Sunday Morning Tuneage & Weekly TV (8/25/13)

Crazy week of work as usual this time of year.  It will be followed by what is typically the weirdest and most stressful of the year - it's the start of classes on Wednesday and the first football game of the season on Saturday.  And on top of that - the kids start school, Caleb keeps practicing baseball and the most stressful of all - Christian starts his Senior season of Varsity football on Friday night.  I'll be a mess that day.  Today is a full day of work and I have to get out of the house in a minute.  Until then, I'm reading reviews of TV shows for the Fall and listening to some tuneage . . . 

SUNDAY MORNING TUNEAGE

KEYSHIA COLES - PLAYA CARDZ RIGHT (feat. 2PAC)  It's funny how a song from 5 years ago can sometimes seem like a song from 5 years ago - not just the other day, like I seem to remember 2008.  I'm a fan of this song - the 2Pac rap is purported to be his last before his death but I'm thinking that's part of the "story" to sell the song.  It played on both Keyshia's album and on one of the last 2Pac albums.  Fun but dated.

SOMETHING RANDOM . . . nothing this week . . .

DEADLIGHTS OF 2013. . .  Lisa Robin Kelly was Laurie Forman - Eric's older sister on "That 70s Show" . . . Allen Lanier was the keyboardist and guitarist for Blue Oyster Cult.  He also dated Patti Smith for a time in the Seventies . . . Elmore Leonard is up there with the most influential authors in my life.  I'm talking about the hierarchy of modern writers and his Crime and Western novels have made me want to be a better writer.  Favorite works - Hombre, Get Shorty, and La Brava. . . Ted Post directed some of my favorite films and until a few years ago I never associated them with the same guy.  We all know him from MAGNUM FORCE, HANG 'EM HIGH, Twilight Zone episodes and BENEATH THE PLANET OF THE APES . . . Lee Thompson Young was Jett Jackson but he was also Chris on "Friday Night Lights" . . . 

QUICK LIST (a random, uninformed list off the top of Shawn's head)

BEST GUS VAN SANT FiLMS OF ALL-TIME

10.  ELEPHANT (2003)  Too simple to call it a retelling of the Columbine story but the likeness to that story makes it hard to think of much else.

9.  PROMISED LAND (2013)  Based on a David Eggers story.  Matt Damon seems to play the reserved role best when Gus is directing him.  These two might make some pretty impressive films in the future.

8.  MILK (2008)  I really wanted to like this more.  Really interesting "real" story makes me wish too much for a doc more than a fictional version.  Can't say that Sean Penn isn't brilliant though.

7. PSYCHO (1998)  I was totally against this when it first came out.  A shot for shot remakes seemed useless.  But now I appreciate what he was trying to do.  Just maybe not the perfect source material for this type of experiment.  The feminism of the 90s is so different than the message of the 60s.  Vince Vaughn is also miscast.  Story of some of the Van Sant films that just fall short.

6.  FINDING FORRESTER (2000)  Sean Connery plays what has become the "Robin Williams character" in Van Sant films.  It's not the most original film but I find it better upon future viewings.

5.  EVEN COWGIRLS GET THE BLUES (1993)  I feel like this film based on the Tom Robbins book doesn't get nearly enough attention anymore.  It's relatively forgotten.  Yes it's uneven.  Uma Thurman was probably not the best choice for casting.  But some really funny moments and a fun cast make this a good time. 

4.  TO DIE FOR (1995)  Matt Dillion used to be Van Sant's Matt Damon - the satire here is razor sharp.  I saw it again recently and Nicole Kidman overacts a bit for the humor but it doesn't work well against Dillon's work here.

3.  GOOD WILL HUNTING (1998)  The teaming with Affleck and Damon wouldn't make much sense on paper.  But it works and it works because Van Sant knows to tell the story from a distance.  He uses Robin Williams perfectly as a filter for the characters.

2.  MY OWN PRIVATE IDAHO (1991)  River Phoenix and Keanu Reeves probably both give their best performances of their careers.  The theme of unrequited love is really strong in this film.  The story kills me every time.

1.  DRUGSTORE COWBOY (1989)  Matt Dillion, Kelly Lynch, James LeGros and Heather Graham made the ultimate 1970s drug film.  The Portland setting was perfect and it works on so many levels.  Wonderfully acted and scripted - Van Sant tells his stories at such a leisurely pace that you need to watch for very subtle signs.  I could watch this monthly.

Huge fan of Gus Van Sant films.  He's a true filmmaker - attention to detail and revolving scenes around themes is his specialty.  But there can be problems with casting actors not right for the roles.  And sometimes that's enough to ruin a film.  His worst?  RESTLESS was dumb, LAST DAYS didn't do justice to the subject matter and PARANOID PARK about an unsolved murder in Portland should have made a wonderful film and was quite a letdown.

NETFLIX PLAY NOW OF THE WEEK . . . Start with some LCD Soundsystem on in the background with SHUT UP AND PLAY THE HITS . . . Errol Morris makes some of the very best and intriguing documentaries of all-time - watch TABLOID - I don't want to even tell you what to expect . . .  ARBITRAGE is just part of my new love for Richard Gere - half way through this and it's wonderful.

Shawn's fave movies according to FLICKCHART

#249 - Battle Royale

#546 - Wallace & Gromit: Curse of the WereRabbit

#684 - Superman III

RANDOM PROJECT UPDATE -   The SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE project.  Picked back up with a couple episodes this week.  Still making my way through Season Two.  The addition of Bill Murray in the middle of the season marked such an important move.  It right away gave the show that second star - with Belushi - that the show needed after Chevy left.  Just finished the just so-so episode with Ruth Gordon and Chuck Berry.  But next up is one of my favorites of the season - Fran Tarkenton and Leo Sayer.  What a great and weird combination.  I need to not let so much time pass between episodes.

SHAWN'S TOP ALBUMS OF ALL-TIME (a tribute to the art of the album)

#27  Still deciding . . . hard choices.

Previous Rankings

#28 - The Clash - London Calling (1979)

#29 - Public Enemy - It Takes a Nation of Millions To Hold Us Back (1988)

#30 - New Order - Power, Corruption, Lies (1983)

#31 - Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin IV (1971)

#32 - Elton John - Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (1973)

THIS WEEK IN TELEVISION

MONDAY
OLBERMANN (ESPN2)  There's no way this show can capture the magic of Patrick / Olbermann SportCenters in the 80s and 90s.  But I'm curious.  The man does know about sports and sports history.

AMERICA VS IRAQ (NAT GEO)  Interviews with Tony Blair and Dick Cheney among others help put some perspective to the past 10 years plus of battles.

TUESDAY
PRETY LITTLE LIARS (ABC FAM)  Dee will be disappointed that this is the mid-season finale for PLL.  But I think this is the spin-off for "Ravenswood".  

RGIII: THE WILL TO WIN (ESPN)  I love sports docs - this hour is on a Redskin, I know.  But he is a Baylor grad and it's really hard to not cheer for him.

WEDNESDAY
THE BRIDGE (FX)  Is this "The Killing" of this season - a show that I should be watching but haven't even read very much about?

THE MUSIC MAN (TCM)  This is the 1962 film version with Robert Preston and Shirley Jones.  I've been listening to the soundtrack lots lately - felt like watching it again and lo and behold.

THURSDAY
HOLLYWOOD GAME NIGHT (NBC)  I think people watch this.  But it's NBC, so the bar is pretty low.  

THE PITCH (AMC)  This "Mad Men"-ish show was one I wanted to check out when it debuted.  The descriptions look interesting - this week they pitch ways to get people to buy more extended warranties on home electronics.  Good luck.

FRIDAY
SIDE BY SIDE (PBS)  Keanu Reeves produced and hosts this look at the battle between traditional filmmaking and all of the digital capabilities of modern technology.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL:  TEXAS TECH VS. SMU (ESPN)  Never too early to start college football - and this Texas-sized match-up should be pretty good.  I'll have to catch up after the high school games.

SATURDAY
COLLEGE FOOTBALL (ABC / ESPN)  Saturday nights are awesome in the Fall - tonight has two great ones - Georgia vs. Clemson and LSU vs. TCU.  These are pretty awesome match-ups for the first week of NCAA Football.

AUSTIN CITY LIMITS (PBS)  Mumford and Sons from 2009.  Since I missed their concert here in Dallas and Austin - it's the closest I'll come this time around.

SUNDAY
TV'S FUNNIEST OF THE FUNNIEST: PALEY CENTER FOR MEDIA SPECIAL (NBC)  A long title for a show that I'm really interested in watching.  It's essentially just a clip show but it's a clip show about TV comedies.  Sure I've probably seen them - but they are classics because they are still great to see again.

AND NOW A WORD FROM OUR SPONSOR . . . More coming soon . . .

"I can't promise that I won't let you down.

And I can't promise you that I will be the only one around

When your hope falls down."  Mumford & Sons

Hold on to what you believe.  Stay hard.

sb

Sunday Morning Tuneage & Weekly TV (8/18/13)

This has to be the lamest tuneage in years and years.  Also, coming out of one of the weirdest and longest weeks of the past few years at work.  Since last Sunday, we essentially moved a 28,000 sq ft store a few blocks down the street to a 22,000 sq ft tent.  Late days and just plain beat from all the lifting and moving.  When I had a day off - it was sleeping and running back-to-school errands with the kids including a long day into Dallas for Dee's school.  Even put in a 8am - 6pm day yesterday.  So, this is what you get.  Lame.  Off today - rest and get back into what qualifies for "routine" this time of year.  I'll head to the gym in a second and then a lunch and start to feel right again.  Talking over what board games we're going to play later and listening to some tuneage . . . 

SUNDAY MORNING TUNEAGE

THE POLICE - EVERY BREATH YOU TAKE.  Is it possible that the biggest hit from the 1983 "Synchronicity" album is my least favorite on the disc?  This song was one of the biggest hits of the year, period.  It was a multi-Grammy Award winner too.  It's a catchy simple song but it still kinda creeps me out.  The people who use this at their weddings have never listened to the lyrics.  Love the Godley and Creme video too . . . 

SOMETHING RANDOM . . . nope.

DEADLIGHTS OF 2013. . . Trevor Storer was the founder of Pukka Pies.  If I ever get to an English soccer game - I'm going to have a steak/kidney flavored one at halftime . . . Henry Polic II was another voice from "Batman: The Animated Series" to pass away in the past month - he was the voice of Scarecrow . . . Eydie Gorme was  pat of the famous duo with her husband, Steve Lawrence.  But she had some great solo songs like "Blame It On The Bossa Nova".  Trivially she's the cousin of Neil Sedaka and she went to high school with Stanley Kubrick . . . Haji had just the right assets to become famous in Russ Meyer's FASTER PUSSYCAT KILL! KILL! and SUPERVIXENS . . . Jack Clement wrote and produced some pretty important Country songs including Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire", Charley Pride and Townes Van Zandt's albums.  He's credited with discovering Jerry Lee Lewis . . . Margaret Pellegrini was one of the last three surviving Munchkins - known as "Sleepyhead" . . .  

QUICK LIST (a random, uninformed list off the top of Shawn's head)

awaiting inspiration . . .

NETFLIX PLAY NOW OF THE WEEK . . . MY AMITYVILLE HORROR is a documentary about Daniel Lutz and the story behind his haunted house that became quite the important scary movie and book in my childhood . . . LAKEY PETERSON: ZERO TO 100 is another sport documentary (I love them!!) - she's an awesome surfer who happens to be beautiful. . . IT'S A DISASTER is a film I saw the cast of at San Diego Comic Con over a year ago - forgot that it looked really good - David Cross and Julia Styles star with a comedy troop from California.

Shawn's fave movies according to FLICKCHART

#83  - LOST IN TRANSLATION

#667 - THE FLY (1986)

#1498 - DIRTY DANCING

RANDOM PROJECT UPDATE -   will pick up a project again this afternoon.

SHAWN'S TOP ALBUMS OF ALL-TIME (a tribute to the art of the album)

#27  COMING SOON . . . 

Previous Rankings

#28 - The Clash - London Calling (1979)

#29 - Public Enemy - It Takes a Nation of Millions To Hold Us Back (1988)

#30 - New Order - Power, Corruption, Lies (1983)

#31 - Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin IV (1971)

#32 - Elton John - Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (1973)

THIS WEEK IN TELEVISION

We'll start to get into some much better options starting next week . . . 

AND NOW A WORD FROM OUR SPONSOR . . . 

"Eliminate the ninnys and the twits."  - Devo

Through being cool.  Stay hard.

sb

Sunday Morning Tuneage & Weekly TV (8/11/13)

It's that time, folks.  Graduation nights on Friday and Saturday meant a few extra long days - 13 hours yesterday.  And now the store is moving locations - so it's a 12 hour day of work today and the same for the beginning of next week.  No time to do much else this morning but eat last night's leftovers and get back on the road.  Baseball practice for Caleb all week - Christian starts his last year of football - and Dee gets ready to start school next Monday.  Sorting through my change for quarters to wash the car and listening to some tuneage . . . 

SUNDAY MORNING TUNEAGE

CHAKA KAHN - THS IS MY NIGHT.   This is from the 1984 "I Feel For You" album.  It's the lead track and a great dance song.  I may have heard the single "I Feel For You" first but this was one that I played over and over on my cassette of the album.  It later had an awesome dance mix.  But just listen to the strength of Chaka's voice - perfect start to the day.

MOODY BLUES - BLUE WORLD.  This was the end of 1983 or maybe early 1984.  It was from the first album after the great "Long Distance Voyager".  I didn't like too many songs on the album except for this single.  It was the only song that recalled some of their earlier sounds.  From this point forward, their sound became too canned for me.  But it's nice to hear this again today.

PHIL COLLINS - ANOTHER DAY IN PARADISE.  This 1989 song reminds me of my days working at the UCI Bookstore in Irvine, CA.  It seemed to play on the radio stations we listened to at work all the time in those early years.  It was a huge hit in the day and Phil hasn't had another #1 hit since this one.  Trivia from the day - that's David Crosby on backing vocals.  To me it sounds more Genesis-like - and oft confused with "Man On the Corner".

SOMETHING RANDOM . . . next time.

DEADLIGHTS OF 2013. . . Shawn Burr came up with the Detroit Red Wings and was practically my age. Scary to think he passed away from a fall in his home last week . . . George Duke was one of the first Jazz keyboard players I was aware of.   "Dukey Stick" is a funk track worth researching . . . I didn't know Art Donovan as a player for the Colts - I knew him as the teller of great stories on NFL Films presentations . . . 

QUICK LIST (a random, uninformed list off the top of Shawn's head)

BEST BRIT COMEDY SHOWS SINCE 2000

10.  THE MIGHTY BOOSH.  It's not for everyone.  I find that some people are just annoyed with the craziness of the show.  Other people think it's one of the most brilliant shows ever to come out of Britain.

9.  BLACK BOOKS.  I feel like I should be way more into this show but I guess because it took me a long time to discover it and then still haven't finished it.  Some great one-line humor.

8.  AN IDIOT ABROAD.  This could just be a Gervais-verse greatest hits list.  But this show, disguised as a travelogue with Karl is the best of the non-Ricky shows.

7.  THAT MITCHELL AND WEBB LOOK.  Guaranteed laughs.  It's a bit crazy to sustain over marathon viewings but it's extremely funny.

6.  THE INBETWEENERS.  These four lads have a chemistry that is instantly likable.  Their experiences are crazy and laugh out loud funny but the cast is what keeps this from just being annoying.

5.  LITTLE BRITAIN.  I discovered this sketch comedy by accident.  Some of the best characters of the past 13 years have come out of this show.  I don't even know where to start.  The Only Gay In The Village is a great place to start the list.  Or Vicky Pollard.  

4.  EXTRAS.  Ricky Gervais has a magic touch.  He didn't invent the "uncomfortable humor" sitcom but he helped perfect it.  This show deserves another run through, I think.  "What's ET short for?" / "Because he's only got little legs."

3.  THE OFFICE.  It would be #1 if it had lasted just a little bit longer.  This was a game changer for me and British comedies - it got me back into them for the first time since "The Young Ones".  And to think how this one show has influenced the current generation of American TV shows is amazing.

2.  THE IT CROWD.  It's a low brow type of comedy that does what the best comedies do - it doesn't insult the intelligence of the viewer.  It forces you to pay attention to details, doesn't explain references and recalls details from previous episodes.  I only wish there had been more.  Brilliant cast.  And a little crush on Jen.

1.  PEEP SHOW.  The adventures of Mark and Jez came into my life through a good friend.  I feel like I need to pass it on to others and they should pass it on to their friends.  Maybe I identify with Mark way too much too.  It's a brilliantly written series that also pays off for viewers who watch it in order.  This seems like a show that should appeal to every college age student ever.

I'm a huge fan of British Comedies - going way back.  But there's been a huge gult of great shows coming out of England in the past 13 years.  It's hard to even keep on top of the great ones - thanks goes to HBO, Hulu, Netflix and Cartoon Network among others for exposing us to them.

There are some that fall just off the list because they just didn't make it - like "Coupling".  Some I've never seen - like "Ideal" or "Green Wing".  And some that don't make the list because of the post-2000 requirement - "Fawlty Towers", "Mr. Bean" and "The League of Gentlemen".  The worst?  More like ones I didn't get - that I started and stopped early on - "Nighty Night" and "Benidorm".  

NETFLIX PLAY NOW OF THE WEEK . . . I missed this Fincher flick - ZODIAC, but I hear it's pretty good -Jake Gyllenhaal too. . . ZACK AND MIRI MAKE A PORNO is one of those Kevin Smith movies that I've seen in parts here and there on cable but I should probably see it from top to bottom (so to speak) on Netflix. . . SADAKO seems to have some connection to the Ringu series - not sure but even the middling type of reviews don't "scare" me away from wanting to check it out.

Shawn's fave movies according to FLICKCHART

#356 - LA Confidential

#484 - Intolerable Cruelty

#882 - Last American Virgin

RANDOM PROJECT UPDATE -   The DOCTOR WHO project.  My chronological trip back through the Doctor Who adventures has been hit and miss.  I've started and stopped a number of times.  I get excited and find a few stories to watch at once.  And then go months without one.  I just finished the "Abominable Snowmen" story from 1967 - still on the 2nd Doctor - this is one of the better stories and I'd love to see this one get found.  Jamie and Victoria are such charming companions - I think they make the show more than any other duo to this point.  This is important to watch to know The Great Intelligence that reappears this past season.

SHAWN'S TOP ALBUMS OF ALL-TIME (a tribute to the art of the album)

#28  The Clash - London Calling (1979)

There's something about a third album.  And in 1979, The Clash figured it all out.  This took punk rock to another level - it's pure punk but it works also as one of the best rock albums of the year.  The 70s ended with a bang and this was a shot that told us that the 80s would be quite different.  I've loved this album from the beginning - it blends rock and punk and ska and funk and it draws plenty of influence from Elvis - including the iconic cover.  I first knew "Train in Vain" but not I fall back on classics that work with great lyrics and great music like "Guns Of Brixton" and "Lost in the Supermarket".  The title song still plays on radio daily.  It's hard to imagine people today understand the importance of the lyrics without knowing the horrors of 3 Mile Island back in those days.  It's not a celebration of London, it's an indictment.  This album just doesn't ever disappoint.

"Lost In The Supermarket"

"London Calling"

"Guns of Brixton"

Previous Rankings

#29 - Public Enemy - It Takes a Nation of Millions To Hold Us Back (1988)

#30 - New Order - Power, Corruption, Lies (1983)

#31 - Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin IV (1971)

#32 - Elton John - Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (1973)

#33 - Parliament - Mothership Connection (1975)

THIS WEEK IN TELEVISION

MONDAY - no time for TV this week, so I'm not even looking.  Trust in your Tivo . . . 

AND NOW A WORD FROM OUR SPONSOR . . .  the Twix civil wars started here a year ago . . .

And now a merger . . .

They used to have these clever "need a moment" ads . . 

"Oh anything I want he gives it to me
Anything I want he give it but not for free
It's hateful and it's paid for and I'm so grateful to be nowhere
I killed all my nerves."  - The Clash

 Don't be hateful.  Stay hard.

sb

Sunday Morning Tuneage & Weekly TV (8/4/13)

We're into August.  So, it's at least six day weeks for another month and a half.  Maybe seven days a week for a few.  Last year I worked every day from August 1st to the middle of September.  That won't happen this year because I'm off today.  But we'll see the rest of the month.  Kids getting ready to get back into school related activities within days now.  Last free day might include a trip out for THE CONJURING.  Before then it's a workout and maybe some lunch.  Until I leave, just loading some Batman onto the iPad and listening to some tuneage . . .

SUNDAY MORNING TUNEAGE

AIR - PHOTOGRAPH.  I love the "Pocket Symphonies"  album and this is one of the better songs on the album.  Air have a knack for the song that sounds like it's from a movie you really wish you had watched.  I've always thought this would make a great tune over a dramatic scene.  This can't be 7 years old already, can it?  Listen and thank me later.

LIONEL RICHIE -  THE CHRISTMAS SONG.  It's been 105 all week and it will be hotter next week.  So, how does iTunes know that it's time to start slowly working in the Christmas tunes now that we're into August?  Here we go - I don't mind - hoping that it's a good Christmas about to happen.

SOMETHING RANDOM . . . looked this up after is upset Gordon so.  It's actually pretty cool.  Catchy. . . 

and then this week the whole - 40 days of dating thing got big. I'm interested but smell a fake.

DEADLIGHTS OF 2013. . . Eileen Brennan passed away and most people brought up PRIVATE BENJAMIN but they missed mentioning her role in LAST PICTURE SHOW . . . George Scott was the 1st baseman for the Red Sox and Brewers in my childhood and I remember him most for wearing a batting helmet in the field . . . the loss of Kidd Kraddick was a shock and although I didn't listen to him much, I did respect what he did for radio . . . JJ Cale wrote some Clapton classics - "After Midnight" and "Cocaine" and a Skynyrd classic "Call Me The Breeze" . . . Dennis Farina was best when cast as a mobster - my favorite roles of his "Get Shorty" and "Midnight Run" . . . Faye Hunter was one of the members of the underrated group Let's Active - very much in the REM vein of the 1980s . . . Wilford "Whizzer" White is a football player I've heard of but can't tell you much other than he's got a great nickname . . . Michael Ansara was Commander Kang in multiple Star Trek series and the voice of Mr. Freeze in "Batman: The Animated Series" and other spinoffs . . . 

QUICK LIST (a random, uninformed list off the top of Shawn's head)

BEST BILLY WILDER FILMS OF ALL-TIME

10.  THE SEVEN YEAR ITCH (1955)  Not the most important movie in this list - it's quite light in fact.  But I have a crush on Marilyn here and it plays out like a play you go see on a hot Summer night.

9.  SABRINA (1954)  Audrey Hepburn hardly has looked better.  As she falls in love with the much older Linus (Humphrey Bogart) - I fall a little more in love with her.

8.  LOVE IN THE AFTERNOON (1957)  It's got Gary Cooper and Audrey Hepburn and in classic Billy Wilder style - it has an interesting message about Capitalism.

7.  THE LOST WEEKEND (1945)  Ray Milland is the lead in one of the best films about alcoholism.  This shows that Wilder has mastered the medium - there are techniques here that new directors still can't figure out.

6.  ACE IN THE HOLE (1951)  The message is much like that of other films as Wilder makes a point against the Hollywood machine and how it exploits and eats up artists.

5.  THE APARTMENT (1960)  Watched this again a few years ago and it's one of my favorite films of the 1960s.  It's cute and funny and seems years ahead of its time.  I'm sure that you don't make "Mad Men" without knowing this movie in and out.

4.  STALAG 17 (1953)  Maybe one of the most cynical films of the 1950s.  Wilder directs Holden again and doesn't spare making either side in this Concentration Camp "comedy" look ridiculous.  It's almost beyond funny to uncomfortable - I compare it to some of the scathing Robert Altman films of the 1970s.

3.  SUNSET BOULEVARD (1950)  A defining Hollywood film.  And an important "classic" in my early movie watching.  Gloria Swanson steals the show but don't discount William Holden who's our lead through the film.  It holds up as much as any classic film - kind of a trend among Wilder films.

2.  DOUBLE INDEMNITY (1944)  I think it was just last Summer that I watched this Film Noir classic and it holds up as much or more than any other Wilder film.  Barbara Stanwyck is the perfect femme fatale.

1.  SOME LIKE IT HOT (1959)  Marilyn Monroe is a star but Lemmon and Curtis steal the show.  It might have defined the "screwball comedy" the way that we think of it today.  I watch this almost yearly.

Easily one of my Top Ten directors of All-Time.  Billy Wilder made films that all seem timeless - they have a great combination of humor and pathos that I only find in small Indy films today.  Is there a worst?  Not really that I've seen.  I'd say my "least favorites" that didn't make the list are THE FRONT PAGE (to be fair I haven't seen it since I was about 19) and KISS ME, STUPID that I should love - Kim Novak and Dean Martin.  Just off the list - good but not Top Ten are IRMA LA DOUCE and ONE, TWO, THREE and LOVE IN THE AFTERNOON (with my Audrey!!!).

NETFLIX PLAY NOW OF THE WEEK . . . INTOLERABLE CRUELTY is a Coen Bros film that escaped me somehow and now it's available instantly . . . RIPPER STREET isn't as good as COPPER but it's definitely a stylish-worth the watch show . . .  I feel like I need to watch THE JEFFREY DAHMER FILES after reading the book about him this Summer . . .

Shawn's fave movies according to FLICKCHART

#214 - The Hangover
#467 - Crimson Tide
#1172 - West Side Story 

RANDOM PROJECT UPDATE -   The CURB project.  I'm finally getting to the point of seeing the end - I've got two seasons left to catch up with this Larry David brilliance.  I finished Season Six with Larry and Cheryl breaking up.  Some of the best episodes at the end of that season with the therapist getting sent to jail and the clever N-word twists.  I'll miss the Black family.  Looks like I'm due for the Seinfeld reunion in Season Seven.

SHAWN'S TOP ALBUMS OF ALL-TIME (a tribute to the art of the album)

#29  Public Enemy - It Takes a Nation of Millions To Hold Us Back (1988)  

Their 2nd album was more than I ever could have hoped for a hip hop album in 1988.  I owned it within days of release because of the previous release.  But this took my concept of hip hop to a whole other level.  I wish I could go back and listen to it again for the first time.  Just too many good things going on here.  Strong beats, more important social commentary and just plain all out hip hop fun.  Who else could balance these things and have them all work together like this?  Chuck D became an all-timer here.  What a greatest hits of all-time type of lineup of songs - "Bring The Noise", "Rebel Without a Pause" and "Don't Believe The Hype" are amongst the strongest rap tunes ever put on vinyl.  Hank Shocklee at his producing best - if you don't think the man is a producing genius - listen to "She Watch Channel Zero" and "Show 'Em What You Got".  Amazing album.  Shake your butt for 57 minutes tonight . . . 

"Rebel Without A Pause"

'Bring The Noise"

"Don't Believe The Hype"

Previous Rankings

#30 - New Order - Power, Corruption, Lies (1983)

#31 - Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin IV (1971)

#32 - Elton John - Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (1973)

#33 - Parliament - Mothership Connection (1975)

#34 - Beastie Boys - Paul's Boutique (1989)

THIS WEEK IN TELEVISION

MONDAY

CASTING BY (HBO)  Another awesome Monday night Summer doc on HBO- this one is on the very underrated job of the casting director.  After movies come out - how often do we hear about the bad choices that almost happened?  Very curious about this movie.

THE WRITER'S ROOM (SUNDANCE)  The other more important role in a TV show is the writer - this show brings in some great TV writers of current shows like "Breaking Bad" to talk about the creation of the stories we love.

TUESDAY

HARD KNOCKS (HBO)  Usually one of the better football shows on during the season - a real good look behind the scenes at what goes on in a football training camp.  But the Bengals???  Really???

SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE (FOX)  Really great season so far, I wish that the ratings were reflecting the quality of the dancing that's happening.  We're down to the Top Ten tonight and I've yet to even figure out who the favorite should be - I really like them all.

WEDNESDAY

BROADCHURCH (BBC)  I've been more excited for this show than any other new show this year.  Murder mystery with Olivia Colman ("Peep Show") and David Tennant ("Doctor Who") star.

BEST DAYM TAKEOUT (TRAVEL)  I hope everyone here has seen Daymon Patterson's burger reviews on YouTube already.  If not, stop and go watch that first to see why I"m talking about this show.  Travel Channel has given him his own show (hope for all of us that like food) and he gets to sample the best of Atlanta tonight.

THURSDAY

CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL (TOON)  I never would have thought when I watched the original shorts on the web that this show would be starting a 5th season and be one of the funniest shows on TV.

WILFRED (FX)  I don't watch this show but it's a new episode and it a holiday themed one.  Is this show out of sync for a reason?  James Remar guests.

FRIDAY

THE CINCINNATI KID (TCM)  Norman Jewison directs Steve McQueen, Karl Malden, Tuesday Weld and the great Edward G. Robinson in this poker themed film set in 1930s New Orleans.

COMEDY BANG! BANG! (IFC)  One of the funnier shows I've caught recently and there's about 2.5 hours of it on a marathon tonight - ending with a new episode.  Guests on previous episodes include Andy Samberg, David Cross and Aziz Ansari.

SATURDAY

THE WHITE QUEEN (STARZ)  Looks like every Starz show ever and probably will generally entertain but fizzle like every Starz show ever.  If you're looking for your erotic shows to be set in the Tudor times - this looks to be right up your alley.

THE VIRGIN SUICIDES / REQUIEM FOR A DREAM (SUNDANCE)  An uplifting double feature for those of us that often stay home on Saturday nights.

SUNDAY

DEXTER (SHO)  So far behind on this show - it'll be far over by the time I catch up.  But I look at the pictures and this Hannah McKay (Yvonne Strahovski)???  Wow.  Makes one want to catch up quickly.

THE GRAPES OF WRATH (TCM)  After seeing Henry Fonda on Carson on TCM last week - I want to revisit this awesome flick.

TRUE BLOD / NEWSROOM (HBO)  Been putting them on the DVR but haven't watched a minute of either yet this season.  I hear both are alright but nothing special anymore.  Awaiting return of "Boardwalk Empire" in the Fall.

AND NOW A WORD FROM OUR SPONSOR . . .  did you know Old MacDonald was a bad speller???

And did you know that all owls aren't wise????

And a blast from the past - Dikembe blocking that paper back into the guy's butt . . . 

"The leader of the new school, uncool
Never played the fool, just made the rules
Remember there's a need to get alarmed
Again I said I was a time bomb."  - Public Enemy

 Don't believe that hype.  Stay hard.

sb