The Prelude

So I find myself nearing the end of my graduate thesis project, which over the course of the last semester has proven unequivocally to be the largest pain in the ass of my brief 26-year history on this planet. This point was further illustrated today by a complete and utter disregard for accountability or quality by 80 percent of the people involved on my project….but I digress. I arrive home and begin logging my footage as I begin what, for all intents and purposes, is my nightly routine. First, I turn to CNN…I like to start and end each day on as low of a note as possible…it makes mid-afternoon seem almost euphoric. The first things to appear once the televisions adjusts is of course one of the only half a dozen people to obtain news coverage in the last 2 weeks, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright…and I quote…"It’s not God Bless America, it’s God Damn America…a country completely controlled by rich white people!" Let’s forget for a moment that the good Reverend takes his own Lords name in vein to further a political agenda, the sheer ignorance of such a statement thwarts my would be optimism for the nights progress. Perhaps the critical Mr. Wright would be happier preaching in the depths of Niger where his racist retardation wont warrant him a six figure salary…just a thought. My attention quickly drains from the television as I log onto MySpace and see Pryor has a new Blog posted. And the Elliot Spitzer debate continues…see Pryor’s blog for details. American politician pays for sex, media swarms, national intelligence plummets as useful thought provoking topics are avoided….by the media, not by Pryor – we all know that rarely does a nugget drop from the spinning wheels of Mr. Jordan that isn’t thought provoking. I read his blog and then began changing channels when suddenly my attention is frozen by a passing image on my screen. It could only have been there for a second or two but hung suspended in time in the middle of my living room like a Polaroid tacked to the wall…it was text…"2008 AVN Adult Movie Awards" Well how do you like that? My thoughts and opinions pause while my Mochizmo battles with my Intellect for the rights to control any opinions that may follow……

The Thick and Thin

First to directly address the question posed by Pryor, "Should prostitution be legal?" I can answer this questions this way without fearing that I may somehow be grammatically incorrect thanks to Lynn Burley, my linguistics professor. Abso-fucking-lutley. And you better believe I just instructed Microsoft Word to add that to the dictionary. Any personal action that does not directly affect any other person should be legal. If a prostitute and myself choose to exchange presidents for venereal disease, so be it, it’s our bodies and our money. Who is Uncle Sam to tell me how to spend money or protect my body? On the same note, helmet laws, seatbelts laws, life-jacket laws, suicide being illegal…all bullshit. If I want to crack my head of the pavement at 80+ then so be it, my taxes are paid. If you can tell me I have to wear a helmet and not bang a chick for money then why not tell my girlfriend she has to wear a veil over her face, and cannot accept wage for any type of work? Its extreme I know, but relevant none-the-less. I think its pretty amazing how much perspective can change depending on which side of the pond your on, or in our case, which side of the hill. I say let Spitzer spitz. He made good money, and if he can afford some high end Manhattan tail instead of the worn out, U-Pull-It, Michelin-like, elasticized, $50 butt the rest of the blue-collar class is limited too, then God Bless. But $50 or $3,000, I seriously doubt his ability to dictate the dispensing of New York funds between Interstate-81 and the public school system was compromised…unless either one of the aforementioned has an amazing rack or a perfectly tanned ass that could deflect a quarter 8 feet from ground level. In fact, any man that can balance New York State legislation, a wife and family, and pay for sex routinely with a one of those girls is, if anything, over qualified to govern the masses. That’s one focused dude. Clinton was great so I guess the next question is…how insinuating can the "Spitzer 2012" signs be without seeming tacky…God knows we American’s can’t stand tacky! Did you pick up on the sarcasm? I should hope so…I was laying it on pretty thick.

The Conclusion

America is a nation of choices. In its simplest form, our constitution is designed to ensure that one simple fact. Unfortunately, throughout the last century with a continual progression, the focus of Americans on their "choices" has shifted from issues of social growth and national productivity, to being thrilled that we can now have a side salad or chili instead of fries. American children continue to decline in global education standards while American educators continue to be one of the lowest paid professional vocations – for instance. The guy hiding in some shrubbery in Beverly Hills so that these same children can download an up-skirt picture of Lindsey Lohan’s worn out rubbery meat-box makes in excess of six figures. Yeah, that seems reasonable…well played America. Don’t get me wrong…I absolutely love the fact that I can turn on my television and watch a bunch of people in tuxedos and low-cut dresses celebrate whose ability to administer the most ferocious hand-job is deserving of "The Woody," but I believe hat I am in an exceptional tier of Americans. That’s right, I am that cocky. I have the ability to expose myself to all forms of mass media and entertainment, while preserving my capability to maintain logical thought and my desire to find logical answers. Tell the average American in any small town tavern that this country isn’t what it used to be and you’ll likely find yourself in a bar-fight. Don’t worry though, the tried and true patriot won’t likely chase you far because he’ll either be out of breath by the doorway, or uninterested by the end of commercial break. His bumper still sports a faded sticker that reads, "These Colors Don’t Run." I’m not a Republican or a Democrat, a Christian or a Jew, I am a free thinking person just like Elliot Spitzer and Jeremiah Wright, only not as wealthy in cash or fancy pune as Spitzer, or as wealthy in hot air or political and social nonsense as Wright. See that – I exercised my Americanism right there. The point is, perhaps the emphasis being placed by Americans is in the wrong place, but what do I know…I’m not rich or famous.

My good buddy Matt is the originator of the "Pryor Jordan Report," and has just posted the second edition. He asked me to guest author a portion and of course I happily agreed. Read it here...

http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=31503716&blogID=305228951

If you have any comments, post them there...

So here we go with what is likely to be a pretty scorned list. Before I dive right in I think it is necessary to point out a few things. First, when choosing these movies I had to make some decisions about how to allow some to make the cut, while rejecting the others. Obviously, as a graduate student of film I am exposed to what I would think are a larger number of more obscure movies than most. Also, when studying movies we tend to use a fairly standard approach to what "elements" make up the film. For the purpose of this list I decided to disregard all of that. I did not choose films that I feel are necessarily the most artistic or well designed in any one particular area. I simply chose what think are currently the 10 movies that I would most like to see on any given day, solely based on their entertainment value.

 

Secondly, once again these are not in specific order. The List of Ten is a collective list not intended to pose comparison between items on the list.

 

Also, accessibility and convenience were factored in – Lonesome Dove doesn't exactly scream accessible or convenient, so let's squash that argument before it's even made – I'm not denying its greatness. All of that being said let the list begin.  

 

1. "Scarface" – Probably the only movie on the list that I would really get defensive about. Scarface has one of the most complex stories and plotlines in any movie I've seen. Aside from the pure "bad-ass" factor that oozes from this film, I loved the performances of every single person on screen. Not many 3 hour movies can break that inevitable barrier when the audience looks at the clock wondering how much time has passed – I still never do.

 

2. "A Bronx Tale" – I have loved this movie ever since the first time I saw it. I am a sucker for gangster movies, and really appreciate it when they add deeper elements to the plot. This movie is what put chaz palmenteri's name in my book of noteables. Plus, who doesn't appreciate a really good joe pesci cameo?

 

3. "Adaptation" – hands down the single most well written movie I have ever seen. I could spend an entire day discussing the subtle points that make it so amazing. Chris Cooper was friggin' fantastic. Nick Cages best role ever (not really hard.) I can't help but watch it and wonder how people (Charlie Kaufmann) get to a point where their minds are capable of creating such things.

 

4. "Dumb and Dumber" – The only true comedy on the list and deservingly so. Any of you who really know me will agree that my sense of humor is terrifically dry. I don't normally go in for the slap-stick sort of stuff. But even I can't deny the hilarity that is this movie. Jeff Bridges and Jim Carey huh, who would have guessed that before it's time?

 

5. "Pulp Fiction" – Some of the greatest dialogue in any film I think. The carefully organized disarray that is the scene layout was pure genius. It's a movie full of great quotes. Start to finish entertaining, what else can I say.

 

6. "The Abyss" – I really love Ed Harris, but I think this was one of his best. It absolutely terrifies me at the same time that it intrigues and mystifies. Another long one, but well worth the time. One of the few movies that contains a scene that will inevitably make me jump, squirm, hide, cringe, or shit every single time I see it.

 

7. "Rocky" – Now when I say Rocky I mean the entire series as a whole. (yes I CAN do that, It's my list) I think this particular series deserves to be discussed as a whole because of it value as a whole. I have a theory that any really meaningful question in life, can be answered by looking within the Rocky series. I've yet to be wrong, so I'm running with it.

 

8. "The Godfather" –Again, the series rule applies, but only because they are all so good.  I really don't need to explain much with this one. It's another movie with an infinite wealth of knowledge to apply to real life. Probably Pacino's best. Not to mention this film supports my previous claim regarding Robert Duvall.  

 

9. "Breakfast Club" – Freakin' Hilarious. Relatable the whole way through, I would argue, in some way to everyone. Outstanding cast. Fantastic soundtrack. I would say the best movie to come out of the 80's.

 

10. "Fight Club" – Tyler Durden is indeed a role model to us all. Another example of an absolutely stellar performance by Edward Norton. When he kicks his own ass, I get goose bumps. Dialogue is fantastic.  One of the few movies that I have seen that will turn your stomach, make you laugh, make you think, allow you to escape, and inspire you all between its start and finish. Undoubtedly Brad Pitt's Best role, also.

 

Last point – I think that what makes a movie good is it's ability to evoke an emotion. Regardless of which emotion, the stronger it is because of the film, means the movie is doing it's job. I am entirely open to accepting that people will disagree with my list, because I am reasonable enough to expect that not all of us are provoked by the same things, or in the same ways. That being said, I welcome your criticisms. Build it up – Tear it down – Do what you do.

Recently I watched two movies which affected me in greatly different ways. The first, Layer Cake, starring everyone's new favorite Bond, left me utterly frustrated and wanting to throw the remote control through the screen. This particular reaction seems to be occurring rather frequently as of late with the movies I somehow end up subjecting myself to - i.e. The Departed, I'll Sleep When I'm Dead, and perhaps the worst yet, Wicker Man. The second had quite the opposite effect, leaving me genuinely curious as the story unfolded into a "film" and reminded me of why I indulge with the overpriced "Entertainer's Package" cable service and rely on Blockbuster Online for my own personal suspension of reality to begin with. This particular movie was The Illusionist, starring Edward Norton.

 

Now, arguing a case for the stories primary descriptive as hokey or not is not the issue. This film did something that many films don't really do anymore. It tried to entertain simply by telling a story and not trying to out think the audience, or make the audience out think itself. It relied on two basic principals of filmmaking which, though they may not be necessary for creating a great film, I believe are necessary for creating a good film. What is the difference? A great film becomes legend and can serve as a basis for study for future film formulas on how to do something correctly, while at the same time not leaving any room whatsoever for imitation. A good film entertains and leaves its viewers throwing quotes out for months and years to come, serving as both social conversation, tee-shirt worthy quips, or MySpace headlines. While a good film can become a great film and vise-a-versa, neither is transitive.

However, I digress. The two principals: 1 - Show a story that is worth telling. 2 - Choose good people to present the story to the audience. And finally, this point brings us to the central issue of this blog.

 

I have decided to begin a series of blog entries known as the List's of Ten, which is merely a bit fancier way of saying "Top 10." (I felt it was important to distinguish myself from the likes of such scurvy as David Letterman.) In appreciation for the performance of Mr. Norton in The Illusionist, I have decided to make this first List of Ten about the ten most reliably entertaining actors, my personal favorites. Now while I encourage you to agree or disagree I feel it is important to point out a few things before I begin. First, the list is in no particular order. In the interest of saving time I have decided to simply list them randomly. Also, I think that their performances change from one film to the next, so a rigid ranking system wouldn't really be fair. Second, I realize that there are more than 10 talented actors in the world, and reserve the right to change my opinions at any given time, basically meaning that the lists can change. - On with the show.

 

1. Edward Norton - Listed first for no better reason than to avoid shotty attempts at surprise given my introduction to this piece. Ed seems to be one of those guys that just draws all of the attention. He has become quite the villain in most of his films, but I think does a bang up job at playing on either side of movie moral line. Not to mention, he does one of the best retards in Hollywood (The Score).

 

2. Al Pacino - The only actor in history who can get angry on screen and make me feel like I did in my more youthful days when I pissed off my parents, providing that sinking feeling somewhere between fear and lack of coherent thought. I know he is a method actor, which is an entirely different issue, but I can see Al being one of those guys who makes it very hard to tell where his characters end and he begins. But what the hey, his commitment earned him a spot on this illustrious list - well done Al.

 

3. Sean Penn - Ever since hearing of his on-set antics when starring opposite Christopher Walken in At Close Range I've been a fan. He too can make you look over your shoulder when erupting on screen and seems to be the go-to-guy in any war film looking to shock the viewers and turn a few stomachs. Also, plays a fantastic retard as well. (Maybe there is something to this retard thing, a formula for determining quality actors perhaps?) And not to mention he has some pretty sweet tattoos and always looks like he's waiting for a shot of Jack, a kick in the balls, and a bar fight.

 

4. Tom Hanks - One of the VERY FEW men on screen who have the ability to be successfully dramatic as well as genuinely funny. Action, drama, suspense, comedy, thriller, mystery, documentary, whatever...I would argue Mr. Hanks has by far the most versatile palette of movie abilities. He's convincing in everything and always entertaining, even if the movie itself sucks. And I know there will always be a special place in all our hearts for Joe Versus the Volcano. For me, it's tucked in neatly right next to The Burbs.

 

5. Matt Damon – Had he not of separated himself from Ben Affleck as soon as he did, I don't doubt that he too would have fallen victim to terrible, pretentious, and ultimately faggy acting. Thankfully, he went his own way, sort of, and gave us some pretty good stuff to watch. I find he is a very relatable character, one of those guys that you could see yourself drinking a beer with on some random Friday night. That ability to relate is, in my opinion, why he's so good.  

 

6. Robert Duvall – Aside from being wickedly talented, Mr. Duvall has a great sense of which movies will be pretty awesome. Many of the guys in this list are entertaining actors, but the movies lack any sort of quality. That's not the case here. He's good. His movies are bad ass. What more can be said. Any man who can stand by the said of Cole Trickle as he bravely defeats the mischievous Russ Wheeler in Daytona, and do it with such grace and dignity, has earned my respect.

 

7. Vince Vaughn – A living symbol of comedic genius. A monumental "fuck off" to the likes of Chris Rock, David Spade, and the king of comedy rejects, Andy Dick. Prior to 2000 Vince held a majority of serious roles, in which he was adequate, but at best blended into the background and became an unread name in the credits scroll. I think he's found his niche. In my opinion, he really makes most of the movies he's in, though he does usually get a pretty awesome supporting cast as well. Damn near everything this guy says has at least a small drop of humor, and can at any time bloom into all out knee slapping appreciation.

 

8. Matthew McConaughey – While I don't rally understand the whole "sexiest man in the world" award, I can get behind backing him for one of the better on-screen talents. He too can do a pretty good range of things. From Dazed and Confused to A Time to Kill I think he can manage any role pretty well. He's fun to watch when he's blowing shit up, trying a murder, or entertaining the ladies. "You know what's great about high school girls? I keep getting older and they stay the same age." – Welcome to the map Mr. McConaughey.

 

9. Paul Giamatti – A bit of a slow starter but he's taking off quickly now. I will admit that I have not seen what I would say is a great number of his films, but everything I have seen him in I really enjoy. He's hilarious in a sort of dependably pathetic way. Plus, don't ask me why but for some reason I think he's probably that guy that really appreciates what he does, and offers a worthy effort.

 

10. Chris Cooper – Never at the front and center of the marketing poster, but always front and center on screen. He steels the story from his co-stars, and makes for probably the single most dependable second man in any film he's in. His performance in Adaptation was nothing short of remarkable, and one of the reasons that that particular film will surely be making the List of Ten – Movies.

 

So there they are. Currently, my 10 most appreciated actors who consistently find a way to bring relief into my home. To bring me relief from the never ending, steadily growing, always worsening, stream of cinematic crap that for some unknown and definitely unappreciated reason is growing more popular. Luckily we still have enough of the good ones leaking through to dilute the likes of such movies as Saw, Hostile, The Rules of Attraction, Dumb and Dumberer, Scary Movie, etc. That is, we are lucky to have those few diamonds in the rough thanks to the aforementioned group of entertainers.

First off, I feel it is important to point out that for all intensive purposes this blog is as much of a confession as it is an observation. You see dear reader, truth be told, I have felt a little inferior to the rest of my friends on MySpace because of my lacking participation in the ever growing blog community. It seems as though every time I log on I see another posting from one of my respected peers that is inevitably winning the hearts and minds of all its valued readers. Meanwhile, my contributions have consisted mostly of insignificant wall postings and utterly futile blog responses. The result…a number of forced attempts at creating an entertaining rant for your reading pleasure. Recently though, when I found myself skipping through a Journey song on my playlist during a poker game, and began to think about why, I realized something that honestly intrigued me, blog-worthy or not.

 

 

We all love our good friends, yet will inevitably treat almost all situations as a first impression.

 

Now I ask you to realize my claim, and think about what it means. I am not, by any means, saying that we hide the truth or conversely, live a lie. I am however saying, that by what I have noticed, we all will handle any given situation based upon the present company, and act accordingly. This strategy is, by the way, entirely acceptable in any given job interview, or first date, but by no means should be the norm amongst friends. Honestly, it is my opinion that it should not be acceptable at all, but the issue of courage under fire with such a claim is an entirely separate blog effort.

 

So the question really is why. Why would I force a blog attempt? Why would I skip the Journey song? Why would I feel inferior to begin with? The answer is actually very simple. I want to be liked. I want to be respected. I don't want those whom I respect to ridicule me. But the irony is that those who create this concern for me are the same people that in theory shouldn't care. Granted, I'm talking about public internet forums and obscure 80's ballads, but really I think this reaches further into our lives than such trivial matters. I know it does.

 

The truth is, at least amongst my friends, that I see how we act, dress, talk, write, speak, and in general…behave. And when all is said and done, as much as we may have in common, we still feed off each other. We all still search for approval, and respond with popular regurgitations. From blogs, to European beers, pearl snap shirts, cowboy boots, extra-curricular activities, and life changing attitudes, I continually see us all act in order to be just enough of a rebel to entertain, but never enough to challenge. Shame on us. Don't believe me? Read another blog from someone else's page. I know how we talk, and I know how these blogs read. It is obvious that these "simple" ramblings have been written, revised, re-written, re-revised, and re-re-written. Now don't get me wrong, I appreciate the effort that is put into something that is in part created to entertain me, but none the less must ask, why? I ask you, if I am you're friend shouldn't I appreciate without exception? More importantly, if you are my friend, shouldn't I create without exception?

 

Basically, I find myself wondering why we continually search for approval amongst those we should be looking to for conversation, good gestures, frequent laughs, and occasional support. Why is every moment a first impression? And if you are reading this blog and telling yourself that you are the exception, and the aforementioned does not apply, then I am sorry to tell you my friend, you are kidding yourself. Unfortunately, we all seek each other's approval, warranted or not. My theory is that with our friends, while it may be understandable, it should never be necessary.

 

It is only reasonable to ask how someone can ask such questions, or make such claims, without assuming some sort of accountability. In light of that I find it only fair that I challenge what I have defined as the social norm amongst my "clique" of friends. A short list:  I do love Journey, along with most 80's rock and a great deal of clichéd 80's chart topping rockers (i.e. Billy Joel, Queen, Eagles, Twisted Sister, Air Supply, STYX, Billy Idol, and Elton John); I have always loved tattoos but have never had the stones to get one someplace obvious, sometimes I choose my tee-shirt on poker night based on what I think others will think about it; I feel bad about moving out on my roommate because I fear that he may not consider me as good as a friend as I was a year ago; I really do love pearl-snaps, though in truth would never have found half of the music I love without some of my friends (I am not an original); I read about, watch, play, or study poker more in any given week than I do anything else, but feel that admitting so will make me seem green; I do not feel that I am the best poker player amongst my group of friends; I love my girlfriend very much and resent some of my old friends for not giving her what I feel is a fair chance, but will probably never have the courage to confront any of them about it; I hate the fact that I believe I am capable of more than I have done with my life thus far; with the help of my friends I will never stop thinking of ways to challenge myself. Also, I no longer care whether my blog is good enough for you to read, or whether or not it is entertaining. If you are my friend you will understand. If not, at least I can hope that you will consider what you have read.

 

Regardless, I can consider this blog to be a success because of how it has inspired me to act. I can assure you, dear reader, that next week I will not skip my Journey song, I will not put any special effort into my wardrobe, and certainly will not edit the first draft of this blog. I will only take it for what it is, hope that you will do the same, and publish it.

 

Someone once asked me, "What if there was nothing but complete understanding and compassion between us?" What if……