Showing posts with label Star Wars. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Star Wars. Show all posts

Monday, February 1, 2016

Quotes of the Month: January 2016

Quote of the Month: "I’ve done my damage"
-Ahmed Best on Jar Jar Binks

Stupid Quote of the Month: “It’s unfortunate that the entire country is a racist country.”
-Danny DeVito

And the rest..
.
“This president is a petulant child. Now this president wants to act as if he’s a king, as if he’s a dictator."
-Chris Christie on Obama's executive action on guns

"He was smart, funny, curious and dedicated. We made a pact to give MASH all we had and it bonded us. I loved Wayne. I'll miss him very much."
-Alan Alda on Wayne Rogers

"It was all good until my eyelashes froze."
-Richard Sherman, on playing in sub-zero temperatures
 Right now, it feels as if the solar system
is off it’s axis, as if one of our
main planetary anchors has
lost it’s orbit. That said—I am
certain that wherever Bowie is
now—I want to be there someday.
—Michael Stipe

“I was born dead.”
-Charlie Sheen

"The bond we forged 45 years ago was never broken, even during the 14 years that the Eagles were dissolved, he said. "We were two young men who made the pilgrimage to Los Angeles with the same dream:  to make our mark in the music industry - and with perseverance, a deep love of music, our alliance with other great musicians and our manager, Irving Azoff, we built something that has lasted longer than anyone could have dreamed."
-Don Henley on Glen Frey

"Today the inevitable candidate doesn't look quite as inevitable as she did eight and a half months ago!"
-Bernie Sanders

"I could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody and I wouldn't lose any voters, okay? It's, like, incredible."
-Donald Trump

Sunday, January 3, 2016

Quotes of the Month: December 2015

Quote of the Month: "To me, especially in the Northeast, confronting my white privilege is going to the tanning salon."
-Katie Pavlich

Stupid Quote of the Month: “I sold them to the white slavers that takes these things, and…,”
-George Lucas on the sale of Star Wars to Disney

and the rest...

"Like I always say, the 2nd Amendment, the provision that gives every American the right to keep and bear arms, is blind and stupid."
-Geraldo

"This whole white privilege thing is indeed racist."
-Katie Pavlich

"She's killed hundreds of thousands of people with her stupidity."
-Donald Trump on Hillary

"In short, Mr. Rose has not presented credible evidence of a reconfigured life either by an honest acceptance by him of his wrongdoing, so clearly established by the Dowd Report, or by a rigorous, self-aware and sustained program of avoidance by him of all the circumstances that led to his permanent ineligibility in 1989. Absent such credible evidence, allowing him to work in the game presents an unacceptable risk of a future violation by him of Rule 21, and thus to the integrity of our sport. I, therefore, must reject Mr. Rose's application for reinstatement."
 -Rob Manfred

"This president won't be the same feckless weakling that we have in the Oval Office right now."
-Chris Christie

"Hillary Clinton has announced that she is letting her husband out to campaign but HE'S DEMONSTRATED A PENCHANT FOR SEXISM, so inappropriate."
-Donald Trump

“She was favored to win and she got schlonged."
-Donald Trump

Wednesday, September 16, 2015

Greatest Sci Fi Movies: Honorable Mentions

Metropolis (1927)
E.T. (1982)
Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
A Clockwork Orange (1971)
Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)
The Terminator (1984)
Terminator 2: Judgement Day (1991)
The Road Warrior (1981)
Return of the Jedi (1983)
Aliens (1986)
Escape from New York (1981)
The Thing From Another Planet (1951)
12 Monkeys (1995)
First Contact (1996)
Omega Man (1971)
Dark City (1998)
The Matrix (1999)
Interstellar (2014)
Forbidden Planet (1956)
Predator (1987)
Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
Bride of Frankentein (1935)
Star Trek IV: Voyage Home (1986)
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991)
Signs (2002)
War of the Worlds (1953)

Monday, September 14, 2015

Top 10 Science Fiction films

1. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
2. The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
3. The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)
4. Star Wars (1977)
5. The Wrath of Khan (1982)
6. Planet of the Apes (1968)
7. The Thing (1982)
8. Blade Runner (1982)
9. Alien (1979)
10. Frankentstein (1931)

Sunday, January 11, 2015

Sci-Fi History: Star Wars (1977)

George Lucas was inspired by Flash Gordon and the Japanese film The Hidden Fortress when he wrote Star Wars. The film became a pop culture sensation, perhaps the biggest one ever. Star Wars proved a watershed moment in film. It inspired everything that followed either in the use of special effects or in attempts to recreate its themes. Along with Jaws, Star Wars created the summer blockbuster. The film has spawned several sequels and prequels and its rights now belong to Disney...which means Star Wars will never die.

Wednesday, December 17, 2014

Sci Fi History: Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)

Close Encounters postulates that mankind is ready to enter into the intergalactic community. They can even communicate with aliens via music. The film shows a moment where mankind evolves to its next stage as typified by Roy Neary's entry into the ship at the end. The film, along with Star Wars, helped reinvigorate Sci-Fi films.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4Kgzn3tDQU

Thursday, September 27, 2012

Greatest Movie Villains: #1-10

1. Hannibal Lector (Anthony Hopkins)
2. Darth Vader (Hayden Christensen, James Earl Jones, David Prowse)
3. The Joker (Heath Ledger)
4. Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins)
5. Alex De Large (Malcolm McDowell)
6. Dracula (Bela Lugosi, Christopher Lee)
7. Kahn (Ricardo Montalban)
8. Mrs. John Iselin (Angela Lansbury)
9. Hal 2000 (Himself)
10. Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman)

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Greatest Movie Villains #11-20


11. Nurse Ratchet (Louise Fletcher)
12. The Wicked Witch (Nancy Pelosi)
13. Michael Corleone (Al Pacino)
14. Lex Luthor (Gene Hackman)
15. Rico (Edward G Robinson)
16. Dr. Szell (Laurence Olivier)
17. Tommy DeVito (Joe Pesci)
18. Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid)
19. Capt. Bligh (Charles Laughton)
20. Al Capone (Robert De Niro)

Friday, August 17, 2012

Greatest Movie Heroes: #1-10

10. Spartacus (Kirk Douglas)
9. Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill)
8. Dirty Harry (Clint Eastwood)
7. Moses (Charlton Heston)
6. George Bailey (Jimmy Stewart)
5. Superman (Christopher Reeves)
4. Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford)
3. James Bond (Sean Connery, Roger Moore, et al)
2. Will Kane (Gary Cooper)
1. Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart)

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Greatest Movie Heroes: #11-20

20. Virgil Tibbs (Sidney Poitier)
19. Maximus (Russell Crowe)
18. Oskar Schindler (Liam Neeson)
17. Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver)
16. Rooster Cogburn (John Wayne and Jeff Bridges)
15.Obi Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor and Alec Guiness)
14. John McClain (Bruce Willis)
13. Batman (Christian Bale)
12. The Man with no name (Clint Eastwood)
11. Phillip Marlowe/Sam Spade (Humphrey Bogart)

Sunday, August 12, 2012

Greatest Movie Heroes: Honorable Mentions

This is the first of three posts with my list of greatest movie heroes. These are the honorable mentions!

Jefferson Smith (Jimmy Stewart)

The Omega Man (Charlton Heston)

Han Solo (Harrison Ford)

James T Kirk (William Shatner, Chris Pine)

Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster)

Robin Hood (Errol Flynn)

William Wallace (Mel Gibson)

Friday, November 4, 2011

Sci Fi History: Metropolis (1927)

Metropolis is a film set in an urban future in which workers and capitalists struggle against one another. The film is Marxist in viewpoint and demonstrates class warfare. On one hand, the capitalists live an easy life while the workers struggle for survival. In the end, the two sides reach an accommodation as a mediator intervenes. The human body serves as an allegory for society. The brain represents capitalists, the hands represent workers, and the mediator (the heart) brings them together.

The film has proved influential over the years. Blade Runner borrowed the cityscape. Star Wars appropriated the golden robot. Queen used scenes from the film in their “Radio Ga Ga” video. In the end, almost every Sci Fi film owes something to Metropolis.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSExdX0tds4

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Top 10 Movies of the 1970s

Just my opinion...not in any particular order

Star Wars

The Godfather

The Godfather II

Apocalypse Now

The French Connection

Jaws

Rocky

Patton

Taxi Driver

A Clockwork Orange

For my picks for the 80s, 90s, and 00s:

http://cicero390.blogspot.com/2010/06/1980s-movies-top-10.html

http://cicero390.blogspot.com/2010/06/best-movies-of-1990s.html

http://cicero390.blogspot.com/2010/03/movies-of-decade-aughts.html

Sunday, June 20, 2010

1980s Movies Top 10

There are the ones I think were the best done...not necessarily my favorites (although some are).

The Empire Strikes Back

The Wrath of Khan

Raiders of the Lost Ark

Full Metal Jacket

Gandhi

A Christmas Story

Glory

A Soldier’s Story

Field of Dreams

Caddyshack

Saturday, November 28, 2009

Greatest Movie Scenes #71-80

71. The Catina: Star Wars (1977): The Cantina reminds me of some places in Flint..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSRwzP23ifI

72. My Kingdom for a Horse: Richard III (1995): This is just clever. Fascist Richard in World War II-era Britain. His jeep gets stuck in the mud...

73. Jimmy Stewart’s Nightmare: Vertigo (1958): If this came out in 1968, people would have really been tripped out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9UiyfXibP8

74. Hal can read lips: 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968): What made this movie terrifying was the astronauts reliance on technology that runs amok and the fact no one could help them.

75. The Overdose: Pulp Fiction (1994): Ouch!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FGSIvuDUkpI

76. The Stateroom: A Night at the Opera (1935): This must have been what Harry Reid's office was like as he crafted the Health Care bill.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZvugebaT6Q

77. Ol Lang‘s Eye: It‘s a Beautiful Life (1946): Lot of interesting references in this movie that audiences today miss.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErrzjGCi3gY

78. The Dance: Reservoir Dogs (1992): More Sadism; this time to Super Hits of the 70s!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLTqecGbdCc

79. I’ll be back: The Terminator (1983): If only Arnold governed like this!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8I4zFSipKs

80. Bruce Willis is dead: The Sixth Sense (1999): I figured this out before the film ended, but it was still cool.

Sunday, November 22, 2009

Movie Scenes: #81-85

81. I’m Your Father: The Empire Strikes Back (1980): This has become rather iconic. At the time, shocking. It had the whole country talking.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vdc7v4vkbJI

82. Make my day: Sudden Impact (1983): We need more Dirty Harrys in the world.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6-Snl4a1RI

83. Truck chases bike: Terminator 2 (1991): It captured the feeling of a mouse being chased by a mountain lion.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7ETNeeZBe4

84. Blowing up the roof: Die Hard (1988): Three parts to this. 1. John McClane (Bruce Willis) jumps off the roof of a skyscraper. 2. He is tethered by a fire hose and has to shoot a window open to avoid being dragged down to the pavement. 3. He swings in and then is dragged toward the window. He is able to untie himself, but has to contend with the broken glass without shoes.

85. Say hello to my little friend: Scarface (1983): Nothing like the drug trade. Another iconic 80s scene. Al Pacino is besieged by assassins. He decides to go out in style.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M59I8eShAr8

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Greatest Movie Scenes #86-95

86. I’m a Comedian?: Goodfellas (1990): Don't mess with Joe Pesci.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4jz00Eelbk

87. Redford bleeds:The Natural (1984): Hollywood is often criticized for not being realistic. The Natural seemed to fit this bill...until Kirk Gibson in 1988.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=54-6yimtjtA

88. Band of Brothers: Henry V (1989): Next to Antony's funeral oration, this is Shakespeare's greatest speech. Kenneth Branagh delivers it seamlessly.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OAvmLDkAgAM

89. Ripley in the suit: Aliens (1986): Women can be bad-asses too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqzHdKqZAmo

90. The Twist: Pulp Fiction (1994): Travolta's second iconic dance scene.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLZl6R7JGCc

91. Asteroids: The Empire Strikes Back (1980): Star Wars set a new standard for special effects. Empire took it up a notch with this scene and the snow battle.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Gzf0kR5AvE

92. I’m Batman: Batman (1989): Before Christian Bale, there was---Michael Keaton! This is still iconic despite the film series itself being outdated.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9G18qHPhcM

93. The Battle in the Snow: The Empire Strikes Back (1980): Stop motion reached its apex in this scene. Nowadays, it would be CG'd. It also showed why the Empire was bad ass.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWjj8EKTkWE

94. Communication: Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977): Another iconic scene from when aliens were not out to destroy the world.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tUcOaGawIW0

95. It’s a trap!: Return of the Jedi (1983): One newspaper called it a seminal moment for Generation X.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nY0ClsW1QX4

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Greatest Movie Scenes #116-120

116. Anakin vs. Obi-Wan: Revenge of the Sith (2005): Steven Spielberg allegedly helped formulate the battles between Yoda and Palpatine and Obi-Wan Kenobi and Darth Vader. Anakin's transition from hero to villain is complete as he literally descends into hell.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NY-mbzr_pl8

117. Euthanized: Soylent Green (1973): The joys of Obamacare! Edward G. Robinson gets to commit suicide courtesy the government. As the Kevorkian-style drugs enter his veins, he watches video images of Bambi and grassy fields.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbJTBBoDFH0
118. Punching out of a coffin: Kill Bill (2004): Mythbusters showed this was not possible, but it was a fun scene. The bride requesting water at the diner afterward is awesome.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZpw8NgL_2M

119. Missing Breakfast: Falling Down (1993): Michael Douglas just misses breakfast at the local fast food establishment. He complains. They refuse to accommodate him. He pulls out an automatic weapon. Who hasn't wanted to do that? Later, he blows up a construction zone. So much for traffic.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-eREiQhBDIk

120. Beatles on the Run: A Hard Day’s Night (1964): This is an iconic film moment and has been imitated several times. The most notable imitator was Austin Powers.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cD4TAgdS_Xw

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Greatest Movie Scenes #121-125

121. Order 66: Revenge of the Sith (2005): The march on the Jedi Temple looked sweet. The Jedi's eradication is similar to the murder of Chinese Monks by a Chinese Emperor from long ago.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKQ8_ZJiwqo

122. The President takes down the Duke: Escape from New York (1981): We need a president like this nowadays...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfotQ1YQrvk

123. Train Wreck: The Greatest Show on Earth (1952): Nothing like carnage on the rails.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UUtf_RE6r5Q

124. The quest: Excalibur (1981): Excalibur had a dream-like quality to it. This scene with the Knights of the Round Table hunting the Holy Grail to classical music is very romanticized. It really appeals to the western mindset of the noble knight on crusade.

125. Hello Cleveland: This is Spinal Tap (1984): Spinal Tap is ready to go onstage and gets lost underneath the stadium. I have heard interviews with bands that claim to have done the same thing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C21yssFhCsk

Sunday, March 22, 2009

Greatest Movie Battles

Now for something different...here are my top 10 movie battles...

1. Omaha Beach (Saving Private Ryan): Actual Omaha Beach Vets claimed it was too real.

2. Battle of Stirling (Braveheart): Completely inaccurate; but Mel gives a great speech.

3. Pearl Harbor (Tora Tora Tora): The defining moment in perhaps the defining World War II film.

4. Little Round Top (Gettysburg): Out of Ammo? Affix bayonets and charge! The Rebs won't know what hit them!

5. The Death Star (Star Wars): No one had ever seen anything like this before. Now, the ending might be considered cliche.

6. Germania (Gladiator): Does a great job showing the Roman Tortoise and Roman Discipline; Shows how they could conquer.

7. Ft. Wagner (Glory): As the dead are buried, they are all shoeless...symbolic of the whole film.

8. Helicopter Raid (Apocalypse Now): Flight of the Valkyries, Robert Duval, Napalm, Surfing; an allegory for the entire Vietnam War.

9. Helms Deep (LOR: The Two Towers): The greatest land battle in fantasy/sci fi movie history

10. Battle of the News Crews (Ron Burgundy): Brick killed a man with a trident!