Epic Picks List

Epic Picks List: Music: 1. Out of Time - R.E.M. 2. Icon - Nirvana Movies: 1. Blow Out/Inland Empire 2. Shutter Island/Ted & Ted 2 3. Gone Girl/The Social Network Movies runners up: 1. Raging Bull (really number one) 2. Hugo Books: 1. Of Grammatology - Jacques Derrida 2. The Plague of Fantasies - Slavoj Zizek 3. Shutter Island - Dennis LeHane 4. The Passion of Martin Scorsese - Annette Wernblad

Communication breakdown

Communication breakdown: R.E.M., Nirvana, Montaigne, Derrida, Wallace, LeHane, and Shutter Island criticism.

Best Ever Narrative List Final Pending Roosevelt

Music: 1. Out of Time - R.E.M. 2. Icon - Nirvana Movies: 1. Who's That Knocking at My Door - Martin Scorsese 2. Taxi Driver - Martin Scorsese 3. Raging Bull - Martin Scorsese 4. After Hours - Martin Scorsese 5. Shutter Island - Martin Scorsese 6. Ted - Seth MacFarlane 7. Ted 2 - Seth MacFarlane Runner up movies: 1. The Departed - Martin Scorsese 2. Fracture - Gregory Hoblit 3. Salt - Phillip Noyce 4. Hugo - Martin Scorsese Books: 1. Moby Dick - Herman Melville 2. Raging Bull - Jake LaMotta 3. Infinite Jest - David Foster Wallace 4. Shutter Island - Dennis LeHane

Best Ever List For Now Pending Roosevelt

Music: 1. Out of Time - R.E.M. 2. Icon - Nirvana Movies: 1. Who’s That Knocking at My Door - Martin Scorsese 2. Taxi Driver - Martin Scorsese 3. Raging Bull - Martin Scorsese 4. The Aviator - Martin Scorsese 5. The Departed - Martin Scorsese 6. Shutter Island - Martin Scorsese 7. Fracture - Gregory Hoblit 8. Salt - Phillip Noyce 9. Ted and Ted 2 - Seth MacFarlane 10. Hugo - Martin Scorsese 11. The Wolf of Wall Street - Martin Scorsese 12. Scream - Wes Craven 13. Scream 2 - Wes Craven 14. Scream 3 - Wes Craven 15. Scream 4 - Wes Craven Books: 1. Moby Dick - Herman Melville 2. Raging Bull - Jake LaMotta 3. Shutter Island - Dennis LeHane 4. Infinite Jest - David Foster Wallace

Scorsese Ted Final List

Music: 1. Out of Time - R.E.M. 2. Icon - Nirvana Movies: 1. Who’s That Knocking at My Door - Martin Scorsese 2. Taxi Driver - Martin Scorsese 3. Raging Bull - Martin Scorsese 4. The Aviator - Martin Scorsese 5. The Departed - Martin Scorsese 6. Shutter Island - Martin Scorsese 7. Fracture - Gregory Hoblit 8. Salt - Phillip Noyce 9. Ted and Ted 2 - Seth MacFarlane 10. Hugo - Martin Scorsese 11. The Wolf of Wall Street - Martin Scorsese 12. Scream - Wes Craven 13. Scream 2 - Wes Craven 14. Scream 3 - Wes Craven 15. Scream 4 - Wes Craven Books: 1. Moby Dick - Herman Melville 2. Raging Bull - Jake LaMotta 3. Shutter Island - Dennis LeHane 4. Infinite Jest - David Foster Wallace

Nirvana Scorsese Melville List

Music: 1. Icon - Nirvana Movie: 1. Shutter Island - Martin Scorsese Book: 1. Moby Dick - Herman Melville

Updated Scorsese List

Music: 1. Out of Time - R.E.M. 2. Icon - Nirvana Movies: 1. Who’s That Knocking at My Door - Martin Scorsese 2. After Hours - Martin Scorsese 3. Ted - Seth MacFarlane 4. Ted 2 - Seth MacFarlane Books: 1. Moby Dick - Herman Melville 2. Infinite Jest - David Foster Wallace

Scorsese Wallace list

Music: 1. Out of Time - R.E.M. 2. Icon - Nirvana Movies: 1. Who’s That Knocking At My Door - Martin Scorsese 2. Shutter Island - Martin Scorsese Books: 1. Infinite Jest - David Foster Wallace 2. Martin Scorsese: A Biography - Vincent LoBrutto 3. Shutter Island: A Novel - Dennis LeHane

Can You Ever Forgive Me?

This film tells the story of Lee Israel, a struggling writer and professional forger.  The film is photographed in beautiful and antique settings, such as old-fashioned apartments, bookstores, and libraries.  Melissa McCarthy invests a great deal of sympathy into the character, such as when she discovers that her pet has died.  Although the character is never entirely trustworthy, the film is still interesting and intelligent.  Recommended!

Cake

It sits at the center of the table, white crumbs scattered across the dark wood.  A slice sits before him in an inviting way.  A group of children circle the cake and the man, smiling and laughing.  Candles burn on the table, the flames reflecting memories of hard days forgotten in this bright moment.

Valerian

A few days ago I saw the Luc Besson film Valerian.  It’s a great sci-fi/fantasy film, with lots of interesting visuals and great acting.  Not as hard-hitting as his other films (The Professional), but still a great fantasy film reminiscent of Star Wars and Shutter Island.  Awesome ray guns!  Recommended!

Recent formal list

New list: Movies: 1. Raging Bull 2. The Aviator 3. Shutter Island 4. Hugo Books: 1. Raging Bull 2. The Aviator 3. Shutter Island 4. Hugo Books: 1. Raging Bull 2. The Aviator 3. Shutter Island 4. Hugo 5. Martin Scorsese: A Retrospective

Movie theater

He sits in the theater, awaiting the film, a story about a group of bank robbers in grainy black and white.  Flashes of gray and white flash across the screen as the film shudders into existence.  In front of him, men and women in shadows chat and munch popcorn.  The lights along the walkway and on the ceiling flash on and off.  The lights everywhere shooting across the room fill his eyes with red.

New list

Music: 1. Out of Time 2. Icon Movies: 1. Eraserhead 2. Taxi Driver 3. Raging Bull 4. Bringing Out the Dead 5. The Aviator 6. Body of Lies 7. Shutter Island Books: 1. Raging Bull 2. Shutter Island 3. Infinite Jest 4. Scorsese by Ebert 5. A Supposedly Fun Thing I’ll Never Do Again 6. The Passion of Martin Scorsese 7. Martin Scorsese: A Retrospective

New list

New list: Music: 1. Out of Time 2. Icon Movies: 1. Eraserhead 2. Raging Bull 3. The Aviator 4. Shutter Island Books: 1. Raging Bull: My Story 2. Infinite Jest 3. A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again 4. Shutter Island 5. Scorsese by Ebert 6. The Passion of Martin Scorsese 7. Martin Scorsese: A Retrospective

The Librarian: The Curse of the Judas Chalice

The third and final installment of the Librarian trilogy finds the main character romancing a woman and fighting off a secret cult. The visuals are much more nuanced and clandestine than the first two, and the film still features a fair number of fight scenes, although he still does no research. A good, strong end to the series, with some great climaxes. Recommended!

New list

New list: Music: 1. Out of Time 2. Icon Movies: 1. Eraserhead 2. The Aviator 3. Shutter Island Books: 1. Shutter Island 2. Infinite Jest 3. A Supposedly Fun Thing I’ll Never Do Again 4. Scorsese by Ebert 5. The Passion of Martin Scorsese 6. Martin Scorsese: A Retrospective

Over the bridge

He walks down the wooden bridge, which is covered wall to wall with fire.  He sees the ocean before him, a dark blue line below a light blue sky.  He walks in a line toward it, immersed in flame.  The trees around him open up in green and white blossoms, suggesting a world with no limit.  The sun burns in dark flame.

Solace

Solace is a fun Anthony Hopkins vehicle where, like Fracture, he plays a character who resembles Hannibal Lecter and engages with serial killers.  Here, he is a law enforcement agent who pursues them, while he is surrounded by a number of misdeeds.  Well shot, and with some odd and terrifying moments.  Recommended!

Flight

I am on an airplane, approaching my final destination.  Out the window, green and white clouds dot the blue sky.  I lean back, absorbed in the comforts of my dark blue chair.  I enjoy a rather fancy dinner and a dark, flavored beverage.  Beside the life vests, air from the air conditioner hisses out of vents.  The cabin lights flicker on and off.

Waking

I lie in white sheets, the blue air passing above me.  I blink my eyes, steeling myself for the day that is to come.  The ceiling above me is spotless.  People beneath me laugh, talk, and clink glasses.  A cat   crawls past the bed.  In the hallway, a maid knocks on the door, ready to clean the room and for room service.

Hannibal

Yesterday I watched Hannibal, a TV version of Thomas Harris’ Hannibal Lecter series.  The show is beautifully shot with a lot of texture, and the casting updates the characters in a contemporary way.  The plot is a combination of the films, scary and disturbing, but not always easy to follow.  The Hannibal casting is creepy, but not always as scary as it could be.  I also thought the ending was abrupt.  Still recommended!