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TOP 5 Movies:
1. Pulp Fiction: I love this movie. Quentin Tarantino is a crazy writer/director. The way it all intertwines is very entertaining. John Travolta and Samual L Jackson make a great pair!
2. Donnie Darko: I love the emotional range the story provokes and the information presented is very intruiging.
3. Fight Club: Well...Brad Pitt among other reasons. It seems like every time I watch it I notice something new and I can't even count how many times I've seen it.
4. American Beauty: It is easy to relate to all of the different characters. It really makes you look at yourself.
5. Blow: A good illustration of the "American Dream" and the lengths that people will go to achieve it.
TOP 5 ALBUMS:
1. August and Everything After (Counting Crows): This has been my favorite cd from the time I was very young. The Counting Crows have always been my favorite band. Adam's voice is beautiful and his lyrics, especially on this cd are very expressive and creative in my opinion. I can relate to every song in one way or another. The instruments have sort of a early 70's sound and I think it's a cool combination.
2. The Resignation (RX Bandits): Amazing message. Very different sound. I love it.
3. Their Greatest Hits (1971-1975) (The Eagles): My favorite cd to listen to on a hot summer night. Every song is amazing, don't have to hit "next" once.
4. North (Something Corporate): I love piano. I played piano for over 10 years. I saw this band live and it's amazing to see him jam out on a piano the way he does. Andrew is extremely talented in my opinion.
5. How to Save a Life (The Fray): I'm going to have to say it's the piano thing again. I love Isaacs voice and he plays the piano beautifully.
I've noticed that most of my favorite films are actually listed in the syllabus. That's what makes this class so great.
Films
1. Godfather part II
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I can't even being to describe how great this film is. The first was was astounding. But the second builds on the first one and is able to take off with a storyline of the young Corleone killing the sicilian "black hand" That scene was just great. Lots of moral relativism that really makes you think. On one hand you know that he is killing the extortion tyrant but at the same time you know that because it's a flashback that killing the Black hand was just a way to cut out his own extortion niche
2. Apocpalypse Now
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I like this one more for the cinematography that the storyline and dialouge. I fell in love with this film because of the way that Francis Ford coppla blends the Tai Chi scene with the excruciating surreal lament of The Doors song "The End" The film also ends with the song. I just think that everything was executed perfectly. But "The End" is absolutely what made the film what it is. The horrifing pounding acid-washed raga sitar arpeggio reapeating over and over just haunts whatever is happening on screen. Interesting fact: Francis Ford Coppla and Jim Morrison plus Ray Manzarek of the doors were classmates at UCLA film school. If you look at some of the lost Morrison film projects you can see how Morrison's melancoly depictions of the hero characters rubbed off on coppla. I think it's a prefect fusion of film and music.
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3. I'm not there
The surreal depiction of the life of bob Dylan. It just recently came out and I'm not sure if i've fully digested this film yet even though it's been weeks since I saw it. I'm a sucker for composite characters and non-sequitor storylines. I wouldn't call this a biography of Dylan, it's just too weird and dissociated from the biography format. But at the same time I think that the film may be the most accurate depiction of a dynamic personality. But at the same time i still have this feeling that dylan's biggest fault is how his perfectionism makes him a fraud in some ways.
4. Juno
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This film just came out and it's getting nice reviews and such but I can't help feeling like I saw a different film thaneveryone else. Maybe I just derived less than the professional reviewers who were expecting something different. I though it was simply a sweet story and a welcome break from all the crappy formulaic films that hollywood cranks out expecting to be paid by the pound for film stock. I put this one the list because I think it's a better example of what a film could be if writers and directors would break out of the mainstream and stop worrying so much about making a film acceptable and accessable to everyone and just produce a movie on faith that the public will be able to handel it if there the film is just a little weird.
5.
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Run, Ronnie, Run
A comedy by David Cross and Bob Odenkirk that really flopped when it came out. All in all the film isn't absoulely packed with laughs every minute but the musical segments are so great. One scene has unique parody of the bland
R&B music that was so spot on that i've replayed it over and over and it's become a goldmine for inside jokes among my friends
MOVIES:
Scarface (awesome and exciting story, I like how it goes through and wraps everything up and doesn’t really leave any loose ends, for some reason that’s important to me)
Superbad (HILARIOUS, need I say more)
Strange Wilderness (another funny one)
Fearless (some of Jet Li’s greatest work invigorating storyline and exhilarating fight scenes)
The Classic (I’m a little partial to Korean drama movies, this one makes the list because it is normal time length (most Korean Dramas are like 20 disc series) and they did a good job evoking emotions)
MUSIC:
Han Sung Min - Sarang Ha Myun Hal Soo Rok (song from The Classic, great piano and orchestral instrumentals with a soft deep voice singing a sad song in Korean)
Flo Rida – Low (upbeat hip/hop song you can dance to)
Tupac – My Block (greatest lyricist ever preaching poverty and racism, not his typical gangster rap image)
Frankie J – Don’t Wanna Try (great voice smooth instrumentals)
Brett Dennen – Ain’t No Reason (second greatest lyricist ever singing about issues of today, politics, money, poverty, etc)
Movies:
1: "Memento"- This movie was really thought provoking. It takes your brain through two hours of confusion and in the end; you still may or may not have figured it out. He has no short-term memory and is trying to figure out the details of his wife's death.
2: "Ratatouille"- What can I say?! This is a feel-good movie, and personally, I really like France, furry things, and cooking, so you can see why this movie drew my interest. Also, it has something that most cartoons do not... Unlike most Disney films, they actually throw in elements of reality which make it interesting to adults too.
3: "Breakfast at Tiffany's": I LOVE Audrey Hepburn. This movie is endearing because it makes me feel like a very independent person compared to her character Holly-Go-Lightly, who tends to leech onto men and use her wit, charm, and good looks to party her way through life.
4. "American History X"- This is a weird favorite because of its neo-nazistic theme. I have a hard time watching this because of the shock value of it, but the first time I did, it opened my eyes to the reality of some hate-mob mentality that I was completely ignorant of.
5. "Abandon"- This is about a girl who is being stalked by a former boyfriend. In the end, however, things aren't quite as they seem. I really like the psychological thrill of this movie.
Artists:
1. Death Cab for Cutie - (favorite album: Transatlanticism) good for sleeping, relaxing, homework-doing
2. Arcade Fire
3. Amy Winehouse- apparently they didn't "try to make her go to rehab" hard enough! Her voice is beautiful in a way that is unexpected and intriguing.
4. R. Kelly- He may have a sketchy past, but the man knows how to make a 'phat' dance song
5. Anna Nalik- "chick music" at its finest
Top 5 movies
1. The Shawshank Redemption- I love the chemistry (platonic) between Morgan Freeman and Tim Robbins, both are tremendous actors. Also the story here is wonderful-- intricate, surprisingy and believable, thanks to Stephen King. Plus the cinematography is gorgeous, Thomas Newman's score complements perfectly, and I always end up with a happy feeling when I finish watching it. "Hope is a good thing, maybe the best thing". I could gush longer but I'll stop here.
2. Lost in Translation- I can really relate to what Scarlett Johansson is going through in this movie, feeling lost and unsure of what to do with her life. Also good music and gorgeous scenery.
3. The Squid and the Whale- This is just a really awesome movie about a dysfunctional family and how divorce affects the two children in the family. The ending is perfect especially with Lou Reed playing as background music.
4. No Country For Old Men- Rarely does a movie end where I think it should. This one does.
5. Pulp Fiction- Probably don't need to say anything on this one. It's clearly a great movie. Best script of all time, I would argue.
Top 5 Artists
(I'm a music lover so this should be difficult)
1. The B-52's- this is a sentimental selection. Plus, they very nearly founded alternative music.
2. Dave Matthews Band- typical college band, but they are very talented and put on the best concerts.
3. Stars/Decemberists/Arcade Fire/New Pornographers/Death Cab for Cutie- Sorry, that's five bands, but they all run in the same "indie" vein.
4. Heartless Bastards- a favorite of today, subject to change. Very powerful, energetic blues-rock band.
5. Tears for Fears- I'm a sucker for melancholic 80s bands.
(honorable mentions? Led Zeppelin, Pearl Jam, The Who, Explosions in the Sky, Mogwai, The Beatles, George Harrison, John Lennon, Thomas Newman, John Williams, Wolf Parade, Wilco, XTC, Tegan and Sara, Damien Rice, Snow Patrol, Jesus and Mary Chain, Muse, Alanis Morissette, Genesis, Collective Soul, Coldplay, New Radicals, The Strokes, The Suburbs, and Sufjan Stevens). (sorry).
Top 5 – Katherine Lung
Movies…
Running with Scissors – the dysfunctional family dynamics was funny and the fact that it was a real story.
Finding Neverland – I can’t specifically remember why, but it was enjoyable.
The Illusionist – the twist at the end made me shout out loud.
Perfume – the unexpecting ending and poignant twist to the plot was appealing.
Little Miss Sunshine – another dysfunctional family thing.
Musical artists…
Black Eyed Peas
Marie Digby
Gavin Degraw
Maroon 5
KT Tunstall
Top 5 Movies:
1) Casino. - I'm a big fan of the mob movies and of Pesci and De Niro. there is no doubt in my mind that this is the best Las Vegas/Mobster movie of all time.
2) Braveheart - The definition of an epic movie. First of it's kind and so many more films were inspired from it.
3) Blow - Some unreal Johnny Depp acting, and on top of it all its a true story.
4) The Notebook - I know I'm a guy and shouldn't like this movie, but it is definitely the best romance I have ever seen and an amazing story as well.
5) Superbad - prime example of a satire of mine and I'm sure many others' high school days. Could not stop laughing during the entire movie.
Top 5 Artists:
1) Dave Matthews Band - I'm not a total junkie, but gotta say I love listening and chilling to DMB. I also went to his concert at Alpine Valley this summer.
2) Tech N9ne - In my opinion one of the best and under recognized rappers out there. Been to two of his concerts and absolutely loved them.
3) Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - love so many of his songs. Last Dance With Mary Jane, Learning to Fly, American Girl, Free Fallin, Don't Do Me Like That.... I could go on forever.
4) Led Zeppelin - Absolutely love Going to California, Over the Hills and Far Away, Dy'er Maker (which Sean Kingston eloquently ripped off for his song "Me Love") and so many more.
5) Toby Keith - I love some good country, and Toby Keith is pretty much the king. Went and saw him at We Fest in Detroit Lakes this year and had the time of my life.
Top 5 movies - I definately enjoy the chick flick...
1) While You Were Sleeping
2) Father of the Bride
3) Ransom
4) Stepmom
5) Wedding Crashers
Top 5 artists –I basically will listen to any type of music, but these are probably my favorite artists from each genre.
1) Justin Timberlake
2) Dave Matthews Band
3) Mariah Carey
4) Rascal Flatts
5) Bob Dylan
Movies:
Star Wars - The original trilogy never gets old for me, and the special effects that Lucas uses are incredible for the time. The new movies are also good, but I don't think they can ever be considered classics like the originals.
Tommy Boy - The best performance by one of the funniest men to have ever lived, Chis Farley.
Dazed and Confused - Anybody that has lived through high school can relate to this movie in one way or another.
Boondock Saints - This movie really makes you think about the differences between right and wrong/ good vs. evil and whether ordinary citizens have the right to take the law into their own hands if the law enforcement is less than sufficient. And it's just straight up bad ass.
Girl's 'Yeah Right' - A skateboarding video that turns the sport and the filming of it into a piece of art. The tricks are innovative and technical as hell, great use of special effects (special effects in skate video? yep.), and the audio/video synchronization is amazing (the entire film is perfectly edited so that every trick pops and/or lands on the beat of the song playing in the background). Anyone can appreciate this video, even if you don't skateboard or know anything about the sport.
Music
Operation Ivy - Even though they only recorded one full length album, they completely changed the way punk rock would be played from then on.
Black Keys - A twosome that puts a modern twist on blues rock, but still stays true to the roots.
The Roots - These guys have the best beats in all of hip hop, no questions asked.
Led Zeppelin - I don't think I could live with myself if I didn't put the greatest rock and roll band of all time on my list.
Pennywise - A punk band that plays hard and fast every song. They didn't really change the scene at all like Op Ivy, and after a while all their songs start to sound the same, but I love them nonetheless.
Why hello there! Thanks for taking the time to read my blog. I must say this is a hard topic for me because I love a lot of music albums and movies. It was hard for me to narrow my top fives but I did it. In no particular order…
Music Albums
1) Justin Timberlake: Justified. I really loved Justin’s style and swagger even when he was with N’sync. He has such a great voice and a great dancer. This album just set him apart from your stereotypical pop album that was expected from him. He really showcased R&B in this album. With the help of Timberland, he had great beats and melodies in this album. I can play through the whole album without skipping a song. Every song in my opinion was really good.
2) Justin Timberlake: FutureSex/LoveSounds: Okay you guessed it, I’m a Justin Timberlake fan. I really love this album as much as his first ones. Again, showcasing R&B flavor, he made an album worth listening to every song. The song “My Love” was such a hit and it had a unique beat to it. I can never get sick of that song.
3) Lupe Fiasco: The Cool. This is the latest album I just can’t get enough of. He a great lyricist. He is able to relay messages or tell stories vividly through his lyrics. He has this bboy/skater swagger unlike your typical hip hop artist.
4) Dr. Dre – The Chronic. This album will be forever classic. Dr. Dre really pioneered gangster rap through this album in its time. Though the album may be vulgar, it was comedic and informative about what goes on in the “ghetto”. The song “Ain’t nothing but a G thang” will forever be a classic hit in hip/hop. He really put the west coast rap on his back at the time.
5) The Game: The documentary. This is one hot album. For a period of time, west coast hip hop fell off. The rise of southern hip hop dominated the scene. The Game was noted at the “the Savior of West Coast rap”. With Dr. Dre mentoring the Game, they made a classic album. It had all the elements of west coast rap and was able to slow things down with the upbeat of southern rap. Every song on this album was really good!
Movies
1) Bad Boy 1 & 2. My two favorite comedic actors, Will Smith and Martin Lawrence teamed up and made a movie I can never get sick of. They were so funny in this movie. You can tell that they really had chemistry working together to make these movies successful.
2) Dodgeball – I love Ben Stiller and the whole concept of “Dodgeball”. They had funny characters and the movie was exciting from beginning to end.
3) She’s All That – I thought this was a great modern day classic love story. The movie was funny consistently and did a great job displaying the “ugly duckling” story to modern times.
4) Crash – I love the storyline. How in the end each character had a affect on each others lives without even knowing it.
5) Cloverfield – I really like the how they projected the movie in an amateur like filming. It seemed real and you can feel the terror and emotions that were going on at the time. I love how the story unfolds in the end with the relationship of the main character and his crush.
-Hubert-
Music
1. Arctic Monkeys - daily life in Sheffield, England, set to indie/garage rock aesthetics - fast, with amazing beats.
2. The Suicide Machines - hardcore punk/ska band with progressive political/social overtones
3. Muse - dystopia/apocalypse/conspiracy themes, amazing guitar riffs, and a singer with crazy falsetto skills.
4. Nirvana - what do you say about Nirvana? It's Nirvana. I guess that's all you really need to say.
5. White Stripes - Jack White is some sort of eccentric musical mad scientist; simplistic music, that combines country, folk, blues, and garage rock.
Film
1. Amelie - My all-time favorite movie. Wonderfully quirky characters, amazing cinematography, beautiful score.
2. Last King of Scotland - this film gave me chills; the acting is extraordinary. Forest Whitaker is almost indistinguishable from Idi Amin.
3. About A Boy - This film has a surprising amount of depth, considering it's a Hugh Grant vehicle. It deals with issues of redemption, acceptance, commitment, and growth. It also has a great score by Badly Drawn Boy.
4. Pan's Labyrinth - Beautiful and terrifying at the same time.
5. Lord of the Rings/Master & Commander - This is a tie; both of these films launched obsessions, in their own right, and I couldn't bear to eliminate one. The geek in me needed to know everything possible about the making of LOTR, and in doing so, has left me in awe of its grandeur. Master & Commander, another great epic film, reenacted 19th century maritime life with an astonishing amount of detail and brought about my interest in sailing/ships.
MUSIC
Semisonic-Closing Time (has been my favorite song since the first time I heard it years ago and I listen to it on my computer all the time)
Green Day-Boulevard of Broken Dreams (awesome song even though it was originally way overplayed on the radio)
Weird Al-White and Nerdy (I love satire and this was an awesome remake of Riding Dirty)
Chris Rice-The Cartoon Song (Great worship song with a great point)
Trace Adkins-I Ain’t Never Had Too Much Fun (I don’t like very much country but I really get a kick out of this song, I love it when a song makes me laugh)
MOVIES
The Matrix (Love the concept and the whole general movie, had awesome action and plot. Was seriously disappointed by the two following sequels)
Lord of the Rings (all three movies were awesome both in their storyline and their visual quality)
Gladiator (Awesome story of what it is to be a person who sticks to their beliefs and is willing to die for them. I enjoyed the portrayal of the greatness and weakness of the human kind)
Red vs. Blue (very cleverly made inside a video game with voices put to characters. Great satire that needs a good understanding of the game (halo) to understand but is simply hilarious)
Fantastic 4 (The move was very entertaining and I love things that have a hypothetical scientific background that is made to seem believable, even if it is not actually possible. I felt that this movie did an outstanding job of this)
Top 5 Movies:
Almost Famous- I love the spontaneity portrayed throughout this movie and also thoroughly enjoy the soundtrack.
Pulp Fiction- In addition to the numerous amazingly talented actors, this movie also contains an intriuging story line and is an all around excellent movie.
Juno- Recently became one of my favorite movies. I found it to be adorable, touching, and hilarious all at once. The soundtrack is also wonderful.
Dazed and Confused- This movie reminds me so much of my own High School experience and is always a fun one to watch.
Across the Universe- I love musicals and what better music to incorporate than The Beatles.
Top 5 Artists:
This was a very difficult thing for me to do.
Bob Dylan- An extremely gifted artist with amazing lyrics.
Red Hot Chili Peppers- A band I can listen to over and over again and never get sick of them.
The Beatles- Classics that will always be remembered and appreciated by numerous generations.
Norah Jones- I love bluegrass and find her music to be calming and always puts me in a happier mood.
Mason Jennings- Mason's acoustics and lyrics are moving and always make me happy. I grew an even bigger appreciation for his music after seeing him live.
in no particular order..
1. Beastie Boys- they mixed their first album in a college dorm room
2. The Velvet Underground- the first indie rock band
3. Blondie- a truly versitle female, worked with rock and roll and hip hop
4. Bob Dylan- the greatest american folk singer/song writer
5. Talking Heads- my favorite band
1. Annie Hall- Diane Keaton is adorable and Woody Allen is comicly gifted
2. Fargo- an enjoyable storyline and it's set in Minnesota
3. American HIstory X- huge Edward Norton fan and I believe this to be his finest role, such an important story
4. Edward Scissorhands- I love Tim Burton's work and Johnny Depp gives an amazing performance
5. Pulp Fiction- my favorite Tarantino film, great cast, great plot.
Top Movies
1. The Usual Suspects - Bryan Singer
I have never been left so blown away by a film as when I watched the Usual Suspects for the first time. My friends kept me completely in the dark on the story line, not even letting me read the back of the box. I can't even count the number of times I've seen it and i still find something new every time, Spacey's performance is just amazing.
2. Spaceballs -Mel Brooks
Mel Brooks was our generation's Chaplin (sans political commentary). the script of Spaceballs is Brooks at his absolute best and also has the great John Candy and Rick Moranis, how could you possibly go wrong.
3. Last of the Mohicans - Michael Mann
One of the best film scores of all time, and Daniel Day Lewis is just a crazy good actor. The culmination at the end when the father avenges his son is brutal and heart wrenching. A masterpiece, what every epic war film (Gladiator, 300, Troy, The Patriot etc) aspires to.
4. Tokyo Drifter - Seijin Suzuki
The Film tha tTarentino literally stole scenes from for Kill Bill. In a genre known for being difficult to follow and over the top this is a Japanese yakuza film where the director was actually fired from the studio for being too incomprehensible and the action too crazy. Not true at all. far from it, this film displays a film maker breaking all the rules and notions of how continuity editing and a film should look like to the audience. The use of color and music make this film a true under seen classic.
5. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon - Ang Lee
Ang Lee's masterpiece, not only made the chinese martial arts films accessible to the American audience but brought together three generations of Chinese stars to produce a film that stands as both a martial arts masterpiece and an emotion filled drama. The cinematography is top of the line and absolutely gorgeous.
Top 5 Music Artists
1. AFI
The band that started my crazed journey into music (i proceded to then work for a music company and now have literally over 1400 cd's all due to AFI!!). Insightful lyrics, and music that continues to evolve and challenge itself, each cd shows a different aspect of the band
2. Buena Vista Social Club
The absolute most tasteful and well written cd, musically I have ever heard. each of the members, on their own, helped define and change the shape of cuban jazz and are each considered masters, and national treasures. Brought together by the great Ry Cooder, it is just impossible to get beyond the monumental experience that listening to this cd is. In an era of over-hyped, over-payed music blow-holes, this shows what music is should alwasy aspire to.
3. Rammstein
A massive sound, one review said, Music to invade Poland to, and a huge flare for cinematics Rammstein puts together a sound that is both unique and over the top. With music videos that challenge any film on artistic merit and cinematography (just search youtube and watch the video for Sonne), and concerts that no other band can stand up to (Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters once said in an interview that he would never want Rammstein to open for the Foo Fighters because Rammstein would blow any band of the stage) it is no wonder that they are the best selling German artist of all time.
4. Judas Priest
Rob Halford. No more words are really necessary, the greatest metal screams of all time, imitated by every power metal band on the planet. and backed by KK and Glenn, producing guitar riffs and setting the stage for the possibility of two lead guitarists and twin solos in music. It is just ridiculous to think of all this group has accomplished and done, not only for metal but music in general, and their still going strong. As old as Halford is, his voice just gets better and better.
5. Mithotyn
Alright now i'm really going to start testing people's knowledge and conception of what is considered 'good' music. Norwegian Viking Black Metal at it's finest. Melodic guitar riffs that metallica wishes they could come up with!
Top five movies:
1. Moulin Rouge- How can you not get the chills and the hair standing on your back when you watch and hear the voices or Ewan McGregor and Nicole Kidman.
2. The Great Debaters- It's a very new movie but highly inspiring and worth watching
3. The Holiday- It's such a true story and hard to watch because it always reminds me of my family.
4. 300-The awesome graphics and detail put into shooting the fight scenes are unreal.
5. Two way tie between Hairspray and sadly High School Musical- The talent these young people have are amazing.
Top five musical artist:
1. The Beatles-No competition.
2. Rascal Flatts-Best country band ever created.
3. Boys like Girls-A complete band to just rock out to.
4. Jacks Mannequin-Such soothing vocals.
5. Carrie Underwood-An ungodly beautiful voice and nothing like ever like it.
My top five movies and musical artists, in no particular order, are as follows.
1. The Philadelphia Story: The dialogue between Grant, Hepburn, and Stewart is fantastic. One of the funniest films ever made.
2. All About Eve: Bette Davis at her finest. Everything about this movie, the writing, acting, camera work, etc is as good as it gets.
3. The Lion in Winter: The scenes with Hepburn and O'Toole are the best acted that I have seen.
4. The Apartment: I love Billy Wilder's work and of all his films this is the one that doesn't get old to me.
5. The Great Escape: Pure entertainment, a great war movie, with McQueen leading an all-star cast.
1. The Beatles: no explanation necessary.
2. Wilco: Jeff Tweedy has mad skills
3. Bob Dylan: In my opinion the greatest songwriter in American history
4. Radiohead: I can listen to their music at any time in any mood.
5. Dean Martin: Listening to Dean invokes a time and a place in my mind like no other music.
My five favorite movies are:
1. No Country For Old Men - The best new movie I've seen.
2. Who Killed The Electric Car? - An interesting view on a topic that is very important to me.
3. The Breakfast Club - Classic.
4. L'Auberge Espanole - Funny look at how different cultures interact.
5. Crash - Such a powerful and meaningful movie.
My five favorite songs are:
1. Lauryn Hill - Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You
2. Howie Day- Collide (Acoustic)
3. Sugarcult- Memory
4. Anything by the Beach Boys
5. Quietdrive - Halfey
Top five movies
1. Harold & Maude- I love the concept (a young man falls for an elderly woman), the dark humor and the wonderful soundtrack by Cat Stevens.
2. The Good, The Bad and The Ugly- Clint Eastwood is superb in this Spaghetti Western.
3. Pulp Fiction- Quentin Tarantino’s writing and directing creates a juxtaposition of current popular culture and classic movie styles.
4. Full Metal Jacket- This film is brutal and hopeless at times, but the ideas and commentary about the Vietnam War seem to allow those not alive at the time or in Vietnam a view into war.
5. The Darjeeling Limited- I love Wes Anderson and his choices of actors, color palettes and music. This film has exemplifies Anderson’s style.
Top five artists
1. The Beatles- I believe they were and still are the best band of all time.
2. Bob Dylan- His ability to tell stories of race, class, romance and social commentary through beautifully written folk and rock songs set a precedent for ‘60s artists and thereafter.
3. The Kinks- The Davies brothers crafted some of the catchiest pop songs: “This Time Tomorrow,” “Lola” and “Tired of Waiting.”
4. Jimi Hendrix- Songs like “Bold as Love” and his cover of Dylan’s “Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window” showcase wonderful guitar licks that create more of an emotion than the actual lyrics do.
5. Sondre Lerche- He crosses folk, jazz, rock and pop in a perfect combination. The songs have quirky, infectious melodies that are complicated enough to sound simple.
Movies:
1. The Shawshank Redemption : Because sometimes random friendships are the most interesting to watch.
2. The Godfather: What is there not to like about this film? Part 1 is better, but part 2 is not bad for a sequel.
3. A Beautiful Mind: The symbolism in this movie is phenomenal, and Crowe is one of my favorites.
4. He Got Game: I love most sports movies, the story of this one makes it great.
5. Any Nature Documentaries- I love non-fiction films involving any spectrum of nature (i.e. Planet Earth)
Music:
1. DJ Danger Mouse -The Gray Album- A mix between Jay-Z lyrics and Beatles instrumentals...excellent
2. Celtic Music- ranging from violin to bagpipes, I like most Celtic bands, vocals.
3. The Chieftains- Similar to Celtic but more emphasis on vocals...
4. Bruce Springsteen- ANY ALBUM. even though his voice is not his strongest skill, his music and him in general put him on my list.
5. John Prine- because as one of my dad's favorites, I was forced to listen to him growing up and got used to his music being around.
My top five list of movies is one of the hardest things I've ever done^^
1. Annie Hall (Woody Allen 1977)
2. Ladri di biciclette (1948)
aka "The Bicycle Thief" (Vittorio De Sica)
3. Network (Sidney Lumet 1976)
4. The Searchers (John Ford 1955)
5. Wild Strawberries (Ingmar Bergman 1959)
My top five favorite albums proved too awkward to write so I am writing my favorite songs by my favorite artists
1. Beethoven's 9th symphony
2. Johann Pachelbel "Canon"
3. Paul McCartney "Yesterday"
4. Bernie Higgins "Key Largo"
5. John Denver "Annie's Song or Country Roads" It's a toss up.
Top Five Movies
1) Transformers- The story is great and the special effects are amazing
2) Superbad- It's so funny, and so true of high school boys
3) Saw 4-I love scary movies, and this one is really entertaining
4) The Notebook- It is such a good love story and it makes me cry every time
5) The Count of Monte Cristo- I love the plot of this movie, he plots his revenge so carefully
Top Five Artists
1) Justin Timberlake-I've loved his songs ever since he started in N'sync
2)Santana- He has a great voice and Into the Night is a really good song
3)Tool- One of my friends got me hooked
4)Sweet- I love to sing to Ballroom Blitz
5)Michael Jackson- He is a classic
The top five movies:
1. Crash- It does a wonderful job of depicting racial prejudice in America.
2. City of God- Great movie, it depicts how Brazilians police contribute to violence and drugs in the county.
3. Constant Gardener – it illustrate the unethical practices of pharmaceutical companies in Africa.
4. Ghost- Great love story and nice sound track.
5. Home alone- watched it many times as a kid.
The top five musical artists:
1. Bob Marley- his music is timeless and he fought for social justice.
2. Lauryn Hill- Great reggae influenced music
3. Celine Dion- Wonderful voice, great love songs
4. John Mayer- Great lyrics and also touches social problem
5. Usher- great dance and great entertainer
Music:
The Beatles: Classic
Nobuo Uematsu: Composer for the Final Fantasy Soundtracks
Takeharu Ishimoto: Composer of OST FF soundtrack
Tool: Recommended by Alex Quast
Led Zeppelin: Sparked a new age.
Movies:
Superbad: Hilarious
Swordfish: Explosions and girls. Has a very well written plot that I found quite enjoyable
Bond Films (Sean Connery): Has an element of fantasy that we wish we could have in our lives. I think that most people would like to live a life similar to Bond.
Terminator 2- Judgment Day: For what it's about, the movie is very well written and executed. I think the idea of machines becoming smarter than humans in the near future a real possibility and we can see that in Deep Blue.
The Fifth Element: Bruce Willis, Chris Tucker, and an amazing person with orange hair. Add them together and you get an exceptional movie.
My top five favorite movies in order are The Godfather, Rush Hour, 300, Goodfellas, and Cloverfield. The Godfather is and will always be my favorite movie all for two important reasons; it is about a family and the mafia. I have read the book, but I enjoyed the movie better. The movie is full of emotion, hate, drama, and action and with Al Pacino, Dianne Keaton, and Marlon Brando, you cannot go wrong. Rush Hour is probably one of the funniest movies I have ever watched. I believe opposites attract and with Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan being partners, my belief is true. The action mixed in the comedy has been attempted by many other movies, but has failed miserably. Chris Tucker’s jokes and his Michael Jackson inspired dancing is to me, the best parts of the movie. 300 is a very inspiring movie to me. 300 men defend their country with their lives with no fear for honor. The story behind this movie is true, though it is shown with a little exaggeration. I love hearing the music in the background, it is energetic. Goodfellas is another mafia movie, but unlike the Godfather, it is based on a true story. The whole movie is a time line of how Henry, the main character, got to where he is today. It shows the ups and downs of being a “wise guy” and the dangers that one may face. Many people say it is better then the Godfather, I believe it comes close, but not to close. Cloverfield just came out and I have been waiting to see it since I saw the preview trailer from Transformers. The movie was just amazing to me. The way it was filmed and the plot, not the mention that the monster was very awesome. There is more to the movie then what they display. Clues on how the monster was created have been all over the internet. I want to see it again to see these clues that are portrayed in the movie. What I enjoyed most is how you feel like you are part of this epic event. Going to save the woman you love is very brave and I am sure people in the audience felt they would do the same. I must admit, my heart was pounding the whole time because it was so suspenseful!
Movies
1. Singin’ in the Rain: Gene Kelley and Debbie Reynolds are fantastic in this classic. The music and dancing cannot be beat.
2. Footloose: This movie was a breakthrough for Kevin Bacon, and I am a sucker for cheesy 80’s music.
3. Pirates of the Caribbean # 1: I thoroughly enjoyed this movie as it was fun and fast-paced, complete with a great soundtrack and love story.
4. Hitch: My two favorite scenes are on the jet skis and when Will Smith has an allergic reaction at the cooking show. It totally made me laugh, but the love story was also great.
5. Hairspray: The music made me want to get up and dance. At the same time, it held historical value in portraying the beginning of the 60’s with segregation and acceptance of others different than yourself.
Musical Artists
1. Frank Sinatra: His songs are timeless, and his voice will never again be matched in tone or quality.
2. Michael Jackson: Although I may not agree with his personal life today, his songs are masterfully done and get everyone out of their seats onto the dance floor.
3. Norah Jones: I love playing her songs on rainy days with a cup of coffee and a blanket. They are very chill and relaxing.
4. Faith Hill: She is spunky with tunes you love to sing in the car or when I am getting ready to do homework.
5. Snow Patrol: They have a unique style and sound that is difficult to match. Their music is interesting yet not overly stimulating.
I love listening to music and watching movies, but I am also not the guy to come to for artist or actor names.
My Top Five for music, in no particular order, would be:
1) Brad Paisley - some of my favorite country songs are on his "Time Well Wasted" album.
2) Garth Brooks / George Straight - two legendary country artists
3) Leona Lewis - she is a new favorite of mine. She won the British version of "Amercan Idol" and has an amazing voice that rivals Whitney Houston.
4) PANIC! At the Disco - a great band with a more techno sound accompanied by some interesting comedic lyrics.
5) Justin Timberlake - a lot of his new stuff has a great sound I can't get enough of.
Top Five Movies:
1) Ace Ventura: Pet Detective. Jim Carey does an amazing job in this movie. My friends and I constantly quote from this movie.
2) Clue. Modeled after the board game clue has a darker sense of comedy in it that takes a certain sense of humor to really enjoy.
3)Snatch / Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels. These two movies, one a sequel to the other, have such interesting twists and outcomes that are genius and highy amusing.
4) Drop Dead Gorgeous. This is an absolute favorite. I saw the movie right before moving to Minnesota and found it hilarious. Besides the witty remarks throughout the movie I am able to find something i did not notice before every time I watch it.
5) The Bourne Trilogy. These rank at the top of my favorite action movies because of how real everything seems in the movie. The trilogy has some of the best and most realistic car chases and hand to hand combat.
Top Five Movies:
1. Gattaca - GREAT movie! How cool would it be to actually be able to pull a stunt like that off?! I love movies about the future and the advancement of science.
2. American History X - Edward Norton is an amazing actor! It's an extremely eye-opening film that everyone must see!
3. Hotel Rwanda - Very sad, yet extremely powerful!
4. The Last King of Scotland - Really shows the atrocities of war and the manipulation that goes on behind closed doors.
5. Blood Diamond - DiCaprio is amazing in this film. Also a must-see!
Top Five Musical Artists:
1. Micheal Jackson - Musical legend...enough said.
2. Madonna - The female musical legend.
3. John Legend - Has a great voice and is very talented.
4. Googoosh - The most loved and respected Iranian singer of all time.
5. Haydeh - My personal favorite Iranian singer of all time - Frank Sinatra agreed that her voice was one-of-a-kind...enough said.
Movies:
1. Finding Forrester- I've always wanted to be a writer and have been so inthralled with the process in which a person's philosophy flows through a pen and onto paper. This story reminds me of why I love this art and how through writing you can reach anyone.
2. Stranger Than Fiction- Another movie that jumpstarts my passion for writing. It reminds me how in a good book each character has a life of it's own, and the reader should feel like any character could be a friend, neighbor, or coworker.
3. Rocky Horror Picture Show- Some movies are just fun.
4. Sweeney Todd- Reaches down into a person's darkest roots of deception, violence, and the need for passion. Plus the music is great.
5. Pan's Labarynth- I'm not one for fantasy, but this story shows multiple points of view and stresses how a story can be great if it has great characters.
Music:
1. Beatles- Classic artists that can paint any picture.
2. Aqua- Happy music that makes me feel perky with a picked up beat.
3. Danny Elphman- He composes amazing symphonies that can paint a picture with a simple beat and a vibrating strings. It's nice to be able to close your eyes and feel a surrounding based on music.
4. Rent- I have a connection with an older sibling through this musical and it always reminds me of her.
Top 5 Movies:
The Departed -- Some people I talked to were confused by this movie, but I found it exciting from start until finish. I loved how round the characters were, especially Leonardo DiCaprio's character. You could really empathize with him and understand the kind of pressure he was under.
Lord of the Rings Trilogy -- Maybe I am not the best person to comment on the story line, as I have not read the books, but the cinematography and overall production of all three movies was fantastic! If I had to pick a favorite, it would be Return of the King, but I have never gotten bored of watching any of them.
Dumb and Dumber -- The writing was original and right on, and it seems like every time I watch the movie I notice another joke or bit of humor that I had overlooked before.
Pulp Fiction -- I liked the twisting plot lines and how they were presented in a way that made absolutely no sense at first. In order to really enjoy this movie, you basically have to see it twice to get all the information from the various plot lines and then piece them together to create a chronological timeline.
Fight Club -- This is another great movie, similar to Pulp Fiction in how you have to view the movie multiple times to really get a feeling for what is going on. Still, a fun movie with one of the best plot twists ever. It took me completely by surprise.
Top 5 Albums:
Dark Side of the Moon [Pink Floyd] -- A great album, from start to finish. I love how each song seems to blend perfectly into the next, as if it is one continuous song.
Houses of the Holy [Led Zeppelin] -- I am a huge Led Zeppelin fan, so I could just include their entire catalogue, but I chose Houses of the Holy because; a) It has some of my favorite Zeppelin songs, and b) I didn’t want to pick Led Zeppelin IV like everyone else.
Stadium Arcadium [Red Hot Chili Peppers] -- I love Anthony Kiedis’ voice (since he changed his singing style in the early-mid 90’s), and the songs on this album are all very catchy.
Paranoid [Black Sabbath] -- I love this album, especially some of the less popular songs, although hits such as Iron Man and Paranoid still rock as well.
Back in Black [AC/DC] -- Every song sounds basically the exact same, but after listening to this album, the songs are stuck in my head for days.
Movies
1. Big Jake- John Wayne is my favorite actor and this movie Big Jake is one of his greatest classic films he made in the early 1970’s. During John Wayne’s prime he represented the ideal image of being an American man, he was a role model for the American public.
2. Wedding Crashers- Vince Vaughn into today’s era is the funniest actor out there. Wedding Crasher is the best comedy of all time with all the funny memorable quotes. This quote is one of many memorable in the movie:
Jeremy Grey: Okay, what's our back story?
John Beckwith: We're brothers from New Hampshire. We're venture capitalists.
Jeremy Grey: I'm sick of that. Let's be from Vermont. And let's have an emerging maple syrup conglomerate.
John Beckwith: Wait, that's stupid. We don't know anything about maple syrup.
Jeremy Grey: I happen to know everything there is to know about maple syrup! I love maple syrup. I love maple syrup on pancakes. I love it on pizza. And I take maple syrup and put a little bit in my hair when I've had a rough week. What do you think holds it up, slick?
3. Crocodile Dundee- This movie is just one classic movie that never gets old to watch. Crocodile Dundee has a great story line and is very funny to watch.
4. Mighty Ducks Series.- growing up I love hockey and always wanted to be in that movie. Being from Minneapolis is was cool to see how these reject kids start from nothing and go on the being the best. It’s a great story about sports.
5. My Cousin Vinny- Joe Pesci and Marsisa Tomei had great chemistry and really made this movie one of American classic movies to watch. Joe Pesci is another one of my favorite actors and really makes this movie great. My Cousin Vinny has a lot of memorable quotes which is why this is in my top five all time.
Artists
1. Taylor Swift- it’s cool that she writes all of her own songs. She pretty good looking too and is by far my favorite artist.
2. Fergie- I went to one of her concerts and I had a blast and my favorite song of her's is Big Girls Don’t Cry. I am not sure why being a guy but I like the song.
3. Alan Jackson- I grew up listen to him as a kid and I love all of his songs and the lyrics to his songs.
4. Toby Keith- I like his songs and what he sings about. Being from the country I like the image that he has.
5. Faith Hill/Tim Mcgraw- I don’t think there is a better duo that these two artist. Very inspiring people to listen to.
Movies:
1. Love Acutally- A beautifully woven story depicting different facets of love. Makes my heart sigh every time...
2. Forrest Gump- Tom Hanks was great in this movie, and the idea of creating a historical montage and unveiling it through a fictional character made for a good storyline and strong presentation.
3. Good Will Hunting- A not-so-usual kind of 'rags to riches' story. The setting and circumstances of the characters fit this movie well I think.
4. Life is Beautiful- Poignantly told experience of the Nazi era through the eyes of an Italian family. The end lesson holds true to the title.
5. Casablanca- There's just some underlying quality about this movie I love. It's classic, witty, and charming all at the same time.
Music artists:
1. The Red Hot Chili Peppers- Something about their music-- the bass line? the vocals? the lyrics? --just hooks me in completely whenever I hear one of their songs.
2. Bob Dylan- The younger Bob Dylan, that is (although he's still good today). It's amazing how a few mysterious verses could have influenced a whole generation, and we don't really have anything like that to compare it to presently to even realize it's past effect.
3. Wilco- I enjoy their folksy-rockness and mellow beats.
4. Andrew Bird- Total chillout music-- this guy's a very talented musician with a smooth, relaxing voice.
5. Rilo Kiley- Their lyrics can be edgy/controversial and sweetly emotional at the same time, as can Jenny Lewis's voice. But that's what I like about this group.
Top 5 Music:
Journey - Whenever I hear Journey songs it reminds me of growing up and listening to the music with my dad. I love that "Don't Stop Believin" is such a popular song now.
Santana - The compilation of artists on Shaman that came out in 2002 is amazing.
Kanye West - There is so much rap out there that I can't stand but I will always love Kanye West's music.
Aerosmith - "Dream On" and "Sweet Emotion" have been two of my favorite songs since the first time I heard them.
Mariah Carey's Merry Christmas - This CD will always be one that I listen to repeatedly during the holidays.
Top 5 Movies:
"Blades of Glory" - Being a figure skater I can appreciate all of the shenanigans that go on during this hilarious movie.
"Love Actually" - It's such a hopeful movie and all of the stories link together well.
"Moulin Rouge" - The music is what makes this movie amazing and Baz Luhrmann's directing is incredible.
"It's a Wonderful Life" - one of the very few movies that has ever made me cry.
"Pirates of the Caribbean" - Part of the reason this is on my Top 5 list is because I did a skating routine so the music, so every time I watch the movie and hear the music I'm reminded of an amazing skating routine, I also really like the story line and complicated characters of the trilogy.
I enjoy a good movie much more than I tend to pay attention to what is playing on the radio. While I appreciate music very much, I have never paid much attention to which artist performs what. Therefore, my movie list is paired down and my artist list is stretched.
Top Five Movies (in no particular order):
1. Apollo 13 - Everytime I watch this movie I think about how amazing it was to send someone to the moon back in a time where technology was very limited as compared to today. It makes me think that due to modern conveniences, our society has become less apt to take risks like the astronauts did back in the 60's. The Apollo space program was a rallying point for a downtrodden nation and gave our country the confidence to evolve technologically.
2. Miracle - I am a huge hockey fan and I remember back when I was a kid my dad had a poster of the 1980 Gold Medal Olympic Hockey Team. When I was old enough to appreciate what Herb Brooks stood for, as well as the team's accomplishment, I can't help but be inspired by this story.
3. Remember the Titans - How can you not be