Entertainment
Pat Melikian Interview – The Turn
Getting a film made isn’t easy, especially when you look at what gets produced these days. Inferior remakes, plot-thin action flicks, this is the kind of stuff that production companies focus on. And it sucks. Tired stories get repackaged and retold. Interesting, legitimate projects get shelved on the regular. The result is that moviegoers are left with few choices, and independent filmmakers – people who actually care about putting out fresh ideas and original stories – face insurmountable obstacles when trying to get their film out to a wider audience.
The main issue is funding. You can’t distribute a film if you don’t have the proper resources. But independent filmmakers are finding ways to get their projects funded. One such filmmaker is Pat Melikian, who wrote a poker suspense-thriller called The Turn with Tom Novak and Scott F. Evans. Novak and Melikian serve as producers for the film as well. You can view a trailer of The Turn on www.indiegogo.com/theturnfilm.
I had a chance to interview Pat Melikian to discuss The Turn and the challenges that independent filmmakers face when trying to secure funding for a quality project.
DD: What kind of movie would you say The Turn is?
PM: It’s definitely a suspense thriller. Think of it like Reservoir Dogs on a poker table.
DD: Talk a little about the cast you’ve assembled.
PM: We believe the talented cast will be enough in itself to warrant distribution of the film. They were amazing, and too easy to work with.
DD: Would I recognize any of these actors? What kind of other projects have they done?
PM: I’m positive you would recognize most of them. An all around superb group of guys. We have Joshua Fredric Smith who will be starring in the upcoming Mickey Rourke and Kim Basinger film Black November. There’s long time soap star Matt Borlenghi, from Days of Our Lives and many other TV shows and movies. The very talented Jason Gedrick from the hit film Backdraft and the short-lived Dustin Hoffman HBO horse drama Luck. David Barry Gray just starred as Todd Palin in the HBO political film Game Change. There’s also my long-time friend Dale Wade Davis, who has a recurring role in one of my favorite shows of all time, the Showtime hit Shameless.
DD: What was the inspiration for the film? How did the concept originate?
PM: Tom and I are avid poker fans. We’ve have played local tournaments, charity events and frequent home games. When we ran the idea past Scott, we all came to the conclusion that none of us have ever seen a good poker movie with the exception of Rounders. The three of us are certain that poker will be around for a long time, and it can only get more popular.
DD: How long is the film?
PM: It’s a feature length film with a running time of over 90 minutes. We are very excited about it.
DD: Who directed The Turn?
PM: Fellow writer Scott F. Evans, who also directed Big Bag of $, is the director.
DD: So all that’s holding you guys back is funding. What kind of things are you doing to get the word out?
PM: We posted the trailer for The Turn at www.indiegogo.com/theturnfilm. We also set up a Facebook page for the film. We’re proud of the work that we’ve done on the project and we hope that more people can check it out. It’s not easy being an independent filmmaker, but when you have a great story, an amazing cast and partners who believe in what they do, it makes the whole process more enjoyable. If you’d like to support us, check out the trailer and help us spread the word.
–
Say no to stale filmmaking, folks. Check out the trailer and the Facebook page and assist these promising filmmakers in bringing The Turn to a theater near you.
Jun 26th
Remember How Hot Valeria Golino Was?
I got home late the other night, flipped on the TV and started watching Big Top Pee Wee on Cinemax 5. What can I say? It was late, it was on and it seemed like a good idea at the time. While watching the romance unfold between Pee Wee Herman and Gina Piccolapupula, I realized that I haven’t seen Valeria Golino, the actress who played Gina Piccolapupula, in a really long time. Remember when Valeria Golino was absolutely on fire? Join me as I reminisce over that sick five-year run she had from 1988 to 1993.
Big Top Pee Wee was Golino’s big break (it was also the film debut of Benicio Del Toro, who Golino was engaged to for five years). Her next film was Rain Man, where she played Tom Cruise’s hot girlfriend and gave autistic Dustin Hoffman his first kiss. In 1991, she starred in Hot Shots! and followed that up two years later with Hot Shots! Part Deux.
Who could forget that steamy love scene in Hot Shots! where Charlie Sheen uses Golino’s sexy belly button as a springboard for olive sports and then fries up bacon, eggs and hash browns on her sizzling stomach? Classic!
So watching Big Top Pee Wee I kept wondering what happened to this sultry Italian bird who could sexy up two Hot Shot! films just by breathing the word “Topper.” After the Hot Shot! movies, she starred in Clean Slate with Dana Carvey and appeared in Immortal Beloved (1994), Leaving Las Vegas (1995) and Escape from LA (1996).
It seems like Golino shifted her focus to Italian cinema after that, which is kind of weird considering that her sexy voice was actually overdubbed in some of the films in her native land. She resurfaced a couple of times in US films like Things You Can Tell Just By Looking at Her and Frida, but that was like 10 years ago. From the looks of her IMDB page, she’s still making movies in France and Italy.
Anyway, I hadn’t seen her in awhile so I thought it’d be nice to revisit her high profile hotness that peaked in the US around the mid-90s. After a quick Google search, it looks like this 45 year old actress from Naples has still got it.
Valeria, we salute you!
Jun 12th
Just Dance 3 Review
When I reach for video games, I usually grab something sports-related or so mething where I can shoot people. I’ll mix in a trivia game or some other group activity type game, now and then, but usually it’s just sporty games and shooters. I have a Wii and a PS3, but I was never really big into the motion sensor games. It’s more novelty than anything else. You can only bowl and play virtual bocce ball for so long.
So a couple months ago, I walked into a bar in the Philippines on a hot night. The bar was set up with an Xbox Kinect and a few people we’re casually playing this game, Just Dance 3. I was a bit intrigued and I was there with a bunch of people. It didn’t take us very long to get all into it. A few shots in, we were all crazy involved and sweating it up on this makeshift, video game-assisted dance floor. Just a couple weeks after returning to the States I received a copy of the game to review.
Let me start by saying that this game is the ultimate summertime party starter. You can play with up to four players, and once you get a game going, it’s pretty infectious. People have no choice, really. The game just invites participation.
If you’ve never played Just Dance 3 before, let me give you a quick rundown on how the game works. Think of it like a high-energy fitness Guitar Hero, but instead of playing an instrument you have to physically match the dance moves that are displayed on screen. Whether you use a remote on the Wii or PS3, or play using the Xbox Kinect, the goal is the same. You follow an onscreen character’s movements and mimic their moves on your own dance floor. If they jump, you jump. If they spin, you spin. Whatever moves you see on the screen, you need to bust them out to the beat. There are little icons scrolling across the bottom that give you a hint of what’s to come. It’s all pretty easy once you get the hang of it.
It’s not hard to imagine how a group dance party competition type thing could really fire up a crowd quickly. This is especially true for ladies. I’m not saying that guys can’t dance, but we just get competitive in different ways. Girls just seem to lose it with this game. I’ve seen it happen on two sides of the Pacific Ocean. If you have a bunch of bored girls at your summer get-together, put this game on and see what happens. Trust me, it works.
This thing can also be used in non/party situations, primarily as a personal workout session starter. There are different levels of songs, so if you pick one that’s going to make you sweat, you can burn all kinds of calories real fast.
My main gripe with this game is the music selection. There are really only a handful of quality tunes on here. A-Ha, Donna Summer, Daft Punk, Earth, Wind & Fire, Sugarhill Gang, The Buggles – that’s pretty much it. The rest is all poppy trash that you’d only tolerate if you were in an extreme dance-off type competition and you suspended your taste for good music for long stretches at a time. And that kind of happens, so I think it speaks to the quality of the game play when you can shake it down to Britney Spears and still feel good about yourself in the morning.
The cool thing about the music selections is that you can actually download more songs that appeared on previous versions of the game. That’ll give you a few more quality options after you’ve been playing the game for awhile.
So if you have a Wii, PS3 or Xbox Kinect, and you’re planning to have people over at any point this summer, you should invest in this game. It’s affordable, infectious and a hit with the ladies.
Jun 8th
Verizon FiOS Prize Pack Giveaway
We’re working with Verizon to get the word out on their FiOS service. The 100% fiber-optic network provides extra-fast speeds for Internet uploads and streaming. That means less waiting and less buffering when you’re trying to entertain yourself with online content. FiOS also supports multiple devices for TV and Internet usage. With the Verizon MY FiOS App you can stay connected and manage your home DVR and view movies, photos and music from your phone or tablet device. Having the ability to remotely program your DVR, get voicemails from your home phone and access home monitoring and control functions while on the go is pretty convenient.
FiOS TV offers 540 digitial channels 130 HD channels and 46 commercial-free digital music channels. There are 35,000 On Demand titles to choose from and the multi-room DVR lets you watch a program in one room, finish it in another room and record and share programs across multiple TVs. You can also add widgets and other apps to your TV experience
FiOS Internet provides download speeds up to 150Mbps, even during peak hours of the day. You can upload 200 photos in under a minute, enjoy 17 milliseconds of latency when playing games online, download a two-hour movie in under six minutes and download 10 songs in under 12 seconds.
The more you bundle up these services (Internet, TV and phone), the more you save. You can even create your own custom bundle on the Verizon FiOS website.
So to promote the FiOS service, we’re giving away a Verizon Showtime Prize Pack that inclues the following items:
- A portable Verizon cooler
- Verizon duffle bag
- Verizon snuggly throw blanket
- ESPN/ Verizon swag tee’s
- Showtime video series – The Borgias and Shameless
To enter, just follow us on Twitter @MANjrcom and send us an email below. We will pick a winner at random next Friday. Good luck!
May 18th
Danny Pudi Interview
You know Danny Pudi. You’ve seen his comic skills and on-point timing on NBC’s hit show Community. Pudi plays Abed, an awkwardly loveable geek with a passion for TV and films (a guy who may or may not have Asperger’s syndrome). But Pudi’s not as socially awkward as the character he plays on TV. In fact, the guy’s a pretty smooth dude.
He’s engaging, humble and always willing to make himself the butt of a joke. He’s a sharp guy, but when it comes to his brand of humor, he’s a giver, not a taker. He has the type of humility you’d expect from a guy who grew up having to explain that he’s half Indian and half Polish.
Pudi is a mellow, approachable cat who grew up in Chicago and cut his teeth doing improve at Second City. In addition to his TV work, Pudi’s got a few film projects lined up, he’s new Dad with twins and he’s also working with Speed Stick to help guys deal with random embarrassing situations.
Yes, Pudi and Speed Stick are kicking off a new campaign called “Handle It.” The gist is this: if you’ve got a weird, totally awkward situation that you need to sort out, send a tweet to @SpeedStick (before May 14) and use the hashtag #HandleIt. Danny Pudi will select his favorite submission and the winner will get to see their submission turned into a video where Pudi will provide advice as an “inner voice.”
We talked with Pudi about the #HandleIt campaign, improvising on the set of Community, working with Chevy Chase, fame, fatherhood, Alison Brie’s hotness and a bunch of other things. Here’s the full interview:
CS: So tell me a little bit about how you got involved with Speed Stick and the #HandleIt campaign.
DP: Yeah I think they came to me and we teamed up because I too am fond of and prone to awkward moments (laughs).
CS: (laughs).
DP: Many a time. Starting from childhood when my Mom made me the center of a Polish dancing troupe and I had to explain why that was to most of my friends, all through all my awkward moments with girls and high school, with my wife – which continues to this day. That kind of stuff, from lighting myself on fire, from trying to figure out how to parent a child – which I have two kids now. I’m always hoping I will learn something from somebody else’s awkward moments. My very first red carpet for Community, I ended up walking down the carpet and realized halfway down that I had spinach in my teeth – or actually kale, I had kale in my teeth.
CS: (laughs)
DP: So these kind of things happen to me quite a bit. I even done a couple live shows here like mortified regarding some of these awkward moments. I was excited to partner with Speed Stick, cause we’re asking guys to Tweet some of their awkward stories and how they handled it to @SpeedStick with the hash tag #HandleIt. Out of those stories we’re going to make a video and I’m going to narrate it. So I’m excited to see what we’ll come up with.
CS: So were you involved in the scoping of how you wanted the campaign to play out?
DP: No not really. They came up to me and they told me that they were doing this campaign regarding “handle it” moments and I think it’s something that just kind of resonated with me because there’s nothing I enjoy more and that seems more honest and true to me as an actor and person than that awkward moment between people. And I think it’s part of why I love my characters like Abed. He’s constantly questioning social etiquette, always second guessing how you handled a situation. That to me is life. My wife makes fun of me all the time for some of the things that happen to me. I woke up one time with a squirrel in my bed and I was trying to tell people about that and I ended up freaking out and screaming, and this is when I was doing summer stock theatre. One time I walked out of a building and as I walked out of the building I was really holding in a spit and as soon as I opened the door of the building I spat. I have terrible peripheral vision and I realized I spit in a guy’s face.
CS: (laughs).
DP: I had to explain myself, make sure I didn’t get punched in the face. It was also on my shirt so I was wet. I gave him my sleeve so he could like wipe the spit off his face on my sleeve. And the guy was right next to me so it’s like (laughs) I don’t know. More than anything I’m hoping this generates a community of people who endured these awkward moments together and you have to share that you’re not the only one who has suffered (laughs).
CS: So I read that interviews kind of weird you out still. How are you coping with all the fame and attention you’ve been getting?
DP: It’s strange for me. I’m not used to it. I like to kind of do goofy things, walk around and make sure I can pick my nose in peace. But now people watch me a little bit more so that’s interesting. I do think it’s actually pretty cool too to be connecting with people, audience. The show is actually kind of making an impact. I love that. I love being able to play a character that has—like gives a voice to people. Especially a character that’s a little bit more unusual and not typical to American television. But yeah, as far as like getting used to it, it is weird. Like all of the sudden walking down the street, someone yelling “Abed! Hey Abed! You going to get coffee?” or whatever.
CS: (laughs)
DP: Or “Abed you’re buying blueberries?” and I’m just buying blueberries, just kind of stuff like that. It makes you a little self conscious but, you know, I’m doing okay.
CS: Does it change you at all or do you still feel like you’re the same dude?
DP: I still feel like I’m the same dude. Just because, I don’t know, I’ve been married for a while and most of my friends and my family are pretty down to Earth. And also my family—my mom speaks Polish, she’ll yell at me and curse me out in Polish if I’m doing anything weird. So it’s a nice way to kind of come back to reality. I do still feel like I live in a small town. And I’m not from a small town, but most of my friends and my wife, that’s really who I hang out with. The other thing is the show I’m working on, Community, they’re truly some of the greatest people and they’re very family oriented. And we are like a family so that’s all we do. We literally work and hang out with each other then we go home and that’s it. And then I cry (laughs)
CS: (Laughs)
DP: (laughs) I just find a place where I can cry once a week. That usually does the trick.
CS: So what’s it like balancing your work schedule with being a new dad?
DP: That’s really difficult – I don’t know. You’ll have to ask my wife. She has become parent of the century because we have twins too, and she’s trying to do it all. She’s incredible. I mean, I love it. We’re having so much fun. The babies are amazing we’re really blessed. They’re really inquisitive. Every day is sort of a new adventure. They’re three months old now so it’s like all these new milestones. Now they’re mimicking us a little bit. They smile at you and recognize you and man, there’s no … there’s no greater feeling in the world and also no heavier responsibility in the world. I used to like get worried or panicked about memorizing lines for Community and now I’m like if I can get to set or if I can get somewhere when the babies are down for a nap, I feel like I literally just won an NBA championship.
CS: (laughs) So do you like pop culture and movies and TV as much as your character Abed does?
DP: I do. I think that I have an appreciation for pop culture. I think I’m not as, I guess, obsessive in terms of Abed and his knowledge. I definitely don’t have the grasp and reach that Abed does, and the other writers in Community that do Abed. I feel like there are 10 brains working there. You know, there are certain things, like “Raiders of the Lost Ark” was just on the other night on USA and that’s like… I get angry when it comes on at 11:00 at night because there’s no way I’m going to be able to fall asleep. I’ve got to watch the whole movie. So there are some things like that where I do feel I fall in line with Abed, but he definitely has a way stronger knowledge. I was more of a famous sports kind of guy. I would memorize baseball cards and baseball players as a kid and I was obsessed with Michael Jordan. That was how I was sort of a fanatic.
CS: So with Community I understand that there’s lots of improvisation that goes on on the show, especially those final segments like with you and Donald Glover. Coming from Second City, that’s something that you really have to enjoy right?
DP: Oh I love it, yeah. I mean to me, I love watching theatre, I love watching TV shows, but there’s no greater inspiration for me than when I watch a really great live improv or sketch comedy show. Like a Second City or Improv Olympic show. Just because it’s just so spontaneous – you’re really part of the discovery as an audience and as a performer. And I think there’s just something really special about being in one place in one row and one moment, and everyone experiencing something truly brand new and spontaneous together. So that to me is something I just love and I think there is a spirit of that in our show definitely. I think Donald Glover and Jim Rash are exceptional improvisers, but most of our cast is really strong comedic actors. We have this group vibe that developed over three seasons. We’re really able to play off each other pretty well. But that’s just fun. Something happens, we start going in a certain way, it’s always kind of fun just to see what happens. It all starts with something specific and really man, it’s the writing which I think helps create these really great characters and allows us that sort of freedom to play.
CS: Now you kind of alluded to this already but it’s really the talent of the people that are around you, with the cast, that makes that successful improv possible, right?
DP: Yes. Definitely. That to me is like the number one thing. That’s why I love to be—I feel like I excel and I feel challenged and most excited and liberated when I’m in an ensemble working with people towards a common goal. That to me is the funniest comedy too, where two people or three people or four people are all trying to do the same thing, all failing in their own individual ways. I mean that’s really entertaining for me to watch. So it’s as simple as watching two people with their bags stuck in a door and watching one person ask for help, the second person comes to help, and these people are struggling and still they can’t figure it out. And you want to help them of course, but there’s something so entertaining about two people trying to help each other, but stuck in a bubble that I will always find entertaining.
CS: When is your character going to get a love interest?
DP: I don’t know, you know? I mean there’s been hints at it. There was the CIA agent last year and there seemed to be sort of a good dynamic between the two. I think it just clicked. Very factual dialogue, they just understood each other. Abed takes direction really well so if you tell him to kiss you now and kiss your for 4 seconds he will do that (laughs). Abed had a Han Solo moment with Annie Edison last year, I think that was fun for Abed, especially to play the heroic character. But I don’t know. It’s definitely going to take a very patient and interesting girl (laughs).
CS: (laughs)
DP: And he’s going to have to love kickboxing.
CS: (laughs) What can you tell me about the possibility of a fourth season?
DP: I don’t know. I’ve been told from others around that they’re confident in it but there’s nothing confirmed yet. We’re all still waiting, just like everybody else. I know that from the history of how I’ve been informed – like about being picked up from hiatus – I was one of the last people to find out.
CS: (laughs) Gotcha.
DP: So I do have a feeling that people on Twitter and Facebook will know probably about an hour or two before I do. Actually even sooner. I don’t know if that’s because I’m aloof or because they don’t want to tell me because they’re scared of how I’ll react (laughs).
CS: (laughs)
DP: We don’t know. We’re hopeful. I think we had a really great strong ending to season three and we’re looking forward to graduating. It makes sense and it would be fun to see what happens in the senior year at Greendale, but in the meantime we did look at every episode as a potential last episode – which is why they were so ambitious.
CS: So I read something on your Wikipedia page that sounded like the coolest couple sentences ever; that you won the Chris Farley scholarship and that lead to an improv comedy event with Jim Brewer and Dave Chapelle? I mean, that has to be insane.
DP: Oh yeah, it was completely overwhelming. I only remember about 30% of it (laughs).
CS: (laughs)
DP: I kind of feel like I’m always thrust up to these very “trial by fire” situations. It was like when I first went in to read for Community. It was Joel McHale, Chevy Chase, and Gillian Jacobs there and I didn’t know what to do. I couldn’t believe I was sitting there at this table with these people. So it’s the same thing with that event. In college I was a junior and won the scholarship. When Chris Farley passed away they developed this scholarship in his name, a comedy scholarship, I won it. At the time, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do. I was kind of a little lost, and it led me to study comedy. I was doing some theatre in college but I was really becoming more and more interested in the art of comedy. I learned that Chris Farley had studied at Second City and that eventually led to a Saturday Night Live career. The first thing I do is sign up for a class at Second City and that really kind of changed my life in terms of realizing that … first of all getting me out there so that I could do it for a living, and also it was just so much inspiration. That place is really historic and kind of an institution. Going in there and watching shows and doing shows, I just knew right then I wanted to do this for a living. And one of the first things they did, I was asked to be in this show, just improvise a little bit in between the sets that Jim Brewer and Dave Chapelle did, and I was just blown away at how good they were and also completely over my head. Which was fun though, because I realized more than anything, I needed to start studying for real.
CS: So what advice do you have for young comics or young people interested in improv that are just getting started? Is it time on task? Is it variety? What would you say to young people who are interested in following a similar path?
DP: That’s really a tricky question because I do think that people learn differently and I think people are inspired in different ways. One of the things, for me, that I know that works is I needed to be surrounded by people that are better than me. I always feel like that helps. So at Second City I made sure I’d take classes from people that I’d see on stage or really admired their talent or their point of view. So that helped. It also helped performing a lot because I think you develop your voice. I didn’t move straight to Los Angeles, I was in Chicago for about three years before I moved to Los Angeles. But Chicago allowed me to perform a ton so by the time I got to Los Angeles, even though I came out there with nothing, I at least felt like I started to develop my own comedic voice and had enough performances under my belt to kind of feel confidence when I was on stage. So that’s what I did. I watched a ton of shows. If I saw a show I liked at a theatre, I would investigate it a little bit more. And beyond that one of the things I’m obsessed with – I’m still obsessed with— is I watch people all the time. I just watch people and I talk to people and I think that there’s no greater inspiration. You learn, as an actor, just by watching people and seeing how they behave, I think that’s kind of worked for me.
CS: Now I know you’ve got some film projects coming up like Knights of Badassdom. What was it like working with Peter Dinklage from Game of Thrones?
DP: Incredible. I only spent a couple of weeks with the cast, sort of a minor role, but working with Steve Zahn and Peter Dinklage was pretty incredible. At the time Game of Thrones wasn’t out yet.
CS: Right.
DP: So I didn’t know how amazing it was. But I knew of Peter Dinklage. I mean now he’s my favorite character on Game of Thrones – the Lannisters, I mean it’s just an incredible show. That whole cast was pretty amazing, working with Steve Zahn and Ryan Kwanten. Again it’s one of those things where I love being surrounded by other actors who I’m a fan of so it’s kind of fun for me to be a fan and also be a participant in anything I do.
CS: And tell me a little bit about The Guilt Trip, the comedy written by Dan Fogleman that’s coming up.
DP: Oh yeah. That’s a fun movie. It’s with Seth Rogen and Barbara Streisand. I get a minor part where I just play a friend of Seth Rogen, but I like the story. I think it was really fun. I play a chemist, and this is one of those—I call it one of my “Sanjay” roles. I’ve definitely played quite a few Sanjays.
CS: (laughs).
DP: (laughs) I’m adding another Sanjay to the belt.
CS: Okay just a couple more questions for you, rapid fire.
DP: Okay.
CS: Is Allison Brie super hot in person?
DP: Yeah. Next? (laughs)
CS: (laughs) What’s it like sharing a stage with Chevy Chase?
DP: It is like being in a bizarre hard work study program (laughs). Next?
CS: (laughs). I think I’ll just end it there. I don’t want to take up too much time, but I appreciate the time, Danny.
DP: No worries, man. Thank you so much.
CS: All right take it easy.
DP: Cheers man.
So yea, Danny Pudi’s a pretty cool, down-to-Earth guy who can make you giggle on the fly. If you have an awkward moment to share with Danny, hit @SpeedStick up on Twitter with the hashtag #HandleIt before May 14.
Apr 30th
Top Gear Season 17 DVD Giveaway
Top Gear is awesome. You know this already. It’s like the perfect balance of supercar porn, beautiful camera work, engaging personalities and the right amount of humor and celebrity banter. Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May have been doing Top Gear since the 2002 relaunch of the BBC television series (when James May replaced previous presenter Jason Dawe). The original version of Top Gear began in 1977 as a local series on BBC Birmingham. It ended up on BBC2 and until 2001. Clarkson has been at the helm of Top Gear, which one of the most popular television programs in Britain, since 1988.
The best thing about Top Gear is that the co-presenters have such great, genuine chemistry. Clarkson is witty, pompous, self-important and clever. He treads that fine line between arrogant snob and approachable everyman. Not an easy task, this.
Richard Hammond, that impish, big-smiled comic foil, fully embraces his role as a loveable hamster. He feels approachable, but still spends an awful lot of time whitening his teeth. In 2006, Hammond survived a serious car crash when the Vampire dragster he was driving crashed while traveling at 288 MPH. He made a full recovery and returned to his Top Gear hosting duties.
James May is the black sheep of the bunch. He’s always bringing up the rear in racing challenges. His car is always first one to break down. May has appeared in different programs about space travel, science fiction, toys and wine. He balances the wonder of a child with a sharp tongue and he carries an affable underdog vibe with him at all times.
And then there’s the Stig. Some say he’s a the mystery driver who sets lap times, trains all the Stars in the Reasonably Priced Cars and has cousins all over the world. But no one knows for certain who the Stig really is. We just know that he listens to some really weird stuff when driving around the track at top speed.
Season 17 kicks off with a 50th birthday bash for the Jaguar E-Type, hosted by Jeremy Clarkson. Richard Hammond heads to South Africa to test out a Hummer on steroids and James May battles Amy Williams in Mini Rally Car race. Other highlights of the season include: a trip to Italy to test high performance hatchbacks; a head-to-head battle between the McLaren MP4-12C and the Ferrari 458 Italia; a comparison of the Jaguar XKR-S and the Nissan GT-R; demolition of derelict houses; a seaside evaluation of two electric cars (the Nissan Leaf and the Peugeot iOn); and celebrity laps from Alice Cooper, Ross Noble and Sebastian Vettel.
Mar 15th
10 Best Films of 1998
Things were different in 1998. Back then, no one worried about stuff like subprime mortgages, record unemployment or Facebook status updates. In 1998 we were just wired differently. Boy bands and ska music filled the airwaves. Politicians were worried about blue dresses and naughty White House behavior. Dawson’s Creek was a hit show. People liked saying the word “globalization.” In 1998 it seemed like we were on the brink of some sort of altruistic interconnected global culture. And the US was leading the way. We were kings of the world.
Sure in ’98 the Euros made the Euro, but we blasted a 77-year old man into outer space just to say we could. We were riding high on a dot-com bubble that wouldn’t burst for another couple years. Michael Jordan was still playing basketball. Everything was coming together. We were comfortable.
It was just a different time, man. And there were different movies back then, too. Good ones. Lots of ‘em.
For reasons that aren’t entirely clear to me, 1998 is packed with quality movies. Just an all around good mix of films you can watch over and over. Anyone can pick out a decent list of 10-15 films from just about any year. But there’s just something about these 1998 selections that, as a whole, give this year in film an extra level of distinction.
So here’s the list. It’s totally subjective and by no means comprehensive. It’s just 10 movies from 1998 that deliver nostalgic entertainment value, repeat viewability, quotable quotes and a high level of goodness.
10. Saving Private Ryan
This film has to make the cut. It’s less cerebral than The Thin Red Line and it has just the right amount of schmaltz. If I needed to dial up a gritty, big-budget WWII drama, I’d probably reach for Band of Brothers or even The Pacific, but those projects would’ve never been made without the success of this film. Quality acting and decent directing by Steven Spielberg (back when he still had the touch). Smash at the box office, 11 Academy Award nominations, you get the idea. This isn’t a film you can watch weekly, but if you haven’t seen it in awhile, it’s worth a revisit.
9. There’s Something About Mary
Might not hold up as well anymore, but if you saw this in the theaters you remember what a gut-buster it was. It was just a different type of comedy for the time. In the world of 2012, Ben Stiller’s been relegated to making movies called Heist Tower with Eddie Murphy, but in the world of 1998, Ben Stiller was about to blow up. His performance in There’s Something About Mary was classic. Plus, Cameron Diaz was attractive back then.
8. Can’t Hardly Wait
I know, this one’s all cheese. Trip McNeally. 92% The beer has gone bad. Did anyone order a loveburger? Well done.
7. Rushmore
I used to love anything that Wes Anderson did. I kind of scaled back my Wes Anderson appreciation over the years, but it’s hard not love this movie.
6. Run Lola Run
Don’t worry, it’s okay to scream in the casino.
5. Fear Loathing in Las Vegas
Some movies trip you out for a scene or two, but this entire film is one big head change. I was trippin’ balls after I saw this in theater during my first date with my now-fiancée. It’s the kinda film that makes you want ice water with extra ice.
4. The Big Lebowski
At first I didn’t get what all the fuss was about, but this is definitely a movie that gets better with repeat viewings.
3. Rounders
Pay heem hees money!
2. The Negotiator
This movie made the top three? I wonder why that is. You got two actors in their prime: Kevin Spacey and Samuel L. Jackson. This is Spacey, after The Usual Suspects and before the American Beauty overhype and Sam L, before he became a Jedi. And David Morse, you just know he isn’t a good person any time he walks on screen in any film.
1. The Siege
Pre-9/11 New York is under attack by terrorists. Denzel Washington doesn’t support torture. He’s better than that. He won’t let the fight against terrorism threaten our civil liberties. But Hawkish, internment-lover general Bruce Willis stands in his way. With the help of Annette Benning (a shorthaired spy-floozy) and Tony Shalhoub (an Arab federal agent named “Frank”), Denzel must stand up for Tariq Husseini and find the last cell before the terrorists strike again…
“Samirrrrrr!”
Man, is this movie fantastic.
Honorable Mention
Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels
Wild Things
Ronin
Croupier
Safe Men
Armageddon
A Simple Plan
What’d I miss?
Mar 11th
A Very Harold and Kumar Christmas Blu-Ray Giveaway
Who doesn’t love Harold and Kumar? The dynamic duo took us to White Castle and introduced us to the badass side of Doogie Howser, all in a smoky haze of Mary Jane. Then they tackled racial profiling, terrorism and W in the super-sequel Escape from Guantanamo Bay. So what was up next for our old friends H & K? Christmas, baby. In 3D. And although it’s kind of early to be thinking about the 2012 holiday season, we’re giving you a chance to get your Christmas on early this year. Blu-ray style.
In A Very Harold and Kumar Christmas, Harold (John Cho) and Kumar (Kal Penn) have grown apart and are preparing for their respective Yuletide celebrations. But when a mysterious package brings them back together, trouble starts brewing and Harold’s father-in-law’s prize Christmas tree goes up in smoke. Hijinks ensue when Harold and Kumar set off to cover their tracks and find a replacement tree. And don’t forget NPH. Yep, he’s back and ready for more action.
A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas comes out on Blu-Ray with UltraViolet on February 7. To promote the release, we’re giving away 2 copies of the film on DVD. To enter, just follow us on Twitter(@MANjrcom) and send us an email in the form provided below. We will pick 2 winners at random next Wednesday. Good Luck!
Feb 7th
10 Differences Between Australia and the US
I recently spent a couple weeks in Australia and it was an amazing experience. It was my first time down under, and everything about Australia more than lived up to the hype. It’s just such an awesome place. Cool people, fantastic scenery and just, you know, different. Here are 10 major differences between the Australia and the US:
Aussies Have Faith in Their Own People’s Intelligence and Ability to Understand Air Travel
Sounds kind of weird, yea? But check this – when you’re traveling by plane down under, Aussies don’t assume that you’re a complete idiot, and that’s kind of refreshing. I showed up to the airport in Melbourne (on my way to Cairns), and I was responsible for checking myself in, printing my own boarding pass, printing out and attaching my big baggage claim sticker and dropping off my luggage on a scale/conveyor belt that led to my actual flight. There’s no way Americans would be allowed to do this. People who travel light in the States, yea, you can print out your own boarding pass, but even that’s not a given. Most Americans will wait in line, even if they’re not checking any luggage. Ask these same people to print out and attach a big-ass sticker to their suitcase? Forget about it. Now go weigh your own luggage and drop it off in the appropriate area? There’s no friggin’ way. Aussies assume a level of non-retardation with their travelers that America just can’t replicate. We have to cater to too many slow people. I liked going to an airport that assumed I understood the fundamentals of airline travel. It made me feel responsible and respected as a person and an airline passenger.
Wack-Ass Internet Infrastructure
Okay Australia, what’s with the shitty Internet everywhere? I get that I’m on vacation and I shouldn’t be checking work emails or Twitter or ProFootballTalk.com and so forth, but what the hell? How come you guys charge such ridiculous fees for Wi-Fi? I can go to a bar, order a pint and get a receipt for 30 minutes of free Wi-Fi access. I can get solid chunks of free web access at a cafe or a fast food joint just for purchasing a coffee or a sandwich. Why would the hotel that costs two bills a night charge $50 a day for in-room Internet? Per device? This makes no sense at all. None. You need to sort out your Internets, Australia. It’s easier to IM people from the provinces in the Philippines.
Overall Cleanliness and Helpfulness
This can’t be overstated enough. Australia is a clean place, man. They have trash cans everywhere, with little build-in metal spots to put your cigs out. Down every street there’s a person picking up after themselves. And if you ask an Aussie to give you directions, that person will go out their way to make sure you understand where you are going. Even if they’re crazy drunk, dirtbaggy and/or dodgy-looking. And if you’re getting served an in-flight meal on a plane in Australia, the flight attendant will make sure the person in front of you puts their seat back in the upright position so that you’ll have enough space to eat your meal. All that shit goes away when you fly back home. As soon as the meal comes out, some jackass will slam their seat back. As you exit an international flight arriving in the States, you’ll be shocked at how much trash and shit people leave behind. Us Yanks think it’s our right to be slobs. We expect people to leave us alone and pick up after us. Aussies have a whole different outlook on life. They’re clean, engaging people who are always willing to help.
Tax and Tip
Okay, so when you purchase something in Australia, you don’t need to add tax, and in most circumstances, you don’t need to leave extra gratuity. The price that’s listed is what you pay. You want to get a jug of Carlton? Well, if it’s listed at $8, then you hand the bartender $8. You don’t have to pull out a $10 and fish for change to cover sales tax and 20 percent gratuity for the guy who poured your pitcher. Just pay the man the price that’s listed and you’re good to go. If you’re at a bar, there’s no need to open a tab. Just pay as you go, even if you order food. Walk up to the bar, order what you want, pay what you owe and when you’re all done, just take off. There’s no need to close out a tab, or double-check the bill or calculate tip. When you’re done, you just bounce. It’s really quite nice.
Frosty Beer Taps Everywhere
There’s nothing more enjoyable than ordering a frosty beer at a pub in Australia. Any pub you go to, when you walk in, you’ll see that the tap sticking out of the bar is covered in frost. Not like some half ass ‘that-might-be-cold’ condensation either. We’re talking full-on, snowman-style frost. So pretty much wherever you are, you’re beer will come out cold and delicious every time. This doesn’t sound like a big deal, but it can get pretty toasty in Australia, so having the ability to walk into any bar and get an extra-frosty pint is really appreciated. It kinda makes you hate beers in bottles and cans. Why go for an inferior beer dispenser when you can enjoy an icey-cold pour every single time?
Strict Liquor Pours
So when you go to a bar, you enjoy the benefits of quality beer, frosty taps, and no expected gratuity, but don’t go in thinking you’re gonna get hooked up on liquor pours. Australia is super strict about how they pour spirits in bars and restaurants. If you order a Jack and Coke, be prepared to watch the bartender push a button that will digitally measure out exactly one miniature shot of Jack Daniels in your glass. Alcoholism is a big problem in Australia, as you’d expect from a laid-back, fun-loving country full of former convicts and the descendants of former convicts. There’s a government agency in Oz whose sole purpose is to make sure you don’t get a strong pour of Scotch (seriously). Aussies are big on knowing just how much they’ve had to drink, so they can assess whether they’re over the legal limit to drive. By measuring things out so precisely, drunk Aussies can more easily count the number of drinks they’ve consumed in a given night, and then determine whether or not they’re cool to drive home. If you know this going in, you won’t waste your time tipping your way into the hopes of a strong pour. Shit, you won’t even waste your time with liquor. If you’re going to booze it up, just stick to beer. You can always get a jug of quality brew on the cheap during any happy hour.
Nobody Says You’re Welcome
Say “thank you” in Australia and you’ll hear a ton of different responses. “No worries” is by far the most popular, but it doesn’t end there. You’ll hear shit like, “oh, it’s not a problem at all” and “that’s perfectly fine and alright” and all kinds of long-winded ways to reciprocate a thanks. You won’t hear the phrase “you’re welcome,” which seems odd, because it’s a super-easy reply option, especially for people who love shortening everything. Which reminds me…
Aussies Abbreviate Everything
Aussies really do abbreviate just about everything. Even when there’s no syllable savings to be gained. Filo for Filippino, sunnies for sunglasses, ute for utility vehicle – all these all make sense. Even brekkie for breakfast or footie for football. But Brisy for Brisbane? That’s just lazy. I mean you aren’t even saving a syllable there. I’m all for shortening things that take too long to say, but Aussies seem to relish the opportunity to abbreviate, even when it doesn’t seem called for.
Meat Pies
Imagine if street food didn’t consist of hot dogs and cheap tacos and pretzels and shit. Imagine if you could go anywhere and enjoy a variety of meat pies with all kinds of sauce options. I mean, you can hit the club, go watch a cricket match, wander the city streets at odd hours, go to the train station – it really doesn’t matter where you are or what you’re up to. If you’re hungry, you can find a meat pie to eat (especially in Melbourne). And whether you like mince meat, turkey, beef, chicken, curry, eggs and bacon or some other awesome option, you’ll find a flaky crusted meat pie that’ll suit your needs. Add some sauce on that shit too – tomato sauce (aka ketchup), BBQ sauce, sweet chili sauce – It doesn’t matter. The combination of meat, flaky crust and sauce is like the perfect food.
Hot Sheilas
The women in Australia are unbelievably gorgeous. I realize that people say that about a lot of places – Europe and South America come to mind. But man, I can’t believe how much sexiness all these Aussie birds are working with. I mean, if you like cute blondes with tight/fit bodies, you’ll find at least one in every four Aussie ladies fits this description. I don’t know what it is, but there’s very a distinct type of attractiveness that you’ll encounter with Aussie girls. It’s like they all have bright eyes, winning smiles, golden faces, savvy fashion sense and compact curves. Good on you, all of Australia. Good on you.
Jan 27th
Drive DVD Giveaway
No joke, Drive was one of the best films I’ve seen in a really long time. It’s just so damn moody and atmospheric. It sucks you in with a sweet soundtrack, cool cinematic shots, quality acting, solid pacing, one really cool jacket and a whole lot of non-verbal communication. Drive balances contemplative scenes with sharp hits of ultra-violence. It’s equal parts badass action and subtle nuance, and that’s not an easy balance to maintain.
In the film, Ryan Gosling plays a Hollywood stuntman who has a side night gig as a getaway driver for hire. As Gosling gets friendly with his neighbor, Carey Mulligan, he gets caught up in a heist that goes terribly wrong. He stirs up trouble with two established gangster types (Albert Brooks and Ron Perlman) and ends up having a contract put on his life. It’s a simple plot with interesting characters and one sweet 1973 Chevy Malibu that Ryan Gosling fully restored in preparation for the role. Here’s the trailer:
Drive comes out on DVD and Blu-Ray with UltraViolet on January 31. To promote the release, we’re giving away four copies of the film on DVD. To enter, just follow us on Twitter (@MANjrcom) and send us an email in the form provided below. We will pick four winners at random next Thursday. Good Luck!
Jan 26th
