LeBron Watch: Going to the Bulls. No, the Heat!

Or is it the Cavs?

I can't take much more of this. Can I induce my own coma and time it to end just at the precise moment it's confirmed where he'll sign? Is that possible? (Although I'm not so sure I'd want to come out of it if, after all the hype and rumor-mongering, he doesn't end up with the Bulls. But if he did end up signing with the Bulls, I'd at least hope that my dear fiancee would have a LeBron Bulls jersey on order for me, with the order confirmation printout in hand to greet me I emerge from my coma.)

Anyway, it seems like everything about where he's headed is both true and untrue. The more you look at his situation, the less it makes sense. It reminds me of this (which, by the way, could well be a hint about my next blogging project):



"Sometimes the more you look, the less you really know."

Friday Rocks: "Somebody Super Like You," from "Phantom of the Paradise"

I can't get enough. And this time here's an actual clip from the movie! This really, really rocks.

What to do ... what to do ...

I admit I'm a little spent after The Countdown. All together, that's the most I've written over a sustained period of time since college. It was fun, but it drained my brain battery a little. I'll need to recharge before I get the ideas flowing again. It won't take long, though, I swear.

Until then, how about a little "Phantom of the Paradise"? Take it away, Mr. Williams ...



I just love it gets down at the end. Man, where would the Seventies have been without cocaine?

The Colonel's Countdown: The Complete Top 25 List

I invite you to include your entire personal favorites list in the comments below. A smaller list will suffice if you haven't put together a top 25.  

1. Jaws

2. 2001: A Space Odyssey

3. The Godfather, Part II

4. The Big Lebowski

5. Raiders of the Lost Ark

6. The Third Man

7. The Lord of the Rings trilogy

8. The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance

9. The Godfather

10. Blade Runner

The Colonel's Countdown: Top 25 Movies (No. 1)

I just want to be clear: These are my 25 favorite films. They're not necessarily the best movies I've seen, although many of them certainly would rank high or near the top of that list. I understand that for some a favorites list is indistinguishable from a best-of list, and that's cool. But it's not my purpose here. I want to celebrate the movies that, for one reason or many, moved me in ways that I can barely describe ... even though I'm going to try here.

1. JAWS (1975)

Director: Steven Spielberg

Starring: Roy Scheider, Robert Shaw, Richard Dreyfuss, Lorraine Gary, Murray Hamilton

Why it's No. 1: It all comes back to "Jaws." It's the first movie I fell in love with, and it's the movie I've identified with summer since I can remember. For those of you who know me this is not exactly a surprising choice. In fact, it may seem a little too predictable. But there's no denying it, "Jaws" is the reason I love movies to begin with. If I were allowed to watch only one movie for the rest of my life, this would be it.

The Colonel's Countdown: "Controversial" Omissions

I was going to use this space to discuss in some depth movies I omitted from my Top 25 movies countdown and the list of 25 that missed the cut, but I just started writing about one movie in particular, "The Dark Knight," and I couldn't stop, mainly because I've been inspired by an argument I had with some friends -- including my two best friends and my fiancee! -- the other night at a party. Okay, so that makes three subjects off-limits for me at bars or parties: Politics, religion and "The Dark Knight."

Before I get to that, though, I'll address in a pithy way other movies I've been asked about. And, as always, comments are encouraged.

THE DEPARTED: Great, bloody, fun movie. Just a little too sloppy, and the love triangle part of the story is a bit too contrived and dull. Jack Nicholson, while entertaining as always, overacts in some scenes to the point where it seems like he thinks he's in another movie.

THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS: I started watching this the other day and was reminded of its near-perfection. I regret leaving this out of my Top 50 and possibly my Top 25.

DR. STRANGELOVE: OR, HOW I LEARNED TO STOP WORRYING AND LOVE THE BOMB: I swear, I love this movie to death. If I had made a Top 60 list, it would be there.

THE DARK KNIGHT: Okay, deep breath. And ... here ... we ... go!

Friday Rocks: "One Big Holiday," by My Morning Jacket

This thing just cooks, especially toward the end. Suck it, Skynard!

The Colonel's Countdown: Top 25 Movies (Nos. 3 & 2)

I just want to be clear: These are my 25 favorite films. They're not necessarily the best movies I've seen, although many of them certainly would rank high or near the top of that list. I understand that for some a favorites list is indistinguishable from a best-of list, and that's cool. But it's not my purpose here. I want to celebrate the movies that, for one reason or many, moved me in ways that I can barely describe ... even though I'm going to try here.
 

3. THE GODFATHER, PART II (1974)

Director: Francis Ford Coppola

Starring: Al Pacino, Robert DeNiro, Diane Keaton, Robert Duvall, John Cazale, Michael V. Gazzo, Lee Strasberg, Talia Shire, Bruno Kirby, Dominic Chianese, G.D. Spradlin

Why it's here: It can't be said enough. It's rare that a sequel outshines its predecessor, but when it happens it usually results in a classic movie. We've had two examples of superior sequels already on the Countdown, with "The Empire Strikes Back" at No. 13 and "The Silence of the Lambs" at No. 20. (Yeah, it's more of a de facto sequel. It follows Michael Mann's 1986 thriller "Manhunter," which is based on "Red Dragon," Thomas Harris' first novel to feature Hannibal the Cannibal.) I'd also argue that "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" not only blows away the first and second Potter movies but is by far the best of the series. These movies, though, are so-called genre movies, the kind that are made with franchise or sequel potential in mind. "The Godfather, Part II" is more like a sequel as conceived by Shakespeare.

"Winter is Coming."

I can't help it. Here's another promo from this good folks at HBO, this time for "Game of Thrones," which is based on George R.R. Martin's unfinished "A Song of Ice and Fire" fantasy novel series.

Yes, I said "fantasy," but please, don't run away! Instead, run out and get these books, staring with "A Game of Thrones." Martin doesn't do fantasy in the traditional elves-and-fairies sense. Expect lots of violence, sex, backroom plotting and brutal, brutal plot twists. If HBO does the novels justice, the series will be more like "Rome" meets "The Sopranos" in Middle Earth.

This preview doesn't show much, but it hints at very promising things. I think I'm more excited for this series than I am for any upcoming movie.

The Colonel's Countdown: Top 25 Movies (Nos. 5 & 4)

I just want to be clear: These are my 25 favorite films. They're not necessarily the best movies I've seen, although many of them certainly would rank high or near the top of that list. I understand that for some a favorites list is indistinguishable from a best-of list, and that's cool. But it's not my purpose here. I want to celebrate the movies that, for one reason or many, moved me in ways that I can barely describe ... even though I'm going to try here.

5. RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK (1981)

Director: Steven Spielberg

Starring: Harrison Ford, Karen Allen, John Rhys-Davies, Paul Freeman, Alfred Molina, Denholm Elliott, Ronald Lacey, Wolf Kahler

Why it's here: Steven Spielberg and George Lucas were at the height of their powers when they teamed to create Indiana Jones, the gruff, fedora-sporting archaeologist armed with a bullwhip. Lucas was in the midst of rolling out the original "Star Wars" trilogy, and Spielberg, while coming off the dud "1941," had rewritten the record book with "Jaws" in 1975, made the beloved "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" in 1977, and still had the immortal "E.T. The Extraterrestrial" in the hopper. Together, Lucas and Spielberg would blend much of what formed their tastes when they were young -- boys adventure stories, Saturday afternoon serials, James Bond movies -- into "Raiders of the Lost Ark," the movie that introduced Jones to audiences and helped influence pop culture in its own right.

In which I pimp HBO's "Boardwalk Empire."

Preview Trailer #3

Scorsese and Buscemi? Set in Prohibition-era Atlantic City? Yup ...

Friday Rocks: "Get Down Moses," by Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros

The Colonel's Countdown: Top 25 Movies (Nos. 7 & 6)

I just want to be clear: These are my 25 favorite films. They're not necessarily the best movies I've seen, although many of them certainly would rank high or near the top of that list. I understand that for some a favorites list is indistinguishable from a best-of list, and that's cool. But it's not my purpose here. I want to celebrate the movies that, for one reason or many, moved me in ways that I can barely describe ... even though I'm going to try here.

7. THE LORD OF THE RINGS (2001 to 2003)

Director: Peter Jackson

Starring: Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Viggo Mortensen, Sean Astin, Andy Serkis, Christopher Lee, Orlando Bloom, John Rhys-Davies, Cate Blanchett, Sean Bean, Dominic Monaghan, Billy Boyd, Hugo Weaving, Liv Tyler, Ian Holm, Bernard Hill, David Wenham, Miranda Otto, Brad Dourif, Karl Urban, John Noble

Why it's here: Yes, I'm counting all three installments of Frodo's (Elijah Wood) quest to destroy the evil Sauron's Ring of Power as one, big movie. They were all largely filmed concurrently as part of a larger whole, and they all tell parts of one, giant story that was already plotted out from the beginning, thanks to J.R.R. Tolkien. Still, for simplicity's sake, I'll break "The Lord of the Rings" down into its three parts.

My Five Stages of Oil Spill Grief

A friend of mine remarked on Facebook the other day that she is now officially depressed over the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. I expect this feeling is hitting a lot of people right about now, 52 days into the disaster, as attempt after attempt by BP to cap the spill has failed or has had minimal success and more and more horrifying pictures of oil-soaked wildlife pop up on the news. I understand this because I reached the point of depression over the spill weeks ago.

No, I don't claim to be more empathetic or sensitive to these matters than everybody else. It's just that my job involves watching financial news networks for seven hours a day. For seven hours a day. FOR SEVEN HOURS A DAY. For seven hours every work day for much of the past seven weeks or so I have listened to a legion of pampered and puffy doyens and doyennes of the "free market" bloviate and blather about what the spill means to BP's bottom line or whether it's right for the government to pressure BP to pay claims and clean up the mess or whether the disaster is because of regulators instead of the company's error. Absolutely, the regulators deserve a good deal of the blame, but mainly because they've been bought over the years by the oil industry. In the wake of this catastrophe, the notion that doing away with any regulation of the oil industry instead of improving it is insanity.

Hearing this market-fundamentalist bullshit for seven hours a day while reading sober and depressing news stories from a variety of sources, seeing the latest horrific pictures of oil-soaked marshes and wildlife and watching the live feed of BP's spill cam is enough to make a man want to tattoo the entire "Communist Manifesto" on his body using only heated paperclips and the ink from a Bic pen. As if the spill weren't depressing enough, there are still people with power and influence who absolutely refuse to acknowledge the reality of this disaster, that it is not just another thing to spin.

The Colonel's Countdown: Top 25 Movies (Nos. 9 & 8)

I just want to be clear: These are my 25 favorite films. They're not necessarily the best movies I've seen, although many of them certainly would rank high or near the top of that list. I understand that for some a favorites list is indistinguishable from a best-of list, and that's cool. But it's not my purpose here. I want to celebrate the movies that, for one reason or many, moved me in ways that I can barely describe ... even though I'm going to try here.

9. THE GODFATHER (1972)

Director: Francis Ford Coppola

Starring: Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, Robert Duvall, Diane Keaton, Jon Cazale

Why it's here: "The Godfather" has become one of those unassailable classics, like "Casablanca" or "Gone With the Wind," whose place in the Pantheon of Great Movies is assured until the sun burns out. This status has rubbed some people the wrong way, though. They're tired of being told they HAVE to see "The Godfather," that it's the greatest thing since, I dunno, the toaster. As a result, these rebellious cinephiles end up blaming the movie itself. "It insists upon itself," Peter Griffin once said on "Family Guy," articulating the view of that rare cinematic contrarian who refuses to see "The Godfather."

Debate of the Week: A 'Mosque' Near Ground Zero?

Please comment below. Remember to keep it civil. Don't assume anything about the people you disagree with. I will delete any comments that are offensive or veer too far off topic. Thank you in advance.

About 1,000 people on Sunday protested plans for a 15-story Muslim community center two blocks away from Ground Zero in lower Manhattan. Critics of the plan say the center would be an insult to the victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Center by Muslim terrorists. Several family members of 9-11 victims have come out against the center, with some saying it would remind them too much of the pain of losing a loved one. Others, like Tea Party Express leader Mark Williams, who called Allah a "monkey god" and Muslims the "animals of Allah," have been less civil in their opposition. Here's an argument against the center from conservative newspaper The Washington Times.

The facility, called the Cordoba House, would be more than just a space for prayer, however. It would also house classrooms, a fitness center and a swimming pool. The project also has the support of a community board and local politicians. Its leading proponent, a local imam named Feisal Abdul Rauf, says it's intended to help "bridge and heal a divide" and combat radicalism. Rauf's rebuttal to critics of the proposed center can be found here.

So, what do you think?  Are the protesters right, or should the community center proceed as planned? Where do you stand, and why?

Let the debate begin!

Movie Review: THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG (2009)

Disney heralded "The Princess and the Frog" as a return to the studio's glory days of hand-drawn animated classics, but other than a few flourishes, it amounts to nothing more than a middling, yet enjoyable, diversion. There was also much made about how this is the first Disney animated "masterpiece" that features a black female protagonist. The movie itself doesn't live up to its perceived event status, though.

Our heroine, Tiana, works as a waitress for two or three shifts daily, denying herself fun and romance in Jazz Age New Orleans. She's trying to save enough money to open the restaurant of her -- and her late father's -- dreams. Once it appears she has finally achieved her dream, some dark forces, both realistic and supernatural, interfere.

Friday Rocks: "First We Take Manhattan," by Leonard Cohen

The Colonel's Countdown: Top 25 Movies (Nos. 11 & 10)

I just want to be clear: These are my 25 favorite films. They're not necessarily the best movies I've seen, although many of them certainly would rank high or near the top of that list. I understand that for some a favorites list is indistinguishable from a best-of list, and that's cool. But it's not my purpose here. I want to celebrate the movies that, for one reason or many, moved me in ways that I can barely describe ... even though I'm going to try here.

11. SCARFACE (1983)

Director: Brian DePalma

Starring: Al Pacino, Michelle Pfeiffer, Steven Bauer, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Robert Loggia, F. Murray Abraham

Why it's here: "Scarface," with its Giorgio Moroder disco-synth score and its trashy pastels, is extremely dated, a time capsule straight out of the excess of the cocaine-frosted early 1980s, and yet it's timeless. Everything in this movie is over-the-top, from the acting -- I wonder if this movie is responsible for the hoarse Al Pacino voice we know today -- to the set design, to the violence, to its story, which feels like it was based on not the 1932 Howard Hawks movie of the same name, but a play from Shakespeare's time. In fact, one of my literature professors back in college used to compare "Scarface" to the play "Tamburlaine" by Shakespeare contemporary Christopher Marlowe. "Rise-and-fall" stories are especially durable, even if they're set in another time and context, because we can always draw parallels to our current situation, wherever we are.

The Colonel's Countdown: Top 25 Movies (Nos. 13 & 12)

I just want to be clear: These are my 25 favorite films. They're not necessarily the best movies I've seen, although many of them certainly would rank high or near the top of that list. I understand that for some a favorites list is indistinguishable from a best-of list, and that's cool. But it's not my purpose here. I want to celebrate the movies that, for one reason or many, moved me in ways that I can barely describe ... even though I'm going to try here.

13. THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK (1980)

Director: Irvin Kershner

Starring: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Frank Oz, Billy Dee Williams, Peter Mayhew, James Earl Jones, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker

Why it's here: This is the first "Star Wars" movie I remember seeing. I could well have seen the first "Star Wars" earlier, but I may have been too young to remember, or it just didn't make too much of an impression on me. There's no question, however, about the impression "Empire" left on me as a wee, impressionable lad, and it's not just because of the big reveal from Darth Vader (voice by James Earl Jones, body by David Prowse) at the end, it's also because Han Solo (Harrison Ford) is frozen in carbonite. That just about shattered my naive, five- or six-year-old sensibilities. The good guy? Practically dead? WTF? For my childhood self, movies just didn't get much sadder than that, other than when Frankenstein's monster got sucked into Limbo at the end "Monster Squad" (uh, spoiler alert?).