Song of the Day: Mashup of The Gossip and Elastica! Sweeeet! ♫ http://blip.fm/~ceyra
About Me
- Kerry
- Pop culture junkie, native of Las Vegas, not really a writer.
You can stalk me on Twitter here:
http://twitter.com/Kerry_McC
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Monday, August 24, 2009
Kings of Leon - The Joint - August 19, 2009
Saw Kings of Leon, a sold out show at the new Joint last Wednesday with my friend Shanda. Not only was it sold out, some of the security were complaining that it was OVER SOLD, and we could tell, it was ridiculously crowded. It took us forever just to maneuver the line to get in the damn place. Once we got in the first band, The Whigs (never heard of them, didn’t really get a chance to get a sense of what they’re all about), were already playing so we immediately hit the long line for beer. Only had one beer all night because after making it through the line once, there was no way I was ever getting back in it!
There was an interesting crowd at Kings of Leon, now that the band has broken through to the mainstream and become a "boy band." There were lots of girls dressed in next to nothing with ridiculously high heels. Really, why would anyone go to a three hour long, standing room only show in four inch heels? Even more odd, there was also a lot of straight boy love for KOL. There were pockets of frat-like "bros" so super psyched for the show that they were dancing emphatically (that’s the best way I can describe it), shouting towards the band, throwing their arms around each other, really, REALLY into it!! I pegged them as boys raised on hip hop and pop who didn’t know rock and roll could be like this. It was like they heard Kings of Leon on the radio and suddenly their penises reacted primally to the sound and they were converted to rock and roll. Those boys were hysterical to watch! Not surprisingly a lot of the crowd was there strictly for the radio hits and once Sex on Fire was played they cleared out. No loss there.
The band put on a great show as usual. This was my fourth time seeing them live and they are always top notch. You can tell that they have more money now because their production design is really cool with lots of video screens and lights. Lead singer Caleb Followill did have a bit of a hissy fit during the show when it appeared that his monitor wasn’t working. At one point he slammed down his mic stand after a song and had some very heated words with the stage crew. He went on to sincerely apologize to the audience making sure we understand that when he gets angry at technical issues it’s because he wants to ensure we have the best experience possible. I thought that was quite nice.
They played a good mix of new and old tracks, the highlight for me being Four Kicks, a great song to dance to! There were a ton of people taking pictures and even filming the show. I’m posting all my photos here (taken with my iPhone) and also various video I could find on youtube. Enjoy!
Slow Night, So Long:
Revelry:
Caleb chatting: “The best fans in the whole world”:
More Caleb chatting: “Want you to have the best experience”:
Milk:
There was an interesting crowd at Kings of Leon, now that the band has broken through to the mainstream and become a "boy band." There were lots of girls dressed in next to nothing with ridiculously high heels. Really, why would anyone go to a three hour long, standing room only show in four inch heels? Even more odd, there was also a lot of straight boy love for KOL. There were pockets of frat-like "bros" so super psyched for the show that they were dancing emphatically (that’s the best way I can describe it), shouting towards the band, throwing their arms around each other, really, REALLY into it!! I pegged them as boys raised on hip hop and pop who didn’t know rock and roll could be like this. It was like they heard Kings of Leon on the radio and suddenly their penises reacted primally to the sound and they were converted to rock and roll. Those boys were hysterical to watch! Not surprisingly a lot of the crowd was there strictly for the radio hits and once Sex on Fire was played they cleared out. No loss there.
The band put on a great show as usual. This was my fourth time seeing them live and they are always top notch. You can tell that they have more money now because their production design is really cool with lots of video screens and lights. Lead singer Caleb Followill did have a bit of a hissy fit during the show when it appeared that his monitor wasn’t working. At one point he slammed down his mic stand after a song and had some very heated words with the stage crew. He went on to sincerely apologize to the audience making sure we understand that when he gets angry at technical issues it’s because he wants to ensure we have the best experience possible. I thought that was quite nice.
They played a good mix of new and old tracks, the highlight for me being Four Kicks, a great song to dance to! There were a ton of people taking pictures and even filming the show. I’m posting all my photos here (taken with my iPhone) and also various video I could find on youtube. Enjoy!
Revelry:
Caleb chatting: “The best fans in the whole world”:
More Caleb chatting: “Want you to have the best experience”:
Milk:
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Kseniya Simonova - Sand Animation
This artist apparently won Ukraine's Got Talent with her sand animation. It's absolutely incredible and moving and has to be seen to be believed. Watch this.
And of course, not only is she beyond talented, she's beautiful too!
And of course, not only is she beyond talented, she's beautiful too!
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Once more unto the breach, dear friends!
Southern Utah University (SUU) in the pretty little town of Cedar City, Utah is home to the Tony award winning Utah Shakespearean Festival every summer. It’s only a two and a half hour drive from Las Vegas but despite its nearness, I’ve been shamefully neglecting it for years. I rectified this sad error over the past weekend by driving up to see two plays: Henry V and The Secret Garden (they put on six plays per year, a mixture of Shakespeare and classics/contemporary).
I do love the short drive up to Cedar City. You get to travel through the Virgin River Gorge which is one of the most expensive parts of interstate highway every constructed due to the blasting that was necessary to get through the rock. It consists of several miles of twisty road with the canyon walls towering over you in shades of red, tan, brown, and pink. Although the colors to be seen in the daytime are impressive, it’s even better to drive at night when there is little traffic and you can ignore lane dividers and cruise right through it!
I drove up Saturday morning in time to arrive for the 2:00pm performance of The Secret Garden. It’s a musical adaptation of the beloved Frances Hodgson Burnett children’s classic. It was one of my favorite books growing up and I still read it every few years or so. The production design was spare, with minimal sets and props but beautifully painted backdrops to evoke India and the gardens at Misselthwaite Manor. It required you to use your imagination but also allowed you to focus more on the dialogue and lyrics. There is an interesting device used throughout the play where the ghosts of the dead characters appear as a sort of “Greek Chorus” to propel the action of the play along. There were some significant changes from the book to create more dramatic tension between the characters but it worked. The acting was excellent, especially the children playing Mary and Colin, and the songs were delightful.
After that play I went and checked into my hotel and then decided to get some dinner before seeing Henry V that night. I used Yelp.com and found a restaurant only blocks away from the campus called The Garden House. Fitting, no? Even though I was only one person, there was a wait to be seated. It seemed like a pretty popular spot for festival attendees to dine and it was a Saturday. As I was waiting, a party of six came in and I was surprised to see the actor Brian Vaughn who had just performed as Dr. Craven in The Secret Garden amongst the group. I was surprised because I knew he was playing King Henry in the performance of Henry V that I was going to be seeing in about two hours! It’s amazing to me that these festival actors who perform several days a week, often two plays in one day, can have the energy to go out to dinner with friends in between! Brian Vaughn has been performing in the festival for over fifteen years. He actually attended college at SUU in the early 90s while I was in high school and once my theater department attended a Thespian Conference at SUU where I got to see him play Billy Flynn in the college’s production of Chicago. As we all waited for our tables, I fell into conversation with the group and relayed that anecdote while he shook his head in disbelief. That was so very long ago! They were a very nice group of people and I enjoyed chatting with them before finally being seated for dinner.
After dinner I made it to the festival grounds in time to catch the tail end of the Greenshow that goes on each night before the main performances. It’s bawdy good fun and I bought a few lollipops in the shape of Shakespeare’s head from the “wenches” that walk around with baskets of goodies on their arms.
At 8pm was the performance of Henry V. I chose this play because it was being performed in the Adams Memorial Shakespearean Theatre which is an open air replica of the Globe Theatre. Cedar City is at an elevation of 5,800 ft so it’s considerably cooler than Vegas. Seeing a play outdoors there at night is gorgeous, although bring a sweater because once the sun goes down completely, it can get a little chilly. Henry V was great to see live. Again it’s all about the imagination in this one, with the narrator urging you to follow with your mind as the actors journey from England to France, “Think, when we talk of horses, that you see them printing their proud hoofs i’ th’ receiving earth; For ‘tis your thoughts that now must deck our kings, carry them here and there, jumping o’er times, turning th’ accomplishment of many years into an hour glass.” Brian Vaughn played King Henry with great command but with a delightful twinkle in his eyes that imparted the presence of the younger and playful Prince Hal that must still dwell somewhere within the now powerful King. The side characters were equally charmingly played and the hours spent in their midst, under the stars, went quickly.
The next morning I woke early, checked out of my dumpy cheap hotel and drove 40 minutes out of my way up to Cedar Breaks National Monument. I had breakfast at the lodge and then visited the monument itself, standing on the precipice as a cold bracing wind tried to blow me back from it. I didn’t have the time to spend hiking the myriad trails, but I enjoyed the view for a while and then started on my journey home.
After rediscovering the festival over such a lovely weekend, I’m going to be sure to keep it up in years to come. Next year they are doing Much Ado About Nothing and Pride & Prejudice! Let me know if you want to join me!
I took lots of pictures with my iPhone camera. Here they are uploaded for your viewing pleasure.
This first set of five photos are from my drive through the Gorge. Yes they are shot through my windshield, while driving, that's why they are kind of crappy. No I was never in any danger. I'm an excellent driver.
This shot was taken from my seat at The Secret Garden before the play began. I really loved the white bouquet sitting on the empty stage with the blue lit curtains behind.
Flags flying over the festival.
Falstaff! Who wouldn't want to have a drink with him?
I took these next three shots of the Adams Theater in the afternoon.
This is a gnome in the garden of The Garden House restaurant.
The clock tower on the SUU campus at dusk.
These next two shots are of me entering the Globe Theater replica for the 8pm performance of Henry V.
And these two shots I took during the intermission, it is full dark now and the lights are so pretty outside the theater.
And now here are two shots of Cedar Breaks. Completely worth driving out of my way for - but COLD!
I do love the short drive up to Cedar City. You get to travel through the Virgin River Gorge which is one of the most expensive parts of interstate highway every constructed due to the blasting that was necessary to get through the rock. It consists of several miles of twisty road with the canyon walls towering over you in shades of red, tan, brown, and pink. Although the colors to be seen in the daytime are impressive, it’s even better to drive at night when there is little traffic and you can ignore lane dividers and cruise right through it!
I drove up Saturday morning in time to arrive for the 2:00pm performance of The Secret Garden. It’s a musical adaptation of the beloved Frances Hodgson Burnett children’s classic. It was one of my favorite books growing up and I still read it every few years or so. The production design was spare, with minimal sets and props but beautifully painted backdrops to evoke India and the gardens at Misselthwaite Manor. It required you to use your imagination but also allowed you to focus more on the dialogue and lyrics. There is an interesting device used throughout the play where the ghosts of the dead characters appear as a sort of “Greek Chorus” to propel the action of the play along. There were some significant changes from the book to create more dramatic tension between the characters but it worked. The acting was excellent, especially the children playing Mary and Colin, and the songs were delightful.
After that play I went and checked into my hotel and then decided to get some dinner before seeing Henry V that night. I used Yelp.com and found a restaurant only blocks away from the campus called The Garden House. Fitting, no? Even though I was only one person, there was a wait to be seated. It seemed like a pretty popular spot for festival attendees to dine and it was a Saturday. As I was waiting, a party of six came in and I was surprised to see the actor Brian Vaughn who had just performed as Dr. Craven in The Secret Garden amongst the group. I was surprised because I knew he was playing King Henry in the performance of Henry V that I was going to be seeing in about two hours! It’s amazing to me that these festival actors who perform several days a week, often two plays in one day, can have the energy to go out to dinner with friends in between! Brian Vaughn has been performing in the festival for over fifteen years. He actually attended college at SUU in the early 90s while I was in high school and once my theater department attended a Thespian Conference at SUU where I got to see him play Billy Flynn in the college’s production of Chicago. As we all waited for our tables, I fell into conversation with the group and relayed that anecdote while he shook his head in disbelief. That was so very long ago! They were a very nice group of people and I enjoyed chatting with them before finally being seated for dinner.
After dinner I made it to the festival grounds in time to catch the tail end of the Greenshow that goes on each night before the main performances. It’s bawdy good fun and I bought a few lollipops in the shape of Shakespeare’s head from the “wenches” that walk around with baskets of goodies on their arms.
At 8pm was the performance of Henry V. I chose this play because it was being performed in the Adams Memorial Shakespearean Theatre which is an open air replica of the Globe Theatre. Cedar City is at an elevation of 5,800 ft so it’s considerably cooler than Vegas. Seeing a play outdoors there at night is gorgeous, although bring a sweater because once the sun goes down completely, it can get a little chilly. Henry V was great to see live. Again it’s all about the imagination in this one, with the narrator urging you to follow with your mind as the actors journey from England to France, “Think, when we talk of horses, that you see them printing their proud hoofs i’ th’ receiving earth; For ‘tis your thoughts that now must deck our kings, carry them here and there, jumping o’er times, turning th’ accomplishment of many years into an hour glass.” Brian Vaughn played King Henry with great command but with a delightful twinkle in his eyes that imparted the presence of the younger and playful Prince Hal that must still dwell somewhere within the now powerful King. The side characters were equally charmingly played and the hours spent in their midst, under the stars, went quickly.
The next morning I woke early, checked out of my dumpy cheap hotel and drove 40 minutes out of my way up to Cedar Breaks National Monument. I had breakfast at the lodge and then visited the monument itself, standing on the precipice as a cold bracing wind tried to blow me back from it. I didn’t have the time to spend hiking the myriad trails, but I enjoyed the view for a while and then started on my journey home.
After rediscovering the festival over such a lovely weekend, I’m going to be sure to keep it up in years to come. Next year they are doing Much Ado About Nothing and Pride & Prejudice! Let me know if you want to join me!
I took lots of pictures with my iPhone camera. Here they are uploaded for your viewing pleasure.
This shot was taken from my seat at The Secret Garden before the play began. I really loved the white bouquet sitting on the empty stage with the blue lit curtains behind.
Flags flying over the festival.
Falstaff! Who wouldn't want to have a drink with him?
I took these next three shots of the Adams Theater in the afternoon.
This is a gnome in the garden of The Garden House restaurant.
The clock tower on the SUU campus at dusk.
These next two shots are of me entering the Globe Theater replica for the 8pm performance of Henry V.
And these two shots I took during the intermission, it is full dark now and the lights are so pretty outside the theater.
And now here are two shots of Cedar Breaks. Completely worth driving out of my way for - but COLD!
An Unseen Audrey Hepburn
I was visiting the Fabulon website today and he's posted some pictures of Audrey Hepburn I've NEVER seen before and I had to share them here! I highly suggest you check out this blog - he always posts the most amazing and interesting photos, kitsch, videos, etc.
Friday, August 14, 2009
(500) Days of Summer - My Review
I was eagerly anticipating (500) Days of Summer for months before its limited release and then I had to wait even longer for it to finally come to Las Vegas. Not everyone is a Zooey Deschanel fan (there’s odd backlash against her and her indie-hipster-quirky self) but I love her and Joseph Gordon-Levitt is quickly proving himself to be one of the better actors of his generation with incredible turns in films like Mysterious Skin and Brick. Between Zooey’s side life in the music industry (most notably her band She & Him with fellow indie darling M. Ward) and Joseph’s wonderful little collective website hitRECord.org they are definitely two people to watch and admire.
So anyway (500) Days of Summer: I really enjoyed it. The idea of the film is to show the arc of a relationship that spans 500 days by jumping back and forth in time. The scenes are like vignettes from different days in the relationship and every time it switches there is a title page that announces the day: (500), (488), (1), (316), (28) etc. It works kind of like a flip chart and it’s a fun concept, utilized in a way that shows the highs and lows of a relationship in a completely relatable way. Don’t we all remember our long term relationships in flashes of good days and bad days? And don’t all our memories have a difficult time sticking to chronological order?
The two leads are wonderful together and their acting is assured and honest, not flashy or over-precious. At first I was disappointed in the way that Summer (Deschanel) seemed to be underwritten as a character. But upon further reflection from myself and others I realize that the character was meant to be written that way: mysterious, unknowable, uncatchable. Tom (Gordon-Levitt) is instantly enthralled by her and is soon convinced she is the ONE for him. The majority of the film is spent revealing to him and the audience that just because someone may be the ONE for you, doesn’t mean you will be the ONE for them.
The film has some really great fantastical moments. After Tom and Summer’s first night together, Tom’s walk to work evolves into an incredibly happy-go-lucky dance number as if he’s stepped into an MGM musical, when he is particularly down about their relationship he sees himself as the protagonist in a Fellini style film, when he attends a party at Summer’s house the film goes into a split screen showing the events unfold on one side in reality, and on the other side as Tom WISHES it would. All these were fun touches that gave visual interest to the film and seemed true to the characters, not distracting.
Of course there is much hype about the music in the film: The Smiths, Belle & Sebastian, Regina Spektor, Feist, Simon & Garfunkel, Hall & Oates. Too twee? Too hipster? Too much? Maybe. But for the most part the soundtrack worked and again, it seemed true to the story and wasn’t distracting. I especially loved the drunken karaoke scene and am tempted to buy the deluxe version of the soundtrack (available on iTunes) just to get Zooey Deschanel’s adorable rendition of "Sugar Town" by Nancy Sinatra and Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s earnest "Here Comes Your Man" by The Pixies.
The one serious complaint I have about the film is the narration by, of all people, Leslie Nielson. It was really unnecessary (as most narration in film is) and just seemed an excuse for the writers to expound upon witty, wistful ideas about love and relationships in a wry, flat narrator voice. It was unnecessary because the film itself was already expounding on those ideas quite articulately and beautifully.
There were a few other little things that I could complain about, little cliché-y things, but I’m going to refrain, because they’re minor and don’t detract from the film enough to ruin my overall enjoyment of it.
Go see (500) Days of Summer and give yourself over to the bitter, the sweet, and the everything in between.
***On Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s website hitRECord.org, he’s posted the following video and here is what he had to say about it:
"Zooey's absence from the dance number in (500) Days of Summer was a tragic injustice. Here we have a remedy.
We shot (500) Days of Summer a little over a year ago. And even then, we kinda knew we had to do this. We talked about it back then, Marc and Zooey and I did. I mean, it really felt a bit wrong -- Zooey's born for musical numbers, and the one day she wasn't on set, we go and shoot a musical number? The wrong had to be righted. So when it came time to start promoting the movie, we had the idea to kill two birds with one stone.
Now I'll be honest; promotion, publicity, etc etc etc -- not usually my favorite part of the job. But this is different. This is creative. It's a work of art in its own right. And to me, it seems like so much more effective an endorsement of the movie than any interview or fashion shoot. Wouldn't you say? I wish all movie promotion could be like this: new, free bite-sized creations by the same people who made the movie. Plus it was about as purely fun a day on a set as I've ever had. Hope you like it!"
So anyway (500) Days of Summer: I really enjoyed it. The idea of the film is to show the arc of a relationship that spans 500 days by jumping back and forth in time. The scenes are like vignettes from different days in the relationship and every time it switches there is a title page that announces the day: (500), (488), (1), (316), (28) etc. It works kind of like a flip chart and it’s a fun concept, utilized in a way that shows the highs and lows of a relationship in a completely relatable way. Don’t we all remember our long term relationships in flashes of good days and bad days? And don’t all our memories have a difficult time sticking to chronological order?
The two leads are wonderful together and their acting is assured and honest, not flashy or over-precious. At first I was disappointed in the way that Summer (Deschanel) seemed to be underwritten as a character. But upon further reflection from myself and others I realize that the character was meant to be written that way: mysterious, unknowable, uncatchable. Tom (Gordon-Levitt) is instantly enthralled by her and is soon convinced she is the ONE for him. The majority of the film is spent revealing to him and the audience that just because someone may be the ONE for you, doesn’t mean you will be the ONE for them.
The film has some really great fantastical moments. After Tom and Summer’s first night together, Tom’s walk to work evolves into an incredibly happy-go-lucky dance number as if he’s stepped into an MGM musical, when he is particularly down about their relationship he sees himself as the protagonist in a Fellini style film, when he attends a party at Summer’s house the film goes into a split screen showing the events unfold on one side in reality, and on the other side as Tom WISHES it would. All these were fun touches that gave visual interest to the film and seemed true to the characters, not distracting.
Of course there is much hype about the music in the film: The Smiths, Belle & Sebastian, Regina Spektor, Feist, Simon & Garfunkel, Hall & Oates. Too twee? Too hipster? Too much? Maybe. But for the most part the soundtrack worked and again, it seemed true to the story and wasn’t distracting. I especially loved the drunken karaoke scene and am tempted to buy the deluxe version of the soundtrack (available on iTunes) just to get Zooey Deschanel’s adorable rendition of "Sugar Town" by Nancy Sinatra and Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s earnest "Here Comes Your Man" by The Pixies.
The one serious complaint I have about the film is the narration by, of all people, Leslie Nielson. It was really unnecessary (as most narration in film is) and just seemed an excuse for the writers to expound upon witty, wistful ideas about love and relationships in a wry, flat narrator voice. It was unnecessary because the film itself was already expounding on those ideas quite articulately and beautifully.
There were a few other little things that I could complain about, little cliché-y things, but I’m going to refrain, because they’re minor and don’t detract from the film enough to ruin my overall enjoyment of it.
Go see (500) Days of Summer and give yourself over to the bitter, the sweet, and the everything in between.
***On Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s website hitRECord.org, he’s posted the following video and here is what he had to say about it:
"Zooey's absence from the dance number in (500) Days of Summer was a tragic injustice. Here we have a remedy.
We shot (500) Days of Summer a little over a year ago. And even then, we kinda knew we had to do this. We talked about it back then, Marc and Zooey and I did. I mean, it really felt a bit wrong -- Zooey's born for musical numbers, and the one day she wasn't on set, we go and shoot a musical number? The wrong had to be righted. So when it came time to start promoting the movie, we had the idea to kill two birds with one stone.
Now I'll be honest; promotion, publicity, etc etc etc -- not usually my favorite part of the job. But this is different. This is creative. It's a work of art in its own right. And to me, it seems like so much more effective an endorsement of the movie than any interview or fashion shoot. Wouldn't you say? I wish all movie promotion could be like this: new, free bite-sized creations by the same people who made the movie. Plus it was about as purely fun a day on a set as I've ever had. Hope you like it!"
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
From Blip.fm - Fever Ray
My friend Nelse turned me on to Fever Ray this weekend. She's pretty cool! ♫ http://blip.fm/~blppb
Friday, August 7, 2009
My John Hughes Top 10
The passing of John Hughes is truly the end of an era. The movies he wrote in the 80s completely informed my life. I watched them over and over again. I loved Molly Ringwald because she was a redhead like me and whenever there was a redhead in the movies (Annie, Molly) or on TV (Sheila from Dungeons & Dragons), or even in a book (Anne of Green Gables) I had hope that my awful red hair wouldn't be a hindrance to me through the rest of my life the way it felt like a hindrance when I was very young. Kids are cruel. Redheads stick out. We get ridiculed. It makes no sense, but it's the way it is.
Anyway, over the summer some theaters in town had a Flashback Features series and I saw Pretty in Pink, The Breakfast Club, and Sixteen Candles on the big screen. I still know most of the words by heart. With Pretty in Pink I still love Andie and Fiona, I still hate Blaine, I still love Duckie, I still think Stef is kind of sexy, I still love The Smiths. With The Breakfast Club I still laugh at most of Bender's lines, I still feel sorry for Brian, I still hate it when they make Allison "pretty" at the end! And Sixteen Candles, oh Sixteen Candles! I couldn't wait to grow up and go to parties like the one thrown at Jake Ryan's house while his parents were out of town (I went to a few, but they never quite lived up to it). I still love Sam, I still drool over Jake, I still laugh at the Geek and Long Duk Dong. Sixteen Candles is the one I most identified with. It really got the feeling of being a teenager. I can remember being at school dances and crying over the boy that didn't know you liked him in the first place.
You can see my John Hughes Top 10 list with notes below. It wasn't easy and I've switched things around over and over again. But I think I have it set now.
1. Sixteen Candles - For all the reasons stated above it edged out Ferris to capture my number one spot.
2. Ferris Bueller's Day Off - I worshipped Ferris as a tween. He is so charming and together, yet so naughty. I love Cameron. I love the friendship between the three leads. I remember thinking it was so sweet when Sloane and Cameron are walking together slightly away from the parade, discussing Ferris and his craziness and what they'll do after graduation and Cameron is holding her hand. It was a revelation to me that a boy and a girl that are only friends could hold hands!
3. Some Kind of Wonderful - Besides Mask, Eric Stoltz has never looked more terrible than in this film, yet I loved him. He was so sensitive and artistic and blind. Who could possibly go for Amanda Jones over Watts?? Was he crazy? I wore out my copy of this soundtrack. The scene where Watts teaches Keith to kiss a girl was always my favorite. When he grasps the back of her jeans? Sexy!
4. Weird Science - I had a bit of a crush on Ilan Mitchell-Smith as Wyatt. I loved his voice, kind of raspy and squeaky. What ever happened to that kid? And Kelly LeBrock was so crazy beautiful and as Lisa she was so badass!
5. Pretty in Pink - I still don't see what Andie saw in Blaine over the devoted Duckie. All Blaine ever did was insult her: "Do you want to go home and change?" he asks, when she already had. "We could go hang out with your friends if you want, go crawl under a rock." Uh, hello asshole? Now of course, she had been friends with Duckie since childhood so he felt like a brother to her. I get that. But couldn't Hughes have written a slightly better character for her to fall for than Blaine? But still, so many great lines and scenes and music! I luv it.
6. Mr. Mom - I can't tell you how many times my cousin Jenny and I watched this movie. Michael Keaton was so funny when he went all mommy and we laughed at the way he took care of the kids: using the iron to make a grilled cheese sandwich, stapling the kid's blanket when it rips. We cracked up when he battled the vacuum cleaner and when the baby gets into the can of chili.
7. The Breakfast Club - Again, for all the reasons listed above.
8. Vacation - Chevy Chase chasing Christie Brinkley across America. That's what I think about when I think about this movie. Oh and Randy Quaid was the greatest.
9. Career Opportunities - I loved Frank Whalley. This movie is very silly and fun and speaks to that fantasy of being locked in a department store or mall overnight and what kind of fun you could have. And Jennifer Connolly is hot. I wished I looked like her in a white tank top.
10. The Great Outdoors - Boy, Chris Young sure was a dreamboat to this twelve year old girl. And the rest of the cast was a hoot too!
I'm sure I'll catch some flack for no Planes, Trains, and Automobiles, but for some reason that one missed me. It was never something I watched over and over again. Same with Uncle Buck. She's Having A Baby MIGHT have made this list, but only for the heartbreaking Kate Bush music montage at the end. That's really the only part of the movie worth watching.
I sure hope John Hughes passed with the full knowledge of what his movies have meant to my generation. It's quite a legacy he has left.
Anyway, over the summer some theaters in town had a Flashback Features series and I saw Pretty in Pink, The Breakfast Club, and Sixteen Candles on the big screen. I still know most of the words by heart. With Pretty in Pink I still love Andie and Fiona, I still hate Blaine, I still love Duckie, I still think Stef is kind of sexy, I still love The Smiths. With The Breakfast Club I still laugh at most of Bender's lines, I still feel sorry for Brian, I still hate it when they make Allison "pretty" at the end! And Sixteen Candles, oh Sixteen Candles! I couldn't wait to grow up and go to parties like the one thrown at Jake Ryan's house while his parents were out of town (I went to a few, but they never quite lived up to it). I still love Sam, I still drool over Jake, I still laugh at the Geek and Long Duk Dong. Sixteen Candles is the one I most identified with. It really got the feeling of being a teenager. I can remember being at school dances and crying over the boy that didn't know you liked him in the first place.
You can see my John Hughes Top 10 list with notes below. It wasn't easy and I've switched things around over and over again. But I think I have it set now.
1. Sixteen Candles - For all the reasons stated above it edged out Ferris to capture my number one spot.
2. Ferris Bueller's Day Off - I worshipped Ferris as a tween. He is so charming and together, yet so naughty. I love Cameron. I love the friendship between the three leads. I remember thinking it was so sweet when Sloane and Cameron are walking together slightly away from the parade, discussing Ferris and his craziness and what they'll do after graduation and Cameron is holding her hand. It was a revelation to me that a boy and a girl that are only friends could hold hands!
3. Some Kind of Wonderful - Besides Mask, Eric Stoltz has never looked more terrible than in this film, yet I loved him. He was so sensitive and artistic and blind. Who could possibly go for Amanda Jones over Watts?? Was he crazy? I wore out my copy of this soundtrack. The scene where Watts teaches Keith to kiss a girl was always my favorite. When he grasps the back of her jeans? Sexy!
4. Weird Science - I had a bit of a crush on Ilan Mitchell-Smith as Wyatt. I loved his voice, kind of raspy and squeaky. What ever happened to that kid? And Kelly LeBrock was so crazy beautiful and as Lisa she was so badass!
5. Pretty in Pink - I still don't see what Andie saw in Blaine over the devoted Duckie. All Blaine ever did was insult her: "Do you want to go home and change?" he asks, when she already had. "We could go hang out with your friends if you want, go crawl under a rock." Uh, hello asshole? Now of course, she had been friends with Duckie since childhood so he felt like a brother to her. I get that. But couldn't Hughes have written a slightly better character for her to fall for than Blaine? But still, so many great lines and scenes and music! I luv it.
6. Mr. Mom - I can't tell you how many times my cousin Jenny and I watched this movie. Michael Keaton was so funny when he went all mommy and we laughed at the way he took care of the kids: using the iron to make a grilled cheese sandwich, stapling the kid's blanket when it rips. We cracked up when he battled the vacuum cleaner and when the baby gets into the can of chili.
7. The Breakfast Club - Again, for all the reasons listed above.
8. Vacation - Chevy Chase chasing Christie Brinkley across America. That's what I think about when I think about this movie. Oh and Randy Quaid was the greatest.
9. Career Opportunities - I loved Frank Whalley. This movie is very silly and fun and speaks to that fantasy of being locked in a department store or mall overnight and what kind of fun you could have. And Jennifer Connolly is hot. I wished I looked like her in a white tank top.
10. The Great Outdoors - Boy, Chris Young sure was a dreamboat to this twelve year old girl. And the rest of the cast was a hoot too!
I'm sure I'll catch some flack for no Planes, Trains, and Automobiles, but for some reason that one missed me. It was never something I watched over and over again. Same with Uncle Buck. She's Having A Baby MIGHT have made this list, but only for the heartbreaking Kate Bush music montage at the end. That's really the only part of the movie worth watching.
I sure hope John Hughes passed with the full knowledge of what his movies have meant to my generation. It's quite a legacy he has left.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
50+ Bands/Artists I Have Seen Live
Test your memory and your love of live music by listing 50 artists or bands (or as many as you can remember) you've seen in concert. List the first 50 acts that come into your head. An act you saw at a festival and opening acts count, but only if you can't think of 50 other artists. Oh, and list the first concert you ever saw.
Yes, it's probably showing off, but I just went until I coudln't remember any more. Oh and I left off local bands completely unless they broke big (like The Killers). Otherwise, this list would have been insane.
In completely random order, except for the first one:
1. New Kids on the Block (first concert ever)
2. Wilco
3. Mazzy Star
4. The Jesus & Mary Chain
5. Pixies
6. No Doubt
7. Mighty Mighty Bosstones
8. Pavement
9. Van Morrison
10. Neko Case
11. R.E.M.
12. Kings of Leon
13. The Strokes
14. The White Stripes
15. Loretta Lynn
16. Stevie Nicks
17. Sting
18. Rufus Wainwright
19. The Violent Femmes
20. Travis
21. Blur
22. Joan Baez
23. Aimee Mann
24. Michael Penn
25. Yeah Yeah Yeahs
26. Elliot Smith
27. Grandaddy
28. We Are Scientists
29. The Stills
30. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
31. Dance Hall Crashers
32. Squirrel Nut Zippers
33. Interpol
34. Paul Simon
35. Brian Wilson
36. Bob Dylan
37. CSS
38. Cub
39. Dixie Chicks
40. Le Tigre
41. Modest Mouse
42. Rilo Kiley
43. Everclear
44. Morrissey
45. Blitzen Trapper
46. L7
47. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
48. The Killers
49. Tori Amos
50. Green Day
51. Built to Spill
52. The (International) Noise Conspiracy
53. Vampire Weekend
54. Pearl Jam
55. Mudhoney
56. Rocket From the Crypt
57. Flight of the Conchords
58. The Specials
59. Big Bad Voodoo Daddy
60. Sebadoh
61. The Like
62. Live
63. Counting Crows
64. Death Cab for Cutie (Snoozie)
65. Coldplay
66. Berlin
67. Dave Matthews Band
68. Perry Farrell
69. Porno For Pyros
70. Rollins Band
71. Voodoo Glow Skulls
72. Face to Face
73. Let's Go Bowling
74. The Honorary Title
75. Cherry Poppin' Daddies
76. Natalie Portman's Shaved Head
77. Placebo
78. The Apples in Stereo
79. Beck
80. The Breeders
81. Grant Lee Buffalo
82. Minus the Bear
83. The Helio Sequence
84. Left Standing
85. Ani Difranco
86. Jet
87. Liars
88. Nada Surf
89. Eagles of Death Metal
90. Reverand Horton Heat
91. The Shins
92. Snow Patrol
93. Ben Folds Five
94. Voodoo Glow Skulls
95. Blink 182
96. Macy Gray
97. Catherine Wheel
98. Primal Scream
99. Dramarama
100. Jenny Lewis
101. Lucious Jackson
102. Pennywise
103. Reel Big Fish
104. Natalie Merchant
105. Brian Setzer Orchestra
Yes, it's probably showing off, but I just went until I coudln't remember any more. Oh and I left off local bands completely unless they broke big (like The Killers). Otherwise, this list would have been insane.
In completely random order, except for the first one:
1. New Kids on the Block (first concert ever)
2. Wilco
3. Mazzy Star
4. The Jesus & Mary Chain
5. Pixies
6. No Doubt
7. Mighty Mighty Bosstones
8. Pavement
9. Van Morrison
10. Neko Case
11. R.E.M.
12. Kings of Leon
13. The Strokes
14. The White Stripes
15. Loretta Lynn
16. Stevie Nicks
17. Sting
18. Rufus Wainwright
19. The Violent Femmes
20. Travis
21. Blur
22. Joan Baez
23. Aimee Mann
24. Michael Penn
25. Yeah Yeah Yeahs
26. Elliot Smith
27. Grandaddy
28. We Are Scientists
29. The Stills
30. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
31. Dance Hall Crashers
32. Squirrel Nut Zippers
33. Interpol
34. Paul Simon
35. Brian Wilson
36. Bob Dylan
37. CSS
38. Cub
39. Dixie Chicks
40. Le Tigre
41. Modest Mouse
42. Rilo Kiley
43. Everclear
44. Morrissey
45. Blitzen Trapper
46. L7
47. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
48. The Killers
49. Tori Amos
50. Green Day
51. Built to Spill
52. The (International) Noise Conspiracy
53. Vampire Weekend
54. Pearl Jam
55. Mudhoney
56. Rocket From the Crypt
57. Flight of the Conchords
58. The Specials
59. Big Bad Voodoo Daddy
60. Sebadoh
61. The Like
62. Live
63. Counting Crows
64. Death Cab for Cutie (Snoozie)
65. Coldplay
66. Berlin
67. Dave Matthews Band
68. Perry Farrell
69. Porno For Pyros
70. Rollins Band
71. Voodoo Glow Skulls
72. Face to Face
73. Let's Go Bowling
74. The Honorary Title
75. Cherry Poppin' Daddies
76. Natalie Portman's Shaved Head
77. Placebo
78. The Apples in Stereo
79. Beck
80. The Breeders
81. Grant Lee Buffalo
82. Minus the Bear
83. The Helio Sequence
84. Left Standing
85. Ani Difranco
86. Jet
87. Liars
88. Nada Surf
89. Eagles of Death Metal
90. Reverand Horton Heat
91. The Shins
92. Snow Patrol
93. Ben Folds Five
94. Voodoo Glow Skulls
95. Blink 182
96. Macy Gray
97. Catherine Wheel
98. Primal Scream
99. Dramarama
100. Jenny Lewis
101. Lucious Jackson
102. Pennywise
103. Reel Big Fish
104. Natalie Merchant
105. Brian Setzer Orchestra
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