... is another man's treasure (The Netflix Post - Part 3/Finale)

Hey all,

If you thought the last five were good, wait until you here about these ones (you didn't think the last five were good? oh... awkward...).

Either way, here's numbers five to one:

5.) Archer

Sterling Archer is the world's best spy. He may also be the world's worst human being. Vain, arrogant, and completely amoral, Archer and his team of ISIS agents bounce from ridiculous crisis to ridiculous crisis, all while dealing with workplace romance, flex accounts, and the occasional mole. Archer combines the fun of a spy series with the off color humor we've come to expect from our animated comedy shows (with a cogent plot too cough Family Guy cough).

Sterling Archer is played to narcisistic perfection by H. Jon Benjamin (most famous from Adult Swim shows such as Home Movies and Aqua Teen Hunger Force). Archer also features a great ensemble supporting cast as well, including Julie Walters (as Archer's domineering drunken mother), Jeffery Tambor (as Archer's possible father), and Judy Greer (as the needy Cheryl/Carol/Crystall), all spill overs form Arrested Development; in many ways playing very similar characters too. In addition, notable comedians such as Chris Parnell (as the nerdy Cyril Figis) and Aisha Tyler (as Super Spy Lana Kane) round out the class.

Whether its the absurdity of the situations, the incredible terrible things that the characters do or say, or the generally good writing of the show, Archer keeps me coming back for more. Good thing Season 2 premieres this month!

Great for: Animated comedy lovers, off color humor, wannabe spies.

4.) Jackie Brown

I have to say, I did nto expect a Tarantino film to make its way into the top 10, much less into the top 5. Nor, did I expect it to be the very unappreciated Jackie Brown. Yet, when I finally got around to watchign it, I was amazed that no one had ever recommended it to me. Jackie Brown is a Tarantino film for people who don't particularly like Tarantino films. Sure it has classic Tarantino aspects, such as long dialogue, a great soundtrack, awkward cuts, and a strong homage to other genres of film (clearly Blaxploitation in this film), yet Jackie Brown seems to be missing the wildly stylized over the top violence, the long tirades on aspects of society, and other "louder" aspects that we expect from Tarantino.

So what exactly is Jackie Brown? Jackie Brown is a great heist movie, a good film about getting older, and a bittersweet romance. Pam Grier plays Jackie Brown, an aging flight attendant and sometimes money launderer trying to make one last score before she gets too old. Surrounding her is SAMUEL L JACKSON (sorry, his name only makes sense when you shout it) as her gun running boss, Robert DeNiro as his fresh out of prison friend, Michael Keaton as the ATF agent trying to turn Jackie on her boss, and Robert Forester as Max Cherry, a bail bondsman stuck in between everything.

What really makes this film jump from a good heist movie to a must recommend is the interplay between Pam Grier and Robert Forster, two actors both contemplating being past their prime and whether or not they can change. It is no surprise to me that Forster, an actor I had honestly never heard of before, was nominated for an Oscar for his role. He seems to convey more in his long pauses and sighs than other more famous and distinguished actors do in their long dialogues (De Niro and Jackson). The last 5 minutes of the film, although incredibly mellow, are defintiely the best of Tarantino's catalogue, and may be one of the best endings I've seen in a modern film.

Great for: Tarantino Lovers, revisionist film auteurs, Solid Gold Music

3.) Kolchak: The Night Stalker

Now don't be turned off by the title! Too late, I lost you didn't I? Of the top ten, this selection is probably the most likely to garner criticism, but I just can't help myself. It's so cheesy its good. The late Darren McGavin plays Carl Kolchak an intrepid reporter for the Chicago Branch of the Independent News Service (INS). Yet Kolchak can't help but be a magnet for trouble, specifically the supernatural type. His investigative skills continue to draw him to the macbre, much to the ire of his editor and to the local police, both who refuse to acknowledge that anything but the most obvious conclusion has occured. Time and time again, Kolchak finds himself battling the very real threats of vampires, zombies, and other horrors (all 25 years before The X-Files or Buffy the Vampire Slayer).

What makes Kolchak so great is the fact that Karl Kolchak is not a monster hunter, he's just a good guy who constantly puts himself in terrible situations searching for the truth. Through the entire series, Kolchak shows no mystical knowledge, kung fu skills, or insight into the supernatural; he's just a good reporter (with the world's ugliest hat). Moreover, Kolchak doubles as a comedic Sisyphus, constantly doomed to be yelled at by his boss for pursuing figments of his imagination and being close to roughed up by the police department as he digs for clues (1970's Chicago cops are not the feel good guys they are today). Darren McGavin plays a great main character, tricking his way into evidence rooms and constantly wheeling and dealing for information (I imagine someone might pitch the show as "Fletch meets Supernatural". There's a brilliance to the way McGavin delivers his "Who me?" looks when he gets caught snooping or his dark monologues to open the episodes that you just don't see anymore, for that reason above all else it ranks at #3.

Great for: Sci-fi Junkies, mystery lovers, people who like the dad from "A Christmas Story"

2.) Street Fight

Street Fight is a great film about a young community activist and politician (Corey Booker) struggling to win the Democratic Primary against the entrenched, corrupt, and powerful incumbent mayor (Sharpe James). As the campaign becomes more and more bloody, threats are made, allegations of corruption rear their ugly head, and ultimately the election comes to a head. What makes Street Fight so compelling is that unlike the other films on this list, its a documentary. As in, it actually happened.

Street Fight captures the essence of true gritty politics in the 2002 Newark Mayoral election. Booker battles slander, corruption, and all the dark underbelly of politics to try to get the people of Newark to abandon 16 year incumbent Mayor Sharpe James. James, despite being a real elected politician, plays the part of villian to perfection, putting on a campaign of fear, racism, and dirty politics. At its heart, Street Fight is a stirring documentary about the best and worst politics can bring, personified by an upright citizen going door to door to get votes and the man in powere that he's trying to beat.

Great for: True story lovers, political junkies, Mr. Smith types

1.) Brick

An independent film, Brick is without a doubt the best film I've seen in the last six years. It would probably be the best film I've ever seen in the last 20 years, except for the fact that it only came out in 2006. People often ask me what is my "favorite" film. I often tell them that such a question is demonstrably unfair. After all, how do you compare Caddyshack and The Maltese Falcon? Frankly, they are on different planes of existence, like asking "What's better - snow or electricity? They are both awesome for different reasons and are not comparable. What I can tell you is that Brick occupies that special rank of "watch thisw if you want insight into me, everyone should see this, take it with me on a desert island, top of all Netflix movies I've watched, no new film has beat it yet, BEST" film I have seen in a long long long time. (and thats not hyperbole)

So what's it about? Go watch it!





Ok.. It would be really unfair to hype that much and not give you a review:

Brick is a hard boiled detective story, that takes place in a suburban high school. Taking the best of film noir and giving it a simple but elegant twist, Brick follows Brendan Frye (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) as he uncovers what has happened to his ex-girlfriend, and while doing so uncoving a dark world of drugs, deception, and murder.
What's great about Brick is that it is not a homage to the film noir genre, its the genuine article. The dialogue is fast paced, filled with nuance, and delivered to perfection. The cinematography really brings the film to a new level, somehow creating a dark underworld, while still filling the screen with yellows and whites (the operative word being "bleak").
Gordon-Levitt (before he struck it big with "500 Days of Summer"... Shannon!) plays the hard nosed detective navigating dangerous waters to perfection and really deserves recognition. Personally, I believe this was the film that really brought him from "the kid on 3rd Rock from the sun" to legitimate actor.
Lastly, Brick is a film that really is hard to compare to other films and anytime I find myself saying that, I know I have something good on my hands. If you have to watch one film off this list, make it Brick.

Great for: Dennis, people who like Dennis' recommendations, and Shannon (because she totally has a crush on Joseph Gordon-Levitt and we all know it)

Hope you enjoyed the reviews as much as I did writing them. Next post won't have anything to do with movies. I promise... maybe.

Have you seen any of these? Any recommendations of your own?

One Man's Trash... (The Netflix Post - part 2)

Hey all!

Last post I ran down the quantitative data regarding my addiction to Netflix. Today, I want to take a look at some of my favorite movies and TV that I watched last year. Rather than pure analysis, this is more of a "Top 10 of 2010" kind of thing. Clearly some patterns will emerge, but I'll let you draw your own conclusions (Conclusion 1: Dennis loves terrible films). Keep in mind, this is 10 films from over 350 possible choices, meaning that I really liked them, so don't think that I'm being overzealous in my reviews, these are the best of the best Netflix has offered me. Secondly, don't be turned off by the obscurity of these choices That's one of the great things I love about Netflix, it introduces you to films and television you might never have watched without it.

Below are numbers 10-6 of the best films and TV that Netflix gave me in my first year. I highly recommend you take a look at some of them, clearly, they are much more for ME than for everyone else, but if you like my recommendation or share my sense of humor/curiousity/mental illnesses, these might be for you (most of them are still streaming on Netflix, so give them a try!). They are an eclectic bunch of comedy, romance, documentary, drama, action, television, movies, old, and new, I think between the 10, there is at least one for everyone.

10.) Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs

One of only two movies that I had seen before I saw it on Netflix, Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs is hands down my favorite animated film of all time. Cloudy adapts a great children's book into an incredibly entertaining children's/adult who refuses to grow up's film. Bill Hader (who is continuously underrated on SNL) voices Flint Lockwood, a young man with dreams of being a great scientist and nightmares about disappointing his father who wants him to follow in his fisherman footsteps. When Flint invents a machine capable of turning water into food and launches it into the sky, all of a sudden things are sunshine and lollipops (quite literally). Yet, when the machine starts to go haywire, things take a turn for the worse.

Cloudy is more than a good children's movie however, it has key elements that make it a must watch. Number one, Bruce Campbell who plays a great villian. While I admit I have a soft side for this B movie actor, I never thought he would make it on the list via a children's movie. Secondly, Cloudy is a visual masterpiece. When it was in theaters, it really made the best of 3D technology. Even on regular television, Cloudy's depiction of spagetti tornados and Jello palaces are phenominal. Third? The writing. Cloudy's script reads in many ways like a 2 hour episode of 30 Rock. The film is fast paced, humorous, and filled with one liners that if you blink you might miss (especially by Hader and a great supporting Benjamin Bratt). Lastly, Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs delivers a great family movie with great messages about pursuing your dreams and the relationship between father and son.

Great for: Families, fans of snappy dialogue, and anyone who loves Bruce Campbell.

9.) Dead Reckoning

Given my love of Film Noir, it was pretty obvious that a Bogart film was going to make the cut. What is more interesting is the selection itself. As I said previously, what I love about Netflix is that it introduces you to films you never would have seen on tv or in the video store (do those still exist?). Released in 1947, Dead Reckoning follows Captain "Rip" Murdock (Bogart) as he tries to untangle what has happened to war hero and friend Johnny Drake, after he disappears mysteriously. The result is a hard boiled mystery with Bogart diving into a world of murder, blackmail, and deceit to uncover the truth.

Dead Reckoning is a through and through suspense film, filled with twists and turns enough to keep you guessing. The film also makes excellent use of Lizabeth Scott (who I had honestly never heard of before) and the enigmatic "Dusty" Chandler, a true femme fatale. Bogart and Scott fill the screen with dialogue that seethes with tension and undertones. In addition, the film serves as an interesting time capsule, preserving some of the less endearing parts of the mid 20th century. The films portrayal of African Americans as well as its attitude towards women, have not exactly aged well (which is probably why it is not on AMC all the time). Bogart and Scott's banter about women coming in pill form is especially noteworthy (Bogart: "You know, the trouble with women is they ask too many questions. They should spend all their time just being beautiful"). In the end, Dead Reckoning is a brass knuckles picture which has all the parts of a great 40's/50's film noir: darkness, dames, danger and of course, Bogart.

Great for: Old movie buffs, mystery lovers, people who like films named after nautical terms but have nothing to do with the ocean.

 

8.) Unhitched

The only "rom-com" on the list, Unhitched (also known as The Best Man) is a British film about Olly (Stuart Townsend), a lovelorn and failing writer who is asked to be the Best Man in his somewhat wild friend's wedding. However, when Olly meets the bride to be (Amy Smart), he finds himself conflicted between his duties as best man and his duties to his heart. Throw in Seth Green as his mischevious roommate and you have your traditional romantic comedy.

Yet where many other romantic comedies films are formulaic and poorly acted (at least to me), Unhitched really shines. Townsend plays Olly as a man truely conflicted between his idealist notion of true love (driven by his writing background) and the promise to the groom (who throughout the film becomes more and more of a jerk). Throughout the film, Townsend's inner narration rides a fine line between waxing philosophically on love and being incredibly humorous. Its a wonder really that Townsend hasn't "made it" in Hollywood, he seems to be an actor that in my personal opinion always does a great performance. Seth Green plays Olly's flatmate as well as the devil on his shoulder (as he has no problem trying to break up the marriage). In this respect, his antics aren't your typical "tacky sidekick" but rather do a good job of breaking up the film so its not too melodramatic. Perhaps the only odd thing is getting past his fake British accent, which while quite good is still odd to hear from "the Napster". Throw in Amy Smart who radiates through the film and Steve John Shepard as the less than perfect groom, and you have a romantic comedy that I'm not afraid to say, I'd definitely watch again.

Great for: Couples, hopeless romantics, people who like to hear strange accents.

 

7.) Mystery Science Theater 3000

In the not too distant future, Mike Nelson, Tom Servo, and Crow T. Robot, find themselves trapped on a spaceship and forced to watch terrible movies while an evil scientist monitors their minds. What? I haven't hooked you yet? MST3K ran on the Sci Fi Channel (I refuse to call it SyFy) for over a decade. The simple genius of the show was three guys watching terrible movies and making fun of them the entire time. And the 2 hour long show lasted for ELEVEN YEARS, by comparison, Arrested Development still hasn't made its movie yet.

I remember watching MST3K with my dad as a kid, so obviously there is some sentimental value there. However, the truth of the matter is that even after being off the air for a decade, MST3K is still some of the funniest content out there. It hasn't aged like other material that tried to be hip or topical (I'm looking at you Adam Sandler and Friends). MST3K has achieved a sort of timeless quality. The jokes are fast paced and wide ranging (from "shut up you!" to debating Kant's take on The Beast of Yucca Flats) and the movies themselves are ripe for parody. From Night of the Blood Beast to Swamp Women/Swamp Diamonds (which I'm pretty sure the Cummings family actually watched without the Mystery Science Theater treatment once) Mike, Tom, and Crow skewer them with impunity. Mystery Science Theater 3000 is nostalgic and must watch.

Great for: Sci Fi buffs, fans of random comedy, people from Minnesota

6.) The House of Cards Trilogy

Rounding out 10-6 is the House of Cards Trilogy (House of Cards, To Play a King, and The Final Cut). The House of Cards follows the notorious machinations of Francis Urquhart as he fights to become Prime Minister and remain in power at all costs. This BBC miniseries is part Richard III, part West Wing, and part something all its own.

Ian Richardson single handedly delivers a stunning perfomance as Urquhart, a villian that you can't help but root for. Much like Richard III or Iago in Othello, Urquhart delivers asides directly to the viewer detailing his machinations, outlining his plans, and giving you insight into his justifications and beliefs. Whether it is climbing to power, silencing a king, or orchestrating a war, Urquhart spins Westminster like his own little web, while the supporting cast, be it Kings, rivals, or reporters with Electra complexes can't help but get tangled. Admittedly, each miniseries is never as good as the one before it, but all three are riveting pieces of political intrigue.

Great for: People who like a good villian, Anglophiles, people who like the guy in "that Grey Poupon commercial".

Rather than make some inferences from the data, I'm just going to leave it at that. If there's one thing I've learned from my "research" classes and scientific friends, its that while qualitative data is fun, it's scientific value is suspect at best.

That's the first five, check around later for the last five.

Comments? Recommendations? Have you seen these movies/tv?

Good things about having your life recorded on the internet (The Netflix Post - Part 1)

Hey all!

I'm planning to write the next few posts in a sort of serialized version. I realized the topic I want to discuss is way too long for just one post. Not to mention, a friend of mine mentioned that his attention span is a bit too short for anything longer than a page or two (the cause of which is the subject of a completely different blog post altogether). Without further ado...

On December 23rd 2009, I activated a Netflix account.

On December 26th 2010, I realized that Netfix has kept track of every single film I have watched as well as when I did, how long it took, and what rating I gave it.

Needless to say, when I found this treasure trove of information, I had to look at it more in depth. I took all the information they had, put it in an excell spreadsheet and got to crunching numbers. Frankly, if I had more time or better resources, the information really could tell me even more.

To make absolutely clear, in the last year and three days, the Netflix account I am about to describe to you has been used almost exclusively by me either down in the theater room or streaming on my computer.

Cue 1980's computer research montage

So what did I learn?

In the past year and three days - I have watched 392 different films or television episodes (although not all of them completely). I have watched 1 actually mailed DVD.

Collectively, of these 392 pieces of media, I have watched roughly 306 hours, 34 minutes, and 54 seconds of time watching Netflix. This is approximately 13 days or 3.5% of the year.

That's more than one program per day and almost an hour per day.

So what does this mean?

There are a number of key findings that I can take from this information.

1.) I live far far too sedentary a lifestyle.

Combine this with the untold amounts of dvds and dvr'd content I consume, I spend anywhere between 5-10% of my life consuming media in a chair. While this may be perfectly average given the couchification of the American human being, the sheer numbers are unsettling at best.

Sure there's a bike in the theater room, but I rarely use it. This needs to change. If I exercised one tenth of the time I spend sitting on the couch watching netflix, I would be in the best shape of my life. Hell, if I spent one tenth of the time doing anything else, I would have acquired a brand new talent altogether.



This is a great ice breaker at parties...

2.) I don't really watch a lot of television.

I know that sounds like a bit of an oxymoron, but I really don't. I listen. Even right now as I write this post, I'm sitting down in the movie theater with a DVR'd episode of Breaking Bad playing.

Insert shameless plug... on AMC!

I'd say that a large portion of the Netflix I watch, I'm really not watching. At my very best, I'm like a guy who is multitasking all the time. More likely, I'm like a dog who needs the tv on so he doesn't realize he's alone.

3.) I have an insatiable desire to consume information.

Not only the desire consume, but also the complete disregard for waiting. In a year, I watched on average, more than a program per day. And thats just on netflix (those of you who know me, know that I also watch DVR'd television, listen to NPR in the car, and if I haven't read at least two books a month feel embarassed). People joke about the amount of trivial knowledge I have, but frankly, with the amount of media I consume, its embarassing that I don't know more.

No, you have my complete attention.

Not only is the sheer amount of different pieces of media worth noting, but also the fact of how they are absorbed.

Streaming live: 392 programs

Delivered through the mail: 1 program

Yep. After getting one DVD through the mail, I never returned it. Despite a whole bevy of content that I can't get online, I have yet to return a DVD. How hard is that? Clearly convenience is a huge part of my watching habits. I think it speaks to exactly how "path of least resistance" I can be (and by extension the rest of humanity). Sooner or later, I'll get around to it...

Lastly,

4.) Life is pretty good.

On a purely mathematical basis, this data means that for 3.5% of my life, I am doing nothing to ensure my survival. I am not hunting for food, seeking shelter, or competing with others to ensure the survival of my genetic line.

In your face finches

Joking aside, Netflix makes a pretty good argument for the positive aspects of modernity. One has the ability to view an infinity of content, on demand, with little or no effort, for an extremely low price (but not Breaking Bad on AMC!). All this, while not having to worry about being eaten by lions. That's not to say, that there is no downside to modernity, believe me. The same technology that allows us to categorize and create efficiencies, is not immune to evil exploitation (like Nazis or cell phone plans). Still when it comes down to it, the creation of a conveniece like this shows that we have both unadulterated leisure time and the technology really to make the most of it. Say you don't like netflix. Statistics still show that you have time to do other amazing things, like play Wii with your friends and family, go on a hike, or some other stereotypical suburban fantasy.

Of course, this is open to its own dystopian interpretation as well. Some have theorized that when the machines take over, to take a phrase from T.S. Elliot, they won't come "with a bang, but with a whimper". That is to say, that media, technology, and machines will become so convenient and helpful in our lives, that we will have no choice but to let them take over. Clearly in the war to enslave humanity, Netflix is doing its part (3.5 percent!).

"You don't need free will, I've got this."

All of this information however is extrapolated from merely the quantitative data, or in laymens terms, the number data. What about the qualitiative data? What types of movies do I like? What am I watching it? What can we glean from that information?

Keep your eyes on the blog, because as soon as I can, I'll get back to you on that...