Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Tuesday Ten x Two: Music & Movies

10 things I'm listening to
  • Alanis Morrissette's "Flavors of Entanglement"
  • The Dresden Dolls
  • <--- Jennifer Hudson's "Spotlight"
  • people incessantly talking about The Dark Knight
  • Gwen Stefani "Wind it Up" it wouldn't have had such staying power for me 'cept that I have a thing for "The Lonely Goatherd"
  • Pandora
  • Pink "I'm Not Dead" --this CD never never never gets old. It's so good.
  • Coldplay
  • Jay Brannan "Goddamned"
  • Madonna "Give it 2 Me" -I hate the video. It has to be the laziest she's ever made. Borrow a little from "Hung Up". Pose a lot. 'It's a wrap'! Ugh. What's up with that?
*
10 embarrassing confessions
  • I had a Lindsay Lohan calendar. I looked at it all the time --->
  • I look for signs of open mouth or tongue when I watch old movie kisses.
  • I sometimes think that Hilary Swank is pretty.
  • I wish Madonna would try acting again.
  • I judge parenting skills in movie theaters constantly. Cut to: Late night The Dark Knight screening. Cute little 5 year old boy a row in front of me screams when he first sees Harvey Dent's disfigurement. His mom leans over and says "SHUT UP!" He whimpers quietly each subsequent time Two Face turns his zombie side to the camera. More "shut ups" follow. Nice parenting a**hole.
  • I have never seen The Godfather Part II
  • I don't always stay for all the credits when a movie ends.
  • Once in a dream Uma Thurman told me I had to choose between herself and Juliette Lewis for sexy time. I hesitated and Uma was pissed. (She slept with me anyway)
  • I still love Kirsten Dunst (this is going to be a problem again when How to Lose Friends and Alienate People starts stinking up the multiplex)
  • As an Oscar obsessed teenager I once superstitiously decided that I would literally die once I finally got around to seeing Grand Hotel (1932). I have no idea how I came to this weird premonition but I kept passing it in the video store and started feeling guilty for not renting it. Maybe that's how. Whatever. I didn't die when I saw it a few years ago. I watched it again for the Best Picture series and now I am worried again. I'm not leaving the house today for fear of freak accidents! What's up with that?

Please share embarrassing confessions in the comments so I don't feel so desperately alone. "I am alone... I am *utterly* alone." Either that or tell us what you're boppin' around to on your iPod.
*

49 comments:

Benji said...

Oh no, Nathaniel, don't give in to HS! And anyway, she'd need a retainer for a few years before we could talk pretty...

Well, you have to watch Godfather II soon anyway, eh ;-)

Embarassing confessions....hmmm...

I had Hanson-posters on my wall when I was 14.
I had fun watching National Treasure: Book of Secrets. (not the same as thinking it was good!)
I really like Titanic.
I had a chance to get an autograph from George Lucas and blew it.
I check how my eyebrows look before I leave the house.

Ok, if anyone is looking for me, I'm in the corner over there crying...

Anonymous said...

you need to fix this whole not having ever seen the Godfather Part II immediately.

embarrassing truth - The first time i saw Fellowship of the Ring, i didnt like it all that much. In fact I found it boring.... I've sense changed my tune dramatically as after several screenings I think its the best film in the series and The Lord of the Rings is the greatest accomplishment in cinema in the past 25 years.

Anonymous said...

I love the "Give It 2 Me" video! True, she doesn't really do much in it, I guess, but it's very energetic and fun to me. Plus, Pharrell is SUPER hot :drool:

Anonymous said...

"I am alone... I am *utterly* alone"

You made my day with the Beetlejuice quote!!

Rob said...

I've seen "The Godfather" but not "Godfather II" either. Want to hear something fucked up? I HAVE seen "Godfather III."

Nate Tyson said...

Simon Pegg looks kinda funny in How to Lose Friends and Alienate People. And Jeff Bridges will be funny.

Maybe it'll be...not terrible?

Deborah said...

I don't watch the credits; I check the IMDb as soon as I get home.

I have seen Somewhere in Time at least 15 times. Except I skip the reunion in heaven most of the time.

I've never seen Schindler's List.

I don't like Double Indemnity. Or Barbara Stanwyck.

I have no problem whatsoever with Keanu Reeves.

Anonymous said...

No shame in not seeing The Godfather Part II. I honestly am one of the few people in the world who seems to dislike Part II simply because it doesn't measure up to the stupendous first film. And I've gotten flak for it. Part III is on my DVR but I'm not in a rush to see that either.

Five songs from my iPod:

"Elevator Love Letter" by Stars
"Halcyon + On + On" by Orbital
"I'll Be Around" (cover) by Joan Osborne
"Let It Die" by Foo Fighters
"Say" by John Mayer

Anonymous said...

If I'm in an elevator alone, I walk in a quick circle when it's between floors. And I used to own several Duran Duran trapper keepers. And I really enjoyed Love Story. And "Freedom" by George Michael is the 6th most played song on my iTunes. But I don't find all of these confessions embarrassing. Just the elevator thing. (And Love Story.)

Anonymous said...

I don't understand the plot of "The Usual Suspects." At all.

I also can't figure out what's going on in any of the "Harry Potter" movies. I have never seen a "Lord of the Rings" movie because I would never understand the plot. I only saw the original "Star Wars" - didn't understand it. I'm worried I'm slightly stupid.

I have recurring dreams about meeting Carol Burnett...by the time I find a pen and paper for her autograph, she has to run.

I wish Ian McKellen had won best actor for "Gods & Monsters." I sometimes think about that during my commute. How odd.

Betty Draper from "Mad Men" reminds me of my mother. Since I started watching this show, I wonder if my mother was as sad Betty was. I'm worried Betty is going to die of empysema like my mother did.

Hayden said...

Well, I forget where I read someone saying that they wished Madonna and Mandy More had taken Meryl and Amanda Seyfried's parts in Mamma Mia.

Hayden said...

Oh, and the Godfather Part II has a gift for actressexuals in Diane Keaton's performance, FYI. She's really fantastic and she rounds out an amazing Best Supporting Actress lineup. Just bump out Talia Shire from Oscar's top five and you've got a perfect bunch, although, like Bergman, I wish Cortese had taken it:

1. Valentina Cortese
2. Madeline Kahn
3. Ingrid Bergman
4. Diane Keaton
5. Diane Ladd

scotjs said...

My remote gets stuck on Notting Hill everytime its on.

Hayden said...

Hey, don't be embarrassed. Notting Hill is amazing. It might be my favorite Julia Roberts romcom. It's really underrated, but most of Richard Curtis' work is. I love that Julia's not afraid to be despised.

Joe Reid said...

Ohhhh, Nathaniel, Godfather II might be by #1 movie of all time. Also, speaking of embarassing, I actually think Talia Shaire gives a good -- even great -- performance in Part III.

tim r said...

Not sure if this counts as an embarrassing confession -- it's probably borderline -- but I wanted to heartily second some of your Colin Farrell-lovin' in the sidebar there. Say what you like about the man's sputtering career to date, terrible hair in Miami Vice, and dubious taste in sex-tape pillow-talk, his In Bruges performance is shockingly goddamn good.

People need to go see.

Erm, also, I like the Martin Lawrence vehicle Dark Knight, and thought Wanted was kinda fun. So what do I know.

tim r said...

Sorry, it's called Black Knight, isn't it. I must have Batman on the brain.

J.D. said...

Don't worry, Nat. I haven't seen The Godfather Part II either!

*less than half your age*

NATHANIEL R said...

someone get this kid outta here. Who forgot to check i.ds?


;)

(p.s. please don't rub your youth in my face... it's already losing elasticity and it should not be jostled!)

J.D. said...

Awww, fiiiine. *kicks dirt, pouts*

;)

Anonymous said...

I want to date Annie Hall.

I watch Madonna's Drowned World Tour an obsessive amount of times.

Meryl Streep is my favorite actress, but I've only seen five of her films. (Sophie's Choice, Devil Wears Prada, Kramer Vs. Kramer, Adaptation., The Hours).

Cinesnatch said...

I recommend Postcards from the Edge to anon (as I'm sure Nat would)

embarressing confession ... I know all the words to Baby Got Back, except not the correct ones all the time (but I've memorized the mistakes since I didn't have google back then to check my accuracy)

Cinesnatch said...

oh, and when I was a kid, in the seclusion of my room, I did a modern dance (or what I thought was modern dance) interpretation of Madonna's "Like a Prayer" every time it came on the radio (as well as the Bangel's "Hazy Shade of Winter" and Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" ... but, who doesn't/didn't the latter)

Anonymous said...

I got locked in in a tollet in the dark, at the end of The Silence of The Lambs (you remember the ending, right?). Had to touch the walls looking for the non-existent inside lock. One of the most scariest times of my life.

Iggy

Cinesnatch said...

I can never remember how to spell the French term for appetizers ... it goes something like hoers de oeuvers ... see, I told you.

Beau said...

Ten Admissions:

-I have, do and will always love(d) 'Titanic'.
-I think 'The Return of the King' is the lesser of the three films. (The editing SUCKS.)
-I've never seen ANY of the Godfather films.
-Or Citizen Kane.
-Or Schindler's List.
-...or Singin' in the Rain.
-I think Jessica Alba has potential, if only the bitch would get a project worth her while.
-I DON'T LIKE PHILIP SEYMOUR HOFFMAN. AT ALL.
-I kinda dug 'Elizabethtown.'
-I think Hal Holbrook deserved the Oscar over Javier Bardem.

NATHANIEL R said...

* agreed
* mostly agree
* i have only seen the first!
* you must
* you should
* omg. WATCH IT NOW. It's so wondrous
* um...ew? what brought you to this conclusion?
* neither do I
* i didn't see it (eep. and I love Kiki)
* >sniffle<

Jason Adams said...

I think Godfather Part II is wholly overrated. It has some fantastic performances and is worth seeing, but it's always felt to me like a Greatest Hits album, where FFC just took a bunch more extra stuff building upon the first movie and crammed it together. The first movie, by the way, I consider PERFECT. The second... if they'd had DVDs back then, it couldve been the extras.

vinci, I have so many modern dance alone-in-my-room-as-a-teenager routines... no shame, my friend, no shame. That's essentially how my teenage years were spent. Also, I too know every word - every correct word! - to "Baby Got Back"... and I'll up you a Scat Cat rap in Paula Abdul's "Opposites Attract" and Bobby Brown's rap in the Ghostbusters II song "On Our Own". Them's my jams, man.

Charlie said...

Embarassing Confessions:

I got a blogger ID so I could comment on this site and look legit.

Haven't seen Godfather Part 2, casablanca, or citizen kane.

A few days ago I spent 12 straight hours watching the Mad Men season 1 marathon on AMC.

adam k. said...

The Streep-loving anon should definitely see Postcards, as well as Silkwood, Out of Africa, and of course Mamma Mia. And there are LOTS of others to advance to later.

I've never seen the Godfather films either.

But ok seriously, what sucks so much about ROTK's editing, other than the fact that it's too long and can't seem to end? Does that make it SUCK? Maybe it didn't deserve to WIN the oscar, but I don't see remember being particularly upset with any of it. ROTK is at worst the 2nd best of the 3.

John T said...

Ten filmic confessions:

1. I have never seen Butch Cassidy or Mean Streets.
2. I can't stand High Noon.
3. I have practiced my Oscar speech with my shampoo bottle in the shower.
4. I secretly imagine actors I was rooting for at the Oscars and what their acceptance speeches would be.
5. I've never really had a crush on a female actress-I just pretend with Kate Winslet.
6. I make cat calls during Bonnie and Clyde and Splendor in the Grass at Warren Beatty.
7. I totally think that movie love can happen in real life.
8. I have a list of every AFI category and my personally ballot for their lists.
9. I wish they'd bring Billy Crystal back to host the Oscars.
10. I legitimately think the Harry Potter kids can act.

Anonymous said...

i didn't like citizen kane & don't see what all the hoopla is about.

par3182 said...

I wish Madonna would try acting again

for the love of god, why???

elgringo said...

"I don't always stay for all the credits when a movie ends."

Does anyone? The only thing I ever stick around for is oh...here's my first embarrassing thing, the creative names of catering companies.

Here are some others:
I have NEVER walked out of a movie in theatres, even when I was having the worst time of my life thanks to The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle.

I hated the Lord of the Rings movies.

I didn't love The Dark Knight.

In High School, I listened to No Limit Records (Master P included), Insane Clown Posse, and whatever mainstream rap was on the radio.

I have the biggest man crush on Rob from High Fidelity. I want to be him, or be with him, whichever is the most possible.

Beau said...

THANK YOU, NAT. I'm glad someone else agrees with me on the subject of PSH.

As for Alba, I can't explain it. It's ineffable. I think she chooses the worst projects known to man but if someone would just shake the shit out of her a few times, she'd come up with something really legit. You never know - I, for one, never expected Theron to produce anything WITHIN THE SAME FREAKING STRATOSPHERE as 'Monster', but Alba has a nice quality about her that needs to be capitalized on. And a new agent. Seriously honey, burn that mother and kabob him like that baby in 'The Road'. No joke.

And about the editing in ROTK: I have no qualms about the ending. That's the way the book ended, sans TSOTS. It's the fact that there were FADE-OUTS.

...FADE-OUTS.

REPEATEDLY.

THIS ISN'T 1940'S FILMMAKING. A NICE DISSOLVE WOULD DO THE TRICK.
WE DON'T NEED TEN-SECOND BLACKOUTS EVERY FIVE MINUTES BEFORE RAISING THE CURTAIN ONCE MORE TO YET ANOTHER SCENE. IT TESTS THE AUDIENCE'S PATIENCE. I KNOW YOU CAN'T GET RID OF ANY OF THOSE CONCLUSIONS BUT A DISSOLVE, AT THE VERY LEAST, ISN'T A COCK-TEASE.

Also:
-Slow-motion sequence of Frodo waking up.
NO.
REAL TIME, PLEASE.
The cheese quotient was off the charts.

And will someone FOR THE LOVE OF GOD tell me WHY the editor HAD to insert Aragorn riding off the ship with the Army of the Dead RIGHT IN SMACK-DAB MIDDLE OF THE WITCH KING SCENE?
Any momentum I felt, any panic or terror, dissolved right before my very eyes.

...Hope that wasn't too frightening a rant.

Anonymous said...

I... I... laughed in the trailer for Meet Dave...

*breaks down and cries, but the circle supports him, so its ok*

Anonymous said...

@ beau

you're disgusting.

"Jessica Alba has potential" ?

BAN FOR LIFE

Michael Parsons said...

Never been embarrassed about wanting Madonna to return to acting. There is an actress in her yet dammit. She needs a real director (von Trier) to bring it out of her.

As for my confession. I have never seen any of the Godfather films. Nor The Deer Hunter, Platoon or Apocalypse Now.

But I have sat through Who's That Girl more times than I can mention.

Runs Like A Gay said...

Embarassing confessions:

When bored at work I play a fantasy football league with oscar nominated performers. Charlize Theron's XI is currently leading.

I really don't like ET.

I laughed quite a lot during The Adventures of Pluto Nash.

My ipod has been looping the autodropouts recently - not embarassing just answering the second question.

Glenn said...

I want a Lars Von Trier/Madonna collab right now.

Some thoughts about Nat's top tens:
"Wind It Up" was one of the worst songs of 2006. Dreadful.

I saw Pink's "I'm Not Dead" concert and it was pretty amazing. I find it mindboggling that in America she was the support act to Justin Timberlake (or whatever) yet down here in Australia she did 37 headline concerts, which I believe is a record.

Yeah, the "Give It 2 Me" clip is boring. It's the opposite style wise to "True Blue", but just as boring.

Most people who think Hilary Swank is dog ugly also think SJP is a grotesque monster and think Jessica Alba is the pinnacle of sexy. I'm not a Swank fan, but she ain't hideous.

Grand Hotel was... kinda dull.

Yeah, see Godfather Part II, it's amazing. The stuff with Robert DeNiro incredibly so.

My own admissions (I'm not necessarily embarrassed by all of them though):

*I've never seen Schindler's List (which seems to be a recurring admission). I have seen Citizen Kane, Casablanca and all the Godfather movies though, so that's something.

*I think One From the Heart is Francis Ford Coppola's best film, even though it was a notorious flop that sent him bankrupt.

*I would like silent movies more if I didn't think the subtitles weren't doing justice. The characters seem to talk and talk and talk and all the title card says is "Yes!"

*I think Shakespeare in Love totally deserved that Best Picture Oscar. Two, three, four times over Saving Private Ryan (a very good picture, mind you)

*I've seen Scream nearly 200 times. I watched it at least once every single day for about 3 months on end over Summer school holidays.

*I always thought Huey Lewis and the News' "I Want a New Drug" was a bizarre rip off of Ray Parker Jr's "Ghostbusters" theme, but it turns out it was the other way around.

Anonymous said...

My confessions:

I love Bollywood movies.
I have never seen a Star Wars movie.
I think Nat's voice is sexy.
The Hours is my favorite movie of the decade. Brokeback comes in second.

Walter L. Hollmann said...

I miss Madonna Movies. The rest of the world can disagree with me, I say she was FANTASTIC.

Confessions:

When we had to write short stories in school, I wrote one about how the Spice Girls tour bus broke down in front of my house and they had to live with me and Baby Spice became my girlfriend.

When I have nothing to do, I try to see how many Academy Award acting nominees I can name in each category, alphabetically, starting with the most recent and going back . I usually get up to 2000, but sometimes I forget about The Quiet American.

Glenn Dunks said...

I think a lot of people forget about The Quiet American.

Anonymous said...

Wow kd, The Hours is my favourite of the decade too... Also followed by Brokeback... In the Bedroom doesn't come third for you too, does it?!?

Luiserghio said...

My top 10 confessions...
10.-I love the prediction of the Academy Awards, but almost never love the actually winners, especially in the top 6 categories, this year was an exception.
9.-I belive that Madonna is not as bad actress as most of the people thinks she is.
8.-I never hate a M. Night Shyamalan's movie, it don't matter how stupid the movie was.
7.-I can't see Cuba Gooding Jr. in any movie.
6.-I hate Joel Schumacher's movies.
5.-I've never seen Gone with the Wind or Casablanca.
4.-I've never seen the first trilogy of Star Wars.
3.-I think that Scarface is overrated.
2.-I HATE the fact that Halle Berry won the Oscar over Nicole Kidman's performance of Satine, the fact that A Beautiful Mind won over Moulin Rouge! and the fact that Jim Broadbent won for Iris over his performance of Zidler and I hate the Ewan McGregor and Baz Luhrmann's omissions.
1.-I won a free pass to the cinema for one year (expire in march 2009) in a contest of predict the Oscar's winners, and I put the majority of winners that I saw in nathaniel's predictions, i think that i need to share with nathaniel my pass, and if you any time come to Guatemala, Central America, you'll go for free to the cinema.-

Anonymous said...

In response to Beau, I quite agree about Jessica Alba. I'm not sure how many people got to see Aaron Eckhart et. al in Meet Bill, but Alba completely nails her role. Perhaps she's one of those actresses who's quite vibrant in supporting roles but dull as the star?

Thoughts?

Anonymous said...

Pink fan alert!!!!!!

Great to see your love for her and I'm Not Dead, Nathaniel.

She'll be releasing her new album on October and new single will drop in less than a month. CAN'T WAIT and hopefully you'll throw a couple of posts her way in the upcoming weeks.

Anonymous said...

Listening to: Pet Shop Boys and Chris Rea and Josh Groban.
(Melanie)

Colin Low said...

While we're on Nathaniel's anti-groupthink crusade, a view from the other side of the coin...

1. I hated Ewan McGregor in Moulin Rouge!, especially his overbearing, obnoxious grin. Sure, perhaps he's portraying the character's romantic parasitism. But like how Reneé Zellweger unearthed Roxie Hart's fundamental unlikeability, it saps the joy (for me) out of the film. Thank goodness for Baz, Catherine, Nicole, Jim and the Diamond Dogs.

2. I wouldn't have nominated Heath Ledger for his perf in Brokeback Mountain, let alone given him an Oscar. It read like an Method Actor's Class 101 in pursing your lips, squinting, hunching, frowning and looking constipated. The gem of BBM was Anne Hathaway, who parsed three different guises of who her character thought she might be, before finally revealing a soul through the excessive makeup and accessories. As for Ledger, the Joker will sadly remain the peak of his career.

3. "You're tearing me apart!" is one of the worst line deliveries I have seen an actor give, let alone one from a performance so revered.

4. Out of AMPAS' 1972 choices, I would have given Best Picture to Cabaret instead of The Godfather, and Best Supporting Actor to Al Pacino instead of Joel Grey.

5. Rachel McAdams was the least adept at playing her character, out of the four Mean Girls.