I was flipping through the channels last night when I saw TCM(Turner Classic Movies) had a Buster Keaton marathon on. I’ve always wanted to see some of his stuff as Jackie Chan mentions him all the time in interviews. As I’m a big fan of Jackie’s work…in China, I went ahead and started watching “Steamboat Bill Jr.” about a quarter of the way through. While it wasn’t fantastic, I couldn’t seem to stop watching it. The KC Chiefs were on and I couldn’t bring myself to change the channel…the Chiefs for God’s sake! Decent movie and loved the ending sequence.

The General on the other hand was really good. You can definitely see alot of Buster Keaton in how Jackie does his physical comedy. I can see why he idolizes the man. Silent movies…who knew.

Question. Is it odd that when I laughed, I laughed silently?

I’ve had this movie in my DVD player for about 2 months now. For whatever reason I had zero interest in watching it, which is odd for me as it’s directed by my favorite director(Akira Kurosawa) and stars my favorite Japanese actor in Toshiro Mifune. With that said, all I can say is WOW. Easily in my top 3 Kurosawa films. Just behind Seven Samurai and Yojimbo. Wonderfully written as it leads you on a journey full of lies and half-truths all leading to the tragic end. Synopsis below jacked from wiki…

“The Bad Sleep Well” stars Toshirō Mifune as a young man who gets a prominent position in a corrupt postwar Japanese company in order to expose the men responsible for his father’s death. The film is Kurosawa’s unofficial Hamlet, reportedly the director’s favourite Shakespeare play. It also doubles as a critique of corporate corruption.

So, watch it now if you’re a fan of Kurosawa’s at all…though if you are, then watch all his movies…except for Dreams…it’s bad…really bad…seriously…it sucked.

Thanks to the greatness that is Netflix “Watch Now” feature I watched all of the first season of the UK Office. And I must say it’s much better than I originally thought. First ep is a bit flat, second episode starts to kick it into gear and by the hilarious 5th episode it is in high gear. Gervais is just great. I need to see more stuff he’s done as The Office and Extra’s is too damn funny. I will say I still prefer the American version of the Office more, but the UK Office holds it’s own quite well. Check it out if you get a chance…as well as Extras.

Watched UFC 74 last night and while nothing fantastic, Couture continues to amaze. At 44 years old he dominated the younger, bigger, faster Gabriel Gonzaga solidifying himself as one of the all-time great MMA fighter’s.

Mild upset in the opener, with Patrick Cote delivering Kendall Grove his first loss in the UFC, losing by TKO. GSP dominated the “superior” wrestler Koscheck on the ground on his way to a unanimous decision. Roger Huerta continues to impress on his way to a TKO win vs Alberto Crane. At one point even using the big screens in the arena to see where Crane’s head was when he(Crane) got back control and delivering some brutal elbows in the process.

UFC 75 should be damn good just for the main event alone. Quinton “Rampage” Jackson vs Dan Henderson to unify(Pride/UFC) the Light Heavyweight title.
why this isn’t on PPV is beyond me. I’m rooting for Rampage but Dan Henderson is a beast and absolutely destroyed Rampage’s nemesis Vanderlei Silva. No matter the result, it’s gonna be a hell of a fight. Catch it Sept. 8th on Spike TV! Also Crocop will make his return after being KTFO by Gabriel Gonzaga in his last fight.

It sucks wanting to talk somebody and not being able to. Well I could, but it wouldn’t be good for me.
 
Stupid rich people piss me off.
 
During my recent outing, I really got to hear how bad rap music has become. I knew it was bad, but hadn’t heard alot as I don’t listen to the radio, don’t watch MTV or BET, and generally don’t care. But on the way to KC, my sister’s insignificant other was playing all kinds of horrible shit. It all sounded identical, no substance, stupid hooks. Just bad. Even the R&B’s gotta be hard, and gangsta-fied.
 
Prince is fuckin’ awesome, and fuck you if you don’t like his music cuz he’s a bit eccentric. If you don’t like his music cuz you just don’t dig it fine, but to not give it a chance “cuz he’s gay”, or whatever is fuckin’ retarded and your loss. 90% of the time I talk to somebody who doesn’t like Prince, they say something about his sexual preference despite all the fine ass he’s had in the past. Sheila E, Carmen Electra, Appolonia, Maytay, just to name a few. FYMF!
 
Disrespectful people suck…namely my sister. Hopefully she grows up one day…I doubt it though.
 
That is all…

Finished up the second book(of about 23) of Terry Pratchett’s “Discworld Series”. It was a direct sequel to his first Discworld novel “The Colour of Magic”. Apparently it’s the only book so far in the Discworld series that follows on directly from the book before it. Which I must say, makes me sad as I’ve really grown attached to the two main character in those books. Especially Twoflower, who’s outlook on life is just refreshing if not very naive.
 
Funny, witty, serious(at times). All the things for a very enjoyable book. I’ll be picking up the third book at my next nearest convenience. If you’ve ever read Douglas Adam’s work and even remotely enjoyed it, pick up Colour of Magic and The Light Fantastic now.
 
As mentioned in a previous post, similar styles but I like Terry Pratchett alot more. The last 30 or so pages was really fricken good. I usually read about 50 pages in a sitting then take a break. Today I read the final 140 pages or so without stopping as I REALLY wanted to know what was going to happen and more importantly how it was going to happen.
 
Now I’m out of reading material as I didn’t plan on finishing it so soon. I’m a sad little monkey.

What a gloriously fucked up family. Gramps is a heroin addict, the brother has taken a vow of silence, Uncle is a suicidal gay man, Dad is one of those, “if you’re not a winner, you’re a loser” type’s, mom was kinda just there, and the star of the show, was a slightly chubby little girl with big glasses and beauty queen aspirations.

Was as good as expected. I love Steve Carrell, and although it was a different role than he usually plays, he still did a damn fine job. The entire cast was equally as good…especially Grandpa. His choreography is up there with the greats! Super freaky!

For the record, child beauty pageants is some creepy shit and fuck any parent who pimps her daughter out like that. They’re like little tiny robot hookers the way they’re all made up and all move/act alike. Creeeepy!

Top 5

 

5. Man on Fire(2004) – There was nothing I didn’t like about the movie…besides the mothers accent being very sporadic. Dakota was so damn cute and a damn fine little actress. Denzel and Walken was great as always. Marc Anthony was an odd choice but he played the part well. So many layers to the movie and a great ending. In my top 10 movies for simply being perfect. No flaws that I saw. I loved how it was shot. Anyway, great movie.

 

4. Shawshank Redemption(1994) – Andy Dufresne, is sent to Shawshank Prison for the murder of his wife and secret lover. He is very isolated and lonely at first, but realizes there is something deep inside your body, that people can’t touch and get to….’HOPE’. Andy becomes friends with prison ‘fixer’ Red (Morgan Freeman), and Andy epitomizes why it is crucial to have dreams. His spirit and determination, leads us into a world full of imagination, filled with courage and desire. Will Andy ever realize his dreams…?

 

3. Infernal Affairs Trilogy – The second movie just seemed like a placeholder until the final climactic ending in part3 in my first viewing, but I REALLY liked it second time around. The young actors do a great job. Story is told so fricken well and the acting by everbody is off the charts as Tony Leung is quickly moving past Andy Lau as my favorite asian actor. I’d say buy this movie now, at the least, rent it as it’s just unbelievably great.

 

2. Seven Samurai(1954) – My favorite Akira Kurosawa flick by far and I LOVE me some Kurosawa. Akira Kurosawa’s heroic tale of honor and duty begins with master samurai Kambei (Takashi Shimura) posing as a monk to save a kidnapped child. Impressed by his bravery, a group of farmers begs him to defend their village from encroaching bandits. Kambei agrees and assembles a group of six other samurai, and together they build a militia with the villagers while the bandits loom nearby. Soon the raids begin, culminating in a bloody battle.

 

1. Leon: The Professional – International Uncut(1994) – If there’s one thing to compare to my love of Samurai’s, it’s assassins/contract killers. Just something about it that intrigues me. Jean Reno is great as “Leon” and Gary Oldman’s character is probably one of my favorite villians ever. Also only one of two movies where I actually liked Nathalie Portman. The other being Garden State.

Bottom 5…in no particular order and subject to change without notice…

 

The Godfather II(1974) – Michael Corleone is a cold sumbitch. I liked this more than part one. Loved all the backstory and loved Michaels ruthlessness and his brains. I’m shocked his wife lived after she told him of the abortion. Great movie, see it…now.

 

 

 

   Oldboy(2003) – Holy shit what a twisted mind fuck of a movie. I won’t explain anything as it’ll ruin it for those who haven’t seen it, and you must see this. Ending is….just wow. Spoiler free synopsis…An average man is kidnapped and imprisoned in a shabby cell for 15 years without explanation. He then is released, equipped with money, a cellphone and expensive clothes. As he strives to explain his imprisonment and get his revenge, he soon finds out that his kidnapper still has plans for him, but that those plans will serve as an even worse finale to 15 years of imprisonment.

 

Gladiator(2000) – I usually get flack for having this movie on my Top 10 but I don’t care. I’ve seen it probably 10 times and the ending chokes me up every time. Just a beautiful, emotional movie…in my opinion.

 

 

 

    Battle Royale(2000) - The year is 2000-and-something. Japan suffers mass unemployment, and the economy’s in free fall. School kids riot, as their prospects diminish. The government is panicked into drastic measures, one of which is the island of death scenario.

 

A high school class is picked at random, its pupils drugged and escorted to the island, where they are given weapons and told to murder each other until only one is left alive. The time limit is three days. If they don’t play along, they are killed by the army and if they are found in certain danger zones, they are dispatched by detonating explosive devices implanted in neck braces. At first, they swear allegiance to each other, but soon trust evaporates as the body count rises.

 

So many emotions in this movie. Love, trust, anger, jealousy. Great movie. And if emotion’s isn’t your thing, then it is a bunch of kids killing one another in various ways…you sicko!

 

Hara Kiri(1962) – Hara Kiri(Seppoku) is the Japanese act of ritual suicide, and the story is based around this act. My favorite samurai movie not called “Seven Samurai”. It’s a departure from traditional samurai flicks. There’s no fights until the end, and most of the time the story takes place in one area. The story was told with flawlessness and ease. Nothing was forced and it played out beautifully ’til the bitter end.

Bounty hunter Jack Walsh(Robert DeNiro) is sent to find and return bail jumper and former Mafia accountant, Jonathan “The Duke” Mardukas(Charles Grodin). The FBI have had no success in locating The Duke, so when Jack finds him in next to no time, they are a little embarrassed. In order to collect his $100,000 fee, Jack must take The Duke from New York to Los Angeles. However, the Mafia and the FBI have other ideas, as does Marvin, a rival bounty hunter. On their long cross-country trip to LA, the two get to know each other and they build up a strange friendship.

Synopsis jacked from imdb

Really good movie, but not the type of movie I’d watch again anytime soon. If you haven’t seen it, definitely track it down. Grodin was great as the foil to DeNiro’s “hardass” persona. All the side charater’s were also very good in their roles. Worth a watch. ***/****