My Top 50 Films Of All Time

I was bored, and I was looking through the imdb Top 250 Films list for ideas on what to watch. So I decided I might as well do my own. But I'm not about to dish out a list of 250 films. Let's just do 50, yeah? That sounds good. A nice round number, and a multiple of 5.

Notice that 'The Dark Knight' rules supreme. Yes, I do think it's the best film I have ever seen. And before you criticise me for not inserting your favourite film, let me just say I haven't seen every single movie out there. For example, I haven't seen 'Schindler's List,' 'The Shawshank Redemption' (well, not till the end anyway) or those really old films from the 40's/50's/60's. This is my list.

'Pulp Fiction'

1. The Dark Knight (2008)
2. Pulp Fiction (1994)
3. Slumdog Millionaire (2008)
4. Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind (2004)
5. Wall-E (2008)
6. The Big Lebowski (1998)
7. The Breakfast Club (1985)
8. Pan's Labyrinth [El Laberinto del Fauno] (2006)
9. Letters From Iwo Jima (2006)
10. Kill Bill: Vol. 1-2 (2003-2004)
11. A Clockwork Orange (1971)
12. My Neighbour Totoro [Tonari No Totoro] (1988)
13. Little Miss Sunshine (2006)
14. Lord Of The Rings (2001-2003)
15. Back To The Future (1985-1990)
16. American Beauty (1999)
17. The Lion King (1994)
18. Spirited Away [Sen To Chihiro No Kamikakushi] (2001)
19. Edward Scissorhands (1990)
20. Gremlins (1984-1990)
21. 300 (2006)
22. American History X (1998)
23. No Country For Old Men (2007)
24. Life Is Beautiful [La Vita E Bella] (1997)
25. Shaun Of The Dead (2004)
26. Brokeback Mountain (2005)
27. The Incredibles (2004)
28. The Pursuit Of Happyness (2006)
29. The Truman Show (1998)
30. Saving Private Ryan (1998)
31. Juno (2007)
32. The Godfather (1972)
33. Batman Begins (2005)
34. King Kong (2005)
35. Knocked Up (2007)
36. The Matrix (1999-2003)
37. The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
38. Pirates Of The Caribbean (2003-2007)
39. I Am Legend (2007)
40. Cloverfield (2008)
41. Sin City (2005)
42. Blood Diamond (2006)
43. The Last King Of Scotland (2006)
44. Anchorman: The Legend Of Ron Burgundy (2004)
45. Shrek (2001-2007)
46. Star Wars (1977-1983)
47. Ju-On: The Grudge (2003)
48. Spider-Man (2002-2007)
49. Babel (2006)
50. V For Vendetta (2005)

'A Clockwork Orange'

Yes, 'The Godfather' is #32. Boo hoo. I think I'm committing film blasphemy by saying it's not in my Top 10. But hey, I just happen to think 'Juno' is better. Never thought you'd hear that, did you? 'Juno' better than 'The Godfather'?

I have quite a few animated films in there too. There are people who are quick to dismiss animated films as 'cartoons,' lacking the depth of live action films. The truth is, these people are missing out. 'Wall-E' has more depth and more character than most films. 'The Lion King' is a brilliant tribute to Shakespeare's Hamlet. 'Spirited Away' is magical and enthralling, and 'My Neighbour Totoro' is one of the most endearing stories that has ever been told about childhood.

Teenage films used to be good. 'The Breakfast Club' exposes the inadequacies of enforcing stereotypes. 'Gremlins' was a teenage horror flick with a timeless charm and a self-deprecating humour. Now we're being infested with the so-called 'tweens,' and leading the march is, sadly, Disney. Films like 'High School Musical' and 'Camp Rock' are lacking in depth and charm, relying on the attractiveness of the cast and the catchiness of the songs. There are better musicals out there.

What recent films have been succeeding in doing is drama when infused with other genres. 'Cloverfield' for instance would seem on the surface to be a monster disaster movie, but in reality it is actually a film about people just trying to survive. The monster itself is a side dish. The true essence of the film is its humanity.

Adaptations from books doesn't necessarily mean a bad film. Take for example 'A Clockwork Orange.' One of Stanley Kubrick's best films, it is based on the novel of the same name by Anthony Burgess. Other book-to-film adaptations include 'Slumdog Millionaire' and 'No Country For Old Men.' Even comic books (or graphic novels) can provide a brilliant flick, like 'Sin City,' 'Spider-Man' and 'V For Vendetta.'

A film doesn't even have to tie all its loose ends to make it a great one. There's 'Babel,' 'Cloverfield' and 'I Am Legend,' and they all refuse to give you all the answers. Arguably, having all the answers and all loose ends tied is an unrealistic thing.

Here's a list of prospective films (not necessarily new) that I want to watch in the near future:
'Vicky Christina Barcelona'
'Doubt'
'The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas'
'Milk'
'The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button'
'RockNRolla'
'The Wrestler'
'Frost / Nixon'
'The Shawshank Redemption'
'Schindler's List'
'Revolutionary Road'
'Changeling'
'Waltz With Bashir'

Signing out

Over and out

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Now playing: Genghis Tron - Board Up The House
via FoxyTunes

Waiting The Gallows

So I've posted my Top Ten Albums for 2008. Here are some honourable mentions:

AC/DC - Black Ice
Adele - 19
Beck - Modern Guilt
Black Kids - Partie Traumatic
Bring Me The Horizon - Suicide Season
Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago
Cajun Dance Party - The Colourful Life
Chad Vangaalen - Soft Airplane
The Cure - 4:13 Dream
Death Cab For Cutie - Narrow Stairs
Does It Offend You, Yeah? - You Have No Idea What You're Getting Yourself Into
Dragonforce - Ultra Beatdown
Genghis Tron - Board Up The House
Glasvegas - Glasvegas
Guns 'N Roses - Chinese Democracy
Hercules & Love Affair - Hercules & Love Affair
Jack Johnson - Sleep Through The Static
James Yuill - Turning Down Water For Air
Joan As Police Woman - To Survive
Johnny Foreigner - Waited Up Til It Was Light
Kids In Glass Houses - Smart Casual
Kings Of Leon - Only By The Night
Ladytron - Velocifero
The Last Shadow Puppers - The Age Of Understatement
Laura Marling - Alas, I Cannot Swim
Lightspeed Champion - Falling Off The Lavender Bridge
Los Campesinos! - Hold On Now, Youngster....
Los Campesions! - We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed
Mindless Self Indulgence - If
Monkey - Journey To The West
Mystery Jets - Twenty One
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - Dig Lazarus Dig!
Portishead - Third
The Raconteurs - Consolers Of The Lonely
Rise Againsr - Appeal To Reason
Rolo Tomassi - Hysterics
Seasick Steve - I Started Out With Nothin' And Still Got Most Of It Left
Shiny Toy Guns - Season Of Poison
The Streets - Everything Is Borrowed
This Town Needs Guns - Animals
Thrice - The Alchemy Index Vols. III & IV: Air & Earth
Tom Morello The Nightwatchman - The Fabled City
Trivium - Shogun
Unearth - The March
The Verve - Forth
Weezer - The Red Album
William Fitzsimmons - The Sparrow & The Crow

There are some new albums coming out this year that I'm really looking forward to. One I can't wait for is Gallows'. 2008 was a good year for music.

Signing out

Over and out

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Now playing: Adele - Hometown Glory
via FoxyTunes

Top Ten Albums of 2008

I think it's time for me to look back at 2008 and appreciate some of the best music I've listened to the past 12 months.

I can't admit to have listened to every album (and you can't too), and I can't admit to have listened to all the albums I have carefully. So with that in mind I hope you see this for what it is. It's a top ten of my choice. My opinions. You may not like it, and I have no problem with that.

So here goes.

[10] Hadouken! - Music For An Accelerated Culture

Most of the criticism towards Hadouken! has been centred from their choice of genre rather than the actual music. Many dismissed 'Music...' as a fad album, soon to be replaced by the next nu-rave sensation.

Fad or not, 'Music... is a good album. Never mind it's a white boy rapping over synth-filled electronica. Never mind the brash lyrics and the questionable themes of getting smashed and partying till the late hours. When it's done this good, all that won't matter.

[9] Metallica – Death Magnetic

I remember as a young teenager I quite liked 'St. Anger.' Yes, I did. It got me into Metallica. But then after listening to the beautiful 'Master Of Puppets' and '...And Justice For All' I suddenly realised 'St. Anger' is utter rubbish. It's a decent metal album. But this is Metallica. They don't do decent.

'Death Magnetic' signals Metallica's return to the days of 'Master Of Puppets.' and it's a very welcomed one, to say the least. Back are Kirk Hammett's guitar solos. Gone are the tin can drums. Now this is fucking metal. This is fucking Metallica.

[8]Duffy – Rockferry

Singer-Songwriters are a dime a dozen nowadays. Many are an either-or. They are either a good songwriter but mediocre singer, or vice versa. Duffy is both an amazing songwriter and a brilliant singer.

Her vintage voice is especially beautiful on tracks like 'Mercy' and 'Warwick Avenue.' Her voice is emotional and frank yet tough. For anyone sick of Amy Winehouse's antics yet are in love with her voice, you might want to take a look at Duffy.

[7] Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend

Fusing African influences with an ear for truly listenable tunes, Vampire Weekend has come out with an album that has an infinite replay value. It's charm comes from it's simplicity.

There's no need to overthink yourself. This is an album you can just sit back and enjoy.

[6] Crystal Castles – Crystal Castles

They're called Crystal Castles, and they hail from Toronto. An expression of teenage angst through violent poetry and 8-bit, glitch-filled samples, Crystal Castles is a band that uses their hatred to create music that is both piercing and danceable. Call it electro dance punk if you may. That's the best I could come up with.

Alice Glass and Ethan Kath were both brought up in neighbourhoods with levels of violence and fucked-upness that beggars belief. That explains the distorted, pained voice of Alice in songs like "Alice Practice," coupled with incomprehensible lyrics, makes for a very unique, audio experience. The lyrics are so incomprehensible at times, that you wonder if they made the lyrics on the spot while performing. But the words don't matter. It's the pain in the voice, the angst, the anger in the gameboy samples, and the disturbing notion that it makes you want to dance just a little bit.

[5] MGMT – Oracular Spectacular

How do you explain MGMT? Well, when asked they explained themselves as making pop music that aren't comfortable. Whatever that means, it might just be true. Eclectic is probably the most appropriate description here.

You certainly want to dance to the music, but there is a certain discomfort in that feeling. This is no bad thing though. 'Kids' is the obvious place to start. Then there are 'Time To Pretend' and 'Electric Feel.' Don't stop there. You might find yourself awkwardly dancing in the CD shop.

[4] Girl Talk – Feed The Animals

Admit it. You've listened to those questionable mash-ups. Two songs cut up into bits and pieces and made into one song that's not quite a remix and then when it's time to sort out your iTunes, you're not sure how you should name the song.

If you like that kind of thing then you'll be amazed with Girl Talk. Rather than just mixing up two songs that kind of makes sense, he grabs a scalpel and surgically cuts up hundreds of songs that range from Avril Lavigne to Ice Cube to Aerosmith and and stitch them up with a precision that is staggering, then divides it into 14 tracks so everything makes a little bit more sense. When you can download the whole album for free, what's there to lose?

[3] Slipknot – All Hope Is Gone

Whoever would have thought a nu metal band wearing masks would grow into one of the most exhilarating, successful and intense musicians in the world? Yes, it's fair to say they've escaped the shackles of the nu-metal scene, and how they've flourished. Their fanbase now spreads outside the circle of metalheads, and have been nominated for Grammy awards.

'All Hope Is Gone' is pure Slipknot. It's merciless and unwilling to compromise. The sheer intensity of Corey Taylor's vocals and the dark, unforgiving riffs attack you every step of the way. This is possibly the best metal album of 2008.

[2] Bloc Party – Intimacy

Bloc Party is not known for being complacent. They're certainly not known for churning out the same kind of music again and again. Their debut album 'Silent Alarm' was brilliant. It was raw and powerful, yet intricately beautiful. Then came 'A Weekend In The City,' which has gone the opposite direction. Subtle yet harsh at the same time, the ambience of the whole album was breath-taking.

But then when you compare 'Intimacy' to both these albums, 'Silent Alarm' and 'A Weekend...' might as well have been identical twins. 'Intimacy' veers so far off into the realms of electronica you wonder if this is the same band who wrote 'Helicopter' or 'Hunting For Witches.' Of course there were clues. Don't tell me you've forgotten about 'Flux.'

Again, the songs are centred on Kele Okereke's personal life in London (mostly the East side), with references to Bethnal Green and Soho. Yes, it is Okereke's intimate moment. But it is so intimate to Okereke' we almost feel excluded. But that never becomes a bad thing. This is Bloc Party at their best, again.

[1] Foals – Antidotes

Phenomenal live, Foals is a band that never fails to amaze. As catchy as the flu, their music is jerky guitar heaven. Many have compared them to Bloc Party, but these comparisons are off the point and inaccurate. To start with, Yannis Philippakis (the frontman) is actually quite charismatic. He h as a certain kind of mystique without being too introspective. He's mysterious without being reclusive.

'Antidotes' is a record you can either dance to or jump to. If you try hard enough, you might even be able to mosh to it. The lyrics are surrealist, dream-like affairs, dealing more with the visual summing up of the words rather than the actual semantics. The choruses are infectious without being predictable. The music is relentless in its pursuit to make you stand up and dance. It is anthemic and works wonders live.

Foals' 'Antidotes' is the best debut album of 2008, and it is also my choice for best album of 2008.