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Georgie on the Big Screen

Wow, this is happening a lot sooner than I thought but the first George W. Bush biopic will be released (in the States, nothing about New Zealand) on October 17 this year. It will be directed by Oliver Stone and is called simply W.

Josh Brolin, of No Country For Old Men fame will play the current president. It should be interesting, though I dislike Oliver Stone - a project like this is too tempting to not watch. Especially for Anti-Bushers.

Best Films of 1996

OK, so I complained about 1997 being a shit year but at least I could still get 10 films on a list of movies that I quite like. 1996, while being host to one of my all time favourite films of all time - Fargo (the fourth time that the Coen Brothers make the top spot - I think I'm a fan of those guys), was really disappointing. I can't even manage a top five, if you were to ask me "based on what you've seen from 1996, what would you nominate for best picture?", I would say those three before stummering out something like......... Happy Gilmore? Maybe my problem is I just haven't seen enough films, I've only seen two of the best picture nominees from the Oscars (Jerry Maguire and Fargo).

1. Fargo (Joel & Ethan Coen)
2. Bottle Rocket (Wes Anderson)
3. Scream (Wes Craven)
   

Best Movies of 1997

Man, Deconstructing Harry is by far the weakest number one we've had so far. I don't mean to say anything bad about it but I can't believe how weak this year actually was. This does mark Woody Allen's second top finish - it's just a surprising one. While overall I reckon that's an interesting top five, 1997 has proven to be the weakest year so far - I didn't think that'll happen until the 80s.

1. Deconstructing Harry (Woody Allen)
2. Waiting For Guffman (Christopher Guest)
3. Boogie Nights (Paul Thomas Anderson)
4. Wintersleepers (Tom Tykwer)
5. The Fifth Element (Luc Besson)
6. Open Your Eyes (Alejandro Amenabar)
   
7. Lost Highway (David Lynch)
   
8. The Castle (Rob Sitch)
   
9. Men In Black (Barry Sonnenfeld)
   
10. Scream 2 (Wes Craven)
    

Best Movies of 1998

What to say? This is one weak year. While 1999 could muster six amazing films, 1998 can only really give up two. Oh well, The Coen Brothers claim their third top spot. Aren't they awesome?

1. The Big Lebowski (Joel & Ethan Coen)
2. Rushmore (Wes Anderson)
3. A Bug's Life (John Lasseter)
4. The Thin Red Line (Terrence Malick)
5. Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (Guy Ritchie)
   
6. Antz (Eric Darnell & Tim Johnson)
   
7. The Truman Show (Peter Weir)
8. Pi (Darren Aronofsky)
   
9. American History X (Tony Kaye)
   
10. Pleasantville (Gary Ross)
    

Best Movies of 1999

Out of the 21st Century now and into the 90's. After this point I think the lists are going to start becoming smaller as I become less familiar with each year. This year was one good year, I mean - look at that top six. That's six movies I'm quite fond of.

1. Being John Malkovich (Spike Jonze)
2. American Beauty (Sam Mendes)
3. Fight Club (David Fincher)
4. Toy Story 2 (John Lasseter, Ash Brannon & Lee Unkrich)
   
5. Election (Alexander Payne)
   
6. Magnolia (Paul Thomas Anderson)
   
7. The Matrix (Andy & Larry Wachowski)
   
8. All About My Mother (Pedro Almodovar)
   
9. Office Space (Mike Judge)
   
10. The Virgin Suicides (Sofia Coppola)
    
11. Run Lola Run (Tom Tykwer)
    
12. Go (Doug Liman)
    
13. Bowfinger (Frank Oz)
    
14. South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut (Trey Parker)
    
15. Scarfies (Robert Sarkies)
    

Best Movies of the 00's (so far)

As part of my "Favourite Movies Project", I've been going through my favourite movies, year by year. I've just finished going through all of the years in this decade so it's time to take the 112 films I've designated as "noteworthy" and narrow it down to a top 20. Fun times!

1) Adaptation (2002)
(Directed by Spike Jonze, Written by Charlie Kaufman)

Donald Kaufman: Okay, well here's the twist. We find out that, that the killer really suffers from multiple personality disorder, right? See, he's actually really the cop and the girl. All of them are him. Isn't that fucked up?

2) Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
(Directed by Michel Gondry. Written by Charlie Kaufman)

Joel: Is there any risk of brain damage?
Howard: Well, technically speaking, the operation is brain damage, but it's on a par with a night of heavy drinking. Nothing you'll miss.

3) Amelie (2001)
(Directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet. Written by Jean-Pierre Jeunet & Guillaume Laurant)

Narrator: With a prompter in every cellar window whispering comebacks, shy people would have the last laugh.

4) The Triplets of Belleville (2003)
(Written & Directed by Sylvain Chomet)

Triplets [singing]: Swinging Belleville rendevouz/ Marathon dancing, doop-de-doo/ Voodoo, can-can, balais, taboo/ in Belleville swinging rendevouz...

5) Lost In Translation (2003)
(Written & Directed by Sofia Coppola)

John: Why do you have to point out how stupid everyone is all the time?

6) Match Point (2005)
(Written & Directed by Woody Allen)

Nola Rice: You're gonna do very well for yourself, unless you blow it.
Chris Wilton: And how am I going to blow it?
Nola Rice: By making a pass at me.
Chris Wilton: And what makes you think that's going to happen?
Nola Rice: Men always seem to wonder.

7) I Heart Huckabees (2004)
(Directed by David O. Russell. Written by David O. Russell & Jeff Baena)

Dawn Campbell: There's glass between us. You can't deal with my infinite nature can you?
Brad Stand: That is so not true. Wait, what does that even mean?

8) O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000)
(Written & Directed by the Coen Brothers)

Pete: Well hell, it ain't square one! Ain't nobody gonna pick up three filthy, unshaved hitch-hikers, and one of them a know-it-all that can't keep his trap shut.
Ulysses Everett McGill: Pete, the personal rancor reflected in that remark I don't intend to dignify with comment.

9) Donnie Darko (2001)
(Written & Directed by Richard Kelly)

Rose Darko: I don't think telling any woman to forcibly insert an object into her anus is something that should go unpunished.
Edward Darko: I think we should buy him a moped.
Rose Darko: I think we should get a divorce.

10) No Country For Old Men (2007)

(Written & Directed by the Coen Brothers)

Man: Just how dangerous is he?
Carson Wells: Compared to what? The bubonic plague?

11) The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)
(Directed by Wes Anderson. Written by Wes Anderson & Owen Wilson)

Eli: I did find it odd when you said you were in love with her. She's married you know.
Richie: Yeah.
Eli: And she's your sister.
Richie: Adopted.

12) The Incredibles (2004)
(Written & Directed by Brad Bird)

Mr. Incredible: Of course I have a secret identity. I don't know a single superhero without one. I mean, who wants the pressure of being super all the time?

13) Ratatouille (2007)
(Written & Directed by Brad Bird)

Django: Food is fuel. You get picky about what you put in the tank, your engine is gonna die. Now shut up and eat your garbage.

14) Secretary (2002)
(Directed by Steven Shainberg. Written by Erin Cressida Wilson)

Peter: Are you doing something sexual?
Lee: Does this look sexual to you?

15) Serenity (2005)
(Written & Directed by Joss Whedon)

Mal: Zoe, the ship is yours. Remember, if anything happens to me; if you don't hear from me within the hour; you take this ship and you come and you rescue me!
Zoe: What? And risk my ship?
Mal: I mean it. It's cold out there, and I don't want to get left.

16) In My Father's Den (2004)
(Written & Directed by Brad McGann)

Celia Steimer: One day, in a town on the edge of the world, the tide went out and never returned. The sea just left without warning.

17) Gosford Park (2001)
(Directed by Robert Altman. Written by Julian Fellowes)

Mary Maceachran: Nobody can stab a corpse and not know it.
Robert Parks: Really? When was the last time you stabbed a corpse?

18) Little Miss Sunshine (2006)
(Directed by Jonathan Dayton & Valerie Davis. Written by Michael Ardnt.)

Frank: Who is that? Nietzsche? So you stopped talking because of Friedrich Nietzsche? Far out.

19) Thank You For Smoking (2006)
(Written & Directed by Jason Reitman)

Heather Holloway: My other interviews have pinned you as a mass murderer, blood sucker, pimp, profiteer and my personal favorite, yuppie Mephistopheles.

20) Juno (2007)
(Directed by Jason Reitman. Written by Diablo Cody)

Paulie: I still have your underwear.
Juno: I still have your virginity.
Paulie: Would you shut up?

Wowsies.

60% of NBA players are bankrupt by five years after their retirement.
(h/t: Marginal Revolution)

Reminds me of a quote from the first couple of pages from the book I'm reading now: Zuckerman Unbound by Philip Roth. Basically, the main character, Zuckerman - a novelist has just released a bestseller and has heaps of money coming his way.

Gone were the days when Zuckerman had only to worry about Zuckerman making money: henceforth he would have to worry about his money making money.

The Optimal Obama Supporter...

...would be a black male under 30 with a college degree.

Well, that's the conclusion I grab from this cool like widget from the NY Times that looks at how the different groups voted... It shows some very clear obvious trends.

Like,

• Men like Obama - Women like Clinton.
• Blacks like Obama - Whites like Clinton.
• The young like Obama - The old like Clinton.
• Graduates like Obama - Non-Graduates like Clinton.

The income is less clear, it's moving slightly in the expected direction (rich like Obama - poor like Clinton) but it's not as clear cut. The poor seem quite divided, the West Virginia poor like Clinton by 65% and the Maryland poor like Obama by 41%. As you move up to the income scales the results become a little more centralised.
(h/t: David Farrar)

The End of my Favourite Cup

I just walked down to the kitchen to find my favourite cup of the last seven years on the bench, it was broken. Why? Was someone merely clumsy? Or is there more sinister elements afoot? Revenge for the mug I broke a couple of days ago maybe?

There was nothing I liked more than to drink ginger beer from that cup. With its blue swirls and frosted style it once belonged to a whole family of four... or six of these beautiful cups which were systematically destroyed until only one remained... man, I wish I named him/her. That cup lasted a good while after its brothers and sisters and has always had a place with me in my flats.

So, I need a new favourite cup. What to do?

On totally unrelated news, I just finished watching the final episode of Arrested Development - now that was one nice way to end the series. Could it be the most incestuous show ever? (with maybe the exception of some soap operas)

Best Movies of 2000

Wow. Weak year. The Coen Brothers grab their second top spot though O Brother is probably the weakest of all the top films so far (with the possible exception of No Country For Old Men - but that needs time to fully cement itself in place. Fact is, the Coen Brothers did their best work in the 90s)

1. O Brother, Where Art Thou? (Joel & Ethan Coen)
2. State & Main (David Mamet)
3. Memento (Christopher Nolan)
4. Almost Famous (Cameron Crowe)
5. Best In Show (Christopher Guest)
6. Chicken Run (Peter Lord & Nick Park)
   
7. High Fidelity (Stephen Frears)
   
8. Small Time Crooks (Woody Allen)
9. X-Men (Bryan Singer)
10. Dinner Rush (Bob Giraldi)
    

Best Movies of 2001

2001 is the biggest year so far - I've considered 20 films from that year to be noteworthy. The top film, Amelie, would be one of most important films for me ever.

1. Amelie (Jean-Pierre Jeunet)
2. Donnie Darko (Richard Kelly)
3. The Royal Tenebaums (Wes Anderson)
4. Gosford Park (Robert Altman)
5. Monsters Inc. (Peter Docter, Lee Unkrich & David Silverman)
6. Spirited Away (Hayao Miyazaki)
7. Shrek (Andrew Adamson & Vicky Jensen)
8. Mulholland Dr. (David Lynch)
9. Ghost World (Terry Zwigoff)
10. Moulin Rogue! (Baz Luhrmann)
11. Waking Life (Richard Linklater)
12. The Man Who Wasn't There (Joel & Ethan Coen)
13. Ocean's 11 (Steven Soderbergh)
14. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (Peter Jackson)
15. Zoolander (Ben Stiller)
16. Y tu mama tambien (Alfonso Cuaron)
17. The Closet (Francis Veber)
18. Rain (Christine Jeffs)
19. The Score (Frank Oz)
    
20. Buffalo Soldiers (Gregor Jordan)
    

Best Movies of 2002

Those first four films on the list are so deliciously weird, 2002 certainly provided some excellent "weird" films that I love so much. Oscar winner Chicago rounds out that top five. Adaptation is the film that made me interested in film, before that I was a fairly apathetic film viewer.

Adaptation and Confessions of a Dangerous Mind makes the second and third Charlie Kaufman penned film to make the top five. George Clooney and Paul Thomas Anderson also make their second apperance in the top five as directors.

1. Adaptation (Spike Jonze)
2. Secretary (Steven Shainberg)
   
3. Punch-Drunk Love (Paul Thomas Anderson)
4. Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (George Clooney)
5. Chicago (Rob Thomas)
6. Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (Peter Jackson)
7. City of God (Fernando Meirelles & Katia Lund)
   
8. Catch Me If You Can (Steven Spielberg)
9. The Hours (Stephen Daldry)
   
10. The Bourne Identity (Doug Liman)
    
11. Dirty Pretty Things (Stephen Frears)
    
12. One Hour Photo (Mark Romanek)
13. Ice Age (Chris Wedge & Carlos Saldanha)
    

Best Movies of 2003

Until recently, Scarlett Johansson could have secured herself a second first place finish after Match Point in 2005 but The Triplets of Belleville - an amazing animated french film has displaced her from that honour. Me repeating myself doesn't stop there - Finding Nemo is the third Pixar film to end up in the top five and the fourth to appear in these lists. Tim Burton and the Coen Brothers have also now made two apperances in the top ten.

1. The Triplets of Belleville (Sylvain Chomet)
   
2. Lost In Translation (Sofia Coppola)
   
3. American Splendour (Shari Springer Berman & Robert Pulcini)
   
4. Finding Nemo (Andrew Stanton & Lee Unkrich)
   
5. Shattered Glass (Billy Ray)
   
6. Big Fish (Tim Burton)
   
7. Kitchen Stories (Bent Hamer)
   
8. Intolerable Cruelty (Joel & Ethan Coen)
   
9. Goodbye Lenin! (Wolfgang Becker)
   
10. 21 Grams (Alejandro Inarritu)
    
11. X2: X-Men United (Bryan Singer)
    
12. Matchstick Men (Ridley Scott)
    
13. School of Rock (Richard Linklater)
    
14. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (Gore Verbinski)
    
15. Bad Santa (Terry Zwigoff)
    

Best Movies of 2004

Ahhh, 2004. My first year of university. Though with the exception of Eternal Sunshine, Mean Girls and Shrek 2 I saw the majority of these films the next year. I remember it as the year of Fahrenheit 9/11 and the Passion of the Christ. Two films that greatly disturbed my experiences with cinema that year, the former for its horrible documentary practises and the latter for highlighting my preference to not watch a film that was solely about someone getting cruificied. 2004 nevertheless turned out to be an important year of cinema for me - especially the film that came in first - one of my most favourite films of all time.

1. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (Michel Gondry)
2. I Heart Huckabees (David O. Russell)
3. The Incredibles (Brad Bird)
4. In My Father's Den (Brad McGann)
5. Napoleon Dynamite (Jared Hess)
6. Sideways (Alexander Payne)
7. Night Watch (Timur Bekmambetov)
8. A Very Long Engagement (Jean-Pierre Jeunet)
9. Mean Girls (Mark Waters)
10. Garden State (Zach Braff)
11. Shrek 2 (Andrew Adamson, Kelly Asbury & Conrad Vernon)
12. The Bourne Supremacy (Paul Greengrass)
13. The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou (Wes Anderson)
14. Primer (Shane Carruth)
    
15. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azakaban (Alfonso Cuaron)
    
16. Team America: World Police (Trey Parker)