of Roger; I just love the way that movies were such a big part of his life and I love that the movies that he chose made life a big part of the movies.

The feature film was called “Not Yet Begun to Fight”. It was an extremely moving and poignant documentary that followed a diverse group of new veterans as they try to re-acclimate themselves to civilian life back in America. The movie follows these men as they embark on a journey to picturesque Bozeman, Montana where they will be part of a veteran-aimed fly fishing-centric program for a week. This nonprofit program named "Warriors and Quiet Waters" is spearheaded by retired Marine Colonel Eric Hastings. He explains that as a pilot in Vietnam, the rivers that he saw from the sky reminded him of the rivers back home in Montana, so much so that he dreamt of fly fishing at night. When he returned home in 1969, he suffered from PTSD in a nation that was decades away from diagnosing it, let alone treating it. So, he took to the rivers and fished. This hobby and the solace he found in it “saved his life”. Hastings felt a calling to pass on this knowledge and every year he plays host to veterans fresh from the battlefields and recovery rooms to teach them to fly fish. This candid, unscripted portrayal of a week in the lives of these brave men brought me to tears multiple times. It spoke of their struggles, yes. But, it was about a group of people coming together to heal some very deep wounds, both physical and psychological. I love that this movie is apolitical. This movie has no agenda. It isn’t anti-war or pro-war. This freedom allows you to simply take in the emotion of this journey without any filter coloring your intake. In a touching moment, Hastings watches as a veteran casts a line successfully and quickly fights a fish and reels it in. This brings the man to tears as he silently compares this to his own experience, “You know, this river healed me.” He also describes why fishing helps him so. After these men are trained killers, it's difficult to exist normally back home. The act of being outside and patiently waiting for a fish, then fighting it and eventually holding this living creature in your hands and then releasing it, unharmed, back into the water is a powerful lesson for these men.

Steve Platcow (Left), Erik Goodge (Center-Left), and Sabrina Lee (Center-Right)

We were lucky to be in the presence of the producer/director, Sabrina Lee, one of the subjects of the documentary, Marine veteran Erik Goodge and executive producer Steve Platcow. The question and answer session with these three involved so closely with the film was illuminating and moving at times. Goodge received a standing ovation as he was ushered onstage by Chaz. The idea for this movie sort of fell into Sabrina's lap and she knew it was a golden opportunity. Platcow related this movie to a story from his own life, a grandfather that he never met. Goodge explained how he had changed since the filming, for the better. Could Roger have planned the uplifted feeling that I felt after viewing this movie and listening to these people talk about it? It seems impossible, but... we'll never know. I was content with the feeling that this movie left me with -- sad, and yet hopeful. Touched by humanity even in times of darkness. It was a great note to leave on. It mirrored the feeling of the festival in general as it soldiered on without its namesake. I am truly saddened that this whirlwind of a festival is over already. But, rest assured, Chaz guaranteed the audience that Ebertfest 2014 is on the docket, and we simply cannot wait!

Ebertfest 2013: Day 4

2013-04-21T16:27:00.001-06:00

Just this full balcony at 11:00AM

Films/Guests:

Blancanieves

Pablo Berger (Director)

Kumare

Vikram Gandhi (Director)
Stephen Feder (Producer)

Escape From Tomorrow

Randy Moore (Director)

Soojin Chung (Editor)

Roy Abramsohn (Actor)

Elena Schuber (Actress)

Annet Mahendru (Actress)

The Spectacular Now

James Ponsoldt (Director)

Shailene Woodley (Actress)

The somber tones of the previous days (at least the ones I attended) were thrown to the wind, as Tilda Swinton and Chaz started the day off with a little dance party. "Just think of this as a spiritual service", Tilda proclaimed before busting out some grooves to Barry White's My Everything. While I'm not really into audience participation group dance parties, it was hard to deny the positive vibes flowing through the theater. This set the tone for the rest of the day's events.

The first film of the day was Pablo Berger's Blancanieves. While there were dour moments with emotional significance, the director's "love letter to European silent cinema...made for people who have never-seen a silent" was an overall uplifting delight to the senses. Its incarnation of Snow White might be my favorite ever seen on screen and I wasn't the only one highly impressed; the lady sitting next to me said "it blew The Artist out of the water".

The second film shown was a documentary, which played similarly to the reality television format and was the product of a social religious experiment aimed at the relationship between a spiritual guru and his disciples. The director, just a normal guy from New Jersey, had a "skeptical look at religion", especially concerning the integrity of numerous spiritual/cult leaders and gurus that draw the attention of people looking for guidance and the answers for achieving true happiness. He decided to become a guru himself in hopes to show the world that spiritual leaders are just regular people and that regardless of individual belief systems, the key to true happiness lies within ourselves - we are our own gurus. The film plays as an awkward comedy, but it doesn't necessarily pity or poke fun at his gullible disciples. In fact, many of them have improved their outlook in life and are generally happier for adhering to Kumare's teachings, even though he revealed his true identity and purpose at the end of the film.

Vikram Gandhi (center) and Stephen Feder (right) leading a Kumare meditation session upon request from an audience member.

The next film, Escape from Tomorrow, is a surreal trip through repressed memories and the horrors lurking beneath the illusions created by Walt Disney. It follows a father during his family vacation to Disney world where he soon becomes infatuated with two underage girls, who inadvertently guide him through a schizophrenic nightmare involving twisted imagery, seduction by an evil milf, and a serious case of cat flu. Due to the controversial nature of the film and blatant bashing of Disney, scenes that were shot at the park were done so guerrilla style. The director describes the process as "nerve-wracking" and when asked what the repercussions will be from the corporate giant, he replied with a smile, "we'll see what happens". As an audience we were lucky to attend this film, as it is the second official screening (first being Sundance), though it is a slightly different edit.

James Ponsoldt, Soojin Chung, Randy Moore, Roy Abramsohn, Elena Schuber, and Annet Mahendru

The last film of the day was the superb coming of age drama The Spectacular Now, and is a gripping tale involving a popular teenage boy who falls in love with an unpopular girl from school and soon becomes aware that his addiction to alcohol and carefree "in the now" philosophy on life affects not only his future, but also his new girlfriend. Part of this seems like an overused premise from numerous teen/high school flicks, but the execution puts a realistic light on teenagers and doesn't fall into any cliches or stereotypes you'd expect from setup. The characters help each other grow as people, and although the ending is rather ambiguous, you feel the impact they've had on each others lives. The narrative tends to focus a lot of attention on alcohol addiction, but the director feels that it isn't the point of the film; it's about coming-of-age adolescents and dealing with real life problems. Lead actress Shailene Woodley says that she looks "for scripts that leave me affected" and "the script screamed humanity and rawness". This is another film we were lucky to see, as another early screening.

James Ponsoldt (center-left) and Shailene Woodley (center-right)

Derek and Shailene Woodley playing web-shooters

After the Q&A, some of us Slackers had the opportunity to briefly meet Shailene in person. Though she had places to be, she graciously took the time for pictures with the surrounding fans. When I asked her if she was worried about any irrational fan reaction to her portrayal of Mary Jane Watson in the currently filming The Amazing Spider-Man 2, she confidently replied "I haven't even thought about that". I respect her fearless attitude, because a lot of comic book fans will hate anything and do not understand the difference between film and comic universes - don't let them get you down Shailene.
Unfortunately, tomorrow is the last day of Ebertfest, but I had a great time this year and saw some unforgettable films. Hearing the various filmmakers talk about Roger and his influence on their lives was touching/inspirational, and though we will no longer be able have the privilege of watching anymore of his hand-picked selections, I hope the tradition of this festival continues in honor of his contributions to the film industry and our local community.

Box Office Report: "Oblivion" On Top; "42" Strong In Week Two

2013-04-21T11:56:00.004-06:00

Welcome back for your weekly recap of all news and notes from this weekend's Box Office totals. To no surprise, it was Tom Cruise and "Oblivion" that led the box office this weekend, and by a rather large margin. This was the only new film opening in wide release, however, so there was little fresh competition.

Last week's big winner, "42", made another strong appearance this week, providing the only other stand-out total of the weekend. Outside of these two titles, the drop-off was significant, and overall, the box office hit its lowest point since mid-March. We can expect one more weekend mini-lull coming up ("The Big Wedding" and "Pain and Gain" open next week), but after that, we're into May, and there are exciting titles every week of the month.

For now, hit the jump to check out the specific totals for each film this weekend!

As was mentioned, it was no surprise at all that "Oblivion" took the top spot this weekend. This action movie starring Tom Cruise and Morgan Freeman felt more like a summer blockbuster anyway, so audiences were surely glad to see something like this in April. The film opened with $38.1MM domestically, and can already add to that $112MM internationally (it got a head start overseas). That makes for a grand total of just over $150MM, a number that already looks good for a film with a budget of $120MM. Tom Cruise generally plays quite well around the world, so throwing him in your movie usually means you're in pretty good shape. The film made for the seventh-best all time opening for the month of April, and had the fourth best opening ever amongst Post-Apocalyptic Films.

To this point, the film has a 52% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, which seems acceptable. These March and April action films are usually here for a reason, and if you can come out at over 50% then I feel like you did okay.

In second this weekend was "42", the Jackie Robinson biopic starring Chadwick Boseman and Harrison Ford. The film grabbed $18MM this weekend, bringing its total up to $54MM. That's already a nice bit more than its $40MM budget in only two weeks.

I saw this film last weekend and thought it was quite good. There was a lot of history in there that I think all audiences should familiarize themselves with. I did not do this post last weekend, however, so I should note that the $27MM it made when it opened was the most ever for a Baseball Movie. Historically, baseball films don't do that well at the box office, so this isn't the greatest of feats, but for baseball fans like myself, it gives a little more credibility to the genre to see something other than "The Benchwarmers" now sit atop that list.

As we move to third place, we take a pretty big drop down to $9.5MM, which "The Croods" earned in its fifth weekend. That's now $154MM domestically and $272MM internationally, making for a worldwide total of $427MM. No surprise that just last week DreamWorks Animation ordered a sequel for the prehistoric film. "The Croods" is currently the 14th highest grossing DreamWorks Animation film (domestically). It has a pretty easy road to the top 10 on that list, but climbing much higher than that should prove to be difficult.

In fourth place this weekend was "Scary Movie 5", which was in its second weekend. The film made $6.2MM, bringing its total up to $22.9MM. This is just more than its $20MM budget, so the film did its job. Looking back on the previous installments of this franchise, it's nice to see the box office numbers continue to plummet. The first film or two from this series was funny, but the rest (I'm guessing - I never saw them) have been terrible. I know that's terrible to say not having seen the films, but come on, we all know that's accurate. Audiences gave this series too much credit with the last two installments, but it looks like they've finally moved on at this point. I would imagine the current film has done enough to warrant another chapter, but we might not ever see much more than that.

Rounding out the Top 5 was "G.I. Joe: Retaliation" with $5.7MM. The film is now in its fourth week, and has racked up $111MM domestically, and another $211MM internationally, making for a worldwide total of $322MM. Believe it or not, as bad as the first film was, that number already surpasses what Rise of the Cobra made, and it carries a budget of about $40MM less ($130MM for Retaliation). I know that comment sounds backwards - if the first film was so bad, is it a surprise that this one is doing better? - but the logic is that even with audiences unhappy with the first film, they've all come back for round 2. It's a bit surprising to me.

No bigger, notable numbers for the film outside of those, but it seems clear that we're definitely in line for at least one more film from this franchise.

Outside of the Top 5, not much stands out. Other new releases, "Home Run" and "The Lords of Salem", both opening in limited variety, both had solid per-theater averages, providing promise for further expansion moving forward. Also, I'm amazed that "Silver Linings Playbook" is still hanging around the top 15 - it even got a theater increase this weekend! Pretty impressive run for the film.

Check out the full weekend numbers below, courtesy of Box Office Mojo:

Ebertfest 2013: Day 3

2013-04-20T16:22:00.001-06:00

Films/Guests:

Oslo, August 31st (2011)

Joachiam Trier (Director)

The Ballad Of Narayama (1958)

David Bordwell (Film Historian)

Julia (2008)

Tilda Swinton (Actor)

Due to the flash floods from the night before invading the countryside where Andy and I dwell, we were unable to attend the first screening of the day, Oslo, August 31st. Due to this unfortunate circumstance, I am unable to describe how those early moments of the day unfolded. Once Andy and I finally arrived we thought we'd change things up a bit and sit in the balcony of the Virginia Theatre this time around. While there's a little less leg room than the seats of the main floor, every seat in the balcony allows a perfect view. This is due to the heavy declined angle in the stadium style seating which allows your gaze to cast over the entire theater. We thought this might be a perfect way to experience the vast mountain village sets in The Ballad Of Narayama.

Chaz Ebert, Tilda Swinton, and Festival Director Nate Kohn

We were right! The balcony was just the place to take in the intricate beautiful spaces where the story takes place. The film focuses on the Japanese tradition of carrying the elderly from the village up to the mountain and leaving them to die when food is low in the village. basically wiping out an inconvenience or speeding up the inevitable, so that the village may survive on the low amounts of food available. After the screening, film historian David Bordwell was brought in to discuss the film. There was a discussion on the ambiguity on how one may read the abandonment traditions taking place. You can read it as critical, accepting, or just as the subject matter. While the subject matter was interesting, what I took away most from the film was the visual texture, theater like sets, and ethereal colors. Even with a jarring score overlaying the film, it was the poetic ambiance of the visuals that really stuck with me.

For the final film of the day, we watched Julia, starring Tilda Swinton. Swinton stars as the titular character, Julia - wild, dripping in alcohol, excess, and substance abuse, telling lie after lie in an attempt to attain her own selfish agendas. Julia gets wrapped up in a kidnapping in the hopes of earning a large financial reward. She finds and creates many obstacles in this venture.

Tilda Swinton, who spoke after the film, described the role not as brave but as "kamikaze". You aren't merely watching an alcoholic on screen getting into all sorts of serious shenanigans, there is also a visceral self destructive feel affecting the viewer throughout the movie itself. Swinton went on to say "We wanted to make more than a film about alcoholics. We wanted to make an alcoholic film." Not only are you watching a train wreck personified, the movie imprints that lousy self-destruction feel on the viewer. As I was watching, I was constantly twisting in pain from what was being presented to me on the screen. The film runs 140 minutes, and is still completely engaging from beginning to end. Swinton said, "There's a 4-hour cut, this was just the trailer." Personally, I can't imagine what other downward spiral actions the character Julia could have possibly presented herself with, but I know I'd be down for checking out that cut.

Me doing "The Maybe" with Tilda Swinton

I stuck around after the Q&A hoping to catch Swinton so that I could ask her some questions about her recent MoMA performance piece, "The Maybe", where she sleeps in a glass box allowing the public to view her resting. I could tell her time was short so I wasn't able to get an in depth conversation going. She started "The Maybe" performance back in 1995, and returns to it periodically but never fully knows WHEN or IF she will ever return to the project. I had asked her, since the piece started in London, does she consider herself a part of the Young British Artists (YBAs) or if she is buddies with any of those artists. She said that she new a few of them and that Damian Hirst's "The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living" may have had a subconscious influence on her glass box piece.

In meeting Tilda Swinton I found her to be a very kind woman. She is a favorite here at Ebertfest and it's obvious that the crowd here, including myself, would like to see her return for a third time.

Top 5 Movie Guide: Witch Movies

2013-04-20T13:01:00.001-06:00

For this edition of the Top 5 Movie Guide, in line with this weekend's release of "The Lords of Salem", we take a look at some of our favorite Witch Movies! "The Lords of Salem", from the mind of horror maestro Rob Zombie, is a chilling plunge into a nightmare world where evil runs in the blood. The film tells the tale of a radio station DJ living in Salem, Massachusetts, who receives a strange wooden box containing a record, a "gift from the Lords". She listens, and the bizarre sounds within the grooves immediately trigger flashbacks of the town's violent past. Is she going mad, or are the "Lords of Salem" returning for revenge on modern-day Salem?

We've kept some of our more recent Genre/Category lists pretty basic as of late, leading to little need for preface beforehand. If anyone filtered these out specifically, they'll say so before their picks, but otherwise, we generally accepted films into this category that contained witches, warlocks, wizards, and sorcerers. This list toed the line with another recent list, that on Magic, but most picks differentiated enough.

Hit the jump to see what we picked as some of our favorite films from this genre!

Alex Schopp -
The 90's were a good time for Witch Films, apparently.

1. The Witches (1990)

I really love the imagery in this movie. It scared me as a child and it creeps me out thinking about now. This is a dark yet rewarding fairy tale, and the combination of Jim Henson and Roald Dahl definitely made for an enjoyable film for all ages here.

2. Hocus Pocus (1993)

Childhood staple, of course. I actually have re-watched this within the last five years or so, and it really is not that good... Since this is such a weak category though, I'll let my nostalgia carry this one. But unless you are a small child or you carry the same memories for the film that I do, I see little value for you now. This is still a fun Halloween film, worthy of introducing to your children.

3. The Wizard of Oz (1939)

The Wicked Witch of the West is a pretty menacing villain. I've seen this film so many time - and probably profiled it on these lists just as many - so it feels unnecessary to detail its achievements here. This is a wonderful film that everyone should be familiar with.

4. The Crucible (1996)

Very solid cast, headlined by Daniel Day-Lewis. As a whole, this is a bit over-dramatic for me to revisit it often, but I can definitely appreciate its strong technical achievements. There are some powerful and emotional moments in this film.

5. The Craft (1996)

This movie is a bit cheesy, but it's a fine mid-90's horror film that feels perfectly in place with things like "I Know What You Did Last Summer" and "Urban Legend" (for what that's worth).

Ben Foutch -

1. The Witches (1990)

This earns the top spot purely for nostalgic value. It's a perfect family horror film.

2. The Crucible (1996)

History is terrifying.

3. The Craft (1996)

A surprisingly creepy teen horror film.

4. Warlock (1989)

Didn't want to discriminate against the other half. This is low-budget/trash heaven.

5. Suspiria (1977)

Horrid pace but massive with atmosphere.

Derek Clem -

1. The Harry Potter Franchise (2001 - 2011)

I feel like I love these movies more and more as time goes on but for very different reasons than my initial reason for loving them. For example, I used to only watch The Goblet of Fire as a background movie, taking in the beautiful pallet in an ethereal way, but now I really get into the action taking place.

2. Hocus Pocus (1993)

This is a childhood staple. A movie you should watch every Halloween. Is this one of maybe three times Sarah Jessica Parker has looked like a bombshell?

3. The Crucible (1996)

One of Daniel Day Lewis' greatest acting moments: "Because it is my name! Because I cannot have another in my life! Because I lie and sign myself to lies! Because I am not worth the dust on the feet of them that hang! How may I live without my name? I have given you my soul; leave me my name!"

4. Practical Magic (1998)

I tell ya, Sandra Bullock sure does cast a spell over me every time I watch this flick. She's a babe!

5. The Wizard of Oz (1939)

Why is this so low, you ask? I realize this is the greatest movie on my list, but I've seen it so many times it's starting to turn into a "whatever movie"... whatever that means. It's especially hard for me to recommend it as a witch movie, as The Wicked Witch of the West is so darn annoying with her voice and laugh.

Nathan Hinds -

1. Harry Potter Franchise (2001-2011)

My favorite film franchise (I consider LOTR one big film), and it wouldn't seem right to only pick one.

2. The Wizard of Oz (1939)

One of the reasons that "Oz the Great and Powerful" kinda sucked was that Mila Kunis simply wasn't scary enough to play The Wicked Witch of the West. The original didn't have that problem since the actress to play her was plenty scary without any makeup.

3. Stardust (2007)

Michelle Pfeiffer gets the award for best looking witch on my list, narrowly beating out Emma Watson. On another note, this movie is amazing.

4. Hocus Pocus (1993)

This is a guilty pleasure from my childhood, and I still make a point to watch it at least once every year around Halloween.

5. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (1988)

I'm talking about the BBC version, not the 2005 film. Even though I thought the 2005 film was entertaining and has a much higher production value, the 1988 version had much better actors. The main reason I chose this version is because the witch in the BBC version is far more menacing than the 2005 version.

Tracy Allison -
This is a relatively unexplored genre for me. I have a couple that I love, but I don’t feel strongly about witch movies in general.

1. The Wizard of Oz (1939)

I think it’s amazing that so many kids born in the 80s and 90s watched and loved this movie from 40+ years before and that it continues to have such an impact on people today. It was so magical to me, from the switch from black and white to color, to the interesting creatures, the music, and the characters that embodied the very element they thought they lacked. It’s a lot of information for a child, but it’s a movie that inspired me to ask a lot of questions as a child. I think it introduced me to the idea that witches could be both good and evil.

2. Spirited Away (2001)

I just rewatched this one less than a week ago and I really enjoyed it. The wealth of characters is great and the allegory warning against greed and for kindness to everyone is a nice message for children, but some of the imagery was creepy and frightening!

3. Matilda (1996)

Would we call Matilda a witch? Eh, probably. A good, little girl witch. You feel so sorry for her, but in true Roald Dahl fashion, the good child wins in the end and becomes happy. Matilda has a bad life, but she soon learns she has powers and she uses them only to set right her life and the lives of those around her that are good to her.

4. Enchanted (2007)

This movie is maybe a little “too girly” for me, but I love the idea of an actual fairy tale in New York. It was like all of the movies that I had watched as a child – updated.

5. Sleeping Beauty (1959)

Maleficent is like one of the absolute meanest and worst villains, ever.

So there we have it, folks. Quite the variety of films this week, especially for a category that doesn't necessarily feel as deep as ones we've dissected in the past. Overall there were 15 different films making appearances above, and six with multiple selections.

No film appeared on all five lists, but one, "The Wizard of Oz", made its way onto four. This is a classic and a masterpiece. Surely everyone is familiar with this film, but if by chance you are not, you should get that corrected.

We had two films appear on three lists - "Hocus Pocus" and "The Crucible" - and three films hit on two lists - "The Harry Potter Franchise", "The Witches", and "The Craft". We ran the spectrum here, with everything from critically acclaimed films to horror movies to children's fairy tales. These all seem like some of the most notable films from the genre, and all great choices to start with when further exploring the category.

As always, we hope that each of the selections above helps to expand your knowledge and appreciation of some of the best films that this genre has to offer, and guides you to better and more enjoyable all-around viewing experiences.

Happy watching!

Ebertfest 2013: Day 2

2013-04-19T13:05:00.002-06:00

Films/Guests:

To Music

Sophie Kohn (Co-Director)
Fieke Santbergen (Co-Director)

Vincent: The Life and Death of Vincent Van Gogh

Paul Cox (Director)

In The Family

Patrick Wang (Director/Actor)

Bernie

Richard Linklater (Director)

Jack Black (Actor) - Unfortunately his flight was canceled but he was kind enough to bless us with a phone call for the Q&A section of the night.

As many of you know from yesterday's post and the title of this one here, we are jumping into Day 2 of the Ebertfest happenings, and happy to do so! Unfortunately, the weather caused a few problems for both getting any pictures outside and appearances of a few of the scheduled stars. It was more than slightly disheartening to hear that Jack Black wouldn't be making it but as per usual with the annual Ebertfest crowd, we just keep on keepin' on. I honestly don't think there is a single disaster that could keep our crowd away - short of a tornado landing immediately on top of the theater and not allowing us to get in at all...since it wouldn't be there. We will go whether it's rain or snow, wind or lightning. We push on for our love of film and our hope to grab just a sliver of insight to the late, great Roger Ebert. It's also, as much as any crowd I have ever had the pleasure of sitting in the middle of or standing in line with, an amazing social event where you can meet some amazing people who you might never have had the pleasure of meeting! Well here I am rambling on, you should have just interrupted me...

As we took our seats close to the stage gearing up for the later Q&A, people begin settling in everywhere. Chaz comes on and gives us an amazing warm, heartfelt opening speech and brings out some brand new, next generation filmmakers, Sophie Kohn and Fieke Santbergen, the directors of "To Music" - a nice little short that takes place in France about the healing power of music. Sophie reads off an email she sent to Roger back in 2006, the first email she ever sent him actually, which talks about her feelings towards movies in general and how she has idolized him. She wasn't lying one tiny bit when she said she thought that it was fitting for us to hear. It was an amazing look back into how Roger has affected many generations and continues to do so; it was a great insight to how other people who had met him throughout there lives described him, as a person and not "the famous guy who everyone knows is in love with movies".

After To Music played we started up the movie by Paul Cox called Vincent: The Life and Death of Vincent Van Gogh. It was a very interesting movie displaying many works by Van Gogh and a multitude of letters he had written to his brother. It describes through narration how he started and warped through his mindset and became the artist who is now so famous only after his death. It was full of emotion and color and a great way to start off this year's festival, as I know many of us had a million different emotions floating around. It is and will continue to be a very bittersweet year for us at Ebertfest. As Chaz said "I feel his spirit here in the Virginia, its like a temple" and she isn't wrong. His chair still sits at the corner and I know that I myself have found myself peering over to it just in case Roger happened to be giving his iconic "Thumbs up!" but we are here to remember him as much as we are here to celebrate him; these movies more than any other year at Ebertfest symbolize what he wanted us to see, it is the message he has left behind for us and I intend on reading and watching carefully to make sure I see that message clearly.

Getting back to the actual schedule, as the movie wraps the applause ensues and we all start checking our watches to see if we have a minute to go grab a quick meal before we delve into the next movie which is 2hr 50min long! It turns out that we do not. We decide to suck it up and sit through the movie, and I am so glad we did! This movie, In the Family, was phenomenal! It was such a great story about sacrifice and family. What is it that truly defines and family? This movie gets you so engrossed so quickly that you begin to forget about the passing of time. You become a partner to those characters and really feel what they are feeling. Now I will say that the length is unnecessary, as fellow slacker Ben Foutch puts it, "Its just irresponsible". Many of the shots are long landscape shots or establishing shots of our main character being alone. While this is important we could have lost an easy 20min without loosing the integrity of what the movie was making us feel. All in all, just don't go into this one hungry as they talk about food more in this movie than most Thanksgiving movies do!

Richard Linklater and Michael Barker

We then got our much deserved and appreciated "lunch" break! Piles on Piles of food from our local Peking Garden! We stuffed our brains back into action and headed back through the treacherous storm to make our seats on time for Bernie, the highlight of most peoples' night here. We took our seats as the theater began to crowd more and more. If it didn't sell out it was damn near to it; we were packed to the rafters! After the lights came back up we got our Q&A sans JB, but Richard Linklater was still here and willing to spill out all his words of wisdom! Then we got a suprise guest! JB called in to help with the Q&A! We got the chance to ask him some questions and see some of his very unique personality! He made a promise to visit Ebertfest yet and I will hold him to that as long as I am able.

After everything was done and finished, a few of us Slackers got the chance to talk to Mr. Linklater face to face. we got to ask him a few questions and do a general "shoot the shit" with a little less audience participation. One question I got to throw at him before he left was "So, any real possibility for a School of Rock 2?" and his answer, "No, unfortunately we had it but it kind of fell flat. You really have to do what you want to be doing and it just isn't right for now. Jack and I have something else planned but if nothing works out, who knows maybe we will pick it back up and take a closer look." So, sorry for crushing any dreams there...including my own...but School of Rock 2 is shelved for now.

Linklater and Tracy Allison

Well that's about it for my Day 2 Ebertfest rundown. I hope you enjoy and if you haven't had the opportunity to come down this year just remember to stay locked into the Slackers Selection Movie Blog for all your Ebertfest needs. As always feel free to add any comments below or ask questions. Any of us would be happy to answer if we can. See you at Day 3!

Special Edition Top 10 List: Roger Ebert's Great Movies

2013-04-19T08:12:00.000-06:00

For as much as the contributors of this site enjoy making lists about movies, very infrequently do we venture outside of our regularly scheduled Top 5 Movie Guides. It generally takes something significant to warrant such a divergence, but that's exactly what this is. It's taken some time to get this post together, so at this point it's no secret that Roger Ebert tragically passed away earlier this month, leaving an entire community of film enthusiasts distraught. It goes without saying that everyone at this site sends their condolences to Mr. Ebert's family and friends, and his absence with be greatly missed.

Even though Ebert was an avid non-listmaker, creating exactly that is the best and only way that this site knows how to honor the late critic. So today, we take a look at Ebert's extensive list of "Great Movies" - consisting of more than 300 titles - and each rank our ten favorites from that group. Ebert has compiled the list over the years, citing "...considerations and appreciations of movies from the distant past to the recent past, all of movies that I consider worthy of being called 'great'."

The grouping of films spans almost the entire spectrum of their existence, and covers every genre and category you could imagine. Picking out only ten films from this group - and then ranking them! - was incredibly tedious. Nonetheless, we hope that this exercise is a worthy final remembrance to Roger Ebert, and maybe you'll even find some value in our selections.

Alex Schopp -
There were a million ways I could go with this list, so take it for what you will.

1. Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

In a previous post I commented on how this is one of my absolute favorites of all time. Perfect blend on entertainment and technical mastery. Indiana Jones is my hero.

2. Star Wars (1977)

I can't deny the impact this film has had on my life to this point. I will always appreciate this film, and I would say this is far and away my most-watched film on this list.

3. It's a Wonderful Life (1946)

Every time this film comes up, I realize that I have a stronger love for it than I did before. It's just a great film, and I really enjoy Jimmy Stewart's work in it. My mom always made us watch this on Christmas Eve when we were younger - I barely cared at the time, but now I'm glad I'm so familiar with it. I'll make my kids watch this every year on Christmas, too.

4. Alien (1979)

Great sci-fi thriller. I love Ridley Scott's intricate style, and of course the imagery of this creature is amazing. I can never decide if I enjoy more of the horror angle in this film or the action angle in the sequel. Both are great though.

5. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)

Let's keep the alien theme going. This is a much more grounded and emotional take on the genre, but it has to be considered a masterpiece. I've always liked the film, but only in a recent re-watch did I see that even as an adult the film was still impactful.

6. The Shining (1980)

This is another film that I've long appreciated, but only recently have really grown to love. I've always enjoyed the imagery and the pace of the film - and of course the music is just spot-on - but only after watching the recent documentary "Room 237" have I expanded my appreciation for Stanley Kubrick. I've since studied up on him, and I love just how intricate he was with every aspect of his films.

7. Citizen Kane (1941)

This film has just come on like a storm with me. I've seen the film three times in my life now, and every time it's gotten exponentially better. My first viewing, as a young lad, left me less than impressed - it was a slow black & white movie. My second viewing, for a college film class, made me appreciate the film for the first time and understand its importance in cinema history. The third time I watched it, within the last two years, it just clicked into place. It will probably never be on my All Time Top 10 or anything, but I just loved the pace and the story it told. Maybe it took an adult to better connect with the story, but whatever the reason, this film finally means something to me, more than just on a technical level.

8. The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

What's interesting here, is this film actually does have a chance to possibly be on my Top 10 someday (it's a fringe candidate currently). Great pace, great characters, great story. It's a near perfect film. Maybe I'm currently just a bit more excited about each of the films above.

9. A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001)

Let's make it three Steven Spielberg films on this list (plus it sort of brings another Kubrick film into the picture, too - Spielberg says that he never felt like he was directing his own movie with this one). Love the art direction of this film, and there's a great eeriness present throughout as well.

10. Groundhog Day (1993)

I kind of went with a flier in the #10 spot and selected a comedy. I don't normally have much interest in comedies, but this is definitely one of my favorites, and I thought the genre deserved a place on this list.

Ben Foutch -

1. The Shinning (1980)

I prefer Kubrick's interpretation to the actual novel. Visually immersive and dripping with tension.

2. Taxi Driver (1976)

Scorsese has a knack for portraying delusional characters in an almost relatable light.

3. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

Aside from the dimensional portal acid trip sequence, this film isn't dated at all.

4. The Big Lebowski (1998)

Unforgettable characters. This is comedy gold.

5. Groundhog Day (1993)

I've seen this too many times, but it never gets old.

6. The Hustler (1961)

It may not seem like it on the surface, but it has a haunting quality. The characters really stick with you.

7. 8 1/2 (1963)

A surreal look into the artistic process, and the internal conflicts arising from professional obligations and human desire.

8. Blade Runner (1982)

Far from a perfect film, but keeps getting better with age.

9. A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001)

Kubrick's style may be too emotionless/distant for this material and Spielberg really brings it home. Though, one can't help but wonder what could have been.

10. Pan's Labyrinth (2006)

One of the best fantasy films of all time. Emotionally jarring and unforgettable.

Derek Clem -

1. Star Wars (1977)

Sometimes when I'm watching other movies I'll think, I'd much rather be watching Star Wars. That reoccurring thought is enough to place this movie at #1 on my list.

2. Jaws (1975)

Every kid goes through that shark obsession phase in their life, right? This is what fueled mine.

3. Planes, Trains, & Automobiles (1987)

A Thanksgiving staple for my family. And when it's not Thanksgiving, we watch it anyway.

4. Groundhog Day (1993)

I like to think he lived the same day for about 10,000 years. I want this to happen to me so so badly. Though, I would like to be able to choose the day I relive over and over. Maybe choose five days to sample, live those days out for a month each, and then pick my favorite one to live out for 10,000 years.

5. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)

I don't watch this movie very often anymore, but its significance is undeniable. A near perfect film, if not perfect.

6. Psycho (1960)

It's difficult to be definitive when talking about Hitchcock, but I believe this is my favorite Hitchcock film.

7. Alien (1979)

Amazing and highly memorable Art Direction. I want to say this is Sci-Fi Horror at its best!

8. A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001)

Beautifully haunting.

9. The Big Lebowski (1998)

I started saving my movie tickets in Junior High. This is my second oldest ticket. I've always been proud to say I saw this in the theater, especially after it reached such a high cult classic status. Basically what I'm saying is, I was into The Big Lebowski before it was cool to be into The Big Lebowski. **Pushes up thick rimmed glasses**

10. Saturday Night Fever (1977)

I've tried multiple times to include this in my Top 10 Movies of All Time, so it surprises me that it's ranking so low today on this list. I think it's because of how serious this film gets at times, when all I really want it to be is epic music and dancing. Those are the parts you want to walk away remembering anyway.

Nathan Hinds -
Maybe this is in bad taste, and I don't know how he went about compiling this list, but the fact that The Lord of the Rings is not present is regrettable.

1. Shawshank Redemption (1994)

In my Top 10 favorite films, and one of the greatest films ever made.

2. E.T. the Extra Terrestrial (1982)

Pure movie magic.

3. The Wizard of Oz (1939)

I've said it every time I reference this movie, but I think it's the greatest all around film ever made.

4. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)

I just watched this movie again recently and it's such a powerfully acted film. Nurse Ratched is one of the most evil people in the history of film.

5. Duck Soup (1933)

One of my favorite comedies. As I made my way through AFI's Top 100 list this might have been the biggest surprise out of the whole thing. The Marx Bros. truly were comedic geniuses. I laughed throughout the entire film.

6. Schindler's List (1993)

Even though I don't really tear up when I watch this film (at least not that I remember), I list this as the saddest movie I've ever seen.

7. This Is Spinal Tap (1984)

Another one of my all time favorite comedies. What makes it so effective is how close it really is to showing the rock & roll lifestyle at the time, and how these guys acted.

8. Pinocchio (1940)

I just watched this recently and it's so much darker than I remembered. I can see how I wasn't into this film as much as a kid, but watching it as an adult, I have a new appreciation for it.

9. The Godfather, Part II (1974)

I have trouble describing this film. I guess the way I like to describe it best is to say it's a powerhouse of a film. There is only a small handful of films I say that about. What I mean by that is that when I'm watching it, I feel like I'm doing something important, not just sitting around watching a movie.

10. The Wild Bunch (1969)

My favorite western on Ebert's list, and one of my all time favorites. This film features one of the most epic shootouts in all of film.

Tracy Allison -
Was this the hardest list of all time to narrow down? There were at least thirty movies that I loved! Honestly, the following ten movies are some of my favorites of all time.

1. Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope (1977)

I’m scared to think about the kind of person that I'd be if this wasn't my very first most watched and favorite movie.

2. Easy Rider (1969)

An epic counterculture film that speaks volumes about American society in the late sixties. This movie has so many amazing elements, and it’s a journey that probably couldn't happen now, but you sorta wish it still could. It makes me wish I was riding around the country with those guys.

3. Blade Runner (1982)

I've said before that this is in contention to be one of my favorites of all time. Its visuals, tone, and its creepy sci-fi nature is right up my alley.

4. Alien (1979)

This is how a tension filled sci-fi movie should be. There’s only one alien, and a lot of the movie is pretty quiet. The way that this movie builds tension between its crew and as the creature starts picking people off and rapidly evolving is masterful.

5. The Big Lebowski (1998)

I am so excited to be able to use this on a list since it was enshrined before my time! It’s a great mix of action, dark comedy, humor, and enough slacker style to get the juices flowing. I've even been accused of only hating The Eagles because The Dude does. And my response is probably, “Yeah, well, that’s just like, your opinion, man.”

6. Silence of the Lambs (1991)

I am basically anti-horror film, only because I’m too sensitive and scared. This one though, might be my favorite. It's not mindless gore and frights just for the sake of frights without a storyline. The story is involved and intriguing, the acting is great. I love a thriller with a great story. The only thing that stops me from watching this movie more is the scary ending!

7. It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)

I am scared for George Bailey every time and the ending makes me feel so happy. The perfect Christmas movie. I love the quaint old town setting and the fantastical elements. This was my introduction to Jimmy Stewart, and I've always loved that his characters somehow seem both realistic, familiar, and yet untouchable in an indescribable way.

8. E.T. the Extra Terrestrial (1982)

This little alien doesn't seem like he should be endearing by looking at him, but you can’t help but love him and his human family. Just try not to laugh and cry!

9. Rebel Without a Cause (1955)

This movie is very important to me. If it wasn't for James Dean and this movie, I don't think I would love movies and the acting world as much as I do today. My interest in this film and the young actors in it should be at the center of a “Tracy Allison” Venn diagram.

10. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)

Romances can follow a fairly typical formula and I love the fact that this one doesn't The people are flawed, just like real people, and that makes it more endearing to me personally.

Unlike tradition Top 5 Movie Guides, we're not going to provide stats for all the films above. There are 50 slots above, and each of these lists should stand on their own. There were some films that were definitely more favored than others - interestingly though, not one film appeared on all five lists - but overall, there was fantastic variety (33 different films overall) that really showcased the depth of some of the movies Roger Ebert considered Great.

Roger Ebert had a major impact on cinema, and there is no doubt his contributions will be forever remembered.We send a final Thank You from our entire site to Mr. Ebert for all that he did over the course of his lifetime to help advance the art of film.

What you do with the information above is up to you, but if you're looking for some great films to dive into that resonate equally with ~~one of~~ the greatest film critics of all time and a handful of Slackers, these should be fine options.

Happy watching!

Ebertfest 2013: Day 1

2013-04-18T11:36:00.000-06:00

Films/Guests:

I Remember (short)

Grace Wange (writer/director)
June Kim (director of photography)

Days of Heaven

Haskell Wexler (director of photography)

The movie theater experience can be hit or miss depending on the crowd and venue. Is there anything worse than hearing other peoples' conversations while constantly shifting in an uncomfortable chair, only to come to the realization that the trip to the theater was the worst decision of your day? Thankfully, you won't have to worry about those kinds of problems when visiting The Virginia, especially during Ebertfest. From the quality films, candid celebrity Q & A, aesthetic environment, and respectful patrons, Ebertfest is one of the best movie-going experiences you will ever have. It is because of these factors that the possibility of getting caught in a downpour while standing in the massive line to enter the iconic theater didn't dampen my anticipation, or that of fellow slacker, Derek Clem.
Chaz took to the stage of the newly renovated theater to a standing ovation and welcomed us to the festival; sadness from the recent loss of her husband crept through in her voice. "Thank you for giving me someplace to go today. I needed this", she said to a humbled audience. She mentions that Roger wanted the festival to continue after his passing, and that "tonight we're going to celebrate Roger" - applause erupts from the crowd. Before introducing the first film of the night she informs us that this year's festival is dedicated to Haskell Wexler, who is in attendance to represent Days of Heaven, and that there is a special sing along planned by Roger to start after the short film I Remember.

It's hard to see, but Chaz is wearing Roger's scarf

I Remember was introduced by a moving speech from director Grace Wange, also accompanied by June Kim. She credits and thanks Roger for bringing out her potential as a filmmaker, and that he not only helped her career, but also her growth as a human being. The film focuses on a young women reminiscing about a romantic time with a former lover; completely lost in thought as she mopes around in an apartment - the view from her window blocked by an angled roof of another building. As she clings to the memories of the time spent on the beach, the cacophony of city noise reverberates through the tiny room, trapped, like the feelings she can't let go. After watching the film, it is obvious to see what potential Roger saw in the young director. In a short amount of time and with almost no dialogue, we are shown a portrait of the complex relationship between the mind and emotional desire.

Next, Chaz delivered the promise of a sing-a-long to "Those Were the Days" with new lyrics by Roger, which was led by the UI Black Chorus.

Once upon a time there was a theater,

Where we used to see a film or two

Remember how we laughed away the hours

And dreamed of all the great things we would do

Those were the days my friend

We thought they'd never end

We'd sing and dance forever and a day

We'd live the life we choose

We'd fight and never lose

For we were young and sure to have our way

After the singalong, the main film for the night, Days of Heaven, played to an eager crowd. The Terrence Malick film is well respected in the cinematic community, especially concerning the camera work, which according to Wexler, used mostly natural light, capturing "things as they were". The film gracefully tells a story of hardship, passion, and betrayal, with little dialogue aside from the narration of the main character. Like many have said before, it's a beautiful film, transporting the viewer into the vast openness of the prairie on which it was filmed. Wexler, who was called in to help shoot the picture due to running over schedule, captured the original photographer's (Nestor Almendros) vision, which has been compared to early 20th Century paintings. He was adamant though that this was not a conscious decision on his part, instead just him trying to stay true to the work that had already been done. Though he didn't get credit by the studio as a lead director of photography, which led to some heated disputes, it is safe to say that audiences recognize his contribution to the captivating film. After attempting to explain some of the photography methods, he jokingly remarks that "If you don't understand it, you're not missing anything". He recalls Malick as a "weird guy" and "ecologically spiritual". One of the highlights of the film is a scene involving a locus swarm attacking the wheat crops, which was actually coffee beans that were dropped from a helicopter. The film took eighteen months to edit and won the Academy award for Cinematography.

When the Q&A was over we ran into another fellow slacker, Tracy Allison, who was also taken by the film. Derek was able to snag an autograph from Wexler before leaving, and when the icon took a look at the DVD cover for One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest, he said, "Oh, Jack! I go to basketball games with him." The man seemed tired and was in high demand from fans, so we didn't pester him with any more questions. Overall, it was a great night at the movies with an excellent crowd. If you haven't seen Days of Heaven, I highly recommend it.

You can look forward to Thursday's rundown from Andy Schopp, which features main guest, Jack Black. Black is representing his film Bernie, which shows a mature performance from the comedic actor. Hopefully he doesn't get held back by scheduling conflicts like Patton Oswalt did last year. If you don't have tickets for the sold out festival, you can always stand in the rush line in the hopes that something will become available. Apparently, in the festival's history, they've never turned down attendees. I can't verify that information, but if you need the inspiration to give it a shot, I can't think of anything more reassuring than that.

Top 5 Movie Guide: John Carpenter

2013-04-17T09:03:00.001-06:00

For this edition of the Top 5 Movie Guide, we take a look at some of our favorite films from director John Carpenter. Carpenter does not have a new film coming out this week (or this year, for that matter), so here's how we got to this selection: by chance we noticed that today is Roddy Piper's birthday. In the film world, Piper is most known for his performance in "They Live". And since Piper has done very little notable film work outside of that film, we thought we'd take a look at the other films its director, John Carpenter, has created over the years. It's a slightly different angle, but it was hard to pass up the chance of profiling one of the great sci-fi/horror directors around.

Carpenter was born in Carthage, New York, but moved to Bowling Green, Kentucky when his father became head of the music department at Western Kentucky University. He started making short films when he was only 14-years-old, and continued throughout college. He first attended Western Kentucky University, and later went on to study at USC's prestigious film school. While there, he wrote the short "The Resurrection of Broncho Billy" (1970). The film went on to win an Oscar for Best Live-Action Short.

Known as "The Master of Horror", John Carpenter is most notably remembered for many of his horror and sci-fi features, including early productions such as "Halloween" (1978), "The Fog" (1980), and "The Thing" (1982). He is credited for the invention of the "jump scare", something that is a horror cliche now, but was a powerful form of suspense originally. Carpenter achieved this by mixing intense musical cues with characters or objects moving quickly into frame, eliciting a shock reaction from audience members. And speaking of music, Carpenter also composes most of the scores in his own movies, using powerful yet simplistic synthesizer tones.

He has turned down directing a handful of notable projects over the years, including "Top Gun", "Fatal Attraction", and even "Zombieland". All of these would have surely helped with his popularity, but none really feel like Carpenter films. Knowing his preferred style, it doesn't feel like too much of a miss that he passed on any of them, unless they led to more opportunities to make what he actually wanted, of course.

Either way, John Carpenter has still provided a wide variety of films over the years, spanning multiple decades and genres. After the jump, check out which films made each of our lists!

Alex Schopp -
John Carpenter is one of my favorite directors. He's one of the few for which I've made efforts to familiarize myself with their entire filmography. I'm still two short on Carpenter, I think, but that should still give me a pretty good base to compose this list from.

1. Halloween (1978)

This one is an easy choice for me. In my opinion, this is a near perfect horror film. I love the atmosphere so much, and even all these years later, it's still incredibly tense. With as little actual violence in the film, it's amazing that a slasher like this can still be as effective as it is. A lot of the credit surely has to go to the iconic musical score, which Carpenter also composed.

2. The Thing (1982)

For a long time I felt like this film was under-appreciated. And while it very well still may be, I feel like I've detailed it a lot in these posts over recent(ish) months. Still, great atmosphere again, and as always needs mentioning, the practical effects in this film are second to none. You'll be hard pressed to find a better monster/alien movie than this.

3. Escape from L.A. (1996)

I know most people will prefer the first film from this series, "Escape from New York", but for me, Kurt Russell's Snake Plissken is at his best in this film. I believe this is one of the greatest movie characters of all time, and I can't imagine it being anyone but Kurt Russell. This movie is incredibly cheesy, but it's the lovable type that you can't help but enjoy.

4. Vampires (1998)

This movie hasn't aged as well as I'd like, but it's probably my most nostalgic selection on this list. I love the western vampire setting (we've seen it before and will see it again), and this might be some of the coolest work that James Woods has ever done.

5. Big Trouble in Little China (1986)

So many films that I wanted to put in this spot, but we're bringing Kurt Russell back for round three. While Russell never falters in his more serious roles, a la "The Thing", the mix of comedy and action in this film may be the perfect venue for his personality. With a great mullet and plenty of cheesy exchanges, this "hero" enters a world that he has no business being in, making for some great movie moments. This is just fun action/comedy at its best.

Ben Foutch -
I was lucky enough to have developed an intense nostalgia towards a good majority of his films. The only problem is that there can't be more than five on this list! I sincerely hope the ones that didn't make the cut will show up on the other lists.

1. The Thing (1982)

This is pretty much a perfect horror film. From the brooding pace, sense of paranoia, and unforgettable practical effects work, this is at the top of many Carpenter lists for good reason. It just rocks. My only gripe doesn't even have to do the the movie, but the original promotional art - LAME.

2. In the Mouth of Madness (1994)

H.P. Lovecraft fans will surely find this twisted and surreal trip down the rabbit hole dementedly delightful. The narrative is a little confusing, which deters many, but is effective in bringing us down to the same perspective of the main character. It seems like a standard horror film on the surface (which is sort of the point), but if you dig deep enough, you'll surely be rewarded.

3. Halloween (1978)

One of the best slasher films of all time and it boasts a lack of blood, contrary to what the genre began to flaunt, yet is still suspenseful and terrifying in equal measure. Plus, I challenge modern horror directors to get their priorities in order, and take the time to make as memorable of a music score as this one.

4. Big Trouble in Little China (1986)

This is just good ole action/comedy fun. Visually inspired and genre defying, it never seems to take itself too seriously. Plus, taking the usual leading man/anti-hero (Kurt Russell) and making him the bumbling sidekick thrust into a world he doesn't understand allows for some equally tense and comedic moments, and is a nice change of pace.

5. Prince of Darkness (1987)

A very personal film by Carpenter, and one that is equally as frustrating due to a severely sluggish pace. That being said, it's one of the most tense/moody films I've ever seen, and the science-meets-religion theme elevates what could have been a standard zombie/slasher setup into something more thought provoking. For those curious about Italian horror (at least from a 70's/80's perspective), but can't quite commit, this definitely captures some similar qualities.

Derek Clem -

1. Escape from New York (1981)

The gritty dark tone always has me revisiting this movie. They don't make them like this anymore.

2. They Live (1988)

Found this out last year: I'm watching this one day and my stepdad walks in the room. He asks "what are you watching?" I respond, "They Live! Ever seen it? It's great! Rowdy Roddy Piper's in it!" He replies, "Yeah, I'm in it." He had raised me since I was 7 years old, and only last year did I find that information out. The fight scene in this movie is of legend and it's hysterically quotable; you're in for a treat with this one.

3. Escape from L.A. (1996)

I always loved that surfing seen. Nowadays it looks pretty bad. Plus I think everyone will find those plastic surgery addicts pretty interesting to look at. I know I did. Bruce Campbell anyone?

4. Halloween (1978)

Not only did Carpenter direct this classic but he also composed the music. One of the most recognizable scores in cinema history and we have Carpenter to thank for that. I love it!

5. Big Trouble in Little China (1986)

I think Kurt Russell's channeling of John Wayne alone is enough of a reason to watch this movie.

Nathan Hinds -
I've only seen seven of John Carpenter's films, but I've never been really impressed with them; they're very standard from what I've seen so far... That being said, there are still a couple others I'd like to give a chance down the road.

1. The Thing (1982)

The film's good use of practical effects and a good performance by Kurt Russell make this the only John Carpenter film I really enjoy from start to finish.

2. The Ward (2011)

I mentioned that "The Thing" was the only film that I liked from start to finish. Well this film had me interested for about the first hour or so but the ending was pretty standard. Still, if you want to pick a movie from 2011 that involves a bunch of girls in an institution, this is a far better option than the abysmal "Sucker Punch".

3. Halloween (1978)

This is a film that I respect, but simply don't enjoy that much. The music is chilling, but I've never been that into slasher films. If you're into the genre though, this is one of the better ones.

4. The Fog (1980)

Again I use the word standard. There's nothing to really rip this film for, but there's nothing that I think it does great either.

5. Escape from New York (1981)

I'm not wild about this film as a whole, but it's not as bad as "Escape from LA". I will say the part with the "Crazies" is pretty good. I like the idea of this film, and wouldn't mind seeing it redone, I just don't care for Carpenter's style I guess.

Tracy Allison -

1. Escape from New York (1981)

I love so many things about this movie. Amazing dystopian tone, with a badass anti-hero named Snake. How great that it was set in the future, but it's now our past (1997). This was my introduction to John Carpenter and his work with Kurt Russell. If you weren't in love with Kurt Russell before, you will be after this movie.

2. Escape from L.A. (1996)

Russell reprises his role as Snake Plissken in this later sequel. I like the change of scenery to the West coast. And this movie, building on the legacy of the first, has a million great side characters just like the first movie. One of them is A.J. Langer and she joined this project having come off her stint in the popular, yet short-lived teen angst show, My So-Called Life. She was a style icon to young girls in the 90's and it was satisfying to see her in a role like this with her unusual style intact.

3. They Live (1988)

I think it’s safe to say that John Carpenter likes to present the viewer with a world or situation that isn't as it seems, or involves some aspects of dystopia. This film has an interesting concept and serves as an allegory to the effect that advertising and subliminal messaging can have. This movie reminded me of Don DeLillo's White Noise in that way, but this movie wrapped it up in a sci-fi, cheesy effects package that still manages to be fun in spite of its somewhat serious message.

4. The Thing (1982)

If you take a group of people, isolate them, put them around each other for months, and unleash a weird alien “thing”, you've got an eerie romp of a film. The visuals and effects in this movie make me a little squeamish, but I actually like that about it. These are early eighties effects which are my favorite effects, more stress was put on craftsmanship rather than cheesy computer images that went out of style so quickly.

5. Big Trouble in Little China (1986)

Honestly, this movie gets a little too silly for me at times, but it’s fun nonetheless. If you like weird, cheesy 80's movies, this could be right up your alley. But, if you didn't watch it when you were young, this might just be one that you missed the boat on.

There we have it, folks. An interesting assortment this week, especially as we're detailing the films from a director and not an actor. Overall eleven different films appeared above, which is a hefty number when you consider it's eleven different directorial efforts that this group selected as one of his best. Even though some of the sentiments towards this particular director aren't very high, not many directors would land eleven of their films on a list like this.

There were six films that received multiple picks this week, though no film appeared on all five lists. That being said, there were three different films that were on four different lists: "The Thing", "Halloween", and "Big Trouble in Little China". Three different genres there, and the first two films listed are known as some of the very best from their respective genres. None of these films are probably as all-encompassing as many of the most-repeated films that appear on these lists, but there's no doubt that movie fans should find plenty of value in each of these.

Both of the Escape films, "Escape from New York" and "Escape from L.A.", earned three picks this week, and that also brings Kurt Russell's presence in this post up six more films (overall, he appeared in 15 of the 25 films above). Both of these movies have their highs and lows, but Russell's performance as the anti-hero, Snake Plissken, is one of the more memorable characters from any John Carpenter movie.

Rounding out the group, it was "They Live", which appeared on two lists. This has Carpenter's signature twist and cheesiness, but it's still a fun action film that manages to say a good deal about society and government. If you can appreciate the style, you'll enjoy this one plenty.

As always, we hope that each of these selections helps you to expand your knowledge and appreciation of some of the best films that John Carpenter has provided over the years, and guides you to better and more enjoyable all-around viewing experiences.

Happy watching!

In Preview: Ebertfest 2013

2013-04-16T14:07:00.000-06:00

As of tomorrow afternoon, a few select Slackers will embark on yet another year of the great film festival known as Ebertfest.

For those unfamiliar, Ebertfest is the annual film festival notoriously helmed by film critic Roger Ebert, featuring a variety of "over-looked" films. The event takes place in the great city of Champaign, Illinois, home, in part, to the University of Illinois, Ebert's Alma mater. It's a wonderful experience for the community to indulge in some fantastic films in a setting that otherwise is unfamiliar to most. The films featured have always been specifically selected to give us, as audience members, one more chance to invite them into our personal canons before losing them to time. Each film is hand-selected by Mr. Ebert and, on little more than his reputation and his respect in the industry, he's also able to get many of the filmmakers involved with each feature to trek down to our humble city in presentation of the films.

This year, much more than the simple viewings of films will be in play. There are a variety of new beginnings and ends that everyone in attendance will be experiencing. The biggest news for the event, of course, is the tragic passing of Mr. Ebert himself just a few weeks ago. After years of winning his battle against cancer, it finally got the best of him. He lived a full life, and did many great things for the film industry. It goes without saying that his presence will be greatly missed at this year's event. I'm unsure of the full mood that will carry throughout the event, but somber tones will surely be present. He was an icon to both our city and cinema itself, and his absence will be tough to stomach.

Another - much less significant in comparison - detail that will be different this year will be the complete remodel of the Virginia Theatre. After the conclusion of last year's Ebertfest, the theatre was closed for extensive renovations. And only now, a full year later and at the start of the next installment of Ebertfest, will the doors finally re-open. The transformation is astounding, and the theatre's return to its original 1920's state should be quite the spectacle for patrons who have frequented the theatre in the past.

You can expect to see detailed recaps from Ben Foutch, Derek Clem and Andy Schopp as the days go by - we will have at least two of them in attendance every day of the event - along with a variety of exclusive happenings throughout the event.

Films start tomorrow evening and will run through Sunday afternoon. Full event passes are already long sold out, but a few tickets for individual screenings are still available. Hit the jump for a full rundown on all of the films, guests, and events expected throughout the rest of the week.

I'm going to leave this part pretty basic, with a listing of each film and the time it is showing, along with which filmmakers from its production are expected to be in attendance. Among the notable attendees this year are Jack Black, Tilda Swinton, Richard Linklater, and Shailene Woodley. As is typically done, most screenings feature brief Q&A sessions after the films, where great details are provided on the productions.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17

7:00 pm Days Of Heaven (PG; 95 min)

Haskell Wexler - Cinematographer, DP

9:00 pm I Remember (Short Subject)

Grace Wang - Writer, Director
June Kim - Director of Photography
Lily Huang - Actor

THURSDAY, APRIL 18

1:00 pm Vincent: The Life and Death of Vincent Van Gogh (99 min)

Paul Cox - Director

3:00 pm To Music (Short Subject)

Sophie Kohn - Co-Director
Feike Santbergen - Co-Director 4:00 pm

4:00 pm In The Family (169 min)

Patrick Wang - Director, Actor
Trevor St John - Actor 9:00 pm

9:00 pm Bernie (PG-13; 98 min)

Richard Linklater - Director
Jack Black - Actor

FRIDAY, APRIL 19

1:00 pm Oslo, August 31st (87 min)

Joachim Trier - Director

4:00 pm The Ballad of Narayama (PG: 80 min)

David Bordwell 8:30 pm

8:30 pm Julia (R; 140 min)

Tilda Swinton - Actor

SATURDAY, APRIL 20

11:00 am Blancanieves (PG-13; 104 min)

Pablo Berger - Director

2:00 pm Kumaré (86 min)

Vikram Gandhi - Director
Stephen Feder - Producer

5:00 pm Escape From Tomorrow (103 min)

Randy Moore - Director
Soojin Chung - Editor
Roy Abramsohn - Actor 9:00 pm

9:00 pm The Spectacular Now (95 min)

James Ponsoldt - Director
Shailene Woodley - Actor

SUNDAY, APRIL 21

12:00 pm Not Yet Begun To Fight (60 min)

Sabrina Lee - Producer, Co-Director
Shasta Grenier - Co-Director, Editor
Elliott Miller & Erik Goodge - Subjects

We're excited to check out each of these films, and our hope is that we'll be able to get some good content from each of these filmmakers on their projects.

Be sure to check back to this site daily for all of our latest coverage!