Nashville

Year: 1975
Genre: Political drama
Length: 160 minutes
Merut's Grade: B-

Well, at least Netflix felt the urge to send me a movie that was NOT in black and white. For once. Apparently there is over an hour of music in this movie, country music, so I was a little worried. Plus the length seemed a little daunting. However, the music was good, for the most part, and the plot moved along well enough for the time length. I still don't get the ending very well. There were a couple of random characters that I enjoyed watching, Jeff Goldblum and the redhead that can't sing but thinks she can (I can totally relate). It was alright. I don't think I need to watch it again, but it was not unpleasant or painful.

NASHVILLE trailer Robert Altman
Uploaded by NilbogLAND.

Bruno

Year: 2009
Length: 83 minutes
Genre: Spoofs and Satire
Merut's Grade: C

Dear God No. That is what I was thinking most of the time. Especially when there was a full-frontal close up of Sacha Baron Cohen's manly bits. Gross. Thank goodness I am not easily offended. While it did have some entertaining parts, I could have lived without some of the images that are now burned in my brain. Watch at your own risk.

Next book on my list. . . .

The Shining, by Stephen King. Anytime I go into Barnes in Noble to look for a book it is always a crapshoot as to what I'll walk out with. Today I walked out with The Shining, and War and Peace. A random pairing you may say. I am a random person, so this makes sense.

I am currently staring at The Shining, asking myself, "Why? What compelled you? You know you hate this book!" A few years ago, probably in high school, I tried to read it. My dad and my brother both recommended it to me. I started to, but even before the part where they move to the hotel, the boy was having dreams and seeing "REDRUM". I knew it was all downhill from there (big surprise), and I quit. The other two King books I read (Salem's Lot, and The Dark Half) were not so bad, in fact, they sort of bored me. However, The Shining is different, because it is somewhat plausible. And that scares the crap out of me.

So I was in Barnes and Noble, saw this horrible book, and decided I should conquer my fear. After all, it will only cost me $7.99, provided I survive with my life. But this whole day it has been lurking like an evil calling in the back of my mind. I'm going to start it tonight. I'll let you know how it goes.

I have seen the movie, but I was not paying attention. So I'm still a virgin to the plot.

A Confederacy of Dunces, by John Kennedy Toole

Year Published: 1980
Pages: 394
Genre: Comedy (satire)
Merut's Grade: B

After reading An American Tragedy, I was looking for something a little lighter. In both physical weight and plot. This book achieves both. Easily read in a week, the main character, Ignatius J. Reilly, is a 30 year old educated (M.S.) morbidly obese character still living with his widowed mother, much to her demise. Not only that, he takes full advantage of her, feeling it is his right. Ignatius is constantly haranguing his mother.

"Mother doesn't cook," Ignatius said dogmatically. "She burns."

Jones, the only African American, is one of the smartest characters in the book for his ability to accurately assess society (unlike Ignatius).

In all, this book is pretty random. From Ignatius' pyloric valve constantly acting up, to his avoidance in sex leading to strange erections, to his crazy antics to impress his long-distance girlfriend, this book is a pretty decent read.

Lost in Austen

Year: 2008
Length: 177 minutes (i.e. too long)
Genre: Romantic Drama
Merut's Grade: C+

Apparently this movie was a made-for-t.v. series that originally aired in 4 or so parts. First of all, the main character, Amanda Price, is somewhat mannish. Meaning, she is a little hard to stare at for 177 minutes, especially when the plot is dragging. Secondly, they took your traditional Pride and Prejudice plot and rearranged the marriages and occurrences to accommodate a modern character suddenly being flung into 19th century Britain. An interesting premise to be sure. However, Elizabeth Bennet is almost nonexistent in this movie, which is disappointing, because she is a much more enjoyable heroine than Amanda Price. Anywho, good Friday night guilty pleasure, but not a movie to watch again, ever. The worst part is that Darcy is almost caveman-like, and his personality is nonexistent. Darcy in the fountain is the only good part in this movie, every true lady's fantasy, if only it were Colin Firth.

What Makes a Good Teacher

This is a lovely little quote from A Confederacy of Dunces, by John Kennedy Toole. Here's the scene: this teacher, Dr. Talc, is trying to interest a female student, who seems extremely interested in him and his teaching techniques. He tells her,

"I only wish to interest my students. Let's face it. The average student is not interested in the history of Celtic Britain. For that matter, neither am I. That's why, even if I do admit it myself, I always sense a sort of rapport in my classes." p. 233

In other words, be one with your students by hating to teach the topic as much as the students hate learning it. Classic.

On another note, Netflix sent me "Nashville" from the list. The most recent movie it has sent me so far, but it should be interesting . . .

Describing me to a T

I was reading A Confederacy of Dunces, by John Kennedy Toole, this morning and came upon this quote:
"When Fortuna spins you downward, go out to a movie and get more out of life. Ignatius was about to say this to himself; then he remembered that he went to the movies almost every night, no matter which way Fortuna was spinning."

I don't go to the movies every night, but I generally watch one everyday while by myself. But I'm not sure this is how once would get more out life. More like getting more out of people's fictional lives. This book is more different than any other I've read so far. The characters are so absurd one must continue reading, though the plot is slow.

Mon Oncle

Year: 1958
Genre: Foreign Spoof and Satire
Length: 116 minutes
Merut's Grade: C

Please make this incredibly slow, too lengthy, and only occasionally funny movie end! Some parts made me chuckle, but overall this was a painful watch. It is meant to be a commentary on society and modernization, but it is very drawn out. There is minimal dialogue, probably another reason why my attention waned. I appreciate what it is trying to say, but I don't wish this on anybody.

Julie and Julia

Year: 2009
Genre: Dramas Based on Real Life
Length: 123 minutes
Merut's Grade: B+

Today I needed a pick me up, so I went to the Megaplex theater in Salt Lake City, and splurged $5 to see this new movie. First, about the theater. As soon as I went to the cashier to pay, he flipped his computer screen around towards me and said, "Pick your seat. The green ones are the available ones." Apparently I haven't been to a quality movie theater in a long time. I did not realize that now they have seating arrangements. Next, I used the potty and found, to my delight, the most efficient hand dryers. These suckers will actually blow the wetness off your hands. No more wiping of your pants.

The movie itself was your typical picker-upper. I sometimes tend to enjoy these, even when they are somewhat predictable. Before this I was unfamiliar with Julia Child. She seems a little awkward to me, but I did watch some of her videos on youtube yesterday; they were quite entertaining. This movie, while a little long, makes you leave the theater with a sense of empowerment; I want to do something so outrageous just to prove it to myself that I can. I could totally relate to the main character's need of direction and purpose. I'll be in a sorry state when I come home to unemployment in September. The movie also made me want to try and conquer my fear and dislike of onions, but I'm not quite there yet. Anyways, mostly the movie made me crave food.

AFI's Top 100 Movies of the Past 100 Years

Since high school I have been trying to watch all of AFI's top 100 movies from the past 100 years. I stopped for awhile, so I am picking it up again. Here is where I stand so far. The red are the ones I have watched.

1. Citizen Kane (1941) - 1
2. Godfather, The (1972) - 2
3. Casablanca (1942) - 3
4. Raging Bull (1980)
5. Singin’ in the Rain (1952) - 4
6. Gone with the Wind (1939) - 5
7. Lawrence of Arabia (1962) - 6
8. Schindler’s List (1993) - 7
9. Vertigo (1958) -8
10. Wizard of Oz, The (1939) - 9
11. City Lights (1931)
12. Searchers, The (1956)
13. Star Wars (1977) - 10
14. Psycho (1960) - 11
15. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) - 12
16. Sunset Boulevard (1950) - 13
17. Graduate, The (1967) - 14
18. General, The (1927)
19. On the Waterfront (1954) - 15
20. It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)
21. Chinatown (1974)
22. Some Like it Hot (1959) - 16
23. Grapes of Wrath, The (1940)
24. E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
25. To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)
26. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939) - 17
27. High Noon (1952)
28. All About Eve (1950) - 18
29. Double Indemnity (1944)
30. Apocalypse Now (1979)
31. Maltese Falcon, The (1941)
32. Godfather Part II, The (1974)
33. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975)
34. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) - 19
35. Annie Hall (1977) - 20
36. Bridge on the River Kwai, The (1957)
37. Best Years of our Lives, The (1946) - 21
38. Treasure of the Sierra Madre, The (1948)
39. Dr. Strangelove (1964) - 22
40. Sound of Music, The (1965) - 23
41. King Kong (1933)
42. Bonnie and Clyde (1967) - 24
43. Midnight Cowboy (1969)
44. Philadelphia Story, The (1940) - 25
45. Shane (1953)
46. It Happened One Night (1934) - 26
47. Streetcar Named Desire, A (1951) - 27
48. Rear Window (1954) - 28
49. Intolerence (1916)
50. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The (2001) - 29
51. West Side Story (1961)
52. Taxi Driver (1976)
53. Deer Hunter, The (1978)
54. M*A*S*H (1970) - 30
55. North by Northwest (1959)
56. Jaws (1975) - 31
57. Rocky (1976)
58. Gold Rush, The (1925)
59. Nashville (1975) - 32
60. Duck Soup (1933)
61. Sullivan’s Travels (1941)
62. American Graffiti (1973) - 33
63. Cabaret (1972) - 34
64. Network (1976)
65. African Queen, The (1951) - 35
66. Raider’s of the Lost Ark (1981) -36
67. Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf (1966)
68. Unforgiven (1992) - 37
69. Tootsie (1982) - 38
70. Clockwork Orange, A (1971)
71. Saving Private Ryan (1998)
72. Shawshank Redemption, The (1994) - 39
73. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969) - 40
74. Silence of the Lambs, The (1991) - 41
75. In the Heat of the Night (1967)
76. Forrest Gump (1994) - 42
77. All the President’s Men (1976)
78. Modern Times (1936)
79. Wild Bunch, The (1969)
80. Apartment, The (1960)
81. Spartacus (1960)
82. Sunrise (1927)
83. Titanic (1997) - 43
84. Easy Rider (1969)
85. Night at the Opera, A (1935) - 44
86. Platoon (1986)
87. 12 Angry Men (1957)
88. Bringing Up Baby (1938) - 45
89. Sixth Sense, The (1999) - 46
90. Swing Time (1936)
91. Sophie’s Choice (1982) - 47
92. Goodfellas (1990)
93. French Connection, The (1971)
94. Pulp Fiction (1994) - 48
95. Last Picture Show, The (1971)
96. Do the Right Thing (1989)
97. Blade Runner (1982)
98. Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942)
99. Toy Story (1995) - 49
100. Ben-Hur (1959)

49 is not bad. Almost half-way. Anybody think they can beat me? Any arguments about what should or should not be on this list?

My dad claims to have watched 65. I've tested him, and this seems accurate. However, I would argue that he has not seen many movies from before his birth, whereas I have. He needs to catch up on his 50s, 40s, and 30s.

I seem to have real challenger. 80 from N.B. from the Zoo. My 49 is turning out to be unimpressive indeed. :-(

A Night at the Opera

Year: 1935
Genre: Classic Comedies
Length: 92 minutes
Merut's Grade: B

This is the first Marx Brothers comedy I have ever seen, and I am pleasantly surprised. Before watching this movie, I was under the assumption that the Marx Brothers were just stupid comedy. However, I happen to like Groucho best, because of his quick wit and cleverness. Each member of the Marx Brothers provides a different form of comedy. Harpo's silent physical humour made me laugh out loud a few times. He has classic facial expressions. The opera itself is a little annoying. It also reminded me how good comedy can be clean, simple, and straightforward. Back to the basics.

The Best Years of our Lives

Year: 1946
Genre: War Drama
Length: 168 minutes
Merut's Grade: C

Warning: DO NOT WATCH (unless you are old). The basis of this movie is three WWII veterans, all very different, come home for the first time after the war, and try to pick up the pieces. One is a young man who lost both his hands, and comes home to his fiance. He is reluctant to marry her feeling he is now an incompetent man. The next veteran is coming home to his wife of 20+ years, and his two young adult children. Finally, the third veteran is returning to his newlywed wife, whom he was only married to three or so months before he left for war. It is your typical American propaganda type of movie, especially since it was made right after WWII. I'm not really much of a war movie patron, even when the war is over. Dana Andrews is somewhat nice to look out. It is too long, too slow, and too predictable.

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof

Year: 1958
Genre: Classic Drama
Length: 108 minutes
Merut's Grade: B

How come nobody I know has finished this movie?! While it has it's slow parts, Elizabeth Taylor and Paul Newman are both so powerful (Newman more so) and easy on the eyes, I found myself continuing to watch just to continue looking at them. While Newman's change of heart at the end of the movie detracts from it's strength, there are many powerful scenes showing up sporadically amidst the duller ones. My only regret is it is a little too long.

Night at the Museum 2: Battle of the Smithsonian

Year: 2009
Genre: Family Sci-Fi and Fantasy
Length: 105 minutes
Merut's Grade: C+

I enjoyed the original movie, so I thought I'd go see the sequel at the $1.25 theater. I'm so glad that is all I paid. While it continues to play on the same spoofs, with the miniature cowboys and roman soldiers, the museum pieces being stuck in their period, and the saving of the museum pieces, the jokes are sometimes forced and overdone. Kahmunrah is a strange character. While his lisp is meant to be funny, it eventually got on my nerves. I could hardly understand what Amelia Earhart was saying most of the time because of their emphasis on period jargon. While it provided cheap thrills, I hope they do not make another.

An American Tragedy by Theodore Dreiser

Year Published: 1925
Pages: 856
Genre: Classic Crime Drama
Merut's Grade: B-/C+

I have serious mixed feelings about this book. First, it was recommended by my father, and he usually (with a few lapses) is an excellent judge of books. Next, it is a classic, and I usually like classics. But my dislike for the main character is so strong, even his redemption is irritating to me. Clyde Griffiths has to be one of the most superficial characters ever created.

I'm sure at the time of publishing the tragedy in the novel would have been extremely scandalous, in many ways. However, by today's standards these crimes are somewhat muted by the recent past (a.k.a. Laci Peterson, Jon Benet, Manson Murders). While the tragedy is still shocking, this book is extremely drawn out, to the point where the crime is predictable at least 200 pages in advance. Not only that, this book is drawn out to emphasize the situations and Clyde's mindset. The problem is, Clyde's mindset only changes in the last 20 pages. Overall, if this book was 200 pages shorter it would be pretty decent. If you do read it, do not read the Signet Classic version, because there are quite a few annoying typos. Good idea and commentary on American society and morals, but drawn out over too many pages.