Hooray For Netflix! Part I

So I thought I'd provide a bit of a service to any of my followers.  If you have been reading my blog for a while, you have probably noticed I like to create lists.  I've been doing this for as long as I remember.  When I was 12 or 13 years old I begged, begged my mom for a book that was over $100.  It was The Baseball Encyclopedia.  I took the thousands of pages of stats in this book and re-wrote many of them in my own way.  I filled up notebook after notebook of lists based on the statistics of over one-hundred years of baseball.  Crazy, I know, but this obsessive compulsive behaviour has stuck with me.  Now I make lists of everything: the movies I own, the movies I've seen, the movies I'd like to see, baseball and hockey stats, etc., etc..  Hopefully, reading these lists on my blog has been interesting or helpful to some of you.  Well, now I get most of my movie and TV show entertainment off of Netflix, and I've heard a lot of grumbling about how Netflix Canada sucks because of their shoddy selection.  (By the way, I'm writing this as a commercial with Russell Peters came on the TV and it reminds me of how un-funny he is!  We can discuss this at another time).  (Shit, now it's Russell Oliver...all Russells suck).  Where was I?  Oh yeah, Netflix Canada doesn't have nearly as many options as it's U.S. counterpart, granted, but there is still plenty to see.  I've made a list of over 100 movies that I would like to see that I haven't seen before.  That would take up about a year of my life.  (I don't watch as many movies as I used to.  There were years I watched over 300...I know this because I have a list!).  There is no doubt that as I'm watching these 100 or so movies there would be more coming on to Netflix.   Their catalog grows, literally, daily.  I have found a website that tries to update the complete list of Netflix movies and TV shows as often as possible...let me see if I can link it here:http://netflixcanadacompletelist.blogspot.com/2011/11/complete-list-alphabetical-wed-nov-23.html
...hey, it worked...I'm usually really bad at this...
Anyway, I found another opportunity to make a list, but it's taking me longer than I thought it would, which is a good thing in this case.  What follows, if you'd like to read on, is the first part of my list of films I've seen that are currently available on Netflix Canada.  The list is only from #'s to D, and it's already over 200.  As my service to you, I have bolded movies that I think should definitely be viewed and wrote in red those that should be avoided.  I hope this list helps someone to find some great viewing, but, really, I don't care...it's just another excuse to write a list!  More to follow as I keep listing...enjoy.

1. (500) Days Of Summer - 2009
2. …And Justice For All - 1979
3. 12 Monkeys - 1995
4. 127 Hours - 2010
5. 13 Going On 30 - 2004
6. 1941 - 1979
7. 21 Grams - 2003
8. 28 Days - 2000
9. 39 Steps, The - 1935
10. A-Team, The - 2010
11. About A Boy - 2002
12. About Last Night… - 1986
13. Accepted - 2006
14. Across The Universe - 2007
15. Adaptation - 2002
16. Adventureland - 2008
17. Adventures Of Baron Munchausen, The - 1989
18. African Queen, The - 1951
19. Against All Odds - 1984
20. Age Of Innocence, The - 1993
21. Aileen: Life And Death Of A Serial Killer - 2003
22. Air America - 1990
23. Air Force One - 1997
24. Airheads - 1994
25. Aliens - 1986
26. All About Eve - 1950
27. All About Steve - 2009
28. All I Want - 2002
29. All The Real Girls - 2003
30. Along Came Polly - 2004
31. Always - 1985
32. America's Sweethearts - 2001
33. American Dreamz - 2006
34. American Gangster - 2006
35. American History X - 1998
36. American Me - 1992
37. American Movie - 1999
38. American Psycho - 2000
39. An Affair To Remember - 1957
40. An Education - 2008
41. An Evening With Kevin Smith - 2002
42. Anatomy Of A Murder - 1959
43. Angela's Ashes - 2000
44. Animal, The - 2001
45. Annie - 1982
46. Apartment, The - 1960
47. Apollo 13 - 1995
48. Appaloosa - 2008
49. Are We There Yet? - 2005
50. Arlington Road - 1999
51. Art School Confidential - 2006
52. Assassin Next Door, The - 2009
53. Assassination Of A High School President - 2008
54. Assault On Precinct 13 - 1976
55. Astronaut's Wife, The - 1999
56. Awakenings - 1990
57. Away We Go - 2009
58. Babe - 1995
59. Babe: Pig In The City - 1998
60. Backdraft - 1991
61. Bad Boys - 1995
62. Bad Lieutenant - 1992
63. Bananas - 1971
64. Barbarella - 1968
65. Barton Fink - 1991
66. BASEketball - 1998
67. Basic - 2003
68. Basic Instinct - 1992
69. Batman: The Movie - 1966
70. Be Cool - 2005
71. Be Kind Rewind - 2008
72. Beat Street - 1984
73. Beavis And Butthead Do America - 1996
74. Beethoven - 1992
75. Being John Malkovich - 1999
76. Benchwarmers, The - 2006
77. Benny And Joon - 1993
78. Bewitched - 2005
79. Big Chill, The - 1983
80. Big Hit, The - 1998
81. Billy Madison - 1995
82. Biloxi Blues - 1988
83. Birds, The - 1963
84. Birdy - 1984
85. Birth - 2004
86. Black Snake Moan - 2007
87. Black Swan - 2010
88. Blade - 1998
89. Blade: Trinity - 2004
90. Blair Witch Project, The - 1999
91. Blame It On Rio - 1984
92. Blue Lagoon, The - 1980
93. Blue Streak - 1999
94. Blue Thunder - 1983
95. Blues Brothers, The - 1980
96. Blues Brothers 2000, The - 1998
97. Boat Trip - 2000
98. Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice - 1969
99. Bobby - 2006
100. Body Double - 1984
102. Boogie Nights - 1997
103. Book Of Shadows: Blair Witch 2 - 2000
104. Boomerang - 1992
105. Border, The - 1982
106. Bottle Rocket - 1996
107. Bottle Shock - 2008
108. Bounty, The - 1984
109. Bowling For Columbine - 2002
110. Boys Don't Cry - 1999
111. Boyz N The Hood - 1991
112. Bram Stoker's Dracula - 1992
113. Breaker Morant - 1980
114. Breakfast Club, The - 1985
115. Brewster's Millions - 1985
116. Brick - 2005
117. Bridge On The River Kwai, The - 1957
118. Brief Encounter - 1945
119. Broadway Danny Rose - 1984
120. Brokedown Palace - 1999
121. Brother's Keeper - 1992
122. Brown Bunny, The - 2004
123. Bruce Almighty - 2003
124. Bubba Ho-Tep - 2003
125. Buddy Holly Story, The - 1978
126. Bugsy - 1991
127. Burbs, The - 1989
128. Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid - 1969
129. Butterfly Effect, The - 2004
130. Cabin Fever - 2002
131. Cable Guy, The - 1996
132. Caine Mutiny, The - 1954
133. Capote - 2005
134. Capturing The Friedmans - 2003
135. Carlito's Way - 1993
136. Casino - 1995
137. Cassandra's Dream - 2007
138. Cat People - 1982
139. Catch Me If You Can - 2002
140. Catch-22 - 1970
141. Cellular - 2004
142. Centre Of The World, The - 2001
143. Chaplin - 1992
144. Charlie's Angels - 2000
145. Child's Play - 1988
146. China Syndrome, The - 1979
147. Choke - 2008
148. Christine - 1983
149. Cinderella Man - 2005
150. Class - 1983
151. Clerks 2 - 2006
152. Cliffhanger - 1993
153. Clockers - 1995
154. Closer - 2004
155. Clueless - 1995
156. Coffy - 1973
157. Coneheads - 1993
158. Confidence - 2003
159. Control - 2007
160. Cool World - 1992
161. Cooler, The - 2003
162. Counterfeiters, The - 2007
163. Crank 2: High Voltage - 2009
164. Crash - 1996
165. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon - 2000
166. Cube - 1997
167. Daddy Day Care - 2003
168. Dark City - 1998
169. Date Night - 2010
170. Dawn Of The Dead - 2004
171. Day The Earth Stood Still, The - 2008
172. Dazed And Confused - 1993
173. Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid - 1982
174. Dear God - 1996
175. Dear Zachary: A Letter To A Son About His Father - 2008
176. Death At A Funeral - 2007
177. Death Wish - 1974
178. Deep, The - 1977
179. Desperate Measures - 1998
180. Devil And Daniel Johnston, The - 2005
181. Devil In A Blue Dress - 1995
182. Devil's Own, The - 1997
183. Devil's Rejects, The - 2005
184. Dinner For Schmucks - 2010
185. Dirty Dancing - 1987
186. District B13 - 2004
187. Do The Right Thing - 1989
188. Dogtown And Z-Boys - 2001
189. Dogville - 2004
190. Don't Come Knocking - 2005
191. Don't You Forget About Me - 2009
192. Donnie Brasco - 1997
193. Donnie Darko - 2001
194. Doors, The - 1991
195. Dr. Strangelove - 1964
196. Dragnet - 1987
197. Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story - 1993
198. Dream Team, The - 1989
199. Dreamland - 2006
200. Drop Dead Gorgeous - 1999
201. Dude, Where's My Car? - 2000
202. Dumb And Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd - 2003
203. Dutch - 1991

Fave Documentaries

jkg

So recently I was perusing through the selection of films on Netflix, many that I have never seen, and I came across "The Devil And Daniel Johnston", a documentary on one Daniel Johnston.  Who, you may be asking.  I asked the same question.  Here's the synopsis on Netflix that caught my interest: "This dizzying, heartbreaking documentary introduces the world to Daniel Johnston - a reclusive musical genius now in the throes of manic depression".  Musical genius?  Manic depression?  Dizzying?  How can one resist??  Anyways, I watched it, I liked it.  Daniel Johnston is just a weird dude that began writing and recording songs in his parents' basement as a teenager.  He can't sing (a drowning cat being punched in the gut would probably sound better) but he could certainly put words together in a poetic and melodic way.  He became a bit of an underground icon in New York, inspiring a great deal of bands including Sonic Youth and Nirvana.  He even made it onto an MTV special in the early days of the network.  Turns out Daniel was suffering from some mental problems and severe depression.  He wanted to be famous so badly that everything else fell by the wayside.  The film was incredibly interesting and it got me thinking about other documentaries I've seen that have not only been informative, but entertaining as well.  What makes a good documentary?  I think it's different for everybody, but for me, I like to be introduced to topics or people, like Daniel Johnston, that I would never have thought of before.  Give me some data, make it interesting and I'll remember it forever.  In that vein, here are some docs that I've seen that still leave an impression on me...and I suggest y'all have a look...'cause they're good!

Baseball (A Ken Burns Film) - 1994
How can I not start off with this one?  If you know me, you know I am always thinking about baseball.  (Sometimes movies, sometimes hockey, sometimes nude women, but mostly baseball).  I remember the anticipation of this documentary premiering on TV and it still remains one of my favourite ways to spend 20 hours.  Yes, 20 hours!!!  Baseball has been around for over a hundred and fifty years, so there was lots to cover.  Ken Burns meticulously provides info, articles, photos, video, interviews from the beginnings of the game to the present day.  Even though I know a lot about the history of the game and it's greatest moments, there was plenty of information I didn't have.  I have the complete DVD set of this doc, including a recently updated 10th Inning episode. and I still go back to it again and again.  Just freakin' love it!

Rush: Beyond The Lighted Stage - 2010
I was never a huge fan of Rush.  I liked their popular songs, the ones played on the radio that is, but I don't own any of their albums.  I became a much bigger fan of the band after watching this documentary, directed by Sam Dunn and Scot McFadyen.  Like any good doc we learn of the band from their very early beginnings in my hometown of Toronto, to their first record deal, to their first big hit, right up to the present day.  There are trials and tribulations along the way (the firing of their first drummer, the tragedy of their second drummer, the horrible synthesizers of the 1980's), but through it all the band endures and inspires.  It's great to hear from other musicians that claim to have have picked up a guitar or drumsticks because they heard "Spirit Of Radio" or "Working Man".  Great fun with great music.

The King Of Kong: A Fistful Of Quarters - 2007
Is it at all possible to find a movie about a Donkey Kong tournament interesting?  Holy man, YES!  I couldn't believe how engaged I was watching this doc.  Steve Wiebe is a man who believes he can beat the best of the best at the next tournament.  He has already set the Donkey Kong record for accumulating the most points, although the officials may not think so.  He is after the High Prince of all gaming, Billy Mitchell, a man that needs to be seen to be believed.  He's kinda like the Chuck Norris of 1980's video games.  This little documentary has more thrills and chills than 90% of the big Hollywood movies that come out every year.  I promise you, you do not have to be interested in video games at all to enjoy this film.  So great!

The Thin Blue Line - 1988
Director Errol Morris has made some very interesting documentaries, "The Fog Of War", "Standard Operating Procedure", "Mr. Death".  None of his award-winning works have come close to "The Thin Blue Line".  This doc about a botched murder trial and investigation in Texas actually got the case re-opened and the man charged and convicted walked out of prison a free man!  What?!?!?  Can movies really change the world?  Apparently so.  Morris talks to all the people involved in the case of a couple of drifters that crossed paths, one of them being convicted of murdering a police officer.  The police department and the DA's office were under extreme pressure to wrap up this case and, in the process, a lot of evidence was over-looked.  Morris uncovers this evidence and puts together a case that many lawyers would envy.  Very cool and easy to follow...and it set a man FREE!!!

Brother's Keeper - 1992
Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky put together a film that is so emotionally riveting it will stay with you for many years to come.  It has for me.  I still remember watching this doc with my mouth wide open, not quite believing what my eyes were viewing.  The story revolves around the Ward brothers.  They know nothing but farming, literally.  There are four of them, all elderly when we meet them, who all have the book education of seven-year olds.  For decades they have gone about their daily chores, living in squalor, all sleeping together in the same room.  The people in the town they live in leave them alone and just vaguely know what they are all about.  One day, one of the Ward brothers dies in his sleep.  Was it natural causes...or was it murder??  What transpires is so incredible it's hard to describe here in a few words.  But if your heart doesn't break when one of the brothers takes the stand in the trial, you're not human!

Roger & Me - 1989
I like Michael Moore.  I know, a lot of people don't.  They think he's too political, that he only shows one side of the story, that he makes his point and doesn't try to defend it.  I don't see that.  I see a man that believes in something and wants to get some facts out...maybe not all of the facts, but enough to get you thinking.  I've enjoyed all of his films, but it's his first documentary that I remember the most.  In his search to have a conversation with GM CEO Roger Smith, Moore meets some of the strange and interesting people in Flint, Michigan that are directly affected by GM shutting down manufacturing plants in their town.  From the man that has to throw people out of their homes for not being able to pay their bills, to the crazy rabbit lady just trying to make a buck, Moore sheds light onto a subject that most of us knew nothing about.  What happens to 30,000 people when they lose their jobs?  Touching and funny, this is still Moore's best effort for me.

March Of The Penguins - 2005
I knew nothing about penguins before I saw this documentary, and, quite frankly, cared even less.  I now think that these funny little birds are the most remarkable creatures on the planet!  We follow the Emperor penguins of Antarctica as they make their annual pilgrimage to the most desolate region on Earth in order to mate.  Their journey is arduous to say the least, but they do it year after year, and have been doing it for thousands of years.  Even more interesting than this remarkable journey is the personalities of these creatures captured by the filmmakers.  I am not ashamed to say I laughed out loud while watching this film, as well as cried my eyes out.  To me, this is what great documentary filmmaking is all about.  Take a subject that meant absolutely nothing to me and make me care so much about that subject less than two hours later.




There are many other documentaries that should be viewed at least once, like:
An Inconvenient Truth - 2006
Crumb - 1994
Dear Zachary: A Letter To A Son About His Father - 2008
Hearts Of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse - 1991
Man On Wire - 2008
Metal: A Headbanger's Journey - 2005
Overnight - 2003
The Kid Stays In The Picture - 2002
...and a whole lot more, but start with these and let me know what you think.

WHY..........????

So I was thinking of a few things this past weekend that continue to bother me.  Some, I'm sure, you may agree with, others you may just shake your head at me, but I need to vent, so here it goes.....

#1 - WHY can't people merge into traffic properly???  Why must they go to the very end of the merge lane before trying to squeeze in front of a car that clearly doesn't want to stop?  Hopefully, everyone knows what the road sign above indicates.  We've all seen this picture of a dude lifting his leg and peeing, right?  Simply put it means you're lane is going to end soon so ya better get over into the lane to your left.  What the sign doesn't mean is continue to drive in the right lane until there is no possible place to go but the lane to your left, so hit the brakes, start edging in and cause grief to everybody behind you!  Why is there so much traffic on our streets?  I won't say it's all because of this, there are far too many cars in our city, but the  inability to merge into traffic causes slow downs all day long...not to mention avoidable fender-benders that everybody needs to slow down to look at.  Drives me crazy!  But not as crazy as....

#2 - WHY won't people allow you to merge into traffic???  This is one of the most insane and annoying occurrences on the road.  Why do you need to feel that you're ahead of me?  We're not racing to get to the same place with a million dollar prize on the line.  If you just let me in and allow me to merge at a decent speed, you wouldn't slow down at all...everything would be fine.  But nnnooooooooooo, you have to remain at least one car ahead of me for some unknown reason.  If everyone on the roads were just a little more courteous, road-rage would drop significantly.  

#3 - WHY won't someone tell me exactly how a crane is erected???  I know, this is a strange request, but let's think of this a little bit.  Cranes are massive structures.  They must weigh a few hundred tons, correct?  I have never, in almost 40 years of living in a city that boasts the second most buildings 12-stories and higher in the world, seen a crane being erected.  NEVER!  Have you?  If so, what is the process?  I have never seen the materials for crane construction being delivered to a site.  How do they get the cranes up?  Don't they need another crane to lift the pieces?  How does THAT crane get built??  This is something that has puzzled me since I was a young lad.  I joked, kind of, that cranes must be lowered by helicopters in the middle of the night...or possibly put there by aliens.  Seriously, have you ever walked down the street, a street you walk down everyday, and all of a sudden there's a 200 foot piece of metal where there wasn't the day before?  Am I really alone in this??  Well, I know I'm pretty much alone in....

#4 - My fear of whales!!  WHY don't other people share this fear with me.  Why do I get laughed at and teased?  I don't think a whale is going to chase me down the streets of Toronto...I'm not CRAZY!!!  But, let's look at this rationally.  Whales can grow to be 100 feet long and weigh over 100 tons.  That doesn't frighten you??  You're out on the ocean, sailing away on a beautiful day and a 10-story building swims up beside you.  The thought of that doesn't freak you out?!?  Oh, but they're such gentle creatures, they would never hurt you..........HOW DO YOU KNOW?!?!?  They could swallow you whole and not even know they've done it.  And by the way, it's ok for people to have a fear of spiders but not whales?!?!?  Oh no, a spider, eek, I guess I'LL STEP ON IT!!  You can't squish a whale with a wad of Kleenex, people!  

That's all...I'll let y'all think about that for a while....

"Dear Adam"

Dear Adam,

What has happened to you? Is it me? No, it has to be you. We used to be such good friends. I would laugh at the things you'd say, snicker at the silly voices you used, even try to emulate you at times. But that was a long time ago, wasn't it? Remember back in the early 1990's when we met? You were getting your feet wet on Saturday Night Live. I never really cared for your old man voice, or Opera Man, or Canteen Boy, but there were flashes of, dare I say, greatness. You parlayed that success into two or three fairly funny movies; Happy Gilmore, Billy Madison and The Wedding Singer. Sure you used that stupid voice again, but the movies followed a simple formula of dolt makes good and learns a lesson to boot. And there were actually laugh-out-loud scenes. Brilliant movie making? Absolutely not! But not a bad way to spend 90 minutes.

Then the beginning of the end...The Waterboy. This was, apparently, the reason that ridiculously annoying voice was created. You are, I'm sure, fully aware that there is no redeeming value in The Waterboy. It's a movie made for idiots, and, even though it made millions of dollars, I lost a little respect for you. But everybody is allowed to miscalculate once, right? Benefit of the doubt, let's see where you go. Little Nicky??? Really?? Were you high when you wrote this? And wasn't this the same challenged character as The Waterboy? Where's the growth, Adam? Why were you satisfied with putting out the same movie all for the sake of money?

But then, Punch-Drunk Love came out and all was good between me and you again. You had a chance to actually act, and you did quite well. It was a side of you I wasn't sure existed, but I was happy to see it. Did this mean you would finally take some responsibility in choosing your roles? Would you start making movies that people other than stoned teenage boys would like to see? Nope...you follow this with Mr. Deeds, Eight Crazy Nights and Anger Management. Oh, Adam....

Now, even though Spanglish, Click and Reign Over Me showed a glimmer of what I saw in Punch-Drunk Love, it was all for naught. You decided to write and star in four of the worst movies EVER made. You Don't Mess With The Zohan could have been your Borat, but it failed so miserably. Grown Ups was a chance for all your buddies to get together and do silly things that only seemed funny to you. And even though I haven't see, nor will ever see, your last two creations, Bucky Larson and Jack And Jill, you have made it quite obvious that you just don't care anymore. You insult your audience by taking there money in hopes that they'll get a little more than fart jokes, getting high jokes and kick-in-the-crotch gags. Why do you hate the people that made you rich and famous? Why do you waste our time, Adam, why?? You are a 45-year old man that still, seemingly, writes a script while getting stoned with your buddies. Stop using your Hollywood cache to get horrible movies made. If I wrote Jack And Jill, do you think it would ever make it to the big screen? Of course not. And do you know why? Because it sucks, Adam...it sucks real, real bad. I am not going to watch anymore of your shit, Adam. I know this may not upset you, but it should. I represent someone who once believed in you, but has been disappointed far too many times. I know you will continue to be a huge box office success, because, God knows, there are a lot of morons out there that still think you're funny. I just won't be any part of it.

Sincerely,

Rob Steinberg